Chapter 24
"Uchiha Sasuke. You brought us straight to where we want to be."
Sakura was baffled. What was going on? All of a sudden, Sasuke just barged in saying that they needed to get out quick because of an intrusion. And now, the two guards that were following him turned against them. She was utterly perplexed as the air was slowly cut off from her lungs because of the tight embrace. From his tight hold, she noticed Sasuke was also in confusion. Even with his rock-solid stance, his heart was beating rapidly.
Obsidian narrowed. Silently observing the two men, whose appearance supposed to be the trained guards of the Uchiha. But, 'What are they thinking?' His jaw clenched tight. Not daring to move a slight movement with the girl in his arms, dark eyes focused on the objects in their hands. The deadly guns pointed straight at them.
Then, his gaze pulled down. Fuck his stupidity. Why didn't he pay attention to this earlier? His arrogant mind got the best of him. Cursing himself for not noticing the most ridiculous detail. Every guard of the building has their own customized size shoes and gloves with the Uchiha crest on the back of the hands. Wanting to punch himself over and over as he looked at their bare hands and worn out shoes.
"We didn't know we would snag such a big catch tonight. The Uchiha himself. " Smirking. "And…" Leering at the girl bundling up in the man's arms, the intruder let out another haunting chuckle.
The man, who had spoke before, informing him of the intrusion, was voicing up again. With his hat off, it revealed his dulled dark hair. A hardened expression of middle age, he stood tall with the other imposter who had stopped Sasuke in his track at the hall. This man was younger, perhaps his age. With an aggressive face, his bleach blond hair was far more annoying than the certain blonde he knew.
Feeling a stirring movement lightly pinching his side, 'Sakura,' the situation had made him unconsciously tightened his grip and buried her face further to his chest, cutting off all airways. He loosen his arms to let the girl backed a step from his chest. She breathed heavily from lacking air.
Whispering, "Are you alright?" Snooping low, facing her, he softly caressed the girl's cheek as she regaining her breath. Nodding her head nervously, she didn't want to be more of a burden to him during this time.
WHAM.
The poor coffee table, his favorite, was smashed into pieces of broken glass. Objects splattered on the floor. The hot-headed blond exploded at the mushy scene. "Hey. Don't fucking ignore us." He snarled. With the gun snuck in his pants' waist. Hands in fists wanting to knock the raven man off the building.
"Hn." Sasuke deadly shot a glare causing the imprudent man to stagger a bit but continue his belligerent push. Stepping on the broken glass, he walked closer toward the couple. The older intruder watched closely behind, silently watched the scene.
"Look at you. All mighty in your room, sitting comfortably in that big chair of yours with women flutter by your side." Brown eyes were glaring at the pinkette.
Sasuke stood up tall. Hand pushed the girl protectively behind him.
"Uchiha. Just the last name. Heh?" Sarcastically, he mocked the very last name Sasuke could care less.
"Hn." Sasuke's reply was short and simple.
"Don't you dare 'hn' me! You son of a bitch." He picked up the fallen folder on the side and threw it toward them. The paper spilled as Sasuke brought his arm up to block the flying object.
Last straw, Sasuke simply spoke out. "How much?" Hand reached for a pen on his desk then pulled out his drawer in the process. Obsidian kept a straight gaze at the man, his hand searched around in the drawer before finding his checkbook. Green eyes followed his every movement. Quickly signed the check, he ripped the paper out of the booklet then throw carelessly.
The tiny rectangular paper flutter easily then landed on the blond's feet.
"A million?" Leaning on the side of the desk, he cocked his head to a side.
Shaking with anger, the blonde stepped on the check, crumpled it with the tip of his shoe. "You." He snarled.
"Compliments to you. Able to get pass the security system. With that. Here's another." The sound of pen scribble across the paper was drowning the silent. This time, he walked with the check in hand, faced the fuming man with a safe distance. Then he dropped it on the ground. "Leave."
Punch! A hard fist aimed to make contact with the flawless face. Elbow out, Sasuke blocked it but the sheer force made him stumbled backward.
"!" Sakura jolted, wanting to run to his side and support him but Sasuke put his arm out in motion for her to stay where she was. Distracted, before he regained his balance, another landed.
"This is for the people of the Goka Village." The young imposer took the chance to jump straight at Sasuke and gave him another punch in the jaw sending him backward, falling flat.
"Sasuke-kun." By reaction, the girl scrambled to cushion his fall. She kept his head from making contact with the desk's corner.
"Idiot! Don't reveal our …" Pulling the young hotheaded back by the collar, the man mumbled how stupid he was.
"So." From his position on the floor, Sasuke looked up. His hand came up to wipe the blood trickling down his lips. "You're from that nuisance village that has been constantly refusing our offers?"
"To helz with your offers. We don't want it." The youngster wouldn't stop his babbling, wanting to launch his angry body at the man and tearing him to pieces, but his uncle was an obstacle in the way.
Getting up with the help from Sakura, Sasuke used his other arm to push himself up, leaning behind the desk. "How gullible? Is this how you think is going to solve your problem. Threaten my life would not put a stop or even a dent with the plan." Because he knew, his was weightless.
The older man quickly turned around with a gun pointed straight at Sasuke. "You would think that's our plan. But finishing you off would only add to our amusement." Flint of anger flickered. Sasuke's tone was getting his nerve.
Not backing down, Sasuke too pulled a gun from under his desk and returned the motion.
"Woa. Man. We're only here-" The blond man carefully backed away and took out his gun again.
"Be quiet. It's all because of your temper. He knows who we are. So shut it. I'll talk." Keeping his shooting line straight, not showing a hint of nervousness knowing their captive was also well equipped.
"…" Sasuke was unaffected.
The dark man cocked his head to the side, meeting Sasuke's impassive gaze. "We were only thinking of hacking to the staff computer's line." Holding up a mini-flash drive from his pocket, clearly it was a programmed-virus. "Just freezing the system down for a couple days without maintenance. it should give us enough time-" He stopped, then continued, " This is much better because we did not expect to see you. Uchiha. Better than what we planned. Your computer on the other hand is even superior. You have the direct connection to the main master system. This would cause the whole system of Uchiha to crash. Imagine what it can do. Days without access to your network. I'm sure you'll regret the moment you filthy brats targeted our land."
"You seem confident." Moving his body slightly toward the machine, Sasuke was thinking of a way to reach across his long desk, while keeping his focus at them.
"Don't even think about it." The dark hair man moved his head slightly. "There are two of us with two guns and two of you with one gun and one corpse." This was a cue for the other gun to point toward the target.
"…" 'Damn.'His glance was side way toward the shaken girl, green eyes clearly wanted to overflow with tears but she was too in shock. Sakura seemed to be in her own trance seeing the gun pointed at her.
"Such a pity." The young blonde was tst-sing. "A waste." Eyeing the girl as his gun pointed toward her. "Oh look, she's shaking." Mocking her.
"…" His hand gripped the gun tightly. Obsidian narrowed in disturbance.
With the gun, he walked carefully in front of Sasuke. "Then again, you could care less for this girl. She's replaceable isn't she? But your fortune isn't, Uchiha." Smirking his foresee victory.
"What do you want?" Irritated, he didn't like the way a certain pair of eyes was gawking.
"Stop the bulldozers." He raised his voice.
Silently thinking, Sasuke, without showing a tint of breaking nerve, answered, "No."
"Very well then." Quietly they gave him the choices, the girl or the company.
Sasuke followed neither, not the girl, not the company, not when he had so much more to do. Sasuke would not allow them to ruin his plan. Backing his feet, feeling the girl pressed up to him. His free hand reached hers to intertwine their fingers so she calm down. Keeping his blank expression, Sasuke tried to find a way to free them from the situation. Hand tightly kept a steady hold of the gun. Time, they needed more time. "Who are you? Normal villagers can't …"
"We're insignificant. Someone as highly as you shouldn't pay much heed of attention to us." The man showed off his arrogant grin. "We're completing our plan tonight. With your help, so..." He needed an answer.
Narrowing his eyes, unmoved, Sasuke noted, "And what makes you think, crashing our system would stop the whole operation. How juvenile...You seemed to forget all about the Shindai. "
That did it, "That fucking whore man!" A shout filled with hatred at the mention of Uchiha Corps partner's name. The blonde stomped his foot on the ground, shaking the unbalance glass shards.
"Shut up Nobu!"
"How can I? When the man who is going to tear down my home is standing there and the bastard who caused my father's death still roams the street!" Nobu moved his target shot. Shaking, his hand implied his movement of pulling the trigger any moment.
It was a touching tale, but Sasuke could care less of. "Don't blame others for your father's ill fate. We had peacefully come to each home. Offering all an-"
Interrupted, he ended Sasuke's sentence with "An offer?" Chuckling as if it was a joke, "Can your offers compensate what the people have built for decades? Can it give the minds the memories it holds. How long can that amount last? Where do you think they're going to live?"
"They shouldn't have inhabitant there in the first place. That area in the beginning was not righteously theirs. They are fortunate enough to be offer for money of the land that they, clearly... do not own. They are simply squatters."
Small hand came up to grab a hold of his elbow, the arm that was currently gripping her hand, but Sasuke was too occupied to notice. 'Sasuke-kun.'What was wrong now? How was it that she was feeling sympathy for these people? They were pointing guns at them. Guns.What was going on with those people? Emeralds shyly gazed with fear to take as look at the two intruders more clearly. The older man with dark hair, he looked wearied but self-assured. While the blond that was threatening her-looked angry, filled with hatred in his eyes and yet he was too, was shaking lightly.
Silently listening as they continued on their conversation, Sakura slowly assembled the info together. They were from this village that was going to be torn down under Sasuke's supervision. The villagers there had been building houses on illegal undocumented premises that the government was planning on developing. And at that certain timeline, they were being forced to move out, leaving the homes that they had built by hands from the ground. But this shouldn't be his fault. He did give them a generous offer or that was what she was getting from the lacking detailed dialogue.
"You think that we're clue less of what you're trying to pull huh Uchiha?" The man now with his name uncovered. Rei Takemura. Sasuke now recognized the last name of the Village head. He was his son.
"What?" Sasuke was ticking off further with his uncaring attitude.
"Offering us compensate money and relocation for homes. It's only a method for you to suck back the money that you had put out then take more after the lenient rent cost is expired after two years." Rei finished his thought.
"Who told you such things?" He was intrigued, something told him this information was giving to them by someone he knew...
"It doesn't matter. Now go on or the girl gets it." Nobu spatted. He slowly stepped up the steps, closer to them. Amused the way the girl cringed but immovable.
About to make his motion toward the computer, Sasuke was stopped. "No-o. Don't Sasuke-kun." Sakura was tugging on his sleeve. She wanted to tell him so much. Angels can't die. No one could die again if they were already dead. But nothing could be mentioned if the two strangers were there. Oh. How much Sakura needed Sasuke to maneuver his genius mind and figured out the obvious. She may be hurt from process but it would heal. Sasuke's live was more precious. The bullet wouldn't hesitate to pierce his mortal body.
Shifted, the girl moved her body in front of Sasuke as an attempt to shield him, stopping him from getting near his computer. Because she knew, Sasuke cared for his work. It was she. She was a nuisance to his decision.
Nobu was disgusted. "The fuck, why are you covering this piece of shit? He'll trash you afterward anyway. Why risking your life?"
Gathering up all her courage, "No." She was shaking. "Stop this. Instead of being unconventional. Don't you ever think? This is illegal. Living there is illegal. In the end, they'll have to leave. Not peacefully but forcefully by the government because they won't stop. Think of the riots that will take place if not already. Riot would only result with injure bodies. Innocent bodies." Her tone was changing. Sasuke noticed. Standing behind her, it was like a deja vu. Same scene replayed from the Hyuuga party.
"You know nothing." Rei pointed the guns straight at the girl. In instance, Sakura body jumped from his action. Gathering all her composure, she tried her best to keep her knees from failing.
"I know what I am saying. I don't want you to continue this. The people there can rebuild their village. They don't have to die with it."
"They wouldn't die if he hasn't started this."
"Then someone else would." She relieved by the tone of swaying in his voice. "You're wasting your effort if you want to go through with this."
Sasuke cursed in his head. It was hard to maneuver; Sakura had backed his body against the glass wall. 'What is she thinking?'Although with his gun pointing straight at Rei, but Sakura was vulnerable.
Pound. Pound. Pound. The sound of door being knocked down with the voices of the real guards echoed through. "Uchiha san!" They finally came in time.
"Damn fucking mother#$%^&" Nobu turned his head to see the flashing silhouettes. "Rei what are we going to do. Quickly install that." The blockage they put at the front door was down.
Well that was impossible to do with Sasuke and his gun right behind the desk. Rei knew the plan was a failure with the guard pounding behind.
Sasuke smirked. Foolish idiots. Did they think he would talk that much for nothing? It was only a way to distract them.
o-o-o
Last straw, Sasuke simply spoke out. "How much?"
Hand reached for a pen on his desk then pulled out his drawer in the process.
Obsidian kept a straight gaze at the man, his hand searched around in the drawer before finding his checkbook.
o-o-o
He had pressed on the alert button during that moment in his drawer.
Bam. His office door was flat on the floor with the guards rushed in as the same time, Rei straightened his arm to Sasuke. "At least I get to end your life." He mouthed the words. Nobu watched in shock. He never thought of even used the guns beside as a threatening tool.
Suddenly, every motion, every movement flashed by soundlessly. Out of reaction, Sasuke quickly pushed Sakura away to safety. Turning on the side, his gun reach out.
Bang. Bang.
The sounds blasted her eardrums, sending her off to unconsciousness.
o-o-o-o-o
"B-blood. Someone. Get more nurses."
"She's losing too much blood."
"Her pulse ... it's not picking up."
"Stop the bleeding."
"CLEAR!"
"CLEAR!"
Beeeeeeeeeeep...
o-o-o-o-o
"No!" Jolted right up, Sakura moaned out her discomfort. Sifting a little, green eyes slowly opened. Where am I? The room was white with a hint of soft peach. Low light, the lamp by the simple metal twin bed meekly illuminated her surroundings. It was late, past midnight.
"You're finally awake, Miss Sakura."
A small jump, Sakura calmed down at the familiar voice. "Taki." She turned to see him entered from the bright hallway. Hospital. I'm at the hospital? The passing nurses in the background indicated her location.
"I rushed here as soon as I heard of the incident. How are you feeling now? You've been out of conscious for a couple hours now."
Pain, her head felt tight. Skulled pounded from the aching brain pulsating nonstop. Placing a palm on her head, Sakura tried to shake it away.
Seeing the girl, Taki dropped off the water pitcher and walked near. "Would you like me to get a doctor? You don't seem too well. Does your head hurt? Wait here, I'll be right back..." And his voice disappeared behind the door.
'It hurts. It hurts.' The throbbing sensation wouldn't stop. Clutching her head, Sakura mind was pulled back and forth. 'Blood, so much blood.' Of hers? Scanning, she was perfectly fine. Then who?
Sasuke! His name stomped her conscious. Sasuke-kun. Earnestly, Sakura pulled the comforter away before lifting herself off the bed. Stumbling forward, her knees were weak. Barefoot, she ran out to find him. Sasuke-kun...where are you...?!
[...]
"Wipe out everything. I want that section demolished by morning." Sasuke shut his phone then dropped it to the side. Running his hand through his hair, rustling it to show his irritation, Sasuke sighed out before leaning back against the cold platform of the hospital bed. The sound of turning knob pulled his angry gaze toward the door to see the familiar fox face.
"I see you're perfectly fine." Not even a hint of injury on the raven's body beside his slightly bruised knuckle. Sasuke sat on the bed with one of his episode of sour mood. Naruto stood by the ajar door, occasionally glancing out to make sure his girlfriend wouldn't walk pass the room and get lost.
"Hn. That's why I should leave." He didn't understand why he was kept there. It was Sakura who fainted. "Where's Sakura? How is she?" Knowing the girl was unharmed but unsettling anxiety refused to calm.
"She's down the hall. Still asleep." Letting that subject die out, Naruto tone changed. "Kankuro left the country."
"Hn." He wasn't surprise.
"Those villagers must have been manipulated by his men, Teme, he wants you ruin."
That thought amused him, a chuckle, Sasuke replied, "Such a pest." Kankuro was a bothersome pest. Impassively gazing at the small object in his hand, he quickly tossed it to Naruto. "You know what to do."
Catching it, blue eyes brightened at the small toy, "An eye for an eye, Sasuke, I thought you said only douche bags do that."
A glare, "I'm only returning it to the owner."
Naruto shrugged his shoulders, putting the flash drive in to his pocket, "What about the two idiots?"
"Them? Let them rot in jail. I have bigger pest to exterminate." Dark, his voice lowered. "That riot..."
Naruto added, "They refuse to move." Sasuke knew that.
A moment of silent, obsidians closed, "Doesn't matter, let the government take care of them..."
Behind the door, bare feet fidget from its location. Clutching her skirts, Sakura shook from the sinister voice of Sasuke seeping through the crack. At that moment she realized, she was nowhere from the starting point. Even if he was caring and attentive to her, his interaction with others was still the same. His cold ruthless method was the same.
"Sakura-chan?" Sakura stood up straight to meet Hinata's startling gaze. "What are you..."
"I-i..." Stuttered, overwhelmed, Sakura couldn't answer. Added to her nervousness, Naruto opened the door wide. Emerald caught a glimpse of the raven. 'He's not hurt.' She was glad, but...that impassive gaze. That gaze was frightening. Until now, he couldn't free himself from that gaze. Feeling light head, blank, she collapsed.
"Sakura!"
o-o-o-o-o
"Here taste this?"
A hand of an unknown stranger, a man, placed out with his finger, which coated with a reddish tint liquid.
Sakura smiled with delight, as she made no hesitation to taste the unknown substance.
It was sweet yet bitter.
A chaste taste to it.
It was wine.
Very strong liquor.
With
A tint of berry.
Very berry.
The location was a soft colored open kitchen. With a white wooden and glass French door.
Widely open to let the ocean breeze washed in.
The room was brightly lit by the afternoon sun. It was warm and nice.
Sakura was kneeling on the stool on the outer side of the kitchen counter.
As the man wearing a white apron with a mixing a bowl of cake mixture on the side
Row of wine bottles was in front of them.
"Delicious." She screamed out in approval. "This is the one!"
The hand recoiled to grab the bottle. It was square with a red cap. Beautifully engraved, marking its expensive price.
"Good choice. Just perfect to make …"
His voice was angelic. Rough but soft.
Even when his face was blurred.
Sakura could tell. There was a visible smile on his face. A very sweet smile.
Just like the taste of berry.
Her ear rung angelically as he continued to inform her the detail of the godly taste cake.
...
A parked motorcycle on the side of the boardwalk.
Two trails of footprints on the untouched sand beach.
One dainty. The other was hefty.
The trial continued after the two.
Sakura happily walked or rather was skipping beside the man as he held the basket with one hand.
The other.
Embracing hers.
"Come on. Walk faster. I found the perfect spot to watch the sun set."
Pulling his arm as she marched forward.
The tugging became less and less resisting
Til the point when Sakura could not feel his hand.
She turned around.
It was gloomy.
'He'
Wasn't there.
The sun was setting rather quickly.
In a flashing blink.
It was pit black.
And
Sakura was all by herself.
In the middle of nowhere.
Frantically searching.
Screaming!
'No!'
o-o-o
Green eyes once again bloodily shot opened.
Mouth was gaping wide. Throat dried. Her cheeks were wet from the many streams of silent tears. Her eyes frantically roamed the pit black room. She was terrorized for a moment of not knowing for sure if she had escaped from her dream.
But the slow breathing pattern brought her attention to the sleeping body next to the twin bed. Her nerve soothed. She wondered how long. How long had he been sitting there by her side. Tightened her left hand, she felt his embrace, his strong grasp on her palm. Even when asleep, his hold was strong.
Fingers reached to wipe the tears from her eyes. Sakura blinked to let it adjusted to the dim lit room. She dreamed of him again. 'Who is he?' The stranger that continued to haunt her dream.
Was it the past? The future?
Unable to figure out the answer, she let the dream passed as Sasuke continued to snuggle her hand closer to him, a faint whispering of her name made Sakura emitted an affectionate smile. "Ah…" He looked peaceful when he was asleep. Turning her face slightly to see a portion of his feature. Relaxed. His face showed an unperturbed expression after a stressful day. But the muscles of his jaw were tense. An unwanted dream must have passed his slumber. Softly, her hand gently stroked his mane. She smiled when his expression lifted.
Moment passed her mind returned to the intruders. It gave her an uncertain feeling. Eeriness from the pit of her stomach, as if this scene had run through her mind before. But it was worst from what she was feeling. Her senses told her. What happened tonight at Sasuke's office was nothing compare to what was being blocked from her memories.
"Sakura." Sasuke moaned out her name in his sleep, this time louder. His hand reached out for her.
'Sasuke. What is truly going on in that head of yours?' She pouted, 'Please share them with me.' Slightly turning her face further, touching their noses, 'Maybe then, it'll help me remember mine.'
Placing her head on their hands, fingers intertwined. Sakura returned to a dreamless charming slumber.
o-o-o-o-o
o-o-o-o-o
Eyes wearily opened. Sitting up, his body was aching yet felt extremely relaxed. Running his hand throughout his face, he tried to clear the exhausted lingering feel. Blinking a couple of times to let his eyes adjusted to the blinding light of the room. 'This is odd. I thought all of my drapes were closed.'
"!" He jumped at the motion stirring next to him on the bed, looking to his side. A shift brought the body beside him to nuzzle deeper into his warmth.
Grey eyes were shock opened. His mouth hung wide. Next to him was a complete stranger. A nude brunette with her arm wrapping around his waist. For the first time of his life, Hyuuga Neji had no idea what had happened.
"What's the fucking helz is going on?" His eyes twitched as he looked through his surroundings. 'Must be her room.' Then he scanned the floor. Their clothes were discarded everywhere. A wild night it must have been. Seeing how everything was flung in the most random place. The tabletop of her dresser was clear, indicated something had happened there. 'What did I do?' Feeling the heavy weight on his head, his head nodded to shake the pain off.
But.
A drop from his head, a particular object fell on his lap.
"?" Picking it up made him wanting to curse aloud because it was a blond wig.
Wait.
A.
Minute.
Then that meant...
Robotically moving his head to look at the girl once more, his hand shakily put the wig over the girl face.
Twice that morning, Neji Hyuuga was utterly confused.
Bewildered.
Stoned.
A million coherent things ran through his mind as the girl's body stirred. His hand from reaction swung the wig away, scooting a bit further from her.
"Hmm." Feminine voice yawned. Dark brown eyes blinked a couple time. 'Urm. I must have forgotten to close the blinds again.'
Sitting up, she felt a chill running down her spine. Looking down, "Ugh. Not again." Mumbling. 'I need to stop sleeping without clothe on. It's chilly this morning. How much did I drink last night?'
Yawning, she stretched her arms high. "Fuck you Hyuuga. Well, at least you took me home." Outwardly screaming, not noticing the equally naked man next to her, she scratched the back of the neck, feeling much better from the lack of her confining wig.
'Well. Yay, it's Sunday. My free time.'About to get out from under her cover, she plopped her hand down.
"Ugh." A throaty voice came out next to her from the pain she just inflicted.
Looking over.
Punch
She had no idea what was going on, fist first to knock the man straight off her bed without knowing his identity. Clutching the comforter closer to her chest, covering up her nude body.
'W-what happened last night?'
.
.
.
J-kiwi: Short chapter. I cut out scenes, took the original smutty lime of this chapter out, and made some replacements. Enjoy...? Please don't beat me...