A/N: I had fun writing this chapter! Sorry if it took a while--my sister and I made a bet on who could go three days without using the computer! No one lost, sadly. So I don't have my own personal servant. *teardrop*
ANYWAYS...
"Yosh!" Maito Gai cried, pumping his fist in the air. "We have the final cast list for Twilight!" Groups of students crowded around the green-clad gym teacher, who decided to announce the cast list in the middle of the cafeteria. He went through a list of characters and actors, who audition the week prior. "For Emmett, we have Nara Shikamaru!"
"Wait!" He jumped up from his headfirst sleeping position. "I didn't even audition!"
"Shikamaru, it is not youthful to complain about this honorable recommendation by yours truly!" the bowl-cut man answered. A large groan was heard from the pineapple headed boy before Gai continued. "As Jasper, we have Inuzuka Kiba!"
"Gai-sensei, I didn't audition either!" The dog-lover backfired, eyes widened in surprise.
"Goodness, the youth of today have no youth at all!" Gai stated, pointing his finger in the air in a-matter-of-fact-ness manner. "Alice is Kunai Tenten!" Before said girl could retort, the gym teacher continued. "Rosalie will be played by Yamanaka Ino!"
"Aw," She cooed. "I wanted to be Bella. Oh well, I still get to be a hot blond!" She assured herself.
"Edward will be our very own Uchiha Sasuke!" Gai continued with the announcement. Fangirls screamed, hoping and praying that their best audition would be good enough to get them to be the leading lady of their Sasuke-kun (Who, by the way, didn't audition either. Yes, Maito Gai had some 'issues' with auditions or something). "And Bella will be played by…"
Silence.
Thud, thud, thud. Three heartbeats have passed, and still Gai was concealing the actress behind Isabella Swan.
"Hirai Sonomi!" All the girls in the said cafeteria turned their heads to the shy new girl. In shock, the said brunette dropped her tray and flung her hands to protect her face from the flying mystery meat coming her way.
'Great,' she thought. 'I just bought this black hoody—it has a cherry pattern inside the hood!'
--
"THE IRONY…!" She screamed, pacing back and forth in her living room. Listening to her was an incredulous Sai. She would occasionally jug the thick red substance in the plastic bottle, attempting to sooth her pain "I mean, I'm a vampire, and I'm starring as a human in a vampire production!"
"Sakura," The artist asked. He looked up from his sketchbook and at his surrogate sister, contemplating why he stayed with her.
"It's just, IRONIC!"
"Okay, now you're being redundant." He lifted an eyebrow as she stopped pacing and slumped on the couch beside him. "Why are you so panicked anyways? You've acted before." He stated with a shrug.
"But it doesn't require me to kill someone."
--
"The assignment is simple: report on the different topics on our Japanese heritage. When the report is approved, it will be transformed into a booth for out Cultural Heritage Festival next month. This will be done in groups of four." Sarutobi Asuma, the History instructor, announced. He lazily called out a handful of students before Sonomi's name was called. "Hirai, Inuzuka, Kunai and Uchiha are assigned food." He said.
Two things were wrong with this picture for the vampire: One, vampires can swallow human food, but can never taste. Two, Sasuke was still in her group. What was with the names Hirai and Uchiha? Seriously?
"Sonomi-chan!" Tenten called out. "We're group mates!" the archer squealed excitedly.
"I'm glad," The grey-eyed newbie smiled in return.
"Problem is, we have Dog-boy and bastard with us." The Chinese hybrid commented, pointing to the Raven-haired Uchiha first, then Kiba. "Well, what can we do?" She shrugged as the two approached their other group mates. "Listen," She called the boys' attention with a stern face. "We need to cook some Japanese dishes, something we can't do in school. Who wants to volunteer their kitchen for mass destruction and experimentation?" She asked.
Both males backed up. "Sorry," Kiba apologized, rubbing the back of his neck fervently. "Hana-onee chan would kill me if I messed up her kitchen…again."
The Uchiha shook his head. "My cooks do not allow anyone outside the Uchiha employees in their kitchen." He deadpanned. "Not even me,"
Tenten bit her lip as she rocked back on her heels. "My kitchen is only a refrigerator, an electric stove and a microwave. Not exactly the best place to dish up authentic Japanese food." She noted.
After another minute or so of contemplation and discussing where they could cook their dishes, Sonomi stepped up. "My kitchen is in perfect condition," She volunteered. "I'm sure my brother won't mind. He's always eating out anyways."
The bunned brunette dismissed the male group mates after giving them the time they should be at the girl's apartment. Subsequently, she pulled Sonomi away with her towards the exit of the school. "I didn't know you had a brother."
"Yeah, sorry I didn't tell you." She dipped her head bashfully. "He came from New York last week. He's usually over there teaching an art class, but my parents asked him to come back and care for me while they were working in Europe." The black hoody wearing teen explained. "Sorry, again."
--
The 'Food' group decided to meet up at the Hirai apartment on Saturday morning, since Tenten had archery practice Friday afternoon, along with Sasuke's 'family thing' and Kiba's shift at his sisters' pet store.
Sakura, being the careless vampire that she is, forgot to research how humans acted outside school. Anytime she wasn't acting as a normal school girl, she was a black coat assassin, just like her 'brother' is. Outside the assassin's guild, there was her own pleasure hunting. After that, it was nothing really.
She discussed it with Sai, who said that humans usually laze around like vampires, except instead of hunting, they sleep. So putting on the façade that she was a lazy human, she put on some (what she thought were) suitable pajamas, composed of black tights, her usual black hoody (this one's new) and a yellow tank top, and let her dark brown hair cascade to below her rib. The vampire also shopped for her share of ingredients, like raw salmon and seaweed wrap.
She answered the door, and let Tenten, Sasuke and Kiba inside her chic apartment. "Hey guys," She greeted them and led them to the black marble kitchen. "Sorry the apartment's a mess. Sai-onii practically decorates the house with his sketches." She explained the many discarded black and white sheets scattered across the living room furniture.
"Wow," Kiba fox-whistled in astonishment. "This is some kitchen you've got Hirai,"
She mumbled a 'thank you' before asking them to set the plastic bags on the counter. Tenten rubbed her hands in excitement the moment Sonomi finished pulling out her share of shopping from the titanium coated freezer. "Time to get cooking!"
--
"So Sonomi, how does it taste like?" Kiba asked, stuffing her mouth with some sushi. "Ne…?"
Vampire problem: They can digest—they can't taste. Their stomach acids can disintegrate solids into vapor and let it seep through the skin, buttheir taste buds were only designed to taste blood, and blood alone. Or else, they wouldn't be vampires.
"Um," She thought. How was sushi supposed to taste like anyways?
"Ew…" A voice broke her train of thought. "Raw fish." It was Sai, casually standing at the doorway of the kitchen.
"Sai-baka-onii!" Sonomi cried. "I thought you were asleep,"
He shook his ebony black hair. "Not really," he walked to the smaller refrigerator and pulled out a plastic bottle filled with red liquid. He then stepped up to his little sister and kissed her hair. "Bye Sono-nee."
Before he completely exited the kitchen, she cupped her mouth with her hands. "And clean up your sketches!" She shouted to her older brother, her call only to be returned by a casual wave of the hand. "Che, older brothers," she mumbled under her breath.
"Have you met my older sisters?" Kiba commented.
--
After the cooking extravaganza ended, Sasuke and Tenten had left. Only Kiba and Sonomi were present to clean up the rest of the sashimi, sushi and tempura leftovers from the kitchen.
"Listen," Kiba started, breaking the awkward silence. Waiting for no answer, he continued. "I know what you are."
She smirked behind him. Her eyes changed from a watery grey to their emerald green, seeing as that he already found out. She stayed quiet; let him think what he wants to think first.
"I may not know all of it, but two Guild assassins, not to mention black coat wing, in one house is pretty suspicious." He stated. "Vampire,"
"A whole Inuzuka family in one place…you guys sound even stupider than those Uchihas, not even bothering to change your name." She retorted. "Werewolf," She shook her head. "Look, the Wolves and the Vamps have had a truce for a while. We have people of our species working in the same Guild. We have no place to insult each other like this freely."
"I know, but what are the chances of another vampire pack in this city?" He cried, clutching his brown hair in angst. "Seriously, we have enough supernatural beings in the area?"
"We're not a pack," She deadpanned, pulling off the Henge charm, seeing as she had no more secrets to hide. "Vampires travel are grouped in covens." She said. "Next, Sai isn't exactly my coven. He's just…"
"Your mate…?" Kiba lifted an eyebrow.
Sakura finished re-setting her waist-long pink locks and put a disgusted face on. "Ew! Sai's like my big brother," She defended. "But he travels solitary for the Guild. I was about to say that he's just making a pit stop here." The vampire shrugged.
The werewolf analyzed her with a cryptic expression. "Pink hair? Does that mean you are—"
"Yes, I was the Guild's Death Blossom, Haruno Sakura." She cut him short to continue his sentence. "But I am taking a leave…personal reasons." She explained.
The Dark Assassin's Guild, usually just called 'The Guild', is a large group of supernatural beings bent on tracking rogue and criminal others of their kind. There were four divisions—white coat (genin), blue coat (chuunin), grey coat (jounin) and black coat (ANBU)—the latter being where Sakura and Sai belonged.
"Better get going before Sai comes back. Well, he probably is, but get out before he is here to destroy you." She said, shrugging her shoulders in no reassuring manner for the wolf-boy.
His eyes widened in surprise. "Destroy…?" He chocked out.
"Black coat—remember? He's been raised to do so for hundreds of years." Glowered the pinkette. "Better not cross him."
Kiba dashed out the door, waving his hands frantically. "See you on Monday Sonomi!!" He cried.
As he left, a flash of black and white landed beside her. "Smart boy," Sai commented, ruffling Sakura's bright roseate locks. "You're getting good at the scaring thing."
The younger vampire scowled. "He's just an amateur. Probably never even stepped foot in Tsunade's office," She said, pointing out the fact the young werewolf was in his human teens, and won't morph properly until he reaches his full grown state at about age 25. He'll look forever 25 as well, making him as immortal as any vamp.
--
"Great! Your project is perfect!" Asuma cried, sampling the ebi tempura the group had cooked. "A plus!" He cried.
As the group walked away, Sasuke remarked. "He only likes to eat." He said, shrugging and walking hurriedly out the school's gates, trying to subtly escape the fangirls. The three other teens followed, talking lightly about the Biology quiz from 3rd period.
"Sasuke-kun!" Ino cried, clutching onto said Uchiha's arm. "I thought you were gonna take us to the new restaurant downtown?" She asked pleadingly.
He lifted an eyebrow. "I am. What makes you think otherwise?"
"Your older brother is here to 'pick someone up'." Karin added, quoting in the air. She clung onto Sasuke's other arm, extending her foot to trip a certain long haired brunette. Sonomi just merely stepped over the foot and gave the redhead her meanest glare, which is also to the equivalent of two daggers plunged into your heart.
The spiky-haired boy turned his head towards the school's driveway and saw Itachi seated comfortably in his black Mercedes convertible. He stomped down the front steps and towards his brother's direction, said brother not even looking up to acknowledge him.
"Aniki, what are you doing here?" He asked in a loud, demanding voice.
Itachi waved his hand in a casual manner. "I'm not here for you little brother." He said, and tilted his head to look past the younger Uchiha's shoulder, only to see a bunch of high school Uchiha (both of them) fangirls.
"Itachi-kun! We thought you'd never come back!" They squealed in unison. "You got even cuter over the four years you weren't here!"
He opened the side door of his car and climbed out. He brushed past his shell-shocked younger brother and their screaming fangirls and climb up the steps to the school's open gates. There, he extended his hand toward the hoody-wearing Hirai Sonomi.
She took his hand accordingly, and he led her down the steps. She was thrown more stares and glares as they walked past the crowds of fangirls, and even more when Itachi removed her yellow frames off her face. He leaned in closer to whisper in her ear. "I know you don't need these." He stated before hiding the spectacles in his coat pocket. Being the gentleman he is, Itachi opened and closed the door for the brunette, then sat in his own seat.
After an awkward five minutes of driving away from the school, Itachi broke the silence. "Sakura, I know you know that I know about you. And I think it is clear you found out about me." He explained as she burst out laughing. "What?"
"That was a totally and uncalled complicated sentence." She managed to speak between giggles. "But, just to sum it all up, we're all know that we are all vampires." She said.
Itachi chuckled. "Yeah, I guess so." He averted his eyes back to the road.
"By the way," The pinkette/brunette called his attention. "Where are we going?" She asked.
All she got in return was the Uchiha's signature smirk. "You'll see,"
A/N: Ooh, where's our Itachi taking little Saki? You'll see! R&R and you'll get the answer sooner!
- Bella