Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Missing ❯ Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or the song Missing by Evanescence.

He looks down to the village, the village that he has live in 12 years. The moonlight shone brightly, lighten his golden locks. He has whisker-like birthmarks on each of his cheek. His bright blue eyes look down in sadness, before he disappeared.

Please, please forgive me,

But I won't be home again.

Morning came, and Team 7 all patiently waiting for their ever late sensei. Sasuke just brooding like usual and Sakura is trying to get Sasuke's attention, which badly failed.

Maybe someday you'll look up,

Their sensei then came 2 hours later. “Yo,” he said his usual greeting. “YOU'RE LATE!” Sakura screech to him Kakashi then realize something unusual. The yell are not as loud as usual.

And, barely conscious, you'll say to no one:

"Isn't something missing?"

“Where's Naruto?” he asked. “Eh? He's right here…” Sakura and Sasuke then just realize that their blonde loudmouth is not there with them.

You won't cry for my absence, I know -

“Eh? He's not here?” Sakura said as she looks right and left. “You all wait me for 2 hours and none of you realize he's not here?” Kakashi said in disbelief. “No wonder it seems more quiet than usual,” Kakashi said then.

You forgot me long ago.

“Well, there's no mission for today, so you all can go home. If you want, you can come with me to check Naruto,” Kakashi said to them.

Am I that unimportant...?

“That idiot probably overslept, sick worst, which is can be considered impossible. Yesterday he's okay and there's no rain last night, sunny all day. Why don't we just check him later?” Sakura said. Seeing the look on their face, she then added, “Beside, what could possibly happen to him?”

Am I so insignificant...?

“Oh, well. I have some things to do. After that I'll go to check on Naruto. We'll meet in front of Naruto's apartment in an hour. Ja!” Kakashi then disappear in swirl of leaves, leaving Sakura and Sasuke alone. Sakura then follows Sasuke that decided to stroll around the village until their estimated meeting time.

Isn't something missing?

Isn't someone missing me?

While wasting his time, Sasuke couldn't help but to feel something is out of place.

Inside the forest outside Konoha borders, under the light of the moonlight, a guy with piercing on his face and wears a black cloak with red cloud pattern slowly come toward the boy with blonde hair and blue eyes. “What took you so long, Pein?” the boy said when the guy came closer, not bothering to turn his head to him.

“My my, still impatient as ever,” the guy chuckled.

Even though I'm the sacrifice,

“I have been patient enough,” Naruto said in harsher tone. “I've been patient enough in all 12 years in my life. I've been patient enough to give those pitiful villager chances. I've been patient enough to control myself and hold my rage so I wouldn't kill those foolish people that harassed me all these years,” he said in dark voice.

You won't try for me, not now.

“I thought you have precious person in Konoha? Not willing to protect them anymore?" he asked in an unconcerned tone. Naruto didn't say anything, only look at him with menacing red irises with black slit as pupils. He stares back with equal menacing red eyes.

Though I'd die to know you love me,

Naruto then close his eyes and look to nowhere again with half opened eyes. His eyes still red. "I am still willing, but they didn't let me. I saved Sakura from Gaara, but she thought it was Sasuke. I saved Sasuke from Orochimaru, but then he ignores me. I saved that village by suppressing my rage so I won't go into Kyuubi state and destroy that damned, pitiful village, but they treat me worse than trash,” he said. He then turns his head at him again with emotionless face. "Why should I protect them if they only leave me alone in the end? I feel like I was used that way, and I hate being used," Naruto said in cold tone.

The other man just smirked. "It's settled then. Welcome back to the Akatsuki, my nephew Naruto," after that, they disappear in swirl of wind.

I'm all alone.

Isn't someone missing me?

Before they completely disappear, Naruto couldn't help to glance towards Konoha, for the last time.

At the estimated time, Kakashi arrived, surprisingly, early in front of Naruto's apartment. Sasuke and Sakura are already there. They were not too shocked that he came early. Probably because he met Gai on the street or something. But then... why does he look so troubled? And where is that little book of his?

Please, please forgive me,

"What's wrong, sensei?" Sakura ask, concerned. Sasuke, even if he wouldn't admit it, also feels a little concerned. But, Kakashi didn't answer his pupils. He just run passes them and open Naruto's front door, which is unlocked. Sakura and Sasuke can hear Kakashi's low voice, "Oh, no. Please don't." Kakashi then go inside in a rush. Sasuke and Sakura follow him, confused for their sensei's strange behavior.

But I won't be home again.

“Kakashi-sensei, what's wrong?” Sakura asked again when Kakashi finally done inspecting Naruto's apartment and in front of Naruto's bedroom. "Naruto's gone," he said. Sasuke and Sakura look at him weirdly. "No, he isn't. He's in his bedroom! That lazy head must be overslept," Sakura said. Sakura then open the bedroom.

I know what you do to yourself,

"See! He's..." she didn't continue. What she sees in the dark room is only an empty bed, a half-opened drawer that almost empty, an opened window, and 4 letters on his desk. All of then can't help but to feel lonely in that room. Sasuke slowly reach for one of the letters on the desk and read it. "... Gone," he continue Sakura's last sentence.

I breathe deep and cry out,

“No way. He must be woken up this morning before we got here, and then decided to go to the Hokage tower himself because he was late,” Sakura said, ensure herself. She then look at her sensei hopefully, "Right, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Isn't something missing?

“No, Sakura. He left the village,” Kakashi said. "When did you know?" Sasuke asked demandingly. He clenches his fist, crumbling the letter he just read. He then started to read other letters. He didn't believe that Naruto would defect Konoha, but then again, he has tried to defect Konoha.

Isn't someone missing me?"

“After I leave you, I was called by the Hokage. She said that the chuunin guards that is on duty last night knocked out cold. When they regain their consciousness, they said that Naruto did it. I didn't believe it, so I came here as soon as possible. Naruto disappearance is the proof,” Kakashi said. Sasuke clench even harder.

Even though I'm the sacrifice,

"Then, what are we doing here! Let's go find Naruto!" Sakura said. Before she could take her second step, Kakashi stops her. "It's too late, isn't it?" Sasuke said.

"He left last night. Tsunade already sent ANBU to track him, but his track lost suddenly," Kakashi said bitterly. "But, why did he leave?" Sakura asked with teary eyes.

You won't try for me, not now.

Sasuke gritted his teeth. He then throws one of the letters he found to Kakashi. "Maybe that will explain something," he growled. Kakashi then opens the crumpled letter and read it out loud.

For my team that I love so much that I've grown to hate

I believe you must be wondering, why did I left, right? Here's your answer. I really love you guys, really. For me, you guys are like, my family. I even go so far by fighting one on one with Gaara to release you, Sakura. I go so far risk to lose my breathing ability to bring you back, so you wouldn't be trapped in darkness like your brother was, Sasuke. And, I really admire you, sensei, since you are strong, and really dependable.

Though I'd die to know you love me,

"I don't get it. If he really feels like that, then why did he leave?" Sakura cuts in. Sasuke just glare at her. "No, there's more Sakura." Kakashi then resume it.

At least, that's what I think about you, Kakashi. Kakashi noted that he didn't add sensei in here.

But then, is what I did really worth it? Every morning I have to build up my patient to wait nearly 3 hours just for a damn, irresponsible sensei. I have to hold myself from giving Sakura a payback punch, or at least a slap on the wrist. Every morning, I have deal with craps like that.

When in the Suna-Oto Invasion, I helped you all. I protected you all by defeating Gaara, but I only get jealousy from Sasuke, Sakura thought Sasuke did it, and Kakashi didn't give it a damn. But, it's okay. I can live with that. I'll be patient until you recognize me.

That's the explanation. Here's my reason. My patience out. I have patience as big as Kyuubi, not limitless patience. You're my precious person, and I'm willing to protect you. But, every time I protect you, you leave me alone to suffer.

I'm all alone.

The way you treat me makes me feel that I'm being used, and i hate being used. So, at the last night of the full moon, I left this damned village. For now and forever.

N. Uzumaki Naruto

"So... it's because of us?" Sakura said. Tears rolling down to her cheek. She runs outside and went straight to her house. Sasuke just clench his fists and growled in frustration. "If I know it'll become like this, I won't ignore him these last few days!" he said.

"..." Kakashi can't say anything, since he knows that everything that is written in the letter all true. He can't deny it. All of them now in their own sorrow and regret, without realizing the letter N at the beginning of his name.

Isn't someone missing me?

"I'll go to the Hokage tower and give this letter to her, and no, Sasuke. You can't come. You may go home now,” Kakashi said. Sasuke looked like he wants to say something, but then he close his mouth and walk outside. “You may want to give other 2 letter to the respected address," Sasuke said as he walks. Kakashi then look towards the desk. There is two more letters. One for Iruka and one for Tsunade. "I will," Kakashi said to himself. He then prepares himself for a rant or beatings from Tsunade and maybe Iruka, before he left towards the tower.

At his empty home, Sasuke went to his room. He then sat on top of his bed and reach out a letter. It's one of the letters he found on the dobe's desk. That one is addressed to him.

And if I bleed, I'll bleed,

Knowing you don't care.

He then slowly opened it and read it.

For Sasuke, my best friend and my best rival I've ever had.

I really jealous of you, you know? Seriously jealous. You have everything that I ever wanted in my whole life. You have perfect grades, you're so popular, and etc. You even have acknowledgement from the village, and you have, or was have something I could never have, a real birth family.

And if I sleep just to dream of you

I never know how it feels to lose your entire family, because I don't have any family to lose. But, I think you still more fortunate than me. You know how it feels to be loved and cared. You still have the memories about them while I have nothing to remember. You know your family loves you while I have to spend my life wondering either they love me or not.

I always wondering, do they love me? Or they also hate me like the other villager? Is that why they leave me alone in the orphanage? Or they love me but they died because of the Kyuubi? You don't know how it feels to live in uncertainty. That uncertainty is eating me slowly from the inside.

I'll wake without you there

When I got team 7, I thought I could feel at least something similar to a family. But, looks like I couldn't. I've tried, and then I got you as a brother figure. But hen, you betrayed me. You ignore me then. I then have to keep my patient in check, hoping that you would return to the you I once knew. But, like what I wrote, I didn't have limitless patience. I'm tired.

But, I think I have to thank you. Because of you, I know how it feel to have a best friend, even though it didn't last long.

“Isn't something missing?

Isn't something...”

So, thank you, for being my first true friend.

Even though I'm the sacrifice,

You won't try for me, not now

Uzumaki Naruto

When he has done read it, his hands are shaky. He thinks that he ignores him because he didn't want to be his friend anymore. He actually just doesn't know how to act, how to treat him after he has betrayed his trust like that. He just doesn't know.

Though I'd die to know you love me,

I'm all alone

He clenched his hands, letting the letter fall to the floor. Along with that, few drips of water fall to the floor. Uchiha Sasuke cried for the first time after the massacre. Sadness because he has lost a person he see as a best friend and a brother because of his foolish action.

"Isn't something missing?

Isn't someone missing me?”

"Baka," he muttered in shaky breath. He never felt this lonely and regretful ever since the massacre.