Chapter 7: Mysterious Found a Goodbye and Hello

Sakura's POV

The pinkette couldn't believe her eyes. Sasuke was fighting against Duy, of all people, or at least, attempting to. What was he doing here? Was he looking for her and came to her rescue? Sakura watched as Sasuke shoved Duy back, kicking his leg from underneath him. Though Duy was big, tough, and strong, he wasn't the sort to get caught off guard.

"Perhaps, she's your girlfriend?" Duy offered, smirking at the reality of a good fight.

"No." Sakura and Sasuke both replied in unison. It wasn't like that; Sakura wanted to clarify that Sasuke was far from her type and his personality could use some work. But wait, did Duy not know that Sai was currently her ex-boyfriend?

"She owes me." Sasuke answered curtly.

Duy looked back at her with a solemn frown. He's probably thinking she got herself mixed up with a loan shark or something, Sakura thought inwardly, looking away involuntarily.

"All the more reason to protect the Miss from the likes of you." Duy reasoned, turning towards her. Sakura's eyes widened, backing away. What was she standing all that time there for when she could have been gone by now? Sakura pivoted on her heel and dashed for the main staircase, her breaths becoming uneven as Duy chased after her, followed by Sasuke.

"Stop right there!" Sasuke yelled again, this time overlapping another's riot coming from the foyer.

Sakura reached the topflight, ready to descend when she felt Duy snatched her wrist, spinning her around; suddenly, it was as if she was airborne, teetering off the edge with only Duy's weight acting as her leverage. Sasuke came into sight, his hands gesturing calmly at them.

"What the hell, Sasuke?" Sakura turned her gaze to see a blonde haired man running up the stairs in twos, his expression frantic.

"Don't hurt her." Sasuke said.

"This doesn't concern you." Duy said.

"Hey, man, let that girl go or else!" The blonde said.

An array of voices arose above Sakura, yelling at each other, words clobbering for their fear, for her safety and all the young adult could feel was the sweat glistening down her forehead and into her eye, making her wince. Suddenly and unexpectedly, Sasuke crashed into Duy, pushing him to the side which made him slip up. Sakura was released from her captor's hold, however the short fall to her doom was quicker than she anticipated. She cried out as she fell backwards.

Sakura squeezed her eyes shut ready for impact.

But it never came. Only the cushion of the blonde man's body caught her fall. Oof!

Sakura's eyes sprung open, short out of breath, and heart racing. Above her, Sasuke was struggling to pin Duy down but after a moment later, Duy reluctantly gave up.

Sasuke's POV

After the scuffle with Sakura's captor, Sakura was safe and tended to. Her captor, on the other hand was pardoned by the hotel's chairman, Hiashi Hyuuga, which Sasuke later learned happened to be in good graces with Sakura's father and the man, Duy Might, he recruited to retrieve Sakura.

Despite the whole misunderstanding, the investigation was over.

Turns out, Duy needed a way to get in contact with Sakura without creating a commotion since Sakura wasn't in the right state to cooperate. Having found out that she was in room 219, he reserved a room opposite the hall in room 216 and dismantled the digit which gave Sakura the impression she had entered room 219. However, what Naruto didn't get was how she entered a room her reserved key didn't have access to. It was all too easy for Sasuke to figure that out. Apparently, Duy "borrowed" the handy dandy key card the staff uses to enter all rooms and switched it with Sakura's key card.

"That man is something else," Naruto muttered, hands in pocket and leaning against the wall. "He's like you in a way, when you're in mission mode."

They were in the hotel's security office, reviewing the tape back and watching how Duy got in and got out. The remaining question for Sakura seemed relevant as to how Duy found her. He assumed the girl's phone had a tracker planted in it and that's how he tracked her down to where they were now. What could be so important that Sakura had to hide her identity? Was she in a family bind or something?

"That girl, Sakura, was it?" Naruto began, his mind elsewhere. "I could see why you hesitated to tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"She's super pretty, you bastard, that's what!" Naruto grinned, slapping a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke winced and shot a glare at his friend. "You have it bad, huh. You practically ran to her rescue."

"It's not like that."

"I didn't think I'd see the day where you show your soft side in plain sight." Naruto snickered and looked out the screen window. Sasuke glanced over, seeing Hinata and Katherine talk to Sakura in the lounge. She looked alright, considering she was still wearing a bathrobe, her hair mussed from the struggle to be freed but it was the sheepish smile on her face that didn't meet her olive eyes. If it weren't for Naruto catching her, Sakura could've been seriously hurt because of him. He took the risk of tackling Duy aside, knowing fully well that Naruto was there and if he were to save her, he'd let him.

Her eyes traveled the room to theirs, smoothly transitioning to his gaze and locking. She looked extremely exhausted, bags showing fatigue and stress. After so much activity occurring around her, he was sure all Sakura wanted was peace and quiet. He tried to help her, but he guessed it wasn't enough. How could it be? Sasuke wondered, taking in the way her green orbs drifted from him to Naruto and back. Why was he going through all this for some girl he met on the interstate? At first, he had an initial suspicion that she could be linked to a series of trouble regarding the red district case, but this was only the start of his troubles.

Sakura's POV

Later that evening, Sakura apologized for the mix up, bowing her head in shame for troubling both the Hyuugas, Sasuke and his companion, Naruto, who reminded her of someone she knew back in her childhood years. In verse, Hinata agreed that their staff could use more training and the security will be tighter from then on. With that said, Sakura followed Sasuke out of the hotel where Duy was waiting for her beside a black, sleek crown car. Sasuke must be wondering who the heck she was, considering how Duy found her and what steps it took for him to get her to come home. Sakura pressed her lips in a firm line, remembering the obligated feeling of returning home when called on; but, after entering her career as a new business owner, she learned the joy of freedom and how independent she felt without a curfew.

That was, until she met Sai, and then it was all about pleasing and acting responsible for his sake. She wanted to smack herself for being a stupid adolescent in love. She wanted nothing more than to go back in time and tell her past self not to believe Sai's every word; or better yet, ignore Sai's ignorant ego. She dreaded the fact that she was blindsided by the red flags Sai was emitting, even after she welcomed him with open arms. Even to the point of recruiting him a position within her business which he ended up taking for a short while. Was she that desperate for attention and love from Sai?

Sakura looked down, her face aflame with humiliation. The mere thought of betrayal hit her hard, recalling the mention of Sai's name from Duy's lips. How was Sai connected to her father? How did her father even come across Sai? She was sure to be vigilant with all her associates and to be extra careful, she quit social media.

"Whatever you're thinking, stop it." Sasuke's words broke through her endless list of queries. Sakura stopped a foot behind Sasuke, facing his armed suited back and felt tears start to prick the ends of her tear ducts. She couldn't help herself. It was as if the world was crumbling around her and she was unable to reciprocate with better judgement.

"Like I said before that man does not deserve your tears." Sasuke reminded her. Could this man really read her mind or was it that he was attuned to her emotions instead? "If you have issues at home to settle, better get it over with. Don't cause any more trouble for others and for yourself."

She blinked back the tears but couldn't hold back the rifling snot running down her nose. She sniffled loudly and nodded her head in comprehension even though he couldn't see her do so. Using the fluffy white robe she had on still, she swiped her sleeve across her nose and took on the stance of a professional ready to depart a flight.

There were a lot of issues Sakura had left back at home, one being that she was a dojo master's heiress and if she didn't settle the responsibility now, when would she? Her father would further come back with more tact and forceful methods to get her to come home. Besides, she had her own business to run and she wasn't going to give up her career to man a dojo her father entrusted to her. Sasuke was right, she mustn't trouble anyone further with her problems.

She inhaled, smelling a faint cologne of firewood and refined books like the ones you open at a bookstore and take a good ol' whiff. Sakura closed her eyes, ignoring the sounds of mild chatter behind her, the rush of tires screeching from around the entrance's bend, the numerous footsteps on gravel and the way the wind blew against her back, pushing her forward towards the wall of Sasuke's firm back. Should she embrace Sasuke as a thank you for helping her out thus far?

"Miss Haruno, it is time." Duy's voice intervened, taking away the indecisive moment that succumbed the pinkette.

Sasuke stepped aside, giving her full view of Duy opening the VIP car door open for her to get in. She sighed and glanced regretfully at Sasuke. Would she ever see Sasuke again? Secretly, she hoped so.

Sasuke's POV

"I guess this is goodbye," Sakura said, turning to him with a forlorn gaze. She had her hand out and he was ready to take it, but he didn't want to give the pinkette hopes of seeing him again. After all he was a man of little interest and his sole focus right then was to catch up to his brother and bring justice to their family. There was no room for concern and as safety goes, he didn't want the girl to be caught up in his own webs of troubles.

Seeing as how he ignored the extended hand, Sakura dropped hers and bit her bottom lip. Sasuke zeroed in on the impression her teeth made, ceasing the trembles of her lips. Great, how many times was he going to hurt this girl's feelings? She was hurt enough, and he had to make it worse.

He turned his gaze elsewhere and immediately locked eyes with a disapproving Naruto who stood akimbo off to the side, the hotel staff behind him, watching as Sakura slowly moved towards her escort. Sasuke sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, regret sinking in as the words flowed out from his lips.

"Don't let it be your last."

He didn't have to look back at Sakura to know that her movement had paused mid-step, or the way her lips parted in surprise letting out a gasp before venturing into the crown with valor in her step. "I'm a magnet for trouble, Mr. Uchiha. That means, you'll be hearing from me more often than naught."

If that's the case, he hoped it wouldn't come down to that.