WARNING!

This is a BONUS CHAPTER.

It's like an extra part to the story, but won't effect the plot if you don't read it, though it might help.

It basically consists of what my OCs are like. More in depth to their personalities and past.

It's your choice to whether you want to read it or not.

Think of it as a little extra.

If you don't have time or are not interested, go ahead and skip to the next Chapter.

P.S.

This chapter consists of both first person and third person.

Blossoms Encounter Roses

BONUS CHAPTER

- Sacrifices

They say that right before you die, your life flashes before your eyes.

"Akira! Over here, I found something!" He twisted his head around to find where his sister had run off to. He heard her yell at him again and he quickly sprinted towards the familiar voice.

It was the usual hot summer day where the trees grew a bright green and yellow, and the birds playfully chirped their tunes. They were playing around in a large, empty field excluding for the small pond that lay in the middle, and a great big oak tree that sat atop a grassy hill. The twins were often found there when their parents were constantly bickering. They didn't want to get involved in the argument, so they simply left to visit the nearby field that awaited to be ventured. It was the spot where some of their greatest childhood memories took place.

The empty field was some spare land that belonged to no one. Though, only a few knew about it, considering that the neighbors wouldn't dare peek into the backyard of their mansion.

The field was a walking distance from their home, so they often visited it out of boredom. Eventually, it became a site of peace for the two, after constantly hearing their parents arguments. Everyday after their studies were finished, they would enthusiastically walk together to the field to sit down at the oak tree, or to chase frogs and birds around. It was only until the sun flared a blazing orange at the horizon and everything else appeared black, did they scurry back home.

Just until a little over midnight, did their parents finally stop bickering and retreat back to their separate quarters for the night. Though, it wasn't always like this. Before the twins reached the young age of six, their parents were kind, loving ones. Everyday, their mother would send them to school, kissing them goodbye for the morning. At lunch, they would open their lunches and find some type of note attached to them, telling them how much their mother loved them and to eat all of their lunch. Though, that gained some laughs from other children and they would embarrassingly tuck the notes away. When they arrived home, they would patiently wait for their parents to return from work. Rin always enjoyed playing with her pale porcelain dolls while Akira was often found toying with his father's medical utensils.

Their mother was always the one home first, as their father would usually stay late at work because of an emergency injury of some sort. She would start dinner and the family would wait for their father to come home. If he didn't arrive by a certain time, she would go ahead and allow the children to eat, knowing how her husband is saving lives at the moment. She would tuck them in bed, and occasionally bring out a story book to tell before she kissed them goodnight. Clicking on the lamp, she would often wait patiently for the door handle to turn, ready to give her husband a welcome home hug.

When the children grew to the age of seven, their mother became gravely ill. She had some type of disease that they couldn't understand, and she had not told them until a few months later that she had caught the sickness. Thankfully, it was curable. The problem was the cost for the medication she needed. She knew that the cost wasn't a big issue until she caught sight of her husband's spending's.

Ever since she had gotten ill, she had vaguely noticed that the monthly savings had been dropping at an extreme rate. At first, it only appeared normal, as she was taken care of in the hospital for a long period of time. As months passed, she found the cost of the hospital fees, and they weren't nearly as much as what had been taken out of the bank. The price of the medication was now out of reach, but that was the least of her worries. She looked over at what her husband was spending so much money on, and it made her furious. All the times that he arrived home late because of an emergency, or when he said that he didn't have time to visit the hospital was a lie. He wasn't working at his job late, he was spending his money on women. Prostitutes. Whores. Sluts. Her anger seethed as she crumpled the fragile paper and threw it across the hospital bed.

Akira, on the other hand had saw all of this when he had arrived at the hospital for his daily visit. He didn't know what was on the paper until he had made sure his mother had fallen asleep, and he acquired the chance to examine the slip. Though, to a six year-old, this was incomprehensible. He didn't understand a word that was printed on the paper, but he figured it was important enough to make his mother mad. He quickly stuffed it in his pocket as he exited the hospital with Rin by his side.

Mommy, mommy, I have something to tell you. Today's my ninth birthday! It's also Rin's birthday too. Aren't you happy? I want to come see you, so I can show you how much I've grown. I forgot to tell Rin that I was coming to visit. I'm sorry, but it's okay, I'll just tell the pretty nurse to call the house after I see you. Then when Rin gets here, we can all have a party in your room! Look, I even brought some-

"How could you betray me?!" My mommy was screaming. Why was she screaming? What was she talking about? I don't want my mommy to be mad. The doctor says it's bad for her to be mad when she's sick. He said that it'll make her feel worse. I don't want mommy to be angry. I want her to get better, not worse. Mommy, why aren't you happy?

Akira peered through the slightly cracked doorway of his mother's hospital room. Large, curious eyes glanced through and found his parents, both in tense positions. His mother was propped up on the bed as usual, but her brows were deeply furrowed in agitation. Her beautiful, dark, brown eyes stared into his father's golden ones. His father was somewhat crouched over her, as if he was trying to tower her. His eyes were narrowed, creating a more malicious complexion, matching his pitch black locks that were usually perfectly combed down. This time, however, Akira could spot random hairs sticking out of that smooth head. His mother always had the darkest, and deepest shade of amethyst hair. He was glad that he had the same color, except it was lighter. Rin's was the same shade as their mother's, though. Her long, silky tendrils were splayed out all over her bed, creating a web-like design.

His father's eyes drooped, suddenly giving him a sad look. They bored into her big brown ones as he leaned his head closer to hers. Akira heard him whisper something into her ear before he spotted his mother's eyes widen. It was only for a brief moment before tears started streaming down her cheeks. She hoarsely whispered something back at him before his father gently padded her down back on the bed. He leaned his head closer, once again, and said a couple words before he pulled a syringe from his coat pocket. Silently, he injected her with the clear substance, and shortly after, she closed her eyes.

His father dumped the syringe in the trash can, and began walking towards the door. As he inched closer, Akira backed away from him from instinct. He was never extremely close to his own father, as he was always busy working. Even though he usually shied away from his father, he now felt like he had to get as far away as possible from this man. Akira staggered backwards and fell on the ground, wide-eyed at his father's incoming presence. He felt petrified as he sat on the cold tiles, awaiting for the moment his father appeared behind that door. It slowly creaked open, uncovering wide eyes, but they immediately returned to his angry ones. They stared down at Akira, slightly giving him shivers.

"..Akira, what are you doing here?" His deep voice broke through the atmosphere.

"I-I was just coming to visit M-mommy.." His voice cracked as he shakily tried to stand up again. His father had always scared him with his intimidating presence.

His father paused for a moment before replying, "Well, Mommy's asleep right now, and she needs her beauty sleep. How about you visit her tomorrow? I'll take you home." He roughly grabbed Akira's arm, yanking him upwards before walking him towards the hospital exit. Akira craned his neck back to glance once more at his mother's room before he took his last step out of the hospital.

They walked silently together, Akira trying not to look straight at his father, and his father gripping his wrist tightly. They approached their house eventually as the sun grew to a vibrant red-orange. Rin stood on the front porch hugging her favorite porcelain doll tightly, staring through watery eyes.

"W-where were you, Akira?" She managed between her sobbing.

"Sorry Rin, I went to go visit Mommy..." his voice drifted off as he looked away.

"You left me.. I was so scared..!" Her whispers turned into yells as she hugged her doll tighter and her cheeks grew redder. Akira briefly glanced at her before drooping his head towards the ground as he entered inside the house with his father. Rin stared, confused at her brother who would never simply walk away from her without even turning his head back. She followed behind the two intently, committed on finding what was wrong with him. The second her father left to his personal work-space as usual, she quickly gripped Akira's shoulder from behind and yanked him back, both stumbling from the struggle.

"Wha-" he gasped for air as he toiled underneath the weight of his sister.

"What's wrong, Akira?" Her golden eyes bored into his as her countenance wore a nonplussed expression.

"Nothing's wrong." His head turned to the side as his eyes tried to advert hers.

"No, something's wrong, I know it." Her eyes narrowed further. "Why are you hiding something from me?" Her brows lifted upwards, giving her a sad look.

"...I don't want you to be sad like Mommy." He finally admitted. Rin paused for a moment.

"What do you mean?" One brow quirked upward in confusion.

"I didn't get to talk to her, but Mommy looked.. sad." His eyes stared straight into Rin's as they looked for a hint of reassurance. He didn't find any.

"Why was Mommy sad?"

"I don't know, but Dad was with her." Rin froze. Akira continued, "They kept on whispering weird things to each other."

A brief silence overwhelmed them until Rin broke it with, "He's not my Daddy."

Akira widened his eyes in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Daddies aren't supposed to act like him," she continued, "other people's Daddies are so much nicer." Rin narrowed her eyes and scrunched her brows. "What did they whisper to each other about?"

Akira paused for a moment to think, "..I couldn't hear it all because they were so quiet, but they were talking about some weird stuff."

"Like what?"

"Like how Daddy kept on telling Mommy to 'rest in peace'. What does that even mean?"

"Isn't that just another way to say goodnight to Mommy?"

"..Maybe. But I don't know, it just doesn't feel right." Akira scratched the back of his head, staring into space as he pondered Rin's theory.

Rin shook her head and stretched her hand towards Akira, "Well, we can find out for sure when we ask Mommy tomorrow! I'm sure she'll tell us what it means," she dragged his wrist towards her as she ran for the front door, "In the meantime, we can go play at the field since he's not watching us right now!"

Akira resisted for a brief moment before he finally gave in, "..Yeah, okay."

It's really dark and wet. I don't like being in dark and wet places, but everyone is making me stay here. I don't want to be here. It's scary. I see Mommy, but her eyes are closed. She won't wake up no matter how loud I yell at her. Everyone's wearing black. Why does everyone look so sad? Maybe it's the rain that makes them look like they're crying. But why is Mommy outside? The doctor said she shouldn't go outside when she's sick. I don't want her to get worse. I think she's already gotten worse because everyone's talking to her but she's not opening her eyes. She's not moving. I hear whispers everywhere and they're hurting my head.

"Poor children, now they're motherless."

"I truly do feel sorry for them."

"It'll be hard on him now that he has to take care of two kids."

"Look at those insolent brats. They don't even know what's going on."

"Shush! They're too young to understand death!"

"Well, they can't stay ignorant forever."

Why is everyone looking at us? They're giving us a sad look. Why are they doing that? Daddy keeps on trying to hold Rin's and my hand. Doesn't he know that neither of us likes him? I keep on trying to drag Rin over to Mommy so we can both wake her up, but Rin keeps on pulling me back. She told me not to touch Mommy. Why not? What's wrong with touching my Mommy? What's going on here? Mommy, hurry and wake up! They're going to close your bed up!

The big bed that Mommy was sleeping in was put into the ground. I think I finally know what's going on.

"Mommy is dead...isn't she?"

Rin was crying. I think I was too, even though I promised her I wouldn't. This would mean that I would never see Mommy again. I'd never get to hug her and tell her everything that I did for the day. I'd never get to pet her long pretty purple hair again. I'd never get to eat another one of her lunches again. I'd never hear her tell me how much she loves me no matter how much I cried.

Hot streaming tears flowed from Akira's eyes as he stared at the ground, shell shocked.

"Hey, it's not moving."

"Stop! Don't poke it with a stick, Akira!"

"Why not? I'm just trying to wake it up."

"Because I think it's dead."

"Dead?"

"Yeah, it's when things stop moving."

"So it's asleep?"

"Well, I guess. They just won't wake up anymore."

"Well, what do we do?"

"I think.. we're supposed to put it in the ground or something."

"What? Why?"

"I don't know, but it's just what I've seen people do when something dies."

"Oh, okay."

Mommy was dead. She can't be dead. I just saw her yesterday! She was moving and breathing and.. alive. She was until Daddy came. Daddy. I never trusted him, and he never trusted me. Occasionally I'd see him in a week, but he's usually busy. He always looked at me with a stern face, like he regretted me. I didn't need him either. It was Mommy who took care of me and Rin. I wouldn't care if Daddy died. I wish it was Daddy who died instead. I told Rin of this, and she slapped me. That was the first time she had ever slapped me, and it hurt. It hurt more than any other bruise or cut I've ever gotten. I haven't talked to Rin after the funeral. I've stayed in my room the whole time, sitting on my bed. I won't even let Rin in here. Every now and then, I would hear her turn the knob a couple of times, finding that it was still locked and she'd try to talk to me. She'd try to convince me that I needed someone, that I needed a hug. Lies. I just wanted to be alone. Something inside me hurt, and it hurt worse than ever. For hours on end, I was on the brink of just collapsing and crying myself to sleep. I wouldn't let that happen. I promised Rin that I would never cry again, that I'd be her knight in shining armor. And here I was, curled up in a ball and creating a barrier around myself, keeping others out. I was pathetic.

A month has passed, and my condition didn't get any better. Neither did Rin's. It was convenient that we lived in a mansion, because our Father gave us separate rooms.

I never talked to her or anyone for that matter. At school, we'd pass each other by in the hallways, as if we were strangers. Although, every time, it would hurt me little by little inside. I felt that if I talked to her, I would break into tears and look like a fool.

Everyone knew what happened to our Mother. It wasn't on the news, but we were the 'rich kids'. Everyone knew what goes on in the lives of the rich kids. Every time I looked at anyone, they would give me a sad look. I hated that look. They looked down on us. As if they knew what we were going through.

I began to start a lot of fights. I was sent to the principal's office on a daily basis. I'd never been taunted or made fun of before. I don't understand why they're starting it now.

I've gotten a lot more sensitive too. Anytime I hear someone talk about me or Rin, I'd hit them. I didn't want people feeling sorry for us. I didn't need their pity. The only thing that I wanted was my mother back. I grew further and further away from Rin and my father as day by day passed. I kept to myself most of the time, locked in my room or sitting beneath the big oak tree that grew in the empty field. I couldn't find any happiness in my life anymore. It was as if a big chunk was ripped out, leaving it broken and useless. I felt so worthless. I was there when it happened. Why didn't I do anything? Why did I stay back and watch? Why am I so weak? It was always Rin that protected me. She was always the one who would tell me that I was strong. That I was her knight in shining armor. I didn't believe her the first few times but eventually, I got around to it. For a while, it worked. Until we lost our mother.

That was the crack that gradually grew bigger and bigger until everything crumbled to pieces. Not one tear was shed. The pain was too great for tears. I became an empty shell of what I used to be. Conversations immediately became boring and dull, and nothing ever motivated me to leave my room.

My father walked me home today.. again. I hate him. No one believed me when I told the truth.

"My Daddy was the one who killed her!"

"Silence, child. Don't go yelling nonsense to people."

"How rude, he's your father, you know?"

"How could you ever point your fingers at your father? He's the one who raised you!"

Trash. They're all trash. The only one who believed me was Rin. She didn't like Daddy very much either. She knows that he would be willing to do those kinds of things. After all, he's trash. Just like them.

The clicking of their heels on the smooth, pavement floor was the only sound heard from the two. Not one word was spoken as they walked down their street, both heads full of malicious thoughts.

As soon as they reached their home, Akira ran inside, slipped off his shoes and hurried off to his bedroom. A loud click echoed throughout the grandiose house and everyone knew that Akira had locked his room. Once inside his dark quarters, he slipped into his bed sheets and gently laid his head on his pillow. Gleaming, golden orbs bored into the ceiling. Thoughts raced through his mind as hours passed by slowly. For a while, he had noticed that a faint scent of smoke and ash crept into his room, though he had given it no attention. ..Until it was too late.

Now, he could see the smoke seep through the cracks in his door. Slowly, the suffocating gas crept into his room. Akira was in panic mode, as he knew that this wasn't any ordinary cooking hazard from Rin. It was a fire, and it was big. Though, how could it have started? He quickly brushed the question away and immediately ran for the doorknob and twisted it, only to find it locked. How could it be locked? He knew that it could only be locked from the inside, so how..? The doorknob's heat was escalating and eventually it began to burn his hand. He hissed as he quickly retracted his hand away.

An idea of a different approach entered his mind. He stepped back until his back touched the wall on the opposite side of the door. Then he ran with force. He rammed himself against the door in hopes to break it. A few tries later and he was exhausted, resorting to desperate pants. Pounding on the door and screaming cries of help proved no better.

Running out of ideas, he looked towards the closed window and concluded that it would be his only solution. He sprinted towards the cool glass and began to fumble with the lock. It was stiff and immobile from years of age. Dust covered it from never being used. His fingers wrapped around the thin sliver of metal, but he could not twist it. His breath hitched as a loud thump echoed in his ears as something heavy fell to the ground. His breathing became more desperate as sweat trickled down his brow. It wasn't long before he'd run out of air as he could see smoke rising from the bottom of his door.

Quickly, he grabbed the nearest object and rammed it into the glass. He continued pounding the desk lamp into the window and eventually, he could spy a crack in the glass. With more effort now, he slammed the lamp one last time. As soon as it hit the window, the lamp instantly shattered into pieces. Bloody palms held the now porcelain shards. The window did not break. He instantly fell to his knees and tears flooded through.

That's when he heard the blood curdling scream.

What was that? That sounded like Rin. Where is she? I haven't seen her all day. Is she in the fire too? I have to save her. That's the only way to prove myself now. To prove that I can be of use to someone. Where is she? I have to find her.. but I can't get out of this damned room. Hurry. Hurry. Someone.. help..

I can't breathe. I can't see anything. All I smell is smoke and ash. I can feel the fire at my door. I can't move any longer. My bed is so warm. I'm so.. tired...

Can I just lay here? Can I just lay here and do nothing? I really want to. I want this to be over soon. My chest hurts. Breathing hurts. Opening my eyes hurts. Everything hurts. Where's Rin? I hope she's safe. ..because I'm not.

I can see a lot of reds and oranges. It's really hot in here. I also hear a lot of screaming. Is that Rin? It sounds like a lot of people though.

My shoulder really hurts for some reason. I can barely feel it, but it hurts. When I opened my eyes again, I found a bunch of reds and oranges surrounding me. I want this to be all over soon..

Someone..

..

Anyone..

..

Help me.

Well, there's a bonus chapter for you. Any questions about this abrupt cut off may or may not be answered in later chapters. Sorry my updates have been getting slower and slower. There are just so many new ideas jumbling in my mind that I have troubles picking which part should happen next. If you guys were curious, this was SUPPOSED to be the original Chapter 6, but it had too much OC stuff so I changed it to a bonus chappy. :D Read it if you want, I'd really appreciate it if you could, but I'd understand if you're not interested. After all, this is a SakuraxItachi fanfic. (; Anyway, hope you enjoyed this little extra.