Sunlight streamed through the window. It fell upon the sky-blue blanket of a bed. In the bed, three children slept together, close to one another, like three little birds in a nest. On the left slept a boy whose appearance gave away his relation to the boy on the far right. In between the two slept a girl. The sunlight lit up her face. The girl slowly opened her eyes. She yawned and sat up, sleepily, rubbing her tired eyes. She looked down, first at the boy on the left, and then the boy on the right. The one on the left opened his eyes and sat up. The other boy mimicked his movement. The girl smiled.
"Morning, Yuki-kun," she said to the boy on the left. He yawned.
The other boy laughed, saying, "Aren't you ever happy in the morning, little brother?" Yuki glared at his older brother.
"Ichigo, shut up," he snapped. Ichigo and the girl laughed. Ichigo stretched and slid off the bed.
"Hiromi," he called to the girl, "you and Yuki-kun should dress." Hiromi slid off the bed in response.
A full length mirror stood against the wall opposite the bed, resting on a stand. Ornate and glinting gold, it contrasted with the rest of the room. The walls were plain white. The bed, by the wide window, was pushed against the wall. White lace curtains fluttered in the breeze blowing from the window Hiromi had opened after sliding off the bed.
Yuki sighed and got off the bed. He rummaged through the dark brown wood drawers by the bed. Hiromi stood in front of the mirror. She studied her reflection. The girl in the mirror stared back at her thoughtfully. Her hair was black and streaked with blond, falling about an inch past her shoulders. The brightness in her cerulean eyes gave no sign of all the pain and hardship she had endured. Pale, smooth and perfect was her skin. Hiromi smiled at the girl in the mirror, who returned the smile. She was thin, but not painfully skin-and-bones thin, and clad in a black tank top and shorts. Hiromi took one last look before walking over to the drawers Yuki had just pulled clothes out of.
Yuki sighed again and grabbed his clothes. He paused for a second and then opened one of the drawers. He pulled out a set of clothes and proceeded to open the bathroom door and throw the clothes at his brother's face. Sweet- tempered Ichigo laughed and closed the door.
"Hiromi, Imma dress in the kitchen," Yuki called, opening the bedroom door and walking out.
"What the heck, Yuki-kun? Someone's gonna see you…"
"I DON'T GIVE A SHIT!"
"…okay…don't need to yell…or cuss…."
"DON'T TELL ME HOW TO LIVE MY LIFE!"
"SHUT UP AND DRESS YUKI!"
"It's not nice to argue!" trilled Ichigo from the bathroom.
"YOU'RE STILL IN THE BATHROOM?" Hiromi yelled back.
The bathroom door opened and Ichigo poked his head out.
"Not anymore!" he smiled mischievously and opened the door wider. He laughed and exited the bathroom. Sweet, lighthearted Ichigo. Smiling all the time. It was impossible not to love him. The way he smiled was so happy you just had to smile back. He was so different from Yuki. Yuki…permanently scowling Yuki. It's funny how he was so different from Ichigo when they looked so alike. Both of them were slim and pale, with blonde-streaked black hair. Ichigo was a little taller, but it was natural; he was a little older. The only other difference was their eyes. Ichigo's were light, cheerful blue. Lighter than Hiromi's. Dreamy, wistful, and long-lashed; all the girls loved Ichigo's eyes. Yuki's were golden. Sparkling, glittering, beautiful gold. But his eyes were cold, like hard, golden diamonds. People always confused Ichigo and Yuki, despite their unusual eyes.
Except Hiromi.
She knew them so well; she never mixed them up. Hiromi smiled, grabbed clothes off the floor that Yuki had taken out, and started to dress.
Fully dressed, Hiromi, Yuki, and Ichigo set off for the ninja academy. Ichigo whistled at twittering birds in a tree as they were walking along the road. The birds fell silent; they wanted to hear Ichigo.
And then he began to sing.
The people passing by stopped and gaped at him. Ichigo gracefully extended his arm towards the tree. One of the birds took flight. It landed on his slim fingers. Ichigo smiled with delight. He turned his head towards Hiromi and Yuki, who were standing a few feet away. Yuki's face was blank. Hiromi smiled at Ichigo, that special smile she always saved for him when he sang. That smile he always loved to see. He looked at her- and she understood.
She began to sing.
All the people passing by gasped. Three of the people who had first stopped to hear Ichigo sing were Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sakura Haruno.
Naruto's jaw dropped, "WOAH! THAT GIRL CAN SING!"
Sakura looked dreamy, "Oh, wow…those guys are hot…"
"Hmmf." Sasuke looked bored. In reality, he wasn't the least bit bored.
That girl…she's beautiful. And her voice…What's wrong with me? What am I thinking? What the hell am I thinking?
Sasuke took a deep breath. He had the strangest feelings…
He glanced at Naruto and Sakura. Naruto was staring at Hiromi as if she was the only thing in the world that existed, apart from him. Sakura looked at the two boys the same way that Naruto was looking at the girl.
Hiromi and Ichigo stopped singing. Some of the people in the crowd had been crying; others had tears in their eyes now that Hiromi and Ichigo had stopped.
"We're going to be late. Let's go." Yuki's voice broke the silence. Ichigo ruffled his little brother's hair, "You're right! Let's go!" He leaped up high and landed on top of a building. He grew more and more distant by the second, jumping from house to house. Hiromi laughed and Yuki sighed.
Hiromi turned to Yuki, "What are you waiting for? Let's go!"
Without waiting for an answer, she leaped onto a nearby building and set off in the direction Ichigo had gone. Yuki rolled his eyes and followed.
Sasuke watched them go, his eyes hidden by his hair.
"Come on Sasuke-kun! We'll be late!" Sakura said.
Hiromi, Yuki, and Ichigo were some of the last to arrive for class, at the Konoha Ninja Academy. Sasuke's table was filled, but the table to his right was completely empty. Hiromi sat at the end, near Sasuke, Yuki next to her, and Ichigo in the seat beside Yuki.
"Hey." Sasuke said, looking at Hiromi.
"Hi!" she smiled. So this…is the legendary Sasuke Uchiha…
Yuki was glaring at Sasuke. Ichigo stared dreamily in the distance.
"So…you're Hiromi Suzaku, right? And those two are Yuki and Ichigo Shirokuro, aren't they?"
Hiromi looked startled, "How did you know?"
"You're kinda' famous, you know, because…"
"Settle down class!" called the sensei. Class was about to begin.
The class groaned (save for Ichigo, Hiromi and Yuki, and Naruto). Why did Iruka have to punish them for what that annoying Naruto did? Grumbling, the students lined up to perform their Transformation Jutsu. Standing behind Sasuke, was Hiromi, Ichigo, and Yuki. Ichigo and Hiromi looked excited; Yuki was as expressionless as ever. They all performed their jutsu flawlessly.
"Hey, Hiromi." Sasuke was already sitting in his seat as Hiromi slid into hers. She turned to look at him.
"Yes?"
"You're pretty good at that…"
"Oh! Thank you!"
"So, Hiromi…were all the people of your clan and Yuki and Ichigo's clan as…amazing?"
Hiromi ducked her head, her hair sliding down and covering her eyes, "Yes, I guess you could say that…" Suddenly her face was expressionless and her eyes were hidden. Yuki noticed, and gave Sasuke a death glare, as if to say, what did you do to her?
Her reaction…damn. I shouldn't have said anything. It must have been because-
Iruka's voice interrupted Sasuke's thoughts. The sensei began to lecture the class again.