Six months had passed since the residents of the Azura Inn and their landlord had last seen Sasuke and Ino.
Sakura, seeing that her revenge against both of them was complete, continued her studies at the University of Tokyo under Hitomi's tutelage. In those six months, everyone's lives at the Azura Inn have changed.
Mitsumo had graduated from high school and was currently attending cram school, deciding to attend the University of Tokyo following the Matsushiro training hall becoming a Japanese landmark and national treasure by the Japanese government. Izumi resumed teaching classes in a new training hall, having reached a compromise with his younger brother. Both Kobayashi brothers will become joint owners of the Matsushiro Samurai School. Mitsumo, having taking an interest in law following a school project, decided to pursue a law degree, as well as a second degree in physical education.
Ichiro started his freshman year at Toyo University and made several new friends. He had gotten over his crush on Sakura, having seen her in a new light following the now-infamous birthday incident. The chef of the Azura Inn sees the landlord as a sister, rather than a love interest. Kurama and Alex were both in middle school, with the Mobian prince being one grade ahead of Alex. Kurama continued to make his inventions, but seeing as how Sakura was stuck with the repair bills, used his more-destructive inventions at an unknown location, rather than the Azura Inn.
Koki and Kazuya were now the co-owners of the Azura Cafe, following Naomi's marriage to Hitomi. Koki's first novel was a hit and he also worked as a freelance writer for several newspapers in the area. Surprisingly, the fox had toned down on his drinking and gambling. Speaking of the aformentioned uncle, Naomi Haruno was with his wife on their honeymoon in Mexico, not to mention checking out some old ruins in the forest, reigniting Naomi's passion for archaeology.
Syaoran had returned to Kizashi and resumed his world tourn with his stepfather, letting him know what had happened at the dorm. Kizashi was upset over Sasuke's actions, but applauded Sakura for finally growing a spine and dealing with Sasuke's adultery like a woman, and then some. As for Kazuya, he and Sakura had gotten closer as friends. But the Shikoku native knew that it would only be a matter of time before he would ensnare Sakura.
For most Japanese people, Kabukicho is a well-known entertainment and red-light district in Shinjuku. Home to many hostess bars, host bars, love hotels, shops, restaurants, and nightclubs, it is often called the "Sleepless Town." The district's name comes from the late 1940s plans to build a kabuki theater, and although the theater was never built, the name stuck.
It was also the location where Sasuke Uchiha and Ino Yamanaka were hiding and had been for the past six months.
Sasuke had managed to get a job working at the local bookstore several blocks down from the apartment that he shared with Ino. The manager, Kimihiro Watanuki, was nice enough to give Sasuke the job, even though Sasuke knew he could make more work at one of the restauants or host clubs. But his hand was still recovering from the incident at the University of Tokyo and will still be recovering for a long time.
Ino had managed to get a job working at a business firm under an alias. She had worked hard to the point that her bosses noticed her dedication and promoted her. However, she was to spend a year overseas at their Oceanic office in the South Pacific, leaving Sasuke behind. She did, however, continued to support him by sending him money to pay for the rent and other bills.
Only this time, she didn't send any. This worried Sasuke to no end, and it was that time of the month when Ino's friend - the landlord - was demanding the rent.
It was late when Sasuke returned from his job at the bookstore. Watanuki needed help in closing up, something which Sasuke was nice enough to help out with. After leaving the bookstore, Sasuke returned to the apartment that he shared with Ino.
Sasuke locked the door behind him and walked over to the phone. The answering machine showed that there was a single message. 'Must be from Ino,' Sasuke thought as he pressed play. 'I hope she's sending me the money for the rent.'
[BEEP!]
"Hey, Sasuke. It's me," Ino's voice came from the machine. Sasuke noticed the tone in her voice. He had heard it before, only it came from Sakura on that day she threw him out. "I'm not coming back to Kabukicho. You should have seen this coming. Now I know why Sakura wanted nothing to do with you. I thought it would be cool to date you, but your temper is something else."
'My temper?' Sasuke thought. 'I haven't attacked her. I yelled at her, but I didn't touch her, unless she meant the time I kicked her out the door and out the window. Damn bitch gave me that reflex.'
"I'm not coming back to Japan," Ino continued. "I met someone who doesn't use me as a human punching bag and who loves me for me. I'm sorry about this, Sasuke, but I can't deal with this anymore..."
Sasuke clicked the answering machine off as he slowly digested what had happened.
Ino had abandoned him. Just like the others before.
With a savage yell, Sasuke knocked the phone and answering machine to the ground, with the phone and answering machine shattering on impact. Before he could start tearing the room apart, there was a knock on the door.
"Uchiha?" It's Yuko Ichihara," the landlord said through the door.
Sasuke sighed as he unlocked the door and opened it, allowing the landlord to enter. Yuko was nice enough in allowing him and Ino to stay here, but how would she take it if he told her that Ino wasn't coming back, that she was starting over in Fiji without him?
Yuko looked at the destoryed phone and answering machine. "Ino told you about not coming back?" she asked.
Sasuke looked up. "She told you first, didn't she?" he asked.
Yuko nodded. Were Sasuke was paying any attention, he would have noticed that the look Yuko was giving him wasn't that of phony sympathy - and had something else she had in mind. "I'm here to let you know that if you can't come up with the rent by noon tomorrow, you're gonna have to leave."
"There's no way I can get the rent money in by tomorrow," Sasuke objected. "I need more time."
Yuko shook her head. "Sorry. I'm already pushing my luck in allowing you to stay here. I need the cash." She then paused for a moment. "Unless we come to some sort of arrangement..."
"What kind of arrangement?" Sasuke asked blindly. His expression then changed from worried to disgust as he realized what Yuko meant by 'arrangement.' "No way. Forget it." Now he was yelling. "There is no way I am going to do that to pay for the rent!"
Yuko closed the door behind her. "There is no other way." She looked at what Sasuke was wearing: a white collared shirt underneath a black vest, red tie, black trousers, and a pair of black shoes. He also had his eyeglasses on. "You're a very handsome man, Sasuke. Why you want to work in a bookstore when you could make more work as a host for one of the host bars is beyond me. I can see why Ino was smitten with you."
"Get out of my home!!" Sasuke shouted as he grabbed the nearest item he could get his good hand on, which was a baseball bat. "I will never use my body to pay for the rent, you goddamn pervert!!"
Yuko shrugged her shoulders. "Fine. Have it your way. I'm sure the police would be interested in knowing your whereabouts following the little stunt you pulled six months ago," she said coolly. Off of Sasuke's shocked impression, Yuko grinned. She had him right where she wanted him. "Of course, I know about what had happened at Todai. Ino told me. Now the question is this: are you willing to pay for the rent, or do I call the cops? I can make it very convincing that I won't be arrested for harboring a fugitive. So what do you say, Sasuke?"
Sasuke's shoulders slumped as he slowly removed his eyeglasses and placed them on the counter. He then dropped the bat to the floor and started to unbutton his shirt and tie.
Yuko smiled. She had won. "Good boy."
Meanwhile, back at Kikuicho, a party was going on at the Azura Cafe. The reason being was that Koki was releasing his second novel and the Azura Inn was at the teahouse to celebrate. Sakura, however, had declined Koki's invitation and was alone in the dorm. The landlord was finishing her presentation to the History Department of the Univeristy of Tokyo in hopes of getting some school funds for Hitomi's excavations.
Since arriving at the University of Tokyo, Sakura has earned the respect and admiration of the faculty, and given the fact that she was recovering from a bad relationship and was taking it well, she has gained the respect of her fellow students as well. Sakura finished the presentation and decided that it was time to go to bed. She thought about going to Koki's teahouse party but decided against it. She needed some sleep and with the dorm empty, she decided to take advantage of it.
"Sakura..."
Sakura turned around. Standing in the open doorway of her room was Kazuya. The Shikoku man entered the room and closed the door behind him. He was wearing a long-sleeved dark blue kimono with a light blue obi which would have turned many female heads if there were any around. His long hair cascaded down his back, rather than in its usual ponytail. Sakura noticed the look in his eyes. Instead of the usual ditzy look that made him look cute, there was instead a wanton look in them.
Kazuya walked over to Sakura. Without saying a single word, he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. Wrapping his arms around her, marveling at how working with Hitomi was given her slender frame, Kazuya whispered softly in her ear.
"Sakura-chan...you don't deserve to be alone. I have loved you for a long time, but I was willing to let you be with Sasuke so you can be happy. Sakura, I still love you." Now he was kissing her jawline. "Please don't push me away..."
Sakura gently pulled away from the Shikoku. "Kazuya, I would never do that. Not to you." She placed one hand on his cheek, rubbing it gently. "I think I can give us a chance. You should have been my promised boy."
Kazuya smiled softly and moved in again. This time, he kissed Sakura softly on the lips. The landlord responded in kind, wrapping her arms around the boy's back, and pulling him close. Kazuya sighed in the kiss as he wrapped his slender arms around Sakura's neck. Kazuya broke off the kiss, with a mild blush on his face as he whispered, "Please, Sakura, please make love to me. I trust you..."
By that moment, Sakura's self-control had eroded to nothing as she gently set Kazuya on the bed. What had happened once they got their clothes off was their moment and their moment alone. No interrupted them as Sakura Haruno and Kazuya Watanabe expressed their love for one another in the only way possible.
Yuko slipped her pants back on and zipped them back up. Pulling her shirt over her head, she looked at Sasuke. He was naked, on his side in his bed, with a glazed look in his eyes. Sweat glistened over his body as he tried to catch his breath, with his clothes scattered all over the floor. In his mind, Sasuke knew he couldn't accuse Yuko of rape, since he agreed to sleep with her in exchange for her silence and a roof over his head. He tried to enjoy it, but his body had betrayed him, even though she was more rough with him than gentle.
Regardless of what had happened, Yuko had taken what remained of Sasuke's innocence. Sakura had taken most of it when she had him shunned from the Azura Inn and the University of Tokyo, as did his family and Ino, even if it was inadvertently on her part.
Yuko let out a sigh of satisfaction. "Too bad Ino isn't coming back. I'll take a good care of you. Consider your rent paid for this month," she said before leaving the apartment. Before closing the door, Yuko added, "I'll be back next month. Tell anyone about our little arrangement and you will be on the streets before you know what has happened."
Sasuke hugged his knees to his naked chest as the tears rolled down his cheeks. He began to cry, with his body shaking as it was racked with his sobs. In his sadness, he was also angry. Angry for Ino abandoning him as his parents did before him.
But he was more angry at the one person who was the bane of his existence and has been since that fateful day six months ago. As she had destroyed his dream and his life, he would soon planned to do the same with her.
Sakura Haruno.
At the Azura Inn a naked Kazuya smiled constantly as he felt Sakura pressed up against his backside. Despite it being their first time, they got into a good rhythm, and much to Kazyua's delight, his lover had a high libido. Which led to two more rounds of lovemaking. 'Who knew that Kazuya was a closet pervert?' Sakura thought as she trailed one hand along Kazyua's chest. 'Not that I'm complaining.'
She was surprised that she didn't get a fatal nosebleed when Kazuya stripped his clothes off, showing off his perfect body. Or the chain of events that followed. Sakura smiled to herself as she pulled Kazuya close to her, smelling his scent, which not surprsingly, smelled like apples and forest spring water.
"Oh my my. Such a bad girl, Sakura-chan," Kazuya said as he turned around, with a feral smile on his usual demure face. "You want to have another go?"
"As much as I want to," Sakura replied, "I'm drained. But I'm happy that you're with me," she said as she pulled him closer, with his chest pressed up against her own buxom. She laid on her back, allowing Kazuya to rest his head on her shoulder. All thought Sakura had on Sasuke were squashed once she and Kazuya made love to each other.
Sakura knew that the other boys would have a field day once they found out. But she really didn't care. Kazuya was hers. That was the last thought she had before she finally fell asleep.