Forgotten Memories
"Oh Yeah! We're back!" Naruto screamed at the top of his voice. He and Kakashi had been on a two man mission for six months and were now back. "Alright! I'm gonna eat so much rammen my stomach burst.!"
"Yes, very nice Naruto," Kakashi said, reading Icha Icha Paradise.
The two ninjas began to walk down a path in the park. It was there that they heard the weeps from a familiar voice.
"Sakura-chan? What's wrong?" Naruto asked. Sakura was sat on a bench near the path, and looked up when she heard Naruto's voice.
"Naruto? Sensei? You're back?" Sakura jumped at Naruto, wrapping her arms around his neck and crying hard.
"Sakura," Kakashi said, "why are you crying?"
"I want to show you something," Sakura said, and began leading her two teammates to what she wanted to show them.
Sakura came to a halt under a cherry blossom tree. There, lied a tombstone. The words written on it made Naruto and Kakashi gasp. 'In memory of Sasuke Uchiha.'
"How did this happen?" Naruto asked.
"Sit down,' Sakura said, plopping down on the ground, "and I'll tell you." Naruto and Kakashi sat down, so Sakura began. "You see, not too long after you guys left, Sasuke-kun came to me.
'Sakura,' he said. 'Would y-you like to g-g-go on a d-date with m-me?' I was shocked by what he asked me, but I happily agreed. Ever since that day, we were a couple. We usually went on dates and that. But about two months after he asked on that date, there were signs that it wasn't meant to be."
"Signs?" Naruto asked.
"It was," Sakura continued, "his memory. At first I thought it was just me. But then he began to forget what happened just the day before, or where places were around Konoha. It got worse and worse. Before long, he was forgetting things that a person had just said. I read any books I could find that would help him. But it was beyond my ability. So I took him to Tsunade-sama.
'His body is very stressed,' she said, 'and also, his brain doesn't seem to be functioning properly.'
'Would you be able to help him?' I asked.
'I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do to prevent it.'
But if nothing was done, he would forget everything. I told her if he forgets, it would make him sad. But Tsunade-sama only said, 'Don't worry, he won't remember why he's sad in the first place.
And so, I brought him back home with me. But his memory got worse and worse. He began to forget things that happened just seconds ago. And then one morning, when I went downstairs and saw him, he said, 'Ohayou, what's your name.'"
Naruto and Kakashi gasped.
"But, there were still times when he would remember glimmers of us together.
Not long after that, I took him shopping with me. He was at the stage now, where his brain couldn't function in daily life. I couldn't leave him alone, even for a few minutes, so I always kept him by my side. I wasn't sleeping well back then… thinking about him. I guess I was in a daze that morning. It was still dark and it was raining. A shuriken came flying towards me, and I didn't notice it until it was too late. But then… he jumped in front of me… and got hit instead of me. I saw him with blood splattered all over him, lying on the ground. I went to him and held his trembling frame… and he looked up at and smiled. 'Ohayou, what's your name?' he said. In the state he was in, he probably didn't even realize the danger of putting himself in front of a shuriken moving straight him. But… to me, it felt like he had died saving my life. It's stupid of me to think that. He didn't understand anything anymore…"
"It's not strange," Kakashi said. Sakura looked at him with tear filled eyes.
"I believe, that he knew what he was doing, that he was saving your life," Naruto said.
"…Thank you," Sakura said, smiling to herself. "Right after the incident, I took him to Tsunade-sama. She told me, 'His brain is completely down, there's nothing that can be done. His brain is far beyond repair. But if you like, we can create a person who looks like him.'
To me, he was unique. Even if I were to find another with the exact same appearance… it wouldn't be him. He was a human being… and just like all human beings… he had died. I took his body and held a funeral for him. His memories are gone, and he'll never feel anything again… but I'll always remember him. He'll always be… a living creature in my mind. His face, his voice, his gestures the good times, the bad… I can't possibly forget."
"Sakura-chan, that's so sad,' Naruto said with tears falling down his face. "You must be really upset, right?"
"Yes, but what would make me more upset, is if the same thing happened to you Naruto. When you find love, take care of it. I don't want to see you in that position."
Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi sat there for about an hour longer. But what they didn't realize, was that a raven haired boy was watching over his sensei, his friend, and his love.
