The Biggest Change
by Minte
Memories
(Note that Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto are all around twenty)
--
Sakura sighed heavily. Numerous stacks of papers surrounded her as she sat at her desk. Bright green eyes began wandering, then fixing on the bright moon shining through the nearby window. Memories of team 7 suddenly flooded her mind..
Nostalgic.
That's the word she decided; it was the word that described her current emotion.
A lot has changed, she sighed once again. In the last few years, both Naruto and Sasuke had become jounins and were regularly out of Konoha on dangerous missions; she herself was now a medical-nin, while their teacher, Kakashi, remained an instructor for newly graduated students of the academy.
Probably one of the biggest changes was Sakura's obsessive crush over the Uchiha heir. Eventually, she had realized how many times he had given her a clear and lucid 'no' and how many times she had ignored them and brushed them off. The kunoichi couldn't help but feel a tinge of embarrassment recalling her oblivious little 12-year old self. No, no. Now she had her gaze set on her former teacher.
Of course she hadn't told anyone yet-- I mean, how repulsive would it be for a student to love her ex-sensai? And with the age gap? It was a taboo, alright.
Hell, she wasn't even sure if she actually loved him, or just was really, really, extremely close to him...
Er.
Somehow, the two choices she had thought up seemed no different from eachother. And this made her only more irritated.
Dammit. Everything has to be so confusing. Even these report papers are out to get me.
The thought of a nice glass of sake sliding down her parched throat was very inviting, so the kunoichi set off to the local shinobis' bar.
--
Knowing she had a low tolerance for alcohol, Sakura stopped herself from ordering another glass of sake. If it was one thing she was gifted with, it was an ability to refuse temptation.
She was about to leave the bar when a fully-clothed-in-green figure flouncing around drunkenly caught her eye. Sakura immediately knew it was Gai; no one else in Konohagakure would dare wear a skintight jump suit for the whole town to gawk at. Well, besides Lee that is.
I bet Kakashi's here too.
Stepping away from the door, the medic scanned the room. There was no doubt in her mind; Kakashi was bound to be here and in a similar condition as Gai's.
Yep.
The masked ninja was close by and more than a bit drunk.
Frowning slightly, Sakura walked over to him. "Kakashi, what are y-- oof," grunted the pink-haired nin when he collasped onto her,"Kakashi... You're heavy, get up..."
Replying in gibberish, the Copy ninja began to slowly heave himself up. "I can't believe I had so much respect for you," she shook her head disapprovingly, dragging him out of the pub. Kakashi responded, incoherently, which Sakura guessed was an attempted apology. After a few stumbles and attempts from Kakashi to catch his footing, they both were walking down the, still lively, Konoha streets.
A thought suddenly occurred to her, making the blood drain from her face.
She didn't have the key to Kakashi's house...
And no way was she about to begin digging through his infinite pockets.
Inner turmoil erupted, since the sight of her bringing him into her home would be highly questionable. More panic ensued and Sakura had the urge to leave him right then and there, in the middle of the village, but instantly decided against it. That idea was her inner self's working no doubt.
"You owe me one, Kakashi," she murmured, beginning towards her home.
--
Warm. That was the first thing Sakura felt as she awoke. The warmth emitting from the other figure on the bed was so consoling...Wait. Someone else beside her?
The bed-headed Sakura jumped out of the covers, eyes wide and alarmed. Eyelids drooped back down when she recalled last night's events.
"...Thank you for bringing me back here," Kakashi spoke. Her loud awakening must've woken him up.
It took Sakura a moment to register what he was talking about. " Just don't go getting yourself drunk carelessly!"
"I'll remember that," he chortled, "Goodnight."
"What! No! We're going to be late!" she shot a look at the clock,"GAH! Get up, we're late already!"
--
Days later...
"Oi! One of Kakashi's students passed the Chuunin exam in Mist," Tsunade grinned, reading a small scroll.
"Really? I'll make sure to congratulate him," Sakura reminded herself aloud.
"Sure, sure. Just help me finish these first."
--
Sakura was in the marketplace when she felt a tap on her shoulder, "Sakura?"
She whirled around to meet the familiar figure of her ex-sensai," Hi Kakashi," said Sakura. "Yo," he smiled under his mask. "Oh! I forgot, congratulations on the chuunin exams, Hokage-sama told me that a student of yours passed," Sakura mentioned, "But, of course he would pass, he has The Great Copy Ninja as his sensai," she teased, sticking out her tongue. Kakashi chuckled back, "Also, don't forget Sasuke and Naruto should be coming back tomorrow. They wanted to meet us after giving their report to the Hokage."
Sakura smacked her forehead, "I almost forgot!"
"Almost?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
"Shut up," Sakura huffed back.
--