New Sensei - 2

Their arrival at the Ninja Academy wasn't at all expected.

The few who noticed the three of them enter the classroom were either bothered or disinterested. In Haku's case, many of his loyal groupies flocked to him like a herd of dazed sheep and smothered him in sweet words and declarations of love.

It wasn't anything out of the norm.

In the mid-row, a young, pink haired kunoichi sat slumped over, with her head bowed onto her desk in despondency. Without a word to his companions, Gaara stalked over to her, leaving a troubled Haku behind.

Next to her, a thin, sickly-looking boy with light hair turned to the despairing kunoichi.

"Are you feeling alright, Sakura-chan?" He asked quietly, "You look terrible."

She lifted her face to give him a small smile, "Me? I'm fine Tadashi... just tired."

With a shrug, he stood up to talk to one of his nearby friends, and she sighed heavily to herself. Tired? Her excuses were getting lamer and lamer. Why not admit she was miserable because three of her closest friends were missing out on a crucial stepping-stone of their shinobi careers?

"Sakura-chan, you should have more faith in your words."

"See, I have this issue with lying through my teeth when I'm sad-" She prattled, before looking up at her visitor, "Gaara-kun, you did make it!"

Sakura struggled to suppress the urge to glomp him.

"You said I would."

She frowned, "Oh, I did, didn't I? Well, maybe it'll also work for other things like..." She paused in thought, "Ino-pig will disappear!"

Inanely excited, Sakura looked across the room to where the blonde kunoichi was fawning over a raven haired boy. She didn't dematerialize or anything of the sort, much to her dismay.

"Darn..." Sakura muttered, but then smiled at Gaara, "How are Naruto-kun and Haku-kun?"

"They passed too."

She leapt from her seat, "Wow! Really? How did you guys do it?"

"It's...a very long story."

"And I want to hear all of it at lunch," Sakura smiled, sitting down, "Hey, maybe we'll be put on the same team! At least, that's what I hope..."

"I'd much rather be on your team than anyone else's." Gaara ground out, shooting a venomous glare at a nearby eavesdropper.

"Except maybe Haku and Naruto's team right?" She laughed, relieved that they had all made it.

"Not really."

She blushed and nodded, wondering if he really meant it.

"Why don't you just go out with one of them already?" Naruto mumbled to Haku, "That way, you'd only have one of them bothering you and the rest of them would give up and leave you alone!"

"I'm not so sure it works that way, Naruto-kun," Haku sighed resignedly, "And that wouldn't be proper to use someone like that. It's cruel."

"You've got to stop being such a gentleman all the time," Naruto frowned at his stilted friend, "I mean, look, Sasuke's got the right idea!"

The blonde indicated the Uchiha boy near the back row who paid no mind to the lovesick girls surrounding him. Haku only frowned at Sasuke's rude method but was slightly tempted to attempt it himself. But then that would only tarnish his reputation as one of the few, courteous, well-mannered ninja of Konoha...so he brushed the idea aside.

"N-Naruto-kun? Haku-kun?" A quiet voice came from behind them.

Haku took this opportunity to focus his attention on Hinata rather than turning down date and marriage proposals. Naruto faced her with a large grin that made her heart flutter.

"Hey Hinata-chan!" Of course he was always glad to see the shy Hyuga girl, "Looks like we're all ninja now, doesn't it?"

"Good morning, Hinata-chan." Haku smiled at her, sending his groupies into an agitated frenzy.

"I wanted to congratulate the both of you and Gaara-kun on g-graduating," Hinata continued softly, "Since I didn't get to see any of you yesterday..."

"Thanks Hinata," Naruto was still grinning and Haku pondered at how his face could stay like that for so long, "Yesterday was pretty crazy!"

"I hope you enjoyed my target practice from the genin exam, Hinata-chan," Haku joked mildly and she laughed when she recalled his performance. It was a soft, melodious sound that only she could make.

"Take your seats!" Iruka's voice drifted over the noise, and after a moment, successfully managed to order them to plant their butts. Haku and Naruto took a seat on either side of Hinata, but Naruto hadn't noticed Gaara was missing until he realized the redhead wasn't next to him.

'That's the problem with quiet people...' Naruto figured, 'They sneak off and then I can't find them.'

"He's with Sakura-chan." Haku said quietly, pointing to the relocated Gaara who was currently settled in the center row by said kunoichi.

Iruka began to call out names in groups of three for genin cells, and the room fell silent as they waited for their names to be called.

Sakura looked over to Tadashi who was the first of the genin to be called, along with two others whose names she didn't catch. The second cell, however, turned a few heads...

Iruka smirked to himself, "Squad 2: Uzumaki Naruto, Haku and Gaara."

Sakura glanced at Gaara next to her who gave no indication whatsoever that he was pleased with this development, while somewhere in the back, Naruto whooped loudly. Haku merely wore the serene expression as he usually did, but was apparently glad that Iruka had a hand in forming the teams.

There was confused murmuring while other squads were called.

Sakura began to shake slightly in anticipation for her name to be called, her mind spinning with the possibilities of where she would be placed, 'Please! Not with Ino-pig!'

The circumstances were a bit limiting, she realized, since three of her primary choices had been eliminated, the rest was up to fate.

"Squad 7: Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke and Inuzuka Kiba."

'There...that wasn't so bad was it?' She let out a shaky breath and Gaara gave her a quizzical look.

Genuinely curious, Sakura stole a peek at Sasuke who was quietly brooding on the opposite end of the room. For a split-second, their eyes met, black and green, and her head snapped back to the front as if it were on a hinge.

'Sasuke?' Sakura let it boil in her head, 'He's alright...I guess we haven't talked in a while...and Kiba? Well...' She glanced at the Inuzuka boy who was having an animated conversation with the puppy perched on top of his head, 'He'll take some getting used to...'

"Whew! Not that bad," Sakura whispered to the red haired boy beside her, "I'm just glad I'm not stuck with Ino-pig!"

"...likewise."

"Squad 8: Aburame Shino, Hyuga Hinata and Hatake Sato."

Hinata made a small squeak that was only audible to Naruto, who in turn, gave her an enthusiastic nudge. The last of the teams were called in a short time.

"Squad 10: Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino and Akimichi Chouji."

After the more important instructions were announced, the volume of the class immediately began to increase. Naruto thumped Haku hard on the back, unable to contain his excitement, "Alright! I just knew we'd be on the same team! This is gonna be awesome!"

Haku nodded while the blonde boy rambled on.

Disheartened she wasn't placed with any of her friends, Hinata attempted to shrink away to contemplate her fate with her newly assigned team. Of course, Haku stopped her before she could sulk off.

"Come and have lunch with us, Hinata." Haku offered.

Naruto nodded, "Yeah, we haven't told you or Sakura-chan how we passed the genin exam yet!"

Glad that she wasn't so easily forgotten she nodded with a small smile and followed after them, hoping that even if they were on different teams that nothing between them would change.