Miruko and Sakura woke up at around the same time, eyes opening to the familiar faces of each other.
Sakura had neglected to shut the curtains the night she came back, and the dawning sun was sending rays of warm light through the leaves of the trees just outside their window.
Miruko smiled hesitantly at her, and it made Sakura's heart wrench. She smiled back.
"Sasuke's back." She whispered.
Miruko's eyes widened, and he stretched his arms out in front of him.
"Are you…are you serious?"
She looked up nervously and nodded, and expected to see his face clouded with anger, resentment, possibly even a tinge of jealousy…
…but all she saw was surprise, and growing happiness.
"Sakura…that's…that's wonderful!" He grasped her hands in his. "When did he come back?"
She looked into his shining eyes.
"Last night." An emotion cast a dark shadow across his face, but he masked it with a façade of smiles.
"I guess," he laughed a little, "I guess that funeral was for nothing."
She gave a lopsided grin.
"Yeah, I guess it was."
He looked at her for another minute, then hopped out of bed and picked up his glasses from the bedside table.
"Hey, Miruko, sweetie?" She called, ramming her feet into her slippers and following him hastily out of the room.
"I'm going to visit…an old friend."
He turned and looked at her, and cocked an eyebrow.
"It's not Sasuke, I swear." She held up her hands in defense, and awaited his answer to her silent question.
He nodded his head, and turned back to making himself a quick breakfast.
Slipping on last night's dress, she put on a pair of sneakers and bounded out the door.
He sighed wearily, speaking more to himself as the door slammed,
"Just make sure you come home."
--
Sakura knocked on the door to a familiar room.
"Come in." A lazy voice rang out, sounding somewhat preoccupied.
Timidly, she pushed open the door, and quickly took in her surroundings.
A messy desk, piled with loose magazine clippings, and books scattered on the shelves. A swivel chair with a couple of holes in it, the stuffing popping out, across from it, a chestnut colored divan seated with a mahogany coffee table.
She looked to see where the voice was coming from.
The swivel chair spun quickly, revealing a man immersed in a thick hardcover.
He looked up and appraised her attire.
"I'm sorry, Sakura, you're too young for me. But I'm flattered that you dressed up."
She rolled her eyes, and raised a teasing eyebrow at the book he was holding.
He traced her line of vision and smiled broadly.
"I know! Isn't it great! They make them in hardcover and paperback!"
"Kakashi-sensei, put the book down. I need your help."
--
"Well, I never thought I'd see the day." He said while making them tea. "So what's the fellow's name? Ichiwa Miruko?"
"Yeah, that's him."
"And then…there's Sasuke." She could hear his smile, and glared. He ploughed on.
"I remember how you two would have those battles of words—"
"What are you talking about! It might as well have been me, talking to myself!"
Kakashi sighed, and handed her the cup. He sat across from her, and crossed his legs, making himself comfortable.
"Sakura, there are certain things you have to know about a man before you can judge one."
She rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, I've heard it all before, sensei, and it isn't that easy. Miruko, for instance. I mean, he's perfect. I'm so lucky to have him. He's beyond generous, he truly loves me. I can envision us in the future. A little old couple, the kind that walk together on a crisp autumn morning, and we'd definitely be happy. And then there's Sasuke. Brooding, broodinger, and broodingest. We'd either be fighting, or not talking at all. A silent household."
She watched as he stirred his tea.
"So, from what you've told me, there is really no other reason to go to Sasuke, is there?"
Damn his rhetorical correctness.
"There is something you are not telling me. Something you are not telling yourself."
She thought about it.
"I don't know…I guess it's just all those feelings I had for him before he came back."
Her former sensei took a swig from the cup and drowned the tea in one gulp.
"Why do you love—okay, okay, don't get defensive…why do you like Sasuke?"
She sighed.
"I don't know…I like him because…because he's Sasuke, I guess."
Kakashi smiled knowingly.
She narrowed her eyes.
"What!"
"Listen to your heart, Sakura-san."
…
"That was so corny."
"Hey," he shrugged, "Come Come Paradise teaches life lessons. You just have to be very intuitive to see them."
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Shut up.
Kakashi's hot.
XD.
AlternateEndings.