Chapter One: I Think You're Beautiful

The streets of Konohagakura, also known as Konoha, The Hidden Leaf Village where bustling with villagers. Eight-year-old Reiji Tsukiya was making his way home after running some earns for his mother when he noticed a commotion going on nearby. Wondering what was going on Reiji made his way over to see what was happening. Sitting with her back against a tree was a girl about his age, with short pink hair and green eyes. A group of girls were gathered around her, making fun of her for some reason.

"I wonder what they're doing?" Reiji quickly made his way over to see the girl on the ground was about to burst into tears. Quickly he rushed over and stood in between the almost crying girl and those who were bullying her.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you!" Reiji happily spoke and held out his hand to the pinkette girl sitting on the ground.

"My mom said you could come over today. She loved having you over the other day too." Reiji pulled the girl to her feet. "Play along. Everything will be alright." Reiji whispered in the girl's ear.

"What do y'all think you're going picking on my friend?! Don't you have anything better to do?! Let's go um...." Reiji looked to the pinkette for help with her name.

"S-Sakura...." Sakura stuttered as she tried to hold back her tears.

"... let's go Sakura. My mother is waiting for us." Quickly Reiji took Sakura away from the harassing females and made their way in the opposite direction. When they were out of sight the two stopped for a moment.

"Man, those girls are the worst. Making fun of someone just to make themselves feel better. I hate people like that. Anyway, are you alright Sakura? What were they making fun of you about?" Reiji turned around to talk to Sakura to see she was about to burst into tears again.

"Wait! Wh-what did I do?! Did I just make things worse or something?! Really Sakura, what's wrong? What can I do?!" Reiji started to panic, thinking he did something to upset the poor girl.

"You're... you're not going to make fun of me too? Like everyone else does."

"Make fun of you? Weren't you listening to me just now? I hate people who do that. So of course, I wouldn't make fun of you, but why were they making fun of you Sakura?"

"It's because of my forehead. It's large and everyone is always making fun of me for it. I try hiding it, but nothing works." Sakura started playing with the bangs that laid across her forehead. Reiji looked curiously at the girl and moved her hand away to get a better look for himself.

"I guess they're right. It is a little bigger than normal..." Reiji's worlds almost made Sakura burst into tears but then stopped when he suddenly let out a sigh. "I'm so jealous Sakura."

"Jealous?"

"Yeah! Having a big forehead means you have a big brain. You're going to be really smart, I can tell. All those other girls are just jealous of you because you're going to be smarter than them."

Sakura looked up in slight shock. She had never heard that form anyone before. Her green eyes looked up into his rusty brown almost red eyes, and what she saw really were the eyes of a kind and sincere person.

"You... you really think so?" Sakura stuttered as the tears started to disappear.

"Of course! Just wait and see, you'll be the smartest student at the academy, if you chose to be a ninja. Any team will be lucky to have you!"

Reiji's words seemed to have really gotten through to Sakura. The tears she was crying only moments before we're now completely gone. A light blush speckled her face. With a smile Reiji's face also became speckled with a blush.

"Anyway Sakura, do you want to come home with me? My mom keeps saying that I need to bring more friends home to visit."

"But..., I-I don't even know your name."

"Oh!? That's right. My name is Reiji Tsukiya. It's nice to meet you Sakura. Would you like come to my place for a visit?" Reiji held out his hand to Sakura with a smile and a light blush on his face. Sakura's face also lightly blushed as she took his hand and he pulled her up onto her feet.

"A-alright, but just for a little while."

An even bigger smile made its way across Reiji's face. This made him so happy that Sakura agreed.

Reiji started showing Sakura the way to his home, in case she ever wanted to come over to his place whenever she felt like it. His home was actually pretty close to where Sakura lived, which made their meeting even better. When the two youngsters made it to the Tsukiya home, Reiji opened the door and took off his sandals like he usually did.

"Mother, I'm home, and I brought a friend!"

Light, quick footsteps suddenly echoed off the walls and a sudden female figure came from around the corner. Her hair was the same color as her son's and her eyes were just as bright and playful. They were spitting images of each other.

"Oh, my goodness! You really did bring a friend home, and it's a young lady as well." Reiji's mother quickly made her way towards Sakura, almost startling the young girl. "Hello there, young lady. It's a pleasure to finally meet a friend of my son's. He doesn't bring any of his friends around here."

"And this is the reason why mother. You're too extreme when it comes to things like this. You scare half my friends."

"Oh my, do I? I'm sorry Reiji. I just get so excited when I see you bring friends home. Anyway, you two go play while I finish up dinner."

"Alright, come on Sakura, my room is this way."

"A-alright, and it was nice to meet you Mrs. Tsukiya." Sakura slightly bowed before following Reiji to the back part of the Tsukiya home.

Mrs. Tsukiya smiled slightly as she watched the young pinkette following after her son. She could help but quietly squeal in excitement.

"Those two look so cute together!"

When Reiji and Sakura reached Reiji's room, Reiji happily showed Sakura inside. It was a normal looking boy's room. There wasn't much to it but the most notable objects in the young boys room were the posters he had of all four Hokages.

"You a fan of the Hokages?" Sakura asked as she looked over all four posters.

"Of course! The Hokage are the best ninja of their time. I want to be one of those ninjas. If I work really hard, maybe I can be Hokage too," Sakura saw the great determination in the young Tsukiya boy. His eyes almost seemed like they turned into stars. "what about you Sakura? What do you want to be?"

"I-I don't know."

"Well, whatever you decide I'm sure you'll be great at it." Reiji gave Sakura the brightest smile since the two of them met.

"Wh-what makes you think that?" Sakura stuttered with a light blush.

"That's easy. It's because your smart and I can tell you're going to very strong, but most of all... it's because I think you're beautiful."