Standing before the webcam on her flat, white computer screen, Sakura found it hard to prevent the displeasure she felt from colouring her catlike features. She longed to rid herself of the academy's uniform. The plaid skirt and khaki blazer cocooned her uncomfortably, especially in the present situation which featured her parents scrutinising every visible inch of her appearance.

The bone of her bra seemed to press into her chest with renewed vigour, but she willed her body to keep still and emit a delicate air. Her hair had begun to fall from its bun, earning her some bonus scolding from her mother.

A week had passed since her parents' last visit, when they'd laid quite a thick segment of lecturing on her for sneaking out in the middle of the night. The argument had escalated to heights she chose to forget, but there was a lingering tension in the air among the family. Now, in the midst of her penultimate week of sixth form, news of another little midnight escapade had somehow reached her parents.

It was probably one of the new night maids, she thought darkly, internally pulling her hair out in distress. She'd only gone to a very small house party with Ino for a bit of fun but naturally, her parents felt the need to work themselves into near hysterics. The angrier they were with her, the less open they would be to her interest in medicine and the slimmer her chances of actually pursuing a career as a doctor.

"Sakura, I thought you'd given up that sort of behaviour! It's like i don't know who you are these days."

Could she be any more predictable?

"You know it's dangerous for you to be out so late; despite what you think we are only concerned for your safety." Her mother's tone was laced with admonition, and she struggled to refrain from rolling her eyes. They were being ridiculous. Granted, drugs had been present at that party as well as alcohol. She speculated a few of people might have engaged in sexual activity, but it was really not as big a deal as her parents made it seem. She had not attended the event alone, furthermore both Ino and herself were responsible and capable young women- she hadn't taken those MMA classes for nothing. And did age mean a thing to them? She wasn't a weak, defenceless child anymore, her twentieth birthday was fast approaching for Christ's sake.

"Sakura." her father began in that booming, authoritative voice. "You know, I didn't want to worry you but I think it's time you were made aware of our situation."
Miyuki glanced nervously at her husband but kept silent, much to Sakura's confusion. It was unlike her mother to refrain from commenting. What on earth was he talking about?

"Well, darling… Your mother and I have been receiving anonymous death threats lately."
The silence that followed was deafening as the pinkette felt her pulse quicken in alarm, blood running cold.

"…What?"

"It's nasty company business. As you know our success has almost doubled this year-"

But she cut him off, frightened for her parents' safety.
"What do you mean, father? What kind of attempts? What sort of threats?" she fired questions in rapid succession. Whatever news she'd been expecting, it certainly didn't hold a candle to this. There was a thundering in her ears she supposed was due to shock. Perhaps she needed to sit down.

"Now, I didn't want to worry you but there has been talk of rival companies wanting to eliminate the competition. Considering everything that's been happening lately, I think it's time for us to take things seriously." his grim tone grew stern.

"It is absolutely not safe for you to be parading around at night on your own, no matter how much you think you can handle yourself. You are a strong girl Sakura," he admitted "but you are by no means invincible."

Sakura was silent now, internally distressed as she realised how dire the situation truly was. That harm could befall her parents was unthinkable and alarming. What would she do if something were to happen to them? Despite their numerous arguments, she loved them dearly. They were the only family she had in this world, her most precious people.

"Are you listening, Sakura?" Her mother's tone was pleading. She'd noticed the stricken, far off look in her daughter's eyes.

"Yes mother, I understand. I'm sorry." Her apology was quick and sincere. She needed to calm her thoughts.
First was the issue of her parents' safety. Had they gone to the police? What measures were they taking to handle these threats?

"We've reported everything to the police," her father continued, answering her first question. "Of course, they suggested the regular precautions while they investigate but we've decided to take it a step further." Akihiro's eyes, the same stunning viridian as his daughter's, glinted with determination.

"Your mother and I have hired bodyguards, and we want to do the same for you."

Sakura blinked.
Silence stretched between them. She couldn't quite seem to grasp what they were suggesting.
The Harunos were a wealthy family yes, no doubt their name was known internationally thanks to the company's extraordinary success, but was such a measure really necessary?

"Father, I don't think-" she began, but was swiftly cut off.

"Maybe I didn't make myself clear, Sakura. This is not a question, nor is it a suggestion. We have found a bodyguard for hire and we are assigning him the duty of your protection." there was a finality in his tone that advised against any protests.
Sakura tried anyways.

"But there are securities at the gate, and it doesn't open without the key-"

"Haruno Sakura!" Her mother snapped threateningly, "This isn't the time for stubbornness. We can't afford to take any chances here. Yes there are securities at the gate, but their training does not extend to this kind of situation. You need someone with skill and experience to be close to you at all times, especially if you continue to run around with Yamanaka Ino at ungodly hours of the night!"

"Fine!" she bit out, irritated now because she knew they were right. However, the idea of having someone follow her everywhere she went, knowing her every move, invading her privacy… it just didn't sit well with her, so she stubbornly tried one last time.

"I'll stay in then, I won't go out after nine and-"

But her father shook his head before she could finish.

"It's too late for promises, dear. Whether or not you'd been breaking the rules, we would still have assigned some level of protection to you." His voice was gentle now. "What would we do if something were to happen while we were away?"

Maybe you two should just stay home, then!
She tamped down the intrusive thought, knowing it would be childish and pointless to make such a suggestion. Whether or not they stayed home, it was unlikely that the danger would go away.
Biting her lip, she gave in. If they were receiving death threats, it was very possible that harm could befall her, living in this massive mansion miles away from the city.

"Promise me that you two will be okay?" She looked directly into the webcam, eyes glassy. Haruno Sakura was not a crier, but the worry and love for her parents shone bright and strong in her gaze.

"We promise, dear."

The usual chill of the conference room permeated the silence in the aftermath of her father's meeting. Thankfully it was empty, and Sakura's shoulders sagged in a way that would have caused her mother to shriek with disapproval.

Assisting with company matters always left her exhausted. Her father frequently requested that she take notes during meetings on both the grounds of needing help and wanting to familiarise her with the business.
Together, her parents were a lethal mix of meticulous, innovative and risky- the perfect concoction for success. Their interactions with employees and customers were always pleasant and efficient. Sakura's admiration held true, but her enthusiasm was lacking. Try as she might, not one aspect of the business appealed to her interests.
Tiredly, she pulled out a chair and was about to take a seat when the door behind her opened.

"Sakura! There's someone you need to meet."

Grimacing, she gave up on her dream of collapsing into the seat, instead turning toward the sound of Akihiro's voice. Only, the sight that met her eyes was not what she was expecting.

Either inky-haired 7-11 cashier had found his way into their house, or the guy had a twin. And honestly, it would be an absolute sin to have two guys so good looking, so there was no question about it, really.

"Sakura, I'd like to introduce Uchiha Itachi." her father's words registered dimly as a pair of familiar black eyes bore unflinchingly into hers. The newcomer inclined his head slightly. His face was exactly as she remembered (how could she forget a face like that?) but the air with which he carried himself made her think twice- refined, purposeful, poised… and dangerous. There was no earring winking in his ear this time.

Hastily covering her shock with a well-practiced smile, she extended a hand in greeting.

"How do you do?" she asked courteously as his hand enveloped hers, but the question she really wanted answered was 'how the hell did you end up in my house?!'

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sakura." his voice was pure velvet, with an underlying hint of cold, hard steel.

She had a bad feeling about this.

"Yes yes, as we discussed, Mr. Uchiha has been assigned the role of being your bodyguard from now on." her father was saying, but all that reverberated in the pinkette's head was a chorus of nasty, panicked curses.

She didn't know why, exactly, but a feeling of unease had overcome her the moment she'd landed eyes on him. It was probably due to the unwelcome spike in her interest, which she was attempting valiantly to ignore. The recollection of 'I wanna fuck you like an animal!' probably wasn't helping, either.

A week had passed since her parents revealed the danger their family was in, and while she hadn't forgotten about their intentions to increase her security, Sakura had foolishly hoped they'd be too busy carry out their plan. It wasn't that she wanted to be murdered or kidnapped and used as a leverage for ransom, but her distaste for being constantly monitored hadn't diminished in the slightest.

"Please," that horrifyingly smooth voice interjected "Call me Itachi."

Her pulse jumped at his words and she refused to meet his eyes.

"That's right, forgive me. Itachi is fairly young, I suppose he wouldn't like being addressed with a title just yet," her father chuckled. It seemed he'd taken a liking to the man. Well he must have, given that he was practically entrusting him with his daughter's life… but Sakura could not understand why. Itachi was polite enough, yes, but he possessed an underlying quality she couldn't quite put her finger on. Was he really the carelessly dressed cashier from that night?

After a violent internal debate, she flickered her gaze in his direction once more, for a fraction of a second.
He was staring right back at her, just as he had at four AM that morning. Alarmed, she hurriedly slammed an airtight facade of indifference over her features. It was him, alright.

"Thank you for your protection, Itachi." she coated her unease with a layer of graciousness, the gears in her brain going into overdrive.

How did a convenience store cashier end up as the bodyguard for one of the wealthiest families in the country? It didn't make any sense. She considered voicing these concerns with her parents later on, in private. They weren't the type to do anything serious without research and solid background knowledge, so there was a high possibility that they already knew. But that did nothing to quell the feeling in her stomach.

"I look forward to it, Sakura."

"Do you mind?" Sakura snapped, fiddling with the zipper on her handbag. She'd been attempting for the last minute or so to securely close it, but the large bottle of water stashed inside was making things difficult. Being relentlessly watched by the her silent bodyguard wasn't helping any, either.

"Allow me."

She froze as Itachi took the bag from her hands, sliding the zipper closed with ease.
Blushing, she snatched it from him, feeling particularly inept. After her moment of irritation, she regretted her less-than-gracious behaviour. It wasn't his fault he'd been hired by her parents, who apparently did know of his little cashier background. But that didn't mean he needed to follow her every move with careful, calculating eyes that were always unreadable, bottomless and eerily pitch black.
Not that she'd been looking at him all that much.

"Thank you." she muttered, receiving no response save for that bone-cutting, steady gaze.
Sighing she turned to the large mirror by the door to tie up her hair.

It was twelve in the afternoon, and she could already feel the heat descending outside.
The pair of them stood in her foyer while she readied herself for a trip to Ino's. A single day had passed since her parents' departure for work, and Itachi was dutifully doing his job. Another job he was doing, much to her displeasure, was creeping her the hell out. But despite her feeble protests the night before they left, Akihiro and Miyuki would not budge on the issue. She'd ben too tired to put up much of a fight anyways.

Once her locks were secured in a tight bun she made her way through the front door, Itachi close on her heels, silent as ever.

She headed for her bicycle, pausing as she undid the chains. How would he follow her if he didn't have one?
Shrugging, she decided that was his problem. She was hardly going to be held at gunpoint in broad daylight. There was no reason she couldn't give him Ino's address and have him meet her there; maybe that way she could finally have a moment to herself, away from the awkward, tense silence they'd created between themselves.

"...I will drive"

Stopping short, Sakura turned to him.
He held a car key in his hands, the sight of which caused her to grit her teeth. Never mind that she'd been looking forward to riding, getting her blood pumping and feeling the wind whip around her, it would be pointless to argue. She trailed behind him grudgingly in the direction of the garage, feeling doomed to endure his presence forever.
Or at least til the police tracked down whoever was threatening her family.

After giving him directions and strapping herself into into the passenger's seat, Sakura was forced to be hyperaware of their proximity… At least in the house she had the option of creating a fair amount of distance between them. An unidentifiable smell she'd decided was probably emanating from him filled the small space of the car, like mint and fresh pine.

She didn't like his silence.
She didn't like his mysterious aura, his gracefulness, or his blank mask of indifference. She did not like his long, lush ponytail that matched the colour of his eyes exactly. And she especially hated his high cheekbones, smooth skin and full lips. But she had to make do, for the sake of her parents' sanity. If she tried enough, ignoring his presence shouldn't be too hard, right? He hadn't proven himself to be particularly engaging.

Rolling the window down, she focused instead on the lush green fields sliding in and out of view. Warm sunlight caressed her face, bringing a smile to her lips. She hadn't seen Ino since the last day of school, when the blonde had slept over. They'd celebrated, finishing an entire bottle of pink wine between the two of them and watching old movies all night- fairly tame, by their standards. The Yamanakas had gone out of town the next day, and recently returned from visiting family. Waking up whenever she wanted had been nice, but Sakura's mind thrived on activity, so naturally she'd grown bored with doing nothing all week and was looking forward to seeing her friend again.

The smell of freshly-blooming flowers assaulted her as they turned into Ino's driveway.
The Yamanakas ran a large business as florists, the best in their city. Since Sakura had known her, Ino had undergone training in the art of flower arrangement and gardening. She had an eye for the aesthetically-pleasing. Her skills with beauty were unparalleled, extending even to makeup and fashion, often saving Sakura in times of dire need, for instance if she needed her eyebrows threaded five minutes before a party.

Passing swiftly through the sea of coloured blooms, they pulled up to the seventeenth-century styled farmhouse in no time. She spotted Ino's long flaxen hair trailing behind her as the girl sat on the porch, basking in the afternoon sun. A pair of fashionable cat-eye glasses rested on the brim of her pert nose.
Once she was aware of Sakura's arrival, the blonde sat up immediately, gliding down gracefully to meet her.

Sakura grinned, but stopped short when she heard the driver's door slam. When had Itachi gotten out of the car? She'd valiantly ignored him the entire ride over, but damn he was fast. Emerging from the vehicle, she was met by curious, wide powder-blue eyes.

"Who is that?" Ino breathed in tones she probably thought were discreet. Itachi stood a little ways off on the other side of the car, dutifully taking in his surroundings. At least his eyes were off of her for now.

"That, Ino, is what happened while you were away…"

Pushing the girl unceremoniously inside, Sakura began the story of how she'd somehow become saddled with a drop-dead-gorgeous creep of a bodyguard in the span of a mere week.

I know the American schooling system (and others as well) is different from what I'm used to, so for those of you who don't know sixth form is like twelfth grade. For me, I had upper and lower sixth form, so that's first year of twelfth grade and second year of twelfth grade... It's optional, and a higher level of certification than high school, but most high schools have a joined sixth form so it's like you're still attending. Hope that clears up any confusion.

This is the quickest I've ever updated anything! Let me know what you think?
Thank you SO much for the reviews and follows, I hope you enjoy the story.
Side note, check out Authentiques (for all you SakuSasu fans), it's another fic I'm working on!