Chapter 8: Toxic love (2)
"What are you doing here?"
Sasuke's voice echoed through the room, as cold and sharp as a blade. He stood at the entrance, his impassive gaze fixed on her, as if her presence was nothing more than another nuisance in his path.
Sakura felt her heart tighten. After everything she had risked to find him, everything she had abandoned... was that all he had to say? A simple "What are you doing here?" As if she were nothing more than a stranger disturbing him.
She wanted to scream, to accuse him of his indifference, but instead, she swallowed her pain and tried to convince herself: He's happy to see me, he just doesn't know how to express it…
She took a step forward, desperately searching for a trace of emotion on his face.
"I came for you, Sasuke. I needed to see you, and—"
"You have no business here."
The words cut like a blade, sharp and final. Sasuke didn't even raise his voice. He simply looked at her with that icy detachment that had become so familiar.
"Go back to Konoha. And don't ever try to follow me again."
A shiver ran through Sakura. The pain rising within her… it was like a knife being driven straight into her heart.
"Sasuke…" Her voice trembled. "I risked everything to come see you, and you… you're just rejecting me like this?!"
She refused to believe it. It wasn't possible. This wasn't him.
Sasuke averted his gaze, as if she no longer interested him. "I never asked you to."
Those simple words shattered something inside her.
But she wasn't ready to give up. Not yet.
In a final desperate attempt, she reached out to grab his hand, to prove to him that there was still something between them.
But in a fraction of a second, everything changed.
Sasuke dodged her touch, and with a swift movement, his hand closed around her throat. A gasp of surprise escaped her lips as he slammed her violently against the wall.
"Argh!"
Pain exploded in her back from the impact. The air was instantly knocked from her lungs, her breathing turning into a desperate wheeze under Sasuke's unrelenting grip.
He leaned in slowly, his ebony eyes gleaming with a sinister light.
"I'll say this one last time."
His voice was low, threatening.
"Next time, I'll kill you."
Sakura's body froze.
There was no hesitation, no lie in his words.
Then, as abruptly as he had grabbed her, Sasuke released her. She collapsed to the floor, clutching her bruised throat, desperately gasping for air.
Without a single glance back, he walked away as if she had never mattered.
Silence fell over the room, heavy and suffocating.
And then, the tears came.
At first, silent. Then uncontrollable, rolling down her cheeks in burning streaks.
Sakura curled up, trembling.
He had rejected her. He had broken her.
And for the first time, she wondered if the man she loved even existed anymore.
---
Sasuke, meanwhile, reached the door of his room, a faint unease creeping up inside him. Yet, he couldn't quite grasp what it was.
He opened the door, revealing a space as minimalist as it was cold—just like its owner. A simple cot covered with a gray sheet was pushed against the stone wall. Beside it, a small table held a bowl of water and an unlit oil lamp.
An empty shelf and a narrow window completed the room. The atmosphere was austere, almost oppressive, as if every element was a reminder of his purpose and his isolation from Konoha.
Sitting on the edge of his bed, Sasuke frowned. A strange warmth slowly crept through him, swelling like a wave ready to crash. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his breath grew slightly uneven.
"What the…?" he thought, bringing a trembling hand to his face. His heart pounded faster than usual, and a strange lethargy weighed down his muscles.
He stood up abruptly, nearly stumbling over his own feet. His heavy steps carried him toward the small adjoining bathroom—an austere space with a cracked sink and a tarnished mirror. He turned on the faucet, letting cold water run over his hands before splashing it onto his face.
The cool sensation brought momentary relief, but it didn't last. Instead of feeling better, an unfamiliar sensation took hold of him. His skin tightened, as if it were about to burst, and an intense heat pooled in his lower abdomen.
His manhood, usually calm, stirred with unexpected force. It hardened, rigid as steel, and Sasuke was hit with a wave of confusion. He ran a hand over his forehead, trying to make sense of what was happening. Was he sick? Had he been cursed? His thoughts blurred as he struggled against the storm of sensations.
"What the hell is this? Why am I feeling this now?" he muttered, gripping the edges of the sink, his reflection in the mirror revealing something unusual—faintly flushed cheeks, an unsettled, almost dazed expression.
Then, the realization struck. Karine.
He straightened suddenly, the memory of the water she had handed him earlier surfacing in his mind.
"That idiot… What the hell has she done this time?"
His jaw clenched, his gaze darkening. He tightened his fists, fighting for control over his own body. Yet, the heat continued to rise, and his nerves felt like they were on fire.
"I'll deal with this," he growled, though a part of him knew he had to calm this raging storm first.
Leaning over the sink again, he took deep, steadying breaths.
But it wasn't working.
His arousal only grew stronger, his erection pulsing with an intensity he had never experienced before.
"Fuck!" he gritted through his teeth, glaring down at his pants, which looked on the verge of bursting. "I'm definitely going to kill her."
Stripping off his clothes, he decided to take a bath, hoping to cool down his rising emotions.
---
Meanwhile, in her laboratory, Karine hummed a cheerful tune, a sly smile on her lips.
She had spent months perfecting her aphrodisiac—a powerful elixir designed to make any man succumb. And tonight, she was convinced her formula had worked flawlessly.
"If only you had accepted me, Sasuke-kun…" she murmured before rising from her desk, her eyes glinting with excitement.
She walked toward Sasuke's room, her heart pounding with anticipation. She was eager to witness the effects of her creation on him and fulfill her deepest desire.
Reaching his door, she knocked softly, careful not to wake him if he was asleep.
No response.
She waited a few moments before knocking again, this time a little louder.
Still nothing.
A creeping concern settled in her chest. Had she miscalculated the dose? Should she have added more next time?
These questions swirled in her mind as she hesitantly turned away, heading back to her quarters, deep in thought.