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Here is Chapter 4 for you. I hope you are still interested about this crappy story. I read your reviews so yeah, I'll be posting Chapter 2 to 5 for you, lovely readers. :)
WARNING: Foul language and OCCness of the characters.
DISCLAIMER: I OWN nothing, except the plot and the grammar plus spelling errors.
"Talking"
'Inner Sakura'
Flashback
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Chapter IV: Unexpected Outcome
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"Sakura, you just came back from a mission. You should rest." Tsunade stated with her voice firm and stern.
Sakura shook her head. "Naruto is out there, spending all his life to get Sasuke back. I should do the same by getting stronger, shishou." She was worn out and exhausted, she knew that very, very well but she couldn't just rest and relax while her best friend was risking his life outside the village.
"I understand your point," Tsunade pointed out, "I am just telling you not to overstrain your body lavishly." She was concern about her apprentice. Sakura just came back from a month-long mission with Kiba and, for what the Hokage had heard from their report, they fought two rogue ninjas on the way. She thanked Kami that Sakura was an ANBU and took the situation carefully with ease. But still, she knew they had a tough and rough fight back there, seeing Sakura's open wounds and broken ribs. Kiba, too, was severely tattered. Well not as severe as if his life might be in the line. It was severe enough that he couldn't walk or at least stand on his own.
"Tsunade-sama is right, Sakura." Kiba interjected, his expression aggravated and it looked like he wouldn't give a shit. "Stop working and start resting." Sakura shook her head again, ignoring the both of them. "It's been three fucking years. Naruto still didn't come back." Kiba continued as he glared at Sakura's back. He wondered how she could stand with all those injuries. Well, she couldn't be an ANBU if she was weak and couldn't bear extreme pain.
But still, it was enthralling but in an infuriating way. She was so hardheaded and so stubborn for his liking. "As a matter of fact," Kiba continued, "we do not know what happened to that ass."
"Shut it, Kiba," she glared over her shoulder to the Inuzuka behind her. "I know Naruto is trying his best to get Sasuke back so shut it. You know nothing," she hissed through gritted teeth.
"You know nothing as well," Kiba countered and glared at the pinkette as well. "Why don't just stop being a bitch and stop thinking about those bastards, huh? Stop acting and hoping that they will come back! You're waiting for three goddamn years for fuck's sake. Aren't you deadbeat enough?"
Sakura fissured her knuckles, Tsunade could just watch. "Naruto made a promise," she snarled. "And he won't break it no matter what." She knew that it wasn't good if her anger gets the better of her.
"Great!" Kiba spat. "You are still yearning and hoping for that promise! It's been three years. Move on, Sakura!" He understood her losses. In fact, he was affected, too when Naruto left the village but he knew that Sakura should stop hoping for nothing. Her false hope would just lead her for more heartache.
That's it, Sakura thought. She twirled rather harshly and flexed a kick at Kiba, but the brunette dodged it though barely. He jumped far enough from her and put his defense on, ignoring the pain from his injuries.
"You can't understand me, Kiba. Why don't just shut your potty mouth and fucked off," Sakura snarled. "I do not even ask for your sympathy and assistance so why would you care?"
Kiba narrowed his eyes dangerously as he gritted his teeth. So she really didn't understand, huh? Well, he would make her understand… in a rough and painful way.
By before he could do something, Tsunade decided to intervene before her office became a battlefield. "Stop it you two or you want me to stop you myself instead?" She threatened. She eyed both shinobi in front of her who were glaring to each other to death. "Sakura, you are suspended for a month, as well as you, Kiba."
Both protested but to no avail as the two continued their glaring to death contest.
"And stop glaring, damn it! It's like dealing with genin again." Tsunade sighed exasperatedly then a hurried Shizune busted into the office.
"Tsunade-sama!" The ravenette yelled, her expression was worried and disturbed. Sakura could tell that the older woman had no good news with her.
"Oh great, just what I needed." The Hokage mumbled sarcastically and scowled at the woman. "What now, Shizune?"
Shizune placed a small pile of papers on top of the desk and inhaled as much oxygen she needed before speaking. "It is about Uzumaki Naruto."
Tsunade narrowed her brows and Sakura tried all her best not to strangle Shizune right there and then to spill the information she knew. Kiba's ears perked on instantly.
"Kiba, Sakura, out." The Hokage ordered as she made shooing gesture towards the two.
"But – "
"Now."
Sakura opened her mouth to protest but closed it instantly when Tsunade gave her an intent look, telling her that everything would be fine. Sakura sighed and left the room, behind her was a grunting Kiba and Akamaru.
Twenty minutes had passed and, after chewing a soldier pill, Sakura healed Kiba's major wounds. The two shinobi were waiting outside the door of the Hokage's office. They decided to wait, well it's more like Sakura insisted Kiba to wait, as exchange for the healing and stuff.
After several minutes of silence, Kiba flinched at the things he heard behind the doors. Sakura didn't fail to notice it and she asked him what the matter was.
"Come on, I'll walk you home." Kiba offered with a grunt and grabbed her wrist before speeding towards her apartment.
Sakura was confused, and slightly annoyed, but she knew better. She just shut her mouth and let Kiba in her apartment. She offered him a tea as she sat next to him in the couch.
"What did you hear?" Sakura asked softly, clutching her cup of tea tightly. She narrowed her brows when he remained silent. "Kiba, what did you hear about Naruto?"
Kiba sighed and decided to tell Sakura everything he heard before it was too late. He gave Akamaru a silent message and Akamaru left her apartment, now staying outside to let nobody to interfere.
"Naruto was found with the Uchiha." Kiba answered quietly.
'Sasuke-kun,' she thought happily. 'Naruto did it finally!'
He could see from the corners of his eyes that her eyes lit up with happiness and relief but the next thing he would say would definitely break her apart.
"Dead," he finished.
Sakura snapped towards him immediately, she could hear the cracking of her neck. "E-Excuse me?"
He sighed. This would be tougher and harder and rougher than I thought. "The ANBU squad Tsunade-sama sent for searching Naruto saw his corpse being scorched by Amaterasu. But it wasn't from Sasuke; it was from that bastard Madara." Sakura was silent, which was actually a bad thing, but he decided to continue. "And Sasuke was with Naruto, cold and… lifeless."
At the last word he muttered, Sakura clutched him on the collar and with all her strength left, she pinned him to the nearest wall, as he expected. The shattering of the cups of tea and the worried howls of Akamaru were long forgotten.
"What? Sasuke-kun and Naruto are… dead?" She snarled.
Kiba could just stare down at her sympathetically. He couldn't blame her, though. She had loss another person in her life. First was Sasuke and now it was Naruto. "Yes," he answered shortly. "I'm sorry."
She raised a fist to punch him, as what he had expected. If Kiba was other person, he would've not let her beat him. But he was Kiba, one of the Konoha twelve, a friend of Sakura. He would accept her beatings if that would make her feel better. He closed his eyes and prepared himself to the chakra-infused punch.
But it did not come. Instead, Sakura released him and she dropped on her knees, crying silently to herself.
Uncertain what to do next, Kiba lifted her to the couch and let her cry to her heart's content.
When Sakura fell asleep, he left her sleeping on the couch and cursed Naruto for leaving his teammate behind.
That is the day when Naruto vanished from her life. She never actually thought that the words "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan," would be the last words she would heard from him.
Sakura opened her eyes when a gust of wind pushed itself to her open windows. She rubbed the sleepiness in her eyes and she found them wet. She had cried in her sleep. Again.
'Oh, joy.'
She dried her face and sighed, tilting her face to the side to meet with her clock. It read ten fifty pm. Fuck, I overslept. Stretching, she stood up and decided to eat.
Walking towards the kitchen, she heard voices from her living room. So, Genma and Sai were still here huh?
'They missed us so much they decided to live in here with us.'
Rolling her eyes, she grabbed an instant cup ramen, poured it with hot water and went to the living room. She found Sai and Genma playing some random card game.
"Straight flush." Genma muttered with a smirk, not knowing Sakura walked pass behind him.
Sai eyed Sakura. "Apologies, Genma-kun. I win." Sai dropped his cards. They indicated Royal Flush. Genma cursed.
"You suck, Genma."
Genma jumped at the sound behind him. Shaking his head, he made his way towards the pinkette and sat beside her. "Just very unlucky today…"
"Right," Sakura rolled her eyes and began eating. "I told you to wake me up before ten. Look it was now eleven pm."
"So, what," Genma shrugged. "We'll depart by twelve. It's not like you will go to a party to have leisure time to choose what to wear or something…"
"We are going on a mission," she held a much authorized voice. "Be punctual."
"Eager much to see the Kazekage?" Genma teased with a smirk.
"Hey! Stop that!" Sakura punched him on the arm and attempted to grab that senbon on his mouth. Genma laughed.
Sai returned the deck of cards to the shelf, ignoring the arguing couple behind him, and met with two picture frames. One was taken almost three years ago. It was a picture of Kakashi, Yamato, Naruto, Sakura and him. The other was taken during their genin days, with Sakura, Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke. Did she know? He thought warily. With this photo of the former Team 7, there was a possibility that she knew it already.
Looking behind, Sai found Sakura casually chatting with Genma. He eyed the cup of ramen in her hands warily and decided to ask Sakura if she knew what had happened after she left.
But he wasn't sure yet if she knew.
If she knew, then everything would be just fine.
If she didn't, well… That's another story to happen.
But she still had the right to know. Besides, she would know eventually. The sooner she know, the greater it would cause her happiness and relief… or, if things didn't go right, pain. He didn't know exactly.
Taking the seat on the couch across the two shinobi, Sai put his fake smile and called for her attention. "Hey, Ugly…"
Sakura turned to him sharply with a glare. He would have laugh at the sight. Sakura actually did not changed, especially her temper. "I'm in no mood for sick jokes, Sai, so –"
"I am just conjecturing," Sai cut her off instantly, in his tone of complete seriousness. By the looks she was giving him, it seemed that she told him to continue though quite hesitant. "Why do you still keep the picture of Team 7?"
Genma's expression hardened. He also knew where this conversation would be heading to.
Sakura shrugged, missing her seatmate's reaction. "Oh, that? Just a reminder of the past…"
'We both know that there is more reason to it.'
"Can I inquire something, Sakura?" Sai responded quickly.
'He did not use the nickname! I am totally feeling nervous about it.'
Sakura gulped silently and motioned the pale ninja to continue.
"What would you do if one day, Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun came back?"
Sakura froze instantly. Never had the time to think things such as that before…
What would you do if one day, Naruto and Sasuke came back?
This was such a nonsense question. But putting what's nonsense and what made sense aside, Sakura decided to contemplate for an answer.
What hurt could it bring by answering, right? Sasuke and Naruto were dead after all. She has nothing more to loose, actually.
If she's the same Sakura Haruno before, she would answer like this: I would hug them and welcome them open arms, of course. I would cry in joy in front of them and scold them nonstop for leaving me behind.
And because she was no longer the same Sakura Haruno before, she answered like this as she clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. "I'll kill both of them, that fucking Uzumaki and Uchiha," she hissed between clenched teeth.
She felt furious and mad all of the sudden. It seemed that all topics involving her former teammates always make her furious and mad.
She wanted them back, of course and she couldn't be happier about that but the fact that they left her behind, told her that she wanted them dead even more.
Naruto could just let her to come with him to get Sasuke back, but he just didn't.
Naruto, the only person who gave her strength and hope, left her just like how Sasuke left her. Maybe they were tired of her being their annoying, weak and pathetic teammate that's why they left her all alone. Ha, what a fucking reason…
Sai seemed a little put out, telling that it wasn't the answer he wanted to hear but he remained silent and let her continue.
"Those bastards… They should know better than leaving me behind all those fucking years. I'll kill them both with my bare fists, no chakra infused, they'll see…" She snarled the words with the promise of death.
Of course she would kill them. Didn't they know that they made her life miserable? They just brought her pain and misery. They always reminded her that she was weak, that she was just holding them back, and that she was nothing but to be protected.
Sasuke, the idiotic Uchiha, was the reason behind Naruto and her pain all these years since Sasuke left Konoha.
Sakura and Naruto tried bringing him back but that Uchiha tried to kill them not just once but many, many times since she could remember.
She got tired of believing that they could get Sasuke back. It was hopeless. They failed for many, many times before and she had grown tired of it. So she moved on, forgot her fucking love for him even though it was hard, and got stronger so she wouldn't be a burden to Yamato, Sai, Naruto and Kakashi.
She passed being an ANBU years ago. Kakashi was so proud, as well as Naruto, and she was happy and contented with her family, minus Sasuke of course. She was contented for what she has and she couldn't wish for more.
Until one day, Naruto claimed out of nowhere that he would get Sasuke back again, this time, alone. She had no idea what's gotten into the blond's mind. She tried to stop him but he knocked her out. After she told him how much she needed him, he left her to search for a person who never wanted to be found. Naruto left her lying on the cold bench in the cold night, just like what Sasuke did to her. Then, after that, she heard that they were now dead. All those years that she hoped for their comeback, it was all a big bullshit. Those bastards left her. They didn't care at all. They didn't.
"They didn't care at all," she said softly. "They left me behind, without knowing what I would feel. They didn't care if I feel lonely again… I… I was nothing to them."
"Nonsense, Sakura," She heard Genma beside her stated. "You know how much you mean to Naruto and Sasuke. You have no right to doubt yourself."
She had no idea what's on Genma's mind. All she could do was to stare at him.
"Genma-kun is right, Sakura. Naruto-kun was worried about you and your family, that is why he left to get Sasuke-kun. That way, he could complete your family again," Sai continued.
Sakura dropped her head and began chuckling. If Sasuke and Naruto cared for her, they wouldn't leave her.
The men looked at her, confused. "Stop it, you two," she said in between laughs. "Those two left me, end of story. And now they're dead. What's the use of hoping for their comeback anyway?"
Genma and Sai both tensed that Sakura missed.
Glancing at the wall clock, she stood up. "Genma, go get change. We will depart soon."
"I do not intend to bring up the depressing past, Sakura. I do apologize for my harsh words. Please – " Sakura cut Sai off by patting him on the shoulder.
She shook her head and showed a small smile. "It's okay. I had moved on. It is okay now."
But Sai knew she hadn't completely moved on yet. He could still seen the grief and mourn in her emerald orbs. And she could mask them completely.
That fact saddened him. She could hide her true feelings now and that way he couldn't help her deal with them anymore. She became distant when it comes to her true emotions. How sad.
She told them that she would get change now. After that, she went back to her room.
"That is very… unexpected, don't you think?" Genma asked.
Sai nodded. "Do you think she'll accept them?"
"Those two, eh?" Genma took out a scroll from his Jounin vest. "Maybe… She has to accept them anyway." He muttered something and his ANBU attire puffed above the scroll.
"What about the other two?"
"I doubt that," Genma removed his vest and the fishnet shirt underneath. "Knowing her, she would murder anyone who was an enemy to the village."
Sai couldn't help but to agree.
"But," Genma pulled on a black shirt, "she'll learn to accept them. After all, they were now a part of the village. They proved themselves although they were annoying."
"I am more than worried to the girl," Sai said. "Especially her relationship with –"
Genma raised a hand to stop Sai. "I know, right? Let's just not hope Sakura would murder anyone, especially how she answered your question earlier. She really did loath Naruto and Sasuke. That I didn't know why. She'll get used to it eventually…"
Sai was actually uncertain but he couldn't do anything about it.
"I think the Hokage knew about this…"
Sai looked at the Jounin, urging him to continue.
"Maybe she knew Sakura isn't ready yet so she gave her another mission, don't you think?"
"I think so," Sai answered softly. "Their team will be coming back tomorrow so the chances of them meeting Sakura will be slim."
Genma sighed in resignation. "I don't know if I want Sakura to see them or not…"
Sai did not answer, agreeing.
"But I'm sure as hell I want them dead."
And end of Chapter 4. It's all about Sakura's thoughts. Yeah, she's mad at them. She even wanted to kill them. Let's just see if she can do that when the three original members of Team 7 will meet each other again!
Tell me what you think, 'kay? And feel free to ask questions. Thank you so much!
Read and Review!