Only Time Can Tell

PROUD

CHAPTER 22

PROUD

INOJIN YAMANAKA

I just stare at it. The letter that my dad left me before he left. He said that I was allowed to read it as soon as they got back, but I began to wonder. Why would he give it to me now then? Why wouldn't he wait until he got back? Why did I have to stay here anyway?!

I stood up suddenly, knocking over a vase of a flowers that I had picked for Sakura. The bright yellow flowers crashed and the vase shattered. Flinching at the loud sound, I picked up the flowers and carefully picked up the shard pieces, wincing when I cut my finger. I tossed the broken pieces into the trash, and used my shirt to lap up the water that covered the tile floor. I placed the flowers delicately on Sakura's nightstand. She had stopped randomly coding, and the nurses went back to checking in on her periodically instead of just remaining in her room until her heart would stop again.

I got up, wringing out my wet shirt in the sink, to get rid of the extra water. I closed the door gently on Sakura's lightly lit room. I sighed in relief, sitting in there for hours...it was like sitting with a dead person. I missed conversation. Shikadai was still here of course, but he was fine with his solitude. He would roll his eyes every time I checked in on him.

I changed rooms, going instead to Hinata's room. Her pulse was stronger than Sakura's, her determination was in the air. I could tell that she wanted to wake up, she was worried about Naruto, even in a coma. Her face reminds me of Hima, who I'm certain is worrying just the same. I wonder who is looking after her now?

I gently touched Hinata's hand, wishing her my best, hoping that she would wake up just so I would have another reasonable person to talk to. At this rate I would hopelessly start making conversation with the nurses.

The next room was Naruto-sama's. His breathing was labored even in sleep. Every breath seemed like his chest was shattering. His pulse was the faintest. There was no doubt that the Hokage had been through the most pain than anyone else. Even from his childhood.

"So what do you think?" I said to him, knowing that he wouldn't be able to answer. "Should I open it, or what?" I closed my eyes, silently hoping. "If you think I shouldn't, say something, do anything." I opened my eyes slowly. Naruto didn't change at all, his chest continued to shake with every breath, he didn't open his eyes or mutter a word. He was still gone. "Well...I'll open it then!" I said turning to the door. "This is your last chance to stop me!" I said turning back, but he stayed the same. Not even a flinch. I sighed, leaving the room. I went back to Sakura's room where I spend most of my time camped out.

I took the letter, which sat lifeless on the nightstand next to Sakura's yellow flowers. "Same thing goes for you too, if you want me to not open it, you've got to say something." I reached for the letter, but Sakura didn't protest. I slowly opened the letter still hoping that someone would stop me from opening it, but something in my chest was burning, wanting me to open it. The curiosity was impossible to fight.

I ripped the letter open, and pulled out the note inside.

Dearest Inojin,

If you're reading this is means that I never made it back to stop you from reading this.

"What?" I said aloud. My eyes widened as I continued.

It means that I'm gone now, that I was lost on this mission.

This was his letter to me...if he had died...if....if he's dead.

I never wanted you to deal with this pain. If I've died in this place, there's no telling what has happened to the future. What has happened to your mother, or even to you. I'm sorry. I wanted to be here for you, forever. I want to be with you forever.

My mother...if he died...my mother...

I want you to know that I love you, more than anything else in this world. The day you were born I cried. I have a family, and I am so lucky to have a son like you. And I am so, so proud of you.

My eyes pricked with tears. My eyes seemed to be stuck in his words. I could hear his voice, like when he would tell me stories when I was younger. How he would tell me stories about his brother, about heroes, about the bravest humans in the world. Except now he was saying goodbye to me. I tried to tell myself that he's not dead, that he's not really gone. That any moment now he would be back that he would scold me for having read the letter but he would still hug me and be happy that he was finally back to me. But the feeling of his worlds left me breathless. Tears began to stream down my face.

"I-Inojin..." I jumped and looked up. Sakura was awake, her eyes were open. She was weakly reaching out to me, her eyes worried. "A-are you-"

"I'm fine." I said shoving the letter back into it's casing and placing it on her nightstand quickly. "You're awake." I smiled wiping away my tears as fast as I could.

"What happened?" Her voice was gentle as she touched my arm, her kindness made something inside of me cave in. I threw myself into her arms sobbing into her shoulder.

"S-Sakura," I sobbed. "What if they're dead? W-what if it's all my fault?!"

"Inojin..." Sakura said hugging me back.

"My papa..."

"It's okay..." Sakura said hoarsely, her voice ragged. "Your father is strong, I'm sure that he'll be okay. Where...where did they go, Inojin?"

Unable to stop the tears the words of his letters still stuck in my mind. "What if it's all my fault?!"