"Mikoto, I can't accept this. We barely know each other!"

Sakura tries again to walk toward the dressing rooms, but the dark-haired woman grabs her hand and smiles warmly, "There's a dress code where we're going to dinner, so it's the least I can do! I'll hear nothing more about it!" The Haruno woman runs her free hand down the gorgeous cocktail dress she's been tricked into trying on and frowns, "But-!" "And you look so beautiful in it! I'll be heartbroken if you refuse me, Sakura."

Her mouth closes as Mikoto bows to the cashier. The older woman accepts her receipt and gently pulls the pinkette along toward the exit. In the car, Sakura is stunned to discover that Mikoto has her own personal chauffeur. Only when they're in the backseat and the vehicle is moving does she say something.

She hisses so the driver in question won't hear, "Um, Mikoto, just who are you?"

"I'm just a lonely woman with no daughters to dote on," the woman chuckles attractively at Sakura's bewildered face. "I'd have been honored to have been blessed with a girl like you, Dear."

What is she talking about all of a sudden? Sakura is confused but senses a strange sadness in her mysterious new friend. "You're too kind…."

The pair speaks about other topics while their car ride continues. Only when the vehicle comes to a stop in front of Prestige, the single most expensive and hard-to-get-into restaurant in Konoha, does Mikoto inform her that they won't be dining alone. The longer the evening passes on, the more the pinkette is coming to regret accepting the woman's invitation.

She whispers uneasily while looking around as a well-dressed host guides them from the vehicle to the entrance of the elegant building, "Maybe I should just go. I still have work tomorrow, and I'm really not cut out for places such as these. I'd hate to embarrass you in front of your friends."

"Nonsense," Mikoto smiles gracefully at the host before they're passed off to a separate one and led through a dining hall fit for royalty. "Besides, we'll be meeting some of my family members, not my friends."

Sakura's face warms. She's extremely uncomfortable and every atom in her is screaming to flee before she makes a fool of herself. She feels way out of her element. The host stops in front of a massive door and bows before gesturing to it, "Your private dining area, Madam. The rest of your party is already inside. Please enjoy your visit."

Mikoto thanks the young man and he opens the door with a grace that only comes from practice. Sakura nervously follows the dark-haired woman. The door closes behind them, and then her new friend's voice comes calmly, "Good evening, everyone. I've brought a friend to join us for dinner. Her name is Sakura, and she's studying to become a surgeon. Isn't that lovely?"

Sakura bows politely, feeling quite awkward. The room remains silent. It's unsettling to the point that she has to lift her gaze to figure out what's going on. Every bit of breath leaves her when her gaze lands on none other than Sasuke Uchiha, who looks every bit as stunned as she feels despite his obvious attempt at masking it.

"What a surprise to see you here, Sakura! I wasn't aware you were acquainted with our mother," Itachi, who she now realizes is at Sasuke's side, says with a grin that does little to hide his amusement.

"...Y-Your mother?!"

"My name is Fugaku Uchiha. What is your family name, young lady?"

An already overwhelmed pinkette's attention is stolen by the overwhelming presence of the patriarch of the Uchiha family and corporation. All the heat in her face turns to ice as his cold eyes take her in. She bows her head, intimidated by his unsettling aura, "Haruno, Sir."

Mikoto motions for her to sit on Sasuke's other side, so he's sandwiched between her and his brother. She does, unable to look away from Fugaku because it feels as though it would insult him if she did. Without haven ordered anything, waiters and waitresses arrive and begin serving priceless-looking dishes to the quiet table. It's all Sakura can do to keep it together. She feels like some kind of animal for these rich people to study.

"I'm unfamiliar with such a family." The CEO does absolutely nothing to hide the distaste in his tone. As if discovering her low birth status has ruined his curiosity, Fugaku's frown deepens and he focuses on his meal with an uninterested glare.

"So, you're acquainted with my eldest son, then, Sakura? I'm relieved your relationship doesn't seem negative," the Uchiha matriarch smiles warmly as though trying to make up for her husband's lack of social skill.

"Um, yes. I am," Sakura responds. Not only that, but she's also spent a night on top of and underneath her youngest son. That fact is even more hard to ignore when the man in question is sitting tensely at her side. It would take little effort to reach over and touch him, but she can barely manage to look in his direction these days.

Itachi, notoriously happy to tease his brother, pipes in, "Sakura is one of Sasuke's personal assistants, Mother. They've worked together for nearly five months."

Mikoto's eyes light up as her grin widens. She tilts her head at Sasuke, "You never mentioned your assistant is such an outstanding young woman, Sweetheart!"

Sakura's eyes shoot down to her plate, where her food is barely touched because she's too anxious to stomach much. What will he do? What will he say? He completely hates her now. Will he tell his mother about his negative opinion?

"It's inappropriate to speak of employees outside of work, is it not?" That's a very Sasuke response to give. She was sure the man would be a little softer, at least to his doting mother.

Itachi and Mikoto share a look.

Sakura bites back a sigh.

Dinner continues awkwardly with the more talkative Uchiha family members carrying most of the conversation. When it comes to an end, Sakura politely excuses herself, "Thank you for the lovely meal, but I really must be going. It's been a pleasure to meet you, Sir."

Fugaku barely acknowledges her farewell, but Mikoto intervenes before she can leave the private room, "I'll see you home, Dear. A young lady shouldn't travel alone at night."

"I'll take her," Sasuke suddenly says, surprising every person in the room.

Sakura pales again, lifting a hand in dismissal, "Really, it's alright. I don't want to be a bother." The stoic man opens the door and nods in the direction of the exit, wordlessly communicating that he isn't listening to her arguments. The pink-haired woman does as he desires if only to not cause a scene in front of his family or the other high-value patrons of the restaurant.

It's quiet and tense between them as he leads the way to his car. When they're seated and exiting the lot onto the highway, Sakura bursts out what she's wanted to say all night, "I swear I didn't know she's your mom! I'll pay back the cost of the dinner and the clothes a-and I'll tell her we can't-" "It's fine," he cuts her off.

He doesn't look her way, though. Instead, he keeps his eyes on the road. To Sakura, it feels like things are very much not fine. In fact, he seems ready to explode on her. Tears well in her eyes, but she blinks them back and glares out the passenger seat window. He just wants her to be quiet. That's evident.

How can it be true that this man is S? S wouldn't make her feel like everything she does is wrong. He'd be blunt and honest, but he'd never be unreasonable like this. Sakura wants to say those words aloud but doesn't. Their relationship is beyond repair, in her eyes. Trying to force him to talk about it will only make things worse.

The longer the pair is silent on the road, the stronger the pressure becomes in her chest. Each second, Sakura's heart feels more broken because it means that Sasuke is choosing over and over again to let things remain as they are. He doesn't care that he hurt her. If anyone else knew what's going on, they might argue he isn't aware he's hurt her, but if he cared enough, he'd verify. No, Sasuke Uchiha doesn't give a damn about Sakura Haruno. Despite her best efforts to be a good employee and friend, she failed.

By the time the car pulls up to the curb in front of her apartment, the woman can't contain her overwhelming emotions and realizes she won't be able to face him again after this horrific evening. Her brow furrows as she looks at her phone. What should she do? She can't focus on school or work because of him. Sakura's at her limit.

Sasuke's grip on the steering wheel tightens as he wordlessly waits for her to get out of his car.

A bittersweet laugh passes Sakura's lips as her tears overflow and she shakes her head, clicking the phone's screen off. After taking a deep breath, she finally turns her head to look at the gorgeous man. He looks at her, too. She wipes at a tear with one hand and holds out the device with her other. He doesn't take it, so she sits it in the cup holder and bows to the best of her ability while sitting beside him, "Thank you for the opportunity, but I can't do this anymore. I'm sorry for not giving you more notice."

Sasuke's eyes widen, glancing down at the abandoned phone before turning onto her again.

Another sad laugh passes her lips, and she opens the door to step outside. Before closing it, she pauses to lean down and spare him one last look, "Goodbye, Sasuke."

…..

Sasuke watches in a daze as Sakura jogs into her apartment building. She just quit. He glances at her phone in his cup-holder and clenches his teeth when he looks back up to see that the pink-haired woman is out of sight.

The last person he expected his mother to befriend was her. To say he was entirely bewildered to see the beautiful girl walk in at the restaurant is putting it lightly.

The man pulls away from the curb and begins driving home. His mood has been beyond foul, but what just happened seems worse than everything else for some reason. He knew it was coming by how uncharacteristic she's been acting, but a part of him must've been hoping she's too stubborn to give up at least the job.

So, Sakura's gone.

It's highly likely he'll never see or meet her again. They won't work together or see each other outside of business, either. It'll be as if they never met, like before she was hired. Sasuke feels like someone punched him in the gut with all their might. It's like he can't breathe, but he's also so angry that he doesn't care if he does or not.

While driving home, he sees nothing. He isn't sure how he didn't wreck his car because he can't focus. When he arrives, his phone rings. He slips Sakura's device into his back pocket and checks the screen to see it's Itachi.

Sighing, he rubs his forehead before answering it, "What?"

"Just calling to make sure you got Sakura home safe. I tried to call her, but she's not picking up."

Sasuke's voice is monotone as he opens his condo's door and slams it behind him before falling lifelessly onto the sofa, "She quit." He doesn't even take off his shoes or winter coat and just lays there with eyes dulled-over at the ceiling.

Itachi pauses before responding more quietly, "You fool."

"There's nothing I can do, and you know that," Sasuke bites.

There's a long moment of silence before his elder brother remarks in a surprisingly serious voice, "If you're giving up this easily, then she's too good for you anyway. I'm disappointed, Brother."

Sasuke closes his eyes, "Good night, Itachi."

"Like hell you're going to get any sleep."

The younger brother ends the call and lets the phone slip out of his fingers onto the floor beside the couch.

He's right.

There's no way he'll be able to rest after officially losing the one person he's ever dared see as a comfort.