heritage

Chapter Sixteen: Search

 "What does it mean to be found?"

          Oddly enough, Riku-ji doesn't call what Sakura has said into question. Or perhaps it is not odd at all. Not when Sakura considers how close he appeared to be with Asahi-ji and Shinju-obaa in her memories. It wouldn't surprise her if he has an open mind to the possibility of speaking to the dead. Though truly, in that finite time, her family had been alive. For just some hours more.

"So that guy really is your grandpa, Sakura-chan?" Naruto pipes up from his spot on the floor, the incredulous tone to his voice exaggerated enough that it pulls Sakura out of her somber mood. She ruffles his hair in thanks. She can always count on his ridiculousness to lift her mood.

"You still questionin' that, you brat?" Riku-ji gripes, clearly annoyed with the amount of times Naruto has questioned his authenticity as Sakura's grandpa. It makes her laugh a little.

"Of course, I am, ya giant weirdo!" Naruto shoots back, certain in his standpoint. Sakura-chan has never mentioned you before, dattebayo!"

"And I already told you she might not remember me. It's been nearly a decade since I've last seen her!" Riku-ji shouts back, easily sinking down to Naruto's level. Sakura has a feeling that such a thing it normal for him. Especially when it comes to his family. Naruto snorts, shaking his head in disbelief.

"That's so suspicious, dattebayo! Why would I believe that?!" Naruto maintains, still side-eyeing the giant of a man with distrust.

"Hn," Sasuke grunts in support.

"Gah!" Riku-ji throws his hands up. He then turns to Kakashi-sensei, an expectant look on his face as he talks to him. "Do you even teach these brats a speck of respect, Hatake?" Sakura is unsurprised to see her sensei not even move a muscle in response.

"Maa, Ishioka-sama," Kakashi-sensei drawls lazily, raising his visible brow, "Why would I scold him when I agree?" A scowl twists itself onto Riku-ji's face at the response, his arms crossing over his chest in displeasure.

"This is useless." He grumbles. Riku-ji looks back at Sakura, "Ya really gonna let 'em talk to me like this, beryl?"

"Yes." Sakura confirms, no inflection to her voice as she stares at him with a deadpan voice.

"Ya wound me." Riku-ji put his hand over his heart, his shoulder moving back as he pretends to actually be hurt. The action is familiar, somehow. Like he did that when he was younger. Despite the instinct to laugh, Sakura keeps her expression the same.

"..." And says nothing.

"Beryl-chan." Her grandpa tries again, his nickname for her sweet to the ears.

"..." Sakura clenches her teeth, unwilling to give in.

"I really couldn't come any sooner, Sakura-chan." Riku-ji insists, replacing the more affectionate nickname for something less familiar. Perhaps in an attempt tu assuage her ire. It does help, but not by much.

"..." She continues simply to stare at him. The corner of her mouth tugs downward slightly.

"Sakura." Riku-ji turns to pleading, hunching his shoulders and bending his knees slightly as he does so. Sakura releases a breath, quiet and slow.

"Did you even try?" She finally says, voice nearly inaudible to the untrained ear. Her grandfather makes some sort of broken sound. The noise seems out of place coming from a man built like him.

"Of course. Of course, I tried. You don't know how many times I stood at the village gates—" Her grandfather immediately began to confirm, his voice desperate and his eyes pleading for her to understand. Sakura sits up a little, unable to help herself when she cuts him off with a question.