Chapter 4-Fear and Regret

From Sasuke's point of view – 20 minutes before the tragedy

I looked miserably at the clock. Half past eight. Where had Dad gone to? He was supposed to be at home at eight. I was quite worried for my father's safety, knowing how punctual he was. Shaking my thoughts of fear out of my head, I turned back to my homework so I could finish it as soon as possible. I hate to procrastinate in completing my homework, which had often come to me in a large pile.

"Sasuke, I'm going out for a walk!" Itachi suddenly called out from anywhere but my bedroom.

"Okay! Enjoy your walk!" I said spontaneously, not taking my eyes off my homework.

"Sasuke! Sakura told me that she's coming to see you!" Itachi's voice echoed, much to my dismay.

"Tell her I'm very busy!" I said through clenched teeth, my fingers still working in an effort to achieve 100 percent completion of my final homework, Literature in English essay.

Itachi replied, "Should I really tell her that? She's already here!"

"What?" I blurted out loudly. Itachi's words could not enter into my tangled mind properly. I sprinted out my bedroom, thumped down the stairs and stopped halfway.

Sakura was already sitting on the couch in the living room, her pretty face beaming at me.

"Good afternoon, Sasuke. How are you?" Sakura slanted her head slightly in a ladylike manner. She was wearing a long emerald skirt to match her adorable, pink blouse. Her beautiful-as-a-picture image really blew me away and gave a lasting impression on me.

"I'm wowed…no, sorry! What I meant to say is: I'm fine," I spoke, scratching my non-itchy head goofily.

"It's good to hear that you're fine. Itachi told me that you have been confined in your room for three hours," Sakura said, her hands remained neatly on her lap.

"Well, about that, I wasn't sick. I was…huh… doing my homework," I said uncomfortably.

The thing about me is that every time I tell my friends that I am doing homework, they would laugh at me, calling me a 'nerd'. I did not want Sakura to think of me as a 'nerd', even though she might not call me one.

Sakura sighed, "Me too. I was doing my homework, until I have to buy some groceries at town. Then I thought of visiting you, since I passed by your house."

"I guess we're in the same boat then," I smiled with relief that she was not like any of my insensitive friends.

"Sasuke, care to accompany me to town? That would be fun and lovely, don't you think?" She said, as her rosy cheeks went pink.

"Uhh…Yeah, why not? Excuse me, Sakura. I go get dressed," I spoke half-heartedly, and walked back upstairs to change into something more appropriate for the cold weather. I was not used to leaving my homework unfinished on the study table, but I hate to disappoint her. Speaking of disappointment, I was totally disappointed with my elder brother. He was supposed to let me know earlier that Sakura was coming. I also wondered where Itachi had gone to.

Whatever Itachi was doing or wherever he was going to was certainly not my business, so I just let the matter rest.

After making sure that every door and window in the terrace house was locked, Sakura and I took a bus to town. When we arrived there, the bus halted at a bus stop, which was situated near a 'Popular' book store. The town was no more crowded as it was getting late, so it was easier for both of us to walk around. Sakura took out a 'what-to-buy' list from her backpack and read it carefully.

"First, I need a storybook. We can get it from the 'Popular' bookstore," Sakura said, her large eyes still studying her list.

"A storybook?" I enquired, "Are you going to read it?"

She tore her eyes off the yellow paper sheet and laughed, "Yes, I'm going to read it! If you don't know, I'm a bookworm, and I really, really hope you don't mind about that."

I frowned, "Why should I mind about you being a bookworm?"

Sakura chuckled, and her cute dimples showed themselves, "The last time I told someone that I'm a bookworm, she called me a 'nerd'. Funny, isn't it?"

I bit my lips bitterly and said, "I don't think it's funny. To me, it's just mean for someone to call you a 'nerd'."

"Thanks for being understanding, Sasuke. Do you know that each time someone calls me a 'nerd', I feel scared? I'm scared of being judged by people, like I am some kind of a freak." She rocked her head from side to side slightly.

"It's okay to be scared," I said comfortingly, "As a matter of fact, I'm scared of large bodies of water. Imagine how scared I would be if I were to bathe in a bathtub. That's why my Dad got me a shower instead."

Sakura giggled politely, her beautiful eyes looking fully into mine, "Your father is very thoughtful. He must have loved you very much."

I think a helicopter was hovering somewhere above the town, because I could hear its ear-deafening sound that was piercing my eardrums.

"Yeah, he can be thoughtful, but he can be strict with me at times. Don't tell this to anyone especially my Dad: I'm not supposed to go out at this time of hour. Dad wouldn't let me," I said bashfully, but then realized that my voice was already drowned by the loud, disturbing noise.

When I turned to my right, I witnessed an army of cops surrounding a large building, each armed with his pistol. Terror filled my heart instantaneously; isn't that the building where my Dad is working?

"Attention!" A male voice boomed from the helicopter, which was hovering near the industrial building, "You are surrounded by us! Drop your weapons, please, and we promise not to hurt you!"

Boom! The police helicopter exploded in red, releasing bits of hot metals around it. Fires had started here and there on the tarred road, and big, black clouds of smoke went up into the sky. The eyes of the town looked with horror and silence. One lady gave the loudest scream that I had heard in my life; her tortured scream was more than I could take.

"DAD!" I was rushing to the building to save my father, but Sakura grabbed my arm rudely, forestalling me to go any further. I looked up at her, realizing that she was crying.

"My Dad…in the helicopter…" she said in a choking voice.

My mind went blank, and tears of fear and regret started to pool at each corner of my eyes.