I wanted to apologize in advance for why this update took so long. I just began college, and the process of transitioning to school and moving took all my time. I hope to begin regularly updating again very soon. Thanks to all those still reading! xoxo
Sakura sat at the café table waiting patiently for her sensei. She hadn't seen much of him in some weeks now, and she was eager to check up on him and make sure that he was doing all right. Well into her thirties, Sakura thought of him more as her friend now rather than her sensei; there was an undeniable fondness between the two of them that persisted well beyond the bond of teacher and student. Though he was never able to give her a proportionate amount of attention between Naruto and Sasuke's explosive personalities, Tsunade had rounder her out nicely, and he always took the time to dote on Sakura's incredible spirit and strength. During his time as Hokage, Sakura would often visit him during the day when she had extra time to spare and help alleviate his workload by running his various errands, or taking on extraneous missions that needed immediate attention. Most of his time was now spent at the hot springs with Gai; the stress of war, being Hokage, all the while simultaneously leading one, if not the, most dysfunctional teams in all of Konoha had taken its toll on him. He preferred to remove himself from bustle of typical Shinobi life, and nestle in the warm, calming springs.
A mess of gray hair meandered through the door and triggered the small bell above the door. Her attention was quickly drawn to the entrance, and she happily shot up from her chair, cooing, "Kakashi-sensei!" and waving madly in his direction. It was impossible not to see her; Sakura always made it incredibly easy to spot her in crowd. She saw the creases of a light smile in his mask as he shuffled over toward her table. "Hello Sakura," he mumbled as she flung her arms around him. "Oh, Kakashi-sensei! I haven't seen you in so long! Sit, sit."
He calmly took his seat at the table. A steaming cup sat in front of him, and he inspected it curiously. "I hope you don't mind, I already ordered you some tea. It's lavender, it's good for you."
"Thank you. Are you still watching my health for me?"
Sakura smiled. "It is my job, isn't it? I am a medic after all."
They smiled as Kakashi reached for a sip of his tea, first discretely pulling his mask to the side to put the cup to his lips, then blowing on it lightly. Sakura gawked, "Unbelievable!" She swiveled her head in an attempt to peer at his bare face, but was unable to see anything other than the bunched fabric of his mask and his hand. Pushing it back over his nose, he sighed in satisfaction. "That's very good tea." He noticed Sakura playfully glaring at him. "What?"
"I can't believe that you still won't let me see your face!"
"I told you guys. I don't take off my mask."
"Do you wear your mask with Gai-sensei?"
"Gai? You think he's seen my face either?"
She rolled her eyes and half-laughed. "So where have you been these past few weeks?"
"Oh, Gai and I were just traveling to some of our old spots just outside of town. He's made a lot of progress with his rehabilitation, though he still needs his wheelchair more often than not."
"Well, that's still good to hear."
She listened to him briefly explain some of when a bushel of yellow hair behind him caught her attention. Slowly her eyes followed the figure bobbing behind her teacher. It even had the same stupid haircut. Jagged yellow spikes sticking straight up. No way. That's not him. Is it? Without even noticing, she had tuned out the sound of his voice as she stretched inconspicuously in her chair, only to find that it was no one more than a perfect stranger. Kakashi's lowered pitch stirred her from her trance.
"Sakura?"
"I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"I asked how things have been going with you."
"Oh, yes, things…are good. Yeah...they're good."
"Is everything okay, Sakura? You seem quite distracted."
"Oh, yes, everything's fine. I've just had a lot on my mind lately."
"Anything I can help with? I still know a thing or two about a thing or two."
Sakura let out a tired sigh. Regardless of whether she wanted to, she would have to tell Kakashi. If he didn't, he would just read her emotions and thoughts anyway. Lately he had also acquired quite the nose for news and gossip.
"Kakashi-sensei…have you ever loved someone, and I mean really loved someone…but known, deep in your heart, that you're just not right for each other?"
"You don't have to speak so vaguely with me, Sakura. There's only one person you could be talking about."
She felt herself growing slightly embarrassed, worrying about whether or not she would regret having this conversation. Her finger absentmindedly stirred around the rim of her cup. She squirmed in her chair and diverted her attention away from him. Kakashi leaned closer over the table to give her a sense of security amongst the many people in the café.
"I just…I don't think Sasuke can, or ever will, love me the way I've loved him. And I don't know how much longer I can be his lapdog, patiently waiting for him to come around and show me some attention when it's convenient. And I can't take what it's doing to Sarada."
"They say love breeds sacrifice. To what extent…well, I can't really say."
"It just feels like I'm the only one making sacrifices."
"I'm sure he doesn't necessarily enjoy being away from you two for so long."
"But…why doesn't he write? Why doesn't he visit?"
Kakashi wasn't used to not having answers, and he uneasily stared at her. Sakura put her head in her hands in anguish and groaned loudly. She sat there for a minute, reveling in the darkness and enclosure of her cupped hands, before she shot up with a new, irritated tone. "You know he's never written us one letter? Not one. Not even on Sarada's birthday. Or mine. Or when she started at the academy. Or when she completed her first mission. He's missing out on so much! How can he be okay with it? It's not normal!"
"Have you mentioned this to Naruto?"
The mere mention of his name sent a quick shiver of chills up and down her spine. Her heart skipped a beat as she jerked straight up in her chair. Flashbacks of herself confessing on the park bench, writhing on his desk, crying on him in her kitchen crept into her brain. It was as if suddenly the entire café could read her mind, and everyone knew of her horrible secret. Her eyes darted from person to person for affirmation that indeed no one was looking at her with disapproving eyes. "N-Naruto?"
"Yes, Naruto. He writes to Naruto with updates, doesn't he?"
"U-Uh… yeah, yeah. He does."
"Hmm. He'd be hard-pressed to find someone else who could accurately track this threat without a sharingan."
"I know. And I know Sasuke willing volunteered. I know."
"It doesn't make it any less painful, does it?"
"No…no, it doesn't."
He watched her disappointedly drag her pointer finger in little patterns across the table. She let out a heavy sigh, her eyes flush with dissatisfaction. Despite everything, even his various attempts to kill her, she never stopped wanting to bring him home. He felt a pang of sadness, both because of Sakura's apparent depression, and because there was nothing he could to alleviate it. She had spent her whole life waiting for Sasuke. And here she was again. Waiting.
"But it's not as bad for me as it is for Sarada."
"I haven't seen her in quite a while."
"She's okay lately. But she asks me about him constantly. I know how much it's hurting her, never having her father around when all her friends are constantly with theirs. It's not enough for me to be there for her. He should be there too."
"It is difficult not having a father around as a child."
"Oh gosh, I'm sorry Kakashi-sensei, I—"
"It's all right, Sakura," he muttered, nonchalantly waving his hand, "I know what you meant. Sarada is probably feeling that way as well."
"Maybe that's why she likes Naruto so much."
"Naruto?"
"Yeah. Whenever he comes to visit, he's always asking her all about herself and doting on her, giving her praise and whatnot. She's so eager to impress him. I think she looks up to him like a father-figure. Like, the attention she gets from Naruto makes up for what she doesn't get from Sasuke."
"Guess you can't say the same about Boruto, eh?"
They both shared a small laugh.
"Even though he's busy, he still tries his hardest to make time for his children."
"I guess this wouldn't be a problem if only you and Naruto had somehow ended up together."
"…Yeah," she nervously chuckled to herself. "…If only."
Kakashi observed the shift in her tone. Though he had only meant it jokingly, it was evident that Sakura had spent some time reflecting on this very thought in all seriousness. She would never admit it, as she was always so prideful, but Kakashi understood. Her marriage had taken all from her that she had left, and the stress was beginning to get to her. Downtrodden, she gazed into the ripples of her tea. She sat unblinkingly still, her eyelids heavy, lost in her thoughts. Her thumb tapped lightly against the handle of her cup.
"Love is a fickle thing, Sakura."
"Mm-hmm."
They casually sipped tea before returning to lighter conversation.
