Haruno

The Library

Injured shinobi Nakamura Shiro hated the library: there was nothing to do, no-one to talk to and, most importantly, nothing that could get his blood pumping. In all actuality, Shiro shouldn't have been there - his broken ribs and shattered right hand had healed long ago - and yet the oh-so-esteemed Hokage had insisted on a prolonged stay as resident librarian as a supposed punishment for 'being irresponsible'. Shiro scowled at the memory as he scoured the books for the sixth time that hour to make sure they were all in alphabetical order. Running his fingertips along the spines, he read the authors' names in his head and paused at one which was out of place. Peculiar, he thought since no-one who would want this book had entered the library that morning except him. Gingerly, he tugged it off the shelf making space for it in another area. Then, he stopped and stared through the gap he had made.

There was a child. A young one, presumably as he could tell from her relatively small stature. She sported a pale green dress and brown sandals and a red bow atop her obnoxiously pink head of hair. Yet, that wasn't what stood out to him: the strangest thing about her was the book she held in her hands - the bingo book. Granted, it was an outdated version given it's availability in the library, however, he had never seen anyone below a chunin level ninja take an active interest in the contents of a book like that. She was surrounded by shinobi specific books and scrolls, he noted. He recognised the characters on the scrolls indicating information on chakra control and bukijutsu and she had an open, empty bento box beside her. Putting the book back onto the shelf, he walked around it stopping just behind her.

"Hey, kid." Shiro frowned as she remained passive. "What you doing reading a bingo book?" She shuffled around so she could meet his eyes.

"Uhh... I was just curious." She shut her book quickly and set it on the table along with the rest of the scrolls. "But don't worry shinobi-san. I'll be going now," she said as she packed her fuchsia pink bento box and notebook back into a tan satchel. She scooped up all the scrolls and tottered around slotting them back into their places then made it to the front of the library. Shiro hurried to grab his jounin flak jacket and keys to the library before following the girl to the door.

"Hey kid!" He walked out the door after her quickly turning the key in the door. "It's getting dark - let me walk you home." He walked up next to her and slowed his pace to match hers. She looked up at him and tilted her head slightly to the right.

"There's no need, shinobi-san. But thanks anyway."

They continued the rest of the journey in silence under the violet light of the twilight sky. The kid trotted along content and seemingly carefree as they turned into the red light district. Shiro's internal alarm bells immediately went off; why would a little girl such as her need to be anywhere near this district? Moreover, why was she complacent with travelling this route alone? Shiro fell back walking behind the kid as a precaution. Pinky then took another left walking into the stairwell of an apartment block, up four flights of stairs to the third floor and trotted along to apartment 33. Shiro reached over her head to knock on the door for her and the door instantly swung open.

"Sakura-chan!" A woman with blonde hair and green eyes wearing the standard, white medic's jacket engulfed the kid - now known as Sakura - in a warm hug. "What did I tell you about leaving the house when I'm not here, hm? Next time you want to go out, you make sure I know about it and you get back before dark, you hear me?" The woman kept coddling the clearly uncomfortable child until Shiro cleared his throat. She jumped up with Sakura still in her arms and laughed nervously. "Ah! Good evening, shinobi-san!" she smiles and puts Sakura down behind her. "Sakura-chan, why don't you go get your towel and toys in the bathroom? I'll be there in just a second."