KONOHA HOSPITAL
Sakura finished the treatment without hurry, adjusting the final details before leaving the room. The patient had nothing serious, and that kept the pace light until the end, something rare considering the current state of the village.
She closed the door behind her.
"Ino? What are you doing here at this hour?" Sakura kept her tone direct, surprised to find her in the corridor.
Ino smiled right away, leaning lightly against the wall as if it were casual.
"I met someone interesting today." She spoke lightly, clearly satisfied.
Sakura slightly furrowed her brow.
"Interesting?" She crossed her arms, evaluating. "You came all the way here just to talk about that?"
Ino shrugged, without losing her smile.
"You're working too much, billboard brow." She tilted her head. "Someone has to bring some good news."
Sakura didn't respond immediately.
"What's so special about him?" She asked directly.
Ino didn't take long.
"He's handsome." She spoke simply. "But it's not just that."
Sakura sighed quietly.
"Of course it's not just that." She replied dryly.
Ino ignored it.
"He's new to the village." She continued. "Said he was getting to know the places."
Sakura kept her gaze on her.
"And?" She asked directly.
Ino didn't look away.
"He has Sharingan."
The silence came immediately.
Sakura stood still for a second, processing.
"…That's not funny." She spoke lower.
"I'm serious." Ino replied firmly. "I saw it."
Sakura kept her gaze.
"Sasuke left the village." She spoke directly. "There's no one else."
"I know that." Ino replied. "That's why I thought it was strange."
Sakura narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Are you sure?"
"I wouldn't confuse that." Ino replied without hesitation.
Sakura stayed silent for a moment.
'I always thought there was only Sasuke… and his brother.'
She slowly let out a breath.
"Thanks for the information." Sakura spoke, returning to a neutral tone. "But that doesn't change anything for me."
Ino raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
"Yes." Sakura replied simply. "I still have work."
Ino let out a small sigh, but didn't insist.
"I know." She spoke more lightly. "But I wanted you to hear it from me."
Sakura only gave a slight nod.
The conversation ended there.
Ino walked away with a quick wave, satisfied that she had shared what she wanted, while Sakura returned to work without changing her pace. Even so, the information didn't disappear completely.
A living Uchiha… still sounded strange.
But it wasn't enough.
The only one who mattered… wasn't there.
Time passed.
The shift finally came to an end.
Sakura left the hospital, adjusting her posture as she left the environment behind, ready to return home.
"Sakura."
She stopped instantly.
"Sen... Kakashi-sensei." She replied, turning her face.
Kakashi was there, already waiting.
"Can we talk on the way?" He asked directly.
Sakura didn't hesitate.
"Of course."
Kakashi looked around for a moment.
"Let's go by rooftop." He kept his tone low. "No one can hear this conversation."
Sakura understood instantly.
"Yes."
The two disappeared from the place.
____
KONOHA ROOFTOPS
The movement was fast, the two advancing across the rooftops without losing rhythm. The silence remained for a few seconds, until Kakashi decided not to prolong it.
"Naruto… and Sasuke." He began directly. "They are now nukenin."
Sakura didn't answer right away.
Her body froze for a second before her mind caught up.
"…What?" Her voice came out low.
"Why would Tsunade let that happen? It doesn't make sense." Sakura turned her face toward him, trying to organize herself. "They left the village… but they can come back."
"No." Kakashi kept his tone firm. "Not after what they did."
Sakura frowned.
"But what did they do?"
Kakashi didn't answer immediately. He kept his gaze ahead for a moment before speaking.
"Jiraiya died." His voice came out controlled. "And it was Naruto."
Sakura stopped.
Her body lost its rhythm instantly.
"…No." The denial came automatically.
"He wasn't alone." Kakashi continued directly. "Sasuke was there. Orochimaru too."
Sakura didn't look away.
"That doesn't make sense." She spoke lower. "Naruto… he wouldn't do that."
"He did." Kakashi replied simply. "It was confirmed by Fukasaku."
Silence fell.
Sakura remained still for a few seconds, her gaze lost ahead as she tried to fit everything together.
'Naruto killed Jiraiya… no… that doesn't exist…'
She clenched her hand slightly.
"…Then there's no coming back." Her voice came out low.
"No." Kakashi confirmed. "They made a choice."
Sakura took a deep breath, but control didn't come at the same rhythm.
"I need to talk to Tsunade." She spoke suddenly, already changing direction. "She can't be alone with this."
"Not now." Kakashi replied instantly. "She's dealing with this in her own way."
Sakura froze.
"She lost someone important." Kakashi continued. "And Naruto… only makes everything worse."
Sakura looked away for a moment.
'Jiraiya… Naruto… Sasuke…'
Nothing fit.
But it wasn't a lie.
"Then I just…" She stopped midway through the sentence.
"You needed to know." Kakashi kept his tone steady. "And now you need to think about what to do."
Sakura didn't answer.
Silence returned, but it wasn't empty.
It was weight.
Kakashi looked at her for a moment.
"Do you need company for the rest of the way?" He asked directly.
Sakura didn't raise her gaze.
"No." She replied quietly. "I can go alone."
Kakashi nodded.
"Then I'll leave you with your thoughts."
Sakura gave a slight nod.
Kakashi didn't stay.
His body disappeared in the next instant, leaving the space empty.
Silence returned to dominate the rooftop.
Sakura remained still for a few seconds, looking ahead without really seeing anything.
Her legs gave out.
She fell to her knees on the rooftop, the dry impact breaking what little control still remained. Her hand went to the ground to support her body while her breathing tried to return to rhythm, and her gaze remained trapped in the void for a few seconds.
'Sasuke.'
The thought came directly, without deviation, organizing everything around a single point. He was no longer someone who could return, now he was a criminal, someone who would be hunted, someone who could die at any moment.
'If I try to help… I'll be a traitor.'
The conclusion didn't take long, and the weight came with it, firm enough not to allow hesitation. Sakura pressed her hand slightly against the rooftop, maintaining control while her mind adjusted to what needed to be done.
She brought a hand to her face, drying the tears without allowing it to continue. The movement was direct, and her posture changed instantly, discarding whatever weakness still remained.
'I can't do anything now… but this isn't over.'
She stood up.
Her body responded instantly, firm, without room for retreat, and the decision was already completely defined before the next step.
Sakura disappeared from the rooftop without looking back.
____
UCHIHA DISTRICT
An ANBU remained standing in front of the entrance, observing the place without changing his posture. The scenery seemed the same as always, empty and silent, without any apparent sign of change.
He took one step forward.
His body met resistance.
The impact wasn't strong, but enough to stop the movement before he could cross. The reaction came instantly, and his hand extended forward, touching something that wasn't visible.
The surface responded.
Solid.
He slid his fingers across the space ahead, confirming the limit while his reasoning adjusted quickly. There was no mark, no sign, only a completely invisible barrier blocking access.
The katana came off his back.
The cut came directly.
Nothing happened.
The blade met resistance and stopped, without crossing, without leaving a mark, without generating any visible reaction beyond the impact itself. The ANBU didn't insist.
He sheathed the weapon.
His body disappeared in the next instant.
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