A/N: I understand how you guys think that this story is a SasuOC pairing but it's not. I never write stories where Sasuke and Sakura will not end up with each other. Keiko here has an important role that's why I put her here so please bear with me for a while. ;) Anyway…I'll continue on with the story. Enjoy!
Chapter 2: Haruno Sakura; a story to tell
I didn't know what I'm supposed to feel knowing that my cousin is coming back. Am I supposed to feel excited or worried? So I just flashed my mother a smile and asked her, "When will she be arriving?" Mom seems relieved that I didn't show any etch of pity or sorrow in my face.
You see…once you get to know my cousin; she's been through the worst. I can't tell this right now since nobody else knows except family.
"She'll be arriving tomorrow by 5 pm from France! Would you like to come with us to welcome her sweetie?" Dad asked and answered my question.
"Sure! It's been 3 years since I've seen her." And I walked out of the living room and into my room. I carelessly dropped my bag beside my study table and collapsed on my bed.
'Three years…' I thought. 'Three years since she left.' I felt tears threatening to fall…and they did. There's a reason but…I'm really not yet ready to tell what it is.
'Don't feel sorry for me Keiko. I'm sick of people showing me pity.' I remember her saying those words. She was broken.
I always admired Sakura-chan. She was absolutely beautiful, perhaps…a lot more beautiful than Ino. She has this long, silky, bubble-gum pink hair which was straight at the top and cascades uniquely wavy down to her mid-back. She doesn't have bangs instead strands of hair framing her heart shaped face. She also has the same eyes as mine except hers were shaped like perfect almonds and twinkles attractively. Her eyelashes were naturally long and brings out her beautiful eyes more. She has a small but cute pouty lip, a perfectly proportioned body and poise of a real lady.
She's an angel, God's favorite daughter. I told her that and I could still remember her reply, "How could I be God's favorite daughter? If I were to be…then none of this would happen to me and my life would still be perfect."
"Don't say that Sakura-chan." I told her, but then she cut me off, "He gave me of what you may say the most angelic and beautiful face and body. But in return…it would be my heart and soul being torn apart."
I was speechless when she said that. She was completely blaming everything to God. It was really awkward since our family was Roman Catholic and not Buddhist or Taoist like the other Japanese are and she was committing blasphemy. I didn't know what I was supposed to say.
I sat up and looked for the album that holds my past with my cousin. I found it sandwiched between two large dictionaries. It has the color of green which was starting to fade away but still noticeable.
I opened it and stared at the first picture. It was Sakura-chan and I in our princess costume for Halloween back when we were still 4 years old. We were both smiling but I focused on Sakura.
She was really beautiful from the start. Her hair was still short but her eyes are definitely captivating plus her smile.
That smile…it started fading away when she was 5 years old. I started crying harder and turned each page showing every picture with both of us smiling. Then there was this picture; a picture of Sakura when she was still 3 years old in her pink tutu.
It was her first recital, which was what my mom told me. Sakura started studying ballet when she was only 3 years old. She was very young…and very good.
She studied ballet, jazz, salsa, hiphop and every other kind of dancing but she was known as a ballerina. She's quite famous already especially in Europe.
She's really amazing…she's everything that a girl would want to be: beautiful, talented, smart and wealthy. It's kind of envious at times but she told me, "Don't be jealous Keiko. You still have your family…and I lost mine when I was still very young."
So I guess parts of her story are leaking out already but there's more to it. Just thinking about what she's been through makes me cry. I want to hug her tight and tell her that everything would be alright. But she's distant now.
I got startled when my cellphone rang. I looked at the caller I.D. It was Sasuke-kun.
"Domo…" I answered.
"Hey. Did you cry?" he asked.
I quickly wiped my tears and cleared my throat. "Yeah…Kind off…" I answered.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked once more.
"No. It's fine Sasuke-kun! Anyway, why did you call?" I asked him this time.
"Why? Is it bad calling up my girl?" I can feel him smirking right now.
I blushed at that thought, that smirk can be so annoying at times but it was so damn sexy! Well then, Sasuke-kun and I talked with each other for about 30 minutes and so…later then, we hung up and I changed to my house clothes and started doing my homework. (A/N: You guys thought I would give the full detail of their conversation? No way! :P It's heartbreaking to know that Sasuke has another :D)
I looked at my calendar…it was Thursday today. I wonder how Sakura-chan looks like now. I'm sure she's still beautiful like an angel. But then, would she greet us with even a small smile or still with that emotionless façade?
I really miss her smile and I hope she'll have that smile back once she arrives here in Konoha.
Next day…Friday (July 19, 2008)
(A/N: The dates are kinda important here so bare with me! XD)
I just finished fixing myself when I heard Sasuke-kun's car arrive before our house.
"Honey! Sasuke's here already so hurry up!" Mom called from the kitchen.
"I'm coming!" I ran down the stairs and passed by the kitchen when mom threw a toast at me. Luckily, I caught it.
"Mom! Why the hell are you throwing toasts at me?"
"Honey, at least eat some bread. You might sleep in class again." Mom said. "and by the way, your dad and I will pick you up later in school so we can go straight to the airport alright?" mom asked.
"Okay then." I smiled at her and kissed her on the cheek.
"See you later!"
"Have fun in school Keiko!"
When I got out, Sasuke was leaning on his car looking so damn smexy! Seriously…why does everything about him look so delicious!...Okay….so I'm getting a little over board here.
"Hey." Again with the sexy smirk!
"Sasuke-kun." I smiled and kissed him on the cheeks then drove to school. It was quiet on our drive so I decided to tell him at least that I'm not going home later with him.
"Ne Sasuke-kun…" I started.
"Hn?" He is so famous with those monosyllabic replies of his. It's a bit annoying if you ask me.
"My parents will be the ones to pick me up later. So you don't have to wait for me today." I told him.
The car stopped the red stoplight showed and he looked at me and asked why.
"My cousin is arriving today. We wanted to see her so we decided to welcome her here."
"Your cousin?"
"I haven't told you about her have I?"
"Obviously you haven't."
I'm not going to tell him everything there is to know about Sakura-chan. I mean…the things about her have been a family secret.
"Well…she's arriving from France."
"She's French?" I giggled when he said that.
"No. She's Japanese. She moved to France three years ago to study dancing. Well…more of ballet but I think she'll train some more here in Japan though I'm not sure if that's her reason of coming back." The car started to move once more when the green light flashed.
"Sakura? May I ask what her last name is…if that's alright?" I wondered why he asked nevertheless I still told him that Haruno was Sakura-chan's last name. He looked surprised when I told him that.
"Is something wrong?" I asked.
"Haruno…It sounds so familiar…" he mumbled.
I kept quiet after that. If Sasuke is familiar with the Haruno clan…there's a possibility that he knows what happened. Well…maybe at least his parents but who knows…his parents might have told him.
We arrived school before 7 a. Classes starts 30 minutes later so we both looked for the gang to chill before entering the classrooms.
"France?!" I'll give you a chance to guess who said that.
"Oh Keiko! I always wanted to go to France!"
"You're filthy rich. So why not ask your parents some money to go there you troublesome woman." Shikamaru said.
"I am not troublesome you lazy ass! Anyway…you know my parents are often out in business trips plus my mom never trusts the maids in our household so she tells me to keep an eye on her jewelries and clothes so I can't go." Ino replied.
We all sweat dropped at the 'mom not trusting maids' part.
"Then why the hell did you still hire maids?" Tenten asked.
"Like hello? You think we could take care of the whole mansion ourselves?" Ino said.
"Then at least get some trustworthy maids." Naruto said.
"And how the hell are we supposed to know if they're trustworthy?"
"Test them…duh." Neji said.
"Can we please stop this nonsensical conversation?" Sasuke cut in. Naruto scoffed at this.
"Teme probably have obedient and trusting maids." NAruto said.
"What are you trying to imply you dobe?"
"Maids in your household worship you and Itachi so why would they try to disappoint you nonetheless steal something. Well…maybe they would steal your boxers but just that." The whole gang started to laugh with the whole boxer thing and Sasuke-kun just rolled his eyes.
The bell started to ring and all of us entered our own classrooms. The whole day went well…and before I knew it, it was finally the weekend.
I went out of the school door and saw my parents riding a black Mercedes waiting for me outside the main entrance gate. I turned back to where Sasuke and the others are shouting I that I'll be going ahead.
"Ready?" mom asked and I nodded and we drove to the airport.
There were a lot of people in the airport. Everyone was excited to see the people they have been apart from for weeks or months or even years.
I kept on my toes since there were a lot of foreigners coming in and damn were they tall!
"Mom…dad…what time is her arrival?" I asked getting impatient with all the waiting.
"She should be arriving now. Just keep an eye for a pink haired girl." Mom said and continued scanning the area.
I mimicked her moves and for a moment, I saw pink. Wait. Pink! Oh my God!
"Ma! She's over there!" I said as I pointed out where my cousin was.
"Let's go." Mom said as she pulled me and dad towards Sakura.
"Sakura!" she called out and automatically, Sakura turned around giving us a full view of how she looks like now.
Her wavy hair was up in a pony tail with a charmed gold and silver barrette holding it. I think she curled her hair a bit. She had light make up on. Just shiny lip gloss and a small blush on her cheeks. She never wears heavy make up anyway. She was wearing a brown tank top with an exotic design at the middle through sequins. A pink and brown skirt that went down just below her knees and a bronze ballet flats with a ribbon as a design.
She didn't wear any jewelry most of the time. The only jewelry she would wear is the necklace that her parents gave her when she was still a baby.
Is it me or did she grow into a more beautiful person than she already is? Because seriously…a lot of men, foreigner or local, are looking at her.
"She's even more beautiful." My mom mumbled and boy was she damn right.
TBC……
A/N: Yeah! The second chapter! Anyway! Please bear with the whole Keiko thing! I swear this will still be a sasusaku fic so don't lose hope while reading my story. :P So please review! It's alright if you'll flame Keiko…but don't flame the story:P I love you all!
popochi-chan .