chapter o n e

Haruno Sakura was a thing of the past. She belonged to the summer; a little girl with scrawny arms and unruly pink hair and a big, loud mouth. She belonged in gold sand and clear blue waters and an even golder sun, fireflies in mason jars and frozen watermelon slices and sitting in front of the electric fan on the hottest day of the season. She belonged in the house right next to Uchiha Madara's empty home, where he'd last seen her almost six years ago. She had been his childhood best friend−or, actually, she was his older brother's childhood best friend; he was just the third-wheeler, the child these two teenagers had to constantly look after. She had lived next to the Uchiha's summer home in Suna, their next-door neighbor for a month.

And yet here she was, in Sasuke's classroom. She leaned against a podium in front of the whole class, dressed like he's never seen her before. She wore a button up shirt and a pencil skirt, totally different from the faded, raggy shirts and shorts he was so used to seeing her in, with lips as red as the apples they used to pick from her backyard. She cleared her throat with regal authority and the classroom chatter came to a halt, leaving all conversations unfinished in the air. They're all wondering who this new person was and all Sasuke could think was what the fuck is she doing here?

"Well, stop gawking and take your seats! We're about to start class."

There was shuffling and desks grinding and quiet murmurs. Only when it was completely silent that Sakura continued, "Let's keep this quick and simple, okay? I'm Haruno Sakura, your new homeroom teacher. As you all know, Kurenai-sensei has gone on maternity leave, so you'll be stuck with me until graduation! Call me Haruno-sensei and refer to me with respect−" her friendly and cheerful smile slowly turned into a menacing one. It was a look Sasuke recognized immediately, the look she made when she's pissed off and likely to kick someone's ass. "I may be young, but I'm still your teacher. We can all get along or I can make the rest of your senior year a living hell; your choice." Her cheerful disposition took over once again, "Now, let's take roll!"

Sasuke took the moment to assess the changes Sakura had gone through over the years. Her hair had been long the first time he met her. It was long and silky and smooth, falling just past her waist. But those long locks had been chopped away years ago. She had been thirteen and nine-year-old Sasuke had immediately asked who had done that to her hair, ready to fight whoever it was because it was unimaginable to him that she would cut it willingly herself, knowing how much she loved it−Sakura had laughed and Itachi patted him on the head with a sigh. He's mildly surprised that she has kept it short since then. Her eyes are still the same vivid green, but the red tint on her lips looked wrong. Beautiful, yes, but he's used to the natural pink of her lips, glossed over with the apple-flavored balm she always used. He watched those same pair of lips now, pursing as she gave a little pause before reading the next name on the list. Then he watched corners of her lips turn up in a small smile.

Her eyes, now bright with the childlike giddiness he distinctly remembered, lifted from the paper and scanned the room. He counted an entire 6 seconds before she found him in the very back. With her eyes locked on his, he could almost feel the scenery shift around him; the monotone ticking of the clock replaced by the sound of splashing waves and seagulls overhead. He couldn't help but think, once again, that she didn't belong here. She belonged to the summer.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

He swallowed. "Here."

*＊✿❀ ❀✿＊*

Uchiha Sasuke was annoyed. He wasn't entirely sure why, but he was sure it had something to do with a particular pink-haired teacher. But let it be clear that he wasn't annoyed at her, only because of her.

It turned out that Sakura was not only taking over Kurenai's homeroom responsibilities, but the rest of her classes, as well. The second time he saw her that day was in Chemistry, a class even he, for all of his genius, didn't do so well in. As she launched into the lecture, prattling on about evolution and cells and whatnot, he found that he was listening more to her voice than her words. In the six years that he and Itachi failed to return to their summer house in Suna following their parents' death, he had lost complete contact with her. But hearing her voice now, speaking scientific names with the eloquence of a scholar fluent in Greek and Latin, may have awakened long-forgotten feelings from his adolescence. She'd been sixteen and in love with Itachi then. As for Sasuke? Well, he was only twelve.

He groaned inwardly now, as he walked home with his friends. Naruto, to his left, was yapping on about something he hadn't really been paying attention to while Karin and Suigetsu walked ahead, their conversations alternating between hushed tones and yelled curses. Suddenly aware of the lack of input (insults) coming from his friend, Naruto paused in his rant. "What's wrong with you, teme?"

Sasuke debated whether he should tell the other boy. The blonde knew about Sakura. He's known Naruto since the day he was born−at least that's what he'd been told−and the Uzumaki had asked where he disappeared to every summer when they were seven, so he told him about Suna and their neighbor Sakura, who was an older girl and who was really annoying but didn't seem to have cooties like all other girls. Finally, Sasuke sighed. If he was to tell anyone, it might as well be this idiot.

"That was Sakura," he muttered. He had remarked once that Naruto would like her if they'd met, but never in his wildest dreams did he think that this was how that would happen.

"Hm? Didn't catch that. Speak up, will ya!"

"That new teacher," he repeated, shoving his hands into his pockets, bashfully. "That was Sakura."

"Sa-ku-ra…." he repeated thoughtfully, as if trying to remember where he's heard the name from. "Wait, Haruno-sensei? She's your Sakura?!"

"She's not my Sakura, you dolt."

"Are you guys talking about the new teacher?" Karin shouted over her shoulder.

"Haruno-sensei is Sasuke's childhood crush!" Naruto shouted back, even though there was less than a few feet between them. Sasuke smacked the back his head.

"Don't say it like that!"

"She's pretty hot," Suigetsu added, raising a fist towards Sasuke. Sasuke looked down at it disdainfully. Suigetsu's approval somehow made him feel dirty.

"Say that one more time in front of your girlfriend," Naruto said, referring to his cousin who was glaring furiously at Suigetsu. At his words, Karin's glare turned on Naruto. "I'm not his girlfriend!"

All Sasuke could do was sigh as he kept walking. It's only their first day back for the second term of their final year and he's already lost at least a hundred and twenty brain cells from being surrounded by his idiot friends. Add to that his mini-reunion with one Haruno Sakura. Not to mention the college applications he had to start sending out soon. This year was going to be... exciting.

He walked ahead of his friends, just wanting to get home and get the day over with. By the time he reached their house, Itachi was already home, if his Benz parked in their driveway next to his own less luxurious beat-up car was any indication.

"Tadaima," he called out as he entered. One foot in and he could already smell food. He could hear his brother moving around in the kitchen, which was weird because they usually just get takeout or, on rare occasions, Shisui cooked. He dropped his backpack to the floor and set his shoes neatly to the side, before padding to the kitchen. Maybe he could casually bring up today's events, just to let Itachi know that a certain someone was in town. "You would not believe what happened today−oh. Of course, you're here."

"Okaeri, Sasuke-kun!"

Sitting on their barstool, watching Itachi prepare dinner, was no other than his new teacher.

"Sasuke," Itachi said, not once looking up from the stir fry he was making, "Sakura was just telling me that she got a job at your high school."

"A job," Sasuke repeated, rolling his eyes. That was a way to put it. "Did she tell you she's my teacher?"

"I was about to get to that part!" she cried out.

He rolled his eyes, for the hundredth time that day, and went to join them at the counter. But before he could take the bar stool next to her, she grabbed him by the forearms, forcing him to face her. She looked up at him, almost bewildered. "Gods, you've grown so much!"

He stared down at her. She was still wearing her outfit from today, albeit unprofessionally now. She sat with her legs apart even though she wore a skirt, her sleeves were rolled up, and the top buttons of her shirt were undone. Without meaning to, his eyes lingered a little longer on her chest, and he smirked teasingly before moving away from her and taking his seat. "Hn. You too."

Catching the innuendo, she crossed her arms over her chest indignantly."Why, you little−!"

Whatever bickering that was about to ensue was disrupted by a clicking sound as Itachi turned off the stove and lifted the pan he was using to plate the meal. When he finished, he just leaned against the counter and appreciated his handiwork. He looked very pleased with himself, especially since he didn't prepare meals very often. Then he looked up at the two of them and smiled fondly. Sasuke heard his brother hum in contentment.

"Hm, surprising. This seems to be an eventful day," he said, remarking on the news that the two before him were now student and teacher, by some stupid twist of fate. Then something weird happened and Sasuke didn't really know what to make of it because Itachi was smiling and it's not a smile he'd seen before. Itachi smiled when he was happy, when he's proud of his little brother, when something amused him, when he remembered something funny… and they all looked like the same smile. But this, the one he's wearing right now, a small smile that has the corners of his lips curled up at the edges and his entire face glowing a color one shade paler than Sakura's hair. Sasuke just looked at him, slightly unnerved and very suspicious, until−"Shisui and I are engaged."

Of course that face has got to have something to do with Shisui.

Sakura gasped. "Itachi, that's… you're… oh my god… wow."

Sasuke, on the other hand, was more coherent. "Congratulations, nii-san."

Both of the brothers seemed to realize too late that Haruno Sakura hadn't been in their lives in six years and had no idea that Itachi was seeing someone. "Oh, right, my bad. Sakura, I'm sorry. I will introduce you and Shisui at the soonest possible time−" He was interrupted by a ringing phone, and by the sound of it, Sasuke knew it's his work phone. Itachi excused himself, moved to a corner of the room, and answered the call.

Sasuke watched Sakura from the corner of his eye. She was looking down at her hands. It seemed like just a few minutes ago, she was radiant as the sun, and now the news had dampened her mood. Something twinged in his chest, but before he could comprehend it, Itachi was back. He hurriedly apologized and promised to talk to her soon and catch up, all the while walking around to gather the things he needed for work. Lastly, he told Sasuke to drive her back home to her new apartment. "Enjoy dinner!" he said, as he walked out the door already looking tired before he even left.

"Who's Shisui?" Sakura asked after they've been left to sit in silence for a whole three minutes.

"Itachi's boyfriend of three years."

"Oh." She says, and it's such a small sound coming from her. "Boyfriend. Three years. Huh."

They ate dinner awkwardly−for him, at least. He felt awkward. Because she was pushing herself and he could see perfectly through her watery smile and her polite laughter and her obviously divided attention. But he answered all of her questions all the same because there was still a glimmer in her eyes that was genuinely interested in what he's been up to.

"You don't have to drive me home, I can call a cab," she said after they finished dinner and after she had insisted on helping him wash the dishes and clear the table.

"I insist."

The drive to Sakura's apartment was quiet, except for when she instructed him to take a turn. She was still processing the whole thing and Sasuke couldn't really blame her. Even he was shocked, and he's known Shisui for years now. He's seen how Itachi's face lit up when the other man was around. He should have expected something like this. As for Sakura… well, she had no idea that Itachi liked men in the first place, had no idea that he was seeing someone, had no idea that he was in a serious committed relationship of that duration. Sasuke could see how it could be a lot to take in, especially when they haven't been in touch for six years. So, no, they didn't speak the whole drive to Sakura's apartment. No, they didn't speak until she invited him into her apartment and the two of them sat on the floor, with their backs against the perfectly good couch behind them. Ten bottles of strawberry-flavored rum that he's mildly surprised to find in her fridge were lined on the low table in front of them.

It wasn't until she was three bottles in that she started talking and talking and talking. He didn't really want to listen, not when she talked about Itachi and how she had loved him since they were twelve, and how they were so close, so close, she should have known. "That's why he was so dense," she said. "Or, maybe he wasn't dense−maybe he just didn't know how to tell me I just. wasn't. his. type."

"You know what's funny?" she asked after her fourth bottle.

"No."

"I didn't even know I still had those feelings until now, after all these years."

And it wasn't until she finished five that she started crying. She reached for a sixth, then a seventh. He didn't hold her while she cried, like he knew he was supposed to. It felt weird for him, to hold someone he hasn't seen in years while she cried over the brother he was so happy for. He didn't know how to hold her when she seemed to feel for Itachi what he thought he might be feeling for her, unrequited affections dug up from their childhood. So he got up and placed all the remaining bottles out of her reach. "You'll regret this in the morning, you know that, right?"

When her eyes grew heavy and her words slurred beyond recognition, he picked her up and carried her to her bed. "Sasuke-kun," she called out once he had tucked her in. "Thank you for staying."

For the past few hours, he'd almost forgotten that she was his teacher now. And him, being in her apartment in the middle of the night might not be a harmless thing anymore. But still, he placed two fingers on her forehead and dragged them down over her eyelids to close them.

"It's good to see you again, Sakura."