It was raining.
Cool air entered the quaint apartment as the threshold opened and revealed Uchiha Itachi holding a black umbrella on his right hand and clutching a medium sized box on his left. His raven hair was slightly damp from the moisture outside and his expression unreadable.
It was warm inside the apartment, a welcome change from hours of being exposed from the cold in the pouring rain.
Her sweet scent lingers albeit faint, he mused.
"Itachi! You're finally here. I was beginning to get worried with how the weather's so unpredictable today. Thanks for still coming to see me." Haruno Sakura called from the living room. Beryl eyes sparkled with relief and something indiscernible. She was sitting on top of the beige colored L shaped sofa, the medical book she was reading laid forgotten on her lap.
He smiled warmly, eyes softening as he approached the end of the sofa. He sat on the floor parallel to where Sakura was perched. He remembered that it was her favorite spot.
Sakura's gaze focused on the box Itachi was still holding.
"Hey, you still have that? That brings a lot of memories."
Itachi remained silent as he carefully opened the box to reveal several things that holds priceless memories to him and her.
He picked up a picture first. It was a stolen shot of Sakura.
"Oh my gosh, Itachi!" Sakura huffed. "I thought I told you to delete that picture I look ugly!"
Itachi chuckled lightly, amusement flickering in his eyes. He thought she looked absolutely adorable in this photo.
"Hm, it was the first time that we met." He murmured.
.
Itachi was holding a camera. Capturing scenes that interest him became his past time whenever he had free time or when he was running away from work. It helped him relax for a while.
He was in a secluded part of Konoha. It was an uphill road. The place was stunning and it baffled him how only a few ventured this path. Although he thought he liked it that way.
He was walking leisurely when the scene ahead mesmerized him.
The clouds painted the azure sky perfectly as the road stretched ahead. The lush greenery and a couple of dainty houses surrounding the quiet place highlighted the scene profoundly.
Gazing through his camera lens, he bent, his right knee supporting his weight. He was calibrating the focus ring and when he was about to capture, a flurry of pink invaded his vision and—
Click.
He glanced at the camera screen, a girl with pink hair and vibrant green eyes with a flabbergasted expression stared back at him. The sides of his lips quirked upward a little.
He looked up from his camera and she was still standing there looking flustered. Her flushed cheeks a shade darker than her cotton candy hair. He approached her as she babbled numerous excuses.
It was their first time meeting.
.
Itachi placed the picture on his side.
The second item that he picked up was a bottle half-filled with sand with small colorful seashells. He smirked at the distant memory.
Itachi found Sakura a refreshing change in his otherwise uneventful and robotic life. She made him feel something. She's fun and amusing. A little bit childish. Fiery. But she's also very passionate and she can most definitely outsmart him at times.
What started out as a friendly companionship turned into something more that neither expected.
"Ohh! I'm still seriously feeling tingly whenever I recall that day. The great Uchiha Itachi can actually do sappy moves like that."
.
Itachi brought Sakura to the beach one day. They were currently sitting on the front of his car watching several couples stroll along the shore.
The sun was setting and as Itachi glanced at the girl beside him, he felt his heartbeat accelerate. The rays of the setting sun illuminated her skin. The light gold flecks in her eyes became more prominent. She looked ethereal. She just looked so beautiful to him. And she just took his breath away.
She looked at him with a questioning gaze and he shook his head while pointing to a random direction. She followed where he was pointing at and before she could ask what it was, she felt soft lips on her own.
Her eyes widen and her lips slightly parted from shock because Itachi never did something as cheesy as stealing kisses!
.
The third item was a dried rose attached to a piece of paper. He opened it and read the one line message Sakura wrote with her messy penmanship while he fiddled with the dried flower.
"What a messy penmanship you have."
"How rude! Not everyone can do everything perfectly!" she retorted but her eyes soften after a few seconds, "But I remember that night and you were just so sneaky! But you really made me so happy you know?"
.
They've been dating for a year now. They were in a high class restaurant of his choice and she was fidgeting on her seat. The side of his mouth turned upward slightly.
"Sakura, relax."
"Not that I'm not grateful or anything but really, anything simple would have made me happy. This place feels like a prison."
He chuckled as he picked up the lone rose serving as a table ornament. He snapped the stem shorter and while Sakura was looking away, he placed the flower in her hair near her left ear.
"Did you just give me flower from the centerpiece?" she looked at him incredulously.
"I believe I did."
A pause.
She blinked.
And then she relaxed and started laughing and she never really noticed the thin rectangular box that he slipped in her bag.
.
The fourth item that he picked up was a CD. He stood up and placed it on the DVD player.
Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!
"Oh oh oh! This was during your birthday! I would love to relive that day but maybe in a different location. I bet that was your most memorable birthday experience." Sakura giggled.
.
Itachi felt that there was something wrong when he entered Sakura's dark apartment. First of all, it was dark. Second, it was eerily quiet.
"Sakura?" he called.
And then all of a sudden he heard popping sounds and then the lights turned on to reveal familiar faces. His girlfriend a few meters away from him holding a video camera smiling sheepishly.
His family approached him. Sasuke was holding his birthday cake. And just when he finished blowing the candles, Shisui decided to be funny.
Splat!
Because of his fast reflex, he was able to dodge the oncoming icing aimed at him. Sasuke wasn't so fortunate though. And because he was a foolish little brother, he retaliated.
The result?
Everyone went home with icing on them.
And Sakura had to stay with Ino for a week.
.
The fifth item that he picked up was a shirt.
"Hey! That's my favorite shirt! So it was in there all this time? I've been looking for that you know. If I could wear it every day I probably would."
Itachi smiled fondly.
.
Sakura was sick that day but assured him that it was nothing major. She just caught the flu, after a good night's rest she'd be good as new she reasoned. So instead of their initial plan, Sakura declared a sleepover party.
He noticed that she was wearing a black shirt with patterns of red clouds. She told him it was her favorite shirt because it defined her curves perfectly. She earned a raised eyebrow from him while she smacked him with a pillow with an indignant huff.
After their childish game, they were on the bed side by side, panting lightly.
Sakura looked at Itachi. She moved to hug him, laying her head on his shoulder. Itachi wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on her forehead.
They slept soundly after.
.
All that was left in the box was a letter.
As Itachi picked up the sixth item something shone underneath that caught his attention. His eyes widened for a fraction and then a pained expression took place. He brushed his fingers along his hair as he deeply sighed.
"Itachi…" Sakura whispered her expression solemn. "I never really got to thank you for that. It was the most beautiful thing that anyone's done for me."
.
It's been 5 years since they first met and Itachi was sure that he'd like to spend the rest of his life with Sakura. As cliché as it sounds, she was everything he ever wanted and needed.
There's still an hour left before her shift ends. She's been working overtime in the hospital for a week now and although it's worrying him, she reassured him that she'll be fine. She promised that she'll see him today.
And today, he planned to propose to her.
He carefully placed the red candles on the table. He retrieved the small box from his pocket and opened it just to make sure that the ring was still there.
His phone rang. It was Tsunade, Sakura's mentor. He smiled as he answered. He was carefully relaying the plans to her when her grim voice interrupted him and made him furrow his brows. He dropped his phone in shock and disbelief with the news he told her. He was out of Sakura's apartment a second later heading straight for the hospital.
.
Itachi placed his clenched fist on his forehead. He can't even describe what he was feeling at the moment.
Sakura embraced Itachi and kissed him gently on his cheek.
Itachi closed his eyes and imagined Sakura behind him. Embracing him. Kissing him on his cheek. Like how she would always do.
When he opened his eyes, he was still alone in her apartment.
A few hours ago…
The wind accompanying the rain was chilly but Itachi felt numb to the sensation. The black umbrella he was holding was not enough to shield him completely from the rain. He was standing before a tombstone. He placed the single rose on top and after a deep breath, he left.
.
Dear Itachi,
Well, I really don't know how to start. I'm just really sorry for being so selfish. For not telling you that I'm sick. When I met you that one bright afternoon, you changed me. You made me happy again. You made me want to believe again. I just didn't expect that we'd fall in love. I wanted to distance myself because I was dying. Because I didn't want to leave this world knowing that I'm leaving behind someone hurting. But you were so persistent and sneaky and just everything that I've ever needed. I know that you'll get through this because that's just how you are. I knew I was dying that day I promised you that I'll come to see you. I'm sorry that I didn't even warn you. I wanted you to remember me happy, smiling, strong. I'm just really thankful that I met you, my destined person. But unfortunately, we were not meant to be in this lifetime. So I want you to move on and find the happiness that you deserve that I wasn't able to give you. Find that special girl who will give you more than I could ever give. Be happy, Itachi. I love you. I really really love you.
Goodbye,
Haruno Sakura
disclaimer: the whole idea is from the jubilee project except for some things that I changed. Go watch "Picture Perfect" on youtube. Made me teary.
What is with me and sad stories and proposals that are never completed/accomplished...