Oiiiii! I'm baaaccck if you guys could not tell with the recent update to The Last Flower. Thanks so much guys and truly it has brighten and humbled me to get such positive feedback after such a long absence. Thanks for your continued support!
Sasuke: Tch.
Got something to say chicken butt?
Sasuke: -rolls eyes- Why should any of them forgive you?
E-Eh?
Sasuke: You literally made them wait...-checks- years.
It wasn't intentional! Life got in the way. Besides, you made Sakura wait years.
Sasuke: Go to hell. That's different.
...I'm gonna make you pay for that one. Better yet. I'll do it here. :D
Sasuke: Wait, what?
TO THE CHAP!
If there was one thing Sasuke Uchiha, twenty five year old CEO of Uchiha Corps, paid most attention to, it was time. He checked his Platinum Rolex watch, reading the hands and even watching the seconds tick for a little bit almost every ten minutes at least.
His father had once said, that was the "way of the successful businessman"; a phrase he had come to despise over the years. Not that it mattered.
Watch the clock.
Watch the time. Meeting at two thirty, be prompt and then an appointment at three thirty, get there five minutes early; time was all that surrounded him. He stared at the document blankly on his laptop, not even bothering to comprehend the words he honestly wasn't even reading. He ran a hand through his raven black, spiked as well as banged hair.
His onyx eyes, dull and absolutely bored and stoic, closed in annoyance, his dark eyebrows knitted together at the fact that this was his routine. What he was admittedly bored with, there wasn't going to be a reprieve from it now.
He stood from his glass desk, walking to his large windows overlooking Konoha's downtown metropolis. He could see the sky, a clear blue with not a hint of clouds littering the atmosphere. It was times like this, quiet, two minutes to lunch, tired and bored did he come to appreciate the outside of these office walls that held him in more hours of his days than not.
It was a main reason that on his downtimes, which was usually on late nights, he walked through the city. He walked alone and in silence, one or two fellow late night walkers passing him by every now and then.
It was the only thing he looked forward to every night.
"Uchiha-san, it's your lunch break!" A red haired woman burst through the office doors of the said CEO of Uchiha Corps. He twitched, turning towards the woman who didn't even at least bother to knock.
One of the most professional international companies in the world, a multibillion dollar business his father had created and left to him, and you'd think he had the most professional and upstanding employees around. The woman's existence in his office, proved that wasn't the case. He had to deal with this overwhelming, annoying, sorry excuse of a secretary he had known since high school.
She barely worked. Literally, all the time, she just sat there outside his office, relishing in some kind of ultimate sexual high every time she just as much as saw him. Even though he had never shown her a single ounce of interest or want, she acted like they were going to have some kind of coitous, the moment they were in the same air as each other.
She was doing it now. Behind her glasses was a rather nasty, distasteful and disgusting look of desire and lust he sure as hell didn't want. A red blush that matched her hair made its way to her face—that or she just splattered her face with red blush makeup. He had no clue and no type of desire nor care in the world to find out.
He hated it. He hated her. He hated his life. It all took up too much time.
"Alright, Karin. Thank you. If anyone calls, you know what to do. Also, please stop forgetting to knock on my door before you come in." The wealthy businessman said, sighing and closing his onyx eyes to rub them in irritation. He closed his laptop computer and didn't bother calling a friend to lunch. He truly wasn't in the mood and it wasn't like he had too many friends anyway.
Besides, he'd rather be alone. He'd rather gather his thoughts, and mentally prepare himself for the rest of the day, rather than to deal with any outside variables. That was time wasted.
"Sasuke-kun, why don't we get lunch together? I worked through lunch already, so, we might as well." Karin asked, whipping her hair over her shoulder smiling seductively. Sasuke Uchiha glared his onyx eyes hardening with steel. How many times he had corrected her on what she called him was countless and now, whenever she slipped up he glared at her menacingly.
He hired her out of a whim and he was deeply regretting it. He had long since been getting the consequences for the last six months she had been his employee. From correcting her to outright fixing her mistakes himself.
"No. Take your lunch when I've returned. And don't address me informally." He scowled. Usually, that was enough to get her off his back. He could just fire her, but that would mean looking for another secretary, and he truly didn't want to go through that trouble. She did well enough that he didn't really have to anyway, but again, that would just take up too much time he didn't have to spare at the moment.
As expected, she flinched lightly, smiling anyway like an idiot.
"I just remembered, I'm supposed to cover you. Forgive me, Uchiha-san." She said bowing. Sasuke rolled his eyes. So she wasn't a complete idiot. He closed them, running a hand through his black hair, his framing bangs falling back into place and his unmanageable spiky raven black hair in the back remained as it was. Oddly styled—though it worked for him, an old friend of his used to refer to his hair as a "chicken butt", much to his utter annoyance, even if the hair would mat down to his skin if wet.
He shook his head, refusing to waste any more time nor breath on her, and walked out of his office and towards the elevator. Sasuke Uchiha was a young man, aged twenty five and turning twenty six next month. He was a silent, stern man, completely and entirely about business as he had been taught by his father.
Hearing the ding of the elevator he walked through the open silver doors and pushed the L button for the Lobby. From the one hundred and twenty-sixth floor all the way down to the lobby. He was glad it took only about three minutes without interruption. He sighed, hearing it slow at the sixty eighth floor meaning only one thing. He groaned. Working was already stressful enough...
And now...
"HEYYYY TEME! Long time no see big man on the one hundred and twenty-sixth floor!" A blond haired man screamed, grinning and fixing his tie to be a bit looser. Sasuke raised an ebony black eyebrow. How anymore unprofessional could he get. He may have been his friend since childhood, but that didn't mean he could act however he wanted in his company.
He gave him a job at the company as a favor, and he'd take it away if the idiot wouldn't stop being an idiot.
"Naruto...shut up." Sasuke said calmly, glaring at him with irritation. The said man laughed, his whiskered face grinning from ear to ear, shining blue ocean orbs closing with utter and childlike delight.
"Oh, come on! We've barely hung out lately. Let's go for drinks this Saturday, huh? What do you say? Just you, me and a couple of the fellas." Naruto grinned, his blue eyes staring hopefully at his best friend. Sasuke sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"I don't know. I'll have to see. There's still so much work to do and this time of the year is important. I can't slack and honestly, neither can you." Sasuke shook his head. Naruto frowned.
"Damn it Sasuke-Teme, ever since your brother was disowned and your father gave the company to you, you've been, like, shut off. Bro, it's been almost five years. You barely even do anything other than work. It's consuming you." Sasuke rolled his eyes at Naruto's statement.
"Don't worry about me. I'm just taking care of priorities, unlike you." Sasuke said staring at him dully. Naruto chuckled shaking his head. He sighed in defeat and shrugged it off.
"Well, I tried...maybe someone ought to just come into your life and change your entire mentality." Naruto said laughing, as the elevator stopped on the sixth floor. He stepped to get off waving at Sasuke.
"Seriously, think about that drink. One day of work out of five years of if isn't going to make the company burn into ashes and rubble. Don't listen to your father anymore. You're a grown man!" Naruto said. Sasuke glared.
"Fuck off." He grumbled as the elevators closed and the last thing he saw was Naruto's chuckling grin. Sasuke sighed, shaking his head, and walking out into the lobby after a moment in the elevator again. He gave a curt greeting with the lobbyist, and walked out the large black building. He sighed, fixing his tie lightly to be a bit tighter and checked his watch.
He had fifty-two minutes left for his lunch break. He huffed. He didn't want much.
Sasuke began walking down the street, sighing and rolling his neck. He could really go for a coffee in all honesty. With that he shrugged, bringing out his phone and checking his schedules. He glared lightly, frustrated in slight irritation.
Meetings, meetings, meetings, more meetings, another meeting, and then dinner with another company owner he might partner with and then he could go home. He rolled his eyes. Sasuke didn't understand why he even bothered checking.
It was the same thing everyday anyway.
He opened the door into his usual coffee shop, figuring he would see the same old waitresses that continued to swoon over him and get his order wrong. Then he'd have to correct her again, and she'd make it again, wasting even more of his time. He was already irritated just thinking about it.
He shook his head, and walked over to the counter, only to see no one here. He looked around for staff. The place was pretty busy, and several waiters and waitresses were all running about, for the other customers dining here.
Damn it. How long was this going to take? He didn't want to waste too much time waiting.
Then a flash a pink passed by him. He raised an eyebrow. Did he see that right?
He looked, seeing a girl with the uniform of the place on. She had pink hair, a curvaceous body that would make any man stop and stare—even him, apparently. He had never seen her here before. Was she new?
Time slowed as she turned, walking around the counter and towards him. His eyes widened as the scene he watched happened for him in slow motion.
She was...beautiful.
She met his eyes with doe like emerald green orbs that captured him in an iron grip. He found himself staring, as she smiled at him pleasantly, a beautiful smile that made his heart flutter in his chest. She started approaching him, still in slow motion. His ears went deaf to the sounds in the restaurant and he could only hear his heart thumping against his chest, whilst there was only her in his sight.
'What...is this? What is she doing to me? What's...going on with me—' He started questioning himself, only for her to speak and break through his scrambled thoughts.
"Good Afternoon, sir! Welcome to Café Blanché! My name is Sakura. What can I get for you today?" She asked kindly. He shook his head, trying to stop himself.
He couldn't be attracted to anyone. He had too much work to do. He sighed looking at her and composed himself.
"I'll just take a large coffee; black, two sugars." He ordered. She wrote it down on her ticket pad and nodded, turning and walking over to the coffee machines. While she did, his onyx eyes could not stay off her. She began humming and it was music to his ears despite the noise in the restaurant. She capped the coffee cup, smiling gently at him, and brought him the large cup.
"Here you go! That'll be just two dollars please, sir." She said. He grabbed the cup, nodding and sipping rigidly as he paid her the said amount with the few singles he ever carried in his wallet.
What was wrong with him?
She got his order right. The coffee was amazing; so, what was wrong with him?
The doors to the restaurant slammed open, startling the beautiful young woman in front of him, and even Sasuke himself. He turned glaring. He heard Sakura murmur a quiet curse word, and groan. That meant trouble and Sasuke didn't like unexpected trouble.
It wasted too much time out of his day.
"Excuse me, sir. Please excuse the intrusion." She suddenly said to him and other patrons, rushing around the counter and towards the man who had just barged into the café.
"Excuse me sir, but you can't be here. This is the fourth time this week." She said kindly, her warily smile and her eyebrow twitching with slight irritation and held back annoyance. The man, who reeked of alcohol looked at her, and grinned lustfully.
"Finally, I found you, Pinky!" He grinned, grabbing her by the waist and cupping her rear. Sasuke's eyes widened.
And he felt something inside him snap. For the first time in his life, he wasn't in control of himself at all, and his body just moved, without his say and even without thought.
"HEY!" She screamed, pushing on the drunk. But she didn't have to do anything after. The man was sent to the floor, and in front of her was standing the guy from the counter. Her eyes widened, as she stared at his beyond angry dark eyes, and his handsome facial features. Sakura turned seeing her fellow waitress come out, glaring at the stupid drunkard.
"Was that asshole bothering you again?" A blond haired girl with a high pony tail asked. Sakura looked to her best friend Ino, and nodded.
"Yeah...but, thanks to him..." Sakura started looking to Sasuke. Sasuke was looking at the drunk, still beyond pissed off.
That asshole. That drunk asshole had touched her. He seriously touched her. He groped her.
He had some time before that next meeting. Forty-two minutes to be exact.
The door bell of the entrance rang again, this time, Sasuke looked up to see a grinning Naruto.
"HEY SAKURA-CHAN! I WANT YOUR RAMEN!" He screamed, walking in blindly into the café restaurant that had grown silent with watching the scene despite the amount of people in the room. He stopped, clumsily kicking into the guy flat on his ass. Naruto looked down, instantly glaring.
"EEHHH! YOU AGAIN?" He screamed. The guys eyes widened in instant recognition.
"I-I-IT'S YOU!" He yelled back, stumbling backwards in sudden fear, only to bump into Sasuke's legs who glared at him in putrid disgust more than anything. The look forced the man to crawl back the other way without thinking and smash his face into Naruto's ankles in his frantic panic, though the blond business man did not budge an inch. The blonde's blue eyes seemed to put two and two together and instantly, he glared dangerously.
"Oi…" He said between gritted teeth, suddenly grinning and cracking his fingers with each hand.
"Were you bothering Sakura-Chan again?" He questioned instantly. The man stammered, fear in his eyes shaking his head and already making a million excuses in mashed sentences that didn't make sense. Sakura suddenly put her hand up to her face as if about to faint, green eyes closing and pink eyebrows quivering upwards with mixed irritation and melancholy.
"Oh God, save me…" She murmured in both irritation and desperation, Sasuke watching the entire motion.
Business ethics included reading the body motions and damn near reading the minds of people; of anyone you met. To be able to read someone meant you knew what they were going to say and do before hand, making forth a way to plan ahead on meetings to open and close deals, be persuasive and the whatnots of the business world that Sasuke had for five years managed to do like clockwork. It was a skill that lead to his company being the leading business out of sixty other countries, only falling behind a few older companies that had the jump on his only sixty year running business.
Her body spoke of someone who was both used to this and tired of this. She was sick of this job, tired of the asshole in front of her and in the simplest terms; simply not paid well enough to deal with this shit.
Naruto took the guy buy his collar, dragging him outside and throwing him into the street. Despite the city noise the area grew quite as Naruto yelled a loud "Go to hell asshole!" and stepped back inside.
"Sorry for the intrusion everybody! That guy's a jackass! Anyway, SAKURA-CHAN, I WANT YOUR RAMEN!" Naruto yelled out obliviously. Sakura sighed.
"I'm so fired." She whimpered. Sasuke heard it loud and clear, onyx eyes moving over her for closer observation and evaluation.
He wasn't sure what was up with the pink hair. It was certainly not company appropriate, but then again, if he had it his way, everyone's hair would be black and clean. Well at least it was short, hanging just above her shoulders. Maybe it was simply a way to express just the bright girl that she was? The way she had approached him initially and its excellence was a quality that told him this.
She looked him in the eye, knowing she knew nothing about him, smiled and introduced herself with professionalism and perfect conduct. For a waitress, her body language had been perfect at the time, as she was friendly and encouraging. She wore a white button down shirt, a black vest over it and a black waist apron as was common with waitresses. Black slacks and clean black flats for work, it all showed she was a conservative and detailed oriented woman that could follow company policy and regulations.
With that, he made a decision. An abnormal one for him, honestly, but it was a decision he apparently didn't have the will or even desire to take back.
"Neh? If your boss fires you Sakura-Chan, I'll—" Naruto had started but was cut off.
"Quit."
It was a single uttered word, said by none other than Sasuke Uchiha himself. Sakura looked at him, eyes wide.
"I-I…" She looked down, fiddling with her fingers.
"I really need this job sir…" She murmured. Naruto's eyes widened in understanding, lowering in reserved anger. Sasuke raised an ebony eyebrow, before closing his eyes and grunting in annoyance that she wasn't listening to his command with his eyebrows now furrowed with the said irritation.
"Hn. Quit your job. You are now officially hired at Uchiha Corporations." He said, making everyone in the café gasp and whisper. Sakura's own eyes widened and Naruto grinned, Ino screaming a loud "what" in insanity. Sasuke scoffed, taking a sip of his coffee and handing her a card he had pulled out his pocked with ease.
She took it, astounded, shocked and in disbelief all at the same time and when she looked at the name at the card, the woman damn near froze in place, completely paralyzed in a statue from her last position. He walked to grab his coffee from where it was absolutely abandoned on the counter and spoke as he past her to leave.
"I will expect you tomorrow at five-o'clock am sharp, in front of the doors of the Uchiha Corps main building located between Katana and Shuriken Street." He said to her, taking his leave and walking out.
"If your boss does not give you your last pay right now, you have them speak to me. They will be faced with the legalities of the Uchiha Corporation." He said, the door opening and closing behind him as he walked out. Naruto laughed, rushing out to chase Sasuke, leaving Sakura there frozen in place as Ino grabbed her best friend and walked her to the back room.
"Sakura! Earth to Sakura! Hey! Who is he? He was so hot! What's the card say?!" She yelled in a whine. Sakura looked down at the name again.
"I-Ino…" She murmured. Green eyes meeting the blues of her best friend's.
"D-Does that…say Sasuke Uchiha…CEO of…Uchiha Corps…?" The poor girl asked in complete and utter shock handing the card to her best friend. After inspecting it, Ino's blue eyes widened, jaw dropping to the floor.
"S-Sakura…"
"Yeah?"
"Th-This fucking card…says Sasuke Uchiha…CEO of Uchiha Corps." Ino whispered, looking into her friend's green eyes with the same shared look. In unison, they murmured two words, having realised that Sakura had just been hired, out of the blue, by Konoha's most wealthiest and handsome bachelor.
"Holy shit…"
Down the block Naruto punched Sasuke in the arm.
"Hey Teme! Thanks for handing Sakura-Chan a job!" He said grinning. Sasuke glared, scoffing.
"You know her well?" The onyx eyed man questioned, watching as Naruto nodded up and down. The blond had always been an open book, speaking nothing and showing nothing but the truth at all times.
"Sakura-Chan's like my sister! She has been a good friend of mine since we were kids. She's in the Konoha College of Excellence. She's a very hard worker. I'm sure she'll be able to do anything you tell her to." Sasuke raised an eyebrow. He went to that college. He was sure he would've noticed such an oddity. Was she younger than he had anticipated?
And Naruto said she was like his sister, and yet, he never met her until then. Naruto said she was a friend of his since they were kids, which was the same for them. Yet, not once did he ever mention having a sister or even talking about her.
Or did he just forget him mentioning it at a point he wasn't listening and was studying? Or maybe Naruto mentioned it when he was working? He honestly had no clue.
"I want a resumé on my desk by two o'clock. Tell her to e-mail you a resumé and you send it straight to me." Sasuke commanded, his voice monotone.
"What position are you hiring her for anyway?" Naruto asked curiously. Sasuke scoffed as if it wasn't obvious.
"Secretary to Chief Executive Officer." Sasuke responded simply. Naruto raised a blond eyebrow.
"Your Secretary?"
"Yes."
"Huh. You like her, don't you." Naruto said, damn near knowingly, his characteristic grin widening when he received a glare from a frozen and taken aback Uchiha.
"I do not like her." Sasuke growled, closing his eyes in recomposing embalm and continued his proud stride.
"HAHA! YOU DO! YOU DO LIKE HER!" Naruto shouted, making Sasuke begin to stalk faster. His onyx eyes opened, glaring at Naruto even worse than before. Naruto's blue eyes simply closed in childlike and simple delight.
"I. Do. Not." Sasuke seethed between gritted teeth.
"You know, the fact that you're just getting angrier is speaking for itself." Naruto chuckled. Sasuke at this point wished he was in an alternate reality, where he could breathe fire and burn the bastard of a friend for his discrepancies. How dare he accuse such a thing of him, an Uchiha nonetheless? He had too much work to do, to worry about romantics. There was always work and work came first above all else. It always had in his family and he was not going to stall their progressing and achieved success.
"Also, I've never seen you more pissed off at a guy you barely knew ever since you had that episode three years ago when someone pushed you by accident. What'd he do? Bother Sakura-Chan?" Naruto questioned both in curiosity and knowing. Sasuke scoffed, already dismissing that evidence but Naruto knew more than he let on.
A lot of people considered him a moron and for the most part it was somewhat true, but he had his moments of absolute genius and right now, with Sasuke the man who could never hide anything from him ever since they met at the ripe age of seven years old, he knew what was going on in the Uchiha's head.
He knew the drunken man that had spiraled into the café from a few unpleasant meetings at the bar, two of which he bothered Sakura all night. He already knew upon seeing him on the ground, a bruise forming on his face, Sakura's disgusted and worried look, Ino's shocked and dropped jaw and Sasuke glaring down at him with that look of rage and his hands clenched into balled fists; it all equated to one thing.
The guy went a little too far with Sakura and Sasuke really, really didn't like it.
Just at the mention of it the anger was returning to his eyes. Naruto knew Sasuke was watching whatever had happened damn near repetitively and it was only making him even more infuriated. Sasuke's jaw was tightening, his shoulders more rigid and his walk was starting to veer from calm and collected business man to a pissed off, stalking hunter, looking for something to kill.
Further proving his point.
"I don't have time for such affairs Naruto. She was in need, and I've been meaning to get rid of Karin but haven't had the opportunity to do so. Two birds, one stone. I simply see potential where I see it." Sasuke proclaimed as the two finally stepped into the building lobby and into the only elevator that led straight to his office.
"Yeah, sure. And then you offer them jobs that they haven't applied for or never even thought of applying to." Naruto smirked haughtily as Sasuke's eyebrow twitched in irritation.
"I gave her an alternative to work with one of the world's leading companies of the century." Sasuke scoffed.
"Yeah and she didn't even have to turn in an application or get interviewed for it." Naruto grinned as they were back in the sixty-eighth floor. The blond stepped out. He held onto the doors before leaving fully, so they wouldn't close yet.
"Just try not to be…well, you. I think Sakura-Chan would like you, if you weren't such an asshole." Naruto said jokingly with a grin. Sasuke glared.
"I should fire you." He growled.
"Yeah, yeah, but you won't! Later, Teme!" He grinned, the elevator doors shutting behind him and leaving Sasuke to scoff and grudge all the way to the one hundred and twenty-sixth floor.
Later in the afternoon, just as he had requested, the e-mail he had waited for all afternoon has popped up in his inbox. Sasuke switched his current task of emailing some poor, lazy executive a no to his partnership and opened the girls resumé with haste. You can tell a lot from a person's resumé and mannerisms. A woman as professional and rather enlightening as her had to have other aspiring qualities. As he read over the document, he already formed a profile for her in his mind.
Name: Sakura Haruno
Address: 290 Konoha St. (A half hour from his home and about an hour from the main building.)
Objective: To become a Medical Doctor of Medicinal Practice. (Explained why she was still in college. Probably going for her Masters or Fellowship.)
Skills: Computer literate, communicative, productive, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Sciences, artist? Medical knowledge of human anatomy? (A scientific and logical woman with many traits and talents, well-rounded and smart.)
Education: Presently studying at Konoha College of Excellence for Bachelor of Science in Biology.
Sasuke stared at the file on his computer, eyes reading it over and over five times in two minutes, before looking away from the screen and out his large office windows. He grunted in what was approval and pride for himself.
Of course his instincts hadn't proved him wrong. She sounded like excellence incarnated. It would all just have to be confirmed when she came to work tomorrow.
And for what he was certain was the first time ever...he was looking forward to tomorrow. He didn't get or understand why, but suddenly, tomorrow couldn't come fast enough.
The image of her face flashed in his mind again, and his eyes lowered. He felt his chest tingle and he couldn't stop seeing her face smile at him the way it did in the restaurant.
Suddenly a ding sound came from the computer, bringing him out of his thoughts and Sasuke looked over to see a new email from Naruto. His eyebrows furrowed in annoyance, however, for some reason, he chose to open up the untitled e-mail anyway.
From: UzumakiN1010
To: UchihaS0723
Hey, Teme! About those drinks this weekend, Sakura-Chan will be there too! Better haul ass on whether or not you're coming, before she takes someone else home! Talk to ya, later!
DATTEBAYO!
Uzumaki Naruto
CEO of Uchiha Corps Delegates Division
Telephone: 555-723-1010
Office: 800-328-1996
Sasuke glared at the e-mail with such an infuriated rage, that maybe somewhere else in the universe, his eyes changed color and his laptop would have spontaneously combusted into hellish flames.
"Why have I not fired that fucking moron?" Sasuke growled between gritted teeth, rubbing his eyes and the bridge of his nose before his eyes reread a couple of words in the email.
Sakura-Chan will be there too! Better haul ass on whether or not you're coming, before she takes someone else home.
Sasuke scoffed. So what if she was going to be there? Like it mattered. If he wanted to go out for drinks during the weekend he would and if he wanted to stay at home and work once again all through the night in his lonesome home, then he would do so. Sasuke looked down at the email again.
Sakura-Chan will be there
Sasuke stared at the line for a moment, before closing his eyes and closing his laptop.
Maybe he could use a drink or two and a night out. Maybe.
His door swung open and there stood Karin, once again upon seeing him taking absolute pleasure in whatever fiftieth orgasm she was having for the day.
"Uchiha-kun! Your two-thirty appointment is here!" She chimed, beaming at him a façade of a smile. Sasuke glared at her. Uchiha-kun? Did she make that up just now?
"Send them in, and Karin…" Sasuke started. She looked at him longingly and excitedly.
"Y-Yes, Uchiha-kun?" Sasuke glared, a vein in his brain had to have burst somewhere with the exasperation she caused him.
Thank the heavens it could finally be over.
"You're fired."
Sasuke pulled up to the building, at four-fifty am, as usual; truly not expecting to step out the car and in front of the brightly lit doors of his company to see Sakura there.
She was reading a folded page to this morning's paper, a coffee in hand as her eyes skimmed down the black and white lines. Sasuke took the time to survey her appearance. She wore a black blazer, beneath it a nice crimson red blouse, neatly tucked into her black office skirt. He walked up to her after having scanned her and didn't say a word until she had noticed him with a shocked glance. She obviously did not see him pass.
"G-Good Morning Mr. Sasu—er…Mr. Uchi—er Sasuke-sa—"
"Sasuke." He cut off her attempts at being formal.
"Eh…Sasuke…kun…?" She questioned and hearing the suffix from her lips sent him through the loops. He paused, an ebony eyebrow raising at her causing her to flush in embarrassment.
"A-Ah, S-Sasuke-sa—" She quickly tried to reprimand herself, only for him to cut her off.
"It's fine. Just call me however you wish to." He dismissed with an equally unbothered wave of his hand, prompting her to follow him as he walked into the doors after swiping his ID card. Opening the door she walked in behind him, following his step and watching him with questioning green orbs.
All the while Sasuke watched her. She walked with shoulders back, showing confidence hair swaying in the wind of her step. Though in her was the eye of curiosity, such a look standard with novices in the world of business. The same look he had seen on countless young men and women, nearly sixty-five percent of which did not last more than two weeks in such a demanding occupation and Sasuke demanded nothing but the best from his employees.
"You will start by planning today's schedule. A half hour should be scheduled for each meeting and fifteen minutes between each meeting unless I tell you otherwise. Take all calls and their content, fax documents and be sure my agendas and contacts are organized and well." He stated simply. As they got into the elevator he remained in complete stoicism, a statue though words suddenly popped into his head, Naruto's annoying voice accompanying them.
"Just try not to be…well, you. I think Sakura-Chan would like you if you weren't such an asshole." Sasuke mentally scoffed. Why was that even on his mind at a time like this? He looked over to Sakura secretly, she was looking around the elegant elevator, eyes wandering from the lights to the marbled floor. Then, he watched as she looked to him.
Though she didn't seem to notice him watching her, her eyes traveled all over him, from his shoes to hair, then their eyes met; dazzling emeralds into collected onyx. Her eyes widened, a redness appearing on the olive skin of her cheeks, looking down.
"U-uh, so, Uchiha-sama…what is it exactly I am being hired for? I-I mean, I don't mean to question your gracious offer, but I never filed an application or did the interview process or anything. I-I mean, not that there was really time to. Well, I-I guess what I'm asking—"
"You want to know why I handed you a job." He ended it for her. She was taking too long to get to the point, though, her rather pleasant voice didn't bother him much, unlike when others did it and they blabbered and fumbled all over their sentences and were annoying with their scared and cowering voices. His very presence often made people like that and he had beared the irritation he felt with it for far much longer than he cared for.
She was nervous obviously, but still calm and well composed. It was a welcomed change, really.
Her voice though a light stutter was gentle and curious and she looked into his eyes when she spoke, a quality he actually favored really. To look someone in the eye spoke boundless words. She was not afraid or cowering and she was willing to question him head on rather than blindly follow into his commands.
Such a character was needed in the world of business, for she was obviously someone who could allow compromise whilst not backing down. His mind switched off for a moment however, against his own will.
Uchiha-sama?
While the name was of frequent use by many business partners and businessmen and women he had met with, coming from her lips—it sounded…he believed the word should have been odd, but truly it was going in a complete other direction. Writers and novelists probably would've described it as…alluring. He would've described it as professional, although his ears were screaming the used word of whatever author wrote out his joke of a life.
Alluring.
Enthralling.
Tempting.
'Stop. Stop right there.' He paused his mind instantly, trying to recollect and recompose himself to the point where he had to look away from her.
What the hell was wrong with him? He felt this same, uncontrollable way yesterday too; so what was wrong with him?!
Nonetheless, despite his mental turmoil for the moment, he simply closed his eyes, head lifting back up again in his proud and straight posture, with his head still away from her. For her, it gave off an aura of aloof indifference.
"I was in need of a new secretary. I found you suitable and considering the little fiasco in Café Blanche, I figured it was an optimal time to hire someone. I can only hope your resumé and character has not proved me wrong in believing you're qualified for such a position." He explained his voice damn near affirming that his statement was a mattered fact of life.
"I see. I-I hope that whole situation hasn't given you a bad first impression of me, Uchiha-sama. Truly, it was—"
"It was not your first impression. I do not look to hire things around you. I hired you. Your first impression started when you looked me in the eye and asked what my order was." He side glanced at her, watching her eyes widen in astonishment. Those beautiful emeralds shined in wonder and he looked away from their enchanting gaze as the doors to the one hundred twenty-sixth floor opened.
"Also…you make excellent coffee." He commented, Sakura following him. Suddenly he heard a giggle, a gentle, sweet, harmonious chuckle from behind him. He stopped, turning to look at the woman with question as she walked beside him chuckling.
"Excuse me, Uchiha-sama. I don't mean to seem rude."
"What's funny?"
"It's just…I think it's kind of cute…someone who enjoys coffee enough to make it a reason for hiring someone." She chuckled again. Sasuke's left eyebrow twitched involuntarily. Cute? And why the hell were his cheeks and ears burning all of a sudden?
He remained silent, staring at her for just a moment as their eyes met. Her delighted green orbs and gentle smile all beamed with a glorious shine. He stared, absolutely astounded by her, though he would never admit it out loud. His lips parted and he turned.
"Making quality coffee is a good quality to have." He simply murmured, walking her to her desk, just outside his office.
"This here is your desk, your phone. All passwords have been changed to temporary ones so feel free to make them your own when you come to them. Later, you will be given a full tour of Uchiha Corporations and all of its divisions. Afterward I will ask to have you trained on our systems, networking and paperwork." He continued briefing her, walking over to his office door and opening it with his key as she entered behind him with his prompted look.
"This is my office. Have a seat." She did as he said, sitting in a chair across from his desk. Upon the glass desk, a neat golden plaque with the engraved name of the man before her. A laptop in front of him, to the right a phone and to the left what appeared to be a number of files in a neat file holder. No pictures of anything.
The office itself seemed rather empty, besides the amazing view of the city which had caught her attention. She stared behind him at the landscape, eyes awed at the cityscape and just beyond, the ocean and it did not go unnoticed.
He watched her eyes fill with amazement and his own filled with slight wonder. Did such a landscape he had gotten bored with years ago truly awe her? Did she like the view in his office? It was a bit dreary in the windowless hallway outside his office.
"You seem to like the view." He observed, snapping her out of her trance. She looked down in slight mortification.
"I-I'm sorry, Uchiha-sama." She whimpered, eyes lowering. He noted it. She was remembering something, or ashamed of her faltered demeanor.
"I just…never really been so high up before…" She stared down her coffee.
"And well…the sunrise is rather beautiful from here." She pointed. He turned just slightly to see the object of her affections, the sun rising behind him, the sky littered with hues of reddish pink and the still dark sky of five in the morning. He looked back to her, his look for whatever reason flustering her more. He stood, turning and looking to the window. He shoved his hands into his pockets.
"O-Of course, it is not relevant to our business, and I—"
"Would you like that your desk be placed inside my office?" The offer stunned her, eyes widening and thinking he had took offense from her, she stood from her seat.
"U-Uchiha-sama, please I-I didn't mean to offend you. I was just saying, it's a lovely view and—"
"I took no offense. Just…" He trailed, suddenly at a loss for what he was going to say, much to his own shock. He stared out the window, keeping his back towards her. He turned his head just slightly.
And the only way he could explain himself was through work.
"…You should get used to being in high places. After all, I expect you will be working for me for some time, although it was brought to my attention you wish to become a doctor." Her eyes brightened at the mentioning as he turned and stared.
"I-I do…"
"Very well. I'm sure it's no secret that Uchiha Corporations has some of the finest departments in sciences and leading specialist in all of the country. The department of science is located on the eighty-fourth floor and you are more than obliged to take a look anytime." He watched her face brighten. A big grin came to her face.
"I looked into your science division already and also was given a tour not too long ago during Uchiha Corps' Open Science Day! Truly astonishing it is! I really loved the facility! I had thought about coming to here after I had finished my Doctorate this year." Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her statement.
"Doctorate?" She blushed, looking down in humiliation.
"I-I…u-uhm…must have forgotten to update my schooling on my resumé. Forgive me."
"How old are you? You don't look over thirty." Sasuke questioned. She blushed again and Sasuke found he kind of liked the color on her cheeks.
"That's because I'm not. I-I'm twenty-three years old." Sasuke's eyes widened down on her. Twenty-three years old and this year she would have a Doctorate? That in itself spoke for everything. Now he comprehended why she seemed so excellent. She truly was brilliance in its own light.
"You are quite educated at such a young age." He said, his voice leaking with amazed astonishment. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I was recognized for…being gifted, I suppose." Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
"You suppose? I would indeed say as well, that you are gifted." He commented. She looked up at him.
"Ever since I was young I grew up in…Konoha's slums. I didn't really start off with schooling but I just…learned and knew everything." Sasuke stared at the revelation. No wonder she was utterly amazed by the cityscape behind him. The slums offered little other than sunlight and housing if it could be counted as such with its poor conditioning and violence. Naruto did say they knew each other since childhood and Naruto had told him stories of his time growing up there.
This woman before him; this sweet, beautiful woman lived through that?
Did he just think sweet and beautiful?
Sasuke closed his eyes to recollect himself.
"I see. Impressive. You've certainly done well for yourself getting to the point you are now." Sasuke complimented. She was silent for a moment, looking down and giving a knowing smile.
"Thank you, Uchiha-sama. I certainly appreciate such a gracious comment from you." She smiled. Sasuke looked at her again, opening his mouth to say something before there was a knock on his door.
He looked up and Sakura watched as the man she was having a gentle and rather pleasant conversation with, turned into someone else entirely. His eyes, onyx and cold as the stone they imitated a bit had shown her gentleness that he didn't seem to know he possessed in himself, had steeled harder into a stoic stare.
The look of someone who had no empathy or sympathy for anything beneath him, which those eyes believed everything was beneath them. His neutral lips that had neither smiled nor frowned did the latter, the corners pulling downward. His shoulders had been a bit relaxed before, as not they were rigid, squared and straightened.
"Enter." His voice made Sakura flinch lightly. The velvet smooth voice, though remaining a bit monotone had lost its softness, and was nothing now but a harsh and vicious spit of acid. Sakura stared at him with worrisome eyes, looking behind her when the door opened and there stood a man that made her eyes widen. Her green orbs met with blue ones, as the red haired man in a burgundy colored suit stepped into the office.
"G-Gaara…kun?" She questioned standing. Sasuke froze, his eyes snapping over to her. Gaara-kun? Gaara's eyes widened on her.
"Sakura?" He questioned. Sasuke's eyes snapped to Gaara. They knew each other? How? When? It was infuriating him. Sasuke Uchiha did not like knowing things and he needed to know these things, especially if his secretary was affiliated with a rival business partner as much as Sasuke despised working with the CEO of Sabaku Industries.
"You have business to discuss with me Gaara?" Sasuke spat, gaining the attention of the said man having just entered the room. Gaara's eyes glared back, nonexistent eyebrows furrowing only indicated by the creases in his face. Sakura looked between the two.
"Indeed I do." Gaara responded in kind, his voice dripping with the familiarity of menacing. Sasuke glared, eyes narrowing, his mind oddly enough, having its first priority other than business.
"Sakura...down the hall is a small café; make yourself a coffee. One for me as well." Sasuke spoke and Sakura was shocked. His voice…had calmed when speaking to her. She looked at him, only to see his eyes shift from glaring at Gaara to look at her, his eyes still steeled had gentled on her.
"Please." His voice had lowered, as she stared. For some reason, first meeting Sasuke, he didn't strike her as someone who said please, thank you or even sorry. Sakura smiled nervously nodding. The tension had grown rather thick between the two men and she knew how bad it was to get between two men with tension in the air like this. She had grown up with it.
"Black, two sugars Uchiha-sa—"
"Sasuke." She was interrupted. She paused.
"I told you earlier. You may call me Sasuke." He reminded. She stared again, blinking once, twice and then three times before she gave a gentle and warmed smile with a small blush on her face. Sakura nodded again.
"Yes, Sasuke-kun. Black, two sugars?" She asked, smiling a bit more. Sasuke looked back to Gaara.
"Yes." With that, Sakura grabbed her empty cup and things, taking her leave.
"You look well, Sakura." Gaara said to her just before she past him.
"You as well Gaara-kun. Please, excuse me." She gave a curt nod in greeting and walked straight out, closing the door behind her and leaving the two men back to their stifling air. Sasuke scoffed, checking his watch. Five twenty five. When had the thirty-five minutes passed from when he and Sakura were outside?
"You forgot our meeting?" Gaara questioned. Sasuke froze. Silence consuming him because the truth of the matter was it was true. He had forgotten he had a meeting so early this morning since Gaara had to fly in from Suna.
And he forgot it...because of...
Sasuke scoffed.
"I did not. I had to interview and brief her for the moment. Take a seat." Sasuke commanded, walking over to his seat. Gaara did so. The two stared at each other for a moment and Gaara glared.
"You're acting off. Are you sick or something?" The spiked red head questioned. Sasuke glared between his slits of raven hair.
"Let's get one thing straight, I am not wasting my time answering questions irrelevant to business. So, unless you're ready to get to work, you can step right back out my office." Sasuke scoffed. Gaara glared harshly.
"Tch. Let's get one thing straight. I am always ready to work. However, I do have a couple of questions; like how you know Sakura and what she's doing here in your office?" Gaara questioned, causing Sasuke to glare.
"The first one is none of your business and then second one I already answered. She is my newly hired secretary and needed to be briefed for the day's tasks." Sasuke answered, opening his laptop and logging in. Gaara frowned, with a knowing glare.
"I've been doing business with you for years now, and that look you gave her is not one for a 'newly hired secretary' Uchiha." Gaara retorted. Sasuke's eyes narrowed, his ebony eyebrows furrowing.
"You've got a meaning behind that Sabaku?" Sasuke dared the businessman to further elaborate and Gaara had no quarrel about the invitation.
"Your business poker face is good Uchiha. Damn good, that's one thing I'll always give you respectfully. But you let yourself slip with her. I'm no idiot and you know damn well I'll call a bluff when I see it and you're fucking bluffing in saying she's just a secretary you hired. She doesn't even care for the business world. Why would she apply here? To you nonetheless and not sciences or even resources." Gaara scoffed. Sasuke remained silent glaring.
There were two gentle knocks at the door, and with Sasuke's command, in entered Sakura, walking in with a coffee.
"Here you go, Sasuke-kun." She said, handing him the coffee which he took with slight relief. Just seeing her had eased the tension in his shoulders, the creased lines he had gained from his glaring softened upon her.
"I hope it's as good as yesterday's. I wasn't all too familiar with the machine." Sasuke nodded, taking a sip during her said statement. He put it back down, eyes closing in gratitude.
It was just as amazing as yesterday's.
"It's well done. Start up your office and start calling my meetings to confirm they will be here." Sasuke instructed, taking another sip in appreciation as Sakura gave him a slight bow.
"I'll get on it this instant." She proclaimed, walking out. Sasuke looked over to Gaara.
"Tch. Just a secretary, my ass, Uchiha." Gaara spat quietly. Sasuke's jaw tightened, lips turning into an irritated scowl.
"What's your fucking point Gaara? If you have something to say, just fucking say it." Sasuke seethed, getting irritated beyond his breaking point. Gaara scoffed.
"Sakura's been through too much. She's been through enough and the last thing that she needs is some dipshit who won't and can't treat her right." Sasuke glared, his hands folding in front of him and clenching tightly as to not reach over and strangle Gaara.
This pompous bastard. Who was he to walk into his office and make accusations he was absolutely fucking clueless about? Gaara knew nothing. Sasuke scoffed, he knew that this could only bring about more anger with each moment Sakura got dragged into things and frankly Sasuke did not like the fact that she was already getting dragged into his affairs.
"Let's get to business already."
Gaara walked out, Sasuke following suit as the two were exchanging their final stoic words. At the desk sat Sakura, her ear to the phone and her eyes on the computer as she was typing something. Gaara looked over to her, his eyes softening gently as he watched her. Sasuke glared at Gaara, clearing his throat. Sakura's eyes shifted, smiling graciously and nodding.
"Yes, sir. Absolutely. I'll send the fax as soon as possible. Thank you for your time. You have a pleasant day as well." She hung up the phone and stood.
"Sasuke-kun, your next meeting begins in another hour. Should I allow him travel time consideration? After all, it will be rush hour when he is on the road." Sasuke shook his head at her question.
"Anyone who tries to see me and is ten minutes late does not get an audience. I'm too busy and I will not stand for some second rate novice who can't get to a scheduled meeting on time." Sasuke grumbled, taking a sip of his coffee in hand, and in the other, handing Sakura a small stack of papers.
"These are reports from Sabaku Industries. They need to be scanned into our system and then sent downstairs to resources." He instructed. Sakura nodded.
"Yes. Of course." Sakura looked over to Gaara giving him a gentle smile.
"It was nice seeing you again Gaara-kun. It's been quite some time." She said, bowing her head just lightly. Gaara side glanced at Sasuke, deciding that he wanted to see the bastard squirm. They had both caused each other headaches and being both rivals and business partners, it wasn't easy. They needed to have their fun and Gaara honestly did like watching the usually composed and cold business face of Uchiha Corporations writhe.
The red head walked over to Sakura, an index finger curling under her chin and lifting her head up.
Sasuke was seething already.
"Please, Sakura. No formalities. We've known each other too long." Sakura smiled, seemingly reminiscent.
"Yes, very true. However, I would rather maintain as much of a business relationship as possible if you do not mind. I…well…need this." Sakura murmured. Gaara nodded.
"Yes, of course. See you Saturday night?" He questioned. Sasuke froze and he watched Sakura's face brighten with delighted and excited joy.
Saturday?
Let's go for drinks this Saturday.
Sakura-Chan will be there too!
Better haul ass on whether or not you're coming, before she takes someone else home
Sasuke's lips turned downward.
"I didn't know you were coming! That's great! See you then!" She smiled excitedly and brightly. Sasuke's eyes shifted between the two and Gaara was inwardly throwing parties in honor of the Uchiha losing his mind and he was about to do something to watch him squirm beneath him.
It was a simple action, one that did not have a lot of meaning to others. It was done every day by families and friends alike.
Sakura pressed on her cheek that Gaara had just kissed.
"G-Gaara...?" She questioned in bewilderment, only for him to smile.
"See you Saturday." He confirmed, turning to Sasuke for the look on his face and what he got did not allow him to hide a smirk that instantly plastered on his olive skin. Sasuke stood there wide eyed, glaring at Gaara as though he were a villain to be destroyed. He was livid. He was pissed. Gaara smugly walked.
"I'll take my leave. Glad we could work the matter out." He spoke and Sasuke's eyes followed him with the look of the devil himself, scorned and enraged.
'Just a secretary, my ass.' Gaara thought with his amused grin, before he was gone and Sakura cleared her throat.
"I-I'm sorry for the conduct Sasuke-kun. I-I…I don't—"
"Clear my schedule for Saturday evening and Sunday morning, Sakura. Everything from five o'clock Saturday to eight, Sunday." He growled out, still facing where Gaara had left. Sakura's eyes turned questioning.
"This Saturday, sir?" She questioned and he grunted in confirmation.
"Hn. I need a drink." He grumbled, walking into his office and slamming the door. Sakura stared, eyes worried with his statement, and confused at the sudden request. Without further question, Sakura shrugged her shoulders, starting to work on her given task.
Day one of working with Uchiha Corporations: the weirdest job she had ever taken. Good thing she didn't sleep much anyway.
"Can't wait for Saturday." She murmured, looking down at the date, her eyes freezing.
Today was Friday?
Sakura grinned. "Thank God, it's Friday."
Sasuke: Y-You...-seething-...y-you...
Yeah, how's that for telling me to go to hell?
Sasuke: -activates sharingan- I hate you.
Well, looks like more misfortunes for Sasuke and his crumbling world!
Sasuke: Why the fuck are you trying to make my life a hell more than what it already was?
Because it amuses me?
Sasuke: The fuck did I ever do to you, that my suffering gives you amusement?!
You told me to go to hell. But I had this here Uno Reverse card and sent you there instead! ( ^.^ ) -waves card around-
Sasuke: WHAT?! HOW THE FUCK?! WHAT THE FUCK?! WHA—
Yeah, life's funny like that. Hehe! ( ^.^ ) See you guys next chap!
Sasuke: -grumbling angrily-