Tale As Old As Time / SasuSaku

A Taste of Trust and Tomatoes

Sakura made her way through the building, glancing at the time on her phone. She realized she was a bit early for class, but it didn't bother her. Her mind was still reeling from the events that had unfolded just a few minutes ago. The man she had stumbled upon had left her with an unsettling feeling. Who was he? Something just didn't feel right.

She contemplated calling the police or seeking help from Dr. Tsunade Senju. It seemed like her only option because she had no clue where this man came from or why he had been unconscious near the river. Did she even ask him for any identification? He seemed just as confused as she was.

Lost in her thoughts, Sakura suddenly felt a poke from behind. "Forehead! Can you believe we're finally starting medical school?" Ino exclaimed with excitement. But as Ino caught a glimpse of Sakura's expression, her face turned concerned.

"Wait, something's not right, Sakura. You look pale, like you've seen a ghost or something," Ino pointed out, her worry evident. It was unusual for Sakura to be in such a somber mood, especially after expressing her excitement just the night before.

"I might as well have," Sakura sighed inwardly. Was she perhaps still dreaming? Could it be the effect of the melatonin she had taken the previous night? She had heard it sometimes caused strange dreams, so maybe this was all just a figment of her imagination.

"Punch me," Sakura suddenly requested. If she felt pain, then she would know for sure that she wasn't in a dream.

Ino looked at her strangely. "Um... are you into that kind of stuff? I mean, I'm flattered, Sakura, but I'm straight."

"Not like that, Ino. Just punch me, for goodness' sake," Sakura replied impatiently.

Without hesitation, Ino threw a punch at Sakura's arm, causing her to let out a loud scream. "Ouch!"

Sakura hadn't expected Ino to strike her so forcefully, but the pain she felt confirmed that she was, indeed, fully awake. This was no dream. This was reality.

"Well, you told me to punch you!" Ino exclaimed, perplexed by her friend's odd behavior. Deciding not to pry too much, Ino assumed that Sakura simply hadn't gotten enough sleep due to all the excitement the night before.

"Ugh, whatever, let's go. Can we at least sit next to each other?" Sakura suggested. The two girls walked side by side as they made their way to one of the lecture halls. Once inside, they found their seats and settled in, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the professor.

As the class began, Sakura pulled out her notebook and started jotting down important notes. Occasionally, she would sneak a glance at the time on her phone, determined not to let herself get distracted by thoughts of that mysterious man. However, something suddenly clicked in her mind - she had completely forgotten about the security cameras she had installed at home. Curiosity getting the better of her, she decided to discreetly check if the man was still there. Opening the Ring camera app on her phone, she anxiously scanned the feed, shocked to see that the man was indeed still on the couch.

"He's still there," she whispered to herself, the realization sinking in.

As the class came to an end, Sakura quickly gathered her belongings, a sense of urgency apparent in her actions.

"Got somewhere important to be? We still have another class in a few hours," Ino raised an eyebrow, unable to ignore Sakura's uncharacteristic behavior throughout the day.

"Yeah, I'll text you! I just need to grab something to eat real fast and take care of something at my apartment," Sakura hurriedly replied, making her way out of the classroom and heading straight to the dining hall. With no time to cook or even think about feeding the man still in her apartment, she ordered tomato pasta to-go and swiftly made her way back home.