AN Thanks so much for the wonderful response!

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to Naruto or the 'Truly Madly Deeply' song by Savage Garden.

Warnings:
Alternated Universe. (ie. Forget whatever you know about the ninja world. This is happening my way...)
Possible confusion. This chapter, unlike the prologue, is the beginning of the story. The prologue was simply a snippet of the middle.
Slash
Cross-dressing

Summary: Naruto enrols into a female-exclusive school, posing as a girl just to obtain more information on his crush Haruno Sakura. But everything he's carefully planned goes down the drain with the appearance of one dark-haired boy. SasuNaru. Shounen-ai. Alternated Universe.


Truly Madly Deeply

Chapter One

Hate At First Sight

By BlueRedemption


The slim, sun-tanned blonde shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he set his oceanic-blue eyes in rapt attention to the dais at the front of the meeting hall. Teachers, and student council members rushed about, setting up and testing the microphones and sound equipment for the annual 'New School Year' assembly.

God, this school uniform was damn itchy. He had no idea how the other girls could stand it. Absentmindedly, he scratched irately at the top of his black knee-high stockings, unaware that he was hiking up his already short red, white and black chequered pleated skirt as he did so. Satisfied that the itch had lessened, he leisurely leaned back and tugged at the collar of his white shirt in order to loosen the patterned tie, which was the same material as the skirt, so that it wouldn't choke him. Unlike the other girls that sat around him with their complete uniform meticulously worn from the little red and black hair ribbons on the head, right down to the shiny black shoes on their feet, he refused to wear the school's formal black blazer. It would get far too hot and stuffy in the hall, so he left it hanging on the back of his chair. Did he mention that the school uniform for this blasted girl school was also damn expensive?

He made a slight face at the thought and he inattentively looped a silky lock of hair from his long blonde wig - which was styled in twin pigtails and held by the school's compulsory red and black ribbons - around his finger, examining it in palpable aversion. He must've been stark raving mad to actually come here to this prestigious private girl's high school just to find out more about Haruno Sakura.

Speaking of Sakura…

Glancing briefly at the object of his affection, who sat two rows behind him to the left, Naruto's mind was quick to change and he erased all doubts and concerns he had. No, his emerald-eyed goddess' affection was worth all this and even more.

The hushed and whispered conversations of the females around him suddenly paused for a moment when the double doors of the meeting hall opened up to admit more people. Instead of more schoolgirls like Naruto expected, he was astounded when primly dressed boys - led by several male teachers - entered the room in two perfectly straight lines. They walked down the aisle nonchalantly and then started filling up the left side of the meeting room in an orderly fashion, for the girls (and Naruto) of Kawakami Joshi Koukou already occupied the right side.

The girls around him huddled with their nearest neighbours and tittered with excitement and anticipation almost immediately. Someone nearby him squealed, "The boys are here!" Naruto had to roll his eyes at that exclamation.

"What's going on?" Naruto decided to ask the girl on his left, who had hair so blonde it was almost a pasty white mixed with a very slight yellow. He thought that this school was exclusively for females! Was it going co-ed now? The female that he had spoken to turned to him in apparent surprise, her light cornflower blue eyes widening in an incredulous manner.

"You did not just ask me that." She paused for a moment to study him before her mouth made a small 'o' in realization, "Oh, wait, you're that new girl. Heh, sorry. I'm Yamanaka Ino." She introduced herself sheepishly, gingerly holding out her hand for Naruto to shake.

"Suzumaki Naru." Naruto rolled his fake name around in his tongue slightly to get used to it as he took her offered hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Maybe he really shouldn't have chosen a fake name that hit too close to his real one. It was far too late now, though. The damage was already done. His enrolment forms was already sitting in the office files, and his personal data already entered into the school system. Oh, well. It was highly unlikely that anyone would realize or even make a slight connection between Uzumaki Naruto and Suzumaki Naru... right? Well, he hoped not, anyway.

Ino gently swiped to the side a lock of her white-blonde hair to get it out of her eyes before turning her full attention back to the line of boys, "They're the students of our brother school, Ashira Danshi Koukou." She informed him, her pale eyes moving up and down, continuing to scan the lines as though looking for someone in particular. "They come here for social events, meetings and sometimes they join our classes. I hear that this year, our school and theirs are taking part in some sort of etiquette classes, so we're going to be seeing a lot more of them than usual."

He stiffened, and his eyebrow twitched slightly, "…Brother school?" He repeated blankly.

An amused smile was briefly thrown his way, as she mistook his repetition as a question, "All same-sex schools have a brother or sister schools." She told him before she turned her attention back to the line on male students.

Mortified, Naruto started to curse himself in his mind. He couldn't believe it! Why didn't he even think about the brother school of Kawakami? God, he was so stupid! Well … shit! Instead of dressing up as a girl, suffering through the torture of the hell-spawn uniforms and having to move into the girls' dorm tonight just to do undercover work on Sakura for about a year, he could've simply enrolled himself in the brother school and wooed Sakura the normal and easier way! Damn it all to hell! He glared down at his balled fists before his attention was diverted towards Ino, who had sat up in her seat. "Are you looking for someone? Maybe your boyfriend?" Naruto couldn't help voicing out the curiosity that piqued him as he forced his mind away from self-degradation.

A rosy-red flush slowly spread on his companion's pale cheeks, "No, he's not my boyfriend. Yet." She whispered the end part to herself, but Naruto had heard it.

He sweatdropped. "I see. Who is he?" He attempted to casually start a conversation, trying to mask his lack of attention at her expected answer. He was sure that she was simply going to list out the good points of the boy, how much she was in love with him, what sort of things they've done together… etcetera, etcetera. The usual boring stuff. But since he knew no one at the school yet, he knew that it would be a good idea to start making friends until he made his way to Sakura.

"His name is Uchiha Sasuke, he's gorgeous, smart, athletic, rich … everything and more than you could possibly want in a boyfriend!" Ino gushed hurriedly, just as the half-listening Naruto had predicted, "The only probably is that almost every girl here has set their greedy eyes on him as well." Her thin eyebrows drew together in a rather jealous scowl, "Especially Haruno Sakura, my rival."

Upon hearing Sakura's name, he immediately tuned his undivided towards Ino and decided to actually listen to what she was saying. "Haruno Sakura?" He parroted, acting oblivious.

"Yeah, she's my main rival for Sasuke-kun's heart. But, she's also my best friend." She giggled, "It's a strange, twisted friendship, but it's a solid one. Well, until I get Sasuke, that is. I'm sure she wouldn't be too happy when I do and I think that would no doubt affect our friendship."

Finally! His luck was turning out for the better! He could hardly believe the opportunity that God had graciously given him after his sufferings. He was sitting next to Sakura's best friend. It was simply perfect. All he had to do was get on Ino's good side, and then he'd be making friends with Sakura in no time! Then he would be out of this school, never to touch another article of women's clothing for himself again. But it seemed that a new problem had introduced itself, leaving a big boulder in the way of his path to Sakura's heart. And it seemed that problem was this … Uchiha Sasuke, whoever the hell he is. It seemed his crush liked him. A lot. Naruto grimaced. He'd have to do something about him.

His train of thoughts and schemes were suddenly interrupted by Ino. "You'd better not fall for him, too!" She threatened him, pointing an accusing finger to emphasize her statement.

Naruto rolled his eyes in exasperation, a sigh escaping his lips. Chances of that ever happening: zilch. "You have absolutely nothing to worry about. Not only can I guarantee you and I have completely different tastes, but I assure you that I've already got my heart set on someone." He promised her, his eyes softening as he thought of Sakura.

Hearing those words, Ino suddenly felt relief flow through her; after all, it was one less new rival to worry about. Because the golden-haired female sounded so sincere about her liking someone else already, she was sure that even if Naru met Sasuke, she wouldn't go after him like all the other girls – even those with boyfriends - did. She was rather glad of this outcome, because Naru seemed like a really good person, and she would've hated to make a rival out of her just because of Sasuke. Ino knew of so many good friendships between other girls that had been broken because of handsome teenager. She grinned, it seems like she'd found another potential best friend. "Naru-chan, I think we're going to get on just fine!"

"Hehe, I sure hope so!" Naruto beamed back at her with much enthusiasm.

A girl several rows in front of him squealed suddenly, "Omigosh… there he is. Uchiha Sasuke!"

To Naruto, it felt as though every single girl in the room had suddenly turned their head to look to the left in synchronization, as though the pale, raven-haired boy at the end of the double line was some sort of prince that deserved complete reverence and respect.

Like all the other boys from his school, Uchiha Sasuke was neatly attired in his Ashira uniform that consisted of a formal white business shirt with a pristine dark cobalt-blue tie that had a white trimming at the end; nicely ironed to the point of perfection black pants and impeccably polished black shoes. To complete his immaculate clothing, he wore the smart dark-blue blazer with white trimmed cuffs and collar that proudly bore the Ashira school insignia on the left breast pocket. He walked leisurely along the path with his hands in his pockets; a bored look on his handsome, well-defined face, not even paying the slightest bit of attention to the girls that unmistakably admired him.

Naruto immediately knew he disliked – no, make that hated – Uchiha Sasuke, with indescribable passion ever since he had laid his eyes on him. No, he wasn't bias to his loathing for the other boy just because his crush liked this prissy boy so much. Of course, he wasn't! He despised the other boy because of the fact that he just had this distinct feeling that there would be trouble abound ever since the dark-haired girl-magnet had taken a step onto the red-carpeted aisle of the meeting hall along with the rest of his male year-mates. Naruto could practically feel the bad vibes that he got from the striking boy deep in his gut. You could say it was his instincts; and Naruto trusted his instincts.

His abhorrence to the other was fuelled by the way that the Uchiha carried himself so conceitedly, as if knowing that he had almost captured every girls' heart without trouble and he was enjoying their attention, but being the smug person he was, pretended not to notice it. The stuck-up boy was highly likely to be a complete jackass, and Naruto could confidently bet every single cent of what little money he had on that without even worrying about losing a penny at all. He sat there, glowering at the other boy in disdain.

As if feeling his heated glare by using some sort of strange psychic power, Sasuke raised his head slightly and his ebony gaze met Naruto's narrowed ones squarely. Sasuke raised an elegant eyebrow in slight question before a smug smirk appeared on his indifferent face tauntingly as he inclined his head slightly Naruto's way, almost as if to acknowledge him somehow. Naruto blanched, and finally stuck his tongue out childishly before turning back around to blatantly ignore the other.

"Eeek! Sasuke-kun smiled at me!" A girl behind him squealed, high on euphoria.

"No, he didn't! He smiled at me!" Another one refuted somewhere behind him.

Yes, there no longer was any doubt about it.

He loathed Uchiha Sasuke.


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