title: The Extravagant Challenge Anthology

scene: 01. The Composer, pt 5.

summary: Behind every singer's successful song is a composer.

notes: valentine's special, except not really

Scene 01

The Composer

Take 5!

He doesn't know why he is hesitating. He doesn't hesitate. He never hesitates. Not even at the face of a great risk. It was the way his parents brought him up, to be decisive and confident. If he has the slightest bit of hesitation and indecisiveness, he wouldn't be where he is, he wouldn't be who he is.

He wouldn't be the rising singer he is today.

But standing before the front door to the penthouse he shares with his childhood friend, he doesn't understand why he can't bring himself to just scan his key card and enter. Why he is hesitating.

Sasuke refuses to think it has anything to do with the date. No, this moment of indecisiveness has nothing to do with the fact that is it the thirteenth of February today. The eve of Valentine's day.

So what, right?

It's the time, he tells himself. It's the time. It's already half past nine and Sakura is mostly likely asleep by now. She has school tomorrow, and he is hesitating to enter his own house because he is afraid he might wake her up. Yes, that's it. And with that in mind, he found the strength to finally step inside his home.

"Okaeri nasai, Sasuke-kun."

Blinding smile and shining green eyes accompany the greeting. He is surprised to see her still awake, she usually sleeps early to accommodate her being an early bird. It is obvious she has been waiting for him.

"By the way, have you had dinner yet? I can still..." she's already on her way to the kitchen.

Grabbing her shoulders, he steered her toward the living room.

"I'm fine. I already had dinner."

"That's good. I worry about you. You seem thinner on TV."

"How do you know I'll be home tonight?" he asks, curious, and not at all interested to discuss about work. He's had enough of that.

Sakura lets the subject go, full of understanding and she just smiles, pointing at the large sack he's pulling after him.

The large sack full of Valentine's gifts to him by fans and co-workers.

"I figured, with your blatant dislike of anything sweet, you'd be home smuggling the mountain-high gifts your fans and colleagues gave you." There is a teasing hint in her voice and he smirks at her.

It's only natural that she knows him best, having grown up together but he's impressed with her attention to every detail. And touched.

"These are for you," he tells her and gestures toward the sackful of Valentine's trinkets.

He watches her face as the frown forms on her lips, disapproval written all over her face.

"They're for you. It'd be an insult to them if they know..."

"What they don't know won't hurt them," he says as he flops on the same couch next to her, "and besides, it'd be an even more insult if I rejected them."

"They'd think you're just rejecting them and making up some excuse. You'd be labelled as a snob in the industry and that's not healthy for your image as a budding artist, am I correct?"

"And I would be given the label of being a fussy spoiled brat."

She sighs. "Well, better than them going to waste I guess." Reaching over she takes a box of chocolate and examines it before turning back to him.

"Would you mind if I give some of them away to my friends at school? I don't think I made enough to give away tomorrow."

"Aa."

It appears that Sakura has made giri choco for her friends at school again for this year. Back in their hometown, she'd always prepare homemade chocolates for her friends every Valentine's. Her guy friends. Honestly he thought (hoped) that here in Tokyo she wouldn't anymore.

He should have known better.

"Are you sure? I thought you would hog them all to yourself," he teased to mask his thoughts.

Her open palm landed on his arm hard.

"Hey!"

"You're so mean."

"Just stating the truth," he smirks.

He missed this; spending time with her, talking, teasing, just being with her. His career robbed him of these privileges, demanding more of his attention and time. If it meant a good life for her though, this little sacrifice is bearable.

Her eyes rolled at him then she jumps to her feet. "Got to head off to the kitchen. The mixture's hopefully hardened enough by this time. How long are you staying?"

"I'm staying the night." For once, he adds dryly to himself.

And the explosion of positive emotions on her face makes the decision even more rewarding.

Growing up with Sakura is an equal disadvantage as it is an advantage. Because it meant she knows everything about him. It is the thing he dislikes about her whenever Valentine's would arrive.

She knows his blatant dislike for sweets, and so she never made him chocolates for the occasion. And he hates it. Especially now, watching her put six pieces of chocolate truffles in a box that is not meant for him.

She'd give everyone else her homemade chocolates. Except him. Always.

Itachi, knowing this and being an annual recipient of Sakura Haruno's Valentine chocolate truffles, would always eat the whole box in front of him, all the while complimenting the girl all the time for her delicious treat just to tease him.

Dark brown eyes watched as her hands rolled the chocolate into balls. He offered to help her but she kindly refused, saying it would defeat the purpose.

He knows what she means. She wants to pour all her emotions into making the chocolates, so the recipient would feel it when he eats it.

Lucky bastard.

This wasn't how Sasuke pictured celebrating Valentine's eve with Sakura when he decided he'd stay over for the night. He didn't imagine that he'd be watching as Sakura make giri chocos for other men on this rare barely day off but he cannot ask her to give it up for him. That's just selfish.

To her, this chocolate giving is a tradition. She's not doing this out of obligation; she's doing this because she wants to give presents for people to show that she appreciates them and what better time to do this than during Valentine's.

He just hoped none of those idiots would look into it too much and get the wrong idea.

What if it's the right idea though?

Everything went down the drain the following morning.

The night before might not have been the best, watching her make chocolates for someone not him when he hoped to just spend it with her but it was still fun. They talked about everything and nothing, from childhood memories to their now daily lives. It was like catching up about everything in just one night and it was a great break from the suffocating height of expectations he's always surrounded with.

Waking up to the smell of omelette is a luxury he doesn't have living in the accommodation. Catering food might be classy but Sasuke has always preferred Sakura's cooking over anything else. It's home. And it's something he'd love to wake up to more often.

"Happy Valentine's, Sasuke-kun!" comes her cheerful greeting as soon as he enters the kitchen, still in his pyjamas.

Sakura's already dressed for school and she's ever the cheerful.

"Happy Valentines," he greets in return as he took a sit on the island counter.

"I made omurice and Tomato Tarte Tatin, your favourite."

Tomato Tarte Tatin is the only sweet he likes. The only exception. It's the dessert Sakura started making for him for Valentine's (and every special occasion) back in middle school, to give him something for the occasion.

The first time he received it, he was surprised at the dessert, touched by the gesture and extra effort she made for him, and fell in love with the dessert.

And he completely forgot about it. All his jealousy from watching her last night put effort for other guys made all rational thoughts fly out the window.

Bottom line: it's the best breakfast he's had in, what feels like, a very long time.

Sakura places the plate of omurice first in front of him then followed by the tarte after he finished his meal.

And then...

He picks a box from the pile she has made on the breakfast nook, trying to appear nonchalant as he inspects the intricate red ribbon she tied around the brown box.

'To Naruto,' he reads the card silently.

"Who is Naruto?" he asks her.

"Oh, just a friend." she replied, nonchalant.

His eyes narrow at her because that wasn't the answer he wanted to hear.

"You like him."

"I have a crush on him," she corrected.

The words left his mouth without thinking. "I did not bring you here to flirt around with men."

Shit, that came out wrong.

"I know. But that doesn't mean I can't." Sakura stormed out of the kitchen with a slam on the door.

They did not exchange another word after that.

tbc.

notes2: happy valentine's to you all! *gives away homemade chocolate truffles to the reviewers*