Going home after being gone for a long time, brings back memories he had tried to suppress.
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He remembers when they were younger, how shy and awkward Sakura was. How she was teased by almost everyone because of her forehead which she dutifully covered with her outrageous pink hair. Not until the Yamanaka girl defended her and eventually befriended her by giving that red ribbon which she faithfully wore like a headband. It was the first time he noticed how green her eyes were.
So she became more confident and outgoing and tried to befriend him. She would greet him everyday adding –kun to his name and bring him home-cooked bento. She would eventually quarrel with the Yamanaka girl over him and go as far as announcing themselves rivals even growing their hair because of a rumor that he liked girls with long hair. Idiots. Why would he care about long hair when he hasn't even showed a smidgen of attention to any girl? They were all the same fangirls anyway, only liking him for the fact that they think he's some sort of tragic hero or that his clan had been famous.
When the time would come for their graduation from the academy, he hoped to have strong teammates that wouldn't bring him down. He had a goal he had to accomplish as soon as possible. But as luck would have it, they were grouped as Uzumaki, Haruno and Uchiha. Great! He was grouped with a fangirl and an idiot. And their sensei, Hatake Kakashi who was supposedly a famed prodigy taught by the Yondaime himself was always late.
They were abysmal from the start progressing to less abysmal as the days passed and they trained together. Sakura annoyed him by always asking him out on dates when she should have been training instead. His other idiot teammate would annoy her in turn by asking her out earning himself a bonk to the head. He had no time for petty things. He had a goal to carry out and he would not get distracted by a pink-haired girl and an idiot who thinks they're friends. He does not want to get caught in some inane love triangle.
When they went on an unfortunate mission in Nami, he chastised himself for being weak, for being needed to be saved by that idiot. He realized he was far from his goal. But at least he has unlocked his gift.
After their failed chunnin exam, the need to be stronger and better became worse. It consumed him. He resolved to leave Konoha and follow the Sannin to train and become his apprentice. His disputable perverse behaviour wouldn't deter him.
He remembers how when he left that night, she was there to stop him. How she told him she understood his loneliness and how she would make up for it by making him happy everyday if he stayed. It was a sentimental notion but he wouldn't be swayed by it. Annoying. Why couldn't she mind her own business? She told him she loved him and how it hurts. He scoffed at the idea. She had no idea what hurt means. She hadn't lost her parents because they were killed by that man.
She was crying asking him to take her with him. Pathetic! She was always a cry baby. He saw her green eyes sparkling with tears, her used to be long hair now short once again. He recalled the image of when they were younger and cursed himself. Now, wasn't the time to think of such things. He had more important matters to settle and his goal was far from his reach. He didn't need her. He needed to leave and get stronger and she'd only be a distraction. So he knocked her out and left her on the bench.
But before that he at least had the decency to say thank you because even if he had been an ass to her, she had been nothing but nice to him. Because even if he had been undeserving, she loved him anyway. Perhaps, someday... but not now, maybe never. Who knew if he'd still be alive after he faces that man? The risk of dying during and after the fight was a big possibility. Maybe she was better off with the idiot.
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It was after 10 years that he returned having trained while travelling throughout the countries and after he fulfilled his goal.
He sees his old teammates at the Ichiraku stand where they always used to eat after missions. He observes them for a while. There was Kakashi, and them and another guy he didn't know. They were laughing at something said by the pale guy who seemed to be his replacement. He notices Sakura, who wouldn't with that pink hair? She is sitting beside the idiot leaning against him. His eyebrows rose thinking, when have they been that close?
Their laughing ceased as they sensed his presence.
"Bastard, is that you?" The idiot is first to speak. "It took you long enough."
"And you're still the same idiot. It's not exactly easy to get strong enough then track that man, let alone fight him and live." He answers.
"Good to see you, kid." Kakashi greets him. He hasn't changed much either.
Except her, He looks at Sakura and notices the changes. Time had been good to her. Her hair was long once again and her features have matured to that of a beautiful young lady not to mention the womanly curves she now possesses. Except her eyes, her green eyes were still the same as he remembered.
"Welcome home, Naruto." She greeted him warmly.
He is finally home. He has killed Madara for causing his parents death when he tried to free the kyubii. His mother one of the last Uzumaki and his father, the Yondaime, both sacrificed themselves to save the village, sealing the kyubii in him. The village thinks of them as heroes and he was their celebrated son. But he had never been happy. He was orphaned because of it and he vowed to avenge their deaths when he found out about it. Maybe now he should be happy but something felt off.
"This is Sai, he's a member of team Kakashi. Sorry, but we had to maintain a three-man cell, you know. You'd also have to meet Yamato-taichou who comes with us when Kakashi –sensei is busy." Sasuke says.
"Hello, it's nice to finally meet you. I am pleased to meet the person I've been hearing so much stories about. It's fortunate how you've come back just in time for the wedding." The Sai guy greeted with an eerie smile.
Wedding? What wedding? He wondered.
"I'm sorry but we have to get going. Sai and I have to submit our mission reports. Ja ne!" Kakashi says hurriedly and disappears with Sai using a teleportation jutsu.
Liar. Kakashi never did the mission reports on time and even if he did he had never been in a hurry to submit them.
"That's right! You could be my best man! Itachi nii-san would understand after all my bestfriend's finally back." Sasuke says, oblivious.
"Who was stupid enough to say yes to you?" He asks to goad him.
"I am." Sakura answers.
He almost face- palmed himself. Sasuke was snickering at him.
"Oh! I didn't mean anything by that." He apologizes.
"No, it's okay. I guess Tsunade-shisou hit my head too much when we trained that I would be stupid enough to voluntarily marry him." She answers glaring at Sasuke.
"Hey! Watch it woman. You're calling my fiancée stupid. I know for a fact that she's the smartest girl there is." Sasuke answers back.
"Aww! That's sweet of you Sasuke-kun." She gushes.
Sasuke is smiling stupidly, the idiot lover that he was. "Of course, Sakura-chan, after all you were smart enough to say yes."
"Idiot." He said as Sakura punched his fiancée. He had always been sickeningly un-Uchiha like.
He was surprised that her punch seemed to have been chakra-infused as Sasuke went flying out. Tsunade did teach her some things he mused as he remembered Jiraiya's stories about his own team mate when they were younger.
"Oh no! My break's over. I have to get back to the hospital or else Tsunade-shisou would scold me." Sakura suddenly remembers, heading out.
"I'll go with you." Sasuke said, picking himself up. "I have to get healed by you anyway. You know your punches hurt right?"
"Oh shut up, Sasuke-kun! You know you love getting hurt just so I could heal you. Any excuse you could have so I'd put my hands on your body." Sakura argues.
"You know it, Sakura-chan. I just love your hands on me." Sasuke leers.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura chides, looking flustered. "If your kaa-san hears you... remember last time?" She whispers.
"We'll be married soon enough, anyway. I can't wait soon-to-be Mrs. Uchiha." Sasuke says, pulling Sakura into his arms.
"Me too." Sakura replies smiling tenderly at him.
The two seems to have a world of their own, forgetting he was there so he clears his throat loudly.
"Oops! Sorry. We'd better go, Naruto. Let's meet up tomorrow at the old training ground after lunch for a spar." Sasuke tells him. We can beat the crap out of each other if you're angry at me about Sakura goes without saying.
"We'll all have dinner at my place after to catch up, right?" Sakura asks expectantly, meaning both of you'd better be still breathing or else.
"Yeah, I'd be there." He answers the both of them. He has nowhere else to go with nothing to do with all his time. Suddenly, having completed his goal made him feel empty.
He stares after them as they sprint away. Sasuke was carrying Sakura in his arms as she protests while laughing.
He had looked forward to coming back to Konoha seeing as he actually survived. He wanted to do it for her thinking she'd be happy he's back that maybe he could try and return the love she showed him. He owed her that at least. But it seemed he had been too late.
Her heart had already been won by the idiot. He knows for sure that Sasuke loved her. He always had when they were younger but this time Sakura returned his affection. Maybe he is more deserving of her because he had always been open about it, showing it not just in words but in his actions. He had always paid her attention, always there to give a shoulder to cry on, always tried to make her laugh, always took in her punches when she's annoyed at him, always stayed beside her. He had never knowingly hurt Sakura.
And Sakura, well who could blame her? It would be unfair of him to expect that she would wait for him. She deserves to be loved. And if the idiot would make her happy then he is fine with it. There is no doubt in his mind that they were disgustingly in love with each other.
There is only thing nagging at him. When did all this happen?
While you were gone, the voice in his head answers.
'I wasn't asking you.'
You're just bitter, Kurama taunted.
'Shut up, you nosy old fox!'
The kyuubi blows him a wet raspberry before slinking back to quietness.
"I might as well eat." He mutters, feeling his stomach grumble as he enters Ichiraku's once again.
He sits down and orders a bowl of ramen. It's been so long since he had a taste of their ramen. He eats his ramen hurriedly, assuaging his hunger. He is ordering for a second bowl when he notices the flustered- looking girl to his left.
"Oh sorry, I didn't see you. Excuse my manners." He apologizes.
"It's alright, you must be hungry. I see that ramen is still your favourite."
He stares at a girl with long dark hair and pearly eyes and recalls her as another shy and awkward girl but with much shorter hair from the academy. She never approached him like any of his fangirls and he remembers seeing her often alone. He hardly had any interaction with her except the one time he saved her from those bullies. After that she would just shyly smile at him in greeting.
"Okaerinasai, Naruto-kun." She greets him.
"It's good to be home, Hinata." He answers back.
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Coming home after completing his goal didn't happen the way he expected it. There weren't hugs and smiles from the girl who used to fawn over him. The idiot got the girl and he was going to be their bestman. But he's satisfied with it, for once feeling happy.
Maybe life had something else in store for him.