Sakura placed her elbows on the railing of the Konoha Bridge, staring at the clear blue sky. She'd been having some free time, and most of it was spent alone.

Konoha had been brighter since the end of the fourth and final Great Ninja War. Warmth oozed out of the smiles on unfamiliar faces like everyone shared a common clan. And even those who had lost someone in battle carried the weight of grief with pride and wistful sorrow, rather than hate.

It was why Sakura loved her village so much. No matter what happened, they always pushed forward and prevailed, as happy as can be. She would give a limb for the sake of preserving that happiness, and back then, she was sure all her comrades felt the same.

She couldn't fathom why someone would want to leave. To abandon such a warm place, such nice people, such caring friends–like it meant nothing.

What did Team 7 mean to Sasuke, anyways?

What did she mean to Sasuke?

It had been scratching the corner of her mind lately. There was a time she had no doubt in her mind that past the darkness in Sasuke's heart, Team 7 was there, at the core of it all.

In retrospect, that belief was in fact egocentric. Who was she to think she mattered more to the infamous Sasuke Uchiha? Who was she to assume that after everything he'd done, Team 7 would go back to the way it was before.

Who was she to believe he loved her?

"Maybe all he saw was an annoying teammate after all." Sakura chuckled.

I just have to come to the realization that I mean nothing to him, and move on.

Still, the nagging hope at the back of her mind wished to know if there was ever a time, even a fleeting moment, where Sasuke loved her.

And if he ever did, why wasn't that enough reason for him to stay?

: :

A group of three casually strolled through the forest like they had all the time in the world. And they did, after all, no village was pestering them to finish on time; nobody's life was on the line; and no shinobi was actively targeting them.

Sachiki smiled. The privilege of being free to do what she wanted and make her own decisions was something she wished for since she could talk. She was no longer the shinobi her family forced her to be. At last, she could become a scientist.

And she was about to make her first invention, as a scientist.

"This is going to be a traumatizing experience. I can feel it in my bones." Suigetsu wanted to crawl into a corner and die, but seeing Sachiki's excited expression, he decided he'd live for a couple more.

Juugo did not pay attention to his whining. "Calm down. Use a shadow clone."

Suigetsu could punch ever-so-calm Juugo in the face. "Shut up. You're not the one about to lose their innocence forever. Argh! Why do I even listen to Sasuke?! That good for nothing Uchiha bastard's probably having a field day at the expense of my suffering. And Karin, she... she...wait a minute-"

Both Juugo and Sachiki came to a stop once they saw the colour drain from Suigetsu's face. The shark toothed boy stilled, eyes twitching momentarily as realisation of what he had left behind dawned.

Juugo sighed. "I guess he's finally figured it out."

"Figured what out?" Sachiki looked at Juugo, confused.

Suigetsu's scream of horror shook all the trees around him with great force, scaring Juugo's bird friend's away and making the young scientist that was oblivious to Suigetsu's purpose in Team Taka flinch.

" OH MY FUCKING GOD! I LEFT KARIN ALONE WITH SASUKE!"

: :

Karin zipped up her left shoe then slung her backpack over her shoulder. Today what she wanted to do was soak up in a hot bath and relieve all stress, then use that regained energy to try to seduce Sasuke. However, all her plans of relaxation and perverseness were stopped before they even had a chance to start. Immediately after Suigetsu, Juugo and Sachiki were out of sight and ears, Sasuke turned to Karin and gave her a commandment.

"You and I will be going for a trip. Dress up, pack up and meet me here again by eleven."

Karin felt her brows knot. It would be very out of character for Sasuke to ask her out, but that didn't mean she wasn't hoping for it.

A soft smile graced her face as she imagined romantic scenarios between her and Sasuke. She squealed as she checked the time. Her excited expression faded, when she saw a lilac hair tie in one of her drawers, next to a picture of her and Sakura.

She wasn't sure what exactly had happened in this world, but it seemed like nothing had changed except Sasuke's decision. Sakura came to visit Sasuke, but didn't leave with a pregnancy or an embedded Uchiha crest jacket.

She looked so happy in the photo though. Was it because of Sasuke or Karin? And was she happy now?

Karin sighed. Although Juugo told her to forget about Sakura, she couldn't. She wanted to know if her friend was okay.

"I'll be seeing you soon, Sakura chan." Karin decided, she would send her a letter after her little rendezvous.

She picked up the hair tie and used it to pack her hair, making a cute bow at the top. Then she left the room.

Sasuke was leaning against the left wall near the entrance when he heard the familiar tap of Karin's boots against the floor. His eyes flickered to her tied up hair.

"Where are we going?" Karin asked as they started moving, both with duffel bags.

"Nowhere in particular." He told her.

"Okay..." Karin was getting confused. "Why are we going on a trip?"

Silence.

Karin had given up on expecting an answer when he finally replied, "You have been very understanding and helpful, so I wanted to take you out with me. So we could talk freely. "

Karin's eyes widened.

"O-Oh." She wanted to scream; to shake a tree; to jump around in happiness- to do anything. But instead, she controlled her bubbling excitement to the best extent she could, with the only thing giving her away being the blush on her cheeks and the smile on her lips.

The birds whistled above them, as if celebrating for Karin.

Unfortunately for Karin, the next two hours were of nothing but silence. Sasuke was in deep thought it seemed and Karin did not wish to disturb him so she kept quiet, though it frustrated her tremendously to do so. They had been walking for so long, and Karin's feet were killing her. She stopped for two seconds to twist her feet around, not knowing that Sasuke was glancing at her.

She bit her lip, fiddling with a few strands of her hair that had escaped from the bun. She wanted to say or do something. It was time alone with Sasuke, something that was rare to get when you had Suigetsu lurking around. She needed to make the most of it.

"A kyo for your thoughts?" she asked, at the same time Sasuke turned to the left.

The raven haired Uchiha increased his pace, leading Karin through a clear path in a forest. The end of that path began to show clearly, and all Karin could see was...blue.

A gasp escaped her lips at the sight before her. Shimmering waters cascaded down the edge of a cliff, filling the depression below and painting the side of Sasuke's face with shine.

"This is where I come to sometimes to think." Sasuke started, "And I've been thinking of taking your advice and trying to talk more. That's why I brought you here."

A blush painted Karin's face. "You want to talk to me? W-why?"

Sasuke sat on the rock beside him and patted the side next to him, gesturing for her to follow suit.

"Your feet must hurt." He stated the moment Karin sat. Then, "You are the only person that can understand me."

"But what about Naruto and Sakura?"

"Sakura doesn't understand me; she only loves me. Naruto understood a part of me, and tried to change the other part he didn't understand."

Karin was surprised at this. She never knew he felt such. "What part of you did Naruto not understand?"

The sound of gushing water encouraged Sasuke to speak more, "The part of me that chose power, left the village, wanted to destroy the village, and severed all ties with my comrades."

"Ah," Karin nodded her head. "Naruto is a very... good person. I've only met him once, but his whole aura and chakra was filled with goodness. It would make sense why someone like him wouldn't understand why you'd do what you did."

"Hn," Sasuke nodded his head, "I wanted vengeance and that idiot probably can't even spell it."

Karin's laugh overshadowed the sound of the calming waters.

Sasuke asked, "Why is your hair like that?"

It was when she felt a splash of water on the back of her neck that she realised what he meant. "Oh, you mean the bun? I don't know, I just thought it would be hot and we'd be under the sun for long."

Sasuke raised a brow. She had never done this for any of the missions they went on, even though those days were much hotter.

"It's cool here because of the waterfall, so you don't need that."

Karin felt a rush of heat to her cheeks when a hand reached behind her head and pulled on the tie, undoing the ribbon and letting her hair cascade down her shoulders.

Sasuke whispered so lowly that Karin couldn't hear it over the sound of the waterfall, "Much better."

Sasuke had never seen Karin so shy. "Uhm-have you-how is Itachi?"

The lagoon was making Sasuke's eyes twinkle, and it was making her feel a certain way.

"I'd like to think he's fine." Sasuke spoke softly, contemplating on whether he should say more. He decided to take another leap, "He's with Mother and Father now, so he must be happy."

Karin smiled, wrapping her arms around her knees and putting her chin on them. "That's good. Tell him I said hi."

Sasuke could almost laugh. He'd never thought he'd be one to talk to dead people, but ever since Karin suggested it he was always up late at night, telling his brother how much he loved him and that he was sorry.

He had been taking a lot of Karin's suggestions and growing with them. And he was able to admit that Karin had become an important part in his redemption journey.

A journey he thought he'd take alone.

"My apology was sincere." Sasuke didn't have to elaborate. Karin already knew what he meant.

Her soft smile changed to a grin. "I know. I'm a master lie detector, remember?"

Sasuke's lips quirked. He thought, like everything else in his life, redemption would be found by himself. He never imagined, even in his wildest dreams, that the red headed girl who would be by his side through it.

He glanced at her once again, eyes zeroing in on the mark that had been revealed by a bunched up sleeve. Sasuke frowned.

"Tell me about your past Karin."

And it shocked him greatly when he saw every single inch of light vanish from Karin's eyes.