'' Thinking.
"" Speaking.
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down
Fujimi Academy. The best of the best. A high school rivaling the most prestigious Universities around the Country. Students from all over came to study here at the behest of their wealthy and important families. Amidst these grand and storied halls, was him.
Dark blue eyes stared at the gray heavens above. Framed by hulking towers of glass. Then down to the people below, on their phones or chatting with friends.
Somehow they were different. Alive in a way that he wasn't.
For the millionth time, Naruto wondered.
'What am I missing?'
Purpose? He didn't want to think fighting was all that kept him alive. If that was the case, then what could he do here?
What's the use?
As his thoughts wandered the tattered path down memory lane. A door opened behind him.
The rooftops are, on most occasions, forbidden. Only a select few held access to this brief respite. Naruto was sure it wasn't the Astronomy Club. The janitor in charge took the day off. So then, who could it be?
Only one way to find out.
'Pink.'
Naruto never asked if it was natural. The question itself presented a dilemma. He didn't really care either, more of a passing query.
It was just funny, is all.
A new world with a billion different people living in it, he found the one with pink hair first.
God hated him.
Everyone loved him.
He was popular, as much as he didn't want to admit it. Boasting a smile that could light up your whole day. Within a sky of dreary black, he is a star. A brilliant guide, burning bright so that others may find their way.
Naruto Uzumaki, the sun personified.
"You'll catch a cold standing out in the rain."
"That's a myth."
The only time they'd ever spoken. Saya remembered it well, it'd been raining all morning. They happened to meet at a crosswalk. He smiled, waved and offered those words of wisdom.
Of course, an idiot like him would believe some hand-me-down folk tale like that.
The rest of the wait passed in relative silence. When the light turned green, he moved first.
To her surprise, the moron 'dropped' his umbrella about half-way through. It rolled to her feet and he trudged on. Hair and uniform soaked from the rain. It was at that moment Saya learned something about that radiant sun. Like all things, it cast a shadow.
Naruto craved affection. Demanded attention.
Something deep inside wouldn't allow you to walk away. For him to turn the other cheek is asking too much. Some fire burned and urged him on. A part of her wanted to write it off as the typical teenage-guy syndrome. The urge to be liked and envied by everyone.
Another part, something much deeper. It told her there's more to it than that.
This world is dull. Filled to the brim with self-entitled creatures, each one selfish and rotten.
Saya had seen it first hand over and over again. Like a bad movie on a loop. Once set people don't change. How could they? Humans aren't machines. You can't reprogram a brain like you do a computer.
Humanity is bound by its fate.
Born to die like everything else.
So she decided to make a game of it. One where she played a detective of sorts, who went around collecting clues. Uncovering the heroes for what they really were.
Why the hero? Because they tended to be the real villain in most cases.
Throughout the years she'd grown rather good at it. In time, it became a game of sorts. Her latest Hero, however, was proving rather difficult to crack.
Three months, four days and seven hours passed since that fated meeting. She'd observed him since. Listened in on the whispers, followed the faintest leads. The results were always the same. In the end, she had more questions than answers.
For once in her life, Saya was compelled to break her distance-rule. That is, to never approach or engage with her target.
This too is fated.
"Oh. It's you. How can I help you, cherry girl?"
. . .
Except she had no idea what to do.
A silence fell over the rooftop. Naruto waiting patiently for her to respond.
'I messed up. Damn it! I messed it all up!' Saya resisted the urge to bite her lip. Hiding her frustration. 'If that idiot hadn't riled me up.'
You let him, a voice whispered in the back of her mind. He's the only one who can.
Irrational! Stupid!
"Are you okay?" Naruto's soft tenor brought her back.
Their eyes met.
Every school had its fair share of drama. The kind of thing that kept gossipy loudmouths and middle-aged housewives entertained for most of their day. Fujimi Academy is no different in that respect.
Blonde hair and blue eyes. The moment he appeared, everyone noticed him.
Then it occurred to her. She still hadn't uttered a word.
"Cherry girl? What are you ten? Dumb ass."
It was a defensive habit. She'd developed it thanks to her mother. On most occasions, it came in rather handy.
This time? Not so much.
Saya felt embarrassed, needless to say. A single thought going through her head.
'What the hell is wrong with me right now?!'
It would've been easy if she actually knew anything about him. Likes, dislikes, fears. Even the faintest clue as to what lurked behind that sunny disposition would have helped. Unfortunately, there's nothing.
It seemed this one was just like the real thing above. Too far out of reach.
Naruto laughed, "You're right. I'm sorry."
She blinked once.
What was that? That sound?
His laugh. It was familiar somehow. Saya couldn't quite place it, but she felt as if she'd heard it before.
It wasn't him. Rather, the tone.
...It couldn't be?
In that instant, the bell rung.
"...I'm sure you're all excited about the festival coming up, but that's no excuse to disregard your studies. Exams are..."
Saya couldn't concentrate.
'It's nothing.' Is what she wanted to tell herself. 'I'm thinking too hard. There are a dozen different reasons.'
Humans lie. They lie every day of their lives. To themselves, to people around them and strangers alike. Sometimes on accident. Most of the time on purpose. There's always some withheld comment or a hidden thought.
No one says what they mean.
'His laugh. It's so...' Plenty of words came to mind. They all shared one basic definition.
Fake.
The same laughter her father used countless times when entertaining important guests.
Saya lived with frauds all her life, so she knew.
Naruto Uzumaki is a pretender.
'It isn't a big deal. Everyone hides stuff.'
The thing is, Saya hated mysteries. Or rather, she loved them?
He showed up out of the blue. A blank slate with the perfect smile. Within the month he could do no wrong. A model student that excelled in every subject, second only to the Busujima heiress herself.
He stood out so much none dared look his way for long or chance being blinded by the light.
Somehow, it worked.
'I can't help but wonder. What is it you're hiding?'
Her thoughts raced like rushing water.
Damn it!
Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!
Brown eyes drifted over to another migraine. If Naruto is the sun. Takashi is the moon.
Pale, meager and cynical. His mood changing like the moon undergoing its phases.
Then, why did she care so much?
A childhood friend, that's all Takashi is. Saya's only concerned for his well-being. Rei's toying with emotions she was most unquestionably aware of.
Selfish, though that didn't surprise her one bit. Even as children, Rei always got what she wanted. It pissed her off.
When Takashi spared the source of both their problems another feeble, lovesick glance. She had to resist the urge to gag.
It really pissed her off!
'Today is not a good day.'
Hayashi Kyoko didn't think much of herself. At thirty years old, she'd lived a rather boring life. Which wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
It was, above all things, a peaceful existence. Were she a godly woman, Hayashi would say she's most certainly been blessed.
Of course, there were ups and downs. Great triumphs and devastating defeats alike. Her biggest disappointment? Hayashi had no children. Not that she didn't want any, she was incapable. Other than that unfortunate misstep things had gone according to plan, and in that laid the problem.
By helping the next generation come to terms with who they are, she'd hoped to fill that void.
Not stare right into it.
"Enough with the games."
"What do you mean, sensei?"
Graduated with honors from a prestigious University. A fulfilling job. Certainly, from outside in she'd seem content.
Except she wasn't.
"I could have you expelled. You understand how serious this is, right?"
"Expelled? For what? You don't have any proof."
His grin reminded her of a fox.
Playful. Mischievous. It served to fool the would-be prey before those glimmering teeth tore them to bits.
Hayashi let out a long, tired sigh. "Naruto. I'm going to ask you one more time. Why did you stink-bomb the soccer team locker room?"
More like, how?
"I didn't. There's nothing on camera. No one saw anything. You suspect me because of what I said last week, right? Well, just because I said it and it happened, doesn't mean I did it. You're jumping to conclusions. Plenty of people hate those guys."
When he first paraded into her office, head high. Kyoko thought she'd be wasting her time. This boy was smart, dedicated. He treated everyone with respect and always lent a helping hand. His future is brighter than the infectious smile on that sun-kissed skin.
Naruto Uzumaki needed no direction.
Teenagers didn't bother looking into things. They didn't care. Dazzled by their youth. They still saw their parents as 'parents' and not people. With hopes and dreams. Real people, who'd never see them come true.
Naruto is unlike that. In fact, Hayashi is sure he didn't have parents to rely on. His profile read the names of both his father and mother. If anyone asked, they existed. He could describe their looks and quirks, they were real.
However, when she'd ask to talk to them. He'd respond with, "They're too busy." or the classic "They work a lot."
A common enough occurrence. What is uncommon is that despite their hectic schedules, even the most diligent of parents manage a text or call. His family? Never, not once. Either they were so busy they couldn't talk to their own son, or they didn't exist.
Both of those possibilities made her feel uneasy.
Hayashi felt like sighing again but fought the urge. "I'm starting to think you're enjoying this."
"Don't act like you won't miss me when I'm gone." Naruto wiggled his eyebrows and winked.
"Like I miss a headache."
"Oof. That's rough."
"How's the arm?" She asked, eyeing it.
"Still a bit stiff."
They'd been here a hundred times over. Nothing ever changed.
"Then we're done here. I'm taking my lunch break."
Naruto nodded, "I hope your day gets better, Kyoko-sensei. It's been fun." He collected his things, bowed, then made his exit.
She watched him go.
If Hayashi had to describe Naruto Uzumaki with one word, it would be a ghost.
She didn't know why, but it was easy enough to see that he was just following the motions.
Hayashi's eyes fell on the open journal next to her. His name written on it, with a few bullet points underneath. They read; loves the color orange. Likes watching the clouds pass. Miso ramen.
That's it. That's all she knew.
At that moment, her phone rang.
"Fuck my life."
"Uzumaki-san! Thank you so much for your help yesterday!"
"Yo, Naruto! Come join us for soccer practice after school. We could really use you on the team, man!"
He smiled and waved as he passed. The cafeteria nearly gleaming because of him.
Saya seethed in the rear, seeing it all go down.
'It's stupid how no one's seen it yet. Then again, most people aren't me.' For a split-second, their eyes appeared to meet. She turned away in that instant. 'Oh no! I won't be giving you the satisfaction!'
Only to meet a meddlesome onyx pair.
"I didn't know you were into guys like him? Figured you liked gloom and doom. Shows what I know." Takashi said, taking a seat across from her.
"Shut the fuck up. It isn't like that. There's something weird about that guy."
Migraine number one nodded. "Yeah. If he's got someone like you eyeing him. I believe it."
Takashi effortlessly evaded the empty milk carton. The smirk on that pale face aggravated her to no ends.
"Shouldn't you be drooling over Rei? Oh, wait. I forgot. You can't anymore, she's taken."
In a flash, he stopped smiling.
"Not funny."
Saya couldn't help herself. "I don't know. I think it's hilarious." She frowned when he made to leave. "Oh get over yourself! If you're so pissed, why don't you talk to her about it? Maybe ask her what happened?"
He avoided her gaze. "It's not that simple."
"Yeah? Or maybe you're making it harder than it is. That's your problem, Taka. You're indecisive. You run away too much. Don't think you can just—"
Without another word, Takashi got up and left. Pissed written all over him in bold, black sharpie. He didn't look back.
'Fuck you then. I just wanted to help, idiot.'
Saya glared at his back until it disappeared into the masses. She sunk into her seat. A weary sigh leaving her.
'Damn it. Could things get any worse?'
Like riding a bike you never really forget.
Life goes on, you try to move on. But, you never forget.
That smell. Blood.
Naruto watched the man whose eyes couldn't decide what to look at. Lips set into a thin line.
"Well, that's new."
Teshima's decapitated head sat in a pool of its own gore. Yet, somehow, he wasn't dead. Low, ragged moans left his cracked lips. His maw snapping at nothing.
Naruto glanced at his bloodied fingers. Confused.
"I'm sure I killed you."
Teshima's body. Torn and broken. With chunks of fat and meat and muscle missing from his right forearm, lay next to it.
The sound of Hayashi retching behind him. Those faraway screams and the towers of smoke gradually climbing up, soaring into the clouded skies.
"We'd better get inside."