Chapter 6: The moment I wished to last forever

Months passed, and it has been a while since Sasuke and Sakura had gotten together. Finally, it was December, and the snow fell lightly on the ground. Sakura just came from the supermarket and was on her way home. Sakura passed a cafe and saw Sasuke sitting on one the sofas with a steaming cup of hot coffee. Sakura entered the store and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey Sasuke-kun." Sakura said.

Sasuke looked up and saw Sakura, he smiled.

"Sakura-chan, sit down beside me." Sasuke said as he patted the space beside him.

Sakura placed the bags beside the sofa and sat comfortably beside Sasuke. Sakura shivered, she could not help it since it was really freezing suddenly she felt an arm wrap around her shoulders.

She looked at Sasuke.

"You were shivering, it the least I could do than let you freeze." Sasuke said as he smiled at her.

"Th...Thanks." Sakura said as she felt him pull her closer.

Sakura snuggled deeper into his arms. He was warm, maybe because he just drank hot coffee or maybe because it was Sasuke hugging her, she did not know.

"Sakura-chan, do you want something to drink? I could buy you a cup of hot chocolate." Sasuke said.

"No, it's ok. I feel warmer already just staying here in your arms." Sakura said.

Sasuke blushed and nodded.

"I..I'll take you home Sakura-chan." Sasuke said as he carried the bags.

"Thank you Sasuke-kun." Sakura said as she stood up.

The walk home was quite interesting because they would talk and spoke the same words at the same time. They have been together for months already and they still act shy towards each other. It was quite amusing actually; that the fact was Sasuke was shy. He was never shy, especially towards girls. Sasuke was about to speak when Sakura interrupted him.

"Sasuke-kun, thank you for walking me home." Sakura said.

"No problem, sooo...I gotta go. Bye Sakura-chan, I love you take care." Sasuke said as he kissed her on the lips.

"Bye Sasuke-kun, I love you too, take care." Sakura said as she watched Sasuke walk away.

Sakura closed the door behind her as she entered. She placed the bags on top of the kitchen counter. She started to sort out the things she had bought. As she finished up, she decided to go to her art room. When she entered, she saw the snow falling; she sat herself beside the window. She slowly removed the white cloth covering the drawing she had made of Sasuke. Sakura caressed his face as if it was real. It was a picture of Sasuke sleeping. Though she had never seen Sasuke asleep in real life, she did see him in her dreams. After that dream, she could not get him off her head. She remembered how serene he looked, how peaceful he slept. She loved Sasuke, she made all her dreams into a reality and now Sakura was sure that he was finally "the one".

"I love you Sasuke-kun...I always have and always will..." Sakura said as she gazed at his picture lovingly.

School was out since it was winter. Sakura decided to go out, wearing her jacket, sweater, gloves and ear muffs which were pink. She took with her, her sketchbook, pencil, eraser and a few pastel colors. She found a spot by the park, there she saw the cherry blossom tree covered with snow and admired it. Sakura started drawing, letting her hands do its magic. Sasuke was skating on the frozen pond, watching the snow fall on the ice below him. Sasuke loved the snow, it reminded him of his mother who died when he was only six years old and that made him remember a memory he thought he had forgotten.

FLASHBACK...

Sasuke was sitting on the snow, tears falling from his eyes. Sasuke's mother, Mikoto, approached his weeping son and took him into her arms.

"Sasuke dear, why are you crying?" Mikoto asked.

"I...I don't know how to skate." Sasuke said as he sobbed.

"Sasuke dear...your brother hasn't been teaching you?" Mikoto asked.

"No...He's always busy training with Otou-san." Sasuke said as he buried his face into his mother's shoulder.

"Sasuke, why don't I teach you how to skate?" Mikoto asked smiling.

Sasuke looked up to his smiling mother. A big smiled appeared from his face and nodded his head, tears disappearing from his eyes.

"Ok, wait here while Okaa-san puts on her skating blades." Mikoto said as she walked towards their seat and puts on the shoes.

Awhile later, Sasuke felt himself lifted into the air and placed on the ice.

"Ok, I'll hold your hands, try to glide you feet on the ice." Mikoto said as she slowly pulled Sasuke, guiding him.

"Don't worry Sasuke, I'll be here to catch you when you fall." She added as she smiled tenderly as Sasuke.

Sasuke wobbled a bit, but that did not scare him for he knew that his mother would be there to catch him. Sasuke glided his right foot on the ice slowly, then the left. Then he repeated the step, he then felt his mother let go.

"Now go try without me." Mikoto said.

Sasuke wobbled but he just repeated the steps. He moved the right foot, then the left. Next thing you know, Sasuke was skating in circles his hands out stretched side wards.

"Weeee! Look Okaa-san! I can skate now!" Sasuke said as he skated towards his mother.

Mikoto took Sasuke in her arms and hugged him.

"Thank you Okaa-san!" Sasuke said as he hugged his mother.

Sasuke let go, he took his mother's hand and he pulled her. Mikoto looked down to only to see Sasuke pulling her. Sasuke wanted them to skate together. Mikoto smiled and they skated all around the ice and every now and then, she would glance at Sasuke's smiling face.

END OF FLASHBACK...

Sasuke reminisced; his mother was the first person to teach him how to skate. Since then, Sasuke loved the snow because it reminded him of that very moment his mother smiled. Sadly, that was the last smile she gave him because the next day, Sasuke's mother died. He remembered when he ran towards his mother's room. He tried to wake her up, but she wouldn't. Sasuke kept shaking his mother but no movement came from her. Sasuke ran to his father.

"Otou-san! Okaa-san won't wake up!" Sasuke said.

Fugaku ran towards their room, he saw her unmoving figure on their bed. He approached her silently. He shook his wife awake, and what he confirmed made him take his wife's body into his arms. Sasuke saw his father crying on his mother.

"Otou-san, why isn't Okaa-san waking up?" Sasuke asked as he approached his father.

Fugaku laid Mikoto on the futon; he then took his son into his arms.

"Otou-san?" Sasuke asked.

"Sasuke...your mother is in a better place now." He said.

"What do you mean? In her favorite place?" Sasuke asked.

"No Sasuke...Okaa-san is dead..." Fugaku said as he hugged him tighter.

Sasuke stood there still in his father's arms. He could not really understand the concept of death but he knew that when someone dies he/she does not come back. Sasuke ran from his father's arms, he took his skates and ran towards the frozen pond. He put them on and stepped on the ice. He wobbled, but rather than doing well he fell. Sasuke stood up, he felt scared, scared because his mother wouldn't be there to catch him when he falls. Sasuke again tried to skate but failed again, he fell. Sasuke did not stand up, he cried and cried.

"O...Okaa-san, you said that you'll always be there...you said you'll be here to catch me when I fall..." Sasuke said as he sobbed uncontrollably.

The next day Sasuke together with their other relatives came to Mikoto's wake. Fugaku and Itachi held Sasuke back as he tried to reach out to his mother who lowered inside the open grave.

"Let Okaa-san go! Okaa-san!" Sasuke said as he desperately tried to reach his mother.

Sasuke smiled sadly, he would not let himself cry because no matter how many tears he shed she will not come back. Sasuke continued to skate. Sakura on the other hand had just finished sketching. She decided to go to some other place. She saw a cherry blossom detach itself from the tree and fly away. Sakura followed the flower and it led her to a frozen lake. She saw a boy skating by himself. She sat on the snow under the wisteria tree. She started drawing the pond and the boy in it. When she got the rough draft, she overlapped it with pastel colors. She looked back at the frozen lake only to see the boy gone. She saw someone beside her; she looked up to see Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura said.

"Were you watching me?" Sasuke asked as he sat beside Sakura.

"Not necessarily, I just saw a boy then I started drawing the frozen lake. I didn't even know it was you." Sakura said.

"Ok I get it, can I see the picture Sakura-chan?" Sasuke asked.

"No!" Sakura said as she held the pad towards her chest.

"Hey! I have a right to see the since I'm in there!" Sasuke said.

"But...but..." Sakura stuttered.

"Ok..." Sakura said as she sighed.

"Thanks!" Sasuke said as he kissed Sakura on the cheek.

Sasuke looked at the drawing, he felt drawn to the picture. She captured every detail of the scenery.

"I didn't know you were such a good artist Sakura-chan. We've been together for months already and you haven't showed me your art works." Sasuke said as he pouted cutely, forgetting his thoughts a while ago.

"Well...ummm...you never asked?" Sakura asked she grinned cockily.

"Sakura-chan! Don't get sarcastic on me!" Sasuke asked as he grinned.

"Sorry...I was shy that's all." Sakura said.

"There's nothing to be shy about." Sasuke said.

"I didn't think my art works were good." Sakura said.

"I think they are by the looks of this." Sasuke said as he showed her the drawing.

Sakura blushed.

"Hey Sakura-chan, do you know how to skate?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura shook her head shyly. Sakura looked up to see hands reaching out to her.

"Huh?" Sakura asked.

"I'll teach you." Sasuke said.

"but I don't have skates." Sakura said.

"Use mine, I'll just walk." Sasuke said.

Sasuke took off his skates and slipped them on Sakura's. Sasuke lifted her and placed her gently on the ice. Sasuke grabbed her arms and started pulling.

"Glide your feet on the ice." Sasuke said.

Sakura glided her feet but she slipped. Sasuke caught her and they found themselves in an awkward position, Sasuke's hand on her waist and the other on the back of her neck and Sakura's arms, wrapped around Sasuke's neck pulling their face closer. Sakura was about to stand up when she felt Sasuke pull her closer. She stared at Sasuke, she felt his face nearing hers. She felt his lips touch hers, and then she lets her eyes slowly droop down. The kiss lasted for a few seconds and they broke apart for air.

"Ummm..." Sakura said as she blushed.

"Sorry for kissing you so suddenly." Sasuke said blushing.

"It's ok...that's how boyfriend and girlfriend should act right?" Sakura said.

"I guess..." Sasuke said.

"Let's go home." Sakura said.

"Ok, I'll walk you." Sasuke said.

That night, Sakura touched her lips. She could still feel the touch of his lips on hers. She felt a shock go through her. Sasuke on the other hand was in the same state as her.

"How I wished that the moment could have lasted forever." Sasuke and Sakura said at the same time as sleep over took them.