Noon arrived before she knew it, the previous warm morning sun now almost scorching where it touched her skin beyond the cover of the porch awning. Sakura stood and stretched, groaning quietly when her stiff muscles and joints protested against the movement. It took a bit for her to gain her bearings, her eyes still barely adjusting to the change in lighting after weeks of being kept underground.
As she made her way back inside the apartment, she flexed her fingers and smiled as she felt the chakra pool there. Her reserves were still almost completely drained, but she knew she could make up for it in no time with some careful chakra manipulation. She was an expert at chakra control, after all.
Stepping through the doorway, her keen hearing let her know that Souta was still fast asleep, albeit fitfully, judging from the irregular rate of his breathing. But Sakura was glad he was at least resting, she had no idea how long it had been since he's been able to sleep without keeping one eye open.
Looking beyond where Souta slept on the couch, she peered down the hall. When her eyes landed on the bedroom door, her heart skipped a beat, well aware of who she would find behind it. She drew closer to the room, her senses telling her that Sasuke was wide awake and shuffling quietly within. As she knocked, she begged for her heart to slow. But when he opened the door and they came face-to-face, she lost all hope that she could calm herself.
Wet strands of raven hair sat tousled on his head and long bangs stuck to his face. A thin, black t-shirt clung loosely to his freshly showered skin, subtly highlighting the toned muscles of his abdomen and torso. Sakura was rendered completely breathless.
"H-hey Sasuke," she stuttered after some time of only staring blankly at his questioning expression.
Sasuke nodded in greeting before stepping slightly to the side of the door, signaling that he wanted her to enter. She did so, swallowing the lump that formed in her throat when her arm brushed slightly against him as she slid into the room.
In an attempt to calm herself, Sakura carefully scanned the room, its contents and layout now more clearly visible in the bright afternoon sun. The previously empty desk now held kunai and shuriken that laid neatly stacked beside a sharpening block. She deduced that Sasuke likely spent the past hour preparing his weapons rather than sleep, his fighting instincts even sharper now that he couldn't access his chakra.
Taking a deep breath, she said, "I think it's a good idea for us to talk about what to do next."
"Ah," he agreed as he sat at the edge of the bed.
Sakura followed suit and settled on the bed in the space across from him, leaving a respectable distance between their bodies. But no matter the separation between them, she was constantly aware of the position of his body. Every slight shift of his knee, each hitched breath, and the quick glances he gave her as he waited for her to speak; it was as if they were connected by an invisible string, alerting her of his every move.
"Will you be okay with going back to Konoha? I know this is probably sooner than you wanted and it's okay if you're not ready. We could probably figure out how to remove your seal without you having to be in the village," Sakura clamped her mouth shut once she realized she was beginning to ramble.
Sasuke seemed to be lost in thought and she held her breath as she waited for a response. Each second that passed made her feel as if another brick was being placed on her shoulders until she was on the verge of collapse. And although, realistically, not even a minute had elapsed since she fell silent, every part of her told her that it had been years.
"It's fine." His response was short and simple, his tone giving none of his thoughts away.
Unable to hide her enthusiasm, she heard her own voice raise several octaves as she exclaimed, "Really?"
Sasuke raised an inquisitive brow as she beamed at him and Sakura had to sit on her hands to stop them from clasping in front of her chest like an excited child.
Fighting the wide grin that threatened to spread across her face, Sakura elaborated, "Sorry, I didn't expect you to agree so easily."
He only shrugged nonchalantly, still silent. As she watched him continue to dry his hair with the towel hanging around his neck, she could see the cool, collected aura emanating from him. However, she could tell from the slight rigidity in his shoulders that something was wrong. Sasuke may seem unconcerned to any other observer but to Sakura, the discomfort and hesitation emanating from him was as clear as day.
"You know, Sasuke, it's okay if you're still a little uncomfortable coming back," Sakura probed carefully.
She knew that the situation was delicate; push too hard and he would retract back into that impenetrable shell of his. But if she were to not push at all, she was afraid he would never speak.
When he didn't respond, eyes still focused on an empty corner of the bedroom, she continued. "I won't lie to you and say that things would be completely okay, but I want you to know that it doesn't make you weak to care about what the villagers think. If it helps, I know Kakashi-sensei and Naruto would be happy to see you. More than happy, actually"
He was quiet for a while, mind still off in some place far away from the quaint bedroom they sat in. As the minutes ticked by, Sakura could see his shoulders visibly relax as the gears in his mind whirred with more thoughts than she could ever hope to understand. Finally, he turned to face her, a ghost of a smile on his face.
"Thank you, Sakura."
The grin she was holding back before was now plastered across her face at his words. When their eyes met, she was mesmerized by the intensity she found in them. Was it sincerity and gratitude, or something more? Whatever it was, it didn't matter. All Sakura knew was that Sasuke was sitting beside her and he was finally coming home.
It was merely an hour later that Sakura found herself standing hand-in-hand with Sasuke again, her Byakugou seal connecting their bodies in a way that was almost impossible to comprehend. Her body buzzed with the feeling of his chakra system merging with hers and she trembled at the sensation of his warm fingers intertwined with hers.
A rush of power surged from them as a wave of chakra flowed from Sakura and into Sasuke's Rinnegan. As the purple portal formed in front of them in the middle of the living room, she beckoned for Souta to step through. Souta, who looked skeptical as he warily eyed Sasuke, obeyed her silent instruction after some hesitation and disappeared into the haze.
Next, Sasuke and Sakura entered the portal in sync. With a flash, they landed in a patch of green grass beside Souta. To Sakura's dismay, their fingers disentangled as soon as their destination was reached. However, the disappointment was short-lived. As soon as her eyes fell upon the familiar sight of the Konoha gates, it was like a fresh breath of relief finally passed through her lungs after years of inhaling smoke and ash. The familiarity of the land gave her a renewed sense of purpose, as if she knew exactly where it was she belonged and who she needed to be.
A constellation of memories formed around her, some sad while others filled her with excitement. Stealing a glance to her left, she wondered briefly if it was possible for Sasuke to feel the same, or at least some semblance of it. But as soon as his grim expression reached her, she knew that she was hoping for too much, too soon. Maybe someday, he would see the village as a place of solace, but for now it was nothing short of a bitter memory.
Without another word, the trio fell into even steps as they approached the gates. As they passed the guard station, Sakura caught Genma's gaze and returned his eye-crinkling grin. But she felt her heart drop when his expression fell as he laid eyes upon Sasuke's form walking behind her. It wasn't quite loathing as Sakura had feared, but the wariness and distrust in his eyes was clear. Somehow that was worse than hate.
As they finally stepped past the boundaries of the village and headed to the Hokage's office, Sakura inhaled sharply and savored the scent of freshly mowed grass along with lingering aromas of food from the nearby restaurants. She took in the sight of villagers chatting quietly among themselves, the sound of children's laughter, and the bustling noises of the marketplace.
A flash of brown hair caught her gaze and she felt a pang in her chest so sharp that her steps faltered. Sakura ignored the questioning glances she received from the men accompanying her as she searched the crowd rapidly. But her heart fell when she saw that the brown hair in her vision didn't belong to the girl she desperately wished to see.
She couldn't help but wonder what Sachie would think of the village. During their time at Root, Sakura had told her countless stories of Konoha. From the savory, mouth-watering broth at Ichiraku Ramen to the intricately carved faces on the Hokage Monument, she recounted each and every memory to the young girl in hopes of familiarizing Sachie with her future home. Yet how cruel fate could be.
At the corner of her eyes, Sakura watched as Souta's gaze flickered across the landscape, his expression a mixture of awe and sadness. Undoubtedly, the same thoughts were whirring in his mind, a part of him aching at his twin sister's absence yet another part relieved that at least he and the rest of their family could live out the dream that Sachie wanted for them. Sakura briefly wondered if the guilt weighed heavy on him like it did hers but the answer was too harrowing for her to ponder further.
As the group made their trek across the village, Sakura half expected Ino to tackle her at any second. But as the distance between the group and the Hokage's office continued to decrease, the fiery blonde was nowhere to be found. It left Sakura feeling a bit empty and as if home wouldn't be home without her loud-mouthed friend, but that was something she would die before admitting.
Her musings about Ino were interrupted when her acute sense of hearing picked up on the sound of whispered words that left a bitter taste on her tongue. Traitor, Uchiha scum, terrorist, each spoken syllable reverbrated in her skull as she felt her tempter flare hot. Clenching her fists so tightly that she shook, Sakura prepared to whirl around and confront jeering voices, but a glance at Sasuke halted her movements.
His dark eyes were stern yet unreadable beyond that. It was impossible to tell what Sasuke thought of the taunts, or if he even gave them much thought at all. However, it was clear that he didn't want Sakura to intervene. In fact, she had a feeling it would even anger him if she did.
Swallowing the contempt she felt, Sakura relaxed her fists and stared directly ahead, focusing solely on the Hokage Tower that was slowly coming into view. As they drew closer to the heart of the village, the number of civilians continued to increase; and thus, so did the amount of criticisms spoken in hushed tones and wary eyes watching their every move. Beside her, she could see Sasuke remain as stoic as ever.
To everyone else, Sasuke was a formidable wall, but Sakura could easily see through the cracks on the surface and pick out the pieces that were more fragile than others. Beneath his tough exterior was a kind man who wanted nothing more than to be loved and accepted, even if he wouldn't dare voice that desire. It wasn't that he was embarrassed to yearn for affection, but rather it was simply that he felt as if he didn't deserve it. And knowing that fact alone broke Sakura's heart.
At long last, the trio finally made it to the steps of the Hokage's office. Their footsteps echoed throughout the empty building as they entered. Nodding swiftly to the ANBU guards stationed at the entrance to Kakashi's office, Sakura led the way in as her companions followed closely behind her.
The heavy doors swung open to reveal a tired Sixth Hokage, sitting behind a comically large desk. Piles and piles of documents were stacked in front of him, granting Sakura only a tiny window view of her sensei's weary face, but it was enough for her to discern fatigue. The everpresent lazy gleam in his expression was even more prominent now and visible dark circles decorated the area beneath his eyes. And despite him never seeming to wrinkle with age and time, he still looked worn out beyond his years.
As the group approached, Kakashi's expression morphed from relief at Sakura's return to one of an inquisitive nature. His keenly trained eyes quickly swept Souta, a stranger to him, for potential threats. Finally, his gaze settled on Sasuke who made himself comfortable leaning against the far wall of the office by the now-closed door.
"My, what a nice surprise," Kakashi sighed as he pushed the stacks of paper to the edge of the table's surface..
Sakura beamed as she and Souta stopped just a foot in front of her former teacher's desk before lifting a palm in his direction. "Yo, sensei, long time no see."
With a soft chuckle, the silver-haired man replied, "Sakura, it's great to have you back and safe." He leaned forward on his desk and clasped his hands in front of his chin. Lifting his head to find the dark-haired man across the room, he added, "Sasuke, it's nice to see you too. It's been a long three years without you here. Some of us missed you a lot more than others."
Sakura's cheeks warmed as Kakashi's mischievous eyes met hers, a smirk visible beneath his mask. She didn't dare to steal a glance at Sasuke to gauge his expression. Souta who stood to her side, on the other hand, seemed troubled, like he couldn't figure out what to do with himself as he stood before the Hokage.
"Kakashi-sensei, this is Souta," she said, desperate to change the subject. "I have a lot to report to you but before we get into that, I would like to formally request refuge for him and his family."
As she voiced her appeal, her hands clasped in front of her hips and her head slightly bowed. Though her relationship with the Hokage meant the formality wasn't a necessity, a part of her still felt it was important to express her respect. Despite the amount of teasing she and Naruto engaged in towards Kakashi, she still looked up to him as a mentor and leader.
At her former sensei's inquisitive look, she began elaborating on her request. Sakura set off on a spiel of why it was imperative that Souta and his family be under the Leaf's protection as Kakashi quietly nodded along. She described her meeting with Sachie, how the twins came to be a part of Root, and briefly, but painfully, recounted the events leading to Sachie's death.
"I also have this." Reaching into her pocket, Sakura produced a tiny scrap of paper before handing it to Kakashi. "Sachie gave it to me. It has all the information needed to find their grandmother's home near the Land of Wind."
Nodding, Kakashi flattened the note on his desk to read the script. "I'll send Shinobi to escort them here right away. We have a team in Suna meeting with the Kazekage right now. They should be able to reach this address within a day once they receive the message."
"How do I know the Shinobi you send can be trusted?" Souta interrupted just as Sakura opened her mouth to continue to speak. She clamped her jaw shut at his voice, slightly startled as he spoke for the first time since entering the village.
Kakashi's eyes softened at the young boy. "It's understandable that you would be worried, but you have my word as the Hokage that they will bring your family here safely."
"Are they Jonin?" Souta demanded, distrust clear in his tone. "What if Root attacks them on the way back? Are your Shinobi strong enough to handle that?"
Seemingly amused, the Hokage answered, "There will be one Jonin and one Genin."
"Are you serious?" Sakura could feel Souta's temper rise as each second passed, his fists now tightly clenched at his side as he leaned forward to confront the man. "How do you expect only two ninja to protect against a Root attack? That Genin wouldn't stand a chance."
Kakashi laughed out loud to Souta's visible annoyance. Leaning back with his hands behind his head, he responded, "I wouldn't be too worried about that. Naruto Uzumaki is the Genin. I'm sure you're familiar with him?"
Both Sakura's and Souta's jaws dropped in sync at the mention of Naruto's name—Sakura's due to the fact that she wasn't aware Naruto was currently out of the village and Souta's likely because he was appalled by the fact that the world's renowned hero was still a Genin.
"The Jonin who will accompany him is my advisor, so you can rest assured that your grandmother and siblings will be in good hands. Now if you don't have any other questions, please excuse me for a minute."
Ignoring Souta's dumbfounded expression, Kakashi stood and rounded the desk before sauntering out the door. After several minutes, he returned with an ANBU guard following closely behind. As Kakashi settled back into the chair behind his desk, the ninja stood in position beside Souta.
With a soft smile, Kakashi spoke. "The team in Suna should receive the message soon. I'll let you know as soon as I hear that they're on their way to escort your family."
When Souta only nodded in reply, Kakashi continued, "I also arranged for you and your family to have an apartment on the East side of the village. This nin here will escort you to the premises."
At Kakashi's gesture towards him, the ANBU guard turned to Souta before bowing slightly in greeting. Souta's gaze switched rapidly between the ANBU then to Sakura before settling back on the Hokage.
"Th-thank you,' the young man stuttered, leaving Sakura in awe. In the time she knew Souta, never had she seen him so flustered. It seemed Kakashi just had that effect on people with his calm yet authoritative demeanor.
Kakashi smiled again in return, his dark eyes crinkling kindly. "Now go rest. Someone will be by soon to deliver supplies and some funds to help you settle in. If you need anything else, you know where to find me."
After giving Kakashi a nod and another expression of gratitude, Souta followed the ANBU out of the building and towards the beginnings of a new life. As she watched him leave, Sakura felt a surge of happiness though it was bittersweet. She was so close to fulfilling her promise to her late friend.
With Souta now gone, Sakura launched into her report of every event that occurred since she last stood in this room before her former sensei. From what she learned of Root to her time in Re-Education, she recounted it all. However, she left out two details that were arguably the most important details. She couldn't bring herself to voice the betrayals she felt just yet.
Judging by Kakashi's grim expression as he listened, Sakura could tell that he knew the information she held back. But he didn't push, knowing that she would tell him after they addressed the other issues at hand.
Beckoning Sasuke to come forward, Kakashi spoke for the first time since Sakura began retelling the events of her mission, "Let me see the seal."
Sasuke wordlessly moved closer and tugged his shirt over his head as Kakashi came up behind him. To Sakura's horror, her cheeks turned a bright pink at the sight of his bared torso and she quickly suppressed the shock on her face. As Kakashi came to stand beside Sasuke, he shot her a teasing glance, one that made her wish she could punch through the flooring of his office.
With gentle hands, the silver-haired man placed a palm above the seal before furrowing his brows in concentration. Even from several feet away, she could feel the large amount of chakra emanating from him as he inspected the mark between Sasuke's shoulder blades. But as soon as Kakashi began to pump chakra into the mark in an attempt to release it, Sasuke gritted his teeth in pain, almost doubling over as the sensation seemed to overtake his body.
Kakashi immediately withdrew his palm, allowing the chakra to dissipate before pinching his chin. A frown marred the fabric of his mask and his brows further knitted in frustration. "I'm afraid there isn't much I can do. We'll have to ask Lady Tsunade to take a look. Unfortunately, she'll be in the hospital until later tonight so it will have to wait."
Grunting in acknowledgement, Sasuke shrugged his shirt back over his torso. Once he finished the task, he straightened and ran the back of his hand across his forehead, swiping away the bead of sweat that formed there at his earlier discomfort.
"Even with Lady Fifth's help, breaking this seal will be complicated. From what I could tell, the seal has almost completely rewired your chakra network." Kakashi explained as he crossed his arms and leaned against his desk to face his former students.
"Rewire?" Sakura asked, her medical curiosity sparking.
"Yes, it looks like the seal works by directing all chakra flow to itself. My guess is the longer it stays, the more difficult it will be to restore your system back to normal."
Nodding, Sakura added, "I've never seen anything like it. Even the chakra suppression seals we use don't work that way."
"Well, it looks like you may have to stay in the village a while, Sasuke. How do you feel about that?" asked Kakashi.
Sakura studied Sasuke's expression intently, trying to read the emotions that might flash across his mismatched eyes. However, he was impossible to read as he kept his gaze trained on Kakashi.
"It doesn't sound like I have a choice," Sasuke finally said.
"Glad to hear how excited you are to be with your ol' sensei again," Kakashi teased, tone heavily laced with sarcasm. Clapping his hands on his thighs, he continued. "We'll have to find you a place to stay but I'll have to admit, there are some…issues."
"Issues? What issues?" Sakura demanded although she had an inkling of what he was insinuating.
Kakashi gave her a grim look as he answered. "You see, Sasuke, the village population has grown a lot since you were last here so apartments are extremely limited. The ones we do have available are the older complexes like the one I arranged for Souta. However, those landlords are a bit—how should I say it—traditional in their way of thinking."
Sakura felt anger rise in her again. The hate for the Uchiha clan was always present in the village and only worsened in the time leading up to the Fourth Shinobi War. However, since Sasuke's pardon, the sentiment seemed to have faded and was mostly contained and prominent in the older generation of civilians. Unfortunately, those were the ones who owned the properties Kakashi mentioned. The unfairness made her blood boil.
Expression still unchanging, Sasuke replied, "I get it, you don't need to elaborate."
"We can't just let them refuse a place for him!" Sakura couldn't stop her outburst before it escaped her lips, her temper now past the point of suppression. "You're the Hokage, Kakashi-sensei, surely you could put in a good word for him. Right?"
Kakashi smiled sadly, an empathetic and knowing look in his eyes. "Sakura, I'm flattered that you think so, but unfortunately, my authority only goes so far. I can try my best to convince them but it likely won't happen in time for you to have a place to stay tonight, Sasuke."
Sasuke only shrugged, "I can make do without a place."
"You can't just sleep in the forest!" Sakura pleaded with him.
Shooting her an incredulous look, the Uchiha replied, "I do it all the time."
"I know but it's different when you're on a mission or out traveling. But you're home now, you should have a bed and a roof over your head." Her voice wavered slightly at the mention of home and she could see Sasuke flinch slightly at the word.
Before Sasuke could respond, Kakashi interrupted by placing himself between the two. His hand rested gently on Sakura's shoulder and squeezed. "Now, now, no need to get worked up. You can always count on your wonderful sensei to come up with a solution."
Kakashi turned to Sasuke, smiling in a way that made the hairs on the back of Sakura's neck raise in suspicion. "Sasuke, you can stay with Sakura!"
Jaw dropping to the floor in both shock and horror, Sakura openly gaped at Kakashi who refused to look in her direction.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Sakura protested when she finally slowed her heart rate enough to speak.
"Oh? You don't want your precious teammate around? Is that it?" The Hokage accused playfully, finally turning to face her.
"N-no! That's not it at all!" Throwing her hands up, Sakura desperately sought the words to speak next, hoping she didn't sound too flustered. Unfortunately for her, her mind could only ramble as she replied. "It's just that I'm sure Sasuke wouldn't be comfortable with it. Besides, my apartment is really small and the futon I have is an old one from my parents so it's not comfortable at all and—"
"I'm fine with that," Sasuke cut her off.
Sakura and Kakashi both whipped their heads around, stunned gazes finding Sasuke who remained expressionless. Seeing Kakashi's shocked expression, Sakura couldn't help but wish she could wring his neck with her bare hands. Why would he even suggest it if he was going to be surprised at Sasuke's answer?
"Wait, really?" Sakura was barely able to hide her excitement as she masked it with shock. Sasuke, in her apartment? The two of them alone for the night? It was almost too much for her to comprehend.
Sasuke only shrugged in reply.
"Excellent!" Kakashi clapped his hands together as he beamed between the two Shinobi. "That settles it then! Sasuke, you'll be staying with Sakura from now on. That'll save me the hassle of talking to the landlords."
"You said it was only for one night!" Sakura accused. Her mind was reeling now. Sasuke sleeping on her couch for a night unnerved her enough but him staying with her for even longer? Unfathomable.
"I said no such thing." Kakashi retorted. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes that made Sakura want to throw up and break something at the same time. She swore she was only seconds away from murdering the man, Hokage be damned.
"But—" she started to protest.
"Alright, now onto other matters," Kakashi expertly changed the subject, preventing Sakura from further pushing the issue. "Speaking of homes, since you're back in the village, Sasuke, we have some things to discuss about the Uchiha Compound. We can talk about it now or you can come back later so we can talk about it in private."
"What is it?" Sasuke questioned, signaling to Kakashi to go on.
"Like I said, the village is growing fast. The Elders have made it very clear that they want it torn down to make room for additional infrastructure. We've been working hard to have them wait until you're back to make a decision but I'm sure they're already aware of your presence now." The apology was clear in Kakashi's voice as he continued, "I'm sorry to have to ask this of you when you've just returned but what would you like to do?"
"Tear it down then," Sasuke stated matter-of-factly.
Despite his stoic demeanor, Sakura saw the pain in his eyes. The Compound may be a haunting sight but it was home— his home. There was no way he could so nonchalantly agree with it being torn down. Sakura couldn't understand how he could make a split-second decision to destroy what was left of his clan.
"You can't do that!" At Sakura's shout, both Sasuke and Kakashi regarded her curiously as they waited for her to elaborate.
"I mean, I think you should take some more time to think about it, Sasuke. Kakashi-sensei has been having trouble convincing the Elders but I've had luck with them."
"Ah, that's right. Sakura has a talent for speaking to the Elders. They've only begun to pressure us more since she left for missions the past several months. She even convinced them to send people to touch up the paint on the Uchiha symbol at the Compound's entrance." Kakashi further explained.
Nothing could have prepared Sakura for what happened next. In a flash, Sasuke was looming over her, his eyes flaring with a fury that shook her to her core.
"Who told you to do that?" Sasuke demanded through gritted teeth.
Sakura gulped nervously, suddenly finding herself at a loss for words. She searched his eyes, hoping to find something else other than anger in them. But to her dismay, anger was all she found. The discovery both terrified her and filled her with guilt.
"Nobody did, I just wanted to make sure it was there when you returned." She finally stammered out.
"Well you thought wrong," Sasuke hissed as he finally pulled away from her, his body language telling her that she had crossed a forbidden boundary and into unwelcomed territory.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke, I didn't mean to upset you. I—"
"Forget it," he interrupted dismissively before turning to address Kakashi. "I've made up my mind. Tear it down."
"Sakura's right, Sasuke. Perhaps you should give it some more thought." Kakashi suggested in an attempt to diffuse the tension that was now palpable in the room.
Sasuke made no attempt to respond and instead only turned to leave, his footsteps heavy and evident of the anger that still brewed within him. When his lone hand rested on the door knob, he twisted his head slightly to the side to look back at Kakashi, clearly avoiding Sakura's gaze.
"I'll find you tonight to work on the seal." With that final announcement, Sasuke was out the door, leaving Sakura to nurse the open wounds that seemed to form in his absence.
When she requested for the painters to come to the Uchiha Compound, she knew at the back of her mind that it was something she should have consulted with Sasuke first. But she had Kakashi's blessing and she felt as if the change was so minor, it wouldn't make a difference. It wasn't like she rearranged the ruins within the compound, or even entered the area herself for that matter. She would never dare to do so.
Sighing dejectedly, Sakura hung her head and fought back the criticizing voice in her head that taunted her for the mistakes. She couldn't keep her nose in her own business and now Sasuke was upset. He was back in Konoha for the first time in three years and she only welcomed him with contempt and made a mockery of his heritage.
As if sensing the disparaging thoughts that swirled in her head, Kakashi placed a comforting hand on the top of her head, ruffling her hair the way he did since she was a little girl. When she tilted her neck up to meet his eyes, she found a kind smile that brought a warmth to her gut and washed away her string of self-deprecation.
"Don't take it personally, Sakura." Kakashi reassured her. "I have a feeling his anger is about something other than the paint."
"I appreciate you trying to console me, sensei, but I know it was my mistake."
Kakashi chuckled softly and gave her hair one last ruffle before returning to his position leaning against the desk. "Trust me on this. He'll come around."
Though unconvinced, Sakura only smiled in return. Unsure of how to respond, she opted to change the topic of conversation. However, the new subject was far from happy.
"Kakashi-sensei, I also have some intel about the traitors," Sakura paused and gauged his reaction before continuing. "They're not under genjutsu, even Sasuke said so, and during our interactions, I couldn't tell if there was anything else affecting their actions. But I don't think it's possible for them to betray the village, you know? There has to be something controlling them."
"Sakura, who are they?" Kakashi questioned, clearly impatient that she continued to withhold the information.
She took a deep breath and braced herself for what she was about to say next. "Captain Yamato and Sai."
Kakashi inhaled a sharp breath and crossed his arms, his grim expression morphing into one even more solemn, if that was even possible. He was silent for a long while, staring thoughtfully at the ground by his feet and seemingly lost in the storm of emotions that formed within his mind.
"Okay," he finally said after what felt like hours. "I'll inform our forces and the Sensory Unit. I don't want to believe it either but we'll have to take all the necessary precautions. Once they're captured, we'll find out the truth."
A professional cool overcame Kakashi's demeanor and though his expression no longer gave anything away, Sakura could feel the despair emanating from him. It was so dark and so strong that her knees wanted to buckle under the weight of his heavy emotions. She knew that he and Captain Yamato had known each other for a long time. This news was even more devastating to him than it was her.
"Kakashi-sensei, if it's okay with you, could I be the one to inform the Sensory Unit?"
There was only one other person whose anguish could rival Kakashi's at the news. Ino and Sai were just at the beginning of their relationship. Sakura had never seen her friend so happy. Before Sai, Sakura would have laughed if anyone told her that Ino was capable of being gentle. But after seeing them together, she couldn't imagine Ino any other way and it killed her to know that the news might shatter every hope for the future that she had for the couple.
Understanding flooded the Hokage's expression as he regarded her, "Of course. I believe Ino is currently helping Lady Tsunade at the hospital."
After sharing final, grim nods, Sakura was out the door and on her way to find the fiery blonde. As she walked through the village, her steps dejected and so unlike the enthusiasm that filled her just moments ago when she walked through the gates, she pondered the many things that seemed to have fallen apart in such a short time.
Everything was wrong. People she thought of as friends, family even, betrayed her. Ino, who was so happy, was minutes away from being crushed, and Sakura was going to be the one to do it. And finally, Sasuke, who she was elated to have around for the first time in a long time, hated her. One more mishap and she was afraid it would be too much for her to bear.
Her turbulent thoughts brought her back to Sasuke and how quickly their relationship could turn in a day. Just earlier today, she felt as if they were back to how it was during his year-long stay in the village after the War. They were comfortable around each other, Sakura could feel Sasuke's walls crumbling around them. Just one more push and she could have broken past the barrier that he maintained so well to protect himself from the cruelty this world was capable of. But in a matter of hours, the wall he built between them was only further reinforced, now armed with weapons and barbed wire.
And perhaps it was her own naive thinking that brought them to this standstill or Kakashi could have been right and it was something else entirely. Either way, it didn't stop Sakura's heart from shattering to pieces on the floor of the Hokage's office just moments ago. And it surely wouldn't stop her from further berating herself for her misconstrued actions.
Sighing, Sakura closed her eyes, mind swirling so rapidly in thought that she could feel an oncoming headache. No matter what she did, it always felt like she and Sasuke were from different worlds. And although he was close enough for her to touch, he existed in some faraway place that she could only dream of reaching. It was a hopeless venture but it was unlike her to concede to the pressure.
The future was murky, she knew, but there was something that kept her from losing heart. No matter the heartache that may reach her as she navigated the turbulence of their relationship, there was no storm she couldn't and wouldn't weather. Because in the end, even if she could just once see Sasuke genuinely smile, each and every heartbreak would be worth it. And that, she reckoned with a bittersweet smile, was what it was like to be a girl in love.
A/N
Hi there! I'm so sorry for the delay in this update and I hope that making it much longer than typical made up for it. Things in my personal life have been rough and I needed some time to deal with that and to process what I should do next. Unfortunately, I can't guarantee that the next update will come next week but I'll try my best. Rest assured that I have at least the next 5 chapters or so planned out down to every detail so the updates will happen. It's only a matter of when.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It definitely got a little dialogue-heavy towards the end and didn't have as much action as my previous chapters did but I hope the SasuSaku interactions made up for that! I know that was something a lot of you have expressed that you wanted to see more of so I hope it was to your expectations.
Anyways, thank you to all of you who have stuck around to keep up with this story so far. I saw that I just exceeded 200 kudos for the first time, and I'm so grateful for that! I can't believe that a story I was only writing for fun is being received so well by all of you. Words can't express the gratitude I feel for all the support that my art and fics have been getting. So thank again and please be patient with me as I work on the next chapter!
P.S. I hope you all have been enjoying the Sasuke Retsuden manga as much as I have!