Walking this deep inside of Konoha's Lower ring was new experience for Sakura. She felt as if she stumbled in a maze. There was so many twists and turns that made her head spin, not to mention all streets looked alike- small houses aligned along the dirty road.
'How do these people live here or find their way around? It all looks same to me. I wonder if boy would be offended if I asked him how does he know how to find his house? Uh what's with the smell it'll take hours to get it out of my hair' she thought, but never voiced a thing. She just looked around and pretended to be curious. Like she could be interested in a life of a lowly peasant, ne?
Though one thing did struck her as odd. Elderly women and children were present here and there but there were no men. She had heard stories and rumours about Lower ring but none held information about poor living conditions and absence of, what it seemed, half of population. As quickly as thought came Sakura dismissed it.
Suddenly they came to a stop. Sakura saw old, almost run-down, little house in front of her and frowned. Sakura wasn't sure it qualified as a house. The thing was so small it could take as much space as half of her room. Konohamaru was pulling her leg right? He didn't really expect her to go in there, did he? The house looked like it'll crumble any moment. 'Is he trying to kill me?!' she thought. Konohamaru saw the look she was giving him. It felt like 'are you an idiot' look and he would know it's not like that's the first time he'd seen it. He decided to shrug it of for his mother's sake. She learned him to treat female population with at least some respect and to have manners around them (not that they made job easy but he was trying give him credit for that, and in some cases he could act like himself). So he decided to play this one somewhat right.
''Are you going to stand there whole day or are you coming in? And don't look at me like I'm the greatest idiot alive. I can tell that you're wealthy, hell everyone here can, but I'm not doing this for any kind of reward.'' when he saw her disbelieving look he continued ''I'm doing this because my late mother would have killed me if I had behaved like an ass and left you on the road, dirty.'' he finished and she just stared directly in his eyes trying to figure out if he was telling the truth. When decided that he wasn't lying she took a deep breath and couldn't believe herself for what she was going to do. She bowed slightly and said ''I don't know what came over me, sometimes I really forget my manners. Yes, I'll enter and thank you for your hospitality.'' her cheeks flushed red for second time that day. That was embarrassing (bowing before a boy) but she tried to assure herself that her pride wouldn't allow her to let peasant turn away with the impression of having better manners then herself.
Konohamaru laughed. He expected everything but that to happen. He even expected a slap or annoyed and childish stomp and huff but definitely not the bow and from the noble at that.
''Well then Sakura, ladies first.'' he said, opened the door and did mock curtsy. Oh he did not just mock at Haruno. 'That little- Sakura language, lady should not speak in that manner. Yes, yes. Can I at least tell him something back you know I'm itching to. No, you just bowed and gave sort of apology. Do you want to repeat it? No, I don't think so. Good, now breathe, relax and keep that temper at check. And admit it, it was funny. Bye-bye for now. Ah, yes mother.' Sakura mentally rolled her eyes at her inner self, settled for glaring at Konohamaru and went in the house.
When she went inside she allowed little smile to escape to her lips. It was funny. 'Do we really look that ridiculous while doing curtsy?' she wondered and half hoped her inner will answer. They didn't speak for a long time now. As if he heard what was she thinking about the boy answered ''Yes,you do look ridiculous while doing that'' 'What on earth he can read minds' Sakura thought in half shock. ''No I can't read minds, your face expressions are just that easy to read.'' Ack, why didn't he just went and stabed her she thought. 'And here I am thinking I have a perfect façade-' ''Sakura, come'' and that snapped her out of it.
'Bossy aren't we peasant.' as soon as she thought of it, it didn't sound right. 'No, not 'bossy' that doesn't suit at all.' It didn't feel like a command (if did she wouldn't have caught herself following him) nor demand, but it wasn't a question either. So what was it? And why it felt so warm an welcoming? Then it hit her. It was so simple it hurt. It was an invitation. Don't get her wrong. That definitely didn't change anything about her. She just had one of those feelings that make you feel good, confused and weird at the same time. Why such feeling you ask?
Well this was the first time, in whole Sakura's life, that her presence was wanted. Not command, demand or question that didn't take 'no' for answer. She didn't have to follow because of any kind obligation. She could choose and answer with yes or no and she liked the feeling. It felt like she's free to do what she wanted for the first time ever. But confusion and weirdness were present too. Why? Even her friends no, acquaintances (no one knew nothing about her except for being filthy rich) demanded, hell even maids seemed to like to command when given a chance (''Raise your hands...miss''). And here's the boy, complete stranger from Lower ring, that gives her a hand and a choice! The only coherent sentence she could think of was a question. 'Why didn't I see it, feel it the first time he said it?' The answer is simple, really. She was more interested in her dirty dress than her surroundings.
There was a crash followed by loud thuds that brought Sakura out of daze. Well those feelings were short-lived. They gave in because something bigger started to surface. Fear.