It had been months since Sasuke and his bandmates had just played around in the studio without the motive of working on an album or rehearsing for a concert. A few days before Ishi, that was where they found themselves. The four of them jammed like old times, until a knock at the door interrupted a ten-minute mess of a song that Sasuke was completely sucked into.

Until the door to the studio opened and Sakura poked her head in. "Sorry to interrupt. I'm here to pick up Sasuke. And I just wanted to see what you guys were doing."

Until today, Sasuke hadn't considered certain benefits of her now being under their label. It meant she would be in and out of the same studios, meeting with the same executives, and therefore they could actually see each other at times of the day that weren't outrageously early or late.

"Sakura!" Naruto beckoned enthusiastically and she came in, closing the door behind her. "You have time right now?"

Sakura glanced at Sasuke. "I mean, yeah."

"You should grab a guitar," Kiba said. "Or, like, anything."

"Really? It sounded like you guys were really into it just now, I wouldn't want to mess that up."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You wouldn't be messing anything up," Shikamaru said, shaking his head.

"Okay." She grinned.

Sasuke handed her a guitar and smirked. "You just gotta keep up."

She raised an eyebrow and smirked right back. "I'll try my best."

Kiba started a fast bass line and Sakura joined in immediately, beating Sasuke to figure out a complementary line. Now she was the one to smirk.

Shikamaru kept his left hand on the piano to keep up with the chords but fiddled on his phone with his right.

"What're you doing?" Kiba asked over his loud bass line.

"Recording," Shikamaru said. "Don't want to lose this." He tossed his phone on the floor between all of them and then took over again with his right hand, turning up the keyboard's volume and twiddling out a melody. The rest of them backed off on their own sound. Sasuke watched Sakura as she kept her eyes on the piano. He could almost see the wheels spinning in her head as she considered Shikamaru's addition. And then she switched into a minor key, pulling them all along with her.

"Aw, yeah," Kiba said.

They continued for about five minutes and then Shikamaru slowed down. "I gotta go."

"Dude, where? You're seriously interrupting this?"

"It's something important," Shikamaru muttered.

"Is it Temari?" Naruto asked with a grin.

"No." Shikamaru met Sakura's eyes, and then sighed. "You guys remember Ino, right?"

"Sakura's friend? She's hot," Kiba said. "No offense, Sakura. But yeah, I remember her." Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Yeah," Shikamaru said, frowning at him.

Kiba was silent for a moment, studying Shikamaru's face. "No," he said.

Shikamaru shrugged.

"Dude!" Naruto said. "Were you together before you kissed Temari? Did you cheat on her?"

"It's none of your business," Shikamaru muttered. "And she deserves more attention than you all. Except Sakura."

"So what are you doing to win her back, then?"

"None of your business," Shikamaru said. He gathered his stuff together. "Thanks for playing with us, Sakura."

"I think you should join the band," Naruto said with a grin.

Sakura laughed. "I'm flattered by that, but I think you guys work best as a foursome."

"Aw, well, asking was worth a shot. You should play with us in Ishi, though."

"Seriously?" Sakura raised her eyebrows.

"Shit, yeah," Kiba looked at Sasuke and Shikamaru. "We're already playing with the Sand Siblings. What's another collab?"

Sasuke had no objections whatsoever, other than the freak-out and nonstop coverage it would cause. But musically, it was an opportunity they shouldn't miss. It took four of them to have the same stage presence that Sakura had on her own, and the five of them on a stage together would be...Epic.

"Kakashi's not gonna let us," Shikamaru said. "Not for Ishi, it's too soon."

"Tsunade will probably say the same thing," Sakura said. "I'd love to, though."

"Next time!" Naruto said. "I'll persuade Kakashi and anyone else."

"Sounds good to me. See you all later." Shikamaru slipped out of the room.

"Well, now we know why he ordered a shit ton of flowers," Kiba said. "I was gonna say, I didn't think it was Temari's style."

"It's not really Ino's either. But I guess it's the thought that counts." Sakura smiled.

"So, Sakura, you have any other friends looking for guys?" Kiba asked.

"All out. Sorry," Sakura said, smirking. "Plus you're kind of a player and I don't want to sign anyone up for that."

Kiba grinned and scratched the back of his neck. "I'm willing to settled down for the right girl."

"That's what they all say," Sakura said.

"All I'm saying is I'm free, if you know anyone."

"Just...shut up," Sasuke said. Sakura laughed.

Everyone arrived in Ishi early in the afternoon on the first day of the festival; both Sakura and Sasuke would be performing that night. Sasuke was staying in her suite, leaving the band to their own rooms. Sakura couldn't help reliving what this trip had been like last year, when she was still getting used to the attention and was terrified at the prospect of performing right before a band she'd loved in high school. Walking through the Ishi Suites parking lot, where she'd talked to Sasuke on that awkward morning a year ago, Sakura couldn't help replaying their first meeting in her head.

"This is an upgrade from my hotel room here last year," Sakura said as the two of them entered the huge suite.

Thank the album sales," Sasuke muttered, and she punched him playfully on the arm.

"Did you stay at the bar after we hooked up? Last year, I mean."

"Left like five minutes after you. Why?"

"I just wondered." She smiled mischievously. "I thought maybe you would've hooked up with some other girl to get me out of your head."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You asking if I pulled a Shikamaru?"

"It's not the same situation. It's not like I would mind if you had. But same general idea."

"No chance."

"Oh, give me a break. It's not like you were in love with me."

"Why are we having this conversation."

"I'm trying to reminisce." Sakura grinned and then shook her head. "We don't have to talk about it."

"You were the only one," Sasuke said, and her eyes snapped to his.

Sakura's phone started buzzing. The last thing she wanted to do was answer it. She tore her eyes away from Sasuke. "Hello?"

"You're expected at your trailer in twenty minutes," Tsunade said. "So do your best to leave your boyfriend and come down here to get ready."

"I'll be right there." Sakura hung up and turned to Sasuke. "I have to go." He nodded. Was it her imagination, or was he blushing from what he'd just said? "I'll see you at my show?"

"Aa."

She leaned forward and kissed him, and Sasuke met her with more force than she was expecting. They broke apart after a minute. "Okay. I have to—Yeah."

He smirked, but the flush was unmistakable. "See you later."

Sakura's show was a blur of exhilaration, and even half an hour afterward she barely remembered it without a hazy glow. She'd never had quite the same experience onstage. It was everything she wanted from performing in a setting like this. It looked like people couldn't care less about her lack of flashy backgrounds or dancers, and Sakura was bowled over by the effect she had on the thousand people watching her with nothing but herself onstage. When the lights went down, she felt invincible.

In a weirdly similar parallel to last year, Firestyle would again be playing right after her. There was a little more lag time between their shows this year, warranted by Sakura's equally huge status. Almost an hour would go by between shows to allow for the audience to change over. Firestyle would also do a soundcheck with the Sand Siblings (Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari Sabaku). This was the part that Sakura was slightly wary of. Karui was performing at the festival the next day, so Shikamaru had invited Ino to watch the band's soundcheck and show from backstage. The pre-show excitement could go either way considering Temari would be there.

Ino looked effortlessly stunning in shorts and a crop top, her hair in waves. She was already backstage when Sakura came back from her trailer after returning her guitar. She'd kept her performance outfit on, because for once it didn't feel inappropriate for everyday wear.

"He said he told her about me," Ino muttered to Sakura. She was eyeing Temari, who was on the stage fiddling with an amp and talking to Kiba. "I want to be above it, but she rubs me the wrong way."

"I mean, I wouldn't expect you two to immediately become friends," Sakura said.

"We just made eye contact. Do you think she'll come over he—oh, shit."

Temari was indeed on her way over to them.

"Temari," she said, holding out a hand to Sakura. "It's great to finally meet you. You're a genius."

"Oh, um, thanks," Sakura said. "It's nice to meet you, too."

Temari turned to Ino. "And you're...?"

"Ino." The two blondes stared at each other for a split second. Clearly Temari had been told her name, by Shikamaru or someone else.

"Oh," Temari said, a smirk pulling at her face as she looked at Ino. "Okay."

Sakura was fully prepared to step between them as Ino smiled dangerously at Temari. "Something to say?"

"I get it now," Temari said, shaking her head. She glanced at Shikamaru, who was standing a good distance away but was watching the interaction with wide eyes. "First of all, you're really fucking beautiful."

"Uh, thanks?" Ino frowned at her.

"I'm sorry that I...Well, things would've gone differently if I knew he'd been dating you," Temari said.

"Seriously?" Ino said.

Temari looked vaguely amused. "I might've been stuck on him, but I wouldn't try to take him from some other girl. We'd never work, anyway. Tried enough times. It's honestly a relief that he freaked out because he was in love with someone else. I figured he did it 'cause he thought I was repulsive. Not that that even matters." She examined her nails and then grinned up at Ino. "Good on you for running him around afterward."

Ino was staring at her. "Wow. Jesus."

"I just figured I'd clear the air," Temari said. "Don't want to be the bitchy ex, you know?"

Ino snorted. "Right."

"I'm dead serious. Look, I'm twenty-six. I'm over that shit. I'm kicking myself over what we did on the coast. Even if we got a good song out of it. But it won't happen again."

"I wouldn't be around if it did," Ino said. She was giving Temari what Sakura knew was an appraising look.

"Good," Temari said. "Well, nice meeting you, too. You seem smart enough that you'll either marry him or you'll be done in a month. Hopefully I'll see you around in the future. Whatever you want is totally fine with me."

"Sure," Ino said.

Temari grinned and then jogged over to Gaara, who handed her a guitar.

"Damn," Ino said, frowning at Temari's back. "She's cool."

Sakura glanced at her and grinned. "You think so?"

"Yeah. Fuck." Ino shook her head. "Was that whole thing totally fake?"

"It didn't seem like it," Sakura said.

Shikamaru appeared at Ino's elbow. "So, um..."

Ino glanced at him and frowned. "Well, now I know I fit your exact type. Blondes who speak their mind."

"You two are really different," Shikamaru said. "Trust me."

"You mean, other than the fact that we're five years apart? Look at your younger self, dating a mature woman."

He rolled his eyes. "So how do you feel?"

"I think you have good taste in girls. But if we broke up, date someone who's not a blonde," Ino said.

"I've only ever dated two blondes, you know," Shikamaru said, and then he grinned suddenly. "Wait, you just said 'if we broke up'. That means we're together."

Ino blushed. "If we broke up. Don't miss the 'if.' It was a hypothetical situation."

Shikamaru sighed heavily. "Fine."

"Shikamaru! Dude, we need you like right now!" Kankuro yelled from the stage.

Shikamaru nodded and squeezed Ino's hand. "Be back later."

"Yeah, yeah," Ino said, but she smiled slightly.

The soundcheck had no issues, and soon the crowd was flowing in to take their seats. Sasuke lingered at the side of the stage with Sakura and they talked about her performance, which (in his opinion) had been her best public performance all year, due to the fact that she was in control of everything about it.

Sasuke couldn't help comparing this interaction to the same time last year, when he'd scoffed at her pink hair and hated her music without even hearing it. Now he didn't see her as an irritating pop star and a stranger, but as an incredibly skilled musician and a person he cared about more deeply than maybe anyone else. He'd been so wrong the last time he'd been standing here.

One of the security guards tapped him on the shoulder. "Mr. Uchiha, there's a girl here claiming that you gave her free tickets to the show." The guard looked skeptical. "She's very insistent."

"What's her name?"

"Hold on." The guard turned away and spoke in a low voice into his walkie-talkie. "Matsuri something. You know her?"

"Yeah. Yeah, let them in," Sasuke said.

"Whatever you say." The guard nodded.

"Wait...Who's Matsuri?" Sakura asked, frowning.

"Some girl I met in the airport in Konoha. Couldn't afford tickets."

A smile spread over Sakura's face. "Oh my God..."

"What."

"You really aren't heartless!" She grinned.

Sasuke just rolled his eyes and shook his head at her expression.

"I love you," Sakura said suddenly.

"Hn. I love you too." He said it instinctively, without hesitation. She blinked and looked up at him.

"Standing by...Everyone take your places, please," the stage manager said.

Sasuke kissed her quickly and then joined the rest of his bandmates onstage.

They came off the stage drenched in sweat. Sasuke looked to the side to find Sakura standing with Ino as well as Matsuri and three other star-struck teenagers. He and Naruto went over to talk to them.

"Good show," Sakura said to them with a smile.

"Thank you so much for letting us do this!" Matsuri burst out. "This is definitely the best day of my life."

"So you guys are Sasuke's new high school friends?" Naruto grinned at Sasuke's eye-roll. "Awesome. Want me to introduce you to the Sand Siblings?"

Matsuri's eyes got even wider and she glanced at her friends. "C-can you?"

"Yeah, of course!" Naruto exclaimed. "Come on!"

A huge curtain had descended over the stage, and she and her friends followed Naruto across to where the others were draining water bottles and packing up their instruments.

"They're gonna remember this for a really long time," Sakura said, watching as Naruto introduced the group to Gaara.

"Tch." Sasuke couldn't say he regretted bringing them here.

Shikamaru and Kiba came over to them. "How was it?" Shikamaru asked Ino.

"To be honest, I've seen better." Ino smiled at him.

"So, we going out again tonight?" Kiba shot a mischievous grin at Sasuke and Sakura. "I'd bet fifty bucks on Sasuke not going out on a dance floor sober."

"You'd lose," Sakura said calmly, and Sasuke frowned at her. "What? If I'm there, it's true."

"Cocky," Sasuke muttered. He wanted to be irritated by her confidence regarding the effect she had on him. Instead it turned him on.

"Alright, I have to go back to my bus for an interview," Sakura said. "Great job, guys. See you later, Ino?"

"Probably," Ino said with a smirk. Sakura had a feeling the blonde would be going out with Shikamaru, probably to the same bar Sakura had gone to last year with the band.

Sasuke next saw Sakura later that night, when they met back up in the suite. He'd snuck into a few other shows with Naruto, but came back when she texted to say she was done for the night. It was almost ten o'clock.

"I'm going to go change into comfy clothes," Sakura said. Sasuke nodded and flopped down on the bed, closing his eyes. There was a rustling in the bathroom and then a creak when she came out. "Do you mind if we stay in tonight? As fun as Kiba's idea sounded, I'd kind of rather just...Relax."

She'd read his mind. "Fine with me," Sasuke said, eyes still closed.

"Cool." It sounded like she was on the edge of a laugh about something, and Sasuke opened his eyes.

The only "comfy clothing" Sakura was wearing was a bra and underwear. She leaned on the doorway.

"What are you doing," he said, eyes narrowed.

"I mean, this is a very nice hotel room." Sakura ran her finger up and down the wall. "And no one will interrupt anything, because we have nowhere to be. So it'll just be us. Alone." She took a few steps toward him. "If you know what I'm saying."

"Jesus Christ, Sakura," Sasuke ground out. Fatigue gone, he got off the bed and crossed the room in a few strides, and then they were kissing. He ran his hands down her bare sides and felt her shiver at his touch. She kissed him hard and then pushed him to the bed. They fell on it together, arms and legs tangled. Sakura yanked his shirt up and Sasuke threw it off. She dug her hands into his hair and he felt her tongue in his mouth.

Suddenly he was lying down and then Sakura was on top of him, kissing down his jaw. Her tongue hit his neck and he sucked in a breath, then pulled her down to kiss her neck. She leaned her head back and let out a sigh. Their mouths met again and she bit at his bottom lip, slamming her hips against his.

"God, Sasuke," Sakura hissed into his ear. "Just take off the pants." Sasuke grabbed her waist and pushed her away, his fingers going to the zipper on his jeans. Sakura kissed him as he pulled his pants off, and then ran a hand down his chest.

"Condom," she murmured.

"Aa," Sasuke got out. He slid off the bed and found his bag, fumbling for the right pocket. He found the package and made it back to the bed where Sakura was waiting, her bra straps askew and face flushed. There was fire in her eyes. He ripped the condom out of its package and then Sakura pulled him back down onto the bed.

"I wanted this last year," she said softly, spreading her legs open.

"Me too," he hissed.

Sakura grabbed his shoulders, and the burn of her hands sent a surge down his body. He kissed her roughly, on the lips and then down her jaw, her neck, her collarbone. Sakura inhaled sharply. He could hear her heart pounding as he trailed a hand down her side and slid down farther on the bed. Then he went down on her fully. "Fuck, Sasuke," she sighed. She was melting under him. They were going to soak the sheets.

Sakura pushed upward, throwing off his balance and flipping him under her. She straddled him, mimicking his movements with more force as she nipped at his ear and then kissed the corner of his jawline, moving over his neck and holding down his waist with her hands.

"Is it weird we don't do this with music," Sakura asked into his chest.

"Fuck we need music for," Sasuke got out.

Sakura fell asleep with her head on his chest, their limbs in a tangle. They both woke up at the same time the next morning, pulled to consciousness by the loud chime of Sasuke's alarm. He gently extricated himself from her arms, but Sakura got out of bed at the same time.

"You don't have to go yet," he said. She had a photoshoot that morning, and wasn't leaving Ishi until later in the day. Sasuke, however, was leaving early with the rest of the band.

"I want to walk you out." She rummaged in her bag for a t-shirt and pulled it on. She waited on the bed while he changed and gathered his stuff together.

Sakura swung his hand playfully as they went down the ten flights of stairs to the ground level. There was a content quiet between them. Right before they reached the heavy door to the back parking lot, Sakura held him back, then stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. She radiated warmth from being wrapped in the sheets. He wished she could just come back on the bus with them. "I'll see you tonight?" she asked softly.

"Aa." He brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her again for a long moment. After one last shared glance, Sasuke pushed the door open and headed outside.

The parking lot was bright and hot. Naruto, Kiba, and Shikamaru were all waiting for him outside the bus, which immediately struck Sasuke as strange. Considering he hadn't bothered to hide the hickeys on his neck, Sasuke expected at least a few taunts from Naruto and Kiba, who would probably nag him about ditching them last night. But none of his bandmates seemed to notice; they were all stony-faced, as if waiting to see what he'd say to them.

"What's going on?" Sasuke demanded.

"Did you...Not hear about it?" Kiba asked.

"Hear about what."

"Uh, you're gonna want to look at this," Shikamaru said. "We should go in."

"What are you talking about." It was infuriating when they were this cryptic. Sasuke followed Shikamaru onto the bus, Kiba and Naruto on his heels.

Naruto handed Sasuke his phone and then bit his lip. "Just...Watch it."

It was a video, and Sasuke immediately recognized the woman onscreen. Tayuya. She and her husband, Jirobo, had been Sasuke's foster parents when he was sixteen. Most of the houses he'd been through had blended together in his mind, because he didn't want to think about them, but he couldn't help remembering her name when faced with her again.

"Sasuke Uchiha was here as a teenager," she was saying. "And I'm not going to be silent about him any longer."

"You were his foster mother before he made it big?" An unseen guy, probably a reporter, was asking the questions.

"I was. He was with my family for almost two years before he up and left."

Sasuke frowned. He'd left that house long before he'd 'made it big.' He'd moved onto Naruto's couch, because it was his last option. They hadn't even noticed he was gone.

"The world deserves to know the truth about him," Tayuya said.

"Can you tell me what he was like when he lived with you?"

"He was always antisocial Surly, rude, never tried to be part of the family. We made him welcome, but he threw our generosity back in our faces. He didn't acknowledge our younger son, and was cold to us. Always out late, doing who knows what. He was gone at all times of the night. We suspected he was shoplifting because he was unsatisfied with what we gave him. Never a thought or a thank you to the family providing him with everything he needed. I'm surprised he's lasted so long in a band like this, the other three must have their work cut out for them with him. I have to say I was surprised when I learned he'd made it big like this."

"You have reason to believe he stole other things, you were saying? A badly behaved teenager is one thing, but you have more serious things to say about him."

She smiled ruefully. "If my son Ukon weren't so self-conscious about being on camera, I would have him tell you the story. But yes. Ukon also played guitar, and wrote his own music. He poured his heart into writings songs and becoming an amazing guitar player. And Sasuke Uchiha copied those pages of music and bullied Ukon into teaching him everything he knew. He took Ukon's hard work and claimed it as his own. Whenever I see Sasuke Uchiha performing on TV, I think, that could've been Ukon. It should've been Ukon." She sniffed. "Excuse me. It's hard for me to talk about this."

"I can't fucking listen to her a second time," Shikamaru said. He started pacing up and down the bus.

"Thank you so much for telling your story," the man said.

"I just want the truth to be out there, finally," Tayuya. She looked at the camera. "Seeing him celebrated as a genius musician is just so…Horrible."

"Do you think he fooled his bandmates, too?" the man asked.

"If they saw through him, why would he still be part of the band? That's why I knew I had to speak up, finally. I couldn't take it any longer."

"I can imagine," the guy said. The video cut off.

"There's a written interview that's even longer," Kiba said. His fists were clenched. "It's blowing up."

Sasuke was frozen, staring at the screen.

A/N: Last big conflict of this one. I've realized my updates have been pretty long lately; I'm aiming to end this at 40 chapters, but it might end up being a little shorter.