Disclaimer: Naruto characters belong to Kishimoto Masashi

Summary: Sakura is a poor factory girl, while Sasuke is the son of Mr Uchiha, a wealthy entrepreneur. Naruto is a delivery boy, while Ino is the consecutive designer of Uchiha Shopping Co. (Yes, this is an Alternate Universe!)

A/N: Harlo! Oh my, will Kono survive? Who will Sakura kiss? Will it be Sasuke or Naruto? Please read and review this sweet, intense chapter! Includes SASxSAK time capsule message!

~*** Loving You From Afar ***~

Chapter Seven

Naruto drove quickly to the hospital without stopping at a red light. Luckily it was late in the night time so there wasn't much traffic. Kono was emitted to the emergency ward with a crazy Sakura following behind.

"No… Please save him. SAVE HIM!" screamed Sakura.

"Miss please stand back, we'll try our best," said a nurse.

Sakura wanted to follow the medic team inside the ward but was pushed back by a nurse.

"Please Miss, we can't do our job properly if you stood in the way," requested the nurse.

"I… I'm sorry, please save him, his my only family left," cried Sakura.

We can't blame Sakura for being so scared and frustrated because this was the first time Kono has been emitted to hospital. In such a life and death situation, of course Sakura didn't think straight.

Naruto stood on guard behind Sakura in case she needed help or comfort. Lucky he was there because Sakura felt dizzy and stumbled straight into his arms. A nurse nearby offered Sakura some hospital clothes. Naruto cuddled Sakura as they waited patiently for news of Kono.

~*~

Kono had suffered from an asthma attack from earlier and was barely breathing when he reached the hospital. After many attempts of resuscitation Kono stopped breathing totally. Recollections of the happy moments he had once shared with Sakura whizzed past in his head.

//Flashback//

"Onee-chan, this park is beautiful!" exclaimed Kono trying to catch a butterfly.

"You like this place? I'll take you here often, Kono-chan," cheered Sakura, ruffling his silky black hair.

"I like onee-chan, I'll protect you when I grow older!" vowed Kono.

Sakura just smiled at her innocent little brother. He played happily with the other little kids away from the worries of this world filled with responsibilities. He swung on the swing and it felt like he was flying. He laughed but everything soon became a blur.

//End of flashback//

His heart had stopped beating and the machine showed a straight line.

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!

"One, two, three, Clear!" shouted the doctor using the electric shocker.

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!

"One, two, three, Clear!" shouted the doctor again.

Sitting outside, Sakura heard all the hassle and noise from inside. She pushed opened the door to make sure if the worst had not happened. However, a cold beep greeted her as she went into the bright alien like room. The world toppled before her and she wished Kono would come back to life.

"One, two, three, Clear!" shouted the doctor.

The doctor stopped trying and shook his head, he gazed at Sakura and said softly, "We've tried our best."

 "No, you're lying. SAVE HIM damn it!" cried Sakura and added, "I can't lose him. Kono, Kono, Konohamaru!"

Tears dribbled down Sakura's eyes as she came by her brother's side. She held up Kono from the bed and hugged him in an embrace. She mourned for the loss of her young innocent little brother. She continued sobbing until many tears had fallen onto Kono's sweet cute face. Though his eyes were closed and he had a pale face, you could tell from his long lashes and stern look that he'd grow up to be a handsome young man.

A finger twitched in Sakura's hold and the next moment was truly magical. Kono began to cough and breathe again. His eyelids opened slowly and two big brown eyes gazed back into Sakura's green eyes. She blinked once, twice to adjust to the miracle that has just happened. She hugged him tightly and sisterly protective.

"Onee-chan, I can' breathe," coughed Kono.

Sakura quickly let go of him and asked if he was all right. He chuckled and cried, "Onee-chan, I still have to protect you…"

She rustled his hair and continued to cry for joy that he had lived.

~*~

When Sakura came out of the ward, Naruto felt really nervous and did not know how to comfort her. 'How can I cheer her up when the only close member to her has gone, gah! Think Naruto, think!' thought Naruto.

"Sakura-chan, I… gomen (sorry)," said Naruto.

Sakura looked at Naruto with a grin and said softly, "He lived… Look!"

"Hontoo? (Really) Thank God," cried Naruto.

Kono was pushed out of the ward into a private hospital room but before he left, he whispered, "Onii-chan, take care of my sister."

Naruto gave Sakura a hug at the wonderful news. They embraced for a while until Naruto yawned, "Can you please let go of me? I want to go home now."

"You were the one who hugged me!" yelled Sakura.

"But you held onto me," winked Naruto.

"Naruto no baka! (You stupid)!" Shouted Sakura.

"This is a hospital quiet down," whispered Naruto as he scooped Sakura into his strong arms to his van.

Sakura tried wailing her arms but was afraid that Naruto would drop her on the hard floor. When they drove back to the unit and entered the building. They caught the lift and walked towards Sakura's unit. After she opened the door, she decided to see if Naruto had gone inside. Too her amazement Naruto stood half a meter away from her. Cool sea-blue eyes locked with a pair of placid emerald ones. Naruto tilted his head so that his lips were closer to Sakura's. She closed her eyes and waited for him to kiss her but he just laid a soft peck on her smooth cherry coloured cheeks. 

"Oyasumi (Good night), Sakura-chan, sweet dreams," whispered Naruto.

Sakura was stunned that Naruto had kissed her cheek and replied with a small nod. 

~*~

The next day Sakura went to work happily having in mind that her brother was safe in a hospital bed. 'The bills,' gulped Sakura, 'may not look pleasant…' The doctors informed her that her brother should stay in the hospital for regular check ups. She shook her head and decided that no amounts of money could be measured to her brother's life…

When she had a break she told her only friend Ino about last night.

"You went out with Sasuke to dinner?" muttered Ino.

"Yea, there's more. My brother had an asthma attack and luckily he survived. It was like he came back alive from the dead, I'll check on him after work!" stated Sakura.

Sakura repeated the story to Sasuke leaving out any intimate moments with Naruto. He offered to drive Sakura to the hospital and let her off work earlier. He wanted to see his brother and hopefully give him a better impression.

~*~

Sakura was walking with Sasuke towards the car pack when Sasuke remembered that he had left his car keys in his office.

"I'll go back to get it, please wait," said Sasuke.

After he had left, Naruto spotted Sakura by herself and came by to greet her.

"Hey," said Naruto and added, "Want to go…"

He was cut off when Sasuke came running back, panting, "I'm back!"

"Where are you two going?" asked Naruto bluntly.

"To visit Kono," replied Sasuke.

"Oh…" said Naruto.

"What did you want to say before, Naruto?" asked Sakura.

"Ah nothing," laughed Naruto as he walked away calmly.

~*~

At the hospital Kono greeted Sasuke with an icy cold stare. He smiled as soon as Sakura got her congee ready and advanced towards Kono.

"Where's Naruto?" asked Kono.

"He's busy, perhaps he'd come some other time," said Sakura.

Kono sulked and said tersely, "Why did you bring him?" a finger pointing at Sasuke.

"Kono watch your manners, Sasuke wanted to see if you were all right," said Sakura.

"He wanted me to die more like it," grunted Kono.

"KONO!" shouted Sakura, "that's enough!"

Then Sasuke intruded, "Perhaps I should wait outside."

"Perhaps you should!" taunted Kono with a smirk.

"I'm really sorry Sasuke," apologised Sakura in her brother's behalf.

Kono drank the congee happily without the sight of Sasuke and spoke with brotherly admiration to his sister.

"Oi, onee-chan, do you like Naruto?" asked Kono

"Why do you ask?" said Sakura.

"Because I think he is perfect for you. The rich snob is too self-centred to…" trailed Kono.

"KONO, please refer to him as Sasuke, I don't care if you don't like him. But I would not tolerate such foul attitude," warned Sakura.

Kono drank the remaining congee silently as his sister decided to leave afterwards. An hour later someone tapped his door.

A pretentious rough voice greeted Kono, "Guess who has come to see Kono-chan?"

"Naruto-nii," cried Kono happily as in burst Naruto.

"I bought you a Game Boy, in case you were bored," said Naruto.

"Hontoo? (Really) Naruto's the best!" cried Kono as the two played happily together.

"Ah, Naruto-nii did you know it was onee-chan's birthday tomorrow?" asked Kono

"No," replied Naruto scratching his head and added, "Should I get her something?"

"Naruto, do you like my sister? If you do, please don't let Sasuke steal her away," said Kono grimly. 

~*~

When Sasuke had hired Sakura to be his personal secretary, he had discovered her birth date. He promised that he'd show her a beautiful birthday!

"Sakura-chan, is there a chance that you could go somewhere with me today?" asked Sasuke.

"Ah, sure," replied Sakura.

Early on the day, Naruto had brought flowers and a cake for Sakura's birthday. However, what he did not know was that Sasuke had taken a day off with Sakura. That day, Naruto worked happily with smiles on his face. He daydreamed of Sakura's pretty reaction at his display.

=*=

"Where are you taking me?" asked Sakura.

"You'll see when we get there," grinned Sasuke happily.

Sasuke took Sakura to the countryside into a small town. When Sakura stepped out of the car a cool country breeze brushed past her. She breathed in the beautiful scent of the country grass and sensed a familiarity to this land.

"Have I been here before?" asked Sakura.

"Don't you remember?" asked Sasuke.

"No…" whispered Sakura and let Sasuke's hope down.

He sighed, "Perhaps you'd start remembering once we explore this place."

As they got closer to some houses an old lady playing with two kids stared at her.

"Sakura! I'm so glad you came to visit and who's this, Sasuke?" asked Kurenai, the old lady and added, "I always knew you two would be together…"

"Excuse me? Do you know us?" asked Sakura.

"Sakura… Have you forgotten? You must have forgotten everything after the death of your parents," said Kurenai and added, "Anyways I have to take care of these two now, ja ne."

"Come Sakura, I have something else to show you," said Sasuke.

"I don't see anything special about this little hill, just that a tree is growing in the middle of nowhere," said Sakura.

"That's our tree! We planted it together!" informed Sasuke.

"Really? Wow!" said Sakura.

=*=

Sasuke dug around the tree to find the time capsule. He dug many holes before he finally found the bottles because he could not remember where they had planted it.

"HERE! Our time capsule," said Sasuke.

"Hold on a minute! Just because there really is a time capsule there, doesn't mean I have anything to do with it," said Sakura.

Sasuke opened the bottle to take out a message; he had wanted to know what Sakura had written since forever. Unfortunately, he took out his own message first.

//Sasuke's Message//

Dear Sakura,

            If you read this all I have to say is that I wish to marry and protect you forever! Please be my friend for now and ever and ever.

                                                                                                Sasuke Uchiha.

Sasuke eagerly opened the other bottle to reveal…

Durian: Should I end it here? Of course not!

//Sakura's Message//

Hi!

            Sasuke if you read this, I hope that we are still friends! I wish to live happily with Mum and Dad. I hope to grow up and become someone special…

                                                                                                Sakura Haruno.

As soon as Sasuke read this, Sakura began to cry. Tears streamed down her eyes like a waterfall. She remembered. It was crystal clear now.

"Sasu-kun," cried Sakura as he lent her a shoulder to weep on.

She looked around the country, which has been more developed now. Her memories of her hometown had suddenly recollected in her brain.

"This place reminded me too much of Okasan and Otousan so I chose to forget…" whispered Sakura and added, "Though it is painful to remember, we had beautiful memories here too. Thank you, for taking me here…"

Sasuke hugged Sakura and shared her joy and pain as they toured around their old hometown.

~*~

Naruto had tried to ring Sakura's phone but no one answered. Silly Sakura had forgotten to bring her mobile out so poor Naruto could not reach her. He stared at the cake set out for Sakura and slowly ate it himself. He sighed; perhaps she's with him… It was past 9 p.m. and Naruto did not want to stay cooped up in the unit so he went out for a stroll. He went to his favourite park and saw two people standing close together near a water fountain.

SAKURA

SASUKE

Their eyes locked and slowly their mouths advanced towards each other. Their kiss was long and intimate as their mouths entwined to resemble one. The kiss tasted pleasant and sweet as two long lost child hood friends have finally reunited…

Naruto gazed at the two figures with heated crimson eyes.

Durian: I hoped you like it and please be so kind as to leave a review. ^__^