Not So Long-lost Daddy

Chapter 6 - Ichiraku Ramen

Sasuke was finally walking better. He went back to the office, and continued to work. Itachi hired a driver for Sasuke though, as he didn't want him to get back to driving just yet. Even though it was against Sasuke's will, if Itachi requested something from him, he will always give in.

He focused on work, he brushed off his thoughts about Sakura and Sarada. He didn't want any drama. If Sakura was now happily married, then so be it.

He looked at his wall clock in his office, it was already past 6. Then he heard a hard knock on his door. Itachi came in.
"Hurry up, get your ass movin'," he said.
"Why are you still here, Itachi? Your time is until 5 only."

"Exactly! And look at that, the sun has set and I'm still here."

"Then why don't you go home already?"

"You must be forgetting that I hired a driver, and it will be unfair if you're the only one who's being chauffeured right? So from now on, I'll go home with you, so you make sure to finish things early."

Sasuke just groaned.
"Enough of that, like I said, get your ass moving, mom asked us to do the grocery shopping today," Itachi ordered.

Sasuke groaned again and started cleaning up his desk.

***

They were done with groceries and already holding their grocery bags. They were headed back to their car when they happen to pass at Ichiraku Ramen. This was Sasuke and his friends' favorite hangout place back when they were in college—even way back in high school. They loved the ramen here, and it was different now from back then. It became bigger and with more tables and chairs for customers.

"You want?" Itachi offered, looking at Sasuke then at the ramen place.
"Yeah, I wonder if it still tastes the same," Sasuke answered.
"Me too. Let's go," Itachi hurried inside.

They ordered their favorites back then, and it was still not disappointing. It tasted the same.

Itachi and Sasuke were in the middle of discussing for new possible projects for their company while they were eating, when there was a group of people passing by their table. They both ignored the loud murmurs of the group since they were talking about something important.
"So it's true. It really is you. Sasuke."

Sasuke switched his gaze from Itachi to the group of people irritably, he didn't want getting interrupted when Itachi and him were in the middle of something.

The group was looking on both of them. It was his friends. Naruto was the one who spoke. Behind him was Hinata. And then there was Ino holding hands with Sai, he was Ino's college boyfriend. So they did end up together as well.
Then there was Shikamaru with Temari. So it was Temari, the blonde girl with Shikamaru back at the daycare center. He didn't recognized her there.
All of them ended up with their college boyfriends and girlfriends! Except for Choji, he never met his wife. She has a tan complexion, just like the chubby girl who asked chips from Sarada at the daycare—made sense, Sasuke thought.

Then he scanned the people at the back, it was Neji and Tenten. Holy shit, they got married as well? They were together since they were in high school! And the very last, Sakura. She was not with someone, and definitely not looking at him and Itachi.

"Naruto, what are you doing here?" Sasuke was still quite shocked, as he was certain his friends will never speak to him again.
"Because, we had dinner?" Naruto answered, he was trying to smile but looking confused at the same time.
Since it was pretty obvious that they were there for dinner. But nonetheless, Naruto was actually relieved to see Sasuke once again.

Sasuke when he realized how stupid his question was, just rolled his eyes.

"The hokage eating at Ichiraku, huh. Isn't that a bit odd?" Itachi chuckled.
He finally spoke, but only to Naruto.
Since he doesn't quite know everyone with him except for Sakura.

"Why would that be? Hi Itachi! How've you been?" Naruto asked, smiling.
"Well it's just... you're hokage! Aren't you supposed to be eating somewhere fancy? And I'm doing fine, thanks for asking," he answered.
"No, I uh, actually helped expand Ichiraku. And I will always choose ramen over anything, you know that!" Naruto laughed.

Somehow, the tension was slowly fading—or not. The people behind Naruto were still staring. Sasuke decided to not look at them anymore.

"So I heard that you guys were already here for almost half a year now. I didn't want to jump to conclusions about that just yet, but if I've known—"

"We're keeping it low-key, actually," Sasuke cut off Naruto.
"Oh, I see. So it's true then what Hanabi said. We believed that Hanabi just had a prediction that you guys were already back, as the partnership in both Hyuga and Uchiha are getting back on track. It was only confirmed by Sakura after your car accident. I'm so sorry about that," Naruto explained.
"Don't be," Sasuke replied in a stern voice, no longer looking at Naruto as well.
He didn't want to remember the mini trip he did to Sakura's office at the hospital.

"Oh okay. You guys are living now again at your old place?"
Sasuke intentionally slurped on his ramen when Naruto asked, as he doesn't want to answer anymore questions from him. So Itachi was the one who replied instead,
"Yeah, why? Wanna come over?"

"I would love to, if Sasuke here isn't busy. I would like to do some catching up if possible."

"Yeah, just make sure you come by at night. Sasuke always leaves the office after sunset."

"Okay, I'll see you guys then. Bye Itachi, bye Sasuke."

Sasuke finally looked up to Naruto and just nodded.
The other people from behind Naruto said their awkward goodbyes also, as courtesy, but Sasuke didn't bother looking at them. Itachi was the one who waived them goodbye.

Sasuke didn't talk for awhile, even about their work. He just ate his ramen quietly. Itachi was now urging to irritate Sasuke. He was smiling at his younger brother while he was eating his ramen.

"What is wrong with you?" Sasuke finally asked his weird brother smiling.

"You barely looked at Sakura. I thought you said at the hospital, you wanted to see her."

"Just shut up and eat."

"What happened?"

"I said shut up, alright?"

"You saw her already back at the hospital, didn't you?" Itachi couldn't help but chuckle.
"That's absurd!" Sasuke replied swiftly.

"You shouted at me for not letting Sakura to be your doctor, and just awhile ago, you were more shocked on seeing Naruto than her! So, what stupid thing did you pull off to see her?"

"What's with all your stupid questions? Why won't you just shut up and eat?"

"Did you get naked at the hospital to get her attention?"

"That's not what I did, you idiot!"

"Aha! So you did do something to see her! I knew it!"

"Why can't you just shut up! What do you want from me!"

"The truth."