[SasuXSaku] Tightrope

Chapter 34

Chapter 34

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She didn't know how long she had been standing there. Minutes? Hour? She didn't care but still, it feels like eternity.

She won't cry. She won't shed a tear.

Because she's through with all of this. She's through with Sasuke hurting her over and over again.

But God it hurts.Why?

Where are the tears? Hollow. Dry. She chuckled softly. If she were in her old self, she's probably wailing right now. Maybe even flailing and thrashing with the mushiness of a woman being broken hearted. But she's not. She had become strong for these expected moments. She didn't beg to him. Strength did this to her.

But why did she felt so empty?

"Sakura-san!"

Snapping out of her reverie she turned to the voice calling her. It was one of the Jounins stationed in the Western wall. Was it Koshima? Or Mashima? Whatever.

"What is it?" Hiding the hollowness she had felt, and the emotional devastation she had awhile ago, she straightened her back.

She looked at the man. He looked pale and battered and he was out of breath. "T-The Hokage, Naruto-sama is looking for you!"

Her face showed determination and the encounter with Sasuke earlier was shoved on the back of her mind. There are more important things to do than brooding over something personal. Nodding at the man, she led the way towards the tower.

As she approached the curve on that hallway on the third floor of the Hokage tower, there was that unexplainable throbbing on her chest. Why was she so edgy and anxious all of a sudden? What was this nibbling sensation in the pit of her stomach?

"Naruto! What do you want with me?!" she shouted as she opened the door. With a quick scan, she saw the people in the room. Shikamaru, Hinata, Sai and Yamato-taicho. What are they doing here when the village still needs to apprehend the infiltrators? But observing and listening a bit more on the surrounding, indeed, it seems more quite now. "This should be very important! I have to get to the hospital as soon as possible to check things over there! You know we have many casualties and the hospital is already short on hands,"

Naruto stood up immediately, rounded out his desk and went straight to the pinkette. He holds both of her shoulders.

"Sakura," he said, with that seriousness on his face.

The mednin paused for a while. She knows that expression too well. It means business, "W-What?"

"I know this is all of a sudden, but I want you to clear your mind and listen. Listen okay? No rush thinking...okay?" Naruto said, without batting an eye.

Sakura's brows knitted in suspicion, "What is it, speak!"

Naruto sighed, stared at her then as if he couldn't take it anymore, he looked on his side but gripped her shoulders more firmly, "R-Ryuna..."

It was only a whisper, but she heard it as clear as day. Just the mention of her daughter's name, her reflexes was automatic. She jerked and tried to shove Naruto's gripped of her, as she tries to turn around and run. It's that instinct of a mother that her daughter was in danger even before Naruto can finish the sentence.

"I said, listen!" Naruto hold her tighter than before, steadying her and never letting go.

The new Hokage knew that Sakura would dash out the moment he would mention her daughter's name. He knew she won't listen.