A/N: Happy reading!

I don't own Naruto.


It was getting late, and the shop was being prepped to close. Sakura eyed the dark roast coffee dispenser, and noticed it was mostly empty. She'd have to refill it that night, or risk doing it in public the next day, and she did not want that.

Slinking into the back of her café, Sakura took out a key, and unlocked a door. She peered into a narrow pantry, crammed into a corner. The storage area had a strong odor of coffee; it was where she stored the various beans. Bags upon bags were stacked, each marking where they were bought from. A large majority of the bags were stamped by the agricultural sector in Kusa.

Stepping quietly, so not to cause any creaks in the old floorboards, Sakura was about to grab one of the bags, when a voice interrupted her. "I wouldn't do that."

She jumped, startled by Kimimaro. "Why not? I have to refill the dark roast beans, I'm not going to mess anything up. I've been doing this for a while now, before you were stationed here."

Kimimaro seemed to ignore her words. "There's a run tomorrow night. We cannot afford to mess anything up," he said monotonously. "There is also someone waiting for you out there. He did not see me. Remember your place, you are in debt to us. Tread very carefully, little mouse."

She got up, easily looking at the white haired man as she walked by. He ignored her and crouched down to the floor, grabbing a bag of beans. She turned around, and walked back to the front of the shop, only to stop in her tracks.

Sasuke.

He was standing in the middle of her café, looking a little lost and very apprehensive.

Warily, she said, "Hello, Sasuke…"

He turned to face her, his eyes widening briefly before he snorted and his face took on a more angry expression. "'Hello, Sasuke.' After three fucking years, that's all you have to say?" He snarled. She winced. Sasuke never swore.

She hated seeing Sasuke like this; she knew he was angry and lashing out because she had hurt him. "I'm sorry," Sakura told him, approaching him and looking up at him with sincerity. The raven haired man faltered for a moment, letting himself soften, before he gathered himself again.

"Sakura. Hearing 'I'm sorry' won't do anything. You left suddenly and without warning. We looked for you everywhere. We thought you went missing or you were dead or something because we never thought that you'd leave without telling us." He told her with such misery in his voice, that she felt as if her guilt slapped her.

"And here you are. Safe and sound, and running that business you always wanted," he croaked out, wiping at his eyes furiously, before his gaze turned steely. "You better have a damn good explanation for why you've been missing for so long!"

She turned away, a hand placed over her mouth, and eyes downcast. "Sasuke, I can't tell you," she whispered.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T TELL ME? I'm your best friend!" He roared. "You left me and Naruto terrified! You left me, you left us! What about all those things we planned, huh? Those plans for an apartment and a dog and Naruto becoming mayor and you a doctor and me the Chief of the KPD? Us being there for each other the whole way? Naruto was a mess! But you don't know that! I'm sure the dobe didn't want to upset you and so he hid it all inside. You left Itachi, and Shisui, and Mom and Dad and Kushina-san and Minato-san! You left your parents, you left Shikamaru and Ino! You left me!" He nearly sobbed.

Continuing in a wobbly voice, uncaring of whether there were tears in his companions eyes or not, he spoke. "So don't you dare tell me you can't tell me, or I swear I'll never forgive you."

The tears came unbidden down her cheeks. She gasped softly, and her shoulders shook with raw emotion. "I can't tell you, Sasuke. I wish I could, but I can't."

Sasuke became stone. "Can't, or won't?" He asked icily. When she said nothing, he glared harshly. "I see. Goodbye, Sakura. Perhaps it would've been better if you never came back."

With that, the Uchiha swiftly left the café, not spearing a glance behind him, the cold fury in his heart making him unable to care for Sakura's sobs.

When he was long gone, she clutched at her heart and whispered through her tears, "I can't tell you Sasuke."

Her eyes trailed to Kimimaro who stood like a stone statue in the shadow of her walk-in pantry.

They'll kill you.


A/N: The SasuSaku scene remains mostly unchanged, with the exception of Kimimaro being involved. Iwatsuru is a place in Konoha, according to the google images I referenced. Tell me what you think!

Anbu-chan