Because I Love You (SasuNaru AU) ✔

Chapter 19: One Last Chance

I opened the door to my hotel room with a sigh. As soon as I walked in, Sakura wrapped her arms around me, questioning where I had been the last few hours.

"Naruko, please don't ever do something as reckless as this again..." she whispered softly as her embrace tightened.

"Don't worry, I won't..."

She released our hug only to be shocked by the expression I carried on my face. "Naruko, what happened? Why are your eyes puffy? Were you crying?! Did they hurt you in any way?!"

I shook my head softly before walking towards my bed and laying down. "No, I'm okay. Some guy saved me..."

She sat on the bed adjacent to mine, folding her arms in concern. "Then why were you crying...?"

"Because the view of the sunset was breathtaking."

"Naruko..." she replied slightly annoyed as she rolled her eyes.

I felt tears return to my eyes as I remembered the events of a few moments ago. My heart had officially been destroyed, but maybe that was a good thing. Maybe it was best to rebuild it with someone new, like Kakashi.

I sighed loudly before turning to my side to avoid her eyes. "Sakura-chan...I don't want to talk about it.."

"Okay...But Naruko...if it's anything I can help with, let me know."

I smiled to myself as I whispered my thanks to her.

While laying on the bed, I heard Sakura rummaging through her bags. "Hey Naruko, I'm going to head out to the hot springs with everyone. Do you wanna come?"

"Nah, go have fun."

"You sure?"

"Believe it!"

She breathed out heavily before making her way to the door. "Tomorrow," she said as she began to open the hotel room door, "Let's stick with the group. We can make fun of everyone as we eat everything around this place, okay?"

I smiled to myself again as my best friend fought to cheer me up. "Yeah...sounds like a plan."

The last two days of the trip were what I needed to get my mind off my problems. But I knew as soon as I arrived home, I would have to face my reality. In a week Sasuke would finally be gone and my life was supposed to return to a euphoric state.

Yet the moment I returned home, it was almost as if he were already gone. He wasn't cooking in the kitchen, reading the paper at the table, or even watching TV while sipping on coffee. Instead, he locked himself in his room and only came out when needed. Sasuke was slowly leaving me, and this was how it should be.

We were finally over, but our love remained. I could still feel his love when I would eat his food or see the notes he would write to help guide me through the day. I still loved him deep down, but the bandages Kakashi was using to heal my heart were slowly helping me steer down the right path: a life with him.

I want to be happy, but I also want him to be happy. I hope that he can find someone else to love him unconditionally.

***

A week had passed and it was finally Friday night, the day of Kakashi's basketball game. Sasuke and I still had not spoken to each other school trip, but I knew he would be living by the end of the week. I didn't know when exactly, but maybe it was better that way.

I stood outside the gym, holding my boyfriend's hands before the game against Saint Madara began. Our basketball team was chanting inside, hyping up the crowd as students from both schools filled our gym. Saint Madara's basketball team still had not arrived, so it gave me more time to spend with my boyfriend.