Chapter 9: The Weight of Secrets
It's springtime, and Sakura and her friends are enjoying a rare moment when they all have a day off together for brunch.
"Hey, the spring festival is coming up. Any plans?" Ino kicked off the conversation.
"Oh! How about we get matching yukata this time, all four of us?" Tenten suggested, still feeling a bit jealous about the autumn festival that Ino and Sakura attended without them. If she had known it wasn't just a regular delivery mission, she would have jumped at the chance. Who would turn down an all-expenses-paid vacation like that? Tsunade wasn't always so generous, after all. Tenten imagined exploring the town and maybe trying her luck at gambling, just like Tsunade did before becoming Hokage.
"That sounds fun, but I might not be here," Sakura lamented.
"Ah, right. Your family's trip to the Land of Tea," Ino remembered, her excitement dimming.
"Don't worry, Ino-chan. We'll think of something," Hinata reassured her.
"How long will you be gone, Sakura?" Tenten inquired.
"Probably just a week. Still waiting on Tsunade-shishou's approval though," Sakura replied.
"You shouldn't even have to wait. You know it'll be a yes, especially since you're always working and never using your vacation days, even when you're not feeling well," Ino remarked.
"Yeah, she'll definitely say yes. But if she doesn't, that's fine too since that means we get to have you with us," Hinata cheered.
"Aww, Hinata-chan, you're too sweet!" Tenten exclaimed. "We'll have a blast, just us girls! All the same, let's go for that matching yukata, yes?"
Sakura felt a warmth inside her. She cherished these moments with her girlfriends, planning activities like this brunch. Yet, her mind wandered back to a different festival, the last one she attended with a certain someone. The memory of her and Neji's quiet moment by the lanterns, amidst the festival's glow, lingered in her thoughts. She'd never tell Ino what her wish was, but she couldn't help wondering why it hadn't come true yet. After that festival, things changed. Neji was recruited into ANBU, making Sakura worry whenever a team of ANBU appeared at the hospital after a tough mission. Despite the peace, there were still rogue shinobi to watch out for, bitter about past feuds and losses.
Tenten nudged Sakura, pulling her from her thoughts, asking if she was alright. Sakura simply nodded, saying she was just lost in thoughts about work.
"Nope, no work talk here. We're here to have fun and forget about office drama," Ino declared.
"But don't you want to know the latest gossip?" Sakura teased.
"Oh, gossip? Tell us!" Ino perked up, suddenly changing her mind, eager for the scoop.
Hinata watched her friends with a smile, enjoying their banter and laughter as they shared the latest news and gossiped about the goings-on in their lives.
"Nii-san, you're back!" Hinata exclaimed with excitement. "Are you hurt at all? Sakura-chan's off today, but she should be home. She can check on you," she offered, using her kekkei genkai to quickly scan her cousin.
Neji raised an eyebrow. "Why would I bother her while she's resting when I have our own clan healer right here?" He flexed his right hand, feeling the stiffness from not changing his bandages for several days.
Hinata looked at her cousin, unimpressed. To her, it seemed glaringly obvious that Neji and Sakura had a natural connection, likely from their frequent missions together at Tsunade's request. Perhaps they hadn't noticed, or maybe they were both in denial about their mutual crush. Hinata knew that feeling all too well.
"Still, Nii-san, don't you want to see her?" Hinata teased playfully. "It's not often you're home these days, let alone spending time with her like you used to. Plus, I heard she'll be away for a bit."
"Where is she off to?" Neji inquired, intrigued.
Gotcha.
"She mentioned her family is visiting some relatives in the Land of Tea. I'm guessing it's another one of Mebuki-san's attempts at matchmaking with their old connections," Hinata supplied with a knowing smile.
Neji was surprised by the news. He hadn't realized the Harunos, a civilian family, were still into those traditional matchmaking efforts.
"Perhaps I'll pay her a visit sometime," Neji finally relented, the idea settling in.
Hinata grinned triumphantly, pleased to have nudged her cousin in the direction of seeing Sakura.
"Sakura."
Sakura nearly dropped the groceries she was carrying as she walked home. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was; she would recognize that voice anywhere, though it sounded deeper now.
"Sasuke-kun," she finally faced the owner of the familiar voice.
Sakura found herself seated on a park bench with her former teammate, catching up on the things he had missed during his time away. This wasn't the first time Sasuke had returned to the village since his self-imposed exile for atonement, but it was unusual for him to seek her out.
"Here," he handed her a small box. "Sorry, I missed your birthday."
"What do you mean? My birthday isn't for another two weeks," she said, surprised.
"I meant last year. And the year before that," Sasuke clarified.
"Oh," realization dawned on her. "Thank you. You didn't have to."
"Hm."
Sakura opened the tiny package, revealing a delicate Sakura pendant. "It's beautiful, Sasuke-kun," she murmured, touched by the gesture.
Sasuke smirked. "I got it from the Land of Spring last year. I remembered."
Sakura felt her heart race, a blush spreading across her cheeks. "Sasuke..." No, no, no. Why was this happening? Was this really happening? She thought she had moved past her feelings for him. Moving on, liking someone else, everything...
And then it hit her.
Was this my wish finally coming true?
She swallowed hard at the thought. She hadn't seen this coming at all.
Neji wasted no time locating Sakura after his conversation with Hinata, using the pretext that his arm might have been fractured. In his haste, he nearly forgot to bring the box of chocolate yokan that he discreetly bought on his way home as they passed through Tanzaku. He vividly remembered Sakura's expression when she tasted those for the first time during their stay in the village last year.
However, all thoughts of fondness evaporated from his mind when he finally found her. There, on a park bench, sat Sasuke and Sakura, with Sakura leaning in to bestow a shy kiss on the Uchiha's cheek. It felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over Neji. He stood frozen, unable to move, unable to walk away. The sound of what seemed like glass shattering echoed in his ears. Or was that the sound of his heart breaking?
Present day-ish, Iwagakure
Sakura was stunned. Her suspicions had been confirmed. The illness was targeting those who weren't natives of Iwa, as her two ANBU teammates had confirmed. They had gathered this information from their observations of people checking into hospitals and displaying symptoms: fever, vomiting, and in severe cases, excessive bleeding. They expressed worries about individuals settled high up in the mountainous regions, fearing they might not reach hospitals in time if they were also affected. They suggested organizing a trip with local medics and ninjas to make the journey more manageable.
Her heart shattered into pieces when she received the devastating news of the day: babies were now dying in the capital. These were healthy infants, receiving complete and meticulous care, born into well-off families. However, this mysterious disease showed no regard for wealth or status. It struck indiscriminately, mercilessly claiming the lives of these innocent souls.
"Kurotsuchi, this is urgent. I need access to genetic samples from your people," Sakura demanded as soon as she understood the gravity of the situation from her team.
"Whatever you need," the kage agreed promptly. "Do you require a lab team to assist you?"
"That would be ideal, but at the moment, I don't have time to instruct them on what to do or what to look for. I think it would be best if I worked alone," Sakura replied firmly.
The Tsuchikage nodded in understanding. "Very well. I grant you complete control of the hospital records and samples. I will also arrange for volunteers to assist with any necessary blood work first thing tomorrow."
Sakura rose from her seat, assuming that was the Tsuchikage's cue that the meeting for the day had ended. As she stood, she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her, almost causing her to lose her balance. Badger was immediately by her side to support her.
"Sakura!" Kurotsuchi exclaimed in alarm. "Are you alright? I'm sorry, this must be taking its toll on you. Please, get some rest. We don't have to tackle everything all at once."
"I'm fine. It's probably just the altitude. My body is adjusting," Sakura assured them, though she wasn't entirely convinced. She could feel her chakra stirring within her, causing turmoil. It was a sensation she had felt before, one that brought forth fears she had been avoiding. She hoped it wasn't what she suspected, but she knew she needed to confront it now if she had any chance of preventing what was happening to some of the women in the village from happening to her as well.
"Why don't you try some tonic? There's one that's gained popularity around here recently," Kurotsuchi suggested, her concern evident in her voice. "Mika! Do we have some of that tonic?"
Mika, the same woman who had escorted Sakura and her team, appeared with a bottle of orange liquid in her hand. "Here you go, Haruno-san," she offered, but Badger intercepted her swiftly.
"Thank you, but Sakura-sama prefers her own tea from home," he explained.
"It's alright. I got this," Sakura said, taking the bottle from Mika. She didn't want to offend their Iwa hosts, who had been very gracious with their hospitality. "I'll have this before bed."
A/N: I don't own Naruto.
So, Sasuke appeared. I didn't think he would be in this chapter, but I guess he got sick of the NejiSaku fluff real quick. And that happened. What's up with that? lol