Title: The Fireworks
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto! Or anything I used!
Author: Sunnysideup09
Just like a dream, the beautiful blue sky fused itself heavily with the fuchsias and oranges of the starting evening. Saying its last good bye, the sun shot its streams of kind light up high, interlocking them with the clouds until they were slowly pulled down to the horizon.
Below the heavens, the Konoha village continued their tradition that occurred once every year. It started seven years ago during the reign of the new Hokage of the village. Many tents holding cheap, but prominent games and sweet foods were set up, and were aligned in rows, making narrow dirt paths. Small stores and houses were decorated with flamboyant, colorful paper lanterns and streams of light, long papers. Around the neighborhood blocks and backyards, bamboo trees were arranged in small ivory pots, their branches tied with heaps of strips of paper written with many high hopes and dreams of the villagers.
The hot, sticky July afternoon had passed, and the royal midnight blue sky had swept carefully over the land like a long trailing gown. Out of the cool darkness, and one by one, bright white and pale yellow lights surfaced, enlightening many excited villagers' souls in high hopes of excitement and adventure. The July festival was here.
Many villagers were dressed in their handmade yukatas, holding their prizes and children's hands, and strolling away freely around the busy paths. Around and around, in front of the entrance, a small spiky, pale blond haired boy in his trousers and white tee tried to sneak in by mixing himself among the crowds. Ah, but too late! He was caught by the man taking in the tickets.
"Where do you think y'er going?" he said, grabbing the boy's back. He held him up high by the eye level, and the boy began to fidget.
"Let go, I'm not here to cause any trouble!" the boy shouted, pumping his fists and kicking his legs ferociously. The man took a very close look at the boy's face.
"Why, you're that kid…!" he said with a sudden insight. The boy's bottom lip protruded, and his clear eyes narrowed. He tried not to match his eyes with the man's. The man sighed, with his one free arm akimbo.
"You have some guts there, young man," he said as he tugged the boy's shirt up and down like a yo-yo. His legs dangled like limp balloons, and the little boy grunted in frustration.
"Aw, come on! Just give me a chance, man!" the boy shouted. His big mouth showed off his raging teeth and his spit was splattering everywhere. The man, watching the boy make a big fuss, now held him like as if he was big, smelly garbage. The boy gathered his hands together with his head bent down.
"Please, mister?" the boy said with his round, innocent eyes that shook the man's heart. The man bit his lips and whispered, "Oh boy," out to no one. The crowds were gathering, raising their tickets high up in the air and making a riot.
"What's the hold up there!" one guy from the crowd shouted. The man grunted and slapped his forehead. The boy's innocent puppy eyes always seemed to do the trick. He scratched his close-cropped head and licked his dry lips. The air was still hot and humid, and the shouts made him more flustered.
"You sure that you won't get in trouble with the Hokage for this, because if you cause any trouble…"
"I promise I won't! I won't get into any trouble! And who cares about the Hokage… it's not like he cares," the boy pouted and crossed his arms. The man started to chuckle and then laughed out loudly from the belligerent boy's naiveté simplicity. He wiped his small tears away and dropped the boy to the ground.
"Ow," the boy rubbed his sore bottom from the impact. The man crossed his arms and grinned.
"Alright, just go. But no troubles, ya hear?"
"Aye aye, sir!" the boy stood up quickly and saluted the man like a soldier. Then he ran off and dove into the sea of crowds in the festival, letting the man give out a hearty chuckle to himself.
The festival was incredible. Indeed, the atmosphere was simply delightful and enticing. The aroma of food was beckoning his hungry little stomach and nose. The benevolent lantern lights were welcoming his presence. True, it was dark and there were a lot of people gathered around the corner of every tent and shops, but the boy felt cozy and safe. No one knew that he was here because of his small stature. No one stared at him or whispered about his identity. He felt lucky, and it was better than being at home.
Taking out his round, fat frog wallet that kept all his precious pocket changes, he bought small samples of sweets in a bag and garbled them down like a little monster. Around and around he went, dizzy and drunk from the colorful excitement of the summer night, digging himself deeper into the festival that held magical secrets.
He was walking down the dirt path while munching on a stick of takoyaki, when an old man sitting in a navy blue tent waved his hands toward him. The boy, confused and bewildered, pointed his index finger to himself and the old man nodded. The boy scampered off to the tent.
"What's up mister?" he said with his round, tanned cheeks full of takoyaki.
"Boy, don't you want to try out a game? All you have to do is throw three hoops into that bottle over there," the benevolent old man said.
"Okay," he swallowed his food. "What do I get?"
"This," he held out a white, cat-like ANBU mask with red striped on the side. It was tiny- a prize fit for small children wanting to become heroes someday.
"A small silver coin will do fine, son," the old man said. The boy reached deep into his pocket, fumbled a little, and produced a coin. He placed it in the old man's wrinkly, shaking hands and in exchange, the old man gave him the three hoops.
"Here I go!" the boy shouted. He took three wide steps back – as wide as his little legs can make. Then, taking a position, the boy bent his knees and threw the hoops in a quick motion.
Precisely, all of the hoops spun around the slender necks of the bottle. The old man laughed.
"Well I'll be darned; you sure know how to throw," the old man ruffled the boy's spiky hair and gave him the mask.
"Well, I am the best," the boy grinned cockily, raising his shoulders up a little with his arms akimbo like Superman.
The blond boy wore his mask with pride and paraded around the streets. The joyous festival atmosphere was everywhere until he heard a muffled sob. He skidded to a stop, creating small dust clouds in effect. The sound came from the right, where two tents existed side by side in a small distance due to a tree in-between. He walked to the corner, and found a tiny body curled and shaking.
"Huu… huu….," the tiny body cried, until it felt something reach out toward her. She looked up, and saw a blond haired stranger with a mask, handing out a stick of takoyaki. Her fat tears stopped flowing, and she cocked her head.
He had a toy ANBU mask on, just like her.
She had a pretty tea rose colored hair.
They didn't know each other, but her tiny hands slowly reached out to his takoyaki holding hand. She held his hand and carefully removed the takoyaki away from him. He helped her stand up.
"Hey," he said. Underneath the mask, the energetic, high spirited voice came out.
"Hey," she answered back. Hers was sweet and girlish, with a touch of power that seemed to not yield too easily in patriotism.
"What are you doing here?" he asked. She clasped her hands together, holding the takoyaki to the center of her chest.
"I… I lost my mom," she said.
"That doesn't mean you should go in here and cry," he said. Underneath the mask, he was grinning. She could tell by his kind gesture. He pulled her tiny arms and led her out back into the wonderland.
But then, as she was tugged back into their world, the tiny black string binding her face to the mask snapped and fell to the ground.
The gentle wind caressed their cheeks and swirled the dying leaves on the road like perfused autumn tea. He stared at her, still with his mask there.
She was…
"Ah, you go to school with me!" he shouted, pointing his index finger at her with sudden insight. Timidly, the little girl gathered her knees and bit her lips. She was a very cute girl, with a bright, full moon face, rosy cheeks, and clear pairs of jade green eyes. She wore a bright red yukata with floral patterns all over. She must have been very hungry since she gobbled down the takoyaki he gave her. But then, realizing how he stared at her, she felt a little uncomfortable.
"Wh-what," the girl hesitated, frightened by his sudden expression. But then she gained her grip and said, "Fine, let's see you without your mask then!"
Before he could push her away, she snatched the mask away like a hyperactive, overexcited monkey. She smiled as she stared at the mask, waving it in the air like a prize. But then, she was later on transfixed on his full appearance.
The blond hair and blue eyes.
There was no doubt about it.
"Why… you are that boy," she whispered, staring thoroughly at his face. He gave a short "Feh," pushed his lips out and crossed his arms. Childishly, he squinted and turned away.
"What?" he said, irritated by her staring. Everyone stared at him, and now she was too. It was always annoying.
But then, she gave a small, girlish laughter. He turned back to her while narrowing his eyes.
"What?" he said again. She laughed again, only because he was closer to her. "Come on, spit it out!"
"You have a bit of sauce at the corner of your mouth," she replied, still giggling. Realizing his stupidity, his cheeks reddened. He quickly wiped the right side of his mouth with the back of his hand.
She still laughed.
"No, silly, it's the left side, left!"
He twisted his mouth and gave another shot of wiping his mouth. He decided to walk away from her.
"See you," he bluntly said. She watched him go, still holding takoyaki in one hand.
"Wait!"
"What?" he shouted back. She slightly waved his pale mask against the navy blue sky like the rising moon.
"You forgot your mask," she spoke quietly. He marched back and snatched the mask away, trying to keep his little stubborn pride high up in the air. Crudely, he wore his mask to the right side of the top of his head and tried to walk away again.
"Oh, but… wait!" she cried out again.
"Yeah, what?" he turned back in frustration, but only stopped after seeing tears well up in her eyes again.
"Can… can you help me find my mommy?" she informed softly, biting her index finger. "It's kind of scary out here…"
He sighed. He was enjoying his time alone in the festival quite nicely until he found her sulking in the corner. Still, it felt unfair to leave someone out alone and the Ninja Academy did always teach him to stick with a group, even if he hated it. He liked to wander off on his own. But he nodded, and happily, she nodded back and started to make a dash toward him with her tiny feet. Still, she was wearing a pair of geta, which kind of dragged her movement down. She click-clacked around the dirt path awkwardly, trying to hold the balance, until she finally tripped over a small rock. He winced at the sound of her fall.
"Owie," she yelled and lifted the dress up a little bit. Little bit of blood seeped out from the scraped skin. He walked to her and kneeled down. Blood. They both hated to see blood. It always seemed like such a serious thing. It was frightening, alarming every flesh on their bones. The girl's fingers were raised up to her eyes, trembling with it.
The boy gulped, trying to hold his grip, and scoffed.
"So what, it's just a little blood. There's nothing to get so worked up about it, you baby."
Tears sprang up in her eyes again. Her mouth trembled wildly until she let out a little sob. Watching her drop tears again, he didn't know what to do. He didn't have any more snacks and he had no quick pranks on him to use. He sighed heavily and rolled his eyes a little. He turned his back and bent a little down, his hands stretched back. She stopped crying, and with her confused eyes still full of motionless, crystal tears, she wondered what he was doing.
"Get on," he said, furrowing his brows. She hesitated a little.
"But what if you topple over and…"
"I'm pretty strong, don't underestimate me," he muttered. Carefully, she laid down her hands on his shoulders and climbed on his back. He stood up – at first, his legs shook a little- and got a firm grip. Then he steadily walked.
"Are you sure about this? I'm really fine…"
"Yeah, you think that a crybaby can take good care of herself?" he jeered. She shut her lips tightly, realizing a little of herself.
"At the Academy, everyone teases me. Even my best friend called me a crybaby in the beginning. I know I am."
"Then stop acting like one. Man, don't you get it?" he shot back. She twisted her tongue around childishly in her mouth, wondering how right he was and why she was listening to this boy. Although startled by his anger, somehow, she was starting to believe in his words.
Why was he right again? She didn't know. But for one thing, she did cry a lot. But she wanted to be a little stronger too so that no one could hurt her. Just a little more, just like her beautiful mother…. She wondered where her mother was, but felt safe with this boy carrying her in all the strength that he had. She closed her eyes, curling the corners of her mouth to a smile.
"I'll try," she whispered. She placed her head gently on the right side of his shoulder and began to doze off.
"Hey," he said. He was afraid of this. He stopped walking.
"Hey!"
She was sound asleep.
"Ugh, I'm not your servant, you know," he spat, narrowing his eyes and crookedly grinning in exasperation and exhaustion. But hearing her making tiny breathing sound, it reassured him a little. There was at least someone here with him at the festival. He wasn't alone after all.
He smiled and squinted happily while walking further into the long road of the night at the festival.
When she woke up, she found herself positioned near a food stand, with a hand stretched out to her. Startled, she gasped and then met his eyes. They were clear as the ocean aligned with the deep blue sky, so honest and truthful, yet full of mischievous secrets. She was often told by her mother to make a good eye contact with her friends and other people she met along the way. It was the first time that she ever got a good grasp of one's eye, especially this boy that she barely ever saw. She took his hand and he pulled her up with a goofy, impish grin.
He scratched his head and handed her something steamy wrapped in a thin, beige paper. "Here."
She carefully lifted the folded papers it with her tiny fingers and saw a flat pancake with various toppings. The smell made her mouth water, and her hungry eyes grew wide.
"Okonomiyaki!" she squealed in delight, and with that, she dove her head in and took a huge bite. He toddled over to her right and started eating his own.
There was a moment of silence where neither of them talked. They were starving, and the night grew deeper. Thousands of long legs and tiny children just liked them walked by in front of them. No one knew that they were there, except for them, and that was all they really needed. All they needed was each others' support to get by and start walking among the crowd again. But from standing around a lot, their tiny legs and feet felt the aching pain throbbing up and down impatiently, so they squat down and watched the passengers laugh and swing their wide sleeves. The paper lanterns seemed to contain the wild spirits of the dead when they swayed silently in the soft night breeze- the warm, eerie glowing lights captured inside were never benevolent, but were always mischievously beckoning visitors to come and stay.
They grew bored and weary. The girl still hadn't found her mother, and the boy was tapping his fingers on the ground impatiently. But from afar, they heard a loud cheer somewhere east. They both stood up, caught in shock and overwhelming expectations of excitement and adventure. Both of them bent their head to the side, and saw colorful little specks wilding moving around.
"What do you think that is?" the girl said, and the boy twisted his lips in wonder.
The sound grew louder like the everlasting thunder with pounding rain. They heard loud footsteps charging up the streets. Many people moved aside, and the two children wondered if there was danger afoot. Many adults had their mouth slightly apart with their surprised eyes growing wider by each inch of the growing sound. The crowds gathered, and the two children's views were blocked by the grown up's solid color yukatas. Their bodies were like bricks, but somehow, they managed to push them aside. When the boy and the girl were able to get out from the stubborn mass, their eyes grew wide in excitement.
Like graceful lightning strikes –swift and elegant- the dancers at the front lifted and tossed their pastel colored borato in the sky, creating the illusion of soft, wispy clouds perched in the night sky. Next, strong men in loose, light blue yukata and happi, complimented with tight, solid white ropes tied around their heads came about with bright crimson shrines perched on their shoulders and backs. The brilliant shining gold pieces accented the marvelous, majestic part of this parade. The boy and the girl awed, watching the dancing and chanting, and were swept away by this magical sight.
"Where are they going?" the girl asked. The boy held his open hand to his forehead for sight seeing.
"Hey mister," the boy tugged a man's kimono sleeve. "Where are these guys in the front going?"
"Oh, they're heading to that hill over there," the man pointed far toward north without directly looking at the boy, where large dark groves and humps resided. The man was strictly pointing to the tallest hill in the middle with a lonely oak tree on top.
"Why?" the little girl said, feeling that she needed to have her say.
"They say that every seven years later, Orihime and Hikoboshi give their good omen and blessings on that hill there with one tree. To spread those blessings to the village, this parade here marches up to that hill, dance around the tree in a huge circle, and light the fireworks there," the polite man replied, and with that, his eyes returned back to the enticing parade.
"Did you hear that? Come on, let's go there!" the boy shouted, grabbing the girl's wrist and pulling it with joyous strength.
"What? Why?!"
"If we get there fast enough, maybe we can get some of those blessings there before they do," the boy pointed to the parade.
"But… what about… mommy…," the girl said, almost out of breath from his speed and pulling. He stopped and grinned.
"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention- if we can get there, maybe we can see your mom since we're at the tallest place!"
"That might work," the girl paused and reflected on his words. But there was no time! The boy, without any hesitations, pulled her little arms and ran past the slow parade and the crowd, standing in rows like deep rooted stumps.
They climbed over the steep hill with a small dirt trail, their tiny, clumsy legs tripping over small rocks and slippery dark green grass. Already, the poor girl's yukata had grass stains, and the boy had dirt rubbed all over his face from falling flat on the ground. However, both of them reached to the tree. They slammed their backs on the grassy peak without any regards, sighed in relief and smiled at each other happily, knowing that they've accomplished at least one thing today.
"Wow, look at our village!" the girl squealed. Dim lights that hovered over them before were unified into bright, shining jewels. Now they were above the lights, and their eyes were opened up to another different world.
"Isn't this awesome?" the girl grinned happily. The boy smiled back. He was exhausted and beads of sweat were trickling down his face. Still, it was nice to make someone smile and share it a bit.
Staring at the dark, formless sky, one or two stars began to appear, shining through the pitch black gloom. He had his arms and legs spread apart and stared at the sky, trying to be one like the stars and trying to feel the stars' radiation – its undying, loving warmth and glow despite the coldness and aloof silence of the universe. And then, he remembered something a while back.
"Who are Orihime and Hikoboshi?"
The girl quickly sat up and stared at him with her jaws dropped to the ground.
"You don't know? We all learned about them back at the Academy!"
"I wasn't paying attention… ehe heh…" he replied back and scratched his head in embarrassment and nervousness. She sighed and watched the stars appear two by two, letting their light spread welcomingly.
"Orihime is the princess who weaves beautiful clothes," the girl said, almost as if she was caught up in a translucent dream. "She fell in love with Hikoboshi, who lived and worked at the other side of the Milky Way River. They married, and eventually, Orihime and Hikoboshi became lazy. Rage driven, Orihime's father, the Heaven King, separated the two by strictly making them live across the Milky Way. But watching Orihime lose her happiness, the Heaven King pitied the two and allowed them to meet each other on the seventh day of seventh month. Sadly, there was no way to cross the river so Orihime cried. Those tears created floods on earth, and pitying her, the magpies decided to use their bodies to make a bridge across the river. Finally, they met and Orihime washes Hikoboshi's clothes and dishes whenever they do. After that, they must return back to the other sides of the Milky Way, waiting patiently and desperately for each other."
"That's the story? Geez, I fell asleep through the whole thing because sensei was blabbing on about it for so long!"
"It took only about fifteen minutes of class!" the girl pouted and she elbowed his chest. Then suddenly, her eyes glinted as she noticed a bright star falling quickly toward the Hokage Monument.
"Wow, a shooting star! Quick, make a wish!" she shouted and clasped her hands together to make a wish. Not knowing what to do, idiotically, the boy automatically followed her. When they were done, the girl smiled at the boy warmly and the boy did his trademark goofy grin to her. He sat up and gathered his knees to his chest.
"So what did you wish for?" he asked. The girl closed her eyes as she thought of that wish she had kept close to her heart for a long time. Then, she turned back to him and gave him a raspberry blow.
"Not telling," she whispered. The boy bloated his cheeks with air and rolled his eyes. The girl giggled sweetly.
"Don't be such a party pooper," she said.
"I would have told you my wish," he replied.
"Really? What is it?"
"Not telling," he replied and pulled down the bottom of his left eye with his index finger. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.
"Hmph!"
"Okay, fine, I'll spill," he tried to reassure her, shaking his fluttering hands in panic. "But…"
"But?" The girl cocked her head in curiosity. He swallowed, feeling the little Adam's apple bobbing up and down his throat.
"But you have to either keep it as a life long promise or just don't," he said. Her eyebrows went up in slight amusement and her cherry pink lips curled up to a cute smile.
"Okay," she said. Tiny round sweats slid down at the side of his head and although she remained clueless as before, she could've swore that she saw tiny red tints rising on his face tanned from the good summer sun.
"When we grow up, and if I become a really strong ninja, and if you don't like anyone, will you… marry me?"
Her pretty round, jade green eyes became rounder. "Marry?"
He gulped again. He was slowly turning ripe red like the summer roses trampled by nasty children making nuisance and noise in the garden. He likes me?
Does he?
"Well," she paused and thought for a minute. But then, she reluctantly smiled with sincerity. "Sure!"
His face lightened, and his mouth turned into a wide, upside down half moon smile.
"But you better keep up with your bargains," she said challengingly. Oh, but did that matter right now? She was comforted. She felt the need to be here with him now.
"Of course I will! I'll become the strongest ninja ever! I'll even be stronger than all the hokages combined!" He jumped up and pumped his fists into the air like a little superhero. His eyes were lit in blue flames, with sparks flying out. She could feel his unstoppable energy full of power and force.
Why did she agree to it? She didn't know that herself. All she knew was that he was the only one who took her when she was lost. And he was kind. He didn't ignore her for one. He didn't tease her about anything. But why did she? She didn't know that much herself, but it was always nice to agree with others. It was a polite thing to do, or so she thought. Truthfully, she really didn't know why. She was only seven.
The stars were shining brilliantly above them tonight and they were enjoying the sound of the parade with its upbeat traditional music and drums coming closer. Suddenly, the girl rose up, trying to pay attention to another distinct sound that was carried and tossed over along with the parade.
"I think I know this sound," she whispered. The boy cocked his head.
"What?"
"Shh, wait!"
Another calling, like a lost, desperate echo calling out in the ocean out of loneliness.
"Yeah, I think I know it!"
The sound was coming closer, just like the parade lead dancers with their billowing light cloths stepping on fresh grass and dead tree branches.
"It's my mom, I know it!" she yelled out in joy. She tugged his hand. "Come on, we have to go!"
"Aw, but I wanted to see the fireworks," the boy muttered in disappointment. Nevertheless, the two children ran and tumbled down the hills like wild, feverous storms. When the reached the village, they were both very tired and thirsty, few stores were already closing, and some people were heading toward the hills with picnic blankets clung onto their arms.
"Mommy? Mommy!!!" the girl called out. People passed by, bumping into the two kids carelessly. They could hear their laughter from the distance, which faded in the sleepless, cool night air.
A woman who looked as if she had dashed about all over the village ran out from an alleyway. She turned her head from left to right in panic, and then saw two tiny figures before her. One had pale blond hair and the other had tea rose and wore bright red yukata. She released the tensions on her shoulders and dropped them. The worries and frowns on her face slowly drained away.
"Aiko!" she called out. The little girl turned around from hearing the familiar voice. Tears welled up in her eyes once more, this time, in joy.
"Mommy!" the little girl screamed and ran into her mother's arms.
"Where have you been? I was so worried about you…!" the woman held her daughter tightly, not trying to let go.
"Mommy, you're suffocating me….," the little girl squealed. Realizing this, the woman let her daughter go, but still held her two little arms.
The little blond boy watched this scene from the distance with a cheery smile on his face. Then, another voice also called out to him.
"Hiroto!"
He looked back.
"Dad!" the boy ran to him but then skidded to a stop and crossed his arms. "You said you weren't coming…"
His father laughed at his boy's stinging words. He ruffled his boy's hair and knelt down.
"I was kind of busy, sorry. But I did keep my words, didn't I? I promised to at least watch the fireworks with you."
Meanwhile, the girl named Aiko was telling all her festival adventures to her mother and mentioned a lot about the spiky haired boy behind her. Her mother stood up from her squat position. She was thinking of thanking the kind boy for bringing her only daughter back safely. But before she took another step, she paused. Her lips slightly parted, and her eyes grew wider.
The man who stood from the distance only watched her silently. He was very still. He didn't make a sudden move and had nothing but blankness upon his face.
The slender woman who stood in front of him had her hair in a bun with a swept over side bang. Her hair still kept that lovely luster and tea rose color, just like her small daughter except only a little darker. She was wearing a navy blue yukata with small cherry blossom patterns all over and gold trims at the edge. Her sash was dark crimson, and her lips and eyelids were painted in light pink to accent her beauty. Still, no matter what, she still had those same strong, powerful emerald green eyes piercing through him.
"Naruto…," she called him quietly in the cold, awkward distance. Then, she locked her fingers together and bit her lips. She still kept her eyes fixated on him. She couldn't keep her eyes away from him. How could she? It was such a long time ago and yet, he was still the same. Sure, granted, he was taller and well-built. He was no longer that scrawny brat she used to hang out with or taunt back at the Academy. His blond hair was a little longer and shaggier than before, but he still wore his black forehead protector like always. Today, he wore his haori and kimono. The Hokage of Konoha, just as he had promised years ago, appeared in front of her.
And yet, his bright, blazing blue eyes full of fire and fighting spirit… did it fade away a little?
She was beautiful, as always.
He was handsome, though she didn't dare to say it in front of anyone.
The crowd was thinning, and lights in the lantern were blown away, the fading light entrusted to the wind that couldn't keep its life long bargain.
"Sakura…," his tongue and lips decided to try wearing the name that hadn't been mentioned for almost a decade.
Aiko tugged on her mother's gold trimmed, wide sleeve and whispered, "Mommy, what's wrong?"
"Dad," Hiroto furrowed his brows in confusion. Naruto shook his head and sighed, now putting on a genuine smile. With ease, Sakura walked forward to the father and son with her daughter's fingers clinging onto her sleeve. Once she got there, she stooped down and smiled kindly to the little blond boy who was almost the exact replica of his father without the fox whisker marks.
"Thank you for being with Aiko," she said. Then she raised her head and stared at Naruto. Tonight had to be the night. She couldn't have been happier.
But they couldn't say a word, even if they were reunited. What were they now and where was this leading to?
There was no return.
There was… nothing. There was nothing but the dust ran across the dirt path, sweeping over the plains. Lights were all slowly fading away into the creeping wind. And who were they now? Were they just two strangers who led different paths all this time…?
Behind her, there was a sudden sound of rockets shooting up to the sky with a sizzle and high pitch that pushed against the air. Pop, pop! They all turned around, their attentions caught by the sound. The bright lights glinted and dazzled in the sky, marveling anyone who took a glace at it. Aiko, still holding on to her mother's sleeves, happily squealed with her eager, fascinated eyes. But all Sakura could hear was his haunting voice from the past slowly dragging her away into the empty darkness from where she stood.
"If we ever meet each other again… do you think it will be possible between us?"
And then, she turned back to him, the boy who was now someone else. He was watching the night sky full of neon lights aligned with the wide sparkling river of Milky Way. His lips were slightly parted and his body showed no emotion, but his eyes were absorbing the fantasy that the fireworks provided in wonder like a child.
The question clung to her again like frozen water on glass – translucent, foreseeable, and immobile. Was it?
But this is it, she thought. This is it. Her eyes snapped out of the mist, and her ears once again opened to the sounds popping violently in violet, intense peppermint white, and hot, phoenix red. They created wide varieties of distinguishable shapes. She could taste the moment through the iridescent colors, its long end trails losing its sparkle and dispersing quietly afterwards as one.
In her eyes, tears captured the lights shimmering and fading before them. And she held up her head high and blinked very fast a couple of times to draw the tears in. She nodded to herself and squeezed her daughter's hands.
"Let's go sweetie," she said. "We don't want to miss the fireworks, right?"
"Yeah," Aiko nodded and smiled. Then, she turned back to the little blond boy.
"So your name is Hiroto," she said.
The boy nodded his large, round baby head eagerly despite the awkward intensity of the environment.
"Well, you better keep your promise," she grinned and winked. "Pinky swear?"
The boy hesitated, not knowing what to do. But watching his father cock his head and nod with such certainty made him raise his pinky and lock it around hers.
"It's settled then," she said cheerfully. "You better keep it!" She waved her fingers and tugged on her mother's wide sleeve again, signifying to leave.
"Wait, Aiko!" she stopped and turned back to him.
"What about your wish?"
She winked and released her mother's sleeve. Then, she cupped her hands around his right ear and whispered, "I wish that Orohime and Hikoboshi would truly be united some day."
A little disappointed, he slightly crumpled his face and said, "Is that all?"
"No," she replied. She leaned over and left a kiss on his cheek. Watching the two children, Naruto's jaws instantly dropped and Sakura covered her mouth with her sleeves and turned her eyes away, blushing. Aiko cheerfully skipped clumsily back over and held her mother's fair, soothing hands. She smiled but Sakura slightly tilted her head, deep in thought.
Fate, like the roaring, gentle waves, was back on shore, washing all the remains that they both threw away at the sea before on the sand. She had regrets, and perhaps he did too. They both carelessly tossed all that they had together into the sea and left nothing but regrets and guilt in their hollow hearts.
And now, she knew the answer, and he did too. For a long time, they both did. She turned back to him silently, knowing that this was their future. This was what made them to be today –the crossed out paths splitting further and further until they reached their destination.
She asked herself to her heart.
"Do you have regrets…?"
The overwhelming feeling rushed by and left a calm, gentle wave flooding over to her heart. And her lips felt happiness, knowing how that felt.
She asked him in her mind again. Does he? Do you….?
It seemed as though he was asking the same question to her through his clear cerulean eyes.
Sakura turned back and gave him a bittersweet smile. In return, he gave her the genuine smile that she was once happy to see in the past. His eyes never beckoned her, never called out for her like a stranger waiting for his echo to return back from the cliff. It was all washing away from them, with pain and pleasure, until there was no more. A quiet settlement.
Her daughter skipped whole heartedly throughout the way. They were heading for the hills, for another uncertainty drawn by the black smock trails of the night. But then, there was always tomorrow, where the sun would rise with the strength and sympathy of the thousand magpies embracing the heavens with their wings. Another year… another day at a time… another good bye….
He watched her back. He watched her crimson sash swaying and her loose gold trimmed navy kimono dragging subserviently on the ground. His heart wasn't so bitter like before. Holding his little boy's hand, he grinned to the sky, remembering the years when they were naïve, selfish, and young. And then, he silently stared at his son, who quietly stared at him back with his innocent smile. The future was still possible. There was no end, nothing too late for his child. Silently, he pulled Hiroto's hand slowly and began to walk toward the stoic hills that politely waited for them to see the wondrous sight.
Scarlet marbles along with pale blue dotted ones soared up to the sky. Pop! Pop! Brilliant shades of mauve and amethyst scattered into the darkness, becoming one with the everlasting stars. Mists of its remnants were split everywhere to the bewildered ones. The gazers watched this sight, with their eyes burning from this magnificent beauty. Spirals of gold and juvenile green flared in the air, hovering over the houses and temporarily dark painted windows that reflected their short lived lives. Only to entertain, only to live for the moment… these fireworks aimed high to the sky in impulse, throwing away all the expectations and hatred in the hearts of many villagers to eternity.
The fireworks soared up to the sky like tiny arrows, wanting more but only bursting after meeting their limited time and target. Holding in their desires, they exploded in flaming passion in unruly lines, leaving marks of their bright, pale youth in the sky until they dispersed and settled down quietly, and then quieter afterwards….
Notes: I fused the Bon Festival and Tanabata (two Japanese Summer Festivals) together in order for them to fit perfectly in the story. Festivals always bring out a bit of joy and sorrow in me, and I wondered what it was like if Naruto and Sakura weren't together in the end. I wondered what their children would be like, and what their story would be. I thought, "Why not let Sakura's and Naruto's children finish what they've started instead?" Yes, it's quite bitter but through this, I think it represents hope for the future.
I think that the children, Aiko and Hiroto, represent the small hopes in this story. They are innocent creatures, naive, and reletively small in stature. They have many similar features of their parents. Why? Like I said before, I wanted that genuine hope and story to continue instead of being destroyed. They bring out youth, the first 'spark' of the story, and nostalgia. In reality, whether or not if Naruto and Sakura will end up with each other, I really don't care. That's all up to Kishimoto. This is just a sample of my idea.
Aiko's name means 'child (girl) of love' while Hiroto refers to Ursa Major, if you were curious by the way.
Then what does Sakura and Naruto represent? They represent the loss, the ultimate unrequited love, sacrifice, and unified choice. Whatever they did in the past led them up to this point. I guess I did make sort of a parallel between them and Orihime and Hikoboshi. In the end, the children are the 'start,' while the adults make the 'end.' Or whichever way it goes, he he.
I was inspired also by the songs "Hanabi Episode II" by Ayumi Hamasaki, "Amber" by 311, and "Shattered" by Trading Yesterday. And of course, the fireworks that I saw last year...