9

"What an absurd story! And do you know what his defense was?" Ino enthusiastically asked the crew. "The baker claims the sleeping pills intended for his wife just ended up by mistake in his kitchen, and then his pastries. Yet, among all his clients, only the Sōma girl got hit! How does it make sense?"

"He lied," Shikamaru suggested.

"I don't know, guys…I've made countless mistakes while cooking—" Choji gulped down his drink. "The guy may just be telling the truth, why would he risk his business to kidnap a girl? Besides, I heard some people say that he isn't even married."

"Well, maybe that's why the Sōmas are blaming the Uchihas!"

"For a change," Kiba mocked. "Is there anything they aren't blaming the Uchihas for these days?"

"Do you think they could be involved in any way, Sasuke?"

"Unlikely. They would've never trusted a civilian," he said with confidence, "and they wouldn't have missed their target to begin with."

Sakura snorted, which made a swig of sake go down her throat the wrong way.

"Did I say something funny, Sakura?"

"No," she coughed, trying to breathe properly. "Not at all. I just remembered…something. Don't mind me."

"Hun. You're so weird, Forehead! "

"Shut up, Ino."

Kiba frowned. "They're a bit off, though."

"Who?"

"The Sōmas."

"I find them remarkable, very well-spoken, and intriguing," Shikamaru commented in thoughtful consideration. "Even my wife enjoys their company, and that's something coming from her."

"Oh, they're definitely easy on the eyes!"

"That's not what I meant, Ino."

"What about you, Naruto?" Ino asked. "I bet you've made friends with all of them already."

"Ah, ah, ah," he touched his hair, "not really. They're—well, they sometimes do…this thing when they see me…Er, Imean they— Aren't the fireworks starting out soon, guys"

Sakura made a mental note to later question her best friend about his strange answer, before she brought her attention back to the band of musicians outside, ignoring the rather uninteresting conversation going on. She had her fill of gossips, especially about the Sōma clan.

"That's quite the colorful attire, isn't it?" a voice whispered by her side. "I didn't imagine seeing such variety in Konoha."

"Are you talking about me?"

"Y—You!" He stuttered. "No! Of course not. I— I meant the dancers. Outside. Although, I do find you— your attire really aesthetically pleasing—"

It was Ino's cousin, a shy and well-mannered man who had just moved to the Fire country about a month ago in the hope of starting a new life—not that he had any choice in the matter, being yet another collateral victim of the war.

Sakura smiled, "Thank you. Daichi-san, isn't it?"

"Hai! I didn't expect you to…remember my name."

"Ah,Ino was always talking about you. Even before your arrival in Konoha."

He let out a nervous laugh. "I do hope in a good light."

"Mostly. How have you been settling in?"

"Truth be told, I was expecting something different… I've never realized what being part of a clan really meant. Until now. Back…home, I…only had my parents, not dozens of people taking care of me, trying their best to make me feel at home and treating me like family, so much I don't feel like an orphan anymore now. So, I'd say I'm adjusting fairly well to Konoha. Are you also part of a clan—"

"No," she poured herself some sake, not without missing the judging stare of her dark hair teammate sitting right in front of her. "It's just me," she took a sip of the beverage, "so…you used to be a farmer, right? What are you going to do now?"

"Er… I'm still figuring that part out, though helping out my community's one of the two objectives I have in mind."

"What of the second?"

"Having a family of my own."

"Oi! Aren't you Ino's cousin?" Naruto yelled, interrupting their conversation and startling the polite man in the process.

"Er…yes, Daichi Yamanaka," he bowed his head respectfully, "at your service, Uzumaki-san!"

Ino reached for her cousin's shoulder, "Daichi, you don't have to be so formal with him."

"Right. I've got a nice story to tell you 'bout Sakura-chan!"

"Naruto, don't you dare—" Sakura warned him, having a bad feeling about this.

"She cut off someone's balls once!"

"Uzumaki!" Ino hissed, along with gasps of consternation from some or slight smiles. Naruto, as unabashed as always, was smiling like a wolf, so proud of his silly joke.

"Not this again…" Shikamaru complained, as aghast as ever.

Not succeeding in catching her blond teammate's attention, Sakura glared at Sasuke instead, "Aren't you going to say anything?"

"He's not lying."

They weren't even trying to hide the obvious. Despite this, Sakura didn't feel as angry as she should, being already way too used to their shenanigans.

Naruto clapped his hands together, "Guys, guys, let's go! We're going to miss the fireworks if we don't hurry!" he looked around himself at all the other clients, which consisted of mostly Yamanakas. "Come, everyone! The more, the merrier! I've got the perfect spot to enjoy the spectacle!"

Sakura had never seen him so keen to leave a restaurant before, even for fireworks. She watched him leave swiftly, as everyone around her started to get up and follow him. Suffice it to say, the quiet man at her right side had gone even quieter, being unused to Naruto's mischiefs.

"Look, I'm so sorry about that," she whispered. "Just—don't take things personally. Especially coming from this idiot! Although, he didn't lie… As a medic, I do have to make…unfortunate choices for the sake of my patients sometimes."

Daichi nodded, but she could tell he was still troubled, "I—naturally, Haruno-san." He bowed his head slightly and joined the rest of his kinsmen outside.

Sakura took this opportunity to make a short trip to the restroom, but when she returned, she couldn't find anyone inside anymore. They had all left without her. Even though she had a few ideas as to which spot Naruto had in mind, she didn't feel like hunting them through the whole village. Instead, her eyes fell on the bottle on their table—far from being empty—an alternative way more attractive.

One more glass or two couldn't hurt. She sat down, enjoying the sour taste of alcohol while listening to the drums resonating throughout the village and observing the parade going on in the street.

"…so rumors were true, you heard her man!"

"Aye, told you. I knew the fellow! Poor guy had some kind of illness, went to the hospital as a man, and left half a man. Makes you wonder what Uzumaki's doin' with someone like her, hun!"

Finishing her fourth glass, Sakura stood up quietly, not without taking a half-empty bottle with her under her arm. She thanked the tenant and passed in front of the group of men, stopping just a few seconds to mimic herself crushing something in her right fist, all the while harboring a wicked smile on her face. Suffice it to say, their faces all turned pale like a white sheet of paper.

Idiots.

She spent the following hour in her own company, enjoying the festivities with its joyful atmosphere, while being comforted by the sweet and fruity taste of sake. Unaware of the observant eyes surrounding her, Sakura got startled when she heard her name.

"Haruno-san, my mistress wishes to speak with you."

Sakura turned to the voice, her eyes took in the sight of the stranger by her side, a young white hair man with blue eyes, dressed in silver, sparkling silver, without a doubt a member of the Sōma clan. Amongst the crowd of people watching musicians and dancers do their magic, Sakura was merely just another spectator, and therefore, she didn't care about being seen with her alcoholic trinket. However, this new development made her instantly rethink her strategy. Just as she hid her bottle behind her back, the eye of the Sōma flicked to her hands.

"Perhaps the time doesn't suit you—"

"No! I had enough of the spectacle anyway."

"So, this is Sakura Haruno."

Startled, Sakura gasped as she realized that she was actually surrounded by Sōmas—she had probably underestimated her level of drunkenness for her to be so blind—there were everywhere, all observing the spectacle or pretending to, except for that tall woman right behind her.

"Do not be alarmed, my child," she said. "Exceptional times call for exceptional measures; I merely wish to thank you for helping my grandchild."

Judging by the wrinkles around her eyes, she looked to be in her early sixties, she had a rake voice, short silver hair slicked back neatly, with piercing blue eyes underlined by a vibrant purple paint. She was wearing a long dress, with the typical shining silver all the Sōmas seemed to cherish, and high heels that seemed to make her even taller than she already was.

Who's she?

"You—you don't need to," Sakura blurted out, "I would've helped anyone in the same situation."

"Hm… seeing as you're going to be Emi's teacher, it stands to reason that I had to meet you. I must admit that you're younger than expected."

Sakura froze, "Forgive me, but—I think there may be a misunderstanding, I don't remember accepting such a responsibility. In fact, I've not any intention to become anyone's teacher. Ever."

The Sōma narrowed her eyes slightly like she was trying to gauge her, making Sakura feel even more uneasy than she already was.

"We're ready to offer you a valuable contribution for your services, and we'll also consider any request you may have. A fair offer, what do you think?"

There were not so different from any other wealthy clan, always ready to flaunt their opulence when facing resistance, unable to handle being denied their wishes.

Sakura clenched her fist slightly around the bottleneck of glass, "I think your granddaughter should stop harassing and following me everywhere I go, I think she should study in the academy like any other kid, instead of wandering everywhere in the village by herself! If she wishes to become an iryō-nin, she must learn the basics. Nobody's going to teach her any medical jutsu otherwise. Money and gifts won't change that. Now, if you'll excuse me—"

Sakura looked right away for a way out between all the Sōmas stationed around them, realizing with both dismay and irritation that they weren't going to move unless the woman, whoever she was, ordered them to.

"I see that I've offended you," she commented unapologetically, catching the kunoichi's attention again. "Nevertheless, I trust that we'll meet again. After all, nobody can escape fate," the Sōma did something with her eyes and her men spread out just enough to let her pass, "in the meantime, beware of those who lurk in the shadows, Haruno Sakura."

She was almost out of sake when the cloudless midnight sky suddenly became illuminated by dozens of fireworks. She took a sip out of the bottle, contemplating the enchanting scenery as if she had never enjoyed the beauty of such a spectacle before. She had spent countless nights drinking with her teammates on celebration days, seeing the sky being lightened by a plethora of colors. And then, she couldn't see anything anymore, the spectacle almost entirely covered by darkness. Confused, she glanced up, assuming she didn't suddenly become blind. The feeling of bile glistening up her throat felt incredibly real when she recognized this face. Of course, it had to be him, out of all people that could have appeared to ruin her night!

As harmless as the pink-haired kunoichi appeared to be, the mention of her name, in the last reports regarding the Sōma clan, and especially its recurrence, proved otherwise. The reports were merely listing all kinds of suspicious activities from their enemy, which included names of people having ties with them or suspected of being involved in the feud between their clans. It turned out that Sakura Haruno had been spotted several times interacting with Emi Nuzura, niece of the Sōma clan's leader, and thus a member of the main family. While it didn't entail anything in itself, the timing could not be coincidental. Seeing the woman chatting this very night with some members of the main family had confirmed his hunch, leaving him no choice but to take action.

Itachi wasn't even involved in matters of clan politics to begin with, the report just so happened to end up in his hands, after a kinsman had come to him to share his concerns with an open heart—after all, a young man had been missing for two weeks now, believed to be detained by the Sōmas, although they had no way to prove it. Flipping through pages led him to notice her name, rather insignificant for anyone looking for tangible evidence.

Seeing her sprawled on this bench, bottle in hand, a painful grimace on her face, represented such a vulgar and lamentable sight that he wondered if she even had the capacity to succeed in her thirst for revenge. She had white powder covering her face, red scarlet lips, and dark kohl around her emerald eyes, everything fitting perfectly with her attire, a short sleeves red dress hugging her body tightly. His keen eyes lingered on the swelling of her chest, then the slope of her neck, all covered by the satin fabric. Yet, despite the obvious intent to entice, she was all by herself, drinking shamelessly without a care in the world, which was a rather counterproductive behavior.

Itachi had no sympathy for drinkers, he wouldn't shy away from taking advantage of her state to get answers. The quicker he could get this over with, the better.

"Hell no!" she groaned, as she jumped off the bench and started walking away from him, proving she had no manner, nor care for courtesy. Itachi went after her, following closely her shadow, until she stopped abruptly. "What's your deal, Uchiha? Are you lost or somethin'?"

She made a poor attempt at looking threatening with the way she was holding her bottle like it was a wooden club, ready to destroy everything in her way. Since there wasn't anything more important than their poisonous drink to a drunkard, Itachi seized the opportunity right in front of him and snatched the bottle from her hand.

"Oi!" she shouted. "That's mine! Give it back!"

Unwilling to attract unwanted attention, Itachi strolled through the pavement without even looking behind his back for the pink hair kunoichi.

"Where are you goin'!" he heard her scream several times, doing exactly what he had planned by following him blindly. "Oi! Don't you ign— ignore me, Uchiha!"

He led her to a small garden, furnished with flowers, vegetation, and a huge square-shaped fountain in the middle. A quiet place away from all festivities and noisy eyes. He just had enough time to hide the kunoichi's bottle behind one side of the pool, until he saw her arrive towards him slowly, struggling to move her feet.

"You! You thought I'd let you get away!" she shouted, as she approached him. "Where is it? What have you done with my— my bottle?"

"Haruno," he said. "If you tell me everything about your business with the Sōmas, I'll give it back."

"Business? What does this have to do with my bottle? Uchihaaa!"

"Tonight. Right in front of the troupe of dancers. You were seen having a conversation with the Sōmas. What words did you exchange?"

"Who? I don't…I don't remember. Where— Where's my bottle!?"

He thought her inebriated state would benefit him, but the woman seemed too out of herself to be able to understand his questions.

"Stealing's bad, so bad. Really bad! Aren't you bad? I know you don't like me, Uchiha! I don't like you too!"

One minute she was talking, and the next, she was all over him, hands gripped on his kimono with force, her body pressing against his every time she shook him, like she was the one exigent answers from him, "Oi! Are you going to give it back or not—"

Despite the distinguished smell of sake coming out of her mouth, another scent was emanating from her warm body, her scent. He felt a familiar rush go through him, the kind shinobis always experienced just before a fight, but not just any fight, only the unexpected ones. Just like any trained fighter would react when facing an uncooperative enemy, Itachi reacted swiftly, grabbed the drunk woman, and pushed her face-first right into the water.

The kunoichi immediately started trashing against the pressure he was inflicting on her neck, an instinctual reaction that had nothing to do with her protest. He kept pushing back against her, his grip tightening around her immersed throat like a hawk gripped around his dying prey, until he released everything at once.

"Erm…" she coughed, as the air came back to her lungs, "my—my bottle… Where—"

Seeing as her mind was still clouded, he grabbed her neck again and let her enjoy more of the water's pond. Had she been anyone else, any girl playing games she had no knowledge about, he could have gotten rid of her as he wished, offering her some money to leave the country, or if he was met with resistance, a more sinister fate.

"Tell me the truth, Haruno."

She was leaning against the fountain's border, her face almost touching the water, desperately trying to catch her breath, "All—All right." Hands grabbed his haori for support, her body started crawling on his like a snake, pulling itself up, and then, her head just fell forward right into his haori, anchoring itself for stability.

"Haruno."

"Mm-hmm."

A huge mass of pink was pressed against his chest, however dense the fabric of his haori was, the wetness from her hair would soon reach his skin. Despite her state, he felt heat radiating from her, warming him like an embrace. She was way too close again. His tense arm slipped behind her neck, and pulled her backward like a restless cat, making her body become limp and malleable, in no condition to oppose any resistance. The kunoichi had a really silly smile on her face and with her ruined make-up, she looked even more out of it. The water certainly didn't do her any good.

"Please, give— give it back."

He paused when he heard her plea, and looked at her very dangerous green eyes, "Speak, Haruno. What did you say to the Sōmas?"

"Itold them" she —let out a giggle, "I told them how much of a p—prick you were!"

Just as she started laughing, he released her abruptly, making her lose her balance, and then fall to the ground. He had been wasting his time with her. Nothing valuable would come out of her mouth, even in her drunken state, she seemed to still be aware of what she had to keep secret—a fact proving that she was definitely guilty. She was still giggling when he opened her bottle and poured its content on the ground.

"Oi! Why—why did you do that for!?"

"You've made the wrong choice," he finally said, before leaving the offended woman by herself, ignoring the numerous curses that she was shouting at him.

Sakura Haruno wasn't just anyone, a fact that he was learning the hard way because of his mistakes and lack of discernment, all reminiscent of a time that should have never been. She was, so to speak, untouchable, surrounded by heroes and influential names, which made his enterprise even more laborious. Still, everyone had weaknesses, he had absolutely no intention of giving up. One way or another, he would put an end to her schemes.

The Anbu headquarters looked somehow bigger than what she remembered, made of large corridors that never seemed to end. The more she progressed inside, the more she felt like she had just entered a maze. Built inside the mountain, there were countless floors, especially underground. Sakura realized that what she saw years ago had been a fraction of what the headquarters really was like. The part open to the public was an average-size building—a bit similar to the library—that stood at the bottom of the Kage's mountain. It looked dull and innocent, but a brand-new world was hidden behind these walls and beneath the ground. Only Anbus were allowed to wander freely inside, although there were exceptions, like during the war, when many entities, such as the Medical Corps, had to come here to discuss military strategy. She understood now that they had been confined to one single floor back then, which seemed like the most sensible thing to do considering how gigantic this place really was.

"This is it."

Sakura almost bumped into the old man but managed to prevent the collision just in time.

"Your comrades will leave this door in approximately twenty-tree minutes," he explained, speaking mechanically. "You'll then join the ceremony room with them. You're under no circumstances allowed to wander by yourself inside these walls. Understood?"

Sakura nodded.

The man unfolded a paper "This— this is the way to the ceremony room," he handed her what looked like a map, or rather a draft of one, "Point A to point B, follow the red line—"

"I thought I wasn't allowed to wander—"

"You're not to wander through these halls without being accompanied!" he huffed, colors tainting his face. He then sighed, and whispered, "As much as it pained me to admit it, my colleagues don't seem to be able to recall the ceremony room's location. Do not repeat this to anyone. Under no circumstances! Everything you see here, everything you listen—"

"Stays here," she finished, having heard him say that too many times already.

"Very good! Point C is a shortcut to point B," he continued, as his finger drew an invisible line on the map, "but only someone with level three access may use it. As for point D, anything above level six access."

"Hm, sir. You said I wasn't allowed to ask for personal information from anyone here, so…how am I supposed to know which access they have?"

"You're not allowed to ask for any personal information under no circumstances! But… nothing's stopping you from letting know my colleagues which level of access allows them to use shortcut C or D."

"I—"

"Ssh!" he handed her another piece of paper. "One more minute of concentration! While your case isa… special case, young woman—since your comrades, had they not failed their examination the first time, wouldn't be on this very special floor right now—I must go attend at once to other visitors that are waiting for me to lead them to the ceremony room! But before that, take a look! This is the restroom's location."

Sakura looked at the map, then at the restroom's door, just ten steps away from them. She stared at the peculiar man like he had lost his mind.

"I guess I'm not allowed to go there by myself, right?"

"You're a fast learner," he complimented. "Well, I don't have anything else to teach you. We may see each other upstairs, Haruno-san." He bowed swiftly, before leaving her alone in this austere hallway.

The place remembered her of a prison with its gray metallic walls, its lack of natural light, it felt simply clinical and unwelcoming. Some people would certainly think the same of the hospital, but at least there were sunlight and fresh air over there. She awaited the door to open, the final verdict that would seal her friends' fate, seeing some people go through the corridor every few minutes or so, hardly paying any attention to her, except for the few insistent stares recognizing her or wondering what she was doing here.

Someone stopped next to her at some point, at first, being lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the newcomer until she heard voices.

"Taichou!" they said, saluting the man respectfully.

Sakura's eyes widened in horror. Him. She had to fight the boiling anger menacing to erupt from her body at the sight of this man. This was definitely the last place and the worst time to make a scene. He was here for Sasuke, she realized. Here to congratulate the brother he had called lacking. She hated everything about this situation, hated how the guy was just standing there without acknowledging her, like he didn't try to drown her two days ago. She had no clear recollection of what exactly happened that evening, only the feeling of suffocating underwater not once but twice, as well as a glimpse of something he kept asking her, something about…

His stern voice suddenly broke the silence, "Do you have something to say about the Sōmas, Haruno-san?"

The Sōmas.

He wasn't looking at her, and as some men passed in front of them, greeting the Uchiha, she moved away from him without saying a word. She had her arms crossed on her body, memories were starting to come back to her as she wondered if the Sōma guy warning her about the Uchihas hadn't been right after all. More minutes passed, during which she witnessed more people saluting the prodigy like they worshiped him. Being aware of his status within the Anbu, it made sense, still, she believed this man might not deserve such recognition. She felt him stare at her suddenly, and hated it, despised the idea of him thinking that he had won, when all she was doing by shutting herself off from this situation, was preventing a cataclysm. She had no intention of ruining her friends' special day.

"Sakura-chan!" a cheerful voice shouted to her, making her instantly relax, "We've made it this time! Told you!"

Strong arms and warmness crushed her body, which Sakura didn't mind at all after experiencing the coldness of this place.

"I'm so happy for you, Naruto," she whispered with a smile, hugging her friend back. But when she opened her eyes, the corner of her mouth dropped as soon as she met dark and cold obsidian.

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head, "Nothing. I got tired of waiting here…let's go to that ceremony room! Please tell me how to go there?"

"Nope," he went away before she could show him the wonderful map in her possession. "Nee, Itachi-san! Do you happen to know the way to the ceremony room?"

"Congratulation, Uzumaki," his eyes glinted slightly, "you may follow me."

Seeing her friend go after him with so much joy made her feel absolutely ill.

Such a fanboy.

"What's with the face?" Sasuke asked her, as they both started walking.

"What's with your face?"

"Tch."

"Don't you want a hug, Sasuke-kun?" she said in a teasing voice. "Or should I say Anbu-san, now?"

"Keep dreaming."

As they passed through a hidden door, Sakura couldn't help but notice that this shortcut wasn't shown anywhere on her map, it made her wonder how many other secret passages there were inside this maze. They climbed multiple stairs until they reached the exit—a metallic door marked with the number ten—and ended up in another hallway. Her scholar side taking the better of her, she observed her map again, trying to figure out where they were exactly.

"Sakura-chan! Hurry!" her blond friend called out.

"Aye, I'm coming—"

She saw her friends disappear through yet another door. Itachi Uchiha was the last one to enter, but instead of holding the door for her, he stared at her dispassionately for a second, before letting the door close behind himself, giving her no way to go inside.

Bastard.

Everybody's attention was on a man dressed in a black robe, who was handing animal masks to the freshly graduated recruits. A hundred spectators were attending the ceremony, many of them were relatives or Anbu members curious about the new recruits. Sakura's eyes were fixed on her impatient blond teammate, who was waiting to receive the official mask of the organization. She then looked down, her gaze falling right on the first row where a silver-haired man was standing still—the same one who had passed right in front of her a few minutes ago, pretending not to see her. It disappointed her tremendously. However angry she was at the Tsunade for messing up her life, she had no reason to blame Kakashi, also known as the Godaime's right-hand man. Unless he had something to do with her plight. She felt her blood boiling at the thought but forced herself to look away from her dear former sensei.

As she gazed at the crowd, a familiar red and black fan symbol caught her eyes, one that was unmistakable. It was strange how one always became alert at the sight of this specific symbol, or maybe it was just the most sensible thing to do. She didn't expect to see Uchihas attending the ceremony, seeing as her teammate had been estranged from his kin. Yet, there was no mistake in their identity. Just like her, they were standing at the back of the crowd, as if they didn't want to be noticed.

Her curiosity getting the better of her, she leaned a bit forward, trying to get a better look at them. As soon as she did, dark eyes met hers, which made her bolt her back right away in horror. She knew this man. She remembered seeing him hunt the Sōma girl that dreadful night. But the stress of being recognized soon faded as another realization hit her. She had identified another face, right next to him, as the Uchiha patriarch. Sasuke's father. Whatwas he doing here? Was her best friend even aware of his presence?

She brought back her attention to the main protagonists of the ceremony, who were standing like statues as yet another boring speech was being given by an apathetic elder. Naruto's eyes lit up when the speech-giver suddenly called his name out to hand him a personalized Anbu mask. He was soon followed by Sasuke, whose jaw seemed more tense than usual. Sakura's gaze shifted anxiously back to the Uchiha patriarch, who naturally had his full attention on his son.

"Haruno-san," a voice whispered.

She gasped as she turned to her right, both relieved and horrified at the sight of such blinding white. How did she miss such an ethereal presence so close to her, such white hair and glowing blue eyes?

"Y— You," she stuttered.

"I didn't mean to startle you," the man whispered. "You see, I find myself in a…dire situation, Haruno-san. One that may require your medical expertise," he squeezed slightly her shoulder, "right now."

She blinked several times until she understood what the Sōma was asking her, "All right. Do you know a private place where I could examine you?"

"Yes. Come with me."

She was surprised at how eagerly she followed the Sōma out of the ceremony room, like it was exactly what she had been waiting for. It truly was. She indeed felt so out of place here, in such unfamiliar territory, where even the sight of her friends wasn't enough to comfort her. The white-haired Shinobi led her through the corridor until he found an empty room. As she went inside, she felt somewhat disappointed by the new sight: multiple chairs around a long brownish table in what looked like a small meeting room.

"Will it do, Haruno-san?"

Her eyes shifted to the man, "Er…yeah. For your interest, I don't normally do this… You should've gone to the hospital. Right when it started to hurt. But since you're really in pain, I will—"

"You're too kind," his lips curved outward slightly. "Considering your recent deeds, I'm not in the least surprised."

"My recent… deeds?"

"Emi-sama," he said like it was the most oblivious thing in the world. "You saved my cousin that night, for which we're truly thankful."

Sakura cleared her throat, "Right. So, may I see what's wrong with your body? Where does it hurt?"

"Nowhere."

"But you—" her eyes narrowed, "Why did you bring me here, then?"

"I felt like you wanted to leave. Am I right?"

Sakura looked at the Sōma like he had lost his mind. "You felt like—What are you saying?!"

"The Uchiha. He was looking in your way."

"And?" she almost spitted out. "People look, they always do. I'm pretty sure you know yourself what I'm talking about."

"After what you did, they might be tempted to go after you," he explained with a deadpan expression. "We know how they operate, and we know they're not the kind to forgive."

"No! Not this again. They're not going to do anything. Not now, not ever. Do you know why? Because I didn't do anything at all," she put her fingers on her temp, "you people, why does everything I say always go in one ear and out of the other? How many times do I have to repeat—"

A sudden noise made her stop in her track and look in the door's direction.

"Haruno-san!" the newcomer yelled. "What did I say about not speaking to anyone under any circumstances? Did you think I wouldn't see you sneaking out!"

"I'm the one who invited her Tojiro-san."

"Ssh!" he brushed him off, making a swift gesture with his hand. "I don't want to know what you were doing here. Please get out. Now. Before I lose my patience."

Sakura didn't have to be asked twice and went past their guard, who was holding the door wide open for them. Despite her now irritate state, this short respite made her forget about the dire situation of her friend. The thought of the tense atmosphere of the room made her feel sick already. She suddenly didn't feel like going back there anymore.

"Thank you for listening to me, Haruno-san, it was a pleasure to chat with you," the man whispered behind her. "Seeing as you'll become my cousin's teacher, I trust we'll meet again soon."

She didn't correct him, knowing it would be useless, and kept following Tojiro. As they went back into the ceremony room, she spotted right away her blond friend surrounded by his admirers and new friends, after all, who wouldn't want to be noticed by the famous hero of Konoha? As for Sasuke, he was nowhere in sight, nor his brother or father. There was only one Uchiha left in the room, the same one as before, and he was staring right at her.

"Tojiro-san, would you be so kind as to escort me back outside the head-quarter?"

"With pleasure."

The uneventful road back to her apartments got disrupted when she noticed a bright light shining through her windows. Stopping in her tracks, she stood still for a while, wondering who could have had the guts to enter her home without permission, trespassing on her property. She could think of a few names, but not any that were supposed to be anywhere near her neighborhood right now. She was positive her friends had other things to do than visiting her. Even though, she knew Sasuke had left the ceremony, human company was certainly the last thing he sought at the moment.

Taking a deep breath, she went forward, expecting the worst. When she pushed open the door, the sight welcoming her made her feel rage instead of fear. The Godaime, of all people, was sitting on her couch with her arms stretched open like she owned the place and had every right to be there. Many would feel blessed by such an unforeseen event, their holy leader visiting their home. How lucky they were.

"What do you want?"

Sakura was not naive, after being ignored for so long, she wasn't sure what Tsunade was trying to accomplish by coming uninvited. What she knew, however, was that it couldn't augur anything good, it never did, she became too used to what always seemed to happen when the old woman wanted to discuss. It was always about making her do things she had no desire to do, forcing her to make choices. No, she was not going to bend under her will again, not after what she did the last time.

The blond woman's eyes glinted with mockery, "Is this what you call home now? Did you forget the furniture?"

She sighed, "This would have been taken care of if I didn't have to train every single day because a bitter old woman said so!"

"Mah, I wonder who really sounds bitter right now," she lay her head against the sofa's back. "How's your training doing?"

"Ask Lee," she grunted, knowing with certitude that he reported her progress to the Godaime regularly. Sakura crossed her arms on her chest, "Well? Are you done? In case you didn't notice, it's late."

Tsunade took a deep sigh, "Why this place, Sakura?"

"Didn't you say I needed to make changes in my life?"

"Naruto's been good to you."

"We're not teenagers anymore, Tsunade. He's changed," she whispered. "I have changed. Besides…I never had any intention to live with him forever. You know it was just a temporary arrangement."

"One that I ordered myself," she reminded her solemnly. "Do I have reasons to worry, Sakura? That's want I want to know."

"This place is everything…everything I've ever wanted, I'm not letting you take it away from me."

The blond woman chuckled.

"It's quiet," a baritone voice said suddenly, "I like it."

Sakura, even more exasperated, turned to the newcomer, as she watched him climb in through her windows in the most nonchalant manner, "Kakashi-sensei."

"Don't look at me like that, I was invited as an arbitrator, nothing more."

"Don't lie. Not to me."

Once the silver-hair man was inside, Sakura closed the windows strongly, she then turned to her dear sensei, "Do you approve of this? Her, taking my home from me? Does it sound right to you?"

Tsunade jumped off the couch, "It'snot like you to be paranoid."

"After everything you've done to me, why shouldn't I?" she looked at Kakashi, her voice started to crack, "My…my work, my office, all gone! My job was taken away from me! Just…just because she wants to make me miserable! How could you do this to me?"

"Your job at the hospital was making you miserable," the Godaime reminded her, "you told me this yourself."

"Wasn't it enough the last time?" she said bitterly, refusing to look at her. "And now…now she wants to send me out there again, she wants me to kill people—"

"That's not what she's asking, Sakura."

She shook her head, "What's with you, guys? Coming in, uninvited. Cornering me like you…like you're my parents ."

"Sakura…"

"You're not my parents," she said firmly. "And I'm not a child anymore."

"When are you going to act like an adult, then?" she poked her forehead with her fingers, "this has the power to save thousands of people."

Sakura's eyes widened.

"What?" she smiled. "You think I didn't notice? Do you think I wouldn't recognize my own creation? The jutsu that not any iryō-nin has ever managed to master. Except for me. And now you. Wouldn't it be a shame to give up on all the lives you could save with such power? All the good you could do? Think of it, Sakura."

"I'm not giving up on anything."

"You've already given up by refusing to do your duty."

"She could give back her headband, Tsunade," Kakashi reminded, "this is her choice to make, one you cannot take away from her."

"The choice of a coward," the Godaime criticized. She gave a sad look to Sakura and put a hand on her shoulder, "Is this truly what you want? You know I've been through this myself. Hiding for years, refusing to face reality, do you think it helped me? No, it didn't. And I'll not let you make the same mistake I did. I'm assigning you to a new mission starting in two days, and you'll come, or else…" she let out an inaudible curse, and left quietly.

Sakura was standing still, wearing an expression of discomfort on her face, "I'm not killing people, Sensei."

"That's not what she has in mind for you," the copy ninja said.

"But it's still going to happen, you know this better than anyone else."

"Mah, you've always been too clever for your own good, Sakura-chan."

"Hmm," she stretched out her neck from side to side, "not clever enough to figure out how to get my freedom back."

"Actually…you could get your freedom."

"And become the laughingstock of the village? No thanks," she commented, before she slumped on her couch, "the way you ignored me earlier was cruel, Sensei."

"I didn't—"

"Bring me back my stuff from the hospital, and I'll forgive you."

He smiled behind his mask, "Consider it done."

"…Yura Inuzuka, Inose Guzou, Naruto Uzumaki and…Sakura Haruno. Did I get everyone?" the Captain glared at the new recruits, all standing at rest in a perfect line in front of her. "I'll take your silence as a yes. You've been briefed already, but I have to remind you that this mission will take us into enemy territory. Neither failure nor mistakes will be allowed there. If you feel like you're not up to the task, now's your time to opt out. We'll be traveling for three days, straight to our destination, with no breaks. I don't want to hear any of you complaining. No whining, no chatting. You're all Anbu now, and you must act accordingly. Am I being clear?"

"Hai!" they all yelled in sync.

"As you may have noticed," she stopped in front of the pink-haired kunoichi. "We have the privilege of having our personal iryō-nin. Though she's going to accompany us everywhere we go, she's not an Anbu, therefore, you shouldn't expect her to carry the same objective as ours. If she happens to be in a dire situation, do not intervene and jeopardize your main objective, she'll handle herself just fine. Needless to say, this doesn't apply if the majority of our team were to be gravely impaired. But that's a very unlikely outcome with such an exceptional team. Understood?"

"Hai!"

"Finally, you'll be pleased to learn Captain Uchiha isn't blessing us with his presence to evaluate your skills. He'll indeed travel with us, but you must act as if he isn't here, seeing as he'll take no part in our mission, his only purpose being observing my work and judging my competence as Captain. Don't expect him to assist you," she clapped her hands together, "all right, any questions before we depart?" her eyes scrutinized every member of the squad, looking for any sign, "No? No one? Very well. Haruno, come with me."

Sakura felt a lump formed in her belly upon hearing her name. As she watched the squad spread out, she caught Naruto giving her a reassuring wink. Baka. She then followed her Captain reluctantly, the air becoming more and more tense as the woman led her deeper into the headquarters. At some point, she made her enter inside a changing room.

"I think we're far enough from—"

"Listen, you, ignorant girl," the woman hissed, pushing her on the chest forcefully," if you fuck up my mission once again, I swear I'll make your life miserable!"

Caught off guard, Sakura raised her hands, "I—I don't mean no offense, Captain, but…I already have my share of problems."

"I don't care!" she threatened, thin bulging veins appearing around her eyes. "What are you smiling for!?"

"Captain, I swear—I have no intention of ruining your mission. Our mission. I won't do anything without consulting you first."

"Will you!?" she barked.

"I understand that—I shouldn't have taken reckless initiatives that time… I won't do it again," she said sincerely. "I promise."

"You better, Haruno. You fucking better."

She left in a huff, leaving Sakura slightly dumbfounded, even though she was already well aware her Captain had no sympathy for her. A mutual sentiment. Not even three seconds later, large fingers popped out from the thin opening of the door. "Er…Haruno-san, I thought I was clear enough the other day. No wandering under any—"

"—circumstances, yes! I wasn't by myself, Tojiro-san!"

"Er, so I presume you were in Chiho Hyuuga's company? She looked quite…upset."

"She's just paranoid."

He held the door for her. "Come, I'll escort you out."

"You don't seem to have much sympathy for Captain Hyuuga."

"She hates me for no reason, why should I not reciprocate the feeling?"

"I'll have you know she isn't so popular within the organization," he revealed in a lower voice.

"Really? How so?"

The old man smiled, "Well, people found her rather bad-tempered and despotic at times."

"I would've never guessed!"

"Still, you do have something in common."

She shook her head. "No, I don't think so."

"Being both judged unfairly."

"In her case, it seems to be totally justified," Sakura corrected. "What do you know about me? I refuse to believe someone like you listens to gossip—"

"It was against my will, Haruno!" he protested. "Of course, I do not have any inclining for hearsay. Although, your reputation seems to cause a rather distinct distress among all males in reproductive capacity,"

Sakura chuckled, "So you do believe them."

"I never said I did," Tojiro stopped walking. "Oh, we've arrived already! I wish you good luck with your mission."

Sakura bowed in front of him, feeling like she was going to need more than luck.