"So, Sakura, have you thought it over?" Itachi asked calmly while petting the cat, Kiki. Sakura, munching on a small fruit, looked completely bewildered.
"Huh?"
"About dating me."
"You said this was for Kisame to hear!" Sakura exclaimed, utterly shocked.
Itachi shrugged and looked at her with innocent sincerity.
"No, I'm serious."
Sakura almost muttered something she shouldn't have, but quickly composed herself and said with certainty, "Itachi, don't get impulsive. Don't worry, I'll figure out exactly which medicine you messed up with!"
Itachi sighed, "...Sakura, your occupational hazard really needs treatment."
Sakura shook her head. "No, your… condition is just too, too indescribable."
"What condition? This is the first time in my life someone called me crazy for saying goodbye—try it yourself!" Itachi wailed helplessly. Sakura, seeing this half-sulking, half-acting-like-a-girl display, couldn't help but comment.
"I've already tried. Your little brother treated me like I was crazy."
Ah, payback time. When young Sakura confessed to Sasuke after graduating from the ninja academy, she had been called crazy and scolded. Now it was Itachi's turn. In reality, he should think: at least I wasn't scolded—just considered crazy.
Mentioning Sasuke made Itachi sigh. He released Kiki and turned slightly toward Sakura.
"I'm different from Sasuke. I'm serious. Sakura, when I first met you, I thought you were just a little girl. Later, when you treated Kita-nee, I thought you were the most impressive woman I had ever met. When you mastered the Strength of a Hundred Seal, and when you cried on the rooftop, I genuinely felt sorrow. From that moment, I decided I would protect you with my life, so you would never shed tears again. I'm serious—I'm not joking, not trying to provoke Kisame. I tell you this now so that later, there are no regrets."
Sakura's fruit fell to the floor. She stared at Itachi, completely at a loss for words.
Itachi bent down, picked up the fallen fruit, and tossed it into the trash before continuing.
"I know you like Sasuke, but these days you've probably realized that I'm completely different from him—entirely different. Our personalities vary greatly, and we don't even look alike, only slightly similar. I'm just five years older than you—five years isn't much. Kita-nee and Nan-nee have a three-year gap, too. These five years don't count as a moral crime."
The room fell into deep silence. Mumu, lying on a section of the sofa with Kiki, watched the scene like spectators. After a few minutes, Sakura finally regained her composure.
"Um, well… Itachi, you're a good person."
First confession and all he got was the 'good person' card. He turned slightly, giving Sakura only his profile. He tried to look for comfort from Kiki, but the cat was busy nudging Mumu, ignoring him completely. So, he began mumbling quietly on the sofa.
"Um, Sakura."
"Hmm?"
"How did Sasuke reject you back then?"
"You're really annoying."
"How am I annoying? I think I'm fine?"
Itachi was horrified.
Sakura smiled, shaking her head.
"No, Sasuke said I was annoying at the time."
Itachi, "…Sorry."
Sakura shook her head and, looking at Itachi, smiled lightly.
"It's fine. I was too immature back then. I told Sasuke how amazing it was that Naruto had no parents—free from nagging—but I forgot that Sasuke had also lost his parents. I was stupid to bring up someone else's pain."
Finishing, she realized the person before her was the one who had killed her parents and clan. She flushed with guilt and hurriedly apologized.
"Ah, I'm sorry, Itachi. I didn't mean to bring it up—really sorry."
Her sincerity was palpable. Itachi could see no trace of pretense in her eyes. At this moment, Sakura was mindful of her own feelings, unaware that she, too, had lost her parents. Perhaps this was what made her so endearing. Sometimes her thoughts were naive, sometimes inadvertently hurtful—but she was never fake. She felt guilt when she erred, remorse for ignorance, and always tried to make amends. Itachi admired this unpretentious Sakura.
"It's alright. It's been a long time."
Soft, calm, and gentle.
The room fell quiet again. Not as awkward as before, but tinged with a faint sadness, subtle yet filling the space.
"Sakura."
"Hmm?"
"In your heart, what kind of person am I?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I just want to know if I have the right to like you."
"Heh, Itachi, you're exaggerating. There's nothing wrong with liking someone. And I'm not worth your affection."
"That may be true, but your self-perception is biased. People only truly understand themselves at death. Your self-assessment isn't entirely accurate—nor is mine. So I want to know from you how you perceive me. From that, I can judge whether my feelings would cause you any trouble."
Once again, the room filled with a mysterious awkwardness. Mumu and Kiki watched the 'confession drama,' clearly outmatched by Itachi's calm and composed presence.
"Um, Itachi, I just want to keep this conversation simple. Don't make it so profound."
...
The complete fanfic (Chapter 261) is already available on P@treon(.)com/Crimson_Lore