[ May I ]
To give you all that your heart needs the most.
Sasuke slammed the door behind him. Itachi glanced at him for a second until the advertisement on the television went away, Sasuke just watched his older brother in disdain.
"Next time, tell your friends to mind their own business." He muttered, resting against the sofa that Itachi was sitting on.
"What is your problem?" Itachi slightly glared at him.
Right at the moment, Sasuke's phone rang, when he glimpsed at the caller name, his eyes widened. He picked up the call and walked briskly to the kitchen. Itachi frowned, slightly suspicious of his action. He didn't mention anything, but just lowered down the television's volume.
Itachi's attention was now only drawn to his younger foolish brother who was talking so-ever loudly on his phone, and so… Itachi 'accidentally' heard what's the conversation was about.
0o0
Sasori rubbed his nose, sniffing once in a while. 'Is someone talking about me?' He shook his tired head and gave a short sigh, watching all his unfinished work on his desk always gives him a headache.
He heard his soft ring tone as he tugged into his pocket, pulling out his phone. He looked at the name of the caller before raising an eyebrow. "Hello?"
"Hello Sasori. This is Sakura." The girl said behind the phone.
"Ah, Sakura. Is anything the matter?" Sasori asked, playing with his pen.
"Am I disturbing your sleep?" Sakura shyly asked, tugging onto her pyjamas, slightly embarrassed.
"No no, I'm…" Sasori gave a sidelong glance at his work on the table, "I'm just having a break from my work. It's alright." Sasori said.
He could hear a small sigh behind the phone but he didn't mention it. They remained silent for a moment until Sasori cleared his throat to tell Sakura he's listening. After getting his hint, she spoke.
"I was pondering on this matter for a very long time. Should I give Sasuke a chance to explain?"
Sasori remained silent, what should he answer? A selfish one, or a truthful one?
"I kept pushing him away, and I didn't give him a chance to explain. Maybe, there is really an explanation for all of this mess.
"Then you should give him a chance." Sasori finally said.
Right after his answer, there was just a moment of silence. Sasori even thought that Sakura had hung up or something. "Hello Sakura?" Sasori said.
"Ahh, I'm here. Sorry, I was just spacing out." She sheepishly said. Sasori could exactly picture Sakura rubbing the back of her head like what she always did. "He called me for the umpteen times, you're right, maybe I should give him a chance. I can't keep running away like this." Sakura sighed.
"I'm sorry that I've disturbed you like almost in the middle of the night." Sakura laughed innocently. "It's just kinda funny that I called you just for this. I mean other than work stuff, I actually asked something like this personal…" She mumbled.
"I'm the only one you could talk to now, right?" Sasori said, hoping for the answer he wanted.
"Yeah…" That's what she only said, but the simple answer seemed to be able to give him so much energy to do his entire work in just one night. It just unknowingly made him smile.
"Sasori, Thank you." Sasori suddenly jolted out from his own thoughts as he slowly gained back his composure. He didn't know what to reply, and then there's just silence.
"Even though tomorrow is Sunday, that doesn't mean you can stay up so late at night. Put all your work aside and do it tomorrow afternoon. You need a good night sleep." Sakura started nagging again.
Sasori closed his eyes. He just couldn't wipe off the smile on his face. "Alright alright." He said.
"Good night, and… sweet dreams!" Sakura said merrily.
"Same to you." No matter what, Sasori just couldn't repeat the same words that Sakura had just said. That would totally not suits for such a cool guy like him.
'Sweet dreams to you…' That's what he truthfully wished for her too.
And right after they hung up, Sakura knew what she was going to do tomorrow as she immediately cuddled herself in her bed.
But for Sasori...
He couldn't sleep.
He couldn't continue his work either.
He just doesn't know if he should regret the answer he made.
0o0
"Hello?" Sasori spoke after receiving an unknown caller in the afternoon as he was in the midst of doing his work.
"Sasori, I suppose that's your name."
Sasori looked at his phone for the number of the caller, he didn't recognize the number at all. But he found the voice rather familiar, like he heard it somewhere before.
"And yes… if I am?"
"Can we meet up this afternoon? I have something to speak with you."
Sasori's eyes widened very slightly, he finally realized who the caller is. It's none other than Sakura's ex-boyfriend, Uchiha Sasuke. 'Why is he making this request all of the sudden?' Sasori thought quietly to himself, before deciding what to do.
"It's fine with me. Where do you want it to be?"
0o0
"I've just called Sakura about-"
"I'm aware."
Sasuke turned and faced Sasori who was just staring at him with his two emotionless eyes. They could have just put up an intensified battle just by looking at each other.
Sasuke leaned against his car casually. "You better give up on Sakura, if you don't want to be hurt." The Uchiha said.
Sasori raised his eyebrow, looking wearily at him. "She was the one getting hurt when you attempt to hurt her with your actions, previously."
"And why do you care about her feelings? She's just your employee." Sasuke narrowed his eyes suspiciously at him as he straightened his posture.
"For your information, Sakura was in her previous state because of you and your dumb actions. Not only me, but any passer-by could judge for that." Sasori muttered dangerously.
Sasuke shrugged as if he didn't care. To say truthfully, he really didn't care at all.
"That just proves Sakura loves me that much. It was she who fell in love with me after all…" His tone sounds as if he was about to laugh.
Sasori clutched his fist hard, about to hit him anything in the face. But he knew he couldn't, he doesn't need this extra trouble for now.
"If you know she loves you that much, then why are you toying her feelings?" Sasori gritted through clenched teeth.
"Like I said, why do you care?"
"I'm just warning you because you're Itachi's brother."
Sasuke rolled his eyes, giving a smirk as he regained back his composure. "Then since you're one of Itachi's good friend, I shall tell you something." Sasuke crossed his arm, unable to hide the scorn in his voice.
"Tonight at 7, there's an amazing show at the Italian restaurant just across this street." Sasuke stuck out his thumb and pointed at a rather busy restaurant, but Sasori didn't bothered to look at it. The redhead just watched the Uchiha with no interest.
"I definitely hope you would be able to attend the entertainment because it's specially for you" Sasuke walked slightly forward, giving a pat on Sasori's shoulder. After that, Sasuke drove off in his car and down the street.
Sasori didn't move from the spot, he just stood there, gazing at his own long shadow. Not long after, the tall clock tower just a few meters away chimed for the fifth time since 12, telling everyone its 5 in the afternoon.
0o0
He's been walking for almost 2 hours.
Sasori didn't want to go home, he doesn't want to be trap between the four walls and suffocates his mind in there. He needed air, fresh air…
'Pasta…'
The redhead looked up, and to his surprise, he was standing right outside the said restaurant. He took out both of his hands from his pocket and messed up his already messy hair.
"It's 7." He wondered aloud.
"Welcome to our newly opened restaurant!" One of the waitresses handed a flyer to Sasori for him to see the special delicacies and the offers on the flyer. He was still debating if he should go in, like what Sasuke had told him to at 7.
As if Fate knew what he was thinking, a slight breeze blew by, allowing the flyer to slip away from his fingers and went towards the wind's direction. Sasori was about to grab it back when he noticed a familiar car had been already parked in one of the lots.
He bit his lips, observing the familiar dark blue car that was stationary outside the restaurant. Without hesitating any longer, he entered the restaurant with the waitress's guidance.
As Sasori glanced at all the customers in the restaurant, he's prediction was right, at the corner of his eyes, he noticed pink.
The two of them; Sasuke and Sakura were sitting in the middle of the restaurant.
Sasori was led to the corner where he could watch the amazing view outside the glass windows, but his main attention wasn't the pretty sky and lit up lamp posts, but the pair.
"What would you like to order mister?" The waitress asked politely.
Giving a glance at the menu, he placed an order on a cup of coffee to buy time to sit in the restaurant.
They didn't spoke at all, that's what Sasori noticed. He couldn't really see Sakura's reactions or facial features as her back was facing him. But he knew she seemed to be rather upset over something by looking how her shoulder slouched.
"I've heard enough explanation about telling me you were away throughout the entire two weeks. I gave you chance to explain, and you better treasure it." Sakura muttered as she glared at the cup of orange juice on the table.
'He's here…' Sasuke noted as he had requested to sit at the place where he could view the entrance, and Sasori had finally arrived on time. 'The entire waiting would be paid off Haruno. You shall see…'
Sasuke tried to put his hands on Sakura's but she pulled it away, and placed both hands on her lap, still glaring at the orange juice. "Sakura, I shall get to the main point then if you insist." The Uchiha said.
"Back then when you witnessed at the jewelry shop. Karin was just my assistant and nothing else. I can swear on that." Sasuke frowned when he noticed Sakura did not give a damn about it at all.
"You can swear on anything. That doesn't mean anything to me." She spoke.
Sasuke gave a loud sigh. "Sakura, I really mean it. I didn't lied either. She wanted to help me explain it to you but I suggest not. You wouldn't listen either right?" He said.
Sakura just shrugged.
"If that still doesn't convince you, then I have to use this." Sasuke stood up, and walked around the table to stand right in front of Sakura as she looked at him curiously.
Now Sasori could exactly see what expression was she revealing when her face was directed towards him.
A waiter walked towards the Uchiha and handed out a pink small box. Sasuke took it and opened the lid, revealing a shiny diamond on a silver band.
Sakura gasped, her pretty green eyes widened.
The raven-haired took the silver band out and placed the empty box on the table, while the waiter departed to do his things.
"This ring... I actually planned a surprise with it." Sasuke said, but Sakura didn't seemed to listen, her eyes were just glued to the band in between Sasuke's fingers. Sasuke smirked, bending down on his knees in front of Sakura.
'Take that Akasuna Sasori… That's for ruining my ego.'
"I didn't know what does a girl wants, so I asked my assistant for some advice in which type of rings would you preferred. And on that day, I really do have meetings. We just went to the store to get the ring and that's when you appeared right before us…" Sasuke onyx eyes were still looking out for Sakura's expression. Even though he's on the winning side, he knew Sakura too well, she's not the type who would back down so easily.
"That's why I have to explain it to you face to face and present this ring to you. I planned to surprise you when I managed to clinch a deal with one of the big companies and celebrate with you. I guess I have to do this soon in order to clear my name." The Uchiha said. Sakura was still speechless. She never thought this day would happen.
"But if everything is going back to normal like we always were, I don't mind at all…" He said, giving a half smile.
"Sakura… Would you marry me?"
"Say yes! Say yes! Say yes! Say yes…" Everyone in the restaurant were stunned by Sasuke's action. Some whistled, some pressured Sakura on the answer, and some clapped.
But only one was sitting there in silence, waiting for the outcome.
"Sasuke… I…" Sakura cupped her hand over her mouth, blinking away the tears of joyfulness. She didn't know what to say. She kept telling herself that she wouldn't give in so easily to him when she was on the way to the restaurant in Sasuke's car. But in the end, her instinct seemed to betray herself. Sakura just nodded her head furiously.
His lips turned into an enormous grin while everyone began clapping and cheering for the couple. Sasuke took the ring and slide it into Sakura's finger.
He's hurt.
The Uchiha stood up while Sakura was inspecting her lovely engagement ring. Her mind was completely dazzled with excitement as she immediately hugged him
He felt disappointed.
The waitress just brought the freshly brewed cup of coffee, but just stood there in daze, looking at the moments between Sasuke and Sakura. "So sweet… This is the most memorable thing that happened in our restaurant…" The waitress gave a lovely sigh.
His heart was shattered.
He slowly took out his wallet and placed the money behind before the waitress could turn around placed his coffee on the table.
He already ran out.
Sasuke gave a sidelong glance at the figure that just rushed out of the restaurant. He smirked, still in Sakura's warm embrace.
0o0
Sasori slammed the empty bowl on the table and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. A few of the customer even stopped and gave up on the competition when they seen the amount of empty bowls at Sasori's table.
The redhead took out his wallet and placed some money that was worth more than the food he ate. Without waiting for the one hour to end, he stood up and just walked out of the restaurant, ignoring the shouts that were directed to him.
"Wait! Your money!" Naruto grabbed the money and ran out of his own restaurant, but it was too late as he watched Sasori drove his way out of the car park. "He looks so familiar… Ah! He's that guy that Sakura brought the other day!"
Naruto stared at the money in his hand before shrugging and went back to his own work. "Perhaps I shall just call Sakura tomorrow."
0o0
"Scrrrreeeechhh." Sasori stopped his car right outside a bar. He would do anything to forget about that incident. But eating doesn't seem to work. He slammed his door shut, shuffling his feet inside.
Numb
The loud music in the bar blasted in his ears, yet he totally ignored it. He grabbed a seat and just sat there, in daze.
"Sasori, can't fucking imagine you here." He raised his heavy head to find the silver-haired bartender wiping a glass with a cloth.
"Hidan."
"What day is it to find you here? Like shit, you don't even drink."
Sasori waved the comment off, "Just give me something that can make me drunk this instant."
Hidan filled a glass with a sort of alcohol and pushed the glass forward. "You never drink heavily before, you should try this." Hidan said, but Sasori didn't care, he just wanted to get drunk using whatever method he can have.
Forcing the weird liquid down, he began asking for another, another and another. He didn't care when some women flaunt their bodies around him. He had no interest in them. He just continued to drown himself in alcohol.
"Did something happen to your work? Nah, it couldn't be. Had a fight with your girlfriend? Wait, you don't even have one. Then why the heck are you so depressed." Hidan went back cleaning the glasses again, staring weirdly at Sasori.
"Sakura…" Sasori suddenly mumbled, his head resting against his shoulder while shaking the empty glass unconsciously.
"The name sounds so darn familiar… Oh right, it's that Pinky." Hidan poured the drink as the redhead gulped it down within seconds.
"Sakura…" He kept repeating her name over and over again, until Hidan finally know what was happening.
"So it's that girl… That girl turned you into this…" Hidan ruffled his red hair. "So our poor solo boy must have found love!" He chuckled.
"Sakura…"
Hidan sighed, filling up the glass. "Calling her wouldn't help either… If I didn't have amnesia, I actually remember she had a boyfriend. Calling her brother-in-law, Itachi-kun. Sounds fucking gross." Hidan shivered while talking to himself.
Hidan just turned around and went back to do his things when there was not response. Sasori placed his head on his arm like a pillow, somehow happy that he finally got what he wanted; drunk and unconscious.
0o0
"Deidara, there's a problem, Sasori is drunk." Hidan shouted through the phone.
"Drunk? He's drunk? He never got drunk. He doesn't even drink yeah." Deidara stuck the phone between his cheeks and shoulder while watching a movie and drawing some random stuff during his inspiration.
"He's at one of the bars I'm working at." Hidan watched the unconscious redhead, asking for more as he slammed the glass on the table a couple of times. "I wanted to bring him home, but I have this fucking shift and I can't leave now." Hidan complained.
Deidara threw his sketch at one side of his sofa and sat straight, taking the phone in his hand. "Tell me where the bar is, I'm coming over." Right after Hidan told him the location, he immediately turned off his television and headed to the place.
0o0
"What the hell yeah." Deidara grabbed onto Sasori as Hidan finally shrugged him off his shoulder.
"He's drunk like some shit. And he kept mumbling that pinky's name all over and over like fuck." Hidan complained, patting his silver hair in place.
"Sakura?" Deidara's frown deepened, staring at the redhead who kept mumbling some incoherent words.
"Hidan! We need your help in moving these boxes!" A voice shouted from inside. Hidan looked back and rolled his eyes, not bothering to replied back. Deidara shook his head. "Just go back to your work, I'll deal with him" The blonde grabbed holds of Sasori's arm and put it around his shoulder.
"If anything held up, just call me. I'll be running over to help." After finishing his sentence, he whirled around and shouted some curses before entering the bar.
Deidara didn't said anything but just gave a last glanced at him before walking away from the bar, dragging his semi-conscious friend. Sasori's slowly fluttered his chocolate colored-eyes as his eyes slowly accustomed to the bright lamplights around him.
After blinking a few times, he finally realized who was dragging him away from the place he wanted to drown his sorrows. "What the hell… are you doing?" Sasori lifted his arm and stepped a few back away from Deidara.
"Bringing you home." Deidara seriously said.
"I can go home myself." Sasori stumbled backwards, heading to another direction and walked past Deidara like nothing. Deidara gritted his teeth, whirling around and glared at Sasori's back.
"You can't keep running away like this!" Deidara's temper finally blew up. He watched his drunken friend, stumbling forward whenever he took a step. The blonde wanted to help so much, but he knew Sasori to well; he would be pushed away even if he did.
"I'm not… running away…"
"You're not running away? What crap is this, yeah? Look at the state you are in now. Where is the all mighty strong and calm Sasori I knew?" Deidara yelled at him, getting pushed away again when the blonde tried to help the redhead up when he almost tripped.
"If you love her, you have to fight for it before it's too late yeah!" Deidara stood firmly in front of Sasori, forcing the redhead to look at him.
The blonde had known right from the start, all these while what Sasori's true feelings were. But Deidara didn't stepped forward to do anything, he always thought the redhead would do the right thing, the thing he should do.
But how wrong he was…
"I don't love anyone, so stop saying I do!" Depression obviously tainted in his tone. Their glare intensified, as if daring the other to look away first.
"Liar. Who do you think I am? A mere friend who know you for a week?" Deidara snorted back. Blue eyes still staring back at the brown ones.
Sasori sighed, knowing that there's not point in fighting with a stubborn guy like Deidara. Sasori just dug into his pocket and pulled out his car keys, lifting Deidara's arm and putting it in his hand. "I can't ride my car back. If you have the time, help me drive it back to my place. I owe you one. " With that, he pushed him aside and began walking again
Deidara closed his eyes and clutched hard onto the keys, biting his lips. "Why don't you say it out? If you kept it to yourself, no one will know what you are truly feeling and thinking! Especially when she's rather naive to do so yeah!" Deidara shouted, ignoring his changing of subject.
Sasori stopped in his track. His drowsiness was going nowhere, and all he wanted to do was to sleep for the entire life, if he could.
"Fine." Sasori said. Deidara immediately looked up, ignoring everything in the world. The blonde just wanted Sasori to say what he's thinking, to say how he feels, to say…
"If you want to know that much I shall tell you." Sasori turned around, his eyes staring right into Deidara's bright blue eyes. "I like her from the very start, and now what, I've fallen in love with her. Hard. Very hard. What can I do now? What can I do when she's been proposed and she agreed to it? What can I do about it?"
'Proposed?' Deidara mused. 'What Proposal? Don't tell me yeah…'
His brown eyes slightly wavered, from what Deidara could see. Deidara widened his eyes. The blonde knew, even when a large knife were to pierce right into Sasori's stomach, he wouldn't even shed a tear, but now… Was he...?
Sasori slowly turned around, and began walking, his steps were still uneven but he was very sure where he was heading. Deidara stopped in his track; he wasn't going to force him anymore.
He just watched his redhead friend disappeared into the shadows down the street.
To be continue
Author's Note:
Bad… this is so bad… -Shakes fist-
After reading all your sweet reviews for the previous chapters, I just couldn't bear myself to write this one… -Takes all dangerous weapons and runs away –
Th-thanks for reading, r-reviews are very appreciated!
-Pocky