Part VII
Sakura smiled as she managed to snap a picture of their father carrying Emi in his arms while talking to some of the wealthy lords and ladies who opted to come celebrate her birthday. The small child wanted to stick near to him, Momiji, or Sakura, initially afraid of all the new faces and sounds, but also interested. Sakura tried to ask Yasahiro to keep an eye on her, but she also acknowledged him wanting to play with some of the other young boys who had arrived as well.
Sasuke and Naruto had managed to arrive with a good handful of other masked shinobi in tow along with Tsunade, Shizune, and their ex-mentor, Kakashi. Sakura knew who all the shinobi were based on their masks and hair. But she, Sasuke, and Naruto remained maskless since, at least for the Haruno and Uchiha, they were members of Noble Families; it was more important to hide their masks. Naruto... just generally didn't follow protocol.
Shinobi aside, quite a few Shinigami came as well. It was known among all who came that any tension held between shinobi and Shinigami was to be left at the gates upon entering the Haruno Manor. Thankfully, Taiga was not a fool and befriended only those who were sympathetic and friendly with shinobi - the Shiba Clan, Kyoraku Shunsui, Ise Nanao, Ukitake Juushiro, Unohana Retsu, Hitsugaya Toshiro, Matsumoto Rangiku, and even the Kuchiki Clan. It was a rather large gathering for such a small child. And it warmed her heart to see such a turn out. Though, she knew the adults came to renew their peace with Haruno Clan.
But, that didn't mean that Itachi and Ichino had stayed. A part of her was downright angry at her brothers' stubbornness. But it was more important that she focus on the party rather than her ire.
Emi came toddling up to her on the engawa, bumping into her legs and reaching with chubby hands, "Up."
Sakura swung her up on her hip and she babbled away, her big indigo orbs sparkling as Sakura introduced her to Kyoraku and Kaien. She giggled with pure glee when Kyoraku placed his kasa hat on her head. She wiggled to get down and she toddled off to find their father, arms up in the air for balance. One of the dragon tattoos lifted off her arm, transforming into a lithe, white-tailed dragon with indigo fur. It followed after the child.
"That's new," Kyoraku said, reaching a hand up for his hat and then remembering he let the child wander off with it.
"Yeah, when did you learn that?" Kaien asked.
"I've been training with a shinobi who specializes in fighting with ink and tattoo markings. He helped me utilize my chakra and give physical form to my tattoos, but only for a limited time for now."
Someone stepped up behind her. "I've always known that Sakura-san was a fast learner. I honestly didn't think it would only take her one training session to get the hang of it."
She smiled back at the demon-masked shinobi, knowing that Sai was the one behind it.
"That's Sakura-chan for you," Kaien grinned and held out a hand. "Shiba Kaien, Head of the Shiba Clan and Thirteen Division fukutaichou."
Sai looked at her before taking his hand with both and bowing his head. "Pleased to meet you. Unfortunately, I cannot reveal my name. But you may call me Painter."
"Painter, huh? Well, Kyoraku-taichou and I actually have some questions that maybe you can answer. Let's find Ukitake-taichou; I know he had questions too." They pulled Sai away from her side and she smiled, snapping a quick picture, documenting them smiling with him. She turned to find Momiji to consider bringing out the cake for Emi to blow out the candle. But her eyes widened as she noticed Ginrei and Byakuya approaching her along the engawa.
"Ginrei-sama, Byakuya-san," she dipped her head. "Welcome. We were not expecting your presence." And they truly weren't. Taiga had expressed disappoint to her having not heard back from the Kuchiki Estate about whether they would be attending or not.
"All things considered," Ginrei rumbled, "it would seem rather rude for us not to appear. We've brought along a gift for the young Haruno child."
Byakuya pulled out a small box from his sleeve and presented it to her. The box was no bigger than her hand but was wrapped neatly in red paper and a navy bow. Sakura smirked up at Byakuya. "I don't imagine that you would have wrapped this yourself."
He raised a brow. "You doubt my abilities?"
She raised her chin, still smirking. "Not at all, Byakuya-san. But, I would have found wrapping a small gift beneath your... noble duties."
She knew he knew she was only teasing, and a small part of her took joy in the playful twinkle shining in his slate grey eyes, though his expression did not give anything away.
However, Ginrei cleared his throat, breaking the moment between them. Sakura enfolded the gift in her yukata sleeves. "Thank you both. I'll go place this with the other gifts. Please let any of the servants know if you would like something to eat or drink."
She turned and walked off, her long pink hair flowing behind her. Byakuya watched her disappear among the partygoers before glancing at his grandfather. Ginrei said nothing but the younger Kuchiki flagged down a servant, who bowed and turned to get them drinks and food.
"I don't suppose that things have developed between you and her," Ginrei said gently.
"You don't suppose correctly."
"Yet, as before when you both were younger, you and her seem to have... a connection."
"We work amicably together. She and my fukutaichou get along well; she is often visiting."
"Do not use your fukutaichou as an excuse. If she appeals to you, do not shy away from her."
"Sofu."
His lips upturned slightly. "Do not ignore the words of an old man. I may no longer work for Seireitei, but that does not mean my observation skills have diminished."
Sakura sighed as she helped Momiji slide the child into her bed. Once all the guests had left - after blowing out her singular candle, opening gifts, and more socializing - they fed her dinner, gave her a bath, and then found her curled up in the corner with her pile of new stuffed animals.
Her fingers touched the gold banded necklace around her neck. Byakuya had gifted Emi with the jewelry, a camellia flower surrounded in a resin square hanging as a pendant. Taiga had tried to set it in her jewelry box. But Emi was swift to voice her objection and cried until Sakura helped adjust it around her neck.
It was, quite honestly, a very beautiful gift. She didn't think that Byakuya would have thought to give such an elegant gift, and to a one-year-old at that. Sakura couldn't remember if she and Hisana ever spoke about the gifts he may have given her. But, then again, Hisana wasn't one to boast about material things.
If and when they actually wed, would he give her gifts? Some at random to merely show affection? Or would they be perfunctory gifts, only on her birthday and their anniversary? Even now, she could not imagine Byakuya as a man who showed anything more than mild interest and contained anger. Such a thoughtful gift told her that he might actually have a heart buried beneath all that armor.
Sakura left Emi's room, quietly pulling the door closed. Their father's bedroom door remained wide open as he was now conducting clan business with other lords who had attended earlier. When he was finished, he would come for Emi and take her into his bedroom. But, for now, the two guards who stood outside were more than capable of handling the budding toddler.
Meiyo silently greeted her and they left the Head's wing to head to the wing she shared with her brothers. She was not surprised to see Naruto waiting for her, sitting on the engawa with a tray of tea. "Leave us," she commanded gently to Meiyo. He bowed deeply and teleported away, but still nearby.
"Momiji brought the tea for us," Naruto said, pouring her a cup as she sat next to him, their feet hanging down.
"What did you want to talk about?" she asked after cooling her tea by blowing on it and taking a sip.
"Well... it's about Sasuke-teme."
She looked out onto the grass. No doubt Sasuke knew they would be conversing about him and he probably wasn't happy with the thought.
"He told me something the other day and I don't think he's ever going to tell you about it. But... I'm worried." He paused. "He said he met with a Shinigami taichou. Well, that he met him on the street before our last mission. He said he wanted to talk with Teme."
"Which taichou?"
Naruto looked up at the night sky. "I want to say... Fourth Division?"
She made a face. "The Fourth Division taichou is a woman. And you know her; she and Tsunade are often talking with each other."
"Oh yeah. Well, then it's the Fifth Division taichou. That's a man, right?"
"He met with... with Aizen?"
"Well, I don't think he said his name but-" "Has he met with him already?"
Naruto blinked at the fury and fear evident on her expression. "No but... should he not?"
"No. Absolutely not. Aizen Sousuke is bad news. I don't know what he said to Sasuke-kun but this is not good."
"Well, what should we do? Teme already isn't meditating like he's supposed to. I don't think mission probation is good for him. And no amount of medication or herbal remedies Baa-chan can make is going to help him hate Shinigami less."
"I'll talk with Tsunade in the morning. Tell Sasuke what I said. I'll see if... if I can find out why Aizen targeted him."
Naruto noticed the way she clenched her fists in her lap, her brows deeply furrowed. "Ne, Sakura-chan? What's... up with this Aizen guy anyway?"
"I... I don't know, to be honest. Everyone thinks he's so nice and great. But, I think I can see through his facade. The taichou that everyone knows and loves… I don't think that's the real him. The real him is... more than just dangerous."
He had promised Hisana while she laid on her deathbed that he would never feel for or lay with another woman; he would be forever faithful to her and her alone, even after she passed on.
However, she told him that he couldn't do that; she would not accept his promise, which had astounded him. She told him that if he found happiness and love in another. He should do what felt natural, even if that included marriage. She would not feel betrayed or hurt, even in death.
It was what she wanted for him.
But she would not rest easy if he blatantly chose solitude over companionship. And, because of this, he both anticipated and dreaded Haruno Sakura coming in at random to his office bearing lunch. She did it inconsistently enough that he could not discern a pattern to her visits. He thought about just leaving his office around lunch time because she at least came consistently at noon on the dot. But he realized he would just waste precious work time trying to avoid her this way. If she was as tenacious and persistent as he heard her to be, then she would surely wait the whole lunch hour for him to return. Not even Gingiro could dissuade her from waiting if she arrived when he was missing without notice.
If he really had to put words to how he felt, it wasn't necessarily that he didn't like her lunch visits. Her food was quite delicious every time she caught him.
But he just couldn't figure out her motive for the recurring visits. Was this her attempts to develop a friendship between them? Or was this to get back at him for skipping their initial lunch date? He shook his head at the last thought, knowing that she was not vindictive or petty in such lengths.
What bothered him more as they entered month three of lunch was how often he pondered about Sakura, who she was, and why she did what she did. He sat in his office at the Estate after praying to Hisana for guidance again. But he caught himself thinking of the pink-haired woman again. The ink brush snapped in half in his hand.
Did she not understand that their marriage arrangement wasn't for love? He wasn't even sure that he actually wanted to develop a friendship between them. But he found himself quickly falling into an easy rapport with her as she continued to come. She, once again, seemed to force his hand without actually raising a finger against him. She didn't threaten him to speak with her. In fact, the first couple of times, they sat in complete silence.
But, admittedly, as she continued to come, she started to have one-sided conversations that he found himself tuning into against his better judgment. And then participating in said conversations. He found her actually quite intelligent, having memorized Tsunade's entire library of medical journals and scrolls. And she seemed to read people quite easily. On days when he found himself more taciturn and impatient, she would sit quietly and allow the silence to linger between them, only the sounds of them enjoying her lunch heard.
The first time it happened, she had only said, "You don't have to say anything, Kuchiki-san. We can sit quietly and I will wait for you to speak, if you wish to say anything. But I will not disturb you."
Afterwards, she would pack everything up, thank him, and leave.
Byakuya also learned that her favorite color was red, her favorite animal was a dog, she preferred baking over cooking, and sometimes went to jogs at night.
But all of this did not make him feel any better about how to continue this... thing between them. He was hard pressed to admit that it was a relationship of any kind. And he could already hear Shiba Kaien's speech about heart rising up in the background.
Where would this lead to? Yes, they would be married. And then what? He was sure his advisors - and his grandfather - would pressure him to produce an heir to the Kuchiki name. And perhaps they could have a child. But that would only come after he fully came to terms with the fact that the children would not be his and Hisana's.
This marriage was political.
What would the benefit of including emotions in this?
"Kuchiki-taichou."
He stopped and turned to look over his shoulder. Sakura approached him, her ponytail bouncing behind her, as the rest of the Division taichou and fukutaichou exited the meeting hall. She smiled up at him. "I just wanted to ask how Yasahiro's training has been going. Tou-san says he's been practicing really hard at the Manor and he's always excited to attend his sessions with you."
"His training is coming along, though your brother needs many lessons in respect."
Her cheeks reddened. "Uh, yeah, sorry about that. I've been trying but I'm not at the Manor often enough to instill manners in him. Ichino and Itachi... well... let's just say they haven't been the greatest of influences."
He crossed his arms. "Soon, he will be upgraded to a training katana for him to utilize."
Her brows raised. "Wow."
"But only after he learns respect."
She winced. "Does he know this?"
He raised a brow at her.
"Yeah, that may not go over super well. But I'll help in any way that I can. I know Hiro-chan can be a handful, even when you do get him to focus." She smiled softly. "He reminds me a lot of my teammate."
"The blonde?"
"Yeah. Wild with no filter or boundaries. But a large heart and determination to reach for the moon and beyond." Suddenly, her smile dropped as she spotted someone behind him. He turned to look and only noticed Aizen approaching.
The Fifth taichou smiled warmly. "Ohayo. Haruno-fukutaichou, I have to say that I'm honestly saddened that we will no longer be seeing you in these meetings. But I have to imagine that working in the medical station, as Unohana-taichou said, will be more beneficial for you."
"Of course," she bite out, her small smile strained.
"Don't remind me of such tragedies, Aizen-taichou," Kyoraku complained, hugging her tightly. "I'm not ready to give up my dear Sakura-chan just yet."
She growled and kicked him off. "Stop being so dramatic." She blew out a breath and fixed Aizen with a hard gaze. "May I have a... word with you, Aizen-taichou?"
All three men blinked. Byakuya didn't mean to express his confusion, even though the last time they spoke about it, when she brought the treats for his division, she remarked that he made her uncomfortable.
"Of course. Let me just let Momo know that I-" "It will only take a minute," she insisted.
Aizen smiled but even Byakuya did not believe that the friendly smile was as truthful as others might have thought. Was this what she was talking about? "Of course."
Sakura turned sharply and strode towards the stairs that led from the grand hall to the ground. She didn't like that Aizen was behind her. But, at least with others around, she knew he couldn't pull any tricks. At the top of the stairs, she turned to face him. "Why did you approach my teammate?"
"Excuse me?"
"Don't play dumb. Sasuke told me about meeting you on the street. What do you want with him?"
"Why I merely said hello and I saved him from being harassed by a rather nasty street vendor."
Her eyes narrowed. "I don't believe you."
"Did he not share that piece of information with you? Why, I'm rather disappointed. And here I thought I had made a lasting impression on him."
She stepped up to him. "Leave him alone. And leave the rest of the shinobi alone as well."
He smirked, his salacious and dangerous aura slowly wrapping around her. "And... are you going to be the one to stop me, Sakura... chan?"
She clenched her teeth and her fists, trying not to be cowed by him, by the way his eyes purposefully slid down over of her face, her neck, paused on her breasts and then sliding back up. He reached a hand out and she tried to flinch back. But he had already touched a stray lock of hair and tucked it back in her ponytail. "I don't think you're in a position to physically oppose me, Sakura."
"Don't... don't touch me," she said weakly.
"I'll agree to leave your little shinobi friends alone. After all, I haven't figured out their identities yet." Her eyes widened. "But Uchiha Sasuke is fair game. After all, he is a member of a Noble Family, and quite prominent at that."
"Leave him alone," she bit out, trying to keep her chakra from flaring angrily in a cry for help. "You'll only poison him."
"Now, that's a rather accusatory statement. All I want is to understand the suffering of shinobi more. And you're only one person, Sakura-chan." His smile widened as his gaze became more pointed. "And I doubt you've really suffered all that much. Though... I'm sure something might come along to change that."
Her eyes widened and she stepped back, hands clutching her haori at her stomach. As Kyoraku and Hinamori approached, smiling at the pink-haired woman, she suddenly turned and dashed down the stairs. Kyoraku pushed up his hat, looking at Aizen. "What happened?"
"I believe she said she was late for a meeting with her shinobi teammates. She asked me to pass along the message."
Sasuke's eyes widened as Sakura approached him on the training field, her chakra wild and unrestrained.
"You cannot talk to him."
"To who?"
"Aizen. The captain you met."
His brows furrowed and he holstered his kunai. "Naruto told you."
"And he should have." Her eyes softened. "Sasuke, believe me when I say he's bad news."
His lips pursed.
"I... I don't have any real proof. But he's not as nice as he seems."
He looked down at their feet. "He... he said some things that..."
"...That sounded right to the calm you, or the dark you?"
He closed his eyes but didn't flinch when he felt her hand grab his.
"Sasuke-kun, how can we help you?"
"I don't need help."
"You're acting the same way you did before you tried to defect."
Slowly, he looked at her again and she squeezed his hand harder. He gave a deep sigh. "You're right. I've... had too much down time."
"I talked to Tsunade-sama. Naruto and I think you don't do well with down time for too long too. She said she's will to send you on two-person missions for now." She paused and he saw the shift in her gaze. "But she wants you to report to her more often about how you're doing."
He frowned.
"Can't we be worried about you, Sasuke-kun?"
He gave a sharp nod.
"Promise me you won't talk to Aizen. Promise."
He stared at her for a beat longer than was comfortable to assuage her concerns. But he finally sighed, "Promise."
She hugged him tightly. He tried not to revel in her warmth, reminding himself that she was off limits. "Okay. Bring Naruto over tomorrow. I'll make dinner."
"Hm."
In the sixth month of her lunch visits, as they sipped their tea after the meal, she looked down into her mug and said, "So, the Soutaichou requested that I go to the Shinō Academy to preside over some mock battles for assessment. And I... well..."
He waited.
She looked up in his direction but did not make eye contact. "I saw this woman participating in one of the mock battles. I... I swear I'd seen her before in passing or..." She looked back down at her cup, fingers squeezing. "She looked like... well... she resembled Hisana."
At this, his eyes widened but he didn't say anything.
"She looked almost identical to her, honestly. But I don't think she knows about Hisana-san; I asked her if she had any siblings or extended family that looked like her and she told me no. She said she was an orphan." She finally made eye contact with him and he noted the guarded look in her eyes. "Do you know about her?"
Byakuya tried to consider how she would react based on his response. But, as he had determined long ago, that he could not figure her out just yet. "I fail to see why her existence bothers you or why it should concern me."
She looked off to the side. "I guess it doesn't really matter."
"Speak your mind, Sakura." He hadn't meant to leave the honorific off her name, but something in him wanted her to share her thoughts with him. He suspected he knew who the woman was, considering the secret Hisana had shared with him. But, the sight of this new woman had done more than just catch her by surprise.
Her fingers clutched the cup before setting it on the edge of his desk and tucking invisible hair behind her ear. A nervous gesture. "Well, to be frank... I wonder, I guess, if you would end our engagement if you felt this woman... resembled Hisana."
Now he understood the conflict. "No."
"No?" Her brows furrowed in confusion. "But, no one who broke the law to marry someone-"
"Rid your mind of such baseless thoughts and concerns. She is not Hisana and never will be." He turned back to his papers, scanning and signing.
But Sakura didn't pick up her tea again, her fists clutching her modified uniform shorts. He could hear her knuckles pop and it was clear that something else was amiss. "Haruno."
"I know you're not interested in... friendship... with me. Hell, sometimes I feel like I'm just waiting for you to decide this engagement isn't worth your time. But," she ducked her head, "sometimes... I really wish our relationship was more than just friendly coworkers."
Now his brows furrowed. "Explain."
"I was raised not to depend on anyone, especially men. So, I hate even sharing this with you. But you're the only one I've told about this and I'm at a loss now."
"Aizen-taichou."
She nodded. "I... I think maybe I overreacted but... And I'm sure most of it was my own fault..."
"Haruno."
She twisted her hands in her lap.
\/\/\/
Sakura stumbled down the streets towards the Eighth Division barracks. It was rather bittersweet in her alcohol-addled mind since most of her things were already packed up in boxes. Part of her wasn't ready to leave her subordinates as some of them cried about her upcoming departure. And Kyoraku hadn't made her feel any better by taking her out for drinks and telling her that it wasn't too late still to withdraw her request for a transfer.
He knew exactly what he was doing by getting alcohol on her and being sentimental at the same time. But, the small, still sober side of her managed to get through and insist that the move was better for her.
Five hours of drinking and reminiscing later, she had left him passed out in the bar. Someone else would cart him back, like usual.
As she approached the grounds, her vision began to swirl more and she stumbled over her own feet. She fully expected to hit the ground but instead fell into someone's arms. It took her a minute to work up the strength to straighten herself. But, she heard, "My, my, I don't think I've ever seen you inebriated, Haruno-fukutaichou."
Her eyes widened and she tried to back away, but he already had a firm hold on her arms. "Don't be frightened. I happened to be taking a nightly stroll and came upon you. I was going to offer to help you to your room."
"No," she bit out, trying to yank herself free. The anger and fear was rising up in her and burning away the happy influence of the alcohol. "Remove your hands from me if you want to keep them."
He turned her, leading her to the division grounds. She stumbled but quickly righted herself and pulled out a kunai, pointing it at him. He stopped but didn't release her arm, squeezing tighter. The happy, caring taichou that he continued to play disappeared and the dangerous man lurking beneath took his place. The air escaped her lungs.
"Now, we both know that you wouldn't dare harm a reiatsu-user, and a highly-respected taichou at that. Just because you come from a Noble Family doesn't mean you get special privileges. You're still a chakra-user after all."
Her grip tightened on her kunai. "Then let me go and I won't have to harm you."
"What's going on here?"
Both looked to see Kyoraku standing behind them. Aizen smiled, his eyes forming happy crescents. "Why, I happened upon your fukutaichou during my walk. It's a good thing I did too; she almost hurt herself. But I think she might have had a bit too much as she doesn't seem to recognize me."
"Taichou, I..." She didn't really have much of an explanation that would get her out of this compromising position. No one, not even Kyoraku would believe her about what just happened.
"I'll take it from here, Aizen," he said approaching and taking Sakura in his arms. All she could do was quietly accept, still clutching her kunai. "Thank you for watching out for her."
But she didn't hear what he had responded, if he responded at all. Along the engawa, Kyoraku said, "I don't know what happened, really, but you know you can always come to me with problems."
Her hand tightened around the kunai. "I... Aizen..."
"Do you trust Aizen-taichou, Sakura-chan?"
She hesitated before slowly shaking her head.
"I didn't think so. How about this? You can spend the night in my room and I'll keep watch outside."
"Taichou, I don't know that..."
"That way I can make sure you don't harm anyone else who might piss you off."
\/\/\/
"How long has this been going on?"
She blinked. "What do you mean?"
"You stated before that you did not wholly trust Aizen-taichou."
"Yeah. Um, since... well, it hasn't been consistent but occurrences have happened since... I guess since I became Kyoraku's fukutaichou."
He frowned. "Does Kyoraku know?"
She shook her head. "I'm sure he suspects but I haven't said anything, not like how I've told you. It's... difficult when I have to constantly prove myself to everyone. And, I'm just a chakra-user. Sure I'm from a Noble Family but... how could I possibly complain about one of the 'nicest' taichou when I have no proof?"
He knew she had a point. No one would believe her. At least, none of the reiatsu-users in power would believe her. But, he knew she was not a liar nor was she one to play the victim. Hearing about Aizen's attempt to do something unsavory with her did not sit well with him. He needed to remain calm and keep his head on straight. He could not remain indifferent as she had come to him specifically to share this information with. They were to be wed; he had a duty to protect her, even if still in secret for now.
"I didn't tell you what happened because I think I can't fend him off; I know that I can fend him off. But... I'm moving divisions soon and, while Unohana-taichou is a force to be reckoned with for sure, I can't always depend on her. And, my future teammates... well, they aren't trained to use their medical knowledge offensively, not like some of the other healer shinobi. I just... need to know if I can come to you if I have nowhere else to go."
He gave a sharp nod. "You will alert me when he harasses you again."
"I don't want you to handle my problems or carry them," she argued softly. He was surprised. Wasn't that what women wanted? They found themselves in a weaker position and latched onto someone stronger to deal with it? "I just need to know if you will provide a safe and recovery space for me?"
"Why not go to the Haruno Manor?"
Now she frowned. "If you don't want to say yes, then just say no. I've already considered other options."
"You misunderstand. You have not explained why other avenues do not work."
"Well, it's not close enough to the Fourth Division. Your Estate is much closer." She looked at him from beneath her lashes and it made his breath catch. "And you're the only one who understands."
Byakuya wasn't sure he liked how the simple statement coupled with the look made him feel. It made his heart... flutter? But he closed his eyes. "Very well. Whether I am at the Estate or not, you are welcome to seek solace there. You will look for my head maid, Momiji."
She nodded and packed up the lunches in her basket. He stood to escort her out the door. And, at the last minute, she surprised him yet again. Sakura turned and pressed a hand on his upper arm. "Thank you, Byakuya-san. I greatly appreciate you doing this for me."
Before she could pull her away, like last time, he grabbed her wrist. Her eyes widened, flying to meet his. He held her a second longer than necessary before asking, "What is the meaning of this?"
"What... what do you mean?"
He hesitated, not sure how to form the question without lowering himself.
But she, once again, had an uncanny knack for understanding. She gently squeezed his bicep with her free hand. "I understand what our relationship is. I know it started as cordial comrades and now has turned... politically cordial. But, there's no point in the both of us being standoffish with each other, right? I respect your decision if friendship is asking for too much."
His brows furrowed only slightly but he released her wrist. She left all too quickly and, for the rest of the afternoon, he could still feel the impression of her hand on his bicep.
And as he left his office, he remembered what necessitated the conversation - that she had felt concerned about a woman who looked like Hisana and who could potentially turn his attention away from her. He smirked. Perhaps Haruno Sakura was not that unique of a woman after all.