It's been a week since the fateful night of Itachi's confession. Sakura was sitting on one bed out of four in a room, spacing out during her friends' conversation.
She looked better than ever- dressed to the nines and totally in shape- her friends had made sure of that. According to Seiko, the worst thing to show a man after a 'breakup' (Sakura believed it was the wrong word for it) is a breakdown. She had forced Sakura to step up her game, but that had only made the broken-hearted girl more weary and doubtful.
What was the use? She hadn't seen Itachi since. Sakura had even forced Mikio to get the shoes she forgot at home. He had come back with a message from the Uchiha. I never meant to hurt you. I hope you find your happiness. If anything, that confused her even further.
Despite her friends' efforts, Sakura's week of sleepless nights was beginning to show and she seemed really out of it these days.
"Sakura?" Honoka was waving a hand in front of her eyes.
"Huh? Yeah. I'm awake!" …Barely… but still awake.
The other girl sighed. "Sakura, the other two have gone on ahead. We were wondering if you wanted to go mountain climbing with us. But you really don't have to."
Most girls did extreme things after a 'breakup' but Sakura still valued her life. In fact, it made her more wary of a lot of things.
She kept her whole being in a numb state. She didn't want to feel. The feeling of being truly alive had been with Itachi… and the last thing she wanted to do was remind herself of that.
"Yeah. You go ahead; I think I'm going to sit this one out." Sakura said yawning. "I'll just head to the clinic and… yeah." Honoka just nodded, half-expecting her to say this.
After Honoka left Sakura had somehow found the energy to get up and change for the clinic. She couldn't wear party clothes to the clinic, no way.
The clinic had slowly become her life. Just like when Sasuke first left, Sakura started pouring her heart, mind and soul into helping people. It was the only effective relief and she tended to overuse it.
Getting downtown was like a dream. Even without the alcohol she poured down her throat almost every night affecting her, everything seemed to be hazy. I guess sleep is pretty important.
When she wandered on the main street of this village, she found herself being drawn to the glass fountain. It looked as grand as ever with the harsh morning sunlight reflecting off it in blinding beams.
She sat on its edge and stared into its depths. Like the first time she ever looked, she saw Itachi. Just leave me alone! She splashed at the image and turned her back on the glistening waters.
"Why did you do that?" Sakura jumped slightly in surprise. Daichi again in the same place! Does he hang out here a lot or what? "It's very rare that the fountain reveals what truly makes you happy and yet you despise this fact."
So he had seen the image too? "I think the fountain is defective."
Daichi laughed. "I know you to be a lot of things Sakura, but stubborn usually isn't one of them. You have learned to bend to things a lot."
No, Daichi. I'm just very naïve. "If what the fountain is telling me is true then I'll probably be stuck here for the rest of my life."
"No." Daichi said smiling, and Sakura swore it had an evil side to it. "That depends on what you intend to do with it. If you keep running away, you won't get it."
"But I don't want to get him." She whined obstinately.
"Think again, Sakura."
She sighed and turned to look at him, seeing clearly for the first time in three weeks. "Tell me when you started becoming so all-knowing."
Daichi smiled, deciding to humor her by telling his story. "Since I was born, actually. Babies are born blind, but the moment I heard my mother's voice calling out to me I looked Aiko right in the eye."
"Wow. I also didn't know Aiko was your mom!"
"She's amazing, isn't she? This place was started by an ancestor of ours who hated war more than anything. He wanted everyone to be happy." Daichi shook his head at his ancestor's foolishness. "This dream was impossible, obviously, so he settled on those who thought they were doomed to be unhappy."
"Those like me." Sakura whispered.
"Correct. So he made this place out of his own mind- a useful bloodline limit- and his son took over the duties when he died. It's been in the family ever since."
"So you've never seen the real world."
"I have. It's part of the job." Daichi looked so all-knowing that Sakura couldn't help but stare in awe. "But I found my true love here as is the case for most of my family. Our happiness is here."
"Maybe mine is." Sakura muttered disdainfully.
"I think it's wherever he is." Daichi advised patting her head. She just looked so lost. "If it helps, you should know that he was told that the only way to be happy is to give himself up completely to someone. He has to learn to trust with all of himself."
Sakura's head was reeling from that talk for hours. I just really want to go home. I really need Naruto right now- he would've been able to make me laugh about this mess!
"Mikio, what do you have to do to be happy?" Sakura asked. They were walking around the village again during one of Sakura's time-offs.
"I have to feel pain."
Sakura half-laughed, half-snorted. "What? That's nuts! How does feeling pain equate to feeling happy?"
"Actually, it made real sense for me, believe it or not." But Sakura was still laughing so he explained. "I was given everything I ever wanted since I was born. I believed I had everything- brains, looks, money, power, talent, women… Everything came to me whether I asked for it or not."
"So you have to be denied things to be happy." Sakura said, mystified by his case.
"Not just denied things… Something or someone has to be taken away from me and I'm not going to like it." His gaze was just so intense.
She knew he was talking about her. He had finally fallen for someone who didn't reciprocate and she would be taken from him by his closest friend here. Maybe he would find some other girl afterwards and learn to cherish her completely.
"I'm sorry. What can we help it if we fall for the wrong people, huh?" Sakura said, putting her head on his shoulder.
"Life is cruel like that, I guess." They just stopped in that position in the middle of the street in comfortable silence. People had really started to stare when he finally addressed her once more. "There's something I'd like to request, if you don't mind."
"Sure." Sakura agreed. After all, I am going to be taken away from this guy eventually.
"Can I get to kiss you at least once?" His voice was steady but laced with such strong emotion. It made Sakura feel guilty and ashamed that she was incapable of loving such an angel.
"You'd be taking away my first kiss…" Sakura whispered pensively.
"Only if you don't mind…" But Mikio desperately wanted this. In fact, he would cherish being her first. "I mean, you'll not remember me otherwise so I have to be the first."
Oh Mikio… "Why not?"
"Wait. Let's make it really special." Mikio took her hand in his and dragged her away.
"Mikio? Where are you taking me?" Sakura called in the rush of the moment. He was really walking fast.
"To the tallest building here." He called back and she laughed.
It really wasn't much of a tall building- six floors and she was on the rooftop. But to Sakura, it felt like a magical experience with the clouds seeming so close to her that maybe she was in heaven. They were standing near the edge, appreciating the view of the village and the fountain that was its centerpiece.
Taking her face in both of his hands, Mikio came closer and placed a chaste but long and lingering kiss on her lips. Bittersweet was probably the best word to describe it all to Sakura. But she allowed herself to feel the love she was denied by another.
Bittersweet… even when he carried her in his arms and let her fall off the edge into the end… She just thought that Mikio would've made a great angel…
Bittersweet… when Sakura just fell on her feet and felt them shatter beneath her…
Bittersweet… when she couldn't feel or see anymore…