"Itachi-nii san, I have to—"

"Please, just call me Itachi."

Sakura paused, unable to help the blush the crept to her cheeks. She wrung her hands which were behind her back as she walked beside the older Uchiha brother.

"Okay, I-Itachi... I have to be frank, I know you're only doing this because Shisui-san suggested it," the kunoichi started, taking a deep breath before she continued. "I know you don't like me that way and I completely understand. I... don't like you that way, either—" she paused to look up at the Shinobi whom she found was looking at her and listening to every word. "—because as you probably know... I... like Sasuke-kun a lot."

Sakura waited if the older Uchiha had something to say but he appeared to be waiting for her to continue, so she took another deep breath and went on.

"But yesterday I realized that he isn't really... interested, and I don't want to be... you know."

Itachi shook his head, mutely asking what she meant.

"You know," Sakura said.

"I... don't know."

"Oh Kami," Sakura giggled. "I guess working for the Anbu really took its toll on you, didn't it?"

"Ah, I'm sorry, I'll try harder, Sakura-san," Itachi was smiling again.

"You don't have to apologize for that," Sakura smiled back. "And call me Sakura."

"Hmm, Sakura," the shinobi tried it out. "What did you mean, then?"

"Well... I didn't want to push myself where I'm not wanted, you know? I don't know if I'll ever stop liking Sasuke-kun, and I thought perhaps he cared for me somehow even though he had a strange way of showing it, but the moment he made himself clear that I didn't have a chance... I just didn't want to push it."

"Did he?"

"Huh?"

"Make himself clear? Did he?" Itachi smiled softly as he asked.

Sakura looked away.

"He said it was okay that I go on a date with you," she said in a small voice. "I think he couldn't be any clearer than that."

Itachi hummed thoughtfully.

"My otouto... has always been a very emotional child," he said fondly. "I would say we are very different in that manner. He just has so much love to give. And that is perhaps why I love him so much."

Sakura blushed. They had only been conversing for the better part of 15 minutes yet they were talking about things like this.

"We have grown apart a little since I took on the duty of becoming an Anbu. I cannot pretend to know him the way I did when he was a little boy, but I think he's the same boy, if you look closely enough—and I am sure you have."

Sakura smiled.

"He cares about you, more than you know. To what extent, I do not know. But he does."

"Ah, I'm sure," the kunoichi said brightly. "That's why I'm still happy that I can keep him in my life. At least we can be great friends!"

Itachi hummed again.

"Thank you, Itachi," the pink-haired girl said. "I can tell you're a great big brother to him."

The shinobi laughed at this.

"I doubt. But I do try."

The kunoichi frowned at this, but jumped suddenly as if realizing something.

"Oh! Where should we go? We've been walking around for 20 minutes!" she exclaimed, embarrassed.

"Hmm... do you like dango?"

"Tadaima," the shinobi greeted as he removed his sandals.

"Okaeri, Itachi. It's later than usual for you," Mikoto observed. "Long mission?"

"No, mother, I was out with Sakura."

Sasuke's ears perked up at the lack of honorifics, but went back to raiding the refrigerator for food, which he hurried down to do as soon as he heard his brother coming towards the front door.

"Sakura?" The Uchiha matriarch cocked her head to the side curiously. She went back to taking jounin missions when Sasuke graduated from the academy, and she's heard of only one Sakura in the field.

"Yes. Sakura Haruno, haha-ue," Itachi confirmed.

"Sasuke's Sakura?"

"She's not my anything," Sasuke stood straight, grumbling as he grabbed the milk carton for the second time, only to put it back in the fridge. "...okaa-san," he added, just in case.

"Well all right," Mikoto smiled. "I just meant your teammate. I heard about her, they say she's second only to her master in medical ninjutsu, and quickly catching up. And not only that, her strength is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, as well."

"She's also very kind, mother," Itachi smiled back. "And fun to be with. We ate dango and talked by the lake today."

Sasuke slammed the door of the fridge and started walking out of the kitchen.

Mikoto stared after his younger son.

"Itachi," she whispered. "Is your brother okay?"

"Hmm. I don't know yet, haha-ue."

"Do me a favor and find out, won't you, Ita?" Mikoto smiled gently.

"In a hurry, Sakura?" Kakashi observed, seeing the kunoichi's quick strides. It was Saturday so their mission was done in the morning only, as Sakura had to go to the hospital.

"Yeah, sensei, I have an uh, important patient to see," she said in a determined voice but her face looked bright and full of light.

Sasuke stared, knowing she probably meant his brother. Who else would it be? They seemed to be growing closer and closer everyday. Stupid dangos. Not that he cared.

"'Bye, everyone!" She said brightly as she sped off in the direction of the hospital.

The younger Uchiha sighed and turned away from her shrinking figure, only to be startled by Naruto's face inches from his.

"Kami, dobe. You don't want a repeat of that atrocious—"

"Sasuke," Naruto said, his face contorted. "It's not too late, you know."

He rolled his eyes. "Too late to what?"

"Tell her how you feel! Idiot, just do it!"

"Shut up, you don't know what you're talking about, dobe," he growled, looking nervously around for Kakashi, but the latter was suddenly gone.

"Don't I? You've been miserable ever since they started going out," the Uzumaki pushed. "You've been going straight home after missions—"

"I've always done that even before, loser."

"You always ate with us before!"

"No I didn't!"

"You did, when Sakura-chan was here!"

His jaw clamped shut.

"I'm telling you it's not too late! Just go to her now, and tell her—"

"—what, idiot? And then hurt them both?"

It was Naruto's turn to get stumped, because the Uchiha had just indirectly admitted something he knew anyway yet it was different to have it confirmed, but he shook his head after a few seconds, undeterred.

"If you don't say anything, all three of you will get hurt," the Uzumaki shrugged, and walked away.

Sasuke wondered irritably where the Uzumaki got his sudden bursts of wisdom. It certainly wasn't from their sensei. He sighed and walked towards the hospital before he could talk himself out of it.

He didn't know why he was on the path towards the hospital and what he was going to do once he got there; the two could have very well gone out to lunch already, but maybe Sasuke could wait in her office.

He was walking through the main hallway when he heard his brother's voice and he panicked, immediately suppressing his chakra and hiding behind a potted plant. There was a giggle that followed, and he looked at Sakura and Itachi, about to go out to lunch.

Except it wasn't Sakura who was with his older brother. It was a brunette, someone he'd seen around the Uchiha district.

Sasuke gritted his teeth. This couldn't be happening. Why was his brother going out with someone else when Sakura had been so excited to see him? Did they break up? He wanted to ask his brother point blank but he was in shock. Had Shisui rubbed off on him? He was going to murder that curly haired bastard. Somehow. Then his brother.

Sasuke instead found himself sprinting towards Sakura's office on the third floor, his mind whirring. He wondered what had happened. What she was doing. How she was feeling.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun," the kunoichi exclaimed, making him jump. He wasn't aware that he had opened her door already.

He took in the onigiri she was munching on, and the dango on her left side, probably brought by his brother.

His brother.

"Sakura, Itachi..."

"Oh, you just missed him, Sasuke-kun," she supplied brightly. She seemed utterly pleased with herself. "He was here just a few minutes ago. You know, I think—"

"He doesn't like you, Sakura," he blurted out, not knowing why. It wasn't what he'd planned on saying.

"Oh, I know that, Sasuke-kun," the kunoichi said, looking at him with the same smile on her face. "I actually—"

"Why are you like this? I just told you my brother doesn't like you and yet you continue to chase after him like some kind of fool!"

Sasuke regretted his words immediately after they came out of his mouth. Stupid. Stupid!

Sakura's expression changed from shock, to hurt, and finally to a blank poker face, all in a matter of seconds.

"Are we still talking about Itachi?" The kunoichi asked, her voice dangerously soft, making the hair on the back of Sasuke's neck stand up.

The kunoichi stood up, her hands balled into little fists. Sasuke still stood a full head taller than her, but her stare never wavered. Her jade orbs glittered dangerously and the air crackled with energy. Sasuke had the sudden urge to get the hell out of there.

"Please leave," Sakura said.