"Your presences still linger here..."

A dark chill ran down his spine causing his whole body to shiver even though there wasn't even a wisp of wind in the summer sky which was painted in a collage of reds, oranges and purples. "Scary, isn't it? How could someone be so cruel?"

Naruto turned his head to the side and gave the person next to him a sideways glace, the voice- soft but rough, angry but calm, cold but warm, it echoed through his head. "Your presences still lingers here" No one else seemed to hear it, and in fear of being called crazy he kept his mouth shut, putting it down as his mind just playing games with him. Like after watching a scary movie and one would lye awake in bed for hours expecting the creature from the movie to suddenly appear.

"Yeah, but sad."

The girl nodded, her eyes transfixed on the statue in front of them, "That's true," she agreed, slightly nodding her head of bubblegum pink hair. Taking a step forward she ran a delicate finger over the engraving on the tombstone at the foot of the statue. Tracing the linking letters lightly as if a feather-light touch would break the antique statue. "I can't imagine living like that," Sakura sighed her eyes closed, "Being only a child, then having you're brother go on a rampage and kill your parents right in front of your eyes while you were powerless to stop it. Then him leaving you to suffer in your loneliness and become a avenger. You're only mission in life- to kill your own brother."

The statue was a figure of a male, around six-foot two. the mid-twenties man's narrow eyes were downcast, as it he was watching anyone that approached his grave. A long black coat covered his whole body and the hood only stopped just above his eyebrow, casting a shadow over his eyes. A sadist smirk was carved onto his lips. Unlike the other statues, this man didn't look happy. No angel wings were sprouted from his back, his hands weren't placed together in prayer. He just stood there, the only thing that reminded the world that he really did exist. And that life wasn't all it's cracked up to be, for he died before he could take his revenge on his brother.

Every time Sakura and Naruto went down to the Kohana graveyard, it was tradition to stop at Uchiha Sasukes' grave and pay their respect. Since no one else was ever seen approaching the site and Sasuke had been alone in his living life, and it just made them feel better to know that they're watching over his grave when he was no longer among the living. It was back in the 1600's that Sasuke existed along with the Uchiha clan, but now- they were extent. No living relatives were ever found- so the sorrow-filled tale was left without a proper ending.

Bending down with Sakura, they both sent a quick prayer to Sasuke- wherever he was and placed a single red rose on the grave.

A red rose means remember.

There was always silence as they walked away from the grave and out of the graveyard. Neither of them wanted to talk in fear of breaking a wordless spell. Minds in other places the friends drifted back to Naruto's small apartment. Even before they opened the door, the booming of loud music could be heard from inside. The peace was lost, like a leaf scattered in the wind. The mood was shattered like a rock hitting glass, but still even as the graveyard wasn't the main topic going through their mind- it was still there. Like on a stormy night where thick black clouds would sail across the sky and cover the once bright moon. You couldn't see it, you couldn't speak it- but you still know that it's there. And it's not until the wind blows and the clouds shift that the orb of light arises to the surface.

"Welcome back!" called from inside the house as Naruto opened the door. There appeared to be a party going on and no one had told him. He just smiled, nodded his head at the "hello's," stole Kiba's beer and plonked himself down on the couch, throwing his arm lazily around Hinata and Ino's shoulders.

"Where you guys been?" Kiba asked, glaring over at Naruto as he slumped over to the fridge and withdrew two more beers, one for himself and one which he tossed to Sakura who had planted herself on one of the spare lazy boys.

"Graveyard," came the suttle answer from Sakura as she took a greedily slug of her beer. One would expect her to be all posh and girly-girl, but in reality she was stronger than some of the boys in the room- and that was saying a lot.

"Why'd you go there?" The question came from a silent red head over in the corner- leaning over a table with his hands clutching cards and Shikamaru sat opposite me. Gaara's eyes hadn't left the card game, but they all knew that he was the one that asked the question.

"To go see Sasuke," was the matter-of-factly answer from Naruto, sinking into the couch his arms still comfortable across the girls shoulders, not in a 'player' fashion but one of a deep friendship since they'd all practically know each other since Primary.

"That creepy statue about that dude who's brother went psycho?" Kiba asked, his voice holding disbelief. He was strongly superstitious and wouldn't dare stand with a certain space around the grave site in fear of being cursed from old magic.

"Bingo."

"Ugh, why would you want to go there, it's so creepy!" this time Ino spoke up, her voice holding the same disbelief as Kiba's. She was a bit more female than Sakura, for she had a bottle of Vodka Cruise in her hand- a more stereotypically female drink.

"To pay their respects. It is a sad tale. Fate was unfair for Sasuke. How would you like it if everyone you loved was killed, and before you could even seek your revenge on the murder you died. Then years later no one remembered you. You were just forgotten." Neji was the smartest of the group, he sat beside Hinata, her half within his gentle grasp. Hinata and Neji are cousins, but their relationship was a lot stronger than just that. The group respected their relationship and never uttered a word of negative feeling towards it.

"I suppose so," Kiba muttered, not wanting to argue with the eldest one in fear of getting into a heated debate- which he learnt last time, he stood no chance of winning.

The night went on as per usual, everyone got pissed and ended up comatosed out in the apartment. Naruto thought nothing of it. Each week they all took turns on turning their apartments into half way houses and that's how it's been since they all got jobs and moved out of home.

Naruto was the last one to fall asleep, sprawled out on the couch- which he claimed to himself by kicking or biting anyone who came near it while in his drunken state. He was just loosing consciousness of his boy when he turned his head a inch and saw a figure standing in his lounge, blood red eyes glared at him from under the shade of the coat that cloaked his body.

And with the blink of an eye the figure vanished.