Sakura was quiet, her eyes downcast, focused on the white-washed tiles underneath her feet. "Itachi," she whispered, moving to stand in the doorway to the inn room.

He looked up, surprised; then his eyes narrowed. "Who are you? Not one of my stalkers, I hope? Because then I'd have to kill you."

"No," she said quickly. "It's Sakura... Actually, I'm an old friend of your brother. Sasuke." A flick of his fingers brought her into the room, where she seated herself in a stiff-backed wooden chair.

"Are you trying to kill me for him? I doubt he would be pleased if you did. Not that I would allow such a thing to happen."

She shook her head. "Of course not. Sasuke-kun doesn't even know me anymore. Besides, I've found evidence that leads me to believe... It wasn't you who annihilated the Uchiha clan. It was--"

Suddenly, two bloodred orbs gleamed mesmerizingly before her eyes, strange black shapes swirling in their depths. And she found it was a struggle just to breathe.

Itachi's look was lethal, and expressed that he could kill someone with only his eyes if he so desired. "I was the one who killed the clan," he hissed dangerously. "Nod, and you will be released from my hold."

The candy-haired shinobi stared back at him, green eyes flashing with defiance. She seemed unfazed, despite her lungs' quickly giving out. "Sasuke-kun...killed...the Uchihas..." she choked, then passed out, falling back against the chair.

Itachi, tight-lipped, rose to his feet. "Cherry blossom," he whispered, "you know too much for your own good."

Sakura woke up in a white bed, and realized how good it felt to be able to breathe again. Some things, she had learned, shouldn't be taken for granted.

There was a rapping noise at the door, and she went to open it, still amazed she wasn't dead.

Itachi, glaring at her threateningly, handed her a key. "This is for your inn room," he said coldly.

She blinked. "You paid for a room? For me?"

"Check your purse. I am sure you will find it less heavy than it was before."

Sakura didn't even bother. "That's nice to know," she said dryly. Then she looked at him. "So, are you going to explain? Why did you pretend it was you?"

He sighed, contemplating for a second. "Why don't we have some tea?"

"I hate tea," she cut in.

"Sake?"

The kunoichi raised an eyebrow at that. "I'm afraid I've seen Lady Tsunade drunk a few too many times to say yes." She smiled apologetically.

"I never said I wouldn't have tea, only that I hated it," she reminded him.

"...Sakura, has anyone ever told you how annoying you are?"

"Hnn," she replied, imitating the infamous Sasuke. "Your little brother, though that probably doesn't count. Tea?"

And so, on a bright and sunny morning, the two found themselves sitting peacefully at a lace-covered table in the middle of a fancy little restaurant they didn't know the name of, sipping tea from delicate little teacups, their pinkies raised daintily.

"I hate tea," Sakura smiled demurely, wanting to throw her teacup out the window. "Now, are you going to explain yourself, or--"

"I wanted to protect Sasuke," Itachi said slowly, trying not to reveal that he had burned the entire inside of his mouth by gulping the tea too quickly. "Is this a hobby of yours - poking around in other people's business?"

"Only if their business seems particularly intriguing," she grinned. "This is the worst tea I've ever had."

Secretly, Itachi agreed. Though he didn't show it, his outlook on tea had drastically changed since earlier that morning. "Sasuke doesn't know he killed them," he said after a moment. "He can't find out. It would destroy him."

"Why doesn't he know? Was it an accident?"

"An accident... Yes, I suppose you could call it that. It may have been the worst accident to have occurred in quite some time." He laughed darkly. "Do you know...about the Kyuubi?" At her nod, he continued. "The Kyuubi was possessing him. I managed to eject the demon from Sasuke's body, but by then, it was too late. The entire clan had been decimated. Wiped out, just like that." He clapped his hands once, illustrating his point. "Later I learned that the demon had been sealed within the body of a young boy. Naruto. I couldn't let my brother grow up thinking he was responsible for the deaths of everyone he cared about. So I never told anyone about him having been possessed by the Kyuubi. Instead, I hypnotized him into thinking it was me who killed everyone. And since then, I was a criminal. A fugitive from the law. One of those people whose face everyone in Konoha knew, because it was on wanted posters everywhere."

Sakura gulped, then yelped. Apparently, she had swallowed too fast. "Ack! The tea! It burns!"

"...That's very nice of you, Sakura."

A waitress appeared, seeming to have materialized out of nowhere. A pitcher of tea was balanced on her head, which was surprisingly unflattened, and there was a pitcher in both her hands, as well. "Refills?" she asked, smiling pleasantly.

"No...thank you," Sakura chirped, having regained her composure. "That will be all."

The waitress left to go pester another table.

"I think Sasuke-kun deserves to know the truth."

Itachi only shook his head.

"He'll throw his life away trying to avenge his clan's deaths - trying to kill you. Do you honestly think living a life dedicated only to revenge is what's best for him?"

"He will kill a fake me. Then he will be able to move on with his life." Itachi's words were sharp.

Sakura just glared at him. "I have half a mind to smash this teacup against your head, Itachi-sama."

The only response was a hollow chuckle. "Go ahead and try."