After the class was dismissed, Sasuke and I got up to eat lunch, as we had a break until we'd meet our new Sensei. I am really excited, I wonder if they're a man or woman! Oh my god, what if it's an animal? Can animals be senseis at least? How awesome would that be?

We were the first ones to leave the class and I was rushing to grab something to eat and Sasuke seemed to be taking his time. Sometimes I really don't see how we are twins, really. I am out-going, bubbly and smiley, he's just... not. After the massacre, we followed different paths and found different ways to move on. I decided to forget about it and that it ever happened, while Sasuke held a grudge and let himself get eat up by hatred. He can't even open up to me and that's breaking my heart... Aside from our looks, like the black eyes, similar facial features and color of the hair, we are different. That's all that we have in common.

And to think that once I would've given anything so he'd shut up... Now? I don't know what to do to make him talk to me. He's just so quiet and keeps everything to himself, I can barely deal with it. I fear that he hates me sometimes because I remind him of our older brother, but that can't be it. Sasuke has much more in common with him than I do. Rarely, just very rarely Sasuke opens up about his feelings, but the more he grows up, the more he stops talking. Don't get me wrong, we still talk and make conversation, but it's no like it used to be. After all, sometimes I feel like Sasuke's spirit got murdered too when Ita-... when my older brother... When he...

Agh, forget about it, I still can't even talk about it!

Once we got in front of his door, I went straight to the fridge. What? I do that all the time! We live right across from each other. The Hokage said that the last thing we needed was to be separated, but Sasuke being Sasuke, the closest, but still the furtherest we got was living in the same complex, but in different apartments. I don't even think that living together would've worked out. We barely got along when we lived in the same house when we were younger. Ah, good times.

I smiled at my brother, who opened the window to let some fresh air in.

"Yummy." I said, placing some food on the table, taking a seat.

"I'll never understand why you're friends with that loser." Sasuke sighed, bringing Naruto up for the first time. He's been trying to understand my friendship with the blond for a long time, I could read that. Looks like he finally gave in and decided to talk about it?

"I'll never understand why you're not friends with him. Or why anyone else in the class isn't. He's going through so much, I can see that, even if he doesn't talk to me about it. He's in a lot of pain, not physically. You've seen the way every kid and adult in this village treats him, there barely are any people that like him. Everyone's avoiding him like he's the plague and I really don't understand. I've seen that when we were younger too. The parents would tell their kids every day not to hang out with him." I sighed, looking at the food.

"I don't know either, Akira. But I know that he's an idiot." Sasuke said, sitting next to me at the table.

"I am not denying that." I joked, and Sasuke smiled, then I continued, "But he's a lot more than that. He's determined and smiley. He makes jokes and was the class clown because this is his defense mechanism. He uses humor as a way to defend himself from something that I don't understand. Perhaps he's trying to hide the pain with laughter?"

"A bit like you then." My brother said, smirking.

"Shut up."

Sasuke doesn't get emotional with me, but I get emotional with him. The best part of his quietness is the fact that he's a great listener. Just because he doesn't talk to me, it doesn't mean that whenever I have feelings that I just can't hold into me I don't go to him. He knows everything that's going on with me, yet I barely know what's going on in that head of his. He sometimes tells me, but rarely, like I said and sometimes I just hear him thinking without any intention, I swear!i

We talked a little bit more as we ate, and when we finished, Sasuke cleaned the table and I went to close the window, but I saw Shikamaru and his new team. He saw me too, and we waved at each other. I looked back at Sasuke and told him that I'd be back in a few, and I jumped to the roof top where Shika, Ino and Choji were eating.

"Hey, guys." I smiled.

"Akira." They said.

"Excited to meet your sensei?" I asked.

"I feel like this is going to be such a drag," Shikamaru sighed.

"I wasn't even waiting for another answer from you." I shook my head.

"How awesome it's going to be for you to be in a four-men squad!"Choji said, changing the subject.

"Yeah, I still wonder if the fact that one student was in plus this year is the only reason." I said.

"What else could it be?" Ino asked.

"I don't know... Well, anyway, I should get going. We're meeting our sensei in a few and I don't want to be late. See you!" I waved, as they said good bye too.

When I jumped back in Sasuke's apartment, he wasn't there anymore. He didn't bother to wait for me! I told him that I'd be back in a few, that little asshole! God, how hard would it have been for him to wait up three minutes! Little prat.

I made my way back to the Academy and on my way there I saw Sakura, gathering her lunch to throw it in the bin. Ah, Sakura... She used to be my good friend when we were kids, until she started crushing on my brother. Then all the conversations were about him and if I could set her up with him and I couldn't take it anymore. I don't think I've had a girl friend in a long time. Maybe it's time to rebuild my friendship with her? We're going to be on the same team for a long time, I can't be in a fight with her. Besides, this is a chance for her to get close to Sasuke, so she wouldn't need my help.

I sighed, rushing to catch up with her. I should at least give it a try.

"Hey, Sakura!" I waved, and she turned around.

"Akira, hi." She said, and I couldn't immediately read on her face that she was pretty sad.

"Is everything alright?" I asked her, and she nodded.

"A bit nervous about this team, but I'll survive." She smiled. "Anyway, how come you're talking to me?" She asked.

"Well, we're on the same team and it's not going to work out unless we get along, so we might as well give it a shot. Only if you wanna." I said.

"I'd love to."

We widely smiled at each other and walked together to the class where our team was supposed to meet up to wait for the sensei. We talked on the way there about the other teams and who we think is going to be more united and let's be honest; it's Team 10, Ino, Shikamaru and Choji. Their parents formed a team when they were our age, it was only natural their kids would be on the same team. And the formation Ino-Shika-Cho is very popular. Their clans have a long history of cooperation and I think that's amazing.

Anyway, Sakura and I entered the class, where we saw Naruto and Sasuke, but no sign of the sensei.

"Gee, brother, thanks for waiting up." I sarcastically told Sasuke, but he only rolled his eyes, glaring at Naruto.

I'll explain later. He said, and I quietly laughed. That's a story I look forward to.

We took our seats, quietly waiting for the sensei... Well, Sakura, Sasuke and I did. Naruto kept on looking through the door after him, and I really can't blame the kid. This dude really is late, I hope he isn't like this all the time.

We waited some more and I was really getting annoyed. I got up, looking with Naruto through the door, as if that would've helped. I looked through the window and saw groups of three kids meeting up with their sensei and that was annoying the living daisies out of me. Where is our sensei?! Why is he so late?! He better have a good explanation!

"We need to get back at him, for making us wait like idiots." I said, but I saw that Naruto had already read my mind.

I saw him grab the sponge for the black board and I knew what he wanted to do. I grabbed a near chair and pulled it over to the door so Naruto could get up and put the sponge between the door and wall. That's what our sensei will get for messing with us. Now I sound stupid, I know, but I hate it when someone's late and wastes my time. Not like I had something else to do, but still!

"Our teacher's a jonin, an elite ninja. You think he'd fall for that?" Sasuke pointed out, ruining the fun.

"Yeah, Sasuke's right. What are you two thinking?" Sakura agreed with my brother.

I didn't get a chance to make a snarky comment as per usual, because I saw a hand, pushing the door open and a man with gray haired man entered the classroom, the sponge falling right on his head. Are you kidding me? Naruto started laughing and Sakura apologized, but it was clear to see that she was happy for what had happened. He had it coming. Sasuke was neutral, but I couldn't help but wonder; is this an act? He's an elite ninja, he can't have fallen for a stupid prank. Why did he pretend to be unaware of it, if so?

"Hm, how can I put this?" The jonin said, picking up the sponge. "My first impression of this group..." He paused, before continuing. "You're a bunch of idiots."

"Are you kidding me, you're the one that butt his head right under the sponge." I commented.

I saw through the mask that was covering most of his face that he was taken aback. You could only see his righ eye, beside that, his bandana was rested on his forehead and leaned on his left eye and the mask were covering all. Does he have a very bad case of acne? What's this guy's deal?

"Well, aren't you and the blond one little feisty ones?" Our new sensei said. "Come on, let's go to the roof."

We followed him up, where we took seats on the steps and he leaned against the railway in front of us. I was seated between Sasuke and Naruto, watching the jonin closely. He's very... intriguing. Normally, it's very easy for me to read someone when I first meet him. I can easily make a first impression, judging by their gestures, way of talking and looks. But with him? It's very hard, and that mask is part of the reason.

"Alright, why don't you introduce yourselves?" He suggested. "One at the time."

"Introduce ourselves?" Sakura asked, a bit skeptical. "Well, what are we supposed to say?"

"Things you like, things you hate. Dreams, plans for the future. Hobbies. Things like that." He explained.

"Why don't you start?" Naruto said, and we agreed.

"Me? I am Kakashi Hatake." He started. I can finally put a name to the face. Maybe reading him is going to be easier now. "Things I like and things I hate... Hm, I don't feel like telling you that." He said. What kind of creepy dude with weird interests is he? "My dreams for the future... I've never really thought about it. As for my hobbies... I have lots of hobbies." He said. I can't believe it, now it's even harder than it was in the beginning to read him. God, he's so weird.

"That was really useless, all that he told us was his name." Sakura said, and Naruto and I nodded in agreement.

"Okay, your turn. You on the right, you first." He told Naruto.

"Believe it, I am Naruto Uzumaki! I like instant ramen in a cup and I really like the ramen Iruka-sensei got me at the Ichiraku's Ramen shop. But I really hate the three minutes you have to wait to put the water in the ramen cup. My hobbies are sorting different kinds of ramen and eating them. And my future dream is... To be the greatest Hokage! Then the whole village will stop disrespecting me and start treating me like I am somebody! Somebody important!" Naruto said, and I smiled at that. I can't wait for the day he'll be Hokage. I will be so proud of him and I'll most likely start crying. I think I'll even take a lot of pictures and videos.

"Alright, next." Kakashi-sensei announced, and we all looked at Sakura.

"I'm Sakura Haruno! What I like... Uh... I-I.. The person... I..." She blushed, giving Sasuke a side look, but he was completely somewhere else with his mind. I'll give Sakura this; she's very adorable at least. "My hobbies..." She couldn't stop looking at Sasuke and she was a mumbling mess. "My dream for the future is..." She couldn't even finish a sentence.

"And what do you hate?" Sensei tried to help her.

"Naruto!" She yelled, and Naruto started crying. It wasn't serious, neither of them were, but it still was funny.

"My name is Akira Uchiha." I started, seeing that no one was going to make another comment. "I like reading people and figuring out what their deal is and I hate it when I can't do it because a person hides too much or is too complicated." I crossed my arms, and I saw in his eye that he must have figured that I was talking about him. "My hobbies? Well... I think my hobbies are reading books this time, sometimes doing something stupid with Naruto, I guess. And as for my dreams? I haven't really thought about it, I guess I just want to become the best version of myself for now and I'll see where the future takes me."

"And the last one?"

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I hate a lot of things and I don't particularly like anything." He said, kind of hurting Sakura, judging by her reaction. "And what I have is not a dream because I will make it reality. I am going to restore my clan." He added, and the look on his face sent a shiver down my spine. There he goes again. "And destroy a certain someone." Itachi.

It was silence for a few minutes, as we all glared at Sasuke, definitely thinking different things. I knew that my brother was a bit creepy, but not this creepy. He won't rest until he gets his revenge, I know, but he really needs to let go. I know my older brother and Sasuke doesn't stand a chance. I am just being realistic.

"Good." Kakashi-sensei broke the silence. "You're each unique and have your own ideas."

That's one way to put it.

"Tomorrow, us five will have our first mission... well, it's more like a survival test." He explained, and we groaned. "Out of the 28 genins that have been promoted, 19 will return to the Academy. In other words, it will be very hard, with 66% chance of failing." We were all puzzled. Then what the heck was the graduation test for? "I decide whether or not you guys fail or pass." He added. "Be at the training grounds tomorrow at 5 in the morning, and I suggest you all not to eat breakfast, or you'll puke."

Good to know. Ugh, but I can't believe this! I can't go back to the Academy, I barely made it through the years! Unlike my brother, I was average and I sometimes feel like I am a disgrace to the Uchiha clan; I haven't yet awakened my Sharingan... Yes, I know, I am pretty lame, but my brother is the muscle! I am the brain! I am not the type of nerd, but I always preffered reading and thinking than being on the ground fighting. I am not scared or something like that, but I'd rather avoid the blades, blood and gore. Personal reasons. Sometimes I think that if it weren't for Sasuke, my ass would've been so bullied for the fact that I am a book worm. Maybe one day I will get used to fighting... let's just hope that day isn't going to have to be tomorrow.

"Class dismissed." Kakashi-sensei announced, waving good-bye.