-✘-

Sakura felt she was being punished.

The day after her interaction with the raven, her email was blown with his additional work requests for their team. He had her scrambling around the office on a Thursday. But this is not something she can't handle. Still, it made her furious.

Fortunately, he wasn't in the office to see her as a mess. He was working from home since yesterday. She'd like to think it had something to do with their conversation in the elevator and he was too embarrassed to face Sakura. Serves him right if that was the case. And with less distractions, she believes she could finish today and could be on leave tomorrow on Friday. She was about to work on Sasuke's last request, but his request was too complex. She needed to clarify what he needed. She had sent a message to discuss, but it was more than an hour and he still hasn't responded yet. This clearly will potentially ruin her plans for tomorrow.

"What are we going to do?" She overheard a colleague say while Sakura was on her way to fill up her water flask from the dispenser.
"Sir Sasuke is not gonna be happy about this if we missed the deadline." the brunette says worriedly.
"Maybe you know where he lives Kira?"
"I don't." Kira responds. Sakura was hearing them but avoided their gaze. Unfortunately Kira saw her near.

"Ms. Sakura! Hi" He says as he paces towards her. The others were looking at him. "I'm sorry for bothering you, but we heard you were Sir Sasuke's secretary before and we just want to know if you happen to know his address? Emi here just needs to get his signature for a clearance that is due today. He isn't responding to our messages."
"I'm- not sure if he still lives there" She lies. She had been there just recently. A little more than just been there. "And have you never sent any documents to him in his house before?"
"No, he doesn't like working there as I remember correctly. He comes in early and leaves late if he has to, but never brought his work over there. It's actually the first time he had to work home.. but yeah, thanks anyway Ms. Sakura." Kira smiles, but distress still fills his face.

Sakura turns around and walks away.
She bites her lips in frustration. Keep walking away.

Don't say it.
Don't say it.
Don't say it.
"Maybe I can try to check with him?"
I said it.

"Oh, uh we don't want to bother you, I know he had given a lot of work for you so.." Kira says shyly.
"It's no problem. Plus, I can't finish his last request without his response so I might as well try to check with him."

They all thanked Sakura for her "mission" to reach Sasuke. What has gotten into him? He was never sloppy at work.

■ ■ ■ ■

Sakura arrived at his front door. Again. She tried to argue with herself that her intention this time is genuinely for work so it's fine.

She has been there for almost a minute now and hasn't rang the doorbell. She was just relieved the other day that she didn't have to come back to this place but there she is. Again.

I am my worst enemy.

She rang the doorbell and waited, but a minute had passed and there was no answer. She rang the doorbell again and waited for more than a minute, but still no response.

Her heart started to pound.

Sakura tried to check through windows to see if there were people inside or if he was.

Her heart is beating faster and faster.

With no second thoughts she reached to the doorknob and it surpringsly turned. It was unlocked. Without thinking, she entered his house and checked his garden first.

He wasn't there.

The living room and the kitchen had no sign of him. Her heart was still pounding.

She ran to his bedroom and gently opened the door.

And there he was.

He was in bed, sleeping with the laptop beside him, papers and documents all over his bed.

Relief flushes over her. She quietly peeks at him and noticed how sound his sleep is.

She shook her head to snap her out of it. Despite his beautiful features, she had reminded herself that she was still mad at him. Maybe she should shout "get back to work" and wake him up because he doesn't deserve a good sleep. She glares at him. Still, she doesn't have any idea how to wake him up without him thinking she was an intruder.

Sakura saw him shift, "Sakura" he mumbles softly, but was still asleep. She blushes at this, taking it by surprise, but she won't get any wrong ideas. He was probably dreaming of dumping her a bunch of paperwork in the middle of the week.

"Sasuke." She says with a low voice. No response.
"Sasuke?" She reaches out to nudge him and felt how warm his skin is. Not the usual. She checked his surroundings to check if he had been tending to fever. She placed a palm on his forehead gently, hoping he won't wake, and she could guarantee a fever as she removes her hand. The raven was slowly opening his eyes and gained senses at the sight of the pinkette so close to his face. He bolted right up, accidentally knocking on each other's forehead. "Owww!!" She cried.
"Sakura?? What are you doing here??" He says with a raspy voice.

"You weren't replying to any of us!" She says, holding her forehead where he knocked over. "And you have a fever!"

"And you're trespassing." He says while rubbing his forehead.
"Lock your door properly next time." She hisses.

"What do you need?" He says, his voice evidently rough from his cold. He sits upright and grabbed a pen in his bedside table, coughing a little as he covered his mouth.
"Clarification on my last request. Your request was too complex and vague. Give specifics. Plus, here's some document that needs your signature"

Sakura waited in silence while Sasuke wrote the specifics of his request on a sticky note and did a quick review on the clearance document before signing, not leaving his bed.
"Is this all of it?"
"Yes, thank you. See you next week."
"Okay. Close the door when you leave." The raven says before lying down on his bed and covering himself with his blanket.

Sakura rolls her eyes at this. "Whatever." She whispers to herself while shutting the door behind her. She suddenly heard Sasuke's coughs on the other side.

Walk away. Not your business.
Walk away. Not your business.
Walk away. Not your business.

She opens the door again after a solid minute, and even if she didn't want to sound mean, "did you at least have anything to eat?" is what came out of her.
"I'm not hungry" he says, his face still buried in his bed. "All food tastes weird." He adds.

"Well, you still have to eat." Sakura insists. "Do you want me to order a delivery for you?"
"No, thank you. You can leave."

"Why are you being stubborn?" She stomps her way back to Sasuke's bed.
"I'm not, I said I wasn't hungry." He mumbles on his blanket.

"Did you take your medicine?"
"I ran out of it."

"I'm going to the pharmacy. Do you want me to get you anything?"
"Just get back to work and don't mind me, Sakura."

"Look, Sasuke, I'm not arguing with you anymore. I don't care about you, but I feel responsible for you getting that cold the other day. I'm doing this for me. To not feel guilty. Now, I'm going back to the office and deliver the document first, pharmacy for your meds, and probably a convenience store for your food and my ice cream before I leave. Is that okay with you?" She says with her arms crossed.

Sasuke wasn't sure this was a good idea.
Still, reason continues to betray him.

"Fine, take my car to save you some gas, keys are on the bowl by the door" Sasuke wasn't moving an inch, underneath the sheets a smile escaped his face and he is quick to dismiss it.
"Alright, just... stay here" Sakura stomped out the room.

Sakura felt excited with the idea of driving Sasuke's car.

She fished the keys out of the bowl and blood rushed through her cheeks with the mere sight of it.

It had a pink sakura flower keychain attached to it.

Is this really his??...... And if it was, it doesn't mean a thing.

■ ■ ■ ■

Sakura was able to drop the documents off and Emi gave her an IOU look, Emi was almost sure she'd be fired if Sakura didn't help her. The pinkette also bought flu medicine and a thermometer in the pharmacy, before headint to the grocery store instead so she can cook.

She sat on the driver's seat of Sasuke's car and slouched for a while. His car really had his scent, like he was there with her, and she had the urge to inhale all of it, but the thought of that alone made her question her own sanity.

She was about to drive when she saw a familiar face across the parking lot, she thought she'd be safe with the high tinted windows, but he was already coming up to the car. She's panicking!

He knocked on the door and Sakura had no other choice. She opened her window.

"Hi.. Itachi" she greets nervously. Itachi was confused at first, but he started grinning. "Hi Sakura. We haven't had the chance to catch up. Where's my brother?" He asks, noticing she was alone.

"He's sick.. and I drove his car to buy him medicine and food." Sakura swallows.
Itachi was sure they were not back together because he knew Sasuke was determined to keep his word. He kept it from her for five years, he could probably keep it for more.
"Well, it's nice seeing you again. Thank you for taking care of my brother."
"Uhm, we're not back together, I'm just helping him out" she explains without being asked to.
"Thank you." Itachi says gently, "I'm sorry with what happened between you two." He said with a genuine look on his face. Clearly he wasn't fond of the breakup too.
Sakura smiles faintly, "I appreciate that."

When she arrived, she prepped and cooked him porridge while she ate some pistachio ice cream to keep her spirits up.

She entered his bedroom holding a tray with a bowl of her hot porridge on it, his medication, and a glass of water. He was still in bed, and seems like he didn't move at all. He must've fell asleep when she left.

She was about to reach his shoulder to nudge him, but his face was so gentle, his features were soft while sleeping, and she noticed his hair was longer now, several strands resting on his face. She realized how different it is when he's awake, or at work. He always looked so distant, cold, and unfeeling every time she looked at him. Except maybe the other day, when he showed a little vulnerability before he kissed her. This used to be what he looked like when they started going out. Painfully, she admits she missed his gentle and relaxed look.

"Sasuke, wake up" she speaks up, and his eyes open slightly, he sits right up at the sight of her and notices the tray of food and medicine.
"You really didn't have to, Sakura." His face was still slighty sleepy and vulnerable. The pinkette blushes at this, earning a scold from her logical and reasonable side.
"I'll.." she mumbles, but Sakura had her second thoughts. Wouldn't it be weird to take care of him? To help him with his fever? Surely only someone special to him should do this. She should have done enough. Yet she couldn't bring herself to say it.
"I can take it from here." Sasuke finally says, grabbing the bowl of porridge she prepared.

Sakura immediately stands up and says, "alright" as she walked out. Before she could close the door, she heard Sasuke call her name. "Sakura" he breathes.

"Thank you." He says with a faint but genuine smile.

■ ■ ■ ■

"Thank you for meeting me in such a short notice." He says in a low voice, sipping his wine.

"It's no trouble" the woman says, "Should I address you as Aki or Sasori?"

"Sasori, please. Nice to officially meet you Ms. Konan."

"I get you're working with Ms. Sakura?"
"Yes, but she's unaware about our meeting tonight."
"What precisely is this about?" Konan idly holds her glass.

"You were Sasuke's secretary a few years ago, weren't you? Before he left."

Konan leans back on her chair and sighs, "Working for the Uchihas are more trouble than its worth." She mumbles before sipping her wine and looking out the window of this dim-litted restaurant. She grins at the sight of the redhead as she faces him. "Look, you seem like a decent man and you love her so bad. Finding out the truth may not be exactly pleasant for you."

"Painfully, I do strike myself as a hopeless romantic," he sighs, "but I might as well just do anything for her."
"And you think coming to me might help you?"
"No.. but it might help her." He says with an obvious heavy heart.

"I admire your adoration for this woman." She smirks. "I'm a special contractor. I don't exclusively work with the Uchihas but I had done several work for them." she starts. "It's gonna cost you to know them."

"How much are we talking about?"
"Does it really matter now?" Konan tilts her head with a smirk, knowing fully well this man would pay her price regardless. "So is it a deal?"

"Go on." Sasori responds with a heavy sigh. He wasn't really sure if he wants to know now.

"My first time working with the Uchihas was more intersting than the last few ones. I was working with Mr. Fugaku and Ms. Kurema. His ex wife. They were divorced, but still work together. Same as usual, because of a business rivalry. I get that a lot."
"You... get that a lot?" Sasori was suddenly astonished. Realizing this person in front of him is sounding more and more of a spy or an assassin.
"I told you, I'm a special contractor" she says with a cute and genuine smile, obviously showing off her ability to mask her real nature.

"Honestly, when you asked me here tonight, I thought you'd be asking for my services." She sighs in disappointment. "Anyway, like I said, a business rivalry. Their company were not as big as it was. They had a rival with better numbers and a better future. So I was asked to-"
"No wait don't tell me—" Sasori's eyes were wide open and look like he had seen a ghost. Konan looked at him with a confused face. "Did you kil-" he says,
"What are you talking about?!" Konan's face turned pale. "Are yo- I-I'm not an assassin you stupid man!!"

"I'm so confused." Sasori sighs with relief anyway, knowing this woman isn't a killer. He drinked the last bit of his wine.