Blossom

Epilogue: A Place Called Home

"Sarada, can you please help your sister with her shoes?" Hinata continued packing their travel bag with snacks and enough water that would last the car ride. "And where's your father?"

"He's in his room on the phone." Sarada put down her iPad and took the shoes from Haruna as she instructed the three year old to sit down.

"Ma', can I have apple juice?" Haruna turned around and made grabby hands once she noticed her sippy cup on the table.

"You've already had some earlier, Haru." She shouldered the bag.

"But—"

"Fine," she handed her the cup before she could start complaining. "You two wait here while I get your father."

They nodded and sat down in the foyer.

Hinata walked up the stairs quickly and opened the bedroom door. Sasuke stood inside with his phone pressed to his ear, he looked rather annoyed at the sudden interruption in their plans. She pointed at her watch, silently asking him how long it would take.

"As I told you, have everything put on hold since I won't be back in the office for a while. I told you guys a week in advance that I would be gone." He groaned and massaged his temples. "Yes, I know that—"

Already feeling annoyed on his behalf, she took the phone from his hands and turned around before he could grab it back. "It's either you send those files to him which he would obviously not get to during his vacation; or you do as he asked. If I remember correctly, he's the CEO and not the intern, I'm sure you can find someone else to take his place for a month."

"Yes ma'am, sorry for the trouble."

Hinata hung up and handed the phone back to him. "Let's go."

"I forget how stern you can be." He grabbed their suitcase and followed her out of the bedroom. "That's surprisingly very..."

"Hot, I know, you keep saying it. It's the only Hyuga attribute I have that you appreciate." She turned the television off, Sarada had once again forgot to shut it off after she finished watching her shows. "Come on girls, we're going to be a little late and miss our train if we don't leave now."

"Why are we taking the train?" Sarada opened the door and walked outside with Haruna's hand held in her own.

The little girl squealed as she jumped down the stairs of the porch. "The train!"

"If we drive there, it will take even longer and you'd be too tired to greet everyone." Hinata opened the car door for them and let Sarada take care of her own seatbelt while she helped Haruna.

"Are we really going far? Daddy said that it's not that far but if we're taking the train..."

"It's very far." Hinata kissed Haruna's forehead, a habit she had not stopped and wasn't planning on stopping until the young child was old enough to find it embarrassing.

"What happens if we get hungry?" Sarada turned down her window once they were on the road.

"Your mother packed a lot of snacks and we can always stop somewhere to get you something to eat." Sasuke answered as he navigated the traffic with ease.

"What snacks do we have?"

"You're asking a lot of questions." Hinata opened the bag and handed her a ziploc bag of cookies. She filled another with Haruna's own favourite bear crackers and gave it to her. "Don't make a mess behind there."

"I'm just really excited. I've never been very far, even grandma and grandpa don't live that far." Sarada held her iPad up for Haruna to watch the same cartoons she was watching.