AN: I resolved to discontinue this story since it doesn't follow the series' main arc anymore (and since it's getting ridiculous). But since Ash, a big fan, is not doing well this year, I'll finish what I foolishly started. Hey Ash, I hope this will cheer you up. Excuse my oc, been feeling broody lately.
...
Six years after.
Run. Run.
Sakura slowed down to a leisurely pace and bowed before a shinto shrine in the outskirts of Otogakure on her way back to Konoha. Her solo mission concluded two days before schedule and she detoured from the path strictly specified on her mission scroll. As it was, she decided to waste away her extra two days in Oto which fascinated her. It was famous for its dumpling and tea houses but Sakura's interest was beyond that.
Oto came into prominence the last five years for its rapid development. It was breeding ground for ninja experiments for sometime and was officially made to a ninja settlement when Uchiha Sasuke introduced reforms. Naturally he was the village's kage. That bastard, he's doing very well.
The village lay before her like a painting. It was fast becoming the most populous hidden village. Sculptural architecture, old world stoneways, classic garden- it was decidedly a beautiful village.
A little boy hid under her cloak before her eyes could take their fill of the place. The boy was running away from two Oto shinobis wearing the standard vest. The vests bore a big Uchiha emblem set on an embroidered shuriken.
"Seen a little boy around here? Black hair, black eyes, black shirt-"
"No, no, no."
But the child's hair brushed against her thighs that she gave a yelp. The men raised her cloak and out came the boy. She would have punch the men but for the child's cry for help.
"She kidnapped me!" The boy screamed towards the midday sun above them.
She froze not at the accusation but at the child's look. There's an air about him. The mischievous glint in his eyes, though she hadn't seen it before, felt familiar.
She accompanied the men to the police station ( Konoha had none since the Uchiha massacre) to set things right for once. The boy gave her an impish smile all the way.
She was not ready for the man waiting for them at the station. The old wounds were reopened at the sight of him standing there like the luminous moon god. She felt anger creeping from her spine to her chest.
He was handsome as ever, perhaps even more so. He bore his age and black robe well. It's unfair how men tend to look better as they age while women's value depreciate. Sakura looked worn out and if one would look closely, faint frown lines were starting to show.
The little boy broke free from the men and bow before Sasuke.
"Dad."
And Sakura remembered what should be forgotten:
...
Sakura woke with the smell of roses wafting through the open window. She patted the space next to her side of the bed expecting to touch a warm body. She involuntarily yelped when her fingers touched nothing but the sheets. Her mother roused from a deep sleep in a sofa nearby, cried at once.
"Mother, my baby, where is he?"
Her mother shook her head furiously, hands nervously tugging and pulling the baby's bedclothes. Sakura comprehending at last howled and thrashed. Her cries could be heard several floors down.
...
.
"You didn't attend class today," Sasuke addressed the boy, oblivious to Sakura's presence.
"I'm bored, again." The boy pouted.
"He claimed that this lady here kidnapped him, sir."
"Which isn't true of course considering my son's wild imagination." Sasuke looked at her at last. She expected shock or a puzzled expression from him. It's been too long and they never had closure then. She was not prepared to see anger in his eyes.
He had no reason to be angry. He had delivered her back in konoha. He carried her through its gates. Sasuke had no right to be angry at her at all.
"But she did kidnap me!"
"Hello Sasuke-kun," she stepped forward. There's a lump forming in her throat and her words came out a little harsh. Well, let him know she's angry at him as well.
"She hid me under her cloak and bribed me with sweet meat if I stay quiet."
"Is this your son?" She asked. And mine? He couldn't be anything but her son, once denied to her.
"H-n."
She looked intently at the boy who stared back. He was the image of his father save for the hair. The raven locks pointed down instead of up, and soft fringes hid his forehead.
"Everybody called dad otokage-sama here," the child couldn't help saying.
"Yes I'm sorry."
"Are you my new tutor?" the child asked.
She almost cried there. He was such a beautiful boy. She cleared her throat to say yes but Sasuke beat her.
"No, since when did you have a private tutor?" Sasuke said then looking at her sideways, he added, "she's here on a mission."
"You're a shinobi then, what's your name?" The boy gave her no time to deny Sasuke's claim.
"Haruno Sakura."
The boy looked at her intently. "That's strange. My name's Haru, that means spring."
"I know." She dropped to her knees and started to put her arms around Haru but he sidestepped to escape from her. He wasn't used to demonstrative gestures, as expected of Sasuke's son
"Your hair looks funny, like bubblegum. Why don't you grow it out? Only heartbroken girls have hair that short. Are you heartbroken Haruno-san?"
Miss Haruno! It was definitely a progress, much better than a kidnapper. As for being heartbroken, well...
"It's not polite to ask that Haru, you better join the class now," Sasuke dragged the boy away, almost too hard. Haru snatched his hand violently and ran towards Sakura.
"Dad said girls with long hair are the happiest. Grandma have long hair, mother too. You travel a lot, maybe you've seen mother in the road?"
No, it couldn't be true, she was supposed to be his mother- not some obscure kunoichi. "Why? Where is she?" Sakura asked with bile rising up her throat, "your mother?"
Haru frowned and rubbed the heel of his sandal against the floor. "She left us, said otousan is a bad bad man."
Sasuke came over. "Enough of that now Haru, let's go."
The boy let himself be dragged away. He stretched his neck as far as he could to take one last look at her. Sakura's chest constricted at the sight.
"Otokage-sama, I want to be Haru's tutor!" she declared rather loudly. Everyone at the station looked at her funny.
"No." Sasuke said instantaneously.
"Say yes daddy, say yes please." The child's practically hanging on his father's arm.
Sasuke ignored the child and addressed Sakura, "Do whatever your mission is and do it quick. I want you out of here as soon as possible."
"Why?"
Sasuke's eyes were full of hate when he laid them on her. "You know exactly why Haruno."
Sakura shook her head.
"Then you don't need to know." He was about to turn to leave but she desperately clutched his sleeve.
"I was sent here to... to introduce reforms to your medical system, Otokage-sama" she said looking straight at him, "and I want to tutor your son as well."
His eyes narrowed but he didn't say anything. Instead he walked out of that station with Haru in tow.
Sakura turned around looking for someone who could take her straight to the otokage's office. The officers all looked away.
She straightened her back and declared, "I'll give all my weapons to a brave officer here who could get me an appointment at the otokage's office tomorrow. I came from the leaf and I know your blacksmiths here put a very high price for any weapons from that great village."
She proceeded to put her weapons one by one on a large credenza then simpering at the men said,"and oh I'll buy that brave soul a drink."
A flock of hands eagerly reached for the weapons.
