Sakura sat outside the window of her apartment, staring at the moon. It was one of the first things she had seen, after breaking out from the glass container she has been in. Sakura could recall how she had looked out the small window from the underground room only to see an ethereal light, quietly staying in its place.

She knew there are very attentive ANBU watching her house at that moment, but she did not feel put off. Sakura breathed in heavily, allowing her lungs to fill and then empty. She stared outside, the crickets chirping as a warm breeze hit her from the open window. A million things were running through her mind—Naruto leaving to train with Jiraiya, Tsunade guiding her through the process of recovery, and Sasuke leaving the village. A heavy feeling laid itself on her that kept her up most nights nowadays. Sakura has tried to find out what it was on her own, but thanks to house arrest aside from bidding a farewell to Naruto, she didn't have too many options outside of the time she spent at the hospital with Inoichi and occasionally Tsunade, both of which she was still tentative to trust completely. She didn't think telling them about a dark feeling would improve their perception of her.

Another gust of wind hit her, causing her slightly-longer hair to be ruffled. Sakura remembered what Inoichi has said one time, chuckling and explaining how Ino had reacted when he had told his daughter on how she was growing her hair out. This had made Sakura finger her own, longer hair. She hadn't even noticed, nor did she have a reason to cut it again. Sakura had cut her hair because she once said it was practical, or so she told herself.

Sakura brought her legs on her chest and held them there, hugging herself. A wave of apprehension hit her, wondering what would happen in the next few years. Would she be a shinobi again? Would she want to? When would Naruto come back? Would Sasuke return? Would she ever see Orochimaru again?

Sakura pondered all these questions and more, until she felt her eyelids become heavier, and eventually fell into a dream about the D-ranked missions she went on with Team Seven.

:::

Shikamaru knocked on the door of the Hokage's office before hearing Tsunade's voice, inviting him in. He stepped forward apprehensively, not knowing why she has called him here. "You requested to see me, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade was leaned over her desk in her chair with her balled up fists in front of her face. She rummaged through her drawer and then stood up, setting a clunky computer on her desk. "Watch this."

Shikamaru nodded, still not knowing why he was there, but he walked forward tentatively near Tsunade. She clicked a few buttons, and then they both watched the screen light up and the video on it start to play. "This is—!"

"Shh," Tsunade muttered, then rubbed her face tiredly. "This is footage from the night Sasuke left the village and Sakura intercepted him."

Sasuke walked alone, until he turned to face the noise he had heard behind him on the road. He stopped with recognition the camera had yet to see. Sakura stepped into view. "It is too early for a morning walk, Sasuke."

Both Shikamaru and Tsunade chuckled, knowing Sakura's strange sense of humour.

"Sakura," Sasuke replied, now looking away.

"So you are leaving," she said, stating a fact rather than asking a question.

He turned finally, and nodded. "I am."

Sakura showed no visible reaction, but spoke. "I am sure I do not have to say why you are. I already know that it is calling you to go to Orochimaru. However, you should not. It is an unwise decision."

Sasuke scoffed. "Of course it's easy for you to say, Sakura. You were born with natural talent and knowledge. Not everyone is as privileged as you are."

Shikamaru snorted and leaned back in his chair. "He completely took advantage of the fact that Sakura doesn't understand these sort of things."

"I am very privileged," Sakura agreed, "but you are also. If you submit to Orochimaru, you will never see Ramen-boy and I again, unless we are sent to hunt you, since we know your fighting style the best. It is highly likely Shikamaru will also be sent, because he is a strategic master from the Nara clan."

"You see, Sakura, that's what I don't like about you. You think you're better than everyone else. You think by using logic and facts, you'll be able to defeat anyone when you're really the smallest and weakest out of all of us. You're..." he struggled for a word, then found it. "Annoying."

"Annoyance, an unpleasant experience that is triggered by irritation or distraction." She took a step closer. "Why is it you find me to be irritating, or are Ramen-boy and I a distraction to your plans of vengeance to your older brother—"

Sasuke turned his head away from her. "See, that's another thing. You think you know everything. You think you understand someone's feelings more than they do, but you don't even experience feeling." He scowled. "You don't know anything about me."

"I know many things, Sasuke, and one of them is that you will regret this. You may find temporary fixes for the problems you encounter, but until you face them, head on, you will never grow. You will always continue to be a weak character that will be easily manipulated and taken advantage of. True strength is acknowledging one has problems, and facing them."

"And you don't run away from your problems? Sakura, we both know you do. You have been. You always will. True strength is having a goal and being motivated to accomplish it. Just like me avenging my clan." Sasuke shoved his hands into his pockets, staring at her.

"We will never be able to come to a conclusion if you will not listen to what I have to say." Sakura turned from him. "You are too stubborn, and weak-hearted. You are not a true friend. You used to tell me I was your friend. Ramen-boy told me that friends do not lie to each other, and will always have each other's backs. Instead, you disregard me as something you do not want to know, and break a promise I had treasured up to this time—"

"Sakura," he growled, taking a step closer to her so that they were a foot apart. His face softened, as he put a hand to her shoulder, forcing her to look at him. "Sakura. We both know I can't stay here."

"Oh?" Shikamaru leaned forward in his chair interestedly, then looked to Tsunade. "Have you seen the rest of this?"

The blonde woman shook her head silently, her eyes glazed over and watching the screen intently.

"That is what you tell yourself," she replied dryly, pushing away his hand. "Do not do this. It is not too late."

"Sakura," Sasuke said gently, wrapping his arms around her stiff shoulders to hug her. "It was too late a long time ago." He pressed the small area on the back of her neck, and backed away, then pulled her close again and whispered, "Arigatou, Sakura." He then caught her slumped body princess-style and laid her on the stone bench. Sasuke touched her cheek lightly, brushing away the hair from her face. Slowly, he leaned forward, and gently brushed his lips against hers before pulling away and shouldering his large bag and turning away.

His eyes finally zeroed in on the camera, and he hurried away. Shortly after, the screen went black.

Tsunade and Shikamaru sat back in their chairs, stunned. "What the hell did I just watch?"

The end! This chapter is left with a big cliffhanger! Tell me things I can improve on and whatnot!

The next chapter will relay information about the second book, Sakura Shippuden! READ THE NEXT CHAPTER; IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.