Archive of Our Own

The scream bounced off the thin walls of the room, reverberating to his core. He was torn between anger and fear with his head pulsing with an incoming migraine. He settled on exhaustion instead and dragged himself to the bed. Sarada was wriggling in her blankets like a madman, trying to get out but failing miserably. She screamed again as fat tears went down her cheeks whilst she complained. She was loud, even at ten months, she was as sensitive as ever.

The first three months had been terrible for Sasuke. He was on paid leave from the police station to take care of his newborn child. Karin had died upon childbirth, leaving him with an infant who would never experience a mother’s love. He had been beyond devastated. It had been too soon for her to go. It hadn’t even been a year since their marriage. His family reached out to help him take care of his daughter but he refused. He had made it very clear to them that he was a grown man and could handle his problems well enough.

He regretted it after a week. He had no idea how to take care of a child, much less a newborn baby. Sarada Uchiha had been discharged from the hospital after two weeks because of the funeral. Director Tsunade offered to find him a nurse but he turned her down. He agreed on bringing her for checkups every fortnight. Naruto was currently out of the country on a diplomatic mission. He would have helped Sasuke take care of little Sarada and he would’ve gladly accepted because the blonde was the only person he trusted. But he wasn’t there.

Sarada cried at everything. Being hungry. Being fed. Having a dirty diaper. Being changed into a clean diaper. Being hot. Being cold. Being held. Not being held. Taking a bath. Seeing Sasuke. Not seeing Sasuke.

The internet didn’t give him solutions because even after doing everything that it suggested, she still cried. His neighbors complained that the noise was too much for them and he had to move out after a month into a low density studio apartment that gave Sarada enough privacy to bawl her eyes out without complaints from neighbors. When she turned four months, he began dropping her off at the nursery so that he could go to work. At the end of the month, the caretakers told him that they couldn’t look after her any longer because she was too much of a hassle.

By that time, Naruto had returned to Konoha and he offered to look after Sarada since he was on leave for the next three months. Hinata agreed to help him too. Sasuke didn’t like to be helped, he preferred to do things on his own. Karin always complained that it was going to be the death of him one day. He preferred that he had died in her place. Why would she leave him with a newborn child? He was the youngest in his family and didn’t have any younger cousins to play with.

For the next three months, Sasuke would drop Sarada off at Naruto’s in the morning and retrieve her in the evening. Sometimes, she would sleep over whenever he had late night shifts. But still, it took a toll on them. Hinata started developing dark eye rings since she worked from home. He knew that Sarada was no easy baby but to see even Naruto and Hinata be so affected by her, he began to feel guilty. The married couple was no longer as enthusiastic as they had been the early days.

Not to mention, they had their own kid to look after. Boruto Uzumaki. The kid was even more of a menace than Sarada. They fought a lot, despite being only eight months old. They were only days apart with Boruto being born on 29 March and his daughter on 31 March. He began to think that maybe he should’ve taken up his parents offer for help. 

Just as she turned ten months, he called his mother asking for help. The apology was sour in his mouth but he needed to be humble. Mikoto was teary as she comforted him, having heard from Naruto just how tough it had been to look after Sarada. He occasionally went to visit his parents in the countryside with her but never slept over. A lot had happened in their house when he was younger that he didn’t find himself wishing to go back there. Out of respect for his parents, he visited at the end of every month.

Mikoto told him about a caretaker who had helped Itachi and Izumi with their first child. She was the same age as Sasuke and was generally loved everywhere she went. Despite being young, she was an accomplished doctor. She had set up several children’s mental health clinics in different countries. She would get along with both of them just fine.

The brooding Uchiha went over to Sarada and took her out her blankets. She squirmed to get out his hands and with a sigh, he set her on the bed. She gave him an unimpressed stare. He went to the kitchen and retrieved her bottle which he had just been warming up. He set the bottle in between her lips and the kid grabbed it before shoving into her mouth.

Sasuke watched her drink down the entire bottle until nothing was left. She threw the bottle to the side. With a burp, she clapped her hands. “Papa,” she gurgled as she smiled happily at him. He allowed a soft smile to grace his features. As much as she was a hassle, he loved Sarada to the end. He would do anything for her. She deserved all the love in the world.

“Papa,” she repeated as she raised her hands. He sighed fondly as he picked her up. He kissed the tip of her nose causing her to giggle in delight. “Papa mwah!” she cooed as she left a sloppy kiss on his cheek. “I’m going to get you a babysitter. You’ve been a menace to society,” he told her. “Ah ah,” she shook her head. “Papa,” she repeated as she grabbed his hair which covered his left eye. He had a black eyepatch he had been sporting for six months. The scar was healed but he often had phantom pains. He had been on duty when one of the yakuza he was fighting stabbed his eye. He managed to take him down and arrest him but at the cost of his eye. Naruto had just begun taking care of Sarada and so he had ample time to recover. Still, he missed seeing with two eyes but there was nothing to do.

Sakura looked up to see Ino entering her apartment. “Didn’t your parents teach you to knock?” she stated as she flipped over her magazine. As if she didn’t hear her, Ino removed her shoes and left them at the shoe rack. She was wearing a dark purple blouse and a black slacks. She didn’t look like a woman who had a year-old son. “Do you have anything to eat?” the blonde asked as she went to the kitchen and opened the fridge. “Leftover lasagna,” Sakura called out. Ino returned with a soda and the lasagna in a plate.

“I heard you got another job as a babysitter,” the older woman started. “Yeah. Mrs Uchiha said her youngest son has a child who needs the best babysitter in Konoha,” Sakura stated. “Have you met him?” Ino asked. Sakura shook her head. “I was supposed to meet him this morning but he got held up so we rescheduled to the afternoon,” she told her. Ino nodded her head thoughtfully. 

“How’s Lee?” she asked. Sakura couldn’t help but make a face. “He can’t seem to get the hint that I’m not interested,” she huffed out. “He’s been smitten with you for a very long time. Maybe you should give him a chance,” Ino tried to convince her. Sakura snorted. “I see what you’re doing here. I appreciate your concern but I’m not settling down with someone I’m not interested in. It’s not fair to the both of us,” the pinkette shot her down. “I’m just saying Sakura. You’re almost thirty and you haven’t even gotten laid!” the blonde exclaimed. “I’m twenty four Ino. There’s plenty of time,” Sakura spoke sagely. “Oh please. When was the last time you were in a relationship?” Ino asked. “And do not tell me about that fling you had with Shikamaru in college,” she added with an unimpressed glare.

Sakura pouted. “You’ve only ever been with one person and he’s already married with a kid of his own.” Sakura pretended to be interested with the model on the magazine she was reading. “Look, I’m not pressuring you to do anything. I just don’t want you to die single. You never know what might happen,” Ino spoke gently. “I know Ino. But I want something real. I want the fireworks that you read in-“ “I knew those romance novels were good for nothing,” the blonde seethed in indignation. “Sai gives you the sparks. I want something like that too,” she grumbled. “Fair enough. But please, do something about it,” Ino said in defeat.

“I’ve got to get ready to meet my new employer,” Sakura said as she stood up. “How long are you going to be a babysitter?” Ino asked. “I’m on leave for three months and I’ve got nothing better to do. I might as well make the most of it,” she said as she headed to her bedroom.

They had agreed to meet at the restaurant near Sakura’s apartment. It was small and had little activity. The restaurant had large windows that allowed sunlight to light it up even when there was no electricity. It was mostly there because it had been established for a little over fifty years and the owners didn’t want to let go. Sakura often visited it during her college days and even when she started working at the hospital. It was the reason why she had moved to this side of town. Time seemed to move slowly whenever she was there. It was the only constant in her ever changing life. She was dressed in a maroon dress that reached just underneath her knees. It was short sleeved with a round collar. Black sandals and white sling bag finished the attire. Modest and simple. Just like her. The only thing that was outstanding about her was probably her pink hair which brushed the nape of her neck. She was thinking about growing it out.

She often told people that she was strawberry blonde in order to avoid questions on why she dyed her hair such an unusual color. She was a natural pinkette, surprisingly. She also had a gigantic forehead. She both hated and loved it. Hated it because she had been bullied severely as a child because of it and loved it because that’s how she got her best friend who defended her throughout her childhood and even her high school days. She did grow out of it but only a little bit. It was still noticeably big but it had long since stopped bothering her. She was an achieved doctor. Her forehead meant nothing in the surgery room. Perhaps it was big because it housed an equally big brain. Maybe. 

There was no one in the restaurant as she entered and the server was sleeping at a corner table. Sakura didn’t want to wake Moegi up. She knew her since she was a little girl. She wouldn’t mind Sakura staying here for an hour or so. She sat at another corner table and took out her novel. She was a sucker for romance and now that she had three months of no work, she was going to make the most out of it. She had several romance series lined up and she couldn’t wait to get started.

Ten minutes later, the door opened and a man entered. Moegi didn’t wake up. He looked around the room and Sakura waved her hand from where she was, beckoning him to come over. He walked almost soundlessly towards her. A baby was strapped to his chest. He had dark hair which was parted at the middle with his left eye completely covered. He was dressed in a navy blue golf t-shirt and black jeans. Her eyes immediately zeroed in on his exposed forearms, revealing veins and muscles which flexed a little as he adjusted the bag he was holding.

‘Pull yourself together!’ she snapped at herself. She sat down her book on the table and plastered an easy smile on her face. “You must be Mr Uchiha,” she said as he took a seat opposite her. He nodded as he looked around the restaurant. “Would you like to get something?” she asked politely. His attention focused on her and her heart rate picked out. “I’m fine,” he said as he adjusted himself so that the child was properly settled on his chest. He placed the bag on the seat beside him. “My name is Sakura Haruno,” she introduced herself as she held out her hand. He looked at her hand for a beat before shaking her hand. His grip was firm and her inner fangirl was squealing. “And you are?” she prodded. 

“Sasuke Uchiha,” he replied after a moment. Sakura wondered if he was a socially awkward person. “Nice to meet you Sasuke. Mrs Uchiha says you need a babysitter,” she said. He nodded his head. She waited for him to explain but he remained silent. “Well, why don’t you tell me a bit about yourself?” she spoke, slightly miffed by his lack of cooperation. “I’m a police officer,” he stated. Sakura waited for him to add more but again, he remained silent. She tried not to be affected by it. “Well, I’m a doctor. I’m a surgeon and a psychiatrist and I usually alternate between the two. As a psychiatrist, I mostly work with children. I’ve helped to set up different mental clinics for children here and in different countries. I’m pretty good with children,” she explained. He nodded.

“Do you have any questions?” she asked. He shook his head. Was he mute? “I trust my mother’s judgement,” he spoke and left it at that. Sakura was quickly getting annoyed. “Look, I get you’re not the most talkative person alive but I would really appreciate it if you spoke more. Like, your child’s name and gender for example. And how we’re going to be doing this. You’re the one who needs my services and I need to know what I’m working with,” she said in a faintly frustrated tone. He looked at her for a long time before he let out a sigh.

“Her name is Sarada. She’s turning a year in March. She used to go to a nursery when she was four months old but they said she was too troublesome. My friend started taking care of her but she was too much to handle. I work during the day and sometimes night shifts. I took care of her the first three months,” he explained rather awkwardly. Sakura nodded her head in understanding. “What challenges did you face?” she asked clinically. “She cried. At everything. I didn’t know what she wanted. I did everything but it wasn’t enough,” he admitted. “Does she still cry now?” she asked sympathetically. “Not as much. It does get frustrating especially when I’m coming from work,” he said.

Sakura nodded her head in understanding. She wanted to ask about her mother but it didn’t feel right. “Thank you for answering that. It helped a lot. Let’s move onto the schedule. Where do you live?” she said. “At the apartments near Indra Hall,” he replied. “And the police station?” she asked. “Central Police Station,” he said. “Hmm. That’s far from where we both live,” she hummed thoughtfully. “If you don’t mind, she can stay over at my house during the week. Then on Friday, I’ll spend the day there so I can drop her off for the weekend. Is that okay?” she suggested. He nodded. “On the nights you’re not busy during the week, I’ll drop her off at your house. When you’re working night shifts, she can sleep over,” she added. He nodded.

“Do you have anything to add?” she asked. “If she becomes too troublesome, just tell me,” he said. Sakura had to smile at his thoughtfulness though it was unwarranted. “Thank you but I can handle myself,” she said cheekily. He smiled a little and her stomach did a little flip. “I’ll see you Monday morning Sasuke,” she said as she stood up. He didn’t do the same. “See you then,” he said as he tipped his head towards her. Sakura smiled. With a small wave, she left the restaurant.

Both Sarada and Moegi hadn’t woken up.

She had only a day to prepare for Sarada. Just as she was about to sleep on Saturday night after her first meeting with Sasuke, the man had sent her a text asking for her banking details to transfer her first payment as well as money to buy whatever Sarada would need. She was touched. He was blindly trusting her, scratch that, he was blindly trusting his mother and she applauded him for that. It made her like him just a little bit more.

On Sunday morning, she visited the shopping center. She asked what kinds of food she liked, the diapers she used, if she had toys or needed any. A lot of unimportant stuff. It was very domestic. A picture formed in her mind. In another life, she would be walking down these very stalls with holding Sarada’s hand with Sasuke in tow. They would discuss which color to pick for her bottle. She sighed in exasperation. Those books were really getting to her. She was reading a lot of adult romance especially with pregnancy tropes. They were her favourite. She had met the man briefly and was already daydreaming about him and his daughter whom she was yet to know.

By afternoon, she had finished packing all the baby food in her kitchen and some of the stuff in her room. Tomorrow morning, she had to arrive early to pick up Sarada and her stuff before Sasuke left for work. She had to take some clothes, bottles and maybe toys. If he had anything to add, he would tell her then. Though she doubted he did.

She woke up at the crack of dawn and got ready for work. She wore white t-shirt and black sweatpants with crocs before heading out. A black cap rested atop of her head. There was really no need to dress up since she was just picking up Sarada and coming back to her apartment. She didn’t have a car. She was too lazy to purchase one. She took an Uber to his apartment which was on the other side of town. Within thirty minutes, she had arrived. She checked the time on her phone. It was a little after six. Sasuke left the apartment at seven.

It was located on the first floor and tucked into a corner at the end of the hall so she didn’t have to take any stairs. She sent him a text that she had arrived as she walked to his door. She knocked three times. A muffled ‘come in’ sounded from inside. With a calming breath, she opened the door and went inside. His apartment was just as she had expected. The colours were muted. Grey walls, a black coffee table and a nude carpet. The sofas were suede and black too. She took in the sight of apartment. It was slightly bigger than hers. The entrance led to the living room which was carefully composed. It didn’t seem as if there was a child living here. She went to the living room and caught sight of three pictures on the wall. 

The first one had a younger looking Sasuke with his family. She could easily recognize Itachi and Mikoto. She had never met Fugaku but she had heard about him. The frown lines on his face mirrored Itachi’s though they were located at the edge of his lips rather than running from the nose like Itachi. Izumi argued that they weren’t frown lines but rather smile lines. The gods had given them smile lines so that they could smile some more. She could understand why Izumi loved Itachi’s smile on the brief moments that she had seen him smile. She was yet to see Fugaku smile.

The next picture was one of Sasuke with three unfamiliar persons. Beside him was a blonde guy sporting an enormous grin. On the other side was a redhead girl with red glasses. She was smiling widely. Sasuke wasn’t smiling but he looked like he belonged. Behind them was a tall man with silver hair. Odd. She continued to study the picture that’s when she noticed Sasuke’s hand loosely peaking out on the other side of the girl’s waist, as if he had been holding her. It made her stomach clench uncomfortably. The final picture was one of a baby smiling at whoever had taken her picture. She had one tooth growing at the top of her gums. She smiled involuntarily at that.

“I’m in the kitchen,” she heard Sasuke say.

She located his voice easily since the kitchen wasn’t that much far from the living room. He wasn’t dressed in uniform but it appeared as though he was had about to head out. He wore a white short sleeved shirt and black trousers. He wore a black vest on top with an unfamiliar logo embroidered on the back. Was he part of the special police unit? He was stirring something in a pot. Sarada was nowhere in sight.

“Good morning,” she chirped as she stood on the other side of the kitchen counter. It was polished granite. He turned around to give her a nod before returning to the pot. “What’re you making?” she asked as she walked over to him. “Porridge. She’s about to wake up. You can collect her from her bedroom, the second door to the left,” he told her. She nodded her head as she went into the small hallway. She opened the door quietly. Sarada was just rising from her small single bed. It was way too big. She needed a cot. She would definitely use the bed until her teenage years.

She yawned loudly and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Her eyes finally landed on Sakura who was standing by her door. The two stared at each other for a long time without doing anything. Sakura decided to break the ice and walked towards her. Sarada continued to stare at her even as she took a seat on her bed. “Hey there. My name is Sakura,” she said with a smile. Sarada’s face scrunched up. “Your papa is making porridge and he’s about to go to work. We’re spending the day together,” she explained.

Though she couldn’t literally comprehend what she had said but she knew that babies understood if you talked to them. “Let’s go get some food,” she said as she held out her hand. Sarada looked at her then her face. She raised her hand unsurely and clasped two of Sakura’s fingers. Immediately, she let out a squeal as she jumped towards the shocked pinkette. She started making gurgling sounds. A smile formed on her face. A small part of her had been worried that Sarada would refuse her given her track record. They were off to a good start so far. She placed her in arms and stood up, heading to the door. 

Sarada’s attention was already on her cap. She took the cap and stared at it curiously. She turned back to Sakura. With an amused huff, she placed the cap on Sarada’s head which completely covered her head and face. The baby let out an another squeal. She removed the cap from her head and stared at it in wonder. She looked at Sakura and gave her a smile. She had four teeth in teeth. She started to play with the cap. 

She arrived in the kitchen to find Sasuke making coffee. “Would you like some coffee?” he asked. “I’d appreciate that. I didn’t eat before I left,” she told him gratefully. He nodded and went to the fridge. “Her porridge is on the table with her bib. Hopefully, she won’t throw up,” he spoke from the fridge. She was surprised. “You’re not going to show me how to feed her or something?” she asked. “Don’t you know how to?” he asked as he closed the fridge, holding two eggs. “I know. I thought that-“ she faltered. “I don’t understand. All my past clients had special requests with regards to their children. Certain things that I’m supposed to do and things that I’m not supposed to. Don’t you have that too?” she asked genuinely. It was embarrassing to say it out loud but she had to know.

“I’ve already done everything I can and I still haven’t fully figured her out. I’m not in a position to be making demands,” he told her, his attention on the eggs he was frying. It was almost self depreciating. “You’ve done a great job looking after her Sasuke,” she said firmly. Sarada wiggled in her arms. She was hungry. She went to the kitchen table and took a seat. She placed Sarada on the baby chair beside her stool and wrapped her bib around her neck. Sarada’s mouth was already open before she raised the spoon to her mouth. Sakura chuckled at her antics.

By the time she was done feeding her, Sasuke was grabbing his car keys from the top of the fridge. “I left some eggs in the pan. The coffee is almost done. Call me if you have any questions,” he said as he flipped through his wallet. “Bye,” Sakura called out as he headed towards the door. The apartment was quiet as Sasuke left Sarada and Sakura alone. “Let’s get you cleaned up so we can head over to my place,” she said as she put away the bowl at the sink. She placed the eggs on a plate and poured herself coffee with four slices of bread. She went back to Sarada who was watching her curiously.

“I need to eat first,” she announced. The child’s attention was focused on her plate or rather her eggs. She took a small part of the fried egg and placed it into her mouth. Sarada smacked her lips loudly. She made more sounds as if to say more. She ended up eating all of Sakura’s eggs. “I’ll let this slide just this once,” she told the girl. 

She went to the sink and washed her plates then put them on the drying rack. She took the child and went to her room. She made Sarada’s bed. She found her bathing stuff and washed her before changing her into clean clothes. “Stinky diaper,” she said dramatically as she removed her diaper causing Sarada to giggle uncontrollably. She changed the ten month old girl into a navy blue tracksuit. She packed some clothes into a bag, took her formula and bottle. There were no toys but she has bought a shaker so it would do. They left the house a little after eight.

The rest of the week passed in a blur. Sakura would drop Sarada off around six in the evening. Sasuke would be there and freshly showered. He would thank her for her services and she would be on her way back. He never invited her over to stay. It stung a little but she guess she deserved it. What was she even expecting? He was a married man with a busy life and she was a romance fanatic. The following week passed the same. The third week, Sarada spent the weekend over at Sakura’s since Sasuke was leaving the city with work. 

Sarada and Sakura got along perfectly. She was the most well behaved child she had ever babysat and she made sure to tell Sasuke. She had babysat during her college holidays which was about three years ago. Sasuke had said she was troublesome but Sakura found it difficult to believe. 

She barely talked with Sasuke unless she was telling him that she was coming over or Sasuke would be coming home late. Ino had asked her how her new employer was. Sakura said he was fine. He mostly kept to himself. She pretended it didn’t bother her and Ino didn’t pester her. It didn’t help that Sasuke had somehow become the object of her affections. It was the only explanation why his lack of reaction towards her bothered her or why her stomach did little flips the few moments his attention would be solely on her. He did literally nothing. He didn’t even try to make small talk. It was weird. They were almost the same age. There wasn’t anything illegal that was happening. It made her hate the redhead on the picture even more. She didn’t know her but Sakura absolutely loathed her. The fact that Sasuke had his arm wrapped around her infuriated her. She still didn’t ask about Sarada’s mom and he didn’t tell her.

Sasuke stared at his plate mindlessly. Lunch break would be over soon and he would have to get back to work. He was part of Danzo’s guard and he absolutely hated it. The war veteran had taken a particular interest in Sasuke. He was the head of the military police and he had made it very clear that he wanted Sasuke on his personal forces. The Uchiha wasn’t interested given his father had once worked directly under him. When he told Fugaku about it, he had been livid. The man was aloof as the word itself but it was the first time he had seen his father lose his cool. He begged him not to give in. Nothing good ever came from it. His father revealed how his older cousin Obito had lost his life. He had been in the military. Danzo had taken him out when Obito wanted to leave military life to settle down with his fiancé Rin Nohara. He had first killed Rin in a hit and run accident before he finished Obito off on a mission doomed to fail.

The story seemed incredulous but his father wasn’t the type to gossip or spread around rumors. And so he kept his distance. He hoped that Naruto’s father would step up as head of the National Police Agency and get him off his back.

His phone rang and he took out his phone from his pocket. Sakura was video calling him. A stone dropped into his stomach. Sakura never called especially a video call. Did something happen to Sarada? He prayed to the heaven that nothing to his baby girl. He couldn’t bear to lose Sarada her.

He answered and Sakura’s face came into view. Her hair was tied into a bun at the top of her head. Her hair had gotten longer since he had met her. “Sasuke,” she stated with a big smile. She smiled a lot around him. He didn’t know if that’s how she treated other people. “Is everything okay?” he asked. “Just watch.” She switched the selfie to the back camera. Sarada was sitting on the floor in her living room. She was looking at Sakura. “De,” he heard Sakura’s voice say. Immediately, Sarada perked up. “De nana de,” the woman seemed to sing. “De,” Sarada said as she shifted her position to stand up. She had been doing that ever since Sakura came into her. “De nana,” Sakura encouraged. 

“De,” Sarada repeated as she took a step forward. “Come on. De nana de,” Sakura sang again. Sarada let out an excited squeal as she began walking towards Sakura. “De! De! De!” she said with every step she took. As soon as she was within reach, she threw herself at Sakura. “That’s my girl,” she said as she picked up the giggling child. “De!” Sarada yelled. She shifted the camera back to selfie mood revealing a grinning Sakura and Sarada. When Sarada saw him on the screen, she let out a happy sound.

“Papa,” she said as she plastered her face onto the screen, showing only her eyes and forehead. “Hey there,” he said softly. “Papa mwah!”she cackled as she kissed the screen. “That’s enough young lady. You’ll see your papa soon,” Sakura said. The camera shifted to Sakura’s ceiling. She must have set the phone down. “De! De!” he heard Sarada say. Sakura’s face came into view again. “Our Sarada can officially walk. It took a lot of practice because she was very impatient to walk, in fact she wanted to run,” she beamed at him.

As if realising something, she bit her lip guiltily. “I hope I didn’t disturb you,” she said. “It’s okay. It’s during lunch break anyways,” he replied. “I’ll let you get back to work. See you soon,” she said with a smile. He nodded his head. “Sarada don’t you-“ the video call cut . His girl was backing to making trouble again. 

“Well well well, would you look at that? Sasuke finally got himself a girl,” Suigetsu cackled as he appeared behind him. “She’s Sarada’s babysitter,” Sasuke replied as he stood up. “No need to be shy. We’re best buds. It’s okay to admit she’s your girlfriend,” the white haired officer teased. Sasuke ignored him. He left his tray at the table. The servers would collect it in a bit. “Aww don’t be such a spoil sport. Humor me,” Suigetsu complained. “Nothing is happening neither will it happen. She’ll be gone soon,” he told him, ignoring his retorts.

Sasuke returned after a week. Sarada had turned eleven months. He arrived during the middle of the night. Her phone rang from her bedside drawer, forcing her out of slumber. ‘This better be important,’ she thought annoyed as she answered the call. “Hello?” she yawned. “Sakura? Are you awake?” she heard Sasuke’s voice. “Now I am,” she replied. “I’m outside your door,” he said gruffly. “You want to pick up Sarada at this time?” she asked incredulously. “If it’s not too much work,” he said. “Well, you’re already here so you might as well take her,” she spoke as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “Give me a minute,” she said and cut off the phone. 

She got out of bed and went to the living room to take her keys. She found them after a few minutes and unlocked the door. Sasuke was standing at her doorstep, his features darkened by the lack of light. He seemed to be favoring his left side. Her nose caught the faint scent of blood. “Are you injured?” she asked. “It’s nothing serious,” he brushed her off. Sakura didn’t believe him. Her arm struck out and she poked underneath his ribcage. He hissed sharply in pain. “Yeah. I thought so. Get over here before I drag you myself,” she said as she beckoned him inside. He was about to protest but relented when he caught her unamused glare. She pointed at the couch before making her way to her room to get her medical kit. 

She always had one in case of emergency. She returned and began to put on her gloves. “Take your shirt off,” she instructed as she opened her kit, going over its contents. Sasuke obliged but the lights hadn’t been turned on yet. She went to the switch and flipped it on. Sasuke’s body stole her breath away. She knew that he worked out a lot since he was a police officer but her mind didn’t serve her well enough. He was no twink, not even close. His clothes did his figure no justice. But his toned physique wasn’t what caught her attention. He had a lot of purple bruises and cuts all over his chest. Right across his stomach, there was a poorly bandaged cut which seemed to run from his navel to his chest. Just how had he gotten those?

“Lie down. Whoever dressed you did a terrible job,” she pointed out. “I dressed myself,” he wheezed as she began to peel the bandage off. “Why didn’t you go to a hospital?” she asked. She sniffed the cut. It was a few days old and infected. “We didn’t have access to a hospital,” he replied. “You could’ve gone there before coming here,” she remarked. He was quiet for awhile. “You’re a doctor, aren’t you?” he said softly as she began to clean oft the blood. “I could be a fraud for all you know,” she told him with a raised eyebrow. “I trust you,” he replied.

Sakura turned her attention back to dressing his wound. She didn’t allow herself to think too much about his words even when they made her heart skip a beat and butterflies dance in her stomach. He was only seeking her out because she was a doctor and his babysitter. Thirty minutes passed in silence as she stitched his wound. After that, she put some medicine then wrapped it carefully. “I don’t know how you’re still alive after leaving it infected for so long. You should’ve have been dead,” she told him honestly. “I’m used to it,” he stated. She looked at his shirt and jacket on the floor. She picked up his jacket. It reeked of sweat, blood and smoke. His shirt was stained with blood. 

“Let me get you a change of clothes. You’ll take the bed and I’ll sleep on the couch,” she said as she walked out of the room. When she returned with one of her oversized t-shirts and sweatpants, Sasuke had already put on his shirt and jacket. “I’ll just drive back. I don’t want to intrude,” he told her. She threw the clothes at his face and he caught them at the last second. “You don’t get to decide that. If you didn’t want my help then you shouldn’t me come here. Change into those clothes. You’re sleeping here, doctor’s orders,” she said, trying to control her rising anger.

“But I-“

“I swear on my degree Sasuke, I will drag you to the bed if it’ll make you stay. I didn’t waste my sleep just for you to leave because you got what you want. You’re staying. End of story,” she ordered. He opened his mouth to protest but her glare cut him off. “Fine,” he conceded in defeat. “Change into that. I’ll see you in the morning,” she smirked in victory.

When Sasuke awoke, sunlight was streaming through the window through the heavy curtains. He sat up. His wound didn’t hurt as much as it did a few days ago. Sakura really was a good doctor. He didn’t doubt her skills but he thought that his mother exaggerated her accomplishments. He was strangely touched as he prodded at the carefully dressed wound. She could’ve ignored him and sent him off with Sarada. But she didn’t . She had cleaned him up and forced him to stay over at her house, something which he had never done with any other female. Her sheets smelled just like her. A hint of something sweet and hospital disinfectant. It wasn’t like he sniffed her out or something. She was the only person in his life who wasn’t related to work. It wasn’t hard to notice everything about her ranging from how she smelled or the arrangement of her teeth when she smiled. 

On the days he were bold, he often checked her out. She dressed modestly, almost like his mother but she was old. Sakura wasn’t old and didn’t dress as scarcely as the women at work. Still, he knew that she was pretty rounded despite her slim figure. Her chest wasn’t as small it appeared to be, he noted the one time she was wearing a form fitting t-shirt. She also had toned arms and an attractive neckline. Was it rude to stare at someone’s neck? She had a rounded rear which demanded his attention whenever she wasn’t facing him.

Sasuke blamed it on the lack of female figures in his life. That was probably the only reason he was somewhat attracted to this boring girl who liked to read romance novels and watch even more romantic dramas. She had questionable music tastes which Sarada absolutely loved. He often heard Sarada sing whenever she was distracted. She talked about a lot of things. Medicine, politics celebrities and even her best friend who was a renowned designer. He listened to every word she said, being the only source of information about normal people. But he didn’t engage in conversation with her, just the occasional hum that he was paying a lot of attention, which he usually was.

He didn’t think himself capable to have any sort of feelings towards someone. The only relationship he has wasn’t even built on real feelings of love.

Danzo had been attacked in Kumo. Sasuke would’ve wanted more than nothing for him to die. But alas, he was duty bound to protect the man. It didn’t help when he made Sasuke his personal shield. No one had died, thankfully but Sasuke had been injured the most. The attackers didn’t use guns, they wielded swords like fucking samurais. It hurt a lot, not more than a bullet but painful nonetheless. If he hadn’t gotten martial arts training during his early childhood years, he would’ve been toast. Fugaku had been hell-bent on him mastering a katana. He had managed to do just that and it had saved his life, ten years later.

His phone was on the bedside drawer. He checked it for notifications. There a missed call from his mother and Suigetsu. Naruto sent him a message inviting him to hang out. He was tired and he didn’t want to get up but he had to see Sarada. It has been a week and a half since he last saw her. He had gone longer days without seeing her but it had been Naruto back then. This was Sakura. Not that he doubted her but he just had to make sure his kid was okay.

He got out of bed. It was the first time he was in Sakura’s room. She had been in his plenty of times since Sarada liked to play there sometimes. He didn’t mind. He had nothing to hide and it was just a room. It was the same size as his own bedroom except it wasn’t so lifeless. Her comforters were light blue with navy pillows. Her walls were cream. There was a single picture on her bedside drawer. It was Sakura with a blonde girl wearing their high school uniform. There was a desk with a laptop in the corner. She had a walk in closet. He looked around for some shoes and found brand new slides near the door. There were his size. He wondered if she had bought them for him.

The clothes she had given him were rather small. The sweatpants fit him rather snugly. The t-shirt was stretched across his form. It looked like something he would wear to the gym. He would need to go back home and change. As he left the room, he heard music coming from the lounge. He recognized it immediately. Karin had forced him to watch High School Musical when they were younger. He could recognize the girl’s voice. Sharpie? Sharply? Sharpay? She was singing about something fabulous.

He arrived to find Sakura singing with Sarada who was standing and clapping her hands. She was moving her body along to the heat with Sakura doing dramatic dance moves. It wasn’t long before she noticed him. “Good afternoon Sleeping Beauty. Get enough rest?” she asked with an easy smile as she approached. “What time is it?” he asked. He had forgotten to check the time on his phone. “It’s almost two in the afternoon. You were out for far longer than I had expected. When was the last time you got proper rest?” she asked. He ignored that as Sarada walked over to him.

“Papa! Papa!” she said, walking gingerly and trying not to fall. A smile formed on his face involuntarily. He crossed the distance between them and picked her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and placed a kiss on his cheek. “I missed you too,” he chuckled. Sarada grabbed his hair and started playing with it. Sakura was staring at them with a soft smile. He felt a bit guilty with the way he had been treating her. He wasn’t rude per say but he was detached. He hadn’t properly thanked her for taking care of Sarada. It wasn’t about the money. She took really good care of her.

“Thank you for taking care of her.”

The words sounded foreign in his mouth. He wasn’t used to thanking people. Plus he felt words weren’t enough to express his gratitude. “I’m going to need more than just words. I’ve been doing too much of a good job,” she said with a smug smirk. She was teasing him but he felt entitled to her. “What can I do?” he asked sincerely. She tapped her cheeks with a thoughtful expression. “Well, for one. You can help me by recovering which means following my advice. How long do you have until you have to get back to work?” she stated. “Actually, never mind. Just call in sick, doctor’s orders,” she told him. He gave her an unamused look. 

“I figured you weren’t the type of person who took breaks at work. It won’t kill you to spend a week off Sasuke. Sarada could use the company too. She missed you terribly,” she explained. She had a point, as much as he loathed to admit. She was a qualified doctor. If she told him to rest, he ought to rest. He knew how dangerous it was to recover halfway then get harmed again. He didn’t want to end up like some of his colleagues who got cocky and often ended up dead. 

“Okay,” he agreed reluctantly. He wasn’t used to staying at home. The longest break he had taken was when Sarada had been born. Three months. It didn’t count as a break since taking care of the newborn was more than his work. “Sit down. I’ll make you some lunch. Then you can go home,” she instructed and he obliged.

Sasuke refused Naruto’s offer for drinks. He was healing. He did not need alcohol to the mix. He had returned home and took a much needed bath. Sakura instructed him on how to change his bandages. She promised to call him to check if he had properly changed his bandages and she did everyday. 

His mother called him two days later.

“You don’t even call me anymore,” was the first thing she said as he picked her call. “I was busy Mother,” he told her honestly. “You used to come over every month end,” she complained. “I missed once. I was out of the city,” he said. “How’s Sarada? Does she like Sakura?” she asked. “She’s fine. Sakura is doing a very good job with her. Sarada might actually like her more than me,” he said. “Sakura is such a sweet girl. I knew she could handle her,” she gushed. He waited for her to continue. “We have a family lunch on Saturday. You should come,” she told him. He wanted more than nothing to spend the entire day sleeping but knowing his mother, there was no escaping this. It didn’t help that he had missed his monthly visit.

“Okay. I’ll be there,” he agreed. “Wonderful. Bring Sakura too,” she said. “Why would I do that?” he asked. “She’s part of the family Sasuke. She took care of Minami and now Sarada too. We need to properly thank her,” his mother explained. “But I’m paying her,” he argued. “Now now, I taught you better than that Sasuke. With all your money, no one could handle Sarada until she came along,” she said, her tone laced with disappointment. She was right. And he was wrong to imply that paying her was enough. Even though he wouldn’t confess it to anyone, he felt eternally indebted to Sakura. Taking care of Sarada made his job easier. It made his life easier. He didn’t have to spend every waking hour waiting for a disaster to happen.

“Okay. I’ll invite her. But I’m not going to force her if she says she doesn’t want to,” he stated. Knowing Sakura, she would agree. “Oh she will definitely come. I’ll see you Saturday. Say hie to Sarada for me,” she said, ending their call. He sighed miserably. His mother was a schemer and he didn’t to know what she had planned. She rarely invited strangers to their family dinners. Granted, Sakura wasn’t that much of a stranger but still. She wasn’t part of the family. She was just a babysitter. 

He called Sakura the next morning and told her that his mother was inviting her to their family lunch on Saturday. “Oh,” she said awkwardly. He frowned involuntarily. “Is something the matter? It’s okay if you don’t want to come. I’ll just tell her you got busy,” he stated. There was a beat of silence. “It’s not that. I’m just not sure if you want me there,” she explained. Him? “I don’t understand,” he told her truthfully. “Apart from the fact that I’m Sarada’s babysitter, you don’t seem to enjoy my presence much,” she confessed. There was another beat of silence. “It’s not like I’m complaining. I just don’t want to make you uncomfortable at your family lunch. I don’t want to bother you,” she added.

Sasuke kicked himself mentally. Just what had he done to make Sakura of all people wary around him? She was the last person to bother him. He would actually pick her company over Naruto. She was a naturally happy person. She was kind and polite. She had the right amount of humor and seemed to have an ability to get along with everyone. Well, everyone except him. He was detached and withdrawn. She probably thought she bothered him with the way he acted around her. It wasn’t anything personal. He just wasn’t used to having to actually talk with another person things which weren’t work related. He only went out with Naruto and that was when he was feeling sentimental enough. He mostly kept to himself. His poor social skills were clearly showing and his mother would be disappointed in him, again.

“You’re not a bother Sakura. I would really appreciate it if you could come,” he spoke. “You really mean that?” she asked warily. “I didn’t mean to make you feel like thag. I apologize if I implied otherwise,” he said with as much sincerity as he could muster. She let out a small sigh. “It’s not your fault that you’re not social. I’m projecting my insecurities onto you,” she said with a self depreciating chuckle. “I’ll pick tomorrow morning so we can go there together,” he said. “Thank you Sasuke. I really appreciate it,” he could sense the smile in her voice. A real genuine smile. It took little to make Sakura happy. Was he taking advantage of her sincerity?

“Good night. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Good night. Greet Sarada for me.”

Sakura looked at herself in the mirror for the umpteenth time. Was this outfit good enough? Too bland? She didn’t know. She could really use Ino’s help but her friend was out of the country. She didn’t want to bother her with something so simple. She was wearing a light pink dress which ended at her knees. It had a sweetheart neckline which revealed a miniscule amount of cleavage if she bent over a little. She wasn’t wearing any makeup except for light pink lipstick. Her hair was tied into a simple bun at the nape of her neck. She had no jewelry on. She considered putting on a necklace. Unfortunately, she didn’t have one. She did have a pair of white pearl earrings which she actually complimented her face.

Her dress had short bell sleeves. White sandals finished her attire. “I look like a granny,” she groaned out loud. Her phone rang and she jumped. Sasuke was calling her. “I’m in the parking lot,” he told her. “Give me a minute,” she said before hanging up. She took her handbag, checking if she had all her credentials in case of an emergency. She took her phone which was fully charged. Sasuke told her that he had taken Sarada’s stuff but she put her bottle, baby formula, diapers, wipes, baby lotion and a change of clothes. Just in case. She locked her apartment with her handbag and Sarada’s small satchel in tow.

When she arrived in the parking lot, Sasuke standing outside his car. A smile appeared on her face immediately. “Good morning,” she chirped. He was dressed in a black polo t-shirt with a pair of jeans and sneakers. It looked so casual on him. She had spent most of her time with him in uniform so it was a little off putting to see him so casual. Off-putting but welcome nonetheless. “Sarada’s still asleep,” he told her. She nodded her head then raised the small satchel. “I packed some of her things just in case,” she explained. “Thanks,” he said.

They got inside the car. Sarada was sleeping in the back. She put on her seatbelt as Sasuke reversed the car. They left the car park and drove to the main road. The drive was two hours. They would arrive just after ten. Sakura fiddled with her hands. The silence between them was too quiet. She wasn’t used to silence. Sasuke cleared his throat. “You look nice,” he murmured almost inaudibly but the silence was too loud that she heard every word. “Are you sure you’re not being modest? Because I look like a grandma,” she chuckled to herself. “It suits you though,” he said. “Dressing so old fashioned?” she teased.

“For one, you do not look like a grandma. It’s just modest,” he explained. That was the most he said to her in a single sentence sans their first meeting. “Modest. Hmph, more like boring,” she scoffed to herself. “I like boring,” he spoke. “Well, I guess that makes town of us,” she said with a smile. He didn’t look at her but he saw the corner of his mouth twitch. “Can I turn on the radio?” she asked. He nodded. She flipped through the radio stations but they weren’t playing anything interesting.

“Do you mind if I connect my phone? The radio is too bland today,” she asked with a nervous grin. It wasn’t even her car and here she was, asking to play her very boring playlist. He nodded again. She turned on bluetooth and connected her phone. She flipped through her playlist, one she played whenever she was doing housework. The first song started playing. “Do you mind if I sing along?” she asked guiltily. The song was too good. “As long as my ears won’t bleed,” he said with a loop sided smirk. “I’m no Beyonce but I can hold a few notes,” she boasted. 

“Do you remember?

On the twenty first night of September?

Love was changing the mind of pretenders,

While chasing the clouds away.”

She bobbed her head to the beat, humming some of the lyrics she didn’t. It was one of her all time favorites. Ino teased her that she liked to old people music. She loved feeling sentimental.

“My thoughts are with you.

Holding hands with your heart to see you,

Only blue talk and love, remember.”

A giggle caught her off guard. She turned around to find Sarada awake in her seat. “Pamba,” she gurgled as she wiggled in her seat. “Pa pamba,” she repeated. “Do you often play this song?” Sasuke asked. “Yeah. September by Earth, Wind and Fire. She can’t sing September so she says pamba. She also tried to mimic the ba-dee-ya,” Sakura explained. “Pa bee ya. Pamba,” she clapped her hands. Sakura continued to sing with Sarada backing her up in the backseat. When the song was finished, the baby was sporting a large grin on her face. “You’re gonna become one heck of a singer aren’t you?” she said as she reached behind to ruffle her hair. 

“Sakuwa mwah,” she said as she grabbed Sakura’s wrist. The pinkette chuckled. “Love you too kiddo,” she said. She turned back to Sasuke. “Can you pull over for a bit so that I can go do the backseat? I don’t want her to feel lonely,” she asked. Sasuke pulled off the main road after a few minutes. Sakura got out the car and went to the backseat, causing Sarada to clap her hands excitedly.

They arrived a few minutes eleven. Itachi’s car was already parked outside. There was another unfamiliar car she hadn’t seen since her last time here. She didn’t know every Uchiha but she was curious about them. They mostly kept to themselves. For awhile, Sakura thought there was only Mikoto’s family but the way she kept talking about their cousins sounded as if there were more of them. Sakura was a naturally curious person and she wanted to know.

It didn’t help that she may have a developed a bit of an attraction towards Sasuke. He was a married man, for crying out loud! It didn’t help that he was a dad on top of that. He did not need to have his babysitter thirsting after him. As such, she was both horrified and excited. Anything could go wrong or go well just the same. She had to make sure that no matter what happened, nobody got a whiff of her feelings towards Sasuke. If didn’t help that Mikoto had tried to set her up with her nephews back when she was in college.

Sakura helped Sarada out of the car and set her on her feet. The baby immediately started trotting towards the door as fast as she could. Sakura left her satchel and the bag in the car. “Are you excited?” he asked as he joined her in the drive way that led to the front porch and door. “Kinda. I haven’t been here in four years,” she said with a nervous chuckle. “You’ve been here before?” he asked with mild curiosity. She nodded her head. “I used to babysit Minami when I was in college. That’s how I met Mikoto. I was looking for a part time job during the holidays and I made a few posters about babysitting. She was the first person to reach out. She told me about Minami and how her parents’ busy work schedule was clashing. I was desperate and accepted. It also helped that I could study at the same time so it was one of the best jobs I got. It also helped me to be a children’s psychiatrist,” she spoke. “I’m rambling aren’t I?” she added with a sheepish grin.

“Not so much. Let’s get inside before Mother comes and drags us herself,” he said, tipping his head towards Sarada who was on the front porch and banging her tiny fists on the door. They crossed the distance in a matter of seconds. Sakura picked up Sarada as Sasuke knocked on the door. Sakura waited, her stomach almost growling with nerves. “Relax,” Sasuke murmured beside her. “I’m trying,” she whispered pathetically. “What are you so afraid of anyways?” he said. Before she could reply, the door opened revealing a smiling Mikoto.

“Sakura! You’re here!”

She made a happy sound as she embraced both Sarada and Sakura. “It’s been a long time,” Sakura said with a big smile. “I thought you had forgotten all about me. I was very happy when you agreed to babysit Sarada,” Mikoto said as she cooed to Sarada who looking at her in excitement. “N’ma! N’ma!” she giggled. “Yes it’s Grandma sweetie. I missed you too,” she said. Sarada held out her arms to the older woman who took her immediately. “Mother,” Sasuke spoke from beside Sakura. He had almost been forgotten in the family reunion. “I’m glad you could make it Sasuke. Let’s get inside. Izumi was dying to see you.”

The Uchiha household was the right balance of traditional and modern. It looked pretty old and well kept. Sakura had been here on three times in total to pick up Minami. She hadn’t stayed around to actually get to see inside the house. It would be officially her first time. The furniture was polished and well arranged. Sakura envied Mikoto’s taste. It was simple yet elegant.

There were a lot of pictures plastered on the wall. Out of curiosity, she went to the nearest one to get a closer look. There was a baby with a one-toothed smile holding a dinosaur toy. The baby looked like Sarada but not quite. Perhaps she was still very young. “That’s Sasuke,” she heard Mikoto say as she came up behind her. “Sarada looks so much like him,” Sakura commented. “She does. They’ve both come a long way since Karin passed,” Mikoto spoke, a melancholic undertone in her voice. Her curiosity perked up. She didn’t know who this Karin but from how Mikoto sounded, she seemed pretty important. “Karin? Who’s that?” Sakura asked coolly.

Mikoto chuckled. “I suppose Sasuke didn’t tell you. I would’ve surprised if he did. It’s not my place to say anything. You’ll have to ask him about it,” she replied with a wink. Sakura couldn’t help but snort. “Sasuke isn’t exactly talkative, worst of all around me,” she couldn’t help but scoff. “You’ll have to forgive my son. But I promise once you get to know him, it’ll be all good,” the older woman beamed. Sakura did want to get to know Sasuke more. It was just so hard when he was uncooperative. “We’ll see,” she said instead. She didn’t me to diminish the older woman’s spirits.

Sarada was already playing with her cousin Minami when she arrived in the living room. She was a five year old girl who had inherited her mother’s eyes and beauty mark. She also inherited Itachi’s smile lines and washed out hair color. An odd combination but she was beautiful as both her parents were. She didn’t have the energy of a thousand men as Sarada neither was she as expressive. She was quiet and passive aggressive. It was impossible to know what exactly she wanted when she reacted to nothing. After Sakura had started babysitting her, she was a bit more cooperative. It was during that time that she learned how to crawl and walk, all in the span of three months that Sakura babysat her. She also potty trained her. She was a fast learner.

When she caught sight of Sakura, she perked around immediately. “Ms Sakura,” she beamed up at her. “Hey there Mina,” she greeted the girl as she joined them on the carpet. “Are you babysitting Sarada?” she asked curiously. Sakura nodded. “Sakuwa! Sakuwa!” Sarada shouted. “Yes?” the pinkette replied. She started making a lot of blabbering sounds as if narrating a story. Sarada had a tendency to talk a lot when she was excited. “Mom said that Sarada is just like me as a baby and she needed someone like you to take care of her,” Minami spoke.

“True. But whilst you were quiet, Sarada is very loud and expressive. Her dad works a very important job and he can’t always look after Sarada,” Sakura replied. “Uncle Sasuke is a police officer. He catches bad guys,” Minami stated. “And whilst he’s busy catching bad guys, I’ll be taking care of Sarada,” Sakura remarked. “So you’re Uncle Sasuke’s wife?” Minami said with a scrunched up face. Before Sakura could retort, Minami explained. “I read in the books that women look after children and men go to work. Since you’re taking care of Sarada then you’re the wife. Uncle Sasuke goes to work so he’s the husband,” she stated.

Sakura couldn’t help the amused huff she let out. “Let me ask you then. When I took care of you when your dad was away at work, did that make me his wife?” she asked. Minami had a thoughtful expression. “But Dad already has a wife,” she said. “Which means taking care of Sarada doesn’t make me your uncle’s wife. Plus I also go to work,” Sakura finished smugly. Minami held her chin in deep thought. “I have to reread my books again. Mom won’t let me hear the end of it,” she moaned.

“That’s right. Now off you. Go get your father and uncles. Lunch is almost ready,” Izumi said as she appeared in the living room. Minami grumbled as she trudged to the hallway. Sakura turned to face her before letting out a surprised gasp. “Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?” she exclaimed in excitement. “It’s not even showing that much,” the brunette snickered as she patted at her stomach which was covered with an oversized sweater. Sakura put her hand over her mouth. “I didn’t ruin the surprise, right?” she whispered guiltily. Izumi laughed. “No. It’s hard not to notice the space occupied by my stomach even with this humongous sweater,” she said.

“How have you been?” Izumi asked as she embraced her. “I’m fine. Dr Tsunade put me on forced leave for the three months. She says I’ll burn out before I reach thirty,” Sakura said with an eye roll. “That much is true. It’s not every doctor who skips high school and goes straight to college, graduating at only twenty one years old. You work like a madman Sakura,” Izumi teased. Sakura couldn’t help but pout. “I love helping people. I can’t just sit around and do nothing,” she grumbled. “You need to learn to care of yourself,” Izumi said wisely.

“Tell me. How is Shikamaru?” she asked as they walked to the kitchen. “Oh, about that. We actually broke up when I got back to school. We decided to remain friends. He’s married now and he has a son,” Sakura told her. “Did you meet anyone else during that time?” the brunette asked. “No,” she replied. “You’ve been single for three years?” Izumi said with a baffled expression. “It’s not really a big deal-“ “Come off it Sakura. You’re almost twenty five. No boyfriend. Who does that?” Izumi huffed in exasperation. “Me apparently,” Sakura chuckled. “I’m not forcing you to do anything you don’t want to but you should really get someone,” Izumi spoke as she leaned back on the kitchen counter.

Sakura bit her bottom lip. Izumi was the big sister she never had. They lived in different cities so they didn’t get the chance to meet up often. They talked regularly when she was still attending uni. When she graduated, Sakura got so busy that she rarely found time to talk to other people apart from Ino. Which was why Tsunade had threatened to revoke her practicing license if she didn’t rest. Knowing the woman, she would find a way to do to it. 

She hadn’t talked with anyone about growing feelings for Sasuke. Ino was busy with work as a designer and stylist. Her work often led her out of the country especially during the holidays and award seasons. But she could talk to Izumi. They always talked about everything. The woman didn’t judge her and neither did she.

“Actually, there is someone I’m interested in,” she confessed, her face turning red immediately. “Oh do tell,” Izumi squealed. “You have to promise not to tell anyone,” Sakura pleaded. “I promise,” she vowed. Sakura took a deep breath. “It’s Sasuke,” she admitted. “But I think he hates me,” she added with a defeated pout. Izumi laughed out loud. “He doesn’t hate you silly. He just isn’t used to being around people. Trust me on this one. It’s nothing personal,” she comforted. “It’s hard not to think otherwise. It’s almost as if I annoy him. Every time I try to talk him, he always gives me one word answers,” she complained. “I won’t justify or excuse his shortcomings. But a little advice with Sasuke, you have to take the horse by the reigns. He doesn’t make the first move. You should just tell him,” Izumi said.

“What if he rejects me? It’ll be so awkward,” she cried. “You’re both adults. I think you can move past it. It won’t be the first time though. Sasuke had a lot of fangirls in high school. I can only imagine that the received tons of confessions,” Izumi spoke. “What if he thinks I’m just a fangirl?” she whimpered. “I doubt that. Nobody gets along with Sarada as you. That’s a plus in his book,” the brunette spoke with a wink. “Let’s get the food to the table outside before it gets cold,” Izumi tutted as she ushered Sakura told the oven.

The lunch went by uneventfully. They were joined with one of their cousins, Shisui Uchiha. He teased her relentlessly throughout the meal. It helped her relax as she was nervous especially since Fugaku didn’t smile. She thought he was annoyed because she was here. Just like Sasuke did. Though he said he did want her here, he certainly didn’t act like it. It was hard to get a read on him. Still, after lunch, as the ladies cleaned up the kitchen and did the dishes, they talked about a lot of things. Sakura told them about what she did after graduating three years ago. She had recently started her project of mental health clinics for children. Two had been opened up in Konoha and another one in Suna and Kiri. After her leave, she would be opening another in Kumo and Ame.

After that, they played card games which resulted in Sakura winning most of them. Shisui was shortly behind her with Itachi in third place. At around five, Sasuke told his family that he had to go back to Konoha. Mikoto had argued that they should sleep over but Sasuke had to report to the police station tomorrow morning to submit some paperwork. He had offered Sakura to sleep over with Sarada but she told him that it was probably best if they returned together. 

With tearful hugs and goodbyes, they left the countryside. Sarada was fast asleep in the backseat, having been exhausted from playing the whole day. Sakura figured it was her opportunity to ask about ‘Karin.’ She had been babysitting Sarada for a little over a month. Sasuke could talk to her. Hopefully.

“Sasuke, can I ask you something?” she said. He didn’t reply but nodded his head that he was listening. “Who is Karin?” she asked. She caught his hands gripping the steering a tad bit tightly. “Where’d you hear about her?” he retorted. “I was talking about Sarada with your mother and she mentioned her name. She said I should ask you,” she explained. “I hope you don’t mind me asking. It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me,” she added quickly. A moment of tense silence passed without Sasuke saying anything. She probably pissed him off. She was about to apologize when he let out an exhausted sigh.

“Karin was my wife. We got married two years ago but she died upon childbirth,” he explained in an oddly flat tone. “What was she like? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” she said cautiously. “She wore glasses. She was really loud and talkative. We grew up together,” he stated emotionlessly. “Is she the one with red hair and glasses? The picture in your living room?” she asked. “That’s her,” he spoke. She felt guilty. He was visibly uncomfortable with the topic. “I’m sorry for asking,” she apologized.

The rest of the ride was spent in uncomfortable silence. They arrived in Konoha after eight. Sasuke took her to her place first. They arrived in the parking area. “Thanks for driving me home. And taking me to your family lunch,” she said once he parked his car. “No problem,” he replied. Another moment of silence passed. “I have a confession to make,” she spoke. “What is it?” he sounded weary.

It wasn’t the best time to say it since they had just been talking about his dead wife but she was feeling strangely bold. Or stupid.

“I like you Sasuke. Not in the friendship kind of way but in the way that makes me wish I was Sarada’s real mom.”

Sasuke let out a scoff. “You wouldn’t want to be her,” he spoke as if she sounded crazy. Sakura pursed her lips. “My point is Sasuke, I really like you,” she pressed. “I thought so,” he remarked. “You shouldn’t like someone like me. I’m not capable of giving you what you want,” he added. ‘Well, he didn’t outright reject me,’ she thought. “It doesn’t hurt to try,” she reasoned. “I’m sorry,” he said simply. Sakura nodded as her tears quickly formed in her eyes. What was she even thinking saying that?

“Can I ask a question before I go?” she said, trying not to break down in tears. “Do you miss Karin?” she asked. She turned to look at him, gauging his expression for any signs of deception.

“No.”