Rejection

Walking to the huyga compound is always a little nerve wracking. They treat me with some honored respect these days, because I am the most prestigious doctor. Which means the blood line, if ever sick would be in my hands. Hinata invited Ino and I over to talk about our team 7 dinner. To really delve into my trauma and love life I guess. I walk by members of the huyga clan that all greet me with big smiles. Which is much different from there usual ‘I’m better than you’ smug look other people around the village get. I make my way to Hinatas room.

“Sakura I’m so glad you came” Hinata brings me inside where Ino is laying with her head off the bed.

“So I heard Sasuke took you home last night” Ino says raising an eyebrow.

“I heard Sai was too ‘occupied’ last night for even food with us” I say back raising my eyebrow. She just stares at me waiting for a proper response to her question. I roll my eyes and give in.

“Ok fine. We literally did nothing. I cried and he took me home. Tucked me in and kissed me on the forehead like a little sister you take care of” I say annoyed.

“Ew, not what I was ever expecting” Ino says disgusted.

“I think it’s kinda sweet” Hinata says.

“I think that it means nothing. He barely answers my questions and when he does he hates doing it. I can’t understand him enough to ever admit my feelings. And I don’t even think he wants to know.” I say fed up. Ino and Hinata look at me like they’re not buying any of what I just said.

“He talked about biting this other girl, all over her body” Hinata says to Ino scandalously. Ino’s mouth drops in response. She looks to me still shocked.

“Damn I mean I guess I did wonder, he was always a hot guy. Why wouldn’t he get around.” She says.

“And he went looking for her, and made her part of his team. They were together for a while” Hinata adds fuel to the fire. She speaks in a gossiping tone.

“Yeah well he also tried to kill her” I say defensively.

“Well I mean he tried to kill you too, so maybe it’s a pattern” Ino says laughing. I laugh too. Hinata laughs. We all laugh at the absurdity of a boy that I’m in love with trying to kill me and supposedly his ex.

“Well maybe you should get to dating guys too Sakura. You can wait and get to know Sasuke some other time. I mean you’ve already waited this long. I heard that cute boy from the sand is here. Why not him, don’t you have history?” Ino says. Dating other guys. I haven’t even dreamed of it. After pining for someone like Sasuke for years, liking someone else just feels weak in comparison.

“Kankuro and I don’t have that kind of history” I say blushing. Now that I’m thanking about it, he has gotten cuter over the years.

“Maybe something is there though. I mean you could always just try” says Hinata. She doesn’t seem to into the idea.

Hinata is someone who is love with the idea of Love. Anyone who ended up with their life long crush would be the same. She could never understand the turmoil that is in my heart over Sasuke. Ino could never either, she moved on a while ago. Leaving her crush on Sasuke as an adolescence fleeting feeling.

“Yeah I could I mean Sasuke spent his teenage years with his mouth on other doing god knows what. I can’t keep chasing after him” I say sighing. I’m still chasing after Sasuke even when he’s right next to me.

…

The next day I work a full shift that was the most boring in a while. No surgeries, no emergencies, just check ups and tests. I hate days like these. I walk out the hospital doors to see an expected guest waiting for me. Sasuke is dressed in sweats and a t-shirt. Waiting for me to walk beside him. He was done this now 4 days in a row. Tonight I want to ask him more questions.

“So Karin was your team mate?” I say trying to not sound jealous. He looks at me not wanting to start this conversation.

“Yeah she was.” He says shortly.

“Why?” I ask bluntly.

“Well she was kinda of a medic with her chakra reserves and I needed a medic” he says. I hate the way he says he needed her. Sasuke had sound logic that I would usually agree with. But not only was this girl a team member. But she was also his ‘medic’. AND…

“So you into pink haired girls or what” I say annoyed.

“I didn’t go looking for that” he says. What does he mean by ‘that’. Does he mean her body, her personality, her strength. I mean what the hell does that mean.

“Oh so what were you looking for?” I ask sounding condescending. Sasuke looks annoyed now. It almost makes me care. But not enough to stop.

“I’m just asking because clearly you took a big bite out of her-“ he cuts me off.

“I was looking for a way to get revenge” he says in a deep dark voice. His words wash away all my jealous petty thoughts.

“On your brother?” I ask.

“No” he says stopping himself “On this village” he finishes.

I think back to that day. When he tried to kill me. I told him that I was betraying the leaf village to go with him. I was lying to get close.

“Why did you hurt her Sasuke” I ask why he hurt Karin instead of asking why did he hurt me. Why did he try to kill me.

“I was blind with anger.” He says. “I hurt everyone I loved, to get closer to my goal.” He sounds guilty retracing his steps of the past.

He loved her?

He had to have cared about her. He didn’t actually kill her. He asked me to do it and then immediately tried to kill me. I look in his eyes with my realization.

“Sakura I didn’t mean-“ he tries to talk but someone in front of us interrupts.

“Sakura you look so good in your white coat. So professional” Kankuro says to me.

“Thanks” I say still in shock from the previous conversation.

“I remember the days before you were professional. I let you work on me back when you were a rookie.” He says teasing.

I laugh. He’s right. Back then I was just doing everything hoping it would work.

“Yeah I guess I was. But you’re lucky I was there anyways.“ I say.

“I ran into a girl named Ino. She gave me these flowers.” He says blushing. He hands me flowers.

“I was wondering if you wanted to go out sometime, while I’m in town.” He says confidently. I look up at him. He really is cute. Not as hot as Sasuke but definitely not bad.

“Sure. Yeah I would like that.” I say. I relish in the look Sasuke gives me. A look of jealousy well deserved after what I learned about Karin.

Kankuro hugs me good bye “I’ll pick you up tommorow night from the hospital” he says as he walks away.

I walk forward without worrying if Sasuke is following. He does anyways though.

“Sakura, what’s your history with him?” He says in the same tone I asked him about Karin.

“Well he needed me a while ago and I was there” I say vaguely. I don’t have as much of a love life as Sasuke had but I can pretend I did. Sasuke nods wanting to know nothing more.

I change the subject remembering my curiosity.

“What’s your history with Karin?” I ask in return.

Sasuke keeps walking silently. Thinking about his next words.

“Karin is someone who I sought out but deeply hurt because my lack of regard for human life” he says.

It hurts to hear him say he sought her out. As I was trying to get closer to him, he was running to another girl.

“Well at least you had other people who you let care for you back then” I say hurt fully.

We were now at my door. A perfect exit out of this conversation. Before I can grab the door knob he wraps his hand around it but doesn’t open it. Blocking me from my perfect escape.

“Sakura…. Your unwavering faith in me back then hurt me. It made me want to throw everything to the wind and run back to team 7. I had to shut it out. At least I wanted to.” Sasuke is speaking slowly, his voice wavering ever so slightly.

I look up seeing his eyes. Filled with remorse. I hate this look. I’ve seen it everyday since he has returned.

I would have never given up Sasuke- I wish I could say. But I can’t. Because I did. And if it ever meant protecting Naruto I would do it again.

I just look silently holding back my words. He opens the door now.

“Goodnight Sakura”

With that he leaves into the night.