The Queen of Masks [Sakura Haruno Story]

45

Sakura sighed, bored out of her mind.

Kisaki-sensei had given the day she came back from her mission off. So Sakura had slept until noon, and was now lying on her bed, doing absolutely nothing.

Her parents were away at work, and Sakura was alone in the house.

Sighing once again, this time so deeply she could practically feel her lungs rattling, Sakura rolled off her bed, falling onto the floor with a thump. She got up, threw on some clothes (she didn't even look at them before slipping them on) and concealer (she felt well rested, but the dark bags were still there).

She slid her feet into some sandals, and was out the door.

Her feet carried her to a bakery a few blocks away from her house. She purchased three cinnamon buns that she had learned that Rui liked about two years ago.

She bought one for Kisaki-sensei as well, figuring she would most likely find her hanging out in the forest somewhere.

She walked the familiar path to Rui confinements, greeting the guards as she entered.

She had been expecting to see Rui doing jumping jacks, or sit ups, or some form of exercise. She was expecting him to be lying on his bed, reading a book. She was expecting him to be on his computer chatting with strangers online, like he always loved to do.

What she wasn't expecting was the lights to be off and the room to be completely silent.

"Rui?" Sakura called, stepping into the room.

Just as she began feeling around for chakra signatures, that light flipped on.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SAKURA!!!!" Kisaki and Rui jumped out of the shadows.

Sakura opened and closed her mouth twice, the bag of cinnamon buns falling from Sakura's hand to the floor, before proceeding to summon up the most intelligent response she could possibly summon up in that situation. "Um. What?"

Rui pinched the bridge of his nose. "Please don't tell me you've forgotten that it's your birthday today."

Realization dawned on Sakura's face, but it quickly turned into a sheepish grin.

"You're turning sixteen, by the way. Incase you've also forgotten how old are are." Kisaki added though her mask.

They spent the rest of the afternoon playing games, chatting, and eating (Rui ate all three of the cinnamon buns). Kisaki even taught Sakura how to make the sound of wind chimes using chakra, like she always did when she wanted to announce her presence.

Sakura lay on the floor of Rui's cell and smiled. Her master had just left the party, and Rui was finishing the last bit of clean up.

"Hey there, Sakura." Rui plopped down beside her.

Sakura sat up and leaned her head against Rui's shoulder.

"The sun hasn't even gone down yet, wanna make sure I don't escape and go for a walk with me?" He suggested.

Sakura and laughed and nodded slightly before standing up.

The guard objected the idea of letting Rui roam free, but finally agreed when Sakura pinky promised that she wouldn't let him out of her sight.

Sakura slipped her arm though Rui's and they strolled down the streets of Konoha, chatting about random and unimportant things.

"Sakura!" A very familiar voice cut though their conversation. 

She turned to find Naruto skidding to a stop in front of them, glaring at Rui. "Who's that?" He jabbed a thumb in Rui's direction. 

"Oh!" Sakura smiled brightly. "This is Rui." 

Naruto frowned, looking disappointed. "Why'd you pick him over me? After all those times I asked you out! Plus, don't you think he's a bit old for you? He's gotta be at least twenty."

Sakura tilted her head to the side, confused, before bursting out in laughter. "You think-" she gasped, trying to catch her breath, "-that I'd ever go out with him?" 

"Hey!"

Sakura patted Rui's arm, wiping a tear from her eye with her other hand. "I'm sorry Rui." She turned back to Naruto. "Rui's like an older brother to me." 

Naruto's frown turned to confusion, and then to relief. "Oh, ok." He sighed and straightened his back. "By the way, Sakura, I came here to wish you a happy birthday. I was looking for you all over town!"

Sakura smiled. "Thank you, Naruto."

"Oh! And I might've asked the others for help with finding you..." He grinned sheepishly before it turned into a mischievous one and he pulled a small tube out of his back pocket. 

Before Sakura could stop him, Naruto pulled a sting out of the bottom, sending a flare in to the afternoon sky. 

Sakura's eyes widened and she grabbed Rui's hand. "We have to get ou-" A howl cut her off as Akamaru and Kiba jumped onto the path behind them, blocking the exit.

A few seconds after, Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru came running down the path behind Naruto. Hinata and Shino landed beside Kiba. And Sai calmly walked out of the bushes.

"Ah, Sakura!" Kiba shamelessly checked out the pink haired girl, his eyes roaming up and down her figure. "You're a lot prettier than I remember. You've definitely become more womanly." Kiba looked up only to see two pairs of blue eyes glaring at him. "Uh... I mean... Happy Birthday!" 

Hey guys! Longest chapter yet! By the way, can you guess who those two pairs of blue eyes belonged to?