He was her everything, the first person she had recognized who shared her loneliness, her rival, her best friend, her enemy, and now her best friend again. Somehow, she had finally gotten through to Sasuke Uchiha. He came back to the leaf after the war only to leave immediately afterwards on "journey of redemption". She remembered that day so well.
"I didn't expect you to come and send me off, Naruko" stated Sasuke in a calm tone, Naruko couldn't help herself but notice the serene look that his eyes held so different from the hateful and lost one from before their final fight.
Naruko took something from her pouch and held it out to him with a warm smile "I came to give you this" she stated.
When Sasuke looked down at the object held in her hand and couldn't help but gaze at her with a soft nostalgic look on his face.
"So, you kept it" he stated softly as he touched the headband while brushing his hand against hers softly.
"Of course, I would keep it you teme!" exclaimed Naruko with an outraged expression, that looked so adorable on her.
She then calmed down and then caressed it with her hand with a very soft expression "this was a reminder of a promise that I kept to myself 'don't kill sasuke'. I just couldn't accept that your future to be painted in black because of what happened to you. If only my teme of dear friend could smile peacefully. I always had these wistful thoughts" she trailed of with a very soft expression.
Sasuke's eyes widened slightly before a gentle smile took place on his face as he looked at the bright blue-eyed girl before him who changed his life forever for the better "Baka, it's so like you to be honest with your words" he stated with a sigh and soft expression on his face while he gazed at her clear and warm blue eyes, that hunted his dreams since forever.
Naruko's eyes widened before she sheepishly rubbed the back of her head "sorry, sometimes I don't control the words that come out of my mouth" she said, while laughing slightly.
Sasuke kept gazing at her while she chuckled while he felt a warm feeling invade his heart 'Baka, she is so bluntly honest and obvious that she doesn't know the effect that it will have on people' he tch'ed 'that smile, I won't be able to…." He tightened his fist, trying to restrain himself.
"well here" she said with a smile still plastered on her face, while shoving the headband with her single arm to his hand. "till we meet again, I hope from the bottom of my heart that by then you'll find that peace that you seek from this journey"
He then suddenly took the headband with force while she had still a tight grip on it, which caused her to tumble on his chest "huh" she exclaimed confused while looking up to his face and was confused by what she saw.
He was gazing at her with an intense and soft expression and leaning in her face before stopping himself net and turning around and beginning to march into his journey while doing that his raised his single arm and showed the headband in his hand to Naruko as a sign of a goodbye which caused a bright smile to replace her confused one "see you soon Teme!" she shouted while waving franticly.
This action caused a smile to appear on sasuke's face as he tightened his grip on the headband and thought to himself 'when I come back Naruko, I wonder if….'
A year has passed after that, many things had changed the village had been re-build in a more modern styles, the villager's interactions with Naruko since now she is worshipped for she is their 'dear saviour angel' and the fact that everybody was surprised with the way that Naruko blossomed since at 18 her features softened as she loosed all her baby fat, her whiskers marks became thinner, barely noticeable her body became that of a full grown woman that made all ger female friends jealous, to everyone's surprise she let go of her orange jumpsuit to replace it with black tight shorts and a one shoulder off black haori that reach her thighs and back ninja boots. The only things that didn't change are her wide and inviting beautiful cerulean blue eyes that made many hearts melt and her long shiny wavy blond hair that now free from it's usual pigtails reached the end of her back. To say the least Naruko became the epitome of beauty of Konoha and with her kindness, feistiness and her cheerful personality, it wasn't a surprise to her friends that she gained a huge group of fanboys, even if said girl was completely obvious to it, to her friends' exasperation at her obviousness. But they thought it was better like that, since it would make a certain Uchiha would come back, since they all could shudder at the thought of his reaction if he came back to the sight of Naruko in the arms of another man. They all knew of Sasuke's deep attachment to Naruko since team 7 days. Even Sakura and Ino who were so into him, knew where to give up since Sasuke never gazed at another girl, screech that, at another person the way he gazed at Naruko, it was as if she was his salvation and the 8th wonder of the word, always with that special look. But there is no need to say that Naruko was completely obvious to it, they let out another sigh at the thought of the girl, even though the unquestionable generosity and kindness of Naruko, sometimes her obviousness could be quite cruel. But they could not completely blame her for that, she grew up alone without parent's interaction and in that she didn't learn about romance and with sasuke lack of words, it's no surprise that they will take a while to get together.
Naruko was completely obvious to her friend's train of thoughts, she was wondering if sasuke was ok and if he ever would come back, but she quickly shook her head claiming that she won't be selfish into forcing him to come back now that he is serene.
As she was walking into the outskirts of the village to get some air from the village, she saw a blinding light before everything turn black to her and she disappeared from the forest.
On the other side of the country, Sasuke stopped dead on his tracks as he felt like something got punched on his chest. He touched the place where it hurt and noticed the moon mark that he received from the sage of six path along with the sun one to Naruko to represent their bond, itching.
The last thing he muttered urgently before he vanished as he rushed to Konoha while muttering 'please be alright' the headband he received from Naruko being held tight in his hand.