The dry leaves that had fallen freely from the tree above slowly hit the ground. The sound was so light and delicate that many people overlooked it, others not even hearing it. But to me, the sound was practically ear busting. Earth shattering. Can no one hear this abnormal noise but me?
Rain was the same way. Small glassy pellets fell from the clouds above, washing away the bright and cheerful summer it once was. Why was the sky crying? Was it the same reason why everyone else in this park had the same grim face, all of their eyes far away into another world?
It would make much sense to me why the sky was crying and why every little sound seemed to send an icy chill down my spine, making me jump and look around in alert.
It would make much sense why the cherry blossoms off of the cherry tree seemed to be a fader color, why the song of birds were no longer to be heard, and why the sky was a dull shade of gray.
Death.
It was only natural for it to happen eventually to every person. For it to sink it's claws right into their soul and tear it away from this earth. Death was unavoidable, unpredictable.
Even when every person in their right mind knew it would happen, the death of a loved one was still bone crushing painful, shocking, and all the more.
Even when they knew he would die, why was it still such bewilderment? Why did his death leave such a horrific mark on all these people, on me?
His death left my skin cold, my lungs deprived of air, my heart shattered into millions of tiny shards of glass, and my body weak and brittle as if I had aged overnight.
My hands wouldn't stop shaking, my throat burning as if I screamed my lungs out the previous night, and my eyes glassy and stinging from preventing myself from breaking down in front of all these people.
"We gather here today in grief of losing an honorable and unforgettable Shinobi of Konoha..." The preachers words drifted off until silent as my mind focused on looking up at the sadden sky. I didn't need to hear his words.
The words might manifest itself in my brain, my heart, and make me remember all the memories I wish that would fade away into nothing. Make me realize that the Hell I'm living in at the moment was existent and not just a dream. A nightmare.
"Naruto was a good man."
I turned sharply toward the voice, my breath catching in my throat at the words that Kakashi uttered, the words seeming to make a never ending echo in my soul. The glistening tears that I strived so hard to keep at bay finally ran ruthlessly down my pale cheeks, my lip quivering uncontrollably.
"I know." Was all I uttered. The words sounded so quiet, so fragile and lost that I was deeply surprised that I managed to even be able to comprehend the words that took every lasting bit of strength I had to say. Kakashi gave me a knowing look, something in his dark memorizing orbs flashed for a moment before going blank again.
"You don't have to force yourself to see him Sakura." My mouth was dry as cotton, my throat throbbing as I swallowed the cry that threaten to pass my lips and I looked up at the sullen sky once more. The clouds seemed to be devastatingly darker than the few minutes before, showing that a monstrous storm was about to come.
I almost jumped out of my skin when I felt Kakashi fix his over sized manly hand on my frail shoulder, tightening his death grip as he took a step closer to where I was standing. Using the hand that was placed on my shoulder, he twisted me around, pulling me in a bone crushing hug, his eyes looking straight ahead.
I couldn't take the sincerity I felt in his grip. The same kind of sincerity Naruto used to grasp me with. I shamefully buried my tear-stricken face into his shoulder, and let out the grief that was burying itself in my soul.
My yells of heartache was muffled by his Jonin coat, my arms tangled around his neck, my body shaking uncontrollably, and yet he still didn't loosen his grip that he had on me. I could see his face in my mind now, his face masked with no emotion, but his eyes were a pool of swirling pain and anguish that almost zapped you right in as soon as you gazed into them.
"It's going to be okay." But even to Kakashi himself, the words sounded utterly empty. Of course nothing was going to be alright, not when the best Shinobi of Konoha had been captured by the Akatsuki and murdered ruthlessly.
"You know it isn't Kakashi..." The words leaving my mouth like a soft whisper in the wind, my voice hoarse and breaking in between He was our life, our reason, and our only hope for this devastating war that was taking place. He was our sunshine in the midst of rain, the laughter that left our body glowing, and the hope that bubbled up inside our souls and kept us striving for so long in this war.
But now it's gone.
Every ounce of hope that we had left seem to disappear right into the soft wind, letting despair seep into our souls for the realization that there might be a chance that we lose this war. It wasn't fair for the most amazing Shinobi in the entire village to die, to leave in us in such time of need.
Kakashi finally gave me one last squeeze before letting me slip out of his manly arms, giving me time to wipe my tear stricken face off before grasping my arm lightly and began to move forward. I didn't want to leave the isolated spot I was at, but I knew deep in my heart that Naruto would want me to wish him farewell, the goodbye I didn't get say.
The grief that was buried in my soul wouldn't leave, no matter how many tears that I cry, and another icy shiver ran down my spine as I began to take small baby steps forward, one foot in front of the other.
It seemed that breath was stolen from my lungs.
His face was flawless. His brows were set with ease and his cheerful smile was now set to a peaceful one, and for the small moments that I stared at his all familiar face he was beautiful. Flashes of his cheerful face clung to my mind and I gripped the casket that my best friend was lying in, choking on a sob as my tears fell onto his peaceful face.
There were so many things that I didn't get the chance to say to him, so many times when I turned him down for ramen after a mission because I was too 'tired'. A swirl of guilt and anger plummet my chest and I threw the pearly white rose down on the ground and began carelessly running.
I couldn't see where I was heading for the tears in my eyes and the rain that began to fall from the heavens, but I ran. My legs burned and screamed for me to stop, my chest heaving heavily but I couldn't stop, I had to get out of there.
Suddenly, Naruto's voice ranged in my ears and I stopped abruptly, so quickly that I fell to my bruised knees and let out a surprised scream. My widen eyes glanced around in alert and I noticed that I was at our old usual spot, when we were genin and my heart became heavier.
If only I had spent more time with him. If only I would have been able to help him so much more than I did, and cure the loneliness that clanged to his soul. If only, if only.
Everything became blurry once again and I let out a grieving sigh, placing both of my worn-down hands on my face. I only sat there in the rain getting drenched, and I cried.