Preventing The Inevitable

Chapter 23

Sasuke showed up to their training the following week, too. And the week after that.

Whenever Shisui appeared with the grumpy boy in tow, whose face would scrunch up once he saw her, Sakura wondered why he even came along. It didn't look like he was enjoying himself.

Besides the times when Itachi was also there. Sakura had only met Sasuke four times in this lifetime, but it was quite clear how much of a motivational boost Itachi's presence gave the little Uchiha. Said older brother had accompanied Sasuke to their training spot once, and upon being faced with the combined effort of Shisui and Sasuke insisting on him staying for the training, the ten-year-old ended up standing next to his cousin and watching Sasuke and her train.

On that day, Sasuke seemed to be working harder than all other times Sakura had trained beside him. Moreover, he didn't even comment on her bickering with Shisui about the way she held her Kunai. Maybe he was getting used to Sakura arguing with someone he held respect for. That particular time, Sakura had tried a grip called 'pinch grip' without any prior mention to Shisui. Her (inofficial) mentor had been mad about that—apparently too dangerous to try anything involving knives without informing someone who can then supervise.

The pinch grip didn't really seem to work for her anyway. And she had figured that out by the time Shisui noticed her, which was great for her, but only seemed to agitate him more when she mentioned it.

"Hey."

Sakura glanced at Sasuke as she picked up a kunai lying on the forest floor. "I have a name, you know. Don't just 'hey' me."

"...Sakura." He looked compelled to add 'chan' to spite her but seemed to give up on the idea upon seeing her raised eyebrow and the 'don't you dare' look in her eyes. "Are you really gonna join the Academy?"

Her kunai shot through the air. It landed just a hand's width away from the middle.

Sakura sighed. On another day, she might have told Sasuke to not get involved in her business. If she was feeling like teasing him, she'd perhaps have asked him if he was that scared to be in a class with her. And on a particularly bad day, she may even have told him to fuck off.

But on that chilly day in late November—maybe it was because her deadline was approaching or becasue Shisui was away for an errand—she didn't feel like doing any of that.
So, she instead told him the truth. "I'd like to. But I can't."

Sasuke's hands stilled. "...what?" His eyes widened, processing her words. "But Shisui-san said..."

"He doesn't know."

Sasuke paused for a short moment before resuming with his practice, surprisingly unaffected. "So, you're saying he just assumed it?" He mocked, seemingly reaching some kind of conclusion, albeit not the right one. "Don't make jokes. Shisui-san isn't stupid, he wouldn't do that. Besides, I know Shisui-san is only training you because of the Academy. There's no reason he would do that otherwise."

"I lied to Shisui."

"Yeah, sure. Bet you wouldn't dare t—"

"No, really." Sakura wiped her hands on her pants. "Well, basically. I believed it at first, too. But now I have no reason to tell him the truth, do I? As you said, he's only helping me 'cuz of the Academy."

Now Sasuke was gaping. "But—but my brother told me that..." He stammered.

"I lied to him, too."

Thump. The leaves rustled as the kunai Sasuke had let go of hit the ground. He made no effort to pick it up, frozen in place after hearing some civilian girl his age openly confess to lying to not only the cousin he so respected but also the older brother he adored.