One More Time

"No any other being can be as stupid or any more stupid than once a wise man in love."

'She's beautiful.'

Minato smiled in contentment and in the relaxing atmosphere that currently surrounds him like a cloud. Minato watches as the festival in the small country side of Konoha descend into a hypnotic trance of smiles and laughter. Children run and play around in the festival, laughing at each other as they play the different traditional games the stands were presenting.

Women glide around with eyes fluttering and smile alluring different men around in the premises. Mothers watch their children fondly and their husbands gather together to tell different stories about their families and laugh merrily. Old men and women wander around and eye the different scenes that glowed in the festival with a wistful smile and reminiscing eyes, remembering that they were once like that.

Couples danced around the large fire pit in the middle of the plaza as the streets were lined up with different stands of games and food alike. Lanterns hang in the sky, and omamori were placed here and there on the different trees or wooden stands. Each wooden talisman having their own meaning. People come and go to the shrine as they prayed for prosperity, safety, or good fortune for years to come in their lives.

The moon was full tonight and the stars shown brightly, giving their spiritual blessings on the festival they are watching upon.

But alas, during the full moon spirits are bound to come and play.

'This is my chance. Finally.'

Minato thought as he walked towards the woman laughing merrily as children surrounds her and play, with a victorious smile. After years of gathering his long forgotten powers and watching the little girl grow and turn into the woman he was walking towards to, Minato could finally move, he ignores the little voice inside his head that say, 'This night isn't going to last forever.'.

Cobalt blue eyes watched the long and soft looking pink hair sway around her and the children around her as the woman turned her head around and look towards the sound of his footsteps, cobalt blue and viridian green meet and Minato felt something inside him growl in satisfaction.

"Hello."

The pink haired woman greeted him shyly, Minato smiled at the blush spreading on her cheeks and inwardly he wanted to pull her towards him. So long. He waited for so long just to have certain contact with her. Minato can't deny the happiness he felt as his no longer beating heart soar higher than the heaven he cannot enter as she focused on his presence alone and not on anyone else.

"Hello, miss. May I know your name?"

Minato watched with cat like satisfaction as the pinkette's blush deepened before the woman coughed slightly in her hand and smiled at him with kind viridian eyes, Minato inwardly applauded the girl's control and mentally ingraining her smile, the new smile he knows she only directed at him, in his head for more life times to come.

"Sakura, may I know yours?"

Minato bowed lightly and grabbed her petite and small hand that fit so perfectly in his own, and kissed her knuckles lightly yet meaningful enough to reassure Minato that yes, he kissed her knuckles at last, and his cobalt blue eyes never once left the wide and deep viridian eyes staring a him. Minato's eyes darken at the pinkette's opened mouth that let out a breath of air.

Minato flashed the woman a very genuine and charming smile, showing his pearly white teeth.

"Minato."

But before anymore words could be exchanged between the petite pinkette and tall blonde, Sakura was reminded of the little horde of mini sized people she was playing with moments ago with a tug at her white kimono sleeve. Looking down, Sakura smiled at the pouting face that greeted her. Mentally, Sakura just realized how much the man in front of her resembles the boy pouting at her.

"Sakura-nee-chan! Can we go catch fish at the old man's stand now?"

Minato turned his now lighter cobalt blue eyes at the blonde kid that eerily resembles him with slight irritation but patience present.

Minato observed the interaction of the blonde kid and the pink haired woman with warm sapphire blue eyes and a soft smile as the pink haired woman crouched in front of the boy with an affectionate smile of her own.

"Sure thing, Naruto. Then we could get ramen from Teuchi-jiji, ne?"

"Yay! You're the best, Nee-chan, dattebayo!"

Minato's irritation completely disappeared after the boy's catch phrase, now it made sense. The child must be his nephew or grandnephew, he reminds Minato so much of his brother, who luckily managed to find a wife and have children before dying. Unlike Minato, who was given no chance to even find the woman he wants before leaving the realm of the living.

Strangely enough, Minato haven't seen a single sign of his brother when he woke up all those years ago. Minato assumed that the ghost of his brother either followed his successors as they moved to the more urban part of Konohagakure at the other side of the country to find more comfortable settlements or his brother was given the permission to finally move on to the other side. Minato doesn't want to dive in his thoughts of why his younger brother was allowed to enter a place the dead goes when Minato was the one who died first.

"Minato-san, would you like to join us?"

"Minato is just fine, Sakura-chan. This festival is for the people of the village to bond, no? And of course I would love to come."

Naruto looked at the tall man that looked kinda like him accusingly but still kept quiet for now. The other children were quickly ushered and gathered by their parents when they saw the blonde man walk towards their princess with intentions a fool could understand, Minato was utterly thankful that at least the only child left was the mini blonde.

Minato stared at the woman in front of him, her wide innocent and deep viridian eyes with her face flushed made him want to literally sweep her away and lock her in a castle, his castle. He can't help but feel giddy as the woman said nothing about his affectionate calling.

The people present young and old watched with wry smiles and soft eyes as their princess of the village, who played with their children and help with whatever she can as much as possible, get sweep away by the charming blonde. It was time the most eligible bachelorette have a man capable of loving her and taking care of her for the rest of their young lives.

Little did they know that Minato currently has a very, very long non existent life span.

"Whatever, dattebayo! Let's go, Nee-chan!"

Minato watched with amusement as the blonde kid drag the pinkette towards one of the traditional gaming stands, Minato certainly did not expect it, but completely welcomed it nonetheless, when the pinkette to grab his hand and tug him along. Time seem to slow down for Minato as Minato watched with fear and apprehension as her hands inched closer to his and Minato can't help the relief and warm feeling in his chest as their hands touched. It felt as though a heavy weight was lifted from his shoulders.

Sakura, on the other hand, thought she was becoming to forward as she glance worried at the blonde who eyed their linked hands with emotions the pinkette could not comprehend. Naruto was still tugging them and Sakura in the back of her mind mentally questioned the child's strength but then shrugged it off, she has a more worrying problem to handle.

But when the blonde man closed his calloused fingers around her petite and soft hands, Sakura can't help the smile that blossomed on her face. The man seemed to wake up from his trance and grasped her hand more securely and as the man grinned back at her, Sakura can't help but feel as though she has known this man for all her life.

"Uwa! Sakura-nee-chan this is so hard! How can you even get one fish?!"

Naruto whined in frustration as he eyed the small fishnet in his small hands, it has a hole now. Beside him, his pink haired Nee-chan laughed openly with her eyes closing in the contagious and loud noise.

Naruto pouts and Sakura wiped her tears before handing the child the small plastic bag she has with a small smile on her face. Naruto eyed the small completely black goldfish that seemed to be glaring at him with wonder in his cerulean eyes, a minute ago his Nee-chan didn't even catch this tiny thing. It jumped on top of the net when Sakura was just holding it upwards on the tank, and all who watched were surprised with mouth gaping and eyes wide but just shrugged it off with wry smiles that their princess was that likable.

In the end, Hiruzen-jiji just gave them the small fish with an old yet wise smile and knowing eyes as he stared pointedly at the young blonde behind the woman and child.

This was Naruto's ninth try, and he still haven't even caught a single fish, the fish swim away from him as soon as they see his face. It's as if the fish think that young lovable and annoying Naruto was a fox with his whisker marks.

The blonde man who kinda looked like him sighed but Naruto noticed it was affectionate and Naruto's chest warms a bit, he doesn't have any parents. The rest of his family said they died because of an accident and every time someone told him that or even mention about his late parents, his Nee-chan would always glare at them with dark venomous green eyes.

"Here, give it, Naruto."

Naruto looked at the blonde man with his cerulean eyes in contempt, the plastic bag with the tiny black fish still in his other hand, and Minato became uncomfortable for a moment before the young child gave the already broken small fishnet. Sakura watched with curiosity and affection at the two blondes.

"But, Minato-nii! It already has a hole!"

Naruto would treat the man with familiarity, he's not stupid as other kids or adults perceive him to be. He knows that the blonde man at his left made his Nee-chan at his right smile brightly, and because of that, Naruto would treat the man as family. Unless he decides to hurt Nee-chan then, then Naruto would unleash a demon.

The blonde man seemed surprised at his familiarity for a second and Naruto thought he saw something akin to sadness and loneliness flash in the man's cobalt blue orbs, but Naruto dismissed it. It was probably from the lanterns around them. The man covered up his shock quickly and smiled at the whiskered boy.

"Just watch, kid."

The people passing by watched with curiosity at the three people in front of the fish game stand of an old man, people assumed that the pinkette and blonde were a couple and the child in the middle was their child. At least, some people who just visited the town thought, those who knew the pinkette just gushed (Women who knew the pinkette.) at how much a cute family they could be while other grumble (Men who knew the pinkette, married and not married.) protectively or jealously as they see the blonde man be happy with the girl they consider daughter/lover.

But the people did not interfere, just watched and observed. And they guffawed at the blonde man as he crouched beside the boy and stared intently at the wide open fish tank with calculative cobalt eyes.

For a minute, everyone held their breath, and then completely let go of the air as their eyes widened in shock with mouth open like earlier with pinkette as the blonde man scoop up the fish like ice cream and into the bucket at his left hand.

Naruto's cerulean blue eyes widened in shock before narrowing and grumbling about how unfair Minato-nii was so good at it. Sakura watched the scene with her hands covering her mouth to hide the huge grin she has. With the short amount of time she got to know Minato as Naruto try to catch a single fish in his third net, Sakura figured as much that the blonde was skilled with many things.

Minato stopped scooping in the tank as there were no more fish, and beside Minato six medium sized buckets the old man gave filled to the brim with water and fish.

The people around them just shook their heads in amazement, the couple is just that strong and skilled they guessed.

"That is so unfair, Minato-nii! How can you do that?!"

Minato smiled at the blonde before ruffling his similar blonde lucks, earning a pout and quick glare from the child.

"Practice makes perfect, Naruto. If you believe you can do it, then you can. I know you can do this if you focus."

Naruto stared at the man in front of him with cerulean blue eyes, no one ever believed him like that besides his Nee-chan, Teuchi-jiji and Hiruzen-jiji. Naruto could feel the start of is tears but he held it down and nodded at the man determinedly. He never think about his parents anymore, but the man in front of him somehow reminds him so much of his late father that he doesn't even remember. Just like how his Nee-chan reminds him vaguely of the mother he never met.

"Un!"

Minato smiled at young blonde, he felt something ache in his heart. He wants this, he wants to have a son that grins at him with childish pride like the whiskered boy is doing, he wants to have a wife that smiles at him like the pinkette was currently doing but he shoved those thoughts away for now. It will just be painful.

"Now, help me pour three buckets of fish back into the tank."

Naruto's happy expression turned into confusion.

"Why? Why not keep them all?"

"Well, you can't possible take care of them all. And these three left, well, why don't we just give them to other kids?"

Minato said as he gestured at the children around them who were eyeing the buckets of fish. Naruto turned to look at them with wide eyes before smiling excitedly at Minato.

"Let's do it, dattebayo!"

With that, Naruto took one of the buckets and handing them to the pinkette beside him.

"Want to help to, Sakura-nee-chan?"

Sakura smiled at the young boy and raised her eyes to lock her viridian stare with warm cobalt orbs, with smile widening and another smile reflecting on another face.

"Sure thing, Naruto."

Sakura took the bucket and Naruto grabbed another one with Minato the last one, the three colorful haired people shared a look before pouring their buckets of fish at the same time. Naruto watched with fascination in his eyes as the fish instantly swam around the tank, it was beautiful.

Hiruzen watched with old critical and analyzing eyes as the group of two blonde and pinkette smile, grin and laugh as they put the fishes that were left in the last three buck into plastic bags and distributing them to the children around. Even the wide eyes and bright smiles of the children did not completely sooth the old Sarutobi's nerves.

Hiruzen observed the blonde with analytical eyes, dread pooled into his stomach but he can't deny the warmth he feels at the smiling faces of the group of three and the childish laughter of the children surrounding them.

His old great grandfather told him stories, about ghost wandering during full moon nights in time of laughter and happiness. His grandfather told him about young dead men walking around festivals as if they were still alive. He told him about transparent women looking at children with fondness and sadness that tears his heart.

Hiruzen, as a child believed them and as he grew old he still remember those enchanting and sad tales. Hiruzen noticed it as soon as he saw precious little Naruto dragging his beautiful Nee-chan with another blonde man behind.

The man doesn't have a single heart beat, Hiruzen could tell that much by veins on the blonde's wrist as he catch his fish that the young blonde man does not have a single pulse.

Hiruzen, as old as he may be, is very observant and analytical even when he was a child, but back then he was not as experienced as he is now. Sure, Hiruzen has somewhat encountered spirits back in the urban during his younger days but they were brief. More like passing by a sidewalk and he sees a girl with red hair and glasses with an umbrella and a rope tied around her neck that nobody else sees back then in the urban side.

But now he sees a young boy with red family tattoos and a white puppy with brown ears playing in the park somewhere in town and other children did not notice him, or even see him along with the puppy that was torn in half but was still smiling and wagging it's white tail.

Here, he can see dead warriors walk among the living with their bloody armors and weapons strapped to their backs and still wearing proud smiles as they once again walk around the village they died protecting, still smiling even when a warrior was carrying his own head while the other has no eyeballs and another one was currently armless. And most of them had spears pierced all through their bodies.

Here in the old country side, he sees children play in groups as they run around the streets. Passing through adults and stands alike like air as they laugh and float around with blood still staining one of the child's white dress.

Here, he can see parents watch over their used to be child as said child work to earn money with proud smiles on their wrinkled old faces.

Here, he can see the father that got caught in a car accident two years ago, eye his sons as they take care of said car.

Here, he can saw the mother that protected her son from vicious men, smile wryly as his son ask a girl on a date.

Here, Hiruzen sees ghosts like it was a casual thing.

Old people has that sort of seventh sense, not the sense that's like intuition but the sense that makes you see things you know it's not there. Hiruzen grew accustomed to spirits like the people from ancient myths, people like Otsutsuki Hagoromo. There were people like Hiruzen, who sees the unnatural and can perform a few tricks too but do not involve themselves in anyone else's business.

The Sarutobi clan became quite acquainted with spirits but have no bonds with an actual spirit. This is one of the few reasons why the Sarutobi clan runs the local shrines in the village.

Anyone can tell that the man has no pulse if observant enough but because of the noise and distracting attractions in the festival, no one must have noticed it. And if they did, they must have shook it off as not real.

But Hiruzen can see other evidence, the way the blonde man's cobalt blue eyes kept darting around the things that almost touch him were quite telling. It could be the man was paranoid but Hiruzen knew better than to doubt his seventh sense.

He met many spirits ever since he came back to his home town, spirits tend to like to wander in more quiet and traditional places rather than the loud urban community in the other side of the country.

And now, since it was another full moon, many spirits wander around. Rarely has Hiruzen found spirits that could interact, so Hiruzen was shocked when the dead man's hand was linked to the soft and petite pinkette. And in the back of his mind he wonders why he never saw the blonde man before.

And most of all, when Hiruzen sees the dead man's eyes so full of emotion and longing that Hiruzen felt something drop into his stomach at the blonde's look towards the pinkette and child holding her hand with smiles on both of their faces.

It was a look of a man that directs to his family one more time before going off to war, knowing that he won't be able to come back.

But Hiruzen said nothing, he doesn't know what to say but smile tiredly and solemnly and hope for the best. And when the blonde turned his head back to him, cobalt blue eyes accusing and defiant but Hiruzen just smiled with knowing eyes, his smile felt so strained on his face. Hiruzen nodded at the young man, spirits have the body of their death and Hiruzen was saddened to know that the man died so young.

Judging by the young blonde's ancient and very traditional yet clean and handsome hakama, Hiruzen guessed the dead an came from the Third Warring Era.

Hiruzen let out a cloud of smoke as he sits in his chair inside his stand. Minato and Hiruzen shared a look and the blonde smiles before tilting his head slightly in a bow to the Sarutobi. There was history between his clan and this man.

Hiruzen sighs, with his family heirloom pipe in his hand and stared at the rippling water of his fish tank as the group of three disappeared in the crowd.

He wonders just how long has the blonde spirit been keeping an eye at the young pinkette. Despite himself, Hiruzen prayed to Kami and hoped for the best for the dead man.

"Can I get one net, jiji?"

Hiruzen smiled at the child, a bit strained. It was not his place to meddle with other people's lives but he can sympathize the man who can't even touch his love if not for the moon.

"One more bowl, jiji!"

Minato watched with cobalt blue eyes amused at the scene, Sakura rolled her eyes at the blonde kid between them with affection and just sighed.

"This, is costing me my whole piggy bank that I saved through this summer."

Minato smiled at the pinkette, he thought this might happen and he was glad the in his past life he had enough sense to bury his riches. Albeit, Minato was annoyed that a few of his treasure were discovered and plundered.

"I'll pay."

Minato was also thankful that gold coin back in his time were now worth much more. Sakura's eyes widened before shaking her head, making her long pink tresses that Minato longs to touch and glide his fingers through sway around.

Minato can't help but thank his luck that his traditional blue and white hakama matched the beautiful pinkette's white kimono that was designed with white descending down into deep blue and the girl's obi was bright red. Meanwhile, Minato's traditional hakama was deep blue while his top was white and his haori jacket was deep blue, almost dark. The only thing red in Minato's clothing was the edges of his sleeves.

"I can't let you do that, Naruto's my-"

"Naruto is now a family of mine, too. So there."

Minato cut her off and already offered the old man a couple of gold coins too much, both Sakura and the old chef's eyes widened at the golden gleam.

"I'm sorry, son but isn't this too much?"

Teuchi knows that these gold coins were the real deal because there were rumors of an old warrior burying his treasure around these parts. To Teuchi, this was too good to be true.

"It's fine, jiji. I think it's just enough to cover all of this with this kid's bottomless stomach."

Minato jabbed at the boy with a grin and Naruto pouted in return before deciding ignoring his ramen to fight with the blonde man was not worth it and returned to his oh so delicious ramen.

Sakura giggle behind her hands as she watched Minato blinked at Naruto who dismissed him for a ramen bowl. Sakura let the man pay for her and Naruto for now.

"Ouch, that hurts twerp."

Sakura can't help it and she fully out laughed, Minato turned his wide cobalt blue eyes at the young woman on the other side of the blonde kid. Minato's eyes softened at her laugh, why can't this moment just last forever? Why did the gods forsake him? What did he ever do to receive this kind of punishment? Seeing someone you love but can't even so much as damn touch or talk to her as years pass by and see her soon get married with him just watching. Always watching as time goes around him all over again.

"Minato, are you okay?"

Minato's dark gaze snapped towards the voice and he sight was greeted with a frowning blonde kid who stopped eating and a woman with pink hair with worrying eyes.

He can't help but feel the ache harder and there was a tight feeling in is chest, it feels as though he can't breath. He's drowning, drowning in his own fantasy as the blonde kid tentatively and hesitantly lay his small hand onto his large one.

It feels as though his heart is beating again and there was something stuck in his throat and he can't breath. Not like he needs to anyways, Minato thought bitterly.

Nonetheless, he grinned genuinely at the two. He will cherish this moment, he will ingrain the feeling, the sight, the smell, and the atmosphere of this moment. He will never forget this. And he hopes, that these two won't as well.

"I'm fine. Just thinking. Anyways, Sakura-chan, are you from here?"

Despite knowing the girl, since he took it upon himself to hang around her like the spirit he was all the time, Minato was curious. And he does not spend his time around her all the time, like times when she was in the bathroom because that's just sick but besides that yeah, Minato was with her every second he can.

"Ah. No, Me and Naruto-kun are just visiting for the summer."

And like that, the trio descended into a peaceful and relaxing conversation. It was as though the three have been together for a long time as Naruto tells his Nee-chan and Nii-san what happened during school last year and what he'll do to Sasuke, the black tiny grumpy fish Sakura gave him. And Sakura would chastise Naruto for pranking the school faculty and getting caught, saying that next time don't be so obvious so you won't get in trouble.

"As long as nobody knows it's you, it's fine."

She says, she told the man and boy about her job and adventures around the world as a top medical doctor. Minato and the boy paid in rapt attention as the pinkette told them about the warring countries and how so many people were injured and dying.

Minato, in return and sensing the atmosphere getting to dowry, told them stories about his home town, about the warriors of his town who fought so valiantly and bravely, about different stuff. Minato told them about legends that were actually true.

Minato told them about a man who fell in love with a beautiful girl but the man was dying. In the end, Minato says, the girl saved the man from drowning himself for letting his friend die. Minato was telling a true story, a story about how his students broke, crack, and bent before finally mending together. About how Kakashi blamed himself for Obito's death and about Rin showing him there's still hope.

At the time, Minato was jealous of Kakashi that he had someone like Rin, who loved him, who reassured him, who never let him go. But Minato didn't let that control him, he was there with a hand on each of the students he has left. Smiling all the way through.

Minato wonders why, why the people he knew weren't here, ghosts like him. The only spirits he sees were people he distantly knew and some were fresh spirits. Minato sometimes mingle with them but he mostly spent his time watching Sakura. Nonetheless, Minato wonders why there were no other spirits that came from his Era. At least, not spirits he distinctly knew. Had they passed to the other side because Kami let them unlike him?

Minato shook his head as to shake his thoughts away and focused more on listening to the boy's rambles and watching Sakura's reactions.

That's right.

He was always watching Sakura, praying to Kami to just give him one more chance.

"Thanks for walking me and carrying Naruto home, Minato."

Minato flashed a charming smile at the pinkette that made the young woman blush under the near midnight sky. It was dark and there was no light beside the rays of the moon and stars. Minato thinks that the pink haired woman looked so ethereal walking down the old path in the middle of a farm. All around them were tall grass and plants of herbs, crops, and other what not. Fireflies flutter around the air and it made the atmosphere so calming.

"Anything you want, Sakura."

Sakura made an embarrassing noise in the back of her throat that made Minato's eyes darken but the woman quickly composed herself and nodded back shyly before turning her head towards the direction they were heading to, but Minato's eyes and focus were still directed at the shy pinkette. Years of training made him able to carry the sleeping blonde on his back while still walking properly even without seeing where he was going. His cobalt blue eyes shone through the darkness as he memorizes the feeling of her warmth and body beside him along with the weight of Naruto on his back.

He wants to relive this moment every night. He doesn't want to forget this feeling, this feeling of being full. This feeling of being complete. He loves her so much that it hurts.

And not a moment later they arrived in front of a traditional yet modern looking house, it was too quick Minato thought. They were leaving too soon, he thinks. Minato's eyes started to fill with little panic as the pinkette unlocks the gate and stepped in.

"You can come in. Just leave your sandals on the door step. There should be extra slippers inside."

Minato did as he was told with no trouble, even with the extra weight on his back. Minato walked inside the house and into the hallway, it was renovated to look modern. On their right, was the open living room with a Tv and glass sliding door that leads to outside. Minato spots a large garden and pond outside bathed by the moonlit sky.

Minato paused, he imagined for a moment the three of them watching a movie.

"Not fair, Minato-nii! Why do you get to pick the movie?!"

"Because I can, squirt. Stop being a brat."

"Okay, be quiet, brats. I'm choosing the movie. Which do you want Naruto?"

"Yay! You're the best, Sakura-nee-chan! Take that, Minato-nii!"

"But that's so unfair, Sakura-chan!"

"Who's a brat now, huh?"

Minato shook his head, the scene is painful. Turning at his right he sees the kitchen. It was large and complete with fridge near the window that views the front of the house with a table near the window for a good view. Cabinets and the furnace and oven were placed on the wall and Minato's mind kept tricking him again.

"What did you say, teme!?"

"Naruto! Where did you learn that word?"

"A guy this morning who was asking for you said it towards Minato-nii!"

"What? Minato?"

"It was nothing, Sakura-chan! Naruto's just being a brat."

"Whatever, Minato-nii!"

"Hmph. I- Hey! Those are my pancakes brat!"

"Well they're about to go down my stomach."

"What the- Sakura-chan! He ate my pancakes!"

"You deserve it, idiot."

"Hah, in your face, Minato-nii!"

"Here, Minato."

"You're the best, Sakura!"

"Minato? What's wrong?"

Minato was torn away from his imagination and turned his head away from the wide kitchen door way and towards Sakura. She was stood near a staircase, Minato knew that this lead to their room.

Minato smiled at the pinkette, no matter how strained it was to him it felt so genuine when directed at the pink haired woman.

Minato was panicking. It was almost time, it was too soon. It was too quick! He's not ready to leave yet! After tucking Naruto to bed Sakura offered him tea and they talked once more. Exchanging stories and secrets that made Minato feel that he was really there.

And now, he leaving. No, now he needs to leave but he doesn't want to.

Both of them were outside now and really it was Minato's fault when he asked what time was it.

11:46

He was so in panic that he told the pinkette in a hurry that he needs to leave but he was reluctant so the pinkette walked him until the gate. Minato made them walk slow, savoring her warmth.

11:50

They were now near the gate and Sakura pushed it for Minato to walk home now and Minato inwardly slapped himself for letting a woman open something for him.

11:52

The moon was shining brighter than earlier and it mocked him. You'll never have her. It says. You'll never be with her. The stars mocked him. They won't remember you. The wind whispered in his ears as his blonde hair moves against the wind.

11:53

"How about you stop by tomorrow and we go to the lake? Naruto mentioned earlier that he wants to practice fishing..."

Sakura offered hesitantly and trails off, unsure. Her hand found a strand of her hair and she twirls it around while trying to and failing to look away from the smoldering dark cobalt blue gaze from the blonde. Sakura hoped that in the dark her blushing red cheeks weren't that visible.

11:54

No. Minato doesn't want to leave like this, he doesn't want to ever leave. He needs to wait another twenty years to regain his powers. He can already feel his powers waning. He can't wait that long, the pinkette would already have someone else by then.

11:55

"Want to come, Minato?"

Yes. Minato wants to come with the pinkette. He wants to go where she goes. He wants her to know that he was there.

Minato can't help himself, her voice, it set him off. He went near to the pinkette that their noses were only a hair strand's width from touching. Minato leaned and placed his forehead on the pinkette's. His right hand finding the pinkette's waist while the other found the pinkette's right hand that was twirling pink hair a moment ago.

11:56

"M-Minato?"

Minato let out a low sound, it was pure and raw sound from the beast within him that wanted to stay here. That demanded to stay here. The sound was low and it made his chest vibrate.

11:57

"Mina-"

The pinkette didn't even get to continue a single world as her lips were sealed with another pair of lips. Deep viridian eyes widened in shock before closing and Sakura found her hands tangled in blonde hair.

11:58

Minato finally let go. He kissed the twenty-four year old woman he loved for five years with fervor. He put all his emotions into the kiss, his want, his longing, his dream, his everything. Minato's arms found themselves hugging the woman and pressing her towards his body. If Sakura was focused, as a medic she would have noticed the lack of heartbeat.

11:59

Minato let the pinkette go, she needed air unlike him. Sakura's eyes were still closed and Minato pressed his forehead against hers once more. Why? Can't the Gods just pity him for once? Was sacrificing his life for his village, his people were not enough to be granted one wish in the after life?

Minato felt the frustrated tears rolling down his face and hugged the pinkette for all her worth.

"I love you. I love you so much, Sakura. I-"

12:00

Minato felt the exact moment where he lost his powers and he stumbled forward through the pinkette. He managed to not fall and turned immediately around towards the pink haired woman with wide dark cobalt blue eyes filled with many thing. Anger. Hurt. Confusion. Fear. And most of all, Disbelief.

Disbelief that even though he had done so much he still can't have her.

Sakura's eyes opened and she was met with the wind blowing towards her and the empty road.

What was she doing here?

Sakura frowned, her cheeks were wet. Sakura tentatively and softly touched her cheeks and smelled a familiar scent of salt and feeling of wetness. She cried? That's weird. Sakura paused, a flash of somewhat familiar and unfamiliar blonde man smiling at her appeared in her mind.

"Anything you want, Sakura."

Sakura frowned once more before wiping the tears on her face and turned around to walk towards her home.

Minato watched with wide frightened cobalt blue eyes as the pinkette turned towards him, Minato felt his dead heart plummet towards hell as there were no recognition in the pinkette's eyes but confusion. Minato just stood there before taking one small step towards the woman, hoping against hope that the pinkette can actually see him but was just confused.

But then Sakura walked through him like nothing happened.

She walked through him.

She didn't see him.

She didn't see him.

Sakura felt a chill go through her and she shook her head, she peaked her head outside the door and glanced around once more. She could have sworn someone was here a few minutes ago...

"I love you. I love you so much, Sakura."

Shaking her head, Sakura closed the door of her home. She's getting to paranoid like that old Sarutobi man Naruto likes to play with. It was just the wind whispering in her ears again.

Minato just stood there, tears rolling down his face as his head was bowed down, looking at his hands. He thought, he actually thought that Kami would give mercy and he could stay.

Minato felt his knees buckle and he fell forward, all was silent before he screamed. He shouted, harsh, primal, raw, and pure emotional until he actually felt his throat be sore.

But Minato still screamed, his agony, his despair. It won't go away.

"Why!?"

He screamed.

"Why can't you give me something I want just this once!?"

Minato has never been this desperate. So deep he was, in his fury at his unfairness and in his undeniable love for the living pink haired woman.

"I gave my life for my people! Is that not enough!?"

He doesn't understand. He can't understand why Kami can't give him one more?

"Why do you never help me! Why can't you let me go there if I can't have her!?"

Years, he wandered around till he met the petite smiling girl. He wondered why the Gods won't just let spirits like him pass to the other side.

"Why? What did I ever do to deserve this!? Why can't I just finally rest in peace?!"

Minato cried out, his tears never ending and dropped on the flat and overused earthen ground.

"What do I need to do to stay?"

He asks in a whisper. He doesn't want to shout anymore. The Gods never bothered to even listen to his pleas, years in this life and the last one. Back then, even the Gods were cruel. So cruel that Minato wonders if they were laughing at him somewhere. To them, this must be some sadistic, sick joke.

The blonde just stayed there, on his knees with his hands flat on the ground, not actually touching but floating. Minato pressed his forehead on top of his palms, as if he were apologizing to some deity. He wasn't. He doesn't want to apologized to them. They were nothing but nuisance.

He was reliving the feeling he actually experience moments ago when he pressed his forehead against hers.

The blonde wasn't aware of the other old and tired man staring at him in sympathy. His old family heirloom pipe in his mouth.

Hiruzen puffs out cloud of smoke and watched for a moment as it swirled into the sky. Hiruzen turned around, his old and ancient yet well taken care of family coat billowed behind him.

He has seen enough.

The man, Hiruzen knows him from history. History of Konoha before it split into two, the other staying here while the other went near Ame.

Hiruzen recognized the man from his great grandfather's stories, tales of the great hero who loved his home more than anything.

The Tale of the Yellow Flash, Namikaze Minato.

It seemed the story still hasn't ended yet. Hiruzen muses.

'What are those old coots planning now?'

Hiruzen wonders, what does the old Gods have in store for them...

Still walking to his clan compound that no longer houses that much people as it used to, Hiruzen puffed out another cloud of smoke but this one resembled that of a dragon as it slithered around the old Sarutobi for a while.

"It seems the afterlife isn't much harder from this life, no?"

Hiruzen asked out loud and the smoke dragon stopped encircling and just floated in front of the old Sarutobi's face, as if contemplating the rhetorical question the old man said.

Hiruzen stared at the black eyes of the smoke dragon he created, his family owes the blonde Namikaze for sacrificing his life to protect the village while under his great, great grandfather's rule.

"You know what to do, Kemuri."

The old man whispered as he stopped walking and stared the dragon with serious eyes.

The smoke dragon stilled for a few seconds, before tilting it's head slightly like a child and encircled the Sarutobi once more before flying upwards and disappearing in the sky.

Hiruzen sighs and looked heavenward where his friend disappeared.

Looks like he'll be the one to pay the debt of his clan to the Namikaze.

'And here I thought Naruto-kun was your reincarnation.'

Hiruzen thought wryly with and a tired smile before setting out once more towards his home. He wonders slightly why he never saw the blonde man before.

'I'll give you one more time, Minato-san.'

Hiruzen knows that people shouldn't meddle with other people's business, but the people of Konoha whether country side or urban, dead or alive, stick together.

Also, people these days don't give a shit to what the Gods says about their fate.

The End~

Okay! Another somewhat angsty and very tragic MinaSaku! I separated this from Green and Blue Meet because for one it was too long and for two I would like to think this as a one-shot. Not sure if I'm continuing this so, that's that.

This just kinda popped into my head while listening to you can be king again by youlazybum in YouTube.

And yep. I almost cried.

Anyways,

Omamori are the wooden talismans that are usually hanged around during Japanese sacred festivals.

Kemuri is japanese for smoke.

By the way, sorry about The Break of Dawn's slow update. I already started on the next chapter I'm just to busy and bored to finish it. Sorry about that. And about the one asking for an ObiSaku story, I already made a first chapter about it but I won't publish it yet since I know I won't be able to update when school is so near.

That's all!

I'm truthfully sorry about my updating and writing skills. I just couldn't help about this story though. I just had to finish this one, it will stay as a one-shot for now.

And yes, to Sasuke fans I'm sorry but I couldn't help but introduce Sasuke as a fish in this story. XD

Sorry not sorry about that. I kinda hold a grudge against that stupid little shit with duck ass hair.

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- Torikki Jinx ~