Day 2: Lessons Learned

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Sometimes, Sakura wondered if it was right to become a shinobi to begin with. Even though her parents were both shinobi as well, they weren't from any of the big clans, so she didn't have any fancy last name or bloodline. And when younger, she didn't have much confidence in herself, and usually thought she was more of a burden to her teammates.

This was one of those times. The day had been fairly calm at the hospital that morning, so her mind had the freedom to wander around a little as she drank a cup of tea, alone at the hospital's cafeteria, staring emptily at nothing in particular. That's how one of the nurses found her when she went to inform that she was needed to treat an ANBU squad that had just gotten back. It was nothing serious, but apparently they had asked to see her specifically.

Or rather, one of them had asked to see her.

She got to the room where two of the squad members were to find her old teammates. Naruto was ready to leave, but Sasuke still had his wounds untreated.

This had been a constant for the year Sasuke had been back. He had been sent in different missions with different teams and, whenever he needed medical treatment at his return, he always asked for Sakura to see him and turned down any other medic. Sakura just sighed before beginning her work.

She knew he was trying to tell her or do something but, with how talkative he was, nothing had happened yet.

Going back to her earlier thoughts, she wondered how her life would've been had she not enrolled into the Academy. She probably wouldn't have found her passion for medicine, and instead would have taken a regular job, and eventually marry a civilian to have a quiet life.

Or what if she had gotten into the Academy but never graduate? Or if she had been placed in one of the many teams that failed the test to become a Gennin?

She noticed that Sasuke was watching her every move, making her a little self conscious. She then thought...

How different would her life been had she not met Sasuke Uchiha?

Even if she had, indeed, opted for a quiet civilian life, or had ended as a mediocre ninja, or as a Medic-nin as she actually was, there was no doubt her life would be totally different without him. She would be different.

Because it was thanks to Sasuke that she changed. Sure, from that shy girl who cried for being bullied on the playground, she got confidence from her best friend Ino. But it was after meeting and getting close to Sasuke that she started to really care for others and decided to improve herself and become someone strong and valuable.

Sure, it was also because of him and his actions that she knew about pain, sorrow and loneliness. However, it's only when you know and endure pain that you start to understand the meaning of life.

"Sakura, thank you," he said. She knew he wasn't referring only to her recent healing.

And it was also thanks to Sasuke Uchiha that she knew about love.

She smiled to him before sending him home.

Author's note: Sorry this was a little late, but it rained all day and rain makes my internet slow to a point where it's enraging ^^u Also, this ended being more Sakura-centric than SS imo, and also a lot shorter than the previous one or the others I've already done, but I hope you'll still like it :3 Prompt 3 will be up soon~