Disobedient Desires (KakaSaku)

Avoidance

Sakura barely slept that night. The weight of Ino's words hung over her like a storm cloud, threatening to break at any moment. The reality of their situation, the danger, the risks-it all felt so much heavier now that someone knew. Someone had seen.

When she arrived at school the next morning, her stomach was in knots. Her feet felt heavy as she walked down the hallway, each step bringing her closer to Kakashi's classroom. She wasn't sure what she would say to him. Should she tell him that Ino had seen them? That their secret was out?

As she rounded the corner, she caught sight of Ino standing by the lockers, chatting with a group of their classmates. Her laughter rang out like nothing had changed, but when her eyes met Sakura's, there was a brief flicker of something-concern, maybe, or a reminder of their conversation the day before.

Sakura quickly looked away, her heart racing. She knew Ino wouldn't tell anyone, but the knowledge of what she had seen made everything feel more fragile, like one wrong move could make it all fall apart.

When she reached Kakashi's classroom, she hesitated at the door, taking a deep breath before stepping inside. He was already there, sitting at his desk, flipping through papers. His mask of professionalism was firmly in place, as always. But Sakura could feel the tension beneath it, the unspoken connection that still lingered between them.

She slipped into her seat, her mind racing. Should she say something? Should she warn him? But what if that only made things worse?

The classroom slowly filled with students, and soon enough, the lesson began. Kakashi's voice was calm and steady, explaining some intricate detail of character development in writing, but Sakura could barely focus. Her mind was consumed with the knowledge that someone had seen them, that their secret had been exposed.

As the class went on, she found herself glancing at him more often than usual, searching for any sign that he was aware of the danger they were in. But Kakashi remained as composed as ever, never once giving away that anything was amiss.

When the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Sakura felt a surge of panic. She needed to talk to him, but not here. Not where anyone could see.

As the students filed out, she lingered, as she often did, waiting for a moment when they could be alone. But just as she was about to approach him, Ino appeared at the door, her eyes locking onto Sakura's with a sharp, pointed look.

Sakura froze. The message was clear-don't do anything stupid.

She gathered her things quickly, avoiding Kakashi's gaze as she made her way to the door. But before she could leave, Ino stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

"We need to talk," Ino said quietly, her voice firm but not unkind. "Now."

Sakura glanced back at Kakashi, who was watching them both with a curious expression. She nodded, following Ino out into the hallway. The moment they were out of earshot, Ino turned to her, her face serious.

"Sakura, I'm not going to keep covering for you if you keep doing this at school," Ino said, her voice low but intense. "You think no one else is going to notice? You're being reckless. If anyone else sees you two... it'll ruin everything."

Sakura felt a lump form in her throat. "I know," she whispered. "I know it's dangerous. I just... I can't stop. I don't know how."

Ino sighed, running a hand through her blonde hair. "Look, I'm not judging you. I don't know what's going on between you and Professor Hatake, and honestly, I don't need to know. But this... this is going to end badly if you're not careful."

Sakura swallowed hard, guilt and fear twisting inside her. "I don't know what to do, Ino. I... I care about him. More than I should."

Ino's expression softened, her eyes filled with concern. "I know you do. But you need to be smart about this. If you get caught... it won't just be you who gets in trouble. It'll be him too."

Sakura nodded, feeling tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. She hadn't thought about it like that. All this time, she had been so consumed by her feelings, by the thrill of their secret, that she hadn't fully considered the consequences for Kakashi.

"I'll be careful," Sakura promised, her voice trembling slightly. "I'll figure it out."

Ino studied her for a moment, then sighed. "I hope so, for both your sakes."

With that, she walked away, leaving Sakura standing in the hallway, feeling more conflicted than ever.

That afternoon, Sakura avoided Kakashi's classroom. She couldn't face him, not yet. She needed time to think, to figure out how to move forward without putting them both at risk.

As she walked home, her thoughts swirled with uncertainty. She knew she needed to be more careful, to distance herself from him, but the very idea of staying away from Kakashi felt unbearable. The pull between them was too strong, too intense.

But now that Ino knew, now that their secret was hanging by a thread, everything felt different. The thrill of it was gone, replaced by a gnawing sense of dread.

She didn't know how long she could keep this up.

The next day, Sakura arrived at school with a plan. She would be distant, cold even. She couldn't afford any more slip-ups. If anyone else saw them-if anyone else caught on-it would be the end. Not just for her, but for Kakashi too.

As she sat in class, avoiding his gaze, she felt the weight of his eyes on her, but she didn't look up. She couldn't.

But no matter how hard she tried, the fire inside her refused to die.

She was in too deep now, and she didn't know how to get out.