27th December 2016

You're the Milky Way and I'm the black hole, sucking up everything till there's nothing left.

To my bestie, with love.

Graduation


Pushing her phone into her bag, she stood up and followed the rest of the girls in front. It was time.

Sakura was nervous. She tried to adjust her gown again, hoping it wasn't lopsided at the back. She held tightly onto her name card. This was the card from which the man on stage was going to read her name as she crossed the stage.

"Haruno Sakura," he read. Shaking slightly, she walked forwards and shook hands with the Provost, who smiled and said congratulations. Then, she descended the stage.

It was done – she had graduated, finally.


Crowds of graduates and their families milled about on Kingsway, and round the corners to the entrance of Peacock Theatre where her graduation ceremony was held. Even though she was only wearing heels of an inch or so, she could feel her ankle getting sore – injuries always got in the way of things, she thought a little grumpily.

Sakura carried her graduation hat and various bits and bobs as she searched for her parents, who had told her they'd be waiting outside the Theatre. Where were they? Suddenly, her phone buzzed.

"Hey. I'm here." Sasuke's short message made her heart thud louder than when she was on stage. He was here already. Not wanting to keep him waiting, she searched almost frantically, phone in hand and then all of a sudden, as if he had materialised from thin air, he was in front of her, stoic but a smile tugged at his lips, obviously at the sight of her in her graduation gown. The usual black coat, leather shoulder bag. He was suited up, and Sakura had a sudden flashback of that one morning, months ago, when she was still snuggled up in his bed, watching him button up his shirt and get dressed for work. He always looked good in a suit.

Sakura threw her arms around him, laughing. "Sasuke-kun!"

Her cousin Nakano and his wife had found her parents standing on the street opposite the entrance. Her family and Sasuke exchanged niceties but Sakura was already internally fretting about what to do next. Reception only allowed guests with a ticket, and only her and her parents had been able to get tickets. She couldn't leave her cousin and his wife, much less Sasuke out in the cold.

Mr. Haruno then suggested they should go to dinner now, instead of the reception. Even though she had previously said it should be family only, Mrs. Haruno urged Sakura to invite Sasuke to dinner, as if he was part of the family... Sakura pushed that thought out of her head. That would just get her hopes up, and that was no good.

He agreed, to her much surprise.


Sakura felt like she was living a dream. He was talking to her mother, politely but with a genuine pleasantness that was so rare of Sasuke. Every time Sakura looked over at her mother talking to Sasuke, she felt light-headed with elation. He was getting on well with her family. She tried not to read into it too much right now, but her heart was soaring.

Tapas proved delicious. Knives and forks clinked as the little food dishes were passed around so everyone could have a try of everything.

"Here's your graduation present, Sakura-chan," Yuna, her cousin's wife said. It was a giant stuff toy of Katsuyu. Sakura squealed.

"Thank you so much Yuna-san! I've been meaning to get it for a long time!" She exclaimed happily, hugging the stuff toy.

"Your Christmas present." Sasuke placed a wrapped present on the table in front of her. The wrapping paper featured horses pulling a carriage. It even had a red party bow on top. Sasuke did well, she thought. Even though she already knew what he had gotten her (he had asked her beforehand, as this was how Sasuke liked to give presents), she was nonetheless thrilled that Sasuke had pulled through in the end.

Sakura donned the fluffy sheepskin earmuffs for the rest of the night.


It was time to go home. Sakura had wanted a little bit of time to talk to Sasuke in private before they parted ways until January next year, but there was no opportunity; her parents wanted to leave quickly as it was cold, and it seemed that Sasuke was thinking the same. She didn't want to keep him around if he didn't want to be.

They hugged goodbye (Sakura's was a tight embrace; Sasuke's was a rather rigid patting on the back).

"Have a good Christmas, Sasuke-kun." She said with a sad smile. It was always hard to see him leave. She wouldn't see him for another two, or even three weeks.

"Merry Christmas. See you." He said, but his expression had softened slightly. Green eyes met black.

Then, he was gone.

-fin-


A/N Will post the prequel, pre-graduation sometime early January. Till next time! x