J A D E

Chapter Thirty - Eight

"It's nice to see you again, guys." I mutter as I sit down next to Sasuke. Currently, we are at BBQ place with other rookies and their senseis. Naruto is soon leaving with Jiraya to train for two years, while Sasuke decided that he wants to train with his father and brother.

"How has it been, Sakura-chan?" Ino leans forward, giving me one of her brightest smiles. I chuckle and shrug my shoulders.

"Hard." I murmur and grin. "I, swear she is trying to kill me." I roll my eyes and grin once again. Seeing that I am talented and know stuff, Tsunade jumped straight to enhanced study program, which will get me the whole medical ninjutsu covered in six month. Six Month!

One moth has already passed. And I have never been more tired.

"How has been your missions?" I look around at all of them. The whole team Seven has been promoted. While only Shikamaru got Chunin rank from others.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru sighs. He has been doing diplomatic missions around other villages, which makes him use every bit of his energy. "But it is bearable." He adds with small smile tugging on his lips.

Others start chatting with one another, and I am left in silence. Not that I mind. I like watching them having fun. We never managed to do it before, due to Sasuke disappearing from our lives, and Naruto following in suit. Last time, during this time, we were not even close.

"Ne, Sasuke." Uchiha turns towards me. I can feel light blush tainting my cheeks as I watch him. "How has your training be going?" I whisper the words, losing all the confidence I had before. The boy in front of me is the reason of many things. He is the reason of my pain and he is reason of my happiness. And no matter, how much he would have hurt me, I could never move on.

"Hn. Good." His words are laconic as ever. He turns around, resuming eating his food. I watch him with sadness inside my jade eyes. I turn around, sighing. "You should come around." I perk up at the sound of his voice and look towards him a bit confused. He is looking at me. Unreadable expression plastered on his face. "Kaa-san has been asking about you." Sasuke shrugs and turns back to his tomatoes. "Ne, Sakura are you okay? You look like tomato." He smirks as I blush even deeper.

"Baka." I giggle and shake my head. "I will visit." I beam at him and he nods, small smirk still playing on his lips. "Oh, and do you want to train together?"

***

"Hello, Mikoto-san." I smile at the woman in front of me. Mikoto is not like other Uchihas, I have met. She is cheerful, funny, kind, friendly, just like Shisui I may add. She smiles as she sees me and ushers me inside.

"Come in, Sakura-chan!" Mikoto-san smiles at me softly, like mother would. Visiting Uchiha household always leaves bittersweet feelings inside of me. Every time I visit, I am engulfed into warm family, family that was stripped off of Sasuke in another time.

"Sakura." Sasuke greets me with his usual nod and I grin at him, waving my hand. "Come with me." He turns around and without checking on me, starts walking towards the yard, where they have enormous pond.

I loved to play at this pond, when we still were in the academy. I would swim around, occasionally throwing either Naruto, or Sasuke down in it. We stop at the entrance as he turns around, his usual smirk playing on his lips.

"What do you want to do first?" I tilt my head and look around. This place is ideal for trainings. I can understand it, taking in that Shisui and Itachi usually train here. And they only take high quality.

"Let's just spar." He shrugs his shoulders and I nod, standing in front of him. We have never really sparred with one another. Even in previous timeline, he would spar against Naruto, but never with me. Only later I realized that it was because he did not take me seriously. For him, I was just a weak teammate, he had to protect.