Lying on her back on the rooftop of the Hokage Tower, Sakura watched the clouds rolling over them. She was not sure for how long they had been just lying there, next to each other, looking up at they sky. Neither of them had said a single word in what felt like hours, they had just held each other's hand, and sort of let the moment wash over them.
At least that was what Sakura was thinking.
When he, after some more minutes had passed, he finally let go of her hand, it felt cold and sort of lonely, and despite herself Sakura reached up to grasp hold of his fingers once more.
"There are things I need to do", he explained, sounding mildly apologetic.
Sakura nodded. Of course, he was the Hokage after all. Taking his offer to help her up, she pulled herself to a standing position, and – maybe on purpose, maybe by accident – crashed right into him, her arms wrapping themselves around his lean figure before she was able to command them not to.
He did not comment on it, he simply and gently pealed himself out of her grasp, stating that he did have an appointment with the Council and that, for a chance, being late wasn't really an option.
And then he left her, with nothing but a somewhat incoherently mumbled „I'll see you later", and a weird, tingling sensation that was making her feel numbed and wide awake at the same time.

Sakura returned to work at the hospital and once more felt as if she was actualy doing good. It were mostly sick people she had to take care of these days. Since the war had ended the Allied Shinobi Forces had given birth to the Allied Nations, limiting the number of enemies each country had to face, and thus drasticly cutting the number shinobi coming back home from their missions more dead than alive.
Of course there still was evil around, twice already attempts had been made to shatter the new formed alliance, many shinobi still believed that a world of peace would be the end of their existance, but having won the war with their combined strength had forged the countries closer together, had given everyone the opportunity to trust others; something that most importantly applied to the five Kages who did their best to protect and strengthen the new formed alliances.

"You seem different lately.", Ino commented the other day when the two young women were sitting together in the hospital's garden.
"I...", Sakura immediatly stopped talking. What was she supposed to tell Ino? I think, I'm in love? But she didn't even know if that was what she was, and besides, Ino, inevitably, would ask her who the man in question was, wouldn't let go until Sakura finally spilled it, and she did not really want anyone to know. So instead she said: "I just realised that there's still a whole lot left to live for."
"That's good to hear", Ino sighed. Then her radio beeped.
"I'm sorry, I have to", she gestured over her shoulder and towards the building.
"Sure..."
Ino had changed, too. The responsibility she had, being the only one left as well as the most capable to take care of Shikamaru weight heavy on her. But it aslo had made her stronger. While Sakura, occasionally, still felt as if she was solely putting on the act of being all grown up, Ino gave the impression of someone who had left being a child behind. Once and for all.