#7 – Rendezvous
He should be feeling bad for Hana-san, but he could no longer contain the grin creeping sideways along his lips.
Even after extending the closing time by an hour, there were still mountains of dango left untouched. The usual protocol was to divide the leftovers among the staffs, but since it was just him today…
He would love to savour this with Sasuke, but since he was not much of a sweet tooth, he would have to make do with Kisame, assuming he was sober enough.
He headed to a vending machine a few blocks down that stocked up his favourite honey green tea, and with that he was a happy man.
"Uchiha Itachi?" He spun around, but other than a blonde lady reeking of alcohol queuing behind, there was nobody that he could recognise in his immediate surrounding…
"Where are you looking? Have you forgotten me already, your future bride?" Itachi stopped scanning and peered into the lady standing right before him.
"Sakura?" He frowned as he took in her long blonde wig, mini white hat, white satin dress sitting way too high above her knees, and strappy high heels.
"Hi… Didn't expect to meet again like this." She tucked embarrassingly at her dress hem and darted her eyes away as his eyes travelled down her length. "So…what are you doing here at this hour?"
"I just finished work." He momentarily shut his eyes, as though at a loss for words. "You looked really different."
"J-Just so you know, I don't usually dress like this. This is my work attire – I'm wearing a wig so no one at school recognise me, and it clearly worked," she quipped in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere.
"You…" His expression was undecipherable. "Are you doing compensated dating-"
"No!" She exclaimed and hurriedly explained, "I'm working as a waitress at a club, and I just got off work early…" It was already midnight, and this was considered early?
"Is this the "club activity" you mentioned?"
"Huh?" She was surprised he still remembered. "Haha, I guess it's a lame attempt to make myself feel better, since this isn't a job you go around bragging about-"
"Then quit. This isn't the only way to make money."
"I wish I can," She answered with a soft smile, "But it doesn't always work so easily. I'm on honours track, so between the extra classes and work, I need a short and high-paying job that doesn't clash with some of my evening lectures-"
"You can work at my store," He blurted out. "We could use some extra help." Hana was just talking about dismissing some of the part-timers, and Itachi was practically working a full-timer's shift, she thought two pairs of hand would be enough. Well, Sakura needed not bother with the specifics.
"I don't think that's a good idea…"
"It may not pay as well as the club, but at least you could work in a safer environment. And out of this provocative outfit and heavy make-up, he thought quietly. "You can work the night shift too."
"I-I guess I can try working there for a while…"
"Alright, then let's go." He grabbed her hand.
"Huh?" Her voice hitched at the familiar and strangely intimate contact. "T-To where?"
"To tell your manager you're quitting of course."
"Wait a second! I can't just quit whenever I want! I need to submit a month's notice or I'll have to pay a compensation fee…"
"How much is the fee?"
"Five times of my pay, but that's not the point-"
"I'll pay. Is that the club?" He cocked his chin towards the sleazy crowd hanging out by the marble tiled entrance, with a cigarette peeking out from everyone's mouth and beer bottles rolling around.
"Itachi-san stop!" At her sudden pull, he finally stopped, but kept his grip on her.
"…At least let me work till the end of the week to get my pay, that okay?" She whispered the question, hoping to allay his concern and soften the frown on his face. He took a hard look at her pleading eyes, and at last released a sigh.
"I don't like this arrangement, but it'll do for now."
"Thank you." She waited as he took out a pen and scribbled something on her palm, his warm and gentle touch sending fire through her body.
"Call me when you're done. I'll come fetch you on your last day." He held her eyes for a meaningful second before walking off.
"L-Let me walk you home!"
"Silly, that's a man's job. So where do you live, Sakura?"
Wonder what Itachi thought about Sakura in a sexy waitress costume…