A/N: Hi! First fanfiction ever. Not even legit because it's a drabble/oneshot xD Nevertheless, please read! Share your thoughts~ ^^

I don't know why I started crying. Did the rain inspire all that? Or maybe it was the fact that everybody else was face-down, hiding their tears using the clouds' own. He was supposed to be back from his mission today.

Was it from the choked sounds coming out of their mouths? It isn't pleasing to ears, to be frank. I was starting to get irritated.

I see Lee, his head down, his teeth not shining for once. I see Tenten closing her eyes, shaking her head left to right frantically with her hand clamped on her mouth. I see all of Rookie 9, forming a circle surrounding something. I started walking to the front of the crowd, with much difficulty because nobody would move.

I saw what the commotion was about. It took all my sheer willpower not to break down then and there.

I saw him, pale and his chest unmoving. The ground he laid on was soaked in maroon water. I almost laughed. He loathed that color and avoided it as if his life depended on it. And here he was, lying on that very same color, almost dressed in it.

Did it have to rain today? I should've listened to the weather report this morning. Then again, it's okay. I wouldn't be able to know if it was rain wetting my face, or if it was my tears.

Tsk, nobody even shut his eyelids. I missed those lavender eyes a lot, but I never expected to see it again like this. Surprise is an understatement. I walk to his body and crouch. Shutting his eyelids, that may be the hardest thing I've ever done.

I touch his hair. I couldn't suppress the bitter laugh that erupted from my throat. I remember the time he chased me around the village for braiding that coffee-colored hair of his. It was too pretty, how could I resist not braiding it?

I touch his cold arm, remembering all the times I applied bandages and healed it with my own chakra.

I look at the blood soaking his white shirt. I tried blinking the tears away, only to have it multiply.

I remove the Konoha hitai-ate from his forehead. I let my fingers ghost over his own mark. He once considered it a curse, but I found it beautiful.

I kiss his temple and let the tears fall over his closed eyelids. 'Just this once.' I let out a sob. There was no warning, no signal, it just came out.

I understood the many risks of being a ninja. We live for the village, we die for the village. But I couldn't stop my heart from clenching. It almost halted my breathing.

I've stopped crying but the rain still made me wet. I stood up, looking at his face for most probably the last time.

I let out a breath and said three words I know I'll never say again. "I love you."

And I walk away.