When Sasuke-kun and I finally got together, I was so happy. Finally, he accepted my feelings, he finally allowed me to love him. Everything felt perfect after that, and beyond when I first held our daughter in my arms. Things were rough in the beginning, Sasuke-kun opt to accept missions that lasted weeks to months on end. But, he always came home. Then, seeing my husband help our darling daughter walk for the first time… it was a beautiful sight, much better than I ever imagined. Yet, fate worked against our happily ever after, and Sasuke-kun once again is kept from me, leaving me to raise our daughter all on my own.

For sevens years I never seen him. For seven years I never heard from him.

But, I accepted it. As Uchiha Sasuke's wife, I need to be supportive, I need to be the ideal woman for him. I need to be there for Sarada and help her be the best she could be. I want her to be even better than me.

Seven years went before I finally saw my husband again. It happened in a way I wished it didn't, but it couldn't be helped, and once the last obstacle went away, our family was together again. Sasuke and Sarada were finally connecting, and he's with me. Everything was getting better…

Except…

On a typical warm day in Konoha, and it feels extra sublime with the terror caused by the Ootsutsuki having recently came to an end. Sakura is relentlessly elatedly side-by-side with her husband, as they watch their daughter proudly with her team. Eventually they went back home, and Sasuke is quick to taking a nap upon the sofa, too tired to even make it to the bed. Sakura is now collecting clothes to wash. Every other moment, as she passes by her husband and gaze upon his face, all relaxed and at ease, she would blush prettily at the mere spectacle. By the nth time her cheeks turn rosy, the corner of her eye notices Sasuke's cloak hung over him on the back of the comfy couch.

'He's worn that cloak so often, it must be musky by now.' Figuring it best to wash it for him, and hoping for a token of gratitude in return, Sakura carefully takes the cloak. Looking back at Sasuke, she feels a little perplexed that he's still sleeping. 'He must be worn out, all those years travelling and the latest events has finally caught up to him.'

Silently she steps to the laundry room and begins to sort out the clothes by color and durability. Eventually she reaches for Sasuke's cloak, then pauses.

"What…?" She feels something from within, something thin and small. "That's not a weapon." Bringing the dark cape to her lap, she feels for the hidden pocket. "Never knew Sasuke-kun to be the type to keep personal belongings on his person." It took some time – this mysterious item being well secured – for her to find the covert pocket. When she does find it, she untucks the flimsy parcel, and discovers it to be a photo. Looking at the picture, Sakura has to fight back a squeal.

'It's me and Sasuke-kun~!'

The image shows Sasuke and Sakura standing in front of forestry, with Sasuke delicately embracing Sakura due to her pregnant belly. Almost overwhelmed with giddiness, Sakura is tempted to rush to her husband and risk giving him a big kiss. "When did we take this picture?" The blissful question soon alters into bemusement. "… When did we take this picture?"

She takes a second look of the photo, and soon deciphers that something is off. Her hair was never that long, it never reached close to her ankles. Nor had she ever worn such an embellished kimono, certainly not while traveling during her pregnancy, and the outfit appears pure silk by its sheen. She definitely does not have freckles spangled across her face.

"I don't understand, this looks like me, but… it's not me?"

She begins to notice smaller details, such as the shape of the woman's eyes, her fuller lips, and that wayward strand atop of her head. Through further observation, Sakura notices something especially key: Sasuke looks younger in this picture. Roughly fifteen years old, both his arms intact, during the time he remained defected from Konoha. The other pinkette looks to be the same age. Conjoining all the clues together, the picture quivers in Sakura's clammy hand.

'I… I don't understand…' The Uchiha matriarch could only stare wide-eyed at the photo quaking into a blur in her grasp. 'What is this…?'

There's much about Sasuke-kun that I don't know about, and I would be lying if I say it's not upsetting on my worst days. But he's been through so much, I couldn't possibly pry and risk him distancing himself from me. I trusted that he would one day tell me everything if I just waited and continue to show him that I'm not going anywhere. I would always be there for him, because I love him.

But now… looking at this. Finding something so out of place, something that should never be in my world… at that moment, I don't know what to believe anymore.

I don't know my own husband. I don't know this woman! This twisted reflection of a woman!

Just who is she? Why does she look so similar to me? And most importantly, why does Sasuke-kun look so happy being with this… this lookalike!

I want answers and yet… I'm afraid to find out.

お

花

見

When blinded by love, you tend not to ask necessary questions. When only following your heart, you ignore logic and rationality. When accepting everything in your romance, you overlook things that others would find unsavory. When caught in bliss, you create a veil to possibilities…

Possibilities that perhaps, you're not the source of his happiness. That you're not the center of his heart. That you don't matter to him as much as he matters to you.

As you open yourself to these possibilities, allow the rest of us to venture counterclockwise. Allow us to go and see… see a world that's smaller than yours, but more aesthetic. Let us take on a journey to a place often overshadowed by the shinobi realm.

All those willing are welcome to join, for we are entering the world… of Flowers and Willows.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

So here it is, the third installment of my three major Naruto fandom stories. Unlike NARUTO-NEO and KIRO, where I'm free to change the rules however I want, OHANAMI is a story that will be directly connected to the canonical story. It's a challenge, but one I want to try.

As this prologue implied, this story will explore the speculation of Sasuke having had a private life, away from Konoha and away from the way of ninja. This story will also explore the way others view Sasuke and Sakura's relationship – a relationship of one-sided romance and mutual convenience. I gave these two a fair chance, but there's just too much negative aspects that I view their connection would be unhealthy and borderline horrifying in real life.

So, fair warning to Sakura/Sasusaku-fans (and especially Sakura/Sasusaku-stans), if you can't bear the idea of Sasuke and Sakura not having a genuine romance between them, this is NOT the trilogy for you. To the fans, read by your own risk. To the stans… don't waste my time as much as you'll waste your own.

Finally, I trust a lot of you know what the last line implies… this story is definitely going to be quite the experience.