Some days she just didn't want to deal with anything. Unfortunately, those were always the days that things seemed to happen.

She had been followed ever since she left work. She knew who it was, even though she couldn't see them, and she really didn't want to deal with them today, that's why Sakura was running on the roof tops of Konoha towards the Hokage mountain.

The sound of her sandals against the tiles of the roofs could barely keep up with her as she sped across town, constantly aware of the presence following her in the streets below. She pushed off a chimney in the residential area, changing her direction multiple times in the chase and even sending doppelgängers off in different directions, but the pursuer kept following her flawlessly through the alley ways and streets, until she came to the base of the Hokage mountain. She gathered the chakra in her feet and leapt off the final roof top onto the vertical slope of the mountain and started running up.

As she made her ascent she could feel the chakra signature being left behind in the street. Breathing a sigh of relief, she quickly approached the summit, passing the face of Lady Tsunade, making sure not to run over the sculpted rock. She leapt over the ledge of the mountain onto the grassy knoll of the summit that overlooked the city and knelt down to catch her breath. That's when she felt a familiar presence in front of her.
Looking up, she glared daggers into the figure.

She spoke, keeping her tone even through her breaths.

"What the hell do you want, Kakashi Sensei?"

Kakashi looked up at her from his book as he lounged against a near by tree.

"Sakura, what a pleasant surprise. I didn't think anyone else would be up here at this time of day."

Still panting slightly, Sakura slowed down her breathing while taking the opportunity to glare harder at Kakashi.

"I wasn't expecting to be up here, but circumstances lead me to take a detour on my way home."

Kakashi looked at her unfazed, but spoke with a tone of mild confusion.

"Why would you need to take a detour up a mountain, Sakura?"

Sakura's face twisted for a second before she finally sighed and slumped down on the grass. She ran a hand through her hair and looked out towards the setting sun.

She repeated her question in a much more subdued voice.

"What do you want, Kakashi?"

"What do you mean?"

Sakura glanced back to him briefly before returning her gaze to the sunset.

"Why were you following me?"

Kakashi chuckled "As far as I'm concerned, Sakura, I was here first."

Sakura sighed once again, as she stood up slowly and stretched her arms to the sky as though she were trying to grab a cloud that was drifting by lazily. She let her arms slowly fall to her sides then behind her back to stretch her shoulders, then she let them relax naturally to her sides once she was satisfied. She then turned back to him and smiled sweetly.

"You're right, Kakashi Sensei. I didn't mean to bother you, I'll be on my way now."

Kakashi closed his book and moved from his position against the tree towards Sakura as she headed for the edge of the cliff.

"You know, normal people take the stairs."

Sakura looked back at him with a blank face.

"Normal people don't chase their students up a mountain, Sensei."

With that they stared at each other for several moments as the sun finally set to Sakura's back and a light breeze picked up, rustling their hair and shaking a few leaves loose from the surrounding foliage.
Kakashi took another step towards Sakura.

"Have a good night, Sensei."

And she was gone.

Sakura took in the fresh morning air as she stepped outside. Her forehead protector shone as she walked to the street and she smiled as she saw children chase a ball in front of a local grocer. They giggled with glee when the ball was kicked back to them by a passer by.
She watched the citizens walking in the streets and leaving their houses to get ready for their own days. One person kissed their spouse as they walked out the door, and another was fumbling with a set of keys in front of a shop. She was greeted by a few people when they walked by her as she made her way down the street, she gave them a smile or a nod in return, but didn't stop to chat.

The way she took today led her right past Yamanaka Flowers and as she approached the shop she could see Ino setting up the outside display. Sakura made her way through the slowly building crowd and across the street where Ino was currently crouched, arranging a vase with flowers.

Ino addressed Sakura without looking up from her work.

"I could feel your forehead coming from a mile away."

Sakura walked up and playfully pushed on Ino's back with her foot.
"I don't even live a mile away, Pig."

Ino turned around and swatted at Sakura's foot before standing and tucking a pair of scissors away in her apron.
"What are you up to, Forehead?"

Sakura casually put her hands behind her head and let out a quick breath.
"I'm on my way to help Lady Tsunade with her paperwork, but I wanted to stop by since your shop was right here."

"How nice of you." Ino said sarcastically.
"Actually, I need to see the Hokage today to pick up a mission. Do you want to wait for a few minutes and let me finish setting up?" Ino smirked "Since you went so far out of your way, you might as well walk with me."

Sakura laughed under her breath and let her hands fall to her hips.
"Well, go on then. I don't have all day."

Ino quickly finished setting up and went inside to change. Sakura stood outside and watched as people passed by the shop. She saw some familiar faces that once again smiled to her, but she mostly ignored them as they went. Ino finally came out in her ninja gear as she shouted a farewell to her father in the store and they began their trek down the street.

As they walked, Ino began to chat casually with Sakura.
"You know, the last time Lady Tsunade gave me a mission, I barely made it out alive."

Sakura looked to Ino, surprised.
"Was the mission really that dangerous?"

Ino scoffed.
"No, the mission was a breeze, but Lady Tsunade threw an empty sake bottle at my head before I left."

Sakura started to laugh and Ino soon Joined her. The rest of the walk to the tower was spent discussing work and their team mates. Ino did most of the talking, she told Sakura about how Choji has been making it a weekly routine to get the team together for dinner and how Shikamaru is being pressured to take over the clan. Sakura pitched in about her and Naruto's training sessions and how they often grab a meal at Ichiraku afterwords.

"I just don't know how that boy lives off ramen. I'm pretty sure his blood is made of the stuff."

They approached the tower and Ino looked to Sakura.
"Speaking of, why don't you and Naruto stop by the shop today, we can grab Choji and Shika and go out tonight."

Sakura nodded as they entered the building.
"I'd really like that. It's been a while since we all got together."

They made their way up the stairs and to the large wooden doors.
Sakura knocked.
There was a muffled "enter" spoken before they pushed their way inside.

"Sakura! It's about time! You were supposed to be here hours ago!" Tsunade fidgeted with something under her desk before there was a suspicious sound of glass being set on the ground.

"This is the time I always come in Lady Tsunade." Sakura spoke with confusion and ignored the obvious sake bottle under her desk.

Tsunade looked at Sakura.
"I sent Kakashi out last night to find you after work and tell you that I have a mission for you. The lazy bastard must have blown it off."

Sakura's face twisted in annoyance.
"Well Kakashi Sensei did manage to find me, but he never mentioned a mission."

Tsunade sighed and put her hand to her forehead.
"Of course he didn't. Ino, I have your mission waiting for you downstairs in Briefing Room C. I need to speak to Sakura alone."

Ino nodded and bowed respectfully before leaving the room.
Sakura stood alone in front of Tsunade's desk and waited for her to sart speaking.

"It's an escort mission to the boarder." Tsunade pulled out a scroll and handed it to Sakura. "Your mission is to simply deliver the client to the check point station and a team from Suna will escort him the rest of the way. This mission shouldn't take you more than two days to get to the boarder and back. All you need to do is wait for Kakashi to show up and you can leave. I need you to be gone as soon as possible because the Suna team will only be at the boarder for a small time frame and the client needs to get there."

Sakura read through the scroll details.
"This says it's only me and Kakashi as escorts."

Tsunade nodded and folder her fingers in front of her.
"The client was very specific that he wanted a minimal escort; you and Kakashi are the best duo team that both happen to be in the city right now. Your client is waiting down stairs, go meet him while you wait for Kakashi. I told him to be here at sunrise, so he should be here around noon."

Sakura smirked and rolled up the scroll.
"Well he shouldn't be too long, considering he followed me and Ino here from the flower shop. I'll be waiting downstairs then, if that's all, Lady Tsunade."

Tsunade nodded and dismissed Sakura.
Sakura bowed and left the room while Tsunade stared after her and sighed to herself before reaching under her desk for a drink.

"She doesn't make anything fun." A voice said from the window.

"I need you to get down there, Kakashi. It's a short mission, but it needs to be done, today."

Tsunade took a long swig from her bottle as Kakashi made a noise of acknowledgement and jumped from his place on the window.