Chapter Two
In which the others find out about his return.
A/N: Le gasp. Thanks for the positive reviews. I read them all. Here's chapter 2: it's short, but I never had a faster update.
"He's back!?"
Naruto and Sakura stared at Kakashi. They didn't even saw the slight moment of sadness that crossed Sai's face, who was standing right next to them.
"Yes. But you can't see him yet."
"Why not!?" Naruto yelled angry. "I need to kick that chicken's ass!"
"You'll see him this evening, then you can kick his ass." Kakashi inwardly sighed, this was so complicated. He knew Sasuke was a huge deal, and it was great that he was back, but Naruto had to become a little patient… "Actually, you'll have thirty days to kick his ass."
"H-huh? What do you mean?" Naruto blinked, confused.
"Since you are going to be locked in a house with Sasuke and six others for thirty days. Sakura is one of these six." Kakashi explained.
Sai looked from Kakashi to his two new friends. It was awkwardly quiet.
"Start packing you two and be at the Hokage's office at six this evening. Ta–ta." And their sensei disappeared in a poof of smoke.
Sai immediately started walking off. He knew Sasuke really wasn't his business.
Naruto and Sakura were both left wrestling with their thoughts. Sasuke was back and they would see him this evening…
"We better go and get some stuff, Naruto." Sakura said quietly. Naruto looked up at her, looked back down, and nodded.
"I guess."
"Sai-kuuuuuuun!"
Ino waved cheerfully at Sai, who slowly walked up to her and her teammates. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. Why did that loser had to come to them!? And what did Ino see in him!? Even Sasuke had been better, in his opinion, then this fake friend.
"Hello, miss Beautiful." Sai greeted her, causing Ino to blush and giggle.
"Sai-kun, weren't you with your teammates?" She asked, flipping her long hair back.
"Yes, but they had other things to do. Since Sasuke-kun came back."
Chouji almost chocked on his chips. All three of team 10 stared at Sai, who calmly looked back.
'And Sakura and I were just getting closer again!' Ino thought. 'Well, I don't like Sasuke anymore, it's Sai-kun now, and since Sasuke was the reason of our friendship to end… But what if that traitor finds his way back between Sakura and me!?'
"Ino." Shikamaru nudged her and nodded at the sky, where a bird flew.
"Six pm? Start packing?" Ino frowned. "Huh?… Oh my god start packing!? I need to get my things!"
She stormed off, waving and yelling a "Bye Sai-kuuuuuuun!" while running.
"Troublesome." Shikamaru muttered quietly. "I'll see you later Chouji…"
"Yeah." Chouji and Sai watched Shikamaru walk off slowly.
"… So. You hungry, Sai?"
Drag. Drag. Drag.
"… Ten-Ten, are you sure-"
"If you ask me one more time to help me with my luggage Neji I'll kick your ass."
Neji shook his head, seeing Ten-Ten drag the enormous bag up to the Hokage's tower. Consider it – the bag was heavy for a Chuunin. Neji's own backpack was at least 80 times smaller.
"What do you honestly have in there?" Neji asked his teammate. Normally, seeing a girl with a bag like that, he could've guessed the answer: clothes, make-up, clothes, keys, clothes, 300 extra shoes, and more clothes. But Ten-Ten wasn't like normal girls.
"Oh, just the necessary things." Ten-Ten replied coolly. "Weapons."
Of course. How could he forget that.
"We're going to get late like this." Neji remembered her.
Ten-Ten immediately let go of her bag. "Fine! You carry it if you're so amazing!"
He sighed, rolled his eyes, and – while hiding his difficulties – he dragged the bag after him.
"Good luck with carrying it up the stairs." Ten-Ten added, throwing a glare at him.
… Where are Lee and that annoying sensei Gai when you need them?
Hinata ran towards the Hokage's tower, dragging her small suitcase behind her. She was going to be late and she didn't even know for what!
She sped around the corner and almost ran into a man carrying three crates, overloaded with apples.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!" He yelled after her.
"G- gomenasai!" Hinata didn't stop to apologies: the tower was in sight. Maybe it wouldn't be a big deal after all!
She opened the door and ran up the stairs, ignoring the 'thud, thud, thud' her suitcase did every time it hit a step.
Finally, the door to the Hokage's office. The Hyuuga heir made a cry of relief and rushed in without knocking.
Naruto spun around when the door opened. His face fell when he saw it was Hinata. He had hoped it was Sasuke.
"Glad you could make it Hinata, please be patient for a while. Our… guest of honour… should be here any minute."
Tsunade stood with her back to the room, looking out of the window. She sounded rather pissed.
"H-hai." Hinata set down her bag and looked at Naruto's back, because the Kyuubi vessel was already once more staring at the floor. Why had he looked so… so… disappointed when she entered? Was he mad because she came late? Or didn't he like seeing her?…
She looked around, cringing slightly when she noticed her cousin. He was standing next to his teammate Ten-Ten. Was he going to be part of their mission!?
Hinata quickly looked off when Neji suddenly looked back at her. She couldn't help but think that he looked even more displeased then normally.
Sakura was standing next to Naruto. It wasn't that Hinata didn't like the girl – Sakura was very social and kind to everyone – but the fact that Naruto was interested in her wasn't something to cheer about. At all.
Last, there were Ino and Shikamaru standing in the corner. Ino was checking out her long, blonde hair in the mirror (Hinata envied Ino's looks so badly, but not as much as she envied Sakura) and Shikamaru leaned against the wall, staring at the sky through the window.
"He's late." Naruto said suddenly, startling half of the group.
"I know." Tsunade added with an annoyed sigh.
"Excuse me, Hokage-sama." Ten-Ten stepped forward. "We're not waiting for Kakashi-sensei are we? Cause if we are, its no use to-"
The door opened again, causing everyone to turn. There, in the doorway, stood the long expected quest.
Uchiha Sasuke.
