Remorse

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto (If I did Sasuke would have realized his importance in Team Seven by now.)

Sometimes I think of it. The world of what could have been. Having a friend to always have your back. A teacher with morals and guidance. Maybe I could have even found love. I have to remind myself, none of that was possible. Goal in mind, I prospered and pushed myself forward everyday, becoming closer and closer. But what if I grew up happy, with a family that cared? Friends? Love?

Naruto was my friend, he had to remind me time to time, but I knew in my subconscious. We fought, cursed and fought again. We trained our bodies to be stronger than the other, surrounding ourselves with constant competition. He would always have my back, like it or not, and me, his. We fought about almost everything. We fought about training jutsus, even Sakura's attention sometimes. Even though I knew she would always pick me, it impressed me how my friend and rival would try so hard. But in the end, he had won. When I left the village, there was no one to compete against, I was alone.

Sakura was always there, aiming for a shot at my love. How many times had this girl been heartbroken by the same two words? "You're annoying." She would think of it as a personal challenge, to try again once more, only to be knocked down. She would always need me and however much I would deny it, I needed her too. She would need my protection, and it made me stronger, so I didn't mind. She would always do petty little things for me, and back then I never would have appreciated it. She deserved so much better.

Kakashi, the most clever teacher, I could have asked for, whether it appeared so or not. He gave me guidance in times of trouble, even though I would constantly ignore those pointless speeches. But now I figure, I should have listened. Those morals that were told, were purposeful, as I was ignorant before not to notice. He tried to lean me towards the right path, but I would always swerve and move somewhere else, to a darker part on my journey of life. My most important lessons were lived by the man himself, and I refused to believe anyone but me.

And so I stand here, waiting for something, nothing, anything, some kind of miracle out of the hope I preserve deep, deep down within my soul. I hope to find those three, the three who were my teammates, friends, loves, family. I think of times spent well together, when even my dark façade would be broken out into a smile. The first time I bonded with Naruto as a brother and a friend. The first time I saw Sakura in a new light, something that could have been more than a friend, once upon a time. The first time I saw Kakashi, as an equal not someone below my standards of what I think they should be. I stand, here still and I realize that that was a distant memory. The people, places, occasions and feelings. And now only one thing comes to mind: Remorse.