Predecessor

Spirit

Haruno Sakura first sees it when she's eight years old. She's stood outside the Academy, like everyone else, waiting for their names to be called off a roster for an assigned classroom when she spots them;

Two dark-haired, fair-skinned boys dressed in noble blue with a red and white fan crest stitched into their backs.

Sakura recognises them as apart of the Uchiha clan - more precisely, the heirs. Those trademark obsidian eyes and delicate facial features give them away immediately. She doesn't necessarily know much about the Uchiha, only what she's read and what Anko haphazardly tells her.

She knows their position as protectors of Konoha, that they're the good guys however the man that trails behind the eldest one makes her stomach squeeze in anticipation.

He's tall with angry red eyes and long dark hair, and he wears a permanent frown, downturned lips and hard gaze. His clothing are somewhat traditional but they're none Sakura has ever seen before.

He sticks close to the eldest boy and casts an impatient sneer around his surroundings every now and then. He doesn't notice Sakura staring.

Then, the most bizarre thing happens and she swears she's going crazy - because someone walks right through him.

A woman holding the hand of a tiny teal-haired girl steps straight through his body and she pauses momentarily to shudder before continuing on her track. Sakura's eyes grow unbelievably wide and she feels her hands tighten around her bento in shock.

She glances around quickly to see if anyone else saw it, but they haven't. It's only her. Only she can see him, as far as she can tell.

She thinks she must be going crazy to be seeing things. Anko has told her before, that no normal person sees or hears things that aren't there. She - of all people - would know.

Sakura's heart rate quickens however she can't find it in herself to tear her eyes away. There's something auspiciously delectable about him, the spirit that she can't put her finger on. She almost misses her name being called by the sensei up front.

She gets a thrill when she passes the two Uchiha boys who have no idea of the mighty apparition that stalks them.

[ -------------------- ]

The youngest Uchiha is in her class. She discovers his name is Sasuke. The spirit doesn't follow him, but his older brother - the prodigal Uchiha Itachi.

Sakura wonders why. Maybe Itachi has befallen a curse, or maybe he's just unlucky. Perhaps it hereditary.

Ino clasps her hands together in joy when she slides into the empty seat next to Sakura. She's near tears - happy ones, in fact. She's beyond overjoyed to be in the same class as her acclaimed future husband.

She points to Sasuke discreetly and sighs dreamily.

"I'm going to marry him one day," she oaths.

And Sakura doesn't have a single doubt about it. What Ino wants, Ino often gets. Kicking and screaming, if she must.

Sakura semi-wants to protest against the Yamanaka's choice of love interest. Nara Shikamaru will be a better choice for Ino. He's not as condescending or arrogant as Uchiha Sasuke, but Sakura knows Ino will have none of it.

Because what Ino wants, Ino gets.

The classroom door slides open to reveal Iruka-sensei and in his hand is the collar of a blonde boy's shirt. The class falls into complete silence to witness Iruka-sensei drag said boy across the room and place him in the seat in front of Sasuke.