距

Chapter Thirty-Three

Very, very late update and I'm very sorry about it :/. Schools taken a lot of time than I expected it to, honestly, and lately I haven't really been able to write for my books. I guess it's because I usually use my free time to draw, since my family is strict about me being on my phone for too long—which is probably the reason why I should switch to my laptop, but typing on your phone and your laptop are on two different things. Sorry for the rant.

I'm thinking about doing some art for this and my other books, however, I'm also working on other projects as well. Hopefully I'll finish them soon!

Anyways, hope you enjoy! :]

...—...

"Sayuri--Oh, sorry, I--uh..." Sakura Haruno stammered as said girl stepped out of the bathroom. Sayuri herself was embarrassed as well, because she was too angry and distracted to gather her clothes before taking a shower. "Sorry..."

Sayuri looked to the flustered pinkette and nodded, as if to tell her that it was fine. After all, she couldn't sign when both her hands were occupied with holding the towel.

"Alright--I just wanted to talk to you when you finished..." Sakura's confident voice died down into a sheepish, shy, and flustered girl. She started rubbing her sweaty palms on her jeans. "...I'll wait."

Sakura took this embarrassing encounter to her advantage, using it to cover up her nervousness. Really, her planned conversation with Sayuri was much more pressuring than this situation.

And so, Sakura patiently waited as Sayuri rushed to get changed in the bathroom. The mute girl stepped out of the bathroom, wearing her jeans and sweater, as if she were about to go somewhere. She climbed into her bed and looked to Sakura, who sat in her own bed across the room.

Sayuri looked at the pinkette expectedly.

"Oh! Right," Sakura sheepishly exclaimed, still flustered from the incident. Maybe--shut up inner. "So, I just wanted to talk about...yesterday..."

At that, the embarrassed atmosphere dissolved into a serious, cold one. "Sorry if it makes you uncomfortable--"

"No, it's fine," Sayuri signed, though she was mentally preparing herself to lie her way out, like she always did.

"Well, I was just trying to find out why you did it," Sakura explained. "And--I know it's not my right to intervene into your business, I'm sorry about that! But, I just wanted to know, I wanted to help you...and well, I have to ask you and her answers from you yourself. So, did you kill yourself because of your brother?"

That question shocked Sayuri, because how on earth did Sakura come to this? Her mind rang with all the possibilities and consequences of her finding out--the biggest one being the fact that Kakashi would be angry, and even though she's disappointed in her brother, she thought he was right in not involving Sakura in her business--but she forced the lies through her fingers before the truth could intervene.

"No," Sayuri signed. "Why would you think that?"

"I hope you're not mad about me thinking that," Sakura confessed before explaining, "I just--you get worked up whenever Kakashi is mentioned. I don't know if it's my mind playing around, but I did see you run out of the room and into the bathroom when I told you Kakashi was on his way. I just...there wasn't anything else, so I thought--"

"I'm not mad at you," Sayuri was lucky Sakura was looking at her, because otherwise the pinkette would have missed her signing. "And I appreciate you being concerned about me, but I'm perfectly fine--"

"Perfectly fine..."

"You took nearly an entire bottle of pills, Sayuri!" Sakura exclaimed, standing up from the bed. She raced from her bed to Sayuri's in a quickening pace. "How are you perfectly fine?! I don't know, I just want to know why, I'm scared for you, because I don't want to lose you! You're my friend, and I can't..."

It seemed as though her attempt scared Sakura more than Sayuri thought. Huh, it's funny...she values my life more than I do.

"...look, I don't want to lose you. You're my friend, okay? And I want to help you," Sakura stated, sitting down on the far edge of Sayuri's bed. "Whatever it is that's hurting you, you can tell me. And don't tell me you're fine, because obviously, you're not."

...---...

That day, Sayuri was saved by a phone call. It was Sakura's supervisor of volleyball practice, Tsunade (who was coincidently the head of the University), and she was demanding that Sakura get down to the training fields and "teach those girls something!" Sakura had no other choice, so she apologized for leaving, and left the dorm room.

Sayuri had half a mind to laugh at what she heard Tsunade Senju say (even without speaker on, Sayuri could hear the woman's voice), but the other half of her was too panicked about what Sakura said.

She thought Kakashi was the reason why I took those pills.

But Sayuri knew better.

And as she walked out of the dorm thinking,

But I did it because of my own self.

...---...

Sayuri didn't let her brother kill her,
Or those bullies.

She let herself kill her.

...---...

K: Meet me by the park.

Sy: Why?

K: Does it matter? I know you'll always listen.

...---...

"Sakura-san!" Kakashi waved to the pinkette as she headed back to the dorm rooms, covered in sweat and a bit of tears (you never know what is about to go down at volleyball practice). Sakura immediately caught sight of him and ran over to meet him.

"Hatake-san! Hello, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"No need for formalities. I just wanted to," Kakashi cleared his throat, as if he were to break down something difficult. "I needed to talk to you about something...uh, care to take a walk with me?"

Sakura nodded. "Though, I smell, since I just came back from volleyball practice."

"No, it's fine!" Kakashi assured. "I'll make sure the talk is quick," because when I get you in the correct place, that's when the talk is over. "so, uh, this way, I guess."

"So what is it you wanted to talk about?"

"Well, it's gonna be quite a shock," Kakashi started. "But I have to tell you

The truth about Sayuri."