Just How it is
By: Chubby-King-Chocobo
I had to re-write this chapter because I wasn't getting any response...not even negative ones. So that made me kind of sad -sigh- . I really hope this one is better... TT.TT
Summery: Naruto is a nineteen years old who graduated from high school but not going to collage. Naruto finds himself struggling to survive in the streets of Japan, as well as struggling to find a point to his existence. With the help of a new found mentor, and a prick named Sasuke, he just might.
CAUTION: Foul language, bad grammar, OOC-ness ((even though I am trying not to)), adult themes, and an intolerably long author's note after the chapter to explain the thoughts behind the material in this segment.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it belongs to god-like genius, Masashi Kishimoto. I am nothing but worm beneath his feet.
It was loud, so goddamn loud in that bar. What's with all this noise? Don't people know how to shut up? A nineteen years old boy, not yet legally a man, cradled his unruly blond head in his arms, head buzzing irritably from all the alcohol he consumed.
Naruto had just finished off from work when his cell phone rang. A couple of old friends since junior high called asking if he wanted to hang out and drink, and not being one to refuse such an invitation, especially if liquor is involved, Naruto agreed. So there he was, two hours and six drinks later, after getting razzed and razzing back, feeling the full wrath of his binge.
The blonde's vision became impaired, coordination non-existent, hearing muffled, and head swimming with nothing comprehensively tangible. The rowdiness of the crowd around him just made it so much worse. His head felt like it was going to crack.
Got to love the after effects.
Through all the chaos, Naruto felt a strong hand on his shoulder, shaking it.
"Hey man," a brunette called out, getting no response from the blond. "Oi, Naruto!" he called louder, unaware he was disturbing the people around him. The brunette was also caught in his own alcoholic buzz. "You okay man? You look like shit." Naruto just growled shrugging the pestering hand off of him.
"Shit, maybe I shouldn't 'ave let you drink. You're fucking wasted, man!" the brunette slurred laughing, glancing at his friend's reeling face.
"Shut up, Kiba. Your making my headache worse," Naruto grumbled hotly, swatting the hand away as it found its way back to his shoulder. Kiba continued to laugh at his friend's misery.
"Are you sure it's okay to give Naruto beer? I mean, he's still underage," came the concerned voice of another companion, sitting two stools away from the said blond. The man sitting between him and the suffering Naruto shook his head in mild disapproval.
"Don't worry yourself over that, Chouji. Being technical is too troublesome, " the lazy man drawled scratching behind his erect ponytail. The chubby man nodding in understanding. "Besides, Naruto knows how to hold his alcohol."
Shikamaru warily eyed the half dozen empty mugs on the counter that littered around the drunk blond. 'But six rounds is over doing it, even for him...' he thought with a cringe, imagining the massive headache the blond was having at that moment. A strange thing about Naruto, it took a lot to get him drunk, but the punishment people usually gets hours after drinking came quickly to the blond. A mystery.
"Un, but he looks really out of it though..." Chouji persisted watching the blond sway dangerously in his seat.
"Let's dump him in the garbage bin!" Kiba suggested, laughing.
"So troublesome," Shikamaru muttered taking another swing of his drink.
For the rest of the time, Kiba ranted off about the woes and miseries in his life. About how his older sister "accidentally threw in" a red sock with his white underwear, about how his older sister blacked mailed him into cleaning up the diarrhea of one of the pedigree dogs they are breeding (the Inuzuka family trade), and how he was trying to woo a mysterious pale girl named Hinata that he met at the park the other day.
"We---ll, I didn't exactly ask for her name, I just heard some old geezer call her that." Kiba admitted. His face would have glowed red if it wasn't for the fact his cheeks were already sanguine. "Maaan, I was too chicken-shit to even talk to her!"
"Grow a spine," Shikamaru mutter, Naruto whole heartily agreed.
"And, CUT!" A loud voice boomed throughout the park.
"Good work, everyone!" an aged man with unruly, long, white, hair called out to his crew. Men and woman echoed his words, scrambling with camera and light sets, taking them too and fro, dissembling and packing them. The white haired producer and director smiled proudly at his diligent stage crew workers and turned to beam at his actors. Talented young men and women, how they shine in front of the cameras, inflamed in passionate cries, angry tears, dramatic moments, and heart wrenching kisses! Especially that thespian genius, Uchiha Sasuke! How he makes to ladies fall!
Yes, actors! They will make his TV drama a success! Just like his novel Icha Icha Paradise!
"Gya-ha-ha-ha!" the perverted director laughed hysterically, frightening some of his crew members.
The new assistant makeup artists watched the director with a perplexed expression, hesitantly brushing long pink strands behind her ear. This was her first night on the job, and she already thought her boss was a nut case.
"Don't worry, Sakura-chan, Jiraiya-sama is always acts like that," came a friendly, feminine voice.
"Ino-san!" the pink haired Sakura exclaimed, turning around to face her senior-in-trade. The older blond grinned, wrapping her arm around her assistant's shoulders.
"You'll get use to our director's odd behavior in no time. And I thought I told you to call me Ino-chan." Ino chastened amiably. The makeup supervisor suddenly pulled the pink haired girl down closer, almost into a headlock. Lightly painted lips curled in a sly smirk. "More importantly," she began in a slow, suggestive, voice, tickling Sakura's ear, "there he is." Sakura followed the direction of the pale blue eyes, until she landed on the raven haired, Uchiha Sasuke, the star of the drama. The assistant blushed.
"Aw, no need to be shy, kid." She teased, releasing her hold on Sakura. "Practically all of the female crew here joined because of Sasuke-kun." The female workers nearby blushed, ashamed at the truth of what Ino said, but gave no indication that they heard. "I, on the other hand, have been with Leaf Productions since I got my diploma as a makeup artist," Ino boasted.
Sakura fell in love with Sasuke when she first laid eyes on him at Todai, when she was studying medicine. The pink haired girl thought it must have been fate that the two went to the same collage, but most of all of the other girls probably thought so too, not that any of that information was important. When Sakura heard that a talent scout from Konoha Productions begged and convinced the handsome Uchiha to join their project, Sakura quickly changed her major and dropped out of Tokyo University. Her parents cried.
From that day forward, Sakura vowed that with the power of her love, she would watch over Sasuke-kun and one day have him as her own.
"But I guess I wouldn't mind dating a younger man if he's as hot as Sasuke-kun," Ino added with a wink. The green eyed girl felt an odd sensation of competition raise at her superior's last words. "Now then," Ino said clapping Sakura on the back, "Back to work we go!"
Uchiha Sasuke slipped on his black, polyester jacket. Crew workers and fellow actors bowing politely to him, wishing him a good night, majority being of the opposite gender. Few young women in the distance did nothing but stand and watched him, giggling to one another as he spared them a glance. Sasuke assumed the women were just Extras that hung around until the end of the scene, just to meet him. Foolish woman. Finally one approached, the others looking scandalously at her. She wore a strapless tube-top that hung off her breasts, indecently short mini-skirt, and stiletto heels. The scantily dressed woman was also thin to the point were it she looked sickly. Humph. She probably couldn't even excite him.
"Hi," the young woman said, smiling sweetly. "You're Uchiha Sasuke, right?" The woman clasped her hands behind her back, leaning forward into his personal space, exposing her breasts to the apathetic Uchiha.
"Yeah," he curtly replied. 'As if you didn't already know,' the Uchiha accused silently.
"Waaah, lucky!" She squealed childishly, continuing with her false act. "My name is Asuka, want to come play with me?" Her wide dark blue eyes narrowed in a seductive way, baby pink lips twisted into a dangerous smile.
Sasuke smirked eyeing the predatoral female up and down. Bleached blond hair, dark tan skin, cosmetics heavily applied making her look like a reversed panda.
"How annoying, what makes you think I would waste my time on the likes of you?" He tilted his head, looking at her as if saying 'you are nothing but dirt under my feet.'
Asuka stiffened in fury, nostrils flared, as she held up her arm to slap him. Just as she was about to bring it down, another hand ensnared the skinny wrist from behind. The tanned woman violently twisted around to confront whoever dared intrude. Dark blue eyes widen a fraction, then narrowed as she saw a girl with long pink hair and green eyes hold tightly onto her wrist, immobilizing it.
"What the fuck, bitch?" she screeched at the girl, "Who said you could fucking touch me?" Sakura stared evenly at the lewd woman, refusing to let go of the tanned wrist.
"Please do not touch our actors," she commanded placidly, nothing betraying her authoritative voice, while Inner Sakura was another matter. " 'Shannaro! You bitch! Who do you think you are touching MY Sasuke-kun! Huh!'"
Sakura released the arm, flinging it violently to the ground. The two furious woman glared at each other, before Asuka briskly walked away, with whatever pride that was still intact.
"Are you alright, Uchiha-san?" the pink haired assistant asked, blushing. 'Gaahh! Was it really okay for me to do that? Well there's no way in hell I was going to let that bitch touch my Sasuke, but a women isn't suppose to play 'Hero' to her knight and shinning armor! What if Sasuke-kun thinks I am not feminine enough because of that? What if Sasuke-kun won't like me because--'
"...What's your name,"
Sakura blinked. "--eh?"
"I asked you what your name was," Sasuke said rolling his eyes. Sakura's own eyes lit up.
"Ha-Haruno Sakura," She nervously stuttered cringing. Even to her ears, her voice sounded too high, and too loud.
"Hn," he said then walked away, leaving the starry-eyed Sakura behind.
Taking out a cigarette and sticking it between his lips, he lit the other end, until smoke rose from the tip. Sasuke smirked inhaling in satisfaction. "Now, to find my own 'entertainment.'"
Three heads perked up when they heard the dull screech of metal sliding on tile floor. The minor of the group rose unsteadily to his feet, wobbling ever so often.
"It's gettin' late. I gotta get going," Naruto slurred taking one testy foot forward, "Thanks for the drinks." He waved good-bye languidly at his companions, stumbling towards the exit.
"Hey, anytime man, anytime!" Kiba cried out waving back enthusiastically.
'Yeah, you need it,' Shikamaru added silently watching the blond shuffle precariously towards the door.
"Hey, Naruto," the ponytailed man called out after some thought. The blundering teen turned, facing whoever hollered his name. "You gonna be okay?"
Naruto stared at his long time companion for a moment, comprehending his words before turning away and giving his friend another half-hearted wave and disappeared through the door.
If Shikamaru was a better friend, he would have escorted the drunk Naruto back to the blonde's apartment or at least to the train station. But alas, Shikamaru was the type of guy who was way too lazy to actually get off his ass and lend a hand, as well as being pretty intoxicated himself--his latter and more weaker excuse.
'Besides' He reasoned nursing his drink 'Wasted or not, Naruto can take care of himself.'
"Wha---t? Did Fox-face leave already?"
It's not like anything was going to happen...
Street lights illuminated a lone figure walking sluggishly through the streets, tilting ever so slightly to the side. Blond hair hung down, hands limply at his side.
"Ugh, what time is it..." Naruto mumbled clutching his head and looking down at his wrist watch. He tilted his wrist inwards as the reflection from the street lamps got in the way. "Ten twenty-seven...damn. Is the trains even still open?" Naruto tried to recall the time the train station closed, but his fogged up mind couldn't pull anything up. He brought his free hand to clutch his chest, grabbing a fist full of his orange shirt. "Ugh...I think I am gonna puke."
Somehow Naruto managed to walk ten minutes in a relatively straight line and without blowing chunks. The nineteen years old could honestly say he was proud of himself. Next the blond hopped on a bus, hoping it was the right one that would take him closer to his district, if Naruto was right, he would have a two hour walk to look forward to. Whoop-dee-fucking-doo. Azure eyes looked around at all of the diagonal seats, as the bus started inching forward.
It was fairly vacant, just two businessmen sitting one seat away from each other, both with tired blank stares, two collage students who's got nothing better to do than go out, and a loner redhead sitting as far away from everyone else as possible. Naruto took a seat one spot diagonal from the redhead, that way, if he came, not as many people would have to suffer.
Naruto groaned, slouching in his seat. Maybe the movement of the bus wasn't such a good idea. He could feel the sour bile rising in his throat, Naruto desperately fought it down. 'Shit, this isn't good...' He turned his head and stared out the window, trying to keep his mind off of the inevitable. Closing his eyes and concentrating, he felt an odd sensation, like he was being watched...watched by something that wanted to kill. Irritated more than anything else, blue eyes snapped open, glaring straight back at fierce green ones.
The young man in front of him was the epitome of "Tokyo Street Fashion." The crazy dyed red hair, sea-green eyes surrounded by menacing black, the random tattoo with the kanji 'Ai' on the side of his forehead, the tight fit black tee with fishnet, baggy pants with crisscross studded belts, straps, and combat boots. Along with all of this, the redhead had a lot of silver chains dangling from of his clothes and one wicked looking piece around his neck. In short, he looked like a scrawny, pale, street punk. If it wasn't for the eyes that serenely screamed 'stay the fuck away from me or die,' Naruto, he would have liked it.
Any normal person would have shrunk away from the redhead's glare, but Naruto continued glaring right back. Something about the expression that person wore seemed too familiar, too irksome, it pissed him off--and it was not because of the influence of alcohol.
'How old is this guy?' Venomous green continued scowling straight at Naruto. 'Seventeen, eighteen ? What the hell is wrong with him?' He thought with a sneer, forgetting all about his miserable state.
A bell chimed as the driver announced the location and stopped, the remaining people got off from the front, paying as they left. Only Naruto and the stranger remained, never breaking the piercing stare. The bus lurched forward, once more taking to the main road.
The driver glanced at the clock, then back to the lit streets, counting the number of minutes left until his shift ended and he could return home.
'An empty home,' he thought with a sigh. It was hard to get a girl now-a-days. It was not as if he was old or ugly, truth-be-told he was plain looking with nothing special about him, but he was still young. That has to count for something...right?
Shaking his head, the youthful driver glanced at the front mirror, checking for passengers.
'Two, huh?' he thought with another sigh. 'Wait...are they scowling at each other?' The driver leaned forward checking the figures in the mirror more closely.
The atmosphere was suffocating as the two continued their silent battle. One wore a irritated frown, the other a stoic mask, but with one look at the sea-green colored eyes, the disdain was more than apparent.
'Fuck, I think he's serious!' Naruto thought as the teen in front of him started twitching, as if he was ready to jump the blond. 'But like hell I am going to loose to Raccoon-boy here.' Naruto let out an involuntary growl.
As if the malice was fueled by some unknown force, the licensed operator watched as the death glares intensify with a shudder.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of someone retching behind him, followed by someone yelling: aw, shit. The sour stench that filled his nose was all he needed to confirm his suspicions.
The driver glanced at the clock, then back to the lit streets, counting the number of minutes left until his shift ended and he could return home.
Sasuke walked down the red-light district in Shibuya, the place for the young to hang out and party, though the type of party that the young thespian was looking for wasn't the live music and dancing all of the others came for. Stepping out of the main road and into the shady streets, musk intruded Sasuke's nose causing him to shake his head in attempt to dispel the odious scent as he continued to walk on.
On the street in front of Sasuke, a group of male teens, wearing torn jeans and baggy shirts sat on the foul asphalt, leaning against a corroding building. Some held their dyed head's down, as if dead or asleep, and others looked up at the starless sky that seemed to mocked them. Needles, syringes, and various paper with powder, scattered around them, telling Sasuke the tall tale of their deeds. In another alley, next to Sasuke, he could see a high school girl getting fucked by a man wearing respectable white-shirt and dark slacks, a man old enough to be her dad. Sasuke neither gagged nor batted an eye at the repulsive sights. They were too familiar to him anyway.
"Heey!" A loud voice called out from behind the Uchiha, far too cheery for a such a macabre place. "I've seen you here before!" Sasuke turned his head, looking at who had spoken.
There stood a boy with a sweet face, maybe fifteen, maybe sixteen. He wore a ripped tight fit shirt, revealing both shoulders and lean stomach, and tight fit black pants that hung dangerously low on his hips. The young boy was also accessorize with a thin leather collar around his neck, a dangling earring in one ear, and an earcuff on the other. Everything about that boy advertised his sexuality.
"So, what do you come here looking for?" the boy asked with an innocent smile, walking up to Sasuke.
"For some fun," the raven haired man replied, mesmerized by the swaying of the earring.
"Oh?" Thin, pale, arms encircled Sasuke's neck, bring the man's body closer to his own until their groins nearly touched. "Would you like to have fun with me?" Boyish brown eyes stared up questioning at the handsome young man.
"Depends on what kind of 'fun' you are offering," Sasuke lightly thrusted himself against the boy, making the prostitute tilt his head back, moaning. 'So a lolita type is he?' Sasuke observed with a sadistic smile. 'Not that I mind, as long as I get the satisfaction I want.'
Author's Note:
Puahaha, Sasuke is a naughty boy.
Yep, this is the re-write. Not sure if it's for the better or for the worse, but I tried my best! So in my attempt, I added a few things to first chapter and introduced more characters, one of them being Sasuke who I wanted to introduce a lot later...
Anyway, starting from the top, in Japan you become an "adult" at age 20, this is the year that people are legally allowed to drink and smoke (and die from liver failure and lung cancer). Why the bartender didn't stop the minor, Naruto, from drinking is beyond me. And Kiba has a potty mouth because I figured drunk people tend to curse up a storm.
One thing I noticed after I wrote the bar scene was that I left Shino out. I didn't mean to, but I keep forgetting about the guy...but I have plans for him now. Mehehehe.
Yes, Sasuke is a TV drama actor! On my summer "educational home stay trip" to Japan, I saw this one drama with a main character that was aloof like Sasuke! So I just had to do it. XD It was way too tempting. I can also see Jiraiya as a drama/movie director, hitting on his female actresses and getting slapped.
I had Ino be older than Sakura, who is about nineteen years old, so that makes her about twenty three, since I wanted the makeup artist to be still in her prime. I like Ino, she's vivacious and dynamic, if not for being vain. I was re-watching some of the old episodes of Naruto where Sakura looked up to Ino and grew because of her. I was touched by that relationship, being the pansy that I am, so that was my inspiration for that idea.
On the topic of age...Shika, Choji, Kiba, Sasuke are twenty, thus adults. Naruto and Sakura are nineteen, so I have a hard time labeling them.
Todai short for Tokyo University
Leaf Konoha so I'll be using them interchangeably for the name of the drama production company.
Anyway, the "Tokyo Street Fashion" in Japan isn't exactly what I described it to be. I am not creative myself to come up with something so bizarre and yet so awesome, but the silver thing is not so off the mark. Silver necklaces, it's either an obsession or a fad. Think Squall or Titus in the FF series.
Shibuya does exist. Shibuya is known for a place for young people to gather on Sunday nights and party to live music, but someone in my group mentioned it was also known for it's more...adult things...but I am not sure.
I am trying to make the story as accurate as possible pertaining to problems in Japan, though I do not claim that I know everything. Because I most certainly don't.
Please give me feedback, it's the only way I am going to improve my writing. I apologize if I end up offend anyone in anyway. ;;