Stumble [Rewrite]

Red

Sakura accepted the documents and the ID before looking at Genma's smiling face suspiciously. "You're sending a kid, who isn't even in the Academy yet, mind you, to the T&I building. Alone. You haven't been drinking recently, have you?"

He put his hand to his heart in mock hurt. "Me? Drinking? Don't wound me, Sakura-chan. I just thought that you could take it, is all. But if you can't, I can come up with another favor," he said as he extended his hand. Sakura batted his hand away halfheartedly and tucked the folders under her arm.

"I can deal with it," she sighed. "I just hope you know that you can get in trouble for this. You think Morino-san'll be amused when he sees little ol' me waltz into his office?"

"You know Morino-san?" he questioned incredulously.

"Never met him, but I have ears too, you know."

Not only was she a cute little kid, but she was weird too. He watched as she gazed at his ID card, turning it this way and that, almost as if she was checking if it was real. As she did so, Genma saw the look in her eyes. They looked exhausted and far away for a few moments. But that couldn't be, could it? It didn't add up.

'She's a little girl, for god's sake!'

Before she looked back up at him, something flashed in those dark green irises that Genma wouldn't have caught if he hadn't been keenly observing her.

"I'll have this delivered after I walk my friends home," she informed lightly while pocketing the card. At the mention of 'friends', Chouji's cheeks reddened as he looked down at his feet. "I'll give your ID back the next time we see each other?"

Genma nodded and raised a hand in goodbye before walking down the street. Sakura turned to Chouji with a bright grin.

"Sorry for all that. My name's Haruno Sakura by the way."

Naruto bounced up beside her, his thousand watt smile lighting up his face. "And I'm Uzumaki Naruto, Future Hokage, dattebayo!!" he exclaimed, spreading his arms wide. Sakura lowered one of his arms so she could see. Chouji, still blushing, looked up at the two of them.

"I-I'm Akimichi Cho-Chouji... Nice to meet you N-Naruto, Sakura..."

::

Chouza was a little worried. Shikamaru was out with his father in the Nara Forests all day today, leaving his son alone. He knew what the other kids said about Chouji and how seriously the boy took those comments to heart, so he hoped that his son wasn't being tormented somewhere. Just when he was about to get up from his seat on the porch of the main house, he heard laughter from the entrance of the Akimichi Compound.

Chouza grinned when he saw Chouji flanked by a pink haired girl and Uzumaki Naruto. He knew the truth about Naruto, as all the clan heads did, and held nothing against the boy. In fact, he was quite glad that Chouji managed to befriend him.

"Sorry I'm late, tou-chan," the boy apologized sheepishly. "Naruto, Sakura, and I were... on the swings for a little bit before they walked me home."

He knew a lie when he saw one, but he let it slide. "That's alright, Chouji. I'm happy that you've made new friends."

Chouji blushed and looked down at his feet while the other two giggled at his reaction. Chouza patted his head affectionately and looked at the mismatched pair next to his son. "Would you two like to stay for dinner?"

Naruto's eyes flew wide in panic at that as he inched closer to Sakura. "N-No thanks, oji-san, I, erm, already ate, 'ttebayo," he stammered. Sakura frowned before offering the Akimichi Head a polite smile.