Chapter 123

Her temper flared, "Maybe because you won't let me! You won't explain to me, you won't talk about it."

Now they were both angry at one another—just perfect. Inner Sakura was not angry, her outer self was; her Inner Sakura was riddled with guilt and was drifting forlornly around in her mind. But despite the anger that was present, it seemed so contradictory that he had not let go of her. He was still holding her as securely as he had been when she woke up, and she didn't understand. Other times he had been irritated with her, he would distance himself away from her, yet now he refused to let go of her—it was like he was worried or something. Was there something he wasn't telling her?

In the distance, she heard her father suddenly begin to walk around. Inner Sakura was now nervous, and while she was still outwardly angry at Sasuke's stubborn way of bottling his problems up, she realized the dangers of being caught. Even though there was nothing going on, she knew her father would instantly draw conclusions before anyone could explain.

"Look, we'll discuss this later," she told him in agitation.

"No," he replied, finally loosening his grasp on her, allowing her to sit up. Despite the distance separation between them, he had taken her one hand and was holding onto it securely. Sitting up next to her, he told her firmly: "We're done talking."

"Is that how you deal with problems?" she asked him with dismayed frustration, "You ignore them, won't talk about them, and hope they go away?"

"No, that's not it," he replied flatly, his anger apparent.

"Talk to me, Sasuke," she told him exasperatedly, "If I don't understand, make me understand. What's preventing me from making a mistake just as big as this one another time when I don't understand how it makes you feel?"

Her father was walking around more and more in the background, his footfalls moving about his room. Dammit, why'd he have to be there that day? She should have talked to Sasuke about the room earlier, and she mentally cursed her foolishness.

"I don't have to tell you anything," he told her, his tone going back to the icy emotionlessness, "It's none of your business—don't bother me about it."

She felt like something heavy had hit her in the chest, the shock of his words washing over her like a frigid wave. The voice of her thirteen-year-old self played in her head so clearly that the words themselves sent shivers down her spine.

A single tear ran down her cheek. "Why?" she asked, turning to face his retreating back, "Why won't you say anything to me? Why do you shut everyone out? Why won't you tell me—"

"Why do I have to tell you?" he shot back, stopping abruptly, "I'm telling you that you meddle to much. Stop bothering me all the time."

She looked away from him, her gaze resting on the green leaves skittering on the ground in front of her, the tears flowing freely now. A small, sad smile came to her face, "You always act like you hate me, Sasuke-kun."

"The last time you said that to me, Sasuke," she said, forcing calm onto herself, knowing that if her control lapsed for even a moment, that she would undoubtedly begin to cry, "was as you were making one of the biggest mistakes in your life."

If he was going to say anything in reply he wasn't able to do so, as the door to her father's room opened, and footsteps began to approach the room. Sakura noted with horror that the door was still standing open, and there would be no way to stall any entrance.

"Sakura?" her father's voice drifted down the hallway towards the both of them.

"Shit," Sakura cursed quietly, and then turned to Sasuke, "Don't move—at all."

She dropped Sasuke's hand and began to quickly do a sequence of hand signs, doing them as fast as she could without sloppily casting the jutsu. Her father walked in a second after the last hand sign had been completed, and Sakura took on the very picture of innocence when he entered.

"Mornin' Dad," she greeted serenely, sitting upright, her hands folded in her lap.

He cast her a strange look, frowning slightly at her awkward posture, "What are you doing?"

"Meditating," Sakura replied placidly, "What's up?"

"Oh, nothing…nothing," her father replied, scratching his head unconcernedly, "Just thought I heard you talking."

"I didn't say anything," she replied with a frown, trying to match her father's slightly perplexed expression.

"Oh well, must have been hearing things," he told her with a small shrug, "Say, I was wondering if you'd like to spar with me this morning. It's been some time since we've had a chance to spar with one another."

Sakura smiled up at him, "Sure, Dad. After breakfast sound good?"

"Sounds great," he smiled, then looked casually around the room, as if inspecting the contents for any sign of life other than his daughter's, "Sasuke's not in his room, by the way, any idea where he might be?"

Inner Sakura glared violently at her father for his suspicious nature and immediate jump in conclusions. Even though this time he was sort of right in that Sasuke was in her room, but it was a completely different situation from what was most likely going through her father's mind. Outwardly she just pondered the notion for a moment before giving a thoughtful reply.

"He could be out training, sometimes he does that early in the morning."

"Ah, okay," her father replied, before turning to leave again, "Anyways, I'm going to go take a shower."

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