Three Wishes

2. I Still Love you

Three days and two nights.

Sasuke counted as he was pacing back and forth inside the Hokage's office, waiting for any news from the retrieval team that was sent out days ago.

He feel so useless.

He feel so stupid.

He was so careless.

*Whoosh*

"Hokage-sama." came in the voice of Kiba as the cloud from the teleportation technique faded. With him are few of the elite Konoha ANBU, heads bowed towards Kakashi.

The previous copy-nin leans to his table as his both hands supports his chin, preparing himself for the news.

"Have you found her?!" Sasuke demanded almost shouting.

Kiba look at him in apologetic way and shakes his head. "Akamaru was able to trace her scent for a good two to three kilometers but then when we reached the end of the road, her traces were gone..."

"Where?" Sasuke asked closing his eyes as he brace for Kiba's answer, because either of those answer he knew it will only make him feel worse.

"Near the border of the water country."

Sasuke immediately went for the door only to be stopped by the Hokage himself. It was only returned with a grim look from the young Uchiha. The former avenger knew what to do the moment Kiba showed up without Sakura. In fact he knew what to do the time he heard the news. He should not have waited this long to look for her, but since he was duty-bound when he got the news that Sakura's team was ambushed going back to Konoha from Water Country, he could not do anything.

To make things much worst, the Konoha's famous med-nin is missing.

"I'm going to look for her." He said sternly as he shook off the hand of his former sensei from his shoulder.

"Sasuke, you need to be with a team." Kakashi said.

He almost laughed with his idea. Both of them can tell he does not need to work with someone. His determination is enough to look for her.

"Form a team all you want, but I'm going to take this matter personally and alone. Be it a retrieval or rescue mission, I don't care. I'm going to take a leave on accepting mission starting today- I will find her!" His sharingan was activated at the same time, followed by silence inside the office.

"Here!" Kiba tossed a scroll to his direction which he flawlessly caught with a questioning look.

"That is the map of the place where we traced her, until it faded. She was able to take down her enemy I guess... since the ground was shattered in Sakura's way," Kiba explained. "I know you'll find her."

"Send us a message if you found something else." It was Kakashi who spoke, making his way back to the table. The only thing Sasuke needed to hear before leaving.

-**-

He could have run straight to the Water Country after their mission. However, being the leader of the said mission and due to the confidentiality of the issue that was discussed he need to get back to Konoha and report directly to the Hokage.

When she told him about the mission a week ago he did not feel good about it, he even tried to talk Sakura out of taking her mission. Saying he will tell Kakashi to transfer her to his squad instead. But Sakura being stubborn and persistent as usual did not let that happen, she was able to persuade him that everything will be alright. As the leader of that operation, Sasuke can tell how excited she was about it. The only reason that convinced him to leave the matters behind as he left the village for his own mission.