White Eyes [ E D I T I N G ]

11 - The Burden Of Losing Someone Dear

The office was lonesome.

Tsunade drummed her fingers to an erratic pattern as she waited for a single knock.

She wasn't supposed to sit in an office again, she was supposed to gamble,but after she stepped down as Hokage, the Sixth assigned her to be the manager of Konoha Hospital. That's how she ended up in office again, sitting on weird-smelling office chairs.

The office was the usual type of office. It had a desk wherein pens, papers, cups and other objects are placed, two drawers that contained information, files, et cetera, and a chair in front of the table where the patient sits.

Her eyes wandered over to the picture frame that displayed a photograph of her old team. The three of them were smiling as wide as they can and the Third was gently smiling down at his apprentices. He must be proud of his students who were soon entitled The Three Legendary Sannin. Orochimaru tried to smile but it looked fake as ever and Jiraiya was trying to grin like male models do but he ended up looking like a maniacal Titan.

I wish they stayed a bit longer... She pouted, I wish... I wish I was there to assist Jiraiya. Ugh, damn that idiot! I told him to call me but he didn't even budge.

Jiraiya...damn you.

She huffed in annoyance as she recalled his lame attempt to let her bet on his death. She didn't accept it, but if she did, she could've won the bet but she didn't want to gamble his life. Lives are precious.Life is different from money; it can't be gambled easily and anyone who does that is a fool.

But she did gamble his life. She was a fool.

She returned to her regular self as she heard a knock.

A brunette peered over the door, the one who idolized her. Tenten wore a calm face as she then smiled at the sage.

Tsunade gestured for her to sit down,"Come...sit."

Tenten obeyed immediately.

They didn't even say anything yet when the door burst open:

"Tsunade-sama! It's an emergency!"

• • •

Naruto desperately held Hinata's hand. Her head slightly lolled to the side as the medical staff brought her to the emergency room. Naruto had a bad feeling, that he will lose her.

"Hinata! I want you to hold on, for me!" Naruto said as she was being dragged to the ER.

Naruto tried to get past the medics who seemed like guards, but they blocked the path.

"Sorry sir, but non-patients aren't allowed past this point."

Damn.

Naruto felt something stirring inside his chest. A feeling he couldn't deny even if he wanted to. He wanted to keep it, forget it but he can't. His guts were telling him that...

She won't last.

He was supposed to help in any way he can as Sakura said but he himself can't even find solace. All he did was to secretly worry. The blonde Uzumaki grudgingly sat down on the row of chairs near the door as he waited for some news. He couldn't bear to just sit and wait.

He put his hands on his face, slapping himself slightly. Tears suddenly streamed down his whiskered cheeks.
He wanted to do something yet he can't.

Damn. Damn. Damn it!

He needed her to stay, to let her give him love and care. The dreams he pictured with her that were once clear as water were slowly drenched with the black ink of Death.