Title: Sparkle
Author: hasu86
Character(s): Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzumaki
Genre: Friendship
Rating: K
Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.
50_shinobi Theme: Theme # 14 – Hair clip
Summary: Of losing and finding and gaining something more.

"Oh no, where is it? Where is it? Where is it?"

On hands and knees, a seven year old Sakura frantically searched the grassy area of the park where she'd been playing an hour ago. But there was no sign of it, no shiny sparkling evidence that her hair clip—a precious gift from her father—had fallen here at all. Tears gathering at the corners of her green eyes, she continued to search, hands combing through the soft blades of grass over and over again.

"Lose something?"

Sakura started and quickly looked up. Sniffling, she wiped away the raining tears and nodded dismally at the blond, blue eyed boy.

He gave her a brilliant smile then and she likened it to the warmth and brightness of a rising sun. "I'll help you find it then!"

He quickly got on his hands and knees but a moment later, he scratched the back of his head and grinned sheepishly. "Uh…what did you lose?"

Sakura couldn't help the watery smile. "My hair clip. It's silver with white flowers."

He pumped his fist in the air. "We'll definitely find it!"

Thirty minutes and several grass stains later, they still couldn't find it. Sakura was gradually losing hope, the pain of losing something so dear to her almost more than her little heart could take.

"Ne, how about we split up? You search by the swings and I'll go over there?" He pointed to the entrance of the park and she could the see the determination etched upon his boyish, carefree features. It served to boost her own waning morale.

Thinking it wouldn't hurt and that anything was better than nothing, Sakura nodded. "Okay."

Another thirty minutes later and she saw him running over to her, his right arm waving happily in the air. And was that—it was.

Letting loose a relieved and ecstatic laugh, she met him halfway. With a flourish, he brought his arm out and opened his palm.

"I found it."

She grasped the hairclip and cradled it to her chest, giving him an adoring look. "Thank you."

A small blush colored his cheeks and he looked away, scuffing the heel of his sneakers on the ground. "Uh, yeah."

In her childish happiness, she quickly leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. She always saw her mother do it to her father so what could the harm be?

His blue eyes widened and his face took on a very cherry color. Sakura giggled before thanking him again and waving goodbye as she hurried home.

For the next three days she looked for the blond boy who had helped her but there was no sign of him, no flash of his bright sunshine smile. It wasn't until the fourth day that she spotted him sitting on the bench in the very same park.

She ran over, little bag in hand and plopped herself right beside him much to his surprise.

"It's you!" He grinned widely, blue eyes twinkling like sapphires.

"Of course it's me." She dug into her bag and pulled out two sticky skewers of dango. She handed one to him before cheerily biting into hers. "My name's Sakura Haruno. What's yours?"

Grinning with a mouthful of dango goodness, he replied, "Naruto Uzumaki."

"Let's be friends ne, Naruto-kun?"

"Friends, Sakura-chan! You'll be one of my important people."

She smiled and nodded, large emerald eyes just as bright as his in the afternoon sun. "And you'll be one of mine."

...owari…