A/N: I've been motivated to write faster so here's another chapter already! :)

Chapter 13

Ignorance

"Alright, Lee," Sakura said. "You've mastered reversing your chakra without meditation. I think it's time for you to try and break out of an actual genjutsu." She looked proudly at him as they sat across from each other in their usual secluded spot.

"W-Wow, really?!" Lee stammered, overjoyed. An impossibly large grin spread across his face. He leapt to his feet and readied himself in a ready pose. "I am ready whenever you are, Sakura."

Sakura chortled and stood up as well, but slower and calmly. She took a few steps back to put distance between the two of them. "This will be a a low-level genjutsu but it'll be reinforced so you can't just break out of it by realizing it's a genjutsu. Good luck, Lee."

A heavier breeze blew past him towards Sakura, and then she slowly disintegrated into pink petals, and they danced away in the wind. Lee rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Sakura must have done the hand signs when he was not looking. Suddenly the winds started to pick up and swirl around him, carrying hundreds of petals with their sweet scent. Faster they spun, until Lee was in the eye of a whirlwind of petals. Mesmerized, Lee reached out a hand into the strong winds as the petals whipped around. The petals gently brushed along his fingers.

What a beautiful genjutsu, Lee thought.

Then the winds picked up, and the petals began to spin aggressively closer to him, steadily shrinking the available space he had. Alarmed, Lee quickly raised his hand in the pose Sakura showed him. He focused on the chakra flowing through his fingertips before following it back down to his core.

Dissipate! Lee commanded.

He began his chakra flow reversal but he could feel a force pushing back, refusing to let him change his chakra's path.

The petals were closing in; he was starting to feel the claustrophobia build.

Nervous, Lee began to push back harder, but he felt that the more forceful he pushed the more Sakura's genjutsu wrenched control of his system.

Lee no longer had any space in the eye of the whirlwind. The petals were now so densely packed that he could not see the other side. As a last ditch effort Lee attempted to dive through the petals to safety on the other side. Instead he bounced off the spinning vortex of petals back into his spot. He was trapped. Suddenly the petals all dived towards him from all directions, clinging to every inch of his body. Lee struggled to escape but the petals held fast, trapping him in a stiff cocoon, leaving nothing but his head exposed.

Panicking, Lee called to his chakra stream again, pushing against the genjutsu force with more haste but to no avail.

The cocoon tipped backwards and Lee landed on the ground with an "Oof!"

"Having trouble?" Sakura's voice echoed around him. The petals began to shift, forming a large shape above him until it resembled a human form, then solidified into Sakura herself. Sakura was sitting casually on his cocooned chest, her legs folded.

"S-Sakura?!" Lee struggled once more, but the remaining petals still clung tightly to him.

"You're getting too distracted by the genjutsu. Focus," Sakura instructed, studying her fingernails.

"I have tried, Sakura, but when I push back on the genjutsu's control it becomes even harder to fight it off," Lee admitted shamefully.

"You're letting your emotions distract you from control of your chakra pathway. Take a deep breath and relax. I won't hurt you in here. I promise." Sakura flashed a reassuring smile before once again disintegrating into petals.

Sakura's right. I need to focus.

Lee took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He felt his nerves relax and his mind calm. Once again he focused on his chakra stream. He sensed the genjutsu force deep within him and slowly pushed. He felt the genjutsu stubbornly push back but he continued his assault, building up the force until he felt the genjutsu start to cave.

Just a bit more...

Sakura watched Lee silently as he struggled through the genjutsu. The two of them had not moved from when she had activated the genjutsu. Lee stood in place, eyes darting back and forth yet focused far away. She could feel him resisting her genjutsu as she maintained it.

You can do it, Lee... I believe in you, Sakura urged.

Suddenly Lee's shaky resistance focused to brunt force, shoving aggressively back at Sakura's genjutsu. It caught Sakura off-guard and she almost lost control right then and there. She doubled her focus on repelling him back. If he was going to break the genjutsu fairly she had to keep it adequately strong. Her resistance did not last long. She could feel Lee putting his all into it and paired with her lower chakra stamina and the lower level of the jutsu, her genjutsu snapped, freeing Lee.

Lee blinked, his eyes refocusing. He locked eyes with her, a bewildered expression on his face.

"Y-You did it!" Sakura said gleefully, rushing up to him. She clasped his shoulders in congratulations, full of pride. "You broke your first genjutsu!"

Lee stared blankly at her as the news sunk in. "I... I actually did it," he breathed in disbelief. "I did it!" Overcome with joy, Lee picked Sakura up by her waist and spun her. "I did it!" Lee let out a victorious, relieved laugh. "Thank you, Sakura! It is all thanks to you!" Sakura laughed with Lee as she spun him, her eyes filled with pride while his with gratitude. Lee then gently set her back on her feet.

"I'm so proud of you Lee," Sakura said, giddy.

"And I am grateful to have such an amazing teacher! It brings me great joy to see that I can learn important shinobi skills like this even with my disadvantages." Overcome with emotion, tears began to flow down Lee's cheeks. He rubbed his wet eyes on his arm.

Sakura's eyebrow raised in slight concern. "Er, no need to cry, Lee, it's okay."

"I apologize for my unsightly tears, Sakura. I am just positively overjoyed!"

Sakura dug through her bag attached to her waist and produced a handkerchief. "Here."

Lee gratefully took it and dabbed his watering eyes until they were dry again. "T-Thank you."

Lee handed back the embarrassingly soaked handkerchief and Sakura politely took it and placed it back in her bag.

"Lee, I'm very impressed that you were able to break out of my genjutsu on your first try. It really shows how far you've come from where we first started."

Lee beamed. "Thank you. If I might ask, where did you learn your genjutsu?"

"Kurenai, actually. Even if she's busy raising her child she could easily teach me in her living room," Sakura said thoughtfully.

"Ah, of course! Only the village's best genjutsu expert would suffice as a teacher for you, Sakura."

Sakura nodded. "She always liked her flower-themed genjutsu. I learned a lot of other fun ones I can show you later," she winked mischievously with an edge of sadism to her voice.

"...Oh?" Lee's eyes widened, his eyes flashing between confusion, embarrassment, and fear.

"But I digress," Sakura said, brushing off her previous comment. "We can practice more another day."

"But Sakura!" Lee protested.

"No buts!" Sakura shook his finger at him sternly. "You'll have to be patient."

"Okay..." Lee's shoulders slouched in disappointment.

Sakura's features then softened. "Don't worry, we still have plenty of time to practice. I promise you'll be a great genjutsu dispeller when I'm done with you," she smiled at him confidently and Lee's expression immediately brightened. "C'mon, let's head home."

Lee obediently followed.

Sakura glanced over at Lee as they walked. Lee caught her staring at him and he offered her a heartwarming smile. It was a smile that seemed to say many things, whether it was gratitude, reassurance, or fondness. Sakura could not help but smile warmly back.

Sakura acknowledged that she had grown closer to Lee as they had trained together. When he succeeded he shared his happiness with her, when she was feeling down Lee's diligently tried to cheer her up, albeit subtly. He never asked about Sasuke and that made Sakura happy. While they trained she could forget all about her marriage troubles as if it were all just an old nightmare. Sakura found herself smiling more in his presence... it felt good and simply perfect.

Lee was an interesting fellow. Here she was, now good friends with the oddest man in Konoha, the man she first felt repulsed by when he introduced himself to her those many years ago. Now his oddities were almost endearing and part of what made Lee uniquely Lee - green jumpsuit, bowl cut, eyebrows, and all. On top of that, the two of them were so closely alike it was almost spooky. Sharing the same struggles and insecurities as they grew up made Sakura appreciate Lee and who he was all the more. Similarly she felt Lee looked at her a bit differently now for the same reasons. It made her feel good to have a bond with someone she could truly understand. She never had that with anyone else before, not even Ino. She wondered if this is what Naruto and Sasuke first felt for each other all those years ago as genin, that started that unbreakable eternal friendship that they held now.

Perhaps she ought to do her best to hold on to this blossoming friendship that she had with Lee. If she did nothing after she completed training Lee would they just go back to only seeing each other on the streets? The thought upset Sakura more than she thought it would.

When Lee and Sakura had gotten to the point where they normally split off Sakura stopped and faced Lee. Lee looked down at her and tilted his head slightly. Sakura looked up at him and stared at his dark eyes for a moment, shifting in place.

"What is it, Sakura?" Lee asked gently. Lee was too good at reading her.

Sakura bit her lip, looking at her feet. "Lee, I... I just wanted to say that I've really enjoyed the time we spent together and I consider you a good friend." She then looked back up at him, her eyes soft and vulnerable. She hoped that he would not see her as silly for saying such a thing.

Lee's eyebrows raised. "I consider you a good friend too," he grinned warmly in return.

Sakura smiled back, reassured. "So I was wondering if you wanted to see each other outside of training and the hospital - as friends - rather than student-teacher and patient-doctor."

Lee blinked. "O-Of course I would! I would be honored!" he stammered.

Sakura laughed, her eyes lighting up in relief. "Perfect! Tomorrow would you like to take a break from training and instead go out and grab dinner to celebrate your first genjutsu dispel?"

Heat rose to Lee's cheeks. "I would love to!"

"Great, I haven't been out in forever," Sakura said, smiling more to herself than anyone else at that moment. "Want to meet me at my house at five? Since you now know where that is after you accidentally followed me home that one evening."

"Yes, that I can do," Lee said sheepishly.

"Alright, I'll see you then, Lee, okay?" Sakura's smile widened as she shifted her weight, ready to depart home.

A gawky, dopey grin spread across Lee's face before he could help it. "Yes, I will see you tomorrow!"

With that the two of them split ways. When Sakura glanced back there was a noticeable spring in Lee's step.

He looks very happy, Sakura chuckled to herself. Watching the sudden, colorful changes of Lee's expressions was amusing. Catching Lee off-guard or flustered was one of her favorite of his expressions. Even if Lee attempted to disguise it he still could not hide his very expressive eyebrows.

Sakura found herself walking home with a smile plastered on her face. When was the last time she did that?

She could not deny that she was perhaps too excited to go out and eat with Lee. It had been forever after all, and Lee... In the past weeks Lee had been a fresh breath of relief in her busy and melancholy day - from his infectious optimism to his inspiring determination. It was addicting, Sakura could not help but think. When Lee smiled Sakura felt the edges of her mouth tug into a smile as well.

When Sakura opened her front door she almost ran into Sasuke. Sakura immediately recoiled, shocked. "O-Oh! Sasuke! You're back! Sorry, I almost bumped into you!"

Sasuke looked down on her, a frown on his face. He nodded. "I was just leaving, if you could excuse me."

Sakura immediately stepped aside. "Are you leaving the village already?" Sakura could not hide the disappointment in her voice.

Sasuke stopped beside her. "No, I plan to visit the Uchiha memorial to pay my respects."

"M-May, I come with?" Sakura's cheeks reddened in embarrassment, hoping she did not cross a line by asking.

Sasuke studied her quietly, as though thinking. "If you want."

Sakura nervously smiled and then bowed. "Thank you."

Sasuke smirked, maybe amused by her gratitude. "Let's go."

Sakura followed Sasuke as he lead the way.

The memorial was located where the old Uchiha compound approximately was before Pein destroyed Konoha. A slab of smooth marble towered over them, with the Uchiha symbol carved into it and below the names of all those murdered that fateful night in the compound. Included at the bottom was Itachi's name.

Sasuke and Sakura stopped a few feet in front of it. Sakura bowed her head respectfully as Sasuke stood silently beside her. She stole a glance at him and saw his eyes flash with grief. He then took a few more steps towards the memorial, close enough to trace his brother's name, and then what Sakura presumed to be his parents, with his fingertips.

Sasuke... Sakura thought, you've been through so much pain, more than I could ever imagine...

Sakura did not know that Itachi had massacred the Uchiha clan based around an unavoidable order until Naruto had publicly made a statement about it and erected the monument. She assumed Sasuke did not know it either until after it was too late, after he had killed his brother. To imagine killing his own brother who in the end had actually saved him brought a tightness to Sakura's chest.

Sasuke pulled his hand away and rummaged in his pack, pulling out a stick of incense. He lit it with a small huff of fire chakra then gingerly placed it beside the memorial. He then backed up until he was beside Sakura once more. Sasuke bowed his head, held his remaining hand up to his chest, and prayed. Sakura joined him, praying that the spirits of the Uchiha had found peace in the afterlife.

Sasuke's hand dropped to his side and his head rose when he was done. Sakura hesitantly reached for his hand and laced her fingers with his. He allowed it. She squeezed his hand, hoping that such a small gesture of support would help somehow. Sasuke continued to stare straight ahead at the memorial, silent.

"Sasuke..." Sakura said softly. "Will you be okay?"

"Yeah. They're at peace now, free from this harsh world, but they died needlessly." An edge formed in Sasuke's voice. "My brother, especially. He was cruelly chosen to slay his entire clan by Konoha and then exiled. Ignorant of Konoha's dirty secret until it was too late, I killed my dear brother."

Sakura leaned her head against his shoulder. "I can't imagine what that feels like. But at least Konoha has made amends. Naruto publicized the massacre as Konoha's heinous mistake as a lesson to be learned for future generations."

Sasuke's jaw tightened. "Is that enough? A mistake to learn for only one village while something like it happens in other villages?" he shot back, venom in his voice.

Sakura flinched, releasing her grip on his hand. "I... I don't know," she admitted, her voice meek. "Perhaps not. But if anyone could fix the state of the world it's Naruto."

Sasuke scoffed. "He prefers to play Hokage, blind that the Kages and the shinobi system is part of the problem."

"I don't understand..."

Is Sasuke upset with Naruto?

"You don't understand because you grew comfortably in the system. The system is all you know like everyone else in this damn world," he glared.

Sakura pulled away from Sasuke and faced him. "Then... then explain to me so I can learn!"

Sasuke's glare faded as he stared at her for a moment. A familiar condensing smirk graced his lips. "Hmph, you are annoying."

"Please Sasuke," she begged. "All I ever wanted to do was to help you. I could do nothing to save you from the darkness. Naruto did everything while I sat on the sidelines and cried, useless. Now all I want is a chance to redeem myself for my weakness. Let me help you. But I cannot do that unless you explain."

Sasuke's eyes then softened, looking at her with now with perhaps pity. "Perhaps another time. I'll think on what you said."

But..." Sakura boiled with frustration. Why could he never give her a straight answer? Was she always supposed to play this game with him, fighting for insight into his thoughts? Why could Sakura so freely share thoughts with Lee back and forth, a friend, compared to her husband where she was always in the dark?

Why can't Sasuke be like Lee? she caught herself thinking.

"Another time," Sasuke repeated, "because I must go and attend to business. Goodbye, Sakura." He closed the distance between them and gave her a chaste peck on the lips.

Sakura's face reddened in surprise, her frustration immediately subsided. "G-Goodbye, Sasuke," she breathed as her heart fluttered.

Sasuke smirked once more and then turned around, darted up the nearest building and vanished. Sakura stood there a few moments more, staring longingly up where he disappeared.

When Sakura made it home it was dark. She fixed herself a light meal, showered, and crawled into bed. Her thoughts drifted to Sasuke and immediately she was filled with frustration at both him and herself.

Look at me, a married woman acting like a blushing schoolgirl as soon as he gives me affection, Sakura thought, burying her face in her pillow. I was supposed to stand up to him to get him to share what's on his mind but I turned immediately compliant as soon as he kissed me. What's wrong with me? She sighed. I'll never be able to get Sasuke to open up to me if I keep on acting so passively around him. I need to be more like Naruto.

Naruto...

Sasuke seemed to be upset at Naruto, perhaps about the shinobi system that he mentioned.

What's wrong with the shinobi system? Sakura wondered.

Yes, bad things have happened under it but it was infinitely better than the constant bloodshed that occurred before the hidden village system was put into place. It was the best system they have had so far. Good things have happened under it too. Sakura still remembers the smiles on the faces of the poor people of that village in the Land of Water after Team 7 had freed them from Zabuza's terror. There had been many other countless missions where she had left smiling faces behind her.

But...

Many of her formidable opponents in these missions had been shinobi that had been hurt by the system who were angry and bitter. The Hidden Villages had all done something terrible in their pasts. Konoha was responsible for the massacre of the Uchiha. Kirigakure used to be known as the Village of the Bloody Mist for a reason - Academy students were forced to fight to the death to graduate. The other villages each had their own shameful and gruesome history.

Is that what Sasuke meant?

Certainly the good outshined the bad, Sakura assumed. Especially nowadays. The villages were currently not run by gruesome Kages like in the past, Naruto being a primary example of that. The shinobi world came together as allies to fight off Madara from destroying everything about this world. That had to mean something, right?

...But is she wrong? Is she too leniently excusing the mistakes of the past? Is that what Sasuke meant about her ignorance?

If Sasuke is upset at the current system has he been trying to work with Naruto to change things? Is Naruto unwilling to budge?

She had so many questions she wanted to ask but she knew Sasuke would not patiently explain things to her. Perhaps she should approach Naruto?

Sakura felt self-satisfaction warm her chest. Yes, that is what I'll do, Sakura thought. I'll find time to ask Naruto about it. He'll be more open about it with me.

Sakura drifted off to sleep easily than she had ever before in her bed.

A/N: And another chapter done, probably the last one before the next semester begins. Updates will probably be a lot more slower then but just be patient with me. I plan to finish this story.