When Winter Ends || Modern Naruto Love Story

17 - final

~Three Years Later~

An older Naruto walked through the entrance of the field with an expressionless face, and in his hand held a bouquet of white lilies sprouting from their bud. It was a peaceful atmosphere, the quietness lingered as the wind blew drastically pass him when he walked pass a few stones.

It was a sunny day. The green grass drifted with the wind as Naruto stopped in front of one tombstone with a particular name printed on it.

Placing the white bouquet by the stone, Naruto knelt while looking down at the grave, his hand touching the surface where Mayumi Chinatsu is buried. He tried to smile.

"Happy birthday, Mayu," he greeted warm heartedly. "How old are you, now? Nineteen? Kinda funny... I still can't believe that you're three months older than me. But don't worry, I'll catch up you!"

"Sorry, I didn't bring any crepes with me. I guess your parents already beat me to it in seeing you," looking down around her grave, he can see multiple of flowers laid over her tomb with a few of Mayumi's favorite treat. Naruto's eyes lowered solemnly.

"I'm doing fine. College is bit more stressful than I expected, but luckily I still have Sakura to tutor me about European history. She still scolds me like usual if I make a small mistake on my homework," he laughed. "Sasuke applied to a different college than us, the one outside of the city. You know, one of the known universities in this country so we don't see him that much. But we're proud of him."

"I wonder what college you would apply if you were still around. You could've enrolled to the one I'm going to now," he grinned but after a few seconds of no response, his smile faltered. If you were still around...

It's been three years since Mayumi's death. It was a miracle to see her still live after three winter seasons she lived through. Until during the spring, her body couldn't endure much energy. She was actually getting weaker as those three years passed by and it was obvious to everyone who knew her.

Especially Naruto who witnessed herself slowly degrade until she couldn't walk anymore. A girl so young have to end her life so early, like an old lady living in a teenage body.

After Mayumi's funeral, Naruto vowed not to shed a single tear about her because all of his tears were released in that day. He made her a promise that he will try to live his life normally, carrying the memory of her as a memoir. Even now, he still can't believe she's dead.

Naruto smiled again weakly. "Well, I guess I gotta go now, Mayu. I'll be getting a crepe on my way home. See ya tomorrow! Love you." Shoving his hands in his pocket, Naruto turned away from the grave and quickly exited out of the cemetery.

It became a daily routine. Every day, Naruto managed to spare a few minutes every evening to go to this grave and tell Mayumi how his day is going. There wasn't one day he missed.

It was a hard time for him when it happened; that he was unable to smile for a while and then he started to build his own life slowly, feeling himself progress as the past few months flew by.

All he can remember is the good times he spent with her. Spending Christmas and New Years, Valentine's, and then summer breaks with her, at least Mayumi lasted longer than they both thought.

Is he going to continue this for the rest of his life, visiting her? Who knows... He might.

Naruto walked out of the crepe shop, the one that Mayumi always go to with him. Holding a chocolate, banana come in his hand, he took one bite of the sugary goodness. He's gotta admit, he's getting quite tired of it, eating this same treat often.

I actually might get fat if I keep eating this a lot... He sighed boredly.

Was it actually a miracle in meeting Mayumi again?

Without looking, Naruto turned to a corner down the street and then suddenly he felt someone colliding against his chest as he saw books tumbling down the ground, and so did his crepe. "Oh, sorry!" He immediately heard the person apologize as he glanced at the unfinished dessert in between them. He shook his head.

"It's okay, I was getting full from that anyways," he replied and knelt on the floor to retreat the person's books. In the corner of his eye, he sees the person kneeling with him too. "Ah... I see. Those are my favorite kind of desserts, I would never get full off of it," he heard them chuckle.

A breath escaped from his lips, twitching an awkward smile. "Yeah... That does remind me of someone." Just when Naruto was about to reach the last novel on ground, he wasn't aware of another hand reaching for it as he accidentally touched what looked like a woman's hand.

Looking up from their connected fingers, their eyes locked. From the first glance he stole from her, it left Naruto breathless as if he seen a ghost. But rather it was a beautiful ghost. That faint, pale skin and the ends of her blue hair matching her eyes underneath that summer umbrella...

There was nothing but pure silence passing through Naruto's ears, like time stood still and everything just went white. The only thing he can hear is a small voice ringing through his mind as a blurry image of a young Mayumj playing on the swings, along with her knowing smile.

"Naruto, do you believe in miracles?"

So he smiled at the figure in front of him, warmly. I do now...

*A/N: thank you to everyone who supported me in writing this story! It's been a long journey with slow progress, but I'm glad to have readers still read it to its very end! This is my first Naruto romance story I have ever written, so if it doesn't lack a lot of things, I do apologize! Again, thank you to all and leave a great review behind therefore others can love it as much as you do! :> Have a nice day!

-Heartonlockdown (Kiyori-chan! ＼(^ω^＼)