--Yes, I started working on some prologues for my other stories. I know I should be working on Tabula Rasa, but my laptop is currently broken and Chapter 15 is there. xD So, right now, I'll entertain you all by placing prologues of my other stories. Don't worry, before I work on these stories I'll be finishing Tabula Rasa. I'm just uploading the prologues to get you all started. Tee hee ^w^
--This story is slightly AU because Sasuke never left Konoha for power and Orochimaru is not around. (I dunno if I'll put him though).
--Again, I'm experimenting styles so I'm doing this story in a first person perspective hehe Though, if you like me writing third person better please say so and I'll switch my styles again xD
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The Beast and the Beauty
Prologue
~Ugly~
Forehead
Hag
Annoying
They always called me that and I pretended to never mind it. But, deep down, I couldn't help but feel so inferior to those words. Deep down, I felt like those words were real—that I was really…ugly.
On the outside and the inside, I really believed that I was ugly. But, I never showed it. I always acted like I thought I was worth something when in truth, I felt like I wasn't worth anything at all.
I, Sakura Haruno, am ugly and worthless. But I can't help but feel that I needed to rise above my ideologies. I know that there is no hope for me to become beautiful, yet I keep striving to be beautiful. Beauty…is it really worth me enduring everything? Can't I just sink and fade away like the dead unbeautiful weed I am?
I thought that I had no right at all. No right to live, to rise, to become better—but even so I still kept trying. Even to Love, was I allowed to Love as well? Was a person like me permitted to have such feelings to another? I am just a person like everyone else, right? Even I, unneeded and useless, had certain rights, didn't I? So it's okay, isn't it? It's okay to Love Sasuke, right? Even if he doesn't Love me back…it's okay isn't it?
Yes…it's okay to Love. Loving is probably the only thing I can do—the only thing that keeps me going. It's alright…even if he doesn't Love me back. I don't need my Love to be returned—even when I want it to be—It's fine as it is…
I Love him. No matter how much he hurts me, no matter how much I get pushed down by more beautiful ones, I Love him. And I'll keep trying to become something beautiful to him. Because I love him, because I care for him, I'll do anything and everything in my power—if I have any—to save him…
"Sakura chan!" The only person who ever called my name with such warmth, Naruto, came bursting through the front door early in the morning.
"Naruto! What is it?" I put a tough act on. I would hide any evidence of my earlier brooding and keep them to myself.
"Sakura chan, do you want to go out for Ramen??" A wide grin plastered on his sunlit face, Naruto pouted—a desperate attempt to get me to go out.
"Hmmm…" A finger placed on my chapped lips, I gave him a look to say 'no' to make him anticipate my answer. And, as predictable as ever, Naruto whined. I couldn't help but chuckle at his fox-like actions. Really, Naruto was so cute sometimes especially when he whined. That's why I always enjoyed teasing him—it always worked. "Alright Naruto, I'll have Ramen with you."
"Yosha!" He thrust a fist into the air. Naruto really was simple-minded. If he was happy, he smiled and laughed, when he was sad, he would pout, frown or cry. It was as simple as that. Sometimes…I envied him. I wish I could blurt out everything that was on my mind—but I'm scared. I'm scared that when my thoughts become words, something bad would happen.
"Hag," A deep voice called from the window. I knew that voice. Only one person bluntly called me by that name and didn't care at all how it affected me: Sai. Sai was a former root anbu who we were introduced to some time ago along with Yamato taichou.
There was this period of time when Sasuke became too unstable to go on missions and Kakashi sensei had to keep an eye on him, so they were temporarily replaced by Sai and Yamato taichou. Now, our once four man cell team became a six man cell team. But, we never minded it because the more the merrier, ne? Though, Sai and Sasuke never do get along. They're always bickering with one another.
When Sai and Sasuke first met, it was as if they were looking into mirrors. Sai really looks like Sasuke. Well, he's more of a paler, more emotionless, ruder, blunter Sasuke, but the resemblance is uncanny. Naruto even complains about having two 'Temes' in the team was too much. I didn't mind though. Because of Sai presence, Sasuke gained another rival to overpower and it resulted in him coming back to his old self.
"What is it, Sai?" I grinned at him despite the deep boiling anger seething through my veins. I really wanted to punch him out of that window, but it seemed like he had something important to say.
"May I join you two for Ramen?" Important my ass! If it weren't for a deep voice that called out to Naruto, I would've punched him and sent him flying. Instead of doing what my brain kept telling me to do, I turned around to see Sasuke leaning on the door frame with his cold emotionless eyes—cool as always. "Sasuke kun!" I ran towards him and stopped an inch in front of him with gleaming green eyes. I had to stop my urge to hug him because if I did he would—
"Sakura, you're annoying as always," He'd call me that: Annoying. I felt my blood freeze over my 'nickname'. But, it was a good sign, sort of, because it meant that Sasuke was normal. When he had gone crazy and attempted to leave Konoha, I didn't know what I could do. It was a good thing that Naruto came running when Sasuke knocked me out and took him back.
"Ah, Sakura chan, Teme's coming with us…" Naruto grumbled. I guess it was because he wanted only the two of us to be alone and eat Ramen instead of Sai and Sasuke coming along. In truth, I'm glad the two emotionless men were coming with us. I wouldn't want Hinata walking in on us and thinking things again. I explained to her so many times that Naruto and I were just friends and that Sasuke kun was who I really liked. But, Hinata thought that we were better together. I think that's completely wrong. I think Naruto and Hinata go well together; I wish Hinata would hurry up and confess because I doubt idiot Naruto would realize her feelings.
I sighed and shook my head because thinking of Naruto doing complex things made my head hurt for some reason, "Then what're we waiting for?" I had a hand on my hip and my weight was on my right leg.
"Let's go!" Naruto cheered. Again, Naruto made me sigh at his stupidity. It's weird. Whenever it's anger, sadness or love, I can express them freely and without worry of what others thought. But, when it came to things like doubt, worry, dislike, self esteem or anything more…complex—I find no word to describe such feelings—I can't say it right. Maybe it comes with the complexity of it or maybe because they're better off unsaid.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Sai get off the window sill and hop off outside. I dumbly followed after Naruto exited my house. Pair by pair, we headed to Ichiraku Ramen. I was next to Sasuke and Sai was next to Naruto. This pairing system was unconsciously established. I don't know why I always ended up walking side by side with Sasuke but it just happened. It wasn't that I disliked it, in fact, I really liked walking next to him. I just wished he'd talk more. Even as pre-teens he never really shared his thoughts with me. But, allowing me to be at his side despite me being annoying, it was enough for me.
After all, someone such as me didn't even deserve to be in the same team as Sasuke Uchiha, the prodigy of Konoha. So, this is all enough for me. Being able to stand next to him, being able to be near him…it's all enough for me…
Yes…
…It's enough for me…
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--So, how was it? Do you like me writing 3rd person or 1st person perspective? And I tweaked Sakura' personality a bit. I know what she has this weakness complex, I just sort of emphasized it. Okay, no, shoot me, I didn't just emphasize it—I exaggerated it. xD But tell me what you think of it.
--I know that in my votes, the blind Itachi and workaholic Sakura was voted the most, but I'm still piecing the plot in that one. That story is completely AU. This one is based of Beauty and the Beast so more or less I have an idea of what's going to happen. :3
--Madam Obscurum, "Fairy Tales exist…it's just that not everyone is a prince or a princess"