Chapter 4 – Help Me Out of This Hell
Oh, she'd been so tempted to ride with the others to the hotel. However, she refused to be a coward. At some point, she would be forced to face Sasuke – what would hiding do? Other than damage the relationship, she meant. Nothing. It would solve nothing.
Only seconds after Sasuke smoothly pulled into a parking space, two other cars arrived, taking the spaces on either side of him, much to his annoyance. She knew that her boyfriend liked to park away from other cars. He was paranoid that someone would damage his precious Range Rover, always peering through the window of wherever they were to ensure it was still in perfect condition.
Climbing out of the car, she smiled in thanks when Naruto handed her handbag to her, though paused when Sasuke slung her heavier overnight bag over his shoulder without saying a word, locking his car once everything was out of it. Was it to prove he wasn't a total asshole? Was he trying to look better in front of the others?
"I think he's sorry," Naruto mumbled to her, low enough so that Sasuke couldn't hear him. "He's always weirdly quiet whenever you guys have a fight."
"Sasuke-kun's always quiet," she argued with a roll of her eyes.
"No, it's different when you argue," he told her seriously. The look in his blue eyes screamed at her not to dismiss it easily. "Just talk to him, Sakura-chan."
The journey had been extremely awkward since McDonald's – not that she didn't understand why. Even Sasuke had realised how wrong his actions were once they started driving. Honestly, Sakura was the kind of person who preferred everything to be said and done as soon as possible. Allowing the tension to build between them was the same as leaving a wound untreated, choosing to let it fester. If they wanted their relationship to work, they had to work at it.
"Are you coming or not?" Sasuke demanded irritably. He was still annoyed that the others were joining them – that point was proven when they began to leave their cars. "We need to check in now if we want to make it for the opening."
It was a lie, of course. They'd already bought their wristbands, meaning either way, they were getting in that night. However, he probably wanted to talk with her just as much as she wanted to talk to him. Smiling, Sakura approached him, deciding to let go of her hurt and in response, something in his expression and shoulders relaxed. It had her inwardly sighing with exasperation, yet she couldn't help but link her arm through his, giving his a gentle squeeze.
"What's the sleeping arrangement?" Naruto asked. "We still going with sharing a room?"
As much as she wanted to spend time alone with Sasuke, it was probably for the best if they all shared a room. She wasn't sure if she was ready for such a big step, despite them being in a relationship for nearly five years. It just didn't feel right to lose her virginity in a hotel with their friends hanging around. Besides, she had her idea for their anniversary in motion – it was going to be perfect.
"I don't mind," she answered when Sasuke didn't, looking between the pair. "It'll give us more money for tonight, too."
"Sure."
Was she misreading Sasuke? It almost seemed like he was against the idea, but that couldn't have been right… Right? Either failing to notice his hesitation to answer or not caring, Naruto dived headfirst into his excited ramblings, telling them about how great the night was going to be and how nothing could wrong. Of course, the second he said that, Sakura was certain the night was doomed. He'd probably jinxed them, Deidara had said with an aggravated groan.
The hotel they'd chosen was closest to the amusement park, although originally, Itachi and his friend's weren't going to stay there. They'd chosen to go somewhere quieter in preparation for their hangovers the next day. A wise choice, but that plan was soon demolished when Naruto discovered it. They had to stay in the same hotel, he'd exclaimed. How else were they supposed to hang out later or continue the party in their hotel room?
"We'll meet in the lobby in an hour," Itachi stated, glancing at his phone. "That gives everyone the chance to shower and get dressed."
"The opening is in half an hour," came Sasuke's muttered argument.
The doors swept open once they were close enough and greeting them was an air conditioned lobby that had several of them sighing in relief. It wasn't the most extravagant of hotels, but it was good enough to make her feel self-conscious about her choice of clothing. Converse and shorts definitely stood out, though she fortunately wasn't the only one who was under-dressed.
"It will still be there in an hour," was all Itachi responded with.
Upon approaching the desk, Naruto's eyes went wide at the dish of free chocolates and didn't hesitate to help himself. He was on his seventh by the time the receptionist handed over their key, wishing them well. She seemed hesitant to have them share a room (understandable considering it was one female and two males), but she didn't say anything about it after seeing their licenses and the rest of the group. It took longer for the others to check in, but eventually, they all had rooms, smiling their thanks to the woman.
"Are you sure you don't want to share with Nagato, Naruto?" questioned Yahiko, nudging him with his elbow. "You don't want to be a third wheel, do you?"
He seemed to seriously consider the offer for a few moments, but when he looked to her and Sasuke, something seemed to register in his mind and he said, "I'll be fine. Somebody has to chaperone those kids, anyways."
Kids? "You're only a few months older than me," she grumbled.
"Still older," he said cheerfully.
There was no use in arguing – she didn't want to. Having Naruto around would keep it from getting awkward, or it would keep things from going too far before either of them were ready for them to. But… What if Sasuke was ready? Oh Gods, what if he was so distant lately because he was frustrated? Sakura shook the thoughts from her head. That made no sense. Sasuke wasn't the kind of person to do something like that.
"See you in an hour," he called to the others, waving enthusiastically while walking backwards. They were on the sixth floor and from she'd heard, the others were scattered on the third and fourth, taking the last available rooms.
Once they were out of earshot, Sasuke demanded with clear annoyance, "Why did you have to group us together like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like we're all friends – we don't even know half of those people."
She could see where Sasuke was coming from, as it was a little uncomfortable suddenly making plans with people they barely knew. It felt forced. However, sometimes, that was how great friendships were formed. Gods knew she needed new friends considering what her current ones were like. Hopefully, given the fact they were older, it meant they were mentally mature, too.
Shoving the key in the door, Naruto swiftly unlocked it and pushed it open, immediately dumping his bag on the ground and kicking off his shoes. She and Sasuke followed his example, the three of them leaving their shoes by the door as they walked further into the room, assessing it critically. It was a standard room, but it was filled with quality furniture and, much to her delight as she fell back against the bed, it didn't smell like weeks old sweat. The linen was fresh and it felt perfect against her smooth legs, leaving her to stretch out and hog the entire bed.
"You do know you're sharing that, right?"
She gave Naruto a dry look, saying, "Of course I know that."
"Good," he said with a grin, patting her leg. "Move up, then."
"Don't push your luck," came Sasuke's dark warning from the other side of the room. He was eyeing up the menu left on the dresser, rolling his eyes with annoyance when he found it wasn't to his liking. "You're lucky I knew you were kidding around when you pretended to kiss her."
"Lucky?" Naruto demanded, his own annoyance suddenly returning from earlier. "You're lucky I didn't beat the shit out of you for the way you treated Sakura-chan. She doesn't deserve that."
"I tell you what I don't deserve," she snapped and stood up, coming between the two irritated men. Placing her hands on her hips, she glared at them both, daring them to argue with her. "You two idiots ruining what's going to be an amazing night for all of us. We're going to freshen up, go out and enjoy ourselves. Understood?"
For a few moments, Sasuke refused to respond, staring her down coolly. Eventually, however, he had no choice but to nod his agreement. He sat on the edge of what she presumed was their bed now, watching them both.
"We're allowed to ditch them at some point, aren't we?"
She smirked at his ever-present annoyance. "Don't you want to spend time with your brother?"
"Not particularly."
Green eyes rolled and she was amused to see Naruto do the same, only his was accompanied with a shake of his head. They'd learned to accept Sasuke's grumpy attitude a long time ago – if they didn't laugh it off, they would lose their minds.
"Well, I'm looking forward to it," she said with a smile. Deciding it was best to start getting ready as soon as possible, she grabbed her overnight bag, planning on taking it to the bathroom with her. "Did either of you check the forecast for tonight?"
"It's supposed to stay warm," Sasuke replied.
Then there was no point in getting changed, just like there was no point in getting dressed up. They were going to a amusement park, after all. It was best to dress comfortably and in a way that prevented potential wardrobe malfunctions. The shirt she was wearing was baggy and had a high neckline, which was perfect for the roller coasters. There was nothing worse than fretting over an outfit the entire day, worrying about possible nip-slips or something of the sort. Then there was the shoe situation. Flip flops and flats were a big no for her, as they would fall off during the rides. Her converse was the best choice.
"I don't see why you're bothering to shower," said Naruto, frowning. "You're just gonna get sweaty again."
"It's nice to feel clean, Naruto. That's why I'm showering." Taking her bag with her to the bathroom, she told them, "I won't be long. I'll be ready in half an hour."
Surprising even herself, Sakura was ready in the space of twenty minutes – a new record, surely. She was washed, her legs had been given a quick shave to make sure there was no sudden hair growth she'd somehow missed and her makeup was reapplied, all of which made her feel refreshed.
The only reason why she had decided to bother with makeup was because there would be many pictures taken that evening, both professional and with friends. Several news channels would no doubt be reporting the opening and she had to be prepared to be caught on camera at any point. And, just in case the rides ruined her makeup somehow, she was carrying some in a small, black bag that rested comfortably against her hip, the strap secure across her body.
"I say we go now," Naruto said. The poor guy had been bouncing around with excitement ever since she got out of the shower, barely able to contain himself. "We can message the others and say we're ready – they might be, too."
With a shrug, she told him, "Try it." Shuffling through her bag, she triple checked that she had everything she needed. Knowing that she did, she asked, "Do you guys want me to hold onto the room key and your wallets? There's still room left in here."
Of course, Naruto didn't have to be asked twice, all but throwing his wallet in the bag. In preparation for the evening, they'd withdrawn as much money as they possibly could, willingly and happy to spend every bit of it.
"Here," Sasuke said, handing over his own wallet. With it, he gave her his phone. "I've told Itachi we're all ready. He said they'll meet us downstairs in ten minutes – they're waiting on Deidara."
Deciding he was too impatient to wait, Naruto left to wait downstairs, telling them not to take too long. Knowing that was his way of giving them a moment alone before the night got hectic, Sakura smiled and faced her boyfriend. She was surprised to find he was already watching her, dark eyes unreadable. It had her blushing slightly. At some point in the past five years, there'd obviously been several times when they were left alone in a bedroom together, but it had never been in a hotel. Never had they felt that alone together before. It had her feeling shy, especially when he watched her like that.
"Sasuke-kun?" she questioned, head tilting to the side. "Is something wrong?"
"I shouldn't have done that to you earlier."
Which part? Kissing her just to prove to the others she was his, or embarrassing her about her dieting in front of them?
Knowing what she was thinking, he added, "Calling you out like that was wrong of me."
Was he even sorry for screwing with her feelings before that? And what about before then, when they were in the car? Had either of those interactions even registered with him as wrong? "Yeah, it was."
"Is it a problem?" he questioned unsurely. It was painfully obvious he'd never had to ask such an uncomfortable question before, or had to ask somebody something so private. His body language was the opposite of relaxed, with his shoulders rigid, eyes slipping to the side before he added, "The dieting?"
"What? No," she said disbelievingly, her voice going up an octave like that alone could tell him how absurd the idea was. "Sasuke-kun, I just want to stay healthy. Eating junk food all the time makes me feel gross."
But her words didn't sit well with him, because he then told her, "The last time you tried a diet, you got sick."
"That was different."
"How?"
Oh, so he was getting frustrated with her now? Sakura gritted her teeth. "That particular diet was dangerous – I was given false information and didn't do proper research. I'm smarter about that sort of thing now, Sasuke-kun. Please, trust me."
The diet had been excessive to say the least, but had promised her fast results. When a girl had a huge event in a handful of weeks and barely any free time to workout healthily, said girl was willing to push her body to the limits to achieve that flatter stomach.
"Workout with me," Sasuke said, voice holding more authority than usual. "Don't diet, just exercise more."
"That's the problem," she snapped. There was no denying they were both getting worked up, both frustrated that the other person couldn't see the situation from their perspective. "I don't have the time."
Dark eyes narrowed. "School is over now-"
"For now," she corrected.
"-so you have all summer to find a routine."
It took everything to stop herself from tearing her hair out. He just didn't understand, did he? He didn't understand the pressure girls were under – now more than ever. They had to have the perfect hourglass figure for guys to be interested, but just one pound of fat more and they were deemed overweight. Girls like her – skinny with a small chest – were overlooked, often called flat chested or whatever. Next to Ino, Sakura knew she looked flat chested. Without her blessed friend around, however, she knew she had curves.
"Okay," she agreed, simply because she couldn't be bothered arguing any longer. Pretending to check the time, Sakura told him, "We need to get going. They'll be wondering where we are."
He rolled his eyes, previous annoyance about their updated plans returning.
They'd decided to walk to the amusement park, deciding the weather was too nice to be stuck in the car. Itachi's idea to walk was wise, they'd realised only five minutes into it, as the traffic was horrendous. The roads were jammed, many going as far as to leave their cars and have brief walks to stretch their limbs.
She decided after fifteen minutes into the walk that she liked Itachi's friends. Sure, they were different from the usual people she hung out with, but maybe that was for the best. School had only been over for a few weeks and already, she hadn't spoken to half her friends. They said they'd meet up but it never happened. That and the people she was still friends with were toxic.
"What did you study at university?" she asked Itachi.
They were walking side by side, the others having picked up their pace once the impressively large amusement park came into view. She hoped that didn't mean she was going to be ditched at some point, as she could already see Naruto rushing ahead.
"Business."
Oh, that was right. The Uchiha family owned their own business – it was to be expected of him that Itachi would one day take over. He was the heir, after all. "Don't you have more than one degree?"
He nodded once. "Business was the priority. However, I found I had the extra time to study management, marketing and the laws surrounding business and fair trade."
Not much then, she thought sarcastically. "Was it hard?"
"No." When she merely nodded, he seemed to realise she'd been hoping for a longer answer. Smiling faintly, Itachi added, "It's about finding a balance – falling into a routine. Once I had said balance, I found managing my class schedules and work load fairly simple."
"Simple," she repeated with a wry smile. "You say that, but I'm freaking out about taking one course and finding the time to work at the same time."
"What are you hoping to study? You mentioned being interested in a medical career path earlier?"
"Yeah. I want to be a doctor."
Itachi glanced down at her, seemingly impressed. "In a hospital?"
"Yeah and no."
"Oh?"
She smiled. "I want to open a clinic, but I know how difficult that would be, so until I have the skills and the time or resources, I'd like to work in the hospital."
"You might find you like it in the hospital," he told her. "From what I can remember: you work best under pressure, correct?"
Wait, he remembered her from the few encounters they'd shared? "I guess," she said. "I always did better in exams than the others in my year." For some odd reason, her words had him smiling in amusement. "What is it?"
He chuckled once. "Sasuke often came home irritable and frustrated whenever exam results were returned."
That was because he always came second – something she loved. He came second to her. Not that she ever rubbed it in his face, because she knew how sensitive he could be at the best of times. Reminding him that he wasn't receiving the highest grade when he had to face Fugaku with said results, was cruel.
"I have to admit: I admired that about you," Itachi told her after a few moments, once more looking to her. "Knowingly or unknowingly, you knocked my little brother down a peg or two when he needed it most. It kept him from growing too arrogant." Too arrogant. At least Itachi could admit that his brother was arrogant. "Going off what you previously said, I trust you kept your grades up despite dating him?"
"Of course," she said, unable to ignore the slither of hurt.
Did people really think that lowly of her? That she would let her grades suffer because she was in love? Or that she would let that influence her personality? Or did he mean something else? Was Itachi hinting at her allowing Sasuke to take first place? Sakura would be the first to admit that she was a fool when it came to love – she let so much slide, dealt with so much bullshit even when it broke her heart – however, she wasn't stupid. She would never let a relationship shape her entire future. No matter what happened with Sasuke, her dream was to become a doctor. She would achieve that with or without him. If he couldn't support that dream because he wanted to be number one, then that was his problem, not hers.
"Hurry up," they heard Naruto yell. He was bouncing in his spot, arms waving madly to capture their attention. Apparently, he didn't care about the large group of people he was nearly hitting – that or he didn't see them ducking out of the way. "What's taking you so long?"
Itachi smirked. "It is nice to see not much has changed since I left."
"You won't be saying that in a few weeks' time after you've split up yet another one of Sasuke-kun and Naruto's fights," she said, eyes rolling.
He looked down at her in vague disbelief. "They still fight?"
"Physically, emotionally. Sometimes mentally depending on how vicious Sasuke-kun is feeling."
"I see."
Music blared from the entrance when they finally arrived, accompanied by dancing mascots that greeted everyone with extra joy. Their slow paced walk was rewarded when they arrived, their wristbands ready and waiting for them due to the others having lined up.
"Look at this place," Naruto said in awe, leaning back to look at the glass dome ceiling. "There's a roller coaster that goes over this part. Do you know how cool that is?"
The entrance was definitely the best she'd seen so far, especially for a amusement park. Around the lobby, along with the obvious counters to purchase or pick up wristbands, were big screens with the music charts playing. Sakura didn't fail to notice that there weren't many in the queue for purchasing the tickets, but that was because many pre-ordered to guarantee entry. Good thing, too, she noticed, sticking close to her group. It was crazy busy.
A hand grabbed hers, tugging her to the left just as one of mascots span by them, its arms outstretched.
"Idiot," Sasuke muttered. The hand in hers tightened and he looked to her. "Are you okay?"
She couldn't help but smile at his concern. "It's fine, Sasuke-kun. I wasn't even touched."
He nodded, though didn't release her hand and it had her smiling. Unlike when she was walking with Itachi, who chose to remain at the back of the group, she and Sasuke walked together near the front, allowing Naruto to lead the way out of the large glass doors. They swept open on their approach, granting them their first view of the inside of the amusement park. It was humongous. That was the first thing that registered in her mind as they all stopped at the entrance, eyes wide in surprise. Yes, Sakura had known it was big after first spotting it, but it was different when they were standing in the park. It was chaos around them, rides already open and people screaming in a mixture of fear and joy.
To the far left, there was the children's area, filled with spinning tea cups and bumper cars – everything they would usually see in travelling fairgrounds, along with smaller versions of log flumes and twisters. That area alone had her excitement growing, as it was obvious the creators had spent a while designing the place, taking the time to make everything perfect.
The rest of the park was crazy. Other guests were busy running from the exit of one ride, to the entrance of another, probably deciding to follow the layout of the park. Some had already purchased merchandise while picking up their wristbands, others already drinking alcohol to make the experience twice as thrilling. Roller coasters were scary enough to begin with – Sakura couldn't imagine how much scarier they were while drunk.
"Should we do what everyone else is doing?" one of Itachi's friends asked behind her – she suspected it was Deidara, though wasn't entirely sure. It could have been Sasori. Those two seemed to stick together.
"I say we start at the back and make our way back here." That time, she knew who had spoken. Looking up at the sky, Yahiko then said, "Seems like most people are starting from here."
"We should do that." Oh, that one was Sasori, Sakura realised as she glanced over her shoulder at the group. "I hate having to wait."
Naruto made a noise of disbelief, his blue eyes rolling. He stretched like he had to prepare himself for the thrills he was about to experience, eventually leaving his arms crossed behind his head. "What the hell are you doing here, then?" he said with a laugh. "You have to wait in line at all amusement parks. This is opening night – it's gonna be chaos."
"I know," came Sasori's dark mutter, but his glare was wasted on Deidara, who wasn't affected in the least. "I didn't have a choice."
Oh, then Sasori was in for a great night. Leaning closer to her boyfriend, Sakura smiled. It was going to be a good night regardless of queue lengths (which didn't really matter, as the park was open all night – the different opening hours giving them extra publicity).
The smell of donuts and popcorn captured her attention instantly and she looked to her right, happy to find there were food stands and cafes open. Many signs told her that they would be open all night, much to her relief, as they were bound to get hungry at some point.
"Don't miss the fireworks at midnight," a man gushed over the tannoy. "Get yourselves on the big wheel for the best view."
A big wheel? She spun so that she was walking backwards, looking up at Sasuke with her best smile. "Please? You know how much I love them."
"Sure."
She knew Sasuke didn't enjoy them – he hated how slow they were, how they could only sit and watch the scene. However, that was what Sakura loved most about them. She loved seeing the area from way up in the sky. The last time she'd been on a big wheel was when she was fourteen and they were at the beach house for two weeks with Sasuke's parents and his brother. The view of the sea from the top of the wheel had been heart stopping – it'd looked so calm and still, the sun setting slowly and painting the sky in so many different shades. It was one of her favourite views.
"There's arcades, too?" Naruto demanded, already running ahead. "Oi, Sasuke, I bet I can kick your ass at most of these games."
It amused her when he muttered under his breath about paying for roller coasters, not games, because Sakura knew that, at some point in the evening, he would be engrossed in the arcades for a good few hours. She would have to drag them both out of there, reminding them for the hundredth time that Konoha had plenty of arcades.
"Oi, we're starting from the back, remember?" Deidara yelled after him.
The blond pouted, looking torn as his eyes continuously returned to the opening of the arcade.
"Naruto," she growled warningly.
That got him moving.
Amazing. The amusement park was amazing and definitely up there in their list of best ways to spend their time and money.
Unfortunately, many had the same strategy Yahiko had come up with, but it wasn't half as bad as it was near the entrance. The longest wait time they'd suffered through so far was fifteen minutes, which wasn't too bad. It gave them the chance to get to know Itachi's friends and decide who they wanted to sit with on the rides, since the seats were usually two in each cart. Sasuke usually rotated between her, Naruto and Itachi, whereas she made sure to sit with everyone at least once (Naruto was the most fun to sit next to, as he had her keeping her arms up whenever they dropped or were upside down, adding to the thrill as she was certain they were going to fall out of the cart, but it never happened and holy shit she loved it). After each ride, she made sure to purchase the photographs taken, laughing at everyone's different expressions.
It was around five hours after arriving that they decided to sit down and eat, watching in awe as the lights came on, making up for the setting sun. Due to the park being open at night, too, they'd taken that into consideration and lit up certain parts of the roller coasters, leaving many of the drops in total darkness. She and Naruto had already decided to go back to the scariest one they'd been on so far.
"Two hours until the fireworks," said Konan as she stole a glance at her phone. "How about we split up for a while, then meet up for the fireworks?"
Sakura looked to Naruto and Sasuke, though couldn't help but roll her eyes with annoyance when she heard them bickering about the arcades and how badly they were going to beat the other. Stupid boys, she mentally yelled at them. She didn't want to play games while at an amusement park – she wanted to try every ride in the park and look at the souvenir stores.
"Bastard," Naruto growled angrily and stood up, hands flat on the table as he glared at Sasuke. "I bet whatever I have in my wallet that you can't beat me."
Great. They were placing bets again. Sakura sighed. She should have invited Hinata or someone to join them for the weekend. Then again, she knew the Hyuuga wouldn't be allowed despite legally being an adult. Her father was way too strict – still stuck in the traditional times. Staying out all night was frowned upon, especially when it involved staying in a hotel with guys. It didn't even matter that nothing sexual would ever happen between them, either. It made Sakura feel so grateful that her parents were more relaxed and modern. She wasn't sure what she would have done if they were stuck in the stone ages.
"I want to check out the stores," she told the boys, eyes pleading with Sasuke.
"You want to go shopping? Now?"
Guys were so dumb. Resisting the urge to kick Naruto under the table as he stared at her in disbelief, she kept her eyes on Sasuke. "Please?"
"See if anyone else wants to go shopping," he muttered, turning back to the blond. "Then I'll meet up with you before the fireworks start."
That wasn't too bad of an idea. It even filled her with giddiness, as it meant her boyfriend was allowing her to hang out with Itachi's friends alone. At the party, he'd more or less dragged her away from Sasori, saying all of Itachi's friends were bad people. She smiled brightly at him, proud that he was moving on from his judgements. He pretended not to notice, already arguing with Naruto again.
"Would you mind if I joined you?"
She was surprised by the question, but quickly shook her head, smiling. "Not at all, Itachi-san, but are you sure you don't mind shopping?"
Although it was faint, there was still a smile on his lips. "I want to take a break from the rides."
Yeah, they could get a bit much when it was one after another for hours on end. "I memorised the map when we first came in. There's a little section of the park that has so many stores and food stands. We could try some of the snacks?"
He nodded once. "I would like that."
In all honesty, she wasn't sure if Itachi was enjoying the amusement park half as much as the rest of them were. He just didn't seem to get the same kick out of the rides, like they bored him. Maybe that was what Sasuke meant by being arrogant? Maybe Itachi thought he was too good for such childish thrills? Whatever the reason, she was grateful for him joining her. Shopping alone would have been boring as hell. Lonely, too.
"So we'll meet at the big wheel?" she asked when Sasuke stood.
"Yeah."
Without much of a goodbye, he left, leaving her to mutter under her breath about how bad he was at goodbyes. Not even a kiss? Idiot. But he didn't like public displays of affection, so she forgave him only seconds later.
"Are you ready?" asked Itachi, nodding his temporary goodbyes to the rest of the group as they went their separate ways.
Sasuke wasn't the only one bad at goodbyes, she thought grumpily. Even if it was only for two hours, it was still kind of rude, wasn't it? Maybe she was just too caught up on what was rude and what wasn't. Everyone's ideas of such a thing were different. What was rude to her could have been completely normal to Sasori or Deidara.
"Yeah."
There was music throughout the park, adding to the joyous mood as people danced on their way to rides, or hung out at the food stalls and bars. For a while, they walked silently in the direction of the stores, coming closer together when passing large groups and separating once more.
"I like that there's so much to do here," she said loudly to make sure he could hear her over the music. It was too quiet between them, making it awkward.
"It has taken years to build," he explained without missing a beat. Somehow, even though he didn't raise his voice like she had, she could still hear him clearly. "The creators will do everything in their power to stay relevant and make a profit."
That was true, she supposed. For the past year, the publicity for the park had been crazy. It was in the papers, on adverts online, on billboards and on television.
"Oh, there's the first store," she exclaimed, stepping on her tiptoes to see over a couple as they walked towards them hand in hand. From what she could see, it looked like it had a bit of everything. Gods, she loved those kinds of stores. Grinning at Itachi, she asked teasingly, "Are you sure you're ready for this?"
He chuckled. "I take it there is a reason why Sasuke refuses to shop with you?"
His only response was a mischievous grin.
She had to admit: Itachi was a hell of a lot more patient than Sasuke was on his best day. Even while she was torn between two novelty t-shirts (realistically, she couldn't really afford either of them, but she had to find some kind of souvenir), he remained calm, browsing the shelves as he spoke with her. It had her wondering how Sasuke became such a… a stress head, for lack of better word. Whereas Itachi was calm and rational, Sasuke was chaotic and, more often than not, unreasonable. At times, she could see where her boyfriend had tried to take after his older brother, as there were a couple of mannerisms she recognised instantly, but others were… They couldn't have been more different. Sasuke preferred healthy food, while Itachi seemed to love dango (he'd ordered two lots at one of the stalls and she could tell he was refraining from purchasing the third, though eyed it with barely hidden longing).
The next store was much smaller, with postcards and key rings. It didn't hold her attention for long, but noticing Itachi lingering, she decided to show him the same patience he'd given her, waiting until he was ready to leave.
"Sakura-san," he began, then paused. Itachi sighed and placed down the cup he had been looking at, facing her with a minute frown. "I had an ulterior motive for asking to accompany you."
Whereas Sasuke was blunt and uncaring with how he came across, Itachi carefully chose his words, trying to find the easiest way to explain whatever was going on in his mind.
"Oh?" she questioned, not hiding her surprise. She plucked a key ring out of a basket, putting more thought into analysing it. Was he going to give her more advice that would no doubt keep her up for many nights? "What's that?"
When Itachi came to stand beside her, she found he was much taller than Sasuke – about a foot taller than herself, give or take. Embarrassing as it was to admit, she was a measly five foot two, so it didn't take much to tower over her.
"I wanted to apologise for intruding on your relationship with Sasuke," came his quiet admittance. "However, I still believe they were words you needed to hear."
They–
Stubborn. They were both stubborn. "That so?"
"Yes," Itachi said simply. "After seeing the two of you together today, I can't help but feel that your relationship is unhealthy."
Anger burned her stomach and she dropped the key ring back into its rightful basket. Trying to stay calm was a challenge, especially when she looked up at the older Uchiha and saw the look in his eyes. She couldn't explain what it was – pity, perhaps? And it angered her. "It's not-"
He cut off her weak argument, stating, "He controls you, Sakura-san."
"No – I mean, yes, but-"
"And you were unsettlingly happy when he showered you with affection."
Her cheeks burned with humiliation. "That–"
"Am I wrong?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow. "If you can assure me that I am wrong in my assumptions, then by all means, do so and I will apologise."
Arrogant. He was so goddamn arrogant. And it hurt so much because his words were true and they both knew it. "I love him," she said to him like it could answer all the questions in the world.
"Just as addicts love what inevitably kills them."
He–
"You think Sasuke-kun is killing me?" Sakura repeated disbelievingly, unable to keep her voice quiet. The cashier looked to them in alarm, making her sigh with annoyance, shooting him a glare to warn him to stay the hell out of it. "That's ridiculous."
"Is it?"
"Sasuke-kun would never hurt me–"
"Perhaps not physically, but he is destroying you emotionally – unknowingly, maybe. However, that does not change what is happening to you."
There was nothing she could argue with and it made her angrier. "It's none of your business–"
"I believe it is."
"Why?"
"Sasuke is my brother and I feel…" He paused, frown finally forming properly, fully. "I feel responsible for the way he is treating you, Sakura-san."
"Well, don't," she snapped. "Sasuke-kun isn't emotionally killing me – or whatever the hell you want to call it."
Gods, she couldn't believe the audacity of him. Why would he say stuff like that? They were going through a rough patch in their relationship – that happened to people. After however long together, most people started to question whether their partners still found them attractive. It was natural. They started questioning everything because commitment was scary. Five years was a hell of a long time to spend with someone and it was twice as hard when growing up in a world controlled and manipulated by sex, because they weren't having it. That was all it was.
"Sakura-san, I–"
"I'm going," she told him, glaring. "Leave me alone."
Spinning on her heel, she stormed out of the store, ignoring Itachi as he called after her. Like hell she was standing around and listening to his bullshit. Damn it, she was so angry. What right did he have to question their relationship? Everyone else stayed out of it because they knew it had nothing to do with them. There was no room for a third person in a relationship – some people simply didn't know that.
Sakura looked down at her phone, grateful to find that it was half past eleven. Sasuke should have set off towards the wheel by now, she told herself. Picking up her pace, she went in the direction of the big wheel, which was on the edge of the amusement park. Her phone buzzed demandingly in her hand and she looked down, frowning at the unknown number. Sliding her finger across the screen, she answered.
"Hello?"
"I want to apologise–"
Itachi? What the hell? "How did you get my number?"
"Naruto-kun gave it to me earlier today," he informed her. He sounded like he was rushing, his breathing heavier than usual. "Sakura-san, I didn't mean to offend you. Please, forgive–"
Despite it being rude, she hung up halfway through his apology. That arrogant bastard probably didn't even mean what he was saying.
Glancing around, she searched the crowds of people, hoping to see Sasuke making his way towards the big wheel also, but when she found it too hard due to how many people were there, she growled with annoyance and continued to make her way there. It wasn't hard spotting the big wheel, as it was freaking huge, she noted in stunned silence, coming to a stop once it was in full view. It was taller than most of the roller coasters from the looks of things and it had her swallowing nervously. Heights didn't scare her, however, the sheer size of the wheel intimidated her – it was easily the biggest one she'd ever seen.
There was no point going near it yet, she told herself. She had to wait for Sasuke. With a sigh, Sakura walked over to the edge of the pier, wondering how big the amusement park actually was. They'd been miles away from any sort of beach or sea while walking there, but she could have sworn it wasn't that big.
Breathing in the fresh sea air, she tried to let go of her anger. It was so easy letting somebody wind her up. No matter what she tried, she couldn't keep it from happening, either. Perhaps she was more of a stress head than Sasuke was? Sakura chuckled at that, leaning against the wooden fence that lined the pier. It was certainly chillier than it had been a few hours ago, but not unbearably so as there wasn't too much wind.
She shut her eyes and breathed in deeply, willing herself to let go of her anger. With Itachi out of her sight, it wasn't too hard to calm down and once ready, she allowed their conversation to replay in her mind. Sakura supposed that, in some weird way, Itachi did have a right to question their relationship. However, if it was truly unhealthy, surely somebody would have pointed that out to them? Instead of allowing it to continue, surely somebody would have stepped up? The truth behind Itachi's words had her dropping her head, elbows coming to rest on the fence. The wind picked up at that point, though she welcomed it, thankful that it was cooling her heated skin. She briefly checked the time, frowning when she found they had fifteen minutes before the fireworks started. Sasuke would have set off by now, she assured herself. He'd know that she wanted to get on the wheel before they started the fireworks. Right?
When another ten minutes passed and she still couldn't see him, Sakura fired off a text, demanding to know what the hell he was doing. Chances were, however, that he'd become too engrossed in the arcade games and beating Naruto at them. If he tried to leave before a game was over, or before a winner was decided, then Naruto would never let him live it down.
"The fireworks will begin in five minutes," said the man from earlier that day on the tannoy.
She looked over her shoulder, upset to find that it was getting busy near the wheel. Many would want to see the fireworks from there and it had her glaring down at her phone, willing away the ache in her chest.
He wasn't going to turn up.
"Sakura-san."
No longer having the energy to argue, she could only look up as the tall figure came to stand beside her, his back to the sea. The wind was blowing through his hair, just as it did with her own and for a moment, Sakura found herself stunned. When had Itachi approached her and why hadn't she noticed him until he spoke up? She brushed her hair behind her ear, watching him for a few moments before deciding that it was probably due to her hurt.
"I don't want to argue," she told him quietly, once more sparing a glance at her phone. Any minute and the fireworks would start.
"Neither do I." She nodded silently. "Where is Sasuke? The fireworks are about to start."
"Busy, apparently." Sighing, she leaned further forward, eyes glued to the sea. It was so dark but she could still see it due to the lights bouncing off it. "It's fine."
Silence. Then, like he had come to some sort of conclusion, Itachi suddenly stood up straight and held out his hand, making her frown. Seeing it, he gave her a small smile. "Will you accompany me on the big wheel?"
She couldn't help but smile at him, even if it was reluctantly. "You don't have to be so nice to me – I just yelled at you."
"We have exactly one minute to get on the big wheel before the fireworks start."
It only took a few moments for her to push away from the fence, smiling up at him. "Thank you."
They barely made it in time. Had they been just three seconds later in reaching the wheel, another couple would have taken it from them. Sakura felt guilty for beating them, but at the same time, she was so glad they made it, especially when the fireworks started and they reached the top of the wheel.
It was a lot colder at the top and goosebumps broke out across her skin. However, the sight before her made up for it all, making her bite back a smile as she moved closer to one side to get a better view, making sure to take a picture of the beautiful sight. There were so many twinkling lights bringing life to the park and from the top, everyone looked so small. None of it could compare to the fireworks, though. Seeing them on the ground was exciting enough, but being eye level with them, watching the colours fade away, made it almost seem magical and she couldn't stop the smile that stretched across her lips.
"Sakura-san."
She turned to face him, asking, "What's wrong?"
He was sat casually in his seat, seemingly comfortable despite the hard plastic. However, when he spoke, he sat forward, asking her, "Please, forgive me. I was wrong to intrude on your relationship with Sasuke."
She sighed at that, though was unable to admit out loud that he'd had a point. "It's okay, Itachi-san. I'm not angry anymore." How could she be with such a magnificent view? Even when they were lowered and almost on the ground, it was perfect. Seeing the fireworks from different angles was even better.
"May I ask one thing?" Looking back to him, she nodded warily. "Should Sasuke ever become too much, please stand up for yourself or inform someone. My brother is still immature," Itachi explained at length, his eyes all but pleading with her to listen to him. "Perhaps part of him is too immature for a serious relationship."
Again, Sakura sighed. Just the thought of him being right caused a vicious ache in her chest, because if Sasuke was too immature for a serious relationship, what did that mean for them? For her? She paused in her response when an extra loud firework was set off, the bright colours momentarily flashing, lighting up theirs features. Once it had faded, she said, "Sasuke-kun would never hurt me."
The words troubled him. She could see it in his returning frown. "Please."
After a few minutes of watching him and the colours that shone on his face whenever a firework was set off, she eventually nodded. "Okay," she agreed quietly. "I promise."
A/N - I had Helium by Sia on repeat for this chapter. It's such a pretty song. And for those of you who have read my other stories, you'll know that most of my chapter titles are from songs that inspired the chapter. For this story, I've actually got a playlist of songs that inspire it, so it's just on repeat all the time.
The response to this story has been so much better than I thought it would be. You're all making the writing process more enjoyable, as I didn't think I'd like this story in the least. But writing it and giving you all fast updates is keeping me from tearing my hair out while on strict bed rest because, unfortunately, I'm having another bad blip in the hyperemesis and I can barely even move without throwing up. The only good thing about it is that my darling fiance has become a slave for me. Well, that and I get to write.
Anyways, I'm rambling a lot. Again. Thank you all so much for being so supportive! I've noticed some of you are unsure whether it's a love story between the three of them, or a triangle with two different pairings. It's definitely the latter (SasuSaku and ItaSaku). Oh, and I promise you all: this story isn't going to bash one pairing and hype up the other, alhough it probably seems that way right now.