Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Back to Me ❯ The Truth Behind the Amnesia ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4: The Truth Behind the Amnesia

 

“We must all welcome Uchiha Sasuke in Konoha Ninja High School. Today is his first day. We expect you all to make him feel welcome and belonged in our school.” This was Miss Kurenai's introduction the next morning in class. It was Sasuke's first class day in High School.

 

“Please sit down on the empty chair between Sakura and Ino.” Miss Kurenai instructed. Sasuke followed and sat beside Sakura. Ino felt so happy that she had the chance to sit beside Sasuke. “Hello, Sasuke-kun! It's nice to sit beside you.” Ino greeted. She felt so jolly once again. Sakura sighed. She didn't know whether to be happy or not.

 

Sakura tried to pretend that she didn't go with Sasuke the day before. She pretended that it was nothing that it was only like accompanying and helping a friend out. It wasn't such a big deal after all, she thought.

 

Miss Kurenai began to teach. She was teaching a subject called Ninja Anatomy. It was like the original Anatomy subject, but only with additional facts about chakra and everything. Sasuke listened and he seemed to be attentive well enough. But like before, he seemed not to care about the world and seemed to be an ignorant about it. It was the usual Sasuke who is cold and mysterious, which Sakura thought was what she missed about him the most. It was the thing she liked most about him.

 

Ino's eyes can't seem to leave Sasuke. Wherever he moves, her eyes follow him. She is obsessed once again, Sakura thought. But it would be a good reason for Ino to feel how to be closer to Sasuke. Long ago, when Ino and Sakura still both were head-over-heels for Sasuke when the two of them were still young and immature, they fought because Sakura was the one who won the place for Sasuke's teammate. And from then on, she was always boasting to Ino that she was closer to Sasuke.

 

But now, they wouldn't have anything to fight over. Sakura told Ino that her (Sakura's) feelings for Sasuke were gone. Sakura made herself believe too that everything was finished between Sasuke and her. Ino, because she was desperate and deeply hurt about Sasuke leaving, jumped to a relationship with Neji who liked her at that time. Sakura simply wished that Neji wouldn't be hurt. She knew her best friend.

 

After Miss Kurenai's class ended, the next classes followed. The teachers all welcomed Sasuke. Then soon, recess came. The genins, now including Sasuke, all went to their big cafeteria.

 

The cafeteria was lined with different stores and booths, offering different kinds of food. Ino was the one who introduced to Sasuke about these and guided him in choosing his food. Now she really looked like his number one fanatic fan girl.

 

Sakura didn't know why she felt like jealous when Ino held Sasuke's hand. She knows she shouldn't be because Naruto was already holding her hand. But she still felt hurt and she didn't want that feeling. She wanted to remove the pain away - the one Sasuke left her.

 

When everyone has finished buying food, they all settled down on a big long table - all fifteen of them. Ino sat beside Sasuke and shared her food. Opposite them were Naruto, Sakura and Neji and the others. Sakura noticed that Neji looked a bit sad.

 

“What's the matter, Neji?” Sakura asked worriedly. Naruto glanced at Neji studied him. “Uh nothing, just don't mind me.” Neji mumbled, shaking his head and looking down at his food. Naruto laughed.

 

“Come on, Neji! It's like we don't know you. It's because of Ino, right?” Naruto teased. Sakura gave him a look for shouting out loud. Neji was unmoved. “It's okay, Neji. Please just understand Ino. Maybe she just got carried away because of course, you always knew that she was Sasuke's number one fan girl.” Sakura explained softly, careful for the others not to hear.

 

“But Sakura, I don't think it's right. I mean Ino is already my girlfriend, yet she focuses her attention to somebody else. Do you think she really loves me?” Neji said, looking down. Naruto sighed. “Trust her, okay? Maybe she's just confusing her feelings right now. You know, Sasuke came back all of a sudden. It will all be okay, Neji.” Naruto assured. “I hope so, Naruto.” Neji replied.

 

“Naruto-kun… you like this?” Hinata offered dumplings to Naruto. They all looked up. She was getting redder again. Naruto smiled with the thought of Hinata still admiring him up to now. “Oh, of course Hinata-chan! I'd like to. Thanks, by the way!” Naruto said, taking some dumplings from Hinata's plate.

 

Even when Naruto and Sakura were together, Hinata did not stop being faithful to Naruto. She loved him so much and though she kept it secret, everyone knows that she's also hurt whenever the pair is together. But she can't do anything - all she can is show her love to Naruto and wait until forever for her love to be rewarded. Sakura once also felt the urge to apologize to Hinata for saying yes to Naruto even if it was sort of improper. But things have been okay for Hinata.

 

Soon after recess, they came back to their classes.

 

-after class-

 

“You'd like to join me home today, Sasuke-kun?” Ino offered. Sasuke smiled and nodded. Ino jumped and cheered and the two went away. Neji sighed. “I don't think she really loves me. I felt like she never even knew I was present today.” He said sadly.

 

“It's okay, Neji. Everything will be alright soon. Just give her one day, you know she missed Sasuke so much.” Tenten assured. As a best friend, she wanted to help Neji out even if it hurts her. Ever since the two were teammates, she always had secret feelings for Neji and when he started courting Ino, all she could do was support him. She was a best friend and Ino was a loved one.

 

“I'm glad you're here to help me, Tenten. Will you join me home?” Neji asked. Tenten smiled at him with understanding. “Of course, that's fine with me! We're best friends right?” Tenten replied, though in the inside she thought `yeah, we're best friends and that's all we'll ever be to you.'

 

Meanwhile, Sakura and Naruto were at the locker hall. “I have lessons with Master Tsunade and I have to go right now. I'll see you tomorrow, then.” Sakura said. “Oh, okay… But I want to see you before the day ends… Can I see you at home one last time?” Naruto asked with pleading eyes. Sakura giggled.

 

“You're missing me again too much, Naruto-kun. But I apologize if you won't be able to see me because it would be late when I return home since Master Tsunade would teach me new lessons today. Just please fetch me up earlier tomorrow morning. Then we'll make up for everything during the afternoon.” Sakura said.

 

“A date? Would that be okay, Saku-chan?” Naruto asked. “Of course, that's okay with me! I'll see you tomorrow, Naruto-kun!” Sakura said. She pecked him lightly on his cheek and went away. Naruto felt like he was in heaven.

 

-at the Hokage's building-

 

Sakura knocked at Master Tsunade's room where they hold the special lessons. “Come in, Sakura.” She instructed. Sakura came in and bowed before the Hokage. “Have a seat.” Sakura followed and sat down, waiting for Tsunade's next instructions.

 

“I'd like to talk about some important things, Sakura.” Tsunade said slowly and seriously. Sakura paid attention since whenever Tsunade speak this way, it looked like something important or urgent. “What about, Master?” Sakura asked politely.

 

“About Uchiha Sasuke.” The thought made Sakura gulp and shiver. “If we are going to talk about my feelings, I don't want to talk about it.” Sakura replied defensively and frankly. For a long time, she has confided all her true feelings for Sasuke to Master Tsunade but now she really didn't want to remember about it.

 

“It's a wonder why you suddenly don't want to talk about it since before, you always told me about it. Is it because you want to forget that you love him because you still believe that he never loved you and will never do? That you'll always be hurt? I don't understand you, Sakura. But anyway, it's not about your feelings. It's about his amnesia.” Master Tsunade explained. Sakura paid attention. She wanted to know the reason and the events behind Sasuke's amnesia and how he got that. She was curious to know about it.

 

“What about amnesia? Will you explain how he got it?” Sakura asked curiously. “It's a punishment.” Master Tsunade mumbled softly but seriously. Sakura's eyes got bigger in disbelief.

 

“W-what?! How? Why must he be punished? He doesn't deserve that kind of punishment! I don't get it! Explain it, please?” Sakura exclaimed. She was so bewildered that the amnesia was a punishment. What did Sasuke do wrong? Yeah, he left Konoha but it isn't such a big deal. Why punish him?

 

“It's a written law. Sasuke betrayed Konoha. He left the gates without the permission of the Hokage and joined an enemy of Konoha, Orochimaru. He was branded as a missing-nin and for that, his punishment is amnesia.” Master Tsunade explained.

 

“I still don't get it. If he's a missing-nin, how did you find him?” Sakura asked. “Some of the jounins and ANBUs were instructed to camp at a forest faraway from Konoha when they found Orochimaru, Itachi and Sasuke there. The jounins sent me and Jiraiya and some of the powerful jounins including Gai and Kakashi to beat the enemies. Itachi escaped but Jiraiya and I were able to kill Orochimaru. We found Sasuke and kept him in our care.” Tsunade continued.

 

“Y-you mean… when did this all happen? Sasuke was here for a long time, wasn't he?! And you never told me, Master!” Sakura exclaimed. “Yeah, I admit he was already here four months before classes started. But he didn't have enough strength to go to school and be introduced to his hometown once again. And that was when he also had to choose what punishment must be given to him…” “He had a choice of punishment?”

 

“Yeah, he chose between having amnesia or cursing his hands so as not to perform any techniques or let chakra flow into them. Sasuke chose to have amnesia because he said at least he still has a hope to start a new life and forget about his miserable past. He wants to forget about Itachi and his heart full of revenge…” Master Tsunade finished explaining.

 

“H-he chose to have amnesia… I'm part of the miserable past, am I not?” Sakura asked, feeling sad once again. “Don't think that way, Sakura. Maybe you're not. How would you become a part of the miserable past? You never caused pain to him. You were even the one who cared for him when he was hurt and injured so why think that way?” Master Tsunade was always the one who told Sakura never to think low about herself especially when it come to Sasuke.

 

“I don't know, Master Tsunade. I think it's also good for him to have amnesia so he'll forget that I once loved him and then I couldn't blame him for hurting me because then he wouldn't remember. Thanks for the punishment, Master, and I'm really glad about it.” Sakura said, trying to smile but tears forming in her eyes. Master Tsunade sighed.

 

“You're still feeling the pain up to now, aren't you?” Master Tsunade whispered softly. Tears ran down Sakura's cheeks and Tsunade hugged her tightly. She had already become Sakura's second mother. “I understand, Sakura. Everything will be okay.” Master Tsunade assured. Sakura nodded, hoping that everything will really be okay.