WARNINGS: This fic is yaoi (male x male) and deals with disturbing elements such as infidelity and family/kids. If you are easy to offend or have a strict moral code, this story will upset you and you should not read it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and its characters. Kishimoto does.

Additional A/N: the lyrics I quoted come from the song "King of Karaoke Songs" by Eason Chan. It's an amazing song, my plot was partially inspired by it. You should listen to it while reading this story.

Naruto had always loved the Christmas programs of his church. They were loving, jubilant, warm, and peaceful. He enjoyed greeting families and friends as he passed them, and watching the Primary kids sing Christmas carols up by the podium. Himawari was always the most eager among them. At age 6 she bore an amazing resemblance to her mom, yet more bubbly and talkative just like Naruto himself. Boruto, on the other hand, was a different matter. That 8-year-old brat was rebellious and arrogant, yet undeniably smart and talented. Naruto hated to admit that Boruto had everything he wish he had at his age. Or maybe he should be glad about it, because every father wanted their sons to surpass them.

The kids started singing. This year it was Away in a Manger. Naruto watched his kids with a big smile on his face. He patted Hinata lightly by her shoulder, expressing how happy and content he was. In his peripheral, he saw Sasuke glance toward him. It was a subtle look, but obvious enough for him to catch it.

He still couldn't believe that Sasuke's family had flown over to spend the holidays in his town all the way from the West Coast. They hadn't seen each other in years; ever since Sakura accepted her offer as a physician in California, the whole family moved. Even so, they had all been friends since college, him and Sasuke even longer than that, so the distance and space didn't affect their friendship. Plus, they brought Sarada with them. It'd been a while since Naruto last saw her, despite the posts on social media and stuff. Born in the same year as Boruto, Sasuke and Sakura's daughter had grown up fast. She had her dad's eyes and hair, as well as that sense of intensity and quick wit that ran in the Uchiha family. However, her face was more like Sakura's, as well as a more sociable personality and a richer expression of emotions.

Naruto truly enjoyed watching them. These people were the most important components in his life. He turned his head and returned the glance Sasuke shot him, giving him an ear-to-ear smile. Sasuke let out a quiet sigh, closing his eyes briefly, and mouthed something at him.

Naruto read his lips and realized it was a bare bold "Usuratonkachi." That asshole, he thought to himself. He hadn't changed a bit since elementary school.

Sasuke's stay had been fun and eventful. The two families went skiing and snowboarding, had a big Christmas dinner, and watched several movie marathons at Naruto's house. The kids seemed to be getting along amazingly well, especially Boruto and Sarada. Last time they were together, they were yet too little to develop much friendship, but now it seemed like they were old enough to put up pranks against the adults. At first Naruto thought Sarada would be the stoic, serious type just like her father, but man how he was awfully mistaken. Sarada might be a serious child, but she had a facade that was playful and curious no less than Boruto. What made it worse was that she was incredibly good at concealing her real intentions, tricking people into her trap. Naruto could see that in Sasuke as well, as no one knew better than him that Sasuke was such a tsundere, with reverse attitudes towards different people, in different situations.

Throughout their week-long gathering, Naruto had often sensed Sasuke glance at him. But when he looked back he would immediately avoid eye-contact. Naruto thought maybe Sasuke wanted to say something to him, in private, since they hadn't got a chance to be alone since Sasuke's arrival. It's not like he didn't want to spend any lone time with him, it was that they were both too preoccupied, with wives and children running around and food being prepared. They were adults now, nearly 35 years old, having so much more responsibilities to bear and things to attend. It's not like they could just hang out whenever and wherever they wanted to. Nevertheless, Naruto knew that Sasuke hadn't changed. His face, physique, silhouette, and aura all freshly reminded him of his youth. Sasuke had always been a stunning man, and such attraction seemed to only have accumulated as he aged. Naruto didn't know how Sasuke viewed himself, but somehow he got intuitively reassured whenever he looked into the Raven's eyes. They were tacit, suppressed, yet screaming of longing and love, and maybe lust as well, but Naruto couldn't read him that well.

He could never read Sasuke that well.

It was New Year's Eve when the two families decided to have a full-out dinner with games laid around for the kids to play. The adults were drinking and eventually headed towards deeper conversations, as if they just realized they were too preoccupied and hadn't conserved time for themselves. The conversations were fun and nostalgic, since their speech patterns hadn't changed much since college. Naruto had a little too much to drink and started babbling about their old times, bringing up nostalgic names such as Kiba, Lee, Shikamaru, and Neji. God how he had missed them. He wondered how they had been.

Sakura hit Naruto on the head as she used to do and said: "Naruto you forgot Kakashi Sensei! How come you forgot to mention him when you claimed him your favorite professor at all times!"

"Oh you definitely made a point Sakura-chan! I do… Hiccup!.. I do miss Kakashi Sensei a lot! Although he almost failed me for one of his classes though, dammit, I believe it was spring semester freshman year! Oh and I also really miss Jiraiya sensei! That pervy sage… he never got married..."

Naruto went on and on, feeling blissfully excited until waves of tiredness and fatigue hit him. He wasn't much a drinker honestly, and his friends knew him well.

"Na...Naruto-kun, you've had too much to drink already, let me just put you to bed upstairs." Hinata said with a concerned tone, looking apologetically at Sasuke and Sakura. "He is just too tired. You know ever since he took over the office...I mean he loves his job, it's his dream job since he was a kid, but I just don't want him to get too consumed by it."

Sakura patted her on the back. "We understand Hinata-chan, men are all the same. Sasuke-kun is also a workaholic to everyone's knowledge. He doesn't even come home sometimes! God how I hate him for doing that."

Hinata glanced awkwardly at Sasuke, not sure if he was prepared to hear his wife roast him in front of their friends. However, Sasuke merely took another sip from his cup as if he heard nothing. Judging by his slightly flushed cheeks Hinata knew he wasn't as sober as he seemed to be, but Hinata was kind of used to it. Sasuke never showed much emotions anyway, especially in front of her. Among their circle of friends Hinata and Sasuke were more like acquaintances. They barely talked.

"Sakura-chan you are also pretty much at your limit. Let's put the little ones to bed now so you can get some rest yourself." Hinata said as she lifted Sakura gently from her chair.

"You are right Hinata-chan, we women need to treat ourselves well! We should get all the rest while we can you know, before health becomes an issue for us..."

Sakura seemed to be too carried away to acknowledge Sasuke as she went to collect the kids. Hinata nodded apologetically at Sasuke pointing Naruto before joining her. Sasuke smirked from across the table at Naruto.

It's finally only us. He thought out loud.

When Naruto woke up it was completely dark. He heard Sasuke's voice coming from afar, and realized he was laying in his own bed, in his own room.

"Hmm… what's up Sasuke? Did I pass out?" He rubbed his eyes painfully, trying to get back to his senses.

"You sure did, Usuratonkachi." Sasuke mocked, "and you've been allowed to sleep for the past five hours. Now get up and wash yourself for God's sake."

"Ermm…so what time is it now?"

"Almost 5 am. You need to wake up at 7 to take the kids out remember? So go take a shower now."

Naruto scratched his scalp, in an effort to get some senses back into his head, while inadvertently making his fluffy blond hair even more disheveled.

"Sure. How are the kids, when did they go to sleep?"

"A little before midnight, right after you passed out. Sakura and Hinata made sure they got their eight hours. Compared to them, you and I are truly bad parents, aren't we?"

Naruto shot his head up at Sasuke, seeing a not-so-in-character smile on his face. Sasuke looked gentle at this moment, almost a little mellow in Naruto's eyes. Is he drunk too? He wouldn't allow anyone to see his softened side ever since Itachi passed away, not even in front of him.

"Well, I guess I'm the least you would expect from a perfect dad. I didn't grow up having a dad, so I don't know how to be one. Fortunately Hinata is a good mother, she made it all work out."

Sasuke smiled again, this time a little weary. "You are no one to blame, Naruto. You made the right choices."

Naruto fumbled off the bed, standing in front of Sasuke. With the only light coming from the hallway, he could only see his features vaguely. But those onyx orbs wouldn't lie to him. They stared at him with emotions, which Naruto couldn't read. He was still spacey, with a headache from hangover.

"Sasuke, I need someone to lean on, someone who could inspire and challenge me, so I can have faith in myself and feel passionate again."

"Well isn't that supposed to be Hinata?" Sasuke said dryly.

"Hmm no. Not in that way. Not her."

Sasuke studied Naruto for a second, then said: "well, then could that be me?"

Naruto stood still, as if stunned. He read Sasuke's face and smiled feebly. He said: "Of course, you are my best friend. "

Sasuke's lips moved, as if wanting to say something, but he didn't. Meanwhile Naruto waved at him and told him to go to sleep before disappearing into the bathroom.

After the shower Naruto felt a lot better. The headache was still there but the spaciness had mostly gone. He was an adult anyway, he was supposed to have more self-control compared to his younger self.

He turned on the dim light of his bedroom before stepping in. He and Hinata had always kept a spare bedroom for whomever didn't feel like sleeping in the main bedroom that night. He had utilized it a lot, maybe more often than he should. Tonight seemed to be a perfect night to sleep here, as he was sure Hinata was already sound asleep on their king-size bed.

Naruto hanged his towel on the rack behind the door before he glanced at a pale body laying on his bed. He almost jumped out of surprise, but soon he realized it was Sasuke. The pale man lazily leaned by the headboard, shirtless with only pajama pants on. Naruto felt his lower belly tense at the sight. It had been a while since he was truly aroused, especially when Sasuke was involved in it.

"Sasuke, why don't you go sleep in your room?" Naruto heard his voice husky.

"Well, does it matter where I sleep?" Sasuke taunted, sounding incredibly cocky. Naruto remembered him speaking in that tone in their youth, such association sent a shiver down his spine. He felt his throat getting dry.

"Emm, yeah, I guess it does matter, because this is my room." Naruto almost stuttered.

Sasuke didn't speak for a while, only smirked. Then he adjusted his pose leisurely before saying: "Naruto, I feel so horny right now."

That sentence almost threw Naruto out of his skin. He felt his face suddenly on fire. It was not the first time he'd heard Sasuke say something like that. They had been together, been intimate, so he'd heard worse. But nothing striked him more than hearing Sasuke say something so bodaciously lustful right at this moment, in his house where their wives and children were sleeping behind the walls.

He tried to filter words and phrases to confront what Sasuke said, and he was pretty sure he looked like a stupid teenager watching striptease for the first time. Embarrassed, he took a deep breath and said as calmly as he could: "Well Sasuke, you must be sexually frustrated. When was the last time you and Sakura-chan had sex?"

Sasuke snorted, as if disappointed by Naruto's response.

"I'm not sexually attracted to her. You know that."

Naruto lowered his eyes at the statement. Sasuke had said it as a plain fact, which was exactly what made him feel bad, even guilty. He felt his arousal slowly fade away, leaving him with only waves of dizziness and cold sweat.

"Well Sasuke, let's maybe not— "

"You know it, so there's no need for fluff." Sasuke plainly stated, "You know me, Naruto, I don't play games."

"But you and Sakura-chan have been married for almost ten years! And she bore you a daughter!"

"Exactly. Sakura is an important woman in my life. I respect her, and love her as she is. But by no means am I attracted to her in one way or another." Sasuke looked at Naruto, "I'm sure it's the same way between you and Hinata. Don't try to lie to me."

Naruto felt his frustration slowly built, as well as the hurt and guilt that had been rising. "Hinata is the best woman I've ever met! She is virtuous, courageous, gentle, and wise. She has the most beautiful soul in the entire universe! I've never had a second thought about her, neither would I in the future. She and my children mean everything to me. I've struggled for so long to have a family, I could die for them in a heartbeat."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, as if scrutinizing Naruto carefully. He said as he raised an eyebrow: "So defensive. Are you defending them or are you defending yourself?"

"What...what do you mean?" Naruto stuttered.

"The more you are unsure about something the more defensive you get. You lack faith, Naruto. Isn't that exactly what you were asking me for before you went to take shower? You wanted reassurance." Sasuke looked at him, eyes cold and intense.

Naruto dazed at what Sasuke said. He kind of remembered that he asked Sasuke something before he went into the bathroom, but he couldn't exactly recall what. He had barely woken up at that time and whatever he mumbled might just have come out of his subconscious.

"Did I… say something that disturbed you, Sasuke?"

"No. On the opposite, it reassured me."

Naruto tried to read Sasuke's facial expression, but the man was unfathomable as always. He remembered there were times when he could actually read the raven like an open book in their youth, when they were both blissfully ignorant, obnoxiously rebellious, and mad in love. He did miss those days, even though both of them had rather tragic youth. He missed how he and Sasuke would constantly tease and taunt each other out of affection; how they would challenge each other in the most thrilling ways; how they would kiss spontaneously at the dinner table and then gave each other hand jobs right under it, and how they would comfort and heal each other's wounds, hugging tightly in bed, in train stations, in pouring rain. They had known each other for almost their entire life, and had made plans for their lives together. But life had other plans for them, and old ones fell through. Naruto felt pity, but no resentment. He felt grateful and content for what he had, and he never went back on his words.

At least, it was a voluntary break-up. He and Sasuke mutually agreed. So there really wasn't any point in looking back— or was it?

As far as he could recall, every time he met Sasuke after their separation his resolution would shatter a little, sometimes the feelings were so strong that he wanted to shove the man into the nearest wall and kiss him, hug him, never let him go again. But these thoughts, namely whims, never led him into actions. He was too afraid, too principled, and too paranoid to face the consequences. Such struggle only exacerbated after they got married, so when Sakura informed him she and Sasuke were moving to California, Naruto was actually relieved. It'd be hard to live near the person you love and not able to touch him, while forced to watch him touch others. Naruto wasn't a masochist, but he didn't intend to cause pain to others either. Cheating was never a word in his dictionary. He had his moral code, pristine and intact like his pride. If being with Sasuke meant corruption and erosion of his dignity, he would rather let him go. He was just stubborn like that.

Even now, at age 34 and a father of two children, he still felt impulsively drawn to Sasuke. He felt as if he was staring at his entire life, his mirror image in those onyx eyes. He could see his childhood, teen years, early adulthood all wrapped up and entrusted in this one person, with whom he felt like a child, a teenager, a young adult again. Sasuke was his sanctuary. When he was with him, Naruto was both in his comfort zone and out of his shell, merely and boldly being himself. It felt good, and no one else could make him feel this way.

As if driven by something, Naruto walked towards Sasuke and stopped in front of him by his bed. He looked at him, feeling poignant and sentimental all of a sudden.

Sasuke blinked at his change of expression, offering a hand and said: "You can sit down, you know."

Naruto followed his suggestion and sat by Sasuke's side. The bed was wide enough to fit two people, so he allowed himself to slide up, landing his entire body onto the mattress, and laid side by side with Sasuke. The proximity almost overwhelmed him for a second, as he took in a sharp breath, inhaling the familiar smell of detergent that Hinata used to wash the sheets, as well as the scent of shampoo from Sasuke's hair which he apparently borrowed from Naruto's bathroom. Naruto inhaled again, this time caught something different. It was Sasuke's scent, his unique scent, which he could never misrecognize for as long as he would live. He was too familiar with it, ever since he met Sasuke at Boruto's age.

There was one summer when Sasuke was about to study abroad for the next semester, he slept at Sasuke's place for an entire week right before he left. By the time he got back to his own apartment, his pajamas smelled like Sasuke had been wearing them. He hesitated whether to wash them for two weeks, then gave up for hygiene purposes. Those memories were so fresh and vivid that they stung, but Naruto didn't care. He loved all his memories with Sasuke.

Seeing the nostalgia and sentiment in Naruto's eyes, Sasuke extended his right hand to Naruto's face and gently caressed it. Naruto turned his head and saw the same sentiment in Sasuke's eyes, those usually emotionless onyx orbs were now shining with affection and yearning. The intensity of such emotions were so strong that Naruto didn't get to see much even in their youth. Sasuke was ruthless in some senses, unlike Naruto's caring and compassionate side. Seeing a matured Sasuke being more humane and benevolent made Naruto genuinely happy. His friend had been through so much hardship, he never wanted him to suffer again. In contrary, he was glad that he achieved his inner peace.

"Naruto, being with you makes me happy." Sasuke muttered, "spending time with your family brings so much joy to my heart, I honestly never thought I would feel this at home ever since Itachi died."

The mention of Itachi's name made Sasuke's voice shake. Naruto put a hand on his forehead to tell him it was okay. He was here with him.

"I wasn't a fan of Christmas ever since my parents died, and hated it after Itachi was gone. But you brought a whole new meaning to this holiday. I now can genuinely feel the holiday spirit again, after twenty something years Naruto, at your house."

Naruto's emotions were stirred by Sasuke's confession. He was deeply touched by what Sasuke said and felt something hit him hard. It was so powerful that he didn't realize it until his eyes were watering. He flipped onto his stomach and stared at Sasuke with teary eyes, he wanted to say so much to him but all his words got stuck on the tip of his tongue. As a result, he ended up holding Sasuke's right arm tightly against his chest, kneeling down next to him, face buried into Sasuke's elbow that was flat on the pillow. It was a rather awkward position, as if he wanted to embrace him but was afraid of getting too close. Naruto was well aware of his preservation, but didn't dare to step forward and break the balance. That would shatter everything they'd achieved into pieces, all the endurance, all the sacrifice, all the silent pleading and mourning, all the suppressed yearning and longing. They had come out clean. They couldn't turn back.

At this very moment, Naruto had wished this instant could last forever. It might have sounded cliche, but it was true. Sasuke was flying back to San Jose on the 2nd, which was tomorrow, that meant they wouldn't know when they could see each other again. Maybe in months, maybe in years. Besides, it would be almost impossible to find a perfect time like this, when their families were kept outside of the walls sleeping, when all worldly nuisances were thrown out of the window, as if the world was only them. It felt like they could close their eyes and fly back to their youth, to those hot summers, starry skies, and indelible kisses.

Naruto allowed himself to indulge in this moment for as long as he could, inhaling the light scent surrounding Sasuke's body, pressing his lips onto the pale, soft skin of Sasuke's inner elbow, nipping gently. Then maybe after a century had passed, he sat up straight and said: "It's still early Sasuke, why don't you go get some sleep?"

Sasuke looked at him tacitly before taking back his arm and rolling out of bed. He smiled wearily at Naruto and headed to his guest room after saying "See you in the morning, Usuratonkachi."

Naruto waved him good night in return, although it was technically morning. The alarm clock on the night stand quietly stated 6am, and it was still pitch dark outside. Naruto laid back in his bed, Sasuke's scent still fresh on the pillow. He inhaled again, suddenly associated his memory with the morning when Sasuke left to catch his flight for study abroad. Naruto closed his eyes at the thought, tears finally rolling down his cheeks.

Happy New Year, Sasuke. He murmured to himself.

Later that day, they drove up to Boston to meet up with Lee and Tenten to celebrate the New Year's Day together. Naruto didn't know they were in Boston until he saw Lee posted something on social media that morning, that giant Citgo sign clearly indicated where they were. Thus it was decided. Boston was only an hour drive from where Naruto lived anyway, so it was barely a trip. Plus it would guarantee a good time to reunite with college friends in their college town, a place where so many memories were shared and stories told.

The kids were all excited as they weren't expecting a city trip to wrap up their winter break. The adults were somewhat enthusiastic as well. Naruto noticed Sasuke talked more than usual and even smiled once or twice at their dog, Kurama. It was a good sign, Naruto thought, that the man would soften up and open up a little after last night.

The drive was smooth and the meeting was heartwarming. Lee and Tenten didn't change much from Naruto's memory; they've matured and aged beautifully. What made it more interesting was the introduction to Lee's son, Metal. Naruto wouldn't even doubt for a second that this kid was Lee's son. He perfectly inherited his father's bushy eyebrows, shiny dark hair, even that distinctive fashion style.

They dined in a fine Chinese restaurant, ordering all the most authentic dishes following Lee and Tenten's recommendations. They were of Chinese descent, which gifted them many perks including knowing what to order in a Chinese restaurant. They could speak their native tongue as well, Lee Cantonese and Tenten Mandarin. Naruto was used to hearing Lee speaking Cantonese with his parents on the phone since they were roommates for two years. He even got to learn a few phrases from casual conversations. Hinata's family were of half Chinese descent as well, so she was always thrilled to hear Naruto spilling out random cantonese words. It would always make her day back when they were dating.

As the atmosphere fired up more and more on the dinner table, Tenten suggested they go Karaoke afterwards. There she went—that was always her thing back in college. Naruto joyfully agreed to the idea, so did everyone else. They occupied a room for ten people and started singing the night away. Naruto didn't have an impressive singing voice but he loved to impress people, so he always picked those fast-rhythm, high-pitched songs to grasp his audience. Another thing he used to do was to abduct Sasuke on stage to sing with him as the Uchiha would never volunteer to do "such embarrassing things" on his own. Naruto enjoyed challenging his friend, and seeing him blush and pout made his heart race. He sometimes would sing to Sasuke facing the crowd, as if he was his only audience. He knew Sasuke got his message, because their eyes would always meet and intertwine until the song ended.

Lost in his memory, Naruto passively sat on the couch and watched as people sang one song after another. Hinata and Sakura sang a few popular ballads, Lee and Tenten picked some classic Chinese songs, even Boruto and Sarada went up and did a cute duet. Naruto felt happy and content sitting there, watching his family and friends. He knew he should be happy at this moment, but somehow he felt vain; like a vine deeply rooted in his heart, quietly growing, and suddenly blossoming into emptiness that strained his breath. He felt powerless, disassociated, and strangled. Such emotions were so raw that he started panicking, as if not knowing why he was here doing the things he was… until he saw Sasuke.

The Raven was sitting across from him on the other side of the room, legs crossed, eyes locked on him. The intensity of his stare made Naruto's cheeks burn as shiver was sent down his spine. Sasuke had been observing him- he'd been watching. Naruto felt himself completely exposed in front of those onyx orbs, even his slightest agony and subtlest unrest. Sasuke knew him, and Naruto had every reason to believe that he felt his pain. They were soulmates anyway, and there was no doubt about it.

Instinctively, Naruto returned the gaze. It was no longer those stolen glances that Sasuke subtly shot him, no longer the repressed stares that screamed of longing and love. It still conveyed those emotions, but this time clearly voiced, as clear as sky. Naruto felt his lips trembling, he wanted to speak to Sasuke, wanted to kiss him, wanted to inprint his love directly onto his soul. He had been longing for this moment since their separation, as he never stopped loving Sasuke, never stopped wanting him, never stopped missing him.

Just before he was about to make a move, Sasuke stood up from where he sat and walked onto the small stage. He sat on the high stool in the center and held up the microphone. Sasuke was going to sing.

Everyone was taken back by the fact that Uchiha Sasuke was about to sing voluntarily at a karaoke party. It would probably be a once-per-lifetime scene for most of the audience here, so they held their breaths and watched with patience. Sasuke waited for the instrumental opening to roll in, and started singing the first line. His voice was deep, crisp, and edgy, and Naruto almost jumped at his recognition of the song- it was that song.

Almost eight years ago, he and Hinata celebrated their one-year anniversary. They invited a lot of friends to come over and booked a karaoke place for the after party. It was when Naruto got to see Sasuke for the first time ever since he got married, as Sasuke didn't come to his wedding in the first place. He said he was on an emergency business trip and asked Sakura to bring a postcard that had nothing but a bare "congratulations" on it. Naruto took it as a civilized way to say "fuck you," as Sasuke would feel rationalized enough to retaliate against him for getting married so quickly after their separation. Naruto took it well. He placed the card among other wedding gifts he received and stored them in the cabinet. Therefore, when he finally got to meet Sasuke a year later at his anniversary, he felt incredibly relieved. He heard Sasuke and Sakura were getting married soon, maybe that explained why he would bother to show up.

As the party and celebration went on, Naruto felt the tension between him and Sasuke as strong as always. He could barely maintain his composure as he saw Sasuke looking at him, eyes full of loneliness and yearning. He then saw him hugging Sakura by her shoulders, planting kisses on her cheeks. Naruto was almost overtaken by his jealousy, but he kept his cool and played it well, because somehow deep down in his heart, he knew Sasuke loved him. Be it doomed or damned, he knew it was true. He probably would never hear him say those things to him again, but he didn't care.

When it was his turn to sing, Naruto picked a song that Lee always played on his iPod in their dorm. It was a Cantonese song, lyrics catchy and simple. Naruto could hymn along it after hearing it twice, so after two years of hearing it he definitely had no problem singing the whole song. He loved it genuinely, and had sung it to Sasuke when they were hanging out. He even translated the lyrics to English to explain why he loved it so much, but Sasuke acted like he couldn't care less. Nevertheless, Sasuke knew this song, and Naruto was going to sing it in front of everybody, at his anniversary with Hinata.

As the melancholy melody and exotic lyrics were carried out, the audience became fascinated with how Naruto appeared so deeply drenched in this song as if his soul depended on it. They then looked at Hinata unanimously, adoring and admiring how much Naruto must have fallen for her to sing her a song in her family's native tongue at their anniversary. Hinata blushed at their compliment, and Naruto wondered if she knew who the actual intended audience was. But Naruto was sure Sasuke knew it, as his eyes never left his during the course of his singing, not even for one instance. Those onyx orbs seemed to be glowing with stirring emotions, vigorous, vivid and reckless, just like the light in Naruto's blue, blue eyes.

Naruto remembered how he translated the lyrics to Sasuke, word by word, as he sang them with his voice:

"I know I don't sing well, please don't frown.

I'm willing to keep my promise with you till I die.

I just want to have fun singing it until the next century,

Please don't mind me sharing this sentiment with you."

Be it strange or mawkish, but hearing the same lyrics being sung by another person's voice after eight years surely was overwhelming. Naruto was almost dumbstruck at this moment, not able to register what was happening or why it was. But Sasuke's eyes once again locked on him, dragging him back to reality, forcing him to see the love and passion in the singer's eyes. These emotions were too raw to be concealed, as Naruto was almost burnt by the zeal glistening in those onyx orbs.

He tried to use his logic to make sense why Sasuke would know the song and even the foreign lyrics so effortlessly, as if he'd been practicing over and over in the past years… Naruto jerked at the thought, could he… could he have been secretly learning and practicing this song over the past eight years? Even though he showed minimal interest when he recommended it to him? Yes, that could totally happen. Because Uchiha Sasuke was such a tsundere, and Naruto knew this better than anyone else.

Naruto sat there hearing Lee and Tenten acclaiming how sweet it was that Sasuke sang such a classic, passionate love song to his wife, as they perfectly understood how powerful the lyrics were. Naruto saw Sakura blush, she giggled shyly like a teenage girl, patting Sarada gently on the head. He also saw Hinata's slightly surprised expression as she clearly recalled the last occasion this song was sung. Himawari and Boruto, being half-heartedly curious, kept asking what the lyrics meant. Naruto closed his eyes at the sight and listened to Sasuke singing the chorus once again:

"My tears drop when I sing the words of my heart,

If you worry you'll get sad please just hold my hand.

I have only thousands of words to put in your heart,

Which is simpler than wishing for eternity, which is not rare."

"Who would actually believe the shallow dialogue of 'forever the rest of my life,'

Come on, I give it to you, the song that had made millions of people cry.

As if never heard that a vow is like a happy ferris wheel,

Then makes me scream for you about love so so so so many times."

The song was not a long one, and it ended promptly when Sasuke put down the microphone. He walked down the stage and returned to where he was sitting, and was immediately surrounded by his family. Naruto's own family came to sit by his side as well, urging him to sing something more impressive to "counterattack" Sasuke's performance. Naruto only smiled, sure he might still go up there and sing something, but in no way would he ever surpass or even be at par with what Sasuke had done. He was sure if he was going to die right then and there, he would happily do so as long as this song was going to be played at his funeral.

In between the cheerful laughter and light-hearted conversations, Naruto looked at Sasuke across the dim karaoke room. Once again he felt like staring at his own mirror image- him and Sasuke, his family and Sasuke's family, his life and Sasuke's life, his love and Sasuke's love.

He was content at this moment, and it was all that mattered.

END