Naruto Fanfiction Series 1: Kitsune's Mission

Phase 3: Haunted

Sasuke's POV

Konohagakure: Leaf Academy

A month had passed since Naruto first approached me under the shade of that tree, determined to break the walls I had built around myself.

I still remembered the day vividly. It was a day of dappled sunlight and quiet solitude.

I'd been lost in a book, seeking refuge from the chaos of the academy, when his presence shattered my peace.

"Whatcha doin' all alone?" he'd asked, his voice a bright, curious chirp, as if my solitude was a puzzle begging to be solved.

I had chosen to ignore him, my focus unwavering, my fingers tracing the worn pages of my book.

But Naruto was undeterred. He was like a persistent weed, pushing through the cracks in my carefully constructed defenses.

"Why are you such an emo?" he teased, and I felt the heat of irritation rise within me. A familiar fire that had long consumed me.

I glared at him, my frustration evident. "I'm not," I snapped, the words escaping my lips before I could rein them in.

The sound of my own voice, sharp and brittle, startled me.

"Finally, you talked!" he exclaimed, laughter dancing in his cerulean eyes.

There was something in that gaze, an emotion I couldn't quite place, and it unnerved me. "You should talk more often. You have a beautiful voice."

I shook my head, refuting his compliment. Beautiful? No, I was nothing of the sort.

Just a boy consumed by darkness and vengeance. "Just leave me alone, Naruto. Stop pestering me," I had said, my tone sharper than I intended.

But that was only the beginning. Naruto didn't back down; he kept pursuing me, his relentless spirit refusing to be extinguished.

I found it infuriating yet oddly intriguing.

I was harsh to everyone, an avenger with a heart encased in ice, yet he continued to seek my friendship.

Why? What made me worthy of his attention?

The following days were a blur of encounters, each one leaving me more confused and frustrated.

He would appear at the most unexpected times, his presence a constant disruption to my carefully constructed solitude.

One afternoon, I was in the library, my usual refuge from the academy's cacophony. I was engrossed in a book about the history of the Uchiha clan, my fingers tracing the intricate patterns of the kanji on the page.

"Hey, Beautiful!" Naruto's voice boomed, shattering the quiet of the library.

I looked up, my expression a mask of annoyance. "What do you want?" I asked, my voice flat and emotionless.

"Just wanted to see what you were up to," he said, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "You know, I've been thinking..." He paused, his gaze intense. "You should smile more often. It suits you."