"No, I'll be fine," She says, flashing a brilliant smile.
Ino raises an eyebrow.
"Honestly."
With a shrug the blonde turns around and slams the flower shop door closed. Sakura picks up her bags, and when she straightens she sees yellow and blue pressed against the window, watching.
She rolls her eyes and walks home.
It's a pale yellow house, a simple house, near the Hokage tower and a convenient fifteen minutes' walk from the hospital. The paint job was finished last Tuesday and it makes her smile every time.
Not today.
Sasuke was found dead last night.
Drowned himself.
The door swings open.
Sakura drops her groceries at the foot of the fridge. There was no point, not anymore, in stashing the food away.
She wasn't going to eat it anyways.
With a click the door shuts again, and Sakura is back outside.
It's a sunny day, not entirely cloudless, but close. The streets are clean swept; all gray asphalt and beige sidewalks.
Sakura follows it east.
The Hokage's tower is busy, even on Sunday. But Naruto won't be inside.
He'll be at home, staring at the ceiling.
Naruto's home is the dismal, semi-abandoned building at the corner of the street. He refuses to sleep in the Hokage Tower. Says it stinks of sake.
Sakura thinks he just likes to cuddle with his memories.
She stands in front of the building, glancing up. It's silent around here. The metal door swings open easily, and she makes her way up seven flights of stairs.
Room 738.
She has his key, and she fiddles with it, but ends up stowing it back into her pocket.
She takes a seat, outside his door.
Night falls.
He's still inside, and she's still outside, and they're all thinking of the one who's up there. Or down there, for that matter.
The stars come out. It's a clear night.
Without a word she stands back up, looks at the black door, and then walks back down the stairs. Swings open the metal door. Walks west.
And west.
And west.
There's a little cape around here. Nameless. Beautiful. It's drafty here at night, but it's pretty and sandy and the waves lap gently.
But it's deep.
Sakura rubs her eyes.
Steps forward.
Without hesitation she steps one foot into the water. Moonlight, starlight, heavenlight on face. Fearless.
And when her shadow ripples back to shore she's gone.
On the other side.
Life goes on.
Ino sighs. She misses her.
Oh well.
She was gone.
The yellow house was painted a lovely forest green, the white shutters a dark plum. Ino marries, her friends die, some others quit the shinobi life. It's not the best life to lead.
Shikamaru is a good friend to have. They have coffee every Friday, and eat lunch at a nearby cafe on work days. Talk about life. And death.
He draws absentmindedly on his tray, and then says, "I feel sorry for Naruto."
Ino closes her eyes. It's painful. She wishes they were genin and fighting, together. "It's been more than a year. He's moving on."
Shikamaru gives her a look, quick and quiet. "He is. He's a good Hokage."
"Yeah," she agrees, softly. Then says, "You know what? I think Sakura was stupid."
When he doesn't reply she slants a gaze at him.
"Maybe she was, maybe she wasn't."
"She didn't have to kill herself. Not for him. I don't understand."
"You don't have to."
"But I want to."
Shikamaru is silent. He sweeps his trash onto his tray, gives Ino a one-armed hug, and leaves. "Can't help you there."
Kakashi drinks his tea alone. He doesn't talk much. He never had, and he never will.
He's a veteran shinobi and deserves his peace and quiet.
But honestly, Kakashi doesn't like it.
Naruto doesn't pay him visits much anymore. And no more Sakura. No more Sasuke. No more Rin. Obito. Jiraiya. The list goes on.
It's pretty depressing.
Konoha's a good place to be. Gray asphalt and beige sidewalks, cleanly swept. A peaceful place. No more wars. No massacres.
The green house still stands, with pretty purple shutters.