||Disclaimer||
This story takes place during the blank period. I do not own Naruto.
|| A Chance meeting in April ||
Chapter one
|| A Chance meeting in April ||
As the weeks passed a cold, damp March gave way to a warm and soggy April. As the snow thawed from last winter, buds became bright green leaves and the roof of the Academy began to leak just as the students returned from their winter break. Before long, reconstruction began for the minimal damage they had during the moon were making progress in repairing the damaged land and infrastructure. A female worker, an Akimichi, was explaining the details of a document that was in her hands. She was about two years younger than the man that was standing before her. "So, master Iruka, many of the roofers are unfamiliar with the clay tiles and urges the removal of the tiling rather than its repairbut for your convenience the holes should be patched with a durable sealant after the insulation is added." Her face was red and Iruka realized she wasn't embarrassed but nervous.
"That won't be a problem, right?" Next to Iruka, the principal Mr. Kin spoke up. "No, sir I don't believe so." the Akimichi woman answered. "The work we're doing here should be finishing up soon and the class could move back in within a few hours," she continued. "The replacement plans are in this document." Afterwards, they discussed and explained the contents of the documents. The meeting ended when they confirmed the plans for the Academy.
"Wasn't that young lady a little tense and nervous just now?" Mr. Kin asked as they stood by, watching her leave ."I figured she's still not accustomed to that sort of situation," Iruka inquired. "Speaking of a situation, a former student of yours stopped by recently and he wanted to ask you something, he's supposed to be coming by today," Kin mentioned. "Oh, really? Who might that be?", Iruka inquired, his voice, hardened by sarcasm as he walked towards a large window,located on the west side of the Academy where the repairs were taking place and taps on the window. It was Yume who heard him first. She moved up to the window to unlatch it just as three young female students pressed up behind her to see what he had or wanted."Just the person I wanted to see, Yume, the roofers are just about finished with this section of roof. Classes should restart in a few hours but in the meantime it's still study hall," He informs her of the roof's progress.
"We'll make sure to keep students away until then, sir." She answered in a raft of giggles as she pushed them along. "Take care of yourself, Yume." Iruka continued as he folds the documents and shoves them into a brown envelope. There was a little bit of concern colored in his expression. "Really- Don't overwork yourself too much, okay?" Yume pretended not to notice Iruka's expression as she waved her hands with a 'Goodbye.' He dropped back outside, closed the window and soundlessly returned to check on a punished student scrubbing vigorously at a white mucked up wall.
As an Instructor, Yume taught a great number of students before the war. Now, she was seeing through a new generation in a much more peaceful time than her own. All the facial expressions of her students were calm and quiet. Since the war had ended, it was probably because of their sense of security. She left the building shortly afterwards. walking by the main gate she passed a young boy named Hideki. He was this year's trouble maker and was was busy scrubbing graffiti off the walls. Iruka went to usher the boy inside..
'There's always that one kid,' Yume thought.
Suddenly, the sky began to get cloudy and it began to rain again. She feared the roofers hard work would be all for naught if it began to downpour. She then began to walk alone along the bustling street. Despite the rain and even though it was early in the afternoon, the streets were thriving and crowded with people. All the snow that had accumulated in the village had completely melted. The season was already springtime and the people who were walking down the street were liberated from their heavy coats, with umbrellas in hand.
Umbrella? Right, she didn't have one. She ran across the street to the nearest shelter, it had a tin roof and a circular wooden bench that hugged the thick trunk of an oak tree. On the bench stood potted plants but a space had been left in case anyone wanted to sit down. The cold rain trickled down her exposed chest and flattened her blonde afro-like hair to her head. She froze; a man was sleeping on the bench. She was struck by how well-dressed he was, in a dusty pink turtleneck and a camel-colored jacket. "Is he asleep?" Yume questioned to herself. "In this weather? If he is, he must be drunk." She wryly laughed. Yume went to the man and bent over him. Her first impression is that he is handsome, something that embarrasses her once she realizes that, she has never been romantically with a man and she has no idea how to make conversation.
His hand curved over her shoulder and She jerked at the cool sensation and she stood up, looking incredibly flustered. She eye him suspiciously."A little bit of warning next time, perhaps?"
"I can't make any promises." he said, stretching his arms. Yume glanced up at the cloudy, still raining sky and rolled her eyes. "I am Moyuru Ochiba." He said. "You know you look like you can be one of those centerfold girls."
"What did you just say?" She gaped at him with a wide-eyed and startled expression, her mouth fell open at the absurdity of his statement.
His deep, honeyed voice was tender. "You're not angry at me?" A gust of cold air sends another shiver up her back "Leave me alone," she said, her voice hoarse. "I'm not even going to comment on that. Somebody is a little haughty."
"Haughty? Not a day in my life; Confident? Yes." He shrugged. "Just sayin'."
"Wow, I'm amazed you can remain upright with that big head of yours." She says with her arms folded across her chest. His red hair was short. The camel colored jacket he wore was light, but fur lined. His skin was clear and fair with a hint of brown stubble that ran along his strong jawline. He had a straight nose and a small mole near his left temple."We had a rough start." Moyuru smiled "So let's start over."
"I'm Moyuru"
"Hi, Moyuru," Yume said.
"…uhm, what are your hobbies?"
"Reading," Moyuru answered," And I dabbled a bit in musical theater, What about you, Miss?"
"Yume"
"Uh...?"
"My name is Yume Sanpo," she said in a tiny voice. Her eyes were not red anymore; they were sparkling and bright, and, as usual, wide. A gentle smile was on her beautiful, round face and there was no hint of disappointment or resentment anymore in her expression. She looked away quickly as a shiver raced over her skin. Maybe she should leave and go back .
"Are you cold? Here, take my jacket." Moyuru questioned her. "I am okay," she denied. "You're not a skilled liar, you know that right? I can see for myself that you are shivering." Moyuru shrugged off his jacket and placed it over her shoulders. The jacket was big enough that it was almost like a blanket on top of her and she inhaled his scent emanating from the cloth. As he placed the jacket on her shoulders, his hands stayed on her upper arms—perhaps longer than necessary but then he moved away. Yume wondered if she had just been imagining things.
"Thank you," She murmured, " This doesn't mean anything, you got that?" She chirped from the crock of his jacket. He smiled, "Instead of a centerfold your more of a Chihuahua." She narrowed her eyes at his comment but then she noticed that he was only wearing a thin turtleneck. So she couldn't help but ask "Aren't you going to be cold?"
"I'll be fine." He replied. She pulled the the jacket closer, it smelled like spice and cedar. She heard a phone sound, then watched Moyuru took out his phone and then grimace at what he read. "Is there something wrong?" She shot him a concerned glance, but then he gave her a quick smile. "No. It's just my mother wondering where I am, is all." She just stared at him, waiting for an explanation. " You see, I picked up her order of plants from the florist so that she doesn't have to wait the five days for delivery," he explained.
"Oh.." She smirked, "Mamma's boy." He smiled a little. "Wouldn't change it for the world." They laughed for a moment and an awkward silence came between them. "So" Moyuru said. "What are your hobbies?" He asked, scratching the side of his cheek.
"Handsome." The word came out of nowhere. Her hand clamped over her mouth, stifling a gasp. His head swiveled in her direction and a blush rose to her cheeks as his gaze lingered. "You were staring at me."
"I just…" She didn't have a valid comeback because she was, and who was she kidding. She was attracted to him despite his thick headiness.
"I just…" She paused and then laughed before adding wryly, "I really enjoy pressing flowers."
"Those are some really handsome flowers," She were roses, white, yellow, pale pink and some nearly black. "They'll make a great addition to anybodies collection."
"Flower pressing," He smiled. "My mother does that as well."
"I feel like you two would get along," He continued. "I can introduce you, if you want!" She waved a hand at him dismissively. "Oh, no, you really don't have to do that." she answered in all the politeness she could muster.
"Well, looks like the weather is finally clearing up and I have got to get these plants to my mother's place. Maybe I'll see you around sometime, Yume." He impishly smiled.
"Here's your coat," Yume says shrugging off the jacket awkwardly. "No. I'm coming back Thursday, keep it till then." He protested, while putting the jacket back around her shoulders. "But.." She murmured. "What am I supposed to do with it?"
"How about you take care of it for me?" He all but smiled picking up the three potted plants, she watched him walk away. Once he'd started along the path she heard him begin to whistle, at a rather piercing pitch, it was jaunty and reminded her of an old drinking song she heard her father sing.
She stayed until his whistling grew faint before walking back to the schoolhouse, she almost dreaded going inside because the silence that surrounded her was unnerving. She snuggled deeper into his jacket, turned her face into the lapel and breathed in deeply, ending with a dreamy sigh. She noticed Iruka walking down the hallway towards her and immediately felt her ears turn red. She quickly pulled her hair out from behind her ears to hide them. "Oh there you are, class was about to start. I'll let Sadoru know that you're here," Iruka said.
"Sorry, sir. I got caught in the rain." She replied.
"I figured," He answered as a half-smile teased his lips. "I see that you've met Moyuru."
"Uhh, I…" she said, flustered. "That's his jacket isn't it?," Iruka said, pointing to the fur lined coat.
"Oh," She fumbled, "I can explain."She said shrugging off the camel colored jacket as a blush rose to her cheeks and folding the jacket across her arms.
"I'm surprised, Yume," Anko teased, trying to cover her embarrassment as she walks towards them. "A-Anko-sensei?" She stuttered, breaking off to swallow the rusty squeak emerging from her tight throat. Anko smiled knowingly."Go put it in your locker."
"Uh, yes ma'am," She replied nervously, as she began to walk down the long hallway. Iruka sighed in a disturbed way once she was out of sight."She's been acting weird lately,keeping to herself and not really talking to anyone. She usually isn't like that." '
"Really? I've been so distracted by the new students and everything that I haven't noticed." Anko replied.
"But you should know better not to approach her like that considering you guys' history," Anko continued. "I'm not sure if she's completely over you." Iruka gaped at his old friend. "You can't be serious."
The rest of the day passed in a fog for Yume. She taught her kids sensibly but couldn't for the life of her, remember what she'd said. However, she figured that they would've called her out if she was talking nonsense. Yume kept the jacket in her assigned locker because she had been currently sharing Sadoru's locker near the library . She felt that the bulky jacket would be intrusive to Sadoru's things.
Iruka dragged Hideki down the hall and, out the door, towards the third Hokage's bust "You are not going home until you clean up that mess," Iruka said angrily. Soon Hideki was standing on a stool, scrubbing off doodles with a cold wet rag. Every so often, he paused and looked up to Iruka. Iruka frowned and looked away only to see Yume leaving the campus with Moyuru's jacket in hand.
His gaze lingered on her as she took a short path down to the main road.
"Sir, do you like that woman?" Hideki asked.
"No, I…" What was he going to say? Hideki was only a boy and he wasn't going confess to him.
"Papa makes those same big eyes at mama, then I got a little sister." he said.
"What!? I don't like her that way!" Iruka exclaimed,suddenly looking flustered. Hideki Beamed and Iruka mused , he looked just like Naruto when he grinned that way.
"This'll be fun."
Author's note | Hello, everypne! hope you guys enjoyed the very first chapter of my story. Yume has moved me write more about her and I finally decided to do it. So any criticism and comments will be taken with consideration, and will be used to help better my writing and story.