Time Spents

Time flies

"Hey, Naruto," she greeted back, giving him a tentative smile as she walked towards where he sat. The act caused the blonde boy's face to redden ten times more, reducing him to a stuttering mess.

Sakura felt amused by his response; she never really paid that much attention to his feelings before. When they were put under the same team she had been annoyed more than anything, and after he came back from his training with Jiraiya they both got caught up in the wave of events that led to the war. There was not enough time to sit down and ponder about matters of the heart.

Remembering where she was and how everyone was behaving—like someone who just passed their examination and just graduated from the academy—Sakura was jolted back to her present predicament. Each student in the room was acting normally relative to the current situation. There was nothing amiss about their actions, nothing that would indicate that they also found it bizarre to be in their younger selves again. They were all giving off an aura of innocence, something only present in students fresh from the academy.

It was not a dream, nor was it a genjutsu...

Finally coming to grips with her situation, she would have launched herself into another round of questioning and forming theories after theories to sort out all her thoughts if Naruto did not interrupt her from her musing.

"Come sit next to me, Sakura!" he invited, patting the spot next to him with a wide grin on his face.

Her knees were shaking from the overwhelming emotions bubbling inside her. Thankfully, she managed to keep a straight face as she sauntered to where Naruto was sitting. She was so caught up in her present circumstances that she completely forgot the very person who was sharing the same table as Naruto.

"Sasuke!" she blurted out upon finally noticing the brooding boy who simply ignored her little outburst. She should have been prepared to see him considering that she was back to her twelve-year old self along with everybody else. Still, it had only been a couple of minutes ago that she fully realized that the impossible had happened to her and that she was somehow thrown back into the past. She was too caught up in her thinking that it did not occur to her that being in the past meant that Sasuke would be back in Konoha too.

Seeing the dark-haired boy beside Naruto with his chin resting on his interlaced fingers like he often did, and very far different from the man she had attempted to kill but was unable to, Sakura felt tears sting her eyes. She was able to stop herself from crying though. It would not be good to be making such a big scene, and it would be difficult to explain why she would suddenly burst into tears just because she saw Sasuke.

Deciding to go with the flow for now and sort out her far-fetched situation later when she was by herself, Sakura walked past Naruto to sit between her two teammates. She felt light, but this time it was because of happiness. No matter how bizarre her situation was, it weighed little compared to the fact that she was sitting between Naruto and Sasuke again like how it used to be a long time ago. In sync with the growing sense of happiness within her, a resolve slowly formed in her mind then: she would preserve this peace and she would preserve this Team 7 for as long as she could.

The best course of action she formulated at that moment was to stay out of anybody's radar and blending in with everybody else. Moreover, no matter how upsetting it was, Sakura figured she would have to pretend to be that annoying little girl that she used to be many years ago, unless she wanted people questioning her for her sudden change in behavior. But at least she could tone it down a notch—a huge notch, especially because that crush had blossomed into love, now that she knew more about Sasuke and she managed to see beyond just his good looks.

Glancing at Sasuke, Sakura was about to greet him enthusiastically and ignore the fact that she just exclaimed his name not too long ago if not for Naruto appearing in front of him, scrutinizing him through narrowed, blue eyes. Then the boy behind Naruto, in a moment of disbelief, pulled his arm back to rest his elbow on the table behind him, effectively knocking Naruto off balance.

The scene was like a slow motion for her, and even her reflexes were not quick enough to stop Naruto from plunging face first into Sasuke, leading to their inevitable kiss.

"Wha..." she stared at the two choking boys, dumbfounded. A wave of memory washed over her, and she could say it was like a déjà vu, although this one was real. She remembered how disgusted she was that Sasuke lost his first kiss to Naruto and not to her, and how she was ready to beat the blonde boy into a purple pulp.

This time she reacted differently. A surge of laughter erupted from her, and she had to hold her sides and wipe tears of mirth from her eyes. As fate would have it, even the years she spent training under the legendary Tsunade was not enough for her to stop her teammates' kiss a second time around. By the time she regained her composure, Naruto and Sasuke were done vigorously cleansing their mouths and were now looking at her like she had grown another head.

"Eh, Sakura. How was that funny?" Naruto drawled, wiping his lips a second time around with an upset look on his face.

"Sorry! Sorry..." She giggled again, unable to stop herself. "It shouldn't be funny," she continued, clearing her throat to erase any remnants of laughter in her system, "Actually yeah. It's not funny! I should beat you right now, Naruto, for stealing Sasuke's first kiss!" She half-heartedly cracked her knuckles, directing a menacing glare at Naruto for added effect.

It worked. Naruto visibly shrunk against Sakura's sinister aura, but before she could proceed with her threat Iruka entered the room, effectively quieting the class before him.

"Starting today, all of you are real ninjas. But you are still genin. The vigorous journey that lies ahead just started," he addressed the class. "As genin, you will receive missions that will help the village. Today, I will assign you to a three-man team, with a jounin who will train you and guide you through each missions..."

Sakura drowned out Iruka's speech to further assess her situation. Her last memory of the war was Naruto's frantic expression, as well as the massive pain caused by her injury. How did she end up in the past then? Her logical mind declared it impossible, but she was in the past now, was she not? Since it was a plausible feat, it would definitely require a substantial amount of chakra to bind a soul to its past body. She was on the verge of death... and Naruto was the last person beside her.

Naruto!

She glanced at the boy beside her, clad in his obnoxious orange jumpsuit and trying to focus on Iruka's speech. The last piece to this puzzle was Naruto. He had the Kyuubi inside him, an entity with an infinite amount of chakra. Naruto must have asked the Kyuubi to heal her in a final attempt to save her, and because her body was beyond repair the Kyuubi chose to bind her soul to her younger body. That would also explain why her memory was intact. It all made sense now. She was brought back to the past because of the Kyuubi. It gave her a second chance at life.

"Team Seven! Haruno Sakura," called Iruka.

Nodding to show that she had heard the chuunin's call, Sakura made a silent promise to herself. She would not waste this significant opportunity. This time, she would do everything she can so the war would not have to happen, or so that at least they would be better prepared for it. This time, she would do everything she can so they would not lose Sasuke in his drive for revenge. This time, she would make sure that she did not watch their backs anymore.

Sakura felt herself smile at this promise.

"Uzumaki Naruto..." Iruka called after he mentioned her name.

"Yeah!" Naruto stood up enthusiastically, fists extended in the air.

"... and Uchiha Sasuke!"

"Hell yeah!" Sakura exclaimed, imitating Naruto's earlier pose.

Indeed, she would not waste this chance.

The sun was high by the time Iruka dismissed them so they can have their break. Sakura chose a bench at the academy's backyard where the trees provided a nice shade against the sun's hot rays. It was nice and peaceful; she could not remember the last time she felt this serene. The war had forced them to mature so quickly, and there was little room for relaxation considering the endless number of casualties she had to deal with every day.

A warm breeze wafted past her, and she closed her eyes, cherishing the way the gentle wind caressed her skin and the sound of the rustling of the canopy of leaves above her.

Her moment of meditation was abruptly broken when she felt eyes boring at her form, only to find Sasuke leaning against a tree with arms crossed in front of him. A memory clicked in her mind. It was a painful one, she remembered. How could she forget? Her attitude during her younger days had been nothing but embarrassing—she was selfish and insensitive, and her attraction to Sasuke not only prevented her from showing Naruto a little bit of consideration, it also stopped her from seeing Sasuke for who he really was. Sasuke had told her off then and called her annoying. It was at that time she realized that she should be a little nicer to Naruto, and now that she thought about it, this moment displayed how little she knew of Sasuke then.

"You sure have a nice forehead."

"Huh?" Sakura was pulled out of her reminiscing by Sasuke's words. She made a note to stop falling into deep thoughts too much, unless she wanted an enemy's kunai against her throat. It was good that it was only Naruto this time; she could see through such a simple jutsu.

"Makes me want to kiss it."

She gave a little laugh, more because she could see through Naruto's henge than what he was saying. She berated her young self for not seeing through such a simple jutsu, but at the same time she appreciated how far she had gone—from a blushing, annoying fangirl to an accomplished and strong medical ninja.

"Sakura, there is something I want to ask you." Naruto said, taking a seat beside her on the bench.

He hesitated for a bit. Then, "What do you think of Naruto?" he asked. He was looking at her expectantly, waiting for an answer.

Sakura raised an eyebrow at him before glancing upwards at the cloudless, blue sky. "Naruto?" she began. She barely remembered what she told Naruto then when he asked the same question, but she guessed it was something that was borderline mean and inconsiderate.

Upon getting to know Naruto more as a teammate, Sakura knew there was more to that little boy with sunshine-kissed hair. He was more than just a prankster that was avoided by every villager in Konoha. Through the years, she realized Naruto was one of the best friends she had. He was a true friend, someone who was there for you when you need him. He was persevering, and he kept his promises. And even if he could not, he would die trying. He was an honorable man, a great ninja. Somebody strong, somebody you could trust. Someone who would not give up on you.

She said something bad about Naruto then but she knew better now. She would make it up to Naruto this time, now that she was given a second chance.

"He's annoying," was her answer. At the crestfallen look the boy beside her exhibited, Sakura briefly touched his hand, prompting the blonde to look at her with surprise in his eyes. "But!" she added. She made sure that Naruto was looking at her still, so he could see the sincerity in her eyes and voice. "I'm sure that once I get to know him more, he'll prove to be something much, much greater."

He smiled then, a smile that was so unlike the boy he was pretending to be right now, and Sakura was glad that she made him feel better. She made a move to give him a friendly kiss on the cheek because Naruto deserved it for everything he did for her and for continuously being a good friend to her despite her mistreatment of him. Before she could give him one though, she heard a grumbling and by the time she blinked Naruto was already scurrying away, clutching at his stomach.

Giggling, Sakura leaned back on the bench. She never really got to know what happened to Naruto then, or Sasuke she should say, considering she did not see through the henge before. But now she guessed, from the way he was clutching his stomach, that he needed a bathroom break, and it must have been due to something bad he ate that morning.

For a moment there was only silence broken by the rustling of the leaves that were carried by gentle summer breeze but soon enough, she sensed another presence nearby.

"Sasuke!" she called, seeing him approaching her. She could tell this was the real one this time around.

"Have you seen Naruto?" He asked, looking around with an irritated look on his face.

"Umm, no I haven't?" was her reply.

Her heartbeat doubled against her will. The last time she saw Sasuke, she almost killed him but stopped herself short; she loved him too much that she could not do it. However, she could not say the same for Sasuke. If not for Naruto, she would have been dead a long time ago. She did not know what happened to Sasuke after Itachi died, but she could see something inside him snapped and he was forever lost in his own darkness.

Sasuke turned to leave, intending to find the rascal who tied him up.

"Wait!" Sakura called. She was not really sure why she called after him; there was nothing else she could say anyways. Maybe because she wanted a bit more time with him. It had been too long since she last saw him, since the last time she was this close to him, and this had been the first time in years that she can let her guard down because there was no killing intent radiating off of him.

He was waiting for her to say something, and Sakura racked her brain to think of something to say. She couldn't really give him the revenge-won't-do-you-any-good speech, because as far as this time frame was concerned, she knew very little about him aside from his rookie-of-the-year status and good looks. If she began lecturing him about it, it would bring more trouble to her more than anything. It would also leave a bad first impression on him, which would make it harder for her to get closer to him later on.

When he began walking away, apparently not patient enough to wait for her to say something, Sakura yelled, "It's nice to be in the same team as you!"

'That was lame,' she mentally berated.

Sasuke stopped for a second, then continued walking without looking back. She smiled at this. At least he did not call her annoying. She successfully established a better first impression on him than she did before.

And now to prepare herself for their meeting with their jounin instructor.

'I wonder who it could be,' Sakura thought, smirking to herself.

Naruto sat back on his spot, hiding his snickers behind the palm of his hands. The eraser hung precariously between the door and its frame.

"And you call this ingenious?" Sakura asked with her eyebrow raised in disbelief. "He's a jounin, he would not fall for a trick as simple and as obvious as this."

'Except he did last time.' she added. That was actually pretty funny, and she would not do anything to stop it from happening again.

Sasuke, as usual, sat quietly beside her with his lips covered by his interlaced fingers once more. He glanced at her from her perch on the table and she gave him a bright smile. She hoped he would not count that as annoying, and it seemed he did not when he merely directed his gaze in front of him.

The door slid open, and there was a muted thud as Kakashi's head poked in the room and the eraser landed on his hair with a cloud of white dust.

Naruto's laugh echoed in the almost empty classroom, taunting their new jounin instructor. "You fell for it! You fell for it!"

"Hmmm..." Kakashi mused, his thumb and index finger cradling his chin in a thoughtful expression. "How do I say this?"

All three of them looked at their instructor, drawn in by his words.

"My first impression is, I don't like you guys."

'Go figure eh, Kakashi-sensei?' Sakura asked him mentally, feeling very nostalgic. It had been a long time since Team Seven was formed, but first impressions were one of those things that someone did not forget easily. She still remembered this event, maybe not second for second, but there were moments that stood out such as his verbal account of his first impression about them. She missed being with her team.

Kakashi instructed them to meet him at the rooftop and promptly left the room. The three of them headed for the stairs with Naruto bounding ahead. Once they reached the stairs he raced up it, intending to beat Kakashi to the top. He was disappointed, however, to find the jounin already there, sitting on the railing looking very bored.

Always keen, Sakura raised her hand tentatively. "What would you like to know?"

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders in response. "How about your likes, dislikes, and your dreams for the future?"

"Hey! Why don't you start and introduce yourself first?!" Naruto yelled.

With a defeated sigh, Kakashi replied. "Well, my name is Hatake Kakashi. I have no desire to tell you my likes and dislikes. My dream... hmmm... and I have a lot of hobbies. It will be dark by the time I finished telling you. So, it's your turn. Start on the right."

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto started, adjusting his forehead protector and grinning toothily. "I like ramen, and I like it even more when Iruka-sensei treats me for ramen! I hate waiting for three minutes for my ramen to cook! And my dream is to surpass the Hokage and have the people of this village acknowledge my existence!"

Sakura smiled at Naruto, wishing that she could tell him how close he was to that dream. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Kakashi's slightly awed expression.

"... hobbies? Playing pranks on people I guess..." Naruto kept on going.

"I see. I see. Well that's enough. Next!" Kakashi intervened.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are a lot of things I dislike. I don't really like anything. And I wouldn't call it a dream, but I have an ambition: the resurrection of my clan..." A pause. "And to kill a certain man."

By the time Sasuke finished the atmosphere of the place had grown serious. Sakura could tell Naruto was a bit shaken, probably hoping it was not him Sasuke was referring to. Kakashi was serious as well, obviously not taking Sasuke's words lightly. Sakura was the same. This just strengthened her resolve to help Sasuke in any way she can, and to prevent him from going down the dark path to get his revenge.

Kakashi cleared his throat to get the attention of all three back to him. He motioned towards Sakura.

"It's your turn."

"My name is Haruno Sakura," she began. She would punch herself before she re-introduced herself the same way as she did the first time; she was not a fangirl anymore, for god's sake! Although her feelings for the dark-haired Uchiha remained, the basis for her affection for him went beyond just his attractiveness. She must tweak her introduction to the team a little—nothing too grandiose but definitely not centered solely on Sasuke.

"I like to be useful in any way I can. I dislike being the weakest link in a group. And my dream for the future… is to be a medical ninja that will surpass Lady Tsunade," she finished with a smile. That did not sound too bad.

"Um, Sakura? Who's Tsunade?" Naruto asked, scratching his head.

Sakura turned to him. "She's the best medical ninja in history!" she replied proudly.

Naruto looked at her in awe, a dust of pink evident on his cheeks because his crush just acknowledged him without receiving a punch or an insult. "Good luck Sakura! You can do it!"

"Thanks, Naruto!" Sakura answered back. She glanced at Sasuke, but he was only looking ahead as usual. She supposed what she said did not interest him very much.

"Alright, enough with the introductions. Tomorrow, we'll begin our duties as ninjas. First, the four of us will do something," Kakashi said with his arms crossed in front of him.

"What is it? What is it?" Naruto shouted enthusiastically.

Kakashi gave a dramatic pause. Then, "Survival training."

They all expressed dissatisfaction about the survival training, saying that they had enough of it in the academy. Kakashi went on to explain that this time was different because they would be fighting him instead. He proceeded to tell them that they must pass this training; otherwise, they would fail and go back to the academy. Those who graduated were only students who were considered to have a chance to become a genin. Of all the twenty-seven graduates, only nine will pass to become genin. After handing them a brochure with the rest of the details and reminding them to not eat breakfast tomorrow because they would just throw it up after, Kakashi bid them goodbye.

Sakura looked at the paper with determination in her eyes. There was no need to read through the small print because she already knew what would happen if they failed the survival training.

Tomorrow would be the chance to show everyone she had no plan on being the weakest of the team. However, it would be unwise to show them her full ability as a kunoichi. That would just be suspicious and cause questions to be thrown at her that she would rather not answer. In order to blend in, from now on, she must refrain from using her inhuman strength as well as her full medical abilities. She would allow herself to perform basic medical techniques, but nothing complicated for now. This way, she would be just like any normal kunoichi, but more advanced than the other graduates in terms of 'more training'.

Sakura bid Naruto and Sasuke goodbye. She planned to go to a more secluded area where she could train, to test out how much of her abilities she retained when she was switched back to her younger body. Considering her soul was more likely to have been reattached to her younger self, half of her chakra, the spiritual part of it, would likely be the same amount. Since her younger body was not used to this much power, the two halves of her chakra would not be able to perform together properly. She would need to train so that her body chakra and spiritual chakra could coexist again and function more effectively.

Upon reaching a clearing in the forest that was farther than the usual training grounds, Sakura scouted the area for any presence. Feeling that she was alone, Sakura looked around the clearing. This had been the same clearing she used to train in with Tsunade. There were a few boulders she could practice her strength on without the need to smash the grounds. For training, she would pick those up and perform squats with it. A couple of dummies stood to her right where she could polish up her taijutsu as well.

Walking towards one of the boulders she deemed to be the biggest and heaviest, Sakura began her training.