Under The Moon

November

November 7th

The sun was resting just above the horizon turning the clouds around it a warm pink. People walked down the street bundled in coat and scarves to fight the ever dropping temperature of the fall. Leaves danced across the street, blown by a gust of wind.

He hurried down the street with his hands tucked in his pockets and his eyes on the ground. He glanced up quickly as he passed by the alley where he'd last seen her. He paused to stare at the mural on the wall. For a week now he would walk this path, always passing that picture. He was drawn to it for some reason he could not comprehend. Then he would continue on to the park where he first saw her. He did all of this hoping that he would find her again.

Today he stood by the alley longer than usual. His eyes slowly traced the lunar cycle depicted on the wall. Suddenly something came over him and before he realized what he was doing he pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of the mural.

When he reviewed the picture he noticed that the full moon was brighter than all the rest of the phases. It appeared to be its own light source. He blinked away the haze that had come down around him and slid the phone back in his pocket. With one last look at the wall Sasuke continued down the sidewalk.

The alley was silent as the light from the sunset faded and the moon rose high into the sky. Ino stepped out onto the sidewalk and stared sadly down the street that he had taken. She wrapped her arms around herself and began walking away.

November 10th

Sasuke stared blankly at his computer screen. All around the sounds of keyboards, stapler, printers and other various office equipment created a symphony of monotony. His mind was consumed with the mystery of Ino and that alley. He knew there was something there, some kind of connection but it was just out of his reach.

"Dude!" Naruto shouted banging on the desk. "Where are you right now, man?" His joking thinly veiled the concern that he had for his friend. Sasuke knew that he was worrying him so he forced a smile and replied.

"The moon." This got a chuckle from Naruto.

"Yeah, it really seems that way what with you spacing out on us all the time" He began. "This is all because of that girl, isn't it?"

"I don't really want to talk about it" Sasuke said.

"Sasuke, you can't keep everything bottled up all the time. Eventually you're gonna burst" Naruto explained. "Talk to me. I'm your friend and I'm worried about you."

Sasuke frowned and thought about how to respond.

"I know you are. You just have to trust that if and when I need to, I'll come to you" he said calmly.

"I get it. OK, I'll leave you to your brooding." With that the blonde man walked away. Sasuke went back to staring at his monitor blankly and thinking about Ino.

After work Sasuke was invited out for drinks, as he always is at the end of the week. He declined politely and began walking his usual route to the park, as he did every night. He let his feet go on autopilot and his mind wander. All of his thought surrounded Ino and where she might be, why she disappeared from his life, what life would have been like had he never met her. Suddenly he stopped when he looked up he was at the intersection just before the alley. Something cleared in his head and he glanced down both paths.

Left would take him home, he would have a beer, watch TV and go to bed. Right would take him past the alley with the mural, and the park where she wouldn't be waiting, and the bar where he was the night he met her. In his mind images flashed by of what his life would be like depending on which way he turned. Left would lead to him moving forward, joining the real world and enjoying work, meeting someone nice and settling down. Right would mean he always be waiting for someone who wasn't there. Living in a memory surrounded by phantoms of the past.

A feeling of calm and acceptance washed over him and he turned left and began walking home.

November 15th

Everyday becomes a routine for Sasuke. He goes to work, goes out to lunch with his friends then walks home on the same path. His mind was no longer filled with thoughts of Ino. He didn't wonder where she was or why she disappeared from his life or what life would have been like had he never met her. Everything was normal until Wednesday night.

He said goodnight to his Naruto and headed home. As he was nearing the intersection he glanced down the right side and paused. Thoughts formed at the back of his mind that he just couldn't reach so he shrugged it off and continued down the left road.

When he got to his building he stopped halfway up the front steps to glance at the sunset. Suddenly it hit him, the thought that had evaded him back at the intersection. He dropped his messenger bag and sprinted back down the street. He ran back to the intersection and down the right road all the way to the alley. There she stood, in the middle of the alley, facing the painting on the wall.

She knew he was there but she didn't turn around. He stood on the sidewalk in front of the alley, his breath coming out in clouds. Finally she turned to face him.

"I knew you'd come, eventually" she said sadly.

"I've been coming here for more than a week" he replied.

"I know."

He frowned but did not respond. They stood there in silence for a while simply staring at each other. Finally she ran over to him and threw her arms around him. He held and sighed happily.

"I'm sorry. I'm weak" Ino whispered. Sasuke stroked her hair soothingly and just smiled. She broke away and stared into his eyes for a moment.

"I think we should just start over." She proposed. She held her hand out and smiled. "Hi, I'm Ino."

"Sasuke" He replied and grabbed her hand for a shake.

November 20th

"Dude, you are such a girl" Naruto joked. He and Sasuke were eating lunch together and talking. Things had been going well with Ino and Sasuke felt he should tell his best friend.

"Shut up" Sasuke said punching Naruto in the shoulder.

"You're all googly eyed and completely mooning over this girl. Is it serious?"

"I don't know. I can tell that she really likes me but she doesn't want to take it any farther than it is."

"And how far is that? Details please!"

Sasuke punched his friend again earning an "ouch" from the blonde.

"We're just friends" he replied.

"Ow, friend zoned" Naruto said with a wince.

"But it seems like more than that. I get the feeling that she's holding back on purpose, that she's hiding something."

"Maybe she's married or maybe she's a dude!" The blonde said excitedly. This got him another punch, this time harder. "Chill man, I'm joking. I'm sure she'll tell you eventually."

"Yeah, I know."

"But if she doesn't, you should really consider calling the whole thing off" Naruto said seriously. Sasuke stared out the window thinking about it.

November 29th

Sasuke stood in his kitchen pouring two glasses of iced tea and popping popcorn. He glanced through the little window into his living room where Ino was sitting patiently on the couch glancing around the room. He smiled and turned back to the microwave which was beeping to indicate the popcorn was done. He poured it out into a bowl and carried it out to the living room.

"So are you ready for the cinematic excellence that is Beetlejuice?"

She nodded with a chuckle and he hit play on the remote. They settled in and watched the movie.

When it ended Sasuke got up and put the disk back in its case then sat down again.

"Is that what people think the afterlife is?" She asked with a laugh.

"No, that's just what Tim Burton thinks the afterlife is. Like they say in the film "It's all very personal." Sasuke replied.

"If I had to stay in the same house for eternity I would go mad" Ino explained.

"Then you shouldn't die in a Tim Burton movie" Sasuke said through a yawn. He leaned back into the couch and stretched his arms. They were both silent for a while before Ino began speaking again.

"Sasuke?"

"Hmm?" He replied sleepily. She stared at the darkened TV screen and took a deep breath.

"There's something I need to tell you. Hear me out for a minute and please don't say anything until I'm done" She requested. When he did not respond she continued. "I've been hiding something from you, er well, more like from the world, for a while now and I really need to say something because, well, because I really like you and I think I may even lo- well you know. I can tell you feel the same and it isn't fair that I'm doing this to you and not telling you everything. So I'm going to be completely honest with you from now on like you always have been with me. What I'm about to say is tough to explain and even tougher to understand and if by the end you don't want to see me anymore I will understand and I'll leave you alone."

She took another steadying breath and was about to continue when she heard something troubling. She turned to look as Sasuke for the first time since she began speaking and frowned. He was leaning back on the couch sleeping with his mouth open and light snores escaping. She stared at him for a minute then smiled sadly.

"Goodnight, Sasuke." She threw the blanket that was hanging over the back of the couch on him then stood up and walked to the door. When she was standing in the doorway she looked back at him. "Someday I'll be able to tell you everything."

Then she stepped out and gently closed the door behind her.