Chapter 9: Another Surprise Visit
Sakura ended up staying the rest of the weekend with Kakashi, finally returning home late Sunday night to prepare for the work week.
Arriving to her office on Monday morning, she felt so refreshed and ready to conquer her week ahead. Pulling on her lab coat and grabbing the pile of files that were waiting for her, she was off to her first set of rounds and appointments.
Four hours later, she finally got a moment to herself after her last set of rounds ran long. Walking back to her office with a smile, she looked forward to enjoying some quiet time with a cup of tea and the bento she made the night before.
"Sakura-san!" called out a voice behind her.
Turning she was met with one of the nurses who worked in her wing trotting up to her side.
"Hello, Hana-san!" Sakura greeted the young woman with a smile.
"I know you're going on lunch now, but could I walk with you for a moment? I wanted to get your opinion on this treatment plan for the newest patient we admitted."
"Of course! What do you have planned?"
Sakura and Hana walked the rest of the way to her office talking about the new patients treatment plan. Arriving to her door, she turned to the nurse with a big smile.
"I approve fully of this treatment you came up with. Good job, Hana! I can't wait to see what else you can do once the new clinic is done."
"Thank you, Sakura-san! Enjoy your lunch." she replied with an equally large grin, bowing before leaving the pinkette alone.
Sakura opened her door and walked into her office and froze when she noticed someone standing behind her desk looking out the window. Recognizing immediately who it was, she was temporarily taken aback at his sudden appearance after nearly two years.
"Sasuke-kun?" she whispered in disbelief.
Turning away from the window, she was greeted with a pair of mismatched eyes.
"Ah, Sakura. It's nice to see you."
'Nice to see me?'
Closing the door behind her, she made her way over to the front of her desk and sat down the files she was holding before replying to him.
"What are you doing here?"
"I've been trying to find you, but each time I went to your apartment this weekend you weren't home. I wanted to talk to you, so my next best chance was coming here."
'Because I've been at Kakashi's…' she panicked slightly.
Confusion worked its way into her. Why did Sasuke want to speak with her, she thought to herself. Eyeing him carefully, unsure what this sudden visit meant for her.
"Sorry, I wasn't home this weekend. I was outside the village." she lied.
She watched as Sasuke just stood there studying her instead of replying. She was starting to feel uncomfortable under his gaze. It was a bit too heated for her liking. He never had looked at her that way before.
'What does he want?'
Swallowing her discomfort, there was no reason to be nervous she thought to herself. It's just Sasuke! Her old teammate and friend. Maybe he wants to catch up? Has he gone to see Naruto yet?
"Have you seen Naruto yet?" she asked, trying to steer the conversation in her favor.
"I have."
Sakura began to realize that this conversation was definitely not going to go the way she wanted. Sasuke has never been a man of many words. Deciding to cut to the crap, she asked him what his purpose for come was.
"What did you want to talk about, Sasuke-kun?"
Finally stepping around the desk, Sasuke approached her slowly and stopped barely a foot away from her. She did not care for the too close proximity.
"I wanted to see you." he spoke quietly to her.
'Wait, what? See me? Why does he want to see me?'
Looking up, Sakura searched his face in hope of figuring out what he truly wanted and was met with nothing but the same unwavering cold stare. There was something in his blank stare too and it sent an unpleasant shiver up her spine.
"You wanted to see me? Why?"
"I've missed you."
'Missed me? What the hell is going on? Why is he saying things like this suddenly?'
Just a few years ago, she would have been so thrilled to hear those words from him. However, she's moved on from him. She had grown tired of waiting. She learned that she didn't love him the same way anymore. So now, now, she found and fell in love with someone else. And these words coming from him meant nothing to her now.
Before getting a chance to reply at the sudden change of behavior coming from Sasuke, he continued speaking.
"I've been thinking lately, especially since going on this journey, that I wished I would've asked you to come along with me then."
'What?'
"What? Sasuke, what are you talking about? Why are you suddenly saying all of this?"
He just blinked at her once, looking away briefly before looking back and holding her in an intense gaze.
"I love you, Sakura."
Sakura felt like she was going to faint. She thought she was dreaming. Sasuke was telling her that he loved her? What the hell was going on!? Why is he showing up out of nowhere after nearly two years and confessing this sudden love for her?
"Wait, what? You love me? Where is this coming from all of the sudden, Sasuke?"
Sasuke took a step towards her, closing the remaining distance between them. He was close enough now that he wasn't touching her still, but she could feel the heat he emitted. She held her breath.
"I didn't know then, I was still confused. I didn't know what I wanted in life. I just knew I needed to atone for the sins I committed. I feel bad making you wait so long, but now I know what I want and that's you, Sakura."
He reached up in that moment, capturing her chin between his fingers and began leaning down towards her face. She froze at the sudden action, eyes going wide while his began closing.
'What the hell is going on!? He's going to kiss me? Wait! No…'
The image of Kakashi and her laying in bed yesterday morning flashed into her mind in that instant. They had slept in, waking up at almost ten. They had spent the better part of the day laying there together talking about anything and everything.
Kakashi had kept trying to make her laugh at his dumb jokes and when she refused to laugh, he'd tackle her and tickle her and that always made her laugh. After the tickle assaults they usually ended up covering the other in a barrage of kisses.
It was the perfect day she remembered thinking while lying there with him. She had never felt more loved before than she did then.
Coming back to the situation that was currently happening, Sakura realized Sasuke was mere centimeters away from her lips. Mustering as much chakraless strength she could in that second, she pushed her hands into his chest and shoved him away from her.
Stumbling back a few feet, he caught his footing quickly. Opening his eyes, he gave her a wild look.
"What the hell, Sakura?" he spat at her.
Adrenaline was now coursing through her. She felt a mixture of confusion, anger, and disbelief washing over her. She couldn't believe this was happening. She gave him a dirty look before replying, irritation clear as she spoke.
"No, Sasuke. I don't love you like that anymore."
She watched his face twist into utter confusion and what look like hurt? Was Sasuke hurt by her words!? Today could not get anymore confusing she thought to herself.
"What?" was all he managed to say.
Finding more courage within herself, probably due to the adrenaline, Sakura stood her ground.
"I don't love you like that, Sasuke. Not anymore. I've moved on."
"Are you being serious? You're saying no? To me? The last Uchiha? You've been fawning all over me since we were kids and now you're say no? This is a privilege, Sakura!" the arrogance clear in his voice.
"Yes!" she shouted at him, "I am! I never cared that you were in Uchiha! I cared about you! But I was not going to sit around and wait for you to decide when it was convenient! So I moved on! I have wasted years pining after you when you didn't even care about me or my well being. All you probably want from me are babies anyways! To repopulate your clan! You don't want me! You want a baby machine! I'm not some easy piece of ass!"
Sasuke looked away from her after she told him off. He didn't speak for a few minutes. Sakura didn't move either, keeping a close eye on him in case he tried something else. She would fight him if needed she thought. She was over this whole interaction. Over the whole day now.
He finally looked back to her after a few more seconds.
"You've really moved on? After all these years? After all we've been through? You've moved on?"
"Yes, Sasuke. I have. I've found someone else."
His eyebrow jerked up at her statement.
"Someone else? Who?" he growled, a dark look in his eye.
'Oh shit. Sakura you need to back up and get out of this now. He can't find out it's Kakashi, not yet.'
"Who I choose to see is none of your business." she bit out.
Sasuke furrowed his brows at her, his tone reaching a deathly level.
"Who is it, Sakura."
"Leave."
"Are you scared that I'm going to go after him?"
Sakura felt her face twist up in disgust at his assumption. She laughed at the audacity of his question. Giving him a pointed look, she replied.
"No, I'm not. I'm telling you to leave before I remove you myself. You cannot come back after nearly two years and just expect me to drop my entire life for you! That's not how it works! Sorry to disappoint you, Sasuke, but life goes on with or without you! I've moved on and I'm happy! I'm not going to allow anyone, not even you, to even try and take that happiness away from me! Now leave! Please… leave!"
He just stood there watching her, contemplating his next move.
She was furious. Furious at Sasuke. She did not need this happening in her life. She just started feeling like everything was finally falling into place. Her and Kakashi were happy and in love! They were getting ready to publicly announce their relationship in two weeks. Now Sasuke was here confessing his love to her? He's throwing a wrench into her happy ending she screamed internally.
"Fine. You're losing a good thing though, Sakura. I was ready to give you the world and you'd rather throw that out for whoever you're with now. I hope he's worth it." he shot back to her, voice thick with discontent, "I hope you know though, I don't want you as just a baby machine. I want you for love and companionship. To have children would've been a product of that love. I don't want to just repopulate my clan. You've misjudged me, Sakura, and that is a mistake."
Sakura chose to remain silent as she stood there watching him leave her office. The door finally closing behind him she let out the breath didn't realize she was holding. Throwing her face into her hands she let out a quiet sob.
Sitting down in the chair that was in front of her desk, she continued crying for the remainder of her lunch.
Walking back into his office after a long and gruesome meeting with ambassadors from Iwa, Kakashi was thankful for the brief break and chance to recoup before getting some paperwork done and calling it a day.
Sitting down in his chair with a sigh, he swivelled to face the window behind him.
'I miss Sakura… It hasn't even even been a full day and I miss her. She's making me soft now.'
He smiled to himself as he thought of his girlfriend. He didn't mind that she made him soft. He was only like that around her anyways. Once she was gone or they were in public, he switched back to his tough outer exterior that everyone expected and knew. Only Sakura got to see that "soft" side.
*knock knock knock*
Groaning to himself, he could never catch a break he thought. Who could be bothering him now? Turning back around in his chair, he sat up proper and call out in a serious tone.
"Enter."
The door opened and in walked in the last person was expecting to see in his office, hell, even in the village.
It was Sasuke Uchiha.
"Sasuke?" he spoke, surprise registering in his voice.
"Kakashi."
The young man walked in the rest of the way and made his way to the front of his desk. His face completely unreadable.
"When did you return to Konoha?"
"Saturday morning."
Kakashi studied Sasuke for a few moments, suspecting he had more to say.
"Please, have a seat. Make yourself comfortable. We have a lot to discuss."
'There goes my break and getting out of work on time. I hope Sakura won't mind. I hate making her wait, especially when we planned on having dinner tonight.' he internally groaned to himself.
Sasuke had obliged and sat down in the chair provided. Over the course of the next hour, the two of them sat discussing the results of Sasuke's atonement journey and the various things he did during the time he spent away from the village.
"That's good to hear, Sasuke. Are you planning to return to the village permanently now?" Kakashi asked when the boy was finished speaking.
Sasuke shifted in his seat slightly before replying. This didn't go unnoticed to the Hokage.
"I was planning to, but some things have changed. I'm not sure right now."
Kakashi leaned back into his chair and gave the lone Uchiha a curious look.
"Some things have changed? What happened to make you suddenly reconsider?"
"Have you spoken to Sakura lately?"
He felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured onto him in that moment.
'Did he go see her? What does he want with her? What did he say to her if he saw her?' his mind racing now.
"I see her fairly regularly actually. I just approved an expansion for a clinic she directs and I often check in on it's progress and have meetings with her."
"I see."
The way he replied made him feel uneasy. Just what did Sasuke want with her? He wasted no time in figuring it out.
"Why do you ask? Did you go see her or something?" he lightly interrogated.
Sasuke shifted in his seat again. Is he uncomfortable? What did Sakura say to him to have the boy acting this way in his office.
"I did. I actually returned because of her. I finally told her I loved her and wanted to start a life with her, but she turned me down saying that she moved on."
Kakashi felt like his heart was going to jump out of his throat and do a happy dance on his desk. Sasuke had told Sakura he loves her and she turned him down! Kakashi felt happiness warm him up. Knowing now that she was that fiercely loyal to him even when they weren't publicly open with their relationship yet brought great satisfaction to him.
'That's my girl! God, I love her.' he thought as a small smug smile played on his lips under the mask.
"You love her?" he asked tentatively, feigning ignorance, "I never would have guessed that you felt that way towards her. I mean from how you acted towards her then and then being gone for so long, it's surprising."
"I do. I guess was too late though. She told me she moved on, that she decided that she wasn't going to wait around for me anymore." Sasuke confided.
Kakashi already knew all of this. Sakura told him this on their first date that her feelings were long gone and that she no longer wanted the Uchiha. Now she was with him and Sasuke had no clue. No one, but Hinata, had a clue actually. He had to treat the rest of this conversation with the utmost caution.
"I'm sorry to hear that, Sasuke." he attempted to console his former student.
Sasuke suddenly sat up in his chair and looked at Kakashi more clearly, his brow furrowing.
"You said you speak to her regularly, right?" he asked suddenly.
'Damn it, did I give myself away already?'
"I did. Multiple times a week." he added the last bit as a bit of showboating.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes at him.
'Cool it, Hatake, or he'll get suspicious.'
"She told me she was seeing someone, but wouldn't tell me who. Has she told you anything?"
Kakashi just sat there staring at Sasuke after his revelation. Sakura had made it clear she was seeing someone when she turned him down. Did Sasuke try pushing it and she had to go that far to get him to back off?
'I need to see her and find out what exactly went down between them.'
"No, I didn't know she was seeing anyone either. I thought she was still waiting for you." he lied again.
It took everything in him to say that. Sasuke furrowed his brow further at this and let out a small scoff.
"I see. Maybe I'll go ask Naruto and see if he knows. I just want to know who managed to steal her away from me." he sneered, getting up from the chair and began walking towards the door, "I'll do whatever to try and get her back because I do love her. I want her…"
Kakashi felt a wave of anger wash over him at Sasuke's indirect insult towards Sakura. Opening his mouth to say something, but stopping because he didn't want to give himself away. He felt conflicted. He wanted, no, needed to defend Sakura, but he couldn't. Not openly yet and it frustrated him to no end.
'She's not some object for you to toss around as you see fit.' he silently told off Sasuke.
"It was nice seeing you, Sasuke. Please come see me once you decide whether you stay or not." he managed to get out.
"Hn."
And like that, he was gone.
Kakashi released the tension he had built up throughout the meeting. He suddenly felt exhausted and the urge to go to Sakura skyrocketed.
Sasuke has suddenly popped up back in the village out of the blue to admit his love to Sakura. He felt a pang of pride knowing the fact that she turned him down. Then Sasuke came to his office and complained that she didn't sit around and wait for him to pick when he returned those feelings.
He was conflicted with the situation, but he knew he could relax. The only person he cared about in this had reaffirmed her feelings for him to someone who she once held deep feelings for.
He wanted to go see Sakura. He needed to go check on her and see how she was doing. He knew that she was probably rattled by the sudden appearance of the Uchiha, especially if he came onto to her strongly like he believes he did.
He felt another wave of mixed emotions wash over him, replacing the seething anger. It was jealousy he realized. He was upset that someone came onto his girlfriend and had the sudden urge to go tell Sasuke to back off. But at the same time he knew Sakura could take of herself.
She had a monster strength that even he was nervous of and prayed to never be at the receiving end of one of her blows. Tsunade had done extremely well in teaching her. If someone tried something dumb, he knew that she would knock them clear into another country before he could get ahold of them.
Another wave of exhaustion hit him. Jealousy was something he never felt. This relationship exposed him to many new things he just wasn't use too and some days it was exhausting. Today proved to be one of the most annoying and exhausting so far.
Looking up to the clock above his door, he noted it was fifteen minutes before his usual time to go home. Looking at the pile of paperwork next to him, he decided that it was best left for tomorrow morning. His focus was shattered now and nothing would get done even if he stayed and tried working.
Getting up from his chair, he made his way out. Sakura's apartment was his destination.
'I need to know that she's okay.'
A/N: Oh man, what a intense chapter if I do say so myself! What does this mean for our couple now that Sasuke has admitted these feelings for Sakura?
Please leave a review if you have the time, I love hearing from you guys! Your ongoing support makes writing this story worth it!
Special thank you to my beta, Taytay95, for being awesome and reviewing two chapters on such short notice! If there are any mistakes, we do apologize! Go check out her own KakaSaku stories! She's seriously an amazing writer!
