A/N: I also wrote this chapter way back when I first started this story, and I've gone back and finished and edited it! Yeah…So, we have intensity between our Sasuke and Hikari in this chapter. Enjoy, and I also apologize if Sasuke is OOC in this, because I tried to make it where he wasn't, but I don't know if I did well or not. Enjoy anyway! Also, you should listen to the Piano version of Sadness and Sorrow while reading this chapter. It really adds to the setting of the mood, I guess.

As soon as Sasuke had thanked Sakura, he knocked her out and set her down on a bench nearby. When he turned back around, his eyes almost widened when he saw the familiar brunette standing several feet away from him.

He just stared at her as she stood before him, her head hanging down, her eyes closed. Sasuke watched as the wind blew several wisps of her brown hair around. Finally, she brought her head back up and opened her eyes, revealing her caramel orbs. She stared at him for a moment before glancing over at Sakura's unconscious form as it laid on the bench. She turned her gaze back to Sasuke. "Why?"

"I need to get stronger. And the only way to do that is by leaving." He explained, walking past her.

"And betraying the village is the only thing that you think will help you get stronger?" He stopped walking and listened to her. "How do you think you got to where you are today? Because of your friends. They are your strength."

"They're all weak losers..."

"So…does that make me a weak loser, too?"

"…You're different from them…That's why I let you call me 'friend'."

Kari smiled sadly. "Do you really want to throw everything away and leave it behind? Do you want to throw away your home, your people, and your friends away?"

He turned around to stare at her. "Getting rid of the ties that hold me here will help me reach my goal."

"I see…nothing matters anymore to you except being able to kill your brother. And you believe that Orochimaru can give you the power to do it." Kari frowned at him. "You know…you were the very first person that I considered my best friend like Minorin."

"Naruto and Sakura are your friends."

She smiled slightly. "I know, but…I don't tell them everything like I tell you. When I was little, after my parents died…I distanced myself from everyone, except my brother and my grandpa. Part of my happiness died when my parents did. It took a long time for that happiness to come back. And…it's crumbled away so many times, that it breaks a lot easier now. There wasn't anyone who could relate to the same pain that I had, but…it changed when we were put on the same team. Even though we're complete opposites, we still have an unbearable sadness inside of us. My sadness though, has begun to disappear, because of you. If you leave…it'll just grow back again. Orochimaru took my grandpa away from me, and for that, he will pay. That is something that I have vowed to do. If you leave and associate yourself with him…then I'd have to kill you, too."

Sasuke stiffened as she said that, listening to her continue. "If you leave, Sasuke…and you don't achieve that one goal that you have…What all would it have been for? What will you have then? You won't be able to come back here…No one would trust you enough to let you back in, and they'd probably kill you. What else is darkness, but hate and rage? You can tell yourself over and over again that you can get back onto the right path, but you won't ever be able to. You'll go astray again, Sasuke. How would that…How would that honor you clan's memory?"

"You talk too much, Hikari…"

She laughed slightly. "I suppose, you're right about that…but I'm just saying what I know."

"I will kill Itachi. And I will get stronger."

She sighed. "Sasuke…I know that you're not just doing this because you want to kill your brother. It's because you feel that Naruto has gotten better than you, and stronger."

"Shut-up…"

She gently touched his shoulder. "I'm sorry, but…that's the real reason, isn't it? You don't like feeling lower than Naruto, and I know that's the truth. You don't have to say anything, but…" She stopped, sighing when she couldn't think of what to say. "Y'know what, forget I ever said anything about that." The wind blew around them, leaves flying past them. Kari's hand remained on Sasuke's shoulder, just staying there. He made no move to push her away, so she just left it. When he felt her grip on him tighten, he shot a glance at her over his shoulder, his onyx orbs softening slightly when he saw several tears falling down her cheeks as she still wore a smile. "The wind is talking."

He turned around to fully face her. "What's it saying?"

"That this is the last chance that I'll ever have to talk with you like this, and say things that need to be said." She looked down at the ground. "I know that I can be quite bothersome to you sometimes, but you never push me away like you do others. I know that you consider me as the closest thing you have to a friend. I…I've always denied the fact about my feelings for you. I've always told myself that you're nothing more than a friend, but…if I were to ever tell someone else that, I would be lying. I like you, Sasuke. A lot. I've just never had guts to show it or say anything about it…until now."

He stared at her with a surprised look on his face, silence the only thing that came from him. "…"

"I know that you probably don't feel the same way about me, and that's fine. So, when I ask you to please just stay, I'm asking you as a friend, and a friend only. Don't mess up your life because of this. Orochimaru is dangerous. Lady Hokage will send people after you to bring you back. You'll be considered a traitor to the village. And people will never look at you the same way again. So, I'm begging you, please! Please don't do this!" 'Don't leave me behind….'

"Get. Out. Of. My. Way." He growled, being blunt.

Hikari shook her head. "What are you going to do, huh? Hit me? Knock me out like you did to poor Sakura over there?" Hikari dared, gesturing over to the unconscious Sakura. Sasuke flinched at her tone.

"I…"

"YOU WHAT?"

"I'm doing this because I want to be stronger for you!"

Hikari's eyes widened. "But…why?"

"Because…when you got knocked out by that rain ninja, I felt like it was my fault. I felt like I wasn't strong enough to get you in time! I felt like I didn't protect you properly." She frowned as he continued, staring down at her feet. "Ever since that day when those sand ninja showed up, when you told me that we were friends…I hadn't really thought much about my brother or my past." She felt him hug her and she looked up at him.

Hikari felt her cheeks heat up slightly when she realized they were nose to nose.

"Your kindness towards me makes me forget about the sorrow that I have. You make me feel…light." And with that, he closed the gap between them. She responded to the short kiss, reveling at how nice it felt. Sasuke pulled away, a small, very tiny smile on his lips while a beet red Hikari stared down at her feet. "You love me, don't you?"

Hikari stared up, her eyes giving him the answer he sought. Yes, Hikari couldn't deny that she loved Sasuke, but at the same time, she hated him. Hated him for what he was going to do.

She pushed him away, gently. Her hair shadowed her eyes, but the tone of her voice told Sasuke what she was feeling. "Even though I may have feelings for you…It doesn't change anything. You'll be a traitor. Lady Tsunade will send people after you, maybe me. I will obey orders that she gives me, even if it means I have to bring you back by force, then I will. If I can't…Well, from that day forwards, we'll be enemies."

"Hikari…"

"Just…Just go. Before someone else shows up and tries to stop you."

He couldn't believe that she was letting him go. His eyes widened at her words. When she realized he was just standing there, she shoved him. "JUST GO, DUCK-BUTT!"

He moved away from her, catching her eyes one last time. Her caramel orbs were full of tears. The streams of them falling down her cheeks made his heart hurt. He wanted to stop and hug her, telling her that it would be okay.

'Only someone who truly loves her can do that.' A voice in Sasuke's head said.

And Sasuke loved his revenge more. He loved power and gaining it more than her.

And then, he was gone.

Hikari's emotional walls fell down again, completely. She didn't fall to the ground and weep. Instead, she decided to endure it. Even though she let him go, that didn't mean she would let him go to Orochimaru so easily. She walked over to Sakura, taking off the sweater she had put on before leaving her house, placing it over the unconscious girl before heading home.

First thing she would do when the sun got up would be to go to Lady Hokage and report what had happened.

A/N: Should I have Hikari join Naruto and Co. for the retrieval mission or not? I'm not really sure if I should, but you guys tell me! I'll be awaiting your answers! LATER TATERS!