authored by finish line
based from a real life story

Sonnenschein

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sunshine

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Part I - Pepsi

Konoha Academy was one of the best educational institutions ever built in Japan. Its kindergarten was very well known because of its English-proficient pupils. The elementary division was renowned for its highly admired scholastic curriculum.

The middle school division had topped among other middle school institutions, and, most of all, Konoha Academy's high school division got the best students, athletic boys and girls, and talented kids.

The school was practically prestigious - it was the stereotype kind of private school - and it contained a surmountable amount of snobbish kids. Ironically, beyond the snobbish and toffee-nosed facades lay golden hearts for the needy. It had been the Academy's annual tradition to hold an outreach programme for the unfortunate.

Perhaps that was why Haruno Sakura found her self so beaten after a daylong activity. Being the Student Council vice-president placed a heavy toll on her, especially since the council's resident president, Nara Shikamaru, would not even lay a finger on the event.

Sakura, sixteen years of age, was in her second year in high school. She sported short, pink hair and mossy green eyes that would give anyone the impression of a real sakura flower. Her height was abominable for her, as she was considering how her circle of friends had outgrown her. Teachers liked her for her undying wit and remarkable brain.

Sighing, Sakura sprawled herself on one seat at the back of the auditorium, where the handing-out of goods was done.

"Ahhh..." she groaned, fanning herself. Circles and circles of sweat formed on her forehead. "Why is it still hot here in the auditorium?"

"Apparently, because I'm here," said a deep male voice from behind her.

"What the -" Sakura turned around on her seat and looked over her shoulder. She raised an eyebrow.

There stood Uchiha Sasuke, one of Konoha Academy's Student Council Marshals.

The school administration had added another set of officers that would look after every event and every programme the school would hold. The Marshals were consisted of fifteen chosen high school students, which included the infamous Uchiha.

Uchiha Sasuke was the typical tall, dark, and handsome kind of boy. He was part of the wealthy Uchiha clan, which part-owned Konoha Academy, and was almost as smart as Sakura herself, if only he would not slack off. His spiky black hair was often the subject of teasing - his friends often joked about it as chicken butt - and his serious, ebony-coloured eyes were the points of girls' interests.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun," called Sakura, sticking her tongue out. "You've got one hell of a big ego. Seriously. You're not as beautiful as you think you are, really."

Sasuke shrugged and took the empty seat beside her.

"I'm just saying," he mumbled.

Sakura merely continued to stare at him and watched as he scanned the whole room. Families which received goods that were handed out and passed by the two bowed at them and voiced out their thanks. A small smile escaped Sakura's lips whenever the boy would nod his head in acknowledgment.

The pink-haired Haruno almost jumped in her seat when Sasuke's eyes snapped at her direction.

"You're staring," Sasuke pointed out. Sakura did not miss how an arrogant smirk made its way on his lips.

"I am not!"

"OK, you are not, but you did," said Sasuke, shrugging. "Stop denying, Sakura."

Sakura pouted. "I was just observing..."

"Oh?" Sasuke, then, turned his whole body on her, still sitting.

Sakura's face slightly flushed as his gaze lingered on her face. The moment went on until she placed her right index finger on the tip of his nose.

"Ah, you're staring, see?" she told the boy.

Sasuke could only blink. Sakura watched as he raised his arm. She thought he was about to slap her or anything related to violence (because he would often smack her upside the head), but when he turned his hand and made the back of his hand face her, she instantly knew she was mistaken.

Carefully, the black-haired boy wiped Sakura's perspiring forehead with the back of his hand. Sometimes, he could really make her heart beat so quickly.

"You're really tired," he muttered, blinking at her a few moments later. "I think Kakashi still wanted to talk to you."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Hah, thanks for reminding," she said.

Sasuke did not miss the fact that sarcasm laced her voice.

"You see, I still have to pass some files to Kakashi-sensei, then go to Tsunade-shishou to show her the list of medical kits used in this event, then go to the Student Council office to count the funds audited to me, then to Namikaze-kouchou... gah. Thanks. Really."

"You could have said no to them," said Sasuke, as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. "You could have forced Nara into it."

"As if."

Shikamaru was a different person. He was slothful to the point that he would ignore his duties, not only as a student, but as the Student Council president as well. Despite that, he was smart - way smarter than Sakura. Perhaps that was why Sakura could not force him into doing something he clearly did not want. He was too smart for his own good. And witty, too.

"You use force on me," Sasuke accused. "Don't deny."

"Shika's still different, you know." The pink-haired girl sighed. "Anyway, don't you feel a little hot?"

"Here?" asked Sasuke, standing up and placing his hands into his pants' pockets. "In the auditorium? I don't. But perhaps you're feeling hot because I'm here."

Sakura scoffed at the boy's arrogant smirk that followed his last word before he left.

"In your face," she whispered to herself, a small smile growing on her face.

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A cold, wet thing being pressed on her right cheek woke Sakura up from her nap. She rapidly blinked to adjust her sight before looking around.

Sakura did not realise she had fallen into a light nap that afternoon. There were still families going up the front to receive the goods offered by the students and there were still many more in line. Blinking, she looked up the source of the cold thing.

"Sasu -" she started, but was instantly cut off when Sasuke threw something on her direction. She looked down on her lap.

It was a cold can of Pepsi.

Sakura grinned. Before she could even thank Sasuke, the boy had marched off, hands still on his pocket.

"Thank you."

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"I'm home!" Sakura called out, entering the Haruno residence.

From the farthest side of the house, she heard a loud, "Welcome home, dear!"

Before Sakura could reach the bottom of the stairs that would lead to a hallway of rooms, her mother, in all her red-haired glory, appeared behind her.

"Oh, and Sakura?"

Sakura cocked an eyebrow.

"Yes, okaasan?" called Sakura as she spun on her heels. She faced her mother. "What is it?"

The older woman smiled. "A certain Uchiha Sasuke called in our home phone a few minutes before you arrived."

Sakura's heartbeat accelerated upon the information. It was impossible that Uchiha Sasuke would ever call her, considering that their real close encounters were not as frequent. They were simply like strangers when in school, even though they were classmates. Only at some certain situations would they be really close.

So the idea of having Sasuke calling her was beyond normal.

"W-What did he say?" asked the pink-haired girl.

"He said to tell you thanks for the day," replied Mrs. Haruno, turning on her heels to return to the kitchen. She stopped on her tracks and looked back at her child. "Is he someone special?"

Sasuke was not particularly special for Sakura. He was not just a simple classmate, either. The most impossible of all was deeming Sasuke as a stranger.

Sakura answered, "Sasuke-kun is just a friend."

The pink-haired girl bit back a smile as she entered her bedroom. She set her bag on top of her bed and immediately opened her drawer to retrieve her mobile phone.

Light illuminated through the almost dark room as she switched her dead phone on and scanned through the contacts list immediately after. When she saw that there was no record of Sasuke there (just as she had expected), she messaged the boy's older brother.

From: Sakura
To: Itachi-nii
What is Sasuke-kun's mobile phone number?

Sakura placed the phone atop her desk and changed her clothes. When her phone's light blinked, she scrambled towards the desk and checked the message.

Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's older brother by five years, was a graduate of Konoha Academy. He was then studying forensic science in college. He and Sasuke almost looked identical, with the hair and attitude as the only differences. Sakura was closer to him.

He had sent her the number of Sasuke. Right after, she received another message.

From: Itachi-nii
To: Sakura
For what? You never seemed interested in my brother until now.

Sakura's finger instantly typed in her message.

From: Sakura
To: Itachi-nii
Just wanted to thank him. :)

Having smiled to herself, Sakura saved Sasuke's number into her contacts and made a new message for him. She excitedly sent him the message.

From: Sakura
To: Sasuke-kun
Ah, you're not only a bastard, Bastard, you're also an idiot! Love, Sakura

A few moments later, there came a new message.

From: Sasuke-kun
To: Sakura
The hell? Is that 'love' I smell, Idiot?

Sakura giggled to herself. At times when she and Sasuke had a personal contact, the latter would often refer to the former as 'Idiot', and the former to the latter as 'Bastard'.

Despite that, Sasuke was an idiot. Why would he be the one to thank her for the day, when she should be the one to do so? He had made her smile, had wiped her sweat with his hand, and had bought her a cold can of Pepsi. She should be the one to thank him, not her.

She had instantly thought to simply send Sasuke a text message through phone and not do the thanking over at Facebook, as what other teenagers of her age would have probably done. Sakura had thought other people might think wrongly of it, apart from the fact that a more private and personal gratitude would be much more appreciated.

From: Sakura
To: Sasuke-kun
Thank you, Bastard. For the wiping of sweat off my forehead, for the Pepsi, and practically for the day. Thanks. :)

It took another set of minutes before a reply arrived.

From: Sasuke-kun
To: Sakura
You're welcome, Idiot.

After that, the texting chronicle had begun.

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to be continued

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authored by finish line