Hi guys.

hatsukoi - thanks for your very detailed review! i really enjoyed reading it :) and same! i just recently started shipping kibaino because shikatema happened haha. and they're cute together so yes.

smile, ohmybeatingspark, and rosalies - thank you guys! i'm happy that ya'll are enjoying it!

anyways, enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Location: Some Clothing Store, Oto

Day: July 21st, Saturday

Time: 9:50PM

Sasuke was not amused.

Not even a little bit.

Here he thought that after that weekend in Konoha about a month and a half ago he and Sakura would be okay. Kind of. They've been texting and or calling each other every now and then to see what the other is up to. They were going to try and be loyal to one another and see where things between them would go. But this-

This was just ridiculous.

She was ignoring him. She wasn't replying to his texts or returning his calls (she better feel damn special, he hated talking on the phone unless, of course, it was with her). It was annoying.

Had he done something? Was she playing the "push and pull" card? Did she give up on him all of a sudden because she realized what an asshole he was and that he didn't deserve a girl like her?

Sasuke sighed, irritated. Fuckin' seriously.

He shoved the shirt and the accessories that some costumer bought in a plastic bag carelessly before handing it to her. Sasuke didn't even bothering to look at the person as he took the card from her hand and swiped it on the register. He probably came off as a dick (which wasn't exactly good for the store), but he could honestly care less what people thought of him.

Just what has my life come to, he thought.

It wasn't even like he and Sakura ever had a proper relationship going on. Sure, he knew that she had feelings for him before and it was all good now since it was just a phase or some shit. Or so he thought. Now he was aware that she still loved (loves) him. Still though. Just because Sakura loved (loves) him doesn't really change the fact that their relationship was entirely based on sex, does it?

He returned the card to the customer who muttered a rather shy 'thanks' before leaving. Sasuke continued to ring up costumers, one after the other, not really paying them much attention and brushed off those who shamelessly flirted with him. It was all irritating, really.

He was just about to ring up the second to last customer before his shift ended when he heard obnoxious screaming girls outside the clothing store he worked at.

What the fuck?

He ignored it, thinking that it was just a bunch of teenagers excited about something. Or maybe they were having a grand reunion of some sort? Who the fuck knows anymore he had-

"Hello, little brother."

Oh right, how could he forget? His famous ass brother was visiting for his eighteenth birthday which was only in a few days. That explained the stupid commotion that went on outside.

But did he really have to come pick him up? Here? At work?

Sasuke looked up from the register counter and scowled at the person leaning against it.

"Itachi."

x

Location: Itachi's Car , The Boys' Apartment

Day: July 21st, Saturday

Time: 10:31PM

"How are you, Sasuke?" Itachi asked, breaking the silence, as he adjusted his sunglasses on his face.

"Fine." Sasuke replied. "And you?"

Sasuke glanced at his older brother from the corner of his eye, observing him. For a twenty-one year old, Itachi looked a lot older—more mature than most people his age. Sasuke supposed it was because of the responsibility that was thrust upon him after their family's tragedy. It was all very sad, really. Sasuke frowned and shook his head, not liking where his thought process was going. It was a very sensitive topic for him, so he didn't dwell on it too much. He hadn't seen much of Itachi (except whenever he was on TV, of course) in a year or so—he had been away for some world tour with his band, Akatsuki.

Itachi shrugged, keeping his eyes on the road. They were in Itachi's car, on their way to the boys' apartment.

"Tired," he let out a soft chuckle, "we've been busy lately, can you tell? Our manager isn't exactly merciful. He doesn't care if we're dead tired as long as he's getting some money." At this Itachi shook his head. "He's even going so far as asking us to use people, women to be specific, to further our fame." He scoffed. "As if we need any more exposure."

Sasuke frowned. He knew that Orochimaru, Akatsuki's manager, was a greedy motherfucker but to use people? That's just immoral.

"What do you mean?"

Itachi spared him a glance, shaking his head once more.

"It's not even just that, Sasuke. It's a lot more personal and has nothing to do with Orochimaru." Itachi sighed and looked hesitant for a bit. "It's just getting really bad in the company. I found out what he did. Madara." At this Sasuke gave him a questioning look. "I want him out. Everyone wants him out. He's not happy about it. He's taking his revenge out on us. Long story short, he's trying to get us all to crack, you know, give in to the pressures of the public so that we'll disband and he can create another band or artist or something. Even Orochimaru's pissed."

Itachi sighed, yet again. "It's a really long story."

Sasuke opened his mouth to say something in return but was interrupted by Itachi as he pulled over the driveway, parking his car.

"We'll talk about it when we get inside." Itachi gave Sasuke a pointed look. "It's actually one of the reasons I came here."

It didn't take long for them to get into the apartment. As per usual, Naruto, Suigetsu, and Kiba beamed at the sight of Itachi. He was like an older brother to all of them—the girls included.

"YO! Itachi!" Naruto greeted, sporting the usual shit-eating grin he had as he spread his arms wide, engulfing Itachi in a bro-hug. "Long time, no see, man. How'd the tour go?"

"Yeah, man. Sorry we couldn't go to any of them." Kiba added, patting Itachi on the shoulder. "Sasuke over here wouldn't give us free tickets."

"Did you bring any of your hot groupies for all of us?" Suigetsu asked from the couch, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Itachi chuckled at them and shook his head. "It's nice to see you boys, too. You guys have grown so much since the last time I saw you."

"HEH, look at you sounding all proper and adult like! And what's up with those shades man?! Been doing some shady business lately? HAHAHA!"

"It's not just me that's grown! If y'know what I mean, eh, Itachi?"

"So, seriously… where are the groupies…?"

Sasuke could only roll his eyes at his friends' antics. Though he had to admit he was struck with nostalgia. He felt like he was eight again—what with his childhood (except for Suigetsu because he and Itachi only met a few years ago, though they were just as close) friends being the usual morons they were and acting like children whenever Itachi was around.

It was like nothing had changed.

Except it had.

Their night went on like that. Catching up, eating take-outs, playing video games, and a mini jam session as per Naruto's request. Even Sasuke joined in—playing the guitar and all after so many years of avoiding it. Nostalgia really was getting to him.

It wasn't until after Sasuke made sure that everyone was asleep when he brought up the subject again to Itachi. The one with him being involved with something and what not.

"I'm suggesting that you take my place in the band while I take over the company—that is of course after we get Madara out of the way." Itachi said, his face showing no sign that he was kidding.

"Madara?" Sasuke asked, frowning. "I—what? I can't take your place in the band. I haven't played the guitar since mom and dad died." At that, Sasuke winced. "…and that was a long time ago."

Itachi sighed and ran a hand over his face. He looked stressed.

"You see, Sasuke," Itachi began, "this is what I came to talk to you about."

Sasuke's frown deepened, suddenly feeling anxious. Whenever people say something like that in movies, it usually doesn't involve good news.

"I found out something." Itachi paused, looking as though he was unsure if he making the right move by telling Sasuke all of this. Itachi shook his head lightly to himself and continued. "Madara was the one behind the murder of our whole family—our aunts and uncles, our cousins, everyone."

"He wants to kill us, too. He found out that he had no share of the family's fortune, so technically he has no right to be running the company right now. He's also corrupt and…"

Sasuke felt his whole body go numb. He could no longer process what Itachi was telling him.

His uncle?

His uncle who let them stay over at his place after the tragedy? His uncle who treated them like they were his own? His uncle who took over the company to prevent it from going bankrupt?

Sasuke felt disgusted.

How can Madara do something like that? Why? Why were they, Sasuke and Itachi, alive? Why did Madara not kill them? How does Itachi know all of this?

"—Sasuke? Did you hear what I just said?"

Sasuke snapped his attention back to Itachi who was giving him a concerned look. And no, he hadn't heard what he said.

"No."

He felt Itachi pat his cheek twice.

"I said think about it." Itachi said. "You have time—a year at most to make your decision. In the meantime, I'll be setting up a meeting with the company and the Akatsuki. This is all going to happen after your birthday, of course, little brother." Itachi offered him a smile. It wasn't a genuine one. It didn't reach his eyes.

Sasuke could only stare at Itachi in return, he was at a loss for words. Too shocked to even talk. It was just too much. Itachi was stressed and troubled and angry, Sasuke could tell, but he was holding them back, hiding it from him and Sasuke was worried for his brother. Itachi was only twenty-one, it was a big, big responsibility to take over a company. He had trusted Madara. He—

"Rest up, Sasuke." Sasuke heard Itachi say before he made his way out of Sasuke's room.

Sasuke sighed. He suddenly felt foolish for his earlier problem about Sakura when this was happening. He had no time for petty things such as relationships. He had to focus about his future.

X

Location: Sasuke's room

Day: July 22nd, Sunday

Time: 2:54AM

It was surreal. Everything.

Sasuke sighed for the umpteenth time that night as he laid down on his bed, placing an arm over his forehead. He was contemplating about what Itachi had told him.

The plan was to get rid of Madara. Itachi told him that it would involve a lot of all that court and legal shit. He also told him that once everything settles down and Madara was out of the way, Itachi would then eventually have to quit the band, leaving them guitarist-less, in order to take care of the company properly. And that's where Sasuke's role came to play.

Itachi wanted him to take his place in the band when the time comes. The thing was Sasuke hadn't played the guitar since he was seven. That was a problem. A fuckin' big one. It was ridiculous.

Another thing was that Sasuke was unsure if that was what he really wanted to do in his life. He had considered it, yes, but he was leaning more towards the business side of it. For him he wasn't much of a performer even if people told him otherwise. He just thought he'd do better doing all the background shit that no one really pays attention to.

But then again he was Sasuke and he could learn. He had a year, didn't he? He could do it. If he really put his heart into it, he could do it.

He could, but did he really want to?

It was a tough decision.

If he did it, it would help the company a lot. It would help Itachi. Maybe he'd make his parents proud. This was what his father always wanted, right? To be just like Itachi. And just like Itachi, he'd inevitably become famous which meant no privacy, getting recognized everywhere he went, paparazzi, and so on. The last thing Sasuke ever wanted was unwanted attention.

He hated attention but he was angry and he wanted to avenge his family and he wanted Madara dead.

Sasuke sighed. Fuck it all.

He'd buy his own goddamned guitar tomorrow and see where this shit goes.

As usual, please leave a review or two, and let me know what you guys think.

Oh-what's up with the new chapter (681) though? idunno man, I feel like it's too much at this point. Like, yeah, it explained everything but still. So done with Kishi srsly.

Love you all xx