The Flower That Will Someday Wilt |Naruto Fanfic|

Chapter 35

From now on, instead of Itami and other Naruto franchise, it'll be MY LIFE up there, the pictures! Well, kind of....
I love you if you understand the picture to the side.

Ai/Itami POV

I waited at the front of the Academy, Sasuke and Naruto beside me. I could feel a guilty feeling pitting in my stomach as the tempting emotion to search for her growled in my ears. Maybe I shouldn't have been so careless...

At that time, when I noticed her depression, I didn't dig deep into it and tried nothing to help. But I had seen it. And as a teammate, a comrade, it was my job to, no matter the cause, help her even if it was mere and simple. Taunting me, calling me to be a better comrade, was the sounds of my own voice filled with disgust and disappointment. The fragments of the puzzles of clear determination was slowly breaking apart as it whizzed past me and into the burning sensation of a fire. With it's sheer flame, it brought it to ashes that drifted away into the air, one that was intended to never be put back together. The nomenclature was Sakura.

However, to my relief, she showed up, smiling a fake smile as she apologized for being late. The two didn't say anything else and we walked into the Academy, seeing others as well. I lingered around Sakura. "Hey, you okay?" I questioned, giving her a concerned look. She was surprised, then tried to fake another smile.

"Why wouldn't I be?" She quietly exclaimed, and I frowned.

"I'm your comrade, your teammate, tell me." I pressured, and she sighed, looking away. Her lips twitched in reluctance, until it opened for the words. Her eyes were gazed downwards, a saddened look on them.

"I-"

She was interrupted as we saw a recognizable person being hit by a Chuunin, ones that were horribly disguised by Genjutsu. I pushed pass others and looked at the scene. TenTen was on the ground, with Kotetsu and Izumo using Genjutsu to trick the many others. My eyes narrowed. We shouldn't confront them, it would just draw attention to us and make us a target. Better lay low-

"Hey you, take down this weak Genjutsu."

I felt my body freeze until I slowly turned and looked at Sasuke, suppressing a glare to form. He shot me a look and I sighed, nodding and going with it. "Also, don't underestimate the new generation, Izumo, Kotetsu." I said, making Kotetsu shiver slightly as he looked in my direction with wide eyes.

I heard him whispering over to Izumo. "I-it's Itami Senpai..."

"What do we do?"

"Well, we can't say her affiliation or we'll get in trouble."

"Yeah, but she seems really mad."

I was smiling genuinely.

"She does look insane, and it's scaring me."

I frowned.

"Let's just keep acting."

"Okay."

They turned to look at Sasuke and I. Sasuke crossed his arms. "We could feel that Genjustu miles away. Right, Sakura?" He turned over his shoulder to Sakura. She was shocked, but nodded anyways and complied.

"Yeah, I could see through it. It's fairly easy, since this is the first floor."

I smiled at that. But the other examinees were questioning amongst each other.

"What are they talking about?"

Their questions were answered as the Genjutsu was released and the real door number was revealed, including the disguises.