[ May I ]
Let me raise you up
"Good morning!" Sakura entered the office with a huge smile. Deidara was already on his seat, slightly irritated when there was a pile of of work left undone. But when he just seen Sakura's bright smile, he couldn't help but smile along with her.
"Good morning yeah." He smiled back. His eyes immediately glanced at the shiny band hook in Sakura's necklace. "Is that…"
Sakura looked down at her necklace and blushed, rubbing the back of her head. "Yeah, yesterday I was proposed…"
"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?"
"You were? Let me guess. Itachi's little brother right?" Deidara tried to sound rather surprise. Sakura slightly blushed. "Yeah…" She shyly looked at the other side of the room when she noticed the empty seat on Sasori's chair.
"Hadn't Sasori come to work yet?" She asked, pointing at the seat.
"He was feeling unwell." Deidara spoke the half-truth.
"Is he alright? I called him last Saturday night, he sounds fine." Sakura said.
"Sharing secrets?" Deidara raised an amused eyebrow.
"No! Er… Something about work." She smiled, playing with her fingers, but Deidara knew something was up, but he didn't say anything.
"I shall continue with my work." Sakura said, moving to her own room.
"Sakura."
"Yes?" She spun around, glancing at Deidara with her two bright emerald eyes.
"Congratulations yeah." Deidara grinned.
"Thanks." Sakura smiled, felting her necklace once in a while. She turned back and continued her track to the room.
Deidara watched her back facing him, entering another room as the door closed behind her. His grip on his pen tightened.
'Something is not right…'
'Her smile… it's just not right…' He began tapping his pen on the table, listening to the drillings in the room like a sort of lullaby.
0o0
Sasori kept rubbing his temple, but it didn't worked pretty well. He went over to his kitchen and poured a glass of water, trying to relief the pain in his head. He had never get such a worse headaches in his life, this ache couldn't even compare to the day when the glass bottle collided his head in the past.
He dragged his feet to the living room and was dizzy once again. He stumbled forward and grabbed onto the corner of the dining table, the glass in his hand slipped through between his fingers and smashed into pieces when it hit the floor.
The redhead closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He bent down and tried to pick up the shattered glasses, but before he could reach out for any pieces of glass on the floor, his eyelids suddenly became so heavy and darkness eloped him once as he closed his eyes. He just fell onto the ground, unconscious, with pieces of glasses and puddle of water beside him.
0o0
"Wait? Explain this right now Ms. Haru- I mean Mrs. future-to-be Uchiha!"
"Lower down your volume Ino!" Sakura whispered, looking around at the costumer, giving them an apologetic smile.
"So Sasuke proposed t-to you?" Hinata asked.
Sakura nodded, playing with the necklace around her neck. "It happened yesterday."
"I haven't told my parents yet, not that I don't know what their reactions would be." Sakura shrugged, drinking down her coffee
The three good friends were sitting in one of the café, Sakura had told what happened yesterday, and of course, not the whole truth either. She planned to keep the thing about Sasuke proposing her a secret first, but she just had to tell her two other best friends.
But like most of you know, telling Ino was just the same as telling the whole wide world.
Ino rested her chin on her palm. "I can't believe you are the first to get marry among the three of us." Ino sighed.
"I'm s-sure you would be next Ino" Hinata giggled.
"I doubt so, you don't even have a boyfriend yet." Sakura teased.
"You wait. I'll show you." Ino grumbled.
"Sakura, can I be the bridesmaid?" Hinata said shyly.
Ino immediately grabbed Sakura's hand. "Me too! Me too!"
Sakura laughed. "Sure sure, you two can do."
0o0
'Proposed…'
'I get it now…'
Deidara was driving in Sasori's red car back to the redhead's apartment like he asked him too. He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice the traffic had turned red.
"Sccccrreeech!" The blonde hit on the brake and actually managed to save his life when a few cars in front just zoomed past before him. A few documents along with a few of Sasori's belonging fell from the backseat because of the sudden halt. Deidara was about to turn over and picked everything up when a car behind him horned impatiently because of the green light.
Deidara sighed, returning back to his position and stepped on the accelerator, going full speed ahead.
Not long after, he parked the car at Sasori's favorite spot. He was about to alight of the car when he remembered the things that dropped on the ground.
He turned over, picking up the files and papers, until the blonde noticed a small box, a box that he himself was very familiar with. Deidara placed the rest of the items back to where it should be and took the box that was stuck under the seat. With a gentle pull, it came out as he inspected the box in his hand.
Giving a firm push, the lid opened, revealing a shiny diamond ring stuck in the middle of the box. Deidara's eyes widened traumatically. "This guy…"
Deidara didn't know what to say. If he were to find a ring in Hidan's car, he wouldn't be surprised at all. But instead it was Sasori's. Deidara continued inspect the ring, it seemed rather expensive. Deidara knew Sasori inside out. He's a very well organized person, yet he just threw such an important thing at the back of the passenger seat.
'He must be really upset.'
The blonde sighed heavily, closing back the lid. He grabbed onto the box and put it in one of his jacket's pocket. After locking the car, he trudged towards the lift, the car keys still in his hand.
The blonde walked into the lift, waiting patiently for the lift to reach the floor. He walked out of the elevator and looked at the door at the side of the corridor.
Deidara pressed the bell, waiting for Sasori to open the door for him, but no one answered. He rang again, but there wasn't any respond. Deidara started calling his house number, he could hear the ringing of his telephone behind the door, but he couldn't hear any movement inside to pick up the call.
'Was he that drunk that he hadn't even woke up yet?' Deidara wondered.
"Oh yeah." Deidara fished into his pocket and took out a huge set of keys. The blonde looked at each and everyone of it, trying to find one of the correct keys to get into the house.
'I almost forgot I had Sasori's key when he first moved in here yeah.'
After finding the right one, he put in the right key and turn the lock, opening the door.
"Saso-" Deidara dropped the keys in his hand, rushing to the broken glasses and the unconscious redhead on the floor.
"Sasori! Oi, don't scare me yeah!" Deidara bend down and shook Sasori but he didn't respond. The blonde nudged him several times. He quickly took out his phone and quickly dialed the number to the hospital.
After finishing telling the details, he grabbed his friend and pulled him up, setting him on his back as he carried him to the lift.
0o0
"Shit, I'm so darn late!" Sakura rushed down the bus and briskly walked towards her work place, looking at her watch every five seconds.
Sakura reached out for the glass handle and was about to push it open when she realized it was stuck on the spot as she slammed onto the glass door in the face.
"Ouch…" She rubbed her nose, her gaze then turned to the sign on the door that says "Closed."
"That's weird, why aren't they at work yet?" Sakura wondered aloud, taking her keys and began unlocking the door. Finally slotting it in, she pushed it opened and turned the sign to "Open." She went to the kitchen, to find no one there either. She walked up the stairs and looked around at all the room.
"Deidara didn't work overnight… and Sasori is nowhere to be seen. Where could they be?" Sakura went down the stairs and flipped through the schedule. 'Deidara had a meeting with the client in the afternoon, but where is he?' Sakura mused.
She took out her phone and dialed Deidara's number, but it always go to his voicemail; Sakura couldn't contact him at all. She clutched on her phone. "Could something happen to him?" She slightly panicked.
Sakura looked through her contact and finally found Sasori's number, she began dialing as well, but no one answered.
Haruno sighed, putting down the file and glanced at the room. It felt so cold and lonely suddenly, as if she was the only being in the world.
Suddenly, her phone rang. She immediately straightened her posture, thinking it was one of her boss who called, but to her disappointment, it wasn't.
"Hello Naruto." She said, making her voice as cheerful as possible.
"Sakura-Chan! I wanted to call you yesterday, but the business in my restaurant was so busy and I don't have the time to do so." He said.
"What is it that you needed to contact me yesterday?" Her curiosity getting the better out of her.
"The day before, Sunday. Your redhead friend came to our place and had the Ramen competition. He actually won, but he left the money and ran out in the middle of it. Why don't you come around here some day and get some vouchers for his compensation." The blonde said through the phone.
"Why would he be there?" Sakura muttered, leaning against the table.
"I don't know, but he really ate like… A lot. And he seemed to be upset over something when he came here. I do hope these vouchers can help him a little…" Naruto innocently said.
"Thanks, maybe I'll come over and picked it up someday." Sakura said, and she just ended the call there.
On the cue, the office phone rang, she immediately bent over and picked it up, but before she could say anything, a loud voice blasted through her ears and even when she put the phone away from her ears, she could still hear the loud voice.
"I called you two like some shit times and you all didn't answered, what the fuck is your problem?" The loud voice continued.
Sakura paused for a while, finding the voice very familiar. An image of a loud-mouthed, love-to-curse man with silvered haired and lavender eyes flashed across her mind.
"You're Hidan?" Sakura asked.
The caller stopped his yelling, and sucked in a deep breath. "Ohhh… You must be Pinky who worked for Deidara and Sasori. Where the heck are they, I called them like damn, and they don't answer or it ended at the voicemail." Hidan grumbled.
"To say the truth, I don't know either, I've been calling them and the results was the same as yours." Sakura said, her tone sounded depressed. "Anyway, is there anything you need to tell them or something? I can help you transfer the message when they are back from wherever they are now." Sakura said, tugging the phone under her cheek, grabbing a note pad and a pen.
"Nah, I just wanna ask how is Sasori now. I tried to contact them yesterday evening until now and they just don't answer it. So I tried calling their workplace." Hidan explained.
Sakura widened her eyes, putting down the notepad and pen. "What happened? Did something happen?" Sakura shouted.
"Calm down Pinky. Sasori came to my bar the other day and he was like so drunk that he might not even recognize himself if he were to stand in front of a mirror."
"Is it Sunday?' Sakura just asked.
"Wow, how do you know that, Pinky."
"Stop calling me that." She gritted her teeth, continuing. "Why is Sasori drunk? Did something happen to him that he went drinking?" Sakura asked in concern.
"Must be because of you." Hidan merely said.
"Me? What have I done?"
"Like hell would I know. When he was drunk, he kept fucking calling your name over and over like a broken recorder." Hidan complained.
Sakura's mouth slightly opened, her eyes wavered. 'Why?'
"Sasori couldn't hold his liquor, and he drunk like a whole tub of alcohol. Okay, maybe not that much but you get the point. I doubt he can stand and walk straight the next day with the headache he's going to get." Hidan shook his head.
Sakura took the notepad and pen again. "Can I have Sasori's address? I just felt slightly guilty when he got drunk… because of me. I mean, I don't know what was the real problem is." Sakura paused for a while, taking a deep breathe.
"But people says when someone is saying a person's name when they are drunk, there is a high percentage that the person he or she is calling, is the problem." Sakura said.
Hidan didn't say anything else and didn't prey onto the subject any further. He stated Sasori's address and requested Sakura to call him if anything cropped up, and they just ended the call.
0o0
Sakura got off the lift, looking around the long and narrow corridor. She glanced at the address, walking further and away from the lift. She sighed in relief when she finally found the correct house.
Sakura approached to the door and started ringing the doorbell, but there wasn't any answer. She continued pressing on the doorbell but she couldn't hear any movement in the house at all.
"Could I be at the wrong house?" Sakura checked the address again, scratching her head. "It's the correct one…" She mumbled.
"Are you looking for Sasori?"
Sakura spun around and noticed a lady carrying a ton of plastic bag in her hand. She seemed to have just come back from a shopping spree. "Yes, do you know where he might be?" Sakura politely asked.
The lady put down the bags on the floor while looking for her keys to open the door just right opposite of Sasori's. "Yesterday, a blonde; perhaps his friend, had found him unconscious in the living room. Sasori was sent to the hospital immediately afterwards."
Sakura cupped over her mouth, too shocked to speak further. She looked at the door before glancing at the floor. 'What could have happen?' Sakura pondered very hard. She looked up at the lady and spoke.
"Excuse me, but do you know which hospital was he sent into?"
0o0
Deidara stretched on his seat, staring back at Sasori who was lying at one of the hospital bed. He tucked both of his hand into his pocket as his hand felt upon the jewelry box.
The blonde sighed.
Deidara took out his hand and stood up, feeling sore all over his body. He looked at his watch and gave a yawn before walking out of the ward to get something to drink.
He walked down the quiet and empty corridor to find one of the vending machines in the hospital. Deidara slotted in the coins and pressed on the coffee button.
He took the cup and slowly trudged down the hall. While blowing the surface of the drink, he checked his phone for any messages or missing calls.
"Damn… there's no more battery, I guess I have to charged it later yeah." Deidara muttered to himself.
"Excuse me, is there any patient called Akasuna Sasori?"
Deidara looked up, putting his phone back into his pocket. "Sakura!" He said in surprise. But Sakura didn't seemed to hear or noticed Deidara, all her attention were just fixed on the nurse who was tapping the information on the computer.
"Yes. In ward 289, just down this hall." The nurse nodded and looked away from the computer, pointing down the corridor. Sakura gave a quick thanks and briskly towards the direction.
Deidara just stood there, puzzled. "How does Sakura know?" He just frowned but shrugged it off easily.
At one quick moment, the noticeable and unique pink hair was gone in a flash. Deidara quickly rushed down to find Sakura already in the ward.
He slightly pushed the door opened, leaving a small gap opened. The blonde looked at Sakura who grabbed the one seat that was left and sat beside Sasori's bed. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her wrinkles could be seen on her forehead. She rested her arms on the bed and looked at Sasori to see if he's all right.
'Just like in the dramas yeah.' Deidara mused, slowly closing the door. Of course, like in the dramas as well, he wouldn't waste this chance either. He patted on the bulge that was on his pocket while sipping on his coffee. Slowly and steadily, he left the hospital.
0o0
'Where am I? White… Everything is white again… Like before…' Sasori slowly opened his eyes, staring blurrily at the white ceiling. He slowly turned to his side as his eyes still trying to accustom to the lights.
'Pink…Am I imagining things again?'
He continued staring at the sleeping figure, his vision slowly gained back to what it was before, and there, was the person that he never thought he would see.
Her pink hair covering some part of her face, a soft snore coming out from her as her chest rose every time she takes in air. To Sasori, she looks so beautiful even when she's sleeping.
"Sakura…" He said out loud, still trying to register what he had seen in his brain.
Sakura slightly stirred, she began rubbing her tired eyes and gave a yawn and a stretched. She looked tiredly around the ward until her eyes fell upon him.
"Sasori!" She immediately got up to her feet. The redhead sat up, fully awake and feeling as refreshed as ever. He looked around quickly. "Where am I?"
"You are in a hospital now, you fainted because you were sick yesterday. Deidara just called me and told me everything."
Sasori continued ruffling his hair until Sakura finished her sentence. His head shoot up and looked at Sakura. "Everything?"
"He said you eat a lot of fried food and got a fever, and probably fainted afterwards. You must have lack the sleep as well." Sakura said.
'Not everything though…' He mentally sighed, still clearly remembering the thing that happened that day. His chocolate brown eyes slightly narrowed.
"Sakura… Would you marry me?"
His eyes softened immediately, recalling how happy Sakura was when she was proposed that night. Her smile, it was something Sasori can never give to her…
"Are you feeling better now?" She asked in concern.
"Feeling much better." He replied, giving a small smile.
"You have awakened Sasori. You just have to finish filling up the document and you may leave." The nurse said, entering the ward and rather oblivious to Sakura who was present.
"Are you sure there isn't any more problems?" Sakura asked again.
"There isn't any problem and he can be discharged right after he had woken up." The nurse just turned away from Sakura after lazily answering her question. She began smiling sweetly at Sasori. "I can bring you to the counter if you want, and I'm going to knock off now, we can go home together."
'What's with that nurse? Her smile is creeping me out.' Sakura frowned, taking by Sasori's arm and pulling him up.
"Let's go, I can bring him home. Your duty as a nurse ends here. And since Sasori can be discharged now, why don't we do it now?" Sakura said, slightly pissed off when the nurse was trying to flirt with Sasori. The nurse rolled her eyes at Sakura, taking the chart from the table and went back looking after other patients.
Sasori wasn't listening to the both of them, but instead, he visibly tensed when he felt Sakura's arm around his. He stood up and obeyed her as if she was his boss. When their arm came in contact with each other, Sasori's stomach fluttered, the back of his neck grew warm.
'Her touch was so soft, just like this kiss…' He frowned
'What the heck?' He rudely scolded himself. His eyes were still fixed on their arms that were entwined together.
Sakura lead Sasori to the counter and rested her arm on the table, telling the nurses about what the previous nurse had told them to do. Sasori suddenly freeze, as if the heat he needed was gone right in a second and the cold just knock him straight.
Right when they were still walking down the corridor, it was as if Sasori was running down a beautiful flower garden with cool wind brushing across his face, just like a place for Heaven. It was just magnificent.
But now, when Sakura's arm left his, Sasori felt like he was standing on a piece of floating iceberg, alone and stranded.
"Here's the documents, after signing all of these, you can leave now." One of the nurses at the counter said.
Sasori stepped forward and finished signing the things like what he supposed to do, it took a while but after that, they both of the trudged out of the hospital.
"Let's take a taxi. I'll give you a lift." Sakura said, trying to wave for a cab outside, but not even a single car was present.
"I can just take a bus home. It's more convenient." Sasori assured her.
"No can do. Look at the time now. There must be a lot of people squeezing in the bus since everyone must be knocking off from their work now. And you should be sitting down comfortably and instead of standing around in a squeezy bus." Sakura said.
She took out her phone and intended to call for a cab when a dark blue car just zoomed past her. Sasori and Sakura noticed the blue car as it was reversing back to where they were standing.
The windshield rolled down and the familiar Uchiha popped his head out of it, smiling at Sakura. The pink-haired girl gasped as she noticed it was actually her fiancée in the car.
"Sakura. Are you ready for dinner?"
"Sasuke!" Sakura said in surprise. "I thought I said you can pick me up at my place instead of this hospital?" She said.
Sasuke just shook his head. "I just wanted to pick you up and head for dinner. I wanted to see you for a while longer." Sasuke said. Sakura immediately blushed and looked at her feet in embarrassment.
Sasori glanced up and looked at Sakura, who was still looking at her feet. His brown eyes then slowly looked away, staring at the passing cars in the street.
And now, Sasori was still sitting there alone on the floating iceberg, feeling more cold and lonely before.
"Are you alright? What happened to you that you ended up in the hospital?" The Uchiha said, as if he was about to laugh.
Sasori knew it wasn't a question, but a sarcastic remark that wanted to tell the redhead that the Uchiha had won and he lost. Sasori turned his attention away from the passing cars and stared at the Uchiha. They just began their staring contest. Sasori's face was just as emotionless as ever while Sasuke had a smirk in his face.
"Sasuke. Can we bring Sasori back home before going to dinner?" Sakura broke the silent, feeling a little better to talk face to face with Sasuke once the blush on her face went away.
"It's alright." Sasori's eyes immediately softened as he broke away the stares and looked at Sakura. "I can go back home myself."
"Are you sure you don't need a lift? I'm worried for you. What if you were to faint in the middle of the street?" Sakura said, trying to pull Sasori into the car.
"I'm fine. Really." He said.
"Come on. You really need a lift. You still looked weak." Sasuke said, pointing at the back of his car.
"Yeah." Sakura just pulled Sasori and opened the car door for him without waiting for Sasori's answer. Sasori sighed, boarding into the car as Sakura shut the door for him.
She smiled and entered the car, sitting beside Sasuke in the front seat.
Sasuke drove off after Sakura told him the address. Sasori just sat there in silent, looking at the view outside.
Every time they stopped at the traffic light, Sasuke just have to turn around, ruffling Sakura's hair or saying sweet and mushy stuff that was so un-Uchiha style. Sasori knew what he was trying to do, and he tried his best not to see or hear anything.
His heart was aching more than ever.
After a long journey that seemed like years to Sasori, they finally stopped right outside his apartment. Sasori was about to get off when Sasuke interrupted his action.
"Have a good rest." Sasuke said, smirking back as he looked at the passenger's seat. Sasori just ignored him, alighting from the car and closing the car door. He turned around without even giving a polite thanks to them.
"Wait! Sasori!" Sakura winded down the windshield.
The redhead whirled around and looked back at Sakura, expecting her to say something.
"If you need anything, do call me. Don't go out alone. You still need plenty of energy since you just recovered from a high fever." Sakura said, the orange light made by the sun casted on her face. Sasori blinked. He immediately remembered the day when he kissed her… The day when he thought he could slowly showed his true feelings for her…
"Hey Sasori. Are you alright?" Sasori turned away from Sakura and looked at the direction where the voice was coming from. Sakura looked up as well, finding the voice familiar.
'Oh… it's that neighbour.' Sakura thought.
"I'm fine now. Did you come down for jogging?" Sasori asked, looking at her attire.
"Yup, I intend to go back now." Her gaze turned to Sakura who was staring at the both of them. "Oh it's you. The girl who came by this afternoon." The neighbor said in surprise, pointing at Sakura.
"Yeah." Sakura said, waving back.
Sasuke just turned away, uninterested.
The woman's attention turned to Sasori. "I bought a tons of things today. Why don't you come over to my house for dinner? You can't eat instant noodle everyday." She said.
"Thanks, but it's alright." The redhead said.
"Really, I bought a ton of food back and I'm sure there's enough share. If you don't believe, you can ask her." She continued as she turned to look at Sakura
"You do remembered that I bought a lot of food back home when I told you which hospital did Sasori went to, right?"
"Yeah, you should go over to her house and had dinner instead. She bought a lot of things from what I can see before." Sakura said, trying hard to smile.
"Alright, then if it's not the trouble.." He just said.
Sakura felt like getting off the car and pulling Sasori away, telling him she was going to treat him instead of going to his neighbor's house to eat. But how can she do that?
And… why does she want to do that?
"I should be going than. Still…Thanks for the ride anyway." Sasori gave a small smile at Sakura, ignoring Sasuke who tempted to give a glare at him. Sasori and the other then walked back to their house together.
"Bye..." Sakura said, still staring at the two who were walking to the building together. Sakura's mood seemed to be just like the colour of her eyes; Green with envy.
Sasuke's frown deepened as he looked at Sakura who was closing the windshield. The Uchiha didn't care anyway. Sasuke just stepped on the accelerator, speeding off.
"Is she your girlfriend? You and her seemed to be perfect together!" She asked, walking with Sasori to the lift.
Sasori just shook his head. "She's already attached." He mumbled, pressing for the button until the lift reached the ground floor.
0o0
'Am I… jealous?' Sakura wondered, still thinking of the incident just now. 'But why am I jealous? Just now and at the hospital… Why do I have this feeling… as if I hated it?'
"Are you alright Sakura?"
Sakura suddenly jolted from her thoughts, she turned her attention towards Sasuke and smiled. "I'm fine."
Sasuke didn't ask any further questions and just focused on the road. The entire journey was practically silent, but Sakura was already used to it before.
Sasuke was totally different from the journey before and now, but Sakura didn't care much yet, she was still thinking about her reactions before.
Right in the middle of the quietness that Sakura enjoyed, Sasuke's phone rang. Both of their eyes immediately glanced at the phone that was vibrating at one of the holders between their seats.
Sasuke wanted to reach out for it but Sakura took it instead. "You should focus on your driving instead. I'll help you picked it up." Sakura said, looking down at the caller's name.
"Karin…" She said out loud.
At that moment, the car suddenly halted. Sakura slammed back to her seat as the phone almost slipped through her grip. Sakura widened her eyes in shock and looked at Sasuke. He didn't bothered and even asked if she was all right. The Uchiha just grabbed the phone from her grip and answered the call.
"Hello" He spoke.
"Un. I'll be there in ten minutes." He continued.
Sakura looked down at her feet again. 'Yeah… Another dinner ruined.'
Sasuke cut the call and was about to tell her that they were not going to have dinner when Sakura turned and tried to make a smile. "I'm fine. Just send me home." She said.
Sasuke nodded, not even bothered to make an apology. He then continued driving, heading hack to Sakura's place. She began thinking back again.
'Sasuke… he seemed to change right after Sasori alighted to car. As if, he was just pretending all along.'
Sakura looked down at her feet again, 'Is he? Is he really pretending? I really… hope…'
"We've reached." Sasuke said, looking down at Sakura. Sakura alighted from the car. "I'll get going." Sasuke merely said. He didn't bothered to wait or looked back to see if she had entered the house safely before driving away in his car.
Nothing at all…
"I need to ensure your safety before going first." Sasori merely said as if it was nothing.
Sakura watched the car drove off in a hurry down the street. Sakura sighed, entering her house. "At least Sasori was better…" She said. Her eyes immediately widened, remembering the words she said to Sasuke before.
"If… If there was a chance for me to turn back the time…"
"I would rather be with Sasori than to be with you."
'Do I… really mean that before?' Sakura thought, she entered the house after slotting in the correct keys. She threw her shoe into one corner lazily and stared at the almost empty and lonely house. She lazily kept her keys properly before walking towards her room.
"If only I know what are my true feelings…" She mindlessly took her fresh clothes and towel and headed to the bathroom.
After a long shower, Sakura just grabbed a bag of chips form the kitchen and a can of soda, settling down on the sofa and switched on the television. She sat there, feeling as bored and always, eating chips and soda for dinner.
This wasn't the dinner she expected to have today. She thought she could have a romantic dinner with Sasuke, since… she is actually Sasuke's fiancée, right?
Sakura took out her phone and randomly looked through her contact list, popping some chips in her mouth.
"I'm really bored here…" Sakura looked down at the list, debating who she should harassed for the night
"Deidara? He must be busy, and it would be too awkward. Hinata? Wouldn't be good if she's having a family dinner right now. Ino? Nah, it would be her harassing me instead of the other way round. Naruto? The restaurant should be busy around this time. Sasori?"
She paused, still looking at the name.
"He must be busy too, since he eating with her together…" Sakura mumbled, rather oblivious that she was slightly pouting when she remembered the scene when Sasori and her neighbor were walking up back to their houses.
Right under Sasori's name, was Sasuke's. She scrolled down the list, staring at his name as well.
'Sasuke…'
Sakura looked back at her phone again, scrolling randomly up and down. She was really bored, and watching all these dramas on the television was going to bore her to death already. She needed to speak with someone. But who?
She closed her eyes, continued scrolling the list up and down. She randomly stopped at one and pressed the called button.
Fate
Her eyes immediately opened. And to her horror, her phone was actually dialing last person that she wanted to call right now. She almost lost the grip on her phone, as if the phone was on fire and it was scorching hot.
"Sasori! Why must I pick him? Oh No, what should I do? What should I do? What should I-"
"Hello?"
Before Sakura could rejects the call or do anything, she put the phone to her ears.
"Hello!" Sakura shouted through the phone.
0o0
Sasori unlocked his door and entered the empty house. He felt so full that even walking seemed very troubled for him.
He threw the key on the table. The shattered glass and the puddle of water that was left before he was taken to the hospital had been unknowingly cleared up as he inspected the floor.
"Must be Deidara's work." He mumbled, giving a last glanced around the floor before walking to the kitchen to get something to drink.
On the cue, his phone rang. He fished out the ringing phone and looked at the number, surprised.
"Hello?"
"Hello!"
Sasori blinked, raising an amused eyebrow. "Hello...?" He repeated.
"I'm sorry! Am I disturbing you?" Sakura said apologetically
"No, I was just about to get a drink." Sasori replied.
There was just silent, and all both of them could hear was Sakura's background music that was played on the television and the water pouring out form the jug and onto a cup.
"Weren't you out with Sasuke and having dinner? Are you at home?" The redhead said, trying to bring out a subject.
"Yeah, well. We were. But he had something going on, so I ate…" Sakura stared at the chips on her lap and cleared her throat. "I had take-away. So I'm pretty fine." Sakura said.
Sasori frowned, his frown even deepened when he realized something was wrong. "Something more important than taking you out just for one decent dinner?" Sasori muttered under his breathe, slightly irritated at the idea.
"He's busy." It was that two words, that two words that completely killed off the conversation.
Sakura always dreamt to have a happy family, a husband that could actually bring her out for dinner every single day, talking about any subject that they can talk about.
And then, they might have children; one or two would be fine. She would cook at home, and her faithful husband would come back from work everyday, giving a peck on his wife's cheek and hugging the children, asking if their day was great.
Just that, and Sakura find it very perfect for her. She doesn't need money or any fancy clothes, she doesn't need anything, she just want to have a great dinner with all of her family and closed ones.
But even fulfilling this simple dream seemed already very difficult already; when her future-husband was always busy with work that he hadn't the time to even see her back to her own house before driving back to do his things.
"Sakura?" Sasori called out for the third time.
"Huh? I'm sorry. I was thinking about some things." Sakura replied. She leaned back onto her sofa before clearing her throat, deciding that she had to ask this question.
"Your neighbor, I don't know what's her name but… You and her- I mean, did you had full at her house?" Sakura asked.
"I did. If only I could eat like that every single day when I came back from work, it would be pretty nice actually." Sasori blurted out.
Sakura suddenly blinked, "Really? I mean, you do?" She said, rather excited.
"Yeah." He said casually. "Does this freak you out? I mean, I'm the type that people must had thought I rather had dinner by myself…" Sasori continued.
Sakura mentally squealed in her head, but then, her enthusiasm quickly died down.
'If only Sasuke is like Sasori…'
"No it did not, everyone would love to have a great dinner with friends or family after their day at work." Sakura said, before a sudden thought struck her mind.
'Of course… Sasori always ate alone, since his parents were gone since young…'
"But hey… you must have enjoyed eating over at her house today." Sakura said, her tone tainted in slight disappointment.
"Her kids are rather hard to deal with though, running around and refused to take their veggies." Sasori laughed lightly through the phone.
"Ki-Kids?"
"She's married, with two kids."
Weird but true, it was as if a huge boulder was lifted from Sakura's heart. She felt relieved and happy at the same time.
"She's married? I see…" She said merrily, cupping her hand over her mouth from the shock she got. She was practically overjoyed for nothing, or actually for knowing that her 'rival' had a family already.
"Is there something wrong?" Sasori asked.
She stopped grinning like mad and tried laughing, but failed miserably. "No, nothing actually. She looks young and pretty of course. And I thought you two were toget- I mean I thought she was still single. Hahaha." Sakura chocked onto her saliva.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah. Pretty fine." She said clearing her throat and coughing once in a while.
"Anyway… Sakura, I hadn't congratulated you yet." Sasori gulped down the drink in his hand as he leaned against a table, placing the drink on the table carefully.
"For?" Sakura continued eating the chips.
"You and Sasuke are going to get married aren't you?"
Sakura couldn't make out Sasori's voice, it was as if he had a sore throat or a pretty huge lump had stuck in his throat. But Sasori did tried his best making his voice as calm as possible.
"How did you know?" Sakura was indeed surprised for now.
There was just silence, and all Sasori could think of a reason was;
"Deidara told me about it, yesterday." He said.
Sakura just stared at the television screen, without using her greasy hand that was taking the chips. She used the clean one and rubbed the ring between her two fingers.
"Thanks. News does spread fast." Sakura laughed.
Sasori tried to smile, to be truly happy for her, but he just couldn't. He mentally sighed, looking out of the window.
After a while, there was just silence, and Sakura thought that he had already ended the call. "Sasori?"
"I'm sorry, my phone is going to run out of battery, and I was trying to find the charger…"
"Why don't you go and find it, I shouldn't be wasting your time anyway." Sakura said quickly.
"Alright then." He said.
"Bye, and if you feel unwell or anything, don't ignore it." Sakura started nagging again.
"I won't. I promise." He said only.
They ended their call after giving their wishes for the night. Sasori went back looking for his charger while Sakura continued watching the television.
Sakura sighed, trying to make herself focus as she watch her drama. But her mind slowly started to drift on its own.
Even though many people had wished her happy, congratulated her about the proposal. She still doesn't feel as happy as she should actually be.
It was as if, it was a wrong choice after all…
To be continue
Author's Note:
I'm sorry that I didn't get to answer all the reviews, and even answered twice to some reviewers. I'm going nuts and crazy lately D:
Thanks to everyone who even continued to read this story until this far. I wish you all a Happy New Year!
-Pocky