Chapter 24

Pulling her loosely curled hair over her right shoulder, Sakura examined her work in the floor length mirror Kakashi had in their bathroom.

'I hope I look okay…'

Sakura had basically locked herself in the bathroom a couple of hours earlier and even banned Kakashi from being in their room once he was ready himself. Which wasn't much, he just wore a nice black dress suit with a deep red tie that matched the color of her dress.

She only had a couple days to pick out a dress for the semi-formal event and she quickly realized it was a grueling endeavor.

Kakashi had graciously arranged for a seamstress from the boutique they visited often to come to the apartment with a couple of racks full of dresses for her to go through and try on. When the woman arrived, she barred Kakashi from their room while they sorted out and tried on various dresses and made adjustments so it could fit her perfectly.

The whole ordeal took about five hours as she tried on nearly twenty dresses. It was stressful and tiring having so many options. She wondered briefly if it would always be like this when they went to formal events.

She couldn't explain to the woman why she couldn't wear a skin tight dress because she needed to be able to hide a gun somewhere on her. Or that she couldn't wear a floor length dress either because if she needed to fight someone, she needed her full range of motion.

That was the first time ever that she hated being a bodyguard. But, she forced herself to power through her frustrations as the seamstress was more than understanding and accommodating in her crazy requests.

'She's only tolerating me because she knows Kakashi is going to tip her well…'

She eventually settled on a lovely deep red knee length dress. It was made of lace and gave her the feminine touch she was seeking without hindering her from fully performing her duties as Kakashi's bodyguard. It held a loose skirt and the top half was more snug and fitted and had full sleeves to her wrists and a collar that came up around her neck. It brought out the slight curves of her body and she loved it.

She complimented the dress with a simple pair if black stilettos that gave her nearly an additional four inches of height. She couldn't avoid the heels and just figured she'd ditch them and go barefoot if it came to that point. She'd look odd wearing flats or any other shoes anyways and that the last thing she needed to worry about tonight.

Sakura kept her makeup light and simple overall. She decided to do a little extra with her eyes this time and was proud of the smoky eyes she managed to create. She decided to be daring and apply the classic deep red lipstick instead of the more subtle pink she originally intended to use.

'I think he'll like it. He's never seen me this done up before.'

She was proud of her results. She couldn't remember the last time she got this dressed up for anything. Maybe her college graduation? But she knew it wasn't this formal.

Taking a deep breath she flashed herself a big smile before exiting out of the bathroom.

This night was important for both of them.

They were not only treating this night as their first official Valentine's together and treating it as a date. They would publicly announce their relationship as well. Even though they'd never hid their relationship and nearly everyone they had encountered could easily tell they were together, Kakashi said it was important to "officially announce" their relationship given his wealth.

Sakura didn't notice it until the day they drove back from his cabin, but when they had stopped for gas before they entered into Konoha and they were inside getting a soda, she saw her photo on the cover a tabloid magazine.

She quickly learned one of the harsh realities of dating one of the richest men in Konoha and then understood his reasoning on being a hermit. The tabloids couldn't make sensational stories if he never went out unless he absolutely needed to or if he did, he would do the simplest of tasks or activities.

However, the sudden appearance of her had apparently giving them so much fuel that nearly a hundred articles had been posted in various tabloids since the moment she got hired. Now with their relationship, the tabloids and the public had been eating it up and begging for more.

This proved to be a very scary thought to Sakura as she realized that the tabloid and media didn't really know the true depth of the investigation taking place behind the scenes. They didn't know that she was actually a bodyguard and that their articles only put Kakashi and herself in more danger.

They were indirectly magnifying the target on his back.

Now they were going to publicly confirm that they were together. This was a huge story in the making.

And, that's what made her nervous.

Kakashi had never taken a woman to any event before or announced them as his significant other. This alone was proof that he was proving how serious he was about them.

This was her first real relationship in years and she's dating a CEO of a multimillion dollar investment company.

'The paparazzi is going to eat this up.' she huffed, '"A woman of zero status is dating the most eligible bachelor in Konoha. What is he thinking?!"'

They came from two different worlds and she prayed she would do this right. She wanted to prove to Kakashi that she was worth it. That she could handle this sudden status bestowed upon her.

Walking into the bedroom she was relieved to see that Kakashi had kept his promise and stayed out. She quickly made her way over to her nightstand and pulled out the thigh holster and her handgun and fastened it securely to her upper right thigh. She grabbed the extra clip and tucked it into the small black clutch she would carry that night.

'Never hurts to be over prepared…' she idly thought to herself as she stood and flattened the skirt of her dress to see if the gun was noticeable, which it wasn't. 'Perfect! I knew this dress was the perfect choice.'

Sakura made her way to the door and cracked it open enough to poke her head out and called out to her boyfriend.

"Kakashi, where are you?"

"Kitchen!" he quickly replied, "You ready?"

"Yes, I'm coming. Stay where you are though!" she called back.

Sakura opened the door the rest of the way and made her way out of the room and down the hall to Kakashi. Sakura was giddy with excitement to see him suddenly. When she picked out her dress, she wouldn't let him see it until the night of the event. The only thing he knew was the color since his tie matched it.

She quickly fidgeted with the loose curls that hung over her shoulder and straighten the already straight dress as she stepped into the kitchen.

She found Kakashi leaning against the large island scrolling through his phone. He immediately pocketed the device as he heard her enter and looked up.

His eyes went wide and mouth dropped open when he took in the sight of her.

"Wow…" he said in a low whisper as he brought a hand up to cover his open mouth.

Sakura couldn't stop the deep blush she felt creep up. That was exactly the reaction she was hoping for.

"Does it looks bad?" she worriedly asked, "I didn't want to go over the top or be too simple either with my hair and makeup…"

Kakashi pushed himself away from the island and quickly made his way over to.

"No, quite the opposite!" he spoke as an infectious grin came to his lips and he reached for her hand, "You're beautiful! Oh my god, Sakura! I knew you were gorgeous, but damn, my heart feels like it's gonna leap out of my chest now! I'm so glad you made me wait to see the dress. Wow, just, you're breathtaking!"

Sakura couldn't stop her own large grin from forming at his words. The blush she had only deepened as he stood before her admiring every inch of her.

"Thank you. I'm glad you like it." she managed to get out as he lifted her arm and had her do a slow twirl.

"Can I please take a photo of you? I don't ever want to forget how beautiful you look right now, especially with that blush you can't get rid of now." he asked in a slight tease as he fished his phone back out of his pocket.

Sakura felt speechless at the request.

"You wanna take a photo of me?!" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Do you not know just how good you look right now?! You look like a goddess sent from the heavens!"

The bodyguard just quirked up a manicured brow at the comparison and gave him an amused smile.

"Okay, kiss ass, you can take your picture now." she sassed.

Sakura quickly fixed her hair and tossed her clutch onto the counter behind her. She stood back and grinned towards Kakashi as he held his phone up to take her picture.

"By the way, I've still yet to kiss your ass." he smirked with a wink as she heard him take a couple photos as she laughed out loud.

Kakashi still couldn't believe how breathtakingly beautiful Sakura was right now. He knew he'd love whatever she decided to wear tonight, but the moment she stepped into the kitchen he couldn't help the rush of emotions he felt in that instant. It was like he had been slapped across the face and punched in the gut simultaneously.

He realized then that it was true love he was feeling. It was something he had never felt before. He was honest when he said he thought she looked breathtaking in anything. He knew Sakura preferred to have a more relaxed look and style, but to know that she could transform herself into this just took his breath away.

"How do I look? Let me see!" Sakura's voice pulled him back to reality yet again as he stared down at the photos he took.

She was pressed against him as she peeked at his phone screen. He couldn't stop smiling as he looked at them with her. His quick plan of using the kiss ass joke worked since he was able to capture her before, during, and after her laugh. He couldn't pick which was his favorite of the three photos.

"Ahh, my nose is too scrunched up in that one! Delete it!" she whined.

He knew which photo was his favorite.

"Nope, they're all beautiful. I'm going to rent a billboard by the downtown overpass and post all three photos with 'LOOK AT HOW BEAUTIFUL MY GIRLFRIEND IS!' printed in all caps along the bottom so the world can know." he continued his tease.

Sakura jerked up to look at him in disbelief, her eyes nearly bugging out of her head.

"You wouldn't… I can't tell if you're joking or not and that's what scares me." she replied, worry clear in her voice.

Pocketing his phone, he turned and grabbed her clutch and handed it to her as he leaned down to give her a deep kiss. He pulled back after a second and held his arm out for her to take.

"Or I could use the photo I took of you sleeping a couple days ago."

Sakura stopped walking which caused him to stop as well.

"You took a photo of me sleeping?"

Shooting her a cheeky grin, he explained his actions as they started walking again. They exited the apartment and got into the elevator to leave to the event.

"I had woken up before you that morning and when I looked over to you, I couldn't help it. First time doing that, I promise." he reassured her by gently squeezed her hand, "You just looked so cute with your face mushed against the pillow with your mouth open snoring and dried up drool on your chin. Your hair was doing something freaky too, but you looked so at peace that I wanted to take a photo."

Kakashi watched as Sakura's face paled as he spoke.

"Oh god, Kakashi. That's so embarrassing! Drool?!" she cried out as she slumped against him as they soared down to the parking garage, bringing her fingers up to the corner of her mouth as if to check for any sudden dried up drool, "Now I'm scared to look at that photo!"

He couldn't help but chuckle as he leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on the side of her head. She stood nearly as tall as him now since she was wearing stilettos tonight he mentally noted.

'I still can't get over how beautiful she is right now. I'm the luckiest man in the world.'

"Don't worry, darling, I wouldn't be that mean. I'll keep all the photos to myself… for now."

"I have photos against you too, you know!" she suddenly spoke up confidently.

The elevator dinged and slid open at that moment and together they walked out arm in arm towards the awaiting SUV.

"You do?" he questioned playfully while he helped her into the vehicle first and eventually made himself comfortable next to her.

He found Sakura reaching into her clutch and pulling out her own phone.

"Yep, I have a bad habit of taking extremely zoomed in photos of your face when we're laying in bed or on the couch. I even have a couple from work too. It's super amusing." she giggled as she leaned over and showed him the countless extreme close ups of his face and even a couple surprise selfies she took when he wasn't paying attention.

He smiled down at the photos, especially the selfies since she looked so smug and overjoyed in every single one. His favorite was one she took in their bathroom one evening. It was a few days after their car accident and he was so concentrated on braiding her hair that he didn't notice that she took the photo.

"Okay, I think you have more on me than I do on you." he laughed as she huffed happily and put her phone away.

"I love you." she teased with a smile.

"I love you too." he replied.

They rode in a comfortable silence for a while until the car slowed and queued behind a line of other luxury vehicles. He watched as Sakura craned her neck and gasped when she saw the paparazzi lining the entrance.

"Kakashi! You didn't say there would be that many! Oh gosh… It's a small horde!"

He reached over and took her hand. The CEO gave it a reassuring squeeze before he spoke.

"It'll be fine. Just follow my lead, alright? They're definitely gonna be shouting a lot a questions once they see us. Just ignore them. They're just fishing for easy articles to write."

Sakura just nodded a couple times as she took a deep breath. He knew after years of being behind the scenes and off to the side, it was daunting being thrown out into the open like this for her. It was completely against the instincts she had developed and trained over the years. But, she could do this she reasoned to him. She would do this for him, for them. She wanted to show him she was just as serious and it made him so happy. After a couple more minutes, their SUV pulled up and a man came and opened their door.

Kakashi stepped out and she immediately heard the uproar and various shouts for his attention. He ignored every single call as he turned around and helped Sakura out of the car. The moment she stepped into view, the shouts silenced then suddenly became louder and more clear.

"Kakashi! Who is this woman? Is she your girlfriend? What is your name ma'am?! Mr. Hatake! That's his assistant! Why are you bringing your assistant to a black tie event? The rumors are true, aren't they?!" they all shouted a mixed variation of those questions.

He looked down and found Sakura looking up to him, slight worry showing in her eyes. He gave her a reassuring eye crinkling smile as they stepped towards the entrance of the gallery. He decided to cut to the chase and please the reporters and quickly stirred them towards the right side.

"I'll answer three questions." he stated flatly to the group. He felt as Sakura tightly squeezed his bicep in response, obviously just as surprised at the crowd of cameras and recorders were.

"What's your relationship with this beautiful woman?" one man shouted.

Kakashi looked down again to find Sakura blushing at the compliment.

"She's my girlfriend." he declared proudly as he smiled at her.

They were suddenly overcome by blinding light as hundreds of cameras went off at the confession. They all wanted to capture the moment of his official announcement of being in a relationship.

"What's your name, ma'am?" a woman shouted this time.

The CEO opened his open to reply, but he was cut off before he could continue.

"My name is Sakura Haruno." Sakura stated with confidence.

He smiled down at her for being brave enough to speak to this growing group of reporters and paparazzi.

"How long have you two been together?" Three people shouted in unison.

"Since November." he replied before he started guiding them away.

"Wait! You haven't answered three questions yet!" the reporter who asked for her name called out to them.

Kakashi turned and shot a confused look to the reporter.

"Three questions were asked and answered."

"But you only answered two, not three. Ms. Haruno answered one. You said you'd answer three questions." she quickly pointed out.

Kakashi smirked at the quick witted reporter.

"Alright, you got me there. What do you want me to answer?"

The woman looked like she had flown to the moon when he gave her his undivided attention.

"This is actually about your company. You donated a rather large sum of money to some local libraries and community centers for reading programs and the such right before Christmas. You or the company has never made any selfless donations like this before. So, why did you suddenly donate over a million dollars of your own money? You also attached Sakura's name to that donation as well. Why?"

Kakashi was momentarily taken aback at the loaded question of his reasons for donating money to those places. He felt as Sakura squeezed his bicep again and it brought him back down to earth.

"Well, I have a passion for reading and so does Sakura. She was the one who actually came up with the idea to do a donation to promote and spread our passion for reading and literacy. She deserved to be credited for the idea and that's why I attached her name." he spoke confidently, "It was a genius idea and it's already been reported that our donations have helped these places immensely. We actually just came to a decision earlier this week that we will hopefully be doing another donation to more public institutions in the coming months."

"Thank you so much!" the reporter sang once he finished speaking.

Nodding towards the woman, he guided Sakura and himself away and into the gallery. The moment they were alone, he felt Sakura let out a sigh of relief.

"That was intense…" she whispered quietly as they walked down the corridor to the main gallery.

"Reporters are sneaky. She weaseled out that last question well. It was a good question, but damn it was loaded." he replied with his own tired sigh.

"Well," the pinkette began as they arrived to the set of double doors, "you did an amazing job as always. Good way to announce your newest donation too."

"Our donation." he corrected her with a smile.

They stood there and stared into each others eyes for a moment before a host scurried up to them and walked them through the doors to their seats at one of the many dining tables set up. The gallery was decorated beautifully and definitely stuck with the theme of romance he noted.

The center of the room held a spacious dance floor and that was surrounded by at least twenty large tables that held high end dish sets and countless vases of red, white, and pink roses.

They settled into their seats and a waiter came by and quickly filled their glasses with champagne and told them that the food would be served within the next twenty minutes once all guests arrived. Kakashi lifted his flute of champagne and Sakura mimicked his action and together they clinked them in a toast.

"To our first Valentine's together, darling." he spoke quietly to her.

He felt himself start to melt from her warming gaze and smile.

"And hopefully many more to come." she added.

Together they took a drink of the bubbly alcohol. Kakashi sat down his glass before he turned to face Sakura again.

"Yes, many, many more."

A/N: Yasss, our girl got all dolled up and made our boi lose his damn mind. hehehehehehhhe

I felt all that love and fluff and I loved how sweet they are together. They deserve a happy life damn it!

Please leave a review if you can. I love hearing from your guys!

Thank you as always to Taytay95 for being a bomb ass beta. :)