Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto at all. If I did, Sasuke would have came back a long time ago and realised he loved Sakura, get married and they could start rebuilding the Uchiha clan together. And Naruto would realize Hinata's feelings for him and they too could get married. Oh, Masashi Kishimoto

Quick heads up: the start of this is probably quite boring but once you get to chapter 3/4 the action kicks in so hang around until then, please :)

Chapter 1

The Dreamer

I once thought that I would live an amazing life full of adventure. I would live a life of wonder. I once dreamed that I would travel the world, see new things, meet new people that I would grow attached to. I dreamt that I would fall in love with a Prince who would sweep me off my feet like they did in fairytales and we would ride off into the sunset on a majestic white horse. My dreams, however, were to be short-lived with parents like mine. Nothing that I dreamed was to be expected when I was living in Konoha, just as Hiruzen Sarutobi had come into power. Women weren't expected to have dreams. They didn't have to have dreams - our futures were already set in place.

Who would have ever thought that young Sakura Haruno's dreams would ever come true? I most surely did not. But fate and destiny seemed to play out in such strange, wondrous ways and my dreams would come true one day. Not to the exact detail, and not in the exact way I would have hoped, but they came true, alright. Almost all of my dreams came true.

It started off as a beautiful day, a day so beautiful that it was like God had decided to postpone Autumn for just a while longer, and it was more than perfect for that afternoon. A fervent sun blazed in the sky, no clouds visible in my line of sight - unexpected weather for the remaining days of September. There were leaves drifting through the lukewarm air like birds as they nested themselves in my hair. I fussed with the violin case in my grip as I lifted my hand to brush them out of my tousled locks. (My mother would have killed me if she had seen me in such a 'messy and unkempt' state. I couldn't find a husband looking like that, as per her words.) I felt a sudden burst of warmth travel across my skin as I watched them scatter across the path, crunching under my feet as our trio passed through, and I could faintly sense the scent of dumplings infused in the air. My nose tingled and my stomach grumbled in hunger while I passively noticed Temari and Tenten giggling over something that Temari had relayed to the both of us in my brief moment of distraction.

I'd just endured a 2 hour long violin lesson with Ebisu sensei, courtesy of my mother, and a break was highly needed and deserved. Ebisu sensei was most definitely the source of all of my problems in the world and there was no way I could withstand another lesson with the man. He was once a musical prodigy, I had heard from my mother, who had once travelled the world with an orchestra that had only contained the best musicians the world had ever seen and would only play in the biggest and best arenas in the world for the most important of people from royals to politicians, actors to Lords. Perhaps he may have been like that once but those times had passed and he was now a 50 year old teacher to future violin prodigies. He had been my mother's teacher and she too could have been like he had, a successful musician, but my grandfather had never allowed her, and instead of travelling country to country, she had been married to my father at the mere age of 19. She decided her daughter would be the best person to ever exceed her excellence, her daughter could be the only one who could carry on the dreams that she once had.

I couldn't tell her that there was no hope for me in the profession and even Ebisu sensei would have been unable to tell her. She would have been too heartbroken if word had ever reached her ears that her daughter was unable to live the life she had once wished for herself. I couldn't play a single piece without making a mistake and mistakes were something that were completely unwanted. What use was there of playing a piece of music if it couldn't be played in perfection? And I didn't know if that was my fault or Ebisu sensei's. His presence had such a high element of distraction in it. His loud bellowing voice constantly roared and yelled instructions at me. There was an intimidating and angry quality within his eyes every moment I played as if he was trying to say, 'I'm so much better than you'. I didn't understand how my mother had enjoyed playing in his presence. I, most certainly, could not, and I couldn't ever.

"Miss Shizune is furious that you haven't been coming to class lately. She said if you don't come to her next dance lesson, she will hunt you down," Temari said urgently, a hint of sarcasm within her voice.

She glanced at her bag from the corner of her eye before pulling it closer to her and rummaging through the layers of fabric and various items in search of something particular. She sighed in relief as she pulled it out and urgently shoved the sheet of paper into my firm grasp as I scanned over the contents. The adamant tone of our teacher's words emphasised her anger at my sudden disappearance from attending her weekly classes. It couldn't have been helped or resolved however, no matter how much I wouldn't have liked to have admitted it.

"I'll try but you know how my mother is. She wants me to play the violin just like she did and find someone to marry before it's too late," I sighed.

My mother would have rather that I played that damned instrument with Ebisu sensei as my instructor than to have ever allowed me to dance in Miss Shizune's class. She had been furious when she had first heard from a friend of hers that I had been spotted in the class while I had abandoned my lesson with Ebisu sensei. I didn't know if it was because she wanted me to follow in her footsteps and go further than she ever had or if it was due to the fact that she had a severe dislike towards Miss Shizune because she was a foreigner from Korea who had married a politician's son. I presumed it was both. And for that very reason, I could never go back to Miss Shizune's class, whether I wanted to or not. Nobody cared what I wanted. I had to do what my parents had decided for me, that was how things worked in my world.

We continued through the streets of our small town, engaged in deep conversation of current points of interest and events occurring within the community, as our homes loomed closer and closer with each step that we took. I could do nothing but enjoy the little time I was able to spend with the girls, time that I couldn't take for granted. Those moments that we would spend walking back from the Arts Centre in town was the little freedom that I ever had. The rest of my day was kept in captivity, my family holding me prisoner in our home because it was unacceptable for a woman to roam the streets 'unattended'. I could do nothing but to trust their judgement and hope that it was the best for me, even if I thought otherwise.

This line of thought was wiped from my mind as panting became audible in the distance, my head turning curiously towards the sound as it grew louder and the source drew closer.

"Sounds like your lover is here. Shall we leave you two alone?" Tenten asked mockingly. I froze in my steps, eyes widening as I rotated in the opposite direction. Lee came into view, running over to us as the bag on his shoulder swung from side to side from a distance. I turned back to meet her eyes as I tried to plead with her to make her stay.

Our mothers were close friends, somewhat distant cousins as our maternal grandmothers were related, and Lee's mother always seemed to have brought him along with her when she decided to pay my mother a visit every second day. It had become a routine for them to come and sit in the parlour of our vast home or vice-versa, and while our mother's conversed and laughed over cups of tea and cakes, I was left to 'entertain' Lee. We were forced to become friends, which he enjoyed more than I did, and eventually lead almost everyone in town to believe that we were betrothed to each other, to my distaste. Yes, Lee may have been a nice boy, but I didn't feel anything like that towards him - I had no romantic interest in him and I wasn't worth the time to be pursued by any man. His aim could have been directed elsewhere, to someone who would have actually given him the time of day.

"Sakura … it's good that…you're here. I-I had… I had to ask you something," he panted as he reached my side, his words replaced by airy breaths. Crouching down, he pressed his hand against the cool gravel beneath our feet as he tried to recapture the oxygen into his lungs. The bag, which I assumed contained his schoolwork, slid down from his shoulder and came crashing down to his feet as the contents spilled out onto the cold ground. I heaved a sigh of frustration, rushing to his side as I scooped them into my hands and placed them back inside.

"Sakura, we need to go or my mother will be mad that I came home late." They lived close by each other and would be taking the same path. "We'll see you at the dance class tomorrow, right?" Temari immediately created an excuse, running her fingers through her hair as the strands were pulled from her face. That was if my mother could be convinced to allow me, and she wasn't one who could be easily convinced to change her mind. I nodded in response anyway, returning my gaze to Lee, who had lifted himself from the ground, as he watched me with frightened eyes.

I turned to him, trying to soften my features, and asked him in curiosity, "So what was it that you wanted to ask me?". His bright spheres widened and he looked at me strangely as waves of nausea and uneasiness washed over me. The sickness sat in the pit of my stomach.

"I wanted to know if I could escort you to the dance at my school tomorrow if no one else has asked you yet," he mumbled, his voice almost inaudible, that I struggled to understand what he had initially spoken. It took a few moments to understand his words and finally realise the invitation.

The yearly Summer Ball at the all boys school was the biggest social event in Konoha. The school, which hosted the sons of the most affluent of people, from politicians to army Generals, pulled out all the stops to ensure the night was a success for the boys who were likely to be leaving Konoha in the fall and go to university abroad. The dance was invitation only, the invitation in the form of being invited by one of the students to act as their date for the evening. Despite being 19, I'd never been asked, though I had always wanted to, but according to the others, it was a magical experience. I always thought I would have been able to meet my fairytale prince there.

"I don't know if my mother would let me," I responded, glancing down at my feet - though this was utterly and completely a lie.

Mother had first met father there, their eyes meeting as they passed each other in the ballroom. She would have been overcome with joy if news had arrived that I had been invited. Yet, I didn't feel it was in my place to go. I didn't feel like I could go there with Lee as if we were a couple and act like I was delighted to be there with him. I didn't feel like I could go there and act out a lie while Lee would think that I felt the same way that he did. Yes, it wasn't in my place to go. He deserved to be there with someone that actually wanted to be his date, not just his closest friend.

Lee was staring at me, his eyes pleading with mine as if he was subliminally trying to convince me to say yes. He hung his head down in embarrassment as he noticed the boredom in my face, the uninterested approach to his question. As he'd moved to Konoha only a few months ago, it was going to be his first summer dance. He didn't know many of the other girls yet and he obviously didn't want to go to his first ball alone. And as his friend, I wanted him to enjoy his evening, not spend it in envy of everyone else who had someone to spend it with.

"I'd be honoured to go with you," I replied, feeling somewhat guilty towards him and myself, as he raised his head in surprise.

"Really? Thank you so much. I need to go get ready," He glanced down at his clothes before his eyes returned to meet mine, "I can't believe I'm going to the Summer Ball with the most beautiful girl in town!" he shouted in excitement. A ghost of a smile lingered across my lips, as he quickly sped off home, jumping in joy and leaping into the air in happiness.

"You look really beautiful tonight Sakura," Lee exclaimed in fascination, his eyes scanning leisurely over the features of my face and my attire for the evening.

My mother had requested that I looked my best for the formal event that evening. She had the maids secure my hair into a tight bun on top of my head, even if it meant tearing the hair out from the root as I sat back and tried to withstand the pain, with soft curls framing my face. They painted my lips with a luscious crimson and accentuated the shape of my eyes with a thick liner. My silk kimono, that my mother found in the back of my wardrobe whilst trying to find the perfect outfit, hung from my body like a second skin as the array of bright colours glistened under the diamonds of the chandeliers.

"Thank you," I replied, gazing at the venue in awe.

Beautifully designed paper lanterns infused with red and orange colours hung from the ceiling as intricately detailed flower vases sat on the vast tables as groups sat around them and conversed and laughed happily the excitement evident on their faces. The diamonds of the chandeliers glittered under the influence of the bright light as the dance floor below them occupied by the youth of our town while they swayed from side to side in time with the orchestra. There were so many people that I didn't believe that they all lived in our town, knowing that it was impossible for so many people to live there when I had never seen so many around when I passed through during violin lessons. Perhaps it was because I had never had the chance to join them or find the time to meet with them.

Music lingered in the backdrop of the ballroom, the faint voice of a woman singing in a line of falsetto notes becoming audible under the accompaniment of the orchestra. I spotted a few familiar faces around me, girls sending me questioning looks as I linked arms with Lee and walked into the crowd. Their eyes burned holes through my body, creating a feeling of discomfort within me, nausea sitting in the pit of my stomach. I suddenly began to regret coming. I knew that I didn't fit in with the other crowds of girls; I wasn't feminine enough to be around them, staying close with my own group because I was afraid of how they would treat me. It felt as though I was trespassing into their territory.

"Are you okay, Sakura?" Lee leaned his head down, his lips close to my ear, as he suddenly noticed the change of behaviour within me. He directed his eyes along the same route as mine, focussed them for a few moments, before nodding his head in realisation as he suddenly understood what was going on. "Don't pay attention to them. Those girls don't matter."

He seemed so confident and cool, as if he was immune to what everyone around us were thinking, immune to their harsh, critical thoughts. Everyone worried about what people would think about them, which was why everyone always seemed to try too hard to please each other, but it was as if Lee didn't care about what they were thinking. It was as if he only cared about what he was thinking, like he could ignore the looks that people would give him, ignore their burning stares as if they didn't exist. He only looked at me, looked at me as if I was the only person that was important.

It was a side of him that I had never had the chance to see. Lee had always seemed so weak in front of others, lacking the confidence that I had always thought my future prince would need. He seemed so much stronger as he dispersed their fleeting gazes and venomous words, and it was like he had managed to change in the brief period between our meeting the day earlier and the dance that night. For the first time, I finally realised how attractive he really was, how much he was like the prince that I had always dreamed of meeting, and my heart fluttered as my eyes glued onto him and followed every movement that he made in awe and fascination.

He cautiously stepped towards me, exhaling a cool breath as he outstretched his hand and gestured for me to follow. For a brief moment, I didn't know how to react, my eyes switching back and forth between him and the girls who were whispering fiercely amongst themselves, occasionally directing their eyes upon me. I took a single step forward, placing my hand within his as the heat of his palm transferred into my skin. My head slowly lifted to meet his cool, understanding eyes as he pressed his free hand against my back and took the leading role in our dance. And I let him take me into a world where he was the prince that I had always been searching for.

"I had a great time tonight Lee," I thanked him, my cheeks flushing to a bright red as the warmth of the room we had left minutes earlier remained on my skin. He was holding my hand within his, claiming that it was too cold out while his coat had became draped over my shoulders, trapping in the heat from my body and not allowing it to escape.

A brief giggle escaped from my lips as the events remained fresh within my mind. The way he acted so courageous, like a strong man was so unexpected from him, but I couldn't help but realise that I had always had this one perception of him, from the day that we had first met, that I hadn't managed to ever shake away. Ever since the first time we had met months earlier, bruised and bloodied as he had managed to get on the wrong side of some of the other boys in the town, I had always assumed him to be so weak, like a boy. The dance allowed me to shake that perception of him away and now, every time that I would think about him, he would merely be the strong man that I had danced and laughed with that night. It was also one of the first times that I got to know him, the real him.

His head tilted downwards, his eyes meeting mine through the stillness of the night, "It was my pleasure, Sakura."

The night sky was studded with pulsing diamonds, the moon bestowing a dim light upon our path. It was so beautiful that night, as if the beauty of that ballroom had transferred to it's surroundings and enchanted the night. There were no sounds to be heard, and no light to be seen but that of the stars and moon above us, contrasting against the darkness of the night sky. Everything was so peaceful and serene, so quiet and beautiful that it was like nothing could have been able to disturb it. Nothing at all.

Lee halted in his steps and nodded his head as we had reached my home. He slowly turned towards me and bid me an almost silent goodbye, his hand brushing against mine as he slowly pulled it away, the heat escaping into the surrounding air. His body turned in the opposite direction almost reluctantly, the happiness washing away from his face as he retreated home, knowing that our evening together was over. My feet began to carry me along the path as I scurried towards the house, leaving him behind in a pursuit of warmth as a cold breeze washed over me and the coldness licked up and down my spine.

Unconsciously, my eyes directed upon him as he slowly shuffled his feet against the path, his shoulders dropped as though he was exhausted or disappointed in how the evening had gone. I found myself turning in his direction, rushing towards him until we were mere inches apart. My hand reached forward, my arm brushing against his as I thought carefully of my next actions. His next movement was halted as I suddenly grasped his arm, his body unconsciously turning towards me in confusion before my crimson lips brushed against his cheek. The words were frozen in his breath, the tips of his ears burning red as I finally left him behind. I walked towards the house happily, glancing at him once more as a smile lingered upon my lips, greeting the maids and servants as I passed them on my entrance into the place I called my home.

I poked my head through the door, twisting my head from side to side in search of my parents who may have been roaming the hallways. They were isolated, empty as I stepped across the marbled flooring, my heels clicking against the ground. There was a faint sound of whispers were audible within the darkness as if someone was there, waiting for me, but I dismissed it. I lifted my head as the clock on the wall solemnly ticked on, the time reading 11:24 behind the smooth glass. It was past my curfew, my foot rested on the first step of the stairs leading to my bedroom before someone realized that I was late. It wasn't as though they would have been waiting for me.

"Sakura, will you please come here?" a voice asked as I began in my pursuit for my bedroom. I froze in my steps, turning towards the source of the voice as exhaustion overcome me. The energy had been drained from my body and if Ebisu sensei was to be faced the next day, well-needed sleep was required.

Drowsily blinking my eyes, I rotated 130 degrees, a faint gasp escaping from my lips as I met my father's eyes. Mother stood by his side, tightly gripping his arm as her eyes rested on my figure. It was strange to see him there. He was hardly ever home and for him to have returned home without any prior word was strange. Father's job in the army always meant that he was never at home for long periods of time. Although I never asked, I assumed what he was doing was important, but why would he be here so suddenly? Why would he have been standing there before me, with my mother by his side, watching me as if he had never left and nothing had changed?

"Oh, of course," I answered almost immediately, knowing that it was rude to not respond. "Why are the both of you up? It's quite late," I asked, not knowing how else to respond as I retraced my steps back down to the ground floors.

They didn't reply, keeping their lips sealed as they led me past family portraits and precious heirlooms and into the parlour. Mother forced me through the room as if I was in some sort of trouble, resting her hands on my shoulders and forcing me down to sit on the couch as father paced himself across the room. It was strange behaviour, to say the least. I normally had a strict curfew and I had a strict daily regimen that I had to follow, exact schedules for when I had to be up in the room and when I should have been in bed. My mother most certainly knew this, she was the one who had wrote the schedule in the first place, yet she was acting like there was nothing strange with me still being up at that time of night. And they still hadn't answered my question but by this point, I knew that whatever the answer would be, it was vital that I had to know - there was something wrong.

The room had dropped into complete silence as Mother rested herself on the couch by my side. It was also strange behaviour that we were in the parlour, a room that my mother had kept in complete perfection for years, with not a single object out of place. We were never allowed into the parlour, only whenever we had formal visitors and even then, she had strict rules about what we could do, what we could eat, what we could touch whenever we were sat in there. She made sure that everything was dusted regularly to ensure that everything looked as beautiful as she wanted it to be. It was beautiful, everything that my mother did was beautiful, but it didn't seemed like part of our home - it was a display that we were both part of.

Worry and confusion could be read from her face as she reached over to me and held my hand comfortingly. I glanced at her in confusion and surprise as her eyes directed themselves away from mine and followed my father's endless movements back and forth across the room. There was something wrong with the two of them. I could feel it in the air around us, thick and heavy in tension, surrounded by a silence that seemed impenetrable. Their strange behaviour made me feel uncomfortable and intimidated in my own home.

He heaved a deep sigh, interrupting the silence that had stilled the air around us, clearing his throat as his lips parted, "War has broken through in Suna. Being their allies, the army of Konoha has joined forces with them against Oto."

"What has that go to do with me? With us?" I asked almost immediately.

The immediate quality of my response threw my father back a few moments and he glanced over at me with his surprise and confusion evident in my eyes before meeting the eyes of my mother who sat even closer than she had before. I wasn't supposed to talk to people like that, it wasn't lady like and even I was sure that I had been trained well enough, by my mother and the maids that surrounded me, to have the correct etiquette when speaking to people, including my father. It wasn't what was expected of a woman, to answer in the way that I had, and I could tell that this had almost infuriated my father, though he should have understood my curiosity. However, there was something to his words that told me that there was something definitely wrong with our situation. He was going to do something to us, something because of the army. And I immediately knew that this wasn't something that I could agree with, even though I would never be asked if I agreed or not.

"I'm of high status in the Konoha army which means it's necessary for me to go to Suna. And I'm taking you and your mother with me," Father answered.

My eyes widened at the sound of his words, jaw dropping in shock as they replayed continually in my mind. That was it. That was the climax of the situation and I was right to think that I wouldn't agree. Who could ever agree to leaving their home? He couldn't do that to us, could he? I'd lived in Konoha my whole life. I was born there and expected to die there also. I was to be adamant that his plan couldn't work, even if it wasn't polite of me, even if I wasn't allowed to. I suppose my mother hadn't trained me as well as she thought she had.

"Well Sakura, what do you think?" Mother asked curiously, squeezing my hand as she lifted her head, our eyes meeting. I attempted to suppress the feelings within me, holding them back with strength because of the amount of trouble I would be in if I said anything they didn't want me to, but the words urged out of my mouth before I could stop them. They had been waiting to leave me lips for some time.

"What do you want me to think? That it's going to be a great experience and I'm going to love it?" my voice rose, echoing in the air as I shot out of my chair and watched them with infuriated eyes, "What about my friends and the great life I have here? Do you want me to just leave that all behind?"

I had been brought to the point of screaming and my parents could only watch their perfectly polite little princess shed her skin and evolve into a monster. My life was perfectly fine; it didn't need to be adapted. Temari and Tenten were suitable companions. No. They were more than that - they were my best friends. From the day we met, we were inseparable. My violin playing was slightly improving. To suddenly let it go would be a waste beyond measurable, especially if my mother wanted me to go off and travel the world with that orchestra. I couldn't suddenly leave my life behind and move on just because they wanted me to.

Father was hardly at home. I'd grown accustomed to knowing that he would never be there when I woke up in the morning. He had built us a wealthy lifestyle in the midst of the Chinese plains and mountains, to let us live in the world of comfort that he had always wanted when he grew up in poverty. Why the sudden movement of the family to Suna? He said it himself there was a war. Did he want us killed?

"I wouldn't want you to leave it all behind if it wasn't important sweetheart. It's just that I feel it would be safer if I moved you and your mother to Suna where we can be closer," he spoke in a softer, gentle tone, his hands firmly grasping my shoulders. I avoided his eyes, watching as seconds ticked by, lost and never to be returned. Perhaps that would happen to us. What would he have done if something bad had happened to us? Then he would wish that we had stayed in Konoha.

"I'm not moving! You can't make me!" I screamed, struggling from his grasp as I escaped the room, searching for the easiest possible route to my own bedroom. My eyes darted back and forth, resting on the staircase as I rushed towards it, my parents mere inches behind. The bottom layer of my kimono caught on my foot as I tripped, falling forward as my head knocked off the side railings of the room. Wincing in pain, I avoided the thought of the bruising and blood, continuing in my escape.

The door was locked before anyone else could enter. I heaved a sigh, struggling to push the large armchair in the path of those who dared tried to enter, placing the heaviest books from my collection on top. No one would be able to get in that way. No one should be able to mess with the wrath of Sakura Haruno.

The sounds of banging and screaming were audible from the opposite end of the door mere seconds later, room shaking due to the extent of their worried cries. "Sakura? Sakura, dear, are you okay?" the soft voice of my mother asked faintly as I threw myself onto the large king size bed at the head of my room, burying my face in the pillow as tears threatened to spill from the corners of my eyes.

"Darling, please don't lock yourself in there. It won't be that bad. You're father said he bought us a beautiful new house in the countryside," she reassured me as I continued to not respond. She could try all she wanted but I could never be convinced to leave as my firm choice remained.

Her mumbles became harder to make out as the loud, deafening voice of Father reappeared, increasing in volume with a continuous attempt to draw me out. I placed my hands over my ears, blocking any sound from reaching them. I knew from experience he wasn't going to give up without a fight but he refrained himself from causing unnecessary trouble in Mother's presence. He would have torn the door down if she wasn't there.

"Do what you want but we're still leaving tomorrow morning whether you like it or not," his voice faded away until he was no longer in close proximity.

My head rose at the sound of his words, the crisp pillows beneath me stained with the warm liquid which bled from my eyes. I rested both hands by my side as I lifted myself from the bed, feet contacting the ground as I slowly walked towards the door, ensuring my father was no longer there before pushing the heavy chair out of the way. The keys jingled in my hands as the door unlocked, my mother visible before me as she rushed forward to cradle me in her arms, the tears streaming from my eyes.

"It's going to be okay sweetheart. Nothing bad will happen to us," Mother spoke softly. "We'll be leaving first thing tomorrow morning, your father's orders. You better get yourself some sleep. You must have had an exciting evening at the dance," her warm presence brought me to a state of serenity, her fingers brushing the strands from my face as I lay my head on her lap. Our eyes met as I glanced upwards, a reassuring smile curving at her lips

"Thanks," I mumbled. "Goodnight mother," I replied drowsily.

She tucked me into the bed, planting a soft kiss on my forehead just like she did when I was younger. Wishing me a good night's sleep, the flame of the candle no longer burned, smoke drifting into the surrounding air. My eyes squeezed shut, leaving thoughts of anxiety and confusion behind as I drifted into deep sleep and the night passed us by in no time at all.

Dawn had hardly risen as we left the house the next morning. It was eerily silent, not even the chirping of surrounding birds as the world around us lay fast asleep. A shiver ran up the length of my spine as a cool breeze washed over us, shuddering in my coat and huddling closer to mother for warmth.

With only the suitcase in my hands, the clothes that would barely keep me warm and the pearl necklace decorated with a gold heart hung on my neck, I bid farewell to the place that had given me so many nice, joy-filled memories and the friends that had stuck by me for so long without even a proper chance to say goodbye. I wiped the tears from my eyes with the cuffs of my sleeves, clutching my mother's hand as the tips of my fingers numbed from the cold.

"Goodbye Konoha," I thought, waving to our surroundings as we passed.