Disclaimer: Naruto is owned by Kishimoto and Nodame Cantabile by Ninomiya.
A/N: I revised this...added almost 400 words as of May 30, 2011. Hope it improved.
Soulmates
Her piano as always is striking...but still in this particular rehearsal it sounds more than normally messy, with some notes being hit discordantly. After being scolded by their conductor, the female pianist pouts and irately leaves the practice area provided by Konohagakure for the orchestra.
Eyes squinted in disgust and lips pursed in her anger, her feet then bring her in collision with one of the ninja escorts provided by the Hokage for the orchestra members' protection.
The male shinobi with the spiky ponytail mumbles, "mendukuse", earning the wrath of the female pianist who shouts, "GYABO!"
"What?" The ninja asks, frown lines painted on his forehead. He realizes that the woman in front of him is one of the foreigners that are invited for the Konoha festival and the unintelligible language that is just spoken is proof enough.
The woman with disarrayed short brown hair gives the shinobi a sharp look, obviously not awed enough by his presence before stomping heavily as she leaves, walking towards the inn where she is staying together with the other members of the orchestra.
The ninja follows the foreign woman several paces behind since there is no apparent danger. It is just his responsibility to guard her seeing that she is leaving the safety of her group. The ninja then places his hands inside his pockets and strolls, taking a glimpse every now and then at the sky.
The woman senses the presence of someone following her—a stalker. Glancing at the side then bravely swivelling her head to confirm the presence of the lanky looking ninja still trailing after her, she again yells, "gyabo" before making a loud dash towards the inn.
Removing his hands from his pants' pockets, his back straightening, from merely strolling he goes in hot pursuit after the hurrying woman. Foreigners are troublesome.
-oo000oo-
Opening then upon closing, the woman leans on the door trying to catch her breath.
"Hey, your room looks like mine," announces a male voice, inside the same room.
"Gyabo!" The woman screams in surprise. Finally, noticing the narrow eyed stalker leaning against the wall near the open window, she immediately takes a fighter's stance, waiving her fists around.
The ninja appears unimpressed. His bored expression remains the same until slowly his lips lift at a corner very slightly. "If I didn't know what my room appears like after I stayed in it for a day, I would suspect somebody thrashed this place." The man stands straight and nods his head in introduction, "I am Nara Shikamaru. My mission is to guard the members of the S orchestra."
The woman just stares, disbelief in her eyes. The slit-eyed, hair on top of his head, suspicious looking guy is really someone who is sent by the Hokage to look after her well-being? The female pianist takes a look around the room, taking notice that the comforter and pillows are on the floor, the discarded clothes are on the back of a chair and some on the bed, the opened unfinished food package is left on the table, the spilled drink is next to the stacks of magazine. Surprise evident on her face, she asks, "somebody aside from Nodame has a room like this?"
"Yeah. Sure" This is not that woman's room? But Nodame's? Shikamaru without changing his bland expression observes the unknown woman.
The surprise leaves the woman's eyes to be replaced by a knowing glint. She then proceeds to have a staring match with the other occupant of the room. "You are also a genius?"
The male shinobi is taken aback. "Tch, some people say that." This woman could be dangerous.
The woman suddenly turns around and rummages inside the luggage propped against the wall, throwing aside the clothes and some women stuffs that she doesn't need as she just continues ploughing inside the bag searching for something. With a burst of exclamation, she returns to the shinobi's side to wave a disc. "Puri Garota?"
The woman knows her way around the debri in the room and shows a messy familiarity with that luggage. Memory clicking, the woman is the eccentric Noda Megumi more popularly known as Nodame according to the report given beforehand. Now, the grinning woman in front of him has a semblance of similarity to the smiling face on the picture attached to the report as opposed to her scowling face the first time he sees her a while back. "Puri Garota?" Shikamaru frowns.
"Do you watch it?" The woman's smile widens.
The shinobi shakes his head. "Just clouds," he answers, "I only watch clouds."
Eyes narrowed, the woman questions, "you watch it even if it doesn't really change in its fluffy white appearance?"
The shinobi nods his head.
"Nodame too has seen Puri Garota a lot of times even though the same episodes are played," the woman beams, obviously sensing some similarities between them in their ability to remain focused on their favourite things even after several hours.
Suddenly, someone knocks on the closed door twice then without waiting for permission, enters.
The man who just arrived says, authoritively , "Nodame, the rehearsal is not yet finished. Come back with me." The man is tall, with black hair. He wears a formal suit and carries a baton.
"But Chiaki-sempai..." With that mysterious glint returning to the woman's eyes, she simpers, "Nodame can't come with you. Nodame has just found her soulmate."
"Eh?" The man called Chiaki gives Nodame a look, then orders, "quit dallying". Chiaki then moves to grab Nodame's arm but she suddenly runs towards the shinobi's side.
"This is Nodame's soulmate!" The woman snaps, pointing with her thumb the shinobi beside her.
"WHAT?" The shinobi protests.
Laughter abruptly erupts from the direction of the open door. "Crybaby has a soulmate, that's rich!" guffaws a blonde woman, carrying what looks likes a giant folding fan on her back. She looks menacing even when she's roaring in laughter.
"Shut up woman!" The shinobi yells at the blonde kunoichi, clearly embarrassed by being called crybaby in front of the visitors.
While Chiaki appears to be exasperated and about ready to burst a vessel on his temple. "Nodame, the orchestra haven't got all day," he reiterates. "How could we practice without the piano accompaniment?"
Nodame frowns, "I'm not a crybaby."
"No. You just sulk. Finish sulking then let's go." Chiaki seems to follow Nodame's way of thinking.
"Nodame doesn't sulk either!" The female pianist argues.
"You do!" Chiaki insists.
"Do not!" Nodame pouts her lips.
"Shikamaru usually agrees with me when I suggest something," the blonde woman at the door, smirks.
"Tch." Shikamaru glowers, not missing the female shinobi's point. "I doubt that Chiaki-s...sempai would strike Nodame with a monstrous fan is she disagrees with him."
"You are right. I can't do that even when I'm sorely tempted. And call me Chiaki. No need to add sempai. I conduct for the S orchestra." Chiaki swivels his head towards Shikamaru before turning his attention back to the brown-haired woman. "Nodame, if you don't want to come, fine."
"Ei, aren't you gonna convince Nodame until she agrees?" The woman runs towards Chiaki's side, clamping her hands around his arm to stop him from leaving.
"No." Chiaki answers bluntly.
"No?" Nodame tightens her hold around Chiaki's arm.
"No." Chiaki still adamantly refuse.
"Nodame is not important to Chiaki-sempai anymore?" The brown-haired woman whines.
"BAKA!" Chiaki then turns to stride out the door, after successfully dislodging Nodame's arms.
"Sempai! Wait! That man is similar to Nodame. He also doesn't clean his room since he is a genius. He is capable of watching the same thing like the clouds for hours..." Nodame's voice diminishes as she follows Chiaki away.
"Your soulmate?" The blonde woman points with her index finger directed at her back towards the direction of the departing couple.
Shikamaru approaches the woman at the door. "No. This," Shikamaru suddenly grabs the woman at the waist, pulling her closer towards him.
The blonde woman pushes at Shikamaru's chest, trying to extricate herself from his hold. She mutters, "Ass!"
Shikamaru shrugs, letting the blonde woman go. "So Nodame and I have the same fate."
"What?" The blonde woman asks with disinterest.
Shikamaru mumbles, "tch, the person we like..."
"Yeah. Yeah." The woman turns around to leave. "Come on. They're getting far."
-o0o-
5/9-10/11
~5 30 11~
A/N: Review ok?