Ah, a little delayed but what do you expect from a struggling college student? Besides, I did a double update with my other fic, Never Be Replaced. You probably want to check it out. :))

And as always, your reviews are just lovely. Really. So… KEEPSTILL (Sasuke could be, or he could be not. It doesn't necessarily mean that after Sasuke's career launch, he would be a lot closer to Mizaki, and farther from Sakura. You just have to keep reading. XD), csimiamigirl73 (Well, I updated. And it fascinates me that you find my story 'lol-worthy'. Is it really that funny?), bo0bahh (Sasuke's just hot every time! And well, it makes me wonder how it is like to have a typical 'Sakura hiding her other identity' story), sadistickIdenial (omg! I updated sooner than I expected – given the loads of school work I had! XD), Confuzzled239 (I feel glad people like my story), TenTenXIrista (Hmm… Unveiling Sakura's identity will be like the climax of the story. Making it happen a little sooner will disrupt the much needed development of the characters and the like. But don't worry, I have a lot of things in mind – they'll make things more interesting in the future), frienz4ever (Yes, Sai is here. He should be! He's like my second favorite male character in Naruto. So… yeah), AnbuShadowFang (Hannah Montana is just fun, so is writing this story), darkangel590 (Here's the next chapter! I hope you'll find it as lovely as the last one), Angelsorceress (Well, you got all things right, that's for starters. Feel free to ask questions – I love to hear from you!), 101naruto1 (Thanks! Don't we all love Sai? But I doubt we could in this story –grins-), winxgirl21 (Sasuke's career launch was just an idea that popped into my mind. It's good to see that everyone's excited about it. Thanks for the review!), PieciesHateSocrpios (I'm glad you find this interesting! I hope this chapter won't disappoint you), xsnakeCHARMERx (Here's chapter five! I get to update this story twice but you failed to update yours. Why? Especially now that things got a little fiery out there. You have to update yours s-o-o-n 'cause it's killing me. Anyway, thanks for reading!), HarutoSakurabeLOVER (Well, when you think of it, THEY DID! OMG, this is so freaky! I kinda forgot that Haruto was a celeb and all, really. But now that you mentioned it I was… well, shocked), I See Angels From Above (Good point! You were the first one to notice that. The answer on your question lies on this chapter, which is a long one, I may say. Keep your eyes open for more – things like that are all over), Jaded Eyes 56 (Tension? Oh, between Sakura and Sai?), screamer21 (I can almost hear you scream. –pun unintended-), Sasuke is loving it (Erm. Was that good or bad? Kidding!), fLash (This is soon for me. Thanks for the review!), Copy-nin (Well, thank you. Hope this chapter is good!), HushPurple17 (Whoa, now that's something new. Hmm. Mizaki and Sakura are not completely opposites. Mizaki is a way for Sakura to vent, which is rather unthinkable on her true self. There is Inner Sakura but Mizaki makes it possible for Sakura to just be different, far from whom she really is. People have the penchant to do that, though few succeed. You'll get to understand as the story progresses. Anyways, that's for your love), Meet the Angel and SakuraKissy.

Wow, 24 reviews! 10 more and we'll hit the 3-digit scale! You can do it! (--,)

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Title: The Girl I Used to Know
Chapter 5: How To Keep a Friend

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"NO!"

"But Sasuke—"

"I said no," he bit back, glaring at the person standing across his office table.

"But, Sasuke, it is necessary. The concert's your responsibility."

Sasuke snorted. "All's well. Everything's been taken care of. There's no point on me coming to see it."

Tsunade sighed and felt her temples. "Sasuke, we can't be that assured until it's over. Sure you've ironed everything out but you can't miss the show. How would you know your efforts had been all worth it?" Tsunade inquired, trying to talk Sasuke to it. Sasuke had dedicated a whole day of his life for preparations on the very first concert ever put under his care and it would be pointless not to witness the fruits of his labor. If it hadn't been for him, some of the guess performers will not even be able to make it. Tsunade can bet everything that the impending success of the concert could all be traced back to the youngest Uchiha. It'll be waste if he'll miss it.

But Sasuke just grunted in reply, showing no signs of giving in.

"Sasuke…" Tsunade pressed, her voice appealing. If this kind of situation could've happen in, say, the school, where Tsunade is the principal and Sasuke was a mere student, she could persuade him to act differently. But then, when it comes to her other work, of her being a talent manager under Sharingan Records, then their roles would be reversed. He'll always be the boss. Anything she says were merely suggestions.

"I'll call you tomorrow before the concert starts. For now, you're dismissed," Sasuke ordered, not even bothering to look up. He reshuffled the files on his desk for added effect, telling Tsunade wordlessly that she's not welcome anymore.

Tsunade shrugged her shoulders before she finally stepped out of Sasuke's office. She gave him a last pleading look but the boy's secretary ushered her out hurriedly, mumbling something about 'her never coming back' and all.

Tsunade never really liked Sasuke's secretary. She gives her the creeps.

After stepping in the elevator, Tsunade pulled out her phone, dialed Shizune's number, and placed the receiver on her right ear. She hummed as the other line started to ring and stopped when her secretary picked up.

"Shizune, tell Mizaki that Sasuke refused to see the concert tomorrow night," she exclaimed in a sulking manner. With a sigh, she leaned on the elevator walls. "Sheesh… Now that kid has fifty bucks more on her account. Damn bets. I can never really win, right?"

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Shizune sighed as her boss muttered profanities over the phone, cursing for losing such a bet to their greatest talent. "Tsunade-sama, don't think about it right now. Mizaki-chan has a gig in an hour. We need you here."

"Whatever," Shizune heard her mumble before the line was cut off.

"Great. She hung up on me," Shizune exclaimed as she sighed deeply, a searing headache seeming to reside on her already messed up mind.

She placed the wireless telephone back on the table before she turned back to Sakura, who was sitting near a glass window, probably waiting for Anko to arrive. The young lady seemed preoccupied though, Shizune noticed, seeing Sakura's distant emerald orbs flickering against the ginger sunset.

"Sakura-chan, Tsunade-sama just called," Shizune announced as she approached the teen but Sakura's gaze remained averted. "Sakura-chan?" she inquired concernedly upon she reached the couch Sakura was sitting on.

"Huh?" Sakura asked as she turned to the dark-haired lady, brows furrowed.

Shizune blinked. This had been the third time she tried calling Sakura's attention since the pop princess was fetched from her apartment, not to mention her anxious façade earlier that Shizune took note after bursting on her apartment door unannounced. Something's off. "Well, you were spacing out just now," she pointed out, regarding Sakura with soft, concerned eyes.

"Oh, sorry about that," Sakura answered mutely, fanning her neck. "I think I'm just tired from all the schoolwork."

Shizune nodded slowly before she took a seat next to Sakura, placing a hand on one of Sakura's shoulders. There is something bothering her, Shizune can tell, but Sakura was never one to share her inner feelings to anyone. Being a pop star taught Sakura the value of privacy, and she valued it more than ever before. "Tsunade-sama called," she started out to lift the spirit. "She told me that Sasuke-san declined her offer to watch the upcoming concert tomorrow."

"Really now?" Sakura beamed, all thoughts about what was bothering her awhile ago dumped on the back of her mind. All apprehension in the air wafted out in a snap as she jumped up and down excitedly on the couch, clapping her hands in delight.

Shizune tried to restrain her but the young lady never budged, much to her dismay.

"I knew it! I knew it!" Sakura cheered, fist pumping, then she settled back on the couch, her expression vivid.

Shizune shook her head. "Sakura, you're not supposed to encourage her to take bets. You know how Tsunade-sama can get so addicted in gambling."

Sakura just dismissed her argument. "It's nothing much, Shizune-san. Besides, she started it. And she never really wins. I knew from the beginning that Sasuke-kun will never attend a social gathering – not until he's forced, though. But knowing him, that's pretty much unbelievable," Sakura replied, plopping her elbows and cupping her cheeks. "He could be the event's coordinator for the concert but that doesn't stop him from being himself. Thank god I'm always right. I can't imagine myself singing in front of him again."

Shizune looked up from her lap and tilted her head. "You already did?" she asked, face scrunched up.

"Yeah, back in the company's party. Oh, you should've seen how he stared. It's as if he has something going on in his mind, like he's trying to figure something out. I'll never sing with him around ever again." Sakura shuddered, reminiscing what happened few days ago.

"But he still hasn't noticed anything, right?"

Sakura nodded. "I guess so. He seemed to have given up in the middle of the song and went back in glaring the glassware in front of him. I can tell he's bored…" her voice trailed before her eyes became distant.

Shizune noticed the split-second cloudiness of Sakura's eyes before she blinked them back to normal. "Sakura—"

"But my other friends will be there tomorrow. Sasuke gave them front row seats," Sakura interrupted, obviously evading the topic at hand. She didn't even acknowledge what Shizune was about to say, instead, she tucked her legs under her and crossed her arms on her chest. "I don't think we'll have problems on Naruto and Tenten, though," Sakura mused. "They're like Akaya Mizaki's biggest fans but they seem not to notice anything at all," she grinned.

Wait, Inner Sakura thought, was that any good?

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Naruto grinned lopsidedly, his cheeks slightly tinted with red. "Well, think of it as a sign of gratitude for everything you've done for us," Naruto exclaimed, suppressing a giggle.

Tenten frowned before she smacked him at the back of his head.

"OW! What's that for?" he grumbled.

Tenten's brow twitched, her hands bundling into fists again.

"You came here to prove that you can beat him into a pulp? Save it. I'm busy," Sasuke pointed out apathetically, scanning the files Karin brought to him earlier. His secretary did mention that the files were due tomorrow.

Tenten sighed, glaring Naruto at the corner of her eyes before turning back to the disgruntled Uchiha. She smiled widely for sometime, which made the situation rather awkward (on Sasuke's terms) before she began speaking. "Sasuke, if you hadn't noticed, we've come into terms of the things you had been proving us, and with 'us' I just meant me and Naruto," Tenten clarified, gesturing a beaming Naruto. Sasuke raised a disbelieving brow and looked up. "Well… we don't need to elaborate, do we?" Tenten inquired, nodding knowingly to Sasuke. The Uchiha wasn't that dense not to keep track of the things he had been doing for them, which revolve narrowly among the concert tickets and the posters of their favorite pop princess he provided since Mizaki rose on the big screen – or that was what Tenten believes.

Sasuke snorted but at the same time leaned back on his chair, which is an evident sign that he was actually listening.

For once.

"As you can remember, you gave me tickets for tomorrow's concert night at the Tokyo Dome. Two tickets, to be exact," Tenten paused and regarded Sasuke's affirmation.

Sasuke nodded – or more like tipping his head to wordlessly tell Tenten to go on.

"Well, they weren't technically for free, since I'm supposed to tag Sakura along, right?"

Sasuke shifted his gaze to a suspiciously grinning Naruto on his left side before his face graced a frown. He can predict where this could be going. It's either the two would want something more, like Naruto asking for a ticket for himself (since the last time he checked, the two tickets he gave out were for Tenten and Sakura only), or probably backstage passes for Tenten, or some sort of a favor that would benefit the conniving two. It's always like that.

"—so I thought if you would like to join us – like a get together or something."

Sasuke blinked and his eyes turned towards an equally beaming Tenten, not quite able to catch what she just said. "Huh?"

Tenten's grin spread wider that her face could've split into half. "I said Sakura declined. She told me she can't come. So I thought that if you can be there on the concert night then she might change her mind. What do you think?" Tenten asked naively.

"If you hadn't noticed, teme, Sakura had been waiting for so long for you to participate on such occasions. The last time the four of us went out for fun, it was back in Junior High. You wouldn't let our friendship wither easily like that, will you?" Naruto added, icing the cake with his remarkable convincing skills.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, noticing something completely wrong.

"What? You wouldn't want to hang out with us anymore?" Tenten asked softly, the hurt in her eyes looking surprisingly real.

Naruto then sighed mournfully, and for some bizarre reason, he gave up that easily that Sasuke fought the urge pinch his cheeks to deliberately free him from this dream.

Or nightmare.

Whatever.

"Well, we just came here for that. I guess it was a bad idea from the start," Tenten murmured softly, not bothering to conceal her shaky voice.

Sasuke's brows furrowed even more when Tenten laid out the tickets he gave her a couple of days ago. He even had to remind himself that these were the same tickets Tenten was dying to have since the pass weeks. He looked up just in time to see Tenten smiling brokenly, more of disappointedly before she nodded in modesty. "We'll see you around," she murmured before she bowed, wait, bowed?

This is definitely not real, Sasuke deduced but when he looked up to regard the two, they were already gone.

"Huh?" Sasuke mumbled, tilting his head before he grabbed the concert tickets. He took time in examining them closely, verifying if these were the same ones he gave Tenten last Tuesday, and keeping in mind that those won't be able to pull a stunt like that without getting something for them in return. But he found out with a weird sinking feeling in his chest that they are the same tickets, and it seemed that he had been entertaining the wrong trail of thoughts from the beginning.

Great. He shunned out the two on their first signs of maturity. What a friend.

Just then, his thoughts wandered on their first day of classes where Sakura had waited patiently for them to finish detention, just so she can catch up on what she had missed during vacation.

Sasuke tugged the left long sleeve of his uniform to reveal his watch. "You've been waiting for an hour already. You should've gone home."

Sakura shook her head. "I can't. I already missed the bus this morning and because of the commotion, I haven't had much time to spend with the rest of our friends. I missed you all during our vacation and I thought I need some time keeping up on what's been happening in your lives. Walking with all of you home seems to be a good idea but I guess I need to wait for tomorrow…" Sakura trailed as her empty gaze fell on their classroom door.

Shoot. He is turning into a jerk! The nerve of him to regard Naruto and Tenten with outmost suspicion as if those two were mere strangers when they had been occupying the first half of his (ever small) circle of friends since fifth grade – Sakura occupies the other half – Sasuke vaguely reminded himself.

But even before he can rightfully sort his thoughts out, he was already rushing towards the door, determined to redeem himself from those two.

Karin almost fell out from her seat when Sasuke burst out his office door, his face morphed into seriousness. Putting two into two, Karin assumed he was looking for Naruto and Tenten. "Ano… If you are looking for your friends they were—"

"Shut up."

Karin's face blanched upon seeing Sasuke's narrowed eyes, her mouth automatically closing as her boss stormed off.

"—laughing their heads off by the elevator…" Karin trailed, before her face scrunched up in frustration when the fact that Sasuke told her to shut the hell up sunk on her mind.

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"Do you think he'll be okay?" Sakura asked as she turned to her seatmate, who was currently participating on the ongoing spitball-throwing contest with the rest of the bored class.

Tenten turned to face Sakura before she spared the sleeping Uchiha seated behind a glance. She shrugged her shoulders in apathy. "Maybe."

Sakura's brows furrowed. "He seems to have been worked out," Sakura regarded, her eyes fortified with concern.

"What do you expect?" Tenten inquired as she tore a page on her notebook in the most hushed manner – so as not to interrupt an unsuspecting Kakashi from writing the mathematical questions on the board. "He got school, soccer practice, loads of papers to review back in his office, and now he gets to be our class representative. Go figure."

Sakura sighed before she leaned on her elbows, eying the mathematical equations Kakashi was writing, along with the spitballs flying randomly across their room.

Sasuke stood up upon his name was called and turned to the whole class.

"Uchiha, you were your class' representative since junior high, I was told," Kakashi asked rather amusedly. Sasuke just nodded. "Well, any more nominees?"

Naruto snickered upon seeing that none of their classmates spoke out. He was the one who nominated Sasuke after all. It started out just for fun three years back, and Naruto never failed to torment his friend by nominating Sasuke again and again. Sasuke never liked the idea of being one to start with, but he's nowhere near irresponsible so Naruto thought Sasuke can manage. His sniggering was halted when Sakura poked him at the back.

"Naruto, I don't think—"

"Sakura-chan, you don't have faith in him?"

Sakura blinked. "I mean—"

"That's more like it, Sakura-chan! He'll be fine!" Naruto giggled.

Tenten's gaze then traveled towards her pink-haired friend, regarding her friend's silent demeanor ever since the class started. It can't be just because of Sasuke's exhaustion. There is something else. "Something wrong?"

Sakura shook her head vigorously, a fake smile adoring her face. "Nothing!" Tenten then turned to Sakura and gave her a significant look. Sakura just dodged her gaze with a frown. "I can never lie to you, can't I?" Sakura murmured sheepishly, tapping her pen on her table as a sign of boredom.

"Something happened. Sakura, spill."

Sakura sighed. There's no point in keeping everything to herself. "Weeell… ImetSaiyesterday."

"What's that?" Tenten urged, her brows creasing in the middle.

Sakura leaned back on her chair and beckoned Tenten closer. "I said… um… well…"

Tenten then pulled back with a streak of impatience on her face. "Sakura, what?"

Sakura pouted and sat straight on her seat. "I said I met Sai yesterday," she confessed.

Tenten's eye twitched a millimeter. So he's really back. Last week's encounter with their former acquaintance wasn't really a mere chat – as what Sai claimed. The fact that he sought after Sakura that day aroused Tenten's suspicion. Whether it would be the fact that Sai had tried so hard ignoring Tenten's presence or the fact that he would want to talk to Sakura alone, Tenten knew right then and there that something was up. Knowing Sai, she can expect the worst. The question now is why he just waltzed back in like that after a year of absence. Tenten then took time in surveying Sakura's emerald eyes closely. "You met him," Tenten repeated neutrally.

Sakura averted her gaze. "It's just coincidence. I was just on my way home—"

"SAKURA, THAT'S NOT COINCIDENCE!" Tenten accentuated.

"Ah! Now we got a volunteer. Tenten-chan, problem number six on the board please," Kakashi interrupted. The whole class turned to face the uproar and watched Sakura shrink in embarrassment. Sasuke then shifted behind her. With a groan, he looked up groggily. "And Sasuke, please, the next one," Kakashi added as he whipped out an orange book on his pocket. "Take all your time."

Tenten fought the urge to growl loudly as she slid off her chair to answer the said mathematical problem. Sasuke did the same, rubbing his nape and the two walked towards the board.

Sakura watched her friends answer the questions in the board. Unsurprisingly, Sasuke was the first to finish.

"Well done, Sasuke. And see me after class. There are questionnaires that need to be distributed to the whole class," Kakashi said as Sasuke shrugged indifferently. He then turned to Tenten who was nowhere to the right answer. "You can now go back to your seat, Tenten. Be sure not to disturb the class again. It wouldn't be a happy sight."

Tenten gave a sound of indignation as she strutted back on her seat.

"Gomen ne, Tenten," Sakura apologized silently.

Tenten was about to remind Sakura of their intermittent chat when she noticed Sasuke eying Sakura's back. Tenten wouldn't have to be so wise to know how destructive it can turn out if one would talk about Sai right in front of Sasuke. Those two weren't really… friends. Oh, the horror if Sasuke could find out what Sakura was about to say. "You owe me one," Tenten whispered back before a well aimed spitball hit her head.

"WHAT THE—" Tenten growled menacingly, scanning the room with fierce eyes for the perpetrator. She then caught Kakashi's wrinkled eye.

"Right. Detention. After class."

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"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT WAS YOU?" Tenten screeched, pointing a shaky finger to Naruto.

"Tenten, not so loud," Sakura reminded, tugging Tenten's arm.

Naruto grinned. "I've got a pretty good aim, don't I? So, how did detention go? Fun?" he asked casually.

Tenten's mouth fell. "You – you sleek! You practically got me in trouble by that!" Tenten accused before the door behind her slid open, with Kakashi's mob of silver hair sticking out.

"What did I say about interrupting, Tenten?" Kakashi inquired. Something in his voice made Tenten shiver, Naruto and Sakura noticed. "If you don't mind, I would want to speak to Sasuke peacefully. Can I ask that much?"

Tenten grimaced.

"I'll take that as a yes," Kakashi assumed before he closed the faculty's door.

"Seriously, Naruto, why do you have to do that? Do you know I have to help the scary librarian for the whole week because of you? I swear if she freaks me more out I'll rip your gut!" Tenten threatened, narrowing her eyes towards the grinning Naruto.

"So that's what Kakashi-sensei calls an 'unhappy sight'. Isn't that great news? It just meant that he also finds that librarian creepy," Naruto exclaimed. He then resumed to his giggling fit. "Besides, you look edgy back there before Kakashi-sensei called you out. What were you talking about anyways?" Naruto asked, turning to Sakura.

Tenten groaned at the prompt. Sakura was yet to tell what Sai told her and she wouldn't let Naruto hear it out. Yet. He might go berserk and seek Sasuke's backing. Now that wouldn't be a happy sight.

"Nothing much," Tenten answered, carefully watching a silenced Sakura.

Just then, Sasuke emerged from the faculty and his friends never failed to notice the annoyance painted on his face.

The three heard a distant 'I need them next week, by the way', courtesy of Kakashi-sensei before Sasuke slammed the door shut.

"What did he say?" Sakura immediately put, seeing Sasuke's aggravation.

Naruto snorted. "Guess what? 'Nothing much'. Now everyone's leaving me out," he mumbled, crossing his arms on his chest.

"Not really," Tenten mumbled sarcastically before Sakura jabbed her on the ribs.

"Gomen ne, Naruto," Sakura apologized, and Naruto took comfort on Sakura's soft eyes. "But I guess I need to leave – I still have work," she added swiftly. More like 'I have a concert in two hours', Inner Sakura spilled.

Naruto looked up, startled at what Sakura said. "B-but you said—"

"—that we'll wait for Tenten and Sasuke," Sakura hastily recurred, knowing where the conversation might lead. "They're already here."

Tenten and Sasuke turned to Naruto questioningly. The blonde was supposed to persuade Sakura to join them in the concert later while waiting – something that Tenten failed to do for the past days.

"Sakura-chan, how about having ramen for tonight? Then we can probably watch Mizaki-chan's concert! We have tickets!" Naruto said, grabbing Sakura's wrist. They had attempted this so many times that Naruto knew that Sakura would even try to run away if things won't turn out her way.

"Naruto…" Sakura whispered, shaking her head. "I already told Tenten that I can't. I have work and I'll be late if you won't let me go."

Sasuke watched the tugging scene in front of him before he turned away. "Naruto, let go."

Tenten and Naruto both fought the urge to slap their foreheads. Sasuke was not supposed to give in that easily. They're supposed to make sure that Sakura will go with them to the concert, at all cost.

"Teme!" Naruto protested.

"You heard me."

Sakura inwardly thanked the heavens for Sasuke's trademark glare that made Naruto detach himself away from her. She rubbed her wrist before she turned to Sasuke. "Thanks." She held his gaze for a long time before she grinned. "See you on Monday," she said as she casually slipped away from her friends. She was about to dash towards the nearest exit when she heard Sasuke's voice.

"We'll be waiting."

Sakura froze.

"If ever you change your mind – we'll be waiting for you."

Sakura bit her lip. With a heavy sigh, she craned her neck towards them.

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So this is the part where I'm supposed to write my excuse. As lame as it might sound, I feel the need to be heard. First and foremost, I promised you that this chapter will include Sasuke's debut as a celeb. Problem is, the thought only hit me when I already finished the chapter. I tried fitting it in but it wasn't that thriving so I settled for the original one. His career launch would have to be somewhere in the next chapter or so, along with other issues that needs to be settled. I know its vacation and all but I seem to have lost the urge to continue this story until now. And sorry if there are mistakes along the way – I whipped half of this in one sitting. So…

I hope you had a happy Christmas! I wish the best for the new year!