The sequel is here. For those of you who are new, please read Coral & Seafoam or you'll be utter lost.
Welcome back and please enjoy. This chapter is a short, but the next won't be. The next chapter will be posted this week end.
Enjoy.
Read When You Find The Pink Box
How long has she been dead? Sasuke didn't like to think about it. As a matter of fact, Sasuke sometimes liked to believe that she was never dead, but it hurt his children when he did so. Sometimes it was by accident, he would accidentally place another plate at the table, or he would be shopping and he would find something and think, 'Hinata would like this.' He would buy it, only to return home to an empty home and Hinata no longer there.
Other times he did so purposely. He always slept on the left side of the bed, because Hinata liked sleeping on the right. Thursdays were 'us' days and he would sneak out at night and watch the lake since they were so far away from the ocean she loved. He still bought her perfume and he would spritz it on her pillow or on his inner wrist, so he could always smell her. At night, he clutched onto that silly stuff animal he won her at that festival, because it smelled like jasmine, honey, and Hinata.
He missed her. Irrevocably so. Despite how Tamaki would urge him to date again, Sasuke refused. No one can replace Hinata. No one can love like Hinata.
Sasuke was cleaning their room. Chiharu wanted something of her mother's. Clothes or jewelry, but something that would bring her closer to the mother that she was struggling to remember. Sasuke cleaned the top of closet, pulling down folded sheets, a box or two, and then a medium size, pink hat box. Sasuke placed the items on the bed and rubbed his slight scruff beard, absentmindedly reminding himself to shave sometime soon. The sheets were the kids old baby blankets and Sasuke rubbed the dusty material between his fingers. They were still soft and it reminded him of a time where things were happier. A time where Hinata smiled brightly and his heart ached at the memory. He missed her so. He bowed his head and his eyes burned, throat tightening. He moved onto the two boxes and when he lifted up the lid and he couldn't stop the tears that spilled from his eyes, because the world seemed to be working against him for the box was filled with old photos.
The first photo was Hinata and the three kids. Tamaki was five and the twins were two. Tamaki was wearing dark purple swim trunks, a green floaty around his waist and little goggles on his forehead. Ichiro was bashfully hiding his face in Hinata's shoulder, his swim diaper peeking out through his baby swim trunks, his belly still rounded with baby fat. Chiharu was staring impassively at the camera, her face messy with strawberries, she was wearing a red and yellow polka dot swimsuit. Hinata, beautiful as ever, was smiling brightly, a yellow sun hat on her face, body clad in a one piece swimsuit. He missed her, he clutched the photo tighter. He couldn't bear to look at any more of the photos.
He moved on to the next, circular, hat box. He lifted it up and was surprised to see an array of letters. Four had his name on them and there were one letter for each child. He twisted one envelope on the back to where the mouth was and on the edge was: Read when you find this box. Sasuke looked at the others.
Read when you miss me
Read when when you need help with the kids
Read when you're looking out at the ocean
Tamaki's letters read: Read when you've come to hate me
Ichiro's letter: Read when you need to be brave
Chiharu's letter: Read when you fallen in love
Sasuke picked up the letter that asked him to be read when he found the box. He slid his finger under the mouth and gently pulled out the faded yellow, papers with Hinata's hand writing. He unfolded it with great care and took to read it.
-x-
Sasuke,
I hope you never find this, because if you did; then that means I have left you too early and for that; I am so sorry. I always thought that we would grow very old together and we would be surrounded by many, many grandchildren. I hope I didn't leave you too early, and if I did then I'm sorry.
I've prepared these letters to the best of my capabilities. I believed that these are the letters that you will all need when you need my word of advice. I hope they are everything you hoped for. Sasuke, I know this letter is short, and I know you are impatient, but please; follow my suggestion. Only read them when they are needed. For my children, determine when they need it. I love you. I love them.
And I miss you all, so, so much.
Love,
HINATA
Sasuke didn't know how long he sobbed there on the floor, but Tamaki found him that day when he came home from the academy.
"Tou-san?" Tamaki asked softly at his father, curled in the corner with the letter pressed to his chest, ten year old Tamaki gently brushed his father's dark hair away from his face. "I miss her too, Tou-san." Tamaki weeped and Sasuke pulled his son into his arms. He needed to be strong for his children, even when he felt weak.