"Sakura, I'm going to the town. What do you want?" Kakashi asked. He planted a kiss in her cheek as she tries to keep the sunlight from her eyes.

"I don't know. Fruits maybe? Just not the citrusy ones, they made me cough." Sakura rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes. Its been a month since Kakashi learned about her illness. And he made sure that she is always well-provided.

Little did Kakashi know, she always tries to use the seal to try and borrow some more time, and somehow she's given a few more days. But she knows that one day, Mitotic Regeneration is going to fail her. Its been sustaining her for years. She just needs a little more time. She just wants a little more time with her family.

"Okay." Kakashi answered. "Don't go anywhere okay? I'll be back before you know it."

She smirked. "Don't worry your troublesome girlfriend will be here waiting for you." She echoed her words from years ago.

"Troublesome but worth it." He echoed back. Fighting his tears from escaping "I'll be quick, Sakura. Wait for me okay?"

Kakashi's biggest fear is to come back home and see Sakura slumped somewhere in the house. And he will be too late.

"Okay." Sakura whispered.

"Yumi will be out. ANBU is very demanding."

"I know. But they better bring her back to me. Or else, Ibiki will be on the receiving end of my fist." she threatened weakly.

Kakashi chuckled, appreciating Sakura's spirit even in the face of her illness. "I'll make sure she comes back in one piece. You just rest and take care of yourself."

Sakura nodded, her eyes reflecting a mix of gratitude and love. "I love you, Kakashi."

"I love you too, Sakura. Until next time," he said, echoing their shared promise.

As Kakashi left the house, Sakura closed her eyes, savoring the warmth of the sunlight filtering through the windows of their bedroom. She took a deep breath, feeling the familiar ache in her chest but also the comforting presence of the Mitotic Regeneration technique temporarily holding her fragile state together.

As thick black lines envelop her body, she can feel the ache in her chest alleviate slightly, although it doesn't make breathing easier. But she's grateful for the small reprieve. At least, she knows she'll live to see another day.

But as the lines started to retract back to the purple diamond seal on her forehead, she can feel the bones in her ribcage starting to break. But her chakra was able to mend that, but not as thoroughly as she used to mend it back before. Not as thorough as she likes. In a few months, if she's lucky to have it, she will not be able to heal it. And Kakashi and Yumi will know the extent of her condition.

What Sakura didn't know is that Kakashi haven't left the house yet. And he saw every effort that she does just to stay there for a few more days. His keen hearing doesn't miss the sound that the break in her chest created.

Kakashi stood at the doorway, hidden from Sakura's view, his heart heavy with the weight of the truth he had just witnessed. The internal conflict within him intensified as he grappled with the desire to spare Sakura the pain of knowing he had seen her vulnerability and the need for honesty and want to share her pain.

As Sakura continued her struggle, her strength waning, Kakashi's resolve solidified. He stepped into the room, his presence a mixture of concern and determination. Sakura's eyes widened in surprise as she noticed him, and she quickly tried to compose herself.

"Kakashi, you're back already?" she asked, her attempt at casualness falling short.

Kakashi crossed the room in quick strides, his gaze unwavering. "Sakura," he said softly, "why do you always lie to me?"

Sakura looked up at Kakashi, her eyes reflecting a mix of surprise and vulnerability. The moment of honesty she had tried to shield him from had arrived sooner than she expected. She took a deep breath, knowing that there was no more room for evasion.

"I didn't want you to see this, Kakashi. I don't want you to see me like this," she admitted, her voice carrying the weight of her struggle. "I didn't want you to worry any more than you already do. I thought I could spare you from this pain."

"If that is your objective, I'm sorry to tell you, it doesn't work. You just made me feel useless, Sakura. I want to be with you in every way possible. Even the most painful parts of this."

Sakura's eyes glistened with unshed tears, her vulnerability laid bare before Kakashi. She reached out to him, her fingers gently tracing the lines on his face. "I didn't want you to see me like this, Kakashi. I wanted to protect you from the pain of watching me deteriorate."

Kakashi cupped Sakura's face in his hands, his gaze unwavering. "You don't have to protect me. I'm not your average shinobi, Sakura. I want to be here. Don't keep things away from me."

Sakura's tears spilled over as she nodded, the weight of her emotions evident in the way her shoulders trembled. "I just... I didn't want you to see me weak. I've always been the strong one, and now... now I feel like I'm falling apart." She looked at him. "I'm scared, Kakashi. This is the first time that I really want to live. I want more time with you and Yumi. I want things that I didn't know I'd ever want, and I can't get it."

Kakashi's heart ached at Sakura's words, and he pulled her into a tight embrace. He could feel the fragility of her form, the reality of her condition sinking in with each passing moment.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Sakura repeatedly chanted. "I was the one who told you it's fine. Now I'm the one who's falling apart."

Kakashi held her close, his own emotions raw and unfiltered. "Sakura, you don't have to apologize. You're not alone in this. We face it together, just like everything else. I want to be with you, every step of the way."

Sakura clung to Kakashi, finding solace in his warmth and the sincerity of his words. "I don't want to lose you, Kakashi. I don't want Yumi to lose her mother again. I'm an absent mother as it is. I don't want to leave her again." Sakura buried her face in his neck, her tears soaking into Kakashi. "I never thought I'd want more time, Kakashi. But now, I want so much more."

Kakashi just listened to her words while his heart is breaking. He wanted more time for her too. But life dealt them with their cards. They can't do anything to change it, no matter how much they want it.

Kakashi held Sakura tighter, his silent support a tangible presence in the room. The weight of the situation hung heavily, the inevitability of Sakura's condition casting a shadow over their shared vulnerability.

"Sakura," Kakashi whispered, his voice a mixture of sorrow and determination, "we'll make the most of the time we have. We'll cherish every moment together. Let's not waste anymore time. Okay?"

Kakashi felt her nod. And it was enough for him. Enough for now. But never enough for the lifetime that he wants.