"No way!" Sasuke rolled his eyes, sitting on the side of the road beside Emi, who was currently uncomfortably close to his face.
Not that he mentioned it.
Usually when girls got in his face it was because they were obsessed with him and were being really annoying. Emi's close proximity had nothing to do with his face though. She was only interested in what he was wearing.
"It's true," he said, tapping the headband on his head. Her brown eyes sparkled with interest, and she came even closer. Sasuke didn't even think she noticed the distance between them. Or rather, the lack of distance.
Actually, he didn't know why he was noticing it.
Strange.
"That's so cool! I never realized you were so strong!" She moved back, a large smile on her face.
"I'm so proud! When you go on cool missions you'll tell me, right?" She asked.
"I thought you wanted to be a baker not a ninja. Why so interested?" he asked, looking in her basket. She had been distracted by his new headband that she hadn't even offered anything.
"Well... Every kid in the village wants to be a ninja at some point. I just know it's not possible for me..." Her smile disappeared, and she looked down at her lap.
"Most people can make it. Even that one loser became a ninja. Naruto." She nodded.
"I heard. But... I'm weak... I can't really do anything. I'd just be wasting everyone's time... I would be completely worthless..." Her eyes watered, and she pinched the bridge of her nose, looking up.
"Hey, are you..." He trailed off as she shook her head furiously and gave him a weak smile.
Happy. She had to be happy. Even when her father wasn't around, she had to be happy and strong for him. Plus, she couldn't bother Sasuke with her feelings. She was sure he wouldn't want to hear her whine or complain anyway.
"I'm fine! Sorry to bring you down like that Sasuke!" She laughed awkwardly, and he frowned.
"Emi!" Emi looked up to see Sakura running up. Sasuke felt a strong urge to get up and leave, but he still hadn't gotten any bread.
"Sasuke, hold this please," Emi said, placing the sweet bread into his hand. He scowled.
"I don't like this kind..." He muttered.
"I know! But Sakura does, and she's definitely going to buy it if you touched it!" Sakura blushed, and looked away from Sasuke. Sasuke just sighed, standing up.
"When did I start working for you, stupid..." He was complaining, but he still handed the bread to Sakura.
"Did you bring money?" he asked.
"Uh... O-oh... N-no..." Sakura stammered.
"Then come back tomorrow," he said. Sakura nodded. A male voice was calling her name, but Sakura ignored it.
She didn't expect him to offer it up to Sakura, much less charge her in the way that she usually did. It made her really happy.
"Yay! Sasuke sold bread for me!" Emi smiled brightly as the dark haired boy nodded. She really felt like she was getting closer to him. Maybe at this point, she could even call him her friend...
Once again, the voice called Sakura's name, but it was ignored.
"Now I get a free one," He snatched the tuna one out of the basket, smirking and both females froze, along with the blond haired boy who had just run up.
"The world is ending!" Emi screamed.
"Why?" he asked, eating the bread. Emi put a hand to her chest in an obvious exaggeration of her true surprise.
"The great Sasuke Uchiha has smiled! So unnatural! It has to be a trick! Run Sakura, it's an imposter! The real Sasuke would never smile!" Sasuke glared at her, and Sakura placed a hand over her mouth. As much as she disapproved of teasing Sasuke, that was funny. She even started giggling. Until she heard laughter from the boy behind her.
"That was a good one!" he said. Emi tilted her head in confusion as both Sasuke and Sakura glared at him.
"Naruto! Did you follow me?" Sakura snapped.
Naruto? Emi held back a gasp. Was it really him?
"What are you doing here, loser?" Sasuke asked.
"Naruto Uzamaki!" Emi said excitedly. Everyone stared at her as she ran to Naruto.
"You're so cool!" she exclaimed, and everyone's mouth dropped open.
"Huh?" Naruto asked.
"I think you're amazing! How you weren't as strong as the others, and you failed the first time." Naruto frowned.
"But then you kept trying! And you did it! That's so cool of you! I wish I had the courage and the strength that you did!" Naruto smirked, looking at an extremely annoyed Sasuke.
"Cooler and stronger than Sasuke?" He asked.
"Definitely!" Naruto grinned.
Naruto was basically her hero! He was like her father, failing and failing, but he just kept pushing and he achieved his goal. Hearing about him made her believe that she could achieve her dreams too! She was so glad she had the chance to meet him because she definitely wouldn't have the courage to seek him out on her own.
She would have to thank Sasuke for letting her meet him later.
"What? But Sasuke is the strongest in our class!" Sakura said. Emi shrugged.
"But Sasuke is naturally talented. There was no effort. Doing everything you can, and not letting things stop you is what I consider real strength," Emi said.
Of course, she was sure that Sasuke put in real work too, but Sasuke was so talented that he wouldn't have failed at anything. Working hard after failing just seemed so much stronger than just working hard without any setbacks in your way.
"What's cool about this dork?" Sasuke snapped.
"Just because you're jealous of me doesn't mean you have to be rude, Sasuke," Naruto said. That was the last straw for Sasuke.
"We're going," He said, grabbing Emi's basket and her hand.
"But I still have so many questions to ask!" Emi said, pouting.
"I don't care!" he snapped, dragging her away, leaving the others behind. Emi could hear Sakura yelling at Naruto as they left.
"Sasuke, let go!" she said, trying to remove her wrist from his grasp. He looked behind him, making sure they were a good distance away from the others, then let go.
"Gosh! What was that all about?" she exclaimed, glaring at him. He clenched his teeth, not saying anything.
"I don't know," he mumbled.
Sasuke didn't know why he was so angry, he just knew that he was. And that lack of knowledge just annoyed him even more. Why did she have to call Naruto cool anyway? There was nothing cool about that idiot!
Emi looked at him, from his clenched teeth to his tight fists. He was jealous. He probably just don't realize it. Emi smiled, her expression softening.
"I'm sorry Sasuke," she said.
"For what?" he asked, glancing at her.
"I forgot to feed you!" She ripped off a part of the tomato bread.
"Say ah!" She said with a bright smile. Sasuke looked at her as if she was insane.
"No way," he said.
"If you let me feed you it's free," she said.
"Not worth it," He said.
"Don't you trust me? We've known each other three weeks now! We went through two times of Naruto painting the faces of the previous Hokage!" He glared at her.
"No," he said.
"I'll never give you bread again if you don't let me feed you."
"You're annoying..." Even though he said this, he closed his eyes and parted his lips.
"Say ah!" she said.
"Don't push it," he said, opening one eye and looking at her sternly, and Emi giggled.
"Got it. Anything for the great Sasuke Uchiha." Emi smiled. She was glad she was able to meet Sasuke. Having him around was so much fun!
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Well... This entire chapter really got him annoyed. Sorry about that Sasuke! Ah well. So yeah, this story started three weeks before the three children of Team 7 became ninja. I wonder... Should I add in the amazing Kakashi Hatake? Maybe. But I think we need to give Emi a break from meeting new ninja... Well, anyways I'm blabbering. Thanks for reading!
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Oh look, it's me again, just done with editing. Hmm, this time around I didn't add anymore actual details, just more thoughts for Sasuke and more of Emi internally worshipping Naruto haha. I really hope everyone likes the changes, but I know there are people who liked the original, so I'm keeping the story pretty much exactly the same.
Now if any old readers come back it's like a spot the difference game but without the beginning reference so you might not even remember what was there before and what wasn't... Anyway, that's all for now, folks.