Day 05

Prompt: Test

Theme: Childhood

Summary: "Betcha you can't score higher than me in the next test." "You're on." –It all began with a challenge on who could score higher in their next test.

Author's Notes: Lol, I didn't know that this week's theme was supposed to be canon-verse, so I just focused on the childhood part. xD But hey, we're allowed free rein, right? And I still got half of the theme right so… Haha. Also, some of the stories will be connected to each other, so please watch out for those! :D

Warning(s): AU.

Sasuke admired his brother, Itachi, a lot. He admired him so much, in fact, that the younger Uchiha wanted to be just like him in every aspect.

It didn't help that his father expected as much from him, but that went without saying—Itachi-nii was, after all, awesome.

(At least that's what Sasuke bragged to all the other kids at school, who would then just stare at him in awe for being related to someone so perfect.

He would have still wanted to become just like his nii-san regardless of the pressure his father placed on his tiny shoulders, but that didn't mean it didn't make his heart swell with happiness when his father would nod approvingly whenever he relayed good news of his achievements.)

Thus, Sasuke strived to get good grades in all of his classes—so that both otou-san and nii-san would be proud of him—and ever since he started going to school (which hadn't really been that long; but still…), he had accomplished just that.

That is, until she came along.

Haruno Sakura transferred into their class a few weeks after school started, and at first, Sasuke didn't mind her so much. Girls had cooties and there was no way he was going to get himself sick; otherwise, his grades would drop and he'd become an idiot like that blonde kid, Naruto.

But when the new kid started getting praises from Iruka-sensei the same way he always had, Sasuke reluctantly began to notice her more.

Sasuke didn't really mind competition—Naruto was always trying to compete with him in everything else and even though Shikamaru was always getting scolded by sensei for sleeping in class, he was still smart enough to score almost as high as he did in tests—but ever since Sakura showed up, Sasuke found himself working harder just so that he could get more praises than her and he realized that he didn't like it one bit.

He didn't like other things about her, too: like her sparkly, green eyes and her shiny, pink hair, and that stupid red ribbon she always wore as a headband. But most of all, Sasuke hated her laugh. It wasn't that it was a horrible sound; it wasn't nearly as loud or as obnoxious as Ino's or Naruto's. It was actually quite a nice laugh, if he were more honest with himself; it's just that it was also… annoying.

It filled his mind when he was supposed to be doing homework and when it was recess and he was talking with his friends, hearing her tinkling laughter would make his head turn even though she was on the other side of the room.

Sasuke didn't like how his head was constantly filled with her and such was his complaint to his ever-reliable nii-san.

"Ah, I think you might have a crush on her, otouto," Itachi told him with a pleasant smile on his face, holding himself back from teasing the innocent child.

The younger Uchiha stared at him for a good second before sputtering in embarrassment, cheeks coloring to rival that of his favorite fruit's.

"I-I don't like her at all! Why would I, nii-san? She's so annoying," he vehemently denied.

Itachi merely chuckled at his younger brother, finding it amusing that Sasuke, young as he was, already had a little crush on someone.

Sasuke was about to rebuff some more, but their mother called out for dinner just in time and so he was forced to drop the topic, grumbling under his breath all the way to the dining table.

The following day, Itachi's words echoed in Sasuke's head as he stared at the back of her head in class.

He still refused to believe what his had brother told him, but he also found it hard to wrap his head around the possibility that the brother he idolized so much could be wrong.

No, he tried to convince himself while shaking his head. Nii-san is definitely wrong this time. There's no way I could possibly like her.

Still, he needed a little bit more reassurance and so when classes ended and it was time to go home, he intercepted her just as she stepped out of the school gates.

Luckily, she was alone so he didn't have to worry about anyone listening to what he had to say.

"I don't like you," he promptly declared as soon as she stopped walking and noticed that he was blocking her path.

Sakura's eyes widened a fraction in surprise before she furrowed her eyebrows at him. "Hey, that's not very nice!"

Sasuke was taken aback, stunned that she was admonishing him—that was a first. (Then again, it wasn't like he went around telling his classmates that he didn't like them.)

"Tch. You're annoying," he retorted once he got over his shock. "Itachi-nii is definitely wrong this time. I don't like you at all."

"You just don't like it that sensei also congratulates me when I do a good job in class," she easily countered without missing a beat.

Sasuke didn't have it in him to deny this so he opted to just glare at her instead—but then she stuck out her tongue at him in reply, not scared of him one bit.

Growing flustered at how she was turning out to be more annoying than he had initially thought, Sasuke took a page from Naruto's book and did what the blonde often did when Sasuke ignored his taunts: he challenged her.

"Hn. Betcha you can't score higher than me in the next test." He smirked at her tauntingly, as if daring her to accept.

Sakura stared at him blinkingly and thought about his words for a few brief moments before her eyes closed automatically as her body shook with laughter—the same laughter that always irritated him so much.

Embarrassed and cheeks flushing at her unexpected reaction, Sasuke glowered at her, not quite understanding what she found so funny. This girl had some nerve to laugh at him!

He was getting aggravated that she showed no signs of calming down but eventually, she gasped for air as she attempted to control herself. With a final calming breath, Sakura extended one arm out at him accompanied by a wide, friendly grin on her face.

"You're on."

He then hesitantly reached out with his own hand, noticing that for someone who had just been challenged in the way that he did to her, she was looking a lot more cheerful than she ought to be. In fact, it dawned upon him right there and then that this bright, happy smile of hers could probably even be more annoying than her laugh!

Without giving it another thought, they quickly shook on it then went their separate ways afterwards.

On his way home, however, Sasuke couldn't help recalling that smile of hers.

Tch, how annoying.

A/N: Based on my experience with kids (a.k.a. my annoying 7-year-old nephew), I think it's perfectly possible for kids to act like this (?). Or not. I don't really know how to write kids. OTL