Everyone was gathered at the large table, the buzz of conversation filling the room as they chatted and laughed, enjoying their usual break from the grind of classes. The warm scent of coffee and the rustling of papers in the background set the mood of the café where they'd often meet between lectures.Neji leaned slightly toward Sakura, his voice low but intense as he explained the details of a research project they were working on together.
"We need to establish an opinion on the efficacy of this treatment method for the disease," he said, tapping his pen thoughtfully against his notebook. "The preliminary findings are promising, but we need to make sure the conclusions hold up."
Sakura nodded, her focus on him, as she took in every word. Her eyes flickered across her notes, the medical jargon swirling in her head, but her mind kept coming back to the fact that she'd be presenting this in front of their professors soon. She had a lot of work ahead, but the challenge was something she enjoyed.Meanwhile, Ino was busy with her own thing—showing off the latest boots she'd found on the online store that seemed to consume her life. Daily. Her excitement was contagious as she held up her phone for Hinata to see, practically bouncing in her seat."These are everything! Look at the detailing! I need them before winter sets in!" she said with a grin, her blonde hair falling over her shoulder as she leaned closer to Hinata.
Hinata smiled shyly, her fingers brushing over the phone screen as she examined the boots."They're... really pretty," she murmured softly, her gentle voice tinged with admiration. She wasn't as bold as Ino, but she always seemed to appreciate her friend's enthusiasm. Still, her mind was often elsewhere, her gaze often drifting toward Naruto when he wasn't busy talking.
Sakura couldn't help but smile at the contrast between Ino's carefree attitude and Hinata's soft-spoken nature. It was a dynamic she had come to appreciate more and more, seeing the two complement each other so well despite their differences. She held her head on her hand looking at everyone.On the other side of the table, Shikamaru was sitting with his usual bored expression, his head propped up by his hand as he absentmindedly chewed on his lunch. He scanned the room before shooting a glance at Hinata, his tone dry as he spoke up."Where is that idiot, anyway?"
"I'm right here," Naruto said, looking up from his phone in confusion, still munching on a sandwich. He was always oblivious to Shikamaru's sarcasm.Shikamaru's expression didn't change, but his grin widened slightly."Surprisingly, I'm not talking about you this time," he said, a playful edge to his voice.
Ino turned her attention from her phone and glanced between the two guys with a raised eyebrow."Then who?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. Her tone was light, but there was an understanding between the group that the question had been asked with a purpose.
Hinata, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke up in her soft voice, blushing slightly as she glanced at Naruto, who was still smiling at her."Sasuke-kun is waiting for a report analysis from Kakashi-sensei," she explained, her cheeks reddening even more under Naruto's gaze. She tried not to stutter, but it was clear she was a little flustered at the attention Naruto was giving her.
Sakura's gaze flickered over to Hinata, then to the others. The mention of Sasuke's name caught her attention, though she quickly masked any reaction. Hearing his name mentioned always seemed to stir something in the group. She wasn't sure why, but there was always an air of mystery surrounding him, as if he didn't quite belong to their circle, and yet... he was always present in some way.So annoying.————————————————Twice a week, the students from all different faculties gathered in the college gym for mandatory fitness classes. Today, the energy was a bit more charged than usual—perhaps it was the crisp autumn air that had everyone in high spirits, or maybe the thought of an upcoming weekend made everyone eager to get their workout in. For Sakura, though, it was more about gritting her teeth through the soreness of the self-defense classes she'd been secretly attending.Sakura had always been a picture of calm strength, the kind of person who appeared composed no matter the circumstance. But behind that composed exterior, there was more than met the eye. Her mother had died in a car accident when Sakura was 16. It wasn't a random tragedy—it was a careless mistake made by someone who didn't care enough to pay attention. The driver who had hit her mother had been distracted, speeding through a red light. And just like that, Sakura's world had been turned upside down.That event changed everything for her. It wasn't just the crushing loss or the hollow emptiness left by her mother's absence—it was the realization that the world could be cruel. Her mother, the one person who had always been there to support and nurture her, was suddenly gone.She was all alone.The idea of vulnerability became an oppressive weight on Sakura's chest. She didn't want to feel powerless again. She didn't want to rely on anyone.When she was younger, her mother had always taught her to rely on herself first and foremost. She had never been one to show weakness, even in her grief. That lesson stuck with Sakura, like a fire burning in her heart. She could never let herself be in a position where she wasn't capable of handling anything that came her way. She couldn't afford to be weak or vulnerable.And so, the first time she had heard about self-defense classes, she had signed up without hesitation.At first, it had been just a way to build physical strength, a way to feel more in control of her environment. But over time, the classes became something more. They became a form of therapy, a way to cope with the trauma and emotions she couldn't openly express. The brutal yet empowering routines of boxing, martial arts, and hand-to-hand combat became a way to channel the frustration and sadness she had buried deep inside.In self-defense class, she wasn't just learning how to protect herself from physical harm; she was learning how to confront the inner demons she'd kept hidden for years. The discipline, the power, the feeling of knowing that she could handle whatever life threw at her—it gave her a sense of peace that nothing else could.But there was one thing Sakura couldn't do—she couldn't share this part of herself with others.Only Ino knew. Ino, who had been her rock since childhood, understood. Sakura had never been one for vulnerability, and she had certainly never been the type to ask for help. Ino, however, had a way of seeing through her walls, even when Sakura didn't want anyone to see.Ino was the only person who knew the full story behind why Sakura threw herself into self-defense classes. She knew about the accident, the pain of losing her mother, the fear of being weak, and the promise Sakura had made to herself never to depend on anyone again.The truth was, Sakura didn't want to need anyone. She didn't want to be the person who cried on someone's shoulder or relied on a partner for comfort. She couldn't afford to be that person. She had seen how quickly everything could change, and she refused to let herself be caught unprepared again.Sakura was proud of her independence. She was proud of the strength she had built from nothing. But sometimes, it was exhausting. Sometimes, she wished there was someone who could just hold her without asking questions, someone who could take the burden off her shoulders for a while. But that wasn't her reality. Not yet, anyway.As the class began, Sakura was stretching, trying to loosen her tight muscles, when she felt a slight twinge in her side. The soreness from the night before—the intense focus on self-defense moves, the endurance drills—was still lingering. She could feel her muscles protesting, but she was determined to push through."Ready, Sakura?" Ino asked, noticing her hesitation. Her voice was light, teasing. "You're not gonna bail on me today, are you?""Have I ever?" Sakura scoffed, rolling her eyes.Ino raised an eyebrow but didn't press her further. She knew Sakura was stubborn when it came to her workouts.The instructor called everyone to the center of the gym for the first exercise: a series of balance drills, where each person had to walk across a narrow beam while maintaining their posture. It sounded simple enough, but Sakura knew better. Her sore muscles from the night before made it difficult to maintain her posture, Gai-sensei kind of pushed her off her limits. She felt a bit tense, but couldn't really back off as she kind of needed this.Karin, of course, was up for the challenge, walking across the beam with the ease of someone who practiced her balance regularly. As she walked, her eyes flicked over to Sasuke, who was standing nearby, talking to Shikamaru. Karin's heart raced a little—every time she saw Sasuke, she felt a familiar flutter in her chest. She adjusted her posture slightly, wanting to look good in front of him, hoping he would notice her.Sakura, meanwhile, was stepping onto the beam, determined to not let her sore body stop her. She took a deep breath and started walking, but her muscles were still too tight, and she misstepped. She felt her balance start to falter, and before she could catch herself, she slipped. In that moment, it felt like everything moved in slow motion. Her arms flailed, and she knew she was going to fall. Her heart raced, slight panic setting in, because if she fell now, she would be injured and she wouldn't be able to perform her job properly. But just as she was about to fall on the wooden floor, a strong hand shot out and grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer by the waist, yanking her back.She opened her eyes, that she just shut hard moments ago, just to find a pair of black eyes looking at her - she couldn't quite read them though. His expression was as calm and collected as ever, but Sakura could feel the heat from his hand still lingering on her wrist. She looked up at him, a little breathless."Sasuke," she muttered as she tried recollecting her thoughts.Sasuke's eyes softened just a fraction as he let go of her wrist. "You okay?" he asked, his voice low and surprisingly gentle.Sakura blinked, a little surprised by the concern in his voice. She hadn't expected him to be so... considerate.What is wrong with him today?"Yeah," she replied, trying to play it off. "Thank you."Karin, who had been watching from the sidelines, felt a pang of jealousy shoot through her. She bit her lip as she observed the way Sasuke had just interacted with Sakura, his gaze lingering on her just a little longer than it should have. Karin tried to shake off the feeling, but it lingered like a bad taste in her mouth. She knew she had a crush on Sasuke, but seeing him help Sakura only made her feel like she was losing ground."Sakura, you good?" Ino's voice pulled her back to reality. She hadn't even realized she'd been holding her breath, her gaze still lingering on Sasuke as he turned away."I'm fine," Sakura said, shaking off the moment, her voice cool. "Just a little off balance today."Ino smirked, catching the underlying tension. "Off balance, huh? More like 'caught off guard.' You know, Sasuke actually seemed concerned for a second."Sakura shot her a quick glare. "Don't start, Ino."But Ino was relentless. "You should've seen Karin's face," she said with a grin. "It was priceless! Seeing her get rattled like that was so satisfying."Sakura couldn't help but smirk. "You're terrible," she replied, though a part of her found it amusing too."Maybe," Ino said, leaning in, "but you need to talk to Sasuke more. Not to feed into the drama, but at least I love to see this bitch a mess."Sakura rolled her eyes. "I'm not playing into her nonsense."Ino shrugged, laughing softly. "You don't have to. But you do know it gets under her skin every time you're around Sasuke."Sakura remained silent, focusing on catching her breath. Ino was right about one thing: she didn't care about Karin or Sasuke's drama, but it was always a little fun when things got stirred up.