Series: Sensei

Walking Away

Sakura stormed out of the bar full of righteous indignation and probably a little too much alcohol. She didn't even know why she bothered to try and talk to Kakashi at all. All he saw in Fugaku's ultimatum was an opportunity to get rid of her. He didn't see that her choices were being taken away from her. That he was trying to take complete control of her life and tell her who she could love. He was telling her that she couldn't love Kakashi. And the man showed not one iota of feeling whatsoever.

Sakura didn't realize it, but angry tears streamed down her cheeks. Absently, her hand raised and she rubbed her chest in an effort to ease the ache in it to no avail.

Before she knew it, she was outside Iruka's classroom seconds away from storming in. She was glad she had the common sense to hesitate for a second and think.

Iruka still had classes going on. She couldn't just barge in without risking angering him with something that could wait. Sakura stood to the side and closed her eyes and slowly took deep breaths in an effort to calm herself. She wished so much that Ino and Temari were here. How was she supposed to go through all of this without her friends? It was true that she had Hinata and Tenten there, but she couldn't go to Hinata because she knew how badly the situation would hurt her and if push came to shove, she just wouldn't marry Naruto to spare her, and she couldn't allow that to happen.

If anyone deserved to be happy it was Hinata.

When she finally felt some semblance of calm, she opened her eyes only to find Kakashi watching her steadily. It startled Sakura, causing her heart to jump. She wanted to open her mouth and ask him why he had followed her, but she didn't have it in her to fight him. She had too much going on in her life and right that second she had to put her feelings for him on the back burner.

Sakura remained silent.

"Once upon a time you could come to me with anything, and once upon a time you trusted me not to hurt you as well. You trusted me to protect you."

Sakura bit her bottom lip and Kakashi stepped closer invading her personal space. "But things change and we can't…no matter how much we may want to…or not want to go back. Sakura I'm not the type of person to ask anyone for anything, but I'm asking you this…let this thing that happened between us go."

Kakashi took a step back, but Sakura reached out and grabbed his jacket and held him still. She was surprised he didn't pull away immediately. She didn't understand why he didn't just disappear. It had to mean something. Maybe if she fought for him, he'd be willing to admit that her feelings weren't one sided. That maybe he loved her too. Maybe if they tried hard enough and worked together they could figure a way out of this mess she had somehow gotten herself into.

"Give me one good reason why."

Kakashi looked her in the eye and said, "Kiba."

Startled, Sakura let go of Kakashi. The fantasies she had started building in her head began to crash and burn at her feet. "How…?" However, deep inside she knew the answer. There were no secrets in a ninja village. There were only gossiping busybodies.

"You also shouldn't bother Iruka. If you hadn't noticed…he's more than a little in love with you."

Sakura blanched. Iruka? In love with her? That couldn't be. They were just friends. Good friends, but—

But then it would explain why he had no desire to talk about her relationship with Kakashi. It would explain the fancy restaurant that he took her to. That…was a date. She went on a date with Iruka-sensei and even though he claimed it wasn't she should have known better. She was dating her sensei.

Knowledge shone in Sakura's eyes as she realized the truth. She stared at Kakashi grimly, but was forced to acknowledge something else.

She could see it in his stance. He was going to run away. He was going to disappear and nothing that happened between them, good or bad would matter to him. Sakura knew if she didn't act in that moment she would never get the chance to again. She could either prove that she loved Kakashi or she could let him go. Forever.

But did she love Kakashi so much that she would risk Hinata for him? Fugaku was determined that she marry one of his sons. The honest truth was that she could see no way out of this for her unless Sasuke and Itachi absolutely didn't want to marry her and with everything that had happened lately she couldn't guarantee that.

So what it boiled down to was either she could choose Friendship or she could choose Love. In actuality there was only one option.

Sakura's eyes wandered over Kakashi's face before she gave him a bittersweet smile.

"I understand."

He looked surprised at her reply and Sakura bit her tongue to keep from taking her words back. She did love him. She didn't want to let it go and end things like this. She wanted to explain about her and Kiba, but she knew that she couldn't. She didn't even understand what happened between the two of them. She wanted to ask him how he knew, but none of it mattered.

It was over. It hadn't even begun.

Sakura moved away from the wall. "I won't talk to Iruka. I'll keep in mind his feelings. I'll keep in mind your feelings. In fact, unless necessary, I won't ever bother you again. I'm sorry all this happened, but you're right, we can't go back. But just know…at this moment…I would if I could."

Sakura walked away swiftly not at all seeing the surprise or pain on Kakashi's face. She couldn't stay because if she did, she was certain he would see the lie in her eyes.