Upon arriving in the Daimyo's castle, Sakura was warmly received and given ample thanks for saving the prince's life. She was given the best accommodations and was invited to a private dinner with the Daimyo's family. By this time she had learned that Daimyo's wife had been long dead and that he cherishes the lives of the two children she had left him. One was Ryujin, the heir, and the other was his twin sister Reika. She had met the princess in court and found her to look similar to Ryujin but her disposition was far more reserved; however, there was a different air around her that Sakura felt to be disturbing. It was oddly familiar but dangerous.

While she was resting in her waiting for dinner, somebody came to the door knocking. It was the princess herself- alone without any of her ladies in waiting.

"Good evening, Princess Reika," Sakura bowed and let the princess in. The two sat down in the tatami mat across from each other and experienced a few moments of awkward silence. The princess seemed uneasy and earnest, Sakura, being unable to take the awkwardness any longer decided to ask her for her business.

"What can I do for you princess?" Sakura asked nervously.

The princess' head jerked up and shot a determined glare at her, "I heard that you saved my brother from certain death with your ninja medicine."

Sakura felt a surge of energy crawl down her spine and she felt even more uneasy, "You heard right ma'am..." she said uncomfortably.

"Please take a look at my... uhm... my..." the princess began to blush like a little girl and could not finish the sentence out of embarrassment. 'She's in love,' Sakura thought, putting the princess in a different light.

"Would this be you're boyfriend princess?" Sakura inquired teasingly.

"OH! uhm... well not really my boyfriend, not that I wouldn't want him to be..." she stuttered even more furiously.

"Sure I will princess, I'd be glad to." Sakura smiled inwardly amused at how the princess came of at the start and how she crumbled at the thought of the man she loved.

"Might I just ask what his current condition is?"

"His eyes were injured and no doctor from here can cure him."

The princess left soon after thanking her with a few hugs and kisses. A little too familiar for Sakura's taste, but still endearing. She walked to the Garden Pavillion where the Daimyo prepared dinner for her. When she arrived, she saw Ryujin seated and looking better than when she last saw him. He looked very happy to see her, and she could not help but blush ones again.

"I'm glad you could make it tonight," Ryujin said in a flirty tone.

"It's a free dinner, how can I miss?" Sakura retorted.

"My father will be down in a while and my sister and Taka should be up from the gardens in a while. Reika insisted on picking some flowers for you. She seemed to have taken a liking to you." Ryujin recounted the things Sakura missed.

Sakura recalled Reika's face earlier that evening and could not help but liken her to a little girl. Although the mood remained light and easy, she could not help but feel uncertain. The presence she could not place earlier would not leave her mind and it was getting stronger and stronger. As it grew, Sakura began to place where she had felt it before. Her heart beat faster but her blood left her face. She was pale as paper by the time she turned to face the direction where the presence was coming from. Going up the stairs was the Princess Reika with a bouquet of wild flowers in her hand and behind her was an armor clad man who looked like Sasuke.

"Sakura-san!" Reika called cheerfully, "I'd like you to meet Taka, he's the guy I told you about this evening." It took a while for Sakura to respond, as she was awestruck by all the emotions with seeing him again after all these years. She looked at him and saw how his hair had grown. It was so much like his brother's but he tied to keep it neat though he covered his face with some strands in front. His eyes were completely covered in bandages and face was expressionless- emotionless. Here she was, trapped in her mind panicking on what to do upon seeing him yet he seemed unfazed and unaffected.

"Taka?" Sakura said in an almost whisper. He bowed to her and she did the same. Ryujin then spoke to break the awkwardness.

"Sakura," he said, taking her attention and bringing her back to reality. "Reika told me that you agreed to try curing Taka's eyes."

"She did, she came to me earlier." Sakura replied trying to act as normal as she could.

"I told you before Ryujin, it is not necessary for either of you to go to such lengths," Taka spoke for the first time. His voice brought chills down Sakura's spine and she was certain- this man was no other than Sasuke.

"Please Taka, don't be like that. You're like a brother to me, it would make all of us happy if you could see again." Ryujin insisted. "I don't know if it's because you don't want to get your hopes up, but I really think that Sakura is a very talented doctor. I'd like it if you'll try one last time."

The discussion was supposed to go on, but the Daimyo had arrived and everyone was silenced. The old man, Reishin, thanked Sakura several times for saving his son and had recounted how Taka did the same ones before. I

It was recounted by the old man that he and his family had adopted Taka after finding his body bloodied and burnt floating in the river. Ryujin saw him and took him out of the river, while Reika nursed him back to health. Then, when the castle was attacked by an assasin, Taka, though still injured protected all of them when no one else could. The old Daimyo assigned Taka as Reika's guard and has treated him like another son since.

During the whole dinner, Sakura kept on observing Reika and Taka. Her heart could not help but feel betrayed and furious every time she'd see her glance at him. Though he made no real action of reciprocation, Sakura did not like it that he was so close to another woman.

After dinner, Ryujin attempted to take her around the gardens but she refused stating that she was tired and needed to retire. In her room, she remained wide awake, waiting for him to come to her.