A/N: Words started to escape me again, and this also unintentionally became a super long chapter which I divided again. Free time is a curse no one tells you about and I've just been churning out words instead of applying for jobs for some reason.

Sakura

She was done from the hospital and was walking back to her home when she passed by a bar with inviting, loud music. It was one of their locals. She figured she could go in and gather her thoughts. Perhaps one of her friends would be there. Perhaps she could find a lucky candidate to take home with her. She really didn't want to go home to an empty room and she was tired pining away after men she couldn't have. Everyone was out having some, why shouldn't she?

She entered The Yellow Flash, pushing past the beaded curtains and welcomed the atmosphere. The lanterns scattered around the room left the space in a warm glow, despite the smoke resting atop the ceiling and people looking bleary eyed and laughing. She took a look around and found Genma and Ebisu engrossed in a conversation at a middle table. She started to make her way towards them when she spotted a lady with long, dark hair and gleaming scarlet eyes sipping a drink casually in the corner.

"Kurenai-sensei!" she called out gladly, waving. She looked up from the book she was reading.

"Sakura-chan! Come, have a seat," she called back.

Sakura pulled back a chair and sat, her mind a jumble of thoughts. Kurenai-sensei is a single mother. She could try and take her guidance. But she couldn't reveal too much, as she was Kiba's sensei as well as a close friend of Kakashi.

"How's Mirai?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, she's fine, thank you for asking. Tenten graciously offered to look after her today in Kiba's place," she said, pausing to take a sip of drink, studying Sakura. "It is to my understanding that he has a… meetup with a friend of hers."

Sakura had suspected as much, but hearing a confirmation did nothing to soothe her feelings of anguish.

"Forgive me for intruding, Sakura-chan, and you don't have to reply if you don't want to. But have you both decided to see other people?" Kurenai said, and it was hard to stay annoyed with her soft, sensual voice.

"Kiba can do as he wants," Sakura replied mechanically. "It's his life."

Kurenai looked at her sympathetically and just took another sip of her drink when she realized Sakura was without one herself.

"Aren't you having something?" she asked.

"Oh, I'll just have carbonated water, thanks," Sakura mumbled. "I have an early shift in the hospital tomorrow."

Kurenai nodded, signalling the waiter.

They were enjoying the silence of each other's company when the waiter placed a glass of bubble water in front of Sakura and left.

"Sensei, I've been meaning to ask," Sakura began. "How do you manage Mirai and your duties so well?"

Kurenai sighed heavily. "I'll not lie Sakura, it hasn't been easy. And it may look it to you, but even now I have a hundred things and worries running in my head. It's not just the responsibilities, but you have to alter your entire life. I had not planned for Mirai's arrival, so it came as an unexpected gift. And if Asuma was still with us today, things may have been a lot different. But sadly, he is not, and it is only with Shikamaru's and my team's support that I'm able to give myself time for the simplest tasks like going out for a drink by myself at all. Life is very tough for a single mother."

Sakura tried hard to hide the wince as she stared at her water, holding the glass tight.

"The pregnancy couldn't have been any easier," she probed, staring at her own distorted reflecting in the water.

Kurenai shook her head. "It was one of the toughest stages of my life, and I have been in more than my share of life-threatening missions. I did not have a partner, and I did not have time to grieve for my lover's loss as well. I couldn't stop working, as I needed to have enough money to support myself and the child I was expecting, not to mention the other expenses you need to prepare and save for the pre and post care. I could no longer go on missions, so I had to find odd jobs that didn't pay as well till I was finally able to have my own business after Mirai was born. Thankfully, Asuma had marked me in a private ritual before he left on the mission which claimed his life, so I did have the Sarutobi's protection even if we were not officially married in the eyes of the world. It was only because of the vow of commitment he had made me that I was able to rest on my last trimester without having to worry about expenses. They have also agreed to look after her schooling. I shudder to think how I could've managed had it not been for that. Now the Sarutobi's would've obviously supported Asuma's blood, but I couldn't very well ask them to take care of my personal expenses now could I? I couldn't ask them to run my home. So yes, while I had to rest after Mirai was born, I just couldn't."

Sakura bit her lip so tight she was afraid it was going to draw blood. She clenched the edge of the table and was already starting to feel the splinters poking through her gloves.

"But Mirai made it all worth it, right? You won't take it back or regret your decision?"

Kurenai's expression softened. "Yes, yes it did. Once I held her in my arms, it was like whatever I had been through, whatever I had done and earned till then, was all for her and she made it worth it. I did not regret anything. There had been moments of doubt, sure. Before I opened my parlor, I barely saw my own daughter because I had to work all the time and you have no idea how hard that is for a mother. And if Asuma had been with me, it'd have been an entirely different story of course. The Sarutobis did take care of me. Shikamaru and Konohamaru tried to be there for us as much as they could, but they have their own family and their own life. Shino, Hinata and Kiba too. Their support was and is endearing and I doubt I could've survived without it. But dear, what you crave most of all, what you need the most, is the support of your own partner, of that I can assure you. I'd not advise a woman to go through what I had gone through if she had any other option. Once you get pregnant, you no longer have to think only for yourself, but for your child's future as well."

Sakura really wished she had something stronger to drink at the moment. The bubble water just wasn't cutting it.

"Kurenai-sensei, I wish to help you out in your parlor," Sakura found herself saying. She figured it was the maternal hormones kicking in, but she sympathized with Kurenai and also worried about herself. "I can manage and look after it while you spend some quality time with your daughter or take a breather for yourself."

Kurenai smiled. "That's mighty kind of you dear. I might take you up on that offer. But aren't you awfully busy yourself?"

Sakura knew she'd be staying in the village indefinitely as she couldn't afford to put extra stress on her body till she decided what to do. She'd try and hide her pregnancy for as long as she could if she decided on keeping her child but she'd have to start preserving her chakra even more. Her shifts at the hospital would have to cut down as well or she'd have to request a managerial role. And like Kurenai had mentioned, she needed any source of income she could get without stressing her body too much, and working in Kurenai's salon even voluntarily assured her that she'd be taken care of and have time for her child as well. But that was thinking too far ahead. She had no clan she could seek protection from. Her parents were civilians, and even if Kurenai was strongly recommending taking her partner's protection, she had no intention of doing so immediately. She could not ask the father to take responsibility, as she didn't even know who it was. Her ethic forbade her from just tossing a coin and deciding whom to go with. Her pride forbade her to turn to Kakashi and she was too embarrassed to turn to Kiba. She could run a DNA test but that would just turn too many eyes and her pregnancy would not be kept a secret, not to mention involving more people.

She could only turn to herself. Or maybe, like Ino had suggested, go to another village and have it carried out; the abortion or the DNA test.

A waiter came over and placed a glass of wine in front of her.

"Madam, the gentleman over there sent this for you," he bowed.

Sakura looked over to find a handsome boy with sandy hair and dark eyes looking at her. He was sitting with other boys, who were nudging each other and watching if she accepted. She recognized him as a fellow shinobi, a chūnin. She turned to Kurenai, who smiled and waved her on.

"Go on, have some fun darling, I should be taking my leave anyway," she said, grabbing her purse. "It was lovely chatting with you Sakura. We'll catch up soon. Come over anytime."

Kurenai stood up and left. Not long after that, the boy invited himself over to her table.

"Hi, I'm Yōichi," he introduced himself. "And of course, you're Sakura."

She raised her eyebrows and nodded, shaking his hand. She looked him head to toe and liked what she saw. He had a good body, a strong jawline, and his lips looked tailor-made for pussy-diving.

She was a consenting adult, she figured. And she needed some fun. It had been some time since she had gotten laid and he appeared a good candidate. After that very depressing conversation with Kurenai, she figured a change of mood was definitely needed.

"Forgive me for being so forward, Sakura, but it's not just me who has noticed you lately without the company of a certain Inuzuka. Is it safe to assume you are available in the market once more?" The boy asked.

"Um… not exactly," Sakura replied, pushing the glass of wine towards him. "I'm not exactly looking for a relationship at the moment."

"Not to worry, I'm not looking for something very serious immediately. We can agree that we're just here to spend a good time. Aren't you going to have your drink?" Yōichi asked, already signaling the waiter again.

"Um. No. I'm not. I have an early shift tomorrow," she tried excusing.

"Oh come on, have some," he insisted. The waiter had reached them by that point. "We'll have the Zinfandel," he told him. The waiter bowed and left, soon returning with a bottle which was promptly poured in their glasses once more. Sakura now had two glasses already poured out in front of her.

She was getting mildly annoyed at being forced a drink, but since she figured Yōichi wasn't bad looking, and if everyone else could have fun, why shouldn't she? It'd have been easier if she was able to get smashed to be more accepting. She grabbed her glass and pretended to take a sip as Yōichi continued talking. She was a good pretender, and when three-quarters of the bottle had been downed, Yōichi's speech was slurring and he was under the impression that she had drunk just as much as him when in fact it had been him who finally emptied the bottle.

He reached under the table and felt her knee. She tilted her head, smiling widely. Now they were getting to the point. She noticed that he was staring into her mouth, and she closed the gap when she leaned in and kissed him squarely on the lips. It'd have been romantic if not for the sudden cheering and jeering from his friends' table. Not to mention the alcoholic breath had made her recoil.

"I'll walk ya home," Yōichi stumbled, getting her point. He grabbed her hand as they exited the bar together and she agreed, leading the way to her house. They decided to walk through the Hashirama Senju park which was a detour. The night lights were on with dragonflies buzzing around them and crickets chirped in the distance. The trees were beautifully colored as well, and she wanted to enjoy the scenery and perhaps the complementing shadows which would hide them from passersby if needed. He put an arm around her shoulder as they walked, leaves crunching underneath their shoes.