Karin (Part 4)

Surprise, surprise. What was initially planned as a one-shot has become a lot longer than expected! This part supposedly has another half added to it (which is still in the works) but I just decided to upload this one since it's already long anyway.


Also, I'm thinking of reuploading "Karin" in a separate book here on Wattpad since it already turned into a short fic. What do you guys think?🤔


Meanwhile, I hope this chapter breaks all the tension caused by the past chapters! Don't forget to share your thoughts & feelings on the comment box! ;)


– A


————


Dinners and walks together on the way home became a usual day to day thing for them since then. Eventually, Sakura came to realize that Sasuke was intentionally spending time with her amidst daily tasks to aid the Hokage, for it doesn't take a genius to figure out that the Uchiha wasn't merely visiting the Hozuki family in the hospital after all.


She couldn't help but feel so flattered with how he would still pick her up from the hospital even right after coming back from a mission, wounded or not. And it was then that she knew that Sasuke was, in his own subtle ways, trying to work things out between them. If he started feeling the same way towards her, she couldn't be sure yet; nonetheless, she was absolutely grateful for the tiny steps that their relationship was taking towards rebuilding their bond that Sasuke almost oh-so-completely severed.


Undoubtedly, that fact gave her reasons for her insides to do somersaults and her heart to pound against her ribcage, yet her favorite part was getting to witness Sasuke's kind and gentle side every time they were together – the side she has always believed to be present even back when they were still genins, no matter how much of an ice block he may look like on the outside. And whenever it resurfaces, her heart couldn't help but feel in awe.


"I'll ask Kakashi to allow you to take missions alongside me, then," Sasuke suggested to Suigetsu during that last day of Karin and Suika in the hospital. Three pairs of eyes – purple, red, and green – looked at him afterwards.


"You're really doing that?"


"You have a family now. You need to have a source of income all the more. Can you think of other ways to earn while you're in Konoha?"


The head of the Hozuki Family stared at him in understanding and shook his head. "But won't they think that I'm an outsider or something?"


"If they can trust me now, then they should trust you too."


Sakura grinned at that, unable to stop herself from humming happily as she assisted Karin in finally getting off the bed after such a strenuous week.


"You seem so delighted, Sakura."


"Huh? O-of course! You and Suika are now better enough to be discharged."


Karin arched an eyebrow at her, a smirk forming on her lips. "I don't think it's just that."


A blush appeared on Sakura's cheeks as she glanced at Karin and then peeked at the men across the room again. "Fine," she started in a softer voice. "I'm just glad that Sasuke-kun's visibly more comfortable around the village now. And he's been helping you guys and many others. I just..." She grinned. "I couldn't help but be proud."


The redhead's eyes followed Sakura's line of vision, which was directed to the Uchiha. "You have every reason to be proud of him. He's come a long way."


Sighing in content, Sakura beamed at her patient.
There was a clear agreement between the two women who adored Sasuke in their own ways. "Right."


-


It wasn't really a difficult adjustment for Sakura to have someone waiting for her whenever her shift was over; it's just that this time, she was actually more eager to go home than stay in the hospital for as long as her body could.


Pleased with this progress, Shizune made a mental note to personally thank Sasuke once they get a chance to talk out of the pink-haired medic's earshot. If Shizune knew it would only take Sasuke's intervention in making Sakura obey after months of failed attempts in asking her to stop immersing herself too much in her work, she would've forced the Sixth Hokage to summon Sasuke much earlier.


But that didn't mean that Sakura wasn't tiring herself anymore. Hence, as if it was a self-proclaimed mission, Sasuke had been true to his word when he said that he would monitor if the hardworking medic was eating right.


Whenever he found the opportunity, he would discreetly add food on Sakura's plate as she animatedly narrated about her day – which consisted of the surgeries she performed, the deliveries that were much easier compared to that of Karin ("Thankfully! Shannaro!", she emphasized), the kid who didn't want to take his medicine unless it was her who let him take it (Sasuke didn't know if he would feel amused or threatened by this), and the flock of male medic and shinobi who endlessly left flowers or letters in front of her office (now, he absurdly had the urge to crush the teacup he was holding while hearing this part). Taking advantage of her focus on her stories, it didn't even matter to him that he was taking quite a lesser amount of food, as long as Sakura got to eat more.


"Wow. I'm almost so full and I'm not even done yet." She let out a deep exhale, rubbing her stomach in the process. "How about you, Sasuke-kun?"


"Hn."


Recently becoming adept in Sasukenese, she already knew what that meant so she continued, "Just as I thought! They give big servings of their meals here, don't they? I think this has become my favorite!"


Sasuke stifled a chuckle through wiping his mouth with a table napkin. "There's a new restaurant a few blocks from here. We could try it there next time if you'd like to. I've heard they're serving anmitsu too."


"You're kidding." Her eyes widened. "Okay, I think that's going to be my favorite place soo—hang on..." She eyed him carefully before taking a bite of another vegetable tempura that was secretly placed on her plate.


Sasuke braced himself at the idea of being caught.


"How did you know that I have a thing for anmitsu?"


Inwardly sighing in relief, Sasuke just simply shrugged in response to her question, not willing to let her know that he had been mentally taking down notes of the things he had learned about her since they were kids.


Meanwhile, he found it cute, to be honest, how she was one of the most intellectual in their batch yet she always failed to notice how her food became half greater than the amount that was first served to her. With that, he didn't know if he would be glad or concerned that she is a shinobi yet she could completely let her guard down while he was with her. But at the end of the day, he often noticed how much that fact helped him trust himself more just because she trusts him fully without hesitation.


Sakura could go on and talk about everything under the sun, he realized. But he could observe that glint in her eyes whenever she talked about the medical field. On the outside, she might just see him nonchalantly chewing his food in front of her, but on the inside, he couldn't help but be filled with pride and reverence for his former teammate.


How in the world could he not admire such a passionate woman whose heart is just so big for the people around her?


They were both privileged with immense abilities and strengths, yet he recognized how totally different they were. For in the past few years, he used his power to destroy and kill, but she used hers to heal and bring more life into the world.


He knew he could never be like her, considering all the negative things he had inflicted to others in the past. But as she continues to give her all in healing and taking care of more people, he vowed to himself to be the one taking care of her in the best way he could.


Even if he had to continue stealthily adding food on her plate just so she could properly eat everyday.


After all, it was her who deserves all the tenderness he could give and more.


-


A scowl with disapproving mismatched eyes met Sakura by the hospital doors one night, puzzling her if she was about to embark on a sudden battle. Because, why in the world would the Sharingan be activated if they were just about to go home, right?


"You're chakra is almost completely depleted."


"H-huh?" Ah. So she had just gone through a chakra X-ray courtesy of her former teammate's visual jutsu. She scratched the back of her head. "Well, I visited Suika and Karin in their place for their weekly check up. And then I...I had four surgeries in a row. But I'm ready for dinner! Let's go, Sasuke-kun!" Her attempt to tug at his hand failed when Sasuke remained still on where he was standing.


"You need to rest, Sakura."


Her shoulders slumped forward. "But I need to eat too. I don't know how to do both all at once." She groaned. And true enough, her stomach started growling, but she was too exhausted to even feel ashamed.


"Annoying," Sasuke muttered under his breath. "Follow me then."


"W-wait! Where are we going?"


Sasuke stopped pacing and narrowed his eyes at her over his shoulder, suddenly remembering something. "Can you walk?"


"That's not the answe—wait a minute..." She suddenly smirked which caused Sasuke to raise an eyebrow at her. "Why, Sasuke-kun? Are you planning to carry me? Because—ow!—my leg hurts right here, and I don't think it's—h-hey! Wait up!"


"Tch. You're not a good actress, Sakura. You're annoying," Sasuke said, already a few strides away from her. When she fell in step with him, he stopped himself from laughing at the sight of her visible pout.


"Wouldn't you actually do that if my legs were hurting?" And then Sakura mumbled, "I wonder what it feels like to be carried by you."


But his sense of hearing was as sharp as his sense of sight with the Sharingan "I've done that a number of times back then, Sakura." He smirked.


"Eh? You're kidding."


"Am not."


Deciding to press on the issue, she walked a few steps ahead and stopped right in front of him with her hands on her hips. "Alright, spill. Because I honestly can't remember that happening."


Sasuke sighed. He didn't expect Sakura to be stubborn times two at her chakra-depleted state. As much as it was, in fact, annoying, it was still quite entertaining for him.


"One, when Orochimaru pretended to be Naruto," he began. Both of them slightly flinched at the name of his former sannin sensei. "...which I've noticed so I kicked him. Two, when he was about to hit us with two kunai while we were under a genjutsu." There was something amusing with the puzzled expression on the kunoichi's face that made him pause. "Three, when you've been freed from Gaara's sand. And four, when I...left you on a bench that...night." He suddenly trailed off.


Somehow, Sasuke felt a tinge of guilt again at the reminder of those memories he had suddenly dug, especially that last one. He has always wondered if Sakura has totally gotten over what happened that night. But to his surprise, Sakura didn't show him any look of disappointment or harbored hurt, only of curiosity.


"Oh." Sakura blinked, once, twice, feeling a bit lightheaded which she thought was due to her effort in remembering the said instances. "So those were years ago?" She giggled sheepishly with a hand on her head. "I don't seem to remember any of it though."


With that, he sighed once more, thankful that Sakura didn't have any grudges about their agonizing encounter on that eventful night. He cleared his throat. "Well, you surely don't. You were either only half aware or completely uncon—"


"...Uh, Sasuke-kun?"


With widened eyes, he suddenly leaned forward and caught her limp body on reflex just in time. Still stunned, he recalled what happened in the past few minutes and grumbled to himself. If she didn't stop to insist in discussing about the past instances wherein Sasuke has carried her, they would've reached their destination before she even passed out.


But now, he had to do it again, and Sakura wouldn't even get the privilege of experiencing it while fully awake.


He shook his head and then released a soft cackle as he stared at the woman he now held protectively in his arm with the help of a Susanoo limb. "Tch. Again."


With the way her head was throbbing, Sakura was certain that she wasn't performing a surgery anymore, for if she was, she would've channeled some chakra in her temples to ease the headache. But what happened after she conducted an appendectomy anyway?


A familiar handsome face then entered her now fully awake mind, causing her eyes to snap open. It didn't take a minute for her to recall the scenario before she lost consciousness. And then she rubbed a hand on her face. Did she really just faint in front of Sasuke? And did he really go out of his way to carry her to—


Wait. Where am I?


She carefully sat up on the bed while allowing her healing chakra to do its thing to her head. Looking around, she couldn't remember being in the same location before. But when she saw the lone picture frame similar to hers on the desk nearby, and noticed the oddly familiar manly scent emanating from the duvet she was clutching, a blush appeared on her cheeks at the realization that she was in the Uchiha compound.


And she was exactly in the last Uchiha's room.


With a beam on her face, her body fell once more on the bed, her hands pulling the duvet up to her face afterwards. She couldn't believe what was happening. She has always believed Sasuke to be caring in his own ways, one that would fight for the lives of his comrades; however, this gentle and tender version of him was always astonishing to witness, especially now.


With the nature of her work, she was used to being the one to look after other people to the point that it has become a second nature to her. But there was something so heartwarming about having someone to look after her as well, something Sasuke seemed to be purposefully doing for the past month or so.


That's when it dawned on her – for the first time in a long time, it was Dr. Sakura Haruno who was being well taken care of.


And much to her delight, the one making this possible was the man that she has come to love for so many years.


Meanwhile, where was this hospitable and caring gentleman?


Sakura hopped off the bed and made sure that she left it fixed. Due to not being familiar with Sasuke's house, it took her some time to maneuver from hallway to hallway inside the large place.


A new smell took over her senses when she turned the last hallway. That's where she finally saw the man she was looking for, immersed in his task as usual, but this time, his task at hand was kitchen-related. She found herself grinning at the sight, for it's not everyday that one gets to see Sasuke Uchiha stirring something in a casserole with an apron around his torso.


She cleared her throat after a few seconds of admiring him from behind.


Sasuke stiffened then, hand gripping tighter on the wooden spoon he was holding. In a flash, the memory of seeing Sakura's Byakugou seal up close due to him brushing his lips against it appeared on his mind.


"Hn." He didn't attempt to face her, adamant to conceal the crimson stain now painted on his cheeks. "Did you sleep well?"


Sakura's smile widened. Years ago, it was a very rare occurrence for Sasuke to be visibly caring, but lately, it was like his aloof personality was slowly being peeled off right in front of her, just her. She couldn't help but feel honored with that.


"Yes. Thank you so much, Sasuke-kun. So, you carried me again while I was unconscious, huh?".


Sasuke smirked to himself, she was probably pouting now due to missing an opportunity of being carried in his arms while wide awake. But then, he heard a sigh.


"I really appreciate it. But...I'm sorry."


He suddenly furrowed his brows as he heard her footsteps coming closer behind him. "What are you apologizing for?"


Sakura stopped by the table. Although it was such a sweet instance to have Sasuke go the extra mile for her today, a big part of her still couldn't avoid feeling embarrassed about showing weakness in front of him. For a moment, she felt like her 12-year-old self that was hungry for the acknowledgement of her crush and teammate resurfaced, much to her dismay. "I didn't mean to be a burden, Sasuke-kun."


Oh. He was barely aware of the sudden change in her mood. Tipping his head over his shoulder, he glanced at her as she fiddled with the hem of her tunic. It was in moments like this that he knew he had to do or say something, for even when they were younger, Sakura seemed to have a skill in overthinking. And he didn't like seeing the effect of that now.


"You shouldn't exhaust yourself, Sakura," he replied; his eyes were soft but his voice was unyielding. "You don't need to overwork just to make sure that you're saving many lives. You've already proven that fact."


Sakura's head snapped up. The way her eyes widened a bit after he spoke confirmed to Sasuke that she was able to read between the lines.


You're not weak. You're doing enough. And I admire that. But I don't like seeing you forgetting about yourself.


When Sasuke returned his focus on his task, a lone tear fell on Sakura's cheek as a growing affection for the man in front of her filled her chest. Part of her wanted to dart towards him and throw her arms around him, but she wasn't that 12-year-old clingy fangirl in his life anymore.


She understood how Sasuke wasn't a man of many words, but it was after hearing his recent statements – despite being vague – that she knew: Sasuke didn't only care about her, but he also saw her worth.


How could she not fall even more in love with such a man?


With a content smile on her face, she wiped her tear with the back of her hand while her gaze was fixed at her beloved's back. "Hai, Sasuke-kun."


Sasuke's lips curved upwards, feeling accomplished with his small contribution. "Hn. Dinner's almost ready."


As if on cue, Sakura's stomach made a noise once again. She could swear she heard Sasuke chuckle before he turned around to face her. "Oop. Sorry!" Red-faced, she then sat down as he placed the appetizing meals on the table. "Wow, Sasuke-kun! I'm honestly quite surprised that you are adept in cooking."


Sitting across her, he shrugged. "I had to be. I've lived alone since I was eight, Sakura." And then he started putting food on their plates.


She simply gazed at him, mentally vowing to herself that she would do everything that she could to make sure that Sasuke would never feel alone in his life again. An idea then crossed her mind. "How about...next time, let's stay at my place so I can return the favor and cook for you as well?" Keeping her composure, she separated her chopsticks as she waited for his answer, quite afraid that Sasuke would think differently about her sudden boldness.


It felt like an eternity passed when she observed how he stared at her for a long moment, seemingly wondering if she would really be willing to do such a thing for him. She looked down on her plate and bit her lip in anticipation. Somehow, she was already bracing herself for his refusal. After all, it wouldn't be the first time that Sasuke would reject an offer from her.


However, when she peered at him again, her heart skipped a beat upon seeing an almost unnoticeable yet genuine smile now plastered on his face.


"Thank you, Sakura."


-


In one of their late night dinners, Sakura finally had the urge to ask Sasuke about something a lot deeper than their usual conversations.


Remembering how flustered and quiet Sasuke was when Suigetsu expressed how he and Karin have chosen the right path because of his influence, she wanted so bad to make sure that Sasuke understood the fact that he has come a long way ever since the war.


For some reason, the former avenger has such a fine skill in being too hard on himself. But Sakura thought it was just fitting to reassure him until he gained a change of perspective. For someone with unique and powerful eyesight like him, it saddened her how he couldn't even see the good in himself.


"Sasuke-kun?"


The raven-haired man (whom she tried so hard not to call her date whenever they were seated across each other like now) glanced up at her as he chewed on his onigiri.


Her eyes didn't meet his as she mentally prayed that she wouldn't be dismissed with her question. "I know I've asked you before about how your journey was. I noticed how your answers were mainly about the things that you've seen, places you've visited, and people you've met, but...I think you haven't mentioned much about...you." She now looked at him. "How were you, Sasuke-kun, during your redemption journey?"


The silence was palpable. And there weren't much food on the table that she could pretend to be focusing on while waiting for his answer. She didn't want to rush him into discussing personal things, but she also believed that it's time for him to completely forgive himself at the very least.


"There were days that were much difficult to survive than the others..." Sasuke began, catching her full attention. "...days that I thought should be the last. Days that made me believe that I'm better off having no tomorrow to wake up to." He absently traced patterns on his plate with his chopsticks as a vivid image of his brother's face before his undeserved demise crossed his mind again. "On some days, I...I remember Itachi, and all the things he had done for me and the village despite the immense cost. That's when the guilt cuts so deep. And then it makes me feel like redemption wasn't meant for me at all."


Sakura's eyes brimmed with tears. Although she has always known that he was a broken man due to losing his family horrendously at a young age, she had never seen him in such a state as if the injustice of the entire Shinobi world fell on his shoulders. Again, she felt honored that she got to witness that firsthand. But she didn't want him to continue to dwell on that vulnerability.


"Forgiveness is available, Sasuke-kun. And so is hope." She smiled faintly as her hand landed on top of his across the semi-filled table. "You just have to open up your heart for it."


Sasuke didn't know how to respond to that at first, for a part of him still believed that forgiveness is something that he has to work hard for, just like what he had been doing on his journey.


But then, he gazed at the woman in front of her, and he was reminded of her love that he never even had to earn. Her love that he will never deserve. Her love that has always been there.


For such a long time it was just there, even during those moments that the Curse Mark consumed him, the Curse of Hatred changed him, and the drive for revenge destroyed him to the point of desiring to destroy others as well. And although he tried so hard to neglect and push that love away during his darkest days, it only waited and stayed.


If such a love is possible, then forgiveness is available and hope is believable as well.


Sasuke sighed, his eyes fixed on the hand above his. "You're right. There are things that I just have to accept after all. I understand now."


And then he gently pulled his hand so he could lace his fingers with hers. The gesture reminded him of that time he was bracing her hand for support while he was writhing in pain due to the tormenting effect of the Curse Mark – the very first time he welcomed any kind of comfort after the bloodshed of his entire family.


This time, as his eyes met with her widened ones, he was welcoming her as a whole. He was accepting and reciprocating the love that's always been there even when he was most unlovable. And he was also finally completely receiving the forgiveness that has always been available for him – from the people closest to him, and also from himself.


————


© January 2019 AriannJS


————


That last part was inspired by the Love that I've personally experienced, the Love that you could experience for yourself too, the Love that we never even have to work hard for because it was made available to us for free despite the gravity of our sins that originally makes us bound to go to Hell.


And just like a gift, all we have to do is receive this Love, this then assures our redemption, and that we could be with the Author or Love for eternity in Heaven one day. It's been the best decision I've ever done since I've accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. And more than the joy you give me whenever you read my fics, my heart would absolutely rejoice with you when the time comes that you decide to accept this Love as well :)


"This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins."
1 John 4:10


It's the Love Month after all. And I believe the greatest gift I could possibly share with y'all is this Love. Belated Happy Valentine's Day, friends. :) See you on the next chapter!
– A

Comment