S.H 

"...and that's about it," Sakura finished her story, stirring her hot chocolate. She glanced at her best friend. "What do you think I should do?"

It was straight after the wedding rehearsal, and both Sakura and Ino had made themselves cozy in the back corner of a nearby café. Cups of hot chocolate were in everyone's hands, along with muffins on plates. But they didn't come here just for the food. 

Sakura's emotions and feelings were quite mess after everything. So, of course, she would choose her best friend and sort of expert at relationships to rant about everything. 

"I think," Ino lowered her voice, and beckoned Sakura to come in before grabbing her ear. "You should've told your best friend everything earlier! My date with Sai happened ages ago, and to think there were three of you spying on me! But this isn't about me, it's about you. Sit down, sit down."

She sat back down with a slightly sore ear. Normally, Sakura would've fought back or thrown a punch, but today...she just felt deflated. Drained of all energy. Just tired. 

"From your actions, or rather lack, I know how you feel," Ino continued as though she had never shouted. "But, what's your problem? Everything seems to be going well with Sasuke!"

"That's the point," Sakura took a sip of the hot drink. "I don't want to get along with Sasuke. I never wanted to see him again in my life. And now he's here, and we're fighting one minute, then hugging the next and then ignoring each other - it's so confusing!"

"Then let me ask you a question," Ino leaned onto her propped up palm. "Do you hate Sasuke or not?"

"Yes," she said instantly, as if by instinct. He broke her heart. And then she though about how they hugged, how he stood up for her and trusted her. "No? I-I don't know." It could be part of another plot to treat you like trash, a voice in her head reminded him. "I don't like him. And why does this feel like a therapist session?"

"Because you asked for it? Anyways," Ino flicked her hair. "What are you planning to do for the wedding?"

"You're the one who should tell me," Sakura said, feeling slightly nervous at the mention of the wedding. "The reason why you're here is to advise me."

"That's besides the point," Ino huffed. Sakura raised an eyebrow knowingly and she hastily said, "I'm curious to see what you think you should do. And I feel like meddling too much in somebody's relationship is making that relationship fake."

"True," Sakura sighed. Ino had a point there. She stirred her drink some more as she thought about her options. "I guess  at the wedding I'll just avoid him and his gaze. We're not forced to interact or anything, so it'll be fine."

"But what do you want?" Ino asked. "To be with Sasuke, or leave him in the past?"

"I definitely want to leave that situation in the past," Sakura began slowly. "But I'm unsure whether or not to give him a chance again. I don't want to be with Sasuke. And I know that if we repair our relationship, I could fall for him again and he could leave me again. So...I think I want to leave him in the past."

"If that's what you want," Ino bit into a muffin. "But remember, Sakura, people can change. You know that better than anybody."

"You're right again," Sakura joined Ino in eating a muffin. "How about we don't talk about this Sasuke stuff and just eat? You have to tell me more about you and Sai. You're such a cute couple!"

"If you insist," Ino rolled her eyes playfully, but Sakura knew that the blond was more than happy to talk about her relationship. 

Unknown to both of the girls, a certain pineapple-head sitting in the corner recited every word of their conversation into his phone.

------------------------

S.U 

Sasuke closed his eyes, placing his phone down on his bedside table. He relaxed, lying down on his bed with both arms folded in behind his head. On the foot of his bed, his best friend piped up, "Was that Shikamaru?"

"Yes," answered Sasuke, his eyes still closed. "He managed to find Sakura just like I asked him too and he told me each word of her conversation with Ino."

Sasuke could hear Naruto shift uncomfortably on the quilt. "Don't you think you're being a bit creepy? Like, you technically just hired Shikamaru to stalk Sakura for you."

"It's not stalking, it's finding out information about her without her knowing," Sasuke replied coolly. "Even if I am being slightly creepy, don't lie. You would pay Neji to track Hinata if she went to hang with Toneri or Shino or something."

"As if," Naruto huffed and rolled his eyes, before adding. "Neji would do it willingly."

Sasuke let a smirk play on his lips before instantly dropping it when he recalled Sakura's conversation with Ino. Naruto must've noticed because he said, "I know that expression. What's up? Did Sakura reject you?"

If Sasuke's eyes weren't closed, he would've rolled them. "Dobe, I never asked Sakura out."

"She doesn't want you, same thing," Naruto shrugged. 

"No!" Sasuke said indignantly, it was just weird to admit that he, an Uchiha, wasn't wanted by a woman. "Well, yes. But she still didn't reject me."

"You know Uchihas can get rejected too," Naruto sniffily, as if he could read Sasuke's mind. "But, moving on, Sakura doesn't want you?"

"I mean, I expected it," Sasuke said tiredly. "She said she just wants to leave me and the situation in the past, and she doesn't trust me to change. She's right though, for not wanting to be even around me."

"But the situation wasn't your fault," Naruto pointed out. "Just tell her-"

"I can't," Sasuke quickly interrupted. "It's my choice. It's an order. You know that."

Naruto sighed. "Yeah, I know. I just wish-"

"Me too."

It was silent in the room. Naruto spoke up, "So Sakura choosing to stay away from you, is it a good or bad thing?"

More silence. Then, "You know the answer."

It was depending on whose perspective of the situation you were looking at. For Fugaku, this was excellent because his cold youngest son would finally accept his destiny and move on instead of being hung over a dropout. 

For Sasuke...it was complex. For the perfect son, it would a necessary bit of hardship to get him back onto his main focus; work. It was like slapping him into reality and out of his dreams. But the other side, the one that dreams, still childishly hopes to be with Sakura even if all hope has run out. He hopes to be together with his first love, even if the chances are slim. 

But, Sakura staying away from him was more a good thing than a bad thing. That situation would never have to repeat itself, and Sasuke could move on knowing that there was absolutely no chance now. Maybe Fugaku would scowl less at his youngest if Sasuke finally lived up to be the perfect son, just like Itachi.

"I'm asking you," Naruto replied. Sasuke opened one eye, curious, and the blonde shot him a goofy grin. "You know, not Fugaku's heir, or Itachi's brother or the legacy of the Uchiha. I'm not asking the pressured son or the tired celebrity who hates his fangirls. I'm asking my best friend. Without all of those titles, all of those bits of pressure mounted on you. Just Sasuke Uchiha. I'm asking him whether or not this is a good thing. Just plain old Sasuke Uchiha."

"I-," Sasuke paused, unsure what to say. Well, this was strange. Wasn't he always full of confidence? Wasn't he always in control of his emotions? Then how come they were roaring up, making their way to the surface to express themselves. All kinds of emotions, it made his head pound. It overwhelmed him, just like this situation. Everything overwhelmed him.

And Sasuke broke down. 

-------------------------

Crying. 

It was a strange sensation to Sasuke Uchiha. On very little occasions had he cried. It was unfamiliar, to feel droplets of water emerge from his eyeballs and roll down his face, bringing scarlet blotchy skin with it and irregular breathing patterns.

And when he looked at himself in the mirror, his eyes looked dead. That is, more dead than usual. Looking at the mirror caused disgust to well up in his throat, as if the lump residing there wasn't enough.

He looked like such a pathetic mess, with his dark hair looking disheveled and even more spiky than usual. His skin seemed gaunt and tainted with lack of sleep now that he carefully examined it. It made sense, most of his nights were spent with him just thinking and thinking and continuing to overthink everything in his life. 

'Over' would be a perfect description of his life, actually. Everything was over, overwhelming, overthought, overcautious, over-pressured, over-complex, the list just seems to go on and on. And now, it seemed like he was over with his pathetic life. For once he just wanted to be 'under'. 

He looked in the mirror again.

What a pathetic mess.

"Cold water helps, it cools down your blood," Naruto advised from besides him. They were in the bathroom, alone, Naruto helping clean up Sasuke and clear up the flushed skin. Cold water was splashed onto the latter's face, clinging to his eyelashes as he cringed from the coldness. 

Maybe that's how people felt whenever they saw Sasuke, a great blob of coldness. They feel like cringing. Those fangirls must be delusional, he thought as he entered a state of self-pity. What was there to love about him? He was just a pretty face. Nothing more than that. His personality consisted of coldness, ignorance and sarcasm. 

What a pathetic personality. 

"Hey Sasuke," Naruto said gently. "You okay?"

"I guess," he grumbled. He glanced at his best friend next to him and marveled how lucky he was to have a friend like Naruto. "Thanks for helping me, Naruto. You're my closest friend and I'm grateful for that."

There was a moment where Naruto stood there silently, gaping like a fish and Sasuke wondered that his out-of-characterness had broken him. Then the former grabbed his phone out and beamed, "Say that again so that I can show everyone you actually aren't a coldass person!"

Just as Sasuke opened his mouth to retort with something colorful, the device on the bathroom bench started vibrating. Sasuke and Naruto exchanged curious glances when they saw who was calling the former. Fugaku Uchiha. 

"Father," Sasuke acknowledge. Feeling like he was invading the Uchihas' privacy, Naruto silently exited the bathroom. "Why'd you call?"

"We need to talk," the stoic, monotone voice of his father emitted from Sasuke's phone. Fugaku paused. "Are you crying? Your voice is all stiff and hoarse."

"Of course not," Sasuke summoned all of his confidence and acting skills. "Just a little under the weather. What is it now?"

"I saw you at the rehearsal. You stood up for Sakura Haruno. I know other people stood up for her too, but considering your past with her and how your friendship and work circles intertwine, I can't help but wonder if you're still in love."

Sasuke shut his eyes tightly. "I assure you Father, I am not interest in Sakura Haruno in any romantic way."

He could almost hear his father's smirk. "Excellent. So you finally realize that rejecting her love is the better option."

"I don't think that will be a problem," Sasuke continued. Glancing in the mirror again, he saw that all emotion had been drained out of his place. Just emptiness. "I heard she's moved on and wants to forget about me as soon as possible."

"Perfect," Fugaku's voice was rich with triumph. "Now, for the wedding dinner I need you to be with a female partner. This person will most likely who you'll get married to in a couple of years. At first I was thinking of Hanabi Hyuga, a good family name and fairly successful in the modelling industry. However, Hiashi pulled out of the agreement and I hear she's taken a liking to Konohamaru Sarutobi, the son of a wealthy family.

"So," he continued. "I've decided you will be with Kurotsuchi. She's your senior in modelling, and from a well-off family with many successful individuals."

"Alright," Sasuke said tiredly. He couldn't bear to hear what Fugaku had to say anymore. "I have to go now, bye."

As soon as he hung up, Naruto came back into the bathroom. "What was it about?"

Sasuke sighed. "Just to confirm what I already knew."

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ending is so crappy, sorry

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Word count: 2131