Chapter 4: Rainy Days
"B-But Master Itachi," said the first male servant. "Young Mas--"
"Are you questioning my order?" asked the man called Master Itachi.
"N-No, Master,but--"
"Then shut the hell up and get out of my sight before I strangle you to death.." Itachi harshly commanded the two servants.
They bowed slightly to that Master of theirs before running away.
I turned my head and I saw him looking at me and with a smirk.
My eyes widened. He looks like Sasuke, only his hair is longer. His eyes were beautiful.. Dangerously beautiful. He's slightly taller than Sasuke, I think. And if he looks like Sasuke, he sure looks handsome too.
He started to walk away from me.
"Follow me." It sounded as if he's commanding me.
I don't want to be strangled to death so I followed him. And besides he's the Master of this big house so I think I must.
He stopped in front of a big white door. He opened it and motioned for me to follow him inside.
The room was dark. Only the light from the fireplace somehow brightens the room up. In front of the fireplace was a black couch and there he sat.
"Have a seat." He told me.
I reluctantly sat beside him.
"Tell me your name."
"Oh.. Uh.. I-I'm H-Haruno Sakura, S-Sir.." I stamered.
"You were looking for Sasuke's room." He said, staring at the red-orange flame.
"I-I'm sorry, sir.. J-Just my curiosity.." I answered. I avoided looking at him as much as possible.
"Hm.. You're a fan, I suppose?"
I nodded slightly.
"It won't be that easy. There are lots of things you don't know about him. Sasuke's so secretive."
".."
"How silly of him to bring his 'friends' here. Especially a girl.."
I felt his delicate fingers touch my chin, making me face him.
"He's got a good taste.." I heared him say.
He was so close to me, I couldn't breathe. I parted my lips slightly to help myself breathe. My butt was slowly sliding down, I could even feel his body against mine. I was so tensed and I'm really finding it hard to breathe.
"Uh.. S-Sir.. I must g--" I tried to explain but he silenced me by putting a finger on my lips.
"Leaving so soon?" He said, his finger tracing my lips.
I felt so numb. I couldn't move. I was so helpless. I felt so weak.
"Get your fucking self off her, Itachi!" I heared an enraged Sasuke say.
Itachi slowly crawled away from my body and sat down.
"So.. You found us.." Itachi said, smirking.
I looked behind me and saw a very angry Sasuke. He moved so fast and soon, he's behind that maniac. He held a kunai pointing at Itachi's neck.
How did he do that? Maybe he studied self-defense..
"Sakura, stay outside." Sasuke said without even looking at me.
I nodded slightly and ran outside. I kept the door slightly open so I could see them and listen to their conversation. I know that I should just mind my own business, but that Itachi guy.. He's so intriguing..
"So, you've got a new toy, Sasuke.." I heared Itachi say.
I felt that Sasuke was so angry even though I could only see his back.
"Shut the hell up, Itachi!" Sasuke tightened his grip on the kunai.
"I'm quite interested with your new toy, Sasuke. Guard her well or I might have that Sakura of yours.."
Sasuke was shaking in anger, he almost slit the older guy's throat with that sharp kunai.
I saw Sasuke throw the kunai on the floor and whispered something. Itachi just laughed evily.
I pretended that I was looking at some red roses about two rooms away from them. He met me there.
"Stay away from him." He said then started to walk.
I followed him.
"Who was he?" I asked.
No answer.
"'Sasuke..?"
"He's my brother.. My fucking brother, Itachi.." He answered. His fists curled into a ball.
I didn't know that Sasuke has a brother. Like what Itachi had said, Sasuke's so secretive. I wonder, why does he hate him so much? But I dared not ask.
"Uh.. Sasuke," I said. "I.. I'm s-sorry.."
"Are you ok?" He asked.
I was slightly startled that he asked me that. I thought he hated me, that he doesn't even care..
"Y-Yeah.. Thank you.." I answered with a weak smile.
We remained silent until we reached the living room.
-----
Thanks to that damn Orochimaru-sensei for giving us such a hard home work in Science, I left the school at around five thirty in the afternoon. I needed to go to the library and research for it.
As I was walking back my apartment, I caught sight of a raven haired boy sitting on a tree branch.
"Hey Sasuke!" I called.
He looked down at me then back to whatever he was looking at before I came.
I dropped my books and bag on the ground and tried climbing the tree, seeing that he doesn't want to go down. But I was unsuccessful.
"Sasuke, would you mind climbing down the tree?" I asked him.
"Good." I heared him say. "You can't bother me if I'm up here."
Sighing in defeat, I just sat down under the tree.
"Sasuke," I said. "Uh.. Thanks for.. saving me from y-your brother."
No answer.
"Oh I really hate that freaky Orochimaru-sensei for giving us such a hard home work!" I said, trying to change the topic. He doesn't seem to like talking about his older brother.
"That's really easy." He answered monotonously.
I can't think of anything to say. I'm aware that I'm not that much of a conversationalist.
Silence prevailed between the two of us.
"Hm.. Sasuke," I finally spoke, breaking the silence. "W-Well, I've been thinking about you so much since the first we met.. And when you saved me from Itachi.. I started thinking that you care for me.. and.. and.. you feel s-something d-different for me.. You know, I-I uhm.. I.. I think I'm in l-love with you a-and I was hoping that you--"
"Feel the same way?" He cut me off.
He jumped down to the ground and stood there, his back facing me.
I couldn't look straight at his figure. My cheeks were really flushed.
"I'll never fall in love to someone like you. Never."
And then he left me. It took me quite a while to let those bitter words sink in my mind. Does he really mean it? Sasuke.. The one I love. What's wrong with me? Tell me, Sasuke, and I'm willing to change everything.. Just for you, the one I love..
Tears kept on falling like rain, slowly flooding my wounded heart.
-----
We had been rehearsing for our presentation for five days since that incident in Sasuke's house. I'm always busy plus the other home works. Me and Ino can't even hang out because of my schedule.
Well, it's going pretty good. My story draft says that I will be the poor girl (Of course..), Sasuke will be the poor childhood friend (So that I'll end up being with him!) and Gaara as the noble man. But Sasuke revised it. He's not suitable to act as a poor boy, he said. So he became the noble man instead and Gaara as the childhood friend.
Aw.. Poor me! I thought I'll end up being with Sasuke, even in that play, but I ended up being with Gaara..
Speaking of those two, well we became a little bit close to each other. Gaara is still the same, scary, silent and his glare still freaks me out. Sasuke.. I knew that he's a hard-working person. I tried to act normal when he's around, pretending that what he had said was nothing.
But it really hurts me a lot.. Why must I need to pretend? I know deep within me that I love him and what he said made a big impact to me. Why can't it just be like the person you love also loves you so that all of us could be happy? I know that I'm being selfish but I just can't help it. Tell me, is selfishness wrong in that way?
Today we weren't able to practice. Sasuke had some engagements to make so he can't attend our rehearsal.
Before heading back to my apartment, I decided to stop by at a playground. And there I was, sitting on a swing.
I looked at the sun as it slowly set. I sighed. I'm all alone there. I felt so lonely. So empty. So cold..
Something caught my attention. A certain red-haired boy with piercing jade eyes.. Gaara. I saw him walking outside the playground and I think he didn't notice me.
Finally, a company! I stood up and ran towards him.
"Hey Gaara! Would you mind accompanying me here?" I said, trying to act cheerful.
"Yes." That's all he said then started walking again.
I ran to him and pulled his arm. I'm not sure if I did the right thing but I'm really eager to talk to him.
"Please?" I said.
"No one's ever done done that to me." He said. He sounded calm. I don't know if he's angry with me.
I removed my hand from his arm and backed away a little.
"Uhm.. I-I'm s-sorry.. I just need someone to accompany me. I.. I feel so lonely today. Please?" I pleaded him again.
He stared at me before heading to the playground.
I found myself smiling a bit.
-----
I was sitting at a swing. He sat in another swing beside me. It was already dark that time and it's getting chilly.
"It will rain soon." He said, looking at the pinkish black sky.
"I know.." I answered.
Silence.
"Gaara, tell me something.. A-About yourself." I finally said, breaking the silence.
"There's nothing special about myself. Nothing would interest you." He answered.
"Just tell me anything.."
"I'm Gaara, people fear me and I like it." He said.
I was about to say 'I know that already. I mean.. About your family, where you live.. Things like that.' but another question rose in my mind.
"Have you ever been in love?"
Silence consumed the two of us.
He sighed as he slowly stood up and walked away. Then he stopped, his back facing me.
"Love?! Ridiculous.." He said.
I was quite shocked by his answer. Since when did love became ridiculous? It's probably one of the best thing in this world!
"W-What? But why..?" I asked him.
I stood up and approached him, his back still facing me.
"That thing you call 'love' does not exist in my life." He answered. "Love is only for the weak. You always have to protect your special one and you feel weak when they're hurt or when you fail to protect or make them happy.."
I was about to say something when he spoke again.
".. And you'll end up being hurt."
My jaw dropped open when I heared his explanation. I never thought that Gaara, the most feared guy in school, with his cold, jade eyes, could be this.. expressive.
I lowered my head and smiled a little.
"Oh.. So that's the most feared guy, Gaara's perception about that thing called 'love', eh?" I said. "Well, mine is this: I believe that love is for everyone. Whether you're strong or weak.. Love involves great risks that could make or break you. If you're weak yet you love and accept the challenges you might face, that's when you become strong, you become brave. You are not afraid to face the possible consequences which love might bring. A-And when y-you fail to be l-loved back--" My voice was faltering.
I felt an arm around my waist. A hand behind my head, gently pushing it to his chest.
"Release it.." I heared him say.
I don't know.. That weird feeling suddenly came into me. The feeling of comfort.. security.. when he hugged me.
I just felt like.. crying. I don't know why.. Those crystal beads just came out from my eyes.
There was silence in the air.
Then rain started to pour.
I'll never forget that rainy night.
-=-=-=-
Uh.. This is it for now. Anyway keep on reviewing. I love you all!
