DISCLAIMER : I don't own Naruto


CHAPTER 2 – Their Childhood (Part 1)

Thirteen Years Ago…

"Mommy, I'm going out to play now." Ino rushed towards the door and opened it.

"Careful. Make sure to come home before dinner," Mrs. Yamanaka reminded her.

"Got it, mom."

The three years old girl skipped happily towards the playground, wondering what she should play over there, or should she make instant friends and play house or hopscotch or something. Her happy tune was stopped abruptly, as she was hindered by a scene of some kids ganging up on someone, picking and bullying the poor soul. Frowned, she rushed to them to put a stop to it.

"Hey, what did you guys thinking you were doing?!" waving her hand around, he tiny fist threatened them in unfriendly manner, ready to give a strike of warning if necessary. the bullies didn't backing off easily, one of them tried to attack her as well, but Ino, for being trained a bit by her dad, manage to dodge and parry him, and timing her steps well, she found an opening and land a hit in his gut. The blow wasn't really hard, just enough to surprise him, but the boy was still choked of air for a bit, swaying backward a bit and fall to the ground. His friends were shocked and froze at their position.

"So, who else want the taste of another one? Free of charge, if I may say so," Ino huffed and smirking herself to them. Terrified, the gang of bullies quickly turn around and run for their dear lives. She let out a sigh of relief, and turns her gaze to the kid, who was sobbing and her face was hidden behind her knees and hair. Lots of it. She walked slowly and squatting down, leveling herself in front of the poor kid, while her hand was busy dusting the dirt a bit off of her. The teary eye finally looked at her, and Ino gave a big reassuring smile in returned.

"Thank you," A soft voice croaked behind all the sobs.

"No problem. After all, my dad taught me it will be bad to leave someone who in needs."

Ino took a moment to take a look at that girl. Pink hair. Not many people around here with hair like that.

"What's your name?" Ino asked. She waited for the girl to respond. It felt like ages, until…

"S…Sakura…"

"What? I can hear you properly," Ino told her as honest as she can give.

Gritting her teeth and inhaling deeply, she shouted her name loud and clear. "Haruno Sakura!"

"Now that's more like it," Ino exclaimed, satisfied with what she heard. She then continued interrogating Sakura. "What actually happened just now? I mean, why they were picking on you?"

"I actually want to go to the playground because…I never been there before. But suddenly, those boys blocked me and began to ask weird questions and called me a ghost."

"They called you a ghost?" She then inspects every bit of the girl. I wonder, is it because of that? She monologues when her eyes fall on the messy hair. "Is it because of your hair?"

"Erm.." a silence confirmation escaped from the girls mouth. "I was scared the way they surrounded me and so…I just shut myself from answering. Before I realized it, one of them started to pull my hair and calling me ghost and weirdo."

"Well, I supposed they would, since-" Ino stop and her hand start to touch a bit of Sakura's hair near her ear "-you let your beautiful hair in this messy state and hide your face."

"But…I have to do it. I am ashamed."

A quizzical look formed at Ino's small face. "Ashamed? Of what is it, Sakura?"

She broke into tears again and looks frustrated. "I have a large forehead and I dislike it a lot! I have to hide it. I don't want people to see it."

"Is that so?" Ino gazed and wondering, trying to grab ahold of what she just heard. From what she saw, there was nothing wrong from the girl's appearance. Only the messy hairdo was what actually putting a good outfit she was wearing look rather a bit haggard. Following her instinct, Ino softly pushed the bangs upwards, trying to take a good look on that said forehead. Sakura startled a bit of what Ino was doing, her eyes were teary and her mind went blank.

"There. You know what I actually see? You have a very cute face, Sakura. It's a shame that you hide it behind these hairs. And I think I know how to help you to appear even cuter." Sakura watched as Ino pulled out her scarf and tying it on her own head, making it like a headband.

"There. Now you look more attractive this way, Sakura." Ino let out an assuring grin to Sakura of her handiwork. Sakura quieted down, and slowly her right hand touched the top of her head. She still a bit unsure of how she turned out to be, but seeing the sincerity in Ino's kind of giving her a little of faith for this girl's work. She could felt it under her touch on how her hair was neatly tucked to the side of her temple, with a slight split in the middle. Of course it revealed what she had been trying to hide, her 'large forehead'. She was hesitated of course, but Ino grab her wrist and look her intensely, channeling the courage and confidence that Sakura was desperately needed. And with just that, she slowly let down of her hand and wiped away her tears.

Ino was relieved to see that Sakura finally perk up a little. Giggling, she pushed herself to stand up after squatting for so long, and held out her hand to Sakura. "Ne, Sakura. Come and play with me. Oh, and I am Ino, by the way. Yamanaka Ino."

"Ino…chan. Hurm…thanks for helping me anyway."

"Giggles, well of course I will help a friend in needs."

"Friends?" Sakura hesitated, wondered how can they be friends.

"Uh-huh. When you exchange names with one another that make you a friend, right? And you are the first person that got my name around here, I just moved to the neighborhood, so I am happy that I made my first friend." Ino exclaimed happily to Sakura, while dragging her to the playground.

Sakura was surprised. She never thought that it was so easy to make friends. "Well, you are…my first friend too, Ino-chan."

"I am, Sakura-chan? Then, let's be a best friend," Ino was happy upon hearing Sakura's bit of information. Sakura nodded. Smiling and laughing, the two 'newfound' best friends skipping and running to the playground, playing all the available recreational set together.

Sakura and Ino were both really happy that they turned out to be the best of friends. And through Ino's relentless effort and encouragement, Sakura was able to find a little confidence in herself. Ino even taught her a little bit of self-defense, after at one time those bullies returned in hope of getting it even. But tough luck to them, seeing how Ino was trying hard to protect herself actually ignites something inside of Sakura too. And they able to make the boys kneeled to them and ask for forgiveness.

Their friendship gets even better when it was found out that both their parents were actually acquaintances. Ino even paid a visit with her mother at one time to the Haruno's residence. The mothers of course were a little bit surprised seeing that their daughters were good friends with each other and already knew each other for quite some time now. Mebuki was even felt relieved to know from Ino's mother that it was her little daughter that helps Sakura to stand on her own two feet and beginning to overcome her own inferiority. And one year later, both of them were inseparable. They would go everywhere together; the theme park, family-day vacation, even weekly sleepover.

After knowing each other for one year, on their first New Year's Eve together, Mebuki seemed pretty excited and told Sakura that she and Ino would gained another friend. One of her father's connections just moved to the area, and they also have a kid about their age. Sakura wondered how this new friend would look like. She seemed to be equally excited just like her mother, and even told Ino about it when she made a phone call. Her mother then dressed her in her best skirts, combed her hair, and put on her daughter's scarf (not the one given by Ino, of course). She felt that this was a little bit over the top, since Sakura was uncomfortable to be in a dress, which was why it was kind of odd to her.

"Mom, do I have to be in a dress?" she stated out her matter-of-factly dissatisfaction.

"Well, you need to look a little bit nice and girly, so that my friend's child would be able to be friend with you properly."

But I don't need dress to be myself. And I don't think that this kid will even bothered with whatever I'm wearing," Sakura pouted to Mebuki.

"Well, you know Sakura-" Mebuki thought for a bit if it was necessary to tell her little daughter, and continued "-hurm…how should I put it? This kid was a boy, you know."

"So? I don't understand, mommy. What this boy has to do with my dress?"

Mebuki chuckled at Sakura's weird and quizzical look. "Of course he doesn't have anything directly to your dress or your look, honey. It's just…he has something directly to do with you when you grow up." Sakura was puzzled more with her mother's word, and she scrunched her nose in accordance to the mysterious cliffhanger. Mebuki just laughed at her and patted softly her daughter's head.

"Let's leave it at that, I'll tell you once you are big enough to understand it, okay? Now, let's just finished up the last touch and get ready for their arrival," Mebuki smiled fondly.

After a few more minutes, both of them finished preparing themselves and waiting for the expected guests. Mebuki and Sakura was descending the staircases when the doorbell rung, indicating the arrival of their patrons. Sakura hid a bit behind her mother and tugging her mother's attire a little, indicating her nervousness and being a bit cautious with new people. She was still trying to get used to interact with new people. Mebuki went ahead and opened the door, revealing a good-looking woman who possessed a beautiful scarlet hair that was being let loose behind her back, and a little boy, who was standing a little far behind his mother. The boy has a striking blond hair, neatly combed and oiled, a blue, unsatisfied eyes and a frowning face that he was trying to hide.

Both the mothers exchanged greetings and embraced each other. They chattered a bit before Mebuki turned to Sakura, gesturing her to go forward. "Let me introduce then. This is Naruto, Sakura. He was the only son to my friend here, Kushina. Go on; greet him and his mother hello." Sakura was peeking at them with a deer-like eye. Slowly, she stepped in front of her mother and gazing to them. A small smile was curled up on her small lips. "N…nice to meet you, Aunt Kushina."

"Aww, ain't you adorable, Sakura-chan. Nice meeting you too, dear. Naruto, come and say hello to her too." The woman, Kushina, motioned her grumbling son to move forward. Despite being in a bit of a foul mood, Naruto's eye seems flickered a little upon seeing the pinkette when she revealed herself, but his ego and dissatisfaction quickly took him back from his little moment of fascination. Having held her own temper long enough, Kushina finally smacked her son on his head, enough for the boy to groan and mumbling loudly.

"Ouch! That was hurt, mommy!"

"Of course, since you deserve it for being a rude brat! Now, either you behave properly and greet them or face consequences once we back to our home," Kushina threatened him.

Naruto froze a bit since he knew punishment from his mom was never pretty or good. Grumbling and pouting, he unwillingly held out his hand. "Nice meeting you too," he said while averting his frowning face away from the girl and her mother. Sakura hesitantly shake him, and let go as fast as she could. Even she was beginning to feel a little irritated and awkward with the boy's moody behavior.

"Now that has been established, while we wait for you dads to come over, how about the both of you go on and play a bit? You can show him around the house, Sakura," Mebuki suggested to her child.

"And try to be nice and be friends with each other too, okay?" Kushina reminded them, which was actually specially directed to her son. The mothers then continued to talk about grown-up things, leaving their children to go anywhere they desired. Sakura was a little unsure of what she should do; let alone thinking of any game that would probably raise the boy's mood. Naruto, on the other hand, was already turned himself towards the garden, stomping himself rebelliously, sulking from his mother. Sakura tried to keep herself up with the boy, silently watching him from the side. He wished to be alone for a while, so he tried to shake Sakura off from him. But Sakura didn't get his intention, and keep on following him around. Finally when he can't take it anymore, he turned around to face her.

"Why did you keep on following me? Can't you see that I want to be left alone?"

Sakura look at him and slowly shake her head. "But…even then our mommies asked us to play together."

"I don't want to play. I don't want any friends either. I'll be alone again since we will move again sooner or later. And when that happened you will surely be angry with me and didn't want to be my friend anymore," Naruto was venting what he actually has been keeping inside him unintentionally. He then realized that he was about to cry, so he turned himself around and hunkered down to avoid his own tears from falling down his face. Sakura was a bit unsure of what she should say to him. Should she comfort him and told him that she would never do that? Or should she just let him be for a moment? Or stay there silently so that she could at least in a way perk him up a bit?

While Sakura was still trying to figure out what step should she take, Ino arrived with a happy face. "Sakura, your mom told me that you would be here. Oh, who is this? Is this the one that you told me about?" Ino asked her. Sakura gave a small nod, confirming Ino's question.

"Hi. My name is Ino. And you are?" Ino looked at his back, waiting for him to reply. But Naruto decided to just ignore her. Seeing that her introduction didn't get any attention from him, Ino turned to Sakura, who shrugged in return.

"Well, uh, we are about to go and play some games. Would you like to join us?" Ino was still trying to find something that would spark an interest on the boy.

"No," Naruto replied in a cold voice. He tried to hold his ground, not swayed with the offer to play together. Ino finally huffed in dissatisfaction.

"Geez, how rude. You could refuse it in a better way, you know. Come on, Sakura. Let's just go and play." Ino went on and walked towards the backyard of the house. While Sakura, she gave one last, long glance towards him before following Ino from behind, leaving Naruto all alone to mind his own business to deal with. At the corner of her eyes before Naruto was completely disappear from her view; she barely saw that Naruto rustled his hair so hard that the hair then turned into a messy bundle and complete disarray from his earlier appearance.

- The End -