Chapter One

"The Song of Midnight Cried Out"

It was about three years since the events of the Fourth Great Shinobi War, three years since Uchiha Sasuke had returned to the village and everything had seemed to return to a certain normalcy. The village had been redone from the ground up and the people had gone back to the same old routine. Even the old Team 7 had fallen back into the same old routine, the routine that had been destroyed six years ago had been returned to normalcy. However not everything was the same.

No longer was there that solid foundation that was Neji amongst the former teammates. His wisdom, hopes and dreams had passed down to Hinata and Naruto during his passing in the war. The new member that had joined their ranks three years ago, Sai, was still amongst them, and had never been so alive before. With great loss yet great gain, the shinobi world went on, recovered from the war and went on towards full recovery. The village leaders began discussing peace instead of war and the shinobi of the world became cleaning up the last remnants of whatever was left of the great catastrophe of the war.

One of those missions was given to the team, minus one. Sai was assigned to a different task while Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke went out to clean up some messes that were left behind. Enemy ninja that sought to bring back the anarchy caused by Obito, Madara and Pain. Of course, this mission would not have been a proper mission if the two boys didn't start a fight.

The walk home, back to the Leaf, consisted of yelling between the blonde jinchuuriki and the raven haired Uchiha. "Are you kidding me, you are an idiot!" Naruto yelled.

"What are you talking about, moron! It was clearly your fault." Sasuke snapped back. The nineteen years old now act worse than they did at the age of twelve. The sight made Sakura sigh, however the audible sound from the pink haired kunoichi did not stop them from going on into a complete rage between one another.

They entered the gates and the fight whether Naruto or Sasuke where the ones to defeat the most enemy ninja raged on Naruto who swore he took down ten when Sasuke insisted that it was only nine, the same number as himself. After a few steps into the village, Sakura grasped their shoulders and shoved them apart. "Why don't we put this matter aside and go to our usual spot?" She questioned removing her hands from the shoulders of the boys and removing her gloves. Naruto just from her touch was sweating bullets of fear; it hadn't been long since Sakura's last abuse that had not ceased even with Sasuke's return. Sasuke however, lightly snickered at her authoritarian domineer, amused that the girl who was once so weak had grown to be so fearless. For him, it was truly a sight to see.

The three made their way there and found their way to a small quant tea house that they made into a hangout along with Sai. They took their usual seat. Sasuke sat at the booth against the wall, so he could lean his head back. Sakura sat beside him on the book and left Naruto in the seat across from them. They were all dressed similarly considering they had all made it to jounin level, blue turtleneck, green vest, blue pants and blue shinobi sandals. Sasuke, however, began to undo the green vest, exhausted and feeling slightly like he was suffocating. Once his hand was free Sakura took the opportunity and laid her hand on top of his.

"How's Hinata?" Sasuke asked. Naruto and Hinata had been together since the war ended and just the mention of her name caused Naruto to smile like an idiot or, as Sasuke said, more of an idiot than usual.

"She's amazing and fantastic." He said as he envisioned her in his mind and nearly melted, just with that simple image. How he had come to love her and adore her. The perfect girl for him was right before his face and never even realized it. The three years that had bloomed between them where always filled with something new and exciting as the two found equilibrium and happiness in each other. "How about you two? How is living together?"

"Well you live with Hinata so I assume you can guess, Naruto." Sakura nearly snapped with the same fire that always pumped in her veins.

"Geez, Sakura, you are too harsh." Naruto replied. She had always been uptight and defensive around him and when Sasuke came back it became twice as worse, but Naruto saw this coming. She trying to keep an impression on him and by her own right. Ever since Sasuke had come back, grown and matured from his prepubescent, angst years he had become the man all women wanted. Not only was Sasuke the last Uchiha but he was also a hero of the war and the best friend of the victor of the war. All this came with an extreme outcome of women who wanted this young Uchiha, tenfold what he went through as a child. The silent types, the words of Shikamaru echoed in Naruto's head as he watched women through themselves at the Uchiha. Women were still one of the areas that Naruto failed in comparison to Sasuke. Whereas, Naruto took this as the rekindling of their old rivalry, Sakura took this as a step onto her territory as a woman. She was nearly appalled by these women and was so glad that Sasuke was gentleman enough to keep his honor to her, even when they were sixteen and the hormones raged wilder than the greatest animal stampede.

As Naruto shrunk underneath Sakura's intense gaze, the waitress came by and they all noticed that she was new. She was not the usual staff but still wearing the blue skirt and white top that all waitresses had, her curly black hair was tied back in a pony tail. She held a tray with a note pad on it. "Good afternoon, may I take your order?" She asked.

"Eh, two cups of Gyokuro, one mild, and one cup of Kukicha, make that one strong." The waitress jotted down as Naruto spoke since he had the orders memorized after ordering them so many times. If it had been another waiter or waitress the question would have been different. 'The usual?' was typically the question they were asked in this small tea house that they visited so frequently.

The waitress looked up from the pad and smiled. "They'll be right out, is there anything else?" She asked.

Sasuke slumped down uninterested and Sakura looked over at him. "No, thanks!" Naruto said.

"Be back in a few minutes." With that the waitress went off.

"New girl." Naruto said.

"Yeah," Sakura said looking back at Naruto. "Do you think Sai will be here?" She asked.

"Of course!" Naruto replied with a smile.

This was the place where they had spent their time after the war, getting reacquainted with each other. They learned again of each other's likes, dislikes and dreams. And yes, this time for Sasuke it was a dream, it was not the same response he had given six years ago. The dream wasn't the same for Naruto either. They both had actual likes and dislikes, for an example, Sasuke had learned to state that he didn't like sweets and that he loved a good sword fight, and the best one he had had was with Killer Bee, the Gyuki jinchuuriki. Naruto was able to say that he liked ice cream more than any other dessert and disliked doing the laundry more than anything, he always ruins clothing. The boys had changed and grew beyond comparison. They were no longer boys but men, men who had learned of the world and its pains and aches yet also learned of its joys and virtues. All this progress was due to the power of speech, none had known of its healing capabilities like the Konaha 11 and Team Guy as they grew closer together after the war.

A moment of slight chatter and the waitress came back with their drinks. "The mild Gyokuro? " She asked and Sakura lifted her hand slightly and the waitress set the cup down in front of her. "The regular Gyokuro?" Naruto made the same gesture and the cup was placed in front of him. "So, this must be yours." The waitress picked up the Kukicha and placed it in front of Sasuke. "Enjoy." She said and went off.

Naruto raised his cup and they toasted to a mission well done. After a long time, the conversation ended up to the future, mostly the restoration of the clan. If Sasuke hadn't mastered that impermeable poker face, he would have cringed. He hadn't thought about the topic since he decided to massacre the elders of Konaha. "I'll think about it when the time comes." He simply said. Sakura squeezed his hand slightly and Sasuke smirked, "Don't worry." He told her, and as if on cue, Sai entered the tea house.

"Sai!" Sakura said. Naruto turned and smiled at him.

"I assume the mission was a success?" He asked.

"What did you expect?" Naruto beamed.

The hours passed without their knowledge. Lost in bliss, their laughter filled the tea house and even when the three rounds of tea and a good afternoon snack had ended it still felt like it wasn't enough, like there should have been more to say or do. However, it was nearly nine in the evening and Naruto knew he had to return to his apartment.

Sasuke sighed at that. "He's right; we should call it a night." He said and stood, zipping up his vest.

Naruto stood next and stretched his arms out into the air. Sakura and Sai stood next and Sakura called for the waitress. "The bill?" Sakura asked. The girl nodded and pulled a receipt from her pocket in the skirt and handed it to Sakura. They paid, leaving the money on the table along with a tip and left the tea house and said their good-byes.

Sakura and Sasuke had a silent journey back to their shared apartment. They got in and Sasuke immediately dropped into bed. "Are you going to go to sleep already?" Sakura asked.

"Why?" He replied, his tone very flat.

"Well, it's only nine."

"Is there anything to do?"

"No, but-"

"Then yes, I'm sleeping." Sakura was shocked by that response.

While Sasuke quickly allowed himself to drift to sleep she thought as to why he had maintained a certain level of detachment from her. Even though all the wrongs in his life had been righted his attitude had not changed much, only his outlook on life. The only person that he had truly opened too was Naruto and their relationship had blossomed more than ever before. The two men where nearly inseparable since the war, back to brothers in arms with a greater bond than a blood bond. It upset her that she could not outdo that relationship as his significant other.

Perhaps, she thought, it was his need for silence that had keep their distance. Where Sakura doesn't mind noise and liveliness in the house, he did. He hated the neighbors whenever they were noisy and said that it was indecent. He would come home, not talk and sit down and read or leave to train on his own. Solitude, this endless solitude that she, as his partner, could not make him release. It was this need for solitude that kept them so distant.

Sakura didn't know what to do anymore, in the house now filled with silence the only thing left to do was sit and watch the Uchiha sleep, wondering when their silence would end.


"And from that day on, I've truly…"

"Yes, of course, coming right up." The new, young waitress said and left the men to themselves. It was the middle of the week, but regardless of that it was the boys day out. Why? Because it was the day the girls went out and because the girls did not claim the café that week, the men came up and snatched it for their own. Naruto, Sasuke, Sai, Shino, Kiba, Shikamaru, Choji and Lee were all at a table at the tea house. "So where did the girls go tonight?" Kiba asked.

"Something about the new grill…" Sasuke replied.

This grabbed the attention of one man eating a snack amongst the group, "The new grill?! There is a new grill?" Choji asked.

Naruto smirked. "Hey! We could always call it for next week!" He piped.

The boys chuckled at that. "How are you all contending with your lives?" Sai asked.

The same generic answer of 'great!' or 'amazing!' was heard throughout the circle until they reached Sasuke. "Boring." He had started. "Whenever I am out, for an example in this place with you seven or when I am just with Naruto, I am fine. When I get home, I find myself with no desire to do anything. I go home and sleep."

"Is it Sakura?" Naruto asked.

"I suppose. Her and I want two different things. She's more lively than I am." He shrugged.

"You can't keep up with her?" Kiba asked.

"I don't want to." Sasuke replied.

Naruto leaned forward towards Sasuke. "Are you going to break up with her?" He asked.

There was a tense silence in the air. "I might." He said. "I just… I don't see a future with her. I don't see… my dream when I look at her… my eyes see nothingness." He said. "She is my friend, but… not my…"

"Not the one?" Sai asked.

"Not the one." Sasuke confirmed.

Naruto sighed and leaned back. "Poor Sakura." Lee said.

"None of us will say a word, Ninja's Honor." Choji said. Those last two words made Sasuke smirk a bit.

"Good luck to you, Sasuke." Shino commented and they all toasted to these new difficulties of adulthood and the changes it would from there on bring forth.

When Sasuke went home that night Sakura was already there staring out their balcony's glass doors from their bed that was right beside it. "It's late." Sasuke commented.

"I wanted to talk." Sakura said and Sasuke nearly sighed.

"I do as well. You can go ahead." Sasuke said, allowing her to speak first.

Sakura sighed, "I don't feel like how we used to when we were younger. I think that… this relationship has lost its spark."

Sasuke looked right at her. "I believe the same thing." They stared at each other for a long time, neither wanting to say the words. "We should end this…"

"And if we decide that ending it is a mistake?" She asked.

"We'll find our way back here, I suppose… and we'll take it all back." He said and Sakura chuckled and nodded. "I'll leave the apartment tomorrow, if you would permit me to stay the night?"

"Yeah! Of course, Sasuke we are still friends and teammates. Um, this shouldn't come between that first bond we had." Sakura said and smiled.

Sasuke nodded and smiled back at her. "Yeah, thank you." He said.


"After the twilight turned a translucent red"

"Eeeeeh!" Naruto shouted into the air. Hinata, panicked from the other room and rushed into the kitchen, where Naruto and Sasuke were talking at the table. Sasuke had his eyes closed with a solemn look on his face. "You mean to tell me it was mutual?!" Hinata sighed realizing that there was no need for alarm and stood at the doorway.

"Yes, Naruto." Sasuke replied, his eyes still closed.

Naruto leaned back in his seat. "I would have never expected that! She's been trying to get you since we were twelve and now she just lets you go." Naruto muttered. Sasuke chuckled slightly at that. Naruto's eyes widened and looked over at the raven haired man. "What's funny?"

"Nothing…" Sasuke said and looked over into Naruto's face who looked like he was ready to call bullshit. "We are growing up more."

Naruto cringed at that, "What are you going to do?" he asked.

"Well I've found an apartment, not far from here… so nothing. Life continues normally. Sakura and I are still friends and everything will continue as it was." Sasuke replied.

"Wow… man." Naruto said and ran his hand through his blonde locks.


"The stars lay in the sky and played their twinkling sounds."

Sasuke had left Naruto's later in the afternoon and had gone to the small café in order to fill out some paperwork for the new apartment. He was deeply buried into his work when he heard a cup being placed down in front of him. Barely lifting his head, he saw the new waitress. "Anything after eleven is on the house." She said.

He straightened his neck and back, so he was sitting up straight only then did he realize how sore he was. "What time is it?" He asked.

"Five minutes after eleven." She whispered. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Would you like to eat something? You haven't eaten in hours."

He nodded at her. "Please." When she went off Sasuke rested back and took a sip of tea. He pulled it away from his lips and noticed it was the tea he usually got. He cocked and eyebrow and figured, a fan. He rested back and continued to sip his tea and glancing over his papers. When the girl came back she set a plate with three rice balls in front of him.

"Thank you for the tea, it's exactly what I order." He said, being polite.

The new waitress chuckled. "The boss said that was your usual order."

"Oh?"

She looked up at him, right into his eyes with her large brown eyes confused. "Oh?"

"I thought you knew the order." He said taking another sip.

"Why would I, sir?" she asked.

Sasuke looked at her, keeping the cup at his lips. "Uchiha Sasuke." He simply said.

The waitress's loose curls seemed to tighten slightly and her brown eyes widened. One of her hands let go of the round metal tray and extended forward. "Kobayashi Akina- just Akina- I mean – it's an honor." She said, stumbling over her words. "Thank you for what you've done for the village. I had no idea." She said, managing two full sentences.

Sasuke put the cup of tea down and shook her hand. "Hello, Akina."