Ten Years
She watched her mother danced around the kitchen, her body gracefully as a river. Her long, thick hair, black as a raven's wing, twisted along with her, fitting the contours of her body perfectly.
"Sakura?" Dark emerald met light jade; the jade looked away, feeling tears prickling behind them. With a loud cough she tried to keep from crying, but, looking up at her mother, attired in dark black shorts and a cheongsam dress, it was useless. With a heart wrenching sob she sank down, sobbing. Warm arms suddenly enveloped her, pulling her close to Barako.
"Honey…" She heard her mother whisper, rubbing her hands up and down her back. The comforting gestures only made her hurt more and the tears continued with reinforcements.
Finally she stopped crying, thankfully taking the tissue that Barako handed her and blowing her nose. Leaning on her mother's arm she was led out onto the roof.
The view from there was breathtaking. The sun, setting in the distance, left a golden glow on everything, turning even the shadowy valleys a creamy yellow. Sitting down, their legs hanging over the edge, the twenty-four year old wrapped her arms around her ten year old daughter, snuggling her closer.
"I betrayed her," Sakura finally said, her voice slightly higher than usual. "I called us rivals."
"Mhmmm…" She had learned not to push things with Sakura, that she would tell on her own.
"Ino. Over a boy. That boy."
"The Uchiha heartthrob?"
"Hai…" A few small tears leaked down her cheeks, causing her to hiccup slightly and tighten her grip on her dress.
They watched the sun as it fell behind the mountains, pulling their shadows farther and farther back. Slowly the lights of the city went on, filling the air with a hazy orange light. A small wind whipped around their bodies, filling Sakura with endless emptiness.
"Is he really worth it, this Sasuke?" The question startled her; she looked up at her mother, shock registering on her face.
"Of course he is! He's handsome, has the best grades in the Academy, is so mysterious…" She trailed away, unsure of what she had just said. "I really, really like him," she finished finally, her chin jutting forward slightly.
"But is he worth it? Ino helped you up, has always been there…I hear that he is silent, arrogant, bent on revenge…"
"Revenge?"
Barako ignored the last question, continuing on with her own interrogation. "Is he worth it? Is he worth you?"
Sakura bowed her head, watching a few villagers make their way down the streets below. She could hear happy shouts from the ramen stand, Ichiruka. But his face—his gorgeous face!—pervaded her thoughts again.
"Yes," she said finally, though her voice was unsteady. "Yes."
"Are you sure?"
"I'd die for him. I'd do anything for him."
"And you would do the same thing for Ino as a friend?"
The darkness grew around them. Sakura shivered, feeling her skin prickling.
"We all make mistakes, but it is those who go back and understand them that will truly live up to legend."
"Nani?" Sakura looked up confusedly at her mother. "What does that mean?"
"The same thing as you saying that you will die for this boy that you don't even know."
"But I would! He is the only one for me! Ever!"
"Do you really love him that much?"
"Like I said, I'd die for him. He is all I will ever love."
Barako didn't answer that; instead, she pulled the girl closer, making sure that she was safe from everything, if only for a moment.
Because some things turn out exactly the way you imagined.