The Unforgotten Promise

A/N: Sorry people! I had a story made, part 2, but my computer turned off suddenly for some reason! I got a book report and a major writers block! But I'm back, sorry if it's a little short.

"Regular Talking."

'Thoughts.'
Inner Sakura

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A golden blonde haired boy sat in his warm bed as the orange sun rose upon the Hokage Monument, bringing light down into the village of Konohagakure. Uzumaki Naruto awoke and hopped out of his bed. The blue eyed shinobi walked into his small apartment kitchen and rubbed his eyes. The shinobi yawned and grabbed a cup of instant ramen and started it up as he sat down in a plastic chair lying dormant in his kitchen. The boy stared blankly out at the Shodaime, Nidaime, Sandaime, Yondaime and Godaime's faces for a few moments until the microwave beeped. The cover of the metal microwave popped open as Uzumaki Naruto opened it up and grabbed a pair of chopsticks from a kitchen drawer. The boy quickly shoveled the ramen in and had a second cup. He threw both cups down into the trash and walked into his bedroom and quickly got dressed in his usual orange uniform and strapped on his Hatai Ate Konohagakure headband. He gave a triumphant grin as he walked out his door to the bridge where he meets with his team members, Sakura and Sas... the boys face turned to one of pure sadness when he remembered his teamate, Uchiha Sasuke who had gone to search for the Otokage, Orochimaru for power. Naruto sluggishly walked to the bridge and completely ignored the villagers glares. He spotted Sakura and she looked just as sad as he was. Neither of them sent a look, a greeting. Nothing. Both stood still, as the wind lashed by flowing Sakura's pink hair through the wind and Naruto's blonde hair. The grass flowed too as the world seemed to follow along with both of their sorrows. Both of them couldn't stop thinking about the raven haired boy and how he had betrayed Konoha - betrayed his village - betrayed his place in both of their hearts. Sakura, who loved him, and Naruto who thought of him as a true brother. Both of them could not even begin to think it happened just yesterday. Naruto's wounds were not serious. Teams Kurenai, Asuma and Gai all had a missing member. Inuzuka Kiba from Kurenai who had been too seriously hurt but still was in the hospital. Asuma had been called off due to two members missing, Akimichi Chouji who was nearly dead and Nara Shikamaru, like Kiba was still a little hurt. Gai had Hyuuga Neji who like Chouji barely survived, Rock Lee wasn't too hurt. All of Nara Shikamaru's team that was sent out to find Sasuke had failed. They all had failed, it caused regret in Shikamaru, it caused intense pain in Naruto which was also endured in Sakura, it placed the knowledge of failure and intense agony in Chouji and Neji and it had caused Kiba guilt, knowing his dog Akamaru had been hurt during the battle. Both of them knew what had happened and how much pain had been endured and was still being endured. Neither of them knew for sure if Uchiha Sasuke had cared or not, but it was too much for the two Genin's minds to comprehend. Along with the entire Nara Shikamaru Chunin Genin squad which had failed to capture Uchiha Sasuke which is now a Missing-Nin of Konohagakure. Both of them sighed inwardly as a certain silver haired Jounin appeared with a certain orange book with a crossed mark on the back reading "Icha Icha Paradise" on the front which both of the Genin were familiar with.

"Hi there!" Kakashi waved.

Neither of them responded.

"Today, we are going to spar... uhh, Naruto vs Sasuke." Kakashi said boringly.

Both of the two Genin looked up at their Jounin instructor as if Hell had frozen over and their heart was trapped in it being destroyed by Satan slowly.

Kakashi realized what he said and his boring look faultered to one of sadness.

"You can just take the day off..." Kakashi said and disappeared with his book in hand.

The blonde and pink haired Genin looked down as tears streamed down a shaking Sakura. Naruto was shaking too with tears in his eyes but looked over at Sakura who could not take it anymore and collapsed hugging herself.

"Why! Sasuke why!" Sakura screamed as if she needed to grab something but it was so far away and needed to strangle the chance to let it out. She sobbed and sobbed until the ground around her was wet and could have made a pint full of tears. Naruto frowned at the sight of his teammate and walked over to her.

"Sakura-chan... I'm sorry." Naruto said sweetly but filled with gloom.

Sakura normally would've hit him across the world but she accepted it and kept crying.

"Why did he leave Naruto! Why?" Sakura sobbed.

Naruto frowned down to her.

"I'll get him back for you Sakura... I promise..." Naruto said walking away.

Sakura kept sobbing then looked up at the disappearing form of Naruto.

Why didn't he stay there to comfort her? Why did he just leave like it was impossible to do anything?

Inner Sakura

It's because you never let him get close to you! If he wasn't feeling so bad like you maybe he would've tried but you would've hit him!

Sakura for once agreed with her inner self, it was true, she was always so mean to Naruto even after what he had said. This just made everything worse, not only did Sasuke leave but she had ripped apart Naruto slowly before along with the villagers harsh glares for reasons she did not know, now Sasuke left. She could barely imagine how much he could be hurting.

Naruto retreated back into his apartment and closed the door.

"Hmmm... so what about it Tsunade?"

"Well... I don't know, I will have to confirm this, but not now, it is too soon, Jiraiya."

A door opened in Tsunade's office as a certain silver haired Kakashi walked in slipping his book away, this earned a confident smirk from Jiraiya as Tsunade's brows furrowed and Jiraiya watched.

"I agree about the procedure at hand, Naruto should go with Jiraiya." Kakashi said.

"But, his friend was just tooken away. I will not allow it." Tsunade said.

"I guess I should agree to this, I will be back soon Tsunade to get Naruto." Jiraiya replied.

Jiraiya was gone in a flash of speed. Kakashi looked past him and Tsunade spoke up.

"Kakashi, I know this wasn't the entire reason you came here."

Kakashi's face did not change.

"You are right. This wasn't the only reason. What is to be of Team 7?" Kakashi asked with no emotion whatsoever.

"You will continue doing missions as 3 man squads and have an exception at the Chuunin selection exam where you can participate as a party of two." Tsunade groaned tiredly.

"Okay." Kakashi said disappearing.

Tsunade let out a exasperated sigh and her head flopped down on the table like a dead weight as she fell asleep.

Uzumaki Naruto rummaged through his house sadly as his stomach groaned. Naruto wondered outside of his apartment to Ichiraku Ramen bar. He sat quietly in the corner of the room, this was strange! Ayame usually had him in the middle, chatting his head off to her with a huge grin eating bowl of ramen after ramen! He had only eaten one and barely had started on two! Something was up.

"What's wrong, Naruto-san?" Ayame asked.

Naruto frowned to her and she merely went back to her work.

Iruka had heard about what happened to Sasuke, he wondered into Ichiraku's and sat down next to Naruto and was quiet for a moment. Naruto only glanced at him and Iruka grinned. Nothing had occured for a moment until Iruka spoke up.

"You know, Naruto... you can talk to me about anything you want..."

Naruto was quiet.

"I just don't understand, Iruka-sensei... why did he leave..." Naruto said quietly and sadly.

Iruka scowled at this sadly.

'I'm so sorry for him...' Iruka thought quietly.

"I'm sorry Naruto... but... if you can be determined next time, I know you can do it! I'll believe in you!" Iruka said proudly.

Naruto looked up at him and let out a weak smile. Iruka was happy he made a little bit of improvement. Naruto shoveled in some ramen and got to his eighth bowl and stood up. Iruka gave him a small hug as Naruto smiled truthfully this time and walked out of Ichiraku's. Naruto walked down the street to his apartment and walked by Sakura. They both stared into each others eyes and they each saw pure sadness as they both passed sending a flurry of strawberry and foxy smells colliding together and making some sort of new scent as they passed each other both heading for each others homes.

Haruno Sakura entered her home, past her mother and into her room. She picked up a picture of Team 7 that was tooken. She saw the Happy Kakashi with his hand on Naruto and... Sasuke's head with her in the middle. Always in the middle of things but never able to do anything, admiring them from afar... being so weak. Sakura frowned as she looked at her grinning teammate and her bored/mad looking teammate. Sakura was so sad what she had done to Naruto, shunned him like everyone else. And that how Sasuke had betrayed her and betrayed Naruto and everyone else.

'I don't even know why I feel sorry for Naruto... I practically hate the guy...' Haruno Sakura left this to herself as she closed her eyes on her bed and fell asleep.

Uzumaki Naruto entered his home and walked next to his couch and grabbed the picture of Team 7. There he was, Uchiha Sasuke, bright as day, but so long gone. A type of brother to him, a friend, a rival. Naruto frowned as he set the picture down. Next to him was the person he loved, next to her the person he rivaled, the person with the hand on his head the happy copy cat ninja, easy going, pervert Hatake Kakashi. Naruto let out a small sad smile as he set the picture back down. Naruto wasn't hungry, or bored. Just sad. Meloncholy thoughts passed through his mind as Naruto laid down and fell asleep on his couch.

'Sakura-chan, I'll get him back for you.' He thought as he fell asleep.

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A/N: There ya go, I hope I can update soon!