STANDARD DISCLAIMER APPLIED


K o n o h a R i d i n g C l u b

By: SlanderousDoll

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Chapter 3 – Wrong Encounters

"What happened to you, Haruno? You look like a mini version of Orochimaru." Sakura ignored Temari's lame attempt of a joke. She was still hung over about that little incident earlier. Temari asked Sakura and Ino to meet up at their usual hangout place—a resto-bar called Asteria.

"I just hate the world right now." Especially that chicken-butt haired idiot. She sighed. Her two best friends were looking at her with curious expressions. "That's why I decided to change my hair style."

"You didn't change your hairstyle, forehead, you changed personality. Did you and your boyfriend broke up?" Sakura sighed again. Ino could read her like an open book. There's no point in hiding the obvious.

"Yes." She replied. Temari and Ino looked at each other then smiled. It was already a given factor that her friends disliked Izumo. Their reason? Just because.

Temari raised her right arm to call the attention of the waiter near them and ordered one whole bundle of beer. 'Why am I cursed with alcoholic friends?' Sakura thought desperately.

"Well, this calls for a celebration!" Ino said. She was obviously very happy about it and didn't even bother to pretend she was concerned for her best friend's break up with her boyfriend. "I never really did like him."

"So, what was the reason for the unexpected break-up?" Temari asked.

"I saw him kissing another woman." Sakura replied bluntly and shrugged her shoulders.

"WHAT!" both Temari and Ino shouted. Ino closed her precious laptop and stood up.

"Wait for me, I'll just sell my laptop."

"Why?" Sakura look at her like she was crazy. Aside from shopping, Ino loved her laptop and would kill anyone who dares to touch it.

"I'm buying a gun." Sakura pulled Ino back to her seat.

"Calm down, Ino. It was nothing really. I saw him kissing another woman. I broke up with him and gave him a broken nose. It's no big deal."

"It is a big deal! He cheated on my best friend and…"

"Ino? Ino? Are you okay? What is with that crazy smile of yours?" Temari waved a hand in front of the blonde model's face. The said blonde turned to look at her pink-haired friend with a look that says, 'I know your hiding something.' Sakura gulped.

"Sakura, Sakura, Sakura. What else happened between you and Izumo? I know there's something you are not telling us." Ino's gaze was making her nervous. Damn it!

Sakura shifted from her seat making Ino confirm positive that Sakura really was hiding something. "Nothing happened, pig." Ino wasn't about to believe that especially when Sakura couldn't look at her straight in the eyes. Guilty.

"Okay, okay, you see…uhm…there was this guy."

"And?" Both Ino's hands were under her chin while Temari was trying so hard to stifle her giggles.

"And he just…suddenly kissed me." Sakura whispered the last part but both her friends heard her clearly. There was a small tint of pink on her cheeks and Ino and Temari squealed.

"OH MY GOSH, SAKURA! So what was it like? Was it good?"

"Was he handsome?"

"Yes, he was handsome, Tema-chan and no, I don't think it was good, Ino. I felt like I wasn't any different from my ass of an ex. Enough about me and my fucked up life, what about you guys? Especially you, Tema-chan, you seem…out of it." Temari sighed and gave a small sigh.

"Is it really that obvious?" Ino and Sakura nodded. "Well, you see, my dad kind of had enough of my guts. It's really annoying to be an only girl! UGH!"

"Your parents again?"

"Who else? I really don't need them to tell me to straighten my life!"

"I know what they mean." Sakura said. Temari glared at her.

"Excuse me, Doctor Haruno, I'm only turning 27 next month, I still want to enjoy my life!"

"Exactly. You're already 27 and you're still acting like a kid. It's about time you fix your life." Sakura retaliated.

"She's right you know." Ino stated.

"Yeah, well, my life's pretty much fixed as it is." Temari had a scowl on her pretty face.

"I doubt that, do you have a job?" Ino asked.

"Why do I need a job? We're already rich."

"You're a hopeless case, Temari. I think I have a headache because of you." Sakura said.

"No you don't. That's just the effect of beer."

"Yeah, yeah, so what's the real problem for asking us to accompany you, Tem?"

"What? Can't a girl miss her friends?" Sakura and Ino only raised their brows at her.

"Fine. My dad gave me an ultimatum."

"Temari, why don't you find a job instead of lazing around like this? You're smart and you graduated at a top university with honors. If you'll just fix your life you'll be successful just like your brothers."

"Otou-san, my life's fine the way it is. You just don't understand me."

"That's the point! I don't understand you and you're not helping me to understand you! You're giving me so much problems, Temari!"

"Otou-san, whoever told you to put me on your number one problem list?" Temari had a smug smile on.

"That's it, young lady. Starting this Monday you'll train at our company. No but's!" Just as her father told her that, her mother entered the living room.

"Okaa-san! Did you hear Otou-san's joke! HAHAHAHA! It's so funny!"

"Temari, it's better if you just don't talk back." Her mother told her. Temari's father stood up. It looks like he really did have enough of her sarcastic remarks.

"I changed my mind. Ready yourself this Monday. I'm going to have you marry my business partner's son." He had finality in his voice. "Do all you want to do and say all you want to say because by Monday, everything about your life is gonna change."

"But—but—but, Otou-san! I already have a boyfriend!" Oh, she is so screwed.

"You have a boyfriend, Temari? Since when? And why didn't you tell us!" Ino screeched.

"That's my problem. I don't."

"So, you mean to say is that you need a guy willing to marry you to pose as your boyfriend?" Sakura said.

"Yes."

"Well, tough luck. Good luck with that."

"You're not going to help me?" Temari asked with puppy eyes.

"No." Sakura and Ino stated with a blank look on their faces.

"Aw, c'mon guys! What are friends for?"

"Then forget that we are friends."

"You guys are so mean!" Temari pouted. Temari suddenly felt dizzy and ready to throw up. "Ew. What was in that beer? I'm going to the bathroom first guys. I'll be back." She staggered on her way to the bathroom and she could feel her stomach doing somersaults. Her vision was getting blurry and as she turned to where the hallway leading to the bathroom was, she bumped into someone. And judging by the person's broad shoulders and hard chest, it was a guy. But before Temari could balance herself to continue her way to the ladies room, she threw up her entire dinner at the stranger's chest and passed out.

*

"Hidan-nii-chan, who is she?" said man had his eyebrows furrowed as he turned to look at his sister.

"None of your damn business. Why the hell are you here, Nami?"

"Nothing much. Just visiting my favorite brother." Nami went to the sleeping girl on his brother's sofa in his office. Her navy blue eyes stared at the sleeping girl wondering who she is since her brother has never brought a woman to his office. "Ne, nii-san she's cute isn't she? Where did you get her?" her navy blue eyes held amusement in them.

"From the orphanage." Hidan replied sarcastically. He threw the used tissue paper that he used to try to remove the girl's vomit on his polo. "Damn it! This isn't going to work!"

The source of all his frustrations that night was soundly asleep on his sofa, while he is getting nauseous of the sour smell on his polo. The drunken woman threw up all her entire dinner in front—on him, actually—of him when he got out of the men's room downstairs after inspecting it. Damn luck. He was annoyed. The smell of her vomit just won't come off.

"Nii-chan—"

"Leave her alone, Nami. Just get my spare shirt from my car."

"Why me?"

"Because my assistant is still doing the checking downstairs and you're the only one doing nothing."

"I'm doing something."

"Really? Like what?" Hidan raised his left brow and stared at his little sister.

"Yes. I'm talking to you aren't I?" Nami had a smug look on her face.

"Nami." He used his warning tone on her, which means its either she follows him or he's telling their parents all the things Nami has been up to. Whoever invented blackmail is a genius!

Nami frowned but nonetheless she complied eventually while murmuring profanities under her breath. But then she turned around to look at her brother once more.

"You just want to be alone with her, don't you? Sneaky, nii-chan!" she said then pointed at the sleeping woman. "I didn't know my aniki was such a pervert! Oh well, it's okay though. You're better off with a girlfriend. But, nii-chan, use protection, okay? To be sure that you won't end up getting her preg—OUCH!" Apparently, Hidan threw the throw pillow closest to him, which smacked her in the face. Normally she would fight back but not today, she just laughed.

"Just get my damn shirt, Nami." Hidan was gritting his teeth in annoyance as he watched his sister disappear behind his office door. He sighed a minute later and rubbed his aching temples. And because of that, the foul smell of his polo reached his nostrils again. He couldn't take it any longer so he just took it off.

"Why am I surrounded by women who are causing me headaches?" he inadvertently glanced at the sleeping woman. She was the main reason for everything. After checking the male's room, he was just about to go back to his condo to rest for the night but due to what happened, here he is back in his office suffering from the sour smell from his polo. He could take his spare shirt from his car but those pesky girls would bother him again, which he isn't too eager about.

He owned the bar downstairs and this was his private office. He had it customized to be sound proof and for only him to see the people downstairs but the said people wouldn't be able to see him at all. Maybe that's why the woman was soundly asleep. He decided that he would wake her up but as he was about to touch her, she opened her eyes and he just stared at her. He had never seen eyes as pretty as hers. They were teal colored and very expressive. He studied her features some more. She might have this tomboy syndrome but there was no doubt about it, his sister was right, the woman was damn cute.

"Who…Who are you?" The woman asked. Sleep was still evident in her voice. "What are you doing here…wait, where am I?

"My office." Hidan simply replied. "You passed out after you threw up your entire dinner on me."

"Huh?" The woman furrowed her brows. "Ahh…sorry about that." She had a sheepish smile on.

"You can't sleep here so I suggest that you go home. I'll have my driver to drive you home since it's already 2 am."

"I don't want to go home."

"Okay, I'll just drop you to the nearest police station."

"I also don't want to go to the police station." Hidan noticed that the woman's eyes were drooping. "You have nice abs." She commented with a small smile.

Ignoring her words of praise, he went to her to fully wake her up because her eyes were closed again.

"I said you can't sleep here. Damn it!" It was no use, her breathing became even and she was even snoring softly. She was also about to fall off of the sofa if it wasn't for his fast reflexes that he was able to catch her.

"Cool! Live show, un!"

Hidan turned to look at the new comer. The smiling face of his friend Deidara was what he saw and he immediately frowned at this.

"Don't mind me, un. I'm not even here." Hidan ignored his lame joke and placed both of his hands on his waste after he finished placing the woman back on his sofa.

"Did you see Nami outside?" Hidan asked.

"Yeah," Deidara threw his spare shirt to him. "She asked me to give this to you."

Deidara proceeded to where the sleeping woman was and stared. He didn't even know but he just suddenly had this urge to kick his face for being too close to her face.

"She's cute, Hidan. That's what I like about you, un. You have good taste when it comes to women."

"She's not my girl." Hidan slipped his new shirt on. His friend turned to look at him after examining the sleeping woman.

"She's not your type, un?" He said with a cheeky grin.

Hidan just sighed and rolled his eyes. "Just leave her damn alone, Deidara. By the way, what the hell are you doing here in my bar?"

"I need a break." Deidara replied then sat on his swivel chair. He finally let the sleeping woman topic go. "And you know, I have to play at times for me to not lose my touch with women. And speaking of play, have you heard about the latest news about Konoha Riding Club?"

Konoha Riding Club is an exclusive club located in the borders of Konoha where only men are allowed to join. It is the sanctuary of these wealthy and good-looking men who can afford the membership fee. It is a place where only men rules. And surely, Hidan and Deidara are both members of this club.

"What about KRC?"

"I thought Pein was never gonna find a woman but it turns out he was the first to marry out of all of us. He's been married for years now."

"Really." Hidan noticed that Deidara's out of it today. "Why do you look troubled? You like Pein's wife?"

"No, asshole. I must admit that Konan's very pretty, un, but I don't plan on stealing other men's belonging." Deidara paused then continued, "I was just thinking about quitting the club."

"Quitting?" Hidan had his eyebrows furrowed by now.

"Yeah, un. The only reason why I entered KRC was to secure my bachelorhood. Knowing that the owner of the club has been married for a long time now, I'm having second thoughts if my bachelorhood would still be secure there. Especially now that the other members are one by one getting married." He sighed. "I hate commitment and I especially hate marriage. I don't have anything against women and I do enjoy their company, it's just that, I really don't want to get married. Just thinking about marriage gives me goosebumps."

Hidan could only agree with him. He too doesn't want to get married yet but unlike Deidara he doesn't literally runaway from commitment like him. He enjoys the women who come into his life yes but taking in a serious relationship is certainly a no.

"But then again, if I leave KRC, my position in that club will go to waste. And I'll miss my horse."

Again, he could only agree with Deidara. If there was one thing in Konoha Riding Club that he will miss the most once he leaves it will be his Andalusian horse named, Chi-chan.

"But why would you think about things that will happen that you could always avoid? If you don't want to get married, then don't. I'm sure those friends of ours in the club chose to tie the knot and wasn't forced to. We both know our fellow members there well. They can't be forced to do something that's against their will." Hidan said. Deidara thought about it and replied,

"Well, yeah, it looks like those idiots really love their wife. Looks like KRC is still the best place to secure my bachelorhood. By the way, the ranking tournament's about to start tomorrow. Are you coming?"

"Sure, I wouldn't miss it for the world." Deidara's phone suddenly rang and the sleeping woman stirred in her sleep. Hidan could only groan in frustration. I really need that break!

"Yo, Naruto! Why'd you call? What? A bet? Sure. Hidan?" Deidara turned to him with a smirk. "Don't bother that bastard, un. He's busy with his new girl. Yeah, his girl—" Hidan grabbed Deidara's phone from him. Deidara just kept laughing.

"I'll be there, Naruto." He threw the phone back to Deidara and motioned to punch him in the face. Deidara just pointed at the woman. He thought something happened to the woman so he rushed to look at her but it turned out Deidara was just making fun of him.

"You really ought to get married."

"Bastard. You go marry first!" Hidan replied as Deidara walked out.

*

Hazugawa Tenten was busy reading a book when her cellphone alarm went off. She glanced at her wristwatch to make sure.

"It's time!" she was practically smiling from ear to ear now. She grabbed the binoculars on the counter and placed her book where it once were and went to the nearest window where her 'beloved's' villa can be clearly seen. Because of her good acting skills and manipulative ways, she was able to convince her brother and the king of Konoha Riding Club, KRC for short, to have Trés Bien!, her souvenir shop built near the Waterfall Villas—where her beloved's villa was just 2 meters away from her shop. And if she wasn't lucky enough as it is, the only window on that side of his house was of his bedroom. Lucky! Although she must admit, she was being freaky like a fan girl gone psycho doing all these stalker-ish stuff but as she would always put it, it's love!

"Oh, beautiful creature! Where fort art thou oh, beautiful one!" Her eyes were dazed and she had this dreamy look on her face. She adjusted the zoom of her binoculars to get a better look at the insides of his room. "Oh, beautiful ma—AHH! There you are my darling!"

Ikanomiya Deidara was Tenten's one and only love. The man who caught her attention right after she entered the premises of the club. He was the only person she wanted to see everyday and the only person she wastes her time on. Yes, she was hopelessly in love with Deidara. Also known as Mr. I'm-afraid-of-commitment-and-marriage.

"Good morning, darling!" she was smiling from ear to ear now and still had that dreamy face on. "Have you eaten you're breakfast yet? You want me to cook for you? Very well, just look here and I'll wink at you and poof! There's your instant breakfast!" This is Tenten's everyday doing in the morning, to spy on the clueless Deidara and to make herself look crazy by talking nonsense. She was still going on and on with her little speech about Deidara that she didn't notice the man who entered her shop.

"Excuse me, miss?"

"—And I am going to ignore this creature who is talking to me and interrupting our moment—"

"Miss." Tenten slowly turned her head to look at the bastard who disrupted her morning ritual. Her smile turned into a scowl and she made sure that this person would be aware that he just disturbed her happiness and she wasn't pleased at all. Annoying pest!

"What?" The scowl still present on her face. But the man looked unfazed at all.

"What what? I'm a customer and I want to buy flowers and you are suppose to help me." The man stated monotonously. His face held no emotion and he just ignored the scowl on her face which pissed her off all the more.

Based on the way he dressed himself, she was assuming that he's one of the prominent members of the exclusive Konoha Riding Club. If not for how he talked to her, she would have complimented him on his very fine looks, which is a given fact already since every member of the club were absolutely gorgeous. But since he's such an arrogant ass, never mind the compliment and besides, she absolutely thinks that Deidara's the most handsome member of KRC.

"Why don't you pick what you want first before? When you're done choosing, come back here and I'll tell you how much you have to pay." She was about to continue where she left off when the man talked again.

"Aren't even going to assist me?"

"Why? Are you crippled?" She glanced at his feet, "Well, I think not. You can do that all by yourself." She noticed that the man's face wasn't so emotionless now instead, it held a look of annoyance.

"Is this how Konoha Riding Club's employees attend to their customers nowadays? I've just been gone for a month and I find out that employees disrespect their customers now. Does Pein know about this?" He was glaring at her.

"Well, look here, Mister—"

"Hyuuga Neji." I don't care!

"Whatever. This is how I run my business here; I let my customers pick whatever they like because this is a souvenir shop if you're unaware of that fact. And souvenir shops mean that you pick what you want. This isn't some department store, okay? I only assist customers when it comes to the flowers."

"Well, if that's the case, then I want you to assist me because I need help with the flowers." Tenten was now screaming profanities in her head because this Hyuuga Neji person just messed with her morning ritual. She wanted to throw a kunai at him but she controlled herself and faced the said man with false cheeriness and smile.

"Yes, sir, what can I do for you, sir?"

"I don't know anything about flower combination," his voice was firm and it held authority in it so she's guessing that he's a very powerful man. He wasn't even bothered with her killer look. Oh, he was so going to get it. "Give me something that a special woman would want to have." Perfect!

Without much thought, she grabbed the flowers in the vase on the counter and gave it to Neji with a sadistic glint in her eyes and said,

"That's zinnia. That's perfect for retarded people."

"Retarded?" He asked. His borrows furrowed.

"It's for a 'special' woman right? As in 'special' meaning 'retarded'?" she was inwardly smirking now seeing the look of rage on Neji's face. Cha! That's what you get for ruining my morning! She still had her cheery smile on when Neji glared at her, and she saw that his hands were clenching and unclenching. Probably trying to control the urge to strangle her.

"I have never been received like this," Neji said through gritted teeth. "And I have never felt this insulted in my entire life. If you don't want to assist your customers you shouldn't have opened a shop."

"Excuse me, mister, I wasn't insulting you, zinnias are flowers that helps a person's mind to relax," she lied. "You asked for a suggestion, I gave you an answer and now you're accusing me of insulting you and you're suggesting that I close my shop? I think you need zinnias since you yourself look troubled."

"You're sick." He said then grabbed the flowers from her.

"Then call the doctor very quick." Was her witty reply. He just stared at her for a long moment. His face went back to its emotionless state and all traces of rage were gone from his eyes. It was kind of unnerving, his stare that is. He was still staring after a minute passed and so she took the chance to actually study his face because she was feeling uncomfortable now. He was really a very good-looking guy. He had an angelic face, his cheeks were naturally rosy, he has a cute pointed nose, thin luscious red lips and his eyes looked like they were smiling even though his expression was blank at the moment. If he hadn't been arrogant in the first place—and she's admitting that she did something wrong too but moving on—she would be certain that she would have fallen for him.

"Hello, mister whatever, are you going to buy that or not?" she said. He had been staring for far too long already and it was very uncomfortable. "I still have a lot of things to do, mind you. If you're going to stare at me all day then I'll just give you a picture of myself. With an autograph if—"

"Never mind." He broke the long stem of the zinnia and placed the flower on one of her panda buns. "Thank you very much for the nice assistance." He was being sarcastic but she shrugged it off. He turned his back on hers and proceeded to go out of her shop. She hastily grabbed the binoculars again and before continuing her spying she said,

"No problem, mister. Take care! Goodbye!" and with that, she checked if Deidara was still in his bedroom. Well, looks like luck was on her side today because Deidara was still in his room doing push-ups and without his shirt on. "Oh my gosh! Just look at those flexing muscles!" she sighed dreamily.

"I love life!" she squealed. Life couldn't be any better that this.

TBC.


I was supposed to update weeks ago but I got lazy. I AM SO SORRY. And final exams came up so yeah, I had to study if I wanted to graduate. :D Tee hee. SO HERE'S THE THIRD CHAPTER.

And, I thought I should tell you that this is all introduction only because there will be lots of pairings and that's why there's little action going on. And when I say lots, I mean LOTS. And I'm having a hard time pairing whom to whom so, a little help please? I'm only certain on these pairings right now, SasukeSakura, ShikamaruIno, NarutoHinata, NejiTenten, SuigetsuKarin, SasoriOC, PeinKonan and HidanTemari. So I need your suggestions. If you want an OC to be paired up with who ever not on the list above it's pretty much welcomed. Just tell me what she looks like and I need it to be a girl and whom you want her to be paired up with.

[.PYT] - There's the answer to your question. :) I promise that everything will surely happen in the riding club. That place is like magical. :D

[Cardboard] - I can't say much cause it'll ruin the story between Sasuke and Sakura buuuut, Sasuke isn't actually watching Sakura...YES. :| That's too much. OH WELL.

Keep the reviews going! :D