CHAPTER EIGHT

Interlude 1

Sasuke was obviously missing the Hyūga girl throughout the summer. It had been a month after their graduation since he last saw her. The Uchiha family decided to celebrate Sasuke's transition into adolescence and university by traveling to Europe while Fugaku attended a business meeting in one of the countries. Itachi managed to join the trip, which was a nice addition to the happiness the family was experiencing. Despite being close to his older brother, Sasuke wondered if it was safe to tell Itachi about Hinata. That would require more thinking and careful planning.

One random afternoon, his mother and Itachi were busy cooking something in the kitchen. The villa they rented was perfectly located in a big land which overlooked a lake and the alps. It was too beautiful that Sasuke would find himself lost in thought whenever he went out for walks. That day, the boys decided to spend some time with their mother as Fugaku attended a rather important meeting.

"Sasuke," her mother called out to him.

"Yeah?" The boy replied, sticking his head up to show his whereabouts while he lay on the couch.

"Help me peel these potatoes, will you?" She had said, Itachi was busy chopping some meat.

"Sure." He said, placing his phone on the coffee table near him. It seemed that he was about to reply to Hinata's message when his mother called him for help. He decided he would reply with a phone call instead.

Sasuke walked over to the kitchen and began peeling potatoes on the kitchen island while Mikoto was talking about Itachi's birth as they recalled silly moments that happened before Sasuke came to the world. She had mentioned where she got the idea to name his brother 'Itachi' and it made Sasuke wonder where she got his name from.

"What about me?" Sasuke asked as he successfully peeled a potato. 10 more to go.

"Oh! That's a unique story. I discovered a classic Japanese novel one day called Sarutobi Sasuke by Tatsukawa Bunko."

"Sarutobi as in **jumping monkey?" Itachi asked, holding back a grin.

"Don't start, Itachi." Sasuke would say, rolling his eyes. Itachi's jokes were getting annoying but when her mother giggled, he didn't mind being made fun of.

"In the novel, he was such a handsome ninja who had strength and speed like no other. He was even considered to have superpowers because he's that amazing. When I read that novel in college, I thought of how I'd definitely want a son and name him Sasuke. Good thing your father's clan isn't Sarutobi, otherwise that would be too creepy." She explained a giggle followed right after.

"I've never heard of this story before." Sasuke would say.

"It's quite old, it might have been a legend. Sasuke went on to become the leader of the Sanada Jūyūshi; the ten brave ninjas. They fought during the Japanese Civil War, assisting the warlord Sanada Yukimura. But of course, that Yukimura guy was another story that the same author wrote about in a separate novel."

What an interesting fact. As Sasuke peeled his next potato, he began wondering where Hinata's parents got her name from. Was it also from a legendary figure? Or was it random because her name literally meant 'sunflower'? It was an oddity since she had dark hair and yet Sasuke wouldn't be able to imagine her name to be something else. The magnificence of a parent's inspiration can literally give a child their identity, and that personhood would be vital for a child to thrive in, with hopes that they become what destiny had prepared for them. Such a beautiful concept; Sasuke wouldn't want Hinata to be anyone else but herself, thanks to her parents.

"So, why did you choose Sarutobi Sasuke's name for me?"

"Easy. I know you'll have that grit, confidence, and perseverance. I was so inspired by his strength that I secretly prayed you would mold into the positive traits of that particular character. Look at you now," his mother paused, placing a peck on the Uchiha's cheek, "you're way better than Sarutobi Sasuke would ever be."

Dinner was great. His father came right on time and they exchanged a few stories about each other. It did come to a topic of the Hyūgas where Itachi needed a lot of information to be updated. Itachi being far away meant he couldn't keep up with the recent drama in Sasuke's life. Fugaku had described Hinata in a neutral manner; not at all mentioning the fact that she was a certain way according to his judgment. Still, he expressed disagreement if the two would ever consider being romantically involved with each other. Sasuke saw Itachi's eyes linger on him, it was a sign that he might be questioned a lot by his brother after dinner.

Which happened to be true. When they had finished dinner and cleared up the dishes, both their parents retreated to their bedroom while Itachi popped out a cigarette right outside the villa's backyard. Sasuke was there first and he knew why Itachi decided to be there, too. They were both looking at the reflection of the moon and stars lingering on the surface of the lake when Itachi exhaled his first puff of smoke, saying,

"So, you guys were something."

"Don't be so quick to assume."

"Father would never bring that up, especially about a Hyūga, if he was confident you weren't trying to do something he would highly disapprove."

His brother had a point.

"How close were you guys?"

"Very. We, um, might have been closer than necessary."

"Did you guys have sex?"

A groan of complaint left Sasuke's mouth. "Nicotine turned you more into an asshole. Must you know details?"

"I'm right, aren't I?" Itachi grinned.

"No, you're not. We did mess around like that but I never had intercourse with her."

"Hm," another puff of smoke, "What held you back?"

"Family politics."

"Are you sure? Or was it because you're a virgin?"

A glare was evident on Sasuke's face for only a few seconds as he was aware Itachi liked to bully him. "You know I'm far from being a virgin. If any, I'm too tainted to take Hinata's virginity. I wouldn't want that for her."

Itachi nodded, a sign of respect. "That's a gentleman's move right there."

"Or a coward's. I was too afraid to feel more than I should, and now, I'm there. I'm in love with her."

"Sasuke," Itachi interrupted his brother's train of thought, putting out the cigarette that apparently had been sucked dry, "Don't beat yourself to a pulp. There's absolutely nothing wrong with loving her. And mom's right, you became like that jumping monkey ninja."

"Excuse me, what the hell—" again, Sasuke was interrupted by his brother, to which he got the memo to try to listen without complaints. So, Itachi spoke,

"I personally don't see why the rivalry should continue even though I understand why it started. I also know that you agree with me, right?" He asked. Sasuke nodded, aware that Itachi wanted to say more so he remained silent.

"I'm just saying that what makes you a gentleman is that, even though you were lost in your own confusion, you managed to still be honest with your feelings."

The young Uchiha still felt like he could have done things better. But what was the use of the dangerous what-ifs? Sasuke shrugged in response to his brother's statement, finding it hard to agree. "If you say so. Thanks."

"Although I am curious… what's your status with Hinata?"

"We've decided to be friends since our start wasn't healthy at all."

"Huh. It's amazing how your circumstance forced you to mature like that. A normal teenager would've done whatever they wanted."

"I, too, don't really understand how I was capable of this. Every fiber of my being wants to make her mine, especially my dick."

The two began laughing. Then, Sasuke's phone rang and a photo of a certain Hime showed on his screen. Itachi glanced at Sasuke's phone before saying, "She's hot, dude."

"I know," Sasuke said, lifting his phone a little closer to his face to take a good look at Hinata's profile photo. "I'm a lucky guy."

"Did you know that Sarutobi Sasuke fell in love with a princess?" Itachi asked while Sasuke looked at the name he saved Hinata's phone under;

Hime.

"Well, you gotta pick that up before I will. That phone number isn't too hard to memorize." Itachi gave his younger brother a wink, teasing the young Uchiha. A small, unnecessary jealousy appeared in Sasuke, showing his rather protective side as he shooed his big brother away. Itachi walked back into the villa grinning. Once he was out of sight, Sasuke picked up the phone,

"You're still awake?" Sasuke said, "It's 3:00 AM over there."

"I know."

"What's keeping you up, Hime?"

They had been calling each other every day for a month after their friendship arrangement. It first started with Sasuke being the one to initiate a call, however, as time went by, Hinata seemed to become more eager to casually dial his phone. Especially when he went to Europe with his family for the summer trip. They talked about a lot of things, and each passing conversation made Sasuke fall deeper in love with that special Hyūga. He began to wonder how much longer he would be able to keep up the friends-only act.

"I miss you. I want you to hold me."

Sasuke smirked, feeling a tiny victory empowering him. She had been expressing how she couldn't wait to see him. Sasuke loved it when she unknowingly yearned for him. "Let's do it. In your apartment when our first semester starts."

The Hyūga let out a sigh. "We can't. Boundaries, remember?"

"That's right."

Well, he tried.

"Sasuke?"

"Hm?"

"Do you think we'll ever get the chance to be together?"

Sasuke began to wonder how that Sarutobi bastard got the girl. Maybe pointers from the fictional dude would inspire his fate to turn out the same. But this was also the first time Hinata ever asked Sasuke such a question. They'd been trying so hard to keep it platonic whenever they talked over the phone, there were moments when he wondered if she had forgotten her feelings toward him.

"I don't know." He answered.

"I see."

"You should sleep, Hime. Sometimes overthinking can lead to a downfall."

"I guess you're right. When will you be back from your trip?"

"In a week."

"That's 2 days before our first class starts."

"Mhm."

"What are you looking at right now?"

Sasuke lifted his gaze from the ground to the lake in front of him. "Beautiful things I wish you could see, too."

"The lake must be prettier at night."

"Very much so."

Silence on the other end of the line. A comforting one.

"And you?"

"I'm looking at the ceiling." She'd say, a giggle followed soon after.

How can one not love the simplicity of a relationship? And if adversaries could be blurred out by love, then Sasuke hoped this would stay as beautiful throughout the years. He sincerely hope he'd come to understand how to love her right as they grow. He prayed silently that she wouldn't fall for someone new.

"Hime,"

She didn't answer, usually a sign she was waiting for him to continue.

"I love you."

Still no answer. Sasuke decided that maybe she wasn't ready to hear such a casual statement. But it wasn't an easy phrase to utter because he meant it with his whole heart. The Uchiha began to wonder why it took her too long to answer and quickly understood what had happened once he noticed her steady breathing.

That little rascal fell asleep.

Maybe the fates saved his face.

Sasuke, you idiot. He thought, grinning while he hung up the phone.

**saru (猿) as in monkey and tobi (飛) as in jump.