Chapter Four
Naruto.
It was getting really late and I was walking home alone.
Sasuke was staying at a cafe, studying for an exam on Monday, while Sakura went to go to Ino's house to pick up a CD.
The alleyway was deserted and no one was around but that didn't really bother me.
It didn't bother, that is, until a gang showed up and surrounded me.
I stopped at my tracks, glancing up at them, my heart pounding loudly as one of them – the leader I guessed – stepped up to me and smirked.
"I'll let you go if you hand over some cash," He said.
I glared at him, clenching my fists.
"I've got no cash, bastard," I replied haughtily.
"Hmm. . ." The leader said, tapping a finger on his chin, pretending to think. Then his lips finally stretched into a nasty grin as he said bluntly, "In that case, get him."
The next thing I knew, I was on the ground, pain tearing through my body as the gang punched and kicked me.
I was getting beaten up, and I was humiliated.
But I finally jumped up, my body screaming for help, and clenched my fists as I weakly punched them, missing at times, but I got a few people. As I was fighting the guys, at the corner of my eye I saw the leader looking through my wallet which had a few dollars indie.
He took out the money and stuffed it in his pocket.
"Bastard!!" I shouted as I lunged at him.
But before I could shoot a punch at him, his gang tore me away from him as they pushed me to the ground and punched and kicked me some more.
Sweat drenched me as it got worse and worse to breathe.
I actually wondered if I would see Mom and Dad again this way.
At that point of view, I almost wished they'd kick me harder, and faster.
At that point of view, I almost wished they'd point a gun to my head and shoot.
The pain tore through my skin, body, face, everywhere, and finally darkness surrounded me.
–
The first thing I saw was the gentle rays of sunlight pushing passed the curtains – curtains I didn't recognize which was always a bad sign.
I groaned as I tried to recall what happened last night.
I wondered if I got roaring drunk again and slept with another girl. But that couldn't make sense since pain was dully kicking throughout my whole body.
I blinked slowly a few times, taking a good look around the room.
It was definitely a girl's room.
Pink curtain, organized room, a few stuffed dolls here and there.
I finally forced myself to sit up and I realized that I was bandaged up from head to toe.
Then, I remembered. I remembered about the gang beating me up, and getting unconscious.
I didn't remember anything after that.
"Hey."
I instantly turned to see the pink-haired girl at the doorway.
Sakura, I almost whispered.
Her expression was completely blank and she had a tray of good-smelling food in her tray – it made my mouth water with hunger.
Sakura stepped over to me and placed the tray down on the small table next to my – I mean her bed.
We were quiet for a while.
"What. . .what happened?" I asked quietly.
She shrugged.
"I don't know. I was just heading home when I saw you sprawled out on the sidewalk. Your blood was pouring through the whole sidewalk and it was a pretty disgusting sight. I was shocked and the cuts and bruises on you were pretty severe so I took you to my place and treated you," She replied simply.
"Wha-? You could've just taken to me to the hospital at least. It would do you less work," I mumbled.
She turned to face me as she looked like she was trying to fight a smile, or the urge of saying something.
"Since when do you care whether or not I have more work to do? Anyways, the truth is. . ." She paused for a moment then sighed. "I took you in my house and treated you myself for a selfish reason."
This surprised me, alright.
"Huh?"
"You see. . .I'm heading for a medical doctor career. . .so. . .I basically took you in to test how good I was at treating severe injuries. . .I know, I know, selfish of me and I should have taken you to professional real medical doctors but I – well, I think I did a fairy good job. . ."
I took a good look at myself again and I felt the pain dulling.
"You did do a pretty good job."
"Thanks."
Silence.
"Anyways, it's a good thing that it's Saturday so you can rest," She finally said, standing up. "You should stay in bed until tomorrow and then you'll be just fine."
Before I could to protest that I was completely fine and could leave right now, she turned to leave.
I then, almost told her to not leave me.
I almost told her to stay with me.
But I stopped myself just in time to scold myself – basically when I scold myself, I ask myself, what the hell are you doing, man?! - and I watched her leave the room.
The room was quiet.
She took me in, I thought. She treated me. . .even though. . .even though all we basically do is fight and argue.
But this time, this time, we didn't fight.
I shooed the thought away as I wolfed down the food she gave me and then I tested how well I was.
I was able to stand up and walk around a little except I was extremely slow.
I walked around her room, checking out her desk and such. I even opened her drawers even though it was rude of me but I didn't care.
I finally opened the last drawer and actually found something inside – her other drawers were completely empty. I guessed this was because she just moved in – and found a small blue notebook inside.
I took it out and opened it, but as I did, a small slip of folded up paper fell down.
I picked it up.
On it said,
To Sakura-san
in need cursive handwriting.
I opened up the paper.
Dear Sakura-san,
It's only been a few days and I'm already missing you here. School's not the same without you and your friends have been acting a lot glummer and boring than usual. We all miss you and wish you were here.
Anyways, how are you? How's your new school? I hope you've made new friends already and I hope they're treating you right. (If they're not, tell me and I'll come all the way there and beat them up for you! Actually, you probably wouldn't do that considering that you're a strong girl and would beat them up yourself. Haha.) And I hope you're doing fine.
Your parents also miss you here. They're coping better than the rest of us though since they know you best and know that you'll only be saddened if you found out that they were missing you a lot. They told me to at least tell you that they missed you, but not too much when I asked them if they wanted to say anything to their daughter, haha.
And since I'm not as unselfish as your parents, I'll tell you this, I miss you a lot and I see you everywhere. I see ice cream, and I think about the time you slapped me and pushed ice cream on my t-shirt on purpose. I see the library and I remember how much you loved reading and even on dates, you would tuck a small book in your purse and even read when you're walking which annoyed me. I see the tall oak tree at the park, and I remember how I gave you your first kiss there, under the tall oak tree. And I see sunrises and sunsets, and I remember how you told me that you always wanted to see the sunrise with me and not sunsets. The sad thing is, we never got to see the sunrise together.
Anyways, I shouldn't make you sad. Please don't feel so burdened and sad by this letter and especially by that last paragraph I wrote. It just flowed out of my mind and heart and I couldn't stop myself. I'm sorry, please forgive me. I'm really not all that depressed as I sound, really.
Well I'll be enclosing this letter here. Please tell me everything going on there and reply as soon as possible.
Oh and I love you, Sakura. With all my heart, I really love you.
Love,
Sai
I stood there in silence as I finished reading the letter. I finally quietly put the letter back into the notebook and back in the drawer as I walked back to the bed, walking like a zombie.
Nothing was going through my mind much, yet so many things were rushing through my mind.
She has a boyfriend, I thought stupidly.
I didn't know why that bothered me so much.
But for the rest of the day, I just sat there even though I was planning to go to the living room and tell Sakura that I was perfectly fine and could go home myself.
But plans changed after I read the letter.