You, Always {Uchiha Sasuke}

Assurance

        Something's awfully different about her, most definitely different. It wasn't the way she dressed today at school how her clothes looked tidy and ironed, or how her rosy brown hair is combed neatly in the middle. She just looked... happy. But it wasn't the kind of happy that a person would be if you given them a stuffed animal. It was more like she's been given a trip to a tropical island for a whole year, for free.

        It was strange enough to watch Ayu greeted everyone animatedly with a pure smile on her face. Her bubbly outlook nearly terrified everyone. From a few days ago, she was unmotivated and dazed half of the time and now she looked as if she won the lotto.

        What happened? That was the question that Sasuke tried to find an answer while peeking at the brunette girl from the corner of his eye, associating with everyone until the blonde ran towards her way.

        "Ayu~! You threw up on my parents' garden gnome!" Naruto cried in misbelief, his hands in front of his face curling his fingers. "Do you know how hard it was to wash it off?! Without my mom and dad noticing!" Behind them, the faint laughs from Sakura, Kiba, and Ino erupted from the corner of the class.

        She held the most apologetic face. "I'm sorry..."

        It was until Sakura approached the girl with a skeptical face, half squinting her emerald gems and gaping her lips. Ayu blinked. "Hey. You seem a bit...," she paused. "...normal today."

        A little too normal, Sasuke might add. Ayu's brown eyes shook wondrously at her before a knowing blush crept to her cheeks, which drew more attention on her by her silence. It instantly clicked and everyone knew right away of what, or who, might be the cause of it.

        Naruto stared curiously at her face more closely, almost like he's inspecting her as an art portrait. "Why are you so happy, Ayu?" then he grinned. "See! Was it the right choice to loosen up at my party?"

        "I don't think it was that," Kiba argued, but he looked more thrilled as he started to comprehend the situation. "Don't tell me... Satoshi?!"

        Sasuke turned his head to them immediately when the sound of his name echoed through the room. It shocked everyone. Is he finally back?

        Ayu just stared down at the ground to avoid their overwhelming stares, but she mustered up a small smile with cheeks turning to a brink pink. Naruto held the most astounded expression at her with his arms dangle from his sides.

       "He didn't call me!" he whinged with jealous, blue eyes.

        Sakura took a step closer but this time, her jaded irises shown concern at the jubilant brunette and her lover. "You two are... okay now, right?" After staring in awe at her, Ayu nodded sheepishly but happily. She was more than just happy so a wide grin plastered her face.

        "Uh-huh! We're fine, like everything's normal."

        They were impressed by her response and looked at each other with amazed faces, and then back at her. No one didn't bother to question her further as it was obvious, telling from her attitude, that her relationship with Satoshi have mended once again.

        Until an annoyed glare burned at the back of Ayu's head, she noticed the stingy vibe and turned to the culprit's gunmetal eyes who was oddly bothered by her. It was Sasuke.

        "Stop yip yapping and let's get with the project."

        It sounded like a normal demand from everyone but to him, it felt more intentional like the subject didn't interest him. Ayu just narrowed her vision at him before she released a sigh, then bidding their friends farewell.

        "Well, you heard the man. I gotta go-" she didn't finish as she jumped at the touch of Sasuke's hand gripping her wrist and leading themselves out of the classroom.

        "Let's go. We have a lot to cover."

        "I hear you."

*~*

        Momentarily, being stuck in the same study room for the past hour, both Sasuke and Ayu were sucked in to their zone. He was about to ask his partner about the reproductive system until he noticed the brown headed girl half snoozing over her hand, bobbing her head to gain conscious. His pencil knocked her forehead repeatedly in a peeving pace.

        "Hey," Sasuke called with a fist under his chin and directed, "don't you fall asleep on me."

        Rubbing the spot where he tapped, Ayu mumbled sleepily, "S-Sorry. I didn't get enough sleep last night."

        He didn't dare bother asking, perhaps he already knew the answer before he can ask it. So he assumed the reason to her drowsy state. "Don't tell me you were having late night chats with Satoshi."

        She froze. With that kind of expression, he knew it was true. So she slapped his arm in defense. "Don't say things so bluntly!"

        "G-Geez, am I wrong?" he winced and gave her a disapproving look, like all of the times when she hit him.

        "So what if I did? Not like that matters," Ayu grumbled shyly, but then her lips twitched a smile while thinking about the green eyed boy. She held a gaze that said love in a million words and it struck him. "It was good to hear him though. Aren't you glad?"

        She smiled widely to herself, hiding her bashful face from him gawking at her. But Sasuke knew how happy she was after a day of hearing Satoshi's voice. He almost grew resentful that his methods in cheering her up only helped a little while his best friend disappeared. He had no idea how much power Satoshi has when it comes to her happiness.

        "They're right." Ayu rose her brows questioningly by his words. "You seem more like yourself now." When he looked at her, he had this kind of expression as if he was searching for something. She noticed.

        "Aw come on, you," she chuckled. "Even if Satoshi's away or not, I'm always going to be myself."

        He scoffed after that. From the evidence a month ago, Ayu wasn't clearly herself when he called her that night and caught her crying to herself to sleep. Even now, it still left a void in him, wondering if she was still having those sad nights.

        "He's coming back, you know." Sasuke glanced up. The excited grin blew pass her lips. "Soon, for the weekend. Apparently his dad left some unfinished business so they're going to visit."

        A sudden thought occurred to him.

        "Ayu," he caught her attention. "Are you and Satoshi... still pursuing to stay together? After all this time..." From first glance, it nearly surprised her to hear him ask a personal question like that, but she understood.

        Averting her eyes from him, she began to retaliate her thoughts from the previous night talking on the phone with Satoshi for hours. She collected her answer.

        "That was almost the whole conversation I had with him yesterday. It sounded smart to end us because we knew distance will be the only thing keeping us apart. But, at the same time, it shouldn't be the reason. Satoshi and I, we love each other so much. I was happy when he said he doesn't want to end it, because there's no other reason for us to break up than this. If he didn't move away, it's clear to see that we'd still be together."

        Knowing that Satoshi didn't want to leave her, it was already enough to forget all those times when she was alone while he was away. The truth is, as stubborn as it sounds, Ayu still wants to be with him as much as he does. She was determined, and Sasuke knew that from the start.

        He shouldn't doubt them, ever.

        "Why am I not surprised..." he spoke indistinctly. But there something in him that didn't assure him enough. Judging by the facts of perks of being a young couple, he knew a lot of possibilities can happen. It actually scared him.

       "Well, why do you ask?" Ayu asked, but Sasuke didn't want to share his thoughts.

       "Nothing," was all he said.