Title: The Girl With Pink Hair
Summary: while looking at the mirror, the Haruno girl sees something different for the first time. Something that, from the window, it could be clearly seen. .
Notes: okay... I tried to make a short one this time... I didn't like this theme because the whole hair thing is a little too much expected. Still, I tried to take the focus from the forest of the death and that's how it ended up... Hope you like it.
Everything was ready for their so expected mission. The pinkette had made sure to prepare it all in the night before so she wouldn't forget anything that could be important. She had programmed everything and packed the useful and the not so useful stuff that would make her and her teammates a little more comfortable during the time spent away from home. Naruto would have some instantaneous ramen and Sasuke would have some tomatoes and even Kakashi would be happy as long as she could distract those two so he could read his book. Yes, she had taken care of every single possible detail to make their 3 days mission a complete success. Everything but that pink hair of hers...
As it was naturally expected after some good months since the end of the chunin exams, the length of her pink hair had gotten considerably longer. It had been some stressing months full of friends at the hospital and friends battling and missions and Sakura didn't even realize how long it had gotten. Her locks were already passing her shoulders but, as in every medium length hair, they weren't long enough for her forehead protector to keep them from blinding her eyes during the ninja training. It couldn't be called long but it also couldn't be considered short. It was standing in the middle of the whole definition and it was frustrating to see it like that. So uncertain. So questionable. So annoying. Her hair was becoming a bother, indeed. But a beautiful and important bother that had turned into a crucial mark in that pink haired girl's life. Her life as a ninja. Her life as a lover.
When passing in front of the mirror, her emeralds couldn't help but being caught by the image of herself. The real images of herself. A girl who had fallen in love really early and still held hopes of having her pure feelings answered someday. A ninja who had learned in the hard way that being strong isn't an option. One of them with a long and soft hair that was cultivated in order to elevate her chances with the love of her life. The other with a hair that didn't even reach her shoulders and that had been amputated in order to save the lives of her friends. Both of them inside of only one confused Haruno Sakura whose hair reflected her anguish. She wanted to make a decision before leaving but she didn't know what to do. Cut it? Let it grow back again? She didn't know what to choose. All she knew was that she couldn't stay in the middle forever.
Had Sakura met with that dilemma in the beginning of her path as a ninja, letting it long would be the definite answer. She would keep taking care of it and spending hours wearing the finest products in order to make it grow big, healthy, smoothy and shiny. Those hours and that sacrifice would all be worthy for they were all made in the name of love and based on a rumor that was once spread regarding the preference of a raven haired boy. Just like many other girls, she also believed in those ineffective rumors and joined the long haired girls' army who fought for Sasuke's love. Having a short hair while loving that boy was almost the same as giving up. It meant that that love wasn't really love. It meant that she wasn't strong enough to make the sacrifice of having long hair. It meant the girl would be out of the competition. But, what many didn't know, was that the only reason for the chances still existing was no other than a long hair that tragically turned short.
With a hand carefully holding the tips of her pink hair and with a longing expression on her face, Sakura couldn't help but remembering about the day when she almost lost the two of them. When her face was covered in dirt and there were kunais craved on her body. When the three boys who would always protect her were down and when she saw herself in a delicate position. When his screams showed pure despair and when his eyes- the eyes she loves so much- were bloodthirsty. That exam had, certainly, been a traumatic moment in her life and it was also the moment when she finally understood the reality of the life of a ninja. It was a reality where she couldn't fail. A reality in which people would die. She would die. If anything went wrong, lives were at risk and you could bet they would be lost. There was no time to make a mistake. No time to let something so futile as hair or a crush stand in her way. With that in mind, the girl who was trying to become a chunin didn't even hesitate before ripping that long hair of hers and freeing herself from that trap. A trap that had imprisoned her for years. A trap that had stood in her way of becoming an amazing ninja at the age of twelve. From that moment on, her ninja side spoke louder and, indeed, it changed her life forever.
For many people, her forced haircut had been nothing to be proud of. It was just hair, after all. It would grow again someday. And, indeed, it would. The hair she cut wasn't important but the whole change in her personality and in her way of seeing things was something admirable for a girl so young and so in love like her. After that exam, Sakura started to face her challenges more seriously and she no longer was just an annoying girl with a crush. She had grown into a woman herself and that silly crush of hers no longer existed. She no longer chased after him and asked him on dates all the time. She no longer was obsessed with him. But it didn't mean she had stopped crushing over him, no. Her feeling, just like her whole self, had also gotten stronger, deeper. They had, indeed, matured into love.
Letting out a defeated sigh, Sakura went to where her ninja bag was resting and took a sharp kunai from inside. She held it with a strong grip on her right hand and, with the left one, she made sure to hold her hair exactly like the girl from the Sound had once held: merciless. In the end, the girl had decided to cut it and fully return to what she once was. She certainly didn't want to be that crybaby again and be a bother to her team so, cutting it would be the right decision. It would turn her into the version of herself that she loved the most. It should feel right. It should feel like the certain decision to be made. Then why wasn't her hand moving? Why wasn't it cutting?
Her teeth slowly bit her lower lip and the Haruno kid saw herself returning to that same problem again. Even after putting in the balance all the pros and cons, she just couldn't put an end to that hair. It wasn't as easy as she thought it would be. It wasn't like the other time again. It wasn't a matter of life and death at that moment and, for her instincts not being concerned about it, her heart couldn't help but stopping her from cutting those locks. Those pink locks that were beautifully growing again and that would strengthen her bonds with the Uchiha boy. Those locks would make him look at her not as a comrade but as a girl. They would make him see how feminine she could be. But they would never make him fall in love with her. Not if she once again returned to her old and weak self. If Sakura just considered that, then keeping it short would be easy. However, how would she even attract his attention in the first place without the hair that was her charm? How would she make him see how she could be delicate and cute enough to deserve a spot next to him? The pinkette really couldn't reach the answer by herself. If only he could give her his opinion, things would be solved already. Unfortunately, she knew he didn't really care about her girly crisis. But he cared about her... And the window was conveniently unlocked.
The summer breeze that invaded her room was the only thing strong enough to bring her back to the real world. Sakura saw herself back in her room, with the kunai still in hands and, surprisingly, with the one vision she didn't expect to see in her window frame. A darkness so deep and so beautiful that her emerald eyes couldn't help but being dragged to it. It was addictive. It was the whole night sky in two eyes. Eyes that could only belong to the boy who held her heart. Sasuke certainly had the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen and, whenever they were looking at her, Sakura couldn't help but having internal chills. They were just too much for her to handle. Still, giving up trying never crossed her mind.
His pearls observed her as she was standing in front of the mirror with the wind playing with her pink locks and her stunning emeralds were totally set on him. His teammate was certainly looking as beautiful as always and his heart skipped a beat for that. She had a knife in her hands and, for what it seemed, she was about to cut her hair. That beautiful, soft and unique pink hair of hers. Cutting it, indeed, would be a shame.
" Sa-Sasuke-kun!? What are you doing here? I was about to go meet you. Don't tell me everyone is there already!?"
She blushed nervously. Apparently, she had taken too long in that whole inner conflict.
" no... It's not that. Hn, I came to buy some stuff nearby for the mission and I decided to see if you needed some help or..." He scratched the back of his head. A blush hiding behind his ears. " or, maybe, if you wanted to go together to the bridge."
" oh..." Her eyes softened and her heart felt warm. " you... You could have entered through the door..."
" Hn, the windows are better."
" if you say so... Well, I'll accept your invitation then. I'll just grab my stuff."
She said, putting her kunai down. Apparently, she had decided not to cut her locks. A disappointed expression briefly ruled her all-so-cheerful face as she approached her bags. There was something wrong with her and, of course, Sasuke realized it. And he couldn't simply ignore it.
" weren't you... Gonna cut your hair?"
Her eyes widened again and her heart skipped a beat. For how long had he been standing there, she thought. How did he manage to conclude that after just a quick look? It was impossible for any normal ninja to do so. But he wasn't just a normal ninja, right?
" what?!" She faked a smile and he noticed, of course. " yeah... I was... But this isn't important now... Let's get going, shall we?"
" Hn, I can wait... You seemed to be focused on that. Go on. Cut it."
".... I-I... I shouldn't... We will be late...-"
The words weren't forming in her head and she just couldn't think straight and she just couldn't say anything that wouldn't sound ridiculous in a time like that. The truth would really upset him, she knew. But, somehow, when it came to him, the truth would always reach his ears.
" Sakura... What's going on? What's the big deal about cutting your hair? You've done it before, right? It shouldn't be that hard..."
" it isn't it's just..." She sighed. There was no point in lying to him, she knew. " I don't know if I should cut it or not... I mean, last time I didn't have an option and I ended up cutting and I had forgotten how good it was to feel the wind hitting my neck..."
She smiled, a genuine smile that time. And that smile took all of his breath away.
" then why not cutting if you liked?"
" because...." She looked at him, blushing more than ever. " because you like girls with long hair, don't you? If I cut it short you wouldn't think I am... Cute."
With a pout on her lips, Sakura waited for his answer. The answer that would decide wether she would cut it or let it grow. The answer that would express his opinion about her looks. The answer that would come from his lips. That was definitely gonna be the final answer before she could make her decision. But she wouldn't know about that so easily.
" Hn, truth be told, I do like girls with long hair..."
She felt her heart being smashed. Apparently, her taste for short hair would have to be forgotten if she wanted him to notice her.
" ahh... Then I will let it-"
" but I do like your hair short..."
He turned away, blushing and her emeralds widened. What on earth was he saying?
" your short hair... It suits you very well... It frames your face and.." He smiled. " it makes your eyes more evident. I do think your hair long looks fine but... I like it short even more... I makes you look c-cute, Sakura..."
The same warm he had in his cheeks was definitely spread around her chest. That boy was certainly the most amazing boy she knew in her whole life and she was proud of herself for loving him and for making him her first love. Apart from the fact that he had just called her cute, the Uchiha had also given her the answer she had been longing to know. The answer that would decide the future of her hair. The future that would define if she would choose to be a ninja or a lover. A future that allowed her to be both for, in his eyes, she was already something that wouldn't pass unseen and, in his heart, she was certainly a ninja comrade that deserved to be recognized. Sakura couldn't be happier with that answer, indeed. It was time for a haircut.
" thank you, Sasuke-kun!"
" Hn, now let's go... Cut it already and let's meet the others."
Grabbing the knife one last time, the girl with a stunning smile on her face held her hair up once and danced with the blade around her pink locks. The extra amount of hair would slowly fall on the floor and the pink sea in her head soon became lighter, shinier, shorter. Shorter and, for sure, a lot prettier.
She said, after picking all of her stuff, extending a hand towards him.
" won't you use the door?"
She smiled and, at that moment, another breeze entered her room and danced with her short locks. Cuter, indeed. And so, with a smirk on his face, he held her hand and pulled her up with him on her window frame. For they were standing really close, his eyes could see the haircut from a shorter distance and he could also see the skin of her neck that she had previously talked about. The wind would certainly travel a lot around her neck, giving her the best of the freedom sensations she could ever ask for... How jealous he was of that wind who could kiss that skin so purely...
