Unexpected Hearts / SasuSaku

Unbreakable Bonds

"I'm so glad you could make it!" Mebuki exclaimed.

"You haven't aged a bit!" Mikoto exclaimed as she hugged Mebuki.

"Oh, please, I was going to say the same about you! I can't believe how long it's been. Happy birthday!" Mebuki tightly hugged Mikoto in return.

"Look how big Itachi has gotten! I don't think I've ever met Sasuke, but I remember Itachi when he was just a kid," Mebuki said as she approached.

"It's nice to see you, Aunt Mebuki. Happy birthday," Itachi said, giving her a warm hug.

"It's great to see you, Mebuki and Kizashi," Fugaku greeted.

"Nice to see you again. It's hard to believe so many years have passed. Please, come in!" Kizashi said.

As they settled in the living room, they eagerly awaited the arrival of Sasuke and Sakura. Sasuke had mentioned to his parents that he and Sakura would be driving over after their classes.

"Where's Sasuke?" Itachi asked Fugaku.

"He'll be here soon. He was waiting for Sakura to finish her class," Fugaku replied.

Just then, they heard the doorbell ring, and Mebuki rushed to open the door.

"Sakura, you made it!" Mebuki exclaimed.

"Happy birthday, Mom," Sakura said, embracing her mother.

"Hello, ma'am. I'm Sasuke. Happy birthday," Sasuke said as he extended his hand.

"Oh, don't be silly. Call me Aunt Mebuki!" Mebuki said warmly, embracing Sasuke.

Sakura blushed at the sight. She was surprised at how close their families were. As she looked around, she noticed their families had settled in the living room, most likely waiting for their arrival.

She spotted a man slightly older than Sasuke. She assumed he was Itachi, Sasuke's older brother. Sasuke had mentioned that Itachi was in remission, and he actually looked well. Sakura was glad to see him in good health, particularly since she was a pre-med student and cared deeply about people's well-being.

They settled in the dining room, where the housemaids had prepared a dinner for them.

Sasuke was engaged in deep conversation with Itachi, and Sakura couldn't help but notice how much Sasuke actually talked. It seemed that he had a special bond with his brother, and they were very close.

Suddenly, Mebuki spoke up to catch Sasuke's attention.

"Sakura, how is Sasori? He couldn't make it?" Mebuki asked.

This caught Sakura off guard. She realized that she had never told her mother about the breakup. Her mother had assumed that Sakura wanted to transfer out of Suna because of her friends and to be closer to home. Since her parents were already moving, Sakura took the opportunity to leave with them.

"Oh... um, we broke up, mother," Sakura nervously admitted.

Everyone at the table turned their attention to Sakura, but Sasuke seemed particularly interested.

Sasuke didn't know why, but he felt a surge of anger upon hearing Sakura's ex's name. He just never wanted to hear about that topic.

"Really? That's unfortunate. Your mother and I will miss him," Kizashi said.

Sensing the discomfort, everyone at the table decided to change the topic. They continued to talk about everything that had transpired over the years, with their parents catching up with one another.

Sakura sank slowly in her seat, feeling embarrassed by the sudden announcement about her ex. She hadn't wanted to tell her parents about Sasori because she knew her mother would try to dig into the reasons behind their breakup.