Uh.

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HOME

                                                                   "They say , home is where your heart is."
Where is Sakura's heart at ?

  HARUNO SAKURA just got the bath she was dreaming of the moment the first mishap happened. She sighed softly and praised Naruto and his Hokage Residence, internally, for the glamorous flipping bath they have.

  She was a little uncomfortable with wearing Naruto's clothes but it couldn't be helped since her own were wet and Kushina was still having a maid look through her old stuff to find Sakura some clothes.

Her musings and admiration for the lavish Residence were cut off with the sound of painful yelling by the voice she recognised as Naruto's. The sound came from — where she guessed — the front door was located. Still patting her wet hair softly, she made her way down stairs.

  To be quite honest she wasn't that worried cause 1. It was Naruto and 2. This place is insanely secure. Her thoughts were re-enforced by the guard stationed down the stairs whispering in his walkie-talkie.

  She strode passed him and was greeted by the sight of Naruto blocking the door.

   "Mn..?" She got the glimpse of the familiar duckass hair before a door was slammed in the Uzumaki's face.

  With curiosity in her mind and constant irritation she walked over to the idiot in hopes of repremanding him like always, "What was that about? Why were you blocking Sasuke's way?"

   "Ahh! Sakura-chan! You're here dattebayo." Naruto started sweating buckets that Sakura could literally see right before her eyes.

   "Naruto I- you're so sus," no sooner did the words leave her lips, she realised something. She habitually clasped her right palm in hopes of holding her phone, only to realise that she didn't have it with her. Ugh she was supposed to play Among Us with her Discord friends today.

   "Sakura-chan?" Naruto curiously peaked at her. She batted his face away. And then felt guilty. Naruto had taken her in when her own parents disowned her. Yet she..

  Her tummy whined a little making her realised she hasn't quite eaten well yet. And that it is dinner time. "Oh, your uh mom told me to tell you that dinner is ready." The way her voice sounded felt a little weired to her own ears. Since when did she started having family dinners?

  At Gaara's household, everyone just automatically came down to the dining room at a specified time, ate their fills and upped and left.

   "Food! Let's go then, dattebayo!" Naruto moved to run past her, only to be stop and swung around by Sakura holding his sleeve.

   "Not so fast," she scrunched up her face in annoyance, "You still have crumbs on your cheeks from the crackers you ate. Honestly! How much food can your body stuff?!" She scoffed slightly whilst wiping away the crumbs on his cheek.

With all the changes happening around. The least she could do is stay the same.

  She glanced back at the door from where Sasuke left.

That is the least she could do.

Òvó

  Sakura had been subjected to numerous awkward dinners but this one takes the cake. Away from the room of official dinners, the family ate quietly in the kitchen. The food was cooked by the First Lady herself and served by her helpers.

  Kushina was a lovely cook, Sakura realised, plopping another piece in her mouth. While the evening started off stiff, it soon turned to a setting of comfort and familial thanks to the naturally friendly tendencies of the Uzumaki.

  Yondaime Minato Namikaze was man with deep affection for his family and rationality in sense. He was quite fun to talk to, considering his intelligence and natural charisma. The topic of the conversation they upheld were Sakura's honours.

  And she was more than happy to tell. Even with everything that happened, Sakura's academic journey would stay the same.

   "Byakugo, was it? I heard it's really hard are to get into. As Tsunade-sama's apprentice you might have an easy way in, eh?"

  Sakura quietly finished chewing and thought it through. This honestly felt like an interview, "Not quite, actually. It's hard only if you want it to be. I believe with hard work and a little bit of charm anything is possible." She smiled before carefully took a sip of water, "As for 'easy way in', Tsunade-sama doesn't believe in that. Partiality isn't something she would do. If I want in, I'll have to work for it."

   "Wise words." the blonde raised his glass to the pinkette. She blushed slightly. Oh to have a father like Minato! Unlike her own father, the Yondaime was actually interested about her education path.

   "Ah! Enough of studies, dattebane. Let's complete our meal so Sakura-chan can get some sleep."

   "Kushina-san... Minato-san..." The Haruno called out to draw the attention of the couple. She captured Naruto's attention too, who was previously stuffing his face with food.

   "Mn?" The couple shared a glance before Minato replied.

   "I- um I don't want to disturb you both in the Hokage Residence. If there was another place I could- yanno- stay at." Sakura felt extremely uncomfortable making her request. These people are already doing so much for her and she doesn't wanna come off as rude or anything.

  She fought the urges to lower her gaze and continued to look forward.

  Kushina giggled and Minato sighed.

   "Of course, Sakura-chan! We did think you'll be uncomfortable here dattebane. We thought and thought and thought.." The redhead placed her fingers under her chin. "And then I came up with a brilliant idea!" She flicked it out adorably.

   "You can stay at the Uzumaki residence! Whaddya say, datttebane?"

  Minato chuckled softly as a blooming blush rose to Sakura's face. Naruto on the other hand wasn't so.. happy. But he knew better than to argue now. After all, Sakura's comfort is his top priority.

   "Naruto and Kushina will accompany you there tomorrow."

Òvó

   "Got everything? Sakura-chan?" The Haruno — can we even call her that anymore — jumped out of her skin at the sound of the excited blonde.

   "You scared me!" She pouted at the Uzumaki leaning on the door frame, "I'm ready, yeah. Give me a sec." She averted her gaze from him and continued to packing.

  Once done, she finally looked up only to realise Naruto had been watching her the whole time. He didn't flinch— nor did he avert his gaze. He continued to watch, to see, to study he layer by layer, layer by layer.

  Even though fully clothed, Sakura felt naked as never before. But it wasn't uncomfortable as she would have expected — no — it was more soothing and . . . melting?

  If Sakura was ice, she is now a puddle of water.

   "Lets go, dattebane!"

  They moved away like it never happened. But neither can ignore the spark.

Òvó

   "And this, Sakura-chan, is the Uzumaki Residence!" Kushina exclaimed proudly at the majestic yet humble compound that stood before them.

  Sakura took the hand that Naruto offered to pull herself out the car. The sun was glowering over her, making it hard to see anything.

  She snarked inwardly. Yesterday it was drowning her and now it wants her deep fried.

  The pinkette felt shade cast over her. Stumbling back in wonderment, she bumped the Uzumaki front. He chuckled at her squeak. "Hey, hey! It's just me. Plain ol' Naruto dattebayo."

   "You scared me! And that's twice today." She punched him indilignetly on his chest.

  He just flashed her a toothy grin before taking her hand heading off towards the Compound. He made sure to position them so that Sakura stood in his shade.

Her sneakers ticked on the pavement as she walked towards 3 figures that awaited her.

A man with overgrown shaggy hair that seemed like a hobo even though he lived in the Uzumaki Compound.
An old women, wrinkled with time, rocking buns like Princess Leia. Her hair sure had turned white with time but i could not fade away her beauty.
A young sharp yet... clumsy looking, well, redhead who had glasses adoring her face.

She recognised them all.

How the hell could she not?

Uzumaki Nagato. You make not know his name, you may not know his face but you're living under the densest of rocks if you haven't heard of his discoveries.

Uzumaki Mito, the current head of the Uzumaki clan, grandmother of Tsunade-sensei and wife of the Shodai Hokage who sadly has passed on and Mito doesn't seem too far from that. She is a remarkable women and Tsunade-sensei's inspiration for Byakūgo.

Uzumaki Karin. Currently Orochimaru-sama's kouhai and was rumored to be romantically involved with a certain Uchiha. She has a bright future.

The authentic knowledge aside, one would wonder why Sakura knows of the rumored affair. Was she not supposed to be a quiet, good kid who kept to her business?

While she is all that's mentioned above, Sakura definitely isn't one thing and that's deaf. Let's leave it at that.

This is gonna be the beginning of a new chapter, isn't it?

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I died.
I'm not gonna say I've revived.
The chapter isn't edited.
Let's do this anyway.

Sorry

- XOXO Ris