The Kazekage's Sister

4- The Academy

Now eight, Sakura Haruno was a bright, smart, and capable student at the academy, loved by all her teachers. However, some students were upset about how much attention she was receiving, so they bullied her. That's when Sakura's best friend, Ino Yamanaka, had enough. But, Sakura also made a new friend, and his name goes by Naruto Uzumaki.

"Look at her big forehead!" One says, pointing to it.

"Who in the world has pink hair?! That's so bizarre!"

"Don't forget about her ugly vomit eyes!" Another says.

"HEEYY!" Ino screams at the group, and they all halt in their tracks. "Don't you dare bully Sakura anymore, or else I'll tell Iruka-sensei!" Immediately, the group runs off. "Are you okay, forehead?"

"Yeah, thanks pig." Sakura says, standing up.

"Ino!" Haruna Yamanaka says, waving for her child.

"Looks like I have to go. See ya, forehead."

"Later, pig." Sakura responds, and Ino smiles, running to her mother. The pinkette turns her head and sees none other than Naruto Uzumaki sitting on the swing.

Maybe I'll... no, I definitely will.

"Hi! I'm Sakura Haruno! What's your name?" The pinkette asks. The blonde glances at the pinkette and looks behind him, making sure that she is talking to him. "I'm talking to you, silly."

"My name.... I'm Naruto Uzumaki."

"Well, Naruto... how would you like to be friends?" At that, the blonde's eyes widen.

"A-are you serious...?"

"Why wouldn't I be? Let's be friends, Naruto." The pinkette says, offering him her hand.

"Let's be friends, dattebayo!" He responds, taking her hand. The pair run off, hand in hand.

~

"How was your day?" Mebuki asks, setting plates in front of her daughter and husband, grabbing one for herself as well.

"Itadikimasu." The three say before digging into their meal.

"School was good, as usual." The pinkette responds, looking at her parents.

"Iruka-sensei says that you're the top in the class, and that you could probably skip three grades and graduate early." Kizashi says to his daughter.

"Not this again...." Sakura whines.

"Sakura, you're really smart. You should graduate."

"I want to graduate with my class." The pinkette argues, and her parents glance at each other, before Kizashi speaks again.

"If that's what you want, darling."

"Yes!" Sakura cheers, and a hint of a smile makes its way onto her foster dad's face.

~

"We did it, dattebayo!" Naruto says from beside the pinkette.

"We finally graduated." Ino says from the row in front of her, smiling.

"And now, for the teams. Team 10; Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Choji Akimichi....."

Eventually, Sakura's team is called. "Team 7; Sakura Haruno, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sasuke Uchiha." Sakura and Naruto smile, high giving each other as the third member of Team 7 slouches into his seat.