Satori (Between the Lines)
Chapter 2


Sakura willingly goes along with Ibiki, allowing him to tug her along through the Intelligence Division with Inoichi on their tails. She hasn't been to this section of the Intelligence Division before, these upper floors that have actual windows in their walls. Sakura looks around avidly, basking in the natural light even as Ibiki pulls her toward the end of the hall. There are no people walking around these halls, though Sakura notes that the rooms that line the hall are marked with a simple, beautiful sign:

Archives.

Her eyes round and her hands twitch with the desire to get a hold of the documents within and crack open their secrets.

Her pace slows and Ibiki glances down at her. He catches the focus of her attention and chuckles, a low, rasping sound that emerges from his chest with an almost rusty quality. Sakura privately wonders how many years it's been since he's laughed at something so simple, something not involved with T&I. From the look on Inoichi's face, it may have been before she was born.

"There'll be time for that later," Ibiki says gruffly, releasing her arm and, with only the briefest of hesitations, ruffling her hair. "Right now, however, I need to make introductions."

"Why are we here?" Inoichi demands. "Sakura-kun is here on an Academy class assignment," he continues, stressing Sakura's current rank and standing within Konoha. As an Academy student, she is not yet anyone by shinobi standards. "Whatever you're plotting needs to stop."

Ibiki crosses his arms, scowling at Inoichi. Somehow, it is less terrifying than his laugh. "She's got skill; all the more so for being a mere Academy student. Let's let our Strategist decide whether or not she can be useful elsewhere. Besides, the Academy's lessons have been subpar and lacking in recent years; I'm sure she needs herself a challenge."

Inoichi frowns, turning red as he glances between the disparate duo, but he bites his tongue. Instead, he gives Ibiki a stern look before stepping to the side.

Ibiki strides forward, slamming a hand on the door before sailing through, not giving the occupant a chance to respond. Sakura meekly steps in behind him, taking a moment to assess the room. It is more spacious than the room that she's been working in, but it is filled from floor to ceiling with all sorts of papers: dusty tomes, huge scrolls, and loose leaf paper. Her eyes go wide as she reads some of the titles, realizing that some of them are more advanced texts on cryptography.

Her fingers itch to get a hold of them.

A drawn out sigh interrupts her daydreaming and Sakura snaps to attention guiltily. She looks to the sole occupant of the room, nearly obscured by the documents on his desk. He is dark haired and scarred, with the signature small pupils of the Nara clan.

Nara Shikaku, the Jonin Commander of Konohagakure.

Sakura swallows, mouth and throat suddenly dry. She knows she has to be in major trouble to be brought before the Jonin Commander. Will she be expelled? Kicked out of Konoha? Her thoughts whirl as she remembers whispers from the marketplace. Tortured?

Without conscious thought, Sakura shrinks back against Ibiki's leg, trying to hide in his shadow. He glances down at her, eyes going distant as he remembers another who once stood in her shoes. He gruffly shakes the errant sentiment away, placing a hand on Sakura's shoulder and shoving her out in front of him.

Shikaku glances among the three of them, taking in the terror on Sakura's face, the resignation on Inoichi's, before finally settling on Ibiki. "Why did you bring an Academy student into my office?"

Ibiki cackles.

Cackles.

From the way Shikaku pales, Sakura gets the feeling it isn't a normal occurrence, at least outside of the interrogation room.

Ibiki places both hands on Sakura's shoulders. "This here is a new protege for you!"

A few things happen at the same time:

Inoichi exclaims something, probably along the lines of, "Absolutely not! She's a child!"

Shikaku's gaze transfers to Sakura and she receives the full brunt of his attention and scrutiny. His eyes are keen and Sakura remembers why, in a village full of Hyuga, Uchiha, and Aburame, the Nara are still considered the most intelligent clan.

Ibiki's hands tighten on Sakura's shoulders, almost to the point of pain, but it reminds Sakura of the confidence in his voice as he introduced her as a new protege. Ibiki doesn't even know her full name, yet he has confidence in her.

Maybe, maybe she can confidence in herself as well.

She straightens beneath Shikaku's gaze, meeting his eyes head on.

His brow quirks slightly, but he gives her a smile that relaxes the lines and scars of his face. He has a kind, tranquil look about him.

Sakura thinks that she may like him.

"Ibiki, you so rarely take an interest in anything outside the interrogation room," Shikaku says, voice dry. "What games are you playing today?"

"No games," Ibiki replies. "She's here on a field experience assignment from the Academy. She sorts the coded documents by recipient." He strides forward, placing the document from Fox in Shikaku's hands. "I needed a document pulled that hadn't been sorted yet. She's competent enough at code to know at least some of their content. She pulled this for me when I came in asking for it from Inoichi."

Sakura sees the way interest lights Shikaku's eyes. He turns to Inoichi. "Is this true?"

Inoichi hesitates for a moment before nodding. "Sakura-kun has been teaching herself ciphers in her free time it seems."

Shikaku hums, glancing down at the document for a few long moments before lifting his gaze to Sakura. "So I see."

He leaves it at that and Sakura resists the urge to fidget beneath his penetrating eyes.

"Is that it?" Ibiki demands after a few moments of silence go by.

"Not quite," Shikaku says, a slow smile curling up his lips. "Sakura-san, tomorrow when you report for your assignment, come here to my office. I'll have work for you."

Sakura's never experienced the peculiar intertwining of dread and excitement before, not until this moment.

She thinks she may like it.

And that it is a sensation she'll need to get used to. She's certain she will be feeling it quite frequently moving forward.

"Yes Nara-san," Sakura says, bowing slightly before she is hurried out the door by a shell-shocked Inoichi and a giggling—giggling—Ibiki.

Just wait until she tells Ino!


"Lift your elbow," Ino instructs, circling Sakura. "Almost got it—" Ino grabs Sakura's arm, adjusting it to her standards. "Perfect. Now, hold that position."

Sakura does as Ino says, though she cannot help asking, "Don't I need to be holding a kunai?"

"Not yet," Ino replies. "Genma-senpai says you have to master the forms first. Hold that position."

Sakura hums in agreement, afraid to nod and break form. Her arm feels awkward to be held at this angle, away from her body. She still doesn't feel at home in her body. Sakura wonders if it is because she's so used to hunching over and curling inward. She rarely stands with her shoulders put back or sits with her legs spread wide. She's spent years trying to make herself smaller and less noticeable; it's hard to unlearn old habits. But to be a shinobi…to have the confidence needed to push through…learning new habits is necessary.

"It reminds me a bit of what Nara-san is teaching me," Sakura says, holding the form to the best of her ability.

"Shikaku-oji?" Ino says, tapping Sakura's arm to get her to raise it again. "What about codes is similar to weapons?"

"Well, they aren't that similar, but Nara-san and Shiranui-san's approaches are," Sakura replies. "Nara-san isn't letting me decipher any codes right now. Currently, he's having me read about the history of codes among the different nations. I've been learning all about the syntax of multiple languages so that I can understand how codes are created. If I can master these skills, cipher cracking will become simpler. I'll understand the actual mechanics behind the process."

"That's almost exactly what Genma-senpai said!" Ino exclaims. She assesses Sakura's posture for a moment, nods, and turns a handstand, holding herself up with her legs pressed together. "It's wise advice, but it's kind of boring, honestly."

Sakura wrinkles her nose, thinking of the dry writing she's been pouring over for the past few weeks. Her arm throbs, reminding her of the tense posture she's been holding. "It can be. Nara-san says it builds character."

Ino is silent for a long moment. "You've held the position long enough now, Sakura." Sakura drops her arm, rubbing it absently. Ino looks up at her from her handstand and grins. "There are ways to practice and learn while having fun. Wanna race on our hands to that tree and back?"

Sakura rolls into a handstand of her own. "You're on!"


"This one is honeysuckle," Sakura says, pride filling her voice as she identifies the orange flowers on the bush. She reaches forward, gently plucking the flower from the stem. "Ino says that in the language of flowers it signifies happiness and devoted affection."

Torune hums, kneeling down at her side. "The moths like to pollinate these flowers after dusk. During the day, they tend to be dominated by hummingbirds." Sakura sees his smile peek out from behind his high collar as the near constant buzz beneath his skin kicks up a notch. "The Aburame insects have their choice of any flower they want."

"Oh yeah?" Sakura asks, turning the pistil and petals toward Torune, placing the bottom end of the flower up by her lips. "So can I."

She closes her teeth around the flower, sucking on the receptacle. Sakura taste the sweetness of the honeysuckle and grins around it. The smile widens at Torune's wide-eyed stare as she picks another and offers it his way.

"Ino may know the language of flowers and you may know which insects like each one, but I know a couple of secrets myself," Sakura says.

Before becoming friends with Ino, Sakura was a loner, an observer. She listened to the stories of others, in the Haruno shop, and in the streets as well. She also spent time alone in the forests of Konoha. Not outside the walls and certainly not the Forty-Fourth Training Ground, but she knew her way about the copses of Konoha. She even explored a bit into the Nara Forest, not far by any means, but still enough to feel confident navigating through parts of it.

Right now, however, Sakura and Torune are on Aburame property, exploring the sprawling estates full of untouched wildlife. Sakura enjoys the tranquility, the quiet song of life that thrums all around them. It's an uncultured paradise and Sakura loves every inch of it.

Torune takes the flower from Sakura, copying her motions tentatively. He pauses, glancing over at her. "It's sweet."

Sakura giggles at the wonder in his tone. "Of course it is. Don't your insects let you know how they like their meal?"

Torune sits silently for so long that Sakura begins to worry that she's crossed some unknown boundary. Finally he says, fists clenched tightly, "They don't consume pollen."

"Oh, I didn't realize," Sakura says, reaching out and taking one of his gloved hands in both of hers. She runs her hands over his fist, patiently waiting for it to relax beneath her touch. When it finally does, Sakura laces their fingers together. "What do they eat?"

"They're different than the usual Aburame insects. They aren't kikaichū," Torune says, gaze down and focused on their joined hands.

Sakura, sensing his rising tension, places her free hand on his knee. "I'd guessed that they were different," she says softly. "You don't need to tell me if you don't want to."

"I want to," he replies, tightening his hold on her hand. "Friends share secrets, don't they?"

"They do," Sakura says. "But that's sharing secrets, choosing to tell those secrets when you feel comfortable. Friends do not force friends to tell secrets."

"Okay," Torune says, breath rattling out of his chest as he exhales. The buzz beneath his skin has reached a point where Sakura can feel the vibrations in his hand and knee. "I want to share this with you though. I just haven't done this before. Some of my relatives are…intimidated by them, by me."

Sakura swallows at that; the Aburame are known for being apathetic in the face of even the most dire circumstances. For them to fear Torune, a child…

Still…

"Torune, you are my friend," Sakura says, her headband suddenly weighty beneath her words and promise. Ino has taught her the meaning of friendship and Sakura suddenly realizes the duty she owes her friends. "I will not turn away from you, whatever you tell me."

Torune nods shakily, reaching out with his other hand and grabbing hers from his knee. They sit like this, facing each other, surrounded by the fresh, sweet scent of honeysuckles and the constant thrum beneath his skin.

"I carry the rinkaichū, like my father and mother before me," Torune says, head bent in fear. "Both my father and mother are gone; so I am the last and only host. The rinkaichū are different than the kikaichū; they feed on living flesh, not chakra. With a mere touch, I may infect and kill someone."

Torune goes to release her hands, but Sakura grips them tightly.

"So?" Sakura asks, keeping their fingers intertwined. "That's a useful variation to the Aburame kekkei genkai. I know it will come in handy out in the field."

"Aren't you scared of me?" Torune asks, body buzzing with agitation. "Why aren't you angry? I've touched you—I'm still touching you—and I didn't tell you. I've endangered you because I'm selfish."

"I'm not afraid, Torune," Sakura says. "You aren't a scary person. Even if others say you lack control, I know the truth. You can control yourself, when it counts. I trust you with my life."

Torune stays quiet so Sakura does too, waiting until he is ready. She's said what she needed to say. Besides, she thinks something of what she said got through since he is no longer struggling to escape her touch. She notes idly that the sun is beginning to set over them.

Finally, in the barest of whispers, Torune says, "Really? Do you mean that?"

"I do," Sakura replies, making her voice as firm as she can, imitating the way Ibiki and Shikaku speak. When they talk, people listen intently. "You know, I think it's amazing that you alone are capable of carrying on your parents' legacy. It's almost like they're still standing with you."

Torune sniffles and, when he draws one hand away, Sakura lets him, keeping her gaze averted out of consideration as he removes his goggles. She rustles in her pocket, withdrawing her weapon cleaning cloth. It's a coarse cloth, certainly not suited to touching skin, but it is clean and unmarked by the usual stains of oil. She passes it to him and accepts his quiet thanks.

"I didn't think of it like that," Torune says eventually, voice hoarse and still sniffling a bit.

Sakura hums, looking up at him. He looks mostly put together, though Sakura cannot see his red-rimmed eyes behind the goggles. She leans in, drawing him into a hug. As she embraces him for a long time, smiling as he melts into the hug, she nestles her chin onto his shoulder and looks beyond.

The dusty wings of moths beat as they descend upon the honeysuckles, drawing free their pollen. Sakura smiles and closes her eyes, knowing that, regardless of what happens from here, her bond with Torune is firmly forged.

She won't be shaken from her friends. Not now, not ever.


"You seem pensive."

Sakura looks up from the dusty tome, startled by the interruption. Her thoughtful frown turns sheepish as she meets Shikaku's piercing gaze.

"Sorry," she says, ducking her head. "I suppose my thoughts wandered."

"Where to?" he asks, folding his hands on his desk.

"It's foolish," she demurs.

"Tell me anyway."

Sakura takes a deep breath, keeping her eyes focused on a point beyond Shikaku's forehead. She cannot look into the banked fires, his eyes like hot coals. Calm and settled, for the moment, but easily stoked into a blazing crescendo of flames.

"I've enjoyed the reading you've assigned, truly," she begins, not wanting to appear in any way ungrateful. "It has vastly improved my knowledge of cryptography. However, what these books describe is so different from the ciphers used in the missives that go through the Intelligence Division. I've checked."

Shikaku hums, expression unreadable. "What do you mean by 'different?'"

"They are…simple by comparison," Sakura admits, wondering if she's in trouble here. "They use transposition ciphers or substitution ciphers. None of them use any of the languages you're teaching me or even the literary stylings found in this book." She holds up the book entitled Embedded Poetry and Stories: An Analysis. "I do not mean to be pert and I doubt it is my place, but is it safe? If someone like me can decrypt the codes, what does that mean for Konoha?"

In the silence that ensues, Sakura works up the courage to look Shikaku in the eye. She does, surprised to see the shock writ upon his features.

"Sir?" she ventures, hesitant.

Shikaku's shoulders begin to shake as peals of laughter burst forth. Sakura feels the flush creep up her neck, around her ears, and fill her cheeks, as a mixture of embarrassment and confusion settles into the pit of her gut.

"I'm not laughing at you," he says between chuckles. "It's just…I am unused to such astute observations coming from the mouth of a six year old. At least, regarding these matters. If Shikamaru applied himself…" He trails off for a moment before shaking his head. "But I digress. Sakura, you are right. The codes Konoha currently employs among its elite shinobi are simple. The current opinion is that, should a missive be intercepted, the ciphers are good enough to keep prying eyes out." He rolls his eyes, indicating his opinion on the issue. "They think the Konoha dialect is enough to confuse enemy code breakers, nervemind the fact that there are always spies within the village and we have our fair share of traitors. Just as you know the Iwa dialect from the texts you've read, so to do other nations know ours. We aren't particularly unique."

"So why don't they care to change?" Sakura asks, flabbergasted and horrified.

To think that enemies could so easily decipher sensitive village information…

"Who can say? The Councils and other officials are still war-minded; most of them suffered through two of the three Shinobi World Wars and countless other skirmishes. They aren't acclimated to peace time and focus solely on our military strength. They believe that sending missives with Summons will keep them safe, but there's always a risk at hand. Konoha's officials do not care to 'waste time' on 'exercises of futile intelligence.'" He seems to be quoting specifically from words told to him in the past. "They forget that such exercises are the primary information source in both war and peace time. In fact, this type of espionage can either cause or prevent war."

"Cause or prevent war?" Sakura repeats, astonished.

What Shikaku does, what she's doing, can have that monumental an impact?

Shikaku smiles and it is a bitter thing. "The Councils scoff, but wars have been started for less than a deciphered letter. It's also possible that, should our codes be broken, forgeries take their place and throw the upper echelons of Konoha's elite into disarray."

Sakura blinks, more than a little shell-shocked.

"Some of the higher officials, the true war dogs who were in the thick of it, use more complicated ciphers. Hokage-sama, Shimura-san, and so on. I'll let you take a look at some of them sometime. You'll be able to see that, with those they've personally had a hand in creating, bits of their personality are imbued into the codes. Still, they don't bother to keep up with the current literature on cryptography. Language is fluid and constantly changing. So too is cryptography. I'm having you read these histories so that one day you can create ciphers of your own." Shikaku grins, scars stretching in his happiness. "You've shown more than just a penchant for it; you have a true gift. I look forward to the codes you yourself create. I know they'll be magnificent."

Sakura doesn't speak, thunderstruck by all the possibilities that seem to have opened up before her. Her very own code…She never realized that she could make any herself, rather than borrowing from the work of others. To make—to create—codes all her own, with her own signature, own brand…Well, the possibilities seem endless.

Shikaku smirks at her over-wide eyes. "Your eyes are growing larger than your stomach; don't get greedy. Pace yourself, we have time enough."

Sakura nods, returning to her reading with a new fervor and fresh perspective. She wants—needs—to learn everything there is about cryptography.


"That's ten," Ino says, tone unreadable.

"Did I…did I do alright?" Sakura asks, almost fearful of the answer.

"Why don't you see for yourself?" Ino says.

Sakura reaches up, removing the kerchief from her eyes. Before her, forty yards away, are the ten targets. Each of her kunai struck their mark. Sakura claps in excitement, prancing forward to examine the targets more closely. She managed to nail the very center of the target on four of the targets, the other six hit within the two next smallest circles.

"Ino!" she exclaims, turning back to her friend.

Ino cannot contain her own exhilaration. "You did it!"

"We did it," Sakura corrects, the force of her smile almost hurting her cheeks. She looks across the field at her friend and bows. "Thank you, Ino-sensei."

Sakura yelps as, still bowed over, a weight hits her in the side, knocking her over. Sakura tumbles to the ground, entangled in Ino's limbs. They look at each other for a long moment, stunned breathless by the unexpected fall. Then, and Sakura cannot say who exactly starts, they begin to snicker. Snickers evolve into giggles which turn to guffaws and finally become outright cackling. They lay on the ground against each other, content as the laughter dies off.

"I'm trying to imagine Mizuki-sensei's face during the quarter's final," Ino says.

"Mizuki-sensei's? What about Iruka-sensei's?" Sakura sits up, pulling a face at Ino that sets off their fit once more. "Sasuke-san won't be pleased."

"Why's that?" Ino asks, propping herself up on her elbows to look over at Sakura.

"You're better with weapons than he is," Sakura says. "He might even challenge you to a spar."

Ino huffs, though a slight flush rises to her cheeks. "Let him try. Tou-chan's been teaching me secret clan techniques and spar moves. Sasuke-san can't even activate his kekkei genkai yet. I can beat any of the boys in our class."

"You'll beat him," Sakura says, confident. "You can beat any of them."

They fall into a satisfied silence, just basking in Sakura's victory and each other's presence.

Because they are propped up against one another, Sakura can feel Ino's muscles suddenly tense. "What is it?" Sakura asks.

"Speaking of displeased boys reminded me of something," Ino says. "We had an Ino-Shika-Cho barbecue last week. I hung out with Shikamaru and Choji the whole time. Shikamaru seemed a bit off. He kept asking me questions about you."

"About me?"

"Apparently Shikaku-oji has mentioned you a couple times at home. Since Shikamaru's so upset, I'm guessing he gave you praise."

"Shikamaru's upset?" Sakura asks, sitting up straight after fighting back feelings of pride. She enjoys being praised for her skill.

"Don't worry about it, Sakura," Ino says, pulling on Sakura's hand until she reclines once more. "Shikamaru just really admires his father, though he'd never admit it. He's just jealous that Shikaku-oji has noticed one of his peers."

"What should I do?" Sakura says, picking at her fingernails. She hates the thought that someone is angry with her; the people pleaser in her demanding that she fix the issue.

Ino flaps a hand. "Don't worry about it; Shikamaru will either get over it or confront you."

"Confront me?"

"Calm down," Ino says. "This is Shikamaru we're talking about. He's pretty lazy and he knows you're my best friend. He won't do anything terrible; he knows I'll make him regret it."

Sakura smiles, grabbing Ino's hand. "Thank you, Ino, for always protecting me."

"Of course!" Ino replies, squeezing Sakura's hand in turn. "I always have your back."

They stay like that for a while, time seeming to stand still aside from the movement of the sun and clouds in the sky. Finally, Ino stands with a sigh, patting down her clothes and collecting her gear.

"I have to go home for dinner," she admits, looking put out. "Tou-chan is cooking tonight and I don't want to miss it."

"I'm sure it will be good!" Sakura replies, trying not to think of her own home, empty right now as her parents travel through Iron. They're establishing ties with the samurai that reside there, hoping to attain firsthand access to Iron exports. It is an arduous and lengthy process, but Sakura knows better than to complain. She glances at the targets, pushing aside the thought of withdrawing leftovers from the fridge that her aunt left her. "I think I'll stay here a bit longer and continue to practice."

Ino gives her a hug and they exchange farewells, Sakura watching as Ino moves away.

Once Ino is no longer in sight, Sakura sets about practicing once more. She withdraws her kunai from the target, deciding to work with her shuriken instead.

"You don't need her."

Sakura jumps, turning with kunai ready in hand.

"Torune?" Sakura asks, confusion giving her pause. "What are you doing here?"

He glances at her for a moment, before returning his attention to his feet. She cannot really see much of his expression, obscured as it is by goggles and high collar, but she's certain that he's angry. She's never seen him like this.

"The Yamanaka," Torune bites out. "You don't need her."

Sakura cocks her head to the side for a moment, regarding him, before turning back to the task at hand. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"I'll watch your back," Torune says. Sakura suddenly realizes that she can feel the way his entire body is vibrating with the force of the rinkaichū within him, even with the distance between them and her back to him. "I'm strong, I can protect you."

"Ino is strong too," Sakura replies, yanking hard on one of the kunai. It is firmly wedged into the wood and, though she's proud of the force she put behind the throw, it is causing some trouble now. Ino is the top girl in their class in every area except academics, which Sakura herself dominates. "Plus, as a shinobi I need to be able to watch my own back."

"Sakura!" he exclaims before cutting himself off in frustration.

"What's really bothering you, Torune?" Sakura asks, abandoning the kunai to regard him fully. "You've never had any issues with Ino before."

"Is she your best friend?" Torune blurts out.

"She's my first friend," Sakura says.

"That isn't an answer."

Sakura sighs, sitting down and crossing her legs. She pats the ground beside her, to indicate where he should sit. Torune obeys and Sakura begins plucking at the dandelions that grow around the base of the target.

"Ino is my precious person," Sakura says, focusing on her hands. "She saved me from bullies and gave me this ribbon." Sakura gestures to her head. "She's bossy and likes to gossip and to get into my business and I love her with all my heart. When she's sad, I want to cheer her up. When she's injured, I want to heal her. When she's happy, I want to make her even happier. I want to protect her and pay her back for all of the help she's given me."

"Oh," Torune says, subdued. His buzzing has completely subsided.

"Torune, you are also my precious person," she continues as she weaves the strands together. "You are quiet and you daydream and sometimes talking to you is hard because I don't know what you feel about what I'm saying and I love you with all my heart. When you're hurt, I want to hold your hand. When you're frightened, I want to scare your fears away. When you're fighting, I want to stand and protect your back. It makes me smile when I see you smile."

Torune sniffles slightly, rubbing at his nose. "Really?"

"Really," Sakura replies. She ties the ends of the stands to each other and nods to herself. Sakura lifts her creation in her hands and leans over, placing it on his head. "There. It won't last as long as the ribbon, but…" She shrugs. "I'll get you something that lasts later. This is a symbol of our bond. Dandelions mean long-lasting happiness, youthful joy, and wish fulfillment. My wish is this: that you and I will be friends forever." Sakura grins at him. "So don't worry about 'best' or anything like that. Both of you are my precious people."

Torune throws his arms around her, dragging her into a hug. It is awkward and slightly uncomfortable, but wholehearted and warm, just like Torune is. "You're my precious person too," he says against her ear. "Thank you for being my friend, Sakura."

Sakura opens her mouth to reply, but her stomach beats her to it, growling loudly. She flushes, drawing away from Torune. "Sorry about that. I guess I'm hungry."

"Want to come to dinner with me? Oji-sama will cook."

"Are you sure that's alright?" Sakura asks. "I'd hate to impose."

"It won't!" Torune says, cutting her off. "Oji-sama always cooks too much. He'd be happy to have you."

Sakura thinks back to her vacant and quiet home and realizes that there is no contest. "Of course, Torune, thank you for the invitation."