Disclaimer: HOLAAAAA! AFTER N MONTHS OF HIBERNATION, I HAVE FINALLY RISEN FROM THE DEAD! I sincerely apologize for the extremely long overdue update. I felt guilty over the reviews. The whole school year was like the embodiment of hell. I got no time for sleep, social life, etc. I just worked and worked and worked and worked and worked.
But here it is! The much awaited date! I promise to update every week!
2 chapters for yall! Do I own Naruto? What kind of a question is that?
"Although you forgot about the people around you, it's a good thing you forgot about your hair," Ino proclaimed in her usual bluntness as she ran down her bright pink tresses into lines with a big comb in her hand.
Indeed, her mouth could counter Sai's own. What a lovely child they would make. That, she was sure of. The future heir to the Yamanaka clan would conquer all sorts of speeches with its own lips that were powered by the most straightforward and rudest of all lips in Konoha.
Sakura quitted from the interesting concept, rather involuntarily, as her head banged back and forth between thin air due to the battle between Ino's comb and her stubbornly sticking ends.
"Shut up, Pig. I haven't got time. And be a little gentle, will you?" she defended herself while glaring at the sheepishly grinning woman who had just almost caused her neck to break.
"Well, don't worry about it. With your hair longer than usual, there are more hairstyles I can manage," said the blonde who was dressed in a sky blue yukata ornamented with white and dark blue waves that flowed throughout as that of roots. Her pale golden hair was styled into a high ponytail, her smoothly rich locks beautifully curled.
On the other hand, Sakura's yukata was colored a royal burgundy and what made it more royal was the fact that it was hand-painted with gold and cream white vines. The tube encircling the waistline hugged her petite little body, placing special attention on her curvy structure. Makeup had exceeded its own purpose for her facial features were not only enhanced but it matched the face of a human form of a goddess.
As her unruly hair was being tidied by a pair of soft hands, Sakura dropped along with the falling silence, utilizing the spare time as a moment to contemplate about, well, things.
It could be argued that a lot has happened ever since the disappearance of her team. The quality of being friend-oriented, it had been instilled to her naturally, leading to the inevitability of her mind to imagine the possible outcome if she was to spend the spring festival with Team 7.
The faint blush on her mildly powdered cheeks intensified as she inwardly questioned herself, If Sasuke-kun was here, would he even ask me out to be his date?
Mentally shaking her head, for physically doing so would disrupt the work of the amusingly concentrated kunoichi behind her, she dismissed the thought and giggled at the way she had just been ridiculed by her own feelings.
Truth be told, it was utterly not a possibility for Sasuke to ask her out on a date. Certainly, there wasn't an existent universe carrying that kind of circumstance, even if it was parallel to their own. She would have to cast a genjutsu on herself to actualize that concept into a reality, a fake one at that.
And at the very least, Sasuke just couldn't be classified as the typical boy who would typically anticipate events such as silly dates and vividly colorful festivals. In all honesty, if Sasuke made it clear that he wished to go on one, her instincts would remind her of the past henge trick that was pulled off by a certain man with obnoxiously bright yellow hair.
What the hell was she doing, encouraging her own hopes up, anyway?
Mentally shaking her head again, the violent act sent waves to disrupt the thoughts in her brain, that was now forced to project another subject, a subject that didn't have to start with an S.
With an unfortunate fate she had lying in wait for her still, the next picture presented by her unconscious thinking machine was another raven-haired Uchiha. Sadly, her prayers weren't loud enough to be heard by Kami.
Because for Kami's sake, "Shisui" still started with an S!
It was a matter of fact that she was ridiculing herself with the discouragement of avoiding the thought of him. After all, they would have to meet up with one another at the shrine entrance in just half an hour.
They were going to have their date, the promised date. Specifically speaking, it was the date that Sakura had been forced to comply and attend to due to an extremely evil blackmail that involved the possibility of Sasuke being told of her hidden feelings.
It was plain cruel, the most indecent and unforgivable thing that a human being could commit, not to mention about having been reputed as a man being worthy of respect. Utterly, they were utterly strangers with a complicated relationship. It was just bizarre for such a connection to bloom from two people not knowing a thing about each other until someone just had to test the other. It couldn't even be labeled as friendship. To her, he was not just an acquaintance either. Deep, deep, deep inside of her, there was that determination that was sparked up by her pride, holding her back from admitting that the bond Sakura had with Shisui was one of its own uniqueness that filled in the void that was left by the absence of Team 7.
And her hurricane of thoughts was disrupted, struck by a booming thunder that inflicted a clashing pang of pain. Literally.
"Ouch!" she shrieked with shut eyes as she instinctively repelled her head away from the unmerciful hands of the blonde woman whose sheepish grin was being widened to its fullest width.
"Sorry about that, Forehead," Ino apologized with the least bit of sincerity as she smoothly dangled the curled locks on both sides of Sakura's frowning face before removing her hands and placing a small mirror on her open palms. "Like what you see?"
Sakura held onto the square shaped object and surveyed the glassy screen while turning her head to several different directions in order to see her best friend's work through different angles. Her pink hair was gifted with a gorgeously done crown braid that came with curled bangs in the front that were halved into two. The jaw-dropping sight encouraged her to pray back to Kami and thank him for the existence of an annoyingly creative best friend like Ino.
"Like it? I love it, Ino!" squealed the pink-haired kunoichi as she stood up to face the blonde and hold her hands in expression of her gratitude.
Ino cheekily smiled at her before breaking up the rising moment of high-pitched squeaks and giggles, "Let's go then. Our dates are probably waiting at the shrine entrance by now."
"Forehead, this is my friend, Tanaka Rui, the one I told you about," introduced the smiling Yamanaka as she extended her hand towards the man at her side, motioning the other kunoichi to express her formality.
Sakura held out her arm onto the direction of the said man who was in truth, quite attractive. Chestnut brown hair and hazel eyes would definitely leave positive impressions, especially on someone who possessed similar traits as her dear looker-loving friend. "Haruno Sakura. Nice to meet you, Tanaka-kun."
After the exchange of warm greetings, the trio stood in waiting for the rather tardy man. As the blonde and brunette conversed about the planned activities for the night, Sakura rested her arms on the railings of the elevated ground, sinking deep in contemplation regarding the Uchiha's whereabouts. Honestly, being a man who possessed the irritating trait that her sensei infamously did was not included in her impressions of him.
Fifteen minutes passed by like the wind of the early night. It was about 6:00 PM already and the arrival of her so-called date was becoming questionable and she wasn't so certain if that was fortunate for her or not.
"Forehead, did you tell your date about the meeting details? Don't tell me you were too absorbed by your research," Ino exclaimed to her with folded creases, knitted eyebrows, and a joking grin that, thankfully, meant to her that she wasn't that serious. Something of that sort would be a situation out of her comfort zone, something she couldn't quite handle.
"He'll be here anytime now, Pig," Sakura assured her with a nervous smile plastered onto her face. It was her momentary wish that she bore the ability to fake her way throughout unnerving situations at the same level as Sai.
Where the hell are you, Shisui?
From the height of the ground, the lighting of lamps and the swarming of villagers below could be seen by her eyes. The festival was starting and her date was still nowhere to be found.
And somehow, with Ino being accompanied, the absence of the ebony-haired man made her feel... lonely.
As time passed by, the yearning for his presence grew inside of her, her invisible hands reaching out to something.
One minute.
Five minutes.
Ten minutes.
Where are you, Shisui?
"Sakura."
Emerald eyes widened in diameter at the sound of the deep voice calling out to her from behind. A pause so pregnant fell upon them as the variety of possible reactions to throw at him was being weighed out by her mind. Instinctively, she drew the natural one.
Turning ever so placidly, she diverted her body to the direction of the twenty-one-year-old prodigy, allowing the lively lights to gleam against the edges of her face from behind.
"You're late," she coldly spoke, sending a wave of iciness towards the tall man before letting loose her jolting arm as it swooped to the direction of his face. "Shannaro!"
Her heartfelt blow was blocked by Shisui's hand that had enveloped her whole clenched fist. The physical contact of his warm skin against her own sent an oddly satisfying feeling throughout her system, madly electrifying throughout.
It was strange enough how a touch so simple could create a powerful force.
At the next passing moment, Sakura swore she felt something trembling from the touch. The weight resting on top of her knuckles was getting heavier and it seemed to her that the touch gave away a feeling of weariness, of unrest.
Shisui's hand was shaking.
In a fraction of a second, abruptly had he released his grip from her hand, slashing the contact apart.
Green eyes transitioned from anger to concern from the sudden act, skidding over to the blank obsidian eyes of the man in front of her, the man who was surprisingly grinning at her with his bottom lip being bitten.
"I'm really sorry for coming late. I promise to make it up to you," he said with the utmost sincerity, running his hand through his jet black hair. Strangely, it was an odd sight for her to see him without his forehead protector. Although she would never in her years of living admit it, he looked more handsome than he already was.
After the exchange of greetings and apologies between Shisui and a pair that consisted of a neutral brunette and a shocked blonde whose jaw had been hanging for an entire minute now, Ino walked up to Sakura's left side and elbowed her with a frighteningly sly look. "Your date is a looker. How come you never told me about him?"
"We're just..." she paused as she thought about their relationship. If she were to proclaim that they were friends, then that would make them have a weird friendship. Somehow, their relationship was similar to that with Sasuke's. And she wasn't even so certain how such an idea occurred to begin with.
Ino smirked. Sakura never told her the name of his abnormally attractive date. Yet, it was easy for even a civilian to tell that he was from the Uchiha clan, what with the fan crest on his back.
Much to Sakura's surprise, the Yamanaka had a thin line of patience towards the ending of her sentence. "Uchiha-san!" Ino called the ebony-haired man who was currently strolling to Sakura's right side.
"How does Sakura look right now?"
The rather straightforward question caused the pink-haired kunoichi to madly fume in embarrassment as she exclaimed in the most desperate way to voice out her need for a savior to pluck her out from such awkwardness, "Pig, there's no need for that! Shisui and I aren't like that."
Sakura switched her gaze to the right and nervously tucked her curled lock beneath her left ear as she laid a subtle glance on the Uchiha with a kaleidoscope of emotions swirling inside of her: fear of what he may interpret from the question, fear that he may disregard the question, and fear that he may answer negatively to the question.
Fear was all that's left.
But if fear was present, then how come it was possible for hope to spring up within her?
Silently, silently, ever so silently, she hoped that his response would serve as a compliment alone. For in all honesty, she felt disappointed when his face was rather blank when he first saw her.
Slowly, her still yet unsteady eyes glided over to the sight of him.
And truth be told, she knew nothing of what to make out from his reaction.
"She looks... beau..."
Their contrasting eyes met for a fraction of a moment.
That was until Shisui immediately directed his face far off to the view away from her and hastily disarrayed his dark hair with the smooth running of his fingers.
If Sakura could fit his currently surprising behavior into a description of accuracy, she would have to agree that he was definitely not being played by his own usual self. After all, she did have the bothersome idea of him just responding to the sudden question with blatant flattery.
What the hell was that just now? spoke the jittering mind of the pink-haired kunoichi whose thoughts were flooded with swarming doodles that intended to picture out the many interesting ways of ambushing the man who had just avoided her with chakra-powered jabs.
Ino surveyed the thickness of the air between the two for a couple of seconds before settling onto the decision on siding next to her own date who was rather feeling isolated from the trio.
Beau... beautiful?
Sakura instantly drew her line of sight to the seemingly moving ground as the group continued its stroll to the entry to the booths and stalls. Her eyes lightened at the thought that was stubbornly sticking to the walls of her mind, turning greener and greener by the passing seconds.
Mentally shaking her head, she dismissed the ridiculous thought before any sort of assumption could bud and sprout in her brain. It was probably to show his polite side to my friend, she silently mused.
The whole duration of the trip was for her to suffer as the Uchiha walking by her side was unusually quiet while Ino and her date were chattering about a seemingly interesting subject she couldn't quite catch up to. Although she had been comforted by the silent thread between the two in the past, the silence falling upon them currently made her feel slightly insecure.
As the foursome reached the entrance mark of the celebration, Sakura's eyes sparkled at the vivid sight before her. The lively projection of lights throughout the line of booths and stalls sent out an invitation to her, drawing her curiosity and fueling her excitement.
Before she could even mark a footprint on the street ahead, Ino called her with baby blue eyes eyeing her quite knowingly. "Sakura, I'll be with my date now. See you at the fireworks display by midnight!"
And then it hit her.
The ever so clueless and naive pinkette had been set up to go out with someone right from the start.
That being said, the "double date" title lost its own meaning.
"Oi, Ino-Pig! You can't just do that!" screamed Sakura with eyes replaced by glaring flames and fists clenched into chakra-infused taijutsu stances.
It was rather unfortunate on her part as the liar of a woman had voiced out her farewell and quite rudely as she and her partner were no longer visible from the sea of dressed people in front of her.
"So you played along just to go out with me?"
The sudden sound of the silent man's speech had caused her mind of rambling thoughts to be locked under a stupefying spell. She turned to the Uchiha whose infamous smirk was now drawn again on his face.
"You were awfully quiet," she commented out of bluntness without any hint of hesitation nor discomfort, paying no attention to his remark.
Shisui began to traverse through the street full of villagers as did Sakura who was right by his side. They passed by several food stalls that invited them through the potent smell of roasted meat and seasoned sauce. "It's nothing, really. I'm always like that."
Sakura narrowed her eyes at him in mild annoyance, pridefully throwing an intelligent remark, "Around me, you aren't."
The expectation of being slammed with a comeback that was equally as clever was dissolved as soon as the Uchiha eyed her with a rare and serious look.
"Observant, aren't we?" he responded while tilting his head backwards and digging his teeth into his bottom lip.
What's that supposed to mean?
Sakura found herself drowning in a sea of profound mysteries about the Uchiha's unusual demeanor. Interpreting the meaning by what he last said, a mental dead end greeted her track of thoughts.
The momentary silence from her deeply set contemplation was interrupted by the ramblings of a silver-haired boy who looked like a thirteen-year old version of her sensei. Tightly held by his small hands were a pair of sparklers that emitted a bright glow in its own uniqueness.
"Fireworks display at the open quad by midnight!"
Some would look and stop to listen to the boy's announcement while some would simply pretend that his existence was as important as a speck. Although she didn't end her tracks, Sakura slowed the movements of her legs as she attentively paid attention to the young teenager.
"Make a wish and it will be granted by the light spirits! It is said that pairs who watch the fireworks together will last forever!" the small boy advertised, receiving more stares from the crowd out of interest.
For a single moment, emerald eyes gleamed at the thought of being able to witness the bursting of colors into an explosion in the midnight sky. She was concerned the least about a wish being granted or a relationship lasting for all eternity. She had always loved watching the fireworks blast in action and when Ino had mentioned it in the library, the anticipation never succeeded to escape from her insides.
As they fully passed by the little boy, Sakura quickened her pace as her eyes met a uniquely decorated booth that seemed to hold a heavily mysterious aura. It was covered with massive violet curtains made from velvet and the booth's lack of a displayed name only fueled the curiosity from within her.
Turning to her ebony-haired company, Sakura suggested, "Let's go inside."
The blank nod from the man confirmed his approval as the two entered the booth, that was surprisingly as dark as pitch inside.
Despite the lack of light, the two, with their shinobi senses, could sense the presence of another. The obscure details of the person in question was cleared as a faint light glowed right in front of them, revealing an old woman in an indigo hooded cloak whose wrinkled hands were stirring a liquid in a wooden bowl.
"Welcome, welcome," the woman greeted them with a tone that sounded in between formal and creepy. Sakura's unvoiced question was answered as she added, "Would you like to know your fortune?"
Fortune? As much as the kunoichi had no faith in black magic, it couldn't be helped on her part to be struck in awe and be left craving for the unknown wonders it held.
"Yes, please," she replied with muted eagerness as she drew herself closer to the table that was shrouded with black fabric.
Shisui smoothly took one step to reach her side, masking his face with a blank expression. The plastered emotion left Sakura to wonder whether he was hiding his excitement or just plain indifferent to such. Of course, with his ability to give people different ideas, there wasn't anything new.
The elder stirred the pitch-like substance slowly before stopping to squint her dull gray eyes at the remnants sitting on the liquid's surface. Momentarily had she wrinkled her nose upon the sight before laying a rather condescending stare at the pair.
"The two of you..." the hooded woman pointed a trembling finger almost accusingly at the duo with two eyes narrowing in what seemed like a sly manner.
"What is it?" Sakura asked after the moment of which excitement pumped up her rapidly racing heart. She was a thousand times more than curious to look into her future and catch at least a bit of a glimpse, even if it was involving the man beside her.
On the other hand, Shisui was seemingly waiting with a decent amount of patience, what with his neutral facial expression, it was not in any way questionable.
"Two years from now, I see the two of you together in one bed, oh my," the fortune teller gasped quite cheekily as the two just locked a stare with her, in their own styles.
Heat grasped the fair cheeks of the Haruno as she attempted to digest the words that had escaped into the heavily falling air.
"No way! We're not like that!"
"You," the woman pointed an index finger at the pink-haired kunoichi, whose eyes were widening at the sudden acknowledgement. "You will be married to a man with black hair and eyes, a man with unique eyelashes."
At the next split-second, Sakura's mind jittered down into countless rubbishes as her eyes grew wide at the prediction. Instantly, she laid subtle glances on the Uchiha standing beside him, who was currently nibbling on his lip.
It took every ounce of courage to raise her question into the air.
"What's his name?"
The fortune-teller tightly shut her eyes, creasing the already creased skin of her forehead in the process. She slowly opened her eyes and replied, "It's not clear. But it starts with an R."
Black hair. Black eyes. Unique eyelashes. Name starts with an R. Who could possibly be my future husband?
After several seconds of deep contemplation, Sakura mentally choked herself as an image of a bowl-haired man in tight green spandex clothing was projected in her mind.
"E-eh?! That can't be true!" she protested against the woman who was currently throwing intense glares at the pinkette.
"Silence! Thou shall not question thy teller!" angrily yelled the elder. Sakura narrowed her eyes in annoyance. The stinging words of the mad inner demon inside of her badly tempted her to be completely possessed by Inner Sakura.
The fortune teller turned to the twenty-one-year-old prodigy, with a quite sly look. Sakura didn't miss the way she had just licked her lips while fixing his gaze on him.
The Uchiha remained in his usual stoic look as the woman tightly shut her eyes for a whole minute before abruptly opening them with evident worry and surprise.
"A few months from now, you will be greeted by... death."
A silent wind breezed through the booth as time crawled ever so placidly.
Cold, cold, everything was cold. Gushing throughout her inner system were lines of ice, violently invading and wrapping its own harsh arms around her mind of swarming thoughts.
Cold, why had everything become cold? Why did it have to pierce through her? More importantly, what was that severely icy feeling coursing through her veins?
It was pity, perhaps. From a medical perspective, it was definitely pity. He could be classified as a friend, maybe? Then the alien feeling was also a fruit of the worries that had risen inside of her towards a friend.
Shisui didn't deserve to die. The nearing blindness wasn't associated with any side-effects that could lead to death, at least that was what she had known and studied.
Sakura glanced at Shisui. Surprisingly, the man was slowly grinning as if he was holding back a fit of laughter.
What the hell is so funny?
The loud sound of a jab on the wooden table surprised the fortune teller when Sakura slammed a bill she had thought was enough for the ridiculous service.
"Thank you very much, Madam. We look forward to experiencing those lovely predictions," she said with a heightened cleverness in her bar of sarcasm.
She then exited the tent while dragging the Uchiha along with her, leaving the old woman with a rather funny look.
"I don't believe in that hag," Sakura said with much annoyance as the two continued to stroll along the busy street.
Shisui looked at her with an amused look. After all, the pinkette was showing another side to her. It was like another interesting door with an interesting knob.
"Neither do I," he replied while smiling at the ground.
Sakura just continued walking while rambling, "She was obviously lying for money. First of all, while I really do respect Lee-san, there is literally zero percent chance for me to go out with him. Second, it's really funny how she said that we're going to be together in a bed two years from now when she even told us that you're going to die in months!"
"Hmm. I do like that prediction with us in a bed though," the raven-haired man replied while biting his lip.
Sakura rolled her eyes.
The kunoichi continued ranting. However, inwardly, she was being suffocated by dark thoughts and feelings. Inwardly, she was trying her best not to shed a single tear for the Uchiha to see. Inwardly, she was anxious and depressed.
The night went on. Miniature diners along the streets were stuffed by starving villagers and tourists. The pair decided to eat at a maki restaurant.
Hours after filling their empty bellies, they decided to continue strolling. It was minutes before the ringing of the midnight bell. It was minutes before the explosion of bright colors in the dim sky.
While strolling, word about the fireworks display became more common by the minute. Moreover, the myth about light spirits granting an eternal bond between lovers who watch the fireworks display together exited many random people's mouths. Sakura was euphoric with excitement, although she was trying her best to hide it from her date.
The streets lighted by the yellowish orange lamps were flooded by waves and waves of people wishing to see the fireworks. The traffic caused was evident even from afar, since literally everyone was heading to the display venue.
With the crowds being loaded by people in every passing minute, Sakura moved a little closer to Shisui, careful not to appear clingy.
Shisui, who had been watching his silent date all this time, carefully studied her moving eyes. All the while after dinner, he had noticed that her green eyes were in love with the sight of lights. He had noticed that her green eyes gleamed whenever they passed by people spreading news about the fireworks display one way or another. Whatever her eyes told him, he loved the enthusiasm lighting inside her jade orbs.
All of a sudden, the sight of bright pink hair dimmed. The sight of royal burgundy cloth being lighted by street lamps became blurry. The scene projected to Shisui's eyes was instantly followed by plain darkness.
In the next second, the nerves drawn along the right hemisphere of his brain ached and he was left to bear with the pain in silence.
Sakura turned around to check up on her date as soon as she had noticed his feet slowing to a stop. The momentary pause in their steps attracted glares from people jostling their way through the crowd, as they were blocking the path right in the middle of the street.
Emerald eyes widened when they had caught the very short moment of onyx eyes being covered by two hands.
Shisui immediately lowered his hands from his face to return a look to worry-filled eyes.
Sakura was hesitating. She didn't know what to say. She was too engulfed by shock and worry. Nevertheless, her brain told her that she still needed to speak.
"Are you ok-"
"Sakura-chan, I remembered that I needed to do something. I'm sorry for forgetting to tell you in advance. I really enjoyed spending time with you. I hope you enjoy watching the fireworks," Shisui said with a seemingly genuine smile.
Before Sakura could respond, the sight of the Uchiha was buried by busy people who were desperately jostling their way through.
She had lost him from the crowd. Just then, she could no longer feel his chakra.
How's that for a cliffhanger? Well, dontcha worry. I published this along with the next chapter.
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