[Fan Fiction] The Black Cardigan
Title: The Black Cardigan
Author: xicehazex
Summary: One left turn was all it took to change his life.
Rating: T
Prompt: Crime
Warning(s): Mild language
Notes: Alternate Universe
“Will you quit bouncing around?”
He used one hand to grip the steering wheel tighter while the other made a rather violent push on his passenger.
“Seriously, teme. That’s how it was. One AK-47, twelve enemies…then I was like pah pah pah. And before you know it, nine killstreak.”
Naruto recreated the scene in his head and held his invisible gun towards pedestrians. It was when he imitated the recoil and invaded his friend’s personal space that he was roughly pushed back into place.
“You dumbass. If you don’t sit down now, I’ll end up getting a ticket.”
“Sorry. But what do you think? Pretty awesome, right?”
“I don’t give a crap.”
“Then after that, I got two more kills in before the dogs came in. Took down a few more that way and my kills started to stack up before….hey watch that light…before someone shot me in the back. Damn campers. Fucking hate them. I respawned and then, hey watch that light. And then…DUDE SERIOUSLY!”
So annoyed with his friend, Sasuke didn’t have the time to register the motionless vehicle eight meters before him. Despite hitting his emergency brakes, the sound of tires screeching ensued, accompanied by a loud thump, and he glared over at his friend when he saw that driver’s door open abruptly after the dust settled.
“Don’t look at me. I wasn’t the one driving.”
“This IS your damn fault. If you would have just sat the fuck down…!”
They both grimaced when the victim investigated the damage to the car and held her head in frustration. Green eyes viciously scanned for the culprit and Sasuke sighed loudly before unbuckling his seatbelt.
“All right, look Naruto. We’re going to be calm. We’re going to figure this out together. If we’re lucky, she won’t press char-”
But his partner was no longer buckled safely in the passenger’s seat. When Sasuke poked his head out the window, he was greeted with a line of cars starting to pass him as well as his best friend’s back as he ran down the sidewalk.
“You son of a bitch! Get back here!”
“You’re on your own, teme!”
“Fucking dobe.”
The girl was impatiently tapping her foot, arms crossed. There was no point in delaying the inevitable.
“I hope you have insurance, you asshole!”
Sasuke grumbled beneath his breath. His premium would skyrocket after this incident. And once his parents found out, there was no telling if he would be allowed to drive again.
“Look, maybe we can work this out without getting our insurance companies involved. The damage couldn’t have been that bad.”
He followed the girl’s finger which was settled on several parts of damage. The backlights were completely shattered and the entire back end was smashed in from both sides. He could also see that her exhaust pipe was bent slightly inwards.
“It’s not as bad as it looks; I’m sure we can just buff this out.”
The bumper finally gave in and collapsed to the floor, and she assessed both the fallen part and the boy before her with an angry purse of her lips. With a loud growl, she walked over to grab her purse and began scribbling away. “Just give me your information.”
Sasuke walked over in quick strides to try to stop her from reading his license plate by placing a firm grip on her hand.
“I’m serious. I can get this fixed for you.”
She struggled against his hold. “Oh, do I have to charge you with physical assault as well?!”
“Look, I know it looks bad, but I can get it fixed.” He cut her off when she opened her mouth. “My brother and his friends work with cars. They know what they’re doing, and they can have your car good as new in no time.” Sasuke almost let out a sigh of relief when her body relaxed minimally, contemplating his offer.
“I still want your information.”
He sighed loudly. “I’ll be honest. I rather not get into legal problems or else my rates are going to get ridiculous. Contrary to how it seems, I’m not made of money. If I agree to pay for your repairs will you please not call your insurance company?”
She crossed her arms. “My parents will have to know about this.”
“That’s fine. So will mine. But just explain it’s being taken care of. Now then, do we have an agreement?”
She cocked her head upwards in refinement. “Fine. I’ll still need your name and number to keep in contact with you.”
“All right.” He slipped her the information just as a police car pulled up. And when he realized the officer in question was one of his father’s coworkers, he let out a long sigh of exasperation. There was no way he could lie about the situation now.
“Is anyone hurt?”
“No,” they both replied in unison.
The officer walked about and collected information for the report, grimacing and offering several facial cues as to his reaction to the now jalopy.
“Your father won’t be happy to hear about this, Sasuke.” He ripped apart a sheet and handed a copy to each. “Keep these for your records. Drive safely and head straight home. Am I understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. I’ll declare this matter settled.” He got into his vehicle and eased away. “Remember, straight home, both of you.”
“Well, you better lead the way.”
“Excuse me?”
She began tapping her crossed hands in annoyance. “You were going to get this repaired.”
“Oh, right.” Sasuke returned to the vehicle and led her through a rather heavily trafficked pathway. He ignored the looks he was getting from both drivers and pedestrians. He ignored the girl’s heated glares as they entered the garage. And he ignored the constant shaking of the head and ‘tsks’ from his brother as the car was being evaluated.
“Damn.”
“Is that all you have to say about this?”
“Damn pretty much sums it up.” He placed a thoughtful hand under his chin as his group took in every detail of the damage. His eyes caught the girl that was following suit in order to gain insight on what repairs were needed.
“I take it you’re the victim in this situation?”
She nodded slowly before completely ignoring the other two assessing the car. “Yes.”
“I don’t envy you at the moment. This is quite a bit of damage.”
“Can it be fixed?”
“Of course, but not without a price. We take cash and credit or debit. I assume you have a form of payment arranged.”
“Yeah, him,” she said as she pointed directly towards Sasuke.
Itachi’s eyes rolled over to his brother and back to the girl with an accompanied smirk. “Ah yes, we accept Sasuke as well.”
“Whatever, I’ll pay. Can you get it fixed?”
Sasuke watched as his brother flipped through his friends’ notes, reading the clipboard as if he was assessing a hospital patient.
“And? How long?” she butted in impatiently when there was no response offered.
“Five months.”
“FIVE MONTHS?” they both yelled.
“Give or take.”
Sasuke immediately cut in before the girl could begin her rant. “There is no way this could take five months. I’ve seen trashier shit than this take like three weeks to repair.”
“Hey, I’ll have you know this was a brand new car!”
“I only meant trashy in the sense of the destruction.”
Itachi sighed before prying Sasuke off his hand. “First of all, we have other projects besides yours, Sasuke. We’ll have to work on this car simultaneously, and that takes time. Second of all, her car is an import. Finding the parts will get difficult for our minimal resources, which yields time.”
“Then fuck that. I’ll just find a professional garage.”
“You go anywhere else, they’ll charge you more. I’m cutting you some slack because you’re my brother. Furthermore, you get anyone else involved and they will require your insurance companies. Not to mention you only have liability, so you’ll still end up paying some amount of money.”
He growled in defeat. “Fine. What’s your estimate?”
“Thirty six hundred…minimum.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it!”
“This is a foreign car, as I’ve already stated. They cost more to fix.”
He kept his boiling fury from spilling, but his shaking form was proof he was finding it difficult not to yell over the predicament.
“Fuck it. Whatever. Just get it done.”
“As your brother, I am fully aware that you currently lack such currency in your account. I also know that father will never pay for the damages in full. As an officer, he’ll bring the law into this. So, what will you do?
“I guess I’ll get a job or something.”
“At minimum wage, it could take you six months to pay it off. That’s also assuming that my estimate is accurate and that you acquire a full-time job.”
He released a breath of air and surveyed the area in thought. His gaze eventually landed on Sakura who was impatiently waiting for his reply. “I’ll get your money. Don’t worry about that.”
“Very well. I’ll go ahead and get started now.” Itachi walked around and began scribbling down a list of parts he would need. “You might want to head home now and let father know what happened. There’s no point in hiding it. But just let him know it’s being taken care of.”
“Yeah, I will.”
“And if it’s a job you’re looking for, I hear there’s an opening at Lipsy.”
Sasuke glared at his brother’s suggestion and the repressed snickering from the peanut gallery. He grabbed the keys from his pocket and made his way to his car before being stopped by the girl’s dominant stance.
“What do you want now?”
She held her palm up to his face. “Money, for my bus fare.”
“If you want a ride home, I can give you one.”
She laughed sarcastically. “Uh, no. I’ve seen your driving skills or lack thereof firsthand. Bus fare…now.”
Sasuke rolled his eyes and handed over a few coins to her before she offered a fake smile and skipped off.
“Thank you. And good luck with your parents, by the way.”
The girl’s departure was a giant relief, but her last words only reminded him that another nuisance still lingered. He was not looking forward to the conversation with his father. The only hope he had left was to talk to his mother first before he arrived. But that was immediately squashed when he pulled up to the driveway and saw his father’s car parked on the left.
And after stepping into the house, he knew all too well that news had reached him when his father’s voice echoed throughout the house.
“Sasuke! Kitchen!”
He mentally prepped himself for the oncoming bloodshed. His father was seated at the kitchen table reading the newspaper and holding a hand out to him.
“Report.”
Sasuke begrudgingly handed over the folded paper and watched for any visible cues of murderous intent as his father’s eyes scanned it over.
“Rear end collision. You’re the party at fault. And no one was hurt, correct?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Did you call the…”
“No, I’m taking care of the problem myself.”
His father flipped the page of his newspaper before offering a raised eyebrow.
“Look, it’s better this way, okay? Everyone is happy.”
“And if her family presses charges?”
“They won’t. It’s all worked out.”
“Good, now how do you…”
“Oh, my poor baby!”
Sasuke braced himself for the impact as his mother collided with him in a fierce hug. “Are you hurt? Any cuts, bruises?” She glided her hands over his face and arms. “Are you bleeding?” She pulled him into another near -suffocating hug.
“Mikoto, stop spoiling the boy. And I don’t want to see you helping him cover the costs of the damage as well.”
“Fugaku, your son was just in a near-death experience and the only thing you have to worry about is the expenses to some replaceable vehicle?”
“He needs to learn responsibility.”
“But this is his first accident!” She grabbed Sasuke’s head and began rearranging the bangs around his eyes. “Now don’t you worry, sweetie. Mommy’s going to make this all better.”
“Mikoto,” was Fugaku’s stern reply.
“But…”
“No, mom. It’s okay. I’ve got everything worked out. I’m going to get a job and earn the money to pay for the damages. I’ve already got the girl’s car in Itachi’s garage, and he started working on it today. He said it should be good to go in five months.”
“Working? I don’t know if I like the idea of you getting a job. Your school work, Sasuke! That’s more important.”
“It’s alright. I’ve already got it figured out. I’ll work part-time during the weekdays and eight hour shifts on the weekend.”
“But that’s too much! Your school work…”
“Mikoto, if your son thinks he can do it, let him be.”
She pouted at first but erased it as soon as Sasuke placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Really mom, it’s fine. Plus it’s only temporary.”
“Well, alright. But if your work gets in the way of school, don’t hesitate to quit. You come straight to your mom and ask for help. Okay?”
“Ah.”
He heard his father flipping through the paper again. “And I assume you have a job in mind?”
“Not exactly. I’ll have to go through the paper later, I guess.”
“Ooh! I know!” Mikoto dashed forward and snatched the newspaper from Fugaku, much to his annoyance. “You can apply here! It says they’re hiring quite a few people. The pay is slightly above minimum wage, the hours are flexible and no experience required.”
Sasuke read the ad carefully before his face dropped in disappointment.
His father caught on and smiled in amusement. “Lipsy is a respectable establishment to work in, Sasuke. It will teach you a lot about discipline.”
Mikoto smiled and with clasped hands and a tilted head, she added her own thoughtful remarks. “And they have the most delectable pieces of cardigan attire there. Hey! There’s an idea. Sasuke, if you work there, see about getting a discount for me.”
Sometimes, he just couldn’t believe he was born to the right family.
“Make sure you call today, Sasuke.”
“Yes sir.” He took the column upstairs to his bedroom. Before dialing the number; however, he was greeted with an incoming call.
Yo, teme. How did it go?
“Everything is taken care of with the girl and my dad took the news much better than I thought. So long as I make the payments myself, I’ll be fine.”
And how are you going to do that?
“Getting a job. How else?”
Know of any places hiring?
He glanced over at the classifieds and groaned before resigning over to his fate. It was only temporary. If he could just suck it up for about six months, then he could pay off the expenses and everything would be alright.
After placing the call and securing an interview, he waited patiently. The callback didn’t take long. In a matter of two days, he was offered the position as a sales assistant for the fragrance section in a nearby store. The pay wasn’t actually half bad and the assistant manager was quite lenient with his schedule. The only problem was the majority of the staff was female; and most of them from his university. They were girls with open attraction for him and it was worrying that he would be surrounded by such coworkers. It was why when he drove down the rainy streets and stopped at the traffic light that he rested his head momentarily on the steering wheel.
Six months, he assured himself. Only six months.
His head lazily turned over to the left. And out of the corner of his eye, a female was picking up her pace down the sidewalk. She splashed about in her run, indicating that the rain had begun to fall harder-so hard, he barely noticed the lights changing color. A honk alerted him to his slow reflexes and pulled to the lane next to him. He paid no attention to the man’s shake of his head, nor the other cars passing him by. Instead, Sasuke switched lanes and made several circles of backtracking through traffic. He drove by the same street again and this time made a left turn. And underneath the protection of a shop’s sign was a girl in a black cardigan, white undershirt and khaki jeans, seeking shelter from the heavy rain. She pulled the hat tighter on her pink hair, but he knew from the brief glimpse of her green eyes that there was no mistake about it. It was indeed that girl from the previous day.
“Sakura.”
She shyly looked up at the open window of his vehicle.
“That’s your name, right? What are you doing in the rain?” He hit himself mentally when she glared back a response. It was quite obvious as to why she was out and about rushing through the wet streets.
“The bus will be here soon. I’m just waiting.”
“Where are you going?”
“Brent Cross.”
“Hop in. I’ll give you a ride.”
She took two steps but retraced her movements. It was unlikely for ombrophobia to develop in such a quick turnout time. He sighed before unlocking his doors.
“Just get in. I promise; I won’t ram it into anyone’s bumper.”
After a momentary deliberation, she shrugged her shoulders and slipped into the passenger seat.
“Anywhere specific?”
“Nah. Just drop me off at the parking lot.”
She rested her head against the glass, watching little droplets pit pat against the window. And he gripped the steering wheel tensely, not quite sure as to how to break the silence.
“I’m sorry about everything. But I am employed now and my brother is already working on your car. He put aside some projects to try and get it done in time.”
“It’s fine.”
The girl was avoiding a conversation and it was quite possible that her dislike for him was the factor into her decision to remain silent.
“Do you attend a university?”
“Chelsea.”
“Ah, so are you into design?”
“Graphic design, yes. I want to do illustrations for textbooks first. After that, maybe work on original storytelling or graphic novels.”
He smirked knowing he hit her weakness.
“I have a lot of ideas that I really need to start putting into storyboard first. Maybe if I work hard enough, I can eventually get into some kind of studio. Or I can even take up a job with a company. The possibilities for my field are endless.”
“Ah, it’s a job with high demand. My friend also has a knack for art. His focus is more on three dimensional art, though.”
“That’s not my thing. I actually barely got through ceramics.”
“Art is not my thing, in general.”
“Oh, then what is your thing?”
He wasn’t quite sure when it was that she stopped leaning on the window, but the genuine interest and openness to the conversation was a much better improvement than the awkward silence.
“Law.”
There was no effort on her end to stifle the laughter.
“What?”
“It’s just ironic coming from a guy that just mutilated my car.”
“People make mistakes, don’t they?”
“It’s still funny. But are you going for pre-law or…”
“Law enforcement.”
Her head fell against the glass only this time not from reclusion.
“Laugh it up now. Before you know it, you’ll be looking at an officer for SOCA.”
“Whatever.”
Her bright smile nearly stopped his next breath. He pulled into the parking lot of the shopping centre slowly as a result.
“Thanks. I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah, see you.”
Her smile and laughter stuck with him the rest of the day, even during work. It was because of that girl, that he was able to ignore the stares of female coworkers at his job. Even when he went to class the next day, the pink carnations on his professor’s desk reminded him of a drenched girl in a black cardigan.
The next day at work, he circled the same area as before, assuring himself that this new route was simply faster, more convenient. And when he reached the small boutique she was seeking refuge in yesterday, he smiled subconsciously at the same familiar face and attire.
“I take it you fancy cardigans?”
The shock wore away before she smiled back at him. “They’re a personal favourite.”
When his head nodded to the empty seat, she settled in.
“Where this time?”
“Camden Markets.”
“All right.”
It didn’t take nearly as long to get her to warm up this time. With barely any coercion, she had shared some fleeting glimpses of her family and lifestyle before proceeding to offer her reasons for visiting Camden at the moment. And as soon as she stepped out of the car and thanked him once more, he found himself looking forward to picking her up the next day and the one after that.
It took only a week until it became an informal contract between the two. Every day, she would wait for him beneath the shelter of the boutique’s overhead. Every day she would stand with hands wrapped around the soft fabric of her treasured sweater. And every day she would bid him a wonderful farewell with that inviting smile of hers.
It took only two weeks until he became quite familiar with the members of her family and personal life. She was an only child of happily married parents with six cousins, seven uncles, twelve aunts, two live grandmothers, one dead grandfather, two dogs, one cat and occasional visits from her neighbor’s peacock.
It took only one month until he was no longer meeting her solely as a means of transportation to her next destination as he drove to work. She would often frequent shops, parks or museums in the afternoon as a hobby. It started off as a simple offer on his part, at least until her car was fixed. And soon enough, she was no longer shy in asking him for favors.
Six weeks and his chaperoning activities occurred with considerably less gaps in between. The two had adapted into a new schedule of discovering new activities they could do together. Sometimes they would visit a shop, other times they would simply walk around the parks or gardens of the vicinity. Every time they did do anything together, he found himself delving further into her life and becoming more smitten by her presence.
“Hey, what do you think of this band?”
He removed his earpiece to address her question. The two stopped at a music shop near her favorite bookstore. In the time he came to know her, he realized that the two shared many stark differences in tastes, particularly in music.
“I think I’d rather listen to opera,” he smirked at her pout before readjusting the earpiece again.
It was not even eight weeks until the teasing became a commonplace ritual he loved to indulge. And every opportunity that presented itself was not left for waste. There was simply something in her reactions that had him riveted and striving to recreate the moment again and again. It didn’t matter how he did it, whether it was splashing some water from a nearby fountain, flicking her hair over her face or even swiping away her favourite foods.
“Hey, those were my dumplings!”
He ignored her appalled face and how-dare-you speech while his chopsticks reached over to grab another piece from her bowl.
“No! Sasuke!”
He chuckled deeply at her attempts to push him away. Her grunts soon became giggles of her own as the two waged a mini chopstick war over dominance of the plate.
“You’re such a jerk!”
Her pout and barely visible smile suggested anything but an angry demeanor. He picked up a piece of dumpling and brought it close to her mouth as a peace offering.
She let out a breath of steam in between bites. “Don’t think you’re scot-free.”
His fingers moved to her mouth again to offer another piece. “Ah.”
Her laughter sent shivers down his spine. Her smile warmed him into a calm state of mind. There was never a moment he didn’t think about her. Waiting for the next day when she would jump into his car became the greatest exhilarating feeling of his life.
And in less than three months, he knew he was completely enthralled.
“Hey, Sasuke?”
“What is it?”
“I want to go to the Somerset this Friday after my class. Can you take me?”
Friday and Saturday evenings were the only nights he had off. At times he would spend them sleeping away on his bed. Other times he would visit Naruto’s house for a video game party. But whenever Sakura mentioned any type of plan, he was quick to amend his busy schedule.
“Sure.”
The week had certainly taken its time to end for that evening approached him far too slow. When he pulled up to her house, he was greeted again with her traditional wave and smile.
“Sorry I’m late.”
“It’s okay. I know you work.”
He parked a few streets down before the two walked through the main gardens. Her hands wrapped around her thin body while his settled for hiding in his pockets. They strolled casually as she mentally engraved the images of the landscape into her head.
“I was thinking of an idea for my school’s newsletter cover.”
“Oh?”
“I’m looking at the fountain here and I wonder, do you think I should have a focus on it with students sitting around the area? I could have the fountain as a backdrop or I could integrate the focus on it. I want the theme casual.”
“That could work. You could have a few trees sneak in if you want to convey more of the landscape of your university.”
“That sounds good. You seem to have an eye for art, Mr. Policeman.”
He smiled. “Of course. Attention to detail is what I pride myself in.”
“Ah, yes. We must not forget that fine attribute.”
Her hands squeezed tighter around her body as she stopped to gain more inspiration from her environment. The breeze picked up suddenly and her hair waved about erratically. It wasn’t until she took a deep exhalation that he realized the sun’s disappearance was attributing to the cold temperature. And he wasn’t certain what had given him the courage. Perhaps it was the delicate fingers tucking back strands of hair, the pink hue her cheeks had adopted, the small tongue that poked out to moisten her lips, the sparkle in her viridian eyes that scanned the surroundings in wonder or the curve of her lips that formed into what he coveted the most; but he leaned in closely and brushed his lips against hers in a move so gentle and evanescent that he wasn’t quite sure it ever happened to begin with.
“Sasuke…”
Her voice had given him his second wind of courage. He tried it once, twice and thrice more before she gave in completely to his silent request.
Sakura’s fingers held onto the strings of his jacket. They squeezed it tightly until they glided softly downwards as the moment ended. Her eyes briefly locked with his until the shyness took over. In order to hide her blushing face, she buried herself in his embrace.
The cold weather was not behind their current color alteration, nor his heavy breathing.
“I want to see the gallery next.”
“Okay.”
He returned her smile with one of his own and wrapped his fingers around hers as they walked hand in hand into the establishment.
It was not even four months until the two shared more intimate moments together. One tease became two, one hug became three, one kiss became many and the days when the two would sit on a bench and stare into the night sky with nothing but the cold wind to encompass them became a regular occurrence.
Her head nestled comfortably under his chin. She sighed with content at the warmth his strong embrace granted her. The calm feeling that she invoked within him had him return the sigh with a lazy smile. His eyes shut momentarily to absorb the moment and imprint it in his memory-the smell of her shampoo, the soft caress of her fingers as they played with his bangs, the lovely humming sounds of her voice as it lulled him into a deep trance. He wanted this to be forever.
“Someone’s sleepy.”
“I’m just resting my eyes.”
Despite not seeing, he smiled at the soft eyes he knew were hiding behind the curtain. He leaned in to her lips when they tickled the skin of his temple.
“Come on, you. Let’s go.”
But it was on the fifth month, when he realized…
“Okay, the car’s almost ready to go. We just have a minor painting job to finish but I should get it done this weekend. She’ll be ready to drive by Monday.”
…it would all be over soon.
He stood silent behind the bumper. The car was in excellent condition. It was difficult to tell where his brother had worked on it or even what parts had been damaged had it not been for his prior knowledge. The exhaust pipe was completely straight; the bumper was placed back correctly; the car’s smashed backside was completely revamped. Everything was perfect.
“Is there something you care to tell me?”
“No.”
“I figured you would be more excited than this. The car is fixed and you’ve almost got it all paid for. Two weeks left of work is all you have left, correct?”
“Ah.”
Itachi sighed when his brother remained motionless.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“I know you better than that.”
“It’s just…I…”
“Oh wow!”
The two turned to the new presence in the room.
Sakura ran up to her precious baby. She circled the car around and proceeded to hug it tightly when she was assured that the vehicle was indeed hers and not an illusion concocted by her imagination.
“You’re amazing, Itachi! This looks brand new!”
“Well, I do take pride in my work.”
She giggled and could barely contain the excitement before running up to hug Sasuke.
“Isn’t this great? I can start driving again!” She squeezed him tightly in happiness.
“Yeah, it’s…” he cleared his throat. “…it’s great.”
“The first thing I’m going to do is call the girls up and schedule a trip. I’ve missed driving and I can’t wait to make a visit down to the harbor. Or we could even plan an extended trip on the weekends to the beach!”
“That sounds…exciting.”
She tiptoed and kissed his nose lightly. “Oh, come on. You should be excited. After all, this means you can quit your job soon and you no longer have to drive me around everywhere.”
His eyes dropped to the floor but the action was overlooked by Sakura.
“Can I have the keys?”
They were snatched out of Itachi’s hands before he even extended the item to her. She ran to the front seat and squealed more as soon as the engine was started.
“I’m going to take a quick drive around. Sasuke, you coming with me?”
“No, I think I’m going to go home and get some homework done.”
She shrugged off the rejection. “Suit yourself. I’m going to go pick up Hinata and Ino so we can go shopping. I’ll call you later, okay?”
His okay was barely heard over the engine and her hasty retreat.
“I see.”
“You see what?”
His brother placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “This won’t change anything, Sasuke. She won’t leave you.”
“I know. It’s silly to worry about something so trivial but…but what if she really won’t need me anymore?”
Itachi ruffled his spiky hair before going back to work on his next project. “It changes nothing.”
But things were not quite the same as before.
There was no girl in a black cardigan waiting by the boutique to be picked up. There was no Sakura calling him in between his classes to ask for a quick ride for an errand or project. And he sighed looking at his text message when he offered to drive her to the art exhibit only to be rejected with a reply of how she had already scheduled to drive herself with her friends.
Their dates had not disappeared entirely. They still met to eat and have fun. But more often than not, they would drive separately and Sakura always managed to bring entourage. And when his best friend discovered there would be more girls, he invited the rest of the guys as well. It was hardly a romantic setting for the two.
It wasn’t as if he had to be alone with her every day of the week. She had her own life too and given that she now had her precious vehicle back, the excitement of regained independence would not die anytime soon. And he had other things to preoccupy his time as well including his own social clique. But on nights when he walked about the park with baggage dangling loudly off him, he missed the intimate moments they shared in amicable silence.
“Sasuke?”
Her hands slipped into his sleeve and she rubbed her head against his chest to calm his nerves from the loud mess that was his best friend hitting on the girls in the group.
“It’s nothing.”
She grabbed his hands and swung them playfully. “You’ve been acting a little weird lately.”
“I just haven’t been feeling well is all.”
“Are you sick? Do you want me to come by your place and bring you some soup?”
“No, I’ll be alright.”
He ignored her playful advances, opting instead to linger behind the group with her hand entwined with his. But this silence was not like the other silent moments they shared, and he knew it made her worry. He wished he had the courage to tell her how he felt, to tell her that he wanted to be the one to take her to the market, to hold her bags for her as she shopped, to turn down her suggestion for a piece of music, to steal dumplings from her bowl. But he knew it was selfish of him to ask for more control of her life, and so he remained silent through it all despite her attempts to repair whatever rift had crawled between them.
His brother was wrong. It had changed everything.
It had been weeks since he quit his job, but he continued to take drives down the old path in reminiscence of the times he had taken Sakura to any place she desired. He passed by the same shops he once did, watching the people walk about in a hurry to the next bus stop or store to continue their daily activities. How he treasured those days.
But one cold, rainy afternoon, he turned on the same street, and switched over to the same lane. And there she was seeking shelter from the rain, leaning casually against the window of the boutique in that same black cardigan and with that same contagious smile.
“And what would you be doing out on a rainy day such as this?”
“My car has a broken belt and flat battery.” She pouted cutely and offered a mock shy glance from the cover of her hat.
His eyes softened considerably.
“I’m waiting for my dad to fix it.”
His lips curved slowly into a small smile.
“So…can I have a ride?”
Things wouldn’t change at all.
“Ah. Hop in.”
“Thanks!”
Her smile wouldn’t change at all.
Author: xicehazex
Summary: One left turn was all it took to change his life.
Rating: T
Prompt: Crime
Warning(s): Mild language
Notes: Alternate Universe
“Will you quit bouncing around?”
He used one hand to grip the steering wheel tighter while the other made a rather violent push on his passenger.
“Seriously, teme. That’s how it was. One AK-47, twelve enemies…then I was like pah pah pah. And before you know it, nine killstreak.”
Naruto recreated the scene in his head and held his invisible gun towards pedestrians. It was when he imitated the recoil and invaded his friend’s personal space that he was roughly pushed back into place.
“You dumbass. If you don’t sit down now, I’ll end up getting a ticket.”
“Sorry. But what do you think? Pretty awesome, right?”
“I don’t give a crap.”
“Then after that, I got two more kills in before the dogs came in. Took down a few more that way and my kills started to stack up before….hey watch that light…before someone shot me in the back. Damn campers. Fucking hate them. I respawned and then, hey watch that light. And then…DUDE SERIOUSLY!”
So annoyed with his friend, Sasuke didn’t have the time to register the motionless vehicle eight meters before him. Despite hitting his emergency brakes, the sound of tires screeching ensued, accompanied by a loud thump, and he glared over at his friend when he saw that driver’s door open abruptly after the dust settled.
“Don’t look at me. I wasn’t the one driving.”
“This IS your damn fault. If you would have just sat the fuck down…!”
They both grimaced when the victim investigated the damage to the car and held her head in frustration. Green eyes viciously scanned for the culprit and Sasuke sighed loudly before unbuckling his seatbelt.
“All right, look Naruto. We’re going to be calm. We’re going to figure this out together. If we’re lucky, she won’t press char-”
But his partner was no longer buckled safely in the passenger’s seat. When Sasuke poked his head out the window, he was greeted with a line of cars starting to pass him as well as his best friend’s back as he ran down the sidewalk.
“You son of a bitch! Get back here!”
“You’re on your own, teme!”
“Fucking dobe.”
The girl was impatiently tapping her foot, arms crossed. There was no point in delaying the inevitable.
“I hope you have insurance, you asshole!”
Sasuke grumbled beneath his breath. His premium would skyrocket after this incident. And once his parents found out, there was no telling if he would be allowed to drive again.
“Look, maybe we can work this out without getting our insurance companies involved. The damage couldn’t have been that bad.”
He followed the girl’s finger which was settled on several parts of damage. The backlights were completely shattered and the entire back end was smashed in from both sides. He could also see that her exhaust pipe was bent slightly inwards.
“It’s not as bad as it looks; I’m sure we can just buff this out.”
The bumper finally gave in and collapsed to the floor, and she assessed both the fallen part and the boy before her with an angry purse of her lips. With a loud growl, she walked over to grab her purse and began scribbling away. “Just give me your information.”
Sasuke walked over in quick strides to try to stop her from reading his license plate by placing a firm grip on her hand.
“I’m serious. I can get this fixed for you.”
She struggled against his hold. “Oh, do I have to charge you with physical assault as well?!”
“Look, I know it looks bad, but I can get it fixed.” He cut her off when she opened her mouth. “My brother and his friends work with cars. They know what they’re doing, and they can have your car good as new in no time.” Sasuke almost let out a sigh of relief when her body relaxed minimally, contemplating his offer.
“I still want your information.”
He sighed loudly. “I’ll be honest. I rather not get into legal problems or else my rates are going to get ridiculous. Contrary to how it seems, I’m not made of money. If I agree to pay for your repairs will you please not call your insurance company?”
She crossed her arms. “My parents will have to know about this.”
“That’s fine. So will mine. But just explain it’s being taken care of. Now then, do we have an agreement?”
She cocked her head upwards in refinement. “Fine. I’ll still need your name and number to keep in contact with you.”
“All right.” He slipped her the information just as a police car pulled up. And when he realized the officer in question was one of his father’s coworkers, he let out a long sigh of exasperation. There was no way he could lie about the situation now.
“Is anyone hurt?”
“No,” they both replied in unison.
The officer walked about and collected information for the report, grimacing and offering several facial cues as to his reaction to the now jalopy.
“Your father won’t be happy to hear about this, Sasuke.” He ripped apart a sheet and handed a copy to each. “Keep these for your records. Drive safely and head straight home. Am I understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. I’ll declare this matter settled.” He got into his vehicle and eased away. “Remember, straight home, both of you.”
“Well, you better lead the way.”
“Excuse me?”
She began tapping her crossed hands in annoyance. “You were going to get this repaired.”
“Oh, right.” Sasuke returned to the vehicle and led her through a rather heavily trafficked pathway. He ignored the looks he was getting from both drivers and pedestrians. He ignored the girl’s heated glares as they entered the garage. And he ignored the constant shaking of the head and ‘tsks’ from his brother as the car was being evaluated.
“Damn.”
“Is that all you have to say about this?”
“Damn pretty much sums it up.” He placed a thoughtful hand under his chin as his group took in every detail of the damage. His eyes caught the girl that was following suit in order to gain insight on what repairs were needed.
“I take it you’re the victim in this situation?”
She nodded slowly before completely ignoring the other two assessing the car. “Yes.”
“I don’t envy you at the moment. This is quite a bit of damage.”
“Can it be fixed?”
“Of course, but not without a price. We take cash and credit or debit. I assume you have a form of payment arranged.”
“Yeah, him,” she said as she pointed directly towards Sasuke.
Itachi’s eyes rolled over to his brother and back to the girl with an accompanied smirk. “Ah yes, we accept Sasuke as well.”
“Whatever, I’ll pay. Can you get it fixed?”
Sasuke watched as his brother flipped through his friends’ notes, reading the clipboard as if he was assessing a hospital patient.
“And? How long?” she butted in impatiently when there was no response offered.
“Five months.”
“FIVE MONTHS?” they both yelled.
“Give or take.”
Sasuke immediately cut in before the girl could begin her rant. “There is no way this could take five months. I’ve seen trashier shit than this take like three weeks to repair.”
“Hey, I’ll have you know this was a brand new car!”
“I only meant trashy in the sense of the destruction.”
Itachi sighed before prying Sasuke off his hand. “First of all, we have other projects besides yours, Sasuke. We’ll have to work on this car simultaneously, and that takes time. Second of all, her car is an import. Finding the parts will get difficult for our minimal resources, which yields time.”
“Then fuck that. I’ll just find a professional garage.”
“You go anywhere else, they’ll charge you more. I’m cutting you some slack because you’re my brother. Furthermore, you get anyone else involved and they will require your insurance companies. Not to mention you only have liability, so you’ll still end up paying some amount of money.”
He growled in defeat. “Fine. What’s your estimate?”
“Thirty six hundred…minimum.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it!”
“This is a foreign car, as I’ve already stated. They cost more to fix.”
He kept his boiling fury from spilling, but his shaking form was proof he was finding it difficult not to yell over the predicament.
“Fuck it. Whatever. Just get it done.”
“As your brother, I am fully aware that you currently lack such currency in your account. I also know that father will never pay for the damages in full. As an officer, he’ll bring the law into this. So, what will you do?
“I guess I’ll get a job or something.”
“At minimum wage, it could take you six months to pay it off. That’s also assuming that my estimate is accurate and that you acquire a full-time job.”
He released a breath of air and surveyed the area in thought. His gaze eventually landed on Sakura who was impatiently waiting for his reply. “I’ll get your money. Don’t worry about that.”
“Very well. I’ll go ahead and get started now.” Itachi walked around and began scribbling down a list of parts he would need. “You might want to head home now and let father know what happened. There’s no point in hiding it. But just let him know it’s being taken care of.”
“Yeah, I will.”
“And if it’s a job you’re looking for, I hear there’s an opening at Lipsy.”
Sasuke glared at his brother’s suggestion and the repressed snickering from the peanut gallery. He grabbed the keys from his pocket and made his way to his car before being stopped by the girl’s dominant stance.
“What do you want now?”
She held her palm up to his face. “Money, for my bus fare.”
“If you want a ride home, I can give you one.”
She laughed sarcastically. “Uh, no. I’ve seen your driving skills or lack thereof firsthand. Bus fare…now.”
Sasuke rolled his eyes and handed over a few coins to her before she offered a fake smile and skipped off.
“Thank you. And good luck with your parents, by the way.”
The girl’s departure was a giant relief, but her last words only reminded him that another nuisance still lingered. He was not looking forward to the conversation with his father. The only hope he had left was to talk to his mother first before he arrived. But that was immediately squashed when he pulled up to the driveway and saw his father’s car parked on the left.
And after stepping into the house, he knew all too well that news had reached him when his father’s voice echoed throughout the house.
“Sasuke! Kitchen!”
He mentally prepped himself for the oncoming bloodshed. His father was seated at the kitchen table reading the newspaper and holding a hand out to him.
“Report.”
Sasuke begrudgingly handed over the folded paper and watched for any visible cues of murderous intent as his father’s eyes scanned it over.
“Rear end collision. You’re the party at fault. And no one was hurt, correct?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Did you call the…”
“No, I’m taking care of the problem myself.”
His father flipped the page of his newspaper before offering a raised eyebrow.
“Look, it’s better this way, okay? Everyone is happy.”
“And if her family presses charges?”
“They won’t. It’s all worked out.”
“Good, now how do you…”
“Oh, my poor baby!”
Sasuke braced himself for the impact as his mother collided with him in a fierce hug. “Are you hurt? Any cuts, bruises?” She glided her hands over his face and arms. “Are you bleeding?” She pulled him into another near -suffocating hug.
“Mikoto, stop spoiling the boy. And I don’t want to see you helping him cover the costs of the damage as well.”
“Fugaku, your son was just in a near-death experience and the only thing you have to worry about is the expenses to some replaceable vehicle?”
“He needs to learn responsibility.”
“But this is his first accident!” She grabbed Sasuke’s head and began rearranging the bangs around his eyes. “Now don’t you worry, sweetie. Mommy’s going to make this all better.”
“Mikoto,” was Fugaku’s stern reply.
“But…”
“No, mom. It’s okay. I’ve got everything worked out. I’m going to get a job and earn the money to pay for the damages. I’ve already got the girl’s car in Itachi’s garage, and he started working on it today. He said it should be good to go in five months.”
“Working? I don’t know if I like the idea of you getting a job. Your school work, Sasuke! That’s more important.”
“It’s alright. I’ve already got it figured out. I’ll work part-time during the weekdays and eight hour shifts on the weekend.”
“But that’s too much! Your school work…”
“Mikoto, if your son thinks he can do it, let him be.”
She pouted at first but erased it as soon as Sasuke placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Really mom, it’s fine. Plus it’s only temporary.”
“Well, alright. But if your work gets in the way of school, don’t hesitate to quit. You come straight to your mom and ask for help. Okay?”
“Ah.”
He heard his father flipping through the paper again. “And I assume you have a job in mind?”
“Not exactly. I’ll have to go through the paper later, I guess.”
“Ooh! I know!” Mikoto dashed forward and snatched the newspaper from Fugaku, much to his annoyance. “You can apply here! It says they’re hiring quite a few people. The pay is slightly above minimum wage, the hours are flexible and no experience required.”
Sasuke read the ad carefully before his face dropped in disappointment.
His father caught on and smiled in amusement. “Lipsy is a respectable establishment to work in, Sasuke. It will teach you a lot about discipline.”
Mikoto smiled and with clasped hands and a tilted head, she added her own thoughtful remarks. “And they have the most delectable pieces of cardigan attire there. Hey! There’s an idea. Sasuke, if you work there, see about getting a discount for me.”
Sometimes, he just couldn’t believe he was born to the right family.
“Make sure you call today, Sasuke.”
“Yes sir.” He took the column upstairs to his bedroom. Before dialing the number; however, he was greeted with an incoming call.
Yo, teme. How did it go?
“Everything is taken care of with the girl and my dad took the news much better than I thought. So long as I make the payments myself, I’ll be fine.”
And how are you going to do that?
“Getting a job. How else?”
Know of any places hiring?
He glanced over at the classifieds and groaned before resigning over to his fate. It was only temporary. If he could just suck it up for about six months, then he could pay off the expenses and everything would be alright.
After placing the call and securing an interview, he waited patiently. The callback didn’t take long. In a matter of two days, he was offered the position as a sales assistant for the fragrance section in a nearby store. The pay wasn’t actually half bad and the assistant manager was quite lenient with his schedule. The only problem was the majority of the staff was female; and most of them from his university. They were girls with open attraction for him and it was worrying that he would be surrounded by such coworkers. It was why when he drove down the rainy streets and stopped at the traffic light that he rested his head momentarily on the steering wheel.
Six months, he assured himself. Only six months.
His head lazily turned over to the left. And out of the corner of his eye, a female was picking up her pace down the sidewalk. She splashed about in her run, indicating that the rain had begun to fall harder-so hard, he barely noticed the lights changing color. A honk alerted him to his slow reflexes and pulled to the lane next to him. He paid no attention to the man’s shake of his head, nor the other cars passing him by. Instead, Sasuke switched lanes and made several circles of backtracking through traffic. He drove by the same street again and this time made a left turn. And underneath the protection of a shop’s sign was a girl in a black cardigan, white undershirt and khaki jeans, seeking shelter from the heavy rain. She pulled the hat tighter on her pink hair, but he knew from the brief glimpse of her green eyes that there was no mistake about it. It was indeed that girl from the previous day.
“Sakura.”
She shyly looked up at the open window of his vehicle.
“That’s your name, right? What are you doing in the rain?” He hit himself mentally when she glared back a response. It was quite obvious as to why she was out and about rushing through the wet streets.
“The bus will be here soon. I’m just waiting.”
“Where are you going?”
“Brent Cross.”
“Hop in. I’ll give you a ride.”
She took two steps but retraced her movements. It was unlikely for ombrophobia to develop in such a quick turnout time. He sighed before unlocking his doors.
“Just get in. I promise; I won’t ram it into anyone’s bumper.”
After a momentary deliberation, she shrugged her shoulders and slipped into the passenger seat.
“Anywhere specific?”
“Nah. Just drop me off at the parking lot.”
She rested her head against the glass, watching little droplets pit pat against the window. And he gripped the steering wheel tensely, not quite sure as to how to break the silence.
“I’m sorry about everything. But I am employed now and my brother is already working on your car. He put aside some projects to try and get it done in time.”
“It’s fine.”
The girl was avoiding a conversation and it was quite possible that her dislike for him was the factor into her decision to remain silent.
“Do you attend a university?”
“Chelsea.”
“Ah, so are you into design?”
“Graphic design, yes. I want to do illustrations for textbooks first. After that, maybe work on original storytelling or graphic novels.”
He smirked knowing he hit her weakness.
“I have a lot of ideas that I really need to start putting into storyboard first. Maybe if I work hard enough, I can eventually get into some kind of studio. Or I can even take up a job with a company. The possibilities for my field are endless.”
“Ah, it’s a job with high demand. My friend also has a knack for art. His focus is more on three dimensional art, though.”
“That’s not my thing. I actually barely got through ceramics.”
“Art is not my thing, in general.”
“Oh, then what is your thing?”
He wasn’t quite sure when it was that she stopped leaning on the window, but the genuine interest and openness to the conversation was a much better improvement than the awkward silence.
“Law.”
There was no effort on her end to stifle the laughter.
“What?”
“It’s just ironic coming from a guy that just mutilated my car.”
“People make mistakes, don’t they?”
“It’s still funny. But are you going for pre-law or…”
“Law enforcement.”
Her head fell against the glass only this time not from reclusion.
“Laugh it up now. Before you know it, you’ll be looking at an officer for SOCA.”
“Whatever.”
Her bright smile nearly stopped his next breath. He pulled into the parking lot of the shopping centre slowly as a result.
“Thanks. I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah, see you.”
Her smile and laughter stuck with him the rest of the day, even during work. It was because of that girl, that he was able to ignore the stares of female coworkers at his job. Even when he went to class the next day, the pink carnations on his professor’s desk reminded him of a drenched girl in a black cardigan.
The next day at work, he circled the same area as before, assuring himself that this new route was simply faster, more convenient. And when he reached the small boutique she was seeking refuge in yesterday, he smiled subconsciously at the same familiar face and attire.
“I take it you fancy cardigans?”
The shock wore away before she smiled back at him. “They’re a personal favourite.”
When his head nodded to the empty seat, she settled in.
“Where this time?”
“Camden Markets.”
“All right.”
It didn’t take nearly as long to get her to warm up this time. With barely any coercion, she had shared some fleeting glimpses of her family and lifestyle before proceeding to offer her reasons for visiting Camden at the moment. And as soon as she stepped out of the car and thanked him once more, he found himself looking forward to picking her up the next day and the one after that.
It took only a week until it became an informal contract between the two. Every day, she would wait for him beneath the shelter of the boutique’s overhead. Every day she would stand with hands wrapped around the soft fabric of her treasured sweater. And every day she would bid him a wonderful farewell with that inviting smile of hers.
It took only two weeks until he became quite familiar with the members of her family and personal life. She was an only child of happily married parents with six cousins, seven uncles, twelve aunts, two live grandmothers, one dead grandfather, two dogs, one cat and occasional visits from her neighbor’s peacock.
It took only one month until he was no longer meeting her solely as a means of transportation to her next destination as he drove to work. She would often frequent shops, parks or museums in the afternoon as a hobby. It started off as a simple offer on his part, at least until her car was fixed. And soon enough, she was no longer shy in asking him for favors.
Six weeks and his chaperoning activities occurred with considerably less gaps in between. The two had adapted into a new schedule of discovering new activities they could do together. Sometimes they would visit a shop, other times they would simply walk around the parks or gardens of the vicinity. Every time they did do anything together, he found himself delving further into her life and becoming more smitten by her presence.
“Hey, what do you think of this band?”
He removed his earpiece to address her question. The two stopped at a music shop near her favorite bookstore. In the time he came to know her, he realized that the two shared many stark differences in tastes, particularly in music.
“I think I’d rather listen to opera,” he smirked at her pout before readjusting the earpiece again.
It was not even eight weeks until the teasing became a commonplace ritual he loved to indulge. And every opportunity that presented itself was not left for waste. There was simply something in her reactions that had him riveted and striving to recreate the moment again and again. It didn’t matter how he did it, whether it was splashing some water from a nearby fountain, flicking her hair over her face or even swiping away her favourite foods.
“Hey, those were my dumplings!”
He ignored her appalled face and how-dare-you speech while his chopsticks reached over to grab another piece from her bowl.
“No! Sasuke!”
He chuckled deeply at her attempts to push him away. Her grunts soon became giggles of her own as the two waged a mini chopstick war over dominance of the plate.
“You’re such a jerk!”
Her pout and barely visible smile suggested anything but an angry demeanor. He picked up a piece of dumpling and brought it close to her mouth as a peace offering.
She let out a breath of steam in between bites. “Don’t think you’re scot-free.”
His fingers moved to her mouth again to offer another piece. “Ah.”
Her laughter sent shivers down his spine. Her smile warmed him into a calm state of mind. There was never a moment he didn’t think about her. Waiting for the next day when she would jump into his car became the greatest exhilarating feeling of his life.
And in less than three months, he knew he was completely enthralled.
“Hey, Sasuke?”
“What is it?”
“I want to go to the Somerset this Friday after my class. Can you take me?”
Friday and Saturday evenings were the only nights he had off. At times he would spend them sleeping away on his bed. Other times he would visit Naruto’s house for a video game party. But whenever Sakura mentioned any type of plan, he was quick to amend his busy schedule.
“Sure.”
The week had certainly taken its time to end for that evening approached him far too slow. When he pulled up to her house, he was greeted again with her traditional wave and smile.
“Sorry I’m late.”
“It’s okay. I know you work.”
He parked a few streets down before the two walked through the main gardens. Her hands wrapped around her thin body while his settled for hiding in his pockets. They strolled casually as she mentally engraved the images of the landscape into her head.
“I was thinking of an idea for my school’s newsletter cover.”
“Oh?”
“I’m looking at the fountain here and I wonder, do you think I should have a focus on it with students sitting around the area? I could have the fountain as a backdrop or I could integrate the focus on it. I want the theme casual.”
“That could work. You could have a few trees sneak in if you want to convey more of the landscape of your university.”
“That sounds good. You seem to have an eye for art, Mr. Policeman.”
He smiled. “Of course. Attention to detail is what I pride myself in.”
“Ah, yes. We must not forget that fine attribute.”
Her hands squeezed tighter around her body as she stopped to gain more inspiration from her environment. The breeze picked up suddenly and her hair waved about erratically. It wasn’t until she took a deep exhalation that he realized the sun’s disappearance was attributing to the cold temperature. And he wasn’t certain what had given him the courage. Perhaps it was the delicate fingers tucking back strands of hair, the pink hue her cheeks had adopted, the small tongue that poked out to moisten her lips, the sparkle in her viridian eyes that scanned the surroundings in wonder or the curve of her lips that formed into what he coveted the most; but he leaned in closely and brushed his lips against hers in a move so gentle and evanescent that he wasn’t quite sure it ever happened to begin with.
“Sasuke…”
Her voice had given him his second wind of courage. He tried it once, twice and thrice more before she gave in completely to his silent request.
Sakura’s fingers held onto the strings of his jacket. They squeezed it tightly until they glided softly downwards as the moment ended. Her eyes briefly locked with his until the shyness took over. In order to hide her blushing face, she buried herself in his embrace.
The cold weather was not behind their current color alteration, nor his heavy breathing.
“I want to see the gallery next.”
“Okay.”
He returned her smile with one of his own and wrapped his fingers around hers as they walked hand in hand into the establishment.
It was not even four months until the two shared more intimate moments together. One tease became two, one hug became three, one kiss became many and the days when the two would sit on a bench and stare into the night sky with nothing but the cold wind to encompass them became a regular occurrence.
Her head nestled comfortably under his chin. She sighed with content at the warmth his strong embrace granted her. The calm feeling that she invoked within him had him return the sigh with a lazy smile. His eyes shut momentarily to absorb the moment and imprint it in his memory-the smell of her shampoo, the soft caress of her fingers as they played with his bangs, the lovely humming sounds of her voice as it lulled him into a deep trance. He wanted this to be forever.
“Someone’s sleepy.”
“I’m just resting my eyes.”
Despite not seeing, he smiled at the soft eyes he knew were hiding behind the curtain. He leaned in to her lips when they tickled the skin of his temple.
“Come on, you. Let’s go.”
But it was on the fifth month, when he realized…
“Okay, the car’s almost ready to go. We just have a minor painting job to finish but I should get it done this weekend. She’ll be ready to drive by Monday.”
…it would all be over soon.
He stood silent behind the bumper. The car was in excellent condition. It was difficult to tell where his brother had worked on it or even what parts had been damaged had it not been for his prior knowledge. The exhaust pipe was completely straight; the bumper was placed back correctly; the car’s smashed backside was completely revamped. Everything was perfect.
“Is there something you care to tell me?”
“No.”
“I figured you would be more excited than this. The car is fixed and you’ve almost got it all paid for. Two weeks left of work is all you have left, correct?”
“Ah.”
Itachi sighed when his brother remained motionless.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“I know you better than that.”
“It’s just…I…”
“Oh wow!”
The two turned to the new presence in the room.
Sakura ran up to her precious baby. She circled the car around and proceeded to hug it tightly when she was assured that the vehicle was indeed hers and not an illusion concocted by her imagination.
“You’re amazing, Itachi! This looks brand new!”
“Well, I do take pride in my work.”
She giggled and could barely contain the excitement before running up to hug Sasuke.
“Isn’t this great? I can start driving again!” She squeezed him tightly in happiness.
“Yeah, it’s…” he cleared his throat. “…it’s great.”
“The first thing I’m going to do is call the girls up and schedule a trip. I’ve missed driving and I can’t wait to make a visit down to the harbor. Or we could even plan an extended trip on the weekends to the beach!”
“That sounds…exciting.”
She tiptoed and kissed his nose lightly. “Oh, come on. You should be excited. After all, this means you can quit your job soon and you no longer have to drive me around everywhere.”
His eyes dropped to the floor but the action was overlooked by Sakura.
“Can I have the keys?”
They were snatched out of Itachi’s hands before he even extended the item to her. She ran to the front seat and squealed more as soon as the engine was started.
“I’m going to take a quick drive around. Sasuke, you coming with me?”
“No, I think I’m going to go home and get some homework done.”
She shrugged off the rejection. “Suit yourself. I’m going to go pick up Hinata and Ino so we can go shopping. I’ll call you later, okay?”
His okay was barely heard over the engine and her hasty retreat.
“I see.”
“You see what?”
His brother placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “This won’t change anything, Sasuke. She won’t leave you.”
“I know. It’s silly to worry about something so trivial but…but what if she really won’t need me anymore?”
Itachi ruffled his spiky hair before going back to work on his next project. “It changes nothing.”
But things were not quite the same as before.
There was no girl in a black cardigan waiting by the boutique to be picked up. There was no Sakura calling him in between his classes to ask for a quick ride for an errand or project. And he sighed looking at his text message when he offered to drive her to the art exhibit only to be rejected with a reply of how she had already scheduled to drive herself with her friends.
Their dates had not disappeared entirely. They still met to eat and have fun. But more often than not, they would drive separately and Sakura always managed to bring entourage. And when his best friend discovered there would be more girls, he invited the rest of the guys as well. It was hardly a romantic setting for the two.
It wasn’t as if he had to be alone with her every day of the week. She had her own life too and given that she now had her precious vehicle back, the excitement of regained independence would not die anytime soon. And he had other things to preoccupy his time as well including his own social clique. But on nights when he walked about the park with baggage dangling loudly off him, he missed the intimate moments they shared in amicable silence.
“Sasuke?”
Her hands slipped into his sleeve and she rubbed her head against his chest to calm his nerves from the loud mess that was his best friend hitting on the girls in the group.
“It’s nothing.”
She grabbed his hands and swung them playfully. “You’ve been acting a little weird lately.”
“I just haven’t been feeling well is all.”
“Are you sick? Do you want me to come by your place and bring you some soup?”
“No, I’ll be alright.”
He ignored her playful advances, opting instead to linger behind the group with her hand entwined with his. But this silence was not like the other silent moments they shared, and he knew it made her worry. He wished he had the courage to tell her how he felt, to tell her that he wanted to be the one to take her to the market, to hold her bags for her as she shopped, to turn down her suggestion for a piece of music, to steal dumplings from her bowl. But he knew it was selfish of him to ask for more control of her life, and so he remained silent through it all despite her attempts to repair whatever rift had crawled between them.
His brother was wrong. It had changed everything.
It had been weeks since he quit his job, but he continued to take drives down the old path in reminiscence of the times he had taken Sakura to any place she desired. He passed by the same shops he once did, watching the people walk about in a hurry to the next bus stop or store to continue their daily activities. How he treasured those days.
But one cold, rainy afternoon, he turned on the same street, and switched over to the same lane. And there she was seeking shelter from the rain, leaning casually against the window of the boutique in that same black cardigan and with that same contagious smile.
“And what would you be doing out on a rainy day such as this?”
“My car has a broken belt and flat battery.” She pouted cutely and offered a mock shy glance from the cover of her hat.
His eyes softened considerably.
“I’m waiting for my dad to fix it.”
His lips curved slowly into a small smile.
“So…can I have a ride?”
Things wouldn’t change at all.
“Ah. Hop in.”
“Thanks!”
Her smile wouldn’t change at all.