Celestial_Angel5125 FangirlJo Congrats on guessing right for who the new charge is: a bratty girl that has a big-ass crush on Sasuke! This OST is named, "Sasuke's theme".

"Oh, Sasuke-kun, you're so cute when you try to run away from me!" The brunette princess giggled as he ran next to Sakura for protection.

Immediately when the girl arrived, Sasuke groaned and kept hitting his head against a nearby tree, while Naruto laughed at his demise and Kakashi only watched the sky dumbly. After the dark-haired boy stopped hitting himself, they were off. For the past few hours, the princess had been throwing herself at Sasuke, cooing and commenting on his physique, 'which wasn't even that impressive', as Naruto had said. In actuality, all three genin on Team Seven were on the scrawny side from malnutrition. They had no one to cook for them, or greet them when they came home. Occasionally they all gathered at one's place to eat together, but that was it.

"Sakura-chaaaaan, you look so cool with your new outfit, dattebayo!"

"Hn, a waste of money when you looked fine in the last," Sasuke grumbled. Her other outfit was good the way it was, he had decided.

Sakura just ignored both boys, walking in the front with Naruto and Sasuke following. She wasn't about to tell them there were blood stains from the man she had cooked alive from when she pinned him down and tortured him. Behind them was Princess Hikari, and then Kakashi in the very back.

The princess's golden eyes darted towards Sakura, and she seethed that the tiny girl had stolen her precious Sasuke-kun's attention by walking.

Instead of being concerned about her charge, Sakura glanced at the thick forest they were traveling in, trying to spot the person following them.

:::

Naruto didn't try to hold back a laugh when Princess Hikari grabbed onto Sasuke's arm and wouldn't let go. "I want to share a tent with my Sasu-boo!" The blonde laughed even harder at the new nickname, and Sakura silently set up the tents while Kakashi ordered the other two genin to start building a fire and for the other to get water.

"Sleeping arrangement," Kakashi called out.

"Please, Shinobi-san, I want to be in the same tent as Sasu-boo!" By now her obsession was getting old, and even Sakura was a little worn down by her constantly talking about how good-looking Sasuke was and whatnot.

"Princess Ugly," Sakura spoke for the first time since leaving the village, ignoring the squawk of surprise from the girl, "I read in a book about the customs belonging to your village, and they are particularly strict when it comes to physically touching any man that is not to be wed to you. Explain why you must always touch him in an intimate way when he clearly does not reciprocate your emotional reaching out. I am rather fascinated."

Both Sasuke and the princess were shocked. And she just happened to wait until now to tell me?

"H-how do you know that?"

"I have many connections with individuals in Konohagakure's intelligence group, along with those at the library," she responded coolly. She actually had Shikamaru pull up information on the village she was to be traveling to. Despite his grumbling that it was troublesome, he returned the next day with a thick manila folder full of printed copies from several sources. "I did not inform anyone only so that I could study you can your blatant disrespect for custom, despite being the heiress to the throne."

Princess Hikari gaped, and Sasuke took that moment to pry her off of him. "Tch, you allowed me to go through this," he jabbed a thumb towards the astonished brunette and a loud blonde laughing his ass off, "so you could watch me like an experiment?"

Kakashi hid his face deeper into his book, smirking at the irony of the situation.

Sakura nodded, then said, "I believe the saying is appropriate for this. It is getting dark and we have not eaten yet, so 'chop chop'."

Naruto, in charge of the rations this mission, pulled out cup ramen, making Sasuke groan. "Dobe, didn't you bring something else?"

"Aa. Sasuke is right. Ramen does not provide nutritional value. However, you have once again proven yourself worthy of your nickname, Ramen-boy."

The blonde beamed, ignoring the criticism and focusing on the seemingly nice compliment. "Thanks, Sakura-chan! You're the best thing after ramen, dattebayo!"

"Tomorrow we will stop by the next village to pick up food," Sakura ordered, ignoring Naruto as he wilted. "But tonight, we eat ramen."

:::

It was only right before bed that they realized they had never made sleeping arrangements. Finally, after much arguing and suggestions, (Naruto and Sasuke paled when Sakura brought up their kiss back in the Academy days, saying the two should share a tent) it was decided Kakashi would stay in the same tent as the princess, much to her disappointment. ("If you are willing to share with a boy, why not share one with a man that can protect you?" Sakura had asked her, and Sasuke bristled. Of course, he wasn't about to volunteer to share a tent with the monstrosity.)

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura stayed in the other tent. It was also decided Sasuke would take first shift, then Sakura, then Naruto, and Kakashi watching until morning. Each person would watch for two and a half hours before waking the next person up. Simple.

It was rare that Sakura slept. The fact that she didn't trust anyone in general was enough, but the Mission in Kirigakure was still haunting her. Not fear itself, but feelings that were not supposed to come naturally for her. She was not supposed to have emotions, because those made her weak, like when she had cracked under pressure or when she cried for Sasuke, unable to pay attention to the rest of the world. It was too dangerous for someone like her to—

"Sakura." She glanced over at the dark-haired boy. "It's your turn."

"Aa," she whispered quietly, and nodded, sitting up. Quickly, she strapped on her kunai holster on her thigh and pulled on her sandals while Sasuke undid his equipment. Naruto snored lightly, making him scoff.

"Good night," he whispered, then turned away quickly from her.

Did I wrong him? Sakura stiffly bade him a good night of sleep before walking out of the tent and climbed onto a thick tree branch, waiting for the person following them to emerge.

Who is following them?!

What is so ironic that made Kakashi smirk?

Will this mission end soon?!