SASUSAKU: TROUBLED TIMES

Confessions

It was already nightfall, and ever since Sakura had seen Sasuke after more than 10 years she had been in a restless state, her stomach hurt from nerves, she had a lump in her throat, her heart was beating rapidly, feeling it in her temples, and she couldn't stand still. She was cooking dinner, and Tsunade was watching her strangely. That state was unusual for her.

"After dinner I have to go to the Uzumaki compound for a moment," Sakura lied so Tsunade wouldn't start asking her questions.

"How is that? Something happened?" she asked strangely.

"One of Naruto's aunts has a cold and can barely rest because of all the coughing and congestion she has, so they've asked me to go visit her and bring her some kind of medicine," she explained the lie she was making up at the same moment.

"Mmh" Tsunade nodded almost convinced.

"Nana," Sarada said, approaching Tsunade, who quickly turned to look at her granddaughter with sweet eyes. "Did you know that mama's friend finally came to visit her?" she asked innocently, and Sakura quickly tensed up, which Tsunade noticed.

"Oh, really? And who is that mysterious friend of mom's?" she asked, now turning to Sakura with a suspicious look, and Sakura gulped nervously.

"No, it's nothing..." she began to speak until Sarada interrupted her:

"Sasuke, his name is Sasuke," Sarada replied amused, to which Sakura quickly closed her eyes in defeat, knowing that Tsunade would no longer believe that she was going to the Uzumaki estate.

"Oh..." said Tsunade surprised, changing her expression. "So you're going to the Uzumaki compound now?" she emphasized the question, making her understand that she really knew where she was going.

"Yes, mother. It won't be long," she answered, this time avoiding her gaze.

As she was about to leave, Tsunade stopped her for a second, while Sarada was reading a book on one of the sofas.

"Sakura..." she called her in an authoritative voice, and Sakura knew that tone of voice well. Tsunade was not happy. "I didn't sign the treaty with the Uchihas so you could run back into that idiot's arms," she said, fixing her with an angry look.

"Mother, I'm old enough to know what I'm doing, don't worry," she replied irritated. "Besides, he's met Sarada, he deserves an explanation," she said, lowering her gaze.

"You don't owe him anything," she replied angrily. "You're the one who was left alone raising a child, don't forget that."

"I won't forget," she said, looking her in the eyes angrily, and she walked off toward the hill. That hill was on the outskirts of Konoha, an hour from the cabin. There, when Sasuke and Sakura were together, they had escaped more than once to have more privacy, since they were never alone on the compound.

The moonlight guided her way, the path was clear, and she could see all the figures of the night clearly, so the path there wasn't difficult to walk. When Sakura arrived, he was already there waiting for her. Seeing him sitting there, his broad back, his long dark hair, and perfect profile, brought back so many memories that she almost started to cry. But she held back, she couldn't show herself vulnerable, she was very angry with him. When he saw her arrive, he quickly stood up to greet her, but Sakura didn't want to get too close to him, for fear of getting carried away. Seeing him brought back so many memories, and feeling distant from him seemed so artificial, because what her body and heart told her was to go into his arms, hug him, and kiss him, feeling protected by in his arms like before. But that wasn't natural anymore, he was married and he abandoned her, so it was natural not to even be there and give him the chance to explain himself. But, even so, she did it.