Before Marriage | SasuSaku [ON HOLD]

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-✘-

The wind was chilly that morning, but the sun was out and warm, blending the atmosphere's temperature in a perfect balance.

Sakura was waiting at the gates, nervous. She was fired up with excitement, conscious of what she looks likes, and she felt like her heart was about to burst out any second now. She didn't know how it was possible to feel so many things at once. The excitement? That nervousness? She had prepared for this day to come but it's as if she never saw it coming.

In a distance, a figure of a man appeared in the fog and mist of the morning in the hidden leaf village. He was walking towards the gate. Sakura felt her heart beat faster and faster as he continued to walk, closing the gap between the two of them by each step he takes.

The pinkette couldn't believe it.

He was finally on his way home.

He stops in front of her - and before he or she could finally say a word, a weak and almost unnoticeable smile appeared on his face, giving Sakura a kind of warmth she didn't know she needed these past few months. It was as if he was never gone.

She saw him lift his arm and he gently poked her forehead. All of a sudden, her worries, her pain, her fear of being alone finally dissipated at one touch.

"Sakura..." He mumbles.

"Sakura..."

"Sakura wake up!" Ino shakes her. "Time to go. Gaara sent sand shinobis to escort us to the doctors. They're here already."
"Dammit Ino, I was dreaming of him!" Sakura cries in frustration.
"Well, I'm sorry, but we have to go you sleepyhead!"

-✘-

Ino and Sakura arrived shortly at the hidden village of sand. They were escorted by three sand shinobis to directly escort the both of them at the conference held by the doctors so they could provide assistance with the groundwork.

Surprisingly though, they were being summoned by the Kazakage asap, after their conference.

Ino and Sakura thinks it wasn't much of a big deal. They're probably being summoned so they could report the status of their mission. Although, it would've been a better idea if he asked the doctors of their perspective instead.

On their way to Gaara, Ino notices the odd silence from the pinkette.
"Hey, you okay?"
"Yea, of course. Why wouldn't I be?" Sakura instantly replies as if it was automatic. Ino doesn't believe this obvious lie.
"Is it about me waking you up and ruining your dream about him?"
Sakura sighs. "No, Ino. That's silly. I guess I just.. I wish he comes home."

Ino was smart not to talk more about it. It was as if Sakura was one snap away before breaking down. She knew her bestfriend was strong, but she knew that she was always holding back her emotions, setting them aside for a long while. Sooner or later, they have to come out and thus bringing back the crybaby Sakura. Ino thought it would be best to ask her again after their mission instead where they could get some privacy.

"Gaara." Ino and Sakura greets him upon their arrival.

"Thank you for coming, Ino, Sakura. I appreciate your efforts in helping us to build up a future clinic for children here. I've heard the success of yours."

"It's our pleasure helping out." Ino smiles. "We provided the sand doctors with.." Gaara cuts her off before she could explain what happened at the conference.
"Thank you but I didn't summon you here for that." Gaara starts. "I need the two of you to report back to the Hokage."

Ino and Sakura looked at each other, both confused and intrigued. There was urgency at his tone.

"It's about Sasuke." He finally says, causing the pinkette's heart skip a beat.

"What happened? Is he okay?" Sakura asks worriedly.

"Sasuke met with missing-nins two days ago and had offered them help perform a coup d'etat in Suna if they will cooperate with him in destroying Konoha. The leader of the group, had refused his offer. Sasuke killed him on the spot. This was the moment the Suna Anbu attacked the group, but Sasuke had already escaped." Gaara says.

It almost shattered Sakura, but she kept her stance. Not believing a word he said. "T-there must be some mistake."

"I used my Third-eye, Sakura. It was his chakra signature."

Sakura couldn't say another word. Her mouth had suddenly gone dry.

"He might be an impostor, right?" Ino asks.
"He might be.. which is why I chose to keep this information confidential for now until we know more about this Sasuke. We are unsure how he could've gotten his chakra signature if he really is an impostor. But for now, I need the two of you to report this back to Kakashi and keep it out of public's knowledge."

Sakura never thought she'd feel even worse than before.

-✘-

Kakashi swore he almost fell asleep on the meeting. Thankfully, Shizune was there to kick him under the table to wake him in his senses.

The Hokage life was a busy and somehow boring life.

But meetings with the Konoha Feudal Lord to discuss the budget had always been interesting. Shizune reminded him beforehand that they will be helping out Sakura and Ino's clinic for children by additional funding.

In which he did. He had proposed the additional funding to it by mentioning the sudden success of it in a matter of a week only and the potential it has in store in the future. He made a very valid claim and was almost sure of the approval until Kido meddled and opposed to the request.

Kido had reminded the recent attacks on the Konoha feudal lord and Homura. At first, it was assumed to be an accident, but the attacks happened twice, two nights in a row, so they had increased the number of Anbu on guard. This concerned the feudal lord greatly and left the decision to Homura, who decided to give the additional funding on Anbu as Kido recommended.

This didn't offend Kakashi as he was also concerned with the recent attacks. They were later dismissed and a great relief was evident on Kakashi's face even his defeat on securing funds for the clinic. Still, he still has another time to propose it again.

"That meeting almost bored me to death." He shakes his head. Massaging his temple.
"That's why I kicked you, like I always did with Tsunade-sama. It's an unwritten part of my job." Shizune chuckles as she shrugs.

As Kakashi arrives at his office, Sai was outside waiting for him.

A few days ago, he had assigned Sai to investigate the two recent attacks on the feudal lord and Homura. Assuming that the attackers may be in the bingo book. He had kept this mission confidential to him, Sai and the Anbu. In addition, Kakashi has a gut feeling the mastermind was from the inside.

Sai reports what happened to him upon his investigation, only confirming that Kakashi was right about his gut. Sai was attacked by two masked individuals with cloak of tailed beast chakra. He managed to drive one off and had time to question the second who he held captive but not for long. As he asked who sent them, he activates a juinjutsu and his body blew up.

The familiar jutsu was nothing but similar to the army of Danzo.

The fact that only them and the Anbu had known his investigation, and with two attackers with a similar jutsu on Danzo's army, the suspicion was directed to Kido, former ally of Danzo and an Anbu executive.

With lack of any evidence at hand, Kakashi instructs Sai to redirect his investigation to Kido instead.