Hello everyone! :)
Long time no update!
Sorry about that guys, after a rigorous school year ended, I had a busy and lazy summer.
And on top of that, my laptop began to malfunction and I needed to get it fixed.
However, I have NEVER lost any hope on my amazing story!
I've actually been remodeling and rethinking my ideas for the upcoming chapters.
I don't know when they'll actually be written, but everything's planned out!
I hope you enjoy the chapter! Although it's a bit on the downside :(
There has to be ups and downs to Sasuke and Sakura's relationship, right?
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters in any way, shape, or form. If I did, well, you know what would have happened :)
Chapter 11- "You're Annoying"
Two Hours Later, around noon time…
As the sun shone brightly through the bedroom window, its rays stroke the beautiful sleeping face of the pink-haired kunoichi, waking her up with its warmth. She slowly opened her sleepy eyes and looked around at her surroundings.
"Where am I?" groaned Sakura. "Oh wait, I'm in Sasuke's room from yesterday."
"…Wait…Sasuke? Sasuke!" yelled Sakura as she remembered the events that took place yesterday and frantically looked for Sasuke on the bed. When she saw that the bed was empty, as well as the room, she searched for his chakra throughout the whole house and discovered that he wasn't there.
"Well…being Sasuke, he probably went training. But still, I need to check and see if he's okay from yesterday's nightmare," she said as she dragged her feet off the comfortable bed and placed them on the ground. When she tried to get up, she winced in pain from her abdomen. She peered down at the small but noticeable gash on her stomach and recalled her being slammed into the door when Sasuke's claw scratched her.
"Ah…I was so busy trying to calm down Sasuke that I fell asleep without healing it. Hmm…it's not as serious as I remembered it though…," said Sakura to herself as she healed the gash fully and fleetingly looked at the clock on the wall.
"WHAT? IT'S 12 ALREADY? HOLY CRAP I'M LATE FOR WORK!" she yelled as she flung the blanket off and dashed straight out of the Uchiha Compound towards the Konoha hospital.
"I guess I'm gonna have to check up on Sasuke later then… I hope he's doing fine," thought Sakura as she ran right into her office to get ready, coming face-to-face with a furious Tsunade who vehemently reprimanded her for being 6 hours late for work.
3:00 p.m. With Sasuke…
It was hours since Sasuke stepped onto the dirt covered grounds of the Team 7 training area and started his almost suicidal training. Since Naruto was nowhere to be found, Sasuke had to conjure up his own clone and spar with it, equaling him in skill, knowledge, and physique.
"Hn, that Dobe's probably busy with Hinata. I don't need him anyway," thought Sasuke as he continued to fight rigorously with his clone. Usually clones would disappear with a poof upon contact, but Sasuke's clone was just as good as he was that he could dodge all the attacks inflicted by the real Sasuke.
Sasuke's thoughts about Naruto and Hinata had him slightly desiring for what they had. Pure happiness and content. That was what he really wanted in life. It was what drove him to spend the best parts of his life chasing after his brother to revenge the clan. He now knew what his true happiness and content was and who he desired the most, but he vehemently shook his head to clear his mind.
"No. I will not think about her right now. Focus, Sasuke, focus."
As he continued to dodge and attack his clone, someone appeared on the grounds with a smug smile on his face. Sasuke could only groan in frustration.
"This is not a good time…"
"Oi Sasuke-teme, trying to train to become better than the NEXT HOKAGE?" yelled Naruto holding the hand of a timid Hinata.
"…" Sasuke continued training without acknowledging the couple to his side.
"What? Not even a 'hello' or a 'welcome back' to your best friend?" said Naruto with narrowed eyes.
"Leave me alone Naruto, I'm not in the mood," said Sasuke as he tried to focus his attention on the taijutsu attacks of his clone.
"Why so grumpy? Someone woke up on the wrong side of Sakura-chan's-"
"Naruto-kun…" whispered Hinata while shaking her head to cease his teasing when he looked at her.
Sasuke was now beyond pissed. He tried for hours to not think about Sakura and almost accomplished that goal when Naruto with one word, her name, brought back all the memories of her and him in the course of two weeks. Sasuke released his clone and it disappeared with a poof. However, he did not turn to face Naruto and looked straight into the forest.
"Do not say her name in front of me," muttered Sasuke in anger.
"Nani? What do you mean not say Sakur-"
"Nevermind. Just leave me alone," seethed Sasuke cutting off Naruto abruptly as he trudged away from a shocked Naruto and Hinata when SHE appeared in front of him.
"Sasuke," she sighed in relief, "there you are. I was working when I got a short break. I just came by to check up on you fast. You can't imagine how mad Tsunade-shishou was when I showed up for work 6 hours late," she smiled sheepishly, "well at least I got a good night sleep. Now," she walked towards him into the clearing with her hands reaching out, "let me just check-"
"I'm fine," said Sasuke, brushing her hands away from him. Then he attempted to walk away when her concerned-thick voice stopped him in his tracks.
"Sasuke? What's wrong? Are you okay?" said a worried Sakura, "why is he acting so distant towards me?"
"I said I'm fine. Just leave me alone," said Sasuke through gritted teeth.
"What's going on? You're acting different than usu-"
He turned around and glared, "I said leave me alone. Don't make me repeat myself." He turned back around again and closed his eyes to say the final words that would help him let go of the girl behind him, even though his heart vehemently rejected the idea.
"After all this time, you're still annoying," said Sasuke clearly but silently enough that Naruto and Hinata a few feet back from Sakura wouldn't hear him, his heart being torn to a million pieces for hurting Sakura. But he knew that it had to be done, and that assurance gave him confidence to walk away from his agonized cherry blossom a few steps behind him.
"A-Annoying? I-I don't understand…" whispered Sakura in shock when there was a huge pang in her heart at the immense hurt. The ache in her heart spread to all parts of her body and a sharp pain resonated in her head. Suddenly feeling weak and faint, Sakura collapsed to the ground as her legs gave out under her, looking at the place where Sasuke stood with his back towards her a few seconds ago.
"After all this time, you're still annoying…"
"…You're still annoying…"
"…Annoying…"
The phrase repeated itself constantly inside her head, making it throb harder each time, hurting her even more and more. She didn't know what hurt most: That confusing and hurtful last remark or Sasuke's unusual cold and scathing behavior.
An alarmed Naruto and Hinata ran quickly to where Sakura collapsed to her knees, "Sakura-chan, are you okay?" asked Hinata, crouching behind Sakura to hold her steady.
"I-I'm fine. But something's wrong with S-Sasuke. I need to help him-"
Naruto gently held Sakura in place, holding both her shoulders gently, "Sakura-chan, Sasuke's just having a bad day. You need rest. I'll go and see what's going on," he said as he looked into Hinata's eyes, nodded, and jogged after Sasuke.
"Sakura-chan, I'm sure everything will be fine," said Hinata with a smile that didn't reach up to her eyes. For some reason, she had a bad feeling about Sasuke's sudden change of attitude. Something drastic definitely happened to him, for he would never, ever since he returned to Konoha, hurt Sakura in any way possible. She desperately hoped Naruto would resolve the conflict.
"Thanks Hinata," said Sakura emotionlessly without looking back at Hinata and staring far into the forest that Sasuke, and now Naruto, went into.
"Please Naruto…please figure out what's wrong with him…"
The memory continued to reverberate through her ears, ceaselessly causing an indescribable ache.
"…You're still annoying…"
"Sakura-chan! Please wake up!"
Sakura then suddenly fainted in Hinata's arms with one thought in mind.
"…Sasuke…kun…"
In the forest with Sasuke…
Unbeknownst to Sakura, Sasuke was thinking of the exact same thing over and over again inside his head as he trudged his way deeper into the dark and dense forest.
"…You're still annoying…"
Sasuke stopped walking abruptly and grabbed his head in frustration. He couldn't get it out of his head, couldn't get her out of his head.
Her face knotted in deep confusion and hurt.
Her expression contorted in blatant sorrow.
Her legs giving away under her, leaving her on the dirty ground.
Although his body was turned away from her, he could sense everything from her at that very moment.
What was he to do now?
He knew for sure that he couldn't live without her anymore—she blinded him away from the darkness permanently once she walked back into his life.
However, he also knew that there was the risk of hurting her in every way if she stayed near him.
Sasuke lowered his head and let out a dark chuckle from under his raven bangs. When did he begin to care for someone else other than himself? He, the boy who knew nothing but revenge and power. When had he become so soft?
He did not know the answers to any of his questions, but he was sure of one thing.
He will make sure Sakura doesn't get hurt by being near him. EVER.
Once Sasuke reassured himself with his purpose, he began to walk again through the dense bushes and branches in his way.
He used all his willpower to ignore the aching, painful feeling underneath his chest.
He continued walking, one step at a time, further and further away from his pink-haired blossom, when all of a sudden, a hand grasped his right shoulder.
"Uchiha Sasuke," muttered a low voice, "I demand you to tell me what is going on."
Sasuke didn't even look back in acknowledgment, "Naruto, I thought I told you to leave me alone. There's nothing going on."
"Nothing's going on? Right. That would explain why the infamous Uchiha Sasuke, one of the strongest shinobis in this village, would fail to notice a fellow shinobi walk up behind him," said Naruto, pulling Sasuke's shoulder hard to twist him around to face him.
Sasuke kept a straight, emotionless face as he stared back at Naruto, not replying at all. He really didn't want to snap at his friend, keeping his boiling anger in check.
"Look Sasuke," sighed Naruto, brushing a hand through his hair while looking at his friend, "I just want to help you. Trust me this once. Let me help you this time."
Sasuke tried turning away from his friend, closing his eyes in irritation from Naruto's face which resembled the heartbreaking expression on Sakura's, "I don't need your help. So leave me."
Naruto, now completely pissed, twisted Sasuke around to face him again, "WHAT IS GOING ON BETWEEN YOUTWO?"
Sasuke, now unable to hold onto his rage and frustration any longer, exploded in Naruto's face, eyes wide and the activated Sharingan swirling in fury, "WHAT PART OF 'LEAVE ME ALONE' DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND? I HURT HER NARUTO! I CAN'T BEAR TO HURT HER ANYMORE!"
Naruto's eyes widened in shock. Never had he seen his best friend burst in fury. Especially because of compassion for another human being. Although Sasuke didn't explain the whole story, Naruto was able to understand what happened within the few words of Sasuke's outburst.
In a calm, quiet tone, Naruto whispered, "Sasuke…exactly how did you hurt her?"
Sasuke, now completely devoid of anger and emotion, slumped against a nearby tree.
For once, he decided, he needed his best friend's support.
With a huge intake of breath, Sasuke glanced up at Naruto, who was waiting calmly for Sasuke to talk, and looked down at the moist earth underneath his shoes.
Then, he began to quietly talk about the two weeks that Naruto was absent from, from the sweet beginning to the disastrous ending.
Wahh :(
This was a hard chapter to write, especially since I was putting my two main characters in such pain.
But I hope the sadness and pain Sasuke and Sakura felt was transferred to you guys as well!
Some of you guys might be wondering what happened to Sakura, but you will find out in the next chapter! (Whenever that may be T.T)
Oh and random thought: I just realized that this is my shortest chapter in 'Hidden Love' so far! Interesting~
But anyway, thanks for reading guys! Reviews are welcome!
Cilla :)