A/N: I have done all possible grammar check. If you spot any, please do tell.
-How gentle is the rain
That falls softly on the meadow
Birds fly upon the tree
Serenade the cloud
With the melody
See there beyond the hills
The bright colours of the rainbow
Some magic from above
Make this day for us
Just to fall in love
You hold me in your arms
And say once again you love me
And if your love is true
Everything will be just as wonderful
Now, I belong to you
From this day until forever
Just love me tenderly
And I'll give to you every part of me
Don't ever make me cry
And fell lonely without love
Be always true to me
Keep this day in your heart eternally
You hold me in your arms
And say once again you love me
And if your love is true
Everything will be just as wonderful-
A lover's Concerto song
"Mr. Uchiha, I'm sorry", the doctor stood there, staring at me with pity. Despite his profession's work description, there are things he had to witness or to tell and each time that he had to separate feelings and professionalism , who would've known what he hid behind those sad eyes? And those sad eyes were like a signal of grief but he uttered the words clearly and loudly to be heard by the patient who was waiting for the message he had to deliver. "Your tumour is already in the final stage, your death is certain." The world spun, dancing a waltz of dark spots and slowly, those spots began to integrate and darkness splashed a tone that covered all the things that I could see.
That waltz was the last thing I remembered that happened yesterday and now, inside this white cell filled with the death air, I waited for death to come. On the side of my bed, a bag stayed unmoved, untouched since the moment it was left for me to die with. I knew it was my mother who sent it to me and she did it when I was lost to the darkness. What she left for me was a note, a painful one to read but one to be remembered. I knew you were not an Uchiha from the start, she said. You are too fragile, much like a glass that could shatter anytime when it is dropped, she said. Your father believed that you weren't too. A sickly child would be an inconvenient. We hope you can understand. I know you can understand.
Mother was right. My father had never really looked at me. A babe, a toddler, a boy to a teenager; I grew up without his recognition.
They would never try to save me because it'd be just a waste of money to even attempt on my life. I snickered at that thought I had fully known originated from my own envy. I had a sibling, a brother and he would be happy to see me moving on to the final chapter of my story because I am just an inconvenient. Even to my only brother, I am not worth of his undivided attention. A waste of space as he would frequently put it.
In the end, it had been the same from the beginning. I was always alone. Nobody was there to love me. A weak body like mine only deserved to be confined in a room whenever there were guests coming over for a visit. My life had always been a secret to all those relations and friends of my parents.
How did I know of these came about a year ago when the Haruno came for a visit. It was a night in which I had remained in my bed afterwards, wondering if I was just a decoration that was abandoned in a basement from the sight of others.
"Itachi has been my only child", my mother had said and my blood just turned cold even with the heater on.
"Really? My daughter is my only child too. Then, we can arrange their marriage", Mrs. Haruno had agreed to arrange their marriage. A marriage for more treasures to fill in the chest. What would become of that bond they created? Without me, there would still be rings and party for the couple.
Their engagement, it would be around this week. It wouldn't matter if I would be there or not, the engagement would still go on uninterrupted. I looked out of that small square hole they called a window. There wasn't much to brighten my day out there. This very building was in the middle of the city; all around were other buildings of complimentary height or even taller and clouds in the sky in which the monochrome invaded on every surface it could reach. It was very lonely up here too but I guessed loneliness had always be the essence of my life.
While I was deep in dwelling a thought unorganizedt, the door was suddenly opened. I turned to look at the guest. He was about seventeen years old, one with blond hair boy and his expression was only of confusion.
"Excuse me. Do you know where my room is?" asked the boy, scratching his head while observing every corner of the room.
"It isn't in my knowledge", I said and turned away towards the window.
"What's with that?" he asked suddenly. He ran in front of me and stood with his hands spread to block my view.
"You're the one who's weird!" I snarled angrily, venting my frustration to him. He was shocked, scared even, but even with that anger intensity, he replaced the fear he had to a grin.
"You are angry! Yay, I made you angry!" and that had left me the one confused. I must be joking if I said that this boy is normal to take such insult happily. He giggled at me before leaning closer to stare at me. That was when a nurse came to my rescue.
"Naruto! Come back here!"
The nurse, a male, grabbed him by his wrist and dragged him out from the room. Naruto protested, not willing to go but the nurse was having none of it.
"Sorry", said the nurse before closing the door. I stared at the door for a while before deciding that I needed to make sure the bathroom was available for now. Even if I'm on the checklist of a soul to be separated from worldly life, that didn't mean I had to decay before I am one.
It was night when I was awakened by the creak of the door. I rubbed my sleepiness and checked to see who was interrupting my sleep in such a late hour.
"Psst, over here!" I heard someone whisper. I searched for the owner of the voice and spotted someone crouching behind the nightstand. It was the boy that I saw this morning.
"What do you want?" I hissed angrily.
"Not so loud or Iruka will find me. We're playing hide and seek!" said Naruto softly. He looked around, tip toeing and before I could even stop him,he took the liberty to climb on my bed and sat in front of me.
"Naruto Uzumaki!" he said cheerfully and held his hand out. A socially awkward person like me wouldn't know how to respond to such politeness. He was the first to offer a warm feeling I had never grasp and I feel like all I need to do was just reach for it .
"Don't worry. I don't bite", he added with a pout. I did just that. I took his hand with mine and shook them.
"I'm Sasuke Uchiha", I said. He blinked a few times. It must have been because my family name. Uchiha family was the richest family after all and he must have heard about the family.
"What an odd name! You must be an adventurer from a fairy land!" said Naruto excitedly. I was a bit shocked how genuine his excitement was, as if he believed in those words he had just told me but I hid it as fast as I could.
"You mentioned about hide and seek before", I said, changing the topic. He looked thoughtful before saying the stupidest thing a man could ask, "what's hide and seek?"
"You just said something about it", I said, trying to cover my annoyance.
"I don't remember. I'm sorry", he said sadly. There was something in the way he spoke that was telling me that Naruto had always been like this. Though we might have been troubled by different realities, loneliness was our common ground. I sighed and looked again at the other place that I could look; the window.
"Isn't the night pretty?" I asked subconsciously.
"Nu-uh, I don't like night", Naruto shook his head childishly.
"Why?" I asked.
"Cause my father used to lock me in the wardrobe. It's always dark and cold like at night time. That's why I don't like night", he said, his fingers curled into a fist.
"Really? Did you call the police?" I asked.
"What's a police?" he asked back. I didn't ask anything about his past after that. One could probably guessed the explanation why he was a patient in this hospital. He was probably one of the parental abused victim. I lied on my back to go to sleep and pulled my blanket to cover my chest, but I was disrupted from doing so because Naruto was poking at me persistently.
"What are you doing?" I asked angrily.
"Um, Sasuke, can I sleep here?" he patted the empty side of my bed softly, waiting for my answer he wanted to hear of.
"Why don't you go back to your room?"
"Um, I don't remember my own room. Please? Can I sleep here?" he asked again, this time pleadingly. I sighed and nodded. He hummed happily and lied next to me, pulling away some part of my blanket to cover himself.
"Thank you, Sasuke", he said and yawned.
"Just go to sleep", I said.
"I like you, Sasuke", he said.
I blushed like a tomato. No, it wasn't that kind of fondness he meant and I tried to reason with my id. He likes me because I was being nice to him. That must be it. I was being nice to him and he liked me.
He was snoring, a cue that was telling me that I should be getting some sleep too. I closed my eyes and relaxed because this night was my first night that I had had someone else together with me. Happiness was the only emotion that I could feel flowing out of me.
Naruto had been my frequent visitor ever since the first night we had known each other. He would never stop smiling and his blue eyes lit up whenever I had some stories ready for him. It was Iruka who told me that Naruto enjoyed listening to fairy tales. He hadn't been worried when he found Naruto in my room that night because "he doesn't usually befriend a person he just met". I was surprised too. A boy like Naruto should have a lot more friends than he deserved. When I said that, Iruka had agreed but, "Only a few was able to open up to him because of his complicated condition", he had said.
"But don't make him sad. It'd be bad if he got worsen", Iruka warned. That warning had always been sticking in my memory.
Naruto is a bundle of joy. He was so active that he could bounce a whole day without stopping to breathe. If I made him sad, I would feel guilty. I would feel as if I had lost a part of me. This magical being was my first person that I could call friend. Friend did not hurt friend. That's what I read in the book.
Today, a lawyer, Kakashi Hatake, had came to visit me. He explained to me that my grandfather had left his whole fortune to me. I would trade for a better life with the fortune if I could. Truthfully, I had thought that grandfather would leave all of his possession to my father. I guessed his love was always there waiting to be shown to me. He explained again that until I had come to age, no one was to know about the will. It seemed that my birthday had gone by two days ago and I am now a twenty-three years old man but no one was here to celebrate it.
"What use having wealth when you are dying", I told him.
"I know", he nodded, "that's why I'm here to ask, who are you going to pass this fortune to?"
I gave a thought. Then and there, I decided, "Donate it to the cancer awareness. I hope they can use the money to find a cure to this disease".
"Is that really what you want, Sasuke?" he asked.
"Yes, this is for the best. Every of my possessions must be sell upon my death, except for the company and the company shares, but all of the clean profit must all go to the research". This was my will. Nobody will get the fortune that was spent unwisely and would only bring evil to those who possess it.
Then Naruto came in.
"Hey, Sasuke! Iruka wanted me to give this to you! It's chocolate and it's very delicious, y'know!" he shouted and brought a tray with him to my bed.
"Who's this?" asked Kakashi.
"'That's supposed to be my question", a voice came from the door. Iruka was standing with his hands on both of his waist. He didn't look happy.
"Iruka-chan", Kakashi greeted with a mischievous tone. The 'chan' really meant that it was none of my business to ask about their relationship. I turned my attention to Naruto.
"Ja, Sasuke. What story do you want to tell me today?" asked Naruto, drawing invisible circles on my bed.
"I haven't prepare one. Sorry", I said, scratching my head.
"Aw... fine. Let's do something else then. How about we draw something?" suggested Naruto. I didn't have to say anything. Naruto would always decide that his idea was the one we go along with. He rummaged the nightstand drawer to find some papers and pen. Papers were all stacked inside the drawer but pen was no where to be seen. He saw one though inside Kakashi's front pocket.
"Can I have that?" he asked.
"No", Kakashi said as a matter of factly. Naruto looked like he was ripped apart. Tears started to cloud his eyes.
"Kakashi, just give him the pen or your Iruka-chan would be the one to neglect you", I said to him. Kakashi looked at me questioningly.
"Why should I?" Kakashi argued back.
"Iruka!" Iruka stepped back in respond to my command.
"You're not against me too are you, Iruka?" asked Kakashi.
"I am. Now, be a good boy and give Naruto what he want", he said sternly. Kakashi sighed in defeat and gave him the object he loved second best in his life; his pen.
Naruto took the pen and opened the cap. Then, he started to squabble three triangles and seven lines complimenting each other shapes above the triangles.
"I remembered a song I heard. I don't know who sang it but I know how it goes. Do you want to listen to it?" he asked innocently. I didn't say anything but he waited me to answer expectantly.
"Well?" he asked.
"Okay, I will listen. Go on", I said.
"Okay! The song is like this!" he said, then he added a grass like shape and scattered line on his drawing which I believed to be the rain.
"How gentle is the rain
That falls softly on the meadow
Birds fly upon the tree
Serenade the cloud
With the melody
See there beyond the hills
The bright colours of the rainbow
Some magic from above
Make this day for us
Just to fall in love", he sang, lulling gently then humming the continuation of the song. His voice was so sweet that I melted. I had never hear a song that could take my breath away but Naruto had just did that to me. He had just separated me from air.
"So, how was it?" he asked.
"Huh?" I was caught off guard.
"How was my singing? Is it bad?" asked Naruto.
"Don't worry, Naruto. I think Sasuke thought your voice is very sweet and angelic", Kakashi helped. I glared at him but he winked back at me. What the hell is wrong with this pervert? He shouldn't have been qualified to be my lawyer.
"It isn't the whole song though. I can't really remember the whole lyric", he said, looking rather guilty that he didn't manage to remember all the lyric.
"It's okay. I'm sure you will remember it someday", I said, "that is if that scattered brain of yours can handle it".
"I thought my brain is in my head!" he said in surprise. It seemed that he couldn't understand insult either.
"Usurantokanchi", I mumbled. Naruto looked at me as if I was an alien and the other two, Kakashi and Iruka, laughed to see his reaction.
"What?" I asked them back.
"I heard that, teme!" Naruto replied. Right, so he knew some insult, I give him that. There was so much to learn about Naruto. I hoped I had enough time to do so.
People said that time passed very slowly but for me, it was the speed of light. It had been three months since I met Naruto but it felt like I had only known him yesterday. Other than his name and his likes, I didn't know his past. I learnt his dislikes slowly but that was about it.
I also learnt that my death was nearing when I vomited blood this morning in the toilet bowl. Blood... I could care less. I was walking on the tightrope, I know, but which way I fall wouldn't make any difference. Sasuke Uchiha would die in god's hand.
My family hadn't been bother to visit me, neither did they know about the will. I had told Kakashi to keep it secret until the time arrived. Naruto was his usual self when Kakashi came to visit. Always lightening the day. Always making me forget that my life span was no longer than my thumb. Always making me falling for his smile and his pureness.
I had been taking this unexplainable feeling into my contemplation every day. This awkward yet warm feeling was very foreign to me. It didn't seem to be a feeling befitting a person like me. I knew what it is, but I was afraid to acknowledge it.
I am a dying man, Naruto wasn't.
"Sasuke, what are you thinking?" asked Naruto when he came to my room. He pulled the curtain for me since I was too busy staring at the wall.
"Sasuke?" he called again.
"Nothing, Naruto. Why don't you sit down?" I told him and he complied with me. I realized that he was fidgeting in his position.
"What is it, dobe?" I asked. Naruto glared at me. He hated when I called him that but he wasn't upset. Then, he was back to fidget.
"Sasuke, I remembered the next part of the song last night", he said, staring at the ceiling. His cheeks were pinkish as he said it.
"Do you want to sing for me?" I asked him.
"Um, yeah. I mean, if you don't mind", he said.
"I know you want to. Go on", I encouraged him.
"Um, okay. It goes like", he joined his fingers, "You hold me in your arms
And say once again you love me
And if your love is true
Everything will be just as wonderful
Now, I belong to you
From this day until forever
Just love me tenderly
And I'll give to you every part of me".
The rarity of his nervousness made me wondered what was actually going on in his mind. I know the lyric sounded a little bit corny but did he have to blush?
"Sasuke, I didn't just remember it. I remember it because I was thinking", he told me.
"What were you thinking?" I asked back.
"Um... I was thinking why my stomach felt like there is butterflies inside it whenever I am around you. I don't understand, Sasuke. That was when I remember the lyric", he confessed. He was too embarassed to look at me and used my blanket as a cover to bury his face in.
"This blanket smells so good", he said.
Naruto loved me more than he knew. I decided that it won't hurt for me to try. Naruto was capable to return my feeling and I was very confident about it. I leaned forward until I was close enough to him.
"Naruto", I whispered to his ears.
"Yes?" he squeaked nervously, face was still hidden in the blanket.
"What are you doing?" I asked him softly.
"Hiding from you", he said honestly.
"Why do you want to hide?" I asked some more.
"Because you make me nervous", he said.
"Naruto, look at me", I said.
"Don't want to", he replied childishly.
"Naruto, please?" I threw my pride in the air just like that to get Naruto to lift up his face from the blanket. Naruto slowly removed his face and looked at me. I took the opportunity to plant a kiss on his forehead. His face was redder in embarrassment.
"That's what I am to you as well as what you are to me", I said, though the bravery didn't last long enough for me to look cool as the shier part of me took over. Rosewood door. What a rarity.
After a while of silence, I couldn't take the tension anymore. I pulled him into an embrace. It was rather uncoordinated at first but we relaxed after a while. Naruto nuzzled deeper and took my scent rather loudly since I could hear him breathing in.
"Sasuke, you smell so nice", he said.
"No one would ever said that other than you", I said.
"I mean it", I could feel his lips turning into a pout.
"Naruto, sang for me once more. This time with the previous stanzas", I said. He nodded and gently sang.
"How gentle is the rain
That falls softly on the meadow
Birds fly upon the tree
Serenade the cloud
With the melody
See there beyond the hills
The bright colours of the rainbow
Some magic from above
Make this day for us
Just to fall in love
You hold me in your arms
And say once again you love me
And if your love is true
Everything will be just as wonderful
Now, I belong to you
From this day until forever
Just love me tenderly
And I'll give to you every part of me".
We made love in later nights after the confession night. I had taken Naruto, Naruto had taken me. It was unplanned, but it was what we wanted. When I touched him, I felt like I was meant for him. My body was responding to his every actions.
When he squirmed, I like it. When he moaned, it was a music to me. His skin was so soft and he looked so tender that I had to consider my every movement so not to hurt him. I pleased him with what I was capable of doing.
I had kissed his plump lips so many times that I lost count of. I had entangled my body with him that we fit each other just like our heart did. I marked him with my teeth to show everyone that he was only mine and no other. I licked every part of body to show my devotion to him. He understood. He had understood very well my actions.
I was so happy that I had forgotten the most important reality of my life and I was pulled back to the ground when I once again vomited blood two weeks after the making love progression and my body was shivering as if I was being put in the middle of Artic unclothed.
"No, this is not happening", I said to myself, almost choking on every word, "let me wake up from this nightmare". Then, I vomited again and I knew it wasn't a dream. I sat on the toilet lid. I had no idea what to do. Naruto didn't know about my condition. I didn't want to leave him and neither did he want to lose me.
"This is not fair", I mumbled. My body was still trembling and I tried to calm it.
Someone knocked the door of the toilet. "Sasuke, are you in there?" I heard Iruka calling. It must have been the time for me to take medicine.
"I'll be out in a second", I said. I felt like my body started to give up. If I didn't lie down soon enough, I'd be unconcious on the bathroom floor. I tried to stand on my legs but to no avail. They were not responding to me and I couldn't feel them either. Had my legs stopped functioning? It couldn't be, right?
My world was starting to fall apart. What was I to do but accept the painful truth?
"Sasuke, are you alright in there?" Iruka called once again.
"Iruka, I'm done for. My legs are not moving. Can you get me out of here?" I said, starting to feel claustrophobic.
"Sasuke, try to keep yourself awake. I'll go and get the key. Don't move", said Iruka.
Moving? As if. I wasn't able to move my legs at all and I was now legless. I didn't need the doctor to confirm it. The door key was opened and Iruka came in with a wheelchair at the door. He helped me to stand and court me to the wheelchair. Then, he pushed me to my bed and helped me once again to lie on my bed.
He mumbled something incoherent that I wasn't able to hear.
"Iruka, what am I supposed to do?" I asked him. Iruka raised an eyebrow but softened when he looked at me. I was so lost that I lose the sight of the right direction to take.
"You and Naruto are together and right now, you don't know how to tell him about this", he guessed. Naruto must have told him because Iruka was very close to him like a parent to a child.
"I don't want him to endure pain", I admitted.
"No one would", agreed Iruka.
"I'm afraid that he would be angry of me for not telling him earlier and leave me", I said.
"That's where you are wrong", Iruka suddenly said. I looked up to him and he smiled knowingly.
"Sasuke, do you know that his father used to hide him in the wardrobe?" he asked me. I nodded as I recalled the story Naruto told me.
"It was to protect him. When Naruto was a child, a lot of people don't think he deserve to live. They tried to kill him. Naruto was born on one misfortune day where many children died because of a killer, Kyuubi, who had slaughtered all their children on the night of the misfortune but he was the only survivor. He wasn't born a healthy child either. He had the smallest heart a human can have, so small that it was almost like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode his end. Up until now, his heart was the size of a child's knuckle", Iruka demonstrated to me.
"The doctor predicted that his lifespan would be very short. We don't know how long he would be able to survive. We are not supreme being that could tell the ending of a life", said Iruka.
"When his father passed away, I told him why he was kept inside the wardrobe. He was very angry at first, not because his father's action, but because he hadn't told Naruto anything. Naruto was so furious that he ran down the steps and tripped over his own shoe laces. He was badly injured when he landed on a sharp edge. His blood, no, I will not talk about that but that's how he gained amnesia and child like thinking", said Iruka.
"Sasuke, tell him before anything bad happens", he pleaded. Iruka looked so desperate that I couldn't say no to him.
"I will", I promised him. Naruto arrived as soon as we finished our conversation. Iruka took it as his signal to leave.
"Sasuke!" he bounced happily, "look what I made for you!"
"What's that?" I tried to sound less pathetic.
"It's a paper flower. Don't you like it?" he showed it to me.
"I like it. Give it here so that I can admire it", I said. Naruto gave it to me and I pretended to take interest in his gift. What am I talking about? I was always in love with his gift. Pretending would be just an insult to Naruto's love.
"Naruto, I have something to tell you", I said weakly.
"What is it, Sasuke?" he asked me curiously.
"I- I have cancer, Naruto", I explained.
"Cancer? Is that a bad thing or a good thing?" he asked back.
"That's a bad thing. Cancer is a sickness that can kill me", I said. Naruto's eyes widened.
"Why do you have cancer, Sasuke?" he asked.
"I don't know, Naruto. Not even the doctor", I told him.
"Sasu-Sasuke, is the ripper going to take you away from me?" he asked with serious face.
"Um, something like that", I decided that it would be the best idea to tell him just like that. Naruto was having a difficulty of comprehending how serious my sickness was.
"Then, I'll fight the reaper! He won't stand a chance against me, Naruto Uzumaki! Believe it!" he said full of fighting spirit. I chuckled and ruffled his hair.
"Yes, you're right. Naruto Uzumaki is too strong against anyone, is he?" I said. I was surprised to see Naruto staring at me in disbelief.
"Sasuke, you just smiled", he said.
"What about it? I always smile when I am around you", I said.
"No, that's not it. You just laugh. You never laugh, Sasuke", said Naruto in awe, "you are so pretty when you do".
I felt my blood rushing to my face. Even when we were already together, I would always have a part of me that could easily be poked at. Only Naruto knew how to make it surface. Naruto giggled childishly and hugged me.
"Sasuke, don't go", he whispered.
"I will try but I won't promise", I said. He nodded himself to sleep and we stayed like that until the dusk approached. It was a beautiful sunset in the city and Naruto was awakened just the right time for us to watch the scenery together.
"It's not perfect, but it'll do. As long as you are right here with me", I said while cuddling with him. He pecked my cheeks and smiled, taking my pain away. I promised to myself to make the best use of the remaining days.
Remaining days that I knew was not too far away.
-It's a shame that it had to be this way
It's not enough to say I'm sorry
It's not enough to say I'm sorry
Maybe I'm so blind
And maybe we're the same
But either way I can't breathe
either way I can't breathe...
All I had to say is goodbye
I'd better off this way
It'd better off this way-
Secondhand serenade-Goodbye
Doctor had confirmed that my legs couldn't be used anymore. He said that my tumour had spread to a more serious area where my leg's nerve was originated. I just nodded. I didn't want to cry because I had already figured that things would turn this way someday with or without my wish.
I told Naruto and all he could say that he would try to cure me. He was so innocent. This was not for him to understand. He didn't understand what he was talking either. He just grinned and acted like usual. I thanked him because that was all I need. Someone there to care for me.
This morning however, when I woke up, it had turned from bad to worse.
I was paralyzed. My hold body was numb like a puppet. I couldn't feel them. Just the thought of death was nearing, I was already afraid. I couldn't stop fearing for my life. I just couldn't. That was when I cried. I couldn't wipe my tears and it dried out when I stopped. The wetness was uncomfortable but I couldn't do anything about it. I was helpless.
Iruka came early in the morning and I told him. He was so worried. He called the doctor to check on my situation and the doctor just shook his head, mouthing silent syllables to Iruka who widened his eyes and clasped his mouth in shock. They didn't want to tell me, I guess but seeing them had given me the idea how long I had left to spend my life with Naruto.
Again, I told Naruto and this time, he showered me with questions.
"Why can't you move, Sasuke?" he asked.
"Because I am really sick, Naruto", I said softly but smiled as if promising him a recovery.
"Then, I should go cause Iruka said sick people need a lot of rest", he beamed happily. I shook my head.
"No, Naruto, Stay with me. Let me see you everyday", I told him. He was bewildered at first and held his chin to think. Then he pumped his arms in the air.
"Sasuke wants me here cause I can take care of him, right? Then, let me help you wash and feed you and..." he continued to chatter the list he wanted to do for me. He disappeared behind the toilet door and was back with a sponge and a bucket of water.
"I saw Iruka did this a few times to old people. I helped him sometimes", he said as he began unbuttoning my shirt. He dipped the sponge in the water and started cleaning me.
"He said some old people has trouble with cleaning themselves cause they are very sick to move. That's why I need to help them", he said knowingly.
"It must be fun to clean old people", I said teasingly.
"Nu-uh, I would rather clean Sasuke than clean other people. They complain too much", he said and scrunched his nose displeasingly. At the moment, I felt like crying because I couldn't feel his touch, but I knew he was being gentle to me. I locked the sadness away. I didn't want to spoil this moment that soon would become a floating memory.
"There, I finished cleaning you. Now, you are not dirty anymore", he chimed cheerfully and went back to the toilet to throw the water away. Then, he was back empty handed and sat next to me. He bored my head with his intense gaze.
"Sasuke, why do you look so sad when I am cleaning you?" he asked.
"I- I'm sorry, Naruto", was all I could say to him.
"Sasuke, tell me what's bothering you", he said again, patting my head gently.
"Naruto, if I am gone, what would you do?" I asked him, listening to his breath hitching.
"Where are you going, Sasuke?" he asked me back.
"A place that I don't know", I told him.
"Then, bring me together cause I don't want to stay here alone. Sasuke would bring me, right?" he asked.
"Naruto, everyone will go there someday but they are always alone", I explained to him carefully.
"Then, we make it different. We go together", he deadpanned. He played with a strand of my hair with his finger. I sighed. Naruto could be a handful even at times like this.
"Yes, Naruto. We'll go together", I decided to agree with him. For now anyways.
Iruka brought our meal in when the clock ticked its way to lunch hour. Naruto help to feed me. He enjoyed feeding me because he said that I looked like a baby. When the food slipped from my mouth, he brought his thumb to wipe it away.
"You are such a messy eater, Sasuke", he said and chuckled heartily. Naruto was contagious. He could make anyone laughed along with him. I know because I did laugh with him.
"Hey, Sasuke. Can I feed you at other times, even when you are not sick?" he asked.
"You have my permission", I told him and ate a spoonful of porridge. Hospital food was not the best, but Naruto made it the most delicious food I had ever eaten in my life. It had beaten the eating experience at the most expensive restaurant in town.
"Really? Thanks, Sasuke!" he joyfully cheered.
"You're welcome", I said and he continued feeding me. Secretly, I like to be fed by Naruto too. He should be the one serving me every day because only Naruto knew what was best for me.
"I love you", I said. His cheeks were tinted with brilliant pink.
"What? Don't you love me?" I asked again teasingly.
"Um... I-I love you too but... ?" he said quickly.
"I think I have too. You look cute when you blush", I said to him and he looked away. He tried to feed me while not looking where the spoon was going. The food didn't meet my mouth but my nose.
"Naruto, I eat with my mouth, not the nose", I said.
"Oh, uh, sorry", he said and wiped the excess food with the facial tissue.
"Apology is accepted", I said with a smirk.
"Sasuke is a big meanie", he mumbled under his breath. My smirk became wider. Naruto really knew how to made my day.
I hoped that these days would never end.
Days went by as we fall into the same routine everyday. Naruto would turned up exactly at seven everyday to clean me. Then, we have a little chat about what was going on. We watched the TV together and Naruto really loved to watch the animation that they called anime. We had lunch together at 12:00 and I would take my medicine after lunch with Naruto's help.
We had a drawing session (Naruto drew, I told him what to draw) until the evening. Then, we had tid-bits for teatime that Iruka had kindly bought from the cafeteria. Kakashi would sometimes visit. He'd never forget to bring some fruits for us. We had a conversation about the outside news and he would tell me about my family.
When the visiting hour ended, he would go. Naruto and I would have dinner together and after that, he'd clean me. Before he went back to his room, he would say goodbye to me and pecked my forehead. He would switch the light for me and I would go to sleep.
Yet, I hadn't see him anywhere today. Iruka had been the one helping me with my routine. I was worried so I had asked.
"Where's Naruto?" I questioned. Iruka turned away from me. He was hiding something but not for long. I would make sure he left my room with my questions answered.
"Iruka, where's Naruto?" I asked again.
"Naruto has a strong fever. He's in his room resting", he said.
I cursed myself at that time because I couldn't be there for him. If only I was able to move. If only I didn't have cancer. If only this things had never happened to me.
"But it happened and you met Naruto", Iruka muttered.
"How did you-"
"You were talking to yourself, Sasuke. I have ears so I heard", he said and sat on visitor chair.
"If you really loved him, you will not blame yourself, Sasuke. You don't plan this. You never did", he said mother like. Even my mother had never said so soothingly to me. Right then, Iruka was the only person that I would share my glitch with.
"Thank you, Iruka", I said.
"Hey, I'm always here if you have difficulty, Sasuke. I know what's going on about your home life. Kakashi had told me", he said truthfully.
"If only you were really my parent, things would've been easier for me, would it?" I said.
"But I'm not. Now, rest, Sasuke. Naruto wouldn't want you to worry for him", he said. I closed my eyes when he was out of the room. I didn't know how long I had been sleeping but I was awakened when I heard the door creaked.
"Psst, Sasuke, over here", I heard someone's calling. I tilted my head to see Naruto crouching behind the nightstand.
"Naruto, aren't you supposed to be in your room?" I asked.
"Not so loud. I was playing hide and seek with Iruka", he said. He looked around before crawling to my bed and climbed on it.
"Sasuke, can I sleep here?" he asked, patting at the empty space next to me.
"Of course you can", I told him. He lied next to me. He looked rather sickly, but Naruto still smiled for me. He pulled me into an embrace and nuzzled into my chest.
"I was so cold, Sasuke. That's why I came here", he confessed.
"Weren't you playing hide and seek with Iruka?" I asked him.
"What's hide and seek?" he asked me back.
"Never mind", I said. I pecked the golden lock I had loved so much, that even one day not seeing would left me feeling empty. This person who was with me was the only person who truly understand me even if he didn't know. He was always the one loving me and I always remembered loving him back. Our love was pure and separation would only bring pain and sadness for us.
"Sasuke, I remembered the rest of the song. Can I sing?" he said to me. I nodded as that was what I could do.
"Don't ever make me cry
And fell lonely without love
Be always true to me
Keep this day in your heart eternally
You hold me in your arms
And say once again you love me
And if your love is true
Everything will be just as wonderful", he lulled softly.
"It's beautiful", I said meekly.
"Yes, it is", he said, nodding in agreement. He looked out at the window and stared at the outside scenery. Always the buildings and the sky because that was what we were only able to watch.
"Sasuke, it's going to snow tonight", he said, pointing at the black cloud outside.
"It'd be our first snow together", I told him.
"It'd be pretty tomorrow won't it?" he asked.
"It would be so pure", I said unknowingly.
"Can we make snow angel together?" he asked, giving his attention back on me.
"We'll make the most beautiful angel together", I agreed. He hugged me back and pulled the blanket up to cover us both.
"Sasuke, I love you. Let's go to that place", he said softly.
"Yes, let's go. They are waiting for us", I said and pecked him on the forehead.
"Together", he said.
"Together", I agreed and I closed my eyes. I didn't know that the snow had fallen when we slept. I didn't know that if we sleep, we won't be able to wake up anymore. I didn't know that everything was decided to end on our first snow and our last snow together. I didn't know that the light would never come back,
Yet, as long as Naruto was with me, anything was never the matter.