In less than half a day, news that Miki Yūya, Naruto, and Shikamaru had been hospitalized spread through half of Konoha.
The sun sank toward the horizon, and the hospital corridors were quiet.
Sakura had just emerged from the hospital carrying an empty fruit bag. As she turned to leave, she ran straight into Ino, who was carrying gifts on her way to visit Shikamaru.
Both stopped in their tracks.
Ever since they had fallen out over their rivalry for Sasuke, they had cut off contact completely, though Sakura had been the one to unilaterally end their friendship.
Once the best of friends, they now faced each other with nothing but stiff awkwardness, the air between them cold.
Sakura looked at Ino, a jumble of emotions stirring inside her.
As a child, she had been cornered and bullied by the village children over her broad forehead. No one would help her except Ino, who stood up for her, argued on her behalf, gave her a headband, and told her she had no reason to feel inferior.
And yet, over Sasuke alone, she had lost her mind, turned petty, and inexplicably broken with Ino, driving away a dear friend who genuinely cared about her.
After so much time and everything she had experienced, Sakura finally swallowed her pride. Her voice was hoarse with guilt:
"Ino, I'm sorry. I really wasn't much of a human being back then."
Ino froze for a moment. An apology was one thing, but wasn't that wording a little extreme? She gave a small nod.
"It's all in the past. It's fine. Besides... Sakura, you are a human being."
"Huh? No, I meant... ugh, that bastard Miki Yūya's rubbed off on me. Anyway..."
"Anyway, I can't just let it go."
Sakura clenched her teeth, her eyes red