- SHANNARO!

Panting, Sakura stared at the uneven ground, which was broken by her fists. She always liked to work out first thing in the morning, when it was silent and when the air was still cool, fresh and damp. She could smell the pine trees nearby, and their invigorating scent helped clear her mind. She was feeling particularly groggy this morning, and it had taken three strong cups of tea to get her out and going. She decided to go back to her small apartment, feeling much in need of a shower after having spent the last two hours running and throwing around boulders.

She passed a hand through her damp, messy pink hair and sighed. She had the day off, which was a rare occurrence since opening the Konoha Child Centre. Shizune, noticing the dark circles under the young woman's eyes, had reassured her that everything was under control and had ordered her to take a sick day.

- You will be more useful if you are well rested, Sakura, she had said. Take some time off. And get some sleep.

Sakura complied, but could not help but feel a little worried. She had never taken time off the hospital before. She hoped her elder would come to her if need be. Also, if she was being totally honest, the unbelievable amount of free time she now had scared her. One of the reasons why she buried herself in work, besides the fact that she loved her job, was that, when she was busy helping people at the hospital, she did not feel the unexplained weight of solitude that had assailed her since the end of the war, not more than two years ago. Naruto, once always within arm's reach, was now busy with his Hokage training and with his new life with Hinata. The couple had gotten married the month prior, and Sakura had not seen her friend much since. She had hoped to spend her free time with her best friend Ino but the latter had seemingly, to her great surprise, fallen in love with Sai and the both of them were now inseparable. She cursed herself for being selfish but, despite being happy for them, she could not help but feel a little left behind.

She was now within a few feet of her apartment and was startled to see a dark figure, apparently waiting for her, at her doorstep. Why would someone seek her out at 7 in the morning? All her senses now on alert, she stopped abruptly, sending chakra to her fists. Being too far away, she could not distinguish the stranger's features. However, she could now clearly see his raven coloured hair, and the familiar way in which it stood, untidy at the back of his head. Her blood pumping, she gently let go of the chakra in her fists before running to meet her visitor, refusing to believe it was really who she thought it was, because the disappointment would be too great if she let her hopes go up in vain. The man, hearing her approaching, turned to look at her then, and she stopped once more in her tracks.

- Sasuke-kun, she simply whispered, too surprised to make much sense of the situation.

She looked into his mismatched eyes, which bore an expression she only ever saw once, when he poked her forehead at the gates of the village before departing for his journey. It was a friendly, tender look, which she thought she would never witness on his usually cold, expressionless face. She took her time to look at him properly, at the way his dark almond-shaped eye looked at her while the other, purple, barely gazed from behind a strand of black hair. When he stood up, she noticed he was taller, and she blushed after concluding that, even though she could never have thought it possible, he was even more handsome now than before.

- Tadaima, Sakura.

His deep, velvety voice bought back a flood of memories and, sensing tears coming to her eyes, Sakura looked at the ground to calm herself down, almost overwhelmed by the joy she felt at that moment. She offered him a sincere, blissful smile.

- Okaeri, Sasuke-kun.

She saw something in his eyes, then, that looked painfully like nostalgia. It suddenly occurred to Sakura that it was probably the first time anyone has ever welcomed him home since the dreadful night of his clan's massacre, more than a decade ago. That thought saddened her, but, not wanting to spoil their reunion by becoming overly emotional, she cleared her throat and self-consciously invited him inside.

Her apartment was small, but nice and tidy. The morning sun came flooding through the open blinds, illuminating the whole living room. Sakura, passing by the large mirror hung on the wall near the kitchen, caught a glimpse of her face and, mortified, remembered the workout that she had just done, which left her messy-looking and dirty. She had spots of dirt on her cheeks and her hair was messy and drenched in sweat. Cursing internally, she turned away from her reflection. Why, oh why, she thought, had Sasuke come back, after two long years, to see her looking like that? While he, as usual, despite having spent most of his time away roaming the forest, looked his usual perfect, spotless self.

- Your house is nice, he suddenly commented.

She turned to the man next to her, smiling at his attempt to small talk. He really had changed.

- I moved here a few months ago. It's nearer the hospital than my parents' house.

- You work there a lot?

She laughed.

- I work there every single day. Shinobi villages have really busy hospitals. Also, I've been working at my Child Centre. You probably didn't hear of it, but it's becoming very popular in many villages…

She stopped, fearful that her excitement might irritate him. In their genin days, it always did and she realized he might be tired from his travel to Konoha.

- I have heard of it, he said, not seeming the tiniest bit irritated.

His eyes were still gentle when he looked at her, almost proud.

- A Centre for children who were victims of traumatic events…It's a very noble cause, Sakura.

Sakura blushed, surprised at his praise. She did not want to confess that she came up with the idea for the Child Centre in hope of helping children who, just like Sasuke, had difficult, traumatic childhoods.

Feeling the urge to hear about his travels and to talk to him more about what she had been doing, she offered him a seat at her small table, and went to make tea.

The sight of him in her kitchen felt surreal; she was afraid he might disappear if she closed her eyes. Not knowing what type of tea he liked best, she chose a traditional sencha, feeling it suited him well.

She came back to the table with the teapot, smiling at him as she poured the boiling liquid into two matching cups.

- Now, Sasuke-kun, she said softly. I want to hear about you.