Six months had passed, and Sakura buried herself on her work. To all of her patient, she's a happy pink-haired medic. For her friends, she's a busy, distant friend. But for Ino, she's lonely.

And Ino hates herself for saying what she needs to tell her best friend.

"Sakura, you busy?" Ino asked, hoping that she is, so she won't have to say it.

"Nope, I just finished filing the requests." Sakura answered as she placed the last folder in the stack. "What is it?" she asked.

"Ah... do you happen to know a certain Mitarashi Anko?" Ino asked.

Sakura looked up from her desk, her brow furrowing. "Mitarashi Anko? Yeah, I know her. Why do you ask?"

Ino hesitated for a moment, her eyes avoiding Sakura's gaze. "Well, she... she mentioned something about Kakashi. She said she's been spending time with him lately."

Sakura's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Kakashi. She tried to maintain her composure, her voice casual. "Oh, really? I didn't know they were close."

Ino nodded, studying Sakura's reaction carefully. "Yeah, she mentioned that they were dating for the last two months."

Sakura felt a sudden wave of emotions, a mix of surprise, hurt, and a hint of betrayal. She quickly masked her feelings behind a forced smile. "Oh, that's... that's great. I'm happy for them."

Ino could sense Sakura's attempt to hide her true emotions, and she sighed inwardly. "Sakura, are you really okay with this? I know it's none of my business, but I care about you. If you need someone to talk to..."

Sakura shook her head, dismissing Ino's concern. "No, Ino, really. I'm fine. It's been six months, and I've moved on. Kakashi and I weren't compatible, and I've accepted that."

Ino didn't push the matter further, respecting Sakura's desire to keep her feelings to herself. However, she couldn't shake off the feeling that Sakura might not be as okay as she claimed.

Over the next few weeks, Sakura focused even more on her work, burying herself in the hospital duties to avoid dwelling on the past. She maintained a façade of strength and indifference, but Ino could see through the cracks.

One day, after their shifts at the hospital, Ino invited Sakura to grab dinner at their favorite restaurant. As they sat in a quiet corner, Ino decided it was time to address the elephant in the room.

"Sakura, I know you've been putting on a brave front, but I can see that it still hurts," Ino said gently, stirring her drink. "You don't have to pretend with me. How are you really feeling about Kakashi and Anko?"

"Nothing." Sakura assured her. "I'm just happy that Kakashi found someone, he deserves that much."

Ino raised an eyebrow, skeptical of Sakura's response. "Sakura, I've known you for too long to believe that. You can't just switch off your feelings like that. It's okay to admit if you're hurt or if it bothers you."

"I'm really okay, Ino. Don't worry about me." She reassured and picked up her chopstick to dig in when she heard a familiar voice. Sakura ducked away from the view.

"Do we really have to go here?" Kakashi asked. "We are just going to talk about the mission."

Ino glanced in the direction of the voice, noticing Kakashi and Anko entering the restaurant. She could sense Sakura tensing up, even though she tried to hide it.

Kakashi spotted them and approached their table. "Hey, mind if we join you?" he asked with a casual crinkling of his eyes, as if everything was perfectly normal.

Sakura forced a smile, trying to act unaffected. "Sure, Kakashi. Anko. Have a seat."

As Kakashi and Anko took their seats, Ino observed the dynamics at play. Sakura was doing her best to keep up the appearance of composure, but Ino could see the turmoil beneath the surface.

Kakashi, unaware of the tension, continued, "We were just discussing the latest mission. Anko has some valuable insights."

Anko chimed in, "Yeah, Kakashi here thought it'd be a good idea to get my perspective. Teamwork, you know?"

Ino glanced at Sakura, who was now focused on her food, avoiding eye contact. Ino decided to steer the conversation away from potentially uncomfortable topics. "That's great. Teamwork is essential. So, how has the mission planning been going?"

Kakashi and Anko began discussing the mission details, and Ino joined in, trying to maintain a sense of normalcy. Anko turned to Sakura.

"Hey, how is the hospital?" Anko asked.

Sakura shrugged. "Okay. It's just hard not being able to use the seal. It's much easier that way."

Kakashi chimed in. "You know why Tsunade-sama ordered that right?"

Sakura avoided Kakashi's gaze as she answers. "I know. I just need to get acquainted with the use of my plain chakra." She answered. "Ino, can you take care of my patients for tomorrow? Ask my secretary for the files. I'm not feeling well." She dubbed the napkin in her mouth. "I'm sorry, Kakashi, Anko, I have to leave." She stood up after leaving some bills on the table and walked away.

"Sakura, wait - " Kakashi called after her.

But Sakura didn't stop. She continued walking away, her pace quickening. Ino exchanged a glance with Kakashi and Anko, both of whom looked puzzled and concerned.

Ino decided to follow Sakura, leaving Kakashi and Anko at the table. She caught up with Sakura just outside the restaurant.

"Sakura, wait up," Ino called, reaching out to gently touch her friend's arm.

Sakura turned to face Ino, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I'm sorry, Ino. I just... I can't do this right now."

Ino nodded understandingly. "It's okay, Sakura. You don't have to pretend. If you need time alone or someone to talk to, I'm here for you."

Sakura forced a smile, grateful for Ino's understanding. "Thanks, Ino. I appreciate it. I just need some time to process everything."

Ino gave her a supportive hug. "Take all the time you need. And remember, I'm here whenever you're ready to talk."

As Sakura walked away, Ino couldn't shake the feeling of helplessness. She wished she could do more for her best friend, but she knew that healing from a heartbreak took time.

Meanwhile, back at the restaurant, Kakashi and Anko exchanged glances. Anko could sense the tension and decided to address it.

"Kakashi, what's going on between you and Sakura?" Anko asked bluntly.

Kakashi sighed, running a hand through his silver hair. "It's complicated, Anko. We were together, but things didn't work out. I didn't expect to run into her here."

Anko raised an eyebrow. "Complicated how? Did you mess things up?"

Kakashi hesitated before responding, "I have difficulty expressing certain things. Words aren't my forte, and it became an issue for Sakura. She needed to hear things I struggled to say."

Anko chuckled, "Hatake Kakashi, struggling with words? Now, that's a surprise." She teased. "I never even thought that you have problems expressing yourself."

Kakashi shot her a half-hearted glare. "It's not funny, Anko. I care about Sakura, and I never intended to hurt her."

Anko leaned back in her chair, studying Kakashi intently. "Well, you better figure out how to fix it, or you might lose her for good. And not just because she found someone else."

Kakashi's visible eye widened in realization. The possibility of losing Sakura completely hit him harder than he expected.

"I need to talk to her," Kakashi muttered, standing up abruptly.

Anko nodded. "Yeah, you do. Just be honest, Kakashi. Sometimes, that's all it takes."

Kakashi left money on the table to cover their portion of the meal and hurried out of the restaurant, his thoughts consumed by the need to find Sakura.