a/n : Sincerely apologize about my error disclaimer before. Thanks for remind me Miss Neko Hime :)

Disclaimer : Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto

Italic-bold = Flashback ; Italic = thoughts

Chapter 2

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"Ne, aniki. Why would you want to be hell-paired with this monster? See, her cooking is bad." A ten years old Sasuke Uchiha was playing with meatballs on his plate. The girl with the same age as him and the one who cooks it immediately turned red with annoyance.

"You don't have to eat it then. No one forced you anyway. I made it for Ita-nii. Not for you!" Itachi saw Sasuke and Sakura started their usual fight again in front of him. It isn't a secret anymore that Sasuke and Sakura always wanted to kill each other when they meet.

"Seriously aniki, I hope your life would be fine after getting married with her." Sasuke stared at Itachi with pity in his eyes. Itachi just chuckled to see it. Sakura pulled Sasuke's collar and glared at him. "Just so you know, Sasuke-kun. In the end, I will be your sister-in-law. So, a little respect here would be nice!"

See, I told you. What a monster!

Sasuke released himself from Sakura's grip. "Who wants you as sister, huh? Me? Thanks, but I don't want that."

"Otouto, stop teasing Sakura-chan!"

"Aniki?!"

Sakura saw Itachi with dismay. "Ita-nii, is it really that bad?" Itachi idle for some time while chewing his food. "Hm, maybe you put too much salt in it. But Sakura-chan is better than yesterday. Isn't that good?" Itachi smiled as he stroked her head which made Sakura smile happily.

"Tch." Sasuke stood up immediately and left them. Without the boy's knowing, a smile on her face vanished when she saw Sasuke's gone.

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"Sakura-chan, what's wrong?" Sakura snapped from her dream when she heard Mikoto's soft voice. The girl was helping her soon to be mother-in-law to prepare dinner. Sakura smiled at her. "I'm fine, Mikoto-san."

"Are you sure? You seemed sad since you got back from school." Mikoto put a hand on her cheek, remembering that Sakura's face not as bright as usual. "Did Sasuke do something that offend you?"

Sakura couldn't dodge the questions. The mother of two adorable Uchiha boys could always make anyone talk to her without being pushy. "Mikoto-san, do you think Sasuke-kun hate me?" She asked weakly. "I mean, since childhood we never got along. He flatly refused when he knew I was going to be his sister-in-law back then. But now, when I turn out to be his, he looks very ... Sasuke-kun looks very ..."

"What is it, honey?"

"Cold." Sakura felt that Sasuke's looks towards her is colder than usual. At first, he would look at her with disgust. He always made a joke about her and his brother. But now, she didn't even know what he was thinking. Sakura is better with arrogant and pompous Sasuke than the cold one.

"Maybe Sasuke is still in the process to understand all of this. Itachi is a gay and retreat from marriage, as well as you suddenly become his future wife. Sasuke never hate you, honey. I knew it from the beginning." Mikoto gives her best smile towards Sakura who looks surprise.

"I-is it true?"

"Of course. My baby Sasuke would never do that. He's just too sweet for that." Sakura smiled a little when she heard Mikoto still addressed her youngest son as a baby. Sasuke is very close to his mother even slightly impressed spoiled. However, Mikoto is Sasuke's idol in his life – even he got hostile to his father when he knew that Fugaku forgot his wedding anniversary and made Mikoto cried.

"Sakura-chan, why don't you call Sasuke? Dinner is almost ready." Sakura nodded firmly and immediately leaving Mikoto who just laughed at her behaviour.

What a complicated young love!

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"Sasuke-kun, may I come in?" Sakura knocked at his door but didn't get an answer. She tried again a few times before finally deciding to get in.

The room occupied by Sasuke is no counterpart with the room Sakura destroyed some time ago. This room looks smaller. But the smell and atmosphere that radiates from this room really typical of Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura finds him asleep on his king-sized bed. He seemed very calm and relaxed despite holding the phone in his hand. His handsome face doesn't look cold at all. It's cute. Right next to him lay a book – a sort of blue sketch book – and a pencil.

Sakura took the sketch book and pencil and put it on the table beside the bed before sitting next to him. She looked at his face and tried to suppress her desire to touch his white creamy cheek and kissed his lips that slightly parted.

Ugh Sakura, what are you thinking? He doesn't have the same feeling like you.

Carefully, Sakura took the phone in Sasuke's hand and put it on the table too. She can feel her cheeks begin to blush as a large and delicate hand actually gripped hers now. "Um, Sasuke-kun. Wake up ... Sasuke-kun!"

"Hnggh, five more minutes mom ..." Sasuke changed his position when he heard a woman's voice woke him. Her voice sounded different. Sakura chuckled at Sasuke's sleepy face. Sure it was a treasure when she saw Sasuke acting like a five years old child.

"No, Sasuke-kun. You should wake up now." Wait, this isn't his mother's voice. Like awakening from a nightmare, Sasuke jumped up and looked at the woman with a sincere smile in front of him.

"What are you doing here?" asked Sasuke.

"Waking you up. Dinner is ready."

"Oh."

"So, um ..." Sakura's lowering her eyes uncomfortable. Sasuke followed her gaze and saw his hand clutching hers. He quickly let go of his grip. They sat in silent trying to ignore each other.

Sakura who feel less comfortable with this situation racked her brains trying to find the idea for conversation. She wished she could carry on a conversation with Sasuke. But somehow it is always hard to talk to him. Either because she was too nervous or Sasuke who are never happy with her presence.

"I never know you like to sketch." Sakura already grabbed a sketchbook which she had put on the table before Sasuke stop her fast. "You're not allowed to see it!" Sasuke said with a sharp tone.

"Eh, why?" Sakura looked at him with a frown. She really wanted to know anything about Sasuke, but he always banned her.

"Um ... my drawing is ugly?" said Sasuke, but Sakura laughed at him. The girl pulled out Sasuke's sketch book with all of her power that makes Sasuke surprised and removed his hand. "HEY!"

"Come on, since when there is something you can't do, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura chirped cheerfully. Instead flattered by her comment, Sasuke just looked at her with horror. Little by little she opened the sketch book. As if struck by something, Sakura stopped and stared long enough at Sasuke. She narrowed her eyes curiously.

"Wait, why am I not allowed to see it again?"

"Hn, because I said so. That's my privacy. So give it back now, you crazy girl!" He was ready to seize the book away from her, but she was quick. Sakura stopped him and pointed her finger on his sketch book. "Is it because you draw your dream girl and didn't want me to see your secret?"

Bingo!

Sasuke cleared his throat. He could not even think a reason to lie now. Sakura could feel her heart was heavy when he saw a little blush appeared on Sasuke's face. "So it's true. Who is it? Do I know her?" She asked softly.

Sasuke saw Sakura looked down at the book in her hands. He tried to take it again but Sakura just keep the book out of his reach. "It's none of your bussiness. Come on, Sakura. Give that damn book back to me, now!"

"NO!"

"Tch, have you ever heard that people's privacy is very important?" growled Sasuke. Now he was angry with the girl.

"I know. But I'm going to be your wife. Don't you think that I have the right to know about the girl in this book?" She can't hold her tears anymore. Sasuke was surprised to see Sakura crying in front of him. He didn't know what to do at this time. Sure, Sasuke usually is the one who makes her angry and cry. But he never tried to stop the tears. It was Itachi's job. But now? Was it his job now?

Sakura stood immediately, tired of seeing Sasuke who did nothing. She threw the book back to Sasuke who caught it instantly. "Fine, I don't care. After all you never let me in to your life."

"What do you mean?" asked Sasuke as he stood up after securing his precious book.

"I wish I could know you. But you always made me angry and cry. You're always trying to get rid of me. Who are you? I never knew, Sasuke-kun. Even when I was your brother's fiance, I wish I could be your friend. And I always wanted to be part of your life. But ..." Sakura did not continue her words. She turned around and prepared to step out of the room. "I wish that Itachi never cancel his engangement. Maybe I could be happy with him now."

As if stung by lightning, Sasuke growled in annoyance. "If you wanted Itachi so bad, why don't you call him now. Why didn't threaten him or hit him or anything you can do with your stupid power and bring him back here. I know this marriage is stupid and I hate how people look at me as a substitute for that gay bastard. If you were not able to drag him over here, let me do it. That way I can be free. From this marriage and from YOU!"

Before Sakura can't control her anger again, she opened the door and slammed it in front of Sasuke. She hated him. She wonders if he has a heart inside his body. And for the first time in her life, Sakura is regretting her feelings for Sasuke.

Sasuke sat back on his bed and grabbed his sketch book. He stared at it for a moment before tearing all of the pages apart into small pieces. No one in this world knows about him. Does his mother, his father, his Itachi, or Sakura know that he put all of his heart in this book? Of course not.

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"Itachi, was it yours? I found it at the dinner table." Itachi who was watching TV looked toward his mother. Mikoto showed something in her hand – or rather a sketch book – to him. Itachi looked at it long enough, but he never remembered had a sketch book. He never draw anyhthing after all. But before he replied, his mother was screaming in delight.

"I don't know that you're such a sweety. Your sketch is amazing, honey. And I can't believe that you drew all of Sakura's expression in it. It's romantic. Maybe you should show it to her someday." Mikoto thrusting the book into Itachi's hand. The young man tried to open his mouth yet again Mikoto cut him quickly. "Keep it well, dear. Don't left it behind again. Okay?" With that Mikoto walked away.

Itachi stared at the blue sketch book in his hand. This book had all of Sakura's expression in it? Itachi almost opened the book before he heard the loud footstep that little hasty. "Aniki, have you seen my book?" The ten years old Sasuke came suddenly beside him and looked at Itachi and the sketch book in his hand.

"Ah, my book. Thank goodness. Thank you, aniki!" Sasuke instantly grabs the book in his brother's hand before he can say a word. Sasuke moved away but his pace stopped as his eyes grew larger as if remembering something. He narrowed his eyes at Itachi who still looked confused. "Aniki, you didn't open this book, right?"

Just like a robot, Itachi shook his head. He saw Sasuke sighed in relief and once again turned back and running to his room. When he looks at his brother's figure, Itachi finally realized something.

Sasuke's sketchbook ... and Sakura's expression on each page. Could it be?

"Oi, Sasuke." He saw his brother stopped and once again looked at him in wonder. "What is it?"

"I'm going to go to the park with Sakura-chan. She said that she wanted to taste the new ice cream shop near there." Itachi felt like he failed to hold his title as Uchiha's genius. Just today, he realized Sasuke's cheerful face suddenly became gloomy when he heard about the plan. Looks like he understood it a little.

"So? If you want to go with that monster then go. Don't bother to ask me." And Itachi felt the bitterness from his little brother's mouth.

"Oh, I thought you might want to come."

"Ha, no way! My day would be bleak if I spend it with you two." Itachi saw Sasuke's tense shoulder when he turned around and running again to his room. This time without stopping and looking back. And since then everything is clear in Itachi's eyes.

"What an honest boy!"

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TBC

I hope this chapter covers everything.

See you soon, minna :)

-petitewinsy-