- Forget that!

- But, Tsunade-sama…

- No buts, Sakura, I said NO! You're running before you can walk, Sakura! It's not the same Sasuke-kun you had known a few years ago, it's a criminal, an S-ranked nukenin!

- I'm well aware of it, Hokage-sama, but I'm only asking you for the one and only, last chance! If I fail…

- If you fail – the Fifth broke in – and the chances are you will, then you'll get beaten to a pulp! The best shinobis have tried to defeat him and they failed, and you think you're able to outsmart him on your own nonviolently? Don't be silly, Sakura…

- And just because they failed to bring him back by force, I want to try to do it my way!

- Do you really think Uchiha would fall for that? Baby, how do you imagine it? You'd find him and say "Sasuke-kun, I'm a medic-ninja, I want to help you, please, let me join your team" and he would just willingly go with it?

It cut her to the quick. She was fuming, tears rushed to her eyes.

- Whatever! Thanks for nothing! – she yelled.

- Haruno! I strictly forbid you to leave the village, understood!? And there's no discussion!

I turned on my heel and got to the door. I closed it behind me with such a strenght that it nearly fell out of hinges. Rushing down the corridor, I heard a loud bang of another desk broken by the infuriated Fifth that week. Another conversation about Sasuke, another denial... At this rate they won't be able to keep up on getting new desks for her! I've had enough of this. I don't want to talk to anyone today.

I was walking home bumping into people I was passing by, and giving them glares instead of apologies.

"I strictly forbid you to leave the village!" – I reminisced her ban - that's a good one, and what else!? Just to let you know, you old hag, I will go to Sasuke, with or without your permission!

Someone's sudden call brought me out of my thoughts.

- Sakura-san! Sakura-san, over here! – an unknown to me woman was calling my name and waving at me.

I ran up to her. She could have needed some help and then, as a medic-ninja, I would be supposed to help her. I looked at her interrogatively.

- This girl is urgently looking for a medic – she explained to me pointing at the panting girl, who was standing beside her.

- Over there… in the forest… my teammate… he's injured… - she stammered out breathlessly.

- Lead the way! – I said.

The girl was fast, I caught sight of her red hair as she dashed into the woods. She plowed through some bushes scratching her bare thighs, I followed her. Despite the fact that I was a fast runner, I couldn't catch up to her. I guess her teammate has to be badly injured if she's in such a hurry. A dozen minutes have passed, we've run a dozen miles or so. We were probably outside the village already. She stopped, finally! She bent down resting her hands on her knees. We both could barely catch our breath.

- It was… somewhere… here… - she managed to falter, puffing.

- He has to… be near… an injured man… can't just… get up and… go away…!

I heard a faint splash as I took a step back to have a look around, apparently, I must have accidentally stepped in a puddle.

Where, the heck, did he go, he was supposed to stay here and wait for me! Oh, I hate the guy! – she kept swearing in her mind, nervously keeping a sharp lookout. She straightened her glasses automatically. Here it is! She eventually saw what she was looking for. A puddle behind Sakura. A puddle that had just appeared there a few seconds earlier. A puddle that was able to shift around!