Abbreviations:
2.
I do NOT own Naruto in any way.
Neji stood at the door now, his expression unreadable as he absorbed the sight of his friend and the man he had just been introduced to minutes before, lips locked and together on the same bed.
"Should I leave?"
It was an innocent question, but a very good one too.
Naruto got off me, adjusting his shirt and running a hand through his hair, he guided Neji out of the room, leaving me stunned and well, with need to look for a deserted mountain where no one will ever visit and spending the rest of my life there. He closed the door behind them, and I slowly slipped off the bed, as silently as I could, and pressed my ear to the door.
"You're such a player, Naruto. I should have expected this."
"It's not what you think-really! Neji, let me ex-"
"Of course it isn't. I thought you were better than that."
Better than that? What did he mean?
Then it hit me like a bullet train hits a plastic bag.
Were they...
...well...
...together?
I suddenly felt this obscene pang of guilt inside, almost as if it was my fault they were quarrelling (which technically IS-), I stood up from my crouch on the floor and swung the door open.
The two tall men standing in the middle of the entrance hall of the suite stared at me in stunned silence.
I was too embarrassed to look at them, and instead made for the door.
"I'll be leaving now...Sorry for any inconvenience," I closed the door behind me, stalking to the elevators, I made my progress home.
Naruto didn't call for a few days, and I was frankly wallowing in self-pity.
I mean, if Naruto was ALREADY attached, why did he have to come wreck my already ruined life?
I HATED HIM.
When he finally DID call, I didn't pick up.
And it went on, and on, and on, and on and on.
"An, an, an, tottemo Daisuki, dora-e-monnn"
I was so pissed off I dropped the phone into the fish tank and hoped my poor fish wouldn't die of electrocution.
I left for work early the next morning, jogging to the bus stop, so that HOPEFULLY I wouldn't run into that gorgeous monster of a man that might have been waiting outside. As I waited for that lagging piece of metal to come and deliver me to work, a sleek black car drove by, and the evil claws of envy clawed at my being. (It must have cost at least a million...)
And the same car that had sped by was reversing, and stopped in front of the bus stop.
The shiny black windscreen slid down to reveal one of the two people I currently didn't want to see.
Neji.
"Hello." He smiled that gorgeous smile again, and he gestured for me to come over. The other people at the bus stop were staring, and if I heard right, the girl standing at the far end was giggling.
"On your way some place?" He flashed that smile again, almost like nothing in the world was wrong, that he didn't find me kissing Naruto just a few days ago. I nodded, shyly, a bit put off by the way he behaved.
"Want a lift?" I stared at him for a moment, stunned.
Did he want to talk to me about Naruto and himself? Did he want to tell me to back off and maybe murder me in the car and drive it off a cliff? Did he want revenge?
He looked at me, expectantly, that kind smile still plastered to his face.
I got in.
"So what do you do for a living?" His voice was happy, almost eerily so. I sank deeper into my seat, clutching the seatbelt as if for dear life.
"Umm..." He seemed to notice my discomfort, and he chuckled as he made a turn.
"You don't have to be so uptight around me..." He looked at me until we made eye contact, and I returned that ever-present smile awkwardly. He was silent, watching me for a while, and then he shrugged and turned his eyes back on the road.
I couldn't stand the silence anymore.
"I'm a manager..." He raised an eye brow, and with a chuckle, replied, 'that's great!', turning to me, his smile seemed to broaden.
I really didn't feel like continuing that sentence, because, well, I was a sales manager of a local supermarket, and he was most likely some rich fellow who wouldn't need to work for the next seven generations.
Yes, I suppose that's why.
"What type of manager are you?" Ahh, the much dreaded question. I was practically digging my brains for some quick little white lie I could pull off in about fifty milliseconds.
"Umm..."
"Are you embarrassed?" I stiffened, almost jumping, and he responded with a chuckle and a smile.
"Sorry, you just seem so tense. It's alright, you can just tell me. I won't tell anyone."
He sounded so sincere.
"...in a supermarket."
Hold. Wait, did I just admi-
A soft chuckle emitted from the taller man, a pleasant tingle, and he stopped the car, waiting for a traffic light, he sighed almost wistfully. He turned to face me again – it seemed to have turned into a habit, and then he smiled, a different one from the one before; this one was more sincere and childish, having an almost innocent air to it. The rest of the journey continued in silence, with him turning to look at me every fifty seconds, almost as if he was waiting for me to say something.
When someone finally broke the silence, it wasn't me.
"That wasn't so hard now, was it? By the way," He reached over and brushed a stray lock away from my face.
"We're here."
I felt as if my limbs were made of sticks, and I struggled to get the seatbelt off myself, but to no avail.
"Having problems?"
You reached over, placing his hand on mine, his other hand guiding my face to his, and he pressed his lips to my own.
'CLICK.'
I was free from the offending fabric safety measure.
He pulled away swiftly, not meeting my eyes, muttering things like 'I'm sorry, I just kinda lost control-' or something that went along the lines of 'you're just so cute'.
I got off the car and I RAN as fast as my feet could take me into the supermarket.
Was the whole world turning gay!
"Sasuke! Sweetie!" I turned from the milk I was currently putting into place, and smiled as I was greeted by a soft kiss on my left cheek. Soft arms pulled me into an embrace.
"Sakura..." She showered me with kisses, and when she finally pulled back, she flashed me one of those smiles that she KNEW melted my heart.
Yes, Haruno Sakura– My fiancée. (You must think I'm blind.)
She chattered on as I pretended to listen, sorting out the milk packages with little interest. Just the sound of her voice made me feel all fluffy inside. She was the most beautiful person in the world to me. Well, aside from Naruto and Neji, I guess.
Her gentle manner and kind words were the things that made her who she was in the first place, and I loved her. I really did.
Her pink hair was pulled back into a bun, her skin was fair and unblemished, her eyes almond shaped and pretty.
Yes, she was beautiful.
She was the person who got me this job in the first place.
Her cousin owned the place, and apparently, on her recommendation, I managed to get a job here, and well, I was treated pretty well, and I was happy.
We had been dating for about two years now, and we still call each other sometimes at night just to hear each other's voices. It was so...natural.
Besides, she was the only thing that kept me straight anymore.
I was happy.
Really.
She was a high ranking officer in some government owned company, though she didn't act like one. She was down-to-earth, sweet, kind, loving, talkative, cheerful, and cute – everything I ever wanted in a partner. She didn't mind my financial background or clothes or manner, she just accepted me for who I was, and I loved her for it.
I sighed dreamily, moving on to the juices, as she continued complaining about some insane woman she met at work. I nodded at the appropriate times, adding in 'I know what you mean' and 'yes, yes, I understand' here and there. It was how ALL women should be treated. It keeps her happy, which keeps you happy, and when you're happy, it means she's happy, and in the end, we're all happy.
I don't think I'm making sense.
We were getting married in October, a good thing, I suppose, she already had her wedding dress picked out and was currently looking for caterers. I told her to leave things like that to the planner, but she insisted that she do it herself.
At times, I REALLY don't understand women.
These peaceful mornings went on for about one more week, no phone calls, and no evil rich man standing outside my door, no scary evil rich man's friend in a black Mercedes offering to send me to work.
Peace.
I sincerely thought Naruto had finally left me alone.
I was pondering on the many other alternatives by which I could maybe gather fifty million yen, seeing that Naruto had abandoned me because of personal matters and would probably never pay me for them (he'd most likely CHARGE me.), I decided to try my hand at juggling different jobs at the same time.
I could work as a supermarket manager full-time AS WELL AS maybe a part-time waiter, or maybe even a part-time salesperson. I mean, I have experience in sales, really, I do.
I found a peaceful little afternoon to stalk the streets for any shops hiring, and to my utmost and utter delight, I found NONE.
HAS GOD NO MERCY FOR ME?
But as I walked, I had this creepy feeling I was being followed. I tried not to turn around, praying to God that it wasn't some ex-convict who was going to rob me dry and send me home crying, I quickened my pace.
It didn't seem to help at all.
I finally broke into a run, occasionally looking back and trying to catch a glimpse of whoever or WHATever it was trailing me but to no avail.
My sixth sense of being followed has NEVER been wrong.
I finally mustered enough courage to stop (it was actually more because I didn't feel like running anymore,) and I turned, searching the crowd behind me for any menacing face that HINTED danger.
And to my utmost and utter delight, I DID.
Uzumaki Naruto was glaring DAGGERS at me, and if looks could kill, I believe I would have died at least ten thousand times.
No, maybe a little bit more.
And I'm sure you can GUESS what I did.
...I turned around and RAN.
I raced across the next junction, praying to GOD that I would maybe lose him in the crowd. I turned the next corner, stopping and pressing myself against the glass of a café in exhaustion.
I stayed there for a while, leaning to the side ever so often to check if he was anywhere near me. I then heard tapping from behind me; I turned around to be greeted by that ever familiar smiling face of said evil rich man's friend.
He smiled at me from behind the finger-print misted glass, and he waved for me to come in and join him.
I sincerely HATED that smile.
I stepped into the café reluctantly, still panting, and he immediately ushered me by the shoulders to one of the large, comfortable chairs at the table in the corner.
I was amazed he spotted me at all from where he sat, his back was facing the window, and his glass of ice-lemon tea was happily sitting on the table, almost untouched.
He pulled the chair out for me, before returning to his own.
"Why are you here?" Once again, a very innocent question.
"I'm...looking for a job." Neji was obviously amused at my reply, his eye brow lifted and a smile tugged at his face.
"A job? As in a part-time job? The ones teenagers take up to earn more work experience and spending money?" He looked very, very curious.
"Umm...YES." Just to humor him.
"Why? Are you in need of money?" Yet another innocent yet challenging problem.
"Well, yes." He waved the waiter over, and ordered a vanilla milkshake for me.
"How much?" I stared at him, confused, hopeful, and scared.
It was hard to ask someone to lend you fifty million yen.
"Fifty-million yen?" It was a trying question. In its depths lay the desperate pleas of 'please, please, give me the money; I'll do ANYTHING you want.'
Neji set his glass down and raised his eye brow again.
"That's it?"
I was sipping from my milkshake just seconds before, but now I was choking on it.
'That's it?' in that 'what do you take me for' tone. I was mystified that such people existed.
Yes, definitely a man who needn't work for the next seven generations.
He gently touched my hand. I stiffened almost immediately, once again, SCARED, (woe is me. Why do I get scared so easily?) And he brought his face a tad bit closer to my own.
"Tell you what," His fingers ran down the length of mine, making it seem as unintentional as possible, he continued his sentence.
"I'll give you half the amount, and YOU give me a chance."
I was sincerely confused.
"A chance at what?" He smiled again, reaching up to pat my head, he leaned closer again.
"A chance with you."
Lord, PLEASE say he was joking.
BUT,
That was until Naruto walked in.
Lord, PLEASE say you'll let the light over my head collapse and squish me to death.
Uzumaki Naruto stood behind me, a very disgruntled expression on his whiskered face. He seriously looked as if he was going to gut someone with a spoon and laugh about it.
And in this case, ME.
He stomped over to my side, causing me to automatically spring up and try to slither away, to no avail. I made it as far as the door, silently wishing I didn't get myself in this stupid situation, PRAYING that he wouldn't grab my arm and beat the crap out of me.
My prayer was not to be.
He grabbed my arm, pulling, as always, causing me to jerk backward, in a most ungraceful manner. He glared down at me the way a teacher glares down on a bad student who just spilled coffee on his pants.
I wanted to just teleport to Siberia and STAY THERE.
He grabbed my collar and brought his face menacingly close to mine and his first words came out like venom, though his eyes revealed a small increment of hurt.
"Why didn't you answer my calls?"
I was silent, I mean, I couldn't just SAY that I dropped my phone in my fish tank out of frustration, now, could I.
"I dropped my phone into my fish tank out of frustration."
…Okay, so maybe I COULD.
He stared at me as if I just ate a tennis ball.
"…Why?"
This was getting annoying.
"I just didn't feel like talking to you, okay?" I shrugged off his arm, feeling a little stab of guilt as well as pride as I strode out the door.
I just STOOD UP TO UZUMAKI NARUTO.
Did a piece of the sky just fall out?
Did it?
I reached home in due time, flinging what little I had in the sling bag I was sporting on the floor, I threw myself onto the sofa, burying my face in the happy cushions. I sighed, reaching for the remote without trying to move most of my muscles, I switched on the TV.
I heard the door bell, and I reluctantly got up, thinking it to be my brother who most probably forgot his keys again. I trudged to the door, opening it lazily; I was greeted by very familiar baby blue eyes.
I was SHOVED into MY OWN HOUSE, and I landed on the floor with a thud, and in the process of falling I had grabbed onto Naruto's sleeve, pulling him on top of me.
And he did the most CHILDISH thing any budding adult could do.
He SQUISHED me.
As in literally pressed his body down on my own, cutting off my oxygen with his overpowering cologne and body weight. I shoved him off me best I could, failing almost miserably; I just pushed at his arm blindly.
"GET OFF." (A/N: That just sounds so right in so many ways.)
He grunted, finally pulling himself off me, he shoved a box in my face, and turned around to leave.
"W-Wait! What-" I shouted after him, following him as far as my porch, I finally gave up and glanced at the box he had shoved so rudely and wordlessly into my arms.
A new phone.
I re-entered my house, locking the door behind me, I settled on the floor in front of the TV and I stared. I stared at the little cardboard box, and after about five minutes of just staring at it, my fingers slowly but tentatively edged towards the lid of it.
I slipped the o2 XDA exec out of its packaging, letting my fingers run on the smooth and new phone screen, leaving my fingerprints on it before rubbing it off again.
This continued for about ten minutes.
I decided to apologise to Naruto, as well as return the phone, of course. (However much I wanted to keep it, I couldn't very well do so – my brother'd probably end up stealing it anyway.) I got off the bus, (it was raining.) I had insufficient funds to employ a taxi, so I ran for it, the phone safely hidden in a plastic bag under my hoodie.
I reached his apartment block soaking wet, I really hadn't expected the rain to be so merciless. I journeyed into the lobby with the grace of a wet penguin, which I was quite certain was NOT very graceful. The security just stared at me as I entered the lift.
The black fabric of the hoodie I wore clung to my skin, as did the faded jeans I sported. I jogged out of the lift, trying to keep myself warm, and I paused.
I just realized I had NO IDEA which apartment it was he lived in.
Thank God there were only two on a level, and that meant if I got it right on the first try, I wouldn't have to embarrass myself in wet clothes and soggy hair. (And if all else fails I could always do what I did best – RUN.)
The place was HUGE. The floor of the lobby was marble, like on the first floor. The doors were extremely advanced-looking, and sometime later, I forgot that I was in an apartment building and not a hotel.
I mustered up the courage to step in front of the door on the right, a black metal door, there was naught but two pots of plants on either side of it, and (the plants were withering, by the way.) I reached up to press the door bell. I listened for footsteps, and to my delight I heard them approaching the door.
I RAN back to the lift lobby.
The door opened, and I tried my best to look nonchalant, as if I had just been standing there waiting for the lift.
The door clicked open to reveal a sleepy looking man (that was not Naruto,), his hair mussed up in a splendid rock-star-ish way, clad in naught but a pair of black silk boxers. He looked around groggily, before cursing and trudging back into his apartment.
I sighed a sigh of relief.
THANK GOD I didn't stick to my plan.
I approached the door on the left now, with great confidence, finally taking out the phone that I had kept in the bag under my shirt. I paused as I reached for the door bell, the faint aroma of food floating out from inside the house. I quickly tried to make myself somewhat presentable in my soaked state, thinking to myself that he probably had a chef over, or at least someone who could cook, and cook darn well.
I took a deep breath and reached for the door bell.
The metallic sound rang throughout the house, and after a few seconds of metal clanging against metal, Naruto flung the door open.
He was clad in a navy polo shirt and black slacks, and what he wore on top of it all really scared me.
An apron.
(Enter wordless shock)
He almost dropped the spatula he was holding when he finally realized who was standing outside of his apartment dripping and wet.
And of course, he did the most polite thing possible.
He FLUNG the door close, (I could feel the breeze) and then the sound of pots and pans and cursing ensued from the depths of Naruto's 'humble abode'.
When the door opened again, he was busy adjusting his shirt, (the apron was off), flicking invisible lint from his shoulder, he paused and stared at me, as if waiting for me to speak.
And I was ABOUT to, when he piped up.
"You...want to come in?" I swallowed the breath I was about to let out, and then I nodded slowly.
"Sure."
He stepped aside, and I stepped cautiously into the house, taking my time until I felt his hands on my shoulders and the gentle pressure that told me to hurry up and get inside.
He set me down on the sofa, ignoring my feeble protests that I'd wet his couch, he turned on the INSANELY HUGE television in front of me, and bid me to watch while he attended to whatever he was doing before I dropped by.
As I devoured what the Discovery Channel had to offer (Rides is the best educational show on the planet.) He set something on the little glass coffee table in front of me.
It was a bowl of Ramen.
I stared at it for a moment before sneezing.
"Are you cold?" I looked up at Naruto, and he actually seemed concerned. I shook my head quickly, noting to myself that it could NEVER be the case, and that I was only here to return the phone and get him out of my life.
"Are you sure?" He placed a hand on my forehead and leaned against it. I stiffened, as I usually do, because he was leaning so close I could feel (and smell) his breath against my lips.
He then suddenly pulled away as if he just realized what he was doing.
"Eat your Ramen." It sounded like an order, and he glared at me as he said it. I contemplated for a few seconds, I mean, here was this rich man who was offering me free food, but I couldn't be sure he didn't slip some sort of drug or poison into it.
It seemed as if he KNEW what I was thinking, for he said, "Don't worry, I don't plan on killing you, YET."
I glared at him, before resting my eyes on the Ramen again. I picked it up slowly, happy that it was warm and free.
I picked up the chopsticks lying beside the bowl, and I started eating.
It was DELICIOUS.
I looked up at the blonde man as I slurped another good mouthful of noodles.
"'Ow id eu earn o woo ook tho bell?" (How did you learn to cook so well?)
"I thudied ober theas and wived arone tho I ad oo ook or aithelf." (I studied over seas and lived alone so I had to cook for myself.)
I swallowed my mouthful and glared at his grinning face.
"You think that's funny?"
He just stared for a moment before saying, "If it wasn't, I wouldn't be smiling now, would I?"
He then reached over and leaned close again, and he licked the side of my lip. I pulled away in surprise, staring at him as if he just told me he won the 1.5 million dollar lottery the nineteenth time this year.
He continued to smile at me, this time harboring a questioning look, and he licked his lips.
"Yum."
He turned to face the TV now, a smirk plastered on his face.
I wanted to STRANGLE him.
After I finished the noodles, I set the bowl down and I reached for the bag beside me, turning to him, I cleared my throat.
He ripped his eyes away from the lighted screen and turned to me, expectantly.
"I'm here to...return the phone."
He was silent as he regarded the box in my hands, and I sneezed again.
"Why? You don't like it?" It was an awkward question, those reserved for lovers or family members.
"No, I like it VERY MUCH." He smiled and nodded after a little while, and he turned back to the television.
"Then keep it."
"No, I can't-"
"Yes, you can. You'll be hurting my pride if you return it to me."
I sighed, bringing a hand to my forehead to ease the building headache. The room had suddenly gotten so blur.
"Sasuke?"
I blacked out.
