18

It all began with noisy black eyes watching for every motion, shadows emerging in the obscurity along the path back to her home, obvious red-white fan becoming an occurrence, even in the most unlikely places, such as a shop at the very opposite end of the Uchiha neighborhood. They creep into every crevice, hardly concealing their sinister purpose. They never attacked their prey, for each time she tried to confront them, they flew away in panic. Though she had counted four individuals taking part in these futile attempts to scare her, paranoia had started to make her anxious every time she spotted the red, white Uchiha fan.

In the quietness of the library, in which she occasionally assisted the owner, between her strenuous training sessions, the sight of three brats sitting not so far away from Emi, had distracted her from her work, causing her to rise her eyes several times with a strange sense of foreboding. They made their calculating move during the few seconds she had her back turned. Books and pencils fell on the ground, accompanied by the distinctive sound of a sheet being torn apart. Sakura found the innocent Emi on the ground, unaware of the violence in the air. She didn't cry, her intelligent mind being firmly focused on gathering the lost pencils.

"Do you feel strong after assaulting a child?"

The flabbergasted kid turned to her, his eyes soon narrowing, full of hatred. "Don't speak to me, Soma's whore!"

Sakura slapped him on the cheek like the brat he was, causing his companion to back away in shock. The kid was so angry that his eyeballs looked like they were going to leave their sockets. Sakura grinned when black tomoes appeared in his red eyes. "Oh, it looks like you can't control your sharingan when you're upset? Are you really a genin?"

The raging brat raised his hands, threateningher with a shining kunai. But his friends, cleverer than he was, hold him back by the shoulders, and lead him away. "I forbid you to come back here!" Sakura shouted, watching them leave with satisfaction.

What a bunch of brats!

"Are you alright, Emi?"

"My paper looks unhappy," she complained, still sitting on the ground.

Sakura picked the torn sheets, noticing the kanjis representing the former leaders of Konoha. "Don't worry. I know someone who may be able to make it happy again."

She blinked and carried on gathering the books. Mostly historical books. It seemed this subject interested her very much. Didn't they teach Konoha's history at the academy? Perhaps this knowledge would motivate her to go.

When Emi's cousin popped up, still wearing his Anbu outfit, Sakura glared at him and said, "You're late."

Shun glanced at the torn paper suspiciously, most likely recognizing Emi's writings, and looked at her again.

"Kids are just stupid," Sakura muttered.

She remembered seeing something hostile in his eyes, the first day she had seen him after her night among his people. She had apologized, though he had claimed nothing was wrong. However, the strange uneasiness had persisted, so she had continued apologizing again and again. Now, after two weeks, she felt like things were back to normal. Except for new the rumor going around claiming she was being unfaithful to Naruto, having been seen too often in Shun's company. A Soma. Everyone knew of her and Naruto's evening inside the Soma neighborhood, and naturally, they had all made their own silly assumptions.

The following day, one tranquil evening to the Earth Temple in front of her apartment building was disturbed by three very pissed off ladies. The leader of their band arrived in her back and pushed her violently with her legs, making Sakura fall on her side. Nobody expected to be attacked inside a shrine, and so Sakura looked up at the newcomers with confusion. She had sensed a shadow observing her earlier, but these three-woman had nothing to do with it, even though they wore the Uchiha crest on their clothes.

Uchiha kunoichis were as spiteful as their male counterpart, holding themselves with pride and arrogance. Just like the little group of brats from the library, their leader, a tall, athletic young-woman, stared at Sakura like she was looking at the most abhorrent creature she had ever seen.

"Raising your hand on my brother, humiliating him in public, and barring him from entering the public library, who do you think you are?" she shouted at her, bombing her torso like an angry roost.

Oh, so that's what it is about.

Sakura would have smirked if she wasn't being assaulted by these three overconfident women. She wasn't certain she could handle them, having no idea of who they were, and what they were capable of, except for their holy sharingan. Either way, shinobis using their ninjutsu to commit violence upon citizens or their own was heavily frowned upon. Doing this would tarnish their reputation. Though Konoha was mostly peaceful, being led and organized by a strong military structure, it didn't mean there were no crimes or violence.

Impatient, the woman pulled on Sakura's clothes. "I'll tell you who you are, since you seem too stupid to speak. You're weak, just a worthless noumin who needs to remember her place! A whore for the Somas."

"Disgusting," one of her companions muttered.

Sakura closed her eyes and focus on her breath. Don't. Just ignore them.

"Oi! Look at me!" she demanded, shaking her again. "My brother will come back to the library, tomorrow, and you'll let him in. Do you hear me? You may hide behind the Somas and the Godaime all you want, but if you touch him again, I'll beat you up!"

Still on the ground, Sakura let her head fall backward, unconcerned about the dust sullying her hair. She watched the angry mobs leave the shrine, while keeping her focus on her breath. She relaxed her fists slowly, finding blood spilling in the middle of her palms, her nails tainted in red. She was proud to not have succumbed to her emotions. These women, they weren't worthy of her wrath or worry. The shadows discreetly leaving the shrine, on the other, they were the one to be wary of, for they creeped constantly in the dark, waiting for their time patiently.

Standing on her tip-toe, Sakura gazed over the large crowd of Shisato, plunged in the various colors of their outfits. Even if the Yamanaka Clan symbol might not be outstanding, their typical blond-ash hair gave them away. Still, she saw nothing of the sort among the crowd. Instead, she recognized the Uchiha symbol on the back of some women walking ahead, which made her suddenly feel less joyful about this night's celebration. Even under the powder on her face, the black kohl around her eyes and her gracious summer kimono, her pink hair gave her away. She froze when a large band of Uchihas passed by her, both men and women, chatting with each other, but they all…ignored her. She felt incredibly silly. Was she letting paranoia get the better of her?

Her motion being impaired by the compensated wooden sandals on her feet, she almost felt forward when a strong hand slammed over her back.

"Pinky!" the disagreeable voice of Anko Mitarashi spoke. "All alone without her dogs. Walk with me!"

"What—"

Anko dragged her roughly by the arms, not giving her much choice, the rigid fabric of her brand-new attire constricting her movement. Before she knew it, Sakura was pushed down on at the very end of a bench and squeezed against two warm bodies, including Anko right next to her.

"Look who I found!" she said proudly, as she wrapped roughly her arm around Sakura's neck.

"You look splendid tonight, Sakura-san. Like the most magnificent flower."

She smiled awkwardly. "Thanks, Lee."

Yugao and Shishui, who were sitting in front of her, next to Lee, offered her a warm smile. They look relaxed, unwinding like most of the shinobis here, for the annual summer celebration in Shisato- a village about an hour's walk from Konoha. The streets were lined with food stands, offering dishes coming from all corners of the Land of Fire. Multiple tables were spread everywhere inside the village, turning this evening into one gigantic feast.

"I thought you were coming with the Yamanakas," Yugao inquired.

"I lost sight of them." she admitted, feeling slightly shameful.

Anko crushed her further, while shouting like a boisterous drunk, "And I found you, Pinky girl!"

The motion made her body pressed against her left neighbor, almost sending her face into the black fabric of one very fine haori. Embarrassed, she looked up, ready to apologize profoundly, and became livid when she recognized the striking feature of Itachi Uchiha. Her eyes looked away immediately, like they got burnt. Her instinct made her want to leave, but she was stuck, there was nowhere to go, and so, she stared straight ahead, struggling to keep her composure in front of so many keen eyes. Would they notice? Would they know the truth just by looking at her?

Her body became tense, making her feel a pit of pain growing in her stomach, almost akin to excitement. Her comrades were speaking and laughing with each other, yet she couldn't comprehend her words anymore, she could only focus on her breathing, resolved no to let panic overwhelm her.

They'll suspect something, a voice kept whispering to her. She saw Anko pouring her a glass of drink, giving her a path to salvation. Without thinking, she grabbed it and drank it straight, not caring about what it contained, though the sour, sweetened taste was unmistakable.

"… come on, Haruno. Don't be shy! We all know the truth already!"

Sakura's heart missed a bit, her panicked eyes turned to the maniac kunoichi. "What?"

"Your little trip to the Somas. I'm curious. What did you see?"

Relief swarmed her at once. No, of course, they didn't know a thing. She was being paranoid again.

"I…" she started, her mouth already feeling dry, as all eyes hung on her lips. "If I tell you, there won't be any mystery anymore."

Anko grimaced, "Don't be boring, Pinky. Give us something, come on."

Sakura felt uncertain. The last thing she wanted was to mention anything related to the Somas in front of him. She met Shisui inquisitive eyes for an instant, and it scared her. This man, under his friendly demeanor, had quite a reputation under his belt. Though he was now taking care of genins, he was still considered of the most dangerous shinobi.

"Let her return to her friends, Anko," Shisui suggested, smiling apologetically at Sakura.

He must have sensed her hesitance. Not to mention, nobody in his right might would divulge information about the Somas, when the very heir of their Clan's enemy was sitting right next to them. She prayed that it was what he was seeing when he looked at her. Anything but the truth.

"Don't ruin my fun, Shisui." Anko groaned, while pouring more sake in Sakura's cup. "She was all alone for a reason, Yamanakas don't know how to entertain themselves."

"The Somas love drinking," Sakura blurted out, causing her bully to cheer loudly. Anko had started annoying Sakura whenever she met her, after the war. She had been the one interrogating Sakura regarding her very special and illegal operation to rescue Sasuke Uchiha from Konoha's prison. She had somehow earned her respect.

"Not as much as the Akimichi Clan." Lee pointed out.

A war followed, with the most pointless debate to determinate which clan had the most taste for sake. Sakura was half-listening, trying to come up with a plan to get out of this dangerous situation, but it was too hard to think with…him being just right here. She sipped again her drink, finding her courage to glance at him. Itachi was plunging his baguette into some mix of rice and eggs, eating quietly. She noticed his cup, one typically used for sake. Could someone like him even get drunk?

It suddenly occurred to her that if he was here, back in the Land of Fire, Sasuke must be in Konoha too. She wished she could just ask him about it, but bringing more attention to herself was out of the question.

Just as she finished her cup, she caught Shisui making a strange motion with his fingers. Her anxious mind slowing her thought process, it took her a while to pick up his clue. Anko was distracted by Lee and Yugao, it was time to regain her freedom.

Extirpating herself from the bench turned out to require more agility than expected. Yet, she managed to do it at the price of hitting the dusty ground with her bottom. At last, she was free! She rose to her feet and tried to sneak past Anko's sight.

"Haruno," called the displeased of voice of Anko, stopping her in her tracks. "Leaving like a thief doesn't suit you."

She straightened herself, and proceeded to bow respectfully, hoping the drunk Anko would let her be, at last. Now that she was standing at the table's bottom, she had a very good sight of her former table companion. He looked exactly like the last time she had seen him, one month ago, minus the casual haori and the subtle sign of tiredness on his face. Itachi was being truth to his words, faithful to his reputation, for he never looked at her once.

"…just don't come back to me, once you realize how boring Yamanakas can be!"

Sakura nodded, half-distracted, as she gave a last glance to Itachi, hoping she would finally meet his eyes. Just once. Just one acknowledgment. But it never happened, and so, she flew, feeling a strange hollow sensation in her chest.

Daichi Yamanaka, the twenty-five-year-old civilian and farmer, who had come to Konoha after all his land was destroyed. A collateral victim of the war, had fallen for the vice of all vices: gambling. Seeing how enthralled Daichi was by the current round he was playing – and loosing – Sakura felt gratefully to have never been tempted to try. While her inclination for alcoholic beverages wasn't any better, at least she would never be forced to sell her humble home to pay her debts.

Sakura was starting to become desperate after trying to catch Daichi's attention throughout the whole evening. In truth, everything had gone rather well, until he had started playing this stupid game.

One more hand, he kept saying, failing to see his upending doom. Sakura wasn't the one to be this patient, but tonight she didn't feel like herself. Her docility and eagerness to make herself approachable, to smile at every occasion, made a picture that wouldn't fool her teammates. For once, they weren't here to sabotage her, and she had every intention of playing her cards the right way tonight, even if she lacked authenticity.

She coughed, and leaned to her companion's ear. "Daichi-san, perhaps you should… consider taking your profit. Your luck may run out—"

"Listen," Daichi said, losing his composure for the first time since she had met him. "You've been rather…overbearing tonight," he let out a nervous laugh and continued, "constantly offering me unwanted advice. You're a medic, aren't you? What would you know of gambling?"

More than you do, farmer-boy, she thought bitterly.

"I..enjoyed your attention at first, but your neediness makes me uncomfortable. To be truthful, I'd rather not spend more time in your company. Oh, impossible! I—" he laid his cards on the table, revealing an unfavorable combination to his grumpy opponents, "I lost! I lost everything!"

Fool.

Sakura smiled politely, before she left, leaving the sweet Daichi to celebrate with his new acquaintances. She walked quietly through the crowd, her narrowed eyes locked on a woman with a high blond ponytail, who was drinking herself to death with her blond companions.

"Ino," Sakura hissed, as she took the woman aside. "Your lovely cousin just rejected me!"

Ino burst out laughing then, her body bending over from the forces of her laughs. "I—I can't" she breathed out.

"What's so funny, Ino?"

"Did you really think you and my cousin could—!"

"You said he found me intriguing," Sakura reminded her, starting to become unamused by her friend's hysterical laughs. Ino Yamanaka was a good friend, though they weren't exactly close – their past rivalry for Sasuke's attention had doomed their relationship forever. Even if after moving on their childish obsession, they had ended their stupid war and had become friends again, there was still some jealousy on both parts.

"Oh," she puffed, putting her hands on her mouth. "Did I forget to mention he said you were scary?"

"You tricked me," Sakura accused immediately.

"What's with the offended look? Not everyone can be sca—scary!"

"You're the worst, Ino-pig."

"Come on, Sakura," she whined loudly. "You don't care about my sweet farmer cousin. You've barely spoken to him since your first meeting."

"This isn't the issue here. You…" she rose her hands, already giving up. "Kami-sama, I can't believe I'm saying it, but I should've listened to Anko…"

"Come drink with me, you idiot, instead of being all stiff, like a stuck-up Uchiha…"

Sakura didn't hear her last words, for she was already far away for the drunken blond. Whereas Sakura tended to become violent when she drank too much, Ino just became spiteful, speaking her mind without any filter. Sakura felt hurt, not by her words, but by the cold realization that she had fooled herself when it came to Ino's lovely cousin.

Why couldn't she just enjoy her evening without hindrances for once?

As she stopped in front of one of the many taverns of the village, she was filled by a sense of deja-vu, stimulated by a sense of confidence. It felt like it was where she was meant to be. In the end, her wish for a sober evening would fork in the very opposite direction. She ordered her first drink with resignation, barely noticing her surroundings, drown in the hubbub of the crowded establishment.

"You look like you could need company."

Glass still hanging on her lips, Sakura's head shifted to the unknown voice. A fine young mine was standing by her side, smiling awkwardly at her. Perhaps her night wasn't utterly ruined, after all.

"My friends are sitting over here," he said, as he made a motion towards the back of the inn. "Would you like joining us?"

Sakura nodded too eagerly, blinded with hope. She followed the stranger, and soon found herself sitting at his table, surrounded with curious—and somewhat scared—eyes. She let them babble about their enjoyable evening, observing them quietly. Sakura wasn't shy, but well, she felt uncertain she could become really quiet. Once she understood, the three men, were just civilians from a nearby village, who and no idea who she was, she started to relax, and soon became more curious about their life.

Her glass being empty, one of the men grabbed the fancy bottle standing right in the middle of the table. They were wealthier than they looked, if they could afford such a drink. Noticed how his hand trembled as he reached for her glass and poured the holy liquid inside. He blushed when he caught her looking at him, judging his strange behavior.

"Where does it come from?" Sakura inquired, while she studied the purple sake.

"Er…I think it might come from the land of Sand."

"Unlikely. They…don't produce sake."

Well, one would think someone paying quite a bit of money for a fancy bottle would know its content and origins. Maybe it was truly their first time drinking such a delicacy. Sakura could tell just from the taste that it came from the Land of Waves. She studied the kanjis written on it: Kairaku no Umi. Pleasure of the sea. It certainly tasted good.

"Being from Konoha, you must have met these guys with white hair. What are they called already?"

"The Somas," his friend clarified, his eyes shifting nervously.

Sakura lay down carefully her glass, watching the expectant gaze on her. "So you know who I am, after all. And I guess you're from Konoha too."

She couldn't believe she had fallen for it again. Twice in one evening. How foolish could one be? Anger and fists should meet these opportunistic pricks, however Sakura just remained calm, remembering one's misery could be the make the happiness who didn't have the privilege to be the center of silly rumors. Plus, they had the guts to approach her and lie to her, something that could earn them just a bit of respect.

"One question each."

Their eyes lit up with excitement. "What was it like inside?"

"Flowery, and peaceful."

"Did you…did you meet their leader?" another guy asked.

"No. I was just a guest… I don't think there was any reason for me to meet him."

The hierarchy within the Somas clan was still unclear to Sakura, especially in regard to Emi Nuzura. She understood the girl was somehow related to the leading family, but not enough to be allowed at their table. As far as she knew, the elder known as the matriarch was the closest relative to Emi Nuzura, yet she barely saw them interact together. Then again, in their strange traditions and culture, what did family really mean to them?

"Is it true that they have guards?" her last drinking companion started, seeming more nervous than his cronies. "Armored guards patrolling their walls at every hour?"

Sakura paused, not drunk enough to miss how oddly specific this question was. Counting her first drink with Anko's friends, she had had three drinks to be exact. "Why would they need guards?"

"Er…I bet it must have been nerve-wracking going there by yourself, hm?"

How strange. Everyone aware of her interactions with the Soma Clan knew she had visited their neighborhood with Naruto Uzumaki. Sakura was known for a compassion and empathy, not for her patience, and so, when it occurred to her that they hadn't lied, that they truly weren't from Konoha, she felt a familiar emotion grown inside her: a powerful rage.

"What's my name?"

Her three drinking companions stared at her with a perplexed expression. So she had been right, after all.

Sakura let out of a groan of frustration, before she emptied her glass in one go. "The one damn time I meet charming companions who have no idea who I am, they have to try to set me up. Kami-sama…"

"I told you to keep quiet!" the first man who had approached her shouted to his frightened friend.

"She—she said one question each—"

"And you just obeyed like she's your Mistress!"

They kept arguing for a while, about who should have done what to make their silly plan succeed. Sakura's eyes were stuck on the bottle. This very expensive luxury, not even the most prolific shinobis could afford.

Do not break the table, she kept repeating herself, until the glass in her hand shattered into several pieces, breaking the fight of the three unaware liars.

"Who paid you?" she asked in a hollow tone, eyes still stuck on the bottle.

"Don't!"

"A shinobi in a black outfit," the nervous one answered, to his friend's dismay. "Look, we're not looking for trouble! I swear!"

"Then you shouldn't have sold your soul for a bottle."

She had wasted enough time here. Sakura reached for the holy bottle, as she rose to her feet. "I'm taking this, seeing as you've failed your assignment. I suggest you not to leave this establishment. Shinobis never killed civilians in plain sight."

Of course, their lives weren't at risk. Scarring them after their little play just felt gratifying. Though she was once again in a foul mood, at least she wasn't leaving empty-handed.

There wasn't a more loyal and comforting companion than a bottle of sake.

But first, she had another matter to take care of.

Bargaining with a merchant while being crouched down behind a large stall of rice balls wasn't how she had imagined her evening would be going at all. Sakura begged him to leave her be, whispering hastily like a mad woman, that it was a matter of security. A gross lie. He ended up accepting and resumed to advertise his tasty rice to the passerby.

It wasn't like anyone could see her behind the table, hidden behind the mounts of rice. Sakura, on the other, had a really clear sight of the street, especially the balcony above the opposite building, and its roof. That was where she expected them to be. While her tracking skills were lacking, she had not forgotten the basic lessons from the academy. If you ever lose sight of your target, don't leave the area, for there is a high likeliness that your enemy is still right under your nose. She expected the shadows to apply this very basic rule.

There were five, maybe six men, that she had identified following her for the last two weeks, shinobis that she suspected were answering to Nobura Uchiha. She had no idea how many were here tonight, though she knew, as she suddenly spotted a shinobi hiding on a balcony, that there was at least one.

Got you.

Hidden in her haori, like a powerful trinket, she pulled out her bottle and hide it inside a large bag of rice. The Uchiha was scanning the crew like a hawk, confirming once again his presence had nothing to do with pleasure. Poor lad. To think, he was stuck here watching unfold her pathetic and boring evening. When he joined the crowd on the ground, Sakura felt a shot of adrenaline ran through her vein. She had to stay focused now, losing him would indeed ruin her little plan. Forced to leave her hiding, she swam discreetly between the stalls and people, sometimes stopping behind a group of partygoers, who gave her nasty looks.

Hawks, in their confidence and place on the food chain, never suspected one second that they could become a prey. Surprise was the only advantage she had right now. Suffice it to say, when he stopped at the entrance of a narrowed street, she sneaked behind him. He was cursing, probably lamenting himself for losing her. Reminding herself this guy had ruined her night, and thus didn't deserve her pity, Sakura fantasized about using her Cherry Blossom Impact jutsu to punch him inside the nearest wall. Unfortunately, the second she would summon her chakra, he would feel her presence and dodge any of her attack.

Pragmatic, Sakura lurched at him with bare hands, devoid of chakra. The man turned a fraction of a second too late, and took the hit in his back and shoulder, falling head first forward. Seeing his flabbergasted face made Sakura proud of her achievement.

"Didn't your people learn from the last time? Bribing civilians will lead you nowhere."

The shinobi backflippedand landed on his feet, showing a defensive posture, kunai firmly held between his fingers, ready to counterattack.

"Tell whoever you serve to stop being a coward! If they wish to know something, they can just come speak to me."

The Uchiha frowned, without a doubt upset by her insult. His eyes suddenly shifted over her shoulder, and widened. In a mere instant, he was gone. Sakura looked behind her shoulder, concerned by what, or rather who, might have spooked him.

"Haruno-san," the two Somas said, inclining their head respectfully.

"Have you been following me?"

"We were following the Uchiha, until we understood he was after you."

"Well, he's gone now," she mumbled angrily, walking past them.

Their bodies stopped her path. "I suggest letting us accompany you back to Konoha."

"I can find my way back home by myself. Move please."

"We must insist."

"I said no!" she shouted, loudly enough to make some noisy passersby stop at the very end of the alley. The last thing she needed was more silly rumors.

"Please," she said, as the Somas backed off, visibly upset by her resistance. "Don't come to my door, tomorrow, to apologize. I forgive you!"

The sake bottle, that she had naturally retrieved from its hiding within the rice bag of the merchant, was now almost half empty. The concentrated beverage had surpassed her expectations, for her mind was now completely fuzzy. Having spotted the white-haired head of the Somas among the crowd again, she had had no choice but to use a transformation jutsu to color her hair in brown. The Somas were deaf to any sensible words, being convinced she was in danger. In the end, she had lost one evil shadow for two unwanted guardians. She wondered whether they were worse than her protective teammates or not. Nevertheless, she could have gladly made it through the evening without their overbearing presence.

Even in her drunken state, she understood her trick had worked, and found herself heading towards the village exit, wary of her unsteady feet. The sight of a long tail of well-kept black hair suddenly picked her intoxicated mind like a magnet. She darted through the crowd like she was on a mission, bumping rudely into bodies, until she reached for the black hakama of the figure. The head turned to her, revealing an old, wrinkledface.

It's not him.

A small shop sold white lanterns by the gate of Shisato, a thoughtful gesture for the visitors heading back to Konoha through the path within the forest. Sakura contented herself with the starlight and moonlight to guide her through the darkness, not to mention the numerous lanterns that seemed to be floating by themselves.

She stopped several times along the way, the combination of her geta compensated sandals and her drunkenness making her stumble on any irregularities on the road. Several times she just stood still, catching something amiss in the air, and then she continued walking, ignoring the other travelers commenting on her strange behavior.

At some point, she fell on her ground again. Instead of getting back on her feet, she just tossed away her shoes angrily, cursing them with all the fancy insults she could think of. Fingers entangled together, she pressed her lips together in concentration, rejoicing inwardly when a slug of a dog's size appeared right in front of her.

"Ka—Katsuyu."

"It's been a long time…mistress. Is there any way I may be of assistance?"

"Something's off with me."

"I believe you may be intoxicated.

"They…they cursed me! It wasn't sup—supposed to end like this."

"You may need a human friend to talk to."

"They left me! Again! Even Naruto has disappeared. Damn anbus!"

Some noisy eyes stared hard at them, especially at Katsuyu. They weren't used to seeing a slug of such size naturally. If only they truly knew Katsuyu's real size… In a tremendous effort, Sakura managed to rose back on her feet. Sensing the white slug wasn't following her, she immediately turned around, panicked, "Don't you dare leave too!"

"I wouldn't dare," the soothing voice of Katsuyu answered.

"Do you believe I'm needy?"

"I think you're afflicted with loneliness, Mistress."

"Loneliness?" Sakura repeated mockingly. "Ah… The last time I suffered from…lone—loneliness. I did something really…stupid."

Sakura stopped walking all of a sudden, like she's been stuck by lighting, and instead of staying on the main large path, she changed direction, and bifurcated to a narrowed trail cutting into a denser vegetation.

This was the way.

"Mistress, this path won't lead you to Konoha," Katsuyu warned her.

"Shh."

The trail's debris cut into her the skin of her naked feet—she wished she had Katsuyu thick skin. Due to the sake in her system, she hardly felt any pain, moving forward with a strange determination, sometimes holding herself to the branch of her tree not to fall down. Her attire didn't make her quest easier. The temperature felt milder here, which she soon found out, wasn't just due to the vegetation. The distinct rumbling of water reached her ears, and shortly after, they were met with the sight of the tranquil Naka River, illuminated by the numerous stars in the sky. The pronounced rumbling came from a waterfall further ahead the river, falling down a small cliff of rocks and forming a basin underneath.

The prospect of getting rid of her restricting clothes, to enjoy the freshness of the water, felt tempting. During a short moment of discernment, she felt suddenly lost. What was she doing here?

"Mistress."

Katsuyu's worried voice sounded distant, as her eyes caught a shadow sitting on a patch of pebble bordering one side of the river. And just like that, it came back. A thrilling sensation in her stomach, making her body tremble with excitation.

More energized than ever, she tried to make her way downward, and thus despite her unsteadiness and Katsuyu's constant warning. Sakura was still far from her destination, peeking from behind a tree, when the primitive part of her brain finally got what it craved. The peaceful half-naked man, whose long black hair lied freely behind his back, seemed to be in a deep meditative state. His head was slightly tilted backward and his palms, laid down on the pebble, were supporting the weight of his upper body, giving off an air of carelessness and peacefulness, that triggered Sakura's worst insecurities.

Why couldn't she have a nice peaceful evening too, instead of being humiliated, played with and hunted by arrogant pricks taking her for a fool? Why didn't she deserve this peace, too? Her hurt and intoxicated mind soon build a very convenient and irrational picture of the reasons for her ordeals. It was all his fault.

"You may leave, Katsuyu."

And forward she went, unable to resist the obsessive suggestions in her mind, and unaware of doing the very opposite thing she had sworn not to do.

Let's just say someone's peaceful evening at the river will be heavily disturbed in the next chapter! I'm aware the last chapters were frustrating and anxiogenic, but that's a buildup needed for what will come next.

I hope you felt like punching everyone in the face while reading this chapter.
Thanks for reading :)