Morning light broke out on Kairi's face on the morning of her first day as a Genin. She squinted and sat up.

"What a beautiful day…" She said, stretching her arms out.

She walked over to her dresser and looked in the mirror. She wiped her bright blue eyes, and brushed out her hair. Her hair was long and bright red. She had her hair parted over to the side, and her long layers in the front. She had this pale, pink skin and hourglass figure.

Kairi lived in an apartment building that Naruto, her best friend, lived in. Just down a few doors. They often ate together and walked to school together. Both of them were orphans that grew up without parents. It made them very close friends because they could relate so easily.

There was a knock at the door.

That's got to be Naruto.

"Oh my gosh! I didn't know you graduated! I did too!" she said, noticing his ninja headband and giving him a hug. "Now we can go to class together today! Oh yeah, come inside, I made some Ramen and some fresh potatoes." She said, pulling his arms.

"Sweet! I'm in!" He said, following her inside. He sat down and she handed him some Ramen and a bowl of potatoes. Kairi walker over to her mirror and brushed through her long, red hair. She tied her headband in her hair and turned to Naruto.

"Hey Naruto, you know how I've been working at the Konoha Springs Spa? Well, I have been invited to bring some guests to stay there this weekend and see one of their fancy shows! Well, that is, if you want to go…"

"Of course I do!"

"But Naruto, this show is kind of fancy. You have to wear something nice. All people who attend must wear nice suits and dresses."
"Yeah, yeah. We will!" Naruto noticed the clock. "Kairi! We need to get to school!" He said, shoving a potato in his mouth and grabbing her hand. He pulled her out of the room.

"You go ahead Naruto, I have to fill my water." Kairi said.

"Okay, Kairi!" Naruto said, he walked in the door, and the first thing he saw was Sakura, the love of his life. "H-hey Saku-"

"Move it Naruto! I'm trying to get around you!" She said, pushing him out the way. "Good morning, Sasuke." She said, shyly. He ignored her.

There he is…the class heart-throb. Sasuke Uchiha. Thinks he's so cool! I hate that guy! Naruto thought. He got up on the desk in front of Sasuke and got right in Sasuke's face.

Sasuke graduated too. Kairi smiled to herself. Of course he did, he's a genius.

Kairi had grown up with the Uchiha clan, Sasuke's family. She met Sasuke when they first started to attend the Ninja Academy. Soon after, they found themselves training together. She was at his house a lot of the time. She became like another member of the family, since she had none of her own. After the tragedy, Sasuke became distant from everyone, only rarely speaking to Kairi now and again. It had actually been about a year since Kairi had seen Sasuke. Kairi had attended a completely different class than him. Now that they graduated, they were in the same class.

"Get out of my face, loser." He said, emotionlessly. Just then, the kid sitting next to Kairi got up and bumped Naruto.

Naruto's mouth landed right on Sasuke's. The mob of Sasuke's fangirls exploded in anger. Both of the boys started gagging.

"Naruto! You pieve of crap, you are dead!" Sasuke said, holding his throat.

"Poison! My mouth is ruined!" Naruto said, not paying any attention Ack! Bloodlust… He turned around to find Sakura cracking her knuckles.

"It was an accident! I swear!" Naruto said, shaking his head frantically.

"Naruto…you make me sick!" she said.

Kairi walked in the door at that moment. Since everything was so quiet, everyone turned when she did.

"Hey guys." She said and smiled to Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura.

Sasuke looked over at her. "Hi." He said to her.

Are you kidding me? He didn't even reply to me in any way, and yet the moment she walks in, he's hot talk to her. Sakura thought. She's one of the only girls in this entire class that hasn't declared her love for Sasuke, and she's the only one that ever gets his attention.

Sakura, like almost every one of their classmates, had no idea just how close Sasuke and Kairi were. She only saw that Sasuke gave her his special attention on more than one occasion.

Sasuke sat back down in his seat and regained his cool. Kairi made her way over to the seat next to him.

"What is it, Sasuke?" Kairi noticed his stare.

Sasuke reached his hand over and picked a feather out of her hair that was stuck there. "Just this." He said to her.

Kairi wasn't oblivious to the fact that Sasuke was this way to her. She knew they had something special. She couldn't quite understand their relationship though.

"From this day forward, you are no longer students of ninjutsu, but full-fledged shinobi. But, among the ranks of shinobi, you are mere novices, lowest of the low. Your greatest challenges still lie ahead. The next step is the assignment of official duties to you all in behalf of our villiage. We will begin by dividing you into three-man cells. Each will be mentored by a Jonin, a more senior ninja who will guide and coach you as you become familiar with your various assignments." Iruka said while everyone listened in curiosity.

Kairi thought about it. Hmm…I wonder who I'll be with…

Sasuke did too. Three-man cells? Sounds like too many…I wonder who Kairi will be with…

As did Sakura. It's perfect! I know they'll team me up with Sasuke!

Naruto did too. As long as I'm partnered with Sakura…I'll take anyone else…except Sasuke! Iruka spoke again.

"I made the selections so that each cell's abilities would be equal."

"WHAT?!" The entire class shouted at him. He began to name off the cells.

"Squad 7: Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha. Squad 8: Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame. Squad 9 Tadashi Akihiro, Kairi Namikaze and Daigo Yuudai. Squad 10: Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi. That's all the squads! Now get with your groups!" The whole class shifted a little to sit with their groups.

"I'll be introducing your senior ninjutsu instructors this afternoon. Until then, you're dismissed for lunch."

"Sasuke is such a jerk! This sucks! This SUCKS!" Naruto said, crunching up his brown lunch bag. Then, he gave a evil grin. I've got it!

Sasuke let shis guard down when he's eating… Naruto thought, sitting inside a building with a loop he was lassoing around Sasuke. He pulled him inside and they tussled for a bit. Then, Sasuke popped out of the window.

"Fool…"

Sigh…How can I overwhelm him by my girlish beauty when I got so short-changed in the T&A department?! The only part of me that's over-sized is my stupid forehead! I wish I had Kairi's natural feminine beauty…I'm so self-conscious about it! Hm? It can't be! She saw Sasuke across the park road. Sasuke! He's looking at me! With bedroom eyes! Like he can see right through me! She started dreaming for a minute.

"You have such a noble brow…so charming, I could kiss it!" Sasuke said, looking at her dreamily.

"Well, that's what it's there for…" Sakura said, blushing.

Then she woke up, even more bummed than before. Fairy tales don't come true…and it couldn't happen to me…

"You have such a noble brow."

What!? She looked up at Sasuke, leaning against a tree across the way.

"So charming…I could kiss it!"

Sakura couldn't believe her ears. If I'm dreaming, don't wake me! Inner Sakura: Oh Yeah! Dreams DO come true!

"That's probably what Naruto would say." He said abruptly. Sakura's head flopped back down. Then, he sat next to her on the bench

"Sakura, I have to know…" he said.

"Yes?" she answered.

"What do you think of Naruto?" Her face turned to grief.

"If he had his way, I'd never find love or happiness. He ruins everything…he enjoys tormenting me! Naruto doesn't understand me at all! I can't stand to have him anywhere near me! In fact, the one person whose opinion I value…the only one I really want to be close to…is you, Sasuke." His face went wide. "I'd do almost anything to win your attention…your respect…because I have a crush on you…I'm…desperate." Then she blushed and leaned in to kiss him. He sat there, frozen.

Damn Naruto! Used his shinobi illusions to pass as me! What is he up to?! Sasuke thought as he was tied up on the floor.

When their faces were an inch away, Naruto's stomach churned. M-my stomah! He pulled away from her, holding his stomach.

"Hm? What's wrong, Sasuke?" She said as he ran to the building.

I'm getting the runs! Gotta go!

Oh, Sasuke. He's shy! Maybe he needs to gather up the courage… Sakura thought as she sat on the bench, watching him run back to the school.

Kairi sat alone, eating her lunch under a cherry blossom tree. Hmm…Tadashi and Daigo…I've never met them. She said, spacing out.

"Hello Kairi!" said someone. She looked up. The friendly face of Daigo Yuudai was smiling back at her. She smiled back sweetly.

"Hello." She said, her other teammate, Tadashi, was standing beside him. He nodded at her as a hello. He was slouching and had his hands in his pockets.

"Hi." She said to him, almost in question of him. She shrugged.

"Class starts in five minutes Kairi, we'd better go and meet our Jonin instructor!" He said pulling her up.

"Okay, let's go."

~End of Chapter 1~

Hey guys, hope you've enjoyed this opening chapter ^.^

Disclaimer: I do not own ANY of the Naruto characters, just the story and my OC, Kairi.

All rights to Masashi Kishimoto