Quote of the chapter: "No matter what I say, I'm not over you." -Not Over You by Gavin DeGraw (but I prefer the cover of Alex Goot and Against the Current)

Quote says it all, prepare for the climax :)

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         cнαpтer 13

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"Sakura-chan, my shift is done! Your turn, see yah!" Naruto yelled as he rushed off before Sakura could complain.

"But I just-" Sakura paused, sighing in defeat. She clearly knows that she cannot do anything about it, including the fact that Naruto was already away.

The rare scenery brought Sakura into silence of joy.

Her eyes softened when she saw Sasuke teaching Shiro some moves and techniques that he could use in future battles.

They did a fist bump as Sasuke watched Shiro do a simple combo that Sasuke had taught him.

Sakura smiled at the view just when Rina gave her a rice-ball. "Here you go Sakura-neechan!"

She accepted the food with full gratitude. "Thanks Rina-chan."

It has been a few weeks since Team Seven's mission to the Land of Sky and Sakura has been training Rina through the basics of medicine while Sasuke spar with Shiro or teach him more about battles. Naruto, however, is in his on-goiing 'special training' as the next hokage.

Kakashi and Naruto were quite busy with their own schedules since their works are kind of private for Konoha so Sasuke mostly spends time with Sakura due to surveillance and he is allowed to stay in the hospital. He sometimes even makes himself useful during Sakura's work hours.

The awkward atmosphere in their relationship slowly dies since they usually keep each other company, covering the times Sasuke had missed out. Silence may develop from.time to time but that is a natural thing for them.

So far, Sakura learned that Sasuke is a gentleman behind his masked self. He even helps in bringing her groceries and carries her when she is tired or passes out due to stress.

For Tenten and Kiba, they are unable to join their promised trainings with Rina, Shiro, Sakura and Sasuke because they have been busy with their own missions.

While eating the delicious snack, Sakura glanced at Rina and observed on how the way she looks at Shiro.

Sasuke was now throwing weapons towards Shiro in which he should dodge.

"Go Shiro-baka!" Rina cheered as Shiro sent a smug smile before ducking and perfectly avoiding the sharp shurikens.

"Ne Rina-chan, are you and Shiro-kun that close?"

Rina was surprised by the sudden question though she answered. "I guess, we've been like this since we were back at the academy. He was actually my first friend and without him, I wouldn't be social and have other friends." She grinned in reminiscence.

"So you don't like him?" Sakura's lips turned into a teasing smirk as tint of pink mixed into Rina's cheeks.

"No!"

Sakura tried to stop her laugh to act as a matured lady though failed miserably.

"How about you and Sasuke-san? I heard that you have a BACK?" Rina countered with air quotation marks.

Sakura immediately shut her mouth by the reply. "Back?"

"You know, back like past." Rina giggled at the explanation.

A sigh was released from Sakura's features. "I'm guessing Naruto told you this, didn't he?"

"...yeah."

Sakura smacked her palm towards her forehead. She is so going to kill this idiot.

"Can you tell me what happen?" Rina's eyes glimmered, wanting to know her love story.

"Let's make a deal. I'll tell mine, you tell yours, deal?"

"What will I tell?"

Sakura gave her a stern look as if it was obvious.

"Okay deal, but you start!"

"Fine." Sakura agreed and inhaled before speaking. "I was an obsessed fangirl back then. But when I got him as a teammate, I learned more about him and that I shouldn't fuss over him like some meat. I think you know the issue about him leaving right?"

Rina nodded, effecting Sakura to continue.

"When he left, I pursued in studying medicine to help more people. Then the war came and I still have that feeling towards him but when we thought he died, I sort of tried to move on. Then he came back and here we are." Sakura explained, feeling nostalgic with the story-telling. However Rina's question cuaght her off guard.

"But do you still like him now?"

Sakura bit her lip. "I honestly don't know as well."

"I guess the best thing is to follow your heart." Rina shrugged and smiled, cheering Sakura up which it did.

A cloud of smoke appeared, revealing an ANBU member. "Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke. You two are needed in the Hokage tower immediately."

"Is it an emergency?" Sakura asked, feeling that something coming up is not good.

"You'll find out, though it is a must that you should hurry. Hokage-sama is somewhat unstable." With the last sentence, the shinobi vanished into dust while Sakura looked to Sasuke who nodded.

"I'll catch up with you next time Shiro." Sasuke approached.

"Rina, I've got to go. Let's continue next time?" Sakura questioned, winking at the teen.

"Alright. See you Sasuke-nii!"

"Definitely! Later Sakura-neechan!"

They waved as the two took their leave.

"I feel something bad is gonna happen." Sakura shared while she still have that strong gut feeling to turn back.

"Let's hope it won't." Sasuke managed to say as they dashed off.

Looks like it is not only Sakura having that bad feeling.

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Written papers were scattered at the floor as if a tornado swamped the room and the desk was now at the side of the room while the drawers were all opened with the folders scrambled inside.

The Hokage room was a complete mess.

"Shizune, get me some sake now!" A baffled Godaime screamed. She, too, was a mess. Her hair ponytail was too loose as sweat drops from her forehead with a frustrated expression glued to her face.

Shizune nodded reluctantly and left immediately as she passed by the team, warning. "Be careful."

This was the scene when Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura entered the Hokage premises.

"What is going on here?"

"Tsunade-baachan?"

"Shishou? What happened?" Sakra proceeded to help the Godaime though she ended up receiving a sign to halt.

"Something terrible. I tried to stop them but..." Tsunade held her forehead with the use of her palm, urging to beat a person up. She exhaled, releasing her tension inside. "I'm sorry."

Sasuke arched an eyebrow. "What happened?"

"Apparently, the old geezers are at it again." Tsunade prepared herself for their upcoming reaction. "The council has decided an arranged marriage for Uchiha Sasuke."

"What?! They can't do that!" Naruto defended.

A foreign feeling ran up to Sakura's veins. She simply could not describe it while Kakashi was more quiet than usual, stuck in his thinking mode. The situation was just unbearable, especially for Sasuke. It was beyond unfair.

"What the actual f*ck is their problem?" Sasuke stated rather than questioning. "They have no right to take my choice."

"That's why I'm finding a solution, but every excuse I make they have a counter explanation. I guess they have thought this through."

"Why?" Sasuke questioned, referring to the marriage while he was demanding an answer. His eyes filled with fury as if he was about to explode and kill the council.

"It seems that they believed in the Second Hokage's opinion which was the Uchiha clan being overpowered or served as a threat. Simply put, they are afraid of the Uchiha clan. However, since the Uchiha clan has somewhat an authority and they also discovered the Hidden Leaf, the royalty bloodline is kept though the powers are left. Which is also why your spouse is not a ninja." Explaining the further details, Tsunade still felt injustice towards the incident. The Uchiha had just came back and yet he is taking much drama from the council.

If the plan succeeded, this also means that the Uchiha bloodline in the future may not be as strong as it was before.

"No, this is just unfair! As the future sixth hokage, I cannot accept this catastrophe!" Naruto protested as he took a step nearer, not accepting his best friend to be someone-whom-he-does-not-even-know's husband. "Who is Sasuke's fiancé anyway?!" He shouted while banging Tsunade's desk.

Though he pushed a button rather than whacking the wooden table.

Just when the button was activated, a hologram appeared while revealing the person they least expect.

"Oh Sasu-boo~"

*check multimedia for their reactions*

"I-Is that?"

"THE BI*CH IS SASUKE'S FIANCÉ?!" Naruto asked or more like yelled.

Everyone stared at Naruto as if he lost his mind.

"What? That is her name right?" A wink was displayed on Naruto's features as Kakashi's palm met his forehead.

Sakura, on the other hand, was still confused with her emotions. She did not know what she was feeling up until now. All she knows is that it hurts. "One is already enough! This is so unfair!"

"Can we do anything to stop this madness?" Sasuke questioned the Hokage, on the brink of losing control after seeing who is his soon-to-be-wife.

"As far as we know, nothing can stop this unless we can find a loophole. If we are unable to, I can't do anything about it. I'm sorry." Tsunade felt like trash. Being the Godaime, she should have much authority to overcome this however, she felt like she was the one needing authority.

The team was speechless. So many things they want to say yet not a word could come out of their mouths. Because they cannot do anything to solve this problem.

Until the knucklehead spoke. "What if Sasuke is already married? Or if Sasuke is already taken? Will they reconsider??"

"There is a possibility but I doubt that the council would accept."

"Sakura-chan! Will you-" A bang on the door made Naruto stop. Because Sakura had already left.

Naruto frowned. He acknowledged Sakura's feelings for Sasuke ever since they were young. Maybe this situation is just too much for her to handle.

Sasuke, of course, was furious. Itching to kill all of those elders who agreed for this to happen. It was already too much when they took the lives of his family-his whole clan. And now their taking his freedom away? Preventing from the restoration of the Uchiha clan to occur? That is just plain crap.

All of them were losing hope. This was definitely one of the worst days of team seven.

Once they all took their leave, Tsunade inhaled and was about to leave her mind from stress.

Although, the locking of the door caught her attention.

"Tell me what Sakura meant by 'one is already enough'?"

"Kakashi..."

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((*PLAY SONG~*))

"Sakura-chan!"

Sakura cursed once she heard her teammate's voice.

"Sakura-chan, wait!" Naruto was able to caught up to Sakura's pace, but Sakura refused to face him. She did not want to let him notice that she was bothered. She did not want him to know that she was the same girl she was before.

"Are you okay?"

Those words stung her like venom.

If you asked me how I'm doing, I would say I'm doing just fine

"I'm doing fine, just need fresh air. See you later Naruto!" She mustered up all her courage to smile reassuringly as she took her leave.

Naruto paused his tracks, staring at the running pinkette. "You could've told me that you still loved him."

...

"Why the hell does this have to happen?"

Just when she thought she could go to the next stage of life, a rope of the past keeps on pulling her backwards and now an obstacle blocked her way to her dreams.

Life is really giving her nothing but pure torture.

She did not actually know where she went, only her legs had dragged her to random streets. She does not even care to know nor she give a damn about anyone seeing her.

Because she was already broken.

Somewhere inside her chest just fluctuate and caused her hurt as if physical pain had really brought her down.

Once her legs gave up on her, she noticed that she was in front of her apartment's doorstep. When she unlocked her door and reached her bedroom, she realized that her face was soaked. She had been crying. Endless tears were streaming down from her puffy cheeks and she does not have the capacity to hold back anymore.

She broke down at her bed.

She had been through so much yet hurt and misery was always there for her.

"Why does it hurt so much?" Sakura mumbled in the midst of sobbing.

She swore to move on so that she could avoid this pain again.

And finally I'm forced to face the truth

But it was inevitable because,

"No matter what I say, I'm not over you."

END OF CHAPTER 13

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//PUBLISHED.4.17.15.//

WHOOP CLIMAX REVEALED! Please don't kill me xD

Thanks for reading, don't forget to vote & comment!

:)

~TheSketcher