Strawberries & Dark Chocolate

Chapter 1

"Shit! Couldn't the gods take pity on me? Today of all days!?" She grumbled as she repeatedly jammed her finger into the elevator button. "Can't this thing close any faster!" a fair amount of curses left the woman's mouth when the door finally decided to close.

Her foot tapped impatiently on the hard elevator floor, glaring at the poor metal wall like it had done some unthinkable wrong to the petite woman, which in her mind it had. The elevator door opened to a small underground parking garage, where tenants parked a few cars. She jogged to her crappy beat-up 1994 Ford Aspire, quickly started her engine, and sped out onto the road.

Haruno Sakura had always been a morning person, but after two back-to-back hospital shifts and getting beeped in for an emergency, she was a little pissed. Not to mention she had gotten only three hours of sleep. "Do these people think I don't have a life outside the damn Hospital?!"

After a typical 15-minute car ride, she ran out of her car into the building. Sakura quickly changed into her surgical gown with a bouffant-style cap to cover her hair, a face mask, latex gloves, and clog-like rubber theatre shoes.

As soon as she left the room, her assistant started informing her of the patient's state. "His name is Naruto Uzumaki. He is in the army and deployed to Afghanistan but has sustained numerous injuries. Minor injuries include torn muscles, ligaments, and tendons; second-degree burns. Minor head injuries, chemosis in the eye (swelling), several infected wounds, and a sprained ankle. His major injuries are third-degree burns, internal bleeding in his right lung, six broken ribs, three nearly puncturing the lungs, severe lacerations on his chest, back, and legs, and a broken arm."

"When did he arrive?" She put on the best professional voice she could muster, but holy shit, with all those injuries, it's a miracle he's not dead.

"An hour ago."

"When did they start operating on him, and who is leading the surgery?"

"About the same time, they called you in for surgery. And Doctor Yakushi Kabuto is leading the surgery."

'If they put Yakushi Kabuto as the lead, they must be losing their damn mind! He can't tell the difference between a fishing hook and a surgical needle.' She thought as she picked up the pace.

Soon Sakura met her at the staff-only door. She promptly slid her ID through the scanners and barged into the surgical room. She quickly took over the operation. But when she looked down at the man's body, she realized what that surgeon had done.

***

Eighteen hours had passed in the hospital. Sakura was tired and wanted nothing more than to relax in a steaming hot bath, then pass out on the couch with ice cream.

That was one of the most complex surgeries she'd ever done. It hurt her when a patient ended up like this, especially since injuries could have avoided the worst, but there was nothing more she could do.

A nurse ran up to her, panting from running through the long hallways. She wanted nothing more than to bang her head against a wall.

"Mrs. Sharon-" she began before gasping for another breath, "would like to see you...."

"Thank you. I'll head there now."

She made her way to her office, stomping her feet as she walked. Immature, most definitely, but not unwarranted.

Camilla Sharon was the new senior consultant. But, all she ever did was file her nails. Not once has Sakura seen a piece of paper on Camilla's desk that didn't end up on hers. The girl had never worked in a hospital and didn't know a thing about anatomy, let alone human anatomy. The only reason she had gotten the job was because of her father, who just so happens to be the CEO of all the regional medical centers, so of course, she had to be her boss.

She told herself to relax and gave herself a small pep talk before knocking, then proceeded to barge in. Okay, so maybe that pep talk didn't quite work.

"Dr. Haruno, you should know it's bad-mannered to walk into a room without knocking," she commented with a smug look. "But I am glad you're here. We have much to discuss."

After the former senior chief retired, Sakura was supposed to get the promotion. But, the lady was pursued by money and handed over to the hospital to an incompetent woman. She was reaping the 'reward' for a little over a year.

"So that you know, I did knock. And what must we discuss so badly that it couldn't wait for tomorrow?"

"I know you just came out of surgery, but this is a professional environment. So I implore you to act reasonably." She crossed her legs and rested her hands on them. "In any case, the man you just saved, Mr. Uzumaki. He is a very influential man with very prominent friends. So I expect he makes a swift recovery."

Sakura sighed, already having an idea of where this was heading. "Mr. Uzumaki is healing. However, we did run into some complications."

The woman narrowed her eyes. "What kind of complications?"

"Before I arrived, the head surgeon had overlooked the multiple deadly injuries. If I hadn't arrived on time, it would have become fatal. It was a rookie mistake and would've cost the patient's life."

"I see, but all that hardly matters to the subject. All I need to know is if Mr. Uzumaki will make a successful recovery?"

She completely overlooked the incompetence of the hospital staff. Sakura was on the verge of strangling this unreasonable woman.

"Mrs. Sharon, recoveries do take time, and from all the injuries he'd sustained, I estimate around four months, but with rehabilitation, I am thinking around two years since-"

"Would it be possible to accelerate the process?" She asked, although it seemed more like a demand than a request. "It would damage the Hospitals' reputation if such a vital patient were to take an unnecessary span to heal."

She almost snorted, but it would be in her best interest to play her cards right if she wanted to keep her job. "Generally speaking, we can't rush the healing process. It's unfortunate, but it's reality.

"What kind of injury would cause such a delay?"

"Mr. Uzumaki was paralyzed from the waist down due to poor treatment. Although we should be thankful that he is still breathing."

"Paralyzed? How severe is it?" Camilla asked.

"We think it might be temporary. But since I got out of surgery, it's hard to say. A month, a year, or two?"

She hummed, then looked down at her phone. "Alright, you may leave." Raising her arm and lazily waved circles with her hand, still looking at her phone.

Sakura didn't waste a second and got up from her seat and made a beeline for the door, ready to go home and relax before she got called back in to do something else.

"Oh, one more thing."

Sakura inwardly groaned. She almost made it out the damn door; her hand was on the handle.

"You're fired."

I had the guts to post my first-ever book, so hopefully, it will work out. Comments and feedback are very much appreciated. I can't wait to post the subsequent chapter cliffhangers. Ya'know keep you guys on your toes and come back for more. I hope you guys come back!

Anyways have a good day and CALl mE Ur 1 DaDdy!