A/N: Holy shiitake! Has it really been so long? Sorry, friends. The evil ninja known as "writer's block" has once again struck, but I fought back fiercely, and after a long and arduous battle – ah, to hell with it, here's the story. Action


Promises


There were times when Lee was not absolutely certain of his sanity. There were times when he was certain that the very word "sanity" was inapplicable to his situation.

This was not one of those times.

It was a strange phenomenon for Lee that the more intense and complicated the situation got, the more determined he became. He was on top of his game when the game was nearly on top of him, so to speak.

Yesterday, at the training grounds with Sakura, he couldn't make much sense of anything. For the first time in a while, he didn't know what was going on in his head and what to do about it. He had lost himself to the pain and despair, if only for a while.

Now, finally, he knew exactly what he had to do.

That day, he had relived everything – his dreams, his failures, his pain – from childhood to now, in front of Gai-sensei. His teacher. No, maybe even his idol. The man who taught him that just about anything is possible through hard work.

And sacrifice.

Maybe Gai had never said that, but Lee had thought it. It was the unwritten motto of every leaf ninja – at least the decent ones: above all, do not fear sacrifice – embrace it. That is what a true hero lives for.

"Take the surgery! Lee… if the surgery fails, I will die with you!"

So, with many tears, he agreed. To sacrifice everything, to gain everything. It was so much like those "self-imposed rules" that Gai-sensei had taught him, and that Lee now used on a daily basis.

"That's a promise!"

He regretted saying those same words to the flustered Sakura yesterday. She wouldn't agree with his decision, he knew that much about her. But she had asked, and he had promised. There were no options here.

With the first muffled crunch of thirsty grass under his feet, a lock of silken pink hair wisped from behind the tree against which its owner was leaning. Sakura was waiting.


endchapter4


A/N: Yes, I tease. I know the ending is awkward, but I felt like a break was necessary here – for "drama". At least you know what you're looking forward to… laughs diabolically

XD