A Foundation Built by Smiles
"Today's special moments are tomorrow's memories."
-Genie
"Ugh. Mito-pig, it's too early in the morning and I don't wanna die this young when Otou-san finds out that we snuck out of the compound at my guess, five in the freakin' morning! What's wrong with you?"
Sakura whined while still fighting off sleep from her very tired body. After being so busy with clan meetings, their father finally had a day off yesterday and trained with them likes there's no tomorrow.
'Well, for him it is like there's no tomorrow but work and more work, and it's the special kind of work called paper work.'
Sakura thought sarcastically, her father still haven't confronted her yet for eavesdropping three days ago. Sakura guessed that her father is either too busy, or he trusts her with the information he might know she heard. Sakura leans more on the latter since her father could have confronted her yesterday after training, he could have distracted Mito for enough time to talk to her but he didn't. Surprisingly, even though Mito's observation skills were highly and scarily perceptive, she has the attention span of a bee.
"Let's go to the river were we met Madara and Hashirama-kun!"
Mito informed her excitedly yet not loud enough for their other distant or close relatives to hear that were early risers.
On another note, it also seems that almost all Uzumaki members do not like waking up early unless it's very, super, damn important.
And, damn Mito, this is so not important to sacrifice two more hours of sleep.
But still, Sakura raised a pink eyebrow and grinned mischievously.
"Hashirama-kun? Where did that came from? Hmmm, Mito-chan?"
Sakura stopped grinning when she heard no reply from her sister.
"Mito? Did I say something wrong?"
Sakura asked worriedly, maybe teasing the red head wasn't quite a good idea. Sakura mentally kicked herself for being such a jerk. Even though, they were still walking through a familiar forest they have once gone through before.
Sakura heard Mito sighed dejectedly and eyed Sakura like she was an alien.
"What?"
Sakura said, offended at the look her sister gave her. It was like, what-the-fuck-did-you-not-understand?
"Nothin'. I was just joking, as if I would ever like someone with a weird brown hairstyle like his. He's more of your type, eh Sakura-chan~"
'Typical. I knew Sakura wouldn't get jealous, we really did just meet those two sexists just three days ago...'
Meanwhile Sakura's cheeks puffed up and turn red as she pouts at her, Mito thinks about her failure and knew that her sister wasn't the type to get jealous.
Sakura blushed furiously while sweating a bit with dread.
Mito didn't like Hashirama?
'No matter, Mito just met him three days ago, after all. They have plenty of time to fall in love.'
'Meh, whatever. Sakura-chan has plenty of time to fall in love with either one of them or both!'
Both girls were busy with their own thoughts that they almost forgot why Mito placed Sakura in the natural spring in their bathroom at four in the morning. Mito literally just carried her twin sister and headed off to the bathroom to wash off and quite literally dropped her in the water too, sleeping yukata and all.
Sakura immediately woke up after that, she screamed at Mito about just what the freaking hell were you thinking while Mito just grinned and shrug off her own sleeping yukata when Sakura pulled the red head by the feet and into the water. The soon to be fuuinjutsu mistress spluttered before shouting at Sakura with the same indignation of I woke up early to wake you up early and this is the thanks you give me?
Sakura snorted at that then proceeded to tell her sister that she did not ask to wake up this early after having a very taxing training yesterday with Otou-san.
Before even the girls know it, they were at the edge of Uzushiogakure and near at the village's walls, Sakura thought about something before turning around to look at Mito, confusion plain at her face.
"Why are we going there again? Hashirama said to meet after two weeks, it's been only three days."
Sakura rolled her eyes at her red haired sister.
"Don't tell me you're this impatient, pig."
Sakura teased and watched with a smile and bright eyes as Mito's cheeks tinted with strips of red before informing her why they were exactly risking their lives and their father's wrath.
"I told you, I'm not a pig!"
Mito sighed in mock frustration, she already grew accustomed to the nickname after a few days.
"And sorry but I don't wanna tell you the reason. I'll tell you when you grow older and thank me for this."
Sakura pursed her lips while raising an eyebrow at the red head's not really informative answer.
"Besides, I know both of them would be there. Geez, Otou-san was right, you really need to improve your observation skills. Didn't you notice how worn out the lands that were there were? And I didn't even need to walk across the river to know that there were piles of stone in the middle of it and on the other end because it seems to me that they've been throwing stone for a very long time every few days judging by the way how some of the stones there were already covered in mud on the other side they were directly throwing at, besides that place, there were no other pebbles that were visible on the other side of the river that were piled up."
As Mito told her observation and conclusion that the boys might return between the span of two weeks, Sakura subconsciously listened to her while thinking deeply. It was true, she does need to work on her observation skills but her eyesight is having a bit of a problem ever since last year ago. But she still hasn't told anyone about her failing eyesight, she herself didn't even know why she has failing eyesight.
Sakura nodded when she noticed that Mito's mouth stopped moving and she looked at her expectantly. After a few more minutes Mito finally sighed, she expected this when she noticed her sister's misty emerald eyes lost in thought.
"I knew it... you weren't even listening to me."
Mito muttered dejectedly while sighing exaggeratedly and closed her eyes while pouting. She mentally counted.
One...
Two...
Three...
"Fine! I'm sorry that I wasn't really paying that much of an attention to everything you say. How can I when you talk more than a millions words a day?"
Mito tried to hide her grin, she really tried to but failed anyways even with her hand covering her mouth. Her sister, so gullible. Although Mito did not even know that she really has the old soul of a battle worn shinobi.
"Just kidding! I knew you stopped listening a few minutes ago and I was just staring at you waiting for you to come around. I know that brain of yours will die when not thinking thousands of thousands of problem per hour."
Mito snorted at her sister's soft heart.
Sakura was inwardly ticked off for falling for such an obvious ploy. She just sighed after frowning.
"Ugh. Whatever you want Mito. Let's just go there and check if they're even there then go back home and sleep for the rest of the morning. You're not the one dead on their feet from chakra exhaustion, you know?"
Mito's smiled immediately dropped, crap! She forgot all about her sister's tiny reserved compared to her and their dad. Sure, her reserves were fairly more than average but compared to the other Uzumaki's it was small even though she's only seven. Mito frowned with guilt, she's been a brat to Sakura lately now that she thinks of it...
"C'mon Sakura! I need food! Food, food, food!"
"Sakura! Can you get me the scroll from the library if you're going?"
"C'mon, Sakura-chan~ You've been reading for hours! Let's train!"
"Ugh, Sakura-chan you're so boring! Do something funny!"
"Sakura! You said you would help me with my chakra control! What are you waiting for? Let's go!"
"Let's head to the kitchen and ask Tataka-nii for deserts!"
Mito inwardly winced as she recalled what she's been doing for the past years...
Wow. She really is a bit too... energetic with her normally placid sister... Maybe she should tone it down a little...
"Hey, don't look at me like that. You resemble a kicked puppy... or should I say pig?"
Mito almost forgot her little moment at guilt tripping herself, this was her sister anyway. She's strong and Mito knows that Sakura cares deeply for her family. This was Sakura she's been thinking about, after all.
"Hmph. Whatever, you just totally ruined the moment. Anyways do your super wet puddle portal jutsu already! Oh, and I expect that we make it out in one piece, like what we did before..."
Mito joked and teased her pink haired sister, who snorted back at her as a reply to her teasing.
Mito watched Sakura with curious fascination as her sister flew through the hand signs before murmuring the jutsu.
Suiton: Minakami Yuso
Mito knows that her sister also has a knack for water elemental jutsus, and damn hell Mito was jealous, well that was before learning that she has an affinity for sealing and sensing. That made Mito distracted of more important things than get jealous, besides she knows she can improve greatly like her sister. They will be unstoppable.
"Alright, finish."
Before Sakura could even admire her handiwork she was already dragged by the hand, by a certain red head, into the puddle portal, as Mito dubbed it.
"Asa-sama, we have finished calculating the budget for this year's Cherry Blossom Festival. We have more than a few extra money left if we follow through the budget and ask a few of our people to help out with the decorations and food preparations. The festival is still four weeks away, do you want to start the preparations this week or next week, Asa-sama?"
Anzen, a blonde Uzumaki who is also Asa's assistant, informed his clan head. Asa sighed in his hands that are on his face and then groaned. Why do they have to host a party to the warring clans? Those idiots could solve their own fucking problem for all Asa cares. He doesn't want to involve his clan anymore than it already is, it's just plain suicidal.
But no, they were the ones already extending an olive branch for this damn war to be over. Damn elders.
Asa removed his hands away from his face a bit to look at his smiling, blonde haired assistant.
"Hmmm. No, let's not get too excited to let some barbarians inside our peaceful village. We shall plan the preparations this week but will be commenced next week. If the plans are done earlier, then start as soon s possible We should also start sending out the invitations to those vicious morons, now."
Anzen sweat dropped at the negatively angry aura his clan head was emitting from his chair in front of his desk.
"Roger that, Asa-sama."
Asa supported his head on the table with his right hand on his chin while finishing paperwork with his left hand. He's ambidextrous after all; he made sure his daughters were two-handed as well.
Not even looking from his papers as his assistant was already near the sliding door and was about to bow and head out to organize stuff for the festival and the invitations.
"Good day, Asa-sama-"
"Asa."
"Sorry, sir, but what?..."
"You can call me Asa, Anzen. No need for formalities, we've been working together for awhile now anyways."
There was a pause that made Asa look up from his papers, his face serious with one red eyebrow raised in question at his still as a statue standing assistant by the door.
"Anzen?"
"Oh, it's nothing, Asa-san. Just sorting out things in my head."
And with that the blonde smiled friendly at his so helpful and trusting clan head, after closing the door Anzen continued on walking with an uncharacteristic sadistic smile on his ever so white face.
"Hashirama-aniki, where are you going?"
Tobirama questioned his ever so stupidly obvious yet lovable older brother. He noticed his older brother leaving from time to time at different intervals and days, it was painfully obvious that their father knows but couldn't care less and that Tobirama was as curious as a butterfly.
Hashirama stiffen at his white haired younger brother's voice and then forced himself to calm down and turn around with a twitchy grin.
Tobirama zoomed in on those telltales and his narrowed eyes moved to his older brother's brown ones.
"Where are you going, Hashirama?"
Hashirama's grin almost faltered, Tobirama noticed. Hashirama laughed it off pathetically.
"Hehehehe... Nowhere, Tobi. Just gonna train privately somewhere around the forest where father isn't there. Don't worry though! It's a forest! It's practically my forte."
Hashirama somewhat told and twisted the truth to his younger brother and inwardly crossed his fingers while praying to the gods for his brother to buy it.
"Hn."
Tobirama grunted in reply and understanding but still not willing to let go any suspicions yet. He inwardly and sadistically smirked at his brother's relieved face.
"Well, I'm going now. Take care of Kawarama!"
Before even having the chance to take one step forward after Hashirama turned his white haired pain in the ass younger brother grabbed a tight and somewhat painful hold on his left shoulder, successfully halting him in his escape.
'Well, shit I'm screwed.'
"Hn. I wish to join you, nii-san. Kawarama is just fine and is in his room relaxing after given permission from Otou-sama to have a day off."
Hashirama sweated bullets as he looked at his younger brother, who was smirking smugly, with a tight grin.
"Of course, Otouto."
'Yep, definitely screwed.'
"Hey look, I think it's Madara! Hah, see!? Told ya I was right!"
Said raven froze stiffly from his standing position with his arms crossed defensively on his chest.
Mito proudly announced her victory along with their presence to the said raven haired boy who is now turning his head away from the river to look at them on the other side of said river.
'Yea, yea. Whatever, pig.'
Sakura thought while outwardly sighing in defeat and tiredness. Although, not so obviously in exhaustion the pinkette was still tired. She really shouldn't have gone that far in their training yesterday.
As if reading her thoughts, Mito grinned smugly at her sister.
"What are you two doing here? I thought we were meeting two weeks from now?"
The raven haired boy asked, controlling his face and hands to not squish the pinkette's cheeks while she was pouting.
'This is stupid.'
Madara inwardly sighed while outside his face was the same as those of a stone statue. Smooth and cold.
"Well, what are you doing here, Madara? I thought we were meeting two weeks from now? Besides it's not like I came here willingly..."
Sakura, for the most part, muttered the last words to herself but the other two people in her presence heard it anyways if not for Mito's shit-eating and Madara's obvious aura of confusion.
Madara grunted in response while Mito just covered her mouth so the pinkette and ravenette won't be able to see her smirk as she just stood there beside Sakura while the two of them were positioned in front of Madara, who is on the other side of the river.
Madara seemed to be in thought for a moment before answering.
"We, Hashirama and I, weren't really sure if you girls would be able to come here every other day... but me and Hashirama do. The schedule changes from time to time, and so does the meeting place but we mostly stay here."
'It's where we met, after all.'
Madara thought after he explained and reasoned out his and Hashirama's answer for saying to meet her in two weeks.
"Well, how about you two? What are you doing here?"
Madara voiced out his question, although he already has an inkling feeling of what the answer might be but dared not to entertain the thought for it is too embarrassing yet... he knows he'll be quite happy if it is true.
"I may or may not have came here willingly,"
"You just said you didn't."
Sakura sent a look to her red haired twin, this made Mito laugh in her palms.
"As I was saying,"
Sakura turned to Madara with a nod.
"We came here to check if you guys were here. Initially, it was the pig's idea."
"Hey!"
"But I gotta say, it makes me proud to know that at least my sister-pig knows how to observe and analyze somewhat."
"Aww, thanks, Sakura-chan!"
Before Mito even moved to hug her twin she froze in her tracks as she backtrack the words said about her.
"Wait. Did you just called me a pig! And after you gave a compliment! Why I oughta-"
All of the sudden, Madara was light on his feet and swooped in to carry both of the girls to his side of the river where he hid them inside the bushes.
"What the hell-"
"Shh."
After being effectively shushed by Madara, Sakura just settled with a glare at the raven's back head. Madara was subtly looking at something on the other side of the river where they have been previously.
'Who the hell does he think he is? I don't give a fuck's ass if he's the one that going to destroy everything but no way in hell can anyone just haul me up like that!'
Sakura inwardly fumed when she realized her sister is being equally silent like the raven head.
"Mito? What's wrong?"
Sakura quietly whispered to her other twin, when she sensed it.
It was Hashirama's healthy and minty feeling chakra signature.
Along with another cool and watery feeling chakra signature.
"See! I told you, Tobi. There was no one here!"
Hashirama nervously spoke to his younger brother, knowing if he finds out that he's been hanging with an Uchiha, yes Hashirama knows, he's not that much of an idiot, then automatically their father will know.
"Hn."
Tobirama bright red eyes scanned the place they just stumbled upon, Hashirama lead him to the lower part of the same river but he sense two or three chakra signatures up ahead and he went out to investigate.
Sakura didn't even bother looking outside the bush behind her like her sister and Madara did when she heard a grunt in response to what Hashirama said.
Madara quickly yet silently moved back and turned to Sakura and Mito, he knows that Hashirama didn't purposely lead his younger Senju brother to their meeting place but hell, Madara was still pissed but before that...
"You two need to go home, I'm heading back too. Be quiet so he won't notice."
Mito turned her head away from the bush to stare at Madara's solemn face. She doesn't what the problem about the white haired dude but if Madara's this serious, she's going to be serious too.
"Alright."
Mito nodded at Madara's instructions and the Uchiha, not that she knows that, nodded back.
"Sakura, come on, let's go-"
"Too late."
Sakura whispered when she finally turned around to see through the bush and saw red piercing eyes stared back at hers. Sakura's emerald eyes widened as garnet eyes narrowed, quickly turning around he saw Madara's same black eyes wide.
He was just about to head back when she whispered it was too late.
Then, to Sakura's utter humiliation and stupidity, she realized her chakra wasn't masked unlike the other two people around.
'Shit, how can I be so stupid?'
As Sakura asks herself a degrading question she looks at the Uchiha in the eye, not that she knows that he's an Uchiha either.
"Don't worry, Madara, you can still go! He only sensed me because of my stupidity at not masking my chakra. You too, Mito, you can still go back."
Sakura whispered to her sister and new found friend she met three days ago.
Madara opened his mouth, wanting to protest at leaving her to the little white haired bastard, especially with Hashirama too because everyone knows that Uchiha are competitive, he was cut off from another voice.
"Are you crazy? I would never leave you alone, stupid!"
Mito whispered back fiercely, she glared at her sister while having resisted the urge to gape at the pinkette.
Seriously. They never stay away from each other besides when training there different specialties.
They're twins for Kami's sake.
Sakura couldn't help but smile at her twin, she knows that this isn't really much of a problem unless the second Hokage finds out they're Uzumaki and tell the clan head that they meet up with Hashirama then they're in trouble.
Madara felt a pang in his heart as his chest constricted at the moment he just witnessed, he missed that. He missed his younger brothers, but at least he still has Izuna. But it's just wasn't the same with his three other younger brothers.
Madara doesn't know what to say, he's speechless, on one hand he wants to stay on the other hand he still wants to stay but will get in deep shit trouble.
As if sensing the inner conflict the raven was having, emerald eyes turned to look at him, Madara froze on the spot.
Sakura smiled softly.
"How about you Madara? You can go if you really need to." You need to go or else you'll get in trouble, Uchiha.
Scratch not knowing because Madara realized that the pinkette knew where he's from and Madara has no idea how but he guesses that it's his physical appearance. A tiny voice in the back of his head whispered that even though he was an Uchiha she still hanged up with him like he is a normal child.
"Fine, Mito, you can stay. We'll handle this." Together.
Madara felt another pang in his heart but nodded stiffly anyway, with head down. He forcedly moved his leg to jump onto a low tree branch and jump his way up towards his compound but not before hearing three words that made the pain lessened a bit.
"Be safe, Madara."
Sakura wasn't sure if Madara heard it or not but Mito sure did if not for the scary grin she sent her with a look that said, Oooh~ I see what you did there and I'll never let you live that down.
And sure enough Mito did tease her.
"What was that, Sakura-chan, hmmm~"
Mito looked at Sakura with knowing eyes before Sakura could retort, Mito's eyes widened as she stared back to the bush they were looking through a minute ago.
Seconds later, Sakura felt more than saw the shadow that shielded her away from the sun.
Tobirama narrowed his eyes at the two girls he found hiding at the bush, after being stalled by Hashirama, he knew he's older brother did that, he quickly made his way to where he saw deep viridian eyes stare back at him unflinchingly.
Same viridian eyes turned up to look at him back in the eyes from her position on the floor.
Tobirama almost lost his breath and falter in his glare when the pinkette turned her eyes on him, but this, with viewing the rest of her features.
"Tobi what are you- oh..."
Hashirama, after finally registering that yes he's younger brother just left him in the dust, quite literally too, and caught up only to see Mito stand up and glare at his brother who is looking at Sakura who was still sitting on the floor on her knew.
At the noise, Sakura turned her eyes at Hashirama in a questioning stare.
"What's your problem?"
Mito finally bit out quite calmly, if Sakura do say so herself, after finally having had enough of being glared at by red narrow eyes.
"Hn. Hashirama who are they?"
Hashirama sighed inwardly, knowing that there's no way out of this problem.
"Uhh... Tobi, this is Mito and Sakura-ch-"
Hashirama coughed all of the sudden, Tobirama raised an eyebrow at this and so did Mito while Sakura stared at him in worry which Hashirama wave off in embarrassment.
"Uh Yeah... Mito, Sakura this is my younger brother, Tobirama."
Tobirama still has questions but he guessed it could wait back at the compound. Glancing at the pinkette, Tobirama can understand his weird brother's behaviour he just didn't know he's brother is not that dense when it came to the opposite sex, they were just thirteen after all.
Mito couldn't hold back the smirk that form at her mouth when she saw and heard Hashirama's growing embarrassment, the only oblivious one here seemed to be Sakura, the reason of Hashirama's whole predicament in the first place. Mito discreetly turned her eyes towards her side to her sister's green ones and Sakura did the same, somehow understanding each other through their eyes, Mito slightly nodded. This, Tobirama didn't miss and his red eyes narrowed again.
Hashirama tried to remain eye contact and he did successfully, but failed to keep the blush off of his cheeks, when Sakura smiled at him. Only receiving a knowing grin and look from a certain red head that made Hashirama want to look back on the river behind him as to keep his flaming cheeks away from view.
Just as the brunette was about to greet the two brightly colored girls Tobirama cut him off.
"What are you doing with little girls, Hashirama?"
The End~
That's it for this chapter! I just finished this, sorry if there are wrong grammars if you spot some please notify me since I'm somewhat a perfectionist with grammar, especially incorrect spelling. Sorry for the late update! It's still summer for me but I am going through summer tutoring, and yes, it's a pain in the ass.
Thanks for the support!
By the way,
Suiton: Minakami Yuso - Water Style: Water Transportation
To:
Kuroshiroryuu: Thank You for the support! And besides, writing is my hobby but this is typing, actual writing is my hobby. (^-^)/
Guest: Thanks! For me, I really want to make the boys look cute yet possessive of Sakura all the same, hehehehe... Still not sure about the pairing though. (~-~)
JUCHKO: Thanks for the help with my review problem and for the support! I did get your review, obviously, and I really am happy with how much thoughtful your review felt like when I read it! I'm trying my best to edit my chapters every time I'm bored and have time to reread all of it but it's just hard to fully read what you already know.
ChronaSE: Thanks for the support! I'll do my best! I'm already thinking about a side fanfic that just contains a few interactions I purposely or accidentally missed for the side fanfic. I wish Hecatoncheir would update Delirium's Dream because it was quite good. No, it was damn great!
Reversus12: Thank you for the continuous support! Also, thank you for specifically pointing those incorrect grammars out, I will check them when I have time. And I do try my best when it comes to writing because I know that I won't be the only one reading this even though its readers are few. I want to portray the exact or closely exact images and moments I see that plays inside my head when I write a story, or type one.
Guest: Sorry for letting you guys wait but it's worth it, at least I think it is, anyways I totally agree with you, Mito is cute! But for me, Sakura-chan is cuter! (^/^)
Guest: I will continue! I won't give up on this story, please trust me on this one because I have read too many author notes saying they won't give up when ultimately, they did. I would have told you guys from the beginning not to hope for this story if I won't continue, I already made a plotline. I was just kinda lazy to type for a while... sorry 'bout that. But rest assured, I don't give false hope.
Dalia: Yep, still can't type your name fully. By the way, what I meant last chapter that FF is being a pain in the ass and does not allow me to type some names. Just adding that now, although if you look back way later on I might have corrected it already. And I still don't understand a single thing you typed. ('^-^)
AboMakea: Nah, don't get your hopes up. Hashirama is a candidate for Sakura-chan! Sorry about that it's just that I really am obsessed with pairing Sakura-chan with anyone. Although, I'm really not a fan of SasuSaku or ItaSaku. Really not a fan of either two. Also, it's Hashirama not Hashimaru, just sayin'.
Guest: Thanks! I'll try to update fast.
Sasusaku: I can do SasuSaku but like I mentioned before, not really a fan. No offense. But if you want, send a prompt.
Guest: Maybe, hehehehehe... Thanks for the support!
Guest: Thanks! I'll try to keep up the good work!
Fallen Angel Tears: Thank you! I know right, it gets annoying when a person is described as God that is forgiving, merciful and perfect. Don't worry, I won't show Sakura-chan that way, it's just the beginning anyways~ I'll try my best in updating but I can't promise daily updates, which could have been possible if I weren't so busy with school, but I promise I will update every week although not on the same day.
Yankey: Thank you for reviewing but I don't quite understand what you are trying to imply... Yes, there will be a battle but in the later chapters.
Important Note:
- Okay, so my review shit is solved! Thank you to everyone who had offered me some suggestions about it!
- About updating, I think my updating schedule will be every week. Maybe twice or once a week of posting but not at the same day.
- About the pairing, I have no idea. Not sure... I kinda already thought of an ending in where Sakura either dies or goes into a comatose state forever... yea. If you any suggestions, let me know!
By the way, send me prompts on my account here or on my tumblr, The Haruno.
Torikki J. ~