Standard Disclaimers Apply

The Twenty-Fifth Hour: Pity

Itachi was a patient man, but not always when it came to the rosette. For instance, not being able to interact with her when she was right there was something to grow impatient over. So as she continued to stay in the same place, not moving, he decided that she had given up.

As he materialized his body in front of her, she jumped.

"Oh my G- Itachi!" Then, the shock seemed to have left her system, because she was laughing nervously. "I-I knew you would do that!"

"Do what?"

"Give up!"

She was trying her very best to convince him that she had foreseen this course of action.

Looking at her desperate expression, he honestly doubted she knew about it. She had most likely been plotting on how to make him slip up again like last time. He didn't know what kind of expression he was giving, but by her next words, he did.

"Are you taking pity on me?"

The Twenty-Sixth Hour: Switch

"Well that was no fun."

"You were the one who suggested it." His voice was flat, but she could hear the mild disappointment evident in his tone. Was he disappointed in himself for not being able to satisfy her boredom?

If so, then she knew just the thing that would.

"Make it up to me."

He looked at her in question.

"I want you to make it up to me."

"And what is it that I am supposed to make up for?"

"What else, silly?" His eyebrow twitched slightly. She was calling him "silly"? Oh, the world must be ending right now. "Make up for disappointing me!"

"And why must I do that?"

Although his words told one story, his tone told another. The soft, pleasant sound of his voice told her that he was ready to do whatever she wanted him to do, within the boundaries of course.

"It is something…we've never done before."

He seemed to have caught the bait as his eyes lit up with interest.

"Oh? Do go on."

"Let me torture you."

He knows this is déjà vu.

"No."

The Twenty-Seventh Hour: Torture

"Why not? We couldn't do it last time!"

"We could not do it last time, because it was stupid."

"But right now, it's different!"

"Something stupid back then is still stupid right now."

"Geez, you're no fun! And here I thought I could finally get a rise out of you…" She pouted, crossing her arms in front of her stubbornly. Seeing how he wasn't going to say anything, she turned away.

He hates seeing her like this.

After a few moments of silence (and much, much thinking on his part), he spoke up. "It is different right now."

She didn't turn her head in his direction.

"I admit that, Sakura."

Even at the sound of her name, she does not move a muscle.

"But you seem to be misunderstanding something. You have brought enough torture to me."

That caught her attention. "What?" she spun around, facing him and revealing to him just how confused she was.

"Not being able to see you for such a long time…It was pure torture."

She didn't know how much truth lied in his words, but his eyes were sincere, and that was what won her over.

The Twenty-Eighth Hour: Creepy

"Not being able to see you for such a long time...It was pure torture."

She kept replaying those words over and over again in her head, not at all noticing the amused stare he was giving her.

"Stop that." He sighs.

"Stop what?" Blinking, she snaps out of her daydream.

"Your smile was pretty creepy."

Her hands automatically jumped up to cover her lips to feel that, yes, she was indeed smiling. Whether it was creepy or not, she had a pretty good idea.

"Sorry."

"What were you thinking about?"

"You," she blurted without so much as a thought.

She regretted it a mere "second" later.

The Twenty-Ninth Hour: Confidence

"Oh? You were thinking about me?"

She could feel just how smug he was right now, and she slaps her head in dismay. Why did I say that?

"There's no need to deny it," he urges her on with a slight smirk.

That confidence…

"It cannot be helped if I am all you can think of."

…It's really irritating…

"Besides, that was my plan in the first place. In fact…"

…But really hot...

"I think of you too."

The Thirtieth Hour: Temptation

She knows she wants it. She honestly really does.

She thinks he knows too, but she doesn't dare bring it up. Why? Because…

"It's embarrassing."

"Hn?" He pauses in his initial attempt to kiss her. To his surprise, she hadn't let him.

They were frozen in their position for a good few "seconds": her, a hand pushing against Itachi's chin and a hand supporting her weight, and him, a hand on her shoulder and the other on the ground beside them.

"It's embarrassing! I don't want to do this!" she squeaks out in frustration, frustration from not being able to submit to what she desires.

The temptation is there, but she can't give in. She just can't.

Cause if she does, the "hours" will go by so fast and before she knows it, it will all be over.

A/N: Summer school is over...which explains this update! I'm a little tired right now, but I felt like I owe you guys something. I'll probably go over this again and edit it in the future. I'll try my best to update more often, but I can't promise anything! My deepest apologies! Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please leave a review if you have the time! :D Have a nice day!