Third person POV

It was a usual day at the Konoha spring orphanage - well, as usual as it would normally get. The sun was high in the sky, as it barely rained in the city of Konoha, and there was a small amount of fluffy cumulus clouds that flitted about in the short spells of wind.

A small boy made his way through a large clearing filled with tall grass and all kinds of flowers; his spiky blond hair rustling in every one of his bouncy steps and his cerulean eyes gleaming along with his wide grin.

Why was this boy so happy? Well, today was the day! He was finally going to get adopted!
Naruto Uzumaki (the boy's name) was finally going to have a home; he was sure he'd go to a place where the was a happy family, with a child of their own that could be his new brother/sister. Of course, this was what all the children would think every time a foster family came for them. He was of only the age of 8. The only problem? He would have to leave his best friend and childhood crush behind.

Stopping at the middle of the clearing just opposite a running river that was crowded with fish and other living creatures, Naruto looked at the girl who was sitting atop a medium-sized rock. Her long pink hair flowed behind her in silky waves as her eyes, an unusually rare shade of green, stared down at her reflection with sadness. Now, what had made the girl so sad? She didn't know... There was just a weird feeling in her stomach that kept on telling her that something bad was going to happen today. Oh how right she was, yet she had no idea of this.

"S-Sakura-chan" A squeak of surprise left the young girls lips as she scrambled of her current uncomfortable seat and turned around to face her, also, childhood best friend. With a smile gracing her adorable features, Sakura threw her arms around the boys neck and hugged him tightly, as if her life had depended on it.

Naruto, shocked yet happy by the sudden contact, placed his arms around her waist and hugged her back just as tight. "Ne, Sakura-chan... I'm gonna be adopted" With that single sentence, Sakura's heart stopped... well, not literally. Tugging her arms away, Sakura stepped backwards to see the happy look on her best friends face, even more so than he usual has. She didn't want him to leave her, but this was his, possibly only, chance. Both Sakura and Naruto were children who anyone would rarely come and see for adopting...

Naruto, who had stood there with a concerned look plastered over his face, stuttered her name out through the uncomfortable silence, but got no reply. He was worried that she was angry at him for getting a foster family before her, If so... then maybe he should decline... "Oh, Naruto..." He awaited the answer he would finally receive, believing that it would be a bad one "I'm so happy for you" ... "Hahh!?" Sakura gave him a weird look before repeated her thoughts "I said "I'm happy for you" You finally get a family. I'll be fine here, but at least remember me ok?"

Naruto could have cried at that moment, but he knew Sakura was staying strong so he would do the same. "When are you leaving?" "...this evening. Baa-chan told me to pack my things and to get ready but I had to come tell you first. There's no way I'm leaving without saying goodbye to my best friend!" Now, Sakura could have started crying, but held herself back by digging her nails into the palms of her hands. If she ended up crying, then Naruto would know she was actually really upset about her leaving and then he'd decided to stay... for her.

She was happy for him, truly. But that didn't count up to how sad she was. She would now be all alone, the other kids bullying her for her weird hair colour, the teachers annoyed with her due to how abnormally smart she was for her age. Naruto was always the one to always look past that and became friends with her because he wanted to, because he needed to. She was happy here because they were together... and now they would probably never see each other again.

It seems that Naruto noticed this because he brought her in to another hug, even tighter than the last, and whispered into her ear "I have to go now Sakura-chan, but please come see me off ok" The pink haired girl nodded into the crook of his neck and whispered back, almost inaudible "Maybe Naruto, Maybe"

Coming out from the hug, Sakura tiptoed and gave her blond-haired best friend a light kiss on the cheek before turning around and walking away, the words that came out of her mouth now gone with the wind "Goodbye, Naruto Uzumaki"

That was the last thing Naruto, or anyone for that matter, saw Haruno Sakura for a very long time...

Naruto's guardian had come, as expected, that evening. He had long white spiky hair and was a huge pervert, his name... Jiraiya. As soon as he stepped foot in the building, he had started to flirt with the children's assistant caretaker: a young woman who helped along with an older woman, the owner of the orphanage. He had told Naruto that he knew the boy's father and mother years back before their deaths' and had been asked to take care of Naruto if anything were to happen. Naruto, hearing this, wad exhilarated. He had a godfather. A real family member. 'I have to tell Sakura-chan. Speaking of...' Naruto looked around the room and searched everywhere, but he didn't see Sakura anywhere in sight.

"Come on Naruto! We're leaving!" Jiraiya hollered from the front door as he gave the kid a questioning glance - Naruto had a sad look plastered all over his face as he approached his godfather, bags and all in hand. "Ara? Why the sad look?" "... Sakura-chan didn't come to see me off" 'Sakura-chan?' Jiraiya turned to the owner of the building and rose a fine white eyebrow. Said woman stumbled for words as a worried look passed through her eyes. "Now that you mention it, I haven't seen little Sakura since she went out this morning. Although she's stayed out before, it's never been this late..."

Sakura was the kind of child who loved to go outdoors to stay with the nature. She would always go out from as soon as she woke up until around 5 in the afternoon. No one knew what she would do, however... not even Naruto. The caretakers as well as the other children thought of her as a weird child, her hair colour for one said it all. But, at that moment it was already passed 7pm and now they had a reason to be worried. Naruto, turning his sad gaze towards his godfather, gave a dejected look as said man sighed deeply in return.

"Listen Naruto. I'm sure she'll turn up soon, but we have to go. We can always come and visit her from time to time" The perverted man looked at the old woman "if that's alright with you" She nodded hastily, glad that she would get the chance to see Naruto again. Although said boy was also a weird one with his unusual six whisker scars on both cheeks, he was easy to get along with and would always lighten the mood. The blond boy huffed and crossed his arms over his chest to make himself look more manly "Of course! Sakura-chan would hate it of I never came back to see her. Believe it! Let's move out!" With a roll of his eyes, Jiraiya pushed the enthusiastic boy forward towards his car, said his goodbyes to the old woman (and a farewell kiss to the younger caretaker, who had cringed in response) before driving off.

While sitting in the car, Naruto could barely hide the excitement for seeing his young childhood friend next time. 'Don't worry Sakura-chan. I'll come back soon!' What he didn't know, however, that said next time would be over 8 years later.