One week Later

Naruko P.O.V

"It's been done," Said Granny Tsunade as she tore our marriage contract, "You guys are no longer married."

I felt my eyes water at the sight of our broken contract. This is actually happening...I can't believe this is actually happening...

"You two will no longer be on this mission. I will give you guys an option to be re-paired or to go out and work for the village while the others are busy fulfilling their mission."

I sat beside Sasuke, silently listening to every word the old lady spoke. I didn't know what to choose. A part of me hoped that Sasuke would change his mind and continue to be with me, but I knew that wouldn't happen. He hates me, and I still don't know why.

"I'll work," he said coldly.

I looked over to Sasuke as he stood up to leave. He walked out, shutting the door behind him, and leaving me in tears again. He had left me again. He was always leaving me.

"Naruko..." I heard Granny whisper as she walked over to comfort me.

"Granny...I don't even know what I did wrong!"

She sighed, tightening her embrace. "Sometimes...people lose feelings..."

Lose feelings?! So quickly?! It can't be...

She wiped my tears away with her hands as she placed her forehead against mine with love. "Naruko...it'll be okay. There's plenty of other guys out there."

I shook my head, feeling my tears begin to fall violently. I didn't want anyone other than him.

My heart was already his, and no other person could have it. Even after this painful week leading up to our divorce, my love for him never wavered. No, I can't give up so easily.

I wiped my tears, taking a deep breath. "I'll just bring him back."

The old lady looked with a pained expression. "Naruko, I don't think-"

"If I could bring him back to the village, then I can definitely get him to come back to me."

She sighed, standing up to sit at her desk. "You can't change the way someone feels about you-"

"But he loves me-"

"Naruko!" she shouted loudly, causing me to flinch. "It's over. Leave him be...I know he may not express it, but I'm sure this isn't easy for him either...You'd be making everything worse if you continued to go after him."

"But...it just doesn't make sense..." I wiped my eyes again, staining the sleeves of my jacket. "How...how could he just leave me?"

She sighed again, reaching for a paper from her desk to work on. "We won't always have answers to questions, and sometimes it's for the best...You'll be okay Naruko."

I crossed my arms for comfort, upset with her words. She doesn't get it. Sasuke wouldn't just leave me for no reason...

"If I were you, " she started, "I'd move on."

"Huh?! I can't just give up!"

She took a deep breath, standing up from her desk to look out the window. "Come here," she commanded, "Look outside."

Confused, I did as she said. "What's the problem-?" A gasp escaped my mouth as I saw Sakura smiling while conversing with Sasuke.

"What...What's going on...?"

"Sakura told me that Sasuke had been asking to see her recently."

"That doesn't make sense..." He told me himself that he didn't like her. He said he liked me--did I do something wrong? Is that why he seems to like Sakura more now than me? But what could I have done?! I'm so confused!

The old lady placed a hand on my shoulder, trying to console me. "It's better if you just move on...I told you, feelings change."

I bit my lip as tears began to stream down my face again. If his feelings did change, there was nothing else I could do.

I nodded my head, wiping my eyes for the last time. "You're right..."

If he left me to be with her, in a way, I deserved it. I took him away from her, and now she's taking me away from him.

One month later

Sasuke P.O.V

I've been drowning myself with work. Mission after mission, I never stopped working, because if I did, memories of Naruko would slowly begin to consume me.

I was walking back to the Hokage's office to receive another mission after completing my current one. I needed my next mission as soon as possible.

I entered the Hokage's office silently, waiting to be acknowledged.

"Oh, Sasuke. Back already?" She asked while stamping her paperwork.

"I need a new mission."

She scoffed, never looking up from her work. "Unfortunately for you, I won't need anyone until next week. Looks like you'll have to take a break."

I clenched my hands into fists, angry that I had to wait a week before I could work again. I clicked my tongue, leaving her office while slamming the door behind me.

"Someone's mad."

I looked to my right to see Shikamaru.

"Yo, Sasuke," he said, giving me a small wave.

I nodded in acknowledgment of his presence.

"I'm guessing there's no new missions since you've been taking everything."

"Hn."

He sighed while scratching the back of his head. "Choji's out, and I've been craving Barbecue...wanna come?"

I raised a brow, surprised that he had asked me to accompany him. Besides my team, I had never spoken to anyone from the academy.

"Tch, it's a drag to see you moping around. Just join me."

I hesitated. I didn't want to take him up on his offer, but a part of me craved to be around someone again. Out of a moment of weakness, I agreed to accompany him

"Cool. It'll be my treat."

We were sitting around the hibachi, ordering food as they brought us sake.

"I usually don't order this, but you seem like you need it," Shikamaru said as he poured me a cup. "I've heard you've been working nonstop since the whole thing with Naruko...you need to stop pushing yourself so hard, man."

I stared at the white liquid, feeling tempted to drown my sorrows away. Now that my mind was still, the feelings I tried to push away were surfacing. I chugged the whole cup, hoping my thoughts would go away.

He sighed, pouring me another cup. "If you keep drinking like that, taking care of you is going to be a drag."

Every cup he poured, I drank. The toxic liquid made me forget the pain. It made me forget the memories. It made me forget Naruko. It made me feel good.

After my tenth shot, I fell onto the table with a warm face. "Another one...I need another one..." I mumbled with hiccups.

"I think that's enough," he said as he pulled the cup out of my hand.

The sensation of the cup being pulled away reminded me of that night. The way Naruko tried to pull me back into her arms, asking me to talk to her. But how could I speak to her after what she did? I wish we were never put on that mission.

For the first time, I couldn't control my emotions, and a tear rolled down my cheek.

"Naruko..." I whispered to myself.

"What?"

Suddenly, streams of tears began to roll down my face and collect on the table, forming pools of sadness with each drop.

"Naruko...I miss Naruko..."

I heard Shikamaru sigh as he placed a piece of meat to cook on the grill. "What a drag..."

He continued to pile pieces of meat onto the grill with a continued sigh. "I'm going to regret asking, but what even happened with you guys? Didn't you love each other?"

Love?

A feeling of guilt consumed me.

"I never told her..." I muttered while trying to dry my eyes, "I never told her that I loved her..."

He remained quiet, eating as I made a fool of myself. He listened to me, never judging me for my outbursts of emotion. By the end of the night, I had told him everything.

"Alright Sasuke, you're home now."

I had no control over my body. I couldn't stand or see straight. The room was spinning, and all I could do was hold onto Shikamaru.

"This is such a drag--remind me never to let you drink again," he complained while helping me get into my bed.

Tears continued to run down my face as I lay on my side. I felt pathetic.

"Geez Sasuke...I kinda miss when you were emotionless," he sighed.

"Without Naruko, I have nothing to be happy about..." I mumbled.

He sighed loudly again at my comment. "Sasuke, you and Naruko are over. She lied to you, and now she's also pregnant with Gaara's kid. Stop wasting your time on her. She's a whore."

What did he call her?!

My blood burned as he insulted Naruko. "Don't you ever call her that!" I yelled angrily.

"Okay, okay...damn..."

I turned my body to face the ceiling. I closed my eyes with a heavy heart as my body sank into the sheets. "Naruko is beautiful...and even though I wasn't the one she chose to be with in the end, I am still hers. I will always be unfortunately hers..."

Naruko is the only woman I ever loved, and I will always love her, even after all the pain she's put me through.

"What a drag...you guys are so tragic," he said with a sigh. "Rest up Sasuke. I'll check up on you tomorrow. Night."

The door of my apartment closed, leaving me alone once again.

Shikamaru P.O.V

Love makes people stupid.

I sighed as I made my way home.

Those two have always been annoyingly tragic...Love like that is troublesome.

I was walking past Ichiraku's when a familiar voice began to laugh happily from inside.

"Thanks for the food, old man!"

Frustrated anger whelmed inside me when I saw how happy she seemed compared to Sasuke.

How can someone who's hurt the one they love smile that happily as the other suffers?

I clenched my fists angrily and my common sense was blinded by anger.

"Naruko!"

She looked over at me, shocked by the sudden yell.

"Oh, Shikamaru! How's it been?!"

I crossed my arms angrily as I glared at her.

"Naruko. We need to talk."