Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Yeah, tell me about it.
I'm back! Writing the next chapters for this story has been a massive pain. It gets harder, I tell ya. Sorry if it's a bit late. It just took some time. And you should know, that I'm also working on my thesis at the moment, so it's just been a busy month. Hope you understand.
Thank you all for the reviews. I appreciate them all, both the good and the bad. So, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter 14: Colorblind
I like you calm, as if you were absent,
And you hear me far-off, and my voice does not touch you.
- Neruda
The silence in the room was threatening. No one moved a muscle as they waited for the Fifth Hokage's next words. The Hokage's great table separated her from the rest of the people in the room. Sakura was the only one sitting in the chair with the cushion, the rest standing almost uncomfortably around. The girl was not looking so good. Tsunade feared that the cushion would swallow her and would never let her emerge again.
"I'm sorry?" Sakura said with a hint of sarcasm in her tone.
The Fifth Hokage took a deep breath, that of an old person's – weary and tired.
"There is a legend of how the sealing of beasts in humans came to be. The way it is known now, the one who seals the beast in a human must sacrifice himself in order for the process to be a success. That's the way it has always been, even for Naruto," Tsunade said as she paused and saw the man she was talking about visibly cringe at the end of the room.
"The process of sealing is much like that of life transfer, and by the way that your doctor described your technique on Naruto, it's a little bit of both. While transferring life energy to Naruto, you, in effect, refashioned the seal of the Fourth Hokage on him. As of now, we don't know why your condition is like that. Now, there is a fairly unknown legend that tells of a person who survived the sealing of a beast. Kyoshi Namine. She was said to be the very first shinobi medic and the first one to perform the sealing of a tailed-beast and survive it. There has been no record of her dying and we believe that she is in Owari now," she finished. Tsunade watched as Sakura wearily glanced around the room, probably realizing that she was the only one who hasn't heard the story yet.
"So?" she simply asked.
"I'm sending a team to find the original medic, bring her here and take a look at you. Uchiha volunteered, as well as Kakashi and Hyuuga Neji. For the mean time, I'm assigning Naruto to be your body guard at all times until the team comes back with Namine. We do not know when your attackers will strike again, so we will make sure you're protected. You will also have a weekly meeting with me and your doctor for check ups and medications. And also, I want you to move out of that filthy apartment of yours and back into your parent's house," the Fifth Hokage declared. Another silence prevailed in the room, the rest of the people obviously waiting for the sick girl's reaction to the news.
Tsunade expected anything from Sakura, except her full-blown laughter. In her seat which seemed too big for her, she clutched her stomach as a rumble of laughing noises came out of her throat. Everyone seemed too stunned to inquire about why the hell she was laughing. The thin girl seemed too fragile to even generate a laugh like that. Her reaction lasted for about a minute as Tsunade rearranged herself in her chair, waiting for Sakura to speak.
"Oh my God...I mean, I'm sorry. It's just really funny," the pink-haired woman finally stated, remnants of her laughter still being heard by the people in the room.
"What is?" Tsunade asked glumly.
"Okay, you do know that that is a legend, right? Another word for a story that's not true? Where did you get it, a children's book?" Sakura answered, her tone increasingly becoming hostile.
"It came from an account from Uchiha Madara's journals. He personally met the woman, and believed her to be an immortal one," Uchiha Sasuke interjected. Sakura turned around from her seat.
"So this, this ridiculous plan, is your idea?" Sakura asked the sharingan-user.
"This is our only shot, Sakura," Hyuuga Neji added. Tsunade watched with a watchful glance how Sakura turned her attention to the pale-eyed man.
"I can't believe you agreed to this," she said in a whisper to Neji.
"I approved it. Plus, seeing as Neji is not in good terms with his clan right now, it's best that he leaves the village while we sort things out," Tsunade interrupted. Sakura was still standing with her back turned to Tsunade when she replied.
"Can everyone just give me a minute alone with Godaime-sama, please?" she said in a neutral tone. The rest of them visibly pondered on whether to grant the girl's request. She obviously did not approve of what they were planning.
It had been too long, the Fifth Hokage thought. Wanting Sakura to be protected and wanting her to know the truth were not mutually exclusive at the moment. But a part of her wanted to bring her both.
"Go," Tsunade simply ordered the shinobi and doctor in the room.
It had been five minutes since the people left in the room, and Sakura still had her back on her former shishou. Tsunade waited patiently for her to finally say something as she closed the open window in her office to keep the cold wind from entering the room. It would be a cold night tonight.
"No," Sakura finally started, facing Tsunade with a stern look on her face.
"This isn't your decision anymore," Tsunade calmly retorted as she slumped in her chair.
"The hell it isn't! You're making them go on this wild goose chase while ordering your successor to protect a sick civilian! Have you lost your mind? This is obviously not a matter of national security, is it?" Sakura had started her rant. It reminded Tsunade of the spirit she once admired from her student. She had always been one to speak her mind, even though she knew she wasn't going to win against her master, or Kakashi and occasionally Naruto for that matter. Sakura was classified as a first generation shinobi from her file, and she did not demonstrate any remarkable trait worthy of a bloodline shinobi. But people remembered her for her wit and ability to think fast. She always made a valid judgment, and Tsunade thought that this moment was not different from all the other times they argued about what treatment to use for a certain disease or injury.
"They are the ones who volunteered for this, Sakura. And I'm allowing it," Tsunade answered. Again, her former student was testing her patience, a trait that she had never been known to possess much of.
"My point, again, is why? Why are you allowing this? You know they're never gonna find her," was the pink-haired's answer, her strained voice threatening to be louder than it already was.
"You know, this lack of optimism facade that you seem to put up is getting old, Sakura. I thought you were mature enough to comprehend that martyrdom is not the way we shinobi do it these days," she fired back, tired of Sakura's willingness to die too easily. She could see Sakura's eyes widening, slowly being filled with surprise and hurt. Granted, it was more mocking than it was helpful in their argument, but Tsunade had heard enough.
"You think this is about being a martyr? You think I choose to suffer so I'd be later known as a brave hero who saved a life?" she said in a croaking voice, tears threatening to fall. "Those...are my precious people out there," she said, pointing outside the door. "Most of them I've hurt because I was always weak. And to put them through this, just so I can believe in some false hope that you're giving me is beyond acceptable. I will never forgive myself if even in death I am still a burden to them," she groaned out, her hands trembling and fisting at both her sides.
The tears that Tsunade had expected to fall from her student's eyes were not visible. She did not notice that her hands had been trembling too on top of her table. The one trait that she noticed right away upon getting to know Sakura was that she loved too much. She was like that with her patients, she was like that with Sasuke, and she was more with Naruto. There wasn't much she wouldn't do for them, and it had become both her strength and weakness. Seeing her like that put a dull ache in her chest. Tsunade tried to calm down and think of a better way of phrasing her words.
"I understand where you're coming from, Sakura. I do. But you know these precious people, and there is no way in hell that they are just going to stand back and let you die like that," she started.
"I kept silent for a reason, Tsunade," Sakura replied. "I like it that way."
"You are not protecting them by keeping away. We are not letting this go and just let you go through this by yourself," she stated with finality.
"You did. For the past three years. And I never questioned you for it," Sakura said in a firm voice devoid of judgment or accusation. She was simply just stating a fact. Tsunade's eyes widened for a split second before she got a hold of her emotions at Sakura's statement.
"We are going to do this with or without your permission as a direct order from your Hokage. You may not be a shinobi anymore but you sure as hell are a citizen of this village which I am the leader of," Tsunade said while slowly rising from her chair. "You may not believe in me anymore, Sakura, but I want to protect you," she added, this time with a gentler voice.
Sakura refused to look at her the rest of the conversation, even when the rest of the people returned to the room and until Haji escorted her back so she can rest.
The room had been silent again after she briefed Hatake Kakashi and the others for the mission. Uchiha Sasuke would join the team without Juugo and the others with a strict warning that Tsunade will personally cave in his pretty little head should he stray from the group. As for Naruto, he was not to leave Sakura's side, despite Neji's objections that another shinobi should be assigned to guard Sakura.
"Do you not have confidence that Naruto will be able to protect her, Neji?" she had asked.
"Believe me, Godaime-sama, I have no qualms about his strength and ability and I have the highest respect for him, but his history with Sakura..." he started in argument but Tsunade beat him to a retort.
"Exactly, Neji. I did not choose Naruto to stay with her because he is the strongest, but because his history with Sakura may provide us with a proper diagnosis and treatment for her. Her life energy resides in Naruto now, and we may have to put him through tests to find a connection. It's actually just an additional perk that he can protect her," she stated calmly. It was true. Naruto had volunteered to take any tests that could help Sakura in any way, even agreeing if there was a possibility of reversing the life transfer. "Would you like to argue more..or are we done here, Hyuuga?" she added. The said man remained silent, and Tsunade knew that it was the closest to an agreement that she would get out of him.
"Good. Now, I've ordered ANBU to transfer her things back to her parent's house. Help her get settled first and be ready for your departure at dawn two days from now. That is all. You're dismissed," Tsunade ordered.
Naruto, who had been silent all this time, lingered for a moment after everyone had left, hesitation apparent in his face.
"Do you...I mean, do you think..." he started, his blue eyes boring intently at the Hokage.
"We'll do everything we can, Naruto. Just keep her safe for now. And it would be nice if you can try to patch things up with her," she answered, already knowing what was bothering her supposed successor.
"I don't think that's even possible at this point. We don't remember how to be around with each other anymore," he said trembling, one hand covering half of his face as if to keep something from falling.
"Hey," she interrupted. Naruto had never been this vulnerable for a long amount of time. This was taking a toll on him already. "You want to save her, right?" He nodded in answer. "Then we'll start with that." His glance returned to her, a little calmer than before. After another nod, he left the room.
Once they were finally gone with only Shizune in the room, Tsunade slumped heavily in her chair, slamming her head on the sturdy table which supported a mountain of neglected paper work. Her assistant approached the table with a ceramic bottle.
"You've been sober since the wedding, Tsunade-sama, so I'll make an exception tonight," Shizune said, while pouring white liquid into a glass, something she never did since she became Tsunade's apprentice.
"Not tonight," her master said, steadily walking towards the windows and opening it, letting the cold air stir around the room.
"May I speak freely, Tsunade-sama?" the raven-haired woman asked.
"You know you always can, Shizune," she regarded while gazing at the village she vowed to protect even before she knew how to hold a kunai.
"I think that you're allowed to change your mind about what is right, even if you are the Hokage."
"I thought I was doing the right thing three years ago."
"And this is the right thing now."
Long pause.
"I am the Hokage, and yet I treaded this thing so carelessly."
"We are all human first, Tsunade-sama. And I think you are doing the best you can, given the code that was passed to you regarding... regarding the child."
"Was I wrong then, Shizune? When I chose to ignore it and let her...?" she said, unable to continue.
"I seriously don't know. But...I think what we are doing now is better than before. And I think things will be better soon," her apprentice told her in an attempt to soothe and reassure.
"I hope you're right," Tsunade said, closing her eyes and letting the bitter chilly wind caress her face into numbness.
To say that they had tension was a bit of understatement.
It had been three days since Kakashi's team left to find Namine. Getting to Owari required a month of travel and going through warzones and Sakura voiced her disapproval albeit very thoroughly, but by that time, Kakashi, Sasuke and Neji had learned to tune her out. The only thing she told both Neji and the raven-haired shinobi before they left was "Don't you dare kill each other."
Sakura had safely moved back to her parent's house. Shizune helped her settle in while Naruto hung out awkwardly in the living room. It was the same as Naruto remembered the house. He had visited here a few times, even crashed in the couch for some nights. Save for the books and he assumed a few things that were brought back, he thought that nothing much changed.
Naruto was to stay in the house, occupying the couch as his bed, and accompany the girl for weekly checkups and other errands. Few words were shared in the first week.
"You can't go to my room," she had said in a firm tone. They were in the living room, both standing about a fair distance from each other. "There's another bathroom at the end of the hall. You can use that. And Shizune-san restocked the pantry so you can cook and eat whatever you want. They're mostly whole grain and lean meat, but I guess you can bring ramen if you want. She said she'll be coming by to bring food but just in case, you can have anything in the kitchen. There's also a housekeeper who would come once a week. I..I also go out depending on my...mood. But you can go out whenever you want." There was a long pause. With a quick okay, Naruto agreed. There was only so much he could say when she was obviously trying to be casual with their living arrangements.
Sakura spent her days locked in her room which he cannot enter. Sometimes she came to the living room to pick out a book in the shelves and then proceed to the patio where she'd read for the rest of the day with a big blanket over her form. It was a different kind of boredom for Naruto. Most days he would wonder what's happening with Sakura in her room, sometimes standing outside the door attempting to knock and see if she was okay. But he was always unable to. So he would pace around the house, looking at old pictures and even browsing through books himself, though most were medical ones. Sakura loved readings classic novels and poetry, so maybe she kept them in her room, which he was always reminded he was prohibited to enter. At night, he hears coughing sounds from her room, but they fade by midnight or so. By morning, she'd emerge, make some breakfast and tea as if nothing was wrong.
One time, he found her sleeping in her chair as the night was coming. He attempted to wake her with a soft shake in the shoulders and then she woke up and hurried back to her room. That was the closest he had been to touching her. Even through the thick blanket that covered her form, there was a certain coldness that reached his hand. Her body looked like an assembly of misassembled parts, very thin and fragile. Even her face looked very different from what he remembered. Anyone would judge her to be really sick.
Wednesday came and Sakura came out of her room, looking a bit better, dressed to go out with a long-sleeved beige shirt on, dark brown pants and sandal which covered her feet. He was reading some scrolls on the kitchen table.
"I'm going out," she said to him.
"Uhm, where?" he said, hastily standing up and putting the scrolls in a bag. He wore a relatively thin t-shirt and pants with his forehead protector on. It was a hot day, and he thought Sakura was wearing stuffy clothes. Then again, ever since he saw her again, he had never seen her wearing anything aside from clothes which covered her completely.
"The orphanage," she answered, already opening the door.
"Oh," he said, following her to the door. He saw her turn around to face him from the door with an expression on her face as if ready to argue against his company, but after long pause, she mumbled "Fine" and went out. She must be avoiding all contacts and unnecessary conversation with him for her to back down that easily.
He let her walk a certain distance ahead from him. "I just have to stop by the bakery first," she said, not looking back at him. He simply offered silence as an answer. She picked up two boxes from the bakery, the baker commenting that it was an order that was one week late which she profusely apologized to reasoning that she had been down with the flu. Naruto simply kept silent through the conversation, trying to respect Sakura's prerogative to lie about her condition. But he insisted on carrying the boxes which seemed to contain a cake on one and a bunch of cupcakes on the other.
His past busy life had kept him from visiting the orphanage, and he thought it was only the second or third time he had been there. He wasn't raised in an orphanage, which most people assumed about him, instead the Third Hokage looked after him in a rundown apartment. A rotund woman welcomed the two of them as they passed the gate. She met them halfway and put her arms around Sakura which she welcomed. For a moment, Naruto was scared that her arms would snap Sakura's like a twig. He let out an unnoticed sigh as the women let go with smiles on their faces.
"Sakura-san, it's so good to see you again. You haven't been here a while. The children have been sad," the woman squeaked, her high pitched voice being a sharp contrast to her appearance.
"I'm so sorry, Akane-san. I've been," Sakura started before getting interrupted by the woman.
"Oh, do not worry about that. It's already too much trouble for you to constantly visit," she said.
"Oh no no, not at all. By the way, this is Naruto," she said, gesturing to him. "He uhm, a, he's..." she started, obviously trying to find something appropriate to address him with. He was about to jump in, putting the boxes he held aside, when the woman called Akane held out her hand for him.
"Pleased to meet you, Naruto-san. My, my, you are as handsome as they say you are. The villagers underplayed you," she said admiringly. Glancing sideways, he could see Sakura bowing her head, as if observing her feet.
He shook the woman's hand and replied from the flattery, "Uhm, thank you, I guess. Nice to meet you too."
"Akane-san, where are they?" Sakura's whisper-like voice interjected.
Akane-san was already picking up the boxes that they brought as she replied, "Oh, they're out playing in the backyard. Why don't you go ahead while I prepare these for the kids?" The woman waved as Sakura led the two of them back.
There were probably about twenty children around the backyard. There were old-looking swings and two sandboxes, but other than that, it was just a plain backyard. The children noticed Sakura and immediately ran towards them, some little girls even clung immediately to Naruto's leg.
"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan! We missed you!" the children yelled, each wanting a hug from her. Sakura had a certain smile that he did not remember before.
"I missed you too, Yuuki. You too Shin," she said to a brown-haired girl and a black-haired boy while putting her arms around them.
"Ne, ne, Sakura-chan! Who's the handsome knight?" one black-eyed girl asked her while still putting her small arms around his leg.
"I'm Naruto. Hi!" he said in reply while holding out his hand. Some of the kids tackled him as a greeting while giggling uncontrollably and repeating his name.
"I don't like the knight. Beh!" the girl Sakura addressed Yuuki replied while holding on to Sakura's arm and sticking out her tongue to him.
"Me too," the other one named Shin agreed. Before he could ask what was going on, Sakura interfered.
"Hey, that's not nice," she said to them quietly then faced the other kids who were still tackling him. "Hey kids, I brought cupcakes. Go get them, they're with Akane-san," she said. One by one they cheered away, wanting to get a brownie first. The only ones left while Naruto rearranged himself were the two children with Sakura who apparently did not like him.
"I'm sorry," she apologized. "The kids are very enthusiastic when there's new company," she added.
"No worries," he smiled to her. And she smiled back. A warm feeling wrapped his chest in contentment. It was the first proper conversation they had that didn't involve house rules. His attention went back to the boy and the girl who were currently turning away from them. What was their problem? Then the girl, Yuuki, started talking.
"Sakura-chan, Shouta won't come out of the room," the girl said in her little voice.
"He's that mad, huh?" she replied. "Is he in his room now?"
"Yeah," Shin answered. The boy reminded Naruto a bit of Sasuke, back when he didn't have a stick up his ass. He seemed quietly enamoured with Sakura.
Soon, the children started coming back with Akane-san, each with a cupcake in hand.
"Children, what are you going to say to Naruto-san and Sakura-chan?" Akane-san reminded them.
"Thank you!" they said in unison, while Sakura merely smiled back. She seemed really happy with the kids.
"Akane-san, can I visit Shouta for a bit?" Sakura asked, standing up.
"Sure, sweetie. He's been waiting for you. I'm sure he missed you the most," the woman answered.
As Sakura left, most of the kids had returned to playing, some still eating their cupcakes. Naruto sat down in a nearby bench with Akane-san.
"Akane-san, uhm, can I ask you a question?" Naruto inquired. Akane-san nodded in reply. "The kids seem to refer to me as a knight. Do they call other visitors like that?" he said, curious.
The woman seemed to ponder his question for a moment before lightly laughing. "Oh! Come to think of it, you do look like the knight! Just like in the story," she said, her voice still high-pitched. Naruto was starting to get used to it.
"What story?" he asked.
"The one Sakura-san tells the children about how the legend of the cherry blossom," she answered. Seeing that Naruto did not know the said story, she continued. "She even painted pictures when she told the story. Do you want to hear it?"
"Sure, please," he said, grateful.
"Once upon a time in a kingdom far away, there were two peasant children, a boy and a girl. The boy had blue eyes and blond hair while the girl had pink hair. They were best friends ever since they were young," she paused, gazing at Naruto, as if trying to comprehend his expression, then continued.
"They grew up falling in love with each other. When they became a little older, the kingdom's guards noticed that the boy had great fighting skills, so they appointed him as a knight. The girl, however, only sold flowers for a living. The knight grew to fight many battles and won the kingdom many victories. While he fought, the peasant girl remained in the kingdom, praying for his safety while selling flowers to get through the day. After a great battle, the king wanted the knight to be his successor, so he offered his only daughter to marry the knight. The knight declined the offer, only wanting to be with his peasant girl. He later told this story to the peasant girl and asked her to marry him," she paused again, looking at the children and reprimanding a boy for pulling on another girl's pig tails.
"Where was I? Oh, the peasant girl, realizing that the knight was sacrificing too much for her, said no to his proposal and pretended that she was in love with another knight. She sent him away, telling him that she did not want to be friends with him anymore. The knight, heartbroken, left the peasant girl, and having nothing left, decided to marry the beautiful princess and become the king. But the peasant girl was heartbroken too. On the day of the knight's marriage, she cried in a meadow of flowers. A magical witch appeared then, one that the knight had previously defeated, intending to get revenge on the knight. The peasant girl begged for the witch to not harm her beloved knight. The witch, because she was a being of proposals and bargains, agreed not to harm the knight, if the peasant girl would give her her beautiful pink hair along with her life. The peasant girl agreed. As the witch took her life away the same day, a teardrop fell from her cheek. From that spot in the ground grew the first cherry blossom tree which grew high and mighty, looking over the kingdom, and always blooming for her beloved knight. The end," said Akane-san. She was a bit breathless.
The whole time, Naruto had not noticed that he was steadily fisting his hands on his sides, captivated by the story."No wonder the kids hate the knight," he said lamely, not finding any other words to say.
"Sakura-san said that the children must not hate the knight. It was not his fault, because the peasant girl did not give him any choice. Anyway, the story's a lot better when Sakura tells it with all the colorful pictures and her beautiful voice. She draws a very nice portrait of the cherry blossom tree," the woman finished with a smile.
Naruto remained silent after that, trying to grasp the intensity of what he was feeling. Why shouldn't the children hate the knight? He was an insensitive jerk who left didn't believe in his peasant girl enough to know that she really loved him and was only saying no because she wanted him to have more. He did not care enough to ask more questions.
"Naruto-san...are you okay?" the high-pitched voice inquired as he was shaken out of his thoughts. He must have been staring off for quite a few minutes there. "I'm sure Sakura-san based the knight's appearance on you because you're so handsome," Akane-san added, probably trying to make him feel a little less uncomfortable.
"Uhm, who is Shouta anyway?" he asked, trying to change the subject.
"He's this boy who is really attached to Sakura-san. He was the first one who became so close to her ever since she came here two years ago. See, it was his birthday a week ago and Sakura-san kind of promised she'd stop by so they can celebrate," the woman explained. A week ago was when all the craziness were happening and Sakura stayed at home probably to recover and look a bit better. It dawned on him. That was why she was trying to catch up on as much rest as possible, so she could visit the children.
"He hasn't talked much or eaten since then. He's pretty upset. You know kids," Akane-san added.
"Akane-san, do you mind if I go meet Shouta myself?" he asked.
"Not at all. Go ahead. His room's on the third room to your left," she directed.
Naruto reached the room and found Sakura kneeling beside the bed in the middle of the room, her hands on top of the lump in the bed, covered with a blanket. Shouta, the boy, was not responding to her and kept his back turned to her.
"Shouta..." he heard Sakura said painfully.
"I'm so sorry I was late, sweetie. Please forgive me," she tried soothingly. "It's just that Sakura-chan's been a little sick. I didn't for you to catch what I have so I didn't come last week. Please Shouta?"
Nothing could be heard for a while as Sakura waited for the little boy's reply. Sakura sighed and asked one more time. "You're not really talking to me, are you?" Another silence.
"Okay. Your cake's out there by the way. You should have some. It's your favorite flavour," she said as she placed a kiss on the boy's forehead.
Sakura turned around towards the door with a pained expression on her face. Naruto leaned on the doorframe, trying to find something to say. As soon as Naruto made room so Sakura could step out of the room, she swayed a little and had to place her hand on the nearest wall. On instinct, Naruto placed his hands gently on her shoulders, steadying her.
"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.
"Yeah, I'm just a bit woozy," she replied, moving slightly away from his hold while pressing a hand over her forehead. She let her bangs down over her forehead now. He saw her forehead as she steered her bangs to her right. "I guess we better go," she said.
"Okay." Sakura bade a quick goodbye to the children while promising to visit soon. She looked both weary and lonesome as they approached the gate.
"He'll forgive you," Naruto said, failing miserably to make her feel better.
"I don't know about that. I promised and then I..." she stopped in her stride, covering her face with one hand.
"I broke every promise I made that day."
He was rooted to the spot, caught between saying something to reassure her or apologizing himself for making her feel that she was unable to keep promises.
"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan."
How he wished he was the one who said that. But it came from another voice behind. Both of them turned around to find a blue-eyed boy nearing tears.
"I didn't mean to make you sad. I'm not mad. Please don't be sad, Sakura-chan," the boy cried as he made his way to hug Sakura's lower body.
"Hey. It's okay, Shouta," Sakura hushed, patting the boy's back affectionately then kneeling to be face to face with the boy. "You forgive me, sweetie?" she asked with a smile. Shouta nodded vigorously while putting his arms around the frail woman's neck.
From where he stood, it seemed simple. It was easy even, for a child to apologize to her and forgive her. He wondered why it had become so difficult for him.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked again as he stood in the kitchen while Sakura made her tea.
"Yes, I'm sure," she said, sounding annoyed. She held her teacup in one hand as she moved towards her room. Naruto could only watch as she slowly walked towards her destination. Her face was paler tonight. He wondered how she slept at nights. Did she take medications? Did she need more blankets to keep her warm? He would ask Shizune or her doctor in the morning about that. He didn't want to be utterly useless anymore. His gaze returned to Sakura who stopped in the middle of turning the knob of her bedroom door.
"Do you know how Ino is these days?" she asked meekly.
"Oh. She's...okay. She and Shikamaru are expecting their firstborn soon," he answered. Naruto had barely talked to Shikamaru after finding out what happened with Sakura. Ino had a delicate pregnancy so she had to stay at home with Shikamaru by her side.
"Really? That's nice," she said, her back to him.
"D-Do you, uhm, want to visit her? I can arrange it for you," he said without thinking. Naruto didn't know what happened between the two of them. Like him, Ino had not talked about Sakura for the past three years. She married Shikamaru a year ago with Temari as the maid of honor. Not once did she mention inviting Sakura, and not once did he inquire. Another surge of guilt went through his system as he waited for Sakura's answer.
"That would be wonderful. Friday?" she said. He couldn't see her expression, but her tone implied that she was excited.
"Sure," he said with a grin. It reminded him of how they used to be. Although now, there was this huge gap between them that he was afraid was never going to go away.
"I don't hate you, Naruto," she said suddenly, catching Naruto off-guard. "I just got tired of being the burden. And all of you have so much in store for you. I just...I just can't bear the thought of weighing down anyone," she said, one palm flat on her door.
"You're not..." he said, ready to disagree.
"I just...I don't hate you," she interrupted, already closing the door, leaving Naruto stunned in the dead silence that followed.
To be continued...
So that's that. Do you like it? It's only natural that there are tons of awkward moments here. I mean, come on, it's hard. In order to excite you more, you'll be happy to know that more characters will be part of the next chapters. *Hint hint: Ino, Shika, maybe even Sai* Who knows? Anyway, what do you think of this update? Please let me know through your reviews.
Thank you so much for reading this story and for your continuous support. I mean it. Peace out. :)