unedited/ not proofread (12/11/20)

Sasuke

Social media has always been something I tend to avoid. There's too much nonsense, too much noise. But this was for work, and they deemed it necessary to have one. All because of this project. I understand the necessity. In its core, this project is a publicity stunt. And as much as I detest such things, I take my job seriously. Even if there are occasions when I question why I'm even doing it.

Perhaps it's the way I was raised. My father always prided himself as a working man. Being the head of the company he inherited from his father, he wanted to continue the legacy to the best of his ability. Though with that, by the time I turned eight, he was rarely home. Mother didn't seem to mind. Their marriage remained stable despite the absence. But when he was home, he would instill lessons of diligence into my brother and I. And we may have taken it to heart. To a fault.

It really should be an easy thing, to say no. I should have not agreed to do this stunt in the first place. I was going to. And then, in came Sakura Haruno. The one word that pops in my head once I think of her is "ridiculous". The way she flitted about so excitedly, the stark contrast between our pitches and ideas in company meetings, her overall personality, all of it I found could be summed up in that one word: ridiculous. But now, because of all of this, the word seems to have been granted new meaning. It's ridiculous that I seem to focus more on her despite myself. It's ridiculous that I'm going along with her stupid games of pride. It's ridiculous I humor her. It's also ridiculous that I cannot help but remember the way her lips tasted on mine, or the way her body reacted to my fingers, to me, as she took me in. It's fucking ridiculous how I can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that the petite, cheery woman likes her sex rough, almost aggressive, taking matters into her own hands and sheathing herself onto me.

I do not know what to do with this information. I do not want to think about this information. And yet it's all I can think about when I think about her these past few days.

Humoring her little challenge was a mistake. But she looked adamant, and I doubt she'd have taken no for an answer regarding it.

For someone who announced her distaste for games, she liked to make and participate in ones she plans out.

Tapping my foot impatiently, I stare at the watch on my wrist as the minutes continue to pass. As per her 'suggestion', she wanted for us to meet a few blocks away from Racks, a department store she says she frequents. I've heard of it, or rather, its prices. Why she suggested the place, I can only guess.

Finally, I spot a head of pink across the road, and as the light went red, she walked with coffee cups in her hands. She stops before me, head tilted up to meet my eyes as she offers me the cup of hot coffee.

"Thirsty?" She says before taking a sip from the straw of whatever iced coffee concoction was in her plastic cup. "I figured you drank coffee like how your closet probably looks. Black."

She's right about my coffee choice, but I choose not to say anything. It will only bring us to the same conversation about my wardrobe we've had countless times before.

"Anyway, Racks is only a short walk away, and I'm dying to give your closet some life, so let's go."

Damned if I do, damned if I don't it would seem.

I sigh as she begins walking.

"Haven't heard much from you since the meeting on Monday," she says casually.

"Had much to do."

She rolls her eyes. "We both have the same job title in different magazines, I know that."

I shrug. "You asked."

"Yeah, but, you know, maybe try and add to the small talk?"

"And what do you want to talk about, then?" I glance at her. "Work?"

"On a date? We've done that already, sweetie."

"Sweetie?"

She gives me a coquettish smile. "Don't like it?"

"Sounds infantilizing."

She scowls. "It's cute."

"Do I look like I want to be called cute?"

"Well," Sakura shrugs. "Not the entirety of you."

This woman. I truly don't know what to make of her.

"Here I thought you'd be playing more hard to get."

She scoffed and raised a brow at me. "The one time I give you a forward compliment, you think I'm bending first." Flashing a competitive grin, she adds, "Besides, you're the one who suggested the challenge."

"Clearly meant as a jest," I mutter.

"Jest? Really? What century are you in?" She scoffs. "Plus, you clearly meant it as a challenge, and I assure you, I'll be winning."

What did I get myself into with this woman?

LINE

We arrive at Racks and immediately she leads me to the men's section of the large department store. I can already sense the curiosity of shoppers eyeing us from the side and based on their whispers and focus on us, I know they're readers of the magazine. Just great.

She takes one thing off the rack, a hideous bright yellow jacket and grins mischievously at me. I glare back. "No."

"What? I think it's nice."

"Say that with a straight face."

Sakura laughs and puts it back where she found it. "Please. I may think your closet needs brightening up, but I also think it should be done well."

"And we're back to the jabs at my wardrobe. What's wrong with, as you put it, 'boring monochrome'? It's simple and easy."

She frowns, taking a tan colored coat off the rack and appraising it. "You really need to spice things up, you know? Besides, it's such a waste of your good looks not to try and change things up once and awhile." Considering the coat good enough, she hands it to me and continues her search.

"You're throwing your compliments more confidently now." I follow her, looking at the coat she hands me, admittedly fine with her choice.

Looking over her shoulder, she winks. "Kind of weird not to be more confident doing so when I've already seen you naked."

I smirk. "Where'd your hot and cold act go?"

She shrugs. "You throw a remark, I give you an explanation."

"Sounds to me like you want this more than you let on."

"Not enough to sacrifice my pride."

"Pride is spiritual cancer."

She raises a brow at me before handing me a navy blue shirt. "Quoting Lewis on me now?" Taking a step closer to me, she tilts her head up. "Better take your own advice and end this now then?"

I lean in closer, compelled to taunt her despite myself. "The same could be said to you."

"Then I guess the battle of wills continues." Raising a hand, she places it on my chest and lightly pushes me away. Judging by the smile on her face, it seems she's enjoying this back and forth. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't.

"Finding everything okay?" An employee asks, a practiced smile on her face as she walks up to Sakura and I.

"Perfect, actually," Sakura replies. "We're ready to head to the dressing room, in fact."

"Great! We have it prepared for you. Right this way."

As the employee leads us beyond the dressing rooms, I look at Sakura suspiciously. "They 'prepared' a dressing room?"

"Racks is a special department store. You can book a private dressing room. It's exactly what I did."

"And you weren't going to mention this?"

"It'll ruin the fun." Her eyes twinkle with mischief. "By the way, it's a shared one. My items are already there."

I should have known she was planning something like this.

Notes:

And the update a day for a week cycle begins again! kjhskjdfhs commence the stupid competitive seduction ploys!

Tomorrow, Sakura's POV.