Step 9 - Tasks
A marriage doesn’t only connect two people with each other, but also the tasks and duties with the spouses. They make promises and agree to the tasks and duties that a marriage brings with it. Tasks are to be distinguished from duties. Being there for each other in bad times doesn’t count to the tasks, no, that counts to the promises. So much can count as a task, like to protect each other, to take responsibility and to show respect to each other.
"Mr. Uchiha, you have only 45 minutes left until your next appointment.” The voice of his secretary sounds through his office phone. Sighing softly, he rubs over his face. "Thank you Ayame.” He says indifferently and finally puts the receiver back in its place. The days in June are always such a pain. These endlessly long hours in the office instead of being able to be outside in the scorching heat. Even if he is not the type of person who actually sits in the blazing sun all day long, alone the thoughts of having so much work, when he knows that others can lie in the cool water of their pool is seriously tormenting him. Others, as well as his wife, who is definitely lying in a bikini on a lounger in their garden again.
They have been married for almost two weeks now, exactly two weeks to the following day. Slowly everything settled down and their living together is slowly becoming routine. When he leaves the house early in the morning, she usually sleeps. Though, he can’t really say it for sure, since they still sleep in two different guest rooms. After a hard day of work, he usually comes back late from the office every day. Except from Friday, there was no day where he stepped through the front door before 8 pm. At the stove in the kitchen there is always something to eat that she cooked. He can always hear the TV from the living room and when he looks in at the door, he can see her lying on the couch in front of the television. When he came home later, she even seemed to have gone to sleep, once she had been making a last round through their pool and once he even found her fallen asleep in front of the television.
The black haired man doesn't even know if she even notices whenever he comes home. He would just quietly take some of the food and disappear into his office. Actually, they hardly talk. They also have almost no contact. Except on weekend. It was the only time they really talked and ate together. Certainly it's his fault too. After all, it is he who is in the office all day. They don’t act like a married couple, they don't really behave like roommates either. It’s more like they are ghosts living in the same house.
The Uchiha tiredly rubs his eyes. If his mother knew about all that, she would probably knock him out by hand and ship him to a deserted island with Sakura. He smiles amused at his thoughts and closes the portfolio with the drawing. These designs are robbing so much of his time. Sometimes the logical aspects are simply missing, the drawing is inaccurate or simply not realizable. He has to study the drawings carefully and even measure them. These designs take three to four hours of his working time. He likes to do that, but he would rather like to draw them all himself instead. There have been no more creative participations from him since he took over the position as the head of the creative department. He only controls the drawings and gives them his approval.
He sighs to get the stack of drawings onto the shelf. There is a knock on the door. "Come in." Sasuke growls softly and looks up, the folders in his hand. "Mr. Uchiha. You should slowly leave for your appointment.“ Explains his secretary and looks at him from the door. "How? Isn't the appointment going to be here at my office?” He asks with surprise, watching her shake her head with a smile. "No, you will meet outside.” Ayame explains and comes closer to the table. "And how long will the appointment last?" He asks further and hands her the folders. "It can last until evening.” She reports to him and then leaves the office. The youngest Uchiha sighs in agony and then puts his work documents and tablet into his bag and shuts down his computer. Hanging his suit jacket over his arm, he reaches for his smartphone before leaving the office. With a smile, Ayame hands him a piece of paper with the address and the exact time. "And who am I going to meet with at that place?" He turns to her questioningly. "You'll know when you have arrived." She just says and smiles at him, then turns back towards the keyboard on her computer.
Sighing, Sasuke shakes his head and then leaves his secretary's office. While driving down into the underground parking lot with the elevator, he immediately enters the address into his smartphones navigation device, in order to be guided by it to the location. He quickly hides his work bag behind the driver's seat before he sits on his seat and starts the engine. The black haired man briefly examines the two empty parking spaces to his left before concentrating on parking out backwards and driving out of the underground garage.
The navigation system guides him through the streets of Tokyo. An annoyed groan escapes his mouth when he is forced to stop because of a traffic jam. He looks to the side, at the piece of paper with the address, from which he is actually only 20 minutes away. With a sigh, he leans his head back on his headrest and turns the air conditioning up. After another 10 minutes he sighs tortured and takes the smartphone into his hand, to send a message to his secretary that she needs to inform the client about his delay. He then puts the cell phone back into the holder and supports his elbow on the interior paneling of the car door and against the window. His eyes looking out to the other cars in boredom.
For a moment he feels like last weekend when he was sitting in the kitchen. Sakura had spoken to him about something when he looked relaxed out of the window. But what had they been talking about? He lets his fingers drive through his hair thoughtfully. This week there was something where she wanted him to be with her. But when and especially what was that?
With a sigh, the Uchiha slams his car door shut and immediately moves away while he uses the remote control. He had been stuck in the traffic for almost an hour and is way too late because of it. He doubts that the client is even still here and waiting for him. In the meantime he has remembered what Sakura talked to him about. Her graduation ceremony from the university, where he should of course be a good husband. But he won’t be able to come. His schedule for this week is full and he also has no idea on which day and at what time it is going to take place.
Annoyed he drives through his hair before pulling his smartphone out of the chest pocket of his suit jacket to look at the watch. Rolling his dark grey eyes, he lets the smartphone disappear back into his pocket and then runs off to the meeting point. In addition to the traffic jam, he also had to look for a parking space and is now at the second entrance gate instead of the main one. He slowly approaches the gate, which he immediately passes without reading the inscription on the stone tablet. His legs carry him on, along the wide path to the meadow, where he stops and looks surprised at the sitting masses in front of him. A large stage with a speaker’s desk stands across the wide path. Right and left are rows of chairs that are fully occupied.
Sasuke laughs softly when he realizes who his client and what his appointment actually are. With a smile on his lips, he walks along the edge of the grass so as not to disturb the ceremony while he is looking for a seat. He passes a few of the trees planted along the edge of the grass, behind which a path and another green area lead. Sinking his hands into the pockets of his suit, he looks for an empty place because there are several people in the row of trees and, as he could see, a few reporters as well. His gaze wanders over the student caps on the heads of the people in front of him as he leans against one of the trees in an empty space.
"Haruno Sakura.” A voice sounds over the boxes. The Uchiha smiles. At least he seems to have arrived in time. Shortly after, the pinkette enters the stage and approaches the two older men and the lady. He can see the smile on her lips with which she accepts the certificate and then shakes the hands of the promoters, the dean and director of the university. With applause from the other students and guests, she leaves the stage and goes back to her seat on the broad path.
~> * <~
Annoyed, the pink haired woman crosses her arms over her chest. A soft snort escapes her lips as she looks up at the sky. In the meantime, the guests have appeared for the graduation ceremony and are slowly taking their places. It will soon be time for the graduates of the year to take their seats. "What's wrong?" It sounds from the side, to which the green eyed woman immediately turns to. Hinata stands on her right and smiles shyly at her. Nothing can be seen of the sovereignty with which she mastered the tasks involved in planning the wedding. "The idiot is no where to be found!" It comes with a huff from the Haruno. Ino and Tenten, who turns out to be visiting this university as well, look at her confused. "Everyone is here. Ryosuke, Honoka, his parents, Itachi and even Naruto came. But of course the idiot isn't here. Although it is his job as a husband.” The pinkette explains and grumbles to herself. The girls around her giggle softly.
"How is it going between you two?" The Ama finally asks in order to change the topic. "What should there be going on? He is a ghost! I don't see him during the week at all, he doesn't even greet when he comes home! Just takes some of the food, if any, and goes up into his office. It is a miracle that he hasn't worked over the weekend.” It comes exasperated from the pinkette before she puts a strand of her hair behind her ear. Her hair lies in gentle curls over her shoulders and back. Wearing the student cap and the additional robe. Classic in black with the cloth in gold on which the university logo is embroidered. "Well, it’s only the second week yet, it’ll be fine!” The Hyuga girl tries to cheer her up. "Why is it even annoying you at all that he isn't there?" The question comes from her best friend and tugs at her robe. The Haruno points with her head back towards the row of trees, where some people were standing around. “Ever noticed that there are reporters between those people? I don’t feel like answering their questions of why the idiot hasn’t shown up, while everyone else has! He also promised me last week that he would come and it is even written in his damn schedule. Fugaku took care of it.” She rolls her eyes sullenly.
Consecutive tunes sounds through the boxes and gives the students to understand that they should go to their seats. "It will be fine, Sakura.“ Hinata smiles at her before the small group splits up. The students are split into alphabetical order, so later when they receive their certificate, a row rises and then fills up again individually. With a sigh, Sakura drops her head in disappointment and goes to her place. Between the rows of guests, she can even see the group that came only for her. Smiling, she waves towards them, noticing that there is an empty space between them. So his family and his best friend also expected him to come. Finally, among the crowd of guests, she can also see the Hyuga families, with Neji, the Yamanakas and Kiba. She shakes her head with a smile. Really everyone is here. Even the best friends of Tenten and Ino, but of course only Sasuke wasn’t. "This work-mad idiot. For whom there is nothing more important than work.“ She mumbles under her breath before going to her seat and greeting the students next to her.
Shortly after the graduates have taken their seats, the music of the school orchestra sounds through the place and the dean, the director and a woman, the promoter, enter the stage, which has been set up across the main path. Two flags of the school flutter gently in the wind at the left and right of the stage. When the music falls silent, the director steps onto the podium.
The Haruno looks around. All of her friends are scattered across the mass of the graduates. Tenten with her surname Ama is of course in the front rows. In the row behind her, on the other hand, she can find Hinata and the Yamanaka is seated somewhere in the last rows. Sighing tormentedly, Sakura looks back again. Apparently you can not even rely on him to come when it is on his schedule. She doesn't even want to know what speculations this raises in public because work seems to be more important to him than his wife. A silent "che" Comes over her lips. Wife. She is not a wife, but rather a servant who cooks food for him, does the laundry and goes shopping.
Sakura rolls her eyes before sighing internally. She really tries hard and he's just never there. Everything she knows about him, she knows from his mother, or maybe a magazine. He doesn't seem to care about the whole thing. She shakes her head inwardly. It is the day of her graduation ceremony. She shouldn't be sitting here and be irritated by Sasuke, but smile and be happy. Everyone came because of her, Itachi, Fugaku, Mikoto, Ryosuke, Honoka and Naruto. She should be happy and not spoil her joy. Mikoto will give a talk to Sasuke anyway and fold him up if he doesn't show up here. A sneaky grin appears on her lips, she would love to see that.
Undetected, Sakura shakes her head and looks up. The awards have already been handed over. The graduates take the stage individually to take the role with the certificate. Shaking hands with the rector, dean and the promoter and leaving the stage again. Everyone has a smile on their lips when they return to sit back in their seats. The green eyed woman can also see a smile on the lips of the Ama as she leaves the stage and follows the path to her seat and the next row slowly rises and moves forward to the stage.
With every further graduate who goes on stage, their anticipation grows. Soon she too will finally have the certificate that she attended this university and completed her masters. A smile spreads on her lips. Not even the fact that Sasuke did not show up for this celebration can spoil her anticipation. A few minutes later, the graduates of her row finally rise one after another and walk towards the stage. With a smile on her lips, she follows the line. The certificates are handed over without a break. "Haruno Sakura." A voice sounds over the boxes. With a smile she climbs up the three stairs and enters the stage. She carries her legs to the promoter, who shakes her hand with a smile and hands over the roll with the certificate. The dean and the director also shake hands with her with a smile, before she goes to the other end of the stage and down the stairs to the meadow. When she sees Naruto and Mikoto between the rows, the pink haired grins briefly at them, as well as Tenten, whom she passes.
In a good mood and proud to hold her certificate in her hand, she follows the handover of the certificates to the others, Hinata, Ino and finally the last of the graduates. The table on which the rolls were lying is empty. The promoter steps back from the podium and the director steps up to the speakers desk. In silence, he gazes over the guests and graduates of his university before starting to hold his speech.
Sakura looks back at her friends and has to suppress a laugh when she sees Ino through the rows to the rear, who presents the roll to her with a grin and thumbs up. The pinkette turns back to listen to her principal's speech. “Even if your certificates now mark you out as specialists, don't forget you go out there as human beings. And now ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the Tokyo University of Business and International Affairs, I congratulate our graduates of this year.“ The older man's voice sounds over the boxes. With the end of his speech, the former students jump up from their seats. Girls screeching and screaming with delight, boys cheering and the guests clapping. With a laugh, Sakura also rises and looks briefly at her fellow graduates. Before she pulls the hat off her head with them and solemnly throws it into the air. A smile is on her lips as she looks up at the black hats that fall down on her like rain.
In the next moment the crowd around them dissolves and the graduates storm to their friends and families. Laughing, Sakura lets the crowd pull her with them until she arrives at Hinata and Ino and Tenten joins them. They happily fall into each other's arms. A few minutes later, parents and relatives also come. The pinkette immediately falls around her brother's neck before she does the same with Mikoto, Itachi and Naruto and is also hugged and congratulated by Fugaku, who then wants to look at her certificate right away. With a laugh, Sakura also gets hugged by Ino's parents and Kiba. Everyone congratulates everyone. The Haruno struggles with a lot of effort to get out of the crowd, which the families formed, in order to watch the whole spectacle from outside. Many of the other families and graduates are already leaving the university campus. With a smile, Sakura turns her gaze to her friends and family before looking sadly at the ground and then slowly lifts her gaze towards the row of trees.
Uncertain, the pink haired woman takes a few steps towards the row of trees, the slow steps slowly becoming faster and a smile spreading on her lips as she approaches the black haired man who is standing there and looks at her with a smile. "You came after all!" She says to him before falling around his neck. There is a chuckle sounding next to her ear as he catches her. Amused, the Uchiha closes his arms around his wife. "Naturally. After all, I am your husband.“ He only says. She immediately pushes her upper body away from him and looks at him. "Hi.” It comes over his lips when she wants to open her mouth. His lips lay gently on hers for a brief kiss of greeting. When Sakura breaks away from him, she immediately grins cheerfully at him. "You've been waiting for this all week." She says cheekily. A little surprised, he eyed her briefly before a small grin shows up on his lips. "Oh, yes, there was something." He says, remembering the moment at their kitchen from one week ago. She looks at him in confusion as he approaches her once again.
A smile lies on his lips when he can feel her breath on his skin. His hand lies tentatively on her cheek, his thumb gently caressing her cheek. His eyes are on her clear green eyes. He can feel her hands which are on his upper arms. He closes up the few inches between them and steals another, slightly longer kiss. He gently removes his lips from hers, drops his hand and smiles when he sees the slight blush on her cheeks. "Let's go to the others.” He then suggests. His wife smiling and nodding before turning to walk next to him. Almost shyly, he takes her hand in his as they go to his parents and the others. Hinata smiles softly at her, while Ino seems to try to cuddle Kiba to death and Tenten talks with Neji and his family.
"It's nice that you are finally coming." Itachi greets his younger brother. "I've been standing there by the trees since Sakura was called to the stage." Sasuke merely replies, raising an eyebrow as he looks at his brother. "Sakura. We have to go. But we'll see you tonight!” Ino jumps at the pink haired woman, putting her arms around her neck. "Okay Ino. See you tonight.” Laughs the Haruno and gives her best friend a quick hug. In a good mood, the young Yamanaka almost jumps away, followed by Kiba, who walks like a normal person. "Bye Kiba!" Sakura calls after her friend, who stops and turns to her and approaches her. "Bye Mrs. Uchiha!" He grins after a hug. "Che idiot.” She replies, but Kiba has already caught up with the Yamanakas. Tenten laughs at her left. "Until an hour ago, that was your pet phrase for Sasuke." The Ama says amused. Sasuke turns his attention to his wife and raises one of his eyebrows. The Haruno briefly glares at her friend. "Well. We'll see you later.” The brunette girl says quickly with a smile and hugs the green eyed woman goodbye. Hinata also says goodbye to her with a hug and Neji gives her a friendly hand shake before he says goodbye to Sasuke and the Amas and Hyugas leave the university campus together.
"Do we want to go then? I made sure to reserve a table for the celebration of the day.“ Fugaku says when only they are left at the campus. "Yes. Let's go!” The blonde of the group says enthusiastically. "Naruto. I think I will soon have to cancel your vacation days, as little as you have worked recently.” Itachi says thoughtfully. "What?! No!“ The Uzumaki says and you can immediately see small drops of sweat on his forehead. The group laughs and then moves towards the parking lot. Naruto sulks after them. At the main gate, their paths separate and everyone gets in their car to drive to the restaurant.
Sasuke and Sakura walk silently side by side, only hands still held together. Suddenly, reporters come towards them and literally surround them. "Mrs. Uchiha. Congratulations on your master!” Begins one of the reporters. “With Sasuke Uchiha as your husband, you surely must be the happiest woman in the world now?" The Haruno blinks a few times in confusion before smiling slightly and pressing herself against her husband, who immediately puts an arm around her waist. "As happy as I can be with him.” The pinkette replies to the reporter. Just as the woman is about to begin her next question, the Uchiha speaks up. "We are sorry, but we have to go now, we still have an appointment. Please excuse us." His arm pulled around his wife for protection, he forces their way out of the paparazzis and quickly walks with her to his car, which he already unlocks from afar so they can enter as quickly as possible.
When Sasuke parks out backwards in a single move and drives away, the Haruno has to laugh. From the side mirror she can see how the reporters are trying to run after them. She looks out of the window with a laugh. "What is so funny?" The Uchiha asks surprised. "In public we are the perfect couple, but in reality we hardly talk to each other." She explains and then gradually falls silent, because that is supposed to be sad, not funny. "We're really having a sad marriage." she finally whispers quietly to herself. "What are you doing tonight anyway?" He asks, apparently not having heard her statement. "Celebrate. If you should find that word in your vocabulary.” She sighs as an answer. The youngest Uchiha just nods and gives her a quick glance as she suddenly takes off her robe. "And why am I an idiot?" He quizzically raised his eyebrow when he remembered it.
"Very easily. Because you haven’t appeared to the graduation. I thought you wouldn't come, even though you said yes and your father even made sure that it was on your damn schedule as an appointment.” Towards the end her words turn into a hiss before she gets out of the car and slams the door shut because they have arrived at the restaurant. "I'm your wife damn it! I shouldn't need appointments in your schedule!“ She says irritated before she is interrupted. He gently releases himself from her lips, but only withdraws a little. "I was stuck in a traffic jam for almost an hour." He explains quietly. She looks at him a little surprised. "You are..." she starts. "Stuck in a traffic jam. Exactly.” He continues for her. "Still an idiot!" She grins at him, and takes his hand to pull him into the restaurant. “Now come on. I'm hungry!” She pulls his hand impatiently before rolling her eyes and pulling his arm harder. “Yes, you don't need anything. I know."
