Predecessor

Ghostly

Sakura's thirst for Senju Tsunade is real.

She can barely sit still, having only been in the same room with the Sannin herself for no more than twenty minutes, and already she's made multiple marriage proposals.

Tsunade arches an eyebrow in surprise every time before flicking the Mitarashi a look. Anko is scarily proud of Sakura's strangely developed flirting skills. Even if Sakura's target is someone several, several years her senior.

"You do realize, brat, that I am old enough to be your mother," says Tsunade. Heck, she's old enough to be the Haruno's grandmother. (Not that anyone will mention it.)

Sakura smiles. "Well I already have a mother so you can't be mine. I'd prefer you as my bride."

"Bride," the Senju woman mutters shaking her head. "It'll take more than a cute smile and compliments to make a wife outta me, brat."

Sakura's eyes gleam and then she turns to Anko. Anko sees it in her, has seen it in her since the beginning. Haruno Sakura loves a challenge.

"I'm going to marry her when I get older."

Anko howls with laughter. She wipes away tears and slaps her knees. Her lips are stretched so wide that her cheeks ache.

This will be quite the story to tell Ibiki.

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

The Hyuga who sits in the back of the classroom - Sakura comes to realise - is the object of Sasuke's weirdly expressed affections.

She finds this out one lunch time when Hinata accidentally drops her bento, completely obliterating her entire lunch, on the court where she sits. The Hyuga's eyes flare something disappointed and she heaves a sigh, nibbling on her bottom lip. She doesn't think anyone is watching. She thinks no one even notices her.

Hinata is quiet like a mouse, though she stirs something fierce behind that cool temperament of hers. She sits alone usually and seems to enjoy the company of herself. She doesn't really try to go out of her way too much to deepen the slight friendships she has with a few people who sit near her in class and barely talks to anyone.

Time and time again Sakura has tried to get herself to invite the Heiress to eat with herself and Ino, however there's always a weird icky sensation on the back of her head whenever she attempts to get near. It's a warning, she's sure, and it barely bothers her however she decides she'll keep her distance. For now anyway.

Sakura has narrowed it - the prickly sensation, that is - down to Hyuga Neji, the only other Hyuga in the entire school. He watches Hinata like a hawk and chases off anyone who comes near her. Sakura isn't surprised. Hinata is an important person after all.

But unlike the effect on Sakura, it's not the case for Sasuke. He can care less about some petty warning from someone he can barely care to know. He doesn't like to listen to what anybody has to say. He does what he pleases on his own terms.

An admirable trait in some ways, perhaps.

     Here, Hinata sits alone under the shade of a tree to hide from the hot Konoha head. She tries to disguise her distress from the now ruined bento in front of her.

And she does it well, but even still she has caught Sasuke's eye.

He's still for a moment, steely pupils unblinking and narrowed in Hinata's direction. He ignores the squawking of the girls beside him and then looks away from her.