Chapter Ten for you all!

Some things you should know.

1. Uchiha Itachi is eighteen in this story. Just a heads up.

2. Some of you might have noticed that I have deleted the story The Friend of my Love is My Enemy from my archives. I'm sorry to say that I can no longer continue this story because of the fact that I am not inspired to write it. I began the story because I wanted to write a series, not because I particularly impressed myself with the plot or anything. I was kind of naive to writing back then and still am now. This story that you are reading now is something I'm interested in and therefore I feel compelled to write it. Sorry if that disappoints those of you that have story on your alert list.

3. The 45th review went to singingwiththevoiceofanangel, but I know her as Angel-san XD Expect a NejiTen chapter in the future!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto - I hate having to admit that every time I write a chapter. It's effing depressing.

No more delays! On with the chapter!!

We Were Made To Be

Chapter Ten

What not to do in an IQ test

Sasuke scoffed and took a swig of his soda.

"Have you ever loved someone, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke swallowed his soda too fast. The bubbles went to his nose and he pounded his chest to keep from coughing. What was with these idiot queries she was constantly pitching at him? "Do I honestly look like the type to fall in love to you?" He snapped, angrily.

Sakura only tilted her head, which only added to Sasuke's irritation. And when she started sucking her knuckle in thought, he really got annoyed.

"I just thought it'd be fun if you were in someone else's fan club."

Sasuke folded his arms and gave her a chilly stare. "I don't do love or fan clubs."

"I thought so."

"Then why ask?"

She sucked her knuckle again, eyes glistening with thought. "Because even though I can usually guess how you're going to react, sometimes you surprise me very much, Sasuke-kun."

This girl was not helping herself. He had finally figured out her game by this point. It was all becoming clear. She had just gone from nuisance to hindrance in Sasuke's book. Any more and she'd a full frontal 'Annoying.' Sasuke could think of a whole lot of other words he could have used, but his Uchiha upbringing forbade this.

Yet, when out of his parent's reach, he used them anyway. He was SUCH a rebel.

"Oh?" Sasuke baited coolly. "Like when?"

Sakura chewed on an apple peace to give her knuckle a rest for once. "Like..." She strained her brains for answers. Sasuke could have made a variety of sarcastic remarks about this, but chose not to. "Like when you saved me. For once, you didn't look like you just wanted to be left alone..." She pinched an apple slice from the place and crunched it between her teeth.

"Stop doing that."

"What? Eating?"

Sasuke folded his arms and spoke in a demanding, deep voice. "You are clearly giving me vague or annoying answers so I'm tempted to ask you more questions."

"I am doing no such thing." Sakura said, more firmly than usual. "I'm surprised at you, Sasuke-kun."

"You did again."

Sakura got to her feet, scowling at him. He only looked at her as if she were the most insignificant life form on earth and eyed him up and down. Was he having a mood swing or something? Maybe Naruto and Kiba were right. Sasuke had menstruation.

Hit him for me, 'kay?

For once, Sakura was actually considering the words that her inner voice spoke. "I am not trying to get a conversation out of you because I want you to talk to me, Sasuke-kun. I am talking you because I want to talk to you. I think all those fangirls that have been choking you have given you brain damage." She said, snappily. When he only looked away, she snapped. "That and permanent chicken hair."

Sasuke looked at her. She didn't look back. Itachi was sat in the middle of them with an interested expression flicking from one side to another. He didn't understand what was going on fully, but he was sure it was about to reveal itself. All he had to do is wait it out between two pubescent teenagers.

Brilliant.

It was true. Sasuke was still angry at her for being such an annoying idiot - what, with running away for no reason at all and making them all chase after her as she almost gets her ass raped... but there was no way in hell that he was going to show it. He felt a tight feeling in his chest and the strange urge to bite something, yet his face was just as calm as ever.

Okay, maybe not calm. Sakura was eying the pulsing vein in his neck nervously. He was only as calm as he had to be.

Stupid Haruno and her stupid ability to make him stupid. She was permanently to be called Haruno now, because she seemed to dislike it - and the fact that she had brought his jerk-of-a-brother to join them with journey to her house. Besides. If he had to be 'Sasuke-kun' then she gets 'Haruno.'

And after he saves her and brings her back to his place, thus doing one of the nicest things he had ever done - or rather, HAD to do - in his life, all she can do is say sorry and hijack his music player minutes afterwards. She even had the nerve to ask him to keep his mouth shut to Naruto and Kiba. The morons would be bugging him for information, and he wouldn't be able to shut them up by giving it to them. No, he was going to have to twist his way out of it. The thing is, they might be absolute simpletons, but even they catch on to things eventually. Some time they were going to realize how he was dodging the questions and take it for something idiotic or extremely perverted.

Oh, she so owed him. And he was going to have as much fun as he could possibly allow himself to have thinking up how she was going to pay him back.

He inwardly smacked himself. He was beginning to sound like Itachi - what, with the revenge and everything. Ew. He brushed off the sleeves of his sweater tetchily, only to fold his arms and look away when he realized that Sakura was raising an eyebrow at his actions.

Stupid girl.

Anyway, that wasn't the reason they of them were sitting in the back of the Uchiha limo trying not to catch the other's eye. No, at that moment they were stuck in a traffic jam whilst traveling to the Haruno estate in one of the Uchiha limos. Ugh. The mere mention of the name of her own home made Sakura shiver.

Her parents were going to kill her, and what's worse; Sasuke seemed to enjoy the idea.

Git.

Hush it.

Sakura wasn't the kind of girl who wanted a knight in shining armor to swoop down and save her whenever she came in to trouble. Being saved by Sasuke of all people was almost infuriating. Because no matter how many times she said sorry, he never said 'It's okay' or 'You'd do the same for me.' He just sort of shrugged as if it was expected of him and her. Like she couldn't look after herself without being kidnapped or whatever.

If only he were there to see Sakura send Shinomori flying across their school courtyard. That'd wipe that exasperatingly frown off of his face.

"Haruno- the hell are you doing?"

Sakura glancing up at him. Her hands were raised and crumpled in to tiny fists. Her legs stung where she had apparently been thumping herself... How had she not realized this?

Nevertheless, she dropped them immediately and rubbed her neck in her embarrassment. "Ahaha, I guess I'm still angry about it all." She stuck her tongue out childishly. He could only look down his nose at her and turn to look at the passing trees. Sakura narrowed her eyes. He did it AGAIN. That stupid cold, mysterious, penetrating look of perplexity. She directed her glare elsewhere. If Naruto or even Neji had done it, it would look like they were extremely constipated. Why was it that this look suited him so well?

Years of practice, probably. Sakura snickered to herself - making a face when she saw that he was watching her again.

This girl is so weird. He wrinkled his nose and crossed his legs, looking away.

Why does he keep watching me? Sakura risked a glance towards him again, twisting her fingers around each other nervously. He wasn't looking, thank goodness. Is it my hair? Does he think it's weird too? It probably is. It usually is with everyone else.

"Sasuke-kun, should I dye my hair?"

He didn't look at her. Is this some sort of plan to get me talking to her or something? He just kind of rotated his shoulders oddly. She took a moment but eventually saw this as an invitation to continue.

"Because I don't really know what I think of it, but everyone else thinks it's so weird. I mean, what am I? A redhead or what?"

"I've already told you - you shouldn't act on what other people think." He said, simply. Sakura watched through big, viridian orbs. "If I did everything the idiots told me to do, I'd be blind or deaf or screwed in some manner." He brushed off Sakura's small giggle at this comment. "And you are obviously a pinkhead, idiot."

"But I just want to know your opinion, Sasuke-kun."

"No, then." He turned his face away from her. "You're hair looks fine. So stop being so annoying, Haruno."

Well, that was rude. Hit him for me, 'kay?

"I was just asking... You don't have to be so..." She mumbled and scowled half-heartedly, bringing her legs in to her chest and squeezing tightly. She asked once more, "Am I really so annoying to you? The most annoying person you've ever, ever met? More annoying than obsessive fan girls?"

"Hn."

"I-Is that a yes or a no?"

He rolled his eyes and sniffed in distaste. Really. Why did everyone ask him that? Was everyone a blubbering idiot? The way he talked was not hard to understand - he was sure of it. And he did NOT have chicken hair, just to make himself clear once again - and anyone who thought he did should go and drink bleach.

Basically, he was inviting the whole world to go drink bleach. RIGHT now.

Itachi, who had made himself sparse until now, finally crossed his legs over another and placed his laced hands on his knee. Now he understood the situation fully - or at least as fully as he could get. The story had been quite vague so far.

Itachi walked in to the hall from the family room where he had just been discussing business ideas and statistics with his father who was currently in Tokyo. The main building was in the Capital city, of course. Itachi - being the eldest - was to inherit the business after his parent's death.

But his parents were both alive and well, and Itachi was only eighteen. He didn't really have to have anything to do with the business yet, but his father always asked for his advice and opinion. Itachi was his right-hand man and was regarded as a genius.


Tapping his cell phone shut and sighing deeply, he closed the door and walked in to the hall.

"If you hate me so much, you don't have to take the journey with me."

"If I don't take the journey, my mom will eat me. Trust me, his is through no want of my own."


Itachi sighed again and turned to see his brother and the young Haruno stomp down to him from opposite sides of the stairs. They both had angry faces and were coming down at such a speed that there was no way that Itachi would get out of the way in time. Instead he folded his eyes and observed as they bickered.


"Now what have you-" But Itachi was cut off as the girl with a flare of pink following her grabbed his hand and angrily pulled him towards the door.

"Itachi, you're taking the journey to my house with us." She commanded. Itachi followed emotionlessly.

"Why do I-"

"No questions!" His brother snapped from the other side of her.

As if he wasn't busy enough - but he wouldn't be able to get a word in edgeways right now, so he followed her. Plus, it was entertaining to see his foolish brother look so flustered because of a girl. He watched as Sasuke held the door open for her as she trampled through it.


"THANK YOU."


"HN."

And that was basically why Itachi was sitting with his younger brother, who constantly claimed that they weren't related, and his brother's friend who he hardly knew. He gave an amused hum. Sasuke turned away as soon as Itachi started to confirm is existence to him. "It seems to me," Itachi started with a tone in his voice that could be taken for extreme happiness. Too bad the flat expression on his face seemed to take this away, "That a 'problem' has emerged between the two of you.'"

"Darn straight, there's a problem." Sakura grumbled. Sasuke 'hmphed' again.

Itachi surveyed the situation between the two teens before leaning back in his seats. "Oh, Sasuke, what have you done to this girl now? I told you sharing a room with the poor girl was a bad idea."

"I know what you're going to say, so you can shut your face." Sasuke turned to his brother and forced a long finger in to his face. "And I have done nothing to her, for your information."

Sakura scoffed from the side, earning her two looks from the Uchiha brothers. Itachi's expression was far more amused than that of his younger brother. "Sasuke-kun did nothing. It's the fact that he refuses to buy his overlarge ego a leash."

The younger of the two furrowed his brow at the girl and almost bit his brother when Itachi delivered a flick to Sasuke's forehead.

"Sakura's right, oh smaller brother. You really should get that thing a leash before it attacks someone again."

"And you," Sasuke imitated sulking and rubbing his forehead, "Should get a muzzle."

Sakura giggled at Sasuke, only causing him to sulk even more. Itachi rolled his eyes and put an arm around Sakura's shoulders. "I like this girl, Sasuke. She's cute and has an accurate idea on the size of your ego - a very useful trait to have."

"I'm glad you think so, Itachi-sempai." Sakura nodded happily. "I like you too. It's nice to know that not all Uchiha's are so stubborn."

"YOU'RE the stubborn one!" Sasuke burst out suddenly, leaning over his brother angrily. Itachi withdrew his arm from Sakura and raised an eyebrow.

Sakura folded her arms and opened her mouth to speak back but eventually broke back and giggled to herself. "You're right." She breathed. "I am stubborn. Sorry for the chicken hair comment."

Sasuke looked at her confusedly, before leaning back in his seat and folding his arms loosely. Girls sure were hard to decipher. "Aah."

Itachi smiled confidently. It appeared that the two had made up after all. Much too fast for Itachi's taste, anyway. He was just starting to have fun. Although, there would be more fun to follow. Sakura had tensed up. They had turned on the road that led to her house.

"Oh crap." Sakura said, saying a word that she had picked up from Naruto and Kiba. She didn't know what it meant but - oh that's not the point! "Oh crap, oh crap, I'm dead, I'm dead, I died, I'm dead."

"You are not dead." Itachi said confidently. It wasn't as if he had ever met Sakura's parents, anyway. "You are not going to die. Trust me."

The limo entered the driveway and started slowly advancing up it. Since it was a very long driveway it took a while to drive up. By this time, Sakura was practically hyperventilating. She was latched on to Itachi's arm as the Uchiha brothers looked at her plainly.

"Told you she freaks out under stress."

"Really." Itachi said sarcastically, flicking Sasuke again with his free arm. Sasuke growled but didn't react. The car finally came to a halt and he exited quickly, brushing himself off. He'd just had to sit next to his wretched brother for - he checked his watch - thirty minutes and forty-two seconds. Ew. He was going to have to bathe in acid and burn his clothes.

Meanwhile, Itachi was having trouble getting out of the car. Even though Sakura had let go of his arm and the circulation had reached his fingers again, she was now gripping her knees and rocking in her seat. She was biting her lip and staring at her trembling hands.

"Sakura."

"What? Mom, I'm - Oh, Itachi-sempai?" She looked in to him and took the gloved hand he held to her. She was silent as she was pulled out of the limo and up the steps to the front door, but flinched as Sasuke pushed the doorbell. She heard it echo from inside and the tapping footsteps that came to meet it.

It opened, revealing the face of a pretty young maid with light brown hair. Her eyes fell on Sakura and she gasped. "Ah! Sakura-sama! You are here finally-"

"Pardon the intrusion," Itachi interrupted softly, "But may we come in?"

The maid blushed and looked to the floor as she nodded and led them all in to the foyer. Sakura span on her heel, trying to ignore the looks she received from the servants that crossed the hall on their daily routines. The maid, who Sakura knew as Iwao, returned to them. She blushed again as she approached the group, and it seemed she had forbidden herself to look at either of the Uchiha brothers.

"Your mother will be coming down in a moment." She informed quietly before turning to the two brothers again. Still, she couldn't look directly at them, so she settled for staring at the spot directly above Itachi's left shoulder. "Can I get you anything at all?"

Sasuke shook his head.

Itachi threw him a look of disapproval before speaking, "Ignore my brother. He's a lost cause." Sakura watched as Sasuke tensed all the muscles in his body. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you possibly get me a glass of water?"

"Of course! No trouble at all..."

"Uchiha Itachi." He filled in for her. She bowed her head and rushed off, trying to look as poised as possible. Sakura turned to him as he chuckled. "You have such interesting characters here, Sakura."

Sakura was about to answer him, when she saw what she had been dreading.

Her mother stood at the top of the stairs wearing a lilac power suit, looking down at her. Sakura couldn't make out her face, but then again, she didn't particularly want to. She could feel her voice box drop to her knees and her stomach surge. Her mother ran down the stairs and had barely looked at the two boys that stood with her daughter before bringing her in to a firm embrace.

A full minute passed before anything happened, and that was only Sakura's mother hugging her even tighter. Sakura didn't squirm though. She didn't hug back either, she couldn't. She could hear Iwao come back and give Itachi what he had asked for.

Sakura sighed and gently pushed them apart. She looked in to her mother's eyes. They were soft like bluebells and glistening with tears. Her mother, like Sakura, had never been one to cry. "Mom." She said, with a croak in her voice. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," She answered back, much quicker than Sakura had expected her to. "We expected something like this, anyway."

And for a moment, they just talked. About nothing at all. Sakura just felt so relieved to hear the ring of her mother's voice again. It felt like a lifetime since they had parted. She had forgotten the Uchiha brother's were there, but her mother hadn't. With a final stroke of her daughter's hair, she turned to them. "Thank you for accompanying my daughter home, I am very grateful." She held her hand out to Itachi first. "I'm Haruno Mizu. Well, at least I know you, Itachi." She held her hand to the tall Uchiha male. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Sakura looked at her mother suddenly. Then to Itachi, and then back to her mother again. They were acquaintances?

"Of course," Itachi hummed, shaking the hand with an alluring smile on his face. "Much too long. I propose lunch to discuss Haruno's business ordeals with that of our own. We've been literally cut of from each other."

"That sounds agreeable." She said before turning to Sasuke. He didn't look as surprised as Sakura about their relations, but he did have an eyebrow raised. It diminished after he shook Mizu's hand though. "Uchiha Sasuke-kun, I presume?"

Sasuke said nothing, but he nodded stoically. Sakura blinked.

Her mother gave a final sigh before bowing to the two boys. "Thank you for retrieving my daughter. If there's anything that I can do-"

But Itachi raised his hand to stop her. "Just know that our Mother says that both you and your daughter are welcome in the Uchiha house at any time." He looked at Sakura and gave a slight smile. It was more like a twist of the lips really. "It seems that my Mother is quite fond of you."

"Well that's just great..." Her mother smiled again.

Sakura was sure that she wasn't the only one who felt out of place with all this smiling and small talk, because she could see that Itachi wanted to talk to her about some sort of business proposition, and now Sakura's mother would have to listen. Sakura watched as the glint in Itachi's eyes became more and more noticeable. She could also see Sasuke getting more and more bored. Slipping behind her mother, she walked over to him. He watched her carefully.

"You okay, Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn."

"Bored much?"

He looked away.

"So what are you going to do after this?"

He shrugged. "I have to meet everyone tonight. The morons bugged me in to it."

She chuckled. "That sounds a lot like them. What kind of place are going to? Knowing them it'd some kind of stripp-"

"We're going to a café, Haruno." He stopped her, frowning. "Its kind of like the 'group meeting place' apparently.

"Where are you meeting them?"

He mumbled. It was going to be another pointless conversation with this girl. Why was she so happy? She was having a panic attack just moments before. "At the Indigo café downtown." He paused. "Why?"

Sakura pursed her lips in thought. "Nothing really. I just want to see those guys pretty badly, despite the fact that they're going to eat me alive."

"Then come. The longer you leave it, the more of a fuss they'll make later."

Sakura considered this, "I don't know where it is. And I don't think my mother will let me after what's happened."

"Then ask, idiot."

"...I can't. I'm too scared."

"That's pathetic."

"I know, I know... will you ask her for me?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"But, Sasuke-"

"I said no, Haruno." He said, firmly.

"...Ro-sham-bo for it?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes at her persistence. He didn't understand how a girl this idiotic could do trigonometry without a calculator. It made no sense whatsoever. NOTHING about her made any sense. He was still suspicious about her natural hair colour. Pink couldn't be a natural pigment, could it? But he stuck his hand out all the same. Sakura squeaked with glee, much to his displeasure, and did the same.

Rock, Paper, Scissors!

Sasuke twitched and refused to look at her. He folded his arms and closed his eyes scowling.

"Sasuke, come on..." She tugged the sleeve of his jacket. "Ro-sham-bo means instant promise. Pleaaaase?"

He opened a single eye and looked down on to her. She was grinning ridiculously, and he guessed that she wouldn't stop it until he asked. And if he didn't ask, she'd sulk and make a fuss all year. Uchiha Sasuke didn't like fusses. He growled and turned towards her mother, "Mizu-sama,"

Sakura's mother looked at him, surprised.

"Sakura wants to know if she can come to the Indigo cafe with everyone tonight."

"O-oh." She thought aloud. "Well, I shouldn't really after what happened. And I shouldn't really let you go to a competitor of Haruno's," She teased, cheerfully; ignoring her daughter's pleading 'puppy-dog eyes' that only she was immune to. "I'm just thinking - because I can't take you. I'm leaving for Osaka this evening, don't you remember Sakura-"

"If I may," Itachi said, suddenly. "I'm sure Sasuke wouldn't mind taking her."

Sakura coughed. Maybe Itachi was as 'evil' as Sasuke said, because it seemed he had done this in order to annoy Sasuke. It seemed to have worked, because Sasuke was glowering even more heavily than before at his brother. "Sasuke doesn't have to." Sakura chimed in, stepping forward. "I think he's had enough of me right now, anyway, and I don't think he's want to do that."

"No, I'll take her."

Sakura glanced over her shoulder in surprise. He was still glaring at Itachi, though. His brother smirked back. "Wonderful. It's good to know that our little Sasuke has gentleman qualities."

Sasuke was about to hurl - and direct it in his brother's direction if possible.

Sakura edged away.

...Do I have to point it out to you?

No. I see it too.

Sakura was outside with her mother walking around their gardens. It was approaching February so only the most sturdy of flowers showed their faces in this cold month. Sakura had just returned how after running away from her parents, and almost getting raped - of course she wasn't going to tell her mother of that. She was sticking to a strict need-to-know basis.

Despite this, she was still alive. Her mother had said next to nothing about it. She hadn't been eaten, like she had suspected. Not even a long-winded lecture reached Sakura's ears.

Her father hadn't called to rant at her from Boston. She knew they had been worried. They had completely spammed her phone inbox and voicemail... Why had she not been punished?

Not that she was complaining, of course. It was just bugging her, and pretty soon she'd get so curious that she'd have to go and ask-

"Mom, I don't understand."

You are so predictable.

"Sweetie, what are you-"

"Mom, I ran away." Sakura poked in, with desperation in her voice. "I don't understand. I should be grounded... or something!"

Her mother opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated. She took her daughters hand and took her to Tomo's swing. The big oak tree rustled loudly. The last of golden leaves had begun to float away in the breeze. It gushed past the two figures, running through two sets of pink hair.

Sakura sat on the swing, looking down at the woman knelt before her. She took Sakura's hands in hers.

"Sakura," She started, unsurely, squeezing her daughter's fingers, "I know that you are not a child any longer, and your father knows it too. I know we have been..." She paused, "Somewhat unreasonable in the way we have treated you throughout your lifetime,"

Sakura sniffed.

"But know this." A clash of cerulean on jade. Sakura had always been good at predicting emotion. Her mother's eyes, however, she had never been able to predict properly. "We only did that because we loved you and felt it was protecting you." Before her daughter could comment back, she silenced her with a kiss to the forehead.

"But that doesn't answer my-"

"All questions will be answered in time. Before I go to Osaka this evening, we are having a visitor. Until then, just try to forget about it."

And then she was taken in to another hug. Sakura didn't return it, however. Her mind swirled with thoughts and theories that she was too afraid to voice. Her lungs filled, then emptied - trying to calm her senses.

Her mother returned to the house so that only Sakura remained. Playing with the dress that Sasuke's mother had given her idly, she sighed and started to swing.

"MUNE NI YADORU ATSUKI SUISEI WA HAJIMARI NO KO DOU HE-"

Sakura's eyes flashed as she dove under the covers for her phone. Why it was in her bed exactly, Sakura couldn't remember, but she decided that she would have to change her ringtone. This one only brought back bad memories.

"FURUERU YUBI NIGIRISHIMETE SHIZUKA NI-"

She grasped it in her hands. "Who could it be, who could it be..." She sung to herself as she flicked the lid open.

She gulped.

Tenten.

"...I can be brave later." Sakura told herself and pressed the ignore button - only to feel guilty about it later. It might have been important... but she didn't call back. And she was going to see her tonight anyway! No harm done...

She just didn't feel she could handle Tenten at that moment. It was a lazy time for Sakura. It was one of those times that Sakura locked her door from everyone and lay on her bed in her underwear and a pair of thigh length stripy socks.

She hugged her pillow tightly and closed her eyes. The curtains were drawn and she was four floors up. From her bed, all she could see was the sky above.

She checked her watch. 2 o' clock. Her mother was set to leave in a few hours, and apparently they had some sort of 'previous engagement' with a mystery person that somehow concerned her? What, could this person answer all her questions or something? Fat chance.

But she hadn't been called downstairs for the meeting, so she didn't have anything to do.

Why don't we do something fun? The voice in her head cooed. It's Sakura time, remember?

Okay, so what do you suggest?

Why don't we... measure your chest? We haven't done that in a while.


You said something FUN, not something DEPRESSING.

Okay, okay... We could dance?

Nah.

...Sing?

The piano is downstairs, and rule no.1 of Haruno Sakura lazy time clearly states that you must be in your underwear at all times. Not happening.

We can sing without the piano!

Yeah... but...

Sakura sighed. Weekends were so boring! She wanted to go to school! As Sakura saw it, there was no point in remaining here any further, so she slipped on her dressing robe and proceeded downstairs to her closet.

It was irritating having a closet that was on the ground floor whilst she was four floors up, but it was the only free space big enough for her clothes. Sakura had made a point when she was younger that if she couldn't go out of the house, she at least wanted the most splendid wardrobe that was possible.

Now that she thought back on it, she had been an awfully spoilt child.

Tenten's closet wasn't as big as hers - she knew. And Sasuke only had a wooden wardrobe in his room. A large wardrobe, yet, but a wardrobe nonetheless. She guessed that Sasuke wasn't as picky about clothes as she was.

She wasn't picky. She just liked luxuries, is all. Her parents let her spend that money. Why settle for silver when you can get-

Oh my god, I really am spoilt.

She pushed open the doors to her closet and picked out the most 'humble' attire she could find. She frowned. She only had designer names - this sucked. She pouted as she pulled on a plain t-shirt and a the oldest, baggiest jeans she could find. She forcefully sped past her jewelry box angrily.

But she had a strong feeling that she'd give in and change to something nicer when she was going out.

"...Sakura?" She heard a voice as she shuffled across the hallway. Her mother was standing by the door with another very beautiful woman with blonde hair and a green jacket.

"Tsunade-sama?" Sakura gasped, walking over. "What are you doing here...?"

"Sakura, honey," Her mother continued, managing a nervous laugh, "Um, what are you wearing, sweetie?"

Sakura crossed her arms, "I'm going for a 'modest' look."

"Honey, you look like a hobo."

"Perfect!" Sakura squealed, hugging her mom. "It was kind of what I was going for! I don't look like a spoilt brat or anything now, do I?" She looked down at herself in glee. Tsunade and her mother only looked at each other.

Apparently today was 'Get Sakura Confused day.'

The petite girl was sat in her mother's office, but instead of watching her mother fumble about with her pens, she was looking at her principal.

And her principal was carrying a large briefcase that she had now set on the table and was in the process of opening it. A final click and it fell open. Sakura peered inside curiously, but was disappointed to see that it was full of pieces of paper and files and not super spy equipment or bags of money.

Sakura had a big imagination, okay?

Flicking through the files and pursing her lips, Tsunade finally came to what she wanted, and pulled out a CD. She handed it to Sakura's mother before leaning on the desk and looking at her. "So, Sakura-kun. How're you feeling?"

CONFUSED, MAYBE?

"A little unsure." She answered, stuttering a bit.

Tsunade nodded. "No need to feel unsure. I heard about what happened yesterday and I just want to run a few tests. Here, have a mint."

TESTS?? I AM NOT A GUINEA PIG!

"Tests, Tsunade-sama??" She asked, taking the mint out of Tsunade's hand and chewing it slowly. It tasted an odd mix between sugar-sweet and bitter, but was sort of enjoyable. She sucked on it quite happily whilst listening to her teacher speak.

"Nothing big. I used to be a doctor, you know. I know my fair share of psychology. Oh, you'll be needing these." She handed Sakura a pair of glasses. One lens was orange, and the other was lime green. Sakura looked at them, trying to figure them out. "It'll help you see the details of the image you're about to see. Don't put them on yet."

The lights were dimmed and the projector that hung from the ceiling of the office was turned on. Immediately, it flicked to an image of two men standing against a brick wall. One had a mop of brown hair and was smiling broadly. The other was very tall and his eyes were hidden by his bangs.

"The image before you is one of two young men, I'm sure you can tell," Tsunade drummed her fingers on the table. "Put the glasses on and tell me if you see any differences."

Doing what she was told, Sakura slid them past her hair and blinked. She could feel her eyes straining, but could more or less see as clearly as she could with out them. Looking up at the image again, she couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.

"Take your time. Really look at the image."

She squinted her eyes for a change, but she simply couldn't see one. "Tsunade, I-" No, wait. She thought to herself. She narrowed her eyes even more to the point where they were only two tiny crescents. A dot had appeared on both men's foreheads and was spreading slowly... It was traveling faintly around the outline of their body and encasing them. The smiling brunette's was red, and the dark man's was grey. She stared more at the dark haired man until all she could see was him. Her eyes wouldn't move elsewhere. The room seemed to turn cold. Sakura's breath quickened until-

"Sakura!" Her mother dashed to her side where she had tipped backwards out of her chair. Sakura stared at the ceiling blankly, panting. Sweat was rolling down her brow and the glasses were askew in her hair. "Are you okay, darling?"

"Do you feel you can continue, Sakura-kun?" She heard Tsunade's low voice speak.

Sakura clambered up slowly and sat herself back in the seat, holding the glasses meekly in her hands. Her eyes were swimming with tears, but she dare not cry. "Y-yeah. Go ahead."

Tsunade nodded and took a pen out of her pocket and started scribbling furiously on a clipboard. She observed the girl for a second, chewing the lid of the pen. It was a minute before she spoke again. "Did you see any changes to the image at all?"

"Y-Yes." Sakura said, breathlessly, clinging to the desk. Her mother rubbed her shoulder reassuringly. "When I looked really hard, there was a sort of aura in the picture. There were two, actually. One surrounding each man."

Tsunade nodded and wrote something down. Sakura looked up to her mother quickly. She was biting her lip and her eyes flickered weakly up and down.

"Sakura," Tsunade spoke again. "Describe these 'auras' for me, will you?"

"Um, yes, Tsunade-sama." Sakura cleared her throat a little, rubbing her eyes. "It kind of started off as a spot but grew until they were around both the men. O-Oh, the shorter man's was bright red and the taller man's was very grey."

"I see." Tsunade said, but she didn't write anything on her clipboard this time. She set in on the floor and laced her fingers in front of her, leaning forward and looking deep in to Sakura's eyes. Sakura swallowed. "Sakura, did you feel drawn in by the image at all?"

Sakura sniffed, wiping her eyes. The salty tears were stinging her. "Yes, Tsunade-sama. Very much so."

"Were you drawn by the man on the left, or the one on the right?"

"The man on the left, Tsunade." She coughed slightly, rubbing her head where it had hit the ground. "The room turned a little cold and when I looked even closer, it was even hard to breathe."

The blonde woman hummed in response, spinning about in the chair so that she was hidden behind it.

Sakura waited a little while before asking, "Tsunade-sama, what does this test prove? I mean, what is it testing?"

But Tsunade didn't answer. Her mother patted her shoulder slightly before saying softly, "Just think of it as an IQ test, dear."

"Yes," Tsunade spoke finally, standing up and pressing a button on a remote. The projector retreated in to the ceiling and the lights switched back on. "Now, Sakura, if you would be so kind to leave the room? I have things to discuss with your mother."

"Oh, y-yes." Sakura stood up and bowed slightly. "It was very nice to see you, Tsunade-sama."

And with that, she scuttled quickly out of the room and closed the door behind her. When she was outside, she stamped on the floor - a stamp that eventually died down - mimicking Sakura walking down the corridor away from the room. With that, she pressed her ear against the door and tried her best to listen in.

It was hard to hear, but she could just about catch the gist of it.

"What does this mean, Tsunade?" She heard her own mother speak. She sounded worried.

The sound of Tsunade pacing across the width of the room. "It means, Mizu, that our fears have been confirmed. You were right to call me when you did."

Fears have been confirmed? What does that mean? Sakura silenced as gasped and ran sweaty fingertips down the doorframe. It was just an IQ test right? She knew she wasn't dumb. Her score couldn't have been that bad... She swallowed again. She could still taste the mint's bitter aftertaste against her pallet.

"These scores are off the chart..." Tsunade continued, still walking. There was a part that Sakura couldn't quite make out and then, "...Since Minato himself..."

Who was Minato? And what did Tsunade say before that?

"It's almost as if..." Tsunade paused. "History is repeating itself. It's unavoidable. Soon enough, Mizu, someone is going to slip up, and then-" Tsunade wrenched the door to the room open, ready to roar.

No one was there.

...

This chapter was so hard to write! Sorry if it was so boring… and so long! That's all I really have to say... Other than I'm back to school now!! WAH!! Updates might be a bit slow... sorry!

Review please!!