The Cinnamon Flower
Summary: She would walk by, lovely and graceful, filling the air with the perfume she wore on her bosom. From the bridge to the avenue, her slender feet followed the path that trembles to the rhythm of her hips. The dark-haired man, ruled by his heart, wanted to breathe in the charms of the cinnamon flower. SasuHina
This story was honestly inspired after I heard the song, "La Flor de la Canela," by Chabuca Granda. This roughly translates to "The Cinnamon Flower." It's a Peruvian song and it's absolutely beautiful. Listening to it more and more, I realized I could turn this into a story so I started writing. It's also inspired by my time in Peru and although I did not go to Cuzco, there are elements from my own experience that I'll try to incorporate into this story.
If you want to hear the version I heard that inspired me to write this, just go on Youtube and try: Juan Diego Florez – La Flor de la Canela. You can listen to the original version or not at all but I think it's a really gorgeous song.
I think the first half of this story will take place in Peru and the rest back in the States.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor La Flor de la Canela.
Sasuke wasn't sure what compelled him to volunteer in a developing country. He heard an annoying buzzing by his ear and swatted at the mosquito that was pestering him. Unfortunately for him, he felt an itchiness beginning to form on his right forearm and noticed the formation of a new mosquito bite.
"Fucking hell…" Sasuke uttered curses silently, hoping he would not get the Zika virus.
He just finished his first year of medical school, unsure of what to do. Being the fool that he was, he asked his older brother for advice. The more he thought back to that moment, the more he regretted not choosing the latter choice of his options.
Flashback
"So, what brings you here Sasuke?" Itachi sat behind a mahogany desk, his arms folded across his chest.
Sasuke didn't miss the look of mirth in his brother's eyes. "Volunteer or research?"
At this, Itachi had a thoughtful look on his face. His eyes lowered towards his desk before his lips curved upwards slightly.
"Volunteer of course."
At this, Sasuke groaned.
Itachi chortled. "I remember you complaining about the horrors of undergraduate research Sasuke. I'm pretty sure if you did that during medical school, you would be miserable."
Sasuke didn't say anything but his face contorted into that of annoyance. "And?"
"I think it's good for you to give back." Itachi pursed his lips. "Where did you want volunteer?"
Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm not sure. It has to be in some third-world country."
"Developing country Sasuke." Itachi corrected.
"Hn."
Itachi stood up slowly, straightening his back and strolled over to his brother slowly.
"Ethiopia?"
Sasuke grimaced.
"Philippines?"
Sasuke frowned.
"El Salvador?"
"Hell no!" Sasuke shouted, appalled his brother would suggest one of the deadliest countries in the world.
Itachi feigned shock. "What? They need help too."
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I don't feel like being an unsolved murder case."
At this, Itachi chuckled. After listing a myriad of countries, Itachi recalled his trip with Shisui.
"Peru?"
Sasuke tsked and shook his head.
"Research keeps sounding better than the countries you listed."
Itachi placed his hand on his younger brother's shoulder, tightening his hold a bit. "You know, Peru was actually quite pleasant once you're outside the capital of course. I think out of all those I listed which I haven't visited might I add, you might actually enjoy it." With that, he ruffled Sasuke's hair and bid him farewell.
Flashback End
Sasuke laid in his homestay's "guest" bedroom, tormented by the humidity and the buzzing of mosquitos by his head. He resisted the urge to scratch the bites on his legs. The itch was a red-hot burning sensation and it was concentrated in two areas of his calves. He fisted the bedsheets, fighting off temptation of the quick relief.
"Six weeks of this hell." He croaked out to no one in particular. He felt nauseous and a bit light-headed but that was to be expected from the altitude change. He sat up and dug through his backpack, searching for the cacoa leaves to chew on.
It was his third day of arrival into Peru and the moment he stepped out of the airport, he immediately regretted it and cursed his brother.
Perhaps it was that he landed at 1 am and it was pitch black, adding to the eeriness of the unknown territory he was stepping into. As he was being ushered into the bus full of professional health volunteers and students, he gazed outside the window and wanted to recede into his chair in dismay. He saw dilapidated houses with multiple stray dogs running about, dirty and mangy. There were barely and street lights and the streets were absolutely littered with trash bags. Later he would learn that people would throw their trash out by the sidewalks for it to be picked up by the garbage man at dawn.
"Capitals huh?"
Sasuke tore his gaze away and glared at the blonde man next to him.
"Tch."
"Come on, it'll be great. Cuzco is only 20 hours by bus."
Sasuke inwardly groaned. "Don't remind me dobe."
"Hey! I resent that."
Sasuke smirked at Naruto. Truth be told, he was glad his friend had nothing better to do and decided to go with him to teach English to the schoolchildren. At least he wouldn't be suffering alone in this foreign location. Since graduating from college one year apart, Naruto wasn't sure what to do after graduating so he joined Sasuke on his trip, hoping to find grand adventure. Remembering the words of his friend, Sasuke snorted.
"What's so funny?"
"Your face."
While Naruto fumed and ranted at him before being told to shut up, Sasuke plugged in his headphones to drown out his loud friend.
Yes, now that it was his third day here, how he longed to return back to his home. He wasn't particularly interested in global healthcare but he did this in order to be placed in the residency of his choice.
Spitting out the cacoa leaves, he started to feel a bit better and plopped back down into the bed, sleep claiming him.
By the time it was dawn, Hinata awoke. It has almost been a year since she arrived to be a teacher of English. She stretched in her tiny apartment and yawned. Looking at her calendar, she frowned; she would be leaving in 5 weeks. Throughout her time here, she picked up the Spanish language fairly quickly but still, she would not consider herself fluent. She would be training the incoming teacher who would replace her.
Truly living here has opened her eyes to the needs and daily lifestyle of the people. Unsure of what path she would want to take after returning home, she began to mentally jot down potential careers.
As she made herself breakfast, which consisted of pan frances* and avocado, she began to review the name of her replacement.
"Naruto Uzumaki…recent graduate." She wished there was a picture attached but alas, there was not. She could only imagine how he must have looked like. Based on his personal statement, he partly came to join his friend on his medical volunteering as a medical student.
Hinata furrowed her eyebrows, thinking he was crazy for uprooting his life in part of his friend's short stay here.
"I won't be introduced to him until four days from now." She spoke to herself often.
As she placed the papers on her small dining table, she began to look outside her window. She remembered being so shy as she started out. She kept stuttering and tripping over her words and feet as the children would giggle at her shy antics but as the months went by, she gained new confidence. The experience she has gained is something she would not trade for anything.
She befriended Tenten, her fellow colleague and together, they would be departing at the same time to their home states. At this, her face became somber. The downside of the program was that she would be separated from her; right when they became close friends.
She quickly took a shower and brushed her teeth. She grabbed granadilla** for her snack and headed out the door with her lesson plan and hoping for a good day.
-o
Sasuke woke up to the smell of fried pork and his stomach roused him completely from his grogginess with a loud rumble. Whatever that is, it smells really good, he thought. He kicked off the sheets from his glistening chest and noticed brand new mosquito bites lining his abdomen.
"Fucking pieces of shi-"
"Buenos dias!"
Sasuke was caught off guard by the old woman who greeted him as he was poking his new bites. "Uhh buenas diaz"***
The old woman beckoned him forward and pointed to the kitchen.
Sasuke nodded and quickly put on a white shirt. The fabric rubbed his new bites as he walked and he winced at the feeling. Fucking great. Today is the first day too of shadowing.
As he kept walking, he felt the oncoming wave of nausea.
He decided at this very moment that his future residency can kiss his ass.
Hi! I had to get this out. I promise the next chapter will be much longer but I couldn't sleep and have this in my mind or else I would forget. I wanted the summary to throw you guys off but I'm really excited to get to the point where the summary came from. I know this chapter may seem slow and confusing but it'll all make sense.
*pan frances is a round bread that is crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. It takes amazing with avocado and I had that every day for breakfast in Peru
**granadilla is a fruit I ate every day in Peru and it's become my most favorite fruit. I absolutely love the taste *drool*
*** I tried to give Sasuke a horrible accent lol