Set Post Ch.699, Blank Period.
Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto
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The raven-haired boy strolls with an even pace along the outskirts of a small remote village, his long black cape draping over his shoulders and a small brown satchel hanging on his right side containing a few travel necessities. It has been almost five years since he had settled out on his journey of redemption; his hair was slightly longer and his left arm still remained nonexistent. Over the past few years, he's helped many countries and fought countless battles with rogue ninjas in determination of maintaining the peace of the ninja world.
Of course, travelling did get tiring sometimes. Currently, he finds refuge in Miho Obaa-san's home in the Land of Waves. He encountered the elderly woman in the village centre when she approached him with a concerned look on her face. Apparently, the distressed lady had lost her kitten who had wandered off a few nights ago. Having just finished a mission and currently with nothing on his plate, he decided to help the disturbed woman retrieve her lost kitten. Without knowing how to repay him, she offered to let Sasuke stay at her little home near a rural area of the village for as long as he remained in the Land of Waves.
"When do you plan on returning to your village, Sasuke-san?" He remembers Miho-san ask him upon the first day of their meeting. Lately, a number of people have come to ask that question from him. And to be honest, he still wasn't really sure himself.
As in, not because he didn't know when, but more of whether or not he should return at all.
Ever since he began his road to redemption, it felt like he had been carrying a huge weight of guilt wherever he went. The guilt of previously shedding so much blood as if it was a normal thing, the guilt of betraying everybody he had left behind. He wondered if it was ever possible that he could return to Konoha to restart his life without being reminded of everything he had thrown away for mere revenge.
Arriving at a large field surrounded by an abundancy of trees and a soft current of water flowing alongside the path he had been walking, Sasuke paces over to the nearest tree and settles himself down against it, his left leg resting on the grass and his other knee arching up a little. Reaching into his satchel, he pulls out leftover onigiri Miho had given him before he went out for his stroll, taking a generous bite.
The raven-haired boy peers up into the pink-tinged sky above and recalls the last few times hes been to the Land of Waves. The first time was with Team 7 on their very first mission. The second time with Suigetsu to retrieve Zabuza's sword. Upon reminiscing the past, he began to recall the series of events thats happened throughout his life as he attempted to place everything in a clear timeline. The massacre of his clan, the missions with Team 7, the dark path to which he followed Orochimaru, the day he found out Itachi wasn't really his enemy.
His thoughts made a loop back to his childhood as he remembers how he once dreamt of becoming a member of the Konoha Police Force. He wanted to live his days eating tomatoes on a hot summer day in front of his house, knowing he was doing things that protected the village.
Ha. In the end, instead of him protecting the village, the village had to protect itself from him.
And this was exactly the reason why he needed this: a journey for self-forgiveness.
Sasukes brows furrow as he recalls the depths to which he had fallen. People would never understand why even after 5 years, he was still hesitant on returning back. To him, he was a neverending, giant broken mess. He still had so much to make up for before deciding to permanently stay in one place. After his stay here in the Land of Waves, he had planned to resume his task of investigating Kaguya. He wasn't even sure if a lifetime was enough to payback for his sins.
With a few thoughts still lingering on his failed past, an image of a blonde-haired boy and viridian eyed-girl popped up into his head.
Naruto. The 9-tails Jinchuuriki, the loser back at the academy, his rival, his brother. An infinite amount of time couldn't even describe the history between him and the blockheaded blonde. Sasuke recalls the last battle with him back at the Valley of the End, where the two of them each lost an arm. He was the first person he's ever felt a true bond with ever since the Uchiha massacre.
And...Sakura.
Sasuke stops chewing on the last bite of rice he had placed inside his mouth upon remembrance of the pink-haired girl. He thought about the once-annoying, weak, and scared little child from their genin days and how the same girl had evolved into the disciple of one of the legendary sannins. He remembers all too well the countless times shes confessed her love to him, to try and make him stay, and the many times where he turned his back on her.
As much as he would deny it during the dark days of his past, he wasn't completely ignorant towards Sakura's feelings. In fact, over time, she grew to be someone he unconsciously wanted to protect. The raven-haired boy constantly thought about what would have happened if he hadn't been approached by the sound ninjas that night, if Orochimaru didn't give him the cursed seal. Maybe he wouldn't have left Sakura crying her eyes out until she laid unconscious on the bench. Maybe he wouldn't have hurt her so badly throughout the past decade.
Would he have gradually come to accept her if he wasn't so tainted by revenge?
Upon thinking about his two teammates, Sasuke remembers Miho-san had given him some mail that was left at the front of the house. She had assumed it was for him, since no one really send her any mail. Occasionally, the hokage would find ways to reach him no matter where he went. The Uchiha places his half-eaten onigiri on his lap underneath its plastic package, subsequently reaching into his satchel to pull out a brown envelope. He tears it open with the front of his teeth, letting the trash fall onto the grass below him. Taking out two pieces of paper, he makes out that one of the letters was written from Naruto from its scrawny writing.
"Hey TEME! How are ya holding up?
Just wanted to contact you to make sure you're still alive."
Naruto goes on to talk about political matters and the current state of the village. He also mentions the fact that hes in the midst of being considered for the potential Hokage. That idiot has really come a long way.
"Hn." Sasuke grunted upon scanning the rest of the contents. He wasn't surprised at the drabble of a letter his blue-eyed friend finished with, containing trivial matters like Ichiraku suddenly being closed on a Monday. Placing the letter back into its envelope, he moved onto the second piece of paper, which had to be from Sakura.
Unexpectedly, the Uchiha had felt a little bit nervous while anticipating the contents of the letter written by the pink-haired girl. He wasn't sure what sort of terms they were currently on ever since they parted.
Sasuke closed his eyes for a few seconds, deciding in that moment that romantic interests were too much of a trivial thing. Nevertheless, he began reading her letter.
"Hello Sasuke-kun."
They say you can tell a lot about a person just by looking at their handwriting. Well, to his surprise, Sakura's writing was usually not characterized as..
He couldn't find the right word for it. Not messy, but more like she wrote so intensely that the ink bled through at various spots of the sheet.
Shaking his head a little at the blotty sheet, he continued onward to the rest of the letter.
"Hello Sasuke-kun."
Sakura sat at her desk in the middle of the night, her back leaning against her chair and her pen firmly pressed onto the blank sheet in front of her. The ink was starting to create a pool underneath the pen tip due to a loss for words that could accurately describe what she was feeling.
Actually, what was she feeling? She had no idea.
Years have passed by since Sasuke-kun had left for his journey, and she had been waiting every single day anticipating his return. Although that may be the case, she realized that she had no idea what to speak to him about when he did make his return. What kind of topics would be the center of their conversation? Wouldn't it be kind of awkward because of how long its been?
It's funny how in the hands of time, relationships that began as a childhood crush could mature into something so much more.
Taking one last sigh and sitting up straight, the pink-haired girl started to move her pen.
"How have you been? It's been quite awhile since the last time I've seen your face. Naruto was constantly nagging at me to send something to you along with him, and i'm sure he's already updated you on the matters of the village.
The other day, while I was helping out at the hospital, I met a young boy who came in as a patient and had been staying at the hospital for quite some time. I was in charge of observing him for the next few weeks to make sure he recovered properly.
He kind of reminded me of you, Sasuke-kun.
I could tell he was going down a dark path in his life. As a result, he left his village and severed bonds with his loved ones. I spent some time talking to him, to try and save his thoughts, but I could tell he had already fallen. But as much as he would deny it, I saw hints of worry whenever I brought up people back at his village. I told him that deep inside, since he still cared about the friends who loved him and needed him, fate will definitely bring him back home one day. And thats when he looked at me with the most sullen eyes I've ever seen when he asked me the following question.
If fate exists, then why does Kami take away things that are meant to be?
And thats what got me thinking.
A lot people come and go, live or die in the ninja world. But the one thing I didn't think would have ended so soon was Team 7. The countless times Naruto and I had ran into you back then- be it fate or coincidence, there was only one thing that ran across my mind. Could our bond ever go back to the way it was? Was everything between us really severed? Thats when I knew; we had to bring you back no matter what. Even if the entire nation had given up on you, even if we were promised a thousand years of peace in return for your dead body, I would fight just to make sure you were back where you belonged. Why should I care about someone who had already thrown their comrades away? Why try changing someone when they're already gone?
It's easy. Because you were worth it.
I don't think i'm alone when I say that the bond between Team 7 may be stronger than Kami itself. No matter how many times anybody tries to take that away, rivers divided will once again meet in the ocean.
Even though I know its going to be hard erasing all the dark memories clouding your thoughts, I hope you'll let me inside one day. I know you're apologetic about hurting me throughout the past years; but losing you didn't make me weaker, Sasuke-kun. Losing you was the becoming of myself.
Thats why I want to revisit every dark spot in your life with you and break it all down if I have to, shannaro.
I know you're probably feeling all kinds of guilt while you're away from Konoha, and clearly I'm still kind of upset that you have to fight those feelings alone. But I support your journey, and I hope you end on good terms with yourself. Although theres still going to be people in the village who just can't see your good intentions; Naruto, Kakashi and I are here waiting for you as well as others who consider you as a hero.
Nevertheless, Sasuke-kun, I hope you know how proud I am for what you're doing for Konoha right now, even if it means protecting us from the shadows."
Sakura paused, exhibiting a warm smile as she finished the last of her message.
"I guess, in a way, you've finally become apart of the Konoha Police Force."
The sound of birds chirped as they flew their way onto the branch of the tree he'd been leaning against, accompanying the silence as the onyx-eyed boy took his time absorbing the contents of his friends letter. When he finished, his eyes lingered on the very last sentence of the paper. Without realizing that a small gap had formed between his lips, he slowly pursed his mouth as he lowered the letter down onto his right leg.
Immediately, his memories began to run once more.
"The truth is..I've always known in my heart, there was nothing I could have done for you. But I love you..! No matter whats happened, I still care about you more than I can bear" Sakura yelled out into the distance between her and the boy she loves, her face red with tears. Although his back remained turned to her, she still continued desperately.
"If I could have taken all your pain onto myself to comfort you, I would have. But here we are again, and still, all I can do is sit here and cry. I'm so pathetic..."
Sasuke's thoughts drifted away from the remembrance of his viridian-eyed friends words, his expression dazed into space. Throughout his journey, there were nights where he would lay and wonder how she could say she still loves him even after everything thats happened. The way he's treated all of his comrades; how he almost ended her life, right then and there.
Despite it all, he did come to realize that it was her affection that was able to fill his lonely existence- that as well as the bond he forged with Team 7. He had noticed her effects on him way back in their Genin days; especially when she managed to supress his cursed seal at the forest of death before he went psycho. Hell, he could have killed her in that moment for getting in the way of his bloodlust. But he didn't. It was obvious she had been a lot more important to him than he thought.
Yet, in the end, he decided to deny himself from anything remotely close to happiness.
Sasuke's thoughts traced back to the day he set out onto his journey- and the poke on the forehead he instinctively gave her before leaving Konoha. He noted the way her face fell when he told her that she had nothing to do with his sins. But of course she didn't. If anything, the days with her and the rest of Team 7 were the only things in his life he'd done right.
Instinctively, the Uchiha reached onto his right side and shifted his headband out from under his cape where he could see it. He noted how worn out it was, with the crisp slash still present on its metal front.
If there was one thing he knew for sure among the mess of a life he had created, it was that Team 7 had always given him something that nobody else did.
Genuine love.
And along with the village he desperately wishes to protect, he wanted to protect the feelings of love he had been missing all this time.
He was no longer afraid to accept it.
"Sakura." Sasuke unconsciously let her name slip from his tongue, responding to the pink-haired girl in his memory who had called herself pathetic. "You've already done far too much for me."
Shaking off his train of thought, he picks up the rest of his onigiri, ready to finish what he had started. Just then, a furry black animal had appeared behind the tree, slowly making its way over to the left side of his leg. He shifts his eyes and watches as the feline places its paw onto the side of his thigh, its round amber eyes staring up into his own onyx pearls.
Sasuke struggles to find a care for the animal as he places another bite of rice into his mouth. The feline started to stir its soft body against his leg, urging him for attention as it began rolling itself up and down. Sasuke pauses to look at it for a moment before letting out a small sigh, reaching over and scooping the black ball of fur to place it down onto his lap. He began to make slow, long strokes of his calloused hand against the soft dark fur of his new company.
"Looks like I'll have to make a slight change of plans." He said as the feline began to purr softly, its expression evidently approving of his behaviour.
The Uchiha allows a small grin, resting his head back onto the bark of the tree as he closed his eyes with content.
Sasuke places the lunchbox Miho-san had made him into his satchel, making it the last of what he needed to bring.
"Its saddening to see you leave, Sasuke-san" The short, grey-haired woman said, eyebrows displaying an upset look. "It was nice having company around, but I suppose you must move on to where you'll be visiting next."
"Something like that." Sasuke lifted his satchel and placed it on his right side, hooking it to the belt of his bottoms. He started towards the door, Miho reaching to open it for him on the way out. The black cat was sitting under the table he had walked by, its eyes following his movements with curiosity.
"Well, I hope you have a safe journey," Miho paused as she held the door open for awhile longer as the Uchiha made his way out of the house. "Whereabouts will you be going next?"
Sasuke paused in his tracks for a second outside of the doorstep, his back still turned but exhibiting the slightest upward curvature of his lips into a subtle smile.
"Home."