a/n: Funny how I've revised my outline for this story for four times now and when I began writing this chapter, I just needed to veer away from the current outline, which means I need to come up with a newer one. The whole process is making the update considerably slow. I've become more and more terrified I'd disappoint you all.


Overture

Without her company, his life was nothing but mechanical.

His plane had landed. He had checked into the hotel peacefully. He was alone. Again.

He immediately launched himself into the heaps of works that he should've been attending to since the tragedy that befell his parents. But the Dobe and Kakashi were quick to provide a much-needed rescue. He went over the presentation, analyzing the statistics that he'd have to confidently present – in his case, it would be nothing more than simply reporting without much elaboration and lilt in his voice. Although his body had been complaining about some dysrhythmia due to his long flight, he couldn't sleep it off. He needed to be busy.

There was no time for resting lest he dream of the scene again – his silently scathing words and her expression rippled once more with pain as he drove – walked – away from her the second time.

He would have to stay here for five whole days in which the first few days would have to be spent on meaningful negotiations among other business personnel from Asia and Europe. It was during this season that he must be able to find some willing investors for the company. The business conference itself would be formally held on the last day and in which, he knew, he would also have to answer intrusive enquiries about the famous Uchiha tragedy.

Naruto would've loved doing some chilling out before the big day. He would've brought his fiancée with him. But as it turned out, they needed to fix things for the actual wedding.

He looked at his phone, having half a mind to give her a call and let her know that he'd arrived safely but he had quickly perished the thought that she would still care after he had let her down. Again.

It would've been a lot easier if he could engineer his own emotions just like before. It was something he had learned doing after the massacre, but there was Sakura now and the baby, and he'd put himself in a false position if he'd still deny harboring such strange, softer passions.

Admitting such intrusions was hard. But running away from her was harder.

Shrugging off such untimely musings, he made haste to review the company's documents, finding it hard to absorb each piece of detail when he was never really invested in any of it in the first place. Suddenly, an image flashed in his mind.

He recalled that one time that he saw his traitor of a brother signing some documents on his office table. Sasuke was only 16 that time, still in his youth, dismissing any concern for the world as he whiled away his luxurious time however he wished to – going to school on some days, secluding himself in his room, or bumming around with Naruto who had introduced him to his circle of friends but whom Sasuke had already forgotten.

Itachi had always been wise beyond his years. He was only 20 that time, but he had already mastered the workings of the company and the entirety of the business field, of which his parents were always proud. Sasuke would like to admit that he was once jealous of his brother, but he had always been a role model to him.

And, Sasuke thought, as he closed his eyes, to Itachi's credit, he had never treated Sasuke as if he was any less.

"Sasuke," he greeted with a smile as he motioned him over.

"Yes, Onii-san?"

"Just thought you might want to study this document with me," he said, lips twitching once more into an amused smile.

"Stop talking nonsense."

"I thought so."

"Do you really like it, nii-san, being cooped up here most of the time?"

"And do you like being cooped up there in your room most of the time?"

"That's different."

"We all want different things, Sasuke."

"So you want this boring job after all?"

"I wouldn't say boring. But it's something I need to do."

He frowned thoughtfully. "For Kaa-san and Tou-san."

"For you as well."

He never understood his brother. He was always a mystery to him despite their bond. No, he didn't, wouldn't miss him. But he'd remember that on days that Itachi was less busy, he'd always take him out on tomato and dango shopping.

Come to think of it, he had not eaten dango for a while.

A mental image of Sakura preparing dango raced across his mind, and he knew his body had reached its limits. He had to seal off the part of his mind betraying his ghostly memories with his brother. A traitor like him was no longer part of his life.

His phone gave a faint beep, and he looked at it to see a message from Naruto. The Dobe sent him a picture of himself posing with Kakashi who was holding a newly born babe in his arms. Sasuke uncharacteristically bit off a laugh. Kakashi looked so un-fatherly with his mask on although Sasuke could trace the outline of the older man's smile through the fabric.

Soon enough, Naruto would become a family man, too. And then Sakura would . . .

He wondered if he would become a good father.

And husband.

Probably.

...

He was in the middle of negotiating with a woman from a well-established business group and who had been uninvitingly resting her perfectly manicured hand on his arm when his phone gave a vibration. He saw a message from an unknown number with the subject: "EMERGENCY: DON'T IGNORE."

He excused himself curtly, and out of anxious curiosity, he clicked it open.

"Sak's going to a party on Saturday."

With the tone of the sender, he had perceived it to be Sakura's best friend. He didn't know what to respond, but more importantly, he wasn't sure why she would label it as an emergency.

"Go with her."

No sooner had he sent that message than he followed it up with another one.

"Please."

"YOU'RE REALLY SUCH AN INSENSITIVE JERK, AREN'T YOU?"

His brows creased in agitated confusion.

"I don't understand."

"She's gonna have to parade her pregnant self without anyone supporting her. No wonder she's been getting anxious about it for the past few days!"

He continued to stare at the screen blankly, not comprehending what the girl was trying to imply.

"She'll be fine."

A couple of minutes passed before he received a reply.

"Of course. She'll have that red-haired hottie as her date anyway."

And that was when it dawned on him what it meant. Sakura was to go out on a limbo, and given her compromising situation, it would be no surprise that she would be bothered by the prospect of being the poor target of a thousand of prying questions simply because of the glaring fact that she wasn't sporting any ring on her prized finger.

Sasuke finally decided to call the other line, but Ino never picked up. There were two more days before the meeting, and he almost wanted to fly back to Japan right then and there. But he couldn't let the company suffer especially since it wasn't his efforts that he would be throwing into waste. He also couldn't let Naruto and Kakashi down when they had done so much for him.

He had effectively lost his focus as he tried his best to get a response from Ino. He had resolved to return as soon as he could, but he needed her to be there with Sakura at least until he could be with her himself. There was no need for an outsider to stand in for him.

Despite his troubled state, he had managed to deliver the presentation and earned recognition from some business personalities. He purposefully evaded unnecessary questions about his family, and he was able to close a goodly number of deals before he left the venue, rushing to board his private plane, hoping he could return in time.

He no longer had the time to change his suit because as soon as the plane landed and he got into his car, he received one last text from the harbinger of war.

"The Century Pavilion

They look dazzling together!"

...

He almost slammed the door of his car when he got out. He saw Ino smirking satisfactorily at him by the entrance as she tossed him a stalk of dark red carnation.

"It's good for pregnant women."

He kept the flower in the inner pocket of his suit.

"Take care of my best friend."

He didn't miss a beat.

"I will."

And when he entered the hall and saw her with another man amidst the crowd of people, he knew he had to put an end to his strenuous denial.

Sakura had torn down the walls, vaulted over the rough edges despite everything, and made her way to him in a yearning distress. They had had a long-drawn relationship between the lines, and as he walked up to her posthaste, he knew it was his turn to venture a rightful step, finally, towards her.

...

Tbc.

(Just a prelude to the upcoming SasuSaku chapter.

I'd have to give credits to fanofthisfiction for telling me about Itachi and his love for dango. Also, shout out to my newest writing buddy, PetitEngineer!

Tell me what you think and please give me a week for the next chapter.)