Overdose – oh-ver-dohs – an excessive dose or a substance, situation, or quantity analogous to medicine, especially disagreeable.

PIONEER

CHAPTER 5

SAKURA'S POV

"Ah it might've been a famous song that's why I heard it somewhere else," I said, "I apologize if I brought up memories,"

"It must've been," Rin answered uncertainly.

As i lie awake in bed, the half moon's light is barely lighting my conversation with Rin still ringing in my ears and it's bothering me where i had heard that song. Maybe townspeople have heard it and i have heard it from them?

I sighed and rubbed my temples. Thinking hard about this is giving me a headache.

"You're going to get wrinkles if you continue scrunching up your forehead like that," a voice said.

Startled, I looked for the source of the voice and sensed no chakra.

A whisper in my ear, "Knock, knock, Sakura,"

I jumped from bed and looked for the voice and finally sensed a weak chakra just outside my window. I walked towards it and saw a silhouette perching on a sakura tree just outside my window. I climbed out recognizing the chakra and walked towards the tree.

"You're going to get a cold," the silhouette said.

"I don't get colds. Why are you here Sasuke?" I said as i got to the foot of the tree and saw the moonlight shining just slightly on the boy.

"Hn. I'm bored,"

"Why is your chakra so weak?" I straightforwardly asked.

Looking up at the sky and sighing, "The moon's almost gone,"

I looked up and saw the half moon with clouds hovering around, "It's going to be a new moon tomorrow. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Hn,"

Rolling my eyes, I turned towards the house, "I'm going back,"

"Don't go," a pleading voice said behind me.

Quickly turning around, Sasuke is already in front of me. His black eyes shining so brightly despite the lack of moonlight. His skin so pale as it was before. His features sharper than ever.

Reaching out to him, he immediately backed away and I answered by stepping closer to him. He backed away, I stepped closer. He backed away and I stepped even closer. His back hit the base of the tree and his eyes looking for an escape.

"Sasuke," I muttered, reaching out a hand towards his face.

He didn't answer but sucked his breath as my fingers grazed his face. His face so cold and so soft, I feel like my fingers would go through him.

He turned away and disappeared from my sight, reappearing a few feet away from me with a regretful look in his usually blank face.

"Not tonight, Sakura," he quietly said and started to walk away from me and into the darkness as the clouds completely covered the barely there half moon.

Running towards the direction he went, he was gone. I tried sensing his chakra but it was gone. I sighed and started to walk back to my room. It had become even harder to fall asleep and I just gave up. I sat up and took some medical scrolls and started a report on Miruki's disease. I've taken some blood samples and the results were normal. This research would be hard without proper resources. I should recommend Miruki to be admitted to Konoha hospital to be treated better.

The sun rose and I didn't get an ounce of sleep. It was dusk when I went out of my room and went outside. I sat on the front porch, a cardigan on my shoulders. Rin's sickness is cured which means my mission here is done and I can go home. I stood up and headed to the market place.

"Sakura!" a voice shouted before I reached the gates.

I turned around and it was Rin with a big smile on his face, "Wait for me!"

I blinked, "You shouldn't be out and about! You should be resting,"

"I'm fine. I'm sick of my room anyway,"

I sighed and turned around and went on my way.

We were walking side by side. Some villagers were greeting Rin and wishing him continuous good health. Some thanked me for curing the Rin and i just smiled and bowed back. I stopped at a fruit stand and bought a basket of red and green apples.

"I thought your mission here was over?" a voice behind me said.

I whirled around and saw no one. It was Sasuke's voice, i was sure of it so i looked around and tried to sense his chakra but found none.

"What are you looking at?" Rin beside me asked.

I shook my head and took the basket of apples from the vendor lady, "It's nothing,"

We walked around town and a pair of elderly couple approached Rin and started a conversation with him. I didn't listen much but kept my eyes sharp around me. I only heard glimpses of their talk like the elderly couple being former helpers of Rin's family. The voice I heard earlier wasn't my imagination.

Sakura

Sakura

A hand grabbed my arm, "Sakura!"

It was Rin, "Are you looking for someone?"

"What?" I was shaking my head, "Ah it's nothing,"

Rin wasn't convinced but decided to let it go, "When are you going back to Konoha?"

"Tomorrow or in a few days. I need to prepare some medicines and vitamins for you," I answered, "Your body is still recovering and weak so don't be so active right now,"

"But i feel fine! I feel stronger!"

I chuckled, "You should obey doctor's orders,"

Bam.

I bumped into somebody.

I was surprised because I didn't feel the person's presence until I hit it.

I looked up and it was Sasuke.

I really wasn't imagining anything earlier. I couldn't speak.

"Sakura, are you alright?" Rin was completely worried now.

I stared at Sasuke with mouth agape and looked at Rin and back at Sasuke again. Rin...couldn't see Sasuke?

Sasuke smirked and turned around and walked away.

"Wait!" I shouted.

I started to run but Rin held me by my arm, "Where are you going?"

I looked at him and back at the path in front of me. And it was empty once again.

He was infront of me. I ran into him. I felt it. My shinobi senses isn't stupid.

"Maybe we should go home," Rin started, "it must be the lack of sleep, yes?"

I didn't answer but followed him as he walked towards their family estate. I subtly released a wave of chakra within 100 meters. People with high chakra capacity would resonate with mine and i would be able to pinpoint their location. Of course it wasn't foolproof for stronger shinobis can hide their chakra and presence and block my chakra wave but it was worth a try.

I felt a lot of week chakras, none with the intensity of what it assume Sasuke's calibre.

We arrived at the estate and I bid Rin goodbye, " I think i'll take a little nap. I'm pretty tired,"

He smiled, "It's okay. Thank you for accompanying me out,"

I waved goodbye and went to my room. The moment I sat of the bed, all sleep in my body just disappeared. I couldn't be wrong about what I saw and heard today. I was Sasuke and I was going to find answers. I wouldn't be able to calm myself down if I didn't.

I laid down the bed, my legs dangling over the bed. I closed my eyes and willed myself to sleep. I saw Sasuke in my dreams before, maybe i'll be able to talk to him if I slept and dreamt.

NOT.

After closing my eyes, I had dreamless sleep and woke up with a start because of a loud rapping on my door.

I groggily stood up and slowly walked to the door, every step felt heavy. I was breathing hard when I reached the door.

It was one of the family helpers, "Sakura-san, Sokaro-sama has requested that you join their family for dinner,"

I blinked, "Okay. I'll just fix myself up and I'll be there,"

I sighed and closed the door and went to the bathroom. Kami, I was exhausted as hell. My every step felt like I weighed a ton and my breathing became shallow and shallower as I closed the distance between the door and the bathroom.

I painstakingly opened the bathroom door and went to the sink. I looked up at the mirror and saw that my face was pale as a ghost's. My eye bags seemed like it was getting darker the longer I stayed awake. I washed my face and gripped the sides of the sink as I suddenly felt disoriented. I slowly sat on the bathroom floor and clutched my spinning head. I shivered and felt sick as hell.

I crawled towards the toilet and i weakly held the toilet seat and puked whatever little food I've ingested for the day. I was breaking out in cold sweat and started to feel faint. I was getting dizzier by the minute and the strength was failing me. I was half awake when I realized that my body is already falling and my head was about to hit the floor when a pair of arms caught me.

I must be sicker and more delirious that I thought because of what I've seen through my barely open eyes.

"Stupid Sakura," Sasuke whispered as I finally lost consciousness.