Author's Note: Before you get the wrong idea, no, this is not a vampire fiction. :))


The Moonlight Walkers

By withered-soup

one

The bell didn't have to ring, did it? She wouldn't have felt that strange anxiety amidst the usual boisterous laughter of the afternoon if it never came. She stuffed her books, notebooks and pen as slowly and as organized as possible. During small pauses she looked around and watched most of the students yawn and stretch while listening to the yammering of another. School was over again.

She took a long look at the room and bit her lip. Would anyone ask her out? Or maybe even shyly ask to borrow her notes and have it photocopied? Any one? No one? Would anyone offer her a little time eating takuyaki at the small stand a block from the school? She checked her wallet. There were enough money to spare. She had been saving a lot for trips and take-out's anyway. Her green eyes blinked. She closed the lid of her stiff bag for she had abandoned almost all hope. She stood up, pretended to fix her uniform for a few more seconds and then finally took her first step towards the door.

"Sakura!"

She stopped and a smile could not be suppressed totally by her face. She shouldn't smile widely like her mind tells her to do. "Yes?" She made a timid turn to see the speaker and when she did, her face was once more neutral.

"Hey, it's kinda cruel to have tests everyday, right?" Ino, her blonde girl friend who the boys had always been eyeing, tossed her shiny hair. "I know we've got another killer test tomorrow but Naruto wants to eat ramen. To, like, de-stress a bit? You wanna come?"

A little movement of the eyebrows to feign worry and a little silence to feign hesitation. Finally, a weak smile followed. "Sure, I'm quite hungry anyway."

"Sweet!" She heard Naruto shout behind Ino.

Sakura thanked the heavens for this opportunity for more time.

Five of them went to the ramen house Naruto frequents. Kiba, Naruto and Shikamaru were comparing scores while Ino was in her trance-like narration of how her weekend went. Sakura smiled softly all the while and gave appropriate sounds and responses at the right time. Not that she didn't like talking with Ino, the conversation was always too long for her. However, she had to live with those long stories to stay with those people she considered friends.

"Anyway, so I just slapped him and he ran yelping! Geez! That was only a slap!" Ino ended her talk when the bowl of ramen was served under her nose.

"It's better that way. He wouldn't come back." Sakura replied and then looked at the swirling steam from the ramen. It's better not to come back.


"Alright, class, dismissed." The stoic professor returned to her papers and fixed them using a paperclip while the rest of the class silently exited the room. Everyone was in black and there was neatness and order in every movement they made. The way they stepped were calculated. The foot should not be raised very high as if marching and to silently walk, the heel must touch the floor before the rest of the sole. There should no be shuffling. No stomping. No running. And everyone should stay at the right side of the stairs or corridors. Boisterous laughter had a penalty and loud music was also prohibited. Discipline was the key to a clean slate and discipline was something etched deeply in the students.

"We have to go home early." Neji reminded the raven head he was talking with. His cream eyes followed the movement of the stiff handsome guy who was putting all of his notebooks and books in his locker. "And I see you don't mind the exam tomorrow?"

No response came from the guy who was then securing the padlock.

Neji sighed. "I am not your father, I shouldn't really care, should I?" No response. "Sasuke?"

"No, you shouldn't." Sasuke finally gave his blockmate a lift of a brow. "I'm busy tonight."

Neji looked at him in wonder. For the past three years he had known Sasuke, he knew busy didn't mean studying. "You better not get yourself caught."

And Sasuke never did get caught for those past three years of his high school life. For where he went was nowhere the school's prim and proper staff ever went to. At least twice a week, he would say good bye to Neji earlier than usual and he would bring a gym bag where clothes and other body padding was stuffed into. There were also bottles of water, some bandages and a messed container that represented an improvised first aid kit. Neji never asked because he already had an idea where the guy was going and Sasuke would never admit anyway. He didn't need to go to the gym to maintain his body nor was he interested in any sport as of the moment. Well, if it could be called a sport then perhaps Sasuke more of dwelled in its brutality.

He took a cab and went down near the outskirts of the city. After which, he walked a few more blocks before he reached an alley that let to darker dead end: an underground fight club. The way to the small building was lined with trash and graffiti. There were also men in hoods and caps nodding and surveying the area for cops and other unwanted figures.

Before he went straight to the doors, a large man with a cigarette dangling from his lips looked at him from top to bottom. "Your pass, kid?" Sasuke pulled his cuff higher and showed a tattoo that looked like a snake. The man breathed on the teen ager's face. "You frequent here, huh? You know the drill." He opened his palm and on it came down bills. The man nodded at the bouncer at the doors and without speaking, Sasuke was led to the world of screaming and betting.

The darkness of the night was in contrast with the dancing lights of the building. The place was a crossover between a strip bar and a combat arena. The first floor resembled a balcony where the more affluent stayed. There were tables and endless liquor and there were also topless women serving everything possible. At the lower ground were more tables for the middle class and lower class betters who made the club lively with their shouts and cusses. In the middle of the lower ground level was a circular arena where an exuberant host jived with the crowd. He was also the one who often winked at the money and bet holders at the booths.

Sasuke passed between men almost twice his size and finally had the chance to give the man at the booth his cash. His eyes wandered while waiting for his ticket. The smell and sweat of the people around him was irritating in so many ways.

"You playing again, kid?" The man asked as he gave the white paper to the teen. "Heard they have new guys."

"I'm not worried." He quickly replied and squeezed himself past the other men who were making their ways to the booths.

The lights began to dim and suddenly, a spotlight rained on the man in the middle of the arena. He wore a suit with hurtful psychedelic colors and his face even had a purple make-up. He looked really white especially since his hair was long and black. There was a building of suspense. "Ladies and gentlemen…" He seemed to lick the microphone as he spoke. "I do not wonder why we're so packed up tonight." He smiled that malicious smile. "What is in store for us, anyway? Isn't it just like any other nights?" He arched his brows and expelled a loud, "NO!" The crowd cheered. "Not only do we have a hefty sum to be given away…we also have a very, very good set of fighters laid down for our pleasure." He winked at a bouncer who guarded the bottom of the ring as if cueing him. "I know you're all itching to watch this…so…without further ado…may I now present the first match tonight!" Two men came up the ring as the crowd yelled.

One of the fighters was a bald man who was buffed up well. Even his veins were obvious against his skin. He wore a permanent frown and his bushy eye brows met to form a one line. He only wore the typical trunks of any large fighter and he roared as he raised his clenched fists in the air. The crowd roared with him.

Sasuke took his place across the bald beast. He casually pulled his shirt off and kicked his shoes off. He squatted twice to check if his pants were hindering his leg movements and after being satisfied, he straightened up to cock his head from left to right. His black eyes observed his opponent from head to toe. He was twice his size and his high school arms were no match to his muscles. But it didn't matter. He just let out a relaxing sigh and raised his arms in front of him in a fighting stance.

"FIGHT!"


"…and you know what? He never called again! Ugh! What a total loser!" Ino poked the last strand of her ramen noodles as if it were the guy who stood her up.

"Not worth your time." Sakura gave a generic reply.

"You said it! So I didn't try calling him or whatever! So annoying!" She tossed her blond hair to the right. "Ugh, boys."

"Excuse me!" Naruto interrupted. "There are boys here, y'know?"

"So?" Ino lifted a brow and then she showed disgust. "Naruto, no wonder girls don't like you. You eat too much! Ew!" The three bowls of ramen suddenly became the highlight.

Shikamaru lifted a finger and dug into his ear. "Instead of worrying about that, there is food to be paid for and there is time to take note of." And with that, they muttered to each other how incredibly fast time slipped.

"Yeah, we better go home." Kiba added as he handed their payment.

Go home? Already? Sakura absentmindedly closed her bag. It is still early. It couldn't be that fast. "Hey, Sakura, come on." She found the others standing up. "Oh, sorry." She timidly shouldered her bag strap and followed her friends. "We're…really going now?"

"Well, there's a test tomorrow. I'm sure you're itching to study." Kiba winked at her.

Ino jumped in front of the group. "Oh my gosh! I just remembered! Today's the last showing of the movie I was dying to watch!"

"Ino. Test." Naruto rolled his eyes.

"I'm going home. You can watch it yourself." Shikamaru started walking with Naruto. Kiba shrugged and then walked along the two.

"GUYS?"

"I-I can go with you." Sakura murmured. Ino raised a brow. "I could go with you. The movie? Watch the movie…"

"Really? I mean…" Ino checked the pink haired girl's face. "Really, really?"

"Yes, I have…kind of…studied ahead." A lie. But near the truth that she already knew some part of the lessons because of her advanced readings.

"Sakura, you're the best!" Ino grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her to the direction of the mall a few blocks away.

The movie started at about some time past 8pm. Ino had her lips covered by her hands almost the whole time. The story was magical and it focused on the love story of an angel and a human girl. The romance was giving her the suspense she needed. Sakura, on the other hand, quietly ate some popcorn as she followed the movie with little interest. The movie was alright but she was no longer into romantic movies. She thought of them as inhuman—unreal. And if she were to believe, she thought she'd just end up being heartbroken by the knights in shining armor she once dreamed of when she was younger.

"I…I can't…" The human girl covered her face and tears streamed from her eyes. The handsome angel extended his hand but drew them away before his fingers touched her. "You're…you're so far from what I am…I am lowly…I am…"

"He doesn't care!" Ino squeaked behind her hands. She was at the edge of her seat, waiting for the angel to move and comfort the anxious girl.

"You have shown me…what the real heaven is like…what happiness is like…I could no longer go back." The angel smiled and most of the female audience gasped at the glorious lips. "My home…my home is with you."

Ino suppressed a squeal while Sakura stopped eating. Those green eyes followed the smooth movement of the two characters as they fell into each other's arms. Lips met and hands moved. Happiness. Somewhere I can call home. She saw how the angel's wings broke off but the love was greater than the pain. I could no longer go back. My home…my home is with… She stopped. Where was her home?

"Oh my gosh…it's done!" Ino threw her arms up as the credits rolled a few more scenes after the dramatic encounter of the angel and human girl. She glanced at her side and saw that Sakura eyeing the screen rather blankly. "Hey Sakura, are you in a hurry?"

"N-no, it's just 10 o'clock."

"Sure? My curfew's 10." Ino smiled. "But did you see that make-up? So pretty! I think I used up most of my foundation. I wanna check out the cosmetics store for a new one. Wanna come?"

"Sure." Sakura thanked the heavens.

The store was almost deserted by customers when they came. It was the closing time of the mall so everyone was on their way to the doors. Even the salesladies were starting to do their final checks as Ino poked on the displayed sample products if they looked fine on her skin.

"Should I get…no I think…oh, this is cute…how about…" the blonde moved on from one rack to another. "Sakura, you think—" She stopped and nudged the quiet girl. "Look."

Haruno lifted her eyes from the make-up set she was observing and followed Ino's line of sight. Just across them was a hooded guy who was picking what seemed to be a set of concealers. She couldn't get much out of the face of the guy because of the hood and he had more of his side and back toward her. For some reason, they got attracted to the mystery of the guy's face so they continued to wait for that perfect instance…

The guy lifted his face and eyed them.

"Eep!" Ino looked down and pretended to take interest on the face powders while Sakura looked sideways. But she couldn't help but glance at the guy who decided to ignore the two girls and give the concealer to the counter. He took out a bill, grabbed the product and walked away.

"Your change, sir."

"Keep it." He disappeared from the store.

Sakura looked at Ino who was still dumbfounded. "You think he saw us?"

"I think so." Ino finally spoke. "But did you get a glimpse of him?" She lowered her voice. "He's cute!"

"He looked scary to me." Sakura followed Ino at the counter. Her foundation and an added eyeliner was being packed. "I just saw much of his black hair. And he looks so white."

"Mysterious type, uhuh." Ino giggled. "But seriously, I'm doubting him." She continued as they exited the store. "A cute guy buying a concealer? I'm starting to think otherwise."

"That he's…"

"Yes," the blonde sighed and continued with a sad tone, "…gay." Silence. "Well anyway, good looking guys nowadays are homosexuals." She stopped by the doors. "I'll see you around, thanks a bunch." She gave Sakura a cheek-to-cheek parting before hailing a cab. Sakura was left standing by the mall entrance for a few more minutes before she decided to go home.

The moonlight was high and reigning. She had to go back…for now.