Step 14: THE 'VAGUE I-XIXX-XXU' Pt1
The day of the infamous Skate Competition draws near, so now is crunch time for the group. However on one singular day, it is the anniversary of Fugaku Uchiha's mysterious death. None of the guys are willing to go near that subject, and neither is Sasuke. However Sakura remains ever (unwillingly) persistent. She can see Sasuke avoiding the group for alone time, but remaining near Rina. Why? Why avoid your friends yet stay near this girl who doesn't get anything? Why won't Sasuke let Sakura help him? Sakura is tired of Sasuke and finally realizes why.
The next morning, Sasuke and Rina wake up in Sasuke's bed, left in nothing but underwear. They didn't do it, but they'd have some pretty hardcore make out sessions in nothing but their underwear and it'd come pretty close to sex. Surprisingly Sasuke would be the one insisting on those limitations, but Rina didn't mind – not yet anyway.
It'd go on for days like that in secret. The two lived together, which made it easy for Sasuke to get off on his guilty pleasures of ravishing this beautiful girl who practically threw herself at him, whenever he felt the need or when the void of his true object of affections felt absent. And sometimes during school too, if Rina was smart enough to find them a time and space.
And all behind everyone's backs…
She was persistent. Surely if this went on long enough, she knew she could get Sasuke to like her for real. Soon. But truthfully, whenever Sasuke succumbed to these guilty pleasures, despite it always being Rina, only one name went through his head. 'Sakura.'
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Ino sits at her bedroom desk, early in the morning to type up a last minute history paper. It's 6:30 AM and no amount of tea or coffee can wake her up.
"Yaawwwn~" Ino pauses, her typing stopping. "Stupid Shikamaru. He kept me up all night with those stupid texts." Guess this is why I've stayed boyfriendless all these years.
Ino's the studious out of the two of us, so grades and straight A's were a she's ever known. Now here comes literally a bunch of guys and now she's doing papers the morning they're due. Crazy, she imagines.
To make sure she isn't missing anything else, Ino checks her filled planner for any other missed assignments she may have overlooked. But what she opens to instead is a taped and folded-out list of all the 'DATING STEPS' she wrote on the index card-covered chalk board back at school.
Likewise, Ino had one just like it in her planner, on notebook paper with the last few steps covered in mini post its. However there only so few steps left. Like, three left. She smiles to herself a little, nostalgically. "Sakura's come a long way," Ino says, removing the next little post it strip. Her eyes falter a little.
It starts to rain a little outside. A gentle fall of rain, but still a grey morning nonetheless.
Ino stares at the next step, her eyes unmoving and motionless. So still, just like her hands. "So," she begins, staring at the next step. "It's that time now, huh?" Ino closes her planner slowly, looking back to her bight laptop monitor. All those paragraphs for her history paper suddenly mean nothing to her. Her fingers lace together in front of her mouth. "I wonder who'll do it."
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"Okay, so it's been a few days and I'm already back on track with my skating routines. The gang and I are all back together," much to Kiba's happiness. I'm telling this all to Kakashi in the morning the following few days. "And, it's all good again."
"Good to hear?" Kakashi laughs, watching me pace around the kitchen.
"Kakashi everyone was so happy to be back in Sasuke's backyard, like the old days. Haha, we actually have old times to reflect on."
"You know, you're oddly cheerful," Kakashi notes, making pancakes while I set up the table for three. Mom should be down in a minute. "Any particular reason why?"
"No not really," I say. "I just thought about it last night and, despite all these pressuring things coming up soon I have a lot to smile about." The huge all-guys skate competition is in less than two weeks, and Anko's been preparing me for it too during our occasional visits to the garage.
"How's you and Naruto?"
"We're are on our old terms again, too," I report. A good brother-sister relationship we've confirmed. I feel a little guilty sometimes but Naruto's positive energy always has me jumping right back up. We're cool now. I've finally filled in Kakashi about that previous situation, too.
"And that new transferee Ino won't stop talking to me about?"
Rina's also been a little less of a hassle. "Well for one she isn't sitting with us at lunch anymore (much to everyone's joy). Ever since Sasuke's huge 'announcement' in the cafeteria the other day, we've seen Rina's trying to branch off to other friends instead of clinging fakely to us. Though it's obvious she still remains attached so Sasuke sometimes – especially with her still living with him. "But uh, she seems good."
"What about my pretend son in law?" Kakashi humors, placing the plate of pancakes on the table.
As for Sasuke himself, he and I have maintained our public fake relationship once more, restoring our reputation as 'a young couple in love'. Over the year I've leaned how superficial and fluxuating (and how useless) a school reputation is.
And yet, unknown to me, behind closed doors, Rina would occasionally pull Sasuke aside in the halls for quick and hot make out sessions in closes and empty rooms.
"Bye Mom! Bye Kakashi!" I run out the mansion with my bag and board towards the front gates across the garden.
Once I'm out and I shut the huge black gates behind me, I see Itachi heading out too towards his car. Wow, it's been a while since I've seen him. Itachi looks up and notices me. He waves with a smile, notioning for me to come over. I have some time to spare – I'll go say hi.
"Sakura," Itachi smiles as I arrive on the opposite end of his car hood. "How've you been? I haven't seen you inside the house for a long time now."
"I feel kind've awkward knowing Rina's in there," I point out with a shrug. "So uh, is Sasuke here?"
"He left with Rina earlier to walk to school," he mentions. Of course they walk. "I figured he'd be skating with you like he always does."
"Euh, not recently. He feels bad about us skating when Rina can't so, he walks with her," I try to say, scratching my neck. "It's fine."
Itachi pauses. "I'm surprised you don't look as hostile about your boyfriend living with a girl like her."
Technically I shouldn't care. But Itachi's so smart. "I trust Sasuke," I throw out there. Yeah. "He wouldn't do anything."
"Mhm," Itachi nods. He flashbacks to that first night their guest enticed his little brother. I can feel Itachi reading my face. "You know," he begins in that 'voice', leaning over the car hood and towards me. His hands slam on the hood and spooks me still – his face is right in front of me. "Between you and me, I like you with Sasuke better."
"Why say that," I stammer, staring at the Uchiha with that knowing yet nervous look. I love our private humor – him always 'seducing' and me always the victim. These Uchihas I swear.
Itachi keeps his smirk. "Well for obvious reasons," he says cryptically. What's that supposed to mean? "Besides, the spoiled bitch stole my room so I have to sleep on the couch," he finishes with a smile before backing up to his side of the car.
I have to think for a moment. Does, Itachi not like her either?
"She's annoying," Itachi rephrases, getting into his car. "She kept pestering me this morning to give her and Sasuke a ride to school when I keep telling her I'm still fixing this."
I have to laugh at that. Something he and I can relate to. "Well I'll probably be here with Sasuke practicing after school."
"Good to hear," Itachi smiles approvingly. He unlocks the passenger side of his car. "Want a ride to school?"
I make a face as I try to hide my smile. "Didn't you tell Rina you're still fixing your car?"
"I lied," Itachi scoffs, and I can' hold in my grin. Itachi's so hilarious. Gratefully I open the door and putmyself and my board inside as Itachi drives off to drop me off for the morning. At least there's one person in the Uchiha household who can understand me after school.
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"What do you mean there's no practice today? Again?" I ask irrediculously up in the fourth floor office. All of us are up here in the school's empty floor, except Sasuke. Akamaru runs between Kiba and Ino. "Did Sasuke say that?"
"Not really, but today's not really a good day," Naruto frowns.
Ino and I remain out of the blue, looking at each other. At least she and I are on the same page. "Did duck-butt head have a tantrum or something?" Ino asks.
"Today's the anniversary of Sasuke's dads passing," Neji tells us, and here comes the boulder to my ego. "He's probably going to be a bit more of an assshole to everyone today so we figured it be best we just steer clear." Wait, what?
"That's so sad," Ino frowns, sympathetic.
"Why would he become detached from his friends?" I ask concerned. I figured this would be a perfect time to stay close to us. He never told me that.
No one really responds to my question, instead all the guys just look at one another – as if not wanting to be the one to answer. Shikamaru looks to us. "It's just better to leave Sasuke be for today. He'll be fine by tomorrow."
As annoyed as I am with Sasuke usually, I can't deny I'm a bit worried about the guy. It's not like him to seclude himself all alone.
Plus I was finally going to confront him about that letter…
It was so freaking cryptic! 'Rina's not the one I like.' Why?! Ugh, what a bother.
Elsewhere, in the first floor locker rooms of the high school, they were totally empty due to lack of gym classes that period. Sasuke and Rina leaned against the walls, making out and dry humping through their clothes. It was hot and steamy where they were, just the two of them.
"Wow," Rina sighs, feeling Sasuke more aggressive than he usually is. "It's not like you to be the one to pull me aside, not that I'm complaining."
"Sorry," Sasuke pants, unable to control his hormonal urges once they're in mind. As of lately, whether Sasuke had any kind of frustration, sexual or otherwise, he'd take it out on Rina – not that she minded. "Today's an off day. I don't think I should see any of the others for now. Not until tomorrow."
"Oh?" Rina asks, a little amused by this note. Was he perhaps starting to lean towards her company more?
"My dad died today last year," Sasuke lets her in, changing her face not really into one of sorrow but disappointment. She covered it pretty well, though.
"Aw, well you just take all the time you need today to yourself. And tonight," she trails, kissing him again with a minds-worth of sexual distractions. Sasuke starts to kiss back, letting it go, a certain pink-haired girl on his mind instead of the one in front of him.
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The school day remains totally predictable thanks to the guys' 'warning' about Sasuke. He remains the lone wolf as always.
There were multiple occasions throughout the day I saw him. Passed by him. Did I say anything? No. Did I WANT to? Hell yeah. But I bit my tongue and obeyed the guys' decision. Probably best I did. He doesn't show off anger or anything like that but, he's... quiet.
I sit behind him in math. Usually Sasuke isn't too much of a slacker. He at least attempt to learn before giving up nd pulling a Shikamaru - falling asleep or doing work for another class. But today he's just... doing the work. Listening to the teacher, doing the calculations. It's weird. Concerning. I think it's safe to say Sasuke did more math work today than I did, just because he's acting so weird.
During lunch today, Sasuke at least sits with us at the end of the table. Naruto and all of them seems to be going off as usual, talking about something stupid like reusing underwear or copying homework for the next class. Even Ino seems to be taking their advice and not associating with Sasuke. But I can't do that. I need to try at least.
I leave my food tray for a second and sit myself down next to Sasuke. The guys pretend not to notice. "Hey," I greet cheesily. Seriously Sakura?
Sasuke turns is head towards me, and his face reads the same thing I was thinking: what a horrible cheesy greeting.
Say something. "Um, you... sure seem off today," I mention, not meaning to sound like I don't know. It just came out.
Sasuke exhales and turns back to his food, eating and not socializing. "You should listen to the others. Don't talk to me today."
Ouch. "Come on," I laugh weakly. He can't really mean that. Just yesterday he and Naruto slaughtered Kakashi's spaghetti over my head while we were at the mansion. "It's us. We can talk right?"
It appears I've said something wrong, because my gentle urging seems to have snapped something. It's a subtle reaction, but I think I stepped a little too far. Sasuke drops the fry in his hand back on his tray and stands up loudly, spooking the others at our table. Their obnoxious talking stops, and I'm frozen still.
Sasuke picks up his tray and leans his head close into mine almost intimidatingly. "I don't want to snap at you," Sasuke warns, his voice a low whisper. As assuring as that sentence is, he sounds not that at all. "Do me a favor, just leave me alone today."
With that, Sasuke walks away after dumping his tray in the nearest bin. Our table is silent as all the others continue, like time had never stopped. None of these other kids noticed this moment; the moment I possibly ticked off Sasuke Uchiha. "You had to talk to him," Kiba says first before Ino slaps his arm. "Ow!"
In the distance, I can see Sasuke's back slowly disappearing. Naturally Rina appears and tries to follow. Walk alongside him. I expect him to avoid her and walk faster or push her away like he's done with us all day. But, he just... keeps her there. What? She grabs his arm and, not pushing her away, walks out of the cafeteria arm in arm with the wicked witch.
Ino, having seen this, gets out of her chair and picks me up off the bench. "Walk with me," she whispers as she pulls me along.
We leave the cafeteria too, towards some vending machines. If she saw what I just saw now, then she must understand. The guys never would.
Two cans of milk tea fall to the bottom of te machine, courtesy of Ino. She takes both out and hands me one. "Here," she offers as she sits beside me. No one ever hangs around these machines, so it's a nice place to talk. "Don't let Sasuke get to you."
"I thought I finally understood him," I say, just holding the tin can. "Yet around every corner there's always another... thing."
"It's just his dad," Ino tries to sympathize. "Even Uchiha needs a man-period time restraint."
"No," I say slowly, shaking my head. I saw Sasuke's eyes. Those aren't just eyes of mourning. It's something else on his mind. "I understand something else is going on but the fact he keeps Rina around bothers me."
"'Cause your jealous?"
Geez Ino. "No," I lecture. Maybe. "Just... why push us away? Why not Rina?"
For a while we say nothing. There's no answer we can come up with to that question. Sasuke's always been a mystery, even the one we know as 'duck-butt-head' or the one who hates honey mustard near anything he eats. Ino hears a text from her phone and reads it. The lunch bell just rang. Class will start soon. Lunch is over. "The guys are heading to class. They say we're meeting up at some garage after school."
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On my way home after the long school day, I hold a small sandwich from the deli. Earlier during the winter, Sasuke and the guys when we were all still getting used to each other, used to order me around to buy things at the super market for them. Sasuke would always love telling me to 'fetch him a sandwich', but he always got the same one. I figured it must be his favorite.
But the guys were right. Sasuke was like a total lone wolf all day today. And here I am now, skating to his house with said sandwich in hand. Maybe it'll 'cheer him up', hopefully. The guys won't mind if I'm a little late to the meeting spot.
Arriving at his door, I kick up my board and hold the paper bag in my other hand. I ring the doorbell with my elbow and wait, hearing some footsteps. Half expecting Sasuke, my soul sinks when I see Rina instead. "Rina," I greet, trying to sound positive.
"Sakura," she says with an arched eyebrow, clearly not hiding her distaste for my presence. Why act so sweet around everyone else then? "What do you want."
"Uh, I came to see Sasuke-"
"He doesn't want to see anyone right now," she cuts off, only her head sticking out of the door. She notices the paper bag in my hand. "What's that?"
I lift it up a little. "I went and got Sasuke's favorite sandwich. I was hoping he'd let me in if I brought it with me." Rina doesn't look amused. "But uh, if you can give it to him for me that'd be great."
"Fine," she mumbles, swiping the bag I offer.
"Can you tell Sasuke the others and I are worried about him?-" And she slams the door in my face. She totally ignored me. I frown, letting down my hand. "And goodbye…" I figure, walking back with a sigh. "And I thought Karin was the demonic enchantress."
Upstairs, Rina walks up to Sasuke's room, opening the door gently. "Hey Sasuke, I went and got your favorite sandwich for you," she chimes in shyly, seeing him resting by the window, wide awake. "You hungry? You haven't eaten at school."
"I'm fine. Just leave it on my table."
Rina frowns, but extends her arm and leaves the bag, closing the door.
Sasuke keeps his gaze outside, noticing his neighbor walking away from his house. He can catch the hint that I must've been the one to get the sandwich, and Rina was just trying to be…. Rina. He wasn't too upset. Sasuke had other things on his mind. Like guilt, anger, mourning, confusion – today was a good day to try and figure it all out.
Meanwhile, after dropping off the sandwich after school, I skate all the way to Anko's garage, where the guys told me they'd be. With Ino. The guys and her are growing pretty close, which I'm glad about. It's nice to know they get alone.
Now if only Sasuke and Ino could get along better.
The sound of drills and the smell of gasoline and oil fill my senses as I see my friends littered around Anko's place. Neji's fixing a couple boards with Kiba while Shikamaru and Ino sit by the mechanics tools. Naruto meanwhile is helping Anko fix up an old car to the right.
"Hey Sakura's here!" Ino notices, running up to me and seeing no Uchiha by my side. She frowns. "No luck?"
"No luck," I rely with an eye roll. "I'm getting really worried guys. Are you sure Sasuke's okay?"
"He's fine," all the guys reply in a strong, tired and prolonging unison. Ino and I look at one another.
"What's wrong with Uchiha?" Anko notices with her loud, distinct voice. "Oh! Wait a sec is today the day Fugaku passed away?" Fukagu must be Sasuke's dad's name.
"Yeah how do you know?" Naruto pesters.
"Oh please. He was the head of the police force with this huge story behind his death. How can I forget?" Anko says, rolling out from under her truck.
"Care to fill us in? Clearly the guys won't say anything," Ino says with attitude, referring to herself and me.
"It happened a long time ago, when Fugaku Uchiha died, but there was a lot of controversy around what really happened," Anko tells us as she wipes her hands of black liquid. "He was the head of the Leafville police force so he was a pretty well-known man with a well rounded reputation."
"Really," I say, Ino and I listening.
"I don't know all the details, but I know he damn well didn't die for getting shot in a robbery," Anko points out as she heads back into the back for something.
And now it was just us kids. None of the guys seem to follow up with anything. "It's a cover story?" Ino asks the guys.
"Don't ask us," Shikamaru says with his hands up. "We don't know the whole story." Ino and I remain united, standing together with our stares directed on Shikamaru for the right answer.
"Smooth man. You had to answer," Naruto whistles, walking past.
Shikamaru rolls his eyes. "Okay so we know the story's all iffy but we don't pry like you guys. If Anko was right and they did give him a cover story then they did for a reason."
Ino looks pretty skeptical, and I do too but, I feel worried. If anyone knows the truth behind Fugaku Uchiha's death then Sasuke should. But still, I've never seen Sasuke so bothered by anything before. I hope everything's okay.
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After chilling a little at Anko's garage, I head home a little earlier than I think I would. It's not even sunset yet.
As I close in on the culdesac, I see Sasuke's house again. I want to try going in again, up to the point I'm in front of their door. I raise my hand ring the doorbell, and I bring it back. I try to knock the door, but I pull my hand back again.
"You're just checking in on Sasuke," I tell myself.
Before I can do anything else, I see and hear a car coming into the driveway. Weird, Sasuke doesn't drive and it's not Itachi's car, so…
The car parks quickly and then a young lady comes out, looking at me with curiosity. She's Sasuke's mom. "Oh you must be Sakura!" she realizes happily and gently. Such a different atmosphere than from my own Mom. She shuts her door and smiles at me, surrounded by paper bags. "Why don't you help me bring in some bags and come in for a bit huh?"
"O-Okay," I smile, a little shy for some reason. She's so young looking.
From the trunk of her car, we carry in a couple of bags of new office supplies into the living room. The house seems void of things. Itachi, Rina, and Sasuke must be out right now.
I've been in Sasuke's house a dozen times but Ive never felt more like a stranger in it than now. I wish I had a warning that I'd be running into his Mom or something.
We carry the bags into the kitchen and I set the bag on near where Mrs. Uchiha sets hers down. There aren't too many, and they're pretty light. "Thanks for coming in. I've always wanted to meet you but I was always at work," she says exhausted but full of enthusiasm nonetheless. She wipes her hands on her coat before offering her hand out. "I'm Mikoto, Sasuke's mother."
"I'm Sakura. It's nice to finally meet you," I smile, shaking her hand.
"Don't look so nervous," she assures. "I just bought a couple cookies from the bakery. I can make us some iced tea and we can have a couple."
"Sure. Thanks," I say as she pulls up a chair for me. Once I'm sitting, Mikoto bustles around the kitchen, sort of like how Ino would when she's excited for baking. Before too long, a small pitcher of iced tea and a plate of cookies sits between us, and she finally sits down.
"Thank you," I nod slightly.
"Oh let me look at you," Sasuke's mom breathes, turning her chair towards me and holding both my hands. Such soft hands. "You're so beautiful!"
"Thank you," I accept shyly, no really thinking so. "I wish Sasuke said that more often."
"Believe me, boys like my son never say things like that to their girlfriends' faces. Sasuke's told me before how pretty you were but to be honest this is my first time ever seeing your face! You think he'd have a picture of you in his wallet or something."
"Sasuke said I was pretty?" I ask, hoping I come off more surprised than disbelieving.
Mikoto nods, still holding my hands. "He talks a lot about you when I ask," she says. "When you two first started going out it took Itachi and I forever to get anything out of him about you, but I guess he just got comfortable with the idea and he'd talk more about you."
"Wow," I say, having never knew that.
"Sasuke's been a lot happier since he started dating you," Mikoto admits in admiration. "I've been wanting him to introduce me to you but I'm always out at work as you've probably noticed. I think you're here more often than I am, haha."
"O-Oh no mam we just stay in the backyard with everyone, skating."
"Oh please, call me, Mikoto," she waves off. "And you skateboard too?" I nod in response, wondering if that's a good thing. "Wow you're so cool!"
Guess it is a good thing. "You really think so?"
"To be honest you have a little more character than Sasuke's past girlfriends," Mikoto whispers closely. Gosh, nothing gets past her. "My older son and I always agreed Sasuke's taste in girls was a little eh," she says with a wavery hand. "But I must say, you really take me by surprise. The way he talks about you and the way he just acts now a days – you must be really something."
Aw. Oh man. I hope she can't see how blushy I must be right now.
"Oh no, I must be embarrassing Sasuke by now. Sorry for going on and on but I never get to meet my sons girlfriends face to face like this. You think he's embarrassed of me?"
"No not at all. He talks about you too sometimes," I recall, smiling at those few memories. So this is the woman he cares for so much.
"That's sweet," Mikoto smiles glad to hear so. Guess Sasuke doesn't compliment his mother enough in person, either. "So tell me about you guys. How'd you meet? What was he like? Is he good to you?"
"Um," How do I put this. "We go to school together and um, I just sort of fell into his group of friends and, they taught me skating." I mean I literally did so it isn't really lying. "It's hard to describe but… he's more like my best friend at this point than just my boyfriend… Is that weird?"
"No not at all," she assures. "That's how it's supposed to be."
I smile, comfortable. "It's like, as much as we get on each other's nerves, like, a lot, I have his back and he has mine. And… we're just really comfortable with each other," I say. "Your son's a great guy."
"I'm so glad you think so," Mikoto gushes. "I love seeing Sasuke flustered and dazed. It's so out of character for him and it's so cute."
"Sasuke? No way."
"You think I'm kidding? Sometimes we'll eat dinner and Itachi and I will notice him just dazing off, looking at your mansion out the window." Really? "Or I'll overhear my boys wrestling upstairs and arguing about you – probably Itachi teasing his younger brother but I just find it adorable!" So she's THAT kind of mom… "But it's all in good fun. He must really like you to be acting this way."
I guess so… "I can't deny I've changed a lot since meeting Sasuke and the others.," I admit to Ms. Uchiha as I stare down at my iced tea. "I've learned to go past my comfort zone and face a bunch of things I was afraid of. I learned what my true priorities in life are and what true friends are, too." I smile inwardly to myself, thinking of all those knuckleheads. "I feel like a better person because of Sasuke."
"Ah," Mikoto gushes, resting her head on her hand. "You're such a great girl, Sakura."
"And you sound like a great Mom, raising someone like him. Suddenly I'm not so surprised he turned out to be such a good guy."
"Thank you, Sakura," Mikoto smiles to me. "But it wasn't all me. His dad was pretty involved when he was here."
I realize now her dark choice in clothes today. She sounds quite cheerful for the anniversary of her husband's death. "I heard today was the day Sasuke's father passed away. I came to check up on him."
"How sweet," she offers. "When he comes home I'm sure he'll be happy to see you." Doubt it. "You know, my husband Fugaku and I met when we were about your ages. Maybe a little older but pretty close."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. We were both in different groups," she flashes back. "He was the class president, valedictorian kinda guy, and I had my biker gang." Sasuke's mom was a biker chick...? "Funny pair right? But we eventually fell in love and had our children."
"No that's great," I tell her, impressed. It's an interesting dynamic. Sounds, horribly familiar, actually.
"Fugaku didn't have much money to support his family, so he racked up a bunch of debt behind my back over loans," Mikoto admits, shaking her head disappointedly. "He and I divorced long ago when Sasuke was still a baby, but he wanted to pay off his debts separately from us."
"Well, that was nice of him," I figure, not sure of how to react to that. "Sasuke never really talks about his dad."
"I'm not surprised. He used to visit when Sasuke was a kid nd they got along great but, he just stopped coming after a while. Eventually they said he passed away during his line of work but, I'm pretty sure it was those loan sharks he got involved with that got him."
"You never reported them?"
"I could never find them," Mikoto shakes her head. "Plus I didn't want to scare Itachi and Sasuke. Fugaku only died last year." No way. That recently? "And of course the man's debt was transferred to us. I've been working extra job shifts since."
"I'm so sorry."
"Like you have anything to apologize for. It's fine," she waves off with a positive smile. "We've covered a good number of his debt surprisingly. Somehow. It's weird but it's like it just, vanished." Sasuke. He did that. "But we're still pretty broke." She grins at me. "But at least we're debt free so now I just have to focus on supporting Itachi and Sasuke!" she grins with a thumbs up. She sort of reminds me of Naruto.
As positive as that ending was, I know deep down that isn't the case. Mikoto may think so, but I know Sasuke's involved with this somehow. So this is the loan debt he's trying to win prize money for?
There has to be more to this story Sasuke's hiding from me and his own mom, what with this 'Kabuto' guy appearing in conversations and all these dangerous people always targeting Sasuke and people close to him. He's basically carrying his father's burden…
I GET IT. He took out a massive loan from Kabuto to pay off the rest of the debt his mom had inherited from her husband! And now it's all on him.
"Sasuke never really had a good image of his dad after the divorce, especially after he died with his debt being covered by us, but I feel like he still has mixed feelings about today," Mikoto thinks out loud.
"I noticed," I say lowly, remembering him at school today.
Seeing me kind of down about him, Mikoto is quick to change the subject. "So tell me about yourself. Any hobbies? Common friends? We've been neighbors for practically all our lives that I'm surprised we're only meeting now."
"I know right?" I smile. "Um, aside from the big intimidating mansion thing I'm pretty much as common as girls come. I still don't know what Sasuke sees in me but, we get along pretty well."
"That's good."
I nod. "He and I skate a lot, and I love his friends. They're all like brothers to me at this point, surprisingly." Saying that, I realize it's true. "I love all of them. I can't imagine my life without any of those guys anymore, or Sasuke."
"Aw, that's so sweet," she says with her hand over her mouth.
"They're all great guys," I assure her, not knowing if she's met them or not, knowing he busy schedule. "And Sasuke's… something," I nod, smiling hesitantly. "I really like him."
"Oh…." Mikoto sighs, holding her soft hand under my cheek to lift my face. "Now that's a look I haven't seen on your face in a while." My arch my eyebrows at her. "Ah, I wouldn't think you'd remember but you and Sasuke have met before, when you two were little."
"We have?"
She stands up and motions or me to follow. We head on upstairs, to the room adjacent to Sasuke's. I'm guessing it's her bedroom.
Mikoto's bedroom is very quant and lovely, much homier than any room back at the mansion. Bending down to a drawer in her dresser, she pulls out a Christmas decorated tin box, with photographs inside. She flips through a few ever so gently before pulling out a few. She smiles at them before showing me. "When you guys were first thinking of moving in, you came to visit the culdesac, and Sasuke was playing outside."
I go through the four pictures she's found. It's a tiny Sasuke. And tiny me (in a not so tiny dress). "My mom would make me wear something like that," I say embarrassed. But nonetheless those were Sasuke and me. "I can't believe I don't remember this."
"You two were probably too little to remember," she says, looking over my shoulder with me. We must've been like five, more or less. "There were three houses across from ours. Two were vacant and one was moving. I think the plan was to tear those houses downto make room for the mansion." Mikoto points to a girl in the background. "That's Rina."
Rina? "Wow that is her."
"She was going away for her parents' job. Rina was so devastated, but I don't think Sasuke ever really caught on," she says sadly. "So when your parents came with the contractors to discuss building the mansion, you must've wandered across the culdesac to where Sasuke was there on the lawn, see?"
In another photo it's Sasuke and me, trying to build mud pies. My dress was totally ruined. "Oh my gosh," I almost laugh, covering my mouth.
"It was adorable," Mokoto reminisces. "Rina and Sasuke used to argue all the time between what they'd play. Sasuke was such a good boy; he'd go along with whatever she wanted. Playing dolls, house – but this was the first time I'd seen him just… be himself, you know?" she tells me. "They say sometimes that five is the age children start developing their own personalities. I'm surprised you two never played that much afterwards once you moved in."
"Me too…" I say sadly. Could we have been friends all this time if we did? "Knowing my mom she probably never let me play outside."
"Either way you two grew up to be such wonderful kids," Mokoto says gratefully. "And dating, too. Don't you worry about Rina. She's just a family friend staying over. If Sasuke loves you the way I think he does then I'm sure they're just friends."
Oh if only she knew. "Yeah…"
Mikoto narrows her eyes, sensing my doubt. "You know, the last time I talked to Sasuke I wanted to give him this," Mikoto says, taking another thing from the tin box. It's a silver band with a beautiful silver ring.
I've never been into jewelry before but this is the first time I've ever seen such beauty in a ring before. "Mikoto it's beautiful."
"It's a 14K three stone diamond engagement ring," Mikoto says proudly, holding it delicately in her fingers. It even has little diamonds set inside the band all around with a beautiful design. "This was Sasuke's grandmother's engagement ring. I told Sasuke after the first two weeks of your dating that he should give this to you." My eyes widen, naturally. "Haha, he had the same expression. Sasuke said no, obviously, and that you guys wouldn't even last more than one month probably. Yet here you are now; what is it, five six months almost?"
It feels so long now. "Yeah."
"I've brought it up again the last time we talked about you, but Sasuke said he couldn't take the ring," Mikoto laughs gently. She holds it out to me. "Here."
"What?" I jump. "Oh no Mikoto I couldn't-"
"Please," she insists, holding it out to me again. "Take it as a gift from me. I really like you Sakura, and I'm not a fortune teller but I can tell you and Sasuke really have something going on. I think you two will be together for a really long time." Does she really think that? "Please."
I'm about to hesitantly take the ring, but then I hear the front door open, followed by footsteps coming up the stairs. It's Sasuke and Rina passing by our open door.
Sasuke spots us first. "Mom Sakura what are you guys doing here?" Sasuke asks.
"I got out of work early Sakura helped me with my bags," Mikoto smiles. I can already feel an invisible glare lasering itself into my neck from Sasuke and or Rina. Just keep looking down Sakura just keep looking down. "Sakura is such a sweet girl. How come you've never introduced us?"
"Mom," Sasuke says slowly.
Mikoto rolls he eyes before folding one of the photos and handing it to me behind our backs. "Geez Sasuke lighten up. We were just having some girl talk."
"Yeah and I was just about to go," I say, feeling the tension and wanting to escape it. Now. I hide the photo in my back pocket and squeeze awkwardly between the doorpost and Sasuke with a nervous smile. "Uh, later Sasuke."
I rush down the stairs and back out the house as casually as possible. Once I make it outside, I lean against the closed front door with a big sigh, gripping my fingers together. "God," I sigh, taking out the photo Mikoto gave me – for whatever reason. It's the third one I saw, with Sasuke and I making mud pies on his lawn, but the ring she was about to give me lays in the middle of the folded photograph.
She must've really wanted me to have it. I feel a little guilty having the ring, but I can't really do anything about it now. "And I guess Sasuke still doesn't want to see anyone except Rina either," I pout, looking up. I can overhear Sasuke and Mikoto talking upstairs. And I thought we were all cool already.
Suddenly I hear a ringing from my pants pocket and I pick up the call. It's Neji? "Hello?"
"Hey," Neji says. It's him. "Where are you?"
"Home. Why?"
"The guys and I all talked. Come to my place with your board. We're practicing here."
"At your place?" I ask with face, not that he can see it. It's almost 6:30.
"With the skate competition soon we need you practicing every day. I'm guessing Sasuke's not doing it today right?"
Well… "I guess. Alright, give me ten minutes." Hanging up, I put my phone and the folded picture with the ring inside my pocket and skate off to Neji's place. I'll figure out Sasuke later.
Sooooo, we're cutting close to, well, something. Haha~
Thanks again for all those reviews, guys! Still working on that comic-prep too!
DeviantArt: MemorySoul
Tumblr: sammakesamess
PREVIEW:
"Do you know anything about Kabuto?"
"Not as much as you two probably already do," Neji shrugs. "I'm just Sasuke's confidant, but even I don't know everything."
x-x-x-x
"The competition has three categories that knock competitors out tournament style."
"Pass all three rounds, you win the prize money," Neji says with a singular tone. He and I know what this money's for. "Case closed."
x-x-x-x
"This is between me and my father," Sasuke tells me quietly. "He started this, and I'm going to finish it."
"How," I say emptily. I'd like to hear damn well how.
"Sakura I'll handle it. If you want to help then just do your best for the skate competition."
"What if I don't win," I bring up again.
x-x-x-x
"He... kissed me..."