Sorry for Sasuke's fans, but I won't EVER make Sakura weak in my fanfics. Mind you! XD

I hope no flame in this chapter, girls. I've already remind you about the rough content of this chapter. I decided to continue. Thanks for the reviews! I greatly truly appreciate them. Once more thanks!

My e-mail could be seen in my profile. My drawing is not that bad! Really! Despite the un-proportional body, just using watercolor, and… well, that's bad. But it's not that bad! Or just review me and tell me if you want. I'll send it with via-email.

Standard Disclaimer Apply

Chapter 8

I always thought that you can become an adult, only by shedding enough tears. Really, in the beginning, I don't care much about hurting your heart.

But I really want to stop when I realize the confusion locked up within me. But nevertheless, I hurt you again and again.

…yet you didn't show it, I know you were crying. You always make me believe that no thought within your head but thoughts of joy. No dreams within your heart but dreams of love.

But I pretended I didn't know a shit about that.

I pretended that I didn't care. Yet deeply in my heart, I knew I did.

When your lips mouthing the words 'goodbye'. I still don't know that I love you. Yet I felt… empty. Whenever I walked, darkness waiting for me; erasing the warmth you once gave.

I kept asking myself, 'Can you tell me the name of the feeling which I can't words for?"

And myself answered, 'If this isn't love, why she always invaded your dreams?'

'If this isn't love, why do you always yearn for her presence…?'

Yet I still stubborn. I still pretended not to know. I still denied the feeling. Making myself sure that you mean nothing to me.

Yet I know you mean everything to me.

After I'm back from Orochimaru, you never cry. Never show your feeling again. Always acted cheerfully and smile every single time. As if nothing has happened.

You always covered your sadness with your smile. Hell, after Orochimaru came, you never show your true smile.

Yet… in your sadness… you always cheer me up. Always by my side when I needed you.

Yet I never by your side when you needed me.

Yet I always pushed you away when you need my help. But you never mind it… you always give me everything you have without asking anything in return.

"Would you fuckin' leave me alone?"

When that wish finally came true, I was lost. I never imagine… that I need you. In these past few days without you, when I've seen myself, I seemed like someone else. Without you, I could never be myself.

And you, the sleeping bud in my heart, suddenly burst into bloom. After the massacre, wherever I walked, I just found emptiness. You filled the emptiness.

When you leave, not only emptiness waiting for me, but also 'loneliness'. And the emptiness became more torturing. Because it wasn't just empty, it's so cold… it's so dark… The torment was like lasting forever.

I want to say many things to you. I have no chance yet to say 'thank you', 'sorry', and 'love'.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Sakura…?" Sasuke stared her, confused.

"You lied. You never gave me a shit before." Sakura pushed him, slightly panted, and slowly pulled her katana back. The tears stopped.

"Sakura, back to Konohagakure with me." I'm sure this is Sakura.

"Since when did you care? Since when did you want me to go with you?" she said spitefully. Not daring enough to stare him eyes to eyes. Instead, she busied herself with wiping the blood off katana.

I always lost to him. I never could resist him.

Well, it's him. That's why I never could.

"Sakura… I'm sorry for everything. I truly want you to be with me…"

"Would you fuckin' leave me alone?"

"You never want. You never will. You hate me. Every now and then. I knew it from beginning. Yet I never could receive the fact. Then I foolishly pestered you and followed you everywhere. Made you hate me even more." Sakura finally stared his onyx eyes. "But now I realize it. I stopped. I will never care about you again. Isn't that you always want?" She stated coldly and firmly, earning a gasp.

"NO! I want you to be always beside me. I want you!"

"So why did you always reject me. If you could, you never want to share even one second longer with me! Is that you mean 'want'? I always yearn for it. Always wanted to believe that 'I' mean 'special' to you. But you never… You never want me! You never want to be with me even just to TRAIN, for god's sake! Not for DATING! WHY? I asked you to train, you refused, and the next day, what did you do? YOU TRAINED!" Without the owner's consciousness the volume of her voice raised until she was shouting.

Silence answered Sakura. Sakura stared the black obsidian orbs daringly. He wondered. Where was the weak little girl he used to know? Who is she? But beside the thoughts, his heart was filled with guilt. Those were all facts.

No thoughts within her head but thoughts of joy…

"Why didn't you answer it?"

No dreams within her heart but dreams of love…

Silence.

"Let me answer the question myself. This time, you want me to come back is NOT because you love 'Haruno Sakura'. The one you love is 'Itachi's lover'!"

XXXXXXXXXX

I always want you to finally realize that someone cares about you. Yet the wish was obviously denied.

It was a lie if I said that I don't want you to love me back. It was a lie if I said I never want you to be my lover. But every wish I yearned for never came true. Every hope I prayed for never be complied.

I was totally a fool if I believe the fact 'you love me'. Because you even don't want me to 'exist'. You pushed me away every single time I came for you.

Yet…

I was still struggling to get your heart. I gave all of me blindly to you. Because you're everything to me. Because you're my world.

Love. Just for a foolish love I hurt myself. At night, I always pretended that you were there with me. Yet when the dawn came, you were gone, and I found nothing but emptiness.

Love make fool of me. All the rules I've made was broken. I love you. But everyday I'm learning: without me, your world will go on turning.

…Then, I was inspired. All my life, I've only been pretending. Really, I should stop.

But in fact, I still love you. I myself hardly know the reason why.

Now, I'm sad and tired. I've tried so hard to put you from my mind. And all means nothing.

After all, I've tried for three years… seemed like thirty…

…seemed like ninety.

XXXXXXXXXX

The one you love is 'Itachi's lover'!

That voice filled the air like sound of thunder.

"Itachi's… lover?" He shocked. He never imagined Sakura would say that sentences. Even in his wildest dream. Sakura gulped, knowing her mistake. "Sakura…?"

Silence was the one who answered him. "What do you mean?"

"You never want to lose to your brother, right? And you will never let anything once yours to be his." She answered spitefully; her eyes no longer met his.

He gripped her shoulder, forced her to look at him, "Sakura, you hurt yourself. I love you…"

Do what you want with me.

"Why do you care if I'm hurt? Since when did you even want to know?" She yelled out. Then her voice softened. "I always wanted the best love story as if in every fairy tale. But then… I realized… that just a stupidest donkey that should do the same mistake twice." She laughed bitterly, "And… and I…" A mix of confused, angry, and bitter laugh ripped itself from her pink lips. "I'm Sakura, neither a donkey, nor the stupidest one."

Hate me and laugh at me…

She released herself from his grip, yet it was useless, for the firm grip hold her in place. "Forget me. Forget all of this. Leave me alone. Don't I already die for you? Forget all about me and let me decay…" she said, half sighing.

Darken my daytime and torture my night…

"In these past few days, when I've seen myself… I seemed like someone else…" Sasuke stated firmly despite his unusually soft voice. "Don't you think it's rather funny? I should be in this position. I'm the one who always been so calm, so cool—no lover's fool…"

"I asked myself the same thing," she replied dryly. She struggled free once more, yet couldn't.

"I know you need a huge amount of chakra to break the Sharingan's hypnotize. You just waste your energy. You need almost ninety percent of you energy even with the chakra of yours."

When will the blood begin to race…?

"Why do you care? You yourself were injured. Go from here, or fight with your brother. I'll heal you, and then forget all about me. I still have enough chakra for healing you. I never said that I would love you forever. Now, you mean nothing to me," she lied.

The sleeping bud burst into bloom…

"I love you. Does that mean nothing?" She tried to break free again, yet his firm grip prevented her to do so.

"I have come here, in pursuit of my deepest urge, in pursuit of that wish which till now has been silent…"

"Your wish obviously to kill your brother. What do you feel is the urge to revenge, right? And it was never so silent. It is so clear like daylight."

"What I feel is pure love and nothing more…" he said softly with the tone which no one ever heard before. Somehow, it sent shiver down her spine. The urge to resist became less and less strong.

When will the flame, at last, consume us…?

"Release me. Clan, clan, clan. Revenge, revenge, revenge. Don't you have so many girls before—in very many ways…? I'm just one more," she said, hint of sadness heard clearly even she tried her best to suppress it. He grasped her chin, forcing her to look him at eyes.

…then, I was inspired…

"So, why did I come here? You're far too keen on where and how but never so hot on why." Sasuke asked.

…now, I'm sad and tired.

"Wasn't it because your pointless reven—," Her sentence was cut when Sasuke's warm lips claimed hers. Her eyes widened and she managed to struggle free. But her resistance just made his grip even tighter. His hand move and curled to Sakura's waist, pushing her to his muscular body, while the other reached her nape, prevent her from turning away.

After all, I've tried for three years…

When they lips separated, he hugged her even tighter, forcing her head to rest on his shoulder. He caressed her now short hair softly and closed his eyes. He said softly to her ear, "Say nothing but you love me." Her eyes widened once more and tears involuntary dropped themselves again from the jade-coloured eyes.

Seemed like thirty…

He inhaled deeply. Ready to say more. More tears came, decorating her porcelain white skin with streamlines of them.

Seemed like ninety…

"Sakura… I never looked at you 'special'. I always looked at you same as my other fan girls."

Everyone told the same thing to me. I love you. What is love actually? You love me? Bullshit.

"After the massacre, I was always afraid to love someone. Although I realize there was so many people give their love to me. Although… I realize that you love me more than anybody. You gave all of your love to me. But…"

In my arms I see her…

He inhaled deeply. The pink-haired kunoichi shifted uncomfortably in his embrace without any will to get free. "But I always closed my heart. I don't know… maybe sad… maybe angry. I always closed my heart. I'm sorry!"

She's here; really here—really mine now…

"Sasu…" She never could finish her sentence. He cut her, "But now… I know that all of those days which I share with you are a priceless treasure to me."

"Because I can say that it's special," he continued, "because lies and such are no more needed." He inhaled deeply. "Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Let you safe me from my solitude…"

Whatever happens, one thing is certain…

More tears came out from the girl's eyes as he continued. "Share each day with me—each night, each morning…" No response from the girl in his embrace. He tried again.

"Say you want me with you here beside you, now and always. Say you love me…" This time it was her who cut him off.

Isn't it fun to forget who we are?

"You know I do…" The voice was soft yet the Uchiha brothers could hear it just fine.

A bright smile started to form itself in the younger Uchiha's face. He released her from his embrace to see her face. She refused to stare him eyes to eyes, yet her reddened cheeks explained everything. He wiped her tears off her face.

Who cares if now the world is far behind us…?

No more tears. From now on, there was only happiness.

They almost forgot about one more presence near them. And maybe they wouldn't know if strings of chakra didn't pull her away from him. Their eyes widened. Sasuke fell on his knees. He had pretty much blood lost and Sakura's body that once supported him had gone. The Uchiha prodigy quickly performed some hand seals to his younger brother. In an instant, the Uchiha heir found himself was unable to move even only a bit. Yet he still could speak.

Sakura ran towards the poor Uchiha, wanting to safe him. But she found a wall of chakra in front of her, preventing herself from doing so.

"You will never be able bring her back with you!" He yelled out furiously. Fear, envy, and other feelings he never knew before mixed themselves in him. Controlling him.

The older one glanced at Sakura. Sakura stared him in questioning looks. The emerald-green eyes met the ruby-red ones. "Itachi-san, what the meaning of this?"

His gaze hardened. With a predatory and graceful movement, he walked towards her. "Start a new life with me—buy his freedom with your love. Refuse me and you send your lover to his death. This is the choice. This is the point of no return!"

Aokichu mentioned a good suggestion about chapter 6… Hehe… Trims berat, say!

"Waah… when Itachi told Sasuke about the rape things, he's like: "I'll kill you!". It should be: "Why didn't you tell me? I want to join!"

Wahaha… I like your idea, girl! Luv you all!

I actually wanted to stop when 'Itachi's lover' thing, but it is too short for one chapter. Well, I'm so kind, ain't I? Kidding, gals XD

Don't forget to review! Eh, who do you want Sakura would choose? Tell me, tell me! I want to know! Although I won't change my mind about the ending. But Onna Ooji, you know who, right? Hehehe…

Have a nice day,

£exy The Thief