The Mission: The Hotel

Chapter 14

He scratched the back of his head as silence falled upon them. Sakura looked at him as he stood there with his back faced towards her. Her eyes then drifted to the article from earlier.

She picked it up from the table, looking at it as she spoke.

"You brung this with you?"
"Yeah, I needed some research on that guy."

Sakura opened the packet, and flipped pages, running into a picture of a golden ring with five diamonds circling at around the center of the ring.

"The golden ring has become a symbol of the Nowaki Group and its ideals. Each diamond on the ring has its own meaning, including the central diamond which has special significance; the Kissing Diamond. But the ring worn by Mr. Nowaki has the count of four diamonds, and he refuses to change it for a new ring, saying 'This ring was my first ring ever as a symbol of the Nowaki Group that I created. Even if it is missing one diamond, it's still better than one with five."

Sakura then raised her head to look at Sasuke.
"Did you read this?"
"Hn"

Sakura then looked back at the article, before putting it on the table and standing up to stretch. She sighed, before Sasuke grabbed her attention by taking the article.

"We should report this to Saruki, and show the article."
He said, walking over to the front door to slip into his shoes. Sakura rushed over as well, following him.

They walked down the hallway in silence. Sakura took a quick glance at Sasuke, who just apathetically looked straight ahead down the hallway. Sakura then glanced at his hand, that was beside him as he walked.

She moved her hand closer, and their knuckles touched. Sasuke had no reaction, but he did have a reaction when she slipped her hand into his.

His eyes widened and his shoulders tensed. Glancing at Sakura, all he earned was just a smile. Sasuke awkwardly looked back ahead, shoulders still tensed and his fingers hesitating before hugging her hand as well.

They soon arrived at Sarukis office, and Sakura then pulled her hand away, causing Sasuke to look at her. She smiled at him and then knocked on the door, causing Saruki to say "come in!".

Sasuke then regained composure, and they both entered the office. As sasuke set the article on her desk, Sakura smiled at Saruki.

"That's the article that we found about Mr. Nowaki. It has some information about the ring and we wanted to let you know."

Saruki just stared at the article, flicked her eyes at the both of them, before snatching the article and scanning it.

"Mm. Interesting. Thank you for letting me know."
Saruki said, setting the article down and knitting her fingers.

Sasuke then began to speak.
"I'm done playing the little role as your boyfriend."

Saruki and Sakura both looked at him, and Saruki narrowed her eyes into slits.
"And why is that?"
"It's stupid. I'm not doing it anymore. Sakuras my wife."

Sakura could feel her cheeks heat up immediately as she heard that, but Sasuke just earned a rolling of the eye from Saruki.

"I don't care, the deal will go right anyway."
She said, standing up confidently.

"I suppose we're not having any meetings with that freak, Nowaki huh?"
Sasuke asked, earning a shake of the head from Saruki.

"No. And the information about Nowaki and the four diamonded ring he wears? It doesn't matter and it's not important."

Sasuke turned away, snatching Sakuras hand which caused her to jump.

"Whatever."
Sasuke said as a final message before exiting the office with Sakura. He continued to hold her hand in the elevator, down the elevator, and then out the elevator, before he pulled away.

Sakura smiled at Sasuke, who just seriously looked at her.
"Well, what are we going to do now?"
"What do you want to do?"

A shrug.
"Maybe go for a walk?"
Sasuke considered her request for a moment, before he nodded, walking out of the hotel.

They began to walk down the village, taking in scenes of people walking and chatting and purchasing items off of stands and stores. Sasuke narrowed his eyes when men stared at Sakura.

He even noticed some of them looking at her hand and then smirking at their friends and stuff, it gave Sasuke an annoying tingle to his nerve.

He looked at her hand, wondering what drew their eyes to it. And he thought that maybe it wasn't the hand, but the item that's not on her hand.

A marriage ring.

It annoyed him to think that those men begin to smirk when seeing no marriage ring on her hand. But he's a little glad that the men stop smirking when seeing him beside her.

But it wasn't enough. 

"Sakura."

Sakura looked at Sasuke, who seemed to have a determined look on his face.

"Yes Sasuke-Kun?"
"Go back to the hotel."
"Why?"
"Just go. I'll catch up in a bit."
"But what am I supposed to-"
"Just spend some time with that new friend of yours. Think of it as a break from the mission."

Sakura was speechless as she saw Sasuke immediately dismissing her as he walked away. Sakura frowned, feeling a mix of confusion, curiosity, and a little pain. It was just so unexpected.

She walked back to the hotel, wondering what made Sasuke split ways with her. She entered the hotel and smiled at Neko, who she met right there when Neko was cleaning the windows of the lobby. Oh well, it wouldn't hurt to hang out with another girl while waiting, now would it?

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Sasuke rushed down the village, going as fast as he can so he can arrive somewhere where he thought he was never going to go during a mission. A specific....apartment. Not just any apartment. An apartment that Sasuke knows well because of the person who lives in it.

Rapid knocking. Door swings open. And black obsidian eyes meet with sky blue eyes.

"Sasuke-Teme?"

Naruto, that one knucklehead.