Part Two
SASUKE'S POV
Five Years Later
When our relationship first started, it was all one-sided, Sakura's simple crush on me turned into something more when we entered high school. I realized early on some things about Sakura that the entire male population figured out before me, like how cute she was when she scrunched her nose or when she smiled, her green eyes would brighten so beautifully that it caused guys to blush, even me. It took a while for me to actually make a move on her, which no one understood why because Sakura was not going to reject me, and that's not to feed my ego but because she waited for me.
She waited patiently for me to finally get my head out of my ass, it wasn't because of other girls it was just I didn't know how to be affectionate, my parents passed away when I was in middle school so that really messed me up emotionally and Itachi left for College leaving me to fend for myself, he wasn't around to give that big brother advice about girls.
Sakura didn't seem to mind, she accepted what I was willing to give until I had finally given her every piece of me, when we graduated I proposed to her on the High School stage after she'd given her Valedictorian speech, she was so happy that day and so was I. No one tells you that relationships are hard, it isn't always happy times; sometimes relationships hurt, sometimes I made her cry with my heartless words but we managed to always make it.
We moved in together and it was pure bliss but one night our argument went to far, I didn't like her co-worker Kiba; I felt like he was trying to take what was mine and Sakura didn't understand.
Men don't just up and invite a girl to dinner or drinks if they're not interested in her and what pissed me off even more was that she was defending him! I remember slamming the apartment door so hard, I'm sure I knocked some pictures off the wall. I got into my car and drove to the bar. I should of known that this was going to end in a disaster but the liquor felt good and when Ino invited me back to her place, I knew I should have said no, I should have known that the first place Sakura would go to vent would be her best friend's house, but the alcohol fucked up my judgement.
When Sakura found us, I was sitting on the couch and Ino rested between my legs with her mouth wrapped around me. Neither of us heard the key in the lock or the opening of the door until it slammed shut, causing both of us to jump in surprise.
I shoved Ino off me, and fixed myself as I tried to talk to her, I still can't get her face out of my mind, that heartbreaking look in eyes, like I killed something inside of her. She didn't cry, she didn't even yell, she simply said. "The engagement is off." And threw her ring somewhere in Ino's apartment.
I chased her out the front door but Ino grabbed me telling me to let her go and handed me her engagement ring. When I got home that night, I realized that Sakura wasn't coming back. What happened five years ago haunts me to this very day, I haven't forgiven myself for hurting Sakura in such a way that she felt suffocated and had to move away, move away because of me. Our final night together before she left me for good is imprinted on my soul, if I think about it too much the pain comes flowing back.
I am such a fool.
A knock at my office door brought me back, "Come in." I leaned back in my chair as my secretary Mei entered.
"Your reservations have been booked, the confirmation was sent to you via email, sir."
I quickly checked my email before dismissing her but she lingered longer than necessary.
"What is it?" I asked as I glanced over the new documents for the company. I was going on a business trip in two days, I had to be sure that I was prepared.
She cleared her throat. "Um, Mr. Uchiha I was wondering if— if you needed assistance for this trip?" She shyly looked away from me.
Assistance? "If you're willing to work the weekend, than you could help with filing all these documents away."
My office was in dire need of spring cleaning, books and files are everywhere at the moment, if she was volunteering to clean up than I'd let her.
"Oh." The disappointment in her tone, showed on her face as well.
I knew what kind of assistance she was insisting on, "Mei, all I need you for is your job. Now, please leave my office."
At my rejection, she quickly scurried out of here like a kicked puppy. I rubbed my temples — damn Itachi and his meddling, he's is the one that hired her claiming that a pretty face would do me good but it was a curse, the woman didn't get the hint that I wasn't interested.
When women throw themselves in my lap, it's a turn off. I prefer the chase, I don't want someone that's going to fall at anyone's feet because they're handsome or rich.
"Mr. Uchiha." The intercom buzzed at my desk. "Naruto is here for you, would you like me to send him in?"
"Aa." I continued typing up this summary about how our company plans to extend into the medical field, what programs we would help sponsor or support and so on.
"Teme! I've missed you." Naruto is always so full of energy, I envy him at times.
"You saw me yesterday, Dobe." I say not taking my eyes off my laptop. He visits me at least three times a week, and that's just while I'm in the office, he's made it a habit to check up on me since Sakura left.
I don't like to remember the day after I found out she was gone, her parents wouldn't even look me in the eye but I could feel their disappointment. I locked myself in my apartment for a week, everyone stopped by at least once a day to check on me but I never answered.
I only spared them the 'Go Away' through my door so they would know I was alive.
"Where are we eating lunch today?" Naruto asked.
"I get to choose. We had ramen on Tuesday." I told him as I grabbed my jacket from behind my chair.
"Tsk, fine fine." He smiled and followed me out of the office.
The Café is small but it was Sakura's favorite place because of their iced mochas and chocolate chip muffins. Naruto does not question me and I'm silently thankful.
We find a table by the window as we wait for our orders to be out, "Where are you heading now?" He asks.
"Kirigakure." I already dread this trip, it rains constantly there.
"For the expansion into the medical field?" He asks casually as he sips his beverage.
"Yes, we want to partner up with Hospitals there to help promote their programs and lend financial support for breakthroughs in new medications and surgeries."
"Boring." He jokes, I almost crack a smile because it is boring but it's part of my job.
"Whose idea was it anyways? I can't see Itachi being interested in this stuff." It was true, Itachi didn't support nor reject my proposal. He was curious and when I explained that being invested in a Hospital was beneficial to us as well as them, he claimed he understood.
"Sasuke, you're not doing all of this because of her, because of Sakura?" His eyes are filled with concern. "You can't buy her back." I understand where he's coming from but I have to keep trying to find her on my own because Naruto is sworn to secrecy.
"If you would tell me where she is then I wouldn't have to do this." I try not to get angry with Naruto but I'm jealous that he knows where she is and he won't share it with me.
"You know I can't do that to her." He muttered, I tried to understand but I'm being selfish.
"You're not the only one that loved her Sasuke." Pain flashed across his baby blue eyes. "Sometimes, I wish I would have stopped her from dating you."
Ouch, that hurt.
I've always known the crush that Naruto harbored for Sakura, ever since Elementary but Sakura felt he was too much like her little brother to take him seriously.
The two of them settled on being best friends and that's the way it stayed, when Naruto met Hinata he realized that his feelings for the dark-haired woman ran much deeper than a silly crush.
"She wouldn't have listened." I said.
He chuckled lightly, "Yeah, you're probably right." He sipped his beverage.
"Plus, it's always been you Sasuke." He's so sincere.
We finished our lunch in comfortable silence, and after we went our separate ways in front of my office building.
When the plane touched down in Kirigakure its pouring rain so bad that I have to wait in the rental car before I'm actually able to see the road. The hotel is five star as I pull-up the valet takes the car as the staff take my bags, I usually don't allow this because I can park my own car and carry my own luggage but the plane ride as me exhausted. All I want to do is fall into bed so I can get a head start for the meeting tomorrow.
After I check in I order dinner and watch the news, I'm 25 years old with the body of a 90 year old man because right after dinner I doze off on the couch before nine.
At the sound of chimes, I bolt off the couch forgetting where the hell I am before I locate my cellphone on the coffee table, it's Naruto. Of course.
"Aa." I say with a yawn.
"How was the flight?" I check my watch, it's after eleven.
"Fine, why are you calling so late?" I decide I need to shower.
"Can't I make sure my best friend is alive? Have you not seen Final Destination, Sasuke? Millions of things can go wrong on an airplane."
I rolled my eyes. "Dobe."
"Dinner once you get back? Hinata's asking." Shit, that meant I would have to attend. Sometimes I wondered if he used that as an excuse just to get me out of the house.
"You can't say no, Sasuke." Hinata says over Naruto.
"Fine. I've got to go."
"See ya, teme." I hung up my cellphone and chunked it on the king sized bed, I stripped out of my clothes and into the hot water. The water pressure was perfect as it relaxed the muscles in my back; I really needed to take a break from the gym but when you have no one waiting for you at home, it passes the time.
Before Sakura moved away, she was enrolled in the Medical Program at the University. Sakura's wanted to become a doctor for as long as I can remember, she has to work in a hospital somewhere.
I was determined to search all over the damn country if I had too, I had to see her again. Maybe since all this time has passed, she can finally forgive me.
"Mr. Uchiha."
I looked up to find the Director's secretary. "She's ready for you now."
She led me to the office door, with the name 'Tsunade Senju'. I was in the right place after all.
"Go on in."
I took a deep breath and walked in, an older woman with sandy blonde hair and honey colored eyes greeted me.
"Ms. Senju." I greeted as we shook hands.
"Mr. Uchiha, have a seat." She motioned toward the chair in front of her desk.
"How are you this morning? I heard the storm almost carried you away."
"Aa, is it always like that here?" I took a seat. You can't live here without a lifeboat.
"More or less." She shrugged, as she leaned forward on her desk. "Now, let's talk business."
The meeting was over an hour long but it was successful, Ms. Senji agreed to our terms and signed the contact right away.
"You have to attend the banquet, Mr. Uchiha. Now that you're invested in our hospital I expect to see you there night."
"Of course." All I needed was an invitation.
Do doctors attend the banquets? I wanted to ask but didn't, if I attend this banquet and Sakura's there what will I do? I didn't think this all the way through, what if she's upset still?
Or worse what if she's married or dating someone – I'll kill him. Wait. Naruto would definitely tell me that, right. Would she tell Naruto?
I decided I needed liquor and fast, when I parked the car back at the hotel, I hit the bar and ordered a drink to help soothe my nerves. It is not as if I was going to find her on my first try, right. I could only hope.
The liquor burned my throat but warmed my belly; it was just what I needed before making my way to my room to get ready for tonight.
I rounded the corner on my floor before I felt something small bounce off me and land on the hallway floor with a groan.
"You shouldn't run in the hall, kid." I scolded him, "You could hurt someone." I held out my hand for him to take but he slapped my hand away.
"You litt—"
"Excuse me; I'm so sorry for the trouble." An older woman with short black hair came running to the troublemakers rescue, he was lucky that his mother showed up just in time.
"I apologize sir if he caused you any trouble." She helped him up, he huffed an attitude and crossed his little arms over his chest, this child ran his mother ragged.
I decided to let it go.
"It's fine." I looked over at the child, if I'm not mistaken he sort of looks like a little version of myself but I can't get a good look at his face, so I'm going off of hair alone which isn't the most reliable source.
"Apologize, Shoda." The woman nudges the boy's shoulder. The boy is a stubborn brat; I don't have time for this.
The women smiles slightly back at me but that doesn't change the fact that her son is a little demon child.
"I have to get going." I make my way around them, but I look back after a second and that little brat is sticking his tongue out at me.
He jumps slightly at being caught, I try to scowl but when I looked at his face, I saw Sakura's instead. She had that habit of sticking her tongue out when she didn't get her way or even when she did.
Such a weird thought, and why would I picture that on a kid, I decide not to dwell on that right now and get ready for the banquet instead.
I'm going to try to switch back between Sakura and Sasuke. He's going to be more talkative than usual but his feelings are only going to be shared between him and Sakura.
Thanks!