1.

In the age of the Edo Dynasty in Japan, a princess named Sakuyahime graced the world
with hair as exquisite as cherry blossoms in spring. Her unparalleled beauty captured
the hearts of men far and wide, sparking fierce competition for her affections. Yet,
Sakuyahime, ahead of her time, harbored a deep desire for a life beyond the confines of a
conventional marriage. She yearned for independence, rejecting the submissive role
expected of a wife.
On the day of her arranged marriage to the most handsome prince in the Japanese
peninsula, Prince Ninigi No Mikoto, fifteen-year-old Sakuyahime hid in her wardrobe to
escape the dreadful union. She vowed not to marry any man, even if he were the most
handsome man on the entire planet.
As Sakuyahime hid in the wardrobe, the approaching footsteps of her mother and
servants made her heart race. She pleaded with the gods to save her from her mother's
wrath, angered by her daughter's attempt to escape the preordained marriage.
"Oh, God, please help me," Sakuyahime prayed silently as her mother's shadow
approached the wardrobe.
"Sakuyahime, I know you're in there," her mother called out loudly while pushing the
sliding door of the wardrobe. Unfortunately, her mother's strong intuition led her to
discover Sakuyahime's hiding place once again.
Sakuyahime should have disguised herself and fled the palace at midnight to avoid her
mother's discovery and the forced marriage at such a tender age. However, this plan was
not easy, given the tight security in the palace, making it difficult for her to elude the
guards who were likely instructed by her mother to prevent her escape.
"The wedding has been all arranged," her mother scolded, pulling her stubborn
daughter out of the cramped wardrobe.
"Please, gods. Please get me out of this," Sakuyahime cried desperately in her heart.
"You turned down the jeweler," her frustrated mother continued. "You turned down the
grain merchant. You turned down Emperor Nakamikado's food taster," she ranted,
expressing her anger.
Rolling her eyes, Sakuyahime sighed.
"There's only one man left who'll have you: You'll marry Prince Ninigi no Mikoto," her
mother asserted, narrowing her eyes at her daughter. "If not, his troops will annihilate
our entire family because he is known to always get what he wants!"
"No, Mother. No!" Sakuyahime shouted, freeing herself from her mother's grasp. "I don't
want to marry a man I don't love!"
"But he's a prince and the heir to the Uchiha clan's throne," her mother retorted angrily.
"You can't just cancel his proposal!"
Sakuyahime groaned in frustration. "Forget it!" she snapped while folding her arms.
"You forget it!" Her mother scowled in anger.
"Mother, I don't want to settle down!" Sakuyahime retorted in frustration. "I want to do
things and invent things!"
"You can't even read!" her mother countered loudly.
"Well, it's because society forbids me from learning to read and only allows me to sew!"
Sakuyahime retorted.
"I want to try things that nobody's ever tried before," Sakuyahime asserted. "I want to
fly."
"Sure," her mother responded with a mocking tone.
"And I want to smoke and tell your father to go to hell!" her mother retorted.
"My daughter, if I thought we women could in any way change anything, don't you think
I'd encourage you?" her mother's tone softened as she held her daughter's hands, trying
to make her see things from her perspective. However, she suddenly shook her head.
"No. Don't. These are the times we live in!"
"Mother, there's got to be a better way!" Sakuyahime pleaded desperately. "Please, gods.
Please help me find it," she cried, taking a deep breath.
"Sure, the river is overflowing," her mother scoffed, bewildered by her stubborn
daughter's thoughts. "There is a wheat shortage. The emperor has hemorrhoids," she
continued with a scornful tone.
"The gods have bigger things to worry about than you!" her mother exclaimed, stomping
her foot.
"Whatever. I'm tired of arguing with you," Sakuyahime said resignedly.
…
In the dressing room, Princess Sakuyahime appeared busy as her female attendants
worked on applying makeup. During the makeup session, the attendants couldn't help
but gossip about the most handsome prince in the world, Ninigi no Mikoto, who was to
be betrothed to Sakuyahime.
"Not only is he handsome, but his highness, your future husband, is also a sculptor," said
one servant while applying a rosy hue to Sakuyahime's cheeks.
"True. It's said that his sculptures can resemble real humans very closely!" chimed in
another servant, combing her hair.
"Unfortunately, from the rumors circulating, he's also a cold-blooded killer. I can't
believe those merciless hands can carve a sculpture!" remarked another servant,
carefully applying lipstick to Sakuyahime.
"Is that so?" Sakuyahime asked with a hint of skepticism, biting her lip.
She then slammed the fan she was holding onto the dressing table with force, startling
her servants simultaneously. "I will make sure that this weirdo won't dare to lay his
hands on my face, or I will send him the most powerful curse, making his face so hideous
that he won't dare to show it in public!"
...
"Princess Sakuyahime has arrived!" shouted one guard standing near the door, holding
his spear, as the girl, now perfectly adorned, entered the pavilion specially prepared for
her and her prospective husband to have some privacy to get to know each other.
"Please leave," Sakuyahime commanded the female servants who were trailing behind
her.
The girl was momentarily stunned as she observed the figure of a tall man standing with
his back to her.
"Oh, so this is the sculptor," Sakuyahime thought in amazement because even from
behind, the man's figure appeared exceptionally charming.
A moment later, Ninigi no Mikoto turned around, causing Sakuyahime's heart to beat
wildly.
"W-what is this feeling?" she panicked, holding her left chest that felt uncomfortable.
"Ugh, why do my cheeks feel like they're on fire? Is this because of the makeup my
handmaidens applied?" she pondered while holding both of her cheeks.
"Sakuyahime, huh?" said the prince with a monotone voice and an indifferent
expression.
"I just want to make sure you're not a freak who enjoys peeking at women's underwear,"
Sakuyahime retorted suddenly, surprising Ninigi with her audacity.
"Well, my arrival here is actually to ensure that you are as beautiful as people say,"
replied Ninigi coldly. "Sadly, the sculpture I carved is much more beautiful than your
face. Quite disappointing."
"In that case, just marry your sculpture!" snapped Sakuyahime with irritation. "Why did
you bother coming from afar just to propose to me!"
To Sakuyahime’s surprise, Ninigi chuckled softly. It was the first time for him to find a
woman so boldly taunting him like this.
"That's because my father arranged our marriage, and I cannot refuse if I want to ascend
the throne," Ninigi responded nonchalantly. "By the way, I heard you are also skilled in
sewing, is that true?"
"Yeah, that's right. Because I'm not allowed to do anything other than sewing, cooking,
and giving birth to children," retorted Sakuyahime.
Ninigi chuckled again. He was amused to finally find someone who could make him
laugh for the first time.
"But this is not the end of everything," said Sakuyahime, looking into Ninigi's eyes
intensely. "I will make sure I won't end up just like this."
"Oh, really? Hm, such extraordinary confidence from someone who can't read at all,"
sneered Ninigi sarcastically. Unconsciously, his heart raced when their faces were so
close.
"Whether one can read or not is not a measure of someone's intelligence, Your
Highness," Sakuyahime asserted with fiery eyes. "If you are truly a talented sculptor as
people say, I want to see you sculpt a statue that looks like me."
"So, is this some kind of marriage requirement?" Ninigi asked with a teasing grin.
"You could say that," replied Sakuyahime nonchalantly.
"Very well, my future wife. I will create a statue so similar to you that people won't be
able to distinguish between the real you and the statue," Ninigi said arrogantly.
"Alright, we'll see," Sakuyahime said with a disdainful smile.
Suddenly, to Sakuyahime's surprise, Ninigi embraced her slender waist, bringing them
even closer. Sakuyahime felt as if her heart would leap out of her chest.
"I will make sure you fall in love with me forever, Sakuyahime," Ninigi whispered right
into Sakuyahime's ear, causing both of her cheeks to turn even redder, resembling boiled
crabs.
…
Much like Emperor Shah Jahan, who constructed the Taj Mahal in homage to his beloved
wife, Queen Mumtaz Mahal, Prince Ninigi gifted a sculpture of his own creation that
strikingly resembled Sakuyahime on their wedding day. Despite the arranged nature of
their marriage, Sakuyahime harbored no regrets, having found genuine love in Ninigi,
someone who comprehended her dreams and even taught her to read. Unfortunately,
this enchanting love story took a dark turn, typical of the Uchiha clan’s penchant for
betrayal to secure power.
Ninigi’s opulence and the freedom he bestowed upon Sakuyahime stirred discontent
among those holding conservative beliefs that opposed women reading or managing
significant freedom and wealth independently. Exploiting this dissatisfaction was
Madara Uchiha, an elder of the Uchiha clan, who harbored ambitions to seize the throne
from Ninigi, even before his birth. Madara orchestrated false rumors, leading Ninigi to
resent and exile his own brother. These unfounded allegations claimed Ninigi’s brother
sought to assassinate him to usurp the crown, all masterminded by Madara himself.
Madara skillfully manipulated public opinion with rumors of Ninigi and Sakuyahime's
perceived extravagance, funded by the people's taxes. This triggered a violent coup
resulting in the deaths of numerous innocent citizens and Ninigi's loyal troops. In the
end, Madara's forces besieged the palace, capturing Ninigi, Sakuyahime, and their loyal
followers, intending to execute the young couple.
"Any last words, young man, before this sword claims your worthless head?" Madara
taunted Ninigi before his vast coup forces in the palace courtyard.
Battered and bruised, Ninigi weakly pleaded, "Release my wife."
"Huh," Madara scoffed, "I nearly mistook her statue for your wife. Thankfully, I found
where she's hiding."
Pointing to a soldier in black, Madara's forces forcefully dragged out Sakuyahime, her
hands bound, and mouth gagged. They callously tossed her bloodied and battered body
before Ninigi.
"My wife," Ninigi gasped in disbelief at the sight of his injured spouse.
"Anata," Sakuyahime whispered, helpless.
"Do you think your sculpted statue can deceive me, you inexperienced brat?" sneered
Madara, seizing Sakuyahime's neck and pulling her closer. "Now, any parting words for
your irritating wife, my grandson?"
Seething with anger, Ninigi growled, "Release her, you bastard!"
"What can you do now?" Madara laughed triumphantly. "All your troops and followers
are dead. You have no one left to defy my commands!"
"Madara Uchiha," Ninigi snarled through bloodied lips, "If not in this life, I will kill you in
the next!"
"Huh, if only that were true and not just a myth," retorted Madara, tightening his grip on
Sakuyahime's throat. "If there's nothing else you wish to say for this little girl, I'll behead
her first before I get to you!"
"No! Sakuya! Sakuya!" Ninigi yelled desperately, his bound hands rendering him
powerless to save his wife.
Sakuyahime could only weep, accepting her fate as Madara dragged her to the execution
site. Madara removed the gag from her mouth, letting her sobs be heard by everyone.
With a heavy heart, Ninigi could only gaze at his ill-fated wife with tear-filled eyes.
"This is the end of our revolution!" Madara proclaimed, raising his sword, followed by
his loyal forces. "We will eradicate symbols of disorder and submission, ushering in an
era free from curses!"
"Long live Madara Uchiha!" shouted the coup forces, raising their swords in unison.
"Alright, sweet girl, any last words for your pathetic husband?" sneered Madara.
Sakuyahime looked dazedly toward her husband, who continued to scream her name
desperately.
She shed tears as she said, "I swear, in the next life, I will find you again. Thank you for
everything."
"Sakuyahime!" Ninigi shouted hoarsely as Madara's sword swung down, severing the
head of his beloved wife.
…
Tokyo, 2017
I jolted awake from my serene slumber, thanks to that darn dream haunting my
subconscious lately, for reasons unknown. Meanwhile, my alarm clock decided to
unleash an ungodly racket. Fortunately, I resisted the urge to launch it against the
nearest wall, opting for keeping it intact.
Dragging myself out of bed, clad in nothing but boxer shorts, I embarked on a leisurely
stroll toward the lone bathroom in this cramped ground-floor apartment.
As I descended the stairs, sporting a casually draped towel over my shoulder, I was met
with the sight of Naruto—my college-era apartment mate—already donned in a spiffy
suit, merrily whistling while taming his golden locks before a massive mirror in the
living room.
"Oi, dobe!" Naruto hollered, adjusting his suit, "How's my appearance now, huh? I'm
acing that interview today!" he declared with unwavering confidence.
I rolled my eyes, "Good luck, idiot. Hope you're not failed again."
"Don't underestimate me, Sasuke! This time, I'll nail the job, and I won't owe you money
anymore!" Naruto retorted, brandishing his comb my way, "And I'll propose to Hinata
soon!"
"I'm in awe of your boundless self-confidence, idiot," I replied nonchalantly, "Anyway, I'm
off for a shower!"
"Heh, from any angle, I'm leaps and bounds ahead of you!" Naruto argued, persisting,
while resuming his hair-combing, "I'm way more handsome and intelligent. No longer
single! Whereas you, huh, no girl wants you because you're so rude!"
"Bla, bla, suit yourself," I lazily retorted, strolling into the bathroom.
"Remember, moron! Lay a finger on my toothbrush, and you're evicted!" Naruto
grumbled, offering a warning.
"Just so you know, I claimed this apartment before you! Don't act like you own the
place!" I shot back with irritation, "And I'd never touch your toothbrush or anything of
yours. Just the thought grosses me out!"
"Sasuke! You!" Naruto grumbled, nearly launching his comb my way, "You're still the
same old pain!"
I chuckled disdainfully, closing the bathroom door.
…
And here is where I've been working for the past year, a mannequin manufacturing
factory in Shibuya. Not a bad job for a sculpture art graduate like me.
"What would you say if I told you, you get more beautiful every day?" I whispered,
mesmerized by the beauty of the mannequin I created. I ran my fingers over every
perfect contour of her face, stopping at the tiny curve of her lips.
Whether I was completely insane or something, I leaned my ear closer to her lips, as if
listening to a whispered secret, even though nothing of the sort was happening. "What
was that? Arms and legs?" I exclaimed, pretending to be surprised, "God, how
thoughtless. I'm sorry."
Honestly, if this mannequin were truly alive and whispering in my ear, I might have
dropped dead from a heart attack on the spot.
I rushed to the section with hanging arms and legs, grabbing a pair of limbs for the
female mannequin. Carefully, I attached the legs and arms to her body.
Slowly, I combed the pink hair of the lifeless object before me, ensuring that the strands
didn't cover her perfectly carved face.
Look at this masterpiece I've created. Uchiha Sasuke, you are indeed a genius.
While I was smiling to myself, admiring my creation, suddenly, my grumpy and chubby
boss appeared in front of me.
"Boss! Hi!" I stammered, still in shock.
"Great. I was just coming to see you," my boss snapped with narrowed eyes.
"You know, you could get the dummy of the week award, Uchiha!" he continued loudly,
hands on his hips.
"Yeah, she turned out pretty real," I said, praising my own creation, slightly puffing my
chest.
"I wasn't talking about her!" my boss snapped angrily, glancing briefly at my mannequin.
I tried hard to swallow my saliva, "What do you think? It only took me six days," I said,
trying to impress my boss with a grin, "I could turn out three or four a month," I
continued, attempting to convince my boss.
"You're supposed to knock off three or four of these a day, Uchiha!" my boss berated. I
tried to avoid his spittle raining down on me. "Now, get back to work!" he scolded again
in annoyance.
"What about quality, boss?" I pleaded desperately while trailing my angry boss like a
puppy. Oh, I rarely couldn't live without this job, or that dumbass Naruto would not lend
me a single penny and make me homeless by kicking me out.
"Style and grace. These things take time," I continued, still begging for my boss's mercy.
"That's it! You're fired!" snapped my boss, pointing angrily at me.
I sighed loudly, "Fired? Okay, but can I finish her? I'm a sculptor. I'm trying to be a
sculptor, and she's my work of--"
"Beat it!" my boss interrupted me before I could finish my words.
"Now!" the bald, chubby man shouted loudly right in my face. I quickly wiped his spittle
off my hand.
Oh, my creation, it seems we have to part ways in a heart-breaking manner like this. Or
maybe I'm the one truly heartbroken in this moment.
...
After all these futile attempts to convince my family in Kobe that I'm a sculpting genius
on par with Michelangelo, I found myself in the pitiful position of a balloon vendor at the
birthday bash of a chubby, spoiled kid who seems to take immense pleasure in mocking
my existence.
"There you go. Have fun," I declared, plastering a smile on my face as if I were facing an
imminent firing squad, while distributing balloons to the giggling kids around me. "You
guys having a good time?" I inquired with feigned amiability, fearing the wrath of the
parents in the park if I dared exhibit the typical Uchiha cold demeanor.
"Having fun at the party?" I questioned a brace-faced boy. The lad innocently nodded,
and I put on a fake grin, "That's my boy. Here you go," I continued, handing him a yellow
balloon.
"Just one second," I sighed, attempting to summon as much patience as I could muster
when a little girl tugged at the hem of my shirt, gesturing towards a rabbit-shaped
balloon.
"Here you go. Bye-bye," I announced with a forced smile, presenting her the balloon.
Little did I anticipate that being a balloon vendor could be this exhausting. I'd willingly
opt for homelessness if this is the alternative.
"Want a giraffe for the birthday boy?" I proposed, still wearing the same agonizing smile,
as the chubby, spoiled kid stood before me, "A monkey? A pony? A tiger?" I suggested,
pointing to various balloons with different shapes.
Regrettably, the chubby boy shook his head with a scowl.
"How about a hint?" I suggested, desperately trying to contain my already thin patience.
"I want the big one, stupid," grumbled the spoiled boy, pouting.
"That's the official Flights of Fancy balloon," I informed, pointing dramatically to the
colossal balloon tethered to the balloon cart. "How about a poodle?" I offered with the
most exaggerated smile.
"Listen, biscuit-brain, my old man is paying for this party!" grumbled the spoiled boy. Oh
no, I definitely wouldn't let myself be beaten up by his knucklehead father.
"One giant balloon, coming up," I declared half-panicked, untying the balloon from my
cart.
"There you go. Have fun," I continued, handing the balloon to the spoiled kid. Then, I
turned to another boy waiting in line, "Now, what do you want?"
Suddenly, I was startled by the chubby kid's body being lifted into the air. "Daddy!" he
yelled in panic.
I reflexively grabbed both of his legs to prevent him from floating further.
"Biscuit-brain, what the hell do you think you're doing?" grumbled his father, who ran
towards me. He then roughly grabbed my shirt collar, "Take your hands off my kid!"
I immediately complied with the terrifying tattooed man's instructions, and he
frantically tried to keep his chubby kid from floating further.
Unfortunately, my boss abruptly materialized by my side and shouted in frustration, "My
balloon!"
He then pointed his finger at me angrily, "You're fired."
…
The next gig was a far cry from the thrilling life of a balloon vendor. Little did I foresee
that, even after enduring the hardships of college, my illustrious career would lead me
to become a gardener in the sprawling estate of a wealthy conglomerate family.
"Trimming the hedges long, Uchiha?" grunted the homeowner, displaying all the warmth
of an iceberg as I feverishly shaped the bushes into hedgehog masterpieces.
"Actually, no," I fibbed, wrestling with each stubborn branch and leaf, wielding my trusty
but rusty hedge clippers.
"I'm actually a sculptor," I declared, attempting to enlighten the arrogant billionaire
about my true artistic prowess, "But there's not too much work for us these days."
"But who says hedges can't be masterpieces?" mused the homeowner, casually flicking
his cigarette butt before squashing it under his foot, as though mocking my leafy
endeavors.
"You're fired!" he suddenly bellowed, causing my heart to perform an impromptu drum
solo. "Grab your paycheck and scram!"
The subsequent job didn't bring much improvement.
I found myself in a pizza joint teeming with hungry customers. Despite the hustle and
bustle, I couldn't help but meticulously arrange each slice of tomato, cucumber, and
onion on the pizza emerging hot from the oven. This meticulousness made my pace
noticeably more leisurely compared to the other pizza artisans.
"What do you think?" Out of nowhere, my Italian boss with a luxuriant mustache
materialized next to me, startling me mid-tomato-placement.
"What do I think?" I stammered, my eloquence temporarily abandoning ship.
Before the rotund Italian maestro could land a slap on my face, I bolted out of the
kitchen, unceremoniously tossing my apron like a salad, "I'm fired! Grab my paycheck
and beat it!"
…
With a face that could rival a disappointed pufferfish, I revved up my sports motorcycle
on the bustling streets that looked as congested as my job choices. Out of nowhere, a
black BMW sidled up, and I was practically resurrected from the half-dead state by the
sight of Naruto's face protruding from the open window. Beside him sat Hinata, his
girlfriend, who appeared as if she was about to witness a bizarre spectacle.
"Hey, moron!" Naruto hollered at jet engine volume, "Where are you headed? Come join
us for dinner with the others! Forgot it's our high school reunion?"
"Sorry," I deadpanned, not bothering to reduce the speed of my motorcycle, "I'm really
busy today."
"Oh, pulling the night shift at the pizza joint again?" Naruto guessed, chuckling as if he
just cracked the joke of the century, "Or delivering FedEx packages?"
"No, of course not. This job is way more challenging than all of that," I lied with a
grumble. There was no way I'd admit to that goofball that I was currently enjoying the
luxurious life of unemployment. "By the way, you're a driver now?" I shot back.
"Hey, dobe! Watch your mouth!" Naruto snapped, "I'm a junior manager now, can you
believe it? And this car is provided by the office as a perk," he puffed his chest with a
pride that rivaled a peacock and flashed a mocking grin my way. Then, he turned to his
girlfriend with a soft smile, "Right, Hinata, dear?"
Hinata nodded hesitantly.
"Come on, dobe, the reunion won't be any fun without you!" Naruto urged, eyebrows
playing a rapid-fire game of peekaboo.
I sighed deeply and reluctantly agreed, "Fine! Just promise to keep your mouth shut
during dinner!"
"Yeah, that's my boy! Come on, speed it up!" Naruto exclaimed, closing the car window,
and purposely revving up his flashy new car, leaving me trailing behind in a cloud of
existential confusion.
Junior manager? How on earth did that airhead land a job with such a prestigious title?
Even the fact that he managed to get a job shocked me. I mean, the lazy guy who spent
his days napping on the couch while watching baseball games? And now, this slacker
suddenly turns out to be more successful than me? What kind of luck is favoring him?
And why do I seem to be the sacrificial lamb in exchange for his good fortune?
That night felt like a curse, a sitcom scripted by the universe to mock me. I could have
declined Naruto's invitation and gone somewhere alone, but no, I willingly dove
headfirst into the abyss of a high school reunion with people hell-bent on judging my life
choices.
"Hey, Uchiha, still enjoying the single life?" Sai teased, provoking me to attack my steak
like a furious caveman.
"I don't get why some people choose to be single for their whole life," chimed in
Shikamaru, with his new girlfriend, Temari, by his side.
"Not only single, he's also a virgin!" interjected Naruto, who seemed to enjoy
embarrassing me in public since elementary school.
Laughter erupted.
"I can't believe it, the Uchiha Sasuke who used to be the heartthrob, ending up as a
single and a virgin," teased Ino, who used to chase after me since elementary school.
I couldn't fathom why these people were so obsessed with discussing other people's
love lives and sex lives.
If only they knew that I was now unemployed, the mockery would never cease.
I sipped on the whiskey in my hand with a face resembling a deflated balloon. Yet, before
the trials I was enduring could take a break, a woman with fiery red hair, glasses, and
heavy makeup suddenly embraced me from behind, setting the stage for the next act of
this tragicomedy.
In the dimly lit atmosphere of the high school reunion, Karin's sultry whisper pierced
through my thoughts, causing me to nearly spit out the whiskey I had just sipped.
"Hey, handsome," she murmured into my ear.
"Wow, just go for it, Uchiha!" mocked Shikamaru, triggering laughter from the table.
Definitely not. Not this chick who relished tormenting me every second.
I exerted myself to create distance, pushing away from her invasive presence. "What are
you doing here, Karin?"
"Well, I suppose this is a high school reunion, right?" she said with a teasing smile.
Suigetsu had accompanied this snake-like woman. He'd been infatuated with Karin since
high school. If only this vexing woman would cease bothering me and recognize that
there was a guy genuinely interested in her banter now.
"How is it going, Sasuke? Still making mannequins?" Karin taunted with a mocking
laugh.
"Definitely not. Not this time," I replied awkwardly. Foolishly, I had chosen honesty about
my situation.
"Why the sudden career change, Uchiha? Are you not interested in ogling lifeless statues
anymore?" Karin continued to taunt, followed by thunderous laughter.
Maybe this is who I am. A pathetic loser. That is my way of life. It’s just—I didn’t realize
it in high school because of my good grades and some annoying chicks busy praising my
face.
Now, in reality, chicks don’t care about face at all. What they care about is your status
and the money in your pocket.
It doesn’t mean I didn’t have any money at all. It’s just not that much to flaunt to
everyone.
And besides, I’m not interested in finding any chicks since childhood; I just like to be
alone and in tranquillity from this insanity.
"No. I got fired," I stated firmly while sipping my whiskey.
"Oh, no wonder you jump from job to job, Sasuke," teased Naruto with his obnoxious
grin.
"Hm, in that case, may I, as your caring friend, offer you a job that I think is very suitable
for an artistic person like you?" Karin said with a sensuous whisper that made my
stomach churn. She gently touched my tense shoulder, and I felt entwined by a cobra.
"What kind of job is that?" I asked gruffly.
"Oh, you'll love it, Sasuke! A window dresser for Illustra Department store! Yeah, that is
where I work. They need someone young and creative to design their windows," Karin
said with a teasing grin.
No. Please. Definitely not Illustra! I bit my lip. There was no way I would share an office
with my own brother, Uchiha Itachi. He had been the general manager at Illustra for the
past five years, and I couldn't possibly showcase how much of a loser I was in front of
my exceptional brother.
"Sorry, but I'm not interested in becoming a window dresser," I bluntly refused. "I'm a
sculptor, not a department store decorator with feminine hands."
"Really? You'll regret it if you refuse, handsome," teased Karin, touching my chin and
causing me to reflexively move my face away.
"Yeah, I agree with Karin. I think it's a great opportunity for you, Sasuke," chimed in
Naruto with enthusiasm.
I sighed deeply.
Suddenly, my mind wandered back to the past, specifically when I was seven years old.
At that time, I was in my father's room and was scolded mercilessly for getting a B in
science.
"This is what happens when you play with dolls!" my father bellowed with fire in his
eyes while tearing apart my report card.
"They're not dolls, Dad! They're sculptures!" I protested in frustration.
"Dolls, sculptures, it's all the same!" my father snapped. "You're a boy; you should be
busy playing with a ball, not shaping wooden dolls!"
I couldn't hold back my tears. Not only did my father mock my intellect, but he also
questioned my masculinity, which was incredibly cruel.
"Promise me you'll get an A in all subjects like your brother and practice football like
your brother in the future!" my father shouted.
Yeah, my perfect and extraordinary brother. He was also masculine and brilliant, unlike
me, who was soft and weak like girls.
"Dad! Please!" I shouted desperately in the midst of my sobs as he tossed the small
wooden doll I had just made into the fireplace.
"No more wooden dolls! You're not Geppetto, the creator of Pinocchio! You should be a
CEO or a lawyer in the future! Remember that, Sasuke!" my father yelled before leaving
his room, leaving me alone in despair.
I cried uncontrollably. Suddenly, my perfect brother, who was always praised by my
father, entered the room, and approached me.
"Sasuke," he said with a tone of concern. Well, it seemed like he was only showing fake
sympathy because I was sure he must have laughed behind the door while secretly
listening to how my father insulted me.
He immediately hugged me, and I quickly pushed him away.
"I'm pathetic, unlike you, Brother!" I burst out in frustration.
"No, Sasuke! You're amazing. Look at this!" My brother suddenly revealed a wooden doll
he had hidden behind his back. "With a masterpiece like this, you'll become someone
great in the future!"
"No! Don't show that ugly doll in front of me!" I snapped, turning my face away. "I'm a
man. Men don't make dolls!"
"Oh, my brother. This is your own creation. Boys or girls, I believe everyone is free to
express their art in any form," Itachi said with a smile.
I pursed my lips. His words meant nothing to me.
“Listen, Sasuke. Regardless of who you are, I wholeheartedly support whatever you do.
Mom feels the same way. Perhaps Dad will recognize your brilliance one day. So, don’t
give up, okay?” He uttered these words, swiftly wiping away the tears streaming down
my cheeks.
I couldn't fathom my brother. Was he genuinely sympathetic toward me at that moment,
or was he merely mocking me?
However, he hugged me tightly again. "I love you, my brother."
It seemed like I had been too harsh in judging my brother. Blame my insecurities that
always envied all his achievements.
Still, after all these years, I didn't dare to meet him face-to-face, especially when I hadn't
achieved anything to boast about in front of him.
"How about it, Sasuke? Come on!" Karin insisted, shaking my shoulders. "Oh, if you ever
change your mind," she paused, taking out a card from her purse, "You can contact me
using the number on this business card. Well, sorry, everyone, I can't join this gathering
any longer due to an impromptu meeting with my boss. See you again, Sasuke!"
Karin finally left with Suigetsu.
"Sasuke, are you sure you don't want to work at Illustra?" Naruto teased again, nudging
my arm. "It's much better than working part-time as a package delivery person."
I sipped my whiskey again and shook my head, "No. Thank you."
Once again, I let my ego win. I certainly wouldn't allow myself to share an office with my
own brother.
….
While traversing the solitary night on my motorcycle, a glimpse of a mannequin, a
creation from my factory days, caught my attention. Without second thoughts, I swerved
my vehicle around and headed toward Prince & Company department store, a relic in
Shibuya's history, nearly a centennial, now overshadowed by the bustling popularity of
Illustra Department store. Despite its age, the building stood robust and grand as I
arrived.
In the display window, amidst the rain-soaked night, I beheld the mannequin with pink
hair, adorned in a maroon-red bolero hat and a matching dress, emanating a certain
grace. The downpour sent pedestrians into a panic, but I found myself unable to avert
my gaze from the mannequin, drawn by an intangible force.
My fingers could only graze the display glass, separated from my own creation. Though I
hadn't given her a specific name, her hair, inspired by cherry blossom petals in spring,
earned her the title Sakura.
"My God! It's you!" I exclaimed, captivated, and astonished. "I wanted to take you, but
they wouldn't let me."
Momentarily abandoning reason, I pressed my face against the display glass,
murmuring, "You're the first thing I've created in a really long time that made me feel
like an artist."
A sudden jolt of reality snapped me back. This can't be real! Why am I conversing with
an inanimate mannequin, soaked, and drenched? My brain must have descended into
madness, perhaps relocated to my knees.
"No!" I scoffed, ridiculing my own insanity. "See you tomorrow."
As I turned away from the display glass, a lightning bolt abruptly descended.
Fortunately, I remained unscathed on the wet sidewalk.
Then, a woman's voice whispered in my ear, "Thank you."
A shiver ran down my spine as I grasped the reality—no woman surrounded me.
Inebriated from an excess of whiskey or tormented by the stress of aimless
unemployment, I pondered Naruto's suggestion; a visit to a psychiatrist might be in
order.
Perplexed and alarmed by the bizarre encounter, I swiftly mounted my motorcycle,
parked on the sidewalk, and raced through the rain accompanied by the night's
lightning, my heart pounding.
Who could be the woman's voice that whispered in my ear?
Could it be...?
…
2.
"Hey, Sasuke, where's the morning rush taking you?" Naruto teased as I descended the
stairs sporting a sharp shirt.
"Off to work, where else?" I replied with an air of indifference. Naruto burst into
mocking laughter.
"Delivering FedEx packages again? Or perhaps selling ice cream door-to-door?" he
jeered, laughter punctuating his comments. All I could manage was a scowl in response.
"Look, you idiot, I bought a diamond necklace for Hinata. It's a real diamond! They paid
me on the first day because I dropped the bomb that my late father used to be a
manager there! How lucky can one get?" Naruto proudly proclaimed, completely
overlooking my dismal reality.
"Oh, so it’s the magic of nepotism or something," I sneered sarcastically.
"Of course not. I interned at that place during my second semester of college. I just
didn’t tell you about it," Naruto retorted, running his fingers through his hair. "Now, get
to work!"
I sighed in frustration, "Fine."
"Don't forget the apartment rent, it's due soon! I don't want you owing me money! Hey,
Sasuke, are you deaf?" Naruto shouted, intentionally ignored by me.
I exited the apartment and entered the elevator. Simultaneously, an elementary school
girl and her mother also got in. Coincidentally, the girl held a fabric doll that seemed to
be her creation. Suddenly, memories of my mannequin in the Prince & Co. department
store display window flooded back. A strange sense of longing emerged, urging me to
meet her again.
Shortly after, I parked my motorcycle in front of the window display of Prince & Co.,
Shibuya's oldest department store. I was shocked not to find my mannequin inside.
Panicking, I checked several female mannequins in the window, but mine was nowhere
to be seen. I knew my creation well; it was the only one with pink hair.
Meanwhile, a middle-aged woman, stylish and elegant, with long perfectly arranged
blonde hair, exited a taxi in front of Prince & Co.
"Good morning!" she greeted construction workers installing a sign that read "100th
years anniversary of Prince & Co." Opening the taxi door, it accidentally hit a man
intending to open it for her.
"Ugh," groaned the unfortunate man, clutching his stomach.
"What a gentleman!" exclaimed the blonde woman, smiling widely, showing no
sympathy for the poor man.
Proudly, she stood in front of the entrance of the magnificent department store building
resembling a Roman coliseum. As she admired the sign above, suddenly, a cart carrying
stones slipped from a worker's hand, pushing another worker holding the rope attached
to the giant sign several meters above.
Unfortunately, the sign broke free from its hook and made a beeline for the blonde
woman, who, in sheer panic, found herself unable to dodge the impending disaster.
In a poorly executed attempt at heroism, I snagged the sign in mid-air, instantly turning
into a human pendulum swinging wildly in all directions.
"Whoa!" I exclaimed in terror as I soared to a height that was more heart-stopping than
impressive. A crowd gathered around the blonde woman, torn between marveling at my
circus-like antics and fearing the impending calamity.
This was definitely not the grand entrance I had envisioned for my visit to Prince & Co.
Why was my life consistently plagued by misfortune? Why did God bless me with good
looks but not a stroke of luck?
"Young man, I'm sorry!" hollered the blonde woman from the ground below.
"No problem at all!" I fibbed, screaming in panic as my back accidentally brushed against
a hanging electrical cable.
"If there's any way I can make it up to you," the fashionably dressed woman yelled again
with remorse.
"Yeah! I could use a job!" I shouted, seizing the opportunity with inexplicable
determination, even in the midst of this precarious situation.
"What do you do?" the blonde woman inquired; her anxiety palpable.
"Anything!" I panicked as the sign swung like a pendulum once more, zapping me at the
height with electrifying shocks.
"When can you start?" she questioned, seeking reassurance.
"As soon as I finish this!" I bellowed in frustration as the sign persisted in swinging like a
pendulum, turning my stomach and head into a malfunctioning amusement park ride.
"Young man, what's your name?" she shouted again.
"My name? Uchiha Sasuke!" I yelled in a panic. "Whoa!" This time, my ass bore the brunt
of the cursed electrical cable.
In five minutes, I was convinced I'd meet my demise in front of an audience, resembling
a burnt cake more than a man.
"You're hired!" she declared, a proclamation that either filled me with joy or terror, as I
remained firmly stuck to this sign.
"Thank you! My lucky day!" I quipped sarcastically, still gripping the signboard for dear
life.
…
"My name is Tsunade," proclaimed the stylish blonde woman as we finally stepped into
the department store building, my appearance slightly singed.
"Great," I sneered in a sarcastic tone, attempting to keep my composure despite my less-
than-ideal looks.
"Every time I walk through these doors, I feel like I'm home," Tsunade mused as we
meandered through various makeup and clothing displays within the building, adorned
with tall pillars and sturdy walls that had endured for a century.
"I practically grew up here. Farrah Fawcett used to get her makeup right over there,"
Tsunade pointed to a Maybelline makeup display, adding, "Of course, you probably don't
know who Farrah Fawcett is."
"Sure, I do. Charlie’s Angels. The Burning Bed," I replied, my memory jogged by films
starring Farrah Fawcett that my father used to watch.
"I don't sleep much at night," I complained, sighing weakly.
"Neither do I," Tsunade chimed in with an annoyed expression. "At least, not in the two
weeks since I've been in charge here," Tsunade continued her lament, "I don't know how
we're going to make this store great again."
"Looks fine to me. What time do we open?" I asked, realizing there wasn't a single visitor
around us.
"We are open," Tsunade replied with a tired sigh.
She then briskly walked ahead towards a certain place, her stiletto-clad footsteps
resonating loudly in my ears.
"Uh," I responded nonchalantly, hands on my hips, feeling embarrassed for misspeaking
and possibly offending my potential future boss. "I'm sure things'll pick up by lunch," I
rambled on as the woman disappeared from my sight.
I then ran to catch up with her because getting lost in this excessively grand department
store building seemed worse.
Tsunade hurriedly entered the office of a manager named Mr. Kabuto. His nameplate
hung neatly on the door.
"Kabuto! Do you know what this young man just did?" Tsunade exclaimed with excessive
enthusiasm.
I lazily followed behind her, curious.
The bespectacled and pretentious-looking man named Kabuto judged me from head to
toe. "Shoplifting?" he sneered, grinning mockingly at me.
"He saved my life!" Tsunade scolded angrily. "Those incompetents you hired nearly got
me killed! If I were paranoid, I'd swear this was sabotage."
"It's not as if I was turning away Harvard graduates," Kabuto mocked openly.
Nevertheless, I was one of the top graduates in the sculpture department at the
University of Tokyo, although my career path had been a bit rocky.
"Tsunade-sama, if you know someone you feel is qualified to work here..." Kabuto looked
down on me, but his words were immediately interrupted by Tsunade.
"Yes! Uchiha Sasuke! Let's show him our gratitude!" Tsunade exclaimed.
Kabuto scoffed mockingly and intended to pull money from his expensive shirt pocket.
"50 yen should do it."
"No! I want you to give him a job!" Tsunade growled, slamming the table in front of her
and startling Kabuto. "Take good care of him!" she said again, weakly nudging my arm.
"Thank you," I murmured, almost inaudibly, with a faint smile. The woman left me with
this arrogant Kabuto. Well, at least this miserable day ended with me getting a job after
a long streak of going from job to job.
"Uchiha," called Kabuto with an arrogant sneer, sitting back in his chair, and taking a sip
of his cigarette, "What kind of work experience have you had?"
"I've had just about every job there is," I replied nonchalantly, "Briefly," I continued,
stammering without a smile to mask my lack of confidence.
"I'd like to do something creative. Maybe with, say, mannequins," I added carelessly.
"Please. Listen, I pride myself on being able to size up a job applicant and see just what
kind of executive potential he has," Kabuto said condescendingly, rising from his seat. "I
have just the job for you," he continued with a degrading smirk.
In no time, I was given a position as a stock boy, pushing a large cart filled with
numerous boxes from the warehouse, wearing a neatly pressed shirt and tie. A
considerably decent job, far better than having to mow lawns or deliver packages to
mansions guarded by intimidating bulldogs.
I marveled at every corner of the department store, amazed by its classical and timeless
decoration and elegance. I vividly remembered visiting this store with my mom when I
was in kindergarten.
During lunch break in the warehouse, I secluded myself in a corner, eager to brag about
my new job to Naruto.
"So, you got a new job," exclaimed Naruto from the other end of the line with
enthusiasm, "That's terrific. What is it?"
"Let's just say that thousands of dollars of merchandise go through my hands every day,"
I casually remarked while inspecting the contents of some boxes on the large cart before
me.
I was shocked when I accidentally opened a box containing pink panties.
"Oh, great. We should celebrate it tonight with some sake. How do you think?" Naruto
proposed.
"Fantastic," I muttered sarcastically, hastily stowing the panties back into the box before
anyone noticed.
Unfortunately, the warehouse manager suddenly walked past me and caught me openly
holding women's panties.
"All those panties, up to lingerie!" bellowed the manager, causing my heart to perform
acrobatics in my chest.
"Panties. I'm into it," I managed a forced smile, desperately attempting to salvage the
situation.
"Did you say panties?" Naruto's voice echoed with confusion and disbelief through the
phone.
"Panties?" I scratched my head in panic, biting my lip to suppress embarrassment.
"Okay, let's drown our sorrows in sake at the nearby club after eight pm. I’ll bring Sai
and his girlfriend too. See ya," Naruto announced before abruptly hanging up.
I looked at my phone wearily. What if Naruto found out that I work as a stock boy,
handling hundreds of boxes of panties and lingerie every day?
They might turn me into the butt of their jokes again.
Ah, who cares! The crucial point is that I am no longer a pitiful unemployed soul, at risk
of spending my days drowning my sorrows in sake and watching TV on the sofa like
Naruto used to.
…
At the raucous pub nearby, Naruto was fervently retelling the tale of my encounter with
the colossal Prince & Co. sign from this morning, now a viral sensation on social media.
"Gosh, I can't believe you swung in the air like that," he exclaimed dramatically,
incessantly replaying my video on Twitter.
My stomach churned as laughter erupted all around.
"So, Sasuke, don't tell me your audition for a knockoff Superman landed you a gig at
Prince & Co.?" Ino chimed in, casually sipping her wine.
"Well, yeah, you could say that," I replied nonchalantly, a cigarette butt dangling between
my fingers. Could I possibly look any more like a loser?
"And what about your job? You did save the owner lady, after all," Sai curiously asked
between sips of his sake.
"Hm, that's classified information," I smirked smugly, taking a drag of my cigarette.
"Oh, he just had a thing with panties and stuff," Naruto interjected, once again
showcasing his talent for embarrassing me in public. If he mentioned panties one more
time, I'd make sure his jaw was broken.
"Panties?" Sai and Ino teased in unison. "Do you work in the adult section or
something?" Sai chuckled.
"Fine. If you guys are so curious about that," I declared visibly irritated, flicking the ash
from my cigarette into the ashtray before taking another drag, "I'm just a stock boy.
Nothing special."
"You save a woman's life and end up as a stock boy?" Hinata, who was usually quiet,
suddenly chimed in. "It sounds unfair to me."
"I agree with her," Naruto said instantly, perpetually under the thumb of his girlfriend. "I
mean, you should aim for a higher position. You were a top-ten graduate at our
university, after all."
I sighed audibly, "Definitely not if the manager is a jackass."
"What? Why does the owner bow down to her manager?" Sai asked curiously.
"Well, it seems the lady doesn't really care if I saved her life or not," I explained after
exhaling my cheap cigarette. "She just gave me a job for some virtue signaling."
"Sounds like every strategic business owner's decision," Sai replied in a mocking tone.
"At last, you have a permanent job, Sasuke. No big deal," Naruto tried to encourage me in
his teasing way while slapping my shoulders hard multiple times.
"Guys, since both Sasuke and I scored great jobs, especially in my case, I'll treat you all
until you're drunk!" Naruto announced, causing more laughter to erupt in the lively pub.
"Bravo!" exclaimed the others with cheers, raising their wine and sake glasses.
"Cheer up, misery gut!" Naruto tried to uplift me with his signature obnoxious grin.
I raised my sake glass wearily, offering a fake, faint smile.
"By the way, guys, Illustra just monopolized Vaganza Dept store!" Ino suddenly startled
us with news she read on her phone.
I peeked at her phone and was surprised to find a picture of my brother standing side by
side with a man who resembled more of a woman.
“’The brilliant idea by Illustra’s General Manager, Uchiha Itachi, has blessed us with
extravagant profits, up to a 67% increase from last year,’ declared the chief president of
Illustra, Orochimaru," Ino read the first paragraph of the news. "They claim they will
acquire Prince & Co.’s stock and change them into something new and modern, which
means they will also change Prince & Co’s title," she continued with surprise.
"Damn! Honestly, I hate dress shopping because it reminds me of my late mother,"
Naruto chimed in, "But Prince & Co brings back so many memories, and I can't imagine
it changing into something entirely different," he added thoughtfully, surprising me by
momentarily acting his age.
"Yeah, I agree with that. They will probably change and rearrange the old building too,"
Sai commented.
"This can't happen," Hinata joined in with concern after carefully eating her takoyaki.
"Sasuke, you should do something about that," Ino urged me, shaking my shoulders
eagerly and leaving me deeply annoyed.
"What can I do?" I sneered unenthusiastically, "I'm just a stock boy, after all."
"Well, you can call your brother and voice our concerns," Ino continued with her
nonsensical ideas, leaving me with a deep sigh.
"Of course not calling my brother," I firmly refused.
"Why not?" Sai asked curiously, munching on his food.
"Yeah, why not, Sasuke? Why have you been acting like more of a stranger with your
brother since college?" Naruto probed, invading my personal life.
"It's just because—" I bit my lips. I definitely couldn't tell everyone here that I avoided
my brother simply because I was afraid of being belittled by him.
But then I thought again, would my brother truly belittle me if we met, or was this all
just my irrational fear because I hadn't achieved anything I dreamed of so far?
"Forget it," I tried to hush down their questions with my typical blunt demeanor while
drinking my sake.
Until I was shocked by the glimpse of my unheroic moment on national TV, hanging in
the pub bar for everyone to see.
"God forbids!" I cursed silently while looking at my foolish antics, swinging here and
there, holding onto the giant sign. I reflexively hid my face behind the large sake glass I
was holding.
"What's wrong, moron?" Naruto asked with concern. "Is there a girl you're avoiding
coming into the pub?" he teased, laughing.
"Oh, it seems it's not about a girl. It's because he's becoming a sensation due to his own
stupidity," Sai mocked, nodding towards the TV still broadcasting my failed stuntman
scene.
"Stupid man," quipped one of the female pub-goers sitting not far from us, laughing.
"But his face is quite handsome," added her friend.
I rolled my eyes at the unsolicited comments. It seemed like I had to make an effort to
lay low for a few weeks, or even months, from people if this was how things were going.
"Eh, isn't that the guy on TV?" whispered another male patron sitting with the two
women.
Fuck! I quickly pulled down my hoodie and lowered my head.
Ino and the others burst into laughter at my panicked actions.
"Sasuke, you really became a hot topic now," teased Naruto, slapping my shoulders so
hard it genuinely startled me.
"Perhaps get ready to receive autograph requests," Sai added with laughter.
"No, thank you. But I prefer to remain unrecognized," I replied curtly.
…
The next day, I strolled into the women's clothing section, casually whistling as if I were
on a secret mission to uncover the mysteries of the fashion world. An idea had been
nagging at me ever since my mannequin took center stage in the department store
window.
I felt a burning determination to find my mannequin. After all, she was my creation, and
no one else was allowed to lay claim to her without my explicit permission. The
women's clothing section conveniently led to the entrance of the window display room
on the ground floor. I subtly pushed open the door marked 'staff only,' expecting to be
greeted by the enchanting sight of my mannequin. To my surprise, I found only one
mannequin sporting a polka-dot dress, leaving me high and dry, my mannequin
nowhere in sight.
It seemed like someone had orchestrated a disappearing act with her. Disheartened, I
decided to try my luck with another door in the women's clothing section. Unfortunately,
the door I opened led straight into the women's changing room, and to my horror, a
young brunette woman was in the midst of changing.
"Whoa!" she squealed with a high-pitched voice. Oh dear! I could already picture my
manager, Kabuto, assuming I was intentionally spying on the changing room.
Attempting to flee the embarrassing situation, I was ambushed by none other than
Kabuto himself, appearing out of thin air with his infuriatingly smug face.
"See anything you like?" Kabuto inquired, dripping with condescension.
"I-I was just looking for panties," I stuttered, blurting out the most nonsensical excuse
out of sheer nervousness.
"You found them," mocked Kabuto, gesturing towards a display of women's panties.
"However, my friend, you missed the lingerie department by four floors," he continued,
sneering at me.
"Get going," he 'politely' requested me to leave, all while maintaining his infuriating
mocking expression.
"Right," I mumbled nonchalantly, plastering on a fake smile. As I walked past him, I
unknowingly muttered, "Asshole!"
"What was that?" Kabuto snapped back at me, instantly adopting an angry pout.
"Oh, nice hall!" I nonchalantly remarked, pointing upwards, before walking away and
pushing my oversized cart.
In the women's bag section, I stumbled upon another secret door labeled 'staff only,' a
seldom-visited gateway. Timing my entrance to go unnoticed, I quietly opened the door
and was astounded to discover a seemingly forgotten storage warehouse.
There, to my shock, I found my masterpiece. I stood there like a fool, staring at my
mannequin, her lifeless emerald eyes piercing into mine. Suddenly, a surge of reality hit
me like a slap in the face.
"I must be losing my mind," I blurted out, vehemently rejecting the absurd notion that I
had just entertained about my mannequin. Beautiful? Seriously? She's not human,
Sasuke! She's just a piece of plastic!
"All artists must fall in love with their creations, but you seem so special," I marveled,
gently caressing the contours of my mannequin's lips.
Out of the blue, a man's hearty laughter startled me. What was even more bizarre was
the fact that there were two tongues on the palms of his hands, seemingly reaching
towards me from behind, as if planning to give me an unexpected face lick.
"Move over, Bill Shakespeare. That's the sweetest sentiment these ears have ever heard,"
mocked the man, continuing his irritating laughter. The peculiar ponytailed man seemed
to regard me with disdain.
"No, I was rehearsing a play," I responded curtly, a bit nervous because this stranger had
caught me in the act of talking to a lifeless mannequin.
"Oh, don’t worry. I also love talking to my own hands," he said mockingly. "Right, Mr.
Fernandez?" He looked at his palm. "No?" He shook his head like a fool. "How about you,
Mrs. Hernandez? You must be thrilled to meet this goofball, no?" he addressed his other
hand.
I rolled my eyes in frustration. What on earth had led me to encounter this peculiar man
who probably just escaped from a mental institution?
"If you're curious about it. Yes, it's a paint!" he exclaimed, pointing at the tongue on his
palm. "I always find it best not to explain. It adds a certain mystique to one's reputation,"
he continued with a nonchalant expression.
"No. I'm a regular kind of guy, okay?" I retorted with irritation.
"Don't disappoint me," the ponytailed man scoffed condescendingly. "When you're
finished with your conversation, bring her to window number 3!" he ordered as if he
were a manager or something.
"Sure. You got it. I'm Uchiha Sasuke," I said, looking at him smugly.
"Deidara," he replied with a smug smirk. "I'm a window dresser here. We're going to
have fun," he said while laughing again.
I audibly sighed while pinching my own forehead, realizing that I was now part of this
insanity.
"I am so glad you're working here," said Deidara, folding his arms.
"You are?" I furrowed my eyebrows in disbelief.
"Why, of course I am, stupid. I never thought they'd hire anyone stranger than me," he
smirked mischievously.
…
As if my accidental rendezvous with a quirky, flamboyant man wasn't bizarre enough, a
stern security member abruptly intercepted my strides while I lugged a box of
ornaments towards the warehouse.
"Halt! Identify yourself!" declared a tall security man with tanned skin and sunglasses,
despite the indoor setting and the late hour. He pointed his bat at me.
"Uchiha Sasuke, new stock boy," I said nonchalantly, exhausted by the ongoing madness.
"Yeah," he nodded slowly, as if playing the role of a villain in an action movie, "Mr.
Kabuto told me all about you. I am Capt. Killer B, night security commander," he
arrogantly introduced himself, even though no one had asked, "It's my responsibility to
secure the perimeter here at Prince and Company," he continued, scrutinizing me from
head to toe.
"I didn't know there was a danger of invasion," I retorted bluntly.
"There's no danger, as long as me and Rambo are on patrol," he declared firmly, staring
deeply into my eyes.
"Rambo?" I looked at the pudgy Rottweiler that barked aggressively. Seriously, this cute
dog was named Rambo?
"Yeah," he replied with excessive seriousness that bordered on comical. "I call him that
because he likes to draw... first blood," he continued, piercing through my eyes. "Just
what is your assignment here tonight, boy?" he interrupted my inner peace.
"I'm helping Deidara with the window," I replied nonchalantly.
"The little Deidara has an assistant now?" he scoffed condescendingly, "Where do you
people come from?"
"Tokyo," I replied, adding to the confusion.
"Tokyo?" he asked with suspicion, "You mean they got them in Tokyo?"
"So, you like your new assignment?" he queried again, impeding my progress for no
apparent reason. It seemed like my face naturally drew suspicion.
"Could have been worse," I snapped curtly. "Could have put me with a bigoted jerk," I
added with a smug smirk.
I promptly fled from this madness.
"Hold it there, boy! Did you have anybody particular in mind?" he shouted in frustration,
while I deliberately ignored him.
"Don't let Killer B get to you. He just has a bad case of Miami Vice," sneered Deidara
mockingly as we entered the window display.
"I gotta go, okay? I promised my girlfriend I was gonna take her out tonight," he said
again nonchalantly, deliberately leaving me with all these unfamiliar tasks.
"Wait? What?" I protested, but that nuisance just left me hanging.
I sighed while arranging the large boxes containing women's dresses, accessories, and
ornamental crafts to dress the mannequins and decorate the windows.
Now I was alone with my lifeless mannequin, which stared blankly at the empty street
beyond the display window.
"Good grief," I muttered while picking up a pink satin scarf that seemingly fell from my
mannequin's neck for no reason.
"What's the matter? Don't you like your new scarf?" I said as I squatted down to retrieve
the fabric.
"Not especially," suddenly, a woman's voice behind me made me jump back in surprise. I
turned around to find my mannequin miraculously alive and speaking, smiling broadly
at me.
Oh, for the love of insanity! Have I stumbled into some alternate reality? Am I stuck in
the Matrix's more ridiculous sequel?
"What a peculiar way to say hello," I sneered, still in shock, using the window to help me
get up. "Seriously, what the hell is happening?" I muttered in disbelief.
"I'm Sakuyahime," greeted my mannequin - now a living woman - still smiling as if I
were the punchline to some cosmic joke. "But you can call me Sakura. After all, that's the
name you gave me, right?" She strolled towards me with deliberate grace.
"Is this a prank or something?" My heart was doing a wild dance out of sheer half-terror.
"Did Prince and Company put you up to this?"
"Who hired you? Deidara?" I stammered as she closed the distance between us.
"Nobody hired me, Sasuke," she replied softly, her voice like a gentle breeze in spring.
"You know who I am."
I shook my head in disbelief, finding it increasingly challenging to swallow my own
saliva. "No, this can't be happening."
I slumped into a chair, clutching my throbbing head. "I get it! The sign, the electricity. My
brain synapses, it was destroyed," I murmured, attempting to concoct a logical
explanation for this absurdity.
"I felt so sorry for you last night," she shockingly sat beside me, gently touching my
shoulders. I jolted in surprise, trying to shove her lively hand away. Even her skin felt
real, like a human!
"You looked so lost and lonely," she continued with a sympathetic tone, looking at me
with genuine concern.
"Last night, you saw me?" I pointed at myself in disbelief. "No. You can't be her," I quickly
shook my head.
"When you made me, didn't you feel inspired?" she asked again, smiling.
"Almost like your hands were being guided by a force not of this world?" She touched
her own chest.
She then stood up and dramatically twirled her dress, "You made this body so that I
could come to life!" she exclaimed with a wide smile.
"Am I in the twilight zone or am I just nuts?" I clutched my own hair, questioning my
sanity.
"I'm so glad I picked you!" she then shook my shoulders, genuinely terrifying me.
"I'm going to create someone who doesn't like me?" I murmured in shock. " So, tell me
your life story," I added suspiciously.
"It seems to have slipped my mind. It's a long story," she continued to sit beside me, very
close, in fact. Even her breathing seemed real. Was I becoming the second Geppetto who
made Pinocchio come to life or something? Heck, I'm worse than Geppetto; I made a
chick with an obnoxious smile come to life, not a little boy.
"Back in 1599 in Edo, I was born," she continued with her nonsensical tale. "I'll be 418
next March," she smiled while clutching my arm, making my heart race uncontrollably.
"I'll bake a cake," I replied unenthusiastically while holding my throbbing forehead.
"Back then, I wasn't allowed to do anything," said the mannequin again with her
obnoxious high-pitched tone, inducing a migraine. "I wasn’t even allowed to read. At
first, I also didn’t want to marry. But, my husband, he taught me everything, he taught
me to read, he taught me about science, he taught me about the world," she continued
with a dramatic tone.
"He also taught me about love," she whispered while looking deeply into my eyes.
Shit! Her eyes even shimmered, as if there's truly a soul in there and not just plastic! I
am genuinely, truly petrified right now.
"Would have been my guess. I'm stressed," I sighed frustratingly. "I'm experiencing a
stress-induced hallucination," I continued, desperately trying to conjure a logical
explanation for this utter madness.
"Does this feel like a hallucination?" she protested, grabbing my arm. "Come on, let's go
have some fun!" She playfully shook my arm like an overexcited child.
"Food additives. It's the food additives," I continued to mutter to myself, desperately
attempting to find a somewhat reasonable explanation for this absurd situation.
"Come on!" she pleaded, clutching my arm with even more enthusiasm, making me
hesitantly stand up.
…
3.
Before Sasuke could make sense of whether the midnight experience was reality or
hallucination, Sakura abruptly dragged him to the equipment room, the place where
window dressers prepared wooden accessories for mall display windows.
Sakura marveled at the automatic cutter, creating a cacophony while slicing through
wood beneath it.
Grumbling, Sasuke promptly shut off the cutter by yanking its cable, irritated that his
work was being disrupted by a creature that had no business being alive—a blatant
violation of its mannequin nature.
However, Sasuke's vexation couldn't quench Sakura's enthusiasm as she marveled at the
modern tools for the first time. She gleefully activated all the machines, including the
wood smoother, drill, and even the automatic nail gun.
"The things I could've done with these tools!" Sakura exclaimed, watching the automatic
nail gun in her hands, pondering how to use it.
"You like working with your hands?" Sasuke nervously inquired, still petrified by the
mannequin that not only lived and spoke but was also toying with a dangerous
automatic nail gun.
"Yes. I love building and inventing things. Back in Tokugawa, my husband and I even
made a pair of wings," Sakura replied with a broad smile.
"And I'm sure you flew," Sasuke retorted sarcastically, leaning against the wall, trembling
as he observed his living mannequin companion who couldn't resist talking.
"That's right. Almost," Sakura asserted confidently. "You still don't believe I'm real, do
you?" she sceptically asked.
To everyone's surprise, Sakura fired a nail with the automatic tool in her hand,
prompting Sasuke to reflexively dodge the projectile that narrowly missed his eye.
Sasuke felt his heart threatening to leap out of his chest and let out a relieved breath
when the three large nails landed inches away from him.
"I'm open for discussion," Sasuke deadpanned, pretending indifference, though deep
down, he wanted to scream and flee from the animated mannequin.
"Wow," Sakura whispered in amazement at the shot nail in her hand, nearly attempting
another shot before Sasuke hastily intervened.
"Why don't we stick to good, old-fashioned hand tools for now," Sasuke suggested in
frustration, holding both of Sakura's hands. His heart raced wildly as he felt the
unnaturally smooth hands of the mannequin girl. He then snatched the automatic nail
gun from Sakura's hand, swiftly unplugging its cable, and stashed it on the table behind
him.
"You've got some impressive hands there," Sakura complimented, half-whispering, as
she held both of Sasuke’s hands, which were significantly larger than hers.
"Thanks," Sasuke responded, momentarily caught off guard by her charm.
"I enjoyed the way they felt while you were assembling me," Sakura said with a smile.
Unconsciously, Sasuke continued to stare at her face with a starry-eyed look, though his
expression seemed grumpy. For a brief moment, he struggled to find words, marvelling
at the extraordinary beauty of the mannequin he had created, even though he had seen
it countless times. However, at this moment, she wasn't the stiff, lifeless plastic figure
with vacant eyes. Somehow, magically, she had transformed into an incredibly charming
woman who could captivate anyone.
Sakura gently caressed Sasuke's cheek and nearly brought her lips close to his before
Sasuke adeptly moved his face away.
"This isn't real, Sasuke. No matter what, she's just a lifeless mannequin. Tomorrow, you'll
wake up, and she'll be standing frozen as usual. You'll be labeled insane for having kissed
her," Sasuke berated himself in his own mind.
Shortly after, overwhelmed, Sasuke chased after Sakura, who ran like a child while
swinging a tennis racket through the deserted mall.
In panic, Sasuke scanned his surroundings, especially the ceiling, looking for the mall's
CCTV cameras. He tried his best not to respond to the words of the living mannequin,
fearing that security guards might see him on their screens, talking to himself like a
possessed person.
"Tonight, we'll do something different and special," Sakura exclaimed with laughter,
"Something this store has never seen before." She continued with full force, tossing her
racket towards Sasuke, who adeptly and anxiously caught it.
"I wish you didn't look so worried," Sakura teased while snatching a black bolero hat
from the head of one of the real mannequins standing in front of her, half on tiptoe. She
then twirled to face Sasuke, swaying her hips, playfully showcasing her style to impress
the man.
"Easy for you to say," Sasuke smirked, intentionally grabbing the bolero hat worn by
Sakura and returning it to the real mannequin, making Sakura pout.
"As a mannequin, you'll always have work," he taunted again nonchalantly. He then
pointed at himself, "Me, I'm gonna end up in the nuthouse after this."
He sighed audibly while briefly checking his own phone, "I wonder if insanity is covered
in the employee health plan?"
"That's the dress I should flaunt in the window!" Sakura exclaimed, dashing towards
another real mannequin elegantly adorned in a blue satin dress.
Out of the blue, Sakura stripped off the red dress she was wearing, presenting her naked
body directly to Sasuke.
Sasuke's eyes widened, his heart racing uncontrollably as he attempted to retreat from
Sakura with wobbly legs. "Don't do that," he stammered, vigorously shaking his head, his
face a canvas of sheer terror.
"You weren't this shy when you were sculpting me," Sakura teased sensually, nibbling on
her red lips. Without a single thread covering her, she sauntered towards Sasuke.
Sasuke could feel his cheeks blazing crimson. "You weren't so real," he mumbled, caught
between fear and bemusement. It marked his first encounter with a stunningly gorgeous
woman stark naked before him.
"Good God, who are you?" Sasuke exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief. Unconsciously, a
smile crept onto his face, acknowledging the undeniable arousal triggered by the sight of
this incredibly sexy woman. However, his protective instincts kicked in, and he
instinctively grabbed a satin coat hanging on one of the clothing displays, hastily draping
it over Sakura's front.
Sakura giggled joyfully, seizing the chance to envelop Sasuke in a tight hug, leaving him
utterly immobilized.
The next morning, Sasuke dozed off in the display window, only to be abruptly
awakened by the persistent tapping of a disheveled homeless man. Grinning with
yellowed teeth, the man pointed excitedly behind Sasuke, muttering incomprehensibly.
Bewildered, Sasuke reluctantly turned to see what had caught his attention. To his
astonishment, the window display was now impeccably arranged in a particular theme,
a transformation that left him perplexed since he hadn’t lifted a finger to decorate it.
Even more bizarre, Sakura, now a lifeless mannequin, sat with folded hands gracefully,
her gaze averted.
Reflexively, Sasuke wiggled his fingers in front of Sakura, confirming that the mannequin
was the same beautiful woman who had passionately embraced him the previous night
and stood naked before him. Desperately, Sasuke touched Sakura's cheek, gently
caressing it, only to feel the unyielding plastic surface as before.
Sasuke's eyes widened, his heart racing. He shook his head while nervously biting his lip.
It couldn't be that the events of last night were just a dream. The mannequin had
genuinely come to life and spoken to him, and everything felt so absurdly real. Sasuke
vividly recalled the scent of strawberries and peaches that had filled the air when
Sakura hugged him. Strangely, Sakura had transformed into sports attire with a white
tank top, a pink polka-dot tennis skirt, silver crescent moon earrings, and a tennis hat—
all without any visible assistance. Sasuke surveyed the surroundings, taking in the
tennis-themed display with numerous rackets on the wall and fake tennis balls
propelled by an automatic wind machine.
Sasuke tugged at his own hair, questioning the absurdity of it all. Who had changed
Sakura's clothes and orchestrated the display so flawlessly? Was the mannequin truly
alive, or was this merely an outrageous hallucination brought on by his prolonged
singlehood? To make matters worse, he had been caught snoozing inside the display
window with a mannequin! What would people and his boss think? Sasuke realized that
the sun was shining brightly, and pedestrians strolled past the store.
Oh no! They must think I'm as nutty as that homeless guy, Sasuke fretted, tousling his hair
in frustration, and making a hasty exit from the display window.
Later, in the majestic office building of Illustra Department Store, Karin geared up for a
meeting with the entire board of directors and members of the store. The agenda: the
acquisition of Vaganza Department Store and Illustra's grand plans to transform the
previously struggling mall, drowning in debt, into a profitable venture.
However, Karin's peace was abruptly shattered by Suigetsu, who greeted her with a
teasing whistle, "Karin, you look so foxy!" he winked mischievously.
"I'm not in the mood for your catcalling, Suigetsu," Karin retorted sharply. "There's a
crucial meeting that we both need to attend. Have you prepared the sales reports you're
supposed to present later?"
"Ah, the reports," Suigetsu mocked in a whisper to Karin's ear, without her consent,
playfully wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Of course, I'm ready for anything,
including our dinner later."
"Tch! I absolutely refuse to have dinner with you!" Karin rejected bluntly, pushing
Suigetsu's hand away disdainfully.
"Oh, don't tell me the Uchiha wanker hanging on the Prince & Co. sign yesterday still
excites you, Karin," Suigetsu mocked with a half-laugh. "Hmm, maybe now he's working
as a lowly janitor."
"I don't mind that," Karin grumbled, adjusting her glasses, "Besides, I love Sasuke just
the way he is!"
"Oh, come on, Karin," Suigetsu teased, again forcing Karin into a one-armed embrace,
causing her to push his arm away with annoyance. "I know your true nature. You care
about luxury. That Uchiha won't give you a single penny. He might give you a mountain
of debts for sure."
"Listen here, wacko! If you try to touch me again, I'll report you for sexual harassment!"
Karin threatened angrily. "Remember, our relationship is strictly professional!"
"So, a lunch invitation is also considered a professional relationship?" Suigetsu raised
and lowered his eyebrows playfully.
Karin rolled her eyes.
Their banter suddenly halted as the management team and directors passed by. Karin
and Suigetsu immediately bowed incessantly as Orochimaru, followed by his manager
Uchiha Itachi, walked past them into the grand meeting hall.
"Good morning. Good morning," Karin and Suigetsu greeted simultaneously with fake
smiles, bowing incessantly. Winning favor with superiors is one way to survive in the
cutthroat world of work.
"Ah, Karin, I hope you're ready for our presentation on the prospects for Vaganza Dept
after our acquisition," Itachi reminded coldly, without a smile, pointing towards Karin.
Shaken and jittery, Karin immediately delivered an exaggeratedly enthusiastic salute to
the imposing Itachi, "Ready, boss!"
"And you, Suigetsu, make sure our sales reports are recorded perfectly," Itachi
commanded again with casual indifference before entering the meeting room.
"Ready, boss!" Suigetsu shouted, mimicking Karin's style with an artificially high-pitched
voice.
Annoyed, Karin slapped Suigetsu's mouth. Suigetsu, chuckling, leaned in and whispered
into Karin's ear, "By the way, I know the color of your panties today. Wanna guess?
Probably maroon again, right?"
Suigetsu's mockery earned him a punch in the stomach from Karin, who couldn't help
but let out a frustrated laugh.
…
Before the joint meeting with the directors, management, and shareholders began,
Orochimaru suddenly cooked up an idea to embarrass Itachi.
"Ah, Mr. Uchiha, it seems you missed the spectacle of your viral little brother yesterday,"
Orochimaru, the president director, chimed in, veering off entirely from the morning
meeting's agenda.
"I assure you, Mr. Orochimaru, I meticulously perused the news on the internet," Itachi
replied calmly, casually flipping through his files, seemingly impervious to his superior's
jabs.
"Well, it appears he has successfully forged a rather personal relationship with the
owner of Prince & Co. Perhaps one day you can use it to acquire that long-forgotten mall.
What do you think, Mr. Uchiha?" Orochimaru teased again with a half-laugh. "Besides, he
has excellent skills in hanging like a chimpanzee."
The meeting members couldn't resist joining in the laughter and mockery.
Itachi sported a sarcastic grin. However, he couldn't stand by and let his younger brother
be ridiculed like this. "That's quite an intriguing idea, President Director," Itachi
responded sarcastically but with a calm demeanor.
"It seems your relationship with your brother hasn't been going well lately," Orochimaru
teased again, seemingly relishing the opportunity to embarrass his subordinates in
public.
"I believe my personal relationship with my family members has no relevance to today's
meeting's agenda," responded Itachi with a fake smile, though deep down, he
entertained thoughts of punching his boss in the jaw.
"Of course, it's relevant, young man," said Orochimaru with a laugh. "However, according
to my trusted sources, your brother is now officially part of Prince & Co., a long-standing
obstacle for us. Oh, is this some kind of secret plan you're quietly orchestrating behind
my back? Are you deliberately placing your useless brother there with the same pitiful
theatrics to rescue the almost bankrupt mall?" Orochimaru suddenly asked with
suspicion.
The meeting members began whispering to each other.
"It seems you're a tad too suspicious, Mr. Orochimaru. My brother is now an adult and
has decided to work there, undoubtedly his own decision. I didn't even know he’s
working there until I saw his viral video on the internet," Itachi replied, trying to
maintain composure.
"Oh, really?" Orochimaru asked while lighting his cigarette. "This is very interesting.
Two brothers working for two competing department stores."
Itachi bit his lip upon hearing Orochimaru's laughter.
"It would be much more interesting if you made him the main pawn to take down that
damn Tsunade, huh? Let's see how your little brother reacts if his own brother wrecks
the boss he saved from the billboard tragedy," Orochimaru chuckled, blowing smoke
from his cigarette towards Itachi.
Itachi reflexively started coughing, and Orochimaru became even more delighted with
laughter.
Karin and Suigetsu exchanged puzzled glances. However, Suigetsu grinned
mischievously as his hand stealthily intended to grip Karin's thigh under the table.
Caught off guard, Karin tried to maintain her composure in front of the important board
members and forced a fake smile. Meanwhile, her red stiletto immediately stomped on
Suigetsu's foot.
"Shit!" muttered Suigetsu, attempting to endure the pain without screaming, or he
would become the center of attention in that meeting.
…
After that exasperating meeting, during which his boss intentionally belittled him in
public, Itachi found solace alone in his office, engrossed in reading the sales reports
submitted by Suigetsu. He let out a deep sigh, pondering the strained relationship with
his younger brother, who had purposefully severed contact since graduating college
without offering a clear explanation. Every attempt Itachi made to visit Sasuke's
apartment was met with mysterious absences, leaving him wondering about Sasuke's
whereabouts. There was even an instance when his brother rudely dismissed him
through the intercom.
Itachi was well aware of the root cause behind the rift with his brother—his father's
blatant favoritism towards himself since childhood, constantly boasting about him.
Itachi's gifted intelligence and talent, earning him the status of the golden child in the
Uchiha family, made Sasuke, with his peculiar hobby of carving wooden dolls, remain
overshadowed. Itachi's academic success at Harvard with a full scholarship contrasted
with Sasuke's lack of motivation in high school, where he resorted to delinquent
activities, joining gangs and venting insecurities through physical altercations. Although
Sasuke put less effort into academics, he effortlessly secured a spot at the University of
Tokyo on his first attempt, emerging as one of the top graduates in the sculpture
department.
The continued preference for Itachi by their father and incessant praise only served to
further diminish Sasuke's already fragile self-confidence. This led Sasuke to isolate
himself from the family, especially after gaining the freedom to live independently at the
age of eighteen. Additionally, Sasuke's career trajectory was not as fortuitous as his older
brother's.
As Itachi glanced at his phone on the table, he couldn't shake the strong desire to call his
brother and offer congratulations on the new job at Prince & Co. Little did he know that
Sasuke was employed as a stock boy—a fact that would have intensified his regret.
Without hesitation, Itachi dialled Sasuke's number, fully anticipating the prompt
rejection from his obstinate brother.
At the same time, after rejecting Itachi's call with a grumble, Sasuke reluctantly slipped
his phone into his pants pocket and pushed the large cart containing numerous boxes of
items to be distributed to various display sections in the Prince & Co. Stealthily, the
young man infiltrated the secret door leading to the window display when he felt no one
was paying attention, intending to observe his mannequin up close.
Itachi let out a long sigh and roughly placed his phone on the table. He couldn't fathom
his brother's unchanged attitude, treating him like a stranger based solely on jealousy.
Affection had transformed into hatred.
With a distant gaze, Itachi stared at a small framed photo on his desk, depicting him
taking a picture with a young, smiling Sasuke, flashing a peace sign. Teenage Itachi
lovingly ran his fingers over his younger brother's hair in the photo.
He smiled painfully while holding the frame. "You know, Sasuke, if I could give all the
luck I have to you, I would do it without hesitation," he murmured with a melancholic
expression.
…
4.
Sasuke stumbled into the display window, only to be met with a horde of people eagerly
snapping photos of his mannequin creation, seated there calmly and motionless as ever.
His bewilderment increased as the crowd alternately aimed their phones at him.
In reflex, Sasuke shielded his face with his palm. This wasn't on his list of expected
scenarios for the day. The guy who usually lingered in the shadows was now running out
of the display window, attempting to escape. However, his getaway was abruptly halted
by Deidara, who seemed to materialize out of thin air.
"Hey, you're the weirdo talking to the mannequin!" Deidara taunted with laughter.
"Get lost!" Sasuke snapped, thrusting Deidara aside before the eccentric man
intercepted him once more.
"Before you sprint off, airhead. How about explaining what you did to my window?"
Deidara challenged, folding his arms and invading Sasuke's personal space.
"Uhm, I," Sasuke, caught off guard and nervous, fumbled with an answer to what should
have been a simple question. "Uhm, I think I need to go back to the storage to get my
stuff."
"YOU KNOW THAT'S TERRIFIC!" Deidara enthusiastically grabbed Sasuke's shoulder
and shook him with extra vigor.
"Get lost, dipshit!" Sasuke muttered, visibly annoyed, swiftly pushing away Deidara's
intrusive arms.
"Hey, ladies and gentlemen!" Deidara bellowed, blatantly disregarding Sasuke's protests
and shoving him forward to face the crowd amassed in front of the window. "This is the
genius behind the magic of Prince & Co.'s window!"
Sasuke nervously bit his lip and clenched his fists, looking more like a mannequin than
the mannequin itself.
"You might not hear me from back here! But this worm is truly talented!" Deidara
shouted again, suddenly embracing Sasuke's shoulder, and Sasuke promptly shoved him
away with rough force.
Sasuke observed young girls appearing astonished and screaming hysterically, while
others whispered with flushed cheeks as they eyed his face.
"Oh, come on, buddy! Not everyone is as fortunate as you to become the instant center of
attention for the ladies!" Deidara teased, playfully nudging Sasuke's arm.
Sasuke sighed while holding his forehead, "This is so wrong on many levels."
"Why, moron? Just enjoy your five minutes of fame and stop complaining!" Deidara
retorted, slapping Sasuke's head, further thinning Sasuke's patience.
"I didn't even do anything," Sasuke bit his lower lip hesitantly, stealing a glance at the
lifeless mannequin of Sakura, who sat pretty in her place, seemingly secretly amused by
the spectacle that was about to turn Sasuke's life upside down.
…
Sasuke hid frantically in the corner of the abandoned storage room while calling Naruto.
Naruto, in the midst of an important meeting, curiously picked up his best friend's call.
"What is it, doofus?" greeted Naruto.
Sasuke urgently shouted, "I'm going crazy! I saw things that couldn't have happened!"
Naruto scoffed condescendingly, "Where were you? You sound like you slept in the
street."
"Prince and Company," Sasuke snapped in frustration.
"Prince and Company! Your big job!" mocked Naruto, struggling to hold back laughter.
"Do you know the mannequin that I made?" Sasuke shouted in disbelief, clutching his
own hair. "She's there. She came to life. She knew who I was," he desperately wanted his
friend to believe him, even though it seemed too impossible.
"Please, Sasuke. I'm not in the mood for your ridiculous story about a mannequin. I
know that you've been a weirdo since childhood. But sorry, there's an important
meeting I need to lead right now," said Naruto smugly, boasting his new prestigious
status as a junior manager, as if mocking Sasuke's misfortune in his career path.
"No! I'm not lying! I'm insane," Sasuke grew even more frustrated.
"Yeah, I don't doubt it," Naruto teased while chuckling, "You should see a professional
then."
"Who? You don't mean a hooker, right?" Sasuke interjected angrily because he knew
Naruto would mock him by calling him a virgin every time he talked about the
mannequin.
"Of course not, dumbass! I mean, a psychiatrist!" Naruto snapped mockingly.
Sasuke groaned in anger. If he could punch Naruto's face, he would do it happily at this
moment. "Thanks. But I can't even pay for a psychiatrist."
"Don't worry. I'll cover it," Naruto mocked him even more. Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"By the way, do you know the meaning of fiduciary? Or CDO? What was that? They kept
saying that nonsense, yet I still can't grasp it?" Naruto asked urgently, confused, and
panicked, as he didn't have any idea about anything related to the stock market.
Sasuke sighed audibly and immediately hung up his phone, tired of Naruto's nonsensical
stupidity despite his prestigious position. He was definitely sure that Naruto had just
obtained his position out of sheer luck, replacing his own failure.
…
In the grandeur of the Illustra Department Store, Orochimaru casually strolled around
with Karin by his side. He was discussing his plan to rebuild the old and abandoned
Vaganza Department Store that he had successfully acquired.
“This is Japan. You do not set the pace by redecorating,” boasted Orochimaru with a
smug smile.

“You demolish,” Karin softly giggled, feeling proud for having pleased her boss.

“Of course. I'll remember that,” Orochimaru responded nonchalantly, “We'll build the
best Illustra yet on that site.”

Surprisingly, he then wrapped his pale arms around Karin’s shoulders, and she proudly
smiled.

“And when I move up, someone will have to take my place here,” said Orochimaru,
promising a prestigious position for Karin. The bespectacled woman anticipated it with
enthusiasm.

“I'll be keeping my eye on you,” said Orochimaru with a smirk.

“Mr. Orochimaru! You won't believe it!” Kurosaki, one of Orochimaru’s loyal staff,
immediately rushed to him. “Prince and Company has the most incredible window! I'm
talking fabu. People were lined up outside to get a peek!” he continued with panic.

“At what?” Orochimaru furrowed his eyebrows in curiosity and irritability.

“I passed it coming back from the tanning session. It's the most amazing thing I've ever
seen,” boasted Kurosaki with exaggerated enthusiasm.

“Really?” Orochimaru secretly clenched his fists. He smirked to conceal his visible
jealousy upon hearing that the almost collapsed old Prince & Co. department store
suddenly got recognition he thought they didn’t deserve.

Scarred by Orochimaru’s piercing deadly eyes that directly tried to stab him from inside,
Kurosaki immediately stammered and tried to retract his previous statement that
unintentionally praised Prince & Co.’s success, “You know, it really wasn't that great. It
was interesting. In a jejune way, at best.”

Orochimaru’s anger flared up, and he grabbed Kurosaki’s necktie.

“I didn't care for it myself. You know...,” Kurosaki stammered even more as Orochimaru
deliberately tried to tighten his necktie.

Orochimaru, with his intense irritation, immediately left that man with Karin.

Kurosaki immediately grabbed Karin’s arms. "You should have seen it! It was beyond
brilliant!” he shouted after making sure Orochimaru had already gone.

“There were 20 mannequins with tennis rackets coming out of...” Kurosaki continued
rambling while forcibly clutching Karin’s petite arm as they walked in the opposite
direction. Karin, with a bewildered expression, glanced at Kurosaki and then back at the
empty spot where Orochimaru had stood, realizing she was now stuck with the
overenthusiastic lad.

At the soon-to-be-demolished Vaganza Department Store, where the deafening roars of

an excavator echoed through the air, Itachi stood at a distance, coolly observing the
destruction. His sharp eyes, shielded by expensive sunglasses, exuded opulence, and
success.

"Mr. Uchiha!" Reinai, Itachi's junior assistant, called out amidst the chaos, balancing a
cup of iced Americano in her hands. "I know it's scorching hot out here, but the news
I've got is hotter," she proclaimed with urgency, a hint of overenthusiasm in her tone.

Itachi, seemingly unfazed, turned his attention to her. "What's the fuss about?" he
inquired nonchalantly.

"Have you even checked the news, sir?" Reinai persisted. Itachi shook his head with a
hint of disinterest.

"Nothing important on the stock front right now," he replied casually, taking the iced
coffee from his assistant.

"Take a look at this," she insisted, showing him her phone.

Reluctantly, Itachi glanced at the screen, but his demeanor quickly changed as his eyes
widened at the shocking revelation.

"A genius stock boy behind the magic of Prince & Co., reported the Sun," blared the
headlines on the article.

Removing his sunglasses, Itachi continued to stare at the screen, where an awkward
photo of his little brother adorned the article. Sasuke stood amidst the immersive
tennis-themed window display, surrounded by mannequins and decorations.

A faint smirk crept onto Itachi's face, a rare expression that betrayed his pride.

"What do you make of this, boss? Prince & Co. stealing the spotlight for a good five
minutes!" Reinai exclaimed with a sense of panic.

"We'll see what unfolds next," Itachi replied casually, taking a sip of his Americano. Deep
down, he couldn't help but feel a secret sense of satisfaction for his brother's well-
deserved recognition after years of artistic struggle.

The next morning, in the clandestine confines of his office, Kabuto found himself in a
frenzied state, pacing back and forth while engaged in a phone conversation that
seemed to be escalating at an alarming rate.
"He's just a twerpy stock boy! That window was a fluke!" Kabuto attempted to pacify the
evidently furious individual on the other end of the line, his voice tinged with panic.

The response was a thunderous retort, as the angry voice boomed through the speaker,
"When I move up, somebody will have to take my place here. But if you let that stock
boy screw things up, it sure won't be you. I've worked on this deal too long to have it
ruined by some snot-nosed punk."

In a desperate attempt to shield his ears from the bellowing voice, Kabuto tried to shift
his phone slightly, reassuring the man, “I can handle him!”

“I meant you!” The man’s anger reverberated loudly, causing Kabuto to instinctively jerk
the phone away from his ear again. A loud bang followed, prompting Kabuto to wince.

"Of course, you did, sir," Kabuto replied with forced calmness, attempting to appease the
irate caller. "But you know that the board meeting is today. I guarantee the sale will go
through. Under your inspired leadership, your company will reach new heights. So,
we--" Kabuto's attempt at diplomacy was abruptly cut short by another burst of anger
from the other end.

"Kabuto! Where in the hell did you learn to kiss ass like that?" The man's exasperation
was palpable. "Did you take a class?"

"No, sir. That's a God-given gift," Kabuto replied fearfully, biting his lip anxiously.

Abruptly, the phone call was disconnected, leaving Kabuto even more flustered. "Mr.
Orochimaru, sir, are you there?" he asked in a panic, hoping desperately for a
connection.

Inside the spacious wooden hall of the Prince & Co. office building, Tsunade sat at the
head of the table, maintaining her composure as the board meeting unfolded. The head
of the board, a bald man with an air of authority, wasted no time voicing his concerns.

“We'd all love to know what possessed the Uchiha guy to create such a window display,”
he exclaimed with urgency and curiosity. “Did you see those crowds gaping on the
sidewalk? It's an embarrassment!” The nodding heads of the older, suit-clad
participants echoed his sentiment, and Tsunade braced herself for the impending
protest.

Meanwhile, outside the meeting room, Sasuke paced nervously, anticipating the worst.
Suddenly, like a whirlwind, Deidara appeared out of nowhere, startling the already
anxious Sasuke.

“Never you fear, your senior is here!” Deidara declared with exaggerated panic, injecting
a touch of mockery into his tone. “You let me in there with those so-and-sos. I'll
straighten them out, tout de suite. How can they think of firing you?”
Sasuke, feeling pessimistic, lowered his head. “They're businesspeople. They won't
appreciate an emotional appeal.”

“You're right. I was hoping to avoid this, but this is an hour of desperation. If they fire
you, I will be the only weirdo left in here like before, with all the spotlight and
responsibility because I know I'm sucker than you. And maybe I will mess up
everything,” Deidara dramatically removed his suit and threw it on the floor, revealing
his tacky yellow shirt.

“This is not the way to approach this, okay?” Sasuke pleaded urgently, as Deidara
seemed frustrated for no apparent reason, considering he never considered Sasuke a
friend before.

“You don't think so?” Deidara turned to him with protest, hands on his hips.

“Please don't tell anyone you saw me dressed like this,” Deidara dramatically pleaded
while leaning closer to Sasuke, who spontaneously moved away from him. “I have a
reputation to uphold,” continued the ponytailed man with frustration.

“My lips are sealed. I appreciate this demonstration,” sneered Sasuke sarcastically, not
knowing how to respond to this peculiar man with a strange attitude.

“That's it! A demonstration!” shouted Deidara dramatically, making Sasuke

spontaneously startled.

“I'll create a media event. You call the newspaper, boys and girls. The headline will read:
‘If Sasuke is fired, Deidara flies,’” continued Deidara with exaggerated hand movements
and a desperate expression.

Sasuke scoffed while shaking his head in disbelief, with a mind that stated, ‘What the
hell is wrong with this freak?’

“I can’t let myself work for hours without anybody else taking out my responsibility. I
need two hours of spa relaxation at Thai Spa every three days of a week and a vacation
to Hawaii next month,” exclaimed Deidara in panic. “Excuse me while I step out onto the
window ledge,” he announced as if he were the protagonist of a tragic cheap soap opera.

Sasuke couldn't help but burst into laughter, finding the entire situation absurd. He
marveled at the fact that Deidara had intentionally dumped all his responsibilities onto
him, making Sasuke handle tasks that weren't remotely his concern.

However, the chuckles came to an abrupt halt when Deidara, in a dramatic turn of
events, attempted what seemed like a leap of despair from the nearby window.

“No! What the fuck!” Sasuke exclaimed, moving swiftly to grab Deidara's waist.

“Let me go!” Deidara wriggled dramatically, creating a comical struggle between the
two.
The scene took a humorous turn when, in the process of preventing the supposed leap,
Sasuke unintentionally pulled Deidara back, and they both tumbled to the hard floor. It
resulted in a slapstick mishap that left them entangled in an awkward heap.

“I’m sorry,” Deidara murmured dramatically from the floor.

Sasuke tried to control his breath due to this back and forth of preventing someone
from jumping from the tall building. He sat down while his back leaned on the nearby
sofa’s legs, “It’s okay.”

“I do get carried away sometimes,” Deidara continued, maintaining his dramatic tone.

“No, not you,” Sasuke replied nonchalantly, deadpan.

“That Kabuto guy, he gives men a bad name!” Deidara suddenly shouted in anger,
leaving Sasuke bewildered by the rapid shift in emotions from the theatrical character
before him.

“No! Mr. Kabuto said he was gonna fix everything for me,” Sasuke stated firmly.

“What arrogance!” Deidara sneered with a hiss, his emotional roller coaster leaving
Sasuke utterly confused.

Back in the meeting room, Kabuto couldn't hide his envy, openly ridiculing Sasuke,
"That worm of stock boy has created an affront to the dignity of this store." He then
turned to Tsunade, attempting to convince her to his side, "I'll have it taken down
immediately and make sure that lunatic never works in this town again."

Tsunade listened, though it was clear she disagreed with his statement.

Kabuto then faced the board members, "Shall we move on to the sale to Illustra?"

"Just a minute, Mr. Kabuto. I believe we're onto something here," Tsunade, who was
previously just a good listener, suddenly interrupted Kabuto’s statement. "Maybe
people will come to see our bold, new window displays. If they come to look, they'll stay
to buy," she continued with bold assertiveness.

“With all due respect, Mrs. Tsunade, it's a little late for that. And we do have the firm
offer from Illustra,” Kabuto, using his sycophantic talents, tried to convince Tsunade
once more.

“For one-tenth the value of the store!” Tsunade snapped suddenly. “Besides, I can't bear
the thought of selling this place, especially to that awful Orochimaru!” she continued,
unleashing the anger she had been trying to suppress.
“We know how much the store means to you, ma'am, but 10 percent is better than
bankruptcy,” responded one of the male board members with gray hair, surprisingly
agreeing with Kabuto. Kabuto faintly smirked smugly when other people were on his
side.

Tsunade rolled her eyes in frustration.

“I think Mrs. Tsunade is right,” said a female member of the board firmly, “I move we
postpone the sale for six weeks.”

“I second the motion,” said another male member with neat jet-black hair, in agreement
with the woman.

“All in favor?” asked the woman, and most of the members raised their hands in unison.

“All opposed?” asked the male member of the board with gray hair, and only Kabuto
raised his hand.

Tsunade proudly stood up, “This meeting is adjourned,” she announced, closing the
meeting. She then turned to her loyal assistant, Shizune. “Shizune, would you bring Mr.
Uchiha in?”

The board members immediately stood up in unison, packed their belongings, and only
Kabuto remained seated.

“What? No, wait!” Kabuto shouted and protested as the members, one by one, left the
room. He tried to halt one of the male members, “I think -,” but the member continued
his pace and ignored him.

Not long after, Sasuke nervously entered the meeting room with Shizune and
approached Tsunade with hesitation.

Tsunade greeted him with a broad smile, “Good news. We've not only decided to keep
you on but I'm promoting you to visual merchandiser.”

Sasuke responded with his typical nonchalant demeanor, "That’s great." However, a
second later, he furrowed his brows in confusion, "What’s that?"

Kabuto sneaked a bitter glance at him as he gathered his documents on the table.

“Just keep doing what you did last night, and you'll be fine!” Tsunade commanded
urgently, leaving Sasuke biting his lips in anxiousness, well aware that his creative
magic wasn't entirely born from his own effort.

Tongue-tied for a moment, Sasuke finally replied, “Uhm, Mrs. Tsunade, I'm not sure I can
do it again. Last night might have been a one-time inspiration.”

Tsunade giggled softly while patting Sasuke’s arm, “Don't doubt yourself. Go with it. Feel
it. You're doing the job you were meant to do.”
With Shizune in tow, she left Sasuke feeling worried and anxious. He audibly sighed.

Seizing the opportunity when no one was around, Kabuto mocked Sasuke, “You must
lead a charmed life. It was all I could do to save your skin in here.” He then walked past
Sasuke, carrying his suitcase, deliberately hitting Sasuke’s shoulders.

“No thanks are necessary, Uchiha,” Kabuto smirked condescendingly before leaving
Sasuke all alone.

Realizing he was alone, Sasuke then broke his typical nonchalant and deadpan
demeanor with a shout, “Yeah!” as he proudly sat on the chair that was previously
occupied by Tsunade, putting both of his feet on the table, feeling as if he were the CEO
in there.

Kabuto hurried along the corridor of the office building before unexpectedly
encountering Killer B, who stood guard near the door.

“Good evening, Mr. Kabuto, sir,” greeted Killer B with his artificially eerie voice.

Quickly checking his surroundings, Kabuto whispered something into the ear of the
burly security guard. “Listen, that new stock boy, Uchiha, has been promoted. He'll be
doing windows at night. Just keep an eye on him for me,” he ordered with narrowed
eyes.

“Do you suspect pilferage, sir?” replied Killer B with the same narrowed eyes, “I'd be
happy to strip-search him,” he growled, grinding his teeth.

“You people that work at night scare me,” Kabuto admitted, a little startled by Killer B’s
'scary' demeanor. “I just want you to let me know what he's up to, how he works.”

“Yes, sir. His M.O,” responded Killer B with a grunt, “Would you like that in a written
report?”

“You write?” Kabuto asked mockingly, expressing doubt.

Killer B then looked at his dog, sitting calmly on the floor with its tongue sticking out,
“No. Rambo does.”

Kabuto rolled his eyes in irritation, “Just watch him,” he commanded with a sense of
arrogance and authority.

“Yes, sir!” answered Killer B with a firm but loud tone, positioning himself as if he were
being sent to a war-torn country.
“Come on, Rambo,” he then took out a bat that had been in his belt. “We have got
ourselves a mission,” he continued, pulling the leash of his lazy dog to walk beside him
in the opposite direction.

Suddenly, with dramatic flair, Killer B stopped in his tracks and scanned the
surroundings as if making sure no one was eavesdropping. His dog obediently stopped
when he did.

“Jesus Christ, Rambo!” grumbled Killer B, feeling foolish for his misplaced instinct. He
then instructed his dog to continue walking.

At late at night, Sasuke always feeling thankful for his night shift because he could
secretly sneak peek to his mannequin at the window display with nobody’s watching,
immediately rushed to the secret door that led to the window. There, Sakura still sit
with the same hand position and lifeless expression as before.

Sasuke didn’t realize there’s a curve of a faint smile in his lips and his eyes glimmers in
anticipation everytime he looked at his own creation.

He then slowly approached his mannequin and waved his hand in front of her, “Hi, it's
me! Sasuke, remember?”

Sasuke continued to wave his hand but there’s no response at all from the lifeless
mannequin. He sighed in frustration and turned his gaze away, momentarily taken
aback by his own state of mind.

“I guess it was just temporary insanity,” he murmured in a disappointed tone as he

pulled down the curtain that covered what was inside the window from the outside
world.

"O ye of little faith,” said a woman's voice, almost causing Sasuke to stumble in sheer
surprise.

With his heart pounding wildly, Sasuke murmured in surprise, “You're back! I thought--”
His eyes widened in disbelief.

“You has very little confidence, young man,” teased Sakura, now turning back into a
woman, alive and with a glimmer of soul in her eyes, looking intently at Sasuke.
“Honestly, I doubt you are the reincarnation of my husband at all,” she continued with a
sadder tone.

“Me, what?” asked Sasuke in utter confusion.

Sakura then stood up and took a glimpse of the many rackets that had become
decorations in the window, “Yeah. My husband and I were supposed to reincarnate in
our next life,” she then turned back to Sasuke again and adorably pouted her lips, “But
this is not what I thought it would be.”
“H-how? I mean. Who is or was your husband?” asked Sasuke, a bit curious but also
petrified for some reason, as this revelation went beyond his logical comprehension.

Sakura then walked past him and sat back in her chair, “He was a crown prince. And I
was a princess. We were married very young, at the age of fifteen,” she began confessing
her previous life story, “But he loved me and took very good care of me. He gave me
everything more than I needed. Not just gold and silk, but also knowledge. Remember
when I said that he taught me to read?”

Sasuke nodded in confusion, “Yeah.”

“In my era, women were prohibited from reading,” Sakura said in a sad tone, “I don’t
know what with this strange rule for centuries that women's roles are suppressed to be
a birthing machine, but if a woman read back in my day, they could go to jail.”

“What?” Sasuke scoffed in disbelief. He put his hand on his hips, “Fascinating. Now
women can be the president-director of a company.”

“What is it?” Sakura now turned confused.

“It’s the same thing as…,” Sasuke bit his lips, trying to find words that could be easily
understood by this supposedly ancient soul trapped in his mannequin, “…being a prime
minister.”

“Wow!” Sakura’s eyes widened in shock as well as her jaw was opened, “I didn’t know
that. Oh, what a life to be a woman in your day!”

“Yeah, and most men now struggle to even make ends meet,” sneered Sasuke
sarcastically with a smirk, making fun of his own situation.

“You know, the first time I saw you, I thought you are truly my husband,” said Sakura in
her whispery tone, surprisingly wrapping Sasuke’s neck and pulling him closer to her.

Sasuke was instantly jolted and tried to remove Sakura’s petite hands from his neck, but
he didn’t succeed as Sakura directly looked into his eyes with intensity.

“But my husband was this arrogant pretentious cold-blooded aristocrat,” she murmured
while their noses touched. Sasuke felt his cheeks turn crimson as his heartbeat rapidly
increased.

“Kidding. He was actually a kind-hearted person,” Sakura chuckled coquettishly, making

Sasuke’s heart pound even harder, “And you are the cold-hearted arrogant one.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that. He must be very cool with his swords and stuff,” Sasuke couldn’t
suppress his nervousness.

“Uhm-hum, he murdered millions of people, but also saved many people too,” Sakura
continued her flirtation while batting her eyelashes.
Sasuke didn’t realize that he smiled faintly, trapped by her charm, “So, can you tell me
how you died and ended up being plastic?”

Sakura giggled as they both locked eyes, “Do you really have the guts to hear it?”

“Uhm-um, I anticipate the brutal torture of the dark age,” teased Sasuke.

Sakura, however, proceeded to kiss Sasuke’s lips, but he spontaneously averted his gaze.

“Sorry,” murmured Sakura in disappointment, “I got carried away.”

“No problem,” whispered Sasuke hesitantly, “But can you please remove your hands
first?”

Sakura then quickly removed her hands from Sasuke’s neck.

“You’re right. It was torture,” said Sakura as she proceeded to sit back in her chair,
looking miserable, “It’s not what we envisioned on our first night after marriage,
growing old and dying together while holding hands, something like that.”

Sasuke looked at her concernedly.

“It was late at night; I was sleeping with my husband in our bed. I can still feel his hands
wrapped around my waist, the warmth of his masculine scent,” said Sakura weakly with
a somber face as she started retelling her tragic life story.

"And suddenly, the sound of horse hooves and numerous soldiers outside filled the air.
My husband immediately woke me up, saying, 'The time has come.' Initially, I didn't
understand what he meant. He seemed panicked and sad as he instructed me to go and
hide. So, I silently slipped away through the secret door with a servant. Meanwhile, my
husband used a sculpture that resembled me to feign my presence, pretending to go
back to sleep. I didn't know what happened to him because I was already on a horse
cart, my face covered with a veil, heading in a certain direction. The next morning, I
found myself in exile, far from civilization, with limited supplies. However, not long
after, Madara Uchiha and his troops discovered me and my servant in our hiding place.
Then, I was captured for a night, stripped naked, and—"

Sakura suddenly stopped her words, hugging her own body with a shiver. "And..."

"And?" Sasuke looked confused as Sakura suddenly shed tears.

Reflexively, Sasuke wiped the tears from Sakura's cheek and was surprised to find the
tears on his fingers very real, and he could feel the wetness on his index finger.

"They raped me multiple times and beat me," Sakura sobbed louder.

"I'm sorry," Sasuke said sympathetically.

"Then I was gagged, my hands tightly bound, and I wasn't given any food all night.
Suddenly, I found myself back in the palace courtyard, and there, I finally encountered
my husband, covered in wounds and looking pitiful. He appeared helpless, his
nightclothes stained with blood," Sakura continued with tears streaming down her face,
"And Madara threatened to cut off my head. It wasn't just a threat; he actually carried
out the gruesome act right in front of my helpless and suffering husband."

"Cut off what?" Sasuke asked in disbelief.

Sakura then held her neck and nodded.

"God," Sasuke widened his eyes in shock, "I truly didn't anticipate it."

"Then, what were you anticipating? I died naked in my husband's arms. Honestly, that
sounds more ideal than whatever I ended up with," Sakura sneered sarcastically while
quickly wiping tears from her face.

"Well, thanks for your bedtime stories, but I need to continue working," said Sasuke
sarcastically, as he couldn't bear to hear such tragedy happening to this poor woman's
soul, "I can't let myself disappoint my boss who gave me a promotion."

"What is it? Some kind of food?" asked Sakura, genuinely having no idea.

Sasuke laughed mockingly, "No. You're definitely an interesting woman, or I must say,
mannequin."

"So, you're not my husband," murmured Sakura disappointedly while looking into
Sasuke's eyes intently, "But why do I feel so sure that you're him."

"What makes you think that?" teased Sasuke while pretending to adjust the position of
some decorations around him, "If I were his reincarnation, I would be the CEO of this
mall and not just a stock boy."

"You don't remember me, even dream about me, or our past lives together, at all?"
asked Sakura while surprisingly holding both of Sasuke's hands.

"No," Sasuke curtly replied, "But yeah, I've had weird dreams for the past couple of
weeks. But I guess it's more caused by stress."

"Right," Sakura pretended to smile, even though her heart felt bitterness, "But can you
help me as a friend to make me become human again?"

Sasuke immediately widened his eyes, "H-how? Don't be ridiculous. I'm not David
Copperfield. I can't just lift your curse with magic," he sneered mockingly.

"But I like you," Sakura pleaded desperately, "I really, really like you, Sasuke."

"Thanks. I don't even like myself," curtly Sasuke with a fake smirk. "Well, I suppose we
change these decorations to attract more people. I know you are the one who caused
that commotion yesterday," Sasuke mocked while picking up the rackets hanging neatly
in the background display.

Sakura sadly watched Sasuke pretending to keep himself busy. Unbeknownst to her,
there's a swamp of weird feelings simultaneously attacking Sasuke's heart and making
him confused. He couldn't fall in love with a mannequin, right? And what if all this is just
his wild hallucination?

Sasuke then strolled down to the empty mall hall at the third floor with Sakura who had
already changed her clothes with purple satin strapped dress. She walked quickly while
in awe looking at some big speakers at music tools section at the store.

“Wow, look at this!” exclaimed Sakura pointed at big speakers as she just found some
majestic creatures or something.

Sasuke anxiously followed her behind while kept checking up for possibility of CCTV
recorded him and his moving mannequin.

“Mrs. Tsunade loved what you did last night, but they think I did it,” said Sasuke with a
scowl, “They want me to keep doing brilliant windows. You've gotta help me.”

“Of course,” said Sakura, turning back at him with a smile before she continued
inspecting the speaker in front of her.

“Whoever you are. You are truly beyond logic,” murmured Sasuke, almost inaudibly, as
he secretly marveled at Sakura’s beauty.

Sakura then accidentally turned on the speaker and made the disco music blast loudly.

“Where do they hide all the musicians?” asked Sakura confusedly since the music came
out of nowhere, with no one playing the percussions.

Sasuke scoffed in disbelief at what he just saw, “You’re not lying when you said you’re
from the Edo period.”

Sakura then playfully danced and twirled her dress following the music tune, “Wow, I
like it! This is nice!”

Sasuke was momentarily frozen with what peculiarity he just witnessed. Now, his
mannequin was dancing before his eyes.

"I should go to see that psychiatrist. This is probably an early symptom of

schizophrenia," thought Sasuke with a scowl.

Sakura then turned around at him, simultaneously tousling her hair, which made
Sasuke’s heart beat rapidly for no reason.
She laughed and then grabbed Sasuke’s stiff hand, “Come on, let's dance!”

Sasuke immediately shook his head, “No. I can't.”

But Sakura chose to ignore his protest and twirl Sasuke’s body until he was left
bamboozled on a chair nearby.

Sakura then took off her dress, leaving only her lingerie.

Sasuke widened his eyes in shock, “Why the heck do you like to be naked around me?”

Sakura giggled coquettishly while winking and continued to dance.

Sasuke immediately ran to the nearest women’s clothing section and grabbed her a
thick fur coat.

As Sasuke continued to inspect nearby CCTV, Sakura seductively touched her own leg
from heel to thigh, intentionally showcasing it to Sasuke.

Sasuke scoffed in disbelief, “Good grief!”

Sakura then pressed the speaker button, and the music switched to a Madonna song.

“Come on, shy boy,” teased Sakura while pulling both of Sasuke’s hands, his face
unknowingly turning red.

Sakura then twirled Sasuke, who was confused and frustrated by her erratic behavior.

Sasuke mumbled to himself, “I need a raise for dealing with this craziness.”

When Sasuke decided to turn off the speaker, suddenly Sakura grabbed his hand again
and shoved him in one direction. He hadn't anticipated this madness, and it made him
fall behind, almost colliding with someone who happened to walk past.

“Come on! Shake that thing!” teased Deidara, making Sasuke almost have a heart attack.

“What the hell are you doing here?” snapped Sasuke out of surprise.

“I should be the one asking you the same question, dumbass! What the hell are you
doing, dancing alone late at night with a mannequin?” mocked Deidara, smirking and
folding his arms.

“Great. I want you to meet somebody,” said Sasuke nervously, approaching Sakura, who
had turned back into a lifeless mannequin, “This is Sakura.”

“Well, Mrs. Hernandez,” sneered Deidara while talking to his right hand, “It seems like
this guy is way more insane than I am and left me a bit disappointed to lose that title.”
“No! You don't understand. She--” Sasuke hurriedly tried to explain the actual situation,
but his words were immediately stopped by Deidara.

“Don't say nothing. It's cool,” chuckled Deidara loudly, “It's obvious to this country girl
that you're an A-number one creative freak. Imagine pretending to be a stock boy when
you're a major artiste.”

Sasuke bit his lips and lowered his head in shame. Gosh, now everyone would believe
he’s truly beyond insane.

“I am so jealous. Some people may find you strange, but not me. I respect that. Create,
honey, create!” exclaimed Deidara with dramatic hand movements, “I'll leave you two
alone and go meet my girlfriend for our satanic ritual. I hope she doesn't mind.”

“No,” Sasuke cut in firmly, still feeling embarrassed by his previous predicament.

As Deidara left him alone, Sakura immediately transformed back into a human and
surprised Sasuke by patting his shoulders from behind.

Sakura giggled mockingly, as if she had just pulled off the greatest magic trick, leaving
Sasuke even more exasperated.

“Just when I think you're real, you vanish!” snapped Sasuke in frustration, waving his
arms theatrically.

“What's with you?” asked Sakura innocently, batting her eyelashes and looking into his
eyes with a mischievous glint.

“What's with me?” Sasuke groaned, gesturing to himself as if he were the main act in a
comedy show.

“Didn't I tell you? You're the only one who can see me like this,” Sakura stated firmly,
accompanied by a playful smile.

“That's not exactly fair, is it?” Sasuke retorted with mock indignation, folding his arms.

“Talk to them,” Sakura murmured seductively, her fingers playfully dancing on Sasuke’s
chin, making him feel like the reluctant star of an absurd late-night comedy skit.

….

5.

Sakura had already transformed her look, rocking black leggings paired with an
oversized baby blue sweater as they both stepped into the elevator.

“You’ve already heard so much about me,” Sakura cooed, her hand gently caressing
Sasuke's chest. “Mind if I ask about you?”
Sasuke promptly seized Sakura’s hand, deadpanning, “Please stop touching me.”

Undeterred, Sakura giggled, deepening Sasuke's scowl. “Your eyes say otherwise.”

“I don’t buy it,” Sasuke declared, avoiding eye contact.

“There’s so much sadness in your eyes,” Sakura surprisingly touched Sasuke’s cheeks,
gently turning his face towards her. “You can confide in me about anything.”

“How can I trust you?” Sasuke stared into her eyes, his heart racing.

“I told you, you’re the only one who can see me,” Sakura beamed.

Sasuke scoffed, “Damn!” He sighed loudly, “Fine. My life story’s definitely not interesting
at all. You might take a nap when you’re hearing it.”

“Of course not,” Sakura pouted adorably. “Why would I take a nap when I’m just a
mannequin? I can’t even sleep.”

“Gosh, you’re so clever with words,” Sasuke scoffed in disbelief, finding it hard to argue
with this bizarre girl—or mannequin—at all.

“I was born in downtown Shibuya,” said Sasuke nonchalantly with a deadpan

expression, “I have one brother and bad luck. End of the story.”

“What? It can’t be just like that?” exclaimed Sakura in disappointment, shaking Sasuke’s
hands like a little kid. “I want to hear more about you. Uhm, how’s your brother?”

“He’s fine, has a nice car and a nice flat. And he doesn’t care about me. Can you stop
nagging me, please? We’re almost there,” responded Sasuke indifferently, pointing to
the floor number display above the elevator door.

Sasuke couldn't help but find Sakura's puffed cheeks adorable, subtly smiling without
her even noticing.

Unbeknownst to both of them, Killer B, on a special mission from Kabuto, strolled the
third floor, eyes vigilant and steps brisk, accompanied by his obedient dog.

Killer B came to a sudden halt, and simultaneously, Rambo, his Rottweiler partner,
followed suit. "Do you hear something?" he asked, aiming his sharp ears toward the
source of the sound.

Rambo, however, was more interested in food than spy business, sticking out his tongue
and making a noise to express his hunger. His owner, caught up in espionage
excitement, had forgotten to feed him before the patrol.

"Wait a minute," whispered Killer B, placing his index finger on his lips while Rambo
just stared at him innocently.
Just as the anticipation heightened, the elevator bell rang, and the lift doors swung open.

"Okay, Rambo, get ready. Attack!" commanded Killer B loudly, pointing towards the
open lift.

Rambo dashed into the elevator with determination, but suddenly, the dog let out a
terrified yelp and sprinted out, leaving Killer B utterly perplexed.

"Rambo. What?!" exclaimed Killer B in frustration, but his dog continued fleeing in the
opposite direction.

Sasuke casually strolled out of the lift with an indifferent expression, carrying Sakura,
who had once again transformed into a mannequin.

Killer B raised his bat at the mannequin Sasuke was holding, "Stay there!"

Sasuke nonchalantly showed his palm in front of Killer B, saying, "Easy, sir. I don't think
she's armed."

The young man walked away, leaving a bewildered and frustrated Killer B behind.

Undeterred, Killer B entered the lift while grumbling, but he only stepped in as far as the
door threshold, glaring in Sasuke's direction. "You can fool Rambo, but it won't work
with me, Uchiha! My brain is quicker than a--" Before he could finish his sentence, the
elevator doors hilariously closed, trapping him in the middle. His tall frame awkwardly
caught between the closing doors, leaving him comically stuck.

Later, almost at the crack of dawn, Sasuke and Sakura found themselves inside the
third-floor window display. The current theme was a leisurely bike ride, a suggestion
undoubtedly proposed by Sakura. The mannequin girl had once again swapped her
attire, now donning a pink cycling outfit adorned with flower motifs. Sasuke was busy
ensuring that the pulley system, responsible for making the bicycle wheels of the other
mannequins move in sync, was functioning smoothly.

"I think we've outdone ourselves," exclaimed Sakura with a beaming smile and
amusement as she witnessed the decoration. The mannequin costumes were beyond
what she had envisioned.

"Yeah, this one's kind of fun," Sasuke said nonchalantly, remaining focused on his task.

Sakura then donned her pink cycling helmet and, with a small run, headed toward the
hidden pulley lever behind the curtain, "Ready?"

"Let her rip," murmured Sasuke nonchalantly. Suddenly, he was taken aback as the
pulley cord passing over him inadvertently tore his pants.
Sakura burst into hearty laughter, witnessing the mishap she caused, turning even the
usually nonchalant and cool guy embarrassed.

"Very nice," Sasuke quipped sarcastically, attempting to hide his reddening face.

The next morning, as the mall's operating hours proceeded as usual, the growing crowd
seemed both amazed and surprised by what the window display had to offer.

Sakura, now back in her mannequin form, stood out among the others with the cycling
theme. She was the sole mannequin sporting an all-pink ensemble. People busily
snapped photos of the impressive display, where the mannequins truly looked like real
cyclists with spinning wheels and a background of a summer mountain scene.

Tsunade, positioned at the back of the crowd, smiled proudly from a distance,
impressed by the creative and attention-grabbing display.

“Morning, Mrs. Tsunade,” Sasuke greeted nonchalantly, now wearing a fresh suit and
holding a cup of coffee.

“Morning, Sasuke,” Tsunade responded, a bit startled as she was engrossed in carefully
observing the display and hadn't anticipated this usually aloof young man to greet her
first.

“What do you think?” Sasuke asked curiously while standing beside the middle-aged
woman, “Isn’t it so hot that it's probably going to cause a meltdown?”

“Yes! Hot, smoking, burning, churning, whatever!” exclaimed Tsunade with hearty
laughter as she proudly patted the young man’s shoulders.

Sasuke secretly boasted a satisfied smirk, his eyes focused on Sakura.

On that sunny day, after a grueling work shift that left him sleep-deprived, Sasuke
finally seized a moment to rest in his bed. However, the prospect of relaxation eluded
him as strange dreams, which often disrupted his peaceful sleep, returned with peculiar
fragments featuring an unfamiliar young couple.

Yet, the pink-haired girl in the dream bore an uncanny resemblance to Sakura.

In the first fragment, Sakura and a young man adorned in traditional Japanese wedding
attire conducted a ceremony exchanging tea cups with intertwined hands. Their gaze
held intense, passionate love before sipping tea from each other's hands.

The second fragment revealed the man unveiling a red silk cloth covering a sculpture of
a woman, astonishingly similar to Sakura, complete with a kimono and pink hair. Sakura
looked speechless and awestruck.
The third fragment depicted the young man teaching Sakura to write kanji characters on
a large scroll with black ink. He intimately embraced Sakura from behind, his chin
resting on her narrow shoulders, while his right hand gently guided her in carefully
brushing one of the kanji characters onto the paper. Sakura laughed, turning to face him,
and he hugged her waist even tighter.

The fourth fragment unfolded in a lush palace garden during spring, cherry blossoms
falling on a couple riding horses together. Sakura sat in front, with the mysterious man
behind her, protecting her and holding the reins.

"Is it true that Cleopatra is more beautiful than me?" Sakura asked, smiling gently at the
man, whose face wasn't quite clear in Sasuke's dream.

"Yes, of course. Alexander the Great wouldn't have kneeled before her if she weren't as
perfect as a goddess," replied the man with a somewhat indifferent tone.

"Then why don't you go to Egypt and find a girl as beautiful as Cleopatra?" Sakura
teased, slightly annoyed and pouting.

A soft chuckle escaped the man's lips, "Now, the civilization of Egypt is considered
ruined because it's been taken over by the Ottoman dynasty," he explained gently, "And,
in my opinion, a woman's beauty is not a measure for a man to fall in love with her."

"You said Alexander kneeled to Cleopatra because she was very beautiful," Sakura
argued, murmuring.

The man smirked faintly, "Yeah, but there are other things that made her special. She
was very strategic in politics and smart in convincing people."

"Am I smart?" Sakura asked innocently. The man's smirk turned into a wider smile.

"Sometimes you're not," he teased, prompting the girl to playfully nudge his stomach.

"I'm just kidding, of course, you are a great learner, I must admit, Princess," said the
man while gently picking a cherry blossom petal that accidentally fell on her hair.

"Can you build a pyramid for me like in Egypt?" asked Sakura, purely out of flirtation.

The man chuckled in disbelief, "We need more than 10,000 men to build that giant
spectacle. Besides, we don't have as much sand from the Nile River."

"Hm, it's interesting that in every part of the world, there's something majestic built by
its people to remind others about someone they admire or love," said Sakura
thoughtfully.

Then, abruptly, a fragment of a dream showed the sculpture resembling Sakura being
destroyed and burnt until it was completely unrecognizable.
Later, a fragment of the young man getting stabbed in the stomach and being kicked and
punched multiple times until he became helpless appeared, making Sasuke furrow his
brows.

However, the fifth fragment became much calmer as he dreamt about the man and
Sakura walking side by side with their hands intertwined on the beach at sunset.

As they watched the sun set over the calm waves of the sea, the man then looked at
Sakura intensely, and the emerald pupils of the girl were vividly etched in Sasuke's
memory.

The man then placed his hand on Sakura's slender shoulder and never took his eyes off
her, "My princess, if the time has come. Please promise me this," he said sincerely.

Sakura furrowed her brow in confusion, questioning, "Promise you what, Your
Highness?"

Suddenly, the man's gaze shifted to a melancholic tone, concealing a sadness from the
girl.

"If the time has come, and we part ways," he said somberly, "Promise me you'll find me."

Sakura was left speechless, struggling to process the weight of her husband's words. She
could only nod weakly. The man offered a sad smile as he drew her closer, their
foreheads touching tenderly, the gentle breeze and the beautiful orange sky bearing
witness to their intimate moment.

Abruptly, Sasuke snapped out of his peculiar dream, the blaring ringtone from his phone
on a nearby desk serving as an unwelcome alarm. Cold sweat clung to his temples, and
he lazily wiped it away with the back of his hand. In a tired stupor, he fumbled for the
nightstand, retrieving his phone without rising from his prone position. His body, still
fatigued, resisted full functionality.

"Hello," he greeted wearily to the caller on the other end.

"Hi, Sasuke. Hi," a woman's voice chirped enthusiastically, a stark contrast to Sasuke's
drowsy state. "It's me, Karin," she continued with a cheerful tone, tinged with a hint of
flirtation. "I thought you weren't talking to me, so I called you first."

"Oh," Sasuke mumbled nonchalantly, still lingering in the haze of his roller coaster lucid
dream back to the Edo period.

"I wanted to see you. I want to know you're all right," Karin said with exaggerated
enthusiasm.

Sasuke yawned, "I gotta get some sleep. I work nights now, okay?" he responded lazily,
his voice hoarse.
"All right but get up in time for lunch. I'm taking you to Chez Jacques at 4:00. You know
where it is, right?" asked Karin, her anticipation palpable.

"Yeah, I was fired from that place once; I almost burned that joint down," Sasuke replied
nonchalantly.

"And please don't stand me up this time," pleaded Karin.

"Yeah, okay," murmured Sasuke, still half-shut eyes betraying his weariness.

"Bye," said Karin before ending the call.

Unbeknownst to Sasuke, in her office room, Karin beamed with excitement as her
efforts to persuade Sasuke for lunch had finally succeeded smoothly.

"He'll be there," Karin surprisingly turned to Orochimaru, who had apparently been
standing beside her even before she called Sasuke.

"Love that gal," Orochimaru smirked while gently tapping Karin's chin. Karin chuckled
proudly.

After mustering enough willpower to emerge from his slumber, Sasuke perched on the
edge of the bed, taking a moment to share his concerns with his mother over the phone.

"Mom, when I was growing up, did I ever do anything really strange?" Sasuke inquired
with frustration. He then wedged his phone between his shoulder and right ear while
re-dressing in his long pants.

Opening his wardrobe, he absentmindedly grabbed a plain white shirt. "Yeah, I know I
was always different. Let me ask you this: Is there any history of insanity in the family?"
he queried, furrowing his brow. "I know our family is different. But you know, like real
insanity?"

Placing the shirt on the bed, he retrieved a navy-blue suit jacket. "I mean, Grandma—
Grandma and Grandpa weren't half-brother and sister?" he continued rambling with
nonsensical worries that had crept into his mind ever since witnessing his own
mannequin magically come alive.

"No, I'm fine, Ma," Sasuke reassured while sitting back on his bed. "You know, you're
alone a lot. You start inventing things."

"Women, you know, a beautiful woman...," Sasuke insisted, hating the fact that saying it
made his cheeks blush for no reason, especially when thinking about his mannequin.

"Enough about me. How are you?" Sasuke inquired worriedly. "You ever have
hallucinations?"
He then scoffed irritably, "Brother? Yeah, I met him some time ago," blatantly lying to
cover up his growing distance from his older brother to his mom.

"Yeah, we’re fine. Totally. Don’t worry, Mom. We call each other a lot," he continued
lying while biting his lips.

"Oh, Grandma’s sick? Sorry, can’t come to visit. I have a night shift, Mom, decorating
windows at Prince & Co.," Sasuke said nonchalantly. "Don’t worry, this is a big deal.
Everyone loves it. Do you still remember Prince & Co., right? Okay, bye, Mom."

Sasuke tossed his phone onto the nightstand and sighed frustratingly. He knew that
continuously lying about the difficult situation between him and his brother to his own
mom would not end well in the future.

He then swiftly donned his shirt and blazer, stood for a moment in front of his large
mirror while quickly combing his hair, and sprayed some perfume before descending
the stairs.

At the opulent French restaurant, Sasuke, who had just graced the place with his
presence, was immediately taken aback by the sight of an elderly male waiter donning a
black wig and sporting rather scarce eyebrows.

“Hi, Mr. Edogawa,” Sasuke greeted with a stammer, “I see you're embracing the night-
time look during lunch. Looks good,” he blurted out, unintentionally offending the old
waiter.

“It's you,” the old man grunted, suddenly snapping, “The flambé terrorist.”

“Will you not be satisfied until you burn the whole place down?” he growled at Sasuke
again, who appeared unfazed.

“It was an accident,” replied Sasuke lazily, “I was just trying to add a little flair for the
customer.”

Their heated conversation was abruptly interrupted by Karin's voice calling from her
seat.

“Sasuke!” exclaimed Karin from her chair. She still wore a black formal dress and a pale
cream blazer, indicating she had just come from the office.

“You're here to dine?” Mr. Edogawa asked incredulously.

“That's right, old boy!” Sasuke sneered, smugly smirking and folding his arms
arrogantly.

“By the way, the eyebrows are growing back nicely,” Sasuke taunted with a mocking
chuckle, making the old man grumble in frustration.
Sasuke casually walked away from the old man and approached Karin.

“Sorry I'm late, I overslept,” Sasuke said coldly. He wasn't exactly thrilled about meeting
Karin, but the tone of her voice suggested there was something professionally urgent to
discuss, piquing Sasuke's curiosity.

“That's okay. You're only an hour late,” Karin said softly while playfully pulling Sasuke's
arm to sit beside her.

Sasuke nonchalantly pushed Karin's hand away and shifted his seating position slightly
to maintain a considerable distance between himself and the bespectacled woman.

Karin, undeterred, became more determined to flirt with Sasuke and inched herself
even closer to him.

Sasuke, feeling uneasy, folded his arms and crossed his legs, a visible frown etched on
his face.

“Just glad you made it. I love this place. It's so romantic,” Karin said with a blooming
smile, her gaze fixed on Sasuke, who showed no interest in looking at her even for a
moment, “They did a good job rebuilding the balcony. It went up like a Roman candle,”
she continued, taking off her glasses and sensually gazing in Sasuke's direction.

Unfortunately for her, Sasuke remained impassive, prompting Karin to sigh in

frustration. Undeterred, she persisted, attempting to improve her appearance by
tucking her hair behind her ear.

“Sasuke, it seems like I was all wrong about you. And I have a way of making it up to
you,” said Karin coquettishly, biting her plump lips, “I still offer you the same deal as
before. How would you like to be the chief window dresser at Illustra?”

Sasuke scoffed instantly, “You're kidding.”

“Word is out, Sasuke. You're hot!” exclaimed Karin, a bit too enthusiastically.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

“Can you imagine being at Illustra? Please think of the big opportunities you’ll get,
Sasuke!” Karin exclaimed again, gently shaking Sasuke’s shoulders.

Sasuke pushed away Karin’s hand, “They want me?” he asked sceptically.

“We want you,” Karin nodded quickly.

“What if I told you I had a little help?” Sasuke finally admitted that he wasn’t alone in
creating impressive window displays with all those creative ideas.
“Fine. There's two of you?” teased Karin flirtatiously while giggling, “You can bring him
along.”

“And what if I told you it was a very beautiful woman?” Sasuke asked curtly.

Karin succumbed to jealousy at the mention of another woman from her long-time
crush.

“I wouldn't mind. Not in the least,” Karin lied while stammering.

“I can't do it,” Sasuke shook his head, firmly rejecting Karin’s offer.

“Monday, we'll work together,” Karin deliberately ignored Sasuke’s rejection and smiled
beamingly.

“You're not listening,” Sasuke sneered indifferently.

“You can drive me to work. I miss that quirky little motorcycle of yours,” teased Karin
with a flirtatious smirk.

Sasuke suddenly got up, “I'm not taking the job,” he confirmed his refusal with a sharp
gaze.

“What? Why not?” exclaimed Karin, desperately grabbing Sasuke’s wrist.

"If there's one thing about me, it's loyalty," Sasuke declared firmly as he brushed away
Karin’s hand from his wrist.

“Sasuke, you're not seriously turning me down?” Karin exclaimed in disbelief, anger, and
disappointment.

“I'm not the same guy I used to be. I've finally found a place where I belong,” Sasuke
interjected bluntly.

“I'll see you around,” he said, intentionally leaving Karin behind.

As he briskly walked towards the exit, his streak of bad luck seemed to infect his
surroundings. He accidentally collided with a young waiter carrying a tray with a
flaming steak, causing the waiter to inadvertently toss the tray. It landed on the wig of
the old man who had earlier mocked Sasuke.

“Sorry,” Sasuke said indifferently, surprised to witness his former boss, who used to
belittle him during his time at the restaurant, experiencing a public embarrassment that
seemed like poetic justice.

“Sasuke, I assure you, you will regret this later!” Karin angrily shouted from her seat.

Sasuke only smirked smugly before making his exit from the restaurant.
…

Upon returning from the restaurant, Sasuke entered his apartment and immediately
approached Naruto, who was examining himself in front of a large mirror in the living
room, dressed in a suit. Naruto was whistling as usual while fixing his hair, generously
applying gel. His tranquillity was disrupted when Sasuke abruptly slapped his shoulder.

“Shit! Why do you like to startle me, huh?” Naruto protested. “Wow! You know, dobe!
I’ve seen you on TV! I’ve seen you on the internet! I’ve seen you everywhere with your
ugly mannequin! You practically became hot news now!” Naruto exclaimed,
spontaneously shaking Sasuke’s shoulders. An irritated Sasuke promptly shoved his
roommate’s hands away.

“Oi, Usuratonkachi. I once considered your advice back then to consult a psychiatrist. Do
you still have the number?” Sasuke asked with frustration.

“Oh, of course. Do you need a love doctor as well?” Naruto teased with a mischievous
grin.

Sasuke scoffed while rolling his eyes, “No thanks.”

Unbeknownst to Sasuke, a man from the kitchen approached the two of them.

“Sasuke, what’s wrong with you? Are you okay?” Itachi asked with concern, while
Sasuke only widened his eyes in disbelief. Why did his damn brother suddenly enter his
apartment?

“Ups, sorry, dobe! I thought he already told you beforehand,” Naruto teased with a
forced smile before Sasuke could throw him off the apartment building. “Besides, there’s
nothing wrong with occasionally having a small family reunion,” he continued with a
wry grin.

Sasuke sighed loudly, his head throbbing even harder. This was not how he envisioned
this evening.

“Haven’t I told you to kick him out if he dares to step in here?” Sasuke snapped loudly at
Naruto while placing his hands on his hips.

“Hey, calm down, mate,” Naruto said in surprise, gently patting the stubborn man’s
shoulder.

“Even your friend here is far friendlier to me than you, who happens to be my own
brother,” Itachi remarked.

“Get lost, Brother,” Sasuke retorted rudely.

Naruto looked between Itachi and Sasuke, who glared at each other fiercely, trying to
find the right excuse to escape this heated situation.
“Uhm, sorry, guys. Hinata is already waiting for me at her home. I need to meet her
parents, discussing our future engagement. Have a good fun!” Naruto exclaimed, hastily
leaving the cramped apartment in a panic, as if he had just seen a ghost.

Sasuke continued to glare sharply at his brother.

“Calm down, young man. Maybe we can be a bit more relaxed while drinking some
wine,” Itachi suggested, smiling as he approached his younger brother.

Sasuke had no choice but to follow his brother to the kitchen.

“Gosh, there are so many dirty dishes piled up. Didn’t any of you have time to wash
them?” Itachi teased when he glanced at the mountains of dishes in the dishwasher.

“Naruto just got promoted to junior manager. And I have a night shift,” Sasuke replied
nonchalantly, crossing his arms.

“Oh, yes, I saw you in the morning news,” Itachi said, turning to look at the fridge and
disappointed to find only cheap canned beer. “You know, I’m very proud of you. Finally,
you’re truly showing your extraordinary potential,” Itachi praised with a genuine smile
while taking out two beer cans from the fridge.

“I could actually wash all those piled-up dishes or wipe this slightly dusty dining table,”
Itachi commented casually, poking the dining table surface and feeling the dust on his
skin.

“You don’t need to bother with that, or your designer suit will be ruined,” Sasuke
retorted sarcastically.

“Too bad there’s no wine. But hey, we can drink this,” Itachi said, ignoring his younger
brother’s rude attitude. He then placed the two beer cans on the dining table and
opened one, casually taking a seat.

Sasuke stood frozen, still folding his arms and avoiding eye contact with his brother,
expressing how much he rejected his presence.

“I heard you rejected Karin’s offer to work at Illustra, is that true?” Itachi asked casually
while sipping his beer. “Hmm, honestly, it’s been a long time since I drank canned beer
from a convenience store,” he added, somewhat boasting about his lifestyle that was far
more elevated than his brother’s.

“How does it feel to drink wine at a five-star bar with hookers?” Sasuke sneered fiercely.
“It must be much better than being in my shabby apartment, right?”

Itachi chuckled in disbelief, “Well, my brother, I’ve never toyed with women like that.
I’m not some womanizer that you seem to believe.”

Sasuke disdainfully reverted his gaze again.

“I talked to father. He said he was proud of you after seeing you on TV and in the
newspaper,” Itachi immediately shifted the conversation, “and he also said sorry.”

“Really? That old scumbag told you like that?” Sasuke sneered in disdain.

“Just sit down,” Itachi said softly, gesturing for his stubborn little brother to calm down
and sit in front of him.

Sasuke scoffed in annoyance before hesitantly sitting down across his brother.

“You can’t talk to your own parent like that. After all, he’s your father,” Itachi reminded.

“I talked to mom,” Sasuke said after being completely silent for a while.

“Good,” commented Itachi nonchalantly while sipping his beer.

“She’s the only one who never judges me,” Sasuke murmured, contrasting his previous
snarky behavior; now his tone sounded more somber.

“Same here,” said Itachi abruptly, “I also never judge you.”

“You lie,” sneered Sasuke in disbelief.

“Well, I’ll prove you wrong. Tell me one of your darkest secrets,” Itachi challenged with
a soft smirk.

Sasuke unconsciously bit his finger, a habit when he’s nervous. He clearly couldn’t
openly admit that the mannequin he created somehow came to life and even spoke to
him, or Itachi would immediately dial the mental institution staff to take him to the
psychiatric hospital.

“Tch, You really haven’t changed, have you, my brother,” Itachi scoffed with a smirk,
“Tell me what bothers you. I’ll just listen. I swear.”

“It’s not me,” murmured Sasuke almost inaudibly. His gaze was directed to the kitchen
sink, avoiding his brother’s deep and concerned gaze for no reason.

“You what?” asked Itachi, confused.

“Forget it,” Sasuke frustratingly bit his lips and grabbed the untouched beer, opening it
forcefully.

“What happened to you? Did someone disturb your peacefulness until you need to call a
psychiatrist?” Itachi asked, genuinely worried.

“If I told you, you wouldn’t believe it anyway,” said Sasuke after quickly drinking his
beer.
“Why not? Sasuke, please don’t leave me hanging like this. You never call me, and you
always reject all my messages and calls. You always leave without a clear reason when I
visit you, and you’ll kick me out when I’m just in front of your apartment door. If you
keep closing yourself like this, you’ll keep tormenting your own family. You know?"
Itachi continued, trying to patiently advise his stubborn brother. “Have you ever cared
about Dad? About Mom? About Grandma? About me?” He continued with a disappointed
tone, “What if Dad gets sick? And do you know that our grandma is seriously ill in Kobe?
Have you ever thought for a moment to visit your grandma? To visit Dad and Mom?
Have you ever, even once, not been selfish and just thought about your miserable life?”

“Brother, please don’t make me feel guilty for distancing myself from a family that has
never supported me since the beginning,” Sasuke snapped with frustration, “this has
been my decision since I left home.”

“But we love you so much, Sasuke. Even though Dad opposes your life choices, he never
stops calling me and asking about you. ‘Are you okay in Tokyo? Are you hungry or not?’
And I’m tired of constantly lying to him that you’re fine, that your studies are going well,
and you’re working with me at Illustra, living together,” Itachi argued with pain in his
heart, “Until now, my door has always been open for you, my brother. But you keep
rejecting any form of love and affection that I try to give you as an older brother.”

“I don’t need your luxurious apartment or your sports car or your prestigious job at
Illustra,” sneered Sasuke coldly, “I have already been promoted as the visual
merchandiser at Prince & Co.,” he continued harshly.

“Cool. Now my stubborn brother really doesn’t need anyone and can stand by himself.
He definitely doesn’t need his family anymore,” said Itachi with disappointment and
heartache due to his brother’s harsh words.

“It’s not what I mean –“ Sasuke interrupted when Itachi proceeded to stand up.

“Maybe it was a mistake for me to try to make amends with you and visit your filthy
apartment. I should have attended an important dinner with board members in Kyoto
tonight,” said Itachi with disappointment.

“If you’re really my brother,” Sasuke suddenly said, “You won’t judge me when I tell you
something beyond reason?”

Itachi turned to his brother with confusion.

“In reality, it’s someone else who did all that,” Sasuke bit his lip hesitantly, “All those
impressive window displays, it wasn’t me.”

Itachi sat back down, confused and somewhat disbelieving, “What?”

“This might be hard for your logic to believe, but it truly happened,” Sasuke continued,
now boldly looking at his brother, “Back when I was still working at the factory, I made
a beautiful mannequin.”
“Yeah,” murmured Itachi curiously.

“And then I got fired, and she was bought by Prince & Co.,” Sasuke continued with a
serious expression.

“Okay,” Itachi sipped his beer again.

“And when I met her again, suddenly she came to life!” Exclaimed Sasuke.

Itachi almost spit out the beer he had just been drinking.

“What?” Itachi blurted out in disbelief. He then chuckled because he didn’t know how to
respond to this peculiar story.

Sasuke immediately scowled and averted his gaze in disdain, “Maybe I should call the
psychiatrist immediately.”

“Sorry, I know you’ve had a big imagination since you were a kid, Sasuke – and maybe
your humility avoids you from bragging about your achievements, but whatever
ridiculous story you make to mask your talent, I’m genuinely proud of you, and you
should know that,” Itachi smiled.

“No! This is real! Fine if you don’t believe me like everybody else. You can go screw
yourself now,” snapped Sasuke with frustration as he stood up.

“What about this beautiful magical mannequin you created huh? When or where do I
meet her?” Asked Itachi, standing up and approaching his brother.

“It’s only me who can see her alive,” retorted Sasuke while lowering his head.

Itachi chuckled softly, still finding it hard to believe his brother’s story, “Okay then,
please give her my regards,” he said while softly patting Sasuke’s shoulder.

“If you change your mind, you can move out to my apartment,” said Itachi before he left
his brother, “And don’t hang up my phone this time. Maybe you want to talk about your
amazing mannequin again. Bye, Sasuke.”

Itachi then walked past his brother, who still stood frozen in the kitchen. He picked up
his expensive coat lying on the sofa before leaving Sasuke’s apartment.

Sasuke reflexively turned back, suddenly overwhelmed by conflicting feelings as his

brother left. Nevertheless, he longed to be close to his brother again, like they used to
be, before his insecurities and pride built a barrier between him and his own family.

He remembered that tonight he had a night shift at the mall and hurriedly went upstairs
to his room to prepare.

…
6.

In Kabuto's quirky office, Killer B stood rigidly, ready to spill the beans on the peculiar
happenings from the previous night. His expression was so serious, it looked like he was
auditioning for an over-the-top role in a budget action film.

“There's some freaky stuff going down in the store at night, Mr. Kabuto,” declared Killer
B, his dramatics turned up to eleven.

The towering man cast a glance at his shivering dog under the table, sporting a
compress on its head. “Every time Rambo sees a mannequin, he gets so scared his little
pug tail comes right out his tiny mouth.”

Exhaling smoke, Kabuto, with his bespectacled coolness, remarked, “Big guy, you were
in the war, weren't you?”

Saluting with military precision, Killer B responded with gusto, “Airborne. Yes, sir!”

“Did you jump out of a plane and land on your face?” Kabuto teased, pointing his
cigarette at Killer B.

“Yes, sir!” came the bark, complete with an exaggerated military salute. However, a
puzzled expression suddenly crossed Killer B’s face. “I don't see what it has to do with
Rambo,” he said, glancing at his stressed and frightened dog.

Rambo whimpered weakly.

“Isn't it obvious Uchiha is behind all of this?” Kabuto grumbled, stubbing his cigarette in
the ashtray.

“That skunk!” growled Killer B.

“An eternal failure is putting together the most magnificent displays in town,” Kabuto
muttered irritably, taking another 'sip' of his cigarette with frustration.

“The bum!” snarled Killer B.

“You say you hear voices,” Kabuto said with exaggerated hand movements, “There's no
one there.”

“Just him and his dummies,” threatened Killer B with furrowed brows.

“Is someone helping him? Is he a ventriloquist?” Kabuto grumbled again, “Some kind of
mad genius?”

“Good questions all, sir!” exclaimed Killer B.

“Find out the answers!” snapped Kabuto impatiently.

“Yes, sir!” Killer B gave a salute. However, he glanced back at his dog under the table.
“What about little Rambo?”

“Screw your dog!” shouted Kabuto explosively, making Killer B flinch and tremble.

Shortly after, Killer B played the human bulldozer, ushering people out of the building
that night. "Let's go, people, clear out!" he commanded impatiently, shoving some folks
aside.

"Clear out, lady!" He unceremoniously pushed a woman out of the door.

"Stop pushing, okay? I'm going," protested the young woman with annoyance.

"Come on, Rambo! Tonight we nail that little fart blossom. On behalf of Capt. Kabuto and
the crew!" Killer B shouted in a villainous manner, dragging his dog, who still looked
weak and frightened.

In the beachwear section adorned with Caribbean beach-themed decorations, Sakura,

donned in a red bikini, was casually lounging on a beach mat spread over artificial sand,
savoring her orange ice.

“Oh, isn’t the weather today scorching, Sasuke?” Sakura teased, glancing at Sasuke, who
sat beside her with a weary expression.

"What's with all the tension, handsome?" Sakura whispered teasingly behind Sasuke,
her hands gently resting on his broad shoulders. This unexpected touch caused Sasuke
to jolt in shock.

"Good grief!" Sasuke exclaimed, sighing loudly, and burying his face in his hands.

Sakura, undeterred, suggested, "How about I give you a little massage?" She ran her
fingers along Sasuke's tense shoulders. "My husband loved the way I gave him a
massage," she added with a sultry whisper, making Sasuke shiver, his cheeks
unconsciously reddening.

"Definitely not! Thanks," Sasuke firmly refused, though he unintentionally allowed

Sakura's hand to linger on his shoulder.

"Do you ever say anything but 'no'?" Sakura protested, puffing her cheeks. Annoyed, she
turned away from Sasuke, laying on her back.

"My brother just visited me," Sasuke shared after a thoughtful pause, his gaze fixed on
the serene store.

"Oh, so?" Sakura replied nonchalantly, still upset about the rejection.
"I said some terrible things right to his face," Sasuke murmured regretfully, his gaze
somber and distant. "It definitely hurts him."

"What's that got to do with me?" Sakura retorted, sipping her orange juice.

"You're right. I'm just an arrogant little prick," scoffed Sasuke, mocking himself.

Sakura handed him a bottle of sun lotion. "I know what you men like to see to cheer up."
She raised her beach scarf, exposing her smooth thighs right in front of Sasuke.

Sasuke widened his eyes in shock and amusement. "Good God!"

Sakura giggled, finding Sasuke’s bluntness and coldness a facade to his true nature. "If
someone were willing to rub it on. It's a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it," she
teased with a mischievous wink.

"Just do it yourself, okay," Sasuke sulkily pushed back the sun lotion.

"Fine!" Sakura grumbled.

But she batted her eyelashes again, applying the lotion provocatively from her thighs
down to her ankles, intentionally rousing Sasuke.

Unconsciously, Sasuke was captivated by Sakura's enchanting charm, unable to look

away from her.

"See? That’s easy to fool men like you," teased Sakura with a chuckle.

Sasuke groaned in frustration, burying his reddened face in his hands.

"Pretending to act nonchalant with too much arrogance," Sakura sneered, teasing the
young man, "But still gawking at a woman’s leg like any other guy."

"Okay, you win, I admit defeat," Sasuke sighed, throwing his hands up in the air.

Surprisingly, Sasuke grabbed the sun lotion from Sakura and applied it to her face.

"Ouch! That's cheating!" Sakura protested, grabbing the lotion bottle and playfully
applying it to Sasuke's cheeks. Laughter echoed between them.

While the couple was lost in their flirtatious banter, little did they know that two
unwanted intruders were playing hide-and-seek behind the shoe display racks.

"We're alone," Karin sighed with relief, ensuring the coast was clear. Both she and
Suigetsu were cautiously peering from their covert positions.

"Alright," Suigetsu muttered with an air of indifference.

"So, here's the plan: find Sasuke, snap a pic of whoever this mystery woman is, and get
the heck out of here," Karin instructed with determination as she stealthily maneuvered
between the shoe racks.

"If we can't hire Sasuke, maybe we can at least buy her out," Karin added urgently, or at
least she thought she was addressing her co-worker.

"I don't know about you, but I've always wanted to make love in the middle of ladies'
shoe department," Suigetsu chimed in, attempting his signature crude humor. He
grabbed Karin's arm without permission, aiming for a flirtation that earned him an
instant shove from the irate woman.

Karin rolled her eyes in disgust. Bringing Suigetsu along seemed like a terrible idea.

"The smell of fine leather," Suigetsu dramatically sniffed the air while peeking between
the racks. Then, he teasingly almost unzipped his pants towards Karin, saying, "Can I
show you something in your size?"

Karin was appalled. "What?" she erupted in anger, accidentally making a ruckus.

In response, she slapped Suigetsu's mouth before swiftly crawling away from him.

Suigetsu mockingly scoffed, "You actually took me seriously?" before resuming his
stealthy pursuit.

Meanwhile, Killer B, vigilant and brisk, inspected the area near the shoe department,
dragging his exhausted dog along.

Unaware of the approaching chaos, Sasuke and Sakura continued their playful banter.

Mischievous Sakura covertly swiped an ice cube from her orange juice and slipped it
into Sasuke's pants pocket.

"You're gonna pay for that!" Sasuke smirked mischievously, a glint of amusement in his
eyes as he pulled Sakura into an embrace, positioning himself on top of her.

Suddenly, Killer B halted in his tracks, overhearing laughter and chatter from a man and
a woman in the distance.

"Stop it! Don't!" protested the woman's voice followed by raucous laughter.

"Mayday! Mayday, Rambo!" Killer B cried out in exaggerated panic, crouching down and
looking at his bewildered dog.

"Alright, boy. Show 'em what you're made of!" he smacked his dog's rear end harshly.

Then, pointing dramatically, he shouted, "Go get 'em!"

However, his frightened dog ran in the opposite direction, whimpering in fear.

"Rambo! This way!" Killer B grumbled, stomping his feet in frustration. He continued to
point his bat in a specific direction, declaring, "This means a court-martial!"

Karin and Suigetsu, stealthily navigating the upper floor, immediately halted in their
tracks.

"You hear that? That must be them," Karin whispered in surprise.

"I wish it was us," Suigetsu teased with a mischievous grin.

Karin rolled her eyes in irritation.

"Come on. We've got them," she urgently commanded Suigetsu, unintentionally pulling
his wrist. Suigetsu, with enthusiasm, followed Karin.

Meanwhile, Sakura, with an aggressive push, toppled Sasuke onto the carpet, dropping
her body on top of him.

"Give up?" teased Sakura, her hands on Sasuke's reddened cheeks.

"Never," Sasuke smirked smugly, rolling his body back on top of Sakura.

As they playfully rolled on the mat, their movements suddenly halted when Sasuke
realized there was a man approaching them out of thin air.

Sakura's body, now atop him, instantly reverted to being a lifeless mannequin. Sasuke's
hands, still passionately holding her waist, made the situation even more awkward.

Sasuke jolted in shock as he looked upside down at the tall, muscular man
condescendingly staring at him.

"Uchiha," Killer B barked with his artificially deep and menacing voice, "You are one sick
puppy," he sneered in disgust.

Simultaneously, Karin and Suigetsu, having just arrived via the escalator, were shocked
to find the man Karin had crushed on for a very long time engaged in an intimate
embrace with a lifeless mannequin.

"So, this is the young lady he dumped you for?" Suigetsu taunted with a half-laugh,
mocking Karin.

"Nice," Suigetsu whispered while capturing a photo of Sasuke with his mannequin using
the Canon camera hanging from his neck since earlier.

"Beauteous!" Suigetsu continued with a mocking tone, now recording the strangeness
before his eyes with his cellphone.
Karin touched her throbbing forehead, "I really should have listened to my gut. He's a
sicko."

Suigetsu couldn't resist the chance to mock and embarrass Karin further, "You should
be grateful not ending up with that freak, or when you make love to him, he will scream,
'Don't stop, woody'!"

Karin angrily shoved Suigetsu away, sending him tumbling down the escalator.

"My camera," she lamented her own decision to push him, realizing her expensive
brand-new camera had been destroyed. She quickly descended the escalator to check on
Suigetsu.

"No, this is how I get my inspiration," Sasuke stammered in response to the judgmental
and piercing eyes of Killer B. Sakura still lay perfectly in his embrace. "I create."

"I can tell by looking at you; you're not the artistic type," Sasuke continued, intentionally
mocking the tall guy.

"You know, Mr. Kabuto told me to keep an eye on you, but I think I'm gonna handle
things my own way," threatened Killer B, clenching his fist, and cracking his knuckles to
scare Sasuke.

Sasuke looked at him nonchalantly, showing no fear of his threat.

"Do you want to move your sweetheart?" sneered Killer B with his fists prepared to
finish Sasuke off.

Sasuke struggled to move Sakura's mannequin body, which turned out to be much
heavier than her human form. Unbeknownst to Sasuke, Killer B was ready to attack,
rolling up his uniform sleeves.

As Sasuke rose to his feet, Killer B swiftly punched him from behind, causing the young
man to fall forward. "That one was for Rambo!" roared Killer B explosively.

Killer B then tightly embraced Sasuke from behind and threw him forcefully towards
the wall. "This is for my Mama!"

Sasuke retaliated by delivering a strong punch to the tan man's face, causing him to fall
backward onto the display of women's swimwear.

As Sasuke grabbed Killer B’s shirt collar and punched his face with full force, Killer B
kicked Sasuke's stomach with his knee. He then grabbed Sasuke's collar and threw him
into the display of sports equipment, causing the items to scatter as Sasuke's body
crashed into them.

Filled with anger, Sasuke attempted to attack Killer B again, but the man tripped
Sasuke's leg and sent him falling hard to the floor.
"Uchiha, I'm gonna knock you into the middle of next week!" threatened Killer B as he
roughly pulled Sasuke's body and grabbed his shirt. He then struck Sasuke's face,
causing blood to spill from his lips.

Sasuke was pushed backward and fell onto a display of tennis rackets. As he groaned in
pain, Killer B grabbed his bat from his belt and disdainfully slapped it against his palm
while approaching Sasuke with an intimidating gaze.

"Is that all you can do, loser?" mocked Killer B condescendingly while spitting out. He
aggressively swung his bat towards Sasuke, but fortunately, Sasuke managed to avoid it
quickly, causing the tall guy to hit the decoration made of cork.

Sasuke ran to evade Killer B, who became more aggressive, swinging his bat in all
directions, damaging various items and decorations in the sports department.

When Killer B's bat nearly hit Sasuke's face, suddenly someone kicked the muscular
man from behind, causing him to tumble and knock over one of the gym equipment
before falling into a display of soccer balls arranged like a pyramid, scattering them on
the floor.

Sasuke was surprised to find Sakura not only alive but also the one who had confronted
Killer B.

"How'd you do that?" stammered Sasuke, quickly approaching Sakura, surprised to see
Killer B collapsed.

"I was standing behind him; he didn't see me," explained Sakura with a faint smile.

"Teach him to mess with a man and his mannequin," murmured Sasuke in shock and
disbelief while clutching his hair.

Later that night, Sakura had changed into a skydiving pink suit, complete with skydiving
goggles, as she swiftly strolled through the equipment room, riding her bike. Meanwhile,
Deidara whistled casually while painting a wooden eagle-shaped decoration.

Sakura passed behind Deidara, making him startle in surprise, thinking someone was
behind him. However, he was disappointed to find no one there at all. Deidara scoffed
and continued with his work. Soon after, Sasuke struggled to catch up with Sakura as he
swiftly rode his bike behind Deidara.

Deidara turned around, once again unable to find anyone behind him, as Sasuke quickly
disappeared from the area. Deidara sighed, shook his head, and wondered if there was
something wrong with his eyes. He then picked up yellow sunglasses with a weird shape
from his pocket, put them on, and resumed his work.

Sakura continued to stroll down the hall until she stopped her bike when she noticed a
large parachute plane hanging from the hall ceiling. She took off her goggles, captivated
by the sight of the plane, serving only as a decoration.
"Wow!" murmured Sakura in both disbelief and amusement.

A few moments later, Sasuke arrived at the spot where Sakura left her bike and was
confused when he didn't find the mannequin girl around.

"Hey! Where'd you go?" shouted Sasuke in panic, still on his bike. Unbeknownst to him,
Sakura was flying with the parachute plane.

Sasuke immediately looked back and was shocked to see Sakura flying with the
decorative plane without any safety equipment.

Sakura waved happily at Sasuke, smiling, as the plane carried her from the fourth floor
of the giant mall building.

In awe, Sakura looked at the deserted and old-fashioned mall from the height.

Meanwhile, Sasuke ran down the emergency stairs in panic to reach the ground floor.

The plane circled in the air before gradually descending to the lower floor.

"Sakura!" echoed Sasuke's desperate cries throughout the empty mall.

At the same time, the awakened Killer B appeared from the elevator, dragging his dog.

"This is your last chance!" threatened Killer B angrily. "We take him, or we die trying!"
he yelled in frustration, grabbing his bat from his belt but accidentally throwing it
several meters away.

He hurriedly stepped forward, dragging his dog towards the source of the noise.

"Sakura!" shouted Sasuke, holding his aching stomach from running down dozens of
stairs. Gasping for breath, he continued down the stairs, searching for the girl.

As Sakura was about to land on the ground floor, she was surprised to see the menacing
security guard and his annoying dog blocking her way.

Killer B shielded his face with his arms as Sakura intentionally directed her plane
towards them.

Sasuke was shocked to hear a loud crash from the ground floor and ran down the stairs
as quickly as possible towards the source of the sound.

"Sakura!" He was startled when he saw the plane Sakura had ridden falling on the
ground floor near the kids’ clothes department.

Panicking, he lifted the plane's wings and helped Sakura out. Instead of being anxious or
scared, Sakura screamed hysterically and grinned broadly as if she had just won a bet, "I
did it! I flew! I really flew!"
"Are you all right?" Sasuke, in panic, held Sakura's narrow shoulders and forcibly made
her look at him.

"Terrific, incredible, I feel great!" cheered Sakura with satisfied laughter. Finally, she
could do what she always wanted in her life—fly.

"Did you see how high I was?" she exclaimed happily, pointing upwards.

Sasuke was even more surprised to find Killer B lying unconscious on the floor, covered
in kids’ clothes.

He then heard a dog's whimper from above and widened his eyes to find Rambo stuck
on the hanging decoration with a basket, whimpering in terror.

"Come on, let's get outta here," commanded Sasuke, immediately grabbing Sakura's
slender wrist.

He was surprised to find Sakura collapsing in his arms due to shock.

"I told you that height was no good for anyone," Sasuke sighed, carrying her bridal-style
away from the scene.

Later, they ended up hiding behind piles of bear dolls in the toy section. Sakura lay on
his chest while Sasuke wrapped his arm around her.

"I just had a thought. You think we should name our first kid Pinocchio?" teased Sakura,
who was already conscious and changed into a pink baby doll dress, snuggling closer to
Sasuke.

Sasuke surprisingly caressed Sakura’s pink hair gently. He couldn’t deny his feelings for
this bizarre girl anymore right now.

“What if it’s a girl?” whispered Sakura while smiling. She then looked up at Sasuke who
secretly smiled gently at her, “Sasuke, are you sure this is right for you?”

“I'm positive,” whispered Sasuke nonchalantly. “What about you? You've waited a long
time. How do you know you're not missing something better 400 years later?” he looked
at Sakura’s eyes intently.

“Nothing could ever be better than being here with you,” murmured Sakura with a
gentle smile.

“This is one guy who's never gonna leave your side,” stated Sasuke, almost kissing the
girl’s lips before she suddenly jolted in shock.

“The window!” she exclaimed in panic and quickly removed Sasuke’s hand from her
shoulders.

“Oh God!” Sasuke followed, exclaiming in panic.

“Come on, come on!” Sakura then grabbed Sasuke’s hands, who quickly followed her
running frantically to the window display.

Sasuke was confused and panicked when he saw the decoration was still a mess, and the
other mannequins lay disorganized.

“It's almost sunrise. We can't possibly finish it!” panicked Sakura while grabbing a scarf
from a fallen mannequin on the floor.

“Don't worry about a thing,” said Sasuke nonchalantly while inspecting some costumes
for mannequins hanging behind the window display.

“But we'll never dress the mannequins in time!” shouted Sakura, still in panic.

She was confused to see Sasuke smirk smugly at her. Unbeknownst to Sakura, a bolt of
an idea occurred to the man.

Before long, the mannequins were positioned as if they were running in a hurry to catch
a passing bus, still in their pyjamas and underwear as if they woke up late and ran out of
time to dress properly. Near the traffic light decoration that alternated between red,
yellow, and green, Sakura, who had returned to being a mannequin, appeared to be
wearing a stylish female police uniform and seemed to be stopping traffic. The lifelike
bus decoration with the inscription 'Downtown Express' was behind Sakura, with a
male mannequin as the driver.

The growing crowd pushed and shoved to get a close look at the display, raising their
phones to capture the uniqueness.

At the same time, Deidara with his eccentric black sunglasses was seen walking through
the crowded crowd. As he approached the display, he stared at it in sheer bewilderment.

“That's right! Absolutely scintillating! Beyond genius!” chanted Deidara, echoing the
sentiments of the impressed onlookers. He suddenly jolted in surprise upon seeing
Orochimaru standing behind the crowd, enviously watching the window display with a
bunch of his bodyguards surrounding him. Beside the androgynous-looking man stood
Uchiha Itachi, looking sleek in his designer black blazer, carefully and proudly
inspecting the display created by his little brother. Certainly, he hid his amused smirk
behind his palm so Orochimaru wouldn’t see it and suspect him of being on his brother’s
side.

“It sucks,” sneered Orochimaru with disdain.

“Fool,” Deidara retorted mockingly before casually walking past him.

Orochimaru then whispered something in Itachi's ear, and with hesitation, Itachi
nodded his head.

…
7.

Kabuto hurriedly marched through the ground floor hall with his new suit and work
bag. His perfectionist tendencies, even toward the smallest things, often impeded his
progress. Spotting a tilted makeup section lamp, he tried to straighten it, but in the
process, the lamp lost balance, and he ended up breaking the handle. Frustrated, Kabuto
left the scene behind and continued walking briskly.

His steps came to a halt again as he encountered a crowd gathered around Killer B, who
had fainted in the middle of the kids’ clothes section, covered by several garments.

“It’s not lunchtime yet!” Kabuto shouted anxiously, attempting to subtly disperse the
unwanted crowd. “Let’s not dally!” he urged, gesturing for everyone to move along.

“Wanker!” Kabuto grumbled angrily as he saw Killer B nonchalantly snoring. Frustrated

that the big man didn’t wake up, Kabuto hit his face with the work bag he was carrying.

“What happened?” jolted Killer B in shock, instantly widening his eyes.

“Why don’t you tell me?” snapped Kabuto smugly.

“Where’s Rambo?” asked Killer B, showing more concern for his dog than his own boss.
He was shocked to find his dog still sitting on the basket hanging above him.

“It’s that Uchiha,” grumbled Killer B, blaming Sasuke for his dog’s predicament. He then
turned grumpily to his boss, “I caught him doing awful things to a half-naked dummy.”

Suddenly, Tsunade, passing by, stopped in front of the two men and scolded her
manager, “Kabuto! Is this your idea of a security guard?”

“I assure you I had nothing to do--,” Kabuto’s defense was immediately cut short by
Tsunade’s anger.

“You hired him, you fire him!” snapped the blonde-haired woman.

“What if he’s telling the truth? What if that Uchiha wanker Sasuke was a total freak,”
Kabuto argued, trying to convince Tsunade against Sasuke once again, “Our store’s
reputation might be at risk then,” he continued firmly.

“How can you think that?” protested Tsunade in disbelief.

Kabuto sighed, trying hard to remain composed, “The man is a lunatic, but I’ve never
known him to lie,” he pointed at Killer B.

“He’s absolutely right,” stated Killer B, still lying on the floor.

“What are you talking about? Kabuto, this store has never been more successful. It’s all
due to Uchiha Sasuke!” argued Tsunade, expressing her disagreement and bias toward
the young man openly, “He can put a rubber glove on his head and run naked in the
store yelling: Hi, I’m a squid!” she continued with sheer determination.

Kabuto rubbed his dizzy forehead when Sasuke approached Tsunade from behind with
his typical smugness.

“Hi. Morning, Mrs. T.,” greeted Sasuke with a deadpan expression.

“Hello, Sasuke,” greeted Tsunade, startled to find the young handsome man approaching
her out of nowhere. “This morning’s window is your most brilliant yet,” praised
Tsunade genuinely.

“Thank you,” replied Sasuke without a smile. He then looked nonchalantly at both
Kabuto and Killer B and the commotion around them. “What happened here?” he asked,
pretending to be indifferent as if he didn’t have any idea about what happened last
night.

“God only knows,” said Tsunade with a frustrated sigh.

“Killer B, did you try and take Omaha Beach all by yourself, again?” she continued
berating the useless security guard.

“I was doing what Mr. Kabuto told me to,” Killer B claimed, pointing towards Kabuto
with fear.

“I never said anything,” denied Kabuto with a frustrated expression while adjusting his
glasses.

“Is that right? Kabuto when you take Killer B to get his last paycheck and get your own
as well!” snapped Tsunade angrily, pointing at both of them in turn.

“Mrs. Tsunade, you may be our grande dame, but I’ve had serious doubts about a
woman your age running this store,” sneered Kabuto, revealing his cunning nature
behind the sweet words he usually used to flatter his boss. “I’ll appeal to the board,” he
continued protesting.

“I can’t imagine you’re appealing to anybody!” retorted Tsunade in anger, “Don’t mess
with this old chick, mister! Just pack it up!”

She then turned to Sasuke with a smile, “Sasuke, let’s go,” she urgently asked, “And get
that dog out of the basket!” she continued with utter irritation while pointing at Rambo,
who was still stuck at such a height above them.

Rambo barked loudly from above.

Sasuke smirked mockingly at both Kabuto and his security guard, making both men
even more exasperated.
When Sasuke left with Tsunade, Killer B quickly stood up and barked, “You can’t do this!
We’ll file a grievance with the union!”

Killer B surprisingly patted Kabuto’s shoulders harshly and made the bespectacled man
quickly shove his hand away in disgust, “You’re not in a union, you idiot!” sneered
Kabuto in annoyance.

The trending news article on the internet showcased Sasuke’s handsome photo with
cool sunglasses, accompanied by headlines that stated, ‘OPEN DOOR TO PROFITS: New
Designer Attracts Crowds!’

Upon the article’s release, Tsunade couldn’t have been more proud and grateful. This
legendary mall, open for a hundred years, finally revived its glory thanks to the
incredible yet peculiar young man named Uchiha Sasuke. The crowds outside and inside
the store building grew larger every single day. Tsunade expressed her appreciation by
hugging Sasuke proudly and patting his back after the meeting with the board members,
“We got 98% profit this year. I can’t say thank you enough. My late father will definitely
be proud of you for saving the store my grandfather built from scratch!”

“Thank you,” said Sasuke with a faint smirk. Finally, he received recognition and respect
from others after years as a struggling artist.

Later in the middle of the night, Sakura was seen helping him create new window
display decorations with a cloudy beach theme. Sakura pulled a light blue fabric flown
by a hidden fan, making it resemble the waves of the beach. Sasuke, from behind the
window, brought a white sliding board and placed it on the rippling fabric. Sakura
suddenly climbed onto the sliding board and pretended to slide down. Sasuke, who now
loved to play along with her antics, followed suit behind her, secretly holding her waist.
Sakura chuckled happily as he leaned his chin on her shoulders.

The next day, Sasuke was casually strolling through the warehouse corridor carrying his
mannequin. He hoped no one would see him entering the hidden warehouse with a
mannequin. Unfortunately, his newfound popularity attracted the attention of other
staff members, mostly women, who discreetly eavesdropped behind the warehouse
door. Surprisingly, Deidara led the nosy crowd and instructed the women to remain
silent while he stood at the forefront right in front of the door, listening attentively to
what was happening inside.

Shortly after, to Sasuke’s surprise, he emerged from the warehouse door carrying his
mannequin and was shocked to find a large crowd eavesdropping in front of the door.

“Hi there, Sasuke,” Deidara greeted, trying to suppress his laughter after hearing Sasuke
seemingly talking to himself inside the storage, “I didn’t know you were in there.”

“Excuse me,” Sasuke said, feeling flustered as he suddenly became the center of
attention.
“That’s lovely,” smirked Deidara, followed by laughter from the women surrounding
him.

“What the hell are you people doing?” snapped Sasuke in annoyance before rushing past
the crowd, who continued whispering and discussing his peculiarity.

On the same day, another trending news article at number two, titled “Orochimaru
Claims Setback Temporary: Illustra Profits Down 49%!” featured Orochimaru’s photo
looking condescendingly at everyone reading the article.

In stark contrast to the bustling crowds flocking to Prince & Co. mall, the once lively and
packed Illustra mall had transformed into emptiness.

In a luxurious meeting room, Orochimaru angrily threw an iPad pushed toward him by
his assistant, which fell to the floor after reading the negative article about himself on
the internet.

“What the fuck is happening with you?” snapped Orochimaru angrily while tossing all
the document papers on the table.

“Have you seen the latest figures, children? 89 percent!” shouted the androgynous man
with fiery outburst, “Sales are down 89 percent! Prince and Company is going through
the roof!” he continued to express his frustration to everyone at the meeting room.

He let out a deep sigh while clutching his forehead, “All right. Now, I want this to stop,
children. And if it doesn’t, so help me God!” he bellowed in frustration, “You are all dead
meat!”

“Sir, Suigetsu had just captured the most bizarre thing ever,” Karin stammeringly
interrupted her boss in the middle of his outburst.

Itachi, who was oddly quiet during the entire meeting, suddenly turned his head at the
bespectacled woman.

Suigetsu nodded quickly multiple times with a frightened expression. His right hand
appeared to be wrapped in a cast, while his nose was fractured, and there was a
bandage on his forehead from a few days ago when Karin intentionally pushed him
down the escalator.

“Please don’t fool me, Karin!” snapped Orochimaru with intensity.

“Of course, I don’t,” Karin firmly stated with a bit of nervousness. She then took out a
large brown envelope from her MiuMiu bag and placed it on the table.

Suigetsu grinned mischievously while looking at Karin, who smirked smugly.

Impatiently, Orochimaru took the envelope and opened it quickly. He was surprised and
displayed a cunning smile as he saw several printed photos presented by Karin.
“Voila! This is it, children!” exclaimed Orochimaru, now with emotions that turned 180
degrees, in complete contrast to his previous outburst.

He then dramatically threw the photos on the table until they scattered on it. Itachi
curiously picked one of the photos and was utterly shocked to find his brother
intimately hugging a half-naked female mannequin who was on top of him.

Orochimaru smirked maliciously while wrapping his arms around the still shocked and
disbelieving Itachi. “Your skunk little brother really has a peculiar kink, Itachi,” mocked
Orochimaru right in Itachi’s ear, sending shivers down his spine.

“This is probably just a misunderstanding,” Itachi tried to defend his brother.

“Of course, you do,” Orochimaru laughed loudly. “That stupid and useless little brother
of yours only brings down the Uchiha’s dignity,” he continued to mock Itachi. “How
many times have I told you to stop defending him!”

“I’m not defending him, sir. It’s just—” Itachi bit his lip, realizing his mask had slipped.

“Your loyalty to me is being tested here, Uchiha,” sneered Orochimaru as he leaned back
in his seat with both legs on the table. “Karin, make sure the photos are out in every
corner of the world!”

“Alright, sir!” Karin, succumbed by both jealousy and disappointment because her crush
turned out to love a mannequin, tried to alleviate her heartache by assisting
Orochimaru’s malicious intentions.

“We also got the videos, sir!” exclaimed Suigetsu with a proud smirk despite his injury.

“Good!” chirped Orochimaru with hearty laughter. “Make sure it’s all over the internet
soon!”

“Ready, sir!” responded Suigetsu enthusiastically. Itachi could only lower his head and
deeply sigh.

“Why the grump, Uchiha? Don’t worry, it will just cause your brother to be unemployed
and mocked by the world. You’ll end up like him if you ever betray me. Do you get it?”
snapped Orochimaru.

“This isn’t fair, sir,” Itachi protested desperately. “We should focus on competing with
Prince & Co, and not destroying someone’s career!”

“I gave you two choices,” sneered Orochimaru in irritation at Itachi’s objection. “Defend
him and get fired with a blacklist or be on my side and get promoted. Easy peasy.”

Itachi shook his head; he was in a big dilemma. He definitely couldn’t let his career,
which he had built from scratch, be ruined, but he also couldn’t let Orochimaru
embarrass his brother in public.
Later that night, while Sasuke was busy painting the decorations with Sakura inside the
window, he received a sudden call from his brother.

Sasuke hesitated briefly before reluctantly accepting the call, his expression betraying
confusion.

“Why don’t you stop that thing from ringing?” Sakura questioned, puzzled by Sasuke’s
reaction.

“I can’t pick it up; it’s my brother calling,” Sasuke replied disdainfully.

“Why not?” Sakura asked innocently, batting her eyelashes.

Sasuke groaned, scratching his head in frustration before reluctantly accepting the call.
“What?”

“Sasuke, I don’t know what led you to this point, but I’m prepared for the possibility of
that mannequin becoming my sister-in-law,” Itachi sneered, adding to Sasuke’s
bewilderment.

“What?” Sasuke exclaimed, furrowing his brows.

“I have no idea where they got those pictures,” his brother said with a more serious
tone.

“What are you talking about?” Sasuke asked, genuinely confused. He stole a glance at
Sakura, who looked at him with curiosity.

“It might come out soon. Maybe next week, maybe tomorrow,” Itachi continued, leaving
Sasuke bewildered. “I suggest you behave more appropriately with your mannequin, or
you and Prince & Co.’s reputation will be at risk.”

“Please tell me what’s going on, brother,” Sasuke said in frustration.

“Someone took a photo of you being frisky with the mannequin,” Itachi revealed with a
deep sigh. “I know you love making mannequins, but this is not what I expected from
you.”

“If you called me just to mock me, I’d be better off continuing working,” sneered Sasuke
in annoyance.

“I’m calling to warn you, Sasuke. This will put you at risk,” Itachi expressed concern. “As
an older brother, there’s nothing more I want than to ensure my baby brother is
recognized for his talents. After all this time, you put your career and reputation in
jeopardy? And it’s not just you; it’s also Prince & Co.”

“Don’t worry; everything will be fine,” Sasuke said nonchalantly. “I will find a way out of
this situation.”
“I hope so,” responded Itachi in disbelief. “Good night, Sasuke.”

Sasuke put his phone back into his pocket, his expression both miserable and worried.

“Is there anything wrong?” Sakura asked, gently touching Sasuke’s tense shoulders.

Sasuke shook his head. “Just a little family problem.”

“Are you sure? Your expression says otherwise,” Sakura said with concern, gently
touching both of Sasuke’s cheeks.

“There’s nothing to worry about, I promise,” Sasuke lied, caressing Sakura’s fingers
delicately. He gazed at her while fake smiling.

The next afternoon, Sasuke received an urgent call to attend a confidential meeting with
the board members. Entering the room, he found members older than him and Tsunade
waiting with proud smiles.

“Sasuke, it is my honor to inform you that starting Monday morning, you’ll be the
youngest vice president ever at Prince and Company,” Tsunade announced with a
beamed smile. “Congratulations!”

All members applauded in unison. Sasuke, confused yet excited, said, “I don’t know what
to say.”

“Say, ‘Thank you,’” instructed Tsunade.

“Thank you!” Sasuke exclaimed with a wider smile than usual.

“Long live Prince and Company!” cheered Tsunade, raising her wine glass. All members
followed suit.

“Cheers!” everyone in the room exclaimed simultaneously before sipping their wine.

….

Karin surprisingly appeared at Orochimaru’s office room accompanied by Suigetsu for

secret meetings.

“I’ve been in this business for 20 years,” said Orochimaru while still busy inspecting the
photos of Sasuke hugging the mannequin, as if finding secret amusement in them. “Hell,
half the guys in this store probably wear lace underwear, but this….,” he then flicked his
fingers towards the image, “We’re talking a Sunday drive into some serious dementia.”

“It’s our move now,” stated Orochimaru with a mischievous smirk.

“I’d do anything for Illustra, but these pictures could kind of ruin his life,” Karin said
hesitantly, biting her red lips.
“Karin, I’d never ruin anyone’s life,” stated Orochimaru, looking at her intently while
folding his hands beneath his chin, “I would, but only if it were absolutely necessary,” he
then chuckled smugly.

“Oh, Karin, you’re not developing a conscience on me, are you?” mocked Orochimaru.

Karin hesitantly shook her head, “No, I don’t think so.”

“Good,” Orochimaru playfully tapped Karin’s shoulders.

He then lit up his cigarette and exhaled quickly, “Anyway, actually I don’t want to ruin
his life. I just want to hire him and give some threats to that stubborn Itachi, so he won’t
dare to stab me from behind,” stated Orochimaru with an evil smirk. He then continued
with a chuckle, “And now I know how.”

Meanwhile, at Prince & Co. building, Sasuke was seen carrying the mannequin Sakura
towards the restroom.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Uchiha,” greeted a male staff whom Sasuke didn’t recognize,
bowing down politely.

“Hi,” murmured Sasuke without smiling, bowing down slightly before quickly walking
past him as if in some sort of urgency.

It’s revealed that Sasuke was heading to the restroom to secretly talk to Sakura.
However, after he arrived in front of the restroom, he was momentarily confused
whether to enter the men’s or women’s restroom.

Making sure no one was following him; Sasuke sneakily entered the women’s restroom.
He was surprised to see the middle-aged female staff walking towards the exit, and they
nearly collided.

“Miss Nanako, hi,” greeted Sasuke nervously.

“Please, Sasuke, it’s all yours,” surprisingly Nanako answered politely, moving aside to
allow Sasuke to enter.

“Thanks. Men’s room is broken,” Sasuke stammered, continuing his steps.

“Of course, dear, whatever you say,” Nanako said with a smile.

“Congratulations, by the way,” Nanako shouted before Sasuke closed the restroom door.

“Thank you,” Sasuke murmured with a nervous grin.

Inside the women’s restroom, Sakura instantly turned human and sat down near the
sink. She was confused, watching Sasuke quickly peek beneath the toilet cubicle, making
sure no one was inside, overhearing their conversation.
“You won’t believe what Mrs. Tsunade and the board just told me,” Sasuke said in
excitement, contrasting his usual nonchalant demeanor as he grabbed Sakura’s petite
shoulders, “Vice president!”

“Sasuke, that’s wonderful!” Sakura exclaimed with a smile, immediately hugging him
tightly.

Unbeknownst to Sasuke, behind the restroom door, Nanako hadn’t truly left and was
eavesdropping. She called two passing female staff members, Kazuha and Moni.

“He’s talking to the dummy again!”

Both women eagerly and curiously joined Nanako in listening.

“Nobody deserves it more. I knew this would happen for you,” Sakura exclaimed
joyfully, while affectionately stroking Sasuke’s hair.

“Creative freedom, practically my own boss,” Sasuke, not realizing he was smiling
widely as if he wasn’t himself anymore, continued, “maybe some World Series tickets.”

He then looked at Sakura intently, his smile suddenly faded.

“All right, I’m sorry. I’m going on and on,” his tone suddenly shifted to be more anxious,
“I couldn’t do this without you. I won’t take the job unless we can be together.”

“Sasuke…,” Sakura looked at him sadly while caressing his cheek, “you can’t worry about
what will happen to us.”

“What does that mean?” Sasuke furrowed his brows in confusion.

Surprisingly, Sakura gently touched Sasuke’s lips as she leaned forward to kiss him.

Sasuke instantly welcomed her kiss, and they passionately melted into each other’s lips.
Unconsciously, he held both of Sakura’s cheeks as their kiss grew warmer.

Meanwhile, outside the restroom, Deidara suddenly appeared wearing eccentric

sunglasses on just one side.

“Girls, please, let’s not be catty,” Deidara warned the female staff around him. “I simply
will not tolerate eavesdropping unless I’m a part of it. I assume that little worm is in
there,” he smugly smirked.

“You can’t go in. He’s got company,” Nanako warned, “If you know what I mean.”

“And who do you think introduced them?” Deidara protested with a scoff.

With dramatic hand gestures, Deidara arrogantly dismissed the female staff, who
immediately shifted to give him space to enter, as if he were a king or something.
After the peculiar man entered, the women resumed their eavesdropping activities.
Inside, Deidara was suddenly surprised to see Sasuke passionately kissing his
mannequin’s lips.

“At least she’ll never say your hips are too fat,” Deidara scoffed with a sarcastic laugh,
startling Sasuke.

“Deidara! Jeez, listen –“ Sasuke nervously stammered as someone caught him in this
nonsensical act with the lifeless mannequin.

“You know I would never bother you when you’re getting a piece of wood,” Deidara
abruptly cut off Sasuke’s words, “but this is muy importante. Your Deidara needs help.”

“What’s up?” Sasuke pretended to act nonchalant, though his cheeks still blushed due to
embarrassment.

“I need your creative muse. I’ve always thought of myself as hot stuff, the very best at
what I do,” Deidara complained as he sat next to Sakura.

Sasuke tousled his hair and bit his lip, hoping Deidara wouldn’t spill this secret to
anyone else working in this place.

“But seeing you, let’s just say it, I’m dirt,” Deidara complained again. Sasuke’s focus was
once again disturbed as he stared at Sakura’s lips, struggling to swallow saliva.

“Mold me. Shape me. I’m a fast learner,” Deidara pleaded desperately. He then stood up
and shockingly tugged Sasuke’s collar, “Please, Sasuke, do not let them turn me out into
that dark night alone.”

“We can talk about designs and stuff,” Sasuke casually refused while embracing Sakura’s
neck, “but when I work, I gotta work alone.”

“Of course. I understand perfectly,” Deidara sneered in disappointment, “You’re an

artiste, and that’s the way you work. I can respect that.”

Sasuke was taken aback as Deidara dramatically buried his face, letting out cries of
frustration.

“Jesus, Deidara, listen, don’t worry. You can work as long as you want here; I’m a vice
president now,” Sasuke tried to calm the flamboyant man down while hesitantly
touching his shoulder. However, Deidara cried even louder and tried to push Sasuke’s
hand away. Sasuke let out a deep sigh while leaning closely to Sakura and making his
forehead touch her plastic forehead.

Meanwhile, outside the women’s restroom, the crowd gathered around, even more
numerous as the sound of Deidara’s crying caught many people’s attention. A bald man
casually walked out of the men’s restroom and was surprised to see many women staff
eavesdropping on the outside of the women’s restroom.
“Who’s crying?” asked the bald man in utter confusion.

“It’s either our new vice president, the freak, or the dummy,” Nanako sneered in a
hushed tone.

Later at night, when no one was around at the mall building, Sasuke desperately ran to
catch Sakura’s fast pace, who seemed intentionally to ignore him for some reason.

“Sakura, please, you’ve gotta help me,” pleaded Sasuke urgently while grabbing Sakura’s
wrist to stop her from ignoring him.

“I can’t come alive in front of Deidara,” Sakura refused firmly, “Besides, you can do it on
your own.”

“How can you say that?” protested Sasuke with frustration and disappointment. “We do
everything together!”

“You can’t hold yourself back because of me,” Sakura said sadly while touching Sasuke’s
cheek. She then gently removed the man’s fingers from her wrist and smiled
melancholically, “Now, come on. Deidara’s waiting. You’ll do a masterpiece tonight.”

Sakura then walked past Sasuke, heading to the secret door leading to the window
display.

“Sakura…,” Sasuke still desperately pleaded.

Sakura smiled faintly, “I’ll be waiting in the window,” she promised him before entering
the door.

Sasuke sadly stared at the door for a few moments, even after Sakura had completely
entered. He bit his lip and sighed deeply. There was no other choice but to do what
Sakura asked and help that freak Deidara this time.

8.

The sound of swords slashing echoed through the dark woods. The moon hung proudly
in its full shape from behind the dark clouds. Prince Ninigi skillfully evaded a potentially
fatal strike from his enemy, while his loyal troops engaged in a fierce battle against foes
involved in a secret coup orchestrated by Madara Uchiha—an intrigue unbeknownst to
Ninigi. The night was intense, leaving Ninigi bruised, bloodied, and severely exhausted.
However, he persisted, determined to weaken his adversaries. As dawn approached, the
battle raged on, and one by one, the enemies fell.

Blood dripped from the edge of Ninigi's steel sword as he approached a severely
wounded enemy—the sole survivor among the lifeless bodies of the coup forces, many
of whom had lost limbs.
The grey-haired man sat fearfully, crawling backward with a shiver as Ninigi steadily
approached. Ninigi pointed the tip of his sword directly at the wounded man's chin,
demanding, "Tell me who is behind this rebellion?"

The severely injured man grinned arrogantly, refusing to divulge any information.

"Very well, if that's what you want," said Ninigi coldly, swinging his sword above the
man's head.

"Don't, Your Highness!" shouted a man with yellow hair and blood-stained armor,
rushing from behind and grabbing Ninigi's hand.

"Ashura, don't stop me!" Ninigi insisted, trying to free his hand from the man's grasp.

"Princess Sakuyahime won't approve of this, Prince," warned the yellow-haired man
with a sharp gaze.

Ninigi bit his lip, caught in a dilemma between finishing off the enemy or restraining
himself from taking more lives.

"He's not just an ordinary soldier, Your Highness. He is one of Madara's informants," the
yellow-haired man informed earnestly. "Maybe we can use him."

Ninigi thought hard before deciding to sheathe his sword.

"If not for my wife, I wouldn't hold back like this," Ninigi sighed deeply. "Take care of
him quickly! Make him understand the strength of our forces."

The yellow-haired man nodded, tightly binding the hands of the grey-haired man. Ninigi
left the battlefield with a terrifying yet majestic aura, displaying himself as an
unparalleled master of the sword in his time.

Back in the present, Sasuke sat in contemplation in a corner of the window dresser's
equipment room, with Deidara playfully manipulating a mannequin.

With a vacant stare, Sasuke played with a small wooden sword he found on one of the
tables.

"Oh, Belinda. You know how incredibly sexy you are," Deidara exclaimed dramatically,
embracing the mannequin's waist. "You're just a piece of wood with a little plastic on
your face, but you're far more beautiful than Princess Diana!" The quirky man then
glanced at Sasuke, seemingly mocking his relationship with the mannequin Sakura in
the bathroom earlier.

"I want to kiss your plastic lips, chu, chu, chu," Deidara teased again, making Sasuke's
ears burn. Sasuke felt the urge to throw Deidara off the fourth-floor building if he had
the courage.
"Hey, little skunk, how about a picture?" Deidara called, making Sasuke glare at him
with annoyance. "My girlfriend will think I've switched," he added, teasingly.

Suddenly, a brilliant idea flashed through Sasuke's mind. His vacant gaze transformed
into a shining one. "Deidara, you're a genius!"

Confused by Sasuke's unpredictable reaction, Deidara pointed to his chest, "I am? Yes!"

Sasuke abruptly dropped the miniature sword in his hand and stood up. "Okay, we need
to make a list."

Deidara pulled out a pocket-sized book and a pencil from behind his ear. "Fire away!" he
exclaimed enthusiastically, ready to jot down whatever Sasuke had in mind.

"30 feet of black nylon cord," Sasuke blurted out, approaching Deidara with
determination.

"Sounds like my kind of list," quipped Deidara, slightly disappointed that Sasuke's idea
seemed nonsensical.

"Easy, wanker. Okay," Sasuke murmured, patting Deidara's shoulder.

Deidara scowled and shook his head.

The next morning, in Orochimaru's office, Kabuto stood before the androgynous man
with unwavering determination.

"You personally vouch for this guy?" Orochimaru exclaimed in disbelief, narrowing his
eyes at the tall, muscular man outside the see-through walls of his office.

"He's worked at Prince and Company for 15 years," Kabuto answered with his typical
smugness, placing his right hand on his hips. "I think he'll be just fine. He's an imbecile,
but..." His words were interrupted when Killer B, now dressed in a neat suit,
enthusiastically knocked on Orochimaru's office door.

"This is him," Kabuto said indifferently, glancing at Killer B who was waving his hand
outside.

Killer B opened the door with a wide grin. "Big guy, come in. This is Mr. Orochimaru,"
Kabuto nonchalantly pointed at the androgynous man.

Orochimaru extended his hand for a handshake with Killer B, but the man saluted him
in a military fashion.

"Mr. Orochimaru, sir!" greeted Killer B with his deep stern voice, standing as stiff as a
statue.
Killer B then offered his hand in a regular manner, but Orochimaru, annoyed, only
pretended to smile while showing his palm to Killer B. "It's fine."

"Killer B, there are hundreds of mannequins at Prince and Company. Will you be able to
identify the one Uchiha Sasuke has… a romantic interest in?" Orochimaru asked firmly.

"Absolutely, sir!" replied Killer B, saluting again.

Orochimaru rolled his eyes while Kabuto scoffed disdainfully.

"I never forget a name or a face, Mr. Orochi!" Killer B said again with a stern face.

"Good," Orochimaru nodded nonchalantly.

"Well, Killer B, we need your help, and if you succeed, you will have a cushy new job
right here at Illustra," Orochimaru offered with a mischievous smirk, placing his hand
on his hips.

"We want to get Uchiha's mannequin out of the store and bring her here, secretly of
course," Kabuto clarified, explaining as if to a child, with dramatic hand gestures.

Killer B instantly smirked, "Oh, a covert operation." He then showed a wide satisfied
grin and looked at Orochimaru and Kabuto alternately. "I would be happy and proud to
lead this mission, sir!"

"Good!" exclaimed Orochimaru, grinning widely while beating his table with a tad more
force.

Meanwhile, at his desk, Suigetsu was covertly checking in all directions, making sure no
one was spying on him. With a mischievous grin, he opened his secret Twitter account,
intending to unleash a video of Sasuke getting cozy with a mannequin on social media.

Little did he know, Karin was lurking behind him, shooting daggers with her eyes.

"Just a click, and he's done for," Suigetsu mumbled with a wicked smirk.

Out of the blue, Karin caught him off guard by giving his right ear a pinch that could rival
a professional wrestler's move, making him let out a pitiful groan.

"I explicitly told you not to do anything with the video or the photos," Karin sneered in
anger.

"But Boss ordered us to spread it all over the internet," Suigetsu protested, attempting
to free his ear from Karin's iron grip.

"He just made an empty threat, you imbecile!" scolded Karin, drawing the attention of
several co-workers towards Suigetsu's cubicle.
"If you ever think of sharing Sasuke's stuffs on social media, I'll chop off your ears and
serve them to my dogs. Crystal clear?" Karin threatened, now in a hushed tone, twisting
and pulling Suigetsu's ear before releasing it roughly.

"Ouch! I guess you're not the loving type anymore," Suigetsu taunted while nursing his
sore ear, "Is there any chance for you to stop sucking his small dick??"

Karin gave Suigetsu's stomach a not-so-gentle nudge and commandeered his laptop. She
promptly halted the upload, ensuring nothing had escaped the special folder, even
making a sweep of the recycle bin.

"What the fuck?" groaned Suigetsu in frustration, "You were the one who suggested this!
Why the sudden change of heart?"

"I'm just irritated that he was with that dumb mannequin," sneered Karin, crossing her
arms and scowling at Suigetsu, "I figure he was just stressed out, and this is merely a
fleeting phase."

"Fleeting phase?" Suigetsu scoffed, "Come on, it's his kink. It's the real him. Do you think
he prefers a real woman like I do?" Suigetsu teased with a wink, earning him a slap from
Karin.

"Screw you, alright. I don't care if he likes a mannequin. I still love him, and I always
will," Karin declared while adjusting her glasses.

"Not interested in my dick?" Suigetsu teased with a mischievous grin, "Maybe Uchiha
had a smaller one, so he could only shag a dummy!"

Karin delivered a swift knee to Suigetsu's stomach, leaving him growling in pain from
his chair. Fuming with anger, Karin walked away, leaving the bewildered onlookers to
wonder what had just transpired.

After a crucial meeting with sponsors, Itachi strolled purposefully toward his sleek
black BMW parked on the ground floor of the towering skyscraper. With a subtle press
of a button on his key fob, the car emitted a confirming sound, signifying that the door
was now unlocked.

Stepping into the luxurious interior, his phone nestled securely in his blazer pocket,
Itachi suddenly felt a vibration. Retrieving the device with practiced nonchalance, he
answered the call with an air of indifference.

"Uchiha Itachi speaking," he greeted without pleasantries.

A faint grin played on his lips as he delivered a succinct instruction, "Ensure that article
gets published tomorrow morning." With that, he abruptly ended the call.
…

As night descended upon Prince & Co., Sasuke, adorned in a luxurious suit borrowed
from the men's clothing section, clandestinely selected a white gold necklace with a
crescent moon pendant from a glass display in the women's jewellery section. Unseen
and unnoticed, Sasuke's elevated position as vice president and the trust bestowed
upon him by Tsunade granted him unparalleled freedom within the mall.

Sakura marveled at the exquisite jewellery in the display, unaware that Sasuke was
surreptitiously placing the crescent moon pendant necklace around her neck from
behind.

"Sasuke!" Sakura exclaimed, a mix of surprise and delight evident on her features.

"Are you ready for this?" Sasuke asked, a soft smirk gracing his lips.

"But I-I need to change my clothes," Sakura stammered nervously, glancing down at her
pink gingham dress.

"You don't need to," Sasuke insisted, extending his arm for her.

Blushing at Sasuke's unexpected affection, Sakura happily clutched his arm, and they
walked together toward the exit.

Pausing before a display window featuring elegantly posed mannequins, Sakura

marveled at the chic and sophisticated scene. "It's the most beautiful window I've ever
seen," she exclaimed, her fingers intertwining as she touched her chin.

"It's all you," Sasuke responded, catching off guard as he gazed intensely at Sakura.

"Not this time," Sakura quickly argued, shaking her head.

"Every time. You're part of me now. I got you in here," Sasuke declared, his eyes
reflecting passion.

Sakura's smile widened, and they shared a meaningful gaze.

"Come on. Are you ready to go?" Sasuke smirked, once again offering his arm.

Enthusiastically nodding, Sakura clutched his arm again.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Sakura hesitantly asked as they approached
Sasuke's sports motorcycle parked by the sidewalk.

"Absolutely. You've been cooped up in that store too long," Sasuke said nonchalantly.
"Besides, who cares what people think?"

Sakura smiled, momentarily captivated by Sasuke’s motorcycle. "Is that a horse with a
machine?" she inquired.
Sasuke chuckled, subtly covering his amusement. "Whatever you say, Sakura."

Mounting his motorcycle, Sasuke removed the stand. "Just put your arms around me
and hold on tight," he teased with a smug smile.

Sakura instantly took her place behind him, securing her arms around his waist. "With
pleasure!" she exclaimed joyfully, resting her head on Sasuke’s broad shoulder.

Feeling a surge of emotions, Sasuke bit his lip as he started the motorcycle. However,
their departure was interrupted by a convertible car pulling up beside them.

"Sasuke!" Karin called urgently, emerging from the car driven by Suigetsu. "Sasuke!" she
repeated, rushing toward him.

Irritated by the unexpected intrusion, Sasuke turned off his motorcycle. Simultaneously,
Sakura transformed back into a mannequin, sitting calmly behind him.

"Look, Sasuke," Karin said, trying to catch her breath, "I know about your problem."

"What problem?" Sasuke asked nonchalantly.

"You're riding with a mannequin on the back of your motorcycle!" Karin exclaimed,
pointing towards Sakura.

"What is wrong with this picture?" Sasuke retorted with furrowed brows, glancing
briefly at Sakura. "Right, you two haven't met. Karin, this is Sakura. Sakura, Karin," he
introduced casually, as if presenting Karin to an ordinary person and not a mannequin.

Karin, momentarily losing focus, extended her hand towards Sakura, "Nice to meet..."
Abruptly, she realized the absurdity of greeting a mannequin, not a human. Frustration
overwhelmed her, and she grabbed her hair, exclaiming, "My God, what am I saying?"

"Sasuke, listen, I want to give you one last chance," Karin sneered, pointing towards him
impatiently, "Now, come to Illustra!"

"What's in it for you, Karin?" Sasuke scoffed mockingly, "An office with a view?"

He levelled a piercing gaze at her, "I don't need Illustra or you," he declared
indifferently, "I have friends here, people who care, and someone who makes me feel
good about myself."

Unaware that he was rubbing Sakura’s plastic fingers still clutching his stomach, Sasuke
remained resolute.

Karin chuckled in disbelief, “What? You don’t mean the dummy, right?”

“Goodbye, Karin,” Sasuke said curtly with a frown, revving his motorcycle intentionally
and leaving Karin frustrated on the sidewalk.
"You'll be sorry!" Karin shouted in explosive anger as she watched Sasuke ride away
with a mannequin.

"You're making a big mistake!" she continued, stomping her stiletto heels loudly.

Returning to her car, Karin slammed the door, startling Suigetsu.

“Karin...,” Suigetsu was taken aback by Karin’s scowl.

“He's out of his mind! Orochimaru was right,” complained Karin, folding her hands.
“When I get that dummy, I'm gonna tear her hair out!” she threatened angrily, hitting
the dashboard.

Suigetsu smirked mischievously, “You know what you need to do right now? You need
to put him and this whole nasty affair out of your mind.” Leaning in closer, he bit his lips
seductively, “Now, what's the best way to do that? By having a night of distasteful sex
with someone you care absolutely nothing about. And proudly, I'd like to be that
person.”

Karin rolled her eyes and groaned in frustration. Venting out seemed much better than
hurting herself. “Fine, let's just go to your place.”

Suigetsu widened his eyes with both shock and anticipation, “Really?”

“Drive fast before I have second thoughts!” yelled Karin loudly.

Suigetsu winked and smirked smugly, “Suigetsu is the wind!” before speeding away with
the car.

While cruising down the quiet, narrow street, Sakura, now back in human form, couldn't
resist dropping a bombshell on Sasuke. She leaned in, whispering in his ear, "I think I
know that girl."

Startled, Sasuke nearly swerved the motorcycle. "Really? Where or when did you meet
her?"

"Hm, let me guess," Sakura pondered, her finger tapping her chin. A sudden memory
flashed in her mind – a handmaiden from her palace days. "Ah, I know her! She was one
of my handmaidens named Aiko, the one with fiery red hair."

Sasuke, not expecting her to transform back into a human and certainly not expecting a
soap-opera-worthy revelation, scoffed mockingly, "Oh, good. She’s also a reincarnation
from your past?"
"I don’t know, but they both look alike," Sakura mused. "She was the one who tried to
give sleeping pills to my husband’s food so she could sleep with him when he’s
unconscious."

"What?" Sasuke exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"Yeah, she was obsessed with Prince Ninigi, my husband. She also tried to poison me
once, but I forgave her because I liked to give people a second chance," Sakura said
thoughtfully.

"What a coincidence," Sasuke chuckled in disbelief, shaking his head.

"Did you remember your past life yet?" Sakura asked, closing her eyes, feeling the
breeze tousle her pink hair.

"Not really," Sasuke shook his head, a smirk playing on his lips. "But I saw your face."

Sakura's eyes widened in disbelief. "Did you?"

Sasuke, the master of mystery, only smirked secretly, leaving Sakura with more
unanswered questions.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the deserted street, Killer B's rusty old car was parked
inconspicuously in the dark night. A picture of his pudgy Rottweiler stood proudly on
the dashboard, and Kabuto waited impatiently, occasionally stealing glances at his
Rolex.

With Terminator-like determination, Killer B smeared black paint on his cheeks, and
with a grave expression, he looked at the scowling Kabuto. "Mr. Kabuto, you'd better put
some camouflage on, sir," he offered the paint.

"I am not going to put shoe polish on my face, thank you," sneered Kabuto arrogantly.
"Now, could we please get into the store, skunk?"

"Yes, sir," replied Killer B in his typical fake menacing deep voice, leaving Kabuto
exasperated.

As Sasuke strolled down the busier street, Sakura promptly transformed back into a
mannequin. Simultaneously, an elderly couple, almost crossing the street, witnessed
Sasuke carrying a mannequin.

"Look at him with a dummy!" the old woman exclaimed, pointing her umbrella at
Sasuke with disgust and surprise.

"Who are you to criticize?" Sasuke retorted indifferently with a pout, leaving the
bewildered couple in his wake.

Unbeknownst to him, he passed Killer B's car, still parked on the side of the road.
"It's him! It's her! That little pervert!" Killer B exclaimed, pointing at the car's
windshield with fury. "He's stealing her before we can!"

"Don't do anything rash!" warned Kabuto with irritation. "We'll follow them, and at the
right moment, grab her!"

"Don't worry, Mr. Kabuto," sneered Killer B with a fake menacing grin. "I'm an expert at
surveillance."

"Hang on!" He started the engine, and the car reversed briefly, hitting some trash bins.

Kabuto groaned, clutching the back of his head. "Slow down, moron!"

"Sorry, sir!" Killer B exclaimed with a weary grin, driving the car back to the front.

"Son of a bitch!" sneered Kabuto, nursing his bruised forehead.

Killer B's car turned right, almost hitting another car, accompanied by angry honks.
Meanwhile, Sasuke and Sakura smiled as they watched the two pursuers face the
consequences.

"You're finished, Uchiha!" shouted Killer B while speeding up his car and overtaking the
cars blocking his way.

In a panic, Sasuke accelerated his motorcycle as Killer B's car almost caught up. Sasuke
overtook several cars before turning into a narrow and deserted street.

"You may as well hang up your jockey strap!" yelled Kabuto in panic, trying to take
control of the steering wheel from Killer B, who, in his opinion, couldn't drive properly.

"Let me go! No, Mr. Kabuto! No!" shouted Killer B, struggling with his boss for control.

Sasuke smoothly passed between the two cars. Meanwhile, the steering wheel wobbled
in Killer B's hands, causing their car to hit one of the cars driving next to it.

Sasuke smirked smugly, stealing a glance at the chaos behind them.

"Be careful, you maniac!" scolded Kabuto while hitting Killer B's head.

"I know!" yelled Killer B, holding his head and expressing pain.

As the pursuit reached a fever pitch, Sasuke's panic escalated when Killer B's car
relentlessly closed in with unreasonable speed. Desperate, he made a sharp left turn,
darting into a narrow alley sandwiched between tall brick buildings. The confined space
was cluttered with an obstacle course of trash bins and scattered garbage.

"This is for you, Rambo!" shouted Killer B angrily, briefly glancing at a photo of his dog
as the chase thundered through the trash-filled alley, creating a cacophony of loud
noises.
Sasuke, in a high-stakes parkour, skillfully leaped over the scattered bins, leaving Killer
B's car in hot pursuit behind him.

"We got him!" bellowed Killer B triumphantly, convinced that victory was within his
grasp.

"I want to get out! I want to get out!" murmured Kabuto in a panic, praying fervently for
divine intervention to spare him from his mad driver as the car careened over the trash
bins.

Several meters ahead, Sasuke, glancing back, was taken aback by a surprising sight –
Killer B's car was wedged in the narrow alley, suspended a few meters above the
ground.

With the coast seemingly clear on the deserted street, Sakura transformed back into her
human form, laughing in satisfaction as she tightened her arms around Sasuke's waist.

Killer B's triumphant cry turned into a startled yelp as the brick wall on his left abruptly
collapsed, causing the old car to plummet to the ground at breakneck speed, absorbing
severe damage upon impact. The alley now resembled a chaotic scene of destruction,
with Killer B's vehicle bearing the brunt of the unfortunate consequences of their wild
pursuit.

Meanwhile, in Suigetsu's room, Karin was seen sitting at the edge of the bed,
nonchalantly buttoning up her dusty blue blouse again. Suigetsu appeared panicked as
he observed the condition of his private area, covered by a leopard-print blanket.

"Geronimo!" he shouted in a mix of frustration and shock, his eyes widening. He began
to weep, stealing glances back at his nether regions. "I don't understand it. This never
happened to me before. Never!"

Karin, seemingly uninterested in Suigetsu's plight, continued buttoning up her blouse.

“It must be you. You're so cold,” Suigetsu sneered, pointing an accusatory finger at the
indifferent Karin. “You're so unfeeling!”

The woman remained unmoved, her attention elsewhere as Suigetsu continued his
dramatic lamentations.

Clutching his hair in despair, Suigetsu exclaimed, “No wonder Uchiha isn’t interested in
you! Where can I get a mannequin, too?” he shouted, looking desperately upwards.

As Sasuke’s motorcycle cruised down the street, unhindered by any pursuers, Sakura,
now able to shift back to her human form in the deepening night, sported a broad smile
and nestled her face into his broad shoulders. Unaware of the impact she had on him,
Sasuke found himself continuously wearing a foolish grin, an expression entirely foreign
to him. The gentle breeze tousled both of their hair.

“Sasuke,” Sakura whispered softly in his ear, “What are you thinking about?”

Sasuke felt his heart quicken, “The window. Turned out pretty, didn't it?”

“It was breathtaking,” Sakura murmured with a soft giggle.

With each snuggle, Sasuke felt a warmth he had never experienced before. Sakura,
occasionally pointing out buildings and asking about them, received Sasuke's usual
nonchalant responses. Yet, beneath his cool exterior, Sasuke was realizing that this
night was shaping up to be the best he had ever experienced, and it marked the first
time he had truly fallen for a woman.

Before long, Sasuke parked his motorcycle near the Toyomi Bridge, spanning the
Nihonbashi River. After dismounting, they stood side by side, gazing at the tranquil flow
of the river beneath them, capturing the glittering lights of Tokyo's skyscrapers.

Unconsciously, Sasuke found himself fixated on Sakura, who was deep in contemplation
as she admired the river.

“Sakura…,” Sasuke softly murmured, unintentionally caught off guard by his own
revelation while admiring her beauty, “Sakuyahime… you inspire me.”

Sakura was surprised to hear Sasuke call her real name. Strangely, Sasuke’s face
transformed, resembling her husband’s features quite closely.

“I feel like I could do anything,” Sasuke continued, now gazing at the river. “Windows
are only the start. I think we could design an entire city.”

“No one takes the time to build things that have character and dignity,” Sakura recalled
what her husband had said when he sculpted his wooden sculptures back in the old
days. “People need that.”

“We could give it to them,” Sasuke faintly smirked as he turned back to Sakura.

“I love you, Sasuke,” murmured Sakura with teary eyes, absolutely certain that he was
the reincarnation of her beloved husband.

Sasuke didn’t respond, expressing it only through his glimmering eyes. He then leaned
closer to her, gently kissing her lips while holding her delicate cheeks. Sakura was a bit
surprised by his unpredictable affection but warmly welcomed the kiss. Their kiss grew
even more passionate as the gentle breeze tousled their hair.

…
Quietly, Sasuke brought Sakura into his apartment while everyone was asleep. He was
shocked to find the interior exceptionally dark. He briefly thought that Naruto might be
staying over at Hinata’s house.

Sakura continued to laugh, and Sasuke urgently gestured for her to be silent while
gripping her wrist with his other hand.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed, approaching the living room. Panicking,
Sasuke pulled Sakura close to the curtain, instructing her to hide behind the red velvet
drapes.

Surprisingly, the living room lights illuminated brightly, and Sasuke almost had a heart
attack seeing Naruto appear, looking depressed and sleepy-eyed in his pyjamas.

“Good grief!” cursed Sasuke in shock.

“Why the hell did you come home this late at night, huh? I thought you were still
working the night shift,” scolded Naruto, his expression still melancholic.

Sasuke nonchalantly folded his arms and casually dropped a bombshell, “I’m no longer a
window dresser; I’m the vice president.”

“You what?!” Naruto scoffed in disbelief, widening his eyes. “Who am I kidding?” He
then clutched his hair in frustration and shock.

Concerned, Sasuke inquired, “What happened?” as he observed his friend’s distressed

state.

Naruto sighed loudly and slumped onto the couch, admitting, “I got fired.”

“You what?” Now Sasuke, turning in shock, widened his eyes, “How can that happen?”

“I shouldn’t have signed that paperwork!” Naruto yelled with sudden frustration. “It’s all
because of my ignorance about the stock market! How could I sell 80 percent of my
company’s shares to a competitor!” he cried out while shedding tears.

Sasuke, initially surprised by Naruto’s outburst, felt a slight relief. Naruto’s attention
was no longer fixated on the pair of mannequin legs hiding behind the curtain.

“I also mistakenly drank Guten bourbon, thinking it was just a sample used for
promotion. Turns out it was real Guten bourbon. I got drunk and signed any document
in front of me, bad-mouthing my boss!” Naruto cried out again, burying his face in both
hands.

Sasuke was unsure how to respond, but a subtle sense of satisfaction crept in. Finally,
his friend, who often mocked his failures, was facing the consequences.
“Hinata surely wouldn’t want to marry me now! Our engagement is probably cancelled!
Cancelled!” Naruto exclaimed dramatically. Surprisingly, he desperately knelt under
Sasuke’s feet, clutching them for dear life. “Sasuke! Please don’t kick me out now!”

Sasuke widened his eyes and frantically glanced toward Sakura, still hidden. Swiftly, he
shifted his body to cover Sakura’s exposed legs that couldn’t be concealed by the
curtain, ensuring Naruto wouldn’t grow suspicious, and promptly helped Naruto stand
again.

“Of course, I won’t kick you out,” sneered Sasuke indifferently. “I’m not that heartless.”

“Sasuke! You truly are my best friend!” wept Naruto, hugging Sasuke tightly, making it
hard for him to breathe.

Sasuke realized Naruto was now facing directly toward the curtain, so he swiftly turned
his body in the opposite direction.

“Okay, fine. Can you just let me go?” whimpered Sasuke, struggling to breathe due to his
friend’s tight hug.

Naruto released him and quickly wiped away his tears with the back of his hand.

“Maybe I can get you a job too,” said Sasuke nonchalantly. “But I need to talk to Mrs.
Tsunade first.”

“Thank God!” exclaimed Naruto again, crying and hugging Sasuke tightly.

Sasuke pushed him away, saying, “Can you please just go back to sleep? I – I need to call
my brother,” he stammered, struggling to find a logical excuse. “It’s a very secretive
phone call between brothers.”

“Okay,” whimpered Naruto. “Good night, buddy.”

Sasuke made sure Naruto went back upstairs. Before he could feel relief, a pair of hands
tightly held him from behind.

“Sakura!” shouted Sasuke, a bit loudly, in shock as he found the girl giggling happily
behind him.

“Sasuke, who’s that?” shouted Naruto from upstairs.

“No one!” shouted Sasuke back in panic. “It’s just – I remember the sakura season will
begin soon, right?”

“What?” Naruto shouted in confusion.

“Just go back to sleep,” shouted Sasuke grumpily.

As Naruto finally went back to his room, Sasuke turned to Sakura with annoyance.
“You forgot that I told you to be quiet?” scolded Sasuke with a piercing gaze.

“Sorry,” Sakura innocently stared at Sasuke while raising her shoulders.

Not long after, Sakura lay beside Sasuke on his bed.

“I can’t sleep,” murmured Sakura, gently caressing Sasuke’s cheeks.

“Fine, you can watch me sleep instead,” teased Sasuke, pretending to close his eyes.

Sakura giggled heartily and touched the bridge of his nose, “If I can be honest with you,
you resemble more like a mannequin than I do.”

“Really? Is it because I look hideous?” replied Sasuke with a faint smirk.

“Of course not, you are beyond perfect,” whispered Sakura, leaning closely to him.

“Sasuke, if my condition remains like this forever, and only you can see me, would you
still love me? Or would you seek a real woman?” Sakura asked with concern.

“Who says that I’m in love with a piece of wood,” teased Sasuke with a smirk.

“Deidara,” teased Sakura back, their noses touching intimately.

“And you believe that freak?” teased Sasuke, intently looking at Sakura’s emerald eyes
and gently caressing her hair.

“Even if your lips say something different, I’m already sure that you are my husband,”
murmured Sakura with a smile.

“How can you be so sure?” asked Sasuke, toying with some strands of her silky pink hair.

“Because you created me, and only my husband could sculpt something that resembled
me,” said Sakura, gently kissing Sasuke’s lips.

“What if you’re wrong?” murmured Sasuke, stopping their kiss for a while.

“I don’t mind,” Sakura smiled, and they both looked intently at each other. Sasuke seized
the opportunity to swallow Sakura’s lips and gently undress her.

Sakura laughed heartily when Sasuke positioned himself on top of her, throwing his suit
jacket and unbuttoning his shirt quickly. His eyes gleamed with lust.

Unbeknownst to both of them, Naruto was eavesdropping behind the door. He was
confused to hear a woman’s voice when he clearly remembered that his friend hadn’t
brought any woman along.
“Did I hear wrong? Or is it just stress?” murmured Naruto while scratching his head
vigorously. He then eavesdropped again, confirming that there was a woman’s voice
inside. His eyes widened when he heard the loud creaking sound of the bed.

“Did that buffoon just smuggle a woman through the window?” thought Naruto in panic,
“Gosh! I can’t believe he did something like this. His games are so dirty,” sneered Naruto
while continuing to eavesdrop.

The next morning, an article from an independent media titled “Sculpting Sensation
Sasuke’s Artistic Odyssey Unveiled: From Childhood Rejection to Prince & Co’s Youngest
Vice President” became the number one trending topic on the internet.

A paragraph in the article read, “Sasuke, the youngest vice president at Prince & Co,
emerges from a tumultuous childhood marked by paternal rejection of his sculpting
talents. Despite achieving top honors in Tokyo University’s sculpture department,
Sasuke’s early career was riddled with challenges as he navigated through various lowly
jobs. Sasuke’s artistic brilliance dispelled suspicions of depression and hallucinations.
His peculiar fascination with a mannequin became an enigmatic muse, further fuelling
his artistic creations and cementing his status as a preeminent artist.”

Naruto, reading the article on his phone while munching cereal alone in the kitchen, was
taken aback by the revelation that Sasuke had a liking for a mannequin in a way that
defied logic and also suffered from mental health issues. He then remembered the
mysterious woman’s voice he heard in Sasuke’s room at night.

Simultaneously, Itachi surprisingly made an early visit to Sasuke’s cramped apartment.

He was surprised to find Naruto’s shocked expression.

“Thank god, you’re coming!” exclaimed Naruto in relief, “I know that he’s insane!”

“What are you talking about? Just calm down,” said Itachi nonchalantly. He then quickly
peeked inside, “Where is he? Can I get in?”

“H-he,” Naruto suddenly stammered while pointing upwards, “He’s smuggling a woman
to his bed last night!”

“He what?” Itachi furrowed his brows with both confusion and disbelief, “Please speak
more clearly.”

“I got the spare key,” said Naruto in a hurry, “We can peek inside his room right now!”

Itachi was confused to see Naruto run towards the cupboard drawer near the living
room and back to him with a spare key.

Not long after, they rushed upstairs towards Sasuke’s room.

“I heard it very clearly, a woman’s voice,” said Naruto in panic, “And his bed moving.”

“Please just don’t explain it, I understand, okay,” interjected Itachi with an
uncomfortable grin, “he’s an adult, he can bring any woman along.”

“But he didn’t bring anyone when coming back!” exclaimed Naruto, “He was all alone!
He must be smuggling a hooker!”

Naruto quickly used his spare key to open the door, “I can’t let him be filthy like this.”

Itachi rolled his eyes in frustration. Suddenly, those two men jolted in shock when
witnessing Sasuke was not sleeping with a woman but a lifeless mannequin with pink
hair.

“Sasuke! A mannequin, really?” shouted Naruto in shock and disbelief. Sasuke was not
the only one naked; his mannequin was too, and he was embracing her tightly.

“Good god!” cursed Itachi while diverting his gaze in shock. Sasuke instantly opened his
eyes and jolted awake when seeing both Naruto and his brother finding him naked with
Sakura the mannequin.

“Turns out what they wrote in the article is true,” Naruto exclaimed in fear but also
amazement, “You are struggling so much like Picasso, Van Gogh! No wonder you’re
insane like them! You are truly an artist!”

“Sasuke, I came here to tell you about a new article. But I never expected you are
sleeping with a dummy,” sneered Itachi, shaking his head.

“I can explain!” shouted Sasuke in panic, “This is not like what you think! She is trapped
in her mannequin form! She’s actually a human just like us! But she was cursed to
become a mannequin!”

“Truly an artist. A masterpiece of imagination,” murmured Naruto both in amusement

and disbelief. Itachi, clutching his forehead, now throbbing even harder.

“Hm, so, whose the woman’s voice in your bed last night?” quipped Naruto, opening his
own phone.

“So, you’ve been inspecting me the whole night? Screw you, goofball!” shouted Sasuke in
anger. “Brother, what I said is true. The woman’s voice that he heard was from hers!”
Sasuke pointed to the mannequin.

“Sasuke, I - I don't care, okay. Actually, I came here to tell you that I was the one who
collaborated with independent media to publish the article after Orochimaru got photos
of you being frisky with a mannequin at that time, so that people's opinions would be
more sympathetic to you," explained Itachi nervously.

Naruto suddenly looked at the man, “What? So, you also involved with all of this?”
“I remind you one more time, your reputation and your company’s might be at jeopardy
if I didn’t release the article,” asserted Itachi.

“What article?” asked Sasuke confusedly.

“The one that says you’re crazy and love to fuck mannequin,” clarified Naruto in simpler
terms.

“Me what?” Sasuke pointed to himself, “Brother, I can’t believe you try to smear me!”

“No! It's actually the opposite!” snapped Itachi back.

Sasuke sighed loudly. “Can you two please leave me the fuck alone? Now?” shouted
Sasuke in anger.

“Okay, sorry,” murmured Naruto while exiting the room.

“You too, brother!” sneered Sasuke with a piercing gaze. Itachi sighed and exited the
room.

Sasuke made sure that those two men already left. He then turned to Sakura, who was
back to being a human and still slept soundly.

“Sakura, wake up!” urged Sasuke while poking her cheeks. Sakura was confused and
slowly opened her eyes.

“Everyone knows! My brother knows! I can’t hide you anymore,” said Sasuke in panic.

“What happened?” asked Sakura in a baby voice while rubbing her eyes.

“If anyone thinks I’m crazy, screw them!” said Sasuke with frustration.

“Sasuke is everything alright?” asked Sakura, now sitting on the bed while covering
herself with a thick blanket.

“My brother and Naruto saw you here,” said Sasuke, now in a gentle tone. “Now, dress
up and meet them downstairs. I will introduce you to my brother too,” he continued
urgently.

“Your brother?” exclaimed Sakura innocently while batting her eyelashes. She then
quickly dressed up with enthusiasm and combed her hair in front of the dressing
mirror.

Sasuke lazily put on his clothes and slowly got up from the bed.

“I’m not saying that he will accept you,” mumbled Sasuke.

“What?” asked Sakura in confusion, still combing her hair.

“Nothing, just get ready,” sneered Sasuke with a frown.

“Just a minute,” Sakura made sure her bangs looked perfectly placed, but Sasuke
impatiently snatched her hands.

9.

Both Itachi and Naruto found themselves bamboozled as they sat at the dining table
with a mannequin positioned next to Sasuke. They even went so far as to serve tea to
the mannequin at Sasuke's behest. Naruto, injecting humor into the situation, teased, “I
can't believe we are grown men having a play date with a mannequin like a five-year-old
little girl.”

Deliberately ignoring Naruto’s jest, Itachi asserted firmly, “Listen, Sasuke. I only want to
save your reputation and our family’s dignity. That’s my sole purpose and nothing else.”

Naruto nodded, saying, “I agree.”

However, Sasuke indifferently rolled his eyes and admitted, “To be honest, I don’t really
care about my reputation anymore.”

Sasuke then directed a sharp gaze at his brother, expressing skepticism, “I don’t buy
anything that comes from your mouth. I know that you and your crew are plotting to
destroy Prince and Co., so you come here under the guise of being a caring older
brother. After all, you work for Illustra.”

Itachi, taken aback, widened his eyes in disbelief, protesting, “What the fuck are you
saying?”

Casually folding his arms, Sasuke stated, “The most important thing for me now is that
after all these years of being the butt of mockery, people finally appreciate my work, and
I got the position that I deserve.”

Witnessing the sadness on Itachi's face, Naruto felt a pang of hurt. He looked at Sasuke
grumpily and defended Itachi, saying, “Idiot! I talked to him before you came here, and
he’s not plotting anything ill for you. I guarantee his intentions are good and sincere!”

Itachi, smiling bitterly, remarked, “Whatever you think about me, Sasuke, I will continue
to support you. Although you refuse to believe me at all.”

With a somber tone, he added, “I feel like I’ve failed as an older brother. I should’ve
helped you a long time ago, but I didn’t because I got too focused on my own path. You
can blame me all you want, Sasuke. You don’t have to forgive me.”

Naruto glanced sympathetically at Itachi.

After getting up from his chair, Itachi announced, “I need to go soon. Actually, there’s an
impromptu meeting I must attend this afternoon.”

As Itachi exited the kitchen and walked toward the apartment door, Sasuke, with a
frown, stood up and took Sakura's mannequin, saying, “I have to take her back to Prince
& Co., or Mrs. Tsunade will question her missing.”

Left alone, Naruto shouted in panic, "Hey, you guys, wait!" He was utterly confused by
the behavior of the two Uchiha brothers who could never get along.

Later, in Sasuke's room, Sakura, who was transforming back into a human, dropped a
bombshell, "I can't believe I see Ashura and my brother-in-law again!"

Sasuke, still in the process of buttoning his shirt after a shower, responded with a
furrowed brow. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Sitting on Sasuke’s study desk, Sakura implored, "Oh, Sasuke. I wish you would believe
me if I told you this. Ashura was a warlord and my husband's childhood friend. He was
the only person who was loyal and completely trusted by him."

Sasuke, with a condescending scoff, retorted, "Do you mean that doofus Naruto was a
warlord in his past life?" He turned to Sakura with a soft chuckle, "I’d rather believe he
was a lowly stable boy busy cleaning horse manure."

Sakura reminisced, "Yeah, I know. Back then, Ashura loved to tease me a lot, being a
goofball. He’s also a bit of a pervert. Once, he peeked at my underwear beneath my
clothes when he was teaching me horseback riding. Even from my first impression to
his reincarnation now, I didn’t see any difference. But anyway, he was the one who
defended and protected my husband until his last breath."

Standing up from the desk, Sakura approached Sasuke. "My eyes must be deceiving me,
but your brother is quite similar to my brother-in-law, Amenohoakari. Poor him, he was
exiled due to slander by Madara Uchiha. What was even more painful was his own little
brother, who actually exiled him."

Looking into Sasuke’s eyes with a sad smile, she continued, "My husband's brother was
killed by one of Madara's men during the coup. His last words were that he loved his
little brother very much and regretted not being able to protect him."

Unbeknownst to her, this revelation stirred contemplation in Sasuke, leading him to

reflect on his own strained relationship with his brother—a parallel to the troubles
between Ninigi and his brother.

After a prolonged silence, Sakura gently tousled Sasuke’s hair and offered advice, "I
think you should give your brother a second chance. After all, there’s no harm in giving
someone a second chance, right?"
Sasuke, masking his emotions with a faint smile, took a moment to ponder before softly
responding, "I will think about it," and turned to gaze at his reflection in the large
mirror.

Hundreds of years ago, the young Prince Ninigi, still thirteen years old, was busy
sculpting a small wooden doll in his pavilion. Unbeknownst to him, a little girl with red
hair was secretly observing what the young prince was doing from a distance, hiding
behind a tree. The girl could only admire Prince Ninigi's handsomeness from afar due to
the vast difference in their social status. As the daughter of a cart driver and a palace
servant, she knew she could never stand beside the object of her affection.

"Aiko! So, you're here!" Her mother exclaimed in annoyance, pulling her ear. "Didn't I
tell you to help me with the dishes? How can you become a competent maid if you're
just daydreaming here?"

"Ouch! Mother! I was just watching Prince Ninigi. That's all!" Aiko protested, holding her
reddened ear.

"Don't daydream, fool! The crown prince will never glance at someone as lowly as you!
Quickly do your work and live in reality!" Her mother scolded again, making Aiko sob
harder.

Ninigi briefly looked back upon hearing the sound of a girl's crying. However, he became
puzzled and shrugged when he didn't find anyone there, nonchalantly returning to
sculpting his creation.

One day, while Aiko was playing hopscotch alone near the palace courtyard, she
accidentally twisted her ankle and fell. To her surprise, someone extended a hand
towards her. The boy's face was indistinct due to the sunlight.

Young Aiko was surprised when she saw the gorgeous face of Prince Ninigi and
hesitantly accepted his hand. Her heart raced when he smiled gently at her.

From that moment on, Prince Ninigi unintentionally planted seeds of love and hope in
Aiko's heart. However, her painful unrequited love became evident when she
discovered the bitter reality that, at the age of fifteen, Prince Ninigi married a princess
from a distant land known for her pink hair and beauty. Aiko, now a palace maid, hid
behind the castle walls, watching from a distance as Prince Ninigi walked side by side
with his new wife, seemingly enjoying the blossoming cherry blossoms in the palace
courtyard. All along, Aiko had hoped that the marriage of the young couple would not
end happily, and Prince Ninigi would eventually leave the girl with pink hair.

However, reality painted a different picture; Prince Ninigi had never appeared this
content in his life. Before tying the knot with Princess Sakuyahime, he had been
notorious for his brooding and irritable demeanor. Aiko, on the other hand, found
herself surprised witnessing the broadness of Prince Ninigi's smile as he gazed tenderly
at his wife's face. Jealousy coursed through Aiko as she observed Prince Ninigi delicately
picking fallen cherry blossoms from Sakuyahime's hair.

At a certain juncture, Aiko became resolute in executing a cunning plan to make Prince
Ninigi entirely hers, if only for a single night. As night descended, Aiko surreptitiously
added a sleeping potion to Prince Ninigi's dinner and planned to escort him to his
chamber after he became unconscious.

However, her scheme unravelled when the new head maid insisted on tasting Prince
Ninigi's dinner. Displeased with the dish, as it had caused an issue at the last occasion,
Prince Ninigi promptly dismissed the previous head maid responsible for the meal.

After tasting the food, the new head maid, in turn, felt a sudden dizziness and collapsed.

The maids were summoned one by one and interrogated about who had intentionally
poisoned Prince Ninigi. Sweating and trembling, Aiko could only stand frozen, fearing
the imminent death penalty with her head on the chopping sword.

Fortune favored Aiko when it was revealed, from information provided by the healer,
that the new head maid had a history of high blood pressure. Almost getting caught did
little to instill caution in Aiko; she remained determined to provide a special treat to
Prince Ninigi before dinner, claiming that Princess Sakuyahime had ordered her to
prepare the dish.

Aiko ensured that no other maid, including the head maid, was observing her. When
questioned by the guards stationed outside Ninigi's chamber about why she came alone
to the prince's room, Aiko nervously explained that she was instructed by Princess
Sakuyahime to serve asparagus soup to the prince.

The guard allowed Aiko to enter, and she grinned with satisfaction. She marveled at
Prince Ninigi, calmly engrossed in reading scrolls sent by envoys from other kingdoms.
Aiko bowed her head and hesitantly spoke, "Good evening, Your Highness. Princess
Sakuyahime has ordered me to serve you asparagus soup, claiming it's beneficial for
your stamina." With the utmost respect and caution, she presented the tray containing a
bowl of soup to Prince Ninigi.

Prince Ninigi, with an indifferent demeanor, instructed Aiko, "Tell my wife to refrain
from practicing horseback riding before nightfall."

Aiko was taken aback by the realization that Ninigi afforded his wife considerable
freedom, especially considering the societal prohibition on women practicing horseback
riding during that time.

With bated breath, Aiko observed Prince Ninigi tasting her dish. After a few bites, Prince
Ninigi began experiencing an extraordinary dizziness and immediately laid his head on
his worktable.

Aiko hastily confirmed that no one was watching her. She then ensured that Prince
Ninigi was genuinely unconscious before guiding him to his bed.
"I've been anticipating this for a long time, Prince," Aiko said with a delighted smile,
exposing Prince Ninigi's broad chest as she opened his unconscious body. Aiko bit her
passion-filled lips and affectionately stroked both of Ninigi's cheeks alternately.

However, just as she was about to kiss the prince's lips, a guard outside announced,
"Princess Sakuyahime has arrived!"

A panicked and anxious Aiko was now faced with confusion about where to hide and a
desperate search for an alibi to cover up her deceitful intentions.

However, before she could find a hiding place, Princess Sakuyahime entered the room
and began searching for her husband. "Anata, where are you? Earlier, while I was
practicing horseback riding, Ashura caught a rabbit. What if we ask a maid to cook it for
dinner? Anata?" Sakuyahime scanned the room in every direction and was surprised to
see Aiko standing frozen near her husband's bed. She was even more astonished to find
her husband, seemingly sound asleep, even though it wasn't yet late, which was highly
unusual.

"Forgive me, my lady. I-I was just delivering the requested asparagus soup, but it seems
he's already asleep," Aiko explained nervously, smiling. "P-perhaps he's tired because he
just returned from the battlefield yesterday."

Sakuyahime hadn't had a chance to respond when Aiko quickly bowed, "I-I'll take my
leave, Your Highness," and hastily left the room.

Sakuyahime inspected the asparagus soup that her husband had just tasted, still intact
on the table. She then approached her husband, who was peacefully asleep, and was
surprised to see the top part of his robe slightly open, exposing his broad chest.

"That woman...," Sakuyahime growled while clenching her fists.

The next day, after secretly instructing several maids and trusted individuals to inspect
the soup, they informed Sakuyahime that the soup had been deliberately poisoned with
a sleeping potion.

Sakuyahime, with a furrowed brow, asked, "Are you certain about this?"

One of the maids nodded, "Yes, Your Highness. The soup was intentionally poisoned. It's
a good thing that Prince Ninigi only tasted a small amount before feeling the effects."

Sakuyahime sighed in frustration, "Who could have done such a thing? And why?"

One of the trusted individuals spoke up, "It appears to be the work of Aiko, the servant
who delivered the soup to Prince Ninigi."

Sakuyahime's eyes narrowed, "Aiko? But why would she do such a thing?"
Another maid chimed in, "Perhaps she harbored ill intentions or held a grudge against
Prince Ninigi or you, Your Highness."

Sakuyahime pondered for a moment, then decided, "I must speak with Aiko. Find her
and bring her to me."

As the maids and trusted individuals left to search for Aiko, Sakuyahime contemplated
the situation. However, when Aiko was brought before her, Sakuyahime found herself
unable to impose a severe punishment.

Sakuyahime questioned Aiko, "Why did you poison the soup? What grievance do you
hold against Prince Ninigi or me?"

Aiko, with teary eyes, replied, "Forgive me, Your Highness. I meant no harm. I was foolish
and careless."

Sakuyahime, torn between justice and mercy, eventually decided, "Aiko, I cannot
condone your actions, but I also cannot bring myself to cause you great harm. You will
be spared, but you must swear loyalty and never repeat such foolish acts."

Aiko nodded gratefully, "Thank you, Your Highness. I will forever be in your debt."

As the issue with Aiko was resolved, Sakuyahime learned of a more significant problem
– a rival kingdom challenging Ninigi's kingdom to war. Concerned for Ninigi's well-being
and the impending conflict, Sakuyahime chose not to burden him with the "minor" issue
of Aiko's misguided actions.

Several weeks later, on the battlefield against the Shinagawa kingdom, Prince Ninigi
found himself diligently sharpening his beloved sword inside the resting tent. The news
that Princess Sakuyahime had been poisoned sent shockwaves through him. Now, she
lay helpless on the bed, steadfastly refusing sustenance for two consecutive days. Prince
Ninigi summoned Ashura to take charge temporarily and lead the troops on the front
lines while he hastened back to the palace to be by his wife's side.

Upon his return to the palace, Ninigi was taken aback by the sight of Sakuyahime looking
visibly thinner and paler in her bed. Day and night, healers toiled tirelessly to restore
the girl to her former health. Frustration and anger welled up within Ninigi, and he
lashed out at those present, "Quickly find out who did this and behead them!"

Tears streamed down his face as he embraced his helpless wife, "Forgive me, my wife."

After Sakuyahime's eventual recovery, the mastermind behind the poisoning was
apprehended. Aiko, her body and face marred by bruises and blood, was forcibly
dragged to the center of the palace pavilion, her hands bound.

"His Royal Highness, Prince Ninigi, has arrived!" announced the guard, tapping his staff.
Ninigi stood tall in the middle of the pavilion, accompanied by his brother, Prince
Amenohoakari, Ashura, the prime minister, and his loyal guards.

"Please hand me my sword," Ninigi calmly instructed a guard.

"Your Highness, please have mercy on me," pleaded Aiko in desperation, tears streaming
down her bruised face.

"There is no mercy for anyone who intentionally harms the one I love," growled Ninigi
before swinging his sword over Aiko's head.

But before the sharp edge of the blade could sever the servant's neck, a woman's hands
suddenly embraced Ninigi from behind.

"Your Highness, please do not punish her!" exclaimed Princess Sakuyahime, appearing
unexpectedly.

"Princess!" gasped the maids who had followed her from a distance in fear.

Both Prince Amenohoakari, Ashura, and the prime minister were surprised and taken
aback by Princess Sakuyahime's courage to stop Ninigi's terrifying wrath.

"But she almost took your life!" insisted Prince Ninigi, adamant about swinging his
sword.

"Please stop, Your Highness. She deserves another chance," Sakuyahime pleaded, tears
in her eyes.

Sakuyahime's instant tears successfully melted Prince Ninigi's heart.

"Please report this chaos to the king," Prince Amenohoakari whispered to the prime
minister, who promptly carried out his order.

Prince Ninigi briefly locked eyes with Sakuyahime's tear-filled emerald gaze,
unintentionally dropping his sword right in front of Aiko.

Shocked and in awe, Aiko whispered, "Thank you, Princess," before fainting on the spot.

In the present, Karin nonchalantly chewed on a croissant, casually observing the crowd
of journalists, media, and paparazzi surrounding Sasuke in front of Prince & Co.’s
building. He had just arrived on his motorcycle, carrying his beloved mannequin.

"Truly an incurable madness," scoffed Karin, glaring angrily at Sasuke.

"Ugh, speaking of madness, you still owe me for what you did to me last night, Karin!"
Suigetsu retorted, pointing at his pants.

"Screw that! You deserve it, pervert!" snapped Karin, nudging Suigetsu's stomach harder
and leaving him perplexed.
"We need to destroy that damn mannequin until it turns to dust," growled Karin,
clenching the croissant in her hand before discarding it carelessly and returning to the
open-roofed car.

"Putain de merde (Fuck)! I wanted to eat that," Suigetsu complained, looking at the
croissant that was tossed away by the red-haired woman.

Meanwhile, in front of the Prince & Co. Department Store building, the curious crowd
fascinated by Sasuke's handsomeness and the unique pink-haired mannequin continued
to grow denser.

"Excuse me, Mr. Uchiha. Do you really have affection for a mannequin or is it just part of
a performance?" asked one journalist, extending the microphone toward Sasuke, and
intruding into his personal space. Uncomfortable, Sasuke deliberately ignored the
journalist and tried to navigate through the increasingly invasive crowd, tightly hugging
his mannequin.

"Did you make it yourself, or did you steal it from a store?" another journalist asked,
presenting the mic to Sasuke.

Sasuke raised his hand to stop the journalist and forced a smile, choosing not to answer.

"Mr. Uchiha, can I take a photo of you two with the mannequin?" insisted a
photographer, slightly forceful, immediately snapping his camera. Sasuke quickly
shielded himself from the flashes directed at him.

Meanwhile, a crowd of young girls, captivated by Sasuke's handsomeness, which

exceeded what they had seen on the internet or TV, erupted in hysterical cheers.

"Calm down, ladies. Michelangelo is passing through," Deidara, who came out of
nowhere, exclaimed arrogantly, suddenly putting his arm around Sasuke's shoulder.

"If you ever wonder who I am, I am his mentor and senior at Prince & Co. I molded and
shaped him until he became a sensation like this," Deidara declared confidently to the
journalists. Sasuke grinned slightly, observing the lies Deidara told to boost his own ego.

"And whether he's romantically involved with his mannequin or not is none of your
business," Deidara sneered again. "Oh, cameras, come to me!" He puffed out his broad
chest. "I am the master."

"Mrs. Tsunade is already waiting for you upstairs," Deidara said after they escaped the
mad crowd and entered the bustling store, which was more chaotic than a few days
before.

"I know that you're just a lost puppy wagging your tail with a hungry stomach, waiting
for someone to feed you," Deidara said, holding Sasuke's shoulders, bringing their walk
to a halt. "You've suffered so much in your miserable life, but I molded you until you
became a superstar in the window dressing section. I'm a fan of your genuine
indignation. But with many ladies out there screaming your name, I admit I'm kind of
jealous."

"You're cool too, Deidara," Sasuke said nonchalantly, quickly shrugging off Deidara, who
seemed to enjoy giving him unnecessary touches for no reason.

"Tell me how this little country girl with pink hair feels about your newfound popularity
among the ladies. She must not be very thrilled," Deidara sneered.

"Well, she's fine, don't worry," Sasuke said, rolling his eyes.

"I hope she won't end up herself in the trash can due to jealousy," Deidara sneered
again.

Sasuke chuckled softly, concealing it with his palm.

Sasuke was genuinely surprised when Deidara led him into another room instead of
Tsunade's.

"There you are, young man!" Tsunade greeted with a proud, broad smile. "Good
morning! You seem absolutely thrilled with your newfound popularity."

Sasuke was taken aback to find all the board members and management gathered in the
room, giving him a round of applause.

"I mean - sorry, but I know that article will ruin this store's reputation, and I am the one
to be blamed, but -" Sasuke stammered nervously, yet Tsunade promptly cut him off.

"Oh, don't belittle yourself. We don't really care about your quirky personal life. What
we care about is profit, and you've turned this nearly abandoned mall back into a lively
place, full of spirit like the good old times!" cheered Tsunade. "You could practically roll
around naked on the street and eat dirt, and we still wouldn't care about it."

"Great," said Sasuke with a faint smirk.

"And, uh, I love your little company here, Miss -" Tsunade pointed at the mannequin
Sasuke brought.

"Sakura," said Sasuke abruptly.

"Ah, yes, whatever it is. Is it true that you created it yourself?" asked Tsunade curiously.

"Yes, I did back when I was working in the factory," answered Sasuke firmly.
"Now, straight to the point, we thought that your office room is a bit cramped, and this
spacious room will make you more comfortable," Tsunade stretched both of her hands.
"Well, I hope so, but you can pick any room you like that can bring out your creativity
because we need a lot of ideas for window displays in the upcoming fall season."

"T-this is enough, Mrs. T, thank you," stated Sasuke while surveying the room with a
thin smile.

"And also, as a little gift from us," Tsunade took a car key handed to her by her assistant,
Shizune, "If you don't mind."

"What? Do my eyes betray me? Is it a Ferrari?" shouted Deidara out of shock, "Oh, my
dream car!"

Sasuke hesitantly looked at the key in his hand that he took from Tsunade. Surprisingly,
he turned to the ponytailed man beside him, "Deidara, you can have this."

Deidara instantly widened his eyes, "What? Are you nuts?"

"Why, Sasuke? Your little rusty motorcycle might not be suitable for you as our vice
president," Tsunade protested in confusion.

"I don't need it. Besides, I prefer my motorcycle. It's a gift from my mom, invaluable,"
stated Sasuke with a smile.

Deidara quickly snatched the car key from Sasuke's hand.

"Oh, little Prince Froggy. You are my savior!" exclaimed Deidara with so much
exaggeration and hugged Sasuke tightly, leaving Sasuke exasperated.

With the departure of others, Sasuke gently seated Sakura, now back to her human
form, on the table.

"How do you find my new office? Do you like it?" Sasuke inquired; his expression
adorned with a soft smile.

Sakura responded with a smile, playfully circling her hands around Sasuke's neck.

"All of this wouldn't have happened without you, Sakura," Sasuke remarked, his gaze
carrying depth. "You never cared whether I had something or not. You even liked me
when I hated myself."

"Quiet, grumpy guy," Sakura teased with a soft chuckle, delicately touching Sasuke's lips
with her finger. "Everything happened because of your hard work too. I merely gave you
a little push and confidence."
Sasuke, revealing a broad smile reserved only for Sakura, helped the girl descend from
his worktable. In a playful manner, he spun her slender figure, and laughter filled the
room.

"What do you think we should do with the window tonight?" Sakura inquired after
Sasuke ceased the twirl.

"What do you think is the right thing for us to do? We're free to do anything. Practically,
we own this mall now," Sasuke responded with a gentle gaze.

Sakura then whispered something in Sasuke's ear, causing the young man to widen his
eyes in disbelief.

Unbeknownst to them, outside the room, Tsunade, Deidara, and all the board members
and staff were eavesdropping behind the door.

"You're right. He's head over heels for the mannequin," Tsunade exclaimed in disbelief
and surprise.

"He's practically always been like that since I first met him. Love is truly blind," teased
Deidara, continuing to eavesdrop with amusement.

Meanwhile, in his office at the Illustra building, Itachi appeared somber, gazing at an old
photo of himself and Sasuke taken fifteen years ago. Itachi gently traced his thumb over
the face of seven-year-old Sasuke in the picture, who seemed to be smiling at him
through the glass frame.

A sudden, loud knock on his office door jolted Itachi from his contemplation of the
beautiful memories with his brother.

"Come in!" Itachi ordered loudly.

To his surprise, Kurosawa, a staff member from the marketing department, entered
hastily and approached him.

"Mr. Uchiha, Mr. Orochimaru is calling for you in his office. He seems very angry."

"Alright, I'll be there shortly," Itachi replied calmly, as if he had anticipated what would
happen after the publication of the article.

Upon arriving at Orochimaru's office, Itachi knocked on the door calmly.

"Come in!" Orochimaru commanded with irritation from inside.

Itachi was taken aback to find Kabuto already standing next to Orochimaru, lighting a
cigarette for him.
After inhaling the smoke offered by Kabuto and exhaling it into the air, Orochimaru
scoffed, "Look at that arrogant face! After daring to stab me in the back, you still have
the audacity to look at me with that smug expression."

Itachi bowed calmly, completely unaffected by Orochimaru's insults.

"Is there anything I can help?" Itachi asked politely.

"More precisely, is there anything you can ruin?" Orochimaru snapped, rising from his
seat and slamming the table in anger.

Kabuto grinned triumphantly, glancing at Itachi.

"I suspected that you would secretly betray me for your mentally unstable and useless
brother!" Orochimaru continued with a condescending tone. "You're the mastermind
behind the article attempting to garner sympathy for your brother's 'difficult and
miserable' life as a sculptor, don't you?!" Orochimaru added, sitting back in his chair
with frustration and taking another drag of his cigarette.

"It's much better than exposing his shame with photos you took stealthily, Orochimaru,"
Itachi retorted. "Your cunning ways won't get you anywhere."

"Your filthy mouth dares to mock me, Uchiha Itachi!" Orochimaru growled.

"Boss, he's the one who seems to have asked Tsunade to hire his unemployed and
foolish brother," Kabuto whispered, provocatively fuelling Orochimaru's anger.

"Enough, Kabuto! I don't need to hear anything more about this scoundrel and his
idiotic brother!" Orochimaru lashed out.

"Stop it, Orochimaru! You can insult me all you want! But if you dare to insult and
demean my brother again, I won't hesitate to drag you out of your throne!" Itachi
exclaimed, having lost his patience.

"You insolent fool! How dare you threaten me, you lowly scum!" Orochimaru roared,
slamming the table again with even more force. "I can't stand all your betrayals
anymore! You're fired right now!"

"No need to bother, sir," Itachi responded with a sneer, handing over a large brown
envelope that he had been holding since earlier. "I have already prepared my
resignation letter. It's far better for me to lose a job than to have my brother's career
and reputation ruined. Goodbye," Itachi said firmly, walking out of Orochimaru's office.

"Listen, I won't stay silent and let you and your brother suffer, Uchiha!" Orochimaru
shouted loudly from his deliberately ignored seat.

After Itachi left his room, he swiftly turned to Kabuto, "Proceed to steal that damn
mannequin tonight!"
Kabuto nodded firmly, "Alright, sir!"

At midnight, Sakura immersed herself in trying on various attires in a woman’s dressing

room, while Sasuke casually sat on the couch in front of the dressing room, patiently
waiting for her. Initially, Sakura attempted a yellow bouffant dress, but as she presented
it to Sasuke, he shook his head in disapproval. For her second attempt, Sakura tried a
Versace black A-line dress that accentuated her curves. However, upon showcasing it to
Sasuke, he frowned and shook his head again. Undeterred, Sakura continued with a pink
maxi dress, only to be met with a loud sigh from Sasuke, deeming it too tacky for her.

Playfully inspired, Sakura decided to try a wedding dress, complete with holding a
bouquet of white roses. As she presented herself to Sasuke, he was instantly left in awe,
momentarily tongue-tied by Sakura’s natural beauty. In a playful gesture, Sakura tossed
the bouquet to Sasuke, subtly hinting at marriage, but the man looked at it with
confusion.

Later, Sakura busily searched for another dress in the clothing display, frantically
tossing aside dresses she disliked. Sasuke, growing both annoyed and irritated, found
himself catching all the discarded dresses.

Sakura then changed into an expensive red dress from Givenchy, a replica of what
Audrey Hepburn wore in her movie, “Funny Face,” complete with white gloves reaching
her lower arms. Together, they casually strolled around the hat section, where Sakura
snatched a white fedora hat from a male mannequin and placed it on Sasuke’s head
without his approval. She laughed heartily, observing the hat slightly covering almost
half of his eyes. Sasuke could only smirk secretly in amusement.

Subsequently, they engaged in a game of hide and seek, causing Sasuke to grow worried
when he couldn’t find Sakura. He paused in the women’s scarf section, panting from the
frantic search. However, as he turned back, he was perplexed and surprised to find what
he thought was an ordinary female mannequin in a red dress, its face covered by a red
pashmina scarf.

Sasuke curiously removed the pashmina, and suddenly, a flood of memories from his
past life swarmed his mind disorderly, like a broken film. Fragments of a wooden statue
resembling Sakura being burnt and destroyed with swords echoed around. Then, a
man's desperate scream, with blood from a woman’s body who had just been beheaded
spreading around his clothes and face, followed by the pink girl giving the man a gentle
kiss while they both held hands on the seashore. It continued with the man revealing
the red scarf that covered the statue he had just created, resembling his wife, as a gift
for their wedding, leaving the girl in awe and struck. This was followed by fragments of
a man’s lips saying, ‘If the time has come, promise you’ll find me,’ and then a traditional
wedding ceremony, hearty laughter, and someone stabbing the man’s stomach until he
passed out in front of the burned statue of the girl.

Sasuke’s heart raced uncontrollably as he now recognized the man’s face in his mind,
resembling him. He was momentarily taken aback and slowly stepped back from the
mannequin, which turned out to be Sakura, who was slowly opening her eyes that were
previously closed.

“I found you,” murmured Sakura or Sakuyahime, which seemed to magically echo in this
empty hall. A godly light shockingly appeared above Sakura as she slowly approached
him.

“Do you remember me now?” asked Sakura with a faint smile.

Sasuke’s lips trembled, as did both of his legs. “I don’t know what just happened.”

“My husband, my love, my Prince,” murmured Sakura while holding both of Sasuke’s
hands, who was genuinely petrified at that moment. “I promised you, and I did find you.”

“This must be a mistake,” Sasuke said, still struggling to reconcile it with his logic. “H-
how? How can you find me?”

“I told you, because you created me,” said Sakura in a gentle whisper. Her voice was
sweet as honey.

“Please don’t go away from me again, hm?” she pleaded, clutching both of Sasuke’s
palms even tighter.

“Sakuyahime,” murmured Sasuke. His eyes now became teary for no reason. After a
moment of contemplation, he remembered his past life perfectly. He was the lost Prince
Ninigi, the husband of Princess Sakuyahime, and now they both found each other again
after hundreds of years.

“I promise,” he added and slowly kissed Sakura’s lips with intense passion, as if he
hadn’t kissed her for a very long time and truly longed for her presence.

Sakura’s tears began streaming down her cheeks as she welcomed Sasuke’s lips with the
same passion and affection.

Finally, the two lovers reunited in their burning passion, with the full moon witnessing
their undying love from above.

Before long, they found themselves lying naked beside each other on a hanging swing in
one of the sections, covered only by thick wool blankets. Sakura's smooth right leg
dangled outside the swing, while one of Sasuke's arms embraced her waist beneath the
blanket.

They both looked at each other intensely, their faces flushed and reddened from
passionate lovemaking. Surprisingly, Sasuke gently caressed his girl’s delicate cheeks.

“Is this the end of our journey?” asked Sasuke, now well aware of all memories of his
past life.
“I don’t think so,” Sakura murmured while gently kissing Sasuke’s lips. “I still become a
mannequin.”

“Then how can I lift the curse and make you human again?” asked Sasuke urgently.

“I don’t know,” answered Sakura hesitantly, “Maybe we will find the answer.”

“I hope so,” said Sasuke with a sigh, “I want to show you to the world.”

“You already showed me to the world, didn’t you?” asked Sakura with a sad smile.

“But they think I’m crazy,” Sasuke protested, unable to take his eyes off her, “And I
definitely can’t introduce you to my parents as the woman I love, or they would’ve
disowned me.”

Sakura chuckled softly, “I’m sure we’ll find a way, my husband.”

Then, after Sasuke fell into a deep slumber, Sakura secretly descended from the swing
and put on her scattered dress on the floor. She sadly gazed at her husband's
reincarnation and hurriedly ran to the secret door leading to the window display.

Sakura raised both hands and tilted her head, striking a mannequin-like pose before
reverting to her inanimate form.

At the same time, Killer B's old car abruptly stopped right in front of the deserted Prince
& Co. building.

“That peckerhead doubled back on me. I saw his motorcycle out front,” whispered
Kabuto, who came with Killer B as they both sneaked in through the back door.

“I still got the key, sir,” exclaimed Killer B a bit too loudly, making Kabuto quickly hush
him.

“Just quick, quick!” Kabuto impatiently commanded.

Killer B then unlocked the chain padlock securing the door with the key he still kept
despite being fired from Prince & Co.

“That dummy of his has got to be here!” Kabuto muttered in frustration.

After successfully unlocking the door, Killer B raised his thumb and winked at his boss.
He then gestured for Kabuto to enter first.

Killer B made sure that no one was watching them before closing the door again.

As Kabuto and Killer B navigated through the labyrinth of mannequins in the storage
warehouse, they hilariously found themselves bickering over which one was Sakura.
“This is the one!” proclaimed Killer B with certainty, pointing at a female mannequin.

“Dumbass! She has pink hair, not brunette!” retorted Kabuto in a hushed tone,
punctuating his remark with a slap to Killer B’s head.

“Wait a minute. This one kinda looks like her, too,” pointed Killer B at another female
mannequin.

With a mixture of annoyance and amusement, Kabuto rolled his eyes and aimed his
flashlight at the mannequin, “She has red hair, idiot!” He sighed dramatically, “I can’t
believe I've entrusted my future to a vegetable.”

“Sorry, boss, they all sort of look alike,” said Killer B with a weary grin, scratching his
neck.

“The one with pink hair!” Kabuto snapped, his teeth almost grinding against Killer B’s
ear.

Kabuto yelped in surprise when his suit got snagged on a mannequin’s hand. Amidst
their argument, they continued trying to figure out which door led to the entrance of the
window display.

“It's over there!” shouted Killer B, pointing enthusiastically to the secret door behind the
'staff only' sign, just behind the women’s panties section.

“No, this is the door!” argued Kabuto grumpily, gesturing toward another secluded door
behind the men’s underwear section.

“This is not the door!” contradicted Killer B, vigorously shaking his head.

“This is the door!” snapped Kabuto in a hushed tone, pointing his flashlight at the
secretive door behind the women’s bag section.

Entering the door, they found themselves in the window display area, and Killer B, with
unbridled joy, exclaimed, “Ah, there it is! With pink hair!” as he frantically approached
Sakura, frozen in her lifeless position.

Kabuto, following behind, urgently whispered, “Just shut up and get the mannequin!”

Abiding by his boss’s directive, Killer B hugged Sakura’s waist and stealthily carried her
from the display, with Kabuto in tow.

Sasuke, blissfully unaware, remained deeply immersed in his slumber, oblivious to the
fact that his cherished mannequin was being pilfered. Morning arrived, ushering in a
sizable crowd of staff and visitors who gathered around him.
The onlookers marveled at Sasuke's otherworldly beauty as he peacefully slept, half-
naked and enveloped in a furry blanket. Whispers and murmurs meandered through the
crowd.

“This is really interesting,” remarked a woman in brown office attire, finding

amusement in the spectacle.

“This is art,” chimed in a bald man, nodding appreciatively.

“This is brilliant,” added a woman in a navy blouse, awe evident in her expression.

“It's like theatre,” contributed another male staff member.

“I get it!” exclaimed a woman, thoroughly amazed by Sasuke’s beautiful face.

Sasuke, still with closed eyes, shifted in his sleep, reaching out for Sakura's non-existent
presence. Confusion etched across his face when he couldn't find her beside him.
Opening his eyes, he was taken aback to find a large crowd surrounding him, as if he
were the centerpiece of an art exhibition. Applause erupted as Sasuke slowly sat up, his
front covered only by a thick blanket.

“Excuse me! Excuse me!” Deidara chirped, pushing through the crowd to approach
Sasuke.

Deidara flicked his fingers dramatically, a frown forming on his face. Leaning closer to
Sasuke, he greeted mockingly, “Good morning, starshine. I sleep alone these days, too,
but I am not about to advertise it.”

“Get my clothes?” Sasuke urgently requested, his cheeks now resembling a boiled crab
out of embarrassment.

Deidara quickly retrieved Sasuke’s scattered clothes from the floor while scolding him,
“Spent the night? You slept through the whole how-do-you-do.”

Sasuke raised his brows in confusion, “What do you mean?”

“Your baby girl mannequin disappeared from the windows last night,” Deidara informed
with both panic and urgency.

Sasuke widened his eyes in shock, “Sakura!”

Snatching his clothes from Deidara, Sasuke walked past the applauding crowd, clutching
the thick blanket to cover his naked body.

Deidara ran frantically behind him, shouting, “Sasuke! You skunk!” as the crowd
continued to applaud in unison as background noise.

…
10.

Wearing his clothes in utter disarray — shirt untucked, a tie hanging loosely around his
neck without a proper knot, and an overall visibly wrinkled appearance — Sasuke, now
more occupied with his concerns for Sakura than himself, bolted frantically into the
window display. In a state of panic and anxiety, he scanned the surroundings but found
no trace of Sakura.

Deidara, following Sasuke into the window, commented with mock concern, "I'm sorry,
but you know us special people are destined for heartache."

Ignoring Deidara's words, Sasuke clutched his own messy hair, imagining the dreadful
scenarios that might have befallen his mannequin.

"Do you know what works best for me?" Deidara offered unsolicited advice at an utterly
inconvenient moment, as Sasuke was genuinely distressed and filled with worry,
"Crying shamelessly."

Sasuke hastily ran out of the window, leaving Deidara bewildered and surprised, as he
seemed overly concerned about a supposedly worthless mannequin.

"Don't do anything drastic! Me, my!" Deidara exclaimed in mock panic before comically
sprinting after Sasuke.

Before long, Sasuke found himself in a yellow Ferrari convertible, careening recklessly
through the streets, driven by the flamboyant Deidara. Sasuke's appearance was now
noticeably less neat than before, while Deidara, as always, sported extravagant
sunglasses with a bizarre frame and a black leather jacket adorned with numerous
chains around his waist.

Sasuke struggled to retrieve his phone from his pocket due to the unreasonable speed at
which Deidara was driving. He even regretted entrusting his supposed-to-be car to this
eccentric man, as it turned out Deidara couldn't drive a car properly. Despite his
inability to drive normally, Deidara insisted on driving his own car as a point of pride
and to showcase to other road users.

Sasuke became frustrated when his calls to Itachi's number consistently went to
voicemail. In anger, he pounded the dashboard, "When I need him, he never answers the
phone!" he complained with a grumble.

"Easy, hot-tempered kid! We'll be at Illustra soon!" Deidara shouted, stepping on the gas
pedal to increase the speed of his new car. "Come on, baby boy! Show them your
fierceness!" he yelled with delight and boisterous laughter.

"Good grief!" Sasuke muttered in distress, clutching his forehead. Bringing this eccentric
individual along was undeniably a terrible idea.

The car recklessly ran through red lights and nearly collided with the car in front of it
while attempting to overtake.
"Son of a bitch!" cursed the owner of the gray sedan that Deidara almost hit.

"Fucker!" Deidara cursed back while giving a middle finger from afar.

"Oh, baby boy. I won’t let you get a scratch, or you should be in the hospital," Deidara
said with concern, as if talking to his own child rather than a car.

"The truth is, we might end up in the hospital, dipshit!" muttered Sasuke in both
annoyance and exasperation.

Before long, the two men finally arrived in front of the magnificent Illustra Department
Store.

"Okay, now," muttered Sasuke, instantly jumping out of the car without opening its door
when it stopped in front of Illustra.

"Wait, doofus! Hold on a minute!" exclaimed Deidara, surprised and panicked.

Deidara quickly exited his car and, with confusion, alternately looked toward his car and
toward Sasuke, who had already entered the luxurious building.

"Yes, my car cover, darling," murmured Deidara in panic as he picked up the car cover
from the back seat.

He swiftly put the car cover on his brand-new sports car, worried it might get scratched
for no reason.

"Daddy will leave for a minute. Don’t go anywhere," said Deidara with excessive worry,
as if leaving a toddler on the street, before running after Sasuke.

Sasuke, in a state of panic and breathless urgency, hastened towards the receptionist's
desk. "Uchiha Itachi!" he exclaimed, his breath irregular.

"Can I help you?" inquired the female receptionist, maintaining a professional

appearance, with a touch of confusion.

"Where is he? Where is Itachi?" Sasuke impatiently demanded.

"He’s no longer working here," declared the receptionist firmly.

"He what?" Sasuke widened his eyes instantly, biting his lips in anxiety. "How about
Karin Uzumaki?"

"She's in a conference--" the female receptionist began, but her words were abruptly cut
off by Sasuke’s urgency.
"Thank you," Sasuke murmured frantically, almost inaudibly, as he rushed to the
meeting room.

"You can't go in there!" snapped the female receptionist as Sasuke entered without
permission from the Illustra leadership.

She then dialed some numbers on her desk phone, "Yes, security!"

Sasuke, in a panic, entered the meeting room and was surprised to find Karin in intense
discussion with Orochimaru and Kabuto.

"Sasuke!" exclaimed Kabuto, both surprised and shocked, as he handed some

paperwork to Orochimaru, who was sitting calmly in his chair.

Karin, standing next to Kabuto, widened her eyes upon seeing Sasuke suddenly
appearing before her in a disheveled state.

"We were hoping you might drop in," Kabuto said with his typical smugness, hands on
his hips. "Can I get you something to drink?" he continued casually, downplaying
Sasuke's presence.

"Where is she, Karin?" Sasuke growled, losing his patience due to Kabuto's rotten small
talk.

He then marched angrily toward the three arrogant individuals.

"She's perfectly safe," Orochimaru interjected with a wicked smirk, flicking his cigarette
butt into the nearby ashtray.

"Sasuke, let's talk about your future here at Illustra," continued the androgynous man
with a condescending smile and sweetly crafted words aimed at influencing Sasuke.

Sasuke, with a piercing gaze, looked disdainfully at Orochimaru.

"I think it'll be wonderful to have the team back together again," chimed in Kabuto with
his smug smirk.

"What'd you do with her?" Sasuke demanded angrily.

Karin scoffed and looked at him condescendingly, "Relax, it's just a mannequin."

"How does 550,000 yen a year sound to you?" Orochimaru offered with a smirk and
gave an unsolicited touch on Sasuke’s tense shoulders.

Sasuke, who was not a fan of other people touching him besides Sakura, couldn’t
suppress his anger anymore.

"You son of a bitch!" Sasuke exclaimed, clutching Orochimaru’s collar instantly and
shoving his pale body until it hit the wall hard.
Orochimaru, shocked by this man’s excessive strength, tried to make a compromise and
showed his hands in front of the temperamental Sasuke, "All right, 600,000 yen."

"I don't think he's of Illustra fiber!" scoffed Kabuto, pointing his finger at Sasuke,
mocking the man.

"Where is she?" Sasuke urgently demanded right in Orochimaru's face, clutching his
collar even tighter until it almost choked the pale man.

"Forget it, you’ll never see her again!" sneered Karin in both annoyance and jealousy,
hands on her hips.

The red-haired woman then ran out of the meeting room.

"Karin, where are you going!" shouted Sasuke, angrily widening his eyes.

Karin, who had already left the meeting room, seemed to struggle as she ran along the
corridor in her high-heeled shoes.

Meanwhile, in the meeting room, Orochimaru continued to present Sasuke with an offer,
"We also have a very nice profit-sharing plan."

"Uchiha, we have extremely incriminating photos of you and that little...." Kabuto
sneered. However, before he could finish his words, Sasuke threw a punch hard enough
at his face, causing the man to fall to the floor, hitting his forehead on the table.

Sasuke immediately ran out of the meeting room to chase Karin.

Orochimaru, frustrated, adjusted his shirt collar, and angrily shouted at Kabuto, who
was still moaning in pain under his feet, "Get up, Kabuto! Get him!"

As Sasuke was running fast down the hallway, a burly security guard suddenly tackled
him, causing him to fall hard to the floor. The commotion startled several staff members,
including the receptionist, who immediately looked toward the source of the incident.

The security guard almost electrocuted Sasuke with his stun gun, but the man quickly
twisted the security guard's hand, making him electrocute himself. The security guard
writhed in pain and Sasuke immediately handcuffed the guard's right wrist to his ankle
with handcuffs hanging from the guard's belt.

"Fuck!" cursed Sasuke as he almost slipped on the wet floor.

“Security alert! Man in a black suit!” shouted the security guard, holding back pain on
his walkie-talkie. He continued to move frantically on the floor, struggling to free
himself from the handcuffs binding his hand to his ankle. He then gestured with his
unbound hand to other security personnel approaching him, “Come on! Get him!” he
exclaimed angrily while pointing in the direction Sasuke was running.
…

Karin hurriedly descended the stairs, attempting to quicken her pace despite the strain
on her ankles from the stiletto heels.

Meanwhile, in the women’s underwear section, Killer B, now working for Illustra,
discreetly observed deep red women’s panties on display. His covert actions halted
when his walkie-talkie vibrated, announcing, “All units, code 2. Perpetrator on the main
floor!”

Promptly responding, Killer B brought the walkie-talkie to his mouth, “Roger. Over and
out!” He tightened his grip on the leash of his new German Shepherd, Terminator,
replacing his absent Rottweiler without explanation. “Come on, Terminator. Duty calls!”
he exclaimed, dragging the large dog away.

Sasuke descended the stairs previously taken by Karin, making way through visitors.
“Excuse me,” he gasped.

“Karin!” he shouted, pausing on the staircase, observing her running past the women’s
clothes section.

Orochimaru ran after Sasuke in panic, shouting to the receptionist, “Call the police!”

Frantically, Kabuto added, “The SWAT team!”

The receptionist dialed a specific number on her desk phone.

Orochimaru and Kabuto briefly cleared the path for visitors on the stairs Sasuke had
descended. Unaware of his surroundings, Kabuto collided with a female shopper,
scattering her belongings on the stairs.

Ignoring the chaos he caused, Kabuto continued running to catch up with his boss. In
the background, the security guard, previously handcuffed by Sasuke, freed himself and
followed Orochimaru and Kabuto.

In the women’s clothes section, Killer B swiftly dragged his running dog, unintentionally
crossing paths with the sprinting Sasuke.

“Uchiha!” snarled Killer B, nursing his grudge against the young man. His dog slowed
down abruptly when Killer B stopped. Before Sasuke could make another move,
especially with his irregular breath, Killer B squatted beside his dog, angrily declaring,
“Terminator, lunchtime!” while pointing towards Sasuke and smacking his companion’s
rear. “Get him!” he ordered with frustration, grinning as Terminator barked loudly and
charged toward Sasuke.

However, in reality, the dog ran past Sasuke, who was already prepared to defend
himself. “Shit!” cursed Killer B in disbelief and exasperation, witnessing this unexpected
turn of events.
“Nice dog!” mocked Sasuke with a smug smirk before swiftly escaping. Killer B then
chased after Sasuke, followed by several other security guards.

“Uchiha!” shouted Killer B angrily, the echoes resounding everywhere, “Uchiha!”

Sasuke, showcasing acrobatic moves reminiscent of action movies, slid beneath a group
of security guards approaching from the opposite direction. His maneuver caused them
to stumble and fall like dominoes.

“Damn it!” cursed Killer B, also affected by the domino effect, stumbling over a fallen
security guard.

Sasuke swiftly rose and ran in the opposite direction, triggering a cascade of displayed
clothes falling. The commotion escalated as the security guards pursued him,
Intentionally pushing items hanging on the displays.

Meanwhile, with a fast and panicked heartbeat, Karin entered through a swinging door
with a prominent “Employees Only” sign hanging above it.

A dozen security guards and Sasuke continued their intense pursuit along the ground
floor store corridor. The guards seemed overwhelmed, struggling to keep up with
Sasuke, who ran much faster than them.

With lightning speed, Sasuke eluded capture by two groups of security guards
approaching from opposite directions, causing them to collide dramatically.

Momentarily confused, Sasuke found himself surrounded again by Killer B and his crew.
He burst through the clothing displays dramatically, causing them to scatter on the
floor.

Karin had run far into the secret warehouse corridor, anxiously glancing back several
times to ensure Sasuke hadn’t caught up with her.

The woman swung open a pair of white doors, revealing a large yellow sign that
proclaimed “Maintenance. Trash Compactor” beside it. Disregarding the warning, Karin
swiftly entered.

Meanwhile, in the women’s clothes section, Sasuke agilely vaulted over glass display
shelves to evade Killer B’s charge. However, the hefty man ended up on top of the glass
shelf, causing it to shatter under his weight. Confused and panicked, Sasuke grabbed an
umbrella to shield himself from the security guard’s swings.

Flashbacks of Sasuke’s past life, particularly moments wielding a sword, raced through
his mind. Ironically, in the present, he found himself wielding a black umbrella. With
remarkable agility, Sasuke skillfully parried Killer B’s attacks, resembling a top fencer
despite having never trained with a sword or similar weapon. His experiences in
countless bloody battlefields had ingrained in him the natural skill to wield the
umbrella.
Killer B’s footsteps continued to shatter glass shelves, and he screamed as his foot got
pierced by glass shards. Undeterred, he pursued Sasuke, leaping to the next shelf, only
to fall into a narrow rack filled with stacks of women’s panties due to the shattered
glass.

Before Sasuke could escape, another security guard with a thick mustache tightly
grabbed him from behind, restraining his movements. As a second security guard
attempted to punch Sasuke, he swiftly used both feet to kick the man’s face and
stomach, despite his hands being held by the mustached guard. Continuously struggling
to free himself, he wielded the large umbrella to strike the mustached guard’s face.

Simultaneously, Karin was observed entering the trash compactor room, pulling a large
cart filled with garbage and several mannequins from her store, including the lifeless
mannequin of Sakura.

Sasuke delivered a final blow by kicking the mustached guard’s stomach and hitting his
head with the umbrella, successfully freeing himself.

Karin promptly pushed the cart into the compaction room, where a giant automated
garbage shredder awaited.

With limited strength as a woman, she lifted each mannequin from the cart and placed
them on the sliding carousel, destined for the garbage shredder.

Killer B, aided down from the shelf by his comrade, immediately pursued Sasuke, who
had managed to escape.

Karin remained busy, lifting another mannequin and placing them onto the rapidly
moving carousel. She sighed inwardly, yearning for this chaos to end quickly.

Unfortunate Sasuke continued the intense chase with an increasing number of security
guards running behind him.

“You’ve had it, Uchiha!” shouted Killer B, pointing his stick towards Sasuke, who
sprinted towards the secret warehouse door Karin had entered earlier.

“I’m gonna get you! You’re finished, little Uchiha!” yelled the security guard again,
growing more desperate as he struggled to catch up with Sasuke, who had entered the
warehouse.

The security guards rushed into the warehouse with urgency.

“This is it! Here you are, hiding behind a pile of trash like the real you,” sneered Karin
with intense anger, cradling Sakura’s now lifeless mannequin form. With meticulous
care, she ensured Sakura’s body entered the sliding carousel.

Meanwhile, in the warehouse corridor, the security guards almost succeeded in catching
Sasuke, striking his back with their sticks. However, this didn’t halt the young man’s
escape. Unfortunately, Killer B unexpectedly pulled Sasuke from behind, and they
tumbled backward onto the hard floor.

In front of the garbage shredder, Karin rapidly pressed all the buttons until they turned
green. The loud and raucous ringing of the garbage shredder echoed through the
deserted warehouse after Karin activated the machine.

With a satisfied grin, Karin gazed at the mannequin Sakura from a distance as the sliding
carousel brought her closer to the trash shredder’s opening. Anxiously and impatiently,
Karin awaited Sakura’s lifeless body to be crushed, turning into dust like the other
mannequins that had met their demise.

Sasuke, still struggling, maneuvered beneath the crotches of the security guards who
had trapped him.

“Yoo-hoo, boys!” suddenly, the playful voice of Deidara appeared, distracting the
security guards from Sasuke. Surprised, Sasuke sported an unconscious wide smirk as
he quickly got up and ran towards Deidara, who wielded a large hose aimed at the
security guards.

“Way to go, buddy!” exclaimed Sasuke, patting Deidara on the shoulder, and darting into
the compaction room.

Deidara turned the pump handle, releasing a massive burst of water from the hose,
resembling a waterfall, towards the security guards.

“Three things I love to do: Creating, fighting, and kissing boys and girls,” challenged
Deidara with his typical catty but loud voice. “Come on! Come and get me, Mr.
Woodpecker!” he continued, blowing a long-distance kiss. He laughed maniacally,
“What’s the matter, honey? Come on.”

Overwhelmed, the security guards slipped and fell on the wet floor, cascading over each
other in drenched clothes.

The garbage shredder voraciously destroyed anything that entered it until it turned to
dust. Unfortunately, Sakura’s turn for destruction was just minutes away.

“Come on, scoundrel! Kit-Kat ass! Come and get me! Whooa!” Deidara exclaimed
excitedly with a loud laugh, playing with the hose in his hand. Satisfied, he watched the
security guards slip on the wet floor, tumbling over each other in soaking wet clothes.

Karin, smirking cunningly with full anticipation, unknowingly stood under the trash
disposal chute. A cascade of trash, including paper scraps and mannequin body parts,
fell abundantly towards her, causing her to sink into the debris.

“This is what being a man is all about, honey,” chirped Deidara between his boisterous
laughs, still playing with the water, while the terrified security guards sought refuge
behind the wall.
Simultaneously, the janitor, a garbage collector, emerged from his room upon hearing
the commotion outside. Sasuke hastily swung open a pair of doors and entered the
compartment room.

“Hey, you can’t come in here!” exclaimed the surprised janitor as Sasuke entered
unexpectedly. Ignoring the janitor’s warning, Sasuke noticed Sakura’s mannequin body
inching closer to the shredder.

“Sakura!” he shouted loudly as his heart raced uncontrollably, witnessing Sakura on the
verge of destruction. In a panic, he ran towards the shredder and, with a bit of struggle,
climbed the moving sliding carousel.

The janitor approached Sasuke, both surprised and disbelieving, witnessing a man so
distressed and panicked over a lifeless mannequin.

“Mine’s bigger than yours is!” teased Deidara with a loud chuckle, still spraying water
towards the other security guards who had just arrived. The security guards slipped and
collided with each other, falling to the floor.

Sasuke desperately reached for Sakura’s hand, just an inch away from the shredder,
terrified as her leg dangled perilously into the hole.

He clung to the carousel's edge, attempting to prevent Sakura from falling into the
shredder by gripping her hand.

Quietly, the janitor observed Sasuke’s heroic actions with both curiosity and concern
from a distance.

Sasuke squatted, exerting himself to prevent Sakura, who was on the brink of falling
into the shredder. He bit his lip, temples sweating as he used all his strength to save his
beloved mannequin.

Sakura’s legs seemed to float, just an inch away from the shredder’s blades.

Sasuke persisted, trying to pull Sakura’s heavier body out of the hole. Unfortunately, his
strength wasn’t enough, causing Sakura to slip further into the hole.

In Sasuke’s moment of despair, Sakura’s plastic lifeless hand magically transformed into
a woman’s hand, clutching Sasuke’s lower arm for dear life.

Sasuke was surprised to find Sakura turned into a human again.

Sakura clutched Sasuke’s big arm with her other hand, and with all his might, Sasuke
strained to pull her away from the edge.

Fear etched across Sakura’s face as her feet hovered perilously close to the sharp
shredder blades, intensifying Sasuke’s frustration in his struggle to rescue her.

The janitor watched the dramatic scene from a distance, moved and in disbelief.
Sasuke secretly prayed for any deity to give him extra strength, and his prayer was
answered. Clinging to the carousel’s edge, Sasuke successfully rescued Sakura from the
impending danger.

At the same time, the shocked and frightened janitor, witnessing the miracle of a
mannequin transforming into a human and even crying, quickly turned off the shredder
machine. This caused both the shredder blades and sliding carousel to stop functioning
entirely.

In the warehouse corridor, Orochimaru, Kabuto, and a dozen security guards were
soaked, attempting to evade Deidara’s triumphant laughter and the water barrage from
his hose.

“Why can’t we get that damn water turned off?” Orochimaru shouted angrily at Kabuto.

Suddenly, the water flow in Deidara’s hose started diminishing. Panic washed over his
face, “Shit!”

“Go!” Orochimaru, Kabuto, and the accompanying security guards immediately rushed
toward Deidara.

In panic, Deidara tossed his hose aside and sprinted into the compartment room.

“Shoot him!” Kabuto yelled at the security guards trailing behind.

Breathless, Sasuke slowly rose with Sakura’s assistance.

“Sasuke!” she murmured, wiping the sweat from his temples. “You saved me!” she
continued, sobbing.

Groaning with heavy breath, Sasuke replied, “It’s nothing. Really.”

“Thank you!” Sakura cried louder, embracing Sasuke tightly, making it difficult for him
to breathe.

From afar, the janitor observed the couple with admiration, disbelief, and touched
emotions.

“I’m alive!” Sakura smiled, realizing that she had permanently turned into a human. She
turned to the janitor, “He can see me, and I’m still alive!” exclaimed Sakura in joy.

Sasuke couldn’t suppress his smile any longer, “You are!”

Sakura embraced him again, clutching him harder, “Thank you!”

“Thank you,” she continued in a whispery tone while sobbing on Sasuke’s shoulder.

“You’re gonna have to love me forever,” Sakura murmured after slowly letting go of the
embrace.

“I always have, I always will,” Sasuke murmured with a smirk, looking into her eyes
intently.

He gently poked her forehead, feeling her human skin before Sakura pulled his collar
and kissed him passionately.

The janitor felt both envy and starstruck watching the lovebirds kissing before his eyes.

He then searched for his own mannequin in the pile of trash, picked up a female
mannequin and kissed it passionately, but was disappointed when it remained
unchanged. Frantically searching for another, he kissed it but tossed it away when it
stayed as a mannequin. Undeterred, he squatted, rummaging through the garbage until
he found Karin lying unconscious beneath.

“This is a miracle! Truly a miracle!” exclaimed the janitor, looking up as if thanking an

unexpected gift from God. Thinking Karin was a mannequin, he kissed her lips without
her consent.

Karin jolted awake, witnessing a repulsive man kissing her lips.

“Ugh,” Karin expressed her utter disgust, but the man continued kissing her
passionately.

“Ew. Stop it!” snapped Karin in anger while trying to push the man’s lips away.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru, Kabuto, and the security guards stumbled and fell while
chasing Deidara on the wet floor.

Sasuke assisted Sakura in descending from the now stationary sliding carousel, holding
her petite fingers and intertwining them with his. They were both shocked and
surprised to witness Karin being kissed and hugged by the unknown janitor.

“Stop it!” Karin yelled furiously, trying to push the janitor away, who aggressively
attempted to kiss her. “You little creep! Stop touching me! Get away from me!” she
continued, expressing her frustration while shoving the janitor’s hands away from her
waist.

“Hi, Karin,” greeted Sasuke nonchalantly with a condescending smirk as he passed by.
Sakura smiled and waved the hand that was not being held by her man towards Karin.
“That damn plastic!” sneered Karin in anger and jealousy before the janitor tried to kiss
her again, prompting her to kick his stomach with her knee.

As Sasuke and Sakura walked towards the exit door, they were both surprised by
Deidara, who frantically approached them.

“Jesus, it’s the heat!” exclaimed Deidara in panic before he was jolted in shock,
witnessing a beautiful woman beside Sasuke that resembled the pink mannequin.

“Now, this is Sakura,” said Sasuke nonchalantly while pointing at Sakura, another hand
wrapping around her waist.

Deidara instantly took out his weird sunglasses and was utterly shocked, “Mama, put
the coins on my eyes, ‘cause I sure don’t believe what I am seeing.”

“There he is!” shouted Orochimaru and his henchmen astonishingly as they swung the
wide door open. Sakura, frightened, buried her face in Sasuke’s broad chest.

“Arrest that man!” Orochimaru commanded angrily to his group of security guards,
pointing towards Sasuke. However, he then became puzzled when he saw a girl in
Sasuke’s embrace, “Who’s she?”

Sasuke, with a scowl, embraced Sakura even tighter. “She’s who I came for,” stated
Sasuke firmly, defending his girl.

“She’s the dummy!” pointed Killer B with frustration towards Sakura.

“I said, ‘Arrest that man!’” barked Orochimaru impatiently while pointing at Sasuke.
Sasuke looked at Sakura and gave a reassuring gaze that everything would be fine.

“Keep your hands off him!” shouted a middle-aged woman who suddenly entered the
warehouse, surprising everyone there.

“Tsunade, thank goodness you’re here!” exclaimed Orochimaru with a fake grin when he
noticed the blonde woman. However, he was utterly shocked, and his expression turned
to a scowl when he saw Itachi follow Tsunade into the compartment room with a bunch
of police officers.

“These people…” Orochimaru couldn’t finish his words as Tsunade immediately shouted
angrily at him while raising her hand, “Shut up! Orochimaru, you really screwed up!”

“What are you talking about?” asked Orochimaru nonchalantly, pretending not to give a
damn.

Tsunade, with a grump, then pointed at Killer B, “When I fired this idiot the other day, I
decided to replace him with one of those camera surveillance systems.”

She then picked up something from her designer handbag, surprising everyone. Kabuto
and Killer B exchanged panicked and worried glances.
“I have Kabuto and this moron on videotape!” snapped Tsunade while raising the
videotape she was holding. She then pointed at Itachi, who stood quietly beside her,
“This young gentleman told me everything. Orochimaru, I was sure you were behind
this. You greedy snake!”

“Tsunade, you have misunderstood…” Orochimaru began defending himself, but

Tsunade immediately pointed towards Kabuto and Killer B. “I want those two arrested
for breaking and entering and grand theft!” she ordered firmly to the police behind her.
She then pointed at Orochimaru, “I’ll get you later for conspiracy!”

Two police officers promptly handcuffed Killer B and Kabuto, who could only resign
themselves to being caught red-handed.

“You can add kidnapping to that, too!” shouted Sasuke suddenly.

“Kidnapping? Who?” Orochimaru retorted in confusion and exasperation.

Sakura immediately pointed to herself, “Me!”

“Who are you?!” mocked Orochimaru with a condescending tone.

“She’s the dummy!” shouted Killer B in frustration and shock, pointing at Sakura.

Itachi widened his eyes, unable to believe what he just heard. So, the mannequin that his
brother brought everywhere he went was now a human? What comical nonsense he
was witnessing at this moment?

“This poor man is having a breakdown,” snapped Sakura out of irritation, pointing back
at Killer B. “Get him out of here!” snapped Tsunade impatiently.

As the police officers arrested and dragged Kabuto and Killer B away, Killer B continued
to scream in frustration, “She’s the dummy! She’s the dummy!”

“Please, don’t use force!” snapped Kabuto angrily.

“Mama! I want my mama!” cried Killer B, the sound echoing through the hall as he was
being dragged away.

The situation turned a bit awkward when Sasuke caught a glance with his brother, who
was still tongue-tied after witnessing everything that just happened.

Itachi shifted his attention to Sakura, thinking that maybe she was just an ordinary
woman that his little brother finally fell in love with after years of choosing loneliness.
However, the pink hair and uncanny resemblance of Sakura to the dummy that his
brother created made it difficult for him to deny that somehow the nonsensical story his
brother tried hard to make him believe was actually true.
Sasuke released Sakura from his embrace and walked past his brother, approaching
Tsunade.

“Mrs. Tsunade, those video cameras,” Sasuke hesitantly whispered to the blonde
woman, “Did they pick up everything last night?”

“I only saw what I needed to see,” said Tsunade with a mischievous smirk while patting
Sasuke’s chest. Sasuke bit his lips while stealing glances at Sakura, who looked confused.

“Sasuke!” shouted Karin while approaching him. “Where did that woman come from?”
she asked in exasperation while pointing at Sakura.

“Karin, you would never understand,” stated Sasuke with a smug smirk while wrapping
his arm around Sakura’s shoulders. Karin could only watch the couple walk hand in
hand past her in intense jealousy while folding her arms.

Deidara looked at Karin with a mocking gaze before following Sasuke and Sakura as
they exited the room.

“Tsunade, there must be some arrangement we can make?” Orochimaru, even out of
desperation, appeared calm and still made a fake offer to Tsunade. “And I warn you not
to trust that guy. He loves to stab people from behind!” snapped him while pointing at
Itachi.

“Let’s see who deserves to be trusted by Mrs. Tsunade. Shall we?” challenged Itachi
firmly.

“Cram it, clown!” barked Tsunade at Orochimaru angrily before leaving the warehouse.
Itachi followed the woman and gave his former boss a triumphant yet condescending
look.

“That damn skunk!” cursed Orochimaru while gritting his teeth.

“Come on, sir!” ordered several police officers who arrested and handcuffed
Orochimaru, dragging him out.

“You know, I see executive potential here!” quipped the androgynous man, still not
deterred from negotiating even though he faced the threat of imprisonment.

“Karin, you’re fired!” shouted Orochimaru as he was being dragged. “You’ll never work
in this town again!”

“How am I gonna pay my bills, my rent, my new watch, my car…,” pleaded Karin
desperately as she trailed behind her boss.

After everyone left the warehouse, the lumpy janitor sadly smiled at Karin who had just
disappeared, realizing that it was far too impossible for him to find love. With a sad
expression, he wiped sweat off his face with his tattered handkerchief and resumed his
usual task of sweeping the pile of trash.
However, his focus shifted when he saw a brunette mannequin lying on the scattered
trash. He immediately jumped, kissing the mannequin, hoping it to be alive.

….

11.

Sasuke finally mustered the courage to visit his parents after years of avoiding even a
phone call, especially with his stern father.

Upon returning home, Sasuke was surprised to find his brother already there with their
parents, welcoming him with open arms and warm smiles. His mother hugged him
tightly, tousling his hair. “My little boy, you finally come back,” she exclaimed with teary
eyes and a melancholic smile.

When it was Sasuke’s turn to hug his father, the tense and awkward atmosphere
between them lingered, even after years of not seeing each other. “Dad…,” murmured
Sasuke anxiously, still haunted by memories of his father belittling him as a child.

However, to his surprise, his father embraced him tightly and patted his back gently.
“You damn idiot! As expected, you are my son.”

Itachi smiled widely, witnessing his stubborn little brother finally rekindling his
relationship with their dad. Sasuke didn’t realize tears were streaming down his cheeks,
quickly wiping them away.

“Crybaby!” his father playfully scolded him, chuckling softly. “Remember what I used to
say. Men shouldn’t cry!”

“Oh, there’s someone I want to introduce,” Sasuke said after making sure there were no
tears left on his face, fearing further embarrassment. He turned around, “Sakura, come
here.”

The pink-haired girl hesitated and shyly entered Sasuke’s house, fidgeting with her
petite fingers while looking alternately at both Sasuke’s parents and Itachi, who were
surprised to see her there.

“H-hi,” Sakura greeted, almost inaudibly. She was surprised to find that Sasuke’s parents
bore a striking resemblance to her late parents-in-law.

“M-mother Queen,” Sakura unconsciously blurted out, amazed to find the people she
had just met resembled those she had known in the palace.

Mikoto, Sasuke’s mother, was even more surprised to be addressed as ‘queen.’

Sakura then looked at Fugaku, Sasuke’s father, “Y-your Majesty.”

Fugaku and Mikoto exchanged confused glances.

“Brother-in-law!” Sakura shouted a bit more enthusiastically, reminiscing about her
time spent with the late Prince Amenohoakari back in the palace.

“I don’t know if you guys are married,” teased Itachi with a smirk.

“We aren’t married…,” Sasuke instantly lowered his head in embarrassment, subtly
concealing his blushing cheek, “…yet.”

“Well, let’s have dinner,” Fugaku warmly invited, which was a rare display of warmth
from him. Seeing his youngest son return home and even bring a girl made him proud
and happy.

During dinner, Sasuke’s parents, curious about Sakura’s background, began to question
her with a series of inquiries. “So, how are your parents?” Mikoto asked with a gentle
smile.

“Uhm, they both already died,” Sakura murmured hesitantly, also feeling confused about
how to use the knife and fork to cut steak, as she had only used chopsticks in her old
days.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Mikoto commented with genuine concern.

“My father died of hemorrhoids. My mother died because she smoked like a chimney!”
Sakura exclaimed with a bit too much enthusiasm, describing her late parents whom
she actually despised back in the days. They both prevented her from doing anything
and only gave her very limited freedom.

Fugaku and Mikoto exchanged surprised and confused glances once again. Itachi
pretended to sip his wine. “And how about your occupation?” asked Fugaku after taking
a jab at his steak.

“Occupation?” Sakura was a bit confused since she had no idea what it was all about. She
then looked at Sasuke, who instantly whispered in her ear, “A job.”

“Oh, job!” exclaimed Sakura with a nervous grin, “A princess!”

Fugaku and Mikoto were both shocked and found it hard to process what they just
heard. Itachi let out a silent chuckle while shaking his head, finding Sakura’s antics
hilarious. Sasuke instantly buried his face in his palm due to second-hand
embarrassment.

“She’s actually a Broadway actress specializing in historical plays back in Philadelphia,”

said Sasuke nonchalantly to mask the real truth behind Sakura’s origin. “She is currently
immersed in her next role as Princess Ophelia in Hamlet, I guess,” he continued lying
while wrapping his arm around Sakura’s shoulders.

Sakura furrowed her brows when looking at Sasuke, having absolutely no idea what he
was talking about. “Oh, so she’s a New Yorker, isn’t she?” teased Itachi indifferently, “A
bohemian actress, I suppose. No wonder she’s a bit eccentric. I think every artist
behaves the same way. You finally found your perfect match, Sasuke.”

“Yeah, kind of. She’s a top graduate of New York School of Art in acting,” said Sasuke,
continuing to fabricate the story.

“Oh, good. Where did you guys meet?” asked Itachi again while delicately cutting his
steak until it became a small piece.

“On the internet,” lied Sasuke with a fake smirk, “We bonded very quickly because we
love arts. And she’s also a dedicated actress. I created the mannequin because I missed
her since we couldn’t meet each other often.”

“Oh, no wonder you also slept with the mannequin. It’s kind of a performance, isn’t it?
Every bizarre thing you did with the mannequin?” challenged Itachi, a bit skeptical.

Fugaku instantly stopped eating upon hearing that his son did something peculiar with
a dummy.

“Yeah, I was just performing, so I kind of have a unique characteristic that people found
interesting,” said Sasuke, biting his lips, as he ran out of lies. “That’s what artists like.”

“So, how about your job at Prince & Co.,” asked Fugaku, shifting the topic, “I heard you
became the youngest vice president. Was it just pure luck, or are you really competent
for that position?”

“I guess, both,” answered Sasuke hesitantly. He was looking at Sakura, who still didn’t
have any idea how to use both her fork and knife.

In a hilarious attempt to chop the steak, Sakura ended up making the meat piece fall
onto Itachi’s wine glass. Mikoto chuckled softly while Fugaku looked at it in confusion.

“It’s hard to believe you’re a New Yorker and have never had steak before,” Itachi
sneered with a grin.

“It’s okay,” Sasuke whispered, trying to reassure the nervous Sakura. “She’s just acting.”

“To be honest, her acting skills as a dummy are quite convincing,” Itachi continued to
sneer. Both of Sasuke’s parents laughed.

“That’s what makes it brilliant,” Sasuke defended Sakura.

“Hm, can I get miso soup instead?” asked Sakura innocently, leaving everyone in
confusion.

"Prince, how can I do this? I can't even adapt to the present time!" Sakura exclaimed in
panic as they stood in the kitchen after Sasuke's parents had gone to sleep.
"Calm down. You just need to learn little by little," replied Sasuke, opening a bottle of
sake. Sakura observed her boyfriend, studying him as if witnessing a rare experiment.

"Why? Do you want some too?" Sasuke asked, offering the sake he just drank to Sakura.

"It seems refreshing!" Sakura exclaimed enthusiastically, quickly gulping down the sake
and surprising Sasuke.

"Ah! It turns out to be some kind of Sochu!" Sakura exclaimed with satisfaction. "Prince,
I want more!"

"No, Princess. You might get drunk," Sasuke refused.

"Oh, come on, Prince!" pleaded Sakura, clutching Sasuke's arms. "Just one more, please."

Itachi, quietly observing the unusual conversation between the couple, scoffed in
confusion, finding it amusing.

After consuming three bottles of sake, the intoxicated Sakura fell asleep soundly on the
dining table. As Sasuke intended to carry her to bed, he was surprised by Itachi
suddenly appearing behind him.

"Honestly, I really enjoy watching your historical role-play," Itachi teased with a smile.
"Maybe you should audition for a historical drama."

Sasuke, feeling their relationship with his brother was still too awkward, chose to
intentionally ignore him.

After a moment of silence, Sasuke spoke, "I think my position as vice president doesn't
suit me."

Itachi raised her brows in surprise and confusion, "Why?"

"It's just not my thing. You know? Being in the office and working behind the desk. I
think it's more of your thing," Sasuke explained, lowering his gaze.

"Sasuke, what are you trying to say?" Itachi asked, even more confused.

"I guess, I'll talk to Mrs. T to make you the vice president instead of me," Sasuke said
hesitantly.

“W-what? Why? Don’t be ridiculous, Sasuke. You deserve it. You saved her life, and you
also saved her company from bankruptcy. No one deserves it more than you do,” Itachi
gently refused.

“But you are far more competent for that position,” argued Sasuke firmly. “To be honest,
I had no idea how to handle the role of vice president.”
“Sasuke, I can’t take your luck anymore,” Itachi said, gently patting his little brother’s
shoulder. “You’ve suffered for a long time because I took opportunities that should have
been yours.”

“No. You’re not. I was wrong,” countered Sasuke while shaking his head. “You never
stole anything from me. Blame my damn insecurity for that nonsense!”

A subtle smile appeared on Itachi’s face as he said, “Fine. I’ll consider it.”

“I’d be better off going back as a window dresser. That’s where I belong,” said Sasuke
with a thin smile. “I’ll carry her upstairs.”

Sasuke then carried Sakura in a bridal style, leaving Itachi pondering alone in the
kitchen.

After some time, during a high school reunion held at a café, all of Sasuke’s old friends
were surprised to see him with a beautiful girl.

“Oh, no more virgin Sasuke,” teased Shikamaru with a loud laugh.

“Yeah, we’ll definitely miss the old days,” Sai chimed in casually.

“What’s your name?” asked Ino, both curious and enchanted by Sakura’s beauty.

“Sakura,” said Sakura hesitantly.

“Just Sakura?” asked Ino sceptically.

“It will be Uchiha Sakura if we get married,” replied Sasuke with a smug smirk.

Everyone jolted in surprise, including Naruto.

“W-when will you two get married?” asked Naruto stammeringly, wondering if he had
ever seen this pink girl before.

“Actually, we’re already married. We just need to make it official,” responded Sasuke
nonchalantly while wrapping his arm around Sakura.

Sakura looked at Sasuke in confusion.

As they both sat down at the large round table, Sai teased, “Where did you snatch this
porn star?”

Ino instantly nudged her boyfriend’s arm a bit harshly, making him yelp.

“Suck your dick!” cursed Sakura out of nowhere, which made everyone, including
Sasuke, widen their eyes in shock.
Ino chuckled heartily, “He kind of deserves that title.”

“You are very beautiful!” exclaimed Sakura innocently while holding Ino’s hand, who
was sitting beside her. “Can we be friends?” she asked innocently.

“Y-yeah, sure,” replied Ino hesitantly, surprised to find this bizarre girl behaving like a
little kid.

“Don’t be friends with her. She’s catty,” teased Sai again, earning him another nudge
from his girlfriend.

“I think I saw you before,” said Naruto in confusion while looking intently at Sakura. He
then pondered for a while before murmuring in fear and shock, “The dummy!”

Everyone looked at each other in confusion.

“She’s the dummy!” shouted Naruto in shock while pointing at Sakura. “No mistake. She
was the pink dummy that Sasuke slept with!”

“Naruto, let it go,” whispered Hinata, trying to calm him. “Sorry, everyone. He became a
bit stressed after losing his job, and our engagement was cancelled,” she continued with
a hesitant smile.

“Don’t worry. I’ll give you a job,” Sasuke said somewhat arrogantly.

“Who do you think you are, Uchiha?” teased Shikamaru.

“So far, I’m still the vice president at Prince & Company,” Sasuke replied nonchalantly.

“Oh, sorry. I thought that news was just a mere hoax!” retorted Shikamaru before
sipping his wine.

Laughter filled the room, but Naruto remained sceptical and somewhat fearful of
Sakura, whom he was convinced was the mannequin that had suddenly become human.
…

Before long, a unique wedding unfolded in the window display at Prince & Company,
where everyone could witness it for free. The gorgeous couple, Sakura and Sasuke,
stood holding hands, expressing their lifelong vows in front of a vicar. Beside them
stood Tsunade, the new vice president; Itachi; Deidara, who couldn’t stop crying despite
his weird sunglasses; Naruto and Hinata; and both of Sasuke’s parents.

After the vicar announced them as a married couple, Sasuke lifted Sakura’s wedding
veil, and they shared a passionate kiss. The growing crowds, media, and paparazzi
erupted in awe, clapping their hands in unison to welcome the newlyweds.
Sakura then threw the flower bouquet, and surprisingly, it didn’t land on Hinata, who
was eagerly anticipating catching it. Instead, it landed in Deidara’s hands. Deidara cried
as Sakura and Sasuke hugged him alternately.

Naruto bit his lips as he saw Sasuke looking at his wife lovingly. He couldn’t
comprehend that Sasuke not only slept with a mannequin but also married her. The
mystery of how the mannequin turned into a human still lingered in Naruto’s mind.

At his desk as the new vice president of Prince & Co., Itachi could be seen signing a
document titled “Acquisition Approval Document of Illustra Department Store as Part of
Prince & Company.” With a proud smile, he returned the signed document to Shizune.
He then rested his intertwined hands under his chin, feeling a sense of satisfaction for
having avenged his grievances against Orochimaru.

Meanwhile, Naruto secured a position as a warehouse manager at Prince & Co. He

angrily admonished a new staff member, “Hey, don’t secretly peek into the panty boxes!
Take that trolley to the fourth floor right now!”

However, his expression turned tremulous when he saw a staff member pushing a large
trolley containing several female mannequins. He ran away in fear, worried that the
mannequins might turn into humans.

Deidara, as usual, was engrossed in decorating mannequins and the store window
alongside Sasuke. They appeared to be embroiled in a heated debate about the theme
they would use for decorating the window this time.

In a luxurious boutique, Karin entered with a disgruntled expression. When she saw a
mannequin that she thought resembled Sakura in front of her, she immediately scoffed
at the mannequin, as if she were someone not in her right mind. “You’re a useless piece
of crap! You’re not worthy of being alive!” This caused several pairs of eyes to look at
her in confusion.

For their honeymoon, Sasuke took Sakura on a vacation to New Caledonia. Sakura was
surprised by the scenery outside the airplane window, showcasing clouds and vast
stretches of the blue ocean, a sight she had never witnessed before.

“Whoa! God, can’t believe I’m flying!” exclaimed Sakura, squirming like a child and
immediately capturing the attention of other passengers on the plane.

Overwhelmed, Sasuke tried to calm Sakura down, his face turning red due to second-
hand embarrassment.

…
Several months later, Sasuke and Sakura were engrossed in painting the walls of a room
with cloud and rainbow patterns. Beside Sakura, there was a newly crafted baby crib
made by Sasuke.

Feeling the baby in her belly kick strongly, Sakura stopped painting and gently caressed
her stomach.

“Can’t believe a baby girl can kick this strong, like a boy,” Sakura said, smiling at Sasuke.

“It’s a shame we missed the chance to name her ‘Pinocchio’,” Sasuke teased with a
smirk, placing his hand on Sakura’s belly and feeling their baby’s kicks.

“Hm, I have a great idea. What if we name her ‘Sarada’?” Sakura suggested.

“Great. Now, she’s become a vegetable,” joked Sasuke.

They both laughed heartily while continuing to paint their future baby’s room, with
Sasuke’s large arm lovingly holding his wife’s waist from behind.