Okay. Calm down. They are both safe and alive. They are both safe and alive. Everyone is safe and alive. The war never happened. We are all young and unaware of that hell. Sakura kept chanting to herself as she rocked back and forth holding her head in her hands. Ah... This is so hard! Kakashi Sensei... How am I supposed to complete my mission if I'm like this already!? Sakura screamed in her head. She kept having flashes of the war and her friends. Her head was about to burst. I need to get out of here or it will be weird. I can't attract any kind of situations just because I feel unstable. She took deep breaths to calm herself and washed her face with cold water. Okay... My name is Haruno Sakura. I am 12 years old. It's my first day as a genin. My teammates will be Naruto and Sasuke. Kakashi Sensei will be our instructor. I need to become accepted as a member of the team. Yeah, this is my first priority. Unite Team 7 before the bell test. Yosh! Shannaro!! She nodded to herself with determined eyes and started to exit the bathroom when she suddenly remembered... Ahh!! I really should have punched them.

Finally, Iruka started announcing the Konoha 12 members. And as expected, her name was announced first.

"Okay, next Team 7! And the members are Haruno Sakura... Uzumaki Naruto... " Naruto had sparkling eyes and excitedly he turned to Sakura and leaped out of joy.

"Yatta!! Yoroshukune Sakura-chan!!" Sakura also felt giddy upon hearing those words again. It feels strangely reassuring. She smiled at Naruto.

"Yeah! Let's support each other to the best ne?"

She replied with a smile. And Naruto replied with a vigorous nod.

And that's when they heard their third member

"And Uchiha Sasuke!" Upon hearing that, all the girls in the class started whining and glared at Sakura.

"What! No way! I don't wanna be on a team with teme! How could you place me on a team with teme?! "

"Quiet down! These teams are made with great analysis. Sasuke had the best scores and you had the worst. So you two can balance each other. Understand? Now the next team is..."

And Iruka went on to declare the rest of the teams. Sakura looked at Sasuke and saw that he was maintaining his usual poker face but there were creases on his forehead. Huh... He's not comfortable with us. Sakura felt discouraged when she realized that Sasuke never liked them from the beginning. No that's why I'm back! I'll change this reality! She was dragged out of her thoughts when she saw Naruto glaring daggers at Sasuke who was steadily ignoring both of them.

"Calm down Naruto. It's gonna be fine. Yoroshukune, Sasuke." She said with a smile. Sasuke looked at her for a while and then returned to making his poker face.

"Ugh! Fine but get this straight teme! I don't like you!"

"Hm. The feeling is mutual, dobe."

"Haha!? What did you just say?!" Ahh here they go again. You guys really can't stop insulting each other, can you?

"God! Stop your bickering! It's been decided so just shut up and accept it!"

Both of them turned towards Sakura who was looking at them with a disapproving look and then looked at each other only to turn away dramatically.

"You two are really childish! Arguing over stupid things."

"Am not!" "No way!"

Both of them yelled at the same time and then they glared at each other.

"Don't copy me!" "Ah! I said don't copy me!"

And once again they heard that laugh. They turned towards the source and found Sakura laughing at their bickering. Despite her shouting, She looked happy and relieved instead of annoyed. Both of them found themselves curious about the pink-haired girl. For some reason, they found her laugh reassuring but they were clueless as to why. Huh... That's weird. Thought both of them at the same time.

The class ended and Iruka announced that after lunch, they can meet their Jonin instructor. Sakura felt exited and scared at the same time thinking that she was going to meet Kakashi again. No! First Naruto and Sasuke! She turned to them to find that Sasuke was leaving the classroom. She took Naruto's hand and ran to him.

"Wait! Sasuke! "

He slowly turned around and looked at her with his cold gaze. Geez, could you be any less approachable?

"I was thinking that since we are now a team, we could eat lunch together and get to know each other! What do you say? Hm?"

"That's a great idea Sakura-chan! I don't mind having lunch with you! I don't care about teme though! You can come or not that's up to you." He replied with a sharp gaze.

"Hn. Don't think you guys are my teammates. You are just going to hold me back. I don't want to spend my time on someone like you." he replied and turned away from them.

"Hey! You can't talk to Sakura-chan like that! She just wants us to do well!"

" Like I care. She is even worse than you." And then he went off.

"Haah! Get back here teme! I'll knock some sense in you!" He pulled his sleeve up and started to go after him but a hand stopped him. Naruto turned and saw Sakura holding his hand with her head down.

"Sakura-chan? Are you okay? Don't worry about teme! He's just a jerk! I don't think like that about you. I know you won't hold our team back! I'll go beat him to a pulp for behaving like that to you!"

She slowly lifted her head and looked at him while smiling.

"It's okay, Naruto. You don't have to do that but thanks anyway." But even Naruto could see that she was faking it. Damn it teme! I really won't forgive you for hurting her.

And so Naruto and Sakura went on to have lunch in the park by the academy. They chatted and laughed all the time mostly because Naruto was trying to cheer Sakura up after the scene with Sasuke. Ah... I really missed this. It's so good to see Naruto like this again. I hope Sasuke warms up to us soon. I'll have to think about something to make that happen.

"Hey, Sakura-chan? Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Naruto."

"Didn't you like Sasuke? I mean, you didn't even look at me before but today was... Different. Not bad different! I really like getting to know you and all but I just wanted to ask."

Sakura looked at him for a while before answering with a warm gaze.

"You know, today was our first day as genin. I used to think that I was a great kunoichi who should have everything but something happened which made me realize that I can't get everything I want. I have to work hard to get my goal. I'm not even average in the Shinobi world. I realized I was really a brat more than anything so I decided to change myself. I also realized that friends and family are the most important thing in this world. And that's why I also understood that I can't act as I did in the past. I want to improve myself so I can be your shield when I'm needed. That's why I want to be your friend not just your teammate. Is that okay with you? Naruto?"

Naruto just looked at the pink-haired girl for what felt like an eternity with wide eyes and mouth hung open. And then slowly his eyes shone and a big grin stretched on his face as he gave a vigorous nod.

"Of course not, Sakura-chan! We can be friends! We can be the best of friends!" He shouted with his arms waving. My first friend is Sakura-chan. For some reason, Naruto felt like crying but he didn't know why. He kept seeing this girl with short hair in place of Sakura who was smiling just as lovingly as the current Sakura but she was more mature. He shook his head. Huh... It must be my imagination. They continued their conversation without knowing that a certain boy had been watching them from afar with a conflicting expression.

Something is really different about her. What happened that made her change like this so much ? He thought while eating his lunch. Whatever, I don't care. He said to himself but he strangely felt attracted to the pink-haired girl.