Seven Daffodils

I may not have a mansion; I haven't any land,

Not even a paper dollar to crinkle in my hand.

********************

"Knock, knock!" Two clear knocks on the front door woke Sakura from her sleep. She groggily went to the door, wanting to roar the visitor for coming at the early hour. Yet, she's aware of the time that she couldn't roar, or else she'd wake her neighbours.

"Good morrow, Sakura-chan!" Standing at the door was her teammate, Naruto, grinning like an idiot, although he's already a great one HIMSELF. She groaned at him.

"Naruto, do you know how EARLY it's in the morning?!" Since still half-awaken, Sakura's voice wasn't normal like in the daytime; she's having a witch's croaky throat. "We may not have a mission tomorrow and I'd WISH to sleep on till noon without—"

"Please don't be harsh on your boyfriend, Sakura-chan." He whined innocently. "I'd also like to sleep till noon time, but I'm going to give you a REALLY special gift—"

"FIRSTLY," She stopped right in between his going-to-be-long-winded speeches. "I don't remember that I've announced you're my OFFICIAL boyfriend and SECONDLY, since you're not my boyfriend, so I have my RIGHTS to be harsh on you. Now THIRDLY, I don't give a DAMN to your gifts since they must be some trash and be no good use."

"Sa-Sakura-chan, please…!" He didn't mind to be squashed in between the door. "Please listen to me for THIS time! You know even I've completed so many missions, I'm just a poor Jounin despite my wide reputation as the Yondaime Hokage's only son. It may mean I may have the Namikaze Estate back, but I'm still living in an apartment. All my money is used up for other purposes, so how could I get fancy things for you?"

Sakura halted in the middle and thought it out. Indeed, what he said was true. Even more, what something's fancy to Sakura would be a burden, and end up useless. If the gift that Naruto's saying is not something "fancy", then it may of be a little use.

"Alright, I'll come with you for THIS TIME." She said and let him in to the lounge. "Wait here for a moment. I'll get myself dressed and look more properly announced."

In she went to the washroom and freshened up herself to a fully awaken state. She brushed teeth with peppermint toothpaste and washed her face with cold water. What's more, she took a cool bath to wake her sleepy nerves up like an alarm clock. She pulled her comb through her tangled-up hair like a messy bird's nest to look tidier. Lastly, she put on her normal casual outfit when she's in Konoha without any mission. Feeling presentable, she stepped out of the washroom to the lounge for the blonde. She put on her knee-length sandals before walking out and locking up the front door.

"Well?" She looked at the energetic blonde, whose grin never fell off of his face. "You said you're bringing me out for this SPECIAL 'gift'. Where are we going to now?"

"You'll see, Sakura-chan." He just grinned, held her hand in his and headed out.

But I can show you morning on a thousand hills

And kiss you and give you seven daffodils.

********************

They went up a few long flights of stairs and walked up a few rather mild slopes. The cool wind soon turned a bit warm and further wakened up Sakura's drowsy mind. Before her steps, Naruto's bouncing, as if a child hurrying off to the amusement park.

"Hurry up, Sakura-chan!" He said with a grin. As expected from the Jinchuuriki, it seemed the Kyuubi's endless chakra supply not only gave the blonde great stamina, it also gave him great energy that he never seems the least tired despite the earliness. His energetic behaviour caught on Sakura. She smiled at him and hurried up to him. However, when she's about to reach him, he scurried to the higher steps and waited. It repeated over and over, as if they're playing little children's games. Sakura laughed.

"Look, Sakura-chan! We're here!" He showed her a grassy lawn. It's very plain, with the light slight-cool breeze stroking the fluffy grass and leaves gently in its hand.

"Where're we?" She asked him, trying not to break the silence. He said nothing, held her hand again and pulled her out to the lawn. When they're in the middle of it, he stopped and faced off to the far-away distance with his face resting in the breeze.

"What ARE—" Sakura didn't finish her question, and a golden beam blinded her. She squeezed her eyes shut for a while, and soon realised the time's dawn of the day. If viewed from the Main Gate, the sunlight first touched the Godaime Hokage's face, the Yondaime until the Shodaime. The light stretched out and reached to the houses, now looking as if little milk cartons below their feet, giving Sakura a majestic feeling. She turned to look at Naruto, and astonishingly found him bathing under the beams, a totally different image she's always seen him during missions and off-duty holidays. His azure eyes sparkled with determination and energy like aquamarines under light, and his suntanned cheeks looked a bit flushed by the pinkish orange shades of dawn. Feeling her gaze, he tilted his head to her and flashed another of his foxy toothy grin.

"How do you like my gift, Sakura-chan?" He sounded as if he's pleased her a lot.

"I adore it from the deepest of my heart." Her voice's weak from the panorama. "I'd never known that Konoha would be so breathtaking at this early hour of dawn…"

"Neither does me, if Konoha's without you…" He said, and Sakura's taken back. She looked once more into his speaking eyes, and they said he's dead serious about it. For the ever first, Sakura truly found his love reserved for her from those hard gazes.

"Kiss me." She requested and leant forward, eyes closed and waiting for his lips. Despite the deep long kiss, he pecked just the tip of her up-till-then-to-be-virgin lips.

"I'll reserve the long kiss for another occasion, sweetie." He smirked at her pout. "You'd better gone back for some more rest." After all those, everything blacked out.

She next jerked to wake in her comfy bed and it's already noon time of the day. It seemed real in her, but she looked around the room and there's no sign of Naruto.

'Was that…dream or…?' She wondered, and jumped off bed to do some chores.

I do not have a fortune to buy you pretty things,

But I can weave you moonbeams for necklaces and rings.

********************

"Naruto…" Her voice echoed through the empty corridor and came to his ears. He halted in his path, but didn't turn and face her directly. Sakura knew he's in agony.

"May-maybe I can try to ask Tsunade-sama to let me join in this mission as well, so you won't have—" Before she finished, he shook his head furiously, fists clenching.

"I won't let you hurt, Sakura-chan." He said lowly. "I'll go on this mission alone. This time, I'll surely finish him by my own hands, though I may not keep my promise."

"It's fine!" She shouted and tears flowed out of her eyes. "Dump that 'promise'! You are the last mental pillar of my heart! If you're gone in the mission, then…then…" She couldn't suppress her emotions anymore and rushed on to hug him from behind.

"Death IS never by my side, Sakura-chan." With a gentle squeeze on her hands, he got loose and turned around to look at her eyes directly. He wiped her tears away, but his hand was trembling, as if it's the last time he would touch her very own being. He ploughed her pink silky hair with his fingers, taking in the rich scent of roses of it. His hand then came to her cheeks and lips, gazing eyes never left hers for a moment.

"I MUST go on this mission by myself." He said again after taking his hand away. "Among the eleven of us, I'm the one who can kill all those emotions most efficiently. Tsunade-baa-chan knew that you can NEVER do it because you're kind to the others, and eventually, tell me not to do so. But this time…'he' must be assassinated by ME." He's never sounded so cold-blooded serious for the pastime Sakura's spent with him.

"But…it's Orochimaru that we're talking about…!" She felt a lump in her throat. "Don't you ever forget how you're battling with him at the Heaven and Earth Bridge? He might not be in his prime state, but he's now even laid his hands on the Sharingan! With that as the ultimate weapon, you can't do that if you suppress Kyuubi's chakra!"

"Out there's almost no one…who can understand more about Sasuke than me." His eyes twitched at that "taboo", but Sakura felt a sudden halt in her thumbing heart. "When I did use the Cloak in desperate situations, I didn't really lose myself to the fox. The same applies to Sasuke. If he's really lost his mind, he'd finish me off back 'then'. It's all because of his tiniest bit of a sudden whim that I'm saved from Death's claws."

Never heard what's happened at the Retrieval Mission years ago since present, Sakura's shocked that it's so serious, and Naruto still regards Sasuke as his "brother".

"If you believe in that I'll return from this mission, gamble all your faith in me." He ripped open to a wide grin and softly imprinted a mark of his lips on her forehead. His arms slithered to her back and tightened his hug, but never choking her to death.

"Stay with me tonight, will you?" She muffled in his jacket. Without verbal reply, he brought her home, so deadly silent. At the door of her room, he kissed her deeply.

In the early autumn night, the Moon and the constellations sparkled at the two, chanting the single night which they would share in union before a possible farewell.

And I can show you morning on a thousand hills

And kiss you and give you seven daffodils.

********************

Sakura woke according to her own free will. Her eyes first spotted the pale sky, shining the tiniest bit of the first streak of light of the beautiful yet cloudy daybreak. The second thing was a pair of azure eyes, gazing at her face with ebbs of emotions. She couldn't distinguish either the fiery love or the heartbreaking pain was stronger.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan." He kissed her forehead again with a small smile. She then noticed the rather-messy bed sheets and recalled what happened last night. She blushed at the thought, and Naruto chuckled at the great beauty of his blossom.

"It's still early before I'll set off for the mission. Maybe we can go for fresh air…" He offered and helped her out of the sheets, so careful as not to cause her any pain. After properly dressed, they went to same grass lawn which they've been weeks ago. Behind the grey clouds, the Sun rose and the sunlight broke through the veils of mists. It may have been more beautiful, provided to see with your beloved one by your side. Yet, Departure was on its way to the short-term Unity and may even tear them apart.

"We'd have to go back now, or else I'll be late and miss out the 'opportunities'." He took her hand and returned to her house, keeping quiet so not to wake others up.

Standing at the door, Sakura watched Naruto packed and stuffed his backpack: two sets of clothes, some useful scrolls and the medical pack which Sakura's readied. Even though he's a skilled Jounin, he still wore his ridiculous black-and-orange jacket, with just his green Jounin vest covering on top to conceal those flashy orange parts. He now wore a pair of navy blue trousers for better concealment in the dark corners. Lastly, he tied his black-clothed forehead protector around his forehead and readied.

"I'm off, Sakura-chan." He said rather grimly and stroked her cheek with a hand. She closed up the inches of distance and kissed him, who's returning it affectionately. Breaking from it, she hid her face at his chest, feeling his breaths at the nape of neck.

"Can I come with you to the Main Gate?" She asked sincerely, fighting her tear.

"You'll be in greater pain when you see me go." He sighed and rubbed her spine. "Don't ever sweat about the mission, Sakura-chan. I've sworn to marry you last night, and I'll be back here within a week or two, or else who'll be your handsome groom?"

It's only it Sakura really felt the heaviness on the middle finger of the left hand. She felt secured, no matter how tiny that feeling was, and snuggled on into his chest.

"No, Naruto-kun," She murmured. "I'll be YOUR WIFE at THIS VERY MOMENT!"

"Okay," He sighed again. With one of his Shadow Clones, he got seven daffodils, with the fresh morning dews dabbed on those little yellow petals by Mother Nature.

"With these seven daffodils, I'll always by your side and be the 'one' with you," He slipped the ring on her ring finger and kissed her cheek. "…For I'm your husband."

Sakura's indulged in the sweetness of his words, yet he's gone in a gust of wind. Without his warmth, she collapsed on the floor and sobbed in the cold empty room…

Oh, seven golden daffodils all shining in the sun,

To light our way to evening when our day is done…

********************

"Mama, where're we goin'?" A little boy asked with large eyes, looking curious. He looked into his mother's sparkling emerald, filled with sadness and wet with tears.

"I've already told you, right?" She knelt down and ruffled his blonde spiky locks. "We're going to visit your father after I'm off from work at the Hospital, aren't we?" She looked into the boy's azure eyes, feeling pain that they always remind her of him.

"But Mama," He started with a little frown. "Is my father really a piece of stone? Auntie Ino said you kept on weeping at that stone when she's having me in her hands. Oh, Mama," He started sobbing. "I…can't stand them all…keeping calling me names!"

"I'm sorry…Minato…" Sakura hugged him and tears fell silently. "I'm so sorry…"

Today's the second year of Uzumaki Naruto's death in an assassination mission.

It's been two years since Naruto's left for the mission. A few days of his depart, Sakura felt abnormally sick. After a body check, Tsunade declared she's now a mother. She's happy to bear a child for her beloved, but sad for he's not here to share the joy. He's promised to return in a week or two, but he left them no sign after three weeks. By the end of the month, they found a battled site with presence of Kyuubi's chakra. Splatters of dried blood were everywhere in the gigantic crater with broken weapons, including Orochimaru's and Sasuke's Swords of Kusanagi after thorough examination. The most depressing object of all they obtained was a fallen-apart forehead protector, which's declared to be Naruto's as there's two of his blonde hair and his head scraps.

For days, she pined and wailed at his loss. She's expected to be a small funeral, yet the entire village attended, as every villager's affected with his mysterious power. It affected her in ways and eventually pined away, causing a catastrophe to the foetus. She only then remembered he's left behind a momentum for her: their growing baby.

The boy's born on the day when the Kyuubi's sealed within Naruto; his birthday. Sakura's not so taken aback by it, since their son, Minato, is a living miniature Naruto, just like Naruto is a living Yondaime Hokage when he's still kicking around in Konoha. What's more was it's the best to say Naruto's reincarnated as Minato amongst them. His rather-nasty tempers, prankster-pulling ideas and everything was all from Naruto, yet he's got his brains from Sakura, much to their relief from having a Second Naruto.

She's in her office in Hospital, with Minato's at Ino's, and looked at the window. There's a little vase with those seven daffodils which he's given her at the "wedding". They'd survived for such a long time with no sign of withering, much to Ino's surprise. She took great care of them, preserving that undying love between her and Naruto…

A little yellow petal fell from the flower and dropped onto the pane suddenly. Sakura panicked, and broke down crying. Now, he's really left her and went forward…

"Sakura-chan, why are you crying?" A tender breeze came in through the door, and in a next second, there stood in front of the desk, staring at her was…NARUTO?!

And I will give you music and a crust of bread,

And a pillow of piney boughs to rest your head...

********************

"How can it…" She's weak that she's lost her voice. Carefully with a rough hand, he wiped the tears from her cheeks and sought deeply into her emerald-green irises. It couldn't be wrong for these familiar sensations. This gentle touch could only be his.

"You…LITTLE BASTARD…!" She then shrieked at two octaves higher than normal. "Do you know how much THIS pain was?! If you're alive, then why don't you return?! Not just me, but do you know how everyone's feeling when we heard of your death?! What's more, both of us, the mother and son, had almost cried every night for YOU!"

"Wait," He stopped her howling, trembling over. "What do you mean by 'son'?"

"I'M FUCKING PREGNANT FOR YOU THE DAY YOU LEFT KONOHA…!" She roared. Without notice, she started punching his battered torso everywhere she could reach. Knowing his wrong doings, he neither dodged nor escaped from all her heavy pulping. It took a minute for her to be tranquilized and collapsed into his chest, wailing aloud.

"I'm REALLY sorry for that, Sakura-chan." He hushed and patted her head softly. "During the battle, I could hardly face off Orochimaru even at my Three-tailed State. Thanks to all my trainings, I've learnt to control over Kyuubi's chakra up to eight tails. It's really horrible that he wounded me at the fatal points even with the chakra cloak, so I no longer care who it was, either Orochimaru or Sasuke, I finally killed them both. However, I was unconscious after getting out of the battlefield due to Kyuubi's chakra. In order not only to heal my seriously-damaged body and chakra circulation system, because of my very frequent use of his chakra, we inevitably merged together as one, the thing which we've been trying to avoid the most up until then, mainly my sake." He sat her down on a chair and continued his story, "Indeed, by being merged as one, I heal faster and have even greater stamina and strength in battles than I was before, yet I'd be much more dangerous, as a Hanyou like I'm now may attack unconsciously. After the merging operation's done, it's been two years which I'm totally oblivious of. I travelled just as I'm readied, but it took me months since I was lost in the forests…"

"That's okay, as long as you're here with me…" Sakura hiccupped between sobs. She pulled his face closer for a deep passionate kiss after two years of long departure. It felt good to lie on his pillows-laps and it's so realistic that it's never to be dreams…

"Sakura-chan…!" A voice called from the window down the crowded pavement. Sakura woke from her sweet nap and looked out of the glass, and there stood Naruto, grinning widely at her with his famous foxy grin. "Shall we go out in such a nice day?"

She remembered her dream and noticed those fresh wild daffodils in his hands.

"Wait for me, Naruto! I'll be here in a minute!" She replied with a bright smile. Changed into her off-duty outfit, she rushed out of her house and joined the blonde. Unexpected, she kissed him and in the Sun, they ran onto their bright path to Future.

Well, it's just one day I was listening to the song, and the lightbulb of inspiration was lit. Pretty good for describing Naruto since he's rather poor - at times, and I think that it's quite beautiful for Sakura to have some daffodils in her pink hair, thought I didn't put this in the story.

My first song-fic to be published. Please leave some reviews/comments!

Drops of Chastity