Fairytale
by Daemonic Maid
AN: The song Tong Hua (Fairytale) is an old, touching Chinese love song. I really suggest listening to it, and the english translation here is mine (Yes I can read Chinese) please don't forget to review. Please and thank you. :D
Sakura stares at pristine sheets solemnly, with the expression of one who knows they are about to leave. Finally.
Sasuke watches Sakura carefully, and deep in his heart, he knows it too.
She grips his hand a bit tighter. He leans in closer.
"I want to hear it. I want to hear your song." She requests softly.
"Will you be able to stay that long?"
"I will. I won't go 'till I hear you. I need to hear that song one more time. Please."
Naruto stays with Sakura in the hospital, phone in hand as he waits for Sasuke's call.
"Naruto, is it time yet?"
"Almost, Sakura-chan…Just a bit longer." Please don't go.
Then the phone rings, and Naruto presses loudspeaker.
Sasuke's voice is heard with a faint echo, "I would like to dedicate this song, to my princess. Let me be your prince, even if it's just for a day."
As his hands hover above the piano keys, he channels every bit of emotion he can muster into his fingertips, and as the first notes are played, he hopes for a miracle.
"忘了有多久 (I've forgotten how long it's been)
再没听到你(since the last time I heard you)
对我说你最爱的故事. (tell me your favorite story)"
She laughs and greets the teacher cheerfully; he quietly takes a seat beside her. This is how they were, and how they should be, but they can't be.
"I need you to help me with my Pre-Cal homework. Please?" She pouts playfully.
"…Alright."
"Thanks so much Sasuke-kun, I promise I'll make it up to you." She gives him a dazzling smile and slings her bag onto her shoulder.
He tries to hide the blush on his face.
Sakura daintily hooks her hand in his elbow.
"我想了很久 (I've thought about it for so long)
我开始慌了(I'm starting to panic)
是不是我又做错了什么? (Did I do something wrong?)"
She gracefully sweeps down the stairway, layers of fabric upon fabric floating behind her. Sakura smiles at him, and at that moment he knows, he has met his angel.
It is prom, and Sakura is the belle of the ball.
She twirls and glides, moving with Sasuke in perfect tandem. They are the epitome of grace and beauty. Her pristine white gown floats and flutters and just for a moment, Naruto swears, as he watches them, that their feet never touch the ground.
"你哭着对我说 (You cried as you told me)
童话里都是骗人的(fairytales are just lies)
我不可能是你的王子(I can't possibly be your prince)"
He smiles at her.
"You're beautiful."
And she smiles back, glowing with radiance. He knows that today, she isn't the bubbly, cheerful girl, but a graceful, dazzling lady.
He watches her, as she watches him, and they both see a different side of each other they wish they saw before.
"也许你不会懂 (But you can't understand)
从你说爱我以后(From fight after you told me you love me)
我的天空 星星都亮了 (The stars in my sky all brightened)"
"Sasuke, hurry up! You can't be late to your recital tonight." Sakura laughs at him as she watches him struggle with his tie. She quickly takes the ends from him and expertly knots it and tightens it. "There."
The back of Sasuke's neck burns bright red and Sakura's grin grows larger.
"Well? Let's go!" She grips Sasuke's wrist and they rush to his car. Sakura carefully slips in the passenger seat and Sasuke closes the door for her.
"我愿变成童话里 (I am willing to become)
你爱的那个天使(Your beloved angel from a fairytale)
张开双手(Reach out my hands)
变成翅膀守护你(And change them into wings to protect you)"
The audience was filled to the brim, with several having to stand in the back. Sakura sits in front though, next to Sasuke's mother.
"He loves you, you know?" Mikoto whispers to her in a melodious voice. She was where Sasuke must have inherited his talent.
Sakura however, blushes and remains silent, flattered and embarrassed at the same time.
She then smiles shyly and whispers back to Mikoto. "If that's true, then I'm the luckiest girl in the world."
"你要相信 (You will believe)
相信我们会像童话故事里(Believe that we will be like in a fairytale)
幸福和快乐是结局(Where fortune and happiness are our ending)"
Sasuke pauses, and the audience is silent, they are all watching him, waiting for his next move. He listens intently and hears a faint gasp from his phone on the corner of the piano. He knows she is waiting. He lifts his hands once more onto the keys.
Sakura laughs as Sasuke raises her by the waist and twirls her around.
They laugh and frolic around the lake, chasing and running.
Sakura's sundress now has grass stains on it, and Sasuke's white shirt isn't unscathed as well.
He opens the large wicker basket and sets out the small lunch they had prepared together.
They eat, all the while sneaking glances at each other.
Sakura finishes first, letting out a small burp.
Sasuke's heart pounds and he nervously fingers the box in his pocket, waiting for the right moment to unveil it.
"你哭着对我说 (You cried as you told me)
童话里都是骗人的(fairytales are just lies)
我不可能是你的王子(I can't possibly be your prince)"
Sakura inhales deeply and Sasuke bends on one knee and raises the most significant little box he has ever held.
"Sakura…will you marry me?"
"No, Sasuke…I can't. I want to say yes, I really do, but I can't."
"Why?"
"I'm terminally ill, Sasuke. I'm going to die."
"We'll go abroad, consult the best doctors. I'll handle the expenses."
"No, Sasuke. It's cancer. Leukemia. There's nothing you can do anymore. The doctors say I have a year left."
"This can't be happening. You don't deserve this!"
"It's alright, Sasuke. I've accepted it. Just please. Stay with me."
"I'll stay by your side forever, no matter what."
"也许你不会懂 (But you can't understand)
从你说爱我以后(From fight after you told me you love me)
我的天空 星星都亮了 (The stars in my sky all brightened)"
"Let's go to the dance, Sasuke!" A year has passed since the proposal.
"Are you sure? Can you handle it?" His brow furrows and his eyes narrow.
"I feel fine, don't worry!" She laughs, "Besides, it's your company's annual event, don't tell me you were planning on missing it."
Sasuke's guilty look confirms her suspicions.
"Come on. It'll be just like prom." She urges and he cannot do anything but say yes.
Two hours later, she appears from the top of the staircase once more, swathed in a crimson velvet dress with shimmering white shawl and gloves.
And once more, Sasuke's breath is taken away.
They arrive at the venue and the press eagerly snaps pictures of them. The celebrity businessman with his girlfriend, is all they see. Sasuke's subordinates however, see the peace on Sasuke's face and the twinkle in his eyes, and they are truly happy for him.
Inside, Sakura's ephemeral grace returns as they waltz around the room. Every step is perfect, every turn is graceful. Once more, everyone admires them as they twirl and glide to the sound of the music.
"我愿变成童话里 (I am willing to become)
你爱的那个天使(Your beloved angel from a fairytale)
张开双手(I reach out my hands)
变成翅膀守护你(And turn them into wings to protect you)"
He is not with her when she collapses.
Her parents call him with her cell phone, bringing the bad news.
It was at home, they said, and she was just fine right before. It was unexpected.
He rushes to the hospital, ignoring the workload on his desk, and he almost forgets to pause at reception.
"Haruno Sakura?"
"Room 328." The receptionist replies.
"你要相信 (You will believe)
相信我们会像童话故事里(Believe that we will be like in a fairytale)
幸福和快乐是结局(Where fortune and happiness are the ending)"
"Sasuke, how are you? Don't you have work today?"
"Sakura…" He looks in her eyes.
"You know, Ino came over today. She was crying. She couldn't even talk straight." She says, ignoring him, her eyes avoiding his.
"…Sakura…"
"And I don't even know why, because I'm still well and alive, right? And it seems like she's mourning already."
"Marry me, Sakura."
"You know I can't tie you down like that."
"Yes, you can, Sakura...please."
"I'm sorry, but no." Sakura replies serenely.
He does not ask again.
"我会变成童话里 (I will become)
你爱的那个天使(Your beloved angel from a fairytale)
张开双手(Reach out my hands)
变成翅膀守护你(And turn them into wings to protect you)"
"Hello, Sasuke. What have you been doing these days? Have you written any new songs?"
"I've been trying to find a way out of this recital Kakashi's planned for two weeks from now."
"Why?"
"Stupid manager won't give me a break. He says I've been in hiatus for too long."
"You shouldn't talk about Kakashi that way. He's doing his best for you."
"Yeah, right. All he does is read those books all day."
"You should do it…The recital, I mean."
"But you can't come."
"No. You can do it without me there, Sasuke. You've done it before, haven't you?"
"But—"
"No buts, you will go do that recital." She says with finality.
"你要相信 (You will believe)
相信我们会像童话故事里(Believe that we will be like in a fairytale)
幸福和快乐是结局(Where fortune and happiness are the ending)"
"I wrote a new song for you. I'll play it right now. It's going to be the last song I'm playing at the recital." Sasuke bursts in the hospital room, startling Sakura's parents.
"But we don't have a piano here." Her mother points out, puzzled.
"I asked the nurse. We can borrow the electric keyboard from the chapel downstairs, it won't sound quite the same, but it's better than nothing."
Within minutes, they manage to get the keyboard up to Sakura's room, and Sasuke's music envelopes the space, and even the nurses pause to listen to the beautiful heartfelt tune.
"What's it called, Sasuke?" Sakura asks as she claps weakly.
"'Tong Hua' — Fairytale," Sasuke replies, "Did you like it?"
"It's beautiful. I love it!" Sakura smiles the most brilliant smile in the world.
"一起写我们的结局 (And together, we write our ending.)"
Sasuke gracefully stands up from the piano and bows, while subtly taking his phone back.
"That was beautiful, Sasuke." Sakura's weak voice comes from the phone. "I'm so thankful that I can listen to it one more time before…I…"
"Sakura?" Sasuke frantically presses the phone to his ear.
There is a fuss at the other end of the line, with hushed whispers and sobbing.
"Dude, I don't know how to say this." Naruto's voice comes from the phone. "Get here now, it's almost time."
Sasuke curses and runs out to the parking lot, swiftly gets into his car and speeds to the hospital.
"How long does she have left?" He asks the phone.
"…Not long." Naruto replies, "The doctors are starting to prepare for…you know."
Within minutes, Sasuke reaches the hospital and runs straight to Sakura's room. Her parents are already outside, and her mother is sobbing uncontrollably.
"You got here just in time, Sasuke." Tsunade, the doctor, greets him.
Sasuke ignores her and heads straight for Sakura and takes her hand in both of his.
"Sakura! Don't leave me. Don't go." Sasuke begs.
"I have to, Sasuke. I'm so proud of you, Sasuke. You've become such a wonderful person. And someday, you'll find someone else, and that girl will be the luckiest girl in the world." She replies weakly.
"No, I love you, Sakura…you, and only you."
Sakura musters the last of her strength and smiles at him before she whispers, "Goodbye…I love…you…Sa…su…ke…"
"…Sakura? Sakura!"
"She was a beautiful person, both inside and out. She would help anyone freely and wholeheartedly, even those who disliked her would admit to that," He glances at Karin and Ami, who dab furiously at their teary eyes. "She showed me the silver lining of my life, and I can truly say that whatever may happen, life will still be worth living, thanks to her."
"She was taken away from this earth far too early, although her life was meaningful, short as it may be. She was blessed with loving parents and wonderful friends, and she once told me she was really happy and fortunate to even reach her nineteenth birthday."
"You know, she turned me down when I proposed. She didn't want to tie me to her— she thought that my future would be ruined if my fiancé died before we got married. Sakura, I know you're still here watching over me, watching over us." He raises a bouquet of a dozen beautiful artificial roses.
"I will love you 'till the last rose withers." He gently lays the bouquet down on the casket. A beam of sunlight catches the glint of jewels around the plastic stems.
The wind whips around the gathering, carrying a feminine voice.
" Sasuke…thank you…"