Chapter 67: A Home That Isn't Home

Sakura walked home with a heavy heart, trying to steady her nerves. After everything she had been through with her team, the last thing she wanted was to face her parents. But it had to be done—she couldn't just leave without telling them about the trip with Jiraiya and the others.

As she stepped through the door, she was greeted by the familiar sight of her house. Neat, orderly, and cold. It was always quiet here. Too quiet.

Her mother, Mebuki, glanced up from her tea, her face showing polite surprise. "Sakura? What are you doing home?"

Sakura's throat tightened. "I... I came to talk to you and Dad about something important."

Her father, Kizashi, emerged from the next room with a casual smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Ah, there's our little kunoichi! Important, you say?"

"Yes," Sakura said, forcing herself to stand tall. "My team is leaving soon. We've been assigned to go on a mission to find the next Hokage, and I wanted you both to know."

Mebuki sipped her tea slowly, her eyes studying her daughter but with an air of indifference. "Hokage business, is it? I see the ninja world keeps dragging you into dangerous things. I don't know why you insist on continuing with all of this."

Kizashi chuckled lightly, waving his hand. "Oh, come now, Mebuki, don't be so harsh. She's... capable, I'm sure." He looked at Sakura with a forced smile. "But, darling, you've been at this ninja business for a while now. Shouldn't you be thinking about something more realistic? I mean, you've hardly... achieved anything noteworthy."

The words hit Sakura like a punch to the gut. She had expected resistance, but not this casual dismissal of her efforts.

"I—" Sakura started, but her voice cracked, and the frustration welled up in her chest. She had fought. She had bled. She had trained endlessly with Kakashi and her team. She was part of something important. And yet, here they were, acting as if none of it mattered. Acting as if she didn't matter.

"You don't understand. I'm going on this mission because it's part of my duty. I've been working hard—harder than ever," Sakura said, her voice trembling as she tried to control the flood of emotions inside her.

Mebuki raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Well, good for you, dear, but shouldn't you start considering something more practical? Ninja life isn't everything. There are other ways to contribute."

Kizashi nodded in agreement. "Maybe it's time to come back home for good. You've been away for so long... and let's be honest, it's not like you're at the level of someone like Sasuke or Naruto, right?"

Sakura stood frozen, their words digging deeper and deeper. She had trained so hard, fought so hard, but in their eyes, she would always be second-rate. Her efforts weren't enough. She wasn't enough.

A hollow, choking feeling gripped her chest, and the tears she had been holding back started to sting her eyes.

"I'm doing my best," she whispered, her voice barely audible, but neither of them seemed to hear.

"We just want what's best for you, Sakura," Mebuki said, her tone soft but detached. "And we think it's time you start thinking about your future in a more... sensible way."

Sakura couldn't take it anymore. The world spun, her emotions unraveling. Without another word, she turned and ran, her vision blurred by the tears that finally fell. The sound of her parents' voices faded as she left them behind, and the cold emptiness of the house swallowed her whole.

Sakura ran blindly through the streets, her heart pounding in her chest. Before she knew it, she was at the door of Kakashi's apartment. She knocked, her breath coming in sobs now, the pain too much to hold back any longer.

When Kakashi opened the door, he immediately saw the state she was in. Her face was red and tear-streaked, her shoulders shaking.

"Sensei..." she whimpered, her voice breaking as she tried to speak. "I—I can't... I can't..."

Kakashi, his usual calm demeanor softening, pulled her into his arms without a second thought. He held her close as she cried, her tears soaking into his vest.

Naruto and Sasuke, both awakened by the sound of Sakura's sobs, came into the room, their expressions filled with concern.

"What happened, Sakura?" Naruto asked, his voice soft.

Sakura couldn't answer. The weight of everything—her parents' rejection, their dismissal of her dreams—was too much. She cried harder, her body trembling as Kakashi held her tighter.

Kakashi didn't say anything. He didn't need to. His protective grip spoke volumes, as did the worry in his eyes. The usually stoic sensei was now fully present, his heart aching for his student.

Sakura's sobs eventually slowed, exhaustion overtaking her. She fell asleep in Kakashi's arms, her small frame curled against him, her face still wet with tears.

Kakashi sighed looked at his awake kids "Her parents ...they aren't supportive "

Naruto clenched his fists, anger rising in his chest. "Why would they treat her like that?"

Sasuke's expression was unreadable, but the slight twitch of his hand betrayed his anger as well.

Kakashi looked down at the girl in his arms, the one he had come to care for so deeply. His expression was one of quiet fury, his thoughts racing. How could anyone treat their own child with such coldness? Sakura deserved better—she had always deserved better.

"I'm going to make sure she's okay," Kakashi said quietly, his voice filled with determination. "And I'm not going to let them hurt her again."

Naruto and Sasuke nodded, their loyalty to Sakura stronger than ever. They would protect her—just like she had always protected them.

And as they watched her sleep in Kakashi's arms, they knew they were more than just teammates. They were a family now.

Kakashi sat silently for a few moments, gently cradling Sakura as she slept in his arms. He could feel the weight of her pain—the emotional scars her parents had carved into her heart. His usual calm exterior cracked as a slow, simmering anger began to burn inside him. He knew he had to do something.

He looked up at Naruto and Sasuke, both of them still standing close, their expressions mirroring the frustration and concern they felt for Sakura.

"Sasuke. Naruto," Kakashi said quietly, his voice low and serious. "I need to go talk to Sakura's parents."

Both boys stiffened at his words.

Naruto, with a clenched fist, opened his mouth, ready to argue. "Sensei, those jerks—"

Kakashi raised a hand, stopping Naruto before he could finish. "I know. But this is something I have to handle myself. Her parents need to understand just how much damage they've done to her. And I'm not going to let them get away with it."

Sasuke nodded, his dark eyes focused. "You're really going to confront them?"

"I am," Kakashi replied, his tone firm. "But while I do, I need you both to stay here and look after Sakura. She's been through enough tonight, and I don't want her to wake up alone. She needs to know she's safe."

Naruto, his anger subsiding, softened at the sight of Sakura, still curled up, her face peaceful now that she was asleep. He nodded, determination replacing the anger in his eyes.

"We've got her, Sensei," Naruto said quietly. "We won't let anything happen to her."

Sasuke, who had always been less vocal, gave a serious nod as well. "We'll make sure she's okay."

Kakashi stood, carefully laying Sakura down on the couch, pulling a blanket over her gently. His heart ached for her in a way he hadn't expected—this girl, who had worked so hard, who had proven her strength time and time again, deserved so much more than the treatment she had received from her parents. And he would make sure they understood that.

He gave one last glance at the sleeping Sakura, his eyes soft with affection and worry.

"I'll be back soon," he said, his voice calm, though his resolve was anything but.

As Kakashi walked out of the apartment, the cool night air hit his face, but it did little to quell the anger burning inside him. This wasn't just about confronting parents who didn't appreciate their daughter—it was about standing up for Sakura, the girl who had given everything to her team, and who had always been there for them.

When Kakashi arrived at Sakura's house, he didn't hesitate. He knocked on the door, firm but not aggressive, his usual nonchalance gone. He wasn't here as a shinobi or a leader. He was here as someone who cared deeply about his student—someone who had watched her grow and couldn't stand to see her hurt any longer.

Mebuki opened the door, looking surprised to see him standing there. "Kakashi-sensei? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to talk about Sakura," he said, his voice controlled, but there was a dangerous edge to it that made her pause.

Kizashi, hearing his wife's confusion, walked into the hallway, glancing at Kakashi curiously. "Sakura? She was here earlier. Is something wrong?"

Kakashi's eye narrowed slightly. "Yes, something is very wrong."

Mebuki's brow furrowed, clearly confused. "What do you mean?"

Kakashi's voice was steady, but firm. "I've spent months training your daughter. I've watched her grow, push herself beyond her limits, and become an invaluable part of her team. She's one of the strongest people I know, and you two are doing everything you can to tear that down."

Kizashi opened his mouth, ready to respond, but Kakashi cut him off.

"She came to you tonight to tell you about an important mission—something that should have made you proud. But instead of supporting her, instead of encouraging her, you dismissed her. You made her feel like she's not enough."

Mebuki shifted uncomfortably, but Kakashi didn't let up.

"Do you have any idea what you've done to her? She left your house in tears. In tears—because the two of you can't see how incredible she is."

Kizashi tried to defend himself. "We were just—"

"I'm not interested in excuses," Kakashi said sharply, his gaze unwavering. "You need to realize that she's not a child anymore. She's a shinobi—a damn good one. And she deserves respect. Not just from her teammates, but from her own family."

Mebuki blinked, clearly taken aback by Kakashi's intensity. "We didn't mean to—"

Kakashi's voice softened slightly, but the underlying anger was still there. "I understand that being a civilian and having a shinobi daughter isn't easy. But you don't get to break her down just because you don't understand her world. You're her parents. You're supposed to support her. If you keep treating her this way, you're going to lose her."

Kizashi and Mebuki both looked stunned, the weight of Kakashi's words sinking in.

Kakashi took a step back, his gaze still hard. "She's with me and her team now. And we'll take care of her. But I suggest you think about how you treat her moving forward. Because she deserves better."

Without waiting for a response, Kakashi turned and walked away, leaving them standing in the doorway, stunned and speechless.

As Kakashi made his way back to his apartment, the anger that had been boiling inside him began to subside, replaced by the familiar sense of protectiveness he always felt for his team. When he walked through the door and saw Naruto and Sasuke sitting nearby, still watching over Sakura as she slept, he felt a sense of peace return.

"She still asleep?" Kakashi asked quietly.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. She's been out the whole time."

Kakashi knelt down beside Sakura, gently brushing a lock of hair from her face. She stirred slightly, but didn't wake. He felt a sense of relief knowing she was safe and surrounded by the people who cared about her the most.

"You talked to her parents?" Sasuke asked, his voice low but curious.

Kakashi gave a slight nod. "Yeah. I don't know if it'll change anything, but I said what needed to be said."

Naruto looked over at Sakura, his eyes filled with concern. "She's strong. She'll be okay."

"She will," Kakashi agreed softly, watching his student sleep peacefully for the first time that night. "She has us now."

And in that moment, Kakashi knew that no matter what, he would always protect his team—his family.