My other half! Sasukex oc. [Slow updates] (under editing)

The help and the Goodbye🔴

A/n
I don't know what to really label this chapter as....also why do I lowkey keep making Sasuke out of character sometimes..T-T

Also this is a longer chapter before I go back to the blue

Fifteen minutes passed before Sasuke finally turned from the apartment door, his expression unreadable despite the hollow ache settled in his chest. She's never going to let me back in. The thought was a cold, quiet realization. He adjusted his stance, forcing himself to walk toward the diner where Kurenai had ordered him to report after returning the book.

He hadn't gone far before he stopped, his breath hitching. Even under the seal, the Curse Mark began to throb with a rhythmic, sickening heat—feeding on the fresh rejection of being shoved out into the hall. Sasuke clamped a hand over his shoulder, his fingers digging into his skin as he forced himself to keep moving.

He rounded a sharp corner, his eyes narrowing as he spotted Sakura, Naruto, and the Jonin gathered ahead. He opened his mouth to speak—to give his report and move on—but the dull ache suddenly flared into a white-hot sear. His vision blurred as a memory, jagged and unwanted, began to tear through his mind.

The dull ache in his shoulder flared into a white-hot sear, and suddenly, the village street around him dissolved. The sounds of Naruto's loud voice and the Jonin's chatter were swallowed by the rustle of leaves and the scent of a forest after rain.

He was small again. The world was larger, and his hands were unscarred.

He saw her before she saw him. She was stumbling, her balance giving way as she tumbled forward. Without thinking, he moved—his five-year-old arms reaching out to catch her. Her head thudded lightly against his chest, and for a heartbeat, he just held her. When she looked up, her wide, turquoise eyes met his dark ones.

"Hey! You should really be more careful... you could've hurt yourself," he chided, trying to sound as composed as his brother, though his heart was racing. He felt his cheeks flush a light pink as he took in her appearance—the caramel skin, the flowing black hair, and the blue kimono that practically glowed with the outlines of cherry blossoms.

She wasn't just anyone. He could tell by the fabric.

"T-Thank you for your help, and I'm sorry for my clumsiness...!" she stammered, tears welling in those massive eyes. He gestured for her to rise, his annoyance softening into a budding curiosity.

"What's your name? And what are you doing out here? Are you lost?"

She fidgeted, her gaze dropping to her fingers. "M-My name is Fujioka Misaki... and I got lost while playing in this forest."

The name hit him like a bolt of lightning. The Fujioka clan—the name was spoken with hushed respect even within the Uchiha compound. "Wow! You belong to the Fujioka clan? That's amazing! My name is Uchiha Sasuke. It's an honor to meet you." He offered a small, proud smile. "I can show you the way out."

He reached out and took her hand. Her skin was warm, a stark contrast to his own pale, cool hand. As he led her through the trees, the awkwardness melted into a rare, easy conversation. He told her about his July birthday, his love for tomatoes, and his excitement for the Academy. She told him she was three months older—born on April 6th—and that her world was limited to homeschooling and the walls of her estate.

When they reached the edge of the forest, Misaki gasped. The village street was a wonder to her, her eyes sparkling with a joy that made Sasuke's chest tighten. But then, he saw her.

A woman stood in the distance, a mirror image of Misaki but with eyes like shards of ice. She wasn't looking at Misaki with love; she was hunting.

I don't like the look she's giving her, Sasuke thought, his small fingers tightening around Misaki's hand. He didn't want that light in her eyes to go out. Subtly, he tilted his head, guiding her away from the woman's line of sight, leading her toward the colorful stalls of the market instead. He knew she was lying about being lost—he could sense the fear beneath her joy—but in that moment, he didn't care. He just wanted to keep her hand in his.