The fluorescent lights of the hospital had barely dimmed in her mind as Sakura stepped into the dojo, her steps heavy. The space was silent except for the faint hum of the air conditioning, the scent of wood and faint sweat grounding her in the present.
She dropped her gym bag by the wall, unzipped it with a force that matched her mood, and began to wrap her hands. Her movements were swift, almost angry.
"You will lose everything" the old lady laughed as she swallowed the pills.
"You will be left with nothing, sweetheart" she continued as the smile faded on her face.
"I already have lost everything, ma'am" Sakura added with a faint smile, "Go back to sleep" she said leaving the room.
The day had been long—a never-ending of patients, decisions, and paperwork. It wasn't the first time she'd dealt with such pressure, but today it felt different. Her thoughts kept circling back to that damn kiss.
Karin. Sasuke. The audacity of it all.
Sakura punched the air as if she could hit the memory out of her mind. The kiss wasn't supposed to bother her. Why did it? She wasn't some lovesick fool waiting for Sasuke Uchiha's attention. She was Sakura Haruno—independent, strong, untouchable. But the scene had replayed in her head all week, unbidden and maddening. The way Sasuke had stood there, stoic as always, as if Karin forcing herself on him didn't even faze him. And worse—the way her own heart had twisted when she saw it.
"Focus," she muttered under her breath, walking to the heavy bag hanging in the corner.
Her fists hit the bag in quick succession, her movements sharp and precise. She could hear the dull thud, thud, thud of her punches as she fell into a rhythm, each strike a punctuation mark to her spiraling thoughts.
What am I even doing?
Why does it feel like I'm stuck in place while everyone else is moving forward?
I should be stronger than this.
Her breath came in short bursts as her strikes grew harder. Sweat began to bead on her brow, her body moving with a ferocity that matched the storm inside her.
Why did it hurt to see that kiss?
Why does he always get under my skin?
Why do I let him?
She stopped for a moment, her fists resting against the bag as she caught her breath. The room was quiet except for the sound of her breathing.
Her thoughts shifted to the future. She had worked so hard to get here, but where was "here"? Her medical studies were grueling, and the weight of responsibility felt heavier every day. Would she ever feel like she had truly earned her place? Would she ever feel like enough?
And then there was her mother. The memory of that night, the scars she carried—both on her skin and deep within. The whizzing in her ears had faded since that morning, but the ache in her heart remained. Her tattoos, her scars, her nightmares—they were all pieces of her. Pieces she had fought to control, to own.
To hell with everything!
Sakura closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the bag. She felt so tired. Not just physically, but emotionally—bone-deep exhaustion that no amount of sleep could fix.
But she didn't come here to rest. She came here to fight.
Opening her eyes, she stepped back, her stance solid and steady. Her punches resumed, each one carrying more weight, more purpose. She added kicks, her foot connecting with the bag in a satisfying thud.
Thud. For the stress of the hospital.
Thud. For the weight of her scars.
Thud. For Karin and her petty games.
Thud. For Sasuke and his damn indifference.
Her movements became a blur of power and precision, her body a vessel for all the emotions she had bottled up. Her muscles screamed for relief, but she didn't stop. She didn't want to.
She wanted to leave it all here, in this room, where no one could see her break.
Finally, she delivered one last, powerful punch, the bag swinging wildly as she staggered back, gasping for air. Her fists dropped to her sides, her entire body trembling.
She stood there for a moment, staring at the bag as if it had absorbed all her pain, all her frustration.
The dojo was silent again, save for her ragged breathing.
"Feel better now?" a voice broke through the quiet.
Sakura whirled around, startled. It was her instructor, leaning casually against the doorframe. His expression was unreadable, but there was a faint glimmer of understanding in his eyes.
She straightened, wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. "Yeah," she said, her voice hoarse. "I think I do."
The instructor nodded. "Good. Keep fighting, Sakura. And don't forget," he said looking back as he was about to leave "You're stronger than you think."
She offered a faint smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Thanks."
As she gathered her things and prepared to leave, she glanced back at the heavy bag one last time. It hung there, still swaying slightly from her last punch—a silent witness to her battle. Walking out into the cool night air, Sakura felt lighter. Not whole, not healed, but lighter. And for now, that was enough - or at least that was what she was thinking.
The streets were quiet, lit by the dim glow of streetlights. The air was cool and the sound of distant traffic was chilly as Sakura walked toward her car, her body aching but her mind sharper than ever after the intense session at the dojo. She was reaching for her keys when a sharp, panicked scream pierced her ears. Her head snapped toward the sound.
The scream came again, desperate and terrified. It was coming from the alley a block over. Sakura didn't hesitate. She sprinted toward the sound, her heart pounding in her chest. As she rounded the corner, she saw three men cornering a woman against a wall.
The woman was trembling, her voice pleading, but the men just laughed. One of them grabbed her wrist roughly, and Sakura's anger boiled over.
"Let her go," Sakura said, her voice low and steady as she stepped into the alley.
The men turned to look at her, their faces twisted with amusement.
"Mind your own business," one of them sneered, stepping toward her.
"I would, but you're making too much noise, and it kind of disturbs my peace", Sakura said sarcastic.
"Then you should join her, I am sure we will have so. much. fun. with you two" a man said, coming closer to her.
Sakura didn't respond. She dropped her bag to the ground, her stance shifting as she prepared for a fight. The first guy lunged at her, but she sidestepped him easily, delivering a sharp elbow to his ribs. He crumpled with a grunt, clutching his side.
"I don't watch porn", Sakura stated.
The second man came at her from behind, but Sakura spun around, her foot connecting with his shin before driving a punch into his jaw. He staggered back, cursing as blood trickled from his lip.
"I read it, like a fucking lady", she continued.
The third man hesitated, glancing between his fallen friends and Sakura, who stood firm, her eyes blazing with determination.
"Want to try me?" she asked, her voice cold.
The man muttered a curse before grabbing his friends and retreating, leaving the woman slumped against the wall.
Sakura turned to her, her adrenaline still pumping as she knelt down. "Are you okay?"
The woman looked up at her, and Sakura froze.
"Karin?"
Karin's wide eyes were filled with a mix of fear and disbelief. Her lip was bleeding, and her wrist was red from where the man had grabbed her, but she nodded shakily. "You... What the hell are you doing here?"
"Saving your ass, apparently," Sakura snapped, pulling out her phone. She scrolled through her contacts before pressing a number. "Stay here. I'm calling someone to take you home."
Fifteen minutes later, the sound of a car pulling up shattered the tense quiet. Sakura stood straighter, her breath steadying as she turned to see him stepping out. Sasuke's dark eyes swept over the scene, sharp and assessing, before they locked on her.
"Sakura?" he said, his voice calm but laced with an edge of concern. She looked like hell—scratched, disheveled, and clearly worn out. "What happened to you?"
"She's fine," Sakura replied briskly, gesturing toward Karin, who sat hunched on the curb, gripping the water bottle Sakura had handed her earlier. "But she can't be out here alone. Make sure she gets home safe."
Sasuke's gaze shifted to Karin, taking in her trembling frame and pale face. He frowned, his expression unreadable as he turned back to Sakura. "You called me… for her?"
Sakura met his questioning look with a tired glare. "Not everything revolves around you, Uchiha."
He took a step closer, his eyes narrowing slightly as he caught sight of the faint scratches on her fingers. "Sakura—"
"Not your problem," she cut him off, her tone cold as she brushed past him and headed to her car.
As she reached for the door handle, Karin's voice broke the silence. "Wait!"
Sakura hesitated, her hand freezing mid-motion. She turned, her eyes sharp.
"Why did you do it?" Karin asked, her voice trembling, but her words carried an accusatory edge. "Why risk yourself for me? Those guys… they were dangerous. You're—" Her gaze flicked over Sakura's frame. "You're not exactly built for this kind of thing."
Sakura's expression hardened, the weight of the night pressing into her voice as she spoke. "I'm a fucking doctor, Karin," she said evenly, her smirk faint but cutting. "I save lives. Yours? That was a miracle."
Without waiting for a response, she slid into her car and slammed the door shut, leaving Karin gaping at her in stunned silence. Sasuke stood there for a moment, his eyes flicking between the two women before moving toward Karin.
"Get in," he muttered, his tone serious as he didn't even bother to open the door for her.
What the hell happened?