Chapter Text
|| Act 1: Reverie ||
“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” - Dr.S
She will always remember her first meeting with him.
It was a winter’s day at the Hyūga estate. Snow dusted the tiled roofs, and the air was sharp with cold, but inside the estate walls, warmth and tension mingled beneath the flickering light of paper lanterns. The Uchiha and Hyūga clans were holding their annual banquet—a tradition that had persisted for years between the highranking families in Konoha. Officially, it was a celebration of unity. Unofficially, it was a careful performance of diplomacy.
Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.
In the main hall, high-ranking members of both clans spoke in low, formal tones, sipping tea and exchanging pleasantries that carried more weight than they let on. Every smile, every bow, and every word was measured. It was simply a facade of keeping up appearances. Political maneuvering masked as idle conversation. Behind all of the chatter, a small girl clung onto her mother’s beautiful purple kimono.
“Hisako, it’s good to see you, it’s been too long.” Uchiha Mikoto, wife of the Uchiha clan leader, gave a friendly hug to her friend.
“It has been, this little one has been keeping me busy.”
Hisako gently patted the head of the little girl, still clinging onto her.
Mikoto bent down at eye level with the girl. The little girl's eyes were as gentle and round as her mothers.
Her chubby cheeks looked like fresh mochi, if Mikoto could she would take a bite out of it from how cute she was.
“And who’s this young lady?” Mikoto asked.
The young girl moved behind her mother, grabbing onto her mother for dear life.
Hisako gave a gentle smile to her daughter and nodded to signify that it was okay.
The girl's big eyes looked up from her mother and then back down towards Mikoto.
“I’m Hyuuga Hinata. Nice to meet you.”
Mikoto gave a gentle smile.
“Nice to meet you too Hinata-chan. I actually met you when you were a baby but, you probably don’t remember.
I’m your mama’s friend, Uchiha Mikoto. You can call me Mikoto nee-chan.” she said with a playful smile.
Hisako gave a light smack on top of Mikoto’s head.
“Ow…Hisako!” Mikoto winced dramatically and rubbed her head as if she was in pain. Hinata quietly took in the interaction between the two.
“Don’t tell my daughter lies.” Hisako sighed, exasperated but fond.
She glanced at Hinata and added,
“Call her Mikoto oba-san, okay?”
Mikoto pouted, still clutching her “injured” head. Hinata, wanting to help, reached up and gently patted Mikoto’s head in a soothing gesture.
“Are you okay Mikoto…nee-chan?” Hinata asked, tilting her little head.
Mikoto now clutched her heart instead, her eyes softening from Hinata’s sweet reaction. “Uehhh…Hinata-chan…”
From behind, a young boy stood behind her.
“Mother…”
Mikoto turned to the familiar voice, “Oh, Itachi! Let me introduce you two.” She stood up and gestured to the boy.
“Hinata-chan, this is Itachi, my first-born son. He’s a few years older than you.”
The older boy offered a gentle smile, the kind that instantly put Hinata at ease.
“Nice to meet you, Hinata-chan. You can call me Itachi.”
Hinata looked up shyly, her voice barely above a whisper. “Itachi...niisan.”
His eyes widened slightly in surprise, but then his expression softened into a warm, heartfelt smile.
Turning to his mother, he asked, “Mother, have you seen Sasuke?”
“Ara, I haven’t seen him. Where did that boy run off to?” she said with a small laugh, glancing around.
Hisako looked down at Hinata, her voice gentle.
“Hinata-chan, would you like to go with Itachi to find him? You can show him around.”
Hinata gave a small nod. Itachi extended his hand, and without hesitation, she placed her tiny one in his.
Itachi figured his little brother had slipped away to find a quiet corner. Sasuke had never liked social gatherings—too many adults, too many wandering hands reaching to pinch his cheeks, or coo at him like he was still a toddler. Itachi’s gaze shifted to the girl standing quietly beside him. He’d watched her earlier, timidly clinging to his mother’s side before he approached. Though only ten years old, Itachi was unusually perceptive for his age. Something about Hinata’s quiet demeanor reminded him of Sasuke—reserved, overwhelmed, and likely just as eager to escape the crowd.
As they made their way to an arched corridor that connected itself to the next building. The cold winter air touched their skin through their thick kimono. As Itachi’s thoughts wandered as to where Sasuke could be, Hinata spoke.
“Itachi nii-san…who is Sasuke?”
Itachi stopped and gently looked down at Hinata.
“Sasuke is my younger brother. He’s the same age as you.”
“Is he lost?”
“No, he’s not. He probably went somewhere quiet.”
Hinata tilted her head.
Itachi thought for a second before asking her another question.
“Hinata-chan, is there a place you like to go when you want to be by yourself?”
She nodded and led him quietly through the wooden halls, their footsteps soft. Sliding open the back door, a wave of cold air drifted in. Two pairs of extra sandals were at the back door and Hinata gestured to Itachi to wear it to go outside with. Outside, snow fell gently over the garden. The pines and bushes were blanketed in white. The snow slowly drifted down from the sky, gently touching on Hinata’s face. In front of the two was a koi pond that had partially frozen over. In the distance, a bamboo water spout gave a hollow clack, echoing through the stillness. Across from the koi pond was a lone boy, back facing the two as he stared up into the sky.
“Sasuke. What are you doing here? It’s cold.”
When the young boy turned around, the two small children made eye contact with one another.
Pearl white eyes gazed into the deep onyx night.
Hinata observed his face, he looked like Mikoto nee-san. His eyes were soft just like hers, but it was noticeable that his facial structure would become just like Itachi’s. The boy curiously looked at the young girl in the lilac kimono. He wondered who she was and why she was holding hands with his older brother, but first he wanted to have the question that had been plaguing his mind answered.
“Nii-san, where does the sun go? Does it go away?”
Itachi guided Hinata as they walked towards Sasuke. The soft snow made soft crunching noises as they made their way to him. Sasuke stared up into the gloomy gray sky. The sun was nowhere in sight and instead soft snowflakes dusted his cheeks.
Hinata mimicked Itachi’s curious expression as they all looked up. Itachi searched into the sky for an answer. A soft silence played for a few moments before he spoke.
“The sun never leaves Sasuke.” Itachi said softly.
The two young children turned to Itachi, his gaze never leaving the sky.
“Sometimes, it hides because it’s sleeping during the night or it's lost behind the clouds. But…”
The quiet sound of snow slipping from a branch broke the stillness—a soft whoosh as it landed in a tiny puff beside them. Itachi smiled faintly as he looked down at the two.
“It will always be there waiting for you. Even if you can’t see it, you’ll always remember its warmth. It’ll come back before you know it.”
Hinata’s eyes grew big. There was something about Itachi’s words that struck her little heart. She didn’t fully understand what it meant to her little mind but, it was the way he said it that made her feel something.
Sasuke gave a scoff in return.
“Nii-san, you always talk in a way I can’t understand.”
Itachi gave a small chuckle and tapped Sasuke’s forehead. Sasuke covered his forehead with both hands, similar to his mother.
“When you grow up and study hard, you’ll understand.” Itachi said.
Sasuke gave a little pout and looked at Hinata, who stared blankly at him.
“Who’s she?” He asked.
“Itachi-niisan,” Hinata whispered, peeking up at him from behind her bangs.
Itachi offered her a warm, reassuring smile before turning to his brother.
“Hinata, this is my little brother, Sasuke.” He gently nudged Sasuke forward.
“Sasuke, remember the greeting we practiced?”
Sasuke nodded stiffly.
He shifted his feet, then faced Hinata with the kind of seriousness only a five-year-old could muster. A soft flush crept up his round cheeks, betraying the nerves he was trying so hard to hide.
“I’m Uchiha Sasuke,” he began, voice small but steady.
“Second son of Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Mikoto…”
His words slowed as he searched his memory for the next line. His eyes flicked up toward Itachi—looking for help, for reassurance—but his brother only smiled back, calm and silent. Sasuke’s brows furrowed. The silence felt loud, and for a moment, panic fluttered in his chest. But then, with a determined breath, he pushed forward.
“T-thank you for inviting us into your beautiful home. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He finished with a bow—deep, proper, a little too fast.
Hinata blinked. Then, with the unfiltered honesty of a child, she responded, “I’m Hyuuga Hinata. I’m mama’s child. Nice to meet you too.” She gave a quick, informal bow—more of a nod, really—before fidgeting with her sleeves.
Sasuke stared at her.
Was that it?
He glanced at Itachi, then back at Hinata. His expression twisted in disbelief.
“What the heck?” he muttered under his breath, brow furrowing. “Why did I have to spend so much time practicing my greeting if she was just gonna say it like that?”
He gave Itachi a betrayed look, as if his brother had somehow set him up.
Hinata blinked in confusion, unaware that she’d just undone all of Sasuke’s hard work with a few simple words.
Had she done something wrong? She remembered her father telling her to speak “more eloquently,” but she didn’t quite understand what that meant. Before the tension could grow, Hisako gently stepped in, reminding her husband that Hinata was only five years old. There was no need to burden her with the formalities of political etiquette—not yet.
Itachi chuckled under his breath. “Maybe she didn’t need practice to be sincere.”
He ruffled Sasuke’s hair. “But you did good. You sounded like Father.”
Sasuke frowned and looked away, cheeks darkening. He glanced at Hinata, who was still watching him quietly. He shifted, clearly embarrassed that she’d seen Itachi being all… brotherly. Just as he was about to turn away in frustration, he heard a soft voice.
“I liked your greeting,” Hinata said, fiddling with the hem of her sleeves. “It was… really cool.”
Sasuke blinked. “Huh?”
She nodded once, her eyes wide and sincere. “You sounded like someone important.”
For a moment, Sasuke didn’t know what to say. No one his age ever said stuff like that to him. He tried not to look pleased, but a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth anyway. Hinata let go of Itachi’s hand, took a step closer, and then leaned in slightly.
“Do you not like when people touch your hair?”
“…I don’t,” Sasuke lied, brushing Itachi’s hand off the back of his head.
Hinata gave a thoughtful nod and reached out—but instead of ruffling his hair like Itachi did, she gently patted the air above him.
“You did good,” she praised him with a sweet smile.
Sasuke looked at her, really looked at her, for the first time.
“…Oh.”
Itachi chuckled. He was witnessing something truly interesting.
“Kids!” Mikoto’s voice called from inside the house. “What are you doing out here in the cold? Come on, we’re about to eat!”
Hisako’s voice followed, slightly sharper. “Hinata, don’t wander off too long—hurry up now!”
Hinata turned toward the doorway but glanced back at Sasuke for a moment. There was a quiet something in her eyes—shyness, maybe, but also interest.
He didn’t look away this time.
Together, they all turned and began walking back toward the house.