A/N: Some of you who read UB might be thinking... why the hell is she starting a new story? Well...

1) I don't want to forget the plot line, or how to say the plot line.

2) I want to test the waters in the SasuSaku friendship section.

3) I really need to write a light-hearted story or else I might sink deeper into a sort of depression. Please don't ask.

Keep in mind, this is a prologue, and really, more like a preview than anything.

Note: I have decided to make Sakura, instead of being a half-year/year older than the other two, a half-year/year younger. It's actually important to the story guys, not because I have an obsession with my characters being with older guys.


Genius by Sandi

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Preview:

They are fifteen.

Well, Sakura is fourteen, he reminds himself. He looks at the three of them, himself included.

Sakura is sitting on a stool in Ichiraku, her back straight and huge eyes forward as she picks out something to eat. She is the most indecisive of the three.

Naruto has already ordered, and while eating, is talking about something that, frankly, Sasuke cannot remember. He believes this is fine, since most of what comes out of the blond's mouth is not worth listening to, especially when said mouth is full of ramen.

He himself is eating, quietly of course. He likes to think himself the quiet one of the tree, though he knows this is untrue.

Sakura does not talk much either, though she is much more obliging than he is when it comes to conversing. He wonders if this is because she is still shy, but decides it isn't worth questioning.

Something catches his ear, just as Sakura receives her food. "Oi teme, did you hear?"

"Yamanaka says that you two are dating! Isn't that stupid? As if that could ever happen," Naruto drawls out in his usual annoying fashion.

Sasuke does not hesitate to support Naruto's opinion though, but someone beats him to it.

"We're not dating." Sakura says this quietly but with resolve. Her eyes are firm, and there is no trace of a blush on her cheeks.

For some reason, this irritates him. He has always known Sakura to blush profusely around him, so obviously, she must like him.

He ignores the fact that she has never confessed to him of her own accord. (He recalls that two years ago, Yamanaka "encouraged" her to confess.)

Instead he says, "She's right, dobe. There's no way that could happen."

He searches her face and finds nothing. No trace of hurt, nothing. She continues to eat in silence, with a muted look of pleasure on her heart-shaped face as she salvages the taste.

He knows he is irritated now because he is good at reading people. He has always been good at reading people. She cannot be an exception. Rather, she has never been an exception.

He ignores the fact that this time, she could be an exception.


For the first time in a while, he overhears a conversation between Yamanaka and Sakura.

"You don't like him?"

He hears nothing but a swish of hair.

"How is that even possible? Do you see how good-looking he is?"

He hears Sakura's soft voice say, "I just don't."

"But you blush around him. You must be in denial, Forehead." Yamanaka's voice is almost painfully loud, and he wonders how a quiet person like Sakura gets along with her.

There is a slight pause before Sakura answers. "I just like.." Her quiet voice drops to an even quieter whisper.

He is unable to perceive what she says after that, only catching the blonde's characteristically loud response.

"WHHHATTTT?" He winces; it is louder than usual.

As they continue to speak–––Sakura, in her hushed voice, and Yamanaka, in an extremely loud thing that should probably not count as a whisper––– he walks away.


The next day he learns something new about his teammate.

He asks her, after catching wind of this information and in a sudden bout of curiosity, "You like... dark eyes and hair."

It is a question, though he says it like a statement.

She understands, having been around him for three years of her fourteen.

"Yeah." She says this informally, but he doesn't mind.

He pushes the question further than he should.

"Like Lee?"

"No!" She denies it easily, but there is a large blush that spreads over her face before fading.

"Inuzuka?"

The same blush returns, and he decides it is pointless to pursue this further.

Instead, he hears himself chuckle and, after a while, her joining him. Her laugh is light, somewhat throaty, and not very lady-like at all, a stark contrast to her speaking voice.

He is relieved, irritated, and amused all at once.


The actual story (chapter 1) will start when Sakura is 11, and Naruto and Sasuke are both 12.

Well?

Yeah, Sakura might seem somewhat OOC, but when you read the beginning, it'll make more sense.

Why am I not starting at the beginning?

There are several reasons, but mainly because I thought this was funnier and less mundane. But then again, my humor could be lame.

- Sandi