We're A Wreck

14

Sakura didn't love Sasuke, or, at least, not as much as she once did. There was a longing there, one that was incomparable and distinct yet so alike her love for Naruto that it caused an ache between her ribs, as if something were shattering inside of her.

Now, as she stood sat next to Eno, the man she claimed to want whenever the topic was brought up, a hollowness filled her guts. Eno wasn't hers and never would be. Neither would Sasuke. Or Naruto. Nor anyone else.

She was alone and would remain so for the rest of her years, without the love or affection she so desired.

Shaking, she rose from the bench Eno, Ino, and her were resting on. She slowly turned to the other two. "Okay...listen. I'm going to a bookstore nearby, call me if you need me..."

"Wait!" Eno called out as she walked away, reaching out for her, but she continued, not looking back.

•••

Hinata and Naruto were perusing the crime section of Hinata's favorite bookstore. Sasuke searched through the classics for something more "mature", as he put it. In other words, it was another depressing, stiff read.

The door to the store opened and a light fragrance drifted along the breeze coming through the gap.

When the scent caught Hinata's nose, Naruto immediately stiffened. Hinata noticed this, glancing over her shoulder. Naruto refused to acknowledge what she saw, keeping his eyes focused on the books in front of him.

An uneasy feeling slid along his chest, a knot of pain forming on his sternum.

The thought of being near Sakura made Naruto feel nauseous, despite the fact they shared multiple classes together.

Hinata groaned, facing the shelves again and leaning against Naruto's shoulder. "Lord, have mercy!" She hisses quietly.

Naruto couldn't help but giggle at Hinata's exasperation. "I don't think he will ever have mercy on our poor souls."

"No, he won't."

Sasuke walked over. "Hey, guys. I found something I think Hinata would like." He held out a book, his eyes darting from Sakura to Hinata and Naruto. "Also, do you want to leave soon?"

Hinata took a breath, readying herself to say something, when Naruto interrupted her. "No. It's fine. Let's just enjoy ourselves!"

He didn't want to ruin an outing for something as petty as this.

"If you say so," Hinata whispered, still leaning against him. Her eyes were sharp against his nerves, seeing through his front.

Sasuke's eyes held the same clarity, a knowing within them that made Naruto feel exposed.

"I do say so!" Naruto said, smiling.

"Sure, alright, then," Sasuke murmured, glancing once again at Sakura, before turning his full attention to the two. "So, find anything interesting?"

"I found a book called Good Girls Die First. It seemed promising."

"Let me see."

As Hinata and Sasuke traded information on their recent find, Naruto turned around to watch Sakura. Her shirt hair brushed her collarbone, her eyes burning embers in ash. There was a hard set to her face, stillness that was unnatural. Something was wrong.

Naruto immediately felt the urge to go to her. But how could he? They were no longer friends, were they? They never spoke, never saw one another outside of class, and avoided one another like the plaque.

Didn't that qualify for a complete split?

Or was Naruto reading too much into things?

Conflicted, Naruto simply walked towards a different section of the door. It was the best part, in his opinion. The graphic novel and manga section.

He smiled slightly and began to search for his favorite manga: Pandora Hearts. It seemed they didn't have it, unfortunately, as it wasn't with Vanitas No Carte, a story by the same author. Jun was one of his favorite mangakas, so it disappointed him to see they didn't have her work.

Frowning, he settled for another series: Haikyuu. It was a volleyball one, but the characters were amazing, so it was another favorite of Naruto's. That and The Promised Neverland.

The list went on and on, of course, and Naruto found himself lost in all the stories, enraptured by their design and world building, memories surfacing of plotlines and loopholes.

There was something about a good story that made Naruto feel at ease.

Hinata came to stand beside him. "What are you looking at?"

"Manga."

"I see that. What manga in particular?"

"Right now, Tokyo Ghoul. It's a gory one."

Hinata hummed, leaning her shoulder against his. "Alright. Im not too big on manga myself, but the art is nice. Any suggestions to get me into it?"

"Oh!" Naruto beamed. This was his favorite topic. "Okay, knowing you, you'd likely love a crime related series, but you shouldn't start off too dark, or else you may end up on the horror end rather than thriller. So, I suggest Moriarty The Patriot. It's based on the Sherlock Holmes novels, specifically the ones with Proffesor Moriarty in it! And the characters and plot are so good!"

Chuckling, Hinata nodded. "Okay." She picked up a copy if the first book, looking over the cover. "I'll get it. If I don't like it, I'll give it to you. Or maybe I'll give it to you anyway." She looked up at Naruto, who smiled widely down at her.

"Aw! Thanks!"

"Alright, you two, I'm ready to get going, are you?" Sasuke interrupted, holding a stack of books. The one on top read "Crime and Punishment".

"Yep! All done."

A/N
Hello! Thank you, again, for all the love and support. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I may or may not have went on a small rant there for a moment! But I hope it was to your liking. Also, check out the above-mentioned stories and authors! They're some of my favorites!

Also, by the way, the anime for The Promised Neverland sucked! Only the second season. It went way off script! Or, well, it was okay, but I preferred the books! Either way, the story is so good!