For the newcomers, a lot has happened in the main posting Intern at the Akatsuki Concert hall, so without reading that you might be a bit lost.
For those not interested in reading the work that this stemmed from here is a quick summary:
Sumire is a college student with a traumatic past, orphaned at an early age, a runaway teen, an abusive, much older ex boyfriend. She finally had settled into an apartment with her friend Haruno Sakura and was excited to obtain a bachelor's in Inter media Arts. She joined the Akatsuki Stage Crew at Konoha University as an intern and spent a lot of time getting to know the members. Seemingly out of no where, Sakura closed the lease for their apartment to move in with her boyfriend Sasuke and Sumire was about to be thrown out onto the street. After an emotionally distressing evening, Sumire admitted her situation to the Akatsuki.
In this world, Kakuzu went to help her first.
Thanks for giving a click. Hope you enjoy it.
XClay
The strands of her hair stuck close to her face with sweat and tears. She wiped and wiped, only smearing dirt across her skin and pressing the hair to her lips. She tugged the edge of the plaid shirt and rubbed her eyes.
"How much?"
Her body jumped and she shrunk away from the well-dressed man who had appeared in the alley. She walked away as quickly as her exhausted legs would allow her to, still desperately wiping the tears rushing down her face. Through her blurred vision, she bumped into someone.
"I'm sorry!" she bellowed stepping back and looking up with terrified eyes.
"It's okay…" the tall young man in front of her tipped his head. "Hey, are you okay?"
She glanced back to see if the man in the alley had followed her.
"Is someone trying to hurt you?"
She shook her head.
"…hmm." He put his hands on his hips. "I've seen you somewhere before."
Sumire stared up at him, wishing he would leave her alone.
"I saw you at Konoha University Orientation yesterday!" he pointed at her.
She looked around him hoping for an opening to walk away. When she looked back at his face she saw a large, stunning grin.
"…did you?"
"Yeah! Me and my friends are about to grab some food. You should come along, maybe you'll know someone!"
"…I have to go…"
He gently placed a hand on Sumire's shoulder.
"What classes are you taking your first quarter?"
"U-uh… pre-calculus… um… English one… um…"
"My girlfriends in English one! You can be study buddies!"
"…" she continued to gaze at his bright expression.
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto, it's nice to meet you."
"…Koizumi… Sumire…"
He patted her shoulder and guided her into the large restaurant filled with individual tatami rooms.
"We're over here."
He opened a paper screen door and revealed a room full of people his age.
"Naruto-kun." A beautiful dark haired woman was kneeling close by.
"This is Sumire, I met her outside! She's in our incoming class!" he told the large group.
Sumire felt extremely self-conscious with her red eyes, and tattered clothing. She looked down, bowing her head but not speaking.
"Come on in, we just ordered food." A man with spiky brown hair and a slightly fanged grin said.
"I-I'm gonna go to the restroom." Sumire responded and turned on her heel.
The dark-haired woman followed her into the restroom at the end of the hall. Sumire splashed her face with water, grateful to have a moment to clean up.
"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun can be really pushy sometimes." The woman who had followed her was standing just a foot away.
"It's okay." She patted the water and smiled at her. "He seems like he just wanted to be nice."
"Hyuuga Hinata."
Sumire nodded.
"It's nice to meet you."
"What high school did you go to?"
Sumire continued to wipe while answering her question.
"We all came from Konoha High School. We graduated together."
That must be nice.
"I have to go. I can't… I can't really afford to…" Sumire gaze became down casted.
"Don't worry about that."
Sumire felt the tears coming on again.
"I… c-can't stay here… I-I look terrible… and… I smell awful…"
A hand was on her shoulder again.
"I insist. It's the least I could do for my new friend." Hinata showed her a smile that was almost as bright as the one that had stunned her earlier.
"If it'll make you feel better." Hinata reached into her purse. "Just use a couple spritzes of this."
Sumire took the small bottle of perfume. She sprayed some onto her wrists and handed it back to Hinata. She rubbed her wrists together then patted them gently along her neck. Hinata set her purse on the sink and pulled out a hair brush and some beauty supplies.
"Here, not that I think you look bad or anything," she began to gently brush her hair.
Sumire remained where she was, watching the pale-skinned woman through the mirror.
"I think Sakura-san and Ino-san have makeup. Would you like to try some?"
Sumire didn't know how to respond. Hinata sent a quick text on her phone. Sumire stared at the device while Hinata returned to brushing her hair. Within a minute two other women entered bathroom.
"You're Sumire!" the blonde exclaimed.
Sumire nodded.
"Yamanaka Ino, it's nice to meet you."
"Haruno Sakura." The pink haired woman bowed to her.
"It's nice to meet you."
"You wanted makeup?" Ino set her purse down and Sakura did the same.
"I-I don't… know…"
"Makeup is essential." Ino was smiling. "Makeup is a girl's best friend."
Sumire raised an eyebrow. Sakura let out a soft laugh:
"I think she means. When you're feeling down, sometimes giving yourself a makeover can perk you up."
"Right!" Ino approached Sumire with a small circular foundation pack. "I think you and I are pretty close in skin tone."
Sumire closed her eyes while the blonde brushed along her cheeks.
"I have some blush." Sakura came next.
"Not too much please." Sumire said, before she could put the brush to her cheek.
The pink haired girl paused:
"You do have a natural flush." She made only a few soft strokes. "Have you used makeup before?"
"Just… eyeliner…"
"Hmm," the blonde narrowed her eyes at her, "but you'd look so cute with eyeshadow!"
"I'm… not trying to impress anyone."
All three girls seemed to pause at that statement, then they started to laugh. Sakura spoke first:
"Impress someone?"
"Why would I wear makeup for someone who doesn't know the difference between a blush and a foundation brush?" Ino was laughing the hardest.
Sakura pulled out some eyeliner.
"Women don't wear makeup for men. That's just what men like to think. Close your eyelids."
Sumire felt she had been let in on some great secret.
"There, wow, eyeliner looks great on you!"
"What about eyeshadow?"
"If she's not used to it, it might irritate her skin."
Hinata slowly turned Sumire until she was facing the mirror. Sumire's eyes widen at the immense change in her complexion.
"You look really cute." Sakura said smiling.
"Yeah you do." Hinata agreed.
"Look cute for yourself, no one else!" Ino was grinning triumphantly.
"You can always take it off it you don't like it." Hinata started. "I'm sorry for imposing on this on you, but you just seemed like you needed some change. I couldn't think of anything else at the moment."
Sumire started to blush. The honesty of the three women around her was new and made her chest feel warm.
"It's okay. Thank you." She looked down nervously. "I like it."
"I'm starving." Ino said after a moment.
"Let's go back," Hinata said and they led her out the door.
When they arrived Sakura's demeanor immediately changed.
"Sasuke-kun!" she bounded over to the new face in the group.
Hinata sat Sumire down beside the fanged young man.
"Sumire right? I'm Kiba."
It took a short while for her anxiety to reduce, but after some food and a drink she started to feel something she hadn't felt in a while, normal.
"Sakura how has the apartment hunting gone?" Ino was asking, she was seated beside a pale skinned man with short dark hair.
"I found a place, but I need a roommate."
"Sasuke-kun, why don't you move in with her?"
The man with spiked dark hair scoffed and looked away from her.
"Ne, Sumire-chan, do you know anyone who may need a place to stay?" Naruto was slightly drunk.
"…um… I… sort of do."
Sakura's eyes lit up.
"Really?"
"Yeah… how much-"
"Let's talk about all that after, let's just focus on having a good time!" Kiba interrupted.
Sakura smiled at her, nodding, while the room became filled with excited chatter again.
A Year and a Few Months Later…
"Sumire."
She jumped at the sound of the familiar, extremely deep voice.
"Kakuzu-sama. You startled me."
"I will get straight to the point. You may rent out my spare room."
"Really? That's so kind of you…"
"For whatever your rent was in your old apartment."
Sumire was apprehensive to agree to something so quickly, but she knew at this point she had no other options.
"Thank you." She said softly.
He rested a large hand atop her head and gently tussled her hair. Her cheeks reddened slightly at the touch. When his hand retreated she returned to looking up at him.
"Here, I haven't given you my number yet. You can text me the details or email me…" she said fishing her phone out of her pocket.
He filled the contact screen quickly and handed the phone back to her. He silently walked away from her. She watched his back for a few moments before calling out after him:
"Thank you!"
The Following Morning
Sumire awoke to a loud banging on her front door. She padded over, still in her nightie, and sleepily opened it.
"Good morning miss. We're here to move your things."
Sumire stared up at a tall skinny man dressed in a simple grey uniform. She wiped her eye still trying to understand what he said. She suddenly felt his eyes on her slightly exposed cleavage and bare legs. Her face flushed.
"Um. One moment."
She swiftly spun around and darted into her room. Locking the door behind her, she dressed and came out. The worker was still there waiting patiently outside her door.
"Um… movers, you said…"
"Yes, we've been hired to pack you up. Is everything already in boxes?"
"Um… no. I was…"
"Alright, we'll get started."
He stepped in, followed by another man in a uniform carrying packing supplies. Sumire stood there is shock as her apartment was quickly packed and out the door. Wait… where am I going… and…
"Miss, the car is outside waiting for you as well."
"The car?"
"Your ride to your new home, I assume."
"Oh, thank you…"
The movers bowed to her one final time before heading out the front door. Sumire did a final check through of her old apartment before stepping outside. There was a car parked behind a medium sized moving van, a man in a suite was waiting outside the car with a kind smile. Sumire walked down the stairs to the man waiting for her.
"Koizumi-san. I'm here to take you to your new home."
"Oh, okay. I just have to turn in my key." Her voice was dreamy, still incredibly shocked.
"I'll be waiting here."
"Un."
When she returned, he was exactly as he had said, waiting patiently by the passenger side door. He opened it and bowed his head. Sumire nervously stepped inside. She stared out the window at as the building grew smaller and they drove away.
X
Sumire gazed at the traditional housing she stood before. The outside was lined with a large white wall with a slanted paneled roofing. The two large wooden doors in front of her were swung open as the movers brought her few things towards up a stone path that led to a traditional home. The building was huge, like homes she had only seen in photos on the internet, and complete with a thatched roof sliding doors. As she studied the home in front of her she noticed a path leading around to a garden with a small pond. Her legs moved on their own down the path, until she was beside the body of water. A pointed stick of bamboo titled downwards and tapped loudly against the edge of a rock, pouring out the water that had filled it. The fresh water stirred the murky water of the pond, but as it settled she saw gentle ripples at the surface remaining. A koi fish appeared through dark water and she gasped in awe.
"Oh my goodness."
"You've made yourself at home."
She jumped and straightened, turning around to face the voice. Kakuzu was leaning against the railing on the wooden walkway of his home. Just before his crossed legs were a small set of steps. His bare muscular arms were crossed over his chest and he was dressed in a grey pants, grey tank top, and a white hood.
"I'm sorry…" as she looked around she felt a deep flush appear on her cheeks. "I didn't realize I would be coming so early, I… I wasn't able to bring a gift…"
She bowed low, unable to look him in the face.
"I'm so sorry."
"It doesn't matter. Come in when you're done getting a sunburn."
She hadn't realized how warm she was until he said it. She recited "pardon the intrusion," slipped off her shoes, and stepped up onto the walkway. She followed him as he padded past the rice paper screen door.
"Your things have been brought to your room."
"Ah… hai… thank you…"
He led her down a short hall another rice paper door and slid it open. Inside her things had been neatly stacked. A brand-new futon was rolled up and left to the side. In her awestruck daze, she simply stood there staring at the room that was larger than any room she had ever resided in.
"Like I said, your rent will be the same as your past one."
"Oh, yes." She snapped out from her dream-like state and reached into her purse to pull out an envelope she prepared the previous evening.
She bowed and held it out to him with her palms facing up. He snatched it from her hand, quickly counted, and walked away without another word.
"…how can you afford this?" she hadn't meant to ask the question allowed, then blushed when she realized she had.
She heard his footsteps pause.
"The previous owners passed away. It came on the market heavily discounted."
"Oh… did they pass away in their sleep here or something?" she said with a soft laugh.
"No," he turned to her, "they were murdered."
The color drained from her face.
"M-murdered… h-here…"
"Ah."
He disappeared into another room. Sumire was trembling in her socks. Murdered. People were murdered here. Oh god. How? How can someone live in a home knowing that? She stepped into the space that was now her room and looked around nervously. There's no… residual energy… or whatever… right… She remained on edge for the rest of the morning and midday as she unpacked her things and stowed them away in the large closet that had been provided for her. When she could hold out no longer she went in search of the restroom.
She exited after completing her business and walked down the hall to where she thought might be the kitchen. Close to the entrance she found it, empty and neat, filled with stainless steel appliances. I need to buy groceries... she thought, something tells me if I used his ingredient's he'd get really angry.
X
The trip to and from the grocery store had taken longer than she anticipated. When she returned, it was early evening and the street lights were starting to come on one by one. In front of the large wooden doors she realized she had forgotten to ask him for the code to come in. She gently pressed the buzzer and waited for him to answer.
Kakuzu's voice came over and he told her the number without her asking. She punched it in and entered through the small side door. She spotted him in a large tatami room with a television on.
"Kakuzu-sama, have you eaten yet?"
"No."
"If you are alright with it, I will be making dinner."
"Ah."
She wasn't surprised by his generally cold demeanor to her presence in his home. It somehow comforted her. She used the cooking appliances he had to fry some fish and prepare some side dishes while the rice cooker worked. She set out two sets of everything. Is this what it feels like to be a housewife? She wondered as she finished.
"Kakuzu-sama, dinner is ready."
She stood by the wooden table in the kitchen until he entered and even then, waited for him to sit before she knelt and served him fresh rice. I seriously feel like a housewife. Eventually she sat across from him and began to eat. A few moments of silence passed, her anxiety rushing through the roof while she hoped what she made was satisfactory.
"You have a talent for cooking."
Her face flushed:
"Oh… no… I'm… not impressive…"
She shyly waved his compliment away as she picked at the small fried fish dish. The rest of the meal was completed in silence. Kakuzu picked up the dishes and brought them to the sink much to her surprise. She wanted to protest, but arguing with him was always a nerve-wracking idea. The water came on and she watched his back as he scrubbed the dishes. Suddenly he cursed and a few sharp ping sounds filled the air.
"Is something the matter?"
She stood up slowly. He was rubbing the base of his ring finger.
"Dropped my ring in the garbage disposal."
"Oh no." She took a step closer to him.
He grunted, still glaring at the stainless-steel basin filled with dishes.
"I could probably reach in there. My hands are pretty small." She leaned over the edge of the sink he was staring into.
He stepped back and she stuck her fingers down into the drain. It crossed her mind that he could turn on the garbage disposal and lacerate her tiny digits, but she put the thought out of her head. She became more aware of a pair of eyes staring directly at her slightly raised bottom. She had risen on her toes to dip her fingers in further.
As she searched for his possession she gathered some courage, then said:
"If you're going to stare at it you might as well grab it."
She felt a twinge of regret at saying it. That… was super forward… he might get mad… or… I…
"Don't start something you can't finish."
The statement sent a thrill through her.
"Is that a challenge?" she looked back at him.
She yelped when a large hand gripped her right cheek. She bit her lip to hold back a moan. She found the object she was looking for and leaned back, she rinsed it and set it on counter. His hand slipped off her as she straightened. She washed her hands, pretending to ignore his presence still lingering behind her.
His body pressed her to the sink and she gasped. She felt something hard digging into her bottom and his hands smoothed up from her waist to breasts.
"K-Kakuzu-sama."
"I said," he leaned down to her ear, "Don't start something you can't finish."
Why do I get so damn hot when he touches me?
"I'm not… ready…"
He let his hands smooth down her torso and he stepped back. He took his ring and walked away. She dried her hands slowly on a grey dish rag while looking after the man who had walked back into the main room. I'm not ready… or am I… I don't know… This… all happened so quickly…
Only two routes left to post! Then I will start updating all of them! :D
