Note: As you can tell, these aren't really in chronological order.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

ii. meet

Uchiha Sasuke knows Haruno Sakura is The One at age eight.

Unlike the other girls in his class, Sakura doesn't flock over to him and fawn. She's a quiet one, always at her desk in the front corner studying about techniques or history or whatever-the-heck. When she's not at her seat, she's practicing throwing kunai and shuriken, not paying attention to the other boys and girls watching her. Sakura isn't a typical Konoha genius (because, to be technical, those usually came from clans), but she's certainly at the top of her class, which is why the first time Sasuke has the chance to actually interact with her, he hates her freaking guts.

He's not too sure why he approaches her after class while he waits for Itachi to pick him up because his big brother promised he would. It most likely has something to do with the fact that his father's I see in response to hearing that, no, Fugaku-san, Sasuke-kun is actually ranked number two in this class. The way his father just stared at him, not saying a single world aloud, said plenty to Sasuke, leading him to walk over to Sakura to… well, he isn't sure what he's going to do, but he's going to do something!

"Hey," he says.

She looks at him, holding onto the kunai she's been practicing with. She tilts her head ever so slightly and just stares, as if she's trying to read his mind. "Hello," she mumbles.

Sasuke smiles at her.

Even though he's just a boy, he's perfectly aware of the affect his smile can have on people. He knows that if he smiles and tells Shizune-sensei that he's so sorry for being late to class, she won't penalize him. He knows that if he smiles and asks one of the girls that like to follow him around to get him something, they'd listen without questioning him. He knows that if he smiles and asks his mother to let him eat ramen for dinner instead of whatever she's already prepared, she'll stare him down for a moment before sighing and relenting.

When he does nothing but smile, she raises an eyebrow. "Did you need something?"

"Um." Sasuke's smile falters when she fails to blush or smile back at him like all other women do. "No."

She nods once. "Then may I return to my target practice?" she asks.

He knows she's not asking for his permission but more so for him to go away. So, mostly to annoy her, Sasuke tells her to go ahead but makes no move to leave. He tries not to twitch under her scrutiny and breathes a sigh of relief when she simply shrugs and goes back to throwing her kunai. Beginning to feel a little silly just standing there, Sasuke takes out one of his own kunai and begins throwing it at the target beside hers. He smirks smugly when he sees it hit the ring just around the centre one, but immediately deflates when Sakura gets her own bullseye.

"You're doing it wrong."

Sasuke stops and turns to Sakura. Her arms are at her side and she's staring at his hand. "What?" he dumbly replies.

Sakura points at him. "Your throwing," she specifies. "You're doing it wrong."

Sasuke can't help but get offended. He glares at her. "No, I'm not!"

"…well, you sort of are."

His hands clench into fists. "I am not! This is how my brother does it so it's obviously right!"

She pauses. "Oh." She seems to be in the middle of thinking about something before she simply nods. "That makes sense then." Then, without another word, she turns away from him and resumes her target practice. Sasuke watches her imploringly, waiting for her to tell him what makes sense but she continues to ignore him.

What. The. Hell.

"You're so weird!" he suddenly shouts, unable to control himself. "You're always reading or training or doing whatever and not talking to anyone. What's wrong with you?"

Sakura stiffens and turns around to give him a dirty look but he only continues.

"God, you're so annoying!"

He's too busy ranting to notice the fist coming straight at him.

"—he was supposed to dodge!"

Sasuke wakes up ten minutes later unable to breathe.

He grunts and tries to swat at the hands on his chest. When he finally opens his eyes, he sees Sakura bent over him, her face red and her eyes watery. She gasps when he finally sits up and immediately launches at him. Sasuke prepares himself for an attack but is surprised when she merely wraps her arms around him.

"I see you're awake now." Sasuke stiffens, recognizing his older brother's voice. Itachi comes into view wearing an amused smile. "How are you feeling?"

Sasuke sighs. "I'm fine," he mumbles. Sakura finally lets go and moves back and the two of them stand up straight. Sasuke scratches the back of his neck and tries to stifle his embarrassment.

He just got knocked out by a girl.

In front of his brother.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Sakura asks, moving closer to examine him.

Sasuke takes a few steps closer to Itachi lest his brother need to protect him. "I said I'm fine," Sasuke mutters.

Sakura nods once. "Good."

Then she punches him again.

As Sasuke rubs his sore arm, he glares at her. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?" he shouts.

"You're supposed to be a ninja!" she points out harshly. "What kind of ninja just lets someone punch them three times?" Her lower lip quivers and for a moment Sasuke thinks she's going to, like, cry or something equally stupid and unnecessary. "You're such an idiot, Sasuke!"

"Wait… what do you mean 'three'—"

He hits the ground from being punched over once again and hears Sakura mutter something about "dumbass pretty boys" and someone being "annoying." As he rubs his sore shoulder, he watches Sakura's retreating form and can't help but realize something: Sakura is pretty freaking cool. Without noticing it, he grins.

"I see you're back to your usual smiles." Sasuke looks up at his brother and scowls at him for not having done anything against the evil she demon. "Is something amusing you, little brother?"

And he can't help but smile again at the thought of Haruno Sakura and her weird pink hair and her total awesomeness.

Sasuke wipes the dirt off of his shirt and shrugs.

"I think I'm in love."