/AUTHOR'S NOTE\

Hello y'all. It has been quite some time and I miss writing so much! My apologies to all who had been asking me, when I will update my storyboard with new stories. As I have been saying, I am working on a long-shot, until I got occupied with work and my pending registration for my study. And as well as my long-awaited BSc. Grad Ceremony and all last year, it had caused my laziness at its peak (I'm Sorry! I'm Sorry!). I am terrible sometime with multi-tasking *sigh*.

Aaanywaay, I won't let down those who anticipate my new release (and because of you people, I am eternally grateful). And this story, is actually a very old idea that pop up when I was stressed out with mountains of assignment 3, 4 years ago (I think it is about the same time I got my idea for my other story "To Be With You"). Set in an AU atmosphere, while trying to preserve the character as most Naruto fans knew them (probably there will be some OOC sprinkled here and there to suit the storyline. Don't worry, I won't make it too much OOC that it might disgust you (O_Ob) ). I am well aware of what had happen in the fandom, and I won't hide my own inclination to NS, but that won't stop me from writing what I love. I'll keep it to be professional, and I hope people will respect that. So I decide to relive this story, in order to bring back the memories we had of Naruto just before all hell break loose.

So, Enjoy!

Disclaimer : I don't own Naruto

PROLOGUE

Spring. It marks the start of the new semester at X High School. From the entrance gate, you could feast your eyes with the clear blue sky, the great sakura trees blossoming all over the school yard, and flocks of students fill in the place. Some are busy mingling with their own groups of friends, some are scooting away from the crowd, minding their own business; reading or plugging headphones hearing music or laying around under the tree while waiting for the assembly to begin, and not to forget the view of some new students that is going to enroll; stroll about here and there alone or with their own partners, friends or groupies. The school was famous with its long tradition, manifest well in a brick-and-greystone building. Such appearance doesn't mean that the institution is exclusive and what-not, because they never disintegrate social status of the students. However, most of them are still tainted with that kind of mindset among them. Either the upper-class or the lower-class, they're just the same.

The proof?

A single car, make its sudden appearance. Slowly, it stops it front of the gate to drop its passenger. The crowds suddenly fell into a death-like silence, but you can still hear the soft murmurs and whispers floating around. The driver quickly went to open the backseat door, and bow his head down out of respect to the passenger. That said passenger emerges out of it. A pale skin, with a pink long hair, waving from her movement, and a yellow headband holding back her bangs, revealing a pair of emerald eye. Her expression, however, is as emotionless as it can be. And when she was about to make her way to the school ground and towards the assembly hall, her driver politely bid her farewell. "Have a nice day, Ms. Haruno". And he move to the driver seat and drive away.

Calmly she walks through the crowd. They didn't realize what they are doing; moving away from her, as if there is a force-field around her, pushing them. She is aware of it, but she act like she didn't care, because basically, nothing you can do about it. And she wasn't deaf either. Even if they try to talk or gossip or whisper behind her back, be it praises or mockeries, she heard them all.

"She is the school Ice Princess".

"I hope I was born to be her now".

"Beautiful as always".

"Who she thinks she is, acting all high and mighty?"

"Just because her family is the school's main benefactor, she thought that she was that good? Getting all the boys attention?"

"Is she even human? Huh! One of these days I'm going to make her knows her place".

This situation, was of course caught the attention of certain group of people standing a little far away from the place of event.

"Well, Ino. It looks like they did it again. Indulging themselves with awe and jealousy," Tenten voicing out the obvious situation, with her right hand skillfully playing with her Benchmade 42.

"They should keep it bottled into them. O, Sakura-san, I pity you with all my heart! You, who had captivated my soul! You are irreplaceable next to my lifetime icon. If only you would accept me, I am willingly protect you from all this pests," Rock Lee voicing his heart out with his funny body language accompanying his every words. His admiration to Haruno Sakura is of the same level as his idol, Bruce Lee as he always exclaimed. It is obvious from the way he tries to copy the legendary martial artist appearances in every way, but with his bushy eyebrows and funny eye, and the coconut shape haircut, it is more of disastrous copycat rather than a good one.

"Oh, please Lee. Stop with your geeking out on her, or your 'lifetime icon'. If you keep on exasperating, I'll assure you that this lovely little 'Butterfly' of mine is going to fly straight to your coconut wig," Tenten threatened and glared at him.

"How dare you mock my prized hair?! You too, shouldn't bring…thing like that to school, or Neji's gonna gave you another lecture and grounded you to clean the school for another 2 weeks," Lee don't want to back down from the banter.

Ino let out heavy sigh, ignoring the two idiotic friends of hers. She kept on looking at Sakura back, sympathizing with the treatments given by most of the student bodies. The scene is almost similar to the one she had encountered long ago.

"Are you worried with her well-being, Ino-san?" Hinata inquired.

"Hurm. It seems that she had turn to how she used to be; pitiful, inferior and quiet. I wonder if she ever remembers me," Ino let out her thought. Since the first time Haruno Sakura was enrolled to the school last semester after long-time private tutoring, she had been trying to ensure whether Sakura still remember her or not.

"You are close to her?"

"I was. Until my family suddenly moved to Europe when I was 5. What can be done, my dad had to transfer that time and I must obey," she shrugged. An image of her father, Inoichi, in his high ranked military working uniform, appears in her mind.

Riiingg.

"Well, looks like time to reminisce is up. As for Sakura, I'll figure something out later. Let's go. That means you too, lovebirds."

"We are not!" Lee and Tenten vented their displeased with that statement in sync, which only caused Ino and Hinata to laugh and giggles at them.

- The End -

PS : I hope I am not to late to wish to all of you, Happy New Year! Please anticipate the 2nd Chapter. Cheers!