Sasuke's Point of View

Amongst the three next to me, Sakura's voice rang out the loudest.

We had just finished a simple missing child mission. Someone's idiot kid decided to run off in the market and eventually got lost. We found her in a valley, crying, clinging to her stuffed bear.

I hate kids.

Though I don't particularly like engaging myself in conversations, I'm fine with listening. Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura's caught my ear for whatever reason.

"Do you guys wanna see what it looks like?!" Sakura asked them both. I hadn't heard any earlier context, I just started paying attention to what they were saying.

I looked over and saw Sakura pull a strand of hair behind her ear revealing a shiny, red clip with flowers on it. Her smile grew prouder as she showed it off to Naruto and Kakashi.

Naruto leaned his head closer. "Woahhhh, did you know the kid that gave it to you?" He questioned, tapping the clip.

Sakura sighed, shaking her head. "No, unfortunately, but he was very cute!" She chirped.

All three of us guys shot our heads up.

"Huh? What "he" gave you a clip Sakura? And why?" Naruto suddenly interrogated.

Sakura caught my gaze and jumped. "Not as handsome as you Sasuke-Kun!" She clarified but quickly averted her attention back to Naruto. "And he was just passing by when he saw me in the market and bought me it! He said I was very pretty and he wanted me to have it!" She went on.

I tried to not care about what she was saying but something about some guy interrupting Sakura on a mission to give her jewelry annoyed me.

"You stopped in the middle of a mission for a gift?" I said, glaring at her.

Her expression fell, and she slowly pulled her hand down from her hair. "It only took him a second." She replied, frowning.

I stepped into the group now. Naruto and Kakashi eyeing me. Naruto looked like he somewhat agreed with me.

"No. It only took stupidity to drop the priority of a mission for some clip. You complain about not being caught up to Naruto and me, but here you are ignoring opportunities to get better just so you can flirt." I stuck my hands in my pockets in displacement.

Everyone was silent for a minute. Sakura's lips began to quiver as she shamefully turned her head to the side, covering her shame with her bangs. "I- 'm sorry." She muttered.

My gut told me just to shut up and let it go. I didn't. "Yeah who cares though. You're the weak link. That's not changing anytime soon." I finished my last sentence and leaned forward. "But I guess that doesn't matter because at least your hair is pretty and you have admirers." I spat.

Sakura flinched. Suddenly, she looked me in the eyes again. I realized my mistake. Her eyes were red, close to tears. Her lips were shaking and she furrowed her brows as if she were to start sobbing. "Ok." She whispered hoarsely. I was about to try and say something else when she swiftly pulled the clip out of her hair and hesitantly threw it on the ground. She raised her foot right above it.

"Sakura don't do that. Sasuke's just being an asshole." Naruto finally stepped in. He walked to her side about to touch her shoulder when she pushed his hand away.

She shook lightly, trying her best not to crack.

Shit.

"He's right. I was being stupid. I won't be stupid anymore you guys I promise." She then stomped on the clip hard, shards scattering everywhere. She looked back up at me.

"Sakura-," I tried to speak.

She bit her lip. "Bye. I'll see y'all tomorrow." She said quickly, running back towards the city.

Suddenly I felt like shit.

"You're such a fucking prick! The mission wasn't even that big of a deal–you could've just let her be happy!" Naruto yelled.

I was too alarmed to respond gully so instead I mumbled a "hn." And walked away myself.

It had been three days since my lecture to Sakura.

It had been three days since anyone's seen Sakura.

Sakura Haruno is officially missing.

And I can't help but know it's my fault.

Sakura's Point of View

Stupid, stupid, Stupid!

How did I think I'd be able to pull this off?

After Sasuke told me I was an immature piece of shit a few days ago, I decided I had to find a way to prove I could get better.

I can be useful. I can do hard things.

So I snuck into the Hokage's office. Yes. I snuck into the Hokage's office.

I stole an S-ranked mission scroll.

I was so consumed by emotions I didn't even think through what I was doing. I have no inherited abilities, all my chakra control is self-taught and I know hardly any jutsus, and yet, I stole an S-ranked mission scroll.

Dammit Sakura

I set out the next day, before Team 7's usual meetup time. It was about 3:00 AM.

The scroll stated that there was a group of unidentified rogues, digging up graves of recently killed shinobi. It's gross too. Their heads are always stolen and leave nothing but the body. I almost threw up just reading the details. The job was to find out who was doing it, find their hideout, etc. Seemed simple enough. I would find them from behind the scenes, scope out where they were based, and then go back to Konoha without getting hurt in the process, simply providing the information.

It was occurring in the Sand village so it took me about two days to get there. I knew Tsunade would kill me and I'd be in so much trouble for leaving Konohagakure but I figured if I can find the perpetrators then perhaps two wrongs could make a right.

That's not happening.

Anyways, the second day I was gone I finally made it. The scroll gave me a list of cemeteries; since it was already late at night, I decided to check them out discreetly. That would be the best time to fuck with dead bodies of course.

Well, I found them. But apparently, they found me first.

I watched as a guy was digging up a freshly packed grave when I suddenly noticed their guard was up after a few whispers. I remember feeling a presence behind me and everything went black.

And that brings me to what I believe to be my third day, awakened in a dark room, handcuffed and mouth covered.

Again,

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

It's been an hour since I woke up, and nothing has happened.

I was starting to think I was going to be left dead in here when the door shook.

I shrieked through the duct tape on my face and shuffled to the furthest corner of the small room that I could, trying to hide from whoever was coming in.

The door swung open after a few jerks and three men came into view.

I gaped with wide eyes at their silhouettes. Finally, one stepped closer and I took notice of the scar on his hand as he reached over and ripped the tape off my face, resulting in a hiss from me.

I curled up more so they couldn't touch me. The man laughed and stood up tall again. "Shy are we?" he teased. The other two walked up next to him, both tall, both old, and all mean-looking.

I frowned. "Who the fuck are you?" I spat.

The middle one furrowed his brows and mockingly pouted. "No introduction miss? I was wondering why the leaf would send a fresh, pretty chunin for an S-class mission!" he chirped, pulling a scroll from his back pocket. I scowled. He went through my stuff.

Of course, he did, idiot.

I bit my lip. "They didn't. I stole it." I said, suddenly struck with an idea. I knew how to get out of this alive. And possibly still complete the mission.

Okay, focus.

The man cocked his head to the side. "Stole it? Why would you steal an S class assignment?" He raised an eyebrow.

I uncurled my body and tried to look more confident. "First, what's your name?" I asked.

He looked amused as he eyed his friends, weighed his options, probably realized he could kill me if he needed to, and nodded. "Kai. My name is Kai. And you?" He questioned.

"Sakura. Anyways, you wanna know why I stole that scroll?" I tried. He smiled and kneeled. His two men stayed up, eyeing me carefully.

"Spit it out." He cooed impatiently.

Stick to the story.

"I organize and sort scrolls as a job for the fifth Hokage. Sometimes my curiosity gets the best of me and I read the missions. This one piqued my interest. I thought, "why all the trouble to decapitate dead bodies?" I realized either money or power was the reason. And I want in." I stated as calmly as possible.

The men exchanged glances before diving into a fit of laughter. I glared, trying to keep my composure.

Once they settled down, Kai grinned at me. "How the hell are we supposed to believe that shit? And what good are you to us anyways? Seriously sweetheart, give me one good reason I shouldn't slit your throat and leave you bleeding out right here." He inquired.

I clenched my jaw. "It's laughable. But the village has almost nothing to offer girls like me. I don't come from some super strong clan with incredible inherited powers and I only have my brain to speak highly of," I started. Kai raised a brow, indicating he was listening. "Plus, I excelled in all medical units at my academy and our Hokage, who is a fantastic surgeon and medical ninja, has given our teams multiple mini-lessons. If your taking heads out of graves, you'll need some assistance with that stuff, I can help, and I'm free." I finished my plea with an exhale.

Kai narrowed his eyes at me. "You're probably with some type of undercover operation right now, you're trained to tell me this."

I never broke eye contact. "That's so against the rules in Konoha it's not even funny. My team would have been extremely punished for sending a 14-year-old girl alone on an S-class mission. You can read the regulations on the back of that scroll." I said quickly.

One of his men pulled it out and nodded after confirming my words. "Yeah, " he said.

Kai still didn't seem convinced. I bit my lip once again. "You don't believe me today, but give it another two. I'll be reported as missing and since I'm a leaf ninja it'll be on missing person boards in more villages." I said.

Kai cocked his head. "You're willing to stay locked up in here for more days just to prove that?" He asked.

Better than dying.

I nodded my head. "Yes." I inhaled.

"Then I'll see you in a few days, Sakura." He and his men walked out of the room. Once the door shut I let out a harsh breath and curled back up, praying continuously.

I'm going to be in so much trouble.

I just hope I live to see that punishment.

Sasuke's Point of View

We didn't sleep. Not a bit.

The first day she was gone we figured it was just an emotional reaction to my outburst. But the second day we got concerned.

We knocked on her parent's door and were greeted with two hysterical messes screaming about how we got her killed or missing or something. That's when we realized we had a problem.

Tsunade was immediately alerted and search parties were spread out through Konoha looking for her but nothing. Naruto, Kakashi, and I had spent the first three days she was officially missing searching every inch of the village. Not even a hair was found.

I felt sick. It was all my fault.

I didn't have to derail her just because I was ticked that some guy flirted with her and she enjoyed it.

Tsunade, on the fourth day, informed us that a scroll was missing from her desk, one she was just about to assign. An S-class scroll. She hadn't seen it since the day Sakura was last seen.

I put two and two together and the realization hit me.

I told Sakura she was worthless and dumb and she stole an entire S-class mission just to prove to us that she wasn't.

"I won't be stupid anymore you guys I promise."

I just sent Sakura to her death.