Um, sorry for the late update. And unforgivingly LONG hiatus. I just had a brain melt-down, that's all.

Apologies for not replying any of your reviews - that is, if you had reviewed. Thanks for those who took their time to review or who have read the story til up to this point. I'm so grateful!

But enough about me making excuses and babbling. The story is waiting to be read by you.

Hope you enjoy it.

Dozo.


Voices of a Distant Star

CHAPTER 7

It was another of those nice days where the sun shone bright in the sky with just the right amount of blue skies and pretty clouds accompanying its majesty.

The seasons have come and gone.

The electric twang of arrows brought an almost refreshing feel to the whole atmosphere – despite both released arrows missing its circular target board.

Summer is upon us once more.

"Naruto-kun!"

A blonde youth in the traditional uniform robe of hakama and white kimono started.

"Shall we go?"

The blonde's blue eyes softened as they took sight of the smiling raven by the door. A small smile lit his face. "Sure."

I'd completely stopped waiting for a message from Sasuke.

-line-

That was last winter.

-line-

They were walking home together. It wasn't strange.

It's been a year…

After all, they were a couple.

since his last message…

"Today, teacher asked about our plans after high school. What are yours?" Hinata's question was so casual and normal; Naruto couldn't help but smile at it. It seemed to him that it had been a while since he had anything like that. He decided to return it with an equally casual and normal answer.

"I'll probably be content to graduate and get a job, I guess."

Hinata giggled. "That's it?"

Naruto's defensive reply was interrupted by wet plops of water on the ground.

"Ah…it's raining."

Hinata's thoughtful voice alerted him of the falling rain. Something gnawed at his heart as the drops of wetness hit him. He turned his face absently up to the dark sky. "So it is…"

"Is it going to get heavier?"

Naruto turned to the slight girl and smiled. "I don't think so. Probably just a passing shower."

"Ah…but let me open my umbrella…"

"It's okay Naruto."

His blue eyes widened a fraction at the too-familiar words. Why was he hearing them? He started at the tug at his shirt.

"Naruto-kun…?"

"O- Oh, really?"

Hinata's puzzled frown felt blank on him. He wondered why. He barely heard her hesitant answer to his shallow question. He was hearing another voice; calling out to someone else…

C'mon, Sasuke.

-line-

"You'll catch a cold."

Sasuke's dark eyes glittered in obvious distaste at the blonde's concern. He harrumphed indignantly. "Not beforeyou do."

Something else glittered in the raven's eyes and Naruto couldn't help but stare, dumbfounded. For a moment there, he had felt an attraction – but it was impossible; he wasn't interested in boys. He couldn't possibly—

-line-

"Look, Naruto-kun!"

Jolted out of his thoughts, Naruto blinked at the pale-eyed girl beside him. Being as intelligent as he was, he reacted to her excited cry with a simple, "Huh?"

Hinata didn't seem bothered. Instead, she clutched at Naruto's arm; almost causing the blonde to release his hold on the umbrella he was holding. "Over there! Isn't it amazing? Just like in the movies!"

The silhouette of a mecha was obvious even as it faced an adversary that Naruto couldn't see. The nostalgic memories hit him thickly as he watched the large screen above the mall they were passing by. He felt almost smothered by them. The professional voice of the newscaster was stark and felt almost bleak against his thoughts.

"We bring you the latest footage from the Tharsian Expedition."

"Incredible, huh?"

It was Hinata who grounded him once more. Naruto couldn't help but turn to the girl he had showered his attention on for the past year. "It looks so fantastical!"

He watched her sweet smile as she commented and felt compelled to tell her of the 'past' he had thought to forget. He wanted to tell someone. But he was afraid Hinata—

Would Hinata be like the others?

"Come to think of it…" – Naruto swallowed thickly as he began – "One of my Junior High classmates is on the Expedition."

"What? So he's flying in of those robots?!"

Naruto chuckled at Hinata's reaction. He had not been expecting her to be so flustered. She even looked awed.

"Wow… That's so cool! I didn't know you had a friend on the Expedition."

Naruto smiled warmly at her excitement. "Oh…we were just classmates.

"Anyway, I don't think he remembers me."

They walked in amiable silence after that, knowing that one had a 'secret' and that the other had just been given trust to hold it. It was only at the junction to their houses that Naruto broke the silence.

"Take the brolly. I'm going this way."

Hinata looked hesitant. It was still raining, after all. "Uh…are you sure?"

Naruto grinned assuringly. "It's just a drizzle, and you have a longer way to go. Here."

Hinata accepted the offer with a small "Thanks". She was always too nice of a person. "Um, Naruto-kun, are you going for archery practice tomorrow?"

Naruto answered with his own question. "Why?"

A slight flush lit the girl's pale cheeks. "C- Could we…Could we go somewhere tomorrow?"

The blonde stared dumbly at the girl for a moment. Although they had been dating for a year, it was the first time Hinata had initiated something – it was especially so when it was far in between that they actually went out. It felt like the day Hinata had confessed to him. But he had no worries, right? He had no more obligations – had none in the first place – so could answer her honestly and with no regrets. He would not go back. So he smiled, feeling infinitely warm, and said, "Sure."

Hinata's equally warm-felt smile answered him. Seeing that she had no more she wanted to say, Naruto waved to her and began to walk away. "See you tomorrow then."

"Uh…wait…"

Her kiss felt even warmer. It felt nice. Naruto couldn't help but grin stupidly as she waved goodbye to him and ran off. "Bye bye!"

Later, as he walked with a slightly extra bounce in his step, he knew the rain was getting heavier. He growled in annoyance. He hated rain. Glancing around to find shelter he could only see one nearby. His blue eyes widened in recognition at the small bus stop huddled by the empty street. The thick blanket of nostalgia threatened to smother him again as he stepped silently into the small space. The old bench creaked ominously as he sat on it.

His phone beeped its musical tone almost immediately after .

Naruto hesitated to reach for it. He would not go back. Then again, he was probably being silly. He hadn't gotten any 'significant' message from his 'past' for almost a year. He had probably been forgotten. He decided to just grab the phone. He almost melted in the warmth he felt as he read the message. It was from Hinata.

Take care. Don't catch a cold!

He smiled. He would leave his 'past' behind. The phone beeped again as he was putting it back in his pocket; it belonged there now. He was finally here and was sure to get messages of now. Still, it was too soon to have so many at a time, and he puzzled over why Hinata would message him again. The name of the sender left him cold.

Uchiha Sasuke.

No…Naruto's hand trembled as he clutched the phone tight. The phone's beeps seemed deafening as he opened the message. It can't be…

-line-

It's Sasuke…

-line-

'Hey, Dobe, how are you?'

The shelter was silent. Only the slight movement of the teen sitting on its creaky bench told of the living occupant inside.

'By the time this message reaches you, I'll be in Sirius.'

-line-

He wrote about his first battle in Pluto; about the Tharsians; about living inside the Lysithea; and…

-line-

'My next message will take eight years and seven months to reach you.'

His hands had stilled, blue eyes going wide in shock.

'You know, Naruto, we're like…'

The blue dulled in guilt at a certain line of the message. It was ironic how it was probably innocently typed.

'…a pair of lovers separated by Earth and space.'

It felt so cold, the guilt. And just a moment ago, he had felt so warm.

'What I really want, Naruto…'

The message brought his mind back to a time of 'past'; when Sasuke's stoically pale face seemed carved of pure, untouched marble as the shy morning rays crept up his face.

'…is for us not to find anything…'

Naruto could still remember the moment as though it had happened only yesterday.

'…so that we can go home…'

The words on the small screen seemed to mock his thoughts and he remembered again how Sasuke's eyes would light up in such familiar recognition – only for him.

'I want to go home…'

And that little smile the raven would always give him—

'I long to return, Naruto…'

He seemed to glow with it—

'To touch your hand…'

And look so angelic that Naruto would feel special—

'To hear your voice…'

As though he was the only one that Sasuke would see.

-line-

To see your smiling face.

-line-

The small bus stop felt more isolated than it normally was.

Sasuke…

The air was suffocating him again.

has never given up.

Naruto clutched his glaringly orange phone tightly.

The truth is, since Junior High…

His thoughts were still in the past; when he was still content with life and being himself—

We'd only had eyes for each other.

When he still rode his bike to school and wheeled it home because the other didn't have a bike and could only walk.

Eight light years, huh…

He loved teasing Sasuke then. And it was often that the raven would tease back. He missed that.

How different is it from eternity?

He missed seeing Sasuke smile at him.

Never again will time pass the way it used to.

Naruto hung his head heavily. He didn't feel deserving enough to lift his head to the skies anymore.

I had tried to forget, but he did not.

-line-

I…

...to be continued...


Right. This chapter was a pretty headache to write. There were so many other ways to see this little chapter and the emotions to convey were rather baffling to me.

But that's the beauty of the story. And i don't think you got what I'm trying to say. Haha.

Anyway, comments are welcomed.

BLEARGH.

:watcheva: