note.

Sakura's family is slightly OC, however I've actually taken inspiration from their Road to Ninja counterparts.

Please take in account that this chapter is largely written from Sakura's point of view even though this is third person. To fully understand all the nuances, as Kakashi says: one must look underneath the underneath.

On another note. Don't ask for spoilers or info on what happens in the future chapters of this fic. You won't get a reply.

track 29.

It's the fourth time in the week that Sakura returns home late. The familiar buzz of her phone tells her that its already eleven. She's been frequenting Sasuke's after school for so long it's become a regular occurrence. However, she doesn't expect to find her parents waiting by the door this particular night. Arms crossed, a gate to their home as she pushes her shoes off.

"Where have you been?"

"At Sasuke-kun's."

"The Uchiha's?" If her parents don't approve of Sasuke's family. They don't show it. What they do show, however, is their usual look of disappointment towards her. By now, she's too used to it to be affected.

"By the way..." She struggled on how to approach the topic that Mikoto had excitedly told her about earlier. "The school trip is coming up and-"

"You're not going." Her father finished before she could even start.

Ever the peacemaker at home, her mother tried to mitigate the decision. Well aware that Sakura had never asked for much from them. "Otou-san, she only didn't score well on one test. Just let her go."

"One test too much. Everything begins at one. Soon she'll be failing all her subjects. She's been spending so much time with those friends of her's that she's neglecting her studies."

Ah. There it was. Sakura knew where the conversation was leading again. Of course, it was never her fault for below excellent grades. There was always going to be a bad influence around her, always something to blame. She was their star daughter who could do no wrong. Perfect in every way. So there definitely had to be something else they could blame.

"I'm sorry. I'll work hard, it's just because I've been stressed out due to Home Economics. I'm not very good at cooking." Scanning the look of concern on her parent's face, now with knowledge that there was potentially going to be another area in which she may be failing, she quickly added that it was reason she stayed at Sasuke's. She was lucky that this was the first time they've actually caught her.

Her mother nodded in understanding, but her father... "As if the boys can cook. Don't make excuses just to laze off."

"I meant that-"

"Don't talk back at us. We're only looking out for you. Do you know how lucky you are to be going to such a good school and receive such outstanding education for a shot to get into university? You know how much it means to your mother and me. You won't make it to med school at your current rate."

I know. Sakura wanted to say. I know. You mention it at every opportunity you get. Every time I give you an opening. At every moment when I am my weakest.

"You know your mother never even the chance to go to university, that's how lucky you are. You said you wanted to come back to Fire for high school, and we let you because they consistently ranked well. But if you disappoint us like this just because of those boys, we're not letting you go on a school trip of all things." He spat out 'school trip', as if it were some cursed word, and the mere taste of it in his mouth made his want to puke.

"Now is not the time to be focusing on boys. Once you get to university, you'll have lots of chances to have fun. Catch up on dating and all that." Her mother gently chided.

Guiding her into the dining room, they sat at the table, expecting her to take the seat she was so rarely acquainted with. "I'm not saying you shouldn't have friends." Her mother began. "But you need to choose them wisely. Perhaps Uchiha Sasuke is fine. But you don't have to be so close to Ino and Naruto, they're not going to benefit your future. Wooden doors face wooden doors, and bamboo fences face bamboo fences."

She wanted to shout that they were wrong about Sasuke, that he wanted to become a singer too. Tell them that they were just like the rest of the kids at school that judged Sasuke because of his upbringing. But her parents would never understand. They never did. Sakura knew that they did mean the best. And she kept on reminding herself of that as hot tears began to stream down her face, increasing only with each word they said.

Their approach was so wrong. She didn't understand how they didn't see how much stress she was under. Because of them. And she hated that she had to make excuses so that she could blame anything, and anyone but them.

It made her so similar to her parents.

With this new found knowledge, she turned once again for the door. Her dad stood to. Stopping atop the ledge right before the dent of the single step that she stood under. "Where are you going? Haruno Sakura, You stay right here. I haven't finished talking to you."

Snatching only the scarf that dangled swiftly into her grasp, she waived the coat that was lain near her mother. Mikoto had wrapped it snuggly around her neck right before she left their place and it still had remnants of the Uchiha's lavender jasmine scent.

She wondered when she started to smell of another family's detergent more than her own.

"I'm going to see Sasuke-kun. Who you approve of."

"Not at this time of the night." She could faintly hear out the worried gasp of her mother under her dad's demanding voice. "You stand right there this second-"

At the familiar slam of the door. Sakura never heard what they said next.