Chapter 13

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Sakura watched as the next class of academy students filtered into the room. The Hokage and Iruka had scheduled a special class for the day and then left Sakura to handle the rest. The goal was simple: to demonstrate the basic techniques for healing and then run a series of short tests to see if any of the students showed a natural aptitude. With enough interest and talent, the academy might start offering medic classes.

The noise level increased steadily as the kids slowly trickled in. From the looks of it, this was one of the older groups that would have their first crack at graduating in autumn.

They were so much like Sakura's class had been. She could envision twelve-year-old Sakura and twelve-year-old Ino posturing through the door to see who could sit with Sasuke first. She could see Shikimaru sleeping in the back next to Chouji with his never-ending stash of snacks. There were loud troublemakers like Konohamaru that reminded her of Naruto and Kiba.

One boy remained silent near the front of the room. Probably this year's genius, Sakura thought wryly. He had a calm confidence that was one of the reasons she was so attracted to Sasuke. And Neji, a small voice reminded her.

One of the girls approached the silent boy only to be dismissed by his indifference. Sakura wanted to comfort her as the smile slid off the poor girl's face and her eyes gazed down at the floor.

'Keep your head up!' Inner Sakura shouted. 'Love will prevail!'

'There will be others,' the small voice whispered.

It was strange for Sakura to think that these children, for they really seemed like children to her, were only three years younger. Oh, the things she had done in three years. The things she had seen.

Three years ago, she was still six months away from graduating from the academy. She had not been put into a team yet, had not risked her life, had not been responsible for others' lives, nor seen the grim reality of death. The most important thing in her life had been Sasuke, and everything else was a distant second.

Zabuza had been right. When they wandered into Wave Country so long ago, she and her teammates had not been ninja. Not yet, despite the hitai-ate. By the time they departed that land, however, they had been initiated.

'So naïve,' Sakura thought to herself. 'Was I once this innocent, too?' Oh, how she had changed.

Shaking the nostalgia from her mind, she loudly interrupted the happy chattering and began her class.