This is basically a transcript of the English version of this sequence, with a little twist at the end. I hope you all enjoy it!
Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto (the show or the character) or Konoha or Sasuke or Sakura. Though if I'd had my way those two would have been together long ago!
Midnight in Konoha. A time when civilians and off-duty ninja alike could dream soundly in their beds without fear and the Hokage could finish her paperwork before slipping into the same blissful sleep. Yes, midnight was a time of peace.
But not tonight.
Far from the slumber of others, the pink-haired kunoichi Genin known as Haruno Sakura sat by the towering gates of the village, her small frame concealed behind one of the many large trees bearing her name. She gazed up at the full moon, the twinkling stars, waiting for the familiar, hushed sounds of travel only a skilled ninja could make.
And there it was. Silently she stood, concealed behind the thick trunk of the tree. Without looking, she could tell exactly who was coming down the cobblestone path. She would know that Chakra Signature anywhere. Knowing she would be called out eventually, Sakura stepped out from her hiding place, gazing silently upon the figure of Uchiha Sasuke strolling casually towards her, his obsidian eyes on the ground, hidden behind his long night dark bangs.
He continued to walk, not looking up at her. Sakura's heart thumped in her chest. Would he even acknowledge her presence? Or would her simply walk around her, silent as always, to leave the village for the rogue Sannin's promise of power?
Sasuke stopped; his hands in his pockets. The length of a four person stone bench was between them. The same bench where he had first told her she was annoying.
"It's the middle of the night. What are you hanging around here for?" His voice was patronizing, with seemingly little care of who heard him. Sakura gulped.
"This is the only road...out of the village." Her voice was weak, a trembling, fragile whisper, as her eyes slid to the ground. Slowly, Sasuke began to walk around her.
"You should go to bed." Still he used that patronizing, emotionless voice. It tore at Sakura's heart.
As he walked past, close enough to touch, Sakura felt uncontrolled tears slide down her cheeks, hidden behind her chin length curtain of cherry blossom pink hair, held by back by her ninja headband.
"Why, Sasuke?" She whispered, turning half way to face him. He continued to walk, not conceding to have heard her at all.
"Why won't you ever tell me anything? Why is it always silence with you? You've never shared a single thing with-"
"Why should I have to tell you anything?" He was annoyed, she knew him well enough to tell. At least he had stopped walking. Sakura hoped she had begun to make some progress. Although he didn't turn to face her, she knew he was listening.
"Just keep your nose out of my business. It's none of your concern." Tears continued to stream unabashed down her cheeks as she turned her face away. Her gaze slid to the ground again, and a heartbroken smile crept onto her face.
"I know you hate me. Even in the beginning you couldn't ever stand me." With some effort, Sakura lifted her gaze back to the back of his head, straining to make her smile genuine and her voice upbeat, even though he couldn't see.
"Remember? Back when we made Genin and we were assigned to our three-man squads. We were alone together for the first time, right here on this very spot. You got so mad at me that day." A vision appeared in her head, taunting her with its bright colours.
Sakura her long, luscious hair held back by her newly acquired official headband and blowing in the gentle breeze, her hands on her hips, stood facing Sasuke's back. She was telling him how she felt about Naruto.
"Think about it, he just does whatever comes into his head! But if you don't have parent's to tell you, how would you know? He's selfish and bratty. He's all alone." She failed to notice Sasuke's shoulders tensing.
"Alone. Isolated." He said, his voice as hard and cold as his icy exterior.
"Huh?" Sakura replied. This was not the reaction she had anticipated.
"It's not about you're parent's scolding you. You have no idea what it means to be alone."
"Wh-wh-why are you saying that?" Sakura was shocked. Where was this coming from? She had expected Sasuke to agree with her, not react like this!
"Because," he turned to face her, his dark eyes filled with contempt, "You're annoying." Sakura gasped, her heart crushed. She was annoying? Frozen, her young heart breaking, she watched silently as Sasuke walked away from her.
Sakura paused, hoping for a positive reaction.
"I don't remember that." Sasuke replied. She gasped, that same feeling as so long ago, the crushing of her fragile heart, washing over her. She forced a trembling smile back onto her face. She laughed brokenly, her tears falling to make dark spots on the ground.
"Yeah, sure, I mean, that was so long ago, right? But still that's the day when it all began. It was the start of you and me...and Naruto, and Kakashi sensei." Her mind flashed back again, to the Genin exam and the Bell Test, the many D Rank missions they went on, Naruto trying to steal a glimpse of Kakashi's dirty little book, stuffing his mouth full of his beloved ramen, and the mission to Wave to protect the bridge builder, her heart tearing when she thought of how they had almost lost Sasuke to Haku's deadly accurate needles. "The four of us started going on missions. It was rough back then. Every day was such a challenge. But...more than anything...it was so much fun!" Sakura took a deep breath. She was coming to the point of her speech.
"I know about you're clan, Sasuke, I do. But seeking revenge...that won't bring anyone happiness. Nobody at all. Not you...and not me." Her voice was a broken whisper again. Hopefully something had gotten though to him. Maybe-
"I knew it." His voice cut off her thoughts. Her heart thumped unsteadily in her chest again, the blood loud in her ears. "I'm not the same as you. I'm travelling a path the rest of you can't follow. I know the four of us have worked together, and for a while, I thought I could take that road instead. But in the end...I've decided on revenge. That's always been my reason for living. I'll never be like you and Naruto."
"Don't do this Sasuke; you don't have to be alone! You told me that day how painful a thing solitude can be. I understand that pain now." The tears were flowing relentlessly. A small puddle had begun to form at Sakura's feet, her voice shaking with sadness, "I have a family...and friends...but...if you were gone Sasuke...it would be the same thing for me...as being all alone!"
"Each of us has a new beginning," He said, his back still to her, "Each of us has a new path lying before us-"
"Sasuke! I'm so in love with you I can't even stand it! If you would only be with me, I promise, I'd never let you regret it! Every day would be a joy! I could give you happiness! I'll do anything for you Sasuke! So please...I'm begging you, don't walk away! I'll even help get your revenge, I'll do whatever it takes to make it happen, I swear! So stay here...with me. And if you can't...then take me with you, Sasuke." Sakura was trying desperately to choke down her sobs. She didn't want Sasuke to leave because of her!
Sasuke, who had been still for so long, turned slowly to face her, his face twisted into a sinfully handsome smirk.
"You haven't changed. You're still annoying." Sakura gasped. So distraught was she that she failed to notice the humour deep in his seemingly bottomless eyes. Just as slowly as he had before, he turned back around and continued on his way, as if he had never been disturbed.
"DON'T LEAVE ME!!" Sakura cried desperately, running after him, her voice echoing off the walls of the surrounding buildings, "If you go, I'll scream and-" Like, lightning, Sasuke used his unearthly speed to dash behind Sakura like a ghost. The suddenness of it startled her, leaving her unable to finish her half-hearted threat.
They stood in silence, the breeze, so like the one that had blown the first time they had stood at this bench together, ruffling their hair and clothes.
"Sakura..." There was hesitancy in his voice. In a few short seconds, the unflappable Uchiha Sasuke had become nothing more than the frightened, inexperienced teenager he tried so hard not to be. But he was sure of his next move. If he was going to leave Konoha for X amount of years, he wanted the one person who had always stood by him, no matter what he said or did to her, to still be there when he came back. He had been prepared for this moment for a while.
"Thank you for everything." He said, his voice ringing with undoubtable sincerity. Without giving himself time for doubt, he clutched Sakura's small shoulder, spinning her around to face him. He heard her shocked gasp, but it was quickly muffled as he grasped both her shoulders, pressing his lips gently to her soft, warm, innocent mouth.
The second it took for her to respond felt like an eternity. But as soon as she did, the spark between them lit up like wild fire. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck as he laced his fingers in her soft pink hair, clutching her face to his. He remembered how she had cut it off during the second stage of the Chunin Exam, in order to escape the clutches of the female Sound ninja holding her down. Such a shame it was. How he would have liked to run his fingers through her long tresses, just as she was doing to his hair now, oddly shaped as it was.
Reluctant for to end it so soon, but knowing that it had to for things to go the way he planned, he removed one of his trembling hands from her hair and in a flash, struck the pressure point on the back of her neck. Sakura pulled back, gasping in shock.
"Sasuke..." she murmured, passing out cold in his arms. Gently, he picked her up bridal style and placed her tenderly on the stone bench. Reaching into his shirt, he pulled out a long silver chain, which glinted subtly in the moonlight. On the end was a white and red fan pendant, the crest of his family. Carefully, he placed the necklace, which used to belong to his mother, onto a square of paper, folded it and pressed it into her delicate hand. Gazing sadly at the only good thing in his life, he lovingly kissed her wide forehead and, silent as a phantom, left the Village Hidden in the Leaves.
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As the sun rose, Sakura twitched. Had it all been a dream? Her neck ached, like she'd been hit with a cartoon mallet. She tried to close her hand, but felt something poking into the skin. It was a folded piece of parchment. Slowly, as if in a daze, she unfolded the paper, only to have a silver necklace drop into her lap. She picked it up, her fingers shaking. On the end was a pendent in the shape of the Uchiha crest. She gazed at, watching the sun glint off the chain. Sakura noticed something engraved on the sterling silver back. It read;
For the future
Uchiha Matriarch.
She gasped. An unconscious smile slid onto her face. Silently, she slipped the chain around her neck and kissed the pendent, holding it next to her heart. Picking up the square of paper, she saw three words written in Sasuke's familiar, elegant script.
Wait for me.
"I will wait, Sasuke." She whispered as fresh, mingled tears of joy and sadness began rolling down her face, "You'll always be in my heart."
There it is, my first Naruto oneshot. Please review, and check out the sequel Fans and Cherryblossoms!
--NOTICE--
I have enabled anonymous reviews on all stories now, so even if you don't have a fanfiction acount you can review.
