Chapter 9: Something Has Changed
Sakura tugs at the hem of her skirt while anxiously looking out the window at those passing by on the sidewalk.
On Friday night, while out with her coworkers, she lost her temper and said she'd wear some of the clothing she'd spitefully purchased with the company credit card during her first week of employment. This morning, she woke up early and confidently showered, curled her hair, did her makeup more carefully than usual, and dressed in a tight, tan pencil skirt, flowy blood-red long-sleeved shirt, and pastel pink heels. It wasn't until she got into this taxi that she began questioning her decision.
Uchiha Corp comes into view, and soon, the vehicle stops at the curb.
"Thank you," she mumbles while paying. As soon as she steps out of the car, she's drowning in discomfort. It's almost December. The thin panty-hose under her skirt aren't doing much to fend off the cold air.
When she steps into the building, it's not as easy as usual to ignore the stares of those around her. They're stronger than expected, she supposes, but still. Is it so surprising for her to dress like a woman that these people who see her five days a week have to ogle like they've never seen female legs before? It pisses Sakura off as much as it makes her nervous.
In the elevator, she fidgets with her skirt again. It reaches just below her knees, with a thin slit in the back to make walking easier, but it's skin-tight. All those people were thinking about how flat-chested she is, right? She's not even wearing her usual puffy winter coat. No, she opted for the chic plaid jacket Ino recommended when she came over last night to help pick out the week's outfits.
On the eleventh floor, the doors open. Sakura takes a calming breath before forcing herself to appear confident and unbothered. She lifts her chin and strides calmly down the lengthy hall. Before she can make it halfway to her boss's office, a familiar voice stops her, "Color me impressed. I was sure you'd feign ignorance and show up in one of those dowdy suits today."
The woman rolls her eyes at Sai, not bothering to look his way as he falls into step at her side, "Enjoy this satisfaction while you can because I'm going back to normal after this week."
Sakura doesn't want to admit that she's highly insecure about her body. She also doesn't want anyone to find that out on their own. That's why she's trying so hard to appear collected and unaffected. Since middle school, when girls' bodies began to develop, the pinkette has patiently waited for her glow-up, but it still hasn't occurred. She's accepted that it never will at this point.
Throughout high school, she had three boyfriends within three years. The first two dumped her when she refused to sleep with them, so they didn't last long.
The third one didn't act so irrationally. No, he treated her right for months. Sakura was so smitten that she decided to have sex for the first time with him for their one-year anniversary. It went as smoothly as two seventeen-year-olds sleeping together can go, and the young woman was head over heels for her boyfriend afterward.
Only days later, when she overheard him talking to his friends, did she realize how stupid she'd been. "I can't believe I waited this long for someone with so little sex appeal. You'd think she'd try harder with such a plain body." That's what the boy she thought she loved said. Needless to say, she broke up with him. The fact that he didn't bother asking why and simply accepted it didn't help. Since then, Sakura has avoided romance and men, content to hear about Ino's escapades, watch sappy movies, and read the occasional spicy novel.
Sai wanders off after a few more backhanded compliments, likely to prepare for Ino to arrive and put him through the wringer like always.
"Good morning, Sir," Sakura calls upon entering Mr. Uchiha's office. She slips her jacket off and hangs it and her purse on the hooks nearby. The Uchiha man's usual, gruff sound of greeting meets her ears. She approaches her desk, which sits near the file cabinets. It's not nearly as big as the D.O.O.'s, but it's made of the same wood.
Sitting quietly while waiting for the tablet to power on and update feels awkward. Does he feel the same way? Probably not. He's not the most adept at picking up social cues. The fact actually offers a bit of comfort. At least he'll act normally.
"You'll be traveling with me today."
"Yes, Sir. Would you like any breakfast?" Sakura comes to stand before him in wait.
Hawk-like eyes lift onto her, the man's pupils shrinking hastily. Oh, God. She inwardly begs him not to comment on her attire. It'd be out of character, but she's an anxious mess today, so that thought brings no solace.
…..
Sasuke's chest tightens until heat begins to rise into his face, reminding him to breathe. He grits his teeth and pretends to focus on his computer screen, "No. Thank you. Just coffee is fine."
Reluctantly, his gaze wanders to Sakura again as she bows and turns to leave the room. Has she always been so…? No. He doesn't know how to describe her aura today. It's different, for sure. His eyes narrow, dancing down her figure as the woman steps out of the room and closes the door behind her without a glance back. Sakura's more annoying than usual.
Those clothes. He vaguely recalls her and Sai arguing on Friday but hadn't paid much attention. That outfit is something he'd expect Karin to wear, not his more conservative assistant.
The Uchiha man recalls seeing her on Friday night. Without speaking or bringing attention to it, she seemed to try to reassure him when he was feeling uncomfortable. It was a kindness he hadn't witnessed from her until then.
What's going on with that pink woman? She gets weirder by the day.
Time passes.
After lunch, the duo leaves the office to make the rounds at all the work sites. Hushed whispers meet his ears in the elevator, and he looks over to see two employees staring at his oblivious assistant, their thoughts written all over their faces. When they notice that he's picked up on it, they look at him, and his eyes narrow into a hefty glare. The two men's faces turn pale, and they face forward with expressions of terror.
He glances at Sakura again, who remains clueless.
It's inappropriate to ogle other employees at work, regardless of who it is.
Things are quiet as usual while they travel. Sasuke becomes more irritated as the day progresses because everywhere they go, it's like all the men in the vicinity stare. Do they do that when Karin travels with him? He can't remember. If they do, he's never noticed.
The last stop of the day is at Kankuro's worksite. The Subaku man wears a hard hat for once and grins wolfishly when he notices their arrival, "What's up? Oh!" His eyes widen as he looks over Sasuke's assistant. Then, his smile widens, "Didn't expect to see you today, Sakura. How've you been?"
"I'm well, Sir. Karin is out this week, so I'm filling in." Why does she have to be so polite? Can't she tell this idiot is flirting with her? She'll just encourage him.
"Lucky me. I've been meaning to ask. Do you have a-" "Are things progressing as scheduled?" If Sasuke has to hear this man hit on the pink-haired woman, he'll get even more annoyed. Having her along today has been nothing but a distraction because men keep coming up to try to talk to her.
"Uh, yes, Sir! We're half a day ahead. Things are going more smoothly than expected." The man knocks the hat on his head as though it's wood, and he's trying not to jinx the situation. They discuss a few things before ending the conversation.
As they leave, Kankuro calls after them, "Sakura, come by for a visit again!"
The woman simply waves with a smile before facing forward again.
"If you hadn't spent the day flirting, we'd have finished an hour ago," Sasuke mumbles, cringing when he hears how hateful his tone had come off.
Sakura gives him an incredulous look as they enter the car and get on the road, saying, "If that's supposed to be a joke, it's not a good one."
He says nothing because he isn't sure what should be said. In fact, he suspects it's not her fault and that she hasn't gone out of her way to draw attention to herself. All he knows is that ignoring stares for hours on end has eaten away at his patience.
When he glances at the woman, she brushes a strand of hair behind her ear, and he sees that the tip of it is red. She's angry. That makes him angry, too.
His mouth moves before he can stop it, "Wear your regular clothing tomorrow. Obviously, you can't do your job dressed like this." Fuck. That's just as misogynistic as it sounds. Why did he even say that? Why did he say anything at all?
Sakura turns her head to fix him with a glare, but he keeps his gaze on the road. For a moment, things are quiet, and then she sighs, "Stop the car."
"What?" The woman pulls the door handle, causing him to slam the brakes and pull to the side of the busy street, "What are you doing?"
"I'll take a cab back to the office." Before the vehicle comes to a complete stop, she unhooks her seatbelt and gathers her purse.
Sasuke shifts into park and watches in disbelief as she gets out, "Are you serious? Get back in the car."
She ignores him, pulling her jacket on while closing the door.
Is this a joke? She's insane. Pissed off to no end, Sasuke gets out, narrowly missing hitting a passing car with his door. He barks at the woman looking both ways for an opening to cross the street, repeating himself, "Sakura, get back in the car!"
"No!"
Cursing under his breath, he puts the caution lights on in his car and slams the door closed so he can jog toward her. He's not a complete fool. He knows he's in the wrong, but for some reason, he can't stand that her first instinct is to run away instead of fighting him like when they first met. His steps falter, as does his glare, when he notices tears in her eyes. She lowers her head before he can reach her and rushes into the crosswalk.
In his peripheral, there's movement, and his neck jerks to the side to see a car coming. The driver's eyes aren't on the road but on their phone. In a matter of a second, he realizes the upset woman doesn't see it, and his body moves of its own accord.
"Sakura!"
…..
Sakura's life flashes before her eyes when she sees the uncharacteristic panic on her boss's features. What's going on? Her hands come up to grasp his shirt as he tackles her to the ground. Her face becomes buried in his chest as the air is knocked out of her from the impact.
There's nothing but the pair's uneven breathing and bewilderment. What happened? Why did he do that? He'd called her name in such a desperate voice that it sent ice down her spine.
A crashing sound breaks the woman's trance, and she finally recognizes the situation. There must've been a car coming that she hadn't noticed.
Tears flood her eyes as her limbs tremble. Her grip tightens on Mr. Uchiha's shirt, "...Sir?"
This asshole of a man…. He just risked his life to save her, even though she'd been angry and trying to ditch him. All the irritation she felt moments ago is gone, replaced with concern and guilt. Their little argument seems so irrelevant now that something life-threatening has occurred.
The arms around her loosen, and her boss lifts himself with one palm to the ground. Those sharp eyes look over her appearance swiftly, "Are you hurt?"
She sniffles, trying not to burst into sobs, "I'm okay, I think. Are you…?" That's when she notices his other arm is limp. "Mr. Uchiha, I-" "Are you guys alright? An ambulance is on the way!" The duo looks up to see a few concerned pedestrians rushing their way.
The Uchiha man gets to his feet, pulling Sakura up by one of her hands while addressing the others, "Did the driver hit anyone?"
He turns to look in the direction of where the crash sound had come, but the pinkette can only stare at his face in awe. Sirens become noticeable in the distance, gradually coming closer. People speak as the duo is guided out of the road. Sakura's eyes drift down to where her boss is still holding her trembling hand, though he's explaining the situation to those around them in case the police ask.
Her back, neck, and head hurt. She's terrified though she knows the danger has passed. All of this is stressful and scary, but the man's hand is warm in hers. It almost makes things seem a little better, as confusing as that is.
Green eyes lift to his face again. Sakura's not comprehending a word said around her. She's too entranced by the new light she's seeing Mr. Uchiha in. For what feels like the millionth time, they'd gotten into an argument because he doesn't think twice before speaking, and she's prideful and hot-headed. It's obvious he dislikes her, but he still didn't stand by and watch her get hurt.
The Haruno woman's grip tightens. She turns her face away and covers her mouth with her free hand; her eyes squeeze closed as she chokes back a sob. It's been a long time since she's felt this guilty and been entirely sure she was in the wrong.
"Sakura," Mr. Uchiha says.
She frantically wipes at her tears, "Yes?"
"Where does it hurt?"
The woman shakes her head, lifting her gaze to see a parade of first response vehicles arriving, "I-I said I'm okay."
Stop being so nice.
She needs him to yell and argue with her like always, or she's at risk of coming to actually like him.
The duo is taken to the hospital, where they're treated in a large room with many beds separated by curtains. Sakura answers all the nurse's questions in a daze. She's taken to get x-rays to ensure none of the pain she's feeling is serious, then is returned to her bed to wait for the results.
Mr. Uchiha is right on the other side of this curtain. She heard them say shortly after their arrival that his arm is likely at least fractured. They took him away and brought him back a few minutes ago. Sakura is torn. She wants to apologize so badly but doesn't know if this is the right time or place. If she doesn't swallow her pride and do it soon, will he think she's a bitch? Well, more than he already does.
Taking a strengthening breath, Sakura gets to her feet and lifts a hand toward the curtain. Before she can touch it, the one at the entrance of her area opens, and a nurse enters, "Miss Haruno, please take a seat and untie your hospital gown. I've brought ointment for your back."
Sakura's face turns bright red as she wordlessly obeys. Does that woman know what she was about to do? She flinches when the cold cream hits her bare skin, holding the front of the gown up with a hand to her chest. "You're extremely lucky not to have suffered any fractures." "That's a relief."
"Sakura, Sweetheart!"
The woman twists her spine to see her mother rushing into the room in tears, "Mom!"
The nurse finishes up with the ointment and bows politely, "Someone will come by shortly with your release paperwork. Please relax until then."
Mebuki sniffles, "Those bruises are so dark! Are you in a lot of pain?" She helps Sakura retie the gown closed with gentle hands.
"What are you doing here, Mom? Did you have to leave work?"
The blond woman frowns at her injured daughter, "What do you mean what am I doing here? I'm your mother! Do you expect me to stay away after getting a call from the hospital saying you were almost run over by a car?"
"Almost, being the operative word. I'm totally fine. Please go ahead. I can get home on my own."
Mebuki ignores her, "They said a young man rescued you."
Sakura accepts a makeup wipe, realizing as her mother pulled it out that her makeup must've run, "Yes. It was my boss. He's next door. Don't worry. I plan to properly-!" The curtain separating Mr. Uchiha's area from hers is shoved aside.
Sakura's mouth falls open in disbelief at her mother's actions. The man is in the middle of buttoning his shirt after changing out of the hospital gown, using one hand because his left one is in a brace. Itachi stands nearby with a surprised but amused face.
"My apologies for intruding. I'm Sakura's mother. Are you the one who saved her from that car?"
What is she doing?! Oh my God!
The pinkette fumbles to cover herself with the thin blanket on the cot because the hospital gowns are thin, "M-Mom! You didn't even check first!"
"Yes, Ma'am. My name is Sasuke Uchiha."
His name is….Sasuke? She watches in awe as her boss finishes buttoning his shirt and outreaches his usable hand to shake Mebuki's.
Her mother accepts the gesture with a tearful face, "Thank you so much, Sasuke! I don't know what I'd do if something happened to her. My family is in your debt."
Sakura's face heats with blush again, and she struggles to her feet, wincing when a sore ache runs up her spine but ignoring it, "Mom, you're being too casual. He's my boss. You have to call him Sir or Mr. Uchiha."
"It's fine," Sasuke quietly objects with his usual frown.
His brother helps him get his injured arm into a sling, "You have a lovely daughter, Mrs. Haruno. Our company is very lucky to have her."
Mebuki smiles with her hands at her cheeks, gazing warmly at her bewildered daughter, "I'm so glad to hear that. I feel better about her working if it's for kind gentlemen like you two," her grin falls as she overshares, "She used her college tuition to get her father and me out of a tight spot, the foolish girl. We've been so worried she'd stretch herself too thin. She's too selfless if you ask me. That's a trait she got from my mother."
"Okay, that's enough!" Sakura feels like she'll die of humiliation while grabbing the woman's arm and pulling her back to her area. She tugs the curtain closed so the Uchiha brothers can no longer see them, hissing, "Why would you tell them all that?"
"Well, someone has to worry about whether or not you'll get married to a nice man, and you're obviously not."
Marriage?!
"Mom, I'm only nineteen! And those are my bosses! You're gonna get me in trouble!"
The blond woman giggles girlishly, waving a dismissive hand while still whispering, "They're quite attractive, don't you think? It makes even an old woman like me blush!"
"Ew, Mom, stop! You're so embarrassing!"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone