The sun was hiding behind the horizon, sinking the city slowly into darkness. The last rays fell on the trees, brightening the orange-brown leaves. Autumn was beautiful this year. It reminded the girl of pictures of her mother and father in the park under the big yellow oaks.
She could recall the photograph in her mind - a young woman with short pink hair feeding the squirrels and a man of the same age watching her from above, with a small smile showing on his face.
Her parents in this and many other photos looked happy and full of life. It was their eyes that spoke otherwise - sad, full of sorrow, so different from the cheerfulness shown on their lips.
Did they deserve the fate that had befallen them?
A sharp pain in the stomach pierced her insides. Sakura grabbed her lower abdomen, taking a shuddering breath. The last time she had such a sudden pain was two days ago.
"Are you okay, Sakura?" Ino looked at her concentrated.
They were sitting in her friend's room, playing board games and watching TV series. The two decided to spend their first day off from school together having a sleepover. Sakura's mom dropped her off at Ino's, giving her the clothes and food she had prepared earlier, and then drove home, leaving the girls together.
The first two hours they spent in the living room, dancing to music, until Ino's parents returned. They had fun, celebrating their week off. They ate dinner, did makeup, and jumped on the trampoline. All was well, until now.
"Don't worry, Ino,"
"How can I not worry? Ever since you came here, you've been looking a little pale." She leaned over Sakura, putting the top of her palm to her forehead, "Aren't you sick, perhaps?"
Sakura gave her friend an uncomprehending look.
"No- Or..." Hugging her cheeks, she felt warm.
She was burning up, but she didn't feel sick at all. When she was driving here she was gushing with energy. So what had changed?
Standing up, Sakura felt a sudden headache. She propped herself up against the dresser to keep from falling.
"Sakura?" Ino got to her feet, catching her by the shoulders "What's wrong with you?" she asked, and no matter how much Sakura wanted to answer her, she couldn't. Nausea hit her with redoubled force. Blood flew from her nose "Sa— Mom!"
She heard nothing more, falling into darkness.
…
The hospital light irritated her eyes. Sakura woke up in an unfamiliar bed, connected to an IV. A needle poked unpleasantly into her vein.
Rising to sit up, large hands grabbed her wrists. Sakura turned her head and caught sight of her father. Kizashi was sitting in a chair with tears dried on his cheeks. An anxious feeling sat in Sakura's heart.
"Dad, what's wrong?"
Kizashi broke down instead of answering, hiding his face from his daughter. Sakura herself felt like crying. She was the one who had brought her father to such a state.
The grip on her wrists tightened. Sakura looked around the room, not noticing Ino anywhere. Her friend must have gone home. A glance out the window was enough to know that it was the middle of the night.
"Sakura."
She raised her head, spotting her mother in the doorway. Mebuki was standing with a blond-haired woman at her side. The two ponies swayed from side to side as the stranger approached her. She stopped with her hands folded in front of her chest.
"I'm Doctor Tsunade and from now on you are under my care, Sakura. We'll do some more tests and determine how long you'll stay here, okay?" the woman said calmly, watching the girl's reaction carefully.
Sakura felt overwhelmed by the attention given to her. She bit her lip, not understanding anything.
"And will someone finally tell me what's going on?"
"You have leukemia."
Leukemia was like a sentence that locked her within the walls of the hospital for the next three years.
Sakura, in thirty-six months, had been home maybe two. She visited school four times, skipping classes in the middle.
Friends visited her whenever they could. Ino and Hinata always dropped by with new gossip and sweets, Naruto used to bring ramen, which he ate alone, and Sai showed up from time to time with new drawings. They kept Sakura company and she was grateful to them for it, but their sympathetic gaze was beginning to get on her nerves.
Sitting in a large chair, Sakura listened to music and waited until she could return to her room. Chemotherapy was taking the last of her strength. Bone pain had become a daily occurrence, and she had lost some pounds through lack of appetite.
"... it's over." a muffled voice came through the deafening sounds of the melody.
Sakura took out the earphone. Tsunade was standing over her, holding patient charts.
"Already?"
"Yes. How are you feeling?"
Helping Sakura stand, Tsunade led the girl slowly through the hospital corridors.
"As usual."
Sakura didn't like saying the same symptoms - weakness, nausea, pain - every time. Her doctor knew them well.
"If you're up to it, I'd like to introduce you to a new apprentice,"
"Is something wrong with Shizune?" she asked in horror. She liked this petite, kind and extremely lovable woman.
"No, of course not. Shizune will still take care of you, but she will have a new person to help."
She breathed a sigh of relief. Entering the oncology ward, they walked around two corners, finally reaching Sakura's room. Her parents had paid for a private room, wanting their daughter to have more peace and quiet.
The first thing that caught Sakura's eye was a man with gray hair and a black mask over his face. He was talking to the other person in the room - a boy, about eighteen years old; which would be strange if he was her age, because how could he have already become an apprentice; with black hair stacked pointedly in the back and equally dark eyes that could pierce her soul.
The men stopped talking noticing their arrival.
"Tsunade-sama, it's been a long time since we've seen each other,"
"Ah, I had a little hope that we wouldn't have to again, Kakashi." The gray-haired man let out a quiet laugh, scratching his neck "So why don't we get to the point."
"Of course. Sakura, my name is Hatake Kakashi and I teach in the medical field." He extended his hand, which she accepted eagerly "And this is my student Sasuke."
The boy bestowed only a brief glance on her. He looked good, but made a face as if he was still in pain.
Sakura felt weaker. She sat on the bed, with her eyes closed, listening to the continued conversation.
"I count on us to work well together, Sasuke,"
"Me too, Doctor."
The voices were beginning to get more irritating and distant. Sakura needed her afternoon nap. She opened her eyes to take another moment to listen to what Tsunade was talking about, but her body lost the battle and she fell into a deep sleep.
…
Sleeping all day was the best thing she did. She got up without a headache or bone ache, freely breathing in the warm summer air. The sun was making its way through from under the curtains, warming Sakura's face.
Yawning loudly, she stretched, ridding her eyes of the last signs of sleep.
"You're finally up." The loud voice startled her.
She turned immediately to the side, noticing the new boy.
"Shouldn't Doctor Tsunade be with you?"
"I just came to change your IV and draw blood. I don't need any assistance."
Sasuke approached her bed putting on a new IV and attaching it to a needle. The substances inside flowed down the tube and landed in Sakura's body. Sasuke stood in front of the metal tube for a while longer, writing something down for his papers. As he chewed on the pen like this and crinkled his brow thoughtfully he looked really fine.
"How long are you going to look at me like that?"
Sakura shook out her eyes, fleeing with her gaze. He had caught her, how could he? And why did he have to tell her about it?
"You didn't introduce yourself accurately yesterday." she muttered, red in the face from embarrassment.
"You don't know who I am?"
"And how should I know?" she looked at him sullenly "Who do you think you are?"
"Uchiha Sasuke."
Sakura's jaw dropped. She had met Mikoto Uchiha - the owner of the hospital - twice in three years. They talked and even laughed while sipping tea accompanied by music in the meeting room. She got to know the woman quite well, but she never boasted that she had a son. Sakura already knew why Sasuke became an apprentice at such a young age.
"Okay, I didn't expect that." she commented. The boy sat down on a chair, taking out a needle and test tube, "I didn't actually introduce myself to you either. Haruno Sakura." She held out her hand, but Sasuke didn't do the same, busy washing the inside of her elbow "You know, since we're the same age we might even become friends. You're not very talkative, so I'll start—"
"I'm not looking for friends."
"Oh..." she felt the needle poke into her vein. The feeling was already so familiar that she didn't even bother with it "It's a little... unkind."
"Unkind? You're my patient and it's supposed to stay that way."
If only she had known what an unbearable, rude and obnoxious person she would be dealing with, she wouldn't have agreed, no matter what the cost. And now she was stuck with him.
"It's a good thing you don't take care of children. They wouldn't like you."
"Will you ever stop talking? You're getting annoying."
It hurt. Sakura never wanted to make another person feel bad. She was always open and cheerful, even when she was not in the mood. She talked to others making them feel better. Haruno Sakura was a person full of goodness and smiles, and she wouldn't let a boy spoil that by talking back to her like this.
"Go get Shizune."
"What?"
"I don't want you here." She looked at Sasuke hard "And tell them to bring me breakfast."
…
In her collection, she had only two wigs. A long one that reached to her waist and a short one that ended before her shoulders. This did not bother Sakura. The only requirements she had were that they had to be pink.
Putting on the short one, Sakura found that it fit her better today. Under her green sweater she had a white insulated blouse, and for her legs she wore black sweatpants.
A knock disturbed her. She put down her red lip gloss on the table.
"Sakura, we're coming in."
In the mirror, she saw Shizune first. The woman looked as she always did, with a friendly smile that didn't leave her face until she was walking away from the patients. The second to enter was Sasuke. Since their last exchange of words, he had come in every three days, only in the presence of Shizune or Tsunade. He updated her on changes and other medical things she didn't understand. They didn't talk about anything else.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm getting ready for dinner."
"You're eating in the room." Shizune looked at her skeptically.
"I feel well enough to go down to the cafeteria."
"Oh no, my dear. It's too much for you."
Sakura stood up, turning around displeased.
"I have enough strength!"
"No—"
"I'll go with her." Sasuke interjected. He looked tired of their bickering "I'll have her under my care, Shizune."
The woman waved her hand in agreement and sat down at the desk by the window to take charge of the paperwork. Sakura painted her lips quickly and grabbed her IV, leaving the room. She didn't look back at Sasuke, but she heard his accelerated footsteps.
They rode down the elevator, stepped out into another corridor and reached the cafeteria. The large room held two hundred patients, and there were enough meals for everyone. Sakura had to admit that the food they had here was really good. Better than the one hospital she went to a year ago for a week when she was on a trip with her parents.
"You could—"
"Lee!" she skipped Sasuke, waving vigorously to her friend.
Rock Lee was in the hospital quite often. The boy had broken his arms, legs, once even his shoulder in training sessions, which Sakura thought were too tiring and Lee should limit them.
"Sakura-san, how good to see you,"
"You too. I see you can already walk."
They sat down at a table for two, forcing Sasuke to borrow a free chair and sit from the very corner.
"The bones have healed well. They're discharging me tomorrow."
"So soon? I hope you'll visit me."
The old lady served them lunch. Tomato soup and a cutlet with potatoes and salad. Steam was rising from above the food. The beautiful smell quickly reached Sakura's nostrils. Taking a spoon, she began to eat.
"I'll probably end up back here soon anyway." joked Lee.
"You better not say that."
They continued talking, laughing and eating. Sakura listened as Lee talked about his training and friends. Suddenly he lowered his voice, covering the side of his mouth with his hand.
"Does he always look so creepy?"
"Yes. He's generally quite strange." she whispered in response.
"I'm right here, Sakura."
"Really? I didn't notice." with green irises, she ran her eyes over him from top to bottom "Lee, this is Sasuke, Tsunade's new apprentice." she scratched her temple, feeling the boy's piercing gaze "He's not very talkative or friendly."
"Nice to meet you."
"Aa."
Sasuke sighed, leaning with his back against a chair. Sakura and Lee returned to their previous conversation about the boy's recent race with Neji.
All was well until then. Something dripped onto the table, flustering Sakura.
"Sakura-san..."
She only had time to look at the blood stain because Sasuke immediately put a handkerchief to her nose. He caught her under her arms, lifting her up.
"I can still—"
"I do not take any objections."
These were Sasuke's last words she heard.
…
She was looking through a magazine waiting for Shizune. The woman was supposed to show up half an hour ago and take her for chemotherapy. After she collapsed in the cafeteria two months ago, they increased her dose.
The disease, which had progressed slowly before, accelerated, taking away Sakura's precious time.
She closed the magazine just as Sasuke came inside. He tied his increasingly long hair into a ponytail and put his glasses on his nose.
"Shizune is busy." He informed, placing a small tray on the table next to him.
He took out some medicines and began counting them. He stood with his back turned, not bestowing a single glance at her.
The sight of him did not please Sakura much. She had important information to share with Shizune, and now the only person she could share it with was Sasuke, who didn't want to listen to her at all.
Sakura looked at him, wondering how stupid an idea it would be to tell him. Is it worth a try or not?
"I know you don't want to talk to me," she said uncertainly, but she saw Sasuke lift his head gently and turn an ear. She felt more confident "but I have no one to share these rumors with. So," she didn't even give him a moment to interrupt, "my friend Naruto, who is a bit dumb and couldn't notice the signs my friend Hinata gives him, finally asked her out. It would be cute if it weren't for the fact that he took her out for ramen and dressed in tracksuits! Do you understand? Tracksuits!"
"Your friend is just a idiot."
Although 'idiot' was too big a word, Sakura smiled anyway, glad that Sasuke was at least listening to her.
"You're right." she laughed "And to think he's an adult. And you, Sasuke, where would you take a girl on a date?"
"I don't go on dates."
Sakura rolled her eyes.
"But if you were to."
"To the park."
"Interesting choice." He suddenly substituted a tray of medicine under her nose, "What is it?"
"Your new treatment."
Four and a half small pills lay on the metal. Two red, two green and half a white one. A glass of water stood next to it.
"Do my parents know?"
"Tsunade talked to them."
"How much does it cost?"
"I have not been informed."
Changing the form of treatment was tempting for Sakura, but she knew the costs her parents had incurred since she was hospitalized. She couldn't subject them to spending more money.
"Put it off. I won't take it."
Sasuke hesitated, looking at her suspiciously.
"Your parents have already paid for it, so either take the medicine or throw their money down the drain."
He pushed the tray even closer, but Sakura pushed it away with trembling hands. She wanted to cry at the thought of how much hope and much-needed cash they had put into her, knowing the small chance of a cure.
"Give them their money back." she whispered.
Sasuke placed the tray angrily on the bed, taking the documents and heading for the exit.
"You don't understand anything, Sakura."
He slammed the door behind him, and tears flew down Sakura's cheeks.
…
Shizune unplugged another finished dose of chemotherapy. The weakness and nausea were not so noticeable today, so Sakura got up on her own from her chair.
A couple of children sat in the room waiting for the end. One of the girls was crying, holding her mother's hand tightly. Sakura, when she was in that chair for the first time, was fifteen years old and also needed her mother by her side because of fear.
"Shizune, reports." Sasuke appeared out of nowhere.
"It's good that you're here Sasuke. Lead Sakura to the room."
He put his hand on Sakura's back, handing the cards to Shizune and heading toward the corridors. Sakura swallowed saliva, not quite sure if Sasuke was in a good mood today or not. She had spent six months with him and their conversations were quite... mediocre.
She usually talked, sharing information from her friends' lives and a few of her own, but Sasuke didn't always listen to her. He wandered off somewhere with his thoughts, paying no particular attention to her.
"Recently I told you about how Ino took the first step towards Sai," she began, carefully watching Sasuke's reaction. He turned his head slightly, listening and showing that she could go on, "Now it was Sai who made the effort. He took her on a picnic. He even took pictures of her! They came out so pretty." she smiled, remembering how pretty Ino looked at the sunset by the river "I wish someone would take me for a photo shoot someday."
"I have a camera." he spoke up unexpectedly. He rarely contributed in conversation.
"Really?"
"Aa."
"That's— great, but I don't look very nice at the moment."
Sasuke opened the door, letting Sakura through first. He didn't comment on her personal criticism, taking care of the medicines. Handed two pills, Sakura took them reluctantly and swallowed.
By tilting the window, Sasuke delivered fresh air into the room. Autumn passed in a flash, without waiting for Sakura. Although she loved this time of year, she hadn't had the opportunity to go outside and admire it in its full glory for almost four years. She always got tremendous pains and weakness in autumn, causing her to spend three whole months in the hospital.
"Sakura."
She had never heard such a tone in Sasuke's voice.
"Yes?"
"I would like to apologize to you,"
"What's gotten into you? Sasuke Uchiha apologizes?" she raised an eyebrow, trying to find some sense in all this. There was only one thing that came to mind, which caused anxiety in her heart, "You got the information that I was going to die soon and you didn't want to feel guilty after I died, so you decided to turn into a good guy?"
Sasuke must not have been expecting such words from Sakura, because he stood as if he were stunned, not even blinking.
"You're not dying yet, Sakura,"
"I am dying every day, Sasuke." She smiled bitterly "Let's say I'll accept your apology, but on one condition."
"What's that?"
"You will take me to meet the cats."
She crossed her fingers behind her back, hoping he would agree. Sakura loved animals, especially cats, so she couldn't pass up such an opportunity from the hospital.
"But this is only for children." he said, skeptical of her idea.
"And you are the son of the owners. I know they'll let me in there with you."
"Fine."
…
Standing with a headscarf on her head, Sakura waited for Sasuke. He said he would be right back and they both would go inside. From behind the door she heard the happy voices of children.
Putting her face to the glass, she saw teenagers and kids who must have been seven years old at most, stroking cats.
"That impatient?" Sakura jumped up, frightened by Sasuke's sudden arrival "Come in."
He opened the door, letting her in. Everyone's eyes turned toward them. Sakura scowled slightly. She didn't like drawing attention to herself.
The lady watching the children looked at them quizzically, but Sasuke showed his ID, causing the woman to stop looking at them.
Sakura sat down quickly, and the black cat ran right up to her. She stroked it behind the ear, smiling broadly. The animal cozied up to her, purring. Sakura couldn't believe she was really here.
The sound of the camera rang out suddenly.
"Sasuke!" she covered her face "I told you I don't look pretty now."
"I didn't hear anything like that."
"You heard." She whispered to herself "Just stop."
"Later you can make an album out of them,"
"If you want to take pictures of me, take pictures of yourself, too."
"No— Fine." She blinked, watching Sasuke get up and walk over to the woman "Would you take a picture of us?"
That wasn't what she had in mind, but Sasuke was already seated next to her, leaning gently back with his smile that was characteristic only of him.
"Smile."
Sakura scoffed, but didn't resist, taking in the two cats and raising the corners of her mouth as much as she could. She didn't know at the time that this photo would be on the front page of an album that would be created three years later.
Returning to playing with the cats, Sakura enjoyed herself at her best. Until she felt a peculiar pain. It was the worst thing that could happen to her now. Rising from the ground, she grabbed Sasuke's terrified forearm.
"Tsunade."
"What?"
"Go get Tsunade. Quickly."
She was losing consciousness.
She felt strong arms lifting her up; she heard a desperate scream; there were calls coming from all sides.
Sakura tried not to close her eyes, because she knew there was little chance of her waking up this time.
But she lost the battle
There are two more parts left
I hope you enjoyed the chapter - feel free to let me know what you think!