Testifiers of the Anomalous Love

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Chapter 2 - The Wind, the Trees, and the Street Lights

From where I'm standing I could see the traces of one day: happiness on the big bridge we crossed together

Another rebellious sweat trailed down her eyebrow and she wiped it therewith; it was scalding hot that particular day. Even here in Suna, she was drowning in piles and piles of paperwork. It seemed that her being the top medic only made them even more mounding. The scratch of her pen on the paper sounded like the loveliest music to her ears as she got to the last one. With a disgruntled sigh, she let her head fell on the table, dropping the pen unceremoniously. The images from the night before she'd departed to Suna flashed in the back of her mind aversely. A measly voice wished in the back of her mind that he'd think of her as an equal now that she could punch him and broke a few of his slats. She glanced at the clock on the wal: 3 O' Clock. What a doctor she was, she still hadn't had lunch until now.

She massaged her temples, sending the tiniest bit of her soothing chakra into her head to ease the building tension. The children's clinic was doing just fine, too fine that she was pulled into the emergency ward after not even five minutes of checking ups. She left Ino to be in charge, and was going to make sure Shikamaru would get some words to Kakashi or Gaara regarding this matter, but that pineapple-head was no longer in sight. What else did she expect? He's got a whole other thing planned during this checkup.

Now, what diner could rival that of Ichiraku's to quench this hunger in her stomach? Any more nut bars and she swore she might turn into a squirrel.

Not even before two buttons of her doctor coat were unbuttoned, a nurse came barging into her office. All delectable thoughts of the succulent meat and palatable condiments were eradicated the moment she frantically said that there was an emergency. She soughed, but proceeded to nod her head professionally and walked alongside with the nurse, buttoning back her coat. All the while telling herself lunch could wait.

Nut bars? Nope. Fruit bar it is then.

Another set of shurikens was flung and hit bullseye. Two days in and it was getting boring. Naruto was highly delighted to spar with him – given the options he had were either that or drown within piles and piles of parchments. But there's still one spar he was anticipating.

He remembered that night when she promised him a spar. He still remembered the blow he got to the chest as well, even if there are no physical evidence left due to her dexterity. Naruto filled him in thereafter, and he learned that the foolish girl hadn't ceased her drudgeries. If anything, she'd been overworking herself to her death despite the many warnings everyone had given her. Apparently, she hadn't changed one bit, still hard-headed and stubborn and strong-willed. Not that they were poor traits, but when combined they could be. Working with kids during daybreak till the sun reaches its zenith, then work her shifts at the hospital at eventide till nightfall. The in-betweens she had she spent to study and absorb new knowledges. Rest comes last, Naruto quoted her with a shake of his head.

Tomorrow. He'll see tomorrow.

Home isn't quite home without its hustle and bustle. And that was exactly what happened to Sakura Haruno the dawn of Tuesday, when she was finally back home. She didn't get a chance to lie down for a moment when she received an emergency call from the hospital. At least she got to unpack and shower – for that she was thankful.

Another half an hour had passed by imperceptibly. Another life was successfully saved that day. Another laborious day for Konohagakure's top medic. It's just a normal day, and a normal day it was save for the fact that he had asked her to spar with him - albeit it was more like he ordered her.

She let her shoulders slump down and her eyelids flutter shut, closing over her mesmerizing malachite orbs. That one was a close call; another careless genin who fell off a tree saving the one and only cat Tora. This one severed the muscles in his foot on a nearby fence. Poor one got it bad though, the blood loss was rather bad it was a nigh death. After the laborious hours in the surgery room, she finally got out, answering the flood of inquiries from the family.

The poor kid was safe and sound, of course, a few cracked meta-tarsals and severed tendons were not something Konoha's top medic couldn't heal. However, he wouldn't be able to walk for the next few days, considering the hard blow he's received to his feet. It was quite fortunate that it was not completely crushed, or even she wouldn't be able to help him and he'd be stuck to a wheelchair for the rest of his life – a crushing fate to ever bestow upon a shinobi. Though she'd never wish for anyone to ever had to endure such a thing, it'd serve the kid a lesson or two should that happen, for he had the temerity to show off to his comrades during a rescue mission. She sighed, but then she remembered her genin team and their antics. Oh well, what snobby shinobis.

And she's about to meet one not long after.

Konoha have always looked splendid in the evenings, with the violet streaks stroked by the setting sun that bid the day goodbye across the orange sky. That said, this evening looked particularly more beautiful somehow to the indigo-haired girl.

Perhaps it's because Naruto had just asked her out tonight and is currently walking beside her. He was surprisingly on time, though a little bit breathless. Okay, a little bit would be an understatement, but he was on time! She was nervous, especially with the part of telling her father. She was the Hyuuga heiress, and her father has never been too fond of her, Hanabi's the kind of perfect daughter in his eyes. But this? Naruto was an imbecile in his eyes for long, and still is even though he'd saved the world. Her father's just so stubborn it baffled her. And knowing Naruto's stubbornness, she could only hope for the best. At least, she no longer stuttered or fainted or blushed a deep shade of red around him now. Tonight's going to be a good night, and she'd better start enjoying it. Smiling, she decided it's time to break the silence,

"Where are we going, N-naruto-kun?"

"Um, do you mind if we go to Ichiraku's?" The moonlight made his cerulean blue eyes even bluer and Hinata felt herself lost in his eyes. "Eh, Hinata-chan?"

A date with Naruto, she ought to know they'd end up going to Ichiraku's. She smiled of the thought. "I don't mind," she was so proud that she didn't stutter, but there's no helping the heat that rushed to her face. Maybe she would never not blush a deep shade of red around him. That's okay though, as long as he's around to worry about her beet red face – just like he was at that exact time.

She was out on the streets now, no longer clad in the all-white hospital uniform all doctors had to wear. There was still time – about 15 minutes more – but she couldn't ease the gnawing agitation eating from the inside out. To say that she was nervous was an understatement. That's why, for the first time ever, she took off right after normal time – no overtimes, no extra researches for that day.

A kunai shooting towards her was what greeted her as she stepped inside the training grounds. She jumped just in time before it could graze her porcelain skin.

"Really? That's your way to greet an old friend?" She shouted to what seemed like a deserted training ground and swept the whole area in search for his chakra signature.

"Hn, gotta do better than that." An answer was heard from behind her. But as the kunai pierced her skin, a log took her place instead.

"You didn't even let me prepare, how mingy of you," She threw her own kunai at him, which he evaded easily. "The first one to make the other bleed 3 times wins. What do you say?" He swung his katana as she lifted her kunai right on time to parry him. 'I'll take that as a yes." Her jade orbs glimmered defiantly. Both of them jumped backwards onto a tree branch, crouching, ready to spring in any second. She sure was in for a long evening.

After an exact 29 minutes and 17 seconds, he finally made the first blood. She'd felt shiver run down her spine as he whispered taunts at her. Cursing herself for letting her guard down, she moved even more determinedly and not more than 5 minutes after it was her turn to flick her kunai at him and hit home. She flashed a toothy grin at him as they began at each other even more vigorously.

Turns out, it didn't take her too long to make her mark on his thigh, which perturbed him but he held himself, holding on to their deal to not use his kekkei genkai. Nevertheless, he quickly got the chance that he didn't waste to nick her bare porcelain cheek a little.

She was sure she could feel the fiery sparks of ferocity in the training ground, the air surrounding them was scalding hot with both their fierceness and all the movements they're making. A sheen of sweat covered her skin from the humid air and it was starting to bother her. The cut on her cheek - the last one she'd gotten – still left a stinging feeling even after her healing. The other cut she got was on her calf; that one was out of her way – she'd healed it thoroughly.

They were staring at one another in deep concentration, both out of breaths. She examined the marks from the blows she'd inflicted on him and felt her pride swell. Her clothes may be bloody, but the cuts she'd gotten was no longer bleeding. His cut, on the other hand, was a pretty deep gash for she didn't waste the opening she got that one time.

He lunged at her without warning. She barely had the chance to dodge, but she got him by his elbow by pure luck. For once, her flailing arms did her good in an evasion. She couldn't stop that winning smile from spreading on her face – especially after she saw him still looking so shocked. However, she was very well-aware of her waning strength and her chakra that was running low; she has to end this quickly if she wanted to win. With that set in her mind, she let out a battle cry and started the battle again.

She forced him to do taijutsu, since she knew she was no match for him in ninjutsu, and that means it'd be the end for her if she ever let him any further away from her. She prepared for the right moment to finish this once and for all with her chakra-infused punch, and she knew the moment was near. One, two, three!

"Got you," she had created a crater with him in the center of it with her famous Cherry Blossom Impact and her kunai was closing in on his neck. A few seconds later she cursed herself for not flicking it right away.

"No. Got you," with a flick of a hand, the back of her kunai-holding hand was marred with his kunai. Why she paid no attention to his hands – the hand with the kunai nonetheless, she didn't know. Maybe it was the disbelief that she was straddling his hips or how suggestive their position was. A small blush formed on her cheeks at the latter.

"I-" she stood up hurriedly, feeling her blush deepened. She squeaked a small sorry and bowed her head down. Somehow, her stomach chose that of all times to rumble, reminding her of her forgotten lunch and efficaciously making her blush even deeper.

"Hn. Ichiraku's?"

"Wh-what?" Her head whipped to look at him in the face. She thought she was imagining things, or maybe he was joking with her, but then again he wouldn't joke, would he?

Her antics amused him; it was a long time since he last met her. She had undergone quite a lot of changes, sure she looked way more stunning, but she had also improved in strength. All that immense capabilities, yet she still blushes in and out of the season. He raised one of his perfectly sculpted eyebrows at his unanswered inquire.

"Uh, what possessed you to actually want to go to Ichiraku's?" She simpered. Frankly, he didn't know what possessed him to ask her to the Ichiraku's. Everybody knew it was a totally Naruto move to dine there. "I don't mind," she added with a sweet smile.

"Hn. Then let's go," he stated succinctly. The walk was encompassed within a pregnant silence, which she despised. Sure he was not such an active talker, but the silence that hung between them grew gawkier by each moment that passed and it was making her fidget around him as if they were strangers to each other.

"So, uh, how's your thigh?" She opened the conversation; no walk had ever felt this long. Then again, there were always their exuberant and boisterous as ever Hokage to thaw the gaff.

"Better," he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Do you want me to take a look at it?" She asked, unsure of his answer. She turned her head at him; he was still as impeccable as she remembered him to be. The way his midnight locks sway with every step he took made her hands itch to run her fingers through his hair.

"It's fine," he stuffed his hands into his pockets, his eyes trained to the road before them. She did sneak a peek, and his thigh sure looked fine. At least he wasn't limping.

He was making it harder; she was overwhelmed by the tension oppressing them both, "Okay," her voice came out smaller than she first intended. She fixed her eyes back to the front and let her shoulders slumped down in defeat.

He stole a glance at her and was greeted by the sight of her pink hair. She was now at least a head shorter than him, and he noticed that she kept her cherry blossom colored locks short. Somehow, he found that it's better that way; it made her look fiercer, fresher, and dare he say it, sexier.

The route they took was familiar to her. At this rate, Ichiraku would be within eyesight at any moment now.

"Is that Naruto?" She whispered harshly, "and Hinata-chan!" She gasped. To say that she was shocked would be an understatement; first her eyes went as wide as saucers, then she looked at him and at the two people back and forth, and finished it with a restrained squeal, "I can't believe it- he finally asked her out!" Her cheeks were rosy red, and her viridian eyes glittered with enthusiasm. "Ino-pig would be thrilled with this news! Although I doubt she'd heard it from me, that girl knows every gossip that runs in the town like the back of her hand!" She remarked blithely, a big smile plastered on her face. "Ano, I think we shouldn't intr-"

"Come on," he gestured with his head for her to follow.

"Where are we going?" She didn't know he's that keen.

"There's a small café that's just opened," was all the answer she got. He could feel her intense gaze on his back behind him as she kept herself a step or two behind him, "We're here," he notified her after another left turn, stopping in his tracks and turned to look at her.

"Oh, wow," she said a little breathlessly, "I thought you said it was a 'small café'!" She protested with a priceless dumbfounded look on her face, giving an air quote to the words 'small café'.

"Hn. My treat." And he walked towards the 'small café', not waiting for an answer from the thunderstruck pinkette. When he didn't feel her moving at all, he called out, "You coming or not?"

She could feel him rolling his eyes as he said that. And she was not the least bit happy with the thought. "H-hey!" But he was already inside. Oh well. She mulled over the fact that he offered her to come to this 'small café' and also that he told her that it's his treat. A frown marred her flawless face; she was the best medic in Konoha for goodness sake - heck she's even the best medic in the Fire Country! She's so not going to let him pay for her, no matter how rich he was from the late Uchihas' fortune. And with that in mind, she stormed into the café, just to be greeted with him paying in the cashier. She went bug-eyed and hasted to his side. A cute kitten face greeted her from the cup of steaming caffe latte he extended at her.

She took it and took a sip, before a confounded look shrouded her face. "How do you know this is my preferred coffee?" She asked, inwardly reveling within the succulent taste of the caffe latte.

"Hn." Of course - his trademark answer as per usual. "Come on." And he led her towards a table for two.

She couldn't think straight anymore. Okay so he bought her a cup of caffe latte while he got himself a cup of black coffee - with no nothings. But he also bought her a chocolate bagel, another favorite of hers. And as she watched him bit to his own tomato onigiri, she marveled at how well-informed he was of her. Well, she still couldn't get too ahead of herself with mindless assumptions. The taste of her chocolate bagel and cafe latte was remarkably delectable, and she willed herself to let the subject down for the moment and enjoy the warmth of the café, as do the warmth of his presence right now.

Her eyes flew to her left, past the window of the café that overlooked the street that they'd strolled. The light from the street lamps seemed to act as a limelight that shone upon a wooden bench, while the wind caressed the tree leaves and made them sway in concert. The view was all too familiar for her, extricating a memory from deep down in the back of her mind.

It was just like years ago, only she wasn't basking in gaiety as she did now; she was lying down on a bench, unconscious, with the wind whistling remorsefully, the street lights looking down at her melancholy predestination, and the trees rustling all around her, shedding their leaves every once in a while as if they were tears. Her mind drifted without her consent and she wondered of what kind of ending awaited her at her final pages? And what of her epilogue?

The fated time came and you left me on the colorful riverbank, I search for that day.

- End of Chapter 2 -

A/N: I initially made Naruto the Rokudaime... But oh well, I love the epilogues as they are and so I try to keep thing as they weree. It's been super long, yeah? :'D But here I aaammm back and alive. And in the middle of a super long holiday. So um, since it's been soo long, I might have missed some things or two from the previous chapter, so don't hesitate to notify me if there's a missing piece or any mismatches kk :3

I honestly still dunno where this will go... Let's just... Go with the flow and see where this ends, shall we? Oh, I still wouldn't promise a new chapter :/ I mean, end it with a little date and everybody knows where it'll end... right?

I just prefer ff you knooww it's like the support is more.. there(?) – just saying :')

Let me just add one more thing before I leave for a longlong time again: always keep in mind that crying is okay, fretting is alright, and drowning in woe is understandable. Just, don't shut out everyone that tries to salvage you, don't sever all ties, one day someone who's worth your trust will grace your life for sure. I mean, even Sasuke yielded to Naruto in the end, ne?

Love eternally,

DarkLight08