Another story by yours truly. If you do happen to read this, please take the time and send a review (good or bad) thanks. I have a couple of ideas for some other stories but they're mainly going to be Sasu/Saku or Sasu/? This one happens to be a Saku/Sasu/Ino. (Oh, and for more information, the flashbacks take place before the Uchiha Massacre but after when his attitude changes)

Note: I don't own Naruto or any of it's characters... so don't sue me (I don't have any money anyway).

Memories

As Sasuke and Sakura were standing by the bridge, waiting for Naruto and Kakashi, a small blonde girl came running up to Sasuke and wrapped her arms around his neck, cause him to gag from the pressure.

"Hi, Sasuke-kun! Funny seeing you here." Ino squealed as she flashed him a smile. He ignored the greeting and pried her arms from his sore neck.

"Ino pig-chan!" Sakura yelled as she gave her rival a serious death glare. "You know we always come here to wait for Kakashi-sensei!"

"Oh, really." Asked Ino, who tried to act as if she didn't know this already. "I had no clue."

"What are you talking about, Ino? You always come here to check on Sasuke..." the words of the brown hair boy were quickly covered up by the blonde girl's hands.

"Shut up, Shika!" yelled Ino as she began to blush.
As the two girls continued to argue, the raven-haired boy quickly took this opportunity to exit the scene. As he shoved his hands into his pocket, the girl suddenly noticed his absence.

"Sasuke-kun... where are you going?" questioned the pink-haired shinobi.

"Somewhere you two aren't. You both too annoying to be around." He replied coldly and truthfully. With this answer the girls stood quiet, not knowing what to say.

"Man, that guy is rude... what do you two see in him?" asked Shikamaru. The girls looked over at him and then back to Sasuke as he slowly walked away.

"What do you see in him?" thought both of them.

Later that night, Ino was brushing her teeth. She had a habit of brushing at least six times per day. This was an effort to impress Sasuke.

"Sasuke... What happened to you?" she pondered the thought as she climbed into bed. She put her hands behind her head and let out a big sigh.

Ino's Innocent Question

Ino sat quietly on the rail of school. She was waiting to be picked up by her parents. While, she was wondering when her parents were going to pick her up, she noticed a boy about her age sitting on one of the swings. The boy had dark black hair and onyx eyes.

"Wow! He's really cute!" she quickly observed. She began to walk over to him.

"Hi! What's your name?" she said with a smile. He looked up to see a very cheerful blond girl.

"Sasuke." He replied with a normal expression. He could tell she wanted to make conversation but in all reality, he was never much of a talker.

"Well, Sasuke, I'm Yamanaka Ino. Nice to meet you!" she grinned. He began to blush alittle. He had never really talk to a girl before, asides from his mom.

"Why are you here?" he asked innocently. For some reason, she seems nice enough to talk to.

"Well, I have to wait for my parents. What about you?" she said with her smile still being shot at him.

"Waiting for my brother." He answered.

After this, both were quiet. Each didn't know what else to talk about, although it could be seen that Ino wanted to think of something that would start a conversation. She felt like the silence spoiled her chance to talk to the good looking boy. And then, suddenly...

"So... What are you gonna be when you grow up?" she asked nervously. He looked at her with curiosity

"Oh my god... why did I ask a question like that!? He must think I'm stupid. Great job, Ino!"

"Well, hopefully I can be the head of an Anbu squad." He stated with pride. She looked abit surprised. By the way he looked, she thought he would say a model or famous star.

"Why an Anbu squad leader? She asked, begging to know the answer.

"Well, because my big brother's one but mostly... because I want to protect my village!" he said cheerfully. He then realized she was the first person he really talk to from school. She saw his expression and began to smile. He then looked at her. "What about you?"

"Oh... well, I hope to be a teacher someday." She said with a victory pose. He looked at her quietly. She saw this and began to blush. "I... I'm sorry... sometimes I overdue stuff a bit." He let out a barely recognizable smile.

"It's okay, I think you'll be the best teacher in the village, as long as you work hard for it." His words were comforting to her.

"T...thanks..." she replied with a tint of red across her cheeks. "I..."

"Ino! Ino! Time to go!" her mom yelled out to her. She looked over to her and then back to Sasuke.

"...Well, I have to go." She said with a disappointing frown.

"It's okay. My brother should be coming soon, anyway. It was nice meeting you, Ino-chan." He smiled. She blushed at the sound of this. As she walked, she couldn't help but wonder...

"Ino...chan..." she smiled to herself as she ran to her parents. As she walked home, her noticed the very cheerful girl had been smile since she left the academy.

"So... who's your new friend?" she asked curiously. "He's cute!"

"Mom!" Ino exclaimed. She was embarrassed by this but couldn't deny the fact that he did look good. Ino drifted around the thought of the young boy. As she did this, more blush crept up on her cheeks.

"Well, it looks like Ino has her first crush." Her father said jokingly." And who would think it would be over an Uchiha?" Ino's eyes widen.

"You mean, he's an Uchiha!?" Aren't they the best of the best?" She couldn't believe it. At home, all she could think about was the raven hair boy. As she began to sleep, she remembered what she said.

"I think you'll be the best teacher in the village... as long as you work hard for it." She smiled as her eyes began to close. Right before she fell asleep, she was able to mutter something...

"Sasuke...kun..."

After the weekend was over, she couldn't wait to tell all her friends from school about her first crush. It was during this weekend, that she met Sakura. As she walked into the classroom, she noticed Sasuke wasn't there. As class started, the teacher said something about him and family trip. She frowned a little, wanting to see him. She hoped she would be able to talk to him a bit more. As Iruka began talking, Ino sat and looked at the empty seat. She let out a big sigh. It had been two weeks since he had been at school. At the last day of school that week, he finally appeared. As Ino came into class, she felt an overwhelming relief that he had come back. But... something was different. She quickly noticed, he seemed a lot colder than when she first met him. After school, he began to walk home. She quickly followed him.

"Hi, Sasuke-kun!" She waved as she ran towards him. She was hoping he noticed the ending on his name. He turned to look who was speaking but instead or replying he turned and began walking again.

"That's odd..." she though with a puzzled look on her face. As she finally caught up with him, she took in quick breaths to get some air.

"Wow, you sure do walk fast, Sasuke-kun." She smiled with alittle sweat on her forehead. He did nothing but kept walking. She wondered what was up with him. She had a million questions she wanted to ask him, with one in particular about what he was doing later that night.

"So, Sasuke-kun, where have you been all..."

"Just leave me alone." He stated coldly. This made Ino stop in her tracks. Her eyes widen. At first she couldn't believe it. It wasn't really what he said, but how he said it. He seemed upset and bothered. As if she was annoying him.

"Why is he being so mean...I was just trying to be nice."

"I just want to be left alone." He said with a more sorrowful tone. She noticed this as well as well as the look on his face. A look of pain. But not the kind of pain when you're injured. No, this was the pain of loss. However, she couldn't concentrate on it for too long, for something was wrong with her. Her heart... her heart was hurting...

"Is it because of him." she thought as the pain stung harder. She had never felt this before. This level of hurt. She stood, watching his back until he turned around the corner.

"Sasuke...kun..." she whispered softly into the air. After that moment, he drifted even more apart from his classmates. As if they were a nuisance. Over the years, her heart healed but her affections for him were still strong. Her mission to be the best teacher would have to wait. She had another mission, she thought of which was more important to her at the time.

"I'll get Sasuke-kun to like me. This is my new promise... and I'll work as hard as I can to win over his heart."

A promise... It had been so long ago that she forgot how it all happened. But in that instant before she went to sleep, it all came back to her. The reason why she liked Sasuke so much. Before he had this cold exterior, there was a kind, sweet, and encouraging boy. She knew, from different moments that that part of him still existed. And she was sure to bring it out of him one day.

The End.

Well, what do you think? If you happen to read this, please review it. Both good or bad. Thanks. Well, the next chapter is entitled The Shuriken and Cherry Blossom. Oh, and if you have the time, please read my other fic. More will be coming soon.