A Different Life

Chapter 7. The Distant Past

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters. I only own the plot in this story. 

The warm breeze hit two sleeping people in the room. The other didn't seem to care whereas the other person opened her emerald orbs slowly.

Sakura felt better than before, the sun shining down on her like it rose up in the sky just for her. She smiled softly and was about to get up until she felt his brother's grip on her. She looked to her right and saw her brother sleeping soundly with his arms around her protectively. It was mornings like this that she prefered staying in bed all day. She knew Sasori wasn't so fast asleep now that she's awake and he noticed that. Well, he seemed to notice everything about her. She decided to go back to bed and snuggled closer to Sasori.

"Good morning." She greeted softly with a smile.

"Good morning." came a rather grunt reply.

Sasori was wide awake now and inhaling Sakura's scent. A scent he will never get tired of. "Are you feeling better?" He asked at which Sakura nodded in response. "Don't you have anything to do today?" Sakura asked looking up at Sasori who decided to close his eyes but remained wide awake. "None." came Sasori's straight reply. "I see." 

The warm silence was broken when Sasori noticed Sakura's uneasiness. "What is it?" He asked. "I'm hungry." Sakura replied looking at him as she bit her tounge. A small, almost unnoticable smile came to Sasori's face. Ofcourse she would be hungry. She had just undergone her 'therapy' and this was when of the lesser side effects of the jutsus, which is kind of funny and simple.

They were walking amongst the crowd now, looking for some restaurant to satisfy Sakura's hunger. Sasori almost forgotten Sakura hadn't eaten her lunch and dinner yesterday because of the turn of events, adding to Sakura's hunger. Soon, they found what they're looking for though it was a Ramen shop which Sasori knows reminded Sakura of a certain loud-mouthed blonde head if the sad smile on her face didn't prove it that much. 

"Hey, Onii-san where are we?" Sakura suddenly asked in the middle of their breakfast, looking around.

"I'm not really sure where this place is." Sasori simply answered as he chewed on his ramen. He seemed to noticed the hesitance in her emerald orbs as he said, "We're far." from them a part he didn't need to add. Sakura felt somehow relieved and somewhat sad. Relieved because being far from them means lesser blood shed between the two sides she loves and sad because they are just... far.

Sai looked at his recently made painting after the finishing touch. He didn't know why he made this, he just did. His mind was definitely not present while he made this, but his heart was definitely in control. So as soon as he looked fully at the painting, a certain memory combusted in his mind.

A 13 year old girl with shoulder lengthed pink hair that was getting loose and a bright smile plastered on her face as she ran forward. They were in some town in Spring Country. The same country Naruto helped transform, from snow to spring. "Hey Sai, come over here!" The girl shouted back at Sai who was trailing around her like a lost puppy but Sakura didn't intend it to be like that. Sai just did. The crowd wasn't that big at this time of the day so it was easy to follow Sakura, until she abruptly stopped.

"Sakura?" Sai asked inquiring what's wrong. Her head was looking slightly to their right where a store with paintings as displays. Something in her eyes formed and Sai, being as dense as he was, couldn't read the emotion playing. "Sai... do you wanna learn how to draw?" She said, turning around him with a wide grin. "It would really be useful you know, especially when you're bored and when you're not training with those harsh people." Sai was surprised by Sakura's sudden question. He didn't even listened after that first sentence. He just felt cared for that someone (special) actually cared for him to even teach him something less painful, blood-spilling and all those other things he was taught. Something more human.