Chapter 6: Dreams and Ambitions

It wasn't an usual thing for Uchiha Sasuke to be confused or indecisive, for him it was always about making a decision himself and approaching it directly. But today, either because of sleep-deprivation, or the fact that he hadn't had a proper meal in a week, he was finding himself quite out of the character.

For one, he just couldn't figure out what to make of Kakashi's offer. It was a dream job for a guy like him, no doubt about that. But taking it meant to settle in Sound, far away from Konoha, far away from his mother.

Then there was the sudden streak of 'sharing' that was totally foreign to his nature. He didn't know why he'd done it really. He just felt like. . telling someone. Even if he decided to not take the job, it still was a pretty big news. It was appreciation for what he'd done with his project he'd worked so hard on. And no matter how calm and cool he acted, the pride was swelling up inside him, making him want to let someone know. He couldn't tell Naruto, 'cause he'd have made a huge deal out of it. He couldn't tell his Mom, 'cause she'd get too excited and then too worried. That's why when he thought about telling someone, the only name that came to his mind was Sakura's.

Who was currently staring at him with a puzzled expression.

"What?" Sasuke said irritably.

Sakura shook her head. "I don't understand," she said, "Why do you 'think' he offered you a job?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Because he told me so."

"Who did?"

"Kakashi. My professor. The one who judged my project."

The disbelief on Sakura's face somehow felt like an insult to Sasuke.

"Just forget it." He said with conviction. He really shouldn't have said anything at all.

"Oh My God!"

Sakura's shrill exclamation pierced through the quiet, peaceful afternoon, and effectively, Sasuke's ears.

"What the hell?" Sasuke hissed, rubbing his damaged ear.

"Wow." She finally said when Sasuke seemed to have regained his hearing. "That's great news, Sasuke! I'm really happy for you!"

And from the look of genuine happiness on her face, Sasuke knew she meant it.

"Hn."

"Oh c'mon Sasuke." Sakura almost whined. " You've just got a job under the smartest scientist there is, at the biggest farm of the country, and you aren't even officially a graduate yet! Now would be the time to be a teensy bit excited, don't you think?" She pouted.

"You seem to be taking care of that well enough on your own." He drawled.

Sakura blushed before defending herself. "Well sorry if I'm not a robot like you! And sorry that I'm so happy to hear such a great news of a friend!"

Sasuke only smirked while Sakura calmed herself, although the mirth in her eyes was still their, a sign of how truly delighted she was for Sasuke, and somehow it made him feel better to have 'shared'.

Maybe telling her wasn't such a bad idea after all. He thought.

"So when are you celebrating?" Sakura asked cheerfully.

Or maybe it was.

'I'm not. Not yet." The playfulness in his voice was gone, replaced by a serious undertone.

Sasuke could feel Sakura hesitating. After a few silent moments, she couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Not yet..?" she asked slowly.

Sasuke shook his head. Why was he even talking about this? And to her, of all people?

"Well. ." Sakura trailed off for a second. "Why?" she finally asked , then added hastily, "It's ok if you don't want to talk about it."

Sasuke let out a tired sigh. Why did I have to open my damn mouth?

He kept silent for a moment, looking at the almost drowned sun, feeling Sakura observing him from the corner of her eyes. That was when Sasuke realized something. The Sakura sitting beside him right now, silently waiting for a reply, was very different from the one he knew back in school. The Sakura he knew in school wouldn't wait for someone to answere her questions, wouldn't leave them a choice but to tell her what she asked. Ofcourse, he never really spent time with her back then, but his perceptive eyes always knew her to be a self-righteous person, a girl who would always find a way to have her way with everything and everyone. Sakura had always been an emotional person, always thinking with her heart, making decisions based on feelings and plunging into them full force.

But it were those perceptive eyes of Sasuke that now recognized the almost same perception in the green eyes staring back at him. The Sakura sitting beside him right now was mature, and understanding.

And Sasuke also realized that he must be more out of character today than he'd previously thought, for he heard himself not only replying her unspoken query, but also admitting to the uncertainty in his mind.

"Because I don't know whether or not I'm going to take it."

Sakura couldn't really decide which one made her happier, the fact that Sasuke had achieved such a great opportunity, or that he was willingly telling her about it.

And she couldn't decide whether or not she should ask him to elaborate what he'd just said. Because the curiosity was too much to take, and because the look on Sasuke's face was one of thoughtfulness, not fury, Sakura decided to push her luck a bit more.

"Why would you not want to take it?" she asked, careful not to sound too pressing.

"Ofcourse I want to take it", Sasuke said impatiently. "The opportunity is way more than I could ask for right now."

"Then. . what's the problem?" Sakura was getting more confused by the moment. As far as she had come to learn in the past days, there was nothing Sasuke loved more than computers. Why would he even think of refusing a job that would let him pursue his hobby further?

"If I take the offer," she could clearly hear the unease in his voice as he answered her silent question, " I'll have to sign a contract."

"And?" Sakura asked encouragingly.

"Kakashi has asked me to be the head of the research committee, which means I'll have to work at their research lab, which is in Sound." He finished, hoping she'd understand what he was trying to say.

But Sakura didn't, although she now understood the full impact of the proposal Kakashi had made to his favourite student, and the enormity of it. True, Sakura knew very little about computers and the companies that made them. Hell, she didn't even know they had to research stuff until now. But she knew that Hatake Corp was a Konoha based company, and realized how big a responsibility Sasuke was offered to take. If he were to be the head of the lab, he'd have to be the head of the company's only branch in Sound.

She vaguely considered if that was why Sasuke wanted to back out, but dismissed the idea instantly.

If there's one thing Sasuke is not, it would be coward.

"I really can't understand." She confessed at last.

Sasuke sighed. "The contract says that I'll have to stay in Sound for at least the next five years."

And suddenly, Sakura saw it all. She didn't know much about Sasuke's family, and she dared not ask him after what happened the other day, but she knew this much. Sasuke loved his mother more than anything in the world. That was why he couldn't decide whether or not he should stay five more years away from his mother, he couldn't bear to cause her any pain.

Cautiosly, she asked, "Are you worried about your mother?"'

Sasuke nodded, eyes fixed on the now crimson horizon.

Sakura bit her lip, thinking about the issue.

"Let me ask you a question." She said as she turned to look at Sasuke.

"What a surprise." Sasuke said. Sakura chose to ignore the sarcasm.

"Why did you choose computers?"

Sasuke looked at him in surprise. That was unexpected.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean", Sakura said impatiently, "there were plenty of subjects out there. I know your family has a very old and powerful business back in Konoha." She rushed through the sentence to not give him time to get agitated. "It would've been much more appropriate for you to study business administration, or finance, or management, or stuff like those. Then why did you choose computers?"

"Because", Sasuke started, a bit puzzled as to what she was getting at. "Because I find it more interesting than those subjects."

Sakura's face made it clear to him that she demanded a better answer.

"Because I think. . . I know I can do this better than anything else. I can be the best."

Sasuke knew that he sounded arrogant just as much as Sakura knew that he had a right to be arrogant.

"And what do you think of this opportunity?" she asked, eyes fixed on his face searching for any sign of irritation. .or anything. "How much do you want it?"

Sasuke held his breath for a few moments before exhaling loudly. "It's huge," he said, rubbing his temple. "A once in a lifetime opportunity, probably."

Sakura kept silent for a moment, then declared in an even, certain voice. "In that case, I think you should just take it."

Sasuke moved his eyes from the crimson horizon to the girl sitting beside him, once again taken aback. His questioning eyes urged Sakura to speak more.

"Look Sasuke", she began a little hesitantly, "I know. . well, basically nothing about your family." She sighed before starting more confidently. "But I know. . I understand, how important and how . . huge, this offer is. And if Hatake Kakashi sees the potential in you, then I suggest you do the same. 'Cause he's not called the brightest scientist of his time for nothing."

Sakura paused a moment to check his reaction, surprised to find him listening intently. She leaned her head back resting it against the massive tree, eyes on the steadily darkening sky.

"Life keeps giving us chances, you just have to decide which ones to take. And which ones to let go of. No matter how small the offered chance is, or how big the reason for not taking it, you can never help but regret not trying it out. You can never stop wondering what would've happened if you had taken the chance. I've known the feeling Sasuke, and it's not a good one." She finished before taking a deep breath, and then looked at Sasuke to find him watching her speculatively. His dark, deep eyes unnerved her.

"God." She said with a chuckle, "I've been babbling a lot, aren't I?"

A little smirk made it's way to Sasuke's face. It didn't have the ususal mocking edge, but a sudden. . softness. It was almost like . . a smile.

And all on a sudden, Sakura realized how unnaturally beautiful a guy Sasuke really was.

Just as the thought came to her mind, Sakura blushed and quickly got up on her feet.

"It's getting dark. We should probably go." She spoke softly.

We. Him and her. It felt comforting to say that.

Sasuke got up on his feet wordlessly. As they descended the platform and started walking, Sakura suddenly started feeling stupid. Hd she been irritating Sasuke too much? Had she gone too personal?

"Um.. Sasuke.." she trailed off, unsure of what exactly to say. Sasuke turned his head to look at her. With a steadying breath she resumed talking as they reached the park gate. "I probably talked too much today. . I mean, not that I didn't want to. . but . . I guess. . well I can sometimes ask too many questions or go a little too personal. .I guess. .I wanted to help you. . NOT that you needed it. . I mean. ." Sakura knew she was losing it but she had to try. "What I want to say is that I'm sorry if I've crossed any lines or something and I understand if you want to warn me to keep my dist-"

"Sakura." Sasuke's cool voice not only halted Sakura's incessant and meaningless babbling, but also stopped her on her track. Sasuke turned to look at her, his tall figure towering over her petite one, and said with a sideways smirk, "You do talk a lot."

That's when Sakura saw it. It was almost invisible in the dark evening light, almost passable as just a smirk, but it was there. It was a smile.

So she smiled back.

And they resumed their walk towards Sakura's hostel, an unfamiliar, inevitable warmth spreading through her heart.

That night Sasuke lay awake in his bed, listening to Naruto's loud snores, his mind drifting to the words Sakura had spoken.

You can never help but wonder what would've happened if you had taken the chance,

And he made the decision that could potentially alter his life forever.

A/N: FINALLY I've been able to finish this damn chapterv and post it! I know it's NOTHING considering the huge vacation I'd gone on, but trust me guys, life's been hectic the past two monthes. I'm extremely sorry for the long wait. I promise to update once a month from now on. Well even if i don't, none of YOU know where I live! HUH!