Whew. Am at my school's computer lab. I was confined in the hospital for a week due to possible dengue - but it was just measles, so the doctor had me incubated at home for another week, so it's only now that I went to my new school ^^ An Animation school for that matter! haha! So, people in the Philippines! Who among you study or know who studies at iAcademy? :D I still don't have internet.

Hell High
Chapter 5: Lesser of Two Evils

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"Daddy!"

"My answer is final Sakura."

She pouted and glared at the newcomer who had an innocent smile on her face.

"I promised my sister that you and I would gladly take care of Akai."

"But she's-"

Ikichi narrowed his eyes at Sakura.

"Oh fine." She grumbled, eyeing the seven-year old child who smiled at her. "Hi Akai."

"Saku-nechan!" she chirped, before running to hug the older girl's leg. "I missed you!"

"See? Why can't you be as happy as her?"

Sakura sighed and forced a smile to her younger cousin. "Akai-chan, I have to go to school now."

"Aw." She pouted. "Can't I come?"

"Don't you have school?"

"Daddy gave a letter to the school, so I have all my schoolwork emailed to me!"

"This kid…" Sakura twitched. "So young and already so into technology..."

"So, can I come?"

Ikichi chuckled. "We'll have to ask the school's Principal if he'll allow you."

"But daddy!"

"I won't leave Akai here alone."

"What about the maids? Or the butler! What's the use of a security guard outside?!"

Ikichi sighed. "Sakura, they'll be too busy to play with Akai, and you know how she'll be bored in the office if she comes with me." He led them to his car. "Now come."

"I'm walking." Sakura huffed.

"No, I'll take you and Akai to Oto, no more arguments."

"But-" she cut herself off when her father crossed his arms. "Fine." She grumbled.

"So let me get this straight," he positioned himself for defense. "You kiss her as the day ends when you don't smoke a stick?"

"Basically." He said, easily shooting the ball into the ring. "Your defense is still crappy."

"Shut up." He passed the ball back to Sasuke. "Doesn't she… like, slap you or something?"

"No." he dribbled pass Naruto and shot the ball. "That's what makes me so confused."

"For a labeled genius," he picked up the ball and grinned. "You suck when it comes to feelings." And he tossed the basketball to his best friend.

"Can it, you're no Casanova either."

"Yeah well, I can see when a girl likes a guy, you can't."

"Hn. If I didn't know of your crush towards Hinata, I'd say you were gay."

"W-what?! How can you say that?!" he stole the ball from Sasuke.

"Simple," he got it back. "You seem to know the signs that a girl shows when she likes a guy – men usually can't understand women."

"Bah!" he slapped the ball away from him, causing the object to roll out of the school's outdoor court. "That's just what people say when they do not want to admit that they don't get it."

"…hn." He just picked up his backpack and ran after the ball, Naruto tailing behind. "So if she does like me," he emphasized the 'if' part. "Why can't she just say so?"

"Since you like her, why can't you just tell her?"

"Touché."

The two stopped upon seeing their basketball in the hands of a man in a suit.

"Ikichi-san." Sasuke nodded once, while Naruto grinned and said a "yo" to the man.

The Haruno patriarch sweat dropped at Naruto's greeting, but gave a polite smile in return. "I'm afraid I need your assistance again."

Both boys looked at each other with raised brows, before turning back to the older man.

"Well," he cleared his throat and passed the ball back to Sasuke. "It's my niece."

"Oh, new student?" Sasuke asked.

"No." Ikichi side-stepped to reveal the seven-year old Akai – her short red hair was up in pigtails by white ribbons, while her smile showed just how enthusiastic she was being there. "This is Akai, my sister's daughter."

"Good morning! My name is Akai! You can call me Akai-chan if you want!" she gave a respectful bow, and then looked up at the two teenaged boys.

"She… is soooo cute!" Naruto beamed and suddenly rushed forward to hug the child. "Oh my gosh! You are just so cute! Can I keep her?! Huh?? Can I?!"

Sasuke threw the ball he held at Naruto's head. "You're suffocating her, you idiot." He then turned to Ikichi. "Let me guess, you want me to babysit her?"

"No, but…" Ikichi lowered his voice. "Since she'll be under Sakura's care…"

Sasuke smirked. "Sakura doesn't know how to handle a kid, huh?"

"Exactly." Ikichi looked back at the car where Sakura leaned on, grumbling incoherent words. "I can't leave Akai alone at home, and my office will only bore her, not to mention that she insisted on coming with Sakura, but… well, will the Principal allow it?"

"I guess we can talk about it." Sasuke eyed Akai, watching how she seemed so amused at Naruto's antics.

He kept his eyes at the child who continued smiling.

"Well, as long as she doesn't disrupt classes or other students…" he took out a piece of paper and wrote something, afterwards, signed it and handed it to Ikichi. "You'll have to sign as well for proof."

"Thank you." Ikichi signed the paper and handed it back to Orochimaru. "I assure you, Akai-chan won't be too much trouble."

"Alright then," he turned to Sakura, seeing her still scowling. "I take it that Sasuke will be assisting Sakura in babysitting?"

"Yes."

"Then I have nothing to worry about."

Sakura twitched. "Was that an insult..?"

"What do you mean, Sakura?"

"Just because Sasuke will be there, everything's fine?!"

Orochimaru cracked a small smile. "I just happen to trust him to take care of things, it's the very reason I'm not too stressed about your transfer here."

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I asked Sasuke to keep an eye on you, just to make sure you'll adjust properly."

"I see." She quieted down soon after and left her father and the Principal to talk. "So he wasn't befriending me voluntarily, huh?"

"You two take care alright?"

"Yes uncle!" Akai beamed.

Sakura just gave a nod as Ikichi drove off after thanking Sasuke.

"Ne," Akai tugged the boy's pants. "Are you my new brother?"

He raised a brow and knelt down to be in eye-level with the child. "Depends," he gave a small smile. "Do you want me to?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "I always wanted one!" she looked at him. "Can I call you nii-chan??"

"Sure." He lightly patted her head. "But you'll have to be on your best behavior today, alright?"

"I promise!" she said.

"Hey! I want to be your onii-chan too! Call me onii-chan!!" Naruto butted in.

"No way, you're weird!" Akai pointed with a laugh.

"What?! I'm not weird!"

Sasuke stood up and looked at Sakura. "You've been awfully quiet."

She glanced at him, and then at Akai. "Come on Akai." And she led the way to the classroom, Akai tugging Sasuke to get him to follow, with Naruto crying in defeat.

"What's up with her?" Sasuke asked himself, eyeing Sakura's frown.

Anko scowled at the smiling child.

"Are you sure she won't throw a tantrum?"

"Yes sensei." Sakura said.

"Fine then; get her to sit on the bleachers."

"I don't want to!" Akai said with a pout as she crossed her arms. "It's too far!"

Anko twitched. "Kid, you're disrupting my class."

"I don't care! I won't stay at the bleachers!"

"Listen you little brat," Anko snarled. "If you don't go to the bleachers, I'll lock you up in the stock room, you hear me?!"

Akai gave a frightened look, and Anko smirked triumphantly, but it was wiped off of her face when the child started crying. "Mean old lady!"

"OLD?!"

"Wah!!"

Sakura panicked when Anko gave her a glare.

"A-Akai-chan, please," she smiled nervously. "Stop crying, okay? You… um… uh… oh please stop!"

"Ne-chan! She's mean! She wants to lock me up!"

"No! She won't, she just… she's just kidding!"

"She yelled!"

"Make her shut up, Haruno!" Zaku yelled, covering his ears while some of their classmates also started complaining.

Sakura panicked and tried to calm her cousin down, inwardly cursing the annoying child.

"Akai." Sakura looked up when Sasuke bent down to talk to her cousin. "You promised you'd behave, right?"

The child sniffed, trying to quiet down her sobs as she gave a nod.

"Good girl." He ruffled her hair. "Now, sensei said you should go to the bleachers, right?"

"But…"

"I'll take you there, okay?"

"O-Okay…"

He offered her his hand and led her away.

"Alright then!" Anko called back the other students' attention. "I want all of to divide into two groups! Pick five starting players, assign a position, and go play basketball! Ten minutes!" she blew onto her whistle as the students scattered, afterwards she turned to Sakura who stared at her cousin and Sasuke. "Haruno," she called the girl. "It says here in this letter that you'll take full responsibility of your cousin, and that Uchiha will only assist."

"Yeah…"

"So why is it that he looks like he's the one in-charge and not you?"

"…How should I know?" she said back, not in the mood to take Anko's lectures. "He seems used to handling kids better than I am." She walked pass Anko. "And… go ahead and call me spoiled, pampered, etc. I won't be surprised anymore." She looked at Anko. "That's how all of you see me as anyway."

The gym teacher just blinked and tilted her head to side. "Is it that time of the month for her?"

"Foul!"

"What's the matter with you Haruno?!" Zaku spat. "This isn't football! Stop tackling!"

"I would if you'd stop insulting me!"

"Why?! All the insults I said are true anyway!"

"Say that again you bastard!"

"Break it up!" Anko called, placing one hand on the two's shoulders. "Abumi, get your butt onto that bench and let someone else take over! As for you, Haruno, cool your head outside the gym! Now!"

"Oh so I get sent out while he just sits?! Fine!" Sakura turned around. "Fuck this class!"

"Haruno!"

"What?!" Sakura glared. "Like you don't cuss!" and she stomped off, ignoring Anko's threats.

Sasuke sighed and scratched the back of his head. "What the hell is up with that girl?!" he walked over to Akai to see how she was holding up.

"Why is ne-chan so mad? And what does fuck mean?"

"Akai, don't say that, okay?"

"Why?"

"…It's a bad word."

"Oh. What does it mean?"

He sighed and patted the girl's head. "You'll find out someday."

"Is ne-chan alright?"

"I don't know." He said. "She's a bit… off today."

"Why?"

"I wish I knew." He gave a small smile. "Did anything happen this morning?"

Akai shook her head. "I don't understand why she doesn't like me though."

"She doesn't like you?"

"Yeah."

Sasuke eyed the doors that led outside. "I'll come back okay? I'll just go see what's wrong with your cousin."

"Okay."

She opened her water bottle and poured the contents over her head, hoping it would help cool her off.

"You are aware that you're wearing a white shirt, right?"

She glared and turned to face Sasuke. "So?"

He sighed. "If it's wet, it would cling like a second skin, and people will see your bra."

"It's not like I haven't been harassed by the guys here." She snorted. "You should know that."

"Okay, cut the crap, what's wrong?"

"I should be the one telling you to cut the crap!" she snapped.

"What..?"

"You-" she hissed. "-are only befriending me because the Principal asked you to!"

"…That's the reason for your bitchy mood?"

"See?! You're calling me a bitch like everyone does!"

"…Sakura," he twitched. "I didn't call you a female dog; I was referring to your attitude."

"And that also means you're calling me a bitch indirectly!"

"Will you calm down?"

"Hell no! You're a lying bastard!"

"Fuck this." He pushed her against the wall and lowered his head slightly to be in eye level with her. "He told me to keep an eye on you, befriending you was my own decision, not his."

"Like hell!"

"Do you think I'd stop hanging with my friends since pre-school during lunch just to befriend you? You're already in my class, I can do that there, but I spend most of my time every-single-day-with-you." He narrowed his eyes. "Since I started being around you, the other students began calling me your Knight, which normally, I'd be annoyed at, but do you see me getting irked by it?"

"Well no, but-"

"Smoking is a habit of mine, I've been trying to quit yet couldn't seem to, yet ever since you told me how much you hated it, I stopped! Don't you think that's too easy for someone who's used to smoking?"

"Yes, but-"

"Your father didn't force me to help you in taking care of Akai, but he didn't need to ask more than once just for me to agree; do you still think I'm doing this just because I was asked to?"

"Alright already!" She looked away. "I'm sorry..."

He studied her expression for a few seconds before pulling back. "Is that why you're distant?"

"Yeah…" she murmured. "I'm still not used to being here that much; the students here still haven't warmed up to me."

"Screw them." he muttered, pulling her into an embrace. "If they can't see how great you are, that's their loss." He looked at her surprised expression. "You, on the other hand, should stop worrying too much on what other people think about you, and just be who you want to be." He smirked. "What the hell happened to the Sakura I was playing Left 4 Dead with?"

She blushed. "Don't remind me of that day! It was embarrassing!"

"I should be the one embarrassed, don't you think?"

She punched his arm. "You are so mean!"

"Hn." He wrapped an arm around her, which made her blush. "That's why you love me."

"Go to hell!"

"Already in it." He smirked at her. "When you're there, I know I'm in hell."

"You're the one who welcomed me to hell, remember?!"

"…No."

"Bastard!"

"Hn."

"Asshole!"

"Hn."

"Jerk!"

"Hn."

"You're not listening again!"

"Hn."

"What?!"

"You heard me."

"Daddy!"

Ikichi just closed the trunk of his car. "I'll only be gone for a day or two."

"But… but…"

"You and Akai will be fine."

"But-!"

"I'll try to be back as soon as possible, and don't worry." He got inside the car. "I hired a sitter."

"Does this mean I can go when she arrives?"

"No. You're staying." Ikichi looked at Sakura. "And for the record, not all babysitters are female."

"Most of them are."

"I'll keep my phone on, but call only when it's an emergency, understand?"

"Yes daddy."

"I'm off." He then left the mansion's vicinity, leaving Sakura to stare back inside her home.

Akai had a dual personality – she can be the angelic little kid people were used to, or she can be such an evil little imp, which she really is.

"Saku-nechan!"

"Crap." She cursed upon seeing Akai running down the stairs. "What do you want?"

The child gave a smile, but her eyes turned from an innocent look to one of a mischievous glint. "Let's play tag, shall we?"

"No way."

"I'm telling uncle." She pulled out her own mobile phone. "He told me to call if you won't play with me."

"Oh yeah? And what is he going to do?"

"He said he'll ground you, or maybe change his mind about that party Ino-nechan is having."

Sakura's eyes widened. She could handle being grounded, but missing Ino's once-a-year party would be like getting an F in school.

"So, shall we play?"

"…Fine."

"Great! You're… it!"

Sakura yelped when a stuffed bunny hit her face.

"You little twerp!" She ran after Akai who made her way to the small library Ikichi had, since the man loved books. Sakura knew that Akai would do anything to get her into trouble with Ikichi – that's just how much of a brat her cousin is when no one else is around. Akai could care less if the maids or butler knew of her evil side, it's not like they'd bother scolding her anyway.

"Come and catch me!"

"No Akai! Not there! Please!" she picked up some of the books the child had purposely tossed onto the ground in order to slow Sakura down.

"You're bad at this game ne-chan!"

"You're cheating!"

"Quite the trained little fellow isn't he?"

"Yeah." He gave a small pellet to the young falcon on his left shoulder. "I asked Ikichi-san if I could bring him along."

"So he's your pet?"

"Somewhat."

"Oh, so how long have you had him?"

"About two weeks."

"Quite young-looking."

"Yes." He smiled slightly. "I managed to train it how to behave during indoors, provided I give him a treat now and then."

"Looks like it," he stopped before two large doors. "This is where the maids last saw Akai-chan and Sakura-san."

"Alright, thank you, um… Wei, was it?"

"Yes, Sasuke-san."

"Okay, thanks."

As soon as the butler left, Sasuke pushed open the doors and sweat dropped at the scattered books and misplaced chairs.

"It looks like a tornado hit this place." He turned to the bird on his shoulder. "See if you can find them."

The falcon gave a high pitched screech before flapping its wings as soon as Sasuke unhooked the chain that was attached to its right leg. It flew upwards, and then circled the large place, its owner's eyes never leaving its soaring form.

"There huh?" Sasuke murmured, seeing the bird circling one part of the library. He rushed towards it and gave a whistle to call the bird back, giving it a treat as soon it perched itself onto his shoulder. "Hey, weirdo." He called, seeing the pink-haired girl on her hands and knees. "What're you doing?"

"S-Sasuke?!" she sat up almost instantly. "I'm looking for Akai. Why are you here?!" she looked at the falcon pecking at its left wing. "And why do you have a hawk?!"

The teenaged Uchiha sweat dropped. "It's a falcon, weirdo."

"I knew that!" she stood up, brushing off dirt from her long white skirt. "Now, why are you here?"

"Your father didn't tell you?"

"…You're the sitter?!"

"Hn."

"You baby-sit?!"

"…Just now."

"You mean to tell me you don't have any experience?!"

"I know enough to handle a seven-year old kid." He petted the falcon. "Unlike you."

"…Shut up." She attempted to pull up her brown boots when they were feeling loose, but to do so, she had to lift bits of her skirt up, which led to her face turning red. "Look away!"

"Why?" he raised a brow. "It's not like I'll see anything, I'm pretty sure you're wearing stockings."

"It's… just look away!"

He sighed and turned his back to her.

"There." She exclaimed. She tugged down the hem of her light blue shirt and looked up at Sasuke, seeing a black shirt underneath a blue baseball shirt. He sported beige cargo pants and black converse shoes. She took notice of his fingerless gloved hand where the falcon perched, and also the chain coming from the band around his left wrist which connected to one of the falcon's feet. Lastly, she recalled something off about him today. "Hey… turn around."

"Is it safe to look?" he asked sarcastically.

"Just turn around!"

He did, and she grinned – seeing what was new. "What's with the new look?" she pointed at how he had his hair parted from the right.

"Hm..?" he looked up. "Oh, that." He raised his right hand to get his bangs back down, but she immediately jumped in to stop him from doing so.

"No, don't!"

He fell onto his butt, resulting to the falcon taking off a few feet up in the air.

"Ow, damn it Sakura."

"S-Sorry." She sat back up as he did the same. "Anyway, don't mess it up."

"What?"

"Your hair." She tilted her head to the left and smiled. "I like it that way."

He flushed slightly and turned away. "Hn. I didn't notice it was like that."

"So how did it become like that?"

He shrugged. "Probably after taking a bath, I have a habit of leaving a towel on my head when the phone rings after I take a shower."

"That explains a lot…"

"Hn." He stood up and assisted her in getting to her own two feet. "Where's Akai?"

"I don't know." She looked around. "Come to think of it, she quieted down all of a sudden."

Sasuke pocketed his hands in his dark blue jeans and looked around. "Raiha, go search for Akai." The falcon took off once more when the chain was off of its foot.

"How does it do that?"

"He just understands a few words, like 'search' or something synonymous to that, and he flies off."

"How does he know what or who we're looking for?"

"If he spots anything or anyone moving, and he can't carry it, he'll circle around the area until I get there."

"Much like how he found me?"

"Yeah."

They looked back at the falcon when it called their attention. Raiha was perched on one of the bookshelves with his head eyeing something below.

"Looks like he found her." Sakura said.

"Possibly."

"Go get it Raiha! Go get it!!"

Sakura twitched at Akai's sudden change of mood upon seeing Sasuke with her.

"Now no one will know how the brat acts…" Sakura huffed. "It's not a dog Akai."

"But it found me like a bloodhound!"

"Sasuke trained it, but it doesn't fetch."

"Well it could have!" she yelled, afterwards, made crying sounds. "You are such a big meanie!" and she ran off once more while the falcon just remained perched on the couch.

"Not again!" Sakura yelped when she heard thunder, followed by the crack of lightning, the hard pitter patter of the heavy raindrops, and lastly, a sudden blackout. "This is just great…" she stood up and blindly made her way around the living room, cursing when her knee hit the edge of the center table. She proceeded walking around while her eyes adjusted to the dim atmosphere, glad that there was still a bit of light coming in from the clear glass windows her father's mansion offered.

"Akai! Where are you?!" she called out. Where the heck was Sasuke when you needed him?

As she managed to get out of the living room and into the kitchen, she didn't think that her young cousin would leave a small rubber ball on the floor.

"Eeep!" she slipped and fell forward, landing onto a hard chest. "Hell no!"

"What did you do this time?"

"It's not my fault! It was hers!"

Sasuke just sighed and sat up. "Where is she?"

"Hiding."

"…"

"What?"

"You. Suck."

"She just ran off!"

"Hn. Get off."

She did, and they were able to get back on their feet and look around the dark area.

"What happened anyway? I heard you two yelling at each other."

"She was being annoying." She huffed. "That's how she is anyway, yet no one seems to believe me because Akai instantly pulls on a fake act of innocence in front of others."

"Right…"

"See?! Even you don't believe me!"

He sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Look, let's just… find her, okay? And… maybe we can coax her to sleeping in."

"I'm not so sure about that…"

They heard a crash nearby, so they immediately went to it.

"Hey, is it me or is it a bit… cold?"

"Hn. Now that you mentioned it…" Sasuke looked around the dark. "It is colder than normal."

Sakura hugged herself in an attempt to keep warm. "Forget that, it's freezing!"

"Can't be due to the air conditioners, the power's out."

"We have a generator, only the lights are out unless it's night time."

Sasuke felt around and pulled his hand back since what he touched stung with such coldness. "Where the heck..?"

"Yipe!" she felt someone push her, causing her to fall towards Sasuke who fell back.

Next thing they knew, Akai laughed and closed the door.

"Oh shit…" Sakura cursed and stood up, now realizing where they were and why it was so cold. "We're in the fucking freezer!"

"…This place is a freezer?!"

"It's a large freezer okay?!" Sakura suddenly sneezed. "Damn kid shut the door! There's no way out!"

He rubbed his hands up and down his arms and looked at where they came from. "You mean to tell me that that door is a one-way thing?!"

"Yes!" Sakura felt around for her phone. "Crap, I left my mobile in the living room."

Sasuke pulled his out of his jeans and glared. "Ch. Dead battery."

"No do you believe me about Akai?"

"Okay, she's an evil little imp." Sasuke sighed. "Right now, we need to find a way to get out of here… an air vent, or something."

"No such thing." Sakura leaned against a cold wall and slid down. "I've gotten stuck here when I was a kid, I had to wait for almost an hour until someone got me out, I just got luck it was dinner time."

He sat down next to her and breathed out. "What time is it?"

She shrugged. "Since we just ate lunch barely an hour ago, I'd say we're stuck here until tonight – or until the maids and butler realize we're missing."

"Fuck…" he sighed and glanced at her, seeing how much she was shivering. "How are you holding up?"

"N-Not so g-good… y-you?"

"Hn…" he sighed. "I don't think I'll last long either."

"S-Sasuke… d-do y-you mind if I…" she didn't continue and just leaned against him, not seeing the sudden blush on his cheeks. "S-Sorry, i-it's j-just too c-cold."

"Hang on," he shifted a bit until she was in-between his legs, and he wrapped his arms around her while pulling her back to his chest. "Just don't fall asleep." He told her while embracing her tightly in an attempt to keep them both warm. "Just… just talk."

"I-I d-don't know w-what to s-say…"

"Sing if you have to," he was beginning to shiver. "J-Just say anything."

"But…" her eyes felt droopy, so she shook her head to wake herself up. "S-Sasuke…"

"Don't fall asleep, damn it." He tightened his grip around her. "Don't make me bite you."

She had to laugh at that, and then she stopped upon realizing something. "Hey… I've got an idea but…" she turned red and moved a bit in order to face him. "It's… it's really…"

"Hn." He looked up at her since he was leaning down slightly. "What?"

She bit her lower lip and pressed her forehead against his.

"What are you…" he trailed off when he saw her eyes closed and felt her lips against his. "Sakura..?"

"Work with me here!" she exclaimed, flustered. "I…I can't do this alone."

He was slightly taken aback by what she said. "That sure had a double meaning."

"Come on already! We don't have much of a choice! I'm feeling sleepy!"

He just gave a small smirk. "This… is too awkward."

"Y-yeah…" she leaned forward again. "Sort of."

He moved his right hand at the back of her head and pulled her lips to his. He felt how her fingers trailed the front of his shirt until her arms wrapped around his neck. They pulled away a bit for air and gazed into each other's eyes, observing how red the other's cheeks were, and how fast the other's breathing was. To him, the sight of her looking so flushed was tempting him for another intense kiss, and to her, she wanted another one, because she likes him already, and to be honest, she was sort of glad to be stuck here with him.

"Sasuke… I…" she leaned closer when he moved forward. "I really… really…"

He kissed her lightly at first, and then pulled back.

"Like you." She finished, and then pressed her lips against his.

"Tell me where they are Akai-chan, this is no joke."

Akai pouted at Wei and crossed her arms. "Freezer…"

"What..?"

"Freezer."

"You locked them in the freezer?!" Wei instantly rushed to the kitchen and ran pass the many cupboards. He reached the metallic door and pulled the lever down, afterwards, pulled it open with all his might. "Sakura-san! Sasuke-san!" he entered the freezer and squint his eyes when the thick mist clouded his vision. "Sakura-san! Sasuke-san! Please, answer me!"

"W-Wei..?"

Wei entered and spotted the two teens huddled against the wall, with Sakura in-between Sasuke's legs and arms.

"Wei!" she exclaimed, glad that it wasn't an illusion.

"Oh my goodness!" he approached the two and helped them up. "Come, come. Let's get you two out of here!"

As soon as they stepped out of the freezer, Raiha came swooping in to perch on Sasuke's left shoulder. It pecked at Sasuke's hair lightly, and nipped his ear a bit, as if asking if he was okay.

"I'm fine Raiha, I'm okay." He told the falcon while lifting his right hand to its beak, and it nipped at his cold fingers lightly in an attempt to bring some feeling back in them.

"Sit down you two, hurry!" Wei had them both sit in front of the kitchen's counter while he immediately ordered for two cups of coffee and two thick blankets.

He watched as the two continued to shiver a bit, but he wondered how they managed to keep warm during the time they were left inside the freezer.

"If I may ask…" he began, catching their attention. "I doubt snuggling kept you two warm for that long…"

The two were at least glad that their cheeks were already red, so their blush wasn't noticeable by Wei.

"Believe me, it's a miracle that hugging kept us warm." Sakura managed to say with a small grin.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for dinner?"

"I promised my dad I'd be home before supper." He said, refusing her offer. "And anyway," he glanced up at the stairs where he could hear Ikichi scolding Akai. "Looks like you won't be worrying about your cousin any longer."

"Yeah," she smiled. "Um… Sasuke..? About… earlier," she lowered her head as she blushed. "Thanks… for… keeping me warm."

He eyed her for a few moments before daring to raise his right hand and touch her cheek, causing her to look up at him. "About what you said," he began, and she could feel how fast her heart was beginning to beat. "I… well, I…" he tried hard not to gulp, but he knew he can't force down his blush. "I also-"

"I'm really sorry about what happened earlier."

He pulled his hand back while Sakura tried to compose herself when Ikichi came climbing down the stairs.

"Believe me, I had no idea Akai would pull such a stunt."

Sasuke gave a small smile. "I didn't either, until Sakura told me about it."

Ikichi glanced at his daughter. "I'm sorry for not believing you princess." He pulled his daughter in for an embrace. "Anyway, Sasuke, why don't you stay for dinner?"

He shook his head and gave a polite smile. "I can't sir, my father is expecting me."

"In that case, some other time then?"

"Sure sir," he glanced at Sakura. "I'd like that." And she gave him a small smile.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Meet Prince PITA

She looked at the hand that was offered to her, and without breaking eye contact from her Knight, she took it as he helped her up.

"Peasant!"

Her eyes blinked repeatedly when she felt someone slap both her hand and Sasuke's away, and someone's back came into view, replacing her vision of Sasuke's face.

"How dare you touch and disgrace the hand of my Princess?!"

She recognized that voice anywhere, and she felt damned to see that the owner was wearing the uniform for boys of Konoha High. Immediately, her cheeks turned red out of embarrassment – especially now that people were looking.

"You have no right to taint the royal hand of my lovely Sakura-hime!"

"AKIRA?!"

A/N: Ohoho… What's this?! A rival for Sakura's heart?? And about the animals… haha. I just watched Special A, alright?? XD I had this image of Sasuke surrounded with animals. LOL.