Wow, I'm honestly blown away by the love and encouragement. Thank you doesn't feel enough. :')

Disclaimer: Heh, and we're back to controversial topics. o_o

CHAPTER 10

Sasuke looks ready to explode.

Every year, the Uchihas hold the Christmas charity gala for the wealthy and generous members of the society. It takes place in their house itself, in the ballroom on the ground floor. Sasuke and Itachi are dressed up in black tuxedoes, and Mikoto hasn't stopped gushing over their achievements.

Which is absolutely fine, except for the fact that she introduces Sasuke to a girl called Karin, saying, "Aren't they simply perfect together?"

Karin is swooning over the matchmaking, and glues herself to Sasuke after that. It isn't only him who is irritated, though, because Mikoto expresses her delight over his break-up with Izumi, never liked that girl much, and introduces Itachi to a girl called Samui.

Apart from Naruto and Izumi, everyone is present for the event with their parents as per usual. To be fair, this isn't the first time Mikoto has introduced them to girls during social gatherings, but it feels different this time around. Sasuke and Itachi come to an unspoken agreement that they must spend as much time as possible with their friends, so that they don't have to be alone with their respective dates. Having decided that, they insist allow us to introduce you to our friends.

Halfway through dinner, Samui tells them that Izumi has joined the school that she attends. She tells them that Izumi has been trying to gather girls for her cause.

"What cause?" Sasuke asks with disgust.

"The whole feminism cause," Samui tells him. "You saw her video, didn't you? Itachi is now the face of everything that is wrong with wealthy male kids. The arrogance, the dominance, the exploitation of power – moreover, everything that is wrong with a stereotypical concept of a man. Which is to say the emotional distance, the cold attitude, the selfish nature, being unable to tolerate a girl of equal status. Etc."

"But there are thousands of such people in the world!" Suigetsu says incredulously. Before Sasuke can protest, he continues. "I'm not saying Itachi is that. Let's consider for a minute that what she says is true – just for a minute, Sasuke! Even if Itachi is all that, he's hardly the only wealthy male kid, as you put it. Why target him? No offence, but there are wealthier kids in the world who are worse than him."

Samui tsks. "It doesn't work like that."

Karin cuts in. "Look," she begins patiently. "Itachi isn't the only one, of course. But whether you like it or not, Izumi does have influence in the society. For her, Itachi is the villain. So she's going to try and do everything in her power to bring him down. Itachi isn't a world famous personality, so yes, he's going to be one of the hundreds. But he's also an Uchiha. Now, think about this – there are many articles on social media that have dissected her video – because it's viral – and her social media feed is clear enough to point towards Itachi even if they don't know him personally. When he becomes even more of a public figure, like when he takes over the company for example, he's already marked as someone who is a misogynist. It doesn't matter how much noise she's making right now, and whether Itachi is or isn't what she claims him to be. The damage is already done."

"Exactly," Samui agrees, nodding.

"Do you believe her?" Sasuke asks bluntly. "You attend the same school. You know her side of it."

Karin and Samui exchange a meaningful look, and then Karin answers. "We know many students who've done this. Slandering men because they believe in the superiority of females – not equality. And that's what she's trying to convince everyone of. That she deserved everything simply because she was the girlfriend and then a girl, and how society has always ignored a woman's cry for help at the expense of a man's achievements."

"She has the last point correct," Konan says thoughtfully. "I mean, it doesn't apply to what happened between her and Itachi, but it has happened a lot in general."

"But it's changing," Hinata points out. "Look at us, Konan. We're attending a good school, we're being trained to carry our family name forward. It's not all that bad."

"Yeah, but that's the thing," Konan insists. "Princess, if you think about my parents – they're still pretty backward." As she says it, she throws an angry glance to her parents, sitting a few seats down the large table, having a nice conversation with Yahiko's parents. "I'm being allowed my freedom before they marry me off. That's not what we're fighting for. We're not fighting for allowance, we're fighting for natural rights."

"Hear, hear," Samui smirks and holds up her glass of wine.

"So you don't believe her? Izumi?" Yahiko clarifies.

"Well," Samui shifts uncomfortably. "We didn't believe her completely, but only because we don't know Itachi on a personal level. It didn't feel right. I mean, obviously, I don't mean to say that it discredits her suffering in any way – but it doesn't always mean that the man was wrong. I guess we just decided not to take sides, because it doesn't concern us, to be honest."

Sasuke clears his throat. "What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn't be?"

There's a beat of hush.

"That's …" Karin starts. "Intense."

"A friend of mine said it to me," Sasuke mutters, ears burning red. "Naruto. He's quite passionate about everything in life."

Samui chuckles. "Is he here?"

"No," Sasuke shakes his head. "He's not … not the gala type."

"He's poor," Kisame states flatly. "He's basically on the receiving end of these donations."

"No, he's not," Sasuke snaps at him angrily. "His parents own a bookstore. It's a business, Hoshigaki."

And Itachi thinks of Minato and Kushina, and lick the plate if you have to. "That's enough, Kisame," he says. "Naruto is our friend."

"He is Sasuke's friend," Kisame corrects him.

"And mine," Itachi glares.

"Mine, as well," Suigetsu adds, just as Hinata says, "Same."

Kisame rolls his eyes, and takes a sip of his champagne. "Let's not get dramatic now."

"You're being an ass," Konan tells him. "Naruto is great."

"Totally," Yahiko agrees and Nagato nods. "Right, Zets?"

Zetsu gives a slight nod, too.

"There we go," Kisame mutters disdainfully. "This is not a movie, you guys. Where you pity the poor kid, befriend him, and you're suddenly best buddies. This is the real world. Namikaze has no place in it. He belongs in that sorry excuse of a bookstore."

Kisame is Itachi's childhood friend. They've spent years supporting each other, encouraging each other, being there for each other. They've had their share of fun and arguments. But in this moment, at the brink of being an adult, Itachi wonders whether Kisame is the one who changed, or Itachi himself. The real world that Kisame speaks about is filled with reindeer walkers, illegal stays in motel rooms, and growing up in trailer parks. It's filled with traveling musicians, of muffled screams in empty houses, with people refusing to lose hope, with kids who were sold at the tender age of ten, and with people who sneak in homeless girls in motel rooms and hide them from their own family.

Itachi feels an odd hunger in his gut. He pulls out his phone and opens Banana Flyer's chat below the table surface. Itachi has recently convinced her to put up a profile picture, when she'd been refusing to do so. Undeterred, he began clicking her photos in his own phone and then sending her the ones he liked. Eventually, she selected one as the profile picture – in which her head is buried in the pillow, facing him, a single green eye peeking out from the a thin curtain of soft pink hair. A small, secretive smile is pulled at her lips, and it's all mischievous and melting trees.

Itachi first opens the photo and feels the same strange tug in his gut again. The last text had been from the previous night, when Itachi came home from her motel room, and he'd texted –

I'll be thinking of your "favour" through the night.

To which she'd replied, You better.

Itachi has no idea what he wants to text. All he knows is that he wants to speak with her, something, anything, and see what she's doing, too. It's Christmas Eve, and what they have is only sex, but Itachi wants to know her Christmas plans, anyway.

Any plans for tonight?

No reply.

Itachi pockets the phone, now feeling foolish, despite knowing that she must be busy. The club has their Christmas party tonight. Obito has already sent out invites to everyone. Obviously, they couldn't attend because the charity gala is a yearly affair, and they're expected to be present for it.

"Can we come back to the point?" Zetsu interferes, before the topic can be escalated.

"Right," Samui says awkwardly, and diverts them to a safer topic: New Year's Eve plans.

Samui and Karin prove to be interesting individuals, overall, and Itachi tries to focus on that. Sasuke keeps ungluing himself from Karin through every advance that she makes towards him, until finally he hisses at her lowly that he's gay.

Karin flushes a deep, deep red. "Sorry," she squeaks. "I didn't – I mean, your mother-!"

"She doesn't approve," Sasuke tells her dryly.

"Right," she says awkwardly. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright. Let's just – not, you know?"

She nods vigorously. "Yes, of course!"

Samui, on the other hand, doesn't make any advances towards Itachi, and he wonders whether she lied about not believing Izumi entirely, until she admits to him that she has a boyfriend that her parents don't approve of.

"Besides," she grins with amusement, "you're not all that great."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she nods. "Don't get me wrong, you're pretty as fuck. No denying that. But you're not my type."

"What's your type?"

"Definitely not you," she laughs. "But okay, my boyfriend? He's married so I can't tell you who it is. But he's into boxing. You're … you look as if you've never even slapped anyone."

"I haven't," Itachi admits.

She's beaming at him and Itachi feels a light blush warm his cheeks. Something about her feels familiar, but he can't quite put his finger on it.

Dr. Orochimaru approaches Itachi at one point, wearing his Hawaiian shirt, cargo pants, and beads combination as always, with no regards to the black tie event written on the invitations. His intention seems to be making meaningless small talk, and Itachi entertains him because his parents never tolerate anything less than grace during social events.

It's past midnight when they're lounging at the swimming pool, while all the adults are chitchatting and donating and holding serious discussions inside. Itachi is sitting with Hinata and Konan with feet dipped in water, when his phone beeps with a text message.

Hi! Plans to work :P there is a huge crowd tonight, so everyone is pulling their weight!

Itachi doesn't realise that he's smiling until Konan nudges his shoulders, and peers at his screen. "Who the fuck is Banana Flyer?"

"No one," Itachi quickly replies and locks the phone before she can read the content. "Just a joke."

It beeps again with another text alert. Itachi can't help himself. He holds the screen near his face to quickly look at the message.

What about you? Some fancy event, right?

He makes sure that neither Konan nor Hinata is paying attention to him before typing out a reply.

Yes. Can we meet? If you have a break.

The reply is instant. How about 1.30?

Perfect. I'll be there.

Okay.

Itachi suggests going to Obito's party as casually as possible. He says that they're already dressed up, the adults don't need them, and they'll have more fun at the nightclub. They instantly agree, and Sasuke says that he'll pick up Naruto on his way, too. It doesn't take a lot to convince their parents, either, who are busy with "adult responsibilities." To be honest, Mikoto looks happy just to hear that Sasuke and Itachi will be taking Karin and Samui as their dates.

When they reach the club, the party is in full swing. Obito says that they don't need to be in private rooms tonight, because the crowd is mixed, and no one will care if they're teenagers and underage.

"Only restriction is," he yells over the loud music, "tell Hidan to serve you drinks. The bartenders are instructed to strictly check the IDs. And I'll get you an outdoor table as soon as possible. Until then, wait by the bar, and enjoy the dance floor."

So they do just that. Samui doesn't make any advances, and he's truly grateful. He doesn't need another incident of moral crisis so soon. He feels all kinds of weird emotions as it is, and the only one he bothers to categorise is the excitement thrumming under his skin at the prospect of meeting Sakura – despite having undressed her just the previous night, despite having bunched up her pink hair and let it fall apart just the previous night, despite having her breathe softly in his neck just the previous night.

Itachi keeps checking the time on his phone as they drink and dance, and the moment it blinks to 1.30 AM, he excuses himself as coolly as possible.

Sakura is at the Exit staircase again.

"Hi."

She looks up. "You're wearing a tux."

He shrugs. "Fancy event, remember?"

She gets to her feet and stalks towards him in a way that has his stomach doing summersaults. Her hand extends to trace the soft fabric of his shirt, over his chest. "Not bad."

He smirks down at her. "Everyone is here, by the way. They're outside, if you want to meet them."

"Maybe later," she concedes.

"Later?"

In response, she pops open the buttons on his shirt one by one, until his torso is revealed. He doesn't interrupt.

"Anyone could come here," he remarks coolly. "You want to risk it?"

They typically lock the door of the staff washroom for these things, although, he hasn't met her at the club in quite a while now. He prefers the motel room.

Sakura takes his hand in hers and leads him up the staircase. Since the entire club in itself is a penthouse, there is no upper floor exactly, but a door that is used to access the water tank and the solar panels. She doesn't open the door, though. Instead, she pushes him against it, and starts to unbuckle his belt and pant buttons.

"Anyone could hear us," he says, but makes no move to stop her, one hand in pocket, his usual supply of condoms at the tip of his fingers.

"Then don't call out my name," she advices and snakes her hand inside.

Itachi focuses on her face, her eyes, and when she takes him in her mouth, he doesn't care about the rules as much. He doesn't call out her name, not her real name, at least, but Coco – and Sakura hums in approval which essentially blanks him out for the next few minutes.

He wants to return the favour, and the only possible way to do it is for him to shrug out of his jacket, roll the sleeves of his shirt, and hope to god that the stairs are not too dirty. Sakura is biting down on her arm to stop from making too many noises, and Itachi doubles his efforts because – it's a moment, just a moment, but he wants her to call out his name and hopes that someone does hear her.

And then when he's inside her, against the door that leads to the water tank and the solar panels, he says in a strained voice, "Merry Christmas, baby."

Sakura nips on his neck in response, and breathes out, "Merry freaking Christmas to you, too."

Sasuke is shooting him suspicious looks. In fact, he's been doing that a lot recently.

Itachi tries to ignore them as he drinks and dances, listens to Samui because she's a good conversationalist, and knows how to play a guitar. They talk about their favourite artists, types of music that they find difficult to perform, and she invites him to one of her band's performances on New Year's Eve. They exchange phone numbers, and he promises to get back to her on it, wondering whether Sakura would like to –

Naruto asks Hidan about Sakura, and the man says that she'll get free only after the closing hours now, that he missed her break time. Naruto proceeds to insist that they should wait until her shift is over, because it's Christmas, and that's what Christmas is all about, anyway.

"No, it really isn't," Kisame says.

"You are free to leave," Sasuke says stiffly. "I'll wait with Naruto."

Naruto positively beams at him. Hinata, Suigetsu, and Konan agree to hang back, as well. Samui and Karin shrug, saying they haven't made other plans, anyway. Sasuke then raises his eyebrows at Itachi, and Itachi only nods.

Yahiko, Nagato, and Zetsu leave mostly because they drink too much and want to sleep. Kisame storms out after them.

They really do wait until closing hours. Itachi paces his drinks, and he isn't the only one to do so. The nightclub begins to empty slowly after 2.30 AM, until it's just their group and the staff members.

Obito spends some time with them, asking how the gala went, promising to drop by the house the next day, I'll bring Shisui and Naori, too. When Sakura walks out, still in her uniform, she stops in surprise to see them, clearly not expecting anyone to be waiting around. Naruto waves her over excitedly.

"We stayed back to spend Christmas with you," he says happily.

Sakura quickly looks at Itachi then back at the blonde. "You didn't have to do that," she says nicely. "Besides, I still have work. This is going to take time."

Itachi knows that Sakura does stay in touch with Naruto, and wonders for the first time whether Naruto's unreadable expressions have something to do with that.

Obito waves her off, saying that she can be excused. "You're a friend of my nephew," he says. "No offence, but Itachi will throw a tantrum if I make you work now."

"What?" Itachi forces out, his heart hammering inside his chest. Does he know?

Sasuke, Naruto, and now Obito. What the hell is happening?

Obito stares at him, and Itachi has no idea what he sees on his face, but he amends his words. "Sasuke's tantrums are not noteworthy. I can take his anytime." And then he skilfully diverts the conversation so the focus from Itachi is shifted.

Except for Sasuke's.

Itachi doubles his efforts in ignoring his looks, trying not to panic.

"Can Hidan come, too?" Sakura asks, fidgeting, biting her lips.

"Why the hell not," Obito laughs. "I'm feeling the Christmas vibes. Tell him I gave the green signal."

"Thank you," she grins and excuses herself, saying that she'll be back out in fifteen.

She returns with Hidan. He has no idea what to make of the situation, but Naruto takes the initiative with official introductions, something they hadn't concerned themselves with during the various times Hidan had been their server. Itachi glances at Konan; she's avoiding the man completely. Now, Itachi knows that Konan did intend Hidan to be a casual partner, but the arguments with Kisame must have been a huge turn off. He also knows that Konan stopped her interactions with Hidan simply because she was too tired to defend her actions.

Hidan doesn't speak with her, either. He sticks with Sakura and Naruto. Samui suggests going for a night-out at her farmhouse.

"It's not too far from the city," she explains. "It's always empty. And there's a cliff in the back where we could chill."

Karin gushes over the location a bit more, until Suigetsu cuts in and says that they're okay with the plan.

Itachi tells Kakashi to make sure that Sakura ends up in his car when they leave from Kamui.

During the ride, Itachi wastes no time in making out with her in the backseat, trying to tamp down on the something rattling around his brain. Kakashi ignores their existence, and serenely drives towards their destination.

Sakura is practically on his lap, and Itachi has his hands fisted in her hair.

"Who's the girl?" she pants in his mouth. "The blonde one?"

Samui had shown every intention of joining Itachi in his car, until Sasuke insisted that she come with him, because he's interested to know more about "Izumi's fight".

"Why?" he mutters. "You jealous?"

Sakura doesn't like that assumption because she bites on his lip harshly. "Who is that?" she repeats.

"My mother's choice for me."

She stops and pulls back from him. "Excuse me?"

Itachi evens out his breaths. "My mother introduced us during the gala earlier tonight."

Sakura's eyes harden. "She's your date?" she asks flatly.

Itachi traces one finger on her cheek, and takes it as a good sign that she doesn't pull away. "Basically, yes. But she has a boyfriend."

Sakura deflates slightly. "Right."

A heavy silence falls between them. This is just sex, Itachi reminds himself. There is no reason for Sakura to be jealous, or for him to defend himself. They're free to pursue whomever they wish.

Itachi doesn't know what to say after that, and he thinks that resuming their make-out session doesn't feel right anymore. He slides his hands up her thighs, over her hips, her waist, across her shoulders, down her arms, and intertwines their fingers.

They look at each other.

Sakura hesitatingly places a soft kiss on his forehead, and he immediately buries his face in her neck, still trying and failing miserably to stop his mind from rattling. She holds him without question, until Kakashi says that they'll reach in under five minutes.

The farmhouse is spacious and tastefully decorated. Samui gives them a short tour, then shows them to the bar.

"Take whatever you want," she says. "We can carry the bottles to the cliff."

They switch on their phone torches as they stroll on the darkened path that leads to the spot Samui insists upon. Itachi feels it is safe to lace his fingers with Sakura's behind him, and she squeezes back in response.

The spot overlooks the city, and the air is chilly. Karin and Suigetsu have grabbed a few blankets from Samui's house, and they lay out two on the ground for them to sit on. Itachi takes one blanket, and Sasuke and Naruto squeeze on one side, while Sakura squeezes on the other. Again, he grabs her hand under the thick fabric, and she doesn't pull away.

Mostly, they drink in silence. Some of them strike up conversations, but they fade out in the stillness of the night, the quiet sky, and the distant lights of the cars below.

At one point, Sakura gets to her feet, announcing that she needs to walk, that her legs feel cramped. Hinata and Naruto join her, and they're nothing but three bobbing torches a little down the edge of the cliff. Itachi keeps them in sight, until Sasuke nudges him lightly.

"You're staring," he tells him in a low voice. "You keep staring as if she's going to disappear."

And Itachi finds it ridiculous that he's tried to hide his relation with Sakura, albeit a physical one, from Sasuke. He doesn't ask him how he knows, because this is his brother, and Itachi has spent months with Sakura and how did he ever think that Sasuke never noticed?

"I just," Itachi stammers. "I don't know. Something feels … it's nothing."

But stare he does. He feels jittery, the same way he'd felt one Monday night – the night before Itachi was to meet Sakura, a Tuesday, he remembers clearly, to offer her the job at Obito's nightclub. The restlessness was borne out of the prospect of approaching her, and he knew that if she agreed to it, he would be cementing something. Of course, he hadn't known that it would lead to this moment.

What moment is this, exactly?

Their relation is purely physical, he reminds himself, but he knows her in a way that he hasn't bothered getting to know anyone else.

Itachi can safely admit to himself now that he'd been instantly attracted to her despite the muddy stains, despite the tattered clothes, despite her snarky Pretty Boy and Your Majesty. Over the course of months, Itachi has wondered whether soulmates are real. And yes, he does hate himself for having such a clichéd question, but he has no other words to describe this … this …

During one of his ballet practices, Utakata sat down with him and explained the emotion that he wanted Itachi to convey through every movement of his hands, his feet, his body, his every breath.

"There are many kinds of love in the world," he says. "One of them is the kind that's beyond comprehension, the kind that's just there, as if it had always existed even before the person himself existed."

Itachi never questioned his logic, because the man is one of the best ballet dancers in the world. If Itachi knows something for certain, it is to never question either of his mentors.

"Talk to her," Sasuke suggests. "No one here will find it odd. I'll text Naruto to come back."

Itachi gets to his feet. No one pays him any mind as he begins to walk in the direction of the three distant torchlights. As soon as he reaches the group, Naruto's phone beeps. He reads the message, gives the same unreadable expression to Itachi that he's done many times, and coolly asks Hinata if she could accompany him back. She laughs softly about him being scared of the dark.

Then it's just the two of them. Sakura raises her eyebrows in a silent question. He asks for her phone, turns off the torch, hands it back. It takes a few moments to adjust to the moonlight.

Itachi doesn't know what to say. He has no idea why he took Sasuke's suggestion seriously when he has no clue what to do with it. Although, it does feel nice to be able to speak with her when they're not in her motel room or in the staff washroom at the club. They've never been on an outing together except for one time in Gelato and another in Starbucks, and Itach finds it rather odd – and then reminds himself that their relation is purely physical, anyway. There was no reason for an outing.

Except.

Except that he wants to see the trailer park that she grew up in, wants to meet her friends, and wants his own group of friends to accept her.

"May I kiss you?" he asks softly, as if he's never ever kissed her before.

Sakura gulps and licks her lips. "Okay."

So he does. He steps forward and leans down, his hands coming to wrap around her waist. Sakura stands on her toes to reach him properly. It's a soft kiss, not rough or desperate.

When he tries to pull back, she doesn't let him. She tightens her hold on his neck, and he complies. The hunger soon settles in and Itachi knows, he knows that if anyone comes up the path with a torchlight, there would be no more secrets. The rest of the group is at least far away enough that the two of them will not be immediately visible in the darkness of the night.

Itachi backs her up against a nearby tree. Something feels … he doesn't know what. There has been something different every time they've hooked-up.

"She's your date," Sakura gasps out when Itachi is sucking on her throat – not too harsh to leave a mark, but he knows that she enjoys it.

"I don't care," he says, hands under her T-shirt.

"Really?"

"Yes." He leaves a trail of light bites across her collarbone.

"This is temporary," she says.

And Itachi picks her up and she automatically wraps her legs around his hips. He would have preferred if there were no clothes between them, but it's not possible, so he makes do with what he can.

"No," he corrects, moving his hips against her. "I told you already. Not temporary."

"So what?" she challenges, and moans at a particular thrust. "You'll get dates and then we'll screw under trees?"

"Sakura," he groans in her neck. "She's not my date. I don't care even if she is. I'm here with you."

"We can't keep doing this," she breathes out shakily.

Itachi grinds his hips harder. "Why not?" he demands. "You don't want to?" He sucks at the skin near her ear. "Tell me you don't want this."

"Trust me," she says, "you don't want to know what I want."

Itachi stops his ministrations entirely to catch her gaze. "Try me."

She doesn't look away. "I want you to kiss me."

And he complies. Itachi doesn't know how Sakura still hasn't figured out the power that she holds over him. He's done things he had never even considered before, and surely, she can't be worried about any girl being his date because this is Sakura, and who is he to deny her of anything?

"What else?" he asks after.

"Anyone could come here," she says instead. "Anyone could hear us. You really want to risk it?"

And he understands.

"No more secrets, huh?" he brushes a few strands of hair away from her face. "What else?"

She swallows. "Promise me that you won't look for me."

He stops breathing. A cold block settles in his gut. Itachi doesn't move away from her. He keeps her pinned against the tree, with her legs around his hips.

"What? What did you say?"

Sakura's jaw clenches. "Promise me that you won't look for me," she repeats firmly.

"What the fuck does that mean?"

She doesn't even flinch. "I'm leaving, Itachi. I'm leaving and we cannot continue this."

Itachi thinks that his breathing might be rapid for a completely different reason, but he ignores it. He ignores it and stares at her. "What the fuck does that even mean, Sakura? Where are you going? Why are you even leaving!"

She brings her hands to his shoulders and slides them up to cup his jaw. "I just – I just have to leave, okay?"

"Were you even planning to tell me, if we hadn't met tonight?" he asks, feeling thoroughly betrayed.

Sakura bites down on her lip. "It doesn't matter. I have to leave."

"No. Explain it to me, please. Explain me why you're leaving me because I don't understand any of this."

He finally steps away from her, puts some distance between them, because when it had always felt safe to be near her, suddenly feels horribly dangerous.

"I'm not leaving you," she says softly. "I'm leaving the city. And since this was always just physical, there is no reason for us to be in touch anymore."

"But why?" Itachi says loudly, not caring if his voice gets carried to the others. "Tell me why!"

"Because this will never go anywhere!" she exclaims suddenly. "Tell me that there is a point to this. Tell me that our hook-ups mean anything beyond hook-ups. Tell me how it is even remotely possible for you and me to be together."

Itachi blinks rapidly. "You want us to be together?"

"I …" she says helplessly. "I just – I can't do it. Itachi, you … you throw students out of school because you're mad at them because you can do that sort of thing. My parents … my parents died because someone out there got mad at them and they disrupted my entire life!"

His jaw snaps shut.

"I came to the streets!" she continues heatedly. "And it's been very difficult. I'm not … I'm not saying that your life is easy – I'm not. But I can't ignore the reason for mine any longer."

His breathing is rapid, and it doesn't matter why it is so anymore. "I haven't done anything to your parents, though. That was not me. And Izumi … you don't understand. She always said mean things about Sasuke. I couldn't ignore that, either. She kept forcing herself on me. What was I supposed to do?"

"I get it. I get it but that doesn't change the fact that my life was ruined, either."

"But you can't hold that against me, Sakura!" he says desperately. "I had nothing to do with it!"

"I know that!" she says just as desperately, if not more. "I know that it's unfair to you."

"Then WHY?" he roars, and in the back of his mind, he notes that this is the first time he's ever yelled in his life with such explosive anger. "WHY WOULD YOU DO IT?"

"MY PARENTS DIED, ITACHI!" she screams back. "They died! Because of some stupid political pettiness, they lost their lives in prison! What do you expect me to do? Fuck you every night knowing that your world is the same as the ones' who killed them? That some other Uchiha Itachi got mad and I paid for it?"

He marches to her on weak legs, feeling overwhelming emotions that he doesn't bother to categorize. "Sakura, please," he begs. "I'll get Izumi back, if you want. I'll apologise to her. I'll tell everyone that she was right. But please, please don't leave."

"What's going on?" Sasuke calls out loudly.

Itachi and Sakura both whip around. They hadn't noticed but the entire group is watching them now. Naruto is holding back Sasuke by his elbow. Hinata and Suigetsu are staring with shocked faces, while Karin and Samui are standing awkwardly, not knowing what to do. Konan is looking at Itachi pitifully, and Hidan is heavily frowning, body tense as if he intends to step in if Itachi lays a finger on Sakura.

"What's going on?" Sasuke repeats forcefully.

"She's leaving," Itachi says emptily. "Sakura. She's leaving. She doesn't want to be with someone like me."

"Itachi-!" Sakura protests but he ignores it.

"Turns out, Sasuke," he faces his brother, his brother who looks like him but they're nothing alike. "Izumi fucked up my life even after leaving. She told me that I'll pay for it, and she was right. Can you believe it? Izumi was right."

"Itachi," Sakura repeats, taking a few steps towards him with her hand extended. "She wasn't. She isn't right."

"Then stay," he implores, grabbing her offered hand. He intertwines their fingers together. "Stay, Sakura. I'll prove that I'm nothing like those people."

She smiles sadly. "Don't look for me."

"No," he says stubbornly. "I'm not promising you that."

She wraps her hands around his waist, Itachi holds back tightly, and she mutters in his chest. "Ask me what I want."

"No."

"Ask me," she places a kiss on his collarbone. "Please."

Itachi swallows and his heart is pounding so hard, he thinks it's going to stop. "What do you want, Sakura?"

She kisses him on the lips and brings their foreheads together, and whispers brokenly, "Don't look for me."

The world around them is quiet, still, waiting with bated breath, until Itachi exhales out, "Okay."

He doesn't bother hiding his tears. This is Sakura, he reminds himself. This is Sakura and she wants him to not look for her, and of course, of course he will comply, because who is he to deny her of anything?

End of Part I

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P.S.: Please note that this is NOT the end of the story. Part II will continue in this story page itself. Stay tuned!