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SAKURA

"I still don't quite understand..." I mumbled into the phone, trying not to lash out angrily at the young lady, who apparently wasn't too much happy about this call either. "I didn't get any notification of the fee increase." I tried to explain to her.

"I know, Miss Haruno. We only received this instruction 3 days ago, so that's why I'm calling you now to inform you of the change."

A thick lump formed in my throat, and I suddenly began to wish this lump could choke me and end my misery. They want me to pay $500 a month more than I have to pay now. "Are you still there, Miss Haruno?" She asked when I paused for a longer period of time. "I'm sorry, Miss Shizune. Could you please repeat what you just told me?" I suddenly snapped out of my contemplation and my feet returned to the ground.

"I was just saying that this new fee will be effective from 1st of June." I looked at the calendar and the 1st of June was already 2 months ago. "Is this even legal?" Irritated, I asked her a question I didn't expect an answer to. I knew it wasn't the woman's fault and she was just dealing with me, but I really wanted to take my negative energy out on someone.

Miss Shizune sighed resignedly into the phone. "We're a private institution, Miss Haruno. We're one of the best in the city, but at the same time, we have certain rules. Feel free to look around for another place to put your aunt. Perhaps a state facility. The fees there are fixed and the rate doesn't change very often." I knew what she meant. State facilities were also an option, but you wouldn't get the great care as you'd get in a private facility.

"No." I refused flatly. "I don't want to do that. She's used to your place, she has friends there, and she's well taken care of." I believed that happiness was more important than money, and that's what I wanted for my aunt. "They have just as good a staff at the state facility and they have other rooms, semi-private rooms, where you could move your aunt."

I rubbed my forehead in despair. Miss Shizune was obviously trying her best to help me, given my situation… But these state institutions were bare, cold, didn't have a view of any gardens or nature, or enough space for the regular card games my aunt and her friends from the facility were addicted to. They wouldn't have allowed her to do that in a state facility. She would not have been happy there, and I did everything I could to keep her where she felt comfortable, in Asakusa Facility.

Mr. Uchiha burst through the door and looked at me. I didn't know if he would stop by my desk, so I paused on the phone again for a moment, but he just walked to his office. He entered in and closed the door behind him with a soft click. That's a new one. He didn't greet me at all, which was nothing new, but he always made a nasty remark or bombarded me with work with an ultimatum. None of that had happened now though... So I figured I had handled the strange phone call, I was supposed to make today for him about rescheduling his appointment, well.

"Miss Haruno?"

"Sorry... I am at work right now and my boss came in." I admitted to her so she wouldn't think I was ignoring her on purpose. "Do you have any more questions?"

You bet I do, shannaro! I had this awful urge to start screaming at her. How the hell do they imagine I'm going to get the extra $500 I have to pay every month?! But it was clear to me that there was no point in pursuing it. Miss Shizune was just an accounting clerk and this was not her decision to make.

"At the moment, I don't."

"If anything, you have the phone number to our Asakusa Facility, you can call."

"Yes, thank you." I hung up and stared at my tabletop, my mind working like turning cartwheels. They paid me well here at ROOT Inc. 'Well'? My pay was easily one of the highest among personal assistants, aka secretaries. And that's only because I worked for Mr. Uchiha.

That guy was unbearable. And he obviously hates me. Yet I stayed in this job so long because I needed the extra money, all of which went to the Asakusa Facility and care for my aunty Tsunade.

I wandered my fingers over the folders of papers I had prepared on my desk. I'd already moved into the cheapest apartment I could find in town. I had been cutting my own hair, shopping for clothes at thrift shops and sales, my diet consisted of simple rice dishes and mostly anything that could be made with just a few ingredients. I didn't spend money on anything and tried to save on everything. Shout out to the free coffee we have in our kitchen at work.

Our company paid for my cell phone, and when it was nice and pleasant weather outside, I walked to/from work to save money on the bus. Sometimes I used the kitchen at my aunt's nursing facility and baked some rice cakes with her friends, which I then took to my job. All this while my aunt tried to hide her bottle of sake under her bed and I was pretending I didn't know about it. It was our regular ritual of me confiscating her alcohol and her sneaking it back somehow...

I blinked to scare away the tears that were welling up in my eyes. Where did they expect me to find an extra $500 a month? I was already living from paycheck to paycheck. It was obvious to me that I could only dream of a raise and asking for one didn't seem appropriate. I could have started looking for a second job, but that would have meant less time to spend with aunt Tsunade.

The outer door from the hallway opened and our CEO, Mr. Danzo, gloomy as a cloud before a storm, limped in with his cane. "Is he in?" He didn't even bother to greet me as if I were air. He must have been referring to my boss. "Yes, he's in." I replied with all the politeness I could muster. "And does he have anyone in there?

"He doesn't, sir." I reached for the intercom, but was startled to find out that Mr. Uchiha made no response to repeated beeping of the intercom. "Where was he this morning?" Mr. Danzo gave me an uncomfortable look. Do I look like his nanny?

"As I told you this morning, unfortunately he didn't tell me. He only told me it was a private matter, and that's why I didn't inquire further." I replied professionally and politely, even though our CEO was not familiar with politeness.

Danzo frowned until the frown almost disappeared between his brows. "This is my company, young lady." He reminded me, as if I could possibly forget that fact. "So anything that fizzes around here is my business. Next time you just ask him, do we understand each other?"

I bit my tongue to keep my temper in check and not tell him to go fuck himself. So I just nodded instead and was glad he limped past me and disappeared into Mr. Uchiha's office with a slam of the door.

I sighed, because there were so many slamming doors that I regularly had to call Mr. Asuma Sarutobi, the handyman, almost every month. I think he was very much like at home here already.

A few minutes later, Director Danzo slammed the door again as he left my boss's office, cursing under his breath. I watched him leave in discomfort and my stomach slowly tightened. If the Director was in such a good mood, it meant Mr. Uchiha was in such a pleasant mood as well. And to me, that meant he was going to start yelling at me for some senseless mistake he thought I'd made again.

I lowered my head and groaned in despair. I hated my job as Mr. Uchiha's secretary. I had never known a man as arrogant and cold-hearted as him. Everything I did, no matter how good, was never good enough for him. Thank you? Never. Gratitude? Forget it. In fact, I was pretty sure I'd never seen him even half smile since I'd been working for him. Maybe a smug grin at the Director or Naruto Uzumaki, but that was it. I clearly remember the day Danzo called me into his office.

"Miss Haruno..." The Director looked at me sharply from across the desk in his office where he had invited me. "As you already know, Kurenai Júhi is leaving us. Therefore, I'm transferring you to another manager."

Kurenai was a wonderful boss who I loved working for, and we got along very well. I was very sorry to see her go on maternity leave, but I wished her and her baby a break from this unkind company we worked for. I wondered who he'd assign me to now. Maybe Neji Hyuga? I heard he was a bit strict, but I also heard he was calm and only focused on his work, which he does very well. It wouldn't be so bad work for him, I thought... But he already had TenTen as his secretary, who I always greeted in the kitchen in the morning, so the chances were slim.

"Starting tomorrow, you will be Sasuke Uchiha's personal secretary."

I braced myself to keep my chin from dropping and crying on the spot. I've heard about Sasuke Uchiha from all sides. The other secretaries, my colleagues in other departments, adored him. Well, that's an understatement, worshipped. That sounds more accurate. Apparently, he was a man in the true sense of the word. A model character, extremely handsome and clever. But the managers were telling horror stories about his arrogance and cockiness and what a workaholic and narcissist he was, which made me a bit nervous.

He has also been known to fire his personal secretaries like it was nothing. But even such a horrible transfer was better than an on-the-spot termination. I finally found a suitable facility for aunt Tsunade, a nursing home where she is happy. I didn't want to take her out of it again.

"Your salary will be much higher than what you have now, and also higher than what your other colleagues have." Danzo went on, and it was clear to me that it wasn't just because Mr. Uchiha was almost unbeatable at his job. Danzo mentioned the salary level so that I wouldn't run away on the spot, and believe me, if it wasn't for the situation with aunt Tsunade, I would have already run out the door.

The amount he told me at that moment was astonishing. This amount meant that I would be able to give my aunt a private room, just for her. Mr. Uchiha may not be nearly as bad as everyone else in this company exaggerates. That's what I wanted to lie to myself at the time. But I was completely wrong about that.

The man was making my life a nightmare, and I put up with everything because I had no other choice, shannaro…

My intercom suddenly buzzed and I jumped in alarm. I braced myself and pressed the button to hear the voice of the man I couldn't get out of my head momentarily with frustration. "Yes, Mr. Uchiha?" I said warily, waiting for either a shout or a command for the dog. And by the dog, I mean me.

"Can you get me some coffee, please?" There's that sudden, unexplained change in attitude again. This was getting really weird. Sighing, I leaned back against the back of my chair and nodded in agreement. "Anything else, sir?" I was really tired today, and this guy's voice wasn't making me feel good at all, so I wanted him off my back as soon as possible.

"A moment of your time." Taking a calming breath from my full lungs, I tried to clear my head. I don't know if I was more irritated or already terrified of what was waiting for me behind that door.

"I'll be right there." I answered him curtly and ended the call. I got up heavily from the table, and went to the kitchenette to prepare coffee for my boss.

…

Carrying his coffee, I headed to his office with apprehension. I knocked on the door, because I'd only stepped inside once without knocking and I wouldn't make the same mistake again. His biting remarks and evil looks haunted me for days after that.

I placed his coffee on the table in front of him, making sure my hands didn't shake. I prepared my sketchbook and pen and waited for his instructions. "Have a seat." He prompted, and my heart immediately began to pound with nervousness.

Had he finally managed to talk Director Danzo into firing me? I knew my boss had been trying to do that since the first week I'd been with him. No one was good enough for him, and I didn't know what more he wanted. Even though I always fulfilled the most petty instructions he gave me.

I need this job. I can't lose it!

I tried to calm my breathing. I sat down on the chair before my legs could betray me and cleared my throat. "Is something wrong, Mr. Uchiha?"

"Can I rely on your discretion?"

"Of course, sir." Now I was completely confused as to what he was going to want from me. Does he want me to help him hide a secret affair with some prostitute? Do I have to steal something? Does he want me to help him bury a dead body? I know I said I needed this job, but is it worth going to jail for? Who's gonna take care of my aunt?

He nodded and reached for his mug, sipping quietly from it. "It's a personal matter." He said simply, leaning his elbows on the table and bringing his palms together, resting his chin against them thoughtfully. A habit he used to do when he was thinking about something important and I was more baffled than ever. He never discussed anything personal with me. I didn't really know anything about him except his name, his workplace, and that he is very handsome. An asshole, but handsome.

Pretty face, but ugly heart. He was tall, his broad shoulders commanded respect, and his narrow hips... He looked like he could work as a model for the suave and luxurious suits he wore. His raven hair fell into his forehead from time to time when he didn't have it trimmed. Sometimes that was good, because at least I didn't see his furrowed brows when he was frustrated with something he thought I'd done.

"A personal matter?" I repeated carefully, and he raised his onyx eyes to me.

"I have a favor to ask."

When doesn't he have one?! Every day at work with him was one request after another. Well, come to think of it, he had never called his assignments and instructions a favor. I blinked in disbelief because I wasn't sure if I was imagining it. Is he asking me to do something? So he's not going to fire me?

A slight shiver of relief went through me and I relaxed a little. "Of course, sir. What do you need? I'll do my best." I know that sounded a little clingy, but I meant it sincerely. No matter how much my boss annoyed me, I could separate work and personal feelings. I put my whole soul into all my work.

He looked at me expectantly. I never noticed the dark gray color flickering in his eyes in the light. Usually, his eyes were always blackened with suppressed and unleashed rage. And so I hardly ever held his gaze for more than a second or two. He seemed to study me for a moment, then nodded.

He reached for a piece of paper, wrote something on the other side, and handed it to me.

"Come to this address tonight. Can it be at 7 PM?"

I looked at the paper and there was an address written on it that was relatively close to the nursing home where I used to go to see my aunt Tsunade after work. But in order to get to that address at 7 PM, I would have to cut my visit with her today short.

"Do you have plans already?" He asked in a strange voice I wasn't used to. It lacked the usual hostility, and if I was being bold, I could hear traces of uncertainty in his tone. I looked back up to his eyes and decided to be honest with him. "I have to go somewhere after work. I don't know if I could make it in time."

I expected him to get pissed. But that would mean he'd tell me, with a furrowed brow, that I had to cancel all plans and be there at 7 PM precisely, if I didn't want to find my resignation on my desk in the morning. I was shocked when he only let out an almost imperceptible gasp and closed his eyes for a moment. "Tell me. What time are you free?"

"7:45 PM, I could probably make it…" I replied uncertainly, still unsure of what he was actually asking me to do. Was it some kind of company management meeting? That's going to be a lot of paperwork, I can see it now... I sighed at the thought of being busy for the next week.

"Good. I'll see you at 7:45 PM." He got up from his desk, indicating that this strange conversation was already over. "I'll tell my doorman to expect you and bring you in." He said disinterestedly and I stared at him with my mouth open.

His doorman? He's inviting me to his house?!

I stood up anxiously, because I was beginning to realize that my boss wanted to invite me to his house, which meant only two possible scenarios. Either he's a closet pervert and he'll want sex for me to continue working here, or I'll end up buried in his backyard under the petunias. I don't know if he has petunias, but rich people always have petunias in their backyards.

I wondered if I'd ever be able to push my pride to such an edge for me to have sex with someone for me to just keep my job, so I could take care of my aunt. My rational self screamed that I would never lower myself to that. But my other self was projecting images of aunt Tsunade, who would then end up somewhere who knows where...

Sakura, get a grip! My inner self screamed.

I figured that maybe I was jumping to conclusions and it was going to be something completely different. I hope so!

"Mr. Uchiha, are you sure?" I tried to subtly talk him out of it, whatever "it" was supposed to really be.

"No." He said immediately.

"Excuse me? What..?" I stared at him in astonishment.

"That I'm expecting you at 7:45 PM. Thank you for the coffee." He picked up his mug, turned his back on me, and walked away to look out of the glass window at the city. It brought a definitive end to our, now even weirder, conversation and left me wondering if I was in another world, or if there was alcohol in my herbal tea at lunch. Because the whole world was suddenly blurry, upside down and completely out of place.

Not once in the entire time I've been working for him, now 3 months, has he thanked me, or asked or pleaded for anything. Today is beyond anything known to humankind…

What the hell is going on here, shannaro?!

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End of Chapter 7