.There's only one way, to say, those three words for you.
-
-
It had been years since I last seen you.
Our last meeting hadn't been great either.
It was actually our last goodbye.
By the park's bench, you said thank you, then everything went black.
Then, the tears, the breakdowns, the promises…
All those promises and tears Naruto made and shed for you and me…
All of those… that were broken.
-
I dragged my tired feet through the woods. The blood dripped and left red trails behind me. My eyes tried to look forward but it was hard, but… no matter what I had to get to him. To fulfill the one last promise I promised Naruto… to tell him we love him.
I already did break too many promises I promised him. One of them was my promise to protect him and stand by his side.
I looked around, and then spotted the desert. I didn't know I had walked that far after I stopped running hours ago.
Konoha was attacked by the Akatsuki, only three of them were left, and they had managed to destroy Konoha completely. I might be the only survivor, and that was because Naruto had bought me some time to run as fast as I could while he stood brave in the front line for me.
I didn't just break my promise, I had betrayed him.
The word hit me hard. I stopped by the lake and splashed my face with the cold water. I looked at my reflection in the lake.
Puffy, swollen green eyes, red nose and cheeks, crumpled, messed up face, and a look of unfathomable misery and guilt looked back at me. It took me a while to realize that that was my face.
The forehead creased and tears came back.
I splashed more water onto my face and cried for as much as I can. No matter how much tears I shed, though, none of them would return Naruto or Sai or Ino or Kakashi- sensei or Tsunade-same or Konoha or the others.
If he had been there, he'd say what I knew he'd say: "Being a coward again? Always hiding behind others' back while you run for your own life."
I looked at the face in the water and anger filled me.
I screamed and jumped into the water, wanting to kill that person that left all that loved her and protected her behind.
But then, that person was me.
I didn't change, I never changed. All that super-strength and medic power, even though I was the best, I still couldn't be the one protecting them because I was just too much of a coward.
I looked at the moon's reflection just across mine. I walked toward that moon in the water and the water level raised, by the time I reached that moon the water had already covered my whole body.
I looked down at the everlasting darkness below me that seemed to go on forever. Then I looked up as the darkness reached to me.
So beautiful… it looked like those nights where the stars were visible and nothing was in the way. Those nights where I and Naruto and Sai would sit together at the training ground after a long day and just relax.
No one would be able to see the tears I shed right now for the water was all over me; I wished it would just take me away. Take me to them who must be waiting for me.
"I'll see you soon, Sakura-chan. Don't worry."
I'd see you now, Naruto. Then we can play and fight again at a place that looked like Konoha but no wars would come and destroy it.
I closed my eyes and felt my breath slowed.
Just before I completely lost consciousness, I felt a pair of hands grabbed my waist.
-
.There's only one thing, to do, three words for you.
-
-
I opened my eyes and saw a pair of blue eyes stared at me.
"Sakura?" a voice called out.
"Wh—" I struggled to sat up. "Who are you?"
"Sasuke, she's okay," that voice said.
Sasuke? What?
I looked to the side and saw him, wet, on the ground across me. He was taking off his kimono, leaving only his hakama on. He threw his kimono at a big guy with cold face and red hair who hanged it on the nearest tree branch.
Sasuke turned to me and nodded.
"Let her rest,"
"Why?" I let out that one word passed my lips. Why did he have to save me? After everything he had done to us.
"I need you," he said. "You need to tell me information about Danzo and all about Konoha—"
I didn't want to let him finish. So ironic, he had no idea his hometown was down, what was more ironic was that I bet he planned to bring it down himself.
"Konoha had been destroyed," I pushed myself up and the blue-eyed man placed his hand on my chest, telling me to lie down. I pushed his hand away gently, grateful for what he'd done but it was unnecessary. "Thank you for the help," I said to the man that looked like one of those Akatsuki that destroyed Konoha, "but I am actually planning to kill myself."
I stood up and realized that something fell off me. I looked down and gasped when I saw that I was naked.
"What?!" I shrieked, shocked. I turned to the blue eyed man who stared at my naked body with flushed face. "Look away, you dumbass!" I punched his face and he went flying over back to the water of the lake. "Where's my clothes?!"
The red-haired guy threw them at me and I hurriedly put them on.
"Wait Sakura,"
"What do you want now, Sasuke?" I snapped. "What more can you get? Konoha's destroyed."
"Why are you that strong?" he asked as he walked toward me.
I tried my best not to cry or be overwhelmed by this emotion of want and need and love I had toward him. I looked up at his eyes and realized how they had gotten darker since the last time I had seen him years ago.
"The Fifth," I said shortly.
He nodded, understanding filled him.
"Do you want to come with me?" he asked.
"What?"
"Your strength is needed," he said as he looked back at me.
"Wh—"
Something stopped me short. This chakra… the chakra of the ones destroying Konoha.
Something blue and fast went straight toward Sasuke. I didn't know what it was but I knew it was going to kill him.
A girl's voice screamed in panic and I looked just in time to see a red-headed girl with glasses had dropped the branches she had brought for the fire.
"Sasuke!" she screamed again and I turned once again toward the blue thing.
The red-head guy stood up and ran into the woods, probably going to go after the one who caused this blue thing.
I narrowed my eyes and realized that it looked like a raikiri. But why was it moving?
"Aw damn!" I heard the voice of the blue-eyed guy back from the lake. "Sasuke, dodge!"
But Sasuke didn't move. I turned and saw him looked at the thing. His eyes showed no sign of life and I realized he wanted that thing to kill him. The question raised was… why?
That thing got nearer and I knew it would kill him.
I didn't know what drove me but I stood in the way and it hit me instead.
I fell to the ground after gasping so loud that my chest hurt. But it didn't hurt because of the gasp, it hurt because the blue lightning had hit the space between my chest and my stomach.
My eyes blurred after a few seconds. Should I heal myself?
I turned to the sky and smiled. This wasn't such a bad way to die, now, was it? It was… dummy.
"Stupid," Sasuke muttered as he knelt next to me. He grabbed my head and waist and I felt him around me. "Karin, here, now."
Karin ran toward us and hurriedly placed her hands on top of my wound, trying to heal it. I looked at her shaky hands and smiled at her. I placed my hand on top of hers and she stopped, her eyes looked at me confusedly.
"Just go help that guy in the water,"
She looked at Sasuke who must've nodded because she hurried to the lake.
… As easy as one, two, one two three four…
"What now, Sakura?"
"Now I die," I said. I felt my breathing and heartbeat slowed down. Why did I cover for him?
The answer was simple… and I just couldn't believe how simple it was after thinking I hated him for eternity for everything he had done to us.
-
"Naruto, will you still try and get him back?"
"Of course!" he grinned at me.
"Why?"
"Isn't that what you want?" he frowned at me.
"No," I shook my head. "Not anymore."
"Well, I had promised you," he said. "And besides, I want to."
"Why?" I frowned back at him. "He betrays us and he don't feel bad about it."
"He's still part of our team and family though, Sakura," he smiled at me.
"You still love him after all he had done?"
"Yes,"
"Hm…"
"You do too, Sakura-chan. The bond cannot be broken that easily," he grinned at me.
I turned to him and smiled.
"You'll never leave me, right?"
"No, never," he shook his head.
I hugged his arm and leaned my head on his shoulder.
"Sai too, right?" I turned to him who was lying on the ground, staring straight at the stars. "You'll never leave, right?"
"No," he smiled a sincere one. "Never."
I smiled back at him and took his hand.
-
"You cover for me because?" he looked at me. I snuggled myself closer to him and closed my eyes.
"Because I love you," I smiled.
…There's only one thing, to do, three words for you…
"You do?" he sounded confused.
"Yes," I nodded tiredly.
…I love you…
"Why?"
"Our bond is not going to be broken that easily, Sasuke-kun," I smiled as I quoted Naruto. "Naruto believed so."
"He did, huh?"
"Yeah,"
…There's only one way, to say, those three words for you…
"He died?"
"Yes,"
…That's what I'll do…
I could feel myself slipping away. My breathing slowed down and so did my heartbeat.
"Sasuke-kun,"
"Hn?"
"Mind if I kiss you?"
It took a few while for him to respond.
When he did what he done was lean down at me and kissed my lips gently.
I smiled from the joy that he still had the heart of the Sasuke-kun years ago even though his eyes were darker. I didn't care at all if he gave this kiss for me just because I was dying.
…I love you…
"I love you, Sasuke-kun," I smiled at him. "And so does Naruto and the others."
He nodded.
"Don't forget us," I muttered, too tired to speak out loud now. I could hear footsteps and probably those people that followed him were around us now. "What was left of us for you now might only be memories… but don't forget."
He nodded.
"Keep…" I thought of something that would always remind him of me… my head hurt as I tried but then I remembered what belonging of Naruto I took and what of mine that he could take, "the headbands… Naruto's is in my bag…"
He nodded again.
…You make it easy…
"Live for what you want and not what others want," slipping away… "You'll find it… what you want…"
Love…
Hate…
Love…
Hate…
Peek-a-boo…
What were the surprises of life?
Love…
Hate…
Love…
…I love you…
"Thank you, Sakura," he said those words that he had said to me last time we said goodbye.
Such good words to say goodbye with… especially since it came from him…
I closed my eyes tiredly.
And everything went dark.
-
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Love…
Hate…
Love…
Peek-a-boo…
What were the surprises of life?
Hate…
Love…
Hate…
The bond cannot be broken that easily…
Love…
Hate…
…As easy as one, two, one two three four…
…There's only one way, to say, those three words for you…
…I love you…
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Do you cry? Have I succeeded?
It should be sad enough ^^
Well, reviews are dead appreciated.
Peace,
.
P.S. When Sakura looked up and saw the "starry night" she was under water. I had watched in Twin Spica that when you dive down and looked up it looked just like those starry nights ^^