New story! This is SasuSaku fic. I don't receive any flame anymore. Critiques is okay, but I don't receive flames. This chapter is edited.

Standard Disclaimer Apply

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Reason to Smile

Prologue: Return

Silence. A dead silence. Just the sounds of the footsteps were heard in that red, cloudy afternoon. The sun was ready to sleep, decorating the sky with just a hint of light scarlet. From the distance, people could barely see two figures walking slowly yet surely to the Hidden Leaf Village, Konohagakure.

A pink haired girl, with a blond guy about 14 years old, walked towards Konohagakure gate with the infamous 'a' and 'n' in hiragana written on it. She glanced repeatedly to her partner with anxiety apparent on her bruised and slightly bleeding face. Her partner just replied by giving her with assuring smile, making her positive that everything was okay.

I don't know why I'm frightened.

A faint smile formed across her pink lips. Finally, she was freed from those circumstances and suffering, along with those nights that fear crept up her body from Itachi and Orochimaru. And now, she was walking with her best and most trusted team-mate to the Konohagakure. Her village.

Yes, her beloved village.

I know my way around here…

Right in front of the gate, she stopped. She glanced to Naruto once more. She asked, "Is he already there?" Desperation filled her voice, dripping from the edge of her words. She had to know. Just one more time, to hear it again.

The cardboard trees, the painted seas, the sound here…

"Sakura, I told you thousand times before. Yes, he is already there." A bit of annoyance ebbed its way across his face. He never understood how she could love the cold-hearted bastard like that. A hint of jealousy fired trough him when he remembered how she begged their Godaime Hokage not to make any problems if he finally returned to Konoha. She even wanted to suffer just to free him from Orochimaru. Saved him from death repeatedly, being tortured mercilessly.

At least that was all he could see. He didn't know what happened to her when he wasn't with her. Every time he asked, the answer was always the same: nothing happened.

And obviously, it was a foolish lie. No one would believe her. Not with her flesh and dress torn everywhere, revealing layers upon layers of scars. Not with her face bruised and bleeding, the deep red caked and dried on her cream coloured skin.

Surely it was more than nothing.

Sakura asked again, "What did you say to him?"

"I didn't lie to him. I don't like lying to my best friend." He said with a shrug. His nonchalant face did nothing to hide his angry eyes.

"WHAT? You promised me!" She shouted in shock, her jade orbs widening with fear.

"I said you were in a mission. A solo mission. No further." He explained. She sighed in relief.

"I don't understand. Why don't you let him know what you did?" he asked curiously. She smiled.

"Never mind. It's nothing." She opened the gate. A few heads turned in her direction, some a little surprised at her appearances.

The atmosphere is as thrilling here as it always is…

When the gate opened, her eyes automatically searched for a certain raven-haired boy, scanning the area without her permission.

I've spent so many nights just trying to see you…

Unaware of her own actions, she sighed in disappointment when she didn't find him. The sounds and movements of her didn't pass unnoticed by the blond ninja.

Naruto bit his lower lip. Noting the conversation they had for these years, he thought Sakura had already developed a feeling for him. But no, her heart is always on Sasuke, and only for Sasuke.

"Naruto, you're not an unwanted person. You are important. You are my precious friend."

Naruto stole a glance of her once more.

"You are my precious friend."

That was right, wasn't it? Just as a friend, he laughed to himself mentally, you should know that earlier, Naruto.

She inhaled shakily. Noticing her quivering hands, she curled them into fists.

I'm trembling now. You can't know how I've missed you…

She walked towards the Hokage office to tell her the mission was over. On her way, she found him. He glanced at her, noticing how different she was. She smiled at him, as if nothing had happened. Just as if they never parted. Just as if he never left her. Never broke her.

Missed the fairy tale adventure…

"Hi, Sasuke-kun!"

In this ever spinning playground…

He was startled by her ever-so-calm voice. He always imagined when they finally met each other; she would sob uncontrollably, hug him.

He wasn't entirely wrong, one of her sides already want to hug him right there and then. But the other side resisted the urge to do so, because she knew he wouldn't like it.

The expression was gone in a matter of second. He let out his arrogant yet fan girl melting smirk to her.

Yes, everything as if we never said goodbye…

"Rough mission?" he asked casually.

"Sort of…" she replied with the equally same tone. "I want to report this mission to Tsunade-shishou. See you later!"

He waved at her and went somewhere else. She jumped happily. The pain in her body was completely forgotten. A smile, this time a true smile, played across her thin rosy lips.

She found him.

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Thanks,

£exy The Thief