She did not remember.

It was undeniable. Since Hyuga Neji had picked up the client up for escort, along with Ishikari Mayu, the foreigner had been nothing short of polite to him. Cordial. She behaved no differently from last night before her alter ego had appeared and told him off. Admittedly, he had briefly wondered if she had been pretending. In favor of not wanting to deal with it, she had not brought up their past. After all, she had seemed more inclined to speak with Mayu as they walked. However, she had gone out of her way to include him in the conversations, though it was clear that he had not known the subject.

Despite what the client's alter ego had told him last night, he would have to make Yasmine remember, and then convinced her to forgive him. For a moment, Neji shut his eyes. He truly believed that he had not needed to convince her of anything. All this time… It had been three years since he had begun to think of his childhood friend. Thoughts of her, along with his father and mother, would sometimes drift into his mind. It had only been after Naruto bested him in his first chuunin exam had he remembered—remember them in a way that caused guilt. Guilt because he had not acknowledged his father's sacrifice. Guilt because he had not protected his mother. Guilt because he had turned away from his best friend. It was a wonder why these feelings had not overwhelmed him.

"… okay, Neji-san?"

The shinobi blinked twice, and the focused his attention on his client. Both she and Mayu were watching, eyebrows raised in curiosity. The kunoichi then grinned, muttering that he had gotten lost in thought again. Neji cleared his throat. True as it was, it did not mean he was fond of people knowing how he often became lost in his own thoughts. "I apologize, Ya… Yasmine-san," he said.

"It's not a big deal. Since we're close, I was warning you about my manager," she replied. "He's definitely going to ask you to buy my album, but if you don't want to be bothered, just say you already bought one. He'll leave you alone after that… I suppose." Her tone was as doubtful as her expression. She had not worn her mask. However, as a precaution, the three had traveled through the outskirts of town. The client stopped suddenly, and then pointed ahead. "This is it. My senpai told me about this place." She had pointed to a large building. Judging from the look of it, there was not an entrance in sight. "She performed here three times since her debut. It's ideal for idols because getting in and out of the back to avoid fans is the key for this lifestyle. That's what she told me anyway."

"What are you doing, anyway?" Mayu questioned.

"There's a performance, and then I'll spend the rest of the event, posing for pictures and signing T-shirts, posters, and whatever else my company is selling."

"The life of an idol is hard, after all… Are a lot of people going to show?"

"Don't worry about dealing with numbers. There were a limited number of tickets sold for this event. My manager takes care of everything when it comes to money."

"Wouldn't a limited number of tickets make the profits go down?"

Yasmine smiled with fondness. Neji recognized it. "He jacked up the price, and then went into a lecture about how people are stupid because they'll buy anything if it makes them feel superior or important," she explained. "Lowering the number of tickets and increasing the price would make them feel like they got in. He wasn't wrong since we sold out."

"The more you talk about this guy, the crazier he sounds."

"He's actually the sanest person I've come across… and that's saying something."

"Why?" Neji asked. Both girls looked his way. Had they forgotten about him? He stared back at them until Yasmine spoke again. Well, she tried to speak again. However, a loud banging noise suddenly echoed through the area. Quickly, the Hyuga directed his attention to the source of the noise. As they were close enough to the building now, he had not needed to trigger his advanced bloodline to see exactly where the noise originated. The man Yasmine had introduced as her stylist had opened the back door in a rather violent way. Dark short hair, which was slicked back, and the dark suit—it was definitely the stylist, though Neji could not recall his name. Unlike before, he did not wear sunglasses. His piercing eyes were a strange shade of purple. Upon spotting the three, the man glared.

"Well, look who decided to show the fuck up?!" He pointed a menacing finger at the idol. "You know how much I hate it when Kaka… Kaka-whatever the fuck you call him rides my ass!"

"Kazuka-sama," Yasmine corrected.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah—real fucking creative, fuckrat." The man lowered his arm. "Now get your ass in here so I can put makeup on your ugly mug." He disappeared, not even acknowledging the two ninja. After a pause, Mayu turned to Yasmine, glower on her face. Neji continued glaring at the path the man had taken.

"He seems… nice," she sarcastically mentioned.

"Hadin-sama has a general hate for anyone that's not… him and the one he worships," Yasmine supplied, drawing Neji's attention. "I've gotten used to it. Besides, fuckrat is what he affectionately calls me." Again, the same fond smile appeared. The Hyuga wondered if those two had stumbled across her all those years ago. Perhaps that was the reason she spoke with such affection, despite their personalities.

"I DON'T FUCKING HEAR YOUR FOOTSTEPS, BITCH! GET YOUR ASS IN HERE RIGHT NOW!"

"I'd better hurry up." She took off. "Just find the others. They should be near the entrance!" Seconds after she disappeared, more shouting was heard from the foul-mouthed man. The shouting faded the longer it went on. The two ninja stood there in silence, letting the wind play with their hair. Then Mayu turned to her comrade.

"That guy… I can kill him, right?"

"No. Absolutely not," Neji replied, closing his eyes. After a beat, he spoke again. "However, if you do, I will show you how to dispose of the body and make it look like an accident if or when it's discovered."

"I think I'm going to like you, Neji."

0-0

It was relatively easy to find the others. Tenten had spotted them first and waved them over in an excited manner. Neji furrowed his eyebrows, coming to a stop in front of her. She did not wear her usual mission clothes. Instead, she wore a light pink shirt, which did not cover her midriff, with a yin yang symbol—black and red, same as the idol's mask—on her chest. She wore black shorts as well. Her large summoning scroll was still strapped to her back, though. Noticing his gaze, Tenten flushed and smiled cutely. "We had to buy shirts first. There's this guy who won't let you pass without buying something. Mine-chan said he was her manager." The Hyuga's stare lingered for a moment before moving towards the other two—Uchiha Sasuke and his teammate, Sai. The Uchiha frowned and crossed his arms, apparently annoyed that he had to wear something other than his Uchiha crest. His shirt was gray and sleeveless. 'Yasu—the badass one' was written on the front with white bold characters. Sai wore a black shirt with 'I Heart Mine' written in pink.

"Wow, Sasuke! You should show your arms more often!" Mayu exclaimed, stepping beside Neji. The Uchiha blinked once, and then averted his gaze elsewhere. Neji almost cracked a smirk. He had hardly believed it before, but it appeared that Naruto and Hinata spoke the truth years ago. Uchiha Sasuke held romantic inclinations for Mayu. The kunoichi immediately began gushing over Sai as well, so she missed the reddening of the Uchiha's cheeks. She was his girlfriend and had not yet realized it. He had asked his cousin about Mayu's sudden reappearance in her own body, but Hinata had not been sure of the circumstance either. Perhaps especially because the dark-skinned kunoichi happened to be missing memories.

"Just like Yaya-chan…" Neji thought, eyes drifting towards the stage.

"So how long before this thing starts, anyway?" Mayu questioned. "Did the manager say?"

"I believe ten minutes," Sai answered. "I have already sent out seekers to survey the area. They are looking for any place the enemy might attack and or escape from. The client will not be-"

"As if anyone would think of hurting Mine-chan!" Tenten interrupted. She waved a hand in front of her face. "I already told him those precautions aren't necessary!" Despite what his teammate said—the client was just an idol—looking around would not hurt. Besides, knowing the environment before acting would be advantageous. Neji frowned as he looked around. It was spacious enough for a little more than thirty people. The stage, which looked more like a runway, extended to the middle of the room. The room had a balcony. However, it most likely was used by staff to control the lights. There were a few people up there already, though they appeared to be lazing around.

"I will survey the back area," Neji announced. He ignored Mayu's question of 'Can't he do that from here?' and jumped onto the platform leading to the back. Truthfully, he wanted to speak with Yasmine privately. He had planned to do so while escorting her here. However, Mayu had intervened unintentionally. As the Hyuga walked towards the back, his right hand moved into his left sleeve. In the pocket of his sleeve, he lightly touched the glass object. A gift, which had caused his amnesia. The manner in which it had been given had been a violent one. Enough to knock him unconscious and lock away those memories. The last night he had seen Yasmine had been the night he had forgotten her. Her guardian, an ANBU operative, had demanded to know where his 'brat' had gone. If it had not been for his already angry and grieving mother, anything could have happened to him… besides the knot on his head.

Neji rounded the corner, finding himself in a hallway full of doors. He activated his Byakugan once more. The doors all lead to smaller rooms. The rooms were all empty except for one. Two unfamiliar chakra networks were four doors down. More than likely, it was Yasmine and her stylist, Hadin. Finding his target, he deactivated his bloodline and headed in that direction. As he approached the door, which was slightly open, their voices became clearer. However, before he could make out a conversation, a voice caused him to stop all movement. It was a deep, intimidating type of voice, though impassive as well.

"What are you doing back here?" The voice belonged to his client's manager. Despite only hearing the voice once before, Neji knew who it was. The Hyuga briefly wondered how a man with such a frightening presence managed to land a job as an idol's manager. He turned, facing the taller man. As muscular and big as he was, Neji had not been able to sense his presence behind him until he had spoken. The man still wore his sunglasses even in the darkness of the dimly lit hallway. His long dark brown hair was pulled back into a messy wild ponytail. What made him more mysterious was the mask he wore. It hid the lower half of his face.

"My job," Neji curtly answered. Besides his appearance, something about the man irked the Hyuga. "The client's protection includes surveying the area."

"Your job doesn't include snooping around back here," he retorted. Neji narrowed his eyes. That was exactly what his job entailed. "Go back to your comrades now." About to give his own retort, Neji opened his mouth. However, he heard a door open because of the low creaking sound it made. He glanced back. Yasmine stepped out of the room. She blinked, seemingly surprised to see the two of them.

"Kazuka-sama, is there a problem?"

"No. I was only coming to inform you that they have been let in. You have another four minutes until you make your entrance," Kazuka stated. "Why are you not ready? If your tardiness costs me money-"

"Tickets have already been bought," Yasmine pointed out. The manager huffed lightly. "Besides, Hadin-sama has not made up his mind about the makeup. He is causing this tardiness. Take him away and I will be ready on time."

"I dare you to say that again, bitch!" Hadin threatened, also stepping out of the room. "It's not my fault you're too dark for this shit!" The man was promptly kneed in the stomach. Neji smirked in satisfaction as Yasmine lowered her leg back to the ground. "Yo-You fuckrat…!" Hadin groaned, grabbing his center.

"I love you, too."

Kazuka sighed heavily, probably exhausted from the banter, and then moved pass Neji and Yasmine. Within a few moments, he was dragging a screaming Hadin—by the hair—down the hallway, towards the stage. The two teens watched them go until they could no longer hear the obscenities. "What a rude man. Thank goodness his profanity has not worn off on me," Yasmine remarked. She then focused on Neji. "For the time being, I can assure you of my safety," she told him. She smiled, but it felt professional rather than fond. Neji dipped in head in acknowledgement… and disappointment. "Please return to the others for now."

"Ah… yes," he replied. She was busy now. Despite being his childhood friend, he should not disturb her current lifestyle. They had been separated for years. Picking up where they left off was not feasible. Perhaps he had been approaching this situation too hastily. "But if I may… I would like to speak to you after this… It is important."

"After…?" She tilted her head to the side. Neji almost smiled, seeing her way of showing confusion. "You want to talk to me?" He nodded. She shrugged. "Have you become a fan in such a short time, Neji-san?" she questioned with a teasing grin.

"Perhaps your performance will achieve such a thing. We will have to see."

She smiled at him again, picking up the humor in his words. Less professional, more genuine. "Okay," she agreed. "We'll talk, but I can't promise you a time. For now, I have to get ready." Again, the jounin nodded. He turned and began walking back. He had completely missed the way Yasmine's expression had lost its warmth.

0-0

Sakura smiled to herself as she dropped her arms. She felt so lucky amongst this crowd of cheering fans. Master Shizune had given her the day off, along with a ticket to this event. Having known that her student was a fan, she bought one last night while Sakura had been stuck working at the hospital. What a great teacher to have, Sakura thought. Although, she had missed the reveal of the idol's face, this was good, too. Buying the album before seeing her live was a bonus. She couldn't wait to listen and memorize all the lyrics. Even the strange foreign words. She had always been good at memorizing things.

Mine-chan ended her song and bowed, leaving the stage. Personally, she liked Mine-chan more than she did Yasu. The softer side of the idol had such inspirational lyrics. Her debut song had made her feel great about making the decision to become a medic when she had doubts about choosing her path. Obviously, Yasu was meant only for entertainment. Still, Sakura could not deny the coolness of the alter ego. A tap on her shoulder caused the girl to flinch. She had come alone, and she didn't know anyone else that also liked the foreigner's music. Sakura sharply turned around, only to hold back a gasp. "S-Sa-Sasuke-kun…!"

"Ah, I thought it was you," he murmured.

"You… You're a fan?" She hadn't pegged her former teammate as a fan of Mine-chan or Yasu. Heck, she didn't peg him as a fan of anything at all. Sasuke scoffed and told her not to be stupid. Sakura pressed her lips together, mildly irritated. He was as charming as ever. "Then what are you doing here?" The Uchiha motioned that they move elsewhere with his head. It was an intermission in the performance, and so songs—probably from the idol's album—flooded the speakers. Those around them danced. However, it was a bit loud for idle conversation. Sakura nodded, and then followed her former teammate towards the sidelines. It was a bit quieter than on the dance floor. Once, they had broken free of the fans, Sasuke answered her question.

"A mission. I'm one of the foreigner's protectors for a couple days."

"Which one?" Sakura joked with chuckle. Sasuke frowned, clearly not amused by her joke. "Co-Come on, Sasuke-kun! With their skin colors, they seem similar—like they could be related someho-"

"Mayu is not a foreigner. She was born and raised in the Leaf village. Besides, just because of skin color, they could be related? Then I suppose you and Karin could be related based solely on your hair colors?" It was obvious that Sasuke had become offended with the joke, though she hadn't understood what he meant when he had mentioned this 'Karin' person. The pink-haired medic hadn't meant any harm, but he had taken it too seriously. Then again, she had never known the young Uchiha to be something other than serious. Sakura bit her lip, lowering her gaze to the floor.

"Do you… really care that much about Mayu?"

"Don't ask stupid questions, Sakura."

"But she doesn't even remember you!" Her fingers clenched into hard fists. "Whether her amnesia was an accident or not, she…! She moved on. She doesn't even like you. She said so herself!" Well, the kunoichi hadn't exactly said those words. But it was obvious to Sakura that Mayu didn't like him. She had made it clear how uncool the Uchiha was. As neutral as she sounded, her expression hadn't been as blank as her words. "She might not even want to remember."

"Sakura." His sharp voice caused the medic to flinch. His tone hadn't changed, and yet there was something different with the way he had said her name. "You are someone I care about. I consider you a friend. I would fight for you. I would defend you. I would protect. However… if you talk shit about my teammate again, I will make sure you will not do it again. Do you understand?" Green eyes widen. He was… He had just threatened her, hadn't he? Why? Why did he go so far for her?

"It's all true, though!" Sakura bit out, glaring at him. "We were teammates for more than six months, Sasuke-kun. You've known Mayu for even less than that, and you choose her over me?"

"Are you jealous, Sakura?"

Her heat pounded viciously against her ribcage. The sound of her heartbeat resounded in her ears, overpowering the sound of the music that filled the air. Jealous…? Was that what this was—jealousy? No. It couldn't be. Once she had chosen her own path, she had left that silly crush behind. Her feelings for Sasuke were… just complicated now. That was all. Honest. "That has nothing to do with it," she replied. "I care about you, too. You know I do." Sakura bit her lower lip, looking towards the floor. "I don't want you to get hurt." She squeezed her eyes shut. "And right now, it seems like Mayu will only hurt you."

"Whether or not that happens, it's not any of your business unless it's physical."

"That's not fair!" Sakura protested, lifting her gaze. "You were my teammate, too!"

"…" Sasuke sighed heavily, openly showing his annoyance. "I didn't get your attention for this."

"… Why did you get my attention?"

"I saw a familiar face. I guess it was a mistake to have a brief conversation in the midst of my mission." Sakura lowered her chin to the floor. Somehow, she had turned into the bad guy. "I'll try not to make that same mistake again." He turned and walked away before she could protest. The medic's shoulders slumped. It had always been difficult to speak with Sasuke unless it had to do with a mission back when they were teammates. However, now, it seemed damn near impossible to have an easy conversation with him.

Mayu, you probably were persistent in being his friend when he ultimately fell for you.

Sakura shut her eyes, remembering the words she had heard. Was it happening again? Every time Sasuke had made it clear that he wanted to be left alone, she had always followed his wishes, or at least tried to. Had Mayu been different with her approach towards the cold Uchiha? Her green eyes opened, although partially, and stared at the departing ninja's back. This… This was it. "This is my second chance… to do things differently," she thought. With that in mind, Sakura ran after her former teammate. She wasn't going to let this pass her by again. This time things would be different. This time, she would be determined.

0-0

The performance had been a success. She had sung four songs from her album before leaving the stage. The crowd had been so excited. It had felt as though the building had shook. The client, Yasmine, did know how to entertain. It didn't matter that her voice wasn't as good as others. She had a strange charm about her. Her stage presence had been exceptional. Never mind the backup dancers. Her presence pulled everyone in. Maybe it was because she had been practicing for so long? Whatever the case, Mayu could understand the fascination her fans had. The way she used English had been a nice touch, and it must have contributed to why so many liked 'her' songs.

Mayu crossed her arms, scanning the people in the crowd. Currently, something like an interlude was taking place. This allowed Yasmine to change her clothes before greeting her fans and doing other stuff that idols do. As to not let boredom happen, music played. Honestly, it felt like a nightclub. Once, Megumi had dragged Mayu to one. Once. A riot almost broke out due to some middle-aged man, grabbing her friend in an intimate way. Ichiro had thrown a fit when he had heard about it.

Stifling a chuckle, the kunoichi uncrossed her arms and leaned back against the wall. She was, for the most part, by herself. Sai felt the need to survey the area again. Tenten had decided to check the back area. Really, it had been obvious that she wanted to gush over Yasmine and get an autograph before anyone else. Neji was on the other side of the room, most likely doing the same thing she was. He did seem like the professional type. Sasuke was… Mayu blinked, and then shifted her gaze in several directions. Where was Sasuke? That elusive Uchiha… She was supposed to be watching him. It was annoying as hell, having to write reports about his daily activities. In hindsight, it hadn't been a good idea to agree to this mission… even if the team could leave the village on missions sooner.

Mayu pushed herself from the wall and moved forward. She pushed through the crowd, hoping to see a glimpse of Uchiha Sasuke. It was dark, though. Teenagers danced, not caring that she was trying to make her way through them. The flashing lights weren't helping either. Then she spotted her. The bubblegum pink hair color gave it away. Haruno Sakura was here. "Is she a fan of Yasmine, too?" Mayu thought. The medic seemed to be in a hurry to get somewhere, though. The kunoichi shifted her line of sight to where Sakura was going. Uchiha Sasuke, the person she had been looking for, was walking away from Sakura. When the medic caught up with her teammate, she grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to face her. She said something Mayu couldn't understand from her vantage point, and then she embraced him. Blue eyes widened in surprise.

Her lips parted as she watched the interaction between the two. Seconds later, she realized that Sasuke hadn't pulled away. "What? Are they…?!" She sharply turned her eyes away from the scene. "Oh… I suppose not, but…" Mayu squeezed her eyes shut. "Well, anyway, I guess I'll give him some privacy this time around…" Frowning, the kunoichi maneuvered her way through the crowd again, towards her standby position. She told herself that the ringing in her ears was due to the loud music.

Not five minutes later, Mayu sensed her teammate by her side. She didn't want to ask him what she had witnessed, and so they stood in silence. Finally, Sasuke spoke up. "Something wrong?" he questioned. The kunoichi shrugged and shook her head. "This isn't like you."

"What isn't like me?"

"Being so quiet."

"So I was a loud mouth, was I?" Mayu chuckled. Finally, she looked his way. "How could you stand me?"

"It took some time, believe me," Sasuke replied, pulling his hands from his pockets. "But I am glad you returned. Shame the feeling's not mutual." Mayu nodded her head and frowned. "Still, it's good that you've come back in your own body this time." He had not thought about it before—not really—but he clearly needed Mayu's real body for his plans. Now, he realized that it would have been too weird if Mayu had stayed. Wooing Hinata's strange twin did not seem appealing. At Mayu's blank stare, Sasuke smirked. He definitely disliked the amnesia, but he was going to use it to his advantage. After all, in her mind, she was his precious friend. "Hey… Want to dance?"

"… You are asking me to dance?" Mayu asked incredulously. "I didn't know you were a dancing type."

"Fighting is a type of dance, and we've already danced before," Sasuke pointed out, warmly recalling their combat between them at Orochimaru's lair. "I wouldn't mind doing it again." He held out his hand. "If you're up to it." He worded it like a dare. He knew Mayu's reaction to it. The slow-forming grin on his face cemented his knowledge.

"Alright, bird boy," she agreed, taking his hand. "Entertain me."

Sasuke smirked as he pulled his teammate to the dancefloor. "I'll entertain you until you scream," he retorted. Mayu grinned, snatching her hand back just as the lyrics of the song kicked in. Even when I try to keep my distance, you find me in an instant… in a prison of your loving, and I can't deny it. The foreigner's voice mixed with the beat. It sounded like a mix of techno and pop. Not really his genre. Actually, Sasuke was not a big music fan to begin with. However, Mayu loved singing. Of course, she would love dancing as well. Through the flashing multi-colored lights and darkness, he watched the fire in her eyes. It was the same fire while she fought an opponent. His girl loved to dance all right.

Mayu twirled and swayed, limbs following the tempo of the song. She circled him like the predator she was, eyes never leaving his form. Smile on her face, she released genuine laughter. "You're not dancing, Sasuke," she taunted. The music was too loud, but he could read her lips clearly. "I thought you were going to make me scream." Sasuke's lips parted, almost not able to contain the shudder. She had practically purred in his ear. He instantly recalled how she bit his earlobe, and wondered if it might be a kink. Kakashi's earlier talk had been more than Sasuke imagined.

Shaking his head a bit, the Uchiha shot his arm out when Mayu danced in front of him again. She stilled enough so that he could yank her body towards his. Pressed against each other, faces a mere hair-length away, blue eyes locked with red. Perhaps it was only a bias, but Sasuke noted the way her curves molded perfectly against his shape. As though meant to be there. His hand released her wrist, only to make its way to the small of her back. The fingers of his other hand curled around her hip. Mayu reacted by wrapping an arm around him. Her fingers curled around the back of his neck. She smirked, and then spun them both around several times. Listen up, boy, we can start over again. I can be your everything. Yes, I'll be your everything…

They broke apart then, dancing opposite of each other. Sasuke could read her movement quite clearly, and mirrored the steps flawlessly. He flushed, never having had to move in such a way. Chest thrusts, arms swinging, legs jerking, stomping, twirling. Aggressive, yet fluid. Chaotic, but there was precision, too. Their bodies were constantly moving as though they had become an extension of the song itself. And of each other. It was a strange dance between them. However, Sasuke felt… free. A real chuckle slipped out. Mayu drew closer again, and he accommodated her movement, spreading his arms to catch her. They spun round and round until he almost felt dizzy, Mayu laughing out all the while. As the song came to a slow pace and most of the music faded until only the lyrics remained. Boy, you take control of me just like a spell—Lucifer!

The two came to a stop, breathing heavily. Sasuke was surprised at that. Had it even been five minutes? Still, he sucked in as much as his lungs could allow, eyes never straying from Mayu's. The kunoichi visibly swallowed but her grin remained. Positively elated. Just what he had in mind. She was not going to woo herself, after all. Sasuke tilted his head forward. "Screaming yet…?" he asked. Mayu stilled, and then huffed lightly. He could feel her breath against his lips. "Or do you need another dance?"

"You cheated, Uchiha," Mayu retorted, palm slapping his bicep. Sasuke shrugged as his eyes shifted to onyx. Another song began. He was vaguely away that others began to crowd them again. Huh. Had they given them space before? He had not noticed but it made sense. After all, with their movements, they should have bumped into, at least, one person. "Next dance, don't just copy. Or were you just flexing your Sharingan?"

"Guilty," Sasuke replied. Mayu narrowed her eyes, giving him an admonishing look. However, the humor was still there. "Next time, let's dance for real." She bit her lower lip, appearing as though she forced back a smile.

"Name the time and place," Mayu replied.

Suddenly, the lights and music cut out. Both Sasuke and Mayu tensed before separating. As expected, their bodies reacted at the sudden change. However, the light returned and converged to the stage. The foreigner, smiling, walked the length of the platform. Her right hand gripped a black microphone. The lights followed her to the center. Once she stopped, she bowed to her audience. "Nice to meet you again! I welcome everyone to my mini concert. I am Mine-chan!" The crowd erupted into cheers. One fanatic male fan exclaimed that he loved her. "I knew it!" she exclaimed, pointing randomly into the crowd. The way she had replied generated laughs amongst them. "Now that the performance is outta the way, we can begin the signing event. As to make this go as smoothly as possible, I will be coming to you. Wait for me. Bang!"

Sasuke nearly rolled his eyes because of the reaction of the fans. The client explained that once her bodyguards were by her side, she would start. "Guess that's our cue," the kunoichi said. He turned back to Mayu once the cheering stopped. She smiled and shrugged. "Let's go do our job." The Uchiha followed his teammate towards the stage. The fans were beginning to squirm at the anticipation of meeting their idol face to face. Sasuke inwardly scowled. This entire situation reminded him of his days at the Academy where his female classmates crowded and clamored in efforts to catch his attention. It was a different type of hive mind, but a hive mind nonetheless. This was not how he pictured his first mission upon his return to the Leaf village. Once he and Mayu made it to the stage, the others already stood by the client's side.

"Let's get moving!" Yasmine exclaimed. She carelessly jumped into the crowd. A person waved his arms around and foamed at the mouth before passing out. Seriously. It really happened. Sasuke stared at the body for a moment before turning to Mayu. She was grimacing because of the spectacle.

"Permission to sit this one out?" he asked.

"Permission denied," she said. "Deal with it like the rest of us."

Therefore, it went. Fan after fan, autograph after autograph, picture after picture, randomly switching personalities, the client continued on as though she was having a good time. Sasuke, though, had been bored out of his mind. There had been a few more fainters, though. None nearly as dramatic as the first. Was this idol truly so popular? Or was this how anyone treated celebrities? Sakura had been a fan of the movie star… Even Naruto had behaved more wildly during that mission, too. Sasuke was just as bored this time around. It was so tedious that he wished something else would happen. Perhaps he had been wishing too hard because something did happen. Towards the end of signing, he spotted Sakura. He frowned a bit, recalling their last conversation. It had been annoying. Then it had become weird. She had suddenly declared herself his friend before embracing him. Sasuke supposed she truly had wanted that hug.

Anyway, Sakura intended to procure an autograph from the idol as well. Fortunately, she was the last fan. Green eyes glanced in his direction. Sasuke averted his stare, pretending that he had not seen. He had the strangest feeling things were about to become awkward for him. He was not sure of the reason. "Hello," the client bowed politely as she did with all of the fans. "Is it me you're looking for? Or Yasu?"

"Honestly, you are my favorite, Mine-chan," Sakura gushed, slight blush on her face. "I really love your debut song. I really want to take a picture with you!" Again, her green eyes subtly looked his way. Then she glanced at Mayu. The kunoichi blinked but ultimately did not change her neutral expression. Hyuga Neji shifted his body, most likely seeing it. He had keen eyes as well. Sasuke refrained from rolling his eyes. He tried his best to ignore them.

"And what is it that you'd like for me to sign?" Yasmine questioned, oblivious to the tension.

Sakura pulled out the album from her back pouch. "This please! I can't wait to listen to all your songs!" she exclaimed. "My name is Haruno Sakura!" As the client began writing a message, along with Sakura's name, the medic, once again, looked his way. Honestly, Sasuke was getting quite annoyed with it. Yasmine handed back the album, and Sakura held the case to her chest. She appeared too happy about this. "Uh… In my picture, can I make a request?"

"Of course."

"I'm actually here by myself, but one of your bodyguards is a close friend of mine," Sakura said. "Could he be in the picture as well?"

Ah. So that was her game, was it? Sasuke felt his eyebrow twitch. He slid his tongue over his front teeth. From the corner of his eye, he noted Mayu's expression finally shift. A flash of displeasure. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, focusing on the client and Sakura. As she had yet to receive an answer, he chose to give an answer for her. However, Mayu beat him to the punch. "All of us are currently on a mission. As professionals, we will not engage in personal activities at this time." Sakura furrowed her brow, obviously not liking what she had heard. "I apologize, but you will have to take the picture with our client by yourself."

"I wasn't asking you," Sakura replied. "Sasuke-kun-"

"Sasuke-kun-" Mayu interrupted. "-is not allowed to make his own decisions at the moment. Not only is he on probation, but he is also my subordinate right now. I am the leader of this mission. I make the decisions and I give the orders. Not the client. And not someone outside of the mission either."

"You…" Sakura actually glared and clenched her fists at her sides. "You're a hypocrite. You told me that I should have been more persistent, and yet you're halting my efforts." Mayu stared back at her, indifferent to her words. "It's just a picture… between friends. Besides, isn't dancing considered a personal activity?" Sasuke felt himself wince. So she had seen them, had she? "I think you're being unfair right now."

"Maybe if you were on my squad, I would grant you the same indulgences, Sakura," Mayu said. "He wanted to dance, so I allowed it. Still, I don't have to explain myself or my methods to you. Just know that I take my job seriously. Please carry on without Uchiha Sasuke." For a moment, the two kunoichi stared at one another, blue and green eyes narrowed, auras radiating hostility. Interrupting their stare down would mean a premature death. The client did not see anything wrong with breaking the intense atmosphere. She placed her hands their shoulders, one on each.

"Sakura-san, Mayu-san, please do not fight like this," she said. "If you must fight, then do it properly. Let's go outside!"

"… Mine-chan…?" Sakura murmured.

"Yeah, I like that idea," Mayu agreed, drawing the focus once again. "Since we first saw each other, you've been giving me this awkward vibe. Let's be kunoichi and settle this matter once and for all."

"Mayu," Sasuke said, catching her attention. "Is this necessary?"

"I believe so, yes."

"I agree," Sakura stated. "Stay out of this, Sasuke-kun."

"Yeah, stay out of this, Sasuke-kun," Mayu echoed.

The Uchiha glowered.

"Then it's decided!" Yasmine clapped her hands, seemingly in glee. "I hereby release my bodyguards from active duty." She grinned. "Now let's take this girl fight outside, ne?"

0-0

The lyrics that appear in this chapter is translated from SHINee's Lucifer. I watched the music video many times during this chapter, so I was influenced quite a bit.