note.
No appearance from Sasuke last time because he gets his own chapter!
I've had to re-upload this a few times because for some reason the text part didn't want to stay centered! (I then realize I did something stupid in the html and now it's finally been fixed XD)
track 25.
Sasuke looked at the text he received from Itachi informing him that his older brother wouldn't make it to the festival. From the nature of the short text, he can tell that whatever reason Itachi had to not show up - it probably had to do with work. As always.
'Sorry, something came up at work. I'll make it up to you. Promise.'
It has become such a regular occurrence that he can't even bring himself to be disappointed anymore. Sasuke had just hoped that he could have at least called. When he had invited Itachi to the bunkasai, he had meant it as a way to give him a break, a temporary calm and a single day's break to the high profile gang case his older brother had spent the last year on. As his younger brother, he didn't know how to help him otherwise. Unlike their father, he didn't have the clearance, nor the experience to help in terms of work - but he was doing everything within his power for him.
"Onii-san, are you Hikoboshi being carried by magpies?" A small child pointed at his vest. Pigtailed, knee height, and around six, she tugged at his wide trousers, interrupting his thinking. Sasuke recognized the family as the last batch of customers Sakura had guided in before she left with the dead-last. Her mother (at least, the woman he presumed to be her mother) had mumbled out an apology before ushering the girl back to her seat away from the improvised kitchen and proceeded to scold the girl, but noticeably out of worry.
Did he look as if he had come in as a pair with Sakura? Was this how Sakura and he looked to children?
No wonder Naruto had appeared to be particularly bothered when they met in the morning, physically standing between them at each given chance. It seemed that he had really begun to become desensitized to the whole situation. It was understandable that Sakura would't notice, but he should have clearly set a boundary between them.
Leaving the cafe to the other students now that his incentive to stay was no longer arriving, he walked down the back staircase reserved for the students in a search for his friends who were probably getting themselves in trouble without some sensible influence from him. The light wasn't on though the sun had just about completely set and though it was supposed to be reserved for students, many of the others much preferred taking the public hallways to mingle with potential students and friends and family.
Ripping off the raven feathered wings from his robe, he had just reached the second floor when he saw something flash around the bend of stairs. Something he happened to have the ability to recognise from a mile away.
Under the lack of light and being backlit, if it wasn't for Sakura's pink hair and pearlescent pink yukata, he wouldn't have been able to see her; and he was sure she hadn't noticed him as well. With his own attire consisting of only midnight shades, he likely merged with their surroundings.
She was changing out of her geta sandals, her feet swollen and red along the front toes. In her clumsiness, she had tumbled to the floor while changing one and was sitting on the floor instead of the stairs to swap the other sandal for sneakers. Sasuke wondered how the child would see her now? Orihime in her state of lost grace. Yukata scandalously hitched to her knees and hair a bird's nest.
At the sound of the crowd cheering, Sakura stepped up to walk towards the windows to face to field, hands dangling over the side, finger-hooked sandals swinging dangerously.
He could only stare wordlessly. She was completely out of his reach. Probably changing into more comfortable shoes to meet Naruto by the bonfire.
As the fireworks bloomed behind her, Sasuke decided that, illuminated by the skies. She was unworldly.
Walking back up the stairs, footsteps muted by the schoolyard ignitions, he made his way towards the exit of the school through crowds of parents with their children, hopeful that he could get out before the dance crowd begun to swarm.
He didn't know that none of them would actually made it to the bonfire.