IKIGAI
The reason for being;
The thing that gets you up in the morning
"So, have you heard from your parents?" Her best friend asked, her pale blue eyes hesitant and worried so as her soft platinum locks were messy. She placed her jasmine tea on Sakura's small table. They were in the pinkette's used to be office when things were normal back then. They were studying some hours ago about cell regeneration, viruses and stuffs.
Her jade eyes found the open book by her side, looking at it with no interest. "No." She sighed and took another sip of her black coffee, "Let's just focus, Ino. I'll ask Itachi's brother," Another sigh as she scan another book from Ino's right, something about Neurology.
"Oh. Yes, the hottiee. What's his name again?" Ino said, pale blue eyes lightening up at the mentioned gorgeous male.
"Sasuke." As Sakura said the name. It has been over a week since their last encounter (which still made her blush when she thought of it sometimes). It somehow felt right on her lips, "Yes. It's Sasuke."
"If Sai and I aren't engaged, I'd totally hit that hot specimen." Ino replied squealing like a teenage high school student while she wiggled her sharp blonde eyebrows.
"Stop that. You look like an idiot!" Sakura laughed before she stretched her legs from their Indian position. She close the Neurology-related book after placing a flag on a specific page.
"You know, you should totally hit on that guy!" Ino laughed, "I mean, the world is ending forehead and you're still a virgin!" She gave an unladylike snort to her best friend and the pinkette rolled her eyes in return as she took another gulp of coffee.
"Yeah sure, he's attractive." Ino almost celebrated at this, "But I don't know. I mean, if he's my type or anything. I like brainy guys, you know. And I don't really know relationships at all." The pinkette laughed at this while her blonde friend gave a soft smile.
"The world will end, live to the fullest," She smiled at the blonde, "Forehead."
"About my parents," Sakura started changing the subject about relationship- or the lack of it, "I plan to go with the military's next operation on Kobe as a doctor, of course!" She gave a small laugh but quickly vanished at the sight of Ino's gaping and disbelief painted on her lovely face.
"Oh my goodness."
"You're home." Sasuke greeted to his older brother, whom he found cooking in the kitchen when he arrived around 7 P.M at their house. Itachi wore a plain white apron, navy green shirt and black trousers. He motioned his younger brother to sit and wait on the chair by the dining table and wait. Sasuke took off his navy blue leather jacket, leaving him in a
"So how is Naruto?" Itachi asked as he placed a plate of tempura on the table.
"Still an idiot, got drunk today." Sasuke replied recalling how the idiot looked even more stupid muttering how Hinata's the best woman in the world.
"Too much celebration?" Itachi asked once again as he placed a bowl of steaming beef curry. Sasuke rolled his eyes,
"Too much idiocy." He replied and watch Itachi placed two cups of miso soup.
"Not surprising. Did you leave him alone?" Sasuke stared at Itachi before shaking his head. He remembered leaving Naruto to Shikamaru. Or was that Shikamaru? He can't recall but he's positive that the Dobe will live.
"No." Sasuke replied, "Don't you think it's too much?"
"Oh, is it?" Itachi wondered as he stared at the table and Sasuke. He took off his white apron and sat across his younger brother.
"A friend of mine wants to join in your team's next mission on Kobe," Itachi said, as he waited for Sasuke to pick a damn movie. His younger brother was taking too long. 'Picky as ever' Itachi thought.
"Aa, I found it." Sasuke pulled it out from the stack and turned to Itachi, "Who?"
"Sakura." At the mention of her name, Sasuke smirked although small, Itachi never missed. He observed his younger brother whose demeanor somehow lighten up.
"What she's planning to be a soldier now?" He can tell that Sasuke was a bit amused. Itachi gave a small sigh, he knew his brother well. 'Poor woman.'
"No, just a part of the medical team." Itachi replied and waited for his brother to put the CD on their player. He laid on the charcoal gray couch while he took an extra futon for Sasuke.
"Hn. Why?" Sasuke asked and sat on the futon, letting his legs rest. He changed to a pajama and took off his shirt (too lazy to pick), showed off his well toned body.
"She's from Kobe." Itachi replied and that made Sasuke even more silent. They both know the situation in Kobe; it hardly passed the initial defense, so they were going to try again, "She's worried for her parents."
It took a minute for Sasuke to make up his mind. Sasuke knew it was dangerous and unpredictable. Even though she'll be part of the medical team, there is a high chance she might go looking for her parents. Sasuke let out a frustrated sigh as he placed an arm on the sofa patiently waiting for the movie to start.
"I'll see what I can do."
"You still have a few more days before returning." Itachi stated giving his younger brother a small smile while patting his shoulder that caused Sasuke to shrug it off.
The next morning Sakura and her team found themselves in their usual spot in the office, only this time, there were shouts and papers flying almost everywhere. Voices practically shouting at one another, the thick tension and frustration in the air hung around and enveloped the group.
"They moan like that because of Dysarthria!" Ino raised her voice at Kabuto, a bespectacled male scientist, few years older than her. He was keen on posing his own opinion, forgetting about them, again. Ino crossed her arms over her chest. She wore a lab coat over her blue horizontal striped white shirt, an acid-wash denim pants and a plain white Vans slip-on.
"How do you know it's even Dysarthria?" Kabuto demanded as he gave Ino a frown, the blonde glared in return. He was wearing a collared shirt, navy denim pants finished with an army green Converse; grayish hair in a ponytail as usual. He looked like a normal civilian person if not because of the lab coat and a black clipboard with MRI scans and different body parts.
"I'm not saying the disease is literally Dysarthria!" Ino huffed, giving her purple clipboard to the man, handing her research, "What I mean, is that Dysarthria is part of that disease!" Kabuto took it with a painstaking reaction featured in his face before going to his table to study it.
The pinkette doctor watched the scene unfold in her sleepless bright green eyes. This day, she wore a baby blue v-neck sweater under her lab coat, black skinny jeans and same shoes as Ino. She rolled her eyes walked over to Shizune's table, a woman in her late 20's. A brunette woman, wearing the same lab coat over a lavender dress that hugged her waist.
"Here's mine." Sakura handed her a folder. Shizune, with a bit surprised took the folder and skimmed the files. Sakura patiently waited for what seems like an eternity. Shizune's hazel eyes smiled along with her lips. Sakura felt happy, the sleepness nights they had endured can finally somehow help.
"Guys come over here!" Shizune called them over. One by one, they gathered to form a circle and waited for the brunette, the-second-in-command doctor to say something. Shizune took a deep breath before beaming at them,
"Sakura gathered different diseases related to the disease." Shizune said handing the folder to Ino, who gave a thumb-up to the pinkette and grinned her way. Sakura gave a smile.
"So what then?" Kabuto asked, albeit impatiently.
"We could study each of this diseases and create a cure." Shizune beamed and everyone in the room agreed, even Kabuto, "We'll start with the cure of each disease and try to formulate one. Now, go." Shizune said and they all nodded.
Soon, room was filled with different books of various authors, publications and notebooks. The room though, still had shouts of commands and flying papers.
"You need to sleep." Itachi greeted to the small woman, whom he found in the old cafeteria eating instant ramen as late lunch. The petite woman smiled back, the bags under her eyes were getting heavier every hour that passed, or so she thinks,
"We're looking for a cure." She gave a light laugh and motioned him to sit down across from her. Itachi gave a small nod and took his cup of hot water from the machine. He took the steel chair, and sat across from her. He pulled out a teabag he took from home and submerged it to the hot water.
"You've been for six months now." Itachi replied giving the tired pinkette a small smile. He watched Sakura finished her noodles and drank from her mint green mug. Itachi then, sip from his oolong tea.
"Well, I think we're getting there." Sakura replied, her dull sleepless eyes darted to the open window that showed the clear view of the building's backyard, fenced and nothingness., "If not, then, we'll try our best for vaccines."
Itachi gave a nod and indication that he respected her opinion. Silence followed them afterwards for a few minutes or so. Itachi spoke, after finishing his tea,
"You should have dinner with us." He smiled at the young woman, "My brother will be glad to have you."
REVIEW, FOLLOW AND FAVORITE :)
I know it's short. I'm keeping a certain pace. I promise an SS interaction next chapter.
also, check out Coat of Arms ;)
signed,
Schneewittchen.