Facade

Chapter 1

The Past And The Promises Of New Beginnings

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

It has been two and half years since she last saw Uchiha Sasuke. Two and a half years since Naruto, Shikamaru, Neji, Kiba, Chouji, and Lee failed to retrieve Sasuke from the clutches of the Sound Four. Two and a half years had passed since he left her on the bench with nothing else but two words that would haunt her forever. Thank you…

A teardrop streamed down a girl's right cheek, whose head was bowed down, as she futilely tried to stop the pain that she felt as her thoughts wandered to the one she had loved. Sasuke would always haunt her in her dreams and even when she's awake the day he had left her and the rest behind.

Her thoughts on her past were interrupted when she saw a shadow looming over her shaking form. She looked up and saw Sai standing over her, smiling that ever-fake smile on his face. "It's a nice morning don't you think so Sakura?"

"Sai?"

"You know, you shouldn't cry so early in the morning. It doesn't suit you at all," he said as he sat beside her.

She smiled at him while wiping the tears away from her face. He smiled back at her wondering what she was doing here in the first place. "That's much better. You know it's not nice to see an emotional hag first thing in the morning," he joked, trying to lighten up the mood.

Sakura's eyes narrowed at him. "What did you call me?" she asked him while controlling her anger.

"No-thing!" he said rather quickly than normal, warily looking at Sakura. He regretted calling Sakura a hag as she punched him on the head. After which, they turned to look at each other and started to laugh as they saw each other's expressions until they started getting weird looks from passer-bys.

They fell into a comfortable silence until Sakura decided to break it. "So, what are you doing here so early in the morning?"

He shrugged at her. "I just had an urged to take a nice walk and think about some things before everyone else is up when I saw you sitting here along the way," he answered evasively. "How about you? Why were you crying your eyes out just moments ago? He looked at her debating whether to talk to her about Sasuke or not. He read in a book that talking about one's feeling or problems is better rather than keeping them inside because it will help the person feel better. However, talking to her about Sasuke could still hurt a lot since they have just met once again, after almost three years of not seeing each other, only a week ago. In the end, his curiosity won. "Is it because of him?

Sakura suddenly looked away from his gaze and didn't answer for a while causing Sai to panic on what to do next. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have brought that topic up. I know you must have- I mean I read in a book that one shouldn't—

He was interrupted by Sakura who placed a finger on his mouth. "No, it's alright. There's no need for you to apologize.

Sakura felt both happy and sad every time she looked at the boy in front of her, the boy who constantly reminded her of Sasuke. It was quite unnerving how similar they are yet different at the same time from each other in so many ways. Both had jet-black hair, a blank emotionless face, and an air commanding respect but most of all those piercing dark eyes that seems to see through your soul. They both had their share of loneliness but the difference between them is that Sai is more willing to express what he feels and tries his best to mingle with other people, although he still lacks in the tack department. As for Sasuke, he had always tried to push everyone away from him. All he had ever care about was to train harder in order for him to become stronger and surpass his brother's powers for his ambition to kill his brother, who murdered his entire clan and, perhaps, his humanity as well.

Sakura remembered their last encounter with Sasuke just about a week ago. She felt a pang in her heart as she remembered how he told them coldly that he didn't need the bonds of friendship they have built and shared since becoming a team and that the only bond he needed was the one he shared with Itachi. A bond made up and strengthened by hatred. Didn't he remember all that they had been through together? Did he even care about them? Towards the end she realized, Sasuke was no longer the boy she used to know.

Sakura took a deep breath as the wind blew at their surroundings before turning to Sai. "This was the place where he left me after he knocked me out on the night I attempted to stop him from going to Orochimaru," she told him finally. She then tilted her head upwards towards the sky and closed her eyes while choking up a sob that threatened to escape from her throat. "I cried and begged for him to stay. I even told him how much I really loved him. But he still left, leaving us all behind in favour of the power he would gain at Orochimaru's side. I guess we were not enough for him to stay.

"You must have really loved him then if you are acting like this," he said thoughtfully as he watched some birds fly towards the sky.

"Hai. I did and I still do with all my heart." She smiled a pained smile before continuing. "When I woke up I found myself on the bench with two of the examiners during the chunin exam looking down at me. I told them what happened and in turn they told Tsunade-shishou what had occurred. Tsunade-shishou ordered Shikamaru to lead a team with a mission to retrieve Sasuke from Orochimaru's clutches. But they failed to bring Sasuke back and barely came back alive themselves. That time I decided to become stronger, that I don't want to be always left behind watching my teammates back. So I asked Tsunade-shishou to make me her apprentice. Naruto and I promised to each other that the next time I would be with him and together we would bring Sasuke back to Konoha.

"You and Naruto seems to be really affected by Uchiha Sasuke's leaving."

"We're not the only ones though. The others were affected by this incident too. His name had eventually become taboo for all of us. Everyone had been training harder since then. Sometimes I wish I was stronger back then maybe I could have stopped him from leaving," she told him wistfully as tears began to form in her eyes.

Sai did not know what to do so he did what he saw others do in this kind of situation, he hugged her tightly. "Why? Why are you so persistent in saving a person who does not want to be saved? Why do you keep on trying to befriend someone who always tries to push everyone away from him? Why don't both you and Naruto give up on him when all he did to you and Naruto was to cause you pain and sorrow?" he asked her.

"You don't understand. He was a teammate, a friend and most of all he became one of the most important persons to me. I can't help it, I just fell for him and now I can never forget him," she told him as she pushed Sai away from her. She smiled sadly at him. "It all began with a stupid crush just like every girl in Konohagakure. Ino and I used to fight about him and we became rivals ever since. But things changed as the days passed by since I was placed in the same team with him. I began to see the lonely boy behind the famous prodigy and sole survivor of the Uchiha clan. That was also about the time my feelings developed into something more. Sometimes I wonder if he ever saw me as anything but an annoying fan girl of his and a weak team mate who needs to be protected. I guess he'll never reciprocate my feelings of love for him. But it doesn't mean that I would give up on him."

"Are you really willing to sacrifice for someone like him despite of all the things he has done to you and the others?"

"A true friend would accept everything about you unconditionally despite of your strengths and weaknesses. A true friend never gives up or loses faith in you. It is the same for the rest of the members of team seven and I. Although we did spent only a short time together, he became important to us all. To Naruto, Sasuke was the closest thing to a brother he never had. Sasuke was the first person that accepted him for who he truly is after years of being subjected to ridicule and abandonment. They both knew what it was to be truly alone and so they understand how the other feels. As for Kakashi, he saw himself in Sasuke and became a sort of surrogate father for all of us. He really did want to help Sasuke especially after he was marked with the cursed seal. Sasuke was, after all, his favourite student and he even taught Sasuke the jutsu that he had made himself. We were more than a team. We were a family."

"His lucky to then to have friends like you and Naruto," he said to her before standing up. "Care to take a walk with me?"

Sakura looked at him and nodded to him before taking Sai's outstretched hand before her to help her stand. They then proceeded to walk to the forest bordering Konoha.

"You were wrong when you said I didn't understand. I understand it only too well. I used to have friends like you and Naruto by my side. But just like Sasuke, I was once trudging down the path of destruction in search of power to avenge some of the important people of my life," Sai began as they walk upwards.

"Once? Where are they now?" Sakura asked curiously but she regretted it later on as she saw Sai's face darken.

Sai chose not to answer and continued on to his story. "I had fought with one of my friends who wanted me to come back with him to start anew but I refused him. We fought at our lives stake to the point of almost killing each other. I knew I was a lot more skilled and stronger than that friend of mine. He was a nuisance to my goals, he weakens me by making me feel and think about other things than training and finding ways to achieve my ultimate goal. I was about to give the final blow when another friend of mine jumped in front of the friend I was fighting earlier. But it was too late when I realized what was going to happen. I couldn't stop my attack from hitting that precious friend of mine," he said with a strained voice. "She died in my arms because of my selfishness.

Sai watched the play of emotions etched clearly on her face, from utter shock to disbelief then finally to sympathy. He could read her emotions as if she were an open book.

"I eventually got my revenge but I lost the life I had before taking that path of death and destruction. My friends told me that they have forgiven me when I returned to my village but I knew that deep in the recesses of their heart, a part of them never would," Sai said, pain, guilt and remorse can be seen clearly in his dark eyes. "Nothing was ever the same again after that incident. I have no future. I don't have a life to live. I just merely exist. Then I left my village again this time with the intention to never come back again. I was disoriented for quite sometime until Danzou found me. He offered me a place to live and a position in Konoha's Root Anbu in exchange for my services. I worked hard to forget my painful pat and become an emotionless tool just like everyone else under Danzou's command. Since then I vowed to redeem myself by fulfilling my duties without hesitation until I forgot who I was."

"Sai…" Sakura whispered then she quietly approached him.

"She changed me for the better. How I wish she were still with me until now. You should give up on Sasuke because to him all he can see, hear and think about is vengeance. He won't come back to Konoha unless something that is life changing would happen to him, Sakura."

"Then I would make him see the truth. I will not give up on him. Naruto and I swore that we would find him and even beat some sense into him to bring him back here," she said with determination in her voice.

Sai looked at her impassively and said solemnly, "If that's the case, then you should prepare yourself for long journey full of hardships. There is one thing I can do for you though. I promise that I would help and protect both you and Naruto in your mission to retrieve Sasuke even if I had to forfeit my life for this."

"But…" Sakura was about to object but Sai prevented her from talking by placing a finger on her lips She didn't want to put him in unnecessary danger since his is not involve in this matter.

"No buts Sakura. Let me do this. For once, allow me to do something that is right after years of doing wrong. This is a way to redeem myself don't take this opportunity away from me," he said, looking at her earnestly.

"You don't have to do this Sai. You're not involved in this. You might get hurt if you do," she told him worriedly.

Sai just smiled at her as if it was nothing to him. "It is now. After all, a friend helps his friend when they needed help. Are you my friend, Sakura?"

She made a move of protest and said: "Yes, but—"

Sai grabbed one of her hands while staring at her intently. "Then you would let me do this."

Sakura finally give in, knowing that Sai wouldn't change his mind just like the rest of her male teammates.She nodded her head in an affirmative gesture and let out a sigh. Sai smiled at her but it changed into a surprised look moments later as Sakura hugged him. "Thank you, Sai."

"It's nothing. Friends help each other, right?" he said as Sakura let go of him.

"Right."

Sai cleared his throat and said: "So did you have breakfast already?" He asked her as they started to head back to the village. Sakura shook her head in a rather cute way causing Sai to chuckle at her childish antics.

"Good, cause I am hungry. Let's go. Its my treat." He pulled her towards the village. After a few moments of walking together silently he looked at her and said: "You know you do look and act like a child."

"Mou, Sai…" she whined at him, pouted at him causing him to laugh.

"So where do you want to eat?" he asked her when his laughter died down.

"Anywhere is fine."

"How does Yakiniku Q sounds to you?"

"It's fine." She smiled at him then they started walking back towards Konoha's town proper.