MisoHime
Author's Note:
Hello, how are you?
It's been a month since I posted the last chapter.
I'm in my final two weeks of my semester, after which I will have completed half of my degree. It's the busiest, most hectic time of my life, but I wanted to post this chapter after reading all the wonderful reviews I got:
- Guest 01: Thanks for waiting, here's the next chapter.
- Guest 02: I'm glad you liked my version of Itachi, I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much.
- Random, Just Random Guest & guest: Thanks, I'm flattered! Enjoy!
- MissKonoha: Thank you, I apologize for the long wait.
- ApplelovesApples: Thank you for your kind words, I'm glad to hear you like the story! I'll keep writing if you keep reading, so here's the next chapter for you to enjoy.
- sasusakusara7: Thanks so much! I'm grateful for your constant reviews and support. I'm relieved to hear such good response to my version of Itachi (because like I said, he's so intimidating to write), and I'm very happy to think I wrote the tension of the families well. I hope to hear from you again on this chapter soon!
- spec05: Many thanks for the review! I can understand that the concept of my story is quite expected, seeing as Romeo & Juliet re-tellings are common, but I'm grateful that you think there is a uniqueness to my story. I'll definitely work on finishing this story until the very end. I hope you stick around for the ride!
Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
◊▫ 星の十字 ▫◊
Hoshina no Kurosu
Jūhachi
憧れ
Akogare
On Saturday, Sakura received a text message from Sai about a notice that was pinned on the drama department's bulletin board.
She had been going through her study notes, one hand still writing, when she reached over to scan his message.
Apparently Kurenai had announced that all cast and crew involved in the play were required to start attending rehearsals on certain weekends - a necessity Sakura suspected was made by Kurenai's own paranoia.
Her forehead crinkled with worry. They were already spending almost every other day after classes in rehearsals, now the drama teacher expected them to sacrifice their weekends too? There would barely be enough time for studying and homework, as it were.
Disregarding her latest revision notes, Sakura leaned back into her chair as her fingers tapped out a reply to Sai. Even though she wasn't technically part of the cast anymore, Kurenai had specially noted that Sakura should be there for reasons yet to be explained.
She pocketed the device and stretched her back, fingers reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose. There had been no hints as to why her presence was required, meaning she would have no choice but to go there in person to find out.
An hour later, Sakura pulled up into the student parking lot. As expected, campus grounds were closed for the weekend, leaving the entire place deserted with barely a single soul in sight.
Dressed in comfortable clothing, Sakura shivered slightly in her coat, it was nearing mid-Autumn, and as the leaves fell, the chill in the air would only get more unforgiving. Soon it would no longer be an option on whether or not it was sensible to wear a thick coat.
She heard her name coming from a few meters away and looked over to see Ino with a few other girls from the play. They waved and smiled as Ino detached herself from the group and moved quickly to catch up to Sakura, who had been moving to the drama wing.
"Sakura!" Ino called, bundled up in a purple sweater and cream coat, her nose slightly red from the chill and her blue eyes bright with emotion, "how crazy is it that Kurenai's calling us in on a Saturday, right?"
Returning the smile, Sakura's eyes moved over to see a few other members of the crew walk past the building's entrance, "She's just worried we're not ready."
The blonde snorted and weaved her elbow with Sakura's, moving her along as they neared the double doors.
"I think she's just nuts."
The entryway of the lobby was warm, chasing away the residual chill from the outside. Most of the members were already settled in, having moved briskly to see what Kurenai's summon was about.
Sakura checked her phone to see if Sai had arrived, taking the time to send a quick message to her mother about her sudden disappearance from home on a Saturday.
Everyone who had deigned to arrive were discussing in groups, catching up with friends and some even squatting in corners to finish up their homework while they waited. If she had been desperate enough to finish her assignments, Sakura would've been one of them. With the end of semester approaching fast, she still had plenty of work to finish and brush up on, yet here she was: waiting for an explanation as to why Kurenai had sought her out.
Near the front of the stage, Sakura caught sight of Karin. Who actually looked far from her typical self. Her hair was in disarray and her pale face was strained. Whether from lack of sleep or stress, Sakura didn't know, but the other girl certainly she didn't look well. She was slumped against the wall, bloodshot eyes distractedly staring into space as she waited alongside everyone else.
"Everyone, thank you for being here," A feminine voice called out, bringing everyone's attention to the tall figure who walked in. It was Kurenai, a pair of reading glasses perched on her nose and bundles of paperwork cradled in her arms.
The rest of the company who arrived all quieted down, turning their attention to the English teacher as she proceeded to dump the contents in her arms on the director's desk.
"I know it's odd to call you all in today, but I realize that we're sorely behind on perfecting the timing of the play as a whole."
Murmurs sprung up from the teens, the cues were incorporated during their rehearsals, but they have yet to have one entire run-through that fell to schedule.
"And there are plenty of other small problems! Like the fact some of you haven't managed to perfect your roles yet!"
Sakura watched the disgruntled looks on her fellow cast mates. Picking up a role was harder for some than others, and it was difficult to force it when they had other commitments as well. The play might've been important to them all, but clearly they couldn't disregard their studies as well.
Kurenai sighed, explaining that for today they would be breaking up to certain groups to work on both timing and character building. She began to split people up, gesturing to parts of the room to practice. They would continue on with the exercise as Kurenai would make her way through each sub-group periodically.
As the crowd broke up into tiny clusters, Sakura frowned in mild irritation. She was no longer the female lead, so why would Kurenai even ask her to come if all she had planned was to work on the acting roles?
Ino patted her on the arm before giving a wry smile and moving off to her own sub group. Sakura sighed quietly, her feet shuffling as she walked over to the teacher to clarify things.
When she noticed Sakura, the older woman's expression brightened with relief, "Sakura! I wasn't sure you'd come!"
Her brows pulled together in response, "You did ask for me... Was there a reason you needed me today?"
Pulling off her glasses, Kurenai nodded, "Yes yes! I have something to ask of you - something only you can help with."
Puzzled, Sakura shifted her weight to one foot, waiting for an explanation.
"You see, Karin's been struggling with her role recently..." The mention of her replacement had Sakura's gut tightening with wariness. She didn't think she had been called here today in order to recover her position as the play's female lead, but there had to be a reason Karin would be involved.
"I was hoping you would agree to helping her with Juliet." Kurenai implored, her eyes were worried and hesitant, as if she knew there was a chance Sakura would take insult and reject her.
Sakura's lips thinned into a contemplative line. Helping Karin with her old role wasn't her idea of fun, and while she hadn't been horrible to Sakura personally, the redhead had taken over her position. That itself hurt Sakura's pride more than she cared to admit. Would she be able to bear helping her with being Juliet, above all else?
She opened her mouth to reject when she caught sight of Sasuke on the corner of her eye. Her breath immediately caught in her throat and her entire body became aware of his presence by the foot of the stage.
She hadn't seen him in nearly a week, having been focused on avoiding him at all costs during the days before her date with Itachi. She had come to realize, since then, that doing so had done nothing but make her miss him more.
He was standing to the side with Naruto, frowning at the blonde's exuberant antics. The latter must've been telling him about some story, his arms wildly expressing in gestures as he spoke. Sasuke merely folded his arms across his muscled chest and leaned back against the wall, only half listening to what Naruto said.
For a moment, she merely stared at him, drinking the sight of him in. Then, as if he felt her staring, his own dark pupils flicked over to meet her's and Sakura felt her heart skip a beat. She immediately looked away, back to Kurenai's patient gaze. The entire exchange had only lasted a second, but Sakura felt as though the moment had taken an eternity. Her cheeks warmed as she continued to feel his eyes on her.
Kurenai's eyes had begin to crease with more worry, as if Sakura's delayed reply hinted at a lost cause.
No, Sakura did not want to work with Karin. But she couldn't help the part of her that wanted to, in order to feel the freedom of being Juliet again. And of course, there was the fact that working with Karin also meant working with Sasuke.
Sasuke, who she wanted to be around even when she knew doing so would make things harder on her.
Sasuke, who she loved.
Sasuke, who was still staring at her.
"Okay." She took a wild chance and blurted her reply before her better self could berate her for her own stupidity.
The older woman blinked, surprised, before her red lips stretched in a relieved grin.
'God, I hope this is a good idea...'
Moments later, Sakura sat with a drained-looking Karin at an alcove near the main stage. Kurenai had led them to the semi-private spot before instructing Sakura to work over the problems the other girl was facing and strode off to observe another group of actors.
The redhead opposite of her nervously clutched a script in her hand, looking tired but determined.
In her own hands was Sakura's own copy of her script, which she retrieved from her bag in order to practice with. She had discarded her coat and settled into one of the chairs in the corner, the sleeves of her turtleneck pushed up to her elbows.
The alcove they sat in was a ways from the rest of the crowd, but Sakura could still feel the stares from curious eyes as they watched the original Juliet and her replacement sit across from one another. The air was stiff with silence, and Sakura cleared her throat awkwardly before shifting to a more comfortable position.
Karin didn't look any less relaxed than Sakura, her shoulders hunched with tension and there were lines of worry creasing the space between her brows.
Her glasses slid down the bridge of her nose and Karin fiddled with the edges of her worn script.
Clearly neither of them knew where to start.
Before she could open her mouth to speak, Karin beat her to the punch, her voice almost frail in the semi-quiet.
"I'm sorry you have to do this..." Her brown eyes sincere, "I know I wanted to be Juliet, but... I can understand your pain... Thanks for... agreeing to help..." Karin trailed off, awkwardly.
Sakura's teeth snapped with a clack. Karin's confession took her aback. While she never really liked the girl, she clearly felt bad for the unfortunate situation Sakura ended up in.
'Or perhaps it's just a ruse' The jealous side of Sakura couldn't help but think.
In the end, Sakura had still been replaced by her. Forgiveness wouldn't come easy to her, even if she wanted it to. Karin was Juliet now - she had taken over Sakura's role; a role that she made clear from the very beginning that she wanted just as much.
Sakura remained silent as she watched Karin worry the tear on the paper of her script. She knew she should have said something.. accept her apology or at least acknowledge it. But she didn't. Though the decision had been made weeks ago, the pain was still fresh. Phantom sorrow wrapped around Sakura's throat and she cleared her throat once again before flipping over a few pages of her script, not looking at the redhead.
"Where are you having problems?" Sakura asked.
The other girl allowed Sakura's avoidance of the topic to pass and flipped open her own manuscript, explaining her trouble when it came to understanding and portraying Juliet's emotions.
Sakura nodded as she listened. She wasn't ready to be friends with Karin yet, but acting, she knew well enough to do irregardless. She was no longer Juliet... but she was still an actress at heart.
They stayed there, hidden partially in the shadows as Karin worked on her parts and Sakura corrected her when she saw fit.
Nobody could bring themselves to bother the ex-Juliet and her replacement as they worked.
They fell into a routine for the next few days. Sakura continued to work with Karin privately on her parts until one day, Kurenai brought Sasuke into the picture.
Majority of the cast members present that day had forgone their own private rehearsal to watch them. The stage remained empty except for the main actors of the scene.
Standing in the centre were Karin and Sasuke, preparing for a round of practice, with Kurenai and Sakura standing to observe them from the sidelines.
The stage was without props today, making the area seem wider and more spacious than usual. The overhead lights were bright and glaring, making the shadows stretch longer.
The more time they spent on their roles, the more comfortable people started becoming with their parts, easing the tension from days before. The overall mood was positive, but standing there right now, preparing to watch Sasuke and Karin practice, Sakura felt utterly miserable.
She had agreed to helping Karin. She knew that meant Sasuke would be involved somewhere along the line - hell, it was even one of the reasons she had even agreed to help Karin in the first place! - but watching them in person was going to be pure agony for her.
She struggled to maintain her composure while she watched them stand side by side. Her hands were aching from the way her hands clenched, fingernails digging into her palms. Every inhale felt as though Sakura was breathing in shards of glass.
Why was being in his presence so painful?
Maybe it had something to do with the fact that moments from now, he would be acting as Karin's love.
Her teeth bit into her tongue, the physical pain distracting her from thinking about Sasuke and Karin. They were actors, for god's sake. It was perfectly normal to be intimate when performing as love interests.
Kurenai's hands clapped twice, capturing the attention of those onstage.
Sasuke's eyes remained on their instructor, but Sakura couldn't help but notice the tension in his posture, the tightness of his lips. He seemed almost as uncomfortable there as she.
"Alright! Let's just run through things once first." Kurenai commanded. She nodded towards her two leads and moved next to Sakura.
The silence was immediate as everyone waited, observing as Karin and Sasuke fell into position.
Uncomfortable and in pain, Sakura watched Sasuke's lithe form move, his voice was deep and emotional as he recited his first few lines. His words reflected the pressure of Romeo's emotions as his indifferent facial features schooled into one of heartache.
He fell into character right away.
Karin followed in suite, but unlike her counterpart, she was awkward and nervous. Her words sounded stunted and unsure, but better than she was before Sakura coached her.
The scene progressed with urgency. It was a struggle scene - between Romeo and Juliet - about their relationship.
Sakura knew this scene well. The two lovers - torn apart by their family's hatred and broken by the hopelessness of their relationship.
A love doomed to failure.
A ringing sound resonated in her ears as she watched on. Back when she was still Juliet, Sakura recalled the scene in Kurenai's adapted script. She had incorporated an embrace between the two characters to add to the dramatic effects.
Months ago, she would have scoffed in disgust about having to embrace Sasuke, but now she had to stand here and watch him hold Karin in his arms, trying to pretend that her heart didn't yearn to be in them instead.
She didn't even manage to listen to the rest of their words, her breathing quickening with mild panic. She wasn't ready for this.
But before they managed to reach that part, Kurenai frowned and moved to intercept the two actors.
"Stop here," sounded the director's voice, and the two leads immediately fell out of the scene. Sasuke's face settled back to tense indifference and Karin's began showing more strain than ever.
No one dared to voice the obvious - they had no chemistry. It made the scene seem forced and almost painful to watch.
Kurenai seemed to notice it too. Her rogue lips were pulled down in the corners as she paced around the two of them.
Sasuke shifted his weight, feeling out of place under the older woman's scrutiny. Karin just looked like she was tired.
The tall brunette sighed, "I don't think I've ever seen two people who're supposed to be madly in love with one another look more uncomfortable."
Sasuke cringed at her words. He prided himself an actor and Sakura could only imagine his dissatisfaction at being told the scene had been unbelievable.
"There needs to be a connection," Kurenai commented, "heat," she stepped in between the two leads, hands clenched to show tension, "passion," she looked meaningfully from Sasuke to Karin, "love." Her final words echoed in the silence.
Karin flinched, her distress seeping into her eyes. "But I don't know how..." she explained, weary, "how am I supposed to show that?"
Sakura guessed the redhead had never realized how demanding and difficult it was to convey such a strong emotion. Her voice displayed her frustration after having tried so many times.
Kurenai stepped away from them and moved back to the sidelines. Her fingers twirled a pencil in her hand as she contemplated a solution.
Sasuke crossed his arms, a scowl gracing his beautiful features. He had done his part, undoubtedly unhappy with the situation when it wasn't his fault that Karin did not know how to follow in-suite.
A sudden realization came to Kurenai, and she twirled on the balls of her feet to face Sakura with renewed excitement, "Sakura! You could help!"
The pinkette jumped from the sudden suggestion. Her stomach leaping to her throat. Her emerald orbs were wide with shock as she stared at the director
"W-what?"
Nodding to herself, Kurenai tapped the pencil to her chin before gesturing to the two leads standing awkwardly mid-stage, "Show Karin how it's done!"
Sakura's panic escalated to a whole new level as she felt her heart rate pick up. Show Karin how it's done..? As in... act with Sasuke in her place?
Her wide eyes snapped onto his, fear making her nerves sizzle.
Sasuke's own face seemed just as surprised. His charcoal coloured eyes were slightly wider than usual and his jaw was slack from shock. His pale skin was almost waxy under the light and his body was stiff as a board.
Kurenai nodded, nudging her forward and stepping back to watch.
Like an invisible paper cut, Sakura's heart bled painfully as she swallowed. How was she supposed to act such an emotional and intimate scene with the man she loved without giving her true feelings away?
Clearly she was a masochist for even thinking she would be able to handle something like this.
Her feet felt like they were chained to cinder blocks as she moved slowly to Karin's place. The redhead stepped away to watch and Sakura felt the skin on her neck and arms tingle from her close proximity to Sasuke.
He didn't seem to be fare any better, his eyes were shielded with an emotion that seemed almost like pain.
Sakura couldn't help but feel a twinge of hurt. Did acting with her really cause him so much pain? Did he really hate her that much?
Her mouth felt like a desert and she had to gulp back a lump of cotton before she could shake her turbulent feelings away. Her eyes closed in concentration. Now was not to time to think about such things. Even if it was Sasuke she as acting with, her professional side should only be concerned with acting. This was a rare opportunity for her to step back into her role. It might've been only for a demonstration, but she would never give up a chance to unleash her love for acting.
Flowing back into Juliet once again, Sakura opened her eyes to meet Sasuke's. He seemed to have followed her lead, his body no longer stiff and face no longer twisted in discomfort.
Standing in front of her was no longer Sasuke, it was Romeo.
It wasn't even a problem for Sakura to recall the lines she had to say. It became second nature to her as she embodied Juliet. It had been weeks since she had played the part, but it felt like no time had passed at all.
Her word began to tumble out with great emotion. She pleaded with all her might for Romeo to feel her pain, to understand her dilemma and spare themselves from the heartbreak.
Sasuke fell in step with her, matching her passion, word for word. The stage fell away and Sakura felt herself fall headfirst into the moment, her words carried forth the suffering that stemmed from her own heartache. She felt tears building up at the corners of her eyes - Juliet's tears, but from Sakura's own agony.
Sasuke stepped closer, his cologne permeating through her senses and wrenching her. She caught herself at the very last moment before she fell out of her role.
His deep voice hypnotized her and she felt her heart squeeze.
The heat of his body radiated in the space between their bodies, urging her to fight back a shiver. She needed to step away from him fast - before she lost her grip on Juliet entirely.
Using the advantage of the scene, she whirled away in an action of despair, Juliet's persona still intact. She masked the sudden need for distance as if part of Juliet's actions and took a second to tuck her own self behind her character.
'I'm Juliet now, not Sakura' she mentality reminded herself.
Sakura had never had trouble with holding onto her character before, but things were proving to be more difficult when she was in such close quarters with Sasuke.
She almost leaped out of her skin when his calloused fingers encircled her wrist. Her back was still to him, and Sakura had to remind herself not to rip away. She briefly recalled the action to be Romeo's but couldn't hold back a flinch when his warm grip tightened around her and he pulled her backwards to his chest.
Her back fell against the large expanse of his torso. His chest was warm and strong, the contact searing into her even through her Autumn clothing. The chaotic thumping in her chest galloped and she worried that he could feel it through the touch of their bodies. A muscled arm wrapped strongly around her shoulders and his face buried into the crook of her neck. His dark hair tickled her and she thought she felt him inhale her scent. His breath was warm against her skin, causing goosebumps to break out. She couldn't help the tensing of her muscles as she fought back a tide of emotion that crested from his embrace.
'He's playing Romeo,' She mentally screamed at herself, 'This isn't real. He doesn't mean it that way!'
Sakura clenched her eyes shut as she fought to prevent the tears from spilling over. Sasuke felt so warm, so safe. One of his hands was still wrapped around her arm, his thumb tenderly stroking the sensitive skin of her inner wrist, tracing the vein. If she ignored her own reminders that he was merely acting, she could've almost believed his hold to be loving. He cradled her with such care and gentleness that Sakura felt an invisible fist wrap around her heart.
She felt as though she was both in heaven and in hell.
"That's it!" Kurenai's distinct voice cut through the moment, shattering Sakura's emotion.
Her heart beat more wildly than ever before as she felt his arms slowly drop away. She tore herself away from Sasuke's hold and moved to place as much distance as possible from him. She scrubbed a sleeve across her eyes to remove the moisture of her tears.
When she turned back around, Sasuke's eyes were guarded. A haunted look seemed to rim the edges of his gaze, before he snapped back and straightened. His face smoothed back into one of cold distance when he looked at her once more.
"That was brilliant! Exactly what the scene should be like!" Kurenai didn't seem to notice the tension that hung between Sasuke and Sakura, "It was like I could really feel your pain, your sorrow!"
'If only you knew...' Sakura bitterly thought, the irony abundantly clear to her.
Her gaze fell to her shoes as Kurenai ranted on, explaining to Karin - who watched Sasuke and Sakura with an odd expression.
With her part done, Sakura hastily excused herself and walked briskly past the doors to get some fresh air. She didn't bother with a coat and purely focused on placing as much distance between her and Sasuke as possible.
The cold bite of the outside air was a relief to the pink haired girl. She breathed deeply, enjoying the chill that chased away the remaining heat that lingered from Sasuke's touch.
What happened had almost been too much to bear. She didn't think she would be able to do it again.
She took a seat by the same fountain bench she sat on weeks ago - when she had been lost in thought after her fight with Sai. It was the same day that she first caught a glance of the real Sasuke - the one hidden under layers of cold indifference and brash hatred. He had been uncharacteristically kind to her that day, Sakura thought as she reflected back to that moment. He had been under no obligation to offer her any aid with her problems, and he could have walked off or snapped at her with a nasty comment at any given time, but he had chosen to be silent, even going so far as to offer her advice.
A sharp pain seared into her, twisting her insides into a sour knot.
Part of her wished she had never witnessed that unselfish kindness of him. It would have made things so much easier for her now.
She sat by the school fountain for a long time, unaware of how much time had passed exactly, only that it has been long enough for the blue sky to bleed into pink. Her mind wheeled around and around - miles away, yet nowhere in particular. She watched the water of the fountain tumble and break as the jets shot the liquid in a graceful arch.
Her hands were cold, freezing, almost. She didn't bring anything with her today, save for her phone and keys. Her coat still remained back in the theatre, but Sakura couldn't bring herself to go back in there just yet. She continued to daze, focusing on calming her nerves.
She was more miserable than she had ever been.
Another minute passed. Maybe even two.
There was a sudden movement to her left as a hand offered her a dark garment - her coat.
Her eyes trailed up the cloth to the arm, corded with muscle, to the face. What she saw nearly sent her falling off her seat.
It was Sasuke.
He was silent, his face as stoic as ever as he waited for her to accept her outerwear.
Hesitantly, Sakura reached over and took the garment from him, careful not to touch his fingers, and shrugged it on. Her eyes didn't meet his as she muttered her quiet thanks.
He didn't respond, standing beside her as he stared at the waters churning in the fountain.
Sakura felt the atmosphere shift with tension before she heard his quiet sigh. Her eyes remained glue to the damp marble rim of the fountain.
Sasuke didn't sit, choosing to lean on the pillar to her left, a polite distance away. She remained huddled on her stone bench, heart growing heavy while she listened to the sound of rustling fabric when he shoved his hands into the pockets of his own coat.
They were silent for a long time, making Sakura yearn for the words she could say that wouldn't give her feelings away.
"You're quiet today."
His husky voice startled her slightly. She felt her palms start to sweat while she focused her gaze ahead, not turning to look at him.
"There's not much to say..." Her voice was quiet, lifeless.
Why was this so hard?
"Hn. It wasn't always that way."
Her mouth twitched slightly, catching his reference to the days when they were always spitting insults at one another, trying to restrain from clawing at each other's faces.
"What are you doing out here?" In the silence that surrounded them, her voice was weak. She hoped that the sounds of the fountain would mask her vulnerability.
He didn't answer straight away.
"... You were gone for a long time. Rehearsals are over."
Her sea foam eyes looked away from the white marble to look at him. Her breath faltering slightly when she met his profile. He continued to look ahead, the strong line of his nose and jaw highlighted by the evening sun. He was a splitting image to the memory-version of him standing in the exact same position that very day.
His words echoed in her head. Had she really been sitting out here for so long? And what did he mean by it? She knew she had been gone quite a while, but why would he notice her lack of presence?
Her bewilderment must have been plain on her face as she stared at him, but Sasuke didn't bother to acknowledge her confusion. He stood up from the column, his posture straightening before his chin tilted down and his eyes met her straight on.
"You may not be Juliet anymore," his gaze was intense, making Sakura's cheeks warm from his unwavering attention, "but that doesn't give you the freedom to just disappear."
Without another word, Sasuke turned and stalked to the direction of the parking lot. His strides were even and unhurried, moving with confidence. His words left her in a state of confusion and she didn't know what to make of the meaning.
Sakura watched him go, his strong shoulders reminding her of their shared moment on stage earlier today. She yearned to tell him. To stop him mid-stride and confess the bursting feelings that were constantly being wrestled into the hidden space of her heart.
Perhaps one day... but not today.
Behind her, she could hear the climbing sounds of the departing cast and crew, but her green gaze stayed on his dark form until he disappeared into the shadows.
End Note:
I highly suggest listening to the song 'Speechless' by Morning Parade.
The ending scene of this chapter really goes with it.
I contemplated quite hard on what I wanted for the chapter following Itachi's date, and while I love Itachi, the focus of this story is Sasuke & Sakura.
(Don't worry, Itachi will still be involved)
I wanted them their relationship have more development as the plot moves, so while they may not be with one another yet, I still think it's important to show this state of uncertainty.
This story is a reflective Romeo & Juliet, after all. It wouldn't work if they were to be with one another so easily.
Thank you for your constant support, I hope to hear from you about what you thought about this chapter.
PS. Please watch out for the rewritten past chapters, which I upload sporadically from time to time between updates.