So this is the next chapter! I'm glad that at least SOME people read my story. Thank you!
Hopefully, this chapter won't suck as much as my prologue did (I know it was rushed and I regret it)…xD
Disclaimer: Naruto definitely does not belong to me, sadly.
It was another bright morning in Konoha. The sun had been up for a while now, emitting off its silver light and letting the land below it beam up to it. There was not a cloud in the sky.
The warm sunlight peeked in through the Uchiha mansion's master bedroom. Uchiha Sasuke was dozing peacefully on his soft bed. He stirred slightly due to the disturbance of the unwanted light. He tried to block out the sunlight with his hands and stretched in bed. He rubbed his eyes lazily and looked at the clock kept at the night-stand. It was about 8 O'clock.
He groaned a bit and remembered that he had to get up and go for training. He forcefully got out of his comfortable bed and went into the bathroom. He looked at the bathroom mirror and just stared blankly at it for a few minutes, clearly out of sleepiness.
He suddenly started to feel as if today was supposed to be quite an important day. Then it struck him: Sakura was to give her decision today. It wasn't that he would be heart-broken or anything if she rejected, but it would certainly be annoying.
Sasuke just needed a woman to help him resurrect his clan. He just wanted a worthy kunoichi who could help in adding to the superior power of the Sharingan by the use of her own powerful trait. Someone who was decent looking, easy to handle, satisfy and maintain and care for their future children. Someone whom he knows a little about at least and it would always help if she was good with her housework, especially cooking and cleaning, not unbearably loud or annoying.
Sakura was just all of that; so he thought.
He has known her since they were only mere genins. She has proven her worth by being one of the best medic-nins Konoha has ever seen. She is definitely strong and possesses super-human strength, which could prove good for the clan. She was one of the only female kunoichi he has known personally, being all anti-social and all just gives him that.
He got along fine with her though they don't really talk much. You could call them more than acquaintances and maybe even go as far as friends, seeing, as a team they have got so far. He always knew she was caring and kind and had heard from others that she was warm and loving too. Well, he has never experienced it since he doesn't allow her to be 'loving' and 'warm' with him. He believed in distance and conversing only when necessary.
He agreed that she was decent looking and will not push further than that, though, yeah, he might have thought she was pretty sometime or the other…
And the final reason why he picked Sakura was because he remembers that she had confessed her love for him way long back. He had a hunch that she still held onto some of those feelings.
It was that very fact about her that made him have the ball on his court. But if she by chance did reject, then no matter- he would have to go through the thing he had doomed--
Dating.
Why he doomed it was because he just didn't want to go out on dates and spend his precious time on some girl who might prove to be completely useless and insane. Meeting girls would mean that he would have to get to know them by interviewing and conversing with them. Being the man of little words, that thought is downright repulsive.
Having just remembered about training and confronting Sakura, Sasuke quickly freshened up, simply skipped breakfast, which he knew he would come back, and do, and went out the door and headed for the usual training grounds.
On the other hand, the pinkette was sitting on her bed. She was hugging her knees to her chest with the help of her slender hands. She was in deep thought. She remembered every little detail of her conversation between her and Sasuke the other night, though it wasn't much.
But even with the very few words they had spoken last night, they kept her shaking till now even. She had not yet made up her mind about what she was going to do. She knew she wouldn't really be able to face him now. She urged and yearned to just say 'yes' but her brain was telling her just the contrary. Right now, she was having a bad case of conflicting emotions.
She couldn't think straight. A life with Sasuke Uchiha would mean heavy responsibility of the clan and more than likely, she would have to bear with his cold shoulder towards her. She could also very well imagine seeing his scowling face, blank pools of obsidian and emotionless or raged façade 24x7. Basically- no sign of warmth.
But at the other side of the darkness, she saw some light. Perhaps, as time ticks, he may change or need to change. She knew that Sasuke would obviously not be harsh with any of his children, if he has any in the future. She knew he was capable of being loving and is quite sure that he was before his clan's massacre.
After all, winter always does melt away and turn into spring. So why should humans or more like Sasuke, be any different? If not fully open up, then at least become caring. She decided that she, herself, personally, will attend to that matter, whether she accepts or rejects his offer today, and make him more caring at the most.
And that was final. No buts. Once Sakura makes up her mind, she's at it. No turning back.
Being a little satisfied with her thoughts, she knew what she was going to tell him. She just didn't know how to go about it though. 'I'm sure I'll just figure that out on the spot.' She pondered. 'I'll just wait for the right time to speak.'
Yet, her nerves where still shaking, not fully gotten over her previous night's shock. She slowly got off her bed. She had already gotten ready so she just made her way to the front door and left her house to go and meet her team.
She really wanted to take her little frustration out so she thought that training would serve that need. It would do her some good.
Team 7 had just finished their morning training and it was almost lunch-time. Nothing had changed for the most part; Kakashi was still late as usual, Naruto still was loud and ready to have an argument with Sasuke, Sai was still Sai, pale as usual, scribbling something in his notebook. They all had a normal training session and about now Naruto should be talking about going to Ichiraku to get his hands on the miso pork ramen.
The only thing unusual was that Sakura was trying to avoid Sasuke, which is a given as to why, isn't it? He also wasn't paying any particular attention to her.
Training had officially ended for the morning and everyone was just leaving to go for lunch to Naruto's favourite food joint. Sakura was also following behind the other three guys when suddenly, she was grabbed by her wrist and pulled towards the bridge.
"What the –oh, Sasuke?"
"Hn. Your decision." He stated very clearly with not a single sign of hesitation or worry. He was just acting as if proposing wasn't really a big deal.
Sakura obviously wasn't taken aback by the sudden remark. She knew it was to come soon. Just not this soon. "Yeah, I…just have some very simple questions to ask you just so there's no confusion."
"………"
"Ok then. See, I just wanted you to know that this is a really big decision, one of the biggest of my short life so it's better to be safe than sorry, right? So don't mind the stupid but vital questions…" She went on. Honestly she didn't know what she exactly wanted to ask him. She was getting all hyped up.
"Just hurry up and go on." He said. He really didn't care much for explanations. He just wanted to hear her answer quickly and get over this phase. How hard was it? Either you marry him or you don't. That's how Sasuke felt. No big deal for him.
She took a deep breath and spoke. "I wanted to know whether I can still keep my job if we do get though this."
"Yes, as long as you do all the work at home too." He finished. He personally knew how it was like to be deprived of your job. When he had returned from sound, he was put on house arrest for 2 months and as a result, he wasn't allowed to go on missions too, and that too for 4 months. For the extra 2 months, he was only allowed to do D and C rank missions. It was really depressing.
She brightened up instantly. Her job, that is, being a medic, was everything to her. If he was to refuse, she would not even consider his offer. That was basically it. She suddenly didn't know if there were any other questions that she wanted to ask him, for some reason.
Maybe that was due to her mind that was currently blank. All she could hear was the deep throbbing of her fist-sized heart and all she could feel was her hollow stomach. She often feels like this when she talks or even looks at him. This was the feeling that had come out in the open after so many years of trapping it in, within her. Love. One word to describe it all.
"Yes." She automatically said out of nowhere. She honestly didn't know where it came from but she knew that she would have someday or the other come to this conclusion. It was good that she said it now; otherwise she perhaps would have regretted it later.
"I..I-think I will marry you". She smiled slightly, relief washing over her form. She liked the feeling of the burden off her shoulders. She had made her final decision.
Sasuke nodded. A serious expression adorned his handsome face. "Hn. Now listen to me carefully. I want you to think it over again…"
"Don't worry. I've thought it over. I'm sure-"she interrupted.
"I'm not done." He said, a little annoyed as usual with the said girl. "Let me warn you. I know you and how you want your 'dream wedding' like every girl and all. But let me remind you, I am marrying you solely for my own personal ambition. Not for any other purpose. You need to forget about care, love etc. You know I cannot give you any of those comforts."
Sakura shattered at his words. It stung her and she felt her knees weaken and her eyes well up with tears, daring to fall. She was trembling. She knew it all but somehow it hurt her even more, hearing it from his mouth. She simply looked down and sighed ever so quietly, clearly feeling the rising tension in her.
"Do you understand?" He continued in his usual monotone voice with still a hint of seriousness. "You are simply to take care of the house, our future children and are allowed to go daily for work. That's the end of it. You are to cook dinner and lunch and all- this is what will consist of your regular day. Do you think that you're up to it? I am not going to cheer you up when you cry or give you warmth when you're lonely. Get that straight. So, I give you time to think"
Every single word hit her. A single tear hit a wooden plank of the bridge. Emotionally, she was hurt all over and the pain just wouldn't go away. But she quickly shook it all away. She lifted her head. She was going to be strong and she had taken it upon her to bring his happiness back. There was no turning back since she's come this far already, right?
"I agree. I am fine with every single point of yours. I surrender." She said, confidently. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't mask the lingering pain in her voice. "I've never been so sure of anything before. We can start planning from tomorrow or something." A gentle smile, a little forced, caressing her delicate features.
"Hn." 'Finally, it's almost over. Soon it will all be done' He thought. He was relieved that he's almost done as he was never good at such things, anyway. "And one last thing….."
Cliffhanger!
That marks the end of chapter two. It is a bit longer than the earlier.
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