Ive been changing a few things, it seems i can't make decisions as easily as i thought. Lol. if you want, you are always welcome to leave a review!
thank you for reading, and keep dreaming.
Acceptance. Agreement. Assurance.
Sakura flickered her eyes across the room when she woke up. It was peaceful. It was night.
There were no hidden whispers, hands tampering with the wires, a cup held against her bottom lip. She was by herself for once. It was funny to wake up in the same situation, waking up and then passing out, waking up and not seeing figures lying on the ground in the cold. She really wished to maybe not wake up at all. Her fingers slid down to her abdomen, caressing the ragged skin that had scarred and went up to her chest. Maybe all of this was a dream, a genjutsu.
But she knew she wasn't in one.
Sakura, learning from the other Sakura she had met before. She was neither in her time as well.
To understand the concept of travelling to another timeline was nothing that had crossed her mind. Yes, time travelling was a conversation through laughter and theory. But to be placed in a completely different setting where she had been born a bit earlier? To instead have different parents? A different lifestyle? It was complicated. She lifted her hand towards her forehead and pressed her fist against it. And the headache was making it more complicated for her.
"Who is Kumiko?"
"He's…" She remembered how the other Sakura paused, slightly smiling with a sad expression on the verge of tears.
"He's our brother."
A brother? She had a brother?
Her mind was already trying the grasp of being in another version of herself but to find out that she had a sibling? Sakura turned in her bed, covering the blanket over her head. She knew in a logical sense, that this was stupid. Stupidly unbelievable.
"You must choose success or change, Sakura. It's the only way where we can truly be happy."
Happy? Of course she was happy. She had a wonderful upbringing. Trained under the fifth Hokage. Surpassed her even, and fought alongside her comrades in a war that she doesn't even know had ended. She was happy that she did something, she had to be…
Right?
She remembered those sleepless nights, the sweat that proved her hard work and the progress. She remembered assisting, she remembered helping. She remembered feeling useful-
"You want it too right?"
She was, wasn't she?
.
.
.
.
A man dressed in a black shirt and brown jeans nervously fiddled his thumbs together. He was in the waiting room of a building he hadn't walked into in awhile.
"Kubo-san?"
He flinched and looked up. It was a doctor, holding their clipboard in one hand while the other was in his pocket. He stood up quickly, furiously wiping the sweat from his hands on his pants.
"Yes, that is- that is me." He stuttered out. The doctor smiled politely.
"Thank you for coming the next day. I know it must have been a shock."
Scratching the back of his head, he waved his hand in the air. "Oh no, it's alright. Uh, is.. Is she alright?" He coughed in his hand, his mind flickering with thoughts.
"She's alright. She had just woken up and her vitals are still healthy. I have it that Morino-senpai has spoken to you about the situation?"
The man deflated, letting his arms fall against his side once again. He nodded, his lips pressed against each other firmly. The doctor politely smiled again at him. Propping the clipboard in their hands, handed out a piece of paper. "These are just to fill out for contact purposes, we want to fully update her documents into our system and also because you're her only relative."
'Only relative' chimed in his ears.
"Uh, yeah, of course. Um, when… when can I…"
"You can see them right now if you want. If you are ready."
He nodded slowly, feeling the jitters jumble in his stomach. He let the doctor lead as he went further down the corridor. He skimmed through the white walls, looking at the posters, the rooms with patients. He could hear his heart thump loudly in his ears. They stopped at the door, feeling a sense of dread already filling inside of him. The doctor lightly knocked on the door. He watched them turn the knob and with a flutter of pink hair tuned his view. There she was in bed, facing in the direction of the window. He looked at how the wires were strapped around her arms and from where he stood, how tiny she was. The doctor pushed him softly from behind before excusing himself. When he heard the door close, it was like a beat as her head turned towards him. He watched from a distance, how her face did not change at all. Nor her eyes holding any familiarity. It was like he was facing a stranger. His stomach flipped.
"...Hello." He whispered.
"Hello."
Her voice was so calm, he thought. So young yet, so mature. He felt his eyes start to falter just as his body started to move on its own. He ran towards her and hugged with his might. He tried to not let out a sob, but he couldn't control it.
He let go all of a sudden, taking a better look at her as he sniffed. "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have-", He felt another sob about to come as he grabbed her shoulders.
"There's so much I want to say, so much I want to tell you." He mumbled.
He felt a slight tap on his face as he was grabbed by the little girl as she stared full on into his eyes. He started to sniff up the snot that was trembling down his face.
A flicker of emotions stirred in her irises.
"We…have the same eyes."
He felt his lips quiver.
"Kumiko."
.
.
.
.
Kumiko Kubo was only four when he got to meet his little sister. He remembered how small she was, bundled in baby blankets that he once was in when he was smaller. His mother would tell him repeatedly, to be careful. To support the neck and most of all be gentle. He didn't really understand the concept of becoming an older brother. He didn't understand the concept that now, the family of three was now a family of four. It was scary in his mind. He remembered not wanting to hold her in the first place because she was so tiny, so easy to break like a vase.
…
The wind blew on the two girls as they sat under the tree. Both were staring at each other with silence. One who was calm as the leaves and the other shocked like the dirt that was under.
"We are the same. You and me." The younger stated, "We were born from a single thread that holds onto versions of others. Yet, we lived with the same path. A happy beginning, a hard journey and a tragic end."
"There were times where we made it to the end at the age of 89. Died from loneliness. We even had a chance to get married, but died from a broken heart.", She picked a flower that was blooming next to her and crushed it.
…
Kumiko was only seven years old when he was trying to teach his little sister how to say his name. They were sitting at the table where she was hoisted in her chair and he was sitting next to her. His little sister would look at him with her big round eyes that were exact replicas of his own, dribbling and mumbling out baby words that he thought he could understand. Her hair was now a bit longer, wrapped in a small little pony tail that his mother did. She would stomp her hands on her high chair, expressing her excitement to play with him.
"Come on Saku, say 'Ku-mi-ko"
"Gu, gii, go!"
"No, 'Ku-mi-ko!'"
…
"A time we never came out of the womb."
The other only listened.
…
He remembered when she fell down the stairs. Kumiko sighed and placed her on the couch as he went to get the first aid. He walked back, still hearing the sniffles and sobs so he thought. Since it was just the two of them at home, he wouldn't mind singing the song he heard when he was younger to cheer her up. Blushing slightly, he took a breath in as he wiped Sakura's knee.
'Your my sister, I'm your brother. We stick together because we got each other.'
She widened her eyes. 'No matter what I do, I'm always stuck with you.' He starts to tickle her when he finishes patching her up.
'And if trouble comes your way, your big brother will save the day. Wherever you may be, you can always count on me'
He lifted her up in his arms and placed her on his lap.
'When you're feeling sad and blue; call my name. And I'll find you.'
'We have a bond, that's tried and true.'
He nuzzled his nose against hers as he rested his forehead against hers.
'You and me, me and you.'
'Two by two.'
…
"In my story, I was blessed with loving parents. A loving brother until I met my fate. But it seems we're sick and tired of meeting the same end of the road. So, Sakura." She opened her palm of the crushed flower and picked the shattered petal. She moved closer to her, took her hand and held it. Gently placing it in the middle of her palm before looking up at her.
…
He grabbed whatever was near him to which was his pillow and threw in their direction, only hearing a small thump. He gasped as he lifted his blanket and looked down at the entrance of the door. Seeing his little sister on the floor, staring at him shockingly. His eyes faulted as he saw her about to burst into tears, so he turned away. Lying back down on his bed and forcing his eyes to close.
"Please…just go away."
For a few minutes, he heard little footsteps move back towards the door and closed it. For a second he thought that she had left until he felt something being placed on his cheek, something wet as well. He opened his eyes, and was adorned with his little sister. Biting her lip as she still tried to hold in her tears and hiccuping.
"Sak'ra will look after Nii-san. So, don't' cry." She sniffed. "Sak'ra will make all bad stuff go away."
He remembered trembling. He remembered crying. He remembered grabbing her and telling her how sorry he was for yelling. How sorry he was for hurting her. He remembered humming the little song they had created together to calm her down.
He remembered that it was his first time making his little sister cry.
…
"It's either success or change."
"Success or change?"She whispered. She recalls hearing those words.
She nodded, hope laced in her eyes. "Successfully end the cycle or change your fate."
…
Kumiko remembered his dad lifting Sakura so high in the air that her head hit the ceiling, and they both got hit by mother.
Kumiko remembered when he heard a knock on his door late at night, and Sakura stood there trembling. "I wan' do sleep wif you".
Kumiko remembered washing her hair.
Kumiko remembered sneaking her sweets from the glass cabinet behind his father's back.
…
"What does that mean?"
…
Kumiko was ten when he saw his mother cry for the first time in his life. He remembered coming back from delivering a parcel from their bakery to a family down on the other side of the village. He remembered being stopped by Sakura. The way she had persistently asked if she could go with him, but he said that it was far too dangerous. That she had to stay home with mother and that he was going to come straight back. He remembered closing the door behind him. He remembered kissing her goodbye. He remembered seeing her hold her clothes and look at him with tears threatening to fall.
"Mother, what's wrong? Where's Sakura?"
"She's missing."
His mother fell in his father's arms as she wailed. He ran back out onto the streets, looking everywhere. He asked the neighbours, shop owners, and ran down to every itch his body could take him. He remembered it was night. He knew Sakura didn't like the dark, no matter how hard she tried to pretend that she was brave. He called out her name, louder, repeating it and repeating until his voice gave out. He remembered running back to his parents house once the sun had come back up.
He would never forget the moment he saw a shinobi hold a torn piece of a shirt. Sakura's shirt.
…
"It means that if there are no answers but solutions. If there are no solutions, find another purpose. If there is no purpose, create a meaning."
A flash of light appeared, creating the environment into a pure silhouette of white. She felt that same piece of paper. Both girls floated in the air, their hair moving in different directions. Before Sakura could even scream, the younger one grabbed her hands.
"I'm scared. What happens if there is nothing at all?" She exhaled.
Suddenly, the younger Sakura shifted in other versions, showing all ages and times where they had met their final. Sakura gasped, watching it unfold in front of her until she could see an image through the changes. It was her. In her shinobi uniform and her headband smiling brightly.
"You Are The Strongest out of us. Just as I was the weakest. For You and I, Her and She…"
"...will only become the true me."
…
.
.
.
.
"He's my big brother…"
Her feelings lingered in the moment. Sakura had been talking to Kumiko in the last three hours, well, Kumiko doing most of the talking. She remembered when he had walked in, and only associated him as one of the workers updating on her case. She felt bad for not recognising him. But having the same eyes was a dead giveaway. That this was the brother.
All of the confusion and suspicion dispersed into the thin air and she was left with only the memories of her past and the memories of Sakura Kubo. The body she had occupied after fleeting her last. To understand was hard. To say that she felt okay was hard. To know that the Sakura she had met had died when she woke up was harder. Sakura had felt connected to her, ever since their first and sadly, her last moments.
"My loving big brother."
She felt a stir on the side of her leg and she peered over the sheets to see a lump of soft black hair. Sleeping soundly and could hear his light snores. Instinctively, lifting her hand as quietly as she could, she placed it on top of his head. Slightly patting it with as much affection she felt in the moment. Slight tears escaped from her eyes, remembering the promise she made and the start of her new story; her new life.
I promise.
.
.
.
.
Kumiko was uncomfortable, Sakura was too.
Kumiko would visit her during the late afternoon. Sitting beside her while she would sit up on her bed. In silence.
The siblings didn't know where to start, what questions to ask, to ask how each other were despite it was the first time seeing each other in ten years. Despite the circumstances.
As the conversation would go, now and then.
"...have you eaten?"
"...yes."
"Have you eaten?"
"Not yet…"
Both, green graced, avoided eye contact after that and thus ending with nothing to ask.
Of course, Kumiko wanted to ask. About absolutely everything, but Sakura feared it. She didn't know the full details of this 'sakura' just yet, or she really didn't want to know. A few memories came through her head like a waterfall. It was harsh and strong.
She flinched when she felt a hand lightly brush the side parts of her hair behind her ear.
"Sorry… I thought it was bothering you. I should have asked." Kumiko said, trembling softly. Sakura looked at him, his face formed into yet another familiar grimace that she would often associate him with.
"It's okay."
She licked her lips, pondering whether to or not to.
"I'm okay."
.
.
.
"This is your room, your old room, um.." He glanced behind.
She looked at her room, empty with only a futon sitting on the floor. She looked at the walls that were painted in a soft hue of baby blue. She nodded her head.
Kumiko walked out and then came back with a few blankets and pillows, leaving it on the futon.
"I've already ordered a bed, a desk and some more new stuff. It should be coming tomorrow so just for tonight you'll be sleeping here." He scratched the back of his head. Glancing at her.
"Uh, if you wanted to, you can sleep in my room for now and I can sleep downstairs-"
"No..no. It's alright."
She gave him a gentle smile.
"Thank you."
.
.
.
Sakura lied in her bed, and only heard crickets outside her window. The light cascaded around the corners of her room and she could see the light dust floating within. She felt warm. Nervous.
Tucking the blanket under her chin she pondered on the events that had happened in the last few weeks. She died, came back to life, woke up in a hospital, met other versions of herself and found out she had a brother.
A brother that isn't yours
Yeah, she knew that. She knew that he wasn't hers to begin with. But here she was, in the version of herself. She was Sakura Haruno but now she has become Sakura Kubo. Yeah, she already knew. Sakura was gone. Everyone she knew was gone…now.
Turning onto her side she closed her eyes. Letting the memories of Naruto, Ino, Hinata, Shikamaru and the others flow like the wind. Letting the tears come down once more.
.
.
.
A few days later, a habit became a routine. She remembered her first day waking up and receiving breakfast with a note. Then receiving dinner with a note as well, only catching Kumiko once a day which was when they were passing through to the bathroom. She found out that he worked at a bakery and on some nights, be out doing what? She didn't know. But she respected his space and he respected hers.
It was awkward. It felt like they were strangers, not siblings.
After her parents had her, they were too old to have another, but she would be told that she was just enough to be two kids.
Sakura sat at the table with no one around, but here she was staring at the note that was left with a full set of breakfast. Breakfast that could feed at least more than just her. Plucking it off the cover, she read the same lines from before.
'Good morning Sakura,
I'm just at the bakery at the moment so if you need me, just pop over. I've left you some breakfast. I'm sorry if it isn't enough.
- Kumiko'
"Isn't enough?" She said aloud.
Placing the note back down, she opened the cover and gasped at the amount of side dishes.
I don't mind if this isn't enough.
There were omelettes, fried rice, porridge, toast, bacon - so much food that Sakura was dribbling. Her stomach started to growl. Grabbing her chopsticks, she said a silent 'thank you for the food' and gobbled everything. She remembered starving on that battlefield for days, only rationing on sachets and soldiers pills. With crumbs in the corners of her mouth, she lifted her arms and touched her right arm. She knew that it was going to take a bit longer before she got her old muscles back.
Stabbing her chopsticks in her ricebowl, she flipped it in her mouth.
After a few minutes, the bowls were now spick and span. Collecting all the dishes she headed to the kitchen, only to stop near the door where she saw a portrait of two people. A couple dressed in martial wear. She peered a bit closer, looking at their features. The man had black hair and brown eyes, smiling. While the woman had pink hair with blue eyes, smiling just the same. They looked beautiful, happy.
They must be out somewhere…I never did ask where they were. She grimaced. I didn't really ask anything.
She looked at the picture beside it and saw a small little child with black hair, two beauty spots under his eye and the bottom corner of his mouth, laughing while holding-
"...is that me?"
She looked exactly like Sakura. Exactly when she was younger.
She remembered wearing those clothes, the blue overalls with a green shirt and her hair just as messy. She furrowed her brows. Remember?
She shook her head and went back into the kitchen, getting ready to wash. All of a sudden she heard a knock at the door. Turning off the tap she walked towards the door, hearing it get louder.
"I'm coming!" Bloody hell.
She opened the door and was wiping her hands on her clothes,"Sorry, I was a bit busy but-"
"Sakura?"
She looked at the person, confused.
"Ah? Yes?"
She was then grabbed and lifted in the air, spinning around now in the living room. She felt her instincts kick in as she pushed herself out of their grasp and swiped their legs. They fell on their back, there she punched their gut and felt them gasp for air. She grabbed them from their collar, arm extended out ready to hit.
"Who are you and what do you want?"
"I-It's m-me! M-m-m-" She tightened her grip, arm about to swing. She saw them fling their arms up.
"Maki! I'm your brother's friend!"
"...Maki?"
"Yes! Yes! I used to look after you when your brother was at the bakery! I'm telling you!"
Sakura let go of his collar, slightly embarrassed. She brought out her hand, and he hesitantly accepted and got up. He cowered in pain from his stomach, cackling awkwardly as he smiled.
"Sorry for jumping at you. But you sure did pack a punch, I'll tell ya!"
Wiping her hands on her pants, she bowed lowly.
"Please. Forgive me."
Maki abruptly bowed back, even lower.
"No no no no, I'm sorry Kura' I shouldn't have rushed like that."
She got back up, "Kura'?"
"Heh heh, Yeah. That's the nickname I gave you when you were younger."
She simply nodded. Coughing softly, she led him to the couch and went to close the door before coming back and sat on the other side of the room.
"Kumiko-san didn't notify me that you were coming over, Maki-san."
He widened his eyes at least a fraction when he heard the 'san' until he waved his hands, sitting more comfortably with one leg over the other. She noticed.
"Maa Kura', just call me Kiki like you used to! We're basically family!"
Sakura felt her eyebrow twitch. He sure is comfortable. How the hell did this man become friends with Kumiko?
"Man…How long has it been?"He leaned forward. "You were like this, small when I last saw before-" He coughed in his hand. Catching his mistake quickly. A silent second went by. A sight of pain went through his eyes before he went back to the same facade.
"Uhm. Yeah. Well I just wanted to just say hello!", Smiling with his teeth in view, "Kumiko caught up with me last week saying you were coming home so I thought why not have a little catch up session. He didn't even let me go visit when-"
"Maki-san, thank you for coming over. But I'm fine." She had to cross the line. She was feeling uncomfortable.
"Kiki! It's Ki-ki!"
She forced a smile. She looked at the man before her, catching the glimpses of his electric blonde hair that was spiked like a crown. He had light brown eyes, wearing a fitted shirt and some romped pants. For some reason, he was starting to remind her of Naruto.
"I'm telling ya' you look so grown up now! How are you? How's living here? What'd you eat today?-"
Yeah, a very over eccentric one. She felt her eyebrow twitch, again.
"I'm still recovering at the moment. Would you like something to drink?"
"Yes please! Can I get some tea?"
She knew this was going to go on for a bit longer.
.
.
.
Kumiko put the last chair up on the table before locking up the store. He swiped the sweat across his forehead. He grabbed his bag, wearing his apron and his white head scarf on his head. He trailed the path to his house, thinking about his situation. It only happened weeks ago when he found out that his little sister was back. Now in a safe place.
He couldn't put his finger on it but somehow, he felt that Sakura was… different.
He didn't want to think badly. He knew that she was recovering. He was putting himself more in a tough situation with working longer hours than he did before because he was in fact, avoiding her. He felt bad, guilty. It was eating him alive. But he thought it was the right thing to do, to wait until she was ready to talk.
He said hello to the neighbours he walked past, greeting with a smile. He saw his house just in view.
He made it to the front door, jumbling with his bag to look for his keys. He grabbed the door handle to fit the key when he heard a glass smash inside. Alerted, he fastened his pace, only to drop the keys and scrambled to pick them back up. He heard a scream. Scared, he threw the key in and slammed the door open.
"Sakura! Where are you? Are you alright- Maki?"
"Ah…Hi?"
Maki was holding his hand while blood dripped and Sakura was pre-wrapping his hand with a tea towel.
"Welcome back." She smiled. She then continued to wrap, tying it with a knot then walked to the drawers to get the aid kit.
"Sorry Kura', I'm telling ya'", Maki chuckled.
Kura'? Kumiko thought.
"It's okay Maki-san, just firmly press your hand on your wound to stop the bleeding from coming through."
"Okay boss!"
Kumiko dropped his bag by the door, walking towards them in the kitchen. He leaned his shoulder against the door frame. Watching the scene unfold.
Sakura led the idiot man towards the bench where she took ahold of his hand and gently took off the towel, she grabbed the disinfectant.
"Okay, I'm going to apply this so it won't get infected so it might sting for a bit." She swapped the cloth she had in her other hand with the liquid before wiping it gently, he saw Maki flinch. Kumiko held back a chuckle by holding his mouth in his hand. Maki glared at him.
"That's your fifteenth cup you've dropped, you owe another five bucks."
"Make that sixteen. He dropped two."
"Wow Maki, you're setting a record right now."
"Yeah yeah, I'm telling ya' I'll pay you back, dick."
Kumiko chuckled. He watched Sakura swiftly clean his wound before placing her hand over, hovering. His eyes widened when he saw a faint glow of blue turn into a swift green, watching the wound start to heal. She finished her job, the hand now scarred with a pink colour before wrapping it in a clean white cloth.
"Make sure to keep this on because it's still a bit tender."
Maki stared at his hand in amazement.
"Sakura! I didn't know you knew how to do medical ninjutsu!"
"I didn't know either." Kumiko stuttered. He was now standing beside them, staring at her with questions in his eyes. Sakura froze. He watched her put Maki's hand down before she put the aid kit back into the drawer. Her back facing them. She started to fidget, tugging the ends of her shirts with her left hand.
"I-" She stopped.
"I learnt… a long time ago."
Kumiko had scenarios made in his mind, awful thoughts and wonders started to be created. He bit his lip, holding back his thoughts. He felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Well! Since the dishes are done, I'm gonna head out." Maki looked at his oldest friend and gave him a sign, Talk to her.
He patted his back before placing his hands in his pocket. He called out from the door.
"Bye you two! I'll see yah more often Kura'! I'm telling ya'!"
With a soft click. It was now just the two of them.
Her back was still facing Kumiko, and he just watched. It felt like time was waiting for them.
He opened his mouth with his hand extended to her, before hesitantly putting it back in place. He stared at the ground in shame. For some brother, he sure was taking the crown for being the worst.
He glanced back up seeing her putting the dish rack back on the hook, avoiding him.
"...I'm going to bed. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Ah- Do you want some dinn-"
"I've already eaten. Goodnight, Kumiko-san."
He flinched, watching her walk out of the kitchen and heard her soft thumps as she walked up the stairs.
It was now him. His heart was stinging.
