J A D E

Chapter Twenty - Four

"Sasuke?"

"Position A."

"Sakura?"

"Position B."

"Naruto?"

A sheer silence greets all of us. I shake my head with smug expression plastered on my face. I stand up, irritation visible on me. I walk on Naruto's position and laugh at his poor expression.

"He has the cat, Kakashi-sensei." I call out loudly, taking the cat away from Naruto's grip and start patting it slowly. "Naruto, you should be more careful with cats." I add annoyed.

"It's a devil, Sakura-chan!" Naruto sneers and sighs as Kakashi and Sasuke appear.

***

"I am sorry." I whisper as I bow in front of him, tears streaming down my face. I can't look up, I can't look in his eyes. I can't deliver the message. But I have no other choice. "I...I could... I could... not..." Sobs erupt from my mouth, throwing away everything, I wanted to say.

"We want a normal mission, Believe it!" Naruto declares loudly and stands in front of Hokage with annoyed expression. "We are ready for it, old man!" He shouts once again. "If something happens, we can defend ourselves!" He states once again. Sasuke nods at him as I shrug my shoulders.

"It's okay, Sakura-chan." Naruto hugs me tightly, his own tears falling on my head. I hug him and let myself sob loudly. "Grandma Tsunade would want us to be stronger." Naruto whispers as he hugs me tighter. "We have to be stronger."

"Okay, I will give you a C-ranked mission." Third gives in. "You will have to guard a bridge builder." Third starts explaining about the mission. I sigh and look down at my feet. I don't think that we are ready for this mission. But without meeting Zabuza and Haku, Naruto will not be able to find his ninja way.

Tazuna comes in. He looks over us with disgust written on his face. He is reeking off alcohol stench. I look away from him, his stench reminding me of Tsunade-sama, when she had one of her periods. She would be distressed. I never understood her completely, until now.

"This kids are going to protect me?" Tazuna looks over us and shakes his head. "This kid looks depressed." He motions towards Sasuke. "Short looks dumb." Naruto chuckles, until realizing that he is the short one among the three of us. "And pinky looks weak." Weak. I can feel my aura darkening. Killing Intent escaping me.

"Sakura-chan is not weak!" Naruto shouts annoyed. "She is strong, believe it!" He shouts again. I smile at him, my KI disappearing completely.

"Naruto, we have to protect our client." Kakashi sighs. "Not kill him." He then turns towards the old man. He offers him a smile and clears his throat. "I can assure you, Tazuna-san, that you are safe with Team Seven."

***

"So, what do you think about the team, Kakashi?" Third Hokage asks him as soon as he dismisses his team. Kakashi looks up at Hokage and shrugs his shoulders.

"They are strong." Kakashi starts evaluating his team. "Naruto has large Chakra Reserves. He is hotheaded and acts before thinking. Sasuke is different." Kakashi tilts his head a little. "He, too, has large Chakra Reserves, acts like typical Uchiha. Does not communicate with others much, yet, it is visible how much he cares about his friends and teammates." Kakashi continues talking. "Sakura... She is strong." He starts and hesitates a bit. "She is leveling Naruto and forces him to think before acting. She makes her priority safety of her teammates." Kakashi adds.

"She needs guidance, Kakashi." Third looks directly in his eye. "She is prodigy. As promised, we gave her time to attend academy. We give her time to experience what it is to have a team." Third adds and rubs his beard. "But she will soon start taking solo missions. She will have to act up on her abilities. She needs to be ready." Third states bluntly. "As soon as she passes her Chunin exams, we will take her." Kakashi nods, pang of distaste in his chest. "You have the strongest team in rookies." Third reminds him. "Train them well."

***

"Sakura-chan!" Shisui runs towards me, waving his hands in the process. He is followed by Itachi, who has small smile on his lips. Shisui crashes into tight hug, which is suffocating me.

"I am dying." I whisper in tragic tone and push Uchiha away from me. Sasuke puffs next to me. "Hello, Itachi-chan!" I grin at Itachi, who greets me back with pat on my head. Sasuke goes to him and starts telling him about our mission.

"Ne, Sakura-chan." Shisui smiles at me, knowingly. "When are you back?" He asks me again with smug smile on his face. I blush at his expression and look away.

"I-in t-two w-weeks." I stutter and curse myself for it. Itachi and Sasuke both notice it. Itachi smirks and shakes his head, while Sasuke raises his eyebrows.

"Cousin." Sasuke starts in cold tone. "Are you hitting on Sakura?" Sasuke asks with serious tone and looks up at Shisui, who holds his hands up in surrender.

"Of course I don't." Shisui chuckles and takes a step back. "Why? Are you jealous?" Shisui asks, leaning forward and wiggling his eyebrows. His comment makes me blush even deeper shade of red. Sasuke smirks and shakes his head.

"Tch. She is annoying." He says in his usual, cold tone. Something snaps inside of me. Memories flashing in front of me. Annoying. Both Itachi and Shisui look at me with guilt in their eyes, but I shrug nonchalantly. As if Sasuke's words have not affected me. Annoying.

Maybe, he will not fall in love with me. Not in this timeline. Not now. Not ever again.

"You don't have to be so mean, Sasu-cakes." Shisui shakes his head and smirks at his younger cousin. "You could just have denied." He adds in serious tone and smiles at me.

"It's okay." I smile at three Uchihas in front of me. "I don't take it personally." I add with another smile as I turn around. "I am going to be by the gates!" I call out as I head towards the entrance of the village.

"I love you, Sakura. It will not change."

I love you too, Sasuke-kun. But this time, I think it has changed.