Sakura stands by the main gate of Konoha, and watches the back of the five genins until she can no longer see them. She stands, and strains for a final glimpse of the backs of those who have promised to retrieve Sasuke. Sakura worries that they will fail, and that Sasuke will never return. Or worse, that Orochimaru will succeed in capturing him, and that Sasuke will return, but not as himself. She looks, and hopes they have the strength to bring back the avenger and betrayer.
Lee stands next to Sakura. Lee sees Sakura's hidden fears: that it was her Sasuke left, not just the village,that he left because she was not strong enough. He sees her devotion, and he wilts slightly inside. Yet he does not fade on the outside; instead, his smile brightens, and he strikes the pose that he and Naruto both share and use, albeit different versions of it, and at more appropriate times, in Naruto's case. Lee assures Sakura that the five-man-genin squad will return victorious, because, after all, Naruto promised her in his nice-guy-pose, didn't he?
Sakura smiles politely, and thanks him, but her eyes are vacant, and soon they return to staring down the road after her team mates.
/\/\/\
She is there again the next day, Sakura is. And the day after that, and the day after that. Lee sees all this, and, on the third day after Naruto leaves, Lee himself leaves, intent on making Sakura happy, even if he will not be the one to truly make her happy. Only one person can do that, and he betrayed her.
Sakura looks at Lee as he leaves, and hopes that with his added strength, her year mates will be able to bring back the deceiver.
After Lee is gone, Sakura still stands by the gates peering after him. But she is not looking after Lee, she is searching for the heart breaker.
/\/\/\
Sakura's presence by the main Konoha gates now surprises no one. She is there everyday, looking into the distance, eyes searching for a sign of the six who left to retrieve a seventh.
Tenten sees Sakura standing there daily. She sees a vague shadow of the bright girl she used to know. She sees the slow death Sakura dies inside as each day passes, for one does not train with Neji without one's eyesight improving.
And the decline of Team 7's kunoichi sickens her.
"Why can't you see! There are others besides him who care for you! There are others who LOVE you! Open your eyes, Sakura! Take a look around, and see what you've been missing!"
Sakura blinks. And she pauses.
And then she sees.
/\/\/\
When the six genin return, Sakura is still standing at the gate, waiting for them. But this time, she does not just look at them, she sees them.
Sakura sees Shikamaru's anger and self-disgust at his self-perceived failure as team leader. She sees his worry and alarm for Chouji, whose hand he is holding as he walks beside the stretcher bearing the unconscious boy.
Sakura can see the loathing of weakness on Neji's face as he is helped back into the village, carried by two medic-nins on a stretcher. Although he is conscious, a step up from Chouji, Sakura can see the monumental effort it takes him to hide the pain of his horrific injuries.
Sakura saw the distress in Kiba's eyes as he cradled the still form of Akamaru in his arms, before he turned his head from her.
Sakura saw the tears and misery in Lee's eyes, before he ran off down the main streets in search of the comfort of his sensei.
Sakura can see the blasé faces of the Sand trio. But beneath the façade, she can see the curiosity in Gaara's eyes, the longing in Temari's eyes, and the skepticism in Kankurou's as he surveys the wounded shinobi.
But saddest of all is what Sakura sees in Naruto's eyes and on his face as Kakashi piggy-backs him home. Despair, hopelessness, and sorrow are foremost in his dull blue eyes. Naruto's face is one tired mask of depression. Sakura's gaze catches his for a minute, and the anguish and desolation that floods his face takes her breathe away. Then Kakashi turns away, and heads for the hospital in leaps and bounds.
Sakura is left by the main gates of Konoha. And because she can see, she cries not for herself, but for the genin who went out so full of optimism, and came back broken.
And because Sakura can see, when Lee returns to his apartment, there is a single flower on his doorstep, and a note that reads, I can see what you've done for me. Thank you.
And because Sakura can, and does see, when Naruto wakes up in the hospital, a single flower sits in a vase next to his bed, and a note that reads, I can see you clearly now. Wait for me.
And because Lee always knew she could see, he smiles.
And because Naruto always knew she would see, he grins.
Open your eyes to the world around you.