REASON TO COME BACK

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Summary: Sasuke finally joined Orochimaru to gain more power. Does he have any other goal beside that? What did it mean when Sasuke told Sakura to wait for him? Six years had passed, many things changed yet some still remained. How was their first reunited moment? SasuSaku, InoShika - implied.

It was a cold night. Cold wind, cold moon and two cold hearts. Taking the last glance, Sasuke silently placed down the frame which contained the picture of Team 7. He had made up his mind to forget all about the past as what he thought, his dream was not in the future, it was in the past. Sasuke shut the door quietly, began to walk down the street which led him out of Konoha. Sasuke always acted like that, he never let anyone know what he was thinking or what he was going to do. He was the person of few words after all. Sasuke was walking through the streets of Konoha, looking at everything around the village maybe for the last time. He knew that he was going to break his only relationship with Konoha, with every villager, with Konoha ninjas, with Kakashi-sensei, with Naruto, with his cherry blossom Sakura. Did he have another way to go? The fate seemed to be so cruel to him, and as himself as well.

When Sasuke reached near the entrance of the village, he sensed a familiar chakra of a person as if she had been waiting for him for a long time.

"What are you doing here so late at night? Just out for a stroll?" Sasuke asked, really didn't expect for her answer.

"In order to leave the village, you have to take this road" Sakura said quietly.

"Go home" Sasuke then proceeded as if there was nothing that mattered.

"Why? Why don't you say anything to me? Why do you shut everyone out? Why don't you …"

…

…

"You always act like you hate me, Sasuke-kun". It looked like Sakura was talking to herself. Sasuke was really like that, always being an ice cube.

…

…

"Of course. That was a long time ago … But it started on that day. You and I … and Naruto … and Kakashi-sensei. The four of us have done a lot of missions together. It was difficult, it was terrible, but … even so … it was fun. I know about what happened to your clan … but with revenge alone, you will not be able to make anyone happy, no one … neither you … nor I" Sakura smiled faintly between streams of tears.

"I know that. I am different from you guys, I follow a different path from you guys. The four of us together … It's true that I have thought of that as one possible path … But despite the four of us have been together, my heart has chosen revenge. It's why I go on living. I can't be like you or Naruto"

"Aren't you going to choose to be lonely again? Sasuke-kun, you told me that being alone is painful. I understand it so well it hurts. I have friends and family … but if you leave for me … to me it's the same as being alone."

"From now on, new paths will start"

Sakura couldn't stand anymore, she blurted out all her heart,

"I love you more than anything. … … I'm begging you, please stay … If that is not possible, please take me with you …" Sakura sobbed uncontrollably.

…

"After all this time, you're still annoying", Sasuke then walked ahead.

"Don't go. If you do, I'll scream out loud and … "

In the blink of an eye, Sasuke stood closely behind her, his voice was soft and low.

"Sakura, just wait for me"

Did not let her had another second to think, Sasuke knocked her down, carefully picked her up and laid her on the bench nearby. Standing there looking at her, Sasuke quietly dried another lone tear which were threatened to fall by his finger. He then turned away to go on, not took any glance back. To Sasuke from now on, he had one more aim in life, Sakura.

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Six years later.

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Somewhere around the outskirt of Konoha, the place which was used to be the training ground of the famous team seven now was full of wild grass and flowers. It was due to the absence of the people in a long time. All the genins of Konoha and academy students were no longer allowed to train outside of the village since Konoha was in a confrontation with Sound village. Thus it was too dangerous for anyone to wander around the village at this time. However, there was still someone who kept coming this place.

The relationship of the Hidden Leaf village and Hidden Sound village that was not so good at the very first time, now had became more and more strained recently. Everything had changed even though there were things not.

Sakura Haruno, the only girl ex-member of team seven, was now a jounin, also known as the number one medic nin of Konoha. She was no longer a crybaby like she used to be when she was twelve, she had changed outside and inside. She had grown more beautiful and became stronger than ever. Unlike the other jounins, she didn't wear her uniform; instead of that, she still wore her usual red blouse and white skirt with the protector hung tightly on her short pink hair. She had been training hard with Tsunade-sama and managed to master every jutsu that she was taught. She also learned to use two short katanas which were carried at her side.

It was afternoon already. After finishing all her work at the main hospital, Sakura changed back into her usual outfit. Jumping out of the hospital window, Sakura unconsciously walked to the forest outside Konoha. Sakura was going to the training ground like always. She kept visiting this place although the law made by Godaime that people should not go out of the village without permission. However, the law did not matter to Sakura since she was so familiar with the patrol team which consisted her best friend Ino, Chouji and Shikamaru. All of them were jounins too. Shikamaru although was assigned to the job at academy, the Godaime still put him in the patrol team list, but Chouji was the leader this time. The trio also got used to finding Sakura at this place for they caught her figure there almost every time they passed by. Approaching the guard booth, Sakura flashed a smile to them when she saw Ino and the boys were about to leave for the next shift.

"Hey, fore-head. You are late for 15 minutes. So many patients today, huh?" Ino said glancing at her yellow Pikachu watch. Sakura entered the booth, waved at the boys when they nodded their heads as soon as they realized her presence as usual.

" Uhm! Konohamaru was bugging me. He just got some scratches during his training with Kiba and he kept whining on and on. He becomes more like Naruto". Sakura knitted her brows remembering how annoying the young brown haired genin was.

"Speaking of Naruto, has he returned yet? The training trip this time is sure too long, isn't it?" Shikamaru yawned, leaned on the bar.

"Cover your mouth, Shika!" Ino yelled while aiming a shuriken at Shikamaru who dodged it easily without opening his eyes.

"Ah, Ero-sannin and Naruto have been training at Suna village for 2 months or so. I heard that Tsunade-sama gave them some missions there as well. I think they will not come back until the end of this year." Sakura said with an unhappy look on her face but no one noticed it.

"He better comes back soon. He still owes me two treats of ramen. He had promised me last year", Chouji growled while shoving more snacks into his giant backpack, made the three sweats dropped. "Hey Shika, can I borrow your bag?"

Shikamaru smiled weakly at his best buddy and tried to convince Chouji that the patrol shift would not take so much time than half an hour. Sakura then stood up and headed out of the booth,

"You guys better get going. I'm going as well".

"Don't stay out too long, fore-head", Ino said with a concerned voice.

"Don't worry, I won't. Bye Ino-pig. Bye Chouji, Shikamaru".

Sakura was about to leave when she heard her name was called,

"Wait a sec, Sakura. Godaime-sama said we would have an important meeting tomorrow. Don't forget!"

"Got it, thanks Shikamaru. Tomorrow then."

As a matter of second, Sakura quickly jumped to the forest not waited for Chouji and Shikamaru bid their goodbye. Finally, she arrived at her destination, the place buried all her very precious memories with Kakashi-sensei, with Naruto, and her cold blooded Sasuke. Sakura found her usual spot under the old sakura tree which was not so far from the red bridge. Many things had changed but this old witnessed tree and Sakura still remained here, with all the love and sorrow, appeared and disappeared over the time. Sitting on a branch, Sakura closed her eyes loosely, let her mind and the beautiful scene bring back the old days. Every time she sat there, she always thought about them, and wondered what they were doing at that time.

It has been years since Team Seven was scattered. Kakashi-sensei was back with ANBU team and was assigned some secret missions for Konoha, mostly about Oto village. Naruto, on the other hand, spent most the time on training trip with Ero-sannin. She hardly saw them around the village; for Kakashi-sensei, that was due to his duty; for Naruto, he had never stayed at the village more than two or three days. Sakura was so busy with her job at the hospital and training with Tsunade as well. And Sasuke … well … Team Seven had been fallen apart.