Naruto stared at his laptop screen, the design he'd been working on sitting half-finished, but his mind was a million miles away. His mind was elsewhere, far away, consumed by the morning's delivery. The invitation card sat on his desk, taunting him with a weight he wasn’t ready to bear.
Sasuke Uchiha was getting married.
In the heart of Sound City. The invitation was immaculate—formal, polished, adorned with the Uchiha clan’s red and white symbol. It looked like something straight out of a high-end magazine—clean lines, muted tones—everything Sasuke always valued. Precise. Perfect.
Naruto ran a hand through his messy blonde hair, sighing heavily as he slouched deeper into his chair. The small apartment he rented in Konoha suddenly felt even smaller, quieter. He swiveled his chair around, looking out the window at the streets of his hometown—streets that held so many memories. Ones that he couldn’t escape, no matter how hard he tried.
He could still picture Sasuke walking down these roads beside him, the both of them arguing, yelling and challenging each other like they always did. Naruto smirked bitterly at the thought.
It was funny, in a tragic sort of way. Growing up, he and Sasuke had been rivals, always bickering, always at each other’s throats. Their banter had been the foundation of their friendship, that familiar back-and-forth that kept them both on their toes. Naruto had never met anyone who could challenge him like Sasuke, and in those moments of tension, there was always something deeper lurking beneath. Something neither of them could put into words.
He smirked to himself, remembering how they’d always make up after a fight. Even their arguments had felt charged with something more, something neither of them was brave enough to confront until that day in high school.
That kiss… Naruto still remembered it vividly, as if it had happened yesterday. The air between them had been crackling with their usual rivalry, but that day it was different. The tension wasn’t about who could outdo the other in a game of wits or who could throw a better punch. No, that day, it had been charged with something more, something they didn’t quite know how to name yet.
It had been after one of their usual petty arguments, the heat of summer clinging to their skin as they glared at each other in the empty ground of Konoha High. Naruto vividly remembers the Sakura tree blossoming in the school ground. The beautiful scenery of pink petals floating all around them but disregarded by both young boys drenched in anger. Naruto had been ready to storm off when Sasuke grabbed his wrist, yanking him back with more force than necessary. And then, without a word, without any warning, Sasuke had kissed him.
It wasn’t gentle as the Sakura petals that fell on his eyelashes as their lips met, but it wasn’t rough either. It was full of all the things they’d never said out loud, all the frustration and the hidden yearning that neither of them could acknowledge. Just the overwhelming rush of emotions that had been building for years. Naruto's heart had nearly exploded out of his chest. His heart raced, his hands froze, and all he could do was kiss back, trying to make sense of the whirlwind that had just uprooted everything he thought he knew.
And from that moment, he’d been hooked. Hooked on Sasuke, on their kisses that came without warning, on the way they’d hang out as if nothing had changed, only to sneak away and make out like the world didn’t exist beyond them. But the thing that stuck with Naruto the most was that they never talked about it—not the first kiss, not the ones that came after.
Sasuke never brought it up, and Naruto wasn’t brave enough to push the subject. Instead, they just… kissed. More and more, hanging out at the usual spots, pretending nothing had changed. Only everything had changed. They’d sneak around after school, sharing moments that were too precious to label. Naruto’s feelings grew, blossoming into something more than a crush, more than teenage curiosity. It was love, plain and simple, even if they never named it. Naruto caught in the whirlwind of falling for Sasuke, didn’t care of the name at the moment as he felt in his heart that they both felt the same.
Naruto bit his lip, his chest tightening at the memory of the day he confessed. They had been sitting by the river, the summer heat thick around them. Naruto, heart pounding, had blurted it out. "What are we doing, Sasuke?"
"What do you mean?" Sasuke replied. His voice had been quiet but deeper due to puberty.
Naruto's head snapped at Sasuke's nonchalant reply. His face got red with embarrassment at what he was about to say,"The-the kiss! Friends don't kiss each other. And the other ha-hand stuff. What are we doing?"
There were million things Sasuke could have replied but what he said back cut the deeply in love Naruto deeper than any rejection could have. “I’m not sure. Maybe it could be just a phase.”
"Phase? So all if this was a phase?" Naruto felt hot all over. His heart beating loud. He stood up. "An experiment? Is that all?"
Sasuke sat up. He looked at Naruto’s blue eyes wide with emotion,"I don't know, okay Naruto? What do you think this is? We are still in high school."
"Sasuke you are a rotten bastard!! All this time were you playing with me?"
That day, they had gotten into a huge argument. Naruto first time feeling uncertain about their future and doubting each and everything that they had done. Why did he kiss me that day if he didn't like me? Does he also kiss other guys? Was he even gay? What about Naruto? Was he even gay?
Then came the accident and everything changed. Before they could figure out what they felt for each other, suddenly their world shifted. Itachi, Sasuke's older brother, had been in a terrible accident and was brought to the Konoha Hospital.
When Naruto heard about it, he called Sasuke and when Sasuke didnt received the call, he ran to the hospital. Where they met for the first time after the accident. All the anger and frustration melted as they hugged each other. Naruto helped Sasuke by bringing him his school work at home, making sure he was fed and even stood by his side in the hospital throughout the nights. Hoping things would get better.
But luck wasn't in their side as Itachi's situation got more uncertain. Naruto could still remember the phone call, Sasuke’s voice tight with anxiety as he explained that Itachi's injuries were too complicated for the small town Konoha’s hospital, so the Uchiha family had decided to move to Sound City permanently for better medical care. Sasuke had promised to come back, had promised that once Itachi got better, he would return back and they’d talk. They’d figure things out. Naruto had clung to that promise like a lifeline. He had waited, hopeful but still patient and understanding that Sasuke just needed friend at the time.
Everything moved so fast after that. The Uchihas uprooted their lives in Konoha to support Itachi, leaving town in a matter of few weeks. The old Uchiha house was empty and dark but still Naruto would stare at it when he would walk pass it, longing and hoping Sasuke would look at him from his bedroom window.
But Sasuke never returned. And soon the Uchiha house was up for sell.
Even after seeing the 'For Sale' sign at the old empty house, Naruto still hoped to see Sasuke one day. Deeply enamoured with the youngest Uchiha, he could not not hope.
Days passed, then weeks, then months, and still no sign of Sasuke. At first, they kept in touch, messaging back and forth. They’d chat online, sometimes late into the night, just like old times.
But it wasn’t the same. Sasuke became distant, his messages shorter, his responses slower as he got busy adapting to the new place, new school and new life. Then Sasuke would talk about Sakura Haruno. She was the daughter of a hospital owner in Sound City, and Sasuke had met her during the chaos of Itachi’s accident. Their families were old friends, something Sasuke had mentioned in passing, but it hadn’t registered at the time. Back then, Naruto was too busy worrying about when Sasuke would come back to care about some rich girl.
He could still remember those conversations.
“Yeah, her family’s been really helpful,” Sasuke had said, his voice always a little softer whenever Sakura came up. “Sakura’s helping take care of Itachi, and she’s been showing me around the new school.”
Naruto had hated it. Sasuke talked about Sakura so casually, as if she were just another part of his life, but every mention had cut Naruto a little deeper. Here he was, stuck in Konoha, waiting for Sasuke to come back, while this girl—this stranger—got to see Sasuke every day. She got to talk to him, got to be there when Naruto couldn’t. Even when Itachi's operation was a success and he was finally discharged from the hospital, Naruto wasn’t there. He couldn't be there for Itachi nor Sasuke.
He knew it was childish. He knew it was irrational, but that didn’t stop the jealousy from gnawing at him. Funny thing was, even when Sasuke and Sakura weren’t dating, Naruto could sense the guilt in Sasuke. Maybe Sasuke never said it outright, never talked about his feelings, but Naruto could feel it. Sometimes, Sasuke would go quiet after mentioning her, and then, out of nowhere, he’d be extra kind to Naruto. As if making up for something he couldn’t say aloud.
Naruto’s hand clenched into a fist. That had been the hardest part—the moments where Sasuke made him feel special, like he was still important. It was like dangling a lifeline just when Naruto thought he’d lost him for good.
One time, they had gotten into a huge fight over Sakura. Naruto’s jealousy had gotten the better of him, and he’d lashed out. He couldn’t stand the thought of Sasuke spending all that time with her while he was stuck here, in Konoha, helpless. Sasuke had been furious, and for days, they hadn’t spoken. Naruto had thought that was it—maybe he’d pushed Sasuke too far. Maybe this was the end.
And then, out of nowhere, Sasuke had shown up in Konoha.
Naruto remembered that day vividly. Sasuke had knocked on his door, unannounced, and they had spent the entire weekend together. Sasuke hadn’t said anything about the fight, about Sakura, or why he’d come back, but Naruto knew. Sasuke had come because of him. Because, deep down, Naruto mattered to him.
But looking back now, Naruto wondered if Sasuke should have stayed in Sound City. Sasuke’s visit had only made things harder. It had given Naruto hope, made him fall even deeper. It was moments like that—moments where Sasuke showed he cared—that kept Naruto trapped, unable to let go, even when the distance between them grew too great, not just physically, but emotionally. Sasuke’s replies became shorter, more distracted. Every time Naruto tried to bring up what they had, tried to talk about the future they’d once imagined, Sasuke would avoid the topic.
“Naruto,” Sasuke would say, his voice tired,“There’s too much going on right now with the school, new place and the hospital. Can you give me some time? ”
Naruto, completely blind in love said he could wait. He would give Sasuke all the time and space he needed, as long as there was hope. And Naruto had held onto that hope, desperate and foolish, because how could he let go of something that felt so real to him
Naruto had hoped that Sasuke just needed to figure things out, that with time, he’d come back and realize what they had was real.
But instead, Sasuke had grown distant, and soon, they stopped talking altogether. Naruto had been left heartbroken, watching as Sasuke slipped further and further away.
Every time Naruto tried to bring up their future, Sasuke would dodge the conversation, avoiding any talk about their relationship. Slowly, their conversations grew further apart. Sasuke would take longer and longer to reply, and Naruto found himself staring at his phone, waiting for notifications that never came.
And one day, Naruto finally understood. Sasuke didn’t want to talk about it because there was no future for them. The realization had been like a punch to the gut, one that took Naruto far too long to recover from. Heartbroken, he stopped messaging first. The silence between them grew, until one day, it just became easier not to reach out at all. Sasuke didn’t, either.
And now, here it was—an invitation to Sasuke’s wedding. Naruto couldn’t even bring himself to look at it. He felt like a fool, sitting there in his tiny apartment in Konoha, still holding onto something that had ended years ago.
He stood up abruptly, pacing the room, his mind racing. What had he expected? That Sasuke would just walk back into his life and pick up where they left off? That he’d swoop in and confess his undying love, like some cheesy romance movie? He clenched his fists. Idiot. That’s not how real life works. That’s not how Sasuke works.
Naruto stopped pacing, staring down at the wedding invitation. Naruto had already read it several times, but the name of the bride still felt like a punch in the gut every time. "Sasuke Uchiha," it read in crisp, elegant font. “You are cordially invited to celebrate the wedding of Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno.”
Sakura Haruno.
The words blurred as his chest tightened. Sakura. Of course, it was Sakura.
He didn’t know Sakura personally. She was just a name, a figure in the background of Sasuke’s life, but that didn’t make the sting any less painful. Naruto knew enough about her to feel that familiar jealousy creeping back up, even after all these years.
But now Sasuke was marrying her. He had moved on, just like that. Naruto’s heart twisted painfully in his chest. The worst part wasn’t that Sasuke was getting married—it was the realization that Sasuke had never cared enough to think about their future. To consider them.
So that’s it, he thought bitterly. I was just a phase. And now he’s moved on.
Naruto collapsed onto his couch, staring up at the ceiling. The ache in his chest refused to go away. He thought he’d gotten over Sasuke—thought he’d buried those feelings deep enough that they couldn’t hurt him anymore. But seeing that invitation… it ripped everything open again, all the old wounds, all the forgotten hopes.
But first question was; who invited Naruto? Sasuke didn’t send this. Naruto knew Sasuke too well. Sasuke wouldn’t invite him to his wedding after everything. He wouldn’t.
Itachi
Naruto’s mind clicked into place. It had to be Itachi. Sasuke’s older brother had always been too perceptive, too involved. Itachi must have sent the invitation. But why? Why would Itachi invite him to a wedding he had no business attending?
Naruto’s stomach churned as he closed his laptop. Whatever Itachi’s reasons were, Naruto wasn’t going to play along. He wasn’t going to that wedding. He wasn’t going to sit there, pretending everything was fine, watching Sasuke marry someone else.
No, he wasn’t going to let Sasuke or Itachi drag him back into that pain.
Naruto had waited long enough. It was time to move on.
For real, this time.
[Author's note: Hope you enjoyed it. Please wait for next chapter.]