It was just another ordinary day at the Konoha academy. Students running around, some were practicing with their shuriken, some just hanging out together and laughing. But there was a boy who was sitting on a swing alone with his head down. His blue eyes were drawn to his crush who was sitting on a bench in the academy's yard. However…she was alone as well…

Even though it was an ordinary day for everyone else for her it was a special day. Today was March 28th…her birthday… and yet even though the days lessons were almost over and she'll be going home soon, nobody gave her a gift for her eleventh birthday.

All the girls were very good friend when they first started the academy but not long after they all started developing a crush on the same boy in their class, the handsome and ever so popular Sasuke Uchiha. As time passed they drifted away from each other and stopped being friends as they became rivals, all fighting for the boy's affection. However, the boy never returned any of the girls' feelings but he would just coldly brush them away every time they asked him on a date or tried to talk to him.

Even though they weren't close friends anymore Sakura was hurt that none of them even wished her a happy birthday, let alone gave her even a small gift.

The academy was over for the day so Sakura gathered up her books and notes and headed home, sadly walking down the street towards her house. Once she got near her house, the fluttering of her white flowery curtain caught her attention. If the day couldn't get any worse she forgot to close her balcony door this morning. Her mom told her that forgetting to close a window could be dangerous and someone could break in. Afraid that she will get in trouble if her mom found out she quickly got to her house and once she opened the door she was hit by a sweet aroma of the special meal her mom prepared for her birthday. Looks like her day got a bit better.

"Happy birthday, dear!" Her mom said happily handing her a big gift because she couldn't this morning as Sakura rushed off to class.

"Happy birthday my beautiful flower!" Her father did the same.

Sakura smiled in delight. "I'll just go put my books away, mom. I'll be right back."

"Ok, sweetie. Don't take too long. I made your favorites, don't want the food to get cold." Her mom smiled at her as she ran up the stairs to her room.

Getting into her room she closed the door and threw her books on her bed to quickly close the balcony door. But as she moved the curtain a pink sparkly object under her curtain got her attention.

Reaching down and grabbing it she noticed that it was a light pink box with a sparkly dark pink bow on top of it. She looked at it in confusion, was this from her parents? No, they already showed her the presents they got for her and why would they put it under her curtain? And then she realized that someone must have thrown in on her balcony and it landed under the curtain. Deciding that that must be what happened she put her books on her shelf and headed downstairs.

Sitting at the table her mom looked at the box. "And what is that, dear?"

"I don't know mom, I found in on my balcony. I think someone threw it there."

Her dad was a bit suspicious. Could it be a trap? No, who would target them? But he still looked at his daughter carefully as she opened the box.

Inside the box there was a handmade card with a cherry blossom tree drawing on one side and the inside read: For the most beautiful girl in the whole world, happy birthday, Sakura!

Sakura blinked in surprise. It was a birthday present…for her. Somebody actually remembered. She looked in the box again and pulled out the actual gift…a ribbon for her hair. It was a bright red, almost an orange color. The fabric was very soft and smooth and it smelled like strawberries…her favorite scent.

"It's so pretty!" Sakura gushed rubbing the soft fabric between her fingers.

"Ah, it's a gift for you, how lovely." Her mom said.

"Yeah…and the only gift I got today, too…" Sakura said sadly.

"Oh sweetie…" Her mom said surprised. "Well, it looks like you have a secret admirer." She said trying to lighten the mood.

"The only one? I don't think so." Her father handed her their gifts with a smile.

She smiled and started opening the gifts.

After the amazing birthday meal and a day spent walking and eating ice cream with her parents it was time for bed. She had a nice sleep and in the morning she was ready for another day at the academy. Standing in front of her mirror she brushed her hair and was about to put on her usual red ribbon, the one that Ino gave her when they first became friends, but she remembered the one she got yesterday. She took it out of the box and put it in her hair. At first she was worried about the bright color but it actually looked good, and it went well with her hair color. She always wore the one Ino gave her but today, she will show her how hurt she was about not getting a gift from her former best friend.

But there was another reason she decided to wear it. She hoped that whoever gave it to her will tell her today.

She walked to the academy with a skip in her step. Getting in the classroom she saw that most of her classmates were already there. She walked down to her seat which was in between her crush Sasuke and the class clown Naruto who was currently sitting with his head down on the table with his arms under his chin.

"Hey, could you get up so I can sit." She told him in annoyance.

"Hm?" Naruto looked at his crush in surprise, having failed to notice she walked into the classroom as when he did he would always get up without her asking so she could take her seat.

"Oh, good morning Sakura!" He greeted her warmly. "Sorry about…" His eyes were immediately drawn towards the ribbon in her hair. "…that…" He trailed off as a slight blush appeared on his cheeks.

"What?" She put her hands on her hips.

"Ahh…your ribbon…it looks nice…" His blush intensified a bit and his throat suddenly felt really dry.

"Thanks." She replied lamely taking her seat.

The class dragged on as usual but as she was taking her notes she would often notice Naruto looking at her, and it wasn't the regular smiling and trying to get her attention look, this one was softer and almost kind of timid…it was weird. Why was he looking at her like that? And was he blushing? Very unusual for the rambunctious boy.

At one point their eyes met and she raised her brow. "Why do you keep looking at me?"

"The same reason I always look at you…you're pretty." He smiled at her softly.

She blushed. She has never seen that look in his eyes.

"And that would be all regarding the First Great War!" Iruka snapped them out of their trance. "Now you can go on your lunch break!"

Naruto sat on the swing alone again but this time he wasn't sad…she wore the ribbon…she actually liked it…should he tell her…no, she would probably not wear it again if she found out it was from him…and she probably thought Sasuke gave it to her…no, she knew he wouldn't do that…she was too smart…he always thought she was really smart. That's one of the things he really liked about her.

Back in the classroom where Sakura was sitting alone, deciding to eat her lunch inside. She bit into her dumpling still thinking about the look Naruto gave her. That was the first time she noticed how blue his eyes are.

And who knew that now…a year later she would be looking at those eyes almost every day as the two got stuck in the same team together. Looking back at the day Iruka announced the teams she thought about how disappointed she was about having Naruto on her team but he turned out to be not as annoying as she thought.

She sighed as she leaned back against the bridge she was standing on. The bridge became a usual meeting spot for her team.

Her and Sasuke were already at the bridge, standing quietly a few feet away from each other. She had tried talking to him but failed as always. But what was even worse is that he seemed to not know what day it is today…her twelfth birthday. As always her parents gave her gifts and a special breakfast.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when she saw an orange dot at the corner of her eye. Turning to her left she saw Naruto running up to her with his hands behind his back.

"Morning, Sakura. S'up?" He greeted her with a grin as usual.

"Good morning, Naruto." She replied not so cheerfully.

"So… ahh…Kakashi-sensei's still not here?" He asked a bit awkwardly.

"No, he's late again." Sakura sighed again.

Naruto noticed her sour mood and decided to go for it. We're friends now, right? She'll accept it, believe it!

"Um…by the way…" He handed her the box he was hiding behind his back. "Happy birthday, Sakura!" He grinned.

She looked at him in shock and blushed. He remembered…and I don't even know when is his birthday…

"Thank you, Naruto." She took the mint green box with hesitation.

"What's wrong, Sakura?" Naruto asked gently.

"Nothing…really." She assured him.

"Ok…but still you seem a little down. How about I treat you to your favorite dumplings later?" Naruto offered.

She looked at him with a frown. Why didn't Sasuke remember?

Naruto caught her frown. "I mean, it doesn't have to be a date or anything…" He quickly said thinking that she was mad because he asked her out again, even after always blowing him off.

"Sakura blinked in surprise. "No, that's not what…" She was interrupted by a puff of smoke.

"Good morning everyone, sorry I'm late…I had to help an old lady with her groceries." Kakashi said with his one eyed smile.

"That's gotta be the only believable excuse you came up with so far." Naruto commented making Sakura giggle.

"Well, good. Oh, happy birthday Sakura." Kakashi handed her a little flower bouquet.

"Thank you, sensei."

"So, today we have four D- rank missions to complete so let's get to it."

After helping a man with a broken arm dig up his potatoes, sorting out library books from a collapsed shelf unit which took hours to do and picking trash from a river, team 7 was now sitting near the mentioned river.

"That would be all for today, well done guys." Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"So what do you want to do now, Sasuke?" Sakura turned to him.

"I'm going home to train, these stupid missions won't improve my jutsu." And with that he got up and left.

Sakura sighed once again.

"So, how about those dumplings?" Naruto asked.

She looked at him "Sure."

"Alright!" He grinned. "But I think we should go and change first." He said pointing to the stains the trash and mud from the river made on their clothes.

"Yeah, you're right." She agreed.

"Okay, we'll change and then I'll meet you at the dumpling shop." He handed her the mint green box and bouquet he carried around for her through the day. "And maybe you can wear my gift…You know, if you like it."

"Oh? Well I guess we'll see."

After getting home Sakura greeted her parents and told them she was eating out. Then she went to her room and put sensei's bouquet in a vase and she was just about to open her closet when she remembered Naruto's gift so she sat on her bed and unwrapped it. Upon opening the box she saw a pretty red dress with a much brighter red trim around the sleeves, waist and hem. Pulling it out she decided to try it on but upon touching the dress she noticed the softness of the fabric and the color were very familiar to her. She pulled the dress closer to her face trying to remember where she had seen it before and the sweet scent of strawberries struck her nose.

And then it clicked. There was only one item she owned in that bright red color…the ribbon she got for her birthday last year.

She jumped off the bed and rummaged through her drawers until she finally found the pink box. Pulling out the ribbon the compared it to the fabric on the dress. The softness, the smell, the color…it was exactly the same.

The ribbon…had been from Naruto… she should have known due to the color.

She sat on her bed frozen for a couple of minutes before she remembered that Naruto's waiting for her. She pulled on the dress and put the ribbon in her hair. Pleased at what she saw in the mirror she headed downstairs.

Her mom looked at her in surprise. "Where did that dress come from?"

"It was from Naruto, what do you think?"

Sakura's mom frowned a bit at the mention of the boy but still smiled. "It's wonderful, it goes with the… ribbon…oh, dear…"She put her hand over her mouth in realization.

"Yeah, it looks like Naruto was the secret admirer."

"I see…"

Naruto waited anxiously next to the dumpling shop. Will she like it? Will she wear it? Will it even fit her? All those question were answered when he saw Sakura approaching him. His eyes widened in shock. Not only was she wearing the dress but the ribbon as well.

"Hey." She said.

"Wow." He said.

She giggled. "Does it look good on me?"

"You look beautiful." He smiled. "Glad you like it."

"Yeah, and it goes with the ribbon…you gave me."

"I know." He chuckled scratching the back of his neck.

"You threw it over my balcony."

"I know that too." He laughed sheepishly.

"Why didn't you tell me it was from you?"

"I didn't think you would accept it. You didn't like me much back at the academy."

"I'm sorry about that, Naruto."

"Nah, that's okay!" He grinned.

"But I really am sorry…so as an apology and as a thank you for always remembering my birthday… you can think of this as a date if you want." She smiled.

He blushed deeply. "I…really?"

She nodded smiling at the dazed look on his face.

"Shall we go in?" She asked hoping he won't notice her blush.

"Yeah."

Naruto lifted the flap for her and when she got in he whispered. "We're on a date!" He pumped his fist in the air.

She laughed.

"Alright! Let's eat!"

She laughed again.

After their meal they sat at the same river again enjoying the peace and quiet. Naruto was unusually quiet as well. He didn't know what to say…he was on a date with his crush… finally…

"So…uhh…" He started awkwardly.

"Hm?" She turned to him.

"If I ask you on a date again…will you say yes?" He gulped.

She smiled "Sure."

"Wait, seriously?"

She giggled. She then untied her ribbon and threw it around his neck pulling him towards her…and she gave his cheek a gentle kiss.

"Uh-huh…thank you for always being there for me and protecting me."

"N-no…p-problem…" He was still in heaven from the kiss.

And the heaven will continue with the start of their relationship…and the ribbon will always keep them tied together.