Day Two:
Festival
Sasuke would consider formal events to be the very bane of his existence. He cared not to be dressed down in formal kimono. All of his garments carried the brand of his clan. Each Uchiha wore it all the same, with pride. As of late, Sasuke had found himself wholly distracted. The day he'd met Sakura had been several moons prior to the one lighting the world beneath it now but the memory was fresh, as if it had been just that very morning.
Summer had arrived in a rush of heat that felt so sudden, making the Spring days feel so fleeting—almost forgotten entirely had it not been for that ethereal being Sasuke met that was the personification of Spring in the flesh. Those too-green eyes filled his dreams each night that he slept and the scent of her—something light, earthy, and sweet—wafted over him at the strangest of times. She was never there, and yet Sasuke felt as if she was. Each time he closed his eyes he saw her.
It annoyed him having a girl whisk her way into his mind so often. She was not of his clan. She was not even mortal. She was something else entirely, something innately special—a divine entity meant to be cherished and protected from the evils of the world. A healer; one who's saved his very life—likely the only reason he was still alive today.
Telling his parents of the incident on the cliffs seemed unnecessary. Sasuke didn't wish to be scolded by them any more than he ever was, nor did he wish to tell the tale of his rescue. Sakura hadn't requested he not speak of her, and yet without her doing so, he knew that he shouldn't. Her existence was the business of no one but herself and her people. Even Sasuke—courageous and daring as he was—had not dared to return to that sacred place despite how strongly he longed to meet her once again.
Until today that is.
His age day was so quickly approaching, and with each year that passed, more and more responsibility was thrust upon him. With his father heading his clan, it came as no surprise that the man's children would be held in high regard. Not only was that the case for the eldest boy, Itachi, but for Sasuke as well.
Some may think of festivals and associate them as joyous occasions filled with fun activities and delicious foods, but Sasuke only saw them as one of his many duties to see to. There was no escaping the event, his attendance was required lest he be willing to suffer the consequences of going against his father's orders. He did not.
As the hour neared, Sasuke found his feet carrying him to the shore, walking between the jagged rocks to stand on the sand in the very place he had last laid eyes on those all-consuming green eyes. He didn't go there anticipating his presence to miraculously result in her emergence, and yet barely a moment flitted by before his pink hair surfaced the sea. It was much calmer than his last visit, the waves washing upon the sandy shore in a soothing fashion. The wind kissed the exposed skin of his face and neck, sending his hair flying in every possible direction. The smell of salt was thick in the air, the sun setting beyond the horizon, casting a warm glow over the ocean.
It complimented Sakura in an unfathomable way that left Sasuke's mouth dry, hands clenching at his sides, eyes burning with the need to blink because he had forgotten to do so while being so absorbed watching her slow approach. He stared, silent and awestruck while Sakura hoisted herself upon one of the large rocks. Her slender fingers combed through her long pink tresses while she regarded him. For the first time, he bore witness to her full form, fully expecting her lower half to be in the form of a tail similar to that of a fish. Those tales, at least, appeared to be false. Her legs were much like his own, only more slender and smooth.
Had it not been for her hair, her nakedness would've been on display for any and everyone to see. She didn't appear to pay any mind to the fact that she wore no clothing and Sasuke could only assume that it was of no consequence to a being such as herself.
"There's a festival tonight," she said as if she'd been anticipating it, surprising him enough to widen his eyes on her.
"You know of it?"
"Mm." She hummed an affirmative and Sasuke crossed his arms, hands slipping into the large sleeves of his kimono. "Will you invite me to join you?"
The question was the last he'd expected to hear coming from her and he hadn't an inkling of how to respond. He'd barely had time to process a thought before she hopped from the rock to the beach next to him. The movement was impossibly graceful and the wind of it fluttered around her, a flicker of pink he'd mistaken for her hair showing in its wake and disappearing to reveal her lithe frame fully covered in a formal kimono.
No longer was her hair wet and clinging to her body. No longer were those strange fins peeking out from her hair. It was dry as if she hadn't just come from the depths of the sea, long and silky. It hung all the way down to her mid-thighs, lengthy enough for him to assume it had never been trimmed. The kimono she wore was the same shade of pink as her hair—a pink that represented the season of Spring. Adorning it were various cherry blossoms, colored white and pink. Her sleeves were large and appeared to entertain her. The smile splitting her lips apart and lighting up her eyes were almost too much for Sasuke to behold.
She laughed. The sound was so joyous that it brought him comfort. She placed her hand on his arm as if he were her escort. The touch was one Sasuke would normally refuse or pull away from, yet he found himself pleased that she wished to be led by him.
The festival was a lively affair, bustling with activity. Sasuke wished to enjoy it with Sakura but instead of venturing off to have his fill of food and games, he sat with his parents, brother, and the others among high standings in his clan. Others were in attendance as well, seated according to rank. Despite their allied state, tension lingered between the clans. The Uchiha were not the only ones hungry for power, determined to stand above the rest.
Sasuke ate only what was served to him. Sakura sat by his side, drawing the attention of everyone who looked his way, yet nobody questioned her presence. He knew what they were thinking, how they brushed her off as a girl who'd struck his fancy. Young as he was, his parents had worried about his lack of interest in women. Because of this, Sasuke wasn't surprised when they paid Sakura no mind—silently encouraging him to do as he pleased for once in his life.
It was a revelation.
They did not get to enjoy the festival as others could, yet when Sasuke glimpsed at Sakura, he saw nothing but sheer elation gracing her delicate features. She was overjoyed to be seated next to him, and while he couldn't possibly know of her circumstances, he knew that he was glad to have her next to him, and he hoped somehow they would be given more opportunities together such as this one.