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Sarada's eyes never left the family portrait as she lost herself deeper into her wandering thoughts. It's something she found herself doing more often. She and her mother would get their portrait professionally taken down at the town center every year and every time she would look at the new one, she felt her heart darken further. The two of them looked perfectly happy, but that was the problem, it was just the two of them.
Was her father so busy that he couldn't even drop by home once a year at the very least? Not even a single birthday or Christmas card either. She couldn't even remember what his face looked like or how his voice sounded. According to Sakura he was like a daydream that swept her off her feet, but Sarada felt like that's how every wife would feel about their husband anyway. Another thing that bothered her is how much her mother seemed so unphased by his absence. It's like she married a ghost before it ran off to haunt other places.
Of course, her mother tried to reassure her that her father being away was for the good of protecting the village but she was fourteen and that excuse worked better when she was nine. Now Sarada's usual routine was cooking and cleaning as she waited home for her mother to get back from her night shift from the hospital. Although there are times where she hoped she would hear the door open and watch as a black-haired man would enter the room and introduce himself as Sasuke Uchiha.
She sighed. Being the only child to the two greatest ninja was just so lonely. The only other family members she has to ride on are her mother's parents. No one from her father's side has ever come to visit. The only Uchiha she seemed to know of beside her mother and father was her deceased uncle. She always made sure to visit his shrine every now and then, his spirit must have been lonely too. Her mother mentioned something about a Sasuke overcoming a harsh past of some sort.
Sarada put her hand over her forehead. Maybe she should ask her mother about her clan history rather than waiting on a man who's never around. Besides as the heir to the Uchiha clan, it was her right to know.
The door opened to her pink haired mother who staggered in. The teenage girl quickly stood to her feet and hurriedly grabbed her lab coat and flung it onto the coat hanger.
"Welcome home," she smiled softly.
"I'm glad to be home," Sakura beamed back.
Sarada giggled as they made their way to the kitchen. Sakura massaged her forehead as she sat down.
"Being a hospital director is driving me crazy!" she groaned. "Sarada, promise me that you won't become the best medical kunoichi of your time, okay?"
"Don't be so down about its mom, remember it pays well and your patients' smiles are the reward."
Sakura smiled weakly.
"Your smile when I get home is the reward," Sakura said as she flicked Sarada's forehead with her index finger. "I can't believe Sensei Tsunade could do all this work back then and be Hokage. It just makes me wish I could spend more time at home with you."
The spectacled daughter's heart clenched as the smile across her face fell slowly.
"Sarada?" Her mother called out as she held her hand over the desk. "Is something wrong?"
Sakura tilted her head as Sarada bit her bottom lip.
"I just-"
"Hmm?"
She stares into her mother's eyes.
"Do you regret some things that you have to do for us?" she asked in a low voice.
Her mother slouched and closed her eyes with a meek smile.
"I can think of a number of things that I've regretted throughout my life but one decision that I'll never regret is having you. Even if I don't get to spend as much time with you as I want to, getting happy at having the opportunity to see you every day is what makes the little moments even more precious. I'm sure your father feels the same way too."
The girl squeezes her mother's hands harder. The tears that threaten to escape her tear ducts go unseen as she quickly stands up and calls it a night.
"Oh, Sarada, " Sakura cooed," I love you."
The black-eyed girl flushed.
"I love you too mom."
As soon as she got under the bed covers, she had made up her mind. She was definitely going to find her father, that way, she and her mother wouldn't have to feel so sad all the time.
Although it was the one thing that her mother dreaded she would do.
