Author's note – Before anything, thanks for reading this fanfiction! I had published a fanfic not long ago, but I ended up deleting it because I didn't know where to lead the story. This time, I was given a main plot idea by a user that preferred to remain anonymous, and developed a SasuSaku story from there. Don't expect a lot of romance in this first chapter, since it mostly works as an introduction.
There are some Japanese honorifics and expressions present in the text. In case you don't know the meaning of certain words, there is a basic Japanese phrasebook at the end of the page.
Enough of keeping you waiting, happy reading!
It was a sun soaked morning of summer in the bustling village of Konoha. The start of a day at the village was always filled with noise, euphoria, and energy, and that day wasn't any different. The Hokage mountain, located in the northernmost area of the Shinobi populated village, protected Konoha from all harm, like an everlasting wall that symbolized the Will of Fire that eternally burned within the souls of the deceased Hokages, as well as the current's.
Far from the energy of the core of Konoha, four figures emerged, entering the gates that welcomed them to their hometown. The gatekeepers recognized the quartet, and rapidly granted them access to enter the village. The tallest in the group, a silver-haired man who hid his face behind a mask, waved to the two guards as a form of gratitude. Accompanying him were three young Shinobis, each very different from the others.
The shortest ninja had blonde hair, blue eyes and three trademark whiskers that made his face very recognizable. He wore an orange and blue tracksuit with the crimson spiral of the Uzumaki clan in the back, that… didn't quite fit his size. He displayed a proud grin, presumably due to his good performance in his previous mission. Apparently, he had been bragging about his success on the task the whole way back to the village, much to his teammates' great annoyance.
"Oi, Sasuke! Face it, teme: I did way better than you on the mission!" – he bragged, much to his teammate Sasuke's nuisance.
"Do everyone a favor and shut that pitiful mouth of yours" – Sasuke replied neutrally, yet visibly irritated.
Sasuke Uchiha was the tallest out of the young squad. He sported his dark hair spiky in the back, and wore a blue t-shirt with a fan on the back, which was the traditional symbol of his clan: The Uchiha clan. He also wore white shorts that contrasted the rest of his overall dark colored garment. Unlike his reckless and clumsy teammate Naruto, he was extremely fancied by girls and envied by most boys. However, he didn't care. All he wanted was to get stronger and eradicate a certain ghost from the past.
Completely distant from the loud conversation between her two teammates was Sakura Haruno, a green eyed, pink haired girl that was completely fascinated with Sasuke. She was the only female in the squad, and most times, the voice of reason. She was usually very energetic and driven by her emotions, often fiercely smacking Naruto in the head when he acted stupid, just like he was in that very moment. For some reason unknown to her team, she was very silent and still. Her face was expressionless, blank even. In her deep, green eyes, a sparkle of sadness could clearly be seen. However, the blonde and the raven-haired were too busy arguing to notice their teammate's unusual behavior. The masked man in charge of the squad, Kakashi Hatake of his name, was the only one to notice his student's expression.
"Sakura-san, is something the matter?" – he mildly asked, trying to be the most discreet possible. The pink turned to him, clearly upset.
"N-no…" – she said, reluctantly. She wasn't a good liar – "I'm just tired because of the mission".
Kakashi was well aware that Sakura was lying, but preferred not to pressure her too much. After all, it could be something personal, or maybe she was just depressed because of something Sasuke did.
"Hum, alright then" – he vaguely whispered.
The two boys of the team were still fighting ferociously, completely ignoring the fact that, wherever they passed, pedestrians laughed at them in a not so discreet manner. Kakashi sweat dropped in shame, while Sakura simply stared at the ground blankly. Luckily for their reputation, Sasuke was the first to notice how everyone around them were pointing their fingers at them, provocatively. He stopped the argument immediately.
"Oi, teme! Too weak to keep up with a man like me!? Hah! I should have expected something like this coming from you!" – the blonde mocked. Sasuke sighed irritably.
"Shut up, dobe. Look around you" – he replied simply.
Naruto turned around and saw that the whole village had been laughing and poking fun at their childish fight all along. His cheeks reddened slightly for a brief instant, but his pride spoke louder and his face returned to its normal color again. The blonde offered the jokesters his back and continued walking, trying hard not to seem embarrassed.
Team 7 walked for a few minutes, until they reached the Hokage building. Kakashi proceeded to inform the team of their performances in the mission:
"Good job on the mission, all of you. Naruto, your chakra flux control is much better and it's evident that you've been training a lot recently. Your level is near, if not equal to Sasuke's" – he began with the blonde troublemaker, who grinned cheerfully, adjusting his headband with pride.
"Sasuke, you're a lot better as well. You've managed to analyze combat situations more carefully and now you can counterattack more precisely with your Sharingan" – the Uchiha simply listened to his evaluation, not surprised.
"As for you, Sakura…" – he began, with a slight change of tone, much to Sakura's grief – "You did well too, but I somehow felt like you lacked some spontaneity when it came down to battle. You were too hesitant, and you could have injured yourself seriously if one of us didn't cover you" – he finished, with Sakura staring at the ground, sadness written all over her face.
"Hai, Kakashi-sensei" – she agreed, as a way of promising she would train harder.
"Well then, that's my cue to leave. Team 7 is dismissed now" – he added, using the Substitution Jutsu to leave the area.
"Now that Kakashi-sensei's gone, what should we do?" – Naruto asked.
"Whatever you want. I'm going training" – Sasuke replied, almost instantly, much to Naruto's disappointment.
"Ugh, you're always the same annoying, I'm better than everyone else baka! – he contested, crossing his arms in annoyance.
Sakura simply looked expressionlessly at her two colleagues for a few seconds. She then proceeded to leave the area without pronouncing a single word. Only then Naruto and Sasuke noticed that there was something wrong with the girl of the group.
"Huh, Sakura-chan? Where are you going?" – the blonde asked, quite worriedly.
"I'm going home" – she replied in a distant voice, without even looking back. Now that was something truly unusual when talking about Sakura.
"Are you okay? Now that I notice it, you've been acting strange ever since we left the mission".
"Don't worry Naruto, I'm fine – she lied, trying not to worry her friend – "I'm just tired because of the mission, so I'll rest a little at home".
"O-Okay…" – the whiskered replied, yet still not fully convinced – "Then, see you tomorrow Sakura-chan".
"Bye Naruto, Sasuke-kun" – she waved, without facing the boys.
And before they knew it, Sakura had disappeared into the endless crowd that filled Konoha at that hour of the day. Both Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other in complicity.
"There's something wrong with Sakura-chan, ne?"
"Of course there is" – Sasuke agreed seemingly uninterested, in his usual harsh manner.
"Well, I don't feel well letting Sakura wander around like that. We should find out what's wrong with her!" – the orange ninja suggested.
"You go and find out whatever you want" – he replied, coldly – "I'm off to training".
"You know what!? Go and don't come back, you heartless teme!" – Naruto shouted, shocked at his comrade's coldness.
Sasuke walked away, pretending not to have listened to the last commentary. He didn't need to worry about such time wasting things. It wasn't an obligation nor an order. He did whatever he wanted to, whenever he wanted to… But somewhere deep in his cold, unreachable soul, he felt a small, almost imperceptible, sparkle of concern and grief.
Sakura's P.O.V
And so I left them behind, off to the place I call home. I pretended not to notice, but I couldn't help but sense that Naruto was worried about me. Damn it, I shouldn't have been so obvious… I was trying my best to hide it, but it was way stronger than me, and before I knew it, Kakashi-sensei was asking me if there was something wrong with me… Baka Sakura… You worried your comrades, and so what now? If I know Naruto well, he's probably going to try and figure out the reason to my sadness. I can't blame him. He's a good friend, which means he cares for his comrades… Kakashi-sensei seemed concerned too… Basically, everyone was worried about me. All but Sasuke. Cold, emotionless, blank Sasuke. Sometimes, I wonder why I like him… His only concerns are training and power, he doesn't care about me whatsoever, and is just so distant… But whenever he's in danger or says my name, my heart beats as if it was about to blow up. And then, it only helps me realize that I love him, and can't do anything about it. I'm in love with Sasuke Uchiha, and I'd be lying if I denied it.
Sometimes I wonder why Sasuke-kun doesn't like me back. Back in the Ninja Academy, there was this strange rumor that Sasuke liked girls with long hair. Without hesitating the slightest bit, I immediately began to grow my hair out. At some point, the length of my hair was at a level that could be considered 'long', just the way he liked it. But he didn't give me any special treatment even after that, so it turned out that it was all a fake myth. However, I still cherished and preserved my hair the best I could, in hopes that my crush would still notice me. But it was all in vain, since I had to cut my hair mercilessly during a battle in the Forest of Death, during the second part of the Chunin Exams. My most beautiful attribute had been taken away, but I did it all to protect him. I hoped he would notice this, but little or nothing did he even care. But at the same time, I feel like the reason to him not liking me is not related to my appearance. It must be something about me, about the way I act… Maybe I'm usually too loud and cheerful for him? No… it mustn't be that. Perhaps it's my fangirling that annoys him? It does bother him a bit, but he seems to live on with it… Then… if it's none of these three options, then why does Sasuke hate me? Which of my countless flaws turns him off so much?
And then, I came to a realization that changed my view on everything.
Or perhaps… I know the reason… I know why Sasuke-kun hates me so much. It's because he thinks I'm weak. I'm always helpless in missions, I act like a total damsel in distress… And don't even get me started on my hesitancy in combat… He thinks I'm the most useless, helpless, piece of garbage to ever walk the surface of Earth… He must think my parents forced me to take the Shinobi career so I could keep up with the other kids or something of that kind…
Sasuke-kun, you're so wrong.
No. My parents did not force me to follow the ninja career for social purposes. In fact, it's quite the opposite. I forced myself to chase that dream. If it depended on them, nowadays I would probably be stuck inside four walls, spending the rest of my days as a young housewife. And no, this is not laziness of my part… They enslave me.
Ever since I was a small child, I would pretend to be a ninja, using forks as kunais, rather than spending time playing with dolls or helping my mom do the housework. Dad would just sit in the sofa all day long, watching TV while fattening disconcertingly by gutting endless potato chips bags. Mom was forced to conform to his gluttony and buy him more food whenever he wanted to. If she disobeyed him, he would beat her up hardheartedly, and if I ever dared to step along to protect her, he would beat me up as well. Both me and mom were terrified of living with such a hellish man at home. Sometimes, she would even try to contact the authorities, but he would always find out, which only resulted in more violence.
Mom was my only ally at home, the only person I could rely on. I grew to dislike my father, but couldn't bring myself to hate him. He was a terrible man who deserved to rot in prison, but I couldn't help but to get reminisced of the fact that he was my dad, and I wouldn't even be alive if it wasn't for his existence. But one night, I regretted my every excuse for his actions. It was the night that my mom started abusing me as well. She was so frightened by my father that she eventually went mad, insane even. She completely lost conscience of her actions, and before I knew it, I was being bullied by her as well. They would harm me for no reason, just because they felt like it. But something that wounded me even more than their physical bullying was how they crushed my dreams as if they were mere pieces of scum.
[Flashback – One night, four years prior to Sakura's actuality]
"I seriously can't stand how you make such fools out of us!" – her mother snapped, breaking plates and other pieces of porcelain while making her way to her pink-haired daughter, that trembled with fear in the other side of the room. When she approached the 9 years old girl, she slapped her with all her might, making Sakura shed tears, not of pain, but of fright.
"So now you cry! You completely ignored your father when he ordered you to clean the dishes!" – she screamed, her face burning red with anger.
"B-B-But m-mom… - she stuttered, trying to explain herself, yet being unable to due to her devastating fear. She was abruptly interrupted by a cruel smack to the head.
"No 'but'! You had more than enough time do it!"
"W-We w-were dismissed l-later than usual f-from the Academy…" – she mumbled, once again trying to explain her motives to her insane mother.
"WHO CARES ABOUT THE ACADEMY!" – the woman shouted, smashing a plate to the ground – "I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR REASONS, YOU HAD A TASK TO DO AND YOU DIDN'T DO IT! SIMPLE AS THAT!"
When Sakura thought the situation couldn't possibly get any worse, her father, who seemed to be heavily drunk judging by his facial expression and the empty beer bottle he carried in his hand, stepped in.
"What's with all this show, woooooman?" – he asked groggily, making her daughter's eyes widen in shock.
"It's our useless daughter!" – she shouted – "She had chores to do, and she didn't do any of it because she came late from the Academy!" – the plastered monster she called her father smiled eerily at the chance he had gotten to beat his daughter.
"Oh, she did thaaaat? How shameful! This little trash shouldn't even be a ninja!" – Sakura's heart broke in pieces upon hearing those words – "Just look at her! Helplessly crying like the deplorable little kid that she is! How do you expect someone like her to ever become a Shinobi!?"
"We should just drop her out of that hell hole! – her mother added, with equal malice – "She shouldn't even be attending school, she should be a housewife! We're greatly damaging our status as a civilian family by allowing our daughter to be a ninja! THAT'S IT! TOMORROW YOU'RE QUITTING THE ACADEMY AND YOU'LL LEARN HOW TO BE A GOOD WOMAN!" – Sakura cried desperately. She knew what her mother meant with that. Her father was the living definition of machismo, and for him women were just mere ambulant pieces of meat that only mattered to him to do chores.
Sakura prayed to herself in a state of pure terror, hoping that one day, someone would save her from that living hell she called home.
[End of flashback – Back to Sakura's point of view]
I couldn't help but shiver at the thought of remembering those terrifying moments. Anxiety burned in my throat, and I had to take deep breaths a few times to regain composure. I'd much rather bury those memories forever in the past and just move on, but it's not easy at all, especially because, once in a while, incidents like those repeat themselves, only with different motives. Now that I think about it, I am strong. All this time, and I have yet to reveal to someone about this dark secret of mine. I've never told this to anyone before, nor do I intend to ever do it. Not even Ino, my best friend, knows it. Everyone thinks my life is easy and that I've never experienced pain in my life, but they couldn't any more wrong. In some way, I feel like I relate to Naruto and Sasuke. They may both be orphans while I'm not, but I honestly live my life like one. And in a way, I'd much rather be parentless like them than having such an abusing family. I shouldn't even think this, because Naruto and Sasuke would probably sacrifice their own lives if it meant getting their parents back… but then again, any parent can be better than mine.
I'm always under pressure to do my very best in missions because my parents cherish their social status and fame much more than they value me, but sometimes I just can't do it and end up getting in trouble with them. Lately, they've been enslaving me more than usual, and as soon as I knew I did bad on the past mission, I immediately panicked because I knew what I was going to get once I arrived home... and for the first time in a long while, I couldn't help but reveal my sorrowful feelings by displaying sadness. They pretend to be nice, understanding parents whenever they're in public, but they're only lucky that no one has found out about the way they treat me yet. I could easily report them to Tsunade-sama and free myself from this hell, but they would probably find out sooner or later and I would be in a really bad shape… So I guess I'll just endure all of this by myself for the meantime.
Lost in my own thoughts, I didn't even realize that I was standing right in front of the door that led into my house. I gulped anxiously and reluctantly unlocked the door lock with my keys. I didn't even bother greeting my parents, and I knew they wouldn't care about it anyway. I walked straight into my bedroom, craving a relaxing nap. But needless to say, I couldn't, for the worst motives.
"Sakura" – a tenebrous voice creeped behind my back. I immediately knew it was my mother, and that made me shiver in worry.
"H-Hai…" – I replied vaguely, waiting for the worst.
"I just received your mission report" – she said in such a gruesome manner that it nearly caused my heart to stop beating. I lowered my head in shame, closing my eyes forcefully, hoping that it would somehow prevent something bad from happening.
"We're ashamed and disgusted" – my father walked in, with a severe expression.
"You have no idea how much I want to beat you to a pulp right now" –mom said angrily, much to my despair – "And you're more than lucky that I won't, since someone has recently reported us for mistreating you and I don't want to stain our status" – my mouth widened at this. Who could that person be? And how did it find out? But that was something for me to uncover later.
"But don't worry, we've got just the one thing to relax you" – my father said with a crooked smile. That couldn't mean anything good.
"W-What?"
"Sakura Haruno, pack your bags, because you're leaving Konoha forever".
"Huh!?"
To be continued…
End note: And that was the first chapter! In summary, this was more like an introduction, presenting the main event of the fanfiction and Sakura's dark background. Be sure to leave a review with your opinions, it greatly helps me improve and allows me to know the weak and strong points of my compositions. Once again, I thank the anonymous user that gave me the main idea of the fanfiction. Chapter 1 to be published soon!
Japanese Phrasebook
Teme – imbecile, idiot.
-san – polite honorific used to refer to someone that you're not acquainted with. It's also a form of a teacher to treat a student, for example.
Hai – yes.
-sensei - honorific used to refer to a teacher.
Baka – idiot, stupid.
-kun – used to treat mostly young males. It can also be used by girls who cherish a certain boy, mainly in a romantic way.