Ch 12: The Battle Begins
Sakura woke on Monday morning. Though she stayed up late talking to Lee and did not get a full night of rest, she felt energized. She felt excited to see him in class later. She was eager to tell her friends about her new relationship. However, she was still somewhat anxious about what people would say about her, remembering the writing on the bathroom stall. She reassured herself that she would be graduating from high school in about seven months, and then those rumors would no longer matter. She focused her attention instead on her more positive thoughts as she got dressed, layering her clothing for the cold weather.
"Sakura, I am running a bit late today. How about I drive you to school?" Mr. Haruno said, clipping on his tie and putting on his heavy wool coat.
"That's alright. I will take the bus." Sakura replied.
"It's cold. I insist." He pressed. Sakura sighed. Based on his tone, she knew she was going to get a lecture. Reluctantly, she got in his car and the two headed to her school.
"Your mom tells me you have been talking to someone new." Mr. Haruno said as he drove the car. Sakura frowned. He looked at her and noticed her discomfort. "Don't worry kiddo, I'll save the birds and the bees conversation for you to have with your mother." he chuckled. Sakura wanted to roll her eyes. "I just want to meet him."
"Dad…" Sakura groaned. "You're killing me."
"You'll understand someday when you have kids." He said. "Your mother seems to like him already so you should have nothing to worry about. Well, except for how much we're going to embarrass you." he joked.
"Nooo." Sakura whined. "Please don't." he giggled as he took sips of his coffee.
He dropped Sakura off. Sakura walked from the drop-off area in front of the school toward the center, where there was an outdoor area by the flagpole. It was so cold, that Sakura could see her breath and her fingertips felt numb, prompting her to conceal her hands in her pockets, protected from the elements. She saw Ino and Sai sitting together, bundled up in their winter clothing. Sakura approached the couple.
"What's with that big smile?" Ino asked as Sakura approached. Sai was sitting with her.
"Good morning, Sakura." Sai greeted her. He was worried that Sakura would pry again for information on the masked dancer. Sakura smiled at them both.
"Hey guys," Sakura said. "I haven't shared this with anyone yet, but I figured out who that dancer is." she said, still grinning. Ino's curiosity peaked, and Sai smiled as he seemed relieved.
"Well? Out with it!" Ino said excitedly.
"He is Lee." Sakura said with a big smile. Ino froze and raised an eyebrow. Sakura noticed Ino's change in demeanor.
"Good one, Sakura." Ino said, laughing. "But for real, who is it?"
"I'm serious." Sakura said, becoming annoyed fast. Ino scrutinized her and she looked unimpressed.
"So what happened after you found out?" Ino asked, still perplexed.
"We're going out now." Sakura said. Her smile was now completely gone. Ino sighed and shook her head.
"I know you must feel lonely, but Lee? Of all people?" Ino said coldly. She reached and touched Sakura's head. "You're not sick, are you?" she said, assessing for a fever. Sakura grabbed Ino's hand and ripped it from her forehead.
"I'm not the sick one here." Sakura snapped. "You've been a shitty friend to me lately and you're so self-absorbed, you're forgetting that Lee was the one who helped set you up with Sai." she scolded. "Don't talk about Lee like that again."
"Chill out, fivehead. You're the one who's been stirring up all the drama around here. Quit acting like you're Miss Goody-two Shoes and admit you love the attention." Ino argued, crossing her arms.
"What in the hell are you going on about?" Sakura asked angrily.
"Well, gee, don't you think it must sound strange to the rest of us how the guy your previous boyfriend beat up is now your boyfriend? He lost and now you're with him out of pity or you have just lost your damn mind." Ino retorted. "What does Sasuke think of all of this?"
Lee was walking and thought he heard shouting, he noticed Sakura, Ino, and Sai. He decided to approach them. Other students passing by were turning their heads at the noisy scene of the two girls arguing.
"Good morning, Sakura." Lee said, smiling. "Hello, Inoshishi and Sai." Lee greeted the group. Ino frowned, Sai seemed indifferent, and Sakura looked unhappy. "Is everything alright?" Lee asked, worried about Sakura.
"I'm fine. Let's go somewhere else. It stinks here." Sakura growled, and she grabbed one of Lee's hands roughly, pulling him away and he followed.
Lee turned around and looked back at Sai and Ino. Sai smiled and waved in a friendly manner and Ino still looked angry. Lee followed Sakura indoors into a hallway. His hand was throbbing from her surprisingly firm grip. They walked upstairs and continued until they reached Sakura's locker where they stopped and Sakura released Lee's aching hand.
"Sorry about that, Lee." Sakura said. "This has been a bad morning."
"It is alright," Lee assured her. "What happened?"
"Oh, don't worry about it. I just need better friends." Sakura said sadly. "Why don't you call her Ino?" she asked.
"She told me to call her Inoshishi." Lee shrugged. Sakura frowned.
Lee wondered if Sakura had just told Ino about them. The thought was upsetting to him. He wanted Sakura's friends and family to accept their relationship. Lee picked up that Ino was fussy and critical. He hoped Sai was doing alright with her considering the scene that just unfolded.
"I am sorry." Lee said, taking one of her hands gently and kissing it. He then became aware of his surroundings. Many students were passing by. Sakura seemed happy to be with Lee, but there was no concealing her current discomfort. Whatever seeds Ino planted in her head, he wanted to rid them of her. "Oh, I am sorry, Sakura. I know you said you want to take things slow." Lee said, trying to be more subtle as he spoke. Sakura realized she was still tense from her argument.
"Thanks, Lee. I'm sorry you had to see that." Sakura said, embarrassed by Ino. "You are doing great so far." she said, her smile returning. Lee smiled, feeling warmth in his cheeks.
"I would do anything for you. I would give my life to protect you." Lee said sweetly. Sakura looked to her right and down, thinking of something.
"If that's so, would you like to come over for dinner sometime?" Sakura asked. "My dad is eager to meet you." she said, sheepishly. "He's so embarrassing."
"Of course! I would love to meet him." Lee chimed. Hopefully, where he failed to win over Sakura's friend's approval, he may succeed with her father.
"Great. I'll let you know what night will be good. I need to stay after school a lot of days this month for rehearsals." Sakura said.
The play was about a month away now. Sakura wasn't anxious about being on stage, but the buildup to the play and her big role contributed to her recent anxiety around others. It seemed like she could not get any privacy in her life. She knew it wasn't Lee's fault and it was unfair to him that she still worried about it, but she acknowledged that she still had some work to do on herself. In the back of her mind, she did worry about what would happen, if anything, when Sasuke found out about her new relationship. Would he be angry, or would he let things go? It had been a couple of weeks since his last message to her, which she left on read and decided to not respond. She felt guilty now for not blocking him after he sent it.
"May I walk you to your class?" Lee asked. Sakura took a moment to think about it and decided to not let what others think to hold her back. "I could hold your bag for you if you'd like." he offered.
"Of course," Sakura said. "I can carry my bag, but I appreciate the offer." she smiled. Her tote bag was bright pink with flowers. The thought of Lee carrying it was a silly image in her head, but she was touched by his offer. He didn't seem to care at all about how he would look holding it.
Confidently, Lee put out his hand, to which Sakura responded by placing hers. He smiled warmly and proudly walked through the halls alongside Sakura. He understood to take things slow, but deep down, he wanted others to know that he and Sakura were now together. A strange new emotion had grown within Lee as he and Sakura got closer over the last couple of months. He was used to being called a loser and treated poorly in previous years at school. He developed thicker skin over the years and stopped caring long ago about what others said about him. But now, he wanted people to see him and her together, not to display his relationship success as an accomplishment, but to show others he loves her and will protect her.
It made him sick to think Sasuke did not walk her to class. It almost seemed like Sakura's and Sasuke's relationship was just a rumor by how often they had been seen apart even before the breakup. Sasuke had ample time to see her, but he just chose not to. He thought to himself how Sakura deserved only the best treatment a man could offer her. He was prepared to be the best gentleman, and lover, and protect her with his life. As he got to know Sakura more, the more his distaste for Sasuke grew.
The truth was Sakura liked Lee but required more time to let her new relationship with him grow. She tried to dismiss her interaction with Ino, but she couldn't ignore the fact that Ino would probably tell everyone. The last thing Sakura wanted was more attention drawn to her. Lee was naturally great at drawing attention to himself, even though it didn't seem intentional to her. Lee had an impressive amount of self-confidence, and he only took seriously the opinions of people he cared about. She cursed herself, feeling that already she was being unfair to Lee, afraid of completely opening her heart to him due to her insecurities.
The pair arrived at Sakura's class. They hugged and said their goodbyes for now, hoping the day went by quickly so they could meet again in class later in the day. Sakura enjoyed the hug, smelling the familiar scent of the cologne that reminded her fondly of that night. Her smile returned as she sat in class. Though her heart was tachycardic while walking with Lee, nervous of the others, she felt special being walked to her classroom. Sasuke had done so the previous year, but he wouldn't even hold her hand or offer to carry her belongings unless they appeared heavier than usual.
Lee quickly made his way to class, which was across the campus. With his strong legs, he managed to find a quick but careful stride to get to class on time. He sat down, his breathing slightly elevated from his rush. Neji and Tenten watched him.
"It's not like you to be late." Neji said curtly. Lee didn't care, he was still happy from seeing Sakura. He was excited to tell his best friends the news.
"You look happy." Tenten pointed out.
"I am!" Lee said, smiling. "Sakura and I are going out now!"
Neji and Tenten froze. They looked at each other in utter disbelief. After exchanging glances, a smile formed on Tenten's face.
"Seriously?" Tenten asked. Lee nodded. "I'm sorry for my reaction. I was just surprised." Tenten explained. "I hope you two are very happy together."
"Thanks, Tenten." Lee said, his smile intensifying. He turned to Neji. "What do you think, Neji?"
"Congrats." Neji said dryly. Tenten yanked his hair, and he snarled in pain.
"Be nice, Neji." Tenten scolded. "We should be happy for Lee. He put a lot of hard work into making this happen. With some help, of course." Tenten said, referring to herself.
"I'm happy for you, Lee. Just give me a break. It's not even 8 am." Neji said exhaustedly. Lee and Tenten giggled.
Lee was relieved his friends were happy for him. During the rest of his day, he kept thinking about Sakura even more. At times, he felt like he needed to pinch himself. He felt like he was dreaming. It was surreal to know that Sakura was his girlfriend now.
Sakura was still having a rough day. She got her period and thankfully noticed before any breakthrough bleeding occurred. Her close call and constant cramping added to her current anxiety. She noticed Sasuke from a distance as she was walking to her next class from her lunch period, and she was afraid of encountering him. She had had enough confrontation for today, and now just wanted to be left alone with her thoughts, which weren't much kinder to her.
In moments like these, Sakura realized just how much she hated being a teenager. She was so eager for independence that she believed adulthood would grant her. Getting together with Lee felt like the right decision, but she wished she could forget about everything else holding her back. She wanted to feel confident in herself and her decisions, but she wasn't sure how to get to that point. She wondered if Lee ever felt that way. Lee had grown much over the years not only in his size and physique. She admired his strength and courage. Though she did not like his style before, it had grown on her. His enthusiasm and charm were what won her over, after all.
Sakura and Lee had their class together. They sat closer to each other than they had previously. Lee had to concentrate on something other than Sakura and the lecture, feeling himself getting too excited at times during class now that he was close enough to hear her breathe and smell her. As he got closer to Sakura, it was becoming harder to control his thoughts during this class in particular, due to the subject matter. Mrs. Sarutobi had concluded the chapters involving sex long ago, but it still came up from time to time. He was relieved his winter clothing concealed his erection as he sat in class.
"I forgot to ask you this morning, how is the kitten doing?" Sakura whispered.
"Oh, he is doing fine. Shino gave me a week to find him a home, so please let me know if you know anyone interested." Lee responded, keeping his voice hushed during the lecture.
"Will do." Sakura smiled. "Thank you so much for helping him. Most people would have just kept driving or left him at a shelter." Sakura said, appreciative that Lee cares about animals as she does.
Class ended and he walked Sakura to her next class. Though she seemed fine during class, now she was quiet and nervous as they walked through the hallway together. Lee guessed she was worried about Sasuke, and he could not blame her. They were traveling the same route they had taken before when Sasuke confronted Lee last month. Lee scanned their surroundings as he held her hand. His grip around her hand was always gentle, but now it was firmer. Sakura felt more comfortable with it that way, understanding that he was now being protective. She felt like she could die if she saw Sasuke now. Thankfully, she arrived at her classroom without any hassles.
"Thanks, Lee. I'll talk to you later." Sakura said as she smiled. She stepped inside and Lee turned to leave, making his way to his last class.
As Lee walked, he felt a peculiar sensation. He felt as if he was being watched. His brows furrowed and he continued to walk, not letting the feeling he got distract him. He resumed scanning his surroundings and sure enough, he spotted the culprit who set an evil eye on him. Sasuke was leaning against a locker by the door, his expression unchanged once the two made eye contact. His hands remained in his pockets as he got up from his position and approached Lee menacingly. Lee did not want a fight, but his muscles were tensed, readying for a violent confrontation. He stood, facing Sasuke with his brows furrowed.
"So, you have bigger balls than I thought, you ugly bastard." Sasuke growled, emphasizing the name he called Lee. Lee's expression was left unchanged. "I assure you, there wasn't anything you did that impressed her. You're just some loathsome, worthless ingrate that caught her during a time of weakness and manipulated her." he spoke. A smile grew on Sasuke's face, and he chuckled. Lee's jaw muscles tightened. "If I had known that you were going to the dance, I would've broken your legs instead."
Naruto and Shikamaru were passing by, running late to their classes. Shikamaru noticed Lee and Sasuke and sighed to himself. Naruto stopped and turned, noticing the two and approaching them swiftly with Shikamaru walking slowly behind him.
"Hey guys! What's going on?" Naruto asked. He realized it had been a long time since the four of them were together. It made Naruto nostalgic for their days on the soccer team.
"Go away." Sasuke said coldly to Naruto.
"Nope. I'm not taking orders from you." Naruto pouted and crossed his arms. "I'm still salty you left the team to play football." he said before sticking out his tongue at Sasuke.
"This isn't the time for that, Naruto. Now fuck off." Sasuke snarled, his anger growing as he refocused on Lee. Shikamaru frowned as Naruto seemed mad now.
"What's your deal, Sasuke!? You think you're too good to be my friend now?" Naruto said, curling his fingers into a fist. "We were best friends and now I barely know you. What's your beef with Bushy-Brow anyway?"
Sasuke seemed incredibly irritated now. Shikamaru felt the tension from the scene and decided to leave. He did not want to attend his next class, but now that seemed like a more attractive option than getting involved in the scene unfolding. He slipped away without anyone noticing his departure.
"Naruto is right, Sasuke. Something is going on that you are not telling us. Are you alright?" Lee asked. Sasuke's anger increased.
"Acting like the good guy now." Sasuke spat. "You had no problems with stealing my girlfriend." Sasuke shouted. Naruto looked like a deer in the headlights.
"Bushy-Brow, you're with Sakura now?" Naruto asked. Lee nodded. "I'm so out of the loop." Naruto said, looking sheepish. "But I know Sakura. She would only be with someone if she really did care about them. I would know. She rejected me at least a hundred times." Naruto said, a tinge of sorrow in his voice. "Come on, Sasuke. Just leave them be. I know Lee did not steal her from you. You're just being dramatic."
"Naruto, I swear…" Sasuke started. Suddenly, a teacher appeared from a classroom next to where the three were standing. Lee now became aware of how empty the halls were.
"Get to class now." The teacher warned the three. Lee did not hesitate to leave, walking past Sasuke and out through the hallway door. The other two went their separate ways.
Lee arrived at his final class for the day, feeling rattled by the confrontation. He had a gut feeling Sasuke would accost him eventually, but he did not think Sasuke would be aware of the news so soon. He did not want to fight Sasuke but fighting him would have felt right to him. It wasn't a matter of vengeance but putting that egoistic Uchiha in his place. However, Lee remembered Naruto and what he said. Naruto got to the soul of the issue at hand; Sasuke was not well.
Lee recalled Sasuke being an amazing teammate. He was skilled, dependable, quick-thinking, and fast. Lee was not as close to him as Naruto was, but Sasuke always seemed like a cool guy. He was a natural genius and quite handsome too. As for his personality, he seemed quite normal albeit conceited. That may have been due to his reputation as one of the hottest male students. He appeared content even though he had been burning the midnight oil often to keep up his perfect GPA. Lee now pitied the guy who had become his rival. Sasuke was now aggressive, paranoid, irritable, and a loose cannon. He was a hollow shell of his former self.
Lee entered his classroom, embarrassed when heads turned to see him enter the room. It was rare that he was ever tardy. He rushed to his seat, trying to not disrupt Haku who was speaking. He sat next to Sai, who was absentmindedly doodling in his sketchpad.
"It's just a little over a week into November already and soon you will be on a break for the Thanksgiving holiday. I think this will be a great time to begin discussing your midterm exam in December." Haku said. "There won't be an exam." The class cheered. "However, you will need to research any artist of your choice, alive or otherwise, and write a brief two-page paper about their life and art. Then, you will create a still image of your artist. You can use a photo or painting for reference, but it must be your original work, capiche?" Haku explained. The class agreed. "You may start at any time, but I recommend you get it done as soon as possible because the time flies fast this time of year and the due date with approach faster than you expect."
"That sounds easy," Lee said to himself, relieved he wouldn't have to work so hard.
He noticed Deidara in the class. Now that Lee was attending the play, he was becoming aware of the other students who were involved in the production. Sakura told Lee about the cast yesterday and his distaste for Deidara grew. He did not like the guy much after his brief interaction with him before meeting Itachi and Kisame, but now that Lee knew Deidara played a large role as a potential love interest for Sakura's character, he was struggling to conceal his envy. It would break his heart to see some guy kiss her on stage whilst he wasn't quite there with her yet. He remembered the colorful animated film he saw many times as a child and expected Deidara to play Captain Phoebus. He knew Gaara was playing the role of Quasimodo, which he felt zero objections to. Some student named Kabuto was playing Frollo, which was apt to Lee. Kabuto was a strange, somewhat creepy, mysterious character, always assisting his first-period teacher.
"Hey, Lee." Sai said. Lee flinched. "I noticed you were mad-dogging Deidara."
"Sorry." Lee apologized.
"You seem tense. I am sorry for what Ino said this morning. I hope that didn't ruin your day." Sai said, referring to the incident with their girlfriends this morning.
"It is not your fault," Lee said. "I am optimistic Inoshishi may come around eventually."
"Yeah." Sai agreed. "They're pretty hot when they're angry though."
The class ended and Lee was preparing to leave, packing his supplies away in his bag. The class began emptying and Lee noticed Gaara remained. Sai had left, heading to football practice to prepare for the last couple of games of the season. Lee slung his bag over his shoulder and began to leave, feeling tense as he worried about Sasuke reappearing.
"Lee." Gaara called as Lee was leaving. Lee turned to him, curious why he had been stopped.
"Are you alright?" Gaara asked.
"Oh, I am fine, thank you." Lee said. Gaara continued to look into his eyes, his eye contact feeling intense and a tad awkward. "How are you?" Lee asked, feeling silly for the long awkward pause.
"I'm fine. I just thought I would ask. I have been hearing a lot about you lately." Gaara said. Lee understood. Gaara was working alongside some very popular students. He wasn't surprised Gaara was aware of all the recent happenings.
"I never imagined I would ever be discussed so much behind my back." Lee sneered. "I do not care what anyone is saying, I only care about how it is affecting Sakura. She just wants to be happy." Lee explained. Gaara listened carefully.
"I'm sorry you're going through this," Gaara said. "I approached you because I realized I never truly apologized for what I did to you years ago. I'm very sorry for what I did. I was a huge jerk back then, but I have changed." Gaara stated. Lee smiled.
"I forgave you a long time ago, Gaara." Lee said. "I should be apologizing to you. I was so thickheaded and stubborn, and I was not being a good teammate to you. Then years later, I had been avoiding you because I just did not know what to say." Lee sighed. "I am sorry."
"Can we be friends again?" Gaara asked. Lee smiled.
"Of course!" Lee beamed. Gaara smiled at him. It felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off of their shoulders.
"I'll see you tomorrow." Gaara said as he turned to leave.
"Wait." Lee said. Gaara turned back to Lee. "I just got to know, Deidara is not going to kiss Sakura, is he? I do not remember that happening in the animated movie, but I wanted to be sure." Lee explained.
A grin appeared on Gaara's face, and he suddenly erupted into laughter. Lee stood, feeling slightly unnerved and stupid. His curiosity peaked.
"This play is based on the original novel, not the Disney film." Gaara laughed.
"Oh." Lee said, red in the face. Hopefully, there were no kissing scenes in the book, Lee hoped.
"I'll see you tomorrow." Gaara repeated, still grinning as he left.
Lee left and walked to his car, scanning his surroundings for Sasuke. Unfortunately, the Uchiha was waiting for him. Sasuke angrily approached Lee. Lee frowned, preparing himself again for a confrontation.
"I didn't get to finish earlier." Sasuke said coldly. "I have some advice for you. Don't go to the play." Sasuke warned Lee. "Better yet, break this thing off. Sakura loves me. We all know she'll come back to me." He said before turning to leave, walking towards the gymnasium and football field, where practice was being held. Lee continued to his car, thankful that no blood had spilled.
Sakura remained at the school, eager to get rehearsal over with. Her back and legs ached as she longed for the comfort of her bed and a heating pad. She noticed Gaara was smiling, which was unusual for him. His sister told Sakura before that their parent's divorce affected him the hardest. He always seemed down, especially around the times he spent with his father, whom he was at odds with. It felt good to see the usual despondent grunge boy in better spirits. Sakura felt uplifted by the sight.
She completed her rehearsal, soldiering through the intense pain she felt. She was picked up by her mom and returned home, climbing into her bed to rest at last. She thought about Lee, excited to talk to him some more over the phone later. She enjoyed their conversations together. He never seemed bored or uninterested in her hobbies and likes. The pair had completed most of their project ahead of schedule, leaving them more time to talk about fun things. Mentally exhausted by her day, she allowed herself to drift into a nap.
Later, Lee returned home from work. He had had a very eventful day but tried not to let it trample his happiness. He stepped into his bedroom, dropping his bag with a thud to the floor. He tripped over a 40lb dumbbell on his floor and caught his balance before he could crash into his dresser. He examined the weight and noticed some things had been moved around in his bedroom and the kitten was missing. He began tearing apart his room, searching for the missing feline.
After tearing apart his room and having no luck, he began to panic. Kiba was still at work and Akamaru was sleeping. Lee feared Akamaru ate the poor defenseless creature, or it escaped from the house. He feared what he would tell Sakura whenever she asked about it. He searched downstairs, lifting furniture and leaving no rock unturned.
"What are you doing?" Shino asked, frowning. He had just emerged from his bedroom upon hearing all the ruckus.
"Shino. I am sorry. I cannot find the kitten." Lee cried, still panicking.
"Calm down." Shino said curtly.
"You do not understand! Sakura is depending on me. She's going to leave me and hate me forever if I screw this up." Lee cried dramatically. "You have no clue how much strain our new relationship is under already." Lee said, real tears beginning to form in his eyes.
"I said calm down." Shino repeated. "Look."
Shino opened the pocket of his large hoodie. It was an old hoodie he wore at home often, from his days playing on the school's basketball team. It was heavily worn out and stained from the years of wear. Inside the large pocket of the hoodie was the snoozing kitten.
"He was crying the whole time you were gone." Shino explained. "Akamaru was barking, and it was driving me crazy. I took him out of your room and kept him by me while I did my online classes."
"Oh." Lee said, feeling foolish for his outburst. Relief washed over him. "Thank goodness he is safe." Lee sighed in reprieve.
"What's happening? With Sakura, I mean." Shino asked. It was unusual for Shino to pry, but he seemed to be in a much better state now than he was days ago when his bee colony perished.
"We are going out now." Lee said. "Her friends do not seem to approve of me, and Sasuke hates my guts." Lee frowned.
"I never liked that guy. Those haughty Uchihas get on my nerves." Shino complained. Kiba had returned home, looking tired and smelling like French fries. "What happened?" Shino continued.
"Sasuke heard about us and he threatened me." Lee said. "He is sick, Shino. I do not know what it is, but there is something wrong with him. And I am not afraid of him, but I do not want anything to do with him or his brother again." Lee explained. Kiba's demeanor changed, and he looked at Lee, shocked.
"You know Itachi Uchiha? How?" Kiba demanded. Shino and Lee looked surprised by Kiba. "That guy is no good."
"Do you know something about the Akatsuki?" Lee asked. Kiba felt a shiver down his spine and the hairs on his neck stood up. He shook his head, reluctant to speak.
"They're a gang, Lee. You stay away from them all. That Itachi guy is using his shitty father's status to keep his image squeaky clean. But the Akatsuki are as corrupt as the police in this town, stealing drugs and pushing their sale. You can't trust either of them." Kiba said. "Don't get involved with the Uchihas. I learned that the hard way."
Lee gulped. He wasn't afraid of Sasuke, but he feared what his older brother could do with all his connections. With drugs involved, it seemed risky business to investigate the matter further. However, now he was even more displeased with Deidara and Sasori being so close to Sakura. He wasn't lying when he told Sakura he would protect her with his life, but now, he was aware of the real dangers that were immediately around them. The feeling made him uneasy. Love is something Lee believed was worth fighting for, but he would be lying if he didn't feel the gravity of the situation weighing on his mind.
Lee eventually retreated to his bedroom with his dinner, ready to do an assignment before heading to bed. Sakura had been texting him and scheduling a time for him to come over to her home for dinner. Lee was relieved Sakura had seemed alright, despite the rough day they had. Lee decided to not tell her about Sasuke, reasoning that she may find out about it eventually on her own, but he did not want to stress her further for now.
He opened his book that held the flattened daffodil. The site of the flower filled him with renewed hope and joy. It was a flower known for its strength and resilience, a flower that seemed to represent them both and he hoped would be a symbol of their relationship. Already, their new relationship was under so much strain from the environment, that he worried about its survival. He felt like an inexperienced gardener desperately trying to save his treasured blooms from the harsh weather and pests hellbent on destroying his work.