Chapter Text
7th, August 1999
I touched my hair for the third time today. It feels strange still, to have had this ribbon that Ino gave me.
'[You should keep it, it suits you.' That is what I hear every time I look at it. I used to use my green ribbon sometimes but I lost it.
I self-consciously touched my forehead. I usually hide it with my bangs. It brings less attention to it that way.
"Sakura, are you listening to me?"
"M-Mother..! I'm sorry, I'm listening now."
Sakura's mother Mebuki sighed as she eyed her child. "You doing okay at the academy? Those girls aren't messing without again, are they?"
Mother never wanted me to become a ninja. She and father always said their clan was nothing special. We didn't possess anything game-changing, just regular citizens. But I wanted to do this. I knew it'd be tough but...
"No, Mother. not since Ino-san helped me."
"Yamaka Ino, isn't it? She's the one who gave you that ribbon didn't she?" she touched my ribbon and sighed again, this time with a slight smile. "It suits you. I'll have to thank her if I see her one day."
I unconsciously touch it again. "Thank you! I'm...going to go now! I'll see you later today!"
"Alright," she smiled one last time. "Have a good day, honey."
I ran out the house in a rush thinking back on our talk. she was more receptive this time. I think she may be coming around to this ninja thing.
Good.
I'd be lying if I said my only motivation to become a ninja was to become stronger. There's...a boy in our class, Uchiha Sasuke. He's so handsome and...mysterious. Not only that, but he's ridiculously talented. He aces the physical tests without even trying! He's so amazing! I think I may have a crush on him...and I think Ino does too, along with half the school. But that's okay, I'll just have to make him notice me. Withy this ribbon she gave me...maybe he will.
After a while, Ino appeared in my vision, it looked like she was talking with some of the girls in our class.
"Sakura-san, come here!" she waved at me.
I caught up and greeted her.
"So, are you going to do it?" she teased. I had no idea what she was talking about.
"Do what?"
She stopped in tracks and looked at me all confused. I really didn't know what she was talking about at this point. "Get Sasuke's attention! All the girls in class are going to try their luck and see which girl he'll fall for."
"Are you going to do it?"
"Mmm maybe. Are you?"
"I...think I will."
Ino looked surprised to hear my answer. Did she not think I'd do it? "You look surprised."
"It just that the Sakura I knew from a few months ago would never. In fact, she'd be crying behind a try trembling in fear."
I found myself touching the tip of my red ribbon once again. Ino took notice of my newly found habit and smirked. "Was it the ribbon that gave you this...confidence?"
"...Maybe. I just...it feels different."
'Of course it does, you had your hair covering your most noticeable trait, that big forehead!"
"Ino!"
"Having a big forehead isn't that bad, Sakura. You just have to be comfortable with it! And you'll get there, easily. with this." She touched the tip of my ribbon. "You'll see."
Before I could answer, we heard the bell rang and one of the teachers standing outside motioning for us to come in.
"We'll talk about it later." Ino proposed. "Come on, it's time for class."
The both of us ran the rest of the way there and combined with the line that forced through the door. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone unfamiliar...but familiar? I didn't see his face but his blonde hair...where have I seen him before?
"Come on Sakura, keep moving." A teacher urged me snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Yes Ma'am."
As we all settled in our respective class, everyone started to take their seats. I saw a crowd forming around the middle.
"Sasuke-kun, can I sit next to you?"
"He doesn't want to sit next to you! Right, Sasuke-kun?"
"Both of you are delusional! He clearly wants to sit next to me!"
Sasuke must be here. I took a deep breath and clenched my fist.
"Sakura!' I heard Ino's voice again. She was sitting a row higher than the camotion and motioned me uo there. "Come sit next to me!"
I hurried over to her, moving away from the chaos, and took a seat. "This way," Ino whispered. "We'll still be close to him."
Eventually, the teacher stepped in and asked everyone to sit.
"Alright everyone, settle down. Find your seats." He cleared his through and smiled. "My name is Iruka and I will be your teacher. Though we started just a couple weeks ago, we have a new student that will be joining us." Iruka-sensei motioned for a boy to sit next to him from the hallway. It was that blonde kide from earlier. Suddenly, everyone got quiet once he entered the frame. "This is Naruto, he'll be joining us today. I expect everyone to be on their best behavior? Go ahead and sit."
Everyone was looking at him. I could hear the whispers from the other kids calling him a demon and a monster.
"Hey, you know him?" Ino nudged me. I turned to her and quickly shook my head no.
"What made you think that?"
"You looking at him like you do..."
"He does look familiar..."
The blonde kid held his head slightly down. his orange jumper hung off his shoulder a little having a dishivled look. He had on these frog goggles and spikey hair. Once he took a seat and looked up, I instantly knew where I've seen him. Where I knew him.
I think he felt me staring at looked in my direction. I quickly turned away; I could feel my face heating up. I knew he looked familiar. We talked a few months ago, April i think. He was picking berries when he saw me training. He was a little funny back then. And the most beautiful blue yes I've ever seen. What really stood out though, were those whiskers on his cheeks. I've never seen anything like it. Must be a birthmark or something.
After the lesson ended, everyone was gathering their things when I heard a pencil roll over next to me. I picked it up and inspected it before a voice spoke. "That's mine." I turned to the voice's owner. It was him!
"Sasuke-kun!"
"Can I have my pencil back?"
I looked past him and instantly saw some of the girls looking at me sideways. Most had scowls on their faces. "Sure! Here.." I handed it to him and smiled.
"Thanks." he said with a smirk.
When he left, Ino nudged me for the second time today. "Did Sasuke just smile at you?!"
"I-I guess!" It just hit me what happened. That THAT just happened! Uchiha Sasuke just smiled at me!
"I can't belive it. I'm so jealous right now," she looked over to the grumbling girls. "And I think they are too."
Ino looked at my hair again, "Maybe it is the ribbon."
I giggled to myself at the small interaction. I can't belive it actually happened! I could feel someone staring at me, probably one of the girls, and turned around. It was any of the girls but Naruto! His blue eyes locked with mine for a moment before he ran down the steps.
"Maybe."