Chapter 20: Forever An Uchiha
Hey guys sorry it's been over two weeks but this month was CRAZY! Luckily next week I have a one week break so most likely there will be a new chapter soon after! Anyway like I said, this month was ALL Key Club. We had to elect our LTG and I'm so proud that my friend is one! He goes to my school and makes me so much prouder! Too bad he's working with all girls again XD. Either way, we also had to do this Whole Food's project and prepare for Earth Day and I could ramble but you already get the jist. Anyway, I wish I could to DCON this year but it's just too expensive. Next year FOR DA WORD!
By the way, I'm thinking after I finish my side project "The Way We Are" I'm going to move onto a NaruHina story. I want to a try a different couple since SasuSaku can get SOOO angsty and dramatic. There's so much more humor potential with NaruHina and I love comedies. I'm thinking of setting it in a typical high school setting and have this strong urge to make Sakura a cheerleader XD She won't be a bitchy, Queen Bee cheerleader. It would be those badass cool ones that aren't up-in-your-face-slut cheerleaders. I want to give Sakura some strength since I've realized my stories tend to make her look weak. So yeah, if you like my stories, be on the lookout for that!
Enjoy the story! Thanks for all those who read and review! I've been getting more reviews lately, which makes me super happy :)
"His name is Ideki Seto," Shizuka said softly, staring at her ring. "I met him during boarding school. He was an extremely sweet guy. Every time I got a hangover from those stupid parties, he stayed with me, making sure I was alright. He proposed to me over a month ago, before..." At this moment, she paused, glancing at Sasuke. Curious, Sasuke pressed on.
"Before what?" He repeated, drinking from his cup of water.
"Before I gave birth to my son."
Instantly, Sasuke spat out his drink, nearly choking himself to death. He punched himself several times to the chest, trying to regain his breath. He coughed loudly until his throat was no longer sore. Then, his eyes stared at Shizuka, bewildered and in complete shock. He stared at his sister as if she was a new woman. He corrected himself, not a new woman, no. More like his mother now. He glanced down to her bed, trying to avoid her face and frowned. The water he spat out was all over Shizuka's blankets, much to her disappointment, but she didn't appear surprised. Sasuke's body was fidgeting, unable to remain still.
"You're...a mother?"
Shizuka nodded. "I named him Shosuke. He was a tiny baby and I don't have any pictures to show you unfortunately. He's the most precious thing in the world. Its a shame really; I had little time with him..." Over a month since her fiancee proposed. Over a month since her son was born...
Sasuke tightened his fists, hesitant to ask his next question. "How old is he?" There was a brutal undertone to his speech that he could not hide. Shizuka closed her eyes, sighing.
"40 days old," She replied simply.
"YOU BITCH!"
Sasuke stood up suddenly, throwing the cup to the ground, smashing it to pieces. He couldn't hold in the anger anymore. His face was in rage, masked by nothing.
"YOU LEFT YOUR SON DAYS AFTER HE WAS BORN? FOR SOMETHING AS STUPID AS THE COMPANY? HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO HIM? YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE OF OUR COMPANY, YET YOU WERE WILLING TO RISK LEAVING HIM FOR GOOD? WHAT KIND OF SICK MOTHER DOES THAT TO THEIR CHILD?"
"Sasuke, calm down..." Shizuka whispered under her breath, not daring to look in her little brother's eyes.
"YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE COME OUT HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE! GODDAMNIT HE COULD HAVE GROWN UP WITHOUT A MOTHER!"
"And Madara would still be threatening you."
Sasuke stopped himself from the yelling. He breathed heavily, tired from the havoc he created in the room. His eyes were so murderous to the point that he really could kill his own sister for her actions. She left a child, no a baby, days old for something stupid like family business. Shizuka, however, also had her own anger. But unlike Sasuke, her eyes were glossy and were not fierce; instead, Sasuke saw tears brimming around her eyes. This was a rarity. It had been a long time since he saw his sister cry, especially considering the strong woman she was. Throughout it all, she contained her stern face.
"You think it was easy for me to do this? You think it was easy for me, 9 months pregnant, to fly across the globe to identify Itachi's dead body, believing you actually killed him? Do you know what it's like to worry about you constantly just days before going into labor? Did you know I was diagnosed with postpartum depression just two days after I gave birth to my son? I couldn't take care of my own son properly because I couldn't stop worrying when Madara's was going to kill you! I CAN'T BE A GOOD MOTHER TO MY SON IF I FAILED YOU AS A SISTER, SASUKE!"
Sasuke was speechless, unsure of how to react to her words. He now realized why she had returned in the first place and why at that time. It was true that Madara would still be alive if Shizuka didn't come. But everything that had happened to her...he had forever imagined that Shizuka was having the time of her life without the family. He had imagined that she didn't even care about them; she didn't even attend their parent's funeral. He had imagined many things about his long lost sister, but now he realized, his assumptions really were just imaginations. He had now just heard the reality behind it all.
"I didn't want to come back to Fire District once Shosuke was born," Shizuka confessed, wiping the tears from her eyes. Sasuke was slightly stung by her words, but she continued.
"I didn't even want anything to do with the company again, to be honest. But then Seto started taking a leave from his job not only to take care of our son, but me as well. I couldn't live properly. I forgot to change Shosuke's diapers or take him out of the bathtub or go to him when he cried. Seto did everything, but he understood too well what I was going through. When he found on the news that you were in jail for fighting Danzo, Seto told me to go to you, that you would need more than ever. He said it would therapeutic for me too if I went to you. And so I went, but I promised him that I would return in a month, ready to take care of our son again. And maybe when there's time, we could get married..."
Sasuke saw the struggles Shizuka went through her eyes. He could see how red her eyes had gotten from crying, but Shizuka was a strong woman. She was a woman who rarely cried, even when he was a child. This sister of his was not the same one he knew. But that didn't matter anymore, really.
"You can go back to them tomorrow," Sasuke said in a monotone. "And stay there while you're at it."
Shizuka chuckled. "Do you really hate me that much?"
Sasuke shook his head. "Just what you did for me."
"Tsunade is right; you don't know how to properly thank people," Shizuka teased lightly.
"Shizuka..." Sasuke began again softly, biting his lips. "What am I supposed to do?"
Shizuka shrugged. "Jiraiya will help you out with every decision you make. But in the end, it's your choice."
"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.
"You don't have to be CEO, Sasuke," She responded, but it was all riddles to Sasuke.
"Didn't you just sell me all your shares?" Sasuke grunted angrily.
"I mean you could always sell the company."
Sasuke stiffen at her words.
"Currently, the company is worth only 10 billion, the lowest it's ever been after Madara's scandal. However, that's still enough for you to retire for life and live life peacefully. Nobody will bother you or your friends again..." Shizuka explained solemnly. She turned to Sasuke, who stood there shaking on the revelation.
"I gave you my shares so you could make a choice, Sasuke. Will you honor our family or choose a future with your friends? You can't have them both."
He didn't know how to answer this question. A normal person would choose the later, but Sasuke did not consider himself normal. It wasn't just a matter of friends over family. Especially when it came to one's reputation and name on the line. It wasn't just Sasuke's name either. It was the Uchiha itself. But then, he couldn't stay with Naruto and Sakura forever. They were well into their senior year. In just a few months, they would be graduating, become full-time adults. In just a few months, their childhood was over.
"The choice is yours, Sasuke," Shizuka continued. "I cannot control how you live your life."
"When's the wedding?"
Shizuka stared at him, raising an eyebrow. Perplexed, she opened her mouth slightly. "W-What?"
"Your wedding," Sasuke said calmly. "It's traditional for a male relative to walk you down the aisle. That's the least I can do for you, neesan."
Shizuka's eyes widened. She heard it, and Sasuke could see the effect taking on her. For the first time in several years, Sasuke had finally uttered the word "neesan" to her. A simple word, but a powerful effect it had on his sister. She smiled at him, like she always did to cheer him up. Then, she chuckled.
"As long as you name your baby with Sakura after me."
Sasuke glared at her, desiring to torture Shizuka all over again.
The bell rang throughout the Academy. Students scattered outside the building, immediately chatting up each other. Naruto and Sakura exited their classrooms, waving goodbye to their friends in the hallway. They walked to the student parking lot, directly towards Naruto's car. He pulled out his car keys and clicked a button. The doors unlocked and the two entered inside. Naruto pushed his keys into gear, and as the engine turned on, Naruto grinned widely.
"RAMEN TIME!" He cheered, pulling the car out of the parking lot. In a few minutes, they were on the road.
Sakura moaned loudly. "Baka, think of others! I'm sick of ramen everyday! How about sushi?"
"EW!" Naruto stuck his tongue out in digust. "I hate fish! And it has vegetables!"
"You need a balanced diet, Naruto," Sakura lectured, frowning. "Seriously, how can you be so energetic without it?"
Naruto sighed. "Fine, fine, we'll have it your way," He grumbled like a little boy. Sakura laughed, slapping him playfully on the shoulder.
"How about I do it homemade? You can play video games while I cook," Sakura suggested, smiling. Naruto wanted to leap in joy.
"YAY SAKURA-CHAN'S COOKING!" He cheered again. In Naruto's mind, the only thing that could be considered Ichiraku's rival was Sakura's cooking. There was something special about having a close friend making food for you, like adding friendship itself as an ingredient.
And so, the Naruto drove Sakura and himself to his house. He parked the car carefully in the garage. As they exited the car, Naruto marched into the house, singing, "YUM YUM SAKURA'S COOKING YUM YUM SAKURA'S COOKING!"
Sakura didn't stop him; she only smile pleasantly. It had been a while since she seen Naruto this joyful. This was truly Naruto at his happiest. It had been over a week since the incident with Madara. Just three days ago, the news announced that Madara had committed suicide, ending any possible chance of threats against Sasuke. Sakura couldn't be more relieved about this. But it didn't stop her from the normal train of thoughts that happened ever since...
She touched her lips gently, remembering the moment she and Sasuke had in the kitchen. Her eyes closed, going back to that moment. She remember how hard his lips were and yet, it was a wonderul experience. Except, it left her with some many questions.
"Sakura-chan! Hurry up! I'm hungry!" Naruto whined. Sakura's thoughts were broken, and she left it there. She quickly sped up into Naruto's house, took off her shoes, and rushed to the living room, where Naruto currently sat. His stomach moaned.
"Hai, hai, Naruto! Don't talk to me like a maid!" Sakura yelled, pouting.
"But you offered to make me food!"
"That's just so we don't have to eat ramen again, baka!"
"Psh, whatever!" Naruto retorted as he took off his backpack. "I'm going to my room really quick to drop this off."
Sakura nodded and Naruto quickly rushed upstairs. He threw his backpack into his room, but did not leave until he caught a glimpse of a familiar photo standing on his window still. Naruto smiled.
It was the picture of the three of them-him, Sasuke, Sakura- when they were 12. Sakura had received her first camera from her parents and she wanted the first picture right away with the two of them. Naruto remembered he and Sasuke strongly rejecting the idea of a group picture, but you don't object to Sakura at 12-years-old. Reluctantly, they all gathered together for a group picture. Sakura, the only one actually smiling in the picture, stood in the middle, sticking her tongue out. Naruto remembered how Sasuke kicked him suddenly in the shin, causing Naruto to angrily glare at him and vice versa. Sakura had yelled at them for ruining the her perfect first picture. But nonetheless, it was still a picture. Even better, their first one together.
Finally, they could return to those days again. The days when they no longer worried about anything really. No more wondering if Sasuke was used by Madara or Akatsuki. Things were at peace again. At last, they could revive their friendship just like the past.
Naruto walked down the hallway, heading to the stairs. Just as he reached the stairs, he paused for a moment, hearing voices in the room across from him.
"You do realize you possess 100% shares of Uchiha Corporations as of today, Sasuke," Naruto heard Jiraiya speak sternly.
"Ah." Naruto raised an eyebrow. Sasuke? What's he doing in my house?
"You can do whatever you want with your company, Sasuke. Nobody can stop you legally. But since you are a minor, I want you to think over this carefully, how this might affect you in a long run, and what you plan to do should you sell it."
His eyes widened. Sell? As quiet as a mouse, Naruto tip-toed closer to the door, pressing his ear gently against it. He had no idea what was going on. Sasuke had total control of the company now? What happened to Shizuka?
"I'm positive with my decision."
"Your company is worth 10 billion, Sasuke. Have you accounted the sacrifices you are truly making should you continue with your decision?"
"I know what is and isn't important to me."
Naruto felt his insides tightening. He gulped. He could feel sweat forming across his forehead. Was it possible that...
A tiny chuckle escaped from Jiraiya.
"Sasuke, I'm glad that you still treasure your loved ones."
A breath of relief escaped from Naruto. His chest relaxed again. it was amazement how easy it was to silence his glee. But Naruto wasn't sure if he should smile. Sasuke was going to sell the company. The last thing he had of his own family. The glory, the fame, the power Sasuke was born to. He was going to let it go.
Your love ones. Those words echoed in Naruto's head. I can't believe it..he's going to sell his company...he's doing this for...
Naruto smiled brightly. Quietly, he skidded downstairs, hurrying the kitchen. Sakura was already preparing the pots and pans for the meal. Before she could turn on the stove, Naruto screamed.
"SAKURA-CHAN YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN!"
Sakura nearly dropped the pot to the ground. She whisked around, frowning at Naruto. "NARUTO DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT!"
"BUT SAKURA-CHAN YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO ME-"
"Naruto, can't you ever come home quietly?" He hard Jiraiya scowl behind him. Naruto turned around, seeing Jiraiya leaning against the wall, his arm crossed. Sasuke, for the first time in ages, was wearing street clothes, much to Naruto's amusement. Sasuke looked incredibly normal today. Already, Naruto was feeling closer to Sasuke again. Slowly, everything was coming back.
Naruto was about to speak, but then something else caught his attention. Something more, alarming.
It was the way Sasuke and Sakura stared at each other.
There was something strange going on between those two. Sakura's body had suddenly turned away from Sasuke's direction, her back half-way against them. Her shoulders raised, and though her fingers were separated, they were stiff. Her other hand clutched the kitchen counter, as if to hold herself straight. Her eyes feigned calmness, something rare in Sakura. She was too rigid at the moment. And they way she looked at Sasuke; it was like she saw a ghost.
Naruto couldn't tell who was worse: Sakura...or Sasuke. Sasuke left his hands to the side, hanging loose. And yet, Naruto thought for a moment Sasuke was about to grab something forward. But he didn't. Because that would be in Sakura's direction. Naruto thought Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, if only for a split second. His lips parted and Naruto wondered if Sasuke wanted to say something but couldn't.
The tension between the two...It was as if a thunder was striking the two dead silent.
Naruto laughed nervously. And loudly.
"WELL THIS ISN'T AWKWARD WHATSOEVER!" Naruto exclaimed, trying to tone down the tension. "Ne, ne, Sasuke-teme, do you wanna stay for some of Sakura's cooking?"
Sasuke shook his head slowly, but it was Jiraiya who answered.
"We need to get Sasuke to the conference as soon as possible," Jiraiya explained, snatching his trench from the coat hanger. "We have some..." Jiraiya glanced at Sasuke, smirking. "...business to settle."
Naruto scowled. "Whatever, teme, but next time for sure right?"
"Hn," came out of Sasuke's mouth. Naruto smiled. This was starting to sound like the old Sasuke.
Jiraiya and Sasuke departed quickly from the house as Naruto waved goodbye. Then, his attention resumed back to Sakura, and he frowned. Sakura was back to her attempt at cooking normally, as if nothing happened in the last five minutes. She fidgetted with every move, unlike of her compared to when Sasuke was in the room. Naruto crossed his arms.
"What was that, Sakura-chan?"
Sakura did not pause. She glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "What was what?"
"Oh just you going-" Naruto exaggerated Sakura's stare at Sasuke with dreamy eyes and fluttery lashes, sighing hopelessly. "-Then Sasuke going-" Again, Naruto played up Sasuke, mimicking Sasuke's cold and surprised eyes perfectly. Sakura had a sweatdrop at him. Naruto resumed back to normal.
"I mean, what the hell is going on between you and Sasuke?"
"N-Nothing, Naruto! Don't worry about it!" Sakura tried to reassure him, smiling.
"It's pointless pretending to smile when I can tell the difference, Sakura-chan," Naruto said sternly.
Sakura was taken back for a bit at Naruto's words, but Naruto knew she could not deny how right he was. Sakura laid down the pot in her hands and leaned against the counter. Strands of her pink hair fell down, grazing her cheek. Her eyes turned to the floor, not bearing to look into Naruto's.
"I don't know what's going on between Sasuke-kun and I," She confessed deeply.
"W-What do you mean?" Naruto asked, puzzled.
"It's just..." Sakura paused for a moment, biting her lips. "Every since Sasuke-kun returned, I haven't felt steady with him. I don't know if he's a friend or not, whether he really cares about us or not, or what he really thinks of us. It's just confusing."
"But Sakura-chan, Sasuke is our friend! I know! The whole Madara-charade is over! He was just going through a whole with that bastard!"
"Just two weeks ago, I thought Sasuke-kun was a murderer."
Naruto eyes widened. He could see Sakura's eyes grow glossy and a tiny hint of tears forming. She immediately wiped it away before they fell. She took a deep breath.
"But... you know he didn't kill Shizuka. It was all a hoax. He ended up being-"
"But it's the same thing, Naruto! He comes home after two years, then ditches us for some Akatsuki hooligans! He's nice to us, then cold! He helps us, then leaves us hanging! He saves us from Madara, then picks a fight with Danzo! We try to hangout with him, then he leaves us the middle of the night to murder his sister! He's been ignoring us ever since he took down Madara, so why should that change anything?" Sakura screamed angrily. "I'm tired of guessing what we are to him!"
Naruto had never thought of it like that. No, he couldn't have. Because he did not think like Sakura. He did not realize the pain that went through Sakura's mind everyday since Sasuke's return to Fire District. Where he, Naruto, always had high hopes for Sasuke to return, Sakura was forever cautious of everything. For her, she could not handle these games Sasuke played at. Naruto could understand. It was only a matter of endurance. And Naruto knew that Sakura, out of all people, should not have to go through this for Sasuke's sakes. She didn't think like Naruto and there was a good reason: She was still madly in love with Sasuke, not matter how much she did not want to.
Naruto threw an arm around Sakura's shoulders, pulling her closer to him. Naruto heard her stiffle quietly. She was starting to tear up.
"I wish I could see things like you do Naruto but I can't," Sakura said weakly.
"No, you have every right to think Sasuke's a jackass," Naruto admitted. Sakura chuckled softly. "Besides, Sasuke's always full of surprises. It's his nature."
Your loved ones. Sasuke had admitted to Jiraiya that he actually cared. For them. If only Sakura had overheard the conversation as well, she wouldn't have to go through this pain of guessing games. She had no idea what Sasuke was risking for them.
He's going to sell the company, I just know it. All I need is for Sakura to hear him say it. Then, everything can be over.
And Naruto prayed.
Sasuke stared at the mirror, fixing his tie so that it didn't cut off his oxygen supply. He was back in a typical tuxedo again, this time much fancier. Sasuke had nearly forgotten what it was like to buy his own clothes again. It was something he hadn't done in years. The first time he shopped was with his mother at a very young age. She had let him pick out his own clothes, though they were all plain t-shirts. Then, it was always with Sakura in middle school, who always forced him to get color in his wadrobe. The last time was with Shizuka, who picked out every new suit for him. But now, he was independent. And he needed to show it.
He had to look sharp tonight. Jiraiya had advised him to look his sharpest tonight for the conference, where he would announce the future of Uchiha Corporations. It was going to be all on him. Tonight, everybody was going hear what Sasuke had been keeping in the back of his mind for weeks. The number of reporters always amazed Sasuke. Sasuke wasn't naive to how influential the family company was. He grew up, fully aware how newspaper-worthy every decision the company made was. Tonight was no different. But he has saw a quick glance of the conference room and it made him frown. There were probably over seventy reporters in that room, with their big cameras, microphones, and big-time anchors at the scene. And they didn't even make up a percentage of people in the room. Influential people, from expert business owners to legendary economists to politicians were in the room, awaiting for Sasuke's decision.
Obviously, all Sasuke wanted to do was just escape through the window and walk in the park to relax. But he knew he couldn't. He was going to be on stage, speaking to several mikes, in just a few moments. He wondered if Shizuka planned this from the start, just so she wouldn't have to deal with those damn reporters and pressure. A baby and a fiancee, Sasuke scowled. She knew how to win his pity too well.
But Shizuka was gone, just like his family. Shizuka had a new responsibility, one that couldn't uphold the company. She had a family, and Sasuke understood. That was no place for a growing family full of love and happiness. Business is cruel, and being a heiress, Shizuka fully knew the dark side to it. It was expected of her to shield her child and fiancee away from it. She was a grown woman now; she could make her own decisions.
Except her decisions gave total power to Sasuke, something he knew he could not be trusted with. He was once hungry for power; the power to kill his brother. But that was the past and he no longer held the desire to hurt people. But then again, he could never rely on himself for that. He had been battling this decision over and over until tonight. There was a knock on the door.
"Come in," Sasuke said.
The door opened. Jiraiya's head poked up. Just like Sasuke, Jiraiya wore a black tuxedo but with a red now. His white hair was tied neatly into a low ponytail.
"We're ready for you," Jiraiya said.
Sasuke nodded. He followed Jiraiya outside the room, behind the curtains. He could hear the loud chattering of people dining before the conference. They had probably finished the last company's presentation. He couldn't remember the name, but Sasuke was told a small company preceded him. It didn't matter if this conference was cumulative; Sasuke did not consider it egotistic of him to say that everybody was here only for him to announce the future of Uchiha Corporations. Everything was eager to hear it. They would either support him or wait to destroy everything about it.
With each step, Sasuke remembered the words of everybody who only wanted to best for him tonight.
"You can't have everything, Sasuke; You need to sacrifice something," Shizuka had said to him at the airport, just before leaving him on his own.
"Think about Naruto, think about Sakura. Your decision cannot be out of selfishness," Tsunade had advised sternly as she chaperoned him to the bank.
"I've taught you many things, Sasuke, but I can't teach you what's important in your life; that's for you to decide on your own," Kakashi had told him as Sasuke handed him the last papers he would to him.
"You won't survive long, Sasuke! It won't matter how far you run away from the company! As long as you are an Uchiha, you will never escape our world!" Madara had threatened him when Sasuke saw him for the last time in jail.
"You could retire for life if you let go of the company, Sasuke. But can you live with that?" Jiraiya had asked him at Naruto's house.
Flashing lights. Sasuke could barely keep his eyes opened as he stepped on the podium. Cameras clicked furiously before he even said a word. All eyes turned to him. He could hear the video-cameras flash right, starting to record his every movement. People on TV were going to watch him in the public eye for the first time. For what seem like the longest minutes, reporters attacked him with questions, especially about the Madara incident. He had been away from the press for too long. Sasuke knew they were going to hound him. Jiraiya yelled at them violently to shut up, trowing a few curse words, and Sasuke couldn't help but be amused. Jiraiya was never polite to the public, but nobody every argued against him. Jiraiya was Fire District's number one liason; you mess with him, he's got a company that could whoop your ass for him.
Then, the room went silent. Only a few murmurs here and there were the only sounds to Sasuke's ears. His heart was pounding inside. He looked around the room. Eyes. They stared back at him. He was the center of attention to Fire District, no, the world now. Sasuke knew his words could break or make other businesses, but it was his decisions, not theirs. Nobody could tell him what to do or force him to do things against his will. No one could control him and make him their dog again.
And no one will ever mess with his friends again. Sasuke closed his eyes briefly, remembering the scenes of the past unfold him. The day he first met Naruto, the day he and Naruto got into their first fight, the day they met Sakura, they day they made their first hospital trip for her, the day they entered middle school, and everything that made their friendship so unforgettable.
"Sasuke, I'm glad that you still treasure your loved ones."
Then, Sasuke smirked.
"I'm Uchiha Sasuke, the new CEO of Uchiha Corporations."
I know...That's why I can't have them in my life.
Naruto stared at the TV, frozen. He dropped the soda in his mouth, the contents spilling all over his carpet. He was bewildered. His skin went white. He couldn't breathe. Those words replayed in his mind over and over again. After all he had heard, after all he had seen, after all the trouble and pain Sakura had went through...He could not believe Sasuke's words.
"No..."