Partial Vision
She rubbed her eyes and yawned, still drowsy from sleep. Sakura clambered down the bed and plodded down the stairs into the kitchen, hungry for breakfast.
"Sakura! I didn't know you are already awake." Minato exclaimed.
Sakura blinked her eyes in reply before yawning once more in reply.
"I'm hungry…"
He smiled.
"Brush your teeth first or you will not have any."
Minato replied referring to the pancakes he was making. He looked around and realized that Naruto was still probably sleeping. He shook his head.
"NARUTO WAKE UP OR BREAKFAST WILL BE GONE!"
After much sounds of someone crashing, a like a tornado, a yellow blur rushed down the stairs.
"Wait! Don't start eating without me!" Naruto shouted before pausing at the doorway of the kitchen looking confused.
"Are? Where's breakfast? Don't tell me you guys have already finished it!"
"We haven't even started yet."
Minato grinned at his son before turning his attention to the burning pancake.
"Go wash up first."
"Fine fine, why do I have to brush my teeth before eating anyway? It's going to get dirty after I eat anyway…" Naruto grumbled and trudged to the bathroom wearily before stopping at a rather adorable sight. As Sakura was rather short being four and all, she couldn't reach the tap properly much less the toothbrush that was sitting in a cup on the basin.
Sakura tiptoed and tried to take the toothbrush while leaning her weight on the basin. Naruto could not help but burst out laughing at the sight. Sakura turned her head to see who was laughing at her. It was Naruto. She cocked her head to the side and looked at him curiously.
"Why are you laughing at me Naruto-nii-chan?"
Sakura had accidentally called Naruto that over dinner the night before when he mention that he was older then her. Naruto was delighted at the name. Sakura didn't understand what made him so happy but she if it made him happy then so be it.
"Yosh! Naruto-nii-chan huh? If that's the case I'll have to help you out as a good older brother!"
He dragged a stool which was at the side of the toilet bowl for Sakura to stand on.
"You can use it to help you reach for the toothbrush next time, Sakura-chan." He said cheerfully to Sakura who smiled at him gratefully.
"Thank you Naruto-nii-chan!"
She grinned at him. Her smiled was contagious and Naruto feel himself imitate the grin on her face. He had never thought that having a little sister would bring him so much joy.
They soon finished cleaning up and headed to the kitchen to have their breakfast. Sakura marveled at the way Naruto ate, not knowing whether she should feel amazed or gross out at the amount of food and the speed in which he ate it. Minato just shook his head slightly before turning to the younger.
"Sakura, if you keep staring at Naruto there won't be breakfast left."
Sakura turn and looked alarmed at her guardian before grabbing one to her plate quickly before Naruto could eat them all.
"You know, I was thinking we should go shopping to get some new clothes, especially for Sakura."
Minato commented while eating. Naruto nodded his head enthusiastically. Sakura glance at the father and son curiously.
"What do you think Sakura?"
"I guess so…Naruto's otou-san."
"Eh? Sakura you can call me just otou-san."
"Ah, really?"
She looked at him with an odd hopeful glance. Sakura eyes had shined so hopefully that Minato couldn't possibly reject. Not that he wouldn't but he guessed that she had always wanted a family although she didn't know it herself yet. He himself had been an orphan once as well so he knew the feeling intensely. He looked her and smiled.
"Ah."
- - - + - - -
"Naruto don't wander off by your own!"
Naruto stuck his tongue out at Minato before running off to the nearest toy store. Minato sighed. Why is Naruto always so mischievous? He should have known that he would take over his mother's personality since Naruto had looked so much like him. Minato gently grasps Sakura's hand and walked faster so that he wouldn't lose sight of Naruto.
Sakura tottered behind him as quick as she could, trying to keep up with his pace. His hand was so big and warm compared to hers. It also gave her a sense of comfort and protection. Was this what a parent was? If it is true, she won't never want to let go of his hand ever. Sakura clutched the offered hand tightly; feeling something warm bloomed inside of her.
"Naruto there you are! Don't run off by yourself next time or I'll only bring Sakura out!"
Naruto was found playing at the section where they sell plastic toy weapons. A metal looking headband was tied across his head and he stood with his arms and legs akimbo.
"One day I'm going to be a ninja!"
He said it with so much conviction Minato wondered what would happen if he had told him there was no such thing as ninja in the real world. Sakura panted, trying to catch her breath. Minato noticed Sakura breathing heavily and apologized.
"I'm sorry Sakura, I was so fixed on finding Naruto that I forgot that you can't walk as fast as I could."
"It's okay otou-san! I'm fine."
She smiled brightly. Minato blinked and wondered what could have made her so happy. Well, whatever it was, he was glad. Just then, loud crash was heard. Naruto looked sheepishly, twiddling his thumbs guiltily.
"Naruto!"
Minato had spent a hard time apologizing to the staff before leaving the shop quickly to avoid more stares.
"I wish you wouldn't get into so much trouble Naruto."
"I'm sorry."
He sighed. And he hadn't even started on what he came to do yet and it was already afternoon!
"Come on, let's get some lunch first."
The family of three went to have their lunch at the food court before heading towards the clothes store. Naruto trembled excitedly and was about to shoot off once more but Minato now knew better. He grabbed hold of Naruto before he could zip through the place. Naruto pouted and followed Sakura and his father.
"Ne, ne, tou-san, can I have that orange pajamas?"
He tugged at Minato shirt, pointing to the carroty pinstriped pajamas. Minato pushed down the urge to laugh. His son always wanted to buy bright orange clothing. It had really suited his personality. Sakura cocked her head to one side, looking at Naruto strangely.
Orange…pajamas? She shrugged. Naruto-nii-chan was sure strange.
"Now now, Naruto, give Sakura a chance first. Sakura, what dress would you like?"
She pointed to the bright neon blue dress. Naruto burst out laughing. Minato eyed her strangely. Did she have weird colour tastes like his son? He scratched his head wondering how to tell her that the blue dress would clash with her hair; basically saying it won't look nice.
"Sakura, how about we get a red dress instead? It will look nicer on you."
She shrugged once more as Minato took the red dress instead of the blue one off the rack before heading to the counter. Naruto-nii-chan and otou-san were sure being kind of strange. So what if it was red? It wasn't as though there was much off a difference right?
A light tinkling of bells made her swerved her little pink head to the sound. It was the ice-cream van! Grinning, she took off in the direction where the van was, forgetting about Naruto and Minato altogether as she went tottering happily towards the vehicle which held promising treats.
"Hey wait up! Sakura, where are you going?"
Minato soon lost sight of the little pink head in the masses of crowds. This was really bad. Even though she had pink hair and should have been easy to spot her, her small stature made her able to slip away very easily. Worriedly he took hold of Naruto before he ended up with two missing children and went to search for the little blossom.
Sakura stood on tippy toes trying to find the van that was moving steadily but surely away from her. Frantically she began to pick up her pace and tried to chase the van without avail.
"Ne otou-san where's the ice-cream van?"
Sakura asked, turning around to realize that there was no one behind her. She could feel her heart beating quickly inside her tiny body. She couldn't be lost…could she?
"Otou-san, this isn't funny."
Sakura was bumped down by some of the adults who did not bother to check if she was okay before stalking off in a hurry muttering about 'ignorant children' and 'irresponsible parents'. She gulped down the overwhelming urge to sit and cry although tell tale signs of water began to leak down her cheeks. Did otou-san not like her anymore? Will she be abandoned once again? Sakura hiccupped and looked all around her frantically but all she could see was a sea of legs.
"Naruto-nii-chan…?"
Sakura mumbled softly. There was no reply. She got up slowly and plodded through the shopping area and on to the streets hiccupping and tearing up, trying to look for them. Once again, she bumped into another person.
"Ah!"
She landed onto the ground once more. Sakura blinked her eyes and looked at the person who bumped against her. Much to her surprise, the person did not just brush her off like most of the other inconsiderate passers-by and helped her up to her feet.
"Are you alright?"
He had long straight hair tied up at the back matched with pretty eyes with long eyelashes. Although he was younger than the adults, he had looked really mature. Trailing behind him was a younger boy about Naruto's age. His unruly hair stuck out at the back of his head. Sakura nodded her head weakly in reply.
"You look lost."
She flushed bright red in embarrassment before nodding her head and the remark.
"Itachi-nii, let's go."
The boy tugged at the shirt of the older one, anxious to get away from the little female and to the movies.
"Sasuke stop it. Can't you see she needs help?"
"But…but we are going to miss the movie if you help her!"
He whined at his older brother. A look from his brother made him kept quiet at once. Itachi turn back to the lost little bubblegum pink haired girl and gestured to follow them. She wiped her tear streaked face and got up quickly to follow them. The younger of the two turn to glare at Sakura before following his brother unhappily. Sakura cringed at the show of hostility and stuck close to the elder of the two instead, grasping the hem of his shirt in search of comfort. Furious (and perhaps a little jealous) since Itachi would never allow him to do that in public no matter how much he loves him, Sasuke sulked bitterly at the ground while tailing his brother.
"Your father."
Itachi suddenly spoke up. Sakura looked up at the older Uchiha curiously waiting for him to elaborate. Seeing as the little girl did not stand him he continued on.
"What does he look like?"
Sakura face lighted up in understanding.
"He is tall like this," she gestured waving her arms "and Naruto-nii-chan is with him."
He raised his eyebrow mentally at the vague reply but didn't point out anything in particular.
"You mean that you're that…that idiot's sister? He never mentioned that he has a sister!"
"What do you mean by that? Naruto-nii-chan is an idiot? He is…not!"
She stared naively at Sasuke who suddenly burst out about Naruto. She presumed from the way he spoke that the word 'idiot' was bad and decided to defend her brother.
"He is too."
"He's not."
"Is too."
"Is not!"
She shouted back reproachful looks from the people around her.
"Stop it."
The two immediately clamped their mouth shut and turned to look away from each other. Itachi resisted the urge to sigh and walked briskly to the police station, two figures tagging along silently.
- - - + - - -
"And the little girl's name is?"
"I'm Sakura."
She chirped.
"Her house address and or phone number?"
Sakura stared blankly at the police officer.
"Your father, what does he look like?"
"Tall and has short hair."
"The colour of his hair?"
She looked at the police officer once more with the same blank stare.
"Is it brown like mine or black like his?"
He said nodding to Itachi's direction. Sakura blinked and cocked her head to one side one comprehending the man's statement one bit. What was the difference anyway? His hair was shorter definitely. Does 'brown' mean short and 'black' long?
"Otou-san has brown hair like yours."
"Right. And his name?"
"Minato."
"Okay you might want to sit there and wait until we find your parent's contact number."
She smiled happily at the police officer and pranced to one of the seats in the area. After a few hours of restless waiting with the Uchihas who didn't really make good chatting company being so quiet and all, Minato and Naruto came rushing into the station.
"Where's Sakura?"
He went to the counter and asked urgently. Sakura ran to him as fast as her legs could carry her and hugged him around the legs.
"Sakura! Thank god you are alright! Are you hurt anywhere?"
She shook her head fervently.
"Thank you for finding her."
The police officer shook his head and pointed to the Uchiha brothers.
"It wasn't me. They did."
Minato turned to thank them.
"Thank you for finding her. Do you need repayment of any of the sort?"
Itachi shook his head. Sasuke stare off awkwardly at the distance. Naruto eyes widen at the sight of Sasuke.
"Hey why are you here bastard?"
"In case you didn't know idiot, we are the ones who found your little sister."
Naruto gritted his teeth in annoyance and was about to lash out at the younger Uchiha when his father stopped him. Itachi glanced at the clock. The movie had long ended since. Sasuke noticed his brother's looking elsewhere and followed his gaze and saw the time on the clock.
"Tch. We missed the show."
Minato had offered to pay for the movie tickets they had missed but Itachi refused the gesture politely and bade goodbye to them and the little girl while Sasuke strode off huffily trailing after his brother without sparing her another glance, still being rather sore on missing the show.
"Nii-san, why didn't you accept the offer of her father?"
"You shouldn't help people just because of the merit Sasuke, remember that."
Meanwhile back at the station Minato and Naruto was still there with Sakura and filing up the needed particulars before leaving the station as well. The officer eyed Sakura's back strangely as the trio took their leave.
"Come to think of it, didn't she say that her father had brown hair…?"
- - - + - - -
"Tomorrow, I'll be bringing you to the childcare centre with Naruto."
Minato commented over dinner. Sakura looked up from her food to look at Minato her face filled with tomato sauce all over. She blinked innocently at him.
"Childcare centre…?"
"It's very fun there!"
"Really?"
"Yeah! And you can make lots of friends there too!"
"Naruto don't talk with your mouth full! You are spitting spaghetti everywhere!"
"I'm sorry tou-san!"
Sakura smiled at the endearing family scene. Tomorrow sounded so much fun and she can't wait for it to come soon enough.
And I apologise for the long wait but here it is! w
I guess there will be a time skip later on but not now. I'm not sure how old Itachi should be but he is roughly about...let's say 8 for now? I might change it subsequently but for now he is 8. Sasuke is the same age as Naruto.
Reviews por favour?
Luki.