This is the English translation of my Tagalog fic, Karma. Just felt like translating it.

"What, so you want me to love you again?"

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'Thank you.' These were the last words she heard from her beloved before he left. A year had passed. After all the suffering and longing, she stands in front of the Hokage, not a tiny speck of emotion in her soul. This is her, now. This is the outcome of his departure, of him deserting her. And all of these, the one person to blame; the one who betrayed his own home, who destroyed the once cheerful face of the only girl in their three-man cell. All because of him, now worse than a helpless little child, lost and wandering, no one taking care of, no home to go back to.

"His future is in your hands… Dismissed." And two of the former Team 7 silently walked out of the Hokage's building. Ever since the Hokage announced their latest mission, no words came out from either of them. When they heard of Sasuke's return, they became sensitive to the reaction of each other, feeling any form of release from the news. But in this situation, no explanation was needed.

One stopped, so did the other. "Sakura, he needs you more."

According to the Hokage, since the day Sasuke's name was cleared after he came back on his own will, he was never seen outside again. It was like he dissolved in his own house. Informants also reported that he wasn't exactly in his best shape when they last visited. He wasn't eating, nor sleeping. He wasn't himself. Thus the mission of the two was to pay a visit and knock some sense in him. Impossible as it seems, but maybe, just maybe, it will be worth trying.

She didn't respond. He took this as a sign to continue, "I'll go with you, I'll talk to him too. But we all know that you will be only one truly able to reach him." There was no response.

He gave up and they continued walking. "Naruto,"

He stopped.

"One day."

"…"

"This mission will end today."

He was taken aback. "Are you—"

"I'm sure. Let's get this over with." So she walked ahead, leaving Naruto trailing behind. A bitter smile adorned his face. He whispered, "Has your heart really forgotten how to beat again, Sakura?" He followed her quietly.

Shortly, they arrived. It was like they're standing in front the house of the dead. Dark and gloomy, as if no one was living in it. They stopped a few meters from the door.

"I'll go ahead if you're not ready yet." Naruto said with the most obvious trace of concern.

"I'm okay. Let's go." Although her words only kept her walking until the door. She held the knob, "Naruto, promise me." He looked at her. "Promise me you won't interfere. That what ever happens, words are the only thing you can throw at him."

It was hard but he made the promise. Throwing aside the courtesy of knocking, she opened the door and let themselves in.

A disturbing sight welcomed them. Proceeding to his room, they found him there, sitting in a corner, surrounded by bottles of alcohol, both empty and unopened.

A bottle in hand, the man remained unperturbed by his unwelcome visitors. "What are you doing here?" Naruto stayed by the door and merely kept watch to the scene unfolding.

Sakura moved to stand the scattered bottles around. "Visiting, obviously." Both men were taken aback by the coldness of her demeanor. But the man in attention waved it away, "To what, shove reality to my face?" The lady stood firmly in front of him and took away the bottle in his hands, "Why, do you want me to?" He avoided her piercing gaze as she kept talking. "We don't need to shove anything, Sasuke. You're very well aware of everything."

Something in him snapped from her words. In a swift move, he stood and rammed her to the wall. Naruto can't even move from his place and just closed his eyes. He is a man of his word and even if he uses up every ounce of self-restraint he has, he will keep his promise.

His hold on her shoulders was enough to crush a can to rubble to keep her rooted to the wall. He mustered up enough will to look directly at the empty eyes that were drilling him. "Yes, I know. I was wrong to be blinded by rage and revenge, to chase my own brother to the depths of hell, to kill the only remaining blood kin I have." His grip tightened at every realization but Sakura didn't even exert any effort to escape his crushing hold.

Tears slowly began to leak from his eyes from his realization, not from the previous ones he just said, but from grasping the effect of his departure to the woman in front of her. He killed her heart. Her soul was tainted. He killed the only thing serving as his light. Tears continued to fall as the sky outside started to mourn with him. He continued.

"I was wrong to leave. I was wrong to leave you. I was wrong to hurt you," he leaned her forehead against hers. "I was wrong to throw aside your love, the one I need and yearn for now." And he pressed his lips to the one that once loved him more than anything in the world. But he was the one to move away first when she didn't respond, nothing at all. He fell silent.

With their touching foreheads, after all that has been said and done, Sakura still managed to give him a bitter and jeering smile, "What, so you want me to love you again?"

Those words broke everything. He let go of her and slumped down to the floor as his world kept crumbling down. Without a trifle, Sakura exited the room.

Taking the opportunity, Naruto started, "Congrats, Sasuke." He even laughed, being Naruto. "You finally learned your mistakes. You even learned to cry and show emotion!" The laughter in his voice disappeared to be taken over by profound resolve. "Too late though. You already killed the Sakura that loves you. Your only light is now gone." He turned around, ready to leave. "You did this. This is what became of your decision. This is the road you chose. Face the consequences of the pain and suffering you induced." And he left.

With one decision made, a cumbersome change unearthed.

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Epilogue: soon.
Review if you would. Constructive criticisms appreciated. Reasonable flames accepted.

I still take more pride in the Tagalog verion. Naturally, it is the original. But I think I managed to maintain the essence still. You tell me.