Under the Cherry Tree

Chapter 4: Reality & Lies

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Naruto...

Naruto!

"Huh? OW!", I winced.

My head throbbed in pain as I glanced up. My eyes narrowed into slits as the angered spears of white protruded through the thin skin encasing my eyes. I moved my hands to grip my stray bundles of hair, tugging, attempting to drain out the persistent aches. The throbbing in my head was like pained heartbeats.

A shadow towered over me, shielding the persevering sun, and I looked up to see Sasuke dressed adequately in a suit. In the distance behind him was what seemed like a ceremony, as the sound of cheers had travelled a long distance.

Wait. Was this my wedding?

"Naruto, what were you doing sleeping against this dead tree?" Sasuke inquired as he raised a brow in worry.

"Sleeping? Dead tree?" I thought, he must be out of his mind!

My attention turned to the rough bark that dug into the back of my shirt, my eyes widened in horror.

The tree was rotting; wilting away. Its branches were naked and bare, unclothed. With not a single blossom, the dead ones coiled up around the roots, colors no different from rotting flesh. The remnants of its wooden skin were left peeling.

It was dying.

Sasuke glanced at me and then sighed at my pitiful sight.

"Come on idiot, you went missing from the wedding so I came to find you. My bride isn't going to wait any longer."

He said pointing to a pink-haired female in the distance.

"Bride?.."

He raised a brow again and closed his eyes, shaking his head, "I'll be going back first since Sakura's waiting for me. Make sure to come back too, Naruto."

With that, he walked off.

A burning sensation occupied the back of my throat. I silently whimpered and choked on my tears as hiccups followed. A hollow, emptiness overflowed in my heart slowly shattering it.

I listened to the small sounds of cheers and music. I started panting, trying to fight off the tight grip that strangled my neck; my heart pounding in my throat mocking me.

"Marriage?..."

"Ah. I remember now. So all of it was.."

A dream.

I gave myself a slap staining my cheek with a heavy shade of irritated red, how stupid was I?

Running away from my best friend's wedding and falling asleep to escape from reality.

I am 24 now. Reality pummeled down on me, laughing at my foolish ignorance; I had to face it. I wasn't married to Sasuke. He never fell in love with me in the first place; he lied to me, that promise. He never kept it.

It was all unrequited love.

I wrapped my fingers around my neck, intensifying the already strangling tightness around my throat as more tears came torrenting. This time not from joy but heartbreak. 

Cold drops of water stung my heated skin and more followed. The grey cloud snickered at me, brewing a storm in time for my heartbreak. The gusts of wind slapped my cheek and howled as they travelled on.

This time Sasuke wasn't there as he had "promised". My cries of despair warped away with the tendrils of sneering wind.

I had finally faced reality, we are 24 now. 

I sat under the cherry tree ... as it was slowly rotting away, so was "our love".