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22. Sasuke and Sakura Argue: Night of Sasuke's Desertion

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Sakura knew that Sasuke had mentally hit his breaking point: she knew he was going to desert Konoha, which is why she was the only person waiting there for him when he left the Leaf Village.

I appreciate the insight this scene gives into Sasuke's and Sakura's characters and their relationship. While the dialogue could perhaps have been written more eloquently, the clumsiness of Sasuke's and Sakura's attempts to explain their deepest feelings seems realistic, seeing as they are merely 13-year-olds and besides that, Sasuke has always had trouble expressing his emotions and Sakura has not been good at explaining her feelings well either.

Sakura is upfront and to the point with Sasuke. She doesn't hold back her frustration with him or in pointing out what is wrong with their friendship. Through tears she demands, "Why don't you ever tell me anything?" She demands to know why he is so silent and keen to hide so much from her, tearfully questioning, "why can't you just...let me in?"

Interesting dialogue from Sakura, since up to this point if there's anyone Sasuke has shown to be willing to confide in, it's Sakura

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Interesting dialogue from Sakura, since up to this point if there's anyone Sasuke has shown to be willing to confide in, it's Sakura. He told her that he is first and foremost an avenger, he told her he'll prioritize that above everything including his own team, he told her about the time his someone (Itachi) made him cry, he told her the true reason for participating in the chunin exams, he explained to her his motivation and reason for living. At this point, if there's anyone that Sasuke is letting in, it's Sakura.

Yet still Sakura isn't satisfied with where their relationship stands, because she realizes that even despite the things that Sasuke is telling her about his feelings, there is still a plethora of things he isn't telling her.

Sakura keeps trying to approach him as a friend and help him through his pain and struggles, but he keeps rejecting her help, and she is frustrated by it. She's tried giving him space, she's tried offering support, she's tried stopping him, she's tried letting him do what he wants, she's tried listening to him, she's tried giving him advice. She's tried to do her best to help him, but Sasuke is incredibly stubborn and keeps rejecting her help, and it frustrates Sakura, because she cares about protecting and helping her friends, but they won't allow her to do that.

In short, Sakura knows Sasuke is purposely pushing her away and there are sides of him he refuses to let her see, so she asks him why, and the meaning behind her words is clear: Why are you shutting me out? Why won't you let your friends help you? Why won't you trust me?"

Sakura leaves the question as an open-ended one, giving Sasuke space. He can say he hates her, but it allows him to constructively criticize her too, just like on day one of Team 7 when Sasuke told her she was annoying when she made fun of orphans for being misbehaved due to lack of parents. That may be why Sakura references that memory herself, turning the conversation to reminiscence on the team's first day when Sasuke got mad at her. Perhaps it's her way of saying that if there's something wrong with her, she can change, just like how she realized what a brat she was back then and changed for the better once Sasuke pointed out what a jerk she was being.

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