Title- And I you
By- Envo
Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto.
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Chapter 4
Hanami
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The jounin stages...
Four shadows raced through the lush forest within the borders of the Fire country. Unlike the tensed environment when the squad of four had set foot out of their village, their limbs were slack now as they flew through branches and leaves towards their destination, home.
"You are strangely obedient today." The man beside Sakura stated while untying his ANBU mask.
Sakura snorted as her mask fell. "I didn't want to… complicate things."
"So you admit you complicate things?" Itachi mused softly.
"No. I just want to spare their ears," Sakura nodded towards the two figures slightly ahead of them, "the pain. They don't need our argument adding on to their already damaged eardrums."
"And if you hadn't argued with me for the past months, their…hearing would not have suffered at all," Itachi stated, "I am, after all, the captain of this squad." And you should listen to my order.
"Flash out the leader card all you want, but I'm not going to stay behind and let our enemy cut down my teammates without doing something." Sakura glared hard into the onyx eyes of Uchiha Itachi.
"Medics are supposed to stay behind the scene at all times, it is common knowledge."
Sakura rolled her eyes. "And if I hadn't followed you all the way on our last mission, tell me, captain, what would have happen then?"
"Nothing. As I would have finished off our target silently if not for your rather obvious attack."
"Allow me to recall our last mission for you, as you seemed to be missing one fine point. There were at least thirty of them in that clearing. Do pray tell just how were you supposed to finish off our target silently when you were alone?"
Itachi had wanted to rebuke, but Sakura was not done. "And need I remind you the injuries you received on that mission?"
"If you want to test my capacity as your captain, you merely need to ask," Itachi's voice was quiet, yet the underlying tone screamed dangerous, "I would have gladly demonstrated for you. A simple genjutsu would have settled the matter easily."
"That's not what I mean," Sakura's brows furrowed as she looked at the man beside her.
"I'm fairly capable of taking thirty men down without a scratch."
Sakura snorted with disbelieve. "You are missing my point."
"The other way around."
Sakura knew she had lost. Conversation with the Uchiha always proved to be difficult, as he could always somehow turn the tides to his favor.
"As you had demonstrated today, our mission proceeded rather smoothly when you stay put, don't you think?" Itachi smirked, eyes danced triumphantly.
Sakura gritted her teeth together hard, but said nothing. All she wanted to do now was to send the Uchiha a nice chakra enhanced punch for discriminating her as a medic and underestimating her capacity as a kunoichi. To hell with her captain, she could not stand the man one bit, and just why was she dragged along on every mission with his team when she wasn't even an ANBU?
The soft thuds on the wood branches as the pair leaped from one to another were the only sound that accompanied them through the period of silence. It was soothing, and Sakura was lulled slowly into her thoughts by the repeating tempo of their steps. It wasn't until the voice of her captain rang in her ear was she jolted back to the present.
"You did well today. Our mission ran smoothly and we were able to complete it in record time."
Approval was not the word Sakura had imagined coming out of the Uchiha. A compliment from the Uchiha Itachi was not easily earned and Sakura couldn't help but did a double-take at the man beside her with her eyes wide.
"It would be… nice if our next mission proceed the same way as this one." Itachi added, with a corner of his lips lifted slightly, knowing what the words would do to the medic beside him.
Sakura rolled her eyes. Of course, leave it to the Uchiha to blow the mood away.
"I guarantee nothing."
Blocks after blocks of documents were stacked neatly on her desk as Sakura looked up to check the time. She already passed the point of exhaustion; counting just the few hours from the start of her shift, the numerous surgeries she no longer kept track of since the first week of work and the endless string of paper work had kept her on her toes straight through her shift and left no breaks in between.
Slim fingers drummed on the desk impatiently, Sakura's glance flew to the clock once again for the time that crept forward with the speed of a snail. Just another half an hour to go.
The briefing went by in a haze as Sakura walked out of the Konoha hospital absentmindedly. She could almost taste the moist in the morning air while she took in a deep breath. The sensation of the chilling air traveling into her body made her shivered slightly and chase away the sleepiness if only temporally.
The sun reached out tentatively toward the village with its soft rays and the morning dew on the bushes nearby shined and glittered brilliantly.
The little pieces of pink swirled playfully on the street managed to catch her eyes; with her eyes wide, Sakura looked to the side of the street where the trees stood that she had failed to pay attention to and found it covered with pink petals.
A small smile found its way onto her weary face and Sakura couldn't help but feel delighted at her discovery. The sakura trees had blossomed on this day, the day she was born, the twenty-eighth of March.
Sakura carried the feeling with her as she walked through the streets of Konoha decorated by bits of pink petals. While her eyes drunk in the swirls of pink greedily, her feet had brought her short to the doorsteps of her home.
It was the sheer amount of sleepy happiness veiled over her mind that Sakura almost did not notice the rectangular package in front of her door. Sakura picked up the box with slight curiosity and unlocked the door.
Kicking her shoes off, Sakura stumbled across her small, tidy flat and into the kitchen. While she gulped down the glass of cold water, she eyed the package lay innocently on the table across her and curiosity rose. A short debate started in her mind: sleep, or package first. Eventually her curiosity won over and Sakura staggered toward the table.
A hastily folded note was the first thing Sakura saw when she opened the small box. Unfolding the note and through the messy handwriting, Sakura noted this message was addressed to her:
Sakura
As you probably noticed on your way home, the sakura trees blossomed. You know what that means – Hanami(1). Since it's your birthday also, I figured it would be most fitting to give you this.
Wear it, because everyone is going to gather together tonight for the Yozakura(2), and that includes you! This evening at six, meet me at the bridge where your team always meets. Don't be late!
Ino
Raising an eyebrow at Ino's words, Sakura could only shake her head exasperatedly. Of course, Sakura thought, who would have dragged her out other than Ino?
Sakura looked at the time; it was eight thirty right now. Ino must have dropped it off just before her shift began. Ever since Ino had taken up the role of part medic, the times they meet together were limited to evenings only; not that it ever stopped the blonde in any way, however.
Glancing at the untouched bundle of cloth underneath, Sakura shuddered as she recalled one evening when Ino had visited her.
"We are going to get you a man, Sakura. You are single for far too long it is ridiculous!"
Suddenly the impulse to open the rest of the package died down and Sakura's outstretched hand froze in midair. It wasn't moments later before she moved her hands hesitantly toward the bundle of cloth after realizing there would be no use in guessing what Ino would gave her.
As the piece of string came off and the wrapping cloth dropped to the floor, Sakura couldn't help but let out the breath she didn't not realized holding.
Ino had given her a red yukata. Varies colors of flower petals decorated across the velvet soft surface, turning the once simplistic cloth into a delicate piece of art. The collar part however, was pearly white and cleared of any other pigments. Lastly, a simple golden obi with swirling lines of white completed the final touch.
After admiring her newly acquired clothing, Sakura carefully folded the piece and marched into her room. There, she placed it on the very top of her clothe in her closet and shut the door closed.
It seemed that she would be humoring her best friend tonight, Sakura thought to herself before collapsing into the comfort of her bed while the sun continued its journey through the cloudless sky.
Chimes stirred with each step Sakura took as the simplistic kanzashi(3) holding up her long strands of pink hair sparked and glistened under the soft glow of the moon. So much for not being late, Sakura thought warily as her eyes darted this way and that through her sideway bangs in search of her friend's shadow.
One step after another, Sakura strolled along the small path under the tunnel made of sakura trees, draped along with exquisite paper lanterns that were prepared by the village for the breathtaking show of the night. The sun had disappeared under the horizon, leaving tiny specks of light dotted across the night sky.
Six o'clock came and went, and Sakura couldn't deny the increasing crave for someone to stroll in the night with as cuddling couples passed by her unseeingly, absorbed completely by their companion, filling the path with their glowing affection. Only the soft breeze passing by showed sympathy and gave a slightly depressed Sakura a cold, ghostly embrace.
A familiar face became clearer as Sakura made her way through couples and families, and a bright smile brought on her face. A real one.
"Is that you, Sakura?" Shisui regarded the pink haired kunoichi in front of him from head to toe then back and beamed, "I thought I saw Konohana-hime(4) walking towards me on the path of sakura petals. I must be a lucky man."
Sakura smacked the teasing man on the arm halfheartedly. "The grandson of Amaterasu(5) would have disappear you before that happens."
Shisui rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Yes, he's quite the jealous type. But in that case, we would need to find him first."
"Find him?"
The grin Shisui just displayed made Sakura's heart sank. Just what game is this man playing?
"You see, if you are Konohana-hime, then who is Ninigi no Mikoto(6)?"
Far off in her mind, Sakura heard the trap snapped shut. Narrowing her eyes, she glared at the still grinning Shisui suspiciously. "Where are you getting at?"
To her utter displeasure, Shisui merely smirked without reply, clearly all too happy for her taste that he had caught her in one of those silly word games. What was with the Uchiha and their games? Deliberately wanting to distract the man from further embarrassing herself, Sakura proceeded to deter the now smiling broadly Shisui away from the touchy subject by asking the question that had been beating at her for the past hour or so.
"Have you seen Ino?"
"Ino?" Shisui lifted his brows in question.
"My friend, Ino. Or Naruto, or Sasuke, or any of the Rookie nine, have you seen them?"
Shisui shook his head. Negative.
Sakura frowned. She must have been walking aimlessly for at least an hour and yet not signs of her friends at all? Not even the obnoxious Naruto that bound to cause a ruckus wherever he went?
"Speaking of finding people, do you know where Itachi is?"
"Itachi? Why would I know where he is?"
Shisui smirked and wiggled his brows suggestively, "He's bound to be around here somewhere, especially when you are. Besides, you are after all, his wife, Konohana-hime."
He ducked easily under Sakura's swing fists and burst out laughing while Sakura stood and fumed at Shisui's antics.
"Itachi does not follow me around nor is it the other way around. And that joke was taken too far, senpai," Sakura bit out the last word as heat worked its way up to her face with an alarming force. Damn, why was she blushing now?
With a hand hover over his heart, Shisui faked a hurt look. "You say his name so easily yet you refused to call me by name despite all these years we've known each other. I'm hurt."
"That's different. While you happened to drop by the hospital all too often for your own good, Itachi is… he is…"
"Special?"
Sakura stared blankly at the man before her for a whole second before completely comprehending what had just sprouted from Shisui's lips.
"He is not!" Sakura bristled, though her words were said much too quick to simply wave it off.
Shisui was no help at all as he stood there and smirked smugly at the terror on Sakura's face. Her fists cracked. Oh how she wanted to wipe that smirk off of his face this moment.
"Uchiha Shisui, you are lucky we're in a crowd right now. But the next time I see you, I'll send you a free trip to Suna!"
He merely chuckled and waved his hand casually in the air to calm down the seething kunoichi. "It's time to see reality, Sakura."
Maybe it was the look on her face, or was it the death glare she sent Shisui that promised extreme pain and agony, either way, the next time Sakura had blinked, she found him scurrying away with a haste retreat, muttering something along the lines of looking for a certain Uchiha.
Only when she was truly alone with Shisui out of her sight did she dare to sigh heavily. Uchiha always confused her, no matter which of them she was dealing with, and what was with that last remark he gave her before he left?
"Sakura, is that you?"
Drew out of her thoughts, she found herself looking into a kind face that she was all too familiar with.
"Mother?"
"Good gracious, Sakura, you've finally have some tastes in clothe. I must say it fits you perfectly. But Sakura, what are you doing here alone?"
"Ino gave this to me as a present," Sakura said waving at the yukata she clad in absentmindedly, "and you know me, mother, I don't come to events like these alone. I'm looking for my friends right now."
"Well, it wouldn't do for a young lady to stand here alone for too long. You must come to our group; I was just heading back myself. Come, Sakura, you can search for your friends on the way."
"But mother!"
"I insist, Sakura. I also want you to meet a new friend of mine. She is such a wonderful lady! From a prestigious family herself, she…"
Sakura had known her mother to be a woman who would talk on and on without stopping, so she had long since learned to stop listening whenever her mother was at it again. And that was how Sakura found herself in a group of women when her mother had stopped towing her through the gaps between tightly clustered groups of people under the field of sakura trees.
Fixing herself, Sakura plastered a smile over the frown on her face and greeted with a polite bow, "Nara-san, Yamanaka-san, Akimichi-san."
"My, Sakura you've grown since the last time we've met," Nara Yoshino spoke with a kind smile.
"Thank you, Nara-san."
Another woman who Sakura had not been able to recognize yet turned away from the woman who she had been talking with and beamed at Sakura.
Right after Sakura returned the gesture happily and had settled on sitting down on the thin sheet of cloth spread on the ground, her mother turned towards her then faced the woman who had turned her attention towards the mother daughter pair.
"Well, Sakura, this is the friend I was talking about," Sakura's mother gestured towards the lady in a simplistic pale yellow tomesode(7) secured by a golden obi with water patterns across, "have you met Uchiha Mikoto before?"
Sakura nodded timidly and greeted the elder woman, "Mikoto-san, it's good to see you again."
"Sakura, it's been too long," Mikoto exclaimed gently, her eyes sparked with veiled excitement.
"It has." Sakura returned the smile.
"You two met before?" Saukra's mother questioned.
"Of course." It was Mikoto who answered, "Sakura is a former teammate of my youngest son and a current teammate to my first born."
"Sakura, how come you've never told me anything about that?" Her mother asked sharply as she questioned her daughter with a halfhearted glare.
"Because you never asked, mother."
"Make sure you tell me next time then," her mother said with a huff.
"You were never interested in my ninja life, mother. Why are you now?" Sakura asked with a raise of a brow.
"T-That is not true," Sakura's mother stuttered, trying the hide the fact of her disinterest in Sakura's shinobi life while the other women stared at the talking pair with growing interest.
Sakura continued staring at her mother, completely unaware of a figure approaching the group of women silently; that was until Mikoto looked away from the pair of mother and daughter and saw the figure making his way to a distracted Sakura.
"Well, speaking of the devil. Come," Mikoto beckoned at a figure behind her then turned to beam at her mother, "I will introduce you to one of my sons."
At that moment, all there was in Sakura's mind was the encounter with Shisui and his mystic words replaying over and over. Please don't let it be Itachi.
Soft paddling sound came to a stop beside a rooted Sakura who refused to open her eyes and face whoever that had came joining in the group.
"Haruno-san and everyone, this is my first born son, Itachi."
Well, shit. Luck was never on her side, not even tonight, so it seemed. Mentally preparing herself, Sakura inhaled deeply before exhaling slowly and opened her eyes. True enough, there stood Uchiha Itachi along side of his mother.
Saying she was completely unaffected was a lie. It was apparent even to her that as a clan heir, he had taken time with what he wore, and truthfully, Itachi's appearance made every woman in their group looked up in awe. With a kimono matching the color of his eyes and a striped hakama(8) of black and gray then lastly, a black haori(9) with the Uchiha crest on the back completing his outfit, Itachi made many heads turn as he stood in front of their group in all his glory.
Much to Sakura's bewilderment, her mother had scrambled up from her seat to greet the heir of the clan with such hurry that she couldn't help but wonder what had happened to her mother, who usually despised people such as he.
"I'm Haruno Sayuri, Sakura's mother. It's a pleasure meeting you," her mother smiled overly sweet at the Uchiha.
"The pleasure is all mine, Haruno-san," Itachi replied in his smooth, velvet tone and gave the other elder women a polite bow before sliding his gaze towards her.
"You are quite the eye-catcher tonight, Sakura-san," Itachi remarked gently and sat beside a stiffed Sakura.
"And you, Itachi-san," Sakura responded instinctively without thinking and regretted it immediately after the words had left her lips.
"I'm glad you think so." His lips curled and Sakura couldn't help but feel a bit lightheaded as she flashed a quick smile and turned away from the man beside her.
He chuckled before leaning over and blew the words into her ear. "That blush suits you."
Sakura froze, and inwardly, she couldn't help but wonder what she had done to receive such a treatment. Adding on to her horror, the heir of Uchiha clan had just openly display… affection in public and in front of both of their mothers. What was he thinking?
True enough, along the sidelines, Haruno Sayuri watched the entire exchange like a hawk eying its prey while Mikoto's smile only widened as time went on, as well other women's reactions. Oh, she could just imagine the rumor flying across the village the next day…
With her blood surged hotly and the heat on her face slowly breaking through her calm facade, Sakura made a move to stand only to be held down by her questioning mother.
"What are you doing, Sakura?"
"I need to look for my friends before they start worrying, mother."
"Your friends can wait, Sakura. I still haven't heard any of those stories about your wonderful teammate." Sakura twisted her hand that was held by her mother, but the hand clasped on top of hers did not loosen its grasp, nor was she given a chance to speak as her mother continued, "I am your mother, Sakura. I am quite worried about your status as a single woman for some times now. You are twenty already and at the prime of your life, no less..."
Sakura looked at her mother, horrified. First Shisui, now her mother, too? What happened to her boring, non-changing but normal day?
"Escaping so soon?" Itachi whispered, again.
And at the moment the urge to spring up and ran as far away from her overly concerned mother and the overbearing man sitting beside her overruled even the common courtesy.
"Mother, not now. Please." Unlike her normal polite, cheerful tone, Sakura's voice was of warning and impatience.
Unable to hold on to her daughter's hand and attention, Haruno Sayuri sighed.
"I know where they are. Your friends, that is," Itachi suddenly said softly.
Sakura looked up in surprise. "You do?"
"Yes."
"Where are they?"
"I can…escort you there."
Sakura bristled. "There's no need. I'll find them on my—"
"Thank you for your kind offer, Itachi-kun. Please take care of my daughter. She's quite a stubborn thing, but she is very fragile."
Sakura turned to her mother, but her remark was stuck in her throat when she saw the glint in her mother's eyes. She did not even want to guess what her mother was thinking at the moment…
"Mother, please don't talk about me like I am not here. I'm quite capable of finding my friends myse—" Sakura directed her words exasperatedly to her mother but wasn't able to finish before another voice interrupted. Again.
"Yes. And Itachi, don't forget to be a gentleman and accompany Sakura to her home before depart," Mikoto instructed carefully.
"Of course. How could I forget?" Itachi said politely and glanced at Sakura with an emotion she could not name swirling in his eyes, making the pink haired woman squirm uneasily under his gaze with the blush that receded not too long ago resurface again.
"So it's settled. You two have fun and enjoy the festival tonight. Don't stay up too late." the Haruno matriarch remarked easily before waving the now standing pair away and turned towards Mikoto to engaged in another heated discussion of flowers with the other women.
Sakura gave her mother a long look of disbelieve before turning towards the man beside her only to be trapped in twin pools of obsidian.
"Shall we?"
Though she could not see it, Sakura could just as equally feel numerous pair of eyes drilling holes on her back as she took a tentative step then another, leading the two of them away from the group of women eying each and every movement they took, then with a turn, they were out of the visible range of her mother and the Uchiha matriarch.
Itachi's steps mirrored her own as they took the path away from the crowds and onto a more shaded and less crowded dirt road where the sakura trees stood on one side while the small stream ran quietly on the other.
"Itachi-san, Shisui-san told me he was looking for you. It would be best if you do not keep him waiting," Sakura said quietly, breaking the silence between them.
"I thought we agreed on dropping the suffixes, Sakura."
"Did we, Itachi-san?" Sakura challenged.
"Of course."
"I do not recall, Itachi-sa—" Sakura did not get the chance to finish her sentence before a long, index finger was placed gently on her lips, effetely stopping her in mid-speech. Sakura fazed upon the contact before turning away, embarrassed. Beside, Itachi watched the scene silently with amusement tinkled in his eyes.
"I presumed you want to meet up with your group of friends?"
"Not anymore. I don't," Sakura huffed.
Seeing the puzzlement in Itachi's eyes, Sakura sighed exasperatedly. "You may not care for your reputation, but I do. With you insisting on… escorting me, could you imagine the rumor that will sprout from my friends or the villagers if they see us walking together? And let's not forget Sasuke, you little brother."
Itachi chuckled. "You care too much of what others may think."
"As if that can change reality," Sakura sighed.
They were making their way across the little wooden bridge in silence where Sakura's team used to gather in the morning, though right now, it was decorated with small paper lanterns as well for the festival.
Suddenly, she didn't feel alone anymore. Fully aware of Itachi beside her with their sleeves brushed against each other's ever-so-slightly, she felt strangely calm and... content. It was actually quite nice walking side by side and under the moonlight like this.
The silence gave Sakura the opportunity to run through her past, of the game they play, of how each and every response made by the Uchiha walking quietly beside her lead not to an answer but to another puzzling question. It was a game she reveled in playing, their little mind games. But now, she was so tired; she had reached an impasse and truthfully, she had no other options but to give up the fight.
She had been thinking of her situation with the enigmatic man, and though she had placed every possible explanation to the equation, nothing seemed to fit. The fact that their exchange swayed so easily between the line of conversing and flirting alarmed her more than anything else.
"Itachi," Sakura started with a whisper, feeling the pair of obsidian eyes trained on her, she continued with her eyes bored into his wanting nothing but the truth this time, no underlying meanings, nothing, "what are we?"
For a moment, Itachi eyes stared blankly into hers like a veil draped over the twin orbs of obsidian, covering all traces of emotion, then his eyes left hers and slid to the other side of the bank where very few couples walked hand in hand on the dimly lit path of sakura trees.
Seeing his reaction, Sakura felt a slight twist in her abdomen. What was it that she felt? Rejection?
Sakura narrowed her eyes at Itachi's silence. "Don't mind what I said. You don't need to answer," she blurted out in attempt to fill the awkward silence, "of course, we are teammates. How could I forget-"
"To appreciate the fleeting beauty of life much like those temporal blossoming sakura, that was what hanami meant. To cherish the things we have, the beauty of life," the pair of onyx eyes caught her emerald ones and held them captive, "I've found such beauty… thirteen years ago."
By then, her eyes were round with surprise and shock and she stilled. Thirteen years, that was how long they've met and known each other; thirteen years, that was how long they've been playing their games. Thirteen years… that was how long she had secretly, secretly gazed upon Uchiha Itachi and admired each and every way he was.
Still in shock, Sakura found herself staring speechlessly at the door to her apartment, dazzled. She could feel his heat from behind reaching out to her, his breath grazing her nape, sending tingles down her spine.
So close.
Then his lips brushed against the shell of her ear and blew hotly into her ear. "And I will not let you go."
Silently, Sakura spun around slowly and searched his face for any trace of trickery or lie only to find his normally impassive face softened and his eyes filled of affection and something more.
Slowly, Itachi backed Sakura until her back hit the smooth surface of her door, then with a hand braced against the wooden door beside her face and the other lifted her chin, he closed the remaining distance between them and sealed their lips. Sakura's eyes widened. His contact was gentle and soft like a feather, coaxing her to relax against his lips. And slowly, as if testing the waters, Sakura responded shyly. Their kiss was surprisingly chaste and light and it ended all too quickly to Sakura's (shocking) disappointment.
They broke apart with the need of air only to have Itachi tracing her jaw line with his lips and down to nuzzle at her pale, exposed neck.
"You are mine, remember that," Itachi said against her flesh, voice muffled. His lips stopped atop of her pulse, feeling the acceleration of her heartbeat, the aftermath of their shared kiss.
And Sakura could do no other than nodded blindly at his words. Face flushed and eyes veiled with their shared intimacy, Sakura saw through the haze and gazed at Itachi, who was slowly straightening up once again.
With his eyes still clouded with passion, Itachi slowly backed away from Sakura and his lips curled into a trademark smirk.
"I will be seeing you very soon, Sakura."
Then he was gone.
Sakura touched her trembling fingers to her lips in a daze. Did Itachi just kissed her in front of her apartment?
Lightheaded, Sakura managed to pull out her keys from a hidden pocket in her yukata, but her hand wavered. Giving up, Sakura leaned against the door, supporting her legs that were weak from the sudden kiss she had with Itachi.
"My first kiss…"
Her fingers once again found their way to her lips, still feeling his lips against hers as she stared unseeingly into the night. Butterfly wings fluttered within her abdomen as she recalled his confession to her during their walk and she couldn't stop the dreamy smile slowly making its way onto her lips.
Right then and there, Sakura knew this wouldn't be another Sasuke and she now knew what she felt for Sasuke was nothing compared to what she felt for his brother. Her reactions to him all pointed to the one truth that she did not see.
The time when someone cared for her when she was little other than her mother; the time when he encouraged her to heal him knowing the risk. And now, the kiss. He had been her first... in so many ways...
Then realization hit. For so long he had been hinting, waiting, yet she was just too blinded to see what he had to offer. He had waited for thirteen years; they had waited for thirteen long years. And now, just when she thought loving was an impossibility for her, he had showed her otherwise. He had showed her how much he cared, and now it was up to her.
Tears clouded her vision, she had been so blind.
"I'm sorry for making you wait." The cold breeze of the night carried her trembling whisper into the air. "You don't need to wait anymore, Itachi," Sakura muttered as she raced through the streets and towards the Uchiha district.
In the shadows, a pair of cerulean eyes stared at the pink figure heading towards the Uchiha district with glee and satisfaction.
"Ino, why are we here again?"
"Shikamaru, you are supposed to be the genius that knows everything. Can't you see that Sakura had finally gotten together with a guy?"
"What, do you expect her to be with a girl?"
"Never mind!"
Turning away from her teammate, Ino looked at the last corner her friend had disappeared to with a distant look.
Sakura, you've grown from the little bud I've known so many years ago and into a beautiful flower; after enduring all these long years alone, you've finally found the one that will truly appreciate your beauty.
1. Hanami - Flower viewing, namely cherry blossoms. Starts at end of March to the start of May.
2. Yozakura - Flower viewing at night.
3. kanzashi - Hair ornament.
4. Konohana-hime (or Konohanasakuya-hime) - The blossom-princess and symbol of delicate earthly life. Her symbol is the sakura.
5. Amaterasu - Sun goddess in Japan.
6. Ninigi no Mikoto - Husband of Konohana-hime, grandson of Amaterasu.
7. tomesode - Similar to kimono, but worn by married women.
8. hakama - Resembles a wide pants (divided/undivided skirt).
9. haori - Kimono jacket.
-Definition above from: Wikipedia.
A/N: I have to say, this one took me the most time writing out of all four shots. Amazingly enough, I actually did some research on some Japanese mythology (I apologize beforehand if I misused the meaning in anyway).
I enjoy writing Shisui, very fun playing around with his personality. Yes, I made up Sakura's mother's name because I couldn't find it (don't think it was ever mentioned in either anime or manga). This is also my first time writing a romantic scene (as romantic as I can get), knowing that it's nowhere near the professionals, I can only say that 'it will do for now'.
I'm editing this in the middle of the night at three a.m. so if there is any mistake please tell me!
Looking back, I was horrified by the extreme OCCness Itachi was comparing to the canon personality. But I can justify that. In my point of view, judging only from how emotional he got when the massacre was over, I really believed that if the whole plot was non-massacre, Itachi would not at all be the cold fish he is now. Though I do know that I probably overdid it, my crazy half's fault.
After two long weeks of thinking, I've decided that there will be no epilogue for And I you. I've been racking my brains for inspiration, and none came. I know there should be one, especially an ending like this, but I just can't write anything that fits. So I'll be leaving the rest to your imagination, have fun!
There might be some side fics for And I you that will be under other names, but this story has officially reach its end. So there will be no more chapters added to this fic.
I hereby thank all of my readers and reviewers for supporting this fic till its end. You guys are wonderful. I have to thank all of you for your great feedbacks, those help me through tough times (like when I'm stuck) and help me improve as a writer. This is probably the first successful ones out of the rest of my pieces, and I have to say I'll miss writing for And I you.
I enjoyed this story, and I hope you did too!
Thanks again for the support!
Envo 09/08
