Kei-Kei Yuki:I really like how this chapter came and I gotta admit, Sakura's part basically wrote itself while 'Lose To Love You' was playing! So recommended playing it, warning you might just find yourself crying, lol~!
A Look Into the Past
Ino was walking the streets of Konoha, helping aid with the reconstruction in any way she could when she ran across Naruko and many of her clones. Watching the village sing praises to the blonde, Ino sat a hand on her hip and smirked. "Who would have guessed that the famous academy tomboy would grow up and become a renowned hero! Then again, after watching everything she has done, you can't help but root for her."
Ino's mind flashed back to their days in the academy. Back then, Ino was too naive and filled with arrogance. Just like the majority of the girls in the academy, she too had a big crush on Sasuke-kun. She hated Naruko for always getting in the other's way and annoying Sasuke with her constant challenges, but deep down, Ino knew she was only jealous of Naruko. Ino may have been a cherished princess of her clan, but Naruko was strong, brave, and confident.
The blonde also packed a punch, recalling the day she was forced to go against Naruko in a spar. "Ha, this is going to be a piece of cake!" Ino flipped her hair and mocked Naruko.
"Whatever, flat-chest, just bring it on! Let's talk with our fists rather than our words, dattebayo!" shouted Naruko. Iruka signaled the match to begin, and Ino took off. Ino threw straight aimed punches and kicked at Naruko, but none connected as the blonde's agility moved her body like a cat, dodging Ino's hits.
"You loser, why don't you stand still, fox-face!?" said Ino, not knowing this was a trigger word for Naruko. Standing still on her feet, Ino smirked with triumph, thinking she finally got an opening, only to rethink this when Naruko boldly caught her fist.
"What did you call me?" Naruko's voice was cold, something which only a few people picked up on like Hinata, Iruka, her rival Sasuke, and the ever-observant Shikamaru.
'Uh oh, Ino has screwed up,' remarked the Nara.
"Ha, you heard me, fox-face!" Right after Ino cockily said those words, the only thing she saw was the swing of Naruko's fist flying at her face before everything went black. When the blonde Yamanaka heiress woke up hours later in her family's compound, discovering she was missing a few front teeth, she screeched and called Naruko every name in the book. While seemingly inheriting a fear of the brutal blonde's strength, she promised never to engage the other in a fight again.
Shikaku and Inoichi offered their assistance to a group of civilians when a flash of bright orange and sunshine blonde hair entered their sights. "Isn't that one of Uzumaki Naruko's clones?" asked Inoichi.
"Yep," said Shikaku, pondering back on a time when Shikamaru used to come home from the Academy and talk about the blonde. Shikaku once teased him for having a crush, earning a scowl of disgust from his son.
"She's too loud and hyper for my taste. Besides, I'm not the Uchiha." Shikamaru's words had caught his father off guard, unaware that the Uchiha had a crush on the girl. His speculations towards their relationship only increased after the Uchiha's defection from the village. A month later, after the disaster of that failed mission, Shikaku remembered playing shogi with his son when the subject of the Uchiha and the Uzumaki was brought up.
"What a troublesome pair. Oblivious fools that love hurting each other, but... even I got to admit it's weird seeing Naruko without Sasuke at her side." Shikamaru advanced his chess piece. "I'm not the only one who feels that way. We all grew up with them and watched them argue and fight, but they were always together despite their somewhat messy relationship. To see them not together anymore..." Shikamaru solemnly recalled the scene of Naruko breaking down in the hospital room after being retrieved from her intense battle with Sasuke.
"Stupid Uchiha, he threw away the only person he truly valued him." It was Shikaku's first time seeing Shikamaru get angry. "But knowing Naruko, she'll chase Sasuke to hell and back just to bring him back. Naruko is stubborn and does not believe in giving up. If anyone can bring the Uchiha back, it would be her. Besides, the Sun can't live without the Moon, right?" Shikamaru said poetically, moving his last chess piece.
"Checkmate."
Sakura was spending the night with Naruko when her blonde teammate's whimper awoke her. Sitting up, wiping the sleep from her green eyes, Sakura jolted alert when she heard Sasuke's name painfully cry from Naruko's lips. She shot a concerned look at the shorter blonde, seeing as the two shared the same bed. It was Naruko's idea to have a sleepover, and upon noticing the chaotic state of mind these back-to-back heartbreaking ordeals had put her beloved sister figure and teammate through, Sakura accepted the offer.
Eyes glued onto the petite figure curled up, pitifully holding the tiny Sasuke plushie Naruko had hand-sewed during her travels with Jirya, Sakura's heart lurched for the blonde. Sakura sat with her head against the bedrest. Carefully she reached out and positioned Naruko's head in her lap, gently running her fingers through Naruko's long mane of silky blonde hair.
"It's going to be alright, Naruko," Sakura softly whispered. Once upon a time, Sakura once held great love for the lone Uchiha survivor. The dark, fair prince in her fairytale dreams. Sakura loved him for so long that she once faithfully believed that as long as she held onto this love, Sasuke would return her feelings one day.
Of course, she noticed the strange relationship that Sasuke and Naruko shared. A part of her was even jealous of it. Even Sakura didn't like Naruko during their Academy days. Being on a team together changed those feelings, though she still found herself jealous of the attention Sasuke would bestow Naruko with but not her. Nevertheless, Sakura didn't let this falter her, and her love continued to burn strong.
Until that night happened. "Sasuke-kun, please don't leave! What about me? What about Naruko? I... I love you, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura declared her love, hoping her words would get through to Sasuke.
Standing in alone in the middle of the road at night, hands shoved in his pockets, a traveling bag strapped to his chest, Sasuke said nothing. "I'm sorry, Sakura, but I can not reincorporate your feelings. You have potential. You're strong, but I do not have those types of feelings for you."
Sakura's heart shattered as hot crystal tears began to roll down her cheek. "I... I don't care; I still love-"
"Sakura!"
Sasuke's shout made Sakura flinch. "'Move on and grow strong, Sakura. I'm not worth your time, but if there is one last thing I can ask of you, please watch over her for me. I'm leaving Naruko in your hands," Sasuke said before knocking Sakura unconscious. The next time Sakura awoke, the younger girl was in so much grief that she ran to Naruko, selfishly ignoring the pain that Naruko must have been going through as she pleaded for the blonde to bring Sasuke back.
Sakura would never forget Naruko comforting her, wiping her tears and smiling softly at her. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan. I'll definitely bring Sasuke back!" Naruko reassured the distraught girl, forgoing her own misery in her heart just to satisfy Sakura.
From the moment Naruko left on the mission to retrieve Sasuke, Sakura anxiously awaited the blonde's return with Sasuke. But what awaited her was far worse. Vividly remembering standing outside Naruko's hospital room, peeking inside, she was stunned by Naruko's current state. Naruko's bright cerulean blue eyes were void of life, wrapped in bandages. But what will haunt Sakura for the rest of her life was the sight of Naruko, known for her hyper energy, always filled with vigor and smiles, breaking into a soul gutting wail as she grieved the loss of Sasuke.
Sakura had always been aware of Naruko's short height, but as she was engulfed in Iruka's arms, the blonde seemed to have shrunk even more, presenting the image of a small child as each wail tore through Sakura's heart.
After her breakdown confession with Ino, Sakura tore through her room. Ino, who stood outside the door listening to the mayhem happening inside, desperately wanted to reach out to her best friend. Anger overfilled Sakura's heart, most of it aimed at herself, and another part...
"I hate you! I hate you!" Sakura threw all the love diaries against the mirror, which shattered upon impact. The once organized room looked as if a tornado ran through it. "I hate you so much!" A torrent of hot tears ran down Sakura's cheeks when her eyes landed on a photo of Team 7, and a sob escaped her throat as she sank to her knees.
"I hate you... Uchiha Sasuke! I hate you... Sasuke-kun!" A grief-stricken scream tore through Sakura's throat, clutching the photo frame to her chest as Ino tore down the door and tackled the other in a fierce hug.
"It's okay, Sakura! It's going to be okay." Ino hugged Sakura, running her hand through Sakura's pink hair, crying along with her best friend, who continued to grieve the loss of her teammate and... the end of her first love.
When it came time for Naruko to leave with Jiraya, Sakura gave the blonde a tight hug. A sentiment that touched Naruko's heart, returning the hug with the same amount of love. Soon after Naruko left, Sakura walked up to Tsunade and begged the other to train her. Tsunade eyed the young kunoichi and noticed that ever since the Uchiha had defected from the village, the pink-haired kunoichi seemed to have undergone some type of transformation. One stemmed from heartbreak.
"Oh, and why do you wish to grow stronger? Is it all for that Uchiha brat?" Tsunade asked, testing Sakura. Shooting the sanin with a determined look, Sakura stated her reason.
"You can say he's part of the reason, but..." Tsunade watched the young girl take a deep breath before exhaling. "The feelings I now hold for him are pure friendship and that of a comrade. I want to help Naruko bring him back. I'm tired of being weak and having to always rely on someone else. I want to walk my own path of true happiness and achieve my goal using my own two hands! Never... Never will I beg and cry, watching those precious to me risk their life for my own greed!"
Sakura spoke from the sincerity of her heart. Tsunade smirked, proud. "Finally, someone who sees common sense. If only my brat could see that, that damn Uchiha is no good," Tsunade grumbled. Sakura couldn't help but giggle.
"In all respect, Hokage-sama, Sasuke and Naruko have a special bond. Some may call it toxic and messed up, but only they can understand each other's pain and fears. Just like light and darkness, they can't live without each other," Sakura defended her teammates, to which Tsunade scoffed.
"Tch and she said the Uchiha wasn't her boyfriend. Rivals, my ass! Okay, Sakura, I'll take you on as a student, but you better prepare yourself!"
"Hai, Tsunade-sama!"
Back in the present, Sakura continued running a reassuring hand through Naruko's hair, peering out the window where tonight a full moon illuminated the night skies. "Just as you always helped me, I promise I'll help you get Sasuke-kun back. Even if I've got to break his legs and tie him in a pink bow, I will bring him back to you," Sakura lightly joked, placing her gaze on the slumbering blonde lying in her lap.
Omake:
After months of training, Jiraya watched the fierce tempered genin trained her body to the brink of exhaustion and never give up. Only it was now that Jiraya noticed that the chibi blonde required some new threads. "Hmm, you're right for once. My clothes are not fitting me anymore, including my underwear as I think my boobs have gotten bigger." Naruko noticed how none of her old bras fit. All of them had gotten too small.
"Woah! Chibi-chan, boundaries!" flushed the sanin, wishing Naruko had the manners not to grope herself!
"Shut it, you old perv! Since you pointed it out, obviously, we gotta go shopping." One moment Jiraya was in the forest, the next, he was in a women's clothing store, watching the lady in charge take Naruko's measurements before presenting different articles of clothing.
In the end, Naruko stuck with an outfit that resembled her old jumpsuit. Only this one showed off her now very present feminine curves to the dislike of Jiraya. "Hmm, maybe you should pick another outfit. You know, something less revealing." The slender shape of Naruko's bare legs was left open for any sleazy guy to gaze upon. Along with the bare skin of her arms. He glared at the way Naruko's jacket vest fit snug to her chest, which indeed had grown bigger.
Discreetly eyeing the ankle-length black tunic, Jiraya found it more pleasing. Only to snap back to reality when he heard the lady announce the total price of Naruko's new wardrobe. "Gotcha!" Instead of her beloved froggy pouch, Naruko happily opened Jiraya's wallet to the sanin's horror, and pulled out a stack of bills before slamming it on the counter.
"Oi, chibi-chan, what are you doing with my wallet!?"
"Paying for my clothes! You said I needed new clothes, so I got 'em. Now I need more underwear and bras. Oh, maybe some sexy black lace underwear with a matching bra! Or should I get red? Hmm, something in blue as well!" The more Naruko talked without shame, the more uncomfortable Jiraya began to feel, wondering why on earth was his brat buying some sexy underwear?!
"Wait! Don't tell me?" Jiraya tiptoed over and whispered into Naruko's ear. "You're buying sexy underwear for the Uchiha brat? I won't allow it!" Jiraya stood straight on his feet. "Like I'm going to let that pervy Uchiha get a foot-" Jiraya was never able to finish that sentence as a fist to his face sent him flying.
"Why on earth would I buy sexy underwear for Sasuke!? You pervy sage!" A dark orange aura wrapped around Naruko, the tails of her pigtails flying eerily behind her, reminding Jiraya of a certain someone.
'Yep, she definitely Kushina's kid!'
End of A Look Into the Past