"Why did you help me?"

"Because I have my reasons."

"That's the reason. Could you please let me know?”

Konoha Village

"Sakura, you must go on a mission to the Tsuna region alone," Tsunade ordered.

"Why did you only let me go alone, Sensei?" Sakura asked. Would you like to let the fragile young woman(?) go on a mission as far as Tsuna alone?

“It really can't be helped. Because Naruto and Kakashi had just left on a mission this morning. And now there's no one free. Besides, her mission is just to deliver things to Gaara. There's nothing difficult. Before entering the desert area, Temari will come pick her up."

“Even so, that's all right.”

"You can go," Tsunade ordered very sharply.

"Understood." Sakura accepted the order timidly.

On the way to Tsuna

/Damn it, Naruto and Kakashi-sensei managed to leave for another mission first. So I had to do this alone. What if along the way I encountered thieves who were on a rampage?/ Sakura thought annoyedly. Even if you think you can overcome it. But it definitely won't be easy. Because the bandits that were rampaging right now were the retreating ninjas of each village.

It's impossible to guess how much skill he has. It was near the desert area, so Sakura sat under a nearby tree and waited for Temari to come pick her up. But judging by the time, it looked like she had arrived almost half an hour before the appointed time. Sakura took out her notebook and wrote down a formula for a new strength tonic.

“Hey, that little girl over there. What valuables have you sent to me?”

Sakura turned and saw that it was a group of middle-aged men, probably around 20 of them. Don't tell me they were a group of bandits.

/Why am I so unlucky? -*-/ Sakura thought, judging from these appearances, they shouldn't be good at anything.

“Are you a band of thieves running rampant right now?” Sakura asked while still sitting.

“That's right. Now that you know this, quickly send us some valuables and supplies.”

"Sending it to you would be stupid. Behold," Sakura put down her bag and ran and punched the person who was about to approach, causing him to fall into a broken tree.

“Oh my gosh, this bitch has a lot of power. You guys go in,” the person sitting near the rock shouted. It must be the leader.

“Don't look down on me.” Sakura gave one punch and the four thieves who rushed in rushed over and crashed into the group that was standing.

“Then how about you find this?” The bandit leader threw what looked like a smoke grenade. But actually It is a medicine that causes chakra distortion.

“Too bad, can't control my chakra. And why.." Sakura collapsed. My arms and legs were numb all over my body.

“Hahaha, what's up? This is a medicine that affects chakra and muscles. Just inhale a little and your whole body will be numb. Now you might as well just stay still.” The bandit leader approached Sakura and he gestured to his subordinates to go get Sakura's bag.

“Oh!” came the voice of the subordinate running towards the bag.

“Who are you?” The bandit leader stood up and picked up a kunai at the ready. The other subordinates did the same.

“Really annoying, you guys,” the newcomer said, still standing with his back to the bandits.

/Why do we feel so familiar with this voice?/ Sakura thought, but right now she couldn't move her body. Therefore, he could not turn to look at the person who was blocking the thieves.

“Here you are, that symbol on your back.” The bandit leader began to sweat.

"Uchiha?" One of the group's subordinates said.

/Uchiha or../ Sakura wanted to turn around to make sure. But his body refused to move.

“Are you all willing to go for good, or are you going to go in less than thirty-two?”

“Noisy, don't be afraid of him rushing in all at once,” the thief leader said, his voice still trembling. The subordinates all dropped their weapons and ran away.

“You bastards, come back here.” The bandit leader ran after his subordinates in an extremely bad form.

"It's okay." Sasuke walked over and sat down next to Sakura, who was starting to move a little. But still couldn't get up.

"Oh," Sakura responded softly. /What is he doing here?/

"What are you doing around here all alone?" Sasuke asked, handing Sakura her bag.

"I'm here on a mission," Sakura said and tried to get up but ended up sitting back down.

“Can't you stand?”

"It looks like the effect of the medicine has not yet worn off." Sakura tried to get up again, but it didn't work.

"Don't force it." Sasuke carried Sakura's bag and picked her up.

"What are you doing around here?" Sakura asked, startled at being suddenly carried away.

"I was just passing by." Sasuke still had the same cool expression as before.

“"Why did you help me?"

"Because I have my reasons."

"That's the reason. Could you please let me know?”

“Probably not.”

“I will take you to rest first. If it gets better, then you are welcome to continue your mission.”

"Wait a minute."

Sasuke didn't listen to Sakura's words. Then he took Sakura into the forest. Right now, the only thing Sakura could do was have Sasuke carry her to the resting place. In the meantime, Sakura was trying to find a way to not make the situation too tense. Sakura silently looked at Sasuke, he looked a lot different from when he was young. Look more handsome (this is definitely true)

Looks colder than before Sasuke's eyes also seemed to hide more mystery. Meeting Sasuke by chance like this is quite frustrating when I think about it. I've been looking for him for 3 years but haven't even found his shadow. They met when they went to invade Orochimaru's secret lair but were allowed to escape again. And meeting each other easily like this and still being so close that you can almost see every pore like this is so cool.

“Sigh.”

“What is wrong with you? Or are you uncomfortable seeing me?” Sasuke asked when he saw that Sakura sighed like someone who had something heavy on her mind.

"No, just thinking about something for fun."

“Ugh, still annoying as usual.”

"What is it, Sasuke?"

“I thought you would be more mature than this.”

“And I'm not like an adult in any way.”

“First of all, it's probably just a word. But speaking so well like this means that the effects of the medicine must have started to wear off.”

"This is you," Sakura chose to remain silent. Because it seemed like her brain couldn't come up with a sentence to fight Sasuke.

"There we are," Sasuke stopped in front of a large rock.

"Is this a place to stay?" Sakura looked around. This area must have been quite deep in the forest. There would be no way that he would be tracked down.

“It's an illusion spell. Actually, there isn't any rock like it looks like.” Sasuke then walked through the rock. Inside the rock is a cave with a waterfall inside. There were three other Sasuke subs sitting and waiting.

“Sasuke has returned? Where have you been?" Karin ran up to Sasuke. But stopped when he saw that Sasuke was holding Sakura.

"Be quiet, Karin. It's noisy." Sasuke led Sakura to sit on a rock inside.

“Are you a new member, Sasuke?” Suigetsu asked, emerging half-hustled from the water.

“This is it. Sasuke doesn't seem fit to be with us." Karin approached Sasuke and shot Sakura a murderous glare.

“It's not Suigetsu. This is my acquaintance. I'm just taking you to rest before I go on a mission.” Sasuke turned to Suigetsu without even bothering to look at Karin.

"But bringing him here might make us unsafe, Sasuke." Karin didn't stop demanding attention.

"Jugo, please give me a glass of water," Sasuke said.

"Ah," Jugo went to get a glass of water and handed it to Sasuke.

"but.."

“Karin, that's enough. If Sasuke brought him here, then he has thought it through carefully,” Jugo said. Karin looked at Sasuke again. before agreeing to walk over and sit in another corner But he still stared at Sakura without batting an eye.

"Drink water, you'll feel better." Sasuke handed Sakura a glass of water. She took it and drank it quietly.

“But she's really cute. How do you know such a cute person?” Suigetsu said.

"She was one of my team members while in Konoha," Sasuke replied and sat down next to Sakura.

“Wow, it's so envious to be on the same team as such cute people. It's not like us right now, Jugo.” Suigetsu turned to Jugo.

“What do you mean, Suigetsu?” Karin stood up and shouted again.

"Wow, that's really annoying." Sasuke shook his head wearily.

"Sasuke-kun, is this your sub?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, although it's a bit annoying."

“So?”

“What mission are you here to do?”

"I'm here to deliver something to Sunagakure."

“Can you move yet?”

"Um, I think the effects of the medicine have worn off," Sakura said with a smile and tried to stand up.

"So you're going to continue your mission?"

"Yes, by now Temari-san must be really worried that she arrived and didn't find me at the meeting point."

"I'll drop you off," Sasuke said, leading Sakura.

“It's okay, Sasuke-kun. I can go back myself.”

“There are many layers of illusion spells that I created around here. If I let you go back by yourself, you will definitely be lost in this forest and never get out.”

"Alright then." Sakura immediately sweated. She didn't like being the victim of an illusion spell.

"Let's go." Sasuke walked past the rocks. Sakura hurriedly ran after him. But Karin shouted and called out first.

“Here, wait a minute. You probably don't think anything of my Sasuke.”

"Your Sasuke?"

"Yes, Sasuke is mine."

“Sorry, I don't care what you say. But the person Sasuke-kun is interested in shouldn't be you.” Sakura finished speaking and ran out.

“Let's come back and clear things up, you crazy bastard. You dare to talk like that to someone like me?” Karin tried to run after her but was pulled back by Jugo.

“Don't Karin, if you do anything to that woman. Sasuke will definitely kill you."

“What do you mean, Jugo? Are you telling me that Sasuke sees that girl as more important than me?”

“Yes, maybe even more important.”

“You thought of it yourself, Jugo. Just a girl who used to live in the same village that Sasuke left behind. I don't see any importance at all.”

“Are you pretending to be stupid, Karin? I can't even look at Sasuke's eyes." Suigetsu said.

"Don't look for trouble, Suigetsu."

“Some kind of good feelings came out from those eyes. I've never seen Sasuke look at anyone like that before,” Jugo continued.

"Then it's easy to guess that whoever attacked her would have been burned to powder by Sasuke's sun goddess," Suigetsu said and went back into the water. Karin stopped, not because she accepted it. But he was so angry that he couldn't speak.

"Sasuke-kun"

“Is something wrong?”

“What is that red-haired woman doing to you?”

“Just teammates.”

"Really?" Sakura said with a smile.

“What are you happy about?”

“No, no.”

“You have become more beautiful.”

“What?” Sakura stopped on a branch. Sasuke turned and saw that Sakura had stopped and stopped following her. “What did you say just now?”

"I'm just saying you're prettier," Sasuke said, still expressionless.

"You compliment people with such a straight face," Sakura said incredulously. Should she be happy that he praised him like this?

"So what? I didn't insult you at all."

“Who else compliments someone like you?” Sakura was immediately silent. When Sasuke was next to her in just the blink of an eye.

“Then how do you want me to praise you? Even if you're like a normal person?" Sasuke asked, smiling extremely coolly.

“Well, well..”

“Stuck in the sink.”

“You're this close, it's..”

"I held you closer just now." Sasuke held Sakura's waist loosely. Then he pressed his face against Sakura's cheek until Sakura was almost bursting with embarrassment.

"Sasuke..kun"

“Sakura, do you still think like you did then?”

"what"

“When I leave the village Then she said that if I really wanted to leave the village, I should take her with me. Do you still think like that now? Do you still want to come with me?”

"Why do you suddenly ask like that?" Sakura said with difficulty. Right now, her heart was pounding so fast that she was afraid she would have a heart attack right here.

“I miss you all the time I leave the village. You probably don't know that when you understand that I completely abandoned the village, that's actually not the case.”

"..." Sakura remained silent, waiting for Sasuke to continue.

“I have secretly returned to the village many times. Secretly spying on her when she's in the village and stalking her when she's on missions. I realized that she still hasn't given up on taking me back to the village.”

“How can I give up? I want you to come back to the village, to be with Naruto, with Kakashi-sensei, and with me.” Tears began to flow from Sakura's eyes now. Sasuke gently pulled her into a hug.

“Sakura, I'm sorry for everything that happened. I know it must be difficult for you to forgive me. But I'm sorry. Stop crying.”

"Sasuke-kun, I want to know why you have to do this to me." Sakura buried her face in Sasuke's chest and didn't stop crying.

“That I kept sneaking back to the village. that keeps stalking you who saved her from thieves and asking her about this Because I miss you I love you very much, Sakura.”

"Sasuke-kun, hehe.."

"Come stay with me, Sakura."

“But.. if I go with you, what about the village?”

“Do you want to go do anything in the village again? If you decide to go with me You can go back to the village first. And I'll pick you up later.”

“I have nothing more to worry about in the village. Naruto is currently dating Hinata and has her taking care of him. I don't have to be afraid that he will be hurt again.”

“I still love you the same, Sasuke. Will you take me with you?”

"Hehe, you're still the same as before." Sasuke hugged him tighter. Then he kissed Sakura softly. Sasuke had just learned that kissing someone made his heart beat this fast. The feeling right now can only be said to be extremely happy.

“Hey Sakura, I'm here. Where are you going? Eh..” Temari called out to Sakura. Now she has arrived at the appointed point. But I couldn't find Sakura at all. Then Temari saw the package that Sakura had to give to Gaara lying there. along with a piece of letter

Miss Temari

I apologize for leaving things like this. But I see that it's already a while since the appointed time and you'll definitely be there. Therefore, I don't have to worry about who will steal it first. Anyway, I have to apologize. And I would also like to give a message to Tsunade-sama. I will never return to the village again.

I want to apologize to Tsunade-sama, Naruto, and the rest of the village. Please give it to me, Temari.

Sakura

"Sasuke-kun, you won't leave me again, will you?"

"I have no need to torture myself anymore," Sasuke hugged Sakura. Now they were sitting in a grassy field.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun," Sakura hugged back and smiled at Sasuke.

"I love you, Sakura."

“I love you too.”

“That I kept sneaking back to the village. that keeps stalking you who saved her from thieves and asking her about this Because I miss you I love you very much, Sakura.”

~~THE END~~