(Just cause I had this ready and wanted to get a go with my story so there is more for the readers to go through. Boring but explanatory, yet another semi-introductive chapter. See you all later! Enjoy! Review and Commend. Thank you for reading this story.)

Reality Check

Somewhere in Rome, 12 pm

''Nao! Will you please stop this? You know how much I hate…'' a raven haired guy with pale skin was leaning against a white column out of a dome as a girl with nice long black hair caught up in a pony tail and dressed in a mini provocative skirt was targeting him behind her camera.

''Oh, shut up, Sauce! You know you like it! Besides, its not like we go to Europe, every day! So lay back and enjoy our time together, will you?'' the petite girl said as she pressed the button with her small pale fingers.

''But you haven't stopped taking pictures since afternoon. Give me a break.'' The raven haired guy said as he looked up and down at the girl, annoyed.

''Why is it that you never smile in any of the pictures? You come out as bothered and rude in every single of them.' the girl said focusing her attention on the virtual photos she was going through in her virtual camera.

''Do you honestly want me to reply to this?'' Sasuke asked her lazily.

''Yes, please.'' the girl defended seriously, as she shifted her gaze to him. He pushed his back from the wall and walked towards the girl seductively.

''Because this camera is keeping you away from me.'' he whispered in her ear huskily, as he leaned to her side.

The girl blushed and felt her hands shaking. No matter how much time she was with the Uchiha, the effect he had on her never grew less intense.

'You don't actually think you are going to get me to stop taking pictures with cheap flattery, do you?'' the girl asked, recovering from her flinching and pushing back softly on him, as the blush on her cheeks remained as intense.

''Oh no, I don't. But I do think I can abstract you for a while.''he whispered smirking amused, as he placed his hands on her tiny waist and dragged her softly on him.

''Oh is that so? Well, aren't you an ambitious Uchiha? Hmm, can't really say you're completely wrong, though.''the girl purred, giggling as she raised her face to look into his eyes, the blush never leaving her cheeks.

''Completely?'' Sasuke smirked once more looking back at her playfully.

''Ok…don't look at me like that…Damn it, ok, fine. You can. Happy, now?''she admitted poutting her lips like a child.

Sasuke chuckled victoriously and leaned slightly on her, capturing her lips in his. The girl flinched but she soon let herself free and joined in the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck , dragging him closer.

Oh, let me give you a bit of insight on the background of our two love birds.

This is Sasuke Uchiha. That guy that hurt our Sakura-chan in Karma? Yeah, that one.

And the girl that is kissing him so shamelessly, is his girlfriend: Nao Takayashi.

As we know from the previous story, Sasuke stopped dating girls ever after Sakura left for France. But didn't stop was his ambition to overcome Itachi. And as he failed to become the famous painter he had hoped he'd be-he had made some good paintings but he hadn't found so far the right urge or help to expose them or get some recognition for his work- he had been brainwashed by Itachi mainly and then his mum to engage and later on marry to the daughter of the bank's owner in which Itachi worked.

The girl had seen Sasuke over in a party that the bank had organized for its personal and Itachi had invited Sasuke, foreshadowing what could be useful for the future family business.

And as his guesses were right, never doubting the good looks of his brother, his boss's daughter, Nao, had seen Sasuke in that party and it was love from first sight.

Of course, that day Sasuke walked away and back to his manor, unsuspecting of Itachi's conspiracies and the teen heart that was beating for him in frenetic rhythms.

And ever the since, the plan so simply Itachi had set into motion, had started unfolding on its own in fast steps.

Nao Takayashi, being the only child of the family and as spoiled as she was, begged her father to help her to get to know the boy that Itachi had introduced to her at the party:Sasuke.

Her father having sympathy for his only precious daughter and seeing the vision of Itachi unfolding in front of his eyes, found that Sasuke Uchiha would do a good partner for his daughter.

He was rich, handsome, educated to a decent level and most of all he was member of Uchiha Itachi's family, his best coworker's in his partners' department.

Itachi had received a promotion and was now co-owner of the bank, investing big part of his self made fortune in it.

So, a marriage between the two families would be the best solution for both of them.

Itachi would make sure that the bank this way passed on to his younger brother once he was out of the plan due to various reasons, such as old age or illness or sudden death and Haseo Takayashi made sure his daughter was married to a rich possible candidate for the bank's ownership once he was out of the plan, too. He didn't trust his daughter enough to rule the bank, as he had grown to know her naive and immature character by the years and since a young age it was obvious that she was too spoiled and self centered to devote herself to the family business.

Now at her 23 years, she was still the same immature girl he was lecturing at her early 14.

He had seen a very mature ambitious figure in Sasuke and those were the qualities he was looking for in a possible future groom and company heir.

So both families were pleased as it was, with Sasuke's mother once more grateful at Itachi for taking care of Sasuke's future. Of course, Sasuke secretly hated Itachi more for that but he forced himself to go along with it because in his own mind, doing as his family wished, was a chance to overcome Itachi one day.

Marrying the crazy in love with him air head girl would assure him a post in that company of a bank and a more certain good economical future. Also, it wasn't bad for a social status. Sasuke, never being really the deeply romantic guy, didn't care a minute that he would be sacrificing his heart in the altar of profit and selfish superficial choices others had taken for him. He had buried any romantic feelings he could have a for a person of the opposite gender the day that Sakura left him, the day that she left Konoha and never cared to come back to see him once.

The pain had grown less by the years but it never really went away for good. Whenever her thought popped up in his mind unexpectedly, he would push it back like a lunatic that is struggling against an invisible enemy.

He had convinced himself that he had to try to forget her. And even if he knew that this was impossible deep down-she was his first real love after all- he had managed to live just normal so far and marrying a girl he didn't love was actually another false facade he wanted to put on in order to fool himself that he had grown stronger since she left him and not weaker.

Many from Itachi's circle, knowing one or two things about the young Uchiha, eyed this relationship with a bad angle. Of course, most of them had the ability to realize the motives behind such an union, but in the same time they doubted that the old play boy was actually willing to settle down at the young age of 20 and get involved into a cold marriage for the sake of the family business.

It was just hard to imagine this for such a young man. Most of them thought he was only returning back to his known immature childish games. Itachi always bragging out loud about his play boy activities and mannerisms, never forgot to mention that Sasuke had took after him and thus the vicious rumors around the young Uchiha's profile.

What they didn't know though was that Itachi's brother had mattered quite a bit in the pass of some years and he wasn't the same guy he used to be when Itachi had first joined the bank.

In fact, the future heir was looking at the whole situation under a calm and secretly plotting eye. He would overcome Itachi by taking over the business and making it bloom like no one else ever before had. And this was all the motivation he needed to force himself to withstand the annoying fan girlism of his future wife.

They had already got engaged last June and as their families had promised, they had gone for a trip to Italy as a minor honey moon.

Sasuke had actually known the girl since last April and the relationship had walked rather fast. Actually, for some reason he didn't know, he had convinced himself by time that he didn't mind her presence that much and that it was fun seeing how worked up he could get the innocent girl by teasing her and playing her brilliant prince in love.

And it also felt even better when he saw how convincing he could get and how easily she bited on everything he threw at her. What made it more amusing was that she was trying always to outsmart him or prove to him that she wasnt a chick to mess with, yet she had fallen for all of his perfectly deceptive facades so far.

His friendship with Naruto was still holding tight. Both had just finished university of design and Naruto was actually getting slowly famous and upgrading his social status by making a weekly manga that had captured people's interest around the state. Sasuke could honestly say he was proud of his friend.

But when he looked at what he had done, on his own, he saw a complete nothing that wrecked his confidence to pieces. And that is where the Itachi ambition came in and took advantage of his own insecurities unknowingly.

Because deep down, Sasuke would never have the guts to be himself. And he knew it.

But he didnt care. As long as he could overcome Itachi some day, everything else came second.

K, you get the drift so let's head back to the current present.

The couple broke their kiss in need of air. Sasuke pulled away and brushed his lips as he gave her an unreadable look.

The girl shrugged and looked down at her feet, still awkward like a virgin being kissed for the first time.

In reality, she was far from it. Ahhh, the wonders of love.

Sasuke smirked at her blushing sight and put an arm around her.

''So, this is our last night in Italy. What do you say for some italian food in an expensive restaurant downtown?'' he asked non chalantly as he looked at her with the corner of his eye coolly.

''If it is going to be pasta, then I am in!'' she said raising her thumb to him and putting a hand around his waist, leaning her head on his shoulder.

''Want me to go bring the car?''Sasuke asked as he dragged her closer tenderly.

''It is ok, hun. I think I would like to walk in those graphic streets of Italy for a last time before we part back for Konoha.'' Nao said, looking in front of her absent mindly, as lost in some far away dream.

''It might take a while to get to the center, so just you know…''Sasuke raised slightly his shoulders unsure.

''Ooohh, I don't mind, as long as I am with you.'' The girl said, almost squealing towards the end of the sentence which would have Sasuke running for the hills if he hadn't been used to block her out of his mind whenever she acted like that.

Rolling his eyes secretly, he relaxed and tightened his hold on her. Even if he didn't harbor genuine feelings for her, he still felt responsible for her safety seeing as her father and Itachi's boss had entrusted her to him under strict conditions of the mafia type: ''If something bad happens to her, you will be the one to blame and trust me, Uchiha, you won't like what will follow.''

Shrugging in the memory of Haseo's words, Sasuke looked down at the resting head on his shoulder and a small smile made its way on the corner of his lips.

Why did it feel so good being with her, if he was just doing all this for pure profit?

He had noticed that it felt nice being with her when she wasn't taking pictures or expressing her feelings so blatantly to him.

It wasn't that he was afraid to fall in love again, but he just thought it was impossible and the thought of a spoiled superficial brat having such an effect on him made him feel out of place.

He never had been in that type of girls so why now?

He snapped out of his deep thoughts, when her annoying voice broke the silence again, this time saying something about how handsome he looked in that suit she had bought him.

Yeah…then again, maybe it didn't feel so nice being with her, he thought in boredom, as the girl dragged him joyfully along.

''Sakuuurrraaa??!! Tell me right now, why did this the damn happen? Why did you go to the show if you felt pain, you silly girl, why???!!!''the scream on the other line of the phone hurt her ears to the point that Sakura had to hold it to a half meter distance from her head and stare at the floor, clutching her hurting head with her free hand.

''Muuumm, stop screaming…And I can tell you…''she sighed as she moved her pink locks out of her face and tried to focus on their talk, under all the intense worried stares the girls and her tutor were giving her back in the dressing rooms.

''And your dad??!!! Where is your dad? Did you call him??!! I want you to be responsible for once and take care of yourself! And where is he? I swear to God if he doesn't show up tonight to take you I will divorce him for the second time! Saakuuurraaaaaaaa!! Do you hear me? I am coming over there to get you, baby!''

Sakura couldn't help but feel the same need to laugh as the one the girls that suppressed their giggling felt.

''Guuhh mum, you're making it worse. Hang up, I will call you later, once I am in the mood to chat this up with you!''Sakura said pissed off and hanged up on her mother as she turned her irritated face to a worried Clair.

''See? That is why I tell you to never call my mum whatever happens! The woman is hysterical!'' she said throwing her cell phone on the small table in front of her.

''Sakura honey, I am sorry. But I lost it seeing you faint in the scene like that. What was I supposed to do? I freaked out!'' Clair said handing a glass of water to a wrecked Sakura, who looked like she had been run over by a thousand of trucks after a long night's of non stop drinking hang over.

''Calling her certainly wasn't a good idea. You are all overreacting. I am just fine, it was just a mere fainting. It can happen to anyone. I am just sorry it happened to me and I ruined our show. I am terribly sorry for this.'' she said wiping out her upset tears that had started to drying out.

Now that the first shock of what had just happened was over, she had began to think more rationally and facing this all way more maturily than she thought she ever would when it came to such a terrifying thought of situation.

Gladly, all the girls had ran to her side and a man picked her up to carry her in the room, where Clair went after her. Though the show continued non the less, as if Sakura wasn't ever there.

By the time the show was over, Sakura had regained consciousness again and the opera had began emptying slowly.

Clair had called Sakura's mother while the girl was passed out. She wanted to take Sakura to a doctor but she wasn't sure of Sakura's medical history as the girl never opened up to her about such stuff-even if it was obligatory judging by the nature of their trainer-student nature of relationship- so the petite sweet woman thought that Sakura's mother was the right person to consult first. Of course, such a thing had never happened before and now she came to know first hand in a not so pleasant manner why Sakura never liked to annoy her mother as often for whatever went wrong to her.

In the other hand, she would have tried calling her father instead, only that the man had his cell phone almost always closed, busy in business and councils, so much that he neglected his own daughter.

Clair had taken the initiative to approach Sakura about this around June and ask her how come her father hadn't shown up till then to a single show his daughter was performing around Europe.

Sakura's answer was: He is just busy.

And that had cut the theme short, as Sakura never talked much when it came to her family, especially her father.

Liliane sat next to Sakura on the small white leather stylish couch and placed her hand on top of Sakura's trembling one.

''Sakura, silly one. How can you say such things? You said it yourself, it can happen to anyone! We were so worried over you when we saw you falling and I am sure the people felt the same thing. It is not nice to play with your health, stop putting everything else over you. You need a break…''and turning to the other girls for a moment to say …''…We all do.'' she sighed and turned her face back to Sakura, stroking her pink locks out of her face, smiling comfortingly.

Sakura couldn't help the tears that fell down from her eyes and watered her knees. It was moved tears, relief tears for the nice pack of friends she had in her ballet group and disappointment tears for her weakness to resist her physical pain and avoid that major failure some hours ago.

''Awww, crying again?'' Loren said teasingly, affection lingering in her feminine girly voice and all the girls gathered around to give Sakura a group hug.

''Sakura, we all care for you here and we think you should go see a doctor as soon as you can. Or even better, maybe you should listen to what your mother said before at the phone. Going to Konoha would be a wise move. Being close to the people who care for you would be good.'' Clair said while all the girls stepped back and started disappearing to the corners of the room to get their outfits off and get ready to return to the five star hotel.

Sakura looked up at Clair with tearful eyes, her gaze becoming blank for some moments before retaking meaning in its green orbs.

''Heh…I got no one there...'' She murmured in bitter certainty, closing her watery eyes tightly for a second, bringing in her mind how hard she had tried to cut all bonds connecting her to her painful memories,…to Konoha. Now she realized bitterly that she wasn't as independent as she would like to think.

''That's not true. You know how much your mother loves you.'' Clair picked on her as she walked off to get Sakura's normal clothes to hand them to her in order to urge her kindly to get ready to return back to the hotel.

''My mum…heh… is just a sad woman that is lying to herself…''Sakura whispered in a tone that only she could grasp.

She looked at the floor in front of her blanked out and deadly tired, as she heard to Clair's footsteps making their way back to the wrenched pinkette.

''Here, hun, please, put your clothes on. We need to get going, the bus will part in20 minutes and we need to be by the lobby soon.'' Clair looked at her with fake sympathy.

The woman was too tired to handle Sakura's issues right now, and the pinkette as she hated being a burden, grabbed the clothes rather lazingly without bothering to look at her drenched teacher and headed off to a tent to change to her daily outfit, as the girl's never tired and ever playfull giggling filled the room to every corner.

Sakura inertly wished she was like them. They seemed like nothing ever touched them. Could she be like that, too? Unbreakable? Strong?

She could. But it had always been a facade, ever since she left Konoha…left him.

And today, that well maintained mask of hers had just cracked.

It seemed as if her precious and well thought plans needed to change ,as much as she hated doing as she was being told.

She would have to cancel her journey and say good bye to her dreams of exploring Italy for the rest of July during her free time and go back to Konoha a month and a half sooner than planned.

But the bad feeling was still poisoning her insides with doubts and great contemplation that lead to nowhere.

What was wrong all of a sudden?

Review And Commend.

Thanks.

:3