Chapter Text
If there’s a Hell on Earth, it probably has a front gate that says: Welcome to Konoha High.
Sakura Haruno stood at the edge of the school parking lot, arms crossed, backpack slung over one shoulder. Her pink hair was pulled up in a tight ponytail—neat, controlled, like her life was supposed to be. She had made a promise to herself during summer break: no more drama, no more crushes, no more letting people walk all over her.
This year, she was done being “the girl with a forehead big enough to land a plane on.” This year, she’d climb the ranks and get her scholarship extended without getting dragged into Uchiha-level problems.
But the second she stepped onto school grounds, a familiar voice shattered the peace.
“Yo forehead!”
Sakura turned, sighing.
“Ino.” Her voice was flat.
Ino Yamanaka strutted up with her perfectly-bleached ponytail and way-too-expensive heels. She looked like she’d stepped off a fashion magazine and directly into a battlefield. They hadn’t spoken since their last fight before summer, but apparently Ino had decided to resume things like nothing happened.
“You look like you didn’t touch mascara all break.” Ino grinned.
“And you look like you used the whole tube,” Sakura shot back.
They stared.
Then—
“Ugly.”
“Pig.”
And with that, the unspoken truce was made. Best frenemies again.
Inside Konoha High, chaos was business as usual.
Naruto was standing on a cafeteria table yelling about how he’d definitely win student council president this year. Hinata stood in the corner, trying to melt into her hoodie. Kiba was barking at Shino because his bug box spilled over his locker. And Rock Lee was sprinting up and down the hallway in leg weights, shouting something about “youth.”
Sakura weaved through the mess, heading for her locker, when she saw him.
Sasuke Uchiha.
Back leaned against the lockers, black hoodie, headphones in, staring off like he was too cool for gravity. He hadn’t changed at all. Same cold eyes, same vibe that screamed “don’t talk to me.” Girls whispered around him like he was a Greek god instead of a high school junior with commitment issues.
“Ignore him,” she told herself. “You're done with the Uchiha Curse.”
But of course, fate laughed in her face.
Because just as she slammed her locker shut, she heard her name echo over the intercom.
"Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha, please report to the counseling office immediately."
What. The. Hell?
Naruto cackled from across the hallway. “Oooooh, someone’s in troooouble!”
The counseling office smelled like cheap air freshener and regret. Iruka-sensei smiled too brightly.
“You two have been selected for the new Psych & Development peer project,” he said.
Sakura blinked. “...What?”
“It’s a paired analysis assignment. You’ll be spending the semester working together to write a paper on the teenage mind. You’ll attend weekly sessions. Together. Privately.”
Sasuke looked like he wanted to melt into the chair. “No.”
Sakura stood up. “Absolutely not.”
Iruka folded his hands, patient. “You were chosen because you're both high-achieving and need help developing interpersonal skills. It’s a compliment.”
Sasuke snorted.
Sakura gawked. “I have interpersonal skills! I’m perfectly social!”
“You threatened to punch Kiba last semester for chewing too loudly.”
“It was disgusting!”
“Regardless,” Iruka continued, “it’s final. Weekly sessions, due end of semester. You’ll get extra credit and potential rec letters out of it.”
Sasuke stood slowly, gaze flicking to her. “Don’t talk to me outside of this project.”
“Gladly,” she snapped.
“Great teamwork already!” Iruka said, too cheerfully.
Later that day, Sakura collapsed onto her usual spot on the rooftop bench with a carton of strawberry milk and a throbbing headache.
This was supposed to be her year. Now she was stuck in an emotional hostage situation with Sasuke freaking Uchiha.
“Sakura?”
She looked up.
Hinata stood nervously at the door. “Um… Ino said you might be here…”
Sakura waved her over. “Come die with me.”
Hinata sat. “The… project?”
Sakura groaned. “Why me, Hinata? Why not, like, Karin or some other Uchiha-worshipper? I’m done with brooding bad boys.”
Hinata’s voice was small. “Maybe… the universe thinks you're not done yet.”
Sakura stared at her.
“You’ve been spending too much time around Shino.”
Hinata smiled faintly.
Then a soft chime rang from both their phones.
New notification from: “The Mirror.”
Sakura opened the anonymous school-wide app reluctantly.
CONFESSION #1137:
"There’s something wrong with the Uchihas. One disappeared. One kills with his eyes. And one’s heart is colder than winter."
—MIRROR
Hinata read it over her shoulder.
“Is that about…?”
“Yeah,” Sakura said quietly, eyes narrowing.
She stared at the screen a little longer, pulse rising.
"One disappeared."
Itachi.
Even after all these years, rumors still swirled around the mysterious Uchiha heir who vanished without a trace.
Sakura stood, suddenly cold.
This year wasn’t going to be about peace.
This year was going to be about secrets.
And Sasuke Uchiha?
He was the biggest one of all.