Chapter 4
For a week, life continued peacefully for them. It was an unusual but strangely comforting routine—waking up in the morning, sharing meals, and spending the evenings talking or simply enjoying the silence of each other’s company. Naruto found himself growing attached to this life, to Sasuke. There was something calming about just existing in the same space with him, without the weight of responsibilities pressing down on his shoulders.
But peace never lasted long in his world.
One morning, as Naruto was lazily stretching on the couch, his new phone buzzed in his pocket. He had bought it recently, mainly because Sasuke had insisted he should have one for emergencies. He pulled it out and glanced at the caller ID. His stomach tightened—Kakashi.
A strange feeling settled in his chest as he swiped to answer.
“Naruto,” Kakashi’s voice was calm but firm. “It’s time to come back.”
Naruto’s fingers clenched around the phone. He already knew this moment would come, but he wasn’t ready.
“We need you. You’re the boss of the gang. Your people are waiting.”
Naruto stared at the ceiling, his throat dry. Of course, Kakashi was right. The gang was his responsibility—it was the only thing left of his parents. The gang they had built, the legacy they had left behind. It wasn’t just some group of criminals; it was his family, the only real home he had ever known.
He exhaled slowly. “I’ll come back… tomorrow morning.”
Kakashi didn’t question him. “Good. We’ll be waiting.” The call ended.
Naruto remained still, the phone still clutched in his hand. His chest ached. He didn’t want to leave. Not now. Not after this week. He had never had something like this before—a life where he wasn’t constantly looking over his shoulder, where he wasn’t burdened by power and responsibility. He had never felt this kind of warmth.
But he had no choice.
He had to go.
He thought about telling Sasuke immediately, explaining everything and promising that he’d visit whenever he could. But when Sasuke entered the living room, Naruto found that he couldn’t do it.
The words were stuck in his throat.
Sasuke frowned slightly, noticing the tense look on Naruto’s face. “What’s wrong?”
Naruto’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. He couldn’t bring himself to say I’m leaving tomorrow. He couldn’t tell Sasuke that he was going back to that violent, chaotic world. That this peace they had found was only temporary.
So instead, he forced a grin and blurted out, “I was just thinking… I want ramen for lunch.”
Sasuke raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Seriously? That’s all you can think about?”
Naruto chuckled weakly, rubbing the back of his head. “Well, you know me.”
Sasuke stared at him for a moment, clearly sensing that something was off. But he didn’t push. If Naruto didn’t want to talk about it, Sasuke wouldn’t force him.
“Fine,” Sasuke muttered. “We’ll have ramen.”
Naruto smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
That evening, Sasuke left to get groceries, leaving Naruto alone in the house.
Naruto stood in the middle of the living room, staring at the place that had become so familiar in just a few days. He could picture Sasuke sitting on the couch, reading or pretending to be annoyed at Naruto’s antics. He could remember the small, fleeting smiles Sasuke gave when he thought Naruto wasn’t looking.
Naruto clenched his fists.
He couldn’t say goodbye to Sasuke’s face.
He wasn’t strong enough for that.
Instead, he grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, his hand trembling slightly as he wrote:
Sasuke,
I’m sorry I couldn’t say this to you directly. I have to leave. My place isn’t here—it never was. There’s something I need to do, something I can’t run away from. But that doesn’t mean I don’t care about this. About you. I’ll come back when I can.
Don’t forget me, okay?
- Naruto
Naruto placed the note on the table. He took one last look around, memorizing everything, burning it into his mind. Then, with a heavy heart, he turned and walked out the door, the weight of his decision pressing down on him.
As he stepped into the night, a cold wind brushed against his face. He pulled up his hood and walked away, knowing that when Sasuke returned, he would be gone.
___
When Sasuke returns from the grocery store, everything seems normal at first—until he notices the silence. The house feels too empty. He calls out, "Naruto?" but gets no response. His sharp eyes scan the room, quickly noticing that Naruto’s things are missing. That’s when he spots the note on the table.
The moment he sees his name on the paper, a bad feeling creeps into his chest. He picks up the note and reads it. Slowly. Carefully.
By the time he reaches the last line—"Don’t forget me, okay?"—his fingers tighten around the paper, crumpling it slightly. His jaw clenches, his grip on the grocery bag turning white-knuckled.
He doesn’t move for a few seconds. He just stands there, his mind processing the words.
Naruto left.
Just like that.
No warning. No proper goodbye.
At first, Sasuke might try to keep his emotions in check, telling himself that this was inevitable. He knew Naruto wasn’t just some ordinary guy. He knew there was something more to him. But that doesn’t make it hurt any less.
His hand lowers, still gripping the note tightly. His chest feels tight, his breath shallow. There’s anger bubbling inside him—anger at Naruto for leaving like this, for not saying anything to his face.
But beneath the anger, there's something deeper.
A hollow, aching feeling he refuses to name.
He exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair in frustration. His eyes darken, determination settling in. If Naruto thinks he can just disappear like that, he’s wrong.
Sasuke is going to find him.