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It was amazing. The petals fluttered everywhere as the sky grew reddened by the luscious sun setting into the soon to come night. As he walked through the empty garden that slowly intertwined with the woods farther north, he felt the pink petals crunch beneath his feet. They added a beautiful pattern onto his otherwise plain Yukata. The grass rustled gently. The place was untouched, as if the enemies had never even seen the place. Then, in a split second Sasuke fell down onto the grass looking out to the sun. What was he doing here? How would this help? How would this help bright Sakura back to life, back to him? He himself had actually never been in the garden. Come to think of it. he had never even known of this garden until that petal came to him, almost like a floating messenger, beckoning him to come. It was like a sacred shrine. A sacred place that would only help the suffering finds peace. Yes. He had heard of this garden before. in old stories, his parents used to tell him. but the blossoms could not comfort him. not even now. Why had everyone he tried to love, die? Why had he only found this poor excuse for a replacement? What was this, some kind of joke? Some kind of cruel joke to make him long for her further. More than anything, he was upset at himself. Why hadn't he realized it sooner? He couldn't believe that he was stupid enough to let Sakura slip from his fingers. On the night when he decided to join Orochimaru and Sakura tried to stop him, at first it was like any other confrontation with Sakura. But it was somehow different. When she started to cry, he thought of her as an idiot, but when the memories of the few moments of happiness he had in his life appeared in his mind, all he had wanted to do was wipe away those tears from her gentle green eyes and whisper to her that it would be okay. But he had held back. He was afraid, afraid of love. Instead, he snapped at her and when she still persisted, the tears inside of him continued to swell. If he did not bring that jutsu upon her to stop her words, he would have stayed. stayed with her until she would stop crying.
How many years did he continue to deny his love for her? Was it three long and tedious years, just like the three long and tedious days that clocked by since the day he lost her? A petal floated down to his cheek and as he went to brush it away, he jumped. The petal drifted to the ground but a damp, clear fluid lay on a finger. He retouched his cheeks frantically, and his fingers grew more and more damp.
Tears?! He was. cr.crying?
An unexplainable tear stained his pale cheeks. He shivered out of pure confusion. When was the last time he had shown emotion? It was when. when Itachi killed his family, when he was forced never to see his parents again. Yet, when Itachi looked into the fearful eyes of the smaller Sasuke, he swore never to never show fear, to never cry again, to never to show a weakness to the one he was destined to kill.
"I wish I was able to have the same beauty as those blossoms," A gentle, tranquil voice came from behind Sasuke. He recognized it all too well as he got up with a jolt and turned to see a dark purple and blue kimono, simple yet magnificent at the same time. A hand held onto a branch of a sakura tree, her green eyes fixated on the branch, rather than Sasuke.

Was she really alive? Was this just a figment of his imagination, another sick joke? If she was dead. then how could she be standing, speaking and breathing right in front of his eyes?
"I still hate you." Sakura's voice broke through the almost eerie silence. Her voice was cold and stiff, her gentle smile turned hard. Her grasp on the branch tightened, losing all her elegance in a split moment.
For once Sasuke felt a true fear, an unreal fear like never before. He put his head down like a lost puppy, not daring to let a word escape from his lips. what was there to say? She had every right to hate him. Every right.
"I thought you were dead." Sasuke snorted with a dignified look. There he went again. snapping back to hide his true feelings.
"Maybe. at the time I had wished so much for death, I didn't get it. that's like a lot of things in my life, isn't that right? I have never gotten what I've wanted, even the smallest things. even the stupidest things. and I'm forced the burden of receiving exactly what I don't want." Sasuke stood up from where he sat and came closer to her with a cold stare.
"So why were you crying Uchiha?" She responded, fully taking advantage of the few tears he'd ever shed.
"Crying?" He put one hand to wipe his eyes hastily and sighed.
"It's nothing. just a bit of dew still falling from the branches." Sakura gave a grunt and in a copied sigh she added,
"Oh yes, Uchiha. your outside exterior of a loner now bores me. you're just too afraid of emotion, too afraid aren't you? Afraid of believing in a dream?"
"Humph. Sakura. you've changed and I don't know why but. I now know that you're not as much of a weakling as you first appeared. maybe. even stronger than me. and I know you don't want it. but I hope you'll be able to endure just one more burden you don't want." Sakura waited for the pressing question or response he was about to give, but in a split second, all of her senses were lost in an exhilarating heat and warmth that entered her body. She felt Sasuke's lips press against her own, her arms naturally wrapping around his muscular shoulders, a shrill of excitement running up her spine as his hand touched her cheek softly.
Pulling away for air reluctantly, Sakura looked daringly in his eyes.
"What. was. that?" She gasped both in shock, joy and enragement, as though she was being taken advantage of.
"I. I'm. sorry. promise me. you'll never make me miss anyone so much ever again." Sasuke softly replied, yet his voice was clear and strong, "The real reason I cried was because. I was a fool. to ever think I could try and dodge my. love for you." Sakura shed her own share of tears,
"But. why. why. now. Why did you make me wait so long Sasuke.?"
"I was afraid." Sakura was amazed, not only by the emotion but even more that he was able to show his insecurities to above others, her.
"My brother tried to make me feel weak. and he did. but no matter how hard he tried. he could not find my weakness. only you could." He kissed her again caressing her hair gently in his fingertips, and all Sakura could think about was that how she could live. live so long without knowing that Sasuke would be. her first kiss. She tightened her fingers around some cloth of his Yukata as the sweet scent of sakura blossoms floated through the air.
Crackle. Pop.
Sakura and Sasuke broke off at once and look up at the sky. It was already dark, yet the sky was fully illuminated by the colorful and brilliant fireworks. The festival was in full swing, in the distance the echo of loud and traditional music played, the beatings of drums were sounded clearly. Everyone must have been having a wonderful time filled with food, music, dance, friends, etc. Yet, as Sasuke stood, Sakura pressed against his chest, he knew that no matter what he would rather had been here than there.

****** Chapter 17 End To be continued..