EPILOGUE

It had been… awkward.

Ever since the incident, the love potion fiasco, she had been walking on eggshells around him. Not because she was scared, but because she didn't know what to do.

For those few hours when Sasuke had been under the influence of the potion, he had been utterly, devastatingly devoted to her. She still felt her face burn remembering how he had acted as if her mere existence was the single most important thing in the world. They hadn't talked about it since. Well, it's not like they talk at all, anyway.

A gust of wind blew past her, and she instinctively put her arms tighter around herself. It was getting colder these days, and the last thing she needed was to—

Thunk.

Something heavy landed behind her, and before she could even react, she felt a warm weight settle over her shoulders, and she blinked in surprise. "S-Sasuke-kun?" she breathed, startled by his sudden appearance.

"Hn." Sasuke had draped his own cloak over her, his expression unreadable as always, but his actions saying more than words ever could.

She turned, only to realize just how close he was. He adjusted the cloak so it covered her properly. Dark eyes flickered down at her before shifting to the shopping bags in her hands.

"What's with you and walking home alone at night?" he muttered.

She blinked. "I-It's not that late."

He didn't respond. Instead, he simply plucked the grocery bags from her hands.

"Sasuke-kun, I—"

"Too heavy," he said, as if that was a perfectly valid reason to take them.

She sighed. "I can carry them, you know."

"Hn."

She fought back a smile, holding the cloak tight. "Thank you... but now you'll be cold."

He gave her a flat look. "I'll live."

They walked in silence for a while, the cool night air contrasting against the warmth that spread inside her. They had walked together before, but tonight felt… different. Maybe it was the way his grip on the bags was just a bit tighter. Or how his pace was slightly more measured, as if making sure she wouldn't trip on the uneven path. Or maybe it was the fact that he had sought her out, as if he knew she'd be out this late and had come to find her anyway.

Her heart squeezed.

"…Did you need something?" she finally asked.

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he glanced at her, his gaze unreadable. But then, just for a second, his brows furrowed. Then, almost grudgingly, he muttered, "You've been avoiding me."

She felt her breath hitch. "I-I haven't—"

"You have," he cut in, his voice even, but there was something pointed about the way he said it. "Ever since the potion."

She swallowed. So he noticed. She let out a small, nervous laugh. "I-It's just… it was a little embarrassing, wasn't it?"

His expression didn't change, but his fingers flexed slightly around the grocery bag handles. "…Hn."

They kept walking, the silence stretching between them. Then, suddenly—

"You still haven't given me an answer."

Hinata stopped in her tracks. Sasuke took a few more steps before realizing she wasn't beside him anymore. He turned, and the way his dark eyes pinned her in place made her heartbeat stutter.

"…A-Answer to what?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper.

His gaze didn't waver. "You know what."

Her breath caught. He was not the type to beat around the bush. He wasn't the type to chase after things he didn't want, nor was he the type to ask for something unless it actually mattered to him. She gripped the edges of her sleeves, suddenly aware of the way the cool wind brushed against her cheeks. "I… I thought you didn't want to talk about it."

Sasuke exhaled through his nose. "I didn't."

She blinked up at him. "Then why—"

"…Because it's annoying to wait," he muttered, shifting his weight slightly. "If you don't feel the same, then just say it already."

Her lips parted in surprise. He thought she didn't…? Her heart pounded. "I—"

But then a group of shinobi walked past them on the street, and one of them, whether by accident or sheer bad luck, brushed a little too close to Hinata.

It happened in a blink.

Sasuke's hand shot out, catching her wrist as he tugged her away, forcing space between her and the passing shinobi. His grip was firm, possessive, but not rough.

The other shinobi barely even noticed. But she felt it. Felt the way his hold lingered even after the moment had passed. Felt the way his fingers curled ever so slightly around her wrist, as if making sure she was still there. And when she looked up at him, really looked, she finally saw it. Not just the protectiveness. Not just the irritation of waiting. But something else, something unspoken. Something that had always been there.

Her chest tightened.

"Sasuke-kun," she whispered, her voice softer now.

His eyes flickered to hers. The world around them felt muted, the sound of the village fading into the background. And then, in a rare moment of honesty, he muttered, "I don't need a potion to tell me what I already know."

Hinata felt her breath hitch. She still wasn't sure what to say.

"I…" she started again, glancing down at where his fingers still barely brushed against her wrist. "I never really thought about it before... About you." Her voice was gentle, honest. She finally looked up, meeting his gaze. "Not until then."

He didn't react at first. Then, after a moment, he exhaled, something unreadable flickering in his dark eyes. He shifted slightly, as if trying to decide what to do with his hand, before finally letting go. But he didn't step away. He simply watched her, waiting.

She hesitated before offering him a small, sincere smile. "But… I think I'd like to know more about you."

Sasuke froze.

The wind brushed past them, rustling through her hair. She caught the faintest flicker of something in his expression, something almost vulnerable, but it was gone as quickly as it came. He clicked his tongue and looked away, and it was only then that she noticed the tips of his ears were faintly pink.

A warmth spread in her chest. It was such a small thing, so fleeting, but it made her heart feel light.

He exhaled sharply, shoving his free hand into his pocket. Then, in a voice quieter than before, he muttered, "Hn. Then don't take too long."

Hinata blinked, her breath catching.

He didn't look at her when he said it, but something about the way he spoke, so steady, so certain, made her chest tighten. Suddenly, the uncertainty didn't feel so overwhelming.

She smiled again, softer this time. "Alright."

Sasuke side-eyed her, as if trying to gauge her meaning, before shaking his head and sighing. But she saw it, that tiny, barely-there curve at the corner of his lips before he started walking again.

She fell into step beside him.

And just like that—

The awkwardness melted away.

A/N: Year 2025. This is my attempt at writing an epilogue for this 10-year-old story. I feel a little sad cause I don't think I can write like Love Potion Mishap anymore. My attempts at fluffy SasuHina always end up leaning toward drama instead (yes, like this!). Maybe it comes with age? Lol. But it's clear my writing has changed over the years. Well, I haven't written in so long… unless reports count, haha..

I actually debated with myself on whether I should publish this epilogue or not. :D