Chapter 3: The Quiet Naruto Uzumaki
"Hey — you okay?"
Sakura walked over to the blond kid and helped him to his feet.
"Th-thank you…"
The boy looked at the pink-haired girl in front of him, stammering with an awkwardness that bordered on shy.
"I'm Sakura Haruno, by the way."
"I… I'm Naruto Uzumaki…"
"Sakura… Haruno?"
From a distance, an old man in a red ceremonial hat watched the scene unfold, a thoughtful look crossing his weathered face.
He'd only come to the Academy on a whim — just to see how Konoha's newest crop was coming along. He hadn't expected to stumble onto something like this.
The pink-haired girl had caught his interest.
Strictly speaking, this child — Sakura Haruno — was the first person besides himself and Iruka to show genuine kindness toward Naruto Uzumaki.
And that move earlier — concentrating chakra into her fist to amplify her punch — it reminded him of someone.
"Look into this girl's background."
The old man spoke to the seemingly empty air beside him.
"Yes, sir."
A muffled voice answered, and then something in the old man's vicinity seemed to vanish.
Having survived another afternoon of classes, Sakura walked home under the fading sun with Ino beside her.
"Sakura, you were so cool at lunch today!"
"Ha!"
Ino threw a dramatic punch into the air and grinned.
"Just one hit and that guy went flying!"
"That's our Sakura!"
Watching Ino's goofy impression, Sakura couldn't help but laugh.
The ridiculous pose reminded her of her father — though in terms of being easy on the eyes, ten Kizashi Harunos couldn't hold a candle to one Ino Yamanaka.
Couldn't be helped. Some people were just born with it.
"Hey hey, Sakura — you finally smiled!"
Ino immediately latched onto Sakura's arm, beaming.
"You were so serious all day — I was scared to even talk to you!"
She clung tighter, pouting for dramatic effect.
That's because I was trying to study…
Sakura sighed quietly. The thought of the Yin Seal — which could surface at any moment — made her head throb.
If anyone discovered it, she wouldn't be able to talk her way out of it with a hundred mouths…
The only option was to keep getting stronger. Keep excelling. Get on the Konoha leadership's radar. Earn access to the Yin Seal through legitimate means — and then she'd have an explanation.
Or at the very least… she wouldn't end up in an interrogation cell.
"H-hey! Wait up!"
They'd reached a fork in the road and Ino was about to say goodbye when a shout came from behind them.
They turned around. A blond kid was running toward them, out of breath.
Who else could it be but Naruto Uzumaki?
"Look, Sakura helped you out today, but that doesn't mean you can follow her around like a lost puppy."
Ino eyed the dirt-covered Naruto and wrinkled her nose.
Between the beating he'd taken and the white t-shirt he was wearing, the kid looked like he'd been rolling around in a ditch.
"N-no, that's not—"
Naruto flinched at Ino's sharp tone, waving his hands in a panic.
"Ino, that's not what he's doing."
Sakura recognized Ino's attitude for what it was — the Yamanaka heiress's natural bossiness, not actual malice.
"What is it, Uzumaki-kun?"
Sakura offered a polite smile.
She knew exactly what kind of person he'd grow into. Sure, he was shy now — but give him a few years and he'd be the most aggressively social human being on the planet.
And he'd never do anything rude, either…
Except…
Chase after her.
Something snapped in Sakura's brain. She'd somehow never considered this angle before.
If it were Ino pursuing her, well… she might at least hesitate. She was a girl now, after all.
But if it was Naruto Uzumaki…
Sorry, buddy — boys can take a number and stand over there.
Oblivious to the storm behind Sakura's smile, Naruto fidgeted and pulled a small slip of paper from his pocket.
"The old man always says… when someone helps you, you should give them a gift to say thanks."
"This is the most precious thing I have!"
"Please — you have to take it!"
He thrust the little paper toward Sakura with both hands.
It was a crumpled Ichiraku Ramen coupon.
Clearly treasured for a very long time.
The handwritten expiration date had passed three months ago.
"What — it's just a coupon? That's his most 'precious thing'?"
Ino leaned over to look and scoffed.
"…Thank you."
Sakura was quiet for a moment, then smiled and accepted it.
After parting ways with Ino and Naruto, Sakura stared at the wrinkled coupon in her hand and felt a wave of exasperation.
At least he ends up with Hinata in the end. I just have to survive the chase until then…
It's not even that long. Just…
Ten years.
TEN YEARS?!
Are you kidding me?!
Sakura's vision went dark. She wanted to cry but no tears would come.
Would he have never chased her if she'd just minded her own business today?
She stared at the sad little coupon, half-tempted to toss it — but every time she tried, her hand wouldn't let go.
It was a gift. From someone who had almost nothing. Throwing it away didn't feel right.
Fine. She'd just shove it in a drawer and forget about it.
The pink-haired girl shook her head, sighed, and dragged herself home with the heavy steps of someone facing a decade-long sentence.
What Sakura didn't know was that everything she'd done today had been watched.
"What a good kid…"
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi gazed into his crystal ball at the dejected little girl trudging home, a satisfied smile spreading across his lined face.
He couldn't help but think of the Fourth Hokage — and his wife, Kushina Uzumaki.
One gold, one red.
Granted, this one was pink… but close enough.
And judging from today's performance, she was quite impressive.
Willing to stand up for a comrade. Focused and diligent in class. Kind and good-natured.
Hiruzen could almost see a glimmer of Minato Namikaze's spirit in her.
As for raw ability — that was secondary.
"Sakura, why are you moping around again?"
Looking at the cream-haired woman before her — Mebuki Haruno, her mother in this life — Sakura sighed and set down her chopsticks.
"I'm going to go train in the backyard…"
Kizashi watched his listless daughter shuffle away, then exchanged a baffled look with his wife.
She'd been perfectly cheerful yesterday — he'd made sure of it. So what happened now?
Mebuki studied her daughter's retreating back, deep in thought. Then her eyes widened with absolute conviction.
"She definitely got rejected by a boy!"
!!!
"WHAT?!"