So...this is the end. Sorry it took so long to upload, I re-wrote it a few times because I really wanted it to give justice to the rest of the story. I think it does.

"Oh well, oh well.

I still hope for the best.

Say goodbye and send me off with a kiss farewell,

and I promise I'll be just as strong as I can be.

Maybe you could get some sleep tonight."

I'd like to say life went on. I'd like to say everything eventually moved on without Sasuke and we all fell into a new routine, where no one really mentioned him and no one really cared.

But that'd be a lie. I haven't moved on. The memory of the last kiss still floats on my lips, and will haunt my memory more than even Suigetsu's. His text messages are still saved on my phone, some of them from the very beginning of the school year.

I haven't actually been to that restaurant since Sasuke left.

I kept thinking that I'd wake up, and it'd all have been a dream. Sasuke's arms might still hold me, or Karin might still hate me. Eventually, I started to think maybe the entire first half of senior year had been a dream—it's not like it had any real ramifications after the whole Suigetsu drama had ended. It's like Sasuke's departure had ended everything that had been going on.

But that's because it did.

So now was graduation. I am not the valedictorian (I know. You're shocked), but I was in the top 5%, so I sat up front in my golden neck-thingy (who cares what it's called) and waited for Shikamaru to finish his speech so we could all get this over with and move on with our lives.

Sasuke was not at graduation. I had been to his apartment multiple times, especially the first couple weeks he left, to no avail, but for some reason, I still felt a pang of disappointment at the empty seat in the top 5% section reserved for "Uchiha, Sasuke".

Afterwards, Naruto and I stood outside the familiar building while huddles of families exited the building. My parents had already taken multiple pictures and were chatting with Ino's parents, so we just stood there in nostalgia looking at the big, concrete edifice.

"High-five," Naruto said, grinning, and holding his palm out to me. I did as I was told and smiled in return.

"Well Naruto—despite all the odds, you've made it through high school. What're you gonna do now?" I hadn't asked it seriously—I was waiting for a jokingly immature 'I'm going to Disneyworld!' or something along those lines, but Narutos' grin immediately faded into a determined frown.

"I'm going to find Sasuke." I cringed. I couldn't help it, I didn't want to. But I did. The mention of his name made me want to turn around and look for his car in the parking lot, or run to his locker to see if he was waiting for me. But I knew he wasn't. And it was not easy having to remind myself every time someone said his name.

"Naruto, please. Forget about it. I know you promised, but—sometimes, promises are made to be broken. Maybe we should just give up on this," I responded, calmly. I wasn't desperate. In all honesty, I wanted to help him. But there was no need, really. Even if we found Sasuke, what were we gonna do, bring him back? Fat chance.

Naruto shook his head, though. "Let me do it, Sakura. I'll bring him back to Konoha if it's the last thing I do."

…

-4 YEARS LATER-

'Pomp and Circumstance' played loudly as I walked across the stage for the second time in my life. Not the same stage—though ironically, only 15 miles from it—but a stage nonetheless. Ino grinned at me from the chairs below and I found my parents in the stand, waving and doing the motions of clapping without actually doing it, after following the rules of the dean who had told everyone to wait to the end.

College was different then high school—it sounds cliché, but it's true. Naruto wasn't around anymore—he had decided to take a two-year break, and although we still spoke sometimes, I'm not really sure where he is now. Ino majored in Pre-Med as well, and we were leaving for the Suna medical school next month.

Travelling—whether it be far, near, by plane, by car, or anything—made me think of him. Of Sasuke. And even though everyone loves travel, I hate it. I don't like leaving. Not because I feel like I'm leaving behind his memory, but because every time I try and think of riding on a train or something, I imagine his face when he was leaving konoha.

Over the years, I've grown a sort of anger over what he did. He wasn't just my boyfriend, but he was my best friend—and that's what hurt. Was that he would leave THAT behind. And all I could think of was, 'why?' Why would he throw his entire life away for a school that barely had what he wanted? Did he just up and leave so he wouldn't have to deal with any drama? Well I hope he got what he deserved at Oto.

"Sakura?" Ino called, her heels clicking against the stone as she ran over to me after the ceremony. I smiled.

"Hey, college grad. So, are you ready for life to finally begin?"

"Ready for more parties?" I shook my head and sighed. Once a party-girl, always a party-girl. Shikamaru came up behind her and threw his arm over her shoulder.

"Congrats, girls. Ready for Med-school?" He asked lazily, dusting a piece of hair off her robe. She simply smiled and kissed him swiftly on the lips.

"More ready than you are for law school."

"How troublesome."

Suigetsu also slid up next to us, but just smiled with me as Ino poked Shikamaru in the side.

"So I guess this is it," He said, offering his hand out to me. I shook it.

"Guess so."

"See you at reunion?" He asked, grinning crookedly. I laughed.

"See you." Karin strolled over, finally, after a short discussion with Juugo. She entertwined her fingers with Suigetsu's and began to pull him towards the exit.

"C'mon! We're gonna miss the after party!" She claimed, trying desperately to get him to move. He waved at me before turning around to wrap his arms around her waist as they left.

And my phone started ringing. Well, not ringing. Vibrating. Naruto's name flashed across the screen.

I plugged one of my ears—the one NOT on the phone, duh. "Hello?"

"Sakura! Hey—first of all, congrats, grad. Secondly, are you busy?"

"I—yeah, kinda. Why?"

"I found Sasuke."

…

All I was thinking as I stripped my gown off at the red light and called my parents to explain why I left at the next was, 'I should be over him. I shouldn't want to rush away from my college graduation to find him'. But I wasn't. And I did.

I threw my heels off at a stop sign and almost yanked my parking break out as I pulled into the High School parking lot (where he told me to meet him).

I lunged myself out of my car and ran barefoot around the back to meet Naruto on the other side, next to an old silver—something.

"Finally got your license?" I asked, breathing in deeply before I spoke to catch my breathe. He stuck his tongue out at me.

"He's still in Oto. I found his apartment. Before you ask, no, I haven't been doing only that. I got an associate degree in criminal justice. So—I got two tickets for a plane that leaves in an hour. Think we can make it?" I blinked quickly. No time for thinking.

"We can try."

…

Exactly sixty minutes later, I was sitting in a plane barefoot with Naruto, with no suitcase, and no idea what the hell I was doing.

"How long are we gonna be in Oto?"

"I didn't buy tickets for a ride back. So uh…depends on the bus schedule, I guess." I facepalmed. Of course he hadn't planned ahead. I can't believe I agreed to this. I unfolded a picture of Sasuke and I from the back of my phone case ((A/N: Think of an iPhone. Think of a case. She put the picture in between the back of the phone and the case, so it's literally in the case.)) and traced the creases it had made over the years.

I don't really feel like analyzing the symbolism of the time-created creases, but Sasuke's face made me more nervous than anything else. Like, what if he moved on? What if he had a girlfriend? Hell, what if he's married? Less than that, what if he hasn't even thought about us in the last 4 years, and barely remembers our names?

But 'What if's' don't solve anything. Naruto put his arm around me and enveloped me in a hug as the attendant announced that we had about an hour and a half to go.

…

Naruto and I had split up to search the apartments. We took a taxi there, and Naruto was sure this was the plaza, but didn't know the number (how that worked, I will never know.)

And I saw him.

He was in a new grey hoodie. Maybe it wasn't new, but it wasn't his black one, so it was new enough for me. His shoes looked expensive. His hair looked stabbingly familiar, though, and his eyes as he scanned the 'Community Bulletin' looked painfully recognizable.

What am I supposed to say? Does it even matter?

I decided I'd figure that out later.

"Sasuke!" I called,then chickened out and jumped behind a bush. He looked around momentarily, then analyzed where the sound came from and began walking towards the bush. Oops.

"S-Sakura?" He sounded incredulous. I probably would too.

"Hey," I replied sheepishly, standing up and dusting off my dress.

"You uh—you aren't wearing shoes."

"I got kind of urgent news and rushed a little."

"And you're in a fancy dress."

"I graduated 3 hours ago."

"From Konoha?"

"I—Sasuke! I don't want to play catch up! I want to play the FAQ game—like, I don't know, 'Why did you leave?' or, 'Why did you kiss me, knock me out, then disappear out of my life for 4 years without any communication?'" I said quickly, running my hands through my carefully-curled hair.

"I had too, Sakura."

"Bullshit." I don't cuss. But I'm pissed right now.

"You don't understand."

"You wouldn't let me! Don't use those old excuses now, Sasuke. It's too late for that," I said quietly, shaking my head as I spoke. He turned to face me.

"Look, I—I have to find my brother."

"And I had to find you. Sasuke, look—I need closure. I need something other than being knocked out and left to stew for 4 years."

"I missed you guys too, Sakura, but time right now isn't going to make us feel any better. I can't be around you because you are way too much of everything I've ever wanted." I wasn't sure if I was just slapped in the face or reassured.

"What?" seemed like my best choice for a reply.

"I can't be distracted by you, Sakura. I have to get my brother. Have to," He said, emphasizing it with his hands.

"So that's it? I can't help you? I can't—I don't know, stay in contact with you? I'm not asking for a boyfriend that left me, Sasuke, I'm asking for a lost best friend. Just shoot me a fucking email once in a while."

Sasuke didn't reply—old habits die hard, I guess. And I walked away. From everything I've ever dreamed of, and the only think I could think of for 4 years. Because maybe all I wanted was to get that out. I just needed that closure.

"Did you find Sasuke?" Naruto said, breathless, as he ran around the last of his 'half'.

I shook my head and lied. "Nope. Nothing."

"Maybe he's not home?"

"I uh—I asked the receptionist at the front. Said there was no listing for 'Uchiha' or 'Sasuke' and she'd never seen him," I lied again. I don't know why I didn't want Naruto to see Sasuke—maybe I didn't really want Naruto to bring him back. As little sense as that made.

Naruto, however, looked crushed. "Let's just stay a while longer. Maybe he'll show up."

"You can," I said solemnly, heading for the front and dialing for another taxi, "I'm going to the bus station."

…

And now I'm sitting at a bus station in Otogakure, with no shoes on, in a fancy dress, in the rain. It's 11pm here, which means it's 1AM in Konoha. My eyes starting to flutter shut, but I was jolted awake by the sound of thunder.

"Sakura." It was Sasuke's voice. As little as I've heard it, I could pick out his soft whisper in a crowd of screaming…well, anything. Screaming anythings.

"How'd you know I was here?"

"Not fair. I didn't ask that," He replied, sitting down on the bench next to me. I just scoffed.

"Look, Sakura, I'd love to be your friend, really—but I seriously can't."

"Okay. Bye," I said. I felt tears storing in my tear ducts and I suddenly wanted this day to be over.

We sat in silence for a few seconds.

"Here." He handed me a piece of paper, extremely folded and pretty wet. I carefully unfolded it.

'Meet me at 8'

…

And so I waited. At 8PM, the day after I got home, I went to the restaurant. I had no idea who the hostess was. She looked up as the bell rang above my head, and I sauntered into the back corner without waiting for her to acknowledge my existence. She didn't seem to mind.

8:15. Nothing.

8:30. Nothing.

9:00. Nothing.

I started to think this was dumb—no, I knew it was dumb. I don't know why I kept letting myself believe everything was going to be okay. It clearly wasn't.

10:00. Nothing.

I was about to leave I was getting tired, and they close at 11:00. Just as I was getting up, however, the bell rang above the door. The familiar head of black hair came in, ignoring the hostess's greeting and walking to the table in the back, where I was.

"I forgot there was a time difference. My uh…my watch is still in otogakure," He explained, holding up his watch to display '8PM'.

I didn't say anything and just looked up at him.

"Listen, Sakura—I don't—I shouldn't be here. I'm only hurting myself, I know it. But if hurting myself is what has to happen for me to feel as powerful as I do when I'm around you—then call me a masochist. Hell, call me the King of Masochists and lump me in with the narcissists. I don't give a damn. I just know that you need to be with me," He said, sitting down and spewing this very quickly. I still looked at him carefully.

"Why now?"

"Because seeing you yesterday made me remember. Everything. And I remembered why I was so strong—because of you, Sakura. Because I had something other than just revenge to fight for. And I need that feeling," He explained, looking at the table as he spoke. Apparently even Sasuke can't keep an angry girl's eye contact.

I melted anyways. I know I shouldn't, and I know it's wrong, but I leaned over and pulled him against me (which was probably more of pulling him down to me, but he hoisted me up so my I was standing on my knees and my face was in his chest). And I started to cry.

I wish I didn't, really, because it just seemed so lame to do something like that. But right now, all I was thinking about was him. The same person I had tried so hard to forget about the last 4 years. The same person who had pretty much ruined my college life. The same person who left his best friends 4 years ago in search of power, that I had mentally sworn never to forgive; yet here I was, forgiving him.

"Promise," I sniffled, pulling a little away from his shirt so he could hear me, "promise you'll stay."

"I can't stay, Sakura, I'm sorry," he said, pulling me gently against him again.

"Then why did you come back," I sighed. This extremely cliché conversation is already exhausting me.

"I need to know you're safe. I need to know that even though you can't be in my arms, you'll be in somebody's, and you'll still be you. I need to know that you'll forget about me, Sakura, please," He said, stroking my hair.

"Then go, Sasuke," I sobbed, "Leave this goddamn planet. Leave the universe. Just—get away from me. Forget about ME, Sasuke, and I'll forget about you. You go ahead and let another girl in on everything you've been through, maybe SHE'LL understand. Because seriously Sasuke, I'm to INNOCENT. You remember when you told that to me?" I spoke bitterly, glaring at him from under my bangs. A moment of hurt (I guess) flashed across Sasuke's cold features.

"How," he whispered, "could I ever forget about you?"

I chuckled bitterly. "Then how do you expect me to forget about you?"

"New plan," he said suddenly, letting me go and settling down on the other side of the bench. The hostess, at this point, was giving us very strange looks.

"Spill." I was still sniffling, but I had calmed myself down enough to hold a glare.

"I know you can't come with me. And you know I can't stay here—" I considered interrupting him with something like, 'know, but don't know why,' but I wanted to hear the rest of his speech so I resisted "—but it was stupid of me to think we can't still stay in touch. We have cell phones. We have a postal service. Hell, Sakura, I'd yell to you if it meant still hearing your voice. So what if we just—keep in touch? I'm sure you'll have missions that'll swing by wherever I am, and I'll sneak into the Suna—that's the Pre-Med school you wanted to go to, right?—once in a while. I need you, Sakura, because you are my power, and I'm a lot stronger when I have people to be strong for."

I wanted to tell him that hearing his voice occasionally or feeling his arms around me once in a blue moon wasn't enough. I wouldn't have a mission every night, and eventually he would realize that his brother isn't right outside the sand village. But if this was the only chance I would have with Sasuke, then so be it. We'll make this work. It has to work.

So I chuckled. "You're repeating yourself."

"Is that an ok? Because I'll probably try calling you anyway."

"That'll be a first," I mumbled jokingly, but I smiled, "but yes, it is."

Sasuke smirked and slid out of the booth, then held his hand out to me.

"Well, Sakura. Looks like my endeavors have brought me near the leaf village tonight," He said, pulling me out of my seat. I smiled.

"I guess you could stay at my place," I replied, smiling up at him. He leaned down and pressed his lips against mine, and I wrapped my hands around his neck, where they belong.

And even though I was scared to death that I'd lose him again, or someone would find him and I'd have to explain, I wasn't thinking about that. All I could think of as I smiled against his lips was that he still tasted like root beer.

So that's the end :,( I hope you guys found it as entertaining as I intended it to be. It took quite a bit of effort.

C'mon, people, it's the end. The least you could do is review.