Disclaimer: I wish I own Naruto
Enjoy!
"Now it's my turn to take the lead, and all of you can watch me from the background!"
A blonde man with unshed tears looked at his companion. He saw him slouching, a rare occurrence. He was almost always proud, someone with his head held high at all times. Looking at the skies, looking at its unending limit, he noticed that the sun was beginning to hide, that made him smile grimly, the blue sky was infinite, orange shades glittered ever so slowly, grey clouds float airily, and a pinkish hue that covers it all, those were what everybody saw. What he saw what different.
He saw Team Seven.
He saw a perverted sensei, Kakashi-sensei, reading porn whilst giggling creepily. He never stopped doing that even after all these years. He saw his rival, being aloof as always, Sasuke. He saw his self praising a pink haired medic who just laughed it all away. Then the bastard would insult him and he'll fight back and the girl would punch them both on the head. The punch would always make him fly while it would just make the other one scowl. And then their sensei would just look at them impassively and go back to his book like he never saw them at all. It was a routine he would never forget.
"What are you smiling for dobe?"
He looked at Sasuke confusedly. He trailed his lips with his fingers and learned that there was indeed a quirk present on his face. He was right. He was smiling. He answered him but didn't dare tell the truth.
"Your face bastard"
Before the two were able to fight like children, something they're aware they aren't anymore, a couple of footsteps signaled the arrival of a bunch of people, successfully stopping them before they could start. Different chakra signatures mixed with each other. The first one they saw in their line of vision was a busty blonde holding a picnic basket. It was Ino Nara, nee Yamanaka. Following her is her husband of four months, Shikamaru. The shogi player gave them a smile. The kind you give your friends after not seeing them for a while.
"Naruto! Sasuke-kun! Billboard-brow!"
She nearly faltered by the end of her greeting, they all noticed. The boisterous woman engaged them in a conversation while her companions settled themselves around the place. The current head of the Hyuuga clan, Hinata Hyuuga, held his fiancée's hand. The blonde ninja clad in orange attire squeezed it tightly making his lover blush. This was noticed by the canine-lover in the group who teased them, quickly resulting to another group of insults.
"Kiba is an idiot" started the Aburame heir, "Why? Because he is"
There was a sudden silence that followed. The weapon mistress of the group started chuckling out of blue, and then a full blown laugh came after. It was so contagious that everyone soon started doing the same, from chuckling to smiling to laughing.
.
They were fine now.
.
Choji Akamichi started grumbling that if they don't start eating soon, he'll just take Sakura with him and they'll eat the contents of the picnic bags the females brought. Konoha's Green Beast, Rock Lee, quickly told the big boned in the group that she would not because she'll go with him instead because he is much more 'suave' and that his Sakura-chan likes suave men. This resulted to another round of laughter.
.
They weren't fine at all.
.
"Well, well, what's this?"
Everybody turned their heads to the voice of the newcomer. The former Hokage herself stood in front of them with her assistant, Shizune, tagging along as usual. The Sakura blossoms were starting to fall from its trees. The woman stretched her hand out as a single petal fell into it.
"It's such a shame that these flowers have such a tragically short life span, ne Shizune" The woman told her assistant, fully knowing that everyone was listening, "I always admired their beauty."
"But isn't that why they're cherished by everyone? Because we know that they'll die sooner or later?"
It wasn't Shizune who answered her. It was the late-comer who immediately turned his attention to the only remaining members of Team Kakashi, which was first known as Team Seven.
"Sai and Yamato are on their way back from a mission, they said they'll finish it immediately and come here soon."
Kakashi Hatake rubbed his head sheepishly, a habit he never seemed to let go.
"Sorry I'm late; there was an old lady who needed my assistance to travel down the road. Then some bandits appeared and-"
His excuse was cut off immediately by a shout of "Liar!" by Naruto, the current Hokage himself and a shake of the head by the only Uchiha in the group.
And then they were filled with sudden nostalgia. It was like years of war never happened. It was like they were back to that rooftop when they introduced themselves to each other. It was like when they first had their mission. It was like the morning of their Bell Test. It was like all their previous meetings.
It was like they were whole.
But when there was no one who echoed the shout of Naruto. When there was no one standing between the one with the onyx eyes and the one with the blue. When no one invited their sensei to sit down and eat instantly before the food gets cold. When no one shouted "Shannaro!" or created a crater for the past two hours because of her temper.
They knew they weren't whole at all.
So as Ino put flowers in front of the memorial stone, the same time as Tenten traced the name of her former teammate. And as Hinata let go of her fiancee's hand to push him forward with the boy who felt that he lost everything again and the man who felt that he didn't try hard enough to save his so –called daughter. And as they formed a semicircle and joined hands and prayed for another year that she wasn't there.
They knew that Sakura Haruno was never coming back.
And not for the first time in the last two years Sasuke wished that she didn't live up to her namesake.
Because if she didn't, he would have a wife now
Because if she didn't, she would have been able to said 'I do' before collapsing
Because if she didn't, Naruto would never have cried everyday
Because if she didn't, Kakashi wouldn't have taken suicidal missions every time he comes back
Because if she didn't, he wouldn't have felt so alone and lonely and bitter
But she did.
Because she had cancer for years and never told anybody else
Because she have only been holding on life through all this time
Because she wanted to continue being who she was
Because she had to make him come back home
Because she had to see Naruto become Hokage
Because she had to make Kakashi arrive early even just once
And she did.
But she didn't realize that Naruto only wanted to be Hokage because of people like her, people who has the Will of Fire. She didn't realize that Kakashi arrived early that day in the hospital because she was leaving too early too, and he can't afford to be late, not this time. But most of all, she didn't realize that he only came back not because Konoha was his home. (It was his village not home.) He didn't come back because the Uchiha compound was his home. (It was his house not home.)
Sasuke Uchiha came back because Sakura Haruno was his home.
"Sakura" means "cherry blossoms", a flower which is cherished in Japan due to its beauty and its almost-tragically short life span. The cherry blossoms also serve as the national flower for the nation of Japan. When it blooms, it is considered as one of the most beautiful things in the world and in life.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
This ladies and gents are dedicated for the readers of moi other story: Last One Standing. Maybe becauseIhaven'tupdatedyet. But well, mostly because I wanted to express my gratitude since I can't really go to all of your houses and give you a cookie. Anyway REVIEW and I shall give you virtual cookies instead. ;))
I know, it's not really humorous or a well written oneshot but hey! At least I made one and really that's all that matters. The quote above was said by Sakura Haruno herself and the little info about Cherry Blossoms was from wikia. Oh! And I don't own Naruto.
Disclaimer. Check. Story. Check. Quote. Check. Wikia Info. Check. A crazy Author's Note. Check. Giving out cookies. Check. Now, what else? Hmmm. Oh yeah, the most important part,
Again, REVIEW people!
Remind readers to review again. Check.
Okay, maybe not the most important part. But you know what I say? Of course you don't I haven't told you yet. Kidding! I say, "People need praise from others just to make them remember they're amazing!" It's as simple as that people. ;))
Ja ne!