I got a whole review. How cool! Anyway, a little bit more background and feelings. The next chapter should be better.

Day 2

Ino was probably the last person Sakura expected to see in tears. Ino was strong, perhaps not all the time, but with her team mates for support and her slowly growing potential, it was hard to believe just how much stronger she had become in the last four years. Sure, she still had her moments, but she had also focused both on her techniques and on the sanity of her own life.

"What's the matter?" Sakura asked when she saw the blond-haired girl sitting at the ramen shop in tears.

Sakura couldn't help but wonder if he was the reason for it all. The arrival of the missing nin and his actions left much to be desired, namely answers. She settled down beside the other girl and smiled at Ino a little sadly. Pulling a lock of bright pink hair out of her eyes, Sakura sighed.

"You know about him, don't you?" she asked.

Ino nodded and regarded her best friend evenly. "Doesn't it bother you?"

Sakura released a breath she'd been holding. "No, not really. I thought it would, especially since we were friends, but in the end, he IS a traitor. No matter what Naruto feels, Sasuke committed crimes against this village and against innocent people. In the world of the ninja, that is unforgivable."

"How can you say that?" Ino asked.

"How can you not?" Sakura retaliated. "Do you just take him at face value and say he was innocent. He was fourteen when he left, not two. He should've known better! Better by far!"

"Aren't we all allowed our mistakes?"

Sakura shrugged. "As a medic, I see a lot of people who are dying, who have been hurt. People who have done nothing wrong save that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Those who hurt them are criminals. What makes Sasuke any better?"

Ino sighed and looked down at her food, not sure what to say. Sakura was a young woman with potential and with a lot going for her. Training under the most well-know medic in the land, Sakura had excelled far beyond expectations. Her fighting skills still weren't up to par, but her healing skills were amazing. Reaching out, Ino took Sakura's hand in her own.

"It bothers you, too..."

"Yeah," Sakura said softly, looking at the floor. "Yeah, it does."

They were about to get up and go when Naruto happened past. Well, not happened exactly. Naruto and ramen were one and the same most days, and this little shop was the boy's favorite. He stopped by at least twice a week, and he was actually starting to learn how to cook the same type of ramen in his free time. Seeing the girls, Naruto waved politely.

"How was it?" Ino asked anxiously.

Naruto shrugged and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I promised I'd come back today."

Sakura smiled wanly and looked at the ground while Ino seemed to be deep in thought. Naruto looked at the two girls with their tear-stained faces and wondered what it would come to, in the end. Sasuke had vanished from their lives four years ago, briefly reappeared about a year back, and then returned, for good. Or so Naruto hoped. All of them hoped that.

"You should bring him flowers," Ino suggested.

Naruto shook his head. "I don't think...that's such a great idea."

"Why not?" Sakura asked, confusion clear in her voice.

"Go see him," Naruto replied. "I think you'll understand after that."

With that said, Naruto made his way down the streets and towards Konoha hospital, whistling a little. He wasn't happy to be going, but at least he wasn't as upset as the girls had been. Funny how one single person could turn a village inside out and upside down simply by existing.

Naruto had accepted his feelings for Sasuke, love mixed with anger and frustration, in the time the two were apart. He could not deny that he had grown used to Sasuke and had respected him to some extent. He also knew that while he would get married some day in the future, it would probably not be to a female. Or if it was, he had yet to meet her.

---

Naruto arrived at Sasuke's room at around noon. Outside the sun was shining and the day promised to be warm with just a hint of a breeze. In the hospital it was quiet and smelled of disinfectants and medications. Naruto looked into the small room with its soft walls and single bed and couldn't help but shiver.

Sasuke was quiet today. Where he had been fighting yesterday, today he lay still, resting perhaps, and Naruto didn't want to disturb him at first. It took a few minutes before he could muster enough enthusiasm to step into the room and still have a smile on his face. Not that Sasuke could see it, of course, but Naruto didn't care.

"I came back," he said softly, sitting on the floor beside Sasuke's bed.

The raven-haired boy struggled up into more of a sitting position, head turned toward Naruto even though he couldn't see the boy. The blindfold was back, but to Sasuke it was almost reassuring. It placed a barrier between him and the world outside. Naruto helped him sit and then leaned up against the soft wall.

"Thank you," Sasuke said.

"I guess this will be your story, then?" Naruto asked.

"Hai. It will."