Full Summary: What happens when a woman from our world wakes up one day in the body of an anime character, Haruno Sakura, at the age of five. Exactly seven years before the graduation exams, and she refuses to follow the time line and be the weak damsel in distress fangirl canon!Sakura was in the original series. How will this change anything? Rated T for language and violence in later chapters.

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me, he and the characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 7: My New Playmate.

'Did I do somethin' wrong? Why does everyone hate me? Why does everyone hate me? Why won't anyone play with me? Why do parents always stare at me with mean looks?' Naruto's mind was running around in circles, asking question after question.

Those questions were the same one's he always asks himself day by day, but no matter how hard he tries, no matter how much he begs and pleads he could never find an answer to those haunting questions.

'Old man Hokage said I did nothin' wrong.' His shoulders sacked. 'But why does it look like he's lyin'? Did I really do somethin' that made people not like me? Maybe I just don' remember what I did. Maybe that's why no one wants to play with me. Maybe that's why no one likes me. Maybe—' he kept thinking and thinking negatively. His brain began to hurt, the heart he felt that couldn't get any heavier than it already was, but it did, proving him wrong.

Hiruzen always told Naruto to not think negatively of himself. However, Naruto just couldn't stop it seeing as everywhere he went, and everyone who he saw gazed at him with those dark eyes reminded him of the pain. They would whisper hurtful words about him. Words that he would unfortunately hear, and they were words that he was beginning to believe is the truth.

Naruto could hear light footsteps close to him, but he ignored them. No one ever bothered to talk to him. Whoever this was would just walk past him without a single word. They wouldn't be the first.

Therefore, he continued on pondering.

'Maybe... They're right. I am a 'demon' I am a 'monster' I am—' his thoughts faltered and Naruto's heart skipped a beat as a shadow fell over him suddenly.

'Who...?' He looked up slowly, deeply fearful of seeing an adult. They were always the meanest.

To his relief, it was only a little girl the same age as him.

'A pretty one.' He subconsciously thought, but quickly vanished the thought. Even pretty girls were mean to him.

She smiled widely. It was so contagious that it almost made Naruto smile back to her, but he managed to hold himself back. Bad memories of people pretending to be nice to him, but only wounding him stopped Naruto from showing any sign of hope. It scared him to think of what a pretty girl like her wanted from him, or what she would say. She really looked genuinely nice, but Naruto learned through trial and error that looks can be deceiving.

"Hi!" Naruto physically jumped at her chipper tone of voice. Not expecting a greeting in the least.

"My name is Haruno Sakura!—"

Sakura? Like the cherry blossoms? It suited her.

"—would you like to play with me~?" Naruto's brain stopped functioning after the question left the stranger's mouth. Did he hear what he thinks he heard? Was the pretty girl— Sakura — really asking him of all people to play with her?

'I-is this r-real? Am I d-dreaming?' Naruto gazed in shock at Sakura as she rocked back and forth. Her hands clasped behind her. She never once broke eye contact. Showing complete sincerity and acceptance, something that Naruto rarely sees directed at him.

'Does she... Really want me?' Naruto didn't know what to say. How should he react? This has never happened to him. Only once where a kid invited him to play but was quickly taken away by their parent. Could he really play with the girl? Is it allowed for someone like him to play with such a nice and pretty girl? No one has ever allowed him such pleasures.

Naruto must have been silent for too long, for Sakura's posture corrected itself and she gazed intently and directly into his eyes with determination. Her eyes burned so brightly it made Naruto's look nearly dead.

"Play with me." She ordered. The wind blew gently, playing with their hair and clothes as she gave her command. In Naruto's eyes, she was like a dream. A pleasant dream which he didn't ever want to wake up from.

'Wait!' It was then that her exact words registered into his mind.

'I don' have a choice!?'

"Huh?" Was all his dumbfounded brain could formulate into a voiced sentence.

"Well? Play with me!" Sakura repeated impatiently. She grabbed his hand and began tugging on it, urging him forward.

Naruto froze the moment her hand made contact with his skin.

He expected her touch to hurt him but was surprised at the warmth of it. He wanted to run away, no matter how much he wanted to accept her invitation. Running seemed like the most reasonable option in this bizarre situation, but her bright eyes froze him into his place and made him say the words he dreaded most, and those she hoped to hear.

"O-okay..." He squeaked timidly.

'Oh no!' He trembled as she stared at him in slight surprise.

'She's gonna to take it back! It was a mistake! She doesn' wanna to play with me! Now she'll say—'

"Great~!" Sakura gave a full blown grin. Flowers blooming behind her.

"G-great...?" He murmured in confusion. Eyes wide with hope and her voice repeating over and over again in his head.

"Great! Cool! Wonderful! Extraordinary! Splendid! Perfect!" She danced around him, causing him to flush. He didn't understand half of what she, but something told him they were nice things. Very nice things.

"R-really!?"

"Un!" She nodded vigorously. Still holding his hand.

"What do you wanna play?" She questioned.

"Oh... I dunno. W-what d'ya wanna do?" He asked her. Just happy that he had someone who was willing to play with him. He didn't want to choose what they do and cause the nice girl to get bored and leave him.

"Anythin' Ya want, I'll do!" He declared boldly. Too eager to please his hopefully new friend.

'Friend.' He really, really wanted a friend.

Sakura stared in silence at Naruto. That was a very bold statement he issued. It made her realize just how bad his childhood was. How bad it currently is.

'Please be my friend.' His eyes seemed to beg her. Hiding fear beneath the hope of friendship.

"Hey, now! There's no need for that~" she waved her hands dismissively. "Let's play games that we both like, key~?" Seeing the confused look on Naruto's face, she tilted her head to the side in thought.

"How about this?" Sakura let go of Naruto's hand and clapped her small hands together. "I'll choose our first game to play, Kay~? Then you choose what we play next. Deal?" She brought her hands forward for a handshake.

Naruto flinched back when he saw her hand come closer to him, but was surprised to see her do nothing but leave her hand extended towards him.

'What's that? What should I do?' He questioned himself. 'Should I do the same? Is it somethin' that friends do?'

"It's a handshake," Sakura explained. Slightly flustered at seeing the confused look on his face. "You take my hand, and then we shake on the deal. Meaning we both agree to what I just said." She tried to explain quickly and in an easy to understand manner. Too anxious to begin playing.

'C'mon~! I really wanna play on the swings~!' Sakura whined.

"Oh..." Naruto's mouth turned into an 'O' as his face gained color. He saw some people do that, but he never understood the meaning. Additionally, he felt startled that someone, especially a girl wanted to actually make skin contact with him.

'A girl wants to hold our hand!' His mind screamed in warning.

Naruto looked at Sakura's extended hand and slowly lifted his own. As soon as his fingers brushed against hers, electricity shocked him, causing him to want to pull away, but Sakura, having expected that, quickly grabbed his retreating arm and firmly shook it.

"There~!" She smirked in satisfaction. "Now we do what we shook on. We made a deal~ and it can't~ be~ broken~" she sang. Too pleased with herself to see how pale Naruto's face became.

'She tricked me! Was that a servant curse? Am I her slave now, for all my life!' Naruto wept in sorrow. He felt betrayed over Sakura's happiness at shaking his hand and seeing how he got shocked as soon as he touched her hand, and how pleased she was, his small mind concluded that the handshake was soon sort of ritual where he now devoted himself to the pink haired girl as her servant.

Don't ask how he concluded that.

"Now~!" Naruto tensed up in preparation to her first command.

"I wanna play on the swings~ how about you sit down first," a dainty hand was pointed towards the swing Naruto was previously sitting on. "And I push you~" Naruto gulped and quickly nodded.

As Naruto sat down on the swing, he gripped hard, prepared to be pushed so hard and high he flew. In contrast to what he assumed, he felt Sakura's hand gently push at his back, and he slowly moved forward.

Naruto assumed maybe she wanted to start out small, where she slowly started pushing harder, and true he noticed how much higher he was going, but she never once pushed him hard at the back, nor did he go too high up where it felt like he would fall. After a while, the fear Naruto had towards Sakura slowly dispatched, leaving him only laughing as he enjoyed the feeling of Sakura pushing at his back. He enjoyed the gentle contact of her small hands on his back. It never once hurt, which brought him warmth as a very nice, warm feeling began blooming in his chest.

"My turn~!" Sakura called out as she raced towards a swing that was next to Naruto.

Naruto felt panic grab his heart as he didn't feel Sakura's hands at his back.

"W-wait," he stuttered. "How do I s-stop?" He tried kicking his legs, but that only resulted in his losing his balance and almost falling.

"Don't stop!" Sakura called out to him. "Do what I do, and everything is going to be fine!"

Naruto saw the way the Sakura pulled her legs back as she descended, and extended it as soon as she was going forward. He copied her and was awed to see himself slowly going back to the way he was when Sakura was pushing him.

"I-I'm doing it!" He cheered happily. Repeating the process and thanking Sakura.

"Yeah! Way to go, Naruto~!" Sakura cheered him on.

They continued swinging happily. Competing against each other. After what seemed like an eternity of fun, they both slowed to a stop, still giggling here and there.

"That was fun, wasn't it?"

"Un!" Naruto grinned his signature grin, making one bloom on Sakura's face, as well.

"So, what do you wanna do now?" She questioned curiously. Not yet tired, nor was she ready to end their playtime.

"Uh... I don't know...?" Naruto frowned in thought. His cheeks puffing out, resembling a chipmunk.

'So cute.' Sakura smiled. She noticed Naruto's eyes drift towards a couple of boys who were running around, chasing each other, and pointed.

"How about that?"

"Playin' Ninja?"

"Yeah!" She nodded vigorously. "I saw you eyeing them with a look in your eyes."

Naruto blushed and averted his eyes.

"It's a really fun game." He muttered. "I played it a bit before the mom and dad of the kids took them away. It was really fun."

"Hmm..." Sakura couldn't help it. Her heart went out to the adorable golden-haired angel. In her eyes, he was just an angel. So pure and innocent. Not showing a hint of contempt towards the parents. All his expression told was sadness towards the rejection, and happiness at the short amount of time he managed to play with kids his age.

She took a step towards him and gently held his hands with both hers. Maintaining eye contact.

"How do you play?" She asked him. Determined to make him play with her that game, and make his time with her the happiest and most memorable one. A child deserves to be happy. Laughing, jumping around, running, and just plainly having the best time of their lives.

'You're only a child once.'

"Huh? You don' know?" Naruto's eyes widened.

"Nope. So teach me! I wanna play this cool game with you." She grinned. Showing sincerity only.

Naruto's eyes and whole face lit up like a Christmas tree. The radiance of his blinding Sakura.

Only five minutes later, Sakura was seen running away like the devil was on her heels, with Naruto chasing after her, trying to grab her.

While to outsiders, that may look like the 'demon child' was chasing after a 'sweet and innocent' little girl, and they would have interfered to 'save' the 'poor' girl, had it not been for Akio giving them a look from nearby, and the way both children were laughing and screeching contently. It was plain as day that they were having fun playing together.

Naruto and Sakura played various games after that. They played on the sand, the slides, the 'jumbo jungle', which was designed to resemble a jungle, where they had to literally act like monkeys to move around, it was pretty fun. They played tag, hide and seek (in which they included Akio after the while.), and finally, seeing how much they both enjoyed playing 'Ninja', Sakura decided to play it once more, for Naruto's sake.

By the time they finished playing, the sun was going down, and both Naruto and Sakura were beyond exhausted.

"That *pant* was *pant* fun." Naruto managed to say through his hard breathing. A wide smile on his face.

"Yeah *pant* it was *pant*" Sakura agreed.

Akio simply stood over both kids with an amused look on his face.

"Down yet?" He asked for what seemed like the hundredth time in the last few hours.

"Y-ye—ah." Sakura's voice cracked.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" Akio leaned down, expressing concern over his delicate angel. The same time as Naruto pushed himself to his knees to watch his new friend's face, wearing an equal expression on his dirty face.

"Sakura-chan..." He said softly, feeling guilty about making her run around after him all day long.

'Girls are 'delicate creatures' Jiji once said. It means they aren't like boys who run around all day.' Naruto frowned. His little brain trying to figure out what was wrong with her. Why was she so tired? She was much more tired than he seemed to be, and Naruto felt like he could still keep going if he wanted to.

'Did I force her to do somethin' she didn't wanna do? Is she now sick because of me?'

"I-I'm fine, it was from laughing too hard," Sakura spoke up, trying to make her voice come out strong. She looked directly into Naruto's eyes, noticing how glossy they looked, and smiled happily.

"I had fun." She panted. "Thanks for a great day!" She waved as she was picked up by her dad. She did not fight back, for she couldn't even support herself with her legs. They felt too much like jelly.

"C'mon, let's take you back home, my little ninja~" Akio cooed. Gently rubbing Sakura's back in soothing circles, making her feel relaxed and sleepy.

"Bye, Naruto~" Sakura yawned, waving languidly towards a frantic Naruto with droopy eyes.

Naruto wanted to say too much. Too much that it seemed like it would take forever to say.

'Are you really fine?'

'Did you really enjoy playin' with me?'

'Will you come again tomorrow?'

'Can we play again sometime?'

'Are we friends now, or...?'

'Can I talk about you to Jiji?'

'Can I at least walk with you home?'

'... Will I ever see you again after this?'

"A-ah! Bye, Sakura-chan!" He waved viciously. Wanting to show the nice girl who played for hours with him that he really appreciated everything she has done for him.

As soon as Naruto couldn't see her anymore, he dropped his hands and looked around at the park. The same park where everywhere he looked, he saw himself, along with the cherry blossom colored pretty girl played. He saw them laughing and running around having the fun of the century, along with her dad.

At first, when Akio approached them, and Sakura called him 'Dad', Naruto felt very afraid of the kind girl's father taking her away from him, but surprisingly, her dad simply smiled nicely at him and asked if he could join them.

Naruto never before has felt so accepted in his whole life. It was the greatest feeling in the whole world, and he felt with certainty that he will treasure this feeling in his chest forever.

'Maybe it's better for you if I don' mention you to people. I'm scared that people will start treatin' you like they treat me... Bye bye, Sakura-chan. You made me feel like the happiest ninja in the whole world.' He gave a doleful smile towards the swings. The place where they met, and the first ever game they played together.

"... I'll miss you..."

'And I'll never, ever forget about you...'

Back at their home, Akio took Sakura to the shower and offered to wash her. Sakura was about to agree, seeing how tired she currently was, but it was then that her brain caught up to her, that she refused him, and jumped down from his arms.

Presently, Sakura was running the water, trying to get the temperature right as Akio was in the kitchen cooking something light to eat while crying waterfalls at the rejection.

They all had eaten at the park, where Akio has brought drinks, sandwiches and a couple of Dangos with him. It was Sara's first time eating the well-known treat named 'Dango', and she has to say that it tasted fairly good. It was not the best thing she has ever tasted, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

'Feels good.' Sakura nodded to herself and satisfaction, then stripped herself of her of her dirtied clothes, and threw her dirtied clothes to the bin. She added rose scented liquid to her water and eagerly stepped down in. As soon as her body was fully submerged, Sakura let out a moan of relief, feeling her muscles relax completely.

"Haaaaah~" she sighed in pleasure. Her eyes were closed as she lost herself into the sensation.

She thought about her day. How it started out a bit peculiar, yet slowly got better.

She recalled the group of girls she approached the moment she got to the park and consequently remembered Ami.

After laying back and thinking about that scenario, Sakura deduced that while the group of girls may not be the type who were good for playing around the types of games she now realized she enjoyed, they did seem a bit pleasant to talk to in a subject known as 'gossip'. It would have kept her up to date on the recent happenings for the future.

The girls seemed taken by her, thanks to her rare color of hair. When Ami came, she seemed pretty envious at the attention given to Sakura. An emotion Sara was familiar with and knew all too well.

All in all, it appeared like they meant Sakura no physical harm whatsoever, and they seemed like good friends to have for the future. Unfortunately, Sakura is too emotional to take their teasing, and she instantly assumed they disliked her and thought she was unattractive.

'Complete illogical thinking.' Sara sighed. Too tired of the peculiar thoughts of a five-year-old, timid little girl. She never recalled herself being this complicated.

'This is going to be very aggravating in forthcoming developments.' She grumbled. 'Optimistically, I'll be able to shatter that impractical notion out of Sakura before anything major transpires.'

Sakura closed her eyes, and behind her eyelids, she saw a memorable beaming face gazing at her with happiness.

'He is is absolutely delightful.' She smiled to herself. 'So innocent and true to himself.' She appreciated that. The child was too cautious in the beginning to an extent where it startled Sara. It made her feel uncomfortable as if she was dealing with an adult in the body of a child, or maybe a wounded animal would be a better description? Either way, after playing around a bit with him, his whole persona gradually changed into one that essentially resembled those of a child. He was smiling so gorgeously, laughing so wonderfully, and running around so with so much vitality it warmed her core.

Safe to say that both Sakura and Sara had an equal amount of fun playing around with the Naruto. It was, without a doubt, the most fun they have both had.

'I wanna do it again.' Sakura blew bubbles from under the water. Her face half submerged, leaving only her large eyes and nose out.

The heat of the water was making Sakura sleepy. Already, her body fell under the spell of sleep, while her mind was replaying the day's event, and how her actions might affect the role of the story.

'I genuinely hope my actions do not affect anything major.'

'So sleepy~'

Knock knock.

Light knocking, followed by a voice spoke only a few minutes after Sakura drifted to sleep came from behind the bathroom door.

"Sakura, sweetheart. Are you finished? Do you need help~?" Akio asked, poking his head in.

Sakura shot up in an upright position. Her eyes were wide and wild as she forced herself to function properly. Ignoring the way her eyelids protested, begging too close and take her back into the land of sleep. She turned to look at her dad just as he began talking again.

"Sa—" he paused. Gazing at the guilty and panicked look on his delicate daughter's now clean face.

"Were you sleeping?" He questioned teasingly. Visibly amused. "How adorable~"

"N-no..." Sakura denied feebly, aware that she was caught.

Akio looked like he was going to finish the job for her of cleaning and dressing up, and seeing this, Sakura raised her arms in a 'stop' motion. Calling out, "w-wait a sec! I'm almost finished! Please, there's no need to come any closer!"

'Get out!' Was the message Akio got from Sakura. He sighed in defeat, ignoring the slight hurt he felt.

"Okay..." Sakura's shoulders relaxed. "You have five minutes. After that..." He smirked as Sakura paled. Understanding his not so hidden meaning.

"Okay." She squeaked, nodding so fast it looked like her head will fall off.

Akio turned his back to Sakura and began walking away.

"I'll check on the food and begin serving us. Your time starts... Now." He called back, and Sakura quickly unplugged the tub and rushed to scrub her body and apply shampoo to her short locks. While she was doing that, that water lowered down and she turned on the shower head to clean herself of the soup.

Sakura jumped out of the bathtub after making sure her body was free of soap and shampoo and wrapped a towel around her small body while grabbing another to dry her hair. She began the process of drying herself while keeping a watchful eye on the entrance in case her time was up and her new dad decided it was a good chance to jump scare her.

As Sakura was finished with wearing her undergarments, she saw her dad coming through the closet.

'Maybe it would have been wiser for me to have secured the bathroom door. I would have certainly heard him approaching, instead of watching the entrance like a creep.' Sara sweat-dropped. Mentally slapping herself at her stupidity.

"Huh," Akio uttered in surprise as he laid eyes on her. "You actually finished?"

Sara snorted. He was counting on her not being able to finish in five minutes.

'Showed him.' Sakura swelled up in pride, while Sara frowned.

'Pervert.' She snarled.

'Hey, Wait a sec! Daddy's not a Hentai!' A part of her brain that was Sakura argued back. Offended at the young women's thoughts.

"You clean up well. I'm impressed." Akio smiled at Sakura. His eyes showing complete sincerity and pride.

Sara's frown disappeared after seeing such an innocent look on the man's face. She couldn't see anything that hinted to him being perverse. Only honesty and pride, those of both a mother and a father. It really made him seem more real to her. Not just a fictional character that happens to play the role of her parent until she got old enough to take care of herself, but an actual only father who raised and loved her. And his love was shown without shame in his eyes.

Sara flushed in shame. Agreeing to the other side that was nodding, very approving of Sara's clarity.

"Awww~ and I was really looking forward to cleaning you~" Akio complained. "It feels like it's been too long since we've bonded like that." His eyes became unclear, as he was looking distantly into the past. "Good times." He sighed. "Good times."

Sakura tried to stifle her laughter, but some managed to escape her. Her giggles seemed to snap Akio out of whatever he was on, and he turned back to her.

"Well," he eyed her critically. Looking for any signs of dirt. "At least I'll dress you. Although I prefer dressing you up in cute dresses. Buuuuut~ I don't think wearing a dress to bed is a good thing, right~?" He winked.

"Dressing me!?" Hearing the Affronted tone in Sakura's face made Akio's expression fall.

"May I? Pleeeeeeaaase~?" He gave her such a heartbreaking expression where his eyes became extra large and shiny, and his lips popped out into a pout.

'No', was at the tip of Sakura's tongue, but the more Sakura saw Akio's face, the more she felt her willpower shake.

"Pretty please, cherry blossom~?" Gorgeous flowers bloomed behind Akio's back. Giving his beautiful complexion. Sakura's willpower crumbled into dust and flew away.

"Okay..." Came out of a beaten Sakura. She knows she lost this round.

'Damn it all!' She half-heartedly cursed. Not too upset after seeing such an exuberant look enter Akio's face. He was genuinely happy about dressing her up, and that confused her, but who was she to judge?

Being dressed up was actually not so bad. It felt very nice if she was being honest with herself. Sara never was pampered by anyone in her life, and being treated like a princess who'd break at the tiniest push didn't piss her off like she had assumed it would. Instead, it made her feel loved and appreciated, and really, she might get used to that.

She was dressed in a one piece pajama dress. It wasn't like Sakura's puffy and layered dresses. It was lost and fell down around her like waves. It was light creamy pink in color and made of actual silk. The thing she liked about it the most was how very comfortable she felt, and how light the material was to the point she felt like she was walking around nude. Sara noticed that all her clothes were of fine material. It was nice, but it proved to her how her new dad spoils Sakura.

'The life of a royalty. I wouldn't be surprised if this is how they're wardrobe looks like.'

Akio gently brushed her hair, splitting her hair in half and began braiding her hair. After that, he tied the end with ribbons.

Sakura looked at herself in the mirror and liked the way she looked. Her hair looked so neat, and she was so well put together in appearance and personally comfortable.

'I look good and feel good.' She smiled at Akio in thanks. To awed to speak.

"You look simply breathtaking, sweetie." Akio smiled softly. Gazing at her with adoring eyes.

'What did I do to deserve such a beautiful and smart baby like you?' He breathed. He was sure he will never get used to Sakura's radiance. She was his treasure; his everything.

"T-thank you." Sakura blushed, looking down bashfully.

It was then that her stomach made itself known by giving an impatient groan.

Akio snickered as Sakura covered her stomach; mortified at the sound it made. She didn't even feel that hungry, and her stomach has never before growled so loudly whenever she went to school or work without eating a thing.

'Is this how it'll be now!? Screw you, anime logic!' Thinking of future scenarios where she may find herself in places that didn't provide food, or she forgot to eat filled her with dread.

'The humiliation.'

"Come." He grabbed her small hand into his much larger one. "I made us soup. You'll like it."

True to his words, she loved it. Everything that was given to her by Akio's hands was absolutely delicious and palatable.

"mmm~ so good~" Sakura hummed contently.

"I'm glad you like it." Akio relaxed. Sakura wasn't even aware that he was tense. She wasn't aware that that her opinion mattered that much to Akio. The thought that he cared that much about her opinion filled her with warmth, and it wasn't because of the soup no matter how much she tried to convince herself.

They both ate in comfortable silence after that. Sakura was too tired to start a conversation and too engrossed into enjoying her soup, and Akio was simply content with eating with his baby girl whom appeared to be enjoying his cooking. It was always something he worried about. The thought of his little angel not liking what he made her perturbed him. He wanted her to eat things that were both appetizing and nutritious. He wanted his daughter to be delighted with what she ate, he wanted to change her day, whenever she felt glum, he wanted his food to be something that might lift her spirits up.

Much too soon for Akio's liking, they both finished, and having nothing to distract her, Sakura gave a big yawn. Signaling to her dad that it was time for her to slumber.

Akio smiled softly as he watched Sakura's head tilt down multiple times as she tried to stubbornly stay awake.

'Should I bring a camera?' He questioned himself, looking for the nearest one. 'Damn, I left it in my room.' He cursed. Maybe he could go and get it quickly?

"Daddy~?" Akio froze in his tracks as Sakura called to him in a mellow voice.

'Argh! My heart!' Akio cried, cradling his wounded heart that was shot by Cupid.

Akio was instantly by Sakura's side as she raised her arms in a grabbing motion. Akio complied.

As soon as Sakura's head landed on Akio's surprisingly comfortable shoulders, she was out like a light.

'Camera, camera, camera, camera, camera—' Akio glided towards his room, grabbed his camera, took off the flash, and expertly took a picture of his sleeping beauty.

'SO~~ CUTE~~~!' He gushed and tried to refrain from squealing out loud.

"Mission accomplished. Time to take you to bed." He said after managing to calm down successfully. He leisurely walked towards Sakura's own room. Taking his time and savoring his baby's warmth and the feeling of her small body in his arms. One day, Sakura will be too old in societies eyes where it's will be 'inappropriate' for her dad to hold and carry her, and the thought agitated him, thinking that one day his baby girl won't be his baby girl anymore. A day where she'd push herself away from him, find someone else to replace him. She will...

'Get married.'

'No, no, no,' he shook his head clear of those thoughts. 'She's still too young for that, and besides, I'll make sure no one with the intent of a romantic relationship comes anywhere near my little angel!'

Akio's admitted that he could be a bit overwhelmingly overbearing, and even if he tried to explain himself to Sakura, his reasoning may seem as unjustifiable to her, but to him, she was everything he has, and he was adamant and firm on his desires to protect and watch over his baby girl.

'Even if she was old enough to be classified as old, I will still see her as my baby girl.' Akio gently laid Sakura's slumbering body onto her bed and pulled the covers over her body. He played a parting kiss to her forehead and rubbed her head affectionately as he watched her sleeping silently. Carefully observing her face and trying to distinguish whether she might be having unpleasant dreams. After a while, he deemed that she would sleep peacefully, and pulled his hand back reluctantly.

He looked at the time to see that it was only nine o'clock and thought of what he should do with the remaining of the time. Only a few moments later, he decided to write a list of what he could buy Sakura seeing as she was outgrowing her old clothes, and once that was done, he unhesitatingly got dressed and vanished.

After all, he had a long night of work ahead of him.

A/N

This took me forever to upload! I honestly had to write everything down word for word in 'Doc Manager' seeing as it refused to Copy n Paste! -cries tears of joy- FINALLY!

Hope you liked it, and I hope to see you on the next chapter~!

~~~~~In The Next Episode~~~~~

"Yup." He popped the 'P'.

"You really know how to kill a man. It was hard refusing you, but I had to make sure you were in top notch condition." He mirrored her smile, his heart warming up.

"Yay!" She cheered exuberantly.

Akio grinned at Sakura's appealing excitement. He was about to pick her up in celebration, then he suddenly froze.

Sakura stared at her suddenly serious dad curiously.

A knock came from the back door.

'Who uses the back door these days? And why?' Sakura stared in disbelief at the door.

Akio went to answer with Sakura trailing behind him like a young duckling to her mama duck. Behind the door was someone that was completely concealed from head to toe. They wore black clothes with chest 'armor', and their face was hidden behind a unique mask that resembled an animal.

'No way... Is that an ANBU!?' Sakura stared hard from behind her dad's legs. 'What's he doing here?' Her gaze turned calculative.

"Hello, what a lovely day we're having! How may I help you?" Akio greeted cheerfully.

"The Hokage summons you, Haruno-sama." The ANBU said respectfully, giving a deep bow.