Chapter Thirty-five: The Truth! Shino's Confession

----------

On the other hand, Sakura decided to give Sasuke a visit at the hospital. It's almost a week after the incident, but he is still unconscious. Sakura knew that would be the right time to say goodbye, because in case he's awake… he'll probably do something weird again. And she also told herself that it will be the last time she'll personally seek for him.

When she opened the door, no one's there. The silence of the room is chilly, and the twilight skies made the room dark. As she stepped in, she hurriedly went by his side.

"If you still won't wake up before the day of the winter break… you won't see me again." She gently stroke his black hair. "and if that happens, this will be the last time I'll say these words too…"

She inhaled deeply, and looked at his calm and unconscious state. She tried not to cry; for him, for the last time. She calmed herself for this short instance she's gonna say goodbye. Even though she knew that he wouldn't get what she's going to say, she never hesitated to stop herself.

"You know… of all those months we've been together," she began "I've felt… so complete. I never thought I would fall for you."

"… you were always the type of person who is hard to deal with, yet… I don't understand why you end up liking an annoying girl like me." She continued.

"And now, this might be the last time I'd see your utterly cute face," she smiled. "Anyway, I'm still happy that no one's here! And I got the chance to see you personally. Isn't it great?"

"Goodbye, Sasuke-kun… I will try my best to forget, that would be the least thing I could do for you. Don't worry, I won't bug you anymore after this. We could possibly start as strangers, ne?" she said softly, with all her heart. "And… please learn to like Ino. I guess she can love you like I do."

After that, she lightly kissed his forehead, and left heavy-heartedly. After she had the door closed, she didn't notice that his finger yanked a little, and…

----------

Going back to Gaara's investigation team, they've finally reached their destination. As soon as they had knocked on the door, someone had opened it.

A guy with spiky hair and black shades. "Who are you?" he asked, looking at the group of 5. "what do you need."

"Hi, it's me, Uzumaki!" Naruto greeted cheerfully. "Could we just ask something?"

With a peculiar look at the 5 detectives, he let them in his apartment.

"Thanks, buddy." Gaara replied. "Do you know by chance a girl named Haruno Sakura?" he asked him directly to the point.

Shino nodded.

"We need you to tell us the truth." Shino suddenly gave Gaara a quick look.

"About… what?"

"I suppose you know who Uchiha Sasuke is." Gaara began. "and we were told that you did something horrible to him. We only want to know who the mastermind is, so please…"

Shino clutched his fists "Sakura might be every mad at me now." He said. "I'm really sorry. I did this because of the anger I felt two years ago. I was blinded by it… and I forgot what I was doing…" he was about to cry.

"… Tell Sakura I'm really sorry…" he pleaded

"She's not mad at you," Hinata suddenly said.

"Really?" Shino asked.

"Now, Mr. Aburame, who at the first place asked you to do such a thing?" Gaara asked. "will you please narrate us the entire happening? We're here to help save Sasuke and Sakura's relationship. In a matter of days, Yamanaka Ino will take my poor friend away from Sakura… and Sakura… she's going back to Osaka."

Shino looked at them, and nodded. "I am willing to help you, if that's the only way I could possibly pay back what I've done to them."

"Good." Gaara smiled. "Please, take your narration easy. We won't do anything to harm you. We just want to know who the mastermind is."

"I am telling you the truth. Do not be shocked or something." Shino began seriously. The 5 nodded. "you need to trust me."

"We know." Naruto replied.

"… It's… Yamanaka Ino. She told me to disperse Sakura…" he blurted out. Everyone in the room besides Shino were surprised. Gaara nodded.

"Our first assumption was right." He said, looking at all of them.

----------

Few moments ago after Sakura left, some nurses rushed towards the room of Sasuke. Sasuke was already wide awake, and he was trying his best to get out of the hospital room.

"Get me out of here!" he yelled. "I want to see Sakura! Please!"

"Mr. Uchiha, you still need to undergo some tests!" one nurse told him "please calm down."

Sasuke silenced. The nurses sighed. He looked around him, to the side table. He found a newspaper. He saw the date, and few days from now will be the winter break. He instinctively grabbed the newspaper. The nurses left already, knowing that the patient is now calm.

Sasuke scanned the whole newspaper quietly. Until…

"What's this!" he thought to himself, shaking his head continuously. "No. they cannot do this to me!"

He looked around and removed all the obstructions and with his raging fury, he crumpled the newspaper with his hands. He walked his way to the washroom at the hospital room, found some of his clothes which are already clean and got dressed.

"I am not agreeing to what you are all planning…" he murmured. He quickly got out of the room without being noticed, and he was also able to get out of the hospital without much ado. "You all know very well that there's only one girl I've fallen for. And I only love a person once…"

After he got out, Ino's car stopped in front of the hospital. She is excitedly walking towards the hospital.

"Sasuke-kun might be awake at last! And I will be the first one that he will see…" Ino smiled to herself.

Ino hurried to ride the elevator, and she proceed to his former room. Little did she know, he had already left. When Ino arrived, she noticed that the door was already opened. Many nurses gathered around, and she was so confused.

"Oh my god, what's happening here?" she asked, confusedly. "Sasuke-kun!"

When she glanced at the hospital bed, no Sasuke was there. She was shocked. "Sasuke-kun? Where is he? Where did he go? Where's my fiancé!" she yelled, and the attention of the nurses came to her.

"I'm sorry, Ms. But he left without us knowing it."

"Stupid fools! How would a patient just get out of the hospital's premises without you noticing it?" she scolded them. Ino marched off the room and sighed to herself.

"Where had he been!" she thought…

----------

Sasuke was walking along the streets. He wanted to go to Sakura's place. The streets are already cold, colder than it used to. He tried to look around as well in the streets. Maybe Sakura was just there. But what he wants is to go to her house right away. Unfortunately, the apartment was far from the hospital. Still struggling to get there, he used his body's remaining strength to move forward. He knows that he's still weak because of his hospitalization. However, his need of Sakura might be the cure for every pain he's encountering now.

Minutes passed by, and finally he arrived at the apartment which his family owns. He tried his best to quickly go up to the 3rd floor. Not long after that, he finally reached his destination. He door belled and someone had opened the door…

"Hai?" a woman asked, looking at the weak Sasuke. "What do you need?"

"Uh… where is… Sakura?" he was somewhat confused. Did Sakura moved out already? Why---

"Oh, I'm so sorry, she went out for a while…" the woman said. "I'm Sakura's mother. Who may you be?"

"I'm… Uchiha… Sasuke…" he was actually panting heavily. Sakura's mom noticed it.

"Come in for a while." She said "she might return soon."

"Thank you ma'am…" he replied, getting in the apartment.

After Sasuke had entered the apartment, he noticed that many things have changed. Some of the decors were removed already. And he noticed suitcases prepared already. He roamed his eyes around, and he knew something's gonna happen.

"Here, drink some tea first."

"Did… Sakura tell you where she's going?" he asked.

"No, actually, I noticed that she's acting weirdly these days," Sakura's mom said sadly. "I don't know if she's not yet ready to return to Osaka. I can't understand her now, she's somewhat changed…"

Then she chuckled. "I'm sorry to tell you all of these…"

Sasuke suddenly stood up. "You're already going back?"

"Yes, didn't she tell you or her friends? On the day of the winter break, she will just drop her studies, and we'll all go back to---"

Sasuke was dashing out of the apartment. "Thanks for the tea, ma'am. I really need to see Sakura now…!"

"Wait!" Sakura's mom called. "Where will you find her? She'll be back soon!"

Sasuke didn't hear what she said. He just dashed towards the elevator, and he ran outside the apartment building. Suddenly, he saw something that made him almost break down. He moved backwards, and he's ready to run…

"Young Master! What are you doing here?" Mr. Kouji replied "You're still sick!"

"No! I'm not going back till I see Sakura!" he yelled "you heard that? So let me go!"

He tried to run away, but it's of no avail. In a matter of seconds, he unexpectedly fainted on the ground…

----------

Sakura was walking along the streets, going back to her apartment, Then she saw a car dashing along the streets. When she looked at it... she found it noticeable. She stopped for a while, and then, on the car... she saw someone.

"Isn't that---" she murmured. "No, that can't be. A while ago, Sasuke-kun was still in the hospital. Get a grip Sakura..." she told herself and she continued walking.

She wasn't aware that it was REALLY Sasuke's family car...

---

When I look in your eyes I can see that you
Want to be with me but you're so scared
And I don't know what to say or do
But the tears keep falling from your eyes
And I know that
Times won't change my love
And I can't do nothing to keep you

Oh, I'll give my love oh when I hold you tight
Give my love through kisses oh so bright
And you know that I can't change my love
Take my love all through the night…

As the hours pass away
You think that love ain't here to stay
Feel a beat from your chest
But you don't give doubt a moment's rest
You dream the future and all you see is dark
Listen to your heart, baby, the truth will set sparks

Now I'll give my love oh when I hold you tight
Give my love through kisses oh so bright
And you know that I can't change my love
Take my love all through the night…

Oh, I'll give my love oh when I hold you tight
Give my love through kisses oh so bright
And you know that time won't change my love
Take my love all through the night…

A/N: Hi... thanks for reading my fic. Sorry for the long delay, I have to rent a PC and there are lots of people whoare renting here...

The song I added was Edward Chung's "Give My Love"; Save the Last Dance For Me's Theme song