A/N: This story is slightly based on the series, The Wallflower. I like the anime, and thought it would be nice to do a story slightly similar to it (key word: slightly) So, I hope you enjoy it :)
Disclaimer: I do not own.
The Brainiac and The Gentlemen
The Gentlemen.
They had been called to the family room by their landlady, the owner of the prestigious mansion, and world famous (retired) Anesthesiologist, Haruno Asako. The sixty-four year old woman sat across the four teenage boys with a serene and yet slightly serious expression. The boys couldn't help but to feel slightly anxious and eager to know why she had called them in such short notice – they hardly saw her around the house.
"Thank you for joining me gentlemen," she greeted.
"I swear landlady-san, I didn't do it! I didn't do it!!" A blond quickly said, thinking the worse.
"Idiot, calm down." The onyx haired sitting next to him hissed, visibly annoyed by his friend.
"There's no reason for your nervousness Naruto-san, I did not call you because I'll be asking you to leave," – the atmosphere around the boys calmed – "Rather, I called you all here because I need all of you to do me a…huge favor."
"Will you be leaving again Haruno-san?" A pearl eyed young man asked respectfully. His long brown hair was kept tied at the end.
Asako lightly nodded her head, "Yes, I'll be going to the Americas and Europe,"
"For how long?"
"Several months," Asako sighed, "I'll be visiting different places around those lands, seeing old friends, and whatnot," she took a deep breath, "During those months my granddaughter will be staying here, and while she stays here I would like for you four to help her become a real lady."
"What?!" Naruto blurted out.
The onyx haired glared at Asako, "We are not some kind of make-over team Haruno-san." The others nodded in agreement.
"If you succeed in doing so," Asako continued, ignoring their complains, "You will not pay the house rent anymore…"
House Rent: Five-Hundred Dollars.
"Deal." They said in unison.
"I wonder how she looks like…" Naruto said, sitting on the couch un-gentlemen-ish, "'think she's pretty?"
"If she needs a make over, I doubt it," A black haired one, better known as Nara Shikamaru, said, tiredness and boredom all over his face, "This is so troublesome, we have to give someone a make over to get free rent."
"Not paying that amount of money every month is worthy of such trouble," The pearl eyed one, known to everyone as Hyuuga Neji, said.
"I think it will actually be fun!" Naruto said cheerfully, "Don't you think so Sasuke?" The blond looked at his friend, who had been looking out the window for now four minutes, grinning from ear to ear.
"No," Naruto's grin dropped, "Having you around the house is annoying enough."
"Oi shut up!" Naruto retorted, "You're the annoying one! Always hning and tsking." Naruto stuck out his tongue.
"Hn." The youngest Uchiha watched as Asako walked out of the house with her handbag and made her way to the car where he driver waited with the door opened. "Asako is leaving." The others moved to the window to watch the car slowly retrieve the residence.
"Landlady-san said the other Haruno is going to arrive in a few hours…" Naruto said, as if reminding the others.
"Yes, Naruto have you cleaned the mess you made in the kitchen?" Neji asked.
"Argh!! Noooo." and with that, Naruto quickly ran out of the room.
"I'll do a background check on her, see what she's like." Neji informed and walked out; ignoring the weird looks the other two were giving him.
"…blah." Shikamaru lounged on the sofa and closed his eyes, while Sasuke coolly walked out and went to his room.
The Brainiac.
A light yawn escaped her pink lips. I'm so tired, she thought, fighting to keep her emerald eyes open just to make sure she arrives at her grandmother's house in one piece. She couldn't just take a nap – as much as she wanted to – in a taxi, who knows what this total stranger could do!
I don't even know why grandma wanted me to stay at her house for such a long time. Well maybe to take care of it while she's away, but as far as I know other people live there as well. She yawned again. Damn it shouldn't have stayed all night studying.
"Please, turn her into the flower she's meant to be." Asako had told the boys dramatically.
"She used to be a lady?" Neji asked.
Asako shook her head, "Her name's Sakura."
The taxi drove past the main gate and drove through the circled driveway, stopping in front of the two front doors. Sakura stepped out, inhaling the fresh February air and looking at her surroundings, her long pink hair, which was held in a high and neat ponytail, flew with the wind.
"Where's everybody?" she asked herself, raising her glasses with a finger. Normally her grandmother would come out with all of her house workers and warmly welcome her, and even if her grandmother was away, at least the workers would come out, but today…nothing. Only the chirp of some birds.
"Miss," the taxi driver called. He had taken her luggages out of the trunk.
"Oh sorry," The pink haired took out her wallet and paid the taxi driver for the ride. She made her way to the front doors with the red luggages and slowly opened one of the doors. "Hello? Anyone home?" the door fully opened and the young girl's eyes widened.
1
One sat on the stairs tiredly, another stood against a railing coldly, and two were standing in front of the stairs– one smiling cheerfully and the other seriously.
And the pink haired stood by the door completely dazed.
"Hi…" Sakura said her voice barely audible.
"Welcome Sakura-san." Neji nodded in acknowledgement. Sasuke eyed the pink haired up and down – baseball tee with red sleeves, jean capris, and a pair of red Moon Boots.
Sakura took a defensive step backwards, ready to run off if she had to. "Who are you? And why do you know my name?"
She doesn't know?, Neji thought.
"Oh I forgot!" Naruto spoke out of the blue; he took a paper out of his pockets and gave it to Neji, "Landlady-san left that in the kitchen!"
Dear Gentlemen,
Sakura doesn't know who you are or what you will do with her, please tell her – kindly.
Cordially,
Haruno Asako.
P.S. Please Naruto, clean up the mess you made in the kitchen.
Neji let out an exasperated sigh. Sasuke growled and smacked Naruto on the head.
"You couldn't give us that note earlier dobe?!" He yelled.
"Oi I forgot teme!" Naruto rubbed his head, "I was doing what Landlady-san told me to do!"
Shikamaru yawned, "Just tell her…"
"Landlady…?" Sakura said lowly, "So, you are the ones living here?" They all nodded their heads. Wow, grandma sure knows how to pick them…, never in her entire life had Sakura seen such…handsome young men all in the same room. Even in the middle of realization and confusion, she couldn't help but to notice how good looking they were – and even more, that she was going to live them.
"I'm Hyuuga Neji." His eyes were pearly white, his hair was long and brown, and he was probably six feet tall – or maybe a bit shorter.
"And I'm Uzumaki Naruto!" His hair was blonde and spiky, his eyes were electric blue, and he was as tall as Neji – probably an inch or two shorter.
"Nara Shikamaru." His dark hair was held in a high ponytail, his eyes were dark as well, and he was also tall.
"Uchiha Sasuke…" His onyx hair was spiky on the back and straight on the front, his eyes were onyx as well, and just like everyone else, he was tall.
"And we are your mentors," Neji said. Sakura gaped, not completely comprehending what he meant by 'mentors'. "Your grandmother, Asako-san, asked us to help you become a real lady during your stay in the house."
Oh…, Sakura, to the boy's astonishment and confusion, started chuckling – truly trying her best to control her temper. She looked at them and cracked up a fake smile.
"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you all," she started saying.
"Sa-Sakura?" Naruto said, however Sakura continued.
"I believe I can still catch that taxi." She nodded her head and turned her heel quickly. I can't believe grandma would keep trying! Damn it, why can't she just leave me alone?!, the pink haired thought at the verge of tears. She looked around for the taxi or someone, anyone, that could drive her away and back to the train station. But alas, no one was around.
Sasuke angrily took hold of her left wrist, turning her to face him.
"I don't need your help!" Sakura yelled, "So just, leave me alone!!" Sasuke seemed to not be taken back by Sakura's words. His expression was as cold as ever, his eyes held no emotion whatsoever, and he was truly annoyed with her.
"You dress horribly, your skin is dry, your hair has split ends and it's as dry as your skin," An unwilled tear rolled down her face as she stared with astonishment at Sasuke.
"Sasuke-teme you are—!" Neji extended his hand in front of Naruto, who was ready to move toward the two and stop Sasuke.
"And let me just guess, you are too busy studying to take notice of this shit and the social world around you because you only see the future," Sasuke said. He let go of Sakura's wrist, "You can do whatever you want for all I care, but don't think I'll take pity on you." And with that said, he walked inside the house, leaving a speechless group by the door.
Before Naruto could approach the pink haired and comfort her, Sakura quickly ran inside the house and up the stairs to the comfort of her bedroom. She slammed the door shot and locked it, before sliding down the door and on the floor helplessly, trying her best to control the tears that rolled down her face.
Don't cry!, she scolded herself, wiping off all of the tears and finally controlling them. She took a deep breath, reclining her head against the door.
"Why is she always trying to do that?" she asked herself. She took off her glasses and set them on the floor next to her, and even without them she could see perfectly. Sakura stood up, took the glasses and walked over to the full mirror in her lilac, and big, bedroom.
Sasuke's words circled her head again and again as she looked at her reflection.
"You dress horribly, your skin is dry, your hair has split ends and it's as dry as your skin."
She got closer to the mirror and eyed her skin for a few seconds before pouting, "I don't see anything wrong with my skin…what a bastard."
"Jeez teme, did you have to be so harsh?" Naruto asked Sasuke. They were in the kitchen; Sasuke sat at a two person table with his feet on top of the table, Shikamaru sat across him, while Naruto sat on the counter and Neji stood against the counter with his arms crossed.
"Hn." The Uchiha replied carelessly.
"Naruto get your butt off the counter people put food there." Shikamaru ordered slightly annoyed and disgusted. Naruto stuck out his tongue and didn't move.
"Which reminds me," Neji spoke, "What are we going to eat today? And who will cook it?"
"Shotgun to Ramen!!" Naruto quickly yelled.
"No." everyone replied sharply; Naruto glared back at them.
Neji sighed, "We've eaten ramen four nights in a row…"
"It's troublesome…" Shikamaru commented. Naruto glared at him and started yelling at him with something among the lines of, "Ramen is great!" and "Shut up you lazy-ass", while Neji completely ignored him and thought of what they should eat.
"Problem is that none of us are that great when it comes to cooking," he said. ("You shut up Naruto!!") Neji looked at Sasuke, "Do you know how to cook?" Before the Uchiha could answer Naruto roared in laughter, holding his belly tightly.
"Teme! Cook?! Hahaha…" He laughed. Sasuke glared at Naruto and threw the nearest thing to him to the blonds' face – his own shoe.
"Not much, Tomato Soup…?" Sasuke answered. Neji shook his head, not feeling the appetite to eat tomato soup, or any kind of soup, at the moment.
"I can make Gyudon!(1)" Naruto said, throwing the shoe back to Sasuke, intending to hit his pretty face and scar it forever, who caught it with one hand easily. Neji seemed thoughtful for a second before nodding his head.
"Alright Naruto, make five Gyudon bowls," he ordered, "I believe our guest upstairs must be hungry…" Naruto happily nodded and jumped off the counter.
--
Sakura's stomach growled, interrupting the deep silence in the room.
"Nooo, keep it down…" she said to her stomach, setting the book she was holding aside and embracing it. I'm so hungry…, at this thought the stomach growled again. "I should go to the kitchen and--" NO! Sakura stay inside this room, protest! Make a protest!
Sakura huffed and crossed her arms across her chest, "Yeah! I'll stay inside!" and despite the fact that she had a slight stomachache and the growling continued, she picked up the book and kept reading.
--
Sasuke poked the food with his chopstick, staring at it as if it were something from another world – along side Shikamaru and Neji. Naruto stood next to the table wearing a white apron and holding a wooden spoon, waiting for the boys to start eating.
"Well," Naruto tapped his foot impatiently.
"It looks…" Shikamaru trailed off, looking for the right word – horrible, he thought. "Not like Gyudon." Naruto glared at him.
"Naruto, are you absolutely and completely sure that you know how to cook this?" Neji asked, "I do not wish to die of food poisoning."
"'Course I know guys!" Naruto said, slightly offended.
"It doesn't look normal." Sasuke said monotonously, still poking it.
"'Cause it's called Naruto Gyudon! I have my own way of making it!" Naruto grinned proudly. At this, the three boys pushed their plates away from them.
"Let's order pizza." Shikamaru suggested, and the three calmly walked out. Naruto's mouth fell wide open, now he was offended and mad.
"FINE! I bet Sakura-chan will eat it!" he yelled, "…AND LIKE IT!" he added shortly after. He took hold of the tray and stomped out and up the stairs.
She must be really hungry, the blond thought, letting his imagination take over his mind, thus imagining Sakura all drained and unhealthy for not eating in such a long time. He quickly took notice of her luggages still in front of her door. Shortly after she had ran inside, Shikamaru, Neji, and Naruto had carried her luggages upstairs. Teme was harsh on her, he thought sadly, remembering Sakura's tears and face.
"Sakura-chan!" He called, "I brought dinner!"
Sakura's head quickly snapped up and locked on the door, one because the person behind it added the suffix –chan to her name, and two because the person behind it had brought dinner - food.
Don't answer! Stay put!
Her stomach growled, pleading her to open the door.
Shut uuuup!
Her stomach ached…badly.
"Ugh." The pink haired stood up and walked over to the door. She unlocked it and opened it, revealing a cute blond with food and luggages. "Naruto…"
Said boy grinned and invited himself inside her room, "I brought food, thought you'd be hungry," He placed the tray on top of her queen sized bed, "It's a Naruto special! The Naruto Gyudon!!" he said proudly. Sakura walked over to her bed and sat on it, pulling the tray closer and staring at the food weirdly.
"Err, thanks Naruto…kun." She said awkwardly. Naruto grinned and sat down cross-legged across her.
"No problem! The guy's were really mean and stupid, you know? They said it looked weird and Sasuke-teme kept poking it, and Neji was all 'I do not wish to die of food poisoning'" His voiced had lowered when imitating Neji, making Sakura giggle. Naruto stared at her, admiring the girl's smile and how pretty she looked when her eyes cringed. Sakura quickly took notice of the boy's stare and without thinking placed the chopstick (with food) inside her mouth, and began chewing.
"What do you think?!" Naruto gasped eagerly.
"It's…actually good." She ate some more. Wow, she thought astonished.
"HA! YEAH!" Naruto cheered, throwing his arms up in the air, "And those idiots are eating pizza, psshhh! Wait till I tell 'em!" He ran to the door and opened it, but before running out he turned to the pink haired and smiled, "You look really cute when you smile Sakura-chan, so don't cry anymore."
Sakura kept her gaze locked on the spot Naruto had been standing on, rewinding his words over and over again in her head, unable to believe it. Nevertheless, her lips went up in a small smile and she felt nothing but gratitude for the loud mouthed blond – Thanks Naruto-kun.
Shikamaru let out a loud yawn as he flipped through the channels lazily, unable to find something interesting. Next to him sat Sasuke, who had both arms and legs crossed and his eyes closed, Neji sat at the end of the sofa typing on his laptop, and Naruto sat on the floor cross-legged and playing with his Game Boy – since he preferred old school things.
"Argh." Naruto groaned and gritted his teeth while playing.
Sakura walked in and cleared her throat, getting all of their attention. Don't look at him, she reminded herself and tried her best to not look at Sasuke – no matter how incredibly handsome he was.
"I didn't have an opportunity to introduce myself so, I'm Haruno Sakura," she said, "And I accept you as my mentors." And smiled.
To Be Continued…
(1) Gyudon: Gyudon (beef bowl) is a popular domburi dish consisting of beef and onion served over a bowl of rice.
A/N: Just to make is clear this is a SakuSasu story, so don't worry about the slight NaruSaku part this chapter had (though it was cute :p) Please Review and tell me what you think and if I should continue or not. :)
Mary.