Disclaimer: Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo.
You know...it's at times like this where I wonder if I'm the only female left in this world-well, no no I'll have to take it back. There is another girl in this band I used to like, what was her name? Uzumaki Karin, that's it. In all honesty, I'm kinda jealous of her - she's in that band "Hebi" with Uchiha Sasuke, the hottest guy in the music industry. Every once in a while, I hear incidents he'd been a part of. Apparently, his parents passed from an unknown cause. Since then, the songs Hebi started releasing were...kinda depressing. I feel sorry for Sasuke-kun, I almost connect with him...like I know him some how. It might be a fangirl thing to feel "close" to her celebrity crush, but I just get so anxious when I can't even find a way to sympathize with him.
My name's Haruno Sakura and I'm named after Japan's national flower: the cherry blossom. My hair is a bright pink - which is pretty unusual for someone like me who's a first generation Japanese. I go to Konoha High School located in a small town in Tokyo. I only have two friends: Uzumaki Naruto and Yamanaka Ino. Yet I feel so uncomfortable around them when I see both my friends with their sweethearts, snuggling, awkwardly kissing, saying meaningless "I love yous". I feel like the-no, I AM the third wheel. Public display of affection is frowned upon over here in Japan but their "love" outshines that social rule. So should I be happy for them or should I be jealous?
Should I just find some random guy to go out with? Would I even be happy? My mother tells me I don't need a guy to complete me, but part of me just wants to experience that kind of affection. I want someone to hold me. Yeah it'll take a while to get someone to do that, considering the average Japanese male relies on a girl to make the first move. That brings up another question: should I take the lead and find the guy? You know what? I'm thinking far too much into this - when it's time to find love, it'll happen. I'll stay single and strong!
…..who am I kidding - I need a boyfriend
-
"...just kiss me, just kiss all night. All night…"
I find myself listening another one of Hebi's songs, "Broken Youth". That name...could it be named after Sasuke-kun's childhood? The more I listen to his music, the more jealous I become. I wanna meet him, I wonder what he's like. Is he dark and quiet or is he obnoxious and loud? Does he go to school or is he home schooled? I'm interrupted from my thoughts when I'm spoken to…
"Sakura-chan! Ohmigosh, you'll never guess what happened!" An excited Ino-chan exclaims from a distance.
I give a look of confusion, "What…?"
"Well...since you'll never guess, I suppose I should just tell you," Ino-chan mocks in a sympathetic voice, "We have a transfer student…!"
"Transfer student?"
"Yeah! I really hope he's a foreigner! I love those cute American guys. You don't see 'em that often, you know."
I give my friend a puzzled look, "You do realize Naruto-san's a foreigner right? And...you have a boyfriend."
"Naruto-san's different! And it's not like I'm married, Sakura!" Retorts Ino, purposely dropping the honorifics. Can this girl get anymore rude?
"Ino-chan, please don't just call me 'Sakura', it's rather rude-"
"Don't try to correct me, Sa-ku-ra. And get back on the subject while you're at it! He's coming today!"
"...and how do you know all this?" I ask.
"Duh! I overheard Kakashi-sensei talking about it! He's gonna be in room 61-C; our class! He looked so excited - the transfer student's gotta be a foreigner! When I meet hi~"
Ino's voice starts to blur from my ears and I'm no longer paying attention to her constant rambling. I would have to agree with her that male foreigners are rather attractive, but according to Naruto-san, they'd probably be loud and obnoxious.
"We're all like this, Sakura-chan!" Yeah right.
Some part of me is secretly hoping the transfer student will be...Sasuke-kun. Wishful thinking ruins everything though. There's no way he'll come to a school that literally just opened last year - if anything, he'd go to a private school with an excellent reputation that offers only the finest of education taught by long-time teachers. I need to give up - Sasuke-kun is way out of my league.
-
"Attention everyone! We have a new student coming in today, please be nice and respectful."
Kakashi-sensei always tells us to be respectful to our classmates - but unfortunately his words almost always go unheard. I look up from my desk, anticipating the arrival of my new classmate. Will he be Japanese like me...or a foreigner like Naruto-san? It seems like forever until I finally hear footsteps walking through the classroom door.
First, a right leg makes its appearance into the classroom and lowers itself onto the tiled floor with a slight "tap". Half of the body the leg belongs to is now visible from the door. Following the first step is a left leg imitating the previous leg's movements, bringing the rest of the body into the room. There is no doubt that the transfer student is indeed a Japanese male. He walks over to the front of the class and raises his previously lowered head.
What the…
I pray for someone to pinch me to prove that I'm not dreaming. The person standing two rows in front of me is…
"Uchiha Sasuke, pleased to meet all of you."
His voice is a whole lot deeper than I thought. Although I've only heard him sing instead of just regular talk. Until now, I've never really taken in Sasuke-kun's appearance, blue-ish hair, onyx eyes, creamy fair ski-okay this is getting creepy. In the background, I can hear the girls in my classroom screaming, calling out "I love you, Sasuke-kun!" and "Be mine, Sasuke-kun!" Have they no respect for a fellow human being? But who am I kidding - part of me wants to do the same thing.
"Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself, Sasuke-san?" Kakashi-sensei asks.
"No, that's all."
"Very well then, please take a seat next to Haruno-san." My homeroom teacher gestures to the only unoccupied table. Of course he'd be in the seat next to me.
"Hey, pink girl. HEY." I hear the teenage idol whisper to me.
I freeze in my seat...there is no way Sasuke-kun just spoke to me. This is escalating far too quickly. I slowly turn my head in his direction, feeling an anxious grin creeping onto to my features. "Uhh, you...need anything?"
"Yeah," Replied Sasuke-kun, "What the hell are we doing, pink girl?"
...are you kidding me? Class just started - how am I supposed to know what the agenda is for today? "I don't know, Sasuke-ku-I mean Uchiha-san." It's best that I don't address him by his first name, knowing that this is the first time I've ever spoken to the guy, "Class just started."
"Were you seriously about to call me by my first name, pink girl?" Sasuke-kun replies.
I'm starting to get fed up with him. I don't care if he's the hottest guy I have ever laid my eyes on, "I'm only human so I make mistakes. And for the record, my name is Haruno Sakura."
"Do you dye your hair?" Where did that come from?
"Um, no I actually don-"
"Liar, are you looking for attention? You know you can go bald if you keep dying your hair like that!" Sasuke-kun interrupts.
I get on the defensive, "You've got that wrong! I'm naturally pink." Doesn't Sasuke-kun also have blue hair? That hypocrite.
He continues to glare at me, almost as if I'm some kind of ferocious beast. I just met the guy and now he's already causing me trouble. I bet all celebrities are like this. I flip my head toward the window of the classroom, hoping to concentrate on something less frustrating...but it doesn't seem that luck is on my side today when Kakashi-sensei calls me out, "Haruno-san, please pay attention. Entrance exams will be here before you know it."
It's clear to me that my own teacher favors Sasuke-kun over me. I'm just a first year in high school and it's gonna be awhile before I need to take those damn exams. "Stop day dreaming, Sakura." The new teacher's "pet" says to me.
"It's Haruno-SAN to YOU!" I retort.
-
The whole day passes by as if it were an exhausted elderly turtle. Sasuke-kun didn't seem to be in all my classes, in fact, he was only in my homeroom and English classes. Part of me is relieved - but I'm also a bit...jealous. I wonder how many other girls he spoke to this entire day. I hear rapid footsteps racing toward me from behind. Oh please be Naruto-san, Kami-sama.
"Hey." Shit.
After a moment's hesitation, I turn my body towards the rather masculine voice right behind me, "Konbanwa, Uchiha-san." I bow.
"I can't believe I'm saying this but…" Argh, what now, Sakura-kun?
"I'm sorry for harassing you."
My eyes widen in surprise. That was a rather fast apology. I wonder if there's a specific reason he acted the way he did this morning.
"Wh-what?"
"I'm not repeating it again….Sa-Sakura."
Okay, what the actual hell is going on here?
"Nothing. I just need to apologize - that's all."
I notice that Sasuke-kun winces as he finishes his sentence-wait a moment. On his right cheek, I can see a faint bruise, rather weak but large. He must have been hit by a male...there's only one person I know who uses violence to "solve" problems.
"That damn American." I hear Sasuke-kun mutter.
Naruto. That guy doesn't care who it is; guy, girl, idol, the prime minister - he'll hit anyone!
He may be an asshole...but at least he's got the decency to actually apologize to me in person. Heh, I might be able to make use of this situation.
"Okay Sasuke-kun, I'll forgive you. On ONE condition."
"What?" Sasuke-kun glares.
"Be my date for the prom!"
- "Konbanwa" translates to "good evening" in Japanese
- In Japan, it is polite to call some one by their surname if you are not familiar with the person
- The lack of honorifics (ex: "-kun") when addressing someone is considered to be rude or disrespectful
- When a student transfers to a new school, they are given the chance to properly introduce and tell their classmates about themselves upon their arrival
- Public display of affection is frowned upon in Japan - as it's expected for couples to "show their affection" in private
- Yes, there is Prom in Japan
