Cinderella; Once In A Plot Twist

🍡 Chapter 27 🍡

Sasuke knew that he didn't have much time left with Itachi but he never expected that what little he had with him would end so soon. It happened when he was using the home economics lab during a free period to practice and perfect his dango recipe and an announcement for him came from the principal's office. Sasuke wondered why he was being summoned but when he saw his mother in the principal's office looking ashen with distraught he realized that it had something to do with Itachi. He wasn't wrong.

"Itachi had another seizure."

Sasuke was holding a kitchen apron in his hands, having had no time to drop his attire in the lab when he was called. The apron dropped to the floor in his shock. They were coming more often, the seizures. He was afraid. He was afraid that Itachi would go with one of them.

"Is he...?" His throat was dry. He swallowed.

"He's been stabilized for now. However he wants to see you and that's why I'm here to fetch you."

"O-okay." Sasuke fumbled with his hands as he made for the door. "Let me- let me just get something real quick!" With that he was running down the hall to the home economics lab. Hinata had been there with him monitoring the dango making process and she was still there.

Said girl looked up at him in concern and confusion. "Sasuke is everything alright?" She asked worriedly.

"Come with me!" Sasuke demanded, out of breath.

"Huh?"

"It's Itachi. Come with me. Please." He asked gentler. Hinata was still confused but she agreed to go with him. Sasuke nodded gratefully and hurriedly began pack the freshly made dangos into a Tupperware container with Hinata's help. He didn't have the chance to taste it to see how it turned out or even make some tea to go along with it. He didn't care. He had to see Itachi one last time.

"Oh you're...?" Mikoto was surprised by Hinata's presence. The dark haired girl bowed respectfully to her as she introduced herself.

"I'm Hinata Hyuga. You met me when I came over for a project with my sister."

Mikoto's sullen face brightened just by a tiny bit. "Oh I remember you."

"Mum she is Hikari-sensei's daughter." Sasuke informed her because he could see the question swirling in her head.

Mikoto's eyes widened a fraction and teared up. "You really are. How could I forget where I saw those unique eyes from?" She exclaimed softly. Mikoto knew Hikari as Itachi's teacher and mentor. The Hyuga was so nice and they became good friends before she passed away.

"She has been helping me out a lot. Her and Sakura both." Sasuke noted. Despite her ill intentions Sakura still helped him get so far in his mission to make Itachi happy. He hadn't spoken to the pink haired girl in days; but that went to everybody he was close with too. Recently he shut himself out to the world and focused on perfecting his special recipe. Only when inspiration hit him did he seek out Hinata today.

Sasuke held the warm Tupperware close as they drove to the hospital. He had no idea how good or bad his snack tasted. He didn't want to think about it. The snack didn't matter. What mattered the most was the time he spent together with his brother. Why had it taken him so long to realize this? In his borderline obsessive bid to "make Itachi happy" he had been spending less time with the person he loved the most and more time in the kitchen brooding and wearing himself out.

He had been so stupid but he didn't regret learning to make Itachi's favorite snack even by a little bit. Even if it was bad he just knew that Itachi would love it and appreciate it. Was that what Hinata had been trying to tell him by asking him what Itachi meant to him?