Strangers

Several months passed, eventually, Sasuke and Sakura's relationship came to a stop. It's not like they wanted to break up ― in fact, they very much hated to do it ― but they both felt in their hearts that something was missing. They were very happy with each other, like an almost complete jigsaw puzzle, except for one missing piece that ruined it.

After their break-up, it was as if everyone was out there taunting, or punishing them. Naruto and Hinata had started to date, Tenten and Neji kissed in front of Sasuke and Sakura, and Shikamaru and Ino were constantly seen with each other. Indeed it felt as if everyone was punishing them.

It was obvious that Sakura was depressed, because each time she saw a man and a woman together, she would sulk and avoid public for a couple hours. Sasuke hid his depression better. His sadness only showed whenever he thought of Sakura, and lately, it seemed to be often.

Sasuke was sitting with his eyes closed on the stone steps that was were Team Seven first introduced themselves. He was lost in thought, remembering that first day. He remembered Naruto's wild, but enthusiastic self-introduction, Sakura when she used to have her long and pretty pink hair, and the weird, one-eyed man that was Kakashi.

He heard lazy footsteps to his left and opened one eye. Kakashi was walking towards him, buried in his book.

"Hello Sasuke," he greeted, not looking up, "How are you?"

"Bored," was his nonchalant reply.

"Okay, since you say you're bored, what's a topic to discuss that is not boring?" He was still looking at his book while talking. "Ah, I know. How are you and Sakura doing?"

Sasuke wished Kakashi would not touch that subject. "None of your business," he said rudely, and stood up.

This time, Kakashi glanced up. "I see. It didn't work for you guys, so you broke up."

"Shut up."

"Deep down you still yearn for her don't you?"

Sasuke clenched his fist and grit his teeth. "It doesn't matter. We split up." Then he left.

"I bet you never wanted to in the first place, Sasuke," Kakashi said quietly to himself.

Over at the library, Sakura was with Ino, searching for medicinal books.

"Sakura, you've gotta get over him. You and Sasuke decided to break up. Stop sulking over him!"

Sakura placed the book she was holding back on the shelf and continued scanning through the titles on the spines. "I guess so," she said distantly.

"There are other guys out there. There's . . . there's . . . there's . . . " She held up her hand to count, but was lost for names of guys for her friend. "Well, there are other guys."

"Mmmhmm."

Ino rubbed her face and sighed. "You still love him, right?"

Sakura hesitated before moving onto the next shelf. She bit her lip, and dug her fingernails into her skin to stop herself from crying. She had always loved him. From the first time she met him and saved him from drowning, to the months they were together, to now. Sakura had, and always will, love Sasuke.

Ino sighed again. "Sakura if you really regret breaking up with Sasuke, why not you get back together with him? From what Naruto has told me and from what I've seen, he's not happy either."

"I would," she said so quietly, that Ino almost missed it, "but it's hard to be with someone who doesn't even remember you."

More months passed, and soon it was one year since Sasuke's sentence to probation. He never felt so free in his life. No being limited to as far as the training grounds, no more ninjas stalking him and writing reports, no more government hanging on his back. Soon after he was assigned his first mission since returning, and the accompaniment was none other than Naruto and Sakura. It was a successful mission despite the lack of communications, especially between him and Sakura.

Sakura walked along her neighborhood whistling a cheerful tune to herself. A voice called her name, and when she turned, a medic was running towards her.

"Am I needed at the hospital?" she asked the fellow medic.

After a few quick breaths, he shook his head. "No, it's about you mother."

Sasuke did one last flip before assessing his training. He did fairly good. All the kunai hit their target, some in the exact middle, while some shied slightly outside the center. Needs to be more accurate, was his final thought. He gathered the kunais and repositioned the targets for another try. As he picked up the last kunai, a loud voice sounded followed by a streak of orange.

"There you are, Sasuke!" panted Naruto. "Sakura got a message about her mom and is really worried. She's at the hospital, so let's go."

"No," he said flatly. Sasuke did not want to be around that woman. He always felt nervous around her, and her smile was to eerily happy. But out of curiosity, he asked, "What happened to her?"

"I don't know!" growled Naruto. "If you wanna know, you'll have to see for yourself!" He grabbed Sasuke's collar and half-dragged him out of the training grounds and to the hospital.

At the hospital, the receptionist told them that Sakura and her mother were on the third floor, and Naruto pulled Sasuke to the elevator and punched the third floor button and the close-the-door button. When the elevator stopped, Naruto pushed a reluctant Sasuke into the hall where Sakura was siting on a bench, a worried expression on her face while she twiddled her thumbs.

She looked up at the sounds of Sasuke's protests. "You guys came," she said, standing up.

"Yeah," replied Naruto, "we heard what happened and I thought it would be a good idea if we came too."

"Thank you. I really appreciate you coming."

Sasuke gave a light snort. "Don't think I came here of my own free will." He pointed at Naruto, "He dragged me all the way here. Besides, there is no reason for me to give my sympathies to a stranger."

His face was turned to the side, and his right cheek burned with pain.

Sakura lowered her hand, anger flowing in her eyes. "How could you say that after everything we've done for you? You were so happy when you were with us that you considered me and my mom family. But you've forgotten about us and discarded us like trash! If I had known this was how you would thank us, I wouldn't have rescued you. I should've let you drown!"

Her eyes became glassy and she bolted passed them. She didn't even spare them a glance before she turned to the left and disappeared.

"Sasuke, what did you say to her?" asked Naruto, still looking in the direction Sakura went.

Sasuke wasn't paying attention to Naruto. He was more focused on the stinging pain in his right cheek. He laid a hand on it and something was supposed to be forgotten, came back.

"I know there isn't a photo," said Sasuke. "It belonged to my mother, and I thought you could have it."

"It's really beautiful," Sakura remarked. She looked again at the words inscribed on the back and traced her finger over the locket. Her face turned a slight color pf pink. "I have another present for you," she said, not daring to look up.

"What would that be?" he questioned.

"Well . . . um. . ." and with each word she stuttered, Sakura's face turned redder and redder, eventually making her twiddle her fingers.

Finally, perking up enough courage, she kissed Sasuke on the cheek, making him turn as red as Sakura's ribbon.

When she removed her lips from his cheek, Sasuke placed his hand on the spot where Sakura's lips touched. Still blushing, he stared straight at her with wide eyes. Sakura, however, could not even look back up.

Sasuke squinted at the vivid memory. He dove deeper, trying to see who that pink-haired girl really was. He remembered her wearing a red ribbon in her hair in the same manner as Sakura wore it before they became genin. That also brought back to attention of the ribbon he found under his mattress . . .

"Seirei Haruno is ready for visitors," chimed a nurse, momentarily bringing Sasuke out of his thoughts. She looked around, then asked, "Is Sakura not here?"

"I'll go," he volunteered, shuffling past the nurse and into Seirei's room.

Many parts of her face were covered in bandages. Her left eye, her cheek bone, and a bandage wrapped around her head that barely shone through her pink hair; her body was in no good shape either. He could easily see a cast on her right arm and several broken fingers. "Hello Sasuke. I never thought you'd be my first visitor. Is Sakura here?" she asked, still managing to smile.

"I need to talk you," he said as he pulled up a chair