Warning: Contains spoilers for Mystic Messenger route endings. Can still be cringy.
When Sakura received her third B for the current grading period, Ino was panicking. The usual A's she'd see littering her friend's report card was absent... like the guilt and despair that accompanies a low grade. The pinkette sat in a daze, that even Kakashi, their homeroom teacher, was taking notice.
"Sakura," he once called her out in class.
The girl turned her head in an agonizingly slow manner. The dark bags under her eyes has worsened and she really looked creepy when she smiled at their teacher.
Ino decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth and watched on. Maybe this is the intervention her friend needs, not her silly tactics.
"Is there something wrong?" He asked.
Then the tears came. One by one they fell to the desk in front of her, and Ino was washed up with the desire to hold her friend close.
'Perhaps this is the guilt and despair she's been holding back since the first B appeared...'
The room was quiet as she sobbed in small breaths. Sasuke, who sat in front of her, offered his white handkerchief. Sakura instead pulled out her own to wipe her face with before looking back to their teacher.
"I..." She croaked, before taking a deep breath, "got into 707's route... and for what?"
As she continued crying, the question mark on everyone's faces were evident.
'Not this again...'
"He speeds up his car, and then I get a bad ending screen... Why can't I make him happy, Kakashi-sensei?!"
At the back of the room, Naruto was sobbing to his sleeve.
"Sa... Sakura-chan... I didn't know you play that game too..." He sniffled. "In Jumin's route, I apparently committed suicide!"
The entire Math period was occupied by these two idiots bawling their eyes out over fictional men.
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Intervention
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Needless to say, they both stayed after school. Detention.
Ino would have stayed to wait, but a text message from her mother told her to go to the flower shop. Apparently, a very important customer forgot their wedding anniversary. She went in and was greeted by the sight of Senju Tobirama staring at some gardenias.
"Tobirama-san," she welcomed as she tied her hair up and secured the apron over her school uniform. "Back too soon?"
The man shrugged. "Happens when you have a dumb brother."
She grinned before looking at the clipboard given to her by one of the movers. Upon seeing the intended arrangement, she let out a small whistle.
"Tulips must be the missus' favourite, huh?" And she retrieved it, without waiting for a reply.
The arrangement definitely was heavy, in fact the movers had to literally move it out of storage. She thinks how easy it could be for them to man the shop but shook the thought away. At least one Yamanaka must remain... to sign the released flowers away.
She almost sighed. She wanted to work here to get more information. So far, she's doing more of the work instead of actually snooping around.
The white-haired man nodded at her uniform. "Konoha High?"
"Yeah," she replied, now interested. "Are you gonna transfer or something?"
"Something like that," he offered as his face lit up with a small smile. "Be seeing you."
The soonest that the door closed, Ino resisted pumping her fist up.
'Is this how forbidden knowledge feels like?'
Seems like her plan isn't too far-fetched, after all.
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When October rolled in with another semester, she can barely contain her excitement. The moment she spotted Sakura walking around the corner towards their classroom, she snatched her and dragged towards the washroom.
"Sakura," she giggled a bit, but then her friend's appearance knocked the air out of her lungs. If those atrocities under her eyes were once called bags, now they're definitely luggage. Not even the designer ones.
"Ino," the other girl managed to croak out before her arms came forth to embrace the blond. "Save me. Cheritz just released another route..."
To this, the blue-eyed girl instead shook her friend by her shoulders. "That is enough otome games for you, Forehead!" She declared. "Uninstall the game!"
Sakura weakly shook her head. "Just... a bit more."
"No! Your grades are suffering! Whatever happened to your medical school dreams?"
She sees green eyes slowly focus on her. 'Good, I have her now.'
"Shape up. We're graduating next year, and I don't want you coming to me to cry about your failure to get into Tsunade-sama's program."
The name perked up the other girl's attention, making her look more awake than she ever was these past few weeks.
"You're right, Ino," she acquiesced, turning to the mirror above the sink. Turning the faucet on, she washed her face several times before drying it with her towel. "Why do I need to stay up when I can just pay for the chatrooms I'll miss when I sleep?"
Sakura then exited, a trail of laughter left in her wake.
'You just wait, Forehead girl.'
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"I am Senju Tobirama, I'll be joining you this semester as a student teacher." Said the man in front, before he bowed down. "A pleasure to be working with you all."
His physical appearance drew giggles from girls and grumbles for some boys. For one Uzumaki Naruto however, something bugged him ever since he stepped in. So, he decided to raise his hand for that question. Kakashi nodded his assent to him, and he stood up.
"Tobirama-sensei," he said, "Is Kakashi-sensei your illegitimate brother?"
The room erupted in more whispers and giggles.
"But Tobirama-sensei looks manlier than Kakashi-sensei!" Karin, his stupid cousin, piped in.
Just until this moment, she was all over Uchiha Sasuke. The blonde boy resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
"That actually hurt, Karin," Kakashi replied, clutching at his chest in mock pain. "But we're not related at all."
Tobirama nodded. "My appearance is caused by a disorder called albinism."
Naruto, now seated beside Sakura (who still sat beside the window, so unfair) when they re-rolled the seating arrangement earlier, turned to her and asked, "What's albinism?"
With the glimmer in her eyes, he starts to doubt she ever heard her. But the pink-haired girl turns to him, and gushes. "He could be Zen, right?"
The blonde boy gulped. 'Shit, she's right.' And he turned his attention back to the man. White hair, red eyes; what's lacking is the length of hair and a smile. Maybe tone down the muscle on this guy, too.
Ino, in her convenient seat near the back door of the classroom, eyed Sakura's state of wonder with delight.
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"Please, help my friend!"
Then, a spill of blonde hair as she bowed. Kakashi looked uncomfortable as he scratched his neck. Sure, he took notice of Sakura's dwindling interest in studies. But what can an old homeroom teacher do? Besides the occasional imparting of wisdom and maybe detention?
A flash of white took his attention and he watched as Tobirama took the seat in front of him. Watched as the other man's eyes scanned papers in front of him and take notes in a smaller notebook. Watched as he took notice of his unabashed staring. Maybe saw Ino staring too, as his eyes darted from her to him.
"Anything I can you help with?" He offered.
Kakashi felt like he just won the jackpot. Not that he knows, but Ino shared this victory too.
"See, there's this student..."
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When he told Hashirama that he wanted to teach, he responded with a hearty laugh.
"Wait," the older man said, after he choked on his mirth, "you're serious, aren't you?"
Then he listened, as his finger tapped impatiently against his crossed arms.
"Scored high on..."
"Got accepted in a university with a small chance of passing..."
"Graduated on top..."
These are things he'd heard before. Still, his mind remained unchanged. He thinks his brother saw it too, for then he sighed. Tobirama thinks it's because he's disappointed. That he could 'be more' as he'd always say. Everyone in his family are accomplished in different fields—politics, medicine, even in law enforcement. Hashirama was in the government, so is their second, Kawarama. Itama, their third, is a distinguished superintendent in the Uchiha-dominated police force. Heck, even their cousin Tsunade is a celebrated doctor.
In hindsight, he understands the need to expect more from him. But he's a fourth-born son; the unplanned accident. Afflicted by a disorder that set him apart from his brothers in color. He took it as a calling to do something much like him—different. If only his stupid brother will impart his blessings and stop stepping on his aspirations.
Hashirama sighed once more, before levelling him a look. "Why?" He asked.
"Do you remember Sarutobi-sensei?"
A pause. "The grade school teacher from before?"
The white-haired man nodded. Releasing a sigh of his own, he met his older brother's gaze, hoping he'd at least see how serious he is. "I want to be like him."
From then on, there were no more questions. Even Hashirama himself drove him to his university on the first day.
"Hey," the brunette called out before he left the car, "be happy, alright?"
His stupid brother. Always emotional. But he replied with a smile.
"I already am."
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By the time he dipped out of his trip in the past, the bell has rung, and students are piling back in to their classrooms. He looked down at his untouched lunch and sighed. Gathering his things, he slid back his chair and was about to stand when a hand came to his shoulders.
"Whoa, pure muscle indeed," Kakashi mused, before clearing his throat. "Sorry, that came out. I meant to say go ahead and eat. It was no small request we're asking you, after all."
He stared at the older man's retreating back. The other just raised a hand as he left the room.
"Consider it an advanced payment."
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Haruno Sakura is an odd individual. Odd, he says, coming from another odd person. He may have a disorder, but she's the one with pink hair. At least she doesn't hate it enough to shave her head just to get rid of it. The fact that it reached the small of her back must mean she's quite fond of it. He touched his own in comparison.
Maybe he should grow it too?
The girl was too engrossed in her phone to see him, so he took this chance to peek over her shoulder to see what the deal is.
Before, she used to compete with the Uchiha for the top spot each semester. Then, out of the blue, she started sleeping in lectures. Forgets turning over homework. Scores dropped and she looked worse for it.
All because of a phone application.
He peeked and saw a harmless looking messaging app. Must be popular, with the amount of people in it; typing fast enough for those responses. But, he noticed, the girl herself doesn't type at all; she just taps at any of the text boxes that appear on the screen.
'What a curious thing.'
"What's that?" He asked.
"Mystic Messenger," the girl replied without preamble. As though she's gotten the question one too many times.
"How does it work?"
"Well, you—" she turned on her seat to look at him... and fell ungracefully from it. "To-Tobirama-sensei!"
He simply nodded. "Haruno-san."
The girl was flustered, but the phone remained on her grip as she stood. Her eyes darted around, as though classmates will pop out of every corner and tell her she's been Punk'd.
"What are you... Kakashi-sensei said..."
"Yes, he asked if I can help you with your studies."
The sound she emitted was almost a scoff. "It's, uh, it's not like I need help," she offered, hands clasped around her phone, "I also don't want to be a bother to you, Tobirama-sensei. I will... I will pay better attention in class, I swear!"
He lowered himself in the seat behind hers, as she still stood there, fidgeting. Her phone gave a short beep and he can see that she wants to check it but struggles not to. The way her eyes darted from one point to the other reminded him of an addict desperately in need of her next fix.
"Yamanaka-san said that phone is the source of your problems."
A frown encompassed her previously panicked face. "That traitor."
"I think she's simply concerned," he commented, as he raised a hand to lean his head in, "it's also unwise to forsake studies for a messaging app."
Green eyes flared. "It's not just a messaging app."
Tobirama resisted raising a brow. "What is it, then?"
She smiled, brightly, like a lightbulb. The kind that's hard on the eyes when you turn it on.
"A source of my happiness."
He decided that the Yamanaka girl was right; the phone is the problem.
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The next day, he caught her about to sneak out of the classroom after class. She smiled sheepishly in response, before returning with her bag to her seat.
"I thought it was a one-time thing, Tobirama-sensei..." She offered as an explanation. More like an excuse.
This time he sat on the chair in front of hers. "I'm thinking of asking Kakashi-sensei to make the students turn their phones over before first period starts," he said, and watched as colour drained from the girl's face, "it's a good plan, isn't it?"
"No!" She snapped, hands slamming on her desk. Then she folded in on herself. "Sorry..."
Without another word, he opened his notes to today's discussion. "Shall we start?"
Sakura moved to take out her things. Slowly, if he timed it, as if she's willing the time to go by faster. Unfortunately for her, if they go over his scheduled time, he'll gain incentives. Plus, she'll get the help she desperately needs. It's a win-win situation.
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Alright, maybe she didn't need a tutor. The girl was smart, even in her physically distressed state, she can keep up with the lessons. It's been three days since they started, and she's back on side-eyeing the youngest Uchiha son as they both raised their hands during recitation.
So, what's the deal?
"Unfinished projects, forgotten homework..." She answered when asked. "Falling asleep in class... I think there were at least three days Kakashi-sensei marked me absent just to spite me."
"I'd do the same," he shrugged.
Tired green eyes looked at him. "You'd make a terrible teacher, Tobirama-sensei."
Then, a beep took her attention away. Those eyes looked down and sweat was starting to bead her forehead.
"Surely you can wait for another thirty minutes?"
"Well, you see sensei," she grasped at straws trying to explain, her hand coming up to scratch the back of her head, "when you miss a chatroom, you have to pay five hourglasses to be able to participate in them again. And according to the Wiki, there will be another chatroom by the time we're done..." She fidgeted on her seat.
"And?"
"I already use enough hourglasses for the ones I miss when I sleep—"
"At least you sleep now," Tobirama concluded, arms folded to his chest, "You do look a lot better lately."
The pink-haired girl ducked her head in response, a scatter of the same shade colouring her cheeks.
Tobirama felt sweat erupting in his back. 'What did I do?'
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During lunch the next day, all four girls taking refuge in the rooftop stood as they watched the soccer match down in the fields. Tenten didn't want to at first, but when Rock Lee dragged a kendo uniform-clad Hyuga Neji to play with them, she almost dragged them downstairs for a closer look.
"Your uniform fetish is gross sometimes, Tenten," Ino commented, to which the other girl replied with a snort.
"You need to appreciate the good things in life, no matter how dirty they are."
"Uh," Sakura cut in, looking at them with a brow raised, "Hinata is here, you know."
Tenten looked like she just swallowed a whole ice cube, but as always, she recovered fast. Clutching the timid girl's hands, her brown eyes shone.
"It's a secret right, Hinata-chan?"
The girl gulped and nodded. "Of course, um, this remains b-between us!"
Then, she got dragged downstairs. Sakura and Ino looked at each other before sharing a smile.
"Oi! Tobirama-sensei!" Came Naruto's loud voice. "Come play with us!"
A flash of pink was all Ino saw before her friend's hand grabbed at the wires. She followed her, and looking down, saw their student teacher shrugging off his navy blazer.
Later, Tenten would complain about Sakura mowing her and Hinata down the stairs.
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The crowd was thick when they arrived. Good thing the benches overlooking the field were devoid of students—seeing as they pushed themselves down to the edges of the field. That's where they placed themselves in.
"Anyone with binoculars, ladies?" Tenten asked, eyes ablaze with the kind of fire the blonde didn't want to see right now. Not in this predicament.
She's certainly sure that those brown eyes are locked on the only person wearing his club uniform to play soccer.
When Ino squinted to see what's the deal, she saw 2-B's student teacher, someone that resembled Sasuke (if not for the longer ponytail), was acting as goalkeeper. On the other side was Tobirama, 2-A's own goalkeeper. Judging by the empty scoreboard, it's apparent that they both are good at this.
'Poor boys,' Ino mused, looking at the disheveled appearances of the players from both teams, 'At this rate no one will win.'
The students might have looked worse for wear, but their goalies looked pristine; as if blocking each ball was of no big deal. And maybe it was, Ino doesn't know, she's no soccer expert.
"Tobirama," the other keeper called out when the teams asked for a time-out. "Why don't we take it to the fields?"
The white-haired man's response was a smirk. And the majority of Konoha High's female population replied with a loud squeal.
'What the—'
Four heads snapped to 2-A's side of the field. Of course, Uzumaki Karin would designate herself a cheerleader... along with the rest of the class' girls. The blonde resisted throwing the redhead a well-placed water bottle in the middle of her forehead.
Instead, she bit back a sigh before realizing something. Blue eyes looked around. 'This match feels like it already went over the break...'
She found the answer at the teachers' room, with its windows opened. From it, the teachers themselves watched on... along with the school administrators. Jiraiya, the director, was in a heated conversation with their vice, Orochimaru. The money being passed around said it all.
'Damn old fools are betting! In school grounds!'
The shrill cry of a whistle took her attention back to the field, and sure enough, the two student teachers were on the field, faced against each other. Shikamaru was in between the opposing teams, a coin in hand. He was about to toss it when a different whistle took over.
In came the teachers, led by Might Guy, everyone's favourite Physical Education teacher.
"The springtime of youth has definitely touched everyone!" He declared, much to the dismay of the retreating students. "Now, Tobirama-kun, Izuna-kun; please lead the students back in before the director loses more money—er, before springtime expires!"
"Eh, we didn't get to see the student teachers in actions," Tenten grumbled, as the four of them made their way inside. "By the way, your student teacher is a mass of muscles. Did you see the way how sweat made his white shirt cling to every curve—"
"Shut your filthy mouth, Tenten," Ino cut her off, hands covering Hinata's ears. "I don't want the inchou catching one of your various diseases."
"Aw come on, Ino! Don't tell me you didn't see it!"
"Go back to your fictional men!"
The brunette harrumphed. "Maybe I will! Come, Sakura; Ino is becoming more of a Mother Superior as days go by!"
The pinkette fell into a step with Tenten, her phone out. Ino was about to comment on her obsession with the game when she saw the photo on the screen. Their white-haired student teacher, in a keeper stance, with sweat beading his face and the buttons of his white shirt pulled taut.
"Just give him long hair, Tenten," she heard Sakura mention as they paced further. "He's definitely Zen, in live, breathing form."
Ino just sighed and retracted her hands from the inchou's ears. "Forget what you heard, Hinata, they can be dirty perverts when they choose to be."
The salacious giggles that echoed after the two girls ahead further proved her point. But the blonde was suddenly struck by a thought.
Sure, she wanted her friend to get her life together from that damned game, but is shifting her attention to something tangible better? Won't that make the longing even worse? Won't it introduce more problems down the road?
Hinata watched the conflict play over Ino's face, before giving her a small smile. "Ino-san," she said, hands finding the other girl's as she squeezed them in understanding. "I'm sure everything will work out."
Her reply came in an uneasy smile, but she squeezed back reassuringly. "Yeah, I hope so."
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This was supposed to be a long one-shot in my head but I have no self-control lmao help me
