She drummed her fingers on her desk as she and her course mates waited for their professor to arrive.

Mr Kakashi Hatake is late again. Sakura sighed as she averted her gaze from the front door of the classroom.

He takes anatomy class, and every single time, he comes in after many minutes have passed, giving dry excuses about how his phone disappeared into the sky or about how his lower limb got misplaced and he had to crawl like a limbless Deadpool to search for it.

It was so frustrating. She had wanted to give him a piece of her mind but she never got the chance because as soon as they're done with the class, Mr Hatake will be the first to leave and you will never see him anywhere on campus no matter how hard you try. There was also this suspicious green coloured book he carried around with him. He'd exposed it in the sight of the whole class one day and the murmurings never stopped.

She'd spoken to some of her coursemates about it but most of girls just dismissed it and continued to daydream about being with the professor for life while the boys never really paid attention. When she spoke to the dean and the counselor and other professors about wanting to speak with him and if they knew about his whereabouts, they would deny seeing him and would start saying cringey things about how handsome he is or begin to talk about their marriage life.

Sakura ran from things like the last one. How could she sit down and listen to someone talk about how their marriage life's going for them?!

Something is definitely wrong with him. Sakura thought firmly as she drummed her fingers on the desk again. Is he a skinwalker?

During her time in the orphanage, Sakura would sneak into the mothers' rooms and would steal a book or two she'd seen them reading. At first, it was out of curiosity and she couldn't even pronounce some of those big words well, but after observing how the mothers communicated and the words they used to write on the slates while teaching them, it became a daily activity. Not once or twice, she had been caught and beaten but that didn't quench her fire for reading. And because of that her harem of books and knowledge grew. Not only did she read logical and some questionable literature books, she also read romance, sci fi, gothic and some otherworldly books. She knew of creatures and monsters and deranged humans. And then being adopted into the house of Sabaku no Rasa helped in expanding her knowledge some more.

Her eyes softened as she remembered that good old red haired. I wonder how he's doing. She lowered her gaze, focusing on invisible patterns on the desk. I hope he's well.

She was lost in her thoughts and didn't know when the door opened and two people walked in, until noisy mutterings drew her from her reverie.

She shot her head up, looking at everyone in the class as they whined and complained until she laid eyes on the cause of the noise pollution.

She downturn smiled in disapproval as she stared at the white haired professor on the small podium infront of them. Latecomer..

Mr Hatake raised his hands and everyone reduced their noise. "I'm sorry I'm sorry, I got caught up in something."

"Don't tell us your arm got screwed off by a grandpa on a bike and you got adviced by a rabbit doc to replace it with a carrot!" A boy yelled from the back of the class.

Mr Hatake tilted his head and was silent for awhile. "Now that's ostentatious." He pointed a finger in the boy's direction. "But you might be right, now..."

Noise filled the room again and Sakura shook her head. Tsk tsk tsk.

"Okay, guys!" Mr Hatake called for attention. "Before we dive in to business today, let us first acknowledge our new student."

Curious whispers took over the class and everyone turned their heads in the direction of the second figure in the class, including Sakura.

Her eyes widened as her brain went down a brief memory lane.

What is he doing here? Is he a student? And why is he staring at everyone like they're freaks?

He was, until his searching eyes found hers.

For a second, Sakura's mind railed. Fierce steady onyx eyes locking with hers and a face so devilishly beautiful. It was as if he was doing it on purpose, staring into her like she was the core of his existence.

Then her mind relayed everything that has happened between them so far and the spell was broken.

She frowned. Why is he always around me?

Kakashi looked from a still Sasuke to his pink haired A student then back again, until a knowing smile graced his lips.

As if feeling his gaze on him, Sasuke turned to look at him and they both exchanged contradictory glances. Kakashi might not look it but he was smiling smugly, and Sasuke was scrunching up his face in irritation.

At first he had thought that his former royal teacher was sent by his father to monitor him in the human world.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke asks, eyeing the white haired man.

"I asked first." Kakashi answers as he turns to look at him.

Sasuke looks away, although with attitude."I don't need to tell you anything."

Kakashi chuckles, his voice sounding muffled through his mask. "Then we have something we're both hiding, no?"

"Hn." Sasuke dips his hands into his pockets and turns around, adding. "Just know, monitoring me is useless." His father has done it once and he can do it again.

"Who says I'm monitoring you?"

"Aah."

"What happened to your self control?" Kakashi questions. "If what I can deduce from what I just saw is true, then the being you were confronting was more than a threatening vampire."

Sasuke will not ask how he found that out so easily.

"And he must've done something hardcore to provoke you because you don't have that kind of stamina for..."

Sasuke sighs and starts to walk away.

Kakashi walks to keep up with him. This former student of his. "I won't persuade you to tell me anything."

Without turning to look at him, Sasuke answers. "It wouldn't work."

Of course. "But if I suspect anything, I will straight way inform the Supreme Alpha."

Sasuke does not say anything. It is as if he's ignoring his very existence.

But Kakashi is used to it, since he basically watched him and those other two grow. "Are you going for a lecture?"

Sasuke does not answer, not because he doesn't want to but because he doesn't know. Where is he again?

Seeing a slight confused irk on his former student's head, Kakashi offers. "I don't know what you're doing here but you should come to my lecture."

"You're a lecturer?" Sasuke sounds like he's downgrading Kakashi's supposed glow up.

"Professor."

Sasuke frowns. A person has to achieve a lot of things to be a qualified and certified professor in the human world. So, his former sensei has been in this world for quite some time. Why would his father allow it though? There a lot of things in his mind that needs answers but the heir and the girl in the prophecy are first and foremost.

"You should at least pretend to attend lectures if you're working in the human world." He hears Kakashi say.

"Aren't you late for whatever class you've got?"

They're the only ones in this hall, meaning a lot of students have gone for lectures.

"Are you going to come with me?"

"No."

"You should." Kakashi says. "You need knowledge to have power."

"Brainpower?" Sasuke replies, unamused.

"It's a part of it." Kakashi pauses, before adding. "Also, if you don't, your GPA is going down."

"Why must it be your class?"

"Just come with me. I need to keep an eye on you."

Sasuke narrows his eyes at him. "I knew it."

"Introduce yourself, will you?"

Sakura heard the professor say and everyone stared at the ravenette, who remained silent.

Maybe he didn't hear? Sakura thought.

Say your name! Kakashi reached out through the mind link.

It's not necessary. Sasuke's reply was short and firm and he cut off the link.

Kakashi let out a sigh and spoke up. "This is Sasuke Uchiha." He looked up at Sakura and raised a hand towards her. "You can take a seat beside Ms Haruno Sakura."

What?

Sakura looked to her side and that was when she realized that the spot beside her was empty, but so were other spots! There were like a lot of empty spots in the room.

Why should she be the scapegoat? Oh heavens, she'd even crossed the line with the guy the last time they met.

Fate, you win this round.

Sakura kept her head low as Sasuke walked up to her and slid into the spot beside her. He didn't say anything. He was just silent.

Sakura thought it was good. They should act like the other was invisible, but as Mr Hatake began his lecture, which wouldn't last ten minutes anyways, she found it really hard to focus.

Why is he quiet? Arrogant as he looks anyways. What's with his cologne? And why does it smell so good? He's definitely a playboy, with, maybe a slight mental derangement? He isn't writing. Is he just going to listen all through? Hey, dude, this is Anatomy. Why is his head moderate though? Pretty sure his brain is small, but then we all have that specific brain...

"If you keep staring at me like that, I won't let you go until you give me a good reason to." His head turned and dark eyes stared right into hers.

Sakura immediately looked away. When did she start staring? When?! She clenched her fist nervously as she stared at the professor in front of them, trying hard to ignore the way he was looking at her before he averted his gaze and crossed his arms.

He's loco. He's loco. He's loco!

Sakura groaned and rubbed her temples. Mr Hatake's lecture had ended quickly, and after attending other lectures, she ended up right here in the dining hall with Ino who had a free day off work and had attended a few classes. Hinata was, as always, with her international chef mates.

"The manager was really great." Ino continued with her talking. "She's also so kindhearted. I mean, she actually scored my walking style herself. The moving snow in the form of a wild, majestic horse."

"Oh my days." Sakura sighed again.

"Sakura."

"Yeah."

Ino raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"You called my name, so what?"

Ino frowned. "I didn't call your name. I was talking about the modelling manager."

Sakura nodded and looked away. Maybe it was her imagination.

"Sakura!"

Sakura shot Ino a look, who blinked at her questioningly. Sakura frowned and looked around. Everyone seemed to be going about their business, but they were still not close to her.

That voice. It sounded urgent and near her, just like Ino was near her now.

"SAKURA."

Sakura tilted her head as she watched Ino open her mouth to start talking again, but she was not hearing anything. She could not hear anything. Infact the whole room had gone quiet but every one had their mouths moving. It was like she'd become tone deaf.

"SAKURAAA!!"

Startled by the panicked tone and the creepiness of it, Sakura looked to her side and was met with a bright white light. Suddenly, it was as if the dining hall was gone and she was in a plain white world.

Where ...was she?

A faceless figure appeared in the light and she saw a hand outstretched. "Sakura! You need to wake up!"

"Hey, forehead, guess what?"

"You met a lot of guys who were so cute, it overwhelmed the pig herself?" Suddenly she was back in the dining hall and she could hear well, and also she was conversing like nothing happened?

Was she in total control of her mind or did her spirit just transport elsewhere? This situation was just like the ones she'd had in the orphanage, only it was more intense. First the dream, now this? She should definitely get a check up.

"Oh, that happens everyday." Ino waved a dismissive hand. "I shook the hand of the Black tiger."

Sakura became even more confused.

"What?"

"Not what, who?" Ino suddenly became excited.

"Ok? who?"

"He is the most handsome, sexiest, and coolest artist on the planet."

"Oh." Sakura nodded, comprehending.

"He's so tall, and so dreamy and the way he looks at me..." Ino's eyes glazed over. "Okay, maybe he doesn't look at me, but he doesn't look at anyone specially."

Sakura shook her head. Her friend's long gone. "What's his name?"

"Sai." His name rolled off Ino's tongue like expensive wine.

"Sai...?"

"Just Sai." Ino glanced at her.

Sakura squinted. "I don't get it." Where's the last name? "Is that supposed to be his real name?"

Ino was quiet for a while. "Well, he's a handsome guy."

"Wait, what was an artist doing in a modelling company?"

"He's the owner's younger brother."

"That's nice." Sakura replied without enthusiasm as she remembered Ino's ex.

As if reading her mind, Ino spoke up. "Don't worry about me. Experience is a good teacher. I know how to manage myself."

Sakura nodded but she was not entirely convinced.

"Now, let's talk about you." Ino leaned forward, propping her elbows up and placing her jaw on her interlocked fingers, regarding Sakura with a prison gaze. "The dream you had before, do you still have it?"

"Actually I..." Her reply was cut off when Ino's phone began to ring.

But Ino did not budge, even unto the fourth ring.

"Shouldn't you pick that?" Sakura asked.

The blonde let out a sigh before she reached into her clutch purse beside her and plucked out her phone. "Really wanted us to talk about it before I go back." She looked at the caller ID before putting it to her ears. "Hey Temari!"

Sakura eyebrows went up. Temari?

"What's... oh." Sakura watched as Ino gave her a subtle quick glance before a worried furrow found its way to her eyebrows. "I get it. Yeah, I... Take care." Ino put her phone down from her ears with trembling hands before hanging up.

For no reason at all, Sakura's heart thumped and tightened. "What happened?"

When Ino looked at her again, tears stung the corner of her eyes. "Urm..." Ino let out a heavy, frightening breath.

Andrenaline rushed in excess through Sakura's bloodstream as a disturbing thought crossed her mind. "What happened, Ino? Is Temari alright? Is Gaara, Kankuro and uncle Rasa alright? Everything's fine right?"

"Sakura." Ino's tone was urgent as she immediately reached out and took Sakura's hands in hers. "You've got to breathe in and out. Control your breathing first."

"Do not tell me to control my breathing Ino, tell me what happened? Why did she call you and not me?"

Maybe she knew you wouldn't be able to handle the news. But what news?! Sakura's heart rate accelerated and her mind railed.

"Sakura, it's..." Ino looked down and took a breath. "it's uncle Rasa. She said he'd been shot. They took him to the hospital but...," she shook her head, "it was too late."

Sakura drew her hands from Ino's hold and huffed out heavily. "That's a lie."

It's not a lie and you know it.

Shut up!

"Sakura look at me." Ino called out.

No!

She held her head in her palms as she stared at the table. Her heartbeat was erratic and her brain was malfunctioning. She couldn't hear anything. She couldn't see anything, just a burnt down house and firemen running up and down with water hoses and her parents skulls in the black ashes.

Why am I seeing this?

Why am I here?

Uncle Rasa ended up like my parents.

Something crawled up to her throat and she suddenly started having trouble breathing. Her body shook as she stood up.

Ino stood up with her, ignoring the peering eyes around them. "Sakura." She tried to hold her friend but she drew away. Sakura's face was pale and emotionless. She took a step forward and almost fell.

Where am I going? She asked herself in her dilemma.

Ah yes, to uncle Rasa.

He's dead.

No, actually he isn't. It feels too surreal to be true.

He is!

Sakura's face scrunched up in pain. He is?

A piercing sound went through her brain cells and she looked around, though not making out the various hues.

Why is the world suddenly drawing away from me? Are they fleeing from me because I'm not meant to be among them?

She watched as they went farther and farther away from her sight until the next thing she knew was darkness. She had blacked out, missing the fright in her friend's voice and the way familiar black eyes stared at her.