AN: Hey y'all, Cinnabunnbunn here.

So, I'm still alive. I know, I'm late as fuck. I have been going through the biggest, most outrageous writer's block ever, and it's been tough. But fear not, another chapter is on. And this one is getting a little… interesting.

Anyway, onto the chap-

Somewhere on an island, up on a hill, was a mansion standing alone. A wet cough echoed through the white marbled room, a sickly figure in the bed against the center of a wall. Another pillow was placed behind him to cushion his head better before he looked around the room, at all the faces surrounding his bed.

"I think you all know why I have called you here today." The man spoke up, voice wet and cracking from age and sickness, "I am proud to be signing over my estate, and my reins, over to my heirs." He said it, but his voice sounded anything but proud.

One man stepped forward out of the crowd, taking a seat on the chair placed beside the bed. He laid his briefcase down, clicking the latch and propping it open before taking out a bundle of ivory parchments. He brought out a fountain pen, filling up the ink cartridge and placing it on the paper.

"Your majesty," the man spoke out softly, laying the paper flat on the soft blanket covering him, "Your testament is ready."

The old man glanced at the papers before looking to the side of the room, to the young man leaning against the large window. He stared at him for a long minute, the festering bitterness curling into the pit of his stomach again. "Son," he called out, voice hard and cold, "Come here."

The young man moved his head toward the bed ever so slightly before ignoring it for the most part, "I'm listening."

He almost snarled, he would've if his jaws didn't hurt and there wasn't an audience. The utter disrespect, from the insolent brat, and to think he ever considered him a prodigy. It was a mistake, ever going soft on him.

He should've gotten the same treatment as the other brat.

"Your majesty." His lawyer spoke up again, urging him to sign the papers over. He breathed in to set his face back into an expression of indifference. He leaned back on his pillows, looking up at the white ceiling and the red canopy over his bed. "Read it out to me."

The lawyer held up the paper to his face, clearing his throat and adjusting his glasses, "I, Sakumo Haruno, son of Saruto Haruno, decide this as my last will and testament, and I hereby revoke, cancel and annul all wills and codicils previously made by me either jointly or severally. I declare that I make this will in my good health and sound mind, and that this will and testament expresses my wishes without undue influence or duress."

Sakumo nodded and looked down at the paper again, the two blanks in the following paragraphs glaring up at him. He glared back at it, imagining the second name in the second blank. He imagined ripping the paper in half, telling everyone to forget about the mistake that should've never happened.

"Your majesty, your executor." His lawyer told him again, urging him to hold the pen. He stared at the pen, then at the paper, the skin around his weak eyes tightening. He was very close to telling them to get out and leave him alone, he's never signing over his throne to that brat, when someone beat him to it.

"Leave it."

All the eyes turned to the man standing by the window, his face hallway turned to them, dark teal eyes staring blankly at the general crowd. "He is not ready to sign the will today, he needs more time to prepare the estate. The final testament will be announced at the coronation." His voice was devoid of any emotion as he fully turned around to face them, pointedly looking at the lawyer in a silent command to get the hell out, "Mister Mashima, I shall call you when he is actually ready to finalize the will. Please do not arrange meetings on your own without consulting me, it's inconvenient."

The man gulped before bowing his head nervously, setting the pen and papers back into his sleek briefcase, "Forgive me, young lord. I may have overstepped my boundaries."

"You have." He clipped out, slowly walking toward the bed and stopping a foot away from the side, hand clasped behind his back and eyes looking down his nose at the crowd of attorneys and managers, "For now, you are doing nothing but wasting our time. You all may take your leave."

Someone might have tried to counter him or argue back, but one look from the prince, and they went hurrying out of the room with farewells. When the door shut behind the lawyer, the prince let out a sigh, glancing at the only other occupant in the room.

"I feel like you're forgetting our deal, father."

"I never made a deal to begin with you brat." Sakumo spit out in anger, fists clenching into his blanket as he attempted to sit up straighter. "I can still change the whole will."

The prince raised his eyebrow, tilting his head to the side cockily, "And change it to what exactly? Donate it to charity? Distribute among the people? Let in rot in moss and dirt?" he slightly leaned forward, his stance unabashedly mocking, "You don't have a choice, father."

Sakumo actually did snarl this time, his frail hand reaching forward with surprising speed to grab at his collar, only to meet air as the prince straightened up. "You absolute insolent piece of shit," he sneered, before a hoarse cough ripped from his throat, "I-I should've done the same thing to you as I did with her. I regret giving you any kind of leeway."

"But unfortunately you did." The prince said, his gaze frosting over at his fists tightened behind his back, "You think you did the right thing with me, but you didn't. You were wrong with both of us, but worse with her. How are you not ashamed."

"Why you-" Sakumo was ready to yell when he found a cup of lukewarm tea forcibly pushed on his mouth. He ripped his head away when another painful cough made his throat hurt. "Drink it up," he glared up at his son through bloodshot eyes, seeing the uncaring and stone cold face of the young man with hair like snow and eyes like the deep green marine, "It wouldn't be well to let you die right now."

Sakumo's glare harshened before he reluctant took a sip of the herbal tea, if for nothing else than momentary relief to his throat. His emptied the white ceramic cup before leaning back on the pillows again, closing his eyes to avoid looking at his son when he couldn't find the energy to keep his glare.

"I wish it was you who went away." He weakly groaned, his eyes feeling heavy all of a sudden, "Mebuki said you would be a prodigy, but you are my biggest regret."

The prince hummed, picking up the cup and looking at the bottom, seeing the last traces of a white residue before he took it with him and moved toward the door, "If I did, who would be here to keep you on a leash. Because I know she couldn't."

He opened the door, throwing one last glance at the frail, slumbering figure of the man he calls his father, a slight bitter smirk pulling on his lips, "You were the puppeteer until now, but I will cut the strings."

Cool breeze billowed through the near empty bridge over the river, the near stillness sharply broken by the incessant curses spewing from the pinkette bolting along the sidewalk.

Sakura panted, pushing her feet even faster toward the familiar path through the market district. She should've never stayed up to watch that stupid show, who knew it would lead her staying up until three AM. And then she woke up late, as a result missing her bus, and now she's both late and she doesn't have a transport other than dashing through the streets.

"Stupid ass show and my stupid ass alarm." Sakura grumbled under her breath, only slightly relieved to see the familiar red boundary walls. She dashed past the large gates and past the crowd of students moving around the campus, barely avoiding slamming into a group before running up the stairs to second floor.

'I hope Kakashi is as late as usual.' She said a mental prayer before slamming open the classroom door, making the occupants in the room turn their heads toward the interruption. Sakura flushed in embarrassment, muttering a quiet sorry before silently closing the door and skittering her way to her regular seat.

"Damn forehead," Ino drawled in surprise, staring at the haggard looking appearance of the pinkette, "Someone looks to be still in the dreamland."

Sakura panted, throwing down her backpack onto the table and plopping on the chair, hunched forward over the table to regain her breath, "I'm not Shikamaru." She huffed a long breath, running a slightly trembling hand through her messy hair before turning toward the blonde, "How bad do I look?"

"Bad enough to see it." Ino casually answered, handing a hairbrush and a small compact mirror before digging in her bag again and bringing out a tube of pink lipgloss, "By the way, your jacket is inside out."

"Damn it." Sakura cursed, brushing through the tangles in her hair before taking a look around the table, and found the other two people missing, "Where are Naruto and Sasuke?" She knew Hinata had her psychology class scheduled at that time, and Shikamaru is probably in his economics class. But where are the other two?

Ino shrugged, scrolling through her phone, "They went to the vending machine." She paused, thinking back to something, "Oi, forehead, do you want to go for a hangout?"

Sakura grimaced slightly, halting in her way of putting on the lipgloss, "I can't today, I have to study at the library."

Ino tsked, making a face at her, "Not today of course. I meant in a day or two."

Sakura went over her schedule for the next few days. She needs to pull a shift in the café and she also needs to do her laundry, but maybe she has an open window in two days. "Huh, will do." Sakura shrugged, swiping the gloss wand over her lips, making a kissy face, "Maybe in two days. Check with me in the morning though."

And just on cue, the door to the room slammed open once this, but a bit quieter than Sakura's, and in walked her missing classmates. "Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed in delight at the sight of the pinkette, waving his can of orange soda, "Look what I just got."

"Eight in the morning and you're already guzzling down soda." Sakura muttered while rolling her eyes, but pointedly avoided looking at the second male walking behind the blonde. But when he got too close, it would've been blatantly obvious if she didn't even acknowledge him. "Good morning Sasuke." She said as nonchalantly as possible.

Sasuke smirked at her, narrowing his eyes at the very obvious awkwardness in her voice, "Morning, Sakura."

She doesn't think that it was obvious to anyone else, but was clear to her that he purred out her name. He was flirting. And she doesn't know how to respond. But Naruto did well to smack him over his head. A strangely knowing look was shared between them, something that creeped her out just slightly.

And once again, the door swung open, gently this time, to reveal the mop of silver hair and masked face buried in the godforsaken orange book. "Alright class," Kakashi addressed the scrambling students while reluctantly removing the book from his face. "We'll start where we left off yesterday."

Sakura sighed, taking out her book and a pencil, watching the blonde beside her take out her bright pink highlighter, when she felt a very familiar tug on her hair. "I swear to god Sasuke, if you don't stop." She hissed behind her and the Uchiha had the gall to look smug. She glared at her before taking out a hair tie from her bag and tie her locks up in a bun. 'Asshole.'

Sasuke seemed a little annoyed at her act of rebellion, but he hissed in pain when another smack landed on his head from the blonde beside him. "Stop being an asshole teme." Naruto growled at him before giving Sakura a bright grin.

Sakura sighed again, fixing her gaze on the teacher once again. This was what she was fearing when Sasuke confessed to her that night, that things between them will change. To say that, things between them haven't really changed, but the way she looks at them now had.

Before, she only though of him tugging on her hair and invading her space as playful annoyance, but it was glaringly obvious now that he was flirting. He has always been flirting, when she thinks about it, she was just dumb and blind.

But it was still awkward to her. Before, she would just smack him around or respond like she would. But now, she could only think of the things he has said and blush furiously. It was kind of infuriating to say the least.

And his frequent teasing wasn't exactly helping.

Cameras flashed bright, almost blinding, and the chatters from the crowd around the figure was deafening. More flashes, louder shouts, before a loud horn blew and the crowd fell silent.

A lone figure standing on the grand marble staircase to the mansion patio, but the picture only showed the man chest up, eyes cool and lips pressed close. But he opened them to speak, voice clear and regal.

"Good afternoon." He resounded crystal clear through the number of microphones held near his face. "You may ask your questions."

There was an incomprehensible chatter again, voices tumbling over each other, before one of the voices rang the loudest and was comprehensible enough.

"Is his majesty healthy? Or is the disease deadlier than we assumed?"

The man cleared his throat, pale lips parting again, "Father is alive, however bedridden. As for the disease, it is more serious than we first thought, but the doctors are working on bettering his health."

"Has his majesty signed the will? When will you be handed the crown?"

He pressed his lips thin, looking straight into the camera with stone cold irises. "He is still considering."

There was a pause and low muttering among the reporters, some more camera flashes.

"Will the lost heir be reconnected?"

That question from one reporter made silence fall over the entire crowd. Teal eyes sharpened, glaring straight into the reporters' eyes rather than the cameras. His lips curled ever so slightly, scowl clear but face still holding up the regality.

"That does not matter for the situation at hand, and I will not expound any more on that."

The crowd was silent for a moment more, taking in his cold reply before the interview started flowing again.

"When will the coronation take place?"

"Still deciding on it."

"Will you be making any changes in your governing after your father?"

"I do have some things I would like to change?"

"Will you be getting married anytime soon? You might be needing some help with your reign."

There was a pause in his answer, but when he did, there was a slight softness curling at the edges of his lips. He cleared his throat again before setting his expression into one of careful blankness.

"I don't plan on getting married anytime soon, but I do have someone to help me."

The short interview wrapped up quickly after that and that camera panned to the reported of the channel saying farewells and the screen went blank.

Sakura hurried along the crowd of moving bodies, choking the already busy hallway. She sighed, adjusting her bag on her shoulders before taking off a flight of stairs to the highest floor.

The awkwardness hanging between her and Sasuke had been migraine inducing. Every little jibe he made toward her seemed so outrageously out of place that it made her want to crawl in a hole. And she had to fight every minute to keep a fierce blush from creeping up her neck.

'Snap out of it Sakura.' She shook her head, patting her cheek a couple times, 'He's just Sasuke. Plain old Sasuke. He's always been like this, nothing changed between you two.' That was a lie and she knew it. But she won't let that get to her. She'll behave just how she always did.

She looked up after snapping out of her thoughts, seeing the doors of the campus library just at the end of the hallway. She dug in her bag for her library card. The tired librarian didn't even look at her just pointed to a sign above her desk about the no noise and no drinks rule.

She rolled her eyes, knowing the lady couldn't see it, before stalking toward one of the empty stations. She gently put down her bag on the wide table, one of the many, before taking out her political sciences book and a blank page register and dug in again for a pen laying somewhere deep in her bag.

'The amendments made to the Annual survey of the Five Nations in 1989 differs from state to state, however minutely. The islands of east oceans of Konohagakure and north oceans of Sunagakure are no exception, with the only exception-'

Sakura sighed and shook her head when her eyes glazed over again and she found herself reading the same line for the fifth time. This was the exact reason she hated politics, it was so mind-numbingly boring.

She was so engrossed in trying to concentrate on the words before her that she didn't even notice the shadow sliding up to her.

"Oh look who it is."

Sakura almost squeaked in surprise but her knee did slam against the table when she jumped. She hissed slightly, rubbing her aching joint before looking up at the intruder. Recognition lit up in her eye when they fell on the long dark hair and elegant face.

"Oh, hey Itachi." Sakura offered him a smile, getting the same in return. Itachi gestured toward the empty chair on the other side of the table, "May I join you?"

"Yeah sure."

Itachi gently put down his smooth office bag beside her slate and blue backpack, folding his straps neatly instead of laying it haphazardly like she did. "Fancy seeing you here." She grinned at him, her studies momentarily forgotten.

He took out his book and notebook, laying them flat on the table. "Back at you. I wasn't expecting to meet you here." He fixed his dark eyes on her, the ones that reminded her too much of his brother. "I thought you would be with otouto. What is he doing?"

Sakura scowled slightly, huffing out in annoyance. "Just being annoying, nothing much. He's probably with Naruto playing basketball or whatever."

Sakura stopped in her reports when she caught the look in Itachi's eyes. He looked at her as if he knew something that she didn't, or he knew something she wouldn't want him to know. And it made her nervous.

"Ah, okay." Itachi hummed, lacing his fingers under his chin and staring her straight in her eyes, "Say, miss Sakura, did something happen in the gardens after otouto's party? He looked very angry when he stormed out but he never said what happened after."

Something told Sakura that he already has a hunch what could've happened, and she fought to keep her blush down her neck. Averting her eyes to the large window on the other side of the room, she hummed as nonchalantly as possible, "No, nothing happened. I just talked to him to calm him down."

"Oh," Itachi hummed, opening his book to the bookmark, "I thought something more happened. He came back and straight went to sleep on the couch."

Sakura was wondering what the point was when she stilled again, a fierce blush rising to her cheeks.

"He was mumbling something about you, in his sleep." The twinkling mirth in Itachi's eyes was very telling. She hmphed, averting her eyes even though she was very aware he knew what was happening.

"He must've been very drunk." It was easier to act like none of them knew anything than address the elephant in the room.

"Maybe he was." Itachi chuckled low, before looking off to the side casually, "What was your name again, miss Sakura?"

"You just said my name." Sakura chuckled, capping off her blue pen and picking up a red one. She looked up to see the older Uchiha watching her with a peculiar expression as if seeing a strange puzzle, "What is it?"

"I meant your whole name."

"It's Sakura."

"No." Itachi shook his head, lacing his fingers below his chin and leaning forward on the table, "I remember that you said your full name when we met in your café."

Sakura stilled, her hands freezing just as the pen touched the paper. Did she tell him her name? She tried to think back to the day of Sasuke's birthday, which wasn't more than two days. He came into her café, she took his order, she asked for his name when recognizing him as Sasuke's brother, then he asked for her name, and then-

"Haruno Sakura. Nice to meet you, Sasuke's brother."

'Oh fuck.'

"No, I really didn't." She really tried to keep her nervousness to herself and could only hope that her voice came out even. Itachi raised an eyebrow and it only made her nerves shake even more, "Are you sure?" Itachi asked cautiously, tilting his head to the side, "I feel like I heard you say it."

"No, I'm sure."

"Do you not have a surname, or do you just not like to use it?"

Sakura chuckled coolly, the smile on her lips stiff and pursed, "I'm not very comfortable with discussing my familial situation."

"Oh, forgive me." Itachi smile apologetically, leaning back in his chair and she sighed silently in relief at his distance, "I did not mean to overstep my boundaries. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

Sakura laughed slightly, some of the tension leaving her shoulder. "It's okay, it's nothing really." It wasn't nothing but he didn't need to know that. "What are your majors, Itachi?"

The conversation flowed freely, even though they were in library and they were supposed to be studying. Somewhere in between their conversation Sakura had pushed away the book to the side, and Itachi didn't seem to be focused on his notes either.

He was a law student in the Konoha Central's law building. Even though he was studying law, he wants to be a police officer. He has a major sweet tooth, something he is relentlessly teased about by his cousin and mother alike, and he has a pet cat. Unofficial pet cat, since it's a neighborhood cat he feeds but isn't allowed to keep in his home.

"That's a bummer." Sakura pouted, idly drawing doodle flowers on the corner of her notebook page, "I had a cat when I was small, but I wasn't allowed to keep it either. Her name was Himiko and she was this small orange kitten."

"You sound like you were really close with her." Itachi chuckled a bit, carding his fingers through his artfully tied low ponytail, "It's really such a shame when you are forbidden from having a pet."

"It is. She always hid in a small crook under a willow tree behind my house and would jump over the fence and climb into my room's balcony whenever it was time for her meal. I also saw her whenever I went out to play or hide." Sakura sighed, stretching her arms out to loosen her shoulders from sitting hunched for so long, "What is your cat's name?"

"I haven't actually decided on a name." Itachi rubbed his chin in thought, "He is a white and grey cat and very hyperactive. I never thought that he would stay around for very long, so I never bothered naming him."

Sakura's eyes lightened up as she snapped her finger at him, "You should name him Hamuro. I had Himiko, you'll have Hamuro!" Sakura grinned wide, her eyes creasing up delightfully.

Itachi smiled, nodding thoughtfully. "That's a nice name."

"It is." Sakura giggled as her eyes slid to the large clock hanging on the wall of the library, surprise flickering in her eyes. "My god look at the time! It's been two hours since we got here?"

Itachi was surprised too when he checked the time for himself. He did not at all realize how much time has passed since he started conversing with the pinkette. For someone who was normally so punctual and diligent, the minutes surely got past him quite easily.

"I didn't realize." Itachi mused, looking toward the window where the slowly dying light outside casted a soft glow on the floor. He closed his book and notes, realizing again with a wonder that he did not read a word since he sat down to study. "Are you going somewhere now, miss Sakura?"

Sakura crunched her nose slightly, stuffing her old book into her backpack. "Oh enough with the 'miss' Sakura. Call me Sakura, Sa-ku-ra."

Itachi smiled again at her slightly annoyed reaction to his formality. He could now actually see what has captured his brother's heart so consumingly and bewitched his uncle so completely. "Okay then, Sakura. Are you going somewhere after this?"

"I actually have my job to get to," She winced at the thought of having to make batches of the melon cookies. She hoped the morning staff had at least made the dough. "Which will start in another… forty-five minutes. Oh no."

"Shall I drop you at your job?"

"No, no." she shook her head quickly, hefting the straps of her bag onto her shoulders, "I don't want to give you more trouble. I already wasted so much of your time just babbling away."

"Nonsense, you did not waste my time." Itachi motioned her walk with him, "I liked our talk, I can definitely see why Otouto likes you." He almost laughed out loud when he saw the darkening blush staining her cheeks, but held it in knowing the pinkette might not like him laughing at her expense.

"It's not like that!"

The pair walked past the library doors, once again lost into their conversation, this time about one of Sakura's memories where she found out that bananas have enough potassium to kill someone, and assumed that it's true for every singular banana. Her seven year old brain did not process that it would take about two hundred of them to kill her.

"I was terrified of eating bananas for over a week. It was honestly so funny." Sakura laughed heartily, grinning at the airy chuckle coming from her companion. Itachi pointed at her backpack strap where a small banana charm was pinned, his lips tilted up in amusement. "How ironic is that."

"It is. It's a little-" Sakura stumbled a bit when Itachi shot his arm out in front of her. She looked up, only to see him looking at something in front. But before she could turn, he got in front of her, blocking her away from whoever it was in the hallway.

"Well, well, look who it is."

The voice was familiar, very familiar. He tried looking over the broad shoulder of the older Uchiha but found her view to be blocked away every time.

"Sasori, Deidara, good to see you."

Sakura's eyes widened a bit when she heard the name, finally stepping aside from behind Itachi to get a look at the pair. It was the same colours she remembers, red and blonde, decked in aprons for the liberal arts department.

"You two?"

Their eyes turned to the sound of her voice and they widened when landing on her face. "Sakura?" It was Sasori, his lazy caramel eyes looking her up and down. "What are you doing here?"

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes but she was sure that she did roll them. "I study here." She waved her arms around to gesture at the whole building, "Why else would I be in this god-forsaken institution. Surely not just for fun."

The blonde huffed, dusting away what looked like bits of clay from his apron shirt, "Oh this is the same girl alright." He looked at her, waving his hand between the Uchiha and her, "You two know each other?"

"We do." Itachi answered for her before turning to her again, "You know these two?"

"I do." Sakura cocked her head to the pair of artists, "It was an unfortunate accident at the mall where I met them. Didn't know they studied here."

A sound that seemed like a low groan came from the blonde as he rubbed a hand on his face, giving Sakura a half-hearted glare, "How many more times are you going to bring that up?"

"Bring what up?" Itachi looked between the artists and the pinkette with a raised eyebrow. Sakura discreetly smirked at the blonde, "He-" "Doesn't matter." Deidara interrupted quickly, shaking off the miserable expression off his face.

Sasori sighed at his friend's antics, pushing his fists in his pants pockets and slouching lazily, "It's not worth the conversation. What is worth the conversation is how do you two know each other."

Sakura opened her mouth to answer but was swiftly cut off by Itachi, "Quite the same way," his voice was the chill of winters, nowhere was the previous warmth or light-heartedness found, "It's none of your business."

He crossed the little distance to stand in front of the Akatsuki pair, lowering his voice to a deadly whisper, "I don't care what your history is with her, but you will stay away."

"That's not for you to decide." Sasori whispered back just as venomously. Deidara stepped forward, discreetly curling his fingers in Itachi's collars, "And in the same conversation, keep your mutts away from our land."

Itachi grabbed the wrist holding his collar, his face set in stone and eyes a sharp crimson. His nails dug in the skin of Deidara even when his face or body didn't flinch for a moment. "We wouldn't have to, if you didn't spread like parasites through places where you don't belong."

"You assho-"

"Deidara." Sasori clasped a hand on his shoulders, making him growl in response and release the Uchiha's collar with a shove. The redhead pushed Deidara back, stepping forward to level with Itachi. "Count your days Uchiha. Your end is not too far away."

Sakura creased her eyebrows, pursing her lips as hushed whispers flew between the three men. Something has to be wrong, none of them looked happy to see each other. Are they rivals or something, or is it just the fights between cliques.

She saw Deidara step forward to grab Itachi's collar, his lips curling in anger. More threats flew between and no matter how much she wanted to interrupt their quarrel, she smartly kept it to herself.

If it was a case of bad blood like she suspected it was, she would not want to get caught in between.

A ting of notification lit up the screen of her phone, only to get bombarded with messages from her blond best friend. She has sent a link to something, an article it seemed like, and the following three messages were just shocked face emojis.

Sakura rolled her eyes at the message, tapping her thumb on the side of the side of the screen in contemplation before tapping on the blue letters of the link before her screen turned white and it led her to a magazine website.

She was right, it was an article.

'What is it now.' She sighed in exasperation as she scrolled down the page. The first few news reports were nothing special, some celebrity gossip or the other, something right up Ino's alley.

But the fourth report made her finger still on the screen, and she could've sworn that her heart stopped for a moment.

It was a picture first, of a man. Silky silver hair down to his crisp golden collar and steely teal eyes, staring straight into the camera as if he was staring at her. His pale lips were a straight line, chin tilted up as if he was looking down on lowly pests.

'…Kimi?' her mind could only whisper out in shock at picture. This wasn't the first time she's seeing him on tv or internet, but every time felt like the first in forever.

She blinked hard when her eyes started getting foggy, swallowing thickly as her finger scrolled down.

The prince of East islands of Konohagakure has provided us with some much needed clarifications on the next patriarch of the Golden estate. His majesty, the king Sakumo Haruno is bedridden with his disease, which seemed to be much serious than first assumed, [the prince provided]. When asked about the will and crown, his highness replied "[the king] is still considering"-

Sakura's eyes started glazing over again the more she read and this time she actually had to look away from to screen to breathe out a heavy sigh, her eyebrows drawn in misery.

Why is all this happening again, now. Could this not wait for a little more.

She glossed over whatever other question he had; when is the coronation, what changes he will be amending, whether he is getting married. But she only stopped again to read when a particular question floated up.

When a reporter asked about the whereabouts of the lost heir, the prince refused to expound any further on that. However when he was asked of having any help with his ruling, his highness mirthfully replied "[I] don't plan on getting married anytime soon, but [I] do have some help with me."

'This son of a bitch will not let me live.' No matter how miserable she felt, she did not stop the light fondness from blooming in her chest. He was always there for her, he will always be.

But she did realize one thing about herself. She's not as frightened anymore. Maybe it's because she has accepted her fate, or maybe because her soul is dead inside anyway, but her throat doesn't clog up anymore when she thinks of returning to the white marble prison she was forced to call her home.

So that's a plus.

A bittersweet smile curled at her lips as Sakura forced herself to rip away her eyes from the screen, turning her phone off and putting in back in her pocket just in time for her companion to finish saying farewell to the ketchup and mustard duo and turn to her.

"Shall we get going, Sakura?" Itachi asked as Sakura looked over his broad shoulder toward the artists. They were turning around to take their leave too but the redhead paused when she caught his eye, holding the gaze for a moment before her view was ultimately blocked by Itachi again.

"Sakura?"

Sakura shook her head before nodding up at him, "Yes, let's go."

Even after she got off his sleek car in front of her workplace, dutifully put on her apron and made cookies until her shift ended, she still couldn't stop the sinking feeling from taking lodging in her chest.

Sakura sighed heavily, throwing down her towel on the chair and flinging herself on her bed. She stretched her back off the mattress before stretching her limbs as she contemplated whether she should get some studying done or go to sleep. She was tempted to just straight go to sleep but something felt like it was pulling on her heartstrings.

Sakura frowned, tossing to one side to get into a comfortable position but her neck didn't feel comfortable. She sat up abruptly, punching her pillow until it was fluffy and then falling down again, pulling her covers up till it covered her shoulders. But it still wasn't right.

Sakura groaned, sitting up again and raking a hand through her hair. 'What is wrong with me?' She grumbled under her breath before throwing her legs over the edge of the bed before her eyes fell onto the top drawer of her bedside dresser.

She stared at it for a long while as if the rundown brown plywood was somehow mocking her before she ripped her eyes away, but couldn't resist giving it another glance. Her lips pursed when her mind flashed to the article from earlier that day.

They're from him. She always knew they were from him; the lotus stamp and scent of cinnamon was enough for her. But why would he be sending her letters? He had never sent her any letter until now. Is it because of the coronation coming closer? Is everyone else okay? What's happening back at the estate? So many questions that she doesn't have answer to.

And there's only one way to know.

Sakura breathed out a little shakily before sitting down fully on the bed and facing the dresser. Her heart beat loudly in her chest as she grabbed the knob, opening the drawer to find it filled to the brim with ivory sheets and violet stamps. She took them out in handfuls, dropping them on her bed until it collected in a heap. She picked one up and flipped it around, seeing a number written on the back in beautiful cursive. It was recent.

She picked up one by one, setting them down in order of the dates. There were a total of twenty-one of them, spanning over the course of three weeks since the first time they started showing up. But she found something odd.

The first day, she received one single letter. A few days later when she received the second letter, there were two of them. Then she found three, and then four. Currently the most recent mail had six letters, all dated the same date.

'That's weird.' Sakura frowned before she swiped the rest of the letters away, picking up the very first letter and turning it around in her hand. The ivory was smooth to touch and while the scent of lavender had faded slightly, the cinnamon was still strong.

She gave a long sigh before breaking the seal. The flap popped open as she dug in to bring out a single sheet of thick parchment folded threefold. She almost didn't want to read it, just shove it back into the envelope and pretend it wasn't there.

But she held on.

Sakura sucked in a breath, getting comfortable in her comforter before her eyes grazed over the neat handwriting that was undoubtedly his.

Dear sister,

How have you been? We all miss you here-

She threw down the paper, covering her eyes with her palm as a sob fought its way out of her throat. 'Deep breaths, deep breaths' She reminded herself as she her loud breaths filled her lungs. She rubbed her eyes a little, wiping away her palm on her night shorts willing the burn in her nose away before beginning to read again.

We all miss you here. Even Himiko. Do you know, she has a litter now. They're all grey, strangely.

Since you left, things have been a total disaster. Father has only gotten worse since then, and while I know you wouldn't want to hear about him, I thought I would still let you know. He's not well.

Doctors are saying it's some form of advanced cancer, and it can't be cured. But that's not my main concern for you right now. Are you ready?

I know the past few years have been rough on you, and while I wish I could've helped you more, all my actions were monitored and you refused any more help. But now, I want you to hold up your end of the promise. Can you do that for me?

I am not talking to you as the crown prince of the eastern islands, nor as the one in command. I'm talking to you as your brother. I need my dorky little sister back, and I need her help right now more than ever. I cannot do this alone and you're the only one I have anymore.

But more than that, I miss you. I miss the dork that would sneak out at midnight to steal cookies from the pantry when she thought no one would notice. I miss it when you used to hide my notebooks when I made you mad. I know I got annoyed, but I miss those moments more than anything.

Please come back, princess pony sparkle.

Loving regards,

Your brother,

Kimimaro

Sakura couldn't even see clearly by the end of the letter, her eyes welled up with tears as she slapped a hand on her mouth, attempting to muffle her sobs. She clenched her eyes close as thick droplets fell onto the parchment that was being slowly rumpled by her grip, smudging the ink on it.

There were so many thoughts swirling in her head, one tripping over the other and running in circles until she felt like her head would explode. What was she doing? Forming bonds that she knew she would one day have to break. She was a terrible person.

The remaining twenty letters were stuffed back into the drawer roughly before she fell back onto her bed. Salt streams slid down from her eyes and beside her ears and she didn't bother wiping them away.

She didn't know how far long it was in the night when the moonlight cast shadows on her covers and the chill increased when her eyes began to grow too tired to leak anymore and darkness started creeping in her vision, with the piece of paper still clutched in her fist.

It was way close to midnight when Itachi knocked on the doors to his uncle's study. "Enter." A gruff voice spoke out before he grabbed the golden handle and pushed them open.

"Uncle." He greeted, shutting the door behind him. Madara nodded at him once in acknowledgment before looking back at his computer. "What is it nephew?"

"I met Sakura today." Itachi got straight to the point knowing his uncle wasn't in the mood for idle chatters. Madara raised aneyebrow, pulling his face forward toward his nephew.

"Did you now?"

Itachi nodded, taking a few steps to stand directly in front of the mahogany table. "I met her the first time at her café on otouto's birthday. I had an interaction with her that I thought you might be interested in." At his questioning look, Itachi's lips pulled in a slight smile. "She introduced herself with her family name."

Madara's eyebrow raised up further, his finger cupping his chin in consideration, "She told you her full name?"

Itachi nodded, "Yes. She probably didn't mean to, considering how much she was denying the possibility so vehemently today. If I had to guess, there's probably something quite traumatic that happened to her from her family if she's rejecting any proof of relation to them."

Madara hummed low under his breath, his finger idly circling the rim of his scotch glass. "What is her family name?" Itachi winced slightly at the question, rubbing a hand on the nape of his neck.

"About that." He started unsurely, "I only half remember the actual name, but it started with haru and ended with something of an 'o'."

"You don't remember the actual name."

"I'm afraid not."

Madara silently sighed through his nose, taking a small sip of his scotch. "I will see. You can go." He barely paid any attention to Itachi when he took his leave, the thudding of the shut door leaving him alone in the room again.

Madara swiveled around in his chair, staring out of the glass wall of his study and at the twinkling city of Konoha. He softly put down the thick glass, instead picking up his phone placed beside the coaster.

His brother has been calling him psychotic for being so obsessively invested in a girl he had barely talked to twice. And maybe he is, but he has been called worse. Being called mad is the least offensive of them. If he was honest, he himself wouldn't know what he saw so different in the college girl with pink hair who was a decade his junior.

Maybe it was the way she spoke or the way she held herself, the way she walked was in an attitude that set her apart from the crowd. It was really hard to pinpoint, only ever noticeable if you knew where to look for. It was the attitude of a leader, a monarch. The way she spoke and looked him level in the eye, spoke of a lineage that was far from regular class.

And that got him thinking; what exactly is her family history? For someone to be so blatantly terrified to the idea of anyone even knowing her lineage or associating her with her family name.

His obsession probably wasn't healthy, but there could be worse fates than a little background check.

The dial tone on the other side of the line ended when a groggy voice answered the call.

"I need you to look for Japanese family names that start with "Haru"… start from the oldest family lineages. I need them as soon as possible."

'The game is on, little miss rosy.'

AN: Fucking finally! My God I was getting sick of it. Writer's block really does suck ass, and I still have like three more stories to update, and one of them is like 20,000 words long.

Anyway, the plot seems to be thickening up now that we see what's going on back in the house of Harunos. And also a minor spoiler alert for future chapters, the romantic interactions will start going on an incline from here (Christmas is here y'all ;) we already have Sasuke down, so we'll have to put the others in the fight ring too, and actually start the chemistry between some of them (Because let's be honest, I don't see it with some of these bitches).

Anyway, see y'all in the next chapter. Until then,

Bye bye!