Morning begins even before the sun shows up the hills for the tribespeople. And when the sun have finally awaken, everyone is doing their own chores. The wind carried the fog that was hovering above the lake and it glittered with the rays of sunshine like a magnificent painting.
Sakura did not remember falling asleep inside a cabin, on a comfortable bed nor did she remember tucking up a thin duvet on her body. She snuggled the duvet that has a pleasant smell of wood pine before stretching both her hands only to push something or more like someone's face.
She frowned and opened here eyes, blinking away the sleep in her system as she look beside her. On her side, sleeping peacefully– with a bit of drool on the side of her lips– was a child no more than six years old.
Sakura's eyes widen as she was startled out of her wits and landed on her back on the floor. The sound woke up the kid as she rob her eyes in a very cute way. Her long brown hair was like a bird's nest but the girl couldn't care less. Instead, she focus her big doe eyes on Sakura.
"Oh! Good morning Ms. Sakura!" She said cheerfully with a toothy grin.
Sakura blinked before composing herself and recollecting her thoughts. "Where am I?" She asked with a frown.
"You're in my room. My brother said you could sleep here since we only have one spare room."
Her brother? Sakura thought. But if there's one spare room, shouldn't she be in that room? Then she remembered Sasuke. That's right, the last thing she remembered last night was relaxing on Sasuke's shoulder as slumber took her in its arms. So perhaps, Sasuke carried her all the way here. And as a gentleman that he became, it would be rather inappropriate to share a room with a woman. But they're not exactly friends or teammates anymore. Didn't he already asked for her hand? The thought alone brought a crimson burn ablaze on her cheeks as she tried to hide her blush to the curious kid.
"Sakura-neesan why are your cheeks red? Do you have a fever? I should go call onii-chan."
The girl was about to run outside when Sakura caught her wrist gently and shook her head to clear her thought. She stood up and ready herself, before going outside to start the day.
Once outside, the young girl suddenly run towards a group of men discussing something. Sakura saw Sasuke among them and Taisho whom the girl run towards to.
"Onii-chan! Sakura-neesan is awake! She'll be treating the sick now and they'll all be better!" Sakura smiled when she heard the girl's hopeful statement. More so she was a bit surprise to learn that the girl was actually Taisho's kid sister.
"Kanao, did Sakura sleep well last night?" Taisho asked as he looked at his kid sister who nodded firmly.
Sakura walked towards Sasuke who was standing there, minding his own business, as usual. "Good morning Sasuke-kun. Did you sleep well last night?" Sakura asked with a warm smile.
"Hn," was Sasuke's only answer.
On a usual day, Sakura wouldn't mind the simple statement. But since Sasuke hadn't acted like that for some time, Sakura was a bit startled. Did he sleep on the wrong side of the bed?
Sakura's silence must have made Sasuke rethink about his response. He looked at Sakura who quickly averted her eyes towards the lake.
"We found out about the cause of this disease." This time Sakura quickly turn back her gaze to the dark haired Uchiha.
"You're right," he said. Sakura blinked, confused.
"Right?"
"You already knew the cause, don't you?" Sakura's eyes moved back to the lake. "The lake," she whispered.
"The water in the lake. It was contaminated from when the tree branch blocked the water up the hill. It was a branch similar to that of the Tree from the War."
Sakura nodded. "I know what you were thinking last night."
Sakura suddenly felt her chest thumping. What did Sasuke mean by that? "You don't have to drink the water to find if it's poisoned or not. Don't put yourself in unnecessary danger."
The way Sasuke said it made Sakura's chest thumped faster. Her cheeks heat up as she look anywhere but Sasuke. "Today we will be digging up a well for fresh water. You should tend to the ill."
"We? Wouldn't it be faster if you do it?" Sakura asked.
"No, everyone will be helping. It's something I learned from a Tale of the past." Sakura could swear she saw the slightest of smile on Sasuke. A tale? Sakura wondered when did Sasuke find reading as a hobby. Unbeknownst to her, it's a Tale that was never written in any of the books or scrolls. It's a Tale only pass down through words. And words will they forever be lost in the sea of time.
_____
After eating breakfast, the abled men started their work to dig a well located at the back of the tribe a few distance away. While the women lend a hand on Sakura as she treated the patients.
During the break of the men at work, by utter coincidence, it was the time Sakura decided to summon Katsuyu. She concentrated her chakra as she stood up in the middle of the tribe. The Villagers stare in awe as her Byakugou seal started to surround her body.
She bit her thumb as she crouched on the ground and did the summoning technique. As the smoke cleared, a small portion of Katsuyu appeared.
"My, Sakura-chan you've grown into such a fine kunoichi." The medic summon said.
"Thank you Lady Katsuyu."
"It doesn't seem like there is a battle of some sort. It's unlike you to summon me lest there is a serious incident. What can I do for you Sakura-chan?"
"Lady Katsuyu, can you please divide yourself into fragments. Use my chakra and share it with the people inside that tent."
Katsuyu did as she was told and divided herself into tiny fragments and entered the tent where the ill were located. Sakura and the others followed as well. It did not take Katsuyu long to do the task. It is noticeable that their sunken cheeks are gone now and their skin color have become healthier. But their eyes were still close.
"Sakura-chan all I did is to help them regain their stamina. The rest is up to you now." Katsuyu said before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
Sakura's Byakugou settled on her forehead as she wiped the sweat away and walked outside.
She saw Taisho walking towards her. "To see the goddess of medic ninjutsu using the legendary Byakugou seal was truly remarkable."
Sakura smiled, although not as wide as when Sasuke compliments her. "Taisho, can you show me where the herbs are located? I need to make an herbal medicine. But your people will be fine now, as long as they drink the herbal medicine."
"I could show you–"
"Taisho," a menacing voice behind stopped Taisho from uttering another word. "I believe we still have work to do."
Sasuke look at him dead in the eyes. He is serious, very very serious without any hint of positive emotion.
"I could show Sakura-neesan the herbs!" Taisho's kid sister, Kanao, said as she took Sakura's hand pulling her towards the forest.
"Your friend is scary," Kanao said as they proceeded to where the herbal medicines are.
Sakura laughed silently. Scary, huh? Many kids are scared of him. She wonder if Sasuke's kid would be scared of him too. Or perhaps his kid will carry on the Uchiha pride and soften the emotionless Sasuke.
As Sakura picked some herbs necessary for the medicine, Kanao sat on the forest floor making a flower crown. "Sakura-neesan, have you ever been in love?"
Out of the blue, a young girl no more than six, asked a nineteen year old teenage girl something about love? It was so sudden that Sakura almost tripped on her own foot. She crouched down as she continue picking some herbs.
"In love, huh? Perhaps."
"How do you know you're in love with someone?"
The question made Sakura stopped for a moment and contemplate the answer. How? How did she know that she's in love with Sasuke if she's never been in love with someone else before him? It was such a silly question yet if one ponders about it, it goes deeper than what one would initially think.
"How? You see, I fell in love with this man when I was close your age, I little older than you. He was a boy then, with big dark eyes that emits a kind of mystery. I wouldn't call it love, because at that time all I knew was that I have a crush on this boy. I like him because he's handsome, cool and smart. That's all."
Sakura stopped for a moment to sit in front of Kanao who listens attentively.
"When I entered the Academy, my crush on that guy grew into an infatuation. All I ever see was him, his looks, his talent, his intelligence that I did not pay attention on the other boy who had a crush on me all because he was a loser and dumb. When we graduated, I was more than happy to be place in the same team as the guy I liked. I looked forward on every missions we took together. The hard times when we have to fight bandits, got beaten and kidnapped but always escaping in the nick of time. The memorable times when we would sleep on the grass under the million starlight as we dream under the gaze of the moon. I tried everything just to be notice by him, but he already has a goal set in front of him that he never once dared look back. He continued to walked, until I found myself running towards him trying to catch up. And when I finally did, he stopped. In a blink he stood before me and whispered a simple thank you before leaving."
Kanao's eyes glistened in curiosity. It can be clearly seen that she wanted to hear more. But she frown when she heard Sakura's last statement. "He left?"
"Yes, he did. Remember when I mentioned that another boy had this silly crush one me? I made him promise to bring back the boy I liked. For years, we ran after him. Hoping that one day we would catch up. For years, that boy grew into a young man. And so did I, a young kunoichi. When we finally met again that's when I realized the young man's eyes were never the same. I tried to stabbed him in the back and he tried to kill me twice. By then I learned one thing, I no longer feel the infatuation towards the talented, handsome young boy."
"You don't like him anymore?" Kanao asked, tilting her head.
"No. Because by then I learned, that this young man with flames of hatred surrounding his body and soul, was still the young boy with innocent onyx big eyes. The only difference was I no longer like him. Because it was the time I learned that I needed to save him from darkness. I will stay no matter how many times he pushed me. A simple infatuation cannot make someone do such things. But you know what can? Love. By the time I learned that I'm in love with this man, it did not take him long to show his ultimate form of affection and fulfill his promise." By the time Sakura finished, her hand unconsciously touched her forehead, remembering Sasuke's touch.
"Sakura-neesan that young man must've been happy to have you."
Sakura smiled. "And I am more than happy to have him."
Sakura stood up and motioned for Kanao to take her hand. She had picked quite a lot of herbs and Sakura decided to go back.
But as they took a step, a nasty-looking man stood before them. He has a patch on his left eye and a long scar display on his right cheek. Kanao squealed as she gripped Sakura's clothes as Sakura placed her hand protectively in front of the young girl. A group of seven men in total stood in front.
Sakura could overpower them, she knew that much. With brute strength alone she knew she could defeat them. But Kanao is with her, it would be hard to divide her attention on the men while making sure Kanao is safe.
"Hey there, would you mind telling us that story again?"
The men laughed mockingly as they took out their weapons. Sakura took a stance and prepared to attack, either way she has to protect Kanao and beat these men fast. After all, she is no longer the same young girl who would always cry for help.
She is strong. The strongest kunoichi.
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Here's a long Chapter as for my avid readers! I love you guys and thank you for supporting this fanfic!!!!!
I hope you guys like Sakura's short story about her love life (lol) I hope it did not sound cliché or something.
Anyways, thanks for reading. Vote and comment!!!!