Authors Note: Hey guys! long time no update huh? I'm really sorry about that again! -curses school and finals and extracurricular activities- but here it is finally; chapter five to this fic.. xD Chapter 6 should be along shortly too once I find my inspiration for the next chapter.. and yes, there's definitely a time skip in here. Yay for time skips!

Your eyes
as we said our goodbyes
can't get them out of my mind
and I find I can't hide
from your eyes
the ones that took me by surprise
the night you came into my life
where there's moonlight I see your eyes
How'd I let you slip away when i'm longing so to hold you
now i die for one more day
cause there's something I should've told you
yes there's something I should've told you
When I looked into your eyes
why does distance make us wise?
you were the song all along
and before the song dies
I should tell you
I should tell you
I have always loved you
You can see it my eyes.
-your eyes from rent

After his encounter with the sound four, Sasuke sat on the tree branch, mulling everything over. To leave everything behind, and be regarded as a traitor to the village for the rest of his life almost seemed worth the promise of power and ability to avenge his clan. Almost.

Frustrated, he put his head into his hands in an effort to think more clearly. Minutes passed like hours, but finally his head rose, and Sasuke's eyes burned with resolve. He was leaving.

Returning to his house, he gathered only the necessities before heading out, past the rows of houses and shops, passing right under the windows of the Aogiri household, with only a look up to acknowledge it, continuing through the streets of Konoha, past the Academy. As he trudged through the village, he couldn't control the flow of memories running through his head. From when he was younger, full of smiles and training to be a ninja inside the shadow of his brother to the missions he completed while on Team Seven.

As his resolve was weakening, Sasuke's sentimental reminiscing was suddenly bombarded by the bitter memories of his rivalry with Naruto and the slaughter of his clan. As these images flashed through his mind, painful emotions were awakened, and it was then when he saw Sakura walking towards him, a look on her face resembling that of a lost puppy.

Words were exchanged, and Sasuke became distracted as he felt a familiar chakra energy nearby. Growing increasingly impatient as each second passed, he opted to continue walking past her, only stopping when she threatened to scream if he left. Seeing the only possible way for him to leave quietly was to knock Sakura unconscious, Sasuke prepared to do just that. He was taken aback when Sakura confessed her love for him. Of course he was aware she had an obsession with him; he'd have had to be blind to miss it. However, there was a big difference and a rather thick line between love and obsession. He stared scrutinizingly at his pink-haired comrade, trying to discern her sincerity, before taking the chance of looking at her emerald eyes.

He could see the tears falling down her cheeks, the image plastered in his mind even as he quickly moved behind her. He offered only three words of consolation, "Thank you Sakura.." feeling only a small twinge of guilt as he knocked the girl out and set her down on the bench next to them. Thank you for caring... he completed the sentence in his mind.

Still aware of the nearby observer, the dark haired Uchiha decided it was best to continue on his journey, acting as though he didn't notice said person until they revealed themselves. As he got farther into the forest, he realized who his persistent tracker was. "You can stop following me, Aogiri." he spoke up finally without turning around.

He felt the person stiffen and heard her step out from behind a tree trunk. Smirking at his own accuracy, the Uchiha turned around to face his childhood friend when he heard her voice ask why he was leaving. Not missing the undertone of disparity in her voice, he marveled that she still cared about him even though she professed that she thought he was no better than the dirt under her feet.

His traitorous heart skipped a beat as he saw tears spilling from Kaiya's eyes, reminding him of how much he always used to hate to see her cry. Quickly silencing this softer side of him, he continued to push her away from him, trying to sever this bond.

Despite his resolve, Sasuke couldn't help but flinch as the silver-eyed girl spat on him. He may have deserved it, but the Uchiha pride flared and he had to restrain himself from hitting the girl in front of him. Instead, he chose to toss her wrist aside and go back to traveling to meet the sound four. He looked up to see his way again barred by the persistent girl. Feeling his temper ignite again, he tried to push her aside, which only served to have her push him back. His sharingan activated; caused by the stress his body was feeling as he pushed Kaiya back against a tree trunk, pinning her there so she couldn't try and stop him.

Waiting for her to calm down and stop struggling while he lectured her, he couldn't help but notice the differences in the young Aogiri, seeing her for the first time as someone besides a rival or a friend. For reasons even unclear to himself, Sasuke had a sudden urge to press his lips against hers and forget about Orochimaru and his past. Quickly squashing this urge, he released her and took a step away to put more distance between them.

He had to leave quickly before he lost his nerve. With a fleeting look back he ran off, but stopped a few branches ahead. He turned around again, before running away again. And it was then that he realized that all those years of avoiding Kaiya, he had been too afraid to show his vulnerable side to her. He subconsciously took the easiest way out; running away.

"Who released you?" A young female chuunin questioned, a confused expression on her face, unsure that she had heard the convict in front of her right.

"Uchiha Sasuke." The convict repeated patiently, a rather amused and smug expression on his face as he watched the bewildered kunoichi gape at him. "He killed Orochimaru and freed all of us at the eastern base."

"Aogiri-sama?" one of the other chuunin ventured, a questioning look in his eye.

She blinked, trying to recover her resolve. It's been a long time since I heard that name... she told herself. Three years had passed since the fateful night of Sasuke's leaving, and in those three years, the familiar faces of the Genin 12 had changed. All had matured, and risen in rank and even Kaiya was well on her way to becoming a jounin.

"Ai, ai! You know Uchiha-sama don't you?" The convict grinned slyly, and Kaiya cringed as she could practically see tongue flickering out like a snake's to fit in with his expression.

Huffing indignantly, the black haired girl crossed her arms and turned her head, "Of course I know Uchiha, he is a criminal from my village after all."

"Well here's a tidbit of information for one of his old acquaintances.." The convict said, the same sly expression on his face, "Uchiha-sama's gathering a group of S-class shinobi around him; one of the seven swordsmen of the mist, a girl with a knack for finding anyone anywhere, and a man with violent killing urges. And he's on the hunt for Uchiha Itachi."

"You think this is news to Konoha?" Kaiya said, crossing her arms in an impatient manner although the news was, in fact, new to her.

"Whatever you say kunoichi-san.." The man said bowing mockingly, "By your leave..." he said before disappearing in a poof of smoke causing all the chuunin of the group to start in surprise. "Should we go after him?" A younger female asked Kaiya who shook her head.

"Send a messenger bird ahead to Konoha relaying the information we've learned." she replied.

"You sure about this Sasuke?" Suigetsu, a pale aqua haired and eyed man asked, a feral smile splayed across his features. He really didn't know why he put up with this brat who thought he was the leader. Just because he defeated orochimaru, his ego was bigger than ever. Honestly, kids these days.

"Hn." Was Sasuke's characteristic reply as a black haired girl with glasses turned to scold Suigetsu. "Don't pester Sasuke-kun! Of course he knows what he's doing you fish!"

"Of course you think that Karin - in your eyes Sasuke can do no wrong." Suigetsu replied with an impatient sigh. It was times like these that he almost pitied the Uchiha and his curse to attract obsessive fangirls.

As Karin was about to hurl a retort back, a tall man with spiky hair leaned his head out to peer at the arguing duo with Sasuke stuck in the middle, "Will the two of you shut up?!" he growled menacingly.

In response Suigetsu shrugged as Karin pushed her glasses farther up her nose with her middle finger.

"Subtle Karin real subtle." Juugo barked before turning around and clutching his head to prevent the spread of his anger.

Staring straight ahead, Sasuke paid his companions no more attention as he kept his mind focused on one idea and one idea only. His plan to avenge his clan. He was pulled out of his trance like state by Suigetsu calling his name, "Oi Sasuke!" The dark haired boy shifted his onyx gaze to the man next to him. "What?"

"We've got some shinobi on our trail; Konoha from their formation and smell. Probably on surveillance."

Nodding as he felt the forces of the chakra a few meters behind his group, Sasuke spoke, "Let them follow us; if they become a problem we'll deal with them then."

Suigetsu scowled, "Tch. Still as soft as ever."

sorry it's short this time guys -wrote this in a hurry- thanks again to all you AMAZING reviewers. You're totally my reason for continueing this!