Naruto came back from his meeting with Gaara to the hospital.

I wonder if he has woken up, Naruto thought. He intended to have some words with the guy for even trying to end his life. He had zero respect on people who wanted to commit suicide but he was a kind of person who always saw a situation from multiple perspectives, seeing as some people might have issues to the point that they couldn't take it anymore.

He had asked Ino before he left that if the guy woke up to please informed him immediately. When he was on his way back to the hospital, Ino had texted him saying that Sasuke Uchiha had woken up.

He was now in front of Sasuke's room after retrieving his things from his own room. He knocked three times and let himself opened the door to find two brothers from before.

"I'm sorry for interrupting. I just want to check on the patient and maybe have some words with him."

"Oh, do you want me to leave, doc?" The older brother, Itachi, asked as he stood up.

Naruto shook his head. "It's okay, you don't have to. I will be quick anyway." He finished as Itachi moved away from his position, allowing Naruto to go near the patient.

"Okay so, you were admitted here with open wounds on each wrist." Naruto paused with a smile which the two Uchihas could see that it was forced. He continued, "I believe that every sane person who see them would think that you committed suicide. Well, no need rocket science to guess on that." Naruto scoffed softly after saying that, still smiling.

This is not good, Itachi thought as he watched the two. For some strange reasons he lost the ability to speak so he kept silent, waiting what would Naruto say next. He was afraid that if he interfere, Naruto would stop which meant that they would lost the chance of Naruto spilling some beans.

"To be honest, as a doctor I hate- no. I loathed those who tried to end their lives, and in this case it's you. As a doctor, I save lives. I'm not a surgeon, but I'm an oncologist. All of my patients want to survive from their cancers so bad, yet you..." Naruto paused, trying to get himself together. He took a deep breath before he continued. "Right now, I have few cancer patients. If I could trade lives, I would trade yours with one of my patients who really worship their remaining lives because eventually sooner or later they would pass away." Now the forced smile was gone, and Naruto had turned all serious. Truth to be told, even Sasuke never saw Naruto speaking this serious. It sent shiver down Sasuke's spine.

"No problems in this world are permanent. If you have problems, seek help or find solutions. There are much better ways to deal with life's problems, not ending it by trying to commit suicide. Do you think by ending your life the problems would vanish? Don't be selfish. The consequences of suicide are not just you that a precious life has ended. It is also a tragedy of epic proportions for the people you left behind, especially your brother. Have you ever think of that, no? Or are you that much of selfish?"

Sasuke who was staring at Naruto was now casting his look down on his lap. To say that he didn't feel ashamed now was an underestimate.

"I believe that this is not the first time he commit suicide, right?" Naruto was now asking Itachi to confirm this. Itachi only looked at Sasuke, as he couldn't seem to speak. He was trying his best to bite the inside of his cheeks to supress from smirking. How couldn't he when his foolish little brother was being scolded?

Now Naruto got closer to the patient. "Do you ever wondered, why I never succeed in killing myself?" Naruto whispered.

Sasuke only kept silent.

"There are few things you failed to understand. First, you cut on the wrong area. By cutting the wrists do you think you would die immediately?"

Itachi raised his eyebrow while Sasuke knitted his eyebrows in confusion. But the two stand still, waiting for Naruto to finish. They were somehow curious as to what he would say next even though Itachi thought that this conversation was kind of wrong. It was like Naruto was encouraging Sasuke to commit suicide?

"No. Your wrists would bleed slowly… Secondly, you were dying slowly and your brother was fast. That gave your brother time to save your sorry ass."

"…"

"I'm not trying to encourage you to do stupid things but if you want to do it so bad, next time please cut your wrists no more. Do you want an instant dead by bleeding in no time? Cut your thighs. Trust me you will be dead for good." Naruto finished with a fake smile.

That made Itachi realized that Naruto was mocking Sasuke. Itachi understood. If he were Naruto, he would say the same. Calling Sasuke foolish was not a joke. His little brother just sucked when it came to managing his emotions. The guy was sensitive. Itachi looked at Sasuke. Did he take this as Itachi did or not? Itachi couldn't be so sure. Itachi sighed at the whole situation.

"I hope that this will be the last time you commit suicide, Sasuke." Naruto whispered which succeeding in getting the Uchiha brothers' attention to Naruto.

"I'm sorry, I got carried away." Naruto shrugged with a sigh. "I met Gaara before and I asked about you."

Both brothers' eyebrows joined in confusion. Naruto and his changing of topic was almost too much to handle.

"And I want to say sorry that I can't remember you."

"Naruto…"

"Let me finish, Sasuke." Naruto said, still couldn't fathom that that name made his heart beating fast. "Whatever happened between us in the past, it's already done. I already have a new man and I want you to please continue your life as I do."

"But-"

"Do you love me?"

"What? Of course I do! Why don't I?" Sasuke was pissed by now.

"Then, do it for my sake."

"Do you think it's that simple?" Sasuke snapped. "You have no idea how I coped up with life this far without having any idea your whereabouts, do you?" Sasuke scoffed. "You have no idea living your life feeling guilty over things you just can't fix because the one you are sorry for was nowhere to be found. You just don't know if the person is still alive or not because they seem to have never existed and you start to think that you might have gone crazy."

Naruto was silent now as Itachi thought that he seemed to not belong there.

"I didn't choose this all, did I? I didn't plan on losing my memories! I'm sorry about the past, but I just can't leave Sai for another man, can I? What would you do if you were in my position? If you have the answer, then come to me and I will be yours." Naruto snapped back. All he had thought what he would do before was gone he did the unthinkable instead.

"From now on you will be handled by different doctor. If you'd please excuse me." With that, Naruto stormed off out of the room.

Sasuke stared hard at Itachi once the door shut closed. "Did you see that? Did you hear that? I am now more determined to get him back."

Itachi smirked. "That's the spirit."

~o0o~

He clearly wasn't planning on saying those words. He was encouraging someone to kill themselves!

"Damnit." Naruto yelled under a whisper as he splashed water on his face. He looked up at the mirror seeing his reflection, face dripping with water. Why would he say something like that? He closed his eyes. He felt strange now. While feeling himself as an asshole, in the other hand he felt contented. An asshole because he just encourage his patient to kill himself, contented because somehow… What was it? Why did he feel contented?

Thinking that he had no answer to the question, he left the restroom and decided to meet Ino.

"I want to leave early today. I feel too exhausted beyond belief." Naruto told Ino when he met her in the hallway. To emphasize his words, he massaged the bridge of his nose with his eyes closed.

Ino nodded with a concern smile. "It's been a though day for you. You deserve a good rest." She said reassuring him.

"Thanks Ino. I will be leaving now." Naruto said with a gentle smile.

"Please text me immediately the time you arrived home." Ino said while undoing Naruto's coat.

"Will do."

Naruto said and left the hospital. It was five in the evening and he had to do groceries for tonight's dinner with Sai. Was it a good choice to sleep with Sai? After the dreams he was having these past few nights were making him felt terribly lonely. He could only rely on Sai his boyfriend to help him overcome his loneliness, or that's what he thought.

After he had the things he needed to cook for dinner, he flew to Sai's apartment at six sharp. He had predicted that he would be cooking for forty-five minutes and it was enough time before dinner.

"Good evening, doctor!" A guy named Kotetsu called out from the lobby, greeting the young doctor.

With a smile, Naruto waved his free hand in the air. "Stop with the doctor! Naruto is fine, Kotetsu-san!"

"Nah, I feel comfortable calling you doctor." Kotetsu grinned. "Can I help you carry that, doc?"

"Nah, it's okay. But thanks for offering anyway." Naruto smiled.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm a man, not a girl. I can handle this Kotetsu." Naruto laughed.

"Well, if you insist." Kotetsu shrugged, still grinning. He handed Naruto Sai's card to his apartment. "Sai-san asked me to give you this."

"Thank you, Kotetsu." Naruto got the card and left to the elevator. If Kotetsu gave him his card then Sai must not be at his apartment yet. Where could he be? At his studio? He remembered that Sai had mentioned about an exhibition. He shrugged it off and went to the kitchen when he arrived at Sai's apartment.

~o0o~

Sai parked his car next to a black car. Naruto was already inside his apartment it seemed. Just when he thought about it his cellphone vibrated. It was the dickless.

"Yes, babe?"

"Don't yes babe me. Where are you? You are late for ten minutes."

Sai rolled his eyes. "I have troubled with traffic."

"Sai!"

"Alright, god… I'm already at the parking lot. I will be up in a minute." Sai hissed, not for Naruto but because of he felt his nose burnt.

"You better be!" Naruto ended the call and he didn't seem to notice Sai was hissing.

Sai looked up the ceiling to prevent from staining his white shirt from the blood. He could feel the blood coming. As he put his phone down inside his pocket, he fished out his white handkerchief. He put the white fabric under his nostrils. A pain shot his head resulting colorful curse words from the pale guy.

When he thought the bleeding was done, he retreated the handkerchief from his nostrils to see it. It was already stained with blood. He smiled despite of the situation he was currently in. He remembered he got the handkerchief on his birthday two years ago from Naruto. The handkerchief was white, with orange stitching on it. It said "Happy Birthday, Sai. –UN".

He slammed the steering wheel when another unexpected blood fell on his white clothes.

"Damnit!" He cursed but it only gave him another headache. He eventually got out of his car. The world was spinning but Naruto was waiting. He closed his eyes waiting for a few seconds to adjust before he started walking to the building. Upon entering the building, he went to the elevator. Inside, he studied his reflection. He was like a mess. He put the stained handkerchief on his nose again when he felt the blood coming. What should he do? He didn't want to worry Naruto but he was helpless.

In a second he was already on his floor. He exited the small room and started walking to the door. On his way, he had trouble walking as the world was spinning. With his free hand, he propped up on the wall to prevent from falling. He could do this. With that on his mind, he started knocking on his door upon reaching it. The door opened, and he could catch a glimpse of blurred yellow and white, and a faint gasp. When he knew it was Naruto, he smiled and blackness took his vision away.

TBC

Published: Thursday, November 16th 2017 3.00 PM (JST)