Hello readers! So this is my first time making a one-shot of the character's POV, so I hope you will enjoy my one-shot.

A/N: I do not own Naruto and the characters of the story.

There is a girl, a pretty – no – a beautiful girl, whom I am very much deeply in love with…

I first saw her in the ninja academy, when she started to walk inside the classroom. Her attire she wore was a bit nerdy but cute nonetheless, a pink jacket with a yellow vest and a red skirt. Her hair was darker like a raven bird and her eyes were black… big and perfect, and she wore her red glasses for her sight. She sat beside a blonde haired uzamaki boy as I was supposed to sit right next to her but the seat was taken by another boy who has a pale skin and white hair with golden eyes. So I sat behind her above the desk, watching her from below, admiring her. Her intelligence amazes me for she had always answered each of the question that our sensei asked, I'd never thought for a girl like her would be so amazingly smart. After our class, I approached her for the first time introducing myself to her.

"H-hello, my name is Metal Lee, I hope you and I could be friends." I said with a smile but a bit of nervousness inside me. She looked at me with a blank expression, so I frowned. Though suddenly her lips seemed to curve upward… she smiled … at me and told me her name then was glad to accept to be friends with me.

"Y-yeah!" I grinned with a heat of blush in my cheeks.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Lee. See you again in class." She said as she turned around from me and left the classroom as I watched her leave, I triumphantly raised both my fists up in the air.

That girl who became my first love… Uchiha Sarada…

My father also fell in love with a girl too in his youthful years when he first met her in the ninja academy, his love for her is one-sided, he told me… and that he fell for was Sarada's mother, Haruno- no – Uchiha Sakura. He vowed himself to protect her for all his life, even though his love for her is never reciprocated, he will always love her till the end of his time and would rather die for protecting her.

The next day, I watched her from the tree branch hiding where she was there on the training grounds with her mother, whom I admit she was very beautiful, her pink hair was very unique and her eyes were emerald like jewelry and also has a purple diamond shape on her forehead. Sarada's fighting skills were impressive and her strength is powerful like my own as the fight is about to start, her moves were swift and fast like no ordinary ninja can possess. After her training was over, she sat on the grass feeling relaxed while removing her glasses as the wind blew from her face then her raven hair flows behind beautifully. Those were the things I really love about her… strong, beautiful, confident and brave.

~o~

As the time passed by, in my 11th years of age for I and all of my fellow classmates were now graduating from the academy, all of my father's youthful training that I have accomplished were now on me and my father became tearfully proud that I made it to graduation and finally now I am a genin.

When the class was about to start, I sat on my usual sit in front of Sarada's back with an uchiha crest on it, she had grown so beautiful and amazingly strong. Before our graduation, she seemed a bit cold at that time and was never interested in becoming a shinobi and sadly didn't even talk to me anymore as the days become weeks have passed, Sarada is now happy and cheerful than before when I first met her and I am glad that she was back as the same girl whom I fell in love with.

After our class was finished, I saw Sarada talking to Chouchou, her best friend, when I assume that they were going to have a hang out, but as I looked at the Akimichi girl who shakes her head a bit, meaning that she cannot go with her as I heard her mom is going to make a big buffet for her and her father at home, Sarada sigh a bit of disappointment as she nodded with an 'Okay' when her best friend left. I approached her from behind and called her.

"Hey Sarada-san!"

She turned around facing me and smiled faintly.

"Oh hey Lee, what's up?"

"Do you want to go hang out with me, you know as friends?" I asked as her eyes widen from which I continued. "If that's alright with you?" we both went silent for a moment. "You don't have to force yourself to-" I was cut off sentenced when she finally spoke.

"No, it's okay, yeah sure, I will go hang out with you." She said with a genuine smile.

"Great!" I grinned with excitement. "So where do you want to go?" I asked.

"Well, I was supposed to invite Chouchou at my home because my mom told me that she is going to make dinner and wanted me to invite a friend but since Chouchou cannot come because her mom is also going to make a big buffet dinner at her home, I was about to invite either Boruto or Mitsuki, but they both declined."

"Oh I see, then okay, I would love to be invited for dinner." I said while grinning with a thumbs up on my left.

She smiled back at me as we both walked towards her home.

"So…" I spoke while walking. "What happened?"

"About what?" She asked with curiosity.

"That you were not yourself back then, before we graduate at the academy."

"Oh…" Her expression turned to a slight frown and faced away from him. "Well it's a bit of a long story."

"It's alright, just don't give me a lot of details, and tell me of your reasons why."

She turned around to face me with a nod and explain to me on her childhood life that she never met her father. Her mother told her that he was on a long secret mission, and mistakenly thought the red headed woman with glasses is her mother. I frowned while she's still explaining. But smiled at the end when she said that the bonds are not always from genes but also the ones who cared about you. I looked at her as she stared up at front.

"We're almost on our way to my home."

As Sarada and I reached towards the door as she knocked. The door was open when a pink haired woman in front of us smiled greatly.

"Sarada, welcome home and I see you brought a friend."

I bowed to her mother which surprises her and Sarada. "I'm Metal Lee, and it's an honor to meet you, Sakura-sama." I stood up and saluted towards her which Sarada was a bit embarrassed at my greeting towards her mother.

"O-oh, why i-it's nice to meet you, Lee." She smiled again as I smiled back. We both went inside the room then to the kitchen as Sarada and I were on the dining chair. I sat beside her while waiting for Lady Sakura to prepare for dinner as I heard footsteps on the hallway, to my surprise, a dark haired man like Sarada's was a lot taller and a bit grumpy if I say so myself as he looked at me with… well… suspicious eyes which gives me the shivers as he spoke.

"I didn't know we have a guest, Sakura."

"Oh I told Sarada to invite a friend in our home, if you don't mind." She said while putting the food on the table.

"Hn." He replied as I stood up and walked my way towards him and bowed respectfully with a salute from which he was surprised with his eyes widen but still look calm.

"I'm Metal Lee, sir, I'm Sarada's friend and her fellow classmate, my father told me a lot of stories about you as his rival in battle, and it was an honor to meet you, Uchiha-sama."

From what I see, he looked stunned including Lady Sakura and Sarada. But nodded as a reply then said. "I see, so you are Rock Lee's son, huh you look a lot like him."

"Yes, sir!" I grinned.

"Well, it's an honor to meet you too." He said while closing his eyes then drinks his tea. "And please sit down."

"Yes!" I went back to my seat beside Sarada as I looked at her from which she smiled and whispered. "It seems you're the only one who can face my papa without yourself getting scared off." She giggled as I replied.

"You know me, Sarada-san I am not afraid of anything."

"Of course, you are."

When we are all done finishing our meal, I bowed towards her parents at the living room before leaving.

"Thank you for the dinner, Uchiha –sama and Sakura-sama."

"You're welcome, Lee and you can come anytime, if you need anything." Sarada's mother smiled and waved while her husband didn't reply, just stared at me. I saw Sarada at the door waiting for me as I walked out of her home.

"Thank you, Sarada-san, for letting me invite for your dinner."

"No… thank you, Lee."

"For being such a great friend." She said with a smile.

"You're welcome, Sarada-san."

After that she hugged me as I returned hers then lets go of my hug.

"Well, good night, Lee."

"U-uh good night, Sarada-san." I said with a grin as she smiled and closes the door in front of me.

I walked through the hallway of the apartment while still smiling.

~o~

The weeks have passed when the chunin exams came. My team and I participated from every trial and level but in the end, I didn't pass along with my team, but when I saw Sarada on the other side of the building she raised her while flag with a cheerful grin victoriously, I was so proud of her for she and her team have accomplished that level. The next day, I went into the arena to watch the fight as I saw my father stood in the middle then looked at the screen for the one on one battle. After the Uzamaki boy defeated the cloud ninja who blows bubbles which to be an explosion. from what I can see I'm impressed, that Uzamaki Boruto was an excellent ninja, after all he really is the son of the seventh hokage and the grandson of the fourth hokage, I'm guessing he will be the next hokage in the future but Sarada told me that Boruto hates to become a hokage. She also told me her goal was to become the first Uchiha to become a hokage from that I support her goal.

As the gening vs genin fight each time, it was Sarada's turn to fight against the blond headed cloud ninja. I cheered towards Sarada as the fight is about to begin. They fight continuously as the cloud ninja taunt her by calling her 'I thought the uchihas were tough enough to be a challenge but I guess I was wrong' Oh no, he did not just taunt my Sarada that way. That no good jerk was getting on nerves when Sarada fuels her chakra as I saw her turned red "The Sharingan" I thought as this was the first time I'd ever seen it personally. She clenched her fist with full chakra as she punched the cloud ninja in the face with a hard blow on the wall. Before I was about to cheer, her mother yelled 'Alright towards Sarada which caused her to be embarrassed.

After her battle with the cloud ninja, I saw her on the other side sitting beside her white headed teammate as she turned around from behind to face me when I thumbs up her achievement and grinned, she returned a smile then faced in front to watch the next battle until I saw her face in disappointment when Uzamaki Boruto cheated. It was so shameful and it will ruin the Hokage's reputation as I watch the hokage removed his son's hitaite and disqualifying him from the chunin exam. The terror came when two strange people in white arrived from above were attacking as the whole arena were starting to crumble, I watched my father picked up shikadai then went up towards the stadium. Luckily, many of the famous shinobis including Sarada's mother sucker punch the large crumbles below to pieces as I helped the civilians to find their way out to a safe place until I saw Sarada and her teammate saving a young girl when I heard her telling him to look after the little girl until the large chunk of cemented stone going down towards her, I ran as fast I could to save her when she was lifted by her father from which I'm relieved as I keep on leading the people to safety then went out of the arena knowing that Sarada will be safe with her father.

I saw from afar, a bright light explosion on the arena, it makes me feel worried as I hope Sarada is safe and alright. Moments went by, while I was helping the injured people to see a doctor, Sarada approached me and said.

"Lee, you're okay". She looked at me relieved that I am fine.

"I should be the one concerned if you are fine, Sarada-san." I said as I saw her frown then I asked. "What happened? W-where's Hokage-sama?"

"Gone, Lee… Hokage-sama… is gone…" She replied as her tears fell down from her eyes, I frowned as well when I put my arms around her to comfort her for a moment as I let go of my embrace from her. "Boruto… is he okay?" I asked while she wiped her tears then looked at me. "He's fine. He's unconscious."

I nodded. "You should go look after your teammate, Sarada-san."

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine, my dad's here anyway, so he really needs my help…so go."

She faintly smiled and nodded then turns around to ran towards the hospital as I watched her leave my presence.

~o~

After the catastrophe in konoha ended, I watched Sarada and her mother ran towards Uchiha-sama with an embrace, relieved that he was fine. The Hokage was back to us and alive including Boruto beside. The next day, I went into the hospital and saw Sarada with her mother as I approached and called her.

"Sarada-san!"

They turned around to see me standing in front as she tells her mother to be right back for a while then walked towards me.

"Lee, what are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see if you are okay?" I smiled at her as she smiled back and said.

"Oh well, I'm okay I was just watching over my dad in the hospital bed including the Hokage beside him from which his family were there to look after him.

"Oh I see… um Sarada, can I speak with you, please… alone?" I nervously asked as she looked at me curiously.

"Why? Is there something wrong?"

"N-no, nothing's wrong, it's just I need to tell you something… something important."

She stared at me for a moment then finally said. "Okay" I nodded as she followed me outside the hospital then we went towards the front entrance of the ninja academy building where Sarada and I first met, I stopped my pace and faced her as she's still looks at me confused.

"So what was it you want to tell me, Lee?" She asked as I closed my eyes and inhaled then exhaled as I spoke when my eyes opened to stare at her.

"When I first met you at the ninja academy, I felt something inside my heart that made me happy. I am happy that you accepted me to be your friend and comrade, I'm happy that you were the same girl that you once were when we were kids after you kept your distance from me. I'm happy… that my feelings for you have grown throughout the years since the day I met you…"

She looked at me with her eyes widen and I can evidently see her cheeks became a bit red as I slowly confessed to the only girl I fell in love with.

"Sarada…I love you…"

Silence invaded our surroundings, when the wind blew towards us causing Sarada's hair flow wavy behind then finally she replied with a sad smile on her face.

"Lee… I love you… as a friend, but I am sorry, my feelings cannot return towards you. To me… you are my friend… a good friend of mine, who tried to cheer me up whenever I'm sad and who was there for me whenever I'm alone… but…" She raised her hand then puts her two fingers towards my forehead, poking me from which I'm surprised at her gesture as she continued to say…

"Thank you… for everything you've done for me." My eyes widen and tears fell out of my eyes as she lets go of her fingers then embraces me with an affection as a friend. I returned that embrace with my tears still flowing from my cheeks.

If my father will never give up his love for her then I too will never give up my love for her, I will protect her with all my life even if she would never reciprocate my feelings for her, I will always love till the end.

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.

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~FIN~