Disclaimer: Naruto and it's characters are owned by Masashi Kishimoto. Only this story I own.
Full Summary:
Sakura is now a grandmother of two. One night, she tells her eldest grandson a story about love. Eventually, her grandson realized that the story she's telling him about was actually her first true love. Somehow it became a revelation to his true identity... As not a grandson of Uchiha Sasuke, but of an Uchiha nonetheless. And Sakura met him one night during spring... many years ago.
To my dearest friends who helped me finish this first chapter of this fic. I am grateful to Fen Jien Ren. I love you, best friend! =)
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In the Nights of Spring
by Juana Mari Hendrix
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"Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart." ~Victor Hugo
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Chapter 1
Whenever spring comes, I always see grandma so depressed. Although I'm young, I can tell that she's been grieving for somebody. I always catch her crying by the window of her room, rocking her chair as the night deepens and darkens along with her heart—sobbing painfully, endlessly throughout the hours she thinks nobody else is awake.
She's a very good actress, I can tell. Every time I get out of bed and peek through that little opening the door has been granting me with, I see emotions I never thought I'd ever see her hold. I don't think she wanted anyone to see her like this, and nobody did... except for me.
During these nights of spring, I kept watching and I kept thinking. For her to look so torn and dejected, there must be some kind of reason behind it. Sometimes I get ridiculous ideas from trying to figure things out too much, but maybe they aren't so ridiculous at all. Maybe I am being a burden to her... that's what I think.
Every morning, grandma always wakes me up early for school. Since my parents have to be away for work, grandma had been both my father and mother in one. She gives me all the attention my parents had been lacking to. I know grandma can't provide me all the expensive toys, beautiful clothes, and the delicious sweets my parents had been sending back home to make amends for the days they should be here but not, but... what grandma has been unconditionally giving me... it's not the kind of thing that money can buy. I need and want attention just like other children do.
I felt the other side of my bed sink. I know it's my beautiful grandma. Yeah, she's still beautiful even though she's been in her early forties now. Though I used to find her hair color very weird, as I grew older, I realized it's actually beautifully exotic! I remember that it was also spring when I compared her hair to the cherry blossoms that I saw for the very first time. I began envying her for that—for everything that she was; wishing that I had pink hair instead of black, that I had her emerald eyes, which contrasted with her hair color, rather than these dull black orbs. Just kidding! That would be totally awkward because I'm an Uchiha and a male... that would not suit me. Anyway, she's ethereally beautiful like all the luminous flowers blooming in spring.
As she sat there on my bed, I just stared at her.
"Haru," grandma called to me, her delicate face gracing me a warm smile. I rubbed my eyes and gave a dull moan as my response. "You have to get up now, dear," she continued, "You're going to be late for school," and then she pressed her lips lightly on my forehead. After that, she stood up and opened the curtains to let the morning sunshine seeps into the dark room. Even the sun was calling me out of bed.
To my irritation, I groaned and shielded myself from the blinding light. "Grandma, close the curtains pleeeeeease!" I didn't want to go yet. A few more minutes would be pretty nice, but grandma had always been more of a stubborn person than I am. I know eventually, she's going to have me doing whatever that she wants me to do.
"No," she said with a tone that always got me to my toes. It's the tone that I knew it's meant was final...no need to have more arguments on that. She raised her eyebrow, placing a hand on her hip, and looked at me. "Haru-kun, are you going to get up by yourself or am I going to make you?"
Knowing what my awesome grandma can do, like carry me with just a hand and drag me off from bed, as much as I didn't want to... I had to, so I pushed the heavy covers away from my body and rolled over to the edge of the bed until my feet finally reached the wooden floor. I walked over to my grandma and hugged her tightly, "I lev yi, granmah," I love you, grandma. I told her softly, my voice muffled from my face being pressed against her tummy.
Grandma chuckled from the vibrations brought by muffled words and I smiled right back at her. I like it when I get to tickle her tummy like that. I don't know when and how it began, but it just sort of became a part of our everyday mornings. I just hope dad and aunt were here. It's not like they abandoned grandma, they visit her every weekend, but I know grandma would be happier if they would just stay here everyday.
...but I couldn't really blame them. Mother, father, and aunt Hana have their responsibilities to fulfill in our country just like Grandma. She's a medic-nin, apprentice of the legendary fifth and a former teammate of our current Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto. Although I could not, grandma understands why everyone couldn't be with her so I try my very best to. Just for grandma. And I know, that someday eventually, I will also became a shinobi in my later years and leave my mother just as alone as grandma is. It couldn't be helped.
My parents met in a hospital through aunt Hana. My father is an ANBU captain while aunt Hana is a famous medic-nin like my grandma during her time. Grandma passed all her knowledge in medicine that the fifth has passed to her in their earlier years. My mom is also a medic-nin, but she's only second to aunt Hana.
I got brought back from my thoughts when grandma ruffled my sleek shoulder-length hair. I don't like it when she does that.
"Aww... grandma, stop that!" I groaned, looking back up at her. She only grinned and stuck her tongue out.
"Take a bath now..." And again, she moves to mess my hair, "...my dear grandson," she added with a wink.
"Graaaaaandmaaaaaa..." I whined, grimacing.
She chuckled softly as she gently pushed me away from her and towards the bathroom. "I'm going to prepare your breakfast downstairs," she informed me, finally heading out. My eyes were still on her, following her image until she walked completely out of my bedroom door.
I stared at the door, the smile falling and my face turning stoic... I don't really know what to think anymore. I mean, is she really happy or what? I know there's something about this season that's making her sad. I'm really anxious to know the answer to that. Am I really the one at fault? Or is it because of something else entirely?
I was so lost in thoughts that I forgot the time the clock was ticking by and by until my grandma shouted: "Hurry up, Haru!" while the sound of her footsteps down the stairs began to fade until gone. That was my cue to actually get going... or else.
The sun was already setting. All the other children like me were waiting for our parents or guardians to fetch us home. I sat on a stone bench outside the academy, patiently waiting, until I hear grandpa's voice.
"Haru," grandpa called. I turned my head to it's source and there he was, walking towards me with his hair spiky and long; tied back neatly into a ponytail. Like grandma, his handsomeness generously shows despite his age.
I stood up and ran to him, meeting him halfway. I welcome him with a hug and another smile. "Grandpa!"
He returned my hug. Retreating a little, I looked up at him. He's so tall. I expect to be as tall as him if not taller when I grow up!
He knelt down, directly meeting my gaze, and patted my head. "Did I surprise you?" he asked.
"Yep," I answered, "You made me really happy, grandpa!" I added, my face beaming with joy.
"Your grandma said she's not feeling well," his face softens a bit, showing concern to my pretty grandma. I've never seen grandpa smile, but I know this is the closest anyone could get from him. Besides, not everyone had seen him like this. Maybe not even mother and father. "So she requested me to come fetch you instead."
People were watching us, I can tell. Some kids get jealous because my grandpa is the head council of Konoha and also a former teammate of our current Hokage, and of course, grandma.
Their team, according to the latest records, is the best in all history. They were called the "Team 7," which consisted of them three: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Uzumaki Naruto. They were the ones who restored peace among the five great shinobi countries, and that is why they are the best. They are heroes. And two of those heroes have their blood in me—I'm very proud of that.
Grandpa and Grandma.
It never fails to put a smile on my lips whenever I remember it.
"Let's go, grandson," he stood up and placed his hand over my shoulders, "But first, we have to go to the market and buy fruits for your grandma." he said softly.
"Okay." Then we walked side by side... away from the Ninja Academy.
When we got home, we went upstairs right away. Grandpa told me to wash up and change clothes for dinner, so with a nod, I went and did. But before I closed my door, I looked back and saw grandpa heading to the other hallway which leads to his and grandma's bedroom.
Sakura was lying on the bed when she heard the door open. She saw her husband giving her an inquisitive look. Moving her eyes to the basket his husband got at hand, she was surprised.
"You're home," Sakura acknowledged. "Are those fruits for me?" she asked with a lovely smile.
Her husband turned and closed the door, then put the basket on the table nearby. Sasuke walked towards Sakura and gave her a teasing smile.
"Unfortunately, no," Sasuke said as he ran his palm over Sakura's hair and brushed it with his fine fingers.
Sakura chuckled softly. She knew her husband was only playing with her. "Then for who?" she questioned as she raised her eyebrow.
"For my lovely wife," he answered. Sasuke also raised his eyebrow, as if matching his wife's.
That's the moment Sakura sat up and the covers slipped down softly from her upper body. Her smile grew wider, showing her perfect teeth. "Lovely…wife?" she said, almost a whisper. She stares at him. Yes, it's hard to believe for her to hear such endearment like 'lovely' coming from Sasuke's mouth.
Sasuke drew his face closer to Sakura's until their lips met. Then he released her lips, and he said huskily, "Yes, to my lovely wife who is not sulking here in bed." And he didn't give Sakura a chance to speak as he claimed her lips once again.
Since Sasuke had always been coming home late due to his obligations to Konoha, he hardly ever had the time to spend with his wife. So he took this rare chance to spend it with her.
As Sasuke and Sakura were absorbed to each other's touch, Haru walked in and caught his grandparents kissing, which caught him terribly by surprise.
"Eeew! grandpa, grandma…gross!" I screamed out, making them stop from what they were doing.
Yuck, I thought. They're too old for something so intimate like that! I'm still paling from the sight I just saw. I will remind myself to mention this to my father and aunt Hana once they're back! I laughed evilly on my mind.
"Get a room," I said. Sasuke and Sakura both sweat dropped.
"This is our room. Have you forgotten?" Sasuke reminded his grandson.
"Oh." I said sheepishly. I was about to turn and go away when I realized something. Wait. Are they seriously doing 'it' despite their age? I know I'm too young to interfere between them but I was born smart. I grunted.
I was brought back to reality when I hear them laughing.
"Come here, Haru-chan," Sakura invited her grandson to come close, waving her hand towards herself. When Haru approached, she patted the space on the bed next to her, telling the child to sit there. And Haru followed obediently.
"Let grandma…" she looked up to meet Sasuke's eyes as if telling him to ride on to what she is going to say. "…and grandpa kiss their baby Haru's cheeks," she continued, grinning.
"NOOOOOOOO!" Haru screamed helplessly.
During times like this, he wishes that his cousin, Natsu, his aunt Hana's only son is there with him, so he could defeat his grandparents when it comes to annoying them like what they're doing now to him.
A/N: There are surely some readers out there who got confused of the new characters that I've created here.
So, let me enlighten all of you through this:
(Names in bold are the new characters)
(1) Anonymous (deceased) x Sakura H. = Masaru
(2) Sasuke U. x Sakura H. = Hana
(3) Masaru U. x Hikari Yuki = Haru
(4) Hana x Anonymous (deceased) = Natsu
Meaning of their names:
Masaru - victory
Hana - flower
Hikari - light
Haru - spring
Natsu - summer
Who do you think is the real grandfather of Haru? Clue: He's also an Uchiha. :)
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Let me know what you think of my story. Please REVIEW! Thank you.
Until next time!
~Juana Mari
1/14/'11