Departure
The sound of several knocks at the door roused Sakura from a deep sleep. The soft blue light of early morning shone through the blinds of the window, illuminating many half-opened cardboard boxes scattered around the bedroom. Moving into the modest apartment was a natural next step in her life, but that didn’t make the process any easier. She rolled over sluggishly and glanced at the small clock on her nightstand which read six o’clock, far earlier than she expected.
She sat up and moved toward the bedroom door in a sleepy daze and was surprised to hear another set of knocks at the door.
“I’m coming!” She called out, making no effort to conceal her annoyance.
There was only one person in the village that could maintain such persistence in such a simple act. As she placed her hand on the locked latch, she half expected Naruto’s deafening voice to come through the door before she even had the chance to open it. But as she swung it open, she was met with an unlikely sight. A figure in a black, high-collared cloak stood before her, his face smudged with dust and grime. His wild hair stood up in odd places and his sharp eyes held newly formed marks from stress and lack of sleep. Most within the village wouldn't have given him a second glance, but the sight of the young man filled Sakura with child-like excitement.
"S-Sasuke?" She said, her voice still rough from sleep.
"Did I wake you up?" He asked.
"Oh, yes but it's alright. I needed to be at the hospital soon anyway."
He stood for a moment, staring with his owl-like countenance. He looked enraptured by the mere sight of her, but she chalked it up to his clear lack of sleep and shook the idea out of her mind.
"Do you want to come in?" She said, breaking the constricting silence.
She took a step back to give him room to enter the apartment. He nodded and stepped past the threshold. The top of his head brushed the doorframe and Sakura wondered when he had gotten so tall. He loomed like a shadow in the entryway, his dark cloak adding to his already large frame. She considered, for a moment, if he was even the same person that she fell in love with as a child in the academy. He certainly wasn't the same gloomy, sharp-tongued boy he was when Team 7 was first formed. Then again, she was no longer the same naive girl she was at that time either.
Sakura closed the door behind her and moved toward the kitchen to put a kettle on the stove.
"When did you get back to the village?" She asked as she flipped the stove's knob on with a click.
"This morning. I haven't been here long."
He moved to pull a seat out from the kitchen table and sat down.
"Your apartment is nice," he added quickly.
Sakura felt her cheeks growing hot as she stood with her back to the table. She smiled meekly and remembered a promise she made to herself after Naruto's wedding. That she would not act hastily in the event that Sasuke came back into her life, in order to make the right decision for herself. Patience was the only way that she could achieve the love that the newlyweds had, and she had no way of knowing if Sasuke would ever truly reciprocate her feelings. These things took time, and there was no use in rushing her emotions so soon.
She cleared her throat and rubbed her cheeks in the hope of hiding any lingering blush. "Oh, thank you. I just moved in a few weeks ago so I haven't been able to really decorate it yet. Work’s taken over my life at this point."
Sakura poured two tea cups full and turned back toward Sasuke. She placed one in front of him before joining him at the table. The two sipped their drinks in silence, letting the sound of the morning birds fill the kitchen's air.
"I came here because I wanted to ask you something," Sasuke said.
Sakura raised an eyebrow over her lifted cup. "What is it?"
Sasuke's hand fidgeted nervously on the table.
"I'm leaving again in a few days, and I want you to come with me."
Sakura's eyes widened as she placed her cup back down on the table. She thought she may have still been dreaming, lost in an imaginary maze of unrealistic expectations. But, she knew that his words must have been real. They were the words she wished she heard over a decade prior. On a bridge near the edge of the village, the moon hanging low over two kids who didn't know their lives were just beginning. Over a boy who thought he needed no one and a girl who knew that was a lie.
"Sasuke, why now? Are you sure?"
"I made a promise to you the last time I left, didn’t I? I intend on making good on it."
"But, what about my duties here in the village? The hospital?"
"I already spoke with Kakashi. He gave you approval for an extended leave. All you have to do is talk to him to confirm it."
She sat, dumbfounded by his confidence.
He already planned ahead?
"You said you just arrived, though. How did you…" she trailed off, overwhelmed by the situation.
He stared at her, his gaze unwavering.
"This is the second place I've visited. The Hokage's office was the first."
For the first time since the conversation started, Sakura sensed a change in his face. A brief flash of worry streaked across it as he spoke.
"Do you not want to come?"
She considered the question for a few moments longer than she expected. She waited so long for Sasuke to acknowledge her, to finally reach out his hand and offer her a chance. But now that the chance was finally in front of her, what did it mean? He seemed so eager for her to join him, but was that a yearning for her company or an act of pity? She supposed there was only one way to find out.
"I do," she replied. "I just need some time to prepare. Would that be alright?"
He nodded.
She sighed and collected the cups off the table, returning them to the sink. The reality of her situation seemed to hit her as she stared out the kitchen window. A long-term journey away from the village on such short notice. Her actions would no-doubt cause worry among her friends, but she hoped that they would understand her circumstance. Her feelings for Sasuke were no secret despite the hardships of the prior few years.
"Where are you staying while you're in the village?" she asked, deciding to push her luck for the day.
He thought for a moment. "I don't know. I didn't think I'd be here for long."
"Perfect, then you'll stay here with me until we leave."
Sasuke turned around in the chair to face her.
"No, it's alright. I don't want to overstay my welcome."
She rolled her eyes. "Stop being so formal. Look at you, you need rest."
Sasuke glanced down at his travel-ravaged clothes, noticing his condition for the first time. He sighed and stood from his seat.
"Fine, but just for today," he conceded.
A small smile spread across her face as she moved toward the small living space near the kitchen.
“Great, then I’ll get everything set up for you before I leave to see Master Kakashi.”
She worked quickly, setting up a small tatami mat intended for visitors on the floor near the sofa. She then quietly slipped out the front door while Sasuke idled in the shower and made her way toward the Hokage’s office. The morning sun peaked its face over the valley as she strolled down sidestreets and toward the main thoroughfare of the village. She contemplated taking a longer, less populated route hoping to not be spotted by someone familiar. But, she figured that they would all learn of her absence eventually and opted for a more transparent way. The gnawing guilt of leaving them behind would stay, regardless of when she confronted them.
The Hokage’s building sat surprisingly empty for a weekday morning and Sakura met no resistance when knocking on the door to Kakashi’s office.
“Come in,” a familiar voice called.
She obliged, taking a step inside and closing the door quietly behind her. Kakashi’s lazy eyes peeked over his closed laptop, his head resting on the desk in front of him. Once he realized who had entered his office, he quickly sat up and put on a cheery expression.
“Oh, Sakura. I figured you’d be stopping in today,” he said, his eyes squinting into a smile.
“Yes, well, I just wanted to make sure that you really were alright with letting me leave the village for so long.
“Of course I am,” he said with a wave of his hand.” You’ve worked so hard these past few years that I can’t think of anyone else who deserves a break more than you.”
Sakura’s eyes turned toward the floor as she took a few steps closer to the desk.
“But, Master Kakashi. What about my duties at the hospital? Shizune will be swamped with work if I’m gone.”
“I actually spoke with Shizune a few moments ago. She’s just as on board as I am.” He studied her for a moment before continuing. “Sounds like you’re trying to find an excuse to stay. Do you actually want to go? You can say no, you know.”
“Yes, I do, it's just…”
She trailed off for a moment before regaining her thoughts.
“Why do you think that he’s asking me now? He says that it's to fulfill his promise to me when he left a few years ago, but do you really believe that?”
Kakashi leaned back in his chair, folding together his hands thoughtfully over his stomach.
“I think Sasuke has a hard time conveying his feelings the way that others do. He’s a bit clueless especially when it comes to things like this. But, as his former teacher, I can tell you that he wouldn’t have gone out of his way to talk to me if he didn’t actually want you with him. That’s just how he is.”
Kakashi’s words were filled with the same self-assured confidence that he held from the moment she met him. Doubt was not a concept that he could grasp, and it was that fact that eased Sakura’s mind.
She bowed deeply before letting her glance meet the Hokage’s. “Thank you again, for everything.”
“No need for all that. Go enjoy yourself out there. And make sure you take care of each other,” he replied.
She nodded and made her way out of the office, a renewed sense of excitement rising inside of her.
The next few hours passed in a blur as Sakura gathered up supplies for her travels. Her mind raced with worry as she tried to plan out every possible scenario and what item might be best to deal with it. Her demeanor about the tasks was clinical, but she figured that no one should expect less of a doctor. As she left the pharmacy, she was caught off guard by a voice calling from behind.
"Hey! Sakura!"
She turned around to see Naruto bounding up to her clutching a neat, cloth-tied box in his hands.
"I've been looking for you everywhere. I checked your apartment but nobody answered."
She offered him a smile. "Oh, I've just been busy all morning." Her eyes drifted toward the mystery box. "What's this?"
"Oh!" Naruto exclaimed. He extended the box to her and bowed his head. "It's for you and Sasuke."
Sakura took the box, her eyes downturned in a forlorn look. "So you know about him being in town then?"
Naruto lifted his head to reveal his unwavering smile. "Yep! And I know about you guys leaving too which is why I brought this. They're sweets that Hinata and I made last night." He paused and scratched the back of his head nervously. "To be honest, I was planning to eat them all myself but when I heard that you guys were leaving I knew I had to give them up."
He lifted a finger in recognition. “Oh! And we made a bento for Sasuke since I know how he is about sweets. Can’t start a journey off hungry, ya know?”
She looked thoughtfully at the gift. "Thank you, Naruto. That's very sweet of you."
She stood for a moment, admiring her friends' act of kindness. Admiration quickly gave way to a wave of shame as she considered the circumstances. Naruto's life had only grown more complex in the years following the Great War. His desire for responsibility led him to a position as a hero and a village leader. The added stress of being a newlywed only increased Sakura's worry for him as his free time grew shorter and his responsibilities larger. Now, she was leaving him behind to shoulder the burdens of the new Konohagakure without her support. It was a fact that she couldn't let go.
"I'm sorry for not telling you myself, and for leaving you behind like this," she said.
Naruto's eyes widened. "What? Are you kidding? You've been waiting for this opportunity forever. Stop worrying about me, I'll be fine!"
He put on a more reluctant tone and continued. "Just make sure you write to us, okay?"
Sakura chuckled. "Of course I will. And you make sure the village is still in one piece when we come back."
Naruto grinned. "You know you can count on me!"
The two stood for a moment before Naruto took a step toward Sakura and wrapped her in a hug. The gesture would've no doubt elicited a rather explosive reaction from her just a few years ago. But, age and a strengthened bond softened her temper towards him and she reciprocated, letting the moment linger before pulling away.
"I'll see you soon," Naruto said cheerfully.
Sakura nodded and they separated, set adrift in the afternoon sun.
By the time she returned to her apartment, the evening had already crept up on her. She fumbled with the keys to her apartment, her arms filled with various bags and wrapped goods that she accumulated over the course of the day. As she finally wrestled the door open, she was met with an unlikely sight. Sasuke slept peacefully on the tatami mat she laid out for him with his now-clean clothes folded neatly on the floor. She stepped inside and quietly closed the door behind her before moving over to the kitchen. She began to lay out her supplies on the table, just as she always did before a mission when she noticed that the cups from the morning were no longer in the sink. Not only that, but the tile floor was somehow spotless despite being fairly messy when she left that morning. She moved to the bathroom and saw that it too had been scrubbed clean. When she returned to the living room, she looked down at the sleeping figure in front of her. His breath rose and fell rhythmically, hypnotizing her with its constant pattern. She wanted to shake him awake, thank him for his simple act of thoughtfulness. But, she figured the best she could do for him was let him rest. She smiled, before returning to her work in the kitchen.
The next morning, Sakura and Sasuke rose before dawn break and headed toward the village’s main gate. The dark blue hue of the rising sun set the morning birds into motion as they walked silently down the stone-paved road. As she strolled, Sakura wondered when the next time she would see the village would be. She thought of all the things she might miss; birthdays, holidays, and other major milestones. She wondered if it was due to the fear of missing out or perhaps the fear of change. Konohagakure and the people it held would, no doubt, evolve and grow in her time away. Then again, she acknowledged that she would as well. The uncertainty of the path ahead unease her, but as she glanced at her traveling partner she somehow knew that her leap of faith would be worth it. She survived uncertainty and change before, and she would do so again with Sasuke alongside her.
As they passed through the main gate, Sasuke stopped and turned back around the face the village behind them. He looked over to Sakura, a look of determination flashing across his face.
“This is your last chance to change your mind. Are you sure you want to join me?” he asked.
She stared out at the familiar sight of the village before shifting her attention to the dirt path ahead of them. She then met his gaze and smiled.
“I am. But, are you sure you want to bring me along?”
He nodded. “You’re the only one I’d want to have with me.”
Her heart and her mind swooned at his words, making her feel like a giddy academy girl again. She took a deep breath to compose herself and continued forward. The road ahead would supply plenty of time for romantics.