#sakura centric | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

uchiwife · 2 months ago

Text

𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗝𝗔 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗠

　　　　　　　　　「𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗜. 」

Great! She was going to be late!

Note the sarcasm.

Sakura hated being late. She was picking up bad habits from her English literature teacher. She supposed it didn't help that he was her mother's nephew, but still!

It certainly didn't run in the family since Uncle Sakumo wasn't known for his notorious lateness; in fact, he was always there at the right time.

She assumed that her cousin, and incidentally teacher, had picked up this bad habit from one of his childhood friends. She still remembers that seventeen-year-old teenager with the ugly orange glasses who used to push her on the garden swing.

Who wears glasses in the middle of winter? And orange on top of that?

Obito had always been a kind and helpful person. Kakashi had told her that he often helped the local grandmothers with their shopping and was sometimes even late for class because, as he put it, he'd "run into a black cat", although she wasn't quite sure of the version because she'd only been five or six when her cousin had told her about it when he was babysitting her.

It wasn't unusual for her mother, Mebuki, to ask her beloved nephew, as she called him, to look after Sakura when she was very young. So it's only natural that Sakura thought of Kakashi more as the big brother she'd never had.

She wasn't sure if Kakashi felt the same way, but since he often catered to her whims when she was little and beat up the kids who bullied her when she was still a child, she assumed he might see her as his little sister.

He wasn't the type to be expressive with his feelings, but his actions spoke for him. He loved her in his own way.

Even today, as she grew up, he could tease her and correct her in class when she chatted a little too much with her friend Ino. He always had that mischievous gleam in his eye, taking a malicious pleasure in poking her, much to her annoyance.

Long story short, Sakura had an annoying 'big brother'.

“Wait up! Wait! Hold the doors, please!” She barely managed to catch the bus. Leaning forward with her hands on her knees, she caught her breath before boarding the bus, thanking the driver as she tapped her IC card against the reader. She'd been lucky! If she'd had to wait for the next one, she'd have missed the first hour of class. Not really something she could afford, the teacher had scheduled a test today and she needed to maintain her good grades.

“So Haruno, forgot to set your alarm this morning? What a shame... if you'd missed the bus, I wouldn't have been able to see you in class…”

Sakura felt a wave of annoyance wash over her. Ugh. She hated the sound of that voice. No, rectification, it was just him she hated. Frowning, she turned to face her first headache of the day.

“Shut up, Uchiha!” she glared at him before realizing the passenger sitting next to him, she instinctively stood straighter feeling her stupid cheeks already heating up. She bowed slightly, the action causing the Uchiha to roll his eyes.

“Good morning, Itachi-kun!”

Itachi Uchiha was without doubt the most handsome boy she'd ever seen in her young life, and really, she'd seen some cute boys. Every time she saw him, she felt her heart skip a beat. She wasn't the most discreet, but he'd never called her out. He wouldn't have. He was far too polite for that. Too much of a gentleman. Maybe he just wanted to spare her feelings, who knows? A high school crush was harmless anyway. Itachi inclined his head politely, acknowledging her greeting.

“Sakura.”

“I hear you've been accepted next year into Tōdai National University. You must be happy. Congratulations.” She offered him a gentle smile. She was genuinely happy about his success. Tokyo University was one of the most prestigious. Not just anyone could get in, but she had noticed that Itachi had always been very intelligent. That was probably one of the things that had seduced her, well, that and his gaze; it was so deep... it was like drowning in the abyss, the only difference being that she'd never felt the urge to pull herself out.

For a second, Itachi looked surprised. He was probably wondering how she knew? It wasn't as if he'd been putting up flyers in the school corridors. It was possible that she'd heard, all right, that she'd been eavesdropping while Sasu-jerk complained to his best friend, Naruto, that his brother was leaving next year for the big city and that it bothered him because he wouldn't be seeing his precious nii-san anymore and yada yada yada. He should be happy that his brother is leaving the Konohanian countryside. Honestly, you'd have to be crazy to want to make a life here. She herself wanted to fly to the city. Let's face it, she was far too pretty to be a country girl.

“Thank you. This is indeed a great opportunity. I'm sure Sasuke will do just as well when his turn comes. Maybe even better,” he said, smiling fondly at his little brother. She saw Sasuke blush and had to stop herself from gagging. Itachi's only flaw, alas, was his little brother. A demon straight from the bowels of hell. Little shit. But hey, if she ever hoped to be Itachi's wife, she'd have to pretend to share his affection for his brother, although she wondered how anyone could love that bastard, but love is made up of concessions, they say.

So it was with the fakest smile she could muster that she replied: “Um-um, Sasujer- I mean, Sasuke's a pretty good student. I'm better than him in several subjects, of course, but, I'm sure, if he takes his cue from you then he'll only succeed.”

There. She compliments, boasts and spits. Perfect. It's a happy medium. Itachi still needs to know that his future wife is smart too. She heard Sasuke scoff. He knew very well what she was trying to do and hadn't missed her dig, but if they had one thing in common, much to her dismay, it was that neither of them would admit it to Itachi because they both craved his approval. Unbeknownst to them, Itachi was actually amused by their antics. He wasn't blind to the pre-existing hostility between his little brother and the girl, but most of the time he didn't intervene because it was harmless.

“Anyway.... Sakura resumed, looking sideways at Sasuke, I envy you a little. I can't wait to get out of Konoha myself.”

“ You're not the only one... ” Sasuke commented under his breath, earning himself a knee blow. He grunted, massaging the sore area as he glared at his classmate.

“Oh, did I hurt you? Sorry, Uchiha. The bus went over a speed bump and I got thrown off a bit,” she said with an innocent look.

Smiling sweetly, even if it was fake, had always gotten her out of trouble as a child, and she supposed her pretty face and big green puppy-dog eyes had a lot to do with it. In another life, she'd probably been Puss in Boots. What was Sasuke going to do anyway? Yell that she was lying and make a scene on public transport? unlikely. He'd settle for giving her a murderous look and wishing her doom. At least, in the presence of his older brother. So she had the advantage. He was fuming, she knew, and that was enough to widen her smile.

All things considered, her morning wasn't off to such a bad start. She'd chatted with her huge crush, annoyed her sworn enemy and managed not to be late! Yep! It was off to a good start!

⸻⸻

She takes back everything she's ever said. It was not a good fucking day!

It's a shame, it had started off so well, but of course God and the Universe hated her, they had every reason to love her and yet she was the one who always ended up in a mess.

She would have to leave this Earth for a week or two, just to give the galaxy something to think about when it had lost one of its brightest stars. No, she wasn't arrogant, she'd simply grown up hearing all her life that she was pretty, loved, smart and safe.

Her mother, Mebuki, wanted to teach Sakura early on the importance of appreciating and loving herself. Her father felt that it was even more important for her future life that she have enough self-esteem not to let others walk all over her.

This intensified after she came home from school with bruises one day. She had long been bullied by mean kids who couldn't stand anyone being different.

Even though she had cried a lot during this period, her confidence had gradually grown with the love and unfailing support of those closest to her.

She remembers her cousin Kakashi's anger and how he had dragged her to the playground to name her bullies. Child or not, he had made sure that no one would ever look at her the wrong way again.

That was the day she decided that if she didn't fulfill her dream of moving to the big city and failed in her plans to become an actress, she would move in with Kakashi.

Having such a reassuring guy by her side would probably make a miserable life in the countryside more bearable.

It would be wise to have a plan B, but Sakura had never wanted anything other than to become an actress.

Which brought her back to the reason her day was ruined:

It was common knowledge, or at least obvious to anyone who looked into it, that Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura couldn't stand each other.

For as long as she could remember, she'd always ignored the bastard, even when he tried to pull some shit on her.

If asked when it started, she would have said when they were in third grade.

It was a day like any other, at least for her, which was rather sad because it was actually a day when she'd been picked on again.

She could have had more than scratches and her hair pulled if Uchiha Itachi hadn't stepped in to defend her, with Sasuke trailing behind him.

At the time, she still thought of Sasuke as that shy little boy who wasn't interested in anyone but his brother. She still remembers the enthusiastic way he talked about him at school.

Perhaps it was only then that he deigned to open up: to praise the merits of his hero, his nii-san.

It could have ended well, she could have befriended him, but the attempt at friendship failed exactly one month later when she had the misfortune to give Itachi some dangos sticks.

She had spent the pocket money her parents had given her, but she had wanted to thank him sincerely for his help. A month, that's how long it took her to save each piece.

Apparently it was an unforgivable mistake because Sasuke hadn't appreciated Itachi's smile, attention and thanks at all. It was after that that this demon's behaviour had changed. Never openly in front of Itachi , but enough for anyone to detect the embers of his jealousy.

Frankly, it was ridiculous.

Fuck him. She didn't need him as a friend.

She already had others and anyway, she'd lost the little esteem she had for him at the very beginning of their futile attempt at friendship.

This, however, never stopped Itachi from treating her with kindness and respect - at least one of them had learned his lessons in education. Anyway, Uchiha Sasuke had once again ruined her day, and while it was usually a matter of minor things, petty and immature blows, this time he'd gone too far.

You see, Sakura owned a magnificent pendant with a cherry blossom at its tip, a necklace given to her at the age of four by her dad, Kizashi.

She treasured it like the apple of her eye, firstly because it came from one of the most important men in her life, but also because she hadn't taken it off since she'd received it as a gift, especially since she'd lost her father four years ago.

This explains why she was so angry when Sasuke had the idea of snatching it from her, taunting her by dangling it in front of her eyes.

The more annoyed she became, the more he took a malicious pleasure in removing her pendant from her grasp.

Maybe calling him a ‘pathetic little prick who'd never do anything with his life and it was no wonder his father favored his brother while brushing him aside’ wasn't her proudest moment, but he held her precious jewel between his fingers so she could use the confessions of an eight-year-old boy heard so long ago, at a time when, she'd thought, she could become his friend.

That's when she'd seen the change.

The way his body had frozen in shock, that quick gleam of pain in his eyes quickly swept away by pure anger.

She could see in his eyes the displeasure he'd always felt towards her turning into burning hatred.

If he could have killed her at that moment, she was sure he probably would have, and that was enough to make her take a step back.

Okay, she didn't like Sasuke, that much is clear, but never to the point of wanting to stab him, she wasn't crazy. A killer even less so, if she were to be one it would be for a role while she shot her next film or series, but apparently he didn't share her sentiment, judging by the glare he gave her.

“Sasujer-, I mean Sasuke,” she corrected herself quickly as she saw his expression darken.

“Save it” he cut her off curtly. Sakura scowled, her annoyance showing again. Asshole.

She could expect anything, but his next move, she admitted, she hadn't anticipated. He took a few steps back, the pendant still in his hand, an evil smile on his lips, and Sakura felt her heart stop as she realized what he was about to do. He was backing up to the edge of Lake Naka, she had to stop him, now! She moved towards him but stopped when he let the chain slip through his fingers, holding it back at the last moment as she screamed:

“STOP! Don't do that!”

“Why shouldn't I? A pathetic little prick like me who'll never do anything with his life has no reason to have scruples, Haruno.” he spat, throwing some of her words back in her face.

It was obvious to her that her words had got to him.

She bit her lip, she had to get that necklace back.

She tried to take another step forward, and he in turn took another. The naka park had a beautiful lake, and in other circumstances she might enjoy it, but right now this very lake risked swallowing up her most precious possession.

Sasuke wasn't going to do that, was he?

He knew it came from her father. She'd shown it to him proudly when they were still children and innocent, far from the animosity they felt now.

She supposed she'd underestimated his desire for revenge because the next thing she knew, he was throwing her pendant into the lake, smiling in a way she could only describe as sadistic.

A smug, triumphant look on his face.

“NO!”

Blinded by anger and responding to an impulse, she threw herself at him, landing the most masterful punch she'd ever thrown at anyone.

He grunted, but retaliated just as quickly.

If she insisted on fighting, he wasn't going to be shy about retaliating with every kick or punch she threw at him.

Sasuke believed in equality in a way. He thought that if a woman could throw a punch that hard, then she could handle a fight.

He'd probably miscalculated the situation, though, because Sakura lunged at him again, shouting insult after insult, before punching him twice in the chest.

Directly on his solar plexus.

She knew that hitting him there would make it hard for him to catch his breath. It's a diaphragm thing or something.

She then stood up, watching him hold his chest and struggle to catch his breath, and approached the edge of the lake.

“You'll pay for this, Uchiha. Once I've fished out my necklace, I'll make you regret hell!”

She glared at him as she hastily removed her backpack and, without further thought, plunged headlong into the lake under the bewildered gaze of the Uchiha, who nevertheless tried to hold her back.

The water was quite deep and although he doubted she'd drown in it, there had already been cases of drowning.

Of course, most had been drunken men who had fallen into the water and young children, but still. He winced under the pain in his side. He'd never imagined Sakura had such powerful fists.

This girl was not human.

He straightened up and watched in tense silence the slight wave she left after her dive.

There was no way she was going to find her necklace. This became all the more worrying when she failed to surface after two or three minutes. She should have caught her breath by now, but there was nothing. Just the lake and its smooth surface. He couldn't even see her, and yet with her bright pink hair, he should at least have seen something if it was a shadow, but nothing.

“Haruno? Hey Haruno! Come up, this isn't funny anymore!” He had a bad feeling. He was a first-class asshole, but that didn't mean he'd be capable of killing another human being. Sure, he was quick to give in to anger and yes, for a second, he'd wanted to kill her, but there was a world between thinking it and doing it, and no matter what anyone said about him, no matter what Sakura thought, he would never cross that line. Like, ever. He approached the edge, glancing at his classmate's abandoned bag, feeling nervous.

“Sakura?! Forget that stupid fucking necklace! I'll buy you another one, okay? Come back!" but no answer. “Shit, damn it!” he said, angrily hitting the surface of the water, splashing himself in the process.

⸻⸻

Sakura Haruno had imagined her death in many ways. Ten to be exact, but none of them involved drowning at the bottom of a lake after a leg cramp. She could have risen to the surface, but she’d been so focused on finding her pendant that she’d exhausted herself. Drowning like that was by far the most pathetic death she could have had. If she had to die, she preferred it to be exceptional.

After a long and successful career, for example. After frequenting the best places in Tokyo, then traveling the world with her hard-earned money. After dedicating her first Japanese Academy prize to her parents. She could have flirted innocently with other actors before going straight back to the man who truly owned her heart.

Instead, that stupid Uchiha had thrown away her most precious possession and changed the whole trajectory of her life. If an afterlife existed, she would surely haunt him for the rest of his life. Sure, they didn’t like each other and competed for his brother’s attention, but Sakura wasn’t stupid. She could be delusional, but not to the point of believing that Itachi-kun preferred her to his little brother.

She herself favored Kakashi. He was like her brother, so she understood the attachment one could feel, but Sasuke was blind when it came to his brother.

She vaguely wondered if, when she died, she would see this famous ‘Light’ Melinda Gordon was always talking about. She felt she still had unfinished business with the living, so if such a thing did exist, something told her she’d probably be stuck in this world.

Unfortunately, she’d have to wait a little longer before seeing her father again. Not that she’s thrilled at the idea of joining him; she’s sure her dad would be upset to see her again so soon. After all, every good parent wants longevity for their child, and she was disappointed to disappoint him in that respect.

And what would become of her mother? And Kakashi? And her friends?

She was a loving girl, she was aware of that, she had managed to establish real bonds and she felt sorry not to see them grow any further.

She’d miss those days when she and Ino would paint each other’s nails, Hinata’s shy, gentle, quiet presence. If Sakura felt restless, sitting next to the Hyūga and watching her knit would relax her. She also enjoyed her dojo sessions with Tenten and their bô training. She enjoyed lying in the grass next to Shikamaru, watching the clouds and bickering about how she’d beat him at their next game of Shogi.

And then there was Uzumaki. She’d never thought she’d ever miss the blond. He might have been closer to Sasuke, but he’d always been kind to her. Annoying at first, certainly, a real pest, especially in elementary school, but she’d come to understand, after an exchange with her parents, that Naruto was probably trying to befriend her, but was simply being awkward. So she could say without too much difficulty that Naruto was indeed her friend.

So, yes, she would miss her five friends.

The advantage, if there was one, was that she wouldn’t have to put up with Sasuke, that devil’s minion, any longer, but she was sad that she wouldn’t have the chance to see his older brother again. She hoped he would be happy.

Would he miss her? ah, probably not. Why should he? Sure, he was always nice to her, but she was never more than the weird little high school girl who had a crush on an older guy.

It’s a shame, but that’s life, she supposed. She couldn’t have it all.

•

She was running out of air. She could no longer hold her breath, she felt the water invade her lungs and panic take hold of her.

Her body was no more than an anchor dragged to the bottom, her vision blurred and as Sakura felt the last flickers of consciousness fade, a blurred orange and black silhouette seemed to be heading towards her.

She wasn’t sure, but for a moment, she thought she saw Naruto. Unconsciously, she began to smile. Only that idiot could wear such a garish color, but at least in autumn he was in the theme.

Funny how the mind works. Of all the people she could have imagined saving her, Naruto wasn’t at the top of her list, oh not because she thought he’d let her drown, but rather because she’d always thought that if anyone was going to save her, it would be Kakashi.

He’d looked after her since she was a little girl, after all.

She wasn’t complaining, far from it, it was in the blonde’s nature to help others, Sakura was just sad to realize too late the immense presence Naruto had in her life.

You only realize the value of things — her friends, in her case — when you lose them…

Losing… ah yes… she was losing consciousness, she remembered now.

The last thing she perceived before the darkness took her was an outstretched hand and the gentle finality of her smile.

⸻⸻

“Is… she… brea...th…ing ?…ura!”

“d… kn…ow! Ch…kra…”

Voices? Why does she hear voices? They seem so far away. Sakura has trouble understanding what they're saying. People, perhaps? What's happened to her? Why does she have a headache and why does she feel so heavy? She has an irrepressible urge to vomit, so that's what she does, except that she realizes she's just spitting up water. Water? She grunts. Shit. The lake. Sasuke, her pendant. She dived for it and almost drowned.

“She's waking up! Sakura!? Sakura-chan?! Are you all right?”

“Stop yelling, dobe!”

“But Sakura-chan almost died!”

She thought she heard a snort and something like "this wouldn't have happened if she'd used her chakra". She'd recognize that voice anywhere in hell. It was him. That bastard. That child of the devil. The other one, she thought, as her senses slowly returned, was probably Naruto. Where Starsky was, Hutch was never far behind.

Boy, did her chest hurt. She'd swallowed way too much water, but fortunately had spit it all out. Her lungs seemed lighter, less obstructed, if that made sense. She could still hear the two men arguing above her, and she felt irritation creeping in.

“Why don't you both shut up? You’re driving me crazy. Always bickering. Try silence sometimes.”

“Sakura-chan!!!” She barely had time to sit up when she felt a weight collide against her body. She stifled a curse. A little more, and he would have tackled her to the ground. Sakura was about to scold him when she remembered her last thoughts when she thought she was drowning. The silhouette she thought was Naruto. Had he pulled her out of the water? It wasn’t a mirage then? She slowly relaxed in his embrace, allowing him to hold her, her expression softening.

“I'm fine…” she coughed once, twice, feeling her throat burn before she repeated, "More fear than harm. You can let go now, Uzumaki. The free cuddling session's over” she added with a slight note of amusement in her voice, remembering the stupid crush the boy had on her when they were ten. She felt Naruto stiffen against her. Confused, she gently pushed him away, and her gaze met his. Cerulean blue eyes were studying her with concern. She blinked. Why was he looking at her like that? And what's–

“What's that thing you're wearing? You think you're a ninja or something?” she laughed. Because really, Naruto and his fashion sense... Well, she knows he loves going to conventions. - He often cosplays, and she appreciated the care he took to reproduce the outfits of his favorite characters, but she was sure that the next convention wasn't for another six months. Naruto, for his part, seemed even more worried. His fingers tightened on her shoulders and he probed her as if trying to find the secrets of the universe on her body. She didn't like it. He was acting strangely. Usually he laughed loudly and rubbed the back of his head, but not this time. What, she worried him that much? Well, she supposed it was justified. She'd almost drowned, after all, but still.

“Stop staring at me like that, Uzumaki. I know I must have worried you, but I'm fine now! I spat all the water out of my lungs.”

“W-why are you calling me that?”

“Huh?”

“‘'Uzumaki', you keep calling me that.”

“That's your name,” She deadpanned.

Naruto glanced to his right. She followed his line of sight and stiffened in turn when she remembered they weren't alone. Sakura glared before opening her mouth in shock. Wait a minute. He wasn't wearing that earlier! When did he have time to change? How long had she been unconscious? And why was he in cosplay too?!

“Sas'ke... I think Sakura-chan hit her head”

“hn.”

“What do you mean 'hn'!? We need to call Baa-chan or Shizune-san!”

This time, Sakura scoffed, “do you really expect Satan's spawn to help me ? If he saw me sprawled on a puddle instead of helping me up, he'd probably step on me to avoid getting his sneakers wet.”

Sasuke gave her a strange look and she only responded with one of her glares. After that asshole had thrown her necklace into the lake, he had no right to judge her or make any comment. She'd fallen in the water and nearly died, no wonder she looked like a madwoman.

“Listen, I almost died, I just feel a bit out of it! It’s nothing, it’ll pass, and then… MY NECKLACE!” she suddenly interrupts, her hand instinctively going to her neck, but it wasn’t there. She looked around her in a panic. No, no, no, no, she was sure she’d seen the chain in the water.

“Uh... you mean this?” Naruto fumbled in his jogging suit—at least, she thought it was one. His outfit was really bizarre. Before her eyes dangled her pendant. Emotion overwhelmed her as Naruto placed it in the trembling palm of her hand: “When I found you, you were holding onto it tightly. So I kept it until you wo–” “THANK YOU, NARUTO” Sakura hugged him tightly, cutting off what he was about to say. She felt her cheeks dampen with tears, but she didn’t care! She had found her most precious possession.

S-sakura-chan!” his face turned red, as he stammered, waving his hands. Hands that Sakura took in hers, squeezing with more force than she'd intended, “thank you, really. I thought I'd lost it.” she smiled brightly, putting the pendant back around her neck, her heart lighter.

“All this for a necklace?” commented Sasuke with a hint of annoyance in his voice. She felt her temper flare up again. She stood up, pointing at him with barely contained anger, which seemed to surprise him greatly.

“You, shut the fuck up! It's all your fault! I'm warning you: if you ever pull a stunt like that again, I'll send you to your ancestors!”

There was a tense silence before an amused voice interrupted them: “now now, my cute little Chūnins. Let's save the violence for our enemies, ne?” Sakura turned as one, recognizing her cousin's characteristic tone. Finally, someone friendly! She was about to smile at him when her face fell. What the…

“Kakashi?” The latter blinked at the young woman's uncertain tone, and his expression was... well she wasn't sure. She couldn't tell with that stupid mask hiding his face. I mean, he usually wore some kind of black medical mask sometimes, or even scarves or bandanas to hide his face, some weird private joke apparently, but this was on a whole other level. “What's that stupid mask you're wearing? Don't you think you're taking the joke a little too far?”

Kakashi watched her for a moment before approaching. Why was he moving as if he didn't want to frighten a wounded animal? He gave her his characteristic smile, but she could see he looked alert. She noticed the tension in his shoulders: “Maa, Sakura-chan! I was hoping for an invitation to dinner before we were on a first-name basis.” even though he had that laughing tone, she sensed it wasn't genuine. She'd heard that tone enough times in her life to know when Kakashi was about to throw his fist in someone's face. So she quickly avoided the blow she knew was coming. He looked surprised, as did the other two boys, if she was to believe the sound of shock Naruto made and the expression on Sasuke's face.

“You've been working on your reflexes... good job, Sakura.” There was this caution as he spoke her name, as if testing her, as if making sure it was indeed her first name. She frowned, more confused than anything else; though worry and a strange feeling settled in the pit of her stomach.

“What was that? I almost drowned and you already want to send me back to my creator?!" she sounded angry, and that was enough to make him pause. He raised his hands to soothe her “Maa, not at all Sakura-chan, I was just checking if you were diligent in your training.”

She stared at him unimpressed. “You know I am. Anyway, I'd like to go home! I'm all wet and I might as well change.”

“Sakura-chan! You should go to the hospital first, ya know, check that everything's okay!”

“Uzumaki, I'm not going to clutter up the emergency room. The doctors have better things to do. Besides, I feel fine.”

Sasuke snorted, and Sakura turned to him, “Something to say, Uchiha?” he arched an eyebrow, and she could have sworn she saw the corners of his mouth lift briefly. He was just messing with her, right? She took a step in his direction before Kakashi stopped her.

“Come on kids, no fighting! If Sakura-chan says she's fine, we can believe her, she's a doctor after all.”

“doc- what-”

“yeah ttebayo! Don't be an asshole sas'ke”

Sakura was speechless: she was a what now? She was sixteen for crying out loud, and she was just a high-schooler! And who would spend years of their life studying medicine? One shouldn’t have to sacrifice their youth for that. She wanted to be an actress and travel the world, thank you very much. Uncle Sakumo used to tease her by saying that given how she cared for others, she would make a good doctor; apparently Kakashi went along with the teasing. She huffed. If that's how he wanted to play it.

“Since we agree, I'm going home!” she was about to leave when she noticed she wasn't quite in Naka Park anymore.

She must really have been out of her mind if she hadn't noticed her surroundings before. Although it vaguely resembled it, it wasn't quite the same?

It looked more like a large space where people would come to jog, honestly.

And since when was vegetation so lush? What the hell was going on here?

She glanced back and noticed that the three men were watching her, each with a different degree of concern.

She almost laughed when she saw Sasuke's, it was barely perceptible; she wouldn't even have seen it if she hadn't lingered on his eyes.

Does he feel guilty now? Would Satan actually have a conscience?

She put her hands on her hips, fully turning around and sizing them up, wondering when they’d agreed to play cosplay.

Something caught her attention, though; her eyes widened when she noticed… was that a fucking Katana?

Why was Sasuke walking around with a katana on his hip?!

Sasuke seemed to notice her gaze because he placed a hand on his sheath.

Something was wrong. Something was really wrong.

She'd been so absorbed by their bickering, by the anger and then the shock of almost dying that she'd completely overlooked the rest. But how could she have ignored that? It’s not just something you can miss. It had been right in front of her from the start.

1. she was no longer at Naka Park.

2. Naruto took offense when she called him Uzumaki, even though she rarely called him by his first name.

3. He wore a suit with a weird headband. All three boys did.

4. The child of darkness seemed surprised by her anger, or rather, no, surprised that it was directed at him, as if this wasn't their daily routine. Honestly, she hated him. He knew that. So why did it surprise him so much that she took it out on him?

5. Kakashi. He seemed just as surprised that she called him that. As if he was uncomfortable with her lack of distance or honorifics. Which she only used when they were in class to maintain a professional environment.

6. He'd tried to hit her? She wasn't sure. Kakashi had never laid a hand on her; they used to bicker like kids when she was younger, and he always let her win their supposed 'fights,' often with Obito as a spectator who laughed until he cried.

7. Kakashi calls her a doctor. A doctor? When he knows her dream of leaving the countryside for the city to become an actress. She could overlook that and consider it a silly tease, but he said it with a certain conviction. As if it were a fact. And Naruto has… confirmed?

8. Naruto and the other demon look older. Which is odd. She's sure they're the same age, but the way they stand reminds her of something she’s seen before—trained soldiers. She knows this because Uncle Sakumo was in the Jieitai. He was proud of his military career, at least until that tragic incident, which he shared with her. Coming from Kakashi it shocked her less, even if he seemed different. It was like…

Sakura bit her lip. Once again, she took the time to study each of them, as well as her surroundings. Nervously, she ran a hand through her hair but was stopped by her headband. She hadn’t put on a headband that morning. She slowly untied it and held it in her palm.

“Is this…?” It was the same as the one the three boys wore. She ran her index finger over the emblem, puzzled. Why was the emblem of the Konoha town hall on this? She could understand appreciating her village, but wearing its emblem? She would rather wear a Hello Kitty top. It was way too patriotic for her taste. She was neither proud nor happy to live in this hicktown. She definitely planned to move to Tokyo.

“Sakura… chan?” Naruto asked, just as perplexed.

She looked up, her brows slightly furrowed.

She glanced down at her clothes.

These weren’t her clothes.

She would remember if she had decided to wear shorts made of... is that Lycra?

And a skirt, if you could even call it that.

She would never go out in a kitchen apron. What the fuck?

And that red top? She wasn’t a fan of the cut.

And her beautiful pair of sneakers had been replaced by some damn sandals. Her toes were bare.

Yet she remembered getting a pedicure with the girls this weekend. It made no sense.

And there was this strange feeling in her body. She placed her hand against her stomach; it felt like something was swirling inside.

“Something's wrong…” she murmured before meeting their eyes.

“Sasuke,” said Kakashi's strained voice.

“I'm on it.” On what? She stifled a gasp of shock as suddenly his eyes shifted from black to red. She took a step back as his gaze seemed to x-ray her. She didn’t think she’d ever seen him look this serious. Honestly, the change in eye color already freaked her out, but his stare made her even more uncomfortable. It was as if he could see the depths of her soul; she felt exposed. Vulnerable. What felt like an eternity actually lasted only a minute before the red returned to black.

“Her chakra pathway system is the same. A little off, it’s probably due to her fall, but her flow is regular and her signature is definitely Sakura’s.”

“Wait, you think Sakura-chan!?” the blonde panicked.

“My Sharingan detects no fluctuations in her chakra. It’s not a genjutsu.”

Sharin-what? Did he just say genjutsu? Naruto was the first to run over to her, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her. “Sakura-chan, is that really you? Did you hurt yourself when you fell? You remember me?! And Teme, and Kakashi-sensei!?”

“What are you talking about, idiot!? Get off me!” Usually, Sakura would’ve freaked out hearing such strange words, but this time, annoyance took over. If Naruto kept shaking her like a rag doll, she was going to throw up on him. Without thinking, she punched him. She hadn’t meant to do that; it was like her body reacted on its own. Of course, when they were younger, she had hit him before, but never with a punch or anything that would hurt him. It was more like slaps and taps on the arm—nothing too serious. But this time, she acted on instinct. She watched in shock as the blond was sent flying several meters before crashing into the trunk of a tree. “NARUTO!” She immediately ran over to him and crouched down beside him. He looked a bit dazed, but when he met her gaze, a bright smile spread across his face, followed by a loud laugh.

“Sakura-chan! It’s really you!” Sakura looked at him, first with worry then annoyance. “Of course it’s me! Who else could it be, dumbass!”

Right now, Sakura preferred to believe they were all in some kind of collective illusion because there was no way a punch could do this. Yes, she knew how to fight, and yes, she could hit hard— just ask Sasuke and his solar plexus —but not that hard. Maybe she was even dead and stuck in some sort of purgatory. At this point, she was ready to believe anything because there were too many anomalies, and she felt like her life was about to change.

“Okay kiddos, it was fun and all but I really think you should check in with Tsunade-sama, Sakura. You never know what might've happened being underwater for that long.”

Tsunade-sama ? As in Senju Tsunade, Naruto's great-aunt? That Tsunade?

She wasn't just a doctor, she was a surgeon living in Osaka.

Sakura wasn't going to drive four hours just because she'd dived into a lake. Kakashi was a little overprotective, or so she thought.

Plus, Tsunade-san would probably scold her for falling into the water and almost drowning. She's not the type to coddle anyone.

Maybe her husband Dan, but that was during New Year's when Naruto's parents invited her family over. Those parties were really just an excuse for the adults to get drunk and relive their teenage years.

The good thing was that she didn't have a bedtime curfew.

Over time, inviting each other, including the Uchiha family and the families of her five other friends, became a tradition, especially when they went out to watch the fireworks.

Honestly, if the families socialized, it was mostly because of their kids, but Sakura thinks that over the years, some had really become friends or at least comfortable enough to be on a first-name basis.

“You should get checked out by a Hyuga. It's unlikely my Sharingan missed anything, but the Byakugan can definitely spot any anomalies if there are any.”

“Hinata-chan came back from her mission yesterday! You can ask her, Sakura-chan!” said an excited Naruto to an even more confused Sakura. They were saying words that made no sense, but the way they said them, it was as if they expected her to really know what they meant. What did make a little sense was Hinata. She knew Hinata. Hinata was familiar and reassuring, and even if she didn't have a bloody clue what Naruto meant by "returned from mission", it was familiar enough for her to latch onto.

“Now that that's settled... Uzuma– Naruto…” she corrected herself when she caught sight of the blond's puppy eyes; this was getting ridiculous. “Would you mind walking me home? I still feel a bit dizzy.”

“Uh?? Of course, Sakura-chan!! But…” he glanced quickly at Sasuke, “don't you wanna have Sas’ke walk you home?”

Nothing could have stopped the expression of disgust that appeared on her face. “Why would I want Beelzebub to take me home? I'd rather eat tree bark. Come on, I'll buy you some ramen to thank you !” she was already leaving under their stunned gazes and Sasuke's glare. This was familiar. Now, if only he wouldn't look at her as if she were an oddity.

It wasn't long before she heard Naruto's footsteps joining her. He'd started running as soon as he heard "ramen" anyway. God knows, Wednesdays were his favorite days, especially because the canteen served ramen. This school really wasn't thinking about their student's health. She rolled her eyes as she listened to Naruto talking enthusiastically about his "new techniques" and "it's so cool, ‘ttebayo, I'm gonna beat Teme's ass" and something about becoming a " fromager,* believe it " or something like that. She was pretty sure that a) it was a French word and b) it probably wasn't what he'd said because she doubted Naruto wanted to become a cheese specialist. But whatever. He seemed happy to ramble, so she'd let him. She still had to figure out what was going on.

So she did what any confused person would do: she nodded. If she wanted to understand what was going on, she might as well go with the flow.

⸻⸻

Walking back to the village alongside Naruto, Sakura realized she was in deep shit.

Her heart rate had increased steadily as they walked through what he called 'Konoha.'

This wasn't Konoha. She'd lived here all her life, been born here, and although some of the streets and signs were familiar, this wasn't the countryside she criticized all day long.

She had stopped several times, observing this village full of life, so much so that she’d ended up letting herself be dragged along by a slightly more worried Naruto.

She'd tried to keep up appearances, but in all honesty she was lost.

Where had she landed? What was going on? Why were all these people dressed so drab and ugly?

She didn't like to judge, but she honestly felt like she was in a period movie. Here and there, she had the impression of spotting people wearing navy uniforms and, for the most part, green vests, each with a red swirl.

And she was certain, from the number of times she'd seen this symbol in her blond friend's house, that it was something affiliated with him and his ancestors.

It just didn't make sense.

She was this close to losing her shit.

It was when they stopped in front of a house she didn’t recognize that she felt her heart might just stop. “We’re here” the blonde said. No. This wasn’t her house. Yet, there was her last name on the mailbox, but she didn't understand. Her mom couldn’t have moved. Nothing had changed since she got up that morning to go to school, then jumped into the lake, and now... everything had felt off ever since they pulled her out of that damn lake. She was tempted to go back and hide there. She took a step to leave, when suddenly the front door swung open. For a moment, she felt, really felt, her heart stop. The sight before her couldn’t be real.

Standing on the doorstep of her supposed home was a tall man with an imposing build, dull pink hair, blue eyes and a dazzling smile that she now saw only in her dreams. Tears welled up in her eyes. Shock, incomprehension, pain, nostalgia and that tiny feeling of hope all came together. Her dad. Her dad stood in the doorway.

“Sa-chan? What happened to you? You're soaking wet.”

Sa-chan. Oh. He hadn't called her that since she was a toddler. Probably because she had complained that she was too big for that baby nickname. Yet her father had laughed heartily but had never dropped the affectionate pet names. Hearing his voice again, with that oh-so-sweet nickname, made her completely break down. She would probably regret it later, but she burst into tears, throwing herself into her father's arms. Like a little child seeking comfort. Her body shook with sobs, and despite his confusion and mounting concern, Kizashi Haruno hugged his little girl, for after all, that's what she would always be: his little girl.

Sakura would have time to figure out where she was, what was going on, and even face the confused looks from Naruto and the others, but for now, all she could see, all she wanted, was the warm embrace of her dad. To feel the warmth of his large hand patting her back and to remember the familiar scent of his cologne, the softness of his voice; she'd even put up with his 'dad jokes' and the embarrassment she felt as a child when he dared to tell them to the waitress at the restaurant when he took her out for their 'father-daughter' lunch. Yes, Sakura had time, and even if it was false, even if it was just an illusion, she would live in it for a little while, if it meant experiencing that moment again.

A/N :

For more information about this fic, I highly recommend reading it on AO3. I included a lot more details and context in my author’s notes over there. I just wanted to cross-post it here, but for better understanding, AO3 is definitely the way to go.

Here’s the link if you’re interested.

*𝐉𝐢𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐢: The term "Jieitai" (自衛隊) refers to the Japan Self-Defense Forces. These are Japan's military forces established after World War II under the country's pacifist constitution. They are primarily responsible for national defense and disaster relief operations. Although called "self-defense forces," they have also been involved in international peacekeeping missions and humanitarian operations.

* 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫 = Actually, Naruto said "I'll become HOKAGE, believe it!" I thought the word 'fromager' was funny because when you say it in French and your head is elsewhere, you might actually believe that's what he's saying.💀

#sakura centric #itasaku #sakura haruno #itachi uchiha #itachi x sakura #uchiha itachi x haruno sakura #naruto modern au #naruto au #naruto fic #naruto fandom #uchiha sasuke #naruto uzumaki #kakashi hatake #naruto isekai #multisaku #uchiwife #crosspost #naruto angst #team 7 naruto

20 notes · View notes