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Uchiha Sasuke was never really good at making friends, mostly because he never really had to. Naruto was a childhood friend, one that was always around, even when his company wasn't invited. Sasuke enjoyed his friendship though, enjoyed their late night talks and summer days spent side by side playing video games.

It was easy with Naruto, he did enough talking for the both of them and he wasn't judgemental in any way. Sasuke felt comfortable around him and felt that he was the only friend he really needed.

Naruto, on the other hand, was outgoing, he made friends with ease and maintained those relationships for years. This was the main reason Sasuke even had other friends was because of Naruto, therefore when it came to making friends of his own, he didn't know where to begin.

Haruno Sakura was an entirely different issue, one he's almost too intimidated to tackle. The idea of being friends with her seems so foreign, so out of character for him, especially since his desire for this particular friendship stems from his need to feel normal again.

He stares up at the white ceiling of his bedroom, still wrapped up in his comforter, his head resting comfortably against his pillow.

"Sasuke! Wake up for breakfast!" The sudden sound of his mother's voice slices through the air. An audible groan escapes his lips and he knows that she'll be barging through his door any second. He sits up in his bed, his black hair sticks out in all directions and his eyelids still heavy with the lull of sleep.

He stretches his arms above his head, pulling at the tight muscles in his back and shoulders. The clank of dishes and heavy footsteps are echoing behind his bedroom door. The sweet aroma of his mother's cooking drifts though the air, under his door and coats his entire room. There is a quiet chatter, a mix of voices hum from the kitchen.

Sasuke's face lights up as he realizes that his father and brother are finally home. It has been an entire week since he has seen them both together in the same room, mostly because his father is the chief of police in their district of Tokyo, which means late nights and early mornings on the job and his brother is a senior at university a few hours away. Most mornings usually consist of Sasuke and his mother eating a small breakfast together, quiet except their the sound of their simple conversations.

Within a second, he's throwing on his house slippers and fast walking into the kitchen. He's greeted by his mother, hands on her slender hips, "Well, it's about time you woke up."

His father and Itachi are seated at their dinning table, he can feel their dark eyes on him, like mirrors of his own.

"Sorry," He says quickly, shifting his view to his father and brother, "When did you guys get home?"

Fugaku sips from a white mug, "Early this morning."

Sasuke nods in response before taking a seat at the table, "You're going in again, later?"

"In an hour actually," His father says as he turns to Mikito, "Would you make me miso soup for lunch please?"

The sound of his parent's conversation becomes a dull buzz of background noise as Sasuke turns to face his brother, "Are you home for spring break?"

Itachi nods and greets him with a small smile, his tired eyes swirl with warmth, "For the next week."

"Good, we can..."

"You boys can catch up on your way to the store," Mikito interrupts, her hands fall to her hips once more, her petite figure stretches authoritatively, "I need some vegetables for your father's lunch."

"But mom…" Sasuke begins to protest, the loud thud of his father's mug slamming onto the kitchen table cuts him off, bringing silence into the air.

"Listen to your mother." Fugaku's deep voice booms across the kitchen and Sasuke bows his head in defeat.

Suddenly, he feels the warm weight of Itachi's calloused hand resting on his head, his brothers fingers graze the crown of his dark hair. It is a comfort, one he's sought eagerly in the months of Itachi's absence.

"Yes father," Itachi says smoothly and just before he rests his hand back at his side, he gives Sasuke's hair a light ruffle.

Mikoto takes a seat at the kitchen table, pulling a small notepad out of her apron pocket. In neat, straight strokes, she writes down the list of groceries that she needs.

"Come straight home boys." Mikito says as she rips out the page and hands it to Itachi.

"Yes mother." The brothers speak in unison, a smile pulls at the corners of their mother's mouth.


The subway station is crowded that morning. The intercom buzzes through the station calling out times of arrival and departure for the trains. Sasuke stands on the side of his older brother, his fists shoved lazily into his pockets.

"You're graduating soon." Sasuke says, his dark eyes focus on the platform on the other side of the tracks.

Itachi nods a little, "You are too." He turns his head to look at his little brother's profile, he notices the new sharpness of Sasuke's jaw, the slender slope of his nose and realizes that his little brother isn't so little anymore, "What are your plans for after graduation?"

Sasuke doesn't say anything for a moment, instead he shifts his gaze from the tracks to his feet and takes a deep breath, "I thought about going to university," He lets out his heavy breath, a sigh escapes his parted lips, "Father wants me to join the police force with him, so that's an option too."

Itachi reaches his hand over and softly claps his hand on Sasuke's broad shoulder, a motion filled with comfort, "You'll figure it out," A small smile appears on his lips, "Besides, I'm joining the police force this summer, I doubt father will need the both of us there."

Itachi's hand falls back at his side and the smile on his lips continues to grow, "You should just do what you want."

Before Sasuke can respond, before he can process his next thought, the platform beneath his feet begins to shake with the force of the incoming train.

The intercom screeches across the station, announcing the arrival of their train.

Sasuke gives a half-smile, the right corner of his mouth lifting with appreciation for his older brother.

"Let's go." Itachi says and his words drift through the air, muffled by stagger of feet stomping on the ground and the conversation of other passengers.


The train takes off just as Itachi and Sasuke find a spot to sit. They nestle into the cushion of the seats, finding comfort just as quick.

"So," Itachi begins, his voice smooth like honey, conversation drips easily, "Is there anything else going on with you?"

Sasuke raises his dark eyebrow, "Not really…" He trails off, wondering why his stoic older brother was suddenly so talkative.

"Hmmm, not really?" Itachi's eyes squint slightly, skepticism glowing in the darkness of his pupils, "Not even a crush?"

Sasuke turns his head slightly, peering at his older brother and wondering where this sudden burst of curiosity stems from. It takes him less than a few seconds to realize.

"Did mother say something to you?" Sasuke asks, his shoulders slump, "Of course she did, I don't even have to ask."

The sound of Itachi's laughter floats through the air, "She may have mentioned that you have a crush on Naruto's girlfriend or something like that."

"Wrong." Sasuke spits out, he pulls his eyes away from his brothers face, down to his hands resting on his lap, "She isn't Naruto's girlfriend. They're friends I guess and I don't like her, not like that."

"Mother says you think she's pretty."

Sasuke is caught off a guard for a minute, he continues to stare down at his hands, avoiding eye-contact with Itachi at all costs, "She's...okay."

"Well, what's she like?"

Sasuke shrugs his shoulders, "Annoying." He sighs for the thousandth time, "She talks too much." His dark eyes lift from his hands and he begins to look around the train, that warm feeling starts to pool into the bottom of his stomach as he speaks, "She's always bothering me, but she's nice I guess."

Sasuke eyes drifts over the other passengers as he talks, he notices an old woman with silver hair resting her wrinkled forehead on the window, a tall business man typing away on his phone and far into the corner, he sees a familiar girl.

His heart almost stops, almost bursts in chest when he see her, sees the long pink hair cascading down her back.

It's her, like always.

"What's her name?" Itachi asks, oblivious that the topic of their conversation was only a few seats away.

Sasuke can't take his eyes away from her, shock still coursing through his body.

"Sakura." He answers and the tone of his voice is a little too loud on such a quiet train, it sounds as though he's calling for her and maybe he is.

The sound of her name carries over to her and she turns, her green eyes moving back and forth, searching for the person who called her.

In seconds, she sees him and their eyes meet.

"Sakura huh?" Itachi says with a smile, "That's a pretty name."


a/n: sorry for waiting so long to post this chapter, i recently graduated from college and i've been really busy. thank you to everyone that has kept up with this story so far, i really appreciate your kind reviews. i'll be posting as often as i can until i finish with this story.