A/N: I'm sorry for such a long break, guys. And on cliffhangers, too. Please feel free to be mad hahaha. But guys—I graduated from college and in a month I'm getting married! I'm excited and nervous :0
Anyway, I honestly kind of forgot what I was planning on for this chapter…I think I'm gonna keep this one Sasuke POV, though. Sorry NaruHina fans. ^^;
Sasuke POV (Friday—6:45 AM)
A low buzzing woke me up, and although I tried to ignore it, it continued to grow in decibels. My body ached from the exertion in the basketball game last night, and my heavy lids were from the late night of setting up cameras and explaining to my parents why Sakura stayed the night.
Of course, we couldn't admit that the accident was because of this gang or Itachi's involvement. Thankfully my parents took our half-truths, and Sakura had a room prepared for her next to me.
Or so I thought.
After opening my eyes I spied the pink haired girl wrapped up in my blanket. Although Sakura cocooned herself far from me, I reached out my arm to her easily. I also realized that the incessant buzzing came from her phone, somewhere lost in the sea of blankets.
I tried to brush her hair out of her face, only to realize it stuck to her via drool. Amused, I finally pulled the strands free so I could see her furrowed eyebrows.
This wasn't the first time I had laid eyes on her sleeping visage. After all, we did grow up together, and sleepovers were frequent. Had she always been this breathtaking, though? I dismissed the thoughts from my mind and continued to stare at her porcelain skin, wishing the day didn't have to start yet.
Her eyes snap open and her hand shoots up to cover her mouth. Confusion written all over her face, she bolts up, tightly wound within the blankets.
"Why am I in here? What happened? Did you touch me? I gotta go to work!" The short sentences spilled out of her mouth as she released herself from the blankets and jumped off the bed. Her borrowed pajamas engulfed her body, and as she landed on the floor she tripped from the pant legs. My mother has a small frame and Sakura couldn't wear any of her clothing, so I loaned her a shirt and pants. I hadn't expected that they would help me find amusement out of waking up so early.
I propelled myself out of bed and helped her stand to her feet, then motioned for her to sit down on the edge of the comforter. She eyed me but complied nonetheless.
I bent down on the floor and proceeded to roll up her pant legs to help her. Even if it is temporary, it is something I could do. I looked up at her only to notice her averting her own eyes, cheeks flushed.
"I'll take you after breakfast. And, I have no idea how you came in—you must have sneaked into my room."
"Or you missed me and brought me in."
"No."
She kicked my knee in retaliation, but a sly smile danced on her lips. I finished rolling up the pants and stood myself up, then frowned.
"I suggest going into your guest room and getting ready; I don't want my parents thinking anything." She nodded and cracked the door open. Just as the door came to a close, she opened it again and turned to look at me.
"Thanks again for letting me stay, Sasuke."
One hour later
"Are you seriously going to sit outside all day?"
"I brought homework—I'll be fine." I showed her my bag in response, stuffed with books and assignments. The cafe outside my car was small and already had a full parking lot. The storeowner befriended most of the town, and many people gave their devotion in return. Crowds came every day for at least a cup of coffee, if not more.
Scheduled to work until the dinner rush, Sakura had denied my staying inside the restaurant at a booth during her hours. My response ended with watching from afar, and that was how we had come to her shocked expression.
"I'll…I'll make sure you get a lunch, then. My treat." I smiled, knowing that a meal was not what I deserved after having her own home broken into the previous night.
"I'm sure the police are done investigating your home by now so we can go after your shift."
After telling him about the incident, my father alerted the station and dispatched officers to the scene. He advised them to watch for any suspicious movement outside the house and even deployed an officer there to watch during the next few days.
Sakura exited the car and walked into the diner. In reality, I knew I wouldn't be getting much schoolwork done, but in fact, writing down all the proof we had so far.
Within a few minutes, I received a call from Naruto. I let it ring a few times out of spite, then answered the dobe.
"Sasuke, what happened to Sakura!?"
"She's fine, her house on the other hand…"
I heard him let out a deep breath and some murmuring, signaling that someone else was with him this early morning.
"He says she's fine. Whew! Hey—Sasuke! Was it those guys in those freaky jackets? Ya know, the one with eerie clouds on 'em."
My blood ran cold for a second—how did this idiot figure that out? I glanced at the storefront, seeing Sakura's pink hair bobbing in the corner while she smiled at a patron. Should he be included?
"Your silence says it all, teme. Don't think I'm oblivious to everything ya know! Hinata was attacked by one of those creeps a few days ago, but thankfully I was there to knock him out."
"Yeah, I remember, dobe. Sounds like we need to…discuss it."
"Heck yeah! But uh—not right now. Hinata is over at my place trying to help me study, and I only called to confirm my suspicions and make sure Sakura was okay."
I pinched the bridge of my nose. Of course, he's already deeply rooted in this dare from TenTen and it has barely been three weeks.
"Right, well let me know how this date of yours goes. Meanwhile, I'll focus on something worth my time."
"Sasuke, that isn't—" I clicked the end button and tossed my phone back onto my backpack.
I paused for a minute, digesting the quick conversation. My eyes then wandered back to the cafe, searching for the pinkette. Protecting her is more important than anything now.
(6:00 PM)
"Sasuke?"
"Naruto needs to be involved."
Her eyes widened in shock, processing my words. Her hands then rested on her hips and I knew she was about to chew me out. I waited with baited breath, ready to listen to her outburst.
Her shift ended half an hour ago and we have pulled into her home's driveway, now standing just a few feet from my shiny car.
"I thought you wanted to keep this under lock and key? To keep everyone else safe and out of harm's way? If Naruto does anything to mess this up, something may happen to him. Or worse, to Hinata again."
I rested my hand on her shoulder which caused her to look up into my eyes. We stayed frozen in this spot for a moment, lost in each other's eyes and communicating silently. I broke the silence.
"Hinata is the very reason he needs to be involved. If she's targeted again, he needs to know what to look out for to protect her."
"You're right, Sasuke. I just don't know if Naruto is really the right person to do this. Maybe Neji?"
"His relationship with her is very different than Neji's, and you know how protective he gets of things he loves."
She smirked up at me then, a mysterious glint in her eyes. Almost as if saying she knew I was the same. She threw her hands up in the air and nodded.
"You win this time, Sasuke. We can talk to him tonight if he's free. Now—let's go investigate my house."
My hand fell from her shoulder and we walked cautiously up to the front door. The police had spread yellow tape around the property, but the officer on watch let us through with ease.
Immediately we noted how dark the house had become and the broken glass covering the tiled floors. Our phone flashlights were quickly turned on and became the only source of light against the quickly setting sun outside. The Akatsuki members had broken all the lights in the home as if signifying keeping us in the dark. Or taking our only hope away. A shiver ran down my spine.
We walked down the hallway to the workout room which had received a new glass window only a day prior. It hadn't been broken again, but another one of the paperweights was carefully placed on the table. This one's coloration reminded me of a cherry blossom, which Sakura was aptly named after.
"They should have left me a necklace if they wanted it to match me. At least then it would be useful." Sakura dryly stated. As we walked up to it, I noticed a small strip of paper sticking out, reminding me of the note that had been left with the previous one.
"Now that I think about it, the other one was pitch black, like an onyx. Are they supposed to resemble us?"
I furrowed my eyebrows, unsure of her observation. "Maybe." I reached down and slid the paper from underneath the heavy stone.
Your light is too bright. Let the darkness inside.
"If we go by your deduction, then this note would be for you and the last for me." She tilted her head and I handed her the slip of paper to read. After a moment, a disgusted sound escaped her throat.
"This makes sense literally since they smashed all the lights, but what are they actually meaning?"
"Let's compare it to the note from last time. Where did you put it?"
"In my folder with all my research, which is in my bedroom—!" Before even finishing her sentence she yanked my arm and rushed back out of the room toward her own.
Upon entering the doorway, we found papers scattered around the room, trashed in all corners. Shreds of what looks like newspaper clippings covered her floor. Her research on the gang. She bent down to pick up the pieces, but I froze.
"Wait, don't touch it!" Her burning eyes flew back up to me, seething. I motioned for her to look at it from my view, and she strode back toward me. "Stand right here. Tilt your head like this." I guided her to the exact position so she can see what I saw.
"It's shaped like—like your family crest."
"Not only that but the specific one my father chose as the symbol of the police. See the shuriken shape?" I pointed out the sharpened edges making up the four pointed throwing star. The color drained on her face as she turned and stared at me.
"Sasuke, does that mean your father is involved?"
I shook my head, not believing that explanation. "No, but Itachi works there himself. He is a higher ranking official and must have followers underneath him, ready to lend a hand."
Just then a loud creaking came from behind us, and barely a second later Sakura had drawn a knife from her pocket and it swirled past my ear. A thunking noise followed, and as I turned around I saw the officer from outside standing in the doorway, the knife lodged in his jacket.
His smile was deranged and maniacal. I reached for the closest weapon I could find and quickly swung a heavy gym bag at his head. Not the greatest weapon, but surprising to the villain.
As I attacked him, Sakura backpedaled to her nightstand. I threw a punch at his face, he deflected, and I grabbed the knife from out of his jacket, then plunged it into the flesh I could see—his exposed hand. While his eyes squinted and his body squirmed from the pain, I turned to the pinkette on my right. She had grabbed a small pistol and was stuffing bullets into the cartridge.
"You have a freakin' gun?"
"Shut up, my dad let me keep it in here for emergencies!" I grunted and turned back to the man.
The injured officer shook his head and held his palm like a baby. "You won't win, Sasuke." Before either of us could make another move, a piercing sound rung through the air, then a muffled cry. His eyes widened almost as large as his mouth, and he looked down at his thigh.
"Get out of my house," Sakura growled, pistol pointed at the man still. "It hit one of your veins, but you'll be fine. Now get out of my house."
"Heh, or else you'll call the cops again?"
I punched his jaw, knocking him to the ground, blood and drool pouring out of his mouth now. He stayed down, ragged breaths escaping his lips.
"Sakura, we can't let him just leave." As I turned back to her, I was surprised to see her drop the gun and fall to her knees beside it. I rushed to her side, not prepared to see her trembling form. She reached for me, her nerves shot.
"I—I've never had this happen to me before. This is crazy…" Tears formed in her eyes. For a second I didn't know what to do, but then I glanced back at the unconscious man and picked up the pinkette bridal style. "We need to get you out of here. Go somewhere safe."
"I'm sorry I'm not stronger."
I looked down at her, cheeks flushed and a frightened look in her eye. A second ago this woman was armed and ready to shoot a man down, and now she was a broken mess.
"The note…Was it a test? If so I failed because I—I let the darkness in. I wasn't the strong light you need…"
I shook my head, understanding her words but knowing she hadn't failed me. "If you really failed, he'd be dead, not unconscious. You're brave, Sakura."
She glanced back at the injured man lying right outside the doorframe. Her arms tightened around my neck. "All the training over the years, and for what? Me to give in to using a gun?"
"Nothing goes as planned."
And with that, I carried her out of her broken home and to my car, ready to drive off to the most inconspicuous place I could think of—Naruto Uzumaki's home.
Another chapter in the bag. I'm planning on finishing this within the next few chapters. (20th? Maybe?) Sorry it isn't the length I have promised in the past, but I wanted to get something out before people became too restless. Thanks to Tonkotsu-chan for the review, and welcome to the new followers! :D