A few days later...
"Hey Sakura, Itachi's having a dinner party at his house. Akatsuki's going. Do you want to come?" Pein asked.
"I find it hard to believe Itachi invited me. We all know how Itachi feels about me," Sakura argued.
Pein shrugged. "So? Just rock up."
Sakura shrugged. "Fine."
As the hours clocked on by, she thought about her first meeting with Itachi. Regardless of what the public thought, Itachi hated Sakura and she hated him back. It all started the day she met them.
"This is Akatsuna no Sasori, Deidara, Hoshigaki Kisame, Hidan, Kakuzu, Tobi, Zetsu and this is Uchiha Itachi," Pein said, finishing the introductions.
Sakura froze on the last name.
"Are you Uchiha Sasuke's brother?" Sakura asked.
Itachi's eyes narrowed on her. "I thought you said she wasn't a fangirl."
"I'm not. I was friends with Sasuke-kun," Sakura stated.
"Bullshit. I've heard about a pink-haired girl asking around for my brother and trying to find out everything about his life. Pein, I don't want her around when we're rehearsing," Itachi snapped.
"Uchiha-"
"No. It doesn't matter, Pein."
"Stay away from my brother."
By the end of the reminisce, it was time to go. Having dressed nicely, she got into the car and drove to Itachi's parents house. She got out and walked to the front door and knocked.
Pein answered the door. "Are you ready?"
Sakura shook her head. He led her in. She saw all the Akatsuki sitting at the dining table, chatting. When they looked at Sakura, it went quiet as they looked to Itachi who had the most pissed off face she had ever seen. He stood up slowly.
"What the hell are you doing here?" He hissed.
"Itachi, just calm-"
When his glare turned on Kisame, Kisame froze. Itachi turned his glare back to Sakura.
"I warned you to never go near my brother and you come to our parents house. I will not dishonour my parent's by having my brother's obsessive fangirl in their home. Get. Out."
Sakura looked at Pein who sighed.
"Maybe you should go, Sakura-chan," Deidara spoke up.
Sakura nodded, so embarrassed, tears were welling. As she turned, Mikoto came out of the kitchen.
"Good news everyone! Dinner's read...y..." When Mikoto spotted Sakura, she dropped the wine glass in her hand.
"Don't worry about her, kaa-san. She was just leaving," Itachi said curtly.
"Sa-Sakura-chan?" Mikoto asked.
Sakura ducked her head.
"I'm sorry Uchiha-sama, I was just leaving."
Sakura went to walk passed her when Mikoto blocked her path. Mikoto let out a sob as she grabbed a hold of Sakura and hugged her like she'd disappear.
"Sakura-chan!"
Sakura nodded gently, trying to avoid looking at those at the table.
"Kaa-san, do you know her?" Itachi asked cautiously.
"Know her? She's the daughter I never had!" Mikoto cried. "Oh Sakura-chan, I thought I'd never see you again after your mother told me about how you ran away."
Sakura held her hand up. "Woah, hold on. Rewind. Did you just say ran away?" Sakura asked.
Mikoto nodded. "Yes. Yana told us about how you ran away with a boy because she disagreed."
Sakura grit her teeth. "You're mistaken. I never ran away from home. My mother disowned me when she found out I didn't want to be a doctor or lawyer. I was kicked out of home and left on the streets for three years when Tsunade found and adopted me. I never ran away from home."
Mikoto's eyes widened. "Oh, Sakura-chan!" She cried, hugging Sakura.
"Is that why Sasuke and Naruto never called me? Because they thought I had run off?" Sakura asked.
Mikoto looked at her confused. "What? Sasuke told me they called you every day to see how you were doing. He always told me how good you were doing."
"He didn't call me once since he and Naruto went with Jiraiya. When I was placed in an orphanage, I had hoped one of them would call. I needed them the most and they were too busy becoming famous to even remember who had convinced them to start the band. They forgot all about me!"
"What's with all the yelling?" Fugaku asked as he came into the dining room.
When he saw Sakura, his eyes widened.
"Sakura?" He asked.
"So Sakura was telling the truth when she said she was Sasuke's friend?" Hidan asked.
"Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto were best friends. They did everything together. Practically inseperable."
"I thought you had eloped with some boy?" Fugaku asked, face disgusted.
He and her father, Dai, had been best friends and through them, Mikoto and Yana became incredibly close.
"Fugaku hunny, Yana lied to us. She disowned Sakura-chan," Mikoto whimpered, still holding onto Sakura.
"What?"
Mikoto sniffed. "She was living on the streets for three years."
"But Dai-"
"It was Yana. She must have lied to Dai as well."
"I've never had a boyfriend. The only males I talked to were Sasuke and Naruto. They scared off any guys that even thought of coming near me."
Fugaku stared at Sakura. "Where have you been all this time?"
"While I was living on the streets, Tsunade found me after I was attacked by some robber," Sakura stated. "I was close to death and I told her my story and she adopted me. Afterwards, I made some friends and we wanted to make a band. Tsunade liked it and made us famous."
"Oh hunny, why would you even think to leave before coming to find us? How did you find us by the way?" Mikoto asked.
Everyone looked at Itachi who didn't know what to say.
"Kaa-san, I-"
"Yes, Itachi?" Mikoto asked, looking at him.
"Actually, it was Itachi's idea that I come here," Sakura covered. "He heard my story and wanted to reunite me with Sasuke and the two of you after everything I've been through."
"Then why were you about to leave? You looked like you were about to cry."
"I didn't think you'd want to see me. I thought maybe you had forgotten about me like Sasuke and Naruto had. It upset me."
Mikoto hugged Sakura again.
"I haven't stopped thinking about you since the day you went missing."
The tears fell from Sakura's eyes.
"Come, sit. Join us for dinner," Fugaku offered.
Sakura shook her head. "No, thank you. I-I should really be going."
"Nonsense. Sit."
Sakura reluctantly joined them. They ate together as Sakura avoided looking at Itachi. When they heard the front door open, they all went silent. Sakura watched as Naruto and Sasuke entered, arguing over something. When they entered, they first noticed the large group of people before their eyes landed on Sakura.
"Sa...kura-chan," Naruto murmured.
Sakura looked away from him.
"Sasu-chan," Mikoto called calmly. "Do you want to tell me why you lied about calling Sakura-chan all this time?"
Sasuke said nothing as he stared at Sakura. Her tears continued to fall though she refused to meet their gaze.
"Answer me!" Mikoto yelled, causing everyone to jump.
"I..." He didn't know what to say. "I don't know."
Sakura felt her heart ache painfully.
"Sasuke, would you mind stepping outside with me for a second?" Mikoto asked.
"Actually-"
"Outside! Now!"
Sasuke straightened then headed to the balcony outside, Mikoto storming after him. They could see her yelling at Sasuke through the large glass windows and doors.
"Sakura-chan, you're back," Naruto whispered.
She clenched her fists in anger before turning her glare on him. "I'm back?" She asked. "I'm back?!"
Sakura stood up abruptly. "I never left!"
"Saku-"
"No, Naruto! Why didn't you ever call me?! Why didn't you ever come back to check on me?! You promised you would when you were famous!"
"Sasuke said-"
"Since when did you ever listen to Sasuke!?" Sakura screamed. "Sasuke, I get. You? I expected to get ten calls a day, telling me how excited you were and how upset you'd be when you found out ramen wasn't sold in America!"
"I'm sor-"
"Sorry is not going to change the fact that you abandoned me!" Sakura screamed. "Did you know that I was made to live on the streets for three years?" Sakura asked. "No, you wouldn't because you never made time to call me!"
"Sakura-chan, maybe you should join Sasuke outside," Mikoto said as she entered the house.
Sakura turned her back on Naruto and stormed outside, with the whiskered boy following. Mikoto closed the door behind her.
"I'm sorry about ruining dinner," Itachi stated.
Mikoto shook her head. "No, Itachi-kun. Even though I don't want to see Sasuke right now, I have my daughter back. I can finally stop worrying about her."
"Now we need to think about what to do about Yana and how to tell Dai the truth," Fugaku stated.
Mikoto sighed. "Everything's a mess."
"It will sort itself out soon."
They heard screaming outside. They turned to see Sakura punch Sasuke in the face.
"You fucking jackass! How could you?" Sakura snapped after the few minutes of silence. "I was the one who told you how good you were at singing and playing the guitar! I was the one who told you to make a band! I was the one who encouraged you to take the offer Jiraiya made! I'm the reason you're famous! Why didn't you call me?"
Sasuke touched his cheek. "Because of the fame!" Sasuke yelled back. "If we became famous, they would trace it back to our friends and we couldn't let them find that we're friends with-"
"Me? A tomboyish, pink-hair freak with a large forehead?"
"You weren't exactly fame material."
"And look at me now! I'm almost as famous as you are!" Sakura yelled. "It's a good thing you forgot about me then, huh? For three years, I was a street rat, stealing, doing drugs, having sex, getting wasted and injecting myself," Sakura murmured.
The two boys looked at her in surprise.
"When my mother kicked me out, I didn't hope to be found or forgiven, I hoped you would call me. I hoped you would remember me, one of your best friends, who was there for you when you were upset about your father's preference to your brother, when you cried when your grandparents died. I gave up hope and turned to drugs and alcohol and I sold myself on the street for the money to pay for that shit. I fought tooth and nail to survive on the streets while you two were living it up in five-star hotels and the finest foods. I stole food. I raided trash cans for food. When you needed me the most, I was there. When I needed you the most? You turned your back on me for flashing lights and fans. I thought we were friends," Sakura hissed.
She turned her back on them and walked back inside. She looked at Mikoto and Fugaku.
"Thank you for having me over for dinner but I need to go now. My cousins will give you my number so you can call me any time. Goodnight."
Sakura turned and left.