REMEMBER
A/N: Okay here is the latest installment of the story. To be honest, there isn't much more to go before the end. I hope that you guys stick around. For the very few that did send in the review, THANK YOU SO MUCH! You have no idea how grateful I am that you guys took the time to push that button and send a message back. THANK YOU! 3
Michiko
Chapter 5
"To be honest, sweetheart," Mebuki said as she gathered her grandson from her husband and rubbing his back gently, getting him into further sleep. "We already knew from the moment you two met and started spending so much time together that you would end up married once you both grew up."
Both Itachi and Sakura were stunned. They looked at each other before looking at Mebuki in disbelief. They hadn't been able to even understand their feelings until after a lot of things happened between the two of them.
"Don't look at me like that, you two." Sakura's mother uttered with a soft laugh.
Mebuki shared a look with Mikoto, prompting the Uchiha matriarch to put in her two cents worth. "Well, we hoped from the start. Sakura-chan has always been cute and I certainly didn't mind having her for a daughter-in-law," It prompted Sakura to turn pink, "But more than that, as you two grew up, grew closer and then grew apart, we were certain feelings have already been involved. At that point, it was only a matter of time."
Before either Sakura or Itachi could answer, Seiko started to fuss in Fugaku's arms. Sakura smiled and stood, "Come Sei-chan. Let's get your diaper changed and take a nap like your brother."
The little girl stopped fussing and reached her chubby arms up towards her mother.
Sakura disappeared into their children's room with Seiko. Itachi still couldn't help but think about the time when she had first confessed to him when she was thirteen.
He could remember his words to her at that time, "You are special, Sakura. You will find that special man for you. Whoever he is will be very lucky indeed."
Indeed. He was lucky to have her, to love her, to be with her for the rest of his live, his wife, the mother of his children.
He had let her go when she was thirteen, thinking that what she felt wasn't real. Oh how he could hit his head if he knew at 18 the life he had now with his Sakura. Even before they took their vows, Itachi swore that he would love her the way she deserved and more.
Thinking back, he still can't remember all the details on his past, but now he could remember that they had lost years. But perhaps they needed those years apart.
XxXxXx
The bell had rang. It was finally the end of the school day. It was a Friday. Sakura and Sasuke shared the same class and sat next to each other at the back.
As she was fixing her stuff, "Hey, Sakura, Mother is asking if you want to come over. Itachi will be here tonight with his girl friend."
Her 17-year-old heart nearly stopped. She could feel her heart shatter again. Even if she told herself to start forgetting about him when she was 13, she just couldn't stop her feelings. She hid it well now. No one knew, even her best friends, especially Sasuke.
Now, hearing that Itachi was coming home with a girl friend made it more real. He would never see her as more.
After the disaster of her first confession at 13, she never had the same relationship with Itachi. She treated him more as the brother of her best friend rather than the closest friend she had growing up.
"Sorry, Sasuke. Please extend my apologies to Mikoto-san. Ino and I are heading out of town for the long weekend. She has these tickets for some spa and she's been bugging me to go. I already told her that I would. Maybe next time."
Sasuke didn't say anything at first, watching Sakura continue fixing her stuff. She might think that she'd been hiding it well but Sasuke knew that she still had feelings for his older brother and that was the only reason why she'd turned down the invitation.
He couldn't blame Sakura for not coming. He hadn't met his older brother's girl friend but she had to be great to turn Itachi's attention to hers. Sasuke would never admit it but Sakura is one of the people he would fight the world for. She had always been by his side, even putting up through his angst, stubbornly fighting him retain his humanity.
Just like his family, Sakura would always have his loyalty. Whether she knew or not, whether she wanted it or not, he would always look out for her.
"Hn," Sasuke answered as he stood. "Don't forget a souvenir."
Sakura couldn't help the laugh as she too stood. "Sure, Sasuke. I'm sure that a cute little teddy bear key chain will be perfect for you."
"Annoying," He answered as he ruffled her hair.
"I'm getting you for that. You mark my words." Sakura said as she straightened her hair a bit.
Sasuke snorted. "I'd like to see you try, squirt."
Sakura, this time, was the one that snorted. "One day, Sasuke. You'll never even know what hit you."
As they walked down the corridor towards the school entrance, Sasuke said, "Don't run too far."
She looked at him confused. "I'm not running anywhere."
"Sakura, leave but come back. My brother is a fool if he let you go only to end up with someone less than you."
That stopped Sakura in her tracks. Her mouth was agape.
Sasuke lifted a brow and said, "Did you really think you could hide it from me?"
After the shock left her body, Sakura smiled at him and shook her head. "I promise."
She was rewarded with the Uchiha smirk. "I'll see you in Tuesday, Sasuke. Give my regards to everybody."
XxXxXx
Dinner had started already and so far, Sasuke wasn't having a good impression about Itachi's girl friend. Her voice was so irritating. He didn't understand Itachi's fascination with her.
When Itachi had left for a bathroom break, leaving her and Sasuke alone, she had flirted with him. Then, she had the gall to act like nothing was wrong once his older brother was back.
To Sasuke, that girl was simply a fan girl. Judging by his parents' cool but polite reception, Mikoto at least, Sasuke was certain that girl was not going to be a part of the family.
Fugaku had been silent at the head of the table. Sasuke didn't even bother to make an effort in adding to the conversation.
"So what are you taking up, Kinoshita-san?" Mikoto asked. She didn't like the girl Kinoshita Risa any more than her husband, and from the looks of it, and her youngest but she still had to be polite.
"I am a business major like Itachi-kun."
Just as Mikoto was about to answer, Sasuke's phone dinged with a new message. It prompted Fugaku to give a reprimanding stare at his youngest son. No electronics on the dinner table. If it were important, they would either call the house phone or call the cell phone numerous times. Simple messages were not tolerated while on the table.
Sasuke apologize as he took out his phone and checked who sent him a message. He smirked when he saw Sakura's name.
There had been an accompanying picture of a small teddy bear with a blue bow.
"This is so you! I just had to get it…as promised. "
"Hn. Should have asked you to take me with you. Dinner sucks!" Sasuke answered right away and turned his phone on silent before returning it on his pocket.
"What was that, dear?"
Sasuke knew that even if Mikoto asked with a gentle voice, there was a reprimand there as well. Meals were family time. Just as his father disliked gadgets on the table, his mother was more so.
"Sakura." His answer was simple as he picked up his chopsticks again and picked on the dinner. He didn't even venture a glance over at his brother. As far as he was concerned, what he told Sakura earlier held true. If that was the kind of girl his brother would choose to associate with, then he was a fool.
"Oh?" Fugaku speaking in interest for the first time during their dinner. He would never admit it openly but he was fond of the young girl. He had watched her grow up. He could clearly see this spark within the girl. With the right guidance, she would be a force to be recon with when she reached adulthood.
Mikoto smiled at the mention of the girl. She truly adored the pink-haired girl. She had wanted to have a daughter of her own but had two sons instead. With how often she and Mebuki spent time together, Sakura became like a surrogate daughter to her.
"You mentioned that your classmate invited her to an onsen outing over the weekend. Where they the only ones that went?"
Fugaku frowned. "It is not safe for only two teenaged girls to go on their own."
Sasuke shook his head. "From what I know, 'tou-san, The tickets are really given to Ino's mother. She was given three tickets. Ino's father couldn't make it. That was when Ino asked Sakura to go."
"And that was her telling you that they have arrived?" Fugaku said as he took a bite of rice.
"Ah," Sasuke answered. He then smirked, "She's being annoying."
"Sakura is your girl friend, Sasuke?" Risa asked, joining the conversation.
Sasuke, in turn, fought the urge to narrow his eyes or wrinkle his nose. They had only met earlier and she already felt at liberty calling to him familiarly. "Hn, I believe it isn't your business."
"Sasuke," Itachi admonisted.
"You want me to pretend I like her, Aniki? From what I've seen so far, there isn't any redeeming quality about her."
"Sasuke," This time it was his mother who spoke.
Risa paled a moment before growing a little red in anger.
He put down his chopsticks and stood. "I apologize, 'tou-san, 'ka-san, but I can't stay here and pretend. As far as I'm concerned, she's just a fan girl wanting to score points, lest, she wouldn't have made a pass at me earlier. It's disgusting, not to mention degrading to even think to be expected to respect her when she's pretty obviously don't respect me. Excuse me."
He didn't wait to be excused or the pangs of hunger in his stomach. No way was he going to continue siting in the dining table with her around. Sasuke gathered his jacket at the rack by the door and left to go and get something to eat.
He took out his cell phone and dialed Sakura's number. It rang twice before he heard her answer, "That bad huh?"
Sasuke couldn't help but shake his head in amusement and smirk. "Ah,"
"I just checked the time. So, more or less, you didn't even half your dinner."
"Ah, you know me."
He could feel than hear Sakura's snort on the other end. "Go to my tree house. I left something for you."
Sasuke lifted an eyebrow. "Food?" He immediately changed directions and headed for Sakura's house.
"No, clothes," Sakura answered sarcastically. "Of course food!" Then came her laughter. "Don't even act surprised. You have always had high standards, especially towards girls. I know you well enough to be frank and could be down right rude as to skip dinner to get away from annoying girls."
"Hn,"
"My parents aren't home so just go ahead to the tree house. I told mom that I left something for you there before I left so she's sort of expecting you, in case you see each other."
"Hold on one second. Let me climb the tree." Sasuke then climbed the rope ladder he had helped Sakura and her dad make. There, in the wooden desk Sakura's father make and carved was a bento box. "I've seen the bento box." He told Sakura.
"Good. I made sure to place extra tomatoes. I swear you will have to help me plant tomato plants around the garden with how fast you eat them." Sakura teased.
"Thank you, Sakura."
"No problem, Sasuke. Don't worry. I didn't poison you or anything."
"That's good to know." He answered drily as he took his first bite. He would never dare admit to Sakura that he loved her cooking. It rivaled his mother's. Mebuki's cooking was good too but Sasuke always loved his mother's more. Sakura was a close second. All those cooking sessions with 'oka-san sure paid off.
"Will you be in trouble with what happened?"
"Maybe,"
"Will you be alive when I get back? Or do I need to head back right now?"
Sasuke snorted. "I'll live." Sakura couldn't help but laugh. "Listen, Sakura, my brother is a fool. Move on. I'm only saying this for you."
Sakura let out a breath from the other end. "Yes, I know. I'm trying, Sasuke. I know I deserved someone who will see me first and love me, for me. I've known for years that Itachi would never be that for me. I've been trying to force my heart to give up." It was silent for a moment as Sakura's end. "One moment, Sasuke. Ino's asking me something. I'll get back at you, don't hang up but keep eating."
At this point, Sasuke had switched his phone to speaker. He patiently waited for Sakura to get back. But soon, he noticed that he wasn't alone at the tree house anymore. Someone else had climbed up.
XxXxXx
Once Sasuke left the table, all eyes turned towards Risa. "If you excuse us, Otou-san, Okaa-san," Itachi said as he stood from his chair. "I believe Risa and I have something to talk about." His eyes didn't leave his girl friend.
Risa could see his look. It dared her to say no. Without another word, she also stood and followed Itachi to the next room.
Once they reached the back porch, Itachi calmly said, "My brother is a lot of things but he is not a liar. So, I am only going to ask you this once. What did you do to him?"
"I was simply getting to know your brother, Itachi-kun."
"Pray tell, why he reacted that way, if it were that simple?"
"He doesn't like me. What else?"
Itachi's eyes narrowed.
"If you ask me, I don't like him either. If he's a complete jerk about it, then I want nothing to do with him. He's a spoiled brat if you ask me." Risa went on to say.
He gritted his teeth. "Hn,"
Risa took it as a sign that Itachi had been pacified. She took a step inside his personal space and laid a hand on his chest, "Let's just go, Itachi-kun. We can head back to university now. You can stay over. My roommate is with her family for the weekend too. We can have the apartment all to ourselves."
Itachi gently but firmly took her hands from his person. "I am not in the mood, Risa." He then took a step away from her.
"Listen, I have to go find my brother. You can take the car back to campus if you want. I'll find my way back." He started heading back inside the house without looking back at her or waiting for her to answer.
Once inside, Itachi saw his mother putting away the food into different containers. She looked up from what she was doing but didn't say anything.
"Okaa-san, I'm heading out to look for Sasuke. I believe he and I are overdue to have a brotherly talk."
"What about Risa-san?"
Itachi took out his car keys from his pocket and handed them over to his mother. "I told her she can head back to campus tonight if she wanted to."
"Your brother didn't eat much of his food. More than likely he went somewhere to eat."
"Ah,"
As he was about to leave, Mikoto said, "Try Sakura's tree house. With Sakura out of town and he would have just bought food and headed there to be alone."
"Sakura's tree house?"
"Yes." Mikoto started putting the containers away in the refrigerator. Itachi automatically started assisting her. "Most of the time Sasuke turned up missing, Sakura's parents would peak into the tree house and would find him there with Sakura and at times, with Naruto as well."
"Hn, so it is true that they are in a relationship?"
Mikoto eyed her first born. "Not that either of them are admitting. Perhaps the best people to answer that, my son, are your brother and Sakura."
With a nod, Itachi headed out. Sakura was with his brother? Somehow he had this uncomfortable feeling inside that he couldn't explain. He was usually the one she turned to and was closer to. It all changed when they had the talk and if he were honest with himself, Itachi knew that he wanted that back.
Then a thought crossed his mind. Was Sakura with Sasuke because she transferred her crush for him to his younger brother? If that were the case, he didn't want that for the both of them. He wanted them both happy. If they found happiness with each other, he would be glad but he would prefer if it were for the right reasons.
It didn't take him long to find Sakura's house. It seemed that her parents weren't home. Itachi climbed the ladder and saw his brother's back. From the little he could see, there was a bento box in front of him and he was eating.
"Sasuke," He called out as he made his way in.
His brother didn't turn around but grunted his acknowledgement.
"Mind telling me what earlier was about." Itachi said as he sat beside his brother.
Sasuke took his phone but Itachi grabbed it.
"Give me the phone back, 'nii-san."
"Not until you talk to me."
"Give me the phone back," Sasuke repeated.
"No. To do something disrespectful in the dinner table, you must have a very good reason."
"Weren't you listening? Maybe hanging around with that girl friend of yours that you've started losing your hearing aside from IQ points." Sasuke quietly hoped that Sakura hadn't come back. He didn't want her to hear him arguing with his older brother.
"Sasuke," Itachi admonished.
"Look, I don't like her. I'm never going to like her."
"Fine. Now, are you and Sakura together?"
"Together?" Sasuke lifted an eyebrow.
"Yes,"
"Why?"
"I have nothing against you two together if you are both happy."
"So why the question?"
"Sakura confessed to me years ago. I just want to make sure that-"
"That she isn't using me to forget you?" Sasuke shook his head. "You are a fool, 'nii-san. My phone if you please."
"We haven't finished talking, Sasuke."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes and glared at his older brother. "I was talking to Sakura on speaker phone before you came. She only stepped away for a moment."
Itachi froze and looked at Sasuke's screen. The call was still on-going.
"Sakura," Itachi whispered. Both brothers then saw the call ending.
XxXxXx
Monday came. Sakura went to school early and knocked on the faculty room. Heading to her adviser, she bowed and said, "Sensei, I've decided. I want to take that exchange student program in Los Angeles."
(to be continued…)