Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, I also do I own any of the other copyrighted things or characters I have mentioned in my story.

(Re-edited, re-written, 4-2-06)

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Chapter Two: Mistaken Allusion

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Pulling her kimono tighter, Sakura took a deep breath as she leaned up against her favorite park bench. Two weeks had gone by since her dubbed 'ANBU' incident, and Sakura was finding it a bit difficult to adjust back to her lazy sabbatical lifestyle.

Not that Sakura went without punishment for her stunt. Tsunade was furious. Not only was she mad at Sakura for risking her life by lying about her condition, but Sakura also put her teamate's lives in jeopardy as well. Tsunade make sure Sakura wasn't going to attend a mission, A or D, for a long time.

As bits of sunlight seeped through the nearby apple tree's branches, Sakura's thoughts drifted back to her main intent for coming to the park in the first place; to sketch the infamous "Lady in Red". And just like every Wednesday before, a woman dressed in an elegant crimson robe graced her presence in the park. Asshe watched the "Lady in Red" solemnly glide towards the park's small man-made lake,Sakura clenched her fists in anticipation.

Reaching into her bag, Sakura took and her sketch-pad and art supplies; delicately placing each article on her lap. Flipping through the book looking for a clean piece of paper, Sakura paused for a moment as she came across 'the' picture. Even if it was two years ago, Sakura still remembered the events on the bridge vividly.

Eventually coming across a clean sheet, Sakura opened her tin of watercolor pencils. After receiving the book Sakura experimented with various styles, but watercolor quickly became her favorite medium.

"Good Morning."

Looking up, Sakura was startled when she locked eyes with a small, emaciated girl. Her collar bone stuck out from her chest and her pale blonde hair was in desperate need of taming. Pitying the girl, Sakura reached back into her bag, looking for some food to spare.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" The girl leaned her scrawny figure up against the nearby apple tree, crossing her fragile, twig like arms.

"Yeah, " Sakura answered, not sure how else to respond.

Suddenly the peasant girl's eyes drooped a bit. "Her fiancé went out on an A rank mission about five years ago. He proposed the night before the mission. Only four people from his squad made it back to Konoha."

Sakura looked down at the sketchbook on her lap.

"That's..terrible."

"She comes to this park and sits on that bench by the lake every Wednesday morning. They met there when she was fourteen on a Wednesday morning. He was on a D rank, she was out for an early stroll. She still remembers the expression on his face after he got someone's cat out of this very tree." The girl's sapphire eyes sparkled a bit as she looked up into the tree's branches.

Sakura was stunned. Even though she was aware of the fact that not every ninja that leaves Konoha's gates is going to make it back,Sakura had never heard of a story of someone's sorrow with such excruciating detail. It's almost as if the peasant girl witnessed the whole scene unfold.

"So...she comes here every Wednesday and waits?" Sakura looked over at the woman who sat somberly on the park bench a few yards away. Sakura remembered when she first witnessed the "Lady in Red."

Whenher sickness first began, the only timeSakura'shead seemed clear was during the crack of dawn or in the early evening twilight. While taking walks during the early morning, Sakura soon became aware of the "Lady in Red's" somewhat ritual.

"U-huh." The girl spoke with confidence in her voice, contradicting her petite and fragile appearance.

"She needs to move on. So what, they were in love. He died. Oh well, life goes on. Talking about life, she needs to get one; and boyfriend while she's at it," Sakura snapped.

The peasant girl turned to Sakura and met her innocent sapphire eyes with Sakura's jade ones. (1) "Absit invidia; No offence intended, but isn't that strong words from someone who still has coping issues to deal with herself?"

Sakura raised her eyebrow. Did that kid just quote Latin? The otherwise innocent looking peasant girl definitely knew more than she let on. But there was something else that also struck Sakura wrong.

How did she know about...him?

Sakura gave the girl a second look. She must have picked an apple from the tree while Sakura was thinking becausethegirlwas now gnawing on a large red macintosh.

She noticed Sakura eyeing her and took the apple out of her mouth, holding it inches away from her lips.

"You know sometimes there is more important things in life than having a 'someone'."

Sakura couldn't believe her ears. This girl was so young, yet she spoke with such confidence and moxy. Sakura could debate whether she had more wisdom the Tsunade.

"You're what? Eight? Go back to the Academy. How can you even identify with the pain caused by a heartache? You speak strong words for someone who never experienced a loss of love..." Sakura chocked out. The nerve of the young girl.

The peasant girl dropped the apple she held in her hand. "I'm fourteen. I don't attend the Academy nor have I ever. I'm too sickly to be a ninja. And for never experiencing the pain of lost of love...oh I've experienced the kind of pain you couldn't even imagine. By the way, I wouldn't consider 'thank-you' anywhere near the caliber of 'true love'. Loss of lust is more like it."

Sakura's jaw dropped. There was no way she could have known that. She watched as the girl's eyes wandered up into the sky.

"I should be going. I hope to see you around town 'Miss Sakura Haruno'."

The girl turned around and headed towards the park's gates without checking Sakura's reaction. Sakura never told the girl her name. And no-one has referred to Sakura with those foreign honorifics since that day on the bridge...

Sakura's early morning confrontation left her with one final question.

"Who is she?"

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(1).The girl I introduced into the story likes to quote Latin, and what she said was 'no offence' in Latin.

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A/N:

Um, thank-you Rhonda 91 for reviewing. (I would appreciate more reviews)