Authors Notes: Eventual SasuNaru One-sided SakuNaru.
Rookie 9 are all Jounins.
They are about 20 years old.
'So… it's been a few years hasn't it? I bet he forgot about us already. It's been too long.' Sakura looked at the team 7 picture. 'Naruto has matured so much since then.. he's now.. more like.. a replica of Sasuke-kun… I miss the old Naruto, I can't believe Sasuke-kun was able to change so much of Naruto in a short amount of time.. I remember the last time I saw Sasuke-kun.. it was when we went to Orochimaru's hide out when we were fifteen. It was me, Yamato-sensei, Sai, and Naruto. Sasuke-kun didn't even try to listen to us.. he didn't want anything to do with us.'
Sakura walked in the dark streets of Konoha. She remembered this day.. it was just like the day with Sasuke betrayed the village.. this day… surely did bring back memories.
She walked to the bench where she thought that she had almost kissed Sasuke. Now she knows that it was Naruto transformed into Sasuke. 'Naruto was sure a prankster those days… but now, he's cold.. and anti-social.. just like Sasuke-kun.'
Sakura walked along the streets until she saw a familiar figure in front of her.
"Naruto! Are you going on a mission?" Sakura asked.
"No."
"Then why do you have all your stuff?"
"because.. I'm going to go look for him."
"Please… don't… I've given up on him."
"Sakura-chan.. don't try to stop me. I'm going after Sasuke."
"NARUTO! Please… don't… I care about you so much.. I don't want you to.."
"Sorry.. but I'm keeping my promise Sakura-chan. Even though this promise might not mean anything to you anymore.. but, this promise means a whole lot to me. I want to retrieve Sasuke.. please.. don't tell Tsunade-baba about this.. I don't want her to find out until I've already reached sound.."
"Naruto, please don't go." Sakura grabbed Naruto's arm. Naruto didn't even flinch.
"This is a whole new beginning Sakura.. just like Sasuke said. Once Sasuke has returned, I think I might be able to start anew."
"NARUTO! I love you! I loved you since I was fifteen! I can't bear it any longer! I LOVE YOU! PLEASE DON'T GO! DON'T LEAVE ME!" Sakura fell to the ground.
Naruto laughed.. all he could do was laugh. "Sakura-chan.. I've known for sometime now, but.. I can't return your feelings. I'm sorry."
"Naruto.. why? Why do you have to go after Sasuke-kun?"
"…. It's because I just can't give up on him."
"Naruto.. you love Sasuke-kun don't you?"
"Maybe.."
"I'll do anything for you! I'll even die for you! If you're with me.. I could possibly do anything! I promise! I'll make sure that you'll never regret every second of it. I promise that I'll make you happy.. Just please don't go…" Sakura cried.
"You sure do like to lie don't you?"
"What?"
"Those exact words.. you said that to Sasuke." Naruto chucked. "You just hate being alone don't you?"
"That's not true!"
"pft. Even if you love me or not.. I still made up my mind. I'm going after Sasuke.. and nothing will stop me."
"Please… don't go…" Sakura hugged Naruto from the behind. Naruto wiggled himself out of the grasp of Sakura. He disappeared within a second and appeared right behind her..
"Thank you.. for caring so much about me. Thank you. Just please.. don't tell Tsunade-baba. I know I'm going to be a Missing Nin. But I don't give a damn. If you truly want to make me happy, just don't tell her.. until she realizes on her own."
"But.. Naruto.."
"Here's a memory of me." He took something out of his bag. He took Sakura's hands and placed the object onto them. "It's my most valuable item. I got it from Iruka-sensei when I graduated from the Academy. I'm not going to need it for a while. Just hold onto it."
"But.. Naruto.. this is your Konoha Hitai-ate (1). You've treasured it for so long. How can you just give it up?"
"I'm not giving it up Sakura. I'm starting over. This path leads me to Sasuke.. and my future."
"Naruto…" Sakura silently whispered.
"It's my most precious item."
"Naruto.. this isn't your most precious item." Sakura smiled.
"……"
"Naruto.. your most precious item is the one you always carry. It's Sasuke's hitai-ate. You don't care much about yours. All you need is his.. isn't it?"
"Sakura.. just don't say a word." With that, Naruto knocked Sakura out and walked to the path that will eventually lead him to Sasuke.
Next Morning..
When Sakura woke up.. she remembered the events that happened last night. She looked to her hands where she was grasping Naruto's hitai-ate.
"Naruto… so.. he really did leave the village." 'I have to go tell Tsunade-sama.'
Sakura rushed to the Hokage towers. She needed to reach there soon as possible. Last time, she was too late. She didn't tell Hokage the information fast enough.. if the team had left a little earlier last time.. this might have not been happening. They could have reached Sasuke in time. This time.. she won't let history repeat itself.
"TSUNADE-SAMA!" She yelled as she barged into the office.
"huh what? I swear I wasn't sleeping!"
"I don't care about that right this moment Tsunade-sama."
"What?"
"Naruto.. he.. HE LEFT THE VILLAGE!"
"WHAT THE HELL?"
"Last night.. the situation was exactly.. almost perfect. It was almost the exact replica of when Sasuke-kun left the village." Sakura cried.
"SHIZUNE!" Tsunade yelled.
"Yes Tsunade-sama!" Shizune burst in with Tonton (the pig).
"Shizune.. this time.. you're the leader. I just have to call the others."
A few minutes later, Hyuuga Neji, Mitarashi Anko, Nara Shikamaru, Hatake Kakashi, Inuzuka Kiba was all assembled into the Hokage tower.
"Hokage-sama what's the urgent news you have to tell us?" Shikamaru asked, bored.
"I'm sorry to inform you all of this, but… Naruto left the village last night."
Everyone was shocked to hear this. Neji looked pained. Anko, Shizune, and Kakashi were furious. Shikamaru figured out why easily. Kiba looked as if he was about to kill someone.
"Once you think about it.. it has been exactly.. seven years or so since..." Shizune replied to break the silence.
"Sakura.. what else do you know about this?"
Everybody looked at Sakura.
"I confessed my love to him.. but he still wouldn't stay. I asked him if he loved Sasuke-kun.. and he answered…"
"Probably…" Shikamaru whispered.
"He said 'maybe'. He begged me not to tell you that he left." Sakura stuck her hand inside her pouch. "He gave this to me…" She held it up so everyone could see it. "He gave this to me.. to keep as a memory of him." Sakura frowned.
"Sakura.." Kakashi started to speak, but got cut off when Sakura continued.
"Naruto said this was his most precious item. But I knew it was a lie."
"How so?" Anko asked curiously.
"Naruto's most precious item is of course, Sasuke-kun's ruined hitai-ate. He carries it everywhere." Sakura smiled.
".. Everyone! Go after Naruto!" Tsunade ordered. "Sakura.. you go too. It might be wise. Last time, Naruto went after Sasuke. Maybe.. if you go to Naruto.. you might be able to stop him."
Sakura shook her head 'no'. "I don't know what to do anymore. He made it pretty clear that he doesn't want me to go after him. He didn't even want me to tell you. I'll just be a burden going after him."
"Sakura…"
"I'll be at my house if you need me." With a 'poof' sound, Sakura disappeared from the office.
(1) Forehead protector
Authors Notes: I'll try to make the next chapter long! And please review!