• Rated M for language and later content •


• AN AIR OF POWER •


Chapter Two


Ayame thwacked Naruto over the head and the blonde's eyes flew open in alarm. He promptly detached himself from his desk, a trail of drool connecting the sleek surface to his face.

"What happened?" he managed to grumble, confusion striking his handsome face. As soon as his eyes landed on his brunette secretary, who was steadily getting more annoyed, he fought the urge to flip over the desk and take cover.

She looked pissed.

"Naruto," she forced out between clenched teeth. He was too afraid to make a noise in reply, but she didn't care in the least. "You've been neglecting your work even more in the past week. The share holding party is tomorrow."

Her eerily calm tone sent violent shivers down his spine and he whimpered. The tension was rapidly escalating to the point of being near tangible. And damn was he terrified.

'Should I jump over her and run out the door, or hop out the window and fall down fifty floors?' he mentally debated.

"LISTEN TO ME YOU IMBECILE," she abruptly roared, violently snapping. She curled an arm around his neck in a firm hold before he could run, and took great pleasure in choking him in a death lock. "I've canceled fourteen meetings in the past five days! Get a hold of yourself if you want to look presentable tomorrow!"

When he made a sound of retort, she tightened ten fold and he had no choice but to tap out, turning purple at the lack of oxygen.

She let go, hearing the satisfied thump of his face hitting his desk lifelessly. The puddle of pre-existing drool smeared over half his face, but he paid no attention and remained half dead, greedily drinking in air.

Ayame smoothed down her deep brown skirt and straightened her cream blouse, giving Naruto a pointed look that could've made him shit his own pants. "You have a meeting in fifteen minutes - don't skip out on it, Uzumaki-sama." She promised to bring him death if he didn't cooperate and he nodded his head rapidly in fear. She turned on her chocolate heels and stalked out of the room.

"...Damn, she's scary," he mumbled to himself, peeling his face off his desk. He checked the time and groaned when it was only eleven in the morning. It was such a bore sitting in his office all day. Hardly anything interesting ever happened save for the business parties. Even then, he was only in it for the food and for his friends.

He stared at his computer absently, the bright wallpaper staring at him. It wasn't often that he had his wallpaper on display. Usually, countless browsers were up, all composed of emails and tabs monitoring his marketing department and company profits and debts. Since he'd begun neglecting his duties, he hardly ever had anything on his computer.

Naruto's crystal blues lightened considerably at the photo on his screen. It was of him in high school with his beautiful best friend. He was wearing that odd orange shirt with a yellow swirl in the center - she'd gotten it for him and since then, orange had been his favorite color. The smile on his face was so wide, he had his eyes closed. One hand showed a thumbs up, the other slung over her shoulders.

He touched the computer monitor, thumb brushing over her face.

Her emerald green eyes looked like they held the world in them. They were big and bright and beautiful - one of her greatest features. The corners of her lips were upturned in a sweet smile, both of her small hands wrapped around his stomach in a hug. Over her shoulders spilled medium length carnation pink hair.

She always smelled like strawberries...

"I wonder where Sakura-chan is now," he muttered into his hand, still touching the monitor with his other arm.

He became best friends with Sasuke in middle school, but since he had to leave for Otogakure with his father, high school was lonely. In his sophomore year, he'd met Sakura. She nearly beat him up for accidentally peeking up her skirt the first day she arrived, and since then they were inseparable.

But after high school, his father had him learning the ropes around the company immediately. Sakura left for college as a medical and business double major, and they lost contact over the years.

Now that she was twenty six, she was probably absolutely gorgeous - she'd been beautiful in the past. If he could find her again, he'd help support her with the money he owned. She'd done a lot for him in Sasuke's absence and he was willing to give something as small as money in return.

"Uzumaki-sama," was what pulled him out of memory lane. He glanced down at the small device on his desk as Ayame's voice filtered through. "Your meeting is in five minutes. I'll send Senju-sama in as soon as she arrives."

'Senju-sama?'

"Thanks Ayame."

It took him a few moments to register, but as soon as he did, he realized he still had a puddle of saliva on his desk, and he still appeared utterly unpresentable from when Ayame was choking him. Frantically he took as many tissues as he could from one of the drawers on his desk and wiped it away.

"Agh, dammit it crusted over," he cursed, searching around his office for something to clean it with. He spotted the mini-fridge. Maybe soda would get it wet enough to remove.

He hurriedly popped open a can and spilled it over his desk. The saliva came off, but the soda began to stick.

"DAMMIT."

He punched the desk in frustration, glaring at it like a madman.

"How am I not surprised that you haven't changed one bit?"

Naruto froze in his shoes, hearing the words trickle into the room. He could recognize that melodious voice from anywhere.

His blue eyes, a pale blue in thick fear, shifted steadily towards the door. Ayame stood there, anger on her face at his mess, but the one to capture his attention was the figure dressed in pale lilac colors.

Sakura stood before him, holding a file of papers and bearing the most gentle smile on her face.


A pink-haired beauty stood in her own office, head in her hands. She had a meeting with Naruto today. Of all people.

She absolutely had no clue how to face him. After eight years of disappearing, losing contact, and she just suddenly shows up in his office as one of the most powerful business women in the world? How the hell would he react to that?

'He'd probably lose his shit,' she figured, massaging her temples.

A knock resounded on her door before it was swung open. Her mother, Tsunade approached her, Shizune close behind her. Amber eyes stared at the miserable figure sitting in her desk, and they softened into topaz pools.

She laid a hand on her daughter's shoulder, soothing the muscles with just a touch. When green eyes averted in direction, Tsunade's chest tightened.

Dan's eyes were green in the sunlight.

"Are you alright, Sakura? Can you handle meeting with Uzumaki?" she questioned gently. She knew of her daughter's friendship with the tycoon, and if this was going to complicate her emotional stability, she was willing to step in for the meeting. Sakura had just begun taking over the company last year - she had yet to attend to business meetings on her own.

But Sakura shook her head firmly. Though her eyes remained a pale green in inner indecision, she had a hard resolve.

"I can handle it," she replied, albeit slightly shakily. "I just...need some time to think."

Tsunade only nodded in response and motioned to Shizune. The dark-haired woman smiled slightly and set a bag carefully on Sakura's wide desk. She glanced up in questioning at the white bag.

"These are a change of clothes. For your first meeting."

Sakura took the bag and set it on her lap. She could only see pale lavender and white colors and sighed softly, left in a lighter mood. They took the time to make sure she felt comfortable in her skin and in her role.

"Thank you both," she murmured, fingering the soft fabric of the top.

Tsunade gave her a motherly smile before walking past the desk. She pulled the cord beside the wall of windows and allowed the pale curtains to fall. Shizune flicked on the lights and the office was completely covered from prying eyes. The blonde kissed her daughter's forehead.

"Get changed. The meeting is in an hour and we have to head to the car in thirty."

Combing her fingers smoothly through the younger girl's soft hair, she exited the room with her secretary.

Sakura sat at her desk, still unable to fully grasp the situation.

'I need to get changed first.'

She grasped the hem of her light red top and pulled it over her head, setting it flat on the desk. She unbuttoned her slim black slacks and slid them off her lower half, unfastening her red heels once it got to the end.

The pink-haired beauty reached into the white bag and pulled out the blouse. It was sleeveless with a high neck, and the front fell in waves of ruffled fabric. It was smooth to the touch, colored a pale lavender. She slid into the slim cream white pencil skirt and allowed it to drape over her bottom and thighs, the end reaching several inches above her knee.

In the bag was a pair of lavender pumps and a box of simple pearl earrings. She sighed to herself then sweeped up all of her long petal pink tresses, twisting it up into a half-hearted bun.

Sakura breathed in deeply, staring at her reflection on her desk mirror.

She had to get a hold of herself. Just because she was meeting an old friend on new grounds, didn't mean that she had anything to fear. They were still the same people with the same likes and dislikes. Yes, they were on new terrain. Instead of being in the halls of some meek little high school, they were on top of the world as powerful business people.

But underneath the money, the glory, the wealth, they were still Naruto and Sakura. They were still two sides of the same coin, still best friends.

Sakura laughed listlessly to herself, tucking away her previous clothes in the bag and pulling on the cord by her windows.

The curtains swept back up and the light of the world re-entered her office. She was on the top floor of her building, and she knew she held immense, unimaginable power over the economy and the welfare of the people. She was in a world where every card that she dealt had to be played perfectly, otherwise everything would come tumbling down.

Her grandfather issued the share as soon as he was on his deathbed. He was dying and he had his will read for the world. He secured Sakura's position in the competition, but because she still went by Haruno, no one would know she was a Senju.

If people recruited her as a business ally without the use of her name, but her brain, then they were worthy allies and she would be a worthy successor to her grandfather.

He never approved of her as successor. His daughter, Tsunade had run away and had an affair with a Haruno. But it seemed as though not even exile would tear them apart, and Sakura still found a way back to her mother.

Because he was dying and because Tsunade firmly believed she needed someone to uphold the company after her, Sakura was the only choice. So he decided to use his will and play a game.

'Dirty old man,' Sakura murmured within her, picking up the bag and her cellphone. She flicked off the lights and exited her office.

If he wanted to play, they would play.

She set the bag on the secretarial desk, Shizune already sliding it beneath, and entered the elevator.

'Game on, grandpa.'


Neji stood beside the limousine, awaiting Hinata's arrival in front of the Uzumaki building. She had only stopped by to supposedly deliver something to Ayame, though he suspected she might've lingered a little longer to see if she could catch a glimpse of the blonde idiot.

'Ah, speaking of which.'

Hinata shyly bowed her head when the doors opened for her, and she walked down the steps carefully. The pink blush spread over her cheeks indicated she probably saw said man.

"Neji-nii, I'm sorry was I taking long?" she murmured when she came closer to the limo. He shook his head and stepped aside to open the car door, waving away the chauffer when he offered to instead. He was about to enter himself when another limo, one sleek white, drove up behind their's. Before he could ignore it, the door opened by itself and a figure stepped out.

He nearly gawked at who it was.

Carnation pink hair, pale skin, lilac clothes, and eyes greener than the forestry of Konohagakure.

Time stopped within that moment and the time it took for her long legs to take three steps felt like an eternity. Neji tried to swallow but something was blocking his throat. So he settled for licking his lips, making some female passerby faint at the sexily performed move.

'Am I going blind as I feared?'

But he had no chance to move towards the woman in lilac. She was quickly strolling for the glass doors without so much as shifting her gaze even a bit. Not even his way.

By the time he regained control of his body, she was gone.

"Neji-nii...?"

He didn't hear the question. He was already in the limo, dialing Naruto's number.

Neji cursed when he didn't pick up. "DAMMIT YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING IDIOT." He continued to curse into his phone, dialing the same damn number, even scarily asking Ayame for Naruto as politely as possible. But nooo, he was in a meeting. Damn.

Oh. And Hinata was glued to the other side of the limo, fearing for her life.

'K-Kami-sama... save me...'


Naruto stared intensely at the woman scribbling words onto a piece of paper across from him. It'd only been five minutes since the start of the meeting and already his head was whirring in a thousand questions. But as soon as he opened his mouth, nothing came out.

So he settled for burning holes in her head.

Annoyed, she casted her green gaze up at him, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Got a question, Naruto?"

Immediately he pointed an accusing finger. He pointed all over her.

"Are you really Sakura-chan? How did your hair get so long? And you've got curves? And my god, where did you get" -points at chest- "those?"

A vein pulsed in her temple and she resisted the urge to punch him in the face. Calmly, she set down her pen and settled for a thick glare, which of course went by unnoticed.

"Naruto, it's been eight years," she began evenly. "Of course I've changed."

She lay her stare over his whole form, and despite his personality and his eyes remaining unchanged, she had to admit that he'd grown very attractive over the years. Time was doing him well and she saw the way his lean, muscular form was outlined beneath his button-up.

His burning gaze fell to his desk as he calmed down slightly. "But I heard Ayame say someone named Senju was coming in. Out of all the people in the world, I didn't think it'd be my old best friend."

"Old best friend?" Sakura raised an eyebrow at him. "I haven't changed a bit."

"But-But look at you!" he exclaimed. And then he was on the desk holding his head. "I can't believe this..." he muttered. The appearance of his best friend hit him like a ton of bricks at that moment.

He was just thinking about her. How in the hell did she suddenly appear in front of him?

"If you're a successor, were you at the party last year?" he questioned, deliberately raising a blonde eyebrow. She nodded, and he was a little confused. "Why didn't I see you? I was there the whole time!"

She merely shrugged. "I couldn't go for too long. I came with my mother for a peek."

Naruto nodded then, but then a thought hit him. He would've realized if she were there had she been announced as a Haruno. But he only heard Senju. So... "Wait, so then if you're Senju, are you married?!" He wanted to die at that moment. Was she taken? By who, some sleezy businessman? Dammit!

But she only laughed. "I'm not married. I'm single."

He wanted to melt then and there in happiness. 'No, I have to be a man. I can't squeal like a girl. Even if I want to, my voice won't go that pitch. I'll just choke.'

"Do you remember how my father was the only one taking care of me?" she questioned carefully, recalling her wonderful high school days shaking her dad awake for work and yelling at him for trying to cook dinner.

Naruto nodded. He remembered the tall, youthful man with long aqua hair. He was a great man with humor that rivaled his own father's.

"He passed away when I was nineteen."

The blonde man's eyes widened, and he had the extreme need to pull Sakura in his arms. The look in her eye screamed sadness and he wanted to wash it away.

"But my mother found me. Tsunade Senju found me."

He didn't want to hear any more. Instead he gave her the most blinding smile he could muster, and Sakura felt the tension in her shoulders disappear.

"We're still best friends, Sakura. Always." While the term no longer sat right with him, it was true. She was still incredibly important to him. Nothing would change that.

She offered the most gentle smile before her eyes returned to that powerful emerald glow. "Naruto, I came here for a reason."

He nodded, a little shocked at the way she controlled herself. Growing up with her, knowing she wanted to be a medical and business major, he knew she had a very serious side. But she rearely ever showed it around him. It was both scary and amazing being on the receiving end of it.

Where the hell did she disappear to to become this confident young woman sitting before him.

"Naruto, I'm sure you're aware of Senju's game, correct?" she asked, beginning to lay out the papers within the folder. He nodded as she slid one particular sheet over to him.

His eyes bulged out of their sockets as if he were a frog. Where in the hell did these numbers come from?

"S-Sakura, what is this?" he stammered. The numbers were literally off the charts, the profits skyrocketing into the margins.

"The share is actually Senju's Iwagakure business," Sakura nonchalantly said, apparently not noticing the way Naruto was freaking out from sheer excitement. There were so many zeroes. "Because grandfather was the one who controlled the Iwa business, no one will control it. As in, neither my mother and I were willing. So instead it'll be offered as a share and divided between eight companies."

"B-But Sakura, why are you telling me this?"

Sakura's crystal green eyes glanced up, and for the first time she noticed the way his strong shoulders were set in a firm, towering line. Though Naruto was a total procrastinator and goofed off quite often, he had the air of a corporate owner. He was panicking now, but it wasn't out of fear, it was out of sheer excitement. It was as if he was already trying to figure out what to do with the share without even realizing.

But she remembered his question.

It was quite simple really. It was entirely up to her when she decided to come here.

"Naruto, this is the first time I've been in a business meeting," she stated quite frankly. He raised an eyebrow and blanketed his azure stare on her. "I have never been in a real business environment. I need your help if I want to know what I'm going to be up against."

Yet his response was quick. He nodded then, already offering his help. She smiled at his willingness. Yes, he was still the same boy from all those years ago.

"I need-"

Unfortunately, a knock resounded on the door, and Ayame strolled in. She sent Sakura an apologetic look and Naruto a scathing glare before setting a small white bag on his desk.

"This came from Hyuuga Hinata," she claimed, nodding down towards the bag.

Naruto's eyes lit up. Hinata-chan, huh? He settled the bag on his lap, happy to receive a gift. Upon opening it, a mist violated his vision.

...

"IT BUUUUUUURNNNNNNSSSSSSS!"


Neji smacked his head against the window of the limousine, annoyed and a little drained from the incessant need to call Naruto. How the hell did he score a meeting with someone like that woman? And damn, just who was she? Were they together? Was it a secret meeting between lovers?

No, that couldn't be. She had the air of a powerful figure. She must've been a business associate.

But Naruto had been neglecting his work duties the whole week. Why did he suddenly accept a meeting? With her?

'Fucking dammit.'

"U-Um, Neji-nii?"

"Hn?"

He looked from the corner of his eye at Hinata, whose pearl gaze was wide with horror. She held a white bag in her hand, pulling out the necktie in it. Neji himself stared for quite a minute, and then realized exactly everything that was wrong with it.

They had gone for a quick shopping trip - Hinata for a tie for Naruto, and Neji for a few cans of pepper spray for Hanabi.

"W-We have to go back."

Oh but they were too late.

High pitched screams echoed throughout Konoha, earning a few howls from responding dogs on the street.

'Karma is a bitch, Uzumaki.'

And Neji laughed evilly whilst Hinata contemplated calling a mental hospital.


• Aw man, my characters must feel a little stiff. But please don't mind that too much :P I'm trying to get back into the game after being away so long, so lemme test the waters. And then I'll be happy to come back and rewrite these chapters.

• A big thank you to all those who reviewed. And yes to many of you - Sakura will be chased by several delicious men. And some might even get to second base. Ooooooohhh

• I apologize for the slow development in the chapters, but things will pick up in the next few chapters once we approach the party and onwards

• I might update pretty fast. I'm quite fond of this story haha. But for now, ta, my children~

- burrblefish