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S A K U R A D R O P S
佐倉は落ちる

By LianFex

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Fall in love, then it ends
I swear: This will be my last heartbreak
Even the cherry blossom trees shaking in the wind,
will bloom one day soon.

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"Good mornin', Hinata-chan!"

Her dark locks danced along the soft caress of the afternoon wind. Her steps were slow, unhurried and silent and as her sandaled feet stepped along the graveled pathway, her solemn pale eyes are blank and devoid of any emotions. The setting sun painted patches of red and oranges along the way and the trees nearby swayed along with the breeze.

Memories of the past flashbacked in the recesses of her mind--the part where she could retreat in the fading recollections of yesterday and the part where she won't be hurt by the harsh truth of reality.

"Hey, how are you? You looked down. Are you alright?"

"Ne, Hina-chan! Look! Look at what I caught! We got a big fish tonight, haha!"

It was so apparent--so evident. The slow breaking sound of glass was loud in her ears. She could almost see it: how those spindly web arms snaking its way around the glass ornament, breaking it apart. It was so clear--so unrefined. One would look at her and could hear the loud shattering of her own heart in pieces.

"I like you, Hina-chan. I really do."

She stopped right in front of a bench underneath a cherry blossoms tree and sat on it. It was a silent place: where only few people would notice and come. The Sakura tree was dead: its lovely pink blossoms gone and its branches dry and withered.

It was a pretty lonesome place.

"I like you, Hina-chan. I really do."

Pictures of them together: laughing, fooling around. Scenarios of the past flickered in her mind and she felt like breaking up. She could remember the times vividly well: their first date, the funny moments, their first kiss. When he walked up right in front of her and everybody and declared his love for her, when he nearly spilled his soda on her dress during their first date, when she received a single rose from him even if there was no occasion and when their first kiss was interrupted right after it started: she could remember it well enough.

Oh, how she loved him.

And yet…and yet…

"I like you, Hina-chan. I really do."

"But…I'm tired of this relationship. I don't mean to hurt you. I think we have to break up."

Four years of being together down the drain. It hurt. It broke her heart. She didn't know what to do and how to react. It's like she was on the standstill. She couldn't hear the words clearly after he dropped the bomb. She knew. She knew he's getting bored with it all. She knew he's still in love with her friend. She even knew they were fooling around behind her back.

And yet, she let them.

It hurts too much just to think about it. The lies, she can see past through it. She knew this time will come but she never knew it would be too soon. It hurts too much she could barely stand the ache. It numbed her soul. It broke her heart apart: too little, too plenty of glass shards that it will be near to impossible to mend it back again.

It hurts too much that she couldn't possibly cry.

The bench she was sitting on groaned slightly as a new weight landed on its other side. She didn't have to turn to know who it was. She knew. The atmosphere in the air whenever he is with her is slightly different than normal. It was like he was collecting the air around him: as if he belonged everywhere.

They were silent. They had always been the different kind of friends. Strange as it seem, it was like on the different level than their friendship with the rest. They had always been silent--barely exchanging any words at all. But they knew each other well and had a lot of similarities than any one would like to admit.

It was odd, to say the least. A strange cross between acquaintance and friends: that's how their relationship may be defined. But there is something else, as what some people knew. He did. She didn't. Some people did. And like everybody would say, it is really different.

"It hurts, Sasuke." She said, eyes not leaving the gravel pattern on the streets. He didn't move nor did his eyes flicker one bit.

"I know."

"He said…he s-said…we have to…b-break up." Her voice quivered and broke but her gaze never falter nor did lose its blank look.

"Hm."

"I…I already k-knew about…I mean, his r-relationship with S-Sakura. But…but I never knew that…t-that…" She stopped, afraid to continue. He finally glanced at her way, his expression on his face betraying none of his true emotions inside. It was hard, but he knew better than to show her what he felt right at this moment.

"Hinata," He said, in his usual monotonous voice. She glanced at him slightly. "Please cry."

"W-what?" She looked at him, incredulously. "W-what do you m-mean? I-I…I'd never…I--"

She stopped herself when she felt a single tear fall on her right cheek. She placed her finger on it and stared at the wet liquid in bewilderment. Soon, they kept on falling and it was then that she realized that she's finally crying.

Her body wracked into silent sobs as her eyes flooded with her tears. It felt so good to finally release the pain inside but it hurts a lot. She closed her eyes shut, willing for her tears to stop falling. But they kept on coming and she was afraid that she couldn't stop.

"Hinata," He said again as he watched her crying as she covered her face. It pained him to see her like this and it took all his self-control not to pummel a certain someone. He tried to pry her hands away from her face but found out that he couldn't.

So instead, acting out of impulse, he reached out and hugged her tight, afraid to let go. She was stunned that she froze. She couldn't see his face, and yet, something in his embrace that made her wonder what exactly is he thinking. Slowly, she eased down and leaned her head on his chest, glad to have him by her side. Tears still fell but she's not longer trying to hold it back.

"It really hurts…"

"I know." He said again as his arms enveloped her.

Sitting on a wooden old bench, right underneath the withered Sakura tree, he comforted her. It was late afternoon and the soft caress of the wind relaxed them both. And when she stopped crying, he never removed his arms from her. And it was during this time when he wondered if he'll tell her. Tell her that he loved her all along, that all he wanted was to be by her side, that all he wanted was her.

But he knew that right now, all she wanted was a friend. He'll be willing to be one, but he also knew that if ever she wanted to have someone by her side forever, that will be Naruto. So he'll wait yet again. He's willing to wait yet another five years, if that is what she wanted.

He could be her friend until she needs him.

But one day, he swore to himself. One day, he'll tell her how he feels. And then maybe, she'll finally see him as who he is.

"Sasuke?" She whispered as he walked her back to the Hyuuga compound. He turned his head slightly to her direction. "I thank you."

"Hm. I know."

END