"It's been so many years since I last saw you," wrote a girl with a soft smile on her face in a pristine white paper, gently and with all the emotion her heart contained.
The morning sun brightened her room as the fresh air of spring filled her lungs, giving her a refreshed feeling.
"You know, I thought it wouldn't be long before I'd be giving you a visit, but plans changed. As I said, much happened—you know it all.
So I won't repeat it, but be sure that I'm in a very good place now." Her lips pursed as she, for the first time in a long while, felt the loneliness of being alone.
Times like this reminded her that so much had happened in her life, that she couldn't take anything for granted, and everything given to her could be lost any day. Thus, she had to enjoy it.
Live her days in this world to the fullest.
"I'm not alone anymore. I got friends." She smiled when she wrote it, a soft but genuine smile.
"They all are idiots—well, most of them are. Especially a blond-haired kid I've come to know. He's like a brother to me.
Oh, did I say that he is an Uzumaki too? I know, right? A blond-haired Uzumaki. He hates it when I call him out on it." The smile widened.
"And he isn't the only one, I got more friends. Many people who I can call my own." She wrote and then paused, hesitating to continue what she was about to write.
After a little pondering, she finally mustered the will to do it.
"And you know… there is a boy..."
"He is the reason I have all this today. He helped me when I had nothing. He's... he's like family. I feel safe when I'm with him, just like it was when I was with you, Mom." Her hands slowly tightened around the pen, emotions taking hold of her.
"He is an idiot too." She then wrote in defiance.
"But a cute idiot." She pouted and scribbled it hurriedly before moving to the next line, so she wouldn't have to reread those words of hers.
"Anyways, I just want to tell you that I'm doing better than I ever was. I got everything I ever wanted. I'm happy...
The only thing I miss is you.
So, don't worry about me, okay? Enjoy your stay up in heaven, I'll give you a visit there after a long time.
Love you.
From your Karin..."
As the letter was completed, the girl wiped the small mist around her eyes before quickly folding it up.
This was her first letter, and she hoped it wasn't her last anytime soon. These letters would never reach her mom, but writing them felt like she was talking to her. That was enough.
She gingerly put the letter in her bag before getting up, readying herself for the academy.
"Alright, let's do this one last time. Get ready Konoha, 'cause Uzumaki Karin is gonna be an awesome kunoichi from today on, dattebane!" She shouted to the high heavens.
"Shut up… we are trying to sleep here, you red-headed menace…" came an equally ear-shattering roar from downstairs—it was her landlady.
'Tch… old hag.' She clicked her tongue and then quickly got out of her apartment. Today was the last day of the Ninja Academy and she was gonna do great.
It had been almost 5 years since she came to Konoha, and her life here was nothing less than a dream.
A dream she was determined to guard with her life.
The five years of care, training, and proper nutrition had done the girl wonders. Not only was she slightly taller thanks to the nutrition, but she also looked much healthier and stronger.
She ran past all the usual uncles and aunties on her way to the academy, trying to spot anyone familiar-looking.
Halfway there she saw two heads of pink hair, one boy and one girl, and a bright smile appeared on her face. She unconsciously increased her speed, and just as she got close enough she jumped.
"Sigh…" The pink-haired boy seemed to already know what was gonna happen and turned around just in time to catch the red-haired missile coming his way.
The next second, he was pushed back a few steps to cushion the girl on impact and was met with warm softness on his face, inhaling the fresh fragrance of the maiden who had just choke-slammed him with her bonkers.
"Tch," a sound came from beside them. However, both just ignored it.
The person who made this sound was, of course, Sakura, who looked at her brother being face-deep into that Uzumaki girl's blossoms and clicked her tongue in irritation. Looking down at her own modest chest, her irritation flared up even more.
"You're looking excited today?" Sukuna pushed the girl down, taking a deep breath of that precious oxygen.
"Yup, today we're gonna be real ninja." Karin beamed, latching onto Sukuna's arms with gusto.
And for good reason—though he was only 12 by now, he had good muscles built in. His daily training and better physique ensured that he developed healthy and attractive all around.
His lookmaxing efforts had paid off well. While Sasuke was still the most sought-after boy in the class, the next was inevitably Sukuna with his strong physique, attractive looks, and performance in the class.
Sukuna was in general more popular as well. And much, much stronger than anyone in the academy to put him against.
The only thing he wasn't good at was, well, ninjutsu. He never passed those tests.
Karin grinned and slowly wrapped her hands around Sukuna's muscular arm, giggling a little to herself.
Sukuna didn't mind, this kind of behavior from the girl had become usual in recent years. The more he tried to avoid it, the more she pushed herself onto him. The best way to avoid even more awkward situations in public was to let her do what she wished.
"Are you two done? If so, then can we go now? We're getting late for the class." Sakura suddenly had enough. She took Sukuna's hand and dragged him out of Karin's grip, urging them to keep moving.
"Oi, Sukuna!" Suddenly a shout came from behind, once again halting their movement. They saw Naruto rushing towards them with a bread slice still dangling from his mouth.
'Sigh, he's late again.' Sukuna just overlooked it—it was the usual for them.
"Wait, if that idiot is running, it means we must be really late." Sakura's eyes widened.
"Ah… wait Sakura." Before Sukuna, who was still being torn between two girls, could say anything, Sakura pulled him with all her strength, dragging him along with her.
"Oi, wait for me." Karin pouted, and alongside Naruto rushed out towards the academy.
By the time they reached the academy, they found Iruka had already arrived.
"Late again, Naruto. And you too, Sukuna, Karin, Sakura." Iruka shouted. The group could only keep their heads down and get to their seats.
"Seems like Naruto's habits are spreading." Kiba on the side snickered, only to start a small shouting match between the two knucklehead boys of the class.
Sukuna glanced over where the Uchiha siblings were seated. He gave Sasuke a nod, earning one in return from the duck-haired boy and a hidden eye-roll from the girl beside him.
'What does that girl have against me?' Sukuna couldn't help but complain to himself. Over the years, he had seen Kiyomi lose her innate fear toward him. It was a good thing—her being afraid of him just because he had Ryomen Sukuna's powers was idiotic.
He wasn't Ryomen Sukuna.
"Alright, settle down now. We're about to start the final exam for the semester. The test will be simple. Just perform all jutsu you learned in the academy until now, and then we'll tally your final score with the written test you gave last week," Iruka announced, earning a mournful chorus of whines from the students.
Nonetheless, students went one by one to give the last test, and almost everyone passed with flying colors. If someone can't do the basic three academy techniques even after years of training, then it's better to give up on being a shinobi, period.
One by one students were called for their test, and after a while Naruto's name was called.
"It's my turn. Just look how awesome I'll be, Sakura-chan." Naruto chirped. Seeing her looking at his performance, he hyped himself up and got ready.
Sakura just let out a sigh. 'This idiot.'
Even after years of her outright avoiding the blond, he didn't seem to get the hint.
"Transformation Jutsu."
Zooz
Smoke appeared, and the next second Naruto was turned into a female version of Iruka with questionable clothing.
Red blood flew from the noses of some people around, earning a glare from the female side of the room. Naruto didn't care until Iruka's fist of love landed right into his face, dispelling his transformation.
"Haha."
"This idiot."
"Just let him come over, I'll teach him a lesson—cha…"
"Tch, dope."
While the room was in utter chaos, no thanks to Naruto, Sukuna felt something.
"Will you be okay?" Sukuna felt a tug on the corner of his shirt. Looking over, he saw Karin asking him with a soft, worried voice.
He smiled—sometimes this girl really acted cute.
"Don't worry, I got this." He beamed.
…
A/N: A slower chapter, but the main story will be progressing from here on, so yeah.
xxx
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