s-asuke:

The rosebuds mixed with the ones of the cherry blossom tree on the cracked ground. Sarada Uchiha, with her small, yet strong legs, climbed up a practice dummy that her mother had made for her. When she decided it is enough for today, she cleaned up the tools from the everlasting scent of dirt and grass, running silently into the house to wake her mother from a nap.

Their house was still freshly painted – sentiment of her mothers’ wish for renovation. Sarada’s baby pictures, along with the only one picture of her father that she possesed was perched upon the fireplace, unused by the heat of the late spring. The month of June was upon them – searing heats were to meet them soon. Her mother walks into the room soon enough – perhaps wakened by the unsettling sound of Sarada’s heart, beating like a drum (or maybe it was even Sakura’s own, since the woman and the girl both anticipated the same thing).

“Papa’s coming back tomorrow.” She declares that, chest puffed out, legs nervous and nearly dancing. She can’t hide her happiness. “Yes, he is!” The face of her lonely mother lights up with a foreign cheeriness, teeth white and cheeks flushed. Her long, pink hair is let down in a flowing mesh of tresses, challenging dust to taint it.

“Mama, I can’t wait! Maybe Papa could stay for a week this time! Huh? And maybe we could go to that candy shop together? I know that Papa dislikes sweets, but you don’t, and Boruto said that they have three new licorice flawors! Papa will maybe like the sour ones, hm?”

“Mm, we will see, darling. When Papa comes, the most important thing is to hug attack him, to show him how much we love him and how much we missed him!”

“Yeah! And that’s our best combi attack Mom!”

“Now, now. What about your newfound shuriken skills? Won’ t you show those to Dad?” Sakura muses with a proud smile, Sarada is already beaming at her mother’s kind face. “Of course! I certainly won’t miss a chance!”

The two fall in comfortable silence, Sakura starts sorting out the laundry at the edge of their living room, which is large, lit by a small chandelier whose bent pink crystals give a red hue to the room. Just being still like this – safe and sound at the edge of Konoha, where no one can harm them – no person can touch them, gives Sakura such peace of mind. And Sasuke’s return is due tomorrow night… She giggles just at the thought. “Mama… would you mind if I slept in yours and Papa’s bed tonight?”

“Of course not, sweetie. Mom loves it when you sleep next to her.”

“Mm! Okay! Can we have dinner now?” Her big, black eyes expectantly gleam at her through the glasses. “Just let Mama finish the laundry sorting and then we will, ‘kay?”

“Sure! I’ll help!” Her black hair bounces in the same way Sakura’s did when she was a genin, and her small hands take shape of Sasuke’s, their pinky’s having the same curve inwards (Sasuke once mentioned it was genetical, from the way that generations of Uchiha practiced holding shuriken and weapons). Sakura wants to gush at the similarities, loving how much her daughter resembles her father.

Under the watchful eye of a hawk and a nin- cat, they eat.

+

This day has to be absolute success for Sarada: everything has to be utter perfection when Papa comes home. Sakura knows it – indulges in her daughter’s requests – her happiness is calculated and quiet, never loud and rambunctious like her own. So they buy lots of fruit, meet Hinata and Himawari for tea, and afterwards buy tomatoes (So Papa can enjoy his lunch!). Sarada almost skips in excitement as they are guided back home by the light summer air. Sarada hopes that the beforementioned summer won’t forget to guide her Papa home, too.

+

The sunset is warm on their toes, the duo outside the gates of Konoha. Sarada is balancing her kunai in her hand – the ones Papa gifted her. She is brimming with excitement, and it’s so infectious, Sakura feels the Uchiha crest on her back itch slightly, even through just a premonition. The dark figure of her husband nears them – Sarada starts running before Sakura even notices him – her lover is lithe and strong as always, expecting his daughter to clash into him, already opening his arms as his little girl collides with him full force. Sakura didn’t see him for two months – yes, may seem like a short amount of time – but for her it’s like suffocation. She stalks over to the two people she loves most in this world, and Sasuke Uchiha holds only stars in his eyes for her.

A soft smile he gifts his daughter was still there, everpresent as he lets Sarada on the ground, yet lets her cling to the edge of his cloak. Melting at the presence of his family, Sasuke croaks, voice unused, “Sakura…” His arms strong around her as he crushes her, and it feels so nice and warm and good and Sakura feels loved, she feels worthy, not like a little housewife she has to be after she returns from the hospital. “Ah, Sasuke-kun… I missed you…” A wistful tone she’s using on him makes his heart clench, his daughter’s delighted smile gives him so much strength, he holds out his hand for his daughter to hold, all the while not letting go of his blushing wife.

Sarada starts excitedly rambling to her Papa, immediately after they enter Konoha, Sasuke’s eyes not caring for their surroundings. Sakura and Sarada’s hands, one in each of his are quick to satisfy his heart, which missed them dearly too.

His travels and missions are more than often unpleasant and scarce with people – no actual human contact – and all of a sudden he is in the bustling centre of Konohagakure, heading down familiar paths to a place which was the Uchiha district once, now only the home of the Uchiha family. The house at the edge of the mountains – surrounded by the trees, with the nearest neighbors close enough to be seen – but not to intrefere and peer unwantedly into the house. Sasuke is attentive to every word of his daughter, occasionally nodding or replying, all the while glancing at his patient wife and returning the softness of her smile with the soft onyx of his eyes. After they get into the house, his wife lighting the house, Sarada murmuring something about dinner, running towards the kitchen. Sasuke gently covers Sakura’s cheek with her hand, whispering in her lips, “I’m home.”

The kiss is soft and passionate, Sasuke doesn’t spend a second being separated from Sakura, his hands occupied by caressing her soft face, her own locking his head, engulfed by his now long, dark tresses. When his hand passes her collarbone, she gives a pliant sigh, which reminds him to pull away for them to catch breath. Sakura’s emerald pools gleam – she measures Sasuke’s rowdy mane with her figertips, giggling, “You need a haircut.”

“Hn,” he retaliates, as Sarada jumps out of the corner, strutting excitedly towards her parents, “The table’s made! You have to get it out of the oven Mama, since it’s too hot.” She pouts at a small defeat, reminding Sasuke of his younger self. “Oh! Of course sweetie! You shouldn’t have touched the oven in the first place!“They leave him in the hallway, dissapearing into the dining room. As he abandons his cloak, and senses the slight sting of the paint in his nose, seeing through the dim lights of the dining room, his lovely wife and his clever daughter bonding, Sakura lightly lecturing her about not playing with the shuriken when they were just about to have dinner. Sasuke enters, offers to sit inbetween his girls and all of a sudden, the peaceful music from the ancient gramophone (gift from Shino) starts playing as they begin to eat. Sasuke never thought that he would enjoy music so much as he eats. Sarada’s occasional questions along the lines of ‘Do you like it’ and ‘Are you comfortable Papa?’ to which he all smiles slightly and nods. He is not yet tired – he will go to bed when Sakura does.

They finish the lunch with small talk – about how Sarada trains daily, her achievements, hopes and dreams, and Sarada skips to the yard, begging her father to come quick to watch her progress in shuriken training. As they are left alone, facing each other, Sasuke fathoms and places his happiness accordingly, eyes skating over Sakura’s exposed neck and beautiful belly, quick to settle upon her rosy cheeks and full, small lips. “Dear, I took a week off… so… how much will you be able to stay this time?” She is bashful, nearly shy – perhaps afraid of asking the wrong thing? Sasuke takes it to the heart – dislikes seeing his wife so tired, so… done.

“Good that you took off the week. I am wrapping up the… Ootsutsuki issue, so… I will stay this month.” Speaks it in his usual manner, his face relaxed but lips taut, unnoticeably biting the inside of his cheek for Sakura’s response. He does not expect the wave – no, tsunami of happiness that washes over her, rendering him breathless. Well, since she nearly choked him to death with that death grip around his neck. “Ah, really?” Failing in cover up her excitement, (with which he’s the most endeared with) she fixes up his hair which went a million different ways from the way she hugged him. “I can’t wait.”

He tells her of certain moments and difficulties, leaving out whether his feelings or some wounds. When Sakura decides their daughter has waited enough, she nudges Sasuke out, his legs a bit heavy, but still more than enough energy in them. Sarada is small but powerful, her young body carrying her easily towards the dummy, throwing multiple shuriken which collide with one another successfully, poised horizontally upon the dummy’s vital spots.

“You are doing very well.” Sasuke interrupts his daughter’s focus, face akin to a statue’s, but Sarada is never fooled by that. “Thank you!” Sasuke walks over to the dummies, collecting her shuriken and nodding his head towards a small pathway farther into the woods. “Let’s take a walk.”

What was once the powerful array of buildings that belonged to the Uchiha clan, now is a few lonely dirt roads that lead deep into the now small, all too young forest. Sarada is beaming next to him, feeling the importance of the silence and this opportunity. Sasuke is slightly disheartened by the lost memories, not allowing his daughter to doubt anything for a second. The docks are upon them – the same docks that twenty years ago Fugaku took Sasuke here to teach him the Katon jutsu. The water is slow and steady, and yet, if allowed, it would have the strength of a waterfall. Sasuke deems it appropriate for such a lesson.

“Mm. Dad? What are we doing here?”

“I am going to teach you some jutsu of our clan.” Just at the sentence, Sarada’s blush intensifies, becoming similar to the one Sakura sports. “Uh-huh! Which one?”

“It’s called Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu. The Great Fireball tehnique is the one which was passed in our clan for generations. Look.” Forming the seals unnaturally slow for him, and doing this jutsu that was so natural to him, he feels nearly at ease. The gargantuan fireball that forms from his chakra is heating up the chilly surface of the lake, causing it to damn near boil. He ends it as soon as he begun, simply by dissolving the chakra he built up in his chest, his awed daughter itching to try.

“I don’t expect you to get it right from the first try, even if it’s a smaller one, it simply means you need practice.”

“Mm! Don’t worry Dad, I will get it right straight away!” Sasuke is silent after seeing her tenacity, letting her do her own. She focuses, forehead creased, akin to the gesture his mother had a habit of doing, another jab to his heart. Soon replaced by immense sense of pride – his daughter, his hope – his dream, is so beautiful, loved and talented. He couldn’t be happier. His daughter weaves the signs – so much faster than he expected – and one wave of chakra later, there is a fireball, certainly not as big as his, but a formidable one certainly. She can’t blow the flames for a long time, and when she dissolves the built up chakra, she turns to him expectantly. Sasuke reveals his pride and his amazement like every other emotion – through his eyes.

Ruffling her black hair, gathering her easily in his arms he whispers, as if it’s a secret, “I am very proud of you.”

Giggling, she connects her thin arms on the width of his forehead, silently checking, “Is it enough for today, Papa?”

“Very well,” his heart doing a somersault when her legs relax on his shoulders and she kisses the back of his head, small hand caressing the eye which contains the Rinnegan. “Thank you for today Papa. I love spending time with you.” He hums, softening considerably, stiffening up when saying a small, “likewise”.

They are at peace, even if it’s dark and a slightly lonely night, but Sarada doesn’t even flinch at the tall shadows, her powerful Papa is with her. There is nothing that can ever happen with him nearby.

“You are Mama’s first love, right?” Sasuke is taken aback by the suddenness of this question. He answers it anyway.

“Yes.” Sarada is silent for a while, but Sasuke knows she is doing some heavy thinking.

“So that means that she is yours, too?"Sasuke frowns, answering immediately. "Yes, she is.” Interested to see where is this going, he questions Sarada. “Even through you are each other’s special first love, I want you to know that both you and Mama will always be my first love. You are my favorite people, in the entire world, and I love you the most.”

Picking Sarada up from his shoulders and settling her on the ground, just tens of meters before their house, he kisses Sarada’s forehead, and then tells her softly, “Mama may be my first love, but you are certainly sharing that place, because you are too precious to me.”

The lums above their heads were the only witnesses to the hug shared between the father and the daughter afterwards.

percabeth5599:

Prompt: First Love, Sasusaku Month Day One

Summary: When Sasuke and Sakura realise who their daughters first love was and in the process find out about eachothers. (Post Gaiden)

“I think Sarada has a crush on Boruto.”

Sasuke has always taken pride in being a careful person, he’s rarely the kind to let things fall from his only hand and even if on the off chance something does, his reflexes are fast enough for him to catch the item before it hits the ground.

But when Sakura walks into their house after a long shift at the hospital to make one of the most ludicrous announcements he’s heard in a while he can’t help but drop the stirring spoon he held in his hands.

“What?”

His voice is silent and deadly. On a normal mission it’s enough to paralyze whoever is on the receiving end in terror but Sakura simply laughs it off, her husband hardly looks threatening in his his homely blue apron which matches the head band that thier daughter had helped him tie to keep the hair out of his face.

“I’m going to kill him.”

“Oh darling I think you’re over reacting.” Sakura states as she wraps her arms around his waist and stands on her tip toes so that she can peer over his shoulders to see what he’s making (it’s Sarada’s favourite sweet dish) “I think it’s cute that he’s her first love.”

Sasuke sighs, his immediate plans of killing a certain blonde haired idiot (No, not that one, his son) subsiding.

It’s easy to give into his wife in moments like these when they are alone. He knows she’s tired, the soft yawn she tries to stiffle as she presses her cheek to his back is a testament to that.

Sasuke doesn’t have the heart to break out of her grip for he knows that at times like these when Sakura is tired, chakra depleted and cold he’s her favourite pillow.

He’d never admit it out loud but he was quite proud of that particular designation.

Plus it’s not like he’d actually be able to wriggle out of her embrace considering her ungodly strength.

Besides the more time he’s given to think, the more painful he can make that moronic brat’s death.

He suppose Sarada would be mad at him for the first couple of days but he was sure she’d get over it after he taught her a new jutsu.

Sakura hums softly as he stands there letting his brief spike of anger simmer down along with syrup he’s stirring to her soft tune. It’s a lullaby she’s humming, one that he’d sung once to her during her pregnancy days when she had trouble sleeping. It’s the same one Itachi used to sing when he was a child and it’s calming effect still holds true after all these years.

“Darling.” Sakura starts,“Who was your first love?”

Sasuke blinks, all his creative plans to kill Boruto brought to a abrupt stop by her sudden query.

“What do you mean?” Sasuke’s voice is harsher than he means it to be and while he tries to convince it’s because something is stuck in his throat he is well aware that it’s just an excuse to cover up the fact that he’s the slightest bit hurt that even after all these years the answer is still a mystery to Sakura.

“Oh!” She says jerking away from him, her hands falling away as she steps back. Wide veridian eyes stare back at him as he turns around to face her, irritated that she let go.

For a moment she stands there still before she starts stuttering out,“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t realise. I didn’t mean to pry- I was just curious and-”

“Sakura.” He interrupts,“What are you talking about?”

She blinks,“Your first love, she was an Uchiha wasn’t she? I’m sorry I didn’t mean-”

“What gave you that idea?”

She blinks up at him. Even after all these years there are some insecurities she can’t shake off. It this habit of hers that bothers him the most, maybe because every time she displays her unsurity about their relationship Sasuke is overcome with a tidal wave of self loathing for he knows that all her insecurities stem from the fact that he’d treated her like crap through out the course of their childhood.

“I just thought-” she sighs breaking off,“Never mind.

“Tch. Annoying.”

She lowers her head,“You’re right that was a stupid.”

He lets his lips curve into a small smile, amused by her reaction. For some reason he never gets tired seeing her like this; embarrassed and shy.

It’s one of the more contrasting things about his wife because while she’s one of the strongest people he knows, nothing less than deadly in battle, she’s also one of the kindest. As a kid he never believed one could be both, strong and kind but in the past fifteen years of their marriage Sakura has spent everyday of it proving him wrong.

While she’s kind to everyone she meets, this side of her, the one where she’s shy and unsure is reserved only for Sasuke and he isn’t ashamed to admit that, that’s just how he likes it.

And that’s why he loves teasing her at times like these because he’s the only one who can and get away with it.

“Who was your first love?“ He asks nonchalantly.

Sakura looks up at him incredulously.

“What?” She asks,“ Is this a joke?”

Sasuke simply shrugs as he turns away from her to add the finishing touches to his dish.

Her eyes are defiant as she pokes her head into his line of sight,“I’ve loved you since we were five years old I’ll have you know. It might have been a superficial crush at first but I’ve only ever liked you.”

“Only me?” Sasuke says as he pours the contents into a bowl,“That’s hard to believe.”

Her eyes narrow,“If not you, then who? It’s only ever been you.”

“Not even Lee when he saved you during the Chunnin exams?”

“No.” She replies,“And if you recall I hugged you then and not him.”

“Not even Naruto when you kissed him?”

“That was CPR by the way.” She counters,“And you kissed him too. Twice.”

“Kakashi?”

“Are you kidding me?” She started,“That’s ridiculous.”

“Sai?”

“Where are these names even coming from?” She huffs,“ This is-”

Before she can finish, Sasuke quickly bends down and brushes his lips against hers shocking her into silence. It’s an awfully short kiss and when Sasuke pulls back he smiles as he looks down at his wife’s closed eyes and puckered lips.

“For the record you were the first and only person I’ve ever loved.” Sasuke states.

Her eyes flutter open and she stares at him confused for a moment before her mouth forms an ‘oh’. Then her questions begin,“Really? How? When? I thoug-”

“Sakura.” He cuts her off giving her a look.

“Right. I’ll shut up.”

“Good, then it’s easier to do this.” He leans down and kisses her again.The tips of his fingers graze against her skin as he cups her cheeks and lifts her face towards him his lips moving against hers effortlessly.

While Sasuke is a reserved man, there is absolutely nothing reserved about his kisses.

Sakura still remembers the first time Sasuke had kissed her she’d felt all her unsurity about their relationship melt away. While his kisses are commanding, they’re all consuming and absolutely and completely honest. He leaves no room for her to doubt his feelings for her because the way he kisses her always makes her feel like he’s laying his soul bare for her to see. Only her to see.

Because in the end for both Sasuke and Sakura it had only ever been each other since the very begining.

Sakura is about to wrap her arms around his neck and pull him closer to deepen their kiss but Sasuke abruptly breaks away once again leaving her hanging.

Sakura pouts as Sasuke starts walking towards the living room. She can’t see the smirk on his face but she knows that he’s thoroughly enjoying messing with her.

“You don’t play fair.” She grumbles as she follows Sasuke.

He sits on the couch and gently pats his lap. Sakura happily bounds towards him, her complains forgotten and takes her place on the couch by lying across it with her head resting on his lap.

They stay like that for a while as Sasuke reads a scroll regarding the latest details of his mission and Sakura stares up at him carefully memorizing all the details of his face for she knows that when he’s gone it’s these moments she’ll cherish the most.

“You know we both married each other’s first love.” Sakura comments offhandedly,“Do you think Sarada will do the same?”

“The brat won’t live long enough.”

Sakura snorts,“You’re not going to kill him, Naruto will never let you hear the end of it if you do.”

“I can handle the dobe.”

“You’ve been trying to get rid of him for eighteen years now, how’s that working out for you?”

“Tch.”

“If you actually consider it, it’s kind of cute really.” Sakura continues,“Naruto and Hinata’s son with our daughter. Plus Sarada is really open about her feelings too. I thought she’d be like you and be in denial about it for at least five years.”

“I was not in denial about it.”

“If I was your first love that means you must have loved me since we were genin, right?” Sakura prompts,“And you were pretty much an ice cube those days.”

“I wasn’t in denial, I just didn’t show it.”

“So you were in love with me since we were genin.”

“Sakura.”

“Okay fine, I’ll drop it.” Sakura relents,“So anyway today I heard her and Choucho talking about Boruto and that’s how I gussed. They were fawning over how his blonde hair catches the sun rays perfectly and-”

Change of plans, Sasuke was going to first torture the brat and then kill him.

“- just how mature and responsible he is-”

When did he brat become mature and responsible? Just the other day he remembered his daughter complaining how childish and careless the dobe’s son was.

“- how his blue eyes pop perfectly against his white clothes and-”

Sakura stopped abruptly when she saw the look on Sasuke’s face.

“What’s wrong?“she asks lifting herself up from his lap and turning around to face him properly.

“The brat kid only wears black.” Sasuke deadpans,“His training clothes are black and pink.”

“Then…..” Sakura trails off as realisation dawns on her.

For a moment they stare at each other, green against mismatched black and purple.

The next second Sakura is up and Sasuke is right behind her, heading for the door.

“I’m going to kill the dobe.” He mutters poisonously as he opens the door.

Sakura brushes past him,“Not if I get to him first.”

All the way across town in the Hokage’s office, Naruto sneezed.
______

I’ll be honest I really want to see Sasuke appear in the Hokage’s office with his apron and matching headband and beat the hell out of Naruto with his stirring spoon.

lavendersmiles:

SasuSaku Month 2017

Day 1 : First Love

***

So I just realized that though I have read hundreds of fanfiction, I haven’t actually written one for this OTP of mine. This is my first SS fanfic, and also my first entry to SS month. I hope I still have some dignity left after this 🙂 

This story’s been stuck in my head for a while, and it’s nice that I’ve finally written the words down. So… here it is.

It’s also posted at FF 😀

***

Uchiha Sasuke
started to regret why he said yes to his teammates’ invitation to dinner until Yamanaka
Ino did something that made him think otherwise.

After team 7’s
mission that day – a day before the summer festival, both Naruto and Sakura urged
him to join with the rest of their age group to dinner at a new restaurant. He
insisted on staying home, but he couldn’t say no to pleading eyes greener than
the fields in spring. Thus, he found himself surrounded with his peers.  

“Come on,
forehead! Sing for us!” Ino shouted from the karaoke machine and pointed at
Sakura using the mic.

Sasuke
looked at the woman beside him whose cheeks burned bright red. “W-What are you
talking about Ino?!”

“Sakura-chan
can sing?” Naruto pondered out loud. Everyone turned to the pink-haired
kunoichi, who started sinking in her seat – all the while glaring at her best friend.
Right then and there she wished that the ground would just swallow her whole.

Ino smiled
deviously. “Have you guys watched the movie Utakata
Hanabi?”

“It was that
super popular movie back then, right?” Tenten answered.

Kiba added, “That
movie was sappy, but still good though. Heard it made millions.”

“Why haven’t
I watched it then?” Naruto demanded. Hinata gave him a timid smile before
answering. “It was back when you left the village to train with Jiraiya-sama,
Naruto-kun.”

“And you
guys know of its theme song, right?” As soon as Ino said those words, Sakura
bolted from her seat and tried to cover her mouth. But her dear best friend quickly
released the secret before she could kill her.

“It was sung
by a singer named Cherry. That Cherry is actually Sakura!”

“Ino!”
Sakura screamed while the blonde just gave her a peace sign. When she turned
around to look at her friends, all of them looked at her with eyes wide.

“Eeeehhh?!”

“Why didn’t you
tell us, Sakura-chan?” Naruto wailed.

“I think she
wants to keep it a secret, Naruto. Though it is obviously not a secret anymore,”
Shino responded.

“How
troublesome, Ino.” Shikamaru remarked.

“Ne,” Chouji
ate some barbecue before continuing, “I think you owe Sakura big time, Ino.”

“It is time
to let your youthfulness show, Sakura-san! Sing for us!” Lee exclaimed with his
usual passionate voice.

“Don’t humiliate
yourself,” Sai stated while giving her a smile.

“Sakura!
Sakura! Sakura!” All of them started to chant. Her eyes wandered to Sasuke, who
kept silent throughout the entire time of her ordeal. He returned the gesture,
and for a few precious seconds their eyes meet once again. Sasuke gave her a
nod – and it was enough for the butterflies in her stomach to take flight.

With a
defeated sigh, she grabbed the mic form Ino. “Fine. Let’s just get this over
with.”

Ino
immediately punched the numbers in, before Sakura could change her mind. As the
opening notes started, everyone kept quiet, eager to listen. She could feel a
certain pair of onyx orbs watching her, and a small smile formed on her lips.

I was thinking of him back then when
I sang this. I guess it’s time to sing it in front of you, Sasuke-kun.

With a quick
release of breath, Sakura started to sing her heart out.

Afureru hito de nigiwau hachigatsu
matsu no omatsuri
Yukata wo kite geta mo haite
Karan koron oto wo tateru
Fui ni agatta hanabi wo futari de miageta toki
Muchuu de miteru kimi no kao wo
Sotto nusumi mita no

Kimi no koto kirai
ni naretara ii no ni
Kyou mitai na hi ni wa kitto
Mata omoidashite shimau yo

Konna kimochi
shiranakya yokatta
Mou nidoto aeru koto mo nai no ni
Aitai… Aitainda
Ima demo omou kimi ga ita ano natsu no hi wo

To say that Sasuke was
surprised is an understatement, but he didn’t let it show. Sakura usually just hummed
while they were waiting for Naruto and Kakashi back in their genin days. He didn’t
know about this talent of hers, but he was pleased.

Sukoshi tsukarete
futari michibata ni koshikake tara
Tooku kikoeru ohayashi no ne hyururira nari hibiku
Yozora ni saita ookina ookina nishiki kamuro
Mou sukoshi de natsu ga owaru
Futto setsunaku naru…

Sakasama no haato
ga uchi agatteta
Ahaha tte warai atte
Suki da yo tte kisu wo shita

Mou wasureyou kimi
no koto zenbu
Konna ni mo kanashikute
Doushite deatte shimattandarou
Me wo tojireba
Ima mo kimi ga soko ni iru you de

Sakura remembered the time
when the producer of the movie offered her to sing the main song of his movie. He
heard her sing while she was helping out in the hospital and she immediately refused. The
song was beautiful, but it reminded her of her beloved Sasuke.

But he intended to help with
the finances of the hospital if she said yes. With a little push from Tsunade,
Shizune, and Ino – she finally gave in.

Amai toiki binetsu
wo
Obiru watashi wa kimi ni koishita
Sono koe ni
Ah… Sono hitomi ni kizukeba toki wa
Sugi satteku no ni
Mada kimi no omokage wo sagashite

Once more, her eyes locked
with Sasuke’s. Can you feel it,
Sasuke-kun? I sang this for you, Sakura thought. She closed her eyes as she
sang the last chorus, still very much aware of his stare.

Hitorikiri de
miageru hanabi ni
Kokoro ga chikuri to shita
Mou sugu sugi no kisetsu ga
Yatte kuru yo
Kimi to miteta utakata hanabi
Ima demo omou
Ano natsu no hi wo

When Sakura
opened her eyes, she saw everyone looking at her. Naruto with his mouth hanging
open, Ino smiling like the little devil that she is, while Sasuke… she didn’t know
what was in his thoughts now.

“That was
great, Sakura-chan! Like a real idol!” Naruto proclaimed, giving her a
thumbs-up sign. Everyone started to clap, and she felt the blush forming. When she
glanced at Sasuke, her heart leaped when she saw the smallest of smiles from
him. One that somewhat showed that he was proud of her.

She had
little time to dwell in her happiness, for Ino immediately requested another
song. She thanked her lucky stars when a ninja suddenly appeared, requesting
her presence in the hospital immediately. She ran off, somewhat thankful she dodged
another round of singing and probably loads of questions.

But then she
remembered that they were all going to the festival together tomorrow night.

***

The
emergency lasted until morning, and she immediately went home to replenish her
chakra levels. Sakura woke up from her sleep in the late afternoon, feeling
well-rested. After taking a bath, she made tea and started reading the reports
of her trainees in the hospital.

Her doorbell
rang, and as she approached the door, she felt his chakra.

Sasuke.

He looked elegant in his kimono, Sakura mused. When he just gave her
a look, alarms went off in her head.

The festival!

“Uwaah
Sasuke-kun gomenasai! I’ll get ready quickly!” She let him in before dashing to
her room.

After a few minutes,
Haruno Mebuki came to visit her in her apartment. Sakura was grateful for her
mother’s great timing. With her help, she was able to get everything done
early.  She and Sasuke left and headed to
the festival grounds together.

“I’m sorry
again for making you wait, Sasuke-kun. The festival just slipped from my mind!”

The Uchiha
nodded. “You were tired. It’s okay, Sakura.”

She just
gave him a teasing smile. “It sucks that you lost the bet against Naruto, huh?
Now you have to attend the festival with him and the rest of us.”

“Hn.”

When they
came to the meeting place, not one of their friends were there.

“I think
they left us because of my lateness,” Sakura sulked.

“Tch. That dobe.”

She turned towards him, a bit bashful. “Since we’re already here, let’s just enjoy the festival, Sasuke-kun!”

He found himself lost in her eyes once again. It’s becoming a common occurrence, now that he thought about it. Though he had the chance to leave, something inside him pushed him to say “Okay.”

When she gave him one of her brightest smiles, he felt like the luckiest man alive.

***

Surprisingly,
they didn’t bump into Naruto and the others throughout the night. None of them
minded though – both much content of each other’s warm presence. When it was
time for the fireworks, they found a spot to stay for a while.

While waiting
for the display of lights, Sasuke found himself blurting out, “You have a
beautiful voice, Sakura.”

Her face
turned as red as her kimono at his compliment. “T-Thanks, Sasuke-kun. I guess
my secret is not a secret anymore, huh?”

“Why did you
keep it, then?”

She looked
up towards the night sky. “I just thought that it was unnecessary?”

A few
moments of silence passed, when Sasuke surprisingly broke it. “Back in the
academy, I heard a girl singing in the fields… picking flowers. The wind blew
some of those flowers away, and I helped her get it.”

Sakura’s
eyes went wide. That… that was the first time they talked.

The time
when she started to love him.

“That memory…
just came to my mind when you sang. Then I remembered… she was you.”

The first
fireworks brightened up the night sky, but the two Konoha shinobi didn’t
notice. They were busy looking into each other’s eyes once again. Sakura can’t
believe it; he actually remembered the memory closest to her heart. She recalled
that after that sweet encounter, she immediately ran off to find Ino and the
other kids.

Listen up, everyone! I’m in love! Who
do you think it is?

Her eyes
started to glaze over. Whether it was from happiness or shock, she couldn’t tell.

Sasuke was
reminded once again of Sakura’s love for him. He still found it surreal,
though. How could someone still love him after all those years? After all he’s
done? But Sakura’s love just shone like a beacon of light through it all –
guiding him. Slowly, he reached out to hold her hand. “Sakura… arigatou.”

He couldn’t
say the three words yet, but he hoped Sakura understands. She did though, ever
since.

Uchiha
Sasuke will always be Haruno Sakura’s first love. And she is certain it is the
kind of love that will never waver despite all the circumstances. It’s a love
that will bind them together – their red string of fate. Sasuke couldn’t be more thankful to have that kind of love. He knew that in this lifetime or the next… or even in another dimension, it will always be her for him. He will always be for her. 

The fireworks in the sky continued to shine, but it goes away as quickly as it came. The fireworks couldn’t represent their love. Their’s is more of a small, steady flame. 

Gaining strength, staying strong, one that will grow into something bigger.

Their love will continue to shine, always and forever.