Standard Disclaimer Apply
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Chapter 7
Naruto waited in front of the Tsunade's room. As Tsunade exited her room, Naruto rushed to her impatiently.
"How is she, Baba? Can she survive, can she? Baba! Answer me!" Naruto asked eagerly. There was no pause in his words.
"I don't know, Naruto," she stared back at him sadly, "I've already tried my best. She hasn't died yet, but I'm not sure whether she will or won't."
Naruto stared at her in disbelief. "But—but, Baba! You're the best medical ninja in this village! You're the goddamn HOKAGE! Can't you save her?"
Tsunade just sighed and said, "Just pray for her, okay?" She ran her hand to his hair and combed it through her fingers with care.
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It was cold, dark, with the very thick emptiness. Sakura walked with no direction. She didn't care. Her body felt numb, she stared blankly into the darkness. While walking, the question popped into her head.
Is this hell?
She just walked and walked. Oddly, she felt so empty, so lonely. A lost feeling that couldn't be compared to anything was bombarding her senses. Until finally she saw a darker shade or darkness. She walked towards the shadow, silently asking if it was the god of death or not.
It seemed that her guess wasn't true. Who fetched her now wasn't like a devil in books, nor an angel. She found a big mirror in front of her. She saw herself and stared at her twin for a long time.
She wasn't even bothered to ask anything. She didn't care what was awaiting for her now. Whether it was hell or it was heaven. Whether it was horrible pain and torture, the incredible heat from the flame of hell, a place that didn't recognize daylight or laughter, or smiles and joys, in a world where sadness was unknown.
Suddenly, the reflection talked to her, "Do you want to die?"
"…maybe. I don't care."
"If you have a chance to live, which one would you choose?" the reflection asked, "Life… or death?
"…You talk to me about that choice like you want me to choose between chocolate or vanilla flavour. Well, it's up to you. I don't care, though. Death would be preferable for me."
Silence.
Sakura spoke again, explaining, yet somehow she knew that explanation was no need in this conversation. "No one wants my existence. No one care. No one will shed tears."
"Do you mean it?"
"Well, yes. Maybe some people will be sad, but I'm sure they will recover immediately."
"Ah… maybe that's true. But in your heart… maybe you want to live for one person?"
Sasuke…
"No." She answered a little too quickly for her own sense.
"It's useless to lie." The reflection smirked.
"I hate you. It's a joy seeing you dying in my hands."
"That's the truth."
"Don't you want to see him again?"
"…"
To be honest, I would be glad if I could see him…
"Don't lie to yourself, Sakura."
...even just one more second…
"You know the truth, right? Of course I want to see him again… but…" she stared downwards.
"Then I know your answer. You still want to live."
Before Sakura had a chance to protest, her body was dragged away mercilessly from that darkness. A second later, she felt pain stinging through all of her body.
Am I still alive? Why? Why?
…
Why?
She winced slightly of the pain and cracked her eyes open. The first thing she saw was her master's golden eyes. Quickly, she passed out again. Her last thought was…
I don't want to go back here…. He doesn't want me to…
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Sasuke trained to forget all about Sakura. Nevertheless, it was futile, for Sakura's voice echoed in his mind.
"Thank you Uchiha-san, forgive me…"
What was she sorry for?
I tried to kill her. Why did she say 'thank you'? For ending her pain? For killing her? For being with her?
Sasuke concentrated all of his chakra to his hands. His trump card, Chidori. He aimed for the big rock in front of him, made a big hole in it. Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice.
"Sasuke-kuuun!" It was Yamanaka Ino.
"Ino." He replied flatly.
"What are you doing? Aren't you worried about Sakura?"
Not Sakura again…
"I don't care."
The slightest pain moved across her face. "Oh," she bluntly replied, "I've hear she's already okay. Just wait for two or three days."
"Hn." Praise the Lord.
Sasuke remembered the old Sakura. She was weak, always needed help from the other team-mates. This Sakura has changed a lot. That time, she was the one who saved him. But he didn't even say thank you, instead, he tried to kill her. He felt a pang of guilt, but ignored it.
Why must I think about her?
I have something more important to do…
Revenge to aniki and…
He looked up to Ino. She had become a beautiful and sexy woman. Her blond hair shined brightly like sun. All of sudden, an idea slashed across his mind.
"Ino," he said, "may I ask you a question?"
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"I still don't believe all of the things you said." Tsunade sat beside Sakura's bed, just finished from the interrogation. "That's impossible your opponent made such wounds to you, while you were succeeding the mission. That does not make sense for me. If I were your opponent, I would cut you dead."
"Sasuke did it before the opponent had a chance to."
"That was making sense, but that was too perfect for a coincidence."
Of course, I cannot tell her what actually happened in the forest.
"I thought so. But I told you the truth." She lied.
"Okay," Tsunade sighed. "Naruto wanted so badly to meet you. But I think you should rest and…"
"Let him meet me," Sakura cut off Tsunade's words.
"Okay, but just for fifteen minutes." Just give up to her.
Naruto impatiently plunged into her room. An utter feeling of relief painted his brilliant blue-sky eyes. He hugged her so tightly that she could hardly breathe.
"Naruto…" her voice snapped him from trance, "…it hurts…"
"Ahh… sorry, Sakura! But I'm really, truly glad you're okay." He released his hold.
Not everyone will be glad, Naruto.
"I'm sure Sasuke will feel so." Naruto said cheerfully. He was unaware of a slight sadness in her beautiful emerald-green orbs.
It's a shame he won't.
"I will tell him as fast as I can. Just wait. He'll die of happiness."
"…I don't think so, Naruto. Was he waiting for me to awake?"
The happiness in Naruto's face evaporated ever-so-quickly. "…no."
Sakura smiled teasingly. See?
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A day later at the same time, Sakura was reading a book while sitting on her bed. All of sudden, her room's door cracked open. She raised her head slightly to meet the familiar raven hair and black intense eyes.
"Come in, Uchiha-san."
Sasuke came in and placed himself on a chair beside Sakura's bed. After that, the thick silence bombarded the room. He didn't seem to know what it was that he wanted to say. Sakura was the one who broke the silence.
"It's a pity you didn't make it. Try another time, Uchiha-san. Maybe you'll have a chance in the next mission"
Sasuke stared at her defiant emerald-green eyes. "Did you intend to die that much?"
"Wasn't it you who wanted it so much?"
"I'm not here to start a war, Sakura. I want to tell you something."
"Neither have I wanted to. What did you want to tell me?"
Sasuke silenced for a while. He didn't know why, but he had a bad feeling to tell Sakura this one. He closed his eyes.
"Ino, may I ask you a favour?"
"Sure! Of course! Definitely! What?" She asked with high curiosity in her voice. That was a miracle Sasuke wanted her help. She would do anything for him. Although Ino already stopped following Sasuke like a love idiot, in her heart she still hoped that one day, Sasuke would like her.
"Do you want to marry me? At least in these days become my fiancée?" Ino always liked Sasuke. That was the main point. There was almost no way she would decline this one.
Ino seemed surprised by the question, yet she answered.
"I don't see any reason to refuse." She smiled happily. That time, all about Sakura flew out from her head.
Sasuke dragged himself back to the reality he was in.
"Sakura," he inhaled deeply and open his eyes; staring straight at the jade-coloured eyes. He already prepared for anything what would happen.
"I will marry Ino."
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Ino? Whadda heck? (Yeah, I thought so, but it's not like I have any choice. Besides, I don't hate Ino that much)
Thanks,
£exy
The Thief
