CHAPTER (3)
Nothing had changed. Every time they met, everything remained the same. Sasuke was still indifferent and aloof, and somehow, his cold attitude felt even more piercing. Strangely, he seemed friendlier when he texted. Sakura even wondered if Sasuke could only act human through text messages. She shook her head lightly, brushing off the ridiculous thought. This was just an agreement—a fake relationship that so far had felt dull.
Sasuke's silence was truly troublesome. Sakura had to keep talking to fill the void, while Sasuke only responded minimally. Deep down, Sakura began to question: could she really build a future with a man like this? She let out a quiet sigh. Maybe this was fate. Maybe she had committed a grave sin in her past life.
Sakura: "Aren't you busy?"
Sasuke: "I'm busy."
Sakura: "If you're busy, then why come to my house?"
Sasuke fell silent. Sakura's words were sharp, striking his emotions. He felt he had been trying to be nice, but her response felt ungrateful. Deep inside, Sasuke began to feel the urge to conquer this stubborn woman in his own way.
Sakura: "Coffee, tea, milk?"
Sasuke: "Coffee."
As usual, after that, Sasuke went quiet again. Sakura pouted and turned her face away. Her parents were away for the weekend, and she had to work that night. Meanwhile, Sasuke—despite being the heir of the Uchiha Corporation, a leading digital security and tech company—still looked like an idle man with nothing to do.
"By the way, how about this? Let's go through with this for a month, then tell everyone we're not compatible."
Sasuke frowned. "What do you mean?"
Sakura said, "We'll just regret it if we keep going. Even talking gently is hard for me. You know that, right?"
She looked Sasuke straight in the eye. Her informal way of speaking clearly showed who she really was—easy to read, but just as easy to misjudge. Meanwhile, Sasuke simply sipped his coffee in silence, choosing not to respond. Deep down, Sakura almost couldn't take it anymore and wanted to yank out his hair!
Sasuke's gaze turned sharp as he finally spoke: "I don't like it. We're going to get married—you'll only disappoint your family."
Sakura paused, then said hesitantly, "This…"
Sasuke stared straight ahead, his expression flat but meaningful. He didn't want things to be complicated. To him, if after a month they didn't feel compatible, they could simply tell their parents the engagement was off. That simple. But when Sakura proposed it, Sasuke's reaction wasn't what she expected.
Sasuke didn't nod, nor did he shake his head. His silence hung in the air, making Sakura's heart beat unevenly. She felt confused and anxious. (Wouldn't Sasuke just agree immediately?) That look in his eyes… as if hiding something Sakura couldn't quite understand.
Sakura: "Ugh, now I've got a headache! Anyway, just think about it. I don't want my future ruined, especially not by marrying someone I'm not compatible with. I don't want regrets! I want to live happily, have a loving husband, someone who understands what I do and doesn't forbid anything I want to pursue!"
Sasuke: "Can't you speak more quietly?"
Sakura: "Hey…"
Sakura had spoken firmly and convincingly, but Sasuke completely ignored her. He went silent again, sipping his now-cold coffee. Sakura stared blankly, frustrated that Sasuke remained so calm—he even glanced at his phone and typed a message with a blank expression.
A moment later, Sakura's phone screen displayed an emoticon: (>_< )
She kept staring at her phone screen, then glanced at Sasuke's expressionless face.