Chapter Ten: Yomigaere! K
--
At the side view of the face reflected in the mirror
I place you over it and
My heart is breaking
Like the passing wind
I can't catch it
Why is it you?
The finger tips that will never reach
I hold them alone
The words that will never be exchanged are
Drifted into the stars in the night sky
Instead of whispering that you love me
My heart is probably swaying
Instead of saying you're in love
The relationship gets deeper
Ah even sadness, even loneliness
Seems like it can be endured
Ah held it to myself
Your reminiscent and now
I will take it there
--
"Now Sasuke is the time you'll be Hokage!" Kakashi kept on repeating these words to him. "Act normal, okay?"
"But sensei, isn't the bastard normal?" Naruto asked suddenly.
"No." he answered. "His thoughts are drifting into nowhere!"
Kakashi's right, for Sasuke tries to recall more of his memories. For some of them are coming back, and besides he really thinks of Sakura. The past night he couldn't actually sleep even Naruto told him to count sheep--- which he said he does. His positive childish thinking is no match for his loneliness. Naruto spent dinner with him that night and even slept there. He got used that after he ate so much food, he goes in his doze.
Some jutsus were recalled by Sasuke when he and Naruto sparred. That's still not what he wanted. He want more vivid memories of his week's affair with Sakura--- some like he Onsen Inn are recalled, so he's near to it. As the three musketeers entered the hall where the pronouncement will be held, there was a warm welcomed. Naruto appreciated it, but unfortunately it wasn't for him… Sasuke continued in his daze. Then he was now being called.
"One outstanding ninja in our village will be once regarded…" the 1st Hokage began. "It's been years that Jounins become Hokages and are granted certain authority--- for being known that they exceed in being an ordinary Shinobi."
"…And so this afternoon, we are about to add one more in the group of 5, and he is no other than the 5th Hokage's student, Uchiha Sasuke. As of this time, he's the youngest Hokage in the mere age of eighteen."
A thundering applause filled the auditorium. Everyone's sight stayed on Sasuke. Some women practically yelled out, and the 1st Hokage noticed it.
"I know he's really charming, so please--- don't yell at this formal ceremony!" he commanded. "Anyway, we would like to present you this sword as the symbolization for your authority."
"Arigatou," he faintly answered and took it in his hands.
"And so, this ends it. Congratulations to Sasuke Uchiha…" he finished and they applauded again.
"Nee… you got it, but I will exceed Hokages!" Naruto exclaimed as they were going out of the auditorium.
"Dobe," he replied.
"Ku--! Treat us, Sasuke-kun!" Kakashi cried. "C'mon!"
"Whatever," Sasuke replied as he pulled out a wad of cash from his wallet. "Where?"
"Icharaku Ramen House!" they chanted together.
Merrily walking, Naruto and Kakashi are excitedly leaping their steps to Icharaku. They both enjoy the richness of the ramen they serve there. Although they both are happy, on the other hand Sasuke is still pondering.
"Man! Don't be damn serious! Celebrate!" Naruto replied as he pulls his arm to the small restaurant.
"3 beef ramen please" Kakashi told the waitress.
"I missed Ramen." Sasuke replied "it's been a long time,"
"So better eat!"
"Hai…" he said reluctantly.
Afterwards he doesn't feel like eating anymore and he was to leave. Naruto grabbed his plate and waved him bye.
"If he doesn't like, I'll have it!" he said to Kakashi.
Not like Sakura was expecting anything good. It still hurts her though. Like a thousand kunai pricking her chest every time she remembers everything between her and Sasuke. She was gloomily walking on her way to nowhere, after running from a lunch with Rock Lee. She passed the construction site that had made no progress for about a month. Apparently some rich guy was rebuilding his house. She didn't know the details, and it was taking twice as much time. Today they were hauling big metal bars up. She wasn't really paying much attention though for she's busy trying to keep the tears from coming out, which takes quite a lot of concentration for her.
She asked herself why they couldn't be a pleasant couple. Why they couldn't do things together again, for if they did something fun he'd forget all the sad things happening in his life and look happy once in a while. She just thought she heard a faint scream somewhere in the back of her mind: "Hey miss, look out!"
She apparently ignored it. Then another scream followed, "Sakura!" That snapped her out of it. But the next moment there was a shove, a big clanging noise, and then everything went blank to her.
Moments pass by and Sakura saw herself awake up in a hospital room. She felt a streak of pain all along her left side. When she looked at her left arm and left leg and saw that they looked pretty bruised.
"Princess Sakura!" a maid's voice, she knew it, screamed.
Everyone in the room is all looking relieved. On the other corner, she saw her parent's faces and even Rock Lee's on her bedside.
"Lee, what happened? I don't remember anything."
Lee was unusually silent. She could sense that something wasn't right.
"What is it Mom, Dad?"
"You know that construction site? Well, the rope that was hauling up a bunch of metal bars broke. You were under them, and you didn't notice, so the young Hokage ran up to you and shoved you out of the way. You were safe; one metal bare hit the left side of your body but missed your head and all… but he was crushed by the remaining ones." Her mom broke it.
She sat up straight. Sasuke-kun? Crushed? "I-is he ok? Is he alive?"
"We don't know. He's still unconscious, and the bars hit his head pretty bad."
About a hundred emotions swam through her head at once. Sasuke-kun was half dead because of me. If I wasn't stupid and was just paying attention we would all be at home doing our usual thing. His life already is like a tragedy, what if it ends here because of me? No, no that isn't supposed to happen. He isn't supposed to die until we can be together.
She sprung out of bed without much thought. She forgot about her leg and the moment she put her weight on it a pain she'd never felt before shot through it. She collapsed on the floor but desperately tried to pick herself up.
"Sakura-chan, are you ok?" Lee asked immediately and helped her.
"I'm fine. Lend me you shoulder, I need to see Sasuke-kun."
They went down the narrow hallway of the hospital. Lee silently took her into the room where Sasuke lay. He was unconscious, as they told her, and had bandages. Kakashi was leaning on a wall by the room.
"Kakashi-sensei!"
"No broken bone, but the blow on the head was apparently quite fatal."
Naruto led her to the chair next to his bed. Lee left, and was wormed out with jealousy. He can't take her worried look only made for Sasuke Uchiha. She plopped herself and stared into his face. He looked so calm, just lying there, when in reality he had gone through so much. She couldn't bear looking into his face. She hated myself for even being alive, being well, being an airhead all the time while other people were suffering. It was at that moment.
"Sasuke-kun?"
She looked up. Sasuke-kun had opened his eyes!
She suddenly forgot about everything she's thinking before. All of her self-denial was drowned away by sheer happiness.
"Sasuke kun your alive!" she cried clinging onto his neck.
He sat up. She noticed that he had a calm look on his face. Like it was before, the normal Sasuke-kun she knew. He stared at them all, and then finally at her and said the words that she'll never forget:
"My… Sakura-chan!"
"Sasuke--- Sasuke-kun!!!!!!!!!!!!" Sakura shouted, and tears flowed suddenly.
She hugged him tightly as if they'd never seen in a thousand years--- or even millions. Naruto sniffed.
"Itai---" he whispered. "My body hurts…"
"Gomen!" she exclaimed, looking at him straight.
"Sasuke-kun," she whispered, just to make sure. "Is it really you?"
He looked up at her and she was positive. His eyes were somewhat warm and cold again.
"What? Did you like the new Sasuke better? Well I'm sorry I guess I'm here to stay." He said quite irritably.
She made a long sigh. Then she felt the tears continue to burst out, one by one they wouldn't stop coming. She tried to stop them, she knew that he would take them the wrong way, but they wouldn't.
"Well I guess I was right then," he said straightening his posture.
"No," she whispered. "No! I didn't like him more than you. Maybe I did consider wanting him to stay about once or twice, I'll admit that, but. . ."
She stood up and he was looking at her again.
"He wasn't you. He looked exactly like you but he just wasn't you. Sasuke-kun, you know it's not just you appearance I'm attracted to, I love you as who you are. Sure the 'New Sasuke' was nice, but it just wasn't the same. He didn't have the heart that you have. I know that you're heart is mostly made up of revenge, but it has a kindness that no one else possesses."
"Sakura-chan---"
Kakashi motioned and even Naruto to go out the vicinity. He was sure shy about his feelings kept like a clam shell for so long.
"There's just one thing I want to tell you… when all I knew is hate, you changed it. It wasn't until I am with you… that I realized that I too actually had feelings deep down below. You helped them bring them out…" he began. "There was something wrong with me, I forgot how much I loved you."
Sasuke crawled towards her, she took his hand and squeezed it, "When I love you this much, how could I forget that this feeling was inside me? I really love you too--- but…"
Lee entered the room.
"We're leaving by this evening." He replied coldly. "C'mon, you need rest. Go back to your room."
Sakura seemed to have some sort of fear towards Rock Lee and she wouldn't even bother to tell Sasuke, and it would be a lie to say Sasuke didn't care about it.
"So, you are now back to the castle…" Sasuke felt annoyed, but decided he shouldn't bother too much about it. Anyway she told him she loved him.
Sakura looked at the ground and bit by bit said, "Yeah--- you still lost your memory when it happened."
"I'm waiting!" Lee called.
"…Thank you for everything, Sasuke-kun. Get well soon, ha? "
He froze and turned, from looking at the door that Sakura will exit, to Sakura's face. The smile that she usually made for him was hidden somewhere because of fear. When she was to leave, he thinks that she will leave him forever, as though they had drifted off into another world but left him behind. Or was it him that was brought into another world? He suddenly felt a wave of jealousy and grabbed Sakura's arm.
Sakura looked back at him with weary eyes...
Surprised at what he had just done, he slowly drew back and said he was sorry. Sakura thought that was the most solemn word she heard from him.
"What's the big idea, Hokage-sama?" Lee demanded, entering the room.
"I'm sorry, I'm just a bit tired," he muttered.
"Don't leave me, don't drift away from me" he whispered to her… Those were the things he was really feeling. But he couldn't shout it, he had to lie down again and watch. This time he felt that he really was alone.
A/N: The song in the beginning is Shaman King's Omokage [Reflection] by Megumi Hayashibara. I liked its meaning in English… and the song moved me… well another thing. The title of this chapter, Yomigaere--- means "Revive a Soul" taken form Shaman King's 1st opening theme, Oversoul still by Megumi Hayashibara. PLEASE REVIEW!!!!