Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Crash World ❯ Cryptic ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4- Cryptic

Sakura's pen scribbled furiously on page after page of medical reports.

 

It got this bad in only two days?! she questioned herself frantically as she swerved around to the filing cabinet for the fifth time in less-than-half-that-many minutes. Wait a minute… another coma?! For heaven's sake, this poison our ANBU ops keep getting into is a killer! Why didn't shishou call me in when the first case was reported? She knows that I have a superior talent for it, more than anyone else in Konoha!

 

When a knock sounded at the door, the only reply the nurse received was something breaking against its opposite side, signaling that visitors were not welcome at this time. She turned an unnerved smile on the person that had requested to see the medical kunoichi.

 

“I must apologize, sir, but she's probably trying to catch up on paperwork. It's best we not disturb her right now, unless you wish to be one of her patients so badly.”

 

The man nodded in understanding. “I'll… come by later, then…”

 

*~*~*

 

 

“Sakura-cha-!”

 

Naruto suddenly ducked a pair of kunai thrown his direction, careful not to spill the pair of ramen cups in his hands.

 

“Naruto no baka! What have I told you about knocking first?” Sakura yelled, hurriedly filing away yet another armload of papers. The blonde chuckled a little under his breath as suddenly a loud growl came from a familiar source. The kunoichi stopped mid-step, her eyes slowly traveling across the floor and up to a pair of familiar hands…

 

Chicken and mushroom-flavored ramen… my favorite…

 

Before he could even register what had happened, the roseate-haired woman had snatched the cup from his hand and was eating it greedily. Never come between a woman and her food, especially when that woman has had dealings with the Godaime. It was dangerous to one's health.

 

“Not hungry by any chance, were you?” he asked teasingly. But he received no response for his effort. Though she obviously felt it when his sapphire eyes softened on her, because she looked up at him, examining his expression as she quickly finished off the meal. His smile was sad, his eyes deep, and somehow understanding, if not knowing. She wondered at it, and he smiled a little more, though sadly, at her curiosity before turning to leave.

 

“I think you'll be okay, Sakura-chan. I think you don't see what's waiting for you.”

 

*~*~*

 

“Naruto said that? Are we talking about the same guy?” Ino asked incredulously that afternoon. An old friend of hers from Academy had gotten injured, and she had come by to deliver some flowers, and had stopped in to talk to the medic on her way out. Said medic, who had thankfully decimated her amount of paperwork left by that time, nodded as she scribbled in a few more places on a form before shoving it in a box to be taken to Tsunade. “The same blonde, clueless, dense, idiotic-?”

 

“Yes, the one and the same!”

 

The insults were getting on her nerves. He was, after all, her teammate. She sighed, dropping her pen and allowing her head to rest on her arm.

 

“I keep getting the feeling that Sasuke and Naruto know something I don't. Both of them have said something like that, and I'm really getting annoyed by all the mystery.”

 

“I can see why,” the blonde responded sympathetically. She was about to say something else, but she noticed the distant look in her friend's eyes, as they had turned to stare out the nearby window, and she decided it best not to interrupt her thoughts. She slipped out the door silently, and went on about her business.

 

Sasuke… Naruto… am I that dense? What is it you keep trying to tell me? You keep saying that I'm missing something, but what? Izumo-san and Kakashi are both so much older than I am… I don't understand what would make my parents do this!

 

“What could… I possibly have missed…?”

 

But the man listening outside of her door did not understand, and did not ask for entry.

 

*~*~*

 

“Sakura-san!”

 

She was surprised to see Izumo waiting for her outside the hospital, as late as it was. He smiled congenially, offering her his arm.

 

“Care for a late dinner before I take you home?”

 

“Sure, why not?”

 

He smiled, and led her towards a familiar ramen stand. They chatted for a few minutes while they waited for their food. He joked and she laughed. She returned the favor. While they ate, she asked simple questions, just for the sake of asking; his favorite color, favorite food, hobbies, dreams, family. He needn't ask of her; he already knew.

 

“Sakura-san…” She looked up at him from her meal, waiting. He seemed a bit nervous. “Sakura…” She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at how he had decided to drop the title so suddenly. “I'm… going on a mission.”

 

She was sure she could hear the world screeching to a halt in the background.

 

“Huh?” Brilliant answer, idiot.

 

“I'm going on a mission. The Godaime says it'll only take a few days at most, so I should be back before your parents, alright?” he asked, a bit of concern in his voice. Sakura could only look at him, stunned and speechless. “You'll have Naruto-kun and Sasuke-san to take care of you, so you'll be okay, right?”

 

Sounds like the brother we never had. Worry wart, of COURSE we'll be fine! This is MOI we're talking about! Inner Sakura fussed, disgruntled. It was like he didn't think she could take care of herself. But unfortunately, like it sometimes does, Inner Sakura leaked into Outer Sakura, and the pout that adorned her features let him know that something had made her incredibly unhappy.

 

“What?”

 

“Izumo-san, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself.” He laughed nervously, a hand reaching back to rub the base of his neck nervously. Just like something Naruto would do. But his expression sobered a little bit, his eyes looking… worried? Sad? She couldn't really tell which, but they were there, which ever one it was. “Izumo-san…?”

 

He turned away from her, his fingers fisting lightly in the cascade of hair over his eye.

 

“I'm sorry, it's just… I think you underestimate him.”

 

But he wouldn't answer when she asked him who.

*~*~*

AN: Yay! The next chapter! Ooooh, what's everyone talking about? Teehee, not like it's not totally blatant and obvious or anything, or does the mysterious character lurking behind Sakura's door really lend a bit of mystery to this fic? Either way, I'm happy. -_-;

 

NOTE: If anyone watching the anime “Karin”, PLEASE go read and review my fic “Eien”!