Criminal Case ~SasuSaku~

Chapter 24

His onyx eyes focused on the small cracked and damaged portion of the wall. He could feel his knuckles throbbing from the impact, but the burning of anger in the pit of his stomach had a greater grasp on him. There was something about the dent in the red wall that made Sasuke realize that he messed up in some way. He's always been one to think he is always correct in every circumstance, and that what he says, goes. It's how he's always been, and nothing could possibly waver that.

The Uchiha was under a very familiar emotion that he felt frequently. His blood boiled and his eyes burned. The criminal couldn't tell if he was mad at her or mad at himself. Perhaps a bit of both, but that lingering feeling of regret made him cringe.

Sasuke Uchiha is the type to observe people in ways most don't. He'll set his eyes on someone, and watch their actions and expressions. It's how he can tell what they're thinking. This is what he has done all along to that pestering detective. Since the first time he laid his eyes on her, she sparked his interest. She was hesitant about everything, which made him realize that she tends to change her mind constantly. Sakura Haruno is also the type to feel intimidated around certain people, and Sasuke was aware that he was part of that group. . . That's how he was able to make his mind games work on her.

She is an intriguing woman. For one, who the hell has pink hair? And two, she is supposed to be a talented detective, but when it came to him, she was always caught off guard. The onyx-eyed criminal was able to walk into her life, because of that bad habit of hers. Sasuke said he wanted her, and it was a lie at first, but in the rate of a few minutes, his thoughts were flipped around. It wasn't a lie.

She listened to his story, even though she shouldn't care.

She was willing to risk her career for him.

She wanted to help him achieve his goal.

Why?

It was a simple question, but he could never figure out the answer. This woman was easy to read, yet her actions were a mystery to him. There was a quick moment where Sasuke had the brilliant idea that she was in love with him, but he disregarded it, because no one could ever love someone like him. He was a murderer with so much blood on his hands . . . enough blood to paint the walls in that rich crimson.

And at that very moment, after thinking about what he has learned from this known detective, and all of the moments they have had together, he knew. . .

He knew that this feeling is foreign, but it felt confusing and relieving all the same. Sasuke Uchiha knew that this woman has left her mark, because he fell in love with her. And so he will let her enter his home today, and he will let her cross her boundaries into his past on her own accord, because he was going to do the most unrealistic thing Sasuke Uchiha could ever do.

He will wait for her. . .

And he will give her an apology. . .

And he will declare his love for her. . .

Because he also knew. . .

That she felt the same.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"You ready?" Shikamaru asked, placing his handgun in the holster of his gun belt.

Glancing up at him in dread, Sakura replied with a soft, "Yeah."

"Before we go," he placed himself in front of the sitting pinkette, "what's your problem? I don't want your troublesome attitude during this investigation."

"I don't have an attitude," she retorted, "I just didn't get much sleep last night."

It's not a lie. . .