Preventing The Inevitable

Chapter 24

Sakura didn't sleep that night.

Her mind was running wild, and it was almost like she couldn't form a single thought without her mind automatically jumping back to her newest revelation. She did end up lying in her bed, but that sight was seared into her retinas, appearing vividly in front of her whenever she closed her eyes and taking her right back to that scene that couldn't have lasted longer than a few moments.

Since neither attempting to think about something else nor closing her eyes helped to distract herself, Sakura eventually gave up on going to sleep.

She didn't know if the occasional rustling and shuffling were coming from the trees and wildlife outside or the room next door.

I must be imagining it, she tried to tell herself.

As soon as dawn broke, the first rays of sunlight creeping through the curtains, Sakura couldn't bring herself to stay still anymore. It was winter, so dawn was at around 9 a.m.—a reasonable time for a four-year-old to wake up. She had been tense the whole night, worrying that Yūta would know it had been her who sneaked around in the dead of the night. Had the other Sakura known about it? She couldn't have, right? Yūta only ever referred to himself as 'Shinobi'. Unless his change in position had been recent, it meant Yūta was hiding it from his sister.

Sakura dressed herself, washed her face, and tidied up her hair, combing through it before pinning back a part of the now shorter bangs. And then she was practically ready to leave her room.

Just—she was nowhere near ready mentally.

Sakura and Yūta always ate breakfast together when he wasn't on a mission. She'd have to interact with him. She had definitely had enough time to sort out her thoughts. It should have been enough time.

It could never be enough.

Yūta had been an anomaly from the beginning. But at least he had been somewhat predictable in his behavior. But she could have never predicted ANBU.

Was the side he had shown her even his real personality? Had he been playing with her the whole time? Did he know?

Sakura had spent a whole night deciding what to say and how to act (Should she pretend not to know? But what if Yuta had realized it was her? It would be too strange for a four-year-old to not confront her brother in that situation. But what would he do if he knew she knew? Silence her? He is ANBU. He could be ROOT. But he is her brother—) and yet she felt like she was underprepared.

But Yuta must have heard her use the bathroom. She would have to leave sooner or later.

Her hands sweaty and her body tense, Sakura walked down the stairs to the living room. She stopped just in front of the corner to the dining room. Yūta was usually already sitting and eating breakfast by the time she came down.

Sakura's ears were ringing. It was like white noise—drowning out all sounds but her own shaky breathing.

You have been through worse. Come on, you got this.

And she turned the corner.

The dining table came into view. No breakfast was lying on the table, waiting for her. The kitchen seemed to be untouched. Everything was dimly lit by the few rays of sunlight. The lights were out.

And, most importantly—Yūta wasn't there.

Sakura went to the living room, finding it in the same state as the dining room and the kitchen—it was all just as she had left it last evening. She walked up the stairs to the bedrooms. The second floor was void of people. Her mother had long gone to work, as she had heard at around 5 a.m.