Stripping.

She wasn't really going to tip-toe around the word. She had decorated her profession with sophistication for most of her life now. Her mother and father had still grimaced when they heard the words 'exotic dancing' and her friends had just told her to spit it out, already aware their pink-haired friend had been sugar-coating whatever she was trying to say.

But Sakura would sugar-coat no more.

"Where do you want me to uh—" her blonde friend had been dangling a leather two-piece from her fingers "This"

Sakura smiled softly as her eyes traced over the worn out leather, what was once a dim midnight-black was now a faded dark-brown, it had been one of her first outfits she had purchased after she had turned 21.

Matter of fact, Sakura knew all her outfits by heart, remembered every single one and when and where she had worn them, then again she had only circulated around a handful of pubs in her lifetime.

"Just put it in the closet with everything else" she hummed, returning her attention back to the pile of other clothes she had been folding. If there was one thing the girl had enough of, it was clothes.

"Kind of cold in here" she heard her friend mumble and Sakura immediately knew that her blonde friend would complain about the temperature until it was fixed. With a sigh and an eyeroll Sakura pranced herself to the open window, shivering herself as she felt a breeze brush against her face.

Konoha was cold, too cold.

But that's what she deserved for moving in during the winter. Ino had warned her that the winters would be harsh and the summers harsher, and Sakura had believed her, but she had no idea how true that statement was until she pulled up at her new apartment.

It was an old nifty building, nothing too ancient but nothing too modern either, a narrow crooked path had led all its visitors to two glass double doors and the lobby wasn't anything to write home about either.

Sakura wasn't dirt poor but she wasn't filthy rich either, a studio would have to do for now. The first thing she had noticed were the paint chips around the kitchen, it seems as if someone tried to cover the once red walls with white and they just did a really shitty job at it.

Ino had pointed out the dishwasher, something the girl didn't have back in her hometown, Sakura jumped for joy at the machine, she hated doing dishes. The rest of the kitchen was standard, an average fridge, stove and a few sets of white cupboards and cabinets to match the walls.

The apartment had been empty of course, so it looked spacious at first glance but she knew once she filled the space with all her belongings the room would begin to shrink, Sakura didn't mind, she was living alone, there was no need for so much space in the first place.

With a gentle push, the glass panes shut with a soft thud and suddenly the place had fallen quiet. What was once filled with the sound of car horns and dull murmurs had become a hushed realm, with the exception of cardboard slapping and coat-hangers rattling.

"You sure the club is legit?"

"Yes Ino I've told you many times"

Sakura was appreciative of her blonde friend questioning her whereabouts, she was only concerned for her of course and her profession didn't make her safety any more assured, but damn she had been doing this for 3 years now she wouldn't just move to a new city and start stripping without doing her research?

"I'm just worried" Ino sighed before dropping the fabric in her hands "This is new for you, it's overwhelming"

She was right, it was extremely different for the girl. She was used to her rural community just south of the capital, a small town, old but nice, with cute little restaurants and primeval houses, she had called it her this would be her new home now, tall buildings and the smell of smoke, music to her now would no longer be the birds chirping and the leaves rattling during the fall, it would be the sound of cars passing by and the ring of store doors.

She had enjoyed it for the first 10 minutes but now it was just giving her a headache.

"I know Ino" she scooted closer to her friend before resting her head on her lap "I just have to get used to it is all, it's going to take time"

"I just wish you'd stay" she felt fingers thread through her pink locks "The bars back home weren't so bad you know?"

"Ino, half the guys there were like 60 and the stage wasn't even a stage it was like a wooden board" she scoffed "This is good for me, a big city, a nice club, I can make good money here really"

Although the potential of higher income had definitely been a pro, there were other factors that had caught the girls attention.

For starters, the club was a definitive upgrade from her lousy bars back home, this place was modern and fancy, a beautiful stage decorated with neon lights and strobes and the dancers were nothing like she'd seen before, they were gorgeous, almost too perfect to be human. Sakura had glanced down at her chest before mentally cursing herself for not winning the genetic lottery, but she had made it work before she'd have to make it work again.

"When do you start?"

"Tomorrow night" she clicked her tongue "I still don't know what to wear, I was thinking of going all out but they might think I'm trying to hard"

"Isn't that the whole point?" the blonde looked down and furrowed her eyes "The more you go all out the more money you make"

"I guess that's true"

"I'm going to miss you"

Sakura felt a tug at her chest, Ino was never really the type to hand out affection so easily, in fact the two best-friends had hated each other at one point, the pinkette and blonde had even promised to fight each other in the 9thgrade, Sakura knew she'd win, Ino thinks otherwise.

But now they were closer than they could ever be, Ino was obnoxious but dependable and she wouldn't lie, she'd miss her as well, maybe even more.

"We'll still call and I promise I'll visit" she blinked up "only if you visit me"

"Maybe in the Spring, don't place your bets for the rest of the season"

Ino hated the winter, she says it's because she gets frostbite easily Sakura thinks it's because she can't wear her slutty outfits anymore.

"We should probably continue organizing shit, you and your stupid endless wardrobe"

A quick glance told Sakura there would be no way they'd finish unpacking all 25 boxes, there were clothes almost everywhere, the floor had become barely visible. She turned to her wrist 7:20, it was getting late, and Ino had a bus to catch at 7:45.

"You need to go soon, the walk to the bus station is pretty long"

"Oh" Ino glanced at her own wrist "I hadn't even noticed, time flies in the city"

"It does" Sakura removed herself from her friends lap and stood up "Thank you for coming with me Ino I really—" She was cut off as she felt two arms wrap around her and Sakura could only return the hug tighter "Don't do anything stupid" she heard her friend mumble in her shoulder and Sakura couldn't help the tear that had escaped her eye.

"No promises" she wiped her cheeks quickly before stepping back "I'll walk you there let me just get my coat"

"Ugh we have to go out in the cold again" her friend complained as she slouched on her winter jacket "You're really going to freeze this season you know"

If there was one thing Sakura wasn't going to miss it was her friends repetitive whining, but just for today, she'd smile and nod.

Everything was either too bright, too tight or too old.

Sakura frowned as she ran her hands down her sides.

The dark purple spandex had been a noticeable contrast against her pale porcelain skin, the straps against her stomach had been a tad too tight but nothing she couldn't ignore, and this had been the only top that had fit against her chest snuggly but not to the point it was uncomfortable.

The makeup was there but not too heavy, Sakura had learned from her fellow dancers that less was also more, she had spent her earlier years caking on whatever she could find at the drugstore and she'd return home looking like a 5 year old's finger painting. A little eyeshadow and some dark lipstick always did the trick.

Bright pink locks grazed against her shoulders, she really should've opted out to cut what were once long luscious strands, but it was necessary, dancing was a taxing sport, and Sakura would not spend another night trying to wash off the grime and sweat from her scalp, shorter hair was manageable.

Unlike her endless apparel, Sakura didn't care too much for shoes, they were almost negligible on stage and as long as they were tall and comfortable they would have to do.

She pulled out a pair of black stilettos from a box that had been scattered amongst many, they were her favorite pair by far, sure she had stumbled and fell in them more times than she could count but they had been one of the only shoes that had spared her from blisters and cuts.

The heels were slipped on gracefully and soon enough what was once a 5'4 girl had been towering with an extra 5 inches of help. Sakura couldn't help but give herself a 360, admiring her toned, slim legs before jutting her chin out at the lack of flesh on her chest, it was an insecurity she had to deal with when she realized she would stay a C for the rest of her life.

She finally averted her eyes from the mirror to scan her room, messy was an understatement, but she had just moved in, her expectations for organization and order were rather low, she had things to do, money to make and an ass to shake.

A warm sigh escaped her lips as she felt the warm embrace of her cashmere coat, a gift from her mother, unlike her father, Mebuki had warmed up to the idea of her daughters profession. A surprised look on Sakura's face when her mother handed her the designer coat before telling her "I hear it's cold out there dear and you prancing around in those skimpy outfits won't be any good"

She'd have to remember to call her mother in the morning, but for now it was time to see what Konoha really had to offer her.

Green, Blue, Pink, Yellow

The strobes danced around her body in a repetitive fashion and Sakura knew the more she'd stare the faster she'd fall into a stroke, they were blinding to say the least.

The stage had been center, just like the website had shown, and there were already 2 dancers wrapped around the polls, swaying their hips to what seems to be some type of pop music. The place was crowded but not packed, it was expected it was a Monday night of course, girls dancing around in practically nothing seemed appealing but a long afternoon nap in front of the TV was an offer even the straightest-hot blooded male couldn't pass up.

The club was hypnotizing, something Sakura had never really experienced before, hell, she felt like she was here to enjoy, almost forgetting she had a job to do.

She fished in her pocket for her phone and scrolled down her e-mails before narrowing her eyes at the name.

Jiraya

How the hell was she supposed to find this Jiraya man? Sure she could see some features of the place when the lights hit certain corners but other than that it was pitch black, the only constant light had been above the bar.

A wide counter filled with bottles and glasses, if Sakura hadn't known better she'd confirm that she had already seen 40 types of alcohol sitting on the counter alone, the shelf behind the table was a different story.

I guess that's where she should start, surely enough the bartender would point her to the right direction, she clacked her heels towards the large counter and stepped back when she noticed the bartender had been busy arranging what seems to be a new carton of bottles on the shelf behind him.

She couldn't help but notice the toned back she was met with, he was wearing a white shirt, sleeves rolled up from what she could tell and his hair was short but not pixie, long enough to curl slightly behind his ears.

Sakura almost yelped when he snapped his head back, she was immediately met with a set of piercing eyes, the orbs matching the jet black hair she had just noticed seconds ago. A chiseled nose to complement an equally chiseled jaw. The man had been a collage of sharp striking features. He was handsome, a little too handsome to be a bartender.

"Oh—" she cleared her throat "Do you know where Jiraya is?" she had almost completely forgotten why she had approached in the first place.

Sakura widened her eyes as she saw the man crane his neck back to the crate and resume his previous duties, she had hoped it was because he hadn't heard her correctly, the music was rather loud, almost booming.

"Excuse me" she spoke up louder this time, she was certain the man had heard her now, even the customers two seats away from her had turned their heads, but her target didn't even bother to peer up at her.

Sakura furrowed her brows, what a waste that the attractive vessel didn't match the core. He was ignoring her deliberately and if it weren't for her mother teaching her any better she'd hop across that counter and give the man a piece of his mind.

"It's quite rude to ignore inquiries" she crossed her arms and leaned in "You're a bartender right? It's not quite like a bartender to act so cold"

The girl almost gasped when she caught a glimpse of the man rolling his eyes at her, he stood up to only push the crate with his foot before turning his back to associate himself with the bottles once again.

Was he trying to get under her skin?

Persistence was Sakura's worst enemy but at the same time her most reliable trait, once she met Jiraya she'd tell him about her negative encounter with his employee and it would only be right to have a word with him, customer service was a must at establishments that offered entertainment, this stand-offish attitude would do nothing but push customers away.

"Asshole" Sakura mumbled as she rested her chin on her palm, she glanced to her right and saw two black doors hidden near the restroom.

Employees Only

Technically, she was an employee, but she had yet to be registered into the system and by the looks of it the security was tight, it would be too risky to prance in there, she could even risk losing her job if she slipped up.

Her thoughts were wiped away by a clashing of glass, she blinked down to see a small shot glass filled with something that seemed like vodka.

"Smirnoff"

She snapped her head forward and she was met with his full frontal, a glass in one hand and a small rag in the other. By the looks of it, he had given her the drink for God knows why. She hadn't asked for a damndrink she had asked for Jirayra.

"To ease that tight ass of yours"

A quick blush crept onto her cheeks and soon enough the girl was fuming in her seat, tight ass? Did asking for basic human decency make her a tight ass? Who did this man think he was talking to her in such a manner, she'd definitely have a talk with Jiraya about— a name, she needed a fuckingname.

"What's your name" she asked curtly, pushing the shot glass away from her. For all she knows he could've spiked the damn drink, she wasn't taking any chances.

But it seemed like the bartender wasn't interested in Sakura's little investigation, his attention had been occupied with cleaning the glass in his hand and that only infuriated the girl farther.

"I asked you a question" she pressed her palms against the table "Deaf?"

No answer, it was as if she wasn't even there, her presence was nonexistent to him and Sakura could feel her body heat up, she quickly rid herself of her coat, letting it fall against the head of the seat before leaning in closer "Hey asshole" she hissed and this time she was met with somewhat of a undecodable reaction.

She noticed his eyes dart to specific locations, face, chest, stomach but they ended back on that damn glass "Dancer?"

Sakura didn't know what his deal was, he was talking to her as if he hadn't been hearing what she was saying for the past few minutes, nonetheless she answered coyly "I am, but I need to know where Jiraya is if you could just tell me that would be perfect"

"He's here"

"I know that much, but how can I meet him, I'm new and I need to start tonight" she sighed tiredly before falling back into her seat.

"Well you won't be able to meet him like that" he set the glass on the counter before turning back to face the annoyed girl.

"Like what?"

"With that stick up your ass" his lips curled into a small smirk and Sakura swore she would knock the guys teeth out, but then she realized the man was only trying to get under her skin.

"You're the one with the stick in your ass, ignoring people, dismissing my presence, and not to mention—" she was cut off by a curt reply "Look I don't know where he is right now, he could be in the back, in the crowd, behind this counter, he doesn't really stay in one place so I suggest you sit tight for a while"

Their eyes met for a brief moment and Sakura felt something in her stomach stir, he was an asshole alright but there was something about him that made the girl want to lock all her doors and pull her blanket over her head, he was intimidating and cold, something she had never witnessed in any of the bartenders she's come in contact with.

She began to ponder how the hell this man was even hired, was this Jiraya fellow that desperate? It's either that or the man in front of her made killer mixes, but judging from the vodka concoction he had presented earlier, it seemed he was rather average.

"Okay"

The man turned his back to her once again and Sakura slouched in her seat. She would be disappointed if she was unable to meet the manager today, it took effort looking this good, 2 hours of dealing with insecurities and makeup failures for nothing?

Her eyes glanced around the bar, immediately she met a man's gaze, he was probably in his late thirties, nothing too handsome but she would dance for him if he paid right.

He must have noticed their staring contest because he had no problem sliding over 2 seats to accompany her, when he spoke his mouth wreaked of whiskey and rum and Sakura had to hold her nose for the first few seconds.

"Hello gorgeous" he flashed a smile and Sakura returned it, she was a polite girl and the man didn't seem like trouble.

"I haven't seen you around here" he rubbed his chin "You stand out quite a lot" she noticed his eyes linger onto her hair.

"Yeah I'm quite different aren't I?" she shifted in her seat.

Sakura was used to male attention, she was a stripper after all. But this was a new city, different environment and different people and she had soon learned men from the city were a lot more bold and blunt than men from her hometown.

"You definitely are but different is good" he chuckled "You seem like a lovely young girl"

"You're flattering me really"

"No it's true" he reached to tuck a lock behind her ear and on instinct Sakura instantly flinched, this man was ballsy, and she didn't quite know if she liked it or not.

"My My" he took his eyes off her face and scanned her body "That outfit is something ain't it?"

Sakura could only offer a small smile, this man was definitely a sleaze, she should have known from his half-hearted compliments he was only looking for a quickie, she hated men like him, unwilling to pay but aggressive to have their hands all over the dancers.

"Are you a dancer?"

"I uh—" she shifted her eyes to her lap "Yea—" she was cut off with a familiar clinking sound and soon enough another glass had appeared on the counter, this time in front of the sleaze ball next to her

"She's not, here's your drink"

Her eyes flew to the snarky bartender and almost on queue the man next to her had returned back to his original seat after a few grumbles and murmurs.

"Here's a tip, never tell men like him you're a dancer unless you want to be manhandled all night" the raven-haired man pressed his palms against the table before stepping back to situate himself with another task behind the counter.

He was right, she had dodged a bullet, telling men like him she was a dancer would mean nothing but trouble for the rest of the night. She had made the same mistake during her earlier days and she had almost been followed to her house at one point, it was safe to just play it cool and save it all for the dance floor, the club was always lurking with creeps.

Her eyes fell back to the man behind the counter, a dick was an understatement when it came to descriptions, he was coy, ignorant and it seemed like he gave less than two shits about her or any other customer in the vicinity but she must admit he got her out of a situation.

"Thanks whoever you are" she grumbled before studying the glass he had placed in front of her previously.

Vodka wasn't really her best friend, it gave her nothing but bad decisions and awful hangovers but it was rather rude to decline a free drink, and one shot wasn't going to hurt.

She winced as she felt the sour liquid seep down her throat, the unfamiliar sting assaulted her tongue and she quickly slammed the glass back down on the counter promising herself she would never down another shot of liquor again.

"Sasuke"

"Hn?" she peered over the counter at the man, it seemed like he had a habit of just speaking without context, it was rather confusing and irritating.

"My name is Sasuke"