unedited and not proofread (11/4/2020)

Sasuke

Leave it to the idiot to drag me out of my office just because he wanted to ' celebrate our victory ' with some coffee. Apparently, it couldn't have waited for at least ten more minutes until lunch hour officially starts. There's a supposed ramen latte NinjaBucks is offering a discount to this morning, so of course, he thinks I have to witness him buy something so disgusting, I can't even fathom how someone came up with that, let alone have someone actually want that.

"For a senior editor, you don't seem to worry too much about your job," I remark as we stand in the short line to the counter to order.

"You worry about it too much," he says back, still giddy about the new drink he's suddenly obsessing about.

He hadn't mentioned it earlier this morning when he stormed into my office with Kiba. He must have just found out.

Impatient, I look around the cafe to pass the time, and spot pastel pink in the corner, laptop open and a rare frown on her lips still painted red. She must still be in a bad mood. Somehow the sight is both amusing and intriguing. I've never seen a frown on her face last so long. Granted, despite our living situations, I only ever get to see her most mornings before heading into the gym, and on occasion, at work during meetings.

Realizing Naruto is already ordering his repulsive beverage, I decide to buy an extra drink. Once he steps aside after paying, it's my turn.

"Medium black coffee," I say.

"Will that be all?" He asks, his polite smile looking strained.

"And…" The corner of my eye finds the splash of pink in the corner once again.

Appearing to notice, the cashier speaks. "Wondering what she ordered?"

The cashier's question catches me off guard. "Excuse me?"

"I'm an avid Shinobi reader," he says, and somehow, this explains everything. "And she ordered an iced chai latte."

I pay for the two drinks, and the cashier seems a little too happy, muttering something about helping me out. Looks like this little competition is getting bigger than I realized.

I walk to Naruto, who seems too eager to try this new drink, and he's basically talking to himself at this point because all I can focus on is the unhappy pinkette in the corner. Why are my eyes so drawn to her today? Is this the aftermath of actually having a somewhat civil conversation with her for a night? Perhaps. Or perhaps it's the way I notice that her lips are redder than usual, and it's irritating me that I've taken notice.

Naruto's name gets called out and he basically skips to the counter to receive it. Almost on cue, his phone rings, and he excuses himself to take it outside where the noise level is lower. Just a minute after, my drinks are up, and as if my feet know where I intend to go, I make my way to her corner booth.

She doesn't look up. Her fingers are typing on the keyboard at a fast pace as her brow furrows in concentration. Another new expression I haven't seen. I place the drinks on the table, and she finally notices my presence. Her eyes widening for a moment before she squints at me with suspicion.

"What's this?"

"A drink."

She looks down at the iced chai and tilts her head. "And how did you know what my usual is? Stalking isn't exactly appealing."

I roll my eyes before taking the seat opposite from her. "The cashier tells me he's an avid Shinobi reader."

"Of course." She sighs. "Doesn't mean you have to get me a drink."

"You look focused on whatever you're doing. Thought you might need it." My shoulders rise in a small shrug. "Why are you out here instead of in your office doing work?"

The tension in her shoulders ease but she definitely does not appear relaxed. Interesting. "Can't stay focused in there. Too many," she pauses, looking for a word. "Distractions."

So she's being hounded by her coworkers, as well. Though, I can tell it's for different reasons. "It'll pass."

She raises a conspicuous brow at me, her red lips a thin line. I should stop looking specifically at that, it's getting ridiculous. "I highly doubt that. I'm not one to want a lot of eyes on me, Uchiha. You seem used to it because of your family, I guess."

She's not wrong. Even though I'm not fully entrenched in the family business, I'm still an Uchiha, and with that comes attention. I share the same sentiments as she does when it comes to attention, however, in our business, where we work, it's inevitable. But she certainly appears genuinely uncomfortable with it.

"Anyway, I admit this has been a little fun while it lasted."

'While it lasted?' What is she going on about?

Sakura notices my surprise, and I didn't realize she could tell just by a simple quick brow raise. She looks ready to explain. "I'm going to ask CEO Senju to remove me from the project."

I look at her in disbelief. This is uncharacteristic of her. Where had the determination from this morning gone? Was she always so averse to attention? If so, why did she even agree to do it?

"I thought I could do it, but," she bites the corner of her lip, uneasy. "I didn't realize it'd become such a thing."

"You didn't? When we work for HMM?"

"Look, I thought people would just write it off as rubbish, but I seem to have underestimated the Uchiha name."

She's saying she thought this project would fail, but it didn't because of me? This is strange, and completely out of character. Or at least, what I'm aware of as her character. If anything this project has allowed me to look past her ridiculously bright exterior and see glimpses of other parts of her I wasn't aware were there.

"This is atypical for you."

"We've been on one date, and you think you already know what's typical of me?"

I scowl at her, but that doesn't seem to affect her. This shouldn't affect me either, but for some damn reason, it does. Is it because I'm certain she's one of the few in Kunoichi who won't take this too seriously? Clearly, that preconception is wrong because she wants to run.

"Someone else could take over. Maybe Ino can, and she can do the double of being both the date and the analyst for KWJ."

"Yamanaka? I have no interest in her?"

She looks at me puzzled. Correcting myself, I add, "No interest in doing this with her for the magazine. It's just five more dates. Surely, you can handle that?"

"Why does it have to be me then?"

Her eyes lock on mine, and I see it go slightly soft. That makes me realize what's different. Her confidence that is always present is missing, and I can't wrap my head around her not being that way, on the determination not present in her eyes. She's being vulnerable, considerably more vulnerable than she was that night at The Spades. And I don't detest it. It's shocking, but I don't detest it. It's drawing me in. I realize she has a habit of doing that even with her usual smart mouth and self-assured expressions, her brightly colored clothes and her eager morning greetings. I'm both thrown off my balance and curious. This is absurd.

"No more games, Sakura."

Her lips open slightly, surprised at me calling her by her first name. It came out easier than expected. Her expression softens, and for what seemed like a while, a smile liftst the corner of her lips. "How about just one more?"

I raise a brow. "What?"

"Nothing. I'll tell you later." She starts packing up her things, closing her laptop and placing it in her bag. Standing up, she's about to move past my seat, when I raise her untouched drink up, and she stops. Looking at it, she hesitantly takes it from me, her fingers brushing on mine, and for a moment, I see a spark of something in her eyes. Mischief, maybe. But it's gone just as quickly as it came. "Thanks. For the drink."

"Samehada. Wednesday for lunch."

"Do you always have to sound so caveman when asking someone out?" Amusement and, perhaps, excitement swim in her pools of emerald. "Okay. Third date?"

"Wouldn't that be the second?"

She looks around nervously. "This feels a little… date-like."

I shake my head. "Fine."

Then, I watch her as she goes out the door, turns and heads to the building entrance, likely going back to her office. Only then do I notice her skirt matches her lips, and when she passed by me through the window, a light brush of pink colored her cheeks. It's too bad I didn't notice the brunette in the nearby table with her phone out, capturing every move.

w w w . kunoichiwomensjournal . c o m

Does this man want this woman? 88% say yes

I can't remember ever being this mad at a woman. Annoyed, definitely. Exasperated, often. But there's a first time for everything, and unsurprisingly, I am angry at the woman who has the rare ability to garner not just a response from me, but a reaction.

After pounding on her door, it finally opens, and I'm met with eyes filled with irritation that matches my own. But then, I realize, her hair's wet. And upon further inspection, it would appear that she is wearing nothing but a bathrobe.

Sakura Haruno in her gym wear is a common occurrence.

Sakura Haruno in a tight pencil skirt at work, something I've gotten to see more often recently.

Sakura Haruno in a very short, very red bathrobe is new. And dangerous.

I'm still angry, but a new reason for why has just been added.

The ninety-four percent of women that voted in that stupid poll had been right.

Notes:

sdfjdhjdsfh next up, we have an angry sasuke knocking on sakura's front door. what do you think is gonna happen with those two? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)