As The World Falls Down Pt 2

She had heard the news first. When she filed the mission report she heard shadowed whispers in the room; Umino Iruka, a Chuunin and instructor at the pre-Genin academy, had been killed. Sakura herself had never known the man well; kunoichi spent most of their pre-Genin years in a separate class for female shinobi. However, she was not ignorant to the fact that Naruto saw the man as something akin to a brother, or a father.

Sakura tried to hide her apprehensive face when she returned to Naruto's apartment. She found him on the couch, sprawled and already asleep. She gently nudged the blonde shinobi awake.

"Naruto..." she wasn't sure what to say when he opened his eyes. The look of contentment his eyes bore when he first awoke faded as he took careful note that Sakura was avoiding eye contact. He shifted into a sitting position, allowing her to take a seat beside him. Sakura suddenly leaned forward and kissed him with a startling lack of fervour, and pulled back soon after.

"I- I... Naruto, I'm so sorry," she wiped away a hasty tear,

"About Umino-sensei... Naruto, I'm so sorry."



Part I: [link]
Part II