One Missing Piece: Love

Heart Shattered, Goodbye Forever

             Sasuke stared at the picture of him and Naruto at the lantern festival. They looked so happy, yet so painful now. Sasuke broke the memory, and couldn't help but frown. 'What happened to us...' Sasuke thought. It was a question he always wanted to know. He turned away from Naruto. He fell out of love. 'I wonder what life would be like if I still loved him, how happy would we be...' Sasuke wondered, but quickly brushed the thought away. 'That reminds me, Naruto still has the family ring, I need to get it back somehow, so I can give it to Sakura when I propose.'  Sasuke reminded himself. 

             Sasuke took a warm, meaningful shower. He felt refreshed, yet sad. He had wished to marry Sakura just now, yet the memory of him and Naruto had popped up in his mind, he would never ever forget the day he met Naruto. Never. But he didn't want to put Naruto in such pain by telling him he wants to break up. Sasuke stood in the shower for what seemed like hours, and he finally got out due to a crash coming from the living room. Sasuke took his sweet time drying off, and then went to check on what the sound was. It turns out the sound was Tenten doing a victory dance and tipped a chair over by accident. Sasuke face palmed, but then noticed that they were playing a different game. Sasuke sighed, and took out his phone. 

Hey Sasuke, did you pack? - 9:48 Sakura

Oh yeah, the flight is at 4 tomorrow. I'll go pack now. - 9:48 Sasuke

Sasuke sighed, and started packing. Sakura had told him they would be staying at New Orleans for three days. 

            "Bye, Tenten! See you soon!" Naruto yelled. "Bye Naruto!" Tenten waved. "Oi, Naruto." Sasuke called. "I'll be leaving to New Orleans for three days." Sasuke informed. "Oh! Can I come too?" Naruto asked. "No! I mean It's a business trip." Sasuke objected. Naruto nodded, and left to clean up. 'This is perfect, while me and Sakura are in New Orleans, I'll propose to her. I'm pretty sure I have a spare ring in my office. I'll replace that ring with the family ring after I come back. One problem; Naruto has the family ring.' Sasuke planned. 

      Naruto woke up with a horrible feeling. He turned to his side, where Sasuke had his back turned to the other side of the bed. Naruto wanted to hug him, and stay like that forever, never letting go, but he knew that Sasuke would push him away, far away. 

                   "I'm off to work." Sasuke said. Naruto nodded, and watched as Sasuke drove off. He started off to Yahiko's to see his tasks. 

Naruto had just gotten back, and it was almost time for Sasuke to leave for New Orleans. Yahiko had let Naruto go home early to say goodbye to Sasuke. Naruto turned the key, and the first thing he saw when he stepped in were jewelry. A necklace on the ground, and earrings on the coffee table. A expensive pair of high heels was placed neatly on the shoe shelf, but the thing thta bothered Naruto most was the scent of a heavy perfume. Women's perfume. Naruto's heart quickened, and his head was spinning. 'I-is Sasuke cheating?' Naruto thought. He dashed out, and caught his breath again. 'He's probably Wait, that was Sakura's perfume! Yeah! He must have invited Sakura over to discuss business!' Naruto convinced himself, as he ran far, far away.

When Naruto came back, the high heels and jewelry were gone. Naruto sighed in relief, and went to check on what Sasuke packed, and if it was enough. Clothes, swim gear, money, and... a ring?! Naruto's vision was blurred with tears. That was the final straw. He had seen the ring. And it wasn't for him. He had loved Sasuke to the fullest, he tried to satisfy him with every need. But it wasn't enough. It never was. His love was one sided. He had known that from the day Sasuke got drunk, and he had tried to help him, but Sasuke threw a beer bottle right at his back. The scar still lures there, both mentally and physically. After that day, Sasuke started acting cold. He only gave him half hearted smiles and coldness. Naruto couldn't take it anymore. He burst out in tears and ran away. Far, far, far away. Into a empty sorrow. 

              "Are you all packed Sasuke? Do you need me to drive you there?" Naruto asked. Sasuke replied with a head shake, and Naruto wanted to hug him. To touch him one last time. To talk to him one more time. Naruto leaned in, but Sasuke flinched, and pulled away. Naruto's cracked heart started cracking once again. Naruto hid his face in his hands, he didn't want Sasuke to see him break down in tears. "Y-Yeah... Goodbye Sasuke," Naruto tried his best not to cry. Forever....

     Sasuke leaned back in his airplane seat. Sakura was sitting comfortably beside him, but Sasuke had a uneasy feeling, but decided to brush it off. 

 New Orleans was colorful, and full of beaches. The sky was a dim colro, and the city lights were burning brightly. 'Reminds me of the time me and Naruto went to New York- No! what am I thinking, I'm about to propose to Sakura tomorrow, I can't think of my soon to be ex- lover now' Sasuke shook his head. 

The hotel was really pretty, with a view of the city, and the beach. It was a 4 star hotel. Sakura plopped down on the bed, while Sasuke went to the balcony to think about the plan. 'There's a fancy restaurant nearby, it's facing the water, and it has a massive deck. I'll have dinner there tomorrow, and then propose.' Sasuke planned. 

Naruto was heartbroken. No, far worse. something that words could not describe. He felt like he had been stabbed through the heart, and somehow kept living, only to suffer the pain. 'Was all that happened between us over? What about that promise we made that day? Was it all a joke? 

Did he ever really love me?'