Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Losing Naruto ❯ The Party - Part I ( Chapter 11 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

By 6:00 pm on a warm Saturday evening, the village of Konoha was buzzing with the news of a huge party. Of course, it wasn’t supposed to be known by everyone, but with Naruto running around screaming “PARTY” and “SATURDAY! YEAH!” all over the town at random moments throughout the day, people were going to catch on sooner or later.

As Sakura discovered, when she was nearly attacked by gossiping women of the village, who demanded to know where the party was, what it was for, who was going, and who Sakura was going with. To which Sakura would simply answer “none of your business, who knows, everyone but you people, and not a damn clue.”

Well, that was only after she was assaulted the first 16 times. Before that she had been rather patient with the nosy women. Of course, it wasn’t as if harsh treatment worked on these people, no, as a matter of fact they seemed intrigued at her reluctance to answer their questions. It was only after Sakura punched a hole through a wall (well, half the store came down, in the end…) did they finally back off.

But that was over four hours ago, and Sakura had finally been able to find some peace in her quiet bedroom. She was sitting on a chair, putting on a pair of emerald earrings, using a small mirror that had been propped up on the surface of her dresser.

She had chosen to wear a small black skirt, coupled with a silk, emerald green top. The tight sleeves reached to her elbows, flaring, leaving lose silk around her forearms. She loved how it looked when she picked an arm up, as if she were wearing a kimono with many layers. She had fallen in love with the shirt at first sight, noticing it was elegant, while not being fancy. It complemented her simple skirt nicely. She wore black boots, with hardly any heel. She could never pull of the heels too well. And she had no desire to fall flat on her face at the party.

No way.

What is this party for, anyways? Sakura silently asked herself. Could it be his birthday? No, he would have said something. Besides, his birthday is..

Wait.

Sakura stared into the mirror, her once thoughtful face was now filled with shock as she looked herself in the eyes, almost disgusted with what she saw.

I…I don’t even know when his birthday is.

I never even bothered to ask, to show that I cared.

Why is that?

Slowly coming to a realization, her face twisting into a grimace. She felt like she was going to be sick. She was sure that at any moment she would run to the bathroom, already feeling the bile rising in her throat.
“It’s because I never did care.” She whispered out loud, self-loathing evident in her tone and expression.
With one last disgusted look at her self, Sakura roughly slammed the mirror down, wincing as she heard a sharp cracking noise. Bringing both of her hands to cradle her face, she yelled out in frustration, trying to ease even a little of her pain.

Of course, it never worked. Nothing did - not anymore.

She felt as if she would burst any moment, all of the pressure was finally becoming too much. That, coupled with the guilt she felt constantly ever since realizing her feelings for Naruto, was driving her insane. The only time she had felt even the smallest amount of peace in the past week had been when she was in Naruto’s arms. She felt safe, cared for, and at peace. Now, all she was left with was guilt. That, and the memory of Naruto’s peaceful heartbeat. The heart that could never belong to her.

Oh, this is just depressing.

Hopefully I can let go of this once I…

On that thought, Sakura stood up from the chair she had been occupying, running over to the small alarm clock next to her bed. The clock read 6:18, and with a short intake of breath, she quickly ran out the door, only stopping to grab her matching purse.

Without looking back, Sakura ran at top speed, thinking quickly.

Oh no! I’ve gotta hurry up and catch her, before the party starts!

Where is she? The Hokage tower? Sakura shook her head. No, the party’s starting soon.

So then she’s either at home, or buying things at the last minute.

Which is it?

Damnit!

Grunting in frustration, Sakura finally made her decision. She quickly made her way in the direction of the large tower, not hesitating for a second longer.

Well, they might now where she is - it’s a long shot, but it’s-

Her thoughts came to a screeching halt as she finally spotted the 5th Hokage. Buying - what else? The largest amount of Sake bottles Sakura had ever seen one person holding at a time. She was struck silent for a few moments, simply watching the woman carry the bottles as if it were nothing. After shaking herself from her stupor, Sakura decided to make her presence known. Only, to her extreme frustration she somehow managed to lose track of Tsunade.

Before she could continue her search, however, a booming voice rang out through the busy street, making her jump slightly.

“Sakura! Is there a problem?”

Sakura froze. Turning to her left, her eyes fell upon the form of Tsunade. The woman was standing a few feet from her, sake bottles still bundled in her arms, currently watching her with a bored expression, curiosity barely shadowing her features.

“Huh?” Sakura questioned lamely, mouth still hanging open.

Is my brain working slower than usual today?

“You’ve been frozen of the spot since you saw me leave the store.” Tsunade answered simply, still watching the young chuunin.

“Um, oh - yes, I was…are those for the party?”

Tsunade looked down at the bottles, then back up at Sakura, studying the girl for a moment before letting out an exhausted breath.

“Sakura, I haven’t got the time for these questions. Is there something you wanted to speak to me about? Something that cannot wait until later?” Tsunade asked, her tone edgy, and only slightly demanding.
Sakura sighed, closing her eyes for a moment before answering her question.

“Yes, Tsunade-sama. I have a request.”

Tsunade rode her eyebrows briefly, considering the young girl before finally nodding, starting to walk in the direction of the Hokage’s tower.

“Help me take these bottles to my office, we can speak there. But only for a moment, understand?”
Sakura smiled, catching up to the Hokage, taking on a fair share of the Sake bottles before walking in step beside her.


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“And you are sure this is what you want?”

Sakura nodded slightly, keeping both of her hands behind her back as she willed herself not to falter under the older, intimidating woman’s gaze.

“May I ask what influenced this decision?”

“I-” Sakura began, squaring her shoulders in an attempt to at least look confident. “- I just think it’s time for a change is all.”

“Hmm.”

Tsunade continued to stare at Sakura, as Sakura continued to look a anything but the intimidating Hokage sitting before her. She knew she had to be strong, had to not back down under any circumstances. But she didn’t think it was going to be this difficult.

She’s going to say no.

What will I do….?

As Sakura continued to drown in her thoughts, she was oblivious to the small smile that was now gracing Tsunade’s features. After a few minutes, the silence was finally broken, sealing Sakura’s fate.

“I’ll allow it.”

Sakura’s head shot up, she simply stared at the Hokage in wonder, hoping she had heard right.

“Y-you’ll allow it?”

“Yes,” Tsunade began, resting her elbows on her desk and folding her hands under her chin. “You are a strong young woman, Sakura. I have faith in you.”

“Tsunade-sama…”

Sakura felt pride well up in her chest, she slowly began to smile, allowing the Hokage’s words to fully sink in. It was all happening, things would be ok now. Finally she had the perfect solution, and even though it would hurt…the pain it would prevent in the long run was well worth it.

This way, everyone gets what they want.

Except for you. The nagging voice in the back of her head reminded her.

Sakura thought about Naruto and Hinata, but before she could allow her usual feelings of sadness overtake her, she remembered words the boy had spoken that same day.

‘… I think I like her Sakura… She actually talks to me…. So nice…. Really funny…

….I think I like her….’

As she remembered these fragments of their earlier conversation, she saw Naruto in her minds eye. And he was smiling. Not that fake, exaggerated smile. Not that warm, genuine smile either. It was somewhere in between, and held it’s own meaning and shined with it’s own beauty.

Yet, for Sakura, one thing was for certain.

It was a real smile.

When he spoke to me about Hinata, he was happy.

So that’s enough. He’ll be happy with Hinata.

And that’s enough.


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When Sakura finally made her way to Tsunade’s house, she was already 30 minutes late. Walking through the large doors, she noticed the party was already in full swing, music blaring, and people talking happily, some in groups, and some paired off. Sakura took in her surroundings, deciding to get a good feel of the atmosphere before searching for Naruto. She had news for him. She was only afraid of how he would take it.

Sakura slowly made her way through the house, pausing now and then only to witness some her friends antics, and sometimes to make small talk along the way. She was told that the only adults at the party were Tsunade, Iruka, Jiraiya, and Kakashi, and wasn’t surprised. Those four were the only adults that Naruto had ever really gotten really close to. They were almost like family to the boy, and it was obvious the feeling was mutual.
Walking into the first long corridor, Sakura heard snippets of an excited conversation, bringing a small smile to her face. A few of her friends, including Ino, Kiba, and Choji were discussing eating habits just outside the empty looking corridor. As she made her way through the hall, she could still hear their conversation carrying through, her smile widened, listening in amusement.

“And you see - they have low fat chips now…”

“Leave him alone, Ino, let the guy eat!”

“I’m just saying! He’d look…well, a lot better…you know…”

“Ahh, you and your diets! Not for us, eh, Akamaru?”

“Hmph! You and you’re dog can just-”

“Ruff!”

“Wha? Hey, Ino, Akamaru wants to know why you’re blushing!”

“Ehhh…! Stupid dog!”

“HEY!”

Sakura laughed, continuing down the narrow corridor, coming to a sudden halt as she noticed the changed atmosphere. It was much quieter, it seemed as if it were an area secluded from the rest of the party. Sakura was about to make her back the way she came, deciding she could never find Naruto in such a quiet place, before a low voice made her stand still. She recognized that voice…

Was that Kakashi?

“….but Sakura….”

Hearing her own name, Sakura quickly closed her mouth.

Why are they talking about me?

Well, if it’s about me, I do have a right to know.

Right?

Right.

Her mind made up, Sakura bit her lower lip, completely masking her chakra, blessing her luck for not having been noticed sooner. She took a few tentative steps closer, making sure to stay in the shadows outside the partially opened door at the end of the corridor. She heard a few muffled voices coming from within the room, and feeling particularly brave, balanced her weight on one leg, leaning over as much as she dared.

“IT’S YOUTH!”

Sakura came alarmingly close to losing her balance as the impassioned scream of Mato Gai rang through the hall. She calmed her breath, cursing Gai with ever fiber of her being. Before she could continue to seethe, however, another voice spoke up, forcing Sakura to return to the situation at hand.

“Gai-sensei, could you please refrain from screaming? At least for a little while?” Sakura easily recognized the voice of her teacher in the academy, Umino Iruka.

“But, Iruka! The beauty and vitality of youth waits for NO ONE! Lets allow them to indulge in their youthful fantasies, keeping a watchful eye on the ever present tomorrow that lurks in the shadows of a promising today! With these fists of love, I proclaim-”

“Gai, what are you even talking about?”

“…..”

“WHY, MY WORTHY RIVAL, I speak of the trials and tribulations that our wonderful youth must face-”

“Ok. But you see,” Kakashi went on in a bored voice, seemingly unaffected by Gai’s outbursts. “We were talking about the current situation with Naruto. You know, him-”

“SPEAK NO MORE! For when one has YOUTH-”

“GAI!” Iruka cut in with a shout of his own. Unlike Kakashi, he was clearly being affected negatively by Gai’s outbursts, and letting it be known.

By the entire village. Sakura gritted her teeth, her frustration mounting.

“It’s pointless, Iruka. Just tune him out like I do.”

“Does that work?”

“Well, it takes time.”

“NARUTO is simply BLESSED with youth, along with young SAKURA! YOUTH! THE SPIRIT OF YOUTH, THE BEAUTY OF SPRING FLOWERS!”

There it was! Her name again. She couldn’t figure out what they could be talking about that concerned both herself and Naruto. So she shook it off, deciding to listen only a moment longer, knowing someone was bound to either wander down the hall as she did, or leave the small room that was currently occupied.

“Yes, and speaking of Naruto,” Kakashi’s voice quickly rang out , obviously not wanting to give Gai another chance to go on about love, life, and youth. “Iruka, you have no reason to be concerned. If nothing else, trust the Hokage’s judgment. Both of them can handle these things.”

The…Hokage? Sakura wondered, quickly putting the pieces of the small puzzle together.

She’s already told them? That was quick…

But what about Naruto?

Sakura was intrigued, brow furrowing in concentration, mouth bring pulled into a slight frown. She was really hoping the would spit it out already.
“I suppose you’re right, again, Kakashi. But still-”

“Well,” the voice of the silver haired Jounin cut in, “I admit I was rather shocked over tonight’s news about Sakura. Naruto, well, many of us saw that coming.”

Sakura inched closer to the door, making sure to remain concealed in the shadows, with her chakra completely hidden. She waited in anticipation.

And waited.

“But - is he ready?” Questioned Gai, sounding grave.

“Hmm. Well, his special training has already begun, last I checked, he was doing better than expected. Tsunade suspects he may surpass even his power.”

Silence.

Sakura was waiting with baited breath, now genuinely confused. None of it was adding up. Naruto never mentioned any special training. He was always either with the team, hanging out at the ramen stand, our in…

Tsunade’s office…

Sakura’s breathing became shallow, she shut her eyes tight in concentration, trying her best to keep the balance that had earlier been so easy to control. After a short series of dangerous wobbles, she was finally back in position, just in time to catch Kakashi’s next words.

“Either way, Naruto won’t officially be Hokage until the ceremony. So I wouldn’t worry…”

Sakura didn’t hear the rest of what Kakashi said. She couldn’t make herself care enough to continue listening. As the seconds passed, all she could hear was her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Her legs were shaking with the effort of holding her up in such an awkward position.

She felt like she was breaking.

Why?

Naruto..

why didn’t you tell me?

Then again…why would you?

Why, when you choose Hinata to share the night of your life with.

Naruto..

You really are…out of my reach.

With that thought, Sakura sank to her knees, unconsciously dropping the veil that shrouded her chakra. She didn’t hear Kakashi call out. She didn’t see them approach her. Her vision was becoming blurry.
Am I crying, again?

So weak.

Finally, Sakura was shaken out her hazy thoughts by a hand gently prodding her shoulder. Her eyes trailed from the hand, to the arm, finally to the masked face, that eye taking in her disheveled appearance. He was obviously concerned. Sakura tried to recover, knowing the damage was already done. Summoning all of her strength, She looked him in the eye, not paying attention to the two men behind him, watching her with their own worried expressions.

“Oh…heh, Kakashi? I’m sorry, I was just-” Sakura paused, taking a moment to steady her voice, which was threatening to crack under the weight of her emotions. “I was only resting for a moment.”

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, his eye reflecting his skepticism as he watched the girl, still trembling in the otherwise empty hall.

“Sakura, are you-”

“I’m fine.” Sakura lied, taking a deep breath.

“Lets find Tsunade, just to make sure. Can you walk alright?”

Sakura’s expression darkened at the name, quickly thinking about her sensei’s other student. Her successor. The future Hokage.

With renewed energy, Sakura ran from the corridor, calling her apologies to the three concerned men who were calling out to her. She had no idea what she would say to him, but she knew they needed to speak. Not only was she burning with anticipation over the upcoming confrontation, she was being fueled by an all-consuming rage.

How could he not tell me?

Was he waiting for tonight, to tell everyone?

Is that I am to him? Sakura thought bitterly, am I just another friend?

Do I mean NOTHING to him!


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In her rage Sakura ran into the living room, noticing that not much had changed. Everyone was still having a great time, some were dancing to the soft music playing over the stereo, while others opted to relax. Raking her eyes over the small groups of people, she growled in frustration.

Suddenly, noticing a bright yellow spot in her peripheral vision, Sakura stiffened. In the small group of Chuunin relaxing in the middle of the room, was Naruto. She stood, watching them from afar as they laughed, joked and told stories. Walking closer to the group, she saw Hinata sitting next to the blonde, laughing at a joke Kiba had said. Everyone was laughing.

Enough now.

“Naruto!”

A few of the chuunin sitting on the floor nearest to where Sakura was standing looked back at her, their expressions questioning. The others in the group glanced at her, Ino waving her over to sit on the seat next to her. Sakura shook her head slightly, looking at Naruto, who had yet to notice her presence since Kiba now had him in a headlock.

“Naruto!”

“H-hey, Kiba, let go!” Naruto’s muffled voice yelled out against Kiba‘s jacket, pulling himself from the slightly larger boy’s headlock. He quickly looked over at the waiting pink haired girl, his expression brightening.

“Sakura-chan? Where’ve you been?”

“Oh, you know,” Sakura started in a cheerful voice, not letting her true feelings show. At least, not yet. “Around! Um, can I speak to you about something? In private?”

He looked at her strangely before shrugging lightly, motioning for her to lead the way. She could feel Hinata’s eyes on them, so she looked at the girl, smiling reassuringly. Hinata seemed happy with this, since she smiled back, returning her attentions to a story Kiba was telling.

They made their way up the stairs, Sakura leading the way. She had been here many times, and had even slept over once or twice after all night training sessions with Tsunade and Shizune. Walking up to the first room she saw, she lightly knocked twice to make sure the room was vacant. When nobody answered, she opened the door, switching on the light, she stepped inside. Naruto quickly followed, closing the door behind him.

Sakura slowly took in her surroundings, remembering that she had slept in this room before. It wasn’t too large, and it wasn’t too small. A queen sized bed was positioned directly across from the door, pushed against the opposing wall. Against the left wall was a small sturdy desk, a large black chair was placed in front of it. The only thing on the dark brown desk was a single lamp. Against the right wall, were two large doors that led to a spacious closet.

Walking further into the room, Sakura made sure to keep her back turned to Naruto. She took a deep calming breath. This had seemed much easier when she was full of rage and adrenaline. Now, after seeing his gentle expression watching her in curiosity, she seemed to deflate. That same feeling of apprehension was returning, making her feel somewhat queasy. Before she could faint, Sakura sat down on the large bed, watching as Naruto sat at the small desk in the corner.

Silence.

Sakura’s feet were touching the floor beside the bed, her hands were picking at the tan bed spread. She didn’t know what to say, and was hoping Naruto would break the silence that had come over them. For once, the boy just sat, watching Sakura curiously from his seat in the desk’s chair.

More silence.

They had only been sitting in silence for a few moments, but to Sakura it felt like an eternity. She was about to speak, when Naruto’s voice finally broke the tense silence.

“Hey…Sakura-chan? You wanted to talk about something‘?”

Sakura nodded once, closing her eyes. “Yes.”

Silence.

“Well, I have to be out there soon. This thing Tsunade-baba wanted me to announce…” He trailed off, staring down at his clasped hands.

Announcement. That’s right.

I have to tell him.

It may not be as big as his news…

But I also have an announcement to make.

A private one.

Only to him.

Naruto waited a few moments before speaking again, when he did, Sakura opened her eyes to see him moving towards the door. Sakura cleared all thought out of her mind, standing up as well.

“I’m leaving, Naruto.”

He froze. Slowly straightening himself, he turned to look at her. He seemed to be confused, before quickly brightening, flashing her a bright smile.

“Oh? Well, you gotta be back before the announcement! It’s a big-”

“No,” Sakura interrupted, her voice was low, almost a whisper. “I mean…I’m leaving Konoha.”

Naruto stared, his mouth hanging slightly open, realization slowly settling over him. He blinked a few times, looking around the room, searching for some answer, some explanation. Sakura watched him in confusion as he took a sigh of relief, obviously coming to his own conclusion. A happier conclusion.

“What, for a mission? Are you leaving now?”

Sakura sighed in exasperation. He just wasn’t getting it.

“It’s not for a mission, it’s-”

“Then can’t it wait? Why leave tonight?”

“You aren’t listening. I’m not leaving tonight, I’m leaving in a few days, but that’s not the point!”

“Yeah, yeah, then it can wait! Geez, Sakura, what’s the big deal?”

“Listen to me, Naruto! Are you listening?”

The blonde standing across from her rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and staring at Sakura expectantly. He was tapping a foot impatiently, the sound only serving to further aggravate her. Deciding to speak slowly, reining in her mounting anger, she finally began.

“I am leaving-”

“Uh-huh”

“-Konoha-̶ 1;

“Mm-hm?”

“-in three days-”

“Yeah?”

“-To go to Suna-”

“GAH!” Naruto yelled out, making Sakura jump slightly. “I’m sorry, Sakura-chan, but I need to be out there! The old bag threw this party for me, and I have this announcement, and-”

“Naruto…”

“-and Hinata is waiting for me!”

That was it.’

“NARUTO! I’m leaving to Suna in three days and I’m NOT coming back!”