Prologue

The last time he saw her was seven months ago.

She was walking at the huge gates of Konohagakure no Sato in her combat gear with a bag on her shoulder. Her pastel pink hair was nicely kempt, shoulder length locks were swaying back and forth dramatically— making her look like a goddess in a disguise of a kunoichi. Her emerald eyes shone bright and a warm smile plastered her beautiful face as she stood there looking at him with a loving gaze.

She walked to where he stood as she smiled even more widely at the young adolescent beside him.

"Sarada," she said in a motherly warmth.

She pulled the young adolescent in her arms who only hugged her so tightly as if she doesn't want to let the older woman to let her go. The woman only chuckled as she patted her head comfortingly. She's aware that her daughter was about to cry so she only kissed her forehead in affection and rubbed the child's back as if to soothe her.

"Mama," the young adolescent sniffled, her onyx eyes looked at her emerald ones with sadness that made the older woman shook her head with a sad smile.

"Sarada," she said once again, patting the child's head, "Mama is just a few countries away, don't be so sad, sweetie."

Sarada pouted adorably that the pinkette reminded her of the handsome man beside her daughter. She can't helped but to smile at the thought. Her daughter was really a carbon copy of her handsome husband.

"And that's the problem. A few countries, Mama! You said so!" she retorted, "And the worst is, you don't even know when are you going to be back. How come will I not to feel so sad?"

The pinkette chuckled inwardly. Sarada might be the carbon copy of her powerhouse husband, but Sarada's handling of emotions were just like her own.

Sarada is really their beloved daughter.

She pinched her daughter's soft cheeks and only grinned, "Come on, Sarada. You sounded like your Aunt now, she just told me the same thing too."

"It's because it's true!" Sarada snapped that made the older woman blinked in surprise, it's been a long time that her daughter really snapped at her, and she can see how desperate her daughter was. "Are you sure you're really leaving? I'm sure Papa can convince Nanadaime-sama to send someone else than you!"

She stared at the hysterical child of hers for a moment, and she slowly smiled oh-so-softly that made the man beside Sarada to frown in silent.

That kind of smile. He knew that. It's a fake kind of reassurance smile that annoys him totally beyond— every stupid single time he's with her. Sasuke only frowned as he looked at his woman, feeling annoyed that she pulled a fake reassuring façade like that again.

He doesn't like that smile. He really doesn't.

"Sakura," he called out to her which the said woman only looked at him with a hesitant smile.

"Anata, you already know that I can't forfeit this mission of mine. You can't change my mind." Sakura said with a warning tone, but yet still soft spoken, "I promise I will be back, I assure you alright?" she smiled.

He only stared at her without blinking. His intense mismatched orbs were piercing through her emerald ones, not caring about their daughter's presence who was just beside them.

"Do you really need to do it?" he asked blankly, his voice might be emotionless, but there's an anxiety in it— while it also churns inside his guts.

His wife only nodded once, "I need to, Sasuke-kun." she said softly but there's seriousness in there, "Tsunade-shishou needs me and I need to be thereー"

"Then send me with you."

Sakura was taken aback by his answer which she only looked at him with a sad smile.

"No I-I can't, Sasuke-kun. Having someone to accompany me through this mission might endanger Tsunade-sama. This is my responsibility as her apprentice. Please believe me, Anata."

Sasuke's lips were pressed into a straight line. He closed his mismatched eyes for a moment and Sakura was sure that she saw her husband drawl out an air through his nose.

A sign that he was not really pleased at all.

"Sasuke-kuー"

"I got it," he replied, making Sakura felt so guilty, "Just...just be careful. We don't know what kind of enemy who abducted the older Senju. But I'm sure that they're formidable enemies, Sakura."

She licked her dry lips and nodded at her husband, "I..understand, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke nodded curtly and he looked at Sarada, "Sarada, say goodbye to your mother now."

"Papa, do you really think this is necessaー"

"Sarada," he warned and continued, "your mother is about to go now. Bid your farewell,"

His daughter bit her lower lip in frustration as she tried to keep her stupid tears at bay. Sarada can feel that she's about to burst like a volcano and how she wanted to scream in pure madness and frustration.

Her mother. Her beloved mother was leaving. Leaving. For a very dangerous S-Rank mission, where she needs to save the former Fifth Hokage; Senju Tsunade from a rumored dangerous group of nukenins, the Red Funeral.

How could she think more clearly? If her mother's survival rate of that mission was fifty percent over one hundred? Her mother might be the strongest kunoichi alive in her generation, but her mother's former master, one of the Legendary Sannin— was been held captive by some gruesome nukenins. So that proves enough that those bastards were just so powerful to abduct the great female Senju. So how can her mother handle a full pack of S-Rank Criminals' associate?

How?

Sakura caressed her cheeks tenderly and kissed her forehead once again. She rested her lips there for a great twenty seconds and Sarada's eyes soften at her mother's apologetic gaze.

"Sarada, I promise I will be back. No matter what it cost." she said reassuringly, her emerald eyes were gleaming with pure determination as it clashed with Sarada's midnight orbs.

"Just believe in Mama okay? I will make sure to be back here right away with you and Papa." Sakura said with a motherly smile, patting her daughter's mop of dark head.

Sakura turned her gaze to her silent husband. She knew that her husband was number one against of the mission she's about to complete, just like Ino, Naruto and Sarada. But there's nothing she can do. The leader of the said group was demanding her presence if she want her Shishou to be safe and alive.

In other words, she's going to trade herself for her Shishou's safety. But there's no way Sakura will do that, she will make sure that she will think of a good plan how to get her Shishou without trading herself in her Shishou's place. The pinkette knew that the said associate were going to play dirty, and there's no way that they would let the Senju go that easily if Sakura will switch with her. Tsunade-shishou was a very important person, a well notorious kunoichi, every rogue nins will gladly to have her head just to trade it for a wholesome ryo.

So as Haruno Sakura, or Uchiha Sakura, the sole apprentice of Senju Tsunade who unlocked the Byakugou Seal will make sure to save her Shishou no matter what it costs.

She will make sure that she will accomplish her mission.

She will make sure she will be back to them...to her friends, to her family.

She will make sure of it.

ーNo matter what it costs.

A pair of footsteps slowly padded through the ground and that's where emeralds met cerulean.

Sakura smiled warmly as if she was not having a dangerous mission ahead of her, and this made Sasuke clenched his sole fist on his side. He can sense the very familiar chakra of his best friend, walking to where the Uchiha family stood.

His blonde clean cut head was held high but his shoulders were slouched exhaustedly, he wore his Hokage suit and he had this defeated look on his face.

Aside from him, Naruto was also against at Sakura's dangerous mission. He almost lost his sanity when the pinkette agreed oh-so-determinedly at the mission. Just like Sasuke, he wanted Sakura to be safe. But then,

"Sakura-chan, you're really leaving?" he asked somberly, "You won't send Sasuke or Kakashi-sensei with yoー"

"No, Naruto," she interrupted her blonde best friend, "you can't stop me. I need to do this." her emerald eyes drooped, silently begging him with her eyes, "Please, Naruto. I promise you, believe me. I'm capable of this mission. I will be fine."

Naruto was silent for a moment but he nodded once, finally.

"I believe in you, Sakura-chan. Pleaseーplease," he clenched his fists and looked at Sakura with a serious look, "be alright. Come back with Tsunade-baachan to us, to me. Alright?"

Sakura looked at Naruto with warmth and affection in her beautiful features, she placed her palms gently at his whiskered cheeks and softly caressed it like a mother caressing her infant.

"I will. I'm sure of that. I promise, I will be back." she reassured, with her eyes drooping sadly, giving him a smile that doesn't reached her beautiful eyes.

Her eyes. Sasuke observed, was the very beautiful set of eyes that his eyes have ever set on. Bright emerald eyes, the eyes that expressed so many kinds of emotions to him. And now,

Just like Naruto, she had a defeated look also.

"Well then, Naruto. Please take care of your health okay? Give my regards to Hinata-chan, also to Ino. Don't worry, I will be back right away after this." she grinned and patted the Hokage's shoulder in a friendly manner.

Naruto returned the grin and he pulled his pink haired best friend into a very tight hug. "Just make sure, Sakura-chan! Don't break your promise, you get me? I can't handle an insane brooding Teme if there's something bad happens to you! He might wipe out those so-called Red Funeral in a blink of his ocular eyes!"

A soft 'Idiot' escaped the Uchiha's lips and he only rolled his mismatched eyes, pocketing his sole hand in his black nin trousers.

A chuckle escaped his wife's fuller lips and this made Sasuke to assess her more. Sakura was really beautiful, his wife was really breathtakingly beautiful. He's lucky to have her in his gloomy life, and he's very glad to have her brighten his darkest path.

Without her, he's not sure how could he handle iー

"Sasuke-kun," she purred softly, walking in front of where he stood.

Sasuke blinked twice, his mismatched eyes gazed at his wife's features once again. He wants to imprint that loving gaze she always gave him in his mind, forever. And he will not forget that look whatever happens.

Whatever happens.

The Uchiha patriarch raised his right hand with his thumb, ring and pinky finger curled in his palm, his index and middle were poking out and about to touch her forehead with his kind of endearmー

But he was been stopped by a soft hand locking his wrist.

Sasuke blinked at Sakura and looking so baffled. Why on earth his wife was stopping him?

"Sasuke-kun," she called once again with a sweet smile, she pulled his wrist with her inhuman strength and the Uchiha found himself being hauled by his wife.

Hauled into a very sweet kiss. With her plump lips pressing into his, very sweet, very warm, soft and intoxicating. Her free hand caressed his jaw with affection and care, with love. Even though he's not a man who likes public display of affection, he doesn't mind at all just this once. Especially when his sworn best friend and daughter was there to witness them, he doesn't care if they were watching though. He just simply returned the kiss with equal fervor.

And Sasuke slowly closed his eyes as he savored the kiss of his beloved wife.

His beloved wife.

Sakura pulled away after a few moments. The Uchiha opened his eyes and was been greeted by her sweet sweet genuine smile, grazing her fuller lips.

"Now, that is your kiss from me." she said with a giggle and she guided his wrist at her forehead, tapping his index and middle finger at her wide forehead, "And this is my forehead tap from you. And this," Sakura raised her right hand, mimicking his kind of endearment, tapping her index and middle finger on his forehead, "is my forehead tap for you. It says 'I love you too', Sasuke-kun."

He can't help but his lips twitched upwards, a soft smile grazing his lips.

I know. I am too, Sakura.

"Take care of yourselves okay? Don't forget to eat nutritious foods!" she said chirply, grinning so widely. "Promise me you will not do something stupid while I'm gone, alright? And you Sarada, don't overstretch yourself on your trainings okay? Don't give your Papa a headache! And Naruto, stop slacking and finish your paper works on time and please look after my beloved brooding husband for me while I'm gone."

Naruto grinned widely and gave her a thumbs up, "Roger that, Sakura-chan!"

Sarada nodded with a smile, "I understand, Mama."

Sakura looked at her husband with a loving smile, "Please be alright okay? Promise me you won't do anything stupid,"

Sasuke smirked at his wife, "I must say the same thing for you, my beloved stubborn wife." he said, earning a hundred shades of pink adorning Sakura's cheeks. He smirked even more, already pleased.

"Mou! Stubborn," she murmured with a pout, "you are much worse than me, Anata."

"Hn."

"Whatever!" she rolled her eyes and winked at the three ninjas that she very love so dearly, her bright mood slowly diminishing. "I guess this is it," she said softly, "I need to go now."

Naruto nodded with a small smile, "Take care, Sakura-chan. If there's something might happen, don't hesitate to send us a summon okay?"

"I will," she smiled.

"Mama, I love you very much." Sarada said sadly, hugging her mother once again.

"I love you too, Sarada. Very much."

"Please...please come back right away when you're done okay? Please be safe, Mama."

Sakura gave her daughter her forehead tap and hugged her tight once again, "Don't worry, I will. I promise."

She broke the hug and Sakura faced her husband, "I'll be going now, Sasuke-kun."

"Aa."

Sakura forced a smile and she slowly stepped back, holding the strap of her bag. "I love you, Sasuke-kun. Please take care."

The three ninjas stared at the back of the walking kunoichi, as it got farther and farther in their sad visions.

Sasuke swore to himself that letting Sakura go just like that will be his greatest lamentation. His very strongest regret..

ーwas to let her go, walking to the den of dangerous lions alone.

He stood there, staring at the small back of his wife who was already very far away from them.

And the last time he saw the Uchiha crest that adorned her back proudly, carrying his name with her. Carrying his whole heart with her.

That was the last time she told him that she loved him.

And that was the last time that they saw her. And after seven months without any news about her whereaboutsー Sakura was been declared missing.

Officially missing.

Uchiha Sakura, his beloved wifeー missing.

A/N: Guys, here is the prologue. I didn't change anything that much and the original prologue was still intact. I'm going to look over the mistakes on the other chapters that I'm going to re-upload later on so please be patient with me. *groans* This site just gave me a real headache, I couldn't access myself to my old account so that's why I have no choice but to create a new one to upload stories again. I would say it was really been a long time, and I almost forgot that many people were waiting for me to update a new chapter which I haven't done so because of my very busy schedule. But nevermind that though, I'm back on track again and I'll gonna upload new chapters of this story. I know many readers here were anticipating what's the outcome of this story, so I'll do my best to update immediately. Don't forget to review guys! Constructive criticism is open~

Revised from way back October 10, 2017

—SpringfieldOfCherryBlossoms