A/N: Because people enjoyed Ribbon so much, I decided to just continue it. The first chapter then was Naruto and Sakura meeting as children, so this chapter is about them meeting during their Academy days. It should be fun to write how their relationship changes as time goes by.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto


Naruto sat lazily with his head propped up against his hand staring unfocused at the back of the head of the student in front of him. Iruka-sensei was saying something and writing it down on the board but Naruto was distracted by the warm spring breeze coming in through the window he sat by. The cherry blossoms were in bloom, and the sweet smell tickled his nose and made his thoughts turn dreamy and decidedly pink.

There was only one person that would come to mind when he thought of cherry blossoms, and that was of course Haruno Sakura.

He hadn't forgotten her gift to him, though he would always wonder if she had. Any time he talked to her she would never act as if she remembered, but in all truth he really didn't get to talk to her often. He'd only see her in class, and of course class was spent on learning. If only they didn't have to learn on such a beautiful day.

Shifting his eyes, Naruto glanced to the side where Sakura sat listening intently to the lecture. He admired how good of a student she was; always able to pay attention even to the most boring topics. But even Sakura's attention would wonder, he knew. Every now and then, he would catch her eyes glancing away from Iruka to another corner of the room.

Frowning, the blonde boy turned to look at Iruka, though he still wasn't really listening. He didn't have to look to know where Sakura always glanced and his face scrunched up in a slight pout.

Uchiha Sasuke, what's so great about him anyways? Naruto thought to himself.

Of course, Naruto knew somewhat what was so great about him. He was considered to be some kind of prodigy or something. How he had gotten that title Naruto couldn't be sure, but he had it and that caused many people to admire him.

But he wouldn't be like that.

If that Uchiha kid wanted him to admire him, he'd have to prove himself. All Naruto saw in him was a brooding boy who didn't have much interest in anyone.

As if to emphasize this, Naruto frowned over to the boy while reaching in his pocket. His fingers twirled around an object lying within and he suddenly felt comforted.

I'll work hard to get everyone to admire me! I don't need any special title. I'll show everyone by my skills! he thought proudly, his lips turning up into a determined grin while his blue eyes sparkled confidently.

Hit with a sudden bout of motivation, Naruto finally turned all of his attention to the front of the classroom where Iruka was speaking.

"…and that's how you tie an explosive tag to a kunai. Now I want everyone to practice your knots. Once you have successfully completed the knot and shown me, you can leave."

Naruto stared open mouthed as the students scrambled to get strings to begin practicing on.

Oh no! I missed the whole demonstration! Naruto worried to himself while feeling extremely unlucky.

Following the others, the blonde retrieved a string and returned to his seat. Staring helplessly down at the string in front of him, his mind searched frantically through his memory banks for an idea of what to do.

Coming up empty, a bead of sweat formed at his temple as he glanced around at the other students. Most of them were focused on their tasks of threading the strings through their kunai.

Deciding that was a good place to start, Naruto took out a kunai and mimicked their actions and threaded the string through the hole in the handle.

Now what do I do?

Looking around him once more, his eye's landed on Sakura who seemed to be doing a complicated pattern of loops and twists to her string. She had memorized Iruka-sensei's demonstration perfectly, and within no time she had completed the tie and raised her hand.

"I'm finished Iruka-sensei!" she called proudly, and waited for the man to come by and check her work.

"Good job Sakura, a perfect knot." Iruka complimented, causing the girl to beam happily at him.

As the man walked away to check with another student, Sakura was left to do as she pleased, which in her case meant she could gawk at Sasuke. She couldn't help but hold a glimmer of hope that he would need her help in tying the knot, but when she looked his way she saw he had also completed the task and was packing up to leave.

Her first thought was to try and catch up with him and attempt to coax him into a conversation with her, but then she thought better of it. The last time she had done that he had seemed rather cross with her, which she of course didn't want. If she wanted him to like her, she would have to stay on his good side, which meant trying to give him his space, she supposed.

Sighing to herself, Sakura slowly began collecting her things together. Many of the students were getting up and leaving as well, having completed the task. Happening to chance a glance behind her, Sakura couldn't help but notice a worried Naruto eyeing his string and kunai.

"Arrgh, I have no idea how to do this! I wish Iruka-sensei wasn't so busy with other students so he could help me," Naruto whined, holding his head in frustration.

"Naruto! What are you doing?"

Startled, Naruto looked up to see an annoyed Sakura looking down at him.

"Sakura-chan, um, I was just-"

"Just doing it all wrong!" she huffed, examining his knot riddled string. "Didn't you see Iruka-sensei's demonstration?"

Naruto forced out an embarrassed laugh and Sakura shook her head, her long pink hair batting against her cheek.

"If you don't get this right we'll all have to continue practicing this tomorrow! Here, I'll show you how to do it so pay attention!"

Taking out a kunai, Sakura looked at the string Naruto had been using and bit her lip. "I can't use this…oh! This will work," she started, reaching for a ribbon that was trailing from Naruto's pocket.

"Ah…that's-" Naruto began, worried for his precious keepsake, but was cut off by a look from Sakura.

"Watch Naruto, you just take it and thread it through the eye," Sakura began, and Naruto watched intently as she did so. "Now you loop it around here three times and tuck the end in here and pull it tight. It's so easy!"

Naruto nodded in agreement as Sakura handed the kunai to him. "Aa, you're right! It was really easy after all. Thanks Sakura-chan!" He smiled brightly at the girl who flipped her hair back and returned his smile.

"Next time make sure you pay attention to Iruka-sensei!" she scolded and Naruto nodded sheepishly.

"I promise I will!" he vowed, giving her a thumbs up.

As Sakura turned to leaven, she hesitated for a moment and called back to him, "Oh, Naruto? That's a nice ribbon you have there."

With that, the pink haired girl bounded away leaving a blinking Naruto in her wake.

Could it be she remembers…? he wondered curiously as he watched her go.

Naruto turned to look down at his ribbon with a smile on his face. But his elation was short lived when he noticed a problem.

"Gah! How am I supposed untie this!"