Prompt: Soulmates
Ita/Saku Week 2021 🌸🍡
She was running super late for the bus that she took a shortcut, only reserved for emergencies. She cut across her neighbour's private yard, he was a very private man and would call the cops on you if caught so hence emergencies only… she managed to survive and arrived on the other side next to the bus stop she was late for and just in time as it had just landed…
Haruno Sakura was attending the university of Konoha, as a postgraduate, studying for her master's in ancient history, particularly Konoha's long past.
There was always something in the past that drew her to know more, she was specifically interested in ancient shinobi times when people utilized the life force inside them to create techniques to kill but that was a millennium ago now.
Great wars raged on for years and years before the event 500 years ago when humanity lost the ability to use chakra and the shinobi age was over forever. Technological advances took over and thus they were now living in a golden era of knowledge and tech.
They say that the city of Konoha was named after one of the hidden shinobi villages of the past.
Course it was ancient history so unfortunately there wasn't much accurate information on the topic.
Sakura was listening to a new album she had brought on her phone when they picked up a loud blonde man, oh geez it was Uzumaki Naruto … her childhood friend she went to grade school with, she wasn't sure how Naruto even managed to ace his university entrance exams but he had followed to the University of Konoha.
"Sakura-chan!" he called out happily, spotting her from the front of the bus.
She made hand signals for him to shut up but of course, he never did.
Naruto took his seat next to her before reading over her shoulder.
"The 7th Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto was legendary… he was the jinchuriki of the nine tails fox spirit and had over 500 techniques in his arsenal…"
"Whoa! Why does that guy have the same name as me?" he asked, really surprised.
"I don't know… I'm just as surprised as you?" she said, reading further.
It was only the second semester but Sakura was learning all sorts of interesting facts that resonated with her somehow. Like when they went over different shinobi clans and Uchiha popped up.
Uchiwa was a household name, their family was famous for building the empire of phone lines that were the most popular and the current CEO had two sons around their age.
Uchiwa Sasuke was said to become the heir that would take over the company one day, Naruto was actually friends with the "snob" from their last year in high school when he transferred.
People expected the older son to take over but no one knew much about Uchiwa Itachi, he was very secretive and aloof. Most people only knew him as a teacher at Konoha High.
He had taught senior-level mathematics and Sasuke, Naruto, and she took his class for one semester.
She never admitted it to anyone but though she tolerated Sasuke for Naruto's sake, she found Itachi to be nothing like his little brother and she grew infatuated with him for at least a month before coming to the conclusion that their age gap wouldn't work and she was being foolish, she moved on to others.
"Uchiha sounds just like teme's family nee Sakura-chan?" Naruto pointed out laughing lightly.
Rereading the paragraph of the characteristics of the clan, she had to agree with Naruto that it did sound like Sasuke's and his relatives.
Sakura felt a chill down her spine, wondering if it was merely a coincidence, put her text away and steered Naruto into a different direction of the conversation.
Her mentor and assistant professor in the history department at Konoha University Morino, Shizune looked over her notes, helping her construct the outline she would need to start her thesis. She wanted to explore the downfall of one of Konoha's best-known shinobi clans and history pointed towards their downfall.
Shizune furrowed her brows.
"Sakura-chan, I understand you are excited to explore this particular piece of history but there isn't much recorded about it to make a strong argument. Unless you can convince Hatake-sensei why this topic is relevant to his research, he will not sign off on this…" She tried to explain why she thought Sakura ought to pick another topic.
"What about? The legacy of the 4th Hokage of Konoha? Hatake-sensei has just uncovered a burial site where he theorized the yellow flash kept his very secret base operations during the Third Shinobi War.`` She suggested going over what their head professor was currently working on.
"The Uchiha were tied to the success of Lord Fourth, wouldn't knowing more about them help Sensei's future research?" she asked not to be deterred.
Shizune sighed, knowing when Sakura set her sight on something she was hard to convince.
"It's your thesis, I'm just trying to help and get you to be a success and pass it" she waved her out, needing to get to another appointment with another student.
Over lunch, Sakura checked out another book she found that held more facts around the time of the fourth Shinobi war and the era of the last known original member of the Uchiha's…
'... Rogue Ninja assisted with wiping out everyone except his younger brother who was only 7 years old the night of the slaughter…' she read before someone slammed a tray onto her table roughly.
"Hey! Watch it! This is borrowed materials!" she yelled at the offending perp.
"I spoke to Naruto this morning and thought I should come to find and talk with you…" said a familiar voice.
Looking up, Sakura saw Sasuke.
He glanced at the book she was reading and his eyes narrowed.
"Why are you looking into that era?" he integrated her hollowly.
Confused, Sakura put the volume back into her bag now suspicious that he knew something.
"No one knows this… as it's technically a family secret but Uchiwa is actually Uchiha… My ancestor Uchiha Tanako made many enemies as the only child of the 9th Hokage Uchiha Sarada, and the ending of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. To protect her descendants, she faked her death and went into hiding, two generations later we emerged as a small merchant family known as Uchiwa, every member now forbidden in learning ninpo or unlocking the Doujutsu, our family heirloom. Not learning how to mould chakra we started over as a normal family entering the modern era." He revealed it to her.
Sakura covered her gasp with her hand...The Uchiha had survived after all and she was kinda friends with one and thought she was in love with his brother.
Glancing back at the chapter she was reading, the next sentence revealed the name of the child that had survived the massacre… Sasuke…
"Who did the original Sasuke marry and have Sarada-san?" she dared to ask.
"Haruno… Sakura… the 2nd generation slug princess and apprentice to the 5th Hokage," he told her.
Sakura felt sick, why did all these people have the same names as people she knew and herself…
"Sasuke-san… do you believe in reincarnation?" Sakura whispered, scaring herself as she dared to utter the idea.
"No… but my brother does… Here's his number, call him if you truly want to use our family as your thesis… oh and don't tell Naruto about this… the whole world will find out if you tell his blubber mouth" he handed her a piece of paper before taking his leave.
She promised not to tell their mutual friend and her heart began to beat faster.
Uchiwa Itachi believed in reincarnation and she had married his brother in their past life? She needed to know the full story behind the hindering of the great clan… for her thesis and her peace of mind.
She called him that night, citing Sasuke as the reason how she had gotten his number, Itachi remembered her from high school and was glad that she was doing well.
She explained to him about her degree and what she hoped to write in her thesis, hopefully gaining her master's of history.
He was quiet as she explained her version of what Sasuke had revealed to her.
"There is a reason why the downfall of the original Uchiha clan's downfall is a mystery to most historians. It is because the stories are gruesome, unhappy and would make us a target to opposing enemies over time. Takano-san was smart in hiding and starting over… of course from what I know, she should have just picked a completely new name when starting over. You aren't the first one to piece together that we are the descendants of the extinct clan. Unveiling it would change the course of history and it's been so long now that it doesn't matter what happened then, The Uchiha's were a dark and foolhardy clan that lingered in the darkness and untimely ended themselves.
While Itachi spoke, Sakura was taking notes.
He smirked and took a jab at her.
"I clearly remember you being one of the pupils in my classes that doodled well and did not take notes Haruno-san" he quipped at her jokingly.
Blushing Sakura put down her pen.
"That is hardly fair, Uchiwa-san… " she mumbled, embarrassed.
"If you are serious about publishing your findings, you will need my father's written permission and I can tell you right now he will not grant it… why are you so inclined to reveal it?" he pressed seriously again.
"Well before Sasuke revealed the truth I thought it was weird that such a powerful family died overnight and it was over. Something about them pulled me in, now I think it's my weird connection to it… There was a Sakura who married that era's Sasuke. Now when I talked to your Sasuke he didn't seem to be affected by my presence and I asked him if he believed in reincarnation? If he did then it would make sense that we were meant to meet again in this lifetime but I'm sorry I can't stand him in this lifetime…" she admitted.
"Hmm maybe you are destined to marry another Uchiha, but not Sasuke" he replied.
"But… that leaves you and we are 9 years apart, no offence Uchiwa-san…" she mumbled face on fire thinking of the possibilities.
"Hmph, age is only a number after you've turned 25 Haruno-san and well did Sasuke mention his past incarnation had an older named Itachi as well?"
Sakura's eyes widened in horror…. No
"Now the reason why Itachi would have never married or possibly known Sakura-san of that age was because she too was only 7 when he killed the rest of the clan and started living a life of rogue ninja…. Sasuke-san then killed him when he was 16 to redeem the clan. Itachi never met Sakura in that lifetime but I have."
Sakura was quiet, feeling regret already digging into this.
"Sakura, have you ever heard of having more than one soulmate?" he inquired.
"No… I thought there was only one?"
"What about in the scenario that your main person is killed or you never get the opportunity to meet before one or the other is gone and onto another life. The one that remains does end up loving another even though they will never feel as fulfilled as their true soulmate…"
She stayed silent…
"I just wonder if it was the opposite, Sasuke-san died and his brother lived, what would have happened instead?"
Sakura felt a pang hearing those words and innermost shook herself for she was starting to believe in nonsense.
"Even if Sakura-san married the Uchiha… doesn't mean they were soulmates, it's only natural as they grew up together and probably fell in love by proximity." She finally answered his rhetorical question.
Itachi only smiled at her.
"Sorry for taking up your time Haruno-san. I do hope you gained some valuable information for your research, tell Sasuke I expect a call from him this week. Mom asked me to check in on him".
Hanging up the phone, she now wondered if she was in way over her head? Maybe she should just talk to Hatake-sensei?
A week later, she sought an audience with the Uchiwa president who like Itachi claimed would not allow her to research any further and forced her to sign a non-disclosure that she would keep it a secret, for if she didn't she would be hunted down and sued… and well they were one of the wealthiest families in Konoha city so she knew that she couldn't break the agreement.
Guessing she would have to choose another topic she decided to consult the professor this time who laughed when she told him all the trouble she went through just to find out the Uchihas were cursed.
"Sakura-san I already know about the Uchihas back from my college days… sorry I couldn't tell you last I too am under a non-disclosure agreement but since that subject is off the table could you help me by researching more on the second Hokage? The era of the 2nd shinobi war isn't well researched and I have a theory I think needs revealing."
She sighed, agreeing with his idea. Looking back on her quest for answers she only made more for herself and she still wasn't sure she believed in the coincidence of Uchiwa Itachi suggesting that he could be her soulmate. Hmph, what an idiot…
A/N: Happy Friday, I always wondered if Itachi would find a way in Sakura's heart if he had lived and if Sasuke wasn't as willing to be in a complicated relationship as they are in Canon. So this is totally my what-if scenario, in a new life from the past. As always feel free to review, comment, fav, follow, kudos, bookmark, fav, and like on either platform or both