Tale As Old As Time / SasuSaku

Bonds Beyond Time

Sakura reluctantly turned in her futile attempt to go to bed, her tired eyes fixated on the digital clock beside her. A groan escaped her as realization struck - she had only an hour left before work.

"Damn, did I seriously not get any sleep at all?" Sakura sighed in frustration. It was around 5am, and she had to be at work by 6am. The demands of medical school were already taking a toll on her, not to mention the lingering pain of Sasuke's absence.

Dragging herself out of bed, Sakura grabbed her scrubs and glanced at her reflection in the mirror. She looked like a complete mess, but she couldn't care less. There was no one she needed to impress anyway. Skipping the makeup routine, she lazily tied her hair into a ponytail and prepared herself a cup of coffee.

"At least work will keep my mind off things," Sakura muttered to herself, her heart heavy in the emptiness of her apartment. It felt desolate, a constant reminder of her solitude. She cursed herself inwardly for allowing herself to fall in love with Sasuke. She wished things didn't have to be this way. However, there was a silver lining: she now had Hinata to confide in. Initially, she had feared Hinata would find her emotions crazy, but it turned out to be quite the opposite.

Gathering her belongings, Sakura picked up her keys and headed out. At the same time, her neighbor Izumi was also getting ready to leave for her shift.

"Good morning, Sakura! Ready for this 12-hour shift?" Izumi's cheerful voice resonated through the hallway. Izumi was known for her morning enthusiasm, though it often faded as the day wore on.

Izumi, a nurse practitioner at the hospital, was one of Sakura's coworkers. Being a few years older, she had become a mentor figure to Sakura during her time at the hospital.

Sakura chuckled, "Yeah, all I need is a few more cups of coffee, and I'll be good to go." Together, Sakura and Izumi walked side by side until they reached the apartment parking lot.

Izumi looked at Sakura with concern. "Are you okay? You seem a bit down today. Sorry if I'm intruding," she asked in a caring tone.

Shaking her head, Sakura replied, "I don't even know what to call it. Maybe a breakup? Heartbreak? I'm just going through it," she sighed. It was impossible to conceal the heaviness in her heart. Anyone around her could tell something was wrong, even without her having to say a word.

Izumi sighed sympathetically, "Yeah, I understand what you mean... I went through a heartbreak a few years ago, and the pain is still there."

Sakura's eyes widened. Does this mean she'll never truly get over Sasuke? Everyone's healing process is different, but hearing that Izumi was still affected after so many years scared her. Sakura had never felt this devastated when breaking up with her previous boyfriend. With Sasuke, it was different. Their relationship was defined by its complexity and the peculiar circumstances surrounding it. She was in love with a man who no longer existed in her era. Technically, he had been considered dead for centuries by now.

Sensing the change in Sakura's demeanor, Izumi immediately offered comfort. "But that doesn't mean you won't get over him. The situation I was in... well, no one would believe it if I told them," she said, opening the door to her car. "Anyway, I'm sorry, we can talk more at work, alright? Hang in there."

Nodding, Sakura watched Izumi drive off before sinking into her own car seat, letting out a deep sigh. "Nobody truly understands what I'm going through."

...

Itachi glanced at Sasuke, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "You sure about doing this tonight? Are you okay with leaving everything behind?"

Sasuke nodded firmly, determined to seize the opportunity to go back to Sakura. "There's nothing left for us here, older brother. Our loved ones, they're all gone. The only reason I had to stay was you. But now, I just want to be with her."