First Meeting
The next dull afternoon, Sakura was in her office, searching for the next target. As she clicked on the items, her mind kept leading her to elsewhere away.
First, there's one that she detested to her bones: Kage of Kitsune. He started using this name after he was in the spotlight alongside with Kaitou Haruna. Up till now, he's tricked her ten times, and successfully saved those to-be-stolen treasures. Even though he acted like a thief, Ino had suspected that he's a hero that helped the police, so she doubted if she would arrest him given there's a high chance. However, Kaitou Haruna was still on the top of her long "WANTED" list of robbers and thieves.
Next, it's that blonde. That toothy grin on his whiskered cheeks and his smiling azure eyes, his politeness like a gentleman upon the beastly wildness, as well as his now-growing-to-be-attractive mature voice of a tenor were all so sweet to her. Slowly, Sakura's addicted to his everything, and her greed as a thief grew stronger. Now, she wanted him, more than anything in the world. She'd exchange for his wholeness. Also, she might even die for him if that's the real cost of having him in her possessions.
"Sakura…!" The telephone rang, and it's Tsunade's personal assistant Shizune. "There's a serious injured patient, and we need your help in the emergency room!"
"I'm coming right now!" She put down the phone and rushed downstairs to their aid. When she reached to the emergency room, she skidded to a stop.
"You…!" She pointed at the man waiting outside the room, and her heart nearly stopped its rhythmic thumbing. Spiky blonde hair…whiskered cheeks…it's him!
"Oh!" He looked up and recognized her in an instant. Then he grinned at her.
"I assume it's your friend?" She pointed at the closed doors. He nodded grimly, but she assured him with a smile, "Don't worry, I'll mix him in no time at all."
"Thanks a lot, doc." He said those same words like in yesterday with his grin.
"Phew, I'd say your friend's no longer in danger, but he'll be under our care for a few days." Sakura came out after the minor surgery. The blonde seemed relaxed.
"My, you're really amazing there, Dr. Haruno," He smiled gratefully. "Thanks."
"Eh? How do you know my name?" She didn't tell him her name, did she?
"Last night, you gave me the hangover medicine, but fatefully, you've given me your card," He showed it and stuck out his hand. "Somehow, I'm Uzumaki Naruto."
"Haruno Sakura. Call me Sakura's fine." Sakura smiled and shook their hands.
"You don't seem to be working in this department, or else you won't have to rush down here, right?" Naruto opened the chatter-box between them.
"Yeah, my current task's rather boring for even a low-quality doctor." She rolled her eyes. "However, I can't quit it as it's the dean's job to pull the strings around. Also, I don't have complaints of it. It's dull, but well-paid in terms of economic aspects."
"Hell!" Naruto laughed good-naturedly. "It's better than under the strong Sun!"
"I guess your occupation isn't nice?" She asked, getting curious of the man.
"Engineer in a garage; always drenched in lubricant and smoke after work." He scrunched his nose playfully. "However, that's the best job you can find for me, with my poor academic results for sitting in an office and in this poor economy."
"Your friend…is also an engineer?" Sakura asked. "It's wounds from that job."
"Yeah, the one who got drunk last night, Inuzuka Kiba," Naruto snorted. "He's just discarded by her girlfriend and got depressed. When he woke up this morning, his temper nearly tore my whole house down, and I spent another fifteen minutes on the phone with his screechy sister; feel like hours of shouting-contest with her. He got careless and hurt himself, and the boss had me carry him all the way down here."
"Dear me, that must be hard for you," Sakura took her pity on the fine man.
"Not quite. Actually, I've got used to that noisy life." Naruto shrugged it off.
There then they sat in silence, until Sakura got up from her seat and yawned.
"You know, you can go to visit Inuzuka-san; room two in the second floor." She said and answered to Naruto's questioning eyes. "I've got to go back to work now."
"Okay, it's a pleasure to talk to you." He smiled like the bright sunshine to her. Just as he's started to walk away, he returned and said, "Oh, by the way, Sakura…"
"What's it?" She asked, but her heart kept thumbing, riding on a roller coaster.
"Err, I just want to ask if you have time someday, so I can thank you properly for all the good work you've done to help me…" He scratched his head nervously.
"There's no such need! You don't have to do that; it's my duty." She laughed.
"No, there is such desperate need!" He insisted. "You've helped me so much, and I couldn't think of any other ways of showing my gratitude to you for that…"
"I see," She sighed. "Can you call me tonight at seven? I'll have my schedule."
"Alright, that's a deal!" He gave a thumb-up sign and his grin. "See you then!"
Looking at his disappearing back in the dim corridors, Sakura could feel her emotions from last night were returning: those grievous feelings, yearning for him…
"What are you doing here, Sakura?" Out of the blue, a stern voice rang.
"Shi—Master!" Sakura's nearly jumped out of the skin and calmed down.
"Something's wrong?" She asked with gentle care, despite her brutal tempers. Sakura had looked up to this great figure dearly and saw her as her blood-mother.
"That's a visitor for his friend, and we had a small conversation." She replied.
"And…you like him?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow and a corner of her lips.
"No! That's nothing…like that…" Sakura stuttered over her words and blushed. Tsunade, though she saw that, said nothing of it, but patted her shoulder and walked down the corridor. Sakura heaved a sigh of relief and went back to her office.
"There's no need for you to deny your feeling to Naruto anymore, Sakura. I can also tell he's having some sort of feelings to you!" Saku chirped again.
Sakura remained silent, but she could never concentrate on her work again.
