Trust me when I say that I totally rushed this story. I'm sorry guys but there were just nights when I would open Word, look at this story and just space out. I didn't have enough inspiration to finish this story. By the way, this chapter is just a transitional chapter so it was really hard to make it long for you guys. Again, I apologize for the great delay. I won't be promising any more update dates.

Again, this is a transitional chapter. Not much happening here. Just a chain of events and such.

Review and check the poll. I really need more answers on the poll. /3 Love you all!

Chapter VIII
Who Saved Him

Sakura was pretty sure it had almost been an hour since Itachi left the apartment. Since then, after she stepped out of the bathroom, she made a beeline for the bedroom and jumped on top of his bed on her stomach without a care. He was not around to see her, anyway.

Rolling off of her stomach, she noted how silky the fabric of these pyjamas felt against her skin even though it barely covered her arms, her stomach and legs. And then it struck her. She was lying on top of Itachi's bed clad in nothing but a pair of silky pyjamas composed of a sleeveless hanging top and a skimpy pair of shorts both in the same pale hue of beige and both threaded with maroon laces at the hem.

In what century did Ino think she would find this choice of attire useful? After her unofficial breakup with Sasuke, she felt her self-esteem drop to an all time low which she thought was impossible because her self-esteem had been low enough before.

Well, there was Naruto who once had a crush on her for years. That, at least, should have made her feel better because at least he liked her for who she was… But it only proved to make her feel worse. Seriously, what was she thinking letting that thought cross her mind? Even though it was a long time ago, she had resorted to reliving the days when Naruto had pursued her persistently.

Now, there was no one. That was the truth. That, she didn't have to force upon herself.

But what about Itachi? He'd kissed her more than once tonight and she was pretty sure he'd been trying to tell her something with all those actions… Or maybe he was not aware of him doing so. Or maybe he simply wished to play with her while she was vulnerable.

Knowing Itachi from the past weeks, she knew he was not one who gained satisfaction in fooling others. What had he to gain, after all? Physical contentment? The thought of Itachi playing around with a lady in bed was nothing short of ridiculous.

So if he was not trying to mess with her head, what was it with him lately? Did he even realize the things he'd said and done earlier?

It suddenly occurred to Sakura that he could be aware of his actions and he was probably trying to make her conscious of them. Perhaps there truly was something he wished to convey to her. Perhaps. It was still too soon to draw conclusions. She did not want to make the same mistake with Sasuke…

Not that she was hoping for something to blossom with Itachi or anything.

Realizing where her thoughts had brought her, she managed to pull herself back to reality before her head began entertaining thoughts that were not supposed to be thought of in the first place. How the hell did she end up thinking about that, anyway?

With a loud groan, she got up and went to the living room to turn on the television.

Unsurprisingly, there was nothing interesting in the local news so she switched channels and settled for an old comedy sitcom her parents had her watch with them when she was still in elementary. She let the show take her away for a moment, allowing frequent chuckles slip from time to time.

It wasn't too soon when sleepiness crept up on her. Just a quick shut-eye, she promised herself before shutting the lids of her eyes, and then she would return to the bedroom and get some sleep. Unfortunately, that quick shut-eye quickly turned into deep slumber.

()

The sight that had greeted him in his apartment was far from what he had imagined as he walked back home.

He imagined sleeping in an empty living room, forced to use his hoodie as a blanket, because Sakura had left the door to his bedroom locked, denying him of the image of her in lingerie sleepwear. However, that was not the case. There she was, on the couch, exposed to him like he wished unconsciously, too deep in her sleep to even hear the opening and closing of the front door.

Knowing that she was out, he let a smile play on his features before he approached her on the couch. The television was turned on and he assumed she had fallen asleep while watching TV without even knowing it.

Crouching down to meet her face, he could see her features up-close. Her brows were furrowed and it made him wonder if something made her feel unsettled before she managed to fall asleep. For all he knew, it could have been the thought of him that bothered her. After all, he did not seem nor act like himself tonight but how conceited was he for thinking that she was actually thinking about him.

And then he saw it. Her head was awkwardly bent against the armrest of the couch and he figured it must have been uncomfortable for her to lie in such a manner. She could have been lying down in a proper position earlier but somehow fell into this position moments after.

Without thinking twice, Itachi let his arm snake around her back and the back of her knees before he hoisted up, savoring her body warmth as he slowly carried her in his bedroom. Her head fell on his chest and her hair was just below his nose. It took his all not to lean in and smell her scent for he knew if he did so, he would be too intoxicated by it to think straight. After all, this little lady right here had done weird things to him without even doing anything.

Slowly, he made his way to one side of the bed to settle her on the mattress so gently as not to wake her from her sleep.

Unfortunately, she stirred and her eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Itachi…" she said barely over a whisper when she saw him standing beside the bed.

He turned away from her and looked at her from the corner of his eye. "Get some rest," he ordered before he took a step forward only to be stopped by the sleepy girl. Her hand was tugging the hem of his shirt lightly.

"Stay," she told him unconsciously, obviously still more asleep than awake.

A smile formed on her lips when she felt the mattress shift. He sat on the edge of the bed, just in front of her shin.

Itachi's thoughts were torn. Even though Sakura was wearing such a skimpy and… Mature outfit, the smile on her sleeping features made her seem like such an innocent child who had just been tucked in bed by her father. What a contrast it was and it was refreshing to think that whatever Sakura was in—generally speaking—she was still going to be the same—naïve, childish, ignorant and oh-so innocent. It was like she chose to not grow up.

If that was the case, then not growing up certainly worked out well for her. It suited her, to say the least..

"Will you play something for me?" she murmured almost incomprehensively. "Just something to help me go back to sleep."

Itachi doubted she needed any more help in sleeping. Sakura was merely talking in her sleep, he knew. The sight of him must have triggered some sixth sense in her and convinced her that this was all a dream. Whatever the case was, he had no second thoughts in gracing her request.

"What do you wish for me to play?" he asked quietly, his voice much gentler than controlling.

She shuffled to her side and tucked her hands under the pillow. Sighing blissfully, she answered. "That song from earlier. I wanna hear it again."

It did not take too long for Itachi to retrieve the music sheet and his flute from his pack. He returned to the bedroom only to find Sakura shifted to her other side, now facing the vacant space on his bed.

He sat on the edge of the bed in front of her, settling the sheets on the mattress before looking at her, his gaze staying on her legs a little longer than they should have. Sakura, once again, muttered something but this time, he found it impossible to catch.

Convinced that Sakura was still awake in her sixth sense, he began playing.

The melody rang through the four corners of the room. He admittedly found himself indulged in playing for his companion, letting her enjoy the music in her sleep. She stirred a bit, allowing herself to curl on the mattress comfortably, her smile growing as the song continued.

However, at the abrupt ending, Itachi saw the frown that crossed her features for a moment.

"You'll stay, right..?" her voice remained quiet and it occurred to him that it could just be his imagination that produced the sound. "You'll stay?" she repeated, canceling out the idea of his imagination toying with him.

"If you wish it," he murmured, gathering all the sheets before placing them on the side table with his flute. How he wished he could ask her the same thing but bringing up the topic would make him seem suspicious.

While he could not deny that he was somehow attracted to her, he was still wise enough to know that the chances of this working out was probably one in a million and he was still uncertain if risking a million for one chance was worth… But considering that he had actually considered risking something meant that Sakura must have snuck somewhere deeper in his system.

It had to stop.

But not now. He would not at least deny her request. From now on, he thought, he would let her choose for him. If he wished for him to keep close to her, he would do so. If not, then it was just as well.

He climbed up on the other side of the mattress, suddenly feeling how little the space was left for him. Itachi was not particularly used to sharing a bed, that much was true. And so, the thought of him sharing the same bed with her made him feel like his own bed was smaller than it seemed. He was not complaining. Despite the lesser space she had left him with, the bed seemed more comforting and warmer with her on it.

"Goodnight," Sakura mumbled.

Noting the way her top had ridden up to her rib from all her shuffling, Itachi pulled the covers from underneath her petite form and tucked her in, covering all the exposed skin from his view. God knows what he would do to her if he spent another minute running his eyes over her creamy skin.

As tempting as it was, he knew his limits. Sakura might have not objected when he planted a number of kisses on her tonight but touching her so boldly without the influence of alcohol or anything else that could tamper with one's proper thinking was not a thought he sought to entertain further.

"Goodnight," he whispered.

()

The first thing that registered in Sakura's head when she stirred to a dazed state was the warmth she felt around her. Still half-asleep, she unconsciously drew her body closer to the source of the warmth. It was only when she felt her face against a hard fleshy wall that she realized just where the warmth was coming from.

Her eyes snapped open. Sakura could feel the blood rush in her cheeks when she registered the fact that she had been sleeping against Itachi's chest, unconsciously seeking out his warmth through the cold night, no doubt. Her arms were around his neck while she found one of her legs trapped between his. Soon, she realized that her head was rested on his arm which had been folded under his head while his other arm was on her waist.

Slowly and gently, Sakura brought her head up to inspect her legs only to find a blanket covering her bare thighs. He must have covered her last night before he fell asleep. The last thing she could remember was asking him to stay in the room an—

Oh no.

That was exactly why Itachi was here, wasn't it? She had asked him to stay with her in the room. Itachi probably did not know it was a subconscious wish and did as she asked him to.

She gave herself a mental slap for being such an idiot last night. What else had she told him? There was no use in thinking about escaping their position right now for they were simply too tangled up in each other—literally.

There was no choice but to wait for him to wake. It made Sakura a little curious as to how the ever so cold Uchiha would react to waking up with a girl like her in his arms. The most likely outcome was him pulling away from her and the two of them would go on with their lives like usual. Yes, that seemed likely to happen.

Finally, she felt Itachi shift. Unfortunately, his hands remained in the same position though her leg was finally free. It won't take an hour before Itachi moves again and she could only hope that when he finally does, he would finally release her.

She sighed, letting her eyes shut for a moment, savoring the warmth that radiated from his body. Something felt awfully off although Sakura could not put her finger on it.

And then she felt it.

His breathing was irregular and not as relaxed as it was when she first realized his body was against her. He was finally awake. It took minutes before it occurred to Sakura that Itachi had no intentions of pulling away from her.

"Good morning," he muttered under his breath.

A chill went down her spine when he spoke. It was probably the sexiest thing she'll ever hear—Itachi's half-asleep voice.

"Uhm… I need to go to the bathroom," she said plainly hoping that Itachi would finally let her go.

Wish granted, he pulled away from her without a word and turned to his other side to face the other side of the room. With that, Sakura made a beeline for the bathroom before shutting the doors to wash her face. Surely, the cool morning water would do something about the red in her face, right?

As soon as she was done with everything she needed to do in the bathroom for the morning, she stepped out of the little space and walked to the kitchen only to find Itachi bent to take a peek in his fridge. His furrowed brows told her that there was barely anything in there to get them through the morning.

She made her presence known as she spoke. "I could run over to the bakery and get something to eat," she said. "Or maybe you'd like rice rather than bread?"

"That will not be necessary," he closed the refrigerator door and approached the cupboard and reached for two cups of instant noodles. "These will get us by. I will just do the groceries after breakfast." Itachi pulled out kettle from another cabinet before he poured in water and set it to boil on the stove.

The two of them sat in silence as they waited for the water to boil. The silence was far from comfortable but it certainly was better than an awkward and dead-end conversation with him. Itachi was a difficult man to get along with especially when one was narrow-minded… Like her.

As soon as the water was done, the two of them began to dig in their meals.

Sakura supposed she could ask Itachi to buy some supplies for her tomorrow while he was out to get the groceries. It would save her time while she packed for tomorrow, after all. There were still lots of packing to do. Her other shirts were kept in his empty drawers to save her the time of retrieving them from her bags.

She just realized how natural it was for her to just open his drawer and pull out a top. It was like she had always belonged here despite the fact that she had only been here a couple weeks… And she was going to leave this city in a few days. Tomorrow was her first day in the medical mission, after all.

"Sakura?" he spoke from the other end of the table. She raised her brows at him when she realized he had been looking at her for a while now. "You have not touched your food."

She smiled weakly. Sasuke used to tell her that when she thought about their relationship at meals… That was then when she thought they were so in love. "I was just thinking… Can I ask you a favor?"

"Hm?"

"Well," she stretched the word a little longer before getting to her point. "I was wondering if you could buy me a few things from the pharmacy. I need them for tomorrow." He raised a brow at her last sentence. Had she not told him about it yet? "My medical mission begins tomorrow," she answered his unspoken question. "Three days in giving free medical treatments to those who cannot afford it and after that, I'm going home. Today's my last day here."

It did not take more than a second for her to realize just how sad her last statement sounded. Sure, she and Itachi weren't the closest of friends but living with him under the same roof somehow felt natural to her.

Hoping that it was not too obvious, Sakura eyed Itachi's face, trying hard to find anything that was off about his expression that might betray his emotion regarding what she had just told him. However, his expression betrayed nothing to Sakura's dismay.

"Write down what you need on a piece of paper and I will take a short trip to the pharmacy before I return," he said plainly before getting back to his cup of noodles which he was almost done with.

She eyed him a little longer before she picked up her fork and began to eat. It was clear now that Itachi had not enjoyed her company as much as she did his though it was not at all surprising because first of all, she wasn't at all entertaining and second, Itachi was as hard as a rock and if he chose to be firm, he would… He always chose to be that way all the time, anyway.

"I'll hand you enough money to buy them too," she told him.

"Hm."

Silence once more passed between the two of them. After Itachi finished his cup noodles, he threw the Styrofoam cup in the garbage only to return to his seat across Sakura, focusing both eyes on her as she finished her meal.

"You will not return here after the medical mission?" He finally asked, drawing a shocked expression from the pink-haired woman from the other end of the table.

Her eyes widened at his question. She was not expecting him to ask something like it and she certainly was taking note of this day. With a grim expression, she shook her head in response. "There is no reason to," she said. There really was no reason to. She knew that question had just been a gesture of formality. Of course, Uchiha Itachi did not wish for her to stay here any longer than she already had. She was a hassle on his part.

He nodded at her once before looking away from her, averting his gaze to the window. "We must talk about how you will go through the medical mission," muttered Itachi. "Check your phone's battery every now and then and recharge if it needs energy. You will need it for I will have you update me on everything happening on a hourly basis."

As she listened intently to Itachi's instructions, she continued to scarf down on her cup noodles. "By hour?"

"Aa. Is there a problem, Sakura?" She shook her head at his inquiry, noting the undeniable authority in his gaze when he looked back at her. "Also, you will not be talking to anyone else other than your companions and your patients. There is no reason to speak with anyone else irrelevant to your purpose there."

"What if a stranger comes up to me and asks for medical attention?"

"You will take the stranger back to the venue of the mission," he answered. "You will not attend to anyone who randomly asks for your assistance." He rose from his seat and walked out into the living room, continuing his instruction. "Also, the gun you received yesterday? You will keep it in the bottom of the bag you where you will put all the items you will need most. It will be the pack you will keep close or at person at all times if possible."

Sakura quickly ran after him. "When do you think it'll be of any use to me?"

He shrugged. "I am not certain but I am sure you will need it at some point."

She wasn't sure how long she had been humming the random melody in her head but she was pretty sure that it wasn't natural to be singing the same tune over and over especially when it was a mere tune she had come up with while she was in the shower.

As she finished packing her clothes for tomorrow, she zipped her bag close, leaving the change of clothes she would need for tomorrow's journey on the bed. Sakura hopped on the bed and folded the pair of jeans she prepared neatly before folding the rest of her outfit. Setting her jacket on top of the folded pile of clothes, she paused and took her time in inspecting the room.

There was not much that happened in this apartment and there was certainly nothing worth remembering in his unit—save for his collection of childhood photos—but without a doubt, she would certainly miss this room.

Letting a hand run over the covers of the mattress, she let a sigh escape her lips when she realized just how much she would miss the feel of these covers on her skin at night. She would miss the way the pillow felt underneath her head. And she would definitely miss the masculine scent Itachi had imprinted on the pillows.

As much as Sakura hated to admit it but it was his scent that put her at ease. When she sniffed his fragrance, she was reminded of the time he cradled her in his arms like a child. It was not the first time she had smelt his scent but it certainly was the first time she whiffed it from his body.

She turned her attentions to the pillows behind her. If she could just—

No! That was wrong! Did she really intend to lie on those pillows just so she could imagine herself against Itachi's chest more easily? It was not something a proper woman would do. Besides, what would Itachi say if he found out she'd been enjoying his smell on the pillows?

Choosing to not entertain the idea, she hopped off of the bed and headed to the kitchen, looking for anything that could suffice the subtle hunger she felt. After finding a loaf of bread on top of the fridge, she proceeded to brew herself a cup of coffee.

Not long after, she found herself sitting in the living room, enjoying the silence provided by Itachi's absence… Not that it was any noisier with him around but his presence irked her at times that she almost never felt peaceful with him around. Yes, she felt safe with him but she was restless deep inside for some reason.

The ringing of her phone took her by surprise. After retrieving the phone from the bedroom, she answered it and went back to the living room and enjoyed a long and interesting talk with her best frenemy, Ino, who thought it was a bright idea to contact her a few days prior to her return to ask for a souvenir from Central City.

"For the last time, Ino," Sakura hissed on the phone. "I am not buying you anything. I barely have enough money left for my remaining days here. Now what's this about Kiba being jealous?"

"Right," she answered. "Well, he's been texting me the last few days. Apparently, Choji's given him my number sometime ago and now he's asking for advice."

Sakura merely laughed at the very amusing image of Kiba asking for some advice from the personification of gossip. "Advice? What sort of advice is he asking for? Is he looking to date someone?"

"Yeah. Maybe the dog's just not right for him anymore," she kidded. "But Kiba and Akamaru have always been great pals. It's impossible that Kiba's gotten tired of him now. Look, the point is Kiba wants to date Hinata but apparently, someone's beaten him to it and I just can't seem to get the name out of the canine boy!"

The pink-haired teenager scoffed. "So much for being Konoha's gossip."

"Like you know anything."

Of course, the conversation had come to this. The topic was bound to turn up sooner or later. If she slipped out Sasuke's name, the news would be all around her blog by tonight but it was going to happen anyway. Should she tell Ino now or postpone her misery?

Deciding that there was no use in prolonging the problem, Sakura took a deep breath. "It's Sasuke. Hinata's dating Sasuke."

The other line was quiet after Sakura had spoken. If Sakura didn't know any better, she'd assume that Ino was already in front of her laptop, blogging about the news. However, that didn't seem to be the case when Ino spoke again.

"That's too bad," she said with a half-hearted laugh. "I mean I was ticked when you two started dating but I didn't think he'd cheat on such a nice person like you… You loved him so much too and—"

"I can't say I did now that I look back," she interjected. "It's okay, really. I'm doing fine. It's not like he's the only boy in the world."

"Still," Ino said quietly before shifting into a lighter mood. "Wait, those are the exact lines I said when Shikamaru and I broke up and found a hot guy in the mall. Are you seeing someone there, Sakura?"

"It's not that, Ino," countered the pink-haired girl. "Look, Ino. The point is I cared very much for Sasuke but I can never say that I loved him at all as a partner. He's a great friend and it was a huge mistake to get into a relationship with him. Now, tell Kiba to man up and fight for Hinata if he really likes her. That's all there is to it. I'll see you in a few days. Bye."

()

At the cash register in the pharmacy, Itachi acknowledged the politeness of the cashier. The price appeared on the screen and he pulled out his wallet, paying the exact amount. He hated calculating changes and today was no exception.

Sakura did need a lot of things for the medical mission and it occurred to him that if he did not offer his home as a place to stay, she may have not been able to purchase any of these items due to the rent she would end up paying in this place. The worst that could have happened to her was get stranded in Central City because she didn't leave enough money for her trip back to Konoha.

From the corner of his eye, he could see the figure of a man standing a few feet from the register, wielding a full-sized bat on his shoulder. Immediately, Itachi stuffed the paper bag that contained Sakura's medical requirements into his bag before approaching his partner.

"Did you need anything, Kisame?" Asked Itachi as he marched towards him. "It is, after all, not everyday you decide to meet with me."

Kisame smirked at his words. "Taro's dead," the huge man informed. "Pein's sending everyone else to kill the other guy and you take care of your own target. Pein told me that if you don't kill the mark he's given you in two days, you're dead meat." With that, Kisame turned away from Itachi and left the pharmacy. The call of his name from behind him did not catch him by surprise. This was just how his partner was. "What is it?"

"Stall," said the leaner man. "I will dispose of the girl in three days. In three days, she will be gone. Give Pein my word. I am merely tying up some loose ends before I go down with that kill. After all, after that, we still won't know what will happen to us. The gang that abducted Nagato, after all, is unpredictable."

"Loose ends?"

"College," he answered. "I must at least accomplish this."

Itachi took Kisame's words as some sign of understanding before bidding him goodbye and heading back to his apartment. Upon arriving, he found Sakura in the kitchen, washing the dishes she must have used for a small meal.

They regarded each other while he dropped the paper bag of the items he bought for her on the couch beside her cellphone. He returned inside the kitchen to unpack the groceries he had put in his bag only to be enchanted by the unnamed melody Sakura had apparently been humming the whole time.

As Sakura finished and walked out of the kitchen, Itachi grabbed her by the wrist which took her by surprise. Her whole body stilled at the contact. Itachi seemed to have noticed since he immediately pulled away from her and, instead called her name in a gentle manner.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

He took a deep breath. "That song you were humming… What is it?"

She shrugged. "A small melody my mother used to sing to me when I heard thunder," explained the girl. "I used to be afraid of thunder and now—"

"Would you mind if I asked to hear it again?"

She shook her head, not really sure what was going on with him. "I'm not much of a singer but… Sure."

Itachi ended up spending the rest of the day in his classroom in silence. Luckily for him, his professor was in the campus as well. He would be able to finish his piece for his class and submit it just in time. It was all thanks to Sakura who had agreed to lend him the melody.

The melody was sweet, comforting… Just the way he wished to end his composition. He was thinking of officially dedicating his composition class to Sakura who had saved his ass from taking it again.

Sakura… The agony of being forced to kill such a beautiful woman who had shared the same home with him the last few weeks. The first time he had seen her, he was certain that it would not take a second to point his gun at her head and shoot her if it came down to it… But now, he was not so sure.

Apparently, Sakura had helped his little brother get through difficult times. She made him realize that he was not the cold monster he insisted himself to be… And also, she saved him from failing college completely. His sense of gratitude made it harder for him to think of killing her…

Also, she had a dream.

It was only now that he wondered how many of their targets had dreams. Did Taro have a dream as well? He was a student who had joined a gang because he thought he would benefit from it financially, according to Hidan who went in the same college he did… What did Taro want to do with the money, anyway?

And it was only after that thought when Itachi came to realize that he had a dream too. He wanted to be a musician and there definitely wasn't anything that could stop him from living that dream. Not even Akatsuki nor Tobi.

He had told Kisame earlier that he would get rid of Sakura in three days… When Sakura finally returns to Konoha, he would leave Akatsuki—for good. The day Sakura leaves for Konoha was also the last day of his class… Which meant if he were to submit this requirement, he would graduate on that day.

What would he do after that? Where would he find a stable job? It would be nice to work as a musician in a jazz bar but it would be too risky for him to stay here to work. If Akatsuki were to continue operating in the next few years, they were bound to get into some trouble, find him and drag him along with it.

It was very imaginable since it happened with their previous and now deceased member, Orochimaru.

Maybe it was time that he too returned to Konoha. It had been far too long since he set foot in the parameters of the town, too long since he felt the peace of the village despite the past he had experienced and too long since he had seen his little brother.

Brushing the thought aside, he played the sheet music which he finally finished with Sakura's song. When he ended with the last note, he dropped his flute into his pack, arranged the sheets of paper frantically before rushing out of the classroom to look for his professor.

Unfortunately, he found his professor in the theatre, in the middle of rehearsing a performance which meant he had to wait a little longer until he could get back home for his meal with Sakura. Yes, he and Sakura agreed to share a meal before she left in the morning.

He took a seat in the front row and waited patiently until they finished which they did soon. His professor did not miss his presence and approached him immediately after the number.

"Is there anything you need, Uchiha?" asked the professor. He handed the music sheet he kept in a cream folder. The professor opened it and marveled at the number of notes. "Lots of notes here, Uchiha. And I noticed your tempo is 2/4? How long have you been working on this piece?"

"Since the first time you gave the project," answered Itachi. "Since the first time I failed your class. I wanted this to be a perfect composition, the best you were to hear. And now, it is… But at a price."

His professor nodded, understanding exactly what he meant. "Here's what I want you to do," said the older, handing the folder back to Itachi. "Go up that stage and play this for me. I want to hear the whole thing." Itachi stared at him blankly, not quite believing his ears. "Well, you worked on it for years. You deserve the stage after working on it for so long."

With a nod, Itachi walked up to the stage, his phone vibrating silently in his pocket as he climbed the steps. Before taking the final step, he pulled out his phone and checked the message he received.

From: Sakura
Message: Good luck! Come back soon!

He smiled subtly before walking to the center of the stage, placing his flute before him. He stood firm and with dignity but his shoulders were relaxed. The spotlight before him was blinding but he managed to keep his eyes wide open as he performed for his professor.

For Sakura, he thought to himself as he took a deep breath. For the woman who saved me. He blew into the mouthpiece carefully, doing his best to make the first bar sound calm and at ease before raising the volume on the next part of the song, clearly depicting the drama and the tragedy in the music.

This is for Sakura who saved me… Me who was one step from drowning in the same whirlpool of sins as Tobi and saved me from the monster whom I thought was me…

After the song, his mentor stumbled on his way to the stage to shake his hand with Itachi's. He seemed giddy and excited to the Uchiha and it made him smile a little inside. His music had brought tears to his professor and it was just about everything he wished to do.

"Uchiha Itachi," he said to his student, their hands still connected. "You are a musical prodigy! You are a genius and I don't know why I didn't see that before. You are the best I've ever had in my class!" Itachi kept his cool while his professor shook their hands frantically. "Listen, I want you to perform that song in the recital I'm holding on graduation day on Wednesday. It would be an honor to hear you play that song for the finale! What do you say?"

He shrugged. "I don't seem to have plans on that night so I assume it would be a waste to not go through with it."

()

Sakura struggled hard to balance the fork on her nose as she waited for Itachi's arrival. He told her he would be home by 7:30 and he was hardly ever late but the long hand on the clock was closing in to the number 6 and she was beginning to think if Itachi was flawed after all.

Not that he was perfect, he just seemed that way.

She shook her head upon realizing she had just thought that to herself. She must be going mad. Clearly, she needed some time away from the Uchiha.

The door sounded open, the fork she had been previously balancing on her nose clanking on the surface of the plate she set in front of her. Hmm, maybe he is perfect.

She got off of her seat and met Itachi halfway into the living room while he was removing his shoes on the couch. She stood beside the sofa and held each hand behind her. "So, how was it? Did you pass? How did your professor find your music?"

Itachi figured she must have just been making conversation and so, answered her briefly. "I passed. He found it good enough for a finale on the graduation recital night."

"Really? That's great! When's the recital?" asked Sakura, her eyes shining with excitement. At least, that was what Itachi thought he saw.

"Why are you looking forward to it?"

"Because you've been working really hard on it," she answered in an obvious tone. "Ever since my first week here, you've been busy doing that composition. I know how much effort you put into that song and I've seen how stressed you were over finishing that song. I want to watch you perform it in front of an audience and just how people will react to it."

Itachi paused for a moment before getting back on his feet to place his shoes near the doorway. He invited Sakura into the kitchen and both sat across each other. Itachi served himself a small portion of the steak he had brought back from the grocery while Sakura aimed for the soup.

"So, when is it?" Sakura said, breaking the silence.

Itachi swallowed the small piece he had been chewing before answering her shortly, "Wednesday."

Sakura's smile slowly faded from her lips as she spoke. "But I'm leaving for Konoha that day…"

"So it seems," he sassed, as if not wanting to continue this conversation any longer.

She forced out a smile before continuing with her meal. The rest of dinner, they spent in silence. Sakua did her best not to meet Itachi's eyes while Itachi did his best not to meet hers. He expected the meal to be a little more lively on her part but it seemed that his choice of words have shunned the teenager and blocked him out.

He just didn't want to think about her leaving. This place would be much colder without her around, after all.

After her meal, Sakura wiped her mouth with a clean napkin before excusing herself from the table to finish arranging her things for tomorrow's trip. Itachi did not wait until he finished his meal and went in his bedroom after her.

"I must apologize for earlier," he said as he stood in the doorway, watching Sakura throw all the medical supplies he had bought her earlier into her backpack without care. "It was very disrespectful of me to—"

"It's fine, Itachi-san."

The suffix after his name made something in his stomach tighten a little. He did not like the way she added the suffix. It was a sign of hostility… A sign of rejection. Was it because of his behavior earlier that triggered that hostility or was it something else?

"I truly apologize," he said in a more silent tone.

"Leave me," said Sakura, refusing to face him.

With that, Itachi had gone back to the dining table to finish his meal while Sakura stopped fixing her bag to sit on the bed. Seriously, if he didn't want her to watch, he could just have told her instead of acting like she was a nuisance all this time… Because from what had happened last night, she definitely felt like she never was a nuisance to him in any way.

Though Itachi slept beside her that night, both of them were facing opposite directions. Sakura kept herself on the edge of the bed. She hoped to not come in physical contact with Itachi as she slept but she knew her body and how it moves on its own in her sleep so she could only hope for the best.

Itachi, on the other hand, did his best to make himself seem relaxed on his side of the bed. His hands were folded in the back of his head while he stared blankly at the ceiling. Something told him this was going to be a long night.

Next chapter... Not sure when it's coming out. So, yeah. Review and check the poll. Lots of love, everyone. :)