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

Forgotten but Not Forgiven

Fifteen minutes? He was kidding, right?

But no. This new Kakashi wasn't kidding and he had obviously turned into an asshole during her absence. Good. It would make things easier for her.

Sakura slammed the door of her locker shut. Of course there was nothing to wear in there, she could look as long as she wanted, she had arrived here the night before in travel clothes ruined by blood and gore. She had taken a quick shower before crashing on the narrow bed. She had planned on going to see her parents after catching up on some sleep. But not ten minutes ago, she had had to rush to the intensive care unit with nothing but her pajamas and a doctor's coat on top to stop Kakashi from being an idiot.

That had gone splendid.

Frustrated, Sakura kicked the locker door - and flinched from the loud clanking noise that echoed in the windowless room.

"Sakura-san," there was a timid knock, "is everything alright?"

Nothing was alright.

"Yes, sorry for the ruckus, my foot kinda slipped...," what a stupid lie. Sakura opened the door to make the apology count. It took her a few seconds to recognize the woman standing outside.

"Ichika!" she exclaimed, "how lovely to see you!"

Kaeru's sister looked really well - understatement. She was an exceptional beauty, Sakura realized, with long, wavy brown hair, a small waist, long shapely legs and expressive eyes.

"Thank you, Sakura-san," Ichika said with a timid smile, "thank you for everything. It is good to have you back. I'm training at the hospital to be a nurse!" she added hastily and a little shily, as if she was afraid Sakura could oppose such a thing.

"Oh, then we will see each other a lot," Sakura smiled. "I'm very glad Kaeru decided to stay."

"Well," Ichika said and turned a little red, "it wasn't him exactly... I... I lied to him. I told him I wasn't well enough until he stopped insisting we should leave. Kakashi-sama helped too by giving him a place outside of the military."

Hm. Sakura's slightly improved mood plummeted again. The meeting.

"Ichika," she sighed, "I have a strange question. Do you think any of the nurses has some clothes they could lend me? I have a meeting with the Hokage in...," she checked her watch, oh shit!, "less than ten minutes and I just got here and I have nothing to wear and..."

"Oh!" Ichika exclaimed, "not a problem, please wait, Sakura Sensei!"

Sakura smiled at the title. It would take getting used to. Like many other things.

She stepped back into her room to look at herself in the mirror. Horrible. Because she had gone to bed with her hair half wet, it now had the general bushy look of a racoon's tail. Her skin was blotchy and she could feel at least two pimples getting ready to break out on her chin and underneath her nose.

It was funny, it had taken her several months to adjust to the new diet on their trip, with some rather bad weight-related side-effects - and now, her body was reacting adversely to the food she had grown up with? Or... was her period coming early?

Pulling a face at herself, Sakura used a bit of water to flatten her hair somewhat. If Ichika didn't find clothes for her, would she have to go in her pajamas? She looked down at herself, cringing at the mere thought. There were bunny prints on this one.

Five minutes before the meeting time - she'd be late for sure! - Sakura heard hasty steps approach and Ichika burst in.

"Sakura Sensei! We have clothes for you. And a bit of makeup, someone suggested you might want to freshen up before you go see the Hokage?"