CHAPTER 14

Afternoons in Suna were hot for the most part, and it was taking a while to get used to the extreme heat. The weather in Konoha was much more balanced compared to the Suna weather. Konoha had its regular windy days, even during the peak of the summer heat, but Suna had none of that; the heat was almost unbearable to Sakura sometimes, and even the air was hot! But she managed because it seemed to Sakura like everyone else in Suna was unperturbed by the weather; no doubt they were used to it. She had even traded some of her everyday clothing for more mesh clothes, which seemed to help. Still, today was notably worse off, she thought as she sat exhausted on the hard training ground, her breath coming out in breathless huffs, beads of sweat dripped from her face to the hard ground, the Suna sun was unrelenting in its battering, and she internally cursed at it wondering if it were possible to get sun sick. She grunted as she pushed herself off the hot desert ground, wincing quietly at the pain on her left side. She palmed her ribcage to assess the damage as her hands began glowing with a healing green. Temari had got her good with that mean hook to her side that she had failed to dodge, although it was nothing a little chakra couldn't fix.

Speaking of Temari, she looked over to where the blonde girl lay spread eagle on the floor, her chest rising and falling harshly with each breath she took. Sakura sighed as she walked over to her friend. Her ribs were all healed up now but still with a bit of soreness.

"Here," She said as she offered her hand to Temari, who grabbed her hand, groaning as she sat up.

She knelt beside Temari, her hands glowing green again as she began to heal the injuries she had inflicted on Temari with expert precision. A small smile spread on her face when she heard the blonde girl sigh in relief as soon as the healing process started.

"Well, that was fun," Temari said, smiling despite the multiple injuries she sported.

"Yeah…it was," Sakura replied absentmindedly. It had been a simple Taijutsu fight with no chakra involved.

Taijutsu has always been her preferred mode of fighting, there was something deeply forward and natural about it, especially as someone that liked to face things head-on consequences be damned, and while it had served its purpose of distracting her, now that it was over Sakura found her mind straying again, she shook her head focusing instead on healing Temari's injuries.

"How is your ribcage?" she heard Temari ask, her eyebrows etched with concern.

"Already healed!" She made a show of raising her shirt, flexing her side. She let out a small smile to assuage her friend.

Temari seemed pleased after seeing that Sakura was okay. Sakura thought it was cute that Temari was more worried about her while sporting more injuries. She had to admit that she had always considered Temari rather blunt and perhaps a little mean. The girl did beat Tenten to a pulp during their chunin ninja exams. C'mon, was bending the already defeated girl over her fan really that necessary? However, she was quickly beginning to see that underneath that catty shell she used to protect herself was someone very kind and considerate as well.

Besides, everyone had changed since the war, herself included. She used to be the type of person who faced things head-on, even when it came to things of the heart. She had told Sasuke she loved him first, even when she knew he didn't feel the same way, then.

"Oh well… look how that turned out", she gets embarrassed anytime she thinks about it, but she'd assuage herself with the thought that everyone did stupid things as teens. Then there was that awkward love confession during the war, come to think of it, that man had been from the Suna, she had been straightforward with her rejection, Sasuke still held her heart then, with a firm grip.

There had been so many love confessions and blind dates set up by Ino since then, and in all of them, she had always been straightforward, but now, with Gaara, it was somewhat different, for the first time, she didn't know how to face it, and it was beginning to piss her off.

This was Gaara, someone she had known since her chunin days. Hell, she was part of the mission to save him from the Akatsuki, but even after that, all they'd ever been were acquaintances, and she liked to think that it was only because of his friendship with Naruto. They'd never spoken more than a few words to each other until recently although she highly doubted he'd said more than ten words to anyone really, maybe to Naruto or his siblings. And yet, why now? Why was he showing so much interest in her? Why did she feel that bitter knot when she saw him with Matsuri…

"So, are you going to tell me why you suddenly asked to spar?" Temari's voice jolted Sakura out of her heavy thoughts while she flexed her just-healed arm, stretching it back and forth. Sakura moved to other injured areas and she stopped her movement to look at Sakura. "People don't usually do that unless something is bothering them."

Sakura let out an awkward cough-laugh at the sudden question. She had hoped Temari wouldn't question her sudden need to spar, especially in an afternoon as hot as today. Still, she really needed to let out some pent-up frustration courtesy of him.

Of course, Temari wouldn't let anything pass by her without questioning it; Sakura thought she was much like Ino in this regard. Her prying eyes never left hers, even as an awkward silence stretched out between them; damn, she had to think of something fast.

She cleared her throat. "It's just this case I'm working on with Keita. I'm sure Gaara told you about it already; it's been on my mind a lot, especially because we have no new leads," she sighed. "It's frustrating, you know." She finished making sure her expressions displayed just how frustrated she was. She felt bad for using that as an escape. Nevertheless, it wasn't entirely a lie; not a day passed by when she didn't think of the cases of those women, but she did not doubt that with someone as competent as Keita by her side, they would find a solution soon. Sakura observed as Temari nodded her head in understanding; she let out a silent breath of relief, glad that the blonde bought her story.

It didn't take long for the guilt to start creeping up on her; she wasn't trying to hide things from her, but how does one even begin to explain a situation like this? She just couldn't do it. She couldn't tell Temari that her primary source of overthinking was her darling brother. Sakura internally cringed at how uncomfortable that conversation would be.

"Okay, I think all your injuries are healed now," Sakura said as she stood up from her kneeling position. "Let me know if I missed anywhere," she yawned as she stretched, feeling her bones crack in sweet pain.

"Hmm…" Temari muttered as she flexed her arms, legs, and sides. "Just a little sore, but I think you got all of it, thanks. It sure feels good to spar with a medic-nin. You get to train and get free treatment after." She joked.

Sakura chuckled, shaking her head; she felt up her freshly healed ribcage; the soreness had gone down a lot, and she could barely feel the pain now. They should both be fine in time for the party at Ren's house.

"Do you think you could stand?" She asked, looking down

Temari scoffed. "What do you take me for?" she grunted as she tried to stand; Sakura giggled at Temari's childish pride but offered her hand to Temari to hold on to while standing, which the blonde took amidst the grumbling protests.

They started to walk side by side. The training grounds for jounins were located outside the central city, so it would be a bit of a trek for them both. They could both just use chakra to reach their destinations faster, but where was the fun in that?

They had been walking in comfortable silence for a while, then-

"You know, for a minute there, I thought it was about a boy," Temari suddenly said.

The sudden declaration made Sakura falter in her step, but she recovered quickly and hoped Temari didn't notice.

"What was?" she asked, playing dumb always worked.

Temari turned sideways so their eyes would meet. "I thought you were bothered about a boy," she said.

"Temari, you never let shit go, do you?" Sakura internally groaned exasperatedly, but

she let out a few laughs that she was sure sounded awkward as hell. "Come on, I've only been here a few weeks; when would I have the time to meet someone much less heartbroken already?" Please don't ask any further questions, she repeated the mantra in her head and was beyond relieved when her wish was granted.

"Fine, don't chew my head off. Where are you headed afterward anyway? Wanna grab a bite?"

"Would love to, but I have to be at the hospital for a bit. I'll make sure to meet up in time for the party, though."

"I thought you didn't work on weekends and don't get me wrong, but you don't exactly look-"

Sakura laughed, knowing Temari was referring to her appearance, especially since she was kind of covered in sweat and grime from their fight.

"I usually don't, but something small came up, and I don't plan on staying long anyway."

"It must be serious if you're rejecting food for it."

Sakura sighed. "You have no idea," she muttered.

Soon after, they waved goodbye to each other as Sakura hurriedly made her way to the hospital while trying and failing to put her hair in a presentable appearance.

Sakura was greeted by some nurses as she walked the hallway; they all looked at her with admiration and respect. If they noticed her frazzled appearance, they didn't show it.

"Is Keita in today?" she asked to no particular nurse

"Yes, Ma'am," they replied in Unison.

Sakura nodded her head and continued to Keita's office. She knocked once on Keita's door, going in without waiting for a response.

Keita peered up from the pile of documents on his table before his face spread in a small smile of acknowledgment.

"You're late,"- then giving her a once over. "And why do you look like you just fought in the war?" Keita deadpanned.

Sakura sighed as she sat on the chair opposite him. "I know, I know, sorry about that. I had a small training session with Temari." She watched in amusement as his ears perked up at Temari's name.

"Oh, that sounds fun," he replied, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. Sakura stifled a laugh.

"So, what did you say you had for me?"

"Right…" he muttered as he opened one of his desk drawers and pulled out a sealed bag with two tubes inside, holding in front of a confused Sakura. "It's the blood sample you needed," he stated simply.

"That was fast, how?... wait, I thought we agreed you wouldn't go there alone again, Keita?!" Sakura said, surprised as she collected the bag from him. The Suna mental institution was very tight with security. It was tough to do anything without raising a few eyebrows. Getting a blood sample from a high-level patient should have taken an extremely lengthy procedure. Sakura shook her head in wonder. "I must say I am surprised. How did you even manage it?"

"Ehh… nothing a little bribery can't get you," he shrugged. "Oh, before I forget, I also have her initial test reports here." He scrambled his cramped desk for a while, lifting and putting back piles of files and paper.

"Hmm… I'm sure I had it here," Sakura heard him mutter; she had never seen a more disorganized table. It was almost painful to watch.

"Ha!" he rejoiced when he finally found the file, passing it to Sakura. "- although there isn't much information since nobody cared or had the skills to conduct extensive research but, hey, you're the doctor, so maybe you'll pick up on something I didn't" he finished.

Sakura was silent for a while; she dropped the file and stood up. "You're such a mess; you know you're going to waste more time not keeping your things organized," she admonished as she began to arrange the scattered piles of paper on his desk.

"Jeez, thanks, mum, but I can assure you I work just fine," he joked

"You surprisingly do". Sakura muttered. "Look, Keita, I can't thank you enough for this even though I still don't approve of you going to the mental institution alone, but thanks a lot anyway…"

"No need to thank me, I figured it would be better to go alone, you going with me being the popular medic-nin you are would definitely raise alarm."

Sakura nodded her head in agreement. He was right; with the amount of spies the geriatric council had everywhere, Keita had made the best decision. "You're right, but next time, just tell me when you decide to go solo, okay?"

"Yes, Boss," He mockingly drawled.

Sakura sighed before asking, "So, will you be going to the party this evening?"

"Ren's party?"

Sakura looked at him as if to say, "What other party would I be talking about…"

"Well, I'm kind of obligated to be there, seeing as Temari will be going."

It was the first time Keita alluded to his relationship with Temari in front of her, so Sakura was shocked.

Keita rolled his eyes at her reaction. "What? – The cat's out of the bag already, and I'm tired of you giving me knowing weird looks anytime her name is mentioned."

"Oh, C'mon, I don't give you any looks," Sakura denied.

"Yes, yes you do," he deadpanned

"Fine, but I still don't understand why the both of you are keeping your relationship a secret."

Keita chuckled before saying with a wry smile, "Trust me… it's not up to me."

Sakura chose not to pry further, sensing the tinge of sadness in Keita's tone.

"Anyways, are you planning on working on those today?" he asked, referring to the blood samples in her hands.

"Definitely not! I plan on having a good time at Ren's party tonight. Who knows when next I'd have the time to party with these on my hands." She gestured to the blood samples in her hands.

"True…let me know if I need to help with anything."

"Thanks, Keita, but you've already done more than I could ask for; it's my turn now. Wish me luck."

"Will Gaara be attending too?" she wanted to ask so badly but decided against it. She didn't want Keita teasing her.

"So, I guess I'll see you later then," she said as she stood up from her seated position.

"Ah… you're leaving already," Keita said, standing up too

"I already wasted so much time coming here, Temari is going to be pissed. She's supposed to do my hair and makeup for the party."

"Well, you be better hurry out then. You know how she gets when she's mad…"

"Don't gotta tell me twice," She muttered as left his office while he chuckled behind her.

She first took the blood samples to the lab which wasted some more time, after she had secured its placement, where she was sure no one but she could tamper with it, she headed home. She had already made peace with the earful she was about to receive from Temari.

She didn't know what she had been expecting, but the view in front of her trumped all her expectations. As she stood before Ren's mansion, an architectural marvel that seemed like it had been plucked from the pages of a fairy tale and placed into reality. The mansion loomed immense wealth and power that made Sakura start to doubt herself. She began to realize she knew next to nothing about Ren. Temari had been pretty evasive about anything she would ask about Ren. Just why did she go and accept this invitation?

Outside, a line of elegantly dressed guests stretched down the driveway, a testament to the anticipation that had surrounded this party for weeks. Now she understood why Temari had been shocked at the invitation she had gotten. Everyone was so well dressed in expensive clothing and jewelry that would cost her a month's salary. Ren's birthday celebration was a coveted invitation in Suna's elite circles, and the privileged few were willing to wait hours for a chance to step inside. She watched as people with forged invitations got hurled away by the bouncers at the front. She wondered why it was so important for them to get into this party that they would risk humiliation for a chance to step inside.

Soon after it reached their turn, Sakura flashed her invitation card to the big burly bouncer, and he ran his scanner over it, it flashed green, to Sakura's relief, and they were ushered inside.

Sakura thought the outside had been extravagant, but the inside was much more. The ceilings were adorned with sparkling chandeliers and marbled floors that reflected the soft, warm glow of a thousand candles, it just screamed luxury. Ren really did go all out. The large hallway was adorned with mirrors on all sides. Sakura stopped momentarily to look at her reflection, a striking contrast to her usual self. She was clad in the white midi dress she had bought with Temari that day. It clung to her every curve, its plunging neckline and daring thigh-high slit a departure from her usual attire. Temari had her hair in long, bouncy waves that cascaded down her back and for her makeup, much to her objection. Still, Temari insisted she try something different; she went for a darker palette this time. Sakura couldn't help but admire the smoky eyeshadow and bold, crimson lips. She looked like a femme fatale, and that gave her a boost of confidence.

Temari could tell she was overwhelmed because she leaned in and whispered to Sakura, "This is Ren's idea of making a statement, alright. Hold on to your hat, Sakura. It's only the beginning".

"That's not helping Temari," Sakura whined while Temari laughed

"Come on, I know it looks intimidating, but there is a reason why his parties are so anticipated; you'll have fun, don't worry, just don't have too much fun if you don't want to end up in the entertainment papers tomorrow morning."

"Don't worry, I can control my liquor." Sakura definitely won't allow the previous party event to repeat itself; she would regulate her liquor while still having fun. That was possible, right?

"Right now, stop fussing, and let's go into the actual party," Temari said. She practically forced Sakura away from the mirror and into the party.

The ballroom was grand and beautifully decorated, and she appreciated the rhythm of the lovely jazz performance that was going on stage. Laughter and chatter filled the air as elegantly dressed guests mingled. She could recognize some faces from past missions she's had, some chiefs, and wow, even some celebrities she saw on TV were here. Everyone here tonight was basically a high-profile individual. It's been a while since Sakura attended an event like this, but she came here to have fun, and have fun she shall. For a moment, she thought of Gaara and what he would be doing at this hour, "probably frolicking with his assistant," the dreadful thought came. No! She wasn't going to think of him or her. Tonight, she was going to unwind, and with that, she grabbed a drink from one of the walking waiters, gulping it down in one fell swoop.

Temari stood beside her in shock. "Starting off strong, I see."

"It's just one drink…"

Temari chuckled. "Calm down, I wasn't judging."

Although the performance on stage was good, Sakura couldn't help but notice Temari kept looking around.

She shook her head, her blonde friend was head over heels in love with Keita, and she didn't even realize it.

"You know you can go look for him, right? You don't need to babysit me; I can take care of myself."

Temari looked at her, unsure. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

Sakura nodded and waved her off with a smile. "Go, I'll be fine. We can leave together after the party."

"Thank you," Temari said to her with a grateful smile and then left.

Ren had been watching Sakura since she got word that she had arrived. He couldn't believe she had come, and with Temari, no less. Originally his plan had been just to piss Gaara off, but now, watching her, he could see what Gaara saw in her. She was the most beautiful lady in the room, and she didn't even know it; she didn't notice the looks she got from all the men and women alike; she was just in her own world, and he found it refreshing.

"I'm sorry, Gaara, but I think I want this one for myself," he muttered to himself.

He would let her familiarize herself with the party before going to her.

With no Temari to talk to, Sakura had decided to do some exploring of her own. Navigating the crowd was a bit difficult, especially with people constantly approaching her to compliment her attire and talk about how much they admired her. It seemed she forgot how popular she was as well.

"My daughter attends your classes and won't stop talking about how much she wants to be like you."

"Really?" Sakura was flattered while still looking for an escape.

Sakura was relieved when she finally reached an area with sparse people. She let herself wander into one of the hallways. She found it strange that there were barely any people around this area and she briefly wondered where the birthday boy was. He probably had a lot of guests to attend to. No doubt, the crowd was insane, with that caliber of guests he had probably already forgotten he had invited her, and she wasn't offended at all.

She stopped in front of a door with a sign reading out "RED ROOM." The name alone should have deterred her, but she was three drinks in, and her curiosity was at its peak. She opened the door, and the sight before her made her open and close her mouth three times before she quickly shut the door, her face flushed in embarrassment as she prayed no one had noticed her. There were girls who were practically naked and contorted in ways she never knew was possible, while old men in masks leered at them and tossed money everywhere. It was basically a high-end strip club. The laughter behind her cut short her thoughts, and she turned around, face still flushed with embarrassment, to see Ren standing before her. Of course, he had caught her snooping; she had to have the worst luck known to man. He had an amused smirk on his face, and Sakura just wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

"So... like what you see?"

Ren teased her, knowing she was embarrassed already, but he found it cute how flustered she was over mere strippers. However, Sakura wasn't one to let someone get the upper hand over her.

Sakura scoffed. "Meh...not really. I've seen better strippers."

Ren's eyes widened in surprise. "Really, you attend strip clubs?"

Sakura sighed, giving up the act. "No…I think I'm scarred for life." At that, they both laughed. "Are your parties always so...eventful?" Sakura asked.

Ren guffawed loudly at her question. "That depends. I just make sure to have something for everyone".

"That makes sense, I suppose," replied Sakura. After mulling it again, she supposed it did make sense.

"Ah... Where are my manners?" he suddenly exclaimed, confusing Sakura as he took her right hand. "I forgot to mention how breathtakingly beautiful you look tonight." He placed a small kiss on her hand.

Sakura was thankful for the dim lighting that helped conceal just how red she was at the moment. "T-Thank you." great, now she sounded like Hinata. "You don't look too bad yourself," she added with more confidence.

He chuckled and with her hand in his, he began to walk to God knows where.

Ren's charisma was undeniable; he attracted people like a magnet. As he led her through the party, they would get stopped at every turn; he was the birthday boy, so naturally, they all wanted to talk to him. Ren was the perfect host with his suave demeanor, impeccable style, and confidence that came naturally to someone of his stature. Sakura noticed he had a way of making everyone around him feel special. She couldn't help but be captivated by his charm. He didn't let go of her except to greet other guests or get a drink for her. Sakura was beginning to get worried at the looks of envy she was getting from the other ladies around.

Ren's grip on Sakura's hand remained steady as he guided her away from the bustling party downstairs. As they ascended a grand, sweeping staircase adorned with elegant red carpeting, the noise and chatter of the celebration gradually faded into a distant hum. The plush, dimly lit corridor they entered was a stark contrast to the lively atmosphere below.

Sakura's eyes scanned the hallway walls that were adorned with all sorts of art pieces that Sakura was sure to cost a fortune. It was weird that there were no pictures of him or his family, with how much he loved himself you'd think he'd have a huge framed photograph of himself hung up on the wall.

Ren's confident stride matched Sakura's pace as they continued down the corridor, just when Sakura was about to ask where he was taking her they reached a pair of ornate double doors. Two bodyguards stood at each side of the doors that were elaborately designed, featuring intricate patterns and gilded handles. Ren paused for a moment, turning to Sakura with a charming smile.

"Welcome to the real party, Sakura," Ren said in a low, inviting tone as he swung the doors open.

"WoW…" That was literally all she could come up with, she could barely hear herself with the loud bass dance music reverberating through the walls of the room, and the neon lights danced across her face as he pulled her inside. Sakura could feel the energy change from the more classy party downstairs.

"What is this place?"

"I told you I have something for everyone"

"Just how loaded was this dude?" Sakura thought to herself as she followed him inside. There was a massive bar that stretched along one wall. Bartenders were expertly mixing cocktails while patrons clutched their glasses filled with colorful concoctions, their laughter and cheers mingling with the thumping beat of the music.

One thing she noticed was everyone here seemed to be in the same age range. The party downstairs was a mellower vibe with smooth jazz music and warm ambiance, there were also a lot of people above their age range.

This party was loud, It was evident that this was the party for people like Ren, Nepotism children, who had all the money in the world to spend and have fun. They've never worked a day in their life.

As he led her inside, Sakura felt a mix of excitement and trepidation especially because all eyes were on them, It had to be her pink hair or the fact that she was walking with Ren hand in hand.

As if could sense her worries he squeezed her hand lightly "Don't worry you'll have fun, I have something I think you'll like."

Ren led Sakura through the sea of partygoers, navigating their way to a poker table where a group of his friends were engaged in a high-stakes game. He gestured to the group as they approached.

"Poker, really? Sakura rolled her eyes but she was half impressed "What? Do you think I am a gambling addict?" She joked. Tsunade may have bad luck gambling but Sakura discovered she was quite good at it although she was trying hard not to make it a bad habit as her shishou did.

Ren laughed "I may have heard that you like poker"

"Well it seems you did your research" Sakura muttered to herself as Ren started to introduce her to his friends.

Sakura, meet my friends. This is Hiro, Yumi, and Satoshi.

Sakura exchanged pleasantries with Ren's friends, taking a seat at the table. The game was in full swing, and the players exchanged playful banter amidst the clinking of chips and cards shuffling.

They had barely started playing when one of the guards that had been outside approached the table. He bent low to whisper discreetly to Ren. Ren's expression shifted into a mischievous smile, and he glanced in Sakura's direction.

Sakura barely noticed the change in Ren's demeanor or how he placed a playful possessive mind on her shoulder. Sakura's focus was on the cards and poker game ahead. Her competitive spirit was already starting to bubble.

Meanwhile, a certain someone's arrival had just been made known to Ren. Honestly, he was shocked. Gaara had never once graced any of his parties until today and there could be only one reason for that. It seemed he just discovered what or rather who makes Gaara tick. He couldn't be more elated. Life was about to get more exhilarating.

A/N: I guess I have no excuse for not updating for this long, but I'm feeling inspired these days so do review to encourage me!