——Bloom again——

"Two heads are better than one"

——————————

"Haruno Sakura, you say?"

"Yes, Nara-sama,"

"Oh please, call me Yoshino, Haruno-san,"

"Then if so, I too insist you call me Sakura, Yoshino-san,"

"My, aren't you just the sweetest thing?"

::

Giggles and laughter

That was the first thing Shikamaru had heard when he was rudely awakened.

Shikamaru sighed deeply as he eyed the alarm clock right by his bed.

7:59

His eyebrow twitch. His alarm clock is only a minute away from ringing.  Shaking his head in pure annoyance, he stood up and head over to his washroom to wash up.

::

"So, what can I do for you, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura smiled then, "Oh, I'm here to visit Shikamaru-kun, Yoshino-san,"

"Oh, you know my son?"

"Of course! We're in the same class after all."Sakura gushes out excitedly

Yoshino smiles at the 11-year-old girl in front of her. She was glad her son did make a friend even though it was too troublesome for him "Shikamaru is still sleeping, would you like me to leave a message?"

"That is not needed. I felt his chakra earlier. He is awake now."

Yoshino stilled. How did the 11-year-old civilian felt her son's chakra that she herself can barely feel? A sensor perhaps?

"Mom?"Shikamaru's voice called her out of her mind. Yoshino blinks her thoughts away.

"Ah, Shika-kun, I was just talking with your friend, Haruno Sakura. She really is sweet! You need to bring her over to our house more frequently."

Shikamaru paused in his tracks, his eyes immediately dart over to the pinkette standing beside his mother. His eyebrow raises immediately, not knowing what should he say to his mother. He recognises her from his class but they were never close, in fact, they haven't even spoken before, so when the pinkette had literally barged in his house, with the request to meet him, he is astounded. Besides, the girl had gone 'missing' (That's what Naruto label the pinkette's status) for a week now, not attending the Academy.

"Right..."He trailed off unsurely

"Hello, Shika-kun!You're finally awake, huh!" Sakura immediately greeted him, smiling cheerfully as if they were actually friends.

"What a drag," He mutter under his breath

::

"So, why are you here for?"

"Mou, Shika-kun, I would have expected you to treat a guest better than this rather than being so blunt, " Sakura pouted and she had to try her best to not laugh at Shikamaru's eye twitch.

Inwardly, she was smirking like a she-devil. She enjoyed teasing Shikamaru and watching the corner of his ears redden in embarrassment.

"Stop calling me that. We're not friends, so why are you here?"

"We're not friends, but we will be in the future," Sakura replied grinning in return

Shikamaru raises his eyebrow at that cryptic comment but nonetheless assumed that it meant she wanted him to be her friend.

"Having a friendship with Chouji is troublesome enough already," Sakura rolls her eyes and Shikamaru continues, "So what makes you think I would like to have you as my friend?"

Sakura smirk. She had been waiting for Shikamaru to asks that question.

"Simple. Because I will be the person who supports you. Let's be honest here, Shikamaru, you're a genius—a lazy one that is, but nonetheless a genius. Besides your family and Chouji, who else is really supporting you? Who else is there to push you and encourage you? Sensei? No. No one, Shikamaru. But, I promise you, " Sakura paused, her eyes connected with Shikamaru's "I promise you that I will be that person. I might push you to the edge but I promise you it's all for your own good."

Blink. Determination glare. Blink again. Determination glare+Puppy eyes. A sigh.

"Fine, you really are more troublesome than Ino,"

A squeal and a hug in delight was Sakura's reply.

::

"She's good for you, Shikamaru," Yoshino told her son dreamily

"What a drag," Shikamaru sighed, having heard the same words from his mother over and over again.
He didn't need to be reminded. He himself already knew Sakura would be a good friend for him.

"What's a drag?" A familiar voice spoke

Shikamaru sighed, already knowing what's going to happen.

"Oh,you're back! Shikamaru and I were just talking about this sweet little girl from the Academy. Guess what? Apparently, they are both friends!" Yoshino gushes out excitedly to her husband.

Shikaku shot Shikamaru an amused look because as far as he knows, Shikamaru only had one mutual friend; Chouji. Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders in response. This was all too troublesome for him. Damn the pinkette for making his life troublesome enough.

::

Sakura abruptly sneezed. A look of amused was flashed towards her

"You okay, kid?"

"Fine, Hatake-san. Might come down with a little bit of cold though,"

"Hmm," Kakashi hums as he continues to walk beside her reading the 18+ Literature. Sakura's eyebrow twitched, her fist aching to be used to destroy that literature.

It had only been 4 days after discovering herself in her 11-year-old body when she had bumped into her ex-sensei, Kakashi.

Then:

He had just returned from a mission, bloodied, and was on his way back home after reporting to the Hokage.

When a small voice, greeted him

"Hey Ninja-san, do you need help with that wound on your shoulder?"

He turned around then, his onyx eye greeted the sight of a pink-haired civilian girl.

He looked around and saw no one else was there at the moment. She took that as her chance to approached the ninja.

"I'm talking to you mister," She told him

"Where are your parents, kid?"

"Home. My parents know that I can take care of myself, mister."

Kakashi's nose creased then. He especially hated it when children call him mister.

"And how do you suggest to help me?"

He expected her to say the hospital or someone she knew is able to heal him but boy, was he wrong.

"Simple, first you need to clean the wound and then our aim is to stop the blood. Next, you have to stitch it up but you don't look like you know how to sew so I'll do it for you and add some healing chakra and your wound would only be slightly scared."

Kakashi blinks blankly.

"How old are you, kid?"

"I'm 11 mister!"

"And you learn how to heal by...?"

"It's not smart of me to tell you my secrets, mister. Just like you have yours, I have mine."

"Hm, I like you, kid"

And that was the story of how Sakura got treated some anmistsu by The Copy-nin the same day she met him after returning from the future.

Now:

"Hatake-san, I would appreciate it a lot if you can keep your pornography in your pocket at all times when we are in public."

"Mou, Sakura-chan, you wound Lisa and my heart with your words,"

Sakura curses under her breath as she turn to him in disbelief, "Oh for crying out loud, you named your book Lisa?!"

::

It was 10 days after returning to the past when Sakura finally decided she was ready to go to Academy.

"Breathe,you're going to be fine. You're a jounin Kunoichi, you got this." She told herself.

An orange blur then ran past her and into the academy building. An angry mob of adults then turn up at the academy entrance not long after.

"Come back here, you monster!"

"Just because you enter academy doesn't mean you're safe!"

Her eyes widened immediately, already knowing who was these angry mobs of adults talking about.

"Stupid boy thinking he could have his way with buying my products just because he has the beast in him!" One of the adults mutters angrily

"The Hokage should have caged him up! What if one day the beast were to reappear again!?"

"Shush, we might get arrested again. Let's run away before the demon's patrolling ANBU's caught us, "One of them suggested and they all agreed to it. Immediately the angry mob vanishes and split up.

By then, Sakura's fist was clench tightly, it was almost white. She was already struggling to breathe.

"How could I forget? Naruto was bullied last time when he was younger too," She said softly, guilt was already on its way.

She was so distracted thinking about ways to prevent the future occurrence, she had forgotten about her loved ones past. Most of the people she cared had a tragic past in the future. It was as if a lightbulb had triggered in Sakura's brain.

A new determination look was now in Sakura's emerald green eyes.

"Naruto, I promise I won't let you go through that again. You're not alone this time," She whispered to herself

::

"Uchiha Sasuke?"

"Hn,"

"Uzumaki Naruto?"

"I'm here dattebayo!"

"Yamanaka Ino?"

"Present, sensei,"

"Nara Shikamaru?"

"What a drag,"

"Akimichi Chouji?"

"Food is my paradise!"

"No eating in class Chouji! Next is, Inuzuka Kiba?"

"Yiip!"

"Kiba, how many times do I need to tell you, pets are not allowed on academy grounds?"

"I'm sorry, it's just Akamaru couldn't help but follow me, sensei,"

"Fine, he can stay for today. Haruno Sakura?"

"...Here, "Sakura's voice emits a reaction from her classmate immediately

"She's still alive?"

"Tch, what a waste of space!"

"And here I thought she was already dead, so there would be less competition for Sasuke-kun!"

Sakura ignored all comments and sat quietly at an empty seat beside a sleepy Nara.

Rubbing his eyes, he lazily greeted her, "Finally decided to show up?"

"I was missing your troublesome remarks so why not come to the Academy and meet the lazy ass himself?" Sakura replied sarcastically and the class watched with wonder, all with the same question in mind.

Since when did Sakura befriend Nara?

Just when Shikamaru wanted to reply, an orange blur almost topples Sakura over with a hug."Hey, Sakura-chan! I knew you were coming. I kept telling everyone you were going to come soon, and that you are not quitting but they didn't believe me!"

"Hi Naruto, If you don't mind, I'd like to breathe please, "Sakura managed to mutter, her face was slowly turning purple from the lack of air

"Idiot, she needs air," Shikamaru said watching his new friend in pity

Immediately, Naruto took a step back, "Oh, sorry Sakura-chan, hehehe I just miss you so much!"He scratches the back of his neck nervously, a guilt look was on his face.

Sakura frowned inwardly at seeing Naruto's glumped look. "It's okay, I miss you too!" She cheerfully reassures him, unbeknown that her words were heard by everyone in the class and everyone had to stop what they are doing to watch their interaction.

Naruto's cheeks immediately flush red and Sakura was suddenly reminded that Naruto used to have a crush on her and a certain Hyuga Heiress had a crush on him. Her vibrant green eyes immediately scan the classroom for the said heiress but it was to no avail. It looks like the Hyuga Heiress was absent for today.

As her eyes scan the classroom for the last time, her eyes met a pair of onyx eyes who only cast her a sceptical look as if expecting for her to jump him any moment now and squeal but she knew better than to repeat her past regretful mistakes.

She broke the eye contact.

—To be continued—

Sakura's finally back at the academy, befriended with Kakashi & Shikamaru and met with Lisa the 18+ literature!

Why did Sakura break the eye contact?

Would Sasuke approach Sakura?

Or would he just ignore her as he did before?

»«

Actually, I'm not so sure if I would like this book to have Naruhina or not. What do you guys think?