Sakura Spirit [A SasuSaku Modern AU Fanfiction]

The border; The quest

It all happened in a blink of the eye. Just in that time when he hadn't paid full attention to the front, the passerby girl now lay unconscious on the cold, hard cemented lane.

Both of them were stiffened with shock, confusion....and guilt. 'What have we done!?', they thought. With the indicator on the car still on, the fear-stricken driver immediately hopped off and went to the girl's side. Sasuke wore his shades before getting off their black SUV. Nobody can know what happened here is related to a top-star. Kabuto called for the ambulance before he prayed for the girl - and for themselves.

What the raven witnessed was a sight he never would've wished to encounter again.

Crimson liquid trickled down from her head. The girl's pale, heart-shaped face showed no signs of agony but a peaceful façade. Messy bubblegum hair spread in all directions on the blood-stained ground. What shocked Sasuke the most was the cream-colored uniform which had been soaked in blood. Particularly those three significant letters knitted on the golden, pentagonal-shaped logo, 'K.E.H'. She is one of the honor students recognized by their school - although Sasuke wasn't aware of that.

Not long after, the ambulance arrived. Sasuke, still in his thoughts, snapped back to reality only when he heard Kabuto called out to him.

"Uh! Ah.... Coming...."

Nonetheless, his calm expression never once faded since Sasuke is a proud man.

"Listen, Sasuke. I need to accompany her to the hospital as someone in charge. Can't you drive yourself to where sensei is? I'll come right after I've wrapped things up . . . ," Kabuto demanded for his star to leave, as soon as possible.

...Beep - ...beep - ...beep - ... (outgoing call)

"Uh... Sasu-?"

"Hello, Kishimoto-sensei? It's me Uchiha Sasuke. I'm truly sorry but I'll have to cancel today's appointment . . . Yes, sir . . . Thank you. . . Bye."

Sasuke did the most courageous -or foolish- thing he'd ever done. His manager gasped, and then yelled at him.

"ARE YOU CRAZY!? HE WAS OUR CHANCE T--,"

"Um, sir?! We need to leave now!" called out a hospital attendant, before shutting the back-door and took off.

Sasuke was already in their black, shimmering SUV.

"What EXACTLY are you thinking, Sasuke?" Kabuto asked in irritancy.

"You're so noisy, Kabuto, just head to the hospital now."

Sighing, the silver-haired manager gave up asking useless questions and followed the ambulance.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •X• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

. . .Beep. . . . . Beep. . . . Beep. . . (sound of monitor)

"Doctor, her pressure is low!" "Her pulse-!"

Doctors and nurses did everything to save the girl's live. . . Haruno Sakura's live. . .

'Ba-dump. . . Ba-dump. . . Ba-dump. . .'

Sakura, despite her unconscious state, could hear all the noises around her. Her eyes still closed, yet those emerald orbs were searching for an answer. . .

'Am i . . . going to . . . die?' The cherry thought in her puzzling mind; then drifted to a 'deep sleep'.

"So tell me pink-lady. What did'chu see?" asked a raspy voice of a man.

He was wearing a long, black cloak with an extraordinarily large hood; covering most of his porcelain-white face. His grin was eerie and savaging; scrawny hands holding a large, fang-shaped scythe with ancient looking feathers dangling at the back the far-end of its edge.

In spite of the terrifying being standing three feet away from her, the brave Haruno girl didn't even flinch.

"Where am I? Did I . . . . die?" Sakura asked.

The reaper merely chuckled, "Welcome to the border young lady. . . . *kekeke* You're not dead, but you're not alive too... You are who you are, but not what you are... That is where you stand. . . Haruno Sakura-san. . . ."

Those perplexed words pierced through her heart like knives unknowingly. Sakura couldn't understand quite well but she could feel it inside her.

This isn't where she belongs . . . . .

"I'm going to give you 3 months. Within that time-limit, find yourself, realize your dream . . . and look for true-love. . . ," the reaper said. That made her even more confused.

"What, 3 months? Find myself? Dream? T-true love!!? Wh-What EXACTLY are you talking about?" Sakura demanded answers from the dark reaper, but he merely smirked.

"Remember Sakura," he whispered into her ear, "...you must obey the rules. . . and finish your quest. Or else, your second chance will slip out of your hands. . ."

Slowly retreating, the black stature faded into the darkness. . . .

"Ah! Wait! How am I supposed to get out of here!? ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING RIPPER!!!???"

She let out all her frustration but still wasn't enough. Then suddenly, a huge black hole appeared in front of her and sucked her in. . . .taking her to. . . . . . . . . . . .