SasuNaru, OOC, yaoi and unbeta-read

Standard Disclaimer applies

Cowritten by XKunoichiofthePaintbrushX so give her some love. And to those anonymous reviewers, please leave your e-mail address so we can personally reply to your reviews. Yoroshiku ne?

The blonde slammed the folder on the table and glared at his aunt, "I told you, I don't want to go to that matchmaker's house! It's a waste of my time talking with some girls I have no interest in the first place."

"You have no interest in them as long as that man..." she trailed off, too disgusted to continue.

"Don't you dare talk about him like that!" he snapped. Oh God! He had to keep a tight control of his temper or he might kill his own aunt.

His aunt's thin lips trembled and a second later, she was dubbing her eyes with her handkerchief. "Ever since you met that man, you begin talking back with me in that voice. What happened to you?"

He cast his eyes down as he felt guilty.

"If you won't attend, your father would think that I didn't do enough and he'll end up scolding me," she continued between sobs. "If you won't be there, the matchmaker would think that we are playing with her and... Do you want to see your parents quarrelling? Do you want to stain our family name?"

"Fine, I'll go." And he was too worried how to tell his lover that he won't be able to celebrate their anniversary to notice the triumphant smirk on the woman's face. Crocodile tears really worked well on her very sympathetic nephew.

Chapter 10: Meaningless goodbye

Farewell to old friends
Let's raise a glass to the bitter end
Farewell to old friends
Will you forgive me when I see you again

--"Bitter end", Dixie Chicks

Anxiety, happiness, sadness and accomplishment were just the few feelings that hovered over Konoha junior high as the day for graduation ceremony came. Because it was probably the last day they would meet, there were besotted teenagers who did last-minute confessions. Everybody seemed to be doing something with more seriousness, giving the school year a sense of finality.

"Who's coming to attend the ceremony?" Naruto asked as he leaned against the wall and looked at a female classmate talking with a male schoolmate by one of the trees down below. With sincerity, he wished the girl good luck on her confession. "My father, my aunt and my uncle are coming," he told them almost in annoyance. He saw no reason why Tsunade and Jiraiya insisted to tag along. His pervert uncle would certainly cause a scene. He sighed and covered his face with his hand as embarrassing scenes flashed in his mind one after another.

"My parents are coming," Shino answered. His mother was looking forward to this event and had purchased new dress for her and new suit for his father. In fact, his mother was acting as if it was she who was graduating.

"Mine too," Kiba replied. His father's company was busy but he took a day off just to attend this milestone.

"My mom will come," Sasuke said. He was sure that it would be his mom. There was no one else. The world would end if his father would attend.

"It will be my sister, "Gaara said. He was glad that somebody from his family would be there. Even though it was only Temari, it was better than nobody.

"Sasuke-san," a kouhai called out from the doorway. "The head teacher is calling all graduating class presidents for a last-minute meeting at the faculty room."

"I'll be there," Sasuke said and followed the messenger.

"Don't forget our little celebration after the program," Naruto called after him.

"It's not like we're not going to see him after the meeting," Shino pointed.

"Probably we won't. A lot of his admirers will try to talk with him," Kiba muttered.

"There'll be a bloodbath over his second button," the redhead predicted bluntly making the rest frown. That would be the worst case scenario. Damn admirers!

-SasuNaru is love-

Raw pride bloomed in Mikoto's heart when Sasuke marched towards the stage and as a class president, received the tray containing the diplomas of his section. Sasuke had really grown up to be a fine lad and she knew he would reached greater heights. She wished more than anything else, that Fugaku was there to share this moment of triumph with their child.

As it should be, the commemoration was solemn and went smoothly. After the short ceremony ended, the students together with their family members went to their respective classrooms where they would receive their diplomas.

Gaara's class gathered around the teacher's table and would walk towards it as their adviser would call them one by one. After all of them had received recognition, they started singing a song while someone- a classmate of theirs strummed his guitar. In the middle of the song, few girls broke into tears while some parents sniffed as every second, unsaid goodbyes became heavier.

-SasuNaru is love-

"Cheers," the four chorused as they celebrated their accomplishment at a restaurant.

"After four years of cramming, finally..."

The other four males looked at the pouting blonde.

"Speak for yourself," Gaara said and the rest nodded in agreement.

"It's not like you haven't crammed in your entire middle school."

"But not as much as you do," Shino countered making Kiba snicker.

"Dobe," Sasuke added.

Kiba leaned forward and asked almost in conspiratorial voice. "Who got your button? I gave it to Kimura-chan." He triumphantly gave them a peace sign.

"To a kouhai of the chemistry club," Shino said with a noncommittal shrug.

"To the first girl who asked for it," Gaara said. It was a good plan to get rid everyone else who wanted it. Kiba rolled his eyes at the redhead's indifference.

"I gave it to Miura," Naruto told them. Miura's admiration for the blonde was well-known and that she showed that through cooking bentou for him very frequently.

The four of them stared at Sasuke who smirked. "You thought I would give it to anyone?"

"It's not on your coat," the redhead stated.

The teen in question tilted his head with no plans of answering causing his two noisy friends to badger him and then finally whined at his secretiveness.

As their discussion turned from one topic to another, at the bottom of their heart, they couldn't believe that they were going to embark in a new journey with one them taking another path. Their gathering everyday would never be this lively anymore. No, definitely not.

-SasuNaru is love-

Seeing that Gaara and Shino's train was earliest followed by Kiba's, Naruto's and finally Sasuke's, the rest of the group went to the platform and saw the two off then the dark-haired and blond teens saw their brunette off before making their way towards the blonde's platform.

Surprisingly, no words were exchanged between Sasuke and Naruto as they waited for the latter's ride. It seemed both boys were engrossed with their own thoughts to say anything. When the train arrived, Naruto regarded his friend. And the moment blue eyes met obsidian eyes, 'See you when i see you, bastard.' disappeared from the blonde's mouth. And the two stepped inside the train.

"You'll arrive home past eleven," Naruto commented just to pretend that he was bothered by Sasuke's action when he wasn't. He didn't understand why but he saw it as something natural. No, he wanted it… wanted this moment.

It was only when the train entered a tunnel, did the blonde noticed Sasuke staring at their reflection on the window glass with an unreadable expression. He stared too. At the same moment, their gazes slid to each other's reflection and stayed until the tunnel ended.

What the hell was that all about? both of them wondered.

-SasuNaru is love-

Why, Sasuke wondered as they walked towards Naruto's residence, why did talking with his best friend became this difficult? He took a sideway glance from the blonde and mentally inhaled.

"Naruto," he started. Both of them stopped and turned to regard each other.

"Hmm?"

"Give me your hand."

"Why?"

"Just do it," he almost snapped. He had to do it quickly because time, no, it was his courage that was leaving him.

"Wh-" Naruto trailed off. Sitting on his open palm gently reflecting the post lamp light was the button a lot of girls would kill for.

Feeling the blonde's gaze, Sasuke shifted his to anywhere but on the other teen. "Keep it," he almost whispered shyly. He knew the romantic connotation of the button-giving but he wasn't doing it for that purpose. He just wanted-

"Eh?"

"Your hand," Naruto repeated. "Quickly."

He obeyed and a second later he felt something cold pressed on his palm. His heart slammed against his chest when he realized what it was.

"But you... Miura," he uttered while denying to himself that his heartbeat picked up speed just as there was no tug to his heart when the blonde told them about his button.

"I didn't give it to anyone," Naruto said. For some reason he could only think of Sasuke every time he think of whom to give his button.

Their unreadable gazes met and silence ruled over them. The two stood below the flickering street light, looking at each other while holding the other's button. There were a lot of things they wanted to say if only they could figure what and if only their throats weren't constricting to the point that it felt uncomfortable.

For reason they didn't understand, their surrounding seemed to change. No, not change, it was fading... fading into something that was so warm, peaceful and secured.

What is happening?

The night wind doused with winter coldness whirled around them making both boys shiver and snapping them from their trance. They looked confused when they realized they were one step closer to each other.

"You better get going, bastard," Naruto said quietly. "I can find my way home."

"Hn. Later, then," he bid because 'goodbye' didn't feel right… would never feel right between them.

"Yeah, later." And Naruto watched as his friend walked away, his heart feeling light.

Sasuke inserted hip hands into his pockets and fingered the button. He wasn't sure what but something had changed between them at that moment. Something really did.

-SasuNaru is love-

Naruto was more than happy that his orientation of his new school ended. The tour around the place wasn't dragging as he had expected but it was just lonely and he kept on thinking about his friends.

He turned around when he heard his name being called. It was Saito, his dad's secretary.

"How was your orientation?" the man asked as he maneuvered the car from the school parking lot towards the main road.

"Fine. As rumors had it, the facilities are excellent."

I wonder what they did in their orientation yesterday.

"I can't wait for Monday and I made new friends already."

They probably made friends too. I hope they won't forget me completely.

Saito nodded. Even though he wasn't watching while Naruto was talking, he could hear the sadness in his voice... the sadness that he was desperately trying to hide.

"And I have my uniform already," the blonde continued. He took out his uniform and Saito took a glance.

Those guys are wearing coat and tie going and leaving the school while...

"I see. You change into your chef's uniform when you get to school."

I want to be with them like always.

"Of course. It would be weird wearing this all the way."

I want to learn together with them.

"Cream-colored?" Saito continued. The desperation emanating from the boy was permeating into his skin.

I want...

"Well, the color will turn lighter in every school year."

I want...

"Naruto-kun, we're here," Saito said.

The boy looked up then frowned. They were in an unfamiliar place.

"Where are we?"

"The place where Arashi-sama knows you want to be the most- Konoha high."

Blue eyes widened as he realized what their coming meant- late enrolment.

-SasuNaru is love-

Trees rustled softly as the gentle breeze blew by and rained the streets now filled with students with their soft hues of pink petals. It looked like snow… snow in spring and a common but still a wonderful sight to mark the beginning of a new school year.

Sasuke tuned out the rest of Kiba's nonsense talk. He was certain that it was his way of filling the silence brought on by Naruto's absence rather than a sign of nervousness on his part.

Dobe…

He wondered what his friend was doing right now. Knowing his sunny personality, it wouldn't be long before he'd be making new friends. And then they'd be seeing less and less of each other until Naruto would be just a part of the gang's memory just as they would be a part of the blonde's distant memory. What a sad end to their friendship.

He swatted the petal that landed on the tip of his nose. He couldn't stand the sight of petals swarming all over the place especially now that there won't be a dobe who would say-

"Uwa Snow in spring… Let's take pictures."

Yes, just like that and of course, being the 'bastard', he'd reply- Huh. Wait a minute… He turned to his right side and just like Kiba, Shino, Gaara, imitated the look of gold fish as he regarded the person of his thoughts.

Naruto was wearing the Konoha High uniform with his tie done properly. And he was grinning like a madman.

"Why are you here?" Gaara asked in behalf of everyone else.

"Is this a joke?" Shino inquired.

"I'm a student here," the blonde replied and tapped his name plate pinned on his coat. "We're in the same section."

"But…. But…" Kiba started. Nothing made sense.

"I enrolled two days ago. Saito-san pulled some strings so we can be classmates. Let's have fun this school year too, ne?" He tilted his head to the left and smiled sweetly.

"Hurry up, dobe or we'll be late," Sasuke snapped.

"Wh-what? Aren't you happy to see me?"

"No," was the cold reply making the blonde whined and murmured a string of colorful words.

Sasuke brushed few hair strands from his eyes and briefly looked up at the sky as another breeze blew. This time he caught sight of petals whirling and dancing in the wind and a soft smile graced his face.

What a beautiful sight…

TBC

Yes, unbeknownst to the two, attraction is now pulling them towards each other, slowly, discretely but surely. Next chapter: A glimpse of how they cope with their new school life and above them, sorrow hangs in the air.