Chapter 1: Single by Choice. Or Fate?

“So, when are you getting married?”

Sakura took a slow, deep breath, desperately trying to prevent her temple from throbbing. She loved Ino, but those five words carried the exact same dread as asking a struggling super-senior when they were finally going to graduate.

“At the right time,” Sakura muttered, aggressively stirring her strawberry juice. “Ino, can you please stop asking me that? It’s like asking someone, ‘When are you going to die?’ If the universe wanted me married today, I’d be at an altar right now.”

“Sure, but God helps those who help themselves,” Ino countered, leaning across the small cafe table. “From that massive roster of guys you know, how is it that not a single one has caught your eye? You have so many options!”

Sakura leaned back, her expression turning deadpan. “Ino, attractive men in the wild generally fall into one of three categories: gay, taken, or they were absolute jerks. There is always a catch. Remember Hidan? Gorgeous, but I’m pretty sure he was running a literal cult. Or Utakata—my senior during my general practice days—who spent two hours on his skincare routine before every shift. I don’t have time to compete with my partner for bathroom mirror space.”

“Okay, so maybe you don’t need a supermodel. What about someone normal? Just a regular guy?”

“I was busy studying, Ino.” Sakura counted the milestones on her fingers, her competitive pride slipping into her voice. “Four years of pre-med, two years of clinical clerkship, a year of rural community service, and four years of neurosurgery specialization. Now I’m running the department and managing hospital administration. Where exactly is the gap in my Google Calendar for a boyfriend?”

“Well, this is the result,” Ino sighed. “You’re too intimidating, Sakura. You’re highly paid, fiercely independent, and dominant. Most guys want to feel needed.”

“I would rather remain single forever than strip away everything I’ve worked to achieve just to make a man feel secure,” Sakura said flatly, her green eyes flashing with stubborn resolve.

“I’m serious, Sakura! You’re turning twenty-nine soon. Stop being so picky. The next decent guy who asks, just say yes.”

“Are you insane? Marriage is a lifelong commitment. I’m not signing a contract with a stranger.”

To be honest, Ino was genuinely concerned for her best friend’s survival. Listening to her, Sakura sounded dangerously desperate. It made no sense. Sakura was gorgeous, brilliant, highly successful, fiercely independent, stylish, incredibly cool, and responsible—honestly, the girl was a walking cheat code. So why on earth was her love life such a barren wasteland?

Unless... she was still haunted by her first love, which had crashed and burned in the most pathetic way back in high school. Ino still remembered how utterly shattered Sakura had been. It was bad enough that Sakura had completely sworn off men, channeling all that heartbreak into an obsessive drive to succeed just to force herself to forget her first love—their high school teacher.

“Saku... tell me you’re not still hung up on Kakashi-sensei?”

“Huh.” Sakura stiffened.

Bingo. Hit the nail right on the head.

“Oh my god, Sakura... that was eleven years ago! We were literally high schoolers. Please tell me you’re joking. The man got married back when we were juniors, and his kid is probably in elementary school by now. Are you seriously still not over him?”

Cough!

Sakura choked violently on her strawberry juice. “I AM SO OVER HIM!” she bellowed, completely on reflex.

Her voice echoed through the quiet cafe, successfully making them the center of attention. Ino immediately scrambled to her feet, bowing apologetically to the surrounding tables. “So sorry! Excuse us, sorry about that.” Fortunately, the other patrons just let it go and returned to their own conversations.

“Keep your voice down, will you? You’re embarrassing me,” Ino hissed, sliding back into her seat.

“Sorry.” Sakura muttered, rubbing the back of her neck with a sheepish grin.

“So?”

“So, what?”

“The million-dollar question. You’re actually over him, right?”

Sakura began nervously spinning her straw in her glass. “Yes, Ino, I swear to God, I am one hundred percent over him. I was just caught off guard because you brought him up out of nowhere.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.”

Sakura let out a quiet sigh. “I mean, yeah, back then I was completely devastated. He led me on for two straight years, and right when I was finally going to confess, he went ahead and got married. It still pisses me off. He knew he was engaged, yet he kept flirting with me. The second I actually fell for him, he ghosted me for two years. How incredibly toxic is that?”

Pat, pat.

Ino reached across the table and gently patted Sakura’s head. It was rare to see the usually fierce Haruno Sakura looking this small and vulnerable.

“So, after that, I made a promise to myself,” Sakura continued, taking a deep breath. “I wanted to show him that I was perfectly fine. That I was going to become an absolute powerhouse of a woman, with or without him. I studied like a maniac to get into my top-choice university, and I worked myself to the bone to succeed. I wanted to prove I was infinitely better than his fiancée. I wanted to make him regret ever letting me go.”

Sakura let out the breath she was holding, her shoulders dropping. “And yet, here I am. I have the career, the status, everything I ever wanted. But... something still feels so incredibly empty, Ino. And I don’t even know what it is.”

“Well, yeah. The empty part is the fact that you’re still chronically single, Sakura...”

“Shut up! If you’re so smart, go find me a candidate already! I need to get married before my biological clock completely expires!” The pink-haired doctor was starting to look genuinely annoyed.

“It’s hard to find a guy who actively wants to sign up for a girl who is terrifying, dominant, stubborn, hot-tempered, and has a sweet side that is virtually non-existent,” Ino replied, leaning her chin in her hand with a sigh. “It’s no wonder you’re unclaimed property. Honestly, I feel kind of bad for you. Twenty-eight years on this earth, and you’ve never had a real boyfriend.”

“Who says I’ve never dated?!”

“Oh, please. Dating Naruto back in middle school doesn’t even count,” Ino scoffed. “You guys were barely fourteen. Your biggest romantic milestone was arguing over who got the last takoyaki at the festival.”

“Hey, that was a highly important argument,” Sakura mumbled, defensively stirring her drink.

Ino laughed, shaking her head. “You two never actually acted like boyfriend and girlfriend. You just acted like competitive siblings who held hands twice on a dare. When he finally got together with Hinata years later, you didn’t even bat an eye, did you? That proves it was just a childhood comfort zone. I mean, you two are still practically joined at the hip.”

“Okay, fair point,” Sakura conceded. “Naruto is like a brother to me. But you’re right, we grew out of that phase fast. Spending our ‘dates’ screaming at each other over arcade games completely killed any illusion of romance. Honestly, the thought of us dating now feels borderline incestuous. I’m just glad we realized we were strictly siblings before things got weird.”

“Why don’t you just ask Naruto to set you up with one of his friends?”

“I already did,” Sakura groaned. “But he told me the only friend he has who is still single is... well, apparently he’s a total weirdo. Naruto said he’s insanely handsome, but he’s basically a robot. Expressionless, silent, incredibly aloof, and so painfully stingy that no woman dares to go near him.”

“Have you ever actually met him?”

“No, not yet. Honestly, I’m kind of curious. How aloof can a guy possibly be?” Sakura chuckled softly. “He sounds like that terrifying, scar-faced librarian we had back in college.”

Ino instantly shivered, remembering the fierce-looking man with the facial scars. She had lost a night of sleep once just from the way Mr. Ibiki had glared at her for whispering.

“God, no. That’s terrifying. Heaven forbid.”

“Exactly. I don’t want that either,” Sakura sighed dreamily. “I want someone sweet, warm, romantic, a total gentleman, someone with a great sense of humor... basically, someone who will treat me like a princess!”

“Be realistic, Sakura. You’re getting old—”

Sakura shot Ino a glare so lethal the blonde immediately corrected herself.

“—Uh, I mean, you’re mature! Very mature! Sorry, wrong word!”

“You’re the exact same age as me, you jerk! How dare you call me old!” Sakura huffed, crossing her arms in mock outrage.

Ino opened her mouth to reply, but stopped. She noticed Sakura’s gaze drift absentmindedly toward the large glass window of the café.

Outside, the weekend crowd was moving at a leisurely pace. A young couple walked hand-in-hand, their fingers lightly intertwined. Across the street, a father walked with a sleeping toddler cradled against his shoulder, the child’s small hand clutching the collar of his jacket. Nearby, a woman stopped at the crosswalk, reaching up to absentmindedly fix her husband’s crooked tie before they stepped onto the road together.

Sakura watched them. Her expression wasn’t bitter. It wasn’t jealous. It was just... quiet.

Sakura smiled faintly as a little girl outside tugged impatiently on her father’s sleeve, demanding ice cream. She wasn’t jealous of the ice cream. She was jealous of how natural it looked.

Once, when she was seventeen, she’d imagined something just as ordinary. Not mansions, not luxury vacations. Just... someone waiting for her after work. Someone she’d text before leaving the hospital. Someone who would complain that she’d skipped dinner again. Someone who would absentmindedly straighten her hair while watching television.

She had spent her entire twenties fighting. She had fought to top her class, fought to survive residency, and fought to prove she was twice as capable as surgeons ten years her senior. She had won every single one of those fights. Her name was on the door of the chief’s office; her research was published in international journals.

“Sometimes I wonder if I missed the train,” Sakura said softly, her green eyes reflecting the grey pavement outside.

Ino quieted, her usual teasing demeanor instantly vanishing as she saw the raw, quiet ache in her friend’s eyes.

“Everyone says ‘the right person will come,’” Sakura continued, her fingers lightly tracing the rim of her glass. “But every year, another friend gets married. Another baby is born. Another wedding invitation arrives in the mail. Meanwhile... my apartment just gets quieter.”

For almost two years, she’d believed she’d found that person in Kakashi.

Turns out, she’d only been rehearsing for another woman’s marriage.

She wasn’t desperate. She was just incredibly, profoundly lonely.

Ino reached across the table, her hand gently covering Sakura’s. “Sakura...”

Chime.

The bell above the café door rang, instantly shattering the fragile silence. Sakura automatically looked up, and the quiet melancholy in her chest instantly curdled into pure, defensive panic.

Walking through the door was Hatake Kakashi. And right beside him was his wife, Rin, and their two sons.

“Ino, we need to leave. Right now,” Sakura hissed, her vulnerability instantly replaced by a fierce survival instinct as she grabbed her designer handbag to block her face.

Of all the cafés in Tokyo, he had to walk into this one. Just as Sakura gathered her things to make a run for it, a familiar, lazy voice called out.

“Oh? Sakura?”

Dammit.

This was her worst nightmare. She had spent a decade preparing for the day she would run into Kakashi, imagining herself looking radiant, successful, and accompanied by an adoring, handsome partner. She was absolutely not going to face him like this.

“Ah... Kakashi-sensei! Hello!” Sakura offered a stiff, fiercely polite smile, her posture straightening like a soldier entering battle.

“Hi, Kakashi-sensei! Out with the family?” Ino chimed in, trying to smooth over the tension.

“Yes. It’s rare to get a free Sunday,” Kakashi said, pulling out a chair for his wife at the adjacent table. “It’s wonderful to see you two are still close friends.”

“Always,” Ino replied. “Wow, the boys have grown so much!”

“Ah, let me introduce them. This is my wife, Rin—you might remember her from our wedding.” Rin offered a polite, gentle smile. “And these are our sons, Kenichi and Sakumo.”

Sakura looked at Rin. The woman was undeniably beautiful, wearing a soft cream sweater that screamed effortless domestic bliss. Sakura vividly remembered attending their wedding. She had stood in the back, heartbroken, and lasted exactly fifteen minutes before fleeing to cry hysterically on Naruto’s shoulder. Kakashi had definitely seen her.

“So, Sakura,” Kakashi began, leaning back in his chair with an easy, knowing smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “How are things? I hope you’ve finally moved on from those childish feelings. You’re still holding onto that little schoolgirl crush, or have you finally found a proper partner?”

The casual, patronizing words struck like a physical blow, completely rewriting their history as if her heartbreak had just been a silly, juvenile phase.

He was still the same selfish, manipulative jerk who had kept her on a string as a teenager, feeding his own ego while keeping his engagement a secret.

“Actually, things are perfect, sensei,” Sakura said, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness. She refused to lose this round. “My career is incredibly rewarding, and I’m actually engaged to the love of my life.”

Ino’s eyes nearly popped out of her head, but she didn’t hesitate. “Oh, absolutely! Sakura is one of the best neurosurgeons in Japan now, and her fiancé is a CEO of a well-known company. He’s absolutely obsessed with her.”

“A CEO?” Kakashi’s eyes narrowed slightly, a trace of skepticism in his smile. “Really? And where is this busy man on a beautiful Sunday afternoon? I hope he isn’t a workaholic. Relationships built on empty promises can be so... fragile.”

Kakashi was testing her. He had bumped into Naruto just two days ago, and Naruto had explicitly mentioned that Sakura was single.

“He’s not like that at all,” Sakura countered, her chin lifting defiantly. “He is incredibly romantic, attentive, and puts me above everything else. Actually, he’s on his way to pick me up right now.”

“Oh, yes,” Ino added. “He’s gorgeous. Tall, handsome, incredibly wealthy, and completely devoted.”

“Is that so? Rin and I would love to meet him,” Kakashi said, a challenge dancing in his dark eyes.

Under the table, Sakura’s fingers flew across her phone screen, typing a desperate message to Naruto.

To: Naruto

Subject: EMERGENCY

Pick me up at the cafe down the street from the hospital. Bring the most attractive, presentable, single male friend you have. DO NOT ASK QUESTIONS. IT IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. NOW.

For the next twenty minutes, Sakura survived on pure willpower, nodding along to Rin talking about her son’s school curriculums. Finally, through the glass window of the café, she spotted Naruto’s bright blonde hair.

Relief washed over her—until she saw the man walking right beside him.

The man was striking. He was tall, with sharp, aristocratic features, pale skin, and midnight-black hair styled with effortless precision. He wore a tailored charcoal overcoat over a crisp black turtleneck. He looked less like a normal person and more like an elite model who had casually stepped off a billboard.

“Sakura-chan!” Naruto called out, waving enthusiastically as he entered. The handsome stranger followed him, his expression entirely aloof.

“Ah! Speak of the devil,” Sakura said, her voice rising in pitch as she stood up. Before anyone could ask questions, she marched over, grabbed the handsome stranger’s arm, and pulled him directly in front of Kakashi. “Everyone, this is my fiancé.”

“Wait, what—” Naruto started, but Ino immediately delivered a brutal, silent pinch to his arm, glaring at him to shut up.

Sakura looked up at the stranger, her fingers trembling where they gripped his dark sleeve. She forced a bright, desperate smile, her breathing shallow as she studiously avoided looking at Kakashi.

“Hi, darling,” she murmured.

Sasuke looked down. He didn’t speak immediately. He quietly studied the pink-haired woman clinging to his arm. He registered the slight tremor in her hands, her forced, brittle smile, and the faint, unmistakable trace of fear in her eyes.

She’s terrified, Sasuke realized.

He glanced at Kakashi, whose eyes were filled with smug, waiting skepticism. Sasuke’s mind worked with rapid, decisive efficiency. Words would not be enough to shield her from this.

Before Sakura could register his movement, Sasuke reached down, his fingers gently but firmly cupping the side of her jaw. He leaned in, and his lips brushed against hers.

It wasn’t a frantic or rushed kiss. His lips were surprisingly soft, pressing against hers with a firm, steadying warmth. His thumb lightly rested against the back of her hand where she had grabbed his sleeve, anchoring her, steadying her trembling fingers without drawing a single eye.

For one impossible second... Sakura forgot Kakashi even existed.

The lingering ghost of eleven-year-old heartache was entirely drowned out by the scent of cedar and the heavy, grounding presence of the stranger holding her jaw.

Sasuke pulled back slowly, his eyes dropping to her lips for a brief, unreadable second. She tasted faintly of strawberries.

“Hello...” He paused, his dark eyes lingering on her pink hair before he added, “...beautiful.”

Sakura froze. It hadn’t sounded like a rehearsed line. It had sounded... real. Even Sasuke looked mildly confused by his own choice of adjective for a fraction of a second.

Sasuke stared down at Sakura’s face, which was entirely flushed crimson from sheer shock, before indifferently shifting his gaze to the surrounding crowd staring at them with wide eyes.

Without a doubt, the most profoundly traumatized person was Naruto. He knew both of these people inside out. Since when on earth were they a thing?!

Naruto shot a panicked look at Ino, who looked equally flabbergasted. Ino just shook her head slowly. She was losing her mind—Sakura had literally just been lamenting her tragic, barren love life thirty minutes ago. And now, out of absolutely nowhere, she was secretly seeing this extremely handsome man? Unbelievable.

Sasuke turned to Kakashi, his expression instantly returning to a mask of cool, aristocratic polite execution. “Uchiha Sasuke. Nice to meet you.”

Kakashi stood up, shaking Sasuke’s hand. “Hatake Kakashi. The pleasure is mine.”

As they released their grip, Sasuke subtly shifted half a step. Without drawing any attention to the movement, he placed his broad shoulders slightly in front of Sakura, partially shielding her from Kakashi’s searching gaze.

Only Sakura noticed the quiet, protective gesture.

“And this is my wife, Rin,” Kakashi continued, though his tone was slightly less confident now.

“Wait, isn’t Uchiha the name of that massive real estate development conglomerate?” Rin asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

“Real estate is merely one subsidiary of the Uchiha Group,” Sasuke explained smoothly, his tone clinical. “Our portfolio also spans commercial fisheries, agricultural logistics, mining, information technology, and venture capital.”

Hold on...

Did he just say ‘Our’?

Was this guy seriously the actual owner of the Uchiha Group?

“So, Mr. Uchiha... you’re directly connected to the family?” Rin stammered, still thoroughly bewildered.

“He was just appointed CEO after his father stepped down,” Naruto chimed in enthusiastically. Instantly catching on to the vibe, he flashed a massive, proud grin. “He’s not just rich, guys. He’s insanely rich. Literally a Crazy Rich!” Naruto slapped Sasuke’s shoulder with a resounding thud.

The smile on Kakashi’s face suddenly grew stiff. “...Oh, really?”

“He owns practically half the commercial real estate in this city,” Naruto continued, escalating the hyperbole and thoroughly enjoying his role as the ultimate hype man. Sakura had absolutely no idea if Naruto was lying or being serious.

“He also owns a private island.”

“And he literally just touched down from Singapore this morning on his private jet just to see Sakura-chan today.”

Ino cleared her throat loudly, sharply digging her elbow into Naruto’s ribs. “Naruto.”

“Okay, fine, maybe only half an island...” Naruto muttered, realizing he had flown a bit too close to the sun.

“Three islands,” Sasuke corrected deadpan.

The entire table fell into a dead, suffocating silence.

Gulp.

Kakashi swallowed hard. It turned out the rumors were true; Sakura’s supposed fiancé really was a high-tier CEO. “Ahem... well, how long have you two been dating?” Kakashi asked, trying to reclaim some ground.

“Um... about two years now. Right, darling?” Driven by sheer survival instinct, Sakura boldly wrapped her arm around Sasuke’s waist from the side. Oh my god, she thought, I will literally die of mortification if he recoils and shoves me off right now. Fortunately, the man remained cooperative and didn’t cause a scene.

“Hn...”

Naruto and Ino were practically catch-fly dumbfounded watching the masterpiece theater unfolding before them. Honestly, Sasuke and Sakura deserved an Academy Award for how natural their acting was. Naruto was actually fascinated to see how far this drama would go. It was hilarious because he had originally intended to set Sasuke up with Sakura since they were both chronically single—but the plan died before it even started because Sakura had immediately rejected the idea the moment Naruto described Sasuke as a quiet, rigid, expressionless, stingy robot.

Naruto himself was in shock. The Sasuke standing here right now was completely different from his actual, deeply un-romantic personality. The guy’s acting is terrifyingly good, Naruto thought.

“Wow, two years? That’s quite a while,” Kakashi noted, his brow furrowing slightly. “I’m just surprised because I ran into Naruto two days ago, and he mentioned Sakura was still single.”

Sakura whipped her head toward Naruto, throwing a lethal, daggers-and-knives glare in his direction. So Naruto was the leak! Caught red-handed under her terrifying gaze, Naruto could only offer a strained, dry laugh.

“My parents initially withheld their approval regarding our relationship,” Sasuke intervened, delivering the lie seamlessly without a single prompt. “Consequently, only our closest friends were permitted to know, and we requested their absolute discretion. We operated entirely under the radar. However, now that my family has consented, we are fast-tracking our wedding arrangements.”

What?! Sasuke just spoke more than two sentences in a row? Naruto was too overwhelmed with Sasuke today.

“Oh...” Kakashi murmured, feeling utterly defeated. His calculations had been completely wrong. He had genuinely assumed Sakura was still single, miserable, and pining over him after all these years. He couldn’t have been more wrong. Her fiancé was an apex-tier elite.

Rin slowly looked at Kakashi, then back to Sasuke, clearly awed by the sheer scale of the man’s status. Kakashi suddenly looked like he’d lost a competition he hadn’t even realized he was participating in. His ego was visibly bruised.

“If you’ll excuse us,” Sasuke said, checking his platinum watch with practiced elegance. “I need to take Sakura to select a gown for our private corporate gala tonight. Our schedule is rather tight.”

Oh my god, what kind of elaborate fanfiction lie is he spinning now?! Sakura screamed internally.

“Ah, of course. Please, go ahead,” Kakashi said, looking thoroughly awkward.

“Naruto and I actually have somewhere to be as well,” Ino chimed in quickly, grabbing Naruto’s arm. “We’ll head out first, sensei. See you!”

“Before we go,” Sasuke said, reaching into his coat pocket. He pulled out two pristine, limited-edition Pokemon collector capsules. “A small token for the young men.”

Kenichi and Sakumo’s eyes turned into giant saucers. “No way! The holographic legendary series?!” Sakumo gasped. “Dad said these were sold out everywhere!”

Kakashi’s face burned. “You really shouldn’t have, Uchiha-san.”

“It’s no trouble,” Sasuke said smoothly, guiding Sakura toward the exit. “Have a wonderful afternoon.”

══════════════════

The Ineligible Bachelor © Akina Takahashi

Do not copy or publish it on another site without Author’s permission

══════════════════

Once they were safely inside Sasuke’s sleek, incredibly expensive black sedan, the heavy silence broke.

“Holy crap! That was legendary!” Naruto burst out from the backseat. “Sasuke, where did you learn to lie like that?”

“Explain everything right now, Forehead!” Ino demanded. “How do you know him?”

“I don’t!” Sakura cried, turning to look at Sasuke, who was adjusting his rear-view mirror with complete calm. “I’ve never met him in my life! Naruto, what is going on?”

“I brought him because you asked for my most attractive, single friend!” Naruto grinned. “I was actually planning to introduce you guys eventually, but then you pulled him in and claimed he was your fiancé!”

Sakura turned back to Sasuke, her cheeks still burning as she remembered the kiss. “Regardless... thank you. Seriously. You saved my life back there. And those toys for Kakashi’s kids—I don’t even know how to repay you.”

“Simple,” Sasuke said, his voice dropping its warm, charming fiancé tone and returning to its natural, freezing-cold business register. “Invoice.”

Sakura blinked. “What?”

“The collector capsules were a private import order meant for my nephew’s birthday,” Sasuke explained, pulling out of the parking lot. He drove with smooth, meticulous precision, signaling early before every lane change and slowing to a crawl for a pedestrian waiting at the crosswalk. “They cost one hundred thousand yen each. The total is two hundred thousand yen.”

Oh my god, he is a layout-level cheapskate. The old theory was true: insanely attractive men only fell into three distinct categories—either they were gay, taken, or they were absolute jerks. This guy was firmly, undisputedly occupying the third category. Unbelievable.

Sakura’s jaw dropped. “That’s highway robbery!”

“It is not,” Sasuke replied smoothly, completely unfazed. “It is called market value.”

“Are you completely out of your mind?!”

“Successful businessmen hear that often.”

“Unbelievable,” Sakura muttered through gritted teeth, her arms crossing defensively. Every single drop of gratitude she had felt toward him five minutes ago evaporated into thin air the moment she glanced at his smug, infuriatingly handsome profile.

“Fine,” Sakura sighed, crossing her arms. “I’ll pay you. But don’t think this means you won. I have to wait until my next hospital stipend clears next month.”

“In interest of the delay, I will apply a standard ten percent late fee.” Sasuke countered casually. “Therefore, your total balance outstanding next month will be 220,000 yen.”

“Ten percent?!” Sakura’s eyes nearly bulged out of her skull. “What are you, a loan shark?! I don’t just have liquid cash sitting around for toys!”

This man was a pathological miser. What was 220,000 yen to a literal multi-billionaire? Did he honestly think hospital doctors were minted in gold? And what kind of lunatic charges a ten percent interest rate on a personal debt? Even premium credit cards maxed out lower than that.

“I am a surgeon, not a venture capitalist. I don’t have your kind of liquidity,” Sakura snapped.

“And I am a businessman, not a physician,” Sasuke countered evenly, his tone flat. “Consequently, I apply sound commercial principles to every transaction in my life.”

From the backseat, a heavy, suffocating silence was suddenly broken by Ino loudly clearing her throat. “Wow. I am literally witnessing a mirror match right now.”

“Right?!” Naruto chimed in, leaning forward so his head popped right between the driver and passenger seats. He was grinning like a maniac. “Sasuke, you’re just as stubborn as she is. Sakura-chan literally counts the calories of her hospital lunches and logs them into a spreadsheet. You two are both completely psycho about spreadsheets and control.”

“It is called fiscal and caloric discipline, Naruto,” Sakura snapped, her face flushing as she slapped Naruto’s shoulder to force him back into his seat.

Ino leaned back, folding her arms with a deeply amused smirk as she watched the sheer chaotic energy radiating between the two in the front. “Honestly, I’ve never seen anyone match Sakura’s stubbornness dollar-for-dollar like this. You two argue exactly the same way. It’s almost... domestic.”

“It is strictly a financial dispute!” Sakura barked.

“Fine. I will transfer the full amount to your account by the end of this month,” Sakura hissed, trying to shut down the conversation. “What else do you want?” she added defensively when she noticed his dark obsidian eyes were still fixed on her.

“Settling the rare capsule toys invoice does not close out your account, Dr. Haruno. You initiated an unsolicited physical escalation, stole a kiss, and illegally drafted me into a conspiracy to commit public fraud. My billable hours are highly expensive.”

“You were the one who kissed me out of nowhere!” Sakura protested violently, her entire face burning crimson as sheer embarrassment took over. “I never asked you to go that far!”

“I was merely securing your asset protection,” Sasuke corrected coldly. “If I hadn’t executed that tactical intervention, your former teacher would have dismantled your narrative within five seconds. Therefore, I require equitable compensation.”

“I want a VIP medical exemption pass for the Konoha General Hospital executive wing. One year of priority consultations, zero wait times, and direct access to your department.”

Sakura glared at him, her competitive pride instantly flaring to life. “Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea how much administrative red tape I have to cut through just to approve VIP clearance? I don’t hand out exclusive hospital privileges like party favors, Sasuke. That is a massive ethical violation.”

“In that case, I will turn this car around, return to the cafe, find Hatake Kakashi, and inform him that his former student is a fraud who hired a fake fiancé to salvage her pride.” Sasuke’s hand hovered deliberately over the gear shift, his expression deadpan and entirely unbothered.

Sakura’s eyes flashed with pure fury. Her jaw clenched as her fingers gripped the leather dashboard so hard the seams creaked. “If you think you can blackmail me into violating hospital protocol, you have underestimated me, Uchiha! Go ahead, turn the car around! I’ll just tell Kakashi you’re an actor I hired for a prank. I don’t back down from a fight!”

“He already saw the Uchiha crest on my key fob, Dr. Haruno,” Sasuke countered smoothly, his tone as flat and unwavering as a robot. “And my face is currently on the cover of this month’s Nikkei Business magazine. Your narrative will collapse instantly. You have lost this negotiation.”

Sakura bit her lower lip in frustration. Her brain scrambled wildly for a counterargument, but every single path led to a dead end. She absolutely loathed losing—especially to a man who treated basic human interaction like a hostile corporate takeover.

“Fine!” Sakura hissed. She threw herself back against the passenger seat, crossing her arms over her chest and scoffing. “I will authorize the VIP access. But it is strictly limited to medical consultations. Prescriptions, lab work, and diagnostics are entirely out of pocket. Not a single yen of the hospital’s budget is going to cover your aspirin. And for the record, you are the most insufferable man I have ever met in my entire life!”

The corner of Sasuke’s mouth twitched, forming a microscopic smirk of victory. “Agreed. Besides, this is significantly more cost-effective than renewing our corporate premium health insurance plan.”

“See, look at that!” Naruto whispered loudly to Ino, though his voice easily filled the entire sedan. “He’s doing the thing. He only smirks like that when he successfully bankrupts a competitor, Ino. But he’s doing it just because Sakura-chan yelled at him. They are totally into each other.”

“Oh, absolutely,” Ino whispered back, not even trying to be subtle as she watched Sakura’s ears turn bright red. “Look at her jaw. She hates losing, but she’s totally mesmerized by his face. And he’s pretending to be a cold robot, but he hasn’t looked at the road once since she started yelling. He’s totally whipped.”

“Shut up, both of you!” Sakura hissed, frantically kicking the back of Naruto’s seat. “There is absolutely nothing going on! We are trying to settle a legal and ethical crisis!”

Sasuke, however, simply cleared his throat and adjusted his grip on the steering wheel, his eyes suddenly fixing very rigidly on the road ahead. A subtle, barely visible pink tint crept up the back of his neck, which did not escape Ino’s sharp, predatory matchmaking eyes. Oh, he is so gone, Ino thought gleefully.

Trying to salvage her dignity, Sakura stared at him, her clinical side taking over. “You don’t look sick.”

“I am not.”

“Then why?”

Sasuke kept his eyes on the road, his grip on the steering wheel tightening by a fraction. “My brother insists on annual screenings. I tend to forget.”

Sakura’s defensive posture relaxed slightly. A busy, stubborn man who ignored his own health while a caring brother worried about him behind the scenes. It was a dynamic she saw in her clinic every day.

As she watched him, she couldn’t help but notice how carefully he handled the vehicle. He didn’t race, he thanked a parking attendant with a curt nod, and he kept a perfectly safe distance from the car ahead. Huh, Sakura thought, a tiny touch of amusement softening her anger. For someone so emotionally constipated... he drives like someone’s father.

At the same time, Sasuke glanced at the side mirror. He had watched her thank the café waiter, step aside to let an elderly woman pass, and even retrieve a stray umbrella from the floor to place it back in the rack before they left.

A nuisance, Sasuke thought. But surprisingly attentive to her surroundings.

A sudden, heavy silence fell over the car. Sakura stared out the window, the post-adrenaline crash finally hitting her. The humiliation of Kakashi’s words still lingered like a dull ache.

She quietly turned her head. “...Thank you.”

There was no sarcasm. No defensiveness. Just sincere gratitude.

Sasuke kept his eyes on the road. “...He upset you.”

It wasn’t a question. It was a quiet statement.

Sakura looked away, her throat tightening. “...It doesn’t matter.”

“...”

“...It clearly does,” Sasuke said softly.

He didn’t pry. He didn’t ask her to explain, and he didn’t mock her. Instead, his hand reached out and he quietly switched on the car radio, letting a soft classical melody fill the silence, giving her the quiet privacy she desperately needed to gather herself.

Sakura stared at the dashboard, her heart swelling with a strange, unnameable feeling. He was impossible, but... he was remarkably kind in his own quiet way.

In the backseat, Naruto and Ino exchanged a quiet, knowing look. The teasing banter was gone. For all their loud bickering, the raw, intuitive way Sasuke had just read Sakura’s emotional distress—and the way Sakura completely softened in response—spoke volumes. They had known each other for less than an hour, yet the emotional gravity pulling them together was undeniable. They truly belonged together.

Suddenly, Sakura realized they were heading in the opposite direction of her apartment. “Wait. Where are we going? I thought we were done.”

“I told your former teacher I was taking you to buy a gown for our corporate gala,” Sasuke said smoothly, accelerating onto the highway. “We are going to a boutique.”

“Wait, you’re serious? I actually have to go to a gala with you?”

“My company’s board of directors is highly conservative,” Sasuke explained. “They have been pressuring me to find a suitable partner to stabilize our public image. A highly respected, award-winning neurosurgeon is the perfect candidate. Consider this an extension of our contract.”

“And the gown?” Sakura asked suspiciously. “Am I going to get an invoice for that too?”

“This one is on the company account,” Sasuke said. “A business expense.”

From the backseat, Naruto began to snicker loudly, breaking the tender silence. “Oh, man... this is perfect. Happy first date, Sakura-chan! A luxury shopping spree!”

“Shut up, Naruto!” Sakura warned, her face burning all over again.

“Honestly, Sakura, he’s rich, handsome, protective, and you guys already shared a deeply passionate kiss,” Ino added with a wicked grin. “I’d say you hit the jackpot. Just confess your feelings already!”

“He is a blackmailer!” Sakura yelled, her voice cracking as she got increasingly flustered by their relentless matchmaking. “And a corporate robot! There are no feelings!”

“Right, right, keep telling yourself that,” Ino laughed as Sasuke smoothly pulled up to the curb of an elite Ginza boutique. “Well, this is our cue to exit.”

Naruto popped his door open instantly. “We’ll leave you two to your romantic shopping. Try not to make out too much in the changing rooms!”

“Ino! Naruto! Don’t leave me here with him!” Sakura pleaded, but her friends had already jumped out onto the sidewalk, waving cheerfully like two proud cupids admiring their handiwork before vanishing into the bustling Tokyo crowd.

The passenger door locked automatically with a soft click.

Sakura turned slowly to look at Sasuke. He was staring straight ahead, a tiny, almost imperceptible smirk gracing his lips.

“We’re here,” Sasuke said.

Before Sakura could reach for her door handle, the engine cut. Sasuke got out of the car, walked around the hood, and opened her door, offering her a hand.

Sakura blinked up at him, caught entirely off guard. “You know how to open doors?”

“It reduces the probability of you tripping in those heels,” he replied flatly.

“...You are unbelievable.”

“So I’ve been informed.”

He kept his hand extended. She stared at his pale, strong fingers for a moment. With a quiet sigh, she placed her hand in his—strictly for balance, of course. Absolutely nothing romantic about it.

Except, as she stepped out onto the pavement, neither of them let go immediately. Their hands remained joined for just one second too long, the warmth of his skin lingering against hers as the echo of their friends’ teasing played in her mind.

“Come on,” Sasuke said quietly, releasing her hand with a smooth, reluctant transition. “We’re going to be late.”

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To Be Continued

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Author Notes:

Hi everyone 🤍

I have to confess something—I had so much fun writing this chapter. The fake dating trope is honestly top-tier, especially when you drop Sasuke and Sakura right into the middle of it. Their dynamics are just elite.

When I was planning this story, I knew I wanted to do something a little different with Sasuke. We all know him as the cool, stoic billionaire type. But what if... he was also shockingly stingy?

Imagine our brooding male lead with a financial personality low-key creeping into Mr. Krabs territory from SpongeBob SquarePants. Charging a 10% late fee on a fake relationship? Refusing to let 200,000 yen worth of Pokémon toys go to waste? I couldn’t help myself 😂

At the same time, I promise I’m not turning him into a total cartoon character. He’s still very much Sasuke. He struggles to talk about how he feels. Words aren’t really his language. But if you pay close attention to his actions—even the absurd, hyper-calculating ones—he’s subtly showing us that Sakura already matters to him. He just masks it under “sound business logic.”

Because sometimes, people who don’t know how to say “I care about you” will find the weirdest, most practical ways to show up instead.

I’d love to know what you thought while reading this one!

The Big Question: Do you think Sasuke’s absurd ground rules are purely about protecting his wallet, or is he already using “business logic” as a shield to keep Sakura close without having to admit why?

Please answer this in the comments.

Things are only going to get more chaotic from here. If Sasuke thought running a massive corporation was complicated, he has no idea what happens when Haruno Sakura completely disrupts his carefully budgeted life.

Reading your comments and laughing along with these two means the world to me. See you in the next chapter! ✨