we long for people as much as how we wish to be loved back

sasusaku

Twenty-three lifetimes passed by, and her first words to me were short, sweet, and delicate:

"I win."

All my life I have been wondering what would I tell her when I meet her again, would I greet her? Would I say her name as though it hadn't been so long since we last met? Or would I just stand there right in front of her, unknown of what to say to her, as she stands there a few inches away from me.

I gulp as I stand there, unmoved, dazed at the thought of her. She smiles at me, and all I could think of after that is nothing but how could she still even look the same after all these years.

In her eyes, green and bright, I see a reflection of myself. Her smile widens, before I hear her speak again. "Sasuke-kun, it's nice to see you again."

It is that familiar feeling upon hearing my name in her voice that washes me over to know that it really is her that is standing right in front of me.

"What are you saying?"

"I said it's nice seeing you again after so long. Were you hiding yourself from me?" She teases.

I couldn't help but smile on that. "Was I, do you think so?"

She nods happily. "Yeah, it took me so long to find you again."

"Sixteen year old Sakura shouldn't be spending her time looking for her teacher."

She tilts her head to the side, and grins at me. "You say that as if you're not expecting me to be here, Sasuke-kun. Are you waiting for me?"

"I don't." I say, walking past her.

"Some things never changed, huh?" She says, feeling her walking right beside me. "You're still the old Sasuke-kun I knew back then when we were young, and fighting wars." She continues, giggling as she remembers it all.

I throw her a sideway glance. She looks back at me, and smiles. I look away almost instantly as she looks at me. "I'm your teacher." I remind her.

"That doesn't make some sense, you know that?"

"Mhmm…"

"I was your wife before all of these happened."

"Mhmm…"

"And then we had a beautiful daughter, you named her after a salad because you love tomatoes, and you taught her how to say papa when I was away, and she was a papa's girl, and Sasuke-kun…?"

I look down at her, and see her already looking up at me.

"Were you smiling just now?" She teases, locking her arm with my own. I look away from her. "Did you miss me?"

Feeling her head leaning on my arm, I turn my head to the opposite direction. "You don't have to be embarrassed in front of me, I was your wife."

"Not yet." Before I have the audacity to hear what I have just said, I could already feel her grinning at me. I feel my stomach sinks in, and my chest tightens in my own words. How could she still even has this effect on me—

There is a heavy silence filtering in the air for a second there, before I hear her laugh. "Wouldn't get to imagine that I would live to see how much you still wish I am your wife again." I feel her untangles her arm from me, and I turn to look at her again.

I don't know if Sakura would kiss me, as a matter of fact, I doubt if she ever will. But for a chance like this, as she stands there after I waited for her for so long I could never imagine, I don't want to miss the moment if it ever comes. She looks at me, and before I bend down to kiss the top of her head, she tiptoes, leans her hands on my shoulders, and leaves a chaste kiss on my cheek.

When she pulls away, she whispers, "I'm sorry you waited so long. Happy birthday."

Before I could even say a word, she runs down at the football field, grinning as she looks back at me.

Seriously, that girl—

"Annoying isn't it, Sasuke-kun?"

—is really annoying…

I smirk.