Sasuke reluctantly cut opened the brown Pandora's Box, eager to find out what's concealed within. Sitting inside was a small, finger-length rectangular device which was a lustrous black, decorated with red lines on each side and a matching cap.

"A USB? Don't tell me that redhead made a copy . . . ," Sasuke scowled bitterly. But again, he recalled the day at the library. By the looks of Karin, she was more overwhelmed with the thought of being his girlfriend rather than making back-up plans. So Sasuke was convinced that the chip had already been destroyed.

Then what's the truth behind the memory stick he was holding onto?

Frowning, the latter went over to the brown, leather couches aligned around a low coffee-table made of glass. Two small piles of cased CDs were placed on its upper-left corner and a couple of scripts and unfinished song composition papers on the opposite. His royal blue Acer laptop was kept accordingly in the middle of the table. Sasuke randomly placed the box and his novel on it before reaching to the microcomputer in front as he took his seat.

While waiting for the system to boot after switching it on, the idol headed to the doors to check whether his dutiful manager had returned from his 'cloud cuckoo land'. Once he opened the door, Sasuke met a wobbly white-haired being who was wiping away the blood from his nose and dusting off the debris on his suit. Kabuto crouched down again to pick up his broken glasses and yelped as soon as he felt a stinging pain on the bridge of his injured nose. As the boiling kettle turned to the teen by the doorway, a lifesaving tune played for its master before Kabuto could grouse at him.

Sasuke immediately went back inside to plug in the USB and observe its contents. A folder popped up behind the LCD screen which contained only one video-clip. His manager groggily sat beside the young man and gave a puzzled look while staring carefully at the screen.

"What's this, Sasuke," he questioned before gasping exaggeratedly and mimed, "Don't tell me you're watching dirty stuff??? My, my . . . You're going through a lot of hardship. Poor lil' King . . ."

The Uchiha glowered at the person on his left exerting a deadly aura throughout the spacious room like miasma.

"J-J-Just kidding, Sasuke! Aha-Ahahaha," Kabuto nervously defended, raising his hands in defeat before gesturing the celeb to continue what he was doing. With a double click on its link, the recording started playing.
•
•
•

"Uh! Thi-this is-"

Both of them couldn't believe their eyes. It was unexpected and shocking for the two gentlemen. Kabuto's mouth hung to the floor with his eyes bulging out of their sockets. Sasuke, on the other hand, remained cool and collected, but anyone could tell that even his ice-cold mask of pride was slowly crumbling, eventually replaced with other ones . . .

Anger. . , Fear. . . . , and Desperation. . . . .

All those unwanted emotions struck down at once like a thousand volts of thunder. As much as the Uchiha wanted to bury them, those feelings unknowingly crawled up Sasuke's 'blood-drained' face.

On the screen showed a bloody scene which occurred that peculiar evening; the day both of them would NEVER forget throughout their lives. It was a video recorded when the accident happened, which was their worst nightmare and the cause of a certain high school girl's comatose situation. Their faces were clearly distinguishable in spite of the video's slight poor resolution.

Who could've done that?! The 'King' himself wasn't able to think straight. He's top- star after all and couldn't have his name stained in the 'black list'. Sasuke vividly remembered the red liquid splattered across the hard, concrete road, and that frail, numb body soaked in that pool of 'red wine'.

"I-It can't be! Wh- H-How-," Kabuto stuttered through the bizarre silence before the Uchiha pulled out the USB from the laptop.

"How dare this lowly imbecile! Trying to test ME!? Find it out! . . . Find out who the hell send this piece of crap to me. Leave no stone unturned . . . ," the latter ordered his panic-stricken manager; his dark menacing eyes looking daggers at the crimson letters on the box as rage engulfed him like a fiery cape. His companion was still at a daze before Sasuke bellowed to leave immediately. The dark horse would have to pay for the sins even though it wasn't entirely his fault.

Kabuto was welcomed by a sudden gust of cold wind as soon as he dashed out of the room. In spite of experiencing an abnormal moment, he was too focused on his own problems to pay any attention to that insignificant breeze. The man was completely blinded by his task and the fear for the consequences they'd have to face if that recorded video was exposed to public. So he was completely oblivious about her existence...

Sakura stood at her place, stunned and wordless. A living human being had just gone through her gaseous body! She hesitantly spun around only to see an empty, dark hallway. Kabuto had left already. The Cherry felt a weird sensation churning inside her gut. The terrified look on the Yakushi's face made her recollect those unpleasant memories . . . . .

▶Flashback
Sakura -as usual- tagged along with the 'Icicle King' to school. The two of them had reconciled after the little library incident. She couldn't help but feel contented and was hyped up for no reason on that Friday morning.

Wisps of white clouds were floating in the endless, powder blue empyrean and a warm spring breeze was blowing so soothingly. Sakura decided to stroll around the school to give Sasuke his time alone.

"*Sigh* Never thought the school grounds were this peaceful . . . Tsunade-sama truly is the best," the Cherry hummed along her way.

After dawdling from place to place in the vast area, she halted at the sight of a colossal tree. It was unbelievably tall and towering, and 'unique'. Like a fortress, it stood so firmly and proud like a sacred god itself, by the far end on the K.E.H grounds. Its magnificently lush and green leaves were enhanced by the morning dew which made them glow under the sunlight as they rustled along with the wind.

"Waah~ so beautiful . . . . ."

Words slipped out of her mouth as Sakura was admiring the majestic beauty in front of her. She couldn't take her curious eyes off from it and shortened the distance between them. The tree seemed a little odd. She was odd too. Sakura actually had a feeling that staying near this mysterious tree would keep her safe.

'Safe? From what,' she thought, tumbling on her own groundless assumptions. As the latter reached out to touch the tree's hard, brown trunk, a throbbing pain invaded her head.

Sakura crouched down on her knees to the earthy ground, clutching onto the sides of her head. Pulling on her pink locks of hair and squeezing her eyes shut, the Cherry lowered her head even more; her large forehead digging into the ground with the pressure she was exerting. She gritted her teeth to prevent from letting out any sound of agony she was suffering.

"Uh-a-kuh-," Sakura grunted, and whimpered as the thumping became harder . . . , and louder. Without having the time to think, the phantasmagoria took over her conscious.

'Crackling noises of burnt wood filled the air. Speckles of fire-dust were carried along the torrid winds as the ashy-gray masses of smoke merged with the dark, cloudless night sky. A silhouette of a big tree was painted in the background which was several miles away from that scorching disaster. A huge Japanese traditional mansion was enveloped inside the hellfire, burning to crisp. As if her head was spinning from dizziness, Sakura's vision wasn't very stable but was blurred now and then. Everything was like a film of the ancient times as if her soul was thrown back to the deepest part of history. People laying lifeless on the cobble-stoned ground with several arrows pierced into their flesh; broken pieces of wood and a few swords and lances scattered across the path. It was a gruesome sight; a bloodshed. Amongst that chaos was a shadow-like figure standing outside the ring of fire; a young man wearing a pitch-black kimono adorned with traditional carmine cloud patterns. And he was-. . . '

Suddenly, the vision faded away, and the headache slowly vanished. Everything was back to normal as if nothing had happened. What Sakura saw by then, was it just a hallucination...?

'W-What exactly-,' she cerebrated about all that confusion which seemed almost real. Poor Sakura's mind was immersed in the uncanny assumptions and thoughts; she didn't realize the magenta branch-like tattoos on her exposed skin that were retreating to its source. A simple yet graceful purplish-red diamond seal was imprinted on the maiden's wide forehead once the branches disappeared.

Still oblivious about herself, the Cherry merely focused on the 'madhouse' she encountered. Thereafter, Sakura attempted to summon 'him' who could untangle those tight knots of imbroglio.
E

nd of flashback◀

Once again, a cheerless atmosphere clouded the young girl who was still at the doorway; her shoulders hunched down with a lack of enthusiasm.

*BANG!!!*

A thunderous sound suddenly burst out through the doors of Sasuke's room which made her jump. She immediately penetrated into the room at ease.

Sakura felt her shoulders tensed up once she got inside. The air tasted bitter. She stared worriedly at the man who was sitting on one of couches with his fingers laced together, resting his forehead on the back of them.

"Sasuke-kun! Wh-," she gasped. Sasuke's right hand was red and swollen.

"What's the matter, Sasuke-kun? Why's your right hand-,"

"I'm fine! It's nothing," Sasuke replied as he straightened up at his seat and crossed his arms, but his acrimonious expression proved wrong. Nonetheless, Sakura still wasn't satisfied with his little white lie, but didn't protest. With a small pout visible on her soft, plump lips, the Cherry approached nearer to the Acer laptop. Being an inquisitive girl she is, Sakura tried to peek at the laptop's screen, wondering what exactly had blinded the 'King' with fury.

Before she could even lean down to look, as if on instinct, the Uchiha swiftly reached out his hand to the rectangular device, pressed the 'shut-down' button and closed its lid.

"Don't be a nosy parker now," Sasuke scowled as he tilted his head to the left where the ghost-girl was. Shades of red immediately powdered on the Haruno's cheeks the moment she realized how close their faces were. The silent bedroom seemed even more hushed and the latter could only hear the drumming of her heart. It ached so much but she didn't detest that feeling at all. Everything Sakura had encountered, and the things she was worrying about all faded away just in mere seconds like speckles of sand in the wind.

'W-W-W-What's t-t-this!? W-Why is m-my face s-so f-f-flushed!? Why's m-my heart b-b-b-beating so FAST!!!???'

Noticing her awkwardness, the boy asked, "Oi . . . Your face-," before Sasuke could finish, the pink-haired ghost was already near the twin doors, fidgeting at the corner.

"Uhm . . . What're you doing there," Sasuke questioned her; unaware that he was the main reason for Sakura keeping her distance from him.

"NOTHING,"she claimed; her voice louder than usual which even surprised the 'King'. "Tell me . . . . , what's displeasing you, S-Sasuke-kun," Sakura stuttered as she asked without looking at him in the eyes. A grim look resurfaced on the idol's handsome features before averting his dark, restless eyes.

"You don't need to know . . ."

The girl scrutinized at his sitting figure as a pool of doubts flooded in her mind.

"Sasuke-kun . . . . , what are you trying to hide from me? What do you not want me to see," she asked. Sasuke, on the other hand, didn't want her to torture herself with those distressful memories since he clearly understood that feeling.

Sasuke rose from his seat as he pulled out the small black device from the USB port, and throw it to the hard floor before grinding it under his foot. Sakura just gaped at his spontaneous actions but didn't intervene.

With his eyes closed, the idol gulped down a full chunk of air before breathing out again, as if to release all of his stress and exasperation. "That insolent birdbrains need to know who they're messing with," the idol snarled, running a hand through his sleek, ebony hair and strutted towards his jet-black dresser.

He started unbuttoning his off-white school shirt facing the wardrobe. Sakura stiffened and gasped the moment she laid her innocent eyes on the half-naked celebrity standing across the muted room; her face redder than any tomatoes that ever existed.

A seductive body structure..., fair, velvety-skinned.., and well-toned muscles...

*Doki~Doki~Doki*

Sakura's heart raced faster, harder and louder; so much that she thought it would burst out any time soon. Adrenaline rushed throughout her massless body.

'W-W-W-W-WHAT'S T-THIS F-F-FEELING?? W-WHY AM I BEING L-LIKE THIS??? AND SINCE WHEN DID MY COMPLEXION CHANGED COLOR???!!!???'

Her head was spinning like a top again but it was far worse than the previous time. As if like a statue, the Cherry stood unmoving at her little haven. Still mesmerized by the handsome, princely figure, Sakura didn't hear that she's being called, until . . . . .

"HARUNO SAKURA," an impatient voice echoed throughout the room; he was no other than the person whom the Cherry was drooling over.

"H-H-Hai! W-What is it, S-Sasuke-kun," the girl replied, shooting back with a question. The 'King' deadpanned, obviously thinking that she was an airhead. With his brows drawn together, "Why are you still in my room," Sasuke asked, raising his broad shoulders as he cocked his head to her direction. The Cherry was spellbound by his stare as their eyes met and shied away from his gaze before answering, "W-What do you mean-,"

"Ho~♪ You really wanna watch me while I undress," the cunning idol questioned, cutting Sakura's sentence midway. Somehow her troubled reactions drew Sasuke's attention and made him want to mess with her.

Silence took over like in the dead of the night while the Cherry was analyzing the current situation, yet still getting no clue.

'Undress? Sasuke-kun? . . . . . NAKED!!!??? ⁄(⁄ ⁄⊙⁄Д⁄⊙⁄ ⁄)⁄ '

Then with a poof, Sakura's face flushed like a heated tomato! She gasped loudly in a sharp tone before apologizing to the shirtless Sasuke over and over again; "GOMEN NASAI! GOMEN NASAI! GOMEN NASAI!!! I-I-I'LL LEAVE R-RIGHT AWAY!!!"

A smirk crept up the Uchiha's lips, feeling amused by her hilarious reactions. An idea popped up in his mischievous mind, before parting his lips to speak.

"No, it's fine... I can understand you. You can stay if you wa-"

"N-NO THANK YOU!!!" Sakura retorted while flustering like a frightened duckling, and scurried away leaving Sasuke behind.

"Pfft," a strained laugh escaped through his cold lips before coughing a little. Being the serious person he is, Sasuke sealed back his mouth to a thin, straight line; a reticent expression back on his attractive features. But even ice could melt as time passes . . .

"Her reactions are priceless. Hn, *omoshiroi . . . . ."

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A/N: *omoshiroi = interesting

Hello dear readers! Sorry for the late update >_<! Seems this chapter is the longest in all the chappies I've written... How was this one?