J A D E

Chapter Seventeen

I sit at the edge of the cliff, overlooking the scattered battlefield. Others are still fighting down, trying to give us time to relax, to regain our strength. I sigh as I hug my legs tighter.

"You should not be here, alone." Sasuke mumbles, while he sits down next to me. I look at him, but I don't say anything. I don't know what to tell him anyways. The bond, that we had, has broken long ago and now, we are mere strangers for one another. He is just a stranger. Stranger, who still manages to make me hitch my breath, speed up my heart rate and make me blush from time to time. Stranger, in whose eyes, I still find myself lost.

"Come on, Sakura-chan!" Naruto grabs my hand and starts dragging me with him and Sasuke. During this one year, we have formed close friendship with one another. "Today is the last day, believe it!" He yells again, irritating me a bit more.

This year in academy has not been eventful at all. Only that I managed to get know my friends once again. Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, Hinata and Shino. I doubt I will have a chance to meet with Gai's team till the Chunin exams.

"Forehead!" Ino is waving her hand animatedly from afar. I grin and start running myself, dragging Naruto and Sasuke with me. "Oh, Sasuke-kun." Ino blushes and smiles kindly at the boy. But Sasuke only looks away, irritated.

"Ino-Pig!" I hug her tightly, giggling in her ear. She shakes her head and peels me away from her body.

"Come on, forehead, we are going to be late." She takes my hand away from Naruto and starts dragging me towards the classroom. I stop before she is able to take me inside and look over at lazy boys.

"Ino, where is Hinata-chan?" I ask as I tilt my head. Just as on cue, Hinata appears with small shy smile on her lips. "Hinata-chan!" I and Ino shout at the same time.

"Ino-chan, Sakura-chan." She greets us without stuttering. It took us the whole year to make her stop stuttering around us. "How are you?"

"We are fine." Ino grins and then looks around, clicking her tongue in distaste. "But we are going to be late." She adds and looks around.

"Ino-Pig, grab Shika and Choji." Ino nods and smiles evilly. "Hinata-chan, grab Shino and Kiba and I will take Naruto and Sasuke." They both nod as we run towards our future teammates. I giggle, as I grab them both and Sasuke starts insulting me lightly with small smirk on his lips, while Naruto is fully fighting against my hold, saying that he should not be dragged like this.

***

"Sakura-chan!" Shisui waves his hand as I approach the training grounds. "Ibiki-san told me that he had to go on a mission." I nod and he grins. But I can't even smile at him.

Every time I look at him, it reminds me how close his death date is and it just makes my blood boil inside of me. I... I can't stand the even thought of losing him or Sasuke all over again.

"Ne, Sakura-chan." Shisui smirks at me and hops down next to me on the grass. "Do you happen to like my little cousin, Sasu-chan?" He asks me again with smirk playing on his lips. He laughs when instead of answering, blush dusts my cheeks.

"Don't tell him." I mumble and look down at my hands.

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan!" He laughs once again and shakes his head. "I won't tell him anything."

***

"How are you, Sakura-chan?" Inoichi-san asks me in his kind, caring voice. I have used to coming at his office every week and tell him about the feelings that are swirling inside of me. It became easier, when I and Ino became best friends. Now, I spend most of my time with them. And Ibiki-sensei does not mind at all. He even told me that he feels at ease knowing that I have more friends that are my age, like Naruto-brat, Uchiha-brat and now Yamanaka-brat.

I think by calling us brats he expresses his love for us. He only ever called me by name, when he was serious, scared about my life or both.

"I am fine, Inoichi-san." I grin at the man. "Though, I feel a little tired. I haven't trained properly for quite some time and I don't feel relaxed when I know that I am slouching off." I admit and look down at my hands.

"Sakura, you are just six." Inoichi smiles at me. How can he know that it is just mere months left before Shisui's death? How can he know that it is less than a year left before Itachi kills his whole clan, leaving only Sasuke alive?

"Yeah, but it does not mean that I don't have responsibilities." I shrug my shoulders and look at Inoichi-san with angry look. "I won't be six all the time. And I have to be stronger, when I grow up." I nod surely and smile. "I want to defend my friends, when I grow up. And I have already promised Ino-Pig, Hinata-chan, Naruto and Sasuke that they could always have my trust. And I can't be weak if I want to defend them." I shrug my shoulders and grin at older Yamanaka.