rec·ol·lect vti

to bring something back to mind

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It was an accident.

Yeah, an accident.

RECOLLECT

It was when I was still in the Academy. It was raining on that day, and everybody brought their umbrellas. And after school was over, I usually walk by this one park. And there she was, sitting on the swings by herself. She didn't have an umbrella like everybody else, she just sat there all alone. And I just couldn't leave her alone, so I raised my voice.

"Hey, why are you here without an umbrella?"

When I spoke to her, she looked up, and I could see that her eyes were all red. She were crying, most likely. And yet, she still laughed.

"I kind of… had a fight with my friend… haha……"

Is that something to laugh about?

"…"

From my point of view, this 'friend' of hers was a very close friend, an important one. Like one of those 'best friends' type. If it weren't that, then she wouldn't be sitting out here in the rain without an umbrella.

I don't even know why I did it but…

"Nn!"

"Eh? But you… Ah!"

I gave her my umbrella and ran off.

I knew her before. She also attended the same academy. Her name was something like Haruno Sakura or something. We once sat together in class. We only small talked about certain subjects. So she's only the type of friend that would only appear in my mind if somebody mentioned her.

But from that day on, she kept appearing in my mind nonstop. I kept wondering if she went and made up with her friend, and I was worried as hell. Sometimes I even scare myself of how much I was worrying about her. I never worried about someone this much except for Akamaru.

That's why in the past, I never realized that I was starting to fall in love with her. That's the reason why I never did anything. Until now that is…

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Since then, it has been about… oh I don't know some years. We have now all become chuunins. And still I have this feeling kept inside me for her. I always think that it's just a crush and it will soon go away. But man, it's been so many years, and it hasn't gone away! Well, of course, it's not like I want it to go away anyways…

Unlike that day in the past, today was a sunny day. So I take Akamaru out for a walk.

"YAAAAAAAYY!!!!"

Akamaru runs as fast as he can through the village streets as I enjoy the ride. But then I see you far off in the distance. And I tell my partner to speed up to catch up to her.

"Sakura!!"

"WAH!! Oh it's only you, Kiba. Don't scare me like that, you idiot!"

"Heheh, sorrryyy. What are you doing here?"

I ask, then she puts up a bag of whatever in front of me, "Can't you just guess?"

"Huh? Are you coming home from picking out trash?"

"NO!! How does this supposed to look like I came home from picking trash? I going home from the market!"

This always happens. This is how our conversation always turns out to be. We will always laugh at the end. With just this little of mingling, I feel happy for the rest of the day.

"So you just going home like this?"

"Yeah"

"Well then want me to take you home?"

"Huh! On Akamaru!?"

"Of course!!"

"Really!!??"

"Yeah"

"Yaaaayy!!!"

As her emerald eyes glitter, she thanks me and gets on the back of Akamaru. Her arms wrap around my waist, and I get flushed.

"Well hold on tight!"

As we travel down the streets, she makes sounds similar to mine when I ride Akamaru. I think, I want it to be like this forever. The thought may sound like something a girl would usually say, but geez, give me a break already. And then Akamaru, as I was thinking about this whole thing, he was already closing in on Sakura's house. When he stopped, her arms unwrapped from my waist. That made me a bit sad. When she got off of Akamaru, she gave him a big hug. Dammit! Stupid jealousy acting up again…!!

"Thank youuuuu Akamaruuu!!"

"Hey! Aren't you gonna thank me too!?"

"But Akamaru's the one who sent me here!"

"You little---"

"AH!"

"What?"

She suddenly raise her voice, as if she remembered something. She tells me to wait a moment and goes inside of her house. And then soon enough, she comes back outside with something in her hands.

"Here you go!"

And then she gives it to me.

"This is…"

She gives me the blue umbrella from that day. The day when we were little and I gave it to her.

"You…"

"Eheheh, I finally gave it back to you"

Her smile was different from the ones she would always show me, "You remember?" I always thought she has forgotten about that day. I always thought she washed that memory away with the memory of her best friend.

"Don't be stupid! Of course I remember! That day… um, how do you say it… uh, t-thank you!!! I-it made me happy…"

Her cheeks showed a tint of red as she showed her gratitude towards me. I hold on to the umbrella tightly in my hand. I feel like I can say it now.

"Sakura"

"W-what?"

The feelings I've kept for you since I was little.

"I like you"

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A/N: Yeah, that best friend was Ino. And no, I don't think they ever made up until… Sasuke left or something. Anyways, I like this story. I had fun writing it.