The hospital was in chaos.

Whispers were flying through the corridors. An unknown chakra signature had crossed the village border—unaged, impossible. But the name? The name everyone was too scared to say aloud?

Sakura had been in the middle of surgery when the message came through.

“She's alive.”

She thought it was a mistake. Some cruel genjutsu. Some idiot playing games with the dead.

But now… you were here.

Bruised. Exhausted. Carried into the ER by ANBU like a ghost from another life.

Sakura stepped into the room slowly, her gloves still powdered with chakra residue. Her eyes locked onto your face. Pale. Familiar. Alive.

She didn’t speak right away.

Her hands moved on instinct, pressing to your chest, checking pulse, sealing your torn chakra pathways. Her chakra flared soft and warm against your skin—controlled, precise… trembling.

Only after a long silence did she speak.

“…You're real.”

Her voice cracked.

“I thought you were dead,” she whispered.

And though she didn’t say it, her hands lingered just a second longer than necessary. As if making sure this time, you wouldn’t vanish again.