Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Chapter 13: The True Killers
Sakura's Notes
Lipids are non-polar biomolecules, insoluble in water, structurally, and functionally diverse. They serve as energy storage, chemical messenger, heat generator, thermal insulator, and organelle cushion. Compared to proteins and carbohydrates, lipids are more highly reduced (more energy potential), therefore, the preferred energy reserve for humans.
Due to misinformation, lipid has a bad reputation, but it is essential in biological reactions. The line between toxin and medicine is the dosage. In a way, the lipid is a necessary evil.
(Flashback)
The assassin had been a regular client of her master, but besides hearing his voice, she had never formally met the man. Her master had strictly ordered her not to show her face to his clients. The reason was pretty obvious to them.
Her master, Orochimaru-sama, was a mad scientist, but to his creations, he was their father figure. To her, he was an irreplaceable person- the only one who took her dream seriously.
A child of a drug addict and an alcoholic, she ran away when she was merely four years old because they were abusing her. She learned survival skills on the street and threw away her morals for the sake of living. She buried her dream to become a doctor in the deepest place of her heart to focus on finding foods and shelters.
One day, she was caught by Orochimaru-sama while stealing from one of his labs. He did not kill her but took her in and taught her everything he knew. "I admire people who try their best", he said.
When she finally met the elusive assassin, he was everything she had imagined. Tall, muscular, killer aura, sharp eyes, and smell of blood. She had hoped that he was good looking, but she could not tell from the bandages around the lower half of his face. She was disappointed and reluctant when her master ordered her to tend to his wounds.
She had barely spared him a glance while cleaning up his injuries. The assassin did not humor her with small talk either. The room was silent except for the sound of machines running in the background, and the clinking of her medical tools. When she had finished her work, she cordially gave him self-care instruction for his wounds. His eyes were on her the whole time, listening attentively.
He thanked her before leaving and gave her a small bag of picked plum-flavored candy. Why he carried such a childish and normal thing around, she did not know.
Her master asked her after the assassin had left, "What do you think of him?"
She shrugged, putting candy in her mouth before replying, "He's just another assassin. Nothing too special."
Her master chuckled and patted her head endearingly, "You have much to learn, child. He is the demon."
Back then she had huffed and swatted his hand away for treating her like a child, forgetting about the assassin altogether. The taste of pickled plum lingered on her tongue, a bit sour, but not unpleasant. She had learned the value of food during her days on the streets.
After that first meeting, he returned to have his wound treated many times. She was always the one who helped him. He gave her picked plum candy in return. She eventually grew sick of its taste but dared not to voice her displeasure.
One day, Orochimaru-sama left with a note that he wanted her to take over the labs. She did not shed any tears when she woke up and found herself alone. Her training had paid off and she had no difficulty running the business. Her master had not taught her only medical skills.
The assassin continued to be her patient. His expression had not changed when she told him that her master was gone. He merely nodded and followed her inside to get treated. Men in his line business knew when to keep their mouths shut.
He paid her with money and candy. She could have told him that she was sick of the taste, but she never did. She finished the snack every time.
Throughout the years, she had seen his body stitched with scars, and his face twisted in unimaginable pain. Those sights had not bothered her at all. Pains were normal in their world.
It was the growing light in his eyes that caused a lump to form in her heart.
One day, she realized that he was never going to come back. Suddenly, she missed the taste of pickled plum candy. She missed that light in this world of darkness.
She mulled over the things she could have done to avoid this outcome. She thought of all the possibilities and probabilities like the smart little pupil that Orochimaru-sama had fondly called her. At the end of her internal struggle, one thing was clear to her.
There was no time for regret.
The doctor gracefully accepted the bag of pickled plum candy that the child, who by that time, was no longer a child, gave her.
(At the Akatsuki's Headquarter)
"From the hospice system in the last 20 years, make a list of people who is either financial compromise, terminally ill, or neglected by their relatives. Then, narrow down the one who did not get an autopsy and a proper funeral. Have someone check the record of the cremation center. See if they match the dates the bodies were cremated."
The office is littered with people scrambling around to fulfill Konan's order. This is the first time since Madara took office that so many employees are gathered to handle a case. Usually, the cyber division takes care of data analysis and with Puppeteer Sasori as the Head of Cyber, one person from the division is worth five master-degree computer scientists/data analysts.
But the hospice system in Konoha is one of the oldest and most overlooked establishment. People are still using paperwork for storage, hence, rendering the cyber division useless. It does not help that because of the neglect, the sorting system is a terrible mess. Thus, Konan must up manpower for this job. She and the employees have been working on this for two days. While other people take turns to go home and rest, Konan refuses to let someone else handle this.
She takes naps occasionally to refuel her stamina, but the majority of the time, she operates on coffee. Her bloodshot eyes reflect the sleep deprivation. The pounding headache nearly gives her a migraine.
"We got the list Detective."
"Let me see." The employee trades place with Konan so she can see his desktop.
Heart failure during sleep at two am. History of diabetes type two, elevated cholesterol, and kidney failure. Being put in the hospice care by the son and lived there for two years. The son refused to take care of the funeral bill.
Terminal colon cancer. Died in sleep at one am. Parents dropped off at the hospice and no visit had been recorded. Cremation since parents could not be reached.
Kidney failure during sleep. Paralyzed from hips down. Put in the hospice by the spouse who chose cremation.
Drug overdosed. Lost a leg and arm from the war. Family members could not be reached. Cremation by default.
Died of impact from falling. Born with Down Syndrome. Lived in the hospice since birth. Parents paid for bills, but no visit was recorded. Parents called to chose cremation.
Suicide. Diagnosed with depression and bipolar. Parents died during middle school. No spouses or children. Cremation by default.
The list goes on. The total number of cases that satisfied her descriptions are up to two hundred. A person's life is summarized in a few sentences and marked off as deceased at the end of the page. The medication records of these people are longer than their personal information and visitation records combined.
There are people whose families are very affluent, but the families hardly pay anything to improve their living conditions and take advantage of the city funding going into the hospice system. There are families who visited at first, but the number goes down gradually over years.
"Some of them don't deserve redemption."
It is said in a different context, but Konan feels that sentiment also fits this circumstance.
"Track down whoever visited these people in 24 hours before their deaths. Then send the hospice bills to the victims' relatives or whoever that you can find. Tell them to pay or face penalties from the Akatsuki." Konan coldly orders.
"May I ask why, Detective?" A nervous employee addresses his superior. It is not unusual for Akatsuki's members to abuse their authority, but this is the first time she is doing it. Detective Konan has always been aloof and distant, but he has never felt this much animosity from her.
"They are the true killers."
"I know you have a strong sense of justice, but you should not be so quick in labeling things as good or evil." Madara chided.
"I suggest getting to know the fucker first."
"Do you think I'm a villain, Detective Konan?"
When she makes it to her office, she promptly collapses on the sofa and falls asleep. Her last thought is about a bar near the office that makes good White Russian.
(At the Konoha Police Force)
"Where is that damn file?" Sasuke thinks frustratingly.
He has been searching in the office of Shisui for hours yet cannot find the file that Sakura has requested. His idiot cousin has always been a messy person, even his office looks like a tornado goes through it twice. He has no sorting system or marking whatsoever. It is a wonder that he is one of the top field agents when he is so disorganized and hyper.
"Here you go. They have been buried under the vase." Haku hands Sasuke a folder.
"Thanks." Sasuke gracefully accepts the folder from Haku and looks through the content. There are a few records missing but he can handle the rest.
His blood suddenly runs cold. He has been trained to mask his natural reflex since birth, so his flinch is not too obvious, but he is sure that Haku can see through his act.
He did not sense Haku entering the room nor did he told him what he was looking for.
Sasuke lifts his head slowly to see Haku is smiling innocently at him. The air around the two young men grows colder by seconds; hostility fills the small office. Both stare each other down, but neither wants to make the first move.
Sasuke has never like Haku but unlike his cousin, he seriously thinks there is something wrong with this stranger from Mist. Haku is friendly and considerate of others. He is neat and efficient with paperwork and fieldwork. He pays attention to details and knows how to make people feel special. Everyone likes him except for his cousin.
Perhaps because his personality is the opposite of Haku, he is better at picking up strange cues from him. He always steers conversations away from himself. He asks personal questions but never offers his. He often turns down social events with coworkers claiming he has a low tolerance for drinking. He never displays emotions that are on the negative spectrum. No one has ever seen his "friend in Konoha" that he talks about.
Frankly speaking, the guy is wearing a mask. Sasuke hates this type of people the most.
Haku takes a sudden step back making Sasuke flinches and almost jumps at the guy. He makes his way toward the door. Before leaving the room, Haku turns to face Sasuke, smiling cheekily at the furious young man.
"Tell your friend Infinity Network is not her enemy." With that, Haku departs.
Sasuke is once again speechless. The folder feels heavy in his hands. He feels like he just opens another can of worms.
On the front cover, the label reads "The Swordsmen of the Mist".
Naruto is happily skipping back home after leaving Ichiraku's Ramen. His father allows him a cheat day since his chemistry grades have been going up. He has Sakura to thanks for that.
"Speaking of Sakura, I could invite her to try out my favorite place." Naruto grins at the thought of his beautiful friend going with him to his most favorite restaurant in the world.
He quickly takes out his phone and sends her a text.
"Hey Sakura-chan, want to go to Ichiraku? It's my treat since you help me so much."
Notes: the first week of school was a roller coaster. It destroyed my mood to write the threesome so here is the main plot.
In response to one of the reviews, I did not mention Sakura's side job in the public summary because it is not the main plot. The role plays a part in the plot, but it is only a means to the end. Though after some self-reflection, I can understand why you would want me to include that in the summary.
I treat the characters in this story like how I would view a person, fictional or not. There is no warning, no summary, and a lot of grey areas. You must read along to understand them. Sakura is the storyteller, but she is not the only main character. There are other stories too, and theirs are just as significant as hers.
The smut adds a touch of sensuality and emotional connections to the story. The scenes are purely for the reader's and my pleasure. Do not think too much about it.
However, I recognize that this content might not be many people's cups of tea, so I will let the readers decide on this matter.
If you want me to put a warning about SakuraMulti smut or Sakura as Love Maiden in the summary, state that in your review. If there are more than ten people who agree with this notion, I will add it. If I receive less than that number, the current public summary will stay.
Thanks for your interest in the story.
Reviews are much appreciated.