Chapter 3:

A Walk in the Park

Raku followed her all the way back to the Hyuga compound. Her father wasn't thrilled, but he didn't have the heart to deny her, and in the end, Raku was permitted to stay.

The first thing she did was give him a thorough cleaning, revealing silky golden fur under layers of caked-on dirt and grime. She also tried to groom him, but no matter how much she combed, his fur continued to stand up wildly in all directions until she finally gave it up. She visited a pet shop in the morning, and once she put his collar around his neck, it was official.

Raku was no longer just any dog, but her dog.

She had never owned a dog before, but she could see why the creatures had a reputation for being man's best friend. When she spent long hours curled up on her bed, Raku would lay faithfully beside her. And when she departed for her daily visit to Naruto's grave, he would accompany her, staying close to her side the whole time.

They were returning from one such trip when he suddenly bolted ahead with an excited yelp.

"Raku, wait!" She hurried after him and found that he had tackled some unsuspecting person with familiar cherry-blossom pink hair.

"Sakura!" She was opening her mouth to apologize when a sudden fear gripped her heart. "Is…Is he yours?"

"Goodness no!" Sakura's laugh rang out like a bell as Raku licked her face affectionately. "I've never seen him in my life!"

"I-I see," she said, inwardly sighing with relief. "I'm so sorry—Raku, come here."

The dog gave Sakura one last slobbery kiss then obediently went back to her side.

"He certainly seems to like you," she told her friend.

"I think I know why," Sakura grinned, holding up a wrapped bento box. Then, as if remembering herself, her smile faded, and she regarded her with concern.

"It's good to see you, Hinata. How are you?"

"I…" Her voice caught in her throat as panic seized her. She hadn't seen any of her friends since the funeral. She wasn't ready to face them without breaking down, but here was Sakura, right in front of her and waiting for a response. Oh, how she wished she could just sink into the ground and disappear—!

Her thoughts were interrupted as something cool and wet touched her hand. She looked down to see Raku nuzzling her with his nose. A small smile touched her lips as she stroked his fur. It was as if he was reminding her that she could do this.

"I'm alright," she replied at last.

Sakura smiled. "I'm glad."

"What about you?" she asked.

"Oh, you know," Sakura shrugged carelessly, "I've been keeping busy at the hospital. I'm actually on my lunch break now. I usually bring a bento to Sasuke-kun too—but he wasn't at his apartment, so I'm not sure what to do."

Raku had put his nose to the ground while she was speaking, and—appearing to catch a scent of something—he abruptly set off again, this time toward the training grounds.

"Raku!" She glanced at Sakura apologetically. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what's

gotten into him today."

"It's fine. I was thinking of heading to the training grounds anyway to look for Sasuke-kun, so I'll help you catch him."

When they finally caught up to Raku, he had tackled yet another person—this one with black hair. But rather than Raku licking him, it looked more like they were wrestling on the ground—man and dog—and the dog was winning.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura said in surprise. "Why are you fighting with a dog?"

"We're not fighting," Sasuke grunted as Raku trotted back over to her, looking smug in his dog-like way. "I was training and then he just barreled into me out of nowhere, the stupid mutt."

"I-I'm so sorry, Sasuke-kun," Hinata said softly. Her eyes wandered to his hands, which were blistered and bleeding. "Did he hurt you…?"

He shook his head, subtly sliding his hands into his pockets. "This is good timing, Sakura." He took a seat near a wooden post. "I was just getting hungry."

"Well, that's good because I'll—" Sakura's light tone faltered as she sat down on the other side of the post. "I'll be offended…if you don't eat it."

The last few words came out as a strangled sob, and soon she was crying in earnest. "I-It seems like just yesterday we were doing the bell test," she hiccoughed, "with Naruto tied up to that post and you and I feeding him and now he's gone—"

Her words broke off in a gasp. "I'm so sorry, Hinata, I didn't mean—"

"It's alright," she whispered as tears coursed down her own cheeks. "It's alright."

She could see it all so clearly now. No matter how convincing Sakura's smiles were, there was still a gaping, raw wound in her heart left by Naruto's absence. And even though Sasuke was doing his best to maintain his unaffected exterior, his hands showed signs of extreme, self-punishing training. They were both hurting, but she had been too wrapped up in a cocoon of self-pity to notice.

"Will you join us?" Sakura asked entreatingly. "We have plenty."

Sakura and Sasuke were part of Naruto's family, and when she married him, they had become her family too. Naruto would have wanted her to rely on them for comfort and support, not avoid them like she had been guilty of doing. But starting now, things were going to change.

She took a seat beside them while Raku pranced around in joyful circles. "I would love to."

Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed today's chapter. The next one will be up tomorrow, but until then, please leave a review to let me know what you think! Reading your reviews always makes my day.