Like a Star

06

A/N: Just to let you know, Geography hates me.

This chapter is for my awesome readers and reviewers! Thank you so much guys!

Disclaimer: pft. :)

Ino lay sprawled on her duvet, holding what seemed to be a magazine she'd picked out earlier from a bookstore. Lazily, she flicked through the pages eager to find something interesting, but so far not one appealed to her. The afternoon was lonely without Sakura, and Hinata was too busy finishing her schoolwork. I mean seriously, it was Spring Break, why bother?

But when Ino flicked back to the front cover, it seemed that she'd skipped a page when she was too busy scanning through the magazine.

'What the…' she gasped, examining the picture incase she was hallucinating.

'Sakura?'

Day 2; Seoul, East Asia

Lying helplessly on the fluffy carpeted ground, she watched the plasma screen TV that blared loudly in her quiet room. It wasn't really anything interesting, just some old news about global warming dated three weeks ago, but being replayed due to the lack of awareness given by society.

9:00 a.m. Sigh.

Part of her was hoping that Sasuke would show up for yet another adventurous day in Korea. But she guessed that good things don't last forever, at least she had enjoyed it while it lasted. He was probably making up for what he had missed yesterday.

Her phone vibrated on the side table.

'Bored to death yet?' Sasuke had sent, a timid smile made it across her face.

She chuckled, 'I should be asking you.'

Sakura was too absorbed in the television to realize that her phone was vibrating. Her favorite cartoon was playing. Yes, you heard me right. Cartoon.

After the commercial had taken over, she wondered why he hadn't replied yet. Then she noticed the message beeping lazily on her phone's screen.

'Guess? I've got six fan-signing sessions due today.'

'Sorry was watching TV, that's awesome!'

'No, it's not. You wanna come?'

Her emerald eyes widened in disbelief and took a few seconds to realize that she hadn't replied yet.

'Seriously?'

Ten minutes had passed without another reply; maybe he had changed his mind and ignored the request like it never happened. She knew he thought it was a bad idea. But as Sakura made her way towards the bathroom, her phone beeped.

'Wouldn't have asked if I weren't.'

The rush of excitement jolted through her skin, 'Sure.'

'Ahh, Sasuke-san.'

Sasuke scowled at Kakashi's annoyingly calm voice. He scoffed, 'What?'

'So grumpy today, aren't you?'

Sasuke rolled his dark eyes. 'What do you want?'

Kakashi sat, pretzel-legged on the floor with his newest edition of Icha Icha Paradise while smiling sheepishly at his client. 'Can't your own manager start a conversation without asking something in return?' The wispy silver strands of hair graced his uncovered eyelid.

'Sure.' Sasuke remarked sarcastically, flipping his mobile shut before placing it in his pocket. 'No seriously, what do you want?'

A smug grin appeared on Kakashi's dangerously handsome face as he pulled out a folded piece of paper out of his jacket's inner pocket. He began unfolding it, unraveling a picture before Sasuke's eyes.

Sasuke stared at it in disbelief, jaw slightly hanging open. Hatake Kakashi finally asked with a grin, 'What's her name?'

'Shit!' Sasuke cursed, pacing back and forth in the lounge with the picture, 'When the hell did they take this?' he shoves the newspaper cut out picture into Kakashi's chest—which didn't react to the impact.

Kakashi looked up from his book and took the picture calmly from Sasuke's raged hands, 'Apparently…' he read the article that followed, '—somewhere around 1:00a.m.' his eyes arched upward in glee. 'Why so serious, Sasuke?'

Sasuke growled, eyes narrowing in anger, 'they're only gonna make her life hell.' He held his forehead in dismay. 'You know what I mean.'

Kakashi shrugged and buried his eyes in his book again, 'Maybe, but at least the question about your sexual drive had clearly dropped.'

Sasuke winced at the memory of him rumored to be gay; maybe there was a bright side to this.

'Still…' Sasuke had calmed down and sunk himself into the soft lustrous cushion. 'She won't be able to enjoy it here without mobs of cameras after her.' He grunted, thinking about poor Sakura who would be stalked from this day on. He burrowed his face in his palms, 'I shouldn't have invited her over.' He muttered guiltily.

Kakashi sighed, having to stop reading his favorite part of the book for the tenth time that day and got up.

'Don't worry Uchiha, you make it sound like she's going to die.' Kakashi snickered which earned a scowl from Sasuke. 'She won't be stalked,' Kakashi paused before continuing with a grin, '—not under our protection.'

Sasuke slightly looked up from his hands, 'Explain.'

The silver-haired man stroked his chin with his forefinger and thumb. 'Lets say if we tell them that she's one of us,' Kakashi paced around the room deep in thought, 'then the media won't be able to get through security which means that her life won't be "hell" after all.'

'Yeah,' Sasuke leaned against the couch, 'but that means we'd have to—'

'Keep an eye on her 24/7? Yeah.'

Sasuke grinned, 'You surprise me Hatake.'

Kakashi shrugged, 'Can we please not worry so I can get back to my book?' he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, 'It's an interesting scene.' By interesting, he meant steamy. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

'Whatever.'

Someone had knocked at Sakura's door and she ran to check whom it was, maybe it was Sasuke. Her heart squealed giddily. But what greeted her was a boy with blonde hair, definitely not Sasuke.

'Hey Naruto!' she greeted cheerfully.

'Sakura-chan!' he beamed and looked around her room warily, 'I didn't disturb you, did I?' he asked with a raised eyebrow.

She shook her head and stepped aside, 'come on in!'

He grins then stepped inside, making himself comfortable on the wide window ledge. The sighs of the ocean had ceased, being replaced by squawking pelicans.

Naruto looked at her pretty pink dress, 'You going out?'

Sakura turned around from the long dressing mirror, 'Yup, visiting Sasuke in his fan-signing sessions' she gave a big cheerful smile.

'Cool!' Naruto's jaw dropped dramatically then shook his head, 'Gosh, teme must really like you.'

She laughed at Naruto's nickname for Sasuke, 'Why is that?' she stuck her tongue out.

Naruto shrugged, leaning against the window with folded arms, 'He never invites anyone to his fan-signing sessions.' He remarked certainly, so certainly that Sakura felt a smile of appreciation creep across her face.

'Really?' she asked, secretly wanting him to repeat it again.

'Ya, too much "controversy".' He waved his hand jokily. 'So when you leaving?'

Sakura never actually asked Sasuke when or who will she be picked up with. So she shook her head, unsure. 'I don't know…' she shrugged, 'wanna get some breakfast?'

Naruto nodded, 'I'd take you there.' Sakura eyed him confusedly, 'to Sasuke's fan-signing session, I know where it's at.'

She smiled at him—she had a feeling at the pit of her heart that they were going to be good friends.

'I'd like that' she smiled.

Naruto was in fact, even from first impression, a bright cheerful person. He was always beaming, shouting out words as if people were deaf even when his tone of voice were never intended to be offensive; Sakura found him absolutely charming in ways even she couldn't comprehend. Hinata really needs a guy like him, Sakura thought grinning, she could use some volume in her life. She didn't know why she thought of Hyuuga Hinata whenever she looked at Naruto but she just couldn't help herself but to imagine both of them together—quite a funny but cute pairing actually.

Sakura leaned against the leather seat. Naruto had called in his limousine (which she still thought was abit too fancy) after their satisfying meal at a nearby café.

'Do you have a girlfriend?' Sakura asked.

Naruto sat on the opposite side of the limousine, facing her. He quirked a skeptical eyebrow, "Why?"

Then it suddenly hit her how her question could be easily misinterpreted, "I—I mean, you know I was just wondering,' she scratched her head sheepishly, 'I was just thinking of my friend back home. You guys would look good together.'

He flashed a smug and self-mocking smile, 'Nope, single all the way.' He laughed which made Sakura giggle.

The whole ride was spent with meaningless chitchat and rows of contagious laughter. They had very much enjoyed the ride until they had finally arrived without realizing it. Sakura looked through the tinted screens at the vast stretch of skyscrapers and buildings, the busy traffic and people totting around with shopping bags. It was a busy place, the sort of place where top designing companies were held at, and designed-apparels could be found in.

'Where are we?' she asked, her gaze following a crowd of teenage girls around her age, if not older, giddily taking pictures of themselves by a huge poster of Uchiha Sasuke.

'Myeong-Dong,' Naruto answered, helping Sakura out the limo. 'It's where most fan-signing sessions are held at. It's sort of where most business takes place if not all.' He grinned and placed his oversized sunglasses on.

Sakura nodded mindlessly, still watching the huge building in front of her, standing proudly off its ground with screen doors wide open accompanied by two security guards by each side. They probably need a lot of them, Sakura thought, especially when it's a fan signing held by world's most known international star. It would be chaotic, that one she knew for sure.

So she stepped in the building and felt the sudden harsh blow of air-conditioned air against her skin.

Sakura followed Naruto closely by his side and her green eyes scanned the outrageous amount of people waiting excitedly for the session to start. Most of them Sakura noticed, were of the female species dressed at their best. She felt so vulnerably little compared to the crowd, like a lone lost fish wandering in an unfamiliar gigantic ocean. There was a stage where another platform of tables were formed, and a slightly narrowed space for fans to walk through when they were done. The table was long and rectangular but only one chair was present in the middle, security guards stood sternly around all corners to prevent stampedes of fan girls from running over the place.

But instead of heading to the crowd, Naruto had made way around the back, which confused her, but she followed anyways.

They reached, what Sakura assumed, to be some private backstage. She saw a few amounts of people whom were working with the media gathering to gain entrance but to no avail. There were two private security guards that stood at the very front, evading people from gaining entrance. Both of them wore very dark tinted sharp glasses, one had dark spiky hair and the other had long satin-like black hair. Naruto approached the both of them with ease while Sakura felt very intimidated by their well-built figures.

'Yo!' Naruto gave a slight punch to the spiky-haired man's chest. 'What's up guys?' he greeted both of them like they were really good friends. Maybe they were, Sakura wouldn't know anyways.

'Oh god. It's you.' Nara Shikamaru grunted and hung his head lazily, 'what brought you here? You rarely attend these troublesome events.' He said.

Hyuuga Neji scoffed and tilted his head to the side when he saw Sakura standing timidly behind Naruto, 'Did you bring in someone, or is she one of those VIP lucky winners?' he said, voice was very stern which gave eerie chills down Sakura's spine.

Naruto turned to look at Sakura and offered her to come closer, she stood way too far away. 'Oh no, she's teme's friend.'

Nara Shikamaru and Hyuuga Neji quirked an eyebrow behind their glasses in unison, 'Sasuke's got a friend?'

Naruto nodded, as if he too shared their confusion.

'Been keeping it a secret for a long time.' Naruto grinned sheepishly.

Shikamaru sighed, 'It's about time he becomes social.'

'Does he know that she came to visit? Or is this just one of your random annoyingly obnoxious surprise visits?' Neji mocked which rewarded a blow of punch from Naruto to his shoulder. He barely winced at the contact.

'Actually, he invited her. So we better get in soon before he goes frantic. You know him and punctuality.' Naruto rolled his eyes then turned to Sakura, who was just standing clueless behind him. 'It's okay Sakura-chan, they look scary but these guys won't hurt a fly.' He waved his hand dismissively and the two bodyguards grunted, stepping aside as they granted access to Naruto and Sakura.

'Oi teme.' Naruto took off his sunglasses and placed it on his wild blonde mane.

As they entered, there was a walkway through which leads to different doors to different rooms. The walked further ahead, almost at the end of the passageway, when there was a huge opening of space, it looked a lot like a waiting room; royal blue sofas and a plush carpet in the middle overshadowed by a glass coffee table. Sasuke was casually sitting on one of the couches, looking very uninterested, and looked up slightly surprised to see Naruto.

'Oi.' He rolled his eyes and leaned against the blue fuzzy fabric, he looked up again when he saw another familiar figure stepping timidly into the room.

Sakura held her hands to her back and shifted her foot uncomfortably around the polished floor, 'I'm not bothering you or anything, am I?'

Sasuke shook his head and motioned her to take a seat. There was something about the way she dressed that made her look different somehow, simple, but definitely different.

'I didn't expect you over this early, or I would've asked someone to escort you.' Sasuke said, scanning her lenient pink dress and up to her wavy pink tresses.

Sakura shook her head, 'Naruto and I went to breakfast, and then he escorted me over. It's alright.' she smiled.

'Good, as long as the dobe doesn't annoy you.' Sasuke gave a lazy smirk that sent Sakura's heart racing somehow.

Naruto rolled his eyes in annoyance, 'Shut up and just thank me for nicely escorting her over.'

'Whatever.'

Haruno Sakura just had to laugh at both of them.

The girls were screaming frantically, some even occasionally cried with joy to see Sasuke apathetically walking across the platform before the table where he sat down, his lack of interest apparent through his face. Sakura saw the mysterious silver-haired man standing by Sasuke with a mask covering the bottom half of his face. There was a smirk apparent through the thin fabric of the mask as he read something from a bright orange book. She guessed that the man was most probably Sasuke's manager, though he did not seem too old, just old enough to be in his thirties.

'We love you Sasuke!' came a screeching roar from the crowd, but that didn't seem to trigger a smile on the young Uchiha at all.

All of this must have been very overwhelming for him, because it definitely was for her who stood in a hidden corner by the stage. Sasuke had warned her to try to keep as low profile as possible, and as far away from the media as possible. She didn't know why but it was much wiser to comply rather than to question his motives. It sort of hurt her to think that he was too embarrassed to show her in public, which might be the reason why he wanted her out from the media's eye. Though, she tried to not let the thought ruin her day, and it definitely didn't; she quite enjoyed herself to be part of something so overwhelming.

Sakura felt a light tap on her shoulder and she turned around.

'Haruno Sakura?' the girl asked behind her thick black-rimmed glasses. Sakura nodded and struggled to listen to whatever the girl was about to say to her, the roars of the crowd were getting deafening.

'Are you a friend of Sasuke's?' the girl asked, and Sakura noticed how bright her crimson hair was, dangerously bright which matched the colour of the girl's red lippie. How did that girl know, Sakura had no idea but she mindlessly nodded.

Then her crimson lips tightened to a firm line and curved at its end to reveal a very blood-crawling smile. Sakura winced at the monstrous view before her and smiled sheepishly, 'It may be rude to ask now but who are you?'

The redhead gave out a sick giggle and suppressed it with her hand, 'My name's Karin.' She said, eyeing Sakura's green eyes with intensity. Sakura noticed how Karin's dark beady eyes emitted no light, which terrified her. 'And I'm here to warn you to stay away from Sasuke.' And with that, Karin turned around to start walking but not before giving her last few words of warning, 'I mean it.' She hissed and strutted away and disappeared amidst the crowd.

It gave her goosebumps all over her flesh in the way Karin had whispered the last parts, "stay away from Sasuke." Sakura could detect the threat laced in her voice.

This couldn't be good.

After a few hours of mad screaming fans and the non-stop headaches from all security guards, the fan-signing sessions were finally over. Sasuke got up with a sigh and brushed a hand through his hair, turning to look at a pale Sakura who was tiredly leaning against a wall. He walked across the platform and stood by her.

'Are you okay?' he asked.

Sakura was too busy in her own blurry world to react to his voice, and then she looked up to see him looking down at her.

'Yeah.' She said quietly, 'just fine.'

A/N: Ohhh yes! The dreaded (maybe not) chapter six is finally here! Sorry for the late-update guys, I had too much in mind and I needed to take a break from writing a crappy chapter. At least this takes a slight amount of effort from my side to make it longer. Please do review! Pretty please! -Hands each and everyone of you an autographed picture of a sexy sizzling Uchiha Sasuke-