LOSS [ sarada uchiha ]

01

TW: violence, blood

     The vociferous ringing of an alarm clock brutally ripped Uchiha Sarada from her slumber. Flinching at the intrusive sound, Sarada blinked, her onyx eyes adjusting to the vibrant sunlight protruding through the window shutters. Sitting up in her comfy bed, Sarada stretched her arms and let out a long yawn before balling a fist to rub away the rheum that gathered in the corner of her eyes. She then reached for her red glasses situated on her bedside table, effectively putting them on and adjusting them to her liking. As much as her body craved sleeping in, today was a very important day for the young Uchiha.

     Sarada, along with her three other teammates, Uzumaki Boruto, Mitsuki and Kawaki, had plans on attending the Hanami Festival to celebrate Sarada's 16th birthday. Her best friend, Cho-Cho, along with Shikadai, Inojin, Sumire and some of their other classmates also promised to be there. Hanami has been an ongoing festival since the beginning of spring and Sarada's birthday—March 31st—was the last day Konoha would be holding the festival.

     Due to the anticipation and excitement for today's special events, Sarada was dressed and ready in a span of fifteen minutes. She wore her typical red shinobi uniform with the Uchiha crest ablaze on her back, along with her cheongsam, beige shorts, black sleeves and thigh-high shinobi socks. Her shinobi sandals were located by the front door of their quaint apartment; Mama had always been strict about tracking dirt into their spotless abode.

     After brushing her teeth, Sarada reached for the red hairbrush that settled on her bathroom countertop, combing the bristles through her long, raven curls. Less than a year ago, Sarada's hair was at shoulder length, as she usually preferred, until last summer when she had spent so much of her time rigorously training with Nanadaime, the maintenance of her hair had been neglected and forgotten and as a result, it grew down to the small of her back.

     Sarada has considered trimming it on several occasions, but the numerous compliments she received from not just her parents, but her classmates and peers, made her contemplate otherwise. Over time, she grew fond of her hair and decided to keep it at its current length, despite it often falling in her face. Whenever she was out on missions or training, Sarada always ensured that her hair was tied back in a pony tail or braid.

     Satisfied with her appearance, the young Uchiha sauntered out of her room and towards the kitchen, the heavenly aroma of her mother's cooking invading her senses. As she neared the living room, Sarada spotted Mama in front of the stove, back facing her. Sakura was in the middle of prepping what appeared to be one of Sarada's favorite meals: steamed rice and vegetables with miso soup and grilled salmon, all while humming a pleasant melody.

     "Ohayo, Mama," Sarada greeted, taking a seat at the dining table. She delicately traced the patterns carved in the oak wood. According to Papa, this table once belonged to her grandmother and grandfather. Sarada was very much aware of the fact that they died when he was a little boy, but she never knew how. Papa was a private person and discussing any matters regarding his past was tremendously difficult for him. Despite her growing and gnawing curiosity, Sarada remained courteous and patient, knowing that Papa would share this information with her when the time was right.

     Sakura whipped around, startled by Sarada's sudden presence, "S-Sarada! You scared me there," Her dainty hand rested on her chest as if to calm her racing heart. After catching her breath, the Uchiha matriarch offered Sarada a warm smile. "Ohayo, and happy birthday!"

     "Arigatou," Sarada beamed, an animated grin tugging at her lips. "The food smells delicious. Do you need help setting up the table?"

     "Sure. Thank you, sweetheart." Sakura replied, switching the top left burner of the stove to low heat for the miso soup to cool. As the broth simmered, she averted her attention to the grilled salmon, utilizing a spatula to flip it over on the pan. Sparing a glance at Sarada, Sakura noticed her grabbing three plates for their meal and with a frown, she gently corrected her, "It'll just be the two of us."