Hello my dear readers, for once in my life, I don't have to apologise for the late update, 'cause I'm updating really soon… and I hope I deserve more reviews for it!!

I know it's not one of my bigger chapters, but I really liked writing it, especially the last part, I really had fun writing it!!

I'll try to update the next chapter quickly as well, though I'm not sure I will, since I have to get some new ideas, and I also want to get a new chapter of TSB done before updating for this one, I just don't like staying too long without updating…

Anyway, please review, 'cause I get inspired by your reviews!!

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto… yeah, I wouldn't be writing fanfics right now…

And now, I have a new corner to add to my initial AN, and it's… the Special Thanks corner!! Because my last few reviewers were the ones that gave me the spark to get this chapter done so quickly!!

So...

Special thanks corner!!

I'd like to thank:

- Lil-Mz.Sunshine for her awesome review!! And answering your review, I couldn't just make some mushy-mushy story, I'm probably not that good at writing angst, but I still try, and anyway, life isn't all good stuff… as for the reason why Sasuke took the hit face first… it'll be revealed in a next chapter!!

- schellinDeidara's one of my fav characters as well, and I really like writing him as caring and stuff… well, anyway… about the big brother thing, I'm not telling you (or anyone) if that was what I was intending, 'cause then I'd be ruining the suspence!!

- kawaii-4ever Because your review was short, but I really liked it, and the flashbacks were my fav part too, everything else was what almost gave me a headache to write (--' just kidding, but it was a major pain in… you know), and see, I'm updating soon this time!! Hope it makes you happy!!

And I'd also like to thank

- miss.AnoniiemouSe Because I love her reviews, because each time they put a huge grin on my face!! Your reviews are the best (the reviews of everyone else too, of course), and you're right, stupid tests, stupid school… stupid life right? You know, I bet we'd have the most awesome talks if we knew each other!! And I love that you love what I write, from the friends I have (without those online) they don't think it's that cool, but anyway… And Sasuke, I really liked making him a bastard, because he actually is one, but he'll change… eventually… I hope… XD

The last part of this chapter is dedicated to you (miss.AnoniiemouSe) because I have this gut feeling that you're gonna love it!! Hope you actually do!!

I think I already said everything I had to say today, so, enjoy the chapter!!

Chapter 21 – Lain of memories

5 years ago

It was a dark night, the moon was just a thin line in the sky, and the stars could barely be seen because of some clouds that flew by. The fog that surrounded everything didn't help either, it just made things worse.

Her green eyes stared at the man she was supposed to kill. For Naruto's first kill, team 7 had all been there. For Sasuke's first kill they had all been together too. But for her first kill… she was all alone.

"I'm here if you need me." She turned slightly, feeling a hand on her shoulder and met his blue eyed reassuring gaze.

"Make the kunai hit right between his eyes, he'll never know what hit him." She looked back at the man, who was inside his room lying on his bed.

"I can't." she whispered, to which the blond grabbed her shoulders and turned her to him.

"Even if you don't do it now, you'll have to do it someday." He told her softly, and she knew he was right. "Right between the eyes, it's an instant death." She nodded weakly, he wasn't encouraging her to kill, it had to be done, it was her duty, he was just trying helping her.

She moved through the darkness and silently entered the man's room, he was already in deep sleep facing the ceiling. She stopped next to the bed and grabbed the kunai with both hands.

She couldn't do it.

She raised the kunai above the man's head.

She couldn't do it.

Her hands shook, she didn't want to be a killer.

She couldn't do it.

She lowered the kunai, stopping before touching the man's skin.

She had to it, it was her duty.

She raised the kunai again, her hands shaking and her eyes glued on that small spot between the man's eyes.

She couldn't do it.

Soft hands wrapped around her own as a body pressed against her back.

"Don't back out." Were the soft whispered words she heard. "I'm

here for you." She nodded weakly and gripped the kunai tighter in her hands.

She thrust the kunai down, his hands over her own, and she watched as the kunai went lower and lower… it seemed like it was happening in slow motion.

And then the kunai reached the man's skull, entering the skin and then into the skull. The man's eyes opened in shock, but that was all that was. He was dead, his eyes becoming dull in the blink of an eye.

She had done it. She had killed someone.

She took a step back, and the boy behind her shifted slightly, then taking the kunai from her and wrapping an arm around her.

She felt sick, the food in her stomach coming up, and so she ran away and into the forest.

Deidara ran after her, knowing what she was going through. When he reached her side, he kneeled down, holding her hair up as the contents of her stomach were thrown out.

He didn't say anything about her tears, nor about her cries, in fact, he didn't say anything at all, he just held her hair and let his other hand rest in her back, softly moving up and down.

And after a long while she turned to him, sitting up, still sobbing, the tears still running down her face. Her eyes looked dull, and she wasn't really looking at him.

"I killed him." She kept repeating those words like a mantra, the weight of the world seemingly on her shoulders.

He hugged her, holding her tight against him, saying nothing, because the words 'it'll be ok' and 'it'll get easier' weren't true, and the other comforting words wouldn't do anything, she had to heal on her own, because it had been her actions. Every person had a different way to cope with things.

Her hands fisted on his shirt and he held her tight, one hand around her shoulder and the other over her head, lies shouldn't be told, even if they made people fell better. The truth was always the most important, even if it hurt, because the truth was reality, and reality wasn't supposed to be all sweetness and lollypops and butterflies.

The present, Tuesday, 13th May

She slashed the brown scotch tape that isolated the box with the sharp kunai she held in her hand. When it was done she carefully put the kunai in the floor and sat cross legged on the floor in front of the old, dust covered carton box.

The box was white with the usual symbols in it, this side up, do not turn, and the usual symbols, the glass, the flame, etc… all of it was written in black, the usual. And then, on the top and one of the sides of the box, in neat handwriting, there was a small sentence written in blue, 'Sakura-chan's things until she was 8'.

She smiled sadly, her mother had written that. When she was 8, almost 9, she decided to put aside everything, her parents hadn't understood, but she had her reasons, so, everything she had that reminded her of them was put in that box.

With a sigh she opened the box slowly, she had to do it, she wanted to do it.

She pulled the box closer and peeked inside, the first thing to great her was a neatly folded cloth, taking it out she unfolded it and smiled, it was a navy blue sweater Shisui, or Shisui-nii-chan as she used to call him, had given her when she was 7… she missed him.

When Sakura was 7, November

She sat on the cold grass under the tree, Ami and her group had been bullying her again, Ino had stepped in, but she just hated being so weak, so she came to the forest. The forest was nice, the small animals played with her, and the 2 raven haired older boys played with her too, but no one knew about them though.

She pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them, a sneeze escaping as a cold breeze flew by. She should have brought a jacket instead of coming with only her thin shirt, but she didn't feel like going home.

"What are you doing here Sakura-chan?" she looked up to see the 12 year old boy (5 years older than her) looking down at her and leaning against the tree trunk. His eyes always looked kind.

"I'm thinking." She looked down towards the forest again and smiled, he was always nice to her. "And, Hi Shisui-nii-chan!" he chuckled.

"Yeah, Hi Sakura-chan!" he kept looking at her and shook his head.

"You should have brought a jacket you know." She frowned, she knew that.

"I know." And just as she finished she sneezed, her mother was gonna ground her 'til she was 40 for getting sick.

"Then why didn't you?" she blushed and hid half of her face behind her knees.

"I didn't want to go home." She mumbled, and Shisui bent down to her level while ruffling her hair.

"C'mon, I'll walk you home, you'll get sick if you stay here any longer." He was always worrying over her too.

"But I don't wanna go gome Shisui-nii-chan." She whined and looked at him with puppy dog eyes. He let his head drop, his bangs moving as he did so, and sighed.

"Fine." He got up and held out a hand for her. "C'mon then, I'm gonna practice with the shuriken." She smiled and got up, she liked seeing him practice, he always hit the target in the centre.

She frowned, thought, as she saw him starting to take his navy blue shirt off.

"What are you doing Shisui-nii??" she inquired, to which he just kept taking the shirt off.

"Here." He said after taking it off while holding the shirt out to her.

"No, you only have a t-shirt and I don't want you to get sick nii-chan." She tried to deny, but he just kept insisting, and as she kept insisting, he just sighed in annoyance.

"Look, I was gonna take it off anyway after I started practice." He stated and shoved the shirt over her hear until her eyes could be seen from behind the collar.

"But nii-chan..." he just rolled his eyes.

"Just dress the damn shirt and let's go." She blushed and nodded while pulling the rest of the (way too big for her) shirt over her body, it was warm, soft and smelled nice.

"Thanks Shisui-nii-chan." He shrugged and ruffled her hair again.

"You're welcome Sakura-chan!" he grinned and started to walk towards his training area, she followed silently while snuggling inside the shirt.

The present, Tuesday, 13th May

With a nostalgic smile she put the shirt down next to her and peeked inside the box again, this time to be greeted by a wooden chest, it was simple, and she knew what was inside. Taking it nonetheless, she set it on her crossed legs and opened it. Shiny and polished (new) kunais and shuriken greeted her, 2 sets of 2 of each, which would make 4 kunai and 4 shuriken. In each of them there was a small fan engraved in it, and in 2 of the kunai and 2 of the shuriken the initials US were engraved next to the fan, as for the other 4 weapons, next to the fan were engraved the initials UI.

She took one of the shuriken out and traced it with her fingers, the 2 older boys who 'played' with her had given this to her when she turned 8, Shisui had been all grins and excitement, but his best friend had been, she dared say, nonchalant. He was usually a reserved person, who kept to himself, but he was nice nonetheless, and she knew he had smiled when she had told them she loved their gifts.

She wondered what everyone would say if she told them that she had been friends with Uchiha Shisui and his best friend, Uchiha Itachi. She was sure not many people would take it as ok.

She put the shuriken back in the box and then looked at the contents of the boxes again, this time a black covered notebook greeted her, in the lower left corner were the initials UI written in white. She took the notebook out and then, under it, she noticed several files, all of which said classified in big red letters on the cover.

She took all the files out, and as well as the notebook, she set them down next to her and checked the bottom of the box, a bunch of other stuff she owned back then greeted her, and then on the bottom, way on the bottom, a small white cloth greeted her.

She took it out with a raised brow, she didn't remember that.

She set the cloth down on her crossed legs and stared at it, she didn't remember that at all.

Shrugging, she opened the cloth slowly, and carefully, and when it was all open, a necklace with some beads (the same Itachi usually had around his neck) and 2 pendants in the shape of some kind of symbols greeted her. She wondered why she didn't remember those, but whatever the reason, she'd find out.

The construction of happiness.

Happiness is a concept without a concrete definition, because each one, being different from everyone else, will have a personal and unique idea, which does not stop us from trying to reach happiness.

Each one will have his/her idea of happiness, but everyone will be prone to certain common factors, which will proportion or impede our path, like everything in life. Our happiness will depend upon the circumstances in which each is inserted, upon the opportunities of life that occur. But it's not only the exterior that counts, it's not only what we possess, the place we live in or even the banc account that will make us happy, of course it helps, but it's not everything.

Happiness will depend, I would say in approximately 45, not that I know for sure, of our interior, of our feeling and emotions. We will be happy if, on the inside, some call it soul, others spirit, we feel good, with ourselves.

I dare add that, maybe 10 of our happiness id due to our material goods, but the remaining 45 are due to the relationships with others. In a life of loneliness, in my opinion, we cannot truly be happy. Our family, our parents, grandparents, brothers or sisters, our friends, our colleagues, well, all of those who surround us make 45 of our happiness, because they support us when we need them, they scold and yell at us when we're blind with something or when we screwed up, they play with us, they make us laugh and smile.

Concluding in a simple way, and a bit mathematically, happiness is 10 material goods, 45 the well-being of our soul, and 45 the relationships we have with others.

Of everything, maybe, the material goods are those that we can live without more easily, and still be happy.

(AN: by our dearest Kimi-chan!! I did this for my Portuguese test dissertation.)

Uchiha Sasuke was happy, he had it all.

He had money, plenty of it, considering the money of an entire clan was inherited by only himself.

He had good looks, his parents had good genes and made a beautiful creature.

He had fame, his fan-club proved it.

He had power, the fact that he was still alive after so many fights proved it.

He had a home, the fact he was in Konoha was a proof.

He had friends, at least one, which was Naruto.

He had goals, the fact that he wasn't in a mental institution proved it.

He had piece of spirit, he felt good with himself.

"Yeah, right, like you really believe that."

Uchiha Sasuke had a very annoying (stupid and idiotic too) Inner persona that only he knew about.

"You realise you just called yourself stupid and idiotic right?"

…ahem… continuing…

Uchiha Sasuke was happy.

He was healthy, the fact that he had a very well build up body, without too developed muscles but still built-up, mean if you'd like—

"God, you're such a stuck-up." Sigh.

"Shove it."

Uchiha Sasuke was happy, he had everything he could have ever wanted.
"Dude, like, that is soooo not true."

"Shut the fuck up." Narrowed eyes, gritted teeth and hissed words.

"Geez, no need to be so bitchy." Huff.

Continuing…

Uchiha Sasuke was happy, because he had it all.

He had ski—

"Like, now I'm just being curious." Hands raised in defence, with a serious face. "How many times are you gonna keep telling yourself you're happy?" an icy glare.

"Hey, I'm just saying, 'cause right now, you're miserable, even a 4 year old gaki could tell you that."

"Shut up already." Sigh followed by his body shifting in the hospital bed and turning to face the window.

Uchiha Sasuke was happy… right?

:

:

:

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"Yeah right, keep telling yourself that."

So?? I want (I need) reviews!!

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'Til next time!!

Kimi-chan!!