Chapter 8
SAI
So here he was...
Standing in Sakura's living room, looking in her full body mirror. He was dressed formally in a three-piece black tux, wearing a bowtie. His hair was slicked back, and he was inspecting the little strays that tried to fall out of line. He wanted to make sure he looked decent. After all, this was technically the first time he would formally meet her parents. He may have looked calm on the outside- he usually does, but Sai was internally freaking out.
Well, he supposes he doesn't have the emotional depth to "freak out," but his heart was racing. He looked to his left and laid eyes on the corsage Ino helped him pick out for Sakura. Why did he still go to her for help after the gifting incident? He will never know. All he knew was that this situation was one he never thought would happen. He let out a puff of air and sat down on her couch, waiting. Sakura was inside her bathroom. Ino had followed her a while ago, saying she needed to make sure everyone who laid eyes on her would be jealous of her beauty. He didn't understand why Ino was needed in that aspect. Sakura was beautiful with and without anything special being done. He waited stiffly, as he didn't know what else to do. Just as he was contemplating changing his outfit for the third time, the bathroom door swung open.
His head whipped to the side, and first, he saw Ino exit, makeup bags in hand, with a smirk on her face.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! I now give you...." She started, mimicking an announcer. "The model that is Sakura Haruno!" She squealed. Sai's eyes drifted from her to the woman exiting the bathroom behind her.
Sai's heart stopped.
Well, not really, but he froze in only the way a dead man would.
She was hypnotic.
Her hair was wrapped up into a low bun, with a white silk ribbon with red accents holding its shape. He didn't know what Ino did to her, but the lids of her eyes were a color that made her verdant green eyes shine even more than they usually did. She donned a soft purple kimono, and it looked like it was tailored specifically for her. He could go on and on about the small but vibrant details that made her more, for better words, "her." But that didn't stop the small, dull voice in his head that always managed to get loose and speak aloud.
"You look...good." He hesitated.
Sakura's smile dropped slightly. "Thanks." She replied curtly. She grabbed the makeup bag out of Ino's hand and left for her room, presumably to place it back with her things. Ino and Sai's eyes followed her as she moved. Just as her bedroom door shut, Ino spun around to face him.
"What was that?" She whisper-shouted.
"What was what?" He asked confusedly.
She rolled her eyes and huffed. "You hesitated! It looks like you didn't mean what you said! And come on! 'Good' is all you could think of?"
"I didn't know what to say." He finished lamely, looking away from her.
"Oh, Come on, Sai! You stared at her like you were a fish in need of water. You had the words." She scoffed.
Sai stared blankly at her. Just as he was about to retort, Sakura came out. "All set, Sai."
She walked over to him and plucked her purse from the couch.
Ino walked over to her and hugged her. "Don't pay attention to whatever your family says. You are definitely the hottest one." She giggled. Sakura embraced her and bid her goodbye. Sai held his arm out for her to grab like it said to do in those books he buys, but Sakura walked straight past him. She stood near her front door and turned back.
"Coming?" She asked.
Sai awkwardly let his arm fall and turned his neck to glance at Ino worriedly. She made a 'shooing' motion with her hands and smirked at him. He turned back and followed Sakura out the door, and off they went.