I DON'T OWN ANY NARUTO THINGS. THIS IS JUST A RANDOM STORY
Chapter 1
Sakura's POV
"He's coming back."
Even though Kakashi said it out loud to all three of them, the comment was unmistakably directed at her. Thankfully Naruto interjected to fill the silence.
"THAT BASTARD!" he said while slamming his fists down. "He can reply to your letters but not mine!"
"It's probably because you have nothing else to talk about except Hinata and ramen." Sai said coolly.
"That's not true! I tell him about what's changing in Konoha and about you guys and about my training and—" he continued to ramble on.
Kakashi pushed his bowl aside. Somehow, he had managed to eat all his ramen without showing anyone his face again. "Anyways he should be here in a few days."
All three of them nodded. They continued with other small talk, paid their bill, and left the shop. They exchanged goodbyes and the guys went their ways leaving her with her thoughts.
Sakura didn't know how to feel exactly. Her feelings for Sasuke were complicated. Did she love him? Yes. But she wasn't that lovesick little girl from the past. She progressed through many seasons of growth that made her to be the person she was now. She reflected back to those adolescent days where she idolized Sasuke.
As a genin, she was too weak for anything; she depended entirely on Naruto and Sasuke. Her obsession for the raven-haired boy was at an all-time high, and she truly believed that her puppy love could fill the emptiness left by the death of his clan. His departure from Konoha felt like the world was shattering, and she nearly became depressed. She vowed she would get stronger and help bring him back.
And stronger she became. Under the guidance of Tsunade, she was able to bring out her strengths. Tsunade taught her how to balance and control her feelings, but he was still her weakness. She recalled during the war how she had poured out her heart to him begging him to stay. She cringed internally at her actions.
But in the end, he apologized. It wasn't much, but it changed everything. Then he left the village again leaving her nothing but a tap on the forehead. But something changed in that moment. She didn't know if something was lifted off her shoulders, or a switch just flipped on, but in that moment, she realized she didn't need him.
It was a liberating feeling. She felt like she didn't have to worry about him anymore. She could go on and accomplish her goals without thinking of Sasuke fucking Uchiha. Yes, she still loved him, but she knew he was on a path of redemption and repentance. She was on a different path. If fate brought them together again later on, then so be it. But she wasn't going to stress about it. She knew his heart was changed and he wasn't the same revenge driven boy and she wasn't the same weak annoying girl, and that's all that mattered.
So let him come back, she wasn't going to let that change how great her life was right now.