oooo
first off before I start this next chapter...
I would like to acknowledge the following ppl
Mr "C"I am truly sorry that the first chapter isn't exactly nejisaku...but I did specifially state in the summary that it comes in FUTURE CHAPTERS i.e. after chapter ONE.
and Mr. "Andrew loves anime" I appreciate you're gallant display of defending me...but..uhh...no fighting please --'''
Arigato.
now that, that's settled
on with the next chapter!
read and review please!
sincerely,
Ayu
Let me see your smile
Chapter 2
Mistake
She had done it.
She had finally proven to all—her father, her team, her sensei and her love, Sasuke—her incompetence as a Shinobi…
…As a medic…
…As a human…
She had finally severed any hope she had for his acceptance and now…
She had lost all and any hope or dignity she had left.
"Sakura-chan…don't feel bad… it wasn't your fault," reasoned Naruto as he sat next to her, lovingly placing an arm around her shoulder. He tried with all that he could muster to comfort the down-trotted girl before him. True, many times before he had screwed up on a mission but Naruto's resiliency never wavered and his confidence to rise from a situation could never be defeated. And so with every fault he committed he always found creative means to fight back either through his strength or through his limitless pride.
The girl resting on his arm however was someone of different origins. Though she had grown wiser, stronger with the equivalence of the Godaime's might and with skills that would surpass that of any and all the medic-nin beyond the region, Sakura's greatest flaw lay on her emotions…even through everything she'd been through, all the training and tribulation she still could not surpass her greatest foe—herself.
Where Naruto could so easily dismiss or rise above his mistakes, she could not. She'd scorn herself in inferiority…weak…incompetent…and unworthy…
All these ungodly traits seen within the eyes of the man she loved…
The man who had captivated her entire soul years ago in their youth…
The man with whom she pleaded her heart…
The man who rejected her countless of times…
Naruto could only coax any emotion out of the pink-haired kunoichi as her mind trailed off into the memories she'd locked away in her thoughts…
It had already been 2 years since Sasuke's return to Konoha. It had been a long and tremulous journey…but he was back…
Back to the village that had sheltered his shattered form…
Back to the team that had loved him as their own
Back to his best friend…
Back to their Sensei…
Back to all things familiar…
Back…to her…
And even with the time that separated the two young Shinobi, her love for him only grew stronger with each passing second. All her hopes were kept alive by his non-existent love for her…surely, there was no harm in a girl to dream in the "what-coud-be" that time and destiny alone could hold and harness.
Each night within the torrents of agony the same scenario would play.
'Free me from my prison' she'd chant within the chambers of her thoughts each time she'd close the door to what she called he "home" as she would let her body absorb the torment of her father's hatred…
Each strike…
Each blow…
Every scar…
And each cursed word that rolled from his malevolent tongue.
"Pathetic Bitch! An Uchiha will never give a damn about a pathetic fool like you!" He'd laugh delivering another painstaking blow that entwined with the mixture of smoke and alcohol of each night's sordid ambiance.
'I deserve this…I am nothing… I am weak…' she'd say…not letting the tears cascade down her face…Indeed, every night left her numb and cold hearted…and yet as the sun rose above the gates of her village…she'd greet each morning with a smile…
The smile that everybody loved…
The smile that everybody had suited her graceful features all these years…
The smile that had defined her as "Sakura" ...Konoha's Cherry Blossom ...for all these years…
Yet, no one knew why…why she'd smile so freely when the sun was in dominion of the world…but when the moon took hold of all the land's possession…
Her smiles no longer meant anything…
"I don't give a damn about you! You're mother never did…look where she is right now? Far the hell away from that pathetic face of yours!" her father would continue… "She never gave a fuck about an insignificant mongrel like you…what makes you think that he will accept you for the fool that you are!"
And yet…
She would still smile…
"You are weak, stupid, ugly…unworthy… No damn wonder that Uchiha left…humph…No damn wonder you couldn't stop him before he did…even when you had the chance to…you damn stupid fool…look what it cost this village…you're nothing but a disgrace…bitch!" Another strike… "You think that now that he's back he'd still give a damn about you? Humph…you really are pathetic…yea…he's back…but he didn't come back for you…you vain incompetent excuse for a daughter!" Then he'd continue throughout the darkness of the night until sleep would take refuge within his sardonic form.
And yet… in front of the world…
She'd still smile…
And still…the night of Sasuke's departure…
No one knew why…
Why the brightest, most cheerful cherry blossom begged with all she could for Sasuke to stay…
Sure, they knew how much she adored the raven-haired youth.
But no one knew what her words had meant…
"I have a family…I have friends…but with you gone…. I am…alone…"
And still in front of the world…of team seven…of Sasuke…
She'd smile…
"Ne…ne Sakura-chan" shrugged the young kyuubi "Are you even listening to me?" he pried trying to stir the cherry-blossom out of her daze.
Throughout the years, Naruto's love for the kunoichi only enhanced his insatiable vivacity and exuberance for life and for his dream to one day become Hokage. Though the attraction he held for her had been subdued to a camaraderie between siblings, he would always live through his sworn promise of protecting her the best he could.
"Sakura-chan?"
The girl only stared off into space ignoring the worry emitting from her best friend's embrace.
It was her fault
Her fault that the mission was a disaster…
If she had only listened…
Then maybe… just maybe…
She would have won his respect… once and for all…
"Sakura…stay here with the client…protect him by all means…no matter what happens…stay here!" shouted Sasuke as he bound forth fighting the invading nins together with Naruto.
It had been a while… but this was the first mission Sasuke had been one since his return to Konoha…indeed; the Godaime was true to her word when she decided to reprimand the Uchiha for his departure…i.e. no missions for a while… but after much consent from Kakashi and the rest of team seven… he was once again allowed to take on a mission together with team seven…establishing the bond they had once more.
"Hai!" replied Sakura as she took a defensive stance in front of their client.
Their mission was simple enough, just escort a messenger safely back to the water country.
But the journey alone proved to be paved with limitless attacks and traps looming in every corner. This battle was just one out of many that they have encountered so far.
"Souzou-san, stay close…ok?" Sakura stated to the man behind her. The man she was ordered to protect.
Far at a distance she could see the rest of team seven fight. Naruto using his shadow replication to subdue the rest of the hiding nin as Kakashi and Sasuke fought with those who freely attacked.
Kunai knives could be seen whirling past each other… "Damnit" cursed Sasuke 'There's to many of them…' he threw another kunai at the enemy's bunshin clone. He knew the struggle would be hard…but Damnit this was getting annoying…
That's when he felt it…
His presence once again bubbling within him…
Orochimaru's curse was slowly taking control of his body…and from a distance…Sakura could only watch. Naruto and Kakashi were too busy to notice this change in Sasuke…if it should take hold of Sasuke completely…then…who knows what dangers would befall him…and everyone else around him…
She had a choice…and with little time to act… Sakura formed hand seals to enclose their client in a barrier as she left Souzou and rushed forth to the Uchiha's side. "Souzou-san…Gomenasai…" she said as she left the man to stand alone in his own defense.
"Sasuke-kun!" she screamed as she saw Sasuke fall on his knees in pain…quickly placing him in her arms she released her chakra into his system—a technique taught to her by the Godaime if ever a situation such as this would arise. She used her chakra to block every possible chakra hole Sasuke had…and with that she performed a fluid set of hand seals and placing her hands upon Orochimaru's curse she sealed it with her own chakra therefore hindering the progress if it's control over Sasuke's body.
"Sasuke-kun…" she breathed as she felt his body relax in her arms…
"Sakura…" he replied "…Souzou-san…where is he…?"
With his final words a shriek of pain came from behind them. Sakura's barrier had faltered and their client, Souzou now lay dead and bloodied upon the ground before them.
"Sakura-chan…"Naruto began as he felt her shift in his hold. "That Teme had no right to do that you know…you did the right thing…"
If she had done the right thing then why did it leave her empty and broken? Why had it left her with nothing but pain…and guilt?
"I told you to stay with the client!" stormed Sasuke as he pushed Sakura up against at tree chakra flowing freely from his body in rage.
"Sasuke! Enough! Stop it right now!" demanded Kakashi "Sasuke-teme! Let her go you fool! Is that how you thank someone from saving you?" Naruto added as Kakashi tried to push down Naruto from attacking the Uchiha.
"Let her go you BAKA! She saved you!"
At this Sasuke calmed down and let his go of his grip on the frightened kunoichi. "Saved me eh?" he scoffed as he turned his back. "You really haven't changed Naruto…at least I can say you're strength has greatly increased…but you're still too much of an optimist…" he stated "As for you…Sakura" he continued as he turned his gaze over to the kunoichi before him…his eyes mixed in the qualities of disgust and pity "you haven't changed at all…you're still weak…and still annoying…" he sneered as he disappeared from sight.
"Sakura…" Kakashi began "Are you hurt anywhere?"
"Huh? Oh…umm…no sensei I'm fine…see?" she smiled at both of them causing each to wonder in confusion. "Besides, I did disobey his order…so I guess…it's ok if he got mad…" she added her smile never faltering.
"Sakura…"
It wasn't until hours later upon their arrival that Naruto found the distressed Kunoichi alone. Sitting atop the railings of the bridge that was the gathering place for team Kakashi. She seemed so deep in thought that his exclamations of her name went unnoticed. Even as he tried every possible joke or gossip he heard from the village…nothing seemed to wake the cherry blossom from her thoughts.
Only when he had mentioned his name did she stir.
"Sasuke… had no right…and don't worry I've already told Tsunade-obachaan what he did…I'm sure she'd—" his words cut short.
"You didn't have to Naruto." Sakura stated firmly "It was I that made the mission fail…If I had stayed with the client as he told me too…we would be in the water country right now with him still alive."
"But Sakura-chan…if you hadn't stopped the cursed seal from activating then maybe we would've—"
"NO…naruto…there is no excuse for what wrong I've done…Arigato…for trying to make me feel better…but it does not change the odds…" with that she showered Naruto with a rain of cherry blossoms and disappeared into the night…
'Why? Why do you always have do defend him when he hurts you? Sakura-chan…" Naruto sighed as he watched the kunoichi vanish from his sight.
The moon was already shining bright… and yet she was wide awake in remorse. She didn't feel like going back to her home just yet…surely her father had already heard the news of her failure…after all…news travels fast in this village…no doubt he was already there waiting…
Waiting to remind her once again of her incompetence…
So she decided to wait a few hours more…
She didn't feel like going home and facing her "fears" for she already went through the torment today as she walked into his eyes.
As her thoughts were still submerged within the day's events she found herself lying on the top of the Konoha gates gazing intently at the moon above…
'Tou-san…he's always right… Sasuke-kun will always hate me…'
'I am nothing…'
She took a kunai from her pouch and stared at it…the way the moon's light reflected off of its contours just allured her into the depths of her misery. Steadily raising the kunai above her she threw it at the sky above and as it fell she quickly caught it before it hit her face. Again she would do this…throwing it up into the air…waiting for its decent then catching it before it should hit her.
Little did she know that as she was performing this ritual a pair of eyes loomed not far in the distance…watching her intently as she would play with the kunai in her hands…throwing and catching it again with precision as her body lay still…her other arm stretched to her side and her hair flowed freely upon the cement that supported her body.
Her audience grew mesmerized by her act…wondering what would posses her to dare death in that way? After all, this was a girl that he had always seen smile upon the world before her…a girl with such a bubbly persona that contradicted his own…
Was that all perhaps a disguise?
He continued to watch as the kunai fell from the sky nearing the soft curves of her face…as it neared she let both her arms fall to her side waiting…waiting for the kunai to fall… at that moment he knew…
She had no intention in catching it…
So swiftly as his hands could allow him, he quickly released a kunai of his own throwing it against hers suddenly deflecting its path…
Freeing her from harm…
She didn't stir at this but instead kept her eyes on the sky…
"Why? Why would you not let me die?" she whispered
"Kunai are meant for battle Haruno-san…not suicide…" he stated as he emerged from the darkness and approached her immobile form.
She recognized the voice…one that she did not expect to hear…to say the least…expect to save her…
"What are you doing here this late at night?" he asked
"I could ask you the same thing" she replied, still gazing above at the stars.
"It was my turn to keep guard at the gates tonight…"
"Ah…"
He neared her and sat near to where her head rested upon the pavement. "Why is it that you wish for death Haruno-san…?" he questioned, "You never struck me as the deep depressed brooding type…"
"Lesson number one…A shinobi must learn to see beyond deception…" she replied matter-of-factly…
"What is it that you are trying to hide?"
"…"
He looked over to her and found that sleep was slowly calling her.
"Gomenasai... Neji-san…I… cannot tell ….you…" she mumbled as she slowly fell into slumber.
Preview: Next Chapter of "Let me see your smile"
Chapter 3
Right.
Neji Hyuuga: Tou-san...I don't understand... you never taught me why...why people seek death even when they drown in happiness...or is it perhaps, Tou-san...that happiness only comes to those who don't realize it's existence? Should the rest of us who realize it's deception forever be severed from ever tasting it's sensation?
Tou-san...
sometimes... I wish you were here to guide me to the answers...
The sky...
they no longer have any freedom... even for the birds...
A.N:
Chpt 2 down! yea... i guess I have decided to just keep writing until whenever.
REVIEW PLEASE! PLEEEEEEEEAAASE (and this time no fighting --''' let's all be friends )