~ CHAPTER START ~

Third Point of View

"Are you sure that we can walk hand in hand, side by side?" Arturia asked. Naruto lifted up their intertwine hands to show her.

"Lover, Hades himself said that we can. We are not Orpheus and Eurydice, he just made that condition to him to test them." Naruto assured her that they could walk together and hold hands.

"Then what's his condition to you?"

"I don't have"

"You don't have?" Arturia asked. "He didn't gave you any condition? At all?"

Naruto innocently nodded, "He really didn't."

"Wow, then."

"How was it, though? Being in Hadestown?"

"I didn't expect it. I was happy that it's a real story but it's kind of sad." Arturia said.

"Why?"

"The fact that Orpheus wandered alone could no longer feel happiness or love for others; his music had lost its joy." Arturia sighed. "And Eurydice returned to Hadestown, too."

"Hmm" Naruto hummed in response.

"You're too quiet, why?"

I can't believe my world is back with me. I'm taking her home. When you were taken away from me, my world crumbled. My soul left, and I felt emptiness. My heart broke into pieces. I don't want to feel that or see that ever again. If it does happen, I may lose my mind.

Naruto finally released his tears. They stopped for a moment as he hugged Arturia.

"My world is in my arms, and I'm so happy with that. I can finally hold you again." Naruto cried. He hugged Arturia as if it were his last.

"I'm here now. They won't be able take me away from you again. I'm not leaving you."

"I know that"

They stayed like that for minutes. Naruto was the one to break their hug. "Let's start walking. The road is almost over."

They walked hand in hand, happy that they were back in the world.

They had reached the end of the road. This was where Naruto came from. As he remembered his conversation with the King of the Underground, he faced Arturia.

"You can leave her here, you should go back."

"I'm not going back unless I take her with me."

"You see, I don't just give back people that signed the deal."

"I know that's why you gave Orpheus a test." Naruto said. "But the thing is, they didn't come here willingly. They were forced to."

"What do you mean by that?" He asked.

"There is this Wizard, he uses dark magic. He created an abyss hole. It's like a new portal to get here in the underground."

"So that's how it is. If my wife know about this factory having a new workers, she'll freak out. Like 'You took new employees again?' Fuck, the complaints will never end." Hades sighed and massaged his temple.

"Just so you know, I won't offer you the same offer I made for Orpheus." Hades said.

"And like I said, I'll make a deal. But I want to know the reason why you said another tragic story." Naruto confidently said.

"Oh, that?" Hades laughed again. "Are you sure? Your heart might not be able to handle the heartbreak."

"Tell me."

"The two of you are not meant for each other. Not fated to meet, not fated to fall in love either." Hades started.

"What?"

"No matter how much you love her, how much you want to make her yours, when it's fate, the fate will still win. And you are not fated to be with her." Hades stated, with every words his heart is breaking.

"You defy the fate, now here she is, it's the consequence. You are not supposed to go in that garden. It wasn't you, Naruto."

"You felt it, right? Their connections, that's fated. You can't rewrite the stars, Naruto. She should meet the person destined to be with her, and it's not you. There's nothing you can do."

"Then, will you accept my offer?"

"What is it?"

"It's life for life. Let me take her home and I'll stay here instead of her. I oath to protect her and to save her. I will do anything for her because I love her so much. Knowing that we are not for each other, it pains me but at the same time, I am relieved. Arturia will meet the one for her and they will get their happy ending. I am willing to sacrifice myself for her to achieve it."

"Love, love, love," Hades said, "it's a nice feeling, but painful." He added, "Been there, done that."

"I'm expecting for that offer already. You really love her that much?"

"Yes, more than myself. Arturia matters to me more than anything in this world." Naruto said.

"I also want another thing."

"Name it."

"Once I am completely gone, I want her to forget about me. I want everyone to forget me, like I had never existed."

"Why?"

"For myself, I don't want to forget every memories I had with them. Can you accept a selfish request from me?"

"I can do that," said Hades as he took a sip from his glass of wine.

All for the name of Love.

Naruto reached out for Arturia and hugged her as tightly as he could. He cried again.

"I love you, I love you, I love you so much, Arturia," Naruto said. He cupped her confused face. "And you know that I will do anything because I love you, right?"

Arturia nodded, "I know, but what's happening?"

Naruto's body began to glow. He looked at Arturia and smiled bitterly. His fingers were slowly disappearing, like how a dandelion flower floats away when it's blown away by the wind.

"You're disappearing?"

Naruto nodded, "To make you come home, I had to do this. I will never ever regret this."

"Lover..."

Naruto chuckled, "I finally get to hear you call me 'Lover.' I'm happy, Arturia. I'm happy to meet you. I'm happy to fall for you. But this is the end now; we can't rewrite the stars even if we wanted to. We can't defy the fate. I am destined to sacrifice and you are destined to meet the one for you. So, be happy even if I'm not with you. Even if it's not me, I can take all the pain just to make sure you are the happiest. I will sacrifice myself, even if it's for your safety. That's how you mean to me, Arturia. So damn much."

"Lover, don't go. Don't leave me here. You said you'd stay with me, right?" Arturia pleaded.

Arturia cried and clung to Naruto's body, afraid that if she let go, he would disappear.

But eventually he will still.

"Lover, I love you so much." Arturia uttered in his embrace. He hugged her even more.

He already feel that his feet are disappearing.

"I do, too. Forgive me, okay?" Naruto smiled.

"And be happy."

"Good bye, lover."

Naruto completely disappeared. At the same time, he vanished from their memories. He disappeared like he had never existed. If you asked someone about Naruto, they wouldn't know him.

Nobody does.

That's how his story with her ended. It wasn't a happy ending or a sad one. All he had ever known was to protect her, no matter what happened to him.

But what matters most is that Arturia is back where she truly belongs.

It's not in Naruto's arm.

.

.

.

.

~ THE END..? ~