"Before we go to our journey, I'll take you to Naka Shrine and to the Uchiha Compound."
Sasuke's words rang in Sakura's ears. He said 'our journey' not his journey. And on top of that he said he'll be bringing her to the Uchiha Compound. Sakura briefly remembered back in their genin days, after every missions they went to, she would offer him to walk with him back home. But he would always decline, sometimes even call her annoying. Sakura never really did know what the Uchiha Compound looks like. She knew after the attack of the Nine Tails back when she was still a baby, the Uchiha Clan were force to stay near the border of the Village. So it means the Uchiha Compound is near the forest. Then after Pain's attack, the Naka Shrine was destroyed.
Now, she wonders what it looks like. To be able to go to a place where Sasuke's past resides, she honestly have no idea what to feel.
Right after the sun peak under the horizon, Sasuke and Sakura were off to the Uchiha Compound. The vendors were just about ready to open their stores, cats down the alley yawned as the sun's ray woke them up, birds were chirping loudly as to remind the whole Village that it's morning already.
The two walked side by side in silence. But there came the instance when Sasuke's hand brushed Sakura's hand, and the pinkette would feel her cheeks heat up and she would hide the small tint on her cheeks. Sasuke on the other hand doesn't seem to notice that the longer they walk side by side like that, occasionally brushing each other's hands, Sakura feels the butterflies swarming in her belly intensifies.
When they finally got inside the Uchiha Compound, Sasuke took her to the lake. The sun was just above the horizon, giving the surrounding a masterpiece view of a landscape. The lake had crystals as the sun's ray reflect on it. The wind blew softly carrying the dawn's fog with it.
This was the lake Sasuke would always come to practice every day, hoping that one day, he would be strong enough to get acknowledge by his father. This was the lake that witness how his father finally did acknowledge him, saying the words; "that's my boy" that Sasuke longed to hear once more.
"It's beautiful," Sakura whispered, her eyes gleaming as it reflect the scenery in front.
This place, almost like a paradise, it's hard to believe that a once feared Clan who were suspected of many awful things and accused of doing horrible crimes in the past, resided in a place close to paradise.
The place oozes of calmness and nothing less.
After a few moment of admiring the surroundings, the two proceeded to Naka Shrine, a sacred place for the Uchiha. This place used to be the meeting place of the Uchihas. And inside, under the seventh tatami mat, resides the secret of the past. A secret that changed the course of the Shinobi history. A secret that consumed Madara Uchiha and resulted to the many Wars that ended in the Fourth Great Shinobi War. The stone tablet. Sasuke once read it, back when he was a child, not really knowing what it meant. But now it made clear sense.
The opposite sides that the stone tablet mentioned. The light and the darkness. The legacy of the Sage of Six Paths. Ashura and Indra. Hashirama and Madara.
Naruto and Sasuke.
The generations of two opposite sides fighting one another ended in Naruto and Sasuke. After all, they were the moon and the sun, they are bound to shine when it's their time.
Sakura realized that the Naka Shrine was indeed near the forest. She walked towards a stone with the Uchiha crest. Soon the crest will be embedded on the back of her clothes too. The crest of one of the legendary Clan in Konoha. The clan that treasured love more than anyone.
Sasuke and Sakura walked around, letting their thoughts wander freely. Only when they felt the growling of their stomach did they realize it was almost noon.
Hearing Sakura's stomach growl in protest made her blush.
"Guess we should head back, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said, hiding the blush and her flustered tone with a cough.
"Hn,"
The two walked back to the Village. Now full of people and the stores were open wide. They were looking for a good place to eat lunch when they heard something. Or more like someone in the distance.
Someone was yelling. The yelling got closer and closer by the second. And it was coming from an all too familiar someone.
"SASUKEEEEE!!!!"
Naruto was running head-on towards Sasuke while yelling his name. The ravenette just closed his eyes, heaved a sigh and step to the side as Naruto came crushing at a nearby food stand. If it was any other guy and not Naruto, the vendor would be mad. But since it's Naruto, the hero of the War acknowledge by everyone, the vendor just laughed and ask if Naruto was okay.
Of course he was. Naruto stood up quickly and walked towards Sasuke whose annoyance is visible as clear as the sky.
"What do you want, dope?"
Naruto was about to open his mouth when Sakura put her hand on his shoulder, gripping it to shut him up. "Hey Naruto, you see Sasuke-kun and I are rally hungry right now and we're headed to eat lunch."
Naruto looked at Sakura. "Huh, where?"
"Certainly not at Ichiraku."
Well, that was what she said ten minutes ago.
And now, the three were sitting inside Ichiraku Ramen, awaiting their orders. How did they end up in here anyways?
"Hey Sasuke! Why didn't you tell me first? I thought we were friends. You should've told me first, Sasuke-teme."
Sasuke sighed and shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Their bowls of ramen arrived and the three started to dig in.
"You didn't tell me that you and Sakura are finally tying the knot."
Sakura choked in her ramen and coughed loudly, instantly pouring herself a cup of water and drinking it.
"There's no need to tell you that," Sasuke said calmly. Much too calmly.
"Hey Sasuke! We're friends, and friends should never keep secrets."
"That is not a secret. We're just going on a journey. And I already asked for Sakura's parents' permission."
"What?! And what about my permission? And Kakashi-sensie's permission? Haven't you thought about that?"
Sasuke had an irkmark on his forehead. He doesn't find it necessary to ask for their permission.
"Naruto," Sakura started when she calmed down. "Who in the world told you about that?" Sakura asked, pertaining about how Naruto knew about Sasuke finally fulfilling his promise to her.
"Hinata told me. Well I asked her and she was really bad at lying."
Sakura figured. Hinata would never ever spread gossip. Unless Naruto pester her to the point where she'll spill all the beans.
"Alright you two," Naruto put his arms on top of Sasuke and Sakura's shoulder. "Let's head to Kakashi-sensie's and ask for his permission."
"And why should I do that?" Sasuke asked, brushing off Naruto's arm.
"We're Team 7 aren't we? We're each other's family."
Family huh? Sasuke heard those words for the first time in years. It's true, right after he lost his parents, the only family he had grown to was Team 7. A strange, closet pervert, a young kunoichi who is head over heels to Sasuke, a yellow haired idiot who had a big dream to become a Hokage and Sasuke, the lone survivor of the Uchiha Clan whose ambition was to kill a certain man.
After the eventful afternoon, with Naruto constantly pestering Sasuke about trivial things, the three headed towards the Hokage's office. Kakashi had just done doing some paper works when the three ninja whom he acknowledge as his family came barging through the door. Well, Naruto came barging. Sasuke and Sakura walked inside calmly.
Since Naruto was so eager, he was the first to break down the news about Sasuke and Sakura's journey together.
"So," Kakashi started after hearing Naruto's version of the story. "You came here to ask for my permission to go to a honeymoon outside Konoha?"
"Alright, permission granted. You can go to your honeymoon as long as you want. Enjoy."
Kakashi had a straight face, well considering half of his face is covered by a mask. Sakura's whole face reddened as she heard the term her sensei used. Honeymoon?
Before Sakura could reprimand the sixth Hokage, Kakashi stood up and walked towards the door ushering the three to follow. "Since the three of you are already here, let's take this moment to take a picture. Besides, I have a feeling it'll be the last time we'll get to act as Team 7 because before long you all will settle with the family of your own."
"So, Kakashi, old men really do become sentimental." Sasuke muttered and Kakashi just smiled.
Sentimental? Hardly. He just wanted to take a picture and compare their old picture to the present one and see how much have changed.
The idiot boy who dreamed of becoming the Hokage is now acknowledged by everyone and is on the way to become the next Hokage.
The avenger and rogue ninja who killed his brother out of vengeance, is now going to fulfill his dream of restoring his Clan and he has now a place he can call Home.
The young girl who always chased the back of the rogue ninja, to save him from darkness and love him unconditionally, has now catch up to him and the feelings for that certain young man is now being recognized and reciprocated.
Soon, the three of them will have a family of their own. And Kakashi felt like sentimental, indeed. Perhaps he's really getting old. Because seeing the three most precious people in front of him brought back the memories of the past. The bittersweet memories with Obito, Rin and Minato whom he hold dear in his heart.