Hey~
It's been a while since I've updated but here you are, the next chapter.
Exams has been stressing me out. Ugh.
Well, enjoy.
I DO NOT OWN NARUTO.
His ride home was a quiet one.
Devoid of music from the radio or the endless chatter that always seem to be following him everywhere.
He felt at peace after talking to his mother and father.
His eyelids were getting heavier.
And minutes later Itachi fell asleep dreaming about his earlier conversation.
"Greetings..mother, father."
"..." as always, only the wind greeted him back.
"I apologize for not coming here as much as I used to."
Itachi remembered the bouquet on his lap.
"I've brought you your favorite flowers, mother."
He put the white roses down on top of his mother's grave.
"Sasuke and I are doing just fine. I hope that you both are as well?"
"..."
"Oh, Sasuke has just entered high school a few months ago."
He chuckled.
"Unfortunately, he still has trouble interacting with people."
His cute little brother's pouty face flashed through his mind and he stopped stroking his mother's name engraved on the stone.
He let out a long sigh.
"I'm sorry, mother, father-" his voice crack "but I don't think I have much time left with him."
Itachi closed his eyes and put a hand to his chest. "I am not a good big brother if I can't even protect him."
"I'm sorry." He repeated.
He leaned his forehead on his mother's tombstone and put one hand on his father's.
He prayed.
Prayed to Kami that when the time comes..Sasuke will always stay strong.
The sudden warmth that washed over him, told Itachi that his parents are there with him too.
'You made us proud son.'
Knock knock.
"Enter."
The first thing that came in view when the door opened was the wild pink hair. Then came the harsh pants as if she just ran a marathon.
"Woah. Breathe Sakura," Tsunade said "what's the rush for huh?"
After calming down, she shoved the book she was holding to the older woman's face.
"Oh. So you found it. I told you it was nothing to worry about." She took the book form the girl's hand.
"Actually..my classmate found it laying on the floor."
"A classmate you say," the blond put a hand on her chin "and did this classmate look through the book?"
The pinkette shook her head.
"Good. Cause you're way too protective of this little thing aren't ya."
A blush was her only answer.
"Well then, lets look at what you have so far."
When the leather cover flipped open, the first page had a newspaper cut-out pasted on it.
The title was a phrase that Sakura remembered by heart.
One accident left six dead.
"Can you believe what he did?"
"Yeah."
"Are you even listening?"
"Yeah."
"I'm gonna burn all your ramen tonight."
"Yeah."
A tick appeared on Karin's forehead.
"Oi, idiot. This is the only time that the three of us get to spend time together at school."
It was currently lunch time so Naruto, Karin and Hinata decided to eat in class 7.
For the past 30 minutes, Naruto has been zoning in and out of their conversation.
It was staring to really piss the redhead off.
"Naruto kun." Hinata said.
"Hm?"
"Who are you staring at?
That seemed to get his attention.
"N-nobody." But the way his ears turned red told them otherwise.
Hinata glanced back at the direction that the blond looked at and saw a pink haired girl sitting near the window.
A frowned formed on her pretty face. Kami, how she hated her so much. From the day of their orientation, the pinkette has managed to attract the blond with just one look. When his eyes stopped at the girl looking down at her shoes, Hinata knew that she didn't stand a chance.
It really made her blood boil.
Hinata stood from her seat and walked over to the quiet girl.
'What a beautiful day today.' Sakura thought to herself. The world outside was bright and the slight breeze made the leaves on the trees sway from side to side.
Alas, her moment was broken when someone appeared in her peripheral view.
"Hello!" A girl with long black hair greeted her.
"I saw you all alone and I thought that maybe you want to join us?" the girl gestured to the tables gathered around at the back.
Sakura looked at the direction that she meant. Her blond classmate - who was eyeing them - quickly turned his head when her eyes landed on him.
"Ah. I don't want to intrude you eating."
"Oh no. I insist. We were just finishing up anyways."
"What is Hinata chan doing?"
Karin's glasses glinted when she pushed them up her nose.
"She's trying to make new friends idiot! Let her be."
'But why her?' Naruto looked away when the pretty pinkette looked over.
After a few more exchanging of words, Hinata finally went back to their seat..along with Sakura.
"Hey guys! I hope you don't mind me bringing her over."
"I'm fine with it." the tall redhead said.
"...me too," Naruto said timidly.
"Hm~ Why are you being shy all of a sudden?" Karin teased.
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Oh boy. There they go again," Hinata giggled "don't mind them, they're always like this."
The soft look in the girl's green eyes was enough to make her stomach churned uncomfortably.
"I didn't get to introduce myself earlier. I'm Hyuuga Hinata from class 8."
"And I'm Uzumaki Karin from class 1. I guess you already know idiot over here,"
"Of course we know each other! We're in the same class!"
An eye roll was the only answer he received.
"Nice to meet you Hyuuga san, Uzumaki san. I'm Haruno Sakura."
"Well, looks like you have two Uzumaki sans now." Karin laughed.
"So it seems." came the monotone reply.
"Oh, we went to middle school together at Wirlpool Academy. Where did you go to Haruno san?"
"Ame."
Karin whistled low "Damn. That place spells trouble from day one."
Naruto nodded at Karin's words.
"How'd you survive?"
The pinkette shrugged "I may know a trick or two."
"Well word traveled even to Whirlpool," Hinata spoke up "How bad was it really there Haruno san?"
When she answered, her voice dropped an octave "You do not want to know."
RIIIING.
"Well that's our queue."
Hinata waved at Naruto.
"See you later Naruto kun. Bye Haruno san, lets keep in touch."
Sakura nodded.
As soon as the two went outside, Sakura was already walking towards her seat.
"Wait!"
She stopped but didn't turn.
"Um.." suddenly feeling nervous, he scratched the back of her head "would you like to join us later after school?"
By us, Sakura assumed he meant Hyuuga san and Uzumaki san.
"I'm sorry but I have work later."
"Right. Work...can I walk you there then?"
"..."
"W-well, o-only if it's cool with y-you."
"Sure." her voice was so small that Naruto almost missed it.
Someone interrupted him just as he was about to say something.
"Oi. Would you go sit down. It's getting annoying."
The two turned towards the person who said it.
"Mind your own business."
His black eyes narrowed at the blond.
"This is my business if you're talking near my table."
"I sit next to you so it shouldn't matter now would it?"
The sound of a chair scaping against the floor got everyone's attention as the raiven haired boy stood up.
"What?" Naruto said coming face to face with him "got a problem, Uchiha?"
"You're the problem, Uzumaki."
"Uzumaki san." came a quiet voice.
Naruto chose to ignore it by grabbing the smirking bastard's collar.
"You gonna hit me Uzumaki?"
"You bet I will Uchiha."
"Uzumaki, Uchiha, Haruno, why are you still standing? Class is about to start."
They looked at each other then to their classmates that already have their books ready.
"Why don't you three stand at the back for the rest of the period."
"Yes Sensei." they all said.
I hope you enjoyed it.
See you guys next chapter.
Thanks for reading.