"what's that?"

Matsuri looked up to see her favourite pink haired friend looking at her with confusion and surprise.

"What's what?" she asked in a bored tone looking down at the cups and mugs she was washing in the sink.

"What's that on your cheek...wait-wait a minute are you wearing makeup?" asked Sakura pointing to Matsuri's right cheek. That so happens to be the cheek that she got slapped by her father. Matsuri tried to act calmly as she possibly could.

"Is it really such a crime that I decided to wear makeup?"

"No,but what is a crime is the fact that your cheek is darker than the rest of your face, it's not the right shade. And the fact that you only put foundation on your cheek and didn't bother to put any on the rest of your face. Seems kind of suspicious don't you think.

Matsuri knew she had been caught. Sakura had always had this thing of knowing when something is wrong. Plus she has great analysing skills. Seriously she could consider being a detective if she wasn't so passionate about becoming a nurse. She tried to come up with a good excuse quickly so she just said the first thing that came into her head.

"I was in a rush" she stated nervously. She turned to look at Sakura who by the looks of her was not buying her stupid excuse.

"You were in an hour early today which doesn't match your punctuality at all and you've been drying the same cup since I came to talk to you so I know that your nervous and that your hiding something from me" Sakura took a step back and folded her arms with a knowing look. Matsuri took a deep breath and crouched down to put the cup she was drying into the press underneath the sink were the mugs and cups are usually kept. Slowly she stood and turned to stand in front of Sakura. In a quiet murmur without even looking at her face she said;

"My dad, he's been drinking again, brought up some whore, kept me up all night with their screaming"

A pregnant silence followed as she looked up at her friend but couldn't see her expression as her fringe was covering her eyes, but she knew she was pissed by the fact that her hands were clutched to the point were her knuckles turned white. It took her a while before she could come out to her friends about the relationship between her and her dad. The least she wanted was sympathy but after telling them, they were instantly supportive, protective and not to mention pissed. She was grateful that she had friends like them by her side. She felt as if they were her real family.

"That bastard why didn't you call me?!"

What is she fucking deaf? did she not listen to a word she just said? Read between the fucking lines women and brainstorm possible reasons why she couldn't have called you. Here's a wacky thought, maybe you should take out your laptop, put your thinking cap on and watch a marathon of Dr Phil, because usually when a person was just physically abused by their father the last thing that's on their mind is to call someone. Why?...because their to fucking scared to and feel that if they're dragging their loved one's into their own situations it would just be a burden for them. That's why Matsuri was scared to tell her friends in the first place thinking that they would be dragged into her mess. She want's to deal with her own problems without anyone's help.

She had to learn the hard way of growing up.

"Well I was a little busy with all of the drunk madness happening and my undying hatred towards my father, and the fact that I got fucking bitch slapped because "old man" didn't like the idea of his daughter calling him out on a very sensitive topic for both parties. Do you seriously think that calling you or any of my friends for that matter would make me feel any better after the bullshit that I had to deal with?"

She knew she was being harsh, but she seriously needed to stop trying to help her. This is her life, her dad and her problem not anyone else's.

Sakura looked taken aback by her statement. A look of worry and hurt washed over her eye's as she loosened the grip of her fists to take each of Matsuri's hands into her own. Gripping them tightly she said in a soothing voice;

"Matsuri, I'm not going to pretend that I know what's going on because we both know that I have no bloody clue alright. But that's the thing I don't know what's going on, and whether you believe it or not I'm always gonna worry about you. Your like a sister to me. I consider you family. That's why it hurts so much to know that my little sister is being abused by her own flesh and blood. You know, we hear these story on the news that some kids are tortured, damaged...even killed by their parents. It scares the hell out of me to think that this could be you and I don't want you to suffer Matsuri. I know I may act like a bith most times but I'm only trying to protect you. Yeah it's a weird way to show your protection but I need you to be fully honest with me alright. No more secrets, no more lies. Am I clear?"

Matsuri tightened her grip on Sakura's hands and with tears in her eyes looked up at Sakura with a big grin.

"Crystal" with a relieved sigh Sakura pulled Matsuri into a big hug. It's moments like this where Matsuri was most grateful to have Sakura as a friend. She can see why Naruto is so attached to her. She has a hard shell on the outside but a heart of gold on the inside.

"You can't make me stop worrying Matsuri" Sakura whispered in her ear.

"I know, but that doesn't mean I can't try" Matsuri released her hold on Sakura and gave her a cheeky grin. Sakura just rolled her eyes as she patted her friend on the head.

"Yeah Yeah whatever now finish up with those dishes or we won't get off early" Sakura said in her normal stern voice.

"Eye eye captain" Matsuri exclaimed with a mock salute. Turning around to her previous work she washed the remaining dished in the sink, dried them and placed them back into the press.

20 minutes had passed and she had finished with the washing and drying. Looking around the shop she noticed the place was as dead as a door nail. Considering Tuesday's were usually a slow day she was glad that she could get off early for the day. She was in desperate need of a well deserved bath and a catch up of her favorite tv show 'Black Orphan'.

Releasing her hair from her bobbin she quickly straightened out her mid shoulder brown locks and began to untie her apron when she heard someone coughing from behind her, probably in need to get her attention. With a huff she quickly turned around not even looking at the person in front of her and turned on the cash register.

"You made it just in time, we were just about to close shop, can I take your order?" she looked up to see a hypnotising pair of green eyes she was all to familiar with. And a shocking head of red hair.

After two weeks of countless sleepless nights and daydreams, she finally had met him again. In person. With a bruise on her cheek.

Her eyes widened at the realization as she pulled her hair over half of her face to try to camouflage the redness of her cheek. He stood in all his glory in a pair of black combats, crimson trousers sagged at the hips, a plain white T-shirt and a leather jacket. His hair was tasseled and standing up in different directions and there was still dark circles under his eyes. He just stared at her for a while without saying a word, which made Matsuri quite uncomfortable. Something about it just made it seem, kind of perverted. Either he doesn't have manners or he is very open with checking someone out right in front of them. After what seemed as a decade he finally spoke in a low, husky voice;

"Black coffee please"

Matsuri had to literally clutch the counter in order to keep herself from falling on her face. Typing the order with shaky fingers and irregular breaths into the cash register she looked up at him and out of breath, asked;

"Will that be all" with a grumble as a yes she told him the total price. He gave her the exact change and she put into the cash register and began to make the coffee.

2 minutes later she put the cup on the counter for him to take. "Enjoy" she smiled and hoped she didn't look constipated. He reached his hand out to take the coffee but instead gently cupped her cheek in his palm. Matsuri stopped breathing and looked at him with wide eyes. He stared at her cheek for a moment before staring into her eyes.

"What happened" he asked in a hard voice. Matsuri took a deep breath before clutching his wrist and removing his hand away from her cheek immediately missing the warmth.

"Don't you think your being a bit to formal?" she asked trying to change the topic. He was silent as he studied her face with his cold green eyes taking the coffee from the counter he left before telling her;

"Be careful, the world is a cruel place, it will only just get worse in the long run"

Matsuri released the breath that she was holding and stared at the spot where he just stood, his words repeating inside her head. She didn't even notice Sakura coming in from the back asking if she wanted to walk home together. Matsuri zoned out and just thought to herself;

"What is he trying to say?"