Back in time

Chapter 6

Tucking a medical scroll under her arm, Sakura locks up her house and heads out for the day. For once, there is no school, no Naras, no Naruto and Sasuke, and no other friends to meet up with. She has the entire day to herself.

She continues believing this right up to the point when she unlocks her garden gate.

And then she stops.

"Good morning, Sakura-san," Itachi says impassively.

It actually takes a few seconds for Sakura to register the fact that Itachi had spoken out loud.

"Uh," She replies intelligently.

A long minute passes, stressed with silence.

"Good... morning?" Sakura finally returns, inwardly cringing at the audible question mark at the end.

Itachi seems satisfied though because the intensity of his gaze lessens somewhat even though he continues watching her.

Sakura scans the standard shinobi gear the Uchiha is wearing and wonders why he isn't training or on a mission. More importantly, she wonders why he is standing outside her house at eight in the morning.

"Can I help you, Itachi-san?" She finally asks when it is clear Itachi isn't going to say anything.

Itachi blinks and the set of his shoulders shift a little. "I would be pleased to make your acquaintance, Sakura-san."

Sakura just stares. What?

Most likely seeing the lost look on her face, Itachi tries again. "I would like to gain your friendship."

...?

Sakura's mind is literally blank for several moments but she is more dumbfounded than confused as the seconds tick by. Itachi wants to be... friends with her? If she doesn't know better, she would think it is a joke.

When she recovers, the first thing out of her mouth is, "That was blunt."

She flushes a little at her own candour but neither of them can deny the truth of that statement.

Itachi tilts his head a little. "Shisui said I should make my intentions clear to you," A miniscule frown creases his brow. "Have I done so?"

Sakura can't help gaping at him. So Itachi doesn't hate her? Then what was with all the frowns and stiff nods and stony silences?

"Are you serious?" She can't help blurting out, and then quickly amends, "Nobody says things like that just because..."

Sakura trails off as a thought strikes her. Itachi has told her that he is following Shisui's instructions. So either Itachi is going along with a prank, which Sakura just can't see happening, or the Uchiha heir is really just completely clueless on how to go about making friends.

Itachi is still staring at her but Sakura can pick out the slight tension running through his frame. Huh. Why hasn't she seen it before?

Looking closer, she thinks she can pick up the same brittle quality in Itachi's eyes as she once did in Naruto's and Sai's and even Sasuke's when he thinks no one is looking, the one that speaks of uncertainty and fear of not being accepted and just the smallest shadow of longing, like he wants her company but isn't sure how to go about getting it.

And she wants to slap herself.

Haruno Sakura, She scolds mentally. How could you not see this coming? A child prodigy from the Uchiha Clan would no doubt receive resentment from teammates and colleagues alike, but they would hide it because of what he represents. Where would he ever learn how to make friends?