[Without interruption, Sasuke listens to Kaoru's story and... feels a bit worse for it. Not on Kaoru's part. Not even on the story's part. The fact it's familiar, the fact he can actually step back and say, "Yeah, that's me," is what sucks the most.

But it's needed.

His absence wasn't something he hadn't seen, hadn't understood. His absence was something he put on the back burner. Sarada has Sakura, her mother, a fine woman if anything, and that was enough... he thought.]

You're right. [In brief meetings, he's told Sakura as much--as little as it may be for someone like him. Sakura probably understands his actions better than his words by now. Sarada, not so much.] I regret I didn't have the opportunity to say so before ending up here.

Thank you. My name is Sasuke Uchiha, in case you meet someone looking for me.