It was raining outside. The echoing sound of raindrops hitting the glass window filled the dimly lit room as Rias prepared the ingredients for the renowned Hakata ramen.

"How long do I need to boil these bones for the broth?"

Her eyes, which were filled with life and hope yesterday, were now staring at the boiling pot with nothing but sadness. There was nothing left for her to feel happy about.

'I want to eat Hakata ramen.'

Rias' hand tightened around the metallic ladle as her friend's words began to echo inside her mind again. They were horrible. Why? Because they were a harsh remainder of the inevitable future awaiting her.

"Twelve hours, huh?" she whispered, reading the cookbook resting on the counter beside her.

'I have twelve hours...'

Her heart ached again, just like it had been aching countless times since last night. "I still have plenty of time," she tried to reassure herself, but the smile on her face wavered the instant his face appeared in her mind. It was smiling at her, reminding her of what she was about to lose in a matter of time.

"Leave it, Rias. Focus on the ramen."

Rias took a deep breath, trying to push away the image of his face and the unbearable pain that came with it. "So, what else do I need?" She felt a lump form in her throat as she turned back to the cookbook, trying to focus on the recipe in front of her, but failed again when she realized it was going to be their last meal together.

"Then it will be over."

As she struggled to contain her emotions, the tears she had been holding back began to spill out uncontrollably, drenching the wooden floor beneath her with sadness and pain.

"Why?"

Rias cried out to herself, her hand instinctively going to her eyes in an attempt to stop the cascading tears.

"Why does it have to be this way?"

Her voice began to shake, just like it used in front of her father. The only difference was that time it used to be for hiding pain, and now it was for showing it.

"Don't we deserve happiness like others?"

She whispered sadly into the empty room, hoping for some kind of answer. However, the silence that followed her question, devoid of any comforting response, only deepened the pain in her heart.

"What did we do to deserve such a fate?"

Slowly, Rias leaned against the cold stone counter, tears still streaming down her face. Unable to contain her pain any longer, she let out a heart-wrenching sob that echoed through the silent room, staining its peace with the poison of suffering.

"I-I just want to be happy..."

She choked on her words, her voice now barely audible between her sobs.

"With him."

-oOo-

"Do you love Tsunade oba-chan, ero-sennin?"

Jiraiya, the famous toad sennin, blinked as he turned his gaze towards his dear student. "Huh?" He mumbled; his voice muffled due to the popsicle that was resting in his mouth.

"Are you stupid or something, ero-sennin? I asked, do you love Tsunade oba-chan?"

The question made Jiraiya speechless for a while before he burst into a fit of laughter, making Naruto look away from him due to embarrassment. "What's with this sudden strange question, Naruto?" His smile widened as the boy began to fiddle with his fingers.

"I asked because I wanted to know how it feels..." Naruto whispered, his head still low in fear that his teacher might end up seeing the redness on his cheeks.

"Feel what?" Jiraiya blinked at the boy again, finding his behaviour odd.

"Love."

Jiraiya paused what he was doing and fixed his gaze on Naruto, taking a brief moment to shake his head in amusement. "Ahh..." He exclaimed, surprising the young boy as he warmly wrapped his arms around his shoulders. "So, you're finally growing up, huh, kid?" The smile returned to his face, this one even more annoying than before. "Don't tell me you've found someone in this small village!" He drew Naruto in even closer, his laughter beginning to bubble up.

"NO!" Naruto finally looked up; his face flushed with embarrassment. "I mean, it's not like that, ero-sennin," he muttered, his voice trailing off as he avoided eye contact. "I just wanted to know because I've never had anyone love me..." His words were barely audible, but they brought a sudden halt to Jiraiya's laughter.

"Naruto..." Jiraiya loosened his grip on Naruto's shoulder and ruffled his blonde hair gently. "You like that pink-haired girl, don't you?" he asked the boy, and continued when he nodded. "So, what else do you want to know?" He already sensed what the boy was trying to ask, but he wanted to be certain.

"But she doesn't love me, ero-sennin." He whispered, his words as fragile as the sad smile on his face. "She even mocked me for being parentless once." Naruto paused a little, swallowing the hurt so that his teacher could not sense it in his voice. "I don't think anyone in the village loves me." Now, he could not hide his hurt.

Jiraiya sighed as he watched Naruto's eyes glisten with unshed tears, feeling a pang of sadness in his chest after hearing the boy's words. "Naruto..." Placing a gentle hand on the young boy's shoulder, he smiled at him. "You are absolutely wrong," he said as he pinched Naruto's cheek. "How can you forget about Tsunade-hime, Iruka and others?" He asked him, still not leaving the boy's cheek.

"Ow..." Naruto groaned in pain as his teacher grabbed his cheek and applied a slight pressure. "I know... ouch," he winced again when Jiraiya pinched it once more. "Alright... I'm sorry, ero-sennin!" His apology remained unnoticed for a moment before Jiraiya finally acknowledged it and released his cheek.

"Hmm..." Jiraiya glared at him but if one was to look closely, they could see traces of a smile there. "You better not forget about them again, brat!" He snapped at the boy who was still holding his cheek with tears in his eyes.

"I won't, you cruel pervert..."

The smile that had been hidden behind Jiraiya's glare finally bloomed on his face as he stared at Naruto. "Also," he paused and ruffled Naruto's hair again. "Stop worrying about love, Naruto," his lips curved upwards as his smile widened. "You will eventually find one, and she will be beautiful." His statement caused the boy to look at him in surprise.

"Really?" Naruto gasped at his teacher, his big blue eyes wide in shock and hope.

"Yup!"

"What will happen next, Ero-Sennin?" The orange-clad boy asked, his excitement barely contained. "Will she make ramen for me every day?" He quickly added the most important detail to his question.

Jiraiya chuckled at his student. "Of course!" he exclaimed. "She will make the most incredible ramen for you, Naruto!" His words were accompanied by a crisp snap as he split a fresh popsicle in two and offered one half to Naruto. "But for now, you'll have to settle for this, boy." He added.

Naruto wasted no time in accepting the blue popsicle. "It's alright, ero-sennin," he paused as he placed the ice in his mouth. "I like this too." He chuckled as his tongue began to savour the delightful treat. "But when I marry her, you and I will always be eating ramen, deal?"

"Deal, Naruto."

-xXx-

"Ero-sennin..."

Naruto whispered with tears flowing down his cheeks, blending with the icy rainwater before they could touch the ground.

"She is making ramen for me tonight."

His words were filled with an agonizing amount of pain and the suffering that he had battled since childhood, just for a moment like this.

"Sadly, it will be the last time I'll be able to eat them hehe..."

Naruto tried to laugh at his words but found himself unable to. There was no strength left in his heart to muster even a smile. It was all vacant now, just as it had been when he first embarked on this journey with her.

'Her...'

"Rias..."

Now, a small flickered on his lips as he whispered her name, recalling the countless moments they had shared together on their journey. It was an indescribable feeling, especially knowing that this would be their last meal together.

"I'll miss her."

There was no denying it. Rias, whether he liked it or not, had become an integral part of his life as they continued their journey. Now, she was someone he couldn't replace in his heart.

"Is this love, ero-sennin?"

Naruto placed a hand on his wet shirt, right above where his heart was supposed to be and gazed up at the stormy skies, searching for an answer. Soon, his eyes widened as a gust of wind clashed with his wet face, bringing a calming sensation as it did.

"But it doesn't matter now."

The smile vanished from his face instantly.

"It's all going to end."

His whisper was drowned out by the sounds of nature, as the crashing waves below clashed against the hard stones.

-oOo-

The night came earlier than usual. As darkness descended over the small town of Ashiya, the inn where Naruto and Rias were staying started to shimmer with the beautiful colours of the night. The warm glow of the lamps and streetlights enveloped the entire establishment, as the rooms reverberated with the lively chatter of the guests.

Except for one room.

"The broth looks delicious, Rias," Naruto's soft voice echoed in the silent room as he attempted to strike up a conversation with his friend.

Rias glanced up from her bowl, her dull blue eyes shimmering in the soft glow of the lamplight. "Thank you, Naruto," she whispered, her voice piercing Naruto's heart in an instant.

It was vacant, devoid of her usual charm and happiness.

"Did you have any problem preparing this, Rias?" He tried to revive the conversation yet again, but the result was the same. Rias refused to utter anything more than a few words. It was like she was not present with him at all. Her distant gaze and her hollow words were making her sound as if she was dead.

"Rias?" He called out to her again, hoping to hear something from her. Unfortunately, Rias remained silent once more, her gaze fixed on a point in the distance as if she was lost in another world.

"Why?"

Naruto blinked in surprise when she finally spoke. "Huh?" he muttered, placing the chopsticks back on the table.

"Why do you have to do this?" Rias whispered, her question laced with a mix of frustration and sadness.

"Do what?'

"Suicide..." her voice trembled as she spoke, her sad eyes finally meeting his blue ones in a stare down of anguish. "Why do you want to die, Naruto?" she asked, swallowing her pain as she choked out her words, hoping to change his mind.

"Ahh... so that's why you are sad, huh?" Naruto chuckled at the girl, surprising her with his actions. "Who said I'm going to die?" He asked her, his eyes still locked with hers as he uttered those words.

"You won't? " Rias paused to gaze into his eyes again and gulped when she saw no lies there. A seed of hope began to bloom within her heart into a fragile flower as she reached out and touched his hand. "Why did you want me to make Hakata ramen?" Her words were frail, but even frailer were her eyes, which were not leaving his face for a second.

Naruto smiled at her and shook his head in amusement. "I just wanted to eat them made by your hands before eating them at Fukuoka, Rias." He answered her and had to gasp in surprise when the girl crashed into his arms, giving him no chance to breathe.

"Y-you scared me, Naruto!" Rias buried her red face in his chest, her shoulders trembling with silent sobs.

Naruto, taken aback by her actions, slowly opened his arms and embraced her tenderly. "I'm here, Rias. I won't leave you," he whispered, his hands now gently rubbing her back as she held onto him for support.

As he continued to comfort Rias, Naruto realized how long it had been since he had hugged someone like this. During the war, he never had the opportunity to do this and after the war, he never desired such closeness. For him, that battlefield marked the death of his heart.

'It feels good.'

But now, as he felt the warmth radiating from Rias' body, he couldn't help but curse himself for not hugging her like this before. It felt good, almost better than anything else he had felt in a long while, yet somehow, it only deepened his sorrow. He wanted to savour this moment and enjoy the fleeting happiness it brought, but he also knew that his time with her was limited.

"Rias." So, he allowed her to leave his arm. "We should start eating the ramen before it gets cold." He whispered, his eyes betraying his words as he settled beside her and began to arrange the food for them.

"Alright," Rias said softly, mirroring his actions as she settled beside him at the table too.

Soon, the room became quiet, enveloped in a serene stillness as they began to eat their food. The only audible sounds in the room were the soft clinking of chopsticks against bowls and the comforting sips of the hot broth.

"It's delicious!" exclaimed Naruto, genuinely surprised by how well Rias had prepared the ramen. From the firmness of the noodles to the richness of the broth, everything was just as described in the book he had read at the Kuoh library. It felt as though he was dining on ramen prepared by master chefs in Fukuoka.

Rias blushed at his compliment, her heart somewhat relieved and thrilled that Naruto was loving the ramen. "I'm glad you are liking it, Naruto." A warm feeling spread through her chest, her doubts and insecurities momentarily forgotten as she saw him smile at her. It was a genuine smile, one filled with warmth and admiration for her.

"Liking?" Naruto looked at her and smirked. "I'm loving it, Rias." He whispered, his iconic smile playing across his lips. "Here," he extended his hand towards her, offering a mouthful of delicious ramen between the chopsticks. "Take a bite," he added as he brought the noodles closer to her mouth.

Rias hesitated for a moment as she stared at him, her face red with a mix of embarrassment and something else. "Ahh..." As she leaned forward, a soft smile gracing her lips, she accepted his offering.

"See for yourself," Naruto muttered as he brought the chopsticks back to his bowl. "They are absolutely delicious, Rias." He dipped the chopsticks into the broth and pulled out a mouthwatering portion of ramen. "Thank you for making my wish come true." His words immediately shifted the mood once more, causing Rias to fall into a momentary silence, her smile fading from her lips.

"What do you mean by that?" Rias couldn't help but ask, her heart pounding with fear, sensing that something terrible was about to happen.

"Naruto, who was staring at her intently, formed a small smile on his lips. "Nothing, Rias," he replied with a reassuring tone as he stood up from his seat and turned towards her. "Now that I no longer need this wish," his words trailed off slightly as he positioned himself directly in front of her. "I think I can make a new final wish, you know," he continued, his eyes glistening with a mixture of hope and sorrow as he gazed upon her beautiful face.

"New wish?" Rias gulped, struggling to understand the meaning behind his words. Was he saying that he no longer wanted to die anymore? She hoped he was. She wanted the same.

"Yes."

Her eyes gazed into his eyes and for a moment, she was sure she saw sadness there. "What is it?" Her voice turned feeble when he smiled at her again, but this smile was unlike any other smile she had seen on his face. It was filled with hope and pain.

"I..." Naruto raised his hand and brought it to her cheeks. "Want to see you live, Rias." His words were followed by a gentle tug on Rias' cheeks as he cupped them within his palm.

"Huh?" Rias blinked at him, still unable to understand what he was trying to do. "What do you-" Her voice trailed off as her eyes widened, disbelief crossing her face at the sight she thought she would never see on Naruto's face. 'He is crying...' She thought, tears welling up in her own eyes as her mind began to connect the dots. "No..." She whispered, grabbing his hand gently so that he could not run away from her.

"I want to see you live, Rias..." Naruto bit back the sob that was trying to escape his mouth and caressed her cheek again. "That's my last wish." His words echoed in the room, haunting Rias with the amount of sadness that they were carrying.

"I don't-"

"Shh." Naruto pinched her cheeks again as she tried to argue. "You have family and friends, Rias," he countered, his fingertips now moistened with the tears streaming down Rias' face. "They are waiting for you to come back."

"But... what about you?" Rias choked on her words, her voice trembling with the thousand emotions. "You are my friend too..." she managed to whisper, her eyes pleading for an answer.

In response, Naruto gazed at her with his warm eyes, a bittersweet smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "That's why I want to see you live, Rias," he chuckled, his voice slowly betraying him now. "Unlike me, you have a lot to live for," his hands caressed her cheek again, wiping away the tears that were ruining them. "So please, live me for me, Rias," he pleaded, his voice shaking with the pain that was flooding his heart at that moment.

"No..." Rias argued, her voice as cold as ice, devoid of any emotion. "I will only live if you do, Naruto," she flashed a smile at him, a smile that conveyed everything she had suppressed within her heart for months.

"For how long though?" Naruto did not want to do it, but if it was necessary for her, then he was ready to do it. "You are a devil, Rias." His words were followed by a gasp from Rias as she realized that Naruto had just uncovered her dark secret.

For a moment, Naruto's revelation lingered in the air, rendering both of them silent.

Uncertain about how to respond, Rias' mind was racing, desperately searching for the right words to say. "I... I'm sorry," she stammered, her heart filled with fear that he might do something that could alter their relationship forever.

Naruto surprised Rias by gently ruffling her hair. "I'm not upset, Rias," he whispered, his eyes softening as he noticed the vulnerable expression on her face, filled with fear and shame, emotions Naruto was all too familiar with. "I have known this for a while now," he said, brushing the hair away from her face to get a better look. "So, you don't have to apologize for anything," the smile on his face wavered when she looked at him, her own eyes hopeful and sad. "Also didn't I tell you? We all have our secrets that we don't want others to know, Rias." Naruto reassured her, his voice gentle and understanding.

"I know-"

The boy silenced her again with a gentle tap on her head. "Forget about all of this, Rias," he decided to go back to the important matters as time was running out. "Just promise me that you will-" Naruto paused, her eyes widening slightly when he noticed the chakra inside him dwindling. "You will live." He added shortly and tried his best to ignore what was going around him.

For now, the most important thing for him was Rias. She was what he wanted to save now and for that, he needed to go. His death was the key to her freedom. Because those devils would never let her live peacefully with a murderer.

"I can turn you into a devil, Naruto..." Rias knew what she was doing was pathetic but at that moment, she wanted to try everything she had to save him. "This way you will be able to live-"

"I want to remain human, Rias," he interrupted her before she could continue. "The human you are friends with."

Rias felt a lump form in her throat as she struggled to hold back tears. She looked into his eyes and could not hold back any longer. Crashing into him, she began to cry as loud as she could. "I... I'll die without you, Naruto," she managed to speak between her sobs. "I'm not letting you go..." her voice began to crack and so did her facade of being strong.

She was still weak.

"Who said I'm going to leave you?" Naruto uttered as he placed his hand on top of her head and gently started to stroke her hair. "I'll always stay beside you... as a ghost," he giggled, but the tears on his cheeks were telling some other story.

Sharp and piercing like icy needles, Naruto's words mercilessly sliced through Rias' heart. "Naruto..." She tried to argue, but her mind failed her. What could she possibly say? She couldn't even meet Naruto's gaze, so deep was the pain in her heart.

Realizing that Rias was not going to say anything, Naruto decided to speak again. "Can I ask for one more wish, Rias? Don't worry it's a small selfish one." He whispered, but before he could elaborate, Rias cut him off as she looked at him with tear-filled eyes.

"What is it?"

Naruto smiled, his attention immediately drawn to the anxious and hopeful tone in his friend's voice. "When I die, could you please visit my grave once in a while?" His question caught Rias off guard, but Naruto was determined. "I know it's stupid but..." His voice softened. "It would feel really lonely without you after death, Rias."

More tears began to trail down Rias' cheeks as she heard his request. It destroyed whatever hope that was left in her heart. "You're not going to die," she screamed as she gripped his shirt tighter. "I won't let you." Her words were supposed to sound hopeful but now, there was nothing left in them.

"I know..." Naruto whispered with a faraway look in his eyes. "Anyway," he shook his head and looked at her. "Here," he opened his arms and motioned Rias to do the same. "Give me a hug." He whispered, waiting for her to follow.

Rias hesitated for a moment, but then she slowly opened her arms and enveloped him in a tight warm embrace.

"Tighter..." he murmured; his voice barely audible.

Rias followed his words and tightened her grip around, refusing to let go of him.

"You are hugging as if you are in a hurry, Rias," Naruto giggled as he brought her closer, his eyes filling up with newly formed tears. "Give me a proper hug."

Rias felt her heart ache as the sound of his laughter reached his ears. Stifling a sob, she squeezed him even tighter, feeling the warmth of his body against hers. "Here..." She closed her eyes in order to relish the warmth as much as she could.

'Poof!'

It was a horrifying feeling when the warmth she was experiencing suddenly dissipated without any warning. One moment she was basking in the warmth of her Naruto, and the next she could feel nothing but the cold air against her skin.

"W-what?"

Rias gasped in surprise and opened her eyes, only to find her vision shrouded in a cloud of white smoke.

"N-Naruto?"

She whispered out his name, but there was no response. Everything was silent.

"Naruto..."

Her heart began to race as she realized just what had happened.

"Naruto!"

The sound of her cries doused the night with her pain and sadness.

-oOo-

Empty.

Even while being surrounded by an endless pool of water, his heart was feeling empty. No matter where he looked, all his eyes could see was darkness and water. It was beautiful yet at the same time sad. The silence surrounding him was deafening, and the only sound he could hear was the soft lapping of the water against the shore, gradually fading away with each passing moment.

Where was he going?

He could not tell as there was nothing he could see with his eyes. They were filled with water and a dreadful emptiness.

Why was he here?

He could not tell that either at that moment as the reason behind his decision was now locked away in the darkest corner of his mind.

Was he happy?

He wanted to say yes but the frown on his face and the pain in his heart told him otherwise.

"Hah!"

He gasped as the life inside him began to grow weaker, telling him that his time was running out and there was no going back.

Did he even want to go back?

He tried to search for an answer for that and closed his eyes when a familiar face flooded his thoughts inside his mind.

'Rias...'

His heart ached as he stared at her face. It was sporting a smile, a smile brighter than the brightest sun and beautiful than the darkness he was staring at a while ago.

"HAA!"

His breaths started to grow shallower as he tried to keep himself awake in the abyss of darkness in which he was floating.

Why?

Because he wanted to see her face, just for one last time.

"Hah!"

His mouth opened again, but this time not to breathe but to cry as a tidal wave of memories began to flood his mind, memories that a part of him had spent with her a few moments ago.

They were sad.

His empty eyes became wet as her tear-filled face flashed before them. But even with tears all over her face, she was looking beautiful.

"..."

He moved his body a little when the warmth of their hug spread all over his cold body, comforting him with the peace it brought. He held onto the feeling for a while more before allowing it to slip away in the corner of his mind.

'Rias...'

His eyes shimmered with happiness as her face flashed before them once again.

'I'm sorry.'

A small smile blossomed on Naruto's lips as he closed his eyes for one last time.

-END-

I hope you enjoyed the update.

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