This story is inspired by the song, "The Call" by Regina Spektor from the Prince Caspian OST and Walter Blythe from the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery. Sadly, I don't own Naruto or said inspirations. I hope you enjoy this!

Uzumaki Naruto was unusually quiet that day as he walked home from an emergency call one afternoon. Sakura was walking beside him, chatting all the while about the beautiful weather and the effect of spring on everyone. True enough, it was a lovely spring day. The snow had melted but there were still little, white caps on random grass patches. Although it was almost nightfall, there were dew drops on the grass that paved the streets of Konoha where the snow had melted. Flower buds were also peeking out of their little security of leaves. The sun was setting on the horizon, making the sky look ablaze with violet, yellow, and orange slanted rays. Truth be told, it was sort of romantic.

Sakura didn't seem to notice the difference until the time for their parting came. She noticed that Naruto looked a little bit older. The shock of hair on his head didn't seem as a lively yellow as it did hours ago. His blue eyes had something deep in them, like he was thinking of something. Also, he was looking at the ground. She stooped down to see his face. She frowned as she saw that he was looking forlorn, as if something important had been robbed of him.

"Naruto." She said. "Is something wrong?"

Naruto sprang back to life and scratched the back of his head. "So sorry, Sakura-chan. I was just thinking about how hungry I actually was... Heh heh... Sorry, Sakura-chan. I can't walk you home any longer. I have to go now!"

"It's fine. I don't need a walk home anyhow."

But Naruto did not react as he usually did. Knowing Naruto, Sakura knew that something was very wrong. If something bad had happened to Sasuke, surely he would have told her. Tsunade would also let her know. She knew it was not Sasuke. It was not the ramen either. The two of them had eaten two hours before they went to the meeting. The question played on her mind like the wind playing on a harp's string on a windy day. She sighed sadly as she watched him leave her.

Shikamaru yawned. He stretched his arms high up above him and muttered his favorite phrase. Chouji took an extra-large bag of potato chips, opened it, and stuffed all of them in his mouth. When he was done with the first bag, he took another from his pack and ate it too in the same way. Bags after bags followed, all eaten in the same way. Shikamaru glanced sideways at him as he did this. He yawned.

"Yo, Chouji. You shouldn't worry about it much."

"I can't help it, Shikamaru." He said, stuffing more chips in his mouth. "I really can't. You can't understand me 'cause you don't have anyone like Maia to care for."

"Tch." Shikamaru said, expressing his disgust. "How troublesome..."

"What about you?" Chouji said after a long pause. "You don't feel scared one bit about it."

"You don't know how hard it feels like..." Shikamaru said in a whisper. He looked up at the crimson sky. "...To not tell someone how much you love that person. I'm scared inside."

"I don't seem to get what you're saying." He opened another bag of chips. "Guess it comes with the IQ."

The two walked on in silence, each one to his own thoughts. Shikamaru was thinking about a hundred million strategies while Chouji was thinking about food rations. The pineapple-haired ninja was just about to complete a complex plan with a 97.6% chance of success when suddenly, there was a girl's voice calling to them. He glanced behind him and noticed that he and his companion had unconsciously passed by the Yamanaka flower shop. It was the long way around and it was not to his lazy liking but what brought them there is a mystery. Whether it was by chance or just luck, none of them were sure. But Shikamaru was thankful in the end that they had passed by. Presently, though, he was quite annoyed and pretended not to hear.

"Shikamaru!" Ino called out from inside the shop. "I know you can hear me!"

Shikamaru looked away and pretended to keep walking. True enough, he was never good in pretending to not hear. However, it seemed that Chouji was good in it. Ino did not call to him twice like she did to Shikamaru. Chouji just went on walking like he did. Actually, he was deep in thought about food rations that he was not aware of anything else around him except watery soup and stale bread. Shikamaru scowled and went in. Ino was on the counter as usual but there was something strange about her expression. He went closer as she bade him to do so. He sat down on a stool and laid his head on the counter. She lifted her hand and stroked his hair but he did not flinch. He actually seemed to like it. He unusually liked the feeling of her slim fingers on his thick, wiry hair.

"Problem?" He asked.

"I just heard the news..."

He looked up to see her cerulean eyes fill with tears. He winced. He knew what would happen next. She'd burst crying and he'd have no luck in consoling her. How troublesome. Why does he get in these type of situations anyway? Absentmindedly, he took his handkerchief from his pocket and began to dab it on her eyes. She smiled wanly when he finished. Then Shikamaru realized how beautiful her smile was. Unique and alluring. He would treasure it when he went away. Emotional baggage.

"Hey, don't cry." He said, yawning. "Seeing you girls here crying makes it hard for us guys to leave Konoha."

"I know. I just can't help it." She took a tall lily in her hands and turned it around her fingers. "I'm sorry."

"No... It's alright. At least emotional baggage doesn't weigh as much as material baggage."

Ino smiled. "I see you've got a sense of humor, at least. Very useful in these times."

Shikamaru sighed. "Sounds like you don't feel like talking at all. Maybe I better leave you alone." Then he thought about Ino crying alone in that dark and lonely place. Just the thought scared him. "But I guess not." He added quickly and resumed his sitting position.

"Thanks."

"Eh? For what?"

"For... For just being here." She touched his hand lightly. "You know my dad's going too and it'd be a huge blow to me if... If... If..."

He handed her the handkerchief. "You shouldn't think about those things. You weren't made for them anyway."

"But it's... It's inevitable."

"You don't know how much it hurts to leave Konoha for war."

"I... I'll join the nurses."

"You better do..." He said, nodding. "To pass up the time... So you wouldn't think about those things."

Minutes passed with none of them speaking. Both were looking outside, into the now dark blue sky. Thin wispy clouds hung about the vast expanse of endless blue. A cool wind from the west was blowing, sending fallen leaves spiraling in the air as if in a frenzied dance. Ino stared at a trash bin where the dead flowers were placed. She wondered, as she gazed at the pile, if dead soldiers were treated in the same way.

"Shikamaru... What would happen if... If you died there?"

"Basically, I'd die and you'd have no lazy bum around to hang around anymore. Wouldn't you be happy if that happened?" Shikamaru answered sarcastically. "Bah... That was a stupid question, Ino."

"I didn't mean that kind of answer. I meant... What would they to you?"

Shikamaru didn't reply at first. He had never really given it much thought yet. "I'm not sure." He answered a few minutes later. "Maybe they'll just leave us there to rot. We'll never be given a proper burial." He lit a cigarette. "Pretty evil, huh?"

"Won't you feel bad?.. If you see yourself from above..."

"Or below." He muttered.

"Just rotting away in some patch of unknown land?"

"Well, of course I'll feel bad. Anybody will." He paused and looked at Ino in the eye. "What would you do if you found out I died over there and they left me to rot for life? How would you feel?"

Ino looked down to hide the tears that were threatening to fall. "Of course I'll... I'll feel sad. You were my friend, after all..."

"Just a friend?" Shikamaru mused, all of a sudden.

Ino looked at him, evidently surprised. "What?" She asked.

"No. Nothing. Forget it. Tch." Shikamaru turned away to hide the blush that was spreading on his cheeks. "I have to go anyway. See you around."

"Wait!"

"What?"

"When... When will you leave?" Ino raised her head, showing him two trails of tears on her cheeks.

"You'll see us leave?" He whined. "You girls will just cry and whine. You don't have to go."

"But I want to!" She insisted. "I want to see... I want to see you guys leave."

"Guess you'd be happy to see us..." He complained, shrugging his shoulders. "Alright. Tuesday of next week."

Shikamaru left the flower shop. Outside, the sky was dark and starless. Evening had slipped in quickly. Thick clouds were on the sky, blotting out the full moon. A cool breeze was blowing. He felt a sudden pang of sorrow over leaving this place... Over leaving Ino alone on nights like this...

Tenten sat on the park swing. It was night time, perhaps around 7 or 8, but Hyuuga Neji had told her to meet him there. So here she was, waiting, pushing herself on the swing every minute or so to entertain herself. She had been waiting for over an hour and she was bored. Nothing to do but look at the swaying leaves. She sighed and thought about how she should not even be here. She should be at home, sharpening her tools or mending her dress. If only it wasn't Neji, she would have graciously declined but it was him so there was no declining on his part. Neji was a very sensitive person. She could tell from personal experience.

Finally, after a few more moments of drawing on the sand with one foot, Neji appeared from behind the trees. He was wearing the usual long Hyuuga robe but he wore a different kind of expression. He appeared to be greatly troubled. He sat on the other swing beside Tenten and looked at the sky. His hands were shaking. It was unusual to see him so flustered.

"Have you heard of the war, Tenten?" He asked, not daring to look at her.

"No." She answered glibly.

"You sound bored."

"You always guess correctly." She said, smiling. "I thought you'd never come."

"Of course I will come. I have something to tell you."

"Go on with it now."

"We are being called to war, Tenten. I don't how long it will last but..."

Tenten looked up at his face, so ashen. She noticed that he had been crying, or as near to crying as he could get. Maybe that's why he wasn't looking at her. Maybe because he was afraid that she'd laugh at him. So in that one moment, she did what she dared not do. Slowly, she reached up her hands and touched his, taking his left hand onto her right. He didn't move. There was no reaction on his part.

"Are you afraid?" She asked softly.

"Afraid? No." Neji now looked steadily at her. "It's something else. Something more deep than fear. Deeper than sorrow."

Tenten looked at him, sadly. Hyuuga Neji was feeling love. Love over someone. Even she knew that. Any girl would be able to notice at first glance. But who could it be? For sure, it would never be her. That alone was utterly impossible.

"Tenten, I don't what I feel but I know I need you... And that's why I asked you to come. That's why I don't want to leave. That's why I'm telling you these things..." He stood up to leave, turning away from her gaze. His usual proud demeanor had come back. "That's all. You can go now."

She squeezed his hand tightly. "Whatever you do..." She said with a smile. "Don't die, okay?"

Neji nodded and smiled down at her. He took her up in his arms and locked her in a tight embrace. She was confused and shocked but nevertheless, she yielded to his embrace because it might be the first and the last that they would be able to share...

Tuesday morning. The sky was dreadfully filled with thick, black clouds. A fog hung on Konoha and a light drizzle was pouring. Everywhere one looks, it was grey, not just with the weather, but also with the emotions of people. Grief. Sadness. Sorrow. They reigned supreme in the village that day. Everyone, daughters and mothers, were weeping over their loved ones who would go to war for the village.

Sakura looked at all the men's faces one by one. Men who would go to war. Men who would fight for the village. Men who would die for the village. Men who would die alone. She looked at the women. Women who were brave to let their loved ones go. Women who would weep. Women who would suffer. Women who would probably die of grief.

No one knew how long the war would last. Some say it would go on for less than a year, that the men of Konoha would be able to finish it in a matter of months. Sakura believed in her heart that this would be. What with the Kyuubi on their side, they could win any battle. She glanced at Naruto. He was laughing with the other boys he'd go with: Shikamaru, Chouji, Sai, Neji, Lee, Kiba, Shino. It was funny how he looked so happy... But on the inside, she knew that he was suffering.

"Looking brave, aren't they?" Said a cheerful voice behind Sakura. "Are you glad to see Naruto go, Sakura?"

"Ino." Sakura said, turning around. "Actually... I..."

"They are men. They will lust for blood." The blond said, smiling as she watched them talk animatedly.

"I... I know. I know."

"Won't you say goodbye to Naruto? He's calling you, Sakura-chan. You better go. For all we know it could be the last..."

"Ino! You shouldn't be saying that! You know it's rude!"

"Why, I wasn't referring to Naruto! I was referring to you. You'd probably die of sorrow." Ino said goodnaturedly. "Naruto is calling you. Go, go! He looks impatient."

Sakura ran to Naruto's side wherein he led her away from the crowd, talking to her cheerfully, as if nothing was happening. Ino watched her best friend go, forcing a smile on her pretty face. It would be more terrible if Naruto never really got to telling her how he felt. Everyone in Konoha saw his affection for her. It was only Sakura who never noticed. As she was contemplating over this, Ino heard the shuffling of feet behind her.

"What a drag..." Said a familiar voice. "You're here? Never thought you'd come."

"Of course I'd come to see my father go." She said, turning around to smile at her companion. Perhaps the last time she would see him in good condition, with a complete body...

"Tch. The other day you were all sulky and dramatic... And today you're all jolly. What's up with you girls anyway?" He said, annoyed.

"Well... Didn't you say that crying will just make it hard for you guys to go? So..." She smiled. "Even if it hurts, I'll try to keep smiling. For all of you."

"Hmph." Shikamaru sneered at her. "You're taking things too literally."

He looked around to make sure no one was looking. Then, when he was positive no one was paying attention to the two of them, he bent down and kissed Ino on the forehead. "I'll come back when it's over. I promise. No need to say goodbye."

Ino couldn't hold it anymore. The sorrow she felt inside was too much to handle and now Shikamaru was telling her this. A tear fell down her ivory cheeks. It was soon followed by another. And another. Until she was crying. Shikamaru looked at her, puzzled.

"What's up with you girls? The first minute you're all happy and the next thing all you do is cry... Tch. How troublesome..."

"It's your fault..!" She said in between sniffs and tears. "You shouldn't have said those things..!"

"What's so dramatic about them? After all they were..." He smiled pretty awkwardly. "From the heart."

Ino looked up, wiping her tears with her hands. "Really? You were sincere?"

"Hmph..." He dropped the smile and shook his head. "Fine. If you don't want to believe I was, then don't."

Ino smiled and embraced him tightly, possibly for the first and last time. "I'm glad." She said. "Please come back. Come back to us."

Shikamaru patted her on the back. "You take care of yourselves, too. Help my mother, okay? She gets miserable when she's all alone."

Ino nodded. How happy she was! Shikamaru had left her a promise and she knows for certain that he will keep it. No matter how long the war will last, that promise will remain sacred and unbroken.

The time for their departure arrived and each man hugged or kissed his own woman. Naruto said a shy goodbye to Sakura, waving at her. Shikamaru nodded back at his mother. Inoichi patted his daughter on the head and reassured her that he would come back, for the mean time she would have to take care of the shop and help her mother whenever she can. Shino whispered in Hinata's ear and the words sort of made her blush. Neji said goodbye to Tenten rather coldly while Lee gave her a huge bear hug amidst crying. He also hugged Sakura tightly, much to Sakura's annoyance and disappointment.

Finally, it was time to go. The men ran to the forest, looking back to say a few more things or just to take one last look at their loved ones. Sakura kept waving goodbye to Naruto as long as he was still in sight. It didn't matter whether he was looking or not. What was important was that she was able to let her emotions out. When the last of the Konoha ninjas had disappeared, she stood beside Ino.

"So... How was it?" Ino asked, looking at the direction of the forest. "How did he say goodbye?"

"He... He..." Sakura blushed. "He kissed me and asked me if I wanted to be Mrs. Uzumaki Naruto someday. Of course I said... Yes."

"That was good." She commented, smiling. It was a pretty low level reaction to what Sakura said but, due to heartache, Ino couldn't afford a much better reply. "Shikamaru promised he'd come back and I believe it." She looked at Sakura in the eye. "We have to keep faith. For all of them."

"Of course." Sakura replied. "We have to be strong."

Together they looked at the horizon, to the direction where the men had left. Dust was still flying in the air, showing where their men had tread. Sakura, Tenten, Ino, and Hinata stared at the dust. None of them knew what was before them. Or how long the war would last. But they were sure of one thing: Their friends would surely come back.