16/07/2009 19:45:00

Chapter 1: Fresh Start

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, I don't own Starbucks either?

Beep Beep Beep!

'Shut up! Please! I don't want to wake up yet!' Sakura thought as she hit the alarm clock. 'Gah, I am really nervous about starting this new job. I mean, I'm excited, but still…' she mentally whined. Sakura Haruno was a hard working person, but was extremely self-conscious about her abilities at times.

Her new job was at Konoha Inc., a company that supplied medical services throughout Japan and neighboring countries, it was a very prestigious company and she was proud to have been accepted to work there straight out of school.

'I'm going to work hard at this new job! So I better dress nicely, expecially for the first day! I'm so excited! I hope all my co-workers were as nice as that one girl, what was her name again? Oh yeah! Hinata Hyuga. She was so sweet, but really quiet.'

She stepped into the shower and the warm droplets of water slowly woke her up. She stepped out and got ready for work, putting on a new suit she had purchased the day before, (That she had spent a considerable amount of money on, but hey, she just got a job at one of the largest companies in Japan. She deserved it!) Then made some hot tea in a to go mug. She stepped in her heels and walked out the door of her apartment. She was headed down to her car in the parking garage when she heard someone call her name.

"Sakura! Gees, Sakura, Wait up!" Sakura turned around to see none other than her good friend, Ino Yamanaka, running (or as much as she could run in her heels) towards her. They had been friends since college, and now Ino worked for a company right down the street. So they had agreed to carpool to save money, but Sakura had completely forgotten about it. "What? Did you forget we were riding together? I knew you would!" Ino said. "Dammit! I knew I should have written myself a note! Sorry, it's a good thing you came out of your room when you did." "Che, yeah. So! Are you excited about this new job? I can't believe you got accepted, and such a high up job! Now you'll be able to pay off this damn apartment! Or move into a fancy loft! How cool would that be? You'd have to take me with you!" Ino practically screamed. "Ha! Ino you better shut it! Its 7 in the morning, people are still asleep!" Sakura hushed her friend as the reached her Audi A6 (She was born in a family of wealth, so she already had college paid off, but she insisted on paying for the rest of her life on her own, but her family bought her this car as a graduation present.) They drove out of the garage, and parked on the curb in front of a Starbucks and walked in. "I'll have a cinnamon swirl coffee cake and a bottle of water." Sakura said. "I'll have that breakfast sandwich and a Café Americano," said Ino. "Hai," the cashier said as Sakura paid for their breakfast.

"See you this afternoon!" Sakura yelled out of the open car door. "Hai! I'll call you if I don't see you at 4 o'clock!" Ino yelled back to her friend as she walked into her building. Ino worked at her father's company (They distributed beautiful flower arrangements, and they became very successful, distributing throughout Japan.)

Sakura pulled into Kohona Inc.'s parking garage and parked in a spot, locked her car and started walking out of the garage. As she walked up to the front doors, she heard her phone ring, and as she was pulling out her phone she felt herself collide with what she thought was a brick wall. Sakura looked up from her spot on the ground only to see a figure standing above her. The man stated to walk away, ignoring the fact that she had just fallen to the ground "Oi! The least you could do is apologize! I mean, you did run into me pretty hard," Sakura said fuming (She had a very short temper.) "Hn. If I recall correctly, you were the one that ran into me." The man said as he smirked as he turned around. That's when it hit Sakura that this man was gorgeous. His onyx eyes matched his pitch-black spiky hair, and as she looked lower his body was perfect she could tell, even with his suit on. "Oh, uh… Gomenasai…" she said, too preoccupied with looking over his form to form coherent thoughts. He turned to walk away, breaking her 'trance', and she began picking up her purse and briefcase. 'Oh man, he was beautiful, almost god-like. I can't believe I acted like such a babbling idiot. Ah!' Sakura thought as she entered the building and walked towards an elevator.

"Oh! Ohayougozaimasu (Good morning) Hinata-san!" Sakura said as she approached a beautiful dark-haired girl with lavender eyes. "Ohayougozaimasu, Sakura-san!" Hinata replied. "Hm, how about, we drop the formalities? Just call me Sakura!" "Oh, uh, alright Sakura. Just call me HInata then." Sakura nodded as she headed towards her office. 'This is so cool! I get my own office! Studying really hard in school was so worth it!' Her office was rather large for a new employee, and it had a great view of the city. She was determined to stay focused and do very well at this job. This was her chance to start out on a clean slate.

"Sakura-san! I need you to report to my office immediately! We need to discuss a few things!" the phone had said. Sakura ran over to the phone and pick it up, "Ah! Of course Tsunade-sama! I'll be there right away!" "Good, hurry up!"

Sakura rushed out of her office and tried to catch the elevator as it was closing. "Hold the elevator, please!" She yelled, darting through the doors. "Thanks. Ah, uh, who are you?" Sakura asked the girl next to her. She was small with brown hair, tied neatly in two buns on the top of her head, and brown eyes. "Oh, hello! I'm Tenten!" She said, extending her hand for Sakura to shake. "Hi! Sakura Haruno!" Sakura said taking the woman's hand and shaking it. "You have beautiful hair! Is it naturally pink?" Tenten asked. Sakura never cared much for her appearance. Her pink hair stuck out like a sore thumb, and she was much to pale for her liking, but she couldn't hold a tan. The only thing she ever really liked about her appearance was her eyes; they were emerald green, just like her mother's. "Uh, ha, yeah." She said, patting her hair. "I really like it! Well, this is my floor, see you later!" "Hai! Goodbye!"

When she reached Tsunade's floor, she looked around only to see a small reception room with a small woman with black hair and black eyes. "Sakura-san! Tsunade-sama is expecting you. Go right in." The woman said. "Hai!"

"Sakura! Welcome to Kohona Inc., I called you here because I wanted to give you your schedule for the month. I would normally e-mail this to you, but since this is your first day and there are some important things on here, I wanted to talk to you personally. Next week, we are having a meeting with Uchiha Corp. and Hyuga International. It is very important that you attend this meeting with me; you and Tenten are my wing-men. Alright! You are dismissed!" Tsunade said. "Hai! Goodbye Tsunade-sama!"

"Ah, finally, lunch!" I'm so hungry! Oh, Hinata, Would you like to join me for lunch? I'm meeting a friend at this ramen stand. It'll be my treat!" Sakura said. "I don't want to impose, really…" "No! You won't! Really, come on!" "Okay."

"Naruto! Its so good to see you!" Sakura yelled. "Oi! Sakura-chan! Who's your friend here?" The blond approaching the two asked. "This is Hinata Hyuga. She's one of my new co-workers." "Ah, Hi Hinata! I'm Naruto Uzumaki!" "H-h-hello," Hinata said turning a bright shade of red. 'I think Hinata likes Naruto. Cha! Time to play matchmaker!' Sakura thought. "Oh man, sorry guys! I forgot I left something at the office, go ahead and eat without me!" Sakura said, leaving the two behind to chat. "Okay, bye Sakura! Come on Hinata!" Naruto said. "Uh, o-okay. Bye Sakura."

'Cha! You did great! They'll get along for sure!' She thought, not knowing she was about to collide with a familiar 'brick wall'.

Author's Note: Ah hey guys. First chapter of my first fanfic up! Please review! Hope you like it!