Okay I know i suck, but that deadline was sooo unrealistic. I should have known i couldn't type 10 pages in 3 hours. Hahaha what a joke. to all whom i've teased and affended with my ' it'll be updated thursday b-s' i'm totally sorry. I hope that this chapter makes up for all the pain i have inflicted on your innocent minds. uh yeah just kidding.

Oh and by the way, due to upcoming chapters, i have changed the rating to Mature. If anyone has a problem with this, i can update the chapter with , ahem, censors. I live to please the readers, so let me know. I read ALL my comments and respond to them all if i can so please don't refrain from contacting me if you have anything to request! Oh and i changed the whole summary for the story, kinda thought it didn't fit now that my story is developing. So, for the said mentioned about Mature ratings, i promise to all those who have a problem with the change, just contact me and i'll wright the chapter in censored form and post it as a seperate chapter ( like i would post the uncensored as say ch.12 and then the censored as chapter13) okay! Any concerns are welcome!...

Anyway ON WITH THE SEXYNESS!


Sakura No Yousei: Chapter 11

Sakura waited beside the Konoha gate entrance, waiting anxiously for him to finally show up. Earlier, she had hoped she would catch Sasuke before he left, praying he hadn't gone after seeing her the night before. She silently cursed herself for coming onto Kakashi earlier that day, but for some reason she couldn't figure out, it was almost as though she was… nervous around him. This came as a surprise as she had always been comfortable with her sensai. But with Sasuke out of the picture, she didn't know where she would be seen on the single list of the men of Konoha.

She squinted up into the clear light blue sky and spotted the sun slightly above the mountains. It was still rather early in her mind, but she feared Sasuke was long gone. A shuffle behind her broke her gaze on the sky as she turned to source of the noise. Sasuke approached her with his pack slung over his shoulder and a disgruntled scowl on his face. He shifted the pack nervously before stopping a few feet from her, his eyes scanning her before he continued to walk, passing her without a second glance. She figured she had to say something to persuade Sasuke from leaving. Obviously her presence wasn't enough to make him stay.

" Sasuke, where are you going?" she asked hesitantly as he approached the gate. He stopped short as she turned to face his backside. He let a frustrated sigh escape his mouth before turning around.

" I've already told you Sakura, I'm leaving. And I probably will never come back. Forget about me Sakura and this won't be so hard for us," he said as he shifted away from her to face the gate. " I never had a chance at freedom. The second Itachi made the choice to kill our clan was the second I had one path to take in life. A life without freedom or happiness or possibly closure. You have that chance Sakura, to be happy, to live the life you want. Why waste it with me," he said coolly as he picked up his feet and walked away from her.

Sakura felt her heart jump into her throat. He was really leaving her, walking away, giving up. " So that's it? You're giving up? God Uchiha, you are soo, soo…WEAK! How dare you tell me what life I should live, how dare you tell me to live it without you! I made my choices Sasuke, and you can still make yours. There are two paths you can take, Sasuke. You can follow that road away from your home, away from those who love you to kill and betray us, or…" she cut off as she felt the too familiar lump in her throat grow, her eyes stinging from unseen tears just behind her eyes. " Or.. You can stay and be with me, live with me, love… me," she whispered as her throat constricted painfully.

Once again, he stopped, Sakura realizing she had bought precious time to convince him of the decision he should go against. But her eyes widened as she heard a low laughter emit from Sasuke's still frame. " Ah Sakura, you always had faith in me. Too bad your too blind to see when you're defeated," he chuckled maliciously. He suddenly disappeared in a whirlwind of dust, only to reappear beside her. His hand swept over her bare shoulder, sweeping her hair from her creamy skin.

" Sakura you're too perfect, you can have anything but you don't even see what's in front of you…" he said as she shuttered beneath his touch. He leaned closer to her face, taking in her refreshing scent one last time. She fought the urge to wrap her arms about him as he slid his arm around her waist, drawing her hip to his waist. She closed her eyes as she felt his warm breath on her skin, sending chills down her spine. " Sasuke, I still love you…" she whispered as he gently kissed her cheek before knocking her out silently. " I know… I-I love you too," he sighed as he picked up her unconscious body and walked over to a nearby bench. He gently laid her down, letting her head rest comfortably in his palm before setting it down on the smooth wood.

" Forget about me Sakura, because I will be gone when you wake," he said as he leaned down and took her lips in his, tasting her kiss before parting from her and disappearing in a whirlwind if smoke.

Only moments after he had gone did Kakashi stumble upon Sakura. He had seen and heard everything the night before and had a pretty good idea that she would be waiting here to confront Sasuke before he left, but he looked long gone and apparently knocked Sakura out and left her on a bench. Shaking his head in disapproval, he bent over Sakura's body and lifted her gently into his arms and carried her to their usual training field. He crossed the bridge over the clear water and walked over to a small patch of white flowers. He set her down gently amongst the small flowers, examining her before walking to the cool stream and soaking his headband clothe. He carried the soaked clothe to her unconscious form and gently set it on her forehead, letting the cool water wet her face before he removed it.

She roused and sat up wearily, looking about her before catching sight of Kakashi beside her, his Sharingan eye staring her down. " Ka-Kakashi? What am I doing here? Where are we…" she mumbled before her eyes went wide and she began to frantically attempt to lift herself to her feet. " Sasuke! Where is he Kakashi, he was just here," she yelled as her eyes scanned the vacant field. She sat back down as she realized where they were. Her eyes fell to her hands as she suddenly thought over the past few moments she had experienced. " He's gone, isn't he?" she asked as she sadly watched her delicate fingers wrap around one another. Kakashi was at a loss for what to do. He had never been good at consoling the kunoichi, and now she looked on the brink of tears.

Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her to his chest, her hands in return snaking around his back to embrace him tightly. She remained in his warmth for what seemed an eternity. It was good to feel someone hold her, even if it wasn't Sasuke. She felt lost, hopelessly wandering. What would happen to him if she wasn't there? Would he die, would he serve Oro, would he have women like Anka at his side to do what he wished? She shook her head and buried her face farther into Kakashi's jacket. She hated herself for not being more forceful with him. She could have easily stopped him, but she didn't want to force him to stay if that wasn't what he truly wanted.

Kakashi sighed and smiled as Sakura pulled back from him to look into his mismatched eyes. " Kakashi, he's not ever coming back and it's all my fault," she said quietly as he watched her emerald eyes brim with shimmering tears. " Ah Sakura, you still love him. He will come back, I have faith in that. Maybe you should take some time off from training, until you're ready at least," he said as she turned in his arms to lean against his muscular chest. " I can't stop now Kakashi, I have to become a jouniin. If I don't, I'll still be behind Sasuke and Naruto. I can't be weak anymore. No matter how bad it gets, I will get over Sasuke and get rid of this curse," she sighed as she sought his hands and wrapped them around her. He felt his face grow warm from her soft touch.

" Sakura, do you want to go get a drink?" he asked as they sat comfortably in the grass. He thought that if Sakura got out more, kept her mind off Sasuke, she might get better. She nodded happily, determined to look forward, not back. " From now on, I want to train with you Kakashi, if that's okay. Just until I take the Jouniin exam that is," she said as she rose to her feet, Kakashi standing as her body left his. " That's fine with me, Sakura, but mind you, I don't make things easy," he warned her. She giggled, the same giggle that reminded him of her when she first became his student. " Ah Kakashi, you have too much assurance in yourself."


Sakura and Kakashi spent the rest of the night sitting in the bar, drinking sake and talking about missions Kakashi had gone on. To him, Sakura had a defined taste for the gore rather than tactics. He had always found Sakura to be an intellectual, but he supposed because of her recent missions, she had a newfound respect for the field. Much like him, she had an acquired taste for action and direct use in the mission.

" So Sakura, what do you think you might apply for when you pass?" he asked as he lifted his glass, swirling the contents before bringing it to his lips. Because of the dimly lit bar, he figured it was safe to remove the mask, allowing him to have his drink without the struggle of being seen. Sakura was rather antsy when she would look at him, knowing mere inches from her Kakashi sat beside her without his mask in place. The anticipation of seeing him without the mask was killing her, but she was determined not to let it show.

She hesitated, her finger tracing over the rim of her glass as she thought. " You know, I really haven't thought over that," she said as she lifted the glass to let the liquid slide over her tongue. Kakashi chuckled as he watched her set her glass down and pouted her lips in distaste. " You don't drink much, do you?" he asked as she ushered the bartender for another glass. She swiveled in her stool to face him. Even in the dark, she could see the basic outline of his lips. It made her heart race that much faster seeing the faint smile on his dark face.

" Well, not really. I mean, sometimes Naruto and Sasuke would force me to come so I could be scorekeeper. They used to see who could down the most sake before passing out or getting annoyingly drunk. Sasuke always won. I keep telling Naruto he has a low tolerance for sake, but he just doesn't listen," she said with a grin before nodding to the bartender who set a glass before her. She gingerly lifted it, letting the sake drown her mouth in its tart flavor before she swallowed. Kakashi chuckled at how Sakura puckered after each sip. Her pink lips would purse together as she squeezed her eyes shut, letting the liquid's affect wash over her. Kakashi watched her mouth as it moved over the rim of the glass, his own lips desiring to be the glass in her hand. He shook his head suddenly at the very thought.

Calmly, Kakashi smiled and finished off his glass and stood. Sakura let her eyes take notice of his movements beside her and took it as a que of his departure, but he remained by her side. Acknowledging his want of her company, she quickly downed the last of her sake before standing and allowing him to usher her out the crowded room. His hand rested upon her lower back as he guided her past the numerous other ninja before they stepped out into the cool night. Compared to the stifling room they were just in, Sakura welcomed the cool breeze as they walked through the dark streets. Kakashi remained close by her side as she led him toward her house, Sakura making sure not to stagger as the effects of the sake began to take hold.

They finally reached her house, Kakashi practically carrying Sakura as they walked up her steps to her porch. She ushered for him to set her down, her face slightly red. " I'm s-sorry Kakashi, this i-is soo embarrassing," she slurred as she reached her hand into her pocket to retrieve her key. Kakashi simply nodded, not having any arguments over carrying her a short block. Surprisingly, it only took her three tries to get the key in the lock. Sakura pushed her door open and Kakashi led her inside, quietly shutting the door behind them. Sakura made her way to the living room and slumped onto the couch, Kakashi sitting down beside her. " Maybe the bar was a bad idea. I'm sorry Sakura," Kakashi said as Sakura massaged her temples lightly.

" No, no, I should know better," she said as she tried to rise, but plopped back down. She let out a groan of frustration as she attempted again, only to fall back onto the soft cushion. " God Damnit!" she blurted out as she finally managed to rise shakily to her feet. Kakashi moved to steady her, but she only waved her arm at him. " No, don't help me. This is my fault, you shouldn't have to help," she said as she sauntered off to her bedroom. Reaching into her dresser, she pulled out a long sleeved tee, removing her other clothing before slipping it over her head. She figured it was long enough since it covered her red shorts and she left her room. She entered the living room, Kakashi looking up to find her in practically nothing. He looked away and cleared his throat as Sakura smirked. ' Silly Kakashi, he knows better…' Inner Sakura giggled as Sakura smiled and walked into the kitchen.

Reaching into her medicine cabinet, she removed some herbs and mixed them together into what looked to her to be a greenish soupy liquid. But she plugged her nose and downed the vile liquid before setting the glass down. She stood steady for a few moments before the drink began to settle in her stomach. Her drunken disposition changed to a somewhat more sober attitude and she wandered back into the living room. " Sorry about that, I needed something for my headache. Did you want something?" she asked as she moved to sit on the couch. Kakashi merely grunted and kept his eyes adverted from the half dressed girl beside him. " Kakashi, you've seen me in less than this every day. Stop acting weird," she said as she laughed at his reddening face. " Yes, well, this is different," he said as he regained composure.

Sakura felt the butterflies begin to flutter as she watched him sit in silence beside her, his exposed eye occasionally finding its way over to her before darting away. Eventually Kakashi took out his orange book and buried his face in its pages. Sakura pouted slightly as he paid her no attention. A sudden devious idea popped in her head and she rose from the couch. Kakashi remained glued to his book and took no notice as Sakura came to stand in front of him. She let her face fall slightly before her playful grin reappeared and she moved forward onto his legs.

Kakashi continued to read until he felt a pressure on his knees. Lowering his book, he came face to face with Sakura who had straddled his knees with her legs. Her mischievous emerald eyes gleamed in a way Kakashi didn't like. " Whatever you are up to, it won't work," he said casually as he raised his book once more to block her face from view. She grinned as she scooted closer to him, her shirt riding up to expose her red shorts. Kakashi caught sight of them, but forced his eyes upward to the small text on the now uninteresting page. Sakura moved forward until she sat directly in his lap, but much to her dismay, Kakashi remained aloof and continued to look interested in his dirty book.

Seeing the challenge, Sakura reached forward and tipped the book down to look at his eye. " You can't hide from me Kakashi," she said in a low taunting voice, making his heart race, but he remained unchanged on the surface. Sakura reached over the book to run her finger over the fabric on his face, teasing him as she scooted forward still until her chest pressed against his. Kakashi lowered his book to look at Sakura, whose eyes followed her finger over the black fabric about his face. " Sakura, you're drunk, you need sleep," he said calmly as she slid her finger under the fabric.

Sakura laughed aloud as he watched her advert her eyes to his. " Kakashi, I'm not drunk. I made myself an antidote in the kitchen. You know full well that having friends like Naruto I would have an antidote for drunken-ness," she said slyly. Kakashi raised his eye, noting Sakura as no longer drunk, but fully aware of what she was doing. She let her finger run under the mask before she slowly pulled it down, exposing the soft skin she was longing to see. Suddenly, Kakashi's hand shot up and gripped her wrist tightly. " No, Sakura," he said sternly. Her face changed from the seductive grin to a look of shock. His eye watched her with narrowed distaste. She let her fingers slide out from under the fabric and pulled her hand away from his face.

" Kakashi…" she whispered as he watched her. She rose off him and backed away slowly from where he sat, his grasp on her wrist failing as she pulled away. She adjusted the shirt around her waist and pulled it down over her red shorts as she retreated. " I'm sorry Kakashi, I don't know what got into me," she said, slightly downtrodden. He raised himself from the couch and made his way over to her. Sakura felt her eyes fall as he came toward her, her arms wrapping consciously around her chest. He stopped and looked down at her slightly flushed face. He felt a sudden urge again to take her lips as he noticed her pink lips in a slight pout. " Sakura…" he sighed as he reached forward to touch her arm, but she shifted from his touch and walked toward the door. She reached out and opened the door, her eyes lifting to meet his.

" I think you should go," she said in a strained voice. Kakashi frowned and nodded, walking toward the open door that led into the dark street. He stopped beside her, letting his eye rest on the depressed kunoichi before he stepped out the door. " Goodnight," he said quietly as she shut the door behind him. " Goodnight," she replied as she locked the door behind her. She let herself slump against door and let a sigh escape her lips. " What's wrong with me?" she groaned before letting her head fall between her drawn in knees.


Kakashi stood just outside her door, his mind somewhat foggy over what had just happened in Sakura's house. She was soo tempting to him, he had done all he could do to resist her. But every time he was around her, she was that more alluring to him. Was this wrong to feel this way for a girl 5 years younger? He shrugged it off, hoping to make sense of it in the morning. He turned and walked off her porch and made his way to his apartment.

' Why is it this difficult to be around Sakura. She was your student Kakashi and still is, until the Jouniin Exam. And what then? Will you go after her, will you pursue her. This is dangerous, Kakashi. Sakura knows the games you can play, she knows you're not as calm on the inside as out. Do you think you can make her happy? Do you love her? What ever you feel for her, you had better make sense of it first,' he thought to himself as he stepped inside is apartment. He unzipped his jacket and slung it over a chair before tugging his shirt over his head and letting it drop to the floor as he walked to his dark bedroom. Letting his weary body fall onto the black sheets, he removed his forehead protector and mask and instantly dozed off, only to be awoken by a knock at his door.

" What the hell…" he sighed as he rose lazily from the bed, seriously considering letting the intruder to his sleep wait at his door. But feeling a certain need for telling off who ever was knocking, he walked to the door and flung it open, only to find Sakura standing before him. She had pulled a long coat over her shirt and looked about ready to pass out. Her heavy lidded eyes gazed at his. " Kakashi, please… I don't want to be alone…" she whispered as she looked pleadingly into his eyes. He smiled faintly as he held his hand out to her. She willingly accepted it and entered his apartment. " I'm sorry to have waken you," she said sleepily. She smiled as she noticed his mask was gone, but as fate would have it, Kakashi didn't seem to believe in lighting his house, so she was strained to make out any distinction of his face.

He felt her eyes wander over his exposed face, but once again figured she wasn't able to see. And even if she could manage to use her chakra eyes to see, she would be dangerously depleting what little she had left. He removed her coat and let her sidle up to him as he moved through his dark apartment to his room. Kakashi allowed Sakura to lie down and snuggle into the warm covers before he lay down himself. Her small hands slid up his muscular chest before resting at his shoulders as she moved closer to him, her body pressing against his.

He smiled and let his arm drape over her back, holding her to him as she fell asleep. He leaned his head down to take in the scent of her rosy strands that spread over his dark pillow. Letting his eyes close, he pressed his lips to the top of her head, feeling her move closer from the contact. " Goodnight Sakura," he whispered and drifted off into undisturbed slumber with the kunoichi in his arms.


Sakura rose early that morning in the warm embrace of muscular arms. Somewhat hazy on where she was, she turned in the black satin sheets wrapped around her hips to face a masked Kakashi, his eyes closed in a deep sleep. She smiled and giggled slightly. " Cheater," she whispered as she ran her finger over the masks rim. ' He must have put it back on when I was sleeping,' she sighed to herself. And she was soo hoping to catch him without it.

She snuggled into his arms and pressed herself against his chest, smelling the sheets around her shoulder. They smelled just as she thought they would, like sandalwood. She loved how predictable Kakashi was. She buried her face in the sheets and inhaled, enjoying the refreshing smell of him before his arms tightened around her. Her eyes adverted upward as his slowly opened to greet her. " Good morning," he said quietly as she smiled up at him. She let her hand crawl up his smooth chest to his neck. His mismatched eyes watched her cautiously. " Good morning," she replied, the cloth around his mouth tugging into a smile.

She let her green eyes linger on him momentarily before she lifted her lips to his face, leaving a gentle kiss on his cheek. " Thank you," she whispered against his the clothe of his mask, her breath warming his cheek. He felt his face instantly flare from the brief contact of her soft lips. He cleared his throat nervously as she lowered her face and giggled. " Kakashi, you're so predictable," she sighed as she lifted herself on her elbow, coming to his level of height. He raised his eyebrows in curiosity. " And in what way am I predictable?" he asked as she sat up and ran her hand through her hair. She let her gaze drift over him as she smiled warmly. " I saw that blush, don't think I didn't," she said as she crawled over the sheets to the edge of his bed, forgetting completely about her currently indecent dress.

Kakashi chuckled as he watched her red shorts reveal themselves from under her long shirt. He adverted his eyes as she stopped at the edge and sat. " Sakura, do you want some coffee," he asked casually as she rose off the bed and stretched. She turned to face him, a lazy yawn escaping her mouth in an " O" shape. She nodded her head gingerly before walking over to him as he slung his legs over the bedside after throwing the sheets off his bare chest. He stood, noticing as she made her way over to him. Sakura lifted on her toes to reach his height, her nose only reaching his chin. She looked up into his eyes with an innocent smile and let her finders dance over his muscular chest. " Do I get any breakfast with that?" she asked playfully before letting him chuckle and walk out of the room.

" What? I was serious," she yelled after him, laughing to herself as she traipsed lightly over the floor to the bathroom at the corner of the bedroom. She entered the blue tiled room, finding it surprisingly tidy. She ran her finger over the marble counter and looked around, eying the light blue shower curtain and deep royal blue towel hanging nearby on a rack. ' Hm, might be awhile before he actually has my breakfast ready. Might as well take a shower,' she thought to herself as she heard Kakashi noisily moving around what she assumed to be the kitchen. She lightly cracked the door and pulled her shirt over her head, letting it drop to the floor before walking over to the shower and turning on the hot water, letting it run over her fingers before sliding out of her red shorts and stepping under the steamy downpour of water. She pulled the shower curtain closed, noticing it had barely any shielding from the outside.

" Oh well," she said with amusement as she ran her hands over her hair, letting each strand soak itself before she searched for shampoo. She found, as coincidence would have it, a blue bottle sitting on a shelf to her right. She opened the top, tipping its contents into her palm before inhaling, the familiar scent of Kakashi filling her nose. She smiled before rubbing the sudsy liquid into her hair and rinsing it thoroughly. Meanwhile, Kakashi stood in the kitchen making coffee when the sound of his shower running met his ears. ' She's not… no, she wouldn't,' he thought as he grabbed the two cups filled with the black coffee and made his way back to his room. Sure enough, as he entered the room, Sakura was nowhere to be seen and steam was pouring from the small crack in the bathroom door. " Uh, Sakura?" he asked cautiously as the running water stopped and the shift of the shower curtain welcomed him as he stood in front of the bathroom door.

" Sakura, I brought you coffee," he said hesitantly as he gently opened the door, one eye shut while the other looked under the eyelid. Sakura, who at the time hadn't even noticed his presence in the bathroom, continued to grope for a towel while the water from her soaked hair ran into her eyes. She reached out and grabbed something soft, but firm and not resembling a towel at all. Kakashi felt something wet grab his arm and instantly opened his eyes at the same moment Sakura did.

If it was a shock to Sakura to find Kakashi in the bathroom with two cups of coffee in hand, Kakashi finding a naked Sakura in his shower was enough to cause the silver haired jouniin to nearly have a nosebleed. " Oh my… Sakura I am soo sorry," he blurted as he squeezed his eyes shut instantly. Sakura, on the other hand, simply walked past Kakashi and grabbed a fluffy blue towel off the rack and wrapped it around her wet body.

" You can open your eyes," Sakura said with a suppressed laugh as the red-faced jouniin hesitantly opened one eye, then the other. Finding her covered, he held the cup of coffee out to her and tried his best to recover his aloof disposition but found it harder with Sakura standing in only a towel before him. " Thank you," she said smugly as she took the mug in her hands. She let the steam drift over her face as she brought the hot liquid up to her mouth, but paused as the scent of the black coffee filled her nose.

She slowly lowered the cup as she sighed and frowned. " Sasuke used to drink his coffee black. I always hated that…" she whispered under her breath, her mumblings catching Kakashi's ears. " Did you say something?" he asked as she set the cup on the counter. " Uh, no… look I should be going, I have a lot to do today," she said quickly as she grabbed her shirt and shorts from the floor and ushered Kakashi from the bathroom. " But, didn't you want breakfast?" he stuttered as the door closed in his face and Sakura dressed quickly. " Are you sure you can't stay for a while, I'll make you something to eat if you want," he said hurriedly as Sakura emerged from the bathroom and swept passed him, her damp hair dripping onto the wooded floor.

" No, I really have to go, but thank you," she said as she exited his bedroom with Kakashi at her heals. " But Sakura, you were just fine, what's wrong?" he asked as she slung her coat over her shoulders. " Nothing, I just remembered I'm busy today and I don't have time to sit and eat. Thank you for last night Kakashi, it was really nice of you," she said as she opened the door. Kakashi stood slightly mouth agape as though about to speak but just nodded and Sakura shut the door. ' That was weird. Maybe she doesn't like black coffee,' he thought and shrugged off the overwhelming feeling that something was wrong. But as he sat down and drank his coffee, he wondered if she had regretted coming to him. He hoped not, he had enjoyed being Sakura's comfort and there was something else there for him. The joyful feeling of having her lips on his skin rewound itself again and again in his mind, not to mention the incident in his bathroom. " I hope she's okay," he sighed as he took a sip of the black liquid in the mug.


Sakura walked down the paved street, her hands gripping tightly at the cuffs of her coat. She realized it would never be over. No matter what she did, no matter where she went, there would be something that would bring up a memory of him. She couldn't let this be the end, but it seemed there was nothing she could do about it. He was gone and she was hopelessly trying to cling to something that was no longer there. And having the strange feelings for Kakashi didn't help her either. As far as she knew she didn't love him, but there was something in his touch she refused to ignore. As wrong as it seemed for her to be "involved" with her teacher, it didn't matter to her. If there was even the slightest chance to free herself of the curse without Sasuke, she would fight for it.

Her eyes remained down, avoiding looks from a large group of girls she happened to be passing, their chatter stopping only to be replaced with whispers, none of which were quiet enough to escape Sakura's hearing.

" Yeah, she's the bitch that drove Sasuke away."

" Who the hell does she think she is walking around here like that?"

" What a whore. Did you see where she just came out of? Kakashi Hatake's house."

" She doesn't deserve Sasuke. He probably ran away because of her. I bet she chested on him with Kakashi."

Sakura kept her head bowed and continued to ignore the stinging comments. News had traveled faster than she had thought and apparently she was the cause of his disappearance. A familiar black haired girl ran up to the group, nearly knocking Sakura down. Sakura ignored the slight sting that ran through her arm from the impact and remained focused on simply getting home without problems. Nearby, the black haired girl had joined her friends as they circled her as she caught her breathe in a hurry, her strain to speak overwhelming.

" Did you hear! Sasuke-kun has been declared a missing-nin! He can never come back home!" she yelled, gasps ringing out amongst the numerous girls. Many of them broke down with sobs, but for those that remained somewhat in control of the sorrow for Sasuke, they turned to Sakura who had stopped dead in the street, their eyes narrowed with hatred. Sakura remained unmoving; her raspy breathe the only indication she was still living. ' Missing-nin! How could this happen?' she thought, unaware of the gang of girls making their way to her. She was stirred from her thoughts when she noticed a hand moving threateningly close to her face.

Snapping her head up, she caught the girl's wrist seconds before it could land upon her face. Her green eyes met the same girl that she had previously sparred with over Sasuke mere weeks ago. Unfazed by Sakura's grasp on her wrist, the girl moved forward and spat in her face. " You…you bitch! It's your fault this has happened! Poor Sasuke-kun is going to be killed because of you!" she yelled in Sakura's face, the girls around them jeering in agreement. Sakura kept her face raised, her eyes gleaming threatening. " Back off," she hissed through her clenched teeth. The girl smiled with amusement. " No," she said positively and the surrounding girls formed a large circle to enclose the two.

Sakura simply smiled. " Have you already forgotten the lesson I taught you?' she asked in a malicious tone, causing the girls face to fall back into a scowl. " I may have lost last time, but there's nothing holding me back. No meadow, no kunai, no Sasuke," she said as she pulled her hand roughly from Sakura's tight grasp. " I'm not in the mood," Sakura said casually before pushing past the girl and parting the circle as she walked away, but the black haired girl wasn't about to let her go without a fight. She ran to grab Sakura, but slid to a stop as a silver-haired man stepped in front of her. " She said she wasn't in the mood. I think you all should move along," Kakashi said as the girl eyed him fearfully. " Ah, y-yes, Kakashi-sensai. Sorry," she managed to say in a weak voice. She shot one last glare at Sakura before merging into the grumbling group of girls and walked away.

" You didn't have to do that, Kakashi. I could have handled it," Sakura said in a low voice as Kakashi walked up beside her. He simply chuckled and nodded. The two walked in silence, Kakashi noticing the slight rain cloud that seemed to hang above her head. She was deep in thought when Kakashi placed a hand gently on her shoulder. Sakura looked over at Kakashi who smiled back, the corner of his left eye crinkling. Sakura nodded and managed to turn one side of her mouth up in a crooked smile, still scowl-like to Kakashi.

" Sakura, what's going on? You just don't seem to have any happiness in you today," he said as they stepped onto her porch. " Nothing," she said evenly, Kakashi deciding against the idea to pursue the conversation. She reached into her coat pocket, pulling out a small key and letting it slip into the lock before pushing her front door open. " Come in," she mumbled as she walked into her house, Kakashi entering after her. Sakura let her coat fall to the floor as she sulked over to the couch and sprawled out on the soft cushions. " So these are your plans that kept you from enjoying my breakfast this morning," Kakashi said with a lighthearted chuckled. Sakura merely groaned and buried her face farther into the cushion. " Sakura, really, what's wrong. And don't' say " nothing" because obviously it's something," he said as she sighed and lifted herself to lean on her elbow.

" Why is this happening to me Kakashi?" she asked as she looked sorrowfully to his exposed eye. Kakashi took a seat next to her legs and listened as she spoke. " I hate hearing about him, remembering him, thinking about him and I'm tired of crying over him. I just want this to go away. I feel so confused. Without him, there's no chance to lift the curse…. And you… well, we haven't been honest with each other Kakashi. There's more than what's being said and you know that… we both do," she said as she watched him gaze at her thoughtfully.

" You're right Sakura. I haven't been honest with you. But there's more to it than you think…" he let his voice trail off as Sakura sat up and hugged her knees to her chest. " What aren't you telling me Kakashi?" Sakura asked as she searched him for any sign of what she thought he might be feeling, but he just watched her carefully through a half close eyelid. " There's a lot you don't know about me Sakura, and a lot you probably will never know. But now isn't the time to talk about this. You have problems that need to be settled and I shouldn't get in the way," he said as he rose from the couch.

Sakura raised her chin from her knees and opened her mouth in protest but he simply nodded to her, his way of letting her know it was over, he was done talking. " It's too confusing with me around Sakura and I don't want you to feel as though you have to choose. I'll see you soon," he said as he walked over to the door. She watched as he closed it quietly behind him before she let out her breath. " Kakashi? What do you mean by choose? Is it true? Do you feel for me what I think you do?" she whispered before rising off the couch and walking wearily to her bedroom. Her mind hurt from thinking and she suddenly felt extremely tired. She let her body fall with a slight bounce onto her warm sheets and tangled herself in them before falling asleep only to be haunted by a certain Uchiha.


Gentai walked hand in hand with Anka down the sandy path that led through the woods to the swimming hole he had previously joined Sakura, Naruto, Ino, Hinata, Shikamaru and Sasuke at. He thought it would be good for Anka to get used to her new home if he showed her around. So far, Anka had been staying with him and Naruto, but just recently, Gentai had gotten his own apartment that he and Anka now lived in together. The time they had spent together had been heaven to him. They reminisced on the days when they were younger and in love before all the heartbreak had begun, still finding it hard that they had found each other after soo long.

" Oh Gentai, I cannot tell you how happy this makes me. I finally have a home and what's better is I'm finally with you," she said as she hugged his arms lovingly as he kissed her forehead. The last few days had been tough for them both. Anka's healing process had begun the second she had found herself locked in Gentai's embrace. The curse was slowly losing its effect, but it wasn't going without a fight. It pained her to be soo close to Gentai, to even touch her brought the stinging pain to her throat, the ink still staining her porcelain skin. Gentai had promised it would be rid of her completely in a week at the most and she had tried to endure the pain at all costs.

" Gentai, how do you know soo much about Konoha already, you told me you were only here for awhile before going on a mission with your team and found me," she said curiously as he led her along the bank of the pristine waters, her eyes shimmering with happiness as she looked over the swimming hole. " I have to say, Naruto was to blame for all of it. He never let me rest once while we were here. Well that was until the White Ribbon Festival," he said, causing Anka to look up at him. " White Ribbon Festival? What happened there?" she asked as they sat in the soft grass, Anka still holding fast to Gentai who rest his hand on her thigh. " Well, the Chounin had to go. It was basically mandatory. Naruto invited Hinata and the two have been inseparable ever since. It's kind of nauseating really," he said with a chuckle. Anka narrowed her eyes as the words " mandatory" met her ears. " Who did you go with?" she asked in a somewhat demanding tone.

Surprised at her sudden bitterness, Gentai turned his sapphire eyes towards hers. She glared at him decisively. " Well, I-I guess I went with this girl," he said, trying to sound as disinterested as possible, but her scowl only deepened. " Who is this girl?" she asked, flipping her hair casually with her free hand, trying to stay calm although the thought of another girl was uncomforting to her. But what did she expect, he thought she was dead up until a week ago. " She was no one, just some girl I met somewhere. She asked me and I wanted to go so I could hang out with Naruto and Sasuke, so I said yes," he said earnestly, trying to smile but finding it hard as Anka glared off in the distance. " I see," she said evenly as she released his arm.

" Anka, what's wrong?" he asked as she crossed her arms, her eyebrows furrowed. ' Oh how could he, off with some girl who probably showed him the time of his life and there I was trapped with that &$# Orochimaru! How could he? But then again, how was he supposed to know I was even alive. And he said he only said yes to be with his friends. It's wrong for me to be mad…' she thought, ashamed at her moody behavior. She let out a sigh and dissolved into a smile. " I guess I just didn't like the fact you were with another girl, but I suppose you couldn't have known any better," she said as she let her hand slide into his. " I just wish thing had never changed," she whispered as she leaned against him. " Me too," he said as he kissed her forehead and let his head rest atop hers.

" Gentai, I have another question," she said suddenly, his head lifting off hers to look at her. She bit her lip, searching for a casual way to say what she wanted, but finding there was no way around being blunt. " I want to know how you know soo much about the curse seal I have. I mean, I know about everything it does and by what I heard from Orochimaru," she managed to say without spitting the name, " it does have a cure, but how do you know?" she asked curiously as he watched her eyes dart from his to her hands. He lifted his head and looked away from her, Anka's eyes following his gaze out over the water. The sun shimmered of the rippled crests of water that moved with the soft breeze, the yellow sun and blue sky reflecting in the mirrored surface.

" Anka, the truth is that I myself had the curse at one time," he said casually as his intense blue eyes focused away from her now agape mouth. " But Gentai, how? I would know if he's bitten you, he told me everything. I was the only one he trusted with who he bit," she stuttered as he sighed. He nodded but continued. " After I thought you had died, Oro had come to me with a deal. He would keep you alive if I would live in his service. I took that deal, fearing for your safety. Your parents were already dead, but if there was the chance I could save you…" he said as he turned to face her, his eyes reflecting the sorrow in his voice. " But Oro tricked me. He fueled me with power then told me he had already killed you. My desire for vengeance just made his hold over me stronger and I forgot about my friends, my father, even you… until she came," he explained as Anka listened to his difficult story.

It was obvious she was still in complete shock from what she was hearing. Her hands wrung tightly at the hem of her blue skirt, her eyes wide, waiting for him to continue. " Sakura was sent on a mission to kill my father and the only way she could do that was to seduce me. Although it was me, she was really tricking the part of me controlled by Oro. He could have made me kill her, but the second I saw her, I felt his raw lust for Sakura. I persuaded her to come back to the mansion, but when we got there, I began to take over as we talked. She had a spark around her that reminded me of, well, you…" he confessed, Anka slightly stung by the thought of Gentai and Sakura, but it comforted her knowing Sakura's intentions were of a darker kind.

She nodded and he took up the rest. " When she kissed me, it broke it, completely and wholly. But for reasons I can't explain, I never felt any pain. In my mind, I felt it was you there with me, not Sakura. She poisoned me afterwards and took me back to her hideout where they learned the truth about my father, but I never told them about Oro. If they knew, they would have never let me come back here with them," he said with a pained smile on his face. Anka only watched him as her mind raced.

'If Gentai was with Oro, he must have known about the plans for the Sharingan. If not, Sasuke is in greater danger than we know,' she thought as Gentai rose and took her hand, pulling her up to his side. " I was meaning to tell you sooner, but it never seemed like the right moment. I'm sorry for keeping this from you Anka," he said, but she hushed him and kissed his lips gently. " Gentai, there are also a great deal of things I must tell you too," she said as she linked her arm with his and they walked off into the forest.


Sakura woke with a start, her rigid body soaked with sweat. She blinked and took deep breaths before her heart stopped beating madly in her chest. She let her shaking hand slide over her damp forehead to sweep back the stray strands of pink hair that fell in her face. " Sasuke…" she choked out weakly before letting her head fall back on the pillow. She didn't know how much longer she could go on like this, she needed some sort of release. Although her chin trembled and her eyes filled to the point of blurred vision, she refused to cry. She couldn't do that anymore. In fact she couldn't do a lot of things now that he was gone. She denied herself to train at her favorite spot, the images of herself with Sasuke in the waterfall plaguing her constantly. The ghostly images never ceased, she had been everywhere with him, there was no place to hide.

" I'm done with this," she said stubbornly as she slid out of her bed and made her way to the kitchen. Taking out her kettle, she began preparing tea. Glancing quickly at the clock on the wall she turned back to the water heating on the stove. ' 2 am. I should be asleep like everyone else,' she thought, now fully awake as she placed the tea bag in the steaming water, the aroma of green tea waking her senses. " I should train," she mumbled as she poured her tea into a mug and carried it back to her bedroom.

Setting the cup down, she rummaged through her clothes, pulling out her black shorts and satchel, pulling them on before shifting through the clothes for her shirt. Finding it in a corner, she removed her large tee and slid her red kimono top on. Finding her boots in a corner, she quickly pulled them on and secured them before grabbing the cup of tea and taking a mouthful of the hot liquid, letting it warm her mouth before swallowing. Her emerald eyes darted to the window to find tiny rivulets of water sliding down the glass.

" Hm, suits my mood," she said grouchily as she grabbed a black zip up sweatshirt and pulled in on quickly before walking to her door. She stepped out into the rain soaked street, her feet disturbing the small puddles the rain had left. The moon shone brightly behind the numerous dark clouds that hung in the sky. She was thankful she had some light to train by, but she cursed it for raining. The field would be wet and slippery and the air was thick and cold, the damp atmosphere raising goose bumps on her bare thighs. The small sprinkles of rain wet her hair lightly, the ends of her hair now dripping with the condensation. Stepping under a large willow tree, she sat on the dry soft grass and crossed her legs, taking in a deep breath of the moist air. Normally she loved the rain, the smell of the soaked earth her favorite scent. But today she just wanted darkness and nothing more.

Closing her eyes, she let the sound of the light pattering fill her ears before a shifting in the branches overhead disturbed her. She bit her cheek lightly to wake herself from the welcome darkness behind her closed eyes and opened her emerald eyes to meet the dim street lit by a single burning street lamp. Beneath it stood a mysterious figure draped in an equally dark cloak. She ignored the stirring in her stomach, her mind chanting the name she feared to be true. The shadowed shifted its weight slightly before moving toward her, the rustling in the tree above growing more frantic. Sakura's heart leapt as she felt the uncomfortable cornered feeling take root in the base of her mind. If she was even slightly shaken by the situation, it was hard to tell as her piercing eyes lingered on the dark figure before her.

As sudden as her fear had been stricken it disappeared as none other than Genma in a travelers cloak stepped into the moonlight streaming through the leaves overhead. Sakura exhaled lightly, her hand resting at her side, her fingers stroking her satchel apprehensively. " Ah Sakura, what is my kunoichi doing out so late?" he asked as he removed his cloak and slid it over her shoulders. The warmth from his body eased Sakura and she let a small smile play on her flushed lips. " Genma. I was worried I was going to have to kill you," she said with a smirk as he toyed with the senbon hanging from his clenched teeth. He let out a low chuckle, his soothing laughter ringing throughout the still night air.

" Now Sakura, I saw your hand at your satchel. Next time, be a bit less obvious," he said as she pulled his cloak tighter around her, the dark cloud overhead bursting, the rain falling heavy above them. Genma moved closer, his eyes searching hers, his usual smirk on his lips. " So you never answered me Sakura. What are you doing out soo early?" he asked slyly as he looped his hand around her lower back and pulled her closer. She felt her face flush from the pressure of his body on hers, her face stiflingly close to his. " I could ask you the same thing," she said casually as he eyed her with amusement. He smiled, his lips shifting the senbon to the corner of his mouth, its tip grazing Sakura's jaw. The contact made her skin crawl with excitement as he leaned in closer. " I was looking for you," he said in a low voice as Sakura watched his face move closer.

Her lips were mere inches from his when a light thud behind her snapped her back to reality. The rain around them instantly filled her ears and she pulled back as Genma's lips brushed hers. " Now Genma, you should know better than to pursue a kunoichi under the legal age," a familiar lazy voice chimed as Sakura stepped backward, instantly making contact with another body. She lifted her face to gaze up at a masked face belonging to none other than Kakashi. " Kakashi-sensai…" Sakura whispered as he let his eye drift over her. " Now Sakura, I'm hardly your sensai any longer," Kakashi said with a tilt of his head. She nodded and smiled before letting her green eyes fall to Genma who stood, his face fallen to a slight scowl.

" Nice to see you too Kakashi," Genma said with slight distaste, the chance at taking Sakura gone and missed. " I believe this is yours," Kakashi said evenly as he pulled the cloak from Sakura, the cold air invading her body instantly. He lightly threw it to Genma, who caught it, his fist clenched tightly over the fabric. " She might get cold Kakashi, my intentions were strictly for her well being," he said as he slung it over his shoulder and continued to stare Kakashi down. " Her best interest is really none of your business, and I don't think kissing her is for her well being more than for your entertainment," Kakashi said, his voice lowering to a slight grown, Genma taking the hint and turning to walk off. " I'll see you Sakura," Genma said as he raised his hand and walked off, the rain encasing him before he disappeared in a swirl of smoke.

Sakura turned, her body still pressed against Kakashi's, his hand now resting on her shoulder. " Kakashi, why did you stop him from kissing me?" she asked as he shifted his eye from the cloud of smoke to Sakura's emerald eyes. " Sakura, you have had terrible loss lately and for your feelings to be even more twisted isn't healthy for you," he said evenly as she smiled slightly. She lifted her hand and placed it on Kakashi's face, his eye widening a bit in surprise. " Thank you. I don't really like Genma like that, but I wasn't inclined to stop him," she said as he smiled behind his mask. " And why do you think you aren't inclined to do so?" he asked as she held his gaze.

" Because I guess I wanted something to take my mind off Sasuke. That's why I'm out here so early, that's why... I guess... I let him get so close to me," she said as she slid her hand from his face and turned to stare at the ground. " I just need something to fill the emptiness I feel and I know its not right to fool around with Genma, but I feel incomplete without someone's touch… someone's love... Oh I'm sorry Kakashi, I guess I'm rambling," she said as she wiped her misty eyes, her lips in a tearful smile.

Kakashi frowned and wrapped his arms around Sakura's slight waist, pulling her to him. She leaned her head against him, the butterflies in her stomach instantly taking flight the second his hands touched her skin. " Sakura, there's nothing wrong with how you feel, but filling that emptiness with meaningless emotions isn't healthy. You need something constant, not temporary," he whispered as she lifted her head to nuzzle the side of his neck. " Kakashi, you've always been there for me. Are you my constant I can rely on?" she asked in a hushed tone, not sure whether she wanted to ask him that as she felt him tense.

" Sakura, I-I wish that I could tell you something…" he began but stopped as Sakura lifted her eyes to meet his gaze. " And why can't you Kakashi?" she asked. Kakashi hesitated but sighed and pulled her closer. " I guess I feel its not the right time. I suppose it may never be the right time as long as you hold onto the memories of Sasuke. But I will always be here Sakura,' he said as she searched his eyes. Sakura smiled and let her fingers play with the collar of his jacket. " Will you help me forget?" she asked as she tilted her head toward his. Kakashi smiled and nodded, letting one hand release her while he guided her back to her house.

" Kakashi?"

" Yes Sakura?"

" I-I… umm, I… thank you," Sakura managed to say as he gazed down at her as they walked through the rain. Kakashi simply smiled as he let his eyes roam over her. The desire to tell her how he really felt about her was still riding his mind but he quickly brushed it aside and let his hand slide around Sakura's waist. Sakura looked up at the silent jouniin and smiled, her heart dancing in her throat. " So Sakura, how about I take you to dinner tonight, just the two of us," Kakashi suddenly asked as Sakura began to drift off into the recess of her thoughts, images of Kakashi floating about her head. She blinked a bit before turning to face him. " Uh, Kakashi, are you asking me on a date?" Sakura asked as she watched him with amusement, her face growing pink. His dark eye turned on her and she felt her face grow a deep scarlet.

" Well, I guess I am," he said as he smiled down at her, his face equally as red from embarrassment, but he grinned inwardly as she couldn't see his blush. Sakura smiled and avoided his gaze until they reached her house. " So what time should I pick you up," Kakashi asked as he let his hand leave her side. Sakura frowned a bit at the cold that invaded where his hand had been. " I suppose 6. Is that alright?" she asked as she shuffled her feet and fingered the key nervously in her pocket. " That sounds great. I'll see you here at 6," he said casually as he left her standing on her steps. In a swirl of smoke he was gone, leaving Sakura's head spinning.

" OH AND DON"T BE LATE!" she yelled, hoping he had heard her warning, but sighed, as she knew he was always late, no mater how important the occasion. She opened her door slowly and closed the door with a click behind her before falling onto her couch. The sudden thought of her and Kakashi on a date snapped into her head and she sat up. " What have I done!" she exclaimed as she buried her face into the couch cushion, her warm breath mingling on the soft fabric. ' Gah, I should suffocate myself! Going on a date with my sensai! What the hell was I thinking!' Inner Sakura screamed as she smacked her forehead, Sakura instantly doing the same. Sakura let her breathing return to normal before thinking over the situation.

" This may not be as bad as I'm making it out to be. Kakashi can be fun, well, when he's not reading that stupid book. I just hope I'm not making a huge mistake," she sighed as she rose of the couch and made her way over to the small table cover with picture frames. She let her fingers slide under a silver frame and lifted it to peer at the faces captured in the picture. " Sasuke… I miss you," she whispered as she let her finger linger over his face before setting it down. She walked toward her bedroom and opened the closet door, pulling out a white dress she had bought previous to the White Ribbon Festival.

Up until then, she had forgotten about it and it had remained hanging behind her black sweater, but upon retrieving the sweater to wear earlier, she had seen it. The instant Kakashi had proposed dinner, the image of the dress had drifted into her mind. " I really hope I'm not making a mistake," she groaned as she pulled the dress out and laid it out on the bed. ' I guess this is the first step to forgetting though. But why does it feel so wrong? I just hope I can find the strength to overcome this,' she thought as she stripped of her clothes and made her way to the bathroom, her mind battling over two separate paths: Kakashi or Sasuke.


Okay seriously don't hate me for saying this but ROCK ON SAKURA AND KAKASHI! Kinda in love with the pairing goin on here but it'll die as fast as it begins. i promise i'll break them up! Sasuke will come back with a vengance! MUAHAHAHAHA not really, kinda more Sakura saving Sasuke's ass thing, but it's all good ( Sasuke, your as cool as you wanna beleive) hehe so cute, but yeah, chapter 12 will rock your worlds cuz my mind is bursting with awesome ideas! laladadido so yeah

STAY TUNED FELLOW SAKUxSASU LOVERS! NEXT EPISODE: SECRETS!