Summary: The waiter stood up and pleasantly shook the lawyer's hand. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Uchiha. So, you're the jerk who dumped her for a Victoria's Secret model on the day of your fifth anniversary?" Ino, Sasuke, Hidan
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Spill
II: Waiters Aren't Supposed To Do That, Either
"Sasuke."
Uchiha Sasuke's lips formed a pleased smile upon hearing the blonde say his name. Not even a trace of anger, he mused. Looks like things were going to go the way he wanted them to this afternoon. Good.
The lawyer, dressed in his distinctive claret-red oxford shirt, black slacks and sable silk necktie proudly bearing the Uchiha Law Firm's famed insignia, walked his way leniently to Yamanaka Ino's seat. Teal eyes slightly widened in surprise as the woman found herself receiving a gentle kiss in the cheek. What was her ex-boyfriend doing?
"Thank you for letting me see you today." Sasuke said warmly. "And I'm sorry for being late. There was an emergency at work that I immediately had to attend to. But I promise to make it up to you."
Yamanaka Ino just looked at the Uchiha, unable to speak.
It had been years, but he looked like he never changed. The six footer was still robustly built- she had no doubt that he never gave up working out regularly. He kept his jet-black hair the way it had always been, short enough to complement his ever decorous image but long enough to have something to run your fingers through.
What she noted the most was his eyes. The obsidian orbs still seemed as deep as ancient wells, and she very well knew that he could probably still give her that look that could make her stop whatever she was doing and jump right into his arms (or his bed), like how he did during those five years that they were together.
"I-it's alright, S-Sasuke," she said, hating herself for stuttering and obviously showing him how much effect his mere presence had on her. "I… I was a bit early."
Hidan frowned inwardly. This man who just arrived could only be Ino's ex-boyfriend, the asshole who left his woman for a lingerie model and was abominable enough to inform her of this over a phone call while he was a thousand miles away and during the day of their fifth anniversary.
Why didn't Ino seem even just a bit angry at him? She let him kiss her and couldn't even speak straight sentences to him.
Hidan didn't like it at all. He had to do something.
So Hidan coughed.
The Uchiha heard the unexpected noise and turned to the source's direction. He finally noticed that his ex-girlfriend was with somebody else. "Hello. Ino didn't tell me that she was going to be with someone today. My apologies for not acknowledging your presence immediately."
Her ex-boyfriend's statement seemed to have snapped the silent woman out of her trance. "Oh, I'm sorry. Sasuke, this is Hidan. Hidan, please meet Uchiha Sasuke… my… ex-boyfriend."
"It's a pleasure, Hidan." Sasuke graciously said, extending his hand.
The waiter stood up and pleasantly shook the lawyer's hand. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Uchiha. So, you're the jerk who dumped her for a Victoria's Secret model on the day of your fifth anniversary?"
Uchiha Sasuke froze, mouth left slightly open in aghast.
Yamanaka Ino's eyes widened, and her face was suddenly as pale as the silver-haired server. "Hidan! I –"
"It's okay, Ino." Sasuke broke in, trying to look unaffected. The lawyer turned back to Hidan, eyes narrowed. "I guess that would be one way to put it, Hidan. Although I'll have you know that I don't appreciate it very much."
"That's alright. I wasn't thinking of gaining your appreciation when I said that, anyway." Hidan replied, looking satisfied with himself. He smirked challengingly at Sasuke as he gestured at the loungers. "Make yourself comfortable."
Ino watched the two men take their seats, never taking their eyes off each other, like two lions circling one another before they lunged at each other's throats. She secretly groaned as she took her own seat, wondering how on earth she got in this situation.
Sasuke made the first move at the offensive.
"You look wonderful today, Ino. You've always looked good with flowers." He said, eyeing Ino's floral print gathered-front blouse appreciatively.
"Thank you." The woman replied, tucking a loose strand of wheat blonde hair at the back of her ear.
Hidan nodded approvingly. "Yes. Always believe complements that come from former partners. Most of the time they're true. It would be ridiculous to suggest that they only say good things to get on your good side again, right?"
A vein popped on Sasuke's forehead, but he restrained himself. "How are Uncle Inoichi and Aunt Emiko? I hope they're doing fine." He continued, determined not to pay attention to any of Hidan's comments.
"They're both well, Sasuke, thank you for asking. And Uncle Fugaku and Aunt Mikoto?"
"They're actually on a vacation in Yuki as we speak. Father's getting more free time these days, with me and Niisan managing the firm. But of course Uncle Madara acts as the big boss while Dad's gone."
The blonde frowned upon hearing Uchiha Madara's name.
"Your family manages a firm, then?" Hidan asked, equally determined not to let the other male take over.
"'Owns' would be the correct word." The dark-eyed lawyer scoffed arrogantly. "THE Uchiha and Uchiha Law Firm."
"I see. So you're a lawyer?'
"Corporate, yes."
"Are you a good one?"
Sasuke sneered. "Good enough for her parents to allow us to share an apartment."
"Apparently, thought, you aren't good enough for her, hence your current title 'ex-boyfriend'. Hidan countered.
"For your information, I was the one who broke up with her." Sasuke answered back.
The waiter's lips formed into a victorious smirk. "Now that you've mentioned it, would you mind telling me why you broke up with her?"
Ino's eyes flicked at Sasuke's direction. Good question. She wanted to know the answer too.
Almost half a minute of silence passed before Sasuke could answer.
"That was a mistake."
"Really." Hidan jeered.
Sasuke looked at Ino, his eyes pleading. "I screwed up. I hurt you and I'm sorry. I know we can go back to what we used to be if we try."
Ino looked away before he could make her say 'I forgive you'. She could not deny that her feelings for Sasuke had not yet entirely disappeared, even after all those years, but she knew that he should never deserve a place in her heart again. No, not after what he did.
Hidan's eyes narrowed at Sasuke. "Maybe you don't know her like you think you do."
"You are the only person who thinks I don't." Sasuke snapped, having taken quite enough from the stranger. "And I suppose you think that you know her, don't you? My, aren't we full of assumptions."
"I don't remember saying anything like that. Do you, Ino? You seem to be the one full of assumptions, Mr. Uchiha."
"Gentlemen, please –" Ino cried, looking stricken.
"It's okay, Ino." Sasuke interrupted for the second time. "So, since you seem to be her number one fan, would you mind telling me just how much you know about her?"
Hidan complied. "Not much. We just met, you see. I know she likes animals and reading and hates snobs and sleeping with the lights off. That's about it."
The lawyer shook his head disgustedly. "And you think I'm the one who doesn't know her? I suggest you consider your choice of words carefully. You're the one who doesn't know her at all."
"For example," he continued, "Did you know that she graduated magna cum laude from Konoha University with a degree in Biology? Or that she is currently a neurosurgeon at Konoha's best hospital?"
"No." Hidan simply said, never taking his eyes off Sasuke.
"Oh. I didn't expect that. Well, let me tell you more about her. She was five years old when she decided that she wanted to be a doctor. Now she can perform craniosynostectomic procedures but she can't tell salt from pepper to save her life. She brings her own steel chopsticks when she eats Chinese fare because she feels guilty about wasting trees. She'll use a handkerchief only if it's white but she will never wear pants of that color. The only sports team she has the patience to watch is the Dallas Mavericks, but she does that only because she totally adores Dirk Nowitzki."
"Sasuke, that's enough." Ino said, now looking frustrated. "This is all pointless."
But Uchiha Sasuke would not listen. "Oh, and you know what? The first time I fucked her was two days before her first med school exam. She enumerated the parts of the oculomotor nerve while in orgasm."
Unfortunately, the statement came out during an ill-timed lull. Customers and waiters nearby all heard it and soon their eyes were on Ino.
Ino cringed, burning in embarrassment, fully aware of the glances now being thrown at her by almost everyone who heard what the lawyer said. Lord God, what did I do to deserve this? She miserably asked herself. "Sasuke, please… just stop."
Hidan sent a deadly glare to a male customer who kept looking at the mortified blonde. The man immediately looked away.
The waiter turned back to Sasuke. "That was just wonderful, Mr. Uchiha. I'm sure Ino will never forget this day." He retorted sarcastically.
Sasuke looked repentant. He did mean to rub the fact that he and Ino had been intimate to the annoying silverhead's face, but he never mean for Ino to be embarrassed like this. "I'm sorry, Ino, I-"
"However, I believe that despite your better knowledge of this woman, I still have two advantages." Hidan interjected, raising his chin up confidently.
Sasuke promptly stopped talking to Ino and frowned distastefully. "What are you saying?"
"First, I don't think I've ever put a woman in as much shame as you did a few seconds ago. Second, I'm in love with Ino and I have no intention of hurting her like you did."
"What?" Ino said, taken aback.
"Excuse me," Sasuke broke in, black eyes sharply glowering at Hidan. What did this man think he was doing? "What is your relationship with my ex-girlfriend again?"
Hidan shrugged carelessly. "Nothing. We're not related, actually. I told you we just met, didn't I?"
Sasuke turned back to Ino, demanding an explanation.
"H-he's a waiter here, Sasuke. He was just... w-waiting for me to decided what I was going to have," Ino tried to explain, her mind still absorbing what Hidan just said. She suddenly realized that she had forgotten about ordering anything altogether since Hidan sat with her.
The lawyer's eyes narrowed even more. "You're a waiter she just met and you're telling me that you're in love with her? That's bullshit!"
"Look who's talking. You broke up with her for a lingerie model over the phone and never even as much as looked back. And voila, today you're here saying you're sorry and you can go back to what you used to be if you try. That, Mr. Uchiha, is what you call bullshit. The fact that I have feelings for this woman I met just an hour ago is called love at first sight."
"Sasuke, Hidan, stop it!" Ino shrieked desperately.
"You heard her." Sasuke growled. "Now if you don't mind, waiter, I'd like to do what I cam here for. Which is to talk to Yamanaka Ino alone. Now."
Hidan did not seem the least bit intimidated. "Sorry chap. I haven't taken her order yet. I'm staying here until she decides what she wants."
Ino closed her eyes and pressed her forehead with both hands in exasperation. She went here just to talk. Now everyone knew how she itemized the parts of a skull nerve while coming and a waiter was declaring that he was in love with her. What was happening to the world?
Sasuke glared hard at Hidan. "Try this for an order, asshole. I want a hundred cups of the coffee that takes the longest to prepare. I want them served to everyone in this coffee shop and anybody else you see outside this establishment one at a time."
Hidan stared at Sasuke for a minute, and then stood up. He couldn't argue with the customer that what he said wasn't an order, so the waiter had no choice. His amethyst eyes took one last look at Ino, and then the silverhead left.
"Good riddance," Sasuke muttered. "Are you alright, Ino?"
Ino looked up at Sasuke furiously, tears of shame and confusion almost welling in her eyes. "Am I alright? Of course I am, Sasuke. Why wouldn't I be? You just announced to the whole coffee shop that I enumerated the parts of a cranial nerve while in orgasm. Then you picked a fight with a waiter and wasted your goddamn money for a hundred cups of coffee to make him go away. Why did you have to do that?"
"Relax, Ino, you're just stressed by the situation." Sasuke coaxed. "Don't you see what kind of person you let sit with you? Please, promise me you'll never do that again."
"I know who I should and shouldn't talk to!"
"Calm down, Ino. We can't talk like this."
Ino groaned and forced herself to quiet down.
Sasuke let a few minutes pass before asking "Are you okay now?"
"Let's skip the diplomacy talk, Sasuke." Ino answered bluntly. After everything that happemned this afternoon, all she could think of was ending this engagement and going home, where people were sane and talked about sensible things. Hell, she would even prefer operating for thirty straight hours rather than sitting with two crazy men in an obnoxious coffee shop. "Why did you ask for this meeting?"
The lawyer sighed. "If you insist. The truth is, I've been thinking about us for the last few weeks. It's just now that I finally had the courage to ask if I could see you. I've realized how horrible I've been to you all these years. I want to ask for your forgiveness."
Took you long enough, Ino thought crossly.
Sasuke took her hands into his. "Ino, now I know that you're the person I really want to be with, not anyone else. Back then I was immature; all I thought about was making the most out of my youth and enjoying whatever I could. But now I've realized that I shouldn't think of just the present – I have to consider the future too."
He looked sincerely into Ino's eyes and smiled weakly. "And whenever I think about my future, I can't imagine it with anybody else but you. I love you, Ino. And I want to prove that I'm the right man for you. Will you take me back?"
For the n-th time that day, Yamanaka Ino didn't know what to say.
Uchiha Sasuke was about to tell her that he didn't need her answer right away and that he was willing to give her time to think, but suddenly the silver haired, sharp-tongued waiter who had become the bane of his existence appeared again, pushing the serving cart that carried a cup of coffee.
The lawyer rolled his eyes in exasperation. Why wouldn't that damn waiter just leave him and Ino alone?
"One cup of almond and French vanilla café au lait," Hidan said, serving the steaming cup of coffee. "Ninety-nine more cups to go."
The next events happened so fast that Ino didn't know what she saw anymore. The next thing she knew, coffee was spilled all over the table… and on Uchiha Sasuke's very expensive suit.
A/N: Change of plans, mates. It's now a three-chapter fic. But trust me, it's not going to be any longer than that. The next installment will definitely be the last.
Anyway, I've worked out how this is going to end, but it might take a while before I get to write part three because I'm having my microeconomics exam this week (ugh!), and the calculus and mathematical statistics exams are lined up for next week (UGH!). See, school starts at June in my country, so by this time we're halfway through the first semester. I have such a wonderful life, ne? :(
Till then.