Chapter One:
Yamanaka Ino pulled on her best friend's corset strings with all her might, not allowing the poor pink-haired girl to have any wiggle room.
"Ino-pig!" Sakura gasped. "That's too tight!"
"Oh, hush," the blonde woman chastised. As she tied the ends of the corset off, she stepped back to appreciate her handiwork. Sakura's waist looked as tiny and lovely as it could. Really, the corset didn't do anything but emphasize Sakura's frame. It didn't hide, but rather displayed her body. "Just take a few breaths to get adjusted. Now, where is your dress?"
Sakura groaned. "It's laying across the settee. My shoes are in the armoir." She had no idea why Ino always insisted on that the two must get ready together before every ball or trip to the theatre. She always sent Sakura's maid away for the night, which only made things worse. That day, Sakura had done some intense training with her master, Tsunade, and was not feeling up to a trip to the theatre. Society, however, dictated that she must attend with the rest of her friends.
Sakura walked to her vanity and slowly sat down before lightly spraying some lavender perfume. She then opened a drawer and removed one of her favorite kunai. She placed the weapon in a sheath attached to her garter before placing some senbon in a secret compartment of her silver fan. Though she preferred using her incredible strength in place of weapons, she was a ninja in upper-class society. If something were to awry, rather than displaying her strength to the world, she would need to be secretive. She stood when Ino brought her beautiful crimson and silver dress to her, and stepped into the gown delicately. After Ino tied up the back, Sakura sat again. Ino began doing her hair, chattering away about the play they were supposed to be seeing that night. Sakura put on a thin black choker with a diamond shaped ruby encrusted in silver. Placing drop-earrings with a similar gemstone in her ear, she then chose a small bracelet lined with rubies. After her accessories were in place, Ino pinned the last piece of hair into her soft updo, and claimed that Sakura was officially ready.
A quick glance in the mirror told Sakura that her creamy skin seemed to glow against the silver. Though her body was tiny, it was curvy and light. Ino had worked her magic to make Sakura's short hair appear longer and more voluminous than it was in its updo. Feeling a little pleased with her appearance, Sakura gave Ino a soft smile. Clad in a revealing, sultry purple gown, Ino was breathtaking in her own way.
"You look beautiful, Sakura!" her best friend exclaimed. The girl paused, hearing voices in the main hall. "That should be the carriages!" Grabbing their fans and putting on gloves, the girls walked to the main hall. Naruto and Ino's teammate Choji were waiting for them.
"Good evening, ladies," Naruto told them with a deep bow, a mischievous smile on his face. After erupting into giggles, the girls put on their cloaks and took their purses before walking out the door with their escorts. After a quick goodbye to the butler, Sakura shut the door behind her. Ino departed with Choji in their other teammate, Shikamaru's, carriage. Sakura followed Naruto and allowed him to help her into their carriage. Sai, who had joined their team two years ago, was already waiting inside.
While the carriage took them to the theatre, Sakura watched the snow fall slowly outside. The real reason she had put herself through such a harsh day of training had been that it was a bitter day for her. Marking the seventh year of Sasuke's departing, she felt a sadness and anger that she could only let out with intense physical training. It was snowing the same way it had been when he left. She had awoken the next day in her own bed, and tears had poured out of her eyes for days. Her only saving grace had been the small "Thank you" Sasuke had given her.
Sakura was pulled from her reverie by the stopping carriage. They had reached Konoha's elaborate and beautiful theatre. Sai helped her out of the carriage, and she took his arm as she walked up the steps into the lavishly decorated lobby.
"What box are we in, again?" Naruto said next to her, his cerulean eyes darting around the room excitedly.
"The same one as always, Naruto," Sakura rolled her lovely green eyes.
"It looks like Team 8 made it here before us, Ugly," Sai remarked to the lady holding his arm, a thoughtful smile on his face, seeing Ino disappearing up the right staircase.
"Call me ugly again and I'll tell Ino that you are having secret relations with her maid."
As Sai threw his head back in laughter, Naruto did the same. Once they handed off their coats and hats, the team walked towards their normal balcony. All around them, women were gossiping about a mysteriously handsome man, and the men were doing their best to win their feminine companion's attentions.
"I suppose there's a newcomer here," Sakura remarked, fanning herself after removing her arm from Sai's.
"Well, I'm sure he'll be visiting around soon enough," Sai smiled.
"I don't want to have to sit through some stuffy tea time with a good for nothing dandy," Naruto told his friends, his boundless energy showing as he adjusted his bowtie.
"Hush, Naruto. If Sai has to do it, then you do too. Besides, pretty girls often come to tea. Especially ones with long raven hair and lavender eyes."
Naruto turned beat red at that, his face distorted in comical embarrassment. With a laugh at her friend's expense, Sakura motioned for her teammates to enter into their box. Maybe this trip to the theatre was exactly what the pink-haired kunoichi needed to get her mind off things.
Nineteen-year-old Uchiha Sasuke adjusted his gloves as he made his way to the private balcony reserved for him. The once handsome boy had become a breathtakingly stunning man, and had returned to his family's home three days ago without a word to anyone in his upper-class circle. He looked around at the aristocracy in the theatre. Women were turning their heads in an attempt to slyly get a good look at him, while men turned red in the face and watched him with contempt. With a smirk on his noble lips, the Uchiha continued walking, knowing he would always bring stares wherever he went. If only the people knew how little he cared about the attention he received.
Upon entering his private box, he realized that his view of the theatre was magnificent. Not only was he presented with a spectacular view of the stage, but his box allowed him to look into every other box in the theatre. The candlelight around the theatre would usually make it difficult to see others, but Sasuke's superior eyesight made it no trouble at all. The Uchiha looked around the various balconies. People were still arriving, but there was only five more minutes until curtain. After inspecting a few boxes, his eyes settled on a rather large one, where his eyes were greeted with familiar faces that had aged over time.
Sitting in Box 12, four away from his own, were six people he knew well. Teams 8 and 10 were settled into the box happily chattering away. All of them held familiar faces. Sasuke snickered to himself. What would they do if they knew he were here? This was his first public outing since returning to Konoha. Knowing he would receive the comfort of solidarity in the theatre, he had deemed it an appropriate place to go and perhaps catch a glimpse of familiar faces without having to greet them. With another look around the box, he realized there were three empty seats still. Just as he wondered if his old teammates would join them, they entered.
He looked at Naruto first. The sunny blonde was in a tuxedo, and had finally managed to tie a bowtie and wear cufflinks properly. His hair was trimmed neatly, and he appeared more mature and suave than he once had. The jinchuriki took a seat by the Hyuga girl, who blushed profusely when he winked at her. Sasuke felt a frown set into his face at the sight of his former best friend.
Sasuke then noticed a strange young man. He was very handsome, but also incredibly pale. His eyes were darker than Sasuke's. His tux was pristine, as though it had never seen the light of day before, which Sasuke could appreciate. He took a seat by Ino, and began to chat with the group as though they were old friends. He felt a pang of jealousy, but quickly squashed it. He needed no one.
The Uchiha forced himself to take a deep breath before finally giving in to his troublesome eyes that threatened to veer towards Sakura the moment she walked in. When he finally did see her, his jaw almost dropped. The once little girl had been replaced by an enchantingly beautiful woman. She was wearing a deep red evening dress with sleeves that sat off her shoulders, decorated with cream lace and silver cording. The dress hugged every curve until it reached her waist, where it then dipped out in a large skirt. The whole dress had silver floral inserts that made her glow like a goddess. Sakura's hair was done up gracefully, and her large eyes were framed with dark, sultry lashes that had only grown as she had. She was no longer cute, but sexy, lovely, and incredibly attractive. He noticed a small purple diamond in the middle of her forehead, which she had finally grown into. At one point, she gave the strange man by Ino an angelically charming smile, and it took everything in Sasuke's being not to cast Amaterasu on him right then and there.
In addition to her blossoming beauty, Sasuke noticed that Sakura carried herself differently. She walked with confidence and pride, something she had been severely lacking in when he had left. She seemed more reserved, but he could tell that underneath was a spark of life matched by no one.
Sasuke was only torn from his observation of his old teammate by the entrance of his former mentor, Orochimaru. The man was wearing a deep plum and black suit, his eerie face relaxed in peace.
"Have you mingled with any of your old friend's yet, Sasuke?" Orochimaru snickered. Sasuke lounged in his chair, his face fixed on the stage in front of them.
"What are you doing here?" Sasuke seethed. It had been two years since he had seen Orochimaru. Sasuke had left his mentor in order to travel around, his own agenda on his mind. Forming a team with his fellow disciples of Orochimaru, Sasuke had looked for his brother all over the land and finally enacted his revenge. His brother was no longer living, and Sasuke was free from his family's death. He had come back to Konoha, finally at peace.
"What, no hello for your mentor?" Orochimaru chuckled. "Still just as headstrong, Sasuke-kun."
At that, the lights dimmed in the theatre. The curtain rose, and the play began. Sasuke, however, payed it no attention. He wanted to know why Orochimaru had appeared, and what he was doing back in Konoha. He also couldn't help his eyes diverting to Box 12 more often than they should have. His best friend and the only girl he had ever become close to were objects of interest to him. He watched the way Naruto would divert his eyes to Hinata every once in a while, but for the most part, his focus was entirely on the play. Thoughts of their last fight flooded into Sasuke's head, making his blood boil. No doubt, Naruto had become even stronger. One day, their final fight would come, dictating exactly who was the stronger of the two.
Sakura's attention was completely focused on the play presented to her green eyes. Her eyes filled with wonder, despair, and hope as she watched. Her posture was impeccable and she never once slouched. She seemed to have blossomed into the ideal aristocratic woman. He wondered what kind of shinobi she had become
One intermission came, the candles were relit around the theatre. Sasuke watched Sakura fan herself, a thoughtful look on her face. The candlelight made her silver and red dress glow, and the Uchiha could see the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. She appeared entirely too seductive for her own good. Sasuke pushed those thoughts away quickly. He had no desire to think of his old team mate in that way. "She's just another woman," Sasuke thought to himself. "I have no reason to speak to her more than I must while here."
With that thought, the Uchiha turned to Orochimaru, who was watching him expectantly.
"Why are you in Konoha?" Sasuke muttered. "You know you're not entirely welcome here."
Orochimaru had a not-so-great relationship with the upper-class of Konoha. After abandoning his teammates during war, it led to the death of the Third Hokage. However, after saving the life of his former teammate and Fifth Hokage in an assassination attempt, he found himself in a rather odd state. While the aristocracy could never forgive him for running away when they needed him most, they were in debt to him for saving Tsunade's life.
"I'm only in town for the night," Orochimaru whispered back. "I just thought I'd take the opportunity to see my young pupil before departing. I'm also interested in seeing how your teammates react to your return. I don't suppose you have any idea what they're thinking."
Sasuke couldn't help but take the bait Orochimaru offered him. "What do you mean?"
"I'm sure they're going to be very surprised at your sudden return," Orochimaru told him. "Whether the reunion will be pleasant or not, I'm not sure. They have a new team member, you know."
Sasuke's face remained completely passive. Inside, however, his anger bubbled up. He knew he shouldn't be angry; he had chosen to leave Team 7 behind. Being replaced, however, did not sit well with him. His eyes moved to look at the pale young man in Box 12, who was sitting and talking with Naruto. He saw Sakura and Ino giggle, and Naruto's face turn bright red at some comment that was made. Sasuke's resentment only grew.
"The reunion will be nothing more than formalities," Sasuke stated nonchalantly. "We will only meet when necessary. I'm not here for them."
Orochimaru smirked, wondering what Sasuke's real thoughts were. Only time would tell. Orochimaru, however, did not have that time to watch. He had research to do in Otogakure. He had only come to check on his former pupil. The snake-like man had heard of Itachi's death. He wanted to see where the wind would take Sasuke, and what his choices in life would be. For now, though, he would have to watch from afar.
As the play ended that night and the patrons of the theatre began to depart from their seats, Sasuke watched as Sakura remained seated for a few moments. The play had been about two starcrossed lovers, and had an incredibly tragic ending where the heroine died, while the hero vowed to live on and make the world a better place, just like she had always wanted. Her mind was turning the words of the lovers around in her head, with her thoughts darting to Sasuke now and then.
Sasuke saw as Sakura sighed and gracefully rose from her seat, a somber expression on her face. He watched as Naruto noticed her face, and said something to her that made her smile. Naruto offered her his arm, which she obligingly took. Sasuke felt a pang in his heart that he didn't quite understand, and refused to give in to. Instead, he turned away from his former friends and walked out of his box, Orochimaru following.
Hurrying to grab his cloak and hat, Sasuke bid Orochimaru goodnight and exited the theatre. The snow was falling gently, and the air was full of bubbling romance, making the Uchiha incredibly uncomfortable. As he got into his carriage and instructed his driver to bring him home, the man reflected that maybe this trip to the theatre hadn't been the best idea. If he had not been there, he wouldn't have seen his old teammates. If he had not seen his old teammates, he wouldn't be feeling the conflicted emotions he felt now. He did not know whether it would be better to see them and get it over with, or to avoid them at all costs. He had a meeting with Tsunade in a few days where he was planning on extracting information from her about his brother's life in the anbu and his role within the village. After his brother had died, there had been several questions Sasuke still had. Knowing Konoha was the answer, he had returned home. In the meantime, he was going to fix up the Uchiha mansion, styling it to his own tastes. He would not openly seek out his old teammates, or anyone for that matter. He would not officially begin attending social events until after he met with Tsunade.
Uchiha Sasuke was going to use his time in Konoha to his advantage. He would train, research, and establish connections that would be for his own benefit. He was the sole heir to the most prestigious clan in Konoha, and he would uphold that title.
Most importantly, he would not allow himself to think too much on pastel pink hair and emerald eyes.