Hana was finally released from the hospital two weeks later – but her memory was still hazy. Sasuke was acting weird, despite claiming to be her brother. He was emotional one moment – angry the next. Hana didn't understand, but she went along with it because Nari convinced her that he really was her older brother. She also told her it was better not to talk about the man in her dreams – that it upset Sasuke. Once again, this was something Hana really didn't understand at all, but she was trying to.

Upon arriving in her bedroom, she looked around and blinked, "it's very pink."
"Well, you do like that kind of thing" Sasuke said coldly.
Hana turned to look at him, "are you always like this?"
"Like what?"
There it was again, that cold tone.
"Mean. Cold. Distant? What kind of brother are you?"
A silence followed.
"Ah, you can't answer that" she yawned, "anyway – I'm tired."
He took the hint and left without another word.

Hana flopped down on the bed, laying her head back on the pillow and closing her eyes. Resting her hands on her stomach, she fell asleep. It was 8pm by the time she woke up again, her head feeling hazy and dizzy. Sitting up slowly, she rubbed at her still sore head. She just wanted to remember everything in her life. Everything that had happened so far. It was breaking her heart - and she felt like she deserved to remember.

Nari went through some things with her – but Sasuke seemed happy that she had forgotten their childhood. Something about, "it's better if you don't remember, Hana."
What the heck did that mean?!
She looked around her room, her vision still blurred. She could hear plates clashing in the kitchen, and in that moment – a nice aroma filled her nostrils. Meat.
She stood up out of the bed and clumsily staggered to the door. She felt for the handle and then opened the door to a lit up hallway. In the kitchen, Sasuke had just finished preparing noodles with pork for dinner. Her stomach rumbled. In the hospital, the food smelt nothing like that.

"Hungry?" he asked, not looking at her.
"Yeah, starving" she admitted, embarrassed a bit by her stomach rumbling. He brought the plates to the table, and they sat and ate together in silence.
"Hana – I just want you to know something" he said softly. Hana peered up at him from scoffing down her food.
"I care about you, I do."
"Oh, well thank you."
"No – I'm not trying to be nice" he said, dropping his chopsticks. He had finished his meal.
"Well you could've fooled me" she said with a small chuckle.
"I love you."

Hana paused, and stopped chewing the food in her mouth. She swallowed it whole, surprisingly not choking.
"I love you so much."
"Oh?"
"And I know you love me, too. I just know it."
"Sure. I guess I would love you, like a brother or something."

"No!" he yelled, slamming his hands down on the table. Hana flinched.
"You know damn well that's not what I mean!"
"I don't get you!" she yelled back, "your mean to me one minute, saying you're my brother the next, and then saying you love me the next! Which is it?!"
Sasuke sighed, "all three."
"That's not fair on me, you know I don't remember much!"
"Yet you remember Itachi, hm?"

"I don't know who that is" she said angrily.
"Good, I'm going to keep it that way" he said just as angrily.
"Fine, it's not like I care or whatever!"
"I just wanted to let you know anyway, before I…" he stopped, standing up and taking the plates.
"Before you what?"
"Before I go."
"Go? Where are you going?" she asked, standing up, too. He started to wash the plates.
"On a mission."

"But you'll be back, right?" she questioned, tilting her head to the side.
"I – yes."
"Okay, then. You're being weird. I'm going back to bed."
Sasuke gripped the plate in his hands so hard, it smashed in his hands. Hana turned to look at him again in the doorway, eyes wide.
"The old Hana would have been happy to hear that. To hear that I returned her feelings, despite everything. Despite it being disgusting, and weird."
Hana's face scrunched up with anger, "well, I guess the 'old Hana' is dead, isn't she?"
With that, Hana left the room and returned to her bedroom – leaving Sasuke alone in the kitchen.

"Hana? Hana?"
Hana groaned in her sleep, "Sasuke – go away."
"It's Itachi, please wake up."
Hana's eyes snapped open, and she jumped out of the bed, grabbing a kunai by her bedside. Itachi held his hands up defensively, a smile cracking at his lips.
"You!" she gasped, "you're the handsome man from my dreams!"
"Hm?"
"Oh, sorry. Nari told me you're my big brother but - nevermind."
"Hana?"

Hana blinked at him a few times, then sighed.
"I'm sorry, I lost my memories."
"What? How?!" he asked angrily.
"I got into a fight with my teammate apparently, and she hit me pretty hard."
He looked so mad as he stepped towards her. He lifted his hand high, causing Hana to cower in the corner of the room. He was surprised, but he kept approaching her. His fingers twitched slightly, but his hand kept coming for her.

Poke.

Right in the middle of the forehead. Hana remembered those hands. That feeling of being poked in the forehead.
"Play with me, big brother!" she would beg, "please, please, please!"
Itachi would always show the same expression. Sad, tired eyes. She didn't understand at the time what he was going through. He was a child prodigy, after all. A powerful ninja, always busy. Someone always wanted something of him. Especially the village leaders.

Suddenly, his eyes would light up. Like he had so much love for her, like he wished with his entire heart that he could play. He would poke her right in the centre of her forehead, earning a sulky face in return. He would laugh at her adorable expression, her cheeks puffed out like a pufferfish and her arms crossed. Her small eyebrows furrowed, she knew exactly what he was going to say. He said it every, single time.
"I'm sorry, Hana. Maybe next time."

Then he would ruffle her hair and disappear into the trees, off on another mission. Hana always wished to spend more time with him. He was special, Itachi, especially to her.
"I…."
Itachi gave her hopeful eyes.
"Itachi?" she called, her bottom lip wobbling.
"Hana. How do you feel?" he asked her worriedly.
"I..." she gazed into his eyes, and he gazed right back – hopeful."

"I remember."