Getting Lost on the Roads of Life - a KakaSaku Story [CONCLUDED]

Hello, Goodbye

Sakura took a deep breath and used both hands to assure herself that her hair was in order. It was bordering on obsessive, no use denying it. Of course it was in order every time she checked, she had the type of thin boring hair that never did anything but hang down anyway and it wouldn't miraculously look better just because she touched it all the time.

She nodded to the Anbu guard on duty and started walking up the stairs, muttering encouragements to herself. She was going to go into the Hokage office with a straight back and her head held high. An image of calm professionalism as expected of the future Head of Konoha's Hospital. She wasn't going to cry and she wasn't going to be resentful or hurt nor would she allow any of the immature emotions to surface that had battered her all night until she felt ground to dust.

It wasn't like Kakashi owed her anything.

He had even warned her at the very beginning, in the same bar of all places. Where there's a spark, there will be a fire, he had said, she remembered it so well, and I know this one would be devastating. She had taken his words lightly, being the silly, inexperienced cow that she was. Typical. Now she was the one who had burnt herself. Burnt herself to a degree...

But she would eventually be able to remember their brief affair fondly, she told herself. It was only natural to feel... utterly betrayed by how easily he had forgotten all that he had said to her. But maybe those had just been words and he had never thought about it the way she had? Kakashi had always just taken what life had offered him, hadn't he, good or bad. When she had offered, he had taken. That was it. All the rest had happened in her head. Now there was another offer he was more interested in. Naturally. Certain things simply didn't compare.

Sasuke was already waiting for her in front of the large wooden door, looking her way with a scowl.

"Am I late?" she asked, deliberately using the lightest tone she could manage. "I had to talk to a ton of people at the hospital."

"Yes, you're late," Sasuke said darkly, "but it doesn't matter, it's only Kakashi."

He turned around and knocked briefly. The door immediately swung open and Shizune waved them inside.

Straight back, head held high. Sakura had been in here many, many times, it didn't matter at all who sat behind the desk. Enter the Hokage's office, get an order, follow it.

Wrong.

Her legs wanted to buckle as soon as she made a step forward. Was it his scent? His chakra signature? Her body reacted by a yearning that almost made her whimper. I can't do this, Sakura thought, panicking. I'll burst into tears as soon as I look at him. I miss him so damn much. Breathe... breathe...

"Do not call him Hokage yet," Shizune whispered, "he doesn't appreciate it. I'm sure he'll grow into it eventually."

"Hmpf," Sasuke scoffed.

The sun shone in through the large windows, illuminating dust particles dancing merrily in the air. Kakashi, dressed in a simple jonin uniform, sleeves rolled up, the flak jacket draped over the back of his chair, was sorting through a huge pile of paper in front of him, frowning at the individual sheets like they were personally insulting him, putting some to the right and some to the left. Sakura immediately noticed the dark shadows around his eyes. Had he not slept?

"Argh," Kakashi sighed and pushed the pile away as far as he could on the already crowded desk.

"Sasuke and Sakura are here," Shizune said gently. "I'll help you with that afterwards."

Kakashi nodded and let himself fall into the chair behind him, briefly closing his eyes.

"Right," he said.