A/N: Written in Sakura's POV.
Chapter 50: Sakura
One early morning, five years later…
Five years had passed and Sakura found herself back in the lush green plains of the cemetery. She allowed the warm rays of the early morning sunshine to embrace her as her gaze traveled along the marble stones on her feet.
She had this solemn yet peaceful look in her eyes as she clutched her hand to her chest while absently fiddling the silver ring attached to a thin silver chain on her neck, which held a wolf crest on its center. Somehow, it made her miss him all the more as she lifted her eyes to look at the horizon.
So many things had happened within the five years that had passed. It was definitely a long time to heal and recover and at that moment, as she stood basking under the sunshine in that familiar place she frequented over the years, she no longer felt anger, sadness, or abandonment. She no longer felt trapped. There was only a simple and peaceful warmth coming from within, like a slow burning fire during winter or the warm and bright mornings after a long stormy evening.
Sakura allowed herself to stay there a few minutes more until she heard the rustle of leaves from behind and turned to look. Sasuke was standing a few feet behind her and when her eyes lifted to meet his, the same warm and peaceful smile was reflected on his quiet, handsome face, and she can't help but to smile back.
Sakura eventually dropped her hand and walked towards him. She was standing so close when she held her hand out and touched Sasuke's hair. The raven-haired man only looked at her, holding her gaze as that soft smile still settled on his lips.
He watched Sakura bring her hand down, and when she opened it, there was a lone leaf inside. Sasuke softly chuckled upon realizing that it probably got stuck on his hair the way over. So, he simply plucked the small yellow leaf from Sakura's hand, held it up momentarily before releasing it and allowing the morning breeze to carry it away. Both she and Sasuke followed the leaf's trail with their eyes as it got carried away, and a few more heartbeats passed before Sasuke spoke.
"Ready to go?" He asked.
Sakura nodded as she followed Sasuke towards his car, opening and holding the passenger's side door for her as she unhurriedly got inside. When she got settled and Sasuke was already on the road driving, Sakura rolled the side of her window down and allowed herself to breathe the familiar scent of her hometown.
Even though she had just gotten home from a five-day seminar across the country, she perfectly knew where they were headed. That's because on the night before she was scheduled to go home, she received a call from Dr. Tobirama Senju asking her to go straight to the Senju family home upon her arrival. Almost immediately, she had found herself agreeing to the man. After all, he and Tsunade were the ones responsible for saving her a few years back. So, how could she refuse?
Now, she was seated on Sasuke's passenger's seat as they drove towards the Senju mansion. The drive was quiet but comfortable, and she just couldn't help but look at Sasuke while he drove.
"Is everyone there already?" Sakura asked.
"Yes. Everyone was able to arrive safely. How was the seminar?"
Sakura began telling Sasuke her experiences over the past five days until the interior of the car was filled with their light chuckles and quiet laughter. It was fun being able to converse with him this freely again as their car ran past vast green plains of the town outside the city proper.
Speaking with him made her definitely look forward to seeing the others again, gathered in one place, and celebrating.
Being away even for just a few short days had her missing them all especially since gathering everyone together had been quite a challenge ever since their lives took on drastic changes after the incident.
They eventually arrived at the Senju family home half an hour later and the mansion still left her the same awestruck feeling like the first time. They haven't even reached its interior yet when they already heard laughter and shrill cries from those who were present.
Sasuke and Sakura then ascended the steps of the grand home and went straight towards the garden where the breakfast celebration was set up, and upon coming into view, Ino was the first one to see them as she ran towards Sakura who greeted her with a hug. Hinata and Temari followed the blonde while the boys waved and greeted her from where they stood in the garden—except for Sai who went with the girls to meet her.
"Welcome home, forehead!" Ino greeted. Her smile wide and beaming as she held both of Sakura's hands and kissed her cheeks followed by Hinata and Temari who were also cheerfully smiling at her.
"Yes, well… I'm home." Sakura softly smiled back.
The next one to greet her was Sai who was obviously trailing behind his now wife, Ino. He asked her about the seminar she attended.
"Err…it was definitely informative but it would've been interesting if you were the one talking." Sakura told him.
"Ah. Not many people appreciate my dark humor like you, Sakura." Sai said as he welcomed her with an embrace of his own. That's when they heard a tiny voice from below, saying: "Up, up."
Sakura watched as Sasuke picked up a boy who'd be turning three in a few short months and nuzzled the child's chubby cheek with his nose. The child squealed in delight as he happily mumbled the syllables 'papa,' which made Sakura beam with admiration as she went near them and reached out towards the boy who almost jumped to her arms the moment he saw her.
"I'm sorry." Ino said sheepishly. "I tried my best to keep him in the playpen but he just always finds a way to get out." There was exasperation evident in her voice but Sakura merely shook her head.
"It's okay, no worries." She told Ino as she too, nuzzled the little boy's pink cheeks. "Children should be allowed to play as much as they like. You should know. You're our pediatrician." Sakura uttered the last few lines with a joking scoff and simply got an eye roll from Ino as a response.
"Yeah, I know. But this one's really a handful." Ino said as she reached towards the boy to pinch his cheek but the child immediately turned his head away from Ino and reached out to Sasuke, probably to escape Ino's fingers.
Sakura almost let out an unrestrained laugh upon seeing her friend's defeated face because the child had just rejected her, but Ino abruptly regained her composure and turned to her. "And don't you dare scoff at me like that! I graduated and became a doctor earlier than you, forehead."
Now, it was Sakura's turn to roll her eyes at her.
"Please. It was just by some miracle that you were able to graduate on time. I wouldn't even be surprised if you got held back longer than me."
Sai and Sasuke laughed while Ino playfully stuck her tongue out as they all walked towards the garden. Upon reaching the clearing, Hinata and Temari promptly grabbed their respective husbands, also bringing with them their children in order to gather around Sakura to greet and welcome her again. All the while, Sasuke was only a few steps behind her and she watched as her friends also tried to sneak in a pinch or two at the adorable baby boy in his arms. That's when she heard a deep, familiar voice from behind who called her name.
When Sakura turned to look, she saw Tobirama smiling at her. Though it quite puzzled her why the doctor looked a little worse for wear, the man still looked regal nonetheless as she was also met with a warm bear hug.
"Welcome home, child." He said.
"I'm glad to be home, doctor." She answered.
"Why don't you take a seat already so we can start with breakfast? Because if we postpone this for a few minutes longer, I'm pretty sure the kids will be able to find a way to flip this table and turn everything to dog food." And as if on cue, several giddy shrieks of laughter and enjoyment filled the air, which were coupled with a few playful barks and growls from the dogs running around the garden and gently playing with the children.
Sakura nodded as she took a seat on one of the chairs of the long table which was immaculately prepared, and it would indeed be a pity if an unknown disaster would occur by the hands of the several toddlers who were lively roaming and bouncing around them...
And while the servants brought out several other food and drinks and completed the table set up, Sakura allowed her gaze to travel around the vibrant garden and she just couldn't help but smile at the wonderful view before her.
Shikamaru was seated a few seats from her right, and at the moment, he was fondly staring at his wife, Temari who was busy following their son while gently reprimanding the boy to quit digging and running around with soil on his hands because they were already about to eat.
A few more seats after Shikamaru, Choji was also present with the love of his life and both of them were fondly watching over their daughter who was already getting her pick of the food on the table, especially on the desserts, secretly feeding some of it to the hounds nearby.
Traveling her gaze further, she saw Hinata who was also already seated at the other side of the table, carrying in her arms a beautiful baby girl, only a few weeks old, and who looked just like her except for its blue eyes. Sakura watched as Hinata followed Naruto with her pale eyes, laughing gently at Naruto who was trying his best to detach a charming blonde boy from one of the young trees because the child refused to let go and practically attached himself on it.
Then there was Dr. Tobirama Senju, holding the toddler he picked up from Sasuke a while back, and seated beside him was Shino who surprised them the most the past few years, but right now, he was busy trying to get the child beside him to go to him as he repeatedly patted his hands on his lap, even enticing the child with a rattle which was conveniently placed on top of the table.
She saw Kiba next who was seated next to Shino, and beside him was Tsunade who had her slender arms wrapped snuggly around her bulging stomach, her wedding ring glinting on her slim finger while Kiba looked at her lovingly as he brushed away a stray hair on Tsunade's face. They were already pregnant with their first child, which was due any time soon and no one could be any happier for the both of them.
And finally to her left were Sai and Ino, and Sakura watched how Ino still fawned over Sai, probably asking him to take another shift off so they could make more and more babies.
It didn't matter that Sakura had that stupid smile on her face because at that moment, she was just extremely happy on how things had turned out.
She then noticed the seat to her right being dragged as Sasuke took a seat, and her eyes followed him next. Sasuke simply looked at her and smiled, probably feeling the same way she felt at that moment. That's when Tobirama called all their attention by clinking a silver spoon on the glass-filled juice he held after finally depositing the baby boy towards Sasuke who, despite being seated across the table, reached for the child when the boy extended his arms forward upon seeing the raven-haired man.
The baby immediately latched to Sakura next as he fiddled with her hair while Sakura simply kissed the boy's playful hands with a smile.
The garden suddenly became a lot more silent except for the occasional dog barks and shrill cries of laughter or irritation from the children, but he spoke nonetheless.
"Thank you, everyone, for coming here today," Tobirama started as he slowly gazed at every other person before him. "I know that we've been doing this every year since the incident and it is thanks to him why we keep gathering here year after year after year..."
Sakura bowed down and looked at her hands and began fiddling with the ring on her necklace again. Her eyes also shifted on the empty seat to her left and wished nothing more but for Kakashi to be beside her, but Tobirama was right—they were allowed to move on, but no one was allowed to forget. And so they gathered year after year to commemorate all the things that happened five years ago. The venue was different every year, and it was only now that the celebration was held at the Senju family home.
"Wherever he is, I know my son will be very happy to see all of you here today. We all know that he did his best. Always does, actually. But the enemy was just really strong, and powerful, and cunning, and had the advantage over my son and even over me, that it was a surprise how he was able to hold up for so long. It is a surprise still. But there are just those times where one had to learn how to let go, and if there was someone who understood that...it's Kakashi."
For a moment, Tobirama stopped and looked thoughtful as he gazed up the sky, then he looked at everyone again and smiled.
"That's why I would like to thank all of you. It doesn't even matter if I have to do this year after year after year until I could no longer do so. Thank you all for holding up, for staying with us, and staying strong. All of you here today are family, and my son would be really happy to have a family as big as this."
Tobirama raised his glass. "To friends turned family."
"To friends turned family." Everyone chorused after as they all clinked their glasses together, exchanging smiles and pleasantries while discreetly trying to wipe away moisture in their eyes and stray tears.
Sakura watched her friends and their children as they helped themselves to the food before them.
Everyone looked so happy, their eyes glinting with joy and lips curved in soft delight—and Sakura...well, it's true she was happy, but she'd be lying if she can't admit to herself that she was a little jealous. It wasn't an evil feeling though she had to acknowledge that there was longing in her heart—which actually felt like a bear trap had caught said organ and refused to let go...
"Ugh, what am I thinking?" Sakura inwardly groaned as she discreetly shook her head to rid her of such thoughts, but then again, the feeling of missing something or someone for that matter, was back. And like what happens year after year for each time they gather, Sakura found herself standing up and excusing herself from the breakfast table.
No one seemed to notice nor stopped her from leaving because each was engrossed in their own blissful world. And so, she casually walked away from the group and threaded her steps towards the other side of the mansion where the hedges were thicker and a garden of wild flowers bloomed.
She walked for several steps more until she reached a clearing where an old yet dainty stone gazebo stood.
The top of the gazebo was wrapped in wild vines bearing what looked like purple and blue flowers greatly contrasting against their green leaves, and at the center of it sat an equally old, wooden, reclining chair which was quite big for people of normal stature to sit in.
The chair was facing the opposite direction from her and was also almost surrounded by the wild flower bushes but it only gave it a sort of fairy tale-like feel. Add it to the fact that there were several colorful butterflies trotting around from flower to flower while the birds seemed to happily chirp on top of every nearby tree, and that the slivers of sun rays through the gaps of the trees seemed to make everything sparkle.
Sakura couldn't help but sigh because the place looked truly magical.
She then approached the gazebo casually and saw movement inside. When she got closer, Bull, who was sleeping in one corner was alerted and peered at her, but upon seeing her presence, the giant dog went back to his relaxed position and continued to sleep, snoring once in a while like any other canine does when fast asleep.
Sakura took a few more steps until she was already under the gazebo's shade and realized that it was a lot larger than it looked. She finally approached the old garden chair and smiled when she saw the wisps of silver hair peeking through, glittered by the morning sunlight, and two other tufts of snow white hair and pale pink, and at that moment, she couldn't help but feel that she was finally at the right place at the right time.
Kakashi was there—sleeping peacefully with lips slightly parted as his chest gently rose and fell in even breathing.
The gentle rays of the sun was shining on him from the gaps of the trees making him look like a powerful, majestic deity magically placed under a sleeping spell, and in each of his hands, he supported their tiny twin bundles of joy, Hayato and Hiromi who also seemed to be in the middle of an adventure in their respective dreamlands.
Sakura held onto the upper frame of the garden chair as she leaned over until her lips met Kakashi's masked ones and his captivating eyes slowly fluttered open.
Sakura lovingly gazed at those eyes she knew so well and reached over to rub Kakashi's face with her small, warm hand. Kakashi smiled at her affectionate touch as Sakura leaned over once more, tugging at the material of his mask and kissed his lips longer and more passionately than before.
Kakashi quietly moaned at the sudden pour of attention but he did not mind. As a matter of fact, he believed he deserved it.
"Mm. When did you get back?" He quietly whispered on her lips as Sakura continued to kiss his lips gently.
"Just a little while back." Sakura answered in between butterfly kisses and she knew that Kakashi loved the attention.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there to fetch you. As you can see, I'm currently preoccupied," He said while throwing a swift glance on the two, tiny, sleeping cherubs on his hands. "It's the reason why I asked Sasuke to go and get you from the airport."
"No worries, my love." She responded, still kissing him.
"I knew it was a mistake to go home a day early." Kakashi mumbled and Sakura saw that her husband was currently pouting and she knew that he wasn't even aware of it. She chuckled.
"It's not that bad." Sakura uttered in response. "Though I have to admit I missed you, you knew you had to get the kids home because they were starting to get restless at the hotel, and they kept on asking for Pakkun and the pack. I hope the plane ride wasn't rough though."
Kakashi shook his head, and instead told her that he missed her more and that he was glad she was back.
Sakura ran her hand on Kakashi's silver hair and seemed to like the comfortable look in his face thanks to the old wooden chair so, she walked a few steps around and Kakashi immediately knew what she wanted.
The garden chair was indeed huge and was definitely enough for two people to sit in, however, her husband was sort of a big, lean guy, nevertheless, Kakashi gently moved to the side, giving Sakura enough space to squeeze herself in.
Sakura snuggled herself on Kakashi's side and kissed his right shoulder probably leaving a lipstick stain on the dark material of his shirt but she still hooked her arms around his and cuddled his arm closer.
"Did father give that dumb speech again?" Kakashi asked which made Sakura chuckle.
"Yes. Well, you can't blame him. You weren't there. Again." She pointed out.
"Well it's not my fault that I have to be elsewhere every year on the same day he calls for anniversary breakfast. Besides, I'm just here. I'm not even that very far away, and the kids just fell asleep."
Sakura murmured incoherently as she was busy inhaling her husband's delicious scent while her memories fleeted to all those times that Kakashi was absent for every event that Tobirama called for. She inwardly smiled.
"But he was right, you know?" She heard Kakashi say a split second later. "The enemy having advantage over me, more cunning and more powerful even with the two of us combined." He said as he looked deep into her eyes which made her smile.
Trust Kakashi to have heard everything even from a distance.
"Even father was no match for these two. He helped me put them to sleep last night but he was the one who ended up sprawled on the floor." Despite what Kakashi was saying, he still made everything look so easy and flawless while he lovingly rubbed the backs of their twin children who seemed to be in a very deep slumber.
"Yeah, I saw the dark circles around his eyes a while back and felt a little guilty." Sakura chuckled as she tenderly gazed at their children who were barely two years of age.
Little Hayato, the older between the twins was warmly snugged between the crook of Kakashi's neck and shoulders, and just like his father, he already had a wild tuft of silver-white hair on his head.
Little Hiromi, on the other hand, was splayed in a messy comfort on top of Kakashi's stomach. She was Sakura's carbon copy from the tips of her hair down to her fair skin but she inherited her father's dark orbs. And even when Kakashi sulked a little because no one had inherited her clear, green eyes, she still thought that pink hair and dark eyes were a beautiful combination.
"But I wasn't lying." Sakura heard Kakashi sigh as he closed his eyes again like he was about to go back to a deep slumber of his own. "The kids just literally fell asleep. They've been looking for you all night and father and I had to submit and play by their whims just so they behave and stop crying. The pack was a lot worse. Everything was great for the first fifteen minutes with all the running and crawling. But when the dogs got tired ahead of the children, they simply slept everywhere and left us to fend for ourselves."
Suddenly, Sakura and Kakashi heard a soft grunt from one corner and realized that Bull must have understood Kakashi's rants. She gave out a soft little laugh as she ran her hands through Kakashi's hair, down to his cheeks and then to his chest, which earned her a satisfied hum of his deep voice.
"You did well, my love." She murmured as she tilted her face upward to give Kakashi's jaw another kiss while Kakashi nuzzled her hair in response after.
"You smell nice." He mumbled over her hair.
"And you smell like baby powder." She smiled as she snuggled closer against him while she reminisced everything that had happened five years back which led to this blissful and content feeling she had now.
Five years earlier…
Sakura woke up and was about to scream in terror because she thought she had been tied down in an unknown cot again, but upon forcing herself to take deep calming breaths, she eventually realized that the room she was in was extremely different than those ones where she was previously kept and repeatedly abused.
She forced herself to blink away the weariness and to get a grasp of where she was and what happened, and found out that she was actually in a hospital room and was currently heavily wrapped in casts and bandages.
She couldn't really complain because even though she had difficulty moving, there was no pain in the minute movements she was making unlike those that she had suffered days before. Then she willed herself to remember everything she could before she ended up in a hospital bed. When her eyes opened, hot tears had already tainted her vision and she was heavily sobbing. That was how a nurse who was in the middle of doing rounds found her and immediately called for Tsunade.
Sakura was tremendously glad to see the blonde doctor rush towards her upon entering her room. Tsunade even outwardly cursed herself for enveloping Sakura in an embrace that despite tear-stricken eyes, Sakura managed to let out a soft chuckle while the doctor went on to check her vitals.
"You've been asleep for almost two weeks, and we had to transfer hospitals so we could monitor you better here at SMC. How are you, Sakura?" Tsunade asked in a surprisingly gentle voice.
"I've had b-better days."
Tsunade nodded her understanding and went on to adjust her morphine drip, probably noticing the wince she exhibited a while back. Then she began telling Sakura about the scare she gave them a few weeks back.
"I didn't know that your blood was contaminated and that the chemical receptors in your brain had been tampered with. I was working on the limited information they gave me when they rushed you all in. I was forced to make on the spot experiments and tests to know what was wrong because you weren't responding to any treatment we were giving you. But I was so happy when you pulled through. You almost gave me a heart attack, Sakura. Please don't ever do that again." The doctor pleaded while Sakura communicated her response through tear-stained eyes.
Tsunade was about to leave when Sakura asked her about the inevitable.
"S-shishou, how… how about Kakashi? Where is he? Is he okay?"
When Tsunade looked over her shoulder, there was an evident sadness reflected on her eyes. The doctor probably thought that she was successful in masking it but Sakura saw it all. Despite such, Tsunade still turned to her and gave her an answer.
"Kakashi, he's… he's still in a coma and hasn't woken up yet." Tsunade's voice sounded gloomy but immediately covered such by laughing a little. "He also gave uncle a heart attack! Jeez. I swear you kids are going to be the death of us."
"C-can I see him now?"
Upon asking her question, Tsunade went near her bed once more and brushed a strand of hair on her face.
"Dear, you're still recovering, yourself. You know you can visit him anytime but right now, you need to recuperate. Okay? I'll be checking in on you again to administer another vial of the treatment Sai and I developed. We were able to come up with something to flush out the toxins in your blood stream. You did well, Sakura. You're a very brave girl and a medical breakthrough. But right now, you really need to rest." Tsunade fixed the blanket that was covering her before the doctor left, and once again, Sakura was left alone to wonder how Kakashi was and what happened to her friends.
Sakura must have fallen asleep again because she found herself fluttering her eyes open upon hearing familiar voices inside her room. Tsunade must have informed them after she woke up and at present, there was an annoying blonde female in her room who wouldn't stop talking. If Sakura could roll her eyes at the moment, she would have, but she just settled on calling her friend's name instead.
"I-Ino?" She weakly called and almost choked in fright because Ino's face suddenly hovered above hers.
"Sakura? Oh my god, Sakura! She's awake! She's awake!" Ino excitedly called and two more faces peered over her and Sakura saw that Hinata and Temari were also there.
"Keep your voice down, p-pig. You're in a hospital, remember?" Sakura told her, wondering whether the other patients who were resting in the rooms beside hers had been disturbed because of the blonde's outburst.
"Oops! Sorry." Ino apologized, then she heard Hinata's voice asking if they could hug her and touch her but decided not to do it in the end and instead settled on running a hand through her hair or arms but nothing too heavy.
"We thought you were dead, forehead! We thought you'd never wake up!"
"Ino!" Hinata and Temari chorused and immediately apologized to Sakura on Ino's behalf because of the latter's tactlessness, but she only smiled in response. Then she asked them the same thing she asked Tsunade. Now, it was Temari's turn to answer.
"Kakashi, he's in a lot worse shape than you are, Sakura. But Dr. Tobirama said not to worry too much because he's condition's more stable than how he looks.
"W-we were so scared. There was so much blood on you guys when they wheeled you all in." Hinata supplied.
"But he's okay, right?" Sakura asked again, and both of her friends nodded. However, there was an entirely different business brewing in Ino's mind when she suddenly slammed her palms on the side of her bed.
Sakura audibly gulped because if those palms happened to land on her arm, she'd probably have to request for another cast and her stay in the hospital would have to be extended.
"Sa-ku-raaa…"
Sakura had no idea what her face looked like at the moment, but she was fairly sure that her features showed both fear and worry because of the weirdness Ino was showing.
"How dare you keep Kakashi all to yourself?! Lucky for you 'cos you're already bedridden. It would've been really nice to smack you senseless because of how great you were at keeping him."
It took all of Sakura's strength not to laugh at her friend, but given her current condition, she simply managed a blush to confirm what Ino said.
"Ugh. I hate you, forehead! But I'm pretty sure karma's the reason why you're in a hospital bed looking like an Egyptian mummy. That's what you get for keeping him a secret!" Ino huffed while the other two still looked at her apologetically.
"We were going to tell you during the gallery show." Sakura confessed.
"The gallery!" Ino shrieked once more and dramatically sobbed on her bedside that Sakura had to look towards Hinata and Temari for an explanation. Again, it was Temari who granted her such.
"The gallery's been closed for a while now. Ever since Sasuke and the rest..." Temari trailed off but Sakura already knew what she meant. And speaking of Sasuke, Sakura felt a sudden lump on her throat upon remembering what she last saw before she passed out.
"Uhh, where are Sasuke and Naruto?"
Sakura watched as her three friends exchanged looks as though not wanting to open a discussion on such matter. So she pressed further. She needed to know.
"Are they okay?"
It was Hinata's timid voice that answered.
"T-they're fine. They've woken up a week ago and had been immediately discharged soon after."
'Discharged? That's impossible.'
Sakura was there when they got into that vehicular accident. She saw Sasuke and Naruto's state that time and the injuries they suffered were by no means shallow. So it was truly impossible that they'd get discharged right away. Almost immediately, there seemed to be a question blinking at the back of her mind.
"Where are they now?"
Her friends exchanged looks one more time before each of them alternately told her about Shino. Though Sakura had a difficult time wrapping her head about Shino's involvement in all these, she couldn't believe that Sasuke and the rest were now imprisoned! And ten years for that matter!
"B-but they saved me. They did their best to save me. I wouldn't have gotten out if not for them."
"Well, you wouldn't be there in the first place if not for them. And apparently, saving you from that hell hole isn't enough reason to absolve them of the council laws they supposedly violated." Ino muttered. But upon the mention of hell hole, Sakura froze.
"Y-you knew what they did to me?"
"We saw some still frames and a few surveillance footages, Sakura." Temari answered and Hinata repeatedly nodded her head beside her. "We really thought we'd lose you...and Kakashi. You should've seen the doctors' faces when they brought the news. They were shaking. Dr. Senju even told us that Kakashi almost died three times in his operating table."
"Yeah. B-both Dr. Tsunade and Dr. Tobirama were crying. I didn't even think that he was capable of crying. And then he eventually said that you two would be fine. And it only dawned upon us then that his tears were happy tears." Hinata supplied.
"He even said, 'thank heavens for those stubborn kids.'" Ino said while mimicking Tobirama's 'supposedly' deep voice. The girls slightly chuckled.
Hearing her friends tell her what happened while she fought for dear life brought her a mixture of emotions. Though what Ino said was true, that none of these would've happened if not for Sasuke and the rest, it still didn't escape her observation that Hinata and Temari looked miserable. And if Sakura was allowed to look closer, she could say that her friends' eyes were a little red and swollen, probably from weeks of crying, and she felt sorry for them. Ino had just been lucky enough that Sai was part of the winning team though Sakura currently didn't feel so much of a winner. She sighed. She really wanted to see Kakashi.
"H-hey, can I ask you guys for a favor?"
Sakura watched as the three of them stood up to better look at her.
"What is it, Sakura?" Temari asked.
"Can you bring me to Kakashi? I really need to see him."
Her friends once again briefly exchanged glances when Ino finally spoke.
"Leave it to me."
Next thing Sakura knew, Ino had already snatched a wheelchair from the hallway and wheeled her towards Kakashi's room together with her IV and all. Though she had to forego her morphine drip, she found out that she actually didn't mind as long as she got to see Kakashi.
When they reached his room, it was probably a good thing that Sakura had been restricted of movement because she would've jumped on Kakashi the second she saw him. When Ino wheeled her closer, Sakura almost choked on such happy feelings upon seeing him, who, despite being bed ridden and surrounded with tubes and beeping machines, was showing a steady sign of recovery because of the healthy color on his face coupled with his even and steady breathing.
"Sakura, a-are you sure it's okay to leave you here? What if Tsunade sees you?" Hinata worriedly asked. And Sakura understood because her friend wasn't the type to sneak around heavily injured patients around the hospital. But she made sure to give Hinata her warmest and happiest smile filled with gratitude.
"I'm sure. And if Tsunade sees me, I think…I think she'll understand." She said as her friends made sure that she was comfortable and that her dextrose wasn't getting in the way before they left her there.
Her friends were also kind enough to wheel her closer to Kakashi's bed. Close enough so that she could grasp his hand and enclose it in hers; also enabling her to rest her head on the soft, clean mattress of his hospital bed as she peered up to his peaceful, sleeping face.
That was how Tsunade found her that night. Inside Kakashi's room, asleep on the side of his bed while still seated on the wheelchair and holding his hand as though she was afraid to let go.
The next time she woke up, she found out that she was already in a hospital bed...next to Kakashi's separate one. She realized that they may have transferred the both of them in a much larger room so they could be together. And for that she was thankful.
Another two weeks passed before Kakashi fully regained his consciousness.
Sakura, on the other hand, had been given the thumbs up a week earlier and that she was almost as good as new. She was now given the permission to roam around the hospital freely and eat her own meals care of Choji.
Though she still had a series of tests to go through and had to stay in the hospital a little longer, she simply accepted such arrangement especially when it meant that she could be beside Kakashi and help nurse him back to health—which meant feeding him like a baby and giving him plenty of kisses whenever she could, even when she was in the middle of giving Kakashi warm half baths using a wash cloth.
She didn't think that Kakashi could still manage to blush after having seen his initial medical chart and found out how much cc of blood he lost, but apparently living in a hospital dream and being cared for by a pretty pink-haired-soon-to-be-medic (despite being still a patient herself and getting reprimanded by Tsunade to not over exert herself) had his red blood cells working overtime because of the number of times she made him blush ever since he woke up from his coma.
That night, she had once again found herself on Kakashi's hospital bed, asleep, with her head resting on her forearms on his bedside—at least that's what he thought when he reached out to touch her hair and gently ruffled it. Then, Sakura heard the door open and close and realized that Tsunade had just walked in based on the voice she heard speaking to Kakashi.
Sakura wanted to lift her head and greet the doctor but she found out that she was a bit tired and the cold yet comfortable cool of the air-conditioning unit inside Kakashi's room wasn't helping in keeping her eyes open. So she just continued on snoozing—half in and half out of her consciousness as she listened to Kakashi's and Tsunade's voices.
It seemed that Tsunade was asking him about the basics. 'How are you feeling?' 'Are you in pain somewhere?' 'Any feeling of headache, dizziness, nausea?' Until Sakura heard them shift into a more personal conversation—one between a brother and a sister.
Heavens knew that it wasn't her intention to eavesdrop, but she was listening to them in between consciousness and that was probably alright.
"You know, sis. When I was dying, I swear I thought I heard your voice." She heard Kakashi say.
Tsunade must have ruffled Kakashi's hair because she heard him grunt before she heard the doctor's voice giving out a light chuckle.
"I was probably scolding you to suck it up and stop crying or I'll make things even worse."
"Yeah, only then I wasn't hurt simply because of a scratched knee." Was Kakashi's response.
"I guess even on the brink of death you called for me."
"Hmm, not really. If memory serves me right, I thought I was trying to shoo you away. You do tend to poke my injuries making it so much worse." Kakashi answered with an airy chuckle of his own and by this time, Tsunade must have wrapped Kakashi in a hug because there was a slight struggle on the bed.
"Stop smothering me, sis. I just woke up a few days ago."
"And I'm so happy that you did!" Tsunade exclaimed, but this time, Tsunade was already crying.
"You scared the shit out of me, Kakashi. You seriously did. Again!" The doctor sobbed.
"And I knew you'd cry for me. Again." Came Kakashi's short reply.
"Even uncle didn't know what to do! I thought…I thought I was going to lose my baby brother!" Tsunade said in between sobs.
"Hey… hey, stop crying. I don't have any tissue to give you."
"That's alright. I can wipe my snot and tears on my lab coat."
"That's not very hygienic."
"Only you would know."
Then they began laughing. The sob and tears replaced by bubbly laughter coming from Tsunade while the soft, deep ones from Kakashi. Then she heard Kakashi speak again.
"Thank you."
"For what?" Tsunade asked.
"For saving her." Kakashi said and Sakura felt his warm hands on her hair as he gently ruffled her pink tresses.
"You truly are a great doctor, sis. The greatest doctor for me...next to father, of course, and your rank would still probably go lower once Sakura becomes a doctor herself."
"Don't forget I could rearrange your bones if I wanted to." Tsunade jokingly uttered.
"I know you could." Kakashi agreed. "But really, I can't thank you enough."
"Just concentrate on your recovery, Kakashi. You can thank me by giving me lots of adorable nieces and nephews in the future if you haven't gone impotent yet, you know, with all the drugs I gave you."
And with that, Tsunade exited the room with an air of laughter as Sakura heard the doors open and close again while Kakashi continued to rub his warm hand on her hair.
Sakura was definitely happy, and she felt warm, and she was positive that the last thoughts on her mind before she truly fell asleep were that of cute, silver-haired, dark-eyed babies, and a handsome-looking Kakashi in a frilly, sky blue apron.
It was truly a wonderful dream.
Sakura was completely discharged earlier as compared to Kakashi, but just like the stubborn girlfriend that she was, she refused to go home even with the promise of Genma and Yamato guarding her.
It took a few more weeks before Tsunade allowed Kakashi to go home. But when she did, Sakura had found herself unwilling because that would mean that she'd have to go home in her own house and she obviously didn't want to. That's why during their car ride home, Sakura couldn't help but ask…
"Kakashi, can I...can I stay with you?"
Kakashi looked at her and at first Sakura didn't know what to make out of his expression. It was passive, it was blank, which was made worse because of the mask he still wore due to force of habit, but she was prepared to plead and beg until one of his eyebrows rose in a questioning look and he suddenly smirked as evidenced by the happy crease his eyes made.
"I don't understand why you still have to ask, Sakura. I already thought from the get go that you're going to stay with me. I refuse to let you out of my sight."
Sakura's eyes grew big and she had to stifle a sob as she latched onto Kakashi's arm to hug him closer. And when Sakura thought that things wouldn't get any better, she suddenly found them out of the city proper and realized that instead of staying inside Kakashi's apartment in the city, Kakashi chose to stay at his super-secret hide out. The one where a lot of memorable and steamy memories took place.
Sakura was definitely extremely really happy to get to live together with Kakashi but that didn't mean that they were without problems.
They found out that the treatment which Tsunade and Sai developed, though effective, was taking a toll on her body that her weight had gone down drastically only in the last few weeks after being discharged from the hospital. Tsunade had also informed her of the board's decision to allow her a leave of absence for the rest of the school year which resulted to the delay of her medical studies, but she really can't complain because even when all her physical injuries had been healed and were nothing more but scars, that didn't mean that she was also already healed from within.
There had been countless of nights where she woke up crying and screaming because her dreams were almost always plagued by horrifying images of yellow eyes and the sound of evil cackling. There was even one time where Kakashi's abdominal stitches had been split open because she thrashed so hard and Kakashi had to pin her down to wake her and calm her.
Sakura knew that Kakashi had his own way of healing and coping, and this was through his paintings and burying himself with work, but it did not escape her eyes how sad Kakashi always looked every time he catches her staring at her own reflection. He would then go to kiss her and embrace her, but she knew that he'd feel nothing more but skin and bones. She had become frail in his arms and it hurt him to see her almost without life especially when he looked deep in her eyes.
She too wasn't happy. Whenever she faced the mirror every single day, it was as if an entirely different person stared back. Her pink hair which she was so very proud of for being lustrous and smooth had now become like a rough, dirty, used mop on top of her head. And no matter how many times she brushed it to tame them, she'd just end up cursing and crying because the strands were giving out and it was probably only a matter of time before she got herself bald. Then her body…she couldn't even begin to describe what happened to it. There were just no words appropriate enough to describe what had become of her. None.
That's when she knew that she needed help.
Sakura was lucky to have kind friends and a loving boyfriend who has an equally loving family who tried their very best to help her heal. But Sakura knew that she had to throw her title as the 'Queen of Isolation,' that it was finally time for her to get help from another, someone who was more professional and really knows what to do. That's why she didn't hesitate when she got up one fateful day and went to Kakashi and asked him if he could ask Tsunade or his father to help her find what she was looking for...and they did.
The first few weeks of therapy was hard because it meant relieving every possible heartache and nightmare that she had, but as days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months, she had started showing promise which definitely lifted everyone's spirits.
With the help of everyone, most especially Choji's wonderful cooking, Sakura was steadily gaining weight and was probably a few pounds heavier than her last "normal" weight, but she wasn't complaining. In fact she was really happy that the hollows on her cheeks were gone making her look a little younger than her actual age, that her ribs weren't showing themselves even when she raised her hands to examine herself in front of the mirror, and that her breasts had gotten a sudden 'oomph' for a lack of better word to describe it.
Also, she hadn't realized that her thighs could get pretty thick, but Kakashi assured her that they were still sexy...probably sexier than before because Kakashi suddenly developed an unusual fetish for stockings and thigh highs, and she discovered this one day when he begged her to put on a pair of sheer black stockings and he would simply sit on a corner and watch her roll them in front of him, up and down. Kakashi wouldn't do anything more but to stare, enraptured.
Workouts with Kakashi were even better because she got to watch him shirtless while he does all the things everybody does inside a gym. She was even thankful that he had a built in gym inside the house which had pretty much all the basic exercise equipment because she had never thought that exercising could look so sexy, sweaty but sexy.
And then of course there were some other type of 'work out sessions' they frequently engaged in and it was definitely her favorite. It involved a lot more grunting and panting and sweating, and a little bit screaming, but who was she to complain? Teehee.
When Sakura felt a little more confident to face the world, Tsunade brought her back as her assistant together with Sai. This meant that she got hands-on work at the hospital, though mostly clerical because she wasn't a third year yet and she was still technically on leave at the university; but she gladly took all the teachings and the challenges and patiently waited for her time to get back to the real deal. Kakashi, on the other hand, had been busy rebuilding The Gallery, which only took a little bit of effort on his part because Ino willingly advertised the place on all her SNS. At the blink of an eye, the place had once again regained its fame overnight.
"What did she ask from you? Knowing Ino, she won't do anything for free." Sakura asked Kakashi one night while they ate dinner at a cozy restaurant.
"Well, she asked if she could meet the 'elusive' artist." Kakashi answered.
"You mean she still has no idea?!" Sakura shrieked a little, incredulous of the fact that her friend could be so dense.
"Yes. Up until that point she was still clueless."
"Okay, and what did you tell her?"
There was a brief pause as Kakashi chewed on his food thoughtfully before he answered.
"I told her that she was looking at him already."
"And?"
"I'm not sure if she believed it but she suddenly jumped at me, and no, it wasn't a sexual advance because I'm fairly certain that she would've bitten my head off if I hadn't stopped her. I think at that point, she still thought I was joking."
"Oh my god, are you alright?!" Sakura worriedly asked but Kakashi only continued chuckling and nodded.
"Ugh, that bitch!" Sakura muttered under her breath though she muttered the words with affection. Then Kakashi spoke again, permanently taking her mind off her ramblings.
"I also sent her one of the paintings she had her eye on when I invited her over the gallery. Not sure what she'd make of that."
"Oh really? She's probably screaming her head off right now. If that's the case, let me call her a little later to see if she hadn't screamed herself raw yet." She chuckled mischievously.
They exited the restaurant soon after but did not immediately go home. Instead, they walked hand in hand towards a nearby park and continued on with mundane conversations.
Though there was a slight chill in the air, Sakura didn't mind because she had Kakashi's deep red scarf wrapped around her. They eventually stumbled upon a children's playground to which Sakura pulled Kakashi as she tried on the different rides while he patiently followed her—like for example, indulging her child self on a see-saw and she didn't even have to ask twice before Kakashi sat on the other end and played with her.
They looked a little silly, but she didn't mind. Kakashi also didn't seem to mind either. But despite their child-like playfulness, Sakura took that opportunity to ask him of several heavy topics she had in mind, especially those that she came to know after she was discharged from the hospital, and Kakashi tolerantly answered all of it.
"How's...how's the Uchiha business by the way? You know the clean one."
"It's going great. Itachi's doing good in making things afloat and last time I heard, he had been juggling contracts between their business and Naruto's dad."
"Well, I suppose that's good to hear. Okay, uhm. I have another question…" For this one, she had to bite her lip because she didn't know the right words to ask, but when she came up empty, she just settled on asking the very same sentence she initially had. "How are the families taking in the loss?" She was obviously referring to the prison sentence suffered by her friends—it wasn't like they were dead or anything.
"They took it roughly at first but...they've been in the business for a while now, Sakura. They know what happened and why it had to be done.
Sakura nodded quietly. By this time, both of them had transferred to a nearby swing and she allowed herself to be pushed gently, high enough so that her feet didn't land on the sandy ground.
Sometimes, she still couldn't believe that there was an entire different world underneath them all, and that she and her friends were a part of it. It was only unfortunate that they all belonged to different factions.
'Why couldn't we just belong to one?'
That thought had been brewing inside her head up until the time both of them got home and jumped into bed. Though her thoughts about it had eventually been wiped out when Kakashi kissed her goodnight and reminded her that she shouldn't sleep too late because she still had a duty at the hospital in the morning, it wasn't gone completely.
The days swiftly passed by and Sakura and Kakashi found themselves spending Christmas eve with their friends. Tsunade was able to come up with a small feast with the help of Choji who offered their restaurant as the venue for such gathering especially upon knowing that it was Tobirama Senju who called for such.
Everything had been great at the start and quite obviously, everyone was glad to see each other. However, there eventually came a point where most of them had just one too many drinks, and celebrating had become difficult upon realizing that things were just different without the boys.
Though everyone knew why Sasuke, Naruto, Shikamaru, and Kiba had been put away, their absence was still palpable. Even Shino wasn't able to make it for a reason so obvious. After all, he was the one who sent them away. Their original clique just felt so incomplete that the 'celebration' had been cut short because every girl, even Choji, started crying.
After that incident, Sakura asked to meet with Tobirama privately to ask about her friends. 'How are they? Are they okay? Is it possible to see them? To visit them? To send them food or clothes or trinkets at least?'
But Tobirama merely shook his head and told her that he had no idea, that no one except the Sentinels could go in and out of the Acheron prison, that only they knew what was happening inside, that he tried his best to get information about Sasuke and the rest, but that his efforts were futile because such organization were a stickler for rules. And then he apologized.
Sakura was extremely down that day, and she swore to herself that from that day on, she would find a way...any way...to help her friends. But things were always easier said than done.
.
.
.
It was New Year's Eve by then and Sakura and Kakashi had found themselves spending it alone because of the mishap that took place last Christmas dinner.
It was probably okay because for New Year, Sakura wanted it to be a happy and memorable celebration because it was her first time celebrating it with Kakashi who had been nothing but patient and loving and caring to her for the past months.
They were at his apartment in the city because Sakura said that she wanted to see the fireworks display. Obviously and without debate, Kakashi had obliged because he had probably noticed that she was down the past few days.
Kakashi had his arms wrapped around her while they gently swayed from side to side as they watched stray fireworks from their spot on the 37th floor, probably from a few excited fellows who couldn't wait for midnight to come.
Sakura had also wanted to light her own fireworks but when she stepped on the roof deck a while back, her body couldn't take the chill in the air despite her multiple layers of clothing and dragged Kakashi back in. Now, it was only a few more minutes before the promise of a new year and Sakura was thankful to be holed up with Kakashi inside his warm and cozy apartment, and of course, inside his arms.
"Kakashi?"
"Hm?"
"Do you still hate Sasuke and the others?"
There was a brief pause in the air as Sakura waited for Kakashi to answer. He definitely stopped the gentle swaying but she felt that his embrace had instead become a fraction tighter.
"Hate is a very strong word. But I would be lying if I didn't say that I want to square with the four of them. They could even come at me all at the same time and I'd still probably come out victorious."
Sakura elbowed Kakashi on the side which he easily dodged by shifting his hips to the other.
"Okay, maybe another lifetime." He mumbled which earned him a light chuckle.
"So you don't hate them?" Sakura asked again and Kakashi shook his head.
"I don't…because I know how important they are to you and I can see that you miss them."
There was a pause, now on Sakura's part as she pondered over Kakashi's words.
"I do miss them. So much. Are you angry?"
"Why would I be? They're your family, Sakura. No matter how twisted they could be, they're a part of you. Though I'd have to take you away if they become too toxic and pose a threat to your psychological well-being. And if they do anything close to what they did before, you know what will happen."
Even though Kakashi had just announced a threat in the air, Sakura still smiled. She didn't think that Kakashi would understand how much she valued her friends. Hell, she saw how much Kakashi wanted to shoot Sasuke before and that was probably the reason why there was a need for a threat but...that was before. What's important was now.
The universe was probably presenting its peace offering in the form of Kakashi after what it did to her. Well, if that was the case then she'd gladly accept! Because she knew she couldn't get any luckier, and for that she'd forever thank her lucky stars.
"I love you. So much!" Sakura said as she turned her head to the side to kiss Kakashi.
"And I love you. I just wish I could do something, anything, so you could be less sad every occasion like this."
"Anything?"
Sakura twisted inside Kakashi's arms so she could look at him face-to-face. She was staring at Kakashi so intently that she saw how his eyes grew a fraction wider because of the previous word she said.
"I know that look. You have something on your mind, don't you?"
Sakura nodded.
"Care to tell me?"
And she did. She whispered it on his ears the thing she had in mind with respect to her friends as though she didn't want anybody to hear it but him. All the while, Kakashi was simply nodding his head and humming his agreement until she finished.
"Are you sure?" Kakashi asked her. But then Sakura bounced the question back.
"Are you sure. Because if we do this it would mean that—"
"Sakura, I had come to realize that I actually made a promise to myself towards my father. Also, I've been managing it for the last 20 years or so...what's a few more years if it means being able to see you happy?"
"But would you be happy?"
"I think so. I mean, I'm good at what I do. The best probably."
"Kakashi..."
"If it means I could protect you better, then so be it." He said, and he said it in a way that there was no more room for debate, only agreement. Sakura smiled as she ran her hands through Kakashi's hair and pulled him for a kiss.
"Thank you." She whispered on his lips as the first big firework exploded and their room was suddenly filled with a multitude of colors which prompted her to turn away from Kakashi and face the series of fireworks which erupted next.
She felt so full of happiness that evening that she even raised her hand as though she wanted to grab the shower of vibrant and colorful glitters up in the sky. That's when she saw it. The princess cut diamond ring on her finger, embellished with a few more little diamonds that twisted on the band.
Her initial reaction was shock as the stones sparkled vibrantly with or without the fireworks overhead. The giant butterflies in her stomach were also back and they were fluttering their wings up to her chest. Then, she began mumbling as she whispered her answer to the question which was still left unasked, and when things have finally sunk in, she screamed the next as she jumped and jumped until she was able to face Kakashi while trying to contain the giant butterflies-turned-to-a hoard of galloping horses in her chest and stomach.
"Yes! Yes! YES!"
Kakashi chuckled as he held her hips, probably trying to stop her from jumping some more and eventually bumping her head on their floor-to-ceiling glass window.
"Yes, Kakashi! I will marry you!" She said, eyes brimming with tears as she held onto Kakashi's shoulders for support because she suddenly felt like her knees had turned to jelly. Ever been to a running marathon you haven't even prepared for? That was what she was currently feeling—a little light headed and incredibly weak in the knees, but a lot less sweaty and more heart palpitations.
"But I haven't even asked the question yet."
"But you already slipped the ring! So yes! I would love to be your wife! And no, I'm not giving you a choice out of this either!" She exclaimed and Kakashi smiled at her like he was the happiest man on earth. He then carefully brushed the stray hairs which made it onto her face because of all her jumping, and held her face between his hands as though she was the most fragile of all figurines around the whole world.
"If that's the case then I'd love to be your husband, Sakura." He said, and she could see that his entrancing eyes were filled with nothing but love, and warmth, and her reflection, that not even the colorful fireworks could take her eyes off him. "…and I would devote the remainder of my life to love you and protect you and keep you safe and happy as best as I could."
Sakura's hand gently settled on Kakashi's cheek as she softly traced with her fingers the scar which ran from his forehead down to his cheek. She looked deeply into his eyes, those that were made of thunder storms and molten lava that would put any fireworks to shame, eventually pulling him close to place a tender kiss on his warm, soft lips.
When Sakura pulled back, she rested her cheek on Kakashi's chest as she listened to his heartbeat which was marginally beating faster than normal like her own. They began swaying gently from side to side again, lost in their own world of silent love songs filling the air, and then she spoke.
"If that's your promise, you better make sure to live a very long life because if you break it, heaven knows that I could make you miserable even in the afterlife."
Kakashi chuckled and she felt the rumble on her cheek. Then he replied.
"I knew you'd make a very bossy wife."
"Do you have any complaints?"
"None. I actually love it. Especially when you boss me around the bedroom." Kakashi admitted hastily.
"Kakashi!"
"I love you too, Sakura."
And she allowed him when he tipped her chin so that their lips could meet; ultimately spending the rest of New Year's Day in bed, and in some other places too, but mostly in bed and in the arms of each other.
She was happy.
They allowed a few more days to pass as they let the New Year's rush to subside. It turned out that they made the right choice because it took Tobirama a few days more to return to the country because he had been busy working with the with the Black Ops to erase whatever that had transpired between them and the foreign mafia. This was of course with the help of the Sentinels because apparently, and they weren't even that surprised anymore, Tobirama's Black Ops and Sasuke's assassination squad was never a secret to them. They just chose not to participate because both were necessary evils in the underground realm.
When Tobirama was back, Sakura wasted no time in setting up a more formal appointment to meet the doctor to discuss the things she had told Kakashi. Tobirama graciously agreed and had given them his whole day to hear them out while Kakashi never left her side as she explained in detail what she had in mind.
When Sakura was done explaining, Tobirama's eyes had shifted to Kakashi and asked, "You agreed to this?"
"Yes, father." Was Kakashi's answer before Tobirama's eyes shifted back to Sakura to ask her once more if she was sure about it. And just like what Kakashi had said, she said yes.
"Very well, I'll set up an appointment with the Sentinels though I'm not certain if they would grant your request for a dialogue."
"They would, doctor. They have to. I'm sure."
And it was on the twelfth day from the date of her talk with Tobirama Senju that Sakura received a notice of confirmation from the Sentinel's council. Sakura immediately shared the news with Kakashi and Tobirama, to which the latter immediately set up a place where she would meet with Sentinel's representative to discuss her request which took place three days later.
Three days later...
Sakura was waiting inside a huge conference room, complete with an expensive-looking, oval walnut wood table, equipped with table top microphones and executive-type, black swivel chairs.
Though the high-powered air-conditioning units standing in two corners blew cold, frigid air inside the room, she was calm, she felt calm thanks to the two dashing, smartly dressed men who were quietly standing behind her while she was seated in one of the swivel chairs near the door. If she were to be honest, she could say that she felt completely safe in the company of the two more than anybody else after everything that she'd been through, and if she was forced to bet with her life on the line, she'd willingly bet on them. That's for sure.
Sakura reached her right hand out to Kakashi who promptly enveloped it on his own as he gave her hand a comforting squeeze and a kiss on top of her head.
"Are you nervous?" He asked.
But Sakura shook her head and simply smiled. That's when the doors to the conference room opened and in came Shino who looked as equally dashing in his dark gray suit, and with him were four men clad in black.
Seeing Shino appear before her had only heightened Sakura's opinion that Shino might be in a much higher position than what he actually let out. Now, she suddenly felt a little nervous, but when Shino softly smiled, it reminded her who he truly was to her, which made her feel so much better because at least she knew who she was talking to.
"It's been a while, Sakura." Shino greeted, but instead of answering back, Sakura suddenly jumped to him and embraced him.
Shino's men must have been startled with her sudden movement that they immediately moved to draw their guns but Shino simply waved them with a small motion of his hand and they promptly settled. Kakashi and Tobirama, on the other hand, had remained passive behind her, probably trusting the man that he wouldn't do anything to hurt Sakura. No one knew what Shino's combat prowess was but even he was wise enough to know that it would be extremely dangerous to engage with the Black Ops founder and his ultimate weapon inside an enclosed space.
Thankfully though, Shino had caught her and gently patted her back before Sakura pulled away as she allowed Shino to lead her back to her chair while he sat on the other one across her.
He cleared his throat before speaking.
"I heard from Senju-sama that there is something that you wish to discuss?"
Sakura nodded as Kakashi handed her a brown envelope which she received and thereafter slid in front of Shino. The man briefly looked at it before deciding to get it to open it and to reveal its contents.
"A contract, huh?"
"Yes. That contract holds the conditions for the release of Sasuke Uchiha and the rest, including Gaara of the Sand Enterprise and Neji Hyuuga."
Shino swiftly read through the paragraphs and gave a slight smirk.
"So you're going to use the Topaz to bargain for their release?"
"Yes."
"And where is the Topaz if I may ask?"
Of course Shino was curious. After all, it would be relatively easy for him to just send out his people to a particular location where the Topaz could be hiding at the moment and get his hands on it—just like how he was able to extract The Glimpse under the council's nose after the council's own men had secured the perimeter where Tobirama and Orochimaru's encounter took place to scour for it. But she just had to disappoint him on this one.
"Unfortunately, the Topaz is still within me—swimming inside my skull as a matter of fact. That means it is still out of your...grasps."
Shino's eyebrows rose up upon hearing her statement, so did his men behind him. Sakura wasn't surprised. Only a few people knew about the whereabouts of the Topaz but now, she was more comfortable in saying it out loud knowing that no harm would come her way because of it—not that it hasn't fallen on her already after everything she'd been through.
Sakura watched as Shino drummed his fingers over the dark surface of the table as he seemed to ponder on what she just said. Then he spoke.
"Okay…but what made you think that we'd need such item? I don't even think that the data inside it is of much use to our organization, much less enough reason to release our...prisoners."
Sakura knew Shino wanted to say 'friends' but he held back, not wanting to show unnecessary emotion in the presence of his men, and she did understand Shino's interest towards The Glimpse more, after all, it was some sort of a 'bug,' figuratively speaking. He continued.
"As you know, we don't meddle in some of the underworld's affairs. We just take part when some things are abused, then that would only be the reason where there comes a need to interfere and eliminate."
"I knew you'd say that." Sakura hummed. "That's why I have to tell you that there are some things that have been abused. All the more reason to interfere and eliminate, don't you think? Not that I doubt your capabilities of knowing this already but it would be easier to justify the need of laying down your punishment that even your council would not question your decision—all of which are in the microcapsule inside my head.
"Sakura, I don't think you understand the role of the Sentinels in the underground realm."
"Oh, but I do. You don't actively participate in things, blah blah blah, so you refuse to accept a charitable donation. That's why I don't intend on giving the Topaz directly to you because I intend to give it to these two gentlemen behind me once Dr. Senju completes the apparatus needed for it to be extracted."
Yes. Apparently there would be no need to undergo any needless and dangerous surgery to crack her skull open and dive into it to get the microcapsule, because as what Tobirama and Tsunade told her when she confessed about the whereabouts of the Topaz, they said that if there was some kind of apparatus or contraption which her mother used on her to put the capsule inside, that same machine could most probably also get it out.
At that moment, Tsunade was still scouring every medical research journal written by Mebuki Haruno because the only evidence of the existence of such apparatus was on the disc given to her by their family lawyer which she quickly destroyed after watching the video.
Sakura was intensely looking at Shino now, and she may not see his eyes behind his dark glasses, but she knew that the wheels in his head were turning. It was true when he said that the Sentinels didn't meddle much in the underworld affairs especially if it involved openly butting heads with the mother council, but the moment Sakura transfers its ownership to Tobirama and Kakashi, and Tobirama uses it while dropping his neutral stand in the underground realm to take on a much powerful one, she knows that the Sentinels would have no choice but to monitor it—making the power of the Topaz somewhat within their grasps. Whether or not Shino decides to actively participate in the use of such dark powers, it was up to him. Sakura was just merely giving him choices.
After a few moments of deep contemplation, Shino spoke.
"You just said a while back that the Topaz is still within you. How do I know that what you're telling me is true?"
"You don't." Sakura answered wryly. "You just have to trust the fact that I am Sakura Haruno, daughter of Kizashi and Mebuki Haruno—developers of the Topaz and a lot more fearful technological weapons. Besides, I heard from Dr. Senju that some members of the mother council have been giving you…quite the headache.
With her statement, Shino's eyes gazed right past her and towards the older man behind, who she was sure was currently smirking like the other one on her other side.
The offer was tempting and she knew it. There were indeed a lot of members whom Shino wanted gone in the mother council because they were making things unbearably difficult for the Sentinels. Even then as they spoke, there's already probably a riot happening underground between organizations fighting for the ownership of the still lost and missing item, which has already been guaranteed to belong to one Senju. If it were truly possible that the Topaz could do such things, then maybe he could hand pick people who could be easier to work with? Say for example, like a certain man standing behind Sakura? Surely Tobirama Senju knew more people who are worthy to take a high seat at the council table.
Sakura watched as Shino began drumming his fingers over the table again.
"Ah, but Sakura, if that would be the case, it would indeed create a huge turmoil underground. You see, members of the high council are quite...vengeful."
"And that's where Sasuke and the rest would come into play." Sakura shifted and sat a bit straighter as she leaned forward towards him, showing Shino that she was dead serious and that finally, they had reached the most important part of the negotiations.
"Shino, you of all people know what they are capable of. Individually speaking, they're probably better than a dozen of your men combined; no offense to you, gentlemen, of course." Sakura said while her eyes shifted briefly towards the men who were standing behind Shino's back, and then she continued. "So why keep them if you could use them? Why waste their skills if they could perfectly work for you and the council that you have in mind?"
"And what happens after they've served their sentences? Ten years in this kind of business is a relatively short time."
"I think Sasuke and the rest are wise enough to know the answer to that."
Shino briefly pursed his lips before he spoke again, now with an evident amused smirk on his face.
"You drive a really hard bargain, Sakura. But I can't say that it isn't tempting. Have you ever considered joining the council? I believe we have never had a woman sit at the golden high chair before."
"You flatter me, Shino but I think there are people who are more suitable than I am for such position." Sakura said as she glanced at Tobirama and Kakashi who were hiding their proud smirk because of Shino's sudden offer.
"Very well then, I'll see what I can do." Shino said as he stood up and buttoned up his suit like they haven't been talking about something so intensely for the better half of the hour.
"It's really great doing business with you, Sakura. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've been in this business for a very long time already." He said before he waved them a small goodbye and exited the conference room.
When Shino left, Sakura faced the two men standing behind her and grinned.
"You did well, child." Tobirama said and reached out to place a warm hand on top her head. Then, Sakura faced Kakashi and stepped towards him to hold his hand in hers.
"Thank you. Thank you both."
"Anything to keep you safe." Kakashi said as he gave her his warm, genuine smile albeit behind a mask.
Naturally, Sakura was worried because her decision meant that Kakashi would continue to work behind the scenes for Tobirama Senju and would most definitely inherit the latter's position once he opts to retire. This would entail that the tradition of partaking in the business would continue, and probably would run until the generations to come. But her talk with Tobirama and Kakashi assured her that if their families wouldn't be able to escape it, all they had to do was to change it—to forge bonds stronger than money, power, and fame—and that change would be because of her, for she was the catalyst of it all.
It was three months later, on the day of the Showa festival, that they received news from Shino that their friends, including Neji and Gaara are to be transferred to a facility less strict than the Acheron Prison—one where Sakura and the others could visit them and talk to them.
They still weren't given immediate freedom due to matters important to the organization where it was said that Sasuke and the rest had to serve two of their ten-year sentence under the Sentinels' watch before they could be fully utilized for the purpose which Sakura and Shino have agreed upon.
Sakura didn't mind. It was a step towards something greater, and she'd just have to trust Shino to deliver their end of the bargain.
That same day, Tobirama took Ino, Hinata, Temari, and Choji, including Sai towards the facility where Naruto and the others were newly kept. Sakura didn't go. She felt like she still wasn't ready to meet any of them, and Ino and the rest understood.
When they got back from the said facility, Hinata and Temari hugged her while they cried with a mixture of happiness and sadness and gratitude, after which, all her friends who went and visited the boys took turns to tell her how they were.
"I have no idea what they did to them inside but—they all got so skinny."
"They were clearly surprised to see us, Sakura. And they didn't know that it was you who negotiated for their release."
"It was…it was difficult to see them. It was as if they didn't know us! Imagine if they've been kept there for eight more years! Poor, Naruto."
"Tobirama-sama and I talked to Shino. He informed us that he would take the responsibility to make sure that they would be fit to return to society, to us before he releases them."
And it was at the end of the two year sentence and a few months more when Sakura finally decided to meet them.
She was at a villa then, perched on a hilltop, surrounded by nature, and she was calmly sitting on a vintage chair placed in the terrace as she gazed out the horizon towards the sun that was preparing its descent. It was spring, and there was a beautiful and breathtaking garden downstairs but that could wait. Sakura had to see them first. She had to.
Sakura was absently playing with the engagement ring on her finger when the tentative knocks came. Suddenly, there was a lump in her throat that she forced to go down as she faced the closed doors of her room and leveled her voice to speak.
"Come in."
Slowly, the doors to her cozy room opened and in came four of the men whom she had not seen for the past two years. They all looked great in their tailored, slim-fit black suits which only differed because of their personal touches to it. Sasuke took out the extremely formal edge to it by wearing an open neck, button down shirt under his coat, Naruto looked extremely adorable because he paired his outfit with white sneakers, Kiba, on the other hand, wore all black but he definitely looked good in that fit, black V-neck shirt underneath, and of course, Shikamaru, who had his sleeves messily rolled up, tie missing, probably thrown down the hill on their way up. It seemed that all of them had regained their former handsome glory except for the fact that at the moment, they all looked fidgety and uncomfortable in her presence.
Sakura chuckled lightly. At least she wasn't the only one who felt like she was about to short-circuit. But then she finally spoke while still seated on her vintage chair. She couldn't trust herself to stand because she might end up kicking them all or fainting. Who knows? So she beckoned for them to come closer to her instead.
"So, are you all just going to stand there? Or should I force you all to kneel and beg for my forgiveness?"
Sakura knew that they were all prepared to do just that, but when they saw the soft, gentle smile on her face which gave them the idea that she was only kidding, all of them rushed to her like a herd of stampeding buffalos which would have sent her flying off her feet if not for the fact that she was secured in her chair.
In a heartbeat, she was immediately enclosed in a warm embrace with Sasuke and Shikamaru on her back while Kiba and Naruto had managed to wrap themselves around her mid-section and lap—and it was only then that she realized that they were sobbing.
"Babies," she huffed as she also desperately fought her tears from falling. That's when Sakura heard them. She heard them mumble their heartfelt apologies as she felt her shoulders, her thighs, her knees, steadily getting damp because of all their crying.
Sakura moved her hands. She touched the arms and faces surrounding her and ran her hands on the hair and cheeks on her lap. She calmed them while also trying her best to calm herself as her tears now wouldn't stop free-flowing down her cheeks.
"You guys…you've hurt me and I deeply hate you for it." She grumbled between thick sobs. "But now…now, I just want you all to make a promise."
"Anything…"
"Anything…"
Sakura bit her lip and stifled back a sob because it was just so difficult to speak while she was choked up with so much emotion that it was overflowing, it was pouring out. And so for a moment, she allowed herself to cry with them, to allow the hate to be released, to let it be washed away by hot tears—theirs, and to let them feel that she had accepted them back. Because if she wanted them to promise her something, she wanted them to hear it loud and clear, and to understand that they weren't simply released because of her pity and forgiveness, that they still had a very important job to do…and so she spoke.
"I want you all to protect this family, protect our friends and all those who you love most. Don't ever let us fall into harm, don't ever allow anyone to hurt us. Protect us, and love us, and keep us safe. That's all I ask." She was able to say before another wave of tears washed over her.
Sasuke and Shikamaru on her back, Kiba and Naruto on her lap—they all nodded and hummed their agreement and sobbed even harder than before. At that moment, Sakura didn't see them as the men they were now but as the little boys whom she grew up and played with—those who cried when they scraped their knees and elbows, those who fought over food and toys, those who fell off from trees and got covered with mud—and by then, she knew that she loved them all dearly and she was finally prepared to let go of the hate and forgive them.
Sakura didn't hear the door to her room open but when she looked to the side, she saw that Sai and Shino were there, standing side-by-side in the corner of her room and smiling. Then, the girls and Choji barged inside a heartbeat later and when they saw them, they didn't hesitate to join the group hug and shed tears of relief, of joy, of peace.
"Sakuraaaa, I'm sorryyy!" Kiba bawled on her lap and she couldn't help but to release a light chuckle as she wiped the tears from his cheeks and ruffled his hair just like how she ruffled Naruto's.
"S-so…so does this mean…does this mean that you forgive us?" Naruto asked in between sniffles while he looked at her with those bright, blue eyes of his.
"Well, you wouldn't be invited to my wedding if I haven't forgiven you yet."
"W-wedding? What wedding?"
"The one that's about to take place at a cliff not very far from here." It was Sai who answered.
"Now?! Today?!" Kiba incredulously asked, and that was the only time that they noticed that Sakura was wearing a simple, satin, white floor-length dress, and that there was an unusual glow in her face.
"Yes!" Ino suddenly exclaimed. "Sasuke and Naruto, you guys are in charge of walking Sakura down the aisle. While you, Shikamaru and Kiba, you'll be with Choji and Sai over there as flower girls!" She squealed.
Sakura heard Shikamaru chuckle as he peeled himself off her and said,
"Anything, anything for you, Sakura."
.
.
.
The sun was in a beautiful orange hue that afternoon while the sky around it was in soft gradients of blue and yellow orange. Since it was the time of spring, the path in which she walked through together with Sasuke and Naruto was lined with cherry blossom trees in their full bloom. And as the wind blew around them, so did the petals which made everything seem magical and enchanted.
When the three of them reached the clearing by the cliff, there were several white chairs on both sides of the petal-lined path leading to the altar and a grand white piano on the side which was already at play care of Kakashi's adoptive mother. A priest was already waiting for them; their friends were already there too, together with Tobirama, Tsunade, and Kakashi's adoptive father. Gaara and Neji were also present, so were Genma and Yamato who were waving at her enthusiastically as she came into view, looking all modest and elegant albeit the thigh high slit of her white, spaghetti-strapped, floor-length dress with a bouquet of pink and white lilies on her hand —though she also had to give it to the soft, see-through veil covering almost all of her and her short wavy bob which was styled perfectly for a little windy garden wedding.
There was also a flower ark at the end filled with an assortment of white and cream flowers which appeared as though it was raining white roses and lilies, and then there was Kakashi, looking painfully handsome and glorious in his white, perfectly tailored suit and fitted pale blue dress shirt. And for this occasion, he opted to forego his mask and instead decided to show his lopsided smile which made every girl swoon…including Naruto.
The melody transitioned to that of a soft love song instead of the usual bridal march as Sakura, together with Sasuke and Naruto, stood at the end of the path. She watched as Shikamaru, Kiba, Sai, and Choji walked through it with flower baskets on hand as they sprinkled more petals on the way. They were also accompanied by Kakashi's pack as each fur baby escorted each of the boys along the way. At the end of the line, Ino, Hinata, and Temari were busy squealing and giggling, especially when Pakkun took his place, complete with a tuxedo in place and a pillow basket on his back as he delivered the rings to Kakashi. Then the three of them followed.
"Thank you for giving me away." Sakura said as she pulled both men closer to her and gave them both soft kisses on the cheek while their friends and family clapped along the way. Kakashi met them on the other end but Sasuke and Naruto did not release her immediately and instead faced Kakashi.
"Take good care of her." Sasuke said.
"And love her with all you've got!" Naruto supplied before they let Sakura go and gave Kakashi their warm hugs and friendly pats on the back… until the only ones who were left standing at the center of it all was the two of them.
The wedding was simple and intimate, with only their close friends and family present to celebrate such sweet occasion.
Sakura was standing there, looking at Kakashi and thought that no feeling could ever compare to what she was feeling at that moment. Not the first time she saw him at the club, not even the very first time she saw his bare and handsome face, and not even that time where he came to her rescue. It was anything and everything combined and her heart just felt so full as she stared at Kakashi's mesmerizing eyes, still wondering how they ended where they were. When she glanced at her friends, they were also there, standing and waving at her, smiling and cheering her on, all because Kakashi made it possible for them to be a part of this special occasion. He sacrificed a lot for her, even his life and she knew she could never repay it with anything she had but she'd give him all of her, all the love she could muster and offer because she was made of that—of love. She was blessed to grow up with loving parents and friends before things went south but that was nothing compared to all the years that she grew up with it, and she wanted Kakashi to take all that. She was willing to give him a universe full of it because that was the only sure thing she had.
Sakura knew that his eyes never left her face, and so she gazed at him once more, taking in his perfectly handsome features and that soft, gentle smile of his. She was fighting away her tears because she didn't want him to go blurry but that proved to be difficult when his hands squeezed hers and she watched him raise her hands and touch his lips on her knuckles. She wanted to kiss him there and then and was getting a little impatient because the priest was taking too long! And so she had to control her emotions and calm herself as she simply mouthed 'I love you,' which made Kakashi smile more as he also mouthed to her the same.
And when the priest had finally blessed their union, Kakashi freed her of the veil obscuring her vision of him and held her face tenderly in his warm hands and whispered:
"You are the love of my life, Sakura, and I will take good care of you and I will love you with everything I've got." Before he closed her smiling lips with a kiss as a series of applause and excited barks surrounded them.
"You, know, you're really quite adorable when you snore." She heard Kakashi say.
Sakura then lifted her head, frowned a little bit as she pinched his side which jolted him a little but made him chuckle.
"I guess I got tired of the trip. How long was I out?"
"Not long. Roughly ten minutes." Kakashi replied and she smiled as she settled back to snuggle at him closer.
She just dreamed several years' worth of memories into a ten-minute nap but she wasn't complaining because everything still ended in a happily ever-after, though she still wondered how she ended up having a husband who had a double life. Imagine waking up every day and wondering how Kakashi was still able to maintain a sparkling clean reputation in the society they were in while doing covert operations behind the scenes. And of course, how could she forget that he also deserved an award for being the best father the twins could ever have.
Sakura was still completely in awe.
Kakashi still continuously accepted missions most especially after he was able to establish a team with Sasuke. Sometimes he even disappears in the middle of the night only to come back like nothing happened three days later, and the morning news on the television would then inform her that something big had just happened. There was even a time when they were out with friends and all the boys' phones began ringing simultaneously. That only meant that they were being called for, and Sakura and the rest who were left behind would know that their current mission was something important and dangerous because then they would all leave wearing their signature black suits which made them look like incredibly handsome grim reapers—and she was surprisingly okay with it.
She still worried about him though, about her friends, but she had been together with Kakashi long enough to know and understand what was going on, and that she trusted all of them enough to know that his team would keep everyone safe. After all, she had a hand on why things still continued the way they were—only now, it was a little bit better.
With the stunt she did with Shino, the underground realm was now in the hands of allied families, with the Senju, Uchiha, Namikaze, Nara, and Hyuuga on the leading front and these magnificent five were supported by the rest of the family names she definitely knew of. She was proud.
"Should we go back?" Sakura eventually asked.
"Hmm, let's stay a little longer. I just heard Genma's boisterous laughter."
Sakura chuckled but she did make herself more comfortable beside Kakashi while making sure that the twins were still equally comfy in their sleep. They spent a few more minutes cuddling and sharing random stories before they finally decided to show themselves to the rest of the family. And Kakashi was right, Genma was there together with Yamato, so were Neji and Gaara.
"Oh, there they are!" Hinata called as she waved for them to come over because apparently, breakfast still wasn't finished.
The moment they reached the group, Genma took the sleeping little Hayato from Kakashi's arms while Neji gingerly asked to hold little Hiromi as he introduced their baby to Hinata's like they haven't done that multiple times already ever since Hinata's baby girl was born. Yamato would immediately peer over the two while Gaara steadily followed his nephew who also went near to quietly greet the sleeping babies, pulling along Naruto's son and Choji's daughter with him.
Their friends knew that this will be the only time where the twins were behaved enough to be held by all because the two were fast asleep—and as parents, who were they to complain? As a matter of fact, she and Kakashi were very happy because their children will grow up having a family as big as this.
When Tobirama took his turn in holding his grandchildren, he prevented anyone from going near them while he cooed and fawned over the twins while still being careful not to wake them up. He even went as far as to shush the barking dogs that were running around playfully even when he was perfectly aware that they were dogs…they tend to do those things. But he wasn't able to do anything when Genma's voice boomed and called for a picture taking.
Upon hearing the word 'picture,' the already lively atmosphere had become even livelier as everyone gathered together for their annual snap. Yamato tried his best to guide everyone into a perfect tableau while Genma placed the camera up on a tripod and set the timer.
"Ok, everyone! The camera's set to ten seconds so ready your smiles!"
Genma pressed the button and swiftly ran to the side beside Kakashi as the timer began to count down.
10.
"Ok, I think we should huddle closer, closer. There!" Kiba said as he pulled on Tsunade closer to him and beamed lovingly at the blonde who playfully tapped on his cheek.
9.
"You should stop spoiling my son, Sasuke. He's being confused on who his real father is." Sai pouted because the child in his arms was struggling to get away from him and transfer to Sasuke who only shook his head and smiled.
8.
Despite what Sai said, Sasuke still reached for the boy who immediately stopped struggling once in his arms. He then looked amusedly at Sai and spoke, "I am not spoiling him. He just happens to like me better. If you want advice, you could grow your hair out longer a little bit like mine, and probably wipe that creepy smile off your face, or you could make more with Ino, I'm sure she'd love that." And just as Sai turned his head, his wife's smiling face was already beaming at him, agreeing at what Sasuke had just said.
7.
"Oh no, darling! Don't eat that! That's just candle!" Choji said as he pried from his daughter's hands a small and colorful display candle who already had half of it stuffed in her cheeks.
6.
"Who would've thought that ten seconds would take this long? What a drag." Shikamaru complained while trying his best to prevent his son from pulling on his silver earring, and asking the boy to behave and to smile at the camera.
5.
"I think we should call the pack." Kakashi muttered aloud while Tobirama promptly whistled for them to come. Almost immediately, a series of playful barking and growls filled the air, and the group huddled a little closer to one another.
4.
"Naruto, dear? I think our daughter just pooped." Hinata whispered, crimson blush gracing her cheeks but Naruto only smiled at her and swore that he'd take care of it in a minute.
3.
"I think my smile's about to disappear." Gaara mumbled beside Temari which was useless because everyone heard it which made everyone laugh but then…
2.
"Wait a second! I think the baby's about to come out!" Tsunade worriedly announced.
1.
"WHAT?!"
And as the camera promptly snapped at the end of the timer, it caught on its lens the moment when Tsunade's water broke, the dogs flying all around, Sai and Ino's son who was currently perched on Sasuke's arms pulling on the blonde hair of Naruto's child who immediately gave a sharp cry, which woke up the twins whose sleep was obviously disturbed and had also began crying. And when more than one child cried, all the other children followed, while all the adults who were and weren't carrying any children looked confused and frantic because they didn't know whether to help Tsunade or console the children.
For such a huge family who were filled with doctors, they certainly looked unprofessional and silly at that moment. And Sakura knew that once that picture gets developed, it would surely show a humongous disaster like all the other pictures they took years before. But Sakura didn't want a do-over. Nobody did. Because she was positive that despite the worried brows and terror-filled faces, there were smiles full of warmth and love underneath from friends turned family whose bonds were made thicker than blood.
END
A/N: That's a wrap everyone!
List of songs that helped me write:
Kaze Ga Fuku Machi by Luck Life
Wedding Part: Never Seen Anything "Quite Like You" by The Script
Lily by Luck Life
I have to admit that it was a little difficult for me to put an end on this story. It was probably the reason why it got "almost" abandoned before (No, I really got swamped with life issues and also forgot the important passwords to equally important e-mail addresses and am just too stubborn to admit it). But thank you for staying with me and this story until the end. I'm not sure if this ending deserves fireworks though (kidding, I know it does. I don't care if someone says otherwise), but this was how I have always pictured things to go. Of course I also dwelled on the thought of everyone dying and the rest shall be placed in despair but I wanted this story to say good bye without any bitter after taste. So there you have it!
I hoped you enjoyed this Kakasaku AU and again, thank you so much for reading!
Note:
Showa Day is an annual Japanese holiday held every April to celebrate the birthday of Emperor Shōwa. Sources say that Shō means "shining" or "bright", and wa means "peace." And April is spring time in Japan where cherry blossoms are in full bloom.
Ages of the characters during the five years later period:
Tobirama – probably between 53 or 54?
Tsunade – 35 (I think I have explained the misconception which Sakura had about Tsunade's age during the much earlier chapters)
Kakashi – 30
Sakura and the rest are between 27 or 28.
The children's ages somewhat differ. Hinata was probably the very first one to conceive and give birth, followed by Temari and Ino and Choji's daughter with only a few months gap, and then the twins.
The twins were named Hayato and Hiromi because…
I am a fan of Hitman Reborn and I have always pictured that if Kakashi and Sakura really did have a son, it would probably look like Hayato Gokudera. As for Hiromi, nope, I don't know any anime character having that name though there's probably a lot out there but its meaning is Generous beauty or abundantly beautiful.
