A/N:

Okay, you know my standard excuse for a very delayed update. Say it with me: "Been busy..."

Anyway, all your support is very much appreciated. Is there no limit to your awesomeness?


Chapter 14

Traitor


"I heard you!"

"Forgive me, Ms. Karin."

"Whatever."

Karin opened the back-side door of the car and trudged out onto the asphalt road.

Her driver said something about an engine failure or whatever crap. So, she had to walk the remaining… what? 25 to 28 meters? Yeah, about the length of a basketball court – which is exactly 28.65 meters – to their mansion gates.

The sun was high, and she hadn't brought an umbrella, and she would surely perspire, then she would have to sneak-in through the service door to the powder room and have a quick make-up retouch. Why all the fuss? Because that Haruno freak was in there for another visit!

Karin would never ever face Sakura without her best look on.

I should always stand-out next to her.

She didn't get it, really. Why did her dad keep on inviting the two Harunos, when he would only spend most of the time conversing with uncle Kizashi about business and expect her to keep the freak entertained all throughout? Why not just… don't invite Sakura? Problem solved.

But then again, her dad had always been enthusiastic with the idea of her and Sakura being 'close'. Since their childhood days, he had always reminded her that Sakura needed a friend, and Karin could fill in that spot and be nice to her and offer some help and blah blah blah.

With nobody else along the sidewalk, Karin snorted. If he only knew who needed who the most.

Her vacation days had been going great – away from the freak – until her dad phoned, while she was in the mall with Ami, and asked for her to come home early. As usual, Karin couldn't say no, since her so-called 'friend' was waiting for her back at their house.

She swore that forehead girl always ruined everything. Sakura just loved interfering with her life: at school, at home, just… anywhere possible!

And no matter what Karin did, the freak just never learned the lesson to step back. In fact, she had done the exact opposite. Sakura had developed the guts to fight back!

The nerve of that girl!

At last, Karin arrived at the massive iron gates of their mansion, decorated with elaborate art nouveau style and crafted by the most skilled artists from Europe. Landscaping of the most exotic plants accented the high-walled fences, designed by well-known landscape architects.

Gotta love the riches.

Karin was on her way to the video intercom beside the pedestrian gate, when a flash at the side caught her eye. Across the road and behind a tree, was a person wearing a hat and an overall coat, SLR in hand.

How odd. Last time she checked, the paparazzi never bothered with them. Her dad's a businessman, yes, and they were very rich – in an extreme degree, no doubt about that – but they weren't as controversial as the Haruno's were.

Unless… Slowly, her lips stretched into a grin.

This person might be following the Harunos! This was her chance to destroy Sakura's reputation! A hot issue out in the media could totally put that freak in her place.

With that in mind, Karin crossed the street, conversed with the four-eyed man, and exchanged contact numbers with him. He never took off the hat and it also hid his brows, but she could've sworn some white strands peeked behind those ears.

Oh well, she couldn't care less about his hair color. She had just found a more effective way of teaching Sakura a lesson, and she would take advantage of it.

The grin never left Karin's face. It's payback time.


The lack of noise had become a stranger ever since Naruto first stepped into this house. Sakura had gotten used to a livelier and lighter atmosphere, so the current solitude revealed an uncomfortable setting. This was a re-introduction to the familiar… a reunion with an old friend.

Her eyes were on the open book before her, trying to make sense of the letters and words, while seeing everything outside of this study room at the same time. Images of the bodyguards in their current general assembly kept on appearing out of nowhere.

How would Naruto look like all serious and focused on the discussion? What could be the topics they were tackling right now? Was her Kakashi-sensei the facilitator? Would Sasuke share his opinions with everyone?

The barrage of pictures stopped there, and zoomed in on that last person.

Sasuke

Sakura turned a page; intent on concentrating with what was real, what was tangible, on the facts… the truths. She was sick of all the lies she forced to choke down and tried to digest. All the wishful thinking and a chance at a deeper kind of relationship were flushed down the drain, straight to the sewer line.

Just the thought of him brought her back at the center stage, where the campfire was the spotlight and the crickets were the amused spectators in a comedy show. Where acid spread underneath her skin at his casual dismissal, and her heart almost dropped to the stomach as it drained of hope. She was the performer – the laughing stock.

The mockeries of her grade school classmates when she tripped in class, along with Karin's insults at the corridors, were no more than a single cell out of the trillions that make up the human body. The rest took up her most embarrassing moment. The rest consisted of what she attempted to do with Sasuke back in Yama.

She had a chance at being truly appreciated and understood by someone other than her Kakashi-sensei. She had a chance at gaining a friend, who could stand at her side and not just in front – shielding her with their backs in sight. She had a chance at being close to Sasuke.

And she blew it.

Now, sleeping had become an even more difficult task, so she tossed and turned in bed for hours. If she was lucky, which was a rare occurrence, the dream express would stop by her room at midnight.

These past weeks, she often caught herself heading to the backyard, when she actually intended to visit the study room. She frequently misplaced her phone, some books or other small items, then later on discover them in an obvious location.

When they visited the Uzumaki's the other day, Mr. Uzumaki also commented that she appeared to have lost a few pounds; most likely because she hadn't been interested in filling her stomach lately. The thought of chewing and gulping down food just looked unappealing. The bodyguards and maids, who joined her at the dining table in almost every meal of the day, had also noticed her lack of appetite. But she always answered them with an excuse that she had eaten a snack, which was a lie.

In addition, Sakura hadn't been much in the home gym either. One, because Sasuke would work-out with her, and she wasn't ready to be in the same room with him for that long. And two, because her aikido lessons from Sasuke could resume, and she might not bear having close contact with him at this point.

She just didn't know how to face him anymore. There was a hint of happiness in knowing that he hadn't quit the job after her act. But then, whenever he was around, she couldn't muster the courage to look at him straight in the eyes, and all the heat in the room would tend to gather at her face.

She wanted to apologize and bring back the times when she found it easy enough to voice out her thoughts to him. She missed spending time with him and Naruto, where she could just listen to the blonde's bantering, while stealing a few glances at Sasuke for a secret game of spot the difference, scanning his face for any trace of smirk, pout or a crease on the forehead that hadn't been there before.

Unfortunately, right now, his presence always sent a pinching sensation in her chest; as if her pendant could pass through her body and squeeze the surface of the heart hidden inside. Right now, Sasuke's presence caused her mind to black out, making the practiced apology get stuck in her throat, forgotten.

What if he would brush her off again? What if the campsite episode wasn't such a big deal for him? What if… he saw her as an addition to his fan girls?

To stay away from him would be the best option. She would get over this depression eventually… just like every single one in the past.

Sakura's shoulders slumped as she stared at the page she had been at for minutes now. The words remained stubborn. They refused to register in her mind. Irritated at her lack of concentration, Sakura closed the book, stood up, and put it back in the shelf.

The bodyguards' meetings often lasted for an hour or so, and it had only been thirty minutes. How about she stopped by the home gym for a while? Of course! This was the perfect time for that, since Sasuke wasn't with her.

Damn. Why hadn't I thought of that earlier?

Sakura strode out of the study room and emerged at the quiet hallway. The maroon carpet muffled her footsteps as she headed to her room.

So, she would have to change her attire, stay in the gym for at least twenty minutes, and then return to her room before the meeting ends. That sounded like a good enough plan.

She was approaching her dad's home office, when she overheard voices from the other side. Upon taking a glance at the door, she noticed the vertical crack between the leaf and the jamb, indicating it was ajar.

"I don't think so." Shishou?

"Why? What are you afraid of?" Her dad's collected voice followed.

"What if Sakura could not accept me?"

What? Sakura paused by the door, intrigued.

"We'll explain everything to her. I'm certain she would understand."

"I don't think this is the right time, Kizashi. She just recently finished her therapy with Shizune."

"That is exactly my point. She's in a better state now, and is more than capable of handling the situation. I think it's time we tell her."

All the eavesdropping-is-bad and it's-rude-to-interrupt-a-conversation ethics flew into the trash bin. She had a feeling she should be a part of this exchange, and judging from what she heard so far, she would have been informed about their topic anyway.

Sakura took a step towards the door and gave the panel a slight push. It swung to the side and revealed a visual of her shishou on one of the seats before the desk, and her dad on his feet, facing the window just beside the table. At the soft creak of the door, they turned their heads to her direction, eyes wide.

"Time to tell me what?"

Silence followed and lingered in the room.

Her dad was the first to break it. "Honey, have you been out there for long?"

Sakura shook her head. "Just now. The door's open, so I kind of heard you were talking about me."

The adults exchanged meaningful glances, before Tsunade sighed and motioned for the seat opposite her.

"Sakura, why don't you take a seat first?"

"No, thank you. I actually have to run some errands. I just got curious about your argument and thought I could end it by letting you know I'm interested in what you're about to tell me."

Sakura's focus moved from her shishou, who looked down and kept quiet, to her dad, who held her gaze.

After one more glance at the desk, her dad walked over and settled in front of her. Determined turquoise orbs locked with Sakura's, while he placed both hands on her shoulders.

"Honey, promise me you would remain calm, all right?"

A humorless chuckle escaped her lips. "Dad, you're freaking me out." She shrugged. "Sure, I guess."

"You are aware that Tsunade was your mother's best friend, correct?"

"Yes, I am." She risked another look at her shishou, who now stood behind her dad.

"And you know that your mother had studied in a different city?"

She nodded.

"You see, way back when we were in college, Tsunade and I were… We were involved in a relationship."

Her eyes narrowed. I don't like where this is going.

"We belonged within the same circle of friends, so we saw each other more often. Eventually, our relationship developed into mutual affection, but it had only lasted for a year. After we got separated, we re-established our friendship status and were comfortable with that arrangement. Although we had not been joining the rest of our friends as often as we had, due to academic demands, opportunities for a get together in a coffee shop or a restaurant would still occur.

"It was in one of those meetings that I met Mebuki. I love your mother, honey; more so, when she gave you to me. By the time she passed away, I knew I had to do everything in my power to protect you, to provide you a thriving life. I want you to have a definite future and I aim to set a proper environment as you mature.

"Since your childhood, Tsunade had been there to guide you. She had helped us during the most difficult situations. She had been offering support and playing the part of a mother to you, because she knew your mother best and they have similarities in one way or another."

"Why are you telling me all these?"

"Honey, recently…" Kizashi stepped back and turned to Tsunade, before facing her once again. "Tsunade and I got back together."

Sakura could now pass as a statue. She had considered this possibility and yet it weighed a hundred tons more coming from her dad. Her body stayed still, even her breathing froze at inhale.

So, that was it; the reason why he had been ignoring her more often than before. She knew it. He hadn't really cared about her. He only cared about his relationship with other people: with Tsunade, with the Uzumaki's and with the rest of his business partners. She was just an excuse ever since – a daughter deprived of a mother, a lone child requiring a friend, or a celebrant with a few guests.

He had less to no time for her as it was, and now, she would have to share him with Tsunade as well?

"Honey?" Kizashi sighed. "You promised you would stay calm."

Sakura balled her fists. "What do you know about keeping promises?"

His eyebrows pulled up. "Excuse me?"

"You always promise you'd be with me in one occasion, but you spend more time with other people instead; or worse, you don't show up at all. You never live up to your own word, and now you expect me to keep mine?"

"I understand you're in a shock at the moment, and you must be upset –"

"Upset? I'm infuriated! Don't tell me you understand how I'm feeling, because you don't. You never did, and you never tried to!"

Tsunade stepped forward. "Sakura, let me explai–"

"You keep out of this! This problem belongs to MY family."

Kizashi moved sideways, blocking Tsunade's watery hazel eyes from view. "That's enough. I won't tolerate this kind of behavior, young lady. You may need more time to accept what is between Tsunade and I, but show some respect."

"You think this is all about the two of you?" She scoffed. "You haven't really tried to listen, have you? I guess I should be used to it by now."

"What do you mean?"

"You impose how I should be living my life without listening to me, that's what I mean. I told you I wanted to drive my car and you hindered me, because you said it's too dangerous. I wanted Kakashi-sensei to be my bodyguard again, but you assigned him as one of yours instead and delegated a new one for me. I disagreed with the proposition that Sasuke should follow me inside of school, but you insisted. You never care to listen! You. Take charge. Of my life."

Kizashi's brows furrowed. "My decisions are for your own welfare. I strive to give the optimum judgment suited for you and would be of reward to you in the long run."

"You only choose what you think is best. What about my views? It's my life we're talking about, after all. Yet, in times when I need you the most, you're nowhere in reach. It's always about you and your business, you and your money, you and everyone else aside from me! Why do I always have to compete with everyone for your attention?!"

"That's not true. You don't know how much I worry about your safety each hour of the day. I work hard and earn money for your benefit, so you can have whatever you may please."

"But have you ever considered what I want? No! I wanted a parent, who should have been present when I first joined a quiz bee at school, who should have been asking me how my day went and comfort me if I feel down; a parent, who witnessed my struggles and understand the value of an accomplished milestone. I want a parent, WHO'S EVERYTHING YOU'RE NOT!"

A loud slap and Tsunade's gasp were the next noises in the room. With the faint earthquake in her mind, Sakura almost didn't remember why her head was tilted to the side and why there was a sudden sting on her left cheek.

This pain was nothing compared to all the emotional beatings she had endured throughout the years. This was nothing… and so was the person who gave it. In a slow motion, she returned her gaze back at the man, who's supposed to be her father.

Kizashi's widened eyes shifted from his hand to Sakura's face, as if he couldn't believe what he had just done.

"H-honey, I didn't mean to –"

"I HATE YOU!"

Sakura sprinted out of the room and down the hallway, refusing to turn at the call of her name. That was the last straw. This just proved how a big liar he really was. He wasn't the one, who had been protecting her from all aspects; the bodyguards did that. What he did was to inflict emotional pain, and now the physical.

She couldn't spend another day inside this house. Everything suffocated her: Sasuke's overwhelming presence, the hatred towards her dad, and even the hesitation to speak with her Kakashi-sensei. To approach him would mean being close to her father's presence, which was the very thing she was running away from. This house didn't offer security anymore. This was prison.

I have to get out of here.


The bodyguards were making their way out of the lecture room.

The meeting had just ended, so Sasuke would have to find his charge's whereabouts and resume his duties. No matter how inconvenient Sakura's attendance was lately. By remaining distant, she filled the atmosphere with guilt, making him breathe it in and stay defenseless as it infiltrates his system.

She does that on purpose.

Sasuke gritted his teeth, partly because of his charge and partly because of the meeting. He needed to be more cautious now than before, because that Kakashi had proposed a new measure: to monitor the bodyguards' actions.

The discussion revolved around the room inspections that would commence on the following week, the installation of a recording device inside every guard's mobile, and the setting up of CCTV cameras in their respective rooms.

Much to Sasuke's dismay, the bodyguards had figured out the possibility that one of them could be leaking out information to the kidnappers. According to them, that could be one of the reasons why the enemies were able to trespass the mansion before, and why they happened to be aware of Sakura's schedule.

The new precautionary measure was so sudden, and Sasuke guaranteed that it was all Kakashi's idea.

The old man's persistent.

He smirked. He had to give it to Kakashi.

But let's see if that persistence will lead him somewhere.

As soon as Sasuke stepped through the doors, a tap also landed on his shoulder. He turned to the side and was rewarded with the dobe's once in a lifetime serious expression.

"Can we talk for a sec?"

Sasuke raised a brow. Go ahead.

Naruto glanced at the rest of the bodyguards walking past them and lowered his voice to a whisper. "Alone?"

Without waiting for a response, Naruto headed down the hallway, abandoning any protest Sasuke might give and leaving him no choice but to follow.

They turned to another hallway, and another, before halting in front of a door, which Sasuke recognized as the entry to the utility room. Naruto scanned the deserted hallway, opened the door and switched on the lights.

"Get inside."

Because he wanted to end the dobe's antics as soon as possible, Sasuke did as he was told. He waited inside the bleach-smelling room for Naruto, who did a double check at the hallway before closing the door and turning to face him.

"What?"

"Man! Kakashi's been sniffin' my butt!" He whisper-yelled. "This morning's the third time he questioned me about your family. I told you he won't bite the young-and-ignorant-me excuse thingy!"

Well, shit. "That's the most realistic excuse fitted for you."

"I know!" Naruto inhaled a long breath and paused. Blonde brows almost met. "Hey, what do you mean by that?! Anyways, getting back to the topic; he cornered me this morning and said that if I care about Sakura-chan, I better stop covering for you. I mean, what's that about?! Is Sakura-chan included in your plans? 'Cause if she is, humiliation be damned! Tell the whole world about my potty incident, I don't care!

"We may be friends, but I'm also loyal to my work. Protecting lives is what defines me. You, of all people, understand how much that dream means to me! Being a bodyguard will always be my priority, and any potential harm to those I protect will be eliminated. You know I hate lying, Sasuke. You better give a valid reason why I'm doin' it."

Sasuke stared at unwavering bright blue, weighing the pros and cons of telling him the truth. Did he trust Naruto enough to let him in on such confidential information? How long would Naruto remain silent if Sasuke refused to give his reason?

One thing was for sure, he couldn't let Kakashi discover his motive. Along with that, he couldn't let him gather important clues either.

"Fine. I'll tell you everything."


Sakura placed the small glass bottle back inside the cabinet and slid the mirror door closed. She gathered the pulled apart capsule casings on the countertop and threw them into the bin. On the counter, a sheet of wax paper laid spread. She folded it from the edges to its center, careful not to let any powder escape. Once the folded paper was small enough that it could fit in her palm, she slid it inside her jeans' pocket and headed out of the bathroom.

While she was closing the door behind her, Sakura glanced at the bedside alarm clock. 10:45 PM.

45 minutes more. Sasuke would have left the hallway by then.

The room was lit by a lampshade on one of the night stands, just in case Sasuke would check the lights from under the door. A backpack filled with clothes and other basic necessities rested on her bed, right next to the black sweat suit. For the final phase of her plan, Sakura had phoned Ino a while ago. Everything was set. Now, all she had to do was to wait.

Sakura walked over to the foot of the bed and sat down. Her heartbeat raced at the thought of her plan. Nervous or excited? It could be a mixture of both. Nervousness in the idea that someone might caught her and excitement for the freedom that awaited her.

She glanced at the bookshelf, where one portrait watched her every move. With a desperate need of comfort, Sakura approached the picture frame and brought it with her back on the bed.

A blonde woman, mirroring her eyes, was wrapped in her dad's arms. She was wearing a white dress, contrasting her dad's black suit. Light make-up adorned her heart-shaped face, while her smile displayed sincerity and happiness.

Mom.

Strange, if she were to say that aloud. Would things be different if her mother were around at this moment? How would her voice sound like? Her laugh? Sakura bet this woman was more beautiful in person.

She sighed. Yes, she could only guess. Imagination was a great ally, which would later on leave you hanging on the edge of reality. A traitor.

She had always wondered how it would be like to have someone brush and style your hair every once in a while, teach you how to bake pastries or cook meals; or someone you would stay up late with just chatting about anything. Experiences with her friends' mothers were some of the only basis she could have. But at the end of the day, the realization that her real mom wasn't one of them would hit back, and all she had left were daydreams.

The closest person, who had truly been like a mother to her, was… was Tsunade.

In truth, there had been a few instances when she had wished Tsunade to become her real mother. But that was before, when she was a child and thought that her dad's work was the only rival for his attention. Now, Sakura saw her and Tsunade's relationship as a competition, a tug-of-war for her dad's time.

Sakura raised a palm against her left cheek. Just replaying the events earlier fueled her desire to leave this house. A few days away from here could help tame her chaotic mind.

Even at dinner, she had chosen to stay inside this room and declined to eat with her dad. So, one of the maids, Hikaru, had been tasked to bring food over to her. That was when it crossed her mind – the perfect plan.

Hikaru, who was in her mid-thirties, was one of the maids closest to Sakura ever since they started joining her at the dining table whenever her dad wasn't around.

Sakura had let Hikaru inside the room and offered to share the food with her. They had chatted over the meal, with Sakura discreetly dropping questions related to the bodyguards' and maids' assignments during the night. If there was one thing Hikaru was good at, it was giving out too much information. She tended to get carried away about a topic and could talk for hours, which in this case, Sakura was most grateful for.

When they finished dinner, Hikaru walked out the door with a smile, leaving Sakura with the knowledge that every night: three bodyguards stay in the CCTV control room, some patrol around the mansion – inside and out, one was stationed at the gates, and at 11:30, one maid always brings a midnight snack to the control room, where the guards should be most alert.

Sakura took another glance at the alarm clock.

11:00 Sasuke's shift has ended. One down, over a dozen more to go.

She returned the picture frame in the shelf, stared at it for a few seconds, grabbed the sweat suit on the bed and wore them over her clothes, then waited for the minutes to pass.

When the clock ticked 11:25, Sakura opened the door, slid her head through the crack and scanned the hallway. Clear.

She stepped out and closed the door, nonchalant. After feeling for the folded paper, which was now in the sweatpants' pocket, she made her way to the kitchen. No one was in sight when Sakura arrived there, but because she was aware of the CCTV camera on one corner of the room, she headed straight to the refrigerator and reached for a jug of fresh milk, taking all the time in the world.

She was filling a glass, when a maid, Yumi, showed up.

"Oh! Sakura-san, why are you still up?"

Sakura turned to her while twisting the jug's cap back in place. "I can't sleep, so I thought I'd get a glass of milk. How about you? Aren't you supposed to be asleep, too?"

"I have one last chore to do, and then I can hit the sack." Yumi gave an apologetic smile. "I hope you don't mind, but I heard about what happened… Are you alright, Sakura-san?"

As much as Sakura wanted to confide with Yumi, she didn't want anyone in this house to get involved in their family problems. It was better if nobody here knew about her sentiments. That way, they wouldn't be entrapped in a situation where they would have to take sides.

Sakura forced a smile. "I'm okay, Yumi. It just takes time."

"That's good to know." Yumi opened an overhead cabinet and retrieved a serving tray.

This is my chance. "What are you doing?"

"I'm preparing a snack for the guards in the control room. Just coffee and some sandwiches."

"Let me help you with that. I know you're tired and in need of sleep. The sooner this is done, the sooner you can take a rest. I'll prepare the coffee."

Yumi smiled in relief. "Okay, Sakura-san. Then, I'll make the sandwiches."

Sakura worked with the coffee maker on the wall-mounted counter, while Yumi did her task on the kitchen island, their backs to each other.

While waiting for the machine to finish, Sakura shifted to the side to turn her back on the camera's location. Then, she reached for the folded paper in her pocket and started a random conversation with Yumi to cover up the noise from unfolding the paper and emptying its contents into a nearby teapot.

When the coffee was ready, she poured it into the pot and stirred, before taking three mugs from a drawer and setting them up on the serving tray.

"Thank you, Sakura-san." Yumi said, holding the tray and heading to the basement.

"You're welcome, good night."

"Good night."

Sakura proceeded to the stairs, the glass of milk in hand. Now, she would once again wait for the effects to kick in. According to the bottle, it would take at least thirty minutes. Well, she never really tried one ever since Shizune gave it to her, and she was glad she had always forgotten to return it. Who knew those sleeping pills would come in handy?

To be sure, Sakura waited for forty minutes. To be more than sure, she risked peering into the control room. She had to thank whoever invented the door with a built-in glass portion in it, because that was exactly the door of the control room.

The guards inside were unmoving, fronting a number of monitors that almost occupied the entire wall. Two were resting their heads on the computer desk, while the remaining one was leaning against the seat's back rest, face to the ceiling.

It worked!

Her heart started pounding, and this time, she knew it was from excitement. Finally, she could escape from this place! But wait, it was too early to celebrate. She still had to evade the patrol guards and the gate guard.

With an adrenaline rush, Sakura tiptoed along the hallways, careful not to come across any guard around. She clutched onto her backpack strap, an alarm clock in one hand. She had gotten rid of the sweat pants, of course; but kept the jacket, because the hood was a necessity for her hair.

She climbed the stairs to the ground floor and headed for the backdoor, staying on the shadows as much as possible. So far, no patrollers lingered here, and she had only spotted two upstairs, when she was heading to the main stairwell.

Careful not to make any noise, Sakura slid the glass door leading to the backyard, where she would least likely to be noticed. She would have to go around the house to the main gates, and that involved the number one disadvantage of a large living space: long walking distances.

Dim outdoor lights guided the way as Sakura traveled through the grass covered ground, near the perimeter fence and a few feet from the stone walkway. To avoid being spotted by anyone who might pass through, she remained close to the tall plants in between the fence and the stone path. Walking alongside the shrubs wasn't easy though, because they were arranged in groups, with a wide clear area between every set.

When she was halfway through the stretch of the yard and on the exposed part of the landscaping, a light beam dashed by on the spot next to her. Sakura turned to the source – a flashlight in the hands of a patrol guard, who was several paces away, walking to the backyard's direction.

Sakura raced to the nearest set of plants for cover, hoping he hadn't noticed the move. After a few seconds, footsteps drew near; and stopped opposite her place.

Please go away. Please go away.

The sound of shoes against stone was replaced by soft crunches of grass… towards her direction.

Oh no. No, no, no, NO! She could only held her breath and pray that he would retreat. She was almost tempted to mimic a cat's meow like what they did in the movies. But what if he's an animal lover?

More soft crunches. The light beam roamed the grass, some foliage, and paused there.

Then he spoke. "This is three-eight speaking."

Oh, shoot! Sakura started raising both hands in surrender. Wait, what did he say?

"I'm at the east yard. Why?"

Oh… He must be talking with someone over the earpiece.

"No, I haven't passed through the backdoor yet."

Backdoor?

"Copy that. I'm on my way." With a last swipe of his flashlight, the guard strode off to his original destination.

Sakura's breath of relief didn't escape. Damn! I forgot to close the door... I have to hurry.

She jogged towards the driveway, more intent on keeping watch of the surroundings. When she was a few meters away from the gates, Sakura crouched down behind the bushes, set the alarm clock and left it there, before making her way near the guard post. Again, she waited; eyes at her watch as the second hand crawled clockwise.

three, two, one.

*RIIIIIIIIING!*

On cue, the guard started speaking onto his earpiece and left to find the source of the noise. As soon as he was far enough, Sakura sprinted to the gates. They didn't offer a view of the outside, since they were made up of solid metal sheets with pointed grills at the topmost portion. In haste, Sakura steered to the pedestrian gate and unlocked its two side-bolt latches. Because of the gates' design, no padlock was needed, which was much to her relief.

The tall, narrow, steel gate swung inward and allowed her out. The gate's movement emitted a loud screech, and she only had a limited amount of time before the guard comes back. Sakura scanned the street and spotted the expected SUV, parked a distance away to her right. Without wasting another second, she ran towards it.

When she was close, the rear-side door swung open and permitted her to glide inside, where a scowling blonde greeted her.

"Forehead, why are you dressed like that? I thought you said we're gonna have a night out? And why am I supposed to wait out here? You said we'd meet at 12:00, umm time check?! It's 12:30!"

"I'll explain later, Ino." Sakura turned behind for the gates. "Let's move out here first."

"What's with the backpack?" Ino gasped in realization.

"Please, Ino. Let's go! I'll tell you everything on the way."

Ino gave her a calculating stare, before rolling her eyes and turning to the driver. "Let's go home."

"As you wish, Ino-sama."

The car drove away from the Haruno mansion while Sakura stared at the gates through the rearview mirror, which reflected the image of bodyguards running out of the steel barrier to the center of the road.

Ino shifted beside her, bright blue eyes glanced at the mirror and demanded an explanation. "Now, spill."


A/N:

'If you take sleeping pills with coffee, would you fall asleep or stay awake?'

This question may sound funny, but can be a tough one (I think). The net offered inconsistent answers, and there's no medical person available around here that I know of. Fortunately, after another consultation with Google, I found a (not-so) reliable source... a video game. That, and I trust those people in some forums, who answered that they had fallen asleep (yup, based from their own experiences) and those who indicated that the effect depends upon the individual.

So, let's just say the "fall asleep" option also applies to those three bodyguards. This is fiction after all, possibilities are infinite. :)