Serendipity || Sasusaku

Chapter 5

The sensation of sweltering beads of sweat trickling down her spine stirred her awake. With a tired groan, She sat up on the lavish futon, looking around the room with half-lidded eyes. Her gaze fell on the round wall clock and her sour mood turned acidic.

7:26 am.

Going back to sleep was a temptation compelling enough to make her lie down on the plush duvet once again, but as her back touched the mattress, she grimaced in disgust. Her clothes were dampened and sticky with sweat. Seemingly, luck has decided to abandon her for a few days.

Sighing in defeat, she rose to her feet and staggered towards the bathroom.

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Flattening her mint green knee-length skirt, Sakura took one last glance at her reflection; rosy hair were washed and dried and tied into a short ponytail, with few wayward tresses decorating her face. A golden leaf-shaped pendant was nestled atop her chest, dangling contrastingly against the white blouse. Forest green pumps looked compatible enough with her lighter green pleated skirt. Well, despite her unfateful morning, she looked presentable.

Grabbing her cell phone, she strode out of the room, hoping to have breakfast without confronting anyone. Her eyes skimmed over the phone, checking recent messages and as Sai's name failed to appear on the screen, she swallowed down the stinging disappointment. He had not bothered to check up on her.

'Well, you are the one who asked him for time.' Her inner-voice sneered at her.

Feeling dejected and torn, Sakura entered the kitchen and stopped. Sabaku no Gaara was sitting on a chair, looking as cold and as inhospitable as ever. As his mint green eyes penetrated her soul, Sakura wondered how a single person could have changed so much in three years. Gaara, she remembered perfectly, has always been anti-social but never has she seen him look so... so menacing before.

What happened to the boy who made sand castles with her?

"Good morning." She broke the uncomfortable silence with a chipped smile.

He remained silent, observing her expressionlessly.

"I-I'll just have some water and then-"

"Your mother left breakfast for you." His voice, taut and reserved, cut through her sentence.

"O-Oh. I-Uhmm.. Okay." She managed another forced smile to offer him.

A heavy quietus engulfed the small space and as the pinkette racked her brain for something to say, memories of the previous day resurfaced in her mind. Kankuro.

"Uh.. Is K-Kankuro fine now?"

Gaara regarded her with unwavering criticism for a moment before standing up. Her jittery senses flung into motion and she quickly side stepped the short male when he walked closer. However, He simply walked around her and exited the kitchen, leaving a confused Sakura behind.

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The crammed streets of Sunagakure were bustling with exuberant energy as people scampered through marketplace and grocery stores. The vendors called out to random people, brandishing their goods with great enthusiasm. Joyous children rushed past the adults, their animated chatter and refreshing giggles echoing throughout the small city. This is, maybe, the only thing she had genuinely missed during her escapade.

A soft smile graced her features as a rare moment of tranquillity enveloped her being. She watched in content as two gleeful children skipped happily towards the ice-cream vendor. Another child, older than the two, sighed fondly before treating them to the delicious deserts. The youngest of the three - a girl with large brown eyes and wavy ginger hair - babbled eagerly to her elder sister about the upcoming school festival.