A/N: Ok, there is something important I have to tell you. I am sorry for the great delay in updating, but it seems to me that despite those few people who reviewed (thank You soooo much!), the story does not have much interest. If so, then there is no purpose in writing it. However, I really like the idea of the plot, so I think I will continue it. Nevertheless, the story is being paused for now. It is not discontinued, though (probably). This means that next chapters will come when I write them, but it may take really long, because I'm starting to lose interest in it as well. Still, if I come up with a good idea how to lead the next chapter, be sure I will write it and post it, disregarding the amount of reviews. However, as I've said, it may take some long time.

But now enjoy the fourth chapter of the story!

"Sakura" means "Cherry Blossom"

Sakura wandered across wide fields laying between Kumiko's village and the mountains that she wanted to reach. She looked around. The landscape was quite pretty, but at the same time impossibly monotonous. Everywhere she turned her gaze to were only fields and fields and fields… Wild crops, green meadows, large areas with colorful flowers. But all this was boringly plain. She had enough of it. Obviously, it was no reason to abort the journey. Nevertheless, any change would be more than welcome.

"It's so boring here…" muttered Sakura, glancing over green plains around her. "Nothing but fields and meadows… There could at least be an orchard or something…"

She then mentally scolded herself. She should be grateful for this. The landscape might be boring, but it was at least safe. There was nothing she could fear. No people attacked her and no strange things were happening.

Oh no, I take that back. There was something strange…

Sakura blinked as she saw a cherry blossom tree, standing in front of her as if it was perfectly normal. Well, it was normal for a tree to grow out of the ground and to have flowers, but…did lone trees grow in the middle of a field?

Sakura was so surprised at the sight that she completely stopped walking. She eyed the tree suspiciously. She could've sworn there was no tree here just a moment earlier. Did she just overlook it or was it really some magic? Maybe genjutsu?

As she stared at the delicate, pink flowers on the twiggies, she heard a voice just beside herself:

"They are beautiful, aren't they?"

She spun around rapidly just to see a corpulent old woman with nice, though wrinkled face. She was wearing a long dress ornated with images of various flowers, and she had a large straw hat with several flowers attached to its brim.

Sakura nodded more out of politeness than of anything else. She was wondering now where the woman had come from.

The woman's face lit up with a gentle smile as she moved her gaze from Sakura to the blossoming tree.

"What is your name, my dear?" she asked, still staring at the cherry tree.

"Sakura," she replied, surprised.

The woman looked at her once more, raising her eyebrows.

"Sakura, is it?"

The girl nodded.

"Yes. Haruno Sakura."

The woman smiled again.

"Very nice," she expressed her opinion. "What a strange coincidence, don't you think?"

Now they both gazed at the tree growing in front of them.

"Aren't you hungry, my dear?" asked the woman kindly. "It looks like you've been through a long journey."

Sakura thought for a moment. The time was running quickly. Sasuke-kun could be farther and farther away by the moment. She couldn't afford to stop anywhere in the middle of her travel. But on the other hand… It'd been eight days since she left Kumiko's village. Ever since she hadn't had anything nutricious in her mouth. And she needed physical strength not to fall flat on her nose at the top of the mountains. Besides, the woman was so kind…

"I'm not sure if I should…" she began shyly, but the woman only waved her hand.

"But it's not a problem. I would be very pleased to have you as a guest in my house."

Sakura was led a narrow path ("Was that path here before?") up to a small hill at the top of which there was a little hut.

"Come, my dear," the old woman opened the door hospitably.

The inside of the house turned out to be very cozy. A few old but comfortable armchairs, a big couch in the middle, a low coffee table and a small cupboard by the wall. There was a little table in the corner covered with an embroidered tablecloth, on which there stood a vase with flowers.

"That woman must adore flowers…" thought Sakura, taking a closer look at this all.

"Sit down, and I'll bring some tea and cookies," said the woman, gesturing towards one of the armchairs.

Sakura sat down, putting her backpack beside herself, while the woman went to the kitchen. Before long she returned, carrying a steaming cup of tea and a bowl of cookies shaped as daisies. The kunoichi was right, that woman associated everything with flowers. The tea probably was also herbal.

"Help yourself, soon I'll make some dinner," said the woman, putting the cup and the cookies on the coffee table in front of Sakura.

"Really, it's not necessary…" replied Sakura, blushing a bit. She didn't want to abuse her hospitality.

The woman once more waved her hand nonchalantly.

"This is not a problem at all," she declared. "In exchange you will keep me company. I miss it here a lot."

Sakura thought that taking the location of the hut into consideration, it was genuinly true.

For the next hour they chatted friendly. Since the old woman was very curious as concerns her journey, Sakura told her everything about Sasuke and Orochimaru. She was listened to very carefully. The woman seemed to understand her in every matter. When asked if in her opinion it was wise to set off alone to find Sasuke, the woman agreed with Sakura on that matter. The girl felt as if she had found a bosom friend. It was as if she knew the woman all along, but only now did she get the chance to speak to her.

As the time passed, Sakura was getting more and more accustomed to the surroundings. It felt familiar and welcoming. So was the hostess. She looked really happy that she met Sakura and that they could talk to each other. She even offered her guest to put her up on the night, but the girl refused.

"Really, I should be going now," she said, suddenly noticing how long she had stayed in the hut. "Thank you for everything, though."

"It was my pleasure," replied the woman. "Well, I understand you. If you want to go, then go. However, you need something to give you strenght. You will need it to get through the mountains, right?"

Sakura blinked in surprise as the woman walked past her, returning to the kitchen. She was back within a minute, with a small cookie in her hand.

"Here," she gave it to the girl. "Eat it. It will enhance your stamina and strenght."

"Really?" Sakura eyed the cookie doubtfully. But since the woman had been so nice to her, she didn't dare to say 'no'. She had nothing to lose. The cookie disappeared in her mouth.

Sakura chewed it and swallowed. Then suddenly her emerald eyes grew empty and distant. The woman watched her calmly, never surprised at this all. Sakura blinked several times and then she looked at the woman in front of her. Her eyes however remained glassy.

"What has happened?" she asked, confused.

"Nothing, my dear," replied the hostess. "Here, have some tea."

Sakura accepted the cup and sipped some of the drink. She cocked her head to the side.

"Strange…" she said. "I feel as if…as if there was something I forgot to do…"

"That's because there is something like that," responded the woman kindly.

"What is it? I can't remember, but I know that…"

"You forgot to water the flowers in the garden today, my dear."

"Oh!" Sakura's face lit up with sudden realization. "Yes, that's it! I'm so sorry. I'll do it right away."

"Don't worry about it, dear. Come with me, we'll do it together."

"Yes, of course."

The woman led her to the back of the hut. There was a huge garden. Actually, it rather resembled a field of flowers, or a meadow. The only difference was that meadows were not enclosed within an ornated iron fence. There were flowers of all kinds and of all colours. Watering such a garden could take forever.

The woman handed the girl a watering can. She herself took a second one and they began wandering between the flower beds and granting the plants the invigorating water.

"Be careful, my dear. Those pansies are still small, don't step on them!"

"I can see them. Please don't worry, I will not hurt them."

They continued with it for about an hour. Then, exhausted, they returned to the house.

"Would you like something to eat, my dear? Or maybe to drink?"

"Tea would be fine."

"Ok. I'll be back soon."

Sakura sat on the couch and stared at the window. The garden was visible outside. She moved her gaze to another window and she saw the cherry blossom tree. She smiled at the sight. It was beautiful, with all the flowers blossoming.

The old woman returned with a gentle smile and gave her the tea. As the girl sipped the drink, she watched her with joy.

"You're very pretty, my Cherry Blossom," she stated. Sakura smiled at her and blushed a little. "I'm glad that I live here with you."

"I'm never going to leave your side," replied Sakura. "You know that."

"Yeah, I know. We're going to live together for the rest of our lives. Only you, me and our beautiful garden…"

Sakura took another sip of her tea. She smiled to herself. The woman was so nice. And their garden was the best garden in the whole world. Nothing could ruin their happiness. Because there was nothing else they had to do, right?

A/N: Whew, so that's it. In the next chapter we will find out what will happen to Sakura-chan and to the old lady. Is our Cherry Blossom under some kind of spell? Has she already forgotten about her mission? The answers will come in the next chapter. Which will come I don't know when, so I don't make any promises.

Review! If you do, maybe I will return to this story faster than I think…