Sasuke Uchiha hated people…

He was bitter, belligerent, and not even his busy family saw him cast a smile… or at least a genuine one.

Sasuke and his family were born and raised in Japan but moved to the United States when he turned five.

In Japan, he had one friend, who happened to be his total opposite. He was loud and lively, with a fox grin that amazed Sasuke every time he looked at him. They always manage to see each other. It would be the only time when Sasuke felt like a kid, an actual kid having fun. They fought with each other in near-by parks until random mothers desperately broke them apart at the sight of blood. Their friendship was odd but strong. The distance Sasuke felt from everyone he met made him isolated, but when he met his friend, he felt someone was pulling him in. Something warm and gentle inched towards his frozen heart; Sasuke was so fond of that rare feeling. And only he could do that. If Sasuke cared about anyone, it was him

But his friend unfortunately died in Japan.

Or that's what his family told him when he woke up in the hospital.

Riddled with mental anguish, Sasuke tried hard not to lash out. He woke up screaming not from his nightmares, but from the realization that he will never see him again. His family thought it would be best for them to move far away.

Due to the trauma, the therapy sessions, and the cult-like chanting of the words "it's over now, forget it!", the painful memories slipped into the back of his mind.

He had even forgotten his friend's name.

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In the United States, The Uchiha family moved to a Japanese district. In school, Sasuke was able to learn English quickly. Though he didn't dare speak it. The children learned from English schoolbooks and bilingual teachers. The kids liked speaking English; it was new and exciting. If Sasuke asked for anything however, it would be in Japanese.

The Uchiha family ran a small business and were finally able to move slightly outside the district. Absolutely furious, Sasuke was given the news that he will be attending a new school. From being just another kid, easily slipping into a Japanese classroom unnoticed, he was now the "foreign kid" in Smith Elementary.

"Hi! What's your name?" said a fifth grader with blue overalls.

"…Naze…?" the "foreign boy" asked with a frustrated sigh.

"Naz?!" the boy said his shock, "what kind of name is that!?".

The dark haired boy narrowed his eyes in disgust and stomped off, leaving the kid to laugh walk back to his friends.

When Sasuke knew he was out of earshot, he muttered, "Why the hell do I need to tell you?"

Sasuke hid the fact that he spoke English… Not so much with his teachers since they can contact his parents, which of course meant doom for him if they found out what he has been doing. As Sasuke grew older, he gradually spoke more. He managed to get into college… gaining no friends. At the age of twenty, he mumbled English to people he had to answer to but still preferred his language.

To himself however, he was an English-speaking chatterbox.

"Why the FUCK do I have to deal with this?!"

And he enjoyed swearing.

Listening to Glassjaw in his tiny apartment on his queen-sized bed, he laid on his back with arms behind his head. He bitched about his day to the only one that could endure it: himself.

"Four long ass classes with fuckin' groups of people that I don't want to interact with" he yelled at the ceiling. "Shit, I don't want to do this and school starts tomorrow."

His computer blaring music went to the next song on the album, surprisingly not a screaming, angry Glassjaw one, but a "softer" one. The one that creeps up from the last track. Sasuke closed his tired eyes, picturing a small figure submerging in memories. It was himself.

Sinking in to his mind, he sang softly to the rest of the short song…

And now you leave me in defeat

Leave me a battered, broken man.

"The amount of love you wish to give is more than I can stand."

His anger leaving, Sasuke's face showed worry. The small fading figure sinking deeper into his mind.

Now I have you where I want you

I know that you are listening

This is my chance to tell you everything

Fuck you

Sasuke's eyes tightened as he barely whispered those last two words just as the singer has. He sank deeper; the world began to go dark…

My chance to tell you I love you

But I've waited too long

Now the record's over

Now the record's over…

Sinking deeper in darkness…

"..Na"…

A gasp nearly choked Sasuke as he suddenly sat up, eyes widened. He brought his hands to his chest, as if holding something dear to him. Looking down at his position he settled his shaking hands back down on the covers. He felt like something was snatched from him; something that was forever his was brutally ripped from his arms. Slowly laying back down he stared at the ceiling again…

"W-what was that just now?" he whispered unsteadily.

The figure in his mind was now returned to the surface. Sasuke rolled on his side and drifted to sleep, muttering a soft syllable…

"…Na"