Sakura was panting, blood was trickling down her face and onto her chin. She was clutching her stomach in pain from the fight with Kaguya. She was tired, yet, happy that Kaguya had finally been defeated and sealed away. But she has other things to worry about, especially about her other two teammates who were currently fighting. They had sped off from the battlefield to finally settle things between them. There was only one place Sakura knew they would be. The Valley of The End. She was with Kakashi, trying to get there as quickly as they're feet can. Her Chakra, along with Kakashi's had been severely depleted. Then that's when they heard a loud explosion in the distance. They weren't too far off from Naruto and Sasuke.
Sakura already had tears forming at the corners of her eyes. She didn't need the situation worse than it already was. Suddenly, Kakashi tripped and fell.
"Kakashi-sensei are you okay?" Sakura was worried. At this rate, they wouldn't reach Naruto and Sasuke.
Sakura reached down and tried to mend her teacher's wound but Kakashi stopped her by holding her wrists, preventing her from using her Chakra to treat the wounds.
"I'll be fine, you go on ahead, I'll be right here. I can take care of myself, go get the other two for me, will you?" Kakashi told Sakura.
Sakura nodded and sped off to her two teammates. She was anxious, afraid that one of them would die. Judging by the explosions, they were going all-out against each other.
"I beg, don't let one of them die, I don't want to be left alone again," she muttered under her breath.
What scared her the most was the fact that the constant explosions not too far off in the distance had suddenly come to an abrupt halt. Sakura finally reached the valley, she was shocked that the valley was complete destroyed, beyond recognisable. Then she saw the both of them, laying down on a boulder, covered in dried blood. She quickly jumped to the both of them.
"Sakura-chan! You're here! I finally knocked back the bastard to his senses! I fulfilled your promise!" Naruto shouted.
Sakura was horrified at the state of them. They had both lost an arm. Despite Naruto shouting, she told him to keep quiet, she was focusing, trying to heal them before they pass out from blood loss. She healed Naruto and moved to heal Sasuke.
"Sakura, I'm sorry, I was wrong the whole time," Sasuke apologized.
Sakura gave him a slap. He deserved it so much. Then, she burst into tears, letting out the emotions she had been holding back out. Sasuke was shocked at first, but he understood.
"You better be! Do you understand how much you pain you caused me and Naruto?" Sakura said.
She finally healed the both of them. Naruto watched them. He smiled sadly, Sakura was probably going to accept Sasuke with open arms, just like their academy days. There was no chance to get Sakura anymore, thanks to Sasuke. He tried to shake off his negative thoughts but he failed. All his life he had been selfless, offering things he didn't have. It was a trait everybody admired about Naruto. But the possibility of Sasuke and Sakura angered him. He was selfish. He wanted Sakura for himself and not anybody could take her from him. Reality sucked, the world was never fair towards him. Things he wanted, he never got. He had to face reality and sacrifice his happiness for hers if it meant that her being with Sasuke made her happy, he had to accept it. If it's not meant to be, it won't be.
They were finally a team again, Kakashi smiled at the sight of them. They were smiling and laughing after Naruto managed to crack a joke. Just like the old days.
They were finally back in the village, and after much rejoicing and celebration since the war finally ended, the three of them sat together, having a friendly chat. That's when Sasuke had asked Sakura out.
"Hey Sakura, are you free later? I want to take you out for dinner," Sasuke asked.
"A-are you asking me out on a date?" Sakura questioned, she was shocked.
"You could put it that way I guess," Sasuke stated.
"Yes! I'll go out with you!" Sakura replied.
Naruto sat there, emotionless, he wasn't surprised Sasuke would ask Sakura out on a date. Now, he knew he probably wouldn't have a chance at claiming Sakura's heart. Sure, sometimes your first love isn't your true love, but it wasn't the case anymore. Inside, Naruto was slowly breaking, he was fragile. He couldn't take it anymore. He stood up and walked away. From his best friend and his love.
"Hey Naruto! Wait up! Where are you going?" Sakura shouted, she was beginning to worry about him.
"Sorry Sasuke, I'll go talk to Naruto, pick me up at my house at 7 later okay?" she ran off to catch up with Naruto.
Naruto sat down at the very bench that he asked Sakura what she had thought about him when they were twelve. It wasn't physically him, he had transformed into Sasuke, thinking that if it would've been him, Sakura would ignore him.
"Naruto! There you are! Why did you walk off?" She was about to hit Naruto for being an idiot. But Naruto's expression remained unchanged, lifeless. His cerulean eyes looked dull, it wasn't like him.
"You don't get it do you Sakura?" Naruto didn't use the suffix he always added behind her name. "I've loved you since we were twelve and I promised to bring back Sasuke to see you happy, now, he's back and you accept him with open arms. Not once did you look at me and properly thank me," Naruto spat.
"I-I'm sorry Naruto I-I didn't kno-" Sakura was cut off by Naruto.
"What didn't you know?! I asked you out on so many dates and you rejected every single one! Tell me Sakura, why do you love Sasuke so much?" Naruto asked.
Sakura was surprised at the question, she didn't expect Naruto to ask.
"I loved him because he complimented my forehead at this exact place when were twelve. He made me appreciate my forehead. Ino also told me that he had protected me against my bullies that tried to bully me about my forehead," Sakura replied.
Saying that Naruto was shocked was an understatement, he never told Sakura about the incident. Thinking that if he were to tell her, he would only receive more punches and slaps to his face.
"Sakura, I'm sorry, it was me all along. I didn't tell you because I thought you would only hurt me more," Naruto said with a frown on his face.
"W-what are you talking about?"
Flashback
Naruto was sitting on the bench with Sakura, he transformed into Sasuke to ask her what he thought of him.
"Hey Sakura, what do you think of Naruto?" 'Sasuke' asked.
"I think he's annoying, he's always so loud and he will only get in our way. I only want you Sasuke," Sakura replied.
They were and inch from each others' face. Their cheeks began to heat up at the moment and they were about to kiss.
"You have a large and charming forehead, it makes me want to kiss it," 'Sasuke' blurted out.
They were about to kiss when his stomach began acting up and he ran off to find a toilet.
So close.
Flashback End
Sakura began tearing up. The corner of her eyes began to fill in tears, threatening to spill out.
"What about my bullies? Even Ino and I thought it had been Sasuke. It couldn't have been you all along."
"Are you sure?" Naruto asked.
It made Sakura remember. Tring to recall fragments of her memories that she still had when she was five. She remembered.
Flashback
"Get away from me! Stop saying mean things to me!" Sakura shouted
"Shut up forehead girl! You could fit the whole population of Konoha in your forehead!"
"I agree!"
"Hey get away from her you good-for-nothing assholes!" A boy shouted, protecting Sakura.
The boy began beating up the bullies and they all retreated, afraid that they might get hurt even worse.
"Hi my name is Naruto, I think you're very pretty and I don't think you have a large forehead. In fact, it makes me want to even kiss it. Those bullies were just jealous," Naruto offered her a hand to get up.
"T-thank you Naruto-kun, I think I'll appreciate my forehead even more thanks to you," Sakura said.
They both blushed and only exchanged hugs.
Flashback End
Sakura remembered, it had been him all along. How could've she missed it? It was probably because her 'love' for Sasuke had blinded her. She loved Naruto, not Sasuke. It was false love.
Her knees gave out and she cried. She was so wrong. Now, she had hurt Naruto because she was so ignorant. If only she had put in effort and find out who it had been all along. Naruto had always supported her, not Sasuke. Naruto always encouraged her whenever she felt down in the dumps, not Sasuke. Naruto had always been the one to compliment her whenever she doubt herself, not Sasuke. It was always Naruto, never Sasuke.
"You should get ready for your date Sakura," Naruto turned and left.
It had been about two hours and she was ready for her date. She wore the most beautifully tailored dress, complimenting the curves she had. It showed that she had matured physically. Her dress was a light pink, symbolising her favourite colour and matching her hair. She had flowers that was designed and made along with the dress, it symbolised her name, Sakura or also knows as 'Cherry Blossom'. The Haruno clan symbol was stitched onto the back of the dress. Lastly, she wore a green gem necklace given by her mother. It matched with the colour of her eyes. She then went out to meet her date. She had a change of plans, she wanted to meet her date instead.
Naruto was on Hokage monument, sitting on top of the fourth's Hokage head. It was overlooking the village. It was a sight to see. The vibrant light emitted from the village showed that it was lively, still celebrating the end of one of the bloodiest war ever fought. It was noisy, some stall vendors were showcasing their items that were being sold. It was peaceful. Everything Naruto had hoped for, slowly coming true. He was finally acknowledged by the village as he was regarded as a war-hero. The villagers that used to shun him, regretting that they had done, but, Naruto forgave them.
Though there was only one thing he knew he will never get. Sakura Haruno, the pink haired goddess. He decided to dress fancy as this day marks the day his one and only love walked out from his life, onto the arms of another man. He bought a bouquet of flowers, inside were mixtures of red and pink roses. Red roses signifying passion and immortal love and pink flowers signifying first love. He wondered what Sakura was up to.
He heard footsteps approaching him and a figure went on to sit beside him. It was none other than Sakura.
"Sakura? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with your date now?" Naruto asked, surprised.
"What are you talking about? My date's sitting right next to me," Sakura smiled sweetly.
"No he's not, I was alone the whole time, Sasuke wasn't here and he's not beside you," Naruto said and raised a brow.
Naruto may be strong but he's still an idiot.
"Oh Naruto, you're still an idiot."
Sakura leaned in and kissed Naruto. Naruto froze and soon returned the kiss once he regained his composure. Sakura felt butterflies in her stomach and she smiled. She was so happy she was with the love of her life. She was meant to be with him, not Sasuke. The kiss was clumsy at first but soon turned passionate. Sakura tasted liked strawberry and Naruto tasted like oranges. They were pouring all their emotions that they could not put into words and instead put into a kiss. They soon reluctantly pulled away from each other, trying to catch their breath.
Naruto's an idiot. But he's her idiot and nothing will change it.
"Naruto, you're my date tonight, I cancelled the date with Sasuke because it was you that I loved all along," Sakura said lovingly.
"You don't know how long I've waited for you to say that Sakura-chan," Naruto replied.
"I missed that," Sakura said.
"Missed what?" Naruto asked, he was clueless.
"You calling me Sakura-chan, you always called me Sakura since that incident," Sakura laughed at his antics.
"I thought you wouldn't realise, sorry!" Naruto nervously laughed, while scratching the back of his head.
"I only accept kisses as an apology," Sakura cheekily replied.
They then kissed and even more passion and love were poured into the kiss. Naruto then handed the bouquet of flowers that he had bought to Sakura and explained what the flowers meant, even though Sakura knew. She kept quiet because she found it cute that Naruto knew so much about flowers.
"How do you know so much about flowers?" Sakura asked.
"Because one day I'll give you the most beautiful of flowers, and my wish came true," Naruto grabbed her hand and ran off to a restaurant to continue with their date.
Sakura, the pink haired medic and definitely the prettiest girl he knew, was his. And Naruto, the handsome blonde-haired war-hero and one of the most sweetest guy she knew, was all hers.
Sakura was never meant to be with Sasuke, and it won't be.
Sakura was meant to be with Naruto, and it will be.
It was always Naruto, never Sasuke.