Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, but the new plots (meaning the ones you don't recognize!) are mine. This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.
A/N: Thank you all so much for the encouraging reviews! Hope you'll continue to enjoy the story. There's a bit more background information in this chapter and then we'll move on to the actual plot. Enjoy…
The Centerpiece by elle6778 – Chapter 2
Standing by the bed, Kakashi stared down at the sleeping figure sprawled carelessly under the red covers. The thick curtains covering the window swayed slightly, casting rays of late afternoon sun on the unconscious kunoichi.
Sakura must be dead tired if she could not even detect his presence, regardless of the fact that her subconscious knew that he posed no threat. It was hardly surprising, considering that she had just returned from the ANBU mission with Itachi last evening. It was fortunate that his status as an ex-ANBU captain allowed him the privilege of snooping around, or else he would not be sure that she had, indeed, left with the Uchiha.
Kakashi even felt a little bad for what he was about to do. But it could not be helped. He had delayed their departure as long as he could.
With an inward sigh, he leaned right over Sakura's face.
"Yo, Sakura!" he greeted loudly, and then pulled back.
His pink-haired student jerked right up into a sitting position, her eyes snapping around wildly. She was obviously quite disoriented, Kakashi thought as he watched on with no small amount of amusement. Poor girl.
Then those bleary green eyes landed on him. "Kakashi-sensei?"
"Slept well?" he asked.
She rubbed her eyes as she nodded, and then ran a hand through her messy pink locks. Not for the first time, Kakashi wondered where the vain little twelve-year old girl had gone. Because that little girl would have killed herself first before she mussed her hair up like that. If he recalled correctly, the change came around the time when the team took their chuunin exams.
"Why are you here, sensei?" she asked groggily.
"Ah!" He rubbed the back of his head. "We have a mission."
Her entire body stiffened and then she slumped. "A mission?" she repeated in a small voice. "Today?" She sounded as if she could not believe it.
"Tonight."
She wilted visibly. He truly felt for her. He really did. But she had to go. The mission required a complete team, medic and all. And he knew that Naruto and Sasuke would raise a ruckus if their little pink-haired teammate was not present. So, she had to go.
Shrugging casually, he said, "If you're not up to it, I can borrow Yamanaka Ino from-"
"NO!" she protested vehemently, jumping to her feet. "Don't you dare! I'll go."
"Are you sure?" he asked, eyeing her slim figure clad only in a tiny shirt and shorts as she went to her travel pouch.
"Yes, sensei," she hissed as she began to pull out the contents of her pouch, her movements drawing his attention to her bare skin.
You dirty old pervert, he chided himself when his eyes lingered a moment too long on her legs. She should have known better than to jump out of bed clad in so little when any male was around, he thought with an unexpected surge of protectiveness. It was just as well that he was her sensei.
Kakashi continued to watch as one by one, her ANBU equipment flew across the room to land in the corner. As he surveyed the items, he realized that Sakura actually possessed the full ANBU regulation kit. Uchiha Itachi must have given them to her over the last eighteen months. No doubt to facilitate the ever-increasing number of ANBU missions she was involved in.
"When and where are we meeting?" she asked, frowning as she looked around for something.
"In half an hour or so. At the gates."
She froze. Then her movements sped up in a flurry as she muttered, "I'm late… I'm late."
Chuckling, Kakashi shook his head. "Ah, don't worry about it, Sakura-chan. We'll wait."
They were already late by half a day, but she did not need to know that. Still, it should not matter since the mission was in Fire Country itself and from what he could tell, being a little late should not cause too much problem.
"I'm not like you, you know," she grumbled.
He knew that. If she was anything like him, she would not allow Uchiha Itachi to drag her on all those ANBU missions, even though she was most probably one of the most well-paid kunoichi in Konoha because of all those extra work. Perhaps she could be persuaded to treat Team Kakashi for a meal after this mission, he mused. Yes, that would be good.
"Kakashi-sensei?"
He turned to look at her. "Hm?"
She was staring at him pointedly, a fresh stack of clothes held in one hand. "Give me some time to wash and change and then I'll see you out at the bridge, okay?"
He smiled sheepishly. "Ah, yes."
She needed some privacy. What was he thinking, watching over her like that? She was no longer twelve. Actually, in a few months time, she would be nineteen. He had better make a move. With that thought, he raised a hand up at her. A quick teleportation jutsu later, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Naruto and Sasuke were waiting for him when he arrived at the bridge. As expected, the blonde was the first one to speak.
"So? Where's Sakura?" Naruto asked impatiently. "Is she coming?"
Kakashi nodded once. He did not miss that even Sasuke sagged slightly in obvious relief at his answer. Were they worried that Sakura would not turn up? Hm, perhaps they had a good reason to be worried, with Sakura's ANBU missions and all.
"She just returned?" Sasuke asked.
Kakashi nodded. "Last night."
"At least she got some sleep," Naruto muttered.
Sasuke simply frowned.
The blonde turned to his teammate. "I don't remember that ANBU squad going on so many missions before. It's getting worse by the week. It was never this often before," Naruto grumbled. "What's your brother trying to do? Kill his team? And Sakura while he's at it?"
Kakashi eyed the younger Uchiha, not missing the way Sasuke's brow drew closer. "What's the matter with Itachi?" he asked, suspecting that the younger Uchiha knew something.
Sasuke shrugged, shifting his gaze away from them. It was obvious that Sasuke was reluctant to speak about his brother.
Catching on, Naruto reached out to grab the Uchiha's shoulder, preventing Sasuke from walking away. "Ne, you know something, don't you? What is it, Sasuke? What's up with Itachi?"
"Let go of me, Dobe!" Sasuke snapped irritably, shrugging Naruto's hand away from him.
Naruto reached out again, his eyes taking on a determined gleam. "Not until you tell me what's going on. I-"
A gust of wind appeared suddenly, interrupting Naruto. Then Sakura materialized with a soft poof. She looked flustered.
"I'm here. Sorry I'm late. It'll never happen again," she rushed out.
"It's fine, Sakura," Kakashi assured her, his eyes taking in the shadows under her eyes which looked even harsher in the daylight. A surge of annoyance coursed through him then, as well as an uncomfortable feeling of guilt that he had dragged her out of bed when she could obviously do with more sleep.
"Yeah, it's okay, Sakura-chan," Naruto chirped, and then turned to eye Sasuke expectantly.
The kunoichi raised her eyebrow at Naruto's hand on the sullen Uchiha's shoulder. "Uh, did I miss something?" she ventured cautiously.
Naruto snorted. "We're just trying to get Teme here to tell us what's wrong with his brother."
Sakura blinked. "Eh? What's wrong with him? He seems fine when I last saw him."
Naruto prodded at the silent Sasuke. "So, Sasuke. You want to tell us what's up?"
Scowling at the blonde, the Uchiha muttered, "It's none of your business."
Eyes widening, Naruto exclaimed, "Ha! So, you KNOW something!"
"Is he okay, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked. "Just tell us. You know you can trust us."
Kakashi rolled his eyes upwards at the obvious tone of concern in Sakura's words. She was too softhearted for her own good. No wonder she allowed herself to be dragged all over the place by that ANBU captain.
Sasuke finally sighed in resignation. "He's taking on more missions these days."
"I noticed," Sakura remarked dryly, eyeing Sasuke suspiciously. "But why?"
Looking uncomfortable, Sasuke turned towards the river and crossed his arms over his chest. "He's probably trying to avoid being in Konoha. Chichi-ue wants him to marry," he muttered.
Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise as the other two gasped. He supposed it was to be expected, since Uchiha Itachi was the eldest. However, it must be unpleasant for the Uchiha.
"He's being pressured?" Kakashi asked.
Sasuke nodded. "But he needs to do it. Eventually."
Naruto smirked. "So your father is worried that your brother might not produce an heir. Can't say it's surprising, considering what his reputation is like. He's not exactly charming, is he?"
Sakura darted an incredulous look at the blonde. "And you are?"
"Play nice, kids," Kakashi admonished, his eye creasing.
Sakura rolled her eyes at him before turning her attention back to the conversation. "So Itachi is taking on more missions to get away from all of it. How awful."
"It's probably not an issue now," Sasuke muttered.
"Huh? Why?" Naruto asked.
"I overheard something a couple of nights ago. I think the clan elders are trying to find him a wife."
Sakura gasped, her emerald orbs rounding. "An arranged marriage?"
Sasuke nodded.
Eyes softening in sympathy, Sakura murmured, "Poor thing."
Scowling, Naruto exclaimed, "Why the hell are you feeling sorry for him? With his attitude, that's probably the only way he could find a wife."
Sakura snapped towards him. "Naruto! Would you like it if someone chooses your wife for you?"
Naruto twitched.
Kakashi sighed. Sakura had a point. Uchiha Itachi could not possibly be pleased with the idea of an arranged marriage, though the Uchiha would probably do his duty and accept it. It was the sort of thing expected from the clan heir, after all.
"Let's go," Sasuke muttered, effectively putting a stop to that line of conversation. "We're very late."
Sakura's wide green eyes shot towards Kakashi. "We are? How late are we?"
Kakashi glanced up at the sky, frowning slightly. "Oh? About half a day?"
A hiss escaped her. "Then why didn't you wake me up earlier?!" she shouted. "How could you, Kakashi-sensei?!"
And with that, they departed for their delayed mission.
Uchiha Itachi had spent the entire day in the ANBU headquarters, organizing paperwork and listening out for future missions.
Also, ever since Shisui's unpleasant announcement, he had been running over ideas of how he could extract himself from the situation with his clan. All he could come up with so far was merely a temporary measure. However, that particular temporary measure would suffice for now. It would buy him time to think of a more permanent strategy, or at least gave him time to dispose of the threat which made having a wife such a liability.
With that thought in mind, Itachi walked out of the ANBU headquarters, intending to confront his father about the situation. It would not do to delay any longer, for if the clan came to an agreement with his potential bride's family, it would be difficult to withdraw.
His journey home was uninterrupted, but the sun was already setting when Itachi reached the Uchiha compound. There was only a handful of Uchihas milling around, seeing that most of them were indoors preparing for dinner at this time.
He found his father standing at the end of the wooden pier, staring out thoughtfully at the calm surface of the lake. Itachi could not help but wonder if in ten or twenty year's time, he would find himself in the same position, wearing the same expression.
The thought was not agreeable one.
Itachi strode forward, walking along the pier to close the distance between him and his father. Noting his approach, Fugaku slowly turned around and inclined his head in greeting.
"Chichi-ue."
"Itachi."
Seeing no sense in delaying, Itachi asked in a quiet voice, "Is it true that the clan is negotiating for a bride for me?"
Grimacing, Fugaku nodded. "I've been meaning to tell you. The clan is of the opinion that your priorities are misplaced. Hence their decision to interject."
"Such interference is not necessary," he pointed out firmly.
"You're not making any headway on your own."
"I am, Chichi-ue."
His father looked surprised. "You've been courting someone?"
Itachi nodded curtly.
"Who is it?" Fugaku asked.
"She is a suitable candidate."
"Her name, Itachi," his father insisted.
"I will reveal her name when I succeed in courting her. It is still… too early."
Fugaku frowned thoughtfully. Itachi could tell that his father was wondering if he was telling the truth. So Itachi kept his expression even, not revealing his irritation at the fact that he had to lower himself to this farce. Still, if it was successful, he would be free of the clan's pressure for some time with very little effort.
"Why is it that you could not tell us?" his father finally asked.
Because he was not certain that the kunoichi he had in mind would cooperate, Itachi thought. Instead, he responded, "Such private matters should remain private."
"I see," his father murmured.
For a long while, they simply stared at each other, as if trying to see through one another. Again, Itachi kept his expression even, giving nothing away. Concealing his thoughts came naturally to him, after all.
"Fugaku!"
Both of them turned at the sound of his mother's voice. She had just exited the house, and was walking along the pier towards them. Itachi could discern the instant his mother recognized his presence, for her smile widened.
"Itachi is home too," she exclaimed. "Well, dinner is ready."
Itachi nodded.
As his mother drew closer to his father, her smile faded. Itachi glanced at his father to find the older Uchiha wearing a grim expression.
"What is it, Fugaku?" she asked in a cautious voice.
Her body was suddenly still, and her eyes were sharp as she assessed her husband's expression. It reminded Itachi that his mother had once been a kunoichi as well. But she had given up her profession when she was merely a chuunin to marry the heir of the Uchiha clan.
"He found someone to court," Fugaku announced gruffly.
His mother's brow rose. "Oh? Who is she?"
"He won't tell us."
Smiling, his mother patted his father on the arm reassuringly. "I'm sure Itachi knows what he's doing. Yes, Itachi?"
"Yes," Itachi agreed, grateful that his mother had interjected.
A dissatisfied grunt escaped his father.
His mother stepped between them, and then urged them towards the house. "Now come before dinner gets cold. Sasuke won't be joining us tonight. He's on a mission."
Fugaku nodded. Then, silently, all three of them made their way back to the house. All the while, Itachi kept silent as his father and mother conversed. His father had been made aware of the fact that he had 'found' someone.
So now, all he had to do next was to make sure that he found someone to 'court'.
This was what she loved about being a kunoichi. It was not the money or anything, though that certainly helped. But it was more the rush of satisfaction she got whenever a mission was successful.
Sakura laughed as Naruto swung her around. Finally setting her down, her blonde friend punched a fist in the air, grinning all the while. It was not even a difficult mission, but she guessed that Naruto was simply happy that they managed to help the family. A little boy had been kidnapped by his father's business partner, who had demanded a ridiculous ransom. It had not been difficult for them to convince the kidnapper that it was in his best interest to release the boy and disappear from Fire Country.
"Yeah, we did it!" Naruto exclaimed enthusiastically.
Sakura glanced around, noting the gleam of pleasure in Sasuke's eyes. He might be a little quieter about it, but she could tell that Sasuke was just as happy that the mission was a success. As for Kakashi, he simply looked bored. But then again, it was rather difficult to tell when the mask was covering most of his face.
"We need to celebrate." Naruto turned to her. "You disappeared before we could celebrate the last one, Sakura."
She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry about that."
"You should really tell that Uchiha to stuff it, you know," Naruto told her with a small frown.
Knowing that this was one topic that would head nowhere very quickly, Sakura waved a dismissive hand about. "Let's not talk about that, okay? So? We're going for ramen or what?"
Naruto brightened again. Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her in the direction of Konoha. "Let's go! We can make it back in an hour."
They made it back in three-quarters of an hour. Encouraged by the thought of his favorite food, Naruto pushed them hard. But as she was just as hungry, she did not protest. They soon found themselves amongst the familiarity of the village.
"Look! There's Neji and Ten Ten," Naruto exclaimed when they walked into the centre of Konoha.
"Move, Naruto," Sasuke growled, trying to head in the opposite direction.
Ignoring Sasuke, Naruto hollered, "Oi, Neji! Ten Ten! Want to join us for ramen?"
Sakura did not miss the hiss of displeasure which escaped the Uchiha. Her lips twitched in amusement when she recalled the antagonism between him and Neji. Both Naruto and Sasuke had been very protective of her when Neji had begun courting her. So it was inevitable that they had clashed. However, whilst Naruto had all but forgotten about the entire thing once she and Neji had broken up, Sasuke was not quite as forgetful.
Unfortunately for Sasuke, Neji and Ten Ten walked towards them. The Uchiha tensed, his dark eyes narrowing as the Hyuuga approached.
"Naruto," Neji greeted. "I see you've found your missing teammate."
Naruto grinned. "Yeah. She's back with us now."
Ten Ten turned to her, raising a questioning brow. "Back from where?"
Sakura shook her head. Not everyone knew about her role in the Uchiha's ANBU squad, and she would like to keep it that way. Not to mention ANBU missions were supposed to be classified. "Long story." Changing the topic, she asked, "So, are you joining us for ramen?"
"I'm up for it," Ten Ten replied before turning to her teammate. "Neji?"
The Hyuuga nodded.
So, much to Sasuke consternation, Neji and Ten Ten walked with them to Ichiraku's. Grinning slightly, Sakura elbowed the sullen Uchiha.
"What's with that face, Sasuke-kun?" she teased.
Sasuke grunted.
"It's only one meal, you know," Sakura pointed out. "I'm sure you'll survive it."
The Uchiha tossed her a disgruntled look.
"Well, I'll leave you kids to it, then," Kakashi declared, his eye crinkling.
"You're not joining us?" Naruto asked.
Their sensei shook his head. "Many important things waiting for me to do."
As Sakura rolled her eyes in disbelief, Kakashi performed a teleportation jutsu and disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving the five of them alone.
Linking her arm through Ten Ten's, Sakura strode towards the ramen shop. "Let's eat."
Soon, all five of them were seated in front of the tall bench, conversing casually as they ate their bowls of ramen. Fully occupied with his five bowls, Naruto barely participated in the conversation, but he did not miss much. Sasuke was quiet, as usual, leaving only her, Ten Ten and Neji talking about the current economic condition in Fire Country.
Sakura glanced at Neji. In the few short months they had dated, she had found Neji a nice person to talk to. Perhaps it was because she could speak to him openly about the fact that she found herself a little stuck between Team Kakashi and the ANBU missions. Neji had listened without siding anyone, therefore often giving her a fresh perspective on the issues.
Soon, they finished their meal and walked out of the ramen establishment.
"Ah! That was the best!" Naruto enthused.
Hands stuck firmly in the pockets of his pants, Sasuke announced, "I'm going home."
"I'd better go as well. Promised my mother to bring home some dango," Ten Ten said with a wave, and then promptly walked away.
"Do we have a training session tomorrow morning?" she asked her teammates.
Naruto was the one who nodded. "The usual place, the usual time."
She waved at the departing Uchiha. "See you tomorrow, Sasuke-kun."
Sasuke merely inclined his head and then continued to walk towards the Uchiha compound as the rest of them watched. It was only when Sasuke had disappeared out of sight that Naruto suddenly took on a thoughtful look.
"Ne, Sakura-chan. Was Teme quieter than usual today? He didn't say a word during the meal just now."
Sakura fought the urge to groan. If Naruto haven't figured out that Sasuke and Neji did not really get along, she really did not want to be the one to explain it to him. So she simply plastered a smile on her face and turned to face him.
"Really? I didn't notice."
Naruto's brows furrowed, but thankfully he did not press the issue. Instead, something in the distance caught his attention. He immediately brightened.
"Hey, Ero-sensei is here!" he announced. "I need to go talk to him about this forbidden jutsu that he promised to teach me."
"Naruto…" Sakura warned.
"See you later!" he yelled with a wave over his shoulder.
Sakura scowled. Jiraiya was really a bad influence on Naruto sometimes.
"I'll walk you home," Neji suddenly offered. "There's something I need to discuss with you."
Sakura nodded. "Sure."
For a while, they simply walked side by side in companionable silence. It had always been like this. After all, Neji was not very talkative in the first place.
"They are not happy, you know," Neji finally remarked.
Surprised, her steps halted. "Huh? What do you mean?" she asked.
"About you going off with the ANBU." Neji shook his head slowly. "And both of us know that they are very protective."
Sakura rolled her eyes. "I know. Remember how they used to spy on us on our dates?"
"Yes." Neji smirked slightly. Then he grew sober. "You don't need to prove anything to anyone, do you understand?"
"Neji, what brought this on?" she asked, surprised at his tone.
"You've been wearing yourself out. It's obvious," he pointed out evenly. "You don't need to take on all these additional missions to prove anything. No one would think less of you if you say no."
Sakura sighed. It had not occurred to her to think like that, but was that another reason why she could never say no to Itachi? Deep down, was she still so insecure about her skills? Would she ever reach a point where she could stop doubting herself? She had to sit down somewhere quietly and think about this.
When Neji began to walk again, she followed on silently. It was not long before they finally arrived at her apartment. It was only then that she turned to face him fully.
"Thanks for telling me, Neji," she said softly.
He inclined his head, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Someone needed to say it."
Her lips twitched. "I guess it's just as well that it was you. I couldn't really expect Naruto, Sasuke or Kakashi-sensei to say something like this. And if Ino had said something like this to me, I'd just think that she's jealous."
Neji's lips curved as he took a step back. "Well, I hope that you'll think about it."
"I will," she said resolutely.
He raised a hand to bid her good bye.
"See you around, Neji."
A dark eye peered over the top of the latest volume of Icha Icha, trailing after a slender figure.
Kakashi's brows furrowed in comprehension when he saw the direction the Uchiha was heading to. The immediate urge to leave the situation to unfold on its own was there. After all, to do otherwise would be to embroil himself in something which would no doubt be extremely unpleasant. Such as confronting Uchiha Itachi.
Then the image of Sakura flashed across his mind. His frown deepened when he recalled the shadows under her eyes and her exhaustion from juggling both her Team Kakashi's missions and the Uchiha's ANBU missions. Konoha might expect a lot from its shinobi ranks, but Kakashi was certain that no one wanted their top medic to drop dead in the middle of a mission one day.
As his eyes followed the Uchiha, Kakashi realized that this was not something he could leave to someone else to resolve. Team Kakashi was his responsibility, and Sakura was an important part of the team. Without her, the team was not as effective. He had ignored the situation for eighteen months, but now was the time for him to do something about it.
Besides, he hated those shadows under her eyes. It made her look like a raccoon dyed pink.
Mind made up, Kakashi pocketed his book and swiftly executed a teleportation jutsu. In a fraction of a second, he stood between a surprised Uchiha and Sakura's apartment building.
"Yo!" Kakashi greeted cheerfully.
The Uchiha's onyx eyes stared at him. "Hatake-san."
Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Kakashi asked, "You're looking for Sakura?"
"Yes."
"Ah," Kakashi exclaimed thoughtfully, lifting a hand to rub at his chin.
The Uchiha's eyes narrowed slightly. "Is there a problem?"
"Depends on what you want to see her for," Kakashi rebutted calmly.
"ANBU business."
"So you're planning on asking her to go with your squad?" Kakashi asked innocently.
The Uchiha inclined his head curtly, but there was a suspicious light in his eyes. No doubt the Uchiha realized that something was afoot, and was growing increasingly wary as the conversation progressed. It was time to have things out in the open, then.
"That would be a problem, Uchiha-san. Sakura is allocated on a Team Kakashi mission which begins tomorrow morning, so she's not available."
"Is that so? I have heard of no such mission when I checked with the Hokage this morning."
That was because there was no such mission. "Ah, there has been a change of plan. The original team allocated to this mission was… unsuitable."
The Uchiha's eyes flashed with annoyance, but Kakashi stood his ground. He would just have to bribe someone for a D-rank mission or something. Maybe Shikamaru and his team of genin wouldn't mind having a few days off. Knowing Shikamaru, it would not be too much of a sacrifice for the Nara.
It was then that Kakashi noticed that the villagers around them were giving them a wide berth, to wary to come closer. No doubt it was due to the waves of annoyance emanating off the Uchiha.
"I'm afraid you'd need to find another medic for your team. What about Yamanaka Ino?" Kakashi suggested with a smile. "She is more than capable, don't you think?"
"Hm."
Kakashi could tell that the Uchiha had no intention of considering the option. The ANBU captain wanted Sakura on his team, and was certainly not willing to settle for another medic.
"Well, better luck next time?" Kakashi remarked cheerfully, not meaning a word of it.
Something flashed within the onyx eyes, the closest Kakashi had seen the Uchiha display any form of emotion. It was then that he realized that the whole idea of the shinobi opposite him displaying any emotion was rather disturbing, particularly when it concerns Sakura.
"Is that all, Hatake-san?" Itachi asked quietly.
"I believe so," he replied evenly.
With that, Uchiha Itachi turned around and walked away, leaving Kakashi to stare at his departing back.
Now, that was not so hard, was it, Kakashi asked himself. Sure it was unpleasant, but with luck, Uchiha Itachi would ease off on Sakura.
At least for a while.
The three ANBU operatives had been traveling for most of the last two days and for two of them, the sight of the Konoha gates in the distance was a welcomed one.
However, the same could not be said for Uchiha Itachi.
The sight of Konoha only reminded him of what he had been putting off for the last three weeks. And yet, he knew that the time had come for him to put his plan in motion. The clan was becoming increasingly anxious to know who his intended bride was. Delaying was no longer an option, for it would only raise suspicions.
"So… Another one done," Shiranui Genma exhaled, stretching his back. "So when is the next mission?"
"In a few days," Itachi replied as the Konoha gates loomed directly in front.
Behind them, Aburame Shino murmured something almost inaudible. But Itachi had heard the words, and his lips tightened in annoyance. He certainly needed no reminder of the absence of the fourth person in their team.
"What did you say?" Genma called out over his shoulders.
"It would be good if Sakura is around for the next one," Shino said.
Itachi recalled the wound the Aburame had sustained earlier. He had closed the wound the best he could, but Itachi knew that it was far from what Sakura would have achieved, had she been present during this mission.
But due to the interference of one Copy-nin, the kunoichi was once again absent from their squad.
Hatake Kakashi had deliberately thwarted his plans, and Itachi did not like it. Three weeks had passed since their encounter outside Sakura's apartment, and since then, he had not seen the pink-haired kunoichi even once. As far as he knew, she was still outside Konoha, on her two week mission. It was beginning to truly irk him, especially since he had to settle for a 3-man squad for the last two missions.
This could not continue. He would not allow it.
"She has been around so much that we kind of forget that she's not ANBU in the first place," Genma remarked with a chuckle. "Maybe we should get her to apply, huh? What do you think, Taishou?"
"Perhaps," Itachi murmured.
From their last conversation on the topic, Itachi was certain that Sakura would not willingly leave her teammates. However, there were always ways to persuade one to change their mind. Considering Hatake Kakashi's recent interference, perhaps he should give more consideration to this topic.
"Then I say it's time to get her to join the ranks!" Genma exclaimed heartily.
"I'd like to see you do that," Shino muttered.
Senbon dangling out of the corner of his mouth, Genma turned to the bug-user. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It's useless to explain if you don't see it in the first place," Shino remarked dully.
An incredulous look came across Genma's face. "What the hell? Isn't that why you should explain, huh?"
Itachi turned away from them. Blanking out their conversation, he continued to walk into Konoha. His first stop would be the Hokage tower. As well as submitting the mission report he had completed last night, he would also set his plan in motion.
Tsunade was not easily shocked. But this time, she had to admit that this was an unexpected development.
She frowned slightly paperwork on her desk. His mission report was to her left, but that was not the item that had caught her attention. It was the neatly-written scroll to the right of his mission report that had her staring in surprise. She could not help but wonder what had possessed Itachi to file such a thing. She had heard about the rumors, of course. He must be truly desperate, and yet, she supposed that it was one way to deal with the issue.
"You do realize that she needs to accept the mission," Tsunade pointed out. "It is not a Konoha-related one, therefore, she is under no obligation to accept it."
"Yes."
She arched a brow. "So you're not going to raise a fuss if she blows up and rejects it?"
Itachi gave her a level look. "She will not be forced."
Of course he would say all the right things. Tsunade stifled a sigh. "When would you like to commence?"
"As soon as feasible."
Tsunade nodded. "Very well then. I will speak to her about this."
It would provide some amusement for the Konoha, at least, she thought with an inward smirk. Then it occurred to her that it was rather pathetic to find such a thing exciting. However, perhaps her reaction could be excused for she had not seen any serious action since she had taken over the post.
The last time Konoha had seen any excitement was when Orochimaru had decided to attack a little more than six years ago, during one of the chuunin examinations. She had not been present, but the Sandaime had managed to defeat the bastard, sacrificing his own life in the process.
And before that was the Uchiha clan issue. About a decade ago, a large number of Uchihas had planned a coup. It could have turned out to be a major catastrophe then if the shinobi before her had not taken the action he had taken then.
"How is the Uchiha clan doing?" she asked suddenly.
"The clan is well," Itachi responded evenly.
Clasping her hands together and then resting her chin on them, Tsunade asked, "No one seeks the forbidden scroll?"
Itachi shook his head. "No."
Something in Itachi's tone made her wonder if he was telling the whole truth. The ANBU captain before her had always been secretive, therefore she had no doubt that he was hiding something. But what was he keeping to himself? Did it actually matter? Perhaps she should leave the issue alone. After all, according to the documentation left by the Sandaime, Uchiha Itachi's loyalties to Konoha should not be questioned.
"Keep your eyes open, just in case," she finally said.
"Understood," the Uchiha affirmed.
"If there is nothing else, you're dismissed."
"Yes, Hokage-sama," he murmured, inclining his head respectfully.
Tsunade watched as the Uchiha left her office. Glancing down at the form before her, she wondered how she should approach the issue.
Then, smiling slightly, she called out, "Konohamaru! Get in here!"
Perched up on a branch, Sakura scanned her surrounding carefully, trying to make sure that Kakashi would not spot her.
She did not realize just how much she missed this. Because of her missions with Itachi's ANBU squad, she had been absent from countless number of training sessions with her own teammates. And yet, her sensei had not complained. She guessed he figured that any mission with an ANBU squad would equate to training.
Come to think about it, it was odd that she even had time to train. Three weeks had passed since she last gone on an ANBU mission, one of the longest gap, if she recalled correctly. She wondered if everything was alright with Itachi's ANBU squad. Maybe she should go find them to see how they were.
But what if her absence from their missions were deliberate? Sakura winced at the thought. Maybe after her terrible performance in the last mission, Itachi had decided to exclude her. Maybe he had found another medic to go with them. At that thought, she felt a horrible pang in her heart. She realized that however weary she was, deep down, she did not want to be excluded from their ANBU missions.
Neji's words immediately came back to her, making her frown. She had promised herself not to think like this anymore. Her skills as a kunoichi was first-rate, and she should not doubt herself. Itachi probably just did not need a medic on his missions these last few weeks.
A sound from the distance drew her out of her contemplations.
It was then that she noticed the giggling chuunin crowding beyond the fence surrounding their training ground. She shook her head, smiling at the sight of the three kunoichi. They were Sasuke's fans, but the Uchiha did not even notice their presence. Either that, or he was simply ignoring them. To Sasuke, training was training and he would not allow anything to disturb him.
Suddenly, something flashed before her eyes.
Before she could make sense of what was happening, she hit the ground with a painful thud, her breath knocked out of her. A moment of disorientation came over her, and then a shadowed figure blocked the sun from her eyes.
"You should pay attention, Sakura," Kakashi chided, staring down at her with his single visible eye.
She scowled at him, knowing that he was right. Flipping herself up to her feet, she was about to ask for another round when a familiar voice reached her.
"Sakura-Ne-chan!"
She turned around to see Konohamaru running towards them.
"What is it, Konohamaru?" she asked.
The chuunin skidded to a halt before her. "Hokage-sama wants to see you."
Sakura blinked. "Oh?"
"What is it, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, walking towards them.
"She's being summoned by the Hokage," Kakashi pointed out, but there was an odd light in his eyes. "Go now, Sakura. And come back here when you're done."
Wondering what her shishou could possibly want, Sakura went with Konohamaru. It did not take long for them to arrive at the Hokage's office. Konohamaru gestured at the door, and then promptly disappeared down the curved corridor.
Sakura rapped on the door and waited for Tsunade's acknowledgement before she entered. The sight which greeted her when she pushed the door shut behind her was a familiar one; her shishou seated behind her desk, almost completely obscured by the piles of overdue paperwork.
"Tsunade-shishou?"
The Hokage placed the scroll she had been reading on the desk, and then looked up. The odd light in her honey-brown eyes gave Sakura paused, and she held her breath.
When Tsunade finally spoke, her voice was firm. "Haruno Sakura. I have a mission for you. You may accept or decline, at your own discretion."
A mission? Sakura frowned, puzzled. "Well, shouldn't Kakashi-sensei and the rest be here?"
Tsunade shook her head. "This is a solo mission."
Her jaw dropped. A solo mission? CHA! What a fantastic opportunity! Excitement began to bubble within her and she beamed. The boys would be SO jealous when they hear about this. She could not wait to tell them.
"You'd better listen to the rest first, before you smile," Tsunade warned gravely.
As she digested Tsunade's words, her smile died on her lips. It could not be that bad, right? Maybe it was just a very difficult mission. But she had been working with ANBU for a while now, and was more than capable of dealing with anything. Besides, Tsunade would not summon her here if it was something she could not do.
"What is it, Shishou?"
"First thing you need to remember is that this briefing is confidential, regardless of your decision. The client requested utmost secrecy, due to the nature of the mission. That means that you can't discuss it with ANYONE, apart from myself and the client. Secondly, it will be a somewhat long-term mission, and there are elements of it that you might find disturbing."
Her trepidation grew. Wariness tingeing her tone, Sakura said, "I won't say a thing to anyone else. What is the mission brief, Shishou?"
"The client needs a kunoichi to act as his love interest."
Sakura's eyes widened. Love interest? Although she knew that such missions existed, she had no previous experience in it. It was unsurprising, considering that she was not even nineteen yet. Those kunoichi assigned to these types of missions were generally older.
And more experienced.
"Uh, Shishou?" she began uncertainly.
Tsunade waved an impatient hand around, evidently understanding her concerns. "You will not be required to do anything that's not acceptable in the public eye. Just enough to convince others that you're a couple for about half a year."
"Half a year?" Sakura echoed incredulously. That long? "But what about Team Kakashi?"
"You'll carry on as usual as far as Team Kakashi is concerned. This mission is an additional one, which means that you will be giving up your personal time for it." Tsunade gave her a pointed look. "And that is why you have the right to decline if you wish."
That sounded better, Sakura thought, slightly more relieved. The client was obviously someone close by if she could continue with her real life. "So I'll still be based in Konoha? In my own apartment?"
"Yes. The client resides in this village," Tsunade confirmed.
Sakura could not help but wonder if it was someone she knew. "So what's the objective?"
"To discourage other women and to prevent his relatives from taking matters into their own hands."
Sakura blinked. This was beginning to sound a little familiar, though she could not quite put her finger on it. Something was niggling at the back of her mind.
"That is all I can tell you. The specifics will come from the client."
Sakura bit her lips. "What happens if I decline? Who will you ask next?"
"No one. The client requested you specifically."
It was getting more and more weird. "Oh? Who is it?" she asked curiously.
Tsunade raised a brow. "It's just a mission, Sakura. Does it matter who it is?"
"I suppose it makes no difference who it is," Sakura mumbled.
It was a solo mission, right? Something that she had been hankering after for a while. Besides, she had no experience in these sorts of missions, so this would be the perfect way for her to gain some experience. Being based in Konoha was a plus as well, since it meant that she would at least have back-up if things went really wrong.
Still, it would be better if the client was not completely objectionable if she had to be close to him for half a year.
"Your decision, Sakura? Or do you need time to think over it?"
Sakura took a deep breath. "Probably. It's quite a long mission. So, who is the client?"
"Uchiha Itachi."
Sakura's jaw dropped.
A/N: And so… that's Itachi's temporary solution to the problem. Next chapter will bring you more Ita-Saku interaction, you'll be glad to hear. As always, please review if you could. Thank you!
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