this is falling in love in the cruelest way / this is falling for you, and you are world's away / new york, be here / but you're in london and i break down / coz it's not fair that you're not around

- come back...be here, taylor swift (red deluxe edition)

isn't it the worst feeling? missing someone whose arms are around you?

it's four in the morning and sakura has been awake for more than 24 hours now. she has spent these hours with sasuke because in a few minutes, she will be finally leaving the country.

this is falling in love in the cruelest way indeed. loving sasuke uchiha was never easy, but it never felt difficult at the same time. it's just natural, second nature; an unconscious habit sakura has done for as long as she can remember. but now that time and distance would be their greatest hurdle so far in their relationship, she couldn't help but worry.

they once talked about this when the nights were long and their thoughts were loud—which do you prefer? leaving or the one being left? and they have both said that they prefer the one being left; because they can't leave each other.

now here she was in the arms of her lover and saying her goodbye.

"you got everything you need?" she heard sasuke murmur against her neck. she nodded in answer on his chest.

"you will call me once you get off the plane?" he asked again and in response, she nodded for the second time.

there's a slight pause and the tightening of his arms around her waist before he exhaled his last question on her skin, "will you miss me?"

sasuke asked it in that voice when she first heard him say he's in love with her—with shy admittance and a silent surrender. it suddenly took her back to that moment and she couldn't help but get choked up from the memories. she doesn't want him to hear the crack in her voice so she kept on nodding her head earlier, but he deserves to hear it.

he deserves to know that missing him would be an understatement; that missing him would feel like a limb would be cut off from her body once she gets on the plane; that missing him would carving her heart from the inside and let her bleed to death.

missing him would be every single waking moment until they see each other again.

sakura untangled her arms around him and looked up to see his sad eyes. she gently took his face in her hands and tiptoed to reach his lips with her own. she kissed him softly and she felt sasuke kiss her back with the same gentleness and quiet. her arm is hooked around his neck and she broke their kiss for a moment to breathe her answer on his lips.

"every day. more than you'll ever know."

this time it was sasuke who kissed her first, desperate and a little lonelier than before. they faintly heard the announcement of her flight being called but it only made him kiss her harder, hold her tighter. she pushed back with her own passion and there are tears in the corner of her eyes spilling out.

when they parted, their heads were still pressed together. she saw his nose a bit red from his own shed tears and his eyes are still closed. he inhaled deeply, and released it just as deep afterwards. she continued to watch in the circle of his arms.

her eyes trace the features of his face as she spoke, "it's only 4 years, sasuke-kun. once i graduate, i can finally fulfill my promise to you."

sakura held her breath as sasuke finally opened his eyes and looked at her. she felt it in her heart that he still remembers her vow to him when they were 13, when they didn't know the concept of building a family yet, as young as they were.

"i get my degree, and i'll marry you. we can live with a cat and a dog somewhere nice for a year or two, and then i'll even give you a baby if you want!"

and he knows that she will always remember his.

"alright, then i will get my degree as well and ask you. you're not allowed to say no. and i want not just a baby, okay? i want babies. like me and itachi-nii."

that was 5 years ago; and in 4 years' time, they can finally do it. they will.

he gave a small smile and kissed her forehead, "you better."

she walked through the gates and when she looked back at him, she already saw the longing in the way he waved his hand slightly. in the glass wall that separates them, she can see the glimmer in his tear-stained cheeks, and the unsaid feelings of his heart.

"come back... be here."

i will, sasuke-kun, she promises silently. she blew him a kiss and mouthed her i love you. sakura took a picture in her mind when he mouthed back his.

the walk towards the plane that will take her away from him for a few years still stings. but when she thinks about what she will be coming home to, she knows she will be okay. they will be okay.

4 years may be a long time, but not to a heart that loves true; and their love is the truth they will keep holding onto until they hold each other again.

~fin~

a/n: a short one because i am still out of my wits bc in a few hOURS WE WILL HAVE NEW TAYLOR SWIFT MUSIC I CANT AAAAAAAHHHH