Better Than Before (A NARUSASU FANFIC)

CHAPTER 30: Process of Realization

A/N: Hello all!
Sorry for the delayed updates, guys... there are some issues going on here, but whatever happens happens for the good! (I guess...)
(￣▽￣;)
Anyway! Consider this a Valentine special! (Though it's actually very much related to the story)
🧡💙🧡💙
No, there is no smut. However, I thought that the content of this chapter suited the Valentines theme.
Enjoy~

*TIME SKIP* ON THE SAME EVENING~

People were dancing in flashy dresses to the lively music that was bustling in the place, and on one of the random tables just a few steps away from the dance floor was seated a dashing blond, Naruto, in a tan brown knitted sweater and jeans.

Except, Naruto, who was the very embodiment of the sun, wasn't looking as bright as he was supposed to be.

His cerulean orbs had now turned pastel, as if his tears had washed away the color in them, with dark circles under his eyes. His skin was now as pale as the parchment papers of historical archives. Anybody could tell that he had been doing a fairly bad job at taking care of himself.

Naruto was sitting and sipping on the second glass of his beer while waiting for his smartest best friend, Shikamaru, to arrive.

In the past few days, Naruto had taken his time to consider and reconsider his choice. He had realized that maybe letting Sasuke go was not really the idealistic option to go for. However, his conscience and guilt towards his dead lover, Sai, were always in conflict with such thoughts.

Naruto had concluded that he needed help in deciding what he should do next because thinking about this situation all alone was costing him his mental peace, sleep, and appetite.

The past few days had been extremely disturbing for Naruto, and these disturbances included nightmares, panic attacks, and sleep and appetite loss.

That's precisely why Naruto was here; to have a chat with the best person he could have asked for help, Shikamaru.

-×-×-×-

"Shika!"

Naruto saw Shikamaru entering the bar and waved his hand high enough for his friend to spot him among the crowd.

Shikamaru easily spotted Naruto as soon as the blond had called out his name and walked over to him. He took a seat beside his whiskered friend after ordering a cocktail.

"What's up, man? You look like shit, honestly."

Naruto kept quiet about this and just looked away, staring at something he found more interesting than this question at the moment.

However, Shikamaru could see Naruto's condition very well. The blond wasn't smiling anymore, nor was he his usual talkative self. He was quiet. He had changed... for the worse.

'Did he and Sasuke fight?'

Shikamaru kind of had an idea as to what was up with him; however, he did not want to assume anything.

"Naruto?"

Shikamaru called out to his blond friend again, snapping him back to reality.

"Y- Yeah? Oh... sorry..."

Naruto said and chuckled sheepishly.

"It's okay, but what's wrong? You said you wanted to talk to me about something."

"..."

Naruto dared not answer his question at the moment.

"Is it about Sasuke?"