Mirror |[Sasusaku Story]

Chapter 13

"Do you think Sakura and Akihiko are dating?" Naruto asked, thoughtfully as he shoot a three-point.

"Why are you so obsessed?" Sasuke asked as he dunked.

"Are you still into Sakura or something?" Shikamaru asked as he watched his two friends playing. Sasuke's ears perked up at the smart boy's question as he turned his gaze to Naruto. The blond boy liked Sakura?

"What? No! And it wasn't even that deep," Naruto asked. "Sakura's like a sister to me. Akihiko doesn't seem like the serious type so I was just wondering,"

"Oh, so you are just being the overprotective big brother. Only that Sakura's older than you but that's just a detail I guess," Shikamaru yawned.

The three boys were on an outside basketball field. There was a street basket competition in town so Naruto offered his two closest friends to join. Sasuke was down for it even though Shikamaru was a bit more reluctant. But when Naruto literally dragged him out of his own house, he had no other choice but to accept.

"If you keep being so nosy, she'll get mad," Sasuke said as he shoot the ball in the basket. "It's not like she can't handle herself,"

"Agree," Shikamaru nodded.

"Anyway, I can't wait for the Cultural Festival to come," Naruto cheered, changing the subject. "My parents will visit. That will be awesome!"

Sasuke briefly froze as he heard his friend's words. But he did not pay more attention and kept training for the competition. This street basket competition was a good way to practice before the start of the Winter Cup. The basketball club had a friendly match planned in a few days to prepare for the preliminaries first. As Tokyo High was part of the top 8 of the inter-high, they got to participate in the preliminaries. And only the two best teams of the preliminaries would get to represent the prefecture. Sasuke was determined to pass.

"What about you Sasuke?" Naruto asked. The raven did not answer. "You're from the countryside, right? Will your family come?"

"No, they are busy working," he only said as he shoot another basket.

"Oh? What are they working in?" The blond boy asked, curious.

"You ask too many questions. Train or you'll lose the next game," Sasuke said as he tossed the ball to his blond friend. "You are already behind the team. Don't slow us down,"

"What did you say, bastard?!" Naruto exclaimed, reddening with anger. "I'm one of the best players, dattebayo!" he said as he rushed and dunked.

Naruto was easy to trick. Sasuke knew that very well. He got to know the blond better for the time he was there. Only a little provocation and Naruto would forget all about the previous conversation. But Shikamaru was not as easy to trick. The Nara boy was the smartest of them all and reading between the lines and deciphering lies was easy for him. Sasuke knew that as well. And he also knew that Shikamaru did not buy his lies. But fortunately for the Uchiha, Shikamaru was not the nosy type. And if someone did not want to talk about something, the Nara boy knew not to push it because the person must have their reasons.

The three friends were leading the match. Shikamaru was the mastermind, making incredible strategies for the team to win. And both Naruto and Sasuke were the aces, completing each other yet so different. Naruto was a talented player with great technique thanks to years of training while Sasuke was a brut talent, born to be excellent on the field. But despite this difference, they were like the yin and the yang, like two sides of the same coins. 

But eventually, the match had to be cut short as the pouring rain made it impossible to continue. It was frustrating yet convenient according to Shikamaru. They would tire too much and risk getting injured before the start of the preliminaries.