I'm so sorry for the wait! I just finished my midterms and I'm devastated, but I finally found the time to finish the chapter.
Don't forget to check out all the art I upload on my Pinterest profile
Dangogirl_/
Satoru walked carefree through the school halls, humming a cheerful melody as he made his way to the clinic area. The air was filled with the characteristic smell of disinfectant and medicine, a clear sign that he was getting closer. Upon reaching the door, he saw his former classmate immersed in her work, performing an autopsy with a precision and dedication that reflected her passion for the task.
How eerie.
"Shoko-chan!" Gojo greeted cheerfully, breaking the tranquility of the room.
Shoko looked up from her work, her serene face and calm voice greeting him. "Satoru."
Gojo, ever the joker, he exaggeratedly imitated the dark circles around his own bandaged eyes. "Wow! Those bags under your eyes are huge. Are you sure you're not a panda in disguise?"
The woman regarded him with her large brown eyes, her expression unchanging. "That's what happens when you work. You should try it sometime."
Feigning offense, he placed a hand dramatically on his chest. "Oh, how cruel! You've hurt my feelings! How can you say that about me, the incredible Gojo Satoru?"
She let out a light sigh, not taking her eyes off her task. "Uh-huh, incredibly lazy, perhaps."
The eccentric man let out a laugh, enjoying the exchange. Then, he leaned in a little closer, a mysterious smile on his face. "Don't worry; soon you'll have help."
Intrigued, the tired doctor raised an eyebrow, looking up at her annoying former classmate. "How do you know?"
With a mysterious smile, his eyes sparkled with mischief behind his bandages. "It's just a feeling."
With that, he turned and left the clinic, leaving her with her thoughts and a small glimmer of curiosity about what the world's most powerful sorcerer might be plotting.
"I pity the person who captures his attention" she murmured to herself before continuing her work.
Those intestines didn't come out on their own.
Sakura walked through the hospital corridors, doing her daily rounds. The cold, white light of the place contrasted with the warmth of her memories. It had been a hectic few days since Yuki returned, but those days with her friend had helped her relax and feel more in control.
The training sessions were intense but very rewarding. She had someone to measure herself against and, best of all, someone to heal. Yuki kept provoking her during their matches, and although it was quite annoying, Sakura understood it was necessary.
Now, as she moved from room to room, checking on patients and ensuring everything was in order, she couldn't help but smile at the memories of their late-night chats and jokes. The outgoing sorcerer always had a fascinating story to tell about her travels and the people she met along the way.
But Yuki had left again, saying she had a lead she wanted to investigate. Her free-spirited and adventurous nature couldn't stay in one place for long. Sakura respected and admired that about her friend, though she also knew she would miss her.
It had been amusing to see Garuda torment Tora. Her fluffy white companion had scurried all over the apartment, fleeing from the shikigami that chased her. Yuki had confirmed that, in fact, animals couldn't see curses, but their instincts were so sharp it was as if they could. They had even tested it: the sorcerer suppressed all of Garuda's cursed energy, leaving only a minimal amount so it wouldn't disappear. Then, the skeletal creature approached Tora, and she didn't notice until the shikigami nudged her with its beak.
Sakura had never seen Tora jump so high and almost felt sorry for her, if it weren't for all the messes she usually made him clean up.
In her opinion, it was a fair revenge.
Anyway, with the theory confirmed, she thought many deaths could be avoided if people had instincts as well-developed as animals. To her surprise, Yuki told her about a man who possessed such instincts. He didn't have a trace of cursed energy, but his instincts were so sharp that he could fight curses without any issues. He was a unique specimen Yuki had wanted to study, convinced he was the key to what she had been searching for. Unfortunately, the man had no interest in being a test subject and was killed quite some time ago. Sakura could clearly see the blonde's disappointment at such a missed opportunity.
Despite her always optimistic and cheerful attitude, Sakura knew Yuki well enough by now to notice the slight frustration on her face. It was obvious she wasn't progressing as she'd hoped with her goal.
Sakura felt bad for her. Her friend's objective was noble and selfless; she was quite certain that if the higher-ups in Jujutsu didn't support her or weren't interested in finding a solution to eradicate cursed spirits, it was simply because it didn't suit them. Their power came from sorcery, and sorcery wouldn't have a purpose if there were no curses left to fight.
That was the reason she had never offered to help Yuki achieve her goal once she understood how this society worked, and Yuki knew that. The blonde was well aware that the entire power system would destabilize once she got what she wanted. Sakura was far too new to this world to already be on the radar of powerful people.
If her friend had managed to get away with her research so far, it was simply due to her status as a special-grade sorcerer. Only two other people could stand against her, and one of them (the idiot, Gojo), according to what Yuki had told her, wasn't particularly fond of following the orders of the higher-ups, which didn't surprise her. And the other, much to the misfortune of the old men in power, was a fugitive sorcerer whose goals partially aligned with her friend's.
Assassination attempts had obviously never been lacking, but Sakura wasn't particularly worried about Yuki. The crazy woman could handle herself just fine. Still, Sakura had made sure to give her one of her kunai marked with her hiraishin seal, just in case she ever found herself in a situation too dangerous. She didn't care about the pain she would have to endure by teleporting, not knowing the distance, if it meant she could save her.
She would kill anyone who dared hurt the only person who truly mattered to her in this world.
As Sakura walked through the hospital corridors, lost in thought, she felt a bump on her shoulder that abruptly pulled her from her reverie. When she looked up, she found herself facing Ayumi.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Sakura! I didn't see you there" Ayumi apologized with a slightly embarrassed smile.
Sakura raised an eyebrow, not entirely believing the apology. Even if she had been distracted, she was always aware of her surroundings. She had seen Ayumi walking toward her and had moved to avoid her. If they had still collided, Sakura was sure her colleague had done it on purpose. However, she chose not to dwell on it.
"It's fine, it was an accident" Sakura replied indifferently.
Ayumi smiled and began walking alongside her. "How have you been?" she asked, starting a casual conversation.
Still suspicious, Sakura answered politely. "Good, thanks. And you?"
"Oh, I'm fine too, but everything has been so boring lately. I haven't had a date in years" Ayumi said, exaggerating with a dramatic sigh. "What about you? Have you been on any dates lately?" Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
'She never seems to have any other topic to talk about' thought the pink-haired woman, tired. Even so, Sakura noticed the suspicious tone in the blonde's voice. "No, I haven't been on any dates, and I'm not interested in them" she replied, remaining polite but slightly on guard.
Ayumi's gaze remained suspicious, as if she didn't quite believe Sakura's answer. Nevertheless, she kept her smile. "You should give it a try, they're really fun."
"I'll keep that in mind" Sakura responded, more out of courtesy than anything else.
The woman beside her was silent for a moment before returning to her usual cheerful personality. "Do it, you'll surely have time for it," she affirmed with a big smile and confidence.
She walked away before Sakura could ask her what she meant.
Watching Ayumi leave, a bad feeling lingered in the air after their conversation. She didn't like it at all. Since their last talk, she had noticed Ayumi was distant. Her greetings seemed forced. When she saw her with other nurses, laughing and whispering, Sakura had noticed her malicious expression. It might have been decades since she had suffered physical and verbal abuse from her academy peers, before Ino became her friend and helped her blossom, but those memories didn't fade, and she knew when they were laughing or making fun of her.
Ayumi was plotting something, and it wasn't anything good.
She decided to investigate her. While she might not be very good with technology, the preferred medium where it seemed they could find everything about everyone, she was a damn ninja. Investigating a simple civilian shouldn't be difficult.
Sakura just hoped it wasn't too late.
She stopped in front of room 201, a mix of voices reached her ears, and she could easily distinguish the argument taking place, making a smile spread across her face. For a moment, she considered not interrupting the moment, but above all, she was a professional. Besides, she was sure that the recipient of all the scolding echoing down the hallway would appreciate it.
She slightly opened the door to see the scene.
"It's not that complicated, brat" grumbled Itadori-san from inside the room. His tone, though rough, was filled with a frankness Sakura knew well. "If you can't understand this, how do you expect to understand something more complicated? It's just adding two plus two!"
"Oji-san, it's harder than it seems! I don't understand why I have to know this for anything! Nobody uses science in real life!" Yuuji, his grandson, dramatically replied.
"Everything is based on science, idiot!" his grandfather retorted, frustration evident in his voice. "If you don't understand this, you won't be able to handle your own finances."
"That has nothing to do with it! I can manage my finances without knowing this!" he defended himself.
"No, you can't, idiot! You're just as bad at this as you are at math; scamming you would be easier than the multiplication table" he responded with bulging veins, adding between gritted teeth, "I bet you don't even know that one."
The teenager raised his hands in a gesture of protest. "That's not fair! The numbers are in a weird format! It's impossible to follow you when you talk like a crazy teacher!"
Waiting for the conversation to calm down to a more amiable level, Sakura gently knocked on the door before opening it. With a mischievous smile, she entered the room. "Good morning!" she said with an energy that contrasted with the tension in the room. "What's going on here?"
Yuuji's face lit up immediately upon seeing Sakura. "Sakura-onee-san! Good to see you!" His face showed palpable relief. Wasuke, on the other hand, simply grunted a greeting. "Hmp. Look who has arrived."
Sakura crossed the room towards Itadori-san's bed with a warm smile and her characteristic positive energy that she could fake very well. "It seems like I'm interrupting a lovely moment" she commented playfully.
The man in bed frowned. "This kid here" he said, pointing disdainfully at Yuuji, "can't understand something basic. He must have fallen on his head as a baby."
"That's not true! You're the one who can't explain it!" Yuuji accused.
"I can explain just fine! The one who can't grasp anything is you!" he defended, his hair standing on end.
"You're an old grump!" Yuuji shouted, pointing at him.
"And you're a brat-"
"Alright, alright, that's enough" Sakura intervened. "Itadori-san, you can't get all worked up like that; it's not good for your health," she scolded.
The old man merely turned his head away, eyes closed, in a childish gesture. Sakura rolled her eyes, exasperated.
Turning around, Yuuji was watching her with a shy but clearly desperate look. "Yuuji-kun, problems with math again? Why didn't you say so? I could have come to help you between patients."
Blushing even more, the teenager lowered his gaze. "It's not math, it's science. I didn't want to bother you while you're working, and my exam is tomorrow, and... I really don't understand anything," he confessed in a quiet voice.
"Stupid kid, always leaving things to the last minute," his grandfather commented unnecessarily.
His grandson puffed out his cheeks. "I was busy! And—"
"Enough, both of you. Complaining won't solve anything now" Sakura said, directing her gaze specifically at the elderly man in the bed, who merely turned his head again, clearly irritated.
Turning her attention to Yuuji, she scolded him too. "And you, your grandfather is right. Studying at the last minute is not a good idea."
A cloud of depression seemed to hover over the boy, his face full of pitiful sorrow. Sakura couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him.
"Alright, how about this? My shift ends in half an hour. You can wait for me, and afterward, we'll go to your house, and I'll help you study whatever you need."
Like someone flipping a switch, Yuuji went from deep despair to sheer joy. "Really?! You'd do that for me?"
Looking at him softly, a sincere smile spread across her lips, along with a slight tightness in her chest. At times, he was so much like Naruto.
"Of course. It's no problem."
"Thank you, onee-san! You're my lifesaver!" Yuuji shouted excitedly, hugging her.
Sakura returned the hug with light laughter.
With everything settled, Sakura returned to her duties, making sure Itadori-san received the correct medication and reminding Yuuji-kun to wait for her at the hospital entrance later. As soon as she left the room, the sound of scolding and complaints filled the hallway once again.
She shook her head, amused.
What a duo.
Obediently, Yuuji was sitting on a bench at the hospital entrance, playing on his phone. As soon as he saw Sakura, he stood up and began waving his arms to get her attention.
Chuckling softly, she walked toward the silly boy.
As if it were hard to spot the only other person with pink hair.
They walked together under the orange evening sky. The long shadows of the buildings stretched across the streets as the city began to calm down, and the hustle and bustle of traffic gradually subsided. Even though Yuuji's house was in the opposite direction from Sakura's, she didn't mind; a little walk wouldn't hurt.
Yuuji walked beside her with his usual energy, talking excitedly about the subjects he had to study and how he struggled to concentrate when trying to solve the more complicated problems. Sakura listened with an amused smile; the young man's enthusiasm was contagious, though it sometimes made him veer off-topic easily.
"Thanks again for helping me, Sakura-onee-san" he said as they turned a corner and entered a quieter neighborhood. The streets grew narrower, and the houses smaller, each with its own little front garden or a few pots of flowers. "I know you must be tired, but I really appreciate you taking the time to help me anyway."
Sakura gently shook her head, smiling. "Don't worry about it, Yuuji-kun. I'm glad I can help, and I'm not as tired as you think."
Finally, they arrived at his house, a small, modest home in a quiet street. The facade was worn, with some of the paint peeling slightly in places, showing the signs of time. Still, the house had a cozy charm.
"Welcome" Yuuji said as he pulled out his keys and opened the door. "It's not much, but it's home."
Sakura stepped in behind him, glancing around curiously. Her first impression was a mix of mild surprise and respect. The small living room was a bit messy, with a few books and notebooks scattered across the table, but there was a visible effort to keep things in order. The furniture was simple and functional, an old but comfortable-looking couch facing a small TV. A thin layer of dust had accumulated on some of the surfaces, as if he hadn't had time to clean recently, but it wasn't overwhelming.
On the floor, a pair of sneakers were out of place by the door, and a blanket was carelessly draped over the back of the sofa. But there were no dirty dishes or trash lying around, which, to Sakura, was a pleasant surprise. Despite living alone and being an energetic teenager, Yuuji managed to keep a fairly decent home.
"Sorry about the mess" Yuuji said, scratching his head with a somewhat embarrassed smile. "I didn't have time to tidy up before leaving, and between the hospital and training, sometimes I just can't do everything."
Gazing at him gently, she waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. It doesn't bother me. Besides, I'm surprised you maintain this level of order living alone. When I was your age, my parents would have certainly appreciated it if I were as tidy."
The shouts and scoldings of her mother about her clothes thrown in the corner of her room and her shoes scattered at the entrance, accompanied by her father's loud laughter as background noise, quickly flashed through her mind. She would give anything to argue with her mother again and feel embarrassed by her father's eccentric personality.
Yuuji smiled wider, his cheeks pink. "Well, I try to do my best. Oji-san always told me that keeping the house tidy is part of taking care of oneself, even if he never did."
Sakura smiled at the comment, picturing that grumpy old man grumbling about cleaning while leaving his grandson to take care of things. She took a closer look around the house, noticing the small details that spoke of the everyday life there: a few framed photos on a wall, a small plant in the corner that seemed to have been watered recently, and a collection of DVDs on a nearby shelf.
"Well" Sakura said, moving closer to the table where her current student had already begun to stack his science books, "let's work on those links. We don't have much time, do we?"
"Yes!" he replied, his energy quickly returning to its usual tone.
They studied for about two hours, with the sunlight having completely disappeared by now. Sakura explained everything as patiently as possible and in very creative ways to all his questions. It was the same thing she had once done for Naruto, but she had to admit that Yuuji was much more attentive and understood things faster than her idiot blonde friend. She expected nothing less from her pink-haired namesake.
"And this is done like this" Sakura said, writing out the graph of a problem.
"Oh… I understand," Yuuji said, looking at the notebook with an intensity that seemed forced, his face scrunched up as if smoke might start coming out of his head at any moment.
With a laugh, she felt pity for him again. "How about we take a break for a moment?"
"YES! I mean… doesn't that bother you?" he asked shyly.
God, he was so cute.
"No, it's fine. I need a break too," she stretched her arms and moved her neck. "Besides, I'm starving."
"Oh! Wait here, Sakura-onee-san!" he exclaimed excitedly, jumping up. Before she could react, the boy had already dashed into the kitchen, his quick footsteps echoing throughout the house.
'He's so fast.'
She decided not to follow him, not wanting to seem rude, and stayed seated at the table, enjoying the rare moment of calm. While she waited, she let her gaze wander around the living room.
Her eyes landed on the photos decorating the walls and shelves. There were several family pictures: Yuuji at different stages of his childhood, with his characteristic pink hair, always alongside his grandfather. For her amusement, the same grumpy expression was visible on the old man's face, even in the photos. But as she moved from one picture to another, she noticed that there were no photos of the young man's parents.
She wondered what had happened to them but decided not to pry. It wasn't her place to ask, especially since she wasn't willing to share the same about herself.
Just as she was about to get lost in her thoughts, the sound of hurried footsteps brought her back to reality. Yuuji appeared in the living room with a large bowl in his hands and a beaming smile. "Tada!" he exclaimed, placing the bowl on the table enthusiastically. "It's something I already had prepared, so I just had to heat it up."
Sakura looked at him in surprise as the aroma of freshly cooked meatballs reached her. "You can cook?" she asked, astonished. It looked really good.
"YEAH, well, you know, I had to learn" he replied with a slight smile, a hint of sadness in his eyes that Sakura's perceptive gaze caught.
She couldn't help but look at him sympathetically. It was curious how even in this world, her life always intertwined with those kids who had difficult or lonely childhoods. Yuuji may have had his grandfather, and he may be a cheerful boy with many friends, but it was easy to see and feel the loneliness in his eyes.
They were the same eyes as Sasuke's, Kakashi-sensei's, and above all… Naruto's.
So, so similar.
She shook her head slightly. Yuuji wasn't them; he wasn't Naruto and would never be.
She had to remember that very well.
Sakura picked up a meatball with her chopsticks and brought it to her mouth. As soon as she tasted it, her eyes widened in surprise. "They're delicious!" she exclaimed.
In this, he certainly didn't resemble her old blue-eyed friend. Naruto would burn even water if he could.
Yuuji laughed, satisfied with her reaction. "Yes! And they're very easy to make. If you want, I can teach you how to prepare them someday."
"Consider it a done deal" she replied resolutely.
After finishing the round of meatballs, they continued talking, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere. Yuuji, ever energetic, began to share funny anecdotes from his daily life, filling the room with his infectious laughter.
"I swear, Sakura-onee-san," he said between laughs, "last week, at school, one of my friends tried to skip math class, but he accidentally walked into the teacher's room! The look on his face when he realized was unforgettable."
Sakura laughed along with him, imagining the situation. "Did he survive the scare?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Barely! The teacher took it in good humor, but he didn't let him off easily. He made him solve the hardest problem in front of the whole class," Yuuji replied, waving his hands dramatically, making Sakura burst into laughter again. "And well, I don't want to say anything, but… the poor guy can't multiply."
"That reminds me of someone I met once," Sakura commented playfully, giving him a light friendly shove on the shoulder.
"Hey!" Yuuji complained, laughing.
The conversation flowed effortlessly, jumping from topic to topic. Yuuji talked about his grandfather, reminiscing about how Wasuke always grumbled about everything he asked for, but in the end, he always gave in to his requests. As they spoke, Sakura realized how much his grandfather meant to him, despite their somewhat grumpy relationship.
Just as Yuuji was about to tell another story, the sound of the house's landline interrupted their chat. The brown-eyed teenager paused and looked at the phone with surprise. "One moment, Sakura-onee-san" he said, quickly getting up to answer the call.
Sakura watched him from the table, a smile still on her face. But something shifted suddenly in the conversation; the young man's expression turned serious, and his voice dropped.
"Eh? Is he okay?" he asked, raising his voice slightly.
Sakura, who had been distracted by her surroundings until that moment, now focused entirely on the conversation. She got up immediately, worried, walking toward the entrance of the kitchen where Yuuji was on the phone.
"What happened?" Sakura murmured, trying to catch his attention, but he was too engrossed in the call.
"Is my grandfather...?" Yuuji's voice rose in pitch, clearly anxious. "What happened?!"
Sakura felt her heart race. Although she couldn't hear everything on the other end of the line, she could guess that something bad had happened with Wasuke. Yuuji nodded quickly. "Yes, yes... Anyway, I'll be right there." he said seriously before hanging up the phone.
Sakura looked him directly in the eyes, seeing the worry etched on his face. "What happened, Yuuji-kun?" she asked calmly, but her eyes reflected the same concern.
Sighing, he set the phone back down. "My grandfather had a very serious attack... but he's stable now" he explained quickly. "I was told that he was under observation in the hospital, but that it was a difficult situation." He ran his hands through his hair. "I don't understand, onee-san, he was perfectly fine before I left. What could have happened?" he asked, now looking at her with desperation, as if she held all the answers to his questions.
And Sakura hated herself deeply for not having them. What could have happened? As he said, Wasuke had been perfectly fine before they had left the hospital.
"I don't know, but let's go to the hospital and find out everything we can" she promised.
"Are you sure?... You don't have to do this; you've done so much for me today" he said as he quickly put on his shoes.
"Right now, I'm not doing it just for you, Yuuji. It sounds hard to believe, and when I say hard, I mean really hard, but Itadori-san is, incredibly, one of my favorite patients. I'm worried about how he is." Sakura herself was surprised at how true those words were; she hadn't realized that the old grump, with his complaints and scoldings, had won her affection.
The boy beside her opened his eyes slightly, surprised, but he didn't look offended at all; he knew his grandfather too well for those words to surprise him more than offend him. He felt glad to know that someone else could recognize the incredible person he considered a father.
With a tiny smile, Yuuji opened the door, and together they stepped out of the house.
"It's good to know."
There were two pink blurs on the quiet dark streets of Sendai. Sakura already knew that Yuuji was very athletic and often participated in competitions, but she was still surprised by how fast he was. That didn't seem very normal, but due to the situation, she had no time to investigate further; she only thought it was lucky that Itadori was so worried that he didn't realize she could easily keep up with him.
In fact, the need to run at full speed across the rooftops, as she had done before, made her legs itch and her anxiety rise. She needed to relax.
Finally, they arrived and rushed into the hospital. The sound of their footsteps echoed in the empty hallways as they headed toward the reception area. Beside her, Yuuji could hardly contain his anxiety; his eyes reflected a mix of fear and impatience as he clenched his fists, ready for any news about his grandfather.
At the counter stood Misaki, one of the nurses with whom Ayumi often chatted. Before Sakura could say anything, Yuuji stepped forward, his voice cracking with worry.
"Hi, I'm here to see my grandfather. Is he okay?"
Misaki looked up with a caring expression; everyone had grown fond of Yuuji due to how often he came and his cheerful and kind personality.
"Itadori-san is stable" she replied, calming him. "You can go see him in his room. He's resting now."
Yuuji let out a sigh of relief and, without waiting any longer, nodded. But before he could leave, Sakura decided to take the opportunity. The situation seemed strange to her; there hadn't been any indication that Itadori-san was unwell when she finished her shift. Something didn't add up.
"Misaki-san" Sakura asked, trying to keep her tone calm, "what exactly happened?"
The nurse's expression changed. "I don't know the details. You can ask somewhere else," she replied curtly, and Sakura could see the judgment in her eyes. She didn't understand anything.
Yuuji, standing next to her, frowned at the interaction, but his anxiety to see his grandfather pushed him to move.
"I'm going to see Oji-san" he said, stepping toward the room without waiting any longer.
Sakura, still trying to remain calm, nodded briefly before casting a confused glance at Misaki and quickly heading to the nurses' station.
The waiting room was strangely silent. Sakura had expected to see Emi, but she was nowhere to be found. Instead, Ayaka Kurokawa, the other head nurse, was at the counter reviewing papers. Unlike Emi, who always had a kind smile for everyone, Ayaka was direct and cold.
"Good evening, Kurosawa-san. I came to ask about the patient in room 201, Itadori Wasuke. I heard he had a severe attack. Do you know what happened to him?"
The head nurse looked up, and Sakura immediately knew that everything was about to go wrong. "You should know" Ayaka said with a tone laced with disdain, crossing her arms in front of her. "You were the one who administered his medications last."
While Kurokawa-san wasn't as kind or affectionate as Emi, She had never treated her badly, and they maintained a cordial and professional relationship. So, the cold look she shot her completely disoriented Sakura; she had never been looked at like that, not even when she first started working here. It was such an out-of-place gesture that Sakura felt a knot forming in her stomach.
She blinked, stunned by the implicit accusation. Her heart raced, and she tried to process what she had just heard.
"I..." she began, feeling the weight of Ayaka's gaze on her. "I gave him his medications as I always do, following the correct instructions. Everything was fine when I left" she responded, her voice growing firmer. She was completely sure of what she was saying.
The coldness in Ayaka's eyes did not fade, and that only increased Sakura's confusion. Something was clearly wrong, but she didn't understand what had happened. Now Ayaka seemed to be looking at her with suspicion, as if she had already made a judgment.
'How dare they accuse us!' Inner shouted, but Sakura was too stunned to pay attention.
The silence between Sakura and Ayaka became unbearable as the latter kept her cold gaze fixed on Sakura, as if waiting for some kind of reaction. Finally, she took a deep breath and began to explain.
"After you finished your shift and gave the medication to Itadori-san" she started, her clinical tone contrasting with the coldness of her gaze "shortly after, he began to show signs of acute respiratory failure. According to the records, you administered a pain medication, but..." she paused for a moment, assessing Sakura's expression before continuing "you gave him the wrong dose of opioids, which caused his lungs to weaken even further. Fortunately, we were able to stabilize him in time, but he was on the brink of not making it."
Sakura felt as if the ground had opened up beneath her feet. An opioid overdose? That made no sense. She knew perfectly how to administer the doses. She knew that Wasuke had a delicate history due to his lung cancer, and she had always been extremely careful. How could this be happening?
"That's not possible" she murmured, barely aware of what was coming out of her mouth. She looked at Ayaka, still stunned. "I administered the correct dose. I checked twice before leaving the room. Everything was fine when I left."
But Ayaka didn't seem willing to yield. It was clear that, in her mind, the facts were already established. The disdain in her gaze only heightened Sakura's discomfort, and before she could try to explain herself better, the door to the nurses' station opened slowly, and Ayumi appeared in the doorway, her expression instantly making Sakura tense up.
"Kurosawa-san is right" Ayumi added, adopting a feigned compassionate tone. "It was right after you administered the medication when everything worsened. Itadori-san was almost unable to pull through."
Sakura felt the air around her grow denser. Each word from Ayumi was like a dagger, and although she knew in her heart that she had made no mistake, the blonde nurse's attitude put her on the defensive.
"I didn't make that mistake," Sakura asserted, her voice firm, though she trembled slightly from disbelief and suppressed anger. "I have never administered a dose incorrectly, let alone with a patient like Itadori-san."
Ayumi raised an eyebrow. "There's always a first time, isn't there?" she replied, so self-assured and haughty. "Besides, how can we trust someone like you?"
The blow was direct, and Sakura felt it in her chest like a dagger. The insinuation that she was there only because of connections and not her own skill was an accusation that hurt her more than she was willing to admit. The other nurses, who had been working in silence, began to stop, their curious and judging looks piercing into her. Sakura noticed whispers starting to circulate in the room. Her hands trembled with frustration as Ayumi's words echoed around her.
"I didn't make that mistake," she repeated, more forcefully this time, trying to maintain her composure. "I know what I'm doing, and it wasn't my fault. I didn't make any mistakes."
But Ayumi did not back down.
"How can you be so sure? There's no way to prove it, is there?" she said, with a haughtiness that irritated more and more. "The facts are the facts, and they say you aren't a real nurse. You just almost killed a patient."
Sakura's rage grew with every word Ayumi spoke. She felt the heavy stares of the other nurses on her, evaluating, judging. She felt that same unpleasant sensation she had experienced the last time she spoke to Ayumi, as if something dark and twisted lurked behind her gaze. Her brown-eyed coworker seemed to be enjoying the situation, as if she had been waiting for this moment. Something about the way she was too confident in her words made Sakura's blood slowly begin to boil.
Years of being in tense and dangerous situations had given him a great ability to read people's intentions. She could see clearly now that Ayumi was relishing this. In her gaze was a satisfaction she couldn't hide, a twisted sense of triumph that made Sakura's blood boil with rage.
'It was her.'
"It was you" she spat out, her teeth clenched.
Ayumi feigned surprise, like a damned actress. "Me? Are you accusing me to cover up your mistake?" she replied, offended, then scoffed mockingly. "How convenient. Now I'm the one to blame because you don't want to take responsibility."
'Damn bitch, I swear if I get my hands on you…' Sakura disconnected from Inner because it only urged her to do what she desperately wanted to do.
She knew Ayumi was trying to frame her, but how could she prove it? The evidence was against her, and Ayumi knew how to manipulate the situation to her advantage. The looks from the nurses, which had previously been of mere curiosity, now seemed filled with doubt and judgment.
Frustration boiled throughout her body. How dared they question her work? By what right did they insinuate that her carelessness almost killed someone? She had performed surgeries in the heat of battle, with jutsus grazing her skin, amidst the screams of her comrades falling and fighting.
She had never made a mistake.
She had never failed to do what she needed to do; she never committed an error. No one ever dared to even consider it. She was the apprentice of the best medical ninja in the world; she had surpassed her mentor, was the chief medical officer, a commander in the Fourth Shinobi World War, she was…
…
…
She was nobody here
The crushing truth of her situation hit her the hardest. Nobody knows who she is, nobody knows the effort and years of study she dedicated to medicine, nobody knows her achievements, nobody knows who she is.
No one trusts Haruno Sakura.
She lowered her head for a moment, just to avoid showing how much it all hurt her. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil inside her that was fighting to break free amidst her intense emotions. She had to control herself. She needed to find a solution, to prove her innocence. Raising her gaze again, she fixed her eyes on Ayumi's, who narrowed hers.
"There are cameras" Sakura said, not breaking her gaze from the malicious brown eyes, looking for any hint of what she knew was her fault. "If it wasn't you, you wouldn't mind if we check them to see that you probably entered after me and changed Itadori-san's medication."
She caught only a barely perceptible smile from the blonde before Ayaka spoke. "The camera on level 2, hallway 3 hasn't worked for a long time" she informed, staring at her. "There's no evidence of your accusation" she shot back.
Damn it. Sakura gritted her teeth harder. That bitch had thought of everything. That's why she chose Itadori-san; she knew there would be no evidence to incriminate her.
"There's no evidence of my fault either" she reminded them. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a small cursed spirit entering the room, likely attracted by all the negative feelings gathering.
The urge to kill it was overwhelming, to unleash herself, to end those who want to harm the people she loves.
Her angry green eyes returned to Ayumi. "I don't know what I did to you or why you hate me, but the patients have nothing to do with this. I won't forgive what you've done" she said, in a low tone.
A chill ran down Ayumi's spine, the feeling of messing with something bigger than she could handle began to bubble through her body. Those dark green eyes reflected a threat and a promise.
She decided to ignore it all; she must be imagining things. It was just Sakura. That woman who appeared out of nowhere, with her too-pretty face charming everyone, always kind, helpful, the perfect nurse. Everyone loved her, from her colleagues to her patients. Even her own patients sometimes asked for her. The audacity. As if she couldn't do the same things, as if she couldn't care for them better; those patients of that bitch only got better by luck. How did no one see it?
Ayumi had studied and worked hard to be in this place; she was the favorite, the happiest, the most loved. Then Sakura arrived, with her perfect appearance and perfect work, taking away the place she had fought so hard to earn.
Even he chose her. The most beautiful and perfect man she had ever met in her life had once again set his sights on her.
Everything was so unfair.
Ayumi's face twisted, dropping her calm facade. "Stop trying to blame me! Are you unable to admit that you're not as capable as you thought? I bet you got this job by sleeping with the director!"
Sakura's face remained calm and serene, but inside, she was a whirlwind about to unleash. She had never tolerated disrespect to this extent, but controlling herself was becoming increasingly difficult with all the unfounded accusations.
Needed to get out of there.
She walked toward the door, but a hand gripped her arm tightly, stopping her. "Where do you think you're going? You'll be fired after what you did!" Ayumi exclaimed.
Sakura glanced at the hand holding her, but felt nothing; the grip was so weak, so easy to break… "Let go of me, Ayumi. I warn you" growled.
"Stop acting like you're something special; you're nothing. You can't do whatever you want here!"Continued, now shaking her.
'This bitch…'
Sakura could only focus on the hand holding her, trying to rein in her impulses. "You know, the more you talk, the more your jealousy shows" said, a sneering smile forming on her lips.
Ayumi's face contorted even further in anger.
"Damn bitch. Who do you think you are? I have nothing to envy you for!" she screamed.
The power within Sakura, that cursed strength she had learned to control with such discipline, stirred, seeking to escape. She could feel her energy beginning to seep out, a dense energy that she could barely contain.
'I need to get out of here' she thought, but before she could move a foot, Ayumi's grip on her arm tightened. Ayumi's voice became distant, as if she were behind a wall of fog. Sakura could no longer hear her clearly, but she felt the weight of her words crushing her mind.
"You're nothing but a fraud; you came here as a whore. I bet your "miracle patients" are nothing but lies. You probably did the same thing you do now: you give them the wrong medicine and when they get worse, you just show up to save the day. You're a fraud; you don't belong here."
Time seemed to freeze in a limbo; she saw yet didn't see, feeling everything crumble. Her vision blurred, and suddenly, the ground beneath her feet vanished. In her mind, chaos reigned. The room around her had disappeared. All that remained was her, her rage, and the power struggling to break free.
The world around her faded, turning into a dark, ethereal space, like a limbo where only those words resonated, repeating over and over in her head: "You don't belong here" "You're not a real nurse" "You almost killed him." Each phrase amplified in her mind, reverberating like an unbearable echo.
It's true; she didn't belong here. She no longer belonged anywhere.
She didn't hear the cries of pain, the screams of fear, or her boss shouting to stop the argument. Everything sounded like static, as if she were watching a movie in high definition on one of those modern TVs she still found hard to understand.
Then something cut through that lethargy. A strong yet warm, youthful male voice broke the veil of darkness.
"Sakura-onee-san!" The voice was firm, desperate, pulling her from the abyss she was in.
'Yuuji-kun'
Gradually, the world began to take shape again. The fog dissipated, and Sakura, breathing heavily, focused. Behind her stood Yuuji, brows furrowed, his hand extended towards her, looking at her with concern.
But when Sakura looked back into the room, her horror was immediate. Ayumi was on her knees, crying, her hand clutching her arm, which was red and swollen. The other nurses stood frozen, their eyes filled with terror. And then, Sakura saw it, the precise moment that could change her entire definition of herself; she saw what could lead her to absolute despair, with no way out, thought of the cruelest monster she could become, one that deserved neither forgiveness nor death, only eternal punishment for her sins.
The small cursed spirit lay dead, dissipating into black smoke that only she could see now, just as only she could see the tragedy that could have occurred.
Leaves. Her leaves, formed from her cursed chakra, floated throughout the room. Suspended in the air, waiting for their next command, just a centimeter away from the necks of everyone present, pointing with deadly precision.
Including Yuuji.