Hey, did you know that an Ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain? Yep, since I ran out of different ways to hi in different languages I'm changing it up and giving a new fun fact each chapter instead. You'll learn something new with each chapter :D. Good news, next weeks is the last week for finals, and even better : I'll only have three hours of school each day so that'll give me more time to focus on this fanfiction. And even better news : FRIDAY WAS MY LAST DAY OF SCHOOL! I mean there'll be another half week of school left but teacher's won't even be taking attendance, and they'll just cram the kids in the cafeteria to do nothing. I've got a life, no matter how boring it may be, and I refuse to show up on those days. But do you know what this means?! It means no more homework, more time to do fun stuff, longer chapters for this fanfic and most important of all : less of me bitching about school, 'CAUSE ITS FINALLY OVAAAAAA! AND I'LL BE POSTING THINGS MORE FREQUENTLY BECAUSE I HAVE MUCH MORE TIME. My life at the beginning of this years totally sucked but I have a feeling that things are going to get better. Stay tuned ladies and gentlemen, the next chapter is coming soon *wink*. Oh yeah : I do not own the Naruto series and blah blah blah
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Sakura
"H-huh..?", Sakura tore her eyes away and finally lifted her eyes enough to make eye contact.
"Are you done?"
"D-done with what?", Sakura felt awkward as she did not know what to do with herself. It took nearly all her willpower to keep her eyes fixed on his and nowhere else. He wasn't wearing his glasses either, without the barrier of the thick rimmed glasses his eyes were more intense though it still kept its bare look.
"Are you done eating?".
"Yea..,I'll just wait outside while you put some clothes on," she said quickly as she stepped out of the room and closed it. Kabuto soon came out a few minutes , fully clothed and carrying a clipboard with his damp hair tied back in its usual ponytail.
" To avoid future..incidents such as this one, I suggest you learn how to knock", he said coolly with a reproachful look in Sakura's direction. His remark caught Sakura off guard, she failed to give back a snarky remark and ended up looking away in embarrassment. Sakura quickly thought of something to change the subject as he started walking down the corridor.
" I figured that Megumi has no clue what this place is, whose it is,...or what you do here". No reaction.
"Why is that?".
"You must have tried to elicit information from her. Unfortunately for you she knows nothing of Sasuke. Lord Orochimaru likes to keep his pets close and isolated."
"Then why are you here? The base has already been discovered, it's unsafe and illogical for you to still be here." Still nothing.
"Hellooooo?", his usual dismissal of her inquiries were irritating her.
"You honestly don't expect me to answer those questions, do you?". Sakura let out an exasperated sigh.
Sakura noticed that they were not walking in the direction of the botanical garden, instead they were headed for the east wing.
"I think you're going the wrong way," she said as she quickened her pace a bit to catch up.
" Your time is up, so now you go back to your room," he matter-of-factly stated.
"It's been four hours already?", Sakura asked in disbelief. Kabuto kept walking and paid no attention to her comment.
"How are you so sure? It's not like there's clocks hanging around in this place," she was not sure of what she was saying but she did not care either, she was just stalling while she thought of an excuse not go back to her room for a while.
" Megumi took nearly an hour making my lunch-"
"So you want to make that up?", Kabuto cut in. He needs to stop that.
"Yeah."
"What makes you think I'll agree to that?". Sakura could feel her anger boiling at the pit of her stomach but she kept it contained and said coolly,
" Our agreement was that I would be allowed to four hours of freedom, you didn't specify that having lunch counted as part of that time thats...", Sakura cut herself off before she sounded childish.
"Unfair? Life isn't fair.", he said as he slowed his pace. Sakura would've lost her temper at his irksome behavior long ago but she thought better of it. She'd figured that anger and irritation would get her no where, especially with Kabuto's no-nonsense attitude. She thought of a different approach. Instead of losing her temper she bit back her words and softened her tone as she asked.
"Could I please stay out a little longer? I just don't want to spend most of my time in that dark room with nothing to do." Kabuto stopped walking at that... Is it working?
"Alright..", Kabuto finally said after what felt like an eternity of silence. He turned and walked back in the direction they had come from and did not look back to check if Sakura was following. Although Sakura was glad that she'd postponed her curfew for a while there was a bitter taste in her mouth. She found it shameful and undignified. She wasn't one to beg but she had found herself doing it on more than one occasion ever since she arrived here. On the other hand she may have just found a method to get what she wants from him. But at what cost, her dignity? God I hate you, she thought bitterly as she glared daggers at his broad back.
…..
Sakura sat in her usual spot when they returned to the botanical garden. Then she realized something : she was just as bored here as she was in her room. She gave a slight groan of exasperation. Sure the change of scenery was much appreciated but she could only stare at it for so long. Kabuto walked off to a far end of the garden Sakura lost sight of him, the long vines and foliage from tall plants concealed that part of the dome. Sakura observed the plants surrounding her to keep herself busy. Bloodroot, she said inwardly as she touched a plant with rounded green leaves and white flower petals, due its ability to reduce plaque and prevent gingivitis, it's used in toothpaste. It can also be used to reduce the size of tumors. She had to admit, the supply of medicinal plants here was extensive than that of the medical labs back in Konoha. Kabuto takes great care of the- wait, did I just say something nice about Kabuto? Ew.Sakura ceased her thinking and walked around and observed the medicinal plants around her and recited their uses. The corners of her lips rose into a small smile as she remembered doing the same thing as Lady Tsunade's apprentice. She wondered what her mentor was doing now , how her family was doing; had they finally realized that she had lied? She'd bought herself some time by also asking Lady Tsunade for a few weeks off from missions but sooner or later Tsunade and her parents would figure out her ruse. She thought of the look of utter disappointment on their faces if they were to see her now. Her heart wrenched at the thought.
"Would you care for a game of shogi?"
"Huh?", Sakura responded as she was pulled from her thoughts. She stood up and stared at the man as he set a shogi board right in front of her and started setting up the pieces.
"...what's this for?" Sakura asked as she eyed the board.
"You complained about boredom. Even though I may not be great company, I can play a good game of shogi." Sakura cast a glance at the shogi board then back at Kabuto, who was preoccupied in setting it up.
"Okaaay…?" She slowly sat down at the other end of the board, suspicious of his intentions.
"Well... thanks for the sudden kindness", she drawled as she squinted her eyes at 'kindness'.
"No need", Kabuto responded as he finished and sat up, satisfied with his work.
" Do you know how to play?", he inquired as he cast a sidelong glance at her.
"Yeah, my father and I played this game all the time." As she studied the board her pieces were black, meaning that she'd make the first move. She picked up a tile and started the game. Kabuto would be a fool if he thought that she'd fall for this that easily. He had an ulterior motive behind this and it probably had something to do with the reason she was being kept alive. Sakura just didn't know what, but she intended to find out. Fine then, let's play your little game, Kabuto.
