Chapter Text
Sasuke noticed it first during their first month of traveling together. He didn't think much of it. He just noticed that one night, Sakura seems to be subdued. She didn't really look sad, rather melancholy.
He hadn't known how to ask—what even to ask her. He only wondered if maybe she was missing Konoha.
And then the next day, she was back to being her cheerful and bubbly self.
It happened every now and then. There would a night that Sakura would be somber, and would just quietly settle down and sleep.
Initially, Sasuke thought it was a random thing. He also have those days where he would be plagued by memories or wayward thoughts.
But after few more times, he saw the pattern.
It only happened whenever it was the full moon.
And he knew at once what she was remembering.
That night he said goodbye to her before leaving the village all those years ago, it was also a full moon.
It was one of those things he regrets—not leaving Konoha, not entirely. But leaving her, and leaving like that. But rather than the moon, the one thing that he remembers the most from that night was Sakura's tears.
It was a memory that still torment him from time to time. It's no wonder it would be the same for Sakura.
In fact, it might be even more unpleasant to her.
Sasuke wished to talk about it with her, but he didn't know how to start, or what exactly to tell her.
Until it was the full moon once more.
They just arrived in a small town, and they fortunately had found an inn where they could stay for the night.
They had a late dinner in a nearby diner. And even then, Sakura was already melancholy. But she talked to him as usual, and smiled at him as usual.
They went back to the inn after dinner, and Sakura excused herself and made her way to the bathroom, leaving Sasuke in their shared room.
The moonlight slipped through the curtains, making the room look a little gloomy. It was a calm and quiet night, too, leaving Sasuke with no distractions from memories of that night.
It was a night very similar to this night.
He walked towards the window and drew the curtains. The full moon hovered in the sky, bathing the town in a pale blue light.
Enchanted by the moon, Sasuke sat by the window and just watched, his mind bringing him back to that moment.
It was years ago from now. Both of them were still children. But even then, Sakura had been the one to have known him the best. And even then, even before she became the renowned and accomplished medical ninja that she is now, she had always been wise, compassionate and selfless.
Just then, the sound of a door sliding open distracted Sasuke. And he turned to see Sakura coming back from her bath, and now in her sleepwear.
Without really thinking about it, Sasuke smiled and patted the space next to him.
Sakura also gave him a smile, although it looked a little pensive. She approached him and sat next to him.
"It's a full moon today..." She says in the silence.
Sasuke only nodded. He knew this was a good opening to finally talk about what happened in the past, but he still didn't know what exactly to say.
Should he apologize?
Tell her his regrets for leaving her like that? For not being able to accept her affections then?
Confess to her how close he was to accepting her offer to come with him?
In the end, he simply said what he most wanted her to know.
"Tsuki ga, kirei desu ne?"
(The moon is beautiful, isn't it?)
He didn't even have to worry that she wouldn't understand. He knew she would. The way she understood him that night all those years ago.
And just as he expected, she looked at him with a surprised expression, her cheeks reddening.
He only smiled and nodded. He had never told her his feelings by words before. He knew that she already knew. This was the first time he expressed it in words.
"Sono yoru mo tsuki wa kirei deshita ne."
(The moon was beautiful on that night, too.)
He confessed.
They were quiet for a moment, with Sakura just looking at him, still with that surprised expression.
And then, she started smiling. It was close to her usual smile this time, if not a little softer—tender.
'Yes. I've felt this way ever since then.'
Sakura nodded at him, quietly telling him she understood. And then she moved closer to him and leaned her head on his shoulder.
And for a while, together, they just looked at the moon.
'I love you.'
'I love you then, too.'
Sasuke hopes they can gaze at the moon together like this every night for the rest of their lives, with the memories from that night only being a reminder of how far they've come, rather than of a sad night of goodbyes.
END