- It takes time to love -
*Mashasi Kishimoto owns it all but the plot.
xxx
"Don't be sad Naruto, once you find love you will understand how beautiful life is going to be."
Ooh, really? I hoped Grandfather were not giving sweet lie to soothe me. Because I really wanted to believe in his words. He was the only one that I could believe in. Well, my parent passed away when I was an infant. Grandpa took care of me since then. Not much I could remembered about them. I knew my parent's face from the old photos that Grandpa showed me. Grandpa said that I took Dad's look and Mom's spirit, well I thought he was half right. I was an almost perfect duplicate of Dad, except that he had longer hair than mine. We shared the same bright blue eyes, yellow hair and almost everything. Unfortunately, I couldn't prove whether Mom were as mischievous as me. Grandpa only saved photos, he had no videos of my parent. The photos that he took were from the time when I was born and my earliest days. In every photos I saw Mom smiled widely, she was like an angel like every Mother who welcomed their child. But she was the prettiest angel of course since she was my Mom. Dad was by her side, stretching out his finger to poke my small face. They loved me, I had no doubt about that. And I loved them too.
Grandpa was compassionate and kind, but still he had no skill to teach child manner. His first lesson to me was to be brave, to not afraid of anything, literally anything because he said it was okay to punch people if they were annoying. I was never a good student as well because I took up his every lessons. The little me bravely faced the world, I didn't give a damn how this world worked. I just needed to stand on my own feet, to treat people nicely so that they would be nice to me too. It was easy. That was what Grandpa said.
However I found it to be a lie. People didn't treat my nicely, I was never exist in their eyes. They would still bad mouth Grandpa or bullied me for whatever reasons. They were becoming more annoying over time, it couldn't be helped if I punched them eventually. This world was not easy at all. They said I was rude, impolite, and wild. Well, I'm sorry I didn't have parent to teach me good manners. A kid raised by parent will always be different from those whose parent were gone. There was a lost part in my heart, and it would always be like that. The more I tried to find that part, the more I realized it was futile.
"Don't be sad Naruto, once you find love you will understand how beautiful life is going to be."
What was love, Grandpa? Back then when I asked him this question he didn't give any answer. He just said to figure it out myself. Was he kidding me? How could he asked a 7 years-old child to find out the meaning of love? I hardly had excess space in my brain to think about homework, let alone love. I only said that love was Mom and Dad, they were in love so they always together, yeah something like that. To my surprise, at 9 I learned that even a couple in love could separate. A boy in my class was getting bullied because his parent was separated, ah that's not the right term… divorced, yes he said they divorced. I wonder why his parent divorced if they were in love? I meant wasn't every parent were in love since they married. The boy got depressed over time. I was not in a better condition but at least because I remembered less, so much less, about how a family should be, I felt less pain than him. I didn't console him, heck I knew how to console other, I was already busy with my own problem. If Grandpa said love could make my life became beautiful, it meant love made me felt less pain. Ooh, I got it, love was anything that erased my pain. Yes, the 10 years-old me finally found what love was. So long as I didn't feel pain, I found love. So I would play as much as I wanted, bought so much ice cream and set pranks to my silly friends that only God could save them.
xxx
"Oooii Narutooo!" someone pushed my back from behind, had I didn't get a hold on the fence my body must had fallen to the ground.
"WHAT'S YOUR PROBL-," before I could finish the sentence my face was getting punched. Not very hard, but hard enough to make me falling backward. "Damn you, Kiba." I groaned.
"HA HA HA HA HA! Look at yourself!" he laughed so hard that we got everybody's eyes on us now.
"Shut up!"
"Ha ha. C'mon, stand up Naruto." He stretched out his arm to me. I took his arm as he pulled me up to my feet. I brushed the dirt from my uniform before I snatched my bag from him.
"Sorry sorry, I only want to bring your sense back. Still early to daydream you know, Naruto."
"I am not daydreaming! The hell I did that." I glared to him. What time it was that Kiba already here? I became less lazy since I entered high school, little less lazy. I only came late twice or thrice a week, a lot progress right? I was proud with my progress. I was becoming more diligent. "How unusual for you to go to school this early Kiba?"
"Are you mocking me bastard? Because it's not funny at all if coming from your mouth."
"Yes, I am. Got problem with that?" I shot him challenging look.
"Don't get full of yourself JUST because your violation point is lower than mine. I can pull you into a fight this very moment. Ready for another punishment, huh?"
"Find another partner. I'm in no mood to fight." I gave him halfhearted answer as I knew he was joking. No one in our school wanted to get punished on the exam week. Hell no to receive weeks of tantrum from angered principal.
"You are not fun." He threw way his gaze to the street and walked ahead of me. We walked slowly to the school. We still had 15 minutes before the bell rang. Around us, there were many fellow school students too. Ah, I had not tell you about our school yet, right? Konoha High was not far ahead. It was built on hill in southern part of the town. It was surrounded by high trees, hidden by its high gate. Konoha High was private school with special program study. I and Kiba and almost 80% of the student were belong to regular class. Our class was not different from other school except that we had much more facilities, in very good condition. The remaining 20%, our neighboring class, was a special program designated for those who had little time to attend school, or shall we said for those kids who were very busy. Of course they came from wealthy family, they attended school while managing their business. They got very different rules than us. It thanks to their money that common people like me and Kiba could study in this kind of school. They apparently very generous in matter of school fee.
"Hey, Naruto?"
"Hn?"
"You are too quite you know, it scares me."
"I'm sleepy Kiba. I'm sleepy."
"Huh? Sleepy? Wait, don't tell me you were working again last night?!" his hand moved annoyingly.
"So what if I did?! I need money."
"Heaven sake! We are in the middle of exam week and you still have time to fight?!"
"Stop screaming like an idiot, idiot!", I punched his head. "I'm sorry I need money so much this month that I can't stop fighting even in exam week, ok?!"
"Oh man, how poor you are." he huddled my shoulder. "Tell me how i can help you."
"Lend me money."
"Are you kidding me? I don't have money too, ha ha ha ha."
Kiba kept on blabbing in our way. He was my childhood friend. We were in same school since elementary school. His family was not richer than mine. We both had part-time job after school. He worked for a repair shop near his house. He loved sport car so much he wished he would have one in future. My job was more challenging than him. I worked as fighter in a club in town. My muscle was the most dependable part of my body, it never failed me. From this job I gained more money to support my life and my old man. Ah, what time was it? I checked on my cellphone only to find out that we had wasted our time to useless chat.
"CRAP!" Kiba jerked up because of my sudden shout. I gave him no time to protest as I grabbed his collar and dragged him forcefully. "Thanks to you we will be late!" Once my word registered in his head, he put his feet in quicker pace. We ran with all our might. Late was very not good in exam week. Too much punishment to handle.
"How come I late again?! It's YOUR FAULT Naruto!"
"What?! How come it's my fault? You are the one who wasted our time!" we still managed to bicker in the middle of our racing.
"I'll kill you if we come late!"
"I'll kill you first, bastard!"
The gate was in sight. One minute left. I could see the guard already hold the gate door, they were about to close the gate. No time to waste. Right now or never. My feet strode at full speed, the muscle was pumping very quickly. I didn't care if I would get a cramp as long as I was not late. "Yosh! GET THROUGH THE GATE MY FEEETTT!"
Huh huh,..huh…
I made it.
We made it. No one came late this morning. I and Kiba panted heavily once we got inside. The guard looked us bitterly, we could had be their victim. I grabbed Kiba's arm, I wanted to get as far away from them. Kiba took a deep breath before steady his pace. We walked through wide garden full of flower, the front yard of the Konoha High. The spacious stone-paved path directly headed to the main hall. This school was completely separated from the outside world. We could no longer heard noises once we got inside. There was another gate beside the main gate. The smaller gate on the right side of the school was mainly used by the elite class. Their car could left at any moment by this smaller gate. I checked my cellphone once more, we still have time to reach class.
"Whooa Naruto, look who is coming." Kiba pointed to the smaller gate. The guard opened the gate, a black shiny car entered the school. Not ordinary black shiny car but a particular black shiny car, because I knew exactly who's coming. She came home.
The car stopped right beside our spot. The chauffeur got out from the car and walked to the back seat door. The chauffeur opened the door and a girl came out from the car. This girl smiled warmly to us. A smile that I had not seen for a pretty long time. The last time I saw her was half year ago, at the end of my first year. It had been so long. Finally, she was here. I missed her.
"Good morning Naruto-kun."
"Good morning, Hinata."
"Don't be sad Naruto, once you find love you will understand how beautiful life is going to be."
Yeah, I think I understand it now Old Man.
xxx
-Flashback-
Summer, second year of middle school.
"Narutoo!"
Someone called me. Those annoying kids again. "What do you want, huh?" I turned around to face them.
"Hey Kitaro," the one who called me spoke to the boy next to him. "Do you know? His perverted Grandfather caused trouble again yesterday. Dad said he bickered with an old woman on the street. Like grandfather like grandson, huh? They love to cause troubles, ha ha."
"Eeww. That perverted old man again? He is nasty, like his grandson here." the boy named Kitaro threw me a disgusting look.
There he goes again, didn't he get tired to insult me? I had cause trouble at school this morning, if I got caught fighting at street at the same day, no doubt I would be given probation again. I wanted to punch them so bad, but no, I would not do it. I had enough problem already. Let them talked as they liked, they were off the hook this time. I turned back to resume my walk home.
"Oii, Narutoo!"
Keep talking, I didn't care.
"Are you chickened out?"
Was he serious calling me chicken?
"Hey! Answer me!"
Who did you think you were, huh?
I expected them to keep on talking, but they turned silent. Maybe they gave in already?
"Eat this!" they shouted.
What?
An egg thrown to my back head.
Enough.
"You want to get in trouble so much, huh?" I shout to them. "BRING IT ON!"
My plan to get into no more trouble was ruined. Once again at the same day, I fought another annoying kids. Screw that damn probation. This time two vs one, I was outnumbered. I was always outnumbered. I knew it was impossible for me to stand against them but my pride didn't let me to flee. I had a strong body for something, my endurance kept me sound even after the worst fight. We were not alone in this street, people passed us by. I didn't wish for their help because they always pretended there was nothing. I could heard a girl talked to her mother.
"Mom, they are fighting again."
"Don't look, don't look. Just let them be."
Another old man said to his friend. "That delinquent again?"
That were how they looked me. They didn't bother to dig further, it was simpler to ignore. I had learned to ignore them too. They were nothing to me. These two kids kicked my body. I fell to the ground. Guess I had to endure then? I had no energy left. They would got tired soon. That afternoon, I didn't fight back. I let them kicked and punched me until they got tired. Nobody will come anyway.
"Mr. Guard, here! I saw a boy got beaten."
Huh?
"Wha-what? Guard?"
"Kitaro, let's go. Hurry!"
"Ah, yes, wait for me Kindai." They stopped kicking me. "We will meet again brat!"
They left.
Slowly I opened my eyes. My sight was blurry at first, after adjusting for a while I could saw clearly the person before my eyes, the one who shouted seconds ago. A girl, around my age.
"Are you alright?" she asked me.
"Uh? Ah, yes. I'm okay."
"Can you stand up?"
"Ah, of course." I got to my feet and brushed my clothes randomly. The guard never came. I didn't see a guard at all. Did this girl try to help me?
"Why did you do that?" the words blurted out.
She was confused with my question. "Mmm, did I mess something? I'm sorry I thought you were needing help."
I scanned her. She wore a very good dress and good shoes. She had neat long black hair and fair skin, fairer than any people in this town. She had something with her accent, something unfamiliar.
"Are you not people of the town?"
"Ah, you noticed it, don't you? I just came back from overseas."
Ah. That explained it all. She didn't know me, which was why she helped.
"Oh, I see. Well, I should be going then." I took my bag and hung it on my shoulder. "Thanks by the way." I bid her farewell, turned around and made a step away. Before I could did another step my head throbbed in pain. My eyes got blurred again. Crap. I must hit my head.
"Seems like you need another help," she giggled. "Let's treat the wound first." She reached out to me. She took the bag from my shoulder and hold my arm to keep me from falling. She led me to a nearby gate, around hundred meters ahead. Before we even reached the gate, some guards had them opened from inside. The guards lined up and bowed as we walked over them. The girls beside me had not spoken a thing, she kept her head fix forward. There was a grand building in front of us, I thought we were going to enter it before the girl led me to another passage to a greenhouse. The girl sat me on the sofa and went to the back room. I took the time to observe my surrounding. I knew what this place was. If she could entered this building it meant she was student in this place, specifically the elite class's student judging from her look. It definitely my first experience to step on Konoha School's soil.
The girl appeared again with a first aid kit in her hand. She took a seat next to me and silently tended my bruises. I could felt her soft hand on my calloused one. She still didn't mutter a word. It was strange, I used to get lecture every time after the fight. "Why did you help me? I caused a ruckus out there."
"No, you didn't." She lifted her head and looked me directly. "They were the ones who start the fight. I saw it." She smiled to me.
"We still fought at the end."
"Well, I couldn't hear clearly what they said to you when you left them behind. But it must be something that made you changed your decision." She finished wrapping bandage on my palm. "You don't have to explain if you don't want to." She gathered the first aid kit and put it on the table.
"I punched them because I liked to."
Her expression didn't change. Her calm eyes stared to me.
"I am a bully."
She giggled again.
"No. You are not. Don't pretend to be one," she placed a hand on my shoulder. "You must have your own reason. I won't force you to tell me but make sure to not get sick tomorrow, okay?"
A man in black suit appeared in front of us. He nodded and said to the girl that the car was ready. The girl stood from the sofa and looked me one more time before she left. My eyes followed her until she reached the greenhouse's door.
She cares.
Something was fluttering in my chest, like a spark warmed my heart. It was comfortable, it was reassuring. This girl didn't judge me. She even reached out to me. I could rejected her offer, but I didn't. She had something in herself that made me drawn to her, and I liked it. That day, at 14 I found a new form of happiness. When there was spark in my heart, I felt happy. I decided that I would had that spark as much as possible. I had to meet this girl again.
-End of Flashback-