"You don't understand because you weren't there. We can't anymore. I'm sorry."

Staring through the blazing sun, Sakura couldn't find the tears to release the pain. The memory can't even give her the freedom to let go. Two years. It's already been two years yet her world has stopped the moment he left her drenched under the rain.

No one can stop anyone from moving on. It is the memory that traps you – caves you in. In the end, it's all on you. Sometimes, learning to be indifferent saves you from pain.

Dust almost covered everything in his apartment. The bed seemed like a coffin – lifeless and uninviting. Cobwebs hanging on the windows, plants had wilted with lack of sunshine. Kakashi couldn't remember the last time he had been in his room. Walking around his apartment, his footsteps left trails on his dusty floor. Sitting on his tattered sofa, he caught a sight of a picture.

Was it four years ago? I can barely remember.

The war between Konoha and Cloud has finally starting to settle down. Konoha is slowly recovering from the loss of many lives. The war has not only caused cracked bones and deep cuts but also caused broken hearts and souls. Tsunade can see it in everyone's eyes as she walked around the village. Though the sun is beaming with its shine, the people seemed numb – the heat of the sun can't even penetrate through their ice cold hearts.

Looking at the carved faces of the former Hokages, she heaved a sigh.

Tell me, when will it be over? At times like this, war should have already ended.

"Tsunade-sama, you called for me?"

Tsunade looked at Shikamaru's lazy aura as he approached her.

"Yes. Let's talk inside the office."

Tsunade motioned Shikamuru to sit down. Pile of documents stacked on her desk. She had been up all night yet reviewing the advices of the council members won't seem to end. Sometimes she wondered how the hell she ended up being the 5th Hokage? She never even expected she'd be up for this.

Sometimes fate has its own way in giving us what we need not what we want in order to grow.

Shikamaru knew why Tsunade had called him in. He knew the Godaime is trying her best to be a mother to all but this time is not the best time for him to talk about it. From all those years, he knew how much he'd changed – how much fate has made him more concerned about just everything that happened.

"How's Ino doing?"

Though he had expected the question, hearing Ino's name stings him.

"She's okay Tsunade-sama."

"Shikamaru, we all know what happened—"

"Tsunade-sama, with all due respect—"

"With that respect Shikamaru, you will let me come to her."

Tsunade saw him clenched his fist and jaw tightened. She knew this wouldn't be easy for him but she needed to see Ino. Losing their baby had caused the woman so much pain that she didn't want to come out from her room. Even as a husband, Shikamaru can't even make her pain go away.

"The last time I came here, I was asking you to let us go somewhere – anywhere just to be far away from here but you won't allow us. That time I thought that by escaping this village could heal her but I was wrong. Ino won't even speak to me. She will just lay there on our bed with her eyes blank – dried from the tears…"

"Shikamaru, the war has ended but I know that the repercussions are still lingering in everyone's hearts. But, we have no other choice but to move on."

"Tsunade-sama, if I were to ask you… If you were on her place, knowing that you could only bear one child in your life then you lost the chance; will you be able to move on?"

Tsunade sighed. The burning tears on the corner of Shikamaru's eyes made her realize that mending a heart is far more complicated than mending broken bones and deep cuts.

Even time can't heal the wounds.

Tracing the carved names, Sakura still couldn't believe on how many lives has been lost. Sometimes she wondered, from all those missions she was in, why is she still alive? Should be the people who stayed behind supposed to be safe and spared? Yet Hinata and Tenten died while waiting for Neji and Naruto to come home from fighting for the safety of the country. They all came back facing the dreaded picture of Konoha with many ninjas splayed across the streets; innocent children dead under the pile of rocks of bombed houses. How can such tragedy happen in such a short period of time?

Sakura couldn't find any tears anymore. Being an ANBU, she was taught on how to hold back the tears but she wasn't holding it back – her eyes were dried like a dessert and her heart feels like it's no longer beating.

"Please take care of each other Hinata and Tenten. See you both soon."

She whispered as she started to turn her back from the memorial. She saw him walking towards her. She can't be mistaken. Kakashi is back. Her old sensei is back.

"Sakura.."

Kakashi wasn't expecting to see anyone this early at the memorial. Much to his surprise, it was Sakura – the least person he wants to see on his first day in Konoha.

Sakura contained herself and ask him professionally. She slowly closed the distance between them and looked him eye to eye.

"When did you come back?"

"Three hours ago."

"Hm. Welcome back."

Sakura started to leave. Kakashi abruptly caught her arm and held her back.

"Sakura, wait."

"Kakashi. I know."

"He's not coming back."

Without facing him, Sakura slowly removed Kakashi's hand from her.

"When he left, I already know that he won't come back."

Kakashi felt the pain from her words.

"I know I'm partly to blame."

From all the days she wanted the tears to come, why does it have to be now? In front of Kakashi, in front of the man she always blamed for taking Sasuke away from her.

"When Sasuke told me that he'll leave for revenge, the first thing that came into my mind was to go and look for you because I know you're the only one who could stop him… Turned out to be you're the one who made him go. Kakashi, I did blame you – I'm still blaming you but what else can I do now? The damage has been done."

"Sakura, my only reason of telling him was to give him the closure he needs."

"You also gave me the closure I'm dreading to happen. You ended the life I'm starting to create."

Kakashi saw the tears. Clenching his fists, he knew that Sakura won't ever forgive him.

"I'm sorry Sakura."

"I have been sorry for myself for the past four years."

Kakashi looked at her as she walked away. He felt her heavy footsteps on the grass. Sakura is even more ice cold and he's to blame.

For once Kakashi felt his heart dead. She's the only one left in his life – his reason for still being alive.

Sakura..if you think you're suffering for four years… I have suffered more than that..since you chose Sasuke.

Naruto saw Sakura's pain when she traced the names of Hinata and Tenten on the memorial. Even though one year has already passed, he knew the pain won't quickly fade away - even himself couldn't believe that Hinata is gone.

They were together for almost four years. His relationship with Hinata has blossomed into something he never would have expected. The four of them, Hinata, Sakura and Sasuke would always be together. Though the relationship between Sasuke and Sakura was a slow one, he knew that the two would eventually end up being together. But somehow Naruto knew Sasuke was still haunted by his past.

He knew. He was there when Kakashi dropped by Sasuke's apartment that night. He told him that he's on a mission of tracking Itachi and the ANBU team actually needs a back up. Sasuke never had second thoughts of going.

I couldn't even stop him even though I mentioned Sakura.

"Naruto, I can't start anew with Sakura if my past still haunts me. I owe her that."

"But Sasuke, with the ongoing war here in Konoha, Sakura needs you."

"Naruto,she's an ANBU already. She doesn't need protection."

I was actually shocked by what he said. He was instantly changed by the revenge he has in his heart for his brother.

From the scene he had just witnessed, he knew, the relationship between Kakashi and Sakura will take time to heal.

"Kakashi. Welcome back."

"Naruto."

"Give her time."

Kakashi deeply sighed.

"I think no matter how long it would take, she won't be able to forgive me."

"You were our sensei Kakashi. You know Sakura well."

"She's changed."

"We've all changed. It's the war."

"Hm."

Kakashi slowly leaned his back and looked up to the blazing sun.

"You haven't told me why you left four years ago."

"Naruto, there are some things we need to fix and sometimes the best way is to escape."

"When you dropped by at Sasuke's apartment that time, he was talking about proposing to Sakura. They were already together for two years when you dropped by."

"I know. She has every right to blame me for everything."

"I don't want to blame you but I just want you to know how Sakura means to me. She's the only one left in my life."

"I know. Believe me Naruto, I know."

"I just hope Sasuke will come back soon."

"He won't be coming back. That's the only message he wants me to say to Sakura when I decided to come back here."

"I hate to say this Kakashi but, you came back with nothing to redeem you from Sakura."

"I know. It's as good as saying I came back dead."

Using the little chakra he has left, Sasuke jump from tree to tree. He lost track of Itachi two days ago. When Tsunade made an order for the ANBU team to postpone tracking Itachi due to the war in Konoha, Sasuke decided to work on his own. Kakashi can't even change his mind. He just can't back out now when he's so close to avenging his clan.

"What about Sakura?"

Kakashi asked him.

Sasuke knew what is Sakura for Kakashi ever since Sakura became an ANBU. The two of them became so close as Kakashi was the one who trained her. Sakura would always take into consideration all the advices of Kakashi, she was her confidante - her bestfriend as she would always tell him.

Sasuke sometimes felt jealous but he already had Sakura's heart ever since they were children. There was no battle to fight.

Yet Kakashi stood by her side all the time. He has so much respect for the old man because Kakashi never made an impulse to let her know even if he has all the chance he can get. Though Kakashi never told him, Sasuke can tell that Sakura is important to him.

He loves her too much to even give her up for me. Sometimes I think, Sakura deserves him more than I do.

"She knows how important this is for me."

"I saw the ring Sasuke."

"That can wait Kakashi."

"Time flies so fast you can't even notice it."

"Why Kakashi, do you have any plans on jumping in?"

"Sasuke, I know where I stand. I'm just here to remind you that sometimes, chances can't wait."

"If she can't wait then she doesn't love me that much."

"She waited for you all her life, you know that."

"Then what's the difference of waiting more?"

"You left her again - that's the difference."