I may be dead by the time that you receive this letter.
Or, this letter may not reach you at all. But I just wanted to write this letter for you.
I still remember the day that I first saw you. I wonder if you remember it too. You were such a fragile child, crying in the rain all by yourself. You were so weak; you weren't able to protect yourself and you were in the worst condition, almost dead. To be honest, at that time I found you pathetic. Yet when I saw you, I don't know why but I felt like I needed to help you. I still remember the way your eyes looked at me. Your eyes stared at me and it was the first time that I had ever seen such beautiful eyes. Green emeralds. I still don't know what compelled me to bring you to the akatsuki base. Maybe it was because of the way you held out your hand to me, asking for help. And I still do not know why you really followed a stranger like me. But now that I think about it, I really want to thank you for coming into my life.
Did you ever know that the greatest joy of my life was watching you grow up? I'm not the only one who came to really love you; every member of the akatsuki did. Cold blooded murderers loving one pink haired child. How ironic is that? But to me, it was just more than that. You were the reason I was living. I loved you more than anybody else could. I, who killed my own clan, my own family, loved you more than anyone and anything else in this world. I still remember how quiet you were when you first came into the akatsuki base. You were just a living doll, dead in the inside. And yet as the days passed, you slowly opened up to me and the others. You were strong on the inside. The first time that you smiled, I felt like my heart skipped a beat. Now that I think about it, I think that was the time I truly fell in love with you.
Remember how you followed me, shouting my name at the top of your lungs with that big smile of yours? You were just like a cute puppy. I remember how you pouted whenever I flicked your forehead and I remember the way you stomped off. At those times, I never realized how dangerously close to me you were getting. No, to be exact, I was getting attached to you. I was never able to push you away. It feels like you grew up so quickly, perhaps maybe too quickly. Or maybe it only feels that way for me because every moment I had with you passed so quickly.
Happy moments always make your time go fast right? You grew up so beautifully. So bright and so pure. You have no idea how hard all the members of the akatsuki tried to keep you the way you were. We couldn't bear the thought of you getting hurt and we couldn't bear the thought of you getting your hands dirty, just like the rest of us.
But I guess I was the one who finally broke that pure world of yours. I was too caught up in killing to notice you approaching me. I remember the way that you stared at me. You were terrified. I remember your voice shaking. Then you ran away. I didn't catch you. No, to be exact, I wasn't able to catch you. I hurt you. I'm sorry. But yet, when I returned to the base, you held out our hand toward me. You told me with your trembling voice that I was not the bad person. You believed in me and hugged me tightly so that I could not see you crying. It was the first time I had ever felt my heart break. I guess you filled me up with emotions. And I guess it's also because I love you.
I love you Sakura.
I love you more than anything else.
I wasn't able to express myself until now because I was afraid of hurting you more than I already did. I guess it is also because I was afraid of getting hurt too. But I guess death makes a person brave. I have little time left. I'm sorry for leaving you. I remember the way you cried when I told you I was leaving the akatsuki. I remember the way that you held on to me and the way that I pushed you away with harsh words. I'm so sorry. I just didn't want you to see me sick, I didn't want you too see me die. I just wanted to be left in your memory the best way I could be.
But remember this, even after I die, I promise that I will keep loving you.
I just hope that you will not forget about me.
I think I'm going to have to say goodbye now.
Goodbye and take care.
Itachi