Once a month they got their schedule. They knew nothing about who makes it and why their team was chosen for it. They have to do, not think. That's rule number 1. And if you don't like the rules, well that's too bad, because you can't do anything about it.

They had their managers who evaluated their performances based on their efficiency and teamwork. So even if they didn't like the job, they had to be good at it if they wanted to stay together. It was dangerous to change teams all the time and go alone on missions with people you don't know. There were cases of disappearances and murders that were never fully investigated. So better not risk any mission, because it may lead to a change of teams.

Their manager was Kakashi Hatake, the Scarecrow. A man who has seen more than enough and lived to see all of his friends die. He lost his cause a lot of times, but decided to stick to the agency for the commodity, years invested in his job and also, in the last 10 years, for his team. His children, he liked to call them. Even though they weren't always the good guys and he wasn't always a good father.

They had scheduled meetings with Kakashi every week, their trainings every day except when on mission, their schedule once a month, and 1 free day every week depending on agency's plans. Free accommodation, food, good salary. Just do as you're told, don't ask.

Living this lifestyle for years, Sasuke got used to it so much, often forgetting that there was another way to live. When they had a mission in town or a free day, he saw normal people with their normal lives, not suspecting that among them live people like him. He sees families, friends, old people, children and wonders how would he live if there wasn't the agency, if it was still his father, mother, Itachi and him. The Uchihas at the time.

His father was police commander, he remembers. They had a nice home that his mother kept lively. Itachi and he were loved. They were a family. He remembers this period as a dream somebody told him about… he doesn't recall much, nothing important. But he remembers the details: asking his father for a cat and getting one, his mother making food in the kitchen, trying to play basketball with Itachi. Those were like small videos in his head. Sakura and Naruto often used to ask what it was like, because neither of them ever had a real family. At first he didn't share, but after many years of being with them he told them what he remembered. That way, he told himself, they didn't disappear. Somebody besides himself knows about them.

He remembers being woken up by his brother forcefully, there was a terrified expression on Itachi's face that told Sasuke that is not the time to play games and complain. He grabbed Sasuke's backpack and started pushing random things in it, then took Sasuke in his arms and started running through the house. He pushed Sasuke's head to his shoulder but Sasuke wriggled out to look and in the dark of his house he saw blood on the floors. He saw his mother on the floor by the bedroom and then he saw his father on the floor in the corridor. Itachi didn't stop, he ran. Sasuke doesn't remember where, he doesn't recall any sounds. Just silence and his house getting smaller and smaller while his brother took him away.

Then Itachi stopped and put Sasuke down. He started putting the backpack on his back and talking to him, but Sasuke couldn't listen, he only heard his heart. Then Itachi shook him and yelled.

-Dammit Sasuke, listen to me. I'm here, it's ok. You are ok. Listen, hey Sasuke! You have to run. You hear me? Run Sasuke.

But Sasuke just stood in terror. Run? Where? And without Itachi? No.

And then Itachi pushed him. –Go! You hear me? Run Sasuke.

-Where will you go? Why aren't you coming with me?

-I have to take care of something. When I'm done I'm going to find you. Don't worry. I will be with you in a while. Just go Sasuke.

And not knowing what to do but to listen to his brother he started running but turning his head to look at Itachi every step he took. And Itachi stood there watching Sasuke run and when Sasuke went behind the corner he went back in the direction of the house.

Sasuke didn't tell this story to anyone, especially the part where he stood behind the corner watching his brother return and never seeing him get out of the house.

He was 8 years old, in his house slippers, pajama. He had a backpack and no idea where to go. His brother didn't come for him.

Two months later the agency found him and since then he was living with them and sometimes he thought how living on the streets for two months was still better than this.

He knew Naruto lived on the streets since forever. He was born in an orphanage that dumped him after he started talking, since then he had to steal and work in order for him to eat. He also begged on the streets. But Naruto told Sasuke he always preferred to work, it made him feel useful.

-It was great man, having your own money. And then give some to the others, you know! I even went back to orphanage and did some work there, but I didn't take the money… besides not that they had any. I also had friends on the streets. Yeah… the butcher down the streets gave me food. The lady in the bakery gave me bread… there was even an old grandpa who every time he saw me gave me money. I used to sing even… but I didn't earn a lot on that. But man, when I came here and tried ramen, that was the moment I knew I would get used to this.

Naruto was found when he was 7 and he was working as a delivery boy on tips. They told him he could become an elite citizen and he just smiled. Being of service was all he ever wanted. Naruto saw flaws of the agency, but having known the other side he sometimes found excuses and when he couldn't he was silent and moody.

He was determined to do the right thing and he was disappointed when he saw otherwise.

Sakura had a different story. They all had terrible experiences but Sasuke felt sorry for her especially. His parents were murdered, Naruto's mother died giving birth to him. Sakura's parents were probably still alive. And she knew that.

She was born in a very poor family that couldn't provide for itself. Her parents worked what they could and stayed apart most of the time. They lived in a lot of places, mostly rented rooms above train stations, small streets that were cold in the winter. They were using her to beg for them and cause sympathy in the eyes of the people. They took her to market places and left her there for the whole day to wander around and ask for money. Some nights they didn't even come to get her. She was alone.

She remembers her parents trying to sell her twice. Once it was for 3 breads and the other time it was for 2. Her value was low even in her parents eyes. When they couldn't accomplish nothing with her, they left her hungry and cold. And in the end, agency found her, under the bridge, 5 years old, on the verge of death from starvation.

So Sakura saw this as an opportunity to live. However, to survive against all odds. She was skinny and abused, no self-esteem. But she had a will to live and that kept her in place, even through beatings in trainings, sleepless nights, skipped meals.

She was there for the longest and she built herself inside the system.

She felt sorry for kids that were coming after her so she tried to help and make them feel better. That's how she met Naruto, in cafeteria where he sat by himself. And that's how she met Sasuke, in training room, crying alone. She tried to talk, he called her annoying and left.