Better Than Before (A NARUSASU FANFIC)

CHAPTER 18: Home Sweet Home ⚠️

Sasuke didn't realize when, but he had reached home. There were no lights shining through the windows, so he inferred that his father was yet to come home.

"Home sweet home..."

He whispered to himself sarcastically. He opened the door silently out of habit, and Sasuke softly stepped inside. However, before he could close it...

"Welcome home, Sasuke."

A cold voice greeted him at the entrance, the voice of Uchiha Fugaku.

He looked up and saw the silhouette of his father standing in the middle of the corridor. The only light illuminating the area was that which came from the door behind Sasuke.

His movements stilled as he saw his father standing with folded hands, wearing a sadistic smile. He wasn't expecting him to be at home at this hour.

'I really hope I am just imagining this...'

He desperately wished that it was because if he wasn't, then he was in deep trouble.

"F- Father?"

Sasuke's voice shook. His hands had already started sweating, and he was trembling inside with fear. He still had the doorknob clutched in his hand. If he wanted, he could very well run away and avoid the hell that was about to come. But he didn't move an inch. He couldn't.

He didn't have the courage to disobey his father.

'I can do it! I can run away! Father won't be able to catch up with me. And then... and then what? What am I gonna do? Where am I gonna go? What if he finds me again? He'll kill me for sure... I really can't run away, huh? Oh well...'

*SLAP!

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a sharp pain he felt on his left cheek. Fugaku pulled his hair roughly to make him look his father in the eye. Sasuke's face scrunched due to the pain that spread across his scalp.

"F-Father?"

Sasuke asked again, with tears forming in his eyes. Fugaku leaned closer to his face and stared at the raven boy for a long minute.

"What does that guy even like about you? You're an absolute piece of trash, no matter how I see it..."

Fugaku murmured, more to himself than to Sasuke. Sasuke was confused by the statement and made a grave mistake of asking for the context of it.

"W- What guy, Father?"

"Oh~ I forgot to tell you! Well, you see, there is a girl in your class, green eyes, pink hair. Do you know her?"

Sasuke immediately knew who his father was talking about.

'Sakura? What about her?'

Sasuke nodded in reply as he waited for Fugaku to explain more.

"That girl visited a very famous restaurant today, you know. The name is Ichiraku Ramen. Does the name ring a bell?"

Sasuke's eyes slightly widened at the name, but he remained silent. He somewhat knew where this was going.

'How much does he know? No, wait, how does he even know? Does he know about it all? I have to play it safe.'

"I asked something, Sasuke..."

He spoke with gritted teeth as his grip around Sasuke's hair tightened even further. Sasuke whimpered as the pain kept growing. He quickly answered to avoid any more pain.

"I-I don't know what y-you're talking a-about."

"Oh? You dare lie to my face again?"

Fugaku let go of his hair with a strong jerk that caused Sasuke to nearly fall; however, he managed to balance himself. He still had not let go of the doorknob, keeping the door slightly open.