Another First Time
Chapter 11: Secrets and the Consequences of Knowing Them
It would be tricky business – that was for sure. Getting the truth out of Junko without resorting to shinobi tricks was going to be one hell of a challenge. The woman, while kind and gracious, kept mostly to herself – a seemingly private person.
But it was lucky that Sakura spent quite a bit of time in the female's company just idly chatting, or quietly reading together. She had discovered a hobby of Junko's – writing in a diary.
At first, Sakura had thought that perhaps Junko was finishing up some lessons, or writing a story. Some prodding revealed that it was, in fact, a diary – one that apparently contained a lot of private thoughts that she could never find the gall to say in front of her brother.
Additionally, Sakura and Sai had both noticed that, while she was supposed to be a noblewoman, Junko could really be quite absentminded. It wasn't out of ordinary to find her things lying around after she was done with them – Sakura had had to return a book or a piece of sewing to Junko on more than one occasion.
As such, there had been plenty of opportunity to snoop around in this diary of hers – if only there had been a need before. Sakura had never stooped as low as reading someone's diary, but then again, it was rule number one in the shinobi rulebook – duty before honour. As underhanded as it was, it had to be done if it could aid in the mission. All Sakura had to do now was to wait until Junko slipped up and left her diary around again.
The chance came a mere day after Sai and Sakura's conversation. When evening had set in after dinner, the two women went out into the garden once again just to relax – Sakura with her romance novel, and Junko with her journal and pen.
As twilight came around, the scant conversation dwindled even more and Junko excused herself to ready for bed. Once again, she left her things behind. Sakura slipped the diary and pen into the deep sleeves of her kimono and stood up, intent on returning to the privacy of the bedroom to read whatever had been written.
Sakura set herself down comfortably onto the wide futon, already dressed and washed, and took a good look at the book in her hands. It appeared to be quite old – Junko probably had it since she was much younger. There were dog-eared pages here and there, the cover was bent, and it looked like it had probably been thrown or kicked around a couple of times. That didn't surprise Sakura at all – when one lived a life that Junko had led, it wouldn't have been strange to feel the need to let off steam now and then.
The first pages were, true to Sakura's guess, written a long time ago. The ink had begun to fade and the writing style was careful and quite flowery, as if it was written by a young girl who wanted to emulate the more sophisticated writing styles of an older female – most likely her sister-in-law.
The content itself was quite light-hearted at first – complaints about her daily lessons, the restrictive quality of her clothing, and such. But as the years in the dateline began to increase, the words on the page began to illustrate the life of a terribly repressed and unhappy young woman. It talked about how her life was already planned out for her, about the pressures of living up to her brother's standards, about the unfair role of females in society. On more than one page, the ink had run and smudged from tears that had undoubtedly fallen while the young woman was writing.
One particular entry caught her attention as she flipped through the pages.
February 18
I must calm my fluttering heartbeat before I continue writing. It is almost too much for me to bear.
Today, I met a young man by the name of Miyamoto Tatsuya. And to put it simply, he is magnificent. He is tall and broad, and tanned just enough to show that he works hard. And his hair is the darkest shade of black I have ever seen – darker than nee-sama's, even! And his eyes – oh, his eyes! They are a clear blue, exactly like the colour of the autumn sky.
Nii-sama had hired his father's company to build the newer rooms in nee-sama's wings, and he was overseeing the work. But even though he really doesn't have to do anything, he still helps his workers and isn't the high-and-mighty type. He is just so hardworking and he smiles while he's slaving away – it just makes me want to smile. But at the same time it breaks my heart because a man like him can do so much more than just be a hired hand – well, he is the heir of this building company, but it is a rather small business, I must say.
He is going to be coming almost daily from now on, at least until the rooms are finished. Oh, I hope that I will have the chance to talk to him – I saw him looking at me more than once and he seems to be interested…poor boy, nii-sama will never, ever approve. But I shall find a chance to talk to him – he seems so genuinely kind!
Sakura's lips curled into a smile as she read the entry – the idea of Junko squealing over someone was just too funny.
March 2Oooh, today was the first time I had a REAL conversation with him! I was so nervous, I had to concentrate extra hard so I would not trip over my own words – that would have been so embarrassing! I was lucky that nii-sama was out at some meeting with some important people so he was not around to tell me off for talking to someone who was "below my station". Honestly. He actually said that the first time I tried to strike up a conversation with Tatsuya-kun! I was mortified.
But Tatsuya-kun was very kind about it and said he understood. I was so relieved. He is so easy to talk to! We talked for a whole hour before Mara-san chided me (I had neglected my lessons). But I have to admit, it was the first time I have talked to a man of my own free will – all the other males I have talked to are mostly potential suitors, and I am supposed to be polite to them. But just thinking about their greed and lustful desires just makes the bile rise into my throat – I sincerely hope nii-sama will be kind enough to marry someone who is, at least, not old and lecherous.
Enough about the future that is ahead of me – I must continue with my lessons.
This entry piqued Sakura's interest greatly. It showed the first signs of rebellion in Junko – the fact that she took advantage of her brother's absence to talk to a male she fancied was something Sakura couldn't imagine Junko doing.
And as Sakura continued flipping, certain phrases began to pop out at her.
…His eyes seemed to reach for me before he left……His hand was halfway to mine but then nii-sama came in…
…we talked in the garden and he picked a flower for me…
…he smiled and I forgot what I wanted to say…
…he blushed when I wiped that bit of plaster off his face…
…he told me how happy I made him…
…I gave him two origami cranes I had made…
…he brushed a kiss on my cheek behind the well and I almost fainted…
…he had to go; it was the last day of work…
…he came two nights ago…
…I kissed him…
…and when morning came, I did not regret it.
'And when morning came, I did not regret it.'
The truth hit Sakura hard – Junko was in love.
"Ugly, why are you staring at that book like it's diseased or something?" Sai asked lightly, stepping into the room.
Sakura looked at Sai, and then back at the book, still unable to form any semblance of a thought.
Sai sighed and walked over to her, taking the book out of her hands and scanning the page. His eyes widened minutely as he realized what he was reading.
"This is Junko-san's diary, isn't it?"
Sakura nodded mutely.
"You managed to get it?"
She nodded once again.
"I see," Sai murmured, settling himself down beside her to read. It didn't take him long to read all she had read, and in several minutes he returned the diary to Sakura.
"And what exactly is so surprising that you appear to be mute?" Sai asked, an eyebrow arched in question.
Finally finding her voice again, Sakura said, "She's in love."
"So?" he asked, "it doesn't prove anything."
"She's in love, and she's got a fiancé who's NOT the man she's in love with," Sakura continued.
Sai shrugged and replied, "Things like that happen all the time inside political circles, don't they?"
"Yes, but still…" Sakura struggled to make a point. "And that last entry I was looking at was written not very long ago."
Sai glanced at the book lying in her hands again, and frowned. "The date…it's the day we were summoned to Hokage-sama's office – the night we got this mission…"
"You don't think…" Sakura mused, mulling a thought over and over in her mind.
"Think what?"
"Well…it all seems to fit perfectly now," Sakura said. "Junko was engaging in an affair behind her brother's back, wasn't she?"
"You could say that."
"And if he found out…" Sakura left that thought unfinished.
Sai understood what she was saying – Hideki had no doubt somehow found about her little escapades with this Tatsuya character, and had flown into a rage.
"But why would he be so upset about all this?" Sai asked. "I mean, it's not like Junko-san didn't agree to marry into that clan."
"Yes, but things are different outside of shinobi villages," Sakura explained. "In Konoha, we shinobi live by a motto: 'Live for today'. We take chances normal people wouldn't, we do things normal people wouldn't. By engaging in this affair, Junko has lost something that is valued above all else, at least, in a traditional point of view."
Sai raised an eyebrow.
"Her virtue," Sakura impatiently stated. "Don't you get it? A woman's chastity is a very important thing to people. Even the civilians in Konoha will frown upon a woman who has a child out of wedlock, although we shinobi wouldn't even bat an eyelash if the same thing happened to someone we know."
"Okay, so she lost her virginity," Sai said. "And so Junko is now pretty much classified as 'damaged goods', right? But as long as her fiancé's family doesn't find out, what's the big deal?"
"The thing is, chances are that her fiancé will find out," Sakura ground out, a barely discernable flush on her cheeks.
"How do you know?" Sai challenged, utterly oblivious to the workings of the human body.
"I'm a medic for crying out loud, of course I'd know!" Sakura replied tartly, her tone signifying that the issue was resolved. She really didn't feel like explaining the finer details of female anatomy, as well as male chauvinism, to Sai.
"Okay, okay," Sai held up his hands in surrender. "But even so, she's the only heir he's got. Why would he risk her safety, all for the small chance that she might be found out? Besides, it seems like she stopped seeing that guy anyway."
Sakura turned away and sighed. "I don't know either. It just doesn't make sense."
It was true that handing Junko over as a bride without her virtue intact was a bad thing for Hideki; yet, there was always the chance that they would not find out about her deceit. While Sakura had obstinately insisted that they would find out, the truth was that the fiancé probably wouldn't be observant to notice the difference. As long as Junko could act the part of a blushing virgin, all could be saved. But why in the world would Hideki leave Junko behind when he was so certain they would get attacked? There had to be a missing piece that Sai and Sakura hadn't found yet.
Sakura groaned in frustration, her lips set in a firm pout. Making several quick hand seals, her clone appeared and made off with the diary and pen – Sakura had sent it to sneak into Junko's room that night and put the items back where they belonged.
"Whatever, I'll keep thinking tomorrow," Sakura said, slipping under the covers and pulling the blankets to her chin. Sai's lips twitched at her display of frustration and he made off with his sketchpad, intent on getting some more sketches in.
His time at the daimyo's residence had proved fruitful – at least, in an artistic point of view. He had completed countless sketches and was starting to paint whenever he had time to. It was relaxing, and in Konoha it was rare that he had a moment just for painting. The foliage was not as picturesque in Konoha either, and the artist in Sai didn't let him waste any opportunity to draw beauty.
His thoughts wandered to his slumbering teammate as he pondered the meaning of beauty. When he had first joined Team 7, it really was true that he found Sakura ugly – her hair colour had been way too 'in-your-face' and it contrasted much too greatly, in his opinion, with her eyes. She had been loud and boisterous, and whenever she screeched at Naruto his head had begun to hurt. Most of all, she had worn her heart and her sleeve and it confused him to no end because he had no emotions at the time. It was only later that he began to realize she only screeched because she cared and she only wore her emotions on her sleeves because that way she wouldn't get swallowed up by their sheer intensity.
And as those facts registered in his mind, she began to get just a little bit less ugly. And when she accepted him for who he was and began to care about him as well, she crossed the line between 'ugly' and 'not ugly'. And soon her pink hair and vivid green eyes didn't bother him anymore, and were in fact, a source of comfort in his life. He could always count on Sakura to react the same way when he did certain things, and the consistency comforted him.
When the full moon was directly overhead, Sai decided that he had done enough thinking (about Sakura) for one night and slipped into bed. Sakura turned to face him, mumbling incoherently, and Sai was once again bombarded with the spread of warmth throughout his body.
What exactly was he feeling?
The supposed lead on Junko had led Sai and Sakura on weeks on fruitless searching. They had found the reason why Junko had been left aside so easily, yet they were no closer to finding the reason why Hideki would do that to his heir apparent. Furthermore, as interesting as all the family politics was, they were no closer to proving, or disproving, the validity of Hideki's claims.
"I'm bored out of my mind!" Sakura moaned, dropping her head onto the desk. Sai merely lifted an eyebrow and continued writing. It was true that he was bored as well, but he didn't feel it was necessary to call attention to the fact.
"Hey, I've got an idea!" Sakura sat up suddenly. Not paying attention to the fact that Sai was barely listening to her, she went on.
"We can take advantage of the fact that Mara-san is out right now," she smiled. That said, she made several quick hand seals and a clone appeared.
A hand went to the senbon holding her obi together and soon, the obi was in a pile around her feet.
At this, Sai set his pen down and hurriedly asked, "Ugly, what the hell are you doing?"
Turning around, Sakura replied, "Switching clothes."
"Well, give me some warning at least," Sai retorted. "I don't want to see more of you than I have to."
Sakura huffed and replied, "Fine, fine. Turn around if you don't want to see my naked behind."
Feeling heat rise to his cheeks at her audacity, Sai mumbled under his breath and turned around.
Sakura and her clone were done switching quickly, the countless days of obi-tying and kimono-wearing having honed her dressing skills considerably. The real Sakura, pink hair and green eyes intact, rounded on Sai.
"Your turn!" she crowed. Eyes widening, he asked, "What?"
Without saying anything further, Sakura sighed and made another clone, making it henge into Sai.
"Change," she ordered. "Now."
"Why?" he asked, a hand gripping his clothes shut. When Sakura had her heart set on something, she tended to take matters into her own hands. Especially if the people involved weren't willing. And Sai did not feel like having his clothes pried off of him, no matter what.
"So we can train," Sakura impatiently replied, looking as if she was itching to add a duh after it. "What did you think?"
Training.
It had been something that had been neglected since arriving at the Takahashi household. Almost six weeks without training was NOT a good thing. Especially if all one did was sit around and eat all day. Sakura swore she had gained ten pounds since she had arrived.
"Turn around," Sai mumbled with a resigned sigh. Sakura beamed and did as she was told – it wasn't very often that she got her way around here.
The sound of clothes rustling made Sakura truly realize that she was in a room alone with a mostly naked Sai (at the moment, anyway). The thought made her blush – she would never deny that she found him very attractive (although his personality, for the most part, was a completely different story). And with him always parading around with his (oh-so-sexy) midriff exposed, it was a fact that always stayed in her mind.
"Where to?" Sai asked, turning around when he was done.
"Courtyard," was her prompt reply and the two sped off as their clones transformed into Kanako and Hideki and bid them goodbye.
"I've got it all planned out," she informed him. "The courtyard is big enough for us to throw each other around a little bit, and no one really goes there apart from us, so chances are people won't see anything. I'll also put up a genjutsu and a station a clone nearby so we'll be warned in case someone really decides to hang around."
Sai shrugged and replied, "Sounds okay." He was nonchalant, but the anticipation was building in his system – it had been too long since he had the chance to stretch out and train. He was itching for a good fight. When they close enough to see the courtyard, Sakura weaved a genjutsu together and made a clone.
They landed lightly upon the slightly crunchy leaves in the courtyard and locked eyes. The tension built up from weeks of living together and next-to no outside communication was finally going to be let out. Sakura smiled, a rather feral one, and pulled her black leather gloves up slightly.
And in the blink of an eye, neither of them were there and suddenly they just were, with her fist in his hand and her hand covering the hand that had strayed to his sword.
"You need to be quicker," Sai whispered, his breath dancing lightly upon her cheeks, and then he was gone and Sakura, reacting purely on instinct, had blocked his incoming fist and neatly evaded his kick. Taking advantage of the split second in which his balance would be weak, she kicked him off his feet and had him in a headlock, only to realize she was strangling a log.
Throwing the log in front of her, intercepting three kunai along the way, she kicked up a hurricane of leaves and debris as she jumped, landing on the thick branch of a tree. An exploding tag ignited and she was gone, whipping through the branches with practiced ease.
He couldn't see her anymore and could rely only on his chakra-sensing abilities. Sai could feel her presence, but he was having a hard time putting his finger on her exact location. There weren't any leaves on the ground when Sai put his hand together and 'kai' was on his lips but it was second too late. There was a kunai at his throat and it was her breath that skittered across the back on his neck when she said, "Quick enough?"
Sai let himself smirk and replied, "Almost." He disappeared in a whirl of green leaves, a signature move of all Leaf ninja. Sakura smirked too – she would not have expected any less from him. It wasn't really her anyway – both of them knew that. It wasn't him either – she knew that too.
"When are we really going to fight?" she asked, knowing her would hear her. He appeared before her, strolling up casually as if it was just a normal meeting between teammates (who were not sparring).
He smiled brightly and replied, "That was a nice warm-up, wasn't it?"
Sakura sighed impatiently and answered, "I guess so. Now can we really get started?"
"Taijutsu?"
"Sounds good!"
And then they flew at each other and to any outsider who might have been watching, it would have been impossible to discern who was who, with all the flying limbs going every which way.
Sakura was in her element – apart from genjutsu, she had always been the most comfortable with taijutsu. She let her body lead her mind as her fists flew, as her back arched, as her feet nimbly danced the dance of hand-to-hand fighting.
To her, taijutsu had surpassed mere fighting – it had become an art. Every movement was fluid and gracefully, always supported with purpose, never straying from her goal.
To Sai, it really seemed as if she were dancing. Gone were the days in which Sakura punched through everything that stood in her way. Now, she entranced you so much with her practiced movements that you would barely notice when she flew off, leaving you behind. Every flick of her bubblegum hair, every jade look from half-hooded eyes; everything served to entrance her opponent enough for them to lose focus. It truly was an art – as an artist, Sai could truly appreciate that.
When Sakura sparred with Naruto, it was like a clash of noise, wild and untamed, full of life and energy. When she sparred with Kakashi, every move was carefully calculated and she never flaunted more than she had to – with that man, less was more. After all, she had no time to compensate for the advantage he would have with the Sharingan. With Sasuke, both had always held back slightly, as if afraid to hurt each other more than they already had. More so on Sasuke's part, but even with Sakura, everything was careful and well-placed, as if she was afraid to mar the perfection that Sasuke was. Or that she thought he was.
With Sai, Sakura was free. She danced. For him and only him, because he would be the only one who understood. It wasn't necessarily more emotional than when sparred with the others – it was simply a style that the others would not have understood why she cultivated.
So they sparred, fought, danced, until the afternoon was gone and a slight chill had set it. Sakura's skin was sprinkled with shallow cuts and colourful bruises, with a particularly nasty looking one decorating her thigh – she had gotten that one when she moved just a split second too slow. Sai had his own share of minor scrapes, but his bruises tended to be more defined – people who had had the chance to get a taste of Sakura's fists often swore they could clearly make out the shape of her sharp knuckles.
"That was fun," Sakura gasped, still trying to catch her breath. Beside her, Sai too, was breathing heavily, as he answered, "It was."
"We should do that more often!" Sakura smiled, wider than he had seen in a long time. He found himself wishing that this particular smile would appear more often – it just made him happy every time he saw it. He nodded his head in agreement and walked back into the darkening bedroom with her, sliding the screen door closed as he went.
The dry leaves danced with light breeze for a while, and settled back upon the dusty ground.
a/n: Je pense que je ne suis pas en retard!!!!!!!!!!!!...Je pense...J'espere (with an accent grave on the second 'e', don't tell me I don't know my french!)...
This was a long chapter...in comparison with my other ones :D The plot is unraveling nicely, just the way I want it. But I'm afraid that I couldn't put in something that I really needed to in this chapter...but oh well. There's always the next one. That just means I can't cliffhang like a madwoman XD 'Cuz this chapter was supposed to end in a ridiculously sad cliffhanger...so ha! I've saved you the angst of waiting another week or two!
Enjoy! And props to anyone who might be able to guess what's coming next ;)