Narrated by Sumiko – Eleven Years Old
I was walking down the hallway toward the bathrooms when I suddenly ran into Sasuke.We both froze, like no one else existed in that moment. The hallway was silent, and my heart started beating fast, as if it already knew what was coming.
Ever since that day at the park—when I fought with Sakura—Sasuke had gotten colder toward me. At first, I thought he was just sad. I tried to talk to him, ask if he needed anything. But he only looked at me like I was invisible. Until one day, he stopped ignoring me… and started treating me badly. Really badly.
Flashback:
"I don't want anything from you," he said, looking at me like I was trash. "I don't want your pity. I don't want some weak, stupid girl hanging around me."
It hurt. A lot. I held back the tears, but my eyes stung, and there was a lump in my throat.
"Why are you like this?" I asked, my voice low but steady. "You weren't always like this. We were friends."
Sasuke let out a weird laugh, with no joy in it.
"Friends?" he repeated, like the word disgusted him. "I don't need friends. I only want revenge."
That scared me. Not because of what he said, but how he said it. Like there was nothing good left in him.
"Don't say that…" I whispered.
"You're pathetic," he said, and this time it felt like a slap. "Pathetic and ugly. Just as annoying as Sakura."
It hurt more than any punch. I wanted to tell him he was wrong, that he shouldn't talk to me like that… but no words came out. I just stood there, silent, heart in pieces.
"Do me a favor," he added, full of disdain. "Disappear."
End of flashback.
Back in the present, Sasuke was still standing in front of me, looking at me the same way he had that day. Just as cold. Just as empty.
Before, I used to get angry when he treated me like that. Sometimes I even tried to understand him. But now… now I only felt something dark inside me. Something that told me I didn't have to put up with it anymore.
If Sasuke only had space in his heart for hatred, then I wasn't going to waste any more kindness on him.
So I looked at him for a second… then turned away, saying nothing. I walked past him like he didn't exist.Like I'd never met him.
I sat in the corner of the classroom, as always. Shikamaru was next to me, half-asleep, and Naruto was talking nonstop about how awesome it would be to become Hokage. No one was paying attention.Well… almost no one.
I was listening.
Not because I believed he'd really become Hokage (though, who knows), but because he made me laugh. He was weird, clumsy, and loud. But he was real. And sometimes, that was enough.
"And when I'm Hokage, I'll ban vegetables for everyone!" Naruto shouted, striking a ridiculous pose with his arms out.
I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing so hard even lazy Shikamaru chuckled under his breath.
"So troublesome…" he muttered, with a little smile.
It was a silly moment, but it made me feel good. Like, for a second, being me wasn't so heavy.
But peace never lasted long.
Iruka-sensei took us outside for practical training. The moment we stepped on the grass, all the girls swarmed around Sasuke like flies. "Sasuke-kun this," "Sasuke-kun that," "Oh, he's so amazing!"
I scoffed.
I looked at him. Really looked. He just stood there with his arms crossed and that blank, serious face like nothing mattered. He didn't say thanks. He didn't tell them to back off. Nothing.
I knew some of his fangirls blamed me for things that made no sense. For talking to him. For EXISTING near him.
And he… he just let it happen. Never stopped them. Never said a word.
"Is that what a good ninja does?" I thought, fists clenched. "Ignore it when someone gets harassed because of you?"
I stared at him longer than I should've. My chest felt tight, like something was twisting inside me. It wasn't sadness. It was something else. Annoyance. Anger. Maybe even… contempt.
He wasn't even that amazing. Sure, he was skilled. So what? There were plenty of others who worked hard, but no one talked about them. It was like only he existed.
Suddenly, a loud voice broke the air:
"Sasuke! I challenge you to a duel! Right here, right now!"
Naruto burst in like an explosion, so loud everyone turned around. Even Iruka-sensei flinched.
I covered my mouth to keep from laughing again, but it didn't work. I let out a giggle, and Shikamaru muttered another "troublesome," though he was grinning this time.
The girls groaned and yelled at Naruto like he'd just insulted a god.
Sasuke, meanwhile, barely lifted an eyebrow. He looked at Naruto with that "you matter less than a rock" face, and that only made me angrier. He didn't even bother to take others seriously. Like no one was worth his time.
"Pff… how interesting," I muttered.
Naruto rushed at him. But the fight was over quickly. Sasuke dodged easily and took him down with a single move.
The laughter came instantly. The girls clapped like Sasuke had defeated a real enemy, not a classmate just trying to prove himself. And Naruto… Naruto stayed there on the ground, face in the dirt, full of shame.
Something burned inside me.
"That's your amazing Sasuke-kun? How brave, beating someone who didn't even get serious!" I shouted, teeth clenched.
Before I could think, I picked up a rock and threw it at Sasuke. It hit him right on the head.
"Hey!" one of the girls shrieked. "What's wrong with you?! You're crazy!"
"That rock was the most exciting thing to happen during this whole training!" I said, with a sarcastic smile.
"Sumiko! Sasuke! That was unacceptable!" Iruka yelled. "If you want to fight, do it like real ninjas! To the ring!"
My heart was pounding. What had I gotten myself into? But I wasn't going to back down.
Sasuke and I stepped onto the combat area. We stared at each other with a fire that could have burned the grass beneath us.
"Done being a shadow, Sumiko?" he said quietly.
"Done being a trophy shelf for fangirls?" I shot back, raising an eyebrow.
"You're annoying."
"And you're overrated."
Sasuke scoffed and made an annoyed face. I don't know why, but that satisfied me.
Iruka gave the signal. We launched at each other.
Sasuke attacked with precision, but I was faster than he expected. He landed a good hit to my stomach, but I managed to dodge the rest. I started blocking his blows, bit by bit I read his pattern, and then—bam!—a punch right to his face.
"Ah!" I yelled without meaning to. For a second I felt bad… but when I saw the anger in his eyes, that bitter look… I felt satisfied. I felt good.
I felt like I had control for once. Like I wasn't the prey anymore.And that feeling gave me a rush so intense, I couldn't help but smile.
Is this what revenge feels like? I thought, panting. It feels… freeing.
Sasuke stared at me, face red from the hit. Without a word, he charged at me with new intensity—like he was finally taking this seriously.
I met him with the same energy. We moved fast, trading blows, basic jutsus, sharp words and sarcastic jabs between gasps.
"This all you've got?" he said, with a crooked grin.
"Afraid of losing your crown, sad prince?" I shot back, spinning into a kick that barely grazed him. He was good. But I wasn't bad either.
Our bodies collided again, direct and furious, but just before the final hit—
"Enough!" Iruka shouted, stepping between us.
We were both panting. Sweat ran down our faces. We were way too close to each other. Then, our eyes met.
We said nothing. Neither of us had to.But something in that look… something was understood.Something deep. Something uncomfortable.Something real.
Iruka, still catching his breath, announced:
"Dead heat."
There were no cheers. Just a thick, heavy silence.
And that was the end of the fight.
But not the fire it left behind.
Sasuke Uchiha had become my rival.And judging by the look in his eyes…I had become his too.