Chapter 5

Sakura was sleeping in her usual place, the little cozy spot she made on the couch. In her sleep she could hear Sasuke coming in quietly. She stirred, but was too tired to open her eyes. Oh well, I can talk to him later… She thought blearily.

"Good morning, Sasuke." Sakura sat up. He jumped. Then he turned, his eyes looking colder than usual. After staring at her for a while, he grunted and turned away. Sakura tilted her head sideways. "Are you not feeling well, Sasuke?" She asked in a concerned voice. He didn't answer.

Sakura looked down at the stack of newspapers he was holding tightly in his hands. "What's that?"

"I'm finding a place for you to live." He snapped, literally ripping the newspapers open. Sakura squinted at Sasuke.

"Why?"

"Because, this apartment's for one person anyway, and you're annoying." He growled. Sakura stepped back, hurt slightly. She thought that she and Sasuke had been getting along pretty well.

"I'm sorry…" She muttered, looking at her feet.

"Whatever." In truth, Sasuke wanted to be alone… He wanted to be away from Sakura, clear his mind, and devote his heart to Ayumi again.

She gave him her life, basically…

So in return, he would give his heart to her.

And no one was going to stop him.

Not even a wounded Angel.

Sasuke bit down on his lip, hard, and stared at gray papers filled with cramped black words.

Karin and Sai arrived. As soon as they touched ground, they immediately changed their appearances; Karin's black hair turned blood-red, her glasses fell to the ground and shattered, her eyes grew icy blue, and her pale skin grew slightly tan.

Sai's short hair grew shoulder-length, but that was all the changes he went through.

"Why don't you change your appearance more?" Karin snapped at him. He merely shrugged.

"That Angel doesn't know me, does she?" Sai asked in that oh-so-calm voice. "I'll be safe." Karin rolled her eyes.

"Well, I suppose it is your neck." She snapped, and walked without looking back. Sai merely followed.

Karin walked on harshly, looking as if she was stamping a cigarette off all the way down the sidewalk. She stopped when the scent of her own blood got nearer.

Then she saw the Angel.

Sakura puffed an icy breath and watched it melt away. She rubbed her hands together in an attempt to warm them. Then she spotted a red-haired woman staring at her. What an interesting hair-color… She thought, and then mentally slapped her hand on her forehead at the irony. Oh geez, my hair's an unusual hair-color… Who am I to say hers is weird?

She looked lost.

"Excuse me, do you need help?" Sakura, out of her pure innocent goodness, asked. The girl flinched and stepped back. A young man seemed to appear out of nowhere and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Sorry," He said airily. "My friend here is a bit slow." He had a bit of arrogance in his voice that reminded Sakura strongly of Sasuke. The red-haired girl wriggled free from her grasp and looked at Sakura. Her icy blue eyes made Sakura shiver inwardly.

"I'm sorry; we're new here, so I was feeling a bit off." She smiled a little. Sakura smiled back.

"Really? I'm new here too. I came here a few days ago." Sakura paused and thought. "Actually, about a few weeks…" Sakura's eyes widened. "I guess time flew." She chuckled a bit.

Karin stared at the pink-haired before her and felt nothing but hatred toward her. Just wait until I get my hands around your pretty neck and you won't be smiling anymore, bitch. She thought venomously.

Sai eyed the Angel in front of them. She looked weak. It looks like Karin's revenge is definitely going to work on her. She looks so weak. Sai sighed. I can tell it's going to boring. Maybe I should've just stayed home…

Sakura beamed at Sai and Karin. "My name's Sakura, what's yours?" She asked. Karin beamed in return, and Sai cringed. Ugh, Karin… smiling? That's so not… her.

"I'm…" Karin paused for a split second, thinking quickly, and resumed, "…Hanako." She looked back at Sai.

"Masakuzu." Sai nodded an acknowledgement at Sakura, noting on how pink her hair was.

"Pleased to meet you!" Sakura shook their hands, and looked around for a moment. "Would you like to drink something? I know a good café… my friend works there part-time." She said, remembering Tenten.

Tenten was in running around the café, getting orders as quickly as possible. Ino sat lazily at the counter, watching her in amusement. She raised a hand as she saw Sakura approach. "Hey! I didn't know you knew Tenten worked here." She said.

"I just overheard…" Sakura said, and introduced Sai and Karin as Masakuzu and Hanako. Ino smiled good-naturedly at them.

"Sit by us, why don't you?" She said, patting the stools next to her. Tenten scurried over, her cheeks flushed pink.

"Ino, you're such a bitch, not helping me with the orders." She muttered under her breath, crossing her arms. Ino shrugged.

"Not my job, is it?" She asked. Sakura's head perked up.

"Could I help?" Sakura asked eagerly, jumping up. Karin and Sai both cringed. Angel friendliness… Erugh. They both thought.

"Oh, it's fine." Tenten said, waving her away, but Sakura stared pleadingly at her.

"I would love to help, Tenten!" She gasped, holding Tenten's hands. Tenten stared at the girl.

"Uh… okay. Follow me and you can get a uniform…"

"Is it possible if I get a job permanently?" She asked. Tenten looked at her, puzzled.

"Why would you do that? You're not staying here forever, are you?" Ino asked, sipping her drink.

"Well, Sasuke just basically kicked me out of his apartment…" Sakura muttered, avoiding her friends' gaze.

"Really? About time- I mean, uh, okay." Ino's face reddened at the slip. "You can stay at my house, it's a two-bedroom apartment anyway. No charge." She said. Sakura's eyes widened.

"Oh, I couldn't! Sasuke's looking for an apartment for me, and I better have enough money to afford it…"

"Which, you won't, if you consider being a waitress." Tenten cut across her. "Just take her offer, it's not often when you see Blondie here being so nice." Ino glared at her for a moment.

"Uh, okay… I'll move in a few days later…" Sakura stammered, holding the uniform Tenten handed over.

Sai and Karin watched the whole speech, trying to absorb as much information as possible. Karin's mind was racing.

Sakura's living with a man named Sasuke, it seems like she has two close friends, she's soon going to moving out and staying out at that tall girl named Ino. Tenten and Ino doesn't look like they get along, but it seems like they don't mind. Karin shook her head in disgust. Human emotions always sickened her.

Sai, on the other hand, was watching this with amusements. He always liked to see Humans fight. He had once deliberately caused two humans to fight once.

It wasn't pretty, but Sai had enjoyed it immensely.

Sasuke flinched as Sakura came inside the apartment. She smiled feebly at him, and looked away quickly.

"…You don't need to find me an apartment." She said, trying not to get on his nerves.

"What are you talking about? I want you out." He said coldly, but at the same time he felt a stab at his heart.

"I'm… staying at Ino's for a while." She whispered. Why was Sasuke acting like this, she had no idea.

"Hn, at least you'll be out." Sasuke spat out. A part of him wanted to whip around, and fall to his knees, beg for forgiveness, explain his feelings to her, but a stronger part of him ordered him to keep still.

Sasuke bunched the newspapers in his hand and threw them in the trashcan. Suddenly he heard a loud sob behind him. He turned and looked at Sakura.

She was crying.

"Why- Why are you acting like this?" She sobbed, tears dripping down her cheeks. "You-you were so nice before!"

"You were injured." He answered coldly.

"That's the only reason?"

"The only one." Sasuke snapped. His heart twitched.

"I see…" Sakura sniffed, and dragged the back of her hand across her eyes.

Without warning, she burst out, wailing.

Sasuke stood in the darkness, staring at the floor.

You did good, He told himself. That's it, Sasuke, just focus on Ayumi.

"She was dead for six years." He argued back.

She gave her life to you. Devoted it to you. Are you going to waste it?

"I-I…"

That's right. You're just being stubborn. Why don't you try listening to me for once?

"I DO!" Sasuke yelled. "EVERYDAY I LISTEN TO YOUR ADVICE, HOLDING BACK, STILL CLUTCHING TO AYAME…" Sasuke dropped to his knees. "I NEED TO LET HER GO!"

You're being stupid again, The little voice inside him warned. Think of Ayumi.

"Ayumi wouldn't have wanted me to hold on to her. She never wanted to be a burden in her entire life." He snapped.

What's done is done. Sakura left. Are you able to pull your prideful self down to your knees and beg for her forgiveness?

"I…"

I thought so.

Sakura felt arms hold her. Her tears were wiped away by soft fingers. Sakura turned her head and saw who was holding her.

"Oh, Masakuzu," She strangled out. The young man smiled a bit at her. "I'm sorry you had to see me like this."

"It's fine, everyone cries once in a while." He said, his voice low and gentle. "A walk always cheers me up." He said and he walked away. Sakura followed him quickly.

"Do you want to tell me what's going on?" Masakuzu asked, sounding careless. Sakura shook her head.

"Not yet."

"Mn." He answered. He sat down on a bench and Sakura sat down next to him. Sakura was aware of him staring at her. "You're very pretty, do you know that?"

"Thank you." Sakura said, surprised a bit. Masakuzu stared at her a bit more.

Suddenly he leaned in…

And his lips met hers.

Sakura's eyes widened. "Wha-" She asked, and he withdrew.

"You looked lonely." Masakuzu said cheerfully. "You looked like you needed a kiss." With that, he walked away without looking back.

Sakura froze.

She slowly touched her lips with the tips of her fingers.

Luckily it wasn't a first. Sakura blushed as she remembered that romantic night with Neji.

Sakura looked back at Masakuzu with narrowed eyes. She was going to have to be careful of that one.

She headed to Ino's house, forgetting why she was crying in the first place.

Masakuzu was right, I guess. Sakura thought. A kiss does cheer a person up.

Sasuke felt his heart boil.

That man- whoever he was- how dare he kiss Sakura? He watched as Sakura slowly touched her lips and walked away with a light spring in her step.

Feelings for apologies immediately evaporated in his mind, replaced with anger.

Sasuke felt himself shake all over.

He had forced his pride down and was about to chase Sakura when he saw that man- do that to her!

What am I going to do? He thought. I can't lose her.

Neji and Hinata arrived at the town. Luckily they had gotten the clothes humans wore beforehand, and were looking as normal as possible.

"What now?" Hinata asked, looking around at the foreign-looking place.

"We ask for Sakura."

"How do we do that?" Hinata asked, her eyes wide. "There must be so many people here!"

Neji smiled at his cousin.

"You're forgetting something, Hinata. What makes Sakura's appearance so distinguishable from normal humans?" Neji paused. "Not including her wings."

A smile formed at Hinata's mouth and she grinned.

"Her hair color."

Thank god, I'm finally done with chapter 5! No one has given me any reviews yet… which makes me kinda sad, but I will still continue to write my fanfic… even though no one would read it for thousands of years.

sobs

Reviews would be very nice for my moral support.