Chapter 13
"Have you reviewed earlier?" Neji asked Sakura when they were at the backstage. The competition will start soon and Sakura is having trouble breathing. Of course I reviewed. Sakura thought, but she can't say it allowed. "Shikamaru-san, glass of water, please, and give it to Sakura." Neji turned once more to Sakura. "Sasuke-san said he'll try to catch up, maybe in the middle of the competition. He still has to prepare for the concert this night."
Sakura blinked. "I think you guys should go and practice for tonight."
"Nah, we've practiced enough. Naruto's awesome, by the way, when you were reviewing back at the hotel. He looks like he is holding an auto-shot gun. BAM! BAM! BAM!" Neji did an act of holding a gun and firing it at random, but it has no effect on Sakura. Sakura tried to smile a bit but failed to do so. Her hands quickly reached out for the plastic cup being held to her and rapidly drank all of its contents. After that, she lost her hold on the cup and it fell on the floor.
Shikamaru looked down at the cup below Sakura and said, "Good thing I said we just needed a plastic cup." When he caught Neji's disapproving look, he closed his mouth.
"Come on, Sakura-chan. You've done better before. Want me to call Sasuke?" At the mention of Sasuke's name, Sakura's head shot up slightly and blushed; causing her to poke Neji painfully on his arm, but Neji completely ignored it. "Apparently not."
"Why don't you try and suggest to let her sit down?" a voice said. All three heads turned towards the voice. It was Sasuke.
"Yeah, Sakura-san, I think you should sit down." Shikamaru said.
Sasuke sighed. "Shikamaru, can I talk to you for a little while?" He watched as Sakura sat down the nearest plastic chair and stared of-space. The other contestants are there at the far end of the room, reviewing, but Sakura is not in the reviewing mood.
Shikamaru felt himself being dragged to the other side of the room, where there are lesser people. Sasuke thought he heard Shikamaru say 'how troublesome' but remembered, he is with the lazy-ass Shikamaru, he's bound to hear that every once in a while.
"What are you getting at, Uchiha?" Shikamaru crossed his arms and rested his back on the wall behind him, his right knee bended so that his right foot rested too on the wall.
"You told me something about talking to the audience, right?" Sasuke waited for Shikamaru to have anything to reply. The latter nodded. "I'm going to use the free time you've given me at the last part of the concert."
"What are you planning?" Shikamaru asked as he thought he saw a mischievous sparkle in Sasuke's eyes.
Sasuke looked at him. "It's a secret."
Neji's head shot up as he heard the emcee speak on the microphone. Her voice boomed in the auditorium and he chuckled slightly. This girl doesn't know to speak normally, even in the microphone. "Sakura, stand up now." Neji said while carefully helping Sakura stand up. Afraid to let go, Neji slowly took off his hands off Sakura's shoulders and found that she is trembling slightly.
"Sakura?"
Sakura turned her head towards the caller. She caught glimpse of the color of raven and knows only one person in that color. Sasuke? Sakura felt his arms surround her body and she became aware of herself being limp as she let herself be supported by her holder. "You can do it, Sakura. I know you can. Here, hold this, it is my lucky necklace. Wear it, you'll feel better."
Sakura looked at the necklace being putted in her hands. It is black and shiny, with a black fan in it. "It's the Uchiha symbol, Sakura. It is used by Uchihas for good luck. Ironic, isn't it?"
Sakura looked at Sasuke with wide eyes. "But I'm not an Uchiha…"
Sasuke smiled slightly. A small smile, but it is still present on his face. "Yes, I know, because it is said that people who use it for good luck outside the family is blessed. Let me…" he got the necklace again and went around Sakura. He opened the lock of the necklace and putted it around Sakura's neck, which is covered by a thick jacket she's wearing.
"You'll feel better onstage, I promise you." Sasuke whispered as he enveloped Sakura once more in a hug.
"That was a lie, right? What you said and gave to Sakura earlier, it is all a lie…" Neji said once they settled on the front row seat. They watched as Sakura's name was called, Sakura walking confidently onstage with a small bow and went to her place.
Sasuke chuckled slightly. "Come on, it has an effect on her. Look…" Sasuke indicated to how Sakura walked. She looks like she's really confident about competing.
Neji said, "Oh well, I guess you could deal with it later." Sasuke nodded. He looked back onstage. The emcee is explaining everything that is to be done during the competition. He saw as Sakura nodded faintly, indicating that she understood what the emcee said. Her face is void of any emotion, just a look of determination and concentration. She's just like the Sakura they knew before, minus the glasses.
Sasuke rubbed the back of his neck. He can feel some people staring at him behind his back. He even heard the person behind him saying something near to 'he's here because of his girlfriend.' But he shook his head. Maybe he just thought he was the one they were talking about.
Sakura looked down at Sasuke, who started to tense up. There were three of them left onstage, one of them is her. The one who answers the next question correctly will be part of the last question. Then, the one who can answer the second question will compete with the first correct answerer. "In the Science category, explain the law of reflection." Sakura furrowed her brows but suddenly heard a buzz.
"When the light impinges on a reflecting surface, the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection." The guy called Richard Smith answered. Sakura breathe deeply. There's another chance. One last question. Sakura felt her mouth dry. She closed her eyes momentarily and reopened them, feeling refreshed.
She heard the emcee said that the answer is correct. Then, later on, the emcee asked them if they're ready, Sakura just nodded. "In Math, what is the average of the first three-hundred and thirty-five positive integers? You will be given ten-seconds for this." Sakura blinked. Now, this is easy. She looked sideways to her opponent, an African woman, whom she forgot her name, is writing furiously.
Average is equals to the sum of the first and last number divided by two. So, one plus three-hundred and thirty-five divided by two is equal to three-hundred and thirty six divided by two, and the final result is one-hundred and sixty-- Then she heard a buzz. It came from the woman she's competing with.
"One-hundred and sixty-four." Wrong! You're wrong because the last number is eight!
"I'm sorry but that is wrong." The emcee made a smile and turned to Sakura, "You still have a chance, Ms. Haruno.".
Sakura breathe deeply and prayed that she's right. "One-hundred and sixty…eight?" Sakura said, looking hopefully to the emcee. "I'm sorry miss, but we have our last two contenders."
The African lady bowed gracefully and went to the backstage, where, as far as Sakura can see, she is crying.
"Okay, the first one who will answer correctly will be the champion, the one who will receive the title of being the most intelligent person in the world. The next question won't have a time limit, so take your time." Sakura inhaled and exhaled, and continued to repeat the action until she heard the emcee speak again. "In Mythology, what creature is being described, a body and four legs like a lion, the head, neck and wings of an eagle, and the short tail of the camel? It is also said that it is related to griffin."
Now, where have I heard that? Sakura noticed that her opponent is having trouble too. Then, she remembered it.
Flashback
"Those are ugly creatures." Sakura said to Sasuke, who is reading a black book with the gold lettering behind it, Mythology.
Sasuke pointed at the creature Sakura described. "This one?" Sakura nodded. "This creature is my favorite in this mythology book. It's…unique, haven't you noticed?"
"No…what's it called?"
"Opinicus."
End of Flashback
Sakura felt the buzzer and pushed it. She was startled at the sound. "Ms. Haruno?" Sakura could feel lots of eyes staring right through her.
"O-Opinicus?" Sakura gulped.
Okay, a cliffhanger. Hehe…so, watch out for the next chapter. Ja!
