At the end of Sakura finishing her song for the music test, Neji leaned over to Sasuke.
"What are you thinking about?" Neji muttered.
"The same thing as you." Sasuke squinted his eyes at him.
"Talk to you on the roof. We need to get Sakura to agree." Neji nodded his head.
"Wow Sakura! That was amazing!" Ino smiled as she clapped for her best friend.
"Thanks Ino," Sakura said as she sat back down on in her seat.
"I don't think she'll agree to going to the roof with us." Sasuke looked at Neji.
"Well, I guess we'll think of something." Neji muttered.
Kiba couldn't believe how well Sakura could sing. Of course, there were a few times that he could've sworn he heard her, but he knew that Sakura wasn't much a of a singer because she had terrible stage fright. Just then Kurenai spoke to the class - saying that they could leave if they wanted since she wasn't going to be teaching anything new today. She had to go through everyone singing evaluations and get them graded. Everyone started to get up from their seats and Sakura was ready to go until -
"Sakura, I need to speak to you." Kurenai said. "It will only take a few moments."
"Sure thing." She nodded her head as Sakura looked at Ino. "I'll see you at Lunch."
Once the classroom was empty Kurenai looked at her. "Sakura, you should learn to not overusing when you are doing your shows." l
"You know?"
"I do know. I was K. I did the same thing you were doing - until I ended up doing so many encores that I fried my vocal cords to the point were I needed surgery but something went wrong and I was never able to sing again. I don't want you to end up the same way. You are way too young with so much ahead of you." Kurenai sighed as she looked at Sakura. "If you ever need help with anything, my door is always open for you."
"I have a question, does Asuma know?"
"Does he know that I was K? No. Once I lost the ability to Sing, I chose to forget about that life I led."
"Did you ever want to tell him?"
"There were times I really wanted to tell him, but I knew that it was either, live the double life or have someone know who could potentially have a big mouth and spread it around who I was? I love him, and we've been happy the way I am keeping things."
"Do you miss it?"
"I miss the singing and enjoying hear the fans call out my name, as I came out on stage."
"I like that too! I just had to take the break because I wanted to enjoy high school life. I still do modeling and I want to record some songs, but I just don't want to be on stage. I'm behind on school work, which I'm slowly getting turned in, but I also hate lying to Ino and everyone."
"Sakura, there are some things that we have to do, and sometimes it's not what we want, but in order to keep everything the way we want. You have the choice to make. No one else can make it for you."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Sakura left the classroom and she saw Neji and Sasuke waiting for her. They both looked at her like they knew something and she was kept out of the loop from it.
"We need to talk." Neji muttered.
"Follow us." Sasuke added.
The three of them headed towards the one staircase that would lead to the roof where they would not be interrupted. Sakura had so many different thoughts running through her head. She almost wanted to pull out her phone and text Kisame -but she held off on it. She wanted to see where this conversation was going to be going. Once they were on the roof, Sakura looked at the two of them.
"What is it that you two wanted to talk about?" Sakkura asked.
"I know that you are Luna." Sasuke sighed.
"I figured it out as well." Neji nodded.
"Whaaaaaat? There's no way that I'm Luna. You two have got it wrong." Sakura lied.
"Really? You just happen to get a sore throat the same time Luna sang all those encores." Neji squinted his eyes.
"And you and Luna are never seen together ever. Anytime Luna as a meet and Greet or a concert, Ino always tries to get you to go, but you happen to ALWAYS have something going on with your parents." Sasuke sighed as he needed her to answer them. "Sakura, don't make me bring Itachi into this conversation."
"Fine. Fine! But you two CAN'T tell ANYONE. EVER. I mean it!" Sakura glared at them. She pulled out her phone and dialed Itachi's number, and placed the call on speaker so Neji and Sasuke could hear.
"Sakura? Is something wrong?" Itachi asked as he picked up the phone.
"Neji and Sasuke figured it out." Sakura sighed.
"I had a feeling those two would figure it out sooner than the rest of the group." Itachi was looking at papers while he was on the phone.
"What do you want to do?" Sakura questioned him.
"Sasuke, make sure that Sakura and Neji go home with you today. There are few things we have to discuss." Itachi sighed. "I'll see you all here after school." Itachi then hung up the call.
"Why would Itachi want us to go to your house?" Neji questioned.
"Probably to talk about the fact that you two know a big secret." Sakura rolled her eyes.
The three of them headed down the staircase. Sakura wondered what Itachi was going to be doing. There was just something off about the idea of two people she knew, knowing who she was. This was a secret she kept - or tried to keep as she failed with Sasuke and Neji. Though they were smart and she wondered if there was something else that those two.
"Sakura, I promise we won't say anything to anyone." Neji stated as he looked at her. "Look, whatever Itachi is going to say to us, I want you to know that I will still support you either way and I'm here if you need to talk."
"Thanks Neji, but I've been doing this for a while, and I have the band to talk to you." She muttered as she didn't want people in the hallways to overhear.
"Anyways, let's go find Ino before she freaks out." Sasuke sighed.
"Freak...out...Freak the freak out." Sakura started to say.
"What are you going on about?" Sasuke looked at her raising an eyebrow.
"Are you listening, hear me talk, hear me sing. Open up the doors, is it less? Is it more? When you tell me to beware, are you here? Are you there?" Sakura started to say as she reached into her bag to quickly write down the lyrics.
"Should you be even doing this in the open?" Neji asked.
"Hush!" Sakura said as she wrote out the new lyrics to the song. "Let's go." She said as she kept the book out and walked towards the cafeteria.
Once they were making thei way to the table, Sakura quickly put the book back in her bag as she sat at the table. Neji and Sasuke went to go grab food while Sakura started a conversaion with Tenten.
"So, are you going to finally ask him or what?" Sakura brought up - as she remembered the text conversation between the two of them from last night.
Text Messages between Sakura and TenTen Last Night
Giiirrl, I need to tell you something and I rather talk to you than Ino! ~ TenTen
Why me? ~ Sakura
Because knowing Ino, she would make a big deal and it would become a talking conversation instead of a texting one ~ TenTen
Yeahhhh, that's totally truue. So what is it that you need to talk about? ~ Sakura
I like someone, but I don't know how to tell him ~ TenTen
You know, Ino would be soooo much better. I have -0 experience with relationships ~ Sakura
Sakuuurraaa, I just need to know what I should do! Cause me and him know each other, but when I found out about my feelings. I'm scared that it will tear up the friendship that I have with him ~ TenTen
Who is it? I swear I won't say anything, but maybe it would help if I know who he is. ~ Sakura
It's...Neji ~ TenTen
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG ~ Sakura
What? ~ TenTen
I had a feeling that you liked him! But omg, just maybe go to the roof and tell him how you feel? That way you two have privacy ~ Sakura
Idk. That's why I was texting you to see what I should do ~TenTen
Lunch time, ask him to the roof and just admit it. Text me if you need me to go there and beat him up if he hurts you ~ Sakura
Back to Lunch
"I'm not sure Sakura." TenTen said as she looked at her hands. "Do you think I should?"
"You should. I wished I had your courage." Sakura admitted to her.
As Luna, she could be someone else - she could be brave, she could be reckless, she could be anything she wanted. As herself - she was just a nervous girl who was a klutz. Sakura wished that she could be like her alter-ego. She wanted to be able to do things - talk to other guys - but she was just a nervous-wreck.
"Sakura, I'm sure you can do it too." TenTen smiled at her.
"Then do it. Let me know how it goes." Sakura sticks out her tongue.
Neji and Sasuke get back to the table and the two of them started to eat and join the conversation. Kibe kept looking over at Sakura as she had a conversation with TenTen. Ino noticed how he looked at her.
"Kiba, just ask her out already." Ino muttered.
"I can't do that...There's no way she'll date me. She hardly hangs out with us anymore after school." Kiba growled.
Ever since the busy schedule for Luna came up - Sakura had to leave her friends behind and lie to them. Now that Luna wasn't going to be having concerts anytime soon - or so Sakura thought. Just as she thought that her life was going to be back to semi-normal. The intercom turned on and it was the Principal.
"Attention Students, with Prom around the corner, I have gotten news that Luna DiStars will be performing live for us during the night! Make sure you grab your prom tickets and sign up for the Prom Committee to help with decorations. That is all."
With that announcement, Sakura's face paled. She wanted to go to prom as herself - but now she was perform?! What the hell...and why didn't she have a say! Sakura got up from her seat at the table and took out her phone.
"I have to go call my parents." Sakura lied. "Tenten, do it." She whispered as she gathered her stuff.
Sasuke and Neji both knew that it wasn't her parents she was contacting but it was Itachi. The two of them saw the look that Sakura had when she heard that she had to perform. Neji's thought were cut short as he heard his name being called.
"Neji, can we go for a walk?" TenTen asked.
With Sakura
"Itachi, what the hell?!" Sakura growled as she entered a classroom and locked the door.
"What is it Sakura?" Itachi asked.
"The Principal just said that LUNA was going to be performing at Prom. Why didn't I get a say in that?"
"Sakura, slow down. I have no idea what you are talking about..." Itachi was confused on what Sakura was talking about.
"The Principal announced today, that Luna DiStars was going to be performing at the school's prom. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't get notified of that - Hold on. Tobi what is it?"
Sakura could heat Tobi's voice on the other end, "It's the Principal from the school, he wants to talk to you...about Luna performing for Prom.."
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!" Sakura shouted.
"Sakuuurraaa heyyy!" Tobi yelled.
"Hi Tobi. What do you mean the Principal is on the phone...Please tell me that he did not just make an announcement saying that Luna was going to be preforming without getting confirmation.."
"It looks like. We'll talk you get here."
With that Itachi and Sakura hung up and Sakura sat on the floor. She couldn't believe it. She was going to have no choice but not go to prom...She'll be the only one not going to prom because she had to perform. There will be no kiss, no slow dancing. Nothing. What is she going to do...
With TenTen and Neji
"TenTen, what did you want to talk about?" Neji asked.
"I..." TenTen took a deep breath. "I want to know if you like me?"
"Where is this coming from?"
"Neji, please, just answer the question."
"Yes, of course I like you."
"Neji, I want to be more than friends with you."
"Best friends?"
"More than just best friends, Neji."
"What's more than being best friends?"
"NEJI WILL YOU PLEASE BE MY BOYFRIEND!"
TenTen's face was bright red. She really just told that to Neji. He was looking at her - he was speechless. The Great Neji was speechless after TenTen confessed that she wanted to be with him. Deep down, Neji had feelings for her too. He walked closer to her, put a hand on her cheek and smiled ever so slightly.
"Yes." He said as he kissed her lips.
With Itachi and his phone call
"What can I do for you?" Itachi asked when he finally picked up the phone call.
"Well, Mr. Uchiha, I wanted to know if Luna will be able to perform at the school's prom." He sighed.
"Why do you want Luna to perform? Do you know she's not performing at all? She took a break from the performance life."
"I get that! But the students really asked to see if we can get her to perform."
"Well, I heard that you already announce it that she was going to be performing. If my brother and his friends didn't go to the school, I would come down there personally and demand that you tell the students you lied as Luna nor her team as agreed to anything. But because I am a nice, I will talk to the team and I will be the one to call you back when we have an answer."
With that Itachi hung up the call. He couldn't believe how stupid the guy was - promising something to a bunch of kids. Now he had to convince everyone to accept the terms of the band playing for Sakura's prom. Itachi knew that they could come up with something for Sakura to be able to enjoy her prom night as well as perform.
End of the School Day
Sakura sighed as she waited for Sasuke and Neji so that the three of them could go see Itachi together. Sakura was more worried about what was going to happen. Was she going to force to give up the Superstar life because two people know or will Itachi pay his own brother and Neji to never speak about it to anyone?
"Come on you two let's go." Sasuke said as he walked to his car.
"I'll follow you in my car, that way no one questions it." Neji said as he walked off towards his car.
"I'll ride with you Sasuke," Sakura followed him as she kept running through scenarios in her head.
"Alright." Sasuke said as he walked towards his car.
Sakura got into the passenger seat and she looked out the window. As Sasuke started the car - one of her songs came on.
By day I play the part in every way
Of simple, sweet, calm, and collected
Pretend, to my friends, I'm a chameleon
could make a girl feel disconnected
Feel like a star, a superhero
Sometimes its hard to separate
(Got too much on my plate)
Sakura raised her eyebrow at him.
"Don't look at me like that. You have a great voice."
If you could see
the other side of me
I'm just like anybody else can't you tell!
I hold the key, to both realities
The girl that I want you to know if only I could show
The other side, the other side, I want you to see,
The other side, the other side, the other side of me
Inside, I try, to make the pieces fit right
A jigsaw puzzle everywhere,
'Cause I flip the script so many times I forget
Who's on stage, who's in the mirror
Back in the spotlight the crowd is calling
The paparazzi and the fame
"You have the new CD in..." Sakura couldn't help but giggle, it was funny how she just handed them the CD and Sasuke automatically put in it CD.
"I'm surprised you could even know what CD it is." He raised his eyebrow.
"I know all of my songs, I'm not that forgetful."
"Really?"
"Shut up."
If you could see, the other side of me
I'm just like anybody else, can't you tell
I hold the key, to both realities
The girl that I want you to know if only I could show
The other side, the other side, I want you to see
The other side, the other side, the other side of me
Down inside I'm not that different
Like everyone I have a dream
Don't wanna hide, just wanna fit in
Sometimes it's harder then it seems
If you could see, the other side of me
I'm just like anybody else, can't you tell
I hold the key to both realities
The girl that I want you to know
If you could see (C'mon) the other side of me
I'm just like everybody else can't you tell!
I hold the key, to both realities
The girl that I want you to know if only I could show
The other side, the other side, I want you to see
The other side, the other side, the other side of me
The other side, the other side, I want you to see
The other side, the other side of me
By the time the song ended, Sasuke parked his car into the driveway. Sakura grabbed her bag and got out of the car. She walked towards the door and opened.
"Here am I!" Sakura yelled.
"Sakuraaa!" Tobi yelled back.
"Do you two have to yell?" Sasuke looked at those two.
"Of course!" Tobi stuck out his tongue.
"I can't believe we're related..." Sasuke groaned.
Sakura threw her bag on the couch and walked towards Itachi's office. Neji soon walked through the door and he looked at Sasuke and the two of them nodded their head and followed Itachi.
"And then I was thinking we could do this!" Kisame said as he was talking to Itachi about something.
"I'll talk to them about that." Itachi sighed.
"Alright, here we are." Sakura looked at her manger.
"Alright, since Sasuke and Neji figured it out - there's two options." Kisame said.
"And here I thought there was only going to be one." Sakura raised her eyebrow at him.
"Either, you end being Luna, or Sasuke and Neji join the team as back up Security, for when we go on the road this summer." Itachi looked at the three of them.
"Wait what?" Neji was shocked.
"You are giving Sakura two choices?! And one is to END being Luna!" Sasuke shook his head at his brother.
"It's the two options." Kisame nodded his head. "We didn't plan on someone figuring it out right off the bat from her singing."
"You don't mean for us to really bodyguards..." Neji was unsure of how being a bodyguard would work.
"Usually when we go on tour, Kisame has to outsource for a company to help, and we will pay you really well for the summer time." Itachi sighed. "I think Sakura would be more at ease if people she knew were going to be her bodyguards."
"I thought she was taking a break? Why is she going out in the summer?" Sasuke knew that Skaura said that she was going to be taking a break.
"Well, with your principal saying that she was going to be performing at Prom, I've had other phone calls asking for Luna to be an opening act for bands and to preform at their venues. So her summer is packed." Itachi rubbed his temples
"Itachi! That's not fair!" Sakura yelled.
"Sakura..." Neji looked at her.
"No! He PROMISED." Sakura pointed at Itachi. "You said I could take time to live a NORMAL life and not worry about being Luna."
"Sakura, look, we'll be your bodyguards during the summer." Neji put his hand on her shoulder.
"I...I appreciate that, but how am I supposed to even tell someone that I like, that I won't be around during the summer. God Ino's going to kill me!" Sakura whined.
"Who do you like?" Sasuke asked.
"It doesn't matter." Sakura whispered.
"Sakura, I'll come up with something for you and your friends, alright?" Itachi smiled at her. He hated to see her hurting like this. Summer was only a few months away and she was already in pain with not being able to tell any of her other frineds who she is.
"Neji, Itachi, Kisame, if I may. I might have a suggestion that can work." Sasuke knew that the only way for Sakura to truly be happy is if their friend group knew that she was Luna. Sure Ino would be hurt to know Sakura kept it a secret, but maybe if Ino knew then Sakura would be happier.
"Sakura, why don't you work on recording a few songs in the home studio, I'll have Pein and the others meet you there." Itachi nodded his head.
"Fine." Sakura walked out the office and head to the basement and sat on the couch on her phone.
"Sasuke what is that you wanted to talk about without Sakura?" Itachi asked.
"What if our group knows, it would be easier on Sakura, you would have more bodyguards." Sasuke pointed out.
"It's too dangerous if anymore people know." Kisame shook his head.
"But it's not! You have to understand that Sakura is MISERABLE. She's in love with Kiba." Neji glared at them. "If the rest of the group knows, you can have the girls as back up singers on stage, and the rest of the guys would be able to protect her and you won't have to worry about anyone finding out."
"Wait, Sakura is in love with that Inuzuka?" Kisame was shocked to learn that.
"Yes, I may not say much, but I see the way that she looks at him and the way that she looks at him." Neji nodded his head as he spoke the truth.
"I have to think about. That's a lot of people to know the truth." Itachi sighed as he leaned back in his chair.
"Yo Sakura! You ready?" Sasori asked.
"Yeah, and I think I know what song I want to practice, since I'm performing at the school's prom." Sakura smiled at the group.
"That fucking sucks." Kakuzu growled.
"It's whatever at this point, but let's get to it." Sakura opened the door to the booth and got in and sat on her chair. "We'll start with Dreaming of you."
Late at night when all the world is sleeping
I stay up and think of you
And I wish on a star
That somewhere you are thinking of me too
'Cause I'm dreaming of you tonight
'Til tomorrow
I'll be holding you tight
And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be
Than here in my room
Dreaming about you and me
(A/N: Songs used: The Other Side of Me by Hannah Montana and Dreaming of You by Selena
