EDIT 052913: Yeah, um, hi. So, I was just bored and was thinking through things... when I suddenly decided to re-read this. And eventually, found a few typographical errors here and there. So, I just tried to fixed them, and I hope that the next few readers wouldn't see the shame I did. LOL

But don't worry to those who already finished this, coz I assure you that the plot and the way it is written won't be changed, not even the notes below. I just corrected a few mistakes and grammar errors. So yeah. Enjoy!

CHAPTER 1: MIRROR

"Are we there yet?"

"Just walk, Naruto."

Oh, yes. He was getting frustrated. Who wouldn't, though? They've been walking on this deserted desert for countless hours. And to be honest, it was getting tiresome, even for his teammates.

But it had been a while since Team 7 was appointed to an escort mission; Heck, it's been weeks since they've been on a single mission! So, as the loud-mouthed idiot as he was, Naruto never hesitated to agree.

"But I'm tired, Kakashi-sensei!" The blonde jinchuuriki waved his hands around, exclaiming his point.

"Shut up already, dobe."

Unfortunately, for a certain Uchiha prodigy, these kinds of missions never "trained him to the core". They were simple and only for the weak, according to him. Just too easy. Accompanying a human being was too much of an annoyance, and he didn't give a damn even if they were to guard a princess today.

So instead of getting more annoyed, he simply distracted himself into thinking of something else. Like, who the hell is this princess they were going to fight for from naïve bandits attempting to kill her? Or, why would this royal highness need shinobi who had their own businesses when she's so rich she could just hire spies or bandits themselves to protect her? Or better yet, who the damn hell meets up in a desert anyway?

Yup. Uchiha Sasuke was annoyed.

As always.

"Maybe because the desert is, umm... deserted?"

It was only when he heard his pink-haired teammate's voice did he realize that he was muttering his thoughts aloud.

"Hn." His usual reply.

She wasn't mocking him though; Sakura knew better than to do that. She simply answered him, because his grumblings were slowly irritating her a little. Funny though, she thought. It was quite a rare display, even for herself, that she'd get pissed easily from her former crush's annoyance. Yes, former. Before, she'd just giggle and squirm "Oh, you're right Sasuke-kun!" in his ears, then he'd push her away. Now she's just annoyed as much as he was. But they weren't exactly that mad at each other—at least, Sakura wasn't. It was probably because of the heat of this damn desert.

Probably.

"Are we there yet?!" Naruto finally shouted, after minutes of restraining himself for the second time.

"He's right, sensei." The pinkette huffed. "I get that our travel is supposed to last for hours, but I feel like we've been walking on sand longer than before we even got here!"

"Do you even know where the meeting spot is?" Sasuke joined, invisibly sweating.

Though he wouldn't admit it, he was getting tired as well. He just wanted this mission to be over so he could do real training, rather than some stupid getaway to escort this damsel-in-distress.

"Of course I do." The copy-nin answered, with his finger up to emphasize that he was, in fact, not stupid.

The same moment he did, he stopped on his tracks—leaving the others no choice but to halt.

They blinked in confusion.

"Because this,"—Kakashi turned his head to his right—"is where we'll meet them."

For what a second felt like an eternity of unbearable heat, Sakura blinked at her sensei and looked at his sight's direction. Her emerald eyes caught what seemed to make her sigh in relief.

"Just in time."

The two other boys looked at what their teammates were seeing and turned their heads and found a group of carriages afar heading their way.

One carriage didn't attract that many attention. Really, they're quite common on the outskirts of Shinobi villages and who knows where. And again, really, whose attention would you want from this deserted place?

But it wasn't just one carriage—they weren't called a 'group' if its quantity was one. From where they were standing, Sakura counted four of them.

Four humongous carriages.

Okay, three big carriages. But the small one's size wasn't far from them, apparently.

Each of them (except for the smallest one) was enough to carry ten to fifteen people, the medic nin-to-be thought. Now, who on earth would want to carry their whole clan in the middle of this desert?

As the carriages finally stopped in front of them, she could already see how big Naruto's eyes are, as if he hadn't seen anything as big as this. The innocent idiot he was, she just smiled.

Behind the wheeled object came out a young man, about a few years older than them but younger than Kakashi, with hair as black as Sasuke's and a smile that was sure to swoon a few girls Sakura knew of.

"You must be the ninjas from Konoha." And his voice was like music to her ears.

But for a split second, Sasuke swore this stranger's eyes widened a bit. He didn't know why, and it wasn't like he cared.

If the reaction wasn't because of a certain female teammate.

"It's pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Takaaki Narumi,"—his hand slowly reached for Kakashi's, who reached back—"the princess's personal guardian."

"Kakashi Hatake."

Then he eyed his students, continuing the usual and formal introduction.

"This is Naruto Uzumaki." The blonde grinned the biggest beam and huffed, "Yo!"

"Sasuke Uchiha." Said boy just "hn"-ed.

"And our future medic nin, Sakura Haruno." Kakashi finished with an unseen smile.

Again, Sasuke saw the same reaction he did minutes ago from this Takaaki guy. He didn't want to know a while ago, but now he was actually itching to find out why. It was as if this guy thought that Haruno Sakura was a ghost or something. Or like she wasn't supposed to exist.

The Uchiha didn't even fail to notice on how he blinked his eyes twice just to shake whatever he was thinking about off his head.

Or how this hell of a stranger was staring at Sakura longer than needed that it annoyed him to his very core.

How annoyed and pissed he was.

But Kakashi didn't fail to see this either.

"Is something wrong, Takaaki-san?" The pinkette finally asked, startling the boy before them.

"O-oh! No, no. I'm sorry. I was just, umm..."

Cute as it may to see the guy stutter and blush (not for Sasuke though), the carriage shook lightly. And it woke Takaaki back to reality that there was someone else he had to introduce to these noble shinobis.

Someone important.

The carriage's door opened slowly, and halfway through its movement, Takaaki immediately reached out for a hand—a woman's hand. He gently pulled out a figure, wearing a cloak.

One look and it didn't take a genius to figure out who this important person was.

Except maybe for Naruto.

It was a good thing Takaaki spoke before either of the Jinchuuriki's teammates killed him for being the densest idiot in the world.

"Kakashi-san, everyone... This,"

—holding her hand, as she stepped down the carriage, something green shimmered inside the hood that got Sakura's heart pound twice its speed for one whole second—

"...is Twin Crescent Island's princess, our Suzuna hime-sama."

Said princess reached for the cloak's hood and pulled it to the back of her head, finally revealing her new and unfamiliar face.

Only... it wasn't at all new and unfamiliar.

It was like looking at a mirror. A mirror from a dream. A horrible dream. Or a nightmare. Or a horrible fact of reality that no, she wasn't looking at a mirror.

Even the rest of her teammates couldn't believe what they were seeing.

As soon as this Suzuna person pulled her hood over her head, there behold upon their very eyes of pink hair and green eyes. And it wasn't Sakura. It was the princess.

The important person they were supposed to guard.

The princess of the Twin Crescent Island.

But really, how could you not gape at the sight? Even Sakura's heart stopped for a minute, if that was even possible without dying.

The princess was an exact replica of the Sakura Haruno they knew of. She had light pink hair that ended on her shoulders, just like Sakura's. Her eyes shone emerald beauty, just like Sakura's. And her height, and her body build...

Basically, everything they saw of Suzuna-sama screamed of Sakura Haruno.

The whole scene just left everyone dumfounded and breathless and speechless... except the two newbies.

"Umm..." Takaaki broke the silence, which was actually getting more awkward than it already was.

His eyes scanned the shinobi before him. Naruto had his saucer-wide eyes on the princess, Sasuke had his forehead creased, and Kakashi, while keeping his cool, still had shock evident on his only visible eye.

And as for Sakura, well, you can't really blame her. The princess practically looks like her. Or the other way around.

Either way it was shocking. And weird.

"I suppose it's just me who thinks that what you are doing is quite rude."

Oh crap. Even her voice has the same tone as Sakura's.

"Oh! S-sorry, I just—"

"It's fine, Sakura-san. This was actually the reason why I kept, umm... looking at you." Takaaki bowed his head.

Said medic nin simply smiled apologetically, right after she noticed her two teammates still in state of shock. Well, Naruto was.

Sasuke just didn't show it; she just knew.

It was then Kakashi cleared his throat, loud enough to snap the blonde back to reality.

"Our apologies for the rude impression, your Highness. I am Hatake—"

"I know. I was listening from the inside."

Though she had the same voice as Sakura, her monotonous sound matched Sasuke's. It might actually beat him.

...just might.

"My name is Suzuna Haruki. And Takaaki-kun,"

—it was then when she looked at his male companion when the foursome finally saw her smile, her shimmering and beautiful smile—

"...there's no need for you to call me Hime-sama."

Said man smiled back, as if there was nobody around them.

But just after a split second, Suzuna snapped back to the Shinobi before her, her innocent grin gone.

"Didn't I tell you not to call these kinds of people?" The princess glared at them, one by one—especially Sakura.

It wasn't the mad kind of glare. Just the easy kind.

Like the everyday Sasuke Uchiha.

"But Suzuna-sama, you know the kind of danger we'd face when we go back to the islands." The personal guard looked at her, silently pleading for understanding.

Sakura could tell that he wanted her to look back, to understand that he wasn't doing this to annoy his princess, but to simply protect her. Because he knew he wasn't enough, he had to disobey her command.

Because he cared for her more than his life.

"...Fine, then." The princess pouted, but not the kind of pout that would make you smile. She still had her glaring dagger eyes on the team.

As soon as she said that, she turned around and climbed back to the carriage—which was actually the smallest among the four big ones. The door slammed close, and Takaaki just sighed.

"I'm terribly sorry for that."

"Oh, no. We were a bit rude for staring at her like that." Sakura spoke for her teammates, who still didn't utter a single word.

"But I really can't blame you. I, too, am still in shock, knowing that you look exactly like the princess."

"Or that Sakura-chan looks exactly like your princess!" The Hokage wannabee finally breathed out, not even giving a hint of discretion in his voice.

The rest of the trip wasn't at all that annoying, really.

Nothing really bothered her. The heat was bearable after a few miles of travel. Plus, she had a bonus of sitting on top of the main carriage for a better radar, in case no one noticed if there was a rogue sneaking around.

Her teammates weren't in bad positions either—they were ninjas after all.

Naruto was walking beside the first carriage, which was in front of the princess's, and in Sakura's clear view. Kakashi was somewhere at the back of the whole caravan, since he said that it was most dangerous there. Sasuke was walking beside the one where the medic nin was sitting on, where Suzuna and Takaaki was inside, exactly where she could see him.

But it wasn't boring either. Though it was a desert, there were still bandits hiding behind who knows where. So far, they've already fought three groups—and all were successful.

Because the bandits were easy to handle.

Sakura sighed, her head on her hands.

...Okay. Maybe it was a bit boring.

She heard the princess sigh too.

Then her thoughts went back to the earlier events, on how they saw Suzuna impossibly looked so much like herself... or the other way around, maybe.

It really felt like it was looking at a mirror. To see someone else have the same hair, the same eyes, the same face, the same everything? Heck, even the same voice. It was just impossible to witness something so extraordinary... so impossible, that for a second Sakura thought it was some kind of genjutsu.

It was just a second, though.

Or five.

Five. Whole. Seconds.

And it really didn't leave her mind; it was bugging her to death! She wanted to ask the princess about it too. Though she didn't exactly know what to ask, she just irked to find out how Suzuna reacted to it—on how they looked so alike.

"Hey, you."

Or how they weirdly thought of the same thing at the same time.

Sakura was about to ask, when the princess cut her off. The pinkette shinobi didn't mind not being called by her name, she was just desperate to talk to her "twin".

"Yes, Suzuna-sama?" Sakura had to lean towards the carriage's side to make sure the princess heard her.

She didn't need to, though. Even Sasuke could hear her.

"You sure you didn't just copy my face or anything?" The princess said bluntly.

"W...wha—?" Sakura's eyes widened.

Suzuna chuckled.

"Relax. I'm just kidding..."

It kind of sounded like it was a sweet, innocent laugh, really.

"I just... still can't believe that there's someone out there who looks like me." She sighed; Sakura practically could see a smile there.

The kunoichi sighed as well, letting out a little giggle. For a moment there, she thought she was going to get a sermon.

"Well, as the saying goes, 'Expect the Unexpected'. We live in a weird world, really." Sakura beamed.

"You're right. This world really is weird..." Suzuna sighed. "Weird and crazy."

"I really am sorry for being rude a while ago."

"No, it's fine."

"But it's been haunting me ever since! I really am sorry."

"I told you it's fine."

"But, princess—"

"Let it go, Sakura. She said it was fine." A cool voice intervened; it was Sasuke's.

The pinkette almost stuttered to find words to scold the boy—though not in the meanest way. She almost did, before the princess cut her off again.

The royal cherry-head placed her right elbow on the carriage's window, so she could clearly see the young Uchiha.

"She your girlfriend, Uchiha?" She spoke those words with a teasing smirk, Sakura felt it.

She felt it so much that she stuttered for the second time to defend herself. But the princess laughed... again.

"Really, Sakura-san! I was just teasing you."

Sasuke remained stoic, as if he wasn't part of the topic at all.

"Besides... I've heard of you Uchihas, of how completely serious you all are about life. And judging by your face,"—said Uchiha turned his head to the princess—"...I'd say it'll take you about 30 years to find a wife."

Suzuna was so blunt, Sakura could cry laughing. But she didn't want to hurt her teammate's pride. He was Sasuke Uchiha, after all. So she just covered her mouth and stifled her giggle.

But she could hear Naruto loud cackle outburst in plain sight.

Sasuke still remained cool. But his eyebrows did twitch a little.

A little.

And just as Naruto's loud laughter slowly died, Sakura heard the princess sigh again.

"But you know..."—Suzuna smirked—"you two look good together. Really."

So did Sakura's cheeks and a bit of pink hue. She wanted to say something, but failed to.

"Reminds me of a certain pair." The pinkette princess added, eyes rolling to a certain person.

"Anyone particular?" Takaaki chuckled.

He was there, inside the carriage along with Suzuna. Though it wasn't like no one knew he wasn't there. He'd been there since they left the meeting spot, since the princess refused to let him out of the wheeled room. He just barely spoke along the whole travel.

He was smiling as much as she was, just across each other.

"Not my fault we're inseparable, Taka-chan." She had to giggle at the old nickname.

"Not my fault we've known each other since childhood." He smiled back.

"And it's also not my fault that Sakura-san and I are both pink, while you and the Uchiha are both black-haired dudes." The princess just bursted into a soft laugh.

Takaaki simply chuckled back, letting his princess have her own fun.

As if the two had their own world inside the carriage, Sakura just let herself smile. She didn't eavesdrop, but it was quite delightful to listen to them. They were both happy and so carefree, as if there was no one there to attack them. Or ninjas to protect them. Or the fact that their conversation could be heard, even by Sasuke and Naruto.

As if they were perfect for each other...

Now, now. Let's not jump to conclusions, Sakura dear. Suzuna is a princess and Takaaki is her personal guard. Though they've admitted that they were childhood friends and "inseparable", it was not possible that they were a romantic couple.

...Or was it?

The way they laughed themselves silly in their own magical world, Sakura just had to let the thought go. Knowing how busy and hectic Suzuna was at such a young age, it was alright to let her have fun, even in these moments.

"Must be tough to be a young and busy princess, right?" Haruno muttered, but enough to be heard by the said princess.

"Not really, no."—she shook her head and smiled a small one—"And I'm not that young anymore, Sakura-san."

Oh...

Wait, what?

"What do you mean? Aren't you, like, 13 or something?"

The confused kunoichi was already leaning on the edge, up to the point where she could see the princess's elbow still sticking out. Her hands were the only support she had to keep herself from falling down.

Was she being too humble about her age?

"No, of course not! I'm twenty-one years old."

"T... Twenty-one?"—she stuttered and blinked twice—"You're kidding right?"

Suzuna wanted to laugh really. A lot of people asked her the same thing too. It was kind of rude at first, but she just got used to it and joke about it now.

"Nope. Not this time."

Oh my goodness, would you look at that: I'm still alive, bahahaha! Yeah, I have a good explanation for being dead for almost 2 years now. But I'm pretty sure y'all wouldn't believe me, haha.

Literally, school killed me. Last time I checked, my last update was when I was in senior high school, on the verge of graduating. Then things got very busy. VERY, VERY busy. I couldn't touch my fanfics, but my plot bunnies kept multiplying in my head. LOL

Then, I graduated, hurrah! So, yes. Now I am in college, but unfortunately, I gave more way to study (wow!). My course, I doubt anybody of you know coz I live in Narnia (BS in Graphic Designs and Multimedia). But believe me, it's hard! It's friggin' hard, the word itself is just an understatement, haha!

Then came a certain point in my life where I opened my laptop and wanted to type words and paragraphs... but to no avail. Why? MY LAPTOP CRASHED. Fudge.

My previous works are stored in a USB, but Love At Last Sight's sequel was in that worthless laptop. And I was even working on something new too! And both are in there, in that fudgy laptop that I have yet to fix. Dang it.

But I wanted to do something! My plot bunnies were getting out of hand that I wanted to write, even just one from all of them. So I picked this!

Anyways, I'm terribly sorry, really I am, for putting Love At Last Sight on a humongous hiatus. I feel bad than I already do. But hey, to make it up to you guys, I picked an old-themed fanfic and I'll try my best to finish this before May! Coz it's Summer here, and I'm bored. Wahaha.

Enjoy! xx