Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. A certain Masashi Kishimoto-sensei does though.

Knowledge

Knowledge is power ~ Sir Francis Bacon (1561 - 1626)

Lunch. A busy time in Konohagakure's mall - unless you knew where to go, of course.

And luckily, Uchiha Sasuke did. It meant he could avoid the rush, the hustle and bustle of the - snigger - normal people and enjoy his afternoon coffee in peace without being hassled by said normal people, whether they knew him or not. Yeah, being an Uchiha male was that tough.

As usual he ducked into the small - I.e.: exclusive - shop on the top floor and took a seat by the window, taking out his lap top and switching it on, waiting for a waitress to take his order.

On cue a chirpy voice asked, "What can I get you sir?"

Not looking up, the Uchiha responded. "One cappuccino."

"Certainly." There was the sound of turning and a few taps of foot wear on wood although a few seconds later, it stopped. "Did you know that in Italy it's generally frowned upon to have cappuccino after eleven am?" The same voice said conversationally.

Taking his eyes off the screen, Sasuke was met with a smiling pinkette - the owner of the voice. Her orbs were bright green, her skin pale, the simple black uniform she wore flattering her curves. She was teetering on her heels, clearly waiting for an answer.

"Yes." It was true, he'd visited the country several times before. "However, the last time I checked, we were in Konoha, not Italy."

Her smile widened. "Just saying. Your order will arrive in a few minutes, sir." With that she whirled around and continued making her way to the counter.

He watched her back for a couple of seconds, slightly puzzled by the female, who was now taking an elderly woman to a seat having informed the woman behind the counter of his order, the smile still playing around her lips.

"Hn." Sasuke's focus was quickly back on his work.

The following week at precisely the same time, Sasuke was sitting in the coffee shop again.

"What can I get you sir?"

It was her. Up close he could see she had an almost mischievous air about herself: her eyes were dancing with humour. She was also quite attractive-

"Coffee. Black." For some reason he found himself not ordering his cappuccino.

"Coming right up." Despite what she said, the pinkette did not move from the spot where she stood.

He raised an eye brow in questioning.

"Did you know that the Oromo people - an ethnic group found in Ethiopia - would customarily plant a coffee tree on the graves on dead sorcerers? They believed that the first coffee bush sprang up from the tears of the God of Heaven when he was weeping over the corpse of a dead sorcerer."

"Hn."

"Oh, I guess you already knew that one," she said perkily, saluting him with her free hand. "Your drink will be here momentarily sir!" Just like last time, she grinned and made her way to the counter.

In truth he did not know that one, and she had succeeded in puzzling him once more.

"Did you know that there was an Australian/New Zealand variant to the latte called the flat white?"

"Café mocha took its name from the Red Sea costal town of Mocha, Yemen which has been a dominant exporter of coffee since as far back as the fifteenth century."

Each time he visited, Sasuke got into the habit of ordering something different, just so the mysterious girl would stop to talk to him. (In some fit of madness, Itachi had been informed about her. It was probably the only time in Sasuke's life that he had been reduced to spluttering. And blushing. Thank Kami his mother hadn't found out yet…)

All this, but he still didn't know who she was.

Exactly a month since she'd been taking his order, Sasuke decided to find out her name.

So when she asked for his order, he smirked up at her.

"Who are you?"

"We've been interacting with each other as strangers for weeks now; why the sudden interest?"

He shrugged one shoulder. "I felt compelled to ask."

The smile appeared. "I think you'll find it's common curtsey to tell someone your own name before asking the other."

"The fact isn't about coffee this time?" The smirk grew more pronounced. "It's also polite to let the lady go first."

"Ha."

"Huh?"

"This is the most you've spoken to me," she explained, her tone teasing. "I'm scared that if I tell you, you'll go back to the way you were."

"Hn."

"Impatient?" She giggled, twirling a lock of her hair around the littlest finger on her right hand. He noticed she was wearing red nail polish, the paint applied smoothly, no doubt by a professional beautician. "Fine, I'll tell you. I'm surprised it isn't obvious; you seem intelligent."

Sasuke tapped his fingers on the table.

"Scratch that, very impatient." Her laugh was golden. "I'm Haruno Sakura. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir…?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Sakura's eyebrows shot up and the Uchiha sighed inwardly. Her reaction would be the same as every other girl's. This disappointed him, oddly.

"Uchiha Sasuke?" She repeated, and he waited for the torrent of, 'Oh my gosh'-es that normally followed. Sakura surprised him.

"If you're Uchiha Sasuke, then you must know the families Hyuuga and Uzumaki-Namikaze, right? I've been friends with Hinata and Naruto for years!" Her expression became smug. "I helped set them up."

"That makes sense; Dobe is always harping on about one 'Sakura-chan'."

"Uh huh! It's me alright! Wow, I never thought I'd get to meet an Uchiha in person!"

Sasuke gave a low chuckle. She looked like an excited child, which made an odd combination with her bright pink hair and professionally painted nails.

"Where did you meet them?" She had now perched on the table and was gazing down at him, green eyes still alight with that 'child on Christmas morning' glow.

"Dobe and I were on the same football team in high school. I was introduced to Hinata when they started dating."

"Just before college, towards the end of school life." She mused. "It's pretty strange that we've never met before, huh? But then Naruto never has been the best at-"

"Forehead! Stop flirting with the customers and get back to work!" One of Sakura's fellow waitresses yelled across the room. Despite the fact that she was quite a distance away, both could tell she had a 'you will spill all details when you get over here' look.

"Yeah, yeah, coming!" Sakura rolled her eyes, standing straight and brushing invisible specks of dust off the apron tied around her waist. "Seems as though Ino is calling me. What would you like to order Uchiha-san?"

"Sasuke."

"First name terms now? We really are moving along swiftly. Cappuccino?" She grinned. "Even if you ordered something different, I think you've had your fair share of facts for today."

"Cappuccino," he agreed, watching, as always, as she whirled around and went towards the counter.

"So," Sakura began when he was within ear shot. She had, once again, perched on the table apparently claimed by the younger Uchiha. "I work everyday- save Wednesday, Friday and Sunday - from eleven till three, and from eleven till one thirty on Saturdays."

He raised an eye brow.

She giggled. "My reason? I have bright pink hair, I'm a waitress at the best coffee house in Konoha, we seem to get on and I know a lot of useless junk about…A lot of things, I suppose, I just haven't had time to inform you yet. And I maybe-kinda-sorta find you the tiniest bit attractive."

"Good. My brother booked a table to discuss company matters for seven on Saturday but he can't make it." He paused. "The feeling is mutual."

"Excellent. I don't know anything about the Uchiha Corp. though. Guess I've got some reading to do."

"I'm sure we'll find something to talk about," he replied, a smirk finding its way onto his face.

"Of course we will," she promised. "I live in number 14A, Park Street flats. When you buzz, I'll come down."

"I'll pick you up at six."

"Fine by me. I'll be waiting." She quickly touched her lips to his cheek before pulling away, the impish smile present. "What'll be today?"

"Surprise me."

"Don't I always?" Winking, she headed the way she always did, feeling his onyx orbs on her back.

"'Knowledge is power'." She smiled. "Certainly proved that! Even if it was pointless stuff."

A buzz sounded.

Whew! Finished. I had this one sitting there, unfinished for a while. Glad I decided to complete it! [At one point, it almost became an ItaSaku, but I'm too lazy to change things *smiles sheepishly*]

Please review! This is only my second [third if you count Family Life] SasuSaku so I am most definitely not a master writer of this pairing!

Thanks for reading! Bye!