Kakashi run in the direction that Genma's pointed. The gravity of the situation hit him like a tidal wave. He didn't realize the extent of Sakura's pain, and the guilt of leaving her alone in that state weighed heavily on him.
Without uttering a word, Kakashi disappeared in a swirl of leaves, rushing back to the village. When he wasn't able to find her there, he returned to their home, thinking that Yamato was able to bring her home. Dread and worry gripped him as he approached the house, unsure of what he would find. As he entered, he was met with a haunting silence that echoed through the empty rooms.
"Sakura?" he called out, his voice tinged with concern. No response.
He moved through the house, checking each room but she cannot be found. He summoned his ninken and set out again. Half an hour later, Pakkun came back.
"Where is she?" Kakashi demanded without preamble.
Pakkun hesitated for a moment, sensing the urgency in Kakashi's tone. "I tracked her to the outskirts of the village, but then her scent became faint. It's like she disappeared."
Kakashi's heart raced, fear gnawing at him. He couldn't lose Sakura, not now. Without another word, he sprinted in the direction Pakkun indicated, following the faint traces of Sakura's scent. The realization that something might have happened to her intensified his panic.
As he moved deeper into the outskirts, the surroundings grew quieter, and the anxiety in Kakashi's chest heightened. Finally, he spotted Yamato perched on a tree.
"Tenzo, where is she?" he asked.
Yamato looked down at Kakashi, his expression a mix of concern and relief upon seeing him. "Kakashi, she's over there," he pointed towards a small clearing in the woods. "I can't carry her back to your house, even in this state she can still inflict damage and pain. Go after her, sempai."
Without waiting for further instructions, Kakashi hurried towards the indicated direction. As he reached the clearing, his heart sank at the sight that unfolded before him. Sakura lay sprawled on the ground. Her hair was a tangled mess, with twigs and leaves knotted everywhere. Her clothes were dirty, as if she rolled on mud. Her feet, hands and knees were bloody, and her eyes stared at him, unseeing.
Kakashi's breath caught in his throat as he rushed to Sakura's side. Panic and guilt surged within him, knowing that he might have pushed her to this state. He gently cradled her in his arms, his hands trembling as he brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
"Sakura," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "What happened? Can you hear me?"
Sakura's eyes remained vacant, and her body felt limp in Kakashi's embrace. Fear gripped him as he desperately tried to assess her condition. He could see the signs of exhaustion and distress etched on her face, and the sight tore at his heart.
'Am I too late?' he wondered silently to himself. 'Did I cause her to be like this?'
Kakashi's heart pounded in his chest as he cradled Sakura in his arms, her unresponsive form revealing the toll of her distress. Guilt and fear twisted within him, the realization that he might have played a part in Sakura's current state weighing heavily on his conscience.
"Sakura," he repeated, his voice more urgent this time, desperation creeping into his tone. He gently shook her, hoping to rouse her from whatever tormented state she was in. "Please, say something. Anything."
But Sakura's vacant stare persisted, her eyes seemingly disconnected from the world around her. Kakashi's mind raced with worry as he carefully assessed her injuries, noting the blood on her hands, knees, and the dirt-streaked clothing. His concern deepened at the realization that she might have endured more than just emotional pain.
"I'm so sorry, Sakura. I didn't know... I didn't understand," Kakashi muttered to himself, his voice filled with regret.
He carefully lifted her into his arms, cradling her against his chest. Desperately trying to make her see him. But she remained still, her eyes fixed on one place. It was as if she wasn't aware that he was there.
Then she suddenly moved. She just sat up and swatted his arms away from her. He carefully tried to hold her, but she just stood up and wildly looked at her surroundings.
"Kakashi." she whispered, and he thought she finally saw him. But when Sakura started walking away from him, he realized that she was just whispering his name.
He followed her and his keen hearing did not miss her chanting.
"Kakashi. Kakashi. I need to find Kakashi. Where are you, Kakashi? Where did you go? Kakashi Where are you? Kakashi. Kakashi." He saw how her shoulders shook. "I need you, Kakashi." She kept on chanting the same words over and over again.
Kakashi's heart sank as Sakura continued her desperate chant, each repetition of his name echoing through the quiet clearing. He followed closely behind her, his steps weighed down by a mixture of guilt, concern, and a growing realization of the depth of Sakura's distress.
"Sakura, I'm here. Right here," he pleaded, trying to reach through to her. But she continued to mutter his name, her eyes darting around as if searching for an elusive figure.
Kakashi felt a lump forming in his throat, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He couldn't bear to see Sakura like this, trapped in her own torment. He decided to take a different approach, to break through the haze that surrounded her.
"Sakura, it's me. Kakashi. Your Kakashi," he said gently, emphasizing the possessive pronoun in hopes of anchoring her to the reality they shared.
But Sakura seemed lost in her own world, her eyes distant and unfocused. She continued to chant his name, the desperation in her voice cutting through the air. Kakashi felt a deep ache in his chest, torn between the fear of losing her and the regret of not being there for her when she needed him the most.
He took a step closer, reaching out again to gently touch her arm. This time, she didn't recoil. Instead, she turned to him, her eyes locking onto his with a mixture of confusion and sadness.
"Sakura, I'm here for you. Whatever happened, we can face it together," Kakashi reassured her, his voice soft but determined. He could see the internal struggle in her eyes, the pain that she was trying to hide behind the distant gaze.
For a moment, Sakura seemed to register his presence. Her eyes flickered with recognition, and a hint of vulnerability appeared in her expression. But then, as if a switch had been flipped, she pulled away from him.
"No, you're not him. You're not Kakashi. Kakashi would never leave me. He promised," she muttered to herself, her voice shaky. The words cut through Kakashi like a knife, and he realized the depth of the wounds he had unintentionally inflicted.
"Sakura, it's me. I'm Kakashi. I'm here," he insisted, desperation lacing his words. He reached for her again, this time gently cupping her face in his hands. Sakura's gaze met his, and he could see the storm of emotions raging within her.
"No." Sakura's voice is just a whisper but he heard it loud and clear. "No." Her eyes met his again, but now they held a vacant look, as if she was seeing him through a fog. The repetition of his name continued, a broken record playing in her mind. She turned her back on him and continued walking. Her feet are already leaving bloody traces on the ground, but it was as if she doesn't feel the pain anymore.
Kakashi's heart sank as Sakura continued to reject his presence, her whispers of denial cutting through the air like a painful lament. He watched helplessly as she turned away, her steps leaving a trail of blood on the ground. The weight of responsibility and guilt bore down on him, and he knew he couldn't let her slip away further.
"Sakura, please," he implored, a mixture of desperation and sadness in his voice. He followed her, staying a few steps behind, careful not to startle her further. "Let me help you. I'm Kakashi, your Kakashi. I'm not leaving you."
But Sakura's chanting persisted, her mind seemingly trapped in a loop of distress. Kakashi struggled with the conflicting desire to respect her space and the urgency to bring her back from the edge.
He followed her and tried to tell her that he was there. That he is already there. But it was as if she's already imprisoned in her own mind. She just kept on walking, not noticing where she is, until she reached town again. She's still chanting his name nonstop. As if trying to summon him by saying his name.
Kakashi's heart ached as he watched Sakura continue her aimless walk, her desperate calls for him echoing in the empty streets. The townspeople stared, their expressions a mix of concern and confusion, but Kakashi paid them no mind. His focus was solely on the woman he loved, lost in her own world of pain.
He tried to approach her again, to break through the walls that seemed to imprison her mind, but every attempt was met with rejection. She pushed him away as if he was a stranger, her eyes never truly seeing him. It was as if she had retreated into a shell, unreachable and detached from reality.
"Sakura, please," Kakashi pleaded, his voice filled with a mixture of sorrow and desperation. He couldn't bear to see her like this, lost and broken. He wanted to be the anchor that pulled her back, but it seemed that an invisible barrier separated them.
She continued to walk through the town, her steps unsteady, and her words a haunting mantra. The townspeople gave them a wide berth, unsure of how to react to the heartbreaking scene unfolding before them. Kakashi felt a knot forming in his chest, a sense of helplessness consuming him.
He decided to stay close, to follow her wherever she went, even if it meant keeping a distance. He couldn't let her wander alone in this state. As they walked through the village, Sakura's chant never ceased, her gaze vacant and distant. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the streets, but there was no warmth in the fading light.
They reached the outskirts of the village, where Sakura had initially disappeared from Kakashi's senses. The air felt heavy with sorrow, and Kakashi watched as Sakura's steps faltered. She looked around, her eyes searching for something that wasn't there.
"Sakura," Kakashi called softly, not wanting to startle her. He approached her cautiously, his heart breaking at the sight of her tears streaming down her face.
But she didn't acknowledge him. Instead, she sank to her knees, her hands clutching at the earth beneath her. The pain etched on her face tore at Kakashi's soul, and he knelt beside her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Sakura, please look at me," he implored, his voice filled with genuine concern.
Sakura's vacant gaze finally turned towards Kakashi, and for a moment, it seemed like a spark of recognition flickered in her eyes. But it was quickly replaced by a distant look, as if she was seeing something beyond him.
"Kakashi... I need to find Kakashi. Where are you, Kakashi? Kakashi, where are you?" she repeated, her voice a desperate plea. "Please, you promised. You promised me." The repetition of his name became a haunting refrain, echoing in the quiet outskirts of the village.
Kakashi felt a deep ache in his chest as he continued to witness Sakura's torment. He didn't know how to reach her, how to break through the walls that seemed to surround her. His attempts to comfort her had been futile, and the weight of guilt pressed down on him.
Kakashi knelt beside Sakura, a profound sense of helplessness settling over him. He wanted to be the Kakashi she sought, the one who kept promises and provided comfort. But her eyes remained distant, fixated on an intangible presence that haunted her.
"Sakura," he whispered, his voice a gentle plea. "I'm here. Right here with you. Please, let me help."
But Sakura's desperate chant continued, the repetition of his name a stark reminder of the pain that gripped her. The fading sunlight cast long shadows around them, creating a somber atmosphere that matched the heaviness in Kakashi's heart.
He decided to try a different approach, to appeal to the memories they shared. "Sakura, remember the moments we've been through together. The times I promised to stay by your side. I meant every word."
Yet, Sakura's eyes remained fixed on a distant point, her grip on reality slipping further away. Kakashi felt a knot in his stomach, torn between the need to respect her pain and the urgency to pull her back from the edge.
"Sakura, please," he murmured, a hint of desperation seeping into his voice. "I can't bear to see you like this. Let me in, even if just a little."
"I'm here, Sakura. Right here with you," he whispered. But his words didn't reach her.
Then, suddenly her chanting began to change. "It's not real. It's not real. He had not left. He promised me. He won't leave." She was digging her fingers through the hard earth and her hands began bleeding again. She shook her head. "No! It's not real. He loves me. He said he loves me. It's not real. He won't leave. He won't leave. He loves me. He said he loves me. No. No! NO, IT'S NOT REAL!"
Kakashi's heart sank further as he witnessed Sakura's internal struggle, her cries of denial echoing through the quiet surroundings. The intensity of her emotions painted a painful picture of the turmoil within her mind. He felt a profound sense of responsibility, grappling with the realization that his actions, or lack thereof, had contributed to her current state.
"Sakura, I'm here," Kakashi pleaded, his voice laced with a mixture of sorrow and determination. He reached out to gently touch her trembling shoulders, hoping to provide some comfort.
But Sakura recoiled from his touch as if burned, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and confusion. "No! You're not real. You left me," she cried, her voice cracking with desperation. "The real Kakashi would never leave me."
Kakashi's heart clenched at Sakura's words, the pain evident in her voice cutting through him like a blade. He withdrew his hands, giving her the space she seemed to need, though every fiber of his being longed to comfort her. The weight of guilt intensified, knowing that Sakura perceived him as an illusion, a betrayal of the promises he had made.
"Sakura, I didn't leave you willingly. I'm here now," Kakashi said, his voice tinged with regret. He kept a careful distance, not wanting to agitate her further, yet refusing to abandon her in this fragile state.
Sakura continued to mutter her desperate cries, each word a plea for the reality she wished to be true. Kakashi struggled with the helplessness of the situation, aware that mere words might not be enough to bridge the gap between them.
The night enveloped them, casting shadows over the clearing, and Kakashi's resolve remained unwavering. He decided to try a different approach, to reach her on a deeper level. "Sakura, look at me," he urged gently. "I understand that you're hurting, and I'm truly sorry. But I'm not an illusion. I'm here because I care about you, and I want to help. Let me in, even if just a little." He inched towards her but never too close or did he ever tried to touch her.
But Sakura continued to repeat her mantra, as if trying to convince herself of the reality she desperately wanted to believe. Kakashi felt a deep ache within him, witnessing the woman he loved trapped in her own anguish.
"Please Sakura. Look at me." He placed his hand against her cheeks and force her to look at him. "Please, Sakura. I'm here. It's me. It's Kakashi."
Sakura's eyes finally met Kakashi's, but it was as if she cannot see him. The internal struggle within her was evident, the pain etched across her face. Kakashi continued to hold her gaze, his heart breaking for the woman he loved.
"Please, Sakura. I can't bear looking at you like this." He forced the woman to sit from her spot but she was resisting him. "Please Sakura." Kakashi implored. "Please, see me. It's me."
Sakura's eyes, still filled with torment, flickered as if trying to focus on Kakashi's face. Her breathing was erratic, and her body trembled with a mixture of exhaustion and distress. Kakashi, desperate to break through the walls that imprisoned her, held her shoulders firmly.
"Sakura, look at me. It's Kakashi. I'm right here with you," he pleaded, his voice a gentle yet urgent whisper. He searched her eyes for any sign of recognition, any spark that would indicate she was aware of his presence.
But Sakura's struggle persisted. She seemed caught in a loop of pain and confusion, unable to fully grasp the reality around her. Kakashi felt a lump forming in his throat, the weight of the situation crushing him. He couldn't bear to see Sakura in such agony, lost in the depths of her own despair.
"Sakura, I love you. I'm not leaving you. I'm right here. I'm sorry I left. I'm sorry." Kakashi said, his words carrying the weight of his emotions. He pulled her into a gentle embrace, hoping the physical closeness would offer some comfort.
For a moment, Sakura's body tensed against the touch, but then, slowly, she leaned into him. Kakashi held her tightly, his heart aching at the pain she was going through. He whispered words of reassurance, then slowly her chanting ceased, and she fell asleep in his embrace.
When Kakashi felt her breathing evening out, he let out a sigh of relief. And pulled her closer to him. He thought she would never come out of her own mind. He peppered her hair with kisses, his own eyes welling up in relief. He just learned that he lost a child, now it was as if, he is losing her too.
As Sakura slept in Kakashi's arms, the weight of the emotional turmoil they both experienced lingered in the air. Kakashi held her close, unwilling to let her go again. The events of the past few hours had taken a toll on both of them, and Kakashi couldn't shake off the guilt for not being there when Sakura needed him the most.
"I'm sorry." Kakashi murmured. "I didn't mean to leave like that. I'm so sorry, Sakura."