A/N: Okay, so if I typed Sasuke being nineteen years old in previous chapters, please ignore that. XD This is only a short chapter - sort of like a filler one. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO UCHIHA SASUKE! :D Oh, and to my brother who celebrates the same birthday as Sasuke, my favorite character/RP-ing character. :D


Hell High
Chapter 9: Irrationality of a Princess


The sun was scorching hot, and he wondered why a lot of people still found enough energy to run around and play.

"Lighten up, will you?"

He frowned at his girlfriend, choosing to remain silent instead as she sat next to him and pulled her knees up.

"You should be celebrating after winning against Suna High."

"This isn't a party for our victory." He mumbled. "Your friend just wanted to throw a beach party."

"Ino said it's also because of Oto's win."

"Hn."

She pouted and poked his arm.

"Why don't you go take a swim? It'll help you cool off."

"Hn."

"Sasuke…"

He glanced at her.

"Don't force me to pull you."

He raised a brow.

"Fine." She stood up and tried to get him to stand on his feet, but he just smirked when she failed to even budge him. "Ugh! Get up already!"

He ended up pulling her down on his lap.

She glared. "I thought it was too warm for cuddling?"

"Who says?" He mumbled while nuzzling her neck.

"You did, like, a few minutes ago."

"I changed my mind." He pulled back and leaned forward to kiss her lips lightly.

"You just want to kiss me." She muttered.

"Hn." He smirked. "Don't pretend you don't like it."

"I never said I didn't, nor did I pretend to not like it." She leaned in for another kiss, and he teased her by dodging it. "Sasuke!"

He got up, making her fall to the sand, butt first.

"SASUKE!"

He just grinned at her.

"Hmph." Her arms crossed as she puffed her cheeks out, but her expression soon changed to a beaming one. "Hey… can you do me a big favor?"

He quirked a brow. "That depends."

"But I'm your girlfriend!"

"Even boyfriends have limits."

"You don't even know what I'm asking for."

"Okay, what?"

That grin made him regret his answer.


"No, damn it."

"Please?"

"NO!"

"PLEASE?"

"NO!"

"UCHIHA SASUKE! Do NOT force me to force you out of there!"

"Sakura, will you please choose your words carefully?"

"What?"

"Everyone knows we're here, alone, in this room, and anybody who passes by and hears us will think of other things."

"Like..?"

"Geez." He sighed and still refused to step out of the bathroom. "Think back to our conversation in the last few seconds."

"…"

"…"

"Oh. OH!" She flushed. "W-Well… only people with a green mind will think that." She paused. "Like you."

"I'm a guy, it's only natural for our gender to have thoughts of… impurity."

"Yeah well, whatever! Just come out now!"

He grunted.

"Sa-Su-Keeeee!"

He sighed heavily and opened the door slightly, until it was yanked open and his wrist was grabbed by his girlfriend.

"Saku-"

He was forced onto the floor with a grinning Sakura straddling him.

"You didn't wear the complete set!"

"Hn…"

She held up the blue tie that went with it.

"Sakura." He growled while glaring. "Don't."

She just grinned, not even moving from her spot.

"If you don't get off right this moment I'll-"

"You'll what, my darling and stupid Knight?"

He was beginning to hate that damn nickname of his.

"Come on, you didn't even wear the blazer…"

"Hn."

She breathed in, and then exhaled and had her best puppy-dog-eyes. "Please..?" She whimpered.

He twitched. "Fine."

She giggled and moved back a bit so that he can sit up. He pulled on the jacket while she put the tie on him, tying it for him.

"See, it looks good." She said, securing the dark blue necktie around his neck. "Good thing Sai agreed to lend it to me."

He frowned.

"Oh come on, I was just curious as to how you looked in Konoha's uniform." She grinned, afterwards, pulled him to her with the use of the tie. "You look too good, actually." And she pressed her lips on his.

"Hn." He opened his eyes halfway when she pulled back. "The things I do for you…" he mumbled.

"That's why you're my Knight."

He just smirked lightly and shook his head, afterwards, placed a hand on her cheek to caress her face gently. "Aa, Sakura-hime."

Her eyes sparkled at the nickname.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's… well," She smiled, teary-eyed. "It's just really sweet of you to call me that."

"Don't get used to it."

"Aww…"

He smiled a bit and pecked her lips softly. "Sakura-hime." He repeated in a gentler tone. "My Sakura-hime."


Something about that red circle was bugging her, and she didn't know what it could be.

"Dad."

"Yes?"

"What's that… red circle on the calendar?"

Ikichi blinked and looked at where Sakura was pointing at.

"Sakura, that's your doing." He said, afterwards, set his newspaper down. "Don't tell me you forgot."

She just stared long and hard at the two-digit numbers.

"You said how important it was." He told her, smiling since he knew what it meant.

"Oh shit!" She stood up all of a sudden. "It's Sasuke's birthday!"

Ikichi just chuckled.


"Ramen! Ramen's good!"

He spared the blonde a glance, but then looked back up at the sky.

"Come on Sasuke, you can't possibly be not hungry…"

He just closed his eyes in response.

"You know, it's the first time Naruto even bought ramen for you, and you act as if it's normal." Kiba commented.

"It's your birthday, you should let us treat you!" Lee exclaimed with a raised fist. "We must celebrate your youth!"

He sighed silently and got up. "I'm heading to the library."

"You need to eat something Sasuke." Neji said. "You can't just-"

The door slamming cut him off, and the rest of gang just stared and sighed.

"That guy's got it bad for Sakura."


"Ew! No way I'm feeding him this!" She threw the burnt yakitori and sighed. "What am I going to do?"

The cooks offered their help but she refused, saying that she had promised to be the one to prepare the meal, and she shall fulfill it.

"What else can I make..?" She eyed the remaining ingredients. "Pasta? No, I just ruined the noodles earlier… pizza? Ah shoot, no more tomato sauce..." She grumbled and plopped down on the chair. "He doesn't like sweets, so baking is out of the option, not like I can anyway, the stupid carrot cake just… went… gah!"

Her hand reached out to grab her cell phone, seeing multiple messages on the screen and a couple of missed calls.

She earned messages from Sasuke's friends, all asking where she was and what she was up to. They demanded that she show up because they didn't like dealing with an extra silent and sulking Uchiha, and she felt guilty for putting them through this, and also for making Sasuke feel down.

"But…" She sighed. "I need to do this."

She proceeded to read the remaining messages, the last one being from Sasuke.

You can at least greet me and let me know you're alive.

She had to smile at that, but she wanted him to think she forgot so that she can surprise him, even if it means having to endure his brooding.

"Yeah sure Sakura, don't consider other people's feelings." She snorted at herself. "Still, it's part of the plan." She sighed and checked the two missed calls, sweat dropping when one was from Naruto, and the recent one from Sasuke.

"Don't they have classes?"


The day was drawing to an end as classes were dismissed.

His classmates all greeted him one more happy birthday before leaving, but he barely acknowledged their presence.

Zabuza was frustrated at how the Uchiha kept zoning out while in the middle of a practice game that he had to send him home.

"But-"

"I'm your coach, what I say, goes, and I say go home! Celebrate your birthday! Make-out with your girlfriend for all I care!"

Zabuza had no idea that mentioning Sakura just made him feel annoyed even more.

Still, he no longer felt like playing soccer, if he could call standing still in the middle of the field while staring in space as playing.

So he dragged himself home, not bothering to change back into his uniform and just decided on wearing his shirt ad shorts.

He debated whether to drop by at Sakura's place just to see if she's sleeping in, or perhaps sick, or maybe she's been locked up in the kitchen trying to prepare him a meal as she promised.

"Hn." He tried to shove the idea into the back of his mind, not wanting to expect anything from her right now.

After all, his day didn't start out right when he didn't receive a single message from her, when he found out she was absent, and when she won't even return his messages and calls.

"Annoying girl." He gave a frustrated sigh and turned the other way, thinking of spending the rest of the day with the puppies at Kisame's shop instead of heading to Sakura's house.

Halfway there though, he stopped and frowned.

"To hell with it, I'll just go home." So he turned and headed back to his abode.


"ARGH! This is getting so damn- ugh!" She paced back and forth on the kitchen floor, not minding how the maids had begun to clean up the mess and sent her looks of sympathy.

Ikichi waltz in to check the damage and whistled in awe at how messy the kitchen was.

"Sakura-"

"I know daddy! It's almost dinner time and I still haven't prepared anything!" She grumbled. "Sasuke must be starving by now…"

"What made you say that?"

"Because that idiot would most likely be looking forward to this and- bah who am I kidding, he's probably out with Naruto and the rest by now, eating dinner and having a damn good time."

Ikichi raised a brow at his daughter's rambles before chuckling and taking a seat. "Sakura, why don't you take a break for now?"

"But daddy!"

"Let the maids clean the kitchen first, besides, I have a little story I want to share to you." He smiled. "It's about your mother."

Sakura stopped pacing and eyed her father with a questioning gaze, afterwards, sat down next to him and listened when he began to talk.

"Around second year college," he began. "I had no idea what to eat, since I wasn't used to eating in cafeterias." He laughed. "Your grandmother always made sure I brought lunch, saying that cafeteria food and, of course, fast food, wasn't healthy and quite unsanitary." He shrugged. "You know how she is."

Sakura giggled.

"Well, at that time, I forgot to bring my lunch, so I didn't know what to eat, or if I would buy food from the places your grandmother hated with a passion." He pulled off his glasses and set them down. "It was at that time that I met your mother."

"This sounds awkward yet romantic at the same time."

"Perhaps." He nodded. "Well, she had a bento as well, but instead of a lavish meal that I was used to, she only had a couple of egg sushi, sliced pickles, and three rice balls."

"That's… just like mom." She said. "She did live simply after all."

"Exactly." Ikichi smiled. "She taught me that it's not about how the food looks, but how it tastes and how it was prepared." He cleared his throat to rid himself of embarrassment. "Truth be told, after taking a bite from an onigiri which she offered, I didn't think I'd like it better than my mother's cooking – it was the best meal I've ever had."

Sakura blinked. "Really?"

"Yes. Apparently, I was already mesmerized by her, and I didn't know it."

"Wow, no wonder she keeps telling me back then that a way through a man's heart is through his stomach."

"Why don't you try it then?"

"Try what?"

"Test that saying, see if it really works." He smiled. "I know it did for me."

It was only when Ikichi had left the kitchen and when the maids were done cleaning did Sakura understand what her father was implying.

"THANKS DADDY!" She cheered and was once again ready to prepare a meal. "This time, I'll succeed!"


Damn was he so annoyed.

Not just because of the disappointing day, but more on how his stomach was growling.

"That idiot better prepare herself tomorrow." He thought sighing for perhaps the fiftieth time for the day.

His brother had commented on his grumpy behavior, and his father even mentioned about how he kept sighing all day.

Well, they couldn't blame him, right? His girlfriend didn't greet him, much less called him, and she didn't even bother to show up.

He didn't need the bento, no. He just wanted to see her, wanted to spend the day with her, with or without the lunch she promised to prepare.

"Stupid girl." He sighed, yet again, before turning to lie on his left side and glare at the digital clock on the small table next to his bed. "Two minutes till midnight…"

His nineteenth birthday was almost over, and he hasn't eaten anything all day. He only drank water just to keep himself hydrated, but that was it, and hell, he was tempted to just accept Naruto's offer to eat at Ichiraku, but no, he chose to wait – wait for his currently missing girlfriend.

Yes, she was missing. She didn't show up or made her presence known, therefore, he concluded that she was missing.

"That weirdo better not expect a happy mood from me tomorrow." He grabbed his mobile and flipped it open, seeing a couple of messages, all of which were from his friends, asking if he ate yet. He didn't reply and just deleted them, afterwards, went to the Write New Message section.

Where are you? He typed with the use of his thumb. At least let me know you're there. He paused for a few moments, eyeing the clock and counting the remaining seconds. Just a simple 'hi', even a smiley face, anything. He knew he was sounding desperate, but he could care less. All I want before the day ends is for you to call my attention, nothi

TACK!

He blinked and turned to the window.

TACK!

A pebble. So he wasn't imagining things.

"The hell?" He closed the flap of his phone, the unfinished message automatically going to the Drafts section. He got out of bed and walked over to the window, afterwards, slid it open and looked down, wondering who was responsible for the small rocks being thrown at his window.

"Great! You're still awake!"

He blinked, staring at the all-too familiar grin, unsure of how to react when she raised a large flashcard which had the words Happy Birthday written on it.

"It is still your birthday, right?"

He glanced at the clock, seeing the time had just turned to twelve midnight.

"Sasuke!" She hissed out, trying to keep her voice down. "Please tell me I made it!"

He sighed and gave a small smile before shaking his head.

"Sasuke?"

"Hn. Barely." He answered, stepping out of the window. "Hang on, I'll be down in a sec."

"Sasuke! Use the stairs!"

He didn't heed her and just stepped onto the roof and slowly slid down. He then jumped to the ground and brushed off his clothes as if it was nothing.

"You idiot." She muttered.

"Hn. I should be the one calling you that." He walked over to her as she smiled and jumped at him, her arms wrapping around his neck. "You do know how my day turned out."

"Sorry." She apologized, only realizing how he had carried her around her waist. "Ne, Sasuke, put me down."

He frowned. "No."

She tilted her head to the side.

"You owe me this much."

Her lips broke into a grin, and a soft laugh escaped her mouth before she leaned in and kissed him.

"Don't think I'll forgive you easily."

Sakura shrugged and buried her nose onto his neck. "Sorry." She mumbled, embracing him tighter.

"Hn." He lowered her to the ground. "What the heck happened to you anyway?"

"I was stuck in the kitchen all day, trying to prepare the best meal ever for you!"

"And..?"

She pouted and picked up the basket she brought with her. "Well, I'm… I… just… yeah…"

Sasuke looked down at the basket as she pulled off the cloth that covered its contents.

"It's not much, but then, you're probably not that hungry to-"

"I'm starving, actually."

She gaped at him, at his nonchalant expression.

"Well, I'm not the best cook, and this isn't exactly the best meal… I suppose it will have to do…"

She trailed off when he picked up a single rice ball and eyed it.

"Yeah, so… sorry if-"

"I haven't eaten anything all day." He muttered, and then takes another bite from the onigiri, his eyes slightly widening at the familiar taste of his favorite food.

"Y-You haven't?" She nearly yelled, and then pulled him down to the ground and took out another onigiri. "Oh my gosh! I am so sorry! And this is all I have to offer!" She paused. "Wait, why didn't you eat anything? I doubt Naruto and the rest wouldn't offer to treat you, and I doubt your family won't feed-"

"I was waiting for your bento." He confessed, still not looking at her as he finished off the first rice ball.

She was silent for a few moments, staring the way he looked at her left hand that held onto another rice ball. With a small shrug, he held her wrist and pulled it to him, biting off the top of the onigiri. He took a larger bite this time, and also tasted tomato.

"It's worth it." He says after swallowing, and meets her gaze with a smirk. "This is the best meal I've had for years."

She flushed, but then looked away with a 'hmph' "You're just hungry."

"Hn, maybe." He continued to finish off the rice ball she held. "But it's mostly because you made it."

Sakura looked at him, watching how he finished the second rice ball and commented at how good it tasted.

"Sakura?"

She just took another one out and brought it up to his lips, a smile on her face as he looked at her and then at the rice ball.

"Hn. You sure feel pretty smug right now huh?"

Sakura just laughed as he took a bite, not complaining when she continued to feed him the rest of the onigiri, her taking occasional bites from time to time.

"Ne, Sasuke?"

"Hn."

She kissed the corner of his mouth upon spotting a couple of rice grains stuck to it.

"Thank you."

He quirked a brow.

"It's just that…" She leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. "I didn't expect you to be waiting for me."

"How many times do you want me to say it?"

She smiled. "Everyday, for the rest of our lives."

"Don't count on it."

"Can you show me instead?"

His answer to that was grabbing her chin and slanting his mouth over hers to give her a deep and passionate kiss.

"Sometimes," He whispered against her lips. "You can be irrational."

"Hm?"

He just shook his head and pulled her to him for another kiss.

"Doesn't matter," he mumbled. "I love you for it."

To be continued…


Next on Hell High: Chapter 10: Tables Turned

"It's your choice Fugaku, if you want them to come back safely, then do as I say."

She shook at the threat, knowing that the man on the other line was capable of fulfilling that promise.

"Don't do this." Fugaku pleaded. "Don't do this, Madara."