Naruto Uzumaki was loud—was the first thought reaching Sasuke's mind on their first day of primary school.

While entering the large gates, the black-haired boy was attentively scrutinizing the familiar appearances of his classmates. Some new faces popped out. Still, he recognized most of them with quite a bit of apathy. When finally he noticed the blond head, he couldn't hold the feeling of amazement and pure wonder that rose in his chest.

Naruto could be heard from the complete opposite side of the courtyard. That, by itself, was outstanding, considering how far he was. From here, even Sasuke could see that the blond was jumping on his friends and telling them how he had missed them during the summer. It was effortless for the blond, who even started greeting strangers that surrounded him. He had even started blabbering in front of Iruka, their new teacher, about his life and every useless thing happening in it.

This said, Sasuke was soon too bored to keep watching. For once, Konoha Primary was maybe the answer to his problems. Not that the boy had many (problems, that is), but perhaps finally leaving kindergarten would help him get better at everything and beat his brother.

After the three long years of kindergarten, Sasuke was feeling more than ready. It was not that he hadn't been challenged before. Being an Uchiha was a challenge in itself, but he was looking to do something new.

Nevertheless, opposite to many of his comrades, the 7-year-old boy was extremely happy to get to 6th grade. He knew how to read and count since, like, forever—Itachi had taught him. Numbers and words had no secrets from him. While his drawing skills never improved, he had quickly understood that he could draw a human body without using sticks (things other boys in his class still had an issue understanding—yes, he was thinking about Kiba Inuzuka).

Similarly to three years ago, his mother had hugged him and whispered sweet words of encouragement in his ear. Sasuke was a big boy, not like he needed them, but he still blushed with happiness before kissing his mother goodbye.

Naruto, still on the other side of the courtyard, was screaming (again), exclaiming, laughing, and the Uchiha was already getting his usual headache. While he was still amazed by how easily the other was loud, he had to admit that he didn't really like it. One thing that was very bothersome to him was noise… but who cared? It was not like anyone would ask what the young Uchiha was thinking of it. Nobody seemed to care or be displeased that Naruto was so loud. It was beyond Sasuke's understanding. The young black-haired boy enjoyed calm things and silence. He just could not comprehend.

Yet all the other kids (led by Naruto) seemed to enjoy screaming at each other and doing random things.

They were just 6 and 7 years old all around, minding their 6- and 7-year-old business. How could he expect more from them? It was useless anyway. Sasuke did not want to talk to any of them. After all, Sasuke had Itachi. What did he need more?

That year of primary school went as uneventful as they get. As expected, Sasuke did not really make any friends, but it wasn't like it mattered anyway.

The day that everything changed was not here yet.

When the end of the year arrived, nobody seemed to remember how alone the black-haired boy had been. Sasuke did not care.

He did not.

He promised himself.

When summer came, undoubtedly, he was not yet at Itachi's level, but he was by far the best in his class. Iruka-sensei had even sent Mikoto his congratulations and some summer homework to keep the smart little boy from getting bored during his time off. He had even called Sasuke a genius without realizing the meaning of that word to the Uchiha.

Mikoto had been very pleased and had even brought it up during the usual Sunday family lunch. Fugaku, under Madara, Shisui, Obito, and the rest of the many cousins, had immediately focused on Sasuke with an interested look, but after a couple of questions, it seemed it was actually not that impressive. This was the minimum they could expect from placing their son in such a low-end school. Implying that these frivolities were worth the word 'genius' was an aberration. A comment to which Mikoto had very wisely smiled at without expanding on it, knowing very well this was a battle she would never win. Sasuke, on the other hand, had felt very sad that day. He felt even more isolated.

In addition, that summer, Itachi had gone to a renowned internship, leaving his little brother alone in their big house. Upon his return, he received a special plate from NASA with his engraved name. A trophy that Fugaku had quickly cleaned and placed in a dedicated room for Madara to see at his earliest convenience.

Sasuke was therefore again forgotten.

The end of the summer vacation ended up arriving anyway with the beginning of his second year of primary school. That first day, Sasuke thought it would be like any other day. He was eight years old, and this time, he couldn't very much say he had achieved the greatness he was looking for.

That day, however, he woke up the same way he woke up every other year. He prepared himself like usual and hugged his mom before walking to school. The 8-year-old had started going to school by himself a little bit earlier than everybody else last year. He had insisted for a long time to his mother that he was big enough to do so. His father had looked at him very critically when he had learned that his wife was still dedicating an entire morning to drive her son to class. After a few whines by Sasuke, his mom finally had accepted. He would then walk a bit with Itachi (who for some reason started walking too) before getting around the corner and going to school five extra minutes away. He was quite pleased that his brother was spending time with him after so long. That time spent with his Itachi was the happiest he was each day.

While he was proud of himself at the beginning, this day at the beginning of his second year of primary school felt like it was an inferior achievement for his age. Yet at school, everything was again the same. All his classmates were saying bye to their parents with their familiar faces. Shikamaru was almost sleeping. Choji was packing some snacks that his mother was giving him. Naruto was… loud. With his usual stolidity, Sasuke was trying to effortlessly get closer to the front gate of the school. He had to reach his classroom without being pushed in all directions by the kids.

He hated that. He hated everyone.

Yet it was at this moment that everything changed.

While naturally walking straight (because he was an Uchiha, and an Uchiha always walked straight), his shoulder mindlessly hit the back of another of his classmates.

A fast and emotionless "Sorry" left his lips, and his black onyx met the pale green ones of the young, unusually pink-haired girl. Sasuke really tried… yes, he really tried to remember her name (but that was useless, whatever he did, he could never recall the girls' names in his class). Before just shrugging his shoulders and continuing his way.

Sasuke was not popular. At least he didn't think he was. He didn't have friends like Naruto (who was always getting all of the attention), but he was not disliked either. People talked to him, and he sometimes answered. In general, everybody in class seemed to care more about themselves anyway. Overall, he was fine with that… to some extent, at least. Maybe it would have been nice to be closer to people, but he didn't really want to bother.

Yet, this situation was soon to change.

The girl he had bumped into that day was Sakura Haruno. What was a forgettable event for Sasuke Uchiha turned out to be life-changing for her.

Exactly one week after bumping into her, Haruno-san came back.

It was lunchtime, and the young pink-haired girl had stopped in front of his desk expectantly. Sasuke slowly raised his head from his bento box, wondering why she was here. She looked shy, and he could swear part of her face was as pink as her hair. Her friend, a blond girl—really, he didn't even know her name—was standing next to her, almost pushing her forward. Yet, Sakura was still not talking. Fidgeting with her fingers, she seemed to be on the verge of saying something before looking away from him again.

Then, when she finally opened her mouth, no sound came out. A minute later, Sakura was running away, dragging her friend with her, and Sasuke couldn't have been more confused.

Sasuke did not understand, nor did he care. Still, the very next day, the girl was back… standing in front of his desk, looking at him expectantly while he was eating. Then, the day after that as well. And slowly, Sasuke started receiving more attention. His classmates, who had never really paid close attention to him, were suddenly eyeing him whenever they could—curious about the usual visits from the pink-haired girl.

Then, on the fourth day, it happened.

The no-name girl and her friend had come to him and were watching him. He waited, expecting to finally hear what she had been trying so hard to say for the past four days, when suddenly, the girl, unable to hold it in anymore, blurted out:

"SASUKE-SAN! Please be my husband! I love you very much!"

The entire class went breathless and immobile… unable to say anything while looking at the two eight-year-olds. Even Naruto was silenced. Everyone was there. And Sasuke must have been quite the sight, with his mouth halfway open and his chopsticks hanging in his hand. He sat there, unsure of what to say, weirdly trying to understand why the girl's face was turning as red as her hair.

After five more minutes of silence, she let out a weird burp before just running away.

But it was too late…

Sasuke Uchiha's anonymous days were gone. In less than a day, the once-unknown boy had become the most popular kid in school. And Sakura Haruno became his first—and greatest—fangirl.

Sasuke hated it.

If he had ever thought he wanted friends before, he certainly didn't want them anymore. People were talking to him… all the time. He was never alone. Everywhere he went in school, somebody was already there, ready to speak to him. And while some were boys, Sasuke could swear 99.99% were girls.

Sasuke hated girls.

They were weird, acted weird, and were just… weird. And they would never leave him alone.

When he finally told Itachi about his nightmare at school, his older brother just shrugged and smiled, saying that his Otouto was popular and that it was nice. But Sasuke didn't agree. It wasn't nice. He didn't want to be popular… He wanted to go back to being the quiet and unknown boy of the class.

After a few months, one thing did turn out to be nice.

The boys started talking to him too. The girls, slowly but surely, backed off—probably because he ignored them most of the time. But some still didn't get the hint.

Especially the pink-haired one.

She didn't seem to understand that he didn't want to talk to her.

Then, one day, he exploded.

It was the end of class, and he was ready to go home, but she started talking to him in the corridor. And Sasuke was tired. He couldn't stand it anymore.

He turned and looked her right in the eye.

"Stop annoying me, you… p-pig?!"

He hesitated. He was mad, but his mother and brother always told him to be nice to others.

Right after saying it, he immediately wanted to apologize. But instead, too gauche to really know how, and too proud to actually say "sorry," he just stood there as the girl's big green eyes filled with tears. Her mouth trembled, and her nose wrinkled.

Then, Sasuke didn't know what to do.

He ran away.

He left her alone in the corridor, promising himself that he would never insult someone again. He wanted his mama to be proud. Maybe he could apologize the next day? Yes… he would do that. He would do it before anyone knew he had insulted Sakura.

(Yeah, he knew her name now.)

But it was too late.

The next day, while walking toward his class, he heard it.

The screaming.

And he knew immediately who it was.

There was only one person with a voice that loud in school.

It broke through the hallway.

"SASUKE! TEME! WHY DID YOU MAKE SAKURA CRY?"

Before he could answer or do anything, Naruto Uzumaki's fist hit his jaw.

Sasuke had promised he would never fight and be a problem for his mother, but for the first time in forever, he wanted very badly to fight back.

Sasuke saw red.

He couldn't accept that. He hit Naruto back, harder and with more rage than the blond had hit him.

Naruto fell to the ground. And for a second, Sasuke thought about apologizing again.

But he didn't have time. Naruto was already back on his feet, ready to hit again.

It was Sakura who stopped them.

She screamed as she jumped between them, and suddenly, Sasuke thought she was going to be mad at him too. She had every right to be—he had insulted her the day before.

But no.

To his surprise, her wrath wasn't directed at him but at the stupid blond. She screamed at him.

And Sasuke could see it… the pain in those blue eyes.

"What are you doing, Naruto-kun?! Don't hurt Sasuke-kun!"

Then he saw something else.

The hate in those blue eyes.

Naruto screamed again. "It's his fault! Sakura-chan, it's—" but before he could finish his sentence, he ran away faster than ever.

"It's okay, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said. "Don't mind him. He is stupid."

And Sasuke, on the spot, just nodded. Not knowing what to do.

Sasuke Uchiha had never had a best friend.

But that day, for the first time in forever, he got a "best something."

From that day on, Sasuke Uchiha had a best enemy.

Naruto Uzumaki.

And from that day on, Naruto Uzumaki never left him alone.

Every day, the boy found a new way to annoy him. Sasuke couldn't believe it. How could anyone have so much imagination?

One day, Naruto even bought a frog—a freaking frog—and put it in his T-shirt. Another day, Naruto would empty his tea bottle on his desk or take his cookies. Or steal his stuff.

This could have been considered bullying if… Sasuke didn't fight back twice as hard every time.

Sometimes, Sasuke couldn't take it anymore, and they would actually fight. With their fists. And Naruto would always lose. Then, the boy would stop bothering him for a while… until he saw him talking to Sakura-chan again or something, and he would start being his annoying self again.

By the beginning of third grade, Naruto became more organized… if you could call it that.

His mom had punished him harshly for the prank he tried to pull on Sasuke at the end of second grade—a very stupid joke that went wrong, leaving the black-haired boy with a fouled-up wrist. After that, Naruto stopped with his pranks.

For a while, Sasuke was happy to be left alone.

Until Naruto came up with something else.

Challenges.

"HEY, SAS'KE! YOU WILL NEVER REACH THE CAFETERIA BEFORE ME!"

And Sasuke couldn't say no. After all, he was an Uchiha. Uchiha never backed off.

And the boy would get annoyed, but he would run, trying to reach the cafeteria before the blond.

He always won.

"Sas'ke! You'll never get a better grade than me in Japanese."

And Sasuke would work hard and get a better grade.

"SASU'KE! Teme! You will never jump as high as I do!"

The raven-haired boy, who had always worked hard for what he wanted, for the first time in his life, was better than someone. And maybe it wasn't Itachi he was beating, but at least it had to count for something, right?

Then, one day, he bragged. It was Easter break, and he told his father. He told him he was more precise than a kid at school when the idiot had asked him to throw balls on the football field.

He had never seen so much disgust in his father's eyes. And frozen and ashamed, he watched as his father left the dinner table without giving him a look.

"An Uchiha doesn't play small games. They do not need to prove their greatness; they just are. You really never learned anything from your brother's success."

And Sasuke stayed there, speechless.