#romancefic

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Warnings:

suggestive tension • heavy flirting • physical closeness • playful teasing • kissing tension • domestic fluff • baking/food mentions • cuddling • sleepy affection • cheesy boyfriend behavior

Word count: ~948 words

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The first thing Ricky did on his day off was sleep until noon.

The second thing he did was walk into the kitchen with his hair sticking up everywhere and say,

“I want cookies.”

You looked up from your phone. “That’s the first thing you say to me today?”

“Yes.”

“Not good morning?”

“Cookies are more urgent. I had a dream of cookies, I'm craving 'em like a pregnant lady.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

Ricky ignored you completely and opened random cabinets like he’d lived there his entire life instead of spending twenty minutes yesterday asking where the spoons were.

“Do we even have flour?”

“We do if you stop touching everything dramatically.”

“I’m helping.”

“You just opened the fridge and closed it again.”

“I was checking the vibe.”

You stared at him.

He stared back.

Then both of you started laughing.

The apartment felt weirdly peaceful today. Quiet in a nice way. No alarms going off. No staff messages popping up every five seconds. Just cold winter light spilling through the windows and Ricky wandering around in socks like a sleepy cat.

Eventually, you tied his hoodie strings together after he annoyed you for the sixth time.

“Hey—”

“That’s what you get.” You smile at him 

“You’re evil.”

“You love me.”

Ricky paused.

Then he smiled slowly. “Yeah. I do.”

The answer came so naturally that it caught you off guard for half a second.

He noticed immediately too.

You could tell by the way his ears turned a little pink before he looked away and reached for the mixing bowl.

“Okay,” he muttered. “Chef mode now.”

“Chef mode?”

“Yes. Don’t distract me.”

“You literally cannot bake.”

“That sounds negative.”

“It sounds accurate.”

The next thirty minutes turned into complete disaster.

Ricky cracked an egg one-handed and got shell into the batter. You laughed at him so hard you accidentally spilled sugar everywhere. He tried fixing it and somehow made it worse.

At one point, flour exploded across the counter because he mixed too aggressively.

“You look insane,” you said through laughter.

“You’re supposed to support me.”

“I’m trying but this is embarrassing.”

“You’re embarrassing.”

“You have dough in your hair.”

He immediately reached up. “Where?”

“There.”

When he leaned closer, you brushed your fingers through the soft strands near his forehead to pull the tiny piece out.

Ricky went still and looked straight into your eyes 

Not fully. Just enough that you noticed.

Your hand slowed too.

For one tiny second, the kitchen suddenly felt quieter than before.

His eyes stayed on yours.

Close.

Way too close.

Then—

“You got distracted,” you mumbled.

“You touched my hair.”

“So?”

“You know I like that.”

His voice came out softer this time.

You swallowed.

“Ricky—”

“Hmm?”

“You’re staring.”

“I know.”

He didn’t stop either.

That was the problem.

The tension started small after that.

Little things.

His hand resting on your lower back while you reached into the cabinet.

Your knees touching under the table while waiting for the cookies to bake.

The way he kept looking at you like he had something to say but never actually said it.

And Ricky was naturally clingy on normal days already.

Today was worse.

At some point while cleaning up, he walked behind you in the narrow kitchen and stayed there instead of moving away.

“You’re blocking me,” you said.

“You smell nice.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“I don’t care.”

You tried stepping sideways.

His hands landed on the counter beside you immediately.

Your breath caught a little.

Ricky leaned forward just enough that his chin almost brushed your shoulder.

“You know,” he said quietly, “this is the longest I’ve gotten to spend with you in weeks.”

You looked at him over your shoulder. “You’re acting like we’re in a romance movie.”

“We are.”

“You’re so cheesy.”

“And you like it.”

Unfortunately, he was right.

The oven hummed softly behind you both.

Neither of you moved.

Ricky’s eyes dropped to your lips for the briefest second before lifting again.

Your heart started acting stupid instantly.

“Say something,” he murmured.

“You first.”

He smiled a little at that.

Then he leaned closer.

Slow enough to make you fully aware of it.

One hand slid lightly against your waist, pulling you back just slightly until your shoulder pressed against his chest. Just as his lips touched your neck—

DING.

The oven timer went off.

Ricky blinked once.

Then he dropped his head dramatically against your shoulder.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

You burst out laughing immediately.

“No because actually,” he complained, still holding your waist, “that was the worst timing ever.”

“The cookies saved us.”

“I didn’t ask to be saved.”

“You’re insane.”

He sighed deeply like life had personally betrayed him before finally letting go to grab the oven mitts.

The cookies came out slightly uneven because both of you forgot about the second tray entirely.

Still, Ricky proudly called them “masterpieces.”

An hour later, the kitchen was messy again.

Cookie crumbs everywhere.

One half-finished movie playing on the TV.

And Ricky stretched across the couch beside you under a blanket, warm from the heater and smelling faintly like vanilla.

“You know,” he mumbled sleepily, “I think baking together healed me emotionally.”

“You dropped an entire egg earlier.”

“That was part of the experience.”

You laughed quietly.

Ricky turned his head toward you then, eyes softer now than before.

Without saying anything, he reached over and laced his fingers through yours beneath the blanket.

Simple.

Easy.

The movie kept playing while snow fell outside.

At some point, Ricky fell asleep halfway against your shoulder, still holding your hand loosely like he forgot to let go.

And honestly?

You didn’t want him to.

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THE END~~

Requests are open!! I’m like a ChatGPT. It feels difficult to work without a prompt. Feel free to gimme your suggestions.

Peace out!!

I didn’t go into the combini closest to me, instead I decided to take a walk through the village. I had a lot of time on my hands now anyway. There were new shops selling kuraama paintings and merchandise. Man, had the times changed. I wondered what my official title or job description was to the people of Konoha, or if they were even aware of my existence. I’d prefer it if my name faded away into history, that was a good end for me.  There was a gloominess settling over me that seemed to fill the street as I ambled along, my hand in my pocket. Before I knew it, I found myself circling around the hospital entrance. Clenching my teeth, I had to fight the impulse to walk away and put it off till later. Sakura was a medical kunoichi now. She had a busy day. The last thing I wanted was to interrupt something important like a surgery by declaring my sudden arrival. 

I eyed the clock on the wall in the waiting room, it was almost 5. She should be getting off about now, right? The receptionist was looking at me funny. She probably knew who I was, or worse, she thought I needed medical attention because of my arm. “Ano..”, I heard her mumble. I looked at her and spoke, “I’m not a patient. I’m waiting for someone-”  “Sasuke san, Sakura san is just getting done with her last patient of the day.”  I nodded awkwardly. Sasuke san. What would I say to her? I’d have to prepare myself. I could start with the usual- How are you, how’s work- Is Tsunade working you harder than usual? Should I call you sensei now?  I smirked at that last thought. She had always been smart, probably smarter than I was in school. But this was a whole new level- Doctor Sakura. I ought to congratulate her on her profession. What would I say next? I could tell her I’ll count on her for any medical emergencies I might have..  “Sasuke-kun??”  My face froze. I stood up to see the pink haired Haruno Sakura standing across the hall, sling bag and all. Her doctor’s apron was peeking out of the bag. She still had white shoes on. 

“Tadaima”, I said sheepishly. I don’t know why I chose to say that to her, but it seemed appropriate somehow. She’d been waiting for me to come home, her more than anyone. 

She crossed the space between us, smiling at me as she did, her gaze not leaving my eyes. She looked like she would cry any minute. I really did not want her to cry. “Should we go?”, I said, ushering her to the door, watching the receptionist from the corner of my eye- she seemed to be paying close attention to our drama at the moment. I hated that. Why couldn’t people just mind their own business.  Sakura was turning redder and redder by the minute. I can’t figure out why, for the life of me. I let go of her arm and slowed my pace to match her’s. Glancing at her from time to time was all I could do, as we walked side by side. She was tearing up, but not saying anything. I couldn’t bear her crying like that, but I had no clue what to say to her. I didn’t know where to start.  “How’s work at the hospital? Tsunade working you hard?”, I said to the air in front of me. Sakura looked down at her feet and murmured, “Yeah- it’s great..”  I grabbed the inside of my pocket furiously. This was going horribly. I was terrible at this after all. I shouldn’t have come. I should’ve let Naruto handle it.. 

“She’s driving me just hard enough! It’s a big deal to be head of the hospital you know? I can’t be allowed to take it lightly!” 

I looked at her face. She was chirpy and bright faced all of a sudden. There was a big, proud smile plastered across her little face. A small, unimpressive smile in comparison was spreading across mine, when Sakura looked at me and said, “Okairinasai..”  This time, my everything froze. How much confidence and emotional endurance could she possibly have. I found myself getting flustered, so I tore my gaze away from her’s just in time to see the tsukemen shop on our right. “Do you want some? You like this right?”  I didn’t know if I was right. This was a memory from our genin years together.  “Yes I do! You remember Sasuke-kun..”, she was blushing again. It wasn’t a big deal to remember something like that. I held her wrist and tugged her towards the shop just so we’d get there faster, immediately regretting the gesture. Every time I touched her, she turned beet red and looked like she was choking on a fish bone. It made me feel uncomfortable.  “I don’t know what’s good here- get one for me?”, I said. Sakura ordered for us both like she had done it a million times before. We sat at the counter silently, just feeling the intensity of each other’s presence.  I looked at her sideways, wanting to apologize to her for all the times I had let her down, wanting to tell her she doesn’t have to forgive me or be this happy to be eating with me. She didn’t have to be this loving and caring of someone like me. Sakura turned to me, her green eyes solid and unwavering, she said, “You’re going to ask me for anything you need help with. Even if you’re just bored, you’re going to tell me. Right?”  I didn’t make eye contact with her, but instead looked at the poster behind her, taking in the color and composition. She smelled of cherry blossom, like her name suggests. “I don’t want to bother you Sakura. You have a lot on your plate. You just take care of yourself- I’ll be fine..”  She looked annoyed suddenly. There was definitely a hint of annoyance in her face as the tsukemen arrived. Maybe it was too spicy? I slurped up my noodles, pleasantly surprised at how good my bowl was. “Is yours as good as this?”  She looked at me, still annoyed, “There you go again. Sasuke-kun. You’re not bothering me.. I want to help. Please don’t hold back.”  I turned back to my bowl, scared of that look on her face. “Hai..”, I answered. I saw her smile coming back. I was defeated. I mean, maybe she could get me soap when I wanted, that’s not a lot to ask. I didn’t have to refuse her help entirely, I just would stay out of her way overall. Sakura really could be overbearing sometimes. I paid for our food when we were done. 

As we walked out into the street again, I struggled to think of something to say to her without making things upsetting or serious. My eyes brightened as I thought of the perfect thing. “Hey- Naruto and Hinata getting married was pretty nice right. She always had a thing for him-”, I looked at her and continued, “How was the wedding, since I couldn’t make it..”  Sakura looked sullen now, though the words that came out of her mouth didn’t match her vibe, “It was so beautiful. They’re really cute together..”  I swallowed to get rid of the lump in my throat. This was getting more and more awkward. We were walking towards her apartment complex. She had moved here from her parent’s place it seemed. She turned towards me as we approached her block and smiled widely.  Then she said the most surprising thing, “Sasuke-kun. I know you feel indebted to me or that you need to be nice to me. You don’t have to do that.” Her eyes were clear, her voice firm. “You don’t have to hang out with me to keep me happy. I won’t bother you anymore. You just.. try to have a good life here in Konoha, please.”  I stared at her, dumbfounded. That’s exactly what I was going to say to her.  She looked down at her shoes and then back up again at me, her pink hair getting in her eyes. I really wanted to touch it. But that would make her uncomfortable and flustered so I didn’t. Sakura turned around to climb up the stairs.  “Wait-”, I pleaded.  She turned back around, looking severely taken aback. Did she think I’d stay silent through all of that? Probably. I had been no less than a revenge seeking machine before. The emotions struggled to be processed and leak out, even now.  “I- Sakura, you don’t bother me.. I-”, the words started to form. “I don’t want you to waste your time on me-” 

I wanted to beg her to stay away from me, to not depress herself further, to find somebody else to care for like she did me. But my eyes just took in her face, so earnest and small. She was such an amazing woman. Her cute, pink exterior wouldn’t give away how strong or talented she was at all. She didn’t deserve to be running around after me like this, even if she did love me.  I saw her give me a small smile, a resignatory one. This was it. She’d stop calling me or leaving messages with anyone for me. I would stop meeting her too. She’d find a way to move on from this mess. My eyes just wouldn’t leave her’s now. I don’t know why.  She seemed confused. I was confused too, I understand. I felt a sudden urge to ask her to stay. I felt ashamed for feeling that, and looked down to my feet.  My heart was pounding, as I tried to get the words out. I was scared. It was strange to be following my last sentence with this.  “If it’s not too much trouble- do you- would you like to help me..” I looked up at her, flustered at my own words, searching for the end of my sentence, “-set up my place. It’s all empty right now.. and um- I need to stock up on the kitchen-”  Yes, people did that. I needed to stock up on my kitchen.  She looked at me disbelievingly. She just stood there with a disgusted, sarcastic look on her face. But then she said, “Do you need me to cook for you? I’ll bring you a week’s worth of food if you want..”  I shrugged and grasped at words again. Her eyes were really boring into me now, for the truth it seemed. “No-I can cook. I just- you know- I can make food for us-” 

Why am I saying this. 

“Um.. sasuke-kun..”  Don’t call me that. This is the worst time to be saying that kun thing. 

I was blushing now, I could feel it. My cheeks were hot. “Why don’t you bring me something for the flat- It really needs some help right now. I’ll get started on dinner for us before you come- Saturday. You’re off early on Saturday?”  “Sasuke-kun! You really don’t have to-”  “I want to.”  We looked at each other for a few minutes, her searching, me trying my best to build a wall in front of my face that she could not penetrate. I think I did a pretty good job, she still looked confused. I was certain that she’d seen me blushing but that hadn’t thrown her off at least.  Sakura still looked like she didn’t really believe me, but she said, “Okay- I’ll bring some things for you. You like cats don’t you?” She smirked at me, knowingly. My mouth opened slightly in a laugh as my body relaxed. “Yes I do..” 

“Alright, I’ll see you Saturday- at 8..9..?”  “9 is good. I’ll have something cooked by then”, I smiled slightly, confidently. “Bye then. Sleep well- you earned it, sensei-” She laughed hearing that, a brilliant clear laugh and began climbing up the stairs. 

I walked away from the block, steering towards my shitty little apartment. Good, she’d bring me little cat posters then. And she’d be coming home for dinner at 9 pm this Saturday, what had I done. 

I was sweating when I reached my flat. This was the worst way to end the conversation. I asked her to my home, and I said I’d cook for her. What have I done. I looked around the flat, at the depressing blank walls and the dusty kitchen. That at least, the Sasuke Welcoming Team hadn’t wasted their time with. Probably a bunch of genins after all, no big deal.  I lied in my bed, staring at the ceiling. Sakura would be coming over. I have to cook her something really nice. I want to do something nice for her. 

I smiled a little to myself in the dark. I said out loud, “I’ll cook her your roast, Itachi. Forgive me if I fuck it up and order in from Wagamama.” I had distinct memories of Itachi going crazy in our kitchen with 4 course meals. If I was anything like my brother, and I knew I was, I could pull off this dinner for us too.  I had cooked for myself before, but it was hardly a meal worth sharing. Orochimaru’s hole had been my home for most of my life. I would have to adapt to the luxury of having a proper kitchen with an oven and other amenities. Well, I was a fast learner. 

I felt some excitement creeping up on me. I’d do something nice for Sakura. I’d make her happy, for a change. I hope it would make her happy. 

I'm trying to find any gunwook smut but there's no long fics. Can you write one pls💙🥺

Idol.gunwook and idol.fem.reader

HOLD ON TIGHT - Gunwook [ZB1]

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Warnings:

Gunwook x Female reader, winter au, dominant gunwook soft reader, sweetheart gunwook, lover gunwook, reader is his girlfriend, reader is suffering in cold lol

Word Count: ~700 words

Author's Note: I tried my best with my exams going on.....i hope its good enough 😭😭

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The cold bites at your cheeks as you trudge through the snow, your breath crystallizing in the frigid air. You've been out too long—foolishly long—and now your body is paying the price. Your fingers are numb inside your gloves, your legs heavy and unresponsive beneath layers of clothing that suddenly feel inadequate.

"Come here," Gunwook says softly, his voice cutting through the wind. He's already wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you close against his chest. His body radiates heat, and you lean into him instinctively, seeking warmth like a plant seeks sunlight.

Back inside his apartment, he strips away your outer layers with careful hands, his dark eyes tracking your shivering form with concern. The heating is turned up high, but it's not enough. You're still trembling, your core temperature dangerously low.

"Bed," he murmurs, guiding you toward his bedroom. "We need to warm you up."

He wraps you both under the heavy comforter, his body pressed against yours. His skin is warm—almost hot—and you burrow into him, seeking every point of contact. His arms circle you, one hand splayed across your back, the other tangled in your hair. You can feel his heartbeat against your cheek, steady and strong.

"Better?" he whispers into your hair.

You nod, but you're still shaking. Gunwook shifts, his leg sliding between yours, his thigh pressing against your core. The friction sends a spark of warmth through you that has nothing to do with the cold outside.

"Still cold," you murmur, and you feel him smile against your temple.

"Then let me help," he says, his voice dropping lower, rougher.

His hands begin to move—slowly, deliberately—mapping the landscape of your body. He peels away the last of your clothing, and instead of the shock of cold air, there's only his warmth. His lips find your neck, your collarbone, the soft curve where your shoulder meets your throat. He's gentle but insistent, his touch igniting something deep within you.

"Gunwook," you breathe, and he responds by pulling you closer, his body fitting against yours like they were made for this.

He moves over you, his weight settling between your thighs. His eyes search yours for permission, and when you nod, he enters you slowly, filling you completely. There's no rush—just the deliberate slide of his body into yours, the friction building heat from the inside out.

"You're still so cold," he murmurs, and he begins to move, each thrust generating warmth, each gasp you make echoing his own. His skin is slick with sweat now, his breathing ragged against your neck. Your hands dig into his shoulders, his back, pulling him deeper.

The cold is completely forgotten now. Your body is burning, alive, every nerve ending singing with sensation. Gunwook's pace quickens, his movements becoming less controlled, more urgent. He whispers your name against your skin like a prayer, like a promise.

"Warm now?" he asks, his voice rough with desire.

"Yes," you gasp, and it's true. You're burning from the inside out, consumed by him, by this, by the intensity of his touch and the way he looks at you like you're the only thing that matters.

He pushes deeper, and you meet him thrust for thrust, your bodies moving in perfect synchronization. The tension builds, coils tighter, until finally it snaps. You come undone beneath him, your body convulsing with pleasure, and he follows moments later, burying himself deep inside you as he finds his own release.

Afterward, you lie tangled together, his body still draped over yours, his breathing gradually slowing. Outside, the snow continues to fall, the wind howling against the windows. But here, wrapped in his arms, in the warmth of his body and the comfort of his presence, you're safe.

"Warm?" he asks again, this time with a soft smile.

You nod against his chest, your fingers tracing lazy patterns across his skin. "Very warm."

He presses a kiss to your forehead, and you drift off to sleep in his arms, completely and utterly content.

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THE END~~

Requests are open!! I’m like a ChatGPT. It feels difficult to work without a prompt. Feel free to gimme your suggestions.

Peace out!!

I woke up and jumped into the shower. I had asked Sakura out to dinner tonight. I scrubbed like mad at my body, determined to smell nice and be spotless for our date. I had my entire day planned out. I would go buy her some flowers, and then go visit Naruto. He should be at home today, I had checked at the Hokage’s office.  Why would I jinx it and talk to Naruto hours before? I don’t know. He was a married man, he must have done something right, or so I figured.  I went over to Naruto and Hinata’s home that day around late afternoon. Nobody was answering the door. I had knocked at least 3 times now. Did he really forget? Maybe they went out- it is a Saturday.. I was about to leave when the door began to unlock from the inside. Naruto opened the door with sweatpants and t-shirt on.  “OH- Sasuke! Come in- come in-”, he ushered me in, looking a little out of sorts. I looked at him suspiciously. He kept looking inside the house, and muttering, yabee yabee. “Did you forget I was coming?”, I asked him, annoyed. He looked seriously vexed now. “No! No just- just give me a few- I’ll be back-”  Then suddenly we heard a loud voice saying, Do you really want your clones to enjoy this and not you..? 

Naruto cringed and held up a hand to stop me from saying anything. But I was already there- “..You know I had a feeling you’d do this but I didn’t think Hinata would be into it-”, I whispered at him. He looked like he would turn into the flaming Kuraama right this instant. I kept chuckling at him. 

Two of your clones are beat by the waaay... , Hinata’s voice sounded yet again.

This time I cringed. Naruto was about to yell at her to stop talking, so I pushed him towards the stairs and showed myself to the door. 

“I’m sorry- this is really bad timing Sasuke- come back later?”, he said to me quietly, half way up the stairs. I shook my head at him. There was no way I could come back here and look Hinata in the eye without losing my sanity. I mean, I’d give it at least 6 months. I’d have to face her some day. 

I walked out into the streets, and nto the Yamanaka flower shop. A blushing Ino was at the cashier and Sai was standing there talking to her. They hadn’t noticed me come in. I looked around the store to give them time to wrap up. Still giggling. Did he just kiss her? Don’t stare..  I frowned at the far wall, wondering just what I could do. This seemed to be an afternoon to remember. “Sasuke-kun! Your bouquet is ready so you don’t have to just hang around being creepy-”, Ino shouted. 

Creepy?? I turned around to see her holding a bundle of flowers out to me. I took them from her, confused. Before I could ask her anything, she began talking. “Sakura told me you asked her out to dinner tonight so I figured you’d be here to give her flowers- these are perfect for what you’re going for- she’ll love them!”  I blinked at her, and then at Sai. He beamed at me. That look always threw me off. He was always fucking beaming at everyone. He could be swearing at me but also beaming while he did it. “What do you mean- what I’m going for.. what am I going for..?”, I asked her suspiciously.  “Well this is your first date right? No-wait, your second date- but the first time you cooked for her as a friend, this time you want to tell her she’s more than a friend and take things to the next level so you have to go with something bold like these, and also something sweet and gentle because of your feelings for Sakura like these. And of course! You have to have sober tones because that’s just your style Sasuke kun! Two types of flowers, not too big, with the perfect complementing greens to go with- don’t forget to look her in the eye when you give these to her-”  She pushed them in my hands impatiently. I looked at her, feeling thoroughly violated. How in fuck’s name would she know any of these things?? She scarily replied to my thoughts, “It’s a girl’s intuition sweetie- now run along! I’m not taking money for this- I’ll be satisfied when you and Sakura get married and have a little princess of your own-”  My jaw dropped at her as a means of protest, but then it shut again in gratitude. I didn’t know the first thing about taking it to the next level. She had technically done me a solid. I awkwardly thanked her and walked out of the shop. I had a dinner reservation at the new Sushi restaurant at 7 pm. I had just enough time to dress and turn up there. She had said she’d meet me at the restaurant rather than have me show up at her apartment.  I put on a shirt and pants and adjusted my hair a few times. I looked very plain. The flowers helped. I knew Sakura would look gorgeous in comparison. I felt bad that I couldn’t for her.  I made it to the restaurant at 6:45 pm and asked them for a vase for our table. I put the flowers in and waited patiently. At exactly 7 pm, Sakura walked in looking flustered. “Hey- I’m sorry- I didn’t have time to dress up- I really didn’t want to be late.. I was held up at work- some stuff Tsunade sama needed- I didn’t think it would take this long!”  I stood up and held the flowers between us. That made her stop. She looked at me silently, her pink hair in a pony tail, wearing a red blouse tucked into a black skirt. I gently offered her the flowers and said, “I sincerely don’t know what you’re talking about..”, while my eyes hovered over every inch of her.  She blushed and took the flowers from me, smelling them deeply. “Did Ino help you?”, she ventured. She did everything- Ino should be on this date with you.

“A little-”, I smiled, and we took out seats. 

“Man, that cockroach was huge..”, I muttered to myself. It was the third of the day. This kitchen sure was filthy. I had managed to clean out the cabinets under the sink and the sink itself. The stove was wiped down with soap and dried.The fridge needed some serious sponging. Thankfully, I had cleaning supplies in the closet. I was a very proper, clean kid once upon a time. Living in an underground cave and on the road for the rest of my life had shot a bullet through that side of me. I had temporarily started to live like a dirty vagabond because, a dirty vagabond I was.  But now, it was time to revel in wiping down refrigerator gunk. That’s depressing. I sighed woefully as I removed the shelves from the fridge and scrubbed them down with soap water. The whole process must have taken at least an hour to do. Should I have just gone and bought another fridge..  I observed my work of art, a little smirk showing on my lips. With a sense of finality, I reached over and turned on the power to the fridge. I had had the good sense to check the power first of course, and as expected, it hummed to life.  After a quick mop and wipe of the counters, I was ready to hit the market for groceries. I quickly washed up and headed to the village produce market.   Everywhere around me I saw supermarkets and convenience stores. There were a few obasan selling vegetables off to the side, but too few in comparison. I went into one supermarket, feeling strange.  I, Uchiha Sasuke was wheeling a trolley down the vegetables aisle looking for carrots. I felt several pairs of eyes on me as I picked out tomatoes. I got myself some potatoes while another lady busily picked some out too. She handed me a larger potato that she didn’t need in exchange for two small ones from my basket. It calmed me, this simple act, I don’t really know why.  When I was done with vegetables, I went to get myself some condiments and spices. Shoyu was a must, as was sweet vinegar. A little boy came running into the aisle. We both stood side by side looking at all the different spices in little bottles. We both looked on with awe. As he reached for the chilli, I picked it up and handed it to him. “Arigato Sasuke san!”, he yelled cheerfully and ran back the way he had come.  Does everybody know who I am? I got conscious suddenly and readjusted my bangs, making sure to cover up that weird eye. Well, my other eye was weird too put apparently not as weird. I really really really don’t want a kid coming up to me asking to see my Sharingan. I groaned slightly at the possibility and suddenly wished I had just asked one of Kakashi’s chunins to do the shopping. 

I wheeled my cart towards the cashier as fast as I could. As the young woman billed me she said, “Do you cook Sasuke-san?”, beaming at me as she did. I muttered quietly in the affirmative, pretending to be busy picking out the change from my wallet. I grabbed my bags and headed back towards my shitty little flat.  It was about 6 pm on a Saturday. The Saturday that Sakura would be coming over. And bringing things for the apartment. And having dinner with me. And..  My eyes widened with panic. She’s coming to my home. This was very poorly planned. What would we talk about. What happens after dinner, do I just ask her to leave? Will she leave on her own? Dinner guests tended to leave on their own, right? I couldn’t bear to ask her to leave. What if we just talked all night and she fell asleep here. How much would we even talk, that’s not possible. 

I started to wash and cut the vegetables. I had bought some duck as well at the poultry shop next door. I set about cutting off its head and draining the blood from the body. Before I went ahead, I put on an apron I had bought. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any other kinds of aprons at the combini. I felt like an idiot, but it didn’t matter right now. Kiss the shinobi cook would have to do. 

Ridiculous. Itachi used to make duck roast for us when our parents were away. It would take him exactly 3 hours during which he’d get all the sides done. I smiled at the fond memories flooding my mind. I left the skin on the potatoes and cut them the way he’d taught me to. I remembered cutting my pinky finger once while doing this chore. 

Niisan, make chocolate pudding now. Itte ittee. You have to make it now cause it’s my favourite. 

Sasuke! Did you cut yourself just so I’d make that. Seriously, you’re such a- 

Niiiisaaaaaan- 

With a large grin on my face, I started on the sauce. The cut vegetables were boiling. I put in shoyu, chilli powder and vinegar and let it simmer. The duck needed to be cut up, washed and basted. After about half an hour had passed, I put the readied duck breast and legs in the oven. I’d add in the vegetables after about an hour. While the duck cooked, I put some rice in the little steamer I had borrowed from Hinata. I’d fry it up with some ginger to flavour it, to go with the duck.  The clock showed 8 pm before long. The last leg of the preparations was in motion. The duck was sitting with its vegetables, the fatty juices bubbling and bathing them. I took out the duck pieces and put them in the fry pan to glaze with the now cooled sauce. The smells in the kitchen were making me mad with hunger. I contemplated eating a leg or two, nothing she would notice- but then settled for some cola from the fridge. 

At 8:45 pm, the duck, rice and miso soup were ready, sitting on the kitchen counter. I wiped down and brought out plates and chopsticks for us. Carefully, I set the plates down on the little table, the glasses for water, the chopsticks. I even bought napkins for us, the nice smooth velvety kind. I arranged the duck and rice on the table, leaving a bowl of miso each on either side. For a minute or two, I kept fidgeting with the duck breast, aligning it one way or the other. Taking a sharp breath in, I saw the time was 9:05 PM. As I stared at that dusty grey, rectangular clock on the wall I suddenly realized that I had forgotten dessert. Kussoo. I looked up at the ceiling in despair, wishing I had made that chocolate pudding. I would have loved to eat it after this tiring day.  Then I heard a knock on the door. My head snapped in its direction and I immediately walked towards it. Taking a deep breath, I wondered if I should open it with a smile, or if I ought to say something the second I opened it. There you are! or I hope you like duck! No, that would be stupid. Just open the fucking door.  I quietly opened the front door and saw an anxious faced Sakura standing before me. Her hair was put up in a little bun, little chunks of her hair fanning around it, loose strands falling to her neck. Her neck. She was wearing a dress, no sleeves. Her neck was very visible right now.  “Sasuke-kun?”

The color of her dress matched her eyes well, I thought. It was a jade green, her dress. Her neckline went lower than I’ve ever seen. 

“Sasuke-kun.. can I come in..?”  I suddenly snapped out of it and realized that I hadn’t said a word to her for a while now. I now noticed that she had bags on the floor next to her, with little frames and things sticking out. “OH- yeah. Sorry. Come in..”, I managed to say. She started to pick up her things, and I helped her. 

We carried the bags to the couch. “What’s all this?”, I asked her curiously. She beamed at me. “Why they’re for your apartment of course! You asked me to brighten up the place.. right?” 

I started to take out the things from their bags, smiling at them, when in fact I was smiling because she had remembered. Sakura looked embarrassed as I pulled out framed photos of cat after cat, all cartoons or paintings. “Um- it’s a sort of neko overload- sorry”, she said. I started smiling wider as I pulled out a shuriken shape. “Is this for the wall? To hang?”  She nodded gleefully. “I mean. We could have just hung up an old shuriken of yours, but I figured you’d rather use that in actual battle than put it on a wall...”, she explained in a quick breath. 

I found a bundle of cloth in one of the bags that I unfolded. “Oh- perfect. I needed curtains.” 

“You like them? I’m sorry, all they had were Sakura prints-”

I looked at her and smiled. “Red and black are some of my favourite colours-” I stood up and put the curtain against the window to show her. The little sakura flowers were red on a black background. She smiled at my reaction and pointed at the rest of the stuff, starting to apologize again. 

“I really love them. Thank you for getting them for me. The cats are- great. Really..”, I chuckled and tapped the cartoon of a chubby calico. She laughed too.  Then her gaze went to the table with the food on it. Her eyes swallowed in every detail it seemed, which made me nervous. She stood up slowly and turned to me. “You made all of that.. for tonight?”  I felt my cheeks burning and looked away from her eyes, “Yeah.. I hope it tastes good-” She was looking straight at me now. I couldn’t help but make eye contact. Her eyes sparkled as they trailed from my face to my chest. I felt extremely conscious all of a sudden, and also like my chest was ugly for some reason.  She was struggling not to laugh, but a little giggle escaped her pink lips anyway. “That’s a cute apron..”  I stared at her for a second or two, slowly processing what she was referring to. Her lips pulled in different directions as she bit them, to stop the laughter. Then it dawned on me. I quickly put my hands on my chest and scrunched up the cloth to hide it, blushing severely as I did. I started to remove the apron and tried my best to sound dignified, “The stupid shop didn’t have normal aprons so I had to take this silly fucking thing.”  “NO it’s-it’s really cute. Just.. doesn’t go with-you..”, Sakura giggled some more, some strands of hair falling over her face as she shook with laughter. I looked at her, wanting to touch her hair again, smiling at her laughing. There wasn’t a purer sound in the world than that.  “The food will get cold. Let’s eat.”, I said and pulled out a chair for her. I sat opposite her. “Itadakimasu”, we both said in unison and started on our soup. I served her some of the duck and rice with it. “OISHII! SASUKE-KUN! YOU COOK LIKE THIS? WHY HAVEN’T YOU EVER TOLD ME!”  I looked at her, surprised at her reaction. She tended to be loud. “Uh-Yeah I guess. I really haven’t cooked a lot in my life..”, I shrugged it off, not wanting to talk about myself too much. It was strange to be under the spotlight, even if it was a small spotlight between two people at dinner.  “It’s so good, I want to die!”, she said with her mouth full of rice. A grain or two fell out of her mouth and she patted at it with the napkin, looking embarrassed. That made me smile a little too much. She must have thought I was laughing at her. I really hope she didn’t think that.  As we ate our meal, I was panicking slightly. I didn’t know what to talk about. Small dinner banter was really not my thing. I looked up at her from time to time to gauge her mood. She seemed to be in a pleasant mood, but I couldn’t read anything else. She also looked up at me from time to time and smiled. All the things I ought to be saying and all the things I could be saying were flashing through my mind. Instead my eyes strayed to her neckline again. 

In an instant, Sakura’s napkin fell off the side of the table. I was about to pick it up when she stopped me and proceeded to do so herself. That’s when I saw her leg come out of a slit in her dress. I could not for the life of me pull my eyes away. Oh God, you’re being creepy. At least say something while you check her out. Don’t just stare.  I really could not be bothered to come up with something to say at the moment. I could barely manage to chew my food straight. Sakura straightened up and continued to eat. She looked so beautiful in that dress and I hadn’t even worn a nice shirt for the occasion. 

She really did look beautiful. It was a strange feeling, to notice that in a woman. I had noticed it about her before, but this was different. This was very pointedly about her appearance. 

My thoughts went back to when Karin used to dress provocatively around me. That couldn’t have just been coincidence like I had imagined then. She had made some advances too. But it hadn’t fazed me in the least. It was so strange, the difference- how I had felt nothing biting into that woman’s neck, and how I felt just looking at Sakura’s neck right now.  I felt so horrible for looking so much, she had no idea even. It was plain wrong. I forced myself to stare at my empty plate instead. She’s an attractive woman. Sure. She knows that. We all know that in Konoha. You just noticed. That’s nothing to be announced.  I looked away from the table, to one bag that we hadn’t opened. And then I remembered something to say, though I said it unhappily. “I forgot to make dessert-” My voice resounded in a disappointed way.  “Oh I’m so glad! I brought us some flavoured mochi.”, she smiled at me. “It’s my favourite kind, strawberry. I wanted you to try some, my mom makes them.”  I stood up and started to clear her plate. “Sakura isn’t your favourite flavour?”, I smiled back at her. She made a face, “No- sakura mochi is just weird.” She began to help with the dishes. We put them in the sink one by one.  “Well- I like how sakura tastes”, I said unwittingly. Sakura started to go red standing next to me. I don’t think I go red when I’m flustered, but I started to sweat. 

Why are you such a goof. Change the fucking subject, NOW. 

My eyes moved to the unopened paper bag sitting on the couch once again. “What’s in that? Something else for the house?” She looked relieved that I had broken the tension. “The mochi is in there- oh and a little present for you.”  I looked at her perplexed. “Wasn’t all of that enough of a present-”, I laughed.  When we were done with the dishes, we sat on the couch and she brought out the home-made mochi for us. She also pulled out a bottle of sake with a pink ribbon tied around the neck. “Thought you might like this. It’s a nice flavour..”, she placed the bottle on the table.  I chewed on the sticky mochi with delight. It was yummy stuff. “It’s really nice Sakura.” Her legs poked out from the slits in her dress slightly, taking up a large chunk of my attention span. They seemed to be looming up at me. I quietly ate my mochi, trying not to look too hard. 

She adjusted herself a bit to hide them. I felt like screaming. I made her conscious about it because I was staring. What is wrong with me. I’ve seen women before. Why am I behaving like a 13 year old.  The tension between us was very palpable now. She was clearly uncomfortable, probably regretting the whole thing already. I eyed the sake and immediately said, “Why don’t we open that now- that’s a good idea.”  Sakura protested politely, “You don’t have to Sasuke-kun. It’s for you-” I grabbed the bottle and went to find glasses for us. “When am I going to drink something alone anyway..” I found glasses, and washed them a bit, before bringing them to her.  “Well okay. If you’re sure.. I’ll have some-”, she gave in a little too fast. I looked at her suspiciously. “Don’t tell me you drink like Tsunade does now..”, I teased her. She rushed to defend herself, “NO- she doesn’t drink all that much anymore. She’s treated me now and then after a hard week of work that’s all!” I laughed a little and poured for us. “You don’t have to explain all that to me- I’m not judging.”, I clinked my glass with her’s and drained it down my throat in one go. She blinked at me in surprise. “Sasuke-kun, when did you start drinking like that?” I poured some more for myself, thinking back to the days travelling in Hebi. I was so sour all the time, I found that downing a few glasses of sake would help with my mood. I’d stop with that much, cause it was just enough for me to not snap at everyone around me, but not too much that I’d let Karin snuggle up to me and not move.  I downed another glass. “Ah it’s just for the nerves.”  “Why are you nervous?”, she sipped at her glass. She was clearly holding herself back, I could tell. 

I sat very still for some time, thinking about what I could say next. As I sipped my third little glass of sake, I looked at her. “You really drink that slowly? Or are you just trying to be appropriate. Wait-am I being inappropriate? Drinking with you like this?”, the questions kept piling up in my head and I kept vomiting them out with abandon.  She smiled at me slowly. “Well Sasuke-kun, I happen to know that this sake is stronger than the kind I usually take. It’s a special variety.”  I thought back to the sake I used to drink. It was some awful cheap kind that we found in little stores on our travels. It didn’t taste half as good as this did.  “OH-OH I see..”, I exclaimed. I considered being quiet for the rest of the night, but it just didn’t seem to work, my plan.  She sipped some more and crossed one leg over the other. She looked very strong and poised at the moment, leaning back. I turned on my side to face her. My head resting on my hand, I looked at her. 

She began to speak,“Thank you for making this meal for us. You really didn’t have to.. You could’ve ordered in or even made cup ramen for us-”  ”Hey-Hey, I’d never make fucking cup ramen for you the first time you came over...”, I frowned at her, my eyes narrowing. I started to laugh. “I’d make cup ramen for that doggy guy- Kiba or someone if they suddenly came over one night-” She started smiling and biting her lip.  ”Sakura- you’re special. I’d only ever cook a proper meal for you if you came over”, I said to her face. Her eyes fixed on mine, her lips parted slightly. I felt very conscious suddenly and tried to make light of what I had said. “You know that! You’re- you’re a member of team Kakashi- we’ve gone through so much together...” My voice trailed off and my eyes struggled to find a place to rest that wasn’t her eyes or her neck. Her hair seemed to suffice for now. I looked at her hair, the little jade stone comb she had fixed in place, the etching of a flower on the stone...  ”Sasuke-kun...”  A thought occurred to me, a rather scary thought. Before I could process it, I decided to tell her because it was worth sharing. It really was a scary thought. I looked at her alarmed, “I mean, Naruto is a part of team Kakashi too but I don’t mean him. I mean he’s special and all that but that’s not what I meant-”  ”Sasuke-kun!”, Sakura raised her voice a little. My mind snapped to attention. Seeing that, she smiled widely. Then her smile faded until just a little smirk remained on her pink lips. Her eyes lowered as she said, “I’d really love that... you cooking for me, the way you did tonight-”  That look on her face was driving me crazy. I felt like I’d cook every single meal in the day for her just to have her look like that when she talks about it. I’d pack her a bento when she went to the hospital, and she’d look like that when she opens it.  I gulped slowly, the sound of my heart was filling the room. Please don’t hear this. I sipped some more of the sake, trying to calm down. I felt foolish. I was praying she brings up a topic, something we could talk about it and not just have extreme blushy reactions to.  “Where did you even learn to cook so well?”, she asked excitedly. I smiled at her and looked up at the ceiling to remember. “Ah I’ve learnt since I was 5 probably-” I looked back at her face and continued. “Itachi used to cook for us as kids. He was so good at all of this, he was a freaking genius!”, I smiled really wide, my teeth showing. I tried to hide them by pursing my lips, but my eyes glimmered with the memories of a past life. “He would make excuses to our parents, say that he used up all his pocket money- and get more to buy expensive ingredients. Then when they were out, he’d try new recipes and have me taste them.”  I put my legs up on the couch and hugged them to my chest, my eyes glazing over. “He made me the best chocolate pudding ever, every time I’d fall or scrape a knee-” Sakura moved closer to me, and put her legs up on the couch too. I looked at her, she had her chin in her hands, her hands resting on her knees. “EHH really? That’s amazing. What a great niisan-”, she said, her eyes sparkling.  She totally knew I was drunk now. But she didn’t seem to notice. She didn’t care. Sakura just listened to me with her beautiful green eyes pouring over my face, her pink hair bobbing around every time she laughed, her lips always stretching into a smile at just the right moments.  I stopped thinking about what I was saying now. I just talked and talked and talked. I felt like I was 6 years old. “Niisan used to lie to me, saying that he’d teach me the shuriken- but he never did. He just lied to me all the time-”, I said frowning slightly, taking another swig of the sake.  Sakura took the bottle from me and took a small swig too. Her speech was slurring slightly. “Awww- little Sasuke-kun must have annoyed him wanting shuriken practice all the time! You can’t blame him!”  I turned to her feeling indignant. “Well- I didn’t need him. I learnt on my own-” She laughed loudly at me and put her hands on my lap, “Gomen! Gomen! I didn’t mean it like that- awww look at your face-”  I didn’t know what she was talking about. I felt like I ought to be annoyed with her, stop this game right now.  But I couldn’t. I could not stop wanting to play this game where she laughed at me and her giggling was uncontrolled. Her hair was almost all out of her bun now, strands of pink getting in her eyes.  She kept struggling to take the hair out of her eyes, and then going back to laughing. I leaned forward a bit and carefully parted her hair, removing it from her eyes, tucking it behind her ear. 

Sakura stopped laughing. She gulped visibly, and stared at my face like a cornered animal would its hunter. “What-”, I whispered. “I’m not going to eat you-”, I whispered again. She smiled and then chuckled. “Oh- I know that-”  I was very close to her now, her smell strong and intoxicating. I went a little quiet now, trying to gather my thoughts. I felt like it had to be said. I touched her face with my fingers lightly, trailing away. “Thank you for coming tonight..”, I said slowly. I frowned slightly, the memory of bad times filling my head, “I haven’t laughed like this since my parents died...”  She looked at me carefully, seriously. She took my hand and squeezed it with both of hers. Her eyes looked sad, as she nodded slightly at me in understanding. “I want nothing more than to do this for you, any time you want..”, she said to me.  I really wanted to lean in to her lips. I really wanted to hold her face in my hands and part her lips with mine... smell her...bite her. My eyes widened a little, I took a sharp breath, trying to knock out that thought from my head. I can’t bite her- get it together man. I pulled away slightly, ashamed. She seemed to come out of her dream-like state too. She was conscious of her bare legs uncovered now from the slits in her dress. I can’t believe I had actually missed that before. Well, they had my full attention now, and it was uncomfortable to say the least. 

I cleared my throat, and looked at the time. It was half past 2 am. She followed my lead and exclaimed in alarm, “OH MY- is that really the time? It is late- we should head to bed Sasuke-kun...”  I exhaled slowly as we made awkward eye contact. “I mean- my bed- our beds- our s-separate beds-”, she sputtered. I interrupted her, her panic infecting me as well, “Yeah- of course- you’ll be fine getting home? You won’t get lost or anything? It’s dark and you’re- inebriated...”  “Yeah- I’ll be fine. And besides, you’re inebriated too, probably more than I am-” , she giggled at me again. I was starting to absolutely love that giggle. I shrugged, “You know what you’re doing. Sakura-senpai, I have a lot to learn from you-” That little quip made her blush, as expected. I smirked a little at my sly manipulative skills. 

She stood up with me and instantly toppled onto me. I lifted her up, being careful not to let my hands or my eyes linger. I felt awful for enjoying that clumsy exchange as much as I did. She had no idea...  Sakura took the comb out of her hair. Her shoulder-length pink hair, though wild and pretty was now covering up her neck. I was saddened. She made her way to the front door, turned around and beamed. “Oyasuminasai Sasuke-kun!”, she shouted. I cringed and shushed her. “Oyasuminasai Sasuke-kun!”,she repeated but in a forceful whisper now. I chuckled at her and returned the phrase, “Oyasumi.” 

I was taking a walk by the training field today, reminiscing. I have spent so many hours here.. throwing shuriken.. I love the smell of the grass here, there really is nothing like it. I sat myself down under a big tree and watched the genin practicing in the distance. They were arguing about their formation. It made me smile.  I found myself wondering how it is that I got here. I was smiling at the little things. The feeling was sublime. Niisan’s eyes were on me just now, I could feel it. I felt happy enough to get up, run towards those kids and shoot some shuriken.  Let’s take things slow shall we Sasuke-kun? I tend to call myself Sasuke-kun now in my head. Isn’t that really sad.. I say it sarcastically of course, unlike Sakura who says it lovingly. That’s a bit presumptious of you. She says it in a friendly way. You’re such a cocky bastard thinking she still has feelings for you. Sakura is a very friendly, nice person, that is all. She had a stupid crush on you back when you were genins. You really think that means she’s hot for you now- really living up to the Uchiha name of snobbery aren’t you champ?  “S-sasuke-san?”  I blinked at the little girl standing in front of me, her little face shaking me back to reality. 

“Yes?” “I hope I’m not bothering you..”, the girl said, looking embarrassed. “No- uh- did you want something?” She looked even more embarrassed and stood there awkwardly. A couple of boys were snickering at her from a little ways away. I looked back at her, trying to understand. I looked at her pants, scruffy and dirty. 

“Were you practicing with your 3-man cell?”, I asked her. She turned towards me and answered quickly, “No sir- I was on my own. My team mates are out of town and sick. But I wanted to work on my shuriken.” I smiled at her slightly, encouraging her to speak. “It’s just- I kept falling in the mud because I was nervous... and..” 

I eyed the boys as they laughed at her from behind the stump. Her face was very red now. “I’m sorry for bothering you- you’re my hero. I want to be just like you when I grow up Sasuke san!”, she blubbered.  I blinked at her confused as she walked away. The genin boys were having a riot, laughing at the girl as she limped past them. It was pissing me off. She’s limping and yet she came all the way here to tell me I’m her hero? There was something off about this.. I stood up and walked towards her, which to my slight pleasure immediately sent those shitty kids scrambling. “Ano- what’s your name?”, I called out at the girl. She stopped walking and turned around looking scared. “A-A-Ayumi, sir-”  “Ayumi.. you’re hurt really bad aren’t you- can I have a look at that leg?”  She looked a little less scared now, and lifted her pant leg gingerly to reveal an ugly bruise on her shin. I squatted in front of her and gave her the kindest look I could manage, given my generally ominous face. She looked at me, embarrassed. “Who are those boys over there?”, I asked while pointing in their direction purposefully. She looked over at the frightened kids and looked back at me, fumbling, “Oh-they’re just the other genins-”  “Did you all graduate from the academy together?”, I asked her. She nodded quickly. “They refused to carry you to the hospital didn’t they?”, I said loud enough so they could hear me.  Ayumi shook her head frantically. “No-No it’s not like that Sasuke-san. They just- they wouldn’t be able to carry me on their own and-”, she looked at her feet, angry and embarrassed at the same time.  I interrupted her and declared as loud as I could, “Well- you know something- I’m a genin too. Unlike certain other genins, I don’t shirk my responsibilities to my friends-” I stood up. “I’ll carry you to the hospital- come on”, I gestured to my arm. “No- Sasuke-san it’s fine, I’ll walk- or they’ll take me if you ask them-” “No. I’ll take you”, I said with finality. Ayumi reluctantly let me lift her, her legs dangled on the side of my arm. She looked very red in the face. I walked with the little girl in my arms, past those dumbfounded idiots. As I passed them, I flashed them my sharingan and said, “At least do something useful. Go back to work-” The boys ran away from their hiding place, and began to aggressively do their jutsus and throw kunais.  I carried Ayumi till the village gate without either of us saying a word. As we walked in the streets, people began to look and comment in whispers. “Sasuke-san, it’s really okay- I’m really sorry for being a bother-”, Ayumi looked like she was about to cry.  I smiled down at her warmly. She seemed to look a little less upset, her eyes sparkling. She began to blush a little and looked away. I stifled a chuckle. In fact, we both might have been beaming as we went through the village that day. Ayumi, because she was being carried by her apparent ninja idol, and I, because I was apparently some young girl’s idol! Me?! She called me her fucking hero-  As we approached the hospital, I awkwardly said out loud, “Ayumi-chan..”  It was the first time I had ever called anyone by -chan, and I was regretting it.  She looked at me, blushing again. I continued, “Why.. why is it that you look up to me- there’s better ninja in Konoha..”. I put her down on the seat inside the waiting room, my eyes cast downwards. I didn’t think this girl knew the whole truth about my involvement in the war.  She beamed at me then and started. “Because! You’re so brave Sasuke-san! It must have hurt you to leave Konoha but you had to go to become strong with that creepy Snake guy- You must have been so scared- but you fought anyway- you fought your best friends- but then you had the guts to come back and make everything right Sasuke-san! You’re amazing! You don’t even need your sharingan to be amazing but you have that too! AND-AND your shuriken skills are LEGENDARY- you-”  I was staring at her feeling a mixture of horror and incredulity, maybe even a hint of happiness. I suddenly put my hand on her shoulder to make her stop, “Okay! That’s- thank you Ayumi- that’s very kind-”, I looked around to find that the entire room full of people was now paying attention to us.  “..Oh.. I’m so sorry..”, Ayumi chan looked downcast. I bent lower to look her in the eyes. “I’ll go find someone to take care of your leg okay? You sit tight-”  She nodded gleefully at me.  I stood up, feeling pretty damn gleeful myself at the moment. I nodded at the receptionist and asked her if a certain pink haired kunoichi was available. “She’s very busy but- for you Sasuke-san..”, she smiled in a strange knowing way. I frowned at her, unsure of what that little comment was supposed to mean, and watched her make a call.  A few minutes later, Sakura walked out into the waiting room. “Sasuke-kun! It’s so nice to see you!”, she had her hair tied up in a long pony tail today. Her eyes glinted at me, making me feel warm. I gestured towards Ayumi. “Some stupid genins refused to take her to the infirmary so I brought her here- think she’s broken it-”, I said. Ayumi shook her head, still trying to defend her classmates.  Sakura knelt down to take a look. “Oh- it does look a little bad sweetie..”, she said to Ayumi. “But don’t worry okay- we have some great healers who can fix this right up- I’ll take you inside now to them okay?”, Sakura said with a smile on her face. Ayumi looked very excited all of a sudden. As she was being wheeled away to another room she addressed Sakura, “Sakura-san! Aren’t you Sasuke-san’s girlfriend yet! Everyone wasn’t sure about Sasuke-san before he came back- but now he’s back and he’s still awesome! Why aren’t you his girlfriend yet?” Sakura put her hand on Ayumi’s shoulder much like I had before, “OKAY! You need to rest up and take care of that leg now! Thaat’s enough!”. Sakura’s voice was very shrill though she tried to remain chirpy. 

5:30 AM. istanbul. kadıköy.

the smell of fresh dough is the only thing that makes sense this early.

ada's hands work—kneading, folding, shaping. muscle memory. meditation. survival.

buzz. buzz. buzz.

the family group chat. again.

"you didn't come to the gathering." "babaanne is asking about the doctor's son." "you can't hide in that bakery forever."

she silences it.

here, in the warmth of the oven and the quiet hum of dawn, she's not a disappointment.

she's just a baker.

and that's enough.

evening. the bookstore on istiklal.

ada has a corner. back left. window seat. tucked away from the world.

tonight: neruda. poetry about longing by someone who understood that some feelings don't have words.

the door chimes.

a man enters.

tall. quiet. tired eyes.

he gravitates toward poetry. not close enough to be obvious. close enough that ada feels him.

she pretends to read.

but she's hyperaware:

the sound of pages turning

the way he runs his hand through his hair

how he glances toward her corner

he picks up rumi.

their eyes meet.

two seconds.

long enough to register. short enough to deny.

he leaves without buying anything.

but something has shifted.

dinner. the yılmaz home. moda.

eight people around the table.

babaanne at the head. sharp eyes. missing nothing.

"ada, why do you always look so tired?"

uncle hakan: "busy with the bakery or busy avoiding your responsibilities?"

aunt sevgi: "a woman needs more than just work."

ada's father defends her. but even his protection has limits.

babaanne leans forward:

"your grandfather wants to see you settled before... you know."

settled.

the word hangs like smoke.

it doesn't mean happy.

it means controlled.

three days later. café rumeli. cihangir.

"one americano. and... the almond croissant? the one with orange zest?"

ada looks up.

it's him.

the man from the bookstore.

their eyes meet.

longer than two seconds this time.

long enough that her heart races.

"that's our best seller."

"i know."

he says it like he's been waiting to say it.

when he leaves, there's a note under his tip:

"the croissant was perfect. —JK"

that night.

ada texts her best friend:

"there's this guy."

"i don't know anything about him except he reads poetry and he remembers what i bake."

"that shouldn't matter."

"but it does."

thursday. the bookstore. 7:07 PM.

he enters exactly twenty minutes after her.

deliberate.

he sits across from her corner.

they don't speak.

but the silence is electric.

then—

they both reach for the same book.

hands almost touch.

pull back.

nervous laughter.

"sorry."

"it's okay."

ada makes a choice:

"are you looking for something specific?"

"poetry. about longing."

she hands him nazım hikmet.

their fingers touch.

neither pulls away.

"i'm jungkook."

"ada."

names.

everything has changed.

the next morning.

family group chat explodes:

aunt sevgi: "there's a young man at the café. who is he?"

mom: "ada, is there something you need to tell us?"

ada's stomach drops.

she's been caught.

this is how it starts.

a small observation.

then suddenly: the whole family is involved.

she thinks about his note.

his smile.

the way he makes her feel seen.

and she realizes:

this is going to get complicated.

because in her world, nothing stays simple.

especially not love.

to be continued...

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She only meant to check his chart — not feel something that would haunt her heartbeat.