Whispers of the Heart

Chapter 1

The sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm light over Konoha, but his attention was fixed on a different kind of warmth—the camaraderie blossoming among the young ninjas before him. Fugaku couldn't believe how fast the years flew by. His sons had grown up quite a bit. Itachi is an ANBU captain with many successful missions, and today his young son just started his first training together with his genin teammates.

With his typical critical eye, Fugaku was analyzing the other members of Sasuke's team. Naruto Uzumaki, was a jinchūriki. Minato sealed the 9-tailed fox inside him the day he was born. This fact would make the boy a very strong ninja in the future and why not, even a worthy rival for his son.

Sasuke and Naruto had known each other for many years. The close friendship between Kushina and Mikoto had made the boys know each other since childhood. They were not the typical close friends that anyone could imagine. Their different characters made them fight almost every time over petty things, but Fugaku knew better than that. These fights were superficial, he could tell very well how much the boys cared for each other from the way they protected each other in front of other people.

Glancing to his son's right, Fugaku saw Sakura Haruno. Sakura came from a simple family. Her parents were ninjas who had not passed the genin level, however, they had a special talent as it pertained to medical ninjutsu. Fugaku didn't know them like he knew Naruto's parents. He might have seen them once or twice in his lifetime. Her mother worked in a hospital as a nurse, while her father owned a shop selling herbs and medical supplies.

He could watch every action of the girl to catch his son's eye. Sasuke wasn't far behind either, Fugaku had seen his little cheeks turn pink when Itachi and Shisui teased him about Sakura. According to them some time ago when they were still young and in the academy, Sasuke had asked Itachi how he could talk to a girl with pink hair to get her attention. Sweet childish sympathy.

"They are doing well," Kakashi said as he approached Fugaku.

"If that's what their teacher says, then it can be."

"They also need a little time to work as a team. It is still in the early days that they know its value, but I believe they will reach it faster than others."

"There is time, nothing is impossible as long as you have the patience to work hard to achieve it."

"True," Kakashi nodded. "You want me to call Sasuke?"

"No, actually I wanted to see how you were doing. Growing up I missed a lot of things I wasn't there for him in his important moments. I didn't want to miss his first training either, Sasuke barely has been waiting for this day," Fugaku said and looked back at the children.

As the first lesson, they had chakra control where Sakura was the first to climb the tree leaving behind the 2 boys of the team. Fugaku smiled at the reaction of the boys, who seemed not pleased at all. "Apparently the girl has better control compared to the 2 boys."

Fugaku noticed how Sakura's laughter rang out like music, her enthusiasm lighting up the training ground. Each time she encouraged Sasuke to climb the tree, he could see the subtle shifts in his son's posture—a slight lean, a quicker response—Sasuke was drawn to her in a way that intrigued Fugaku.

"It was expected from her to be good but I have to admit, considering Sakura's age and experience she is above the average genin level. Her chakra control is very precise," Kakashi said.

'Interesting' thought Fugaku. Turning to Kakashi he said "My wife wants you all to have dinner at our house tonight. She is very happy that now Sasuke will have new people around him that he can trust and rely on. It would be good to spend time together. "