Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.☻

Chapter 9:

The Bond of Friendship

Sakura slowly opened the letter from the table.

To my dearest sakura-chan,

If you're reading this paper, that means that I already left konoha, I do not want to wake you up because you were sleeping soundly so I decided to only write at you.

I'm sorry if I don't let you come with us sakura-chan. I'm doing this mission for all of us, even if sasuke betray us and hurt your feelings in some way; we cannot change the fact that he's still a member of team seven… He's still my friend after all that he'd done.

I really understand why sasuke is doing all of this, and this time I will save him and finally knock some senses in his twisted brain.

Even if we always fight and keeps competing with each other every time, we also created a connection with each other. A bond that bind us together. It was more like a brotherly connection. I admit that both you and sasuke became a family to me, both of you are the one's that really understands me and accepted me for who I am.

I really appreciate that. You two are one of the most important persons in my life.

I'm sure sasuke is thinking the same thing too. Even though he didn't express it, deep inside he cared for us too, you want to know why did I say that? hehe.. That's easy.

Back at the valley of death, he has a lot of opportunity to kill me, yet he didn't did that. I'm sure deep inside that odium heart of him; lye's a sad and lonely feeling that has been kept hidden for along time that wishes to be free.

I want to help him to realize that he's not alone, that we all are willing to help him attain his goal in life.

I will give my best to bring back sasuke in konoha, I promise you that sakura.

Lastly I really appreciated all of the things that you've done for me sakura-chan, I can't thank you enough for what you've been given me. the affections and caring that I've been longing for all of my life. The tenderly love that showed me the other night. I promise I will go back to you in one piece and finally say to you the words that I couldn't say to you the last time…

Love,

Uzumaki Naruto.

P.S: better start preparing for the big-feast that will happened when I came back with sasuke!

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After reading the letter that naruto created for her, She embraced it closer to her chest as if it's the most important thing on her life.

"You idiot, you're always like this…" she worriedly whispered….

All of a sudden sakura felt an eerie feeling deep inside her body, she felt a cold breeze on her spine, her heart was pounding really fast in an instance, she just couldn't calm herself as if something really bad will gonna transpire.

Sakura then remembered the Nightmare that she has earlier, the image of naruto being killed.

Time suddenly stopped on Sakura. Her heart was beating really madly as if it was going to explode anytime.

A sudden flow of thoughts rushes into her mind.

"What if something bad happened to him?"

"What if he's been injured and hurt really badly?"

"What if naruto-kun actually……dies in this mission?"

Tears suddenly flow out of her eyes. Sakura's whole body was shaken on what she's been thinking about.

—Stop Thinking about these nonsense sakura! — Her inner self retorted.

"B—but"

—Naruto-kun won't die, I know he will! It takes a lot of might to killed that person—

Silence….

Her inner self sighed —Or maybe you just wanted that things to happen on him, am I right?—

Sakura yelled "NEVER! I'd rather die if he leaves me alone in this world…"

—Then what are you still doing here, crying at the corner? —

"What do you mean?"

A vein twisted on the inner sakura's forehead.

—What I mean is…You gonna do something to prevent theses things to happen! —

She annoyingly demanded.

"So what are you suggesting to me?"

—Look, would you let something bad happened to naruto? —

"No…"

—Would you let him be hurt and injured? —

"Of course not!"

—The answer this…Would you let him be killed in this mission? —

"No. I will never let that happen to him." She strongly respond.

The inner sakura respond —Yes that's right! —

"I believe I can do something to help him!"

—You go girl, I'm rooting for you!—

"I wont let anything bad happened to him no matter what!"

—So then, you know what are you going to do? — Crossing her imaginary arms.

Her facial expression suddenly shifted from gloomy to a more determined and strong-minded expression.

"Yes…"

She stand up from the floor.

Sakura just couldn't bare only wait for the person that she loved.

She just feels the urge to go to the place where naruto is confronting sasuke.

She head towards tsunade's office really swiftly.

She whispered to herself "I will do my best to protect you naruto"

When she reached the office she rashly opened the door, tsunade jumped off, she never see sakura act this way before so she quickly asked sakura.

"What's wrong sakura?" sakura replied while breathing rally fast. "Tsunade-sama let me go to the area where naruto-kun go into!"

Tsunade look serious towards sakura. She lowered her head and crossed her arms.

She replied silently "I'm afraid a can't give you permission to go there….im sorry sakura"

"B—but why? What's wrong tsunade-sama, as far as you know my skill have greatly improved ver the passed years and I know for myself that I will not became a burden on naruto anymore…" Her eye is starting to get wet.

"I now for certain that your skills have greatly improved sakura but sakura, as far as you know it's a Class-A mission right? And I even if I'm the most high ranking ninja in konoha, I cannot do not have the authority to do what you asked me to do, it is strictly forbidden to just add up a member on a platoon that was already decided"

Sakura asked with a beaten voice "C—could you just do something about it tsunade-sama?"

"Im afraid I can't…I'm really sorry sakura"

Sakura couldn't do anything to change tsunade's mind. She walks away sadly.

Tsunade thought to herself "The truth is, I can really grant the permission to add up sakura on the group. She will be a good aid on them….you owe me a lot naruto" The other day naruto asked tsunade that sakura wont join up in the group. He didn't want for sakura to see him fight to the death with sasuke.

"Poor girl…" she whispered.

As sakura opened up the door she bumps into kakashi whose as usual, reading her favorite Book, come come paradise.

"yo! Sakura, what's up?"

Her eyes widen "Sir Kakashi!" Sakura remembered that pakkun has the ability to locate a person.

'huh?" kakashi looked at sakura really curious.

A sudden Idea came into the mind of sakura, she finally sees a hope to go to the place where naruto was fighting sasuke. "Sir. Kakashi! Can I ask you a favor?" Sakura strongly demanded.

Kakashi puts the magazine that he's been reading into his pocket. "What favor?"

"Can I borrow pakkun?"

"What? Pakkun, umm sure… anytime." He bit his thumb so that blood will flow within its peak.

"Kuchiyose no jitsu!"

"poof!" pakkun suddenly came out from the smoke. "Long time no see little girl…" pakkun lifted his paws.

Sakura Smiled really wide as if a huge weight was lifted upon her shoulders. "Thank you so much Sir. Kakashi I really appreciated this!" tears of joy dripped down to her eyes slowly as he commanded pakkun to find the scent of naruto.

Kakashi thought to himself as he watch sakura walk away from her position.

He lowers his head and sighed "She reminds me of a certain girl that I know a long time ago…" he's face tuned rather sad and lonely.

"Rin….."

To be continued….