sun (naruto fanfiction)

twenty eight - it begins

taiyou p.o.v.

     my team and i stood in front of our sensei, at room 301. "glad you came, sakura, taiyou. for your sake, and the others. now, you all can formally register for the chuunin exams."

     sakura asked, "what do you mean?"

     "you see, only groups that contain every member of their team are allowed to apply for and take the exam, that's the way it's always been."

     "but sensei, you said that the decision to take the exam was up to the individual!"

     "that's right, i did."

     "was that a lie?"

     "well... sort of. it is an individual decision, but it affects all of you. i didn't tell you two before because i didn't want the others to pressure you. at the same time, i didn't want you to feel obliged to participate for any feelings you had for sasuke or naruto. i wanted you to come to a decision of your own free will."

     "wait a minute... do you mean if the others had shown up but we decided to not come with them-"

     "it'd be the end of the line. if you hadn't come along, i couldn't let the others in. but that is besides the point. you're all here, and for the right reasons. sakura, naruto, taiyou, and sasuke. i'm proud of you. i couldn't have asked for a better team, good luck." my sensei stepped aside from the door, allowing the four of us to enter the exam site. 

     before i closed the door behind me, i gave the silver haired jonin a closed eye smile. "thank you, kakashi sensei."

     as i turned around into the other room, i could already feel my heart begin to pound inside of my chest. 'oh wow, that's a lot of people, and they all look so scary...'

     "wha- what's this?" naruto stammered. 

     the uchiha on my right squinted his eyes at all of the other participants, trying his best to look intimidating. the pinkette on my left's eyes looked a bit like mine, scared for what was to come. "gee, i guess we're not alone..." she muttered. 

     "sasuke, where have you been?!" a familiar voice exclaimed, causing me to look to my right to see ino's arms wrapped around the boy. "you have no idea how much i was hoping you'd show up here! i've missed those good looks of yours!"

     "hey you porker, back off! he's mine!" sakura shouted as she pointed her finger towards the girl. 

     "miss forehead, they let you in?! still got those big frown lines on that billboard brow, i see!"

     "leave my forehead out of it!"

     ino stuck her tongue out at my pink haired teammate as i heard a very familiar voice approach us. "oh, it's you guys? i knew this was gonna be a drag, but i didn't know it was gonna be thi-"

     "shika!" i exclaimed as i ran up to my best friend and engulfed him in a huge hug. 

     "oh, tai. how have you been?" the boy asked me as we separated from the embrace. 

     "oh, i've been alri-"

     i was interrupted by another familiar voice... kiba! "well, well, what d'ya know, it looks like the whole gang is back together again!" 

     as i felt a bit of heat rise to my cheeks, i turned around and crossed my arms. "you guys too? man, everyone's here for this stupid thing..." shika groaned at what a 'drag' the whole situation was.