"Guys!" Temari yelled, and everyone stopped. She was a tall, dirty blond girl with piercing green eyes. "If we're gonna play at Battle of the Bands, we can't go on like this." She sighed, and threw her drumsticks on the floor.
"She's right," TenTen agreed. Her long brown hair was put into two messy buns. "No matter how much we change up our songs, it just isn't right without a keyboard."
The other two members of the band looked sullen.
"Why'd Ino have to go and quit on us?" A pink haired girl asked, putting her bass into its case angrily.
"Sakura, don't be like that. I know you guys miss her—so do I—but we're gonna have to look for someone else to play the keyboard," a tall muscular boy named Zabuza told them.
Temari sighed. "Well, I guess I'll go make some flyers."
X
It had been two days since they had put up flyers everywhere around Konoha High School.
As they sat down for lunch TenTen's boyfriend, Neji, sat with them. They were soon joined by two other couples: Hinata and Naruto, and Ino and Choji.
"Hey," Ino greeted a bit warily.
"Hello, Ino-chan," Hinata said politely.
"So, um, how's the search for a new keyboardist going?"
"No one's called," Zabuza answered.
"Oh," Ino said softly. After an awkward pause she said, "Guys, you're not mad at me, are you?"
Sakura sighed. "No, Ino-pig. We're not mad at you, just the situation."
"Yeah…I know," she replied, placing her hand on her growing belly.
Six months ago, she and Choji had broken up their two-year relationship after Choji got fed up with Ino's complaining that he wasn't good enough for her. Ino went out with someone else to make Choji jealous. Unfortunately, Ino had gotten pregnant and as soon as the boy had found out, he left her. Choji realized that he truly loved her and he promised her that he would support her and act as the father to her child.
Choji put his hand on top of hers, and she smiled at him. They gazed lovingly into each other's eyes.
"Uh, I hate to break up this sappy moment, but we still have a dilemma here!" Temari interrupted.
"Do you think people will actually come to audition?" TenTen asked worriedly.
"I'm sure they will," Zabuza tried reassuring her. "It's only been two days; we have to give them some time. Besides, this school has a pretty big chunk of people who play instruments."
"The question is, do they play well?" Sakura added, her brow wrinkling a bit in frustration. She continued eating.
"Well, if you ever need a bassist, you know who to ask!" Naruto shouted.
"Shut up, Naruto! I'm not about to leave," Sakura's eye twitched; annoyed.
"Just sayin'."
As soon as they had finished lunch someone walked up to them, then two more, each asking about the auditions. They planned to have them that night at Sakura's house, and they had signed up over twenty people to play.
"Wow…" Sakura was in disbelief. "I didn't expect people to come after two days."
"Maybe they just had to summon up their courage to talk to some of the most awesome people in Konoha," Temari said jokingly.
X
At six o'clock, the first person showed up. It was Rock Lee.
"Lee! You don't even play keyboard," TenTen exclaimed.
"No, but I saw how upset my Sakura was and I had to help her out!"
"Uhh…thanks," Sakura grimaced.
"Go ahead," Zabuza said impatiently.
A ballad was tapped out on the keyboard, but everything was out of time.
"Um, thank you Lee," Temari clapped slowly when he had finished.
"So will you call me? What time do you think it will be over? I can wait until then. How did I—"
"Lee!" TenTen shouted. "You sucked. But you know what? It's okay! Don't try and be something you're not over a crush on Sakura. Look how your performance turned out."
Lee looked crestfallen by his childhood friend's confrontation. Still, she had helped him out.
"Lee, if you'd like, you could stay with us and hang out," Sakura offered.
He looked up happily.
"Really, Sakura? Thank you so much! Should I order us a pizza? I have to thank you somehow!"
He was about to kiss her on the cheek, but she stopped him by putting her hand in front of his face.
"Don't get too excited, Lee."
"Sorry."
X
"Konohamaru?" Sakura couldn't believe it.
"Hi, old lady! I'm gonna be in your band!"
"Um, that's weird…But what the heck! Go for it."
Konohamaru began playing 'Chopsticks'. When he was through, everyone clapped.
"That was actually pretty good," Temari said, munching on a slice of pizza that Lee had ordered. "Show us what else you got, kid."
"Huh?"
"Play something else for us," Zabuza agreed.
"What? I have to know more songs?"
"Duh," TenTen rolled her eyes.
"Ugh! I don't want to be in a band! Too much work!" The eighth grader left in a huff, leaving the band and Lee blinking in disbelief.
"What was that all about?" Sakura asked aloud.
X
Twenty-two people later, they still couldn't find someone good enough to replace Ino.
"Well…" Sakura began after a long moment of silence. "That Akira guy was alright, but that's only if I have to settle for someone." She scanned the list for the fifth time.
"Maybe we need to ask Ino to just play for a while, at least until we can find someone," Temari suggested hopelessly.
"I dunno, Tem, that kid is gonna come out of her pretty soon…" Zabuza reminded her.
"Ah, screw this!"
Just as she had said that, a boy came in.
"Oh, I'm sorry I'm late, the bus broke down on the way here," he said in a melodic, polite voice. "It's not too late for my audition, is it?"
"No, not at all!" Zabuza said quickly. "What's your name?"
"Haku," he smiled softly, pushing a piece of his long hair behind his ear.
"Al-alright, Haku," Zabuza said. "Go ahead when you're ready."
Haku took a nervous breath and put his slim fingers to the keys.
A beautiful piece of classical music was produced from the keyboard. 'Wow,' TenTen mouthed to them when he was done.
Zabuza cleared his throat. "Thank you. Can you play this?" He handed him a sheet of Ino's old music, gently brushing his fingers against him. Haku's pale face turned pink.
"I can try," Haku looked up at him.
"Okay," Zabuza returned to his seat, blushing slightly.
After looking over the music for a minute or two, Haku began tapping on the keys. None of them could believe that Haku had played their music perfectly, it sounded just like Ino.
When he had finished, he waited patiently for the band to finish whispering to one another. They all nodded, and then turned to him.
"Haku, we would be honored if you played for our band," TenTen smiled.
He let out the biggest grin they had seen him make in the time that he was there. "Thank you very much!"
"We'll be practicing here tomorrow night around five thirty," Sakura told him. "Can you make it?"
"Of course! I'll see you tomorrow," he waved and left.
Temari waited until she heard the front door shut to blurt out "Zabuza likes Haku!"
"Shut up, Temari!" Zabuza growled.
She ignored him. "Did you see how mesmerized he looked around him? And he was blushing!"
The girls began to giggle, and Lee left as soon as he saw the murderous glare Zabuza was giving them.
"Fine, I like him. Are you bitches happy?"
He walked away as the girls had a group 'aww'.