Disclaimer: I. DO. NOT. OWN. NAR.U.TO. Obviously.

Mind, Body, and Spirit

Chapter Fourteen

I listened to the ringing and waited. I did a lot of waiting today so I was used to it. Then the ringing stopped and I heard a muffled, "Hello?"

I sighed. Took a deep breath and responded to the greeting. I continued down the stairs with my heels echoing again. And those echoes were accompanied with the echo of my voice saying, "Hey-ey-ey, Kakashi-i-i…"

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It was set. The time… the place… it was a date. Not literally, of course, just the expression. Kakashi and I will meet up in a half hour at a small teahouse in the northern part of Konoha. And now I am already making my way to the teahouse. It was all the way on the other side of the village, which is quite a distance. If I used the rooftops it would take somewhere between five to ten minutes. So, I decided to just walk there slowly to take up time. I would probably still be a little early, but I had no problem with that. I didn't want to go back home right now…

I always enjoy a nice long walk, but I never really had the chance to walk to places before because I was always busy with something. But now that I'm on vacation… But it doesn't feel like I'm on a vacation. You are supposed to enjoy your vacation. I'm not exactly in paradise right now. I feel more like I'm… obsolete. That's the perfect word to describe my condition: obsolete. I'm useless to everyone around me… Well, doesn't that sound familiar?

I have now just realized that when I am alone, I start thinking about things that I would rather keep on hold, so, it would make sense if I wanted to be around someone so I could keep my mind off all of my troublesome matters… but no. I really don't want to be around anyone. I don't even want to be in the world right now. I just… I don't know what I want. All I know is that I am completely screwed up in the head.

I kept my steady pace and looked at all the buildings around me. There were only a few people on the streets. It wasn't quite noon yet. Maybe that's why Kakashi's voice was muffled. He probably went back to sleep after he left my house and had gone to Tsunade. He was probably still sleeping when I called. Part of me felt bad, but the other felt satisfied. He's always so lazy. If I hadn't called, more than likely, he would have been in bed for a few more hours, or until his stomach woke him up, begging for food. I slightly shook my head. He was supposedly a grown man. He needs a wife or someone to get him off his butt. I slowed down at little. Where did that come from? Why would I think that Kakashi needs a female companion? He doesn't need anyone. He's fine. What the hell is wrong with me? My thoughts seem to get weirder and weirder… I stopped walking and looked down at my hands, something I do when I question myself. And I noticed that in my hand, I still held the name card and the pills. My eyes widened. I felt so exposed. Here I was, walking around the village, passing people, and I held the name card of a psychiatrist and a container of sleeping pills. Why don't I just go on top of Hokage Mountain with a megaphone and scream to the entire village that I'm seeing a shrink and am taking pills! I slapped my forehead with my free hand, and unconsciously I said, "Ouch," because it actually hurt. Out of all the times I've hit my head, I've never really seemed to be affected by it. But now, I actually felt pain. That just proves how stupid I've been lately. Hitting my forehead is simply a reaction I do when I feel like an idiot. I've never done so many stupid things in a few days.

I sighed. I couldn't exactly hide the container in my pocket, considering that my pants were kind of tight. I was lucky I fit my cell phone in one of the pockets. I quickly stashed the name card in with my phone. I closed my hand around the label of the container so no one would see the name at least. I looked around, desperately trying to come up with a plan. Why hadn't I brought a purse!? I wanted to rip my hair out. I'll probably end up prematurely bald from all the stress this is causing me. I really hope that a few years from now, I'll be able to laugh at this part of my life. I really, really, REALLY hope I'll be able to laugh… otherwise… I don't know, but I really feel like punching something right now! That sounded like the old me, didn't it… Maybe I am fixable…

I seemed to have calmed down, just by this small thought. A small thought that meant a lot to me. Around me, there were a few people at their carts ready to sell their product. Some of these venders I recognized. It all made sense now. It is so true that you can't think when you panic. And now that my mind is calm, I have just figured out a plan to hide my pills. My mood seems to have lightened by the fact that my brain seems capable of working clearly again. Things are going back to normal, even if only slightly.

I knew where I was, and I knew some of the venders personally by either having bought things from them or because I have healed them in the past or a combination of the two. I clutched the orange container tightly, still covering the label. I spotted one cart with a woman standing behind it. She sold produce.

I walked over, but the woman was crouched down, arranging some brown bags. I wanted to smile, but I didn't, of course. Brown bags. That's what I'm here for. I didn't want to be rude, but I wanted to get this done quickly. I cleared my throat and the large, older woman spun around, literally. Her hands flew up in the air and she said in an apologizing tone, "Oh, excuse me, dear! What would you like today?" The woman didn't have her glasses on; therefore, she didn't recognize me.

"Um, Mrs. Ebb… it's me… Sakura…"

Mrs. Ebb squinted her old, weary eyes, and as she did so, more wrinkles formed on her face. She must have registered my unmistakable pink hair and large green eyes because realization seemed to have washed over her. "Sakura, dear!" she exclaimed, "I haven't seen you for so long!" My mouth formed a slight upward curve to it, an automatic half-smile, but it was just a smile on the outside. It wasn't Mrs. Ebb that bothered me, of course. I was just in a bitter mood. But I wouldn't want the nice, old woman to be affected by my not-so-attractive mood, so the slight smile was present.

"Hello, Mrs. Ebb. It really has been a long time."

"Yes, yes." Then Mrs. Ebb started patting her hands around her waist and then her hips, as if she were feeling for something. "Ah ha!" she exclaimed when she felt a lump in one of her many pockets of her heavy coat. She took out her high-prescription glasses. I would know. I was the one who diagnosed her prescription about two years ago. The woman was practically blind without them…

Mrs. Ebb clapped her hands together and asked, "How may I help you?"

"Well…" I really had no idea what I wanted. I didn't want to just ask for bag, and if I stole one, which I could easily do without her noticing, I would feel bad. I looked at the different assortments of produce… fruits… and vegetables… that all I had to choose from. It shouldn't be this difficult!

"Um… dear…"

Poor Mrs. Ebb. She was probably wondering what was taking so long and why I can't just pick some random item. "The apples are some of the best that I've had for a while,…" she said, trying to help me out. She's too sweet.

"Then I'll have an apple, please."

"Just one?" She almost sounded sad when she said this. I actually felt guilty.

"Um… then I'll take two." Mrs. Ebb's smiled became larger. I wish I could be more like her. Simple things made her happy. Very simple things.

She took two red, shiny apples and reached down for the brown paper bag that I've been waiting for. My eyes never left the bag when she started making small talk.

"So, Sakura, dear," she started, "I didn't see you at the office the other day."

"The other day?"

"Yes, Yuki came in for his yearly physical, and you usually do it… so when you weren't there, we were surprised. It took several minutes to convince the poor boy to allow another doctor to see him." Yuki is Mrs. Ebb's nine-year-old grandson. Her very sweet grandson. I now felt horrible about myself.

"Oh… Um, sorry about that…" I watched as she placed the apples in the bag.

"It's alright dear, you deserve a break after all the work you do."

The bag was still in her hands. "Huh. It's funny that you should say that…" Mrs. Ebb's head tilted a little to the side, and I continued, "You see… I'm actually on a break right now… a… vacation…"

"Oh! Good for you! You deserve it!"

"Thanks… yeah, I… I deserve it." Yeah, Ideserve being obsolete. Let's all throw a party… Mrs. Ebb folded the top of the brown bag and she reached over her cart and finally handed me the bag. I quickly grabbed it and I regretted my hastiness. I really hope Mrs. Ebb didn't notice my sudden rush. The old woman smiled at me, so I guess she didn't notice, or maybe she did but just didn't say anything.

"How much will it…" I started, but stopped. Not just because Mrs. Ebb quickly interrupted me.

"Nonsense!" she exclaimed, "After all the things you have done for my family! The least I can do is give you two free apples!" I wanted to look up to the sky and raise my hands to the heavens. This may be the only good luck that I've received and that I'll be receiving for a while. When I had started my sentence earlier, I had just realized that I didn't bring my wallet with me. My hands started sweating. I clutched the orange pill container more tightly.

I normally would have declined the kind offer, but not this time. "Well," I said, "If you insist." I now held the bag in my left hand while my right hand was hidden behind my back. I took a small step backward, preparing to retreat from the cart. "Well, I have to go…"

"Alright! Come again, dea–"

My stomach dropped. Mrs. Ebb's voice abruptly stopped because of the abrupt "thump" and "rattle" noise. Something just fell on the cement road and something in that something made a rattling noise. Gee, I wonder what it was? The something rolled on the uneven surface of the road and no; it didn't roll in my direction. Mrs. Ebb slowly crouched down and picked up, of all things, the orange container that had slipped out of my hand. Oh, shit. Her eyebrows scrunched together and my mouth hung agape. I looked like a fish out of water. "Are these yours?"

My loose jaw shut and the muscles tightened. I grabbed the bottle from her hands with more swiftness than when I had grabbed the brown bag. I quickly made up an excuse to get me out of the unfortunate situation. "No. They are not mine." I inwardly rolled my eyes. Some excuse. That's a pathetic excuse for an excuse.

"Um…. You see, they are for a patient of mine…" Then I just remembered that I was on break, which meant that I would not be seeing any patients…

"Well, um, I'm on break… but… I…" I finished that sentence in my head. But…. I… I am an idiot. "I… promised a patient of mine that that I would get them some of this medicine… and I promised them before I went on break… so… yeah. That's it." That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

"Oh." Mrs. Ebb smiled and her eyebrows straightened out. "You are such a nice and giving girl, Sakura."

"Oh, yeah. That's me. Always giving! Giving, giving, giving…" I sighed.

"Well, you better get going then. The weather seems like it will be getting terrible…" Mrs. Ebb looked up at the sky. And then I followed suit. "Oh, shit… oh, sorry..." I always try my best not to curse outside of my head, but sometimes it slips. I apologized because Mrs. Ebb is not the type of person to curse and I didn't want to do it around her. But I couldn't really help it. When I got out of the house this morning… it was relatively sunny… I think… I don't recall any dark clouds. The dark clouds and the gray sky caught me off guard. The sky gave off an ominous feeling that I just didn't like.

Mrs. Ebb was rambling on about packing up her cart soon before the weather hit and then I said my farewell and she told me to come see her anytime I want.

I picked up my pace into a fast walk and I stuffed the troublesome container of pills into the brown bag that carried my two apples. I didn't care if I was ten or fifteen minutes early. I was going to have to wait anyway. Kakashi wasn't exactly known for his punctuality. Quite the opposite, in fact. As long as I got under some kind of roof before the storm hit, then I would be a fairly content konoichi. For the moment.

I kept at my fast pace and watched everyone around me prepare for the storm. How did I not know about this!? I guess I've been excluded from the world a little too long. I really needed to catch up. Well, all I needed was one conversation with Ino, and I'd be all caught up with everything that is going on in the world. I actually missed my blonde friend. What was she up to these days? What was everyone up to these days?

I knew I was getting closer to the teahouse. Much closer. Nearly there. I glanced back to the sky and the dark clouds seemed to be closer, following me. I narrowed my eyes to them, as if it would really matter. I could then make out the shape of the teahouse. There wasn't anyone waiting outside of it, except for one tall man standing outside, leaning against the building with his arms crossed over his chest. I could make out a few people leaving and a few entering. I kept walking quickly, but then I felt something wet on my bare arm. A raindrop. So it has finally started. At least I beat the rain. Poor Kakashi. He's going to get wet. Well, that's what he gets for always making people wait. And he better not wait until the rain stops. I'll be pissed off if he does.

I quickened my walk so I could make it to the teahouse before the lone raindrop was accompanied with more of its kind. I felt content enough when I was within a few yards from the teahouse. But I couldn't believe what my eyes saw. I didn't move, just stood right in front of the building. I checked my watch. I still had a good ten minutes to get here at the scheduled time… and yet…

"Sakura, do you think it's smart to stand out there when it's about to pour?" came the lazy, usually uninterested voice of the man who was leaning against the wall of the teahouse. This time, though, the voice sounded mocking. Joking around. Playing around with me. The voice belonged to none-other-than my old sensei.

"K-Kakashi?"

"Hm?" He looked up at me.

"Y-you… you're here."

"Of course."

"But you're here. Early. Before me."

Kakashi chuckled at me, obviously amused. I walked up to him and stood underneath the small canopy that the teahouse provided. "Ready to go in?" he asked. He turned around and headed toward the door, but I stopped him by putting my hand on his shoulder.

"Kakashi, is my watch wrong or something? Because… this makes no sense! I don't… Er…" I sounded utterly confuse, and I was. Is something wrong with him?

He chuckled again at me and turned to face me. Then I asked, "Is your watch wrong? Because…"

"Sakura," he stopped me in mid-rant, "When have I ever owned a watch?"

"Well… I don't recall…"
"Sakura," he said in an even tone, "I wasn't going to keep you waiting." I slowly let my hand slip from his shoulder and became quiet. "I wasn't going to keep you waiting." Those words seemed very important for some reason. It felt like I should remember this sentence, his exact words. I already had the words permanently memorized in my brain.

"Oh," was all I could say. The bag in my hand felt lighter, as did the head on my shoulders. Was I floating?

"Should we go in now?" I just nodded my head. He turned and walked to the door as I followed. He opened the door for me, which was all too familiar for me today. I gratefully walked in and I felt him behind me. He was very calm. The opposite of what I've been feeling lately. He never seems to get flustered like I do. He's always aloof, seeming like he's not exactly there mentally, but he always is… He doesn't get upset or hold childish grudges… he was a man. Kakashi would only get upset over something that was… worth getting upset over. I wasn't exactly all there mentally when Kakashi slipped in front of me, leading us to a table. I just followed his back. If someone where talking to me, I wouldn't have been able to hear them.

We sat down at a small table that was only meant for two people. Kakashi and I sat across from each other. I placed my brown bag on the floor next to my legs. Kakashi must have noticed the bag because he asked, "Went shopping?"

"Um… sorta… I bought some… hm." I stopped talking. I crouched down and opened my brown bag and pulled out an apple. I held it in my long fingers, as if I were displaying it, trying to sell it off. "Want an apple?" I asked. It came out so naturally. I wasn't even embarrassed. It felt like it was okay to say this because… I felt comfortable around Kakashi.

Kakashi shrugged. "Sure." He made it seem like it was the most natural thing to say. I smiled and handed him the red apple. I smiled. I actually smiled. It was real. I haven't felt this real in a long time, and it felt too refreshing, but not refreshing enough. I wanted more. I wanted to feel like this more often.

The waiter came and asked if we were ready. I nodded my head and looked at Kakashi, making sure he was too. And he was. Everything seemed too perfect. "I'll just have water." The waiter nodded and looked at Kakashi. "Gyokuro tea." The waiter nodded again and was off.

"Sakura, we're in a teahouse."

"Um, I know that."

"And you got water."

"Your point being…?"

Kakashi sighed and gave up. He leaned further into his chair and slouched a bit more, getting comfortable. I laughed at his exasperated face. He was obviously just putting on the show for my sake, and I loved him for that. And I just realized that I laughed. I laughed. If the smile was a big deal, this was colossal.

"Oh my goodness…" I breathed out as I said this.

Kakashi didn't say anything but he looked up to stare at my face, obviously wanting me to continue.

"Well, I… I haven't laughed in a while…it's nice."

Kakashi nodded. "I bet."

And that's how it started. It started so naturally. Everything that has happened so far seems… just the way it should be. There was never an awkward silence. If a silence were to occur, it was comfortable. I could relax. For now.

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Authoress's Note: I updated pretty quick! And the chapter is long again! I thank everyone who has reviewed. I try to get at least 10 reviews per chapter. That's my goal. So I usually wait until I get 10 reviews to update again, but this time I didn't wait. I wanted to post the chapter for you guys. Remember! REVIEW, please!