Candlelight Vigil
By: Karasu Kyra
They'd died a few days ago. It still hadn't quite sunk in that they were gone yet. That was why it didn't really affect Saku Runo as she was standing at the vigil, her freezing hands wrapped around a candle. Sasu Chiha and Naru Uzu, both, had died in a car accident.
They figured Sasu was distracted during the blizzard and had hit a patch of ice and swerved off the road. She smiled. She'd known the Chiha well, though. It wasn't like him to get distracted, especially while driving, even with his boyfriend in the car.
She looked around at the people. She could spot Ita Chiha, Sasu's brother, somewhere in the crowd, as well as Sasu and Naru's year-mates. The principal of their high school was there. So, was Naru's guardian. The majority, though, was the classmates and their families. The two had surely known a lot of people.
She wondered when it would set in. When would it feel like they were gone forever and just not attending the same event she was? It was odd, she supposed, how she could just sit here and muse on it. The best deception is that of one's own mind, after all.
The amount of people didn't bother her. She was glad so many people respected her best friends enough to show up. What bothered her, was the utter silence, the solemnity of the moment.
Yeah, she understood the whole 'respect the dead' bit, but wouldn't it be more respectful to be happy as the two dead would wish? Everyone had seen how Naru cheered people up. He hated seeing people sad. Even Sasu would prefer people not to mourn his death.
Sakura was getting angrier by the moment. She growled under her breath before raising her voice, "What is wrong with you people?! If you're here, I'm sure you knew Naru or Sasu. Would either of them have wanted us to mope around like it's the end of the world?"
Silence met Saku's words and that only caused her to become more passionate. Her eyes swept over the crowd. "Good God, guys! Kiba! What's your best memory of Naru?"
Kiba looked down, hurt flashing across his features before he looked up. "Naru and me, we've been pulling 'senior pranks' since we were in eighth grade. 'Fuck senior year, we start early,' is what Naru said. All of those pranks, they're all my favorite memory."
Everyone smiled a little bit.
"Sasu loved tomatoes. One morning, when he was six or seven, before our parents died, he woke up bright and early and made our parents breakfast--mashed tomatoes. He figured since it was his favorite it must be his parents. He was completely oblivious to their dislike as they choked it down. He smiled the entire day," Ita retold.
"I was there when Sasu kissed Naru in front of everyone in the lunch room in ninth grade," Ina said. "Naru all but fainted. He turned so red. Maybe Sasu thought he was a tomato--good enough to eat!" She winked.
A chuckle went through the crowd.
"I remember that day. The morning before he did it, Sasu was pacing back and forth in my bedroom. He'd gotten up at five and walked all the way to my house. He asked me how he should tell his feelings to Naru. I told him to be blunt. Well, if Naru didn't get it…" Neji half-smiled.
Everyone traded stories for hours. They all ended up in something of a circle, candles in hand, but instead of silence, everyone was laughing. Sakura could imagine that this is what Naru and Sasu would have wanted.
And as the hours passed, Saku came to the realization that two of her best friends were dead. But, she realized that it was okay. They'd meet again, in another life.
Memories yet to happen whispered on the wind.
"Believe it, Sakura!" A bright smile, blond hair, blue eyes.
"I am an avenger." Dark hair, dark, eyes, dark outlook.
"You're my closest friend." Dark hair, dark eyes, ….sad outlook?
"Sasuke, no!" More blond hair and blue eyes, but the smile is…missing.
"Bring him back, Naruto." Tears in green eyes, an emotional pain worse than any.