13 Reasons Why ; Sakura Haruno

Scroll Two: The Hyūgas

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There she lied down on the dirty cold, forest floor. She tried closing her eyes, but Kami was preventing her to do so. After the meeting with the elders, she was released from the cell. Tsunade informed her that her punishment was light, but not that light. She was to be kept under the village for 1 year and 3 months probation, and will not be given any missions while her probation was up.

She remembered her former teacher's words.

"I had to tell the elders not to give you a death sentence. I gave a thought about your.. side of the story and I will be having ANBU to investigate the matter again. Having to kill a skilled medical ninja will be a waste. But be warned, the villagers and your comrades will not look at you the same. They will see you as a traitor and a disgrace to the village. Do not enter the Hokage tower unless called. Do you understand?"

"Haruno,"

She whipped her head and quickly took a kunai from her weapon pouch, aiming at the nearing figure.

"Relax, it's just me. Neji," he raised both hands and came toward her.

Her shoulders slumped in relief.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the ramen shop, hanging around with the red head and the others?" She murmured, putting her kunai back to her weapon pouch. She looked at him with almost tearing eyes.

"And believe in her lies? I never stoop down low, Haruno."

Somehow, a part of her swelled in joy when she heard what Neji said. Perhaps, was it happiness?

"I see. Well, that's good to know." Sakura bit her lip, shaking her head.

"You know," Neji kneeled over next to the pinkette, his hands patting her back gently, "You can cry if you want to. I won't judge."

He continued.

"People are judged by their true nature. It is the way of the world. That is why we have an elite, and that is why we have outcasts. We can change our physical appearance and improve our skills with training and study, but ultimately, we are judged by what we cannot change. What can't be changed must be endured. We are who we are, and we must live with it."

And with that, Neji felt his shirt soaked. Sensing the pinkette crying, he awkwardly patted her hair as he was not that used to physical contact. After some time, Sakura stopped and wiped her eyes.

"Well, that was embarrassing. Crying in front of a Hyūga, I mean. Never thought I had the balls to do so."

Neji looked into her eyes, shaking his head. As he was about to speak, a soft voice beated him to it.

"We were all made the same, Sakura-chan. Came from a powerful clan, or came from a civilian family, we are all the same."

The two whipped their heads and saw the Hyūga heiress, Hinata. She greeted them with a smile. She sat next to them. All throughout the years, Hinata finally stopped stuttering with the help of Sakura and her sister, Hanabi. Until now, her teammates and friends still get surprised whenever she talks and does not stutter like the old days.

"Ah, Hinata-chan.." Sakura mumbled, her cheeks getting red.

"We laugh, we cry, we smile, we shout out in pain. Keep that in mind, Haruno."

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