On the night of the ball...
Sasuke stood in front of his mirror and fixed his black tuxedo. "Tonight," he grumbled, "This tux is not going to be in vain. I HAVE to straighten things out with her." He looked down at his gloved hands. "This may be my last chance."
A maid knocked on his door and said, "Prince, the ball is about to start. The Queen wishes you to be there for her speech. Please do make haste!" She giggled and ran off.
Sasuke ran a hand through his spikes and then stepped out the door. "That woman... So pushy." He made his way to the ballroom and joined the other guests as they awaited the Queen's arrival. The dark-haired Uchiha forced himself to look over the guests' heads, looking for a certain maid. "Where could she be..."
A plump, aristocrat woman turned around and gasped. "Oh my- You're Prince Sasuke! Ooh!" In her excitement, she embraced the young Prince as though he were her long lost son. The other guests gasped at the sight and the servants murmured. "My how you've grown!"
Sasuke, flustered and confused, struggled to break free from the embrace. "Wh-what do you think you're doing?! Let go of me this instant! Or I'll have the guards remove you!"
"Oh-hoo-hoo!" The woman released him and continued to laugh joyously. "Don't you remember me? I tended to you when you were just a baby! I was the most loyal babysitter in your Kingdom! But now look at you!" She pinched his cheeks. "You've grown so much since I last saw you!"
Sasuke winced and pried her fingers from his face. "Errr... Nice to see you again...then..."
"Oh, don't flatter! Call me Lucy!"
"I'd rather not..." A flash of pink caught Sasuke's eyes and he looked up. Nothing. Sakura? "Excuse me...um...Lucy. I have matters to attend to." He gently pushed himself past her and went to the food table. "I could have sworn that was her. Ooh... Punch!" He took a cup and filled it with the bright red liquid.
"About time I got a break," a voice sighed. The mysterious person bumped into the dark Prince. "Oh, I'm sorry! I-" She gasped. "Sasuke?!"
Sasuke turned around and choked, barely gripping his cup. Sakura was wearing a black apron and beneath it was a white half-sleeve and a very short skirt. She also had a scarf wrapped around her neck. "Sakura!" he coughed.
Sakura let out an exasperated sigh and gave him a glare. "What are you doing here now? Trying to get me into MORE trouble? Give me a break for once!" She pushed him aside and helped herself to some sushi and onigiri.
Sasuke placed his cup on the table and wiped his lips. "I umm... I heard about the ball and I was interested."
Sakura ignored him and shoved another sushi into her mouth.
"Alright fine I'll be straight with you. I wanted to apologize for getting you into trouble again. It's all my fault that you ended up like this. I just...ugh." Sasuke poured some more of the drink into his cup and drank it down. "I don't...know."
Sakura swallowed her food and cleaned her lips with a napkin. "I didn't know you drink," she told him.
He drank another cup-full down and looked at her with half-open eyes. "What..."
"I didn't know you drink," Sakura repeated and ate some strawberries dipped in chocolate. "How many cups have you drank?"
Sasuke shook his head and blinked a few times. "About...three I think?" he muttered, "Why does it matter? It's only juice."
Sakura coughed. "What are you talking about? That's cocktail! ALCOHOL cocktail."
Sasuke laughed a slow laugh. "Nah...can't be. 'Cause I'm not at all dr...whoa..." He lost balance and descended to the floor,only to stop in mid-air. He turned to his side and barely made out Sakura's figure. Her arms wrapped around his torsoe, keeping him half-standing.
"Sasuke!" Sakura scolded quietly, "Look at you, you're drunk! I swear, it's like you weren't born a man!"
"Of course not... I was born a baby."
"Oh, be quiet! You know what I mean!" Sakura rolled her eyes and hoisted him up. "C'mmon." She helped him to the window and seated him on the couch. She sat next to him and took off her apron. "You're so irresponsible."
The open window allowed a gust of wind to tickle Sasuke's neck and he let out a sleepy chuckle. "Great job, Sakura. You put me in a freezer."
Realizing this, Sakura gasped. "Well it's your fault! If you hadn't gotten drunk!" She pouted and removed her scarf. "Here."
Faintly feeling the young woman's attempt to warm his neck with her scarf, Sasuke quickly took the scarf and wrapped it back around her neck, bringing some of her soft, pink locks to her front. "No...keep it," he mumbled, "A man shouldn't take a woman's scarf."
Sakura stared at him, slightly surprised. "I-I... You shouldn't be so stubborn! You're cold so just ta..." Her voice trailed off when Sasuke's arm stretched to her and his fingers ran through her hair. "S-Sasuke-"
"Your hair feels nice..." Sasuke interrupted, but softly for once. "...Sakura."
Sakura looked up at him, blushing. She had never heard him say her name in that tone before. "Sasuke I-I think you're...umm...a little too drunk," she stammered and was about to stand when Sasuke's hand ran from her hair to her cheek. She gasped and froze.
Sasuke looked up at her with somewhat sincere eyes and a smile placed his lips. "No, don't go...not yet."
Sakura licked and bit her dry lips and clutched her throbbing heart. What's wrong with him?
Queen Mitsukai finally entered the room and looked about her subjects, who in turn bowed. She turned her gaze to the window and found her daughter with the Prince. Much to everyone's surprise, she lit a bright and tearful smile. "I have an announcement to make," she announced, her voice unheard by the couple.
The guests listened closely.
"We have an engagement as of today. An engagement ...between..." She was unable to continue.
Sasuke sat up and drew closer to her until he could feel her breath and vice-versa. Looking deep into her emerald eyes, he finally whispered the words, "I've always loved you, Sakura."
The room seemed to turn quiet. Sakura gave Sasuke a look of shock. "Wh-wha...?" She was dumbfounded. Yesterday this guy got her into tortured her and got her into major trouble. Today he was confessing?! Before she could ponder any further, she felt him pull her closer. She looked at him.
Sasuke was unaware of his movements and began to close his eyes. What just...happened...
Sakura closed her eyes as well and and she met him in a deep kiss. Sasuke...
When the two parted, they turned to see that everyone was staring at them. They turned bright red and looked away. "...my daughter, Princess Sakura, and Prince Sasuke!" Queen Mitsukai finally finished.
Sakura shot Sasuke a cold glare. "Look where your drunk-ness has gotten us!"
Sasuke looked at her and smirked. "Who said I was drunk?"
Sakura gasped. "You were conscious the whole time?! But that means...oh!" She blushed even more at her discovery. "You are such a jerk!" she cried quietly, placing a hand on her mouth.
"Heh, but I said what I needed to." He paused. "What I wanted to."
The Queen made her way to the pair and turned to her daughter. "Sakura, I never did the things I did to cause you pain," she stated, "I did it so you could learn to be independent and so that letting go of me in the future will be much easier on you."
Sakura nearly cried at that. "Mother..."
Queen Mitsukai turned strict once more. "Leave this Kingdom. Live with your new husband. Come back, and you're dead." She turned to Sasuke. "Keep her happy. Or else you're dead, too." She turned back to her guests and announced, "Let the dance...BEGIN!"
Everyone rushed to their partners and began the waltz. Sasuke held out his hand to Sakura and bowed. Sakura timidly accepted his request and off they waltzed to the dance floor. "Are you really going to marry me?" she whispered.
"Once we get back to my Kingdom, perhaps," Sasuke mused.
"Sasuke..."
"What? I can't make promises to ugly billboards like you."
"Sasuke!"
Sasuke pulled her closer and rest his chin on the crook of her neck. "Ssshhh..." he chided, "I'm just kidding."
Sakura frowned and kept silent. Oh my goodness. Sasuke wants to marry me! But am I really ready to get married? She looked at him sadly. To be devoted to a guy like this?
Sasuke felt her stare and looked back at her. "What's wrong?"
"..." Sakura tore herself from the Prince. "I'm sorry!" she murmured and ran away.
"Wait, Sakura!" It was too late. The young maid had already disappeared into the dark halls. "I swear, that woman!" Sasuke cursed beneath his breath and ran after her. "Sakura!" He entered the hallway and was still barely able to see the pink-haired servant's figure from afar. "Sakura, stop!"
Sakura, as if she were snapped back, stopped in her tracks with a gasp. She turned around, her eyes glued to the floor. "I..."
"What was that all about? I thought everything was resolved!"
"Sasuke, I'm not so sure about this..."
Sasuke gave a confused look. "What do you mean?" he asked and took a step forward.
"No!" Sakura cried, "Don't come any closer!"
"And why not?"
"Because...because...it's weird!"
"I just kissed you."
"It's weird-er!"
"You know what!" Sasuke started to run towards her.
"No!" Sakura turned heels and ran towards the garden. "Why are you so stubborn?! Go away!"
"Now is that anyway to treat your fiancee...HONEY?" Sasuke smirked when he cornered Sakura at the fountain. "What's REALLY bothering you?"
"Who...chff...mmmpphh...this...everything!" Sakura fumed. "Ugh! Sasuke... I don't know if I'm ready for this! I mean you're...well...YOU!"
Sasuke felt his vein tick. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, a hint of anger in his voice.
Sakura instantly became nervous and stammered, "Well...umm...errrr... You're childish! You get mad easy and you...uh..move around too much." She looked away and mumbled, "It's kind of bothersome."
"Chi- sshh," Sasuke nearly cursed but then lit an obviously fake smile.
Sakura looked back up at him and gave him a nervous look. "What?" she asked suspiciously.
Sasuke let out a husky chuckle and began to unbutton his tux a bit. "Well since you think I'm childish..."
Sakura immediately turned red and began to retreat a little. "Wh-what are you doing? Are you crazy?!"
Ignoring her comments, Sasuke continued, "...I'll just show you how much I am so not like a child. You'll be amazed by my MANLYNESS." He inched towards her. "Eh? EHHHH?"
"No! You...you get away from me!"
Sasuke paused a bit and then "fake-lunged" at her. "Bah!"
Sakura jumped. Her shoe caught the edge of the fountain and she began to fall backwards. "Sa-saaaasuke!" she screamed and unconsciously grabbed his collar. "Eeeep!"
Sasuke, caught off-guard, helplessly fell along with the girl. "Oh what the hell- Let go of me!" he yelled.
Unfortunately, the couple both lost balance and fell into the cold running water of the fountain. They cried out simultaneously as they hit the water and silence followed afterwards. Sakura pursed her lips and glared at Sasuke dangerously. Sasuke looked back and grimaced. "What?" he asked dumbly.
Sakura formed what seemed like a "ch" sound with her teeth and stood up with a gruff. "Like I said," she huffed, red with fury, "CHILDISH!" She stepped out of the fountain and walked away.
"Sakura!" Sasuke called, but with no avail. Exhausted, he struggled to rise. Suddenly, Sakura returned and kicked him back in the water. He fell with an "Umph!" and stared at her, disbelief written on his face.
"Hmph!" Sakura turned and stomped off again.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" Sasuke forgot his weariness and jumped out of the fountain. "You get back here, Haruno!" he shouted and stomped off after her while shaking water off his shoes.
There! I updated EARLY for once in like...a year! lol
Thank you all for your reviews in my last chappie. I am glad you all enjoyed it. I hope it was worth waiting for...
Well here's the following chappie. It's almost the end. Hope you enjoyed this!