Four days had passed since I had been in Sonagakure, and I still couldn't find my wife. I checked every block of the rural part of town, asking the residents if they had seen her, but no one has. My wife was gone, my happiness was gone, and all I had left were the memories before our final torment. After tomorrow, I would no longer remember my wife.

I sat at a local bar, drinking the pain away. There were only two days left, and I hadn't come any closer to finding my wife. All the hope I had was slowly disappearing along with my memories.

"Damn it," I mumbled in frustration. I slammed the glass cup onto the counter as I lowered my head in shame. I'm never going to find her...

"Rough week?" asked the man that sat next to me.

"Hn."

"Not much of a talker, are you?" He replied with a chuckle.

I stayed quiet and taking a glance at the man who sat next to me. His hair was cut short, and his age showed with his wrinkles and white-colored hair. The man seemed almost familiar to me, but I couldn't pinpoint who.

I quickly drank the rest of my drink so I could leave, but the older man ordered more and offered to pay for mine as well.

"10 minutes," he said, "I don't have a lot of people to talk to nowadays."

I sighed, sitting back down to converse with him. "Fine...10 minutes."

I was tired. I was losing hope. All I could do was drink to numb the pain before I would forget my old past.

"I knew you were a good guy!" He laughed happily.

I rolled my eyes while taking a sip of my drink.

"So," he began, "Why'd you let her go?"

My eyes widened in shock. How did he-?!

"Don't look so shocked!" He laughed, "I'm a romance novelist, and quite frankly, I've experienced your position a few times in my life."

Novelist...?

"When I was younger," he stated, "I was madly in love with my friend...but, not once did I ever tell her my true feelings; I knew she was happier with her late husband anyway..." He took a sip of his drink before giving me a sly smile. "I was rejected over and over again, but I doubt that's your case."

I held my cup firmly as my heart sank into my chest. "I was married to my soulmate," I mumbled. The alcohol was starting to kick in; letting the words slip freely.

"Was?"

I nodded my head. "We were going through a hard time...My wife was suffering, and I began to think it was all my fault...I thought the best way to make her happy was to let her go, but all I did was run away...Tch..."

"That was stupid," he replied bluntly.

I sighed, knowing that my whole journey was based on my own insecurities. "I know...I regret ever leaving her..."

It went silent. The old man had finished his drink, ordered another one, and continued to drink. I was drunk, ashamed, lonely, and devastated. I was miserable, and I could feel the coldness from this Timeline's Sasuke, slowly begin to consume me.

What's the point...? I'm never going to find her...It's best if I just forget her-

"You okay?" the old man asked while placing a hand on my shoulder.

I jumped at the sudden touch, looking at him with the eyes of a lost child. I had never met this man before, but the warmth of his hand was enough to send tears to my eyes. "I'm sorry..." I mumbled while wiping my eyes.

He sighed, patting me on the back as comfort.

"My wife..." I stuttered, "I told her I had to let her go because I loved her...I broke her...And now I can't find her-and I'm scared I won't ever see her again-And when I do, it'll be too late! I don't want to forget my wife! I love Naruko! I love Naruko Uzumaki!"

The old man sighed, shaking his head. "So it is true..." he whispered.

I glanced at him in confusion as I wiped my eyes. What's true...?

"Hey," the old man began while taking out his wallet, "Do you...believe in time travel?"

My eyes widened at his sudden question.

"I once heard a story about a man, so madly in love with his lover that he never wanted to leave her side. Despite all hardships, they were always together. But one day, his lover fell incurably ill. Seeing his lover in pain broke his spirit to the point where he believed he was at fault for all her pain...So he left. He believed leaving her life altogether would stop her from suffering, so he lept through time to when they first met.

While trying to stop their encounter, he instead fell in love with his wife again, and so did she. The two couldn't stop their fated feelings for each other, so he left again, forcing her to stay away from him in her current timeline...

You seem like a smart young man...What do you think that mental torment did to his young wife as she grew up?"

My heart stopped as he retold my story. How...how does he know all of this-? He can't be talking about me, right?!

I watched the old man pay for our drinks. His hands were calloused, showing proof of his literal accomplishments. His eyes slowly glanced in my direction, and at that moment, I recalled the photo that hung on Naruko's mirror.

It can't be-

"Naruko is in a better place right now, Sasuke-kun..."

I glanced at him, hurt to see the man I never met in my past show such disappointment in me. "Jiraiya-san, I-"

"Please...stop hurting her..." He gave my shoulder a final pat before walking away.

Everyone hates me...Everyone-! Why am I even trying to be with her after everything I did to her?! I'm a monster. I'm a hateful Uchiha. I don't deserve to live. All I do is hurt everyone I love...It would be better if I just disappeared and allow the new me to take over...

The liquor began to cloud my very thoughts. I had lost hope in life and in the chance of ever loving my wife. It was best to let her go; I didn't deserve her anymore.

Instead of chasing down her grandfather like a noble knight in search of his queen, I laid down on the floors of an alleyway, hoping for my life to end.

Naruko P.O.V

I looked at the ring I was given in doubt. My boyfriend turned fiance had asked me to marry him, and I couldn't say no. I couldn't reject him after all he did for me. So I took the ring but never placed it on. It laid on the top of my desk, waiting for me.

Why am I hesitating...? Gaara is amazing, and I know he's going to make me happy.

My hands covered my face in sorrow as I sighed. Why am I so scared of getting married?

The front door of the small home I shared with my grandfather opened. Eager to get away from my situation, I ran to greet him.

"It's late, you pervy old man!" I scolded while helping him walk through the door, "And you're as drunk as always."

"Drunk~? I only had a few shots-ouch!"

I pulled his ear, angry at his drunken state. "The doctor said no more drinking, old man!"

"It was only a few-!"

"Few or not, you can't drink anymore! You already lost your hair. Do you wanna lose your life too?!"

"Okay, okay~ Sheesh, my liver can still take a drink or two..."

I sighed while walking to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

"Naruko."

"Hm?"

"I met someone interesting at the bar."

I chuckled softly as I brought him his water. "Oh yeah? Was it a girl with bigger boobs than granny Tsunade?"

"If only that was possible," he laughed.

I brought him the glass of water then took a seat next to him on the couch. "Who'd you meet?"

He raised a brow mischievously before speaking. "You have to answer my question first."

I crossed my arms, irritated with his bargain. "Fine. What is it?"

"Does Gaara make you happy?"

I was taken aback by the question. My heart sank as I thought about the ring that sat on my desk. "Of course! He's the best guy!"

"Do you love him?" He asked with a more serious gaze.

I hesitated before answering him again, "Yes!"

I wasn't lying. I did love Gaara. He saved me. When I came back to Sonagakure, I was broken. I didn't think my heart could ever recover; then I meet him. He pushed me through my classes in college. He was patient with me when I told him I was scared of loving again. He cared for me. He helped me love again.

But I was still hesitating to marry him. I had finally recovered from my star-crossed romance with Sasuke, but I couldn't commit to Gaara.

It was as if the universe wouldn't let my heart forget the love that me and my previous life held for him. I-no-she was still waiting to be with Sasuke again.

I was turned off by the conversation and no longer wanted to be a part of it. I didn't want to think about my situation with Gaara any longer, so I tried to make an excuse to leave.

"Alright you pervert, it's time for you to go to sleep. You're drunk and spilling out nonsense." I was slowly standing up when he grabbed onto my arm.

"Naruko..." he started while sighing in frustration, "...why didn't you rely on me more while you were in Konoha?"

Guilt suddenly consumed my heart as he brought up our unspoken past. "Gramps..."

He looked at me desperately as he explained himself: "I know...I know I wasn't in the best state of mind back then, but I did care and worry for you...It was hard not hearing from you in those 4 years..."

I sighed anxiously as he opened pandora's box. "You're drunk, old man."

"Naruko," he said strongly trying to get me to answer his question.

I began to fidget nervously. "Look, that was 6 years ago-"

"We didn't talk for 4 years until that one day you wanted to suddenly come back home. And when I picked you up from the airport, you broke down crying, talking about some husband from the future!" Tears left his eyes, making this the second time I had ever seen him cry.

My eyes shifted to the floor in shame. I had left for Konoha because I wanted to give gramps the space he needed. He wasn't doing well mentally, and I made it worse when I came back. His drinking got worse from seeing my broken spirit. His liver paid for his only source of escape, leading him to almost lose his life.

I embraced him, trying to be the support he needed. "I never called because I knew you needed space...After Granny got married, you weren't the same. You rarely came home, and when you did, you were drunk..." I wiped my eyes, feeling my hidden emotions finally reveal themselves.

The first time I saw him sheed tears was when Granny Tsunade married her late husband over 10 years ago. He loved her, but he never did anything about it.

"You deserved to be out and living your best life," I joked, "I was just in the way...If you hadn't taken me in when my parents passed away, your life could have been different-"

"Don't say that," he warned, "Taking care of you gave me a purpose. You were my family. My hope. And I let you down when you needed me the most...So don't blame yourself because you never did anything wrong...You actually made everything in my life right."

I shook my head as I cried into his shoulder. "I'm sorry, gramps..."

The elephant that took over our lives for the last 10 years finally left. The weight that lifted from my shoulders was relieving.

I slowly pulled from the embrace, wiping my eyes as we both started to chuckle.

"Can't believe it took this long for us to talk," he laughed.

I elbowed his arm, remembering that he never told me who he had met at the bar. "I answered your questions, so spill the beans old man! Who did you meet at the bar?"

His expression darkened, making me uneasy.

"Gramps?"

"Naruko, promise me you won't leave to find him."

"Huh?! Find who?"

"Just promise me."

I rolled my eyes, annoyed with all his stalling. "Fine, I promise!"

He stayed quiet, seeming almost afraid to tell me who he had met.

I pushed him playfully like a child. "Come on~! Who is it-?!"

"Sasuke-kun."

My heart stopped from the sound of his name. "Wha-"

"He came back to look for you, Naruko."

I laughed nervously, hoping all he said was a lie. "There's no way-He's not suppose to remember me-" My body was shaking. The thought of seeing him again brought splashes of mixed emotions.

"He was drunk, crying about not being able to find you...It was pathetic," he stated harshly. "Can you believe it took him to lose you to realize he made a mistake? Tch, he was right to let you go. He wasn't good enough for you-"

"Stop!" I yelled angrily, "You don't know anything about him!" I stood up from the couch, no longer wanting to sit by my grandfather.

"He ruined you, Naruko! So why do you still defend him?!" he shouted.

"Because he's my husband-!"

"Was your husband!"

The room grew silent as we glared at each other. Growing tired of our petty fight, I began to make my way to the door. There was a sudden tug at my heart that had me worried for my past husband.

"Where are you going?!" he roared angrily.

"To find Sasuke!" The feeling inside my heart left me uneasy. It was as if my past self was telling me to find him.

I walked out of the house like a child having a tantrum. Rain began to pour down heavily as my grandfather followed behind.

"You're making a mistake, Naruko!"

"No!" I cried while stopping to face him. "I'm not!"

In the last 6 years, I managed to build a new life here. I was able to love again; I found a guy who loved me enough to wait until I was better; I was also on my way to fulfill my career, and my mental health was finally stable again. I was happy, but what about Sasuke?

"Why...?" he cried.

"Because if I keep letting him make stupid mistakes, he'll never be happy-and he of all people, deserves to be happy."

I walked up to my grandfather, embracing him. "I'll be back soon okay...I'm not a child anymore."

I was no longer naive. I knew going to help him did not mean we would be together again. We missed that chance years ago, and it was time to move on. My past self couldn't do anything to help him in his last timeline, but maybe I can help him now.

He deserved to smile again. Love again. Be happy again.

The thought of Gaara crossed my mind as I thought about my happiness. When I get back...I'll make sure to put that ring on.

This time, I had to find my past husband to make him happy.