She didn't know how much time passed as she packed a bag. It was one of those times that real life didn't feel like real life at all. She didn't even remember taking the elevator to go down to the first floor. It barely registered to her that Lee was standing next to her on the curb. For someone who liked to talk as much as Lee did, he gave her this silence. He felt that if he opened his mouth, he wouldn't stop. Even if there weren't many words of encouragement one could say in this situation, he would just be repeating himself.

Sakura didn't need that right now.

"I'm just gonna go straight home to my parents," Sakura muttered out loud. She was staring out towards her car. The thought of driving there herself scared her like it had never scared her before. Sakura never had to worry much about feeling like she was being watched before. Whoever did this—whatever their reason— knew who she was and where she lived.

Lee's mouth felt like sandpaper. When he spoke, it was more like a croak. "I understand."

"Where will you go?"

"I will stay with Guy Sensei. I would have to work extra hard to make that money back." Like Sakura, Lee kept his gaze fixated in front of him.

Sakura swallowed a quickly forming lump in her throat. She had a feeling she wouldn't be able to see Lee for a while. At least, not in any way that allowed her to keep her promise. For the time being, the doc is out. Just when she promised that she'd continue to help Neji too.

"Don't push yourself too hard," Sakura informed him. She didn't want another situation where he got sick from overexertion. "Okay?" She worked up the courage to look at him, sliding her hand into his.

Lee looked down at her, the corners of his lips were pulled into a frown. "I cannot promise you that." He gave a sigh. "I cannot promise you that because I know that I will break it. So, I will not lie to you."

"Hn."

"I am sorry."

She decidedly ignored his apology and steered the conversation slightly. "You'll visit me at times, right?"

Lee dipped his head. "Of course. There is nothing that can keep me away from you for too long." After the first time, he would not make the same mistake again. The very thought of being apart from Sakura made his stomach churn and his palms sweaty. She wouldn't have to feel his clammy hands, thankfully. They were wrapped up.

To think they came all this way because she decided to unwrap his bandages and heal his wounds.

He needed her. His angel.

Somehow, Sakura managed a smile. "And you'll call too? You'll bring your phone and your charger everywhere?" She poked him after every word to make sure the message got through to him.

Lee chuckled. "For you, Sakura? I can do that."

ˏˋ ˎˊ

With their apartments properly sectioned off with police tape, Shikamaru and Choji were ready to escort Sakura to her parents' house. She stood awkwardly, staring at the back of the police vehicle. The buddy cops had to sit in the front, leaving the space where criminals usually sat for Sakura.

Hiashi Hyuga sat in here before.

Sakura suppressed a shiver.

Shikamaru eyed her impatiently. "Okay," he said. "Get in. It's not like you're being arrested. Unless you actually did something we should know about."

She pressed her lips into a thin line, unsure of how she should respond to such a remark.

Fortunately, Choji saved her from having to do that. "Not cool, Shika. You just don't say that to people, this is why no one likes cops... Among other things."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "It was a joke. God forbid I try to lighten up the moment."

Choji raised his brows. "You? Make a joke?"

"Sakura, could you just get in the damn car? Please?" Shikamaru strained a smile like it hurt to do so. He was trying his best to have some tact. Believe it or not, he was even worse at it in high school.

"Do not speak to her that way," Lee interjected. He held Sakura's bag for her as it was heavy with all the books she needed for school. The other contents were clothes and anything else she needed for the time being. Neither of them had much time to back for an indefinite stay.

Sakura dismissed it with a flick of her hand. "Don't pay him any mind, he's just like that."

"Miserable?" Lee suggested. Sakura's other friends were proving to be weirder than his own. Choji seemed to be nice at least, like a less hardheaded Naruto.

Rather than let this charade continue, Sakura began to say her farewell. She leaned forward on her tip goes to kiss Lee a kiss on the cheek. "Bye, Lee. I'll text you when I get there."

"Goodbye, Sakura."

With that, Sakura got into the back seat, scooting all the way down to the other side as Lee placed her bag beside her. Now that she was ready to go, Shikamaru got into the passenger side as Choji was the driver. Shikamaru hated doing more work than he had to and driving was one of them. Thankfully, Choji enjoyed being behind the wheel. They were a good duo that way.

Once the car door was closed, Lee couldn't see Sakura anymore as the windows were tinted. On her side, she could only view Lee from behind the barricade.

She wasn't a criminal.

So why did it feel like she was being caged?

ˏˋ ˎˊ

By the time Lee returned to the gym, Guy Sensei wasn't even there. He was most likely out on one of his escapades. Lee had his own key, so he simply let himself in. With Guy Sensei gone and Sakura moving back in with her parents, there really wasn't anything for him to do.

Neji and Tenten were off somewhere trying to discern the whereabouts of Hinabi Hyuga. He thought about calling but decided against it. Even if they were done for the day, he didn't want to bother them.

It was a long time since he felt uncomfortable with being alone.

To occupy his thoughts and loneliness, Lee took up to training. Yes, that was it. With every curl of a bicep or a swing of a leg, Lee would count his repetitions. Doing so would soothe his mind, quieting the cacophony in his mind. If he got tired, he would meditate.

A good plan, good job Lee.

Once he got started, it was easy to not worry about Sakura.

Oh no, he was thinking of her again.

No, no. Have to go at it harder.

Stronger.

Faster.

Harder.

Using weights wasn't enough. He had to take out his frustrations on something. His eyes swiveled towards the attack dummy. Perfect. He'd just pretend that it's someone he currently dislikes.

The dummy wasn't alive, so it wouldn't matter if he hit it too hard and imagined its fake blood splattering onto the walls and floor. Lee assumed position and began aggressively striking the dummy with a flurry of attacks. There was no semblance of technique in what he was doing. He simply acted on impulse, kicking and hitting with all his might.

He pictured it as the perpetrator of the crime.

The one person Lee feared since they met.

Sasuke Uchiha.

The dummy fell, snapping Lee out of his depravity. He had no real reason to suspect Sasuke other than the fact that he didn't like him. He didn't know the full extent of Sasuke and Sakura's past and that bothered him.

Sakura trusted Sasuke and Lee wanted to trust him badly.

He might have been stupid in a lot of ways, but Lee was perceptive. He could tell that Sakura felt uncomfortable around Sasuke despite claiming that they were friends. She stiffened each time.

Lee's phone buzzed in his pocket. He nearly forgot that it was there. He fished it out, almost flinging it onto the floor from the sheer speed of the movement. He answered the call. "Sakura?"

"I made it back home. I would have called sooner but..." Sakura gave a deep sigh on the other end. "Shikamaru and Choji had to explain to my parents what was going on with blowing our cover."

"They did not tell your parents the truth about me?" Lee asked, sounding very small.

"Nope. They didn't even mention that the possible suspects are the Akatsuki or the Hyuga."

Lee was more or less relieved. "I see."

There was some shuffling on her end as if Sakura was pacing back and forth. "Bad news is, my parents want me to fully move back home due to the apartments being in a bad area."

Lee's breath hitched in his throat.

"I'm sorry, Lee."

When this is all over, Lee would really hate to be right.

Because if Sasuke really did this, Lee would hate to be physically restrained from killing him. The thought of it scared him to his core. Lee didn't want to think such thoughts, but he couldn't help it.

He forced himself to smile, even if Sakura could not see it. "Do not worry, Sakura," he told her. "One day I am going to buy a house for you for both of us to live in."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."