Worth It

A NaruSaku oneshot. Terribly disappointed with the Last, especially turning a Shonen into a Shoujo and not addressing so many issues. I heard and saw so many bad reviews on the Japan's Yahoo Site for the movie. I'm kinda happy that it's the worst rated movie out of all of the films, while Naruto: RTN is the best! Well, not surprisingly, a lot of people wrote scam since they were expecting to see a proper ending but nothing really conclusive at all. Didn't really talk about Naruto's finding true peace, Sasuke barely appeared at all. So, it's really amusing. Anyway, here's another alternate ending for the Last for NaruSaku fans! Don't like, don't read. You can go find in his interviews as well as the movie card in which Kishimoto has already said that NaruHina and SasuSaku were pity pairings. So yeah. Go search it up. For NaruSaku fans, don't be sad. It's a pity that Kishimoto chose money at the very end.

I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does. Oh wait, Masashi Moneymoto. If I did, I would have made an open ending so as to make sure everyone was satisfied, and I would have concluded everything properly: Team Taka, Orochimaru, Yamato, Naruto's true peace, and not have every character have a fuckfest.

The forest during winter was a place filled with beautiful wonders. The fireflies would be mingling around, the flowers were in full bloom, and the lake would reflect the marvellous beauty of the mysterious night. A black-haired girl sat at a rock, holding onto a red scarf with what looks to be stitches along the middle of the scarf. She sat and pondered.

"Wait for me. I've something to tell you"

Those were the words spoken to her from the boy that she grew up admiring from his back, the boy that inspired her to be stronger everyday, the man of her dreams, and the person she came to fall in love with. Tightening her hold on the scarf, she clutched it closer to her chest. The scarf signified so many things to her, the bond that they had as children, as well as the unending love she had for him. This spot that she waited at, was the exact place where she passed him the scarf, the place she first fell in love with him. Her heart quickened in pace. This is not going to be like her previous encounter with the blonde ninja. She would not faint upon meeting him or hesitate any longer.

A few weeks back, Hinata stood near the ramen stand, and just looked at the blonde hero, enjoying his meal with beautiful ladies beside him. The pink-haired ninja was the first to spot her and offered to give up her seat for her. This alerted the blonde to her presence. Flustered, Hinata began walking away, before Sakura chased after her.

"I'm gonna help you to get him, Hinata-chan!"

Those were the words promised by the talented pink-haired medic. Hinata felt assured, but then again, at that time, she never did realize that there was somewhat a forced smile, as well as a pained look in those emerald orbs. Hinata looked up into the endless sky.

'There are so many stars tonight.'

At a distance away, a figure wearing orange leaned on a tree, his head facing down, he was thinking. In his thoughts, Naruto reflected on what had transpired within the previous weeks. Hanabi got kidnapped, Hinata got kidnapped, he flew to the moon, and saved the world again. But he couldn't help but think of the actions of the pinkette that he held dearly to his heart. In the previous month, he noticed that she had been pushing him further and further away from her, and closer and closer towards the woman that confessed to him. He frowned his eyebrows, and bit his lips.

'Can I do this, can I really do this?'

That was really the question. Could he really go through with this? Sure, he had gotten to know Hinata better in this ordeal. He knew that he was closer to her than before. But could he really throw away those years of unrequited love for the pinkette?

Turning, Naruto took a deep breath and began advancing towards Hinata. Each step felt like lifting a ton of heavy weights. Taking another deep breath, he called out.

"Hinata"

Hearing that voice calling her name, Hinata's heart soared, she had not expected this. She had expected to end up being alone in the forest. Turning to look at him, her lips opened as she spoke with that gentle and elegant tone she had been taught with since young.

"You came...You really came.."

Letting out a sheepish grin, Naruto could only react awkwardly. It was almost as if, the tables have turned. Naruto being the shy one, and Hinata, being her opposite.

"Yeah. I did ask you to wait for me, right? I can't go back on my word, can I?"

Smiling, Hinata remembered his nindo: 'Never Giving Up, Never Going Back On My Word'. It was an inspiration for her, she had even adopted it to be her own.

"Yeah. Your Nindo."

Upon responding, an awkward silence fell between both of them before the blonde ninja spoke out.

"Look Hinata, I really have something important to tell you. Something concerning about my feelings."

Hinata blushed, she had expected him to be direct, but not this direct. Naruto on the other hand, struggled as he tried to continue what he wanted to say.

'I can do this, I can do this'

"I...I know that you love me for so long, already, and I've been a fool for not noticing it. I should have-"

"It's alright. Naruto-Kun, it's alright." Hinata smiled.

"I just want to tell you about how I really feel about you, Hinata. The past few weeks with you have been a roller coaster, but I got to know what a wonderful personality that you have. You're beautiful, caring, talented, so feminine, and strong."

"What matters is your true feelings, now. Not in the past, Naruto-kun. The past does not matter anymore, it's the now that should always matter."

"Hinata, I...I really li.."

"What is it, Naruto-kun?"

'I can do this, I can do this, I can do this, I can do this, I can do this'

Stuttering, Naruto continued to insist in his mind.

"I really..."

Hinata smiled, as if knowing what he was going to say. Not in an overconfident manner, but rather, something she had waited for for a very long time. She wanted this. She wanted this so bad.

"Hinata, gomen."

'I can't do this.'

Her eyes widened. Why's he apologizing to me? Shouldn't he be saying that he has the same feelings towards me as I do to him?

"Wha...what?"

"Gomen, Hinata! I came here today, really trying to find with all my heart, to confess to you, to tell you that I have the same feelings as you, to tell you that I like you the way you do towards me."

"You're such a nice person, you really are. And I know, I know, that your love towards me is so great. Really, I do."

Tears began brimming in the eyes of Hinata, her lips quivered as she felt her heart slowly breaking into a million pieces. To the boy she had fell in love with, and to the man, she gave her heart to. Naruto, seeing her, at the brink of breaking down, he wanted to stop, he wanted to comfort her, but he needed to continue. He needed to make sure she stop suffering because of him. He needed her to stop waiting for him.

"I do not have the same feelings towards you."

Pausing to look her in the teary eyes, Naruto continued.

"If I told you I did, I would be lying to myself. It won't be fair to you, if I lied to you. It won't be fair to me as well."

Now tears flowed freely down the face of Hinata, she sniffled uncontrollably, as she struggled to get words out of her mouth.

"I-I c-c-can w-wait for you."

"But for how long, I won't know how long will it take, Hinata. Weeks, months, years, maybe never." Letting off a sad smile, he probably was in the same situation as her.

"I understand how you feel. How, it feels to wait for somebody for so long. How it feels to suffer so hard because you love the person. How it feels to love and know that the other party will never feel the same way that you do."

Her eyes shining with tears, she looked up to see the bittersweet smile pasted on the whiskered face. Looking up, Naruto continued.

"I..I have this person. I've known her ever since we were so young. She was the prettiest girl at that time, and she still is the prettiest girl to me. Everyday, I would try my hardest to get her to notice me, to get her to know me, know that I like her. There was always this one thing she hated about herself. But I've always felt that it's the most beautiful feature about her. I was always so tempted to place a kiss on that wide forehead of hers. But I knew, that she loved another guy. She would fawn over him, over the little things he did, over how cool he was, and then when he left, she cried so much over him, she hurt so much because of him. So I guess, I'm pretty much in the same boat as you. Unrequited love-"

"It's Sakura right? The person that you're talking about." Hinata asked, as she began wiping her tears.

"Yea..."

"Remember that night at the ramen stand? She came out to tell me that she'll help push you more towards me, that she'll help to make you fall in love with me." The sudden knowledge flooded into the mind of Naruto and everything slowly began to click. Sakura pushing him towards Hinata whenever she was alone, Sakura always singing Hinata's praises, complimenting her on how Hinata looked. Everything made sense now. Frowning, Naruto began making connections and asked.

"So she really doesn't feel the same way towards me."

Finally done wiping her tears, Hinata felt as if she was starting to do the correct thing. Now, she understood, if Naruto were to be with her, both Sakura and he will never be happy. The happiness and love of the people around her, now was linked to her, just like what Neji said before dying,

"The lives of many people are linked to you, Naruto,"

'Maybe, it's time for me to be selfless and move on'

"I.I...I understand. I can't force someone to love me can't i? That would be very unfair towards you, Naruto-kun." Looking up at her, Naruto apologized again, only earning a shake of her head.

"You don't really need to apologize. Love can't be forced, and it should never be done out of pity. Then it wouldn't be called love isn't it?"

"Hinata..."

"Go to her, Naruto-kun. Confess to her, if she still refuses you, I'll be here for you."

"Hinata..I don't want you to be the rebound-"

"I'm willing. Go to her."

"Thanks Hinata!"

Turning, Naruto began to leap tree after tree, to search for the person that his heart always has been with, leaving the Hyuuga princess behind, alone again. Giving a sad smile, Hinata dropped the red scarf into the deep waters of the lake. It meant a lot to her, but she knew she had to let go. Like Neji, the bird yearned to be free.

'I know you won't be coming back here anymore, Naruto-kun. Sad as I may be, but it's better to have experienced than to never having to.'

Stopping in front of a brown oak door, Naruto raised his hand to knock on the door, but hesitated. What if he got rejected, what if she didn't feel the same way, what if he was right. There were so many what ifs going through his mind. But gathering his courage, he decided that he'll go with it, rather than lie to himself.

*Knock Knock*

Naruto waited, and he heard footsteps rushing towards the door. Opening the door, Sakura was surprised to see Naruto standing right in front of her. Hinata had told her that tonight Naruto had asked to meet her in the forest. She knew of the Hyuuga's feelings towards her teammate, ever since she almost sacrificed her life for her teammate. She was in conflict, in actuality. Throughout the years, her crush on the Uchiha began to disappear, and her mind was filled with the goofy smile of the blonde idiot. But if she accepted his feelings, it would've been unfair to Hinata, who've always loved her.

"What are you doing here? Don't you have something to do?"

"Sakura-chan..don't act like you don't know anything. I bet Hinata has already told you everything, from her feelings to me meeting her tonight. Don't you?"

"Don't change the subject, what are you doing her-"

She couldn't complete her sentence as she felt his lips coming into contact with hers. Her first kiss. Her eyes widened as she realized what was going on. Naruto was kissing her.
Sakura knew it felt so right; yet so wrong as Hinata should be the one.

*Slap!*

"What the hell are you doing?!" She screamed at him. Rubbing his reddened cheek, Naruto groaned from the stinging pain. And then, shit hit the ceiling.

"What do you mean what I'm doing!? I'm kissing you!"

"Well, I never gave you permission to! Who the hell are you to kiss me!"

"Then who!? Sasuke? That idiot never saw anything in you, that idiot never even loved you!"

"Who says!? He'll come to love me one day!"

"15 years and you're still harping on his ass! What has he ever done for you?"

Sakura gulped, her walls were coming down, and she needed to get rid of Naruto before everything came down.

"He's way more handsome, more cooler than you'll ever be! Why the hell are you even here anyway?!" Sakura yelled before smacking him in the head. Grabbing his head and groaning from the pain, Naruto exploded.

"What the hell! You crazy bitch! I came all the way here just to tell you that I love you! I LOVE YOU, HARUNO SAKURA!"

Her eyes widened. This cannot happen, this absolutely must not happen. Hinata deserves it, Hinata deserves it. But his confession tore down every wall she has prepared for when he did this. It just wasn't strong enough. Rushing towards him, she hit him on his chest repeatedly. Tears fell as she continued to punch his chest.

"Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Why!? Why! Why must you fall in love with a bitch like me!? Why!? Why must you choose the person that treated you like dirt, why must you choose the person that was always the burden to you, why! Why!? Why didn't you choose her!? She's so much prettier, she's so much sexier, she's more talented, and she's loved you for so long?! You can't do this Naruto! WH-" Sakura was stopped in her outburst, by another kiss. She tried pulling away, but this time, Naruto would not budge. He held onto her as if she was a lifebuoy out at sea, letting go of her means that he would lose the will to live. Slowly, Sakura began to close her eyes, as she returned the kiss. It took a while before they parted, before Naruto places his forehead on hers.

"Because I love you so much. I don't care, even if you say there's people more prettier, more curvier, more patient, more kind, more caring than you. The only person that I want is Haruno Sakura. And you're the only person that I can't live without. Without you, I would have no life at all, because all my life, I didn't know what love is until I knew you. I love you so fucking much, Sakura-chan, and I absolutely can't fucking lie to myself." Sakura could only cry as she processed his confession. No matter how many times she had pushed him away, he always came back. Sniffling into his chest, Sakura's tears flowed like a river.

"W-why? Why would you choose to love someone like me, someone as selfish as me?"

"Because, that's how it is. Because that's how love is. An indescribable feeling. Anything and everything for you will always be worth it. And you're not selfish, nor are you a burden. You're my Sakura-chan" Naruto smiled into her hair. Looking up at his cerulean blue eyes, Sakura couldn't help but tear up even more.

"You i-idiot. I l-love you too. Sorry that it took s-so long to finally realize it." Wiping her tears, Naruto just smiled at her, and pressed his lips onto his, in which she gladly returned this time as her hands went around his necks, while his snaked around her waist.

Parting their lips, Naruto held her waist close to her, as she nuzzled her head into his chest. Naruto never ever want to let her go again.

- Months Later –

Sakura was tending to patients in the hospital, smiling to a child as he held his mother's hand and left the room. Her job was always driving her nuts but it was still the most rewarding to always see patients get healthy and happy. As she walked down the hallway, she admired the jewellery on her ring finger. The diamond had a unique green glow shining from within, in which had the most perfect cutting that she had ever seen before. She sighed peacefully as she held her hand closer to her chest. Naruto had proposed the week before on top of the monument head of his father. It had been a surprise, at least to her, and she had been completely taken aback the moment he proposed, but she recovered just in time to say the word. She smiled at her big goofball. He was at the Hokage Office, training to take over from Kakashi, which would be pretty soon as well. She was excited for him, for she would be right there to witness the culmination of a childhood dream. With those thoughts in mind, Sakura did not pay attention to where she was walking as she bumped into a certain Hyuuga lady.

"Ow, sorry!"/"Gomen!"

"Hinata-chan!"/"Sakura-san" Both of the ladies hugged one another, before moving to another location to talk and catch up. 2 months ago, Hinata Hyuuga was appointed the new clan head of the Hyuuga clan, and the first thing she did, was to eradicate the caged bird seal in the clan. She understood that it was a barrier between Hyuuga members, and she believed firmly that every Hyuuga deserved a chance to shine for their clan. Removing the barrier in-between, the Hyuuga clan was unified and was heading towards greater glory than before.

"So, I heard he proposed. Congratulations are of order then." Hinata said.

"Thanks, but I'm sorry, Hinata-chan."

"For what? It's not your fault that he loves you so much. I'd rather him be more happier with you than live a life of lies. I'm so happy for you, Sakura-chan!"

"Thank you, Hinata-chan. Coming from you, it means so much. Why did you stop by anyway?"

"Looking for you! As Hyuuga clan head, I'm to be leaving on a year journey to master the arts of the Hyuuga clan, and I suppose you're someone that I wanted to bid farewell to."

"Did you tell Naruto?"

Shaking her head, Hinata replied, "No, he doesn't really need to know about all of these anymore. I don't want him to be filled with guilt when it's not even his fault. Besides, Hanabi-chan will be coming with me!"

"Oh, alright then. Have a safe trip, and write to me, alright?" Sakura smiled, as both ladies exchanged one last hug before Hinata left.

Entering into her office, Sakura plopped down on her seat. She stared at a large stack of paperwork that needed to be done, as if trying to get rid of it just by staring at it. Just as she was about to start, a pair of arms wrapped around her neck and hands covered her eyes.

"Guess who?"

"Lemme guess, it's orange idiot."

"Mou, Sakura-chan, that's mean!" Naruto folded his arms and turned his head to the side in a childish fashion. Smiling, Sakura stood up and wrapped her arms around him for a hug. Placing a chaste kiss on his mouth, Sakura beamed at the foxy grin that Naruto gave.

"I love you"

"Love you too" Naruto replied.