Sakura opened the door to her house just to be met with total darkness. She brows furrowed, its almost 8:30, and Kakashi's shift ended at 8:00 PM. Why isn't he home?
"Sakura." Kakashi's voice rang somewhere in the house.
Sakura followed the sound of Kakashi's voice, her steps cautious in the darkness. She found him sitting on the living room floor, surrounded by flickering candles. The soft glow of the candles illuminated his figure, casting a warm and intimate ambiance throughout the room.
"What's all this?" Sakura asked, a curious smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she approached him.
Kakashi looked up at her, his visible eye filled with a mixture of determination and sincerity. "I wanted to create a special moment for us, to show you how much you mean to me and how committed I am to make our marriage work."
Sakura was taken aback by the effort he had put into this surprise. She sat down beside him, her heart softening as she gazed at the candles. "Kakashi, this is...unexpected. But I appreciate the sentiment."
Kakashi reached for her hand and held it gently. "Sakura, I know I've hurt you, and I regret it more than I can express. But I'm ready to do whatever it takes to rebuild the trust between us, to make you happy, and to keep our marriage strong."
Sakura met his gaze, her emerald eyes reflecting the flickering candlelight. "Kakashi, I want to believe you. I want us to work, but you need to understand that you've shaken my faith in our relationship. It will take time and effort to heal the wounds you've caused."
"I understand, Sakura," Kakashi said, his voice filled with sincerity. "I'm willing to put in that time and effort. I love you, and I want to make you happy."
A small, genuine smile crossed Sakura's face as she squeezed Kakashi's hand. "Well, then, let's work on this together. No more secrets or betrayals. Just honesty and trust."
Kakashi nodded, relief and hope shining in his visible eye. "Agreed. No more secrets, no more betrayals. Just us, working on our love and our future together."
Sakura leaned in, her lips meeting his in a soft, heartfelt kiss. The candles continued to flicker around them, casting a warm and intimate glow as they began to rebuild the trust and love that had once bound them together.
The next morning, Tsunade looked at the two smiling. The heavy atmosphere that surrounded the couple for the past few days is gone. And Sakura is actually smiling, whatever Kakashi did it is obviously effective.
"Well, Sakura and Kakashi, since you two already put in the time you needed to accomplish in the whole month, I'm giving you one week to... rest." Tsunade said, not looking at them.
"Hokage-sama - " Kakashi started but he was cut off by Tsunade.
"You don't have a say in this, Kakashi." Tsunade said. "And if I remember correctly, I haven't made my threats true to you when you married her. Remember them, Kakashi?" A smile graced Tsunade's lip when Kakashi nodded. "Good. You remember, so I guess you won't argue with me if I do this." Tsunade flicked her chakra-infused finger to Kakashi's forehead. It sure is painful but the force is not strong enough to deal permanent damage. "You better treat her better from now on, Hatake. Or else I'll sign the annulment papers that she gave me."
Kakashi looked at Sakura, question in his visible eye. "You submitted a petition for annulment?" he asked her.
"I did." Sakura affirmed. "Why? You thought I'm just making empty promises?"
"Take this time-off, Hatake." Tsunade said. "And fix your marriage. Your wife is going to cost me one of my ANBU." Kakashi raised one eyebrow at Tsunade's remark, but chose to hold his tongue. His mind is still on that annulment papers that's hidden somewhere in Tsunade's desk.
Kakashi sighed. "Okay. Arigatou, Hokage-sama." He thanked the blond-haired woman and grasped Sakura's hand. And lead her outside.