Sakura fell slowly in the darkness, her pink hair flowing as she did.

I caught her just before she hit the ground, and stood there with her unconscious body in my arms for a moment.

"Thank you."

I didn't mean to say it. I was planning on acting like a complete asshole in front of her before I left. I'd already hurt her enough, I didn't want to cause her pain by making her remember me as someone nice. If I was the evil guy who tricked her and left the village than it would be easier for her to get over it.

But I couldn't do it... I just had to end it with one kind word.

Despite the fact that what I said would probably hurt Sakura for the years to come, I didn't regret saying it. I felt like all my feelings, all my emotions, were in that one word. It was true, Sakura had become important to me in the past few years, but I never wanted to admit it to myself. I didn't want to face the fact that I have someone now, it would be too horrible if I were to lose the people important to me again.

I picked Sakura up and carried her to a nearby bench. She felt so light, so fragile in my arms.

<<I love you with all my heart!>>

Sakura...

Maybe if things weren't the way they were, if Itachi hadn't killed my family, if she wasn't a shinobi, then we would have been together. We would have been like any other teenage couple, caring for each other, and not being afraid to show our emotions.

As I thought this I felt a pain in my chest. Without thinking I leaned forward, and pressed my lips against the lips of the girl that lay quietly in front of me.

I love you, but as long as revenge is the path I follow we can't be together.

"Forget about me and be happy," I whispered into her ear.

As long as she thinks about me she won't be happy... She will be chasing something that she will never reach.

So I will leave you and you will forget me,

That's the way it's meant to be.