Three days and two nights.
Sasuke counted as he was pacing back and forth inside the Hokage's office, waiting for any news from the retrieval team that was sent out days ago.
He feel so useless.
He feel so stupid.
He was so careless.
*Whoosh*
"Hokage-sama." came in the voice of Kiba as the cloud from the teleportation technique faded. With him are few of the elite Konoha ANBU, heads bowed towards Kakashi.
The previous copy-nin leans to his table as his both hands supports his chin, preparing himself for the news.
"Have you found her?!" Sasuke demanded almost shouting.
Kiba look at him in apologetic way and shakes his head. "Akamaru was able to trace her scent for a good two to three kilometers but then when we reached the end of the road, her traces were gone..."
"Where?" Sasuke asked closing his eyes as he brace for Kiba's answer, because either of those answer he knew it will only make him feel worse.
"Near the border of the water country."
Sasuke immediately went for the door only to be stopped by the Hokage himself. It was only returned with a grim look from the young Uchiha. The former avenger knew what to do the moment Kiba showed up without Sakura. In fact he knew what to do the time he heard the news. He should not have waited this long to look for her, but since he was duty-bound when he got the news that Sakura's team was ambushed going back to Konoha from Water Country, he could not do anything.
To make things much worst, the Konoha's famous med-nin is missing.
"I'm going to look for her." He said sternly as he shook off the hand of his former sensei from his shoulder.
"Sasuke, you need to be with a team." Kakashi said.
He almost laughed with his idea. Both of them can tell he does not need to work with someone. His determination is enough to look for her.
"Form a team all you want, but I'm going to take this matter personally and alone. Be it a retrieval or rescue mission, I don't care. I'm going to take a leave on accepting mission starting today- I will find her!" His sharingan was activated at the same time, followed by silence inside the office.
"Here!" Kiba tossed a scroll to his direction which he flawlessly caught with a questioning look.
"That is the map of the place where we traced her, until it faded. She was able to take down her enemy I guess... since the ground was shattered in Sakura's way," Kiba explained. "I know you'll find her."
"Send us a message if you found something else." It was Kakashi who spoke, making his way back to the table. The only thing Sasuke needed to hear before leaving.
-**-
He could have run straight to the Water Country after their mission. However, being the leader of the said mission and due to the confidentiality of the issue that was discussed he need to get back to Konoha and report directly to the Hokage.
When she told him about the mission a week ago he did not feel good about it, he even tried to talk Sakura out of taking her mission. Saying he will tell Kakashi to transfer her to his squad instead. But Sakura being stubborn and persistent as usual did not let that happen, she was able to persuade him that everything will be alright. As the leader of that operation, Sasuke can tell how excited she was about it. The only reason that convinced him to leave the matters behind as he left the village for his own mission.
I should have stopped her from going to the mission that time. It was the only thing he could think off—regret.
They have been together for more than a year now. He can still remember how his heart ached in happiness the moment of their first kiss. Her lips were soft and she tastes like cherry, she always tastes like one. How her smile was permanently tattooed in his mind- it never fails to make his heart pound faster than normal.
"Sasuke-kun!"
Looking over the rapid current of the river, he imagined few scenarios that could have happened the day before her traces have gone missing. At the end of every scenario it always ends up hearing her scream his name. Her desperate call haunts him every time he closes his eyes. Because he was so sure that it was the thing that she did—she called for him.
He can clearly remember how he thought that it was unusual for Kakashi to send him a message while on a mission.
He thought how important it could be since the Hokage used a messenger bird—the fastest way a receiver can get the message.
Everything went silent and still when he read the little scroll attached to the raven. Sasuke swore that he felt this sudden emotion, like he lost something....or someone. He knew that time that something bad have had happened to her.
He could have saved her...
He let out a heavy sigh before moving. He walks past through the devastated path and crushed piece of earth that he proudly knew was Sakura's doing.
His mind is clouded of her whereabouts, of unfortunate event that might happen to her until he stepped on something firm beneath his feet.
Her forehead protector.
It was hers. He was sure of it because of her initials embroidered at the small part of the cloth. The dried blood was the focused of his attention, as well as the kunai and few strands of pink hair at the ground.
But where is she?
Somebody might have taken her, by the clean cut on the cloth in her forehead protector someone have cut it out using the kunai and losing a few strands of her hair along with it.
It could be any local from the nearby village or it could be an enemy who took her. Nevertheless, he would not stop until he sees her again.
-**-
Three weeks and two days.
His endless search is still going on. There are four villages near the area around the river where Sakura disappeared, he have stayed a week on the other three to look for his pinkette lover, every corner and outskirts of those villages was explored but there was still no signs of her. This fourth village is his one last hope and he does not know where else to search anymore if she was not here either.
How I miss her...so bad.
Her voice.
Her laugh.
Her eyes.
Her smile.
Her caring touch...
He misses everything about her. He will not lose her, not now that he already feels fulfilled. He was not about to lose someone so precious again, he will not let that happen.
On his fourth day at the current and last village of his search near the expanse of the river, he could not believe that he was staring at a pink-haired lady in the crowded market, laughing and talking to a vendor.
And alive.
Her hair was shorter though, he could not believe in his eyes that she was now walking to his direction with that smile of hers, her smile that seems to uplift everyone she meets and as she draw near to him, he noted that her forehead does not have the byakugou seal anymore. But there was no denying that his chest has this familiar heartbeat whenever Sakura is around. His hope was elevated, after weeks of feeling like a dead man. His whole being is alive and breathing again.
Time seems to slow down as he watch her, he cannot wait until he can kiss her, he cannot wait until he hug her, talk to her and never let her go.
That for almost a month of searching for her, his life seems to be empty.
I was empty...
I was lost again.
I was in the darkness again.
But like any other stranger, she just walked past by him without sparing any glance and it took him a full minute to realized what just happened.
I'm not mistaken, she is Sakura.
"Sakura!"
Turning around to try his luck and follow her but the crowded place make it hard to spot the pinkette again. She disappeared in the sea of people instantly. He did not falter to search through every stall in the market hoping to see Sakura standing in one of those stores. But nothing.
"Have you seen a pink hair lady walk this way?" He finally asked one of the fruit vendors. The old man seems to think of what he was saying.
"She has a short hair, I was with her but I got lost in the crowd...I'm her...- guest." He explained.
"Oh yeah, you might be talking about the cherry blossom" he laughed, "You know, her hair is like one. Anyway, knowing her she must have gone home this time. But since you said you were her guest, you probably don't know the way."
Sasuke nodded in response.
"She lives at the outskirts." The vendor steps out of his stall and make his way to him.
"If you follow this road," he said as he gestures the direction "You'll see a wooden bridge that will lead you to the outskirts, there be only few houses there but I'm sure you know how hers looks like when you get there." The vendor smile as he tapped his shoulder.
With a curt nod he made his way to the said direction immediately.
The road is deserted that Sasuke found what he was looking for right away.
"Sakura!" He called out expecting for her to turn around.
But she just continues to walk as if no one called her name.
As soon as he catches up with her, he made her face him by grabbing her shoulder and as a result her shopping basket fell to the ground.
They look at each other, her eyes bore a shock expression from the unexpected motion she received.
"Sakura." Sasuke said as he hugged her.
"S-sorry, I'm not Sakura." She tried to get away from him but it was useless since he was holding her wrist tightly that it might bruise.
He shot her a puzzled look, why is she saying this?
"I'm Saika..." She glares at him as she shake off his hold.
This can't be. She is Sakura.
Her voice.
Her eyes.
Everything about her is Sakura.
My Sakura.
Something is wrong.
Her glare softens as she watched him release her hands.
"Do you know me?!" There was a hint of joy in her voice suddenly. "I mean, have we met before?"
Sasuke let out a heavy breath. "I thought you were someone I knew."
Her eyes seem to be disappointed hearing his response and he never missed that.
"Does she really look like me?" She asked as she started picking up the contents of her fallen basket. Sasuke follow the same thing to help her.
"Yes." he answered lowly. "She got a long hair though. I've been looking for her."
"How long have you been looking for her?" She inquired.
"Almost a month." He answered without looking at her. "How long have you been here?"
They both stood up as they finished picking up the items and Sasuke handed her the basket.
"I- I was born here." She said cautiously.
"I should get going." Sasuke turned to leave. Something is really wrong and he will find the answer.
"Wait!" She called out.
"Hn."
"I know you'll find her." She said with the same smile he love about Sakura.
"I will." He responded, before silently adding I already did.
She nodded and turns to take her leave as well.
Sakura cannot remember anything, he knew that. Once he is sure that she was out sight he followed the path she travelled quietly until he saw her going inside a simple house.
Masking his chakra to get near the house he listened by the window and heard another person inside.
"Saika." A voice of a girl called out.
"Megi, I'm back" Sakura greeted.
"I told you that I should be the one doing that-"
"I met someone today..." she said excitedly without letting the other finish her words.
"Who?" The other girl asked, Megi as what Sakura called her.
"I was not able to get his name, but he called me Sakura. He told me that he thought I was someone he knew." She explained and he deduced that she was walking from one place to another judging by the changing volume of her voice.
"Saika..." Megi started.
"Her hair is just longer he said... what if he knew me? What if I'm the one he was looking for? Megi, we can ask him questions, he might juggle some memories in me." Her voice bears happiness and it took him a lot of self-control not to barge inside and to tell her everything. Her statement just confirmed that she is unable remember anything but he is unable to do anything right now, not yet.
"Saika, that won't be necessary..."
"I might look for him tomorrow at the market, he can be a help." She continues without missing that joyful tone "What if I'm that Sakura?!"
"Saika enough! You are not Sakura. And how many times I told you to avoid strangers? Someone might recognize you." Megi shouted followed by glass shattering.
"B-but-"
"We are hunting when you got injured and lost your memories. Do you know why?" Megi said in a little harsh tone.
"You said we were ambushed by dangerous ninja. They kill two of our people without reason." Sakura responded softly.
"Right! Those Konoha ninja. Those ninja are very eager to kill people without any reason. Now, if you're not careful you might end up like those two... dead!"
"I just want to know who I am." Sakura said, her voice is shaking.
"I know! Do you know how hard it is to see you suffer like that?! Not knowing yourself? Not knowing me? We don't want to lose you. So please don't do something careless." Megi started crying and Sasuke can only say that she was totally feeding lies to Sakura. He will not allow that, she could be the enemy that Sakura's team has encountered and now she was telling her false information for her to turn against Konoha. For now, he needs to make a plan on how he can talk to her-- alone.
"Our leader will arrive two days from now, he will tell you everything you need to know and we will head out to our own country so you can fully recover there." She continues in between sniffs.
"Alright." It was a very non-committal answer he heard from Sakura.
--**--
From the time he got the entire conversation of 'Saika' with this certain Megi, he did not waste time to get more information about them. From one villager to another he asks questions about the two. Pretending to be their longtime friend while reasoning that he want to know how his two friends are doing since moving from their own village.
Connecting the timeline of events, one of the villagers said that they are staying in the village for almost a month now. Megi as what the villager named the other girl, was buying medical supply the first time she met her, saying her cousin was injured while hunting. The other villager said that the pink-haired lady is much friendlier, though she seems at lost sometimes when they tried to ask what village they came from.
Sasuke then made his decision to get Sakura the next day once he managed to send a message for Kakashi. He watched as his hawk departed from his arms, with the scroll containing details about the medic-nin's condition and telling him not to bother sending reinforcement as he can take care of this matter on his own.
He grabbed the opportunity to run towards the house when a girl—whom he believed is Megi emerged from the door, trailing the dusty road to downtown.
Perhaps, this is one of the rarest occasions that Uchiha Sasuke would stop to think twice. Torn between going in and getting Sakura or knock on the wooden door and tell her everything. However, he was spared by thinking too much as the door flew open.
Emerald orbs clashes with his onyx ones.
Both of them look taken aback by each other's sudden presence.
It was the pink-haired girl who recovered first from surprise, grabbing his hand and leading him at the backyard.
"I was going to look for you!" She said feverishly. "I need to ask questions..."
"Listen," Sasuke said holding both of her shoulder. "We need to get out from here"
"But I have a question-"
"We do not have time, let's leave this place first and I will answer your questions" Sasuke look around to check if other person was within the vicinity.
"No, answer my question first." She stomped like a child and there was a determination in her eyes. "Megi would not be here until nighttime."
"Fine." He surrendered, gritting his teeth in exasperation. She is being stubborn as ever.
"Do you know me?" She started, looking at him directly.
"Yes." He answered matching her gaze.
"Am I this Sakura that you are looking for?"
He nodded. "Yes."
"Do you know Megi?"
"No"
She then looked so surprised, "But why not?"
"We never met her. She was telling you lie." He explained concisely.
"B-but she was the one who took care of me." She seems bothered by the fact.
"Who knows," Sasuke shrugged "Maybe it's part of their plan on using you against us."
"Us?" She questioned.
"Our village. Konoha."
"So you're from Konoha?" and he can tell how her voice changed as she ask.
He nodded in response, "You are from Konoha as well, and you do not need to believe on whatever that Megi told you. They are probably the group of people who ambushed your team"
"What do you mean?" This time she looks more confuse with things being revealed to her. One of the reasons why Sasuke need a place, a safer place where he can explain these things to her.
"Your name is Haruno Sakura, from Konoha, a ninja and medic. You were heading home when your team was ambushed by unknown group. They said that you run after your opponent and been missing since then."
There was a silence between them, Sasuke standing patiently for her to comprehend the details he just told her.
That will be enough for now.
He then felt a weapon thrown their way and in a second he draw out his Kusanagi to defend themselves from the attacker.
"I should have known better." It was Megi with a well-built man beside him. "Saika stay away from him, he is from Konoha"
"But he said I'm also from Konoha...and who is he?" Sakura asked while eyeing the unfamiliar man.
"He is our leader. You should not believe that man-"
"You! You're the one telling lies and you have dared to take her away from me!" Sasuke said angrily activating his sharingan.
"The famous sharingan." The said leader chuckled. "Change of plan, Megi. We don't need the girl. We need to get the kid with the Sharingan."
Sasuke then carried Sakura without a warning and headed to wooded area near the house.
"Keep this, in case something happen." he said giving a kunai to Sakura.
"But-"
"Stay here and I will take care of them." In an instant he was gone and fighting with Sakura's captors.
"Interesting." Megi said as he face both of them. "I should have known that Pinky got some high-profiled friend."
"You will regret everything!" Sasuke then dash forward to make his first attack. Dodging simultaneous strikes from his two opponents. Good thing the neighborhood at this outskirt has a great distance that the senbons raining from this battle only hits the ground. He can tell that Megi was fast enough to escape his chidori, while their leader was using his poisonous large axe with great ease.
Such an annoyance. He thought as he gets a glimpse of Sakura near the area, watching as the combat continues.
It then came into his mind the possibilities of not finding her.
What if I did not went around the town that time?
What if I missed her among the crowded market?
What if two days have passed and they went off before getting a chance to find her?
What if she will not be able to recover he lost memories?
Those questions brought up his pent up rage, thinking of the likelihood of not seeing her again.
It was anger that took him over as he had thrown Megi's body to the ground like a weightless rag doll.
"You will not take anyone!" Sasuke said darkly as he prepared for the incoming attack of the leader. It was then he realized an odd familiar feeling is coming back to him. Just like the time he saw Sakura beaten up at the forest of death.
He wants to hurt them badly.
He want to let them know how wrong of them to hurt Sakura... his Sakura.
He wants them dead.
Sasuke heard a loud gasp which he was sure came from Sakura hiding somewhere behind the trees.
The gasp that made him realized he was in trance, as if he just woke up from the darkest of his nightmare. That moment he realized that his Kusanagi pierced the man right through his chest. Pulling his weapon as he saw his surprised wide eyes, blood starting to spill from his mouth.
"No!" He heard Sakura screamed.
She has this frantic look as she run to him, kunai in hand.
Sasuke was too shocked to move when she throws the weapon at his direction. He did not even have time to think, he just stood there waiting for the sharp thing to hit him.
But a moment past and he did not feel anything, Sasuke heard a sound instead. A weapon clashing with another one. As he turn his back, he saw Megi whom he thought he had already knocked unconscious.
Two fallen weapon his kunai and a senbon with liquid dripping from it in a very unusual color.
A deadly poison. He thought.
He started walking where the last opponent stands and he can clearly see her knees are shaking.
"Don't kill her." Sakura said, rushing to his side.
Sasuke look at her questioningly.
How could I let someone live after attempting to take her away from me?
"She was the one who took care of me. Please, spare her."
He then lowered his Kusanagi hearing her words. "We need go home."
"Saika! Didn't you see what he has done to our leader? He killed him!" Megi shouted. "Don't go with him!"
What if she chooses to stay here?
He was never been afraid in his life until now. Standing idly and waiting for Sakura to answer. Thinking of the chance that she will turn against him when Sasuke saw that there was hesitations in her eyes.
"Did you saw what he did Saika? He is a murderer! Are you sure you want to trust yourself with the likes of him?" Megi continued, trying to brainwash the already blank memories of hers.
But as Sakura turn her back from her, all the doubts left him and the tension from his shoulder was lifted.
"Let's go." She muttered, closing her eyes as she walked away.
They started walking as Megi threaten them and with one genjustu-bearing look from Sasuke, Megi was left unconscious for real this time.
-**-
"Your eyes, it's beautiful!" Sakura jubilantly announced. Leaning closer to Sasuke when they stopped to rest and eat, preserving their stamina for the long trip.
"They are red!" She paused as if to study her discovery intently. "...and violet. It's different."
He did not realized that he still have his sharingan and rinnegan activated until she said those words, probably with the fact that he was overwhelmed by her presence once again.
He could say the same as he love those shining green eyes of hers...
I love everything about her. He thought.
The last time he look her into these was when he cast that genjutsu on her after they defeated Kaguya. The thing they have forgotten in the past.
With fear that it might trigger such unpleasant memory in her current state before knowing the full story, his eyes return to its normal onyx shade.
"Oh sorry-" she was about to make the distance when Sasuke grab her and kiss her full in the lips.
Undoubtedly, he knew how much he dreamed of touching his lips to hers once again, to taste her sweetly and savor her scent to fill his hungry senses the time she was not with him. He can never get enough of her. But right now, Sasuke knows he needs to hold back.
As he pulled himself away he studied her stunned expression.
"Why- what did you do that for?!" She asked, looking horrified by his action.
"Because I wanted to." He smirked.
"You can't just kiss someone whenever you wanted to!" She was blushing that made his smirk turned to laughter.
"Why are you laughing?!" Sakura asked irately, watching him as his fits of laughter finally died down.
"You are more than someone...." it was said in an almost whispered voice.
"What do you mean?" She was looking more puzzled now than surprise.
"We've done more than that." He replied with playful smile on his face.
"More than what?"
"Kissing." he finally answered.
Her jaw dropped at his response, mouth gaping to comprehend the thing he just said.
"Are you saying that --that..." she was trying to form the words but the embarrassment is keeping her from saying it and her face getting redder than before.
"That?" Sasuke asked teasingly for the obvious fact that he was enjoying this.
"Th-that we're together?!"
"Yes." It was his short response.
For Sasuke, he never thought that there will come a day that Sakura will forget how important they are to each other. It's like starting over again and he never asked for it. He never likes it, not this way. Everything was great until this one tragic moment of her losing everything she knew. Losing herself. Losing what they have in her beautiful mind.
"But I can't remember anything." She tugs her hair softly in frustration.
She stops suddenly as if realizing something important.
"Ah... does long hair suit me? Or short hair is better?" She asked with excitement, her previous dilemma forgotten.
He could not help but to chuckle. He do not know how serious her head injury was, but the person in front of him was a total stranger given the fact that she cannot remember her old self and at the same time, very much Sakura in each and every way.
"Anything suits you." He came with an honest reply.
Sasuke stood up, extending his hand to hers to help.
"I would not force you." He said lowly as they stood face-to-face.
Sakura gave him a questioning look this time.
"I would not force you into loving me again." Trying to conceal the bitter truth they are in right now.
"But-"
"I will wait. Until you have your memories back."
"What if it will take months, years," she paused and sadness is visible in her eyes.
"...or never?"
She continued "Will you still love me?"
"I still love you... even though I know you cannot remember me. I always have... always will." Sasuke answered. Fully aware of how much he is exposed right now. If an enemy is around they could easily strike his chest and leave him dead as he just open up his heart to Sakura. For her to see how much those words meant to him. Not because he wanted to convince her that he was an ally or that she did the right thing of trusting him today. But because he is Sasuke, the person she once loved... the one that she saved from the darkness.
No matter how painful it is to admit, it hurts him more than anything to look at her without that same look in her eyes, the one that is especially reserved only for him. Her Sasuke.
"Do you love me with all your heart?" It was her question hanging in the air.
Sasuke laugh a bit, thinking how ironic the situation is right now.
"I love you with all my heart!" Those were her words to him. Remembering how his heart was touched by those words.
Perhaps she was not a total stranger, maybe at the back of her mind the Sakura he knew is there, shouting these questions at him. The questions that have answered long before, that time he said...
He is willing to take the risk of grabbing that one last string of happiness he could possibly have in his life...
And he was not about to let go of that string even if it means holding to a string of thorns that will prick and hurt him in every possible way.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A/N:
Originally published: 11.02.14
Prompt: I STILL LOVE YOU.
There! I finally came up with this idea. Hope you all like it! It's my contribution for the second SASUSAKU MONTH 2014. I really can't do a full month, I wish I could: P
And by the way thank you for reading and voting for THREE WISHES.