~Eternally Yours~ (a sakura fanfiction)

Chapter Four: *Kakashi's Lesson*

     I woke up this morninng with a headache, thinking about everything that happened yesterday.

     I went to the bathroom, took a warm shower, got dressed, then went to the kitchen to cook breakfast.

     After I finished eating, I ran off to the hospital and did my usual routines.

Meanwhile..

     Kakashi went to the Hokage's office to seek Tsunade's permission. "Okay then, but you have to keep an eye on him," the Hokage said.

     "I assure you, he won't get into any trouble at all." Kakashi told her as he walked out of the door. "And Kakashi," she called out,

"Be careful.." he nodded.

     Kakashi was escorted by an ANBU then brought him to the room where Sasuke was being kept.

    Once the man left, Kakashi directed his attention to the teenager who was sitting on a bed in front of him.

     "Sasuke, come with me." Then they both ran off to a forest, not far from the Leaf.

     "Familiar?" his sensei asked. "Yeah, brings back a lot of memories." the young Uchiha answered.

     "We're here." they both stopped at the same place where Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke took Kakashi's bell test.

     They slowly walked towards a large stone with names carved on it. "Why bring me here, Kakashi?" "Remember what I told you this place is?", the grey-haired man asked his student, hoping he would recall their early days of Team 7.

     "A memorial," he replied "for the village's heroes who died during the war. But I still don't get it."

     "I told you a couple of years ago, my friend's name was also carved here," he explained "Well, I lied. She's not just friend to me.." he knelt down, and placed his index finger on one of the names.

     "Who is she?" Sasuke asked standing behind his sensei. "A team mate," Kakashi answered as he bowed his head and closed his eyes.

     "Sasuke, I want you to listen, and understand the story I'm going to tell you," he started off.

      "I was also twelve when we were joined together as a team. I was a little like you back then -cold, arrogant, distant, anti-social- yup, that was me. She, at the other hand, was a lot more like Sakura -sweet, strong, joyful and ambitious... She was also my biggest "fangirl" when we were young; she always cared for me, concerned like hell in everything I do; she'd always scold me like my mother; always tried her best to make me notice her, but I never even gave her a chance..You know why? because I always saw her as nothing more than an annoying little girl who just had a childish crush on me."

     "But when she died during the Great Shinobi War," he paused for a moment "then, something snapped in me... something, I should have realized earlier."

     "What was it?" Sasuke just had to know.

     "I needed her.. I don't why, but when she died, I suddenly felt empty inside. Like there was something or someone missing. Then it finally hit me.. I miss her, I miss her laugh, her bright 'hello' , the way she'd care for me when no one else did.. I miss her concern, her lectures, and how she'd try to make things right. I then regreted every minute wasted not acknowledging her. If there was only a way I could go back in time and save her, I'd even exchange my life in doing so to give her the affection she truly deserves. She brought happiness into my sad and lonely life, because... I never really want to admit it at first, but.. I realized, I loved her." Kakashi told his student who was still silent, while tears rolled down the Jounin's face "And I still do.."

     As soon as he finished, it started to rain, but the two remained in their position.

     "Sasuke," Kakashi broke the silence as he stood up and looked at his student, both wet in the rain.

     "Don't make the same mistake I did, you still have a chance at happiness to escape your lonely life."

     With that, Kakashi slowly walked away, passing his student as the rain poured harder.

     Sasuke just stood there for a while, looking at the large stone, focusing his eyes at the name Kakashi pointed at...

.. Rin Nohara.

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