Whenever she thought about it, she realised she never really got to say a proper goodbye to him. Not after all these years.

The last words she uttered to him the last they met, if she recalled correctly, was an excited greeting of "hi" accompanied with an enthusiastic wave and vibrant smile.

That was nearly two decades ago. They were only seven years old then; she just turned twenty five and the man-an amazing man who loved her—she had been dating for the past three years had just popped The Question to her.

But she couldn't bring herself to say yes. Not yet, at least. Because in her heart she knew she needed the closure that was two decades too late first. A closure from her first love, who she had always thought was the one.

The first love she had nothing but regrets over-why didn't I tell him how I truly felt about him? Why? Will I ever see him again? I don't want to go... what if...?—and all her life she wished she had told him the feelings she held for him. These feelings she had been unable to let go of became metaphorical chains that imprisoned her to him, and her heart in his hands without his knowledge.

That's why, to be able to say yes to the person she now knew she truly loved, she needed her heart back. Her whole heart.

So Haruno Sakura decided to finally come back to Oto, even if for just a quick visit, to find her first love, to finally confess her caged feelings, and to let go at last.

She wanted to get to business right away. She didn't want to prolong her nervousness any longer but she could not refuse invitation for dinner—it seemed impolite to refuse the invitation. Which was the reason why she had to sit next to the boy she had come back to settle business with, a confession to say to, and ultimately get a closure from.

Though of course, it was pleasing to be next to him after all these years. Just like the old times, but she realised now that whatever she might've felt for him... probably wasn't truly love. Maybe it wasn't something, but not as strong as love.

And she's glad to realise it, to come to terms with her feelings. It meant being able to give her heart to her soon-to-be fiancée.

"You were gone long," he murmured after dinner.

It was just the two of them now, outside the veranda, basking under the moonlight.

"I'm not staying long either," she murmured back.

She just needed her whole heart back, to say the unsaid words that should've been said long ago, to finally get it out of her system... to say the words she regretted not saying all her life would release whatever feelings she might've had for him.

She knew it was time to seize the day.

"I loved you," she told him, and she felt him turn toward her.

"All those years," she continued but she was yet to face him.

Then there was silence.

Until he spoke.

"You don't anymore?" There was disappointment, hurt, confusion, and even... is that anger in his tone?

Could he... could he have been feeling something for her too? It was too late now though. She didn't come back to rekindle an old flame.

"I haven't for a long time," was her reply and as soon as the words left her lips, it dawned to her that yes, she hadn't been in love with him for a long time now.

"Did you come home just to tell me this?" he asked, and it sounded as if he fought to grit the words out..

"No, I came back just for this. I'm going home tomorrow."

"This is your home!" he hissed at her, while also seizing her by the shoulders, to make her face him.

His eyes, that seemed to have become darker if possible, were gleaming under the moonlight. They were ablaze, and he was panting lightly.

"It hadn't been for a long time, Sasuke."

It hurt to look into his eyes.

"I'm getting married," she finally said, "I just want closure from you."

He let go of her shoulders that instant and stepped away from her. After releasing a deep breath, he turned toward the door. He paused at the door and with a hand on the doorknob, he told her:

"If he ever, ever, hurt you"—she could see his shoulders shaking—"make you cry, you tell me and I—"

She threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around him from behind. He could feel her tears socking the back of his shirt. Sasuke placed his hands over hers and squeezed them.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

The End.

notes: please don't hate me. i tried to make it that sakura ends up with Sasuke but it just didn't work. sorry.