Chapter 34. The Devil You Know

"I have no room for new demons. My old ones will do just fine."

|Naruto|

"Yo, Naruto." Shikamaru called my name as he entered the men's room, "You in here?"

"Aa." I replied as I splashed cold water on my face.

When he came around the corner, he had his phone in his hand and was pointing towards the screen, "I came as soon as I saw the text. What's up?"

I shut the sink off and turned to him, "Hinata found out who the woman I…who my girlfriend is."

"Shit." He winced as he came closer to me, "Well, how did she take it?"

"Better than I thought." I informed him, "Toneri proposed to her today so maybe that's why things didn't escalate in front of everyone."

"Wow." He rubbed his forehead before murmuring, "And that's a good thing. But uh, how are you feeling?"

"Fine." I assured him, "After all the pain I brought her, she deserves to be with somebody who truly loves her, ya know."

Shikamaru placed a sympathetic hand on my shoulder and the two of us stood there for a moment before I cleared my throat, "Aren't…aren't you gonna ask me who my girlfriend is?"

"…If you want to tell me, tell me." He answered carefully, "But I'm guessing you didn't plan for Hinata to find out, so I won't force you to share anything if you're not ready."

I bit my lip as he concluded speaking and debated whether or not to tell him. Shikamaru and I had known each other for a long time and when it came to our friendship, I'd say he was right behind Sasuke in terms of closeness. No, in some ways, he was even closer.

I never would've been able to tell Sasuke about my affair, even if it wasn't Sakura I was seeing. Sasuke had a strict sense of morality and could be pretty keen on it at the worst times, whereas Shikamaru was never the type to judge until he had the full story. And Buddha himself knew that I needed someone to talk to.

Shutting my eyes, I took a deep breath and exhaled the truth, "It's Sakura-chan."

The gentle hand on my shoulder tightened its grip, and I opened my eyes just in time to catch Shikamaru's fist flying towards my face. Not shockingly, I fell to the floor from the blow, and it took a minute for me to regain control over my limbs. When I did, I lifted a hand to my cheek and nodded.

"I deserved that." I admitted as he snatched me up by my collar.

"You bet your ass you do, and way more than that." He snapped, "Are you fucking kidding me? Sakura?"

I shook my head, leading him to slam me against the wall, and I let out an oof when my back connected with the stone.

"How exactly did Hinata react?" He questioned through grit teeth, "Because there's no way she's okay after finding out you left her for the one woman that she was worried about."

"...What?" I asked after a moment, needing some time to process his words, "What are you talking about?"

"Kami, I never told you." He muttered to himself as he released me, "After your wedding, when it was time to head to the reception, Hinata stopped me and asked if we could walk together. I couldn't refuse a bride on her wedding day so of course I said yes."

"We were just chatting for the most part but when we reached the point where it was time to go our separate ways, she asked me in a low voice if your feelings for Sakura were really gone." Shikamaru continued with a frown, "I didn't know what you'd done to make her ask such a question, but I wasn't about to make things worse, so like a dumbass I swore to her that your crush had ended a long time ago. And you're telling me sixteen years later, you happen to cheat on her with the same woman she was insecure about?"

His words stabbed a dagger into my heart, and I looked down, "I didn't...it wasn't on purpose."

"Don't give me that." He spat, his enraged undertone plunging the knife deeper, "Out of anyone you could've ended up with, why Sakura?"

Eager to defend myself, I perked up, "Like I told you when I got the divorce papers, we just—"

"Had too many drinks and hooked up, I know." He interrupted with a disgusted sigh, "But can you honestly say that hookup would've ever occurred if you'd ran into someone other than Sakura that night?"

"I—"

He held up a hand, indicating he wasn't done, "I remember your face when she and Sasuke officially announced their relationship. Everyone teased you about your crush and you tried to act like if you didn't care, but you were devastated. You really loved her, didn't you?"

"…Yeah, I did." I begrudgingly answered when I realized he was waiting for my response.

"So when did your feelings for her fizzle?"

I looked up to find him staring at me intently, but since I couldn't think of a concrete answer, I kept quiet.

"Tell the truth: you never stopped loving her." Shikamaru urged as he crossed his arms, "Even after they got engaged, even after Hinata approached you, you still had Sakura-san in your heart."

At that, I had to cut in, "That's not true."

"Really?" He stepped to me with a hardened line for a mouth and poked a solid finger into my chest, "Then explain to me how you get a couple drinks in you and before you know it, you're having sex with one of your best friends? Who just so happens to be your childhood crush?!"

"It was a mistake." I cleared my throat again as a sudden scratchy sensation made its presence known, "I wouldn't have…we were lonely."

"And as best friends the only solution to that was to hookup." Shikamaru's voice let on how impressed he was.

"No." I shook my head, "It wasn't that simple in the moment, ya know."

He stepped back and leaned against the sink before letting out a heavy sigh, "Who initiated it?"

"…I did." I whispered as my stomach lurched, and the fact that he didn't look the least bit surprised made me feel worse.

"How?"

Returning my gaze to the floor, I recalled that night.

"She was crying about how stressed her family life was so I hugged her…" I croaked, "Then we stopped hugging and she—we stared at each other, ya know. She was right there, and it looked like she wanted me to do something so I just—"

"Had sex with her." Shikamaru finished, shaking his head in disapproval, "Irrespective of the fact that you were both married, had children, and were supposed to be friends. You said to hell with all of that for what? A night of pleasure?"

"It wasn't just pleasure." I refuted, looking at him through tear-glazed eyes.

He swiped an unnerved hand across his forehead, "Then what else was it?! I'm trying to understand you but you're not telling me anything! For Kami's sake, I feel like I don't even know you anymore!"

Knowing that I wasn't going to be able to hold my tears back much longer, I grabbed Shikamaru's shoulder and tried to speak while I still had my composure.

"Me and Hinata, we've…the two of us split a long time ago, ya know."

"How?" Shikamaru asked, again emphasizing his need for clarification.

I turned on one of the sinks to clean my eyes and nose before answering, "It's because of what happened on Himawari's twelfth birthday. After she'd blown out the candles on her cake, she wished out loud for a little sister…"

Boruto patted Himawari on the back and laughed, "Are you sure that's what you want? She'll end up stealing all your clothes, ya know."

Himawari nodded before turning and giving Hinata and I a big smile, "That's fine. I'll teach her to take your stuff instead."

"Wha—!" Boruto exclaimed in protest as I filled the kids' glasses with orange soda, "Tou-chan! Ka-chan! Tell her she can't do that!"

I shrugged before pouring two separate glasses of wine and handing one to Hinata, "Why not? Stealing their older brother's stuff sounds perfectly fine to me."

I put the cork back into the bottle mouth just in time for Boruto's gut punch, and after setting the wine bottle down on the table, I pulled my son into a headlock.

"What's the big idea, doing that all of a sudden?!" I questioned as I rubbed a noogie into the side of Boruto's head.

"That's what you get for not being on my side, ya know!" Boruto countered as he struggled to free himself from my hold.

"Papa, Onii-chan, me too!" Himawari giggled, jumping up and wrapping her arms around my neck, keeping herself off the ground.

Boruto huffed at the additional weight pressing down on him and I immediately straightened up, "Matte, matte, Himawari! You can't just jump on people like that, ya know. It's dangerous!"

Hinata laughed before clapping her hands, "Alright, alright; everybody settle down before I put the cake away."

The three of us swiftly turned to her and began apologizing.

"Hold on a second, you don't have to go that far!" I started the chain.

Boruto continued it with, "Ka-chan, have mercy!"

"Gomennasai, Mama!" Himawari whined.

When Hinata laughed again, this time around it was much louder, and we wasted no time in joining her. Himawari slid off my back and bounded over to her mother, happily professing that she would help her in whatever way she could. Taking her up on her word, Hinata asked her to help set the table.

The festivities went on for about an hour but eventually Hinata realized how late it was and pulled the plug on the celebrations before ordering everyone to bed. Himawari gave Hinata and I a kiss on the cheek before going upstairs, and Boruto made a show of putting on his headphones as he followed her.

Once we were in our room, the door had barely clicked shut behind us when I grabbed Hinata from behind and planted a wet kiss on the back of her neck.

"Naruto-kun?" She called with uncertainty as my hands wandered down her body, "What are you—?"

"You heard the little lady." I chuckled into her ear as I popped the buttons of her blouse, "One little sister, coming right up, ya know."

Her breath hitched when I thumbed one of her nipples, but she managed to stammer, "Y-You really want to?"

"Have another one?" I paused as I kissed down her shoulder, "Sure, why not? A third tyke wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, ya know. Besides, the kids are old enough to help out once it's here."

"I…" She faltered as I dipped one of my hands into her underwear and slid against her, "I'm not sure…"

I nibbled on her ear as I rubbed my fingers against her folds, "What's the problem? We've paid off the house, the two cars…we can manage it."

"Still – ahn!" She moaned when I brushed her clit.

I returned my fingers to her swelling nub, and I spoke after she let out another cry, "Look, even if you don't want another one, can we still do this? I want to feel you, ya know."

As I said this, I ushered her to the bed and laid her down.

"Naruto-kun…" She quietly called my name as I slid my pants down and off her legs.

"Daijōbu." I shushed her as I lowered my head in between my legs, "Buddha be merciful, look how wet you are…"

After I'd pushed her to her peak with my oral skills, the two of us completely undressed. Hinata pushed herself up on the bed and watched me approach her, but just before I climbed on top of her, I reached out to the nightstand drawer to grab a condom.

To my surprise, Hinata stopped me, and I gave her a questionable look as I ran the back of my hand against her cheek, "Are you sure? If you're not comfortable, we don't have to—"

"I'm sure." She nodded as she grabbed my hand, "What's one more?"

I couldn't help the smile that broke out onto my face, and I led my length to her entrance before pushing forward. She moaned and wrapped her legs around my waist as I sank into her, and once I was completely inside, she grabbed at the sheets around us.

"Fuck, Hinata, you're…!" I grunted as I pulled back, "Oh…!"

Sweat began to build on my skin as I pounded into her, and each thrust sent a tingling feeling all throughout my back. Maybe it was the alcohol, but everything about Hinata, from her body heat to the tightness of her core around my length was amplified, feeling better than ever.

Hinata also seemed to be losing herself to the sensations I was bringing her, which was probably why she didn't react when I grabbed her neck and leaned down to kiss her. In the heat of the moment, I wasn't really thinking, and focused more on fighting her tongue for dominance as I shut my eyes.

As I continued to rut my hips, I subconsciously tightened my hold on her, and a sort of…darkness came over me. I recognized Hinata under me tapping my wrists, but I couldn't bring myself to react. Even as she scratched down my back and clawed at my arm, I stared at her in some kind of haze. It was like I was there, but I wasn't.

I'm not sure how long I would've stayed like that without Hinata's sharp jab to my chest bringing me back to reality, and I let go of her to hold a hand to my point of pain as I wheezed.

Hinata hacked and coughed as she struggled to breathe, and once the fog cleared from my mind, I pulled myself up to check on her, fear surging through my bloodstream. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she regained her breath, and I almost joined her in crying after she recoiled from my touch.

"H-Hinata, gomennasai." I apologized, bringing my hands back to myself and standing up, "I—I don't know what came over me, ya know."

She shook her head and curled in on herself as her hushed sobs continued, and I got up off the bed completely, wondering what I could do.

Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, I placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and tried to ignore how her entire body shook at the touch. Unable to think of the right words, I remained by her side for some time, listening to her light sniffles until they eventually came to a stop.

When I looked her over, I noted the reddish outline of my hand on Hinata's neck as the bruise was already starting to surface on her pale skin. I turned away when I felt the goosebumps raise on her arms, but when I went to pull the covers over her, she sat up.

"Hinata, I—"

"…shower?" She quietly croaked, and my heart tore at how frail she sounded.

I stood up and nodded before helping her to her feet, and once both feet were firmly on the ground, I scooped her up and held her to my chest. Whereas before she would've promptly wrapped her arms around my neck to make sure she was secure, this time around she kept her hands clasped together on her chest and wouldn't meet my eyes.

Swallowing the vomit that had risen in my throat, I entered our bathroom and although it was somewhat difficult, I managed to get the water to a good temperature before I set Hinata down in the tub. As the water rose around her, I stepped back to leave and give her some privacy.

Instead, I felt her hand grab mine as she stopped me in my tracks.

"Stay?" Her voice was weak, but her eyes held all the volume I needed.

I nodded and she let go of my hand just as the water reached her knees. Shutting the tap off, I grabbed a robe from behind the door and pulled it on before taking a seat on the toilet. Hinata gingerly played with the water before reaching up to grab her loofah and a bar of soap.

She softly whimpered as she scrubbed her neck, and I grimaced.

"Why didn't…" Hinata took a moment to collect herself before continuing, "Why didn't you stop…?"

I bit my lip and composed myself before I met her eyes, whispering, "I don't know…"

"I thought I was going to die…" Her lower lip quivered as tears started to well up in her eyes, "You almost…!"

"Gomennasai." I replied with a faint voice, kneeling outside of the tub and reaching for her hand, "Hontōni, gomennasai…!"

I planted soft kisses on her knuckles as she let her tears fall, and I swore to her that I hadn't choked her on purpose. The two of us cried together for a bit before Hinata stood up, having soaked enough, and I helped her dry off before taking her back to the bed.

Switching off the bedside lamp, I climbed into bed beside her and pulled her into a gentle hug, but still gave her enough room to move away if she wanted. Instead, she snuggled up closer to me and pulled my arm down so that I was caging her in.

"I love you." I murmured into her ear as I shut my eyes, "I love you."

Although we tried to put that night behind us, writing it off as one extremely close call that would never happen again, it became clear the next morning that things wouldn't be so easy.

"Ohaiyo, Hinata." I greeted her with a tap on the shoulder.

I guess my thumb must've slightly brushed against her neck, but I couldn't say for sure. All I knew was that just as my hand left her, the pan in her hand dropped to the floor. Boruto and Himawari looked up as sausages scattered across the kitchen floor, and as Himawari scrambled to pick them up, I turned Hinata towards me.

She moved, but she seemed…frozen, what with her wide eyes and still hand. It was only a somewhat firm shake that brought her back to reality, and my stomach churned as her face took on an expression of pure terror.

"N-Naruto-kun…" She blinked back her tears as she quickly looked around and reminded herself of where she was.

"Shh, shh…" I calmed her as I pulled her into a firm hug, making sure to keep my hands away from her neck, "Daijōbu. Daijōbu, ne?"

She slowly nodded before burying her face into my chest, and her hands tightened around me, as if she wanted to make sure I was real.

It was from this that the inevitable rift between us formed, and over the years it would only grow wider and wider, until it essentially became a chasm with no end in sight.

"I don't…I don't know what to say." Shikamaru shook his head, at an absolute loss for words, and I nodded sorrowfully.

"There's something wrong with me." I admitted as I got up off the sink, "Even though I scarred her that night, sometimes I'd still…still put my hand on her neck."

"Why?" His tone held so much confusion that I didn't want to look up at his face.

I flexed my fist as I shut my eyes, "You wouldn't understand even if I told you. No one understands. Except Sakura-chan."

"Hell, maybe she doesn't even get it, ya know." I mused, a smile dancing on my lips as I thought of some of the things we'd done, "But she accepted it. She wasn't afraid of it like Hinata and I…that comforted me."

Shikamaru sighed, "You're right, I don't understand. And to be honest, what you've told me so far doesn't seem like enough to justify your affair with Sakura."

I deflated at that, but he patted my cheek and urged me to look up, "But at the end of the day, you're your own man and you can make your own decisions. Now, the reason why you told me all of this in the first place is because you needed help with what? Damage control?"

"Uh, kind of but I needed advice too." I answered as I scratched my head.

"Well, consider the advice given." He said with a wave of his hand, "I doubt Hinata's gonna spread the news today because she wouldn't want drama at her sister's wedding, so if you want, I can get the guys together tomorrow and you can tell 'em yourself."

I nodded as he threw an arm around my neck and pulled me close, "Yeah. Yeah, that sounds like a plan."

"Good." He hmphed with satisfaction before straightening up, "Now, let's head out."

"To where?" I questioned as I sniffled, allowing him to pull me along.

He gave me a look, "While I'm glad you trust me enough to be the first person to come to, I can't do this by myself. Luckily, I know someone else who can help and keep their mouths shut."

I couldn't help but wonder who he was talking about, and my speculation must've shown on my face because he patted my chest and told me not to worry.

|Sakura|

"Sakura. Sakura, get up." Ino's voice floated into my ear as she shook me.

With a small whine, I lifted my head up off the table and searched for her. Once I met her eyes, I groaned and began to return my head to its prior position, but her hand under my chin stopped me.

"Uh uh." She shook her head as she forced my head up, "If you're that tired, you should just head home. Things are wrapping up anyways."

At this suggestion, I rubbed my eyes and stood up. Ino handed me my white shawl and after stretching my arms, I draped it over my shoulders and turned to her.

"What about you?" I asked with a yawn, covering my mouth as it finished, "Are you heading out too?"

She shook her head, "Not yet. I have to find Inojin, and even if he was here right now, Sai-kun just left to find Naruto. Said he needed to speak to—well, speak of the devil..."

Ino nodded as she trailed off and turned around just in time to see Naruto and Shikamaru entering the banquet hall. Shikamaru had a somber expression on his face, whereas Naruto looked downright dejected, and I couldn't help but wonder what was responsible for his glum look.

'Only two more days.' I thought, reminding myself, 'Two more days and then everything will be back to normal.'

Unfortunately, it seemed like fate was determined to upset my plans, as Ino nudged me and indicated I should look up. Sure enough, the two men were heading our way, and I swallowed hard when Naruto and I made eye contact.

"Shikamaru! Naruto!" She cheerfully greeted them, "You guys look like rays of sunshine!"

Shikamaru sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, "Yeah, well, there's a reason for that. Mind if I talk to you for a bit?"

"Just me?" She questioned as she pointed to herself, "Sure."

"Aa." Shikamaru nodded, "What I'm gonna tell you, Sakura already knows."

At this, Ino raised an eyebrow and glanced at me before nodding, "Okay…"

The two of them walked a decent distance away from us before Shikamaru covered his mouth with his hand and leaned down to speak to her. Blatantly watching them made me uncomfortable, so I did the only thing I could do in this situation and turned to Naruto. He offered me a weak smile and did his best to maintain it, but his distressed state still presented itself through his eyes and the wrinkles around the corners of his mouth.

I wanted so desperately to throw my arms around him and give him a hug, as he had done so many times for me. Yet as I opened my mouth to ask Naruto what was wrong, he swiftly raised a hand before shaking his head.

"I know I said I wouldn't talk to you here but I kinda have to, so gomen." He apologized with a cheerless chuckle, "But it's only a matter of time till you hear it from someone else, ya know.

Although I kept quiet, my confusion must've been evident on my face because he sighed and scratched his head, "Hinata knows about…about us. She knows that you were the one I cheated on her with."

It was as if all the air in the room had suddenly disappeared, and I lifted a hand to my chest and felt for my heart. Was I still alive? Was any of this real?

"I don't know how she found out." Naruto continued, shoving his hands into his pockets, "But she didn't seem angry or anything so she might not have told anyone yet, ya know."

I nodded as I processed the information I'd received.

'Okay, so she knows. So what?' I immediately tried to lessen the severity of the situation, 'They're divorced and she's with Toneri now. There's nothing really wrong about us being together.'

"Hm, you're forgetting the part where you were sleeping with him while they were still together." She appeared at my side, slinging her arm around my shoulders, "Or the fact that you're a married woman."

'I didn't…technically we weren't—'

"At first it was a mistake and by the time you two actually started they'd already separated, yeah yeah." She waved a hand, "If that's the case then why do you care what anyone thinks?"

I felt my eyebrows furrow at her suggestion, 'I don't care.'

"Are you sure about that?" She smirked before disappearing.

"Uh, I also told Shikamaru." Naruto's voice jolted me out of my thoughts, "You know he and I have always been close, and I really didn't know what to do in this situation."

I glanced over at Shikamaru and Ino to find the two were now in a heated back and forth, with Ino seeming particularly passionate about what she was saying. There was no doubt in my mind that she was defending our relationship to a reproachful Shikamaru, and I made a mental note to thank her later.

"Uh oh." Naruto murmured as he followed my gaze, "I'd better get over there before those two kill each other, ya know. Uh, so I'll see you around, ne? Love you."

And with that, Naruto left my side to go interrupt Shikamaru and Ino's bickering, and quite literally got in between them. While the three of them continued to converse, I pushed my handbag up on my shoulder and made my way for the exit. Although I no longer felt as tired as before, a small part of me figured I could use a quick nap, especially after what I'd just learned.

I stepped out into the main hallway only to bump right into the boy Naruto had brought along to the wedding: Kawaki. His mouth twitched as our eyes met and I wondered what that could mean as I offered him a friendly hello. He responded in tandem before nodding and bowing respectfully.

Aside from that interaction, the trip to my car was unhindered, and I sank into the driver's seat with a tired sigh. However, not a moment after I'd started the car, she began to giggle behind me. With a roll of my eyes, I ignored her and shifted gears.

As I pulled on to the road, she made it a point climb into the passenger seat beside me, and I knew I was in for a long drive.

"…What?" I finally asked, not liking how she was staring at me.

"Nothing, I'm just shocked." She shrugged, "You really don't think you and Naruto are over?"

"Why would I?" I questioned as the light turned red, "He loves me, I love him, and we tell each other everything."

"He tells you everything." She corrected, "After all, you haven't told him about me, right?"

I bit my lip, "What's there to tell? He already knows I'm crazy, I don't need to go into the details."

"Oh no." She waved her finger, "He thinks you're crazy as in mood swing crazy. Not 'alternate personality' crazy. There's a difference if you didn't know."

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel before turning to her angrily, "You're not real. And once these birth control effects wear off and my medicine kicks in, you'll disappear. I'm not going to tell him about someone that doesn't exist."

She took a moment to look at me before smirking, "If I don't exist, then why are you talking to me? Why don't you just wave me away whenever I pop up?"

I huffed and shook my head before focusing on the road, "This is pointless."

"Because you need me." She continued, "You want to break up with Naruto and you don't know how to do it. That's why I'm here."

"What?!" I exclaimed, astonished by her conclusion, "Why—What the hell are you saying right now?!"

"You don't have to pretend with me. I've told you this a million times, we're two sides of the same coin." She assured me, her voice dropping to a suspiciously compassionate tone, "If that's what you want, let me know and I'll do it for you."

I vehemently shook my head, still flabbergasted by her proposal, "Now I wonder which one of us is really crazy! Break up with Naruto? Are you kidding me? Why would I want to do that?"

"To save yourself from the hurt that's coming." She quietly explained, "Face it, Sakura, it's over. Hinata and Shikamaru know, and by the end of today everyone will. And you know you'll be the monster of this story."

"I—"

"Come on, I did it with Sasuke-kun, I can do it with Naruto. Just let me—"

"No." I cut her off staunchly, switching on my trafficator, "I don't need you to…wait, what do you mean?"

She didn't reply and I turned to find her sitting her hands folded in her lap.

"This isn't the first time you've said something like that either." I said with a newfound realization as I recalled her words to me in the bathroom, "You told me you kept Sasuke-kun away from me after the kids died, but I didn't really pay attention to it because that didn't make sense."

Her silence was unnerving, and I couldn't even begin to imagine the worst.

"In Suna, you told me that you were going to give Sasuke a piece of your mind. What did you do?"

She cleared her throat and weakly murmured, "Remember, I'm your true feelings so whatever I—"

"What. Did you do." I repeated, making it clear that now wasn't the time to pull the psychological card.

She gave me a frightened look before disappearing and I slapped my hand against the passenger seat, "Damn you! Don't run away now!"

Despite how I raged, she didn't return, and after huffing and puffing, I pulled over onto the side of the road and brought out my phone.

"You know what? Fine." I said aloud as I typed a specific address into the GPS, "If you don't wanna tell me, I know someone who will."

|An Hour Later|

"Two…?" My voice was barely above a whisper, "I lost two babies?"

"It was a fetus, Sakura." Tsunade gently corrected, attempting to console me, "It was in your fallopian tube, there was no way it could've survived."

I shook my head as my heart began to ache, "Why don't I remember?"

At this, Tsunade placed a careful hand over mine and squeezed, "You'd been kidnapped, Sakura. After being sedated by a mixture of drugs and subjected to more terror than most people would ever experience in their lives, it's no wonder you sort…snapped."

"Snapped?" I repeated, fearing the meaning behind her words.

She nodded, "You were unstable, you hit people, you scratched people, you hurt others, you tried to hurt yourself…"

'Oh Kami.' I thought to myself, 'Did I…to Sasuke-kun?'

"What about Sasuke-kun?" I asked, desperation suddenly kicking in, "I didn't hurt him, did I?"

Tsunade pursed her lips, "You were…angry with him over the situation, and you had a lot of angry outbursts whenever he was around."

"Oh no…" I whimpered.

"But he understood that it wasn't—you didn't mean what you were saying." She squeezed my hand, "He wanted you to get better."

"W-What exactly did I say?" I asked her as I blinked back tears.

She shook her head, "Sakura, you didn't mean it. The words don't—"

"Please, Tsunade-sama." I begged, using my old honorific for her, "I need to know."

With a sigh, she opened one of her drawers and brought out the same file that I'd seen the last time I'd been here. I held my breath as she sifted through papers, and only exhaled when she finally settled on one.

"You didn't want him to touch you." She began colorlessly, "You told him you didn't want him around, that you hated him, you never wanted to see him again…"

All I could was sit and listen as she went on.

"You…you told him that he was the reason your children had died, that he'd killed them, and he should've killed himself…" Tsunade glanced up at me, "Sakura, is this really necessary?"

I nodded wordlessly and she held a long blink before she continued, "Then you told him that you had nothing and asked him to kill you, but he wouldn't do it, so you tried to kill yourself. And that's all there is, really."

She shut the file and turned to me, "Are you okay?"

"Mhm." I hummed faintly, "I'm fine. Um, I…I think I'm gonna go."

Tsunade stood up with me and placed an endearing hand on my shoulder, "It's all in the past, Sakura. Okay? There's nothing you can do to change it so just keep up with your treatment and focus on doing better."

"Yeah, I will." My voice tightened as I clutched my handbag, "Arigato. Hontōni."

Tsunade offered me a light smile before wishing me the best and I hurriedly left her office. It was only after I'd gotten to my car that I could truly react. I slipped into the driver's seat and leaned over just in time for me to vomit my stomach contents. Once I was done, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and leaned back into my seat.

I didn't know whether to scream or cry, and for a second, I considered doing both. All this time, I'd thought Sasuke's lack of love for me had been caused by the loss of our child but the truth? The truth was miles worse than I ever could've imagined.

I shut my car door and with a shaky hand, put my keys into the ignition and started the car. The drive home was swift and silent, as I spent the majority of it thinking to myself, trying to rationalize what I could do, where I could begin to fix things.

In the end, I could only come to one conclusion.

'There's only one way out of this.' I thought to myself as I parked in the driveway and shut the car off.

"Sakura, wait." She called out as I climbed the steps up to the front door, "You're acting crazy."

"I've been that way for a long time, thanks to you." I answered over my shoulder before stepping into the house and shutting the door behind me.

"Look, call Emi-san." She suggested as I slid out of my shoes and hung my keys up, "Or Ino! At this point, call Naruto!"

I didn't respond to her, and instead proceeded up the stairs to my room. She followed after me with a quickness and reappeared on the edge of my bed once I was inside.

"Don't do this." She plead as I made my way to the bathroom, "Think of all the people you'll hurt."

At this, I laughed and bent down to grab the revolver from its spot in the floor cabinet, "Oh, so now you care about hurting people. If only you had thought about that before ruining my life."

"I was trying to—to help you!" She winced as I lifted the muzzle to my head, "Sasuke-kun was hurting you! His presence was hurting you! I had to push him away!"

I took a deep breath and pulled the trigger, flinching a bit when I heard the empty click, and she quickly knelt beside me

"Please, Sakura. Put the gun down." She begged, "Killing yourself isn't the answer! Believe me, I know that now!"

"You're not real." I murmured as I pulled the trigger again, shutting my eyes at another click, "You were never real."

"Oh Kami…!" She sniffled, "Gomennasai, okay? I'm sorry for everything I've ever said or done, so—!"

She cut herself off as I tried again, only to be met with another click.

"Y'know, it's funny." I chuckled as I opened my eyes and turned to her, "We both know you're not real, right? You're a figment of my imagination, a personification of my worst thoughts, which means that everything you 'did' was something I wanted deep down inside."

"No, Sakura, that's a lie, okay?" She placed both of her hands on my shoulders in her attempts to dissuade me, "You're mentally ill from Dad's side, you know that. I'm just a symptom of that, a form of psychosis. You're—I'm not linked to you. You need help."

I shrugged before pulling the trigger once more, "I've tried; nothing's worked."

"That's not true! Three months! You went three months without incident, don't let one bad day make you feel hopeless!"

"I'm not hopeless." I assured her as I stood up from the floor, my knees beginning to hurt, "Maybe it's another sign of my insanity but I feel better than ever. I get it now."

She gave me a helpless look and I smiled, "Remember when I—when we read Dad's autopsy report and figured out that he killed himself? You told me it was only a matter of time till I was back to playing Russian roulette. Look at us now, heh."

"I only said that because you'd stopped taking your meds." She pled weakly, tears running down her cheeks, "Please, please, please don't do this…!"

When I was met with another click, I turned to her, "I didn't stop taking my meds this time. The birth control interfered, and you showed up. If I have to live my life in constant fear of you appearing and ruining it, then I'd rather be dead."

"I-I'll disappear!" She promised with a stutter, "I'll go away, and you'll never see me again, I swear!"

I shook my head, "You know that's not how this works. As long as I'm alive, you'll always be around."

"…Think of Sarada." She changed the subject, seeing that she could not argue against my last point, "Losing Mom almost broke you, what do you think your death will do to her?"

"I don't know." I admitted, checking the chamber and confirming that there was a bullet in the next round I was going to fire, "But I'm sure she'll be better off without me."

"She won't. Sakura, please!"

Grabbing her hand, I pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "You were there from the beginning, and now you're here for the end. Let's die together.

And with that, I pulled the trigger.

|Sarada|

"Sarada-chan, can you fill this with water?" Aunt Izumi asked as she handed me a small pot.

"Sure thing." I answered before taking it from her, "Do you want me to set in on the stove when it's done?"

"If you would be so kind." She nodded with a smile.

I carried out her instructions in silence and once I was done with my task, I tapped her on her shoulder.

"Perfect." She clapped her hands before dropping the dango balls into the pot and turning the burner on to high, "Now we're gonna let these boil for seven minutes and once they're done, we'll put 'em in ice-cold water. Speaking of cold, can you watch them? I need to grab a sweater."

"Of course." I assured my aunt, and she patted my head before leaving.

The clock on the oven read 6:33 p.m., which meant if Aunt Izumi took some time in coming back, I'd have to turn the stove off at 6:40.

After marking the time, I brought out my phone to see if I had any missed notifications. Even though I'd called Mama almost two hours ago, she'd yet to text or call me back, which was odd. Assuming the reception lasted from four to six, she should've responded by now.

Something felt off, but instead of letting my thoughts start to run like a headless chicken, I tapped on her contact and called her again. Her phone went straight to voicemail but instead of hanging up and sending her a text like I'd done before, I decided to leave a message.

"Hi Mama, it's Sarada. This is the second time I've called you and still no answer." I cleared my throat after an unexpected voice crack, "Hopefully you saw my text but if you didn't, I'm with Aunt Izumi at the Uchiha Compound. I'll probably be home in an hour so, uh, just give me a call back when you get this, okay? I love you. Bye."

I hung up and switched the burner off just as Aunt Izumi returned to the kitchen.

"Whew, sorry I took so long." She apologized with a sheepish grin, "Had to pull this baby out from the depths of the closet."

She floated her hands over her body to emphasize the visibly old black sweater and I laughed as I waved a hand.

"It's no problem." I promised her as I tried to contain my laughter, "But please, never do that again."

She tilted her head, "Wait, huh? Don't do what ever again?"

"The pose, the pose." I shook my head, "It makes you look like a 90s cartoon hero."

At this, she pouted, "Sarada-chan, you're breaking my heart."

I laughed against as I emptied the hot water from the pot and replaced it with some ice-cold water as she had previously instructed, and she smiled.

"Now what?" I questioned as I returned the pot back to the stove top.

"Oh, so you let it cool for a bit, let's say two minutes, and then you put them on some skewers and they're good to eat." She shrugged.

I nodded thoughtfully, "Wow, so making dango is that easy?"

"Not when I first started." She sighed, "I had to perfect the technique thanks to Itachi-kun's sweet tooth but trust me when I say my early batches came out like mochi."

"Pffft." I covered my mouth with my hands and gave her an apologetic look, "Gomen, gomen. It's just, the image that came to mind r-really...pffft!"

"No, it's fine. At least you laughed." Aunt Izumi excused me wistfully, "Your uncle kissed me on the forehead and told me I'd do better next time. It was the third worst day of my life."

"Third?" I questioned, interest piqued by her number choice, "What took up the first two slots?"

She poked three dango balls onto a skewer and handed it to me, "Heh. Well, when I was—wait, how old are you again?"

"Sixteen?" I answered carefully, hoping that would be old enough in her eyes.

She stared at me for a bit before nodding, "That'll do. Well, as I was saying, when I was younger, I..."

Aunt Izumi and I stood in the kitchen munching the dango we'd made as she told me stories of her childhood. I only interjected to laugh or bring up any similarities in things I went through, and it turned out me and my aunt had a lot more in common than I'd previously thought.

As she wrapped up her last tale, I caught sight of the stove clock and blinked in shock.

"7:53?" I read aloud, "There's no way."

"What? With me running my mouth this whole time?" Aunt Izumi smirked, "I'm surprised it's not later."

I shook my head at her joke before picking up my handbag, "I'm glad it's not. Kami, Mama's probably worried sick; I've gotta go home."

"Are you sure you can't stay the night?" Aunt Izumi stopped me as I moved to leave, "You live on the other side of town so to head back now would be...what do you think?"

I went back over to the stove and opened the overhead blinds to find the sky a beautiful sunset orange. Unfortunately, after some quick calculations, I figured that by the time I got to the train station, night would already have fallen. Add to that the two-hour trip length and I would basically be walking home in the dead of the night.

"You're right, it's not safe." I agreed as I shut the blinds, "But Mama hasn't answered my calls so I'm not even sure if she knows that I'm here."

She crossed her arms thoughtfully for a moment, "Well, you left her a message, didn't you?"

I nodded and Aunt Izumi waved a hand, "Then you'll be fine. And if you can wake up early tomorrow, I can convince Itachi-kun to drop you off."

As she finished speaking, she wrapped me up in a tight hug, and this embrace helped to quell the jumpy sensation in my stomach.

"Alright, now let me prepare your room." She said as she let go of me, "Do you wanna come along or should I come get you when it's done?"

I pointed at the kotatsu before sitting down, "I'm gonna stay here if you don't mind."

"That's fine." She winked, "I'll be back before you know it."

She blew me a kiss before stepping out of the room and going down the hall, and I held my head in my hands. Maybe it was because I had realized how late it was or the mention of a room, but I was suddenly feeling very tired.

The warmth of the kotatsu combined with the sudden weight pressing down on me convinced me to lay my head down, and after setting my arms up as a pillow, I shut my eyes. Of course, my brain would never allow me a moment of rest, and soon enough I began to recall the conversation I'd had with Uncle Obito and how I'd found myself in the Uchiha Compound in the first place.

"Sarada-chan, please tell me this is a joke." Uncle Obito sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I wish I could." I murmured as my eyes began to sting, tears threatening to come rushing down again, "Everything is all my fault…"

"Listen, you're not the only one to blame, okay?" He reminded me, "Even if you were involved, the true criminals are Kū and your boyfriend's brother…"

"Log." I helped him with his name, and Uncle Obito nodded.

"Those two are the real culprits." He reasoned, attempting to change how my involvement would be perceived, "How old are they? 22? 23? If anything, you were taken advantage of by two older men and tricked into helping."

As much as I wanted to accept his words and go along with how he was trying to portray the situation, my conscience wouldn't let me.

"Except that's not true...!" I blubbered, guilt winning out and causing my tears to be unleashed, "I knew they were selling drugs! I knew the drugs hurt people! Even to one of my best friends, I—!"

"Shh, shh, it's okay." Uncle Obito cut me off, rubbing my back soothingly, "It's okay."

After I'd eventually calmed down and blown my nose, I turned to my uncle again.

"T-There's also something else I need to tell you." I twiddled my fingers anxiously, "I—Kami, I don't know how I should say this..."

"Just tell me." Uncle Obito urged with a wave of his hand, "Whatever it is, I'll help you. Remember, I'm on your side."

I nodded and took a deep breath before speaking, "Do you remember the rich boy that went missing? Madoka Tentō? Well, Mitsuki's dad was the one who kidnapped him."

Uncle Obito held his hands together, "Timeout. What? How do you know this?"

"Because I was kidnapped with him..." I dug my nails into my hand as I recalled that fateful day, "I—They were honestly going to kill me, but they chose to let me go after they learned that Mitsuki was my boyfriend."

Uncle Obito swiped a hand across his forehead, "Kami almighty, Sarada-chan. Why didn't you—? Wait, who's 'they?' Didn't you say his dad kidnapped you guys?"

"Well, technically it wasn't his dad but some of the people his dad…works with." I bit my lip as Uncle Obito furrowed his eyebrows, "Like, one of them is called Sasori, and he has red hair and grey-brown eyes. Um, somehow he met Mama and they became friends but he recognized me and told me he'd kill her if I ever told anyone so I...I didn't."

"Okay…" Uncle Obito nodded slowly, as if he was beginning to understand, "Do you remember anymore names? Anymore descriptions? What about Mitsuki's dad, can you tell me anything about him?"

I wiped my nose, "Uh, yeah, actually. There was this tall guy they called Kakuzu, then another guy named Hidan…oh, and Mitsuki's dad is called Orochimaru. He—"

I was cut off by Uncle Obito slamming his fist into the side of his door, and I looked up at him warily, wondering how I could've upset him. His expression was unlike anything I'd ever seen before, with his eyes blown wide, brows curved down, and lips bent in a frown to match. He was…angry, but at what? Orochimaru?

"Gomen." Uncle Obito held his hands to his face and let out a deep sigh, "Continue what you were saying."

"A-Alright, so, uh…yeah, he's called Orochimaru and, I don't know, the last time I saw him, he was going to kill me. At least, I think…" I trailed off as I tried to stir up the memories from that day, "Um, but Mitsuki stood up for me. Oh! And there was someone else too!"

Uncle Obito nodded, indicating I should speak, and I swallowed hard as I recalled those violet wide eyes.

"I-I didn't get his name, but he was the boss, that's for sure." I snapped my fingers, "He had orange hair and piercings…everywhere. And he said something about three decades of work going down the drain. I don't…know what he meant by that."

"Hm." Uncle Obito hummed as he clapped his hands, "You've done well, Sarada; you've done extremely well, but you can't tell anyone what you told me, okay?"

I tilted my head to one side, "Why?"

He sighed, "I know you've seen the recent news about the commissioner general and how corrupt he was. I'm sad to say that we still don't know everyone who was involved with him, so if the wrong people were to hear about you…"

"I get it." I concluded with a nod, "I won't tell anyone."

"Good." Uncle Obito ruffled my hair before putting his key in the ignition, "Now, I know your mother went to a wedding today, right? Why don't I drop you off at the Uchiha Compound and you can head home when things are over?"

"I—I don't know…" I fiddled with my fingers nervously, "I've never been there without Papa, and the last time I went was when I was a kid."

"Your Aunt Izumi will be there." He said, hoping that her presence would encourage me, "Besides, that's your family home. You should be comfortable going there on your own."

"I—"

"Just for a bit." He insisted, pulling us out onto the road, "You don't have to stay forever, but give your aunt an hour of your time. Please? Let her show you how things have changed."

I reluctantly gave in and soon than later, I found myself standing outside the Uchiha Compound.

Thankfully, Aunt Izumi had been waiting for me outside, so I didn't have to go through the awkward process of presenting myself at the front gate. However, when we reached the doorway to head inside, I couldn't help but duck my head, not wanting to catch any evil glares being thrown my way.

Aunt Izumi was not a fan of that action, and untucked my chin from my chest, forcing me to look up as I walked in. Surprisingly, I was met with smiles and greetings. Once we were inside and walking the compound streets, I was shocked when people came up to me.

"Is that you, Sarada?" An older man questioned as he approached us, "Wow! I haven't seen you in years!"

"Sarada-chan?" A woman called from her stoop, "Hontōni? Hontōni, Sarada-chan? Look how beautiful she is now!"

That and many more compliments were thrown my way, and some of the elders pinched my cheeks before going into their accounts of Papa in his younger days and how I was the spitting image of him.

Aunt Izumi rescued me from most of the long-winded tales, but some of them she let me sit through, and I learned that Papa was quite the wild card in his teen years.

"Sarada-chan?" Aunt Izumi knocked on the open door and I shook my head as I was called back to reality, "The room is ready."

"Coming!" I called as I stood up from the kotatsu, grabbing my handbag before leaving the kitchen.

I followed Aunt Izumi down the hall and made a series of turns before coming upon a sizeable room with burgundy-colored walls and light grey carpeting. A large futon in the middle had a sleep robe laid out across it, but aside from the little desk in the corner equipped with a lamp, the room didn't have much.

"This will be your room whenever you visit." Aunt Izumi told me as I stepped inside and looked around, "So feel free to move things around or whatever."

I ran my hand along the closet door, "Um, so I can come back anytime?"

"Of course, of course!" She swiftly answered, "Stop by whenever! You don't have to stay if you want but drop in, okay? We're family."

"Okay." I nodded and turned to face her, "Arigato."

She pursed her lips before reaching out and pulling me into an even tighter hug than the one before, which I didn't think was possible. I held her with as much strength as I could manage, and we remained in the silent embrace for some time before she eventually patted my shoulders and stepped back.

"Well, I'll be down the hall if you need anything." She gave me a small smile as she smoothed her dress down, "Otherwise, oyasumi, Sarada-chan."

"Oyasumi, Izumi-oba." I bid her goodnight.

She dimmed the overhead lights before shutting the room door and leaving me to myself. I changed out of my clothes and into the sleep robe before climbing into the futon and slipping under the covers. As I laid in bed, I recalled my promise to call Boruto and thought about getting my phone.

'It's too late now.' I reasoned as I turned on my side and shut my eyes, 'Tomorrow. I'll call him tomorrow.'

|3rd Person|

"That'll be 250 ryo." The cashier smiled at Obito once he'd finished tallying up the items, "Would you like a bag for all this?"

"No, arigato." Obito nodded before handing the young man a bill, "Keep the change."

"Ah! Arigato gozaimasu!" The cashier bowed as Obito grabbed his things and exited the store, "Come back soon!"

Making sure he had everything he needed, Obito hopped back into his parked car and set the items down in the passenger seat before starting the car up. He pulled out onto the road and switched on his wipers when droplets of rain started to peck at his windshield.

"Hm, a summer shower." He murmured to himself as he kept his eyes on the road.

The trip to the Konoha Cemetery was driven in silence, and Obito grabbed a black umbrella from the back seat before stepping out with everything he had bought. It was only when he reached Rin's grave that he spoke, and he did it as he began to set things up.

"Hello Rin. It's been a while since we last spoke, ne?" He mused with a sad smile as he set down a bouquet of white lilies, "Hope you're doing well up there."

He crouched down and placed the incense sticks in their designated spot before lighting them, "Gomen, I didn't rent the water pail this time around so this rain will have to suffice."

The joke hung in the air for a bit before his smile wore off, and Obito clasped his hands together.

"Are you watching me?" He began in a low voice, "If you are, then I know you must be disappointed. If I were you, I'd be disappointed too."

The wind began to pick up around him and he was forced to clutch his umbrella tighter.

"Y'know, nothing's changed since that day." Obito continued, clearing his throat, "I still…you're still all I ever wanted. When you died, I—"

His voice broke and he shook away that tears that had formed, "I would do anything to see you again, you know that. I will do anything to see you again. I know you don't approve but you'll have more than enough time to scold me when you're back."

Obito's phone buzzed, and he unclasped his hands as he stood up, "I have to go, but I'll be back sometime next week, okay? I love you."

After his final declaration, he bowed before turning and heading for his car. He wasted no time in getting in the driver's seat, not even fully closing his umbrella as he tossed it into the back. Once he was behind the wheel, he put the car in drive and sped up the road.

Further into the cemetery was a clearing that held a large stone monument and two benches. Obito parked his car at the far end of the lot before stepping down and heading up to the rock. Once he got there, he looked around and found nobody nearby, which prompted him to look at his phone.

Ten minutes ago, an unknown number had messaged him: I'm here. Obito replied ? before checking his surroundings again. When he was sure he was alone in the clearing, he returned his attention to his phone and tapped the call icon. Unsurprisingly, the call went straight to voicemail, and Obito slipped his phone into his pocket with a sigh.

"Oh, you're here." A raspy voice called from behind the rock, "Took you long enough."

Orochimaru stepped into view holding a small, eggplant-colored umbrella, and gave Obito a smile.

Obito met him with a straight face and shoved his freehand into his pocket, "I had something to attend to."

Shrugging, Orochimaru came from around the rock and approached him, "So? What did you call me out here for?"

"What did I call you out here for?" Obito repeated incredulously, "How long has my niece been involved with your group and why didn't you think to tell me?"

Orochimaru shrugged again, "I saw no need to. Originally, she was an unknown variable in the equation, but of recent times she's proved herself to be a useful trump card."

"Well, cut her out of the equation for good." Obito demanded, poking a finger into Orochimaru's chest, "I don't want her anywhere near you, your son, or any of your cronies. Sarada-chan is innocent."

"Innocent?" Orochimaru raised an eyebrow before chuckling, "When she helped popularize the drug that's flooding the streets right now?"

"Hey, you deal with your people, I'll deal with mine." Obito warned, his tone dropping to a cautionary quietness.

"Hmph." Orochimaru smirked with amusement, "Well, personally, I have no problems never seeing the girl again, but it's a little too late for that."

At this, Obito's eyebrows scrunched together, and he crossed his arms, "What do you mean?"

"Let's say I tell my son to break up with her, because he's really the only thing tying her to us, her mother is still very closely linked to Sasori." Orochimaru explained, "And, if that weren't bad enough, some new…players have joined the game. And they are very interested in the business of shabu."

Obito shut his eyes and cursed under his breath, "Okay, so what are you suggesting?"

"Stick to the plan." Orochimaru immediately replied, "Keep your calm and play it cool while I complete my research. Once I've defeated death and brought back your friend, you can arrest the others and lock them up for eternity."

Obito slowly nodded, "And have you made substantial progress?"

"Two weeks." Orochimaru held up two fingers in confidence, "In two weeks, life as we know it will change forever."

Scratching his head, Obito let out a huff, "Two weeks is too long. The Six are talking about pulling the plug on the mission, and once they do, they'll swoop down with whatever Sasuke and Karin have."

"Stall them." Orochimaru told him, placing a hand on Obito's shoulder, "You can't rush perfection. Or do you want your precious Rin to come back a shell of her former self?"

Obito shook Orochimaru's hand off him, "I get it, I get it."

"Good." Orochimaru stepped back with a nod before smiling again, "Well, if that's all—"

Orochimaru was interrupted by the buzz of his phone and raised a finger to ask Obito to wait as he checked the notification. Orochimaru's eyes quickly flew over the little box that had popped up, but then his eyebrows came together in a show of confusion, and Obito watched as Orochimaru read the message again, albeit slower this time.

A twisted grin came to Orochimaru's face as he returned his phone back to his pocket, "Things just got a little more complicated."

"Why do you say that?" Obito questioned, anxiousness slipping into the latter half of his voice.

Orochimaru shook his head as he began his own walk back to the parking lot, "Because our dear old Sakura has committed suicide."

|Naruto|

"…Did you get enough to eat?" I asked sometime after we'd been on the road.

Kawaki turned to me from his position leaned against the window, "Aa."

I nodded and waited a bit to see if Kawaki had anything else to say. When a reasonable amount of time had passed, I opened my mouth to continue our conversation, but that's when he spoke.

"I just wish that geezer would've minded his business." He complained, tucking his fist under his chin, "I poured myself a drink and he talked my ear off about it."

"Oh, you mean Ebisu." I chuckled as I recalled seeing the scenario he was grumbling over, "Yeah, well, he's always been a stickler for the rules, ya know."

"Tch." He clicked his tongue, "Old man needs to but out. It's not even like I was tryna go crazy, I only poured half a cup."

I snorted, "Yeah, well, until you hit the big twenty, stick to apple juice."

At this, Kawaki chuckled and the two of us continued to quietly laugh. However, it died down after a while, leaving a somewhat awkward silence behind. It didn't last long though, because Kawaki himself now led the charge.

"Nanadaime." He called my title as he sat up, and I knew I was in for some tough questions.

I tilted my head to show that I was listening, and he went on, "You and that pink-haired woman, Sakura-san…just what is your relationship with her?"

Exhaling through my nostrils, I stretched my fingers around the steering wheel, "You might've already guessed this but she's my girlfriend."

"I figured." He admitted as he continued his line of questions, "And that blue-haired woman?"

"My ex-wife." I couldn't help but cringe as I recalled how our last conversation had ended, "Things between us are complicated, ya know."

Kawaki hummed, "Because of Sakura-san?"

"Putting it simply? Yeah." I nodded.

He thought for a moment before turning away from me, "Why?"

I sighed, "Let's just say that when Sakura-chan and I first started seeing each other, Hinata and I weren't exactly separate."

To my surprise, he snickered.

"Gomen, gomen." Kawaki apologized, "It's just, well, I guess nobody's perfect."

I nodded in agreement, "And if somebody was, it definitely wouldn't be me."

We sat quietly for a bit before he revealed, "Boruto knows. And so does his sister, probably."

Biting my lip, I recalled when Himawari had stumbled upon Sakura and I in Otafuku. I'd told Sakura we didn't have anything to worry about, but she'd had her doubts. Clearly, she was in the right.

"Well," I raised my hand in acceptance, "Pretty much everyone will by tomorrow."

"…And what will your friends think of you?" Kawaki looked back at me, seemingly invested in my response.

I ran a hand through my hair and thought for a moment, "Hontōni? I have no idea. I'm hoping that they'll be…tolerant, ya know. I don't expect them to understand, and I don't expect them to agree. But as long as we can keep being friends, I don't need them to."

"That's an interesting word." Kawaki reclined his seat before crossing his arms and shutting his eyes, "Tolerant."

I said nothing and we ceased talking for the rest of the drive, but the air was no longer stiff. Kawaki soon drifted off to sleep, leaving me alone with my thoughts, and I went over the last few minutes at the reception hall before we'd decided to head out.

Shikamaru and Ino were on polar opposite sides about Sakura and I's relationship, with Ino supporting us all the way, while Shikamaru remained critical of the vows we had broken.

"They were married, Ino." Shikamaru shook his head in disgust, "If they really wanted to be together, they could've at least waited till they were both divorced."

"Who are you to decide that?" She shot back, "Just because the two of us are in bearable marriages doesn't mean they were."

"Oh, don't give me that. You make it sound as if it was life or death." He rolled his eyes.

"That's because it was." Ino replied staunchly, and that caused Shikamaru to stop in his tracks.

"What do you mean?" He asked as he turned to her, but when she wouldn't answer him, he turned to me, "Naruto? What is she talking about?"

I looked down, recalling how fragile Sakura's mental state had been in the beginning of our relationship, "I—"

"It's not your business to know, and it's not Naruto's to share. All I'm asking you to do is get your head out of your ass for two seconds and have some empathy." She cut me off as she crossed her arms.

Shikamaru looked between the two of us, and when he realized we wouldn't be sharing anything, he rolled his eyes, "Fine, I'll keep my opinions to myself for now. But that doesn't mean everyone else will once they find out."

"If they find out." Ino corrected, "Why don't we just go to Hinata and ask her to keep this to herself?"

"Yeah, like that's a good idea." He scoffed, "What, we're just supposed to go 'Hey Hinata! You mind not sharing your husband's infidelity so that he can save face?'"

"It's not just for—"

He raised a hand, "It's for Sakura-san too, I know but still! Why am I the only one thinking of Hinata's feelings? The woman was cheated on for Kami's sake, and to make matters worse, she finds out it was with someone close to her! And now you want us to slap her in the face and ask her to keep quiet?"

I didn't say a thing, but in my mind, I knew Shikamaru was telling the truth. What right did I have to try and preserve my peace when I'd shattered Hinata's months ago?

"Okay, well, what would you rather we do?" Ino conceded, seeing he had a point.

"We get in front of this." Shikamaru clapped his hands, "I call up the guys tomorrow and we'll meet up at Yakiniku Q so Naruto can tell them himself. You work with Sakura to get the girls together so she does the same thing. It won't have the chance to become a rumor or a secret because everyone will find out at the same time."

She pinched the bridge of her nose, "That is…the dumbest idea I've ever heard. What is it supposed to be? A cheater's bridal shower? How do you expect this to end? Because I bet 500 ryo that Choji and Kiba are gonna knock Naruto's lights out, while Karui and Temari tear in Sakura so bad, she'll never step outside again."

"So, what are you suggesting?" He huffed in exasperation, "We walk all over Hinata and ask her to keep quiet?"

"Hontōni? Yes, because that is the least explosive option we have out of the two!"

At this, Shikamaru sneered, "You know what, Ino? I bet you'd have a very different opinion if Hinata and Sakura's roles were reversed."

"What are you trying to say?" Ino tilted her head, challenging him.

"I'm not trying to say anything; I'm telling you that you're biased and the only reason you're ready to grind Hinata into dust is because she's not your best friend."

"Guys, guys, guys." I stepped in between them before Ino could launch her rebuttal, "Listen, I think we should go with Shikamaru's choice, ya know."

Ino gave me a bewildered, "What? How can you say that when you know—?"

"But!" I cut her off before she could continue, "It won't be tomorrow. Give us three days and on day number three, we'll tell everyone. I'll make sure of it."

Shikamaru exhaled through his nostrils before turning to Ino, "Well?"

Ino chewed her lip and gave him a pointed look before nodding to me, "If you think this is the best call, then I'm with you."

"Trust me." I nodded, "It has to be."

I pulled into my reserved parking spot and switched off the engine before tapping Kawaki.

"Kawaki. Oi, Kawaki, okiro." I called his name with a few more pats.

He stirred in his sleep but didn't fully wake, and I sighed as I got out of the car and grabbed the leftovers out from the back seat. I shut my car door and went around to his side before tapping him again.

"Come on, man!" I whispered as I patted his thigh, "We're here!"

Kawaki's eyes flew open, and I narrowly pulled my head back before he could fly up and collide with me.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." I called him back to reality with a hand on his shoulder, "Easy. Easy, alright? It's just me, ya know."

He nodded slowly before swinging his legs to the side and climbing down from the car, "Gomennasai."

"Don't worry about it." I assured him before placing my arm around his shoulders, "Now be a good kid and carry this for me."

I pressed the leftovers to his chest with a laugh and he held onto them, but it took him a second to understand what had just transpired. When he did, his infamous eyeroll occurred, and I laughed again. I made sure the car doors were locked before we entered my apartment lobby, and a few seconds later we were in the elevator heading up.

When we got to the unit, I unlocked the door and allowed Kawaki in first. He made his way to the kitchen, and I found my way to the bathroom. After relieving myself, I washed my hands and stepped out to find Kawaki had already removed his shoes and changed.

"We'll have to get you some new clothes, pfft." I mused aloud, biting back laughs at the look of my oversized shirt and shorts on him.

Scratching the side of his head, he sighed, "Tomorrow."

"Aa." I agreed, "Tomorrow. You gonna head to bed?"

He shook his head and that's when I noticed the tooth brush his hand, "What about you? Should I be quiet when I come out?"

I waved my hand, "Nah, I've got some things to do."

He nodded and went on into the bathroom while I took a seat in the living room and turned on the TV. The news was still reporting on the death of that commissioner general and the questionable calls he had made, which led to me remembering the short exchange I'd had with Sai just before leaving.

"Naruto." Sai called out to me before I could step out of the building.

Turning around, I found him leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. He motioned for me to come over and I approached him cautiously.

"What is it?" I asked, wondering what he wanted from me.

"You've seen the news." He nodded, "You know how the commissioner general died?"

"From that new drug, shabu?" I answered questioningly, "Why? What about it?"

He glanced around and lowered his voice before speaking, "That's the same drug Inojin was taking."

"You're kidding." I lowered my voice in turn, "Has he said who he got it from?"

"No, I know who he got it from, that's not the issue." Sai clarified, "The real problem is that person who I told you about, who had their eye on Konoha? He's making his move, and this is just phase one."

I raised an eyebrow at his cryptic message, "What's phase two?"

"Nanadaime, I'll be in the car." Kawaki announced as he passed by me, leftovers and car keys in hand.

I patted him on the back and turned back to Sai once he was gone, "Well?"

"Him." Sai motioned towards Kawaki, "He's his son."

"Find anything good?" Kawaki's abrupt voice broke my train of thought, and I turned to him.

"Nah." I shook my head as I made space for him, "Just more death and destruction, ya know."

Kawaki blew out a heavy breath, "Gimme."

I handed him the remote and he instantly began flicking through channels at a speed I couldn't even process. The next thing I knew, we were watching a nature channel and Kawaki set the remote aside just as a badger pounced on a snake.

"You like this kind of thing?" I questioned as the badger separated the snake's head from its body.

He nodded, "Watching me reminds me of one of life's oldest rules. It's okay to have fun every now and then, but there's danger lurking around every corner in the world."

His grey eyes had sorrowful tint to them, and I placed my hand on his head and pulled him to my chest.

"You're safe here." I promised him, ruffling his hair, "I'll protect you, ya know."

He nodded before shutting his eyes, and I hummed when a singular tear trailed down his cheek. Quickly, he lifted his hand up and wiped any traces of emotion away before glancing at me, and I removed my hand from his head as he let down his guard.

I wanted to curse when the sound of the doorbell interrupted us, and Kawaki stood up to answer it. However, I knew something was wrong when I heard the door open, and no conversation ensued.

"Kawaki?" I called as I stood up and approached the front, "Who is it?"

I stopped a few feet behind him and saw the reason for his silence over his shoulder. Standing, in the hallway stood a young woman with curly blonde hair, purple eyes, and the roman numeral one tattooed on her forehead. Beside her was a tall man with a black ponytail mohawk and the roman numeral five under his left eye, and further down the hallway was a larger hooded figure leaning against the wall with their arms crossed.

"Nanadaime, gomen for the interruption." The mohawk man apologized before addressing Kawaki, "My rebellious son, did you have fun these past few days? Hopefully it was enough; we're going home."

Before anyone could move, I pulled Kawaki back and stepped in front of him.

"Kawaki's not going anywhere." I said, looking the man steadfast in the eyes, "Who the hell are you?"