Let you go

A/N: this plot just suddenly popped on my mind. I'm not a NaruSaku fan but I prefer them to NaruHina due to my selfish reason of being a Sasuino shipper. LOL but, anyway, hope you enjoy reading this one.

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For Naruto, Sakura was a dream that was far from his reach; at a tender age of eight, he knew that the pink haired girl in his classroom was different from the other girls in his batch and was bound to great heights in her ninja career someday. She was smart and strong and easily caught up to the jutsus that their Iruka-sensei taught. She was confident at times and levelheaded. And was in constant bickering with Yamanaka Ino.

That's why he always tried to get her attention by goofing around, but only got her irritated by his actions.

He was young then, but he knew that this foreign feeling in his heart for Sakura was true and as days passed by, getting stronger and stronger.

It was because of this feeling that he wanted to get Sasuke back when his friend left Konoha and sought Orochimaru for power.

Years passed by without him noticing, but the feeling he felt before was still inside of him, stronger than before. That when they finally found Sasuke and Sakura became unstable- contemplating on killing their friend that made her vulnerable to attack and was about to be stabbed; he did not think twice and rushed to her aid, saving her from the one he knew she loved the most.

Walking around Konoha, he received lots of congratulatory messages from the villagers, an older woman went as far as holding his hand and prayed for his upcoming wedding. He welcomed it warmly and gave thanks to the well wishers as he turned around the corner towards the exit of the busy streets of the villages. Minutes later, he was now in a familiar clearing, a quite place that held so many memories of his childhood; the setting sun gave the clearing an orange hue that made the place very nostalgic, there he saw a silhouette leaning on the middle log, the back of that person was facing him and was looking at the memorial stone not far away from where the three logs were located.

Upon sensing his presence, the person turned around, a small smile crept on his face.

"Naruto" Sakura greeted as she waved at him, smiling as he walked towards her. "You're so slow" she added the moment he approached her. He chuckled at her impatience

"Sorry, Sakura-chan" he said while scratching the back of his head.

"so, why did you asked to meet here?" Sakura asked as Naruto placed a hand on the middle log, reminiscing their first test with Kakashi-sensei.

"nothing important Sakura-chan, I just wanted to hang out with you" he said, his tone desolated and not the usual Naruto they know.

"Are you happy with Hinata?" Sakura suddenly asked, she knew the moment Naruto asked her earlier to meet him at the training ground seven, that they were about to talk about something serious.

Naruto looked at her for the first time since he arrived at the training ground, he looked at her as if he was looking for something in deep within her that made Sakura conscious. After almost three minutes of awkward silence, Naruto, who seemed lost for words finally spoke

"I'll be happier with you. . . I guess" Sakura was taken aback at the sincerity of his words. He was still looking at her and she could feel those blue orbs burn within her, "But I know I'm not the one you wanted" he added, his eyes downcast now

"Naruto" Sakura could only utter. It was true that she still hope for Sasuke to reciprocate her feelings, but deep down, she also knew that there's a special place in her heart for the man beside her.

Sakura always had eyes for Sasuke; even before they started attending the academy, she always follow the raven-haired whenever he went to the river where he practice his fire ball jutsu, she was just staring at him from afar, admiring how strong and handsome he was. It was also because of Sasuke that she ended her friendship with Ino, even though she was indebted to the blond for being brave and stood up for her when they were little.

Naruto on the other hand, she could careless about him, he always annoyed the hell out of her whenever he do something. He was the number one prankster in their batch and the most uncool. That was why she was infuriated when she was teamed with him, the only thing that kept her from switching team was because, Sasuke was also in their team.

And as she got to know him, little by little, she understood and opened herself to him, even though, she's still pining for Sasuke.

Since they grew up to be fine shinobis together, she was not surprised to find herself, growing a little bit of admiration for the blond. There were times she wanted to just hug him and tell him that he does not need to do things alone, that she was always there to support him. But, at the back of her mind, and in the deepest parts of her heart, she knew it will always be Sasuke that she will give her all.

"I'm sorry I have to tell you that" Sakura was snapped out of her reverie when Naruto spoke again, he was now looking at the setting sun, behind the mountains outside the village.

"Naruto" she called out, but she couldn't find words to say. So, she reluctantly held out and reached for his hand, Naruto, who seemed surprised at her sudden action, looked back at her, a sad smile was on his face a he squeezed her hand before letting it go.

"It's okay Sakura-chan." he said as he hugged her, Sakura's eyes began to swell, she was so torn but she couldn't do anything about it. after it seemed eternity, Naruto finally let her go, eyes twinkling but a sincere smile was now plastered on his normally goofy face. "Sakura-chan" he called out, his back facing her "If love means to let go, then, I'll let you go" and he walked out from the woman his heart yearned for so long.

yoh~ Naruto

"what is it, Kurama?" Naruto said as if communicating with someone beside him.

Why did you that?

"do what?"

Naruto stopped at the roof of a house, his eyes were trained on a particular window. It was closed and no light was peeking through it that meant the owner was still outside. He sat at the edge of the roof, feet dangling carelessly. When he remembered that Kurama did not answer him, he called out again to the nine tails inside him

You always annoy me brat. The fox retaliated. A smile formed on Naruto's lips

"that was always Sakura-chan's dialogue to me" he commented

Why did you asked the Hyuga to marry you if love Sakura that much? Kurama asked; even though Naruto tried his best to keep it all to him, Kurama still sensed his sadness and heart break, though he was not human, a feeling of suffering and pain still gave him a bad memories that he wanted to save Naruto from it - because he already had so much.

Naruto looked back at the closed window, lights were now illuminated the once dark room that light started to leaked out of the spaces from the window.

"You know Kurama?" he said, as one window was opened "with Hinata, I feel wanted and loved. Though I love Sakura-chan more, I wanted to nurture this feeling for Hinata" he explained

"and besides" Naruto added just as he saw the pink haired woman sat down on her bed a picture frame on her hands "I know I'm not the one that can make Sakura-chan happy." he said, as he hopped out of the roof but not without looking at the crying Sakura one last time.

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Review? =)