Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Naruto.
Chapter 2: A Break
"Sakura?
The pink kunoichi stood with her head faced towards the ground.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the hospital? Or – oh my gosh! Did something happen to Shikamaru? Or Chouji? Or –"
Sakura's whisper cut her friend off. "No, it's nothing like that, Ino."
A confused silence filled in, only to be broken by a sudden upbeat melody.
"Ah, sorry, hang on a sec." Ino said, as she dug out her cell phone. She was about to turn it off for the sake of her distressed friend when a message lighted up.
It read: "Ino. Emergency. Call me now. – Shikamaru."
Letting out an exasperated sigh, she called him right away, mumbling "This better be important."
"Hello?"
"Ino! I just heard that Sasuke's engaged to that new girl – uhr, forgot her name…"
"WHAT? You tell me this now? Wait, oh my gosh – that's why! Oh, Shikamaru, I'll call you later." Ino quickly hung up and looked over her friend thoroughly. 'Ugh! I should have realized…!'
Dragging Sakura inside, Ino assured her. "Sakura. Just come in for now. I'll call the hospital for you. I know you need the rest of today off."
At this, Sakura seemed to suddenly come alive, and she spat out frantically, "Ah! Wait Ino! I'm fine! I-I'll go back. I've… already talked with him."
The blonde merely saw it as whining and snapped at her. "Well?"
The pink kunoichi's eyes grew wide, and her gaze seemed to distance from the blonde. Ino softened immediately and brought her to a tight embrace.
"Sakura. Just cry. Trust me on this."
Ino… But I can't… I've vowed to become stronger and I can't cry about this…"
"Sakura! You idiot forehead! That's why you're going to cry your eyes out." After a small pause, Ino continued. "Then, I'll help you start anew."
Sakura couldn't even smile at this before her tears welled in her eyes, which then dripped down furiously.
"There, there. Slowly, gradually, you'll grow out of this. Then, you can face Sasuke again, not as some hopeless idiot in love, but as a strong, proud kunoichi and teammate. Learn from my experience, neh?"
It took her an hour before Sakura could calm down enough to chuckle at her friend's words.
. . .
Thanks to Ino's nagging, Sakura took the next morning off as well. She had slept over at Ino's and the pink kunoichi was now holding a warm cup of tea in both hands.
"Sakura, I gotta go, and I won't let you mope around here, so… oh, I don't know, go shopping or something, okay?"
The blonde's words irked Sakura, but she couldn't help but let out a small chuckle nonetheless. "Yeah, yeah. I'll be fine. Just go, Ino."
When the blonde left, Sakura lay down for an hour, doing nothing but staring at the white ceiling and… thinking. Drifting back to her memories and the face of the man she loved. Suddenly, an alarm clock rang out, the noisy "do-do-do-do-do-" filling the room.
"Ugh! What the hell –" Sakura jerked up and reached for her phone to see the time. A message lighted up at that instant.
It read: "Sakura. An hour of moping around is enough! Now go wash your large forehead and go out to breathe some AIR! – Ino"
The pink kunoichi laughed, amused at how unusually strict Ino seemed to be. Sakura then went to take a quick shower and stepped outside.
Well, Ino certainly seemed to know the dangers of too much thinking.
Sakura walked around the village, and found herself near Ichiraku's. It was too far to see who was there, but she guessed Naruto would be. Sighing, Sakura walked off. Naruto would surely cheer her up and distract her from thinking, but she just needed to be alone for now.
Spacing out, the pink form seemed to endlessly stroll in and around the village. Just then, a small cry snapped her from her thoughts and memories.
"SAKURA-SAAN!"
Her name came from Mayuri, who was cupping her hands to shout her name once more, while pacing around helplessly.
'Ugh. Not her of all people…' Sakura was just about to ignore her when she spotted a black form near Mayuri. The black form was on the ground. It was probably Sasuke – no, she was certain it was him.
Instinctively, the pink kunoichi ran towards them, but stopped herself from hugging Sasuke in time at the sight of Mayuri.
"Ngh… I told you not to call her!" Sasuke's eyes dangerously pierced through Mayuri, who flinched in response.
"That's it. You're scaring her, Sasuke." Sakura pulled out a small first aid kit that she kept at all times. "I'll just give you first aid, and you could head to the hospital right away." Sakura said, as she bitterly thought, 'If you don't want me treating you, that is.'
Mayuri paled, and asked cautiously. "In… this condition?"
'I've seen worse…' Sakura thought, as she looked over his wounds. It wasn't fatal, but it could be if left untreated. It was just so like Sasuke to keep a wound like that.
"So… What happened?"
Mayuri looked glum then jumped from her question. "Ah! Yes, well, Sasuke-kun and Naruto-san were having a small spar. Well, it was supposed to be small, but… you could see it got a little out of hand."
"Oh?" Sakura couldn't conceal the bitterness in her face. Sasuke would spar with Naruto, but he'd never consider her, would he?
"Well then, where's Naruto?" Sakura got her answer as soon as she asked when she spotted an orange form not far ahead. She quickly approached him, and scanned his injuries quickly.
"Oh my gosh, Naruto!" Sakura hugged him instinctively, and Naruto flinched at his wounds.
"Ouch! Sakura-chan, that hurts… hehe"
Sasuke forced his eyes open and looked over at the two. The memories of Sakura squeezing the breath out of him through her tight hugs passed in his mind. His pale hand gripped the soil underneath him. Forcing himself up, Sasuke ignored the pain at his side, and although it was nothing compared to all his previous wounds, it hurt oddly more than usual.
Mayuri got up in alert, mumbling questions if he was alright. Sasuke just cast her away, walking towards the hospital instead.
"Sasuke!" Sakura stopped him in his tracks. "You seem to be in more pain than I thought. Should I – " Sakura's hand reached towards his wound – his chest – and almost instantly, Sasuke slapped it away.
"Don't touch me."
Sakura bit back her emotions and let the raven-haired boy continue in his tracks.
Before Mayuri went to aid Sasuke, she hesitated before she pulled Sakura aside, away from Naruto and Sasuke's hearing range. In cautious whispers, Mayuri asked in a rush.
"Sakura-san, uhm, this may sound strange, but… What do you think of Naruto-san?"
"Huh?"
Before Sakura had a chance to answer, Mayuri saw Sasuke stumble slightly in his tracks. The brunette nodded a goodbye and ran after Sasuke in a hurry.
'Huh… I guess seeing me hug Naruto might get her thinking like that…' Sakura thought logically, then went over to Naruto to treat his wounds.
To be continued.
a/n: Hope you enjoyed :D Sorry it was a little short and the ending's a little random... ahh.. summer laziness is getting to me. Anyone else the same? (I'm sure many of you are xD) Oh yeah, Happy Canada Day :D