note.

Hello and welcome back everybody! It may seem like I'm neglecting PTL a bit in favor of updating SDL, but I really want to bring it up to date. There had been a scheduled timeline whereby I would update both together - but since SDL is a bit behind, I will have to focus more on it.

Hopefully, the stories will meet the converging point as soon as possible!

track 56.

Changing out of his white uniform shirt, Sasuke swallowed the shout he was about the release when his mother barged into his room unannounced. "Kaa-san! You'd think that at your age you'd know how to knock!"

Mikoto chuckled at her son's chiding. "And you'd think that at you're age, you'd be able to tell apart your girlfriend and mother's footsteps." She knew that Sasuke was only embarrassed because he'd thought she was Sakura. She'd barged into his room one too many times over the years and she was the one to raise him. What did he have to hide from her?

Girlfriend? His face grew hot at being caught red-handed. "Sakura and I aren't-"

"Did you really think I wouldn't notice? Don't make such a big fuss about it, kaa-san was the one who asked Sakura-chan."

"Kaa-san..." He started warningly. They didn't need to have this conversation when Sakura was just downstairs. The house was most definitely not known for its sound proofing qualities!

Seeing the look on her younger son's face, Mikoto shot straight without hindrances. That seemed to be the most effective method when dealing with Uchiha men. "You know Sakura-chan really really likes you." She reached up to grab him by his ear before continuing. "And despite the fact that I don't see how my super handsome son managed to attract such a lovable girl, I am also proud of you for doing so because both your father and I are incredibly fond of her and we want you to know that we trust you to know what you're doing. And that we're also very supportive of your relationship."

Obviously, Sakura had mentioned the part about them being secret for the time being if his mother was giving him this talk. But Sasuke was floored simply by the fact that this is what his mother had trapped him in his room to tell him. As if he didn't already know. "Of course. Thank-you kaa-san."

"Well then, I'm going back down to check on the dishes. Sakura-chan doesn't seem to be the best cook, does she?"

Sakura must've heard that it was her cue to come up to his room because not even a minute after his mother goes back own, she's already standing underneath the door frame, waiting for him to invite her in.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming over tonight?"

She hugged him tightly, a move - he guessed - that was supposed to placate him before she answered. "I wanted to surprise you. Why? Were you lonely without me at practice today?"

Plucking her off, he chuckled. "Just a bit. You'll have to make it up to me now." Bending his head down to meet her's, he waited for her eyes to close in anticipation before he poked her on her forehead, causing her to stumble back into his waiting arm. With Sakura exactly where he wanted her, he ducked down to peck her over her lips, taking advantage of the surprise.

Green eyes opened wide at his attack and she glanced up at him shyly, lips forming a straight line as she savoured the sensation. It surely wasn't fair for her that Sasuke had somehow managed to perfect the little actions that made her heart hum in excitement in such a short period of time?

"How'd you come in so easily?" He knew his mother treated Sakura like her own daughter, but he'd thought that she'd at least wait for when he was around as well to let the girl in.

"I used the front door, silly." The look on Sasuke's face told her he wasn't buying it. "Fine, fine. I admitted to Mikoto-san that we were going out, but since we can't easily go on dates at restaurants and stuff - I said that I wanted to cook for you." She smiled as innocently as she could before running into his room and burrowing her face in his pillow.

"Why are you acting shy now?" He sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for her to let the hostage pillow go. "We all know that you're shameless."

"But it's Mikoto-san! I was telling your mom we were dating!" Given how close his mother and Sakura were, he imagined that it must've been awkward. Hilarious. But more awkward than anything.

"Well, you didn't have to tell her." For one, he wouldn't have.

Pouting, Sakura sat up to fetch the notebook on his desk (again, without his permission! Why were the women in his life always doing this?) before leaning on his shoulder to read it. "It's only your fangirls and my parents we're worried about, so I thought it'd be okay." Flipping through the pages, it doesn't take her long to get comfortable, laying her legs on top of Sasuke's thighs so that she was in a cradle between him and the bed.

"Sakura." He pronounced each staccato syllable as clearly as he could, hoping that she'd catch the warning tone.

"Yes, Sasuke-kun?"

She's blinking slowly. As if she didn't know what she did wrong; and seeing the top two buttons undone on her uniform, covered in his family's apron, sitting on his bed - it makes him want to kiss her just to shut her up so damn much it's crazy.

"Ah, dammit. You brought this on yourself."

Leaning towards her, Sakura let herself fall against navy sheets, a pretty flush reaching down her neck towards her chest to create the contrasting picture. Dark pink lashes fluttered shut as she expected a showering of affection.

"Dinner's ready!" At the sound of the Uchiha matriarch's voice, both teenagers scrambled out the bed as quickly as it all escalated, smoothing out the creases of their clothing. "And Sasuke-chan, don't you think you're raising your voice a little too much? I can hear you all the way down here."

Understandably, pissed was an understatement.

"Don't pretend that you're not just eavesdropping, okaa-san!"