A/N: Thank you to SakuraakaMichelle for beta-ing this. Please visit her page and read her stories as well^^
Chapter 29
What happened after that was quite simple. Sarutobi set an engagement promise with Madara as a symbol of their friendship and trust. So that was how Sakura was sold to the Uchiha family.
She was only 19 at the time, and she had no idea that any of this has happened.
Then Sarutobi went back toLeon, and soon he fell sick. He died of a disease that nobody knew of.
Then entire Uchiha family flew toLeonto attend his funeral, but Sakura did not see them because she locked herself in her room for nearly a month and wallowed herself up in pain of losing her grandfather. He was the reason that she and Ino were together all this time. He was the reason Sakura was so sheltered against the outside world. He was the reason that Sakura was married off well.
Throughout the drive back home, both Sasuke and Sakura were silent. Sakura never knew that something this shocking had happened in Itachi's life since she thought everything was absolutely perfect for him.
Sasuke kept his eyes on the road. He glanced towards Sakura once or twice, and his hands tightened around the wheels; he perfers to drive himself. Especially when he values privacy so much.
Sakura spoke, "So, Konan is dead?"
Sasuke shook his head, "No, she is still alive. She is now in an insane asylum."
Sakura leaned back, "Did your brother ever love her?"
Sasuke shrugged, "I wouldn't know. But I suspect they were very in love when they were young. It all became very complicated when they grew up. I tried asking him once, asking if he truly loved her... And he said that from the moment Konan stepped out of the Uchiha Gates, he didn't know what love is anymore."
Silence ensued.
Sakura put her head against the car window; she looked out toward the colorful street lights, and found that they were so bright that it almost blinded her.
(_)
"... And now she is in an insane asylum." Sakura finished, she eyed Ino, who was curling up in a ball by the corners of a couch.
"I knew that," Ino said.
Sakura was surprised, "You know?"
Ino nodded, "Not specifically. But the scandal of the Akatsuki Year-end Celebration Party a few years back… Of course I know that; I'm a lawyer, I read."
Sakura was surprised, "How come I didn't?"
Ino raised an eyebrow, "My statement speaks for itself. You were probably arguing with your father about your college application at that time."
"Weren't you shocked at all?" Sakura asked. "How he became the way he was today?"
Ino shook her head, "Sakura, you were too protected. These things happen all the time. I don't think one is entitled to another person if they grew up together. I would be shocked if Itachi was fooled by Konan in the end."
Sakura sighed, "That's true..."
Both girls were curled up on the couch and watching an old black-and-white film. It was Ino's day off, so they bought some takeout and came to her apartment. After dinner they both were so stuffed and neither wanted to do anything strenuous, so they sat together and talked.
"This is why I don't want to marry to a business family!" Sakura said indignantly. "They are too cold hearted!"
Ino snorted, "It comes with wealth, power, and luxury."
Sakura went silent.
But then she looked around Ino's apartment, and said, "Living in an apartment is nice too. There's two rooms, one for my painting, one for sleeping. And a loving room and a kitchen..."
Ino laughed, "Baka! You won't last a month here!"
Sakura ignored her teasing, because she's thinking about Itachi-Nii.
"Ino," Sakura said quietly. "Are you still planning on chasing after Itachi-kun?"
Ino raised an eyebrow, "You think I should give up?"
"No..." Sakura said and her tone sincere. "I just think you should stop if you don't love him. You should keep on going if you do."
Ino sat up and looked at Sakura in the eye, and to her slight surprise, Sakura's eyes were so clear and bright that it reflected Ino's image within them.
Ino looked away, and said distantly, "I couldn't avoid him even if I want to now. My boss is handling a fraud case involving the Uchihas, and I am his assistant."
Sakura blinked, she then gulped down a bottle of pop, and said in a blank tone, "Wonderful."
Ino wrapped herself tighter inside her comforter.
(^_^)
Sakura walked home.
She told the driver to take a break. Therefore she walked almost two hours from Ino's apartment back to Uchiha Manor.
She made a little stop in between, and visited Karin where she worked. Ever since Ino told Sakura about Karin, she cannot stop thinking about it. She assumed it was so easy to approach an ex, just like it was so easy to have the world at the palm of her hands.
Karin was cleaning out bottles and cups at the time. Sakura stood at the entrance and squinted her eyes to look at the girl. Under the light she was so pretty and flawless. She has a defiant look in her eyes despite her exhaustion which shone on her face.
It never occurred to Sakura that she has stolen what was Karin's. Karin was the original owner of Sasuke, and she was supposed to be happy, but along came Sakura, relying only on her family and status...
Sakura walked over to the counter and asked for a juice. Karin raised her eyebrow in a judgmental way, but decided against it and handed her a cup of cheery juice.
Under the faint light it looks like blood. The color reflected Karin's hair, and Sakura suddenly had a sick image of drinking blood from Karin. Drinking away all her happiness and desires.
At last Sakura couldn't take it anymore. She had to ask or else she might burst into flames. Since she was already married to the guy, what Karin said should not affect her.
She put the juice down and asked, "Karin, tell me. Why did you break up with Sasuke?"
"Does it matter now?" Karin asked lightly as she dusted off the stools and put them up above the tables one by one, "And what makes you think I am going to tell you?"
Sakura's eyes followed her movement, "Because you broke up with him—and I... I need to know."
Karin sneered at the pink haired girl. A sudden urge to mess with her head came to her mind, but she resisted it, thinking it was already tragic enough that she married into that horribly family. She looked into the clear eyes of Haruno Sakura and then said lightly, "His family does not approve of me."
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked. "Is it because your parentage was not significant enough?"
"No," Karin replied without much emotion, "Sasuke is not the eldest son, so my parentage does not matter as much. But my father accidentally murdered someone and went to jail for it."
Sakura looked at her cherry juice, she suddenly felt sick, "What happened?"
At this point Karin wanted to tell Sakura to fuck off. But something stirred within her. She knew she was responsible for Sakura's misfortune... At least, her family was. Now she pays the price. Karin also wanted to laugh at Sakura. The poor girl who does not know anything yet... "This went on the news. Uchiha Madara forced Sasuke to break it off. He refused, and we eloped. But my father heard the news and blamed himself on my misfortune. So he committed suicide in jail."
Sakura leaned on the counter for support, "Is this why you broke up with Sasuke-kun?"
Karin didn't reply to her question. In fact the truth was much more complicated than that. But she didn't want to trouble Sakur'a pretty little head with it. Also because she was sure she was not allowed to tell her. Instead she said, "Bar is closed. Please leave."
Sakura looked at her juice. It shone pretty red colors under the light. She took the glass and drained it in one gulp, resisting the feeling of throwing up. To her surprise, she felt better afterwards.
"Thank you." Sakura said. She got off the stool and walked straight back to Uchiha Manor.
It took her almost two hours.
