Water and oil
Three
"I'll learn to love her. But she's never learning to love me."
"Welcome to the Land of Tomatoes." One of the guards welcomed them. After some identification and talk, they gave permission for them to pass. Neji, Kiba, Sakura and Shikamaru only nodded before walked inside the country.
The country was warm and nice. Sakura could feel the wind kissed her neck every now and then. She loves at here. It's not she not like being in Konoha, but at here, she found new feeling. Not the same feeling she got at Konoha. She felt great. And she smiled genuinely at that.
"Urgghhh, she smiled. Must not get near her." Kiba said.
They were already pulled off their mask when they were eating their lunch under one of tree there. The food that they bought was not very fond but good enough to fill their empty stomach. Only Sakura sat the further way, while Shikamaru, Neji and Kiba with Akamaru sat in circle. All of them looked at Sakura only to receive a death glare from her.
"This country only to make my stomach growled." Kiba commented while gave Akamaru another food.
If Sakura is friendly to him, she would like to agree with him. Land of Tomatoes? She didn't even see one tomato at all. What purposed to give the country name tomatoes if there zero tomato.
"It's not like this country named after tomato because they plant tomatoes. The Land of Tomatoes was named like that because the founder loves to eat tomatoes." Shikamaru sighed. If he had another mission with Kiba, he was not sure if Kiba could survive from him or not. He's making his head hurt.
"Oh? Is this time I should feel grateful because our founder not in love with leaf?" Kiba asked. Three of them looked at him if he had a diseased. Moron diseases.
"You sure are an idiot, Inuzuka. Are you pay attention or not when we were at Academy? Iruka-sensei already told us the history of the Leaf." It's like Sakura could not contain her anger anymore.
"Sorry, but I'm not like that Uchiha. I love to play with Naruto." Kiba replied only to get a smack on the shoulder by Neji.
"I don't know what your problem is but you're making it worse to make me angry, Inuzuka." She already stood up; hands folded crossed her chest showed that she's already at her limit.
"I don't have any problem especially with you, Sakura. You're the one that fuss around like some immature girl. So, what if I talk about Sasuke and Naruto. What it is that bugging you so much?" Kiba shouted back. Akamaru barked noisily beside him.
Sakura didn't say anything except hissed, "Don't call me Sakura. I hate it when it came from someone like you."
Then she walked away.
"Twice a day." Shikamaru said. "New record, Kiba."
water and oil
They found Sakura at the entrance to the Feudal Lord's office. She said that they need to find a clue first. Kiba only mumbled that she acted like the boss when Shikamaru was the leader. Neji found it hard not to hit his head. He thought maybe Kiba had lost one of sensitive wire on his head when he was kid. He needs to confirm that when they going back to Konoha.
"Welcome, welcome." The old woman greeted them. It's appeared she was the Feudal Lord's wife. From its view, she's between forty to fifty years old. She wore some black dress. She still mourned her husband death.
"Thanks for coming, all of you." She said while the servant putted down the drinks. Shikamaru only nodded in polite. The young girl smiled shyly before moved away. Sakura felt disgusted at same point.
"It's a small matter, Minae-sama." Shikamaru gave a small smiled. "It's our duty after all."
"Oh, let put that aside and we better move to our original plan." Sakura whispered at Shikamaru. She getting annoyed feeling all the time and at same time she can't get rid the feeling at the young girl behavior earlier.
"Minae-sama, actually we were here to ask you about Sogaru-sama's death. I'm sorry, but this is our job to investigate the one who kill you husband." Shikamaru asked politely.
Before the woman talking, one of their servants ran towards her and whispered something that made the widow's face all pale.
"I'm sorry but I need to check on my son." That's she said before walked faster to the one of rooms there. They only nodded and looked at her worriedly. There's must be something not good because there's a noise voice behind the door.
"Someone get a doctor, please!"
Then the scene that only you can see in movie where people started running all over the place, shouted to each other, tumbling all the way, pale face. Shikamaru putted into one word; chaos.
"Haruno, you better step in. Looks like they need a doctor in there." Neji said ignoring the face Shikamaru gave. Like he's buy it.
Sakura for the first time moved voluntarily into the room with her full ANBU set and disappeared behind the door. Three of them followed her; after all, they don't need another people died because of Sakura's wrath.
There was someone laying on the bed, Sakura already chased out the servants. Only Minae-sama and four of them, include the boy who laying on the bed, in the room. Minae-sama was holding the boy's hand. The boy tossed around the bed. He had a minor injured on his right shoulder.
"Let's me handle this, Minae-sama. I'm a medical-nin." She said in soft voice. Even Kiba shocked at her soft side. Maybe she's not the same girl earlier. Maybe it's an act. Yeah, it's confirmed. It's an act.
The woman still not let go her son's hand. But after some pursued by Shikamaru, she exited the room. Her eyes pleaded to her so she could do anything, something, to save her son.
Sakura drew closer to the young boy who was breathing hard. His shoulder already clean up and the bandaged still new. He's not more than 16 years old. He has child like face with pale skin, she doubted that must be the pain, messy grey hair and light blue eyes. She only manages to catch the blue when he opened his eyes.
She carefully opened the bandaged only to see some scratch. Not more than two inch. The green light emitted from Sakura's hand. She began her works while the other look amazed. She made note to herself that never let anyone see her work anymore. It's kinda annoying and distracted.
"He's poisoned."
They were looked to one another. Maybe they're ANBU but that don't make them know everything. "Anything we can help?"
Sakura looked at Neji who brave enough to ask her.
"By my poison." That's answered the entire question.
water and oil
"Let's kill him." Sakura already pulled out her kunai. Her voice was dark. They didn't like that because she's not that kind of people who talk in dark manner. Sasuke did.
"It's too early to make an assumption." Shikamaru said in calm-opposite of Sakura- he's always calm and collected. That's why the Hokage made him the leader.
"Before it's too late." Sakura said.
"We need to go back to the Konoha. We need to report this." Shikamaru said. His mind still lingered on the event earlier. After Sakura saved the kid-named Yui-, he asked him a few questions. Shikamaru never begged that much in his life. Sakura refused to give the antidote at first but after few promised he gave to her, she agreed.
The boy seemed got his injured when he's at forest. Someone threw a dagger at him. Then he got back and all he could feel was pain. He asked, Uryuu- the servant, to treat him. However the pain started to hurt more. Shikamaru could jump into two conclusions; one, Yui is lying. Second is, someone attacked Yui after Sakura threw her poisoned dagger at the assassin.
Sakura glanced at Shikamaru. His forehead made many lines and she didn't like to see him like that. He must think so hard.
"I make up my mind." Sakura said, startled the others, "I'll kill that boy."
"Are you nut, woman?" Kiba shrieked. "He was barely 15 years old. We don't have any evident that he was attacked us."
"Sasuke went to Orochimaru when he was at that age and he died." Sakura replied almost calmly. "It's better now or never."
"That's and this are different." Kiba could not believe this girl. First she was all soft and like I-come-from-Heaven but next she was like I-was-just-got-threw-out-from-Hell-please-fear-me. Yes, its long sentence just like Sakura's long glared that will make hole on your forehead.
"You sure this is Sakura. You may mistake her with some Orochimaru's lab test." Kiba whispered to Neji.
"She is. I already checked her chakra." Neji confirmed it with his activated Byakugan.
"You're crazy, Sakura." Kiba said.
"And you're idiot. Shut up."
"Neji, could you please make them both silent?" Shikamaru asked in so called polite manner.
"My pleasure." He activated his Byakugan and ready to give a blow at both of them who looked terrified.
water and oil
"So, you really hit Sakura." Kiba pointed out.
"Yeah, it's better that way." Neji replied as he glanced back at Shikamaru. He still has the lines on his forehead. He will look old if he keeping does it that.
"And for me to carry her is the best idea?" He asked while trying to balance himself with Sakura on his back.
Neji ignored him. He should felt grateful that he's not attack him but Sakura. Well, it's was missed blow to tell the truth. He actually wanted to hit Kiba but he succeeds to dodge it and the blow hit Sakura. Now, he's regretted this.
"Shut up, Kiba." Neji hissed. Kiba groaned. Not only he needed to carry Sakura but got scolded by Neji. How great his day can be?
"We'll camp here. It's already dawn." Shikamaru announced. Three of them stopped walking and started working. Kiba putted Sakura under one of the tree with a bag as a pillow. Shikamaru already decided to report the event first to the Hokage before make another wrong decision.
water and oil
When she opened her eyes, she saw stars. A lot of stars. Last time she saw was when she went a mission with Naruto and Sasuke-kun. They even counted the stars. Naruto said it was three hundreds, she said it was five hundreds and when they asked Sasuke, they got no answers only to find Sasuke already slept. They both never felt so stupid and angry at same time but they laughed at it anyways.
She moved her hands to the mid air, tried to catch the star but it can't. She can't even she tried so hard. Same when she tried to save both of her friends. She too powerless. She's not strong enough. She relied onto others and that's made her weak. But not anymore. She not goes ask others for the help. She closed her eyes again.
"Haruno." She looked up. Shikamaru.
"Say thanks to Hyuuga. My head hurt like hell." She got up, dusted herself and jumped to the one of the branch. Not so far from the camp but far enough so they can't disturbed her.
Two hours later, three of them sat at the middle of the camp. The wind too cold. They made the campfire big enough but the cold never disappear. Kiba was in the middle between Shikamaru and Neji while Akamaru sat under one of the tree there.
"Where's Haruno?" Neji asked out of blue. He's never thinking she's an important person until he saw her determine face when she tried to save Yui, well, after Shikamaru begged her to buy new medicine stuff. How cheap.
"She's being up there for whole hour." Shikamaru replied. He gathered himself next to the fire. He was so cold.
"She's not dead, right?" Kiba asked. Shikamaru really wanted to hit him upside down that time.
"How's about you ask her to come down here?" Neji asked. He really wanted to look him half dead on Sakura's hand.
Kiba grunted. Both of them glared at him. Even Akamaru barked. Kiba hissed something like "traitor" before got up and vanished in seconds.
water and oil
Sakura opened her eyes. She felt chakra right above her and found something, someone, on the branch. She was trying to have some sleep there.
"What do you want, Inuzuka?" She asked.
"Well, the sky looks clear tonight." He pointed out. Sakura was only 'hn' before he felt ignored.
"Look, I came here to apologize to you. I know that I'm being rude to you today." He said.
"And idiot too."Sakura added.
"Yeah, eeehhh, what?" He shrilled. "I'm not idiot."
"Yeah and Hyuuga not a Byakugan's user."
"I'm sorry, Sakura."
"So, tell me. How do you want to end up your life? I'll fulfill your dream." Sakura gathered her chakra onto her hands. Seconds passed when Kiba already flew out.
He landed exactly when Shikamaru and Neji were discussing how to decompose Kiba's body after Sakura killed him. They looked at him with shocked eyes.
"I'm surprised you still alive, Kiba." Neji gave derogatory commented.
"Well, after I'm being nice and politely apologized to her. She threat to kill me. How ungrateful." Kiba sat down and crossed his arms.
"You deserved that." Neji said.
Kiba turned silent. Neji glad.
"I was thinking." Kiba said.
"You can?" Neji asked. Kiba gave him a deadpanned.
"Shikamaru, how can you marry with her?" Kiba asked, ignoring Neji glared.
Shikamaru was watching the sky when Kiba asked him. At first he was ignoring him but after Neji said something like 'she once dressed up like clouds', Shikamaru answered it.
"Because she is Haruno Sakura."
Both of Kiba and Neji turned silent.
"According to my book," Neji said.
"You sounded like Sai," Kiba commented but Neji ignored it.
"You must love someone enough to let her or him being in part of your life." Shikamaru would agree with Kiba if Neji drew out his book.
Shikamaru never felt so frustrated. How come this conversation turns around into his personal life? He must did some deed lately. Oh, he must seek his father and mother forgiveness when he comes back to Kanoha. After all, they never approved him to marry Sakura instead they wanted him to marry Ino. Yes, it's karma.
"I'll learn to love her. But she's never learning to love me."
Kiba for the first time felt touched. He never thought Shikamaru this gentleman. Who thought that the clouds lover said that to human being? If he could put Sakura into this categorize. She's monster if he ever see one. He looked where Sakura hiding herself.
"You know Shikamaru. She is crying right now."
Continue.
thanks for the read .
KawaiiShyGirl; She is. She afraid to love and to be loved.
Ranita4ever; thank you. I need that .
Melyss; they're sweet couple for me .
the more I wrote, the more mistake I made .