Sasuke's POV
Before I knew it, the month of June passed by. It seems like I was just at Sarada's school for that art show. Nothing has really changed. Except for the fact that I can't stop thinking about what Sarada's art teacher said. Parker's School of Arts? Does Sarada want to go there? Why does she never tell me this stuff?
"Sakura, I'm going to take my lunch break now." Sakura turns from the table she was making a coffee from and looks at me. Today, she changed her hair. She claims that she is able to do two french braids, and that's what she did. The braids are a little messy, but that's what makes them cuter.
"Okay, do you still want to use my laptop?"
"Yes. Is it in the back room?" I ask. she nods and gets back to working on the coffee. Without care, I untie my apron from my waist and walk into the back. This is where I am going to have lunch because Sakura can't have lunch with me, and I would rather eat alone than socialize with Sai, who is also taking a break right now.
Once I grab Sakura's laptop and my lunch, I waste no time in turning it on and going to the search bar. After typing in Parker's School of Arts, I am given an address to the school, along with the website. I click onto the website and see the home page for the school. It doesn't take me long to find the enrollment section. The school starts at grade 6th, and ends in senior year, so Sarada wouldn't be able to go here yet, since she just finished 3rd.
Of course, that isn't a problem. The problem is the price to go there. Holy shit it is expensive. I understand what that teacher meant by scholarships help. I scroll down a little on the screen, and notice all the types of scholarships you could get. One of them is almost a full ride. I should start saving now. I don't know if I will be able to save enough, but I have to try. For her.
"Are you sure you can handle closing, Honey?" Sakura asks when she walks out from the back. I'm in the corner of the room putting up some chairs on the tables that I already cleaned. "I can stay and help you."
"I can handle this on my own. Don't worry, you just go home and relax. I'll text you later." I wave Sakura off while she hesitates.
After putting her tiny bag around her arms, she says, "Okay. I'll wait for that text." Sakura then walks to the exit and opens it a little, making the bell ring. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight." The door opens wider and Sakura exits the restaurant, leaving me alone. It doesn't take me too long to finish cleaning each table. The last ones I need to clean are by the entrance. Once I start to clean one of those tables, I hear the doorbell ring again.
Without turning around, I say, "We're closed."
"Wow, never thought I would see you in an apron." That voice. I slowly turn around to be met with a tall man with dark long hair tied in a low ponytail, and dark eyes.
"Itachi?" I say in almost a question tone, as if I am asking if he really is there, and I'm not imagining it.
"Good to see you too brother," he smiles. I can't believe he is here. I haven't seen him in over a year. Without a second thought, I rush over to him and hug him while laughing. Itachi, of course, responds to it.
Once we break the hug, I lightly punch his shoulder. "What the hell are you doing here anyway without saying anything? How did you even know I worked here?"
"Mother told me you worked here, so I thought I would come by and surprise you," Itachi chuckles. "So, how is working here?"
"Eh, not the worst." Both of us make our way to one of the tables I haven't cleaned yet and take a seat. "Do you want something? I can get you coffee, even though it's a bit too late for that." Itachi chuckles again and raises his hand up to say no.
"No, I'm all set." All the memories of our childhood rushes back to me. Itachi was the person I was the closet with. I remember always wanting to be with him, and whenever I would get in trouble with Father, he would always stand up for me. He helped me when I struggled in school, he taught me how to fish, ride a bike, honestly, any happy memory of my childhood, it had Itachi in it. He also helped me out a lot when I learned I was going to be a father by letting me and Ino stay at his place for a little, and giving us money, so it was really difficult for me when Itachi graduated high school and went to college, but then I met Naruto.
I go back to the chair I was sitting in and sit again. "How is Sarada?" Itachi asks.
"She is doing well. She just finished 3rd grade and also got an honorable mention at this art show made up of multiple schools."
"Great for her. I haven't seen her in so long. Plus, I want her to meet her new cousin." I freeze for a moment.
"Are you...?" I question shockingly.
"Izumi and I are parents now." Once again, I punch his shoulder with a big smile on my face.
"Congratulations man! Girl or boy?"
"Girl," Itachi smiles, and I do too.
"When can Sarada and I meet her?" I ask eagerly.
"Well, I was thinking you guys could meet her at the family cookout this week."
"...Um..."
"You are coming right?" I never go to the cookouts. Since my father and I don't speak, and he wasn't very happy about me getting Ino pregnant, I don't go.
"I wasn't planning on going." Saying this seems to offend Itachi.
"Why not?"
Before answering, I let out a big sigh. "Well, Father and I haven't been getting along-"
"Still?" Itachi interrupts. I pause for a second to see if he will keep talking before I continue.
"And I don't know how he would feel about seeing Sarada and I," I finish.
"Come on, that's a dumb excuse." I start to speak, but Itachi interrupts me again. "Look, just come. I will handle Father. I'm sure Sarada would want to go. She hasn't seen her uncles and aunts in so long." He does have a point. She hasn't seen them in a very long time, but I don't want any of them to say something that would upset Sarada, and I don't think I should risk that.
As I am about to talk, my phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out and turn it on to see a text message from Sakura.
Sakura: Hey. I know you said you would text me, but I think I left my charger in the back room. Are you still working?
"Hold on a second," I say to Itachi.
Sasuke: I'm still at work. Where in the back room did you leave it?
Sakura: I think it is in my locker.
Sasuke: I can get it and drop it off at your house on my way home.
Sakura: Thank you babe! I will make it up to you.
"Who are you texting?" I look up at my brother who is leaning forward, trying to peek at my phone.
I turn it off before he can see anything and face it down on the table. "No one."
"It has to be someone special if they are making you smile like that." I cover up my mouth and bottom half of my face.
"What are you talking about?" I ask as if I don't know.
"Don't act dumb brother. I know that smile. It's the same one you would make when you had a crush on-". The more Itachi talks, the slower he goes, like he just realized something. "You have feelings for someone!" he shouts.
I can feel my face heat up, so I cover it more. "Shut up," I mumble.
"Oh my god! I never thought I would see this again!" Itachi smirks to me when he finishes talking. "So, who is she?"
"... Her name is Sakura, and just so you know, she isn't just a crush. We are dating," I say in a 'as a matter of fact' tone. He already figured out I have romantic feelings for her. There's no point in trying to deny it.
Itachi wipes his hands up. "This is huge! I can't believe you have a girlfriend! Invite her to the cookout!"
"I never said I would go."
"You have to go now! I want to meet her, and I'm sure everyone else would like to meet her too!" Before responding, I hesitate. "If you don't go, I'm just going to tell everyone you have a girlfriend, so you mind as well go and tell them yourself."
"Damn it," I mutter, thinking about what Mother's reaction would be if Itachi told him about Sakura. She would probably march right to my home, barge in, and start yelling at me for not telling her. "Fine! I'll go!"
The night passed by quickly after I left work and gave Sakura her charger back and told her about the cookout. While I was there, I noticed her mother staring at me at the end of the hallway. Did I do something? I haven't even met her really.
Once I picked up Sarada from Naruto's house, I finally got home and got some sleep, and soon morning comes. I wake up pretty early and attempt to make an omelette for Sarada, but every time I try to fold the egg, it breaks, or it gets stuck to the pan. "Good morning, Papa," Sarada yawns while rubbing her eyes and sitting by the counter.
"Good morning Dear. Breakfast will be done soon, if I can manage not to ruin it." I turn down the heat coming from the stove so the egg doesn't burn.
"I can just have cereal if you are struggling," Sarada suggests, but I refuse.
"No. I want to be able to cook you something. You can't just keep having toast, cereal, or muffins for breakfast." I place some cheese along with chopped up carrots and peas on one side of the spread out egg.
"Well, what if I learn how to cook?"
"Absolutely not! I don't want you by the stove. You're eight. Plus, I'm your father." I hear Sarada let out a sigh of defeat.
"Whatever." The time comes when I have to fold the omelet. With steady, I scoop one side of the egg with a spatula, and slowly place it over the cheese and veggie side.
"Yes! I did it!" I then turn the stove completely off and grab a plate to put the meal on. After placing it slowly onto it, I give Sarada the dish along with a fork and a glass of milk.
"Thank you Papa." Sarada wastes no time in eating the omelet. "It's good."
"That's good." When Sarada starts to eat, I grab the pan and spatula I used to cook and put it in the sink, then I grab a bowl, milk, and some cereal for myself.
Once Sarada is about halfway done with her food, she asks me, "Are you working today?"
I take one bite of my cereal, and swallow it before I respond. "Only in the afternoon."
"Will I be going over to Naruto's again?"
"No. Naruto is working. I talked to my boss, and he says that I can bring you to work as long as you don't interrupt anything. So, I suggest bringing something to do."
Sarada takes another bite of her omelet and sips her milk. "I can bring my book."
"You'll probably get bored with just that." After talking, I eat more, then a light bulb goes off in my head. "Hey, why don't you ask to hang out with one of your friends. You're on your summer vacation, but you don't want to hang out with any of your friends from school. I haven't even met any of them yet. Why not use my phone and give one of them a call."
Sarada takes an exceptionally long sip of her glass, and ends up finishing it, which I then take from her hand. "Uh, I think all of them are busy today," she murmurs.
After placing the glass in the sink, I start to run the water. In order to check the temperature of it, I stick my hand under the facet. At first, the water is unpleasantly cold, but soon turns more like a room temperature, and then turns humid, but not boiling.
From the back of my head, I can hear Sarada climbing down from where she was sitting and soon, she is next to me giving me the empty plate that has a little bit of melted cheese on it. "I'm going to get changed Papa," she says after giving me the plate.
Once I have the plate, I run it into the water, and then grab the yellow sponge, and dip some dish wash into it. "Alright," I shout to her since she is already in the hallway.
It doesn't take long for me to finish washing the dishes. All I have to do now is dry them and put them away. I reach for the stove that I used before, and on the handle for the oven is a blue rag I like to use. As I dry off the plate first, I think about the cookout that is going to happen at the end of the week. It has been a while since I have seen the whole family, since I have seen my father. And I won't be going alone. As happy as I am to see some of the family, a sickening feeling in my stomach forms while thinking of others and what could go wrong, and I really wish now that I had refused to go when I had the chance.