The following weeks were nothing special. Everyday passed like the previous, and the next day passed like the present.

But half a monthlater, the warden called everyone to attention. It was snowing out, and everyone was huddled inside near the fireplace either drawing or playing with their toys.

"Okay, kids. There are a few people coming to look at the orphanage today, and if one of you are lucky, you may very well be spending Christmas with a new family!" Umino Iruka said happily.

This caused a number of the children to sit straight up. They whispered to their friends, and the room was soon filled with tense and excited chatters.

Naruto sat next to one of the toddlers playing with a bunny soft toy. He frowned. "I hope not…"

Sasuke glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "What?"

The blonde looked at his best friend. "I said, I hope not. We've been here since forever. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to leave this place."

All Sasuke did was give a small 'Hn' and turn back to his book.

"Look, look! They're here!"

Sasuke looked up from his book to find a group of people standing outside the room they were in and he had to resist the urge to growl. He hated it when this kind of thing happened. It made him feel like a lab rat.

"Do ya think we should hide, 'Suke?"

Said black-haired boy turned. "What for? It's not as if they'd choose us. Oi, take care of Miyuki. She's stuffing the bunny into her mouth."

Naruto whipped around and gave a yelp. "Yu-chan! Put that down! I said, put. That. Down!" And so a tug-o-war commenced.

Sasuke smirked and moved to help his friend tackle the toddler.

And unknown to the two of them, was a couple with a pink-haired youth, pointing and nodding their heads at the dark-haired, dark-eyed boy.

Sasuke fell onto his bed. "Damn."

"Damnit! That bloody Yu-chan is one tough girl!" Naruto exclaimed, falling onto his own bed.

Sasuke smirked. "Reminds me of you."

"What?" Sasuke winced as a sudden weight fell onto his stomach. Naruto started tickling his weakest spots and although Sasuke tried as hell to control himself, he was breathless after a moment.

"Um-hum."

Naruto stopped and the two boys looked up to find Iruka. A couple and a pink-haired girl with a disgusted look on her face stood behind.

The two sprang up and straightened.

Iruka smiled. He turned to the couple. "Well, this is Uchiha Sasuke. And the blonde is Uzumaki Naruto."

The couple's eyes widened. "Uzumaki? As in…"

Iruka cut in. "Um, I'll see to the papers right away. If little Sakura-chan here would just warm up to her new brother, it'll be done in a minute," he said, walking out with the couple on his heels.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Said boy scowled at the way this stranger girl called him. "Who are you?"

The pink-haired girl smiled sweetly. "Oh, don't you know? I'm going to be your new sister!"

Naruto's grin at seeing such a pretty girl faded. "What?"

The girl turned to the blonde and the look of disgust that was there before returned. "That's none of your business."

"Don't talk to Naruto like that."

The other two turned to look at the stoic boy. "Okay, Sasuke-kun! If you say so. I'm Sakura. You can call me Sakura-chan."

The girl then latched herself onto her brother's arm.

Sasuke pushed her off and turned to see what his friend's reaction was. But Naruto was just standing there staring at the two of them.

"'Ruto?"

The blonde seemed to snap out of it. He forced out a smile. "Congratulations, Sasuke. I'm happy for you."

Sasuke frowned. As if. Naruto never called him Sasuke. It was always either ''Suke' or 'Bastard'.

The dark-haired boy stared at his feet, then he looked up. "I'm going to see if I can refuse."

Naruto whipped his head up to look at his friend. "B-but, Sasuke—"

Sakura cut him off. "What? Why? Don't tell me it's because of this… this freak!"

The Uchiha glared at her. "He. Is. Not. A. Freak."

"He is! His parents were psychopaths! They went on a massacre before killing themselves!"

Sasuke growled and advanced towards the girl. But a soft voice stopped him.

"Stop it, Sasuke."

The boy turned and his features softened. Although he couldn't see it, he could sense the unshed tears in the bowed boy's eyes.

"Naruto…"

Said blonde took a deep breath just as the three adults returned. "Go, Sasuke. You should be happy. I am for you."

Sasuke stared at the window of his used-to-be room. When there was no movement for another few minutes, he clenched his teeth and turned away to try and glare a hole through the headrest of his foster father's car seat.

'Shit,' Sasuke thought, a sour feeling overcoming his entire body. He was leaving today, and Naruto was nowhere in sight. He felt the back of his eyelids sting, and he closed his eyes.

It was no big deal, Sasuke kept chanting as the black Mercedes pulled out of the carpark of Kitoyana Orphanage. It was no big deal.

But as a lone tear slid down his pale, ivory cheek, he knew it was.

It was a big deal.