A/N: Old submission for Sasusaku Month 2014 Day 25. Prompt: The Other Side of the Wall.
The Leaf is by far Uchiha Sasuke's best choice for an apartment. It is a four-story high building, with ivory-painted walls, and located just near the outskirts of town but still still surrounded by supermarkets, department stores, restaurants, office buildings, and a hospital. With a nice view facing the city and not having to pay his entire fortune on rent, Sasuke can't find any reason why he should not rent it out.
It has been a month since Sasuke first settled in. He has just woken up and is about to leave for work when he notices is a moving truck right in front of the building. Must be a new tenant. He happens to notice that the unit next to him had been vacant. Until today. He just hopes, prays, that his new neighbor will not be too troublesome.
Unfortunately, it appears the universe just loves to mess with him. Not even a day after the move in, Sasuke can already hear music from next door. This is really not his day. Insomnia is beginning to take its toll on him. Not to mention, work hasn't been kind. In fact, it has been the root of his problems. If only he was not put in the same team with the obnoxious red-headed Karin, the clamorous Suigetsu, and the gentle but angry-tempered Juugo, then his day will turn out better. And now, he has to come home to a raucous of music coming from the other side of the wall. So much for a quiet time for himself. Deciding to end his suffering once and for all, he stands up from his couch, where he has only been sitting on for five minutes, and marches his way outside to the apartment next door, knocking a few times.
"Coming!" A voice shoots from inside, sounding like his new neighbor is a girl, or more like a young woman. "Can I help you?"
Once she opens the door, Sasuke is taken aback. Her unusual pink locks rest on her shoulders gracefully, framing her face as the color somehow compliments her fair skinned face. He does not forget her beautiful green emerald eyes that stare back at his onyx ones. Suddenly, his throat feels dry and his eyes linger on her for too long. He is finally pulled out of his reverie after a moment of silence.
"Pipe down." He resumes his glowering composure and asks, more like demands, her. Not liking the implementation of his words and his attitude, she refuses to back down.
"Why should I?" She challenges his glare, hands resting on her waist. His eyes narrows at her bravery. No one has ever challenged him before, especially not when he is emitting his gloomy aura. And now here he is, staring down at this woman who is about a foot shorter than him but with confidence and bravery that rival his. If he were ever going to get a peaceful rest, he will have to be gentler and approach with reason.
"Please?" Satisfied with the answer, her eyes softens and she lowers her arms. She nods and gives a tiny bow before apologizing.
"Okay. Sorry for the inconvenience."
"Hn." She closes the door, leaving Sasuke to return back to his now quiet apartment.
He inwardly thanks her for not blasting her stereos again the following days. Apart from that one time, he rarely sees her. From their first encounter, he tells she's a feisty one with a lot of personalities, which he finds amusing and fascinating. Unknowingly, he becomes intrigued to find out more about this pink-haired girl.
.
.
Sasuke wakes up on a lazy Saturday, lethargy still clinging to his muscles, residue from yesterday's work. The sun is awfully bright today and Sasuke winces as his eyes adjust to the light penetrating from the blinds. He rubs his hand over his face and stands up to get himself a glass of water. After starting a 9-5 job, he can definitely relate to people's relief when the weekend is upon them. Those two days are the only time he can enjoy the day to himself without any disturbance. Downing the whole cup, he forces himself to get into the shower and preps for the day.
Adulting has never been easy. He misses his mother's homecooked meals every now and then. And adulting means more chores to do and more bills to pay. He grabs his wallet and phone, heading out to go for a grocery run.
Coming back from the store, he makes a quick stop at the mailbox. He unlocks his and takes out a couple of envelopes. He notices all of them are from that obnoxious blonde best friend of his, Naruto. He inspects the envelopes on his hand while he balances his groceries in the other as he turns his body to head back to his apartment, when suddenly his body hits something, or more like someone.
"Oh I'm sorry!" the person looks up at him and widens her eyes. It's the girl again. "Oh it's you, 361."
Sasuke's eyebrow rises at how she addresses him.
"Hn."
"Back from the market I see?" He notices she is wearing a pair of black leggings and a long-sleeved sweater with her pink hair tied up in a pony tail. Back from a morning jog, from the looks of it. He takes note at the beads of sweat dripping from her forehead.
"Aa." He responses, barely giving her a glance before heading towards the stairs. He looks at her from the corner of his eyes. She moves to open her mailbox. He takes his chance to observe how well formed her calves are. His glance travels north, landing on her a-
Just then she turns her head towards him, perhaps noticing how he's lingering there and he decides to turn around and head to the stairs, feeling flustered as if he had been caught with an offense.
It's almost hilarious that they only know each other by their apartment number. He should have at least asked for her name. Perhaps over breakfast? He wonders to himself once he is back inside his apartment. Sasuke ponders at a crazy idea that just popped in his head as he puts away the produce and items from the grocery bag. The day is still young and Sasuke's sure the girl will be hungry after a jog.
Writing down some words on a piece of paper, he opens his door, peers to the sides to inspect for anyone before slipping the paper under her door.
.
.
Stepping out from the cold shower, she puts on a comfortable short pair of pants and a t-shirt. As she steps into the living room, she finds a piece of paper lying close to her door.
"Did I drop this?" She bends over to pick it up. When she reads the words on the paper, she can't help but grin.
"Brunch, 11AM Café Roma? -361"
Before she knows it, she goes back to her room to pick out a more suitable outfit. Satisfied with the comfy but chic look, she grabs her wallet, keys and phone and heads to the designated location. She's familiar with this particular coffee shop that's just located across the street from the apartment. She'd always stop by there for a quick breakfast.
When she approaches the diner, she immediately recognizes the man's raven hair and sees him sitting at a table next to the window. The moment she enters, his head jolts up to meet her gaze before she takes the seat across from him.
"361." She acknowledges him and he can't help but twinge at the nickname.
"Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke." He holds out his right hand in a polite manner.
"Haruno Sakura. Nice to meet you Sa-su-ke." Finally. A name.
There was a slight amusement in her tone as she pronounces each of his syllables. Let's just say, their introduction is not as awkward as they thought it would be. Finally assigning a name to the face, they begin exchanging their ages, occupation. For instance, Sasuke now knows that Sakura is a 24-year-old woman who goes to a medical school not too far from here. Meanwhile Sakura now knows this Sasuke is a 25-year-old business man who just graduated college about a year ago. He works at Uchiha Corporation, a famous textile company. He doesn't elaborate on his position, but judging by the name of the company, she can tell he's pretty high up.
The atmosphere between them is pleasant as they both enjoy a cup of coffee with a course of omelets and some pancakes.
.
.
Their routines are pretty much set. She has classes pretty much every day from Monday to Friday, and he has work from nine to five. It seems that the world is truly small because they would bump into each other more often than they anticipated. Whether it is passing by each other in the hallway, or at the diner across the street. On rare occasions, they catch each other on their own balconies, leaning on the railing, gazing over the beautiful city landscape. They would give each other a nod before going back to their own things.
Sasuke doesn't admit it oud loud, but there is this unfamiliar feeling in his chest every time he sees her. He can't take his eyes off her every time they pass by each other. Unbeknownst to him, Sakura feels the exact same way.
One evening, Sasuke is in the middle of washing some vegetables when he hears a knock on his door. He moves to dry his hands before moving to answer the door. Opening it, he is met with a pinkette. Sakura.
Sakura's eyes widen when he swings the door open. She scans his features and notes to herself, he looks tired.
"Sakura?" For some reason, she feels a slight blush creeping her neck at the mention of her name.
"Hey. Umm you busy?" She notes the hint of savory aroma from inside. He must be cooking dinner.
"No." Expecting the opposite answer, she seems to trip on her words.
"Oh well you see…" She rubs the back of her neck out of habit whenever she gets nervous. Sasuke eyes her, trying to figure her out.
"What is it?" He leans to the doorframe and Kami Sakura has to bite her lip at the sight of him.
"It's just. I need your help." Sasuke's eyebrow raises in curiosity. This is the first time she has requested something from him. He does not respond but she knows it's her cue to continue. "It's just I've been having difficulties with my economics class."
Sakura's not particularly fond of studying economics but if she were to graduate, she has to at least get a C in economics. Sasuke sighs before moving out of the way, motioning her to enter his dwelling. Sasuke can practically see the giddiness all over her face when he has agreed to help her.
"Thank you." The moment she enters his apartment, she feels embarrassed. She has no idea that Sasuke is such a neat and clean person, especially for a guy. Even she herself is not that immaculate. She notices how there is not a single trash on the floor or table, be it receipts or Amazon boxes. The floor feels dust free and spotless, the counter is clean as if it hasn't been used before. Despite the cleanliness, she can't help but feel that his apartment is lacking life. There isn't a single pot of plant or photo frame on the table, almost making it feel lonelier.
Sakura sets her stuff down on the sofa as Sasuke returns to the kitchen, finishing washing the vegetables before scooping them to not just one bowl, but two bowls.
"Have you had dinner?" She hears him ask.
"Not yet."
"Is salmon okay?" Is he offering me dinner? Words are not coming out of her at all as she stands there in silence, trying to process this. Sasuke has to turn around to look at her, before she snaps out of her trance.
"Oh yeah! Thank you!" It is not long before Sasuke plates everything. Sakura makes her way to the kitchen, mouth already watering from the sight. She takes a seat across from him while he fetches them two cups of water.
Neither of them makes eye contact while they sit there, devouring their meals after saying a quick Itadakimasu.
"I thought you're taking medical school?" Sasuke comments. He finds it odd for her to be taking a class that is so different from what she wants to do in life.
"I am but I'm also required to pass this stupid class. You know, for like general education requirements." It hasn't been long since Sasuke graduated, but it's as if he's shoved the memory at the back of his mind.
Finishing their meals, Sasuke collects their plates and sets them in the sink before they move to the living room.
"Sit." He gestures to the couch. She sits and begins taking out several books and a piece of pencil from her bag. Sasuke sits next to her and puts a respectable distance between them. He notices the textbook she has laid out to be one of the ones he read for this intro class. Curiously, he flips open one of the textbooks and flips the pages quickly. He notices scribbles and handwritings all over the pages. He smirks, knowing how much she has been studying.
After a moment of page flipping and the sound of paper scraping against paper, she goes through her question and he answers them accurately. She eagerly notes down everything he says either on the textbooks or on her notes. Despite the late hour, she still manages to push herself and continue asking questions, and Sasuke has to admit, her questions are not easy to answer. She always manages to question every little detail. He has to admit that she has a lot of energy both spiritually and physically. He wonders, what else about her that he doesn't know yet.
Occasionally, their hands would brush each other, and they can't help to suppress a light blush from creeping to their cheeks.
"Okay thank you so much for your help! Wow you're a lot more helpful than my professor. Have you ever considered being a teacher?" Sakura puts down her pencil and leans back on the couch. She does not realize she has been sitting on the edge from the very beginning. Feeling more relaxed, she rests her aching back and shoulders.
"Hn." Sasuke gives an annoyed scowl. All the way throughout his entire life, never has he imagined himself being a teacher. He can't possibly imagine having to deal with annoying troublesome children (or adults). Even thinking about the idea makes him snort. Seeing his amusing expression, she lets out a small giggle.
"I'm just kidding but thanks again, Sensei." Putting extra emphasis on the last word, he smirks. She begins to close the books and puts them back in her bag.
"Aa."
"Goodnight Sasuke."
"Goodnight."
.
.
Let's just say Sasuke should really consider being a teacher especially after seeing Sakura's test result.
Excited and energetic, Sakura speed walks from her campus to her apartment, not when she has a certain good news to tell him. She knows he will not be home until five thirty so she sits in front of his doorstep and waits for his return. She does not even bother showering first. She just wants to meet him and thank him.
Sasuke's day has been a drag like usual. So when the clock strikes five, he immediately packs his stuff and flicks the light switch off before locking his office door.
I wonder how Sakura's day is. He thinks to himself as he leisurely walks through the familiar streets of Konoha. He wonders how her test went and if he was helpful at all. Judging by her feedback he might have been. He turns the corner to the familiar building and climbs a few fleets of stairs to the third floor. The moment he faces the hallway leading to his apartment, he can already see Sakura sitting on the floor. He is not sure why she's there but when her gaze finds his, she immediately stands up and runs towards him.
"Sasuke look!" She holds out a sheet of paper in front of his face. He has to narrow his eyes a bit to see the text clearly due to the close proximity. Then his eyes widen once he sees an "A+" written on the right corner of the paper and he looks at Sakura. His eyes show so much emotion and honestly Sasuke does not know what to feel. Should he feel surprised, amazed, proud? It's more likely all of them together. He is proud of her efforts, proud of her accomplishments, proud of her.
"I didn't even think I could get an A let alone an A+! Thank you thank you!" Overrun by the feeling of happiness, Sakura darts forward and hugs him, catching him by surprise. She does not seem to notice how he awkwardly places his arms around her waist to return the hug. When Sakura finally realizes their current situation, she quickly pulls away and he doesn't miss the slight blush on her cheeks. He just hopes he doesn't look like that either.
"Emm anyway you should really consider being a teacher. I can see that you're not pleased with your current job." Sasuke raises his eyebrow at her statement. Not only is she right, but Sasuke does not know how she can pick that up from just a few interactions with him. It's not like he talks about his work to her.
"Hn." Even if he never thought of being a teacher, he can't help but feel proud of how he helped her ace it. Maybe he should consider it. Perhaps in another lifetime.
.
.
Days pass by and without realizing it, they have come to a silent agreement to get breakfast together at the very diner where they had their first meal together.
Sakura's phone suddenly rings as she lies down on the couch, a book displayed over her head. The moment she picks up her phone, she sees Sasuke's name displayed on her screen. Her face widens automatically and the beating organ inside her ribcage starts doing somersaults.
"Hi."
"Hey."
"Busy?"
"Nope."
"Wanna grab something to eat?"
"Sure. Usual place?"
"Aa."
"Alright! See you outside." She hangs up and quickly grabs her coat and purse before darting outside. Just as she steps outside her apartment, she sees Sasuke locking his apartment door. They both smile at each other.
"How's school?" Sasuke attempts a small talk as they descend the stairs towards the main lobby.
"Oh you know the usual. I'm almost done with my thesis."
"Hm."
"How about you? Are your friends still bothering you?" She stifles a giggle when his expression changes to some sort of disgust.
"Tch. They're not my friends."
"Coworkers?" He sighs. He does not particularly enjoy his job in the first place and part of the reason is because of those idiots.
"Alright, alright." She finally stops pestering him as they cross the street to the diner.
As they sit across from each other, scooping their food into their mouths, Sasuke fidgets with his spoon uncomfortably. She has been paying attention for a couple minutes or so and deciding how troubling it is, she speaks up her mind.
"Sasuke? What's wrong?" When he doesn't respond, she gives him a worried look. "Sasuke?"
Her hand reaches his own and her thumb strokes his palm gently. His mind is swimming in an ocean of thoughts but when she gives him that reassuring look, his resolve becomes clearer as he gives her hand a gentle squeeze.
"I'm glad I met you." He gives him the warmest smile she's ever seen.
"I'm glad I met you too." Her expression softens at this as she continues to stroke his palm. Needless to say, both young adults are beginning to venture into a deeper relationship, certainly deeper than this "friendship" they have. Sasuke has been thinking about it for several days and he wonders if she has been thinking of the same thing. But he does not want to do nothing because he can no longer deny these feelings he's developed for this pink-haired beauty and he thinks he will go insane if he doesn't speak now.
"I like you." His wide onyx eyes stare deep into her shocked emerald ones. Her mouth is slightly agape and she has to remind herself that this is not a dream. Unconsciously, a furious blush has crept over to her neck and her entire face all the way to the tips of her ears, making Sasuke blush in return. But when she doesn't respond, his face turns to disappointment. Just when he is about to pull his hand away, she squeezes back, harder than before.
"You know, I like you too." Her smile is so wide, so genuine, so happy, and so bright that Sasuke feels he will go blind. It gives him this flying sensation like he's in a place where it is so peaceful, where he doesn't want to go back to reality. He just wants to see that smile for the rest of his life. With full awareness, his lips quirk up in a satisfied smile, the one that he rarely gives to people except for his deceased family and, surprisingly, to this young woman in front of him.
After a long moment of just staring into each other's eyes, they snap back to the material world and continue with their meal accompanied by their usual casual conversation. There are no words said but they both know that they have just moved forward from this friendship status. They will need more time to establish whatever it is they are, and confessing their feelings is already the first step.