It Started With A Kiss

惡作劇之吻

Chapter Twenty-three: Will You Marry Me?

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

"Usotsuki!"

Ino's scream filled the air. Sasuke stood frozen in front of her. Many people were attracted and gathered by their little commotion.

Sasuke bowed down politely to Ino. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to believe me. I should have told Kurenai-sensei earlier."

Ino's tears can't help but streak down her pale cheek. Her blue eyes glistened with the tears. She could not opt to say anything anymore. He's said and done enough.

All her years of wanting to be with him suddenly came, but it didn't work out for her. Sure, she understands the omiais and other things that have been traditional to their country. It's normal for an eighteen-year old guy like him to get engaged to someone or marry at such an age.

"There's something I want to know from you though," Ino wiped her tears bitterly and she appeared to have returned to her earlier self.

She turned from him who has just raised his head from his bowing. "After I hear your answer, I could leave you in peace."

"What is it?"

"Are you happy about it?"

He paused. He tried to analyze what could be the real reason he divulged his engagement that easily. Was he really happy or did he just use it to get away from his date? Another thing is that it hasn't been decided yet. For him to explicitly announce something like that is wrong for him to do. But still…

--

Itachi butted-in their conversation. "You can save that tonight at home, otouto. I'm going out with her," he told him bluntly. "Let's go, Sakura?"

--

Fugaku calmed his wife. "Well, if Sasuke declines, I think elder brother likes Sakura-chan." He glanced at Itachi and Itachi smiled with his teen-idol smiles. "So in case we—"

"…I do like Sakura. And if you permit, I would want her to be my wife."

--

He clenched his fists. Clearly, it was his aniki's presence that led him to do so.

"…Are you happy on being engaged to someone?" Ino repeated.

--

"…Every time I see you, I feel very happy. I've tried to tell you how I feel a lot of times, but I wasn't brave enough. This time, I've decided that this is the right time and I will not give up. I've been in love with you for about two years now, and I don't want to regret forever if you won't know how I feel. So I wrote this letter to tell you everything. Uchiha-kun, I love you!"

--

He nodded vigorously. "Yeah, definitely."

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

"Ah, Sakura? Don't vent your anger on a nonliving thing…" Itachi grinned, pointing out at the crooked fork Sakura was gripping in her right hand.

She put it down slowly and she laughed nervously. "I-I am not angry!"

Itachi noticed her looking at the wall clock so often.

"…he's so cocky…" she whispered, thinking of Sasuke again.

--

Sasuke cannot believe his brother saying that. "What?" he could only mutter that. "Hey, aniki! Remember that she's engaged to me!"

Sakura and Itachi were surprised.

"… so I don't care! Meet me here, in twenty. No, make that thirty minutes. I'll wait for you even if you're late, hear that? But don't make me wait for long!" he turned his back afterwards and went back to Ino.

--

Sakura finished her plate. "Gochisousama…" Then she glanced back on the clock again. "Ano… Itachi… I think I should head back to the school and help our class—"

Itachi was smiling back at her. "Shh. I know you were thinking about my otouto. He wouldn't want to wait that long, right? Run along then."

She blushed when she knew that he knows what she's thinking. "H-Hai…"

She stood up immediately and went out of the restaurant.

Whatever Sasuke wants to tell me, I have to hear it. Maybe it is something very important…

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

Uchiha Sasuke fangirls were weeping side by side behind Ino. Having heard what Sasuke had said, Ino turned back and walked away.

Sasuke was glad everything seemed to be over. However, the weeping fangirls did not move away. They won't let him pass. He glanced at his watch.

"Uchiha-kun! Who is that woman? Who is she?!"

Sasuke sighed. So noisy. I wonder if I could be able to find where Sakura is. Why can't they just leave me alone?

He decided it would be best if he keeps quiet about who that girl is.

Sakura arrived at their meeting place just in time. He wasn't there. Could he be lying again? But a noisy crowd of women took her attention. Only one man can gather a crowd. Sasuke-kun…

She ran towards it and she could hear sobbing all over. She tried to ask one fangirl she ran over.

"I'm sorry, but what's this all about?"

"Haven't you heard Uchiha-kun clearly or are you steering away from reality?"

"Huh?" she was most confused. "What did he say?"

The fangirl sobbed more. "He said he's getting married! Ah, my poor life!"

Sakura was jaw-dropped. "Married?" she shouted.

Every fangirl paused as soon as they heard Sakura. Sasuke knew it was her. Then he came towards the crowd of swooning high school girls and he grabbed Sakura's wrist.

"So you came. Let's talk." He said coolly as he led her somewhere.

The fangirls watched them move out the crowd and one of them couldn't help but think aloud:

"Could it be that Haruno Sakura is Uchiha-kun's fiancée?"

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

"Hey, Sasuke, what was that about?" Sakura asked him. "Hey!"

He still didn't seem to pay attention to her. "Oh, this place seems empty." He muttered. They finally stopped in front of the clock tower.

Sakura pulled away her hand. "What do you want?!"

He faced her seriously. "I had to tell them I was engaged." He began.

"Oh, so I heard right from your fangirl." She doesn't look pleased. "What about it?"

Sasuke scratched his head. "Idiot, it has something to do with you!"

"Who's an idiot?!" Sakura yelled at him, blushing profusely. "Who's the idiot between us? I can't believe you! You're using that as another lame excuse to get your fangirls off you face!"

"Would you listen to what I'm saying first?"

"It's your fault, calling me an idiot suddenly like that." She sneered.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted. "Anyway, in that case, we need each other's cooperation now. Will you marry me?"

Her heart skipped a beat. What the…how could he just say it as plain as that? But she remained adamant and she rolled her eyes. "No, thanks. I'd rather admit that I am an idiot than to go with your stupid marriage plans."

He clasped his hand to her shoulders lightly. "Sakura…" he began, looking straight to her eyes. "I can't take back what I said."

She tilted her head slightly. "What did you say? Ooh, is that your 'pride' we're talking about now?"

"That's not it!" he snapped.

"Well sorry, this time I'm not following your orders."

"I'm going to make a proposition then," he said flatly.

Sakura did not waver. She shook her head.

"College entrance tests are coming pretty soon, right? I know you'll need my help."

She frowned. "Screw that!"

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

"Oi, show-off brother!"

Itachi swung his head backwards. "Naruto, will you stop calling me that? Anyway, where's Hinata?"

"She left early with her family." Naruto told him. "How about Sakura-chan? I thought you were with her."

"Nah," Itachi muttered. "It seems like she loves my otouto more than me."

"Eh?"

"She went to meet him somewhere inside the school grounds."

"What? That guy… so cunning! He took Sakura-chan's first kiss—that was supposed to be mine—and what else could he do?!"

"I know one thing he's still capable of." Itachi smiled. "I'm sure you won't like to hear this."

"What is it?" Naruto eagerly asked. "Tell me!"

When Naruto stopped shaking Itachi's body, they both calmed down. Itachi sighed, and after that…

"My otouto can take Sakura's hand in marriage. Anytime from now." He stated simply.

"No way!!!"

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

Going back to Sakura and Sasuke…

"Admit it. It would be so difficult for you to get in a premier university."

Sakura covered her ears. "Stop it! You don't have to state the obvious to me!"

Sasuke smirked. He's definitely getting the upper hand in their battle. He's now going to win it.

"…what do you think? Accept our parents' proposal and I'll get you into college."

She stood up properly. "Fine! I agree with you! But make sure you get me into college. And when I get there, I'm absolutely finding someone better than you! Anyway, I've already seen who you really are."

"Are you that confident? Will you forget me all over?" Sasuke asked her.

"I can! I know there's someone far more handsome and 100 times better than you… no, 1,000,000 times better!" she replied, more determined than ever.

He stopped arguing with her. "Fine… you just go find that someone!"

"Certainly! I can look for—"

Without any thought, Sasuke bent down to Sakura's level and he planted a kiss on her lips.

Sakura's world whirled like a tornado in her head. She could feel his lips touch hers this time. It wasn't accidental right now.

Sasuke was taken aback. He stopped what he was doing. What was he doing anyway? Did he just kiss her?

He looked at her carefully. Her wide emerald eyes gaped at him. She was as equally shocked as him. He couldn't believe what had happened.

They averted each other's gaze. Before running away, he stuck out his tongue like a kid. And he left as if nothing happened.

Sakura could only stare at his back as he ran away, letting out heaving sighs of unbelief.

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

THAT'S THE Twenty-third CHAPTER! TILL NEXT TIME!!!

Sasuke's random fangirls got a long scene this time. ^_^