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Chapter Title: My Confessions

She looked carefully into the mirror as is she had found a dark and ugly black spot forming into the middle of her face, she looked carefully at the person looking back at her. She felt spineless, she had avoided, no she had downright evaded with all her power, the one person she wanted nothing more than to be with. It wasn't like it mattered he didn't bother to come look for her anyhow.

And now, as she stood in front of this mirror all her friends huddled together downstairs awaiting her arrival she felt like her knees would cave in. It wasn't like she was ungrateful or afraid of what they would think, what if Naruto and Mayuko were draped in each other arms, could she control her emotions, could she stop the fluttering in her stomach, she highly doubted.

Why would Naruto want to be with her anyway, she had been head over heels "In love" with his best friend, she was the biggest brat to him ever, and she knew she didn't need memories to know that was true.

"Why would he even want you…" , she looked roughly at herself in the mirror. Sakura didn't believe she used to believe in self-pity. This was the way life was supposed to be, she was supposed to be with Sasuke, and Naruto was supposed to be with Mayuko and there was no changing that. Dreaming never made the dream come true, it just made it harder when you woke up.

She inhaled sharply as she heard the crowds of people downstairs, how long was she going to hide up here. A subtle knock came to the closed door.

"Sakura? Are you feeling okay?" , Sasuke's voice was velvet as if he understood her dilemma and was trying to be encouraging.

"I'm fine, just finishing up.", her voice sounded dry and hoarse as she tried to clear her throat.

A moment of silence passed and Sasuke spoke up again, "Do you…want me to get Tsunade?"

"No.", she briefly answered

"I'll be down in a minute."

He stood a moment, "Sakura I really need to talk to you about yesterday, about why you.."

"Sasuke", a faint echo could be heard.

It broke Sasuke train of thought; he tried to continue speaking, when he heard his name being called again. He sighed profusely, "Listen we need to finish speaking, I'll be back."

She didn't even hear him walk away; she waited a moment, "Sasuke?"

When no answer came she relaxed her frame a bit, what was she going to say to him, "Hey I read a entry in my diary that convinced me I was meant to be with you, only to realize I love your…"

This childish game had to stop, everything was meant to be the way it was, and if it was meant to be any different it would have been. Period. She gave herself one more glance in the mirror, her hair flowed neatly to her shoulders, her dress clung to her breath taking figure, her eyes were bright and she allowed a prime smile to set upon her face. This was her day, and even if that meant she had to murder those butterflies she would attempt to have a good time today.

She threw the door open, and blushed slightly as it plucked easily off its hinges, she had to remember she had to be gentle or she could rip an arm off.

She briskly made her way to the stairwell , that led to the open space down stairs, the once hushed echoes were now ringing in her ears. She could easily recognize a few people among the crowd. She nervously grabbed the railing feeling a wave of nausea she hoped to make an unnoticed entry, but as her eyes wandered the room, many people became aware of Sakura's demanding presence.

Whispers flew around the room.

"My she looks breathtaking."

"Wow."

"Her parents would be so proud."

Her eyes continued to wonder around the room, until her gaze rested upon Sasuke, who had a bit of an infuriated look across his face, probably because he had not gotten a chance to speak to her alone, and now among the crowd it would be very difficult.

"Naruto, you look a little...", Shikamaru began but was cut off my a sharp slap from Ino.

"Oh my goodness, look at Sakura.", she stated.

And as everyone hushed and turned around to look, Naruto stood his ground for a moment, he saw the eyes of his friends light up and curiosity also got the best of Naruto.

He turned around to face Sakura. And his heart hit the ground at 60mph. She looked like an angel walking down the stairs, well as close as an angel can get in wearing black. She looked more beautiful than Naruto had dreamt of, and after dazing at her in awe. She locked eyes with him.

A confident smile reached her face, as she felt fiery glow arise from her cheeks. She felt like everyone was staring at her.

After her eyes meet with Naruto they stood a moment frozen in time, her green eyes dare not move from his blue. She didn't want to break the gaze; she wanted to melt into a puddle staring into those eyes but as she reached the bottom of the stairs, Sasuke reached out his hand to receive her.

She broke her gaze from Naruto, to look at Sasuke who looked amazing in his dress suit. He replaced the look with a smile.

"You look stunning Sakura."

She nodded her head in appreciation and smiled back to him as she slid her arm into his. He shuffled a moment trying to adjust to Sakura on his arm.

"Look Sakura we really need to just get away and talk for a bit, I really wanted to know…."

He was interrupted by an hefty crowd that began to form around them. He thought of a wonderful evil idea, but decided against doing it.

Naruto who snapped out of his day dream state, spun around to face Shikamaru yet again. The genius had an all knowing smirk across his face. It didn't take a mastermind to know how Naruto felt about Sakura, but he had gotten so good at hiding it.

Mayuko reached out to touch Naruto on the arm, "Is everything alright?"

Naruto threw on his famed smile, "Yes, everything is fine I just need some fresh air. "

Mayuko responded, "Do you mind if I go with you?"

Shikamaru gave him an inquisitive look but was dragged off to meet Sakura and Sasuke before he could comment.

"Wow Sakura, you clean up nice.", Ino joked

Sakura gave her a shocked expression. Sasuke was so busy looking around the room to even hear what Ino was talking about.

"Where's Naruto?"

Shikamaru spoke up, "He needed some air so he and Mayuko stepped out onto the balcony."

Sasuke shook his head and let go of Sakura's hand.

"I'll be right back.", he walked off without saying another word.

Naruto stood with his back to the door, looking out at the sun setting off toward the horizon. Mayuko stood next to him leaning towards the railing.

"Beautiful.", she commented

Naruto had his eyes closed, an image of Sakura appeared upon hearing the word, he shook his head and opened his eyes, "No…breathtaking."

Mayuko allowed herself to stand up straight and really look out toward the sun.

"Naruto…"

"Huh", Naruto answered still thinking about locking eyes with Sakura. The hurt he felt after they connected always bothered him but it had been growing lately, he wanted no he needed a way to escape feeling that way.

"I'm going back home soon.", she spat out.

This however brought Naruto out of his train of thought. He liked Mayuko, she was a very nice person, yes he didn't love her but he cared for her.

"Why, what's wrong… is it me?"

She laughed slightly moving closer to him, "No silly, its time I go back, I just feel like I will miss you a great deal. Some part of me wishes I could stay, but maybe you can come visit me one of these days. "

Naruto thought for only a moment before he answered, "Why don't I visit you now?"

Mayuko raised her eyes to meet his, "You want to go back with me?"

This time Naruto paused a moment, he couldn't forget Sakura's eyes, and he felt a pain stab him in his heart.

"Yes."

Mayuko instantly had her hands thrown around Naruto's neck, "You really want to go back with me."

That's exactly how Sasuke found them when he entered the balcony; he cleared his throat to announce his arrival. Mayuko unclasped her hands and understood the urgency in Sasuke's onyx eyes. She gave Naruto a brilliant smile before excusing herself.

As soon as she was gone Sasuke turned around with a confused look upon his face, "What was that?"

"Well Sasuke I have decided that I am going to…"

"Do you really think I am going to by the fact that you love Mayuko instead of Sakura."

Naruto ran a hand through his hair, feeling that ache in his heart again. "Look can we just drop this okay, I used to fight with you when we were little about this, let's not do it now."

Sasuke stood there speechless.

"She had a choice Sasuke and she chose you again….she picked you all over again, don't you get that?"

"Naruto…I'm sick of this Naruto." , Sasuke stated not knowing what else to say.

"So am I…please excuse me okay, I need to speak to granny about something important.", he walked past Sasuke who watched the last rays of the sun dip behind the mountain.

He wanted to punch Naruto, he hadn't felt like that in a long time, but he didn't know what else to do to get it into his head. But what Naruto had said was true, did Sakura really pick him all over again, and if so, why?

He stood outside for what seemed like only a few minutes to him, it wasn't' until he felt a hand rest on his shoulder, "Hiding out?"

He turned to face Sakura.

"You have been out here for almost half an hour."

He ignored her comment and grabbed her hand and stocked off further away from the crowd. A bit stunned Sakura quietly followed him.

He came to a small bench and abruptly sat down, Sakura followed in suit. The two remained quiet for few moments. Sakura looked up to gape at the sky, but could see a small group of clouds forming.

"Sasuke I think it is going to rain, shouldn't we head back in?"

He ignored her question, "Sakura are you happy?"

She immediately nodded her head, "Yes, Sasuke I am, why?"

He phrased his question differently he wasn't good at this "feeling" business, " Are you happy with me, do you want to…be with me? "

She was caught off guard for a moment, "Well Sasuke I have always wanted to be with you."

"Sakura, just because you always wanted to be when you hadn't lost your memory doesn't mean you have to be."

And that hit Sakura like a ton of brinks, Sasuke was right she had been so caught up trying to be who she was then that she ignored who she could have been now. She sat quiet again for a moment and out of the blue let out a short laugh.

"Hahaha, ironic isn't it? Sitting on a bench again having the same kind of talk we did as kids."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows, "Sakura I think making up memories won't help you get yours back."

She stopped laughing and nudged him, "Come one Sasuke that's why I developed a crush on you, and followed you hopeless all those years ago. You see after what you told me sitting on that bench, after we had been placed in our teams, I knew you understood me. At least that is what I wrote down in my diary.

Sasuke looked at her, "Sakura, I yelled at you that day."

"Yes, but that was because I was being rude to Naruto, I understood why you did that, but before you did that you told me what I wanted to hear not just because I wanted to hear it, but because that's the way you felt. And when you almost kissed me…that was going to be my first kiss."

That's when Sasuke jumped up from the bench, "Sakura I know with your memory loss it's hard to believe but that sounds nothing like me that sounds like something…" and Sasuke stopped.

He just stopped mid sentence and said, "That crazy idiot."

Sakura who stood from her position glanced once more toward the sky and back at Sasuke.

"Crazy idiot?", she repeated confused.

"Sakura…that wasn't me, that wasn't me that day. Well it was me, but I was the one that yelled at you about Naruto I didn't try to kiss you."

Sakura took a step back more out of confusion than resentment, " Wh-what… it was, I know what I wrote Sasuke it was you, that was what made me realize being close to you was how I would get my memory back. What do you mean it wasn't you?

"It was Naruto. It was Naruto using a technique to mimic me to get close to you, Sakura he has always wanted to be close to you."

She felt her lungs begin to close, "Naruto? Naruto said all those things; it was Naruto the whole time."

Sasuke shook his head, "It's always been Naruto Sakura, he has always…"

Sasuke couldn't tell Sakura the way Naruto felt, Naruto had to be the one to say it.

"Go", he stated

"Sasuke, I can't…You…"

"Sakura, I know how you feel about him; maybe you should let him know."

She gazed into his onyx eyes before turning on her heel and running back toward the party. As she was out of sight Sasuke finally noticed the large clouds settling up ahead. He wasn't one for omens but it didn't look good.

Sakura was nearly out of breath when she entered the building. She looked down at her feet for a moment hoping they didn't swell in these shoes. She hadn't seen Naruto since they locked eyes when she first arrived, so she still had to officially meet him.

She gazed around the room to find the energetic blond, but couldn't find him anywhere. She walked through the great hall and smiled and nodded heads to the other guests.

She was stopped by an ecstatic Lee.

"Sakura-chan you look so beautiful, you must save me a dance…"

"Lee, I really can't talk right now I am looking for Naruto have you seen him?"

And like clockwork Lee remembered something, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a long box with a ribbon on it.

"This is for you."

"Thank you very much Lee you shouldn't have, but it is very important that I find Naruto."

"This is from Naruto."

"From Naruto, why do you have it?"

"Well he pulled me aside and asked me to give this to you, he said he had to leave and wasn't sure when he would have the chance to give it to you."

"Leave? He isn't here?"

"No Mayuko left with him, both of them spoke with the Hokage and immediately left after that but like I said before he left he asked me to give you this. "

Sakura looked down at the box, she had to find Naruto she had to tell him how she felt. He never told her it was him who had said all those things to her that day.

So she did the only thing she thought to do she ran out of the hall and towards his apartment. She could feel the ache as she rounded the corner and saw his apartment complex. She had no idea what she would say, how she would explain to him that she always wanted to be with Sasuke because of the things Naruto had done.

She felt a pain in her heart thinking about all the times she chased after Sasuke and how Naruto had always been by her supporting her wanting her to have what she wanted, not knowing that she wanted him.

She reached his door and pounded her fist like mad; she could feel tears swelling up from the pain in her feet. She knocked over and over again until her eyes caught hold of the note on the door. She read it out loud.

"Dear Landlord, collect the rent from Granny. Sasuke, please forgive me for not saying goodbye, I don't know when I'll be back, I just need….some time. Please don't be angry it's for the best. - - Naruto "

Sakura sank to the ground, he was going away…with Mayuko. Had Naruto fallen in love with Mayuko. Is this what she deserved for all those years of treating him badly? Did Naruto not love her, like she thought?

All those built up tears decided it was time to come out, as they flowed down her red cheeks. She sat there back against the door in her stunning one of a kind dress crying. She raised her hand to wipe away her tears when she realized she had Naruto's gift in her hand.

She gently untied the bow, and lifted the lid on the box. She found a note sitting on top with her name on it. She opened and read.

"Dearest Sakura. I know we didn't have to get you anything, but I did. It isn't much, it really isn't anything I was just hoping it would help bring your memory back, and even one small memory is something. I have always had this with me, and now I find it is best suited when with you. Please be happy no matter what, that's all I want for you. Your best friend - - Naruto"

She looked into the box and lifted out Naruto's gift. A headband, a Konoha headband, but it wasn't brand new and shining, it was old it had dents and marks and scratches. But Sakura understood, this was Naruto's first headband, and he was giving it to her. She brought it to her chest and hugged it tightly. Upon doing this her eyes noticed something it hadn't before.

She picked up the ribbon she had untied, it also looked old. Upon reaching out and raising it to eye level she felt as if someone had punched her in the stomach. This ribbon, this frail pink ribbon had been the one she had lost when Naruto had stood up for her that day as children. It hadn't been a strange dream, it had been a memory.

Naruto had kept it for all these years, Naruto had kept something so tiny so unimportant to her with him for all these years? Sakura rose to her feet not letting her mind think but instead wanting to follow her heart, which she knew belonged to Naruto.

She had to reach the gates, she had to try to stop him she would run all the way to the mist village to bring him back, she didn't care. She loved him with all her heart. She ran out of the building and was instantly met with a down pour of icy rain.

It soaked her in seconds, and she could barely see anything, but nothing was going to stop her, she had his headband clutched tightly in one hand and the pink ribbon in the other. The rain cut into her skin like shuriken, and she could feel the throb in her legs as she tried to run as fast as she could.

Her mind was racing as wildly as her heart, could she stop him? Would he stay if she told him she loved him? In the mist of all the craziness and the fact that she could barely see her heel broke off as she tumbled forward, landing hard on the rocky ground.

She lay there a moment still refusing to let go of the head band or ribbon. Her fingers were feeling numb from the cold, the rain drops still falling thunderous onto her frail body. She wanted to get up she knew she did but her body felt so limp and weary, everything around her was going black and the last thing she could remember was Naruto's lovingly smile before darkness took her.