Pure boredom. That's how Genma would summarise the evening so far. The toothpick between his lips moved from one corner of his mouth to the other, it was the only thing that could somewhat amuse him, yet even this was starting to get mind-numbing.

He shifted in his stance, gaze falling onto the dance floor, where dozens of elegantly dressed people waltzed. The soon to be king of Whirlpool twirled his fiancée around, the woman's cheeks tinted with pink. The Hyuuga heiress was truly a sight to behold with her glossy indigo hair, lavender eyes and pale complexion. Her intricately hand painted silk gown fluttered as she swayed to the music, making each move that more graceful.

Grumbling, Genma made his way towards the other side of the room, where a table full of all kinds of fancy snacks awaited him. Eating these would probably be the highlight of his night. While there were plenty of beautiful ladies attending, there were all unavailable. They were mostly heiresses of some noble house, too conceited to even take a glance at him, or just far too patriotic to flirt with someone wearing the same uniform as the army that has invaded their country only a year ago.

His eyes roamed the table that was several feet long, being unable to decide what to eat first. There was such a huge variety of snacks, that Genma was sure of not being able to taste all of them. He grabbed a plate and reached for a fishcake that looked particularly appetizing. His hand bumped into that of another person, making him take a sideways look. Genma took a slight jump once he recognized the woman right next to him. He stared at her dumbly for several seconds before he managed to say anything. Meanwhile, she kept filling her plate with food, not even stealing a glance at him the whole time. She was clearly ignoring him on purpose.

"Hello." Genma cleared his throat.

Her bare shoulders stiffened at that, but she still didn't look at him for quite some time. When she faced him at last, her face was completely void of any emotion. Genma's eyes involuntarily roamed over her, noting the burgundy coloured dress made of velvet she was wearing. It was an off the shoulder type, with two thick bands encircling the top of her arms, the wide skirt reaching to the floor. Her full lips were a dark shade of red and her black eyelashes were impossibly long. The dark shade of the dress and makeup emphasized her creamy skin. She looked stunning.

"Hello." She mumbled, her hold on her plate tightening.

"I believe that I have to clarify some things." He was trying to meet her eyes, which wasn't an easy feat, considering that she was staring at the marble floor.

She raised an eyebrow at that, finally meeting his gaze. "And what would those be?"

"I'd like to apologize for not dancing with you back then." He rubbed the back of his neck, a strange feeling overcoming him. Because in all honesty, Genma wasn't this kind of guy. He wasn't the kind who apologized for such things. He was the kind who only shrugged when he failed to deliver promises like this, and then would move on to the next woman. But now, for some unknown reason he had this urge to try and placate her.

"Oh…" It seemed that she was completely caught off guard by this as well. "I'm sure that you were quite busy back then."

"Yes…well, by the time I managed to have a break, you already left." But not before dancing most of the night away with several partners. It seemed that he wasn't the only one who took notice of her back then. Meanwhile Genma sulked in one corner, watching each and every interaction with something akin to jealousy. Which was completely ridiculous. He was never jealous. Up until that moment at least.

"Well, I was quite exhausted because of the preparations…" Shizune trailed off, biting down on her lower lip.

"I see." The longest stretch of silence followed then, his mind racing for anything to say.

"I think I should-"

"How about dancing now?" He blurted out, before she could make an excuse about leaving.

She straightened at that, and then took a fleeting look at the plate in her hand. "Unfortunately, I'm holding a plate full of food right now, and I don't want it go to waste. Maybe later?"

And then Genma did the unthinkable.

He grabbed one of the smaller sandwiches from her plate and popped it into his mouth. He did the same thing two more times. By the time Shizune processed what was happening, Genma's mouth was stuffed to the brim with food that should definitely not be eaten directly one after another. She gaped at him, clearly not expecting this turn of events.

"So, now that we don't have to worry about that, would you like to dance with me?" He managed after swallowing and not choking to death.

"I don't know," Her lips formed an easy smile. "aren't you supposed to make sure, that Fire's queen is safe?" They both looked to the other side of the ballroom, where the pink haired queen was in a hushed discussion with the Yamanaka heiress.

"Captain Nara was very assertive about me taking the night off." Genma muttered bitterly, earning a chuckle from Shizune. The semi-argument he had with the captain of Whirlpool's Royal Guard concerning the safety of his queen was still a sore spot in Genma's pride. Nara Shikaku thought that it would be hard and impractical to coordinate the movements of two units that were completely foreign to each other. So, he reached to the executive decision of excluding Genma's unit completely from the task of securing the event.

Of course they were still welcome to attend the event, but only as civilians. Which drove Genma practically crazy, since he couldn't do the one job Kakashi asked him to. If something would happen to the queen during the event, Kakashi would most certainly have his head chopped off.

"I'm sure that our guards are quite up for the task."

"What's up with you people not listening to anyone else?" This earned another peal of laughter from her. Her dark eyes crinkled shut, and she put a small hand in front of her mouth. The carefree expression on her face was so different to that uptight one she was wearing during her stay in Konoha. Genma found himself liking this look much more, and was suddenly overcome with the want to make it permanent on her.

"We can be quite headstrong, I suppose." Shizune opened her eyes, the playful twinkle in them still present.

The orchestra started playing the first notes to a waltz, making both of them divert their attention to the dance floor. It was quickly filling up with dancers, but there were still several others just like them who stood on the side-lines.

"So, would you give me the honour?" Genma extended his right hand towards her, bowing slightly.

Smiling, she grabbed his hand.

"Look at that fairy tale in the making." Ino sipped leisurely from her glass, eyes fixed on the couple dancing in front of them.

Any lingering doubt that Sakura had about Naruto's feelings towards Hinata were completely dismissed once she saw them together. The loving way they looked at each other couldn't be faked, it was genuine. And she was glad for how things turned out to be for Naruto. After all of what they've been through, at least one of them managed to find true happiness.

"I think they match quite well." Sakura remarked, turning her attention back to Ino.

"Of course." She quipped. "I'm honestly surprised that up until a few months ago they didn't even know about each other."

"Well, Naruto left before Hinata had her debutante ball, and the Uzumaki's were never really close with the Hyuuga."

"Then he really lucked out, huh?"

"Yeah." Sakura grabbed a flute of champagne from a server's tray.

"So, how long will you be staying?" Sakura almost choked on her sip at that question. She glared at Ino after she managed to steady her breathing. "What? You'll have to return, eventually."

"Eventually." She muttered, her previously carefree mood souring instantly.

The truth is that Sakura was desperately looking for a reason to further delay her return to Konoha. Naruto's engagement ball was an excuse for her prolonged stay, and after that she'll most likely go home. And she didn't want to.

Now, that she had all of her loved ones right next to her, it was really hard to think about returning to the cold place that was Konoha. She couldn't bear the thought of spending the rest of her life like the way she did before coming here. To not being able to hold a discussion with anyone and having to avoid Kakashi at all cost. She was exhausted after having to do that for a month, and she would probably go crazy on the long run.

But she had to persevere. Because her other option was turning a blind eye to all that Kakashi did, which went completely against her principles.

As if on cue, a messenger stopped in front of her, his gloved hand holding an envelope.

"You just received a letter, Your Majesty." He bowed, handing it to Sakura.

She grabbed the envelope, her stomach sinking the moment she saw Kakashi's seal imprinted on it.

Was her time already up? She was barely here for a week, and he was already sending letters to call her back? Was he really that impatient to have her miserable company in his reach so soon?

Sakura's fingers started shaking; she tightened her grip, wrinkling the paper she was holding onto. She couldn't do it. Not yet at least. This was a night she wanted to dedicate to her beloved ones, and she didn't want to sour her mood because of Kakashi's idiotic words. She shoved the letter into her satchel without hesitation. She'll deal with it later.

Luckily Ino was having a conversation with someone else, so the blonde was completely oblivious to what had transpired only a few minutes ago. Good. Now the only person who needed to be unaware of the letter for the rest of the night was Sakura herself.

She started looking for something stronger than champagne, because she needed a lot more alcohol to ignore the presence of that envelope in her purse.

It weighted a ton.

It kept pulling at her arm throughout the rest of the night. As if her satchel was filled with lead, and not with a few items of makeup and a measly piece of paper.

There were several times when she contemplated on throwing the whole thing into the trash. But that would just be plain childish, and while reading a letter from Kakashi wasn't something that was high on her priority list, she couldn't ignore it forever. Knowing him, he'll just bombard her with others.

Sakura pulled out the slightly wrinkled paper from her purse once she was inside her room. Her finger trailed over the wax seal that kept the envelope shut. It would've taken only a small move from her to break it, yet she was reluctant to do so.

Maybe she can postpone reading it for a few days. Yes, a few days can't hurt, right? Nodding to herself, she opened the top drawer of her nightstand, and showed the letter into it.

She started preparing for bed, her eyes heavy with fatigue. Sakura changed into her nightgown and started removing her makeup. She constantly had to remind herself of not looking at the nightstand that was reflected in the mirror of her vanity.

Sakura also averted her gaze when she climbed into her bed. She lied flat on her back, fingers interlaced on her stomach, her stare fixed on the darkened ceiling above her. No matter how hard she tried to identify the vines and flowers made of stucco covering the ceiling, the shadows around them were far too thick for her to do so. Sakura drummed her fingers against the soft covers, ignoring how they itched to grab the letter from the drawer next to her. She huffed, admonishing herself for her complete lack of self-control.

It was just a measly little letter, its contents even more insignificant. So, it was completely okay for her to read it sometime tomorrow, or the day after that. There was no need for her to be so riled up by it. Not a single reason.

Sakura squinted her eyes shut, hoping that maybe she'll doze off soon enough. Maybe even forget about the letter in the bottom of her drawer by morning. She'll definitely forget about it.

Absolutely.

She could hear the ticking of the clock mounted on the wall opposite her bed. It ticked sixty times, then one hundred and twenty, she counted and counted. Sakura lost her nerve when she reached two thousand.

"Screw it." Sakura sat up in her bed, threw the cover off of herself, perhaps a little bit too forcefully, and lit the small lamp on her bedside table. She yanked the table's drawer open without any hesitation, grabbing the envelope.

She snapped the wax seal and unfurled the letter, her green eyes running over the surprisingly long message.

'Sakura,

the silence of these past few weeks made me think about certain things. I've been constantly replaying what we said to each other in my head that night. Your words back then shed light on things that I've been very ignorant of, perhaps that was the reason why I reacted the way I did. But not even these excuses justify how I treated you. I'm terribly sorry for how things turned out, and I'm fully conscious of the fact that sometimes words aren't enough to erase the hurt one caused. Yet I still hope that somehow I can make everything right.

I still cherish the time we spent together, and not being able to enjoy your company weights down on me each day. The possibility of going on without it because of my ignorance terrifies me. I can just hope that someday in the future you'll find it in yourself to forgive me.

Yours sincerely,

Kakashi'

Sakura read the lines over and over; until she was pretty sure she could recite it by heart. She couldn't believe her eyes. Was he…was he trying to apologize to her? After all those awful things they said to each other, after she called him a vile man, he wants them to reconcile?

Did he really swallow his pride and actually write her a letter to apologize? Moreover, he didn't even hint at the time of her return to Konoha. As if he wanted her to go back whenever she felt ready to do so.

But why now? What could possibly change his stance about everything? Was it really the distance? Sakura would be lying if she said that the aftermath of their fallout didn't affect her, and it somewhat calmed her that he didn't fare any better.

More importantly, Kakashi did say that their time spent together was something precious to him. As it was to her. And no matter how angry she still was at him, it pained her to imagine the two of them being so distant. Of not having meals together, of not sneaking into the kitchen in the middle of the night. Or having someone beside her during those awful storms. She would miss out on all of these is she didn't try to right things. The image of them almost kissing flashed before her eyes, her cheeks heating up.

Perhaps she'll miss out on much more.

And then she remembered Tsunade's desperate face from their conversation not so long ago, her words resurfacing.

"Please, for the sake of your own happiness, don't make the same mistakes as I did."

And that's when Sakura made her decision.

Kakashi has always been a light sleeper, mostly due to his military background, and the years spent as king didn't change that. So it wasn't a surprise when he was roused from his slumber by a faint sound. His mind was still slightly foggy with sleep, but he was already trying to identify the source of the noise. Kakashi sat up slowly in his bed, eyes surveying his empty room for any sign of movement.

His dark gaze fell on the thin sliver of light that spilled out from under the door he shared with Sakura.

Could it be?

His feet started taking him towards it before he could even register what was happening. He stopped only when the lock to the door was only a hand's reach away from him. The shuffle of feet could be heard clearly from this distance, someone was inside Sakura's room. Since it was well past midnight, it was unlikely that it was a palace servant. Which meant that…

She was back.

Relief and hope washed over him, that maybe she came home because of what he wrote in that letter. That maybe they could go back to the way they were. But then it took only a small speck of doubt for his perspective to change drastically. Just because she came back didn't mean that it was to forgive him. His stomach sunk at that thought. But he did deserve that to happen to him, didn't he? She had to suffer so much because of him. A simple letter from him couldn't possibly make her forget all of that.

Kakashi rested his forehead against the door, unable to decide if he wanted to talk to Sakura right now. It was ridiculous, how not even the minutes leading up to his bloodiest battles made him this nervous. Perhaps because there was much more at stake right now?

His eyes snapped open when the steps of the person on the other side became closer to the door, the way the sliver of light disappeared under it made it obvious that they were standing right in front of it. Kakashi's heart started racing, waiting with baited breath what would happen next.

It seemed like she was as hesitant as him, which somehow calmed Kakashi. Steeling his nerves, he reached for the lock and flipped it open. He took a few steps backwards, gaze fixed on the door that separated them.

Nothing happened for several minutes, and he was beginning to think that it was never her intention to talk to him right now. But then he heard the click of the lock, and the doorknob turned. The door creaked open, revealing Sakura to him.

She was wearing a white nightgown, the edge of the soft fabric reaching her ankles. Her hair was in a braid, the loose strands framing her face. Despite the circumstances, she had a serene, albeit tired look on her face. The lights that spilled out her room, towards which she had her back, created a soft halo around her. Sakura was truly beautiful in that moment.

"You're back." It sounded more like a question than a statement from him.

"Yes." She whispered, avoiding his gaze.

"I…didn't know that you'll be back so soon." No one told him that she'll be returning today. Sakura only hummed at that.

"Did you…did you travel comfortably?" He tried to fill the silence with anything, even if it was just small talk. She bit down on her lip, her green eyes suddenly boring into his. It was then that he realized how much he missed that particular colour.

"Kakashi…" Sakura's voice was barely above a whisper. Her right hand tightened around something, she was holding onto the letter he just sent to her. Did she bring it with herself to tear it up in front of him?

"This letter…" She raised it, her fingers straightening some wrinkles on it. "I came back because of what you wrote in it." That all too familiar sense of hope appeared once again, Kakashi tried to stifle it to no avail.

Sakura looked at him once again. "I think we need to talk."

Hey everyone!

Sorry for ending the chapter here, but I can promise you that the next chapter would make up for it! ;)

So, what do you think? Some of you requested more scenes between Genma and Shizune, so I included one in this chapter, hopefully I didn't disappoint.

Thank you so much for all of your continuous support! I hope that you are all safe and sound!