"Why are you treating me like this?!" Her green eyes blazed in anger. She drew up her height as much as possible, trying to use her body language to get the man before her to answer. She could not stand it any longer. She needed answers. "You've ignored me, pushed me away… it's like I don't even exist to you!" Her voice echoed in the empty space. Still the blue-eyed blonde said nothing. He merely stood there, hands dangling by his sides, his face cast down. He did not dare look the angry kunoichi in the eye. She stared at him hoping for an answer, a retort, anything. Her vision blurred as tears formed in her eyes. "What did I do?" she pleaded. Her voice, soft and hurt, seemed to affect her teammate. He had always hated seeing her cry; now he was the cause of it. But then again, he was the cause of so much of her suffering and pain. Naruto looked up into the eyes of the woman before him; his blue eyes reflected her own sorrow. Hidden beneath the blue depths, intense pain consumed his soul. Sakura blinked taken aback by his gaze. She had never seen him look this way. Never before had she seen her teammate so lost in sorrow, but she did not understand. What had happened between them?

In a low, somber voice the man retorted, "Sakura… I'm sorry. I just… can't. Please, just let it go."

Sakura looked at him in confusion. What did he mean? She began to question him again, but he had already turned his back to her.

"Naruto," she called out to him, her voice no more than a whisper. Naruto did not turn around; instead he simply began to walk away. She stared at his back as he left. She bit her lip in protest of the tears that threatened to fall.