"I am Home''
"This will be Sasuke's first visit after he left the village for his atonement. "
Naruto's words constantly popped up into her mind impairing her concentration.
"Sakura san, you have already made a report for this patient. You are supposed to write for that patient", a subordinate of hers said as she pointed towards a file.
"Oh! I am so sorry", Sakura said.
"Sakura san, you look a little distracted. Is everything all right?"
"Of course! Everything's fine, Sakura chuckled. Sorry for spacing out during my work, actually, I am just a little excited!"
"Huh? Excited? About what?"
"Ah… "It's nothing important"
"I apologize for asking so many questions, Sakura san."
"You don't need to apologize. C'mon now, let's get back to work!" , Sakura said cheerfully.
Sakura completed her work by dusk and walked towards her home, humming a melodious tune. She looked happy and full of energy. The sun had almost disappeared and the sky was turning dark, a mix of blue and purple. The moon was now faintly visible. Sakura walked towards her home while admiring the alluring beauty of the nature.
…...The next day….
Sakura woke up unusually early that day. She decided to have a walk around the village, since that would help her to control her desperation. She saw a shinobi heading towards her direction.
Sakura, said Sai, Its Sasuke. He's reached the village.
Hearing that, she could no longer hide her zeal.
"That's the best thing you could ever tell me", she literally yelled at Sai and ran past him towards the direction of the hokage building.
As she reached the building, she saw a very familiar figure, all covered in black, standing along a nearby tree.
"Sasuke Kun!"She ran and stood before him. She felt her cheeks burn as a visible blush appeared on her face. She looked into his mismatched eyes with a large smile on her face.
"Sakura, why are you always so excited to see me?" Sasuke said nonchalantly.
"Huh? Sasuke Kun, what kind of question is this. Of course I am excited to see you because I love you", Sakura said as the blush grew darker.
"Sakura, Forget about me. You will not get anything if you follow me."
"Sasuke Kun? What's wron-?"
"Let's not meet again." He diverted his gaze from her.
Sakura was about to question further, but before she could speak anything, Sasuke disappeared into thin air. His flashing speed and space time ninjustsu could be troublesome.
I am so sorry Sakura. But I think there's no point in continuing our relationship. I am sorry.
Sakura stood there, dumbstruck as she stared at the tree in front of her. She felt her cheeks turn hot as tears rolled over her cheeks.
…...
Sakura Chan! Naruto yelled as he waved at her from some distance.
Sakura didn't respond. She simply stood there and looked at Naruto.
Naruto approached her and asked, did you meet that damned Sasuke? He visited the village today and he didn't even bother to meet me! He just reported whatever he wanted to and left. Such a brief visit! Why did he even come here!
Sakura looked at him and mumbled, want to know how my meeting with Sasuke went?
Naruto sensed the tension in the air. What's wrong, he asked slowly.
They went to a nearby park and sat on a bench. Sakura told him everything that happened. She somehow managed to hold back her tears.
How could he say that! Naruto yelled as he stood up from the bench. Don't you worry, I will find him and kick in some sense into him, he said as his hands curled into fists.
"Naruto, I know you are concerned about me but please let me settle this issue with him myself."
Naruto looked at her with empathetic eyes, I understand Sakura chan. I will leave it to you…. But make sure you bring back his senses! He yelled the last part with a wide grin on his face.
Sakura smiled at him. Thank you so much, Naruto.
…..The next day…..
"Understood, Kakashi sensei."
Fine, then you can leave for the mission immediately, said the silver-haired hokage.
She nodded and left the room. Within next few minutes, she was done with her preparations and left for the mission. The mission was simple; collect the required medicinal herbs for the hospital, but the forest from where the herbs were to be collected was located at quite a distance. It took one entire day for Sakura to reach the forest.
She scrutinized the area looking for the required herbs. Within half a day, she found out almost everything she needed and was ready to depart. But she sensed someone close to her. She walked a few steps ahead and saw a raven haired shinobi sleeping soundly, with his back resting against a tree trunk.
Sakura stared at him for quite a while. Before she could take another step, he suddenly woke up.
What is Sakura doing here?
Was he even sleeping on guard? Sakura thought
Sasuke Kun, Sakura said.
Sasuke got up and turned back to walk away from Sakura but Sakura stopped him.
"Sasuke Kun, please don't go! And don't use any jutsu to escape. I need to talk to you. Please, please talk to me. Please Sasuke Kun!"
Sasuke stopped and looked into her kitten green eyes.
"What is it, Sakura?"
"Sasuke Kun, why don't you want to see me? You like me don't you? Are you betraying me? Are you betraying all of us again?"
"No. I am not."
"Then why won't you talk to me! Have I done something wrong?"
No. You haven't done anything wrong, he spoke with an inscrutable expression on his face.
Then why you won't talk to me, Sakura said as she raised her voice a little higher.
Sasuke stayed quit and diverted his gaze from her. Sakura moved towards him, placed her hands on his shoulders and shook him a little harshly.
I asked something! Answer me! Talk to me! , Sakura said in a tone filled with aggression. Sasuke didn't flinch. He simply stood there and looked at her.
Sakura's expressions softened again and she cooled down a bit. She let out a deep sigh.
"I have always admired you, Sasuke kun. Ever since we were genins…. I was so happy to be in the same team as you. But you never paid me any heed. And then you left the village… You left me all alone….But I never forgot about you. No matter what you did, I always loved you. There was not even a single day when I did not think about you. And…. I will always love you even now… Even-"
Sakura, said Sasuke, his face was covered with a mixed expression of sadness and guilt. "I am sorry for abandoning the village that day….. I-I really liked you back then…but I was so obsessed with my ambition to kill Itachi that I ignored my feelings…. I ignored you… I am sorry for all the trouble I gave you… I am sorry for being consumed by hatred and revenge… I am sorry for trying to kill you…I am sorry for joining the Akatsuki… I am sorry for fighting with Naruto…. I am so sorry so for making you wait all the time… for giving you so much pain… I am sorry for everything… I am sorry…"
"Sasuke Kun! Forget about the past already. But why, why are you ignoring me nowadays?!"
"Sakura… I have left the village for the redemption of my sins and I am not sure when I will return. We can't be together… You would be left alone…Its better if you forget me.. You deserve someone much better than me… You must marry someone else in the village and live a normal life…"
"Sasuke Kun! How could you say that! I can't be happy without you! There's no point in leaving you! I don't understand you at all….You are so enigmatic!... I can wait for you...forever…"
Forever, huh?
Sakura, Sasuke said as his eyes widened a little," I will hardly be at the village at all."
"I am fine with it, Sakura said while directly looking into his eyes."
"Maybe we will not even see each other for years….."
''I will always wait."
"Some villagers may still think of me as a traitor, they may hate you for being with me…"
"I don't care."
"It will be difficult. You will regret it later."
"I won't"
Sakura quickly embraced Sasuke to hide her tears and her red- turned cheeks. Sasuke wrapped his only arm around her waist.
I always end up troubling you. I am so sorry Sakura. I again tried to leave you alone.
Stop apologizing already! And you know, Sakura tried to speak cheerfully as she lightened the atmosphere, everyone in the village is dating. She continued as she giggled lightly, Sai and Ino, Shikamaru and Temari, Naruto and Hinata. Seeing all these couples together makes me feel a little jealous.
Sakura tightened her arms around Sasuke.
"I see. Sorry for not being with you."
She's cute when she's jealous.
"You know Naruto and Hinata are planning to get married soon, and Oh! Naruto was whining that you didn't even meet him when you visited the village day before yesterday," Sakura chuckled.
"I see."
"And you will have to at least come to the village for our wedding!"
"Wedding?"
"What wedding? Don't tell me you are planning not to marry me," she said as she looked up at him.
"Of course, I will marry you.", Sasuke shifted his gaze to the ground and a slight blush colored his face.
A tinge of pink appeared on her cheeks and a large grin appeared on her face.
"Sakura, I suppose you were on a mission. You should go back to the village now."
"Umm huh… Sasuke Kun, I love you so much…."
…...
"I love you too", Sasuke thought to himself as a subtle smile appeared on his face.
"You seem happy."
Sasuke quickly turned back to see who was interrupting him with his thoughts.
"Why are you here, looser?" Sasuke said as he got up from the tree branch.
"You sent a message that you would return so I am here to pick you up," said the blonde hokage.
"I can come on my own, idiot."
"Come on now tell me Sasuke! Why were you smiling?"
"I was remembering some old days." He said as he looked at him with his visible eye.
"Huh?"
"And now, you get lost."
Sasuke threw a kunai at Naruto since he knew it was not the real him.
The clone of the seventh hokage disappeared into a puff of smoke.
He reached the village by the next morning. The entire village was lit with the golden light of dawn. He went past village gates and walked towards his home. He knew he was not only going to see Sakura but his daughter, Sarada as well.
Last time when I saw Sarada she was a puny baby. She was so squishy and pudgy. She was really cute. I wonder how she has grown up. Does she resemble me or Sakura? How old she must be now? And Sakura….I hope she's the same. The Sakura I know, The Sakura I love.
He reached his home. He stood before the door and knocked it. His face showed a dead panned expression but who knows how thrilled and excited he was from the inside at that moment. He could hear some footsteps approaching and he knew it was Sakura.
As the door opened, Sasuke gently prodded her forehead and said"I'm Home."