42Chance: Chapter 7
"So that is why I'd like to propose this new system to Shizune-san. I really think it'll cut waiting times and free up some rooms that are being booked up and left unused. Of course I'm not going to suggest rolling this out all over the hospital but just in the Orthopaedic department first, as a trial. Do you think Shizune-san would consider trialling this out Haruno-san?... Haruno-san?"
Sakura snapped her head up from the papers scattered in front of her to face her colleague Nako who was sitting opposite her.
Early this morning Nako had called Sakura to once again apologise for not being able to have a nurse within her team that was professional enough to medically assess Sasuke but also to ask for her professional opinion on a new proposal she wanted to submit to Shizune. Always wishing to help, Sakura agreed and they both met on the top floor of the hospital at one of the breakout tables.
Konoha Hospital had recently refurbished its top floor into a strictly staff only meeting and relaxing area. Arguably it was less of a refurbishment and more a repair as the top floor had unfortunately suffered substantial damage during the war. It was now furnished with a long and large canteen with multiple tables to either eat at or to provide an area for less formal meetings between staff to occur. Staff had informally deemed the area as 'the breakout area'. The walls and ceiling had been entirely removed and replaced with toughened glass allowing it to have the wonderful effect of feeling as though one was standing on a roof with no borders.
On sunny summer days, it felt like a holiday resort and many of the staff rejoiced at the refurbishment. This particular Friday however the weather had taken a little bit of a turn for the worse and it was mostly overcast.
At the table they both sat at, Nako had laid out all the figures and charts of her new proposal as she then verbally delivered her proposal to Sakura. Somewhere along the lines during Nako's fast-paced explanation Sakura had accidentally drifted off into a somewhat sombre daydream as she stared down at the notes presented to her. She was reflecting on all the recent occurrences surrounding Sasuke and Tenten.
"I apologise Nako-san, it's been a difficult week." Sakura humbly apologised as she felt bad for not paying more attention.
Nako leaned back in her chair and reached for her cup of tea. Brushing her hand through her own hair she smiled sadly and looked over to her right to gaze through the impressive glass walls at Konoha.
"Please don't apologise. I called you out with no advanced warning, you've been incredibly over-worked recently and it certainly doesn't help that I was talking to you at the speed of light. I have a habit of doing that when I'm nervous. The icing on the cake is that a lot of what I said actually contradicts the slides in front of you."
Sakura raised an eyebrow at her remarkably honest response. Turning her own head, she too looked out and over to the rooftops of Konoha.
"Why did you call me out then to listen and review if you knew you'd be inconsistent and contradictory?"
Nako didn't look back to Sakura as she kept gazing outward and softly replied, "I guess I just needed someone to tell me the ugly and painful truth of my current situation."
Sakura's breath hitched in her throat. She couldn't help but relate what Nako just said to her own predicament. Wasn't she too just avoiding all the signs about Sasuke and Tenten? Didn't she reach out to Ino last night with a subtle sadistic hope that she would confirm that her worst nightmare was in fact a reality?
"I'm not ready to present to Shizune, not by a long way. But… but I think I'm just scared to show her my work. If she rejects my idea then what does that say about me? All this effort I've put in only to have it thrown back in my face."
"So you purposefully decide to sabotage your presentation to me so that I will very obviously tell you not to present to her, thus saving you the risk of having your proposal flatly rejected by her. Am I right?"
Nako now turned to look back at Sakura and gave her a very weak smile. It was moments like these that Sakura remembered how much the junior in front of her lacked real-life working experience. Her promotion to managing staff did come as a surprise to Sakura when she'd heard about it but she thought Nako had an edge about her that could mean she could handle the responsibility, if she tried hard enough. Yet another surprise for Sakura was to witness these insecurities she possessed about her own work.
"If I can be frank with you Nako, there is not much room for anxieties in this line of work. Self-doubt can often be the difference between life and death. If you can try, I'd advise you to take some time to review your proposal again, record yourself if you have to, and keep running through it to the point where you've rid yourself of these insecurities. Oh, and obviously get the numbers completely right."
Sakura shifted some of the papers in front of her and picked out three sheets in particular. Sliding them over to Nako she said, "Whilst I might not be as 'alert' as I usually am, I think I know this hospital's statistics and finances well enough to know these are incomplete sheets of data."
Nako was quietly incredibly impressed. There must have been well over a hundred rows of data on those sheets and yet Sakura had noticed that they were skewed, manipulated and also incomplete. Looking up to her senior Nako blushed. She was beginning to realise how much more superior Sakura was in terms of her knowledge and business acumen even with only a few years gap in their respective ages. About five minutes into her speech to Sakura, Nako had concluded that Sakura wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention and that was a poor assumption on her part.
"Is it the first time you're submitting a proposal to Shizune?"
Nako gathered her papers and nodded.
"It can be a scary process. When you feel more confident about everything drop me a message and I'll promise to give you my entire attention and strictest of feedbacks."
Nako smiled and sat up straight hugging her papers together, "Thank you Sakura-san! I mean- Haruno-san!"
Sakura smiled as they both stood up, bringing their unplanned rendezvous to a close. Nako politely bowed as she intended on turning and leaving. Just before doing so she cast a glance back over to Sakura.
"Haruno-san?"
"Yes?"
"I know I might be over stepping a boundary here, so forgive me if I am but…"
Sakura frowned as she watched the young woman fidget before her.
"Is everything quite alright?"
Sakura was taken aback at her question, "What do you mean?"
Clearly very flustered Nako began to wave a hand about, "I just get the feeling something isn't quite right and I don't mean to pry but- but if there is anything else I can do to help please don't hesitate to ask me!"
Nako promptly bowed again and ran away. Sakura watched her run off with a sad smile gracing her own lips. She knew she was anything but alright but somehow she was going to have to draw out all her emotional and mental strength to make it through this uncertain time.
Rolling her shoulders once she leaned her head back and stared up to the grey and murky looking clouds above her. Drawing in a long deep breath she focused her mind on all the on-going work she needed to address.
Her thoughts were broken by the familiar and repeated humming of her pager. Walking towards the elevators to go back to her own office she reached for the device to read the message. Approaching the elevator someone else had already pressed the button to go downstairs letting her focus on reading her message which she now knew was from Naruto. It was odd for him to message her on this device.
Come over now for a tea break. Stop over working yourself. Sasuke is coming too.
As the elevator doors opened she and the other member of staff stepped in. The young lady recognising Sakura pressed her floor number as well as her own button in a polite gesture of respect. Sakura smiled and thanked the lady as the elevator doors shut and they descended.
Sakura hoped it was the combination of a light hangover, being over worked and the motion of the elevator that was making her feel so uneasy.
Sasuke wipped away a bead of sweat that trickled down the side of his forehead with his wrist as he stood up from his crouched position. Lifting the cloth that covered both his eyes he looked at the five targets he placed all around him to see the accuracy of his strikes.
At first glance it seemed that most of the strikes from his new shorter sword appeared to make near perfect contact. As he walked closer to one wooden target he reached out, sword lightly held between two fingers, and traced the slash in the wood with his free fingers. Upon closer inspection he could tell that the cut was neither as clean nor shallow as he expected it to be. Furthermore he noticed that the angle of the slash was a little steeper than he intended.
Stepping back he shifted his gaze to the shorter sword in his hand and realised he was going to need to practice a lot more.
Up above the calls from his hawk took his attention as it gracefully swooped down and landed on his wrist. He plucked the small piece of paper that was encased on its ankle and slowly flicked his wrist signalling the hawk could leave.
"Ugh that loser's handwriting will be the death of us all."
Focusing hard on the paper before him he managed to make out the following message.
Come have a break at my office. And don't be late, you'll keep Sakura-chan waiting.
Gently folding the paper away he pondered how he was still rather unsure about his opinion on Sakura's sudden departure yesterday after lunch. If it wasn't for Naruto's ridiculous claims he thought he wouldn't feel so uneasy. Granted he was concerned for her health but she was Konoha's finest healer, she didn't need looking after. Feelings of embarrassment resurfaced as he remembered his suggestion to walk her back to her office. Thoughts of his mother flooded his mind at the time as she got up to leave their lunch and he acted in a manner that was more emotional than logical. That seemed to happen a lot more the more he was around her.
Lifting the wooden targets up he began to clear away his practice equipment. Once that was done he made his way over to the Hokage's office.
As he walked out of the training grounds and moved closer and closer to the hustle and bustle within Konoha's main town centre he found himself the subject of some scrutiny. The sideways glances and hushed whispers were noticeably less than the first two days he arrived back in the village and he found that promising. If he had to guess he thought he'd have been heckled or been the biggest political topic for a month or so, however contrary to this the gossip had been more private and less prominent.
As the Hokage's offices came into view, he found himself reflecting on how it was a testimony to the efforts of Naruto, and to some extent Sakura, that his return was a lot less chaotic than he expected. Naruto had exerted a lot of influence politically and having a prominent figure from the hospital like Sakura also showing her support for his return instilled a lot more trust and acceptance. It left him feeling both somewhat unworthy of all their efforts and determined to not let their hard work go to waste. He would do his best to continue to prove his allegiance was to securing a safe and peacefully future for the entire world.
"Sasuke!"
His name was called out, just as he was a stone's throw away from the entrance of the Hokage's building. Looking over to his right he saw Tenten waving to him and appearing to change her direction to back track over to Sasuke.
"How is everything going?" She asked, stopping just in front of him with both her arms crossed in front of her.
"Not bad thank you."
Tenten notices his complexion was slightly redder than usual and she grins like a Cheshire cat. Uncrossing her arms she lightly elbows his chest a couple of times, "You look a little red, I had no idea running into me had such an effect on you."
Sasuke lightly chuckled and shook his head once, "You've obviously been hanging around Naruto far too much if that's your idea of a funny joke."
Faking a look of offence and shock Tenten raise her hand now to her throat, "I am offended. I happen to think my sense of humour is the finest this village has ever seen!"
"Your sense of 'humour' is about as great as your mercifulness as a sensei. Speaking of which, how is your pupil Kousuke, still in Konoha Hospital?"
Wincing slightly as he mentioned her understudy, Tenten chuckled and scratched the back of her head, "He's still recovering. I'm actually going to go visit him now."
"So you should."
"It's not like I meant to hit him that hard!" Tenten protested.
"What exactly did you think would happen when you swung your fist towards his face at that kind of speed?"
Stepping closer to Sasuke Tenten raised her right hand slowly towards the side of Sasuke's head, "You've got it all wrong, all I was going to do is give him a light tap. A congratulatory tap! See just like this!"
Her hand lightly tapped the side of Sasuke's head and stayed there as he stared down at her with bemusement to see a wide grin plastered across her face. Truly she had a cheekiness about her that reminded him of his best friend. Unfortunately, whether it was Naruto or Tenten, this kind of proximity never ceased to make him uncomfortable, especially since her well-trained hand still remained right beside his head. She was altogether far too close to him and he noticed her entire body was perhaps centimetres away from his.
As if he had been hit by a merciless attack, his attention suddenly shifted to his right. Holding his breathe and honing in all his senses his eyes scoured across the view before him. What was this feeling that coursed through him? Stepping back from Tenten and frowning his eyes continued to furiously scan the crowds around them as he searched for the source of this unease. It was touching distance from him, the tips of his fingers could almost feel distress in the air.
"Sasuke?"
Turning back to look at Tenten he checked to see if she had picked up on anything. Her confused face showed him he was alone in this bizarre occurrence. Turning his head again he looked through the crowds but to no avail. Nothing was amiss.
"Sasuke? What is it?" Tenten repeated herself, now she was beginning to look around and was clearly more tense and on edge.
"It's nothing. Think nothing of it."
Tenten stared at him for a little longer but decided to give up. Sighing she stepped back slightly with a hand on her hip, shifting her weight to one foot.
"What brings you here then? Are you seeing Naruto?"
"Yes, I'm taking a short break with him and Sakura."
"What about Sai? Is he still not back yet?"
"No he isn't."
Sai had been sent on a reconnaissance mission that was due to go through Sand and Sound. He knew Tenten wasn't aware of what was going on, just that he was out there gathering information. It was not a mission that many people knew about and it was better it stayed that way.
"It's really nice that you all hang out, and so frequently too! First yesterday's lunch and now today's lunch! What gives?"
"Ah, Kakashi and Sakura left early yesterday."
"Classic Kakashi. Where there's a need to pull the mask down, he disappears like the wind. Why did Sakura leave early?"
Sasuke shifted slightly from foot to foot, his eyes gazing over the citizens that were walking around them. It was a question that struck a nerve. "She wasn't feeling too well so she excused herself."
Tenten squinted her eyes at him and he simply stared back at her expressionless.
"Your first team lunch and she bails feeling ill? I'm not buying it. For the brief few moments that I passed by you guys she didn't exactly look unwell to me."
"You're not a medic to comment on that are you?"
Shrugging her shoulders she stepped back, bit her lips together and then proceeded to let out a short but bitter laugh.
"No. As much as I'd wish I was, I'm certainly not a medic."
Sasuke noticed the shift in her playful attitude to one that was almost remorseful and sad. Clearly he'd been a little too short with her, or he himself had also hit a nerve. That was obviously never his intention, Tenten had been very supportive on his return and offending her was the last thing he wanted to do. Little did many people know but he was immensely grateful for the help she had been providing him behind the scenes.
"Look. Sasuke. I didn't mean to pry or anything. Clearly I'm talking without a filter on right now so I apologise."
Sighing heavily she was now looking incredibly downcast and upset. He was surprised his shortness upset her so much and was struggling to find the words to stop her feeling like that. Opening his mouth to try and move the conversation elsewhere Tenten continued.
"Hearing you talk about team lunches, about being a medic, it just all reminds me so much about my own team. About Neji."
Sasuke's upper body tensed and he felt like a fool for not seeing the connection. He remembered hearing the news about the loss of Neji. It was a shock, even for him. He remembered Neji as being a very skilled shinobi who Sasuke had always kept in the back of his mind as a target for motivation. As Sasuke trained in Orochimaru's underground hideout, Neji had often crossed his mind as being a good candidate to test his up and coming strength.
"Tenten-"
"Learn from my mistakes Sasuke. Please." Tenten interrupted him. She didn't want him to apologise for this. She knew about the guilt he carried within him.
"I live with this kind of regret that has no mercy. To have had so many days and missions with him and to have still left so much unsaid. How foolish could I have been? I'm a ninja. There is absolutely no guarantee of having a tomorrow. Yet I remained a coward, never having the bravery to confront him and convey my thoughts and feelings to him."
She stopped. Her emotions were slowly overcoming her and she refused to let them takeover. Looking down now she took a deep breathe in.
With the ferocity of a wild animal she looked up to Sasuke and reached forward to firmly grasp his shoulder, "Don't forget to seize the moments as they arise Sasuke."
Not really knowing what to say Sasuke simply nodded. He understood what she was saying and not being the best at articulating things he hoped she understood that as he stood there before her in compassion and solidarity.
She smiled, patting his shoulder as she released it and turned to walk away.
Yelling over her shoulder she called out, "See you later! Say hi to Naruto and Sakura from me!"
Smirking he called back out to her, "Try not to leave Kousuke any more injured than he is already."
Sticking her tongue out at him she turned and started with a light sprint away from him. He chuckled and shook his head, she really was hanging out with Naruto far too much.
Speaking of which he turned back to the office before him and entered to go and see Naruto. Navigating his way towards the emergency stairwell he began to climb the concrete steps to his office, all the while Tenten's words echoed over and over in his mind. What did the people around him mean to him? If someone told him today that he could never see Naruto or Sakura again, what would be the things that he had left unsaid?
Pushing the heavy emergency fire door open he stepped out on to Naruto's floor. Walking over to his office he hesitated for just a moment before knocking, clearing his mind of these deeper thoughts.
Naruto called out to him after he knocked twice and he entered. Closing the doors shut behind him he turned around to notice that Sakura wasn't there.
Naruto sighed and threw his pager rather aggressively onto his desk. "Hey Sasuke. Looks like my attempt at getting the three of us to hang out for a break failed."
"What do you mean?"
Naruto walked over to his panoramic windows and gazed over the village. "Sakura messaged saying she couldn't make it because there was too much work to do by the end of the day at the hospital."
Sighing and running a hand over his face Naruto began to whine like a child. Turning to Sasuke he said, "This means I don't get a break either. Any second now I'm going to have Shikamaru burst through those doors and dump a pile of paperwork as tall as me on my desk!"
"Well it's a good thing you're so short then isn't it?"
"Not funny."
Turning around, Sasuke began to reach out for the door handle.
"Oi, where are you going? Don't abandon me, stay and hang out!"
"Do your work Naruto, God only knows how this village is still standing if you are still resisting your basic daily responsibilities like this." Sasuke had opened the door and began to exit.
"What is that?"
Turning back to Naruto, mid-way through the door, Sasuke replied, "What is what?"
"That! Is that a red hairband on your wrist? That's a little bit of a girlie colour for you isn't it? Just go get your hair cut, God knows you really need one."
Sasuke looked down to his wrist, at Sakura's hairband that he had accidentally taken from her office. He hadn't even realised that he had not removed the item from his wrist last night.
"Since when did hair accessories become items that you give such interest to?" Sasuke was in no mood to discuss this with Naruto right now, especially since he could feel his cheeks burning ever so slightly. Right now he had to iron out his own thoughts that were somewhat scattered after his brief encounter with Tenten.
Naruto said nothing. He blinked, simply nodded his head and watched as Sasuke walked out of his office. As the doors closed Naruto moved to his office chair and sat down with a loud thud. Lacing his fingers together and gripping them firmly, his mind went round in circles courtesy of his final observation of a certain, obviously female, hair accessory.
Meanwhile Sasuke had already left the Hokage's office and was standing outside its front doors at the very spot he had run into Tenten. He contemplated her advice as he raised his hand and looked at the hairband wrapped around his wrist. There it was again, this sensation to act upon emotion rather than logic. His body was almost leading itself without his instruction and he knew where it wanted to go.
Seize the moments as they arise.
With no further thought he began to walk towards Konoha hospital. As he began walking through the busy crowds he grew frustrated at their slow pace. Side stepping to the edge of the main road he slipped between two small buildings and with a seemingly light push he jumped up. Pushing incrementally off of the walls he stood between, he rose towards the top of the buildings. With grace he landed on the rooftop and proceeded to jump from one roof to another until he landed just in front of the hospital. With stealth so as to not alarm anyone around the hospital he slid down and landed behind the building before walking around and then entered the hospital.
As he entered he noticed it was busy. Even during peaceful times this establishment never seemed to stop working.
"Uchiha-san?"
Turning he saw a young woman standing before him dressed in a member of staff's uniform and a clipboard to hand. He didn't recognise her.
"I- um - I'm sorry, forgive me for not introducing myself, my name is Hiragara Nako, I'm a colleague of Haruno-san."
He nodded to formally greet her.
As soon as Sasuke had stepped into the hospital Nako had spotted him by chance and saw an opportunity to make right her previous failings. She knew Sasuke had not managed to have a full medical examination because of the time wasted trying to find someone to assess him. Perhaps she could finally put that mistake right and finish off the examination.
What she did not anticipate at all was to have her determination and courage take a hit as she got closer to him. He was by far the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on. Towering over her she noted his broad shoulders, black eyes the darkest shade she'd ever seen, skin in contrast with a pale milky shade that seemed so smooth to the touch and hair as dark as his eyes.
Her mind drew a blank and caving under the pressure of his alluring gaze she begged herself to speak and say anything.
"Are you here visiting a patient?" Her voice came out embarrassingly high pitched as she asked.
"No, I'm going to speak to Sakura."
"Oh. Sakura isn't here."
Sasuke frowned, "What?"
"Yes, she rang in and got one of the administrators to re-arrange all her afternoon appointments to next week about 15 minutes or so ago."
Sasuke starred down at Nako, looking at her but not really seeing her as he processed her words.
"Uchiha-san? Is there something perhaps I can help you with instead?"
"No. Excuse me."
Swiftly he turned and left the hospital and continued to walk with no destination in mind. He felt the adrenaline leaving his system and instead he was left with a cold and stark realisation that left a tight uncomfortable sensation within him.
Haruno Sakura was actively avoiding his company.
Ten minutes earlier.
No one knew she was in her office, she had sent a message to the hospital via her pager telling her secretary that she had to re-arrange all her work into the following week as she wasn't coming back to the hospital for the rest of the day. When her secretary tried to ask why she simply avoided her question.
In her dark office Sakura hunched over, head hanging down as her palms and knees supported her up. She was struggling to breath, her heart hammered in her chest so loudly she couldn't hear her own painful laboured breaths wheezing out of her lungs as tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
One hand moved up to her throat, clawing at her neck again and again and without realising she had cut her skin and drawn blood. Completely collapsing on her side on the floor her body shook as she cried. She clamped a hand on her mouth she tried to muffle her cries. How her body yearned to just scream out until her lungs were sore.
Moment ago, as she turned around a street corner, just as the Hokage's office was within sight, she saw her darkest fear become reality.
Even from the distance Sakura could see them standing before one another as Tenten gently caressed and held his beautiful face. Sasuke's eyes were soft and caring as they looked down upon Tenten.
In that moment, Sakura experienced an overflowing sense of pain, anger, fear and panic. Her mind closed off and her body reacted. Chakara spiking as her physical self shot masses of adrenaline through her veins and prepared her for either fight or flight. Within a second she pushed away and disappeared back down the route she came from. Running as fast as she could, she began to cry with her tears having no time to set on her face, instead she left behind a trail of glistening tears.
That was how she ended up sneaking into her own office, cancelling her work appointments and laying there on the floor crying at the knowledge that after all these years, after giving all of her love to him, he had decided to look elsewhere.
Sasuke may have left the village with the possibility of returning to her but clearly he'd changed his mind. She wasn't worthy of him and she couldn't understand why. How much would she have to give, what did she have to do to before he understood the depth of her love for him? What did Tenten have that she didn't possess?
Rolling on to her back, her lips were slightly parted and her chest now shook ever so slightly every three seconds or so. Her vision was becoming clearer as the tears slowly stopped coming. She felt like she'd just survived a fatal attack but she was left marred with untreated wounds still threatening her existence.
As she stared up to her ceiling in her dark room she felt the faint buzzing of her pager that was attached to her waist.
She didn't move a muscle.
Whatever it was, whoever it was, they were going to have to find a way to survive without her because she was in no state to help anyone right now with anything.
A small sob escaped her lips as she realised how much his decision to reject her would taint the rest of her life. There would be no one else for her but him and that meant she was destined to be alone. As friends coupled up, celebrated weddings, gave birth to their descendants she was to watch from the side lines, congratulating but never being congratulated.
The buzzing on her pager continued and this time she raised her hand to lift the device and see who it was that she was letting down in this moment.
Naruto's name flashed repeatedly on the tiny screen and guilt weighed heavily on her chest.
She re-clipped the pager back down on her trouser's waistline and slowly rolled over to lift herself up. Looking around slightly dazed in the dark room she walked over to her gym bag that was stowed under her desk. She pulled out of her bag a dark black hoodie and wore it, throwing the hood up and ensuring her pink hair wasn't slipping out. Turning around she cautiously slipped out of her window and quickly headed back to her apartment.
Everywhere she looked she saw memories of Sasuke. Whether it was streets that they'd walked through or places they'd had small missions she began to feeling her eyes sting again as tears threatened to fall.
As she finally reached her apartment block and climbed her stairwell to reach her floor she hadn't noticed a figure looking at her. He approached her, watching as she was fumbling around with keys in her hand. Her hands shook, clearly her body was exhausted.
"Yo."
In fright, Sakura dropped her keys and whirled around towards the source of sound.
Kakashi's eyes widened as he witnessed the state she was in.
Her eyes were blood shot red, cheeks stained with tear tracks, breathe heavily laboured and her arms and legs shook.
"Kakashi." She bowed her head down, not in a respectful manner but in relief that it was him.
"Sakura. What is-"
"What brings you here?" She interrupted him. Her head was still looking down even after she'd scooped up her keys from the ground.
Tentatively, Kakashi took a few steps closer to her, speaking as he crossed the distance between them. "My shoulder has been giving me grief, I was coming by to ask you for help healing me. You know I hate going to the hospital…"
He stopped right before her hunched form, he was waiting for her to look up at him.
"Kakashi. I'm – I'm not sure now is a good time."
"Sakura. What is going on?"
As it was before her very eyes, she could see Sasuke standing in front of the Uchiha district's entrance, his fingers laced with Tenten's as they stood side by aside, gazing at each other adoringly.
Wincing at the thought she turned away from Kakashi abruptly and a hand went to her mouth.
"Sakura-"
"Kakashi, I'm sorry but I'm not feeling so good. Please can I see to you tomorrow?"
Kakashi leaned to his right as he tried to catch a glimpse of her face as she hurriedly used her keys and unlocked her door.
Like lighting Kakashi moved quickly and snatched her wrist that remained firmly gripping the door.
Sakura froze, her breathing hitched and she could sense him coming closer to her. Kakashi's other hand was moving to her hood, wishing to remove it and look her dead in the eye as he spoke to her.
"Kakashi…"
He froze, slowly he watched her head turn towards him. Half of her face looked up to him as the other half remained blocked and covered by the edge of her hoodie. His breathe caught in his throat and his eyes widened as he looked down at her. Biting her lips together painfully hard and the lone eye that was visible to him was completely glazed over as fresh tears made their way down her cheek. She looked like she was physically in pain.
"Please don't…"
Her broken voice struck him hard in his heart and unconsciously he released her hand and stepped back.
"I'll come find you tomorrow. Forgive me." With that she entered her flat and closed the door behind her.
Kakashi starred in utter confusion and horror as he heard her loud cries from the other side of the door.
(I won't lie. This was hard for me to write because I decided to draw on my own experiences in having my heart broken into a million pieces. I can't tell you how many times I've re-written this in my attempts to not let this get too dark but at the same time, heartbreak is dark. Especially for characters like Sakura or myself, who love with all they have. I hope the emotion came across well to you all…)
On a happier note, it is good to be back everyone. It's been one hell of a ride for me the last 4 months. I went on two very spontaneous holidays which were wonderful and I'm so grateful I got to have that much fun this year. Sadly, when I got back home I instantly caught a cold which turned into a nasty chest infection. I lost my voice, breathing was impossible with my messed up sinuses and coughing felt like knives in my lungs. Fast forward 3 months and here I am almost 100% fit and healthy thank God! (I just have a tiny cough left over but it's not so bad). So I apologise for disappearing, I just had zero energy to be able to type, proof and post.
Anyway I'm back now and I truly missed you all so much! I'm really looking forward to hearing what you all think of the chapter! It's quite long, and I was thinking of turning it into a seriously heavy cliffhanger but I felt so bad because I'd gone MIA! Haha!
Can't wait to hear from you all!
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