Island of Storms [Sakura]

Chapter 67 | Dinner

Tenten's dining room was filled with chatter as the group sat around the table and ate the food that had been made. It was a get-together that had been planned for a few weeks, so it happened regardless of whatever else was going on in their lives.

"So you guys pushed up the date of the wedding?" Sakura asked from the head of the table, having received a decorated invitation in the mail.

"We had been waiting for everything to be sorted out first," Temari explained next to her. "Now that everything is, we thought we might as well get it over with."

Sakura laughed.

"You sound like you're not excited!"

"I guess he's rubbing off on me," Temari chuckled.

"But you're already done planning?"

"Well, I didn't have a job to do so I spent my time doing that. I finished pretty quickly seeing as it's going to be rather small."

"That makes sense, I suppose. I hope you didn't stress yourself out too much."

"Sometimes," Temari sighed. "Now if only Kankuro had a girlfriend to bring."

She had said that knowing that the man across the table was able to hear her completely.

"Would you knock it off!" he protested. "Leave my love life alone!"

"What love life?" she grinned. He growled and shoved more curry in his mouth, grumbling to himself about how his sister was annoying. Gaara, who was next to him, ignored his brother as he and Aiko listened to Tenten tell them about her new shop she would be opening. Neji and Shino asked a few questions about the place and she had an answer for everything which surprised them.

At the other end of the table, Shikamaru, Ino, and Sai discussed when the wedding of the couple would be held. They both agreed that they didn't have a date yet, but they would prefer it to be in the spring because of the flowers that would be available. The best guess would be a year from then as they had not even begun to start planning yet and winter only lasted a couple more months. After the end of their discussion, Ino turned her attention to the other end of the table, catching Sakura when the table was quiet.

"Sakura, I heard from my dad that people in Konoha are comparing you to the Three Sanin," she started. "Isn't that wild?"

"Me?" the pinkette asked.

"Yeah! Even the Hokage had to admit you had to be at least sanin level to control three tailed beasts."

"But I'm not controlling them..." she reminded with a blank look.

"You might not be, but you still scold them," Temari pointed out.

"That's true," Shikamaru laughed. "Sometimes I see them shake in their boots!"

"You also have two master summons and were trained by the fifth Hokage, who is one of the Three Sanin," Sai stated.

"Personally, I think you're worthy of the title," Gaara said. "You have an overwhelming strength and fighting capability. Along with your medical prowess, if that were to be part of it as well. From what I hear you surpass the fifth Hokage in that field."

"Well if the Fifth Kazekage tells me so it must be true," Sakura jested. Gaara cracked a minuscule smile before a sound of confusion came from next to him. Many of them seeing Aiko looking from Sakura to Gaara with wide eyes.

"Fifth Kazeka- What?" she asked.

"I was the Fifth Kazekage before being chased out under a scheme by the council," he explained. Her eyes almost popped out of her head and she seemed to panic.

"If you treat him any differently than you have been you'll embarrass him," Temari grinned. The young woman across the table covered her face in embarrassment thinking about all the stupid things she had done in front of him.

"I'll try!"

After the dinner was concluded, each person went their separate ways, though Gaara stopped Aiko before she could get too far.

"I hope that nothing changes between us because you know about that now..." he said in his usual calm and monotonous voice. She gave a hesitant nod, not able to look him in the eye. "What's wrong..?"

"I just... I'm remembering all of the embarrassing things I've done in front of you..." she muttered. She let out a heavy sigh. He let out a small chuckle, surprising her into looking at him. His teal eyes glinted with something she didn't recognize.

"I was wondering if you would want to go get dinner with me some time," he said finally. "As a date."

She stared at him as her cheeks grew warm.

"Y-yes?" He tilted his head slightly in question of whether that was a response or a question. "I mean, yes! Er-"

She cleared her throat. "Yes, I would like that..."

Another short chuckle escaped him.

"Then may I walk you home?"

She gave an embarrassed nod.

╌❀✿╌╌💮╌╌✿❀╌

Obito once again found the pink-haired doctor in his hospital room, this time, Kakashi being with her. She had done her usual tests before telling him he was released.

"You're free to move around the city on your own, but your movements will be watched," she stated, folder under her arm. "You're to report directly to the Shuji construction site after leaving here. Is that understood?"

"Yes." She pulled the folder from under her arm and handed it to him. He opened it to find a map of the surrounding area with a few places marked.

"Use the map to find where you need to go, you're free to ask for directions obviously. Also inside are some forms to sign up for therapy." He looked up at her in surprise. "You're free to ignore them, but the cost is low and payments can be put on hold for up to a year."

"Thank you..."

"Lastly," she started, "I apologize if this is a touchy subject, but you can report to the hospital for scar tissue treatments if you would like. While they may not completely go away, I'm sure we can help you fade them."

He took a deep breath and touched the right side of his face before giving a nod. "If there are no questions on your end, I think it would be best if you got going."

It was around ten minutes that it took him to get to the construction site, a masked ANBU with red hair accompanying him. He had asked a few questions and received simple answers before they arrived. Upon his arrival, he was greeted by the leader of the project and assigned to help move lumber with other men.