*~Author's Note: I do not own the Naruto series, and any characters referenced/portrayed in this fic are covered by fair use agreement.~*

Prologue

**Tap**

Cool fingers grazed my forehead, my skin heating to the touch. Shocked, I glanced up at him confused.

"Sasuke-kun?" I gasped, as his eyes smoldered like burning black coals into my own.

"I'll see you soon" he replied briskly. With just a fraction of a second more prolonged eye contact than normal, he turned away. Sakura's cheeks continued to burn under the surface. Did that seriously just happen?

Without a glance backwards, Sasuke walked out of the village, yet again.

Chapter 1.

"SHANNARO"

Sakura's fist landed frustratingly on the table, crushing it in half instantaneously. Seething, she huffed and puffed, Naruto and Hinata staring at her in bewilderment, the broken table separating their held hands.

"Jeez Sakura, what the hell?! You spilt my ramen!" Naruto exclaimed, dropping to his knees before his broken noodle bowl.

"N-Naruto-kun... We will buy you another." Hinata said nervously, gulping, she looked back at the shaking and furiously wide eyed Sakura, who was still holding her fist in the air. "Sakura-san, are you alright?" Hinata continued, anxiously trying to keep the peace.

"I just can't believe it. After EVERYTHING, he's left again! For once, I actually thought he was going to stick around the village, but he barely stepped a toe in by choice since the war..." Sakura sighed a heavy, disheartened sigh, lowering her fist and sinking back into her seat.

Naruto and Hinata eased, looking at Sakura in sympathy. "You are still not over it huh?" Naruto asked nonchalantly, leading the girls to a new table and ordering another bowl. He took Hinata's hand again under the table.

"Over it?!" Sakura growled. Fearing for his life, he raised his spare hand in surrender.

"I just mean, he's been gone for over two months now Sakura. It shouldn't be long till he's back again." Naruto buffered with an awkward smile.

"That's right Sakura-san, just a little more patience and you will see him again in no time!" Hinata agreed happily, smiling at Sakura hopefully.

"You guys are ones to talk" Sakura grumbled, crossing her arms in dejection. "You guys have been dating since the battle with Toneri on the moon, like can you get more epic and romantic than the moon?!" Sakura whined hopelessly.

Naruto and Hinata both blushed, and looked at one another shyly. Naruto gave Hinata's hand a squeeze, causing her blush to deepen. Realizing their error, when Sakura stared at them like she was about to burst into tears, Hinata quickly shook her head.

"I'm sure this time away from you, has been hard on Sasuke-san as well Sakura." Hinata raised her free fist bravely in modest enthusiasm.

"Tch. I wouldn't be so sure. I don't know what I'm upset about anyway." Sakura sighed. "You and Naruto were so obvious from the start, you totally loved him from the beginning, and he always had loved you and never quite knew it..."

Naruto grimaced recalling his prior ignorance, as Hinata tried to hide her obvious embarrassment from the straight forward remark. Breaking their handhold once again, Hinata fidgeted with her fingers timidly, as Naruto grabbed the noodles from the waiter thanking him. He was unsuccessfully trying to hide his food excitement for Sakura's sake, and took extra time cooling his noodles.

"But what do I have...?" Sakura's eyes pooled with tears then, staring at her empty hands in her lap. "Barely a confirmation of his feelings. After all these years, of pining and fighting for him. After all this pain, and he is finally back.. This is what I get?" Sakura's clenched knuckles turned white, and she grit her teeth.

The two nin before her gazed suddenly wide eyed at her, with full attention. I've never heard her say anything like this before, Hinata thought. Naruto shared her opinion out loud, "Sakura-chan... I know you have been waiting a long time, but a lot has changed, and Sasuke really needs this time to mend. You've been so patient this far, and I'm sure once he gets back you guys will spend a lot of time together." Hinata nodded in agreement.

Then... Something inside Sakura snapped. She rose to her feet unconsciously, squeezing her eyes shut, as to not let the tears fall, hands balled at her sides. "I know that Naruto. I know that better than anyone. What could just a little more time harm right? If I have waited so patiently all these years, what's the difference?" Sakura whispered.

She suddenly began to shout, "But you know what? I just realized the true difference here. At the end of the day, all that matters is Sasuke. It's HIS time I am expected to adjust to, it was HIS moral compass we had to guide, it is HIM that needs mending, and now it's suddenly HIS journey alone, AGAIN!".

Two stubborn tears escaped her turquoise eyes, "I had no part in his life when we were kids, and now I have nothing to do with his "sins" or his life now! If I didn't know better, I'd think he was saying he didn't want me at all, ever. I can't take any of this anymore. What about MY time? When do I begin to matter?!"

And faster than a bolt of lightening, Sakura had fled.

Little did Naruto and Hinata know, that they were not the only ones Sakura left behind that day.