Naruto Uzumaki fingered the pen he was holding in his palms and stared up into the sky thoughtfully. Was he training enough? He pondered about how he was going to spend his next three days. Would he make good use of his time and train some more, or would he just laze around in Ichiraku, slurping bowls of mouth-watering Ramen? He buried his face into his hands and let out a deep, resigned sigh.
"Remember, Naruto," he recalled what Sakura had said to him earlier. "Enough with all the training. You need to rest; your body can't take it any longer."
His protests and objections had been blatantly ignored and disregarded, something which he hated most. He was healthy and well, and he knew it. Sakura was just making a lame excuse to stop him from training. Naruto pursed his lips, struggling to clear his mind. Thinking was making his brain hurt.
"Next," a resounding voice called sharply, interrupting his thoughts. Naruto breathed in deeply, relieved that he wouldn't have to think any more.
He picked himself up and got on his feet, walking towards the counter with shaky, sweaty hands. His muscles ached, reminding him yet again that he was wrong about the healthy part. His footsteps were heavy and disorganized; he had trouble walking in a straight line.
He stopped walking abruptly when he reached the front of the counter. Studying the well-polished wood, he let himself be distracted again. He didn't even know why he was here; he had no reason to be.
"Excuse me," the voice screeched rudely, "Are you there, Mr?"
He staggered back, taken aback by the harsh tone that the receptionist used. Kakashi-sensei always reminded us to be polite at all times, he thought bitterly as he forced himself to look up. He found himself staring at a middle-aged woman with black-rimmed spectacles wedged on her nose bridge. Her eyes were small and narrow, something which reflected her short and sharp personality. Naruto swallowed. This woman looked scary.
"I-I'm Uzumaki Naruto," he began, shaking slightly. "I want to enter…the course…" he trailed off, unsure. Should he do this?
The woman drummed her fingers on the surface of the counter and eyed him impatiently from the other side. "What course?" she replied, swearing under her breath.
"The…one on how to make friends," he said, smiling. Naruto had a lot of friends, but he wasn't satisfied. He wanted to make more. Twenty wasn't enough. Wait, make that forty. The more the merrier, he always said to himself. He had always wanted to enter this course, but he wasn't really sure. Would it take up too much of his time for training?
"Ok. Go to room 315. The course has already begun," she replied bluntly, gesturing him aside. "Next please. Hurry, I have no time," she urged. Naruto stepped aside and glanced around the area, uncertain where to go. Where was room 315? The numbers sounded unfamiliar to him. He looked around blankly, searching for a helpful stranger.
"O-OUCH! HEY, WHAT THE HECK?"
A well-built man had bumped into him and knocked him down onto the floor. The push was hard and solid, and it sent both of them flying onto the marble ground. Naruto waved his hands helplessly, struggling to get back onto his feet. After he had regained his consciousness, he looked up, wanting to find the culprit.
A dark blue-haired man stared back at him with cold, black eyes. Naruto's eyes widened, and he recognised immediately who it was.
"S…S-Sasuke?" He breathed, unable to take his eyes off the grumpy-looking teenager. It was impossible, he thought. Sasuke wouldn't be here. He had no reason to be. "What are you doing here, dattebayo? I thought you...you…?"
Sasuke frowned and sent him a death glare. "Oh, it's you, baka. Watch where the hell you're going next time," he retorted, getting up quickly. "I need to go."
"W-wait!" Naruto pulled the boy's arm just as he was about to leave. "I'm not letting you go anywhere, Sasuke! Why are you in Konoha? I thought you…were…" tears inexplicably formed in Naruto's shining blue eyes. "You decided to come back? What are you doing here?"
Sasuke removed Naruto's hand from his arm. "Listen," he hissed angrily, "I'm late for a course, ok? And no, I'll only be here for a while. The rest is none of your business, stupid," he folded his arms defensively. "I'm late for a course."
"Ah…" Naruto struggled to find the right words to say. This was hard for him to comprehend. Sasuke coming back…Sasuke attending a course… this was really unexpected. He shook his head, wondering if this was a dream.
"What course are you in, S-Sasuke?" his head spun wildly.
"Room 315," he snapped, brushing the dirt off his black flak jacket. "Mind your own business, brat. I'm leaving. Go play with your soft toys."
Naruto stood there with his mouth open. This was even more unexpected.
"I-I'M IN THE SAME ROOM TOO, DATTEBAYO!" he hollered before he could stop himself. "I…oh god," he muttered, catching his breath. This was crazy. Sasuke attending a course?
A course on how to make friends?
"...You're really pathetic, Sasuke," he sniggered loudly, clapping his hands like a seal.
Sasuke stood there with a blank look on his face while Naruto rolled on the floor, laughing his lungs out. Moments later, a sharp crack was heard.
Naruto had sprained his neck, much to his dismay. He stopped laughing and froze, paralyzed with fear and horror.
It was now Sasuke's turn to laugh, something he never did in a long time.