"I'm sorry."
Sakura froze. Rage was replaced with utter shock for a mere four seconds before the pink haired woman turned around on the spot. Setting a shaking hand on the doorframe, she squeezed it for support. The wood whined and broke in protest to her unconscious strength.
How many years had gone by since he abandoned the village? How long has it been since he tried to kill her head on? When did she realize she has been waiting for this moment for what it seemed like her entire life, and she wasn't even ready. It was too much.
When the adrenaline slowed and the scream of her heartbeat became a dull roar, she broke the eye contact between herself and the ridiculous man that had stolen her heart. He was hovering in front of his dining room table, where just moments ago he had been leaning on so casually. Storming across the kitchen and opening a cupboard, she grabbed a beautiful ivory plate and held it out in front of her. Sasuke's eyes narrowed in response. What was she doing?
"Take it." she mumbled under her breath. Sasuke obeyed, and took it from her hand.
"Now break it."
Sasuke looked at her expectantly. Her fingers trembled along with her knees, but she held the seriousness on her face like a pro. Turning his gaze to his deceased mother's dinnerware, he listened and threw it to the floor.
"Alri-"
"Did it break?" she hissed under her breath. He didn't have to look at the shattered porcelain to know the answer.
"Yes."
"Now say sorry to it."
"... Sorry." he growled under his breath after taking an agonizing five seconds to actually do so. This woman truly was damn annoying.
Sakura was on the verge of exploding at this point. The trembling had evolved into legit shaking now and instead of holding the door frame she was clutching herself with a death grip.
"Did it go back to the way it was before?" she cried, familiar pain exploding through her like a searing hot iron. In the first time since the war, she could feel tears rushing to her eyes. Sasuke could only stare at her.
"No, Sakura, it didn't."
"Do you understand now?!"
Sasuke watched the woman before him struggle with herself. He was a man of powerful emotions, although acting cold and heartless, he knew love and loss better than anyone. But the new emotion that rose from the depths of his stomach and ate away at his heart forced the expression on his face to soften. Guilt. It was only now he realized exactly how Sakura had been suffering the past decade.
No amount of words could change what he'd done to her.