A/N Most expensive toilet paper in the world: Renova (comes in six different colours and self-described as "the sexiest toilet paper")
Compound Interest
V V V V V V V
It would take a miracle to make everything right again.
Maybe living by herself was not such a good idea. Hinata thought as she unloaded her laundry that had somehow turned a slight pinkish colour. Biting her lip and slightly exasperated, she pulled out a vivid red skirt with the clear instructions to "watch separately".
Oh well, looks like she has to go around wearing pink underwear again until she got around to buying new ones again.
Though now that she thought about it, perhaps it was not a good idea to waste her limited finances upon undergarments that nobody would ever see. But pink was such an objectionable colour...
Hinata faced it. Pampered by the Hyuga household, never limited in money in any way, she was utterly lost now in a world that depended upon the circulation of those bits of paper.
While perhaps her personality was not spoiled, indeed most people had found her a very agreeable person, her lifestyle certainly was.
Again and again, she told herself it was better to be away from her family. The hurt of inadequacy left as soon as she did. It did however leave the sting of loneliness and gave her a new perspective of her cousin Neji.
She finally appreciated the conversations they've had and the skills he tried to teach. She only wished she listened.
For the Hyuga heiress to adapt to such a completely different life would take a miracle.
It would take a big one.
Toilet paper in only one colour? Ridiculous. The fact that she was not able to buy that surround sound television that had looked so entrancing in the commercials was even more ridiculous. Most disgustingly, her income wasn't enough for her to buy her favourite Alterna Ten shampoos. And they only cost about sixty dollars for an 8.5 oz bottle!
She bought the shampoo anyway because it's better to be dirt poor but clean than dirt poor and well, dirty. For someone who missed her apartment rent twice in a row now, she did smell nice, even without the kilograms of skin care products she left back in the Hyuga household.
Left without good financial sense, her monetary burden grew heavier and the bank had outright refused to give her the loan for the $790,310 Luca Bojola bathtub she wanted.
Though her pleas for help scared away even the most hardened financial advisors, they seemed to attract creditors from everywhere. All because of just a few unpaid credit card bills... and a few more unpaid debts to various other persons of prestige... and well, there was the fact that come tomorrow, she would have missed her apartment rent three times...
But it wasn't as if she was not a nice person. She was calm, gentle, smiled often and was actually quite intelligent. Her only flaw would be zero financial sense.
Much to her chagrin, lack of money led to her finding less expensive pastimes – watching people: in the least creepy way possible. . If there was a man sitting next to you and staring, it would be considered socially inappropriate. If he were staring at you over a cup of coffee, it became fine and normal behaviour.
Every Saturday, she spent time in the coffee shop. It had no other name but that though it was one of the two shops in the Supermarket. None of them had any official name so she resorted to calling it the coffee shop and the other one the cheap coffee shop. They were opposite each other as well which made people watching really convenient.
Eventually her hobby became a game.
At times in the coffee shop, she saw the "regular people", those who came as often as she did and she became accustomed to their appearances.
There was the Poodle Lady, an old woman with blue rinsed grey hair. She was called the Poodle Lady because her skirt was very much like a poodle skirt, fluffed up and round, pulled high up just below the chest. Her hair resembled that of a dog's as well.
There was also the Asymmetrical Boy. As his name suggests, the clothes he wore were always asymmetrical. Sometimes one sock was a different colour than the other. Sometimes one sleeve was longer than the other. He always walked with a limp because he was born with one leg shorter than the other.
Every two weeks came The Gentleman. No matter how hot it was outside, he always wore a nice dinner jacket, and neat slick tie. All he drank was black coffee though Hinata suspected he added a lot of sugar and milk. When The Gentleman left his table, there was no sugar packets left.
But...
Of all the strange and eccentric people she met, none was stranger than the man whom she called Mr. Hobo. She knew it was a bit of a cruel name, but her thoughts were always more caustic than her behaviour seemed to suggest.
Mr. Hobo was covered by the aura of strange. His hair was ordinary, its spikes flat and uninteresting. His skin was dark and not very distinctive. The feature of his that stood out would be his bright green eyes that peered above the red scarf that covered the entire lower half of his face. He always ordered cheap coffee at the cheap coffee shop and smelled of mothballs and bad detergent.
However, it was not his appearance or aura of strange that granted him the spot of honour in her People Watching Book. It was a special ability of his that she gleefully discovered – Creditors avoided him like the plague.
So now, every Saturday she spent drinking (not cheap) coffee, she enjoyed the anti-creditor vibe that Mr. Hobo gave out so strongly. She could see them everywhere. Peering from outside, trying to catch a glimpse of her before scuttling away when they caught sight of Mr. Hobo.
It was definitely him that drove them away. She even confirmed her theory when stalki- following him one day and found her path free from any antagonistic force.
Because of his usefulness to her, it was only natural that when she saw him, sitting dolefully in the corner of the cheap coffee store, she said hi.
In all honesty, it was not exactly what many would call "natural". She stuttered a lot, blushed a lot out of embarrassment for talking to a stranger, a grown stranger far older than her and he stared at her in a weird way that made her wonder if she was the first person in the world to say hi to him.
She reminded herself, she only said hi because of his usefulness. She was not a socially deprived girl well on her way into becoming a crazy cat lady.
But, in that simple greeting, and his failure to provide a response, Hinata became aware of how much an absence can hurt. Since living by herself, she hasn't talked to anybody or made friends with anybody.
Moving away from the Hyuuga household opened up a whole geography of emotions that were painful to deal with. Loneliness. Hurt. The erasure of imagination as the terrible world weariness of solitude descends.
The first contact with Mr. Hobo was unlikely. Hinata was young. Mr. Hobo was old. He seemed the type to like dull pastimes and couldn't be expected to return things as frivolous as greetings.
The second contact with Mr. Hobo occurred by chance. On yet another Saturday, Hinata sat in the coffee shop watching people. He was nowhere to be seen. While she spent time looking for other people to watch, she realized a creditor making his stealthy way towards her.
She left her coffee by her table and ran over to the cheap coffee store. They had conveniently placed potted plants that would do quite well as camouflage. Choosing a table at random, she plonked down, breathing heavily as she watched the confused creditor.
"Go away," a gravelly voice intoned.
Hinata gave a small shriek. She hadn't realized the table was occupied... she glanced up to meet the steady (annoyed) green gaze of Mr. Hobo.
"U-u-u-uhh s-sorry," she squeaked. Oh God, it looked like the creditor had found her and was making his very smug way to the cheap coffee store. "M-may I s-sit?"
Mr. Hobo made an annoyed sound but acquiesced. Perhaps he couldn't be bothered to chase her away. He moved as if to make for another table but out of desperation, and to her eternal embarrassment, Hinata groped at his sleeves, forcing him to either sit down or look like a total jerk breaking free from a young girl's determined grip.
He gave a "the fuck?" look. It was awful to behold.
It was however quite worth it when Hinata's creditor saw who she was sitting with, made a small meep sound and ran back to his office where he then retired from the world of crediting and chose the safer profession of alligator dentistry.
Nice, so he was keeping the creditors away. Now, Hinata better make sure he would never leave.
"S-s-stay please," she managed, tightening her grip on his sleeve as she glanced around nervously. "I'll p-pay for your coffee."
A loud thump resonated, followed by the long grate of a chair as he sat down. He didn't look at her face.
"It cost one fifty," Mr. Hobo said.
It was also the second time Hinata heard him speak.
A strange "friendship".
She bought him coffee every week. The irrational loneliness she felt from people watching also ebbed away, replaced by boredom.
Mr. Hobo – or Kakuzu as she learned – was not much of a conversationalist. Neither was she for that matter and eventually, starved of words, Hinata realized that she would very much like something a bit more than the awkward companionship they shared every Saturday.
It was therefore unexpected that it was Kakuzu who first broke the silence. Maybe he was starved of a social life too.
"You like watching people."
Hinata flushed red. Of course observant people might notice, but they'd always take it the wrong way.
Kakuzu continued.
"I like watching people too."
Hinata stopped shaking so much. Kakuzu remained silent. Gathering up her courage, Hinata cleared her throat and managed to choke out the people she watched, from the Poodle Lady to the Gentleman. She left out Mr. Hobo.
Kakuzu snorted.
"Poodle Lady? It's not a skirt. She's pregnant. The Asymmetrical Boy is actually two people. They're twins and they have coffee on alternate weeks, but never together. The Gentleman doesn't have sugar in his coffee. You'll notice that when he leaves, there are no torn bits of sugar packets, he carries them with him."
He gave her a smug look.
"You'd make a good ninja," Hinata said frowning.
"If I'd make a good ninja, you'd make a very bad one."
As Hinata spluttered out a protest, she couldn't help but notice the look of deep satisfaction that crossed his face.
Alas, creditors still pestered her every other day.
That was why she was extremely surprised to see an empty path back to her apartment. This was not a good sign, and as dampened as her woman's intuition was in a modern commercial world, the tense feeling of "not rightness" came over her, followed by a numb feeling in her fingers.
With an almost apathetic look upon her face, she opened the door to her apartment. What she found was that someone had moved in.
"Ahh... sorry Hinata," her landlord said with a smug yet slightly apologetic smirk. "I left a notice for you that new people were coming in next week, but I don't think you got it."
Hinata vaguely recalled that notice ending up in the trash with the rest of her bills.
"No, it should be me who is sorry," she found herself saying. "P-Please just give me some time to move my belongings out."
As luck had it, they had already thrown her stuff out with the garbage. She left the apartment and she gave them her spare key.
The only logical option would be to call the Hyuga household, apologize for running away and sink back into luxurious bliss.
But there was no harm going back for another cup of coffee now was there?
"Hinata," Kakuzu said as a greeting.
"Kakuzu-san," she said morosely.
Of course he noticed her mood and questioned her more out of curiosity than any real concern. She explained her circumstances. She left out the part about her owing people a lot of money.
"Hm." Was all he said for some time.
They drank coffee in silence and when Hinata turned to leave, prepared to go to the park and sleep just like a hobo, he spoke.
"I live in an apartment nearby. My roommate left quite recently."
He didn't say that he was offering her the room. But it was quite obvious he was. His eyes remained away from her face, determinedly staring at the potted plant.
"T-Thanks."
V V V V V V V
That was how she found herself at his apartment. It was a very nice apartment. It had a living room. It had a kitchen. Light swept in through the floor to ceiling windows giving the wonderful atmosphere of cleanliness and spaciousness.
Hinata asked where the room was.
"The room isn't... ready."
"I-I'm sorry, I d-don't understand?"
Kakuzu made an irritated noise. He didn't like elaborating.
"It's not... decorated. You'll have to move in another day unless you don't mind the... current decor."
Hinata immediately pegged him as the designer type (terrible as she was at evaluating people). Maybe he was just really concerned about aesthetics than whether the room was serviceable or not.
Either way, he (rather reluctantly she thought) showed her to the room.
Kakuzu then had to revive a fainted Hinata by plunging her head into a basin of water before explaining to his neighbours that the bloodcurdling (and girlish) scream from Hinata was perfectly normal and they had nothing to worry about.
"Look, its just blood. Nothing to worry about. My last roommate just had a funny hobby. Everybody has funny hobbies." He was a total psycho. Stabbed himself about fifteen times, didn't die. Swore a lot too. The room has such bad atmosphere now that I probably won't even stay in there if you paid me. You were the one who wanted a room.
"Blood," Hinata said flatly. It wasn't that she was no longer nervous. It was just that she shot right past the "nervous fainting" stage and had reached the slightly crazed plateau for the really nervous. No longer being able to cope, the body can seem to be amazingly calm, in contradiction to the thoughts screaming at her to run out of the apartment and back to the sanctuary of the Hyuga.
"It'll come off the walls eventually," he said in what he probably thought to be a soothing voice. "The ceiling will take some time, but I did take the time to replace the bed and the sheets."
Fate is inevitable as Neji told her. Hinata was fated to move in with Mr. Hobo since the morning her landlord kicked her out.
Blood or not.
V V V V V V V
As it turned out, Kakuzu wasn't a bad roommate. Hinata never did waste the water or electricity. Sure she spent a lot but as he assumed she had the money, she never saw the brunt of his wrath. An annoyed look when she came back from shopping, but nothing more.
Hinata knew she wouldn't be able to even pay her share of the rent for the first few months with her low finances but she'd manage somehow.
Creditors haven't bothered her the day she moved in with him after all.
V V V V V V V
A bit too soon, it was time for the monthly payment.
Hinata had her script prepared.
She gave a look that would make any healthy person turn diabetic.
"Um... I'm s-sorry, I d-don't appear to h-have the money," perfect dismay and horror filled her voice. "I p-promise I'll pay back next m-m-month."
"You don't have the fucking money?" Kakuzu asked.
Now, Hinata glanced up, shocked at his sudden hostility where she had only seen calm, before shooting her head down again as she met a gaze that could accurately be described as murderous.
It was very different from the polite niceness she had started to associate with him.
She couldn't even bring herself to say sorry.
"Too good to be true I told myself," Kakuzu sneered.
"I-I'll p-pa-
He interrupted her.
"No, not good enough." He stalked closer to her, forcing her to back up until she was against the door.
He punched his fist against the wall right next to her head and leaned in close.
By now the proximity of his body to her was getting very uncomfortable. She could feel the heat of his body, murderous intent in his startling eyes and feel the rise and fall of his heavy breathing.
Oh yes, he was very angry.
"Use detergent instead of shampoo, it's cutting the money you spend in half. You really don't have to use soap. Toilet paper is unnecessary. Use your hands then wash off afterwards. Don't buy water, drink tap water. The Pizza restaurant's throwing food out hour is around eleven at night. The coffee shop throws out food at six in the morning; the food is still fresh enough to eat. Pawn all your ridiculous belongings," he paused, then reluctantly added, "The donation box they leave at the cashier counter is locked but when the people come to collect it, they transfer it to another box you can find in the management office that is not locked."
That was unexpected.
"W-what?"
He huffed.
"You'll pay me back eventually, and it'll be a start once you learn how to save money."
Kakuzu then pulled away and headed off into the room, slamming the door, muttering something about "kids these days".
Hinata breathed and relaxed.
The door opened again, suddenly.
"And you're paying the full rent for the next four months."
Breathe.
V V V V V V V
Hinata had stopped going to the expensive coffee shop every Saturday. It really was a waste of money... but today... maybe she could make an exception.
"Kakuzu-san!" she said cheerfully. "I'm going off to get some of the expensive coffee. Come along?"
She didn't miss the glare of hatred he shot her. Pure green venomous rage.
Hinata continued her sentence.
"I have coupons."
Kakuzu got off his chair, and walked thoughtfully towards her.
Hinata took a step back. She couldn't help it. That man moved like a murderer. She flinched as he raised a hand, head bowed.
Her eyes shot open when she realized that he had just patted her head casually as he walked past her.
"Good girl."
And though she couldn't see his mouth, she was very sure there would be a smug and self-satisfied smirk twitching at the corners.
Sometimes, all it takes is a miracle.
V V V V V V V
A/N Well, this story was fun to write in the beginning, but after going through a significant plot revision, writing just became very painful. Review?