The Suspect: Sakura Of The Akatsuki

Who am I?

Mrs. Haruno went back to when she got pregnant. It was 22 years ago. Her husband, Mr. Haruno, almost lost hope of having a child, but his wife announced the greatest news. She was pregnant, but not very happy. Not very happy because the baby doesn't have her husband's blood. Sakura doesn't have Kizashi Haruno's blood. The helpless mother gave up at the time and grew aware that in order to have a child, she needed to resort to other ways. In vitro fertilization was the only way, and her ex-husband was the only provider of that solution.

Everything happened secretly, and Mrs. Haruno was too selfish to tell a soul about it. She even hid herself in Konoha so her ex-husband wouldn't find her. He was a good man who wanted to help, but he was a human too, and knowing that the child was his, he couldn't hold himself back from trying to see Sakura until it was too late.
Knowing that huge amount of truth, Sakura couldn't help but shed tears of sorrow, disappointment and rage. She didn't know how to feel exactly, how come after 22 years she discovers that she's Sakura but not Haruno? She had many questions but thought it was useless to try to find out. The damage is already done, and nothing was going to be fixed. All she wanted at that time was some peace of mind, and she only had her best friend to help her with that. Sakura grabbed her phone and dialled Naruto's number.

"Naruto, are you home?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, you're coming?"

"Yes"

"That's great, Sasuke is coming too"

"Okay"

Sakura hung up and then threw away her phone. "Great Sasuke" she whispered outrageously, then put on her coat and headed to Naruto's place. For Sakura, this was her worst day ever; she was first tricked by Itachi then she discovered that she's an orphan that was living a lie for twenty-two years.
When opening her door, Sakura felt a familiar presence behind it. She wasn't surprised at all. She knew they'll cross paths somehow.

"Hi.... Again" he smiled.

"Look, Itachi, I'm in my worst mood. If you're here to mess with ---"

"Calm down, Sakura, I'm not messing with you. I came to apologise"

Sakura needed to hear something comforting in such a condition, and Itachi was always the only one who understood her feelings. It wasn't a long time ago since they met, but they became really close.

"Were you going somewhere?" he asked.

"Yes, to Naruto's"

"Okay, I walk you there"

The pair left Sakura's place and walked together in the calm streets of Konoha. Knowing that he came all the way there to apologise was a bit relieving, but Sakura had a lot in mind, and he was able to tell so.

"I met Pein on my way here" Itachi broke the silence "He told me about your mother"

The words were enough to make the tears she was holding drop. He saw those tears escaping her eyes continuously, and her face reflected the discomfort inside of her.

"It's a waste, Sakura. Don't cry over something you didn't cause. It will go".

"I didn't cause it, but I'm suffering its consequences" Sakura cried.

"You're nothing like this, Sakura ... You're all grown up now, and you can be your own hero" Itachi smiled "at this rate, you won't need anyone, especially not someone who humiliated you"

"It's hard" she sniffed "It's just hard"

"I know, but tomorrow it will be past again, and besides, you have everyone else by your side" he patted her shoulder "You have nothing to worry about, Sakura."
Itachi always finds a way to make her feel better, and it always works no matter what the situation is. They both stopped upon reaching Naruto's place, and Itachi made sure she went inside safely and then left, feeling at ease for sorting things out with her.

Naruto, who heard Sakura's knocking, rushed to the door to open for her, feeling excited that both his teammates were gathered at his place after a long separation.

"Sakura, what took you so long?" Naruto asked.

"Itachi came by, we had to talk"

"Are you okay? Your eyes are swollen"

"Hi Sasuke" Sakura said when she saw Sasuke and sat facing him "if by okay you mean being deceived, then yes, I'm okay"

"What happened? What's wrong?" the oblivious Naruto asked, feeling confused.

"Someone called Uchiha Sasuke tricked me along with his brother, and I've been a fool playing right into their game" Sakura shouted "does that answer your question?"

Sasuke didn't expect such attitude from Sakura. She has always been nice to him, except for recently. Recently, she went somehow rogue for many reasons, but today was different. She was mad like she meant it. She was outraged. He thought that she must be in serious trouble.

"Sakura" Sasuke said in a low voice "I'm so sorry about that, okay? I didn't know you'll take it to heart"

"Good grief!" Sakura scoffed bitterly "Of course you didn't know, why not and you're used to Sakura being your useless weakling. You'd do whatever pleases you, and she'll take it like an obedient pet"

Sakura has had enough. She was done being controlled. Everyone was playing her like a damn puppet. Sasuke, Pein, Itachi, and now her mother. Was she that easy?

"Sakura, I've never thought of you that way" Sasuke was shocked "Is that how you felt all along?"

"I felt even worse, and you keep adding insult to injury every time" Sakura shed bitter tears "I went through shit to be of use, but everyone ends up taking advantage of my goodwill. For a second, I thought you had a point for deciding to kill everyone--"

"Sakura, please calm down" Naruto interrupted her by pulling her into a hug. "Please calm down. You're nothing like that. You're a strong woman, you know that"

Sakura felt so vulnerable at that moment that she was only able to break down and cry her heart out. All the doors were closed and that made her feel so helpless, but she knew she needed to wake up from that nightmare.

"Can you tell me what's going on?" Naruto asked softly into her ear.

"I'm not a Haruno, Naruto. I actually don't know who I am?" She closed her eyes tightly and sank in her friend's embrace "Kizashi Haruno isn't my real father."

"What? How? What happened?" Naruto asked with big surprise.

"My mother couldn't get pregnant when she married my father, or Kizashi Haruno let me say, so she had in vitro fertilisation with her ex-husband who happens to be Pein's father"

Naruto refrained from saying anything. Sasuke as well didn't make much of a reaction, but it was obvious; they were shocked and felt sorry for how things were going for Sakura. The moment she thinks everything is solved, another disaster happens.

"Does your father know?" Naruto asked.

"No. And I'm not planning to tell him. I don't want him to go through this. It's really painful, and I don't think he could take it"

The two boys felt terribly broken for Sakura. She had to endure so much and no one understood her ordeal.