Not Even a Memory Part 2

Not Even a Memory Part 2

Not Even a Memory Part 2

"The ANBU will be waiting at the gates when he leaves at midnight." And with that, he disappeared. Sakura slumped against the wall, running the words through her head again. Sasuke-kun...
Sasuke glanced at the moon that night. It fifteen minutes until midnight. He knew that the ANBU would be waiting for him and he couldn't afford any time wasted. He would give them what they wanted. A ghost of a smile was on his face and he jumped onto the rooftops. He was a few ways away from the West gates when he suddenly stopped.
"Sakura, you're not very good at tracking still," he said aloud. The seventeen-year-old chunin appeared from behind him.
"Please Sasuke! You're not leaving again are you?" she asked. Sasuke didn't turn around. She started again. "Please don't leave, not again. You just came back, please!" she said. "Sasuke...I love you, please don't leave. I never gave up on you, doesn't that mean anything to you?" she begged. Sasuke shook his head and smirked.
"Sakura..." he said. Sakura held her breath as he turned around. "...You are so annoying." Sakura felt her spirits crushed.
"Please! I promise I won't drag you down! Just please..." she whispered as she felt tears gather in her eyes. "...Take me with you." Sakura blinked, trying to fight the tears. She let her head fall slightly and when she looked up, he was gone. Tears freely fell down her cheeks and her vision blurred.
"Sakura." Sasuke suddenly appeared from behind her. His arm gently slipped around her waist and she could feel his cool breath against her neck. He gently kissed her and whispered,
"Arigato." Suddenly, his arm tightened against her and his other hand against her back. She could hear him mutter something and She felt everything spin around, her head was bursting and suddenly, everything went black. Sasuke caught her just before she fell. "It's time I returned what I stole from you..." he murmured as he lay her gently down on the roof. "...by erasing my very existence."
Sakura, Sakura! She could hear a voice calling her but she couldn't reach whoever it was. Where am I? She thought. Her eyes slowly opened and she stared up into the face of...
"N-Naruto? Is that you?" The seventeen-year-old chunin peered anxiously into her face. He helped her up and steadied her. Kakashi was there along with Hinata, Shikamaru and Ino. "W-where am I?" she murmured.
"Never mind that, what happened to Sasuke?" Ino yelped. Naruto nodded.
"Yeah! Sakura, do you know where Sasuke went?" he asked. A confused look crossed her face and it filled her eyes. That was when everyone thought that the world had definitely gone wrong.
"W-who's Sasuke?" she whispered.
Deep in the forest, a dark figure waited. He was immediately joined by another, bearing the Uchiha symbol. "Well? Did you do it?"
"Of course I did baka, or else I wouldn't be here," Sasuke said coldly. His companion smirked.
"That memory jutsu did just the thing didn't it? Now that girl won't remember a thing," he said.
"Shut up, let's just get moving," Sasuke growled. His companion left and Sasuke turned towards the direction of Konoha one last time. Gomen nasai, Sakura. But now you won't have to waste your time waiting for me, you'll be free now.
Sakura watched as the leaves fell from the old oak tree that stood in the courtyard of the Ninja academy school. Her eyes sparkled as a bird flew down and landed on the lowest branch.
"She won't remember him, huh?" Naruto stood by the window at the Hokage's office, watching Sakura. Kakashi, Gai, Lee, Ino, Hinata, and Shikamaru were also there.
"No," she sighed. "She will not remember him, Naruto. He placed some kind of a memory jutsu on her that ensured that her memory of him will not come back. I did an analysis of her. Even if he were to stand in front of her, Sakura will not even have the slightest remembrance of him."
"But why? Why would Uchiha do that to her? Does it really matter?" Shikamaru frowned. Ino nodded.
"Yeah, I mean, Sasuke never really did like her in the way she liked him," Ino said. Hinata was silent and so Naruto but it was Lee who spoke up.
"It's because he cared for her," he said in a heavy voice. "In a complicated way that I don't think a lot of people would understand." Naruto frowned.
"I don't get you fuzzy eyebrows," he said.
"Allow me," Gai said stepping forward. "Sasuke cared for her in the end to the point that he would erase himself from her memories. Sasuke's destiny and ambition is to go his own way and he knows that Sakura wouldn't accept it that easily. Sakura no longer has to suffer the pain of his absence and leaving because..."
"...she won't remember anything about him." Kakashi finished softly. Naruto watched as the bird hopped onto Sakura's finger then fly away. That bird...Sakura will remember it, but Sasuke, You're never going to come back to Sakura, because...you're not even a memory to her.