Chapter 7
Chapter 7: Fate
Sakura walked alongside Hinata and Ino, trying to focus on their conversation despite the unease churning in her stomach.
"I swear, they’re like drones! I hope Danzo rots in hell. It's impossible to hold a conversation with them,” Ino fumed, throwing her hands in the air. “Fuu is talking more now, but wow, is he quiet!”
Hinata nodded, her voice soft. “He does sound a bit like Neji-niisan. But Neji-niisan is adjusting well. His team is full of energetic people, though. Lee and Tenten keep him busy. Tenten’s a fellow victim too, but she... didn’t go through as much.” She glanced at Sakura. “You’re lucky, Sakura, you never had to endure that.”
Sakura forced a smile, her pink hair tied in a loose ponytail swaying with her steps. If only her friends knew the truth.
She laughed lightly, the sound hollow even to her own ears. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m so glad I had such an easy and simple upbringing.”
The lie tasted bitter, but she’d perfected it over the years. Her expression remained stoic as she giggled, masking the turmoil beneath.
The academy classroom was buzzing with activity when the trio entered. Sakura’s attention was drawn immediately to the front of the room, where Naruto and Sasuke were bickering loudly about... cereal?
“Milk first, then cereal!” Naruto declared, slamming his hand on the desk.
“That’s idiotic,” Sasuke shot back, arms crossed. “Cereal first, then milk. Otherwise, it’s too soggy.”
Sakura groaned, shaking her head as she slid into her seat between Hinata and Shino. These two will never change.
Hinata began recounting another story about Neji. “At least Neji talks now, but some of the other kids... like Kai or Saru... they’re like blank pages.”
Shino adjusted his sunglasses and added, “It’s better than Torune. I swear, that guy doesn’t make a sound. Ever. Not even to breathe.”
Sakura’s stomach tightened at the mention of ROOT operatives. She reached instinctively for the arm warmers covering her forearms, ensuring they were in place. Beneath the left warmer, hidden from sight, lay the scarred and burned remnants of a ROOT tattoo—a mark she could never let anyone see.
Her hand trembled briefly before she clasped it in her lap, her expression neutral as her friends chatted on. If they ever found out... She shoved the thought away.
Iruka eventually entered the room, silencing the class with his presence. He gave his usual encouraging speech before reading out the team assignments.
“...That’s Team 6. Now, Team 7 will consist of Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sakura Haruno. Your team leader will be Kakashi Hatake.”
Sakura froze. Her eyes widened as her head slammed onto the desk.
“Kami, why?! That lazy fool? Oh, hell no!”
Sasuke gave Naruto an incredulous look. “It seems we all know that weirdo.”
Naruto beamed. “YAY! I got Kakashi-nii! Oh, wait—it’s Kakashi-sensei now! Let’s go!”
He turned to Sakura with a bright grin. “Let’s do our best, Sakura!”
Sakura didn’t look up. Her voice was muffled against the desk as she groaned, “Why? WHY THAT LAZY BASTARD?”
Iruka sweatdropped but pressed on. He’d seen this reaction before. “Moving on, Team 8 will consist of—”
Lunchtime:
The sun hung high as the students dispersed for lunch. Sakura sat alone under the shade of a tree, biting into her onigiri with little enthusiasm. The news of her team assignment gnawed at her.
Kakashi Hatake. Of all the people...
Her mind raced. He wasn’t just some lazy jonin to her—he was a former ANBU operative, one who might have access to classified ROOT information. If he delved too deeply into her past, if he pieced together the truth about her...
Her grip on the onigiri tightened. She couldn’t let that happen.
Across the courtyard, Naruto and Sasuke were already at it again, this time arguing over the best way to grill fish. Great. This is going to be a long year.
Hinata and Ino waved to her from a distance, and for a fleeting moment, Sakura considered joining them. But no... she needed to think. To plan.
Kakashi won’t figure me out, she resolved. He can’t.
But as she stared at the horizon, her heart whispered a quiet truth:
Fate had a way of unraveling even the best-kept secrets.