Kakashi was trembling, repeating in panic over and over; "No."

Sakura didn't know what had happened, because at the moment when they thought that they had already gained their freedom and they would escape, and the case after the death of this disgusting man would finally be closed; it was then that Kakashi fell to his knees, and after a while his eyes widened in fear, staring at the pink-haired girl with unseeing eyes.

Little Haruno had to act on her own, although she didn't really know who her enemy was, at least until she felt a strangely cool hand on her shoulder.

~ * ~

Kakashi was terrified. Even though he knew it was all just an illusion, and he was locked in the world of someone else's sick fantasy, he couldn't cope with what was just going on with his body, which was moving against his will.

"No!" he screamed once more, his voice trembling as his hand moved against his will.

He felt powerless in the face of the spectacle taking place before his eyes, of which, unfortunately, he was a part of.

"I'm begging you..." he whispered after a moment, his voice trembling, hoping that the author of the genjutsu would listen to him.

Sakura was staring into his eyes affrightedly.

Hatake was trembling all over his body in fear of what was happening to him.

His hand slipped between the little girl's thighs.

Apparently, his pleas were of no use, no one was listening to him.

Helpless tears began to run down his cheeks in a ceaseless stream as his own body didn't obey his commands. It was sick... someone had a really monstrous idea when they put him in this kind of genjutsu. Yet that painful look Sakura was sending him... He only wanted to protect her with all his strength. What he was just doing to her was unforgivable... How would he be able to look into her eyes after all of this?

How will he be able to look himself in the eye after all of this?

~ * ~

Sakura glanced over her shoulder, finally noticing the intruder. The woman leaning over her smiled wickedly, pure madness dancing in her eyes. The pink-haired girl opened her eyes wide in terror, not because her appearance terrified her, as she looked quite normal, but because the stranger looked at the kneeling Kakashi, once again ignoring Sakura, as if she posed no threat. This irritated her terribly, so without waiting for the invitation and before this nasty woman leaned even closer to the trembling Kakashi, Sakura with all her strength dug her heel in the centre of the unknown woman's foot.

The stranger howled and swung at her, and the little girl didn't crouch fast enough, so she got hit on the cheek. With a strong blush after this act, young Haruno stared at the piercing eyes of the woman who tried to manipulate her, but before she managed to place her in the world of illusion, Sakura tugged the woman's hand and bit her wrist with all her strength. The opponent let out a groan of pain once again, finally realizing how much she had underestimated the little girl. Therefore, when Sakura turned to help Kakashi, the woman kicked her in the back, making the pink-haired girl flew forward; but she didn't fall, barely regaining her balance at the last moment and instead of helping her hero, she moved towards his friend.

"Gai! Gai!" she screamed with all her might, remembering how Kakashi was calling him. "Gai! Wake up!"

The moment she reached the snoring teenager, she shook his body brutally, screaming his name at the top of her voice. And as she peeked over her shoulder, she noticed her opponent leaning over Kakashi, reaching towards his mask.

"Gai! You have to wake up! Kakashi... is in trouble!" she screamed through her tears, though his name struggled to go through her throat.

~ * ~

Kakashi thought it was over as Sakura disappeared, though his hand stayed where it was, dripping with a strangely sticky substance that made him sick. He wanted to throw up, but he couldn't control his own body. It did what it wanted. The scarlet tint that ran from his hands was reminding him indistinguishably of...

Rin...

"I guess you're more interesting than I thought," said the woman who suddenly materialized in front of him. "You're not as cute as the little one anymore, but you probably have your own charm. It's enough for me to just..."

Suddenly, everything Kakashi was wearing was gone. Well, everything except his mask.

"I wonder what you're hiding there..." she thought aloud.

But the young shinobi didn't see her, trapped in his own memories of what he had done to Rin and also of what this genjutsu had forced him to do...

~ * ~

"Gai!" Sakura screamed and punched him in the stomach with all her might.

He growled painfully as he slowly opened his eyes. He didn't know what was happening. His eyesight was blurred and his head heavy, as if he had been... intoxicated with something.

"Gai! Kakashi's in trouble!" The child's voice hissed, although the young shinobi couldn't locate its source.

"What's happening...?" the nineteen-year-old muttered. "Ouch... my head!"

Young Haruno frowned, seeing that Kakashi's friend was of no use, so she ran back towards Hatake, gaining momentum to hit their opponent, a woman with not much warm touch. Sakura pushed the unknown lady with her whole body, knocking her to the ground. And when she shook off the feeling of her obstinacy, she turned to Kakashi. She tightened her hands on his shoulders and shook him hard.

"Kakashi!" she hissed. "Wake up!"

It was then that young Hatake blinked in surprise, and when he returned the pink-haired girl's gaze, his sharingan whirled. Little Haruno fell into the trap of his own weapon.

~ * ~

The last thing she remembered was that she had prevented this terrifying woman from taking off Kakashi's mask, but had no idea where she was at that moment.

Sakura pulled herself up from the ground and looked around.

She was in the middle of nowhere.

But when she turned again, she noticed Kakashi. She ran towards him, calling out his name, but he didn't react at all. Therefore, she stopped at a distance. Especially when she noticed that he was talking to someone. To some girl...

Was that their next enemy?

Sakura quickened her pace to be right in front of him and once again push the hostile kunoichi out of his way. It was then that she realized that Kakashi wasn't talking to her at all, and that tears were streaming steadily down his cheeks.

"Ka-ka-shi..." the girl with short brown hair muttered, and a thin trickle of blood ran down the corner of her mouth.

Sakura stared at her calm expression for a moment — coming to terms with death. The girl froze as she realized what had made the stranger kunoichi perish. She had seen it before, this flash and the familiar sound of birds chirping, but when she finally understood it, she looked at Kakashi with eyes wide out of fear.

"Rin..." the teenager whispered painfully. "W-why?"

But the brown-haired girl hadn't replied anymore. Kakashi tore his hand from her chest and grasped her limp body.

"Why did you do this to me...?" he whispered.

It was only then that Sakura realized that Kakashi didn't want to kill her at all.

"I promised Obito that I would protect you even at the cost of my life, and you..." Hatake cried.

The pink-haired heiress of the Will of Fire stepped closer and put her hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Kakashi," she said his name softly, and when he noticed her, he opened his eyes widely with terror.

"It's you again!" the teenager hissed with anger.

Little Haruno moved away from him abruptly. "Kakashi... no! It's that woman! She did this to you..." she began to sputter out in fear of his bloodcurdling gaze. "You have to wake up!"

However, Hatake, as if he wasn't listening to her, stuck out his hand, on which the lightning danced.

"Kakashi, it's really me! Sakura!" the girl shouted as much as possible straight from her lungs.

"I don't believe you..." muttered the grey-haired shinobi menacingly.

He was about to catch her when Sakura tightened her hands on his wrist before he could reach her.

"Kakashi, save me," the girl whispered, then allowed his hand to shoot forward to punch through her tiny body.

Little Haruno squeezed her eyes tight, preparing for the pain, but... nothing like that came.

She slowly opened her eyes and noticed that Kakashi was staring at her just like before.

"Sakura?" He was surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Your strange eye swirled before I got here," she replied truthfully, and Kakashi realized that he was the one to be blamed for dragging the wrong person into his own genjutsu.

"Sakura," he said, and the little girl finally looked at him with seeing eyes. "Everything's all right?"

He put a hand on her shoulder, and though the recent visions had left a permanent mark on his psyche, he knew he was not a monster. Certainly not the kind of monster that the pale-faced woman was trying to tell him. Though she looked normal, except for her oversized eyes, she looked a bit like the serpent man he'd just killed.

"Yes, now it is," the little girl replied, and she wanted to throw her arms around his neck, but at that moment someone jerked her back, grabbing the fabric of the linen dress in their hand. Sakura flew in an unknown direction, until someone's hands grabbed her. She held out her hand desperately in the direction of her saviour.

"Kakashi!" she cried.

"Sakura!" The furious 17-year-old hissed when he noticed that her would-be kidnappers had held her. "Kuso!" he swore as he hastily devised a plan.

He looked around the room, analysing his position. More individuals emerged from the corner of the room, standing on the side of these wretches. Kakashi glanced at where Gai was slowly recovering.

"Gai!" he shouted. "I need you!"

The nineteen-year-old, as if on cue, awoke the First Gate within himself to break the bonds that held him and join his friend in battle.

Kakashi looked at his opponent once more, suddenly realizing what was wrong with her. Now, her face was fairly normal, perhaps a little unsightly due to those bulging eyes and very pale skin, and he could see gills moving around her neck and membranes between her fingers.

"You'll pay us for killing Haruki," the fish woman snapped. "Ichiro, Ichizo! Get her out of here and do what you want with her!" she instructed the two freaks.

"Yes, Tsuki!" they answered in chorus.

"We'll do the rest," Tsuki assured them.

Kakashi frowned as much as possible, and his expression resembled Gai's as he opened his Gates one by one. Pure fury overwhelmed him. They could do what they wanted with him and make him a monster, they could hurt him in a million ways, and he would still get up from the bottom where they would send him; but they had no right to hurt Sakura. Not on his watch!

"Raikiri!" screamed furious Kakashi, having previously tied the seal and rushed to Tsuki, in front of whom suddenly, like from under the ground, defenders rose up. He stabbed them both with one blow. Then he tied the symbols of several seals and quickly crouched, pressing his hands to the ground, forming a rock wall with which the rest of the incoming soldiers were pressed down.

At that time, Gai had already awakened the Third Gate and he threw himself into the fray, parrying and delivering blows. He knocked down countless opponents with his arms and legs without using any ninjutsu.

Kakashi, on the other hand, made his way across the sea of defenders towards the fish-woman to deprive them of their leader. Tsuki seemed to be the commander-in-chief, so he thought that when he got to her, the rest of these half-brains would not be any threat to the two shinobi.

When he finally approached Tsuki , he noticed how the two men led Sakura through the door, though she was wiggling and kicking, screaming how hard she could. The sight infuriated him even more. The 17-year-old stared into Tsuki's bulging eyes, forming a seal and recalling his original technique again. However, then a man appeared on his way, brandishing a sword, who had cut the skin on Kakashi's wrist after a while, but the young shinobi knew how to use it. Therefore, after a while, he formed another seal, nailing both bloody hands to the ground.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" he hissed, and a seal was imprinted on the ground, summoning a pack of his dogs, whom he immediately ordered to deal with the invasion of attackers, while he would be able to calmly take off Tsuki and then follow Sakura, but before that, he ordered also; "Shiba, Urushi! Follow Sakura! Don't let anything happen to her!"

Then, along with his ninkens, he plunged into the fray, throwing kunai as well as shurikens in a style known only to Copy Ninja.

Tsuki snarled some command at her subordinates, who were slaughtered by Gai and the ninja dogs.

Meanwhile, Kakashi made his way to their leader, summoning his lightning blade again. He also activated his sharingan and ran towards her, instantly piercing her body.

Tsuki choked on her blood, and a few drops flew from her mouth as she let out a groan of pain. She stared into Kakashi's murderous eyes and smiled slyly.

"We... Orochimaru's failed experiments, we also wanted to have something to say," she gasped, though the seconds of her life had already been counted.

"Just because you are different doesn't mean you should do evil in this world," Kakashi growled.

Tsuki smiled without a trace of merriment.

"We wanted to get his attention again after he locked us here for more than ten years... in the dark and without food..." she muttered, the image in her eyes starting to blur. "The plan was to catch all the pretty Konoha children and disfigure them as Orochimaru did years ago... and maybe he even... would come back to us if he noticed that he had new objects to experiment..." Even more blood flowed from the mouth of the fish-woman, then she stared into Kakashi's eyes. "If you don't let go... kill everyone... let neither of us get out of here..."

Hatake yanked his hand from the woman's chest, and she fell to the ground, dead. Then the young shinobi went to save Sakura. He hit the door with all his might, and the torn door flew to the far end of the tunnel. Kakashi looked around the corridor in panic and saw something he had completely unexpected.

"Aren't we too late to play?" Asuma threw, holding Ichiro and Ichizo by the tailcoats, while Kurenai held Sakura tightly so that no one would notice her torn dress. Shiba and Urushi bit the feet of the two torturers who were screaming in pain. Kakashi, with the help of his sharingan, noticed that his ninkens had almost skinned their legs. And in his direction Pakkun was walking calmly.

Mission completed successfully. And in what a style.

~ * ~

Despite the capturing and dealing the justice of the criminal group, Kakashi spied on the Haruno family for the next week to make sure Sakura was safe. Apart from that, he was also keeping an eye on the other kid who kept him awake at night with his mischief. And to think that he, Hatake Kakashi, had to clean up everywhere after him... and apologize to the locals, and then listen to them complaints that this "monster" should be kept locked up... He would then often smile at these people then, saying:

"What a pity this boy was sacrificed so that you could treat him like that."

It often shut the mouths of the local freaks, but some of the older women were really a pain in the ass, then Kakashi kept saying:

"Fourth Hokage, do you see for whom you've sacrificed yourself? These people aren't grateful to you..."

And he continued to wash the walls after Naruto's crazy graffiti, smiling at his carefree. Though he would sometimes see him broken, he didn't even know how to talk to him... like... "Hi Naruto, I knew your father."? or; "Oh! Hi Naruto! Your father was my teacher!" or maybe; "Hi Naruto, my parents are also dead. Do you want to cry?" No, it wasn't the best idea. Kakashi was completely unsuitable for this type of conversation, the boy would probably have run away screaming. His only regret was that Naruto couldn't find a friend to whom he could talk to...

Kakashi tried to keep an eye on these two, although Naruto took more of his time, as his mischief often ended badly, but he also kept his eye on Sakura. Well, often when he was watching the sleeping girl in the evenings, he noticed how she would wake up in terror with a silent scream on her lips in the middle of the night. At first he didn't want to get involved, but he could see how her eyes grew paler and paler every day. It seemed as if these dreams were sucking all life and energy out of her. Therefore, on one of these nights, he decided to intervene. He then sat down on the windowsill and talked with Sakura about everything and nothing.

Until it finally became their routine. Kakashi sat on her windowsill every night to chat. He let her talk about her nightmares and what was bothering her, and she gratefully asked him about Rin, Obito, his parents. Hatake had some concerns at first, but when Sakura confessed that she saw Rin in the genjutsu he had imposed on her, Kakashi realized that there was no point in lying, so he opened up to her and told her about everything. Somehow, from that day on, his heart felt lighter. Especially when, after hearing the words "I killed my friend", Sakura replied; "It wasn't your fault. It was her choice," in a calm voice containing long-time wisdom.

The young shinobi began to wonder if Sakura wasn't too mature for her age.

~ * ~

"It will be a joke of the century!" Naruto exclaimed happily.

Sakura pretended it didn't bother her at all, just like Sasuke, but her inner Sakura screamed with joy. At least until their new tutor stuck his head inside so that the sponge fell over his lush hair.

Her eyes widened in astonishment and she wished she hadn't allowed Naruto to do something so monstrous.

"We are so sorry!" she exclaimed. "It's not us, it was Naruto's idea!"

She barely refrained from saying his name, as it seemed she should have called him "Kakashi-sensei" from now on.

Whereas Kakashi analysed the behaviour of his three students, and his eyes fell on Sakura, whom he gave that warm smile of his. Admittedly, he looked a little different now, he was an adult after all, but she would have recognized him anywhere. Especially since a few years ago they talked to each other in the evenings, and then... he suddenly disappeared. Though young Haruno had no idea that he was actually still watching her, only from his hiding spot, just like Naruto, who finally won his confidant — Iruka . The grey-haired shinobi was happy that the boy wasn't alone anymore.

And then Hatake took them to a place with a view on the entire Leaf Village, where he asked them to introduce and say something about themselves.

"Haruno Sakura," pink-haired girl replied after a moment, smiling politely. "What I like... um, let's think..." The twelve-year-old scratched her cheek, glancing at Sasuke, who was sitting invariably thoughtful and focused. She studied his face for a moment, then looked back at Kakashi and felt a strong blush on her cheeks. "I like a lot of things. What do I hate?" Here Sakura sent Naruto a furious glare, which softened right after that, when she again responded to the gaze sent to her by Kakashi. "Mean people who kidnap innocent children," she said instead, which made Kakashi flinch, as if he had just realized who he was dealing with. "And my dream is... to become the best kunoichi in the village! To wipe all these wicked people off the face of the earth once and for all, shannaro!" Sakura hissed with all her might clenching her hand into a fist.

Kakashi gave her his famous smile as he analysed her words. He saw how she watched the young Uchiha with interest, which meant that this mission was a success. It was thanks to Hatake that she could fall in love with this boy and think of him as someone attractive, and not live in constant fear of evil touch...

"Tomorrow at dawn. No food or drink," Kakashi announced when everyone had the opportunity to speak up.

~ * ~

It was late noon when Kakashi finally showed up. The three genins lay in the grass from exhaustion and hunger. Therefore, when he challenged them to a duel, neither of them wanted to move, not even Sakura, who promised herself in the morning that she would give all of her. Well, the Kakashi she knew so far has changed a bit.

Sakura watched Naruto's actions for some time, remembering very well what techniques Kakashi had used during that mission, but... so far she hadn't seen his shining weapon. In fact, he hadn't done anything yet, as Naruto was constantly attacking him and he was just getting out of his way.

Until Naruto fell tired. Then Kakashi proceeded to attack her.

"Sakura," he whispered next to her ear.

Haruno screamed when she realized that he suddenly materialized by her side.

"Nice hiding spot," he commented, and then pointed his finger at Sasuke, who was buried in the ground up to his neck and still just snorting.

The pink-haired genin sighed in resignation and moved towards the boy, whom she wanted to help somehow. But how? Pulling on his hair was of no use, and when she tried to grab his head, he started to tear from her, screaming; "Not only have you pulled my hair out, but now you want to tear my head off, you clumsy oaf?!"

Enough is enough.

Sakura with all her strength hit Sasuke on his protruding head with her fist. And then, dusting her hands off, she returned to her place, where Kakashi was still waiting for her, staring at the empty spot after Sasuke's illusion, as well as at Sakura herself with her eyes wide open. As you can see, he wasn't the only one who has changed.

~ * ~

"Naruto," Sakura whispered, feeling the tears flowing to her eyes. "Promise me one thing, and I will ask you for no more."

The teenager looked at his friend expectantly.

"Promise me, you will come back safe and sound, okay?" she said through tears, then pulled the boy to her and hugged him tightly.

"Of course, Sakura-chan. I'll bring him back, I promise."

"Safe and sound. Both!" She cut the last word through clenched teeth.

"Safe and sound," Naruto repeated, then turned on his heel and, under the guidance of Shikamaru, set off in pursuit of his friend.

Naruto kept his word and when he returned, Sakura was glad that at least one of her friends came back alive and well. It was enough for her, since Sasuke was going to continue in the hatred consuming him from the inside.

~ * ~

And so Naruto was leaving Konoha once again. Sakura looked over her shoulder at Kakashi who gave her that warm smile of his.

"I need to prepare for the chūnin exam," she announced.

"You're already training under the Hokage," replied Kakashi.

Sakura sighed resignedly.

"Tsunade won't teach me to control my own nature."

"You can certainly pass the exam with your medical skills."

Haruno saddened.

"Unfortunately not. Tsunade told me to find an additional mentor," she explained. "Well, I thought that..."

"Alright. Let's see what's inside you," Kakashi muttered, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his pants.

They walked slowly towards the training grounds.

~ * ~

"Naruto."

The mentioned one frowned.

"Sakura-chan? What are you doing here?" He was surprised.

Haruno knew that after the Raikage had refused to agree to Naruto's proposal, he would be devastated. All their friends were not satisfied with this idea, and Ino just cried, but not Sakura. She knew what had to be done. There was no time for tears. She must have confused Naruto somehow. She glanced over her shoulder at Kiba who snorted as she hugged the blonde, and when her gaze met Kakashi for a moment, the man frowned.

"Forget that promise, Naruto-kun," she asked. "Please, forget about Sasuke."

Naruto pushed Sakura away from him at arm's length.

"Sakura-chan, I don't know what you mean, but I promised myself that I would bring him. Not for you, but for myself, because Sasuke is like a brother to me."

"He tried to kill you!" Sakura accused him irritated.

"He's not a best friend material, but hey, Sai didn't know what it was either, until he finally understood it. Sasuke just needs a little more time."

Sakura sighed resignedly. The only thing Sasuke needed now is deliverance from this cruel fate that he has prepared for himself. And perhaps it would be better if he died at the hand of a friend than an enemy...

"All right. Then we come back," the pink-haired kunoichi instructed.

Kakashi didn't have to follow Sakura to know what she was planning. He knew her all too well.

~ * ~

"Sasuke! I ran away from Konoha because I can't stand life there without you!"

Uchiha looked over his shoulder and smiled sarcastically.

"Great. I just lost the medical ninja in the squad."

Sakura glanced at the red-haired girl lying nearby with her chest pierced right through. Rather, you got rid of her by yourself, Sakura thought.

"Come on, you'll come with me, Sakura," he replied, slowly walking forward.

The mentioned one was still on the other part of the bridge, but she sensed the right moment, so when she made the jump, she drew the poisoned kunai from her saddlebag and, wanting to surprise Uchiha, delivered a blow.

However, the sharingan owner was faster and in the blink of an eye drew his lightning blade aiming at Sakura. Around it brightened and there was a sound of chirping birds as Sasuke used his chidori. Exactly at the same moment, right in front of her, Kakashi appeared and parried Sasuke's blow, then glared at him menacingly, but the Uchiha ignored him.

"I didn't teach you this technique to use on your friends," Kakashi said.

The last descendant of the Uchiha clan once again disobeyed his teacher. Hatake used the earth style, building a rock wall from which a weapon thrown by their opponent was bounced off.

"Sakura, take this girl and try to heal her. Stay away! I will do what I should long ago," muttered Kakashi and chased after Sasuke.

Haruno used her power to flow chakra and moved the unconscious to a safe place. She knelt beside her, forcing healing chakra into her body.

"Sasuke... is... different..." the stranger muttered.

"Relax, you shouldn't be saying anything now. You're very weak," the pink-haired kunoichi replied.

"Karin, I'm Karin. I thought Sasuke and I..."

Sakura frowned. She knew what her friend was, and was well aware that he deserved no one. She should have killed him right away when she had the chance, but she couldn't. After all, it was her friend.

When her chakra power ceased to heal Karin, Sakura stood up. There was nothing more she could do for her. She sealed all the wounds of internal organs as well as external tissues. Karin was still laying, because she was too weak after losing a lot of blood, but also because of the disappointment that she trusted the boy who had hurt her on purpose. And for a broken heart, Sakura didn't know the cure.

"I have to go and save the one I sincerely love," Haruno announced, taking out a kunai.

Karin squeezed her eyes shut.

"You should forget about Sasuke. There's no salvation for him," Uzumaki replied.

Haruno, who had already jumped on the wall of the bridge, glanced over her shoulder at the red-haired girl. She stared at her with pained eyes, as if she knew what Sakura could feel at that moment.

"I know. I wasn't talking about Sasuke," said pink-haired kunoichi, frowning. "I meant someone else..."

After these words, she jumped off the bridge, leaving a surprised Karin alone, who in turn wondered what that girl might have seen in the guy hiding his face behind the mask.

~ * ~

They were within an ace of the war. Another one. This time much more powerful than before.

"Sakura-chan."

Naruto got her attention. He was about to set sail in search of the octopus from the prophecy. Then all hell would break loose, though he himself had no idea. Anything just to protect him.

"Hm?" she murmured, looking at him.

They were sitting on the ruins of a wall that had probably once belonged to one of the training fields that had been razed to the ground after Pain's attack.

A light breeze from the west blew, blowing an unwanted strand of hair over her face, which she then tucked behind her ear. Staring at the boy's blue eyes.

"I... don't know how to say it," he admitted honestly.

"Better straight to the point," she replied.

And then Naruto leaned over and placed a kiss on her lips. It was just a touch, but it still caused complete chaos and anxiety inside her. Because... this great boy was like a brother to her.

"What I wanted to express with this kiss is that..." The young shinobi swallowed loudly. "Sakura-chan, I lo..."

"I know," she said, looking down at her hands in her lap.

"But you don't feel the same..."

"It's not like that, Naruto," she interrupted him. "I... I just don't think I deserve you."

The boy was clearly surprised.

"But how?"

"I don't deserve you, Naruto," she repeated, as if trying to reassure herself of this belief. "My point is... at a time when there was never a team seven, I hated you, but it wasn't because you were annoying, but because my parents told me so. Besides, not only them. All our other friends hated you too, because that's what their parents told them..." Sakura started to play with the hem of her tunic, wondering if she had hurt Naruto with these words. "I've been mean to you and never tried to understand you. Only then did I realize that you are a good friend," she explained.

"But that was in the past, Sakura-chan. I can forget that," he said eagerly, placing his hand on hers.

Haruno smiled at him warmly.

"I would really like to return your feelings. You deserve it the most. After all, you did so much for me, but..."

"Is it about Sasuke?"

Sakura shook her head. "No. I never meant him," she replied.

"In that case..."

"Why don't you find a girl who deserves you more?" Sakura decided to change the subject. "For example, the one who has seen something in you from the very beginning."

Naruto sighed in resignation. "You mean Hinata?" he guessed.

"That's a pretty good example."

"I know, I know, just..."

"What?" Sakura snorted, feeling that Naruto will make a fuss.

"You just know, Sakura-chan, I... I don't feel anything for her. She's just a friend to me and no more than that..."

Sakura laughed bitterly.

"We're terrible," she moaned, then added stubbornly, "But Hinata is beautiful and crazy about you."

"Only that you can't make someone love you," Naruto replied.

"It's true," Sakura admitted.

They sat on the wall for a long time in silence. Sakura wondered what to do about Naruto so that he wouldn't feel too rejected, and he, in turn, wondered who turned Sakura's head, since it wasn't Sasuke.

"Just don't pick one of your female fans. They all adore you now, only because you have become a hero," Haruno said, wagging her finger in front of her eyes.

"So we're going back to Hinata?" He laughed, then suddenly grew serious.

Sakura frowned, examining him closely.

"Has there really never been anyone who has accepted you before?" Sakura asked.

The blonde bit his lower lip, then shifted his gaze to the setting sun, remembering the day he was playing on the playground with another girl.

"There was one girl. I remember that we played together at sunset, and her mother was smiling at me pleasantly."

"Really? Who?!" Sakura's eyes widened.

Naruto scratched his head. "I don't remember her name."

Sakura raised her eyes to the sky. "Has she aroused your interest?"

"Yes," Naruto confirmed. "But later..."

"What?"

Naruto shook his head. "She disappeared. And I don't remember what happened that day."

So they were back to square one.

"And you, Sakura-chan? Who is on your mind?"

The young kunoichi briefly considered telling Naruto the truth, but as soon as she thought about it, she began to twist inside at the thought that her friend wouldn't take the truth well.

"You're not gonna like it," she said evasively, but it only made the situation worse, as it only aroused Naruto's fascination.

"Now you have to tell me that, dattebayo!"

Sakura hung her head and shoulders, staring at the grass blowing in the light spring breeze between her legs.

"Kakashi."

The blonde made a vague sound that was half astonishment and perhaps horror. "What?!"

"You see? I said you wouldn't understand," Haruno said, but then Naruto calmed down.

"How did this happen?"

And Sakura told her friend a story that she had been hiding for years and that only few knew. There was shock and disbelief on his face as the story progressed, and all those drastic images that Haruno described went straight to his heart. However, Sakura described not only the rescue mission itself, but also how Kakashi later visited her when she had nightmares and helped her through it, helped her deal with the trauma, and thanks to him, she was now who she was.

Naruto thought for a moment about what he heard from Sakura, who had already finished her story and was staring expectantly at her friend, because she was very anxious if Naruto will accept her chosen one.

"It looks like I was in a lost position from the very beginning," Naruto said, smiling broadly at her.

Sakura shook her head in amusement.

"Oh, well..."

"Nobody can equal Kakashi-sensei," he added shortly after.

They were silent for a moment and when Sakura was about to pick herself up and propose that she would find Naruto's missing girlfriend after the war, of course omitting the fact that they were on the verge of war; they both heard their friend's; "Yo!"

Kakashi raised a hand to greet his former students. But he was still too far away to hear what a couple of friends were talking about here. They both waved him back.

And just as Kakashi approached them, Naruto stood up, glancing at Sakura.

"Maybe this is the moment?" He wondered aloud. "Just talk to him. He will definitely understand."

Panicked Sakura stared into the boy's blue eyes, although his radiant smile disarmed her. "I can't..."

"Yes, you can."

"No, I can't..."

Naruto thought for a moment about the next words and when Kakashi stood by his side, the boy winked at Sakura knowingly, saying; "Sometimes in life it's worth to take a risk."

And in this way, Sakura was left alone with Kakashi.

"What's up?" The man asked nonchalantly.

Sakura looked around, and when she realized that Naruto wasn't around, she breathed a sigh of relief, but immediately afterwards tensed even more.

"We are on the verge of war... it can't get any worse," she murmured.

Kakashi considered her words.

"And here you are wrong. You always have to look for positives in life," he replied.

"Such as?"

Kakashi mused, staring at one point. Probably a key of birds on the horizon.

"We have a beautiful sunset today."

Haruno blinked in surprise.

"This is your answer?!" She was surprised. "I can't believe it! Tomorrow we may die, and you make me sit here and watch the beautiful sunset?!"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"What else should we do if this could be our last night?"

The young kunoichi blinked in surprise.

"You said yourself that we could die tomorrow."

However, the man's words made a certain impression on her. What if this could really be their last night together? Then they will go to war, possibly separate and... she will never have the opportunity to confess her feelings to him again, to be honest...

"Kakashi-sensei?"

"Hm?"

"What would you do if it really was your last night?"

Hatake looked closely at Sakura's posture. Something in her body language called out not to touch her, but on the other hand, it also said that all she needed was closeness to another person.

"My last night, right?" He thought again. "I think I'd be reading a book."

Sakura snorted.

Oops, that's not the answer she wanted, Kakashi thought grimly.

"Okay, let's suppose this is my last night," he muttered, though he didn't like the vision very much. "Well, I guess... I'd go all in."

Haruno blinked in surprise. And maybe it was his words that inspired her, or maybe a vision of her own death, but guided by instinct, she got up from the wall and came to her teacher to admire the beauty of nature by his side.

"This sunset is wonderful," she said.

"Mm," he agreed

It was at that moment that she reached for his hand, twisting their fingers together.