Chapter 3: Awkward Encounter

"They're LATE!" Naruto grumbled, while flaring his arms around " It's been 40 minutes since the agreed meeting time! What in the world!"

Feeling helplessly annoyed Naruto slumped his form down and sat cross-legged, Sasuke meanwhile took out one of his kunai and started sharpening them. They were in front of a simple apartment complex with a sky blue roof and white cemented walls, a stair case nestled in its side and continued on as a hallway for the many doors implanted on the front, the building itself was located in a peaceful place that over-looked a small park, which made the complex bright due to the streets lights positioned there.

The time ticked 5 minutes pass seven and one Hatake Kakashi finnaly appeared, surprised that he wasn't the last one to arrive.

" yo.."

Naruto just huffed at the said man and continued to stare sternly at a distance, he was about to complain again when he suddenly saw Tsunade's figure approaching.

"Baa-chan! your'e late!, and you even set the time of meeting" He growled "your worst than Kakashi-sensei!"

Without changing her pace Tsunade simply walked towards the trio "... well... I knew Kakashi was going to be late despite what i said so, I made the meeting time earlier"

Naruto along with Sasuke depressed their shoulders at the logic "...you could have told us that" the blonde teen muttered.

" .. mahh mah.. we're all here now" Tsunade added. With a sign that she wanted them to follow along, the latest one of them to arrive, leaped on the balcony in front of a grey door with the number 3 painted above it, and started knocking. The three shinobi's looked at each other and shrugged in question.

"...coming!.." A very familiar voiced announced. Within moments, clicking and clanging of locks were heard and a face of a much relaxed Shizune appeared before them. ".. Shishou?... ehh! Team seven?"

Shizune was wearing her grey shirt and black leggings that stopped just below her knees, it was there first time seeing such a casual attire for the lady. The three shinobis were welcomed inside seeing as Tsunade already took a spot at the dining table. The inside of her apartment was simple and yet refreshing, there were potted and hanging plants across the open living space that gave it quite a gentle feel. A traditional Japanese paper sliding screen also lays in front of the side view of the living room, which consisted only of a double seated sofa and a large bookshelf facing it, it was overly clean but rather homey.

"..yos, Team seven .. sitdown" Tsunade said while patting the dining table.

"...?... I'll go and make some tea then..." Shizune offered, though still a bit unsure of the sudden visit.

Sasuke was the last to sit, but first to actually asked the question that has been on the minds of the other two " Tsunade-sama.. why are we here for..?"

Tsunade crossed her fingers together and lowered her view "... There's a person that I'd like you to meet" With her hazel brown eyes scanning the three shinobis in front of her, she continued with a smile "..but well, judging by your behavior earlier, it is probably someone that you are also wanting to meet.."

As the warm water came to a boil, Shizune dutifully place a small plate of treats to go with the tea at their table, neither one was speaking at that moment as if they were holding their breath in anticipation. As soon as the tea was served, it was Naruto who firstly obliged to the biscuits.

"..Shizune.. where is Sakura?" the platinum blonde asked.

"oh, she is sleeping in my room..." She said while sitting down next to her. "...the hot bath did it good for her to relax"

Unknown to the two female, the three invited male's were very much depleted. I guess it wont be this time around either, Kakashi thought languidly.

"hmm...well i guess i can give you a brief explanation of the mission first.." Tsunade decided, but before she could start another sentence, she heard the sliding of the screen. "oh~! Sakura... good timing.."

It was the morning after the midnight rain, four children all in a line slowly but surely climbed up a steep hill towards their favorite place. One had bright red hair, the other girl had violet, the boy next to the pink haired one had indigo.

"Sakura-chan..Sakura-chan"

"hmn?.. what is it" The said girl replied.

With a blank face, a blank smile he sauntered towards her growing in age. Suddenly black swirls enveloped her vision, she couldn't breath, she couldn't cry.

" ...you are mine" the terrifying man echoed, and then pitch darkness followed.

Sakura woke up at the sound of her fast beating heart, beads of sweat littered her forehead and her hand shaking in little rhythms. ".. who was that..."

The sound of Rurupo was the only reply that came to her, the bird was perched by the window, until it decided to glide to the girls lap. Sakura smiled at the only thing that reminded her, that the village she left five days ago, was very much real. She sighed and stood up gently, her long pastel locks out of its ponytail, draped to her shoulders and cascaded down her back. It was a lot cooler now, and with only her fitted white singlet on and black underwear she desperately wanted a few more coating , Sakura eyed the closet but decided that she would ask Shizune first, and so with quick steps she opened the screen.

"oh~! Sakura... good timing.."

In the majority of her skin exposed, she expected only one familiar face... but instead an additional four came into view.

"wha-..."

Sakura froze. Which wasn't a very good idea if you are standing almost completely naked in front of three men, and one of which you shared a kiss with. She tried to scream but fought back against it, and instead slammed the screen shut, " Sakura... you are such an idiot!" she muttered and slumped down to her knees, blushing into high heavens.

With only a few moments passing, the screen opened revealing a blushing Shizune with a gentle smile as if saying 'it was okay.. at least you weren't fully naked'. The emerald eyed teen pouted while curling her self in the blankets. "nee... Sakura, I'll lend you some clothes so you can come out... okay?"

"I'm not coming out..."

"ehh..?...ahaha... Sakura-chan.. it's okay really, they hardly saw a thing.." she pleaded.

"They're ninja's with trained eyes nee-san..." she sighed with a comically blank face staring down "If it was one thing they saw it would be 'everything'.."

"...ahaha.. mohh ..Sakura-cha-"

"Oi! Sakura get your ass in here RIGHT NOW!" Tsunade shouted from the dining table, with the three male still completely out of it.

"...technically, It WAS Shisou!, did you not see it!" She spat back and then regretted almost immediately as the said lady, slid the screen rather roughly exposing her embarrassed state once again to the three.

"..Hooh~.. four years passed and you think you can talk to me that way...Haruno!" She growled while intending to lift the blanket of her flustered pink-haired student.

"Shishou!.. Shishou!" Sakura pleaded desperately trying to hold on to her blanket but decided that it would be a lost cause after a few more pulls from the platinum blonde. " Alright!..Alright!. I'm going out! ".

If you gave Hatake Kakashi a piece of paper and asked him to write down the most unexpectedly delicious thing that he would want to happen, it would probably be along the lines of... meeting my beautiful pink-haired medic-nin... in her underwear...

And after that, if you asked him the possibility of it actually coming true, he would say... actually he wouldn't say anything, he would most likely just laugh at your face.

But he couldn't laugh now, not after just a few minutes ago that he saw her, clad in her silky straight, pink tresses that flowed slightly above her hips, along with her mesmerising emerald orbs. Stunning was the only thing that came through his mind at the sight of her almost bare form, internally he wished the he could've used his sharingan to engrave it into memory, but then quickly scolded himself at the perverted idea.

It took couple of time ticking during of which coaxing by Shizune and shouting by Tsunade finally managed to get the shinobi out of her screen door. Marveling again at the sight of her, Kakashi noted her oversized and plane white shirt which had a black netting across her collar bone with black shortds, it held a different feel from the pastel green kimono in which he always remember her on, but since her attire now gave him a view of her supple legs, he didn't mind it... not one bit he declared shamelessly inside his mind.

Sakura couldn't do it, she couldn't give them the satisfaction, not when three pairs of expecting eyes look to her for a sign of recognition, this situation was just too weird for her, even more so after her little display.

"Sakura.. go and have a seat " Tsunade gestured towards the dining table " we need to discuss some things"

Of what a seemingly simple order, became a seemingly impossible decision to Sakura, three seats were open due to Shizune preparing another tea in the kitchen, whilst Tsunade was behind her closing the screen door. One of the vacant chair was beside the blonde teen of which she recognized being the same guy who willingly tried to help her out with a couple of thugs 3 years ago, another space was beside the ebony haired man, the one she saved from the river last year, and finally an adjacent empty chair lies between him and the masked-shinobi. His eyes gave nothing away, much unlike the other two who was clearly holding back a greeting. She was sure of it, he was the same silver-haired male that she gave her first kiss too, as the flow of memory rushed back to her, she felt her cheeks color once again. This was impossible, she thought with a struggle while the awkwardness slowly creeped into her. And yet, there was something that elicit a satisfied excitement within her... of seeing him again? she wondered internally.

As she snapped back to reality however, Tsunade already took a spot next to the guy with striking yellow hair, in which she actually saw him grumbling at her shishou's decision which made her grumble a little bit to...that was the safest spot out of the three. With only a few inches away from the dreaded dining table she decided it would be best not to be next to the silver haired shinobi for obvious reasons, that she doesn't think it would be good for her heart.

Before Sakura could sit down at the chair between her shishou and the dark haired man, Shizune called for her. "..ah! Sakura chan, can you bring that cup over " she motioned while she used both of her hands to steady the heavy teapot. With slight reluctance Sakura came over to the kitchen counter and took the said cup. She looked back to the group and to her alarm, Shizune had sat down and have taken the spot that she decided on. "eh!"

At the sound the group look at her, though she was sure only the 2 females did, and the other 3 were already looking, or rather haven't stop looking since she came out.

"that cup is for you Sakura.." Shizune explained " come here and have some tea.."

Tsunade sighed sharply, what is with her student's really slow pace " Sit down quickly! .. we have things to get through"

Even to Sakura, her current circumstance concerning this awkward encounter was pretty pathetic, for goodness sake, her whole town have been apparently missing, she really didn't have the time for her girly dilemma's. With a still weakened stride, she marched over the table but before she could sit down, he suddenly stood up.

"ne, Shizune, can we swap seats?"

"hm? Kakashi... is something wrong?" Shizune replied taken a-back by the copy-nin

"..not exactly" he glanced at Sakura briefly "I'll just feel more at ease without my back facing the window" he smiled.

Sakura stared at him wide-eyed, was it for my sake?... she wondered as Shizune complied and they swapped spots with no questions. For a statement, it was very believable, ninja's are very paranoid about their surroundings, and their position especially so when they're out on mission. They don't want to be defenseless, and feel like sitting targets. The pink haired shinobi finally managed to sit down, though her mind much to her aggravation still couldn't get a silver-haired man out of it.

"..right.. since where FINALLY seated.." Tsunade dragged like Christmas have just arrived. "...Team seven.. I can now introduce you to your new kunoichi...Sakura Haruno" the platinum blonde grinned.

At this Sakura's hands suddenly flew up and she slammed the table while standing up abruptly, the group were stunned at her outburst, more so than the news that Tsunade gave alright, and she was slightly apologetic at Shizune who looked like she nearly had a heart attack because of it. Embarrassed once again and more flustered than ever she bulls eyed Tsunade " sayyy Whaaattt?!".

Domo~ for reading this chapter minna,

The next chapter would take longer than usual to write Im afraid, hence I wont be able to update as quickly as the last two.

The views that I'm getting so far is really making me happy, and for that I have you guys to thank.

~ Stay safe, and have a great December everyone ~

-Winterdrop