Starting from the End

19. Reconciling with the outcast...

Sakura was utterly exhausted. Why? The vigorous tree-climbing exercise. The continuous ON/OFF training made her limbs lead. She felt her muscles were tearing. Then there were the teamwork missions. She felt as if Kakashi sensei was determined to kill them by doing those awful D-rank missions. So when she reached home, all Sakura wanted was to clean up and sleep like a log. She dragged herself through the front door of the Haruno-residence. Her whole body was covered in sweat and filth. She was not sure whether her mother wouldn't be happy to see her like this. She was going to be ballistic. But hell with it. I'm too tired to care. But when she opened the door, she felt unwelcome in her own home. Her skin crawled suddenly.

"I'm home."

She found Kizashi in the living-room working with some papers. The noise from the kitchen confirmed that her mother was making dinner. She made her way to her room to clean herself. Thanks, Kami. She is not here. She flopped into her bed only to darkness engulf her. Next time she opened her eyes, there was knocking and her mother was calling for her.

"Wait... I'm coming."

When she entered the dining-room, her skin crawled again. But she didn't care. She was so hungry that she started to shove her salads in her mouth.

"Dear, slow down. You will choke."

"I'm hungry," Sakura answered with her mouth full.

"Sakura-chan please slow down. You will have indigestion." Kizashi said with a concerned face.

"I don't care. All I need is food. So back off." Sakura stated and continued to chomp down her salad.

"SAKURA... this is no way a lady should eat. Have you forgotten your manners? Stop devouring your dinner and eat properly." Mebuki hissed vehemently. Her face was red in anger.

Sakura put down her chopsticks. "You know what, I'm finished. Thank you for the food. I'll see you tomorrow." She left her place and stomped to her room only to shut her door loudly.

"SAKURA...," Mebuki cried out in anger. "This is all your fault, Kizashi."

"What did I do now?" Kizashi sighed out.

"That's that. NOTHING." Mebuki raged on.

"Why are you yelling at me? I have nothing to do with her attitude. What do you want me to do?"

"I needed you to support me. Support me yesterday, support me today... support me in that god-damned office. But what did you do? All the Third said, The Guardian of Moon, and you froze." Kizashi's back stiffen. "And you did the same thing again. What is that have to do with Haruno? Answer me Kizashi. Answer me...!" Mebuki shouted out.

"MEBUKI...", Kizashi yelled. He took a deep breath to calm himself. He didn't want to open a part of his past. He was not ready. He gave himself a moment to control his overflowing emotions. "Mebuki... I never asked you why you forsake Senju clan, your clan. I never asked you why you left behind your family. I never asked you why you stopped taking active duties. I never asked why you became so greedy for power... why you took part in circulating those rumors. Surely, I never cared about that b... Naruto. I never cared... but you became influenced by those rumors... you became one of those people. I NEVER CARED. So give me the same space. NEVER ask me about my past. The PRESENT me was what you need to know about. And you know him. That's enough."

The silence was deafening.

"Is it enough, Kizashi... do I really know you?" Mebuki asked with a whispered voice.

"It doesn't matter. Goodnight Mebuki." Kizashi left the room.

.

What none of them noticed was the soft click of the closed door.