Chapter Seven
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I stared listlessly at the blinking icon on the computer screen before me.
No, that was definitely not the best way to start my essay on the ancient Inca methods of healing. Pressing the backspace button with a heavy sigh, I tried a different title:
Ancient Healing Methods.
Meh, no. That wouldn’t do. It lacked a certain je n’ai sais quoi. Unfortunately, writer’s block is a b***h. With another sigh, I closed my word file and shut down my laptop, hoping that a little snack would get me in the mood to do some work.
Chocolate.
That was what I needed.
According to my love guru (Ino) it’s meant to actually heal broken hearts.
Not that my heart’s really broken.
Fractured, yes.
But broken, no.
I suppose feeling this way is normal considering the fact that my boyfriend seems to have completely forgotten about my existence.
I haven’t heard from him in over two weeks.
I would be worried, but after that phone call from Naruto I know Sasuke’s not in any real danger or lying dead in a ditch somewhere.
I am extremely fed up though.
Ino was right. I was a total pushover when it came to Sasuke.
I shouldn’t let him overwhelm my life the way he does. At times it seems like he’s the sun, blocking the rest of my universe out. Yeah, I know that’s a pretty corny analogy but that’s the way it seems. When he’s around me it’s hard to focus on anything else.
Right now for instances: I haven’t heard from him in so long that I’m not even that angry. All I feel is this deep hollowness inside. I really just... miss him, although I know I shouldn’t. I miss having him around, I miss kissing him, being kissed by him- God, I even miss arguing with him.
He clearly doesn’t miss me though or he would have been in touch…
“Sakura! Have you seen my new facial scrub? I need it!”
I sighed and trudged over to the bathroom which Ino had been locked up in for the past few hours. She’s got a hot date tonight- with Shikamaru of course. That meant the blonde had spent a considerable amount of money and time on preparing and pampering herself.
It’s mean spirited of me but I couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of her.
Shikamaru may not officially be her boyfriend, but I know he’d cut off his right hand sooner than hurt her. I know he loves her. I know he’d give her anything she’d ask of him.
As for me?
I’ve got a boyfriend who barely cares, plenty of heartache and a major assignment due next week.
“Sakuuurraaaa!”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m coming!”
When I pulled the bathroom door open I found Ino standing before the sink, a towel wrapped around her body and her wet hair pulled into a messy bun. A small part of me hated her for looking like a model even though she had no make-up on. In my old sweatpants and large sweater I felt like her ugly spinster aunt rather than her best friend.
“Have you got it with you?” Ino asked, inspecting her flawless reflection in the mirror.
“No,” I mumbled. “It’s in the cabinet.”
“Oh, that’s right. I left it there earlier. This stuff is like miracle goo.”
I watched miserably as she grabbed the bottle from the cabinet and squeezed a fair amount into her hand before rubbing the paste over her face, being careful to avoid her eyes. Once the skin was thoroughly scrubbed, the blonde rinsed it all off and grabbed the nearest towel to dry her face with.
“What’s wrong with you? Still in a funk because of Sasuke?”
I glared at her. “Please don’t mention that name around me.”
Ino laughed. “Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasssuukkkee!”
I flicked her off and she turned around to give me a bone crushing bear hug. “Aww, Sakura, forget about him! Why don’t you come out with Shikamaru and me? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”
I raised an eyebrow at her. “And watch you guys making eyes at each other all night? I’d rather not.”
Ino shrugged, unwrapping her arms from around me, and turned back to the mirror. “Oh well. It could be worse. Just thank your lucky stars your gynecologist said you weren’t pregnant. Honestly, what were you two thinking? I can understand forgetting about the condom once, but to do it again right after the first scare?”
I gave her a small half smile. “Well, clearly we weren’t thinking. Shikamaru must be doing it wrong if you still have the sense to think when he’s around you.”
Ino stuck her tongue out at me. “Shut it, forehead.” She reached for the bottle of facial lotion in the cabinet. “But anyway, have you heard from him at all? Emails? Messages?”
“No.” I bit my lower lip. “You can call me an idiot but I’m worried about him. It’s been two weeks.”
Ino nodded. “Well, Naruto isn’t back yet either according to Hinata so don’t feel too bad. Maybe they’re planning something for you guys?”
“Sasuke? Planning something? For me? Never. He hasn’t got a romantic bone in his body.”
The angry bitterness in my voice killed the cheerfulness of the conversation. I knew because the laughter died out of Ino’s eyes, and her expression turned from one of amusement to one of pity.
If there’s one thing I can’t stand it’s being pitied.
“I’ll let you finish up,” I told her before quietly slipping out.
I was gone before she could comment on the tears in my eyes.
--
Many of the people I know say I have an anger management problem.
Sakura included.
Maybe I do.
That would explain why I had seriously considered rearranging her father’s face weeks ago. Of course I didn’t knock the old man out, even if he was asking for it by trying to talk down Sakura in front of me. It would also explain why I’m currently contemplating slowly choking the life out of my own father, who is lying on the hospital bed in front of me, as grim and formal as ever.
He looks frail and weakened.
It is hard to believe that he’s the same man I used to try so hard to impress as a kid. That was many, many years ago though.
Despite how long it’s been, the air between us is still fraught with tension. He is still waiting for me to change my mind, waiting for me to return to my rightful position as his second son and sole heir to an enormous fortune.
I offer nothing.
“When,’’ he begins in a low, raspy voice, “will you finally stop running from your responsibilities Sasuke?”
He sounds like a tired old man.
I want to tell him this family, this clan, no longer concerns me but I hold back remembering my mother’s pleas outside the private hospital suite. She told me he’d just had a stroke and begged me to be kind, begged me to agree to whatever he asked of me so he wouldn’t get angry or upset.
I agreed.
After all, her happiness still mattered to me.
“I’m here now, aren’t I?” I returned, meeting his piercing gaze.
My father has a way of looking at people almost as though he can see directly into them. I use to admire him for that. I used to admire him for many things…but that’s all in the past now.
He must’ve seen something he liked in my expression because the corner of his mouth twitched and he leaned back against the stack of pillows on his bed. “It’s good to have you here, even under these circumstances.” He paused, still studying me. “You’ve grown a lot. Are you still working?”
I could tell how difficult it was for him to say these things, how difficult it was for him to express the smallest interest in my affairs. Sakura once told me I had the emotional range of a teaspoon and if she ever met my father she’d know whom I’d inherited that from.
“Yeah, I’ve got a few jobs.”
“Making enough money?” He inquired, brows furrowing together in thought.
“Plenty.”
He nodded, and then continued slowly as if treading on thin ice: “You never touch your private funds.”
I looked away. The direction this conversation was taking was one I did not like.
“Your mother thinks it’s because I don’t give you anything and it upsets her.” He paused. “I hope you realize that money is yours, left to you by your forefathers and not by me. It’s generated a significant amount of interest over the years. You have enough there to buy yourself a penthouse in Tokyo and anything else you’d like. You are a rich man in your own right Sasuke.”
I said nothing.
He sighed, and pressed one of the buttons on the remote attached to his electric hospital bed. Less than a minute later, a man in a dark suit stepped into the luxury suite, bowing formally. “Uchiha-sama?”
“Soicheru, my son and his friend shall be staying with us here in Berlin for the next few days. See to it that some accommodation is arranged for them. I’ll put you in charge of handling anything else they might need.”
The man bowed again. “Certainly, Uchiha-sama.”
“You are dismissed.”
A quick nod, and the doors were shut leaving us alone again.
When he spoke after that it was to deliver an unexpected speech: “I’m an old man now, Sasuke. The doctors here, as excellent as they are, say my condition is critical. I don’t expect to live much longer: a few years but no more. Nothing I own can buy me more time, and time is needed to heal old wounds. I never got to tell you before because I’m no good with words-,” and here his voice shook with raw emotion, “but I’m sorry about your brother Sasuke. I’m sorry about Itachi. He was my son and I-I loved him.”
His head was bent, but when he looked up there were tears in those hard eyes.
I had never seen my father cry before.
I had thought him incapable of emotion, particularly regret and repentance.
I didn’t know if I wanted to listen to anymore of this though.
Itachi was not a subject I wanted to discuss with anybody.
Getting up quickly, I walked towards the door, but stopped right outside of it: “You knew it was dangerous but you sent him anyway because of your obsession with this clan- with honor, with fame.” I took a deep breath, steadying my raging temper. “I’ll do whatever the hell you want, but keep my brother’s name out of this.”
When I opened the doors, I found my mother outside, clearly eavesdropping.
I wasn’t mad at her for it.
How could I be when she was crying so hard?
She grabbed at my arm and pulled me into a crushing embrace, murmuring the same words between heart wracking sobs. “Forgive him, Sasuke. Forgive him. Please forgive him…”
Both my parents were in tears.
The ******** up thing was, so was I.
We were all here in this wing of a private European hospital, mourning the loss of someone who had died many, many years ago.
I couldn’t do it though.
I couldn’t forgive him.
I could not forget.
--
One hundred and thirty two missed calls.
Twenty-five were from Sakura, thirty from work, and the rest were from Kirin.
I’ve been avoiding her. Clearly the woman can’t take a hint.
Sighing heavily, I put my phone back down.
Sakura was probably worried- she deserved an explanation and an apology. The problem? After that little episode with her family, and the events of today with my own parents, I don’t feel like talking much. After nearly two weeks of no contact Sakura will expect more information from me than I’m willing to give. My family’s past is definitely my least favorite topic and one I discuss with no one…not even her.
I put my phone back down.
I would speak to her later.
There were other things to worry about right now.
IMPORTANT Mo0n-cHan’S NOTE: (ARGH OK THIS CHAPTER WAS SOOO HARD TO WRITE BECAUSE I KNEW IT WOULD HAVE TO BE BORING! BUT I'M EXCITED NOW BECAUSE WE ARE APPROACHING ALL THE GOOD STUFF -READ:FLUFF + DRAMA-. I DON'T WANT TO GIVE AWAY TOO MUCH, BUT STAY IN TUNED FOR THE NEXT CHAPPIE. THANKS TO ALL YOU LOVELY REVIEWERS XOXO)
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