Uzumaki Naruto; 3 Years Later

Age 15

-Keep On Trying-

I remember the good old days when I would show up at the bridge to find Sasuke and Sakura already standing there.

But Sasuke was a chuunin now, so he didn't come for training.

As for Sakura… I don't know why she hardly came anymore.

I'd show up at the bridge alone and wait all by myself for Kakashi to arrive late. I wish I could say that he was getting better at arriving on time, but he really wasn't.

All that alone time forced me into thinking a lot.

I began to reevaluate my lifetime goals. Did I even really want to be Hokage anymore? I was fifteen now, and my childhood desires that I had been desperately clinging too seemed kinda silly now that I thought about it. While it would be great to be recognized as the strongest in the village, but there are all kinds of ninjas who are recognized without having to attain the title and responsibilities of Hokage.

"Good morning students!" came Kakashi's voice.

I turned around to see him standing there.

"Er…student." Kakashi corrected himself.

"Can't you make a conscious effort to arrive on time every once and a while?" I asked him, being completely reasonable.

"Sorry." Said Kakashi. "There was an old couple who needed directions…"

I slapped my forehead and waved my free had to signal to him that it was useless and he should just stop while he was ahead.

"Naruto, the Chuunin exam is coming up soon." He said. "So I need you to talk to Sakura and tell her to come to more training sessions."

"You're nominating us?" I said excitedly.

Kakashi looked at me with a stoned expression.

"Obviously." He said. "I've been nominating you ever since you were twelve. NOT nominating you now would be ludicrous."

"Oh…okay." I said slowly. He didn't have to make me feel stupid about it.

"I am going to wean you back into intensive training." Kakashi announced. "So I want ten laps around the village and meet me back here!"

As much as I didn't want to do ten laps around the village, especially ALONE, how was I supposed to argue with Kakashi? So I nodded that I understood and took of running.

Thinking has never really been my forte, but I've been getting a lot better at it lately since I've had time to do so.

With Sakura not there, she wasn't distracting me and I got a lot of one-on-one training with Kakashi.

But with Sasuke not there, I found myself not pushing myself as hard because I didn't have to prove to him that I was better since he wasn't there to cower at me.

I thought a lot about Sakura.

Her life still revolved around Sasuke. I knew she'd get out of that habit soon enough and realize that her future was with ME!

When I was finished with those laps, I returned to the bridge to wait for Kakashi.

He, of course, wasn't there.

I waited and waited and waited.

But he did not return from wherever he had gone off to.

"Okay…" I said out loud, but to myself.

I guess I got the rest of the day off!

Even though I knew, deep down inside, I had to train because the Chuunin Exam was coming up, I couldn't help but walk off. After all, I had waited at the bridge for him to come back for almost three hours so I think my leaving was completely justified.

I went back home where I would do more hanging out by myself.

I wondered where Sakura had gone. What if she was sick?

That I highly doubted.

I was hardly home for a few minutes when the phone suddenly rang. I picked it up.

"Hello?" I said.

"Naruto, is that you?" came the voice on the other line.

"Who else would it be?" I said, not immediately recognizing the person.

Seriously, though.

"Oh, okay!" she said. "Well, it's Ino! You remember me, right?"

"Yeah." I said, rolling my eyes. How could I forget Ino? She was just another one of those Sasuke-obsessed girls.

"I was just wondering if you had any interest in coming down to the club tonight at 7:00 for a little party." Ino said.

I stopped. "Ino…" I said. "Sorry. But my one and only love is Sakura."

She didn't answer for a long time.

"Naruto, I'm not asking YOU for a date." She said. "I'M going with Sasuke."

"Why would I want to go if that stupid Sasuke was there?" I said.

"Because Sakura will be there."

That was good enough for me!

"I'm there!" I said. "Bye!"

I hung up the phone.

7:00! And I would be with Sakura! How nice Ino was to set me up on a date with Sakura!

I thought about something else Ino had said. Though I cared very little about Sasuke, it still struck me as odd that he was going on a date with Ino. I wondered if this was a normal thing or if it was new. But it didn't matter to me as long as he wasn't going on a date with Sakura.

I vaulted over the couch and turned on the television.

I had fifteen minutes to kill before I had to get ready.

Fifteen more minutes and I would be with Sakura! I would ask her to dance and she'd say yes of course.

I bet it was Sakura's idea to go out with me but she was just way too sigh so she tried to act as though Ino was setting us up even though she wanted to go out with me the whole time since it was OBVIOUS!!

Before I knew it, it was time to get ready.

I had given myself a little too much time to get ready, though, because I was suddenly all set to go and it was only 6:45.

With a shrug, I decided to head down to the club anyway just so I could meet Sakura outside and stroll in with her.

I could also ask her why she wasn't at training today. But that's ONLY if we ran out of OTHER things to talk about. I mean, she obviously had very important things to do if she wasn't training.

I stood outside, giddy with myself to see her coming around the corner.

"Naruto!"

I turned around in a flash.

Sakura?

No…that wasn't Sakura…

That was some other girl who must have been interested in me.

Oh wait, it was Hinata! What's a weird girl like her doing here?

"Hi…" she said, lowering her head.

I had hardly even realized it was her. She somehow looked different. Maybe it was just because I hadn't seen her in a while but then I realized that she had on a lot of make-up. Make-up didn't bother me though, since Sakura wears make-up all the time!

"Oh, hey Hinata!" I said, still keeping an eye out for Sakura. "I almost didn't recognize you with all that make-up on!"

She started to blush.

"Hey, have you seen Sakura?" I asked her. I wanted to be sure to see Sakura before Sakura saw me.

"…N…no…" Hinata stuttered in a whispering voice. "I just…I just got here…"

"Oh well." I said. Then it occurred to me that maybe Sakura had gone inside already and she was probably waiting for me there. "Maybe she's inside." I looked at Hinata who as only standing there looking blankly at me. "You want to go inside?"

She nodded.

Even though I had wanted to go into the club with Sakura, I didn't mind that I was going in with Hinata instead. I had mainly been concerned with going in without a date. And, even though Hinata wasn't my date, I could still walk next to her so people wouldn't think I was some kind of loser without a date.

"Let's sit over there!" I said, scanning the room for a table that was in clear view of the front door. "That way, Sakura will be able to see us when she comes in!"

"Oh-okay…" Hinata stuttered.

I sat down at the table and Hinata sat down next to me. I looked around the room for Sakura, but she wasn't there.

Suddenly, I saw Ino and Sasuke coming over. Maybe Sakura was with them!

"Hey guys!" I called to them.

"Hi Naruto, hi Hinata!" Ino greeted us.

I looked behind Ino and Sasuke to see that Sakura was nowhere to be found.

"Hey Ino, didn't you say that Sakura was coming?" I asked.

"She said she might come if she felt like it." Ino said.

WHAT?! Before I could yell at Ino for tricking me into coming to a party just so everyone could make fun of me for being dateless, Lee ran over.

"Hey guys!!" he yelled. "Is Sakura not here?"

"Weren't you picking her up?" Ino asked.

What was going on? Sakura was here with ME!

Even though, technically, she wasn't here at all…

Lee gave a heavy sigh and sat down. I made sure that he didn't sit down in the empty seat next to me.

"She'll show up." I said to myself.

I crossed my arms and began to lean back in my chair, searching for Sakura.

"Um…hey, how about we dance?" Ino suggested, turning to Sasuke who hadn't said anything yet. "Sasuke? Do you know how?"

"Uh—" Sasuke began. "…Yeah…"

"Okay, let's go!" said Ino, grabbing him and pulling him out onto the dance floor.

Stupid Sasuke…

I wish Sakura was here so I could dance with her. I looked at Hinata who was looking at me. Maybe she had seen Sakura and just didn't know that I had been looking for her.

"Hinata," I said. "Do you see Sakura around ANYWHERE?"

"No…" Hinata said, sounding nervous.

"Maybe she didn't see us when she came in!" Lee said suddenly. "What if she's sitting by herself?"

He was right! We couldn't have Sakura sitting by HERSELF! She was so beautiful and angelic that someone might come along and try to take her for himself!

"Let's go look for her!" I said.

"Okay!" Lee said.

I wondered why he was so eagerly helping to find Sakura when she was my date…maybe he was over her by now.

I couldn't see over much of the crowd. I'm still kinda short, but I'm still growing.

I hopped up onto a chair and scanned around.

"Do you see her?" Lee asked me.

I could see Sasuke and Ino dancing. I could see Shino sitting at a table by himself. I could see Kiba across the dance floor talking to another girl.

Was EVERYONE at this dance except Sakura?

"No…" I answered, jumping down.

"I can't give up!" Lee declared.

The two of us searched some more but we were largely unsuccessful.

"How disappointing!" Lee said.

"Let's try standing by the door just in case she comes." I said. I had been hoping that maybe she took a wrong turn on the way to the club and maybe was just going to show up late.

"Okay!" Lee answered.

We both stood in the doorway. I didn't want people to think we were together so I made sure to stay away from him.

"Sakura!!" Lee exclaimed suddenly. "This is like a dream!!"

I turned around just in time for Sakura to push right by me and run out the door.

Time to chase after her!

I was halted, however, because Lee had grabbed my shirt collar and pulled me back.

"What's the big idea?!" I demanded.

"She needs some time to think!" Lee said.

"She needs ME to comfort her!" I tried to explain.

"Trust me, Naruto." Lee said. "That's the way girls work. Let's head back to the table."

As if Lee knew ANYTHING about girls.

I looked longingly in the direction of where Sakura had run to, but I could do nothing more but head back to the table and hope that she was running out just because she really had to go to the bathroom.

"I have NO reason to be here if Sakura isn't." I said, sitting down at the table next to Hinata. "None whatsoever. It's pointless. All I'm doing is sitting here."

"Well, at least Ino and Sasuke are having a good time." Said Lee.

"That's not fair." I said. Why does Sasuke always get to have the fun? "I wish Sakura were here."

"Um…Naruto." Hinata said suddenly. "Please excuse me. I have to use the bathroom. I'm not feeling well."

Oh, that was too bad. I hate it when girls get sick.

"Oh, I'm sorry Hinata." I said.

"Feel better soon!" Lee called after her.

I sighed and was very tempted to slam my head down on the table. I wished Sakura were here.

"Hey Lee, do you think I'll ever get a date?" I asked.

Lee paused and sighed.

"Oh, I don't doubt it, Naruto." he replied.

I thought about his response. What did he mean? Did he believe that Sakura and I had a chance? Was I even believing it anymore? Was I chasing Sakura just for the principal of the thing?

No, I should hope not.