Let It Burn: Life [Sasuke Uchiha]

Chapter 2

Naruto and Sakura were still on cloud nine at the fact they managed to trick the Jounin and acquired the bells.

"Hehe, maybe I've even surpassed you, sensei!" Naruto suggested.

"What are you saying?" Kakashi questioned. "Such conceit... Ha, ha, but anyway, I'm still young, and recently I developed a brilliant new jutsu–"

"Hey! We haven't gone home or to Ichiraku Ramen yet!"

The young man sighed, being ignored once again thanks to the knucklehead's easily distracted mind.

"I'm a bit hungry after training yesterday too," Sakura agreed.

"Right! It'll be sensei's treat!"

"Alright!"

"Sorry, I have to create and submit a list of formations for the new teams," the Jounin stated. "So goodbye for now." In a puff of smoke Kakashi was gone.

"Hey! He ran away!" the blonde exclaimed.

"Saying something like that... He's just thinking to continue reading that book probably."

But then it suddenly dawned on the knucklehead that the two of them were alone and he grew excited. He waited years to be put in this situation so he could finally say, "Heh, so the two of us are on our own now, so it's a–"

"Fine, but it's your treat," Sakura said.

The happiness didn't last long. In fact, Naruto turned away, removing his frog coin pouch from a pocket to find it empty. He was already crying, remembering he had used the remainder on the trip home.

"Shikamaru! Temari!" Sakura suddenly shouted. She waved to the duo down the street. "Who do you think this is?"

The two heads turned, as did the Genin's from the shout, to see the two ninjas with surprised expressions.

"Hey! If it isn't Naruto!" Shikamaru exclaimed.

"Shikamaru!"

Temari was still stunned at the fact that the person before them was the idiot from the Chuunin Exams. He looked so different.

"Did you just come home then?" the Nara asked.

"No, I came back yesterday,"

"So has any of your idiocy left you?" Shikamaru smirked. "And have you changed?"

"No," Sakura answered bluntly. "He hasn't changed at all."

Embarrassed Naruto's shoulders slumped from the statement.

"Ah... really?"

"Sakura..." the Genin groaned.

However, his dejected state soon turned around, staring at the Leaf and Sand Ninja.

"So, are you on a date too?"

Temari nearly laughed while the Nara sighed heavily in mild annoyance.

"That's not it."

"You're joking," Temari snickered. "Why would I go out with such a..." Head shaking she choose not to continue. "There's a Chuunin Exam soon. I'm just going back and forth between the Sand and Leaf for meetings."

"And it's troublesome, but I've become an examiner, so... I was told to go and see off the messengers from the Sand."

"Chuunin Exam...?" Naruto asked. "That brings back memories."

"What are you planning on doing, Naruto?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're the only one from our class who hasn't become a Chuunin yet."