Kaze no koibitō

29

Dear Naruto,

It was so very hard to get out of bed this morning. It's been a while since I last wrote, but then, as the years went by, I somewhat forgot the purpose. I'm sorry for that. I know you must have been lonely without me writing. I know that sounds silly. Let me fill you in on what's happened since I last wrote.

We now live in a world without war, one where everyone lives in harmony. Oh, there's still little minor hiccups every now and then, but there have been no major battles or skirmishes in decades. Everyone heard of your sacrifice and chose to honor it.

I was sad when you left, even though now I understand why you did. You didn't have a choice. I'm proud of you for being as brave as you were. I don't know if I could have done that in your place.

I miss you, Naruto. I've missed you every day since that dreadful, horrible day. I tried to be happy for you, I really did. I tried to move on. I watched our friends get married, have children, and be happy. I watched your legacy grow, even when you weren't around. I've tried to uphold that legacy.

I know you still watch over me. I know that, because the gardenias grow thicker in our home than they do anywhere else in the world. And there's that particular yellow rose garden outside the bedroom window that always grows in the shape of a heart.

I miss you, Naruto. The few years we had together weren't enough. I want to hold you. I want to kiss you. I want to just know that you're there. I'd storm the gates of hell if I knew you were there and I'd do the same thing to heaven.

I never had any children of my own. I tried to find someone else to love, because you said you wanted me happy. There was this one boy from Kusagakure that I thought I loved, but no one could ever compare to you. My heart belongs to you, Naruto. It always has, it always will. You were my happiness.

It's been years and now our friends are passing on as well. I'm one of the oldest, so I guess I'm one of the next to go. My yellow hair that you loved so much is white now and I can't hold my fan anymore. Haven't picked the damn thing up in years. It's disheartening actually.

I've chronicled your life into a book and titled it The Legend of the Gutsy Ninja 2, in honor of Jiraiya. It's popular amongst the children. Speaking of children, your class all graduated, just as you said they would. The Chuunin Exams are more of a spectacle now than they are a simulation. But your kids swept the whole thing.

By the way, your two top students ended in a tie. They couldn't beat each other and they dedicated the match to your memory. It was sweet and creepy, in a hero worship kind of way.

Tsunade passed on a couple years after Amegakure. I'm sure you've run into her up there. I'm sure that you're still getting onto her for gambling. I'm sure she's still wrangling Jiraiya away from bathhouses. And I'm sure Kakashi still reads Jiraiya's porn.

That's their heavens. Want to hear what mine is?

You and me. That's heaven. At least, for me.

I know I've done some bad things in life, but you did so much for me. If I do end up going to hell for some reason, I hope they let angels visit. Just a kiss, that's all I'd ask for. Just one more kiss.

It was so very hard to get up this morning, Naruto. So very, very hard...

"Do you want to know why it was so hard to get up this morning, Sabaku no Temari?"

A wrinkled face turned to the voice from where she sat at a desk and white eyebrows rose. An old man with a staff stood before her, an old man that she would never forget.

"It's because you never got up. Hello, Temari. It's good to see you again."

Temari narrowed her eyes and turned back to her letter.