Chapter Two

"Sometimes you'll never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory."

The ground was soaked from the rain from the night before. Which was a good thing, her plants needed the water to grow. Looking up at the cloudy sky, Sakura scrunched up her nose, she really hoped that it wouldn't rain too much more. After all she didn't want the plants to drown. Getting up from the muddy area she made her way to the back door and picked up some of the straw that her aunt had brought over for her a few days prior. It was the best way to keep the walk ways free of weeds and to keep her shoes from sinking into the soft mud.

Every year since she was eighteen she had been planting a garden. The doctors had said that it was a therapeutic way to handle the death of her mom. But really, she only agreed to try it because back in America her mother had been obsessed with their small garden. It was the small things that really made her think back to how everything way. She still had days where she wished that she could go back and change the way it all happened, but she had finally come to terms with her death and with her father leaving. She completely understood where he was coming from. She didn't blame him. Not anymore at least. Her Aunt Tsunade had more of a problem with that.

Speaking of, Sakura smiled a bit as she heard a car door softly slam, and the back gate open. The clacking of stilettos on the concrete walkway, she knew exactly who it was. Tsunade had taken to visiting her about twice a week, significantly less than what it had been years ago. For Sakura it was an improvement, she was happy that her Aunt was finally moving on from the tragedy.

"Well this is really coming along."

Sakura nodded in response and grabbed for more straw before packing it down in another muddy area.

"What all did you plant?" She asked with a hand settling on her hip.

Sakura sat up on her knees and wiped her forehead with a gloved hand.

"Okra is right there." She said pointing to the first row, "There is two rows of tomatoes and then watermelon."

"Okra?"

"Moms favorite." Sakura smiled sheepishly.

When her mom, Caroline had first tried her hand at gardening the only thing that had even sprouted had been the Okra, and Sakura had remembered her mother trying all different types of recipes with it. Her favorite being Fried Okra. She would dip it in egg and then roll it in cornmeal before throwing it into a frying pan. Add a little salt after and that was possibly one of the best dishes that her mother had ever made. Well one of them, her mother could make some mean Chili.

"Oh." Tsunade nodded, "How are you doing? It's almost that time of year again."

"I know. I'm actually doing pretty well. I usually keep myself pretty occupied this time of year. You know, try not to dwell on it." Sakura said as she laid the last of the straw and pushed herself up off the ground. Cracking her neck on both sides, and effectively making her Aunt who worked in the medical field wince.

"That's good. I was thinking we could go out to dinner on the anniversary, if that's okay with you."

The pinkette nodded her head.

"That sounds good."

"Have you heard from that asshole lately?"

"He's not an asshole Tsunade. He's my dad." Sakura said with an eye roll as she bent down and picked up her gardening supplies and carried them to her open garage.

"Whatever. Have you?" she asked following her into the dimly lit concrete room.

She dropped the equipment into a wooden box that she always kept all her supplies in. Peeling off her gloves she turned around and faced her aunt.

"He did send me a letter awhile back." She said coolly.

"Oh?"

Sakura nodded and turned and dropped her gloves in the box with the rest of her stuff.

"I haven't responded though. It's in the kitchen if you want to read it."

"I don't wanna read anything that piece of shit excuse for a man has to say."

"Kami, tell me how you really feel." She laughed. "I'm not mad at him Tsunade. He needed to get away from here, and I don't blame him. I mean he could have done it a bit differently, but I understand."

Tsunade stood there for a moment, her hand still firmly planted on her hip. Eyebrows raised, she shook her head and walked over to her only niece and wrapped her arms around her.

"I know sweetie. But he was you're father and he failed at that in the worst possible way."

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Itachi was early. He was always on time, but he was never early. Especially twenty minutes early, and his friend was making sure that he wouldn't forget it. From the moment he walked into the café in a white t-shirt and jeans with his hair pulled back in a small bun, his best friend had been laughing at him.

"Jesus Itachi, I haven't seen you look like this since god knows when." He said, flicking his fingers at Itachi's man bun, "Does Kimi know you left the house looking like this?"

Itachi eyed the blonde owner coldly. He had seen him dress like this before, so why on earth was it such a big deal for him to dress like this now? Yeah, he had been basically been dressing in suits and nice clothes for years now because of his job, but for Christ's sake he still owned his old clothes. Although he was a lot more fit now than he was then. Then he had a six pack and now he had an eight pack. Which he only got because he had taken a hobby in the martial arts. And from the way he kept getting ogled by the females who entered the place, was probably slightly noticeable in his shirt. It did feel a bit small.

Without a second thought, Itachi ignored the stares that he was getting from the female customers, and moved into the back room and sat down on one of the chairs that he had met Sakura in. He looked around for a moment before turning his attention to the window and he began to watch the cars that passed by. Pretty soon he found himself studying the people who walked past the windows, couples were holding hands and looking at each other lovingly. Slowly he began to wonder who they were, and without much hesitation he started to think up their lives.

"I say," a voice whispered softly into his ear, "They will get engaged soon. And it will be such a spectacular event that everyone will cry, and wish that they were that in love."

Itachi blankly turned his attention to the girl. Sakura stood behind him with a cheesy grin on her face. Standing up, Itachi grabbed for his jacket and faced her. He raised an eyebrow as he watched her attention go from his face, to his chest and continued to go lower. He felt a sense of pride rush through him, and could feel himself flexing a bit.

"So we are going to an arcade?" He asked after a few moments of her checking him out. He smirked to himself a bit as her face flushed beet red.

"Yes!" She smiled, and gestured for him to follow her. He nodded as they began to walk toward the exit.

He was completely convinced that the girl didn't know how to dress normal. The first time he had met her, she had been decked out in worn paint splattered clothes. This time she was wearing the same painted boots, but instead of the shorts that she had worn the last time, this time she had adorned shiny leggings that looked like galaxy's swirling, her black jean shorts were cut off and covered in glitter and he could swear that she had somehow got ahold of bedazzler gun from years ago. This time, instead of her jacket with patches she was wearing a black leather one that only went down to a little bit above her hips. The shirt underneath, he could swear was only lace. Which made him wonder what exactly she had underneath that, he kinda hoped it was another shirt, but a part of him wondered if it was just a bra.

Outside, Sakura turned her attention to him.

"The arcade is about thirty minutes to the west side of town. In one of the older neighborhoods. It's been there for ages. So we will have to take the bus."

"I can drive." He replied to her, pulling on his jacket and reaching into his pocket to retrieve his keys. Sakura blinked a couple times before shrugging and motioned for him to lead the way. Making his way to the parking lot, he pressed a button on his key and Sakura widened her eyes as the car started itself from across the parking lot.

"Seriously?" She asked incredulously.

Itachi shot her a confused look, as he walked toward the sleep black two door vehicle.

"Seriously?" She asked again, picking up her pace to keep up with him.

"What?"

"I knew you had money, but seriously?!" She asked, gesturing wildly to the car in front of her. "This?!"

"Get in the car." He said shaking his head.

"What if I break it? I swear Ill break something."

"Get in."

"But seriously what if?"

"Sakura." He said exasperatedly, "Get in the car."

They stood there, adjacent from one another for a few moments before she answered with a meek okay. He was starting to think that this woman was possibly more trouble than she was worth. What was getting into him? Why did he even agree to this in the first place?

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"Really this place?" Itachi asked a little put out.

They had drove in comfortable silence across town for thirty minutes, past different stops and shops that his mother liked to frequent. His and his parent's neighborhoods and the whole time the fuchsia haired girl buckled into his passenger seat was just enjoying the view. She didn't really say much other than ask him how much the big houses in his neighborhood usually ran. He really didn't know what had come over him. When she had told him earlier in the week to meet her at the café once again, but this time to go out, he had originally decided to not go. He had went over every reason in the book as to why it wasn't a good idea. He was engaged, he loved his fiancé, he had paperwork to do, meetings to arrange. But for some reason, here he was. Dressed in his street clothes that he actually had to rewash because they smelled like moth balls.

"Oh come on." She laughed as she unbuckled herself from his seat and opened his car door and rushed to the entrance. He sighed and leaned his head back against his head rest.

Honestly.

By the time Itachi got inside the place, Sakura was already across the room putting quarters into a machine and pressing on buttons with amazing speed. Sliding onto a seat next to her, he watched for a few moments before she broke eye contact with the game and gave him her attention.

"Why don't you play?" She asked nodding her head at the machine in front of him. He sighed to himself and turned and faced the game. Taking the quarters from the pink haired girl sitting next to him, he pushed them into the coin slot and watched as bright colors lit up the LCD screen. After pressing a few buttons he began to play right along with her.

"So Itachi, what is your family like?" She asked as she pressed the blue button that made her character jump over an enemy in the game. He stayed silent for a few moments before answering.

"My mom is ridiculous, my father is the head of a major company that I work for. Well I basically do his job. I have a younger brother." He says, casting a sideways glance at her, "He is actually probably your age. Maybe you know him."

"Oh? What's his name?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"Seriously?" She laughed, causing him to turn his attention to her and away from the game he was playing. Raising and eyebrow he looked at her strangely. Instantly translating his look she laughed again.

"I do know Sasuke." She explained.

His eyebrow rose a little higher.

"Were actually really good friends." She continued.

"Hn."

She laughed again, it was hilarious how similar the brothers were.

"So you are the asshole older brother that I've heard so much about?"

Itachi moved his onyx eyes away from the screen and the character that he had just killed on purpose.

"Asshole?"

"Oh yes," she explained, "I don't know how many times he has crashed at my house cause he couldn't stand you."

"You sure that was me?"

"Positive." She smiled, "I cannot believe that I never made the connection until you said something. You guys look eerily similar. If you are as whiney as him though, I feel like we should terminate this relationship now."

Itachi smirked and shook his head.

"I actually have a girlfriend, well Fiancé."

At this point, she had stopped playing her game. She had already died and besides she was slowly starting to find this man sitting next to her increasingly interesting.

"What's her name?"

"Kimura, but she goes by Kimi."

"What she's like?"

"She's into fashion." He shrugged.

"Is that all?" She asked

"It's her passion I guess."

"Is that all you know about your own fiancé?" She asked with a quizzical look on her face. Itachi shrugged again.

"What is your family like?" he asked, changing the topic. But from the look on her face the moment he asked, he instantly regretted it. Apparently the topic was a sensitive issue considering her smile completely wiped itself off her face.

"My family isn't around here anymore." She said vaguely as she traced her finger on one of the machines buttons. He didn't say anything, as he watched her. "My mother passed away a few years ago, and my father thought it was best for him to move back to America then."

"My apologies." He murmured.

He felt ridiculously awkward. He wasn't really comfortable when conversations to a deep turn. Or dark turn. And talking about death was definitely a dark turn. He tapped his fingers against the machine and looked around the room. There wasn't many people there to begin with, maybe he should just end their time together, and he didn't really know what to say.

"You're okay." She said finally, snapping his attention back to her. "But you know, you shouldn't call your mom ridiculous, you never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory. You should savor your time with her."

He simply watched her as her somber aura quickly changed back to her upbeat and chipper one. She laughed to herself before grabbing his hand and pulling him to his feet and dragging him to a different part of the place.

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11 years ago
Haruno Residence
America

She really didn't want to be there.

She had actually begged her mother to let her stay home, she didn't want to get out with all the pollen out in the air. She had been miserable for the past few days because of her stupid allergies. But that didn't stop her mother from dragging her out of her air conditioned house in the early hours of the day and to the stupid farmers market.

It was their tradition. They would wake up early every Sunday morning and head to the farmers market as early as possible to get the best deals on the fresh produce there. When she was younger she had enjoyed it, but now that she was eleven, practically an adult, she really didn't see the point in it. It was annoying and she didn't want to do it anymore. And she honestly could care less how it made her mom feel. The sad look that the woman would give her meant nothing to her, seriously. All she wanted to do was stay home and not care about it. She wanted to play her games and watch MTV and talk on the phone with her friends.

"Sakura honey, hurry up." Caroline Haruno called from a few feet away.

Rolling her eyes, Sakura trudged her way following her mother.

"I know you wanted to stay home, but I had a phenomenal idea last night while watching a movie."

"Did you?" The young blonde grumbled.

Caroline ignored her as she handed a few bills to a vendor and grabbed a few red tomatoes off his stand.

"I want to grow a garden! We could do it together. It would be fun, a wonderful mother daughter experience."

She was excited, Sakura could tell. She was always trying to find different ways for them to bond. To be completely honest, from all the scrapbooks that they had made together when she was younger, she kinda felt like they had bonded enough. Sakura was now at that age where all she wanted to do was go out on her own and make her own friends, and hanging out with your mom was just not cool.

"That sounds stupid."

Her mother just smiled and nodded at the vendor before walking away making her daughter follow her.

"You'll enjoy it." She grinned.

"Doubt that."

It didn't take her mom long to gather all the supplies and hire someone to till a small patch of land in the back of their yard. She was always doing things like that, coming up with new projects. Sakura's father worked ridiculous hours so her mother barely ever saw him, and she could tell that her mother was lonely. But that didn't mean that she had to help her mother plant a stupid garden.

Months passed by as her mother tried to get her to come outside and help her work on the garden, the whole time telling her that it was a great experience. But each time her mother asked, she would turn her nose up at her and roll he eyes. Like hell if she was gonna get dirty. She had television shows to catch up on. She had friends to hang out with.

But when her mother walked into the house with a basket full of green tomatoes and the first of the okra plants. Sakura had to admit, they tasted delicious.

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"Sweetie, it has been forever since you have come and visited us." Mikoto said sweetly as she kissed the cheek of her eldest son. "How as work been? I hope your father hasn't been too hard on you."

"It's been fine mother." Itachi smiled as he placed his hand on the small of his girlfriend's back. Kimi looked up at him lovingly and pecked him on the cheek as well.

It had been awhile since he had come and visited his mother. Work typically kept him busy for god knows how long, and half the time he really didn't want to visit and listen to her drone on and on about how the wedding plans were coming along. He didn't know anything about weddings, he really could care less about weddings. That was more something for Kimi to worry about. He didn't know anything about fonts, or what type of cake to get. As long as it was chocolate or something he could care less. He didn't understand why they needed to go cake testing, chocolate and vanilla was perfectly fine. Who cared about dishes? He had grown up with his mother throwing all sorts of different fundraisers, so as soon as he had proposed to Kimi and she had asked him to help her plan the wedding he sent her to his mother. She had connections, she could plan…. He… well he didn't care. He was fine with just going to a courthouse and getting married. Less people he had to deal with. The only thing he even sort of looked forward too was the bachelor party, which his cousin Shisui had promised him would involve all types of strippers and alcohol. It'd be the first time in ages since him and all his college friends would get together and just hang out and laugh again. When was the last time he laughed? The last time he had just let loose and enjoyed himself?

Kimi smiled at him before rushing off with her soon to be mother in law, laughing at whatever she was talking about, into the white living room. His father was sitting in his office in the room that was just right off the entrance hall. His glasses rested on his nose as he shuffled through paperwork, classical music drifting from the stereo to his left that was underneath the large bay window. He didn't really need any lights on with all the sunlight that was seeping through the window panes. The stairs to the upstairs rooms were straight in front of him, and through the doorway to the left of the stairs was the arch that led into the living room where he could hear the laugher of his mother. Sighing to himself he ran his tongue over his teeth and walked into the room to join in with his two women.

It wasn't long after he had sat down and was relaxing when his younger brother came into the room from the kitchen. Sasuke stopped momentarily and eyed his older brother before nodding at his future sister in law.

"Sasuke!" Kimi cried with a smile.

Itachi had to keep himself from smiling at the tenseness that came over his younger brother. In the three years that he had dated Kimi, Sasuke had never exactly liked her or spoke to her. Every time she would try to bring up a conversation with him, he would either ignore her or direct his answer at Itachi.

Sasuke forced a smile to his face and curtly nodded at the dark haired female that was sitting next to his mother.

"Kimi." He acknowledged.

Kimi's mouth formed and 'O' shape and she gaped at Itachi. Itachi just raised his eyebrow and gave his mother a confused look. Sasuke turned his attention away from the raven haired female and to his older brother.

"I needed to ask you something." He said

Itachi just kept his eyebrow in place, his face void of any emotion.

"Would it be okay if I brought a date to the wedding?" He asked, a little sheepishly.

Itachi didn't say anything, he had a rather good idea of who his younger brother's date would be. Considering he had just spent all day Saturday with her, and from the time that he had spent with her he knew that she was one of the only females that his younger brother was comfortable enough to have attend a family event with.

"Oh my god!" Kimi squealed, "Who is she?"

Sasuke shuffled his feet a little and put his hands in his jacket pockets.

"Sakura."

"Oh, I've never met her." She said, giving Mikoto and look of worry. Mikoto just smiled softly before rubbing his daughter in laws shoulder.

"She's a good girl. A bit different, but she's actually quite sweet. I've had dinner with her a few times."

Kimi smiled broadly before standing up and walking over to Sasuke. Sasuke looked down at her warily as she grabbed his hands from out of his pockets and smiled up at him.

"You have to bring her for brunch sometime at the club. I'd love to meet her. I mean we are almost family, and she's obviously important to you."

Sasuke only nodded and threw his brother a look that only Itachi could understand.

Well, shit.

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AN: I hope ya'll enjoyed it. :3

Again thanks to Animelover171 for being such a wonderful beta. Ahaha