• Sasuke: Am I honestly helping for the story?
    Sugar: Oy! Oy! Who put chicken-butt in my helpers position!?
    Sasuke: What did you say?!
    Sugar: No! No! Anyone but Sasuke!
    Sasuke: -Head locks- You’re stuck with me, get over it you big baby.
    Sugar: -cries- Deidara…! T∆T

    XxxX

    The street of Konoha had been fairly quiet this evening. Cars would swiftly pass by on the paved roads, spraying small amounts of water onto the sidewalk. It was a grey evening, and it had just stopped raining. Men and Woman where walking down the sidewalks in long raincoats and umbrellas, lovers where kissing good-bye at the doors of small row house doors. Stray cats trotted safely under trash-lids and down ally ways. Small children where staring sadly out their windows, dreaming of the coming day when they could be free and play outside.

    However, these small children where not the only one’s who wanted desperately to be free. A young teenaged girl with long pink locks of hair was sitting on a wood stool, looking longingly at the grey sky. She had pretty thin lips, and green eyes that would put any gem to shame. She tried hard to hold in her sighs as she traced lines over the windowpane. This girl’s name was Sakura.

    “I really hate when it rains.” Sakura said to no one in particular.

    Her mother, who was passing by with china plates for dinner, overheard and rolled her eyes, “Sakura, stop staring out the window, there’s nothing happening out there, now go help you’re father cook dinner.” She said, almost demanded, and bustled into the dining room to set the table.

    Sakura took one last look out the window, and slid off her stool. She walked into the kitchen to find her father hadn’t even started dinner. He was to busy typing away at his lap top, engrossed in work he probably didn’t even know Sakura had walked in. She was about to tell him he needed to start dinner, when it occurred to her, her father probably wouldn’t even have listened. So instead, she started the stove up and pulled out a box of dried pasta from the cupboards.

    When she had a pot of water over the gas fire and made sure everything was intact, Sakura started on the vegetables and chicken to go with it.

    “Hey dad, dinner’s going to be ready soon.” Sakura called to her father, who hadn’t even blinked since she entered the room.

    He sniffed, “Yeah, okay.” Not even a sideways glance, and he was back to ignoring her.

    “Some family we are.” Sakura muttered to herself.

    When everyone was seated at the table, Mrs. Haruno took one look at the steaming dishes of food and groaned, “You couldn’t have made some soup, Sakura?”

    Sakura shrugged, ignoring her mothers shroud remarks, “Sorry mom, we were out of chicken broth.”

    Her mother shook her head, “Well remember to buy some next time, will you?”

    Sakura bit her lip and nodded, quietly apologizing.

    XxxX

    Once dinner had finished, Sakura barely surviving the boring conversation of politics, work, the list of what she had to do tomorrow, and her father pleading to return to his computer, she had silently excused herself and stalked to her room.

    It was a small bedroom, one with many posters of famous singers, actors, and dancers. It was very cozy to Sakura. She didn’t mind the funny smell of pine nuts and maple, or the cramped space, and the many faces of singers seemed to light up the area.

    Sakura sighed, looking admiringly at a poster of a blond woman with pigtails and deep brown eyes. She had a flashy green kimono on and a microphone in her left hand. Behind her where three other men, one had snow-white hair, one had long brown hair, and the other was a spiky blond main. Under them were the words “The Hokages.”

    Sakura had always admired that band, especially the lead singer, “Tsunade.” Her dream was to be a singer, ever since she was a small girl, but her parents had other plans in store for her. They want her to be the successor of her father’s business. Sakura couldn’t help but spit at those words. Being stuck in front of a computer all day would surely drive her mad.

    Flopping down on her bed, Sakura took her i-pod and speakers out from under her pillow. She turned on her i-pod and scrolled through her songs, picking one she liked, and turned the volume down, so as to not disturb her father. Quietly she sang along.

    “Holding out a madder, and longing for your ever changing thorns ” the words flowed from her lips, her voice hitting every note perfectly, “I’m searching for someone with a head of fluttering black hair.”

    She sang on until the song came to an end, and then shortly afterwards she would play it again, and again, until she fell asleep.

    XxxX

    “Oh Sakura, get up already, you’ll be late for school today!” Sakura’s mother called from the other side of the door.

    Sakura shifted and groaned, pulling the covers over her ears. Her mom must have come up late last night to check on her, and went out of her way to put a blanket on her daughter.

    “Sakura, I said now!”

    Sakura meekly peered at her clock, and almost flew out of bed. “Oh crud, is it really that late!?”

    She called to her mom, letting her know she was awake and about, and dashed around her room.

    After getting into her school uniform, Sakura ran a brush through her hair, took one look in her mirror, flipped a stray lock, and dismissed it, “What ever.”

    “Hey, I made some breakfast,” her mom called from the kitchen table, as Sakura was about to exit the house, “it taste’s great.”

    Sakura looked back at her mother taking a teasing bite from an egg and bacon bagel, and felt her stomach growl, “ah, well I, er…” she groaned, trying to choose between the door and the kitchen table, her mom licked her lips, “Now that’s just mean.”

    Her mom laughed playfully as Sakura closed the door, feeling very hungry.

    XxxX

    Sakura had had to run to school that morning, dodging many passing cars on her way across streets. She almost knocked over three bicyclers, and toppled over a small child playing outside.

    “Oh, sorry, I’m sorry,” she apologized to the mother and the girl, but didn’t stop her pace.

    She neared the gates of her school’s courtyard, when a familiar blond haired girl raced pass her, “Hey! Ino! Wait up!” Sakura called to her friend.

    Ino turned her brilliant blue eyes onto Sakura and smiled, “You’re gonna be late!” She teased, swinging her bag around playfully.

    “Calm down, I know!” She called back, and sprinted to keep pace with Ino.

    The two girls hurried into the school courtyard and up the front steps, into the school building and made their way to their classrooms.

    And just her luck, class had already started.

    Sakura took the back door, trying to sneak past the teacher with her school bag over her head. Some students who noticed started whispering, some chuckled, some pointed, until the teacher, Mr. Hatake said, “Miss Haruno, we all know you’re trying to sneak in late, please stop this game and get to your seat.” With out even looking at her once.

    Sakura stood straight, “yes sir” the whole class started to laugh, and Sakura could feel the heat rising to her cheeks.

    She quickly took her seat by the window. A girl who sat in front leaned back and smiled, “He got you good this time.” She said.

    Sakura flushed and slumped in her chair, “thanks Tenten, way to make me feel better.”

    Tenten laughed, and turned her attention back to the front. Sakura sighed, and soon found herself staring out the window, blocking out everything else until the bell rang for the next class.

    XxxX

    After school had finished, Sakura said her good byes to Ino and Tenten, both who had clean up duty, and made her way out the gates. Teachers said their farewells to each other, some even waved to Sakura on her way out. The temperature had dropped, and Sakura’s mere sailor uniform wasn’t quite warm enough. But it didn’t matter, she would be there soon.

    The walk was a chilly one, the streets had gone quiet, and the only sound was that of cars driving down the cobbled streets. Some younger elementary kids trudged home holding their mother’s or father’s hand. Dog barks could be heard off in the distance. Sakura watched as a few squirrels fought over an acorn, then passed them by without a second glance. She turned a few corners, and then stopped in front of a huge run down building.

    Sakura ran her fingers along the cool golden handles of the front door, then entered the building and breathed in the fresh sent of perfume, flowers, rubber and dust. It was a calming sent, one that sent soft tingles of joy down Sakura’s spine.

    Dropping her bag by the front door, she walked into the center of the huge wood polished room. She spun a few times, taking in her surroundings.

    It was a huge room with glass mirrors reflecting every movement she did. Long smooth poles ran along the edges, glimmering softly at the light shining from the few windows it had. Sakura traced the mirrors reflection of her face a couple of times over and sighed happily. She loved this ballet studio.

    The ballet studio had gone out of business in 1985, but ever since Sakura had found this place she could never forget it. It was her place to get away from it all. A nice quiet place where she could sing until her lungs hurt. And that’s just what she did.

    “For delivering trees of importance,
    a dream of memories,
    not knowing the meaning of your tears.
    Time is an object of your dreams,
    Let it sinking lightly and you’ll lose,
    Sight of it.

    Like a glob, that golden light is illuminating one’s future-,” crash!

    Sakura squeaked on the last part as something hard and metallic slid across the wood floor and stopped at the ridge of her heels. She spun in the direction of where the object had come from and almost bit her tongue. There standing struck with shock was the most gorgeous boy she had ever seen.

    Long gold locks of blond cascaded around his shoulder blades and collar, deep sequined eyes, a fringe of hair covering one of them, and olive skin that seemed to glow off of the mirrors. He stared at Sakura, his eyes swimming with emotion and impression.

    “Who-,” she chocked, “Who are you?”

    The boy smiled brightly and put a finger to his lips, quietly urging her to go on with the song. Sakura shook her head stubbornly but he just grinned even wider, and urged her again. Sakura looked him over, taking in his godly looks and the long black duster he had on, wondering whether she could trust him or not. No body had ever really heard her sing before, and certainly not one this good looking, but she decided, if she ever wanted to be famous, she might as well practice with an audience. So she smiled back and continued her song.

    “-Pretending that a soul is not tearing through the darkness,
    Love will end in the sky,
    And be resurrected tomorrow-,”

    And so she sang on, all the while the boy stood in the doorway, his eyes closed and his thoughts lost in her song. When she finished, she opened her eyes and looked at the front door, wanting to see his reaction, but he had already left.

    Sakura’s heart sank, had she sung badly that he had to leave?

    She was about to walk toward the door, not feeling like singing any longer, when something cool brushed her ankle. It was the object he had dropped upon entering. She picked it up and held it in both hands, amazed at how heavy it was. It looked to be some sort of case, but when she tried to open it, the lid wouldn’t budge. It was silver and shiny, with a simple rose craved on the surface. Sakura traced it with her thumb a few times and then thought it best to leave it behind.

    Then again, she could always return it to him some other time. Maybe he’d come back again tomorrow for it. So she left, her hopes high.

    XxxX

    Sakura had skipped home this evening, the sky was already getting dark, and street lamps had started to glow a path. She had never felt this happy, not for a while at least. But once she entered the door, the feelings started to fade. She was home, and so was her dad.

    “Hey dad,” she called from the hall. No answer.

    She rolled her eyes, she didn’t expect any more then that.

    Sakura kicked off her shoes and gradually untied her uniform ribbon, slowly making her way upstairs. She changed from her uniform into a pair of pajama bottoms and a long T-shirt she got from a concert with Ino. Carefully she hung her uniform back on it’s hanger and hung in on the knob of her door.

    Before leaving, Sakura took a quick glance at the time, 6:00, her mom would be home soon. So until then, she would sit on her stool thinking about the boy from the ballet studio.

    And so she did. Watching dreamily as cars passed her house, young couples hugged good-bye, widowed woman sadly entered doors of the different row houses. A classmate she knew from Science strolled by her window with her cousin. Both of them where chatting happily, while walking a very furry Shiba Inu. One of them, the girl, caught sight of Sakura and gave her a shy wave and a smile. The boy looked at her too, and nodded. But it was as if Sakura hadn’t seen them, and if she did, she ignored them. The girl tilted her head, the words “Is she okay” formed on her lips, but the boy only shook his head and leaded her onward.

    Sakura sat there until the door started to unlock. The clicking of keys in the keyhole seemed to snap Sakura from her trance, and in the next second her mother opened the door with a very weary expression on her face.

    “Hi mom, how was work?” Sakura asked, getting up to help her mom out of her coat.

    Mrs. Haruno sighed, “Oh, dear would you please make some hot water in the kettle, I have an awful headache. Where’s the Advil?”

    “It’s in the medicine cabinet,” Sakura said, and walked into the kitchen, rolling her eyes at the hunched form of her dad. She filled the teapot with water and rested it on the stove, “Mooom!? What kind of tea!?”

    “Any kind!” her mom called back.

    Sakura looked at the tea bin and opened it. She reached in and pulled out a strawberry vanilla flavored, “Strawberry for you, in you go.” She said to the tea bag, plopping it into a mug.

    Sakura’s mom came into the kitchen and slumped tiredly into a chair. Sakura placed the mug of steaming liquid in front of her, and then poured a cup for herself.

    “Mmm, smells good,” Mrs. Haruno said, taking a small sip, “ah that hits the spot.”

    Sakura smiled, “tough day?”

    Her mom smiled back warily, “how’d you guess?”

    The two spoke for a while, but Sakura never mentioned the ballet studio. She kept her visits a secret. After some time of conversation, Sakura excused herself to start dinner.

    XxxX

    “So wait, he looked like what?” Ino’s eyes grew bright with interest.

    Sakura laughed, “a god” her eyes grew big, “I swear, I have never seen him before around town, and trust me you see everything on Konoha road.”

    Ino nodded, “yeah, you’re telling me. So was he, like, a foreigner?”

    “Hmm, can’t tell, he didn’t say anything.”

    Ino shook her head, “Argh, that sucks.”

    Sakura agreed. The two of them where outside in the courtyard for lunch sitting in their usual spot of the school benches. Somehow, Sakura’s encounter of the mysterious boy had slipped her lips, and now she couldn’t get Ino to keep quiet.

    Of course, Ino already knew about Sakura’s visits to the studio, however, Ino only thought of Sakura’s visits as pure curiosity and insight. Little did she know.

    “Did you catch his name?”

    Sakura’s mouth fell open. No she had not. She felt like slapping herself. How stupid could she have been? But wait, “No, he wouldn’t talk.”

    Ino blinked a few times, “huh? So maybe he’s a mute. Just got out of the hospital or something.”

    Sakura told her she didn’t know, “He dropped this,” she pulled out the box he had left from her school bag.

    Ino took it from her hands, and wowed at the texture and rose engraving. “Sakura, this is beautiful, do you think it’s for his lover?”

    “I don’t-,” those words hit like a ton of bricks, “I don’t know.” Who was this box for? She hadn’t thought about that. What if it was for his lover?

    “Why’d you take it?”

    Sakura looked at Ino curiously, then responded with caution, “because, I’m going back to the studio tonight after school, and he is sure to come looking for it if it’s that important.”

    Ino’s eyes lit up, “Good thinking, you’re sure to see him again.”

    Sakura hoped she was right.

    XxxX

    Mr. Hatake jotted down their homework on the blackboard, “I want this all memorize for tomorrow, it will be on your tests.”

    Groans flooded the classroom, even some student stood up and spat on the floor. Sakura was too focused on getting to the studio to pay any mind to them. So she pushed back her chair and raced down to the courtyard. Tenten called back up from the window of their homeroom.

    “Hey Sakura, are you staying for Calligraphy club?” She asked.

    Sakura shook her head, “Going to the ballet studio,”

    “Whaaat!? Again, that’s twice in a row, you’re going to need to study, mind that!”

    Tenten was also one of the few who knew about the studio, but the same as Ino, Tenten didn’t know what for.

    “Don’t worry, I’ll study when I get home!” Sakura called back.

    Tenten rolled her eyes, “Yeah right!”

    Sakura grinned, and started on her way. She looked back once to wave good-bye when she saw the girl from yesterday talking to Tenten. Tenten laughed at something she said, and the two started on their way down the hall. She looked once at Sakura, and waved.

    This time Sakura waved back.

    XxxX

    Sakura sat in the middle of the studio, flipping the silver box around from hand to hand. She had been there for almost half an hour, and still no sign of the boy.

    Sakura sighed, “Maybe I should just go home,” she said to herself.

    She got up from the floor, and started humming to herself, then silently sung the words to herself, before breaking out into a full fledged song.

    “I’m so certain that is shined,
    the fading story,
    Surrounded by this sizzling dream.
    Our Scars, our smiles, and tears,
    They are all there.
    Gather the precious fragments of scenes
    And line them up in the sky,
    An irreplaceable place!

    The promise made under this blue sky, right now,
    It can still be called radiant.
    Change the promise to a stronger power,
    Flying in the sky, find the blue,
    Along with passing memories from that day,
    A blur of crying and laughter,
    At such a time, let’s always come back here,
    To the promised day,
    Swear it at that place,
    Just like that song!”

    Sakura closed her mouth, and opened her eyes. She almost toppled over, because there in the corner by the front door, was the boy. She had been so engrossed in singing she hadn’t even realized he had come in.

    He opened his eyes and smiled at her. Sakura dug rapidly in her bag, and pulled out the silver box. “You dropped this yesterday!” she called to him, “I’ve come to return it!”

    But he shook his head, and walked over to her. He gave her a sweet smile, and folded the box in her palms. She was about to protest but he put his fingers to his lips, like he had done yesterday. Sakura looked down at her hands, then back up “Wait, I can’t-,” but he was already gone.

    XxxX