Light Shaded Dream

Chapter 5 – Promising

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

-:-

Sakura went back to the inn, not bothering to cover up her bloody body with genjutsu. Her friends would notice the genjutsu right away, anyway. She opened the door, and was answered with surprised gasps and looks of horror. She ignored them, and went straight to the bathroom. Getting into the shower, she turned on the ice-cold water, the coldness stinging her gashing wound. She watched as the blood mixed with water and slowly poured down the drain, and smirked to herself. Turning the water off, she placed her hand above the wound on her back, and began to heal it. Walking home with the gashing wound had exhausted her chakra, so her wound would have to be healed a little at a time until she could heal it completely. Putting on her clothes, she walked out, and went straight to bed. She had heard the confused whispers from the boys, but the girls immediately hushed them. The only one with enough sense was Naruto.

"Uchiha." He growled.

Sakura slowly nodded in agreement, and found she was drifting off into slumber. Her last thoughts before going into an unwanted sleep were: Do I still love him? Even if he hurt me? She felt a small tear roll down her cheek, and closed her eyes and drifted away.

-:-

Sasuke was walking past the inn where he had first seen Sakura. He looked up at the same window and saw shadows and heard their whispers, and sighed to himself. I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot, he thought. He continued walking, and reached his destination without much concentration. Not looking where he was going, he bumped into a sturdy body, and looked up. He immediately gained reality back, and looked at the man with such malice that the man laughed.

"Out late, Sasuke?" He asked.

Sasuke looked at him, and walked past him. All he wanted right now was rest. He needed to think over what had happened.

"Where are you going?" The man hissed.

"Hn," Sasuke said.

The man looked at his apprentice with such distaste that he almost killed him right then and there.

"Don't get carried away now, Sasuke. Konoha nin are after you...but I suppose you already had a run-in with one?" He asked.

"Hn."

The man shook his head and smiled to himself as he heard Sasuke's door slamming.

"Don't get carried away," He hissed to the wind.

He walked off, laughing to himself. He wanted death.

Sasuke plopped down on his poor mattress and thought. I never know they'd send her of all people. Why couldn't I recognize her right away? ...Hn...this isn't good...I'd bet if they sent her they probably would have sent the rest of the Rookies and maybe even Gai's team. This is bad. If I need to kill Orochimaru soon, I better do it now...but that doesn't mean I'd go back with them...I still need to kill him. Hmph...How irritating...
Sasuke found himself deep in his thoughts, and began to silently drift away...

-:-

The next morning, Sakura awoke with enormous pain on her back. However, she felt that it had already begun to heal nicely. She saw Hinata's ointment on the dresser, and smiled. Thank you, Hinata... She got up from her bed, and winced at the pain.

"Are you sure you want to patrol today, Sakura? Someone can take over your position for you," Naruto said, noticing his pink-haired friend stir.

"I'll go...it's a mission; I won't back out of it," She said.

"You're being brave, Sakura...he might kill you next time."

"He won't."

"But look what he did last time."

Sakura shook her head and smiled at him.

"I don't mind. It's my mission, and as a kunoichi, I will fulfill the duty of the ninja. I will go through with this mission, even if it costs my life."

Naruto sighed, knowing that there was no way of knocking sense into his friend. He got up from his position and made his way to the door.

"Whenever you're ready. Everyone else is taking up their positions."

He nodded to her, and left. She smiled at the closed door, and changed into her clothes.

-:-

Sasuke sensed another presence stir as he was hitting the tree trunk. He knew who it was; he had familiarized with their chakra levels. He continued to hit the tree trunk, paying no mind that he knew that they were watching his every move. With swift hesitation, he turned around, and sighed.

"I know you're there Sakura."

Sakura jumped down from her perch and faced him. Sasuke noticed her wince at the impact, and just shook his head.

"You shouldn't be out of bed," He said, nonchalantly continuing his training.

"You aren't my mother," Sakura teased.

The two remained silent for a while, and Sakura hated it. She knew that Sasuke was always the silent type, but this time, it annoyed her. A lot.

"Sorry," Sasuke mumbled.

Sakura shook her head in disbelief, and looked at him with wide eyes.

"What?" She asked.

It took Sasuke a lot of pride-swallowing just to say that one word. And Sakura knew that; she just loved torturing him.

"Sorry," He said more clearly.

Sakura looked at him, and smiled.

"For what?"

He glared at her, and wiped away his sweat from his forehead.

"...everything..."

Again, Sakura was staring in disbelief. She closed her eyes, and took a seat at the foot of a tree behind Sasuke, and smiled to herself.

"It's okay, Uchiha."

Sasuke winced at hearing his last name. Getting Sakura to resort to that respect meant that he hurt her...badly. But of course he knew this, and let it slide. I have to get used to hearing my last name, he thought. Sakura began humming a tune, watching Sasuke continue to hit the tree trunk.

"Are you coming back with us?" Sakura asked.

She needed to know the answer.

"...No."

Sakura let go of all her hope, and sighed. She knew that would be the answer. Sasuke felt her uneasiness, stopped practicing his taijustu, and turned to face her.

"Even if..."

"Yes. My goal is not yet accomplished. But when it is...I promise you I'll come back."

Sakura felt relieved to hear his promise, and childishly held out her pinky.

"You have to pinky promise me!" She happily said.

Sasuke groaned in irritation, and connected his strong pinky to her tiny one.

"Honestly, Sakura, do you ever grow up?" He asked.

"No."

Sakura stuck out her tongue, and began to laugh to herself. Sasuke smiled for one millisecond, and resumed his training. The smile did not go unnoticed by Sakura. That's better, Uchiha. With Sakura silently humming to herself and talking to a random blue jay, Sasuke felt...warm. He snapped his head in the direction behind Sakura, and basically shot himself right there. He felt chakra, strong chakra. Luckily for him, Sakura was still in disguise, and he would just have to improvise with that for now. Good thing it wasn't his sensei, or Sakura would end up dead. Sakura noticed his tense state, and immediately went into her emotionless self.

"Sasuke. I heard laughter. Was someone here?" The voice asked.

Sasuke turned to face his comrade, and carelessly shrugged.

"Just a fan girl," He mumbled.

His comrade looked in front of him, and found Sakura, or rather, a girl zoning out.

"And you haven't killed her yet?"

"Kabuto, just mind your business and get out of here," Sasuke hissed.

Kabuto just smirked at him, and walked over next to Sakura.

"What's your name? You seem new to the village," He said.

Without giving Sakura a chance to reply, Sasuke hastily told Kabuto a fake name.

"Her name is Kaiu. She has no surname."

Kabuto looked Sakura over, and smirked.

"Is that so? Well Kaiu, I'm Kabuto. Nice to meet you," Kabuto said.

Sakura, or 'Kaiu', looked at Kabuto with no interest whatsoever.

"Hn."

Kabuto stared at her in disbelief, and smirked. He liked what he saw. This girl was just like Sasuke. Sasuke didn't like how Kabuto was looking at Sakura, and quickly made a move before his jealously could get the better of him.

"Kabuto, leave," Sasuke hissed.

"But I've only just met Kaiu here," Kabuto said.

Sasuke gave him a death glare, and Kabuto laughed.

"Okay, okay, no need to get jealous. See you around, Kaiu."

Kaiu/Sakura looked at Kabuto boredly, and gave him the best Sasuke glare she could muster.

"Hn, you were annoying. About time you left," She hissed.

Kabuto glared at her, and disappeared in smoke. When Sasuke knew it was safe, he smirked at Sakura and did some hand seals, and fireballs emerged from his mouth. The trunk he was practicing on was engulfed in flames. To make sure it did not spread after the tree burned, Sakura cast a jutsu around it to ensure the forest's safety.

"I didn't know you could be cold," Sasuke said.

Sakura stared at him, and smirked.

"What I get for loving you."

"Hn."

Sakura looked up at the sky and noticed it darkening, and turned to Sasuke.

"I better go. They're probably worried about why I haven't been back yet," She said.

He nodded in understanding, and began to walk with her back.

"You'll still be training there, right?" Sakura asked.

He looked at her, and sighed.

"If you really need to see me, then yes. Just don't be annoying again."

Sakura glared at him.

"I wasn't annoying you this time."

Sasuke shrugged.

"Bye, Uchiha!"

She waved to him and ran inside the inn. He nonchalantly nodded in reply and began his walk back home. Hm...he's starting to change, Sakura thought.

-:-

Sorry about some OOC! D: