Title: That Special Place
Rating: K+
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Naruto centric, NaruSaku.
Summary: It didn't matter whether it was snowing, raining or just a violent storm, he always went to visit that same place that same day, every year.
Disclaimer: I don't own this series in any way.

It didn't matter whether it was snowing, raining or just a violent storm, he always went to visit that same place that same day, every year. Today, luckily, was only warm with a pleasant breeze. The school for young ninjas was the same as ever. Today the streets were filled with people, but the school was closed in order to prepare for the festival in honor of the new hokage. He smiled softly at the image of a vivid Sakura scolding him for being late at his own ceremony without warning anyone. Today was his day, he reminded himself, and for that exact reason he was here.

Next to the building, there was a small free area where the children often played and chatted before and after classes. Further away, he recognized that same swing from his childhood days. The swing was now worn down and almost falling, but it meant the world to him. This was the spot he would always be in, sulking for the world of him while others eyed him with distaste and mostly ignored the demon child.

Sometimes he would pretend he had a friend right next to him, sitting in the swing as well, and both would chat animatedly about either ninja missions they'd have in the future or of ramen. Whenever he did that, however, everyone would laugh at him and he found that worse than being ignored.

Those days had been tough, no doubt, but he always had someone supporting him. In the beginning there was only Iruka-sensei, his beloved mentor and something like a father to him, but with time he finally was able to have friends who believed in the same ideals as he did. He was able to discover friendship, happiness, loyalty and even love. Many hardships occurred during those times, and sometimes a happy ending sounded like a faraway dream he found difficult to believe, but they persevered and in the end, they were able to reach a better world.

His parents didn't have a grave due to his father having his face built in the famous rock of hokages, so Naruto decided to make this the spot of mourning and also of celebration of life. As he gazed at the swing, with the corroded metal reflecting the orange of the sunset, he could almost see the blond child who would always sit lonely in this spot, waiting for company and love. When he was younger, he would try to tell the child to stay strong and confident because he would eventually discover real friends, but it was to no use. After all, what would he have learned if he knew how everything would happen before the story even began?

Now however, he gazed silently at the swing, with a strong feeling of nostalgia. During his childhood he spent so many times here he could visualize the area's surrounding with closed eyes. This was his special place, the spot he would always visit whenever he was feeling sad or frustrated, angry and irritated, or just happy and content. As the quantity of missions and meetings started to increase, Naruto only found time to come here once a year.

He always came in that particular day. It had been the day where he first turned into a jounin, and after their celebration – in his style of course, so many ramen cups have been eaten – and on his way home, something seemed to have drawn him to that particular spot. That day, he sat in the swing through the late afternoon, when the streets next to the school were mostly empty. After that day, he started coming every year in this day here, as a way to both celebrate and remember his past, so he would never lose track of his hopes and dreams. So many things changed during these years and yet the old swing set seemed the same as ever, aside from a few rusty parts.

He only told Kakashi and Sakura of this spot. Kakashi simply nodded and wisely said that everyone needed a special place to think and reflect and Sakura, for once, stood quiet and didn't reprimand him for saying nonsense. Later on, she asked if she could go visit the spot with him and Naruto, after many months, accepted. After all, how could his bride not be able to visit one of his special places, a part of his memory? Even if it wasn't a fond one, it was just as important.

This had been the place where everyone had ignored him and he felt hatred for the world and himself. This had been the place where he had finally been acknowledged and where he fixated this memory. This had been the place where he saw younger children going daily, while giving glares to the blond boy. This had been the place where he always went to meditate and rethink the problems that arrived through his life. This had been the first place where he went after the news came to him and his nomination would shortly happen. And this was where he was spending his last minutes before the change in his life and status forever – before he became a hokage and his dream came true.

Honestly, this dream was only one of many. His first dream – though he only realized much later – had been to have friends and be acknowledged one way or another. In a way, he was still acting to achieve this dream daily while teaching the new generation of ninjas to let go of prejudice and have an open mind.

The soft sound of bells echoed through the village and Naruto knew he didn't have much time. With a final glance at the swing – he knew he would never forget the image of the blazing metal under the red light of the sunset – he bowed fervently and turned back. The image before him, however, made him stop completely.

Sakura was there.

His first instinct was to apologize loudly and attempt at a joke, but her face showed she already expected this. There was no frown in that beautiful, perfect face. Her hair was tightly held in a bum with only two locks of hair falling to the side of her cheeks. The subtle makeup and blush increased the redness of her lips and the intensity of those brilliant emerald eyes. She was also wearing a traditional dress for the ceremony – where, Naruto reminded himself, she would appear initially by his side and later stand back to represent the family of the next hokage – imprinted with cherry blossoms all over it. Naruto could only smile at the perfect match of her dress and her name and for a second he forgot she was there to scold him, probably. He stood up rigidly and watched his fiancée with fearful eyes.

A soft laugh echoed through the empty street. By the playfulness of her eyes, Naruto knew he was no longer in danger. She approached him with light steps – her ability as a ninja made her achieve such ability – and her agile hands fixed eventual wrong turns in his ceremonial robe. He fingers softly brushed his hair, in a failed attempt to bring the blond locks down, and trailed to his face. She held his face with both her hands and emerald eyes gazed deeply into sky-blue ones. He had always loved the color of her eyes, so green and vivid, it was enchanting.

"I won't tell on you, okay?" She said softly while still holding his face. "I know why you're here, after all. Did I interrupt you?"

As a response, Naruto smiled back and embraced her waist, pulling her slightly closer. "No, I've just finished. You could've come too, you know?"

Sakura smiled and shook her hand. "No, this is something personal to you. I understand. I- I really didn't want to come and interrupt you but, but you were running late and I was worried so-" She started to ramble as her nervousness was palpable.

Naruto laughed loudly – a trait he discovered most people, including Sakura, didn't hate as he had thought – and pecked her lips.

"Don't worry, dear." The pet name made her blush, like many others he had stored for her only. "Sometimes I lose track of time, so I'm glad I have you to keep me in line!"

"I keep you in line for many things, you know." She smirked playfully while still blushing and pecked his lips.

Two more pecks and they were already kissing and holding each other close. The soft ring of bells sounded once more and they quickly separated from one another (or more like Sakura pushed him off in the hurry).

"Come on, we have to go! You don't want to be late in your day, do you?"

Without waiting for a reply, she grabbed his hand and started running to the street. Naruto laughed at how quick she could be and soon caught up with her. They were both running down the street while holding hands toward the center of the village. With a last glance, Naruto looked at the swing in the lights of sunset, like it was stuck in time. He smiled and turned his head as they turned their first curve.

He would eventually visit this place next year as well – how lucky the day of his celebration had been today, he thought – after he had been a hokage for quite some time. He couldn't still imagine how things would turn out from now on, but as he held firmly Sakura's hand and pictured every single important people that had been on his life through his years, he realized there was no need to imagine. His young self would've never imagined – perhaps only wildly dreamed – he would turn out like this and the same could count for his current self.

It didn't matter whether it was snowing, raining or just a violent storm, he always went to visit that same place that same day, every year.

A/N: This is a rather old piece of writing I dig up last week. I've only watched Naruto till the beginning of Shippuden, so I don't know what happens next. This is my view of what would've been an eventual ending to the series at that time. Naruto was somewhat different for me – in which I actually like the main character of a shounen series – and I felt like contributing a bit for it. Regardless of how the series end, I hope he does become a hokage.

Fieldings