Naruto - After the Last

Chapter [9]: Like Looking at the Sun for the First Time

"You really love Hinata, didn't you Naruto?", Sasuke asks breaking the silence, slouching his back as well, shadowing Naruto's position.

"More than anything in this world. She means a lot to me, "Naruto answered with a smile, turning his face towards Sasuke's that is staring straight to the floor.

"Geez, it still sounds cheesy although it comes from a dobe like you", Sasuke tease him with a slight smirks. Naruto chuckles bitterly. After keeping silence again for quite a moment, Sasuke that was earlier seems like lost in his thoughts softly muttered a question to Naruto, "did I really hurt her that much, Naruto?", remained the same position, still facing the floor.

Understanding who exactly Sasuke's meant, Naruto sits back straight up, give a pat on his best friend's shoulder while saying, "she is strong ttebayo. Go after her Sasuke, she really loves you, and the feelings was the same since back then, and over the time it only grows. She loves you, like she never love anyone, and everytime she looks at you, it's always like looking at the sun for the first time".

Smiling, Sasuke turns to face Naruto as Naruto is searching for something from his right pocket.

"Looking at the sun for the first time, that's what exactly I'm feeling now when I see her, but it took me so long for me to realize that", Sasuke frowned again.

"You are not the only one, buddy. But trust me, the efforts she made to believe in you, never give up on you and give you all her best to be acknowledge by you , those are the efforts that you will cherish from now on. So, don't give up on her, because she never give up on you", Naruto said while holding a torn red scarf in his hand tightly.

'Hinata, I will never give up on you', Naruto speaks in his heart while tightens his grip on the red scarf.

Choji, Sai, and Ino was sitting at the other end of the waiting room, quite far away from where Sasuke and Naruto sits. Choji and Ino was wondering what happened actually at the moon that makes Naruto finally returned back Hinata's love. Being the only one knows what happened between Naruto and Hinata there, casually Sai told both of the team mates about the incident that finally makes the two love birds finally tied up their love.Choji and Ino weren't shock as much as expected, because somehow everyone knew that finally they will end up together. But the story between Sasuke and Sakura remained untold until sometimes later.

"H..help!", a soft, painful voice captured by Choji's ear, making him leaned further from both Sai an Ino to see who's voice does it belong to when he saw a beautiful sweet dark-skinned kunoichi with long spiky red hair and amber eyes having a harsh wound on her stomach that her blood are dropping on the floor while she is struggling her best to stand on her feet. " Wasn't that the girl from the hidden cloud village?", Choji speaks to himself.

***

"Your father was your first opponent?", Shikamaru muttered slowly, having his eyes on the blond kunoichi that is now comfartably sitting on the floor.

"Yes. But to be honest, he was my first and last opponent. Between you and me, I like him better than our mom", Temari chuckles a little then continue.

"Before Gaara was born, things were different. It was normal, like I can never feel that kind of normal ever again. It was more than fine back then. Kankurou won't remember, he was too little at that time," she added.

"My father was the kazekage even before I was born. You see, as a kage, he had lots of things running in his hand. I guess when I was born, he decided to give some breaks on his job and try to be home more compare to last time".

Shikamaru couldn't help but to sit across Temari, making the Shogi small table as the barrier between them. To him, it feels effortless to be interested in whatever Temari is doing either talking, smiling, walking, or even by just seeing her face. As they are now facing each other, Temari blushes a little, but she continues anyway.