Our Journey (Sasusaku)

Chapter 3: "Engagement Bracelets"

The Sixth Hokage Kakashi silently reads Sasuke's report.

"You found a lot on your journey." he rolled up the scroll and set it aside on his table.

"I'll have the team to study it. Thank you so much." He looked at the window where Sasuke was standing. " It's getting dark, where are you staying tonight?" the Hokage asked.

"I will stay at an inn around town." Sasuke answered he was looking out the window.

His former sensei just nodded and stood beside him. Sasuke was looking over Naruto and Sakura who were walking together away from the Hokage's building.

"She grew up to be a beautiful woman. You should invite her for dinner tonight." Kakashi suggested.

"I will have dinner with her family tonight." Sasuke said.

"Oh..." whispered Kakashi. Behind his mask was a little smile. "You better marry her. Landlords and great Ninjas are trying to get her heart."

"Hmp! Don't tell me what to do! My business is done here." Sasuke smirked and went out of the Hokage's office.

"Sigh...Well, time to relax." Kakashi pulled out his little book from his pocket and started to read.

Sasuke washed his face and unrolled his sleeves. He rented a small room around town. He walked towards his bed and sat in it. He then took a small box on the night table. He opened it and took two ivory bracelets. They were his mother's.

"What are those Mother?" Little Sasuke asked.

"These are Mom's bracelets. I had them from your Father. These were from your grandmother and grandmothers before her. These are being worn by the wife of Uchiha leaders."

Sasuke took one of them and stared at it.

"You and your brother will have one each when you get married."

"Hmp! I won't! Girls are annoying!" he pouted his lips and turned grimaced.

His mother laughed a motherly little mellow laugh in her throat.

Sasuke carefully put back the bracelets inside the box. He sent a letter to Sakura a year ago and told her that when he comes back home he will marry her. Sakura replied with a yes. Tonight he will formally ask for Sakura's hand from her parents.

"I will die first before I let you marry this bastard!" Sakura's father growled. His indignant face was glaring at Sasuke. They just finished their dinner when the two announced their plan of getting married.

"Honey calm down." Sakura's mother said.

"No, I won't! I will not have our daughter marry a shameless, worthless, traitor man like him!" Sakura's father was shaking his fist down at Sasuke who was sitting silently on the chair beside Sakura.

"Papa you are being rude!" Sakura shouted angrily to her father. Her face turned into hot red.

"I'm not being rude I'm just telling the truth! You're way too good for him. I don't care what clan he came from! We didn't raise you just to marry an ex-criminal like him! He is a dangerous man! He will give you nothing but sorrow! I swear if you marry him I will die!" Sakura's father's voice can be heard in the neighborhood. Some of them started to go out of their houses to listen or gossip about them.

"Cha! You are being overacting Papa!"

"You are not going to marry my daughter you hear me?! Now, get out of my house and you Sakura, you will stay here tonight and until this man is gone from this town!" shouted Sakura's father whose face was redder than hers.

Sasuke stood and took his cloak hanging on the chair. "Thank you for the dinner and for your time." he said. He went to the doorsteps and put on his boots.

"Sasuke wait... please!" Sakura cried. She runs to the doorsteps despite her father's rage.

"Please Sasuke-kun... I will come with you." Sakura cried and she picked up her boots.

"No, do not disobey your parents just because of me." said Sasuke.

"B-but..." Sakura flushed and the corners of her mouth shook and a little tear seemed to sweep over her eyes. She thought she waited for it for so long and now it might not happen.

"I can wait." Sasuke gave her a soft smile assuring her that it was fine. He took the small box from his pocket and handed it to Sakura.

"They are from my mother. Wear them when we get married." he turned around and left her.

Sakura opened the box and saw two ivory bracelets. She clutched them to her heart.