A/N: This is just a cutsie idea I had for an AU. It started as a OneShot but it ended up being REALLY freakishly long so I broke it up into chapters. Please review, people! I'll love you forever!
Radio 103.9
Can I jam to your tune?
Sakura Haruno sighed and rolled over, not waking from her sleep. Her curtains were pulled closed, but still the early morning sunlight shone through. The simple desk and matching dresser were the only furniture in the room, other than the bed that was covered in a dark green blanket. The alarm clock/radio on the desk read 6:59 AM….
…7:00 AM.
"Goooooood morning, Pittsburgh!" The alarm clock blared loudly.
"Pittsburgh?" A second voice said. "You idiot, this is Japan."
"Yeah, whatever…anyway, we're your DJ hosts: Naruto Uzumaki here!"
"And Sasuke Uchiha."
"And we're here for you're morning jams on 103.9, the Ninja!"
Sakura yawned and sat up. She glared at the time, cursing her early morning routine, before throwing back the covers and hopping out of bed.
The radio-alarm clock was now playing a song, one she knew pretty well, and she hummed along as she got dressed. She pulled on a simple red T-shirt and cut off shorts, putting a simple black-Velcro watch on her wrist. She finished up, standing in the connected bathroom, brushing her teeth, the door flung open so she could still hear the radio.
"So, what's up, Pittsburgh?" Naruto said again once a few songs had passed.
"It's not Pittsburgh, and they can't answer you." Sasuke commented. Sakura could almost hear him rolling his eyes. "Do you even know where Pittsburgh is?"
"Umm, Russia?"
Sakura had to pull her toothbrush out of her mouth to keep from choking on it as she laughed. She switched the alarm clock off and hurried downstairs, not wanting to miss anything. She didn't half to worry. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, their voices wafted towards her from the kitchen.
Sakura grinned at her roommate, Hinata Hyuuga, who was standing at the stove, making breakfast. She smiled back, rolling her white eyes as the two boys bantered back and forth from the kitchen stereo.
"Whatever, this is a stupid conversation. Let's hurry up with the next song, Pittsburgh." Sasuke stressed the word sarcastically.
"Ha! So you admit we're in Pittsburgh?" Naruto sounded triumphant.
"We are not in Pittsburgh." Sasuke's voice was cut off as the song started to play. Hinata turned the music down as she sat next to Sakura.
"Good morning." She said softly. She smoothed her lilac blouse, and smiled.
"Morning!" Sakura said cheerfully as she dug into her food. "Mmm, delicious as always."
Hinata giggled. "Thank you."
Sakura watched her friend as she flipped a long lock of purple-ish hair over her shoulder. The young girl was b-e-a-utiful! She had only known Hinata since the beginning of the school semester, but they were fast friends. At first, she had found the Hyuuga's white eyes unnerving; Hinata explained that the eyes were a family trait. Hundreds of doctors had tested them to see if there was something wrong, but all the Hyuuga's could see perfectly well, even without a cornea or a pupil.
Sakura found it very strange. Well, she ought to; she was studying to become a doctor after all. At first she had sometimes played tricks on her roommate, moving things, or putting letters backwards, just to see if her eyes would catch it. Of course, Hinata caught every single thing, and Sakura eventually got bored of her tests.
"How can they have so much energy in the morning?" Sakura asked, glaring at the stereo as Naruto and Sasuke's voices echoed through the kitchen.
Hinata giggled again. "How can you not?"
It was true; Sakura was most definitely NOT a morning person. She cursed her college for making all of her classes so early. Hinata, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. She was up around 5:00 or 6:00, making breakfast and preparing herself for he day.
"Hinata, what would I do without you?" Sakura asked as she marveled at the homemade jam Hinata had somehow found the time to make. Before Hinata had been Sakura's roommate, Sakura had pretty much been late to school every morning, and she had lived on just ramen and instant rice. The Hyuuga had perfected her measly college life.
"What would I do without you?" Hinata countered as she cut her pancakes into perfect little pieces. Hinata was as grateful for Sakura, as Sakura was for her. Hinata tended to stress about some things, like schoolwork or her social life. Sakura was more laid back, and helped Hinata to relax. Hinata was pretty sure she would have gone crazy by now if she hadn't met her.
Sakura stood and put her dishes in the sink.
"Are you going to work today?" She asked Hinata.
Hinata nodded. "Yeah, but my shift doesn't start until ten."
Hinata worked in a used bookstore downtown. It was quiet, and simple, and Hinata loved it. Not that Hinata really needed to work. The Hyuuga family owned their own company, the entire University, and half the extra curricular activity centers it offered. Hinata was the oldest daughter of the direct line, so the University and every penny would eventually be left to her.
Sakura had more than enough reasons to be envious. She had to work for a living. But, even so, she would give up her entire CD collection just stay friends with Hinata. And her CD collection was nothing short of gargantuan.
Sakura grabbed her school bag and keys and skipped out the front door. She picked up the newspaper and carried it with her toward the garage. She opened the garage door and stepped inside.
The house they lived in was small, only a two bedroom, and compared to the thirty-four-bedroom mansion Hinata used to live in, it seemed like nothing more than a shack. But it was close to the University and Sakura and Hinata were happy. The garage was only big enough to fit one car, but it was barely big enough to squeeze in Hinata's Harley as well.
Yes, Hinata Hyuuga rides a Harley. A shiny, black Harley; with purple flames creeping up the sides.
Sakura grinned good morning to the bike as she slipped into her own beat up, paint-chipped silver car with bad leather seats.
Sakura still found the motorbike extremely ironic. When she had first interviewed Hinata to see if she wanted to become her roommate, she had laughed at the girl's timid nature. She had been ecstatic, and looked forward to acting as an older sister to the shy girl. Those dreams flew out the window fast. She had been knocked off her feet when Hinata drove up on a roaring bike. (Literally, she fell over into the flower box.)
The only thing she asked was that Hinata wear a helmet. She had seen enough of the effects of reckless motorcycle drivers.
Sakura turned on her radio as she pulled out and zoomed down the street. Naruto's voices blazed in her ear.
"Who says camels can't balance on beach balls? Have you ever tried it? Huh?!"
Sasuke's bored voice quietly contradicted him. "Naruto, camels can't. Cartoons aren't exactly biologically correct."
"Sure they are!"
"No, they're not. What cartoon did you see it on anyway?"
"…Mickey Mouse."
Sakura burst out laughing as Sasuke groaned.
Sakura grabbed the newspaper from beside her and glanced at the front page. Other than the headline story, there was an article next to it, with a picture of two men. They were young, and devilishly handsome. The blonde boy grinned up from the picture, and his black-haired friend eyed the camera. They seemed to be at a party, or club of some kind, and all the people in the background were reaching toward them with their mouths wide open in screams.
The caption underneath read: (Above) Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki make an appearance at a night party in the Suites. They caused quite a reaction. Read more, pg 12.
"Hmm," Sakura shrugged her shoulders and tossed the paper in the backseat.
Disk Jockeys and best friends Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha were the heartthrobs of the city. They had been since they both turned fifteen. That's when they had started coming to business parties, and going to store openings, and people started noticing. Now, at the age twenty-one they were the main attraction at most social events.
The radio station 103.9, the Ninja, was the most listened to station in the county. It was a radio station owned by the University, a student-produced station that had been educational. Well, it had been. That is, until they asked Naruto and Sasuke to DJ it. The reaction was ridiculously huge. Perhaps it was their good looks, perhaps it was the hysterical relationship between the two—it had to be something like that, because no one sure as heck listened to the station because of the music!
That had been almost three years ago, and still today the young men continued to rake in the dough and the fame.
Sakura snorted. Not to mention the women, she thought.
Sakura could careless about their magnetic charisma or their flaming good looks. She didn't fawn over them like other girls did. She liked the radio station because it was funny, and it gave her a break from her hard-nosed daily life.
Sakura watched the passing world with a smile. It wasn't a bad way to start the day. She and Hinata had started listening to it in the mornings after they had gotten two radio-clocks from Sakura's parents for Christmas. Sakura found that the light attitude the men had and the good music they played woke her up in the morning. It always started her in a good mood.
Sakura drummed on the steering wheel and sang off-tune and very badly to a song that was playing. She rolled down her window for good measure and laughed as people stared when she drove by. A couple of people recognized her, and, being used to this, rolled their eyes and waved as she passed.
"Why is our station called 'the Ninja'?" Sasuke asked.
"Because it's our station, and I got to name it." Naruto sounded proud of himself.
"But why the Ninja? I mean, knowing you, you would have named it 'Believe it! We're on the radio!' or 'Ramen's rockin' tunes' or something."
"It's a college radio, Sasuke." Naruto scoffed. "Duh. And our University is Konohagakure University. You know, 'Village in the Leaves'? And you know what hides in the leaves?" Sasuke was silent. "Ninjas!" There was a clatter and Sakura assumed Naruto had jumped from his chair in his excitement.
"All right, quick, go to break…" Sasuke sighed resignedly and Naruto's laughter was cut off.
Sakura turned off the car and the music and slid out, headed towards the massive grounds of Konohagakure University. Hinata wasn't super rich for nothing.
It was the best school for miles, and also the hardest and most expensive to get into. They only offered scholarships for three people in the county, and the tests and exams you had to go through to get those scholarships were grueling and exhausting. And by some miracle bestowed by the gods of education, or maybe the gods of laughter and pain, Sakura had won one of those scholarships and was now in her third year.
She flipped her short pink hair over her shoulder. It wasn't her fault she was a genius.
Ok, maybe not a genius. She had spent many nights studying into the wee hours of the morning for those tests. Sometimes she could swear she still had the same dark bags under her eyes.
Sakura went through her classes, diligently taking notes on this or that, piling more and more masses of homework into her bag before it was finally over and she went to lunch.
She had applied for all of the classes in the morning. Why? Because she was crazy. It was basically like signing her death warrant.
She hadn't really had a choice. Her job at the clinic started at 1:00 PM and she had to be there—you couldn't exactly be gone when people were in pain every minute.
It also gave her the chance to hang out with her girlfriends before work. They always met at the same place; a cluster of benches under a few maple trees in one corner of the University courtyard.
Sakura was greeted by a series of screams and waves as she neared the group. Her best friend, Ino Yamanaka, all but mauled her as she reached them.
"Look at this!" Ino thrust a newspaper under Sakura's nose. It was the same one Sakura had gotten this morning. Ino pointed a manicured nail at the picture of Sasuke and Naruto.
"Yes, I saw it," Sakura said, backing away so she could focus on it.
"Why didn't I know about this? How could he not tell me? Me, his own girlfriend!?" Ino ranted, grabbing Sakura's shoulders.
"Um…" Sakura was saved from having to answer.
"Chill, Ino," TenTen soothed, putting a hand on Ino's shoulder and pulling her back onto the bench. "I'm sure Sakura doesn't know anymore than you do."
Sakura grinned up at TenTen. The older woman's easygoing attitude and cool demeanor was much appreciated. She kept their group in check.
Ino 'humphed!' and flopped back down, crossing her arms and legs, her black mini skirt and boots flashing shades of blue in the sun.
Ino's father was the company owner of FlowerPower Inc. (Lame name? Sakura agrees.) It was the producing company that ran the radio station. As a result Ino spent a lot of time with the Ninja duo. She was also Sasuke's self-proclaimed girlfriend. Yet, Sasuke barely knew she existed.
"Sasuke Uchiha has a classic case of what I call boys-in-love-a-phobia!" Ino always said whenever this was brought up. "The effects of which are denial and a cold outlook on all females. But, don't worry, there's a cure!" After saying this she would flip her long blonde hair over her shoulders. "It's called 'Ino'!"
Sakura rolled her eyes at the memory. Sakura had been friends with Ino since elementary school. How had Sakura, a middle-class nobody, end up best friends with Ino, a millionaire's daughter, who knows? Sakura vaguely remembered it had something to do with red ribbons and flowers.
Ino had a tendency of falling in love with people that she would never end up with. Like that one American actor, Johnny Depp.
"He's so dreamy!" Ino would say. "I just know that he'll wait for me!"
Or the time Ino was convinced that the Russian Prime Minister's son was her soul mate.
"Well, he and I are both royalty, after all." Ino would shrug.
TenTen Temura—whom Sakura and Ino had befriended when she was a senior and they were freshmen in high school—and Sakura were both relieved and slightly glad when Ino had announced that she was officially going to win the heart of the Uchiha.
Sakura had known for a long time that Ino had crushed on Sasuke. Sakura had never met him, but she had heard enough about his 'dreamy eyes' and his 'chiseled body' that she was quite sure she never really wanted to. But, for Ino's sake, TenTen and Sakura both agreed that Sasuke was a good match. Or, would be, if he actually agreed to go out with Ino.
"Hey, where's Hinata?" Sakura asked. Hinata usually stopped by the University on her lunch break to hang out with them.
"She's over there," TenTen pointed across the grassy field full of studious students.
Sakura spotted the Hyuuga walking toward a group of boys. She was coming from the direction of the parking lot, with her riding jacket still on and her helmet under her arm.
"Oh, please tell me the boys aren't coming over," Ino groaned and put her head in her hands.
The self named Trixum Three (another lame name) were probably the most annoying boys they had ever met. Like the name states, there were only three of them, with Choji and Rock Li, and Kiba as their leader.
They were respectable enough—Choji's family owned a chain of restaurants, Rock Li's grandfather had been a very famous martial artist, and Kiba Inuzuka was the heir to a series of animal hospitals and schools —but they were just annoying. They were loud, they ate WAY too much, and they were dirty. They always hung out in week-old-dirty-clothes, Kiba's dog was always licking their faces and shedding fur everywhere, they left garbage in the classrooms, they always laughed at stupid things, did ridiculous stunts to impress girls, but for some forsaken reason people still LOVED them.
Why? Who knows?
Sakura assumed that if she were to compare this school to a normal middleclass school, the Trixum Three were the equivalent of the class clowns/skater boys whom everyone looked at as though they were their annoying but cute little brothers. They weren't bad looking; sure they were kinda awkward, but they were still above average. They were also smart, friendly, and nice. People liked them.
Unfortunately.
It was unfortunate because their fortune and looks, not to mention their grades and personality, allowed them to hang out with some of the most prestigious people in school: Ino, Hinata, and TenTen. And by hanging out with them, they hung out with Sakura. They were constantly pestering the girls. Sometimes it was fun, like when they all went to parties together, or to a carnival or something, but other times they needed their space. Really needed their space.
Sakura, Ino, and TenTen watched, holding their breath, as Hinata bent down to scratch Kiba's Akamaru. She chatted with them for a minute, smiling and giggling. Then she said something that caught the Trixum's attention. The boys looked with wide eyes where Hinata was pointing, toward the parking lot. Rock Li and Choji howled with laughter and started toward it in a sprint. Kiba blushed and shook his head. Hinata patted his shoulder and gently pushed him after his friends. The boy blushed more but started away, his dog yipping at his heels.
They let their breath out as Hinata sat next to them, the boys completely gone from sight.
"What'd you say to them?" Sakura asked her curiously.
Hinata grinned at her own genius. "I told them that a bus had broken down near the parking lot." They stared at her blankly. "A bus full of bikini models."
They laughed.
"And they actually fell for that?" Ino asked incredulously.
"I guess it never occurred to them that sweet little Hinata would lie to them." TenTen grinned. Hinata shrugged innocently.
So that was the reason for Kiba's blush. Despite the fact that girls fawned over the Trixum Three's leader, he only had eyes for one girl: Hinata Hyuuga.
Actually, they were engaged.
Yes, engaged.
The engagement went way back, to when Hinata's great grandmother was still young. Er, semi young. She was sixty at the time. She had owned a cute little Scottie dog, one that had been with her for years. When the dog became ill, the elder-Hyuuga became very depressed and took the dog to dozens of different doctors to find the problem. None of them could find anything to blame for the dog's illness.
In desperation the elder-Hyuuga finally took the dog to a small pet clinic. A young man who had just graduated college had bought the building in hopes of it becoming a well off pet hospital. He checked the dog, and without even an x-ray or anything, found the problem. It was a small bone caught in the dogs air canal.
The elder-Hyuuga promptly sued the previous doctors she had used. And, with the help of the elder-Hyuuga, the young man bought their companies, and made them his own.
The old woman promised him—on the day he cured her dog—that his family line and her family line would join. But for generations both families had only sons, until, finally, Hinata was born. The families were joyously happy.
It's a very touching story, isn't it?
Nope, you're wrong.
Sure, Hinata doted on the animal-loving boy, but she most definitely did not love him. She never had, and she had said to her friends a million times that she never would.
Poor Kiba was madly in love with her. He did everything he could to make her happy. He had protected her from the harsh world since grade school. He was on his best behavior when she was around, and any friend of Hinata's was a friend of his.
Sakura sighed as she remembered him blushing at the mere mention of other girls.
Unrequited love, Sakura tsked and shook her head sympathetically. She focused on the conversation happening in front of her.
Ino was ranting about Sasuke again, filling Hinata in on everything she had missed.
"Ino, it's not that big of a deal," TenTen sighed. "Why don't you just ask him about it?"
"Yeah," Sakura agreed. "He probably has a good reason."
"Oh, sure, easy for you guys to say," Ino snapped. "You are all perfectly happy with the men of your dreams." She glanced at Hinata. "With exceptions, of course."
Hinata smiled and shook her head.
TenTen and Sakura grinned at each other.
TenTen had found the man of her dreams. Sakura glanced at the silver ring and embedded diamond on TenTen's left hand. She had been engaged for almost two months now, to Hinata's cousin, Neji Hyuuga. Unlike Hinata, Neji was not of the direct bloodline, making it easier for him to choose whomever he wanted to marry.
TenTen and he had met at business party. Well, it wasn't really a 'party', more like a hunting party. TenTen's family company imported and exported several different types of guns and rare furs. Neji had been invited to a celebration party—the company had just sued another company in Korea for stealing their gun model and had won another couple million.
For the party, they had hunted a very rare red fox. It must have been someone's ideal for a first date…
Maybe it was TenTen's expert shot (she had been the only one to actually track down and capture a red fox that night) or maybe it was her tall, exotic looks. Either way, for some reason or another, Neji couldn't get enough of her.
"I'm talking to you, too, you know," Ino snapped when she saw Sakura looking at TenTen's ring.
Sakura grinned impishly. "Speaking of my man, I'm gonna go find him."
"What?!" Ino cried incredulously. "We haven't even eaten yet!"
TenTen and Hinata laughed.
"Sakura doesn't need food," Hinata said.
"Yeah," TenTen grinned as they watched Sakura slip back into the University's biology building. "She's got her man-meat to fill her up."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Sakura peeked around the door into the classroom. There were pictures of bugs and insects, their insides and outsides, their eggs, pupas, etc. There was a long desk in the back, one end propped up slightly by for easier view. It was deep, almost six inches, and hollow, with a glass top. Through the glass was hundreds of different types of insects, pinned and labeled.
The room was mostly empty, except for a man sitting at the insect case-desk in the back. He was perched on a stool, leaning over a large magnifying glass, inspecting some sort of insect as he pinned it into the case.
Sakura tiptoed over to him, being as quiet as she could. Just as she was about to pounce from behind he spoke, startling her.
"Hello, Sakura," He said without turning around.
"How'd you know it was me?" Sakura leaned against the desk, looking down into the rows of bugs.
"I saw your reflection in the magnifying glass," He finally looked up and smiled at her. Sakura puckered her lips in a pout. His grin broadened.
Shino Aburame was odd. He didn't have many friends—people gave him as much space as they could. It wasn't that he was scary, or cold towards people. He just…preferred not to be bothered. He hardly ever spoke unless spoken to, and his smiles were as rare as a red moon.
He was the Teacher's Assistant for the entomologist (the study of bugs) professor. He liked bugs. He really liked bugs. He could name a hundred different species off the top of his head, not to mention their individual habitats and diets. Some people joked around, saying he was a bug himself, and the beady sunglasses and high-collared lab coat he always wore didn't help the rumors.
So what if he was weird? Sakura didn't deny it. Maybe that's what had attracted her to him in the first place. She didn't like those cookie-cutter-boys. She liked the quirky guys, the ones with a little flare. When she had first met Shino (it was in the middle of an entomologist lecture Shino had been giving, and the medic students had been forced to attend for some bizarre reason) she had cocked her head at him. He was interesting. He was smart. And he could careless what anybody else thought.
So, Sakura asked him out.
Well, it wasn't that easy.
First she had to get him to actually acknowledge her existence. Then she had to get him to talk to her. And then she actually had to make him like her enough back to say yes. (Believe me, it's all easier said than done.)
It had taken nearly three weeks to have an actual conversation with him, four more weeks to get him to smile with her, and a month after that to get him away from his work long enough to see a movie with her.
It's not that Shino was a cold person. He wasn't bad looking either. Very cute, in fact. But he was very independent. He didn't need friends to boost his confidence, or lift him up with praise. So he never really searched for friends, and they never really searched for him. Which was probably why he was so surprised when Sakura started talking to him.
At first he hadn't really noticed; she was just some girl at his school. But then, when she started hanging around him more and more, he got suspicious. What did this girl want? In the end, due to her giggles and smiles, he didn't mind it so much and he couldn't help but say yes when she asked him out.
"What are ya doin'?" Sakura asked, looking at the small beetle in his hand.
His eyes lit up. "It's a rare beetle from the Bahamas, called the Gringa, from the Insectiana family. It can carry nearly a hundred times its own weight, and eat nearly two hundred times as much. Its venom and internal acids can be used for an antidote to a specific spider bite, such as—" He suddenly stopped when Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Sorry. I mean I'm just doing inventory."
Sakura laughed. She ran her fingers through his dark brown hair. "Hey, no worries. What you like, I like."
He smiled. He turned off the table lamp, pushing the magnifying glass to the side and closing the case over the bugs. He put his sunglasses on the top of his head and rubbed his eyes. "Oi." He looked up at her with a sigh.
Sakura clucked her tongue. It was a shame Shino didn't take his glasses off more often. His eyes were the deepest chocolate brown she had ever seen, and they lit up almost any room. Maybe if he did, the rumors around him would die down.
On second thought, she didn't really want him to. She couldn't risk other girls falling in love with him and trying to steal him away.
Sakura pushed away from the desk and wandered over to a bunch of microscopes on another counter.
"So, what's up?" She asked, inspecting a spinning glass piece. She poked it, and it swiveled. Shino didn't say anything. She turned around and looked at him curiously. He was leaning back, looking at her. His gaze was soft, but he stared unblinking. "What?"
He stood up and walked over to her, putting his hands on her hips. "So, beautiful, what are you doing later?"
"Me?" Sakura asked playfully, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Hmm, nothing too important."
"Wanna go to my place?" He leaned toward her.
Sakura grinned, her tongue between her teeth. "No, sirrie, you're not getting anything from me."
He crinkled his nose in mock disappointment. "Aw, you and your darn values."
She giggled as he closed in, his lips lightly pressing against hers. She liked his kisses. They were always so gentle and loving. She so easily gave in.
There was a squeak, and they pulled apart, glancing toward the door. A student stood there, staring at them with a red face.
"Er, s-sorry Mr. Aburame." She quickly said, backing out the door. She ushered another student ahead of her that was trying to come in. "Not now! He's busy!" They heard her hiss to the other student.
Shino chuckled and pulled back, taking his sunglasses from the top of his head and balancing them on his nose. Sakura straightened her shirt and stepped toward the door.
"I'll call you later," Shino said, as he opened the door for her.
"Ok," Sakura smiled up at him, and then snickered as the girl with a still-red face walked back toward the classroom. Sakura winked and licked her lips dramatically.
The girl flushed even more and Sakura laughed all the way down the hall.
OOOOOOOOOOO
"You have to go!" Ino wailed desperately.
Sakura sighed. "Ino, this really isn't the time or place."
They were standing in the second room of the small two-room clinic Sakura worked at. Sakura was in her pastel-green scrubs and white tennis shoes. There was an old woman sitting on the paper-covered doctors bed, and Sakura was gently massaging her arthritis-ridden hand. She watched as Ino spoke with Sakura from the doorway, holding some kind of envelope in her hand.
"Sakura, come on, it'll be fun! Sasuke and Naruto will be there!" Ino pleaded.
It had been hours since lunch, but suddenly Ino was appearing in the clinic and demanding that Sakura come to a party with her. Why was she bringing this up now?
"Ino, I'm not even supposed to go to those kinds of things." Sakura said. The 'party' Ino was talking about was actually a charity ball. There would be rich and famous people from all over the world there, and a middleclass student like Sakura was most definitely not on the honored guest list.
"Sure you are! Look, it even says so here!" Ino showed Sakura the envelope. It was very fancy invitation, with gold bordering and laminated lettering. Sakura took it and read it. It said, Sakura Haruno, guest of the Yamanaka family.
Sakura sighed. This wasn't the first time Ino had somehow weaseled Sakura into her fancy parties.
"I have a boyfriend, now, Ino," Sakura put the ticket down next to her. She turned back to the old woman in front of her. "Sorry about this, ma'am."
The woman shook her head, amused. "No problem, dear."
"Sakura!" Ino whined when Sakura turned her back. "Just because you have a boyfriend doesn't mean you can't go to parties! And it's not like you have to dance with anyone there, or anything! You can hang out with me! And TenTen and Hinata!"
Sakura turned. "TenTen and Hinata? They're going?"
Ino nodded vigorously, stepping forward now that she had caught Sakura's attention. "Yeah, yeah!"
Sakura pondered this. TenTen and Hinata, of course, were always invited to these things. They were heiresses, after all. But that didn't mean that they ever actually went to them. But, if they were going, then it couldn't be that bad, right?
Sakura hesitated.
"Oh, come on, dear!" The old woman said with surprising luster and patted Sakura's arm. "You could use the chance to remind your man you're not tied down yet, eh? He shouldn't let his guard down, he could loose a spit-fire girl like you." The old woman winked. Sakura flushed slightly.
"Uh, right," She sighed. She glanced at Ino's anxious face. "Fine. I'll go."
"YES!" Ino jumped straight in the air, pumping her fist. "Wahoo! Ok, so then…" She reached out of the room, pulling something hanging from the coat rack outside. She rushed back in, a clothes bag in her hand. She put it over a chair and unzipped it.
The old woman gave a low whistle. "That'll do it." What was with this old lady?
"What?!" Sakura said at the sight of it. "Oh, Ino, please tell me you didn't buy that…" Ino was always buying weird clothes for Sakura. After wearing them once for Ino, Sakura usually sold them on e-bay to make some extra cash. Ino's styles were just so outrageous that Sakura usually felt like she was in a Halloween costume when she wore them.
Ino looked at her. "Well, duh. You have to have something to wear!"
Sakura sighed. She couldn't exactly say 'no' now.
"Fine."
Ino just smiled maliciously. Sakura swallowed. It was sometimes scary when Ino wanted to play dress-up…
OOOOOOOOOO
"Why do we have to go to this again?" Sasuke Uchiha asked as he lifted his chin to better tie his tie.
Kakashi sighed. "Because, it's a charity ball."
"Yeah, so?"
"So, it's kind of important that you be there."
"Why?" Sasuke demanded.
"Because I'm your agent and I say so."
Sasuke snorted. He wasn't getting anywhere here. He scowled at his reflection in the mirror. His tie was crooked. He untied it and began retying it for the umpteenth time.
"Gyaah!" Naruto hopped into Sasuke's room on one foot, trying to pull the other shoe on. He tripped over a pile of clothes and collapsed just short of Sasuke's bed. He groaned, pulling himself onto the bed. He kicked off his shoes and tossed them in a dirty pile. "I hate these things! Why can't I just wear tennis shoes?"
"They wouldn't match your tux," Kakashi said, retrieving the shoes and putting them in Naruto's hands. "Come on, you're a big boy! If you keep trying I'm sure you can tie your own shoes!"
Naruto stuck his tongue out at the older man as Kakashi looked around the room. He scratched the top of his silver head.
"What a mess," He commented, shaking his head.
Sasuke's dark room was messy. His black covers were twisted across the unmade bed, and his pillows were strewn across the floor. His clothes—clean or dirty—were lying in heaps, along with belts and shoes and anything else you might think of to wear. There were a couple plastic plates shoved in corners or lying on the coffee table.
Sasuke glared at him. So what if his room was messy? He liked it that way. And it wasn't like he had time to clean it, or anything. Besides, if Kakashi took one look at Naruto's room, Sasuke's would seem like a sparkling clean palace.
"You know, you two could really use a woman's touch around here," Kakashi said.
Sasuke and Naruto, best friends since they were eight, had lived together for most of their high school years and on. They didn't really have anyplace else to go. Well, Sasuke's family had three different mansions, but he would rather get his teeth drilled than live in any of them. His family was dead and he hated his (unfortunately still living) brother.
Naruto's father and mother had passed away just after he was born. His uncle had raised him, but it wasn't exactly ideal. Naruto's father and mother had left him quite the inheritance. Naruto had moved out of his uncle's place and into a house with Sasuke as soon as he was old enough to access the money.
Though the term 'house' was used lightly. It was only a two bedroom, but each one was roughly the size of an entire apartment. Added to the oversized living room, kitchen, and three bathrooms, the house was only just short of a bed and breakfast. Though you wouldn't know it—the decorating and design was awful (Naruto and Sasuke could careless) and it was so jam-packed with junk if you found the floor you must have fallen into a wormhole.
"Oh, I forgot, you don't like girls," Kakashi teased them.
"Hey! We do so!" Naruto cried incredulously as he stood, his shoes on but still untied.
Sasuke didn't care about girls. He was in no hurry to settle down. If he was meant to get married, he'd find the right one eventually, but why worry now? Besides, girls were annoying. They were ditzy, and only cared about how hot guys were and shopping. He didn't want to bother with that.
Naruto liked girls, and they liked him. The only problem was, the idiot was an idiot. He was too nervous to actually go after them, so they always had to come to him. And he was too nice. He couldn't bear to see a girl unhappy. So he either totally blew it when it came to girls, or he always ended up with someone he'd rather be without.
As a result, both boys had had none or very few girlfriends, and almost no one they had actually liked.
Sasuke watched Naruto as he angrily pulled on his shoelaces. Naruto was Sasuke's only friend. He had been the only one that had actually dared approach the powerful Uchiha son in school. Sasuke had hated it at first. Naruto stuck with him, no matter how much of a jerk he was, to the point of aggravation beyond belief. Thank goodness he did, otherwise Sasuke would never have gotten out of his 'I'm-too-good-for-you teen stage.'
Sasuke wouldn't say it, but he wanted Naruto to be happy. Part of the reasons Naruto had had so little girlfriends in high school was because all of the girls were terrified (yet in awe) of Sasuke.
Sasuke snorted at Kakashi. "I don't see you having a girlfriend."
Kakashi was the opposite of them. He was a smooth talker, and a very good actor. He could make any girl fall in love with him, just with a look. His exotic silver hair and mysterious scar over his left eye made him all the more eye-catching. And, yet, he couldn't keep a girlfriend for more than a couple weeks.
Kakashi grinned. "That's because I'm too much for just one girl."
Naruto looked disgusted, and Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"Pervert," Sasuke muttered as he followed Naruto out the door and to the limo waiting outside.
"All right," Kakashi rubbed his hands together as the car started. "Time to get my boys some girls!"
Naruto looked at Sasuke with a panicky look.
Sasuke looked back steadily, but inside he gagged.
OOOOOOOOOO
"I've changed my mind," Sakura said with half lidded eyes. "I'm going home."
"No!" Hinata whispered urgently to her. "You can't leave me hear with that thing!" Hinata looked worriedly over at Ino, who was walking toward them with a smile. Sakura was sorely tempted to wipe it off her face.
The charity ball was just what it sounded like: a ball. A huge one, in a huge ballroom, in a huge mansion, with a ridiculously huge amount of people. They were all dressed in their finest, the men in tuxes and the women in dazzling ball gowns. The music was beautiful, and the decorations stunning. The food was to die for, and the social suffocation could kill you.
Sakura glanced down at her dress, feeling exposed. It didn't show much skin—which was surprising, considering Ino's usual appearance—but it clung tightly in all the right places. It was a Chinese style, with a high color, no sleeves, and a slit up the side. It was a deep emerald, almost the same color as Sakura's eyes. It looked simple enough, but she knew that all of the silks must have been imported. It probably cost a small fortune. Ino hadn't held back.
Sakura had been surprised when she had seen Hinata. She was wearing the same style dress, only hers was a dark purple. Ino's was the same, too, only blue. Sakura had no doubt that when they saw TenTen she would be wearing a matching outfit.
Hinata and Sakura let out a breath when Ino was intercepted by a group of young men. They could keep her distracted for a while.
"So, how did she rope you into this?" Sakura asked Hinata, running her fingers through her short pink hair. Somehow she had convinced Ino to let her keep it down, instead of hiring some French hair designer to come do it. So Ino had just insisted that Sakura at least straighten it with a slight flip at the end.
Hinata hadn't been so lucky. Ino had hired a French hair designer to come do Hinata's hair. So, now, her long dark hair hung down her back in shimmering curls, with two diamond clips keeping it back from her face. Knowing Ino, they were probably real diamonds.
Hinata sighed. "I have no idea. She just sprung it on me at the last second and I was too shocked to say no."
"Hmm, sounds familiar," Sakura twitched her nose as she eyed Ino, her eyes half lidded.
"Hey, guys!"
Sakura and Hinata turned as TenTen and Neji walked toward them, his hand around her waste. TenTen, sure enough, was wearing the same dress, except hers was a vibrant red. She had pulled her long brown hair into two buns with chopsticks, making her look more exotic.
"Hey, TenTen," Sakura said when they got there. "Hello, Neji."
Neji smiled politely and nodded to her. His eyes were the same pure white as Hinata's, but, just like her, he still looked fabulous. He was very handsome in his best tux, and the way he and TenTen complimented each other was perfect.
"Hello, cousin," Hinata smiled as Neji patted the top of her head fondly.
There were rumors among the media that Neji was on bad terms with the Hyuuga heiress. They said that he wanted to be company creditor. But they were untrue. Neji looked at Hinata as though she was a little sister, and he was perfectly comfortable with his job as the company advisor.
The group chatted back and forth for a few minutes, glad that they weren't alone in this mass of people. After a while, Neji kissed TenTen on the cheek and excused himself so he could make small talk with some supporters of their company and the University. Hinata probably should have been the one doing that, but she always felt nervous and shy around the powerful men of Japan, so Neji was happy to do it for her.
"What do you suppose is going on over there?" TenTen furrowed her brow towards the double door entrance. Sakura and Hinata turned as screams and cheers erupted from the crowd. There was flashes of light as reporters and photographers hurried toward whoever was arriving.
"Eeek! It's them!"
The girls jumped as Ino rushed up behind them, squealing. They stared at her blankly.
"Sasuke and Naruto are here!" Ino explained, exasperated.
"Oh." Hinata blinked.
TenTen scoffed. "They're just Disk Jockeys. It's not like they're movie stars or anything." Sakura nodded in agreement.
"Well, they are two of the richest people under thirty. And, actually, Naruto is appearing in a movie coming out next year. They just finished filming it a couple months ago." Ino was almost jumping up and down in excitement. "And Sasuke visited America, and he put his handprints in some sidewalk! I don't know why, and I can't remember what it's called, but isn't it exciting?!"
They weren't able to answer as Ino hurried forward, pushing through the crowd to get a look.
After the crowds ebbed and the music and dancing started again, Sakura, TenTen, and Hinata watched the two men from the other side of the room. The boys were standing near the food tables, not doing much. Naruto was eating whatever was close by, and Sasuke was just looking around, bored. Ever few minutes someone would come shake their hands or a group of giggling girls would pass, swinging their hips and winking in hopes of getting their attention. Sasuke and Naruto hardly batted an eye in their direction.
"Why do they keep doing that?" Sakura asked curiously as they watched them. Whenever the girls did get up the courage to go talk to the DJ duo (which was actually pretty often), Naruto would politely smile at them, nodding at whatever they had to say, but not really engaging in the conversation, and Sasuke just eyed them, bored. After a few minutes of this treatment, the girls got bored or discouraged and excused themselves. Only then did the boys relax and roll their eyes.
"Maybe they're gay," TenTen commented. Sakura had to pull her punch glass away to keep from choking on it and Hinata slapped TenTen playfully. "Seriously, look at them! Poor Ino…I mean, how much you wanna bet that they treat Ino the same way?"
Sakura nodded with a sigh.
"Fifty bucks," Hinata said quietly.
Sakura and TenTen looked at her surprised.
"Fifty bucks says they don't like her," Hinata repeated. There was a glint in her eye as she smiled sardonically. Sakura blinked and then grinned. She liked it when Hinata got excited like this. Hinata couldn't be smiles and bubble gum all the time.
"I'll raise you to seventy-five," Sakura grinned. "And I'll bet that they think she's cute and nice, but not their type." If she lost this bet, she wouldn't be able to eat for a week. But Hinata would worry about the food; she wouldn't let her roommate go hungry.
TenTen sighed and rolled her eyes. "I guess that means I have to bet that they're both in love with her, right? I'm definitely not going to win this…"
"Ooh, harsh, TenTen." Sakura said.
The girl in red shrugged. "I say it with love."
"Who's going to ask?" Hinata asked.
Sakura smirked. "I will."
OOOOOOOOO
Sasuke sighed. He glanced at the dance floor in front of him, watching them twirl back and forth without actually seeing. This music was annoying, too. Maybe that's why he liked being a DJ; he could pick his own music.
Naruto was gorging on the buffet. Naruto always ate when he was bored or upset. It was a miracle the kid wasn't overweight. Naruto wasn't much use to Sasuke right now; he wasn't a very good entertainer when he was eating. But even so, Naruto wouldn't leave Sasuke's side. If he did, he'd immediately be mauled by a group of giggling girls trying to get his autograph.
Sasuke sighed again, looking around for his manager. Kakashi had disappeared a while ago. He was either with some girl in a back room, or standing next to the fine wines table. Much longer at either and Sasuke would be forced to go find him to keep him out of trouble. He hated playing babysitter, but between Naruto and Kakashi he didn't really have a choice.
He checked his watch for the umpteenth time in the last half an hour. The ball lasted all night, but they'd probably stay only another hour. Any longer and people would start breaking out the alcohol. Sasuke and Naruto didn't really care themselves because they never drank, but it was NOT fun to be in the center of a mob of drunken girls who were convinced they were your soul mate.
A hand touched Sasuke's shoulder and he turned, tense. His shoulder relaxed as he saw his boss and friend, Shikamaru Nara.
"Dude," Sasuke said when he saw him. "You're my savior."
Shikamaru snorted, eyeing him sidelong. "Don't get your hopes up; I only came to talk for a minute."
Sasuke sighed again. He didn't think he'd discarded so much bored air in his life.
"Listen, dude," Shikamaru looked around, as if afraid someone would overhear. Naruto leaned closer when he saw the two of them. They ignored the people staring at their little huddle and Shikamaru spoke to both of them. "I just caught wind that the big man's girl is here."
"The who's what?" Naruto said through a mouthful of imported lobster.
Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Troublesome… I heard from Ino that the Hyuuga heiress is here."
"I didn't know Ino was here," Naruto glanced around as if expecting to see her.
"Wait," Sasuke said. "The Hyuuga heiress?"
Shikamaru nodded gravely. This was a big deal. She was to inherit the deed to Konohagakure University, and their little radio show, after all.
"All right," Sasuke said.
Naruto nodded, finally catching the seriousness of the situation. "We'll be on our best behavior when we see her."
Shikamaru straightened. "You'd better." He clapped them on the shoulder. "All right, boys. Sorry about the business talk on your day off, but keep it in mind. Now I have to go talk to a bunch of dead beats about work." He turned and sauntered off into the crowd.
"Ok, so she's a Hyuuga, right?" Naruto narrowed his eyes at the crowd. "That mean's she's got those weird white eyes. She shouldn't be that hard to pick out, right?" Naruto glanced at Sasuke who was looking in the opposite direction. "Sasuke?" He followed the Uchiha's gaze.
Sasuke was watching yet another group of girls walk toward them. But these girls were different. They wore amused smirks, not the flirtatious smiles they should have been wearing. The girl leading them had a shock of bright pink hair that contrasted her dark green dress.
She stopped directly in front of them, one hand on her hip. She extended a hand. "Sakura Haruno; nice to meet you. Don't worry, I already know who you are." Her voice was polite enough, but her eyes were laughing. Who was this girl?
Naruto shook her hand gently first, then Sasuke. Her grip was stronger than he expected, though her hand was half the size of his. He looked down at her, curious.
"So, how are you boys enjoying yourselves?" She asked them.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes as Naruto answered with a halfhearted smile. She must be a businesswoman. No normal girl could walk up to them with her audacity. So, what was she selling? Or, rather, what was she trying to get them to sell?
"Your radio station is produced by FlowerPower Inc. Isn't that so?" She asked them.
Sasuke inwardly rolled his eyes at the name. Oh, so that's what she was after.
"I assume you know Ino Yamanaka, right?" She raised an eyebrow.
Wait. What? Did she just ask about Ino?
"You boys know her pretty well?" Sakura smiled at them. Her smile made Sasuke narrow his eyes and Naruto stutter as he answered. "Do you mind if I ask you boys a question?" They just waited. "Are either of you in love with Ino?"
Sasuke stared. Naruto lost his balance and had to grab the buffet table behind him to keep from falling over.
"Hn?" Was all Sasuke could say. Did she really just ask what he thought she just asked? Ino was that annoying loud girl that always hung out at the station, right? He barely knew her, how the heck could he be in love with her?
Sakura pursed her lips to keep from smiling. "Well?"
Just before Sasuke opened his mouth to say "Absolutely not!" Naruto cut him off.
"Erm, um, no, uh, I wouldn't say love exactly." Naruto scratched the back of his neck at a loss for words. "Uh, I dunno, I guess she's pretty cute, and friendly, 'n all, but, uh…"
Sakura couldn't hold back the smile any more. She threw her head back and laughed. Sasuke and Naruto blinked, surprised. They suddenly looked at the girls standing right behind her. The girl in red was hunched over as she tried to swallow her laughter and the other one had a hand clamped over mouth as she tried to breath normally.
"I do believe you both owe me seventy-five dollars," Sakura smirked triumphantly.
What? Had all of that just been because of some kind of joke or something?
"All right, fine," The girl in purple giggled.
"It was worth it," The other girl said, her words accented by a chuckle.
"Sasuke," Naruto whispered, tugging on said boy's sleeve. He pointed at the girl in purple. Sasuke inhaled sharply. He had been so distracted by Sakura he hadn't noticed her before. It must be Hinata Hyuuga! He exchanged a look with Naruto. What did they do now?
"Uh-oh, Sakura," TenTen pointed toward Ino, who was stalking toward them, her eyes narrowed.
"Whoops," Sakura bowed to them slightly, grinning. "Thank you, boys, you were a very big help." She then spun, grabbing TenTen and Hinata's hands as they hurried to disappear into the crowds, still laughing.
Just before they were gone, Hinata's voice wafted back to them: "Did you see their faces?"
"Uh, wait!" Naruto stepped forward, hand extended, before it flopped back down to his side. "Aw, man, we totally blew that one."
Sasuke sighed resignedly as Ino reached them.
"So, I see you've met my friends," Ino crossed her arms suspiciously. "What did they say to you?"
Those girls were Ino's friends? Then what did they think they were doing, asking random people whether or not they were in love with her?
"Nothing." Sasuke said casually.
Ino nodded, her suspicion gone. Her darling Sasuke would never lie to her! She looped her arm through his.
"Are you guys having a good time?" Ino asked. Sasuke didn't respond, instead just staring into the crowd, so she turned to Naruto. He didn't respond either—he was still imagining all the horrible tortures Shikamaru would unleash once he found out they had totally screwed up their conversation with the Hyuuga heiress. They hadn't even greeted her respectfully! He groaned.
Ino raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you guys would have more fun if you got out of the way of the dancers and we all sat down and talked." She began dragging Sasuke away, and the Uchiha was forced to grab Naruto and pull the dazed boy along after them.
OOOOOOOOO
Sasuke checked his watch again. They had stayed much longer than they had intended in hopes of meeting up with Hinata again and smoothing over their last encounter. They had spotted her with the pink haired girl again, near the dance floor, but when they got there, they had both disappeared.
He poked at the cake on his plate, bored. He hadn't actually tried it yet. He wasn't a big fan of sweets. Ino had just thrust it in his hands when a group of boys called her over.
"Stupid moron…" Naruto murmured, propping his feet up on the coffee table in front of them. They were sitting in a side den, with the music and dancing happening a ways to their right, where the noise and traffic were slightly less so.
Sasuke sat on the silky white couch across from Naruto as the boy grumbled. Naruto was still angry with Kakashi for ditching them. Their 'manager' had shown up only long enough to announce he was leaving, his arm around some woman's waist. Sasuke and Naruto didn't even bother asking why or what they were going to do.
Neji Hyuuga ignored Naruto, who was sitting next to him. The Hyuuga had sat next to them a while ago. He knew Sasuke and Naruto from the University. Not only had they been in the same classes a while back, he was now the facial spokesman of his company. He had said hello, but otherwise they didn't speak to each other, sitting in comfortable silence. Now he sat, looking at the dance floor, sipping a punch cup quietly.
Sasuke jumped as someone hopped over the back of the couch and landed next to him. Sakura was breathing heavy, her cheeks red from running as she smiled.
"Is he gone?" TenTen asked, who was in the same condition and was crouching next to Sakura's knees.
Sakura peeked over the back of the couch, eyeing the man in sunglasses and a suit. He touched his ear, which had a wire connecting it to his cell phone, and said something as he looked around before moving on.
The back of his suit jacket said 'Security'.
Sakura relaxed on the couch as TenTen flopped down between Neji and Naruto.
"What did you do?" Neji demanded.
"Don't worry," Sakura waved her hand dismissively. "We left Hinata behind because we figured it wouldn't be very 'lady like' if she got in trouble at a charity ball."
"But what did you do?"
"We'll talk about it later," TenTen said, not the least bit intimidated as he narrowed his eyes at her. He let it go, deciding to ask later, as she snuggled up against him.
Sakura giggled before she spotted Sasuke out of the corner of her eye. "Hey, long time no see!" She piped cheerily.
Sasuke slowly relaxed again, still tense from when she had jumped over the couch. Who were these girls? He didn't know TenTen personally, but he could guess whom she was by the way Neji put his arm around her. But he had never heard of a Sakura Haruno before. Maybe she was someone's relative, or maybe she was 'new money'. (Someone who had recently made a fortune—they tend to be cocky and boastful, their manners are awful.) He wouldn't be surprised if she were, the way she seemed to be acting.
Naruto was looking around frantically, straining his neck to see around the crowds. Sasuke supposed he was looking for Hinata Hyuuga. He snorted. That was one thing about Naruto: once he made a mistake, he didn't back down until it was corrected.
Naruto stood abruptly and walked away, still looking. Sasuke was just about to call after him when Sakura distracted him.
"So, where's Ino?" Sakura looked around. "I thought she'd be with you."
It took Sasuke a few seconds to realize she was talking to him. He pointed silently to a corner in the back.
Ino was standing in the center of a circle of boys. She was animatedly saying something, and when she got to the punch line, the group erupted in laughter. She laughed along with them, totally un-shy as always.
"Hmm," Was all Sakura said shrugging her shoulders.
There was a sudden crash, and the foursome turned.
Sasuke had to refrain from groaning and smacking himself in the forehead. He watched as both Naruto and Hinata apologized repeatedly to each other before bending at the same time to pick up the broken punch glass. He couldn't hear what they were saying to each other, they were too far away, but they were both blushing, embarrassed. He could just imagine the conversation just by the looks on their faces:
Naruto: "Please forgive me, Miss Hyuuga!"
Hinata: "No, no, it was my fault!"
Naruto: "Please, allow me!"
Hinata: "No, really, it's all right, I can handle it."
The two blushing fools stood back, even more embarrassed, as a butler came over with a little broom and a dustpan. Naruto scratched the back of his neck and grinned nervously as she shook her head briskly, assuring him it was fine.
Sasuke sighed and turned back around.
Sakura gasped next to him. He turned to raise an eyebrow at her before he saw she was still watching Naruto and Hinata with wide eyes.
"Did…did he just ask her to dance?" Sakura said, pointing.
Neji, TenTen, and Sasuke's jaws dropped and they watched awed as Hinata, surprised, shyly took the hand Naruto was offering.
What the? Naruto asking a girl to dance? It happened almost as often as butterflies being born in the middle of winter! Not to mention it was the one woman who controlled his future; she could take away everything he had just as easily as give it.
Sasuke wondered what was running through the idiot's head. There was no way he could have planned that—Naruto wasn't someone who actually slowed down long enough to plan a strategy. And Sasuke doubted Hinata was stupid enough as to favor an employee simply because he danced with her. So, then, what was he doing?
It couldn't be because…
No! He really didn't have the gall to…
Could he possibly…?
Sasuke narrowed his eyes and watched them.
At first they were just swaying back and forth, one of his hands holding hers and the other around her waist. They weren't meeting each other's eyes, and didn't seem to be saying very much.
If you're smart, Naruto, you'll talk business, Sasuke thought. But, maybe that was too much to hope for. Saying 'smart' and 'Naruto' in the same sentence was like an oxymoron.
Then Naruto spun her around. She looked up at him, surprised, her hair whipping around her face. He said something to her with a grin and it looked as though she couldn't help but laugh. His smile broadened as he watched her. Suddenly they were both dancing and jiving completely off of the classical beat. The couples around them looked on curtly before huffing and spinning back around.
The song slowed to an end and Naruto bowed to her. She smiled and bowed back. She was headed back to the others when he caught her shoulder and whispered something in her ear. She cocked her head to the side, inspecting him quizzically, before nodding. They waited for the music to start, and they danced to the next song.
"You're going to catch flies."
Sasuke snapped his mouth shut as Ino suddenly appeared before him. She raised an eyebrow and looked between him and Sakura. Sakura, who had just shut her own mouth, grabbed Ino's arm and pulled her down onto the couch.
"Look, look, look!" Sakura pointed frantically toward the dance floor.
Ino's questioning brow lifted in astonishment. "Whoa." Ino was speechless. For once. Surprising, no?
"Who is this guy?" Sakura suddenly grabbed the front of Ino's dress. "Is he a good guy? Is he nice? I don't know, I don't know this guy! What's he think he's doing, taking advantage of Hinata's kindness like that?"
"Hey," Sasuke interrupted and they turned to look at him. "I should be asking you that." He glared at her irritated. For all he knew, Hinata Hyuuga was a power hungry heiress that found it amusing to seduce unsuspecting, kind hearted men like Naruto in her spare time.
Sakura met his glare.
"Hey, both of you can chill!" Ino pried Sakura's hands from the front of her dress. "Besides it looks like they're having fun."
Sasuke looked back. Hinata was laughing as Naruto did some dumb dance move that made him look like a monkey. He bumped into an older couple behind him and almost knocked them over. They turned around and frowned, saying a few choice words as Naruto apologized. Hinata stood in front of him and apologized to them before she grabbed Naruto's hand and took him to another corner of the dance floor, laughing the whole way.
They also danced the next dance together.
And the next.
And the next.
And the next.
It was nearly two in the morning when a man stopped the music. He stood on stage and announced a couple of honored guests while people clapped.
Sasuke, long ditched by the others, sat on the couch, watching the blonde head of his friend as he stood next to Hinata. He glanced over at Sakura Haruno, who stood between TenTen and Ino. The other two were clapping and listening but Sakura stood with her arms crossed, watching Hinata and Naruto intently.
When the announcer was finished the crowds started to diminish, first rapidly, then slower. Sasuke found himself standing at the near deserted entrance, next to Ino and Sakura. They were all looking back, towards Naruto and Hinata who were walking slowly towards the entrance, talking with each other.
Sakura smiled when Hinata reached them. "Ready to go?"
Hinata exhaled contentedly. "I guess." She said with a quiet smile.
"I'll walk you to your ride," Naruto said quickly when she stepped away from him. They both started down the red-carpeted stairs into the cool night.
Ino yawned. "What did I say? Come on, you can't tell me you didn't have fun." Ino poked Sakura as they started down the stairs.
"Yeah, yeah," Sakura waved her hand away.
Sasuke paused as he and Sakura reached for the hand railing at the same time.
She glared at him. Her body language seemed to say, What are you lookin' at punk?
Sasuke blinked. He'd never been called a 'punk' before. His eyes narrowed. If your little friend with the eyes hurts my friend, she's dead.
Sakura's eyes widened in anger. With the eyes?
Yeah, you heard me.
Look here, jerk face, why don't we take this somewhere private?
Fine with me, pinky.
"Uh, hello?" Ino raised her eyebrows from the bottom of the stairs. Sakura glared one last time before she broke eye contact and joined the group at the bottom of the stairs. Sasuke followed a second later.
"So where's your limo?" Naruto was asking when he reached them.
Sakura and Hinata shared a look. "We brought our own ride."
Ino, who was waiting for her chauffer to open her door, groaned. "Are you guys crazy? Please tell me you didn't bring the bike…"
Sakura grinned sardonically. "Well, boys, it's been a pleasure meeting you. Ino, I'll call you later." She winked before turning and walking down the sidewalk.
Hinata smiled and bowed. "It was an honor."
Sasuke nodded simply.
"Uh, yeah, it was…fun." Naruto said. He seemed unable to find anything else to say as she blinked up at him.
"Hinata!" Sakura called. Hinata smiled, bowed again and turned.
Sasuke watched Naruto closely. He was staring after the two girls, unblinking. He suddenly sighed. Sasuke put his hand on Naruto's shoulder and he turned his cerulean eyes on his friend, surprised.
"I'll see you tomorrow, sweetie!" Ino called as she slid into the limo. She rolled down the window as it pulled away and blew a kiss.
Sasuke just looked back evenly as she drove away. He suddenly remembered when Sakura had asked if he was in love with Ino.
He shuddered. "Come on, let's go."
Easier said than done. There was a huge line of limos all-trying to get out at the same time. Their chauffer was forced to drive at a snails pace so as not to bump into the back of one.
Sasuke and Naruto sat next to each other, yawning and grumbling as they slowly moved along.
Sasuke turned around as a roaring engine paused next to them. He blinked then smirked.
"They brought their own ride, huh?" He said shaking his head at the two girls on the motorbike. Naruto turned around and his jaw dropped. They couldn't see their faces because of the helmets they were wearing, but they could tell it was them.
They didn't stay put for long. Hinata revved the engine and they weaved in and out of limos toward the exit. They reached the gate, ignored the guard who was taking names as people left, and took a sharp right. The roar and lights faded away quicker than Sasuke and Naruto's limo could move an inch.
Naruto grinned, as if he had been expecting this. "Cool."
Sasuke looked at Naruto closely before staring at the floor, deep in thought.
A/N: Woot! End of chapter ONE! Gyahaha! Read on, guys, it gets loads better after this!