Now you're gone
I realize my love for you was strong
And I miss you here
Now you're gone
She ran. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her to the entrance to the Leaf Village. She couldn't let him leave. Not before he knew how much he meant to her. She clutched the letter to her chest and pushed her legs harder. Faster. Faster. Faster.
***Flashback***
"Sakura! Hoshi! Wait up!" yelled Naruto.
"Oh, great. Here comes Naruto. No doubt coming to ask me out, again" said Sakura.
Hoshi sighed. "You really should try to be nicer to him, Sakura. He's really not such a bad guy."
"Ha! Yeah, when pigs fly."
"Well, Ino is working on that new jutsu…" The two girls laughed. Naruto came to a stop in front of the pair.
"What do you want Naruto?" Sakura asked.
"W-well, this new ramen bar just opened up" Naruto stuttered, "and I wanted to know if you wanted to go check it out with me?" he finished hopefully.
"Naruto, how many times do I have to tell you? I don't like you and I will never go out with you." Sakura answered, glaring at the poor boy.
"Oh, alright. How about you, Hoshi? Do you want to go?" he asked, almost pleadingly.
Hoshi's heart skipped a beat at his words. While it was a common occurrence for Naruto to ask her to go places with him after Sakura rejected him, it still didn't lessen the effect his blue, puppy-dog eyes had on her.
Focus. He loves Sakura. He only thinks of you as a friend.
Unfortunately, today she had other plans. "Sorry, Naruto. I have a bunch of errands to run today. But I'll go with you tomorrow, if you want." She responded.
"Yeah, tomorrow…" he trailed off quietly. Then he smiled brightly, back to his usual self. "Ok. Bye!" he ran off in the direction he came.
I keep waiting here by the phone
With your picture hanging on the wall
Hoshi barely had time to reply before he was gone. She wondered if he had ever tried asking out any other girls besides Sakura.
He would probably be happier if he tried asking out other girls, instead of always focusing on Sakura.
"Damn. Does that boy never give up?" Sakura asked, breaking Hoshi out of her thoughts.
"Haha! You act like you've never even spoken to him, Sakura. Of course he never gives up." Hoshi answered.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. But still… Huh?" Sakura looked up. "It's starting to rain."
"And it was such a nice day too. So much for the rest of my errands," Hoshi sighed. "Oh well, I'd better get home. I'll see you tomorrow Sakura."
"See you, Hoshi."
Is this the way it's meant to be
Only dreaming that you're missing me?
I'm waiting here at home
I'll go crazy, now you're gone
The first thing Hoshi did when she arrived home was drop the things she had bought with Sakura inside the door. Looking up, she noticed her favorite photo hanging on the wall. The photo was of herself squished between Naruto, wearing his usual goofy grin, and Sakura, also smiling widely. It was the day that they had all been assigned to Team 7. Sasuke had blatantly refused to be in the photograph.
Hoshi sighed at the happy memory. She wondered what Naruto was thinking about.
Probably Sakura, beating Sasuke, or that new ramen bar.
Hoshi leaned against her door, lost in thought.
I wonder how I would react if I suddenly lost either Naruto or Sakura. Haha! I'd go crazy, most likely. I can't imagine my life without either of them. Sasuke I can live without, but if Naruto wants to go after him, I will do everything I can to help him.
Breaking out of her thoughts, she moved to go to her couch to lie down, she heard something crunch under her foot. Curious, she looked down, only to find a letter stuck to her shoe.
Shock and dread filled her as she read and reread the note. She couldn't believe what was written on the page. Immediately, she bolted to the door and began sprinting to the front gate of Konoha.
*** End Flashback***
Hoshi burst through the trees as she reached the entrance at top speed. She had taken a shortcut through the forest between her home and the gate. However, the gate was deserted. She looked as far down the path that led away from Konoha as she could, but there was no one.
"Naruto!" she yelled.
There was no answer. She was too late. He was gone.
She dropped to the ground and sobbed.
"I love you too."
There's an empty place in my heart
I won't alarm me, it will break apart
It won't heal, it never fades away
I will think about you every day
My Dearest Hoshi,
Thank you for everything that you have done for me. You've been one of the best friends I could ever ask for. You've always been there for me whenever I needed a friend, and that means more to me than you will ever know.
I know it has seemed that I have always been in love with Sakura, but, in truth, I have only ever seen you. I could never tell if you felt the same way, so I chased Sakura to hide my feelings for you.
I'm leaving this afternoon to train with pervy sage, but I wanted to leave a few last words for you. I don't know when I'll return, but it probably won't be for a long time. I'm sorry I didn't have the guts to say all this in person.
Even if you don't feel the same way, please don't forget me.
I love you, Hoshi.
Goodbye for now.
Love,
Naruto
P.S.—If you don't hate me when I come back, I'm holding you to that ramen date. (AN/ insert cheesy smile here.)
AN—There will probably be a sequel to this. Tell me what you think!
For those of you reading my story "To Have Loved and Lost"- sorry, I'm suffering writer's block, but a new chapter should be up soon.