Temptation of the Heart

Chapter One: Sakura's Decision

Ino scored another hit against Sakura the umpteenth time that day. Sakura's mind wasn't on the sparring training session, and she wasn't paying attention.

Ino shouted in frustration at Sakura, "Where is your brain today, Forehead Girl? You've not landed a single solid punch on me all day."

Uncharacteristically apologetic in Ino's presence, Sakura replied, "I'm sorry Ino. I just can't focus today. Can we call it quits for this taijitsu session?"

Annoyed with Sakura for wasting her time, Ino agreed to stop the training. Ino also noticed Sakura's failure to call Ino "Pig" – an uncomplimentary term Sakura had been using to refer to Ino ever since they became rivals for Sasuke's affection.

However, since Sasuke's defection from Kohona Village, Ino and Sakura had more-or-less become friends again. Their relationship was closer now than ever before.

Without so much as glancing back at her friend, Sakura left the training area and slowly walked back to her house. All Sakura could think about, and all she'd ever been thinking about since he left Kohona Village, was Sasuke.

Sakura felt the pain she suffered from losing Sasuke to Orochimaru was unbearable. She wondered how she was going to make it though yet another day with Sasuke. Sakura knew she would probably never see Sasuke again. He was the only boy she'd ever loved, and Sakura loved Sasuke with all her heart, soul, mind, body, and strength.

The next few days passed in the same way the previous days had passed for Sakura since Sasuke's leaving Kohona – full of the pain of her loss and in a fog. Sakura played two primary scenes over and over again in her mind. The one scene, where Sakura begged Sasuke to stay in Kohona, and the other scene where Naruto returned home empty-handed after attempting to retrieve Sasuke from Orochimaru's clutches.

Could she have said anything different on that night Sasuke left the village? Should she have gone with the other shinobi to rescue Sasuke? Would that have made any difference?

Worse, in the back of her mind, no matter how hard she tried to suppress this thought, Sakura couldn't help but wonder if Naruto intentionally failed to recover Sasuke. Sakura knew Naruto had a crush on her for the longest time. Did Naruto mean to let Sasuke slip away after all, so he could have Sakura to himself?

Sakura had absolutely no desire for Naruto, and the thought of "ending up" with him left her feeling cold and dead inside.

During these dreary days of unfocused training, activity, and even missions, Sakura slowly but surely came to one conclusion: She could not live without Sasuke.

How was she going to get Sasuke back?

From what Sakura knew of Sasuke's decision to join with Orochimaru, she knew Sasuke's one driving desire in life was revenge against his brother, Uichiha Itachi. Itachi had killed Sasuke's entire clan (other than Sasuke, of course). Itachi was a monster that didn't deserve the attention Sasuke gave him, but there was no turning Sasuke back from his plan of revenge against his brother.

Sakura knew what she must do. She would find Sasuke and become his right-hand lady in defeating Itachi. Sasuke would find Sakura's assistance essential. He would have no choice but to need Sakura's aid in defeating his evil brother. Then, finally, Sasuke would love her.

With this goal in mind, Sakura packed a small bag of belongings. Quietly leaving her family, friends, and old life behind her, Sakura crept out of Kohona Village in the middle of the night and set out to find Sasuke. She would lend him her aid in any way possible. She would earn his love.

(to be continued in Chapter Two: Sakura's Unexpected Meeting)