Chapter Text
Sakura didn’t understand death, not really. She understood that her grandmother wasn’t coming back, that the house smelled different without her, that the mornings were colder. But she didn’t understand how one day someone could be here and the next they could just... not be. She had cried at first, but mostly, she just felt quiet. Empty.
She had lived with her grandmother for as long as she could remember. The house had been small and warm, filled with the scent of tea and old books, with a garden out back where her grandmother grew herbs and vegetables. She had told Sakura stories about them, about which ones could heal and which ones could make you sick. Now, the house wasn’t hers anymore. It belonged to people she didn’t know.
She had a mother and a father. She knew that, in the way that a child knows things they are told but don’t really see. They visited her sometimes—her mother with her sharp green eyes and soft hands, her father with his quiet voice and the way he always seemed to be thinking about something else. They smelled like the village, like the wind and the trees and the strange metal scent of kunai.
When they came to take her home, she had stared at them for a long time. They looked like her. Her father’s pink hair. Her mother’s face. She should’ve known them better, she thought. But when her mother reached for her hand, it felt like a stranger’s touch.
The house they brought her to was bigger. It was cleaner, emptier. The walls were bare, the furniture simple. It didn’t feel like home. Her mother made dinner, and her father asked her questions—what had she been learning, had she made friends? They tried to smile at her. She tried to smile back.
They left the next morning.
Sakura sat at the window, knees pulled to her chest, watching the street outside. She didn’t cry. She thought maybe she should, but she just felt tired. Her parents had told her they had missions. They were ninjas. Important ones. She had always known that, too.
“You’ll be starting at the Academy,” her mother had said the night before, brushing Sakura’s hair with careful hands. “It’s time for you to learn.”
Sakura had nodded because she didn’t know what else to do. She had gone to preschool before, with other children who weren’t training to be warriors. She had learned how to write, how to add numbers, how to plant flowers in the spring. The Academy was different. She knew that much.
She walked there alone on her first day. The village was big, full of people who moved quickly, like they had places to be. She clutched the strap of her new bag, staring at the ground as she walked.
The Academy was loud. Bigger than she expected. Children ran in groups, laughing, talking, pushing each other. Their foreheads were bare—none of them were real ninjas yet. But they would be.
Sakura sat at the back of the classroom. She didn’t know anyone, and no one knew her. The other kids already had their groups, their friends. She pressed her hands to her lap, listened to the teacher talk about the basics—chakra, hand signs, kunai. It was different from preschool. No one was teaching her how to draw flowers. No one was reading stories about kind princesses and brave knights. Here, there were only lessons on battle, on survival.
At lunch, she sat under a tree by herself. She didn’t feel hungry. She thought about her grandmother’s garden, about the way the dirt felt under her nails when she helped pull weeds.
A shadow fell over her.
“Hey.”
Sakura looked up. A girl stood there, hands on her hips. She had blonde hair, tied back in a high ponytail, and bright blue eyes. She looked at Sakura like she was studying her.
“You’re new,” the girl said. “What’s your name?”
“Sakura,” she said quietly.
“I’m Ino.” The girl—Ino—plopped down beside her like they had always known each other. “Why are you sitting alone?”
Sakura blinked at her. “I don’t know.”
“Well, don’t.” Ino pulled a flower from the grass, twirled it between her fingers. “Sit with me next time.”
Sakura stared at the flower, the soft white petals. It reminded her of something her grandmother once told her—how flowers were strong, how they grew even when the world tried to tear them down.
“Okay,” she said.
Ino grinned, like it was the easiest thing in the world.
Maybe, Sakura thought, it didn’t have to be so hard.
But it was.
It wasn’t that Ino was unkind, at least not at first, but there was something about the way she carried herself, something that made Sakura feel like she was always a step behind.
Sakura wasn’t used to that kind of feeling. She was used to being quiet, to being overlooked, but not because someone actively decided to make her feel small. Ino, however, was the type of girl who commanded attention. Whether it was her confidence or the way she seemed to know exactly what everyone else was thinking, Ino had an aura that made it clear she was the one to watch.
And yet, despite her brash confidence, Ino was a mystery. She was quick to make decisions, quick to love, quick to hate. Sakura didn’t understand it, but she also didn’t want to be left out. She wanted to be accepted, to find a place in this world that seemed so much bigger and louder than the quiet life she’d once known.
Soon enough, it was one of those days when Sakura thought, maybe, just maybe, she could fit in. She had picked out a simple purple blouse that morning, thinking it would be a nice, soft color for the day. After all, she had been told that purple was a good color on her.
But when she arrived at the academy, her heart dropped as soon as she saw Ino. The same blouse, the same shade of purple. It wasn’t a coincidence. They both must have had the same idea.
Sakura hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. She tried to pretend it didn’t matter—after all, it was just a blouse, right? It wasn’t like they had planned to wear the same thing. But as the day wore on, she began to feel an uncomfortable weight in the air. She saw Ino glance at her, eyes narrowing, a small frown tugging at the corners of her lips.
She thought she imagined it, but it became undeniable when lunchtime came. Ino walked up to her, standing just a little too close, her eyes scanning Sakura’s blouse as though it were some kind of offense.
"Hey," Ino said, her voice sharp and almost playful. "Did you… did you mean to wear the same blouse as me today?"
Sakura blinked, thrown off guard by the sudden confrontation. "I… I didn’t mean to. I just thought it looked nice," she stammered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
Ino’s lips curled into a small, mocking smile. "It’s fine, I guess," she said, but there was something off about her tone. "Just… maybe next time, pick something else. I don’t like it when people copy me."
Sakura’s stomach churned. It was a small comment, but it stung. Ino’s tone was dismissive, as though she didn’t think it was a big deal but somehow expected Sakura to know better. She could feel the weight of the words like they were etched into her skin.
The rest of the day passed in a haze for Sakura. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she had done something wrong, something she hadn’t even realized. She had never known that something as simple as wearing the same blouse as someone else could cause such a rift. And yet, as she saw Ino laughing with her other friends, a pang of loneliness washed over her.
Sakura learned quickly, as the days went on, that Ino wasn’t like the other girls she had known. Ino wasn’t kind for kindness’ sake, nor did she offer friendships easily. She was brash, headstrong, and quick to make judgments. She was confident, but that confidence often came with sharp edges. And Sakura? She was still trying to find her place in the world, still trying to understand what it meant to be part of something, to fit in.
She thought back to that day with the blouse, the way Ino had made her feel small, insignificant. She didn’t know how to fix it, didn’t know how to change Ino’s opinion of her, but she also realized something. She couldn’t let Ino’s words control her. She didn’t have to be like Ino. She didn’t have to fit into her mold. But she did need to understand the rules of this new world she had entered.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that if she could just figure out how to navigate Ino’s world, maybe she could find a way to fit in, too.
But it wasn’t going to be easy.
And as Sakura watched Ino throughout the days, she couldn’t help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, Sakura wasn’t meant to be like everyone else.
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
Sakura walked home alone, her feet dragging on the dusty road. Her backpack felt heavy against her back, and her mind felt even heavier. The Academy was tough. No one really talked to her, and she didn’t feel like she belonged. She didn’t get the moves. She couldn’t control her chakra like the others could. They could do cool things like make fire and wind, but she... she couldn’t even do the basics.
The road was quiet. Too quiet. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows that stretched across the dirt. It almost felt like the whole world was waiting for something, holding its breath. Sakura glanced around, and that’s when she saw it.
There was a crowd ahead, a group of people gathered in the middle of the street. It wasn’t like any group she’d seen before. The people weren’t laughing or talking. They were all watching something. Someone was fighting.
Sakura hesitated, but her curiosity pulled her in. She stepped through the crowd, careful not to bump into anyone, until she found a spot near the front. Her heart beat faster, and she couldn’t help but stare.
Two people were standing there, facing each other. One of them was a boy—older than her, maybe a teenager. He had something shiny wrapped around his fists. He was holding these weird brass knuckles, glowing with blue chakra. She knew what chakra was, at least a little. The teachers had taught her that it was what made ninjas strong, made them able to do jutsu and stuff. The boy looked strong, his muscles twitching under his shirt, ready to pounce.
The other man was older. He looked calm, though. His clothes were simple, and his body was all muscle, not from fancy chakra tricks, but from training. He stood there, watching the boy carefully, like he wasn’t worried at all.
Sakura’s eyes widened. What were they going to do? She could feel the air around them buzz with excitement. It was like something big was about to happen. And then, just like that, it did.
The boy rushed at the older man, fists flying. His punches were fast, like a wild storm, and each time his fists connected with the air, Sakura could see the sparks of chakra crackle from his knuckles. The older man didn’t look scared at all. He moved like water, dodging and ducking, not rushing, just waiting for the right moment.
Sakura’s breath caught. It was like they were dancing, only not. The boy’s punches were heavy and fast, but the older man was so smooth. Every time the boy struck, the older man just... moved. He wasn’t trying to be fast, just smart. The boy tried again and again, but every time, the older man slipped past him, like he was always one step ahead.
And then, in one perfect movement, the older man swept his leg around, knocking the boy off balance. The boy’s feet slid out from under him, and he crashed to the ground. The crowd cheered, but Sakura didn’t hear them. Her ears were buzzing, her heart racing.
That’s when the older man reached down, offering a hand to the boy. The boy hesitated for a second, but then took it. They didn’t say much, just a few words Sakura couldn’t quite hear over the loud sounds of the crowd.
Sakura stood there, her mind spinning. She felt something deep inside her—something new. Something that made her stand up straighter. I want to do that.
She didn’t want to be like the other girls, like Ino, always trying to be the prettiest, always trying to be noticed. No, she didn’t care about that anymore. She wanted to be strong. She wanted to fight. Not just with her words or her looks, but with her body, her mind, her chakra. She wanted to be the kind of ninja who could stand in the middle of the street and make people stop and stare, not because she was the loudest or the prettiest, but because she was powerful.
She wanted to be like the older man. Calm, strong, and smart. Not wild like the boy, not using chakra to show off. She wanted to learn how to fight with her hands and her heart, like the older man. She could feel it in her chest now—the urge to become strong, to be like him.
Maybe if she became strong enough, her parents would notice her. They were always busy, always leaving for missions, but maybe if she could show them what she could do, they’d finally look at her. They’d see me.
Sakura’s hands clenched into little fists at her sides. She wasn’t going to just sit there and let the world pass her by. She was going to fight. She was going to train harder than anyone, even if she was the quiet one in the back. She would make her mark. No one would overlook her anymore.
She didn’t know how yet, but she was going to do it. She wasn’t going to be weak. She was going to be a fighter.
And that was all that mattered now.
Sakura turned on her heel, her small feet already moving faster, carrying her home. The world was bigger than it seemed, but now, for the first time, she felt like she could take it on. She wasn’t just going to be a girl who sat in the back of the class and wondered about the world. She was going to fight her way through it. And nothing was going to stop her.
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
And so, Sakura’s parents had left for another month, leaving her behind in the quiet, lonely house that felt like a stranger’s home. The walls were empty, the furniture cold and sterile. Her mother had kissed her on the forehead before she left, and her father had given her a brief nod. Their words were always the same—“Stay out of trouble, Sakura. Be good, okay?” It was almost as if they weren’t leaving her behind at all. But Sakura knew the truth. They were always leaving. Always busy. Always out on missions.
Sakura didn’t mind so much. She had learned to be alone, to occupy herself in silence. In fact, it was easier to be alone, because then no one asked her questions or expected her to be something she wasn’t. The quiet didn’t feel so bad when it was just her and the books.
Sakura had discovered their library card tucked inside her father’s desk drawer one afternoon, and with it, a whole new world had opened up. She’d gotten used to the small town library, its shelves packed with knowledge she’d never known before. Books on ninjutsu, chakra control, battle tactics. She spent hours there, reading about different types of chakra, about the ways it could be manipulated and shaped. She read about chakra healing, chakra weapons, chakra senses—there were so many things she never knew.
She didn’t care if it was hard. She didn’t care if it took time. All she cared about was getting stronger. She wasn’t going to be like the other girls at school, like Ino, who only cared about who had the best clothes or who was the prettiest. No. Sakura had something else in mind. She was going to be a fighter. She was going to master chakra the way the ninjas in the stories did.
Ino had left her alone for the most part, which was a blessing in disguise. Sakura had seen how Ino treated others, how she looked down on anyone who didn’t fit into her perfect image. It wasn’t worth the fight, not when there were more important things to focus on. Besides, Sakura had begun to ignore the whispers about her looks. Her big forehead, her awkwardness—it didn’t matter anymore. She wasn’t going to waste time caring about things that didn’t help her get stronger.
At school, her classmates’ comments seemed to bounce off her. They still teased her about her forehead, about her quiet nature, but it didn’t sting the way it used to. Every time they said something, she’d think back to those books. She’d remember the older man from the street fight. He didn’t care what anyone thought of him. He just fought, just lived his life the way he wanted to. That was who she was going to be. Not a pretty face in the crowd, but a strong ninja who would earn the respect of anyone who looked down on her.
She spent every afternoon practicing what she read in the books, even if it was just in the backyard of her house. She had no teacher. No one to guide her. Just the words on the pages and the determination in her heart. At first, it was difficult—her chakra control was weak, and her hands felt clumsy as she tried to form seals. But she didn’t give up. She kept trying. She practiced her chakra flow, focusing on keeping it steady, even when the energy seemed to slip away. Sometimes, she’d sit on the porch, just focusing on her breathing, trying to sense the energy inside her body.
It wasn’t perfect. Not by any means. But she could feel the change. Slowly, as the days passed, her chakra began to flow a little more easily. She could concentrate for longer periods, could feel the little tingle of energy that came with each correct movement. It was like she was unlocking a secret part of herself that had always been there, waiting for the right moment to be unleashed.
Sakura kept going. She kept working. She didn’t need anyone’s approval. She didn’t need Ino’s attention or anyone else’s compliments. The only thing that mattered was becoming stronger, more capable, more like the older man in the street fight who had inspired her.
And maybe, just maybe, her parents would see that, too. If she could show them what she was capable of, they’d stop looking past her. Maybe they’d even be proud of her.
With every new day, Sakura felt the tiny spark inside her grow brighter. She didn’t need anyone to tell her she was doing the right thing. She knew. She was doing it for herself. She wasn’t going to be forgotten. She wasn’t going to be the quiet, overlooked little girl. She was going to be a ninja—a strong one.
She didn’t know when it would happen or how, but one day, her parents would come home, and they would see her differently. They’d see her strength. They’d see her growth. They’d see the change she was making in herself, one tiny step at a time.
And that was all she needed.
Sakura continued to study and practice in the silence of her house, feeling her resolve grow stronger with every passing day.
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
Sakura had spent months practicing chakra control, honing her focus in silence, away from the distractions of her classmates. She had read about chakra concentration in every book she could get her hands on, and she had practiced with an intensity she didn’t think she was capable of. It wasn’t easy. She often struggled with the delicate balance, her chakra slipping away like water through her fingers, but she never gave up. Each failure only pushed her harder, each small success made her feel closer to the goal she had set for herself.
So when the teacher called them out to the courtyard for a new exercise, Sakura was ready. Her heart raced with anticipation. She was excited, eager to put all her practice to use. She had no idea who she would be paired with, but she knew this was her chance. She would show everyone, even herself, that she had what it took.
The teacher’s voice rang out across the courtyard, each name being called with a lighthearted, indifferent tone. Some students were paired up excitedly, while others sighed with disappointment, not sure what to expect. But then, the teacher’s voice broke through the hum of the group, calling out a name that made Sakura’s stomach twist with both nerves and excitement:
“Sakura vs… Sasuke.”
Sakura’s heart skipped a beat. Sasuke. She had seen him in class before. Dark-haired, sharp-eyed, always sitting in the middle of the room, a few rows away from her. He was quiet, just like her, but there was something about him—something that made him stand out. Maybe it was the way he carried himself, like he already knew he was important, that he already knew he was destined for greatness. He was confident, cool, and totally uninterested in anyone else.
Plus, he had some sort of family jutsu. She hadn’t read the book on it just yet, but she had checked it out weeks in advance, she planned on reading it.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm. Sasuke. She could do this. She had been practicing. She wasn’t afraid of him.
As the rest of the class gathered around to watch, Sakura found herself standing face to face with him in the center of the courtyard. Sasuke barely looked at her, his dark eyes focused somewhere in the distance, his posture relaxed, almost casual. He seemed utterly uninterested, as though he already knew he would win. But Sakura wasn’t intimidated. Not this time. Not after everything she had been through.
She tied her hair into a tight ponytail, the familiar motion calming her, giving her a moment to center herself. Her fingers brushed against the fabric of her shirt, her heart thudding in her chest. This was it. She was going to show him—show everyone—that she could do this.
“Ready?” the teacher asked, his voice not unkind, but indifferent.
Sakura nodded, her hand twitching at her side, itching to form the seals she had practiced so many times. Sasuke didn’t respond, his hands loosely hanging by his sides, his face as unreadable as always.
“Go.” She was ready. She had practiced chakra control for so long. She had read the books, learned the seals, and spent countless hours working to strengthen her focus. She was ready to prove herself.
But as Sasuke moved, fast and silent, she realized—maybe she wasn’t quite ready.
Sasuke’s speed caught her off guard. Before she could even finish one seal, he was in front of her, his dark eyes glinting with something unreadable. His fist was already moving toward her, glowing with chakra.
Sakura tried to block, but it was too late. The impact hit her stomach, and she felt her breath leave her body in a rush. She stumbled back, almost falling, her hands flying out to catch herself. She blinked, trying to clear her head, but her stomach burned where he had hit her. She hadn’t even gotten a chance to react. She hadn’t even gotten a chance to—
He was already moving again.
“Focus, Sakura!” her teacher’s voice rang out, but it barely registered. Her heart was too loud. Her chakra was all over the place, swirling like a storm inside her. She didn’t know how to control it in this chaos.
Sasuke was already advancing, his movements smooth, like he had practiced them a hundred times. He didn’t even look at her as he swung again, his fist connecting with her shoulder this time. The force of it made her spin in the air before crashing to the ground.
She lay there for a second, stunned, gasping for air, her hands pressing against the dirt. She tried to push herself up, but her body felt heavy, like it didn’t belong to her. She had to fight. She couldn’t just let him win like this.
But her chakra was still all wrong. It wasn’t stable. It was weak, like a candle flickering in the wind. She couldn’t gather it. She couldn’t focus it like she had in her practice sessions.
Sasuke was still standing there, waiting for her. His posture was casual, like he wasn’t even trying. Like he didn’t even care.
Sakura’s hands clenched into fists, and she pushed herself up. She didn’t care how tired she was. She wasn’t going to give up. She had trained for this. She had worked so hard.
She tried again. This time, she made the hand seals faster, more confident. She could feel the chakra moving, just a little. Maybe it would work this time.
But no.
Sasuke was already in front of her, his foot coming down to the ground just as she released the chakra. It was weak. It wasn’t enough.
Her attempt fizzled out like a firecracker that didn’t go off. Sasuke’s strike hit her chest, sending her flying backward, landing on her back with a loud thud. The world spun as she lay there, struggling to breathe.
She could feel the eyes of her classmates on her, some surprised, others whispering. She didn’t care. She was embarrassed, yes, but she wasn’t going to let this defeat her.
She pulled herself up again, slower this time, feeling the ache in her body. Her breath came in short gasps, but she wasn’t done.
Sasuke didn’t say anything, just waited, his arms crossed in front of him, his dark eyes never leaving hers. For a moment, Sakura felt something. Something more than just the sting of the defeat.
There was respect in the way he looked at her. Not pity. Not mockery. Just... respect. Maybe, just maybe, he understood.
Sakura’s fists tightened at her sides, her chakra swirling again, unstable but real. She wasn’t going to stop until she could do this. She didn’t care if it took another year, or ten years, or even longer. She would get stronger. She would become a real fighter.
“Okay,” Sakura muttered to herself, barely audible. “Okay, I can do this.”
Even if she wasn’t ready today, she would be one day. She would fight, and she would win.
The teacher called off the matches. "That's enough for today," he announced, his voice cutting through the buzzing whispers of the other children. His eyes briefly met Sakura's as she struggled to steady her breathing. There was no pity there, just the cool assessment of someone who'd seen countless young students face their first real defeat.
Sakura hadn't gotten a single hit. Her small seven-year-old body ached in places she hadn't known could hurt, and her chest burned with each breath. The training clothes her mother had bought her—a size too big so she could "grow into them"—were now dirty and torn at the knee. She'd have to wash them herself before her parents returned. If they returned soon.
Several of her classmates were already huddled together, pointing and giggling. She could hear fragments of their whispers: "...didn't even touch him..." and "...what did she expect?" A few looked at her with genuine sympathy, but most had already forgotten the match, moving on to discuss more interesting things.
Sasuke turned and walked away, not looking back, but the glint of respect in his eyes stayed with her. It was a small thing, a small step, but it meant everything.
She wasn't going to give up. Not now. Not ever.
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
One day, the teacher assigned new seating. Sakura didn't mind, as long as she wasn't near Ino- Ino was distracting. Instead, the teacher assigned Sakura to sit in an empty row with a boy who was a mix of quiet and loud. His name was Naruto- the teacher's only reasoning was that if Sakura was so quiet, then maybe she could balance the boy out. Sakura introduced herself, and Naruto did too, the boy had messy blonde hair, and he wore a faded green pair of goggles on his head. He was tan, a contrast to Sakura's pale.
Sakura watched him cautiously from the corner of her eye. She'd seen him before, of course. Everyone knew Naruto. He was the boy who shouted answers without raising his hand, who played pranks on the teachers when he thought no one was looking, who sometimes disappeared from class altogether. The teachers always seemed annoyed with him, their voices sharper when they called his name.
"So, um," Naruto fidgeted with his goggles, pushing them up higher on his head, "you're the girl who fought Sasuke, right?"
Sakura stiffened. Of course that's what he'd remember. Her most embarrassing moment.
"I didn't really fight him," she mumbled, opening her textbook to avoid his gaze. "He beat me."
"Yeah, but you got back up!" Naruto's voice was suddenly enthusiastic. "Most kids just stay down when Sasuke hits 'em. But you kept trying."
Sakura blinked, surprised by his observation. She hadn't thought anyone had noticed that part.
"I mean, I couldn't beat him either," Naruto continued, his voice dropping a little. "But one day I will! Believe it!"
The teacher cleared his throat loudly, giving them both a pointed look. Sakura quickly turned her attention to the front, but she could feel Naruto still watching her, like he was trying to figure something out.
Throughout the lesson, she noticed how Naruto would fidget, how he'd doodle in the margins of his notebook instead of taking notes, how his attention seemed to wander everywhere except where it should be. It was distracting, but not in the way Ino was distracting. This was different. Less judgmental, somehow.
When the teacher asked a question about chakra control – Sakura's favorite topic – she knew the answer immediately. But she kept her hand down, kept her eyes on her desk. Old habits.
"No one?" the teacher sighed. "We just covered this yesterday."
Naruto suddenly elbowed her, not roughly, but enough to make her look at him.
"You know it, don't you?" he whispered, blue eyes surprisingly perceptive. "I can tell."
Sakura hesitated, then shook her head slightly.
Naruto frowned, then shot his own hand into the air, waving it wildly. "I know! I know!" he called out, without waiting to be acknowledged.
"Naruto," the teacher said, clearly expecting another disruption. "What's the answer?"
Naruto grinned, then pointed at Sakura. "She knows! She's just too quiet to say it!"
Every head in the class turned toward her. Sakura felt her cheeks burn.
"Sakura?" the teacher prompted, eyebrow raised. "Do you have an answer?"
Her voice came out smaller than she wanted. "Chakra control is about... balance. It's not just about having a lot of chakra, but about directing it precisely where you want it to go."
The teacher nodded, looking mildly surprised. "That's correct."
Naruto beamed at her like she'd done something incredible. "See? I told you she knew it!"
As the lesson continued, Sakura found herself wondering about the strange boy beside her, with his worn goggles and his too-loud voice and the way he'd somehow noticed things about her that most people didn't bother to see.
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
After class, Naruto asked her to help tutor him on chakra control, he held up a frog wallet and said that he could buy a watermelon for them to eat, out in the field. It was summer, and Sakura's parents probably wouldn't be home for weeks, so she agreed.
"Really?" Naruto's eyes widened like he couldn't believe she'd said yes. He clutched his frog wallet tighter, as if afraid she might change her mind. "You'll really help me?"
Sakura nodded, tucking a strand of pink hair behind her ear. "I've been studying it a lot," she said quietly. "I'm not very good at using it in a fight yet, but I understand the theory."
Naruto grinned so wide it seemed to take up his whole face. "That's perfect! I don't understand any of it! The teachers just keep saying 'focus, focus' but they never explain what that means!"
They walked together to the market, where Naruto carefully counted out coins from his frog wallet to buy a small watermelon. The shopkeeper frowned when he saw Naruto approach but took his money without comment. Sakura noticed how Naruto's shoulders tensed, how his smile became a little more forced. She pretended not to see.
The training field was empty in the late afternoon heat. They found a spot under the shade of a large tree, and Naruto placed the watermelon carefully in a patch of cool grass.
"So," he said, sitting cross-legged across from her, "what's the secret to chakra control?"
Sakura thought for a moment, trying to remember how the books had explained it. "It's not really a secret. It's more like... practice. And understanding that chakra is part of you, not something separate."
Naruto frowned, his brow furrowed in concentration. "But how do you make it do what you want? Sometimes I feel like I have tons of it but it just... explodes everywhere."
"That might be because you're not balancing your physical and spiritual energies," Sakura explained, warming to her subject. "Look, the books say chakra is made up of both. If they're not in balance, your chakra gets unstable."
She picked up a leaf from the ground, remembering one of the exercises she'd read about. "Here, try this. Try to focus your chakra to make the leaf stick to your forehead."
Naruto took the leaf skeptically. "How's this supposed to help?"
"It's about precision," Sakura said. "You don't need a lot of chakra for this. You just need the right amount, in the right place."
They practiced for over an hour. Naruto struggled, his frustration growing with each failed attempt. The leaf would either fall immediately or be blown away by too much chakra. But he didn't give up. Sakura was surprised by his persistence, how he kept trying even when she could see he wanted to throw the leaf and stomp on it.
Finally, when the sun was starting to set, Naruto managed to keep the leaf stuck to his forehead for a full five seconds before it fluttered away.
"I did it!" he shouted, jumping to his feet. "Did you see that, Sakura? I really did it!"
His enthusiasm was contagious. Sakura found herself smiling—a real smile, not the polite one she usually wore at school. "You did," she agreed. "You just need more practice now."
Naruto flopped back onto the grass, breathing hard but grinning. "I'm starving. Let's eat that watermelon!"
They split the watermelon, its red flesh bright against the green grass. Juice dripped down their chins as they ate, and for the first time in a long while, Sakura didn't feel self-conscious about being messy.
"You know," Naruto said between bites, "you're really good at explaining stuff. Way better than the teachers."
Sakura felt her cheeks warm at the unexpected compliment. "I just read a lot," she mumbled.
"Well, you should talk more in class," Naruto said, spitting watermelon seeds onto the grass. "You're smart. You should let people know it."
Sakura looked at him, at his messy blonde hair and his stained t-shirt and the absolute certainty in his blue eyes when he spoke to her. She didn't know what to say to that, so she just ate her watermelon and watched as the evening shadows grew longer across the training field.
"Same time tomorrow?" Naruto asked as they gathered their things to leave.
Sakura hesitated, then nodded. "Okay."
As she walked home to her empty house, she realized she hadn't thought about her parents all afternoon. She hadn't thought about Ino or her grandma or any of the things that usually filled her mind. Instead, she'd just been... present. Teaching. Helping. Being heard.
It was nice, she decided. Different, but nice.