It is junior year, about two weeks after I started dating Sakura. I am thinking about introducing Sakura, my cute kitten (her expressions are really adorable—a word I rarely use like cute), to my parents. I chuckle to myself as I think about her furious face when I put a little ice-cream on her face during our latest date.

Now, what's really on my mind is what happened two days ago that burns a hole in my head and makes me see red.

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"Sasuke, come."

I looked up from my desk into the eyes of my otou-san (father), Fugaku Uchiha, and my okaa-san (mother), Mikoto Uchiha. They both stood at the door of the library. My father was still in his work suit while my mother had on a simple red dress with the family fan crest on the back. Leaving my books and paperwork on my desk, I followed my parents to the family room.

The family room was homey and elegant in style. Three walls were painted soft cream except for one wall of sliding glass. Along two walls were antiques and portraits while the remaining one was dedicated to a floor-to-ceiling book shelf that surrounded a fireplace. A velvet sofa faced a fire place with an expensive and beautifully carved rectangle coffee table in the middle. One armchair on each side of the coffee table completed the look.

My father gestured to one of the armchair next to the sofa for me to sit after he and my mother sat down on the sofa.

I obeyed. We sat in silence for a few moments; it was festering like a thick fog. Finally, I asked, "Why have you called me?"

My father answered me, "We want you to meet someone."

The door opened and my brother, Itachi, came in with an irritated expression. Itachi stopped once he noticed us. As his gaze swept over father, Itachi scowled, turned away, and sat in the other armchair.

What was going on?

Why was onii-san treating father with such disrespect?

The answer came in a form of a girl: Karin Uzumaki.

Karin Uzumaki was a red-headed girl about 5'3" and wore glasses. She exemplified the kind of studious pretty, with her reddish brown eyes and pale complexion. Karin is Naruto's cousin on the mother side. Problem: she had a huge—almost obsessive—crush on me when we were younger before she left to study in France. I hoped the feelings changed.

"Sasuke-kun!" A warm body glued itself to my side. Disgusted and irritated, I pushed her away. She pouted before taking a seat on the sofa closest to me.

Yeah, so much for that hope. It was pointless.

"Onii-san, why is she here?" I asked my brother. My brother's eyes flashed red as he prepared to answer me. Karin beat him to it.

She smiled seductively. I inwardly shuddered. She looks as if she won a lottery.

She twirled a lock dark red hair between her fingers as she said, "You and I are going to be betrothed."

She squealed, clapping her hands, "Oh can you imagine the wedding? I wonder…"

I froze, unable to comprehend. I gave up listening to her after the word 'betrothed.' What? Who the hell decided this for me?!

I let out a loud feral growl. A loud crash broke through my growling noise. I looked away from the redhead to see my brother had knocked over his chair. My parents and brother were standing; my brother and father stared each other down while my mother tried to calm them down.

Brown eyes widened behind the dark-rimmed oval glasses, Karin stayed dumbfounded and quiet.

"I told you this is a bad idea," Itachi said through gritted teeth. "You shouldn't force him into marriage!"

My father's face remained stern. "This is for the betterment of the family. This will allow our families to prosper from the arranged marriage."

"Now, Fugaku-chan," Mikoto said, her voice soothing with a hint of a plea, "Maybe you should reconsider this betrothal. He may have yet to find someone."

I know that my mother knew about Sakura, or at least, knew that someone caught my eye.

My elder brother was so furious; though he looked stoic, his jaw appeared to tighten.

"Mikoto, there are times where measures need to be taken,"Fugaku said, sternly. Turning to me, he said, "In order for us to build stronger relationships, we must take steps to ensure that."

"This is the new generation," Itachi hissed, dark eyes flashing red as a sign of our blood limit, the Sharingan. "It's not the 1600s!"

My father tried to speak, but he was immediately cut off.

"You should allow us to choose our mates. Isn't it written in the Embracing Your Inner Teenage Wolf-Demon, that book you told us to read as it has all the information about being a wolf demon, that a wolf-demon can have his own 'true' mate? A mate that only the demon inside chooses?"

Father's dark eyes were unwavering as he said, "Some sacrifices need to be made."

My brother stared into my father's cold eyes. "Are we just puppets to you? Things that you can use for what is 'best' for the family regardless of what we feel?"

"Itachi! You should not talk that way to your father," Mikoto, my okaa-san, scolded as she shot a disapproving look to my older brother.

"Mother, please-"

"You have no right to speak that way to your father. And you, Fugaku-chan, should reconsider-"

"Enough!" I hadn't realized I had spoken.

Everyone turned to me as the word echoed through the room. I breathed in heavily through my nose showing no emotion even as I clench my fists so hard to draw blood. Karin reached out me, softly saying, "Sasuke…"

"No!" I snapped, pulling my arm away. "I'm sorry, but I can't marry you."

Karin recoiled, hurt by my rejection. A glimmer of guilt flickered in my mind before I shoved it away.

"Sasuke!"

"No, father." I glared at him, my anger nearly activating my Sharingan. Taking a step back, I look at my family members and Karin. Itachi sported a barely concealed smirk. Glancing between me and father, my mother had a mixed expression of pride and worry.

"I will choose my own betrothed," I declared, and before anyone could say anything else, I walked out.

Karin and mother called out my name, but I ignored them. Tch. The hell will I marry that obsessive redhead.

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I unhinge my jaw; I had clenched it so hard that it feels like my mouth would glue together. I really don't want an arrange marriage. Heck no.

I want to choose my own bride preferably Sakura—no one else.

Writer's note:

(Hides behind corner and peeks) heh heh... yeah long time no post.

(takes cover as a tomato thrown and splatters in red on the wall) Eww! Sorry for the wait. Forgive me, please.

So, here is another chapter!

Forgive my flaws in the story; let me know where I can improve or if you have any suggestion on how to proceed with this story. Thank you!

C-Shady