Hello.

I'm back with a longer chapter as promised.

I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it! ^-^

I DO NOT OWN NARUTO.

The first time they met, it was snowing.

She was running as fast as she can. They were right behind her. She needs to get away before-

"Oof."

"Well, well, well. Not so tough now are we?"

Hinata stared at her knees that were bleeding form the fall.

"P-please" she begged "J-just leave me alone. I-I-I already g-gave you all of my lunch m-money."

"Awww. Is little baby gonna cry?" one of them mocked.

"Waaa. Go home and tell your mommy then. Oh wait, she doesn't have one."

They all laughed.

Laughed.

And laughed.

She covered her ears but it wasn't enough to block them out.

She screwed her eyes shut as the tears flowed down her face, hoping that she'll forget the faces of the three boys in front of her.

Then the next thing she knew, there was a sound of a body hitting the ground next to her.

"That's what you get for making the girl cry." said a newcomer.

"Yeah!" another agreed.

The other two stood there looking at their now unconscious friend. Just how much force did they put in that hit. One of them got over his initial surprise and rushed to help the boy.

"Tch. Whatever," he said as he helped the boy up "we were done with her anyway."

When they left, the two newcomers turned to look at the girl they just saved.

"Are you okay?

Hinata slowly opened her eyes.

"Don't worry. They're gone." the one that knocked the boy down said. His red hair was short and he wore glasses.

"Yeah. We took care of them good." This one had blond hair.

"You mean I took care of them."

"Hey! I helped!"

"Barely, you idiot. I did all the hard work."

"Nu-uh."

"Ya-uh."

"Na-uh."

"Ya-uh."

"N-"

Hinata couldn't take it. Her suppressed giggles were let loose and she laughed. Laughed harder than she ever did before. At some point the two started to join her and they all laughed together.

When they were done and all that's left were a few giggles here and there, Hinata stood up.

"H-hello," she said for a start "thank y-you for s-saving me. Both of you. M-my n-name is H-hyuuga Hinata. Nice to meet you."

"Hey Hinata chan! My name's Uzumaki Naruto." said the blond. He grinned while giving her a thumbs up "Nice to meet you too."

She smiled and turned towards the redhead.

"My name's Uzumaki Karin," his glasses glinted "nice to meet you."

Hinata's eyes widened and she immediately bowed down.

"Oh my!"

"Wh-what's wrong?" Karin asked.

"I am so s-s-sorry. I t-thought you were a b-boy."

Karin blushed and Naruto's laugh could be heard from miles away.

On that day, she learned that the duo have recently moved to Whirlpool and will be starting school the next day. She became fast friends with them. They were her saviors and for that she was grateful.

The three of them had so much fun.

She would meet with them at the park to play.

Have sleepovers.

Study hard together to get into the same middle school.

They even taught her some self-defense techniques and how to get over her stuttering.

So it was only natural for her to follow them to Konoha when Karin's mom got relocated.

She moved in with her cousin Neji -who was living alone ever since his father died- earlier this year. Just so they would never be apart.

Because along the way, she fell in love with one of them.

But she knew that he will never reciprocate her feelings.

Especially now, after meeting...her.

RIIIING

"Stand." Sakura said.

"Bow."

"Thank you very much." they all said in unison.

"Alright class, don't forget to read up on page 247 of your textbook."

Naruto looked at the pinkette who was running out the door as soon as the teacher was done talking and shrugged. Must be urgent.

He whistled and took his time in packing.

The blond stood up only when everyone was out. Then as he walked through the row of seats, he saw a book on the floor. He picked it up and examined it more closely. It was some sort of journal. Turning it around, he saw a name written.

Haruno Sakura.

She got here just in time.

After catching her breath, Sakura sat down and waited patiently on one of the benches.

"Hey." a hand on her shoulder made her flinch.

The person chuckled. "I though I told you to get rid of that habit."

She stood up and looked at the woman in front of her.

She hasn't changed a bit. Her honey blond hair was still in pigtails. Warm chocolate eyes and upturned lips were directed at her.

One minute they were staring at each other, Sakura was crushed against a pair of huge mounds the next.

"How are you doing, squirt?"

"I'm fine Dr. Senju" her voice was muffled.

"C'mon, we're not strangers you know."

She gave the older woman a small smile.

"Hello..Tsunade san."

At the sound of her name, Tsunade's eyes soften.

"Shall we get going then?"

"Did you do what I told you too?" Tsunade asked when they got onto a taxi.

"Everyday."

"Excellent. Well lets see it then."

The pinkette searched her bag for the item. When her hand didn't feel the texture of worn out leather, she fully unzipped her bag to look for it.

Shit.

"It's not here."

"Calm down," Tsunade said when she saw the frantic look in the young girl's eyes "you probably left it at school. Don't worry about it, you can show it to me tomorrow. Okay?"

She nodded.

Right. It was probably under her desk.

It was not under her desk.

Sakura felt like ripping her hair out.

Where was it? She couldn't have accidentally thrown it away..has she? No. She already checked all the trashcans at home.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice someone approach her until they called out to her.

"Haruno san."

The first thing she noticed was the messy blond hair.

"Uzumaki san..how may I help you?"

"Its this," he took out the book her missing book "you left in such a hurry that I-"

The book was yanked from his hand.

"Did you open it?"

Confused, he asked.

"What-"

"My book. Did. You. Open. It?!"

"N-no."

"Oh thank god." She hugged the book against her chest.

Naruto looked at her holding it like that was the most precious thing in the world. Just what was written in it?

"I'm sorry for yelling."

"No biggie."

"...thank you, Uzumaki san."

"No prob," he chuckled nervously "so...what are you doing after school later?"

"Work."

"Really? I didn't know you worked."

She shrugged.

The blond kept talking to her and she answered his questions with a one syllable word or an action.

Neither noticed the two black orbs watching their little interaction intently.

He does not usually go out because he was too weak and he needed a wheelchair to get around.

But today he felt like it.

The heat against his skin reminded him that summer was coming.

"We are here, Itachi sama."

He opened his eyes only to see a world of endless darkness. But he doesn't mind. He was used to it by now.

"I will wait over there." the young maid said.

She wanted to give him privacy. Itachi nodded his head.

Reaching out, he felt the rough surface of something in front of him.

And only when the maid was out of earshot, did he speak.

"Greetings...mother, father."

Chapter end.

So~ How was it? Do let me know what you think, yeah. :)

That's all from me for now.

See you next chapter.

Thanks for reading.