Hi c: here's the new chappie of AWNW! hope you enjoy it~.
also, I forgot to mention closer to the beginning, this fic's gonna be fairly short, since it's just my first, and I don't wanna be too adventurous.. sorry! few more chaps though. c:

Taka's performance was the talk of the campus the following morning. Freshman girls wandering in herds were partaking in heated arguments over who their favourite member was; older girls were trying to act cool, but it was obvious how desperately they wanted to join in.

Sakura heaved a sigh from where she lounged on a bench. Her bike was propped haphazardly against the arm, unchained, and her favourite flavour of Frappuccino sat beside it; strawberries and cream, with extra cream. "Why did he have to choose me?" she muttered into her fists. "Why him, and why me?"

The next thing she knew, what felt like a bucket of ice had been dumped in her lap, and her bike was sprawled on the floor, several metres away. Shocked, Sakura stood up, scraped the milk-and-ice beverage off her skirt, and turned to confront her assailant. A trio of girls, older than herself, stood behind the bench, smiling grimly and poised defensively. Two of them didn't look too threatening, with their stupid headbands and poorly dyed hair, but the third, the tallest and obviously the leader, was quite a sight. Her shocking red hair stood out amongst everything else, and her ugly smirk made Sakura fear for her mental health.

"You were having a private chat with Sasuke last night, weren't you?" the girl said with a nasty sneer. Sakura gathered the courage, pushing her spineless former self from the surface; she pushed out her chest, folded her arms, mimicking the three girls, and tipped her head proudly.

"Perhaps I was," she frowned. "And who are you to question that, his bodyguard?"

"No, actually," the girl spat back; the notebook sticking out the top of her bag told Sakura that her name was Karin. "I'm his girlfriend, and the leader of his fan club. Now, myself and the others would be greatly appreciative if you'd back off; Sasuke is mine, and sometimes the others', and we don't like it when people step on our territory."

Sakura lifted an eyebrow, genuinely affronted by this girl's attitude. Territory? While she didn't associate herself with Sasuke in any way, he was nobody's territory. That was just…wrong.

"Firstly, Uchiha Sasuke is nobody's territory. He's a human being, not an accessory, so you can stop referring to him like that. Secondly, if you're so worried about me stealing your little toy from you, you can have him. I am, in no way, shape, or form, interested in him. So with that thought fresh in your minds, run along now, little girls. Go and tell all this to someone who cares."

Karin bristled, ready to retaliate; then, with fear in her eyes, looked over Sakura's shoulder. Her eyes budged a little when she panicked. Her lackeys imitated her expression, and the trio took off, heads bowed and hands at their sides. Sakura didn't need to turn around to know what had caused their sudden retreat.

She felt a hand on her elbow from behind, and the heat of someone's breath on her cheek.

"Let's go get you another coffee." Sasuke whispered; Sakura retrieved her bike, and followed without a word.

They didn't speak as they took their seats in the Café. Sasuke wrapped his hands around the mug of plain black coffee, eyeing Sakura's own choice of drink with distaste.

"How can you drink something like that?" he asked. It was the first time he'd spoken since their encounter.

Sakura blinked. "What, something so sweet?"

"Mm."

A shrug. "I don't know, I don't like bitter things."

"Seems we complement each other."

"Seems so," Sakura avoided eye contact as she muttered her reply.

They fell back into a steady silence. Sasuke watched her as closely as he had the night before, examining her features with the intensity of a scientist examining a rare specimen. He noted, above anything, she wouldn't look him in the eye. If she spoke, she would look around them; at his nose, his mouth, his forehead, his hands, over his shoulder…anywhere but his eyes. Something told Sasuke that she was not simply socially inept, or shy.

He folded his hands on top of the table. "Why do you hate me?"

Sakura batted her eyes into her plastic cup. For a moment, she said nothing. She pursed her lips as though readying herself to speak, but words failed her. After what felt like a lifetime, she took a breath. "I don't…hate you."

"You do."

"I really, really don't—"

"Then why do you avoid looking at me? Why do you find it so difficult to hold a conversation? Why…why were you so reluctant to even tell me your name in the beginning? Why—"

"Alright," Sakura said exhaustedly. "Alright, that's enough."

Sasuke looked expectantly at her.

"My ex-boyfriend," she murmured. "you look exactly like him. You speak like him, act like him…shit, he was a bassist in a band, too."

Sasuke paused. "Why is that a bad thing?"

"He left me for one of his band's fan club members. She was a lot like Karin…he left me crushed. I'm scared that if I got close to you," she paused to swallow. "The exact same thing would happen all over again. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to — to get to know you, to be friends, perhaps more, in the future, but…I find it pretty difficult to trust people these days."

Sasuke said nothing for a while. He nodded slowly, then, understanding her predicament. He had to admit, he'd never been in this position, before; having to make a promise.

"And what if I said I'm not this guy you've pre-empted in your head – a shallow person who'll leave you at the drop of a hat?"

Sakura played with the bracelet on her wrist. "It's not that simple, Sasuke. I'm not bullshitting when I say it's not you, it's me."

He patted the top of her hand. "I understand."

"I'm really sorry."

"It's okay, so am I."

"No, you don't have to be."

"I know, but I will be for what I'm about to do."

"What are you—"

He leant across the table and brushed his lips against hers. It was a brief kiss, soft and chaste, hardly counting for anything at all; Sakura was unsure of whether it lasted a second or an hour, though. Her thoughts were too clouded by the fireworks behind her eyes to know, or even care.

As he pulled away, and they opened their eyes, he smirked. "Sorry, I had to do that at least once."

He left a handful of coins on the table as a tip, and left without another word.

EEEEE—
I had so much fun writing that. and fangasms. so many fangasms.

please review!