In rock and a hard place

6 - Apology

Naruto POV: I had finally decided to leave the village with Itachi, but something was holding me back. Sasuke. He had always been so nice and caring, protecting me from the villagers and even going out of his way to plan something special to get me out of my apartment. The thought of having to leave Sasuke after all he'd done for me struck deep. Itachi came back that following night. He slipped into my apartment as quietly as the first time, his presence barely disturbing the air. "You've made your decision?" he asked, his eyes piercing through the darkness. I nodded, though my heart felt heavy. "I have, but... there's something I can't shake off. Sasuke. Leaving him like this... it feels wrong." Itachi observed me for a moment, his expression unreadable. "Sasuke means a great deal to you." "He's my best friend," I said simply. Itachi's gaze softened just a fraction. "Then perhaps there's a way to leave without causing him undue pain. You could fake your death. It would allow you to leave without Sasuke chasing after you, desperate for answers." I blinked, taken aback by the suggestion. "Fake my death? How would that even work?" "It's not as difficult as it seems," Itachi replied. "We stage an incident, something believable, something that leaves no doubt that you're gone. And then, you disappear with me." The idea twisted my stomach into knots, but I could see the logic in it. If Sasuke thought I was dead, he wouldn't spend his days searching for me, nor would he be targeted by those who might use him to get to me. "Alright," I said slowly. "But it has to be convincing. Sasuke has to believe it." Itachi nodded. "Leave that part to me. We'll make it believable." Over the next few days, Itachi and I worked out the details. We decided to stage the incident near the training grounds, a place where accidents wouldn't seem out of place.  The night before we were set to execute the plan, I found myself standing in front of Sasuke's apartment. I wanted to say goodbye, to tell him the truth, but I knew it would only make things harder. Instead, I left a simple note on his doorstep: "Thank you for everything. I'll always be with you. – Naruto" The next day, everything happened in a blur. Itachi and I set the scene perfectly. An explosion in the forest causing a fire, debris scattered everywhere, and no sign of my body. It was chaotic and convincing. As I watched from a hidden vantage point, I saw Sasuke arrive at the scene, his face pale with horror. He called out my name, over and over, desperation in his voice. It tore at my heart, but I forced myself to stay hidden. This was for the best. When the chaos died down Iruka-Sensei and Sasuke mourned my "death," while the villagers celebrated. Itachi led me away, far from the place I had called home. Every step filled me with rage as the villagers celebrated my death but even in their celebration my mind was on Sasuke, but I clung to the hope that someday, Sasuke would understand. As we disappeared into the night, I made a silent vow. One day, I would return. And when I did, I would explain everything to Sasuke. Until then, I had to believe that this was the right path. For both of us.