Unbeta'ed.
Naruto and co don't belong to me.
And, we've come to the middle of the story
(Still flashback- 7 years ago. Age:11)
Later that night, Naruto found himself lying diagonally on blue surface of the queen sized bed belonging to non-other than a certain black haired boy. The said owner was comfortably sitting on a bulky comfy single seated couch next to the bed, face buried in a thick book; legs propped onto the bed, which landed next to Naruto's hips.
"Ne, Sasuke?" Naruto shook the boy's toe with his finger.
"Mm?"
"Was I being selfish before? With Sakura-chan?"
"Hn"
Naruto sighed. "I don't want her to go, you know. She's one of those who actually cared to be my friend."
Sasuke snorted. You are being sentimental, dobe. Naruto growled at his friend's sarcastic remark.
After a while Naruto sat up, feet dangling at the edge. He swayed them gracefully, face turning to the boy who was still intently reading the thick old book.
"Why didn't you apply, Sas?"
Sasuke just shrugged and lifted his shoulder slightly.
"Come on! Just put the damn book down for a while and answer me!" Naruto shifted so that he could snatch the book away from Sasuke.
Sasuke scowled lightly and put the book on his lap. "I don't know, okay? The thought just didn't cross my mind."
"But Itachi-nii went there. Surely you must have thought about it, right?"
"Just leave it, Naruto!" Sasuke snapped and picked up his book again.
Naruto shut his mouth for a good 15 seconds, then he growled, "What is it with you acting like a real bastard every time Itachi-nii came into the subject?!"
"Hn"
"Sasuke! Don't even try to turn around, bastard!" Naruto snatched the book away.
Sasuke's face contorted in anger. "Don't push your luck, Uzumaki!" He hissed. "Either give my book back or get out of my room!"
Naruto regretted making him angry. He really hated it when Sasuke used that kind of tone. It reminded him of his former foster parents. Naruto shivered and pushed the thought at the back of his mind.
"Fine!" He shoved the book back into Sasuke's face.
A moment later he plopped back down on the bed, taking in the strong scent on the comforter.
It smelled like Sasuke.
Naruto turned onto his stomach, fished a pillow and buried his head into it. 'Smells like Sasuke too,' he smiled, liking the scent as he inhaled deeply, eyes started to lull into peaceful slumber.
Not long after that, a toe poked his rib. "Mmmm?!" came a muffle reply.
"If you want to sleep, go to your room, Naruto."
"Mmm…" He buried his head into the pillow more.
"I mean it."
"Gimme a second…" came almost incoherent reply.
Sasuke continued reading. He was about to nudge the blonde again after two minute when Naruto turned his head to him, blue eyes intently looking at the obsidian.
"Can we apply for it next year?" Sasuke knew it was a serious question.
"Why would you want to?"
Naruto turned to lie on his side, so that he could face Sasuke more comfortably in his position.
"I don't know… Sakura-chan really wants to go… I mean, it won't hurt for us to go too, right? After all, it is the best school in Japan. I'm sure Otou-sama wouldn't object to it, doncha think?"
Sasuke put his book for a while, eyes mirroring that he's in deep thought.
'And Itachi-nii's graduated too. At least Sasuke won't have any inferiority complex' Naruto added silently in his head. He almost rolled his eyes at that thought.
"You really sure?" The question jolted him back into reality.
"Yeah, why not?"
"They select the cream of the cream, Naruto. If you're up to the challenge, I'd say you better start concentrating on your studies and get excellent result in every test."
Naruto's eyes turned into slits, blue almost hidden beneath his lids. "Are you implying that I'm not capable, teme?"
Sasuke smirked; a challenge.
"You're ON, Sasuke-teme! I'll show you I can kick your ass! We're going to Gakuen Konoha in no time!"
000
(Fast Forward to Flashback- 3 years ago. Age:15)
That was how it began. Naruto chuckled at the memories. It always amazes him at how he could calm the storm in Sasuke's eyes, and then their conversation turned into an aloof one.
Maybe he does have a special gift that Kakashi-sensei told him quite some time ago.
Naruto snorted.
'Yeah, right! Special gift?! Where did that come from?' he said sarcastically in his head.
He opened the small photo album and let his thought wondered into the memory lane.
Sakura had decline the offer and re-applied with him and Sasuke the next year- which not surprisingly the three of them were offered a place each. Otousama was proud that his investment thought far ahead into getting into Gakuen Konoha, that he hired a private tutor for Naruto and Sasuke. Later on, Sakura joined them.
He chuckled loudly at the thought when they found out that Kakashi-sensei, their private tutor was actually Gakuen Konoha's professor who took a year off to finish up his thesis.
Hands flipped through the album and smiled fondly at the pictures of the family trip down to Perth, Australia. The Uchiha head took his family, including Naruto on the 3 weeks break into the Aussie outback to celebrate Sasuke and Naruto's entrance into Gakuen Konoha and an excuse for Itachi to get away from his university work.
Actually, 2 of the three weeks holidays were business meeting that the Uchiha head had to go to.
That was the first time Naruto was on a plane, and overseas. He was trying so hard not to be over-excited of the prospect travelling out of Japan. But the Uchihas didn't show any embarrassment every time he went overboard at something that interested him so much. In fact, Okaasan and Itachi-nii seemed to be more than glad to answer his endless questions.
Sasuke just rolled his eyes, or face scrunched up comically at all the funny questions Naruto asked.
And from that trip, Naruto learned that to learn English was something useful in the future. He had set his mind over something.
He then grinned proudly at the pictures of his first days in the Academy which situated in the beautiful surrounding of Kyoto. Otou-sama had to go on business trip, so Okaasan and Itachi sent the two boys.
He was again over-excited to the fact that they would be taking the shinkan-sen to depart for Kyoto. Always when he was at one of the sen station and saw the slowed shinkansen passed by, he longed to board onto one.
Sasuke snorted when he acted all childish like a tourist when they boarded the bullet train; but inside, Naruto knew Sasuke was excited too, in his own silent way.
They used the plane to get to Kyoto before.
His eyes roamed at the many pictures of the barren unit when the boys both came into it.
'I bet they put us both in the same unit because of the Uchiha name… Wonder if Otousama pays more with this kind of arrangement…'
No doubt that the Academy offers places to the top of the cream students. But that doesn't hide the fact that half of the Academy's population are sons and daughters of the rich and famous people around Japan; international people even.
'Look at Neji-sempai,' he thought of the long black haired senior of his, who is also in the Student Council.
'He's father's a politician, and I heard that his uncle's company is a long-time rival to Uchiha Corporation' He thought of the boy who'd be in the band performance for the Festival. Naruto almost laughed at the irony of the situation- a politician dad and rocker son. He shuddered at that.
Nevertheless, Hyuga Neji was Hyuga clan's prodigy who topped his class in everything.
And the arrival of Uchiha Sasuke seemed to threaten his place. Naruto sighed. He just wished that the two teens would reconcile soon.
'Both are too stubborn for their own good.'
Naruto got shivers again, anxious to see what was going to happen when Itachi comes. He hated to see edgy Sasuke- which the tall teen had become ever since his blowed-up rage last night.
But at the same time, Naruto couldn't wait to see Itachi again. The eldest Uchiha seldom came home for summer break, and even if he did, it was only for a short one or two weeks, always eager to go back to Tokyo University to finish up his course.
Now that he is working, maybe he would see his niisan a lot more. Naruto blushed at the thought of the handsome young adult.
Itachi's taller than Sasuke, making him even taller than Naruto. And he always speaks in a polite manner and deep soothing voice that Naruto was quite sure could melt any girl's heart.
His heart warmed every time he remembers Itachi.
His mind always goes back to the fleeting moment of where he saw Itachi punched his late foster father, before darkness engulfed him.
His memory always reminds him of how soft Itachi's greeting when he woke up in that hospital; his voice soothing, caressing all the panic and fear that threatened him at that moment.
Itachi would always be in a special place in his heart.
