Cr: art from IG; xaviersabishii
So Hey, here is another chap. Not so long but I decided I wanted to write this one before My vacation to Spain. So enjoy!
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"Achooo!..Owwww.." Naruto wiped his running nose. He was laying in his bed, aches all over his body, and don't even want to move the slightest. He didn't even know how he managed to come back home from Sasuke's apartment. All he know was that when he woke up, around noon, he was already laying in his bed. He remembered he woke up beside Sasuke and left before the man woke up because of all the pain that he was receiving, both inside and out. His way home was a blur.
"Helloo!" He talked into the phone which woke him up. His voice must have sounded bad because he could hear worries in the other one's voice.
"Ah, Shikamaru! No, it's only the season-changing flu. Don't worry, I will be fine. Yeah, I will head to the hospital if it gets worse."
Naruto smiled to himself, feeling fortunate to have such good friends.
"Btw, thank you for the bags last night."
Naruto hung up from Shikamaru, his friend wanted to know where he rushed to last night but only to wish him to get well after hearing how he sounded. Naruto scrolled down his contact list and paused at the name of the person he wanted to call. He looked at the name for a long time before he decide to put away the phone.
'Is he mad that I left without saying a word?'
"Maybe I should apologize to him next time I see him."
Naruto showed up at the pub again once his flu was gone and have the face-to-face with Sasuke. He wasn't aware if Sasuke was awake that morning but he felt that he has disappointed Sasuke and betrayed his trust when he tried to touch Sasuke.
"I am glad you have recovered, Naruto." Sakura said once she learned that Naruto was sick.
"Ah, thanks!" Naruto looked around and searched after the other two.
"If you are looking for Sai and Ino, they are not here tonight."
"How are things going for Sai?" Naruto asked, he think he might know why they aren't here.
"He is trying to do as much as he can for Ino to accept his apology." Sakura confirmed Naruto's doubt.
"Things are going the way she wants. Poor Sai."
"What are you guys talking about?" Sasuke asked while his hand rested on the arm of Sakura's chair. He was pausing the singing as some other singer was taking over the stage for a while.
"We were talking about Sai and Ino." Sakura said with a smile while her head craned a bit to look at him.
"Oh, did you know Naruto was sick?"
Sasuke only glanced at Naruto but didn't answer the question.
'Ah, shit. He is definitely angry.'
"I am fine now though." Naruto said, trying not to look awkward. He understands that Sasuke must be angry with him, at least it was his fault though for not thanking him for the intrusion. Well, he was going to but not now, not here where Sakura is with them too. He could still remember the request she has made to him.
'....Could you help me with Sasuke? Um, what I mean is if you could play the cupid between us.'
Naruto could still feel a pain like a Boltz has struck across his heart, leaving it shattered everywhere.
"Now that I think about it, you haven't been here so much lately, Naruto."
Naruto was drawn back to reality by Sakura.
"Yeah, I have been to a convention for a week for the company."
"Yikes, must be really tiring to work at a big company like that." Sakura shook her body as if she get goosebumps all over her body because of the many responsibilities he must take.
"Not to mention being the next CEO too."
"Don't worry about him. He can handle it, after all, that is how he had lived his life up until now."
Sasuke's voice wasn't giving away the feeling of sympathy, it was cold and almost like he was looking down on Naruto.
"Worry about yourself. How are you going to tell your mother about you being jobless? Don't become sick and vomit again."
"I won't." Sakura waved her hands at the remark. She remembered that day she has been kicked out of her job and come to see Sasuke. She was so stressed that she vomited here at the pub and Sasuke has to take her to the staff room for her to calm down.
Naruto looked at the two, they looked as though they were in their own little world. He was left out of their conversation and as much as he love the careful side of Sasuke, it pained him to see the two get along so well.
'Looks like I don't even need to play cupid for you guys, Sakura.'
"If you don't mind, you can come and work at our pharmacy or hospital. You are a medical graduate, aren't you?" Naruto suggested out of friendship.
"Why the hell would you say something you don't even know if she would be accepted! Do you think you can say whatever you want just because you are rich?!..."
Sakura almost jumped from her seat because of how Sasuke suddenly bellowed. She was lost for words, she has never seen Sasuke mad like he was now. More than that, she was confused as to why Sasuke was this mad because of Naruto's suggestion which wasn't that big of a deal.
"S-sorry, I was just trying to help." Naruto didn't dare to look anywhere but the table in front of him. He feels like all the gaze was setting at him and he can't help but feel humiliated.
'Shit! Shit, Sasuke! Why would you make him look so pained! Shit!'
Sasuke wanted to smack himself seeing how Naruto was looking right now. It wasn't his intention to yell like that but once he realize the words were already spoken. He doesn't know why he was so angry, so mad and frustrated at Naruto. But every time he sees how close Naruto was to Sakura and remembers how Naruto halted to touch his lips, it felt as if what Naruto has said to him had no value.
'Didn't you say you like me? Or do you like Sakura now?'
The question was asked repeatedly in Sasuke's mind but he can't bring himself to ask them out loud.
It was lucky that the song subdued most of the yelling. Only those near their table could hear all of it but the environment become normal once there wasn't another yelling.
"Thanks, Naruto. I will try and go apply for the job there. Hospital would suit me though." Sakura tried to lighten up the mood and environment because both Naruto and Sasuke went quiet.
"Yeah." It was being harder for him to stay at the table as seconds pass by quietly. Naruto simply didn't know how he should start a new conversation because everything feel so awkward.
"Um, I think I will go take a cigarette."
Sasuke followed Naruto after minutes later and saw how the blond paced back and forth at a corner, outside of the pub. He could clearly see the uneasiness in his face and know what happened inside the pub must have been the reason. He was thinking of a way to approach him when the man himself saw him first.
"No, you shouldn't have come. Really."
Sasuke look at Naruto looking all dejected and pained. He can't help but feel regret for what he'd done and seeing Naruto's pained face make him uneasy.
"What do you mean I shouldn't have come? Hey, wait!" Sasuke tried to grab Naruto's arm when the said man intended to pass by him without listening to him at all. Naruto struggled and Sasuke has no choice but to shove him against the wall, he then blocks Naruto by having his hand against Naruto's chest to stop the man in place.
"I said wait, didn't I?!"
They both stared at each other and Sasuke suddenly lost his words. He was staring at those blue eyes that were full of disappointment and anger, but he was sure he wasn't the one Naruto was angry at. Naruto must be angry with himself that he fall for such a guy like him.
Indeed, Naruto was angry at himself. Angry that he still stubbornly and blindly loves Sasuke even though what he got back was pain. He hated that it never crossed his mind to stop loving the raven man in front of him, that knowing that he love Sakura, knowing that he hate him, and knowing that Sasuke might never look at him with the same desire as him. But what can he do when he can't even dare to think the words hate or wrath when it comes to Sasuke. Then it crossed his mind that if he can't hate him, maybe, maybe he should push Sasuke away by making the man distance himself from him.
"You know what? I get it. I do, so just.." Naruto pushed with all his might to get lost from Sasuke's greps. He was just so hurt, so hurt to face Sasuke at the moment. He was afraid he might say something regrettable.
"Naruto!" Sasuke gritted out.
"What, Sasuke?" He bellowed, he was already regretting but he can't stop himself anymore. The words just slide out of his mouth.
'Please, please don't look at me like that. I don't need it, Sasuke.'
"I don't need your pity. I get that you like Sakura and don't want me to interfere with her life. Okay? I know, I know that you love her so...so don't worry. And let me tell you this, she loves you too. Great, isn't it?"
Sasuke was speechless, he had never seen someone being so desperate because of him, on the verge to tear because of him and that alone was enough to make him frozen in the spot, unable to move.
"I guess I don't need to play cupid as she requested!"
With that as his last sentence, Naruto went inside the pub again. When he was inside Sakura smiled at him awkwardly, he knew that she must feel uneasy too from the ruckus that happened.
"Where is Sasuke?"
"He is taking the blow in." Naruto manage to reply to her with a smile and a pain that he was able to hide so deeply.
"W-what? You hit him?" Sakura was worried and Naruto has to calm her down before she go to Sasuke.
"Just kidding. Why would I hit him? He was just taking some fresh air before going for another round with his songs."
"Hmm, but thank you for not being mad at him." Sakura was relieved.
Once Sasuke manage to collect himself, take in all the things Naruto said to him, and come inside the pub, he was said by his manager to sing the last round.
"Sasuke, where were you? It's your turn." The manager said half coldly. Sasuke's luck was his look, his look make all the women, despite old or teens fall for him. Without his looks, it would be hard for him to make a living with the personality he possessed. That cold and indifferent attitude make it hard for people to approach him.
"Ah, I need to thank you for helping me with Sasuke." Sakura said her gratitude to Naruto once Sasuke was on the stage.
"He is more...how do I say? Um, he is more talkative toward me now. And I guess it was all because of you."
"No, it's more of your own doing." Naruto said because he knew he hasn't done anything for Sasuke to fall in love with her.
"Still, thank you. He changed thanks to yo-..." Sakura was interrupted because someone approached them.
Sasuke instinctively peered from the stage toward Naruto and Sakura's table. He frowned unconsciously when he saw some silver-haired guy with a scar across his left eye hovering over Naruto. He had his arms wrapped around Naruto's shoulders and was talking to him with a smile that goes from ear to ear. Beside him stood a man with tied hair and a scar-like mark across his nose who watched the two guys with a grin on his face.
'Who the hell is that? And why are you letting him touch all over you, Naruto?'
Sasuke feel a rage whelming up, he was on the verge to stop the song there and march toward the guy. Tell him to stop being around Naruto but he knew that was something he couldn't do. He has a responsibility to sing the song to the end. His nightmare doubled when Naruto stand up and followed the two men after waving at Sakura.
'Naruto!'
Sakura turned at the stage and waved at him but Sasuke's mind has already followed Naruto.
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