Chapter Text
Sakura closed her eyes and sank deeper into the bath, trying to focus on the warmth of the water's subtle ebb and flow. That was what all the mindfulness meditation stuff was, right - focusing so hard on the present that you don't think about anything else - especially not the girl in the red dress -
Oh dammit.
With a half-strangled scream, she slammed her fist into the water. What Aguilera said shouldn't have bothered her this much. Her trying to "recruit" her to the dark side or whatever was straight out of a comic book - it should be easy to turn her down. But for some reason, she couldn't stop thinking about it, like something about the whole exchange bothered her -
"Is something bothering you, Sakura-chan?"
"It's noth-" Her eyes snapped open and - what the fuck -
She shrieked and almost leapt a foot in the air at the sight of Aguilera in her family's bath house, smiling and playing with a rubber duck like she hadn't tried to tempt her with a deal with the devil earlier that day.
Pointing at her with a shaking finger, Sakura demanded, "What the hell are you doing here?!"
She blinked and tilted her head innocently. "Taking a bath?"
"That is not what I meant and you know it. What is this - are you trying to hurt Ikki-nii or Dai-chan?"
Aguilera shrugged. "I really am just here to take a bath. I've heard very good things about Happy Spa."
Sakura groaned and sank back down into the water. The correct move was not to trust a word out of her mouth, but if she really was just here for a bath …
She scooted closer and asked, "Have you thought about my offer yet?"
Ah. This was what she was here for.
"… no," she hissed. "Whatever power you can give me, I don't want it. I have my own."
"Aww …" Aguilera splashed her with water like a petulant child. "Why are you playing this game?"
"Game? What - do you think this is a game?"
"Yes!" she chirped happily. "We don't have a lot of time left, so why don't we skip all of this dancing and get to the part where you take my hand and join me?"
Sakura blinked. Was she serious? Did she really think this was like … like asking someone out in a high school rom-com?!
Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, she got out of the bath and headed for the changing room. "I'm done with whatever the hell this is. Good night."
"Okay, Sakura-chan! See you tomorrow!"
She groaned.