So chicken is back! Yes, it's been just about mmm, around a month and half since i haven't updated maybe? Or maybe more...Oops. Sorry everyone for such the late update. But thank my good friend who's really been the one that's been nagging me to update. This story just kinda of popped up in my head during school and i had to pause in my writings of With Time to pursue this plot. Don't worry, i'm still keeping tabs on With Time, but just currently focusing on 21 Letters. It's a different kinda plot. So i hope you all like it! I wanted to do that whole 21 chapters theme but it'll probably be shorter and the chapters will come out fast...kinda like a prolonged one shot. haha. anyways, please read and review on how you guys like it!
21 Letters
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Chapter One
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Time seemed to be moving much to slow for Sakura's comfort at the moment. It was almost as if time was mocking her with its minute hand slowly…ever so slowly ticking with each agonizing second. And if she looked around the class, it seemed like there were mutual feelings about the room also. Sweeping the room back and forth, straightening up whenever the teacher glanced in her direction, Sakura continued on with daydreaming.
In this dream, she had imagined herself working as a doctor at the most prestigious hospital in all of Konoha. Once getting a career there, she would meet a fantastic man that she saved from the brink of death. To show his gratitude, he would take her out to dinner after he insisted countless times. Something almost like The Notebook. Classic.
The year was slowly coming to an end in her senior year of college. The days were growing longer and warmer with each breath inhaled. Sakura had already caught senioritis in her junior year of college! So knowing that summer, and therefore freedom, was less than a week away had Sakura in a very giving mood.
This was especially eminent when Sakura's ears perked up at her teacher's mention of an extra credit opportunity. Her GPA was already high enough as it was, but extra credit was never offered in college. Maybe if the work for those few extra points were simple, she would spend some time with it.
Technically Sakura was already set for the next few years already. She had been investing time in working at a hospital a few blocks down from this street, but her interview with Konoha Hospital was today and she seemed to be a nervous wreck.
But even so, she still listened with patience to her professor explaining the assignment.
The story happened to be that the professor's friend's son (confusing) was enlisted in training to become a Navy Seal and had been shipped off to another faraway town to begin training. In a short phone call home, he had told his parents they had taken away all personal belongings during the time of intense training.
Feeling extreme sympathy for her friend's son, the professor offered twenty extra credit points if the students just took some spare time to write encouraging words to the 'poor guy'.
Being cut off by the short bell, Sakura began to rise from her seat, making a beeline towards her friends.
"Hey Sakura-chan! Are you gonna do the extra credit?" Her long time friend, Hinata, asked while gathering up her bags.
"Mm…I'm thinking about it. Maybe if I have time."
Looking around the room, it didn't seem like anybody had really chosen to take up the given opportunity though. Walking towards the door with Hinata, Sakura spotted the address on the whiteboard her teacher had left up in case anyone had wanted to get it down.
"Coming Sakura?" Without realizing it, Sakura had slowed in her steps so she was a few good feet away from Hinata.
"Ummm…you go ahead Hinata-chan, I have to ask sensei a quick question."
Waving to her, Sakura made it seem like she was heading for her professor, but sneaking a glance behind her shoulder, the medic swerved over to the whiteboard while biting her lip.
'Should I write one? I mean…it's extra credit points that I don't really need…but this guy must be having a hard time…' Making up her mind quickly when students for the next session began filing in, Sakura hastily jotted down the name and address.
Once safely off campus grounds and walking back towards her apartment, Sakura got a chance to really take a look at the address she had written down.
Uchiha Itachi
That name sounded so familiar…but so distant at the same time. Deciding not to ponder on it too much, Sakura clutched the piece of paper tighter in her hands before shoving it into her pocket.
"Haruno-san, you should get going! It's already two a.m.!" One of the long time nurses scolded the doctor softly.
"Ah…but I still have some more paperwork to get finished actually…"
"No! You are going home. No 'buts'."
Laughing softly at the woman's motherly nature, Sakura packed up her bag and thanked the nurse before returning home.
The whole letter thing was bothering her.
Upon arriving home, Sakura had routinely taken a shower and grabbed a power bar before curling up in bed with a few dozen scrolls to read. Even though it was already three in the morning at that time, her insomnia forced the young medic to run a reversed light and day track.
Pen scribbling furiously in her notes, her attempts to drown out the thoughts of a certain address failed miserably. With an irritated huff, Sakura opened her drawer a bit too forcefully before rummaging around inside until she located the scrap of paper.
The scrap of paper that held so much information but yet, held so little at the same time.
She would be, in all honesty, writing to this complete stranger all because of what? Sympathy? Curiosity? But Sakura knew it wasn't any of those feelings. It was just a feeling that writing to this Uchiha Itachi guy would seem like a good idea. He didn't know her, she didn't know him. It was a perfect doorway to escape from her current world.
Flipping to a new page in her notebook, Sakura spent the next two hours trying to make an, at least, half-decent letter.
Five A.M. and Sakura honestly thought she had gone insane. Taking two full hours to write this little excerpt of communication to this man…
Scraps of crumpled up paper littered the ground all around the tiny trash bin in her room, everywhere except in the actual trash bin itself.
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Dear Itachi-san-
Scratch that. Too informal.
Dear Uchiha-san,
My name is Haruno Sakura.
Nope. Sounded like a third grader introducing themselves to their little buddy or something.
Dear Uchiha-san,
Haha, you don't know me actually. I heard from my professor that you were in training to become a Navy Seal. So I decided to write you this letter. Well…she offered us extra credit actually, ya know my main mayun?
Fuck that. The letter was just getting worse and worse.
It had taken the medic an hour into her frustrated writings when she realized that her heart was pounding the entire time. It seemed like she was so nervous that her hand as well as her mind had frozen up. Willing herself to calm down, her pen began to flow again. Her thoughts, even if some were aimless, were portrayed out into the letter.
Utterly too tired to reread what she had written, Sakura sealed it in the envelope before slapping stamps on it and shutting off the light.
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The mailbox stared at her mockingly. It was morning and she had to go to work damn it! She shouldn't be standing in front of this blue box, glaring at it like a mad woman. Biting her lip, Sakura smoothed out the stressed creases in the tiny paper square that she had indented with her nervous fingers.
Then without giving her brain a chance to think, Sakura quickly shoved the envelope down the throat of the mailbox, giving it a smug smirk before walking off to work.
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"Uchiha, you've got some mail." A deep voice rumbled from behind him.
Lifting himself from the cot he was currently on, the quiet man nodded his thanks to his friend while taking hold of the small bundle wrapped in string.
Rummaging through the various shades of envelopes, setting aside his mother's for later, he paused at one with a foreign address.
Haruno Sakura.
Itachi tried hard to remember a name like that, and when finding nothing, he slowly opened the sealed seems of the flap.
Reclining against a wall with a leg propped up, Itachi held the letter up to the light.
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7/26/10
Dear Uchiha-san,
So you probably took one look at the return address and, after searching through your list of acquaintances in your mind, realized that I was not one of them. But I hope I can earn a spot on the list soon. As you perceived from the return address, I'm Sakura, pleased to meet you. My origin of writing this letter was from my chemistry professor at Konoha University, Tanaka-sensei. She had told us of your situation in the training of becoming a Navy Seal and had encouraged us to write words of encouragement to you. I don't really know what else to say except work hard and make sure to keep your body healthy. I'm, truthfully, not that great of a person when it comes to having to come up with words of comfort…
But I believe you to be smart enough to at least have an inkling of suspicion as to why I am writing a letter to you, a random stranger. You should know the truth, and I believe that you will probably not be offended. Our professor urged us; well…more like bribed us with extra credit, to write to you. But I had some extra time left in my day so I decided I would give it a shot at writing to you. Sensei told us you had been deployed to Amegakure four months ago already. I'm not sure if your family updated you about Konoha currently, but just in case they haven't, I'll take some time to talk about that.
The weather's nice outside for once. The sky is a perfect mixture of marshmallow clouds and warm summer sun. The winds offer only a slight breeze, but that's just the way I like it. The year is about to end for me and after that, I'll be free to explore the world as I wish. Konoha's alliances are currently steady amongst all other villages, except maybe the Mist village. Things seem like they're on shaky grounds at the moment, but I guess only time will reveal all.
What is it like over there? Have you made any friends? (wow, I sounded like a mother there, haha) When do you get to return home from training? I'm not sure if these are questions that will be answered though. But you don't have to write back if you don't want to! I mean, I would completely understand of you not wanting to write to this person you've never even met. But even so, I hope you can return soon to your family safe. So make sure to look after your health, don't you dare get a cold! Drink water whenever you can to keep hydrated and energized! Keep safe!
Your Friend,
Haruno Sakura
P.S. I included some stamps inside the envelope just in case you didn't have any and wanted to write letters back to your friends and family!
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Reaching into the envelope, the Uchiha found that there were, indeed, flower stamps included.
This girl, a complete stranger, had been thoughtful enough to provide him these. And a lifesaver she was too, for the place he was in now did not provide stationary items to write.
Haruno Sakura.
She was blunt with her writing and he suspected that was her real nature in person. Knowing this about her gave him a good foothold on her personality. Most likely strong willed and capable, but kind at the same time. She hadn't pushed him for a response like most others usually do though. And he respected her for telling him the truth about her motifs for writing this letter. But even so, she had hinted at a response from him which meant she was going out of her way regardless of the extra credit to continue writing him.
Smiling slightly at the thought, Itachi slowly rubbed his eyes. After skimming through the letters from his relatives and closer friends, he hesitantly picked up this Sakura girl's letter and reread it again.
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Soo, yea, it was pretty short. But i had to end it there because of what came up next and all...at least it wasn't on a cliff hanger! so, please review and give some feedback! Thank you! Oh right! and um. i had a question if someone could answer. Whenever i edit my chapters i try putting in dashes and all to stress the scene changes but everytime i save it, they disappear so i try using numbers... so if anyone knows how to solve this, that'd be wonderful! Thanks!
-chicken