Forgotten

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Naruto (Shippuden). This is a story inspired by the original made up for entertainment purposes only. - Krystal

Chapter 50: Back to the Start

The news spread quickly throughout the village and to all the shinobis that were on their mission to come back if possible as Asuma had passed away and they were going to hold his funeral within the next few days. Even Naruto and Kakashi, who were isolated nearby the village to train, quickly came back into the village to send off their mentor and friend. Just like the day the Third Hokage had passed away, the village became quiet as everyone kept silence in honor of a shinobi who risked his life for its future.

Yuki pulled out her black dress from the wardrobe that morning. She unwillingly slipped it on. She looked at herself in the mirror as she tightened the white headband around her head. She turned off the lights in her house as she left the apartment with heavy footsteps. On her way to the funeral, she picked up Konohamaru who, now, had lost his grandfather and his uncle within the short amount of three years. He cried uncontrollably the whole way. She held his hand the whole way, needing to be comforted herself. She was the only family he had left.

"Yuki-neechan..." He barely managed to say as he was sniffling. "What am I going to do now?"

"Konohamaru..." Yuki started. "I'm always going to be here for you. I promise you that. I won't leave without a goodbye."

She hugged him tightly as they were about to enter the cemetery. He hugged her back, unwilling to look in direction of the funeral. Naruto arrived at that moment. He patted Konohamaru's head. Kakashi was with him. He looked at Yuki whose eyes were red from crying all night. As Naruto took over for Yuki and walked Konohamaru in, Kakashi whispered to Yuki:

"You do come here too often for your age."

She didn't respond. She knew that Kakashi was trying to lighten up the mood for her, but she wasn't able to smile at that moment. She stood at the entrance of the cemetery for a while after the others started going in. She couldn't gather enough courage to step inside herself. As she was about to turn around and walk away, someone grabbed her hand and pulled her inside.

"If you leave now, you'll just come back here crying in a few days." He told her. "I know you well enough now."

She took a few steps forward to stand next to him. She looked at him. They hadn't spoken in a while. He became blurry as her eyes filled up with tears again as if the lock she put in her heart and brain to prevent her from breaking down in front of Konohamaru had just been opened from those few words. Her lips trembled. She tried to speak to him as everyone lined up to put a flower on Asuma's tomb:

"I've been meaning to talk to you..."

"You don't have to try to distract yourself right now." He replied. "We can talk whenever. Don't try to walk away from your emotions."

He wasn't wrong yet again. However, she didn't mind being told off.

"I'm sorry you always have to see me in such a state, Neji."

"And in this place." He added.

She had forgotten how caring and how good with his words he was. It was perhaps because he did know her so well that everything came with ease for him when talking to her. She found herself only comforted by Neji since the Third passed away. As he climbed up the stairs to put his flower down on Asuma's tomb, Yuki's eyes followed him intensely. Looking at him gave her the strength to climb up the stairs and put down her flower as a send-off to Asuma. As her pinky lingered a little longer on his tomb, she promised him to look after the King he wanted to protect so badly. She then glanced over to Kurenai whose right hand was on her belly and her other wiping away the infinite amount of tears that kept falling down. Yuki couldn't imagine having to say goodbye to the father of your own baby before it was even born. As she thought about that, her heart started wrenching for Kurenai. The pain she felt for Kurenai went throughout her body. Her legs weakened as she climbed down the stairs. She stumbled and almost fell from the lack of balance and the blurry vision she was experiencing. Neji caught her at the right time and walked her out. They sat down at a bench just outside the cemetery.

"Shikamaru didn't come today." Neji said.

"I can understand him."

"I knew you would. You did the same three years ago."

"It's hard to accept someone's death, especially when that person meant a lot to you."

"It's part of being a shinobi though. You'll have to see death constantly along your way. It's not something you can avoid."

"Despite knowing that, it's hard."

"If it's that hard, you should talk to someone about it. Keeping it in and trying to deal with it by yourself make it even harder."

"I... I don't like being vulnerable in front of people."

"I've seen it enough of times now. Just come to me." He said casually.

He stopped himself at those words. They came out so easily. He could feel his cheeks heating up. He was hoping they hadn't turned red. Flustered and not wanting Yuki to know, he quickly changed topic back to Shikamaru:

"I bet Shikamaru feels that way right now too."

Yuki nodded as she was still looking at her feet. She hadn't noticed anything. Her mind felt blank at that moment. Usually, she would have caught on to any changes in reactions in people, but that day, her brain didn't want to think. It wanted to be left alone. They sat there quiet for a bit, Neji staring at the sky and Yuki staring at the ground. The ground now looked wet as tears kept dropping down into it. As people started to leave the cemetery, they remained there. Neji noticed people looking at them and wondering if they should come talk to them. He knew she didn't want to talk that day with anyone. He turned himself in a way that no one could see her. It was the only thing he thought he could do for her at that moment.

Before they knew it, it was already nighttime. The moon was quite bright that night. Yuki finally looked up to the sky instead of her feet. She took a few deep breaths and turned towards Neji who had his back towards her to shield from people's looks as he rested his head against his hand.

"Thank you." She said.

He stretched himself and turned towards her. He smiled at her.

"You look terrible." He told her.

"You always see me at my worst."

"If this is your worst than it isn't so bad." He teased her.

She smiled and replied:

"I feel bad that we always seem to have our best talks here."

"There's a way to perceive this positively. Every death has allowed us to become closer. Never mind, that didn't sound good."

"How about linked by death?" Yuki asked jokingly.

"No, anything involving that word doesn't sound right."

"Jokes aside, Neji... Thank you for always being here during these times for me. I really don't know what it is about you, but it's really comforting to have you around. Thank you." Yuki said as she stood and looked into his eyes.

He was quite flustered at those words. He could feel himself blushing once again. He was grateful it was nighttime at that colors were washed out by the darkness. He looked back into her eyes though. He was mesmerized by them. They were glistening with life once again. They were the perfect surface for the bright moon to reflect off of. He then quickly looked away as he felt embarrassed for staring into them so intensely.

"It's getting late. I'll walk you home." He then told her as he stood up as well.

"Eh? You don't have to. You know I can take care of myself."

"There was someone lurking around your place the other night though."

"How did you know that?" She asked as she raised her eyebrow at him.

"Uh... I just happened to walk by."

Yuki chuckled. She then looked at him and smiled and explained:

"It was just Sai."

"He was the ANBU who took you away from Sunagakure during the attack, right? I recognized his chakra."

Yuki nodded as they started walking back to her place.

"Is there..." Neji started asking. "Actually, nevermind..."

"What? You're not the type to beat around the bush. What did you want to ask?"

"I... Is there something between the two of you?" He then asked as he stopped walking. "I didn't mean to watch or anything, but..."

"That... That was nothing." She said as she stopped walking as well.

"I know that look he had in his eyes when you left wasn't nothing. To him, at least, you mean something to him. I'm just not sure about you, but I can't help but feel like you do feel something towards him as well."

"How would you know that?"

"Because I look at you the same way he did that night... and, unless I'm really blind, I feel like you feel like... I'm maybe more than just a comrade or a friend to you."

"I... Today is not a good day to talk after all." Yuki said. "Sorry Neji, I'm not really in the mood to talk still after all. I'll see you around."

She vanished as she began walking towards her place once again. Neji stood there. He usually would've felt defeated. However, he understood. He knew her well enough to know that this was all new to her. She wasn't like other girls who fell in and out of love. She had to be taught how to it was to fall in love first. She knew a lot of things in life, but when it came to her own emotions, she still had a lot to learn. He was willing to be patient and to wait for her. He waited for her all this time. He could wait longer. It wasn't an issue to him. If anything, he felt relieved that he said the things he did today. Perhaps it wasn't the best timing, but it was still said and done. He turned around and started walking back towards his own house while looking at the moon and reminding himself of Yuki's beautiful eyes.

End of Chapter 50

Thank you for reading up to this point!

Let me know how you are liking (or disliking) the story so far.

xox

Krystal