Chapter Two: Spring childhood…
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"Summons are performed with a summoning jutsu or any variations thereof. Before summoning can be executed, the summoner signs a contract using her/his own blood…" Sakura paused as she marveled at the new knowledge she's currently acquiring.
She rolled the scroll open for better access. It was the scroll Sasuke let her borrow yesterday after he went home from school. She looked up at the alarm clock on her bedside table, and noted that Sasuke is supposed to be there after 3o minutes.
She smiled impatiently. She can't wait to ask Sasuke all the questions she's been mentally taking down for him to answer. Besides, he is his batch's rookie.
Sakura then brought her eyes back to the writings in the scroll, trying to kill time…
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Sasuke excitedly rushed to his room, drop his things off, and got what he needed under his bed. He tucked the box under his arm protectively before running towards a remote house far from his house but within the Uchiha compound.
He invited himself in and ran to the place where he knew he'll find her. Excitedly opening the door and forgetting for a moment that he was a pure-blooded Uchiha, who was known as mysterious and intimidating, he called out her name, almost shouting in excitement.
As if on cue, a bright smile erupted from the corner of her lips as she raised her eyes to see a panting dark-haired boy by her bedroom door. Dropping the scroll for a moment, she went to hug the boy in greeting.
Sasuke, in turn, ran his fingers through her luscious pink hair.
"Sakura," He breathed as he stepped back to smile at her. "Sakura, its Hina Matsuri tomorrow. And…"
Sakura's eyes twinkled at the words 'Hina Matsuri' and took Sasuke's hands and led him in turning and spinning around the room with her in a dream-like state. Her ears paid no heed on Sasuke's next words. She also let her mouth tell her emotions.
"Really?" Sakura gasped then, "When I was younger, my father bought me very very very pretty kimonos and very very cute dolls!!!"
Then she stopped. A sad smile on her childish and innocent face.
"But father… they said he will be gone forever and that it will take a veeeery long time before I am able to go with him…" she smiled sadly, she was as if about to cry. "And… I don't have kimonos anymore… but!"
Her mood changed, her sad smile became happy again. "But I know Sasuke-kun will help me in my studies instead of wasting time, right?"
"Iie. (No)" Sasuke shook his head. Sakura bit back a sob. "Demo (But)…" He smiled.
"Instead, we'll celebrate it together. My mom brought out the kimono she used to wear when she was a child and told me to let you wear it."
"Your father wasn't mad about that?"
Sasuke brought a finger to his lips. "It's supposed to be a secret and, when you wear it," his voice turned octave lower in a quiet whisper, "Otou-san won't recognize it for he didn't know it existed in the first place."
Sakura giggled, then, her eyebrows looked crunched up as her hands snapped down to touch her tummy.
"Ne, I'm hungry." Sasuke responded with a soft chuckle.
"Let's go to Ichiraku's. My treat and besides, I'm sure we will find Iruka-sensei there. We'll ask him to teach you."
"OKAY!!!"
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Ichiraku's...
"Mmmm! Yummy!" Sakura said, slurping her ramen. Sasuke quietly agreed as he finished his bowl of ramen.
"TEME!!!" they heard someone yell. The two looked back to see a blonde haired boy sitting on an older man's shoulder.
The older of the two smiled warmly at them.
"Konnichiwa, Sasuke-san. Whose this fair young child with you?"
Sasuke nodded in greeting, and, when his and Sakura's eyes met, he replied, "She's Sakura Haruno-"
He paused as Sakura held her breath. "-Uchiha."
The man, Iruka, smiled warmly at her, putting his trained ninja hands on top of her head. "Sakura it is. Nice to meet you, Sakura-san."
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After that encounter with Sasuke's teacher, Sakura felt very happy for the man, Iruka-sensei, promised to train and teach her after classes and to top it all, Sasuke said he'll accompany her so that when she's learning, he'll be finishing his assignments.
The next day…
Sasuke patiently waited for Sakura, who was putting on her kimono with Ino's help. He heard quiet gasps as if Sakura was hurt which is in a way, true since Ino was fixing her hair.
After what seemed hours, Sasuke sighed in relief as he heard the door open.
His eyes twinkled when he saw Sakura in a cerulean kimono with what seemed an arabesque design in it. Her hair wearing the traditional comb and it sparkled beautifully. Ino, as well, is wearing a purple kimono. They smiled brightly. "Let's go?"
Sasuke nodded and together, the two Uchihas held hands, said a quiet thanks to Ino and walked off to the park, leaving Ino in her own.
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As she watch them run together, Ino's face darkened…
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"What's that?" Sakura asked innocently, making Sasuke almost choke out.
With a small smile though, he raised up the 'thing' he's been holding, making Sakura observe the 'thing' with furrowed brows.
Then, she almost cried out, "It's melting!!!"
"Of course it's melting, baka. It's made of ice," he held it higher, "See?"
Sakura said a quiet 'oh', then giggled. "It's pretty!"
Sasuke then snorted. "Everythings pretty for you."
He handed her the pink 'thing', grinning.
"Here's your strawberry ice cream."
Sakura happily took it, bringing it to her mouth. She let out a sigh of contentment. "Delicious!"
Her eyes stared at the one Sasuke is holding, it was white. "How does that tastes like?"
"Vanilla," he replied nonchalantly, licking his ice cream.
Sakura beamed. "I wanna taste it!"
Sasuke immediately turned his body in the opposite direction, his eyes danced in a mocking way. "Yadda! (No way!) You have yours!"
Sakura grinned, "But I want to taste it…"
Sasuke looked at his ice cream and sat nearer to her, raising it to Sakura's mouth. Sakura happily leaned and licked his ice cream.
'Click.'
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Soon, you'll find the two Uchiha angels near the river bank, letting flower offerings situated on a paper boat run with the flow of the river.
Sasuke showed her some things he learned in his school, and Sakura tried to imitate him. Sasuke laughed so much during that time, especially when Sakura messed up with the basic techniques…
'Click.'
They went home drenched with the cool river water and as soon as they entered the Uchiha compound, someone forcefully pulled her away from the boy.
That someone was Haueto Uchiha. Her face was flushed, telling the girl without mouth opening that she was angry… very.
She blocked Sakura's view of Sasuke, but somehow she caught sight of him, slowly disappearing from her sight. Slowly… Slowly….
'Slap!!!'
Sakura stood frozen on the ground, her tears unconsciously falling from her eyes. She looked up at the woman hovering above her, and she did the most unsuspected thing...
She smiled at her, knowing her own fate from this very second.
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Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed in frustration and anger as he stared at the woman currently slapping Sakura continuously in irritation.
His hands clenched so tight it almost drew out blood. 'Uncle', then, tugged harder at the defiant child, which was Sasuke, who unconsciously had his eyes flash black with streaks of red, due to his undeveloped Sharingan.
Taking one last look at Sakura before entering his household, he sighed in defeat. 'Life's Spring time is over. For us, that is.'
"Sakura…"
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A/N: Um... Don't be angry if the chapter's like this. This a chapter made to prepare something... Which is located on the next chapter.
Childhood scenes will only take 4 chapters for the least... I'll update sooner... Maybe thursday, Philippine's time...
So please be patient and bear with me...
And please review... They inspire me...
Hugs n' kisses,
Kaoru Masachika
(pure-cerulean)