It's my last chapter! I really hope you enjoyed this story. My next story will be a NaruSasu. I'm pretty excited to start writing it (it will be a lot more...profound), so I expect it shall be out soon after this.

Enjoy!


Chapter Ten: Dry Cereal

He flips the coin and smirks at his newborn luck. Sasuke stuffs the coin into his pocket and then hammers two pans together to awaken his partner, Uzumaki Naruto, who was, in spite of everything, fast asleep. After they get prepared, they depart from their hotel room to start scouring the city again. Despite the fact that it's been two weeks since Itachi had vanished, neither of them lost hope (a new sensation for the Uchiha). Naruto relentlessly encourages, and Sasuke perseveres thanks to that.

Asuma, who had recently left Tokyo to head back to Konoha, and called them both one of a kind friends. Both of them decided not to inform the policeman that 'friends' wasn't exactly the most accurate word for their relationship.

"Day fifteen," Naruto declares as he steps out into Japan's powerful heat. He scans the crowd of people moving imperturbably by. He doesn't witness anyone that's significant, but the disappointment of that disappeared long ago. To be honest, neither of them assumed that they would find Itachi – even though they both wished they would.

"Day fifteen and he's probably in America by now," Sasuke murmurs tetchily. Naruto grins. Sasuke always complains and objects, but he carries on, anyway.

Naruto never proposed to stop their quest after their disagreement from before. Though the facts are still nagging at his mind, repeating them like a broken record that just won't fully shatter, he attempts to ignore them. "S'uke," Naruto remarks. "You seem tired."

"I am tired, idiot."

"I mean…of this."

Sasuke's eyes snap away from the moving multitude of the busy Japanese. He's silent for a while, until he acknowledges (ever petulantly), "Aren't we all?" Then, he inspects the crowd again with his onyx eyes. Naruto shrugs and doesn't utter another syllable. Whether Sasuke gives up or not isn't up to him. And if Sasuke isn't going to resign, Naruto definitely is not.

Neither of them will break. But it doesn't mean that they don't want to.


No calls, no messages, no money. Not even from Sasuke's college savings. Naruto's stomach keeps grumbling and Sasuke's mouth keeps grumbling. All they ever eat is dry cereal and dark chocolate that Naruto brought. When they began to snooze out in the streets along with the homeless, both were beginning to think of crossing the line and heading back home. Still, they're playing their game. Neither will snap until the other does.

"Day…ah, screw it," Naruto groans, fanning himself with his hand as he and Sasuke lay on the park grass. The green blades were lately sprinkled, so the cold water feels great against their sweaty backs. He shields his blue eyes from the scorching sun as they survey the clouds as they pass by. Their minute light of hope dimmed down to a mere flame on an infinitesimal birthday candle. Naruto turns onto his side to face the other teenager. "What do we do now?"

Sasuke is hushed for a lengthy period. His eyes are closed, making the blonde assume that he fell asleep, that is, until he responds: "I don't know, Naruto. I don't know." The Uchiha sits up and sighs, "He's out there. Just not here."

Naruto snorts. "Either that or he's here but he's excellent at hiding. By the way…it's month one and day five."

Now, it's Sasuke's turn to groan.


This is the last message I'll send.

You've been out here pursuing for me for longer than I expected. In fact, I didn't imagine that you would search for me at all. The two people whom I trusted information with evidently enlightened you about my whereabouts. Still, at this point, I don't think that it will make a notable dent.

I hoped you would have guessed my motives and understood them by now, but maybe I underestimated you (or maybe I didn't?). Either way, I will explain everything.

Repentance. It's the only fuel to this flame. If you still don't understand, think about how you are right now, and how you used to be. Think about what happened to your parents, and who murdered your parents. Sasuke, think about your sudden good luck – even I didn't anticipate that. If you still can't comprehend the details, I'll tell you.

Kakashi was necessary for me to make my escape without making it too suspicious. Years ago, through my father, Fugaku, I discovered that he works undercover, and I applied that to my advantage. Even if you were to find out that he wasn't really working for the police at the time, it would be too late by then. I would have been long gone.

Still, I didn't trust Kakashi with certain facts. I needed to tell you about what I've done – and Haruno Sakura was supposed to do that. I noticed her crush on you, Sasuke. With those kinds of feelings that are difficult to put out, she was a shortcut.

Yet, in the end, they both failed to keep their mouths shut. I wouldn't blame them – both of you seem so helpless. Just looking at the two of you makes anybody want to change their ways.

Sasuke, there is a reason that I selected that particular apartment for us to live in. Naruto, there is a reason that I implored you to watch over my little brother for me. In fact, I'm still getting over the shock that all of this worked out just as planned. You both fell in love, and through that, I know your lives will be much better.

If you still don't see the big picture (and I don't blame you…rereading this makes me sound like a crazy man), I suppose you don't have to.

(Sasuke, don't worry about me. I'm content just seeing you happy.)

-Itachi


"We're going home." Naruto smiles his signature Uzumaki smile at Sasuke as they sit on the ferry. Sasuke sends him his signature Uchiha scowl, but, after a while, the blonde senses a force pulling the corners of his mouth upwards.

Because, after all that has happened, Sasuke has to admit that Konoha does seem like home.

When they made the decision yesterday to go back to Konoha, they phoned the Hokage, who generously funded their trip. Naruto instantaneously began to act so very excited. "Senior year! Senior year! You will come, right, Sasuke?"

"It's illegal not to come…so, yeah."

"Yay!"

"Yay."

Naruto leans forward and kisses him, for the first time since they received that letter that mysteriously appeared in Sasuke's backpack. The ferry begins moving and the two of them break away from each other, still slightly embarrassed.

Sasuke turns and looks out the window, one last close-up view of Tokyo. His eyes spy someone familiar (yet not quite), watching them as the boat moves away. A smile is on the man's face – and the smile actually reaches his eyes. Sasuke's heart skips a beat as the stranger says something. He blinks and rubs his eyes and looks again but he cannot find that man again.

Maybe it was just his imagination.


Hiding from Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke was rather effortless. The day when he arrived in Tokyo, he took scissors to his lengthy hair. If his mother were around, she'd probably scold him until there was no tomorrow. The mere thought brought more nostalgic moments to his head – and those memories fueled his desire to keep going.

And now, seeing the ferry float away was among the most complicated things he had to do. The boat represents his previous life, the one that held all of his sins and regrets. Letting them go is easier said than done…but he does so, anyway.

Uchiha Itachi spies his younger brother looking out the window. For a split second, their eyes fell upon each other. A small smile spreads across his face. "I'll miss you."

He turns from the harbor and walks away.

End Rabbit's Foot.


I feel accomplished…Please review if you have any questions, uncertainties or complaints.

Thank you all for your never ending support!

Serephy