Chapter 4: the woman underneath her skin

"It seems you're doing great Kumiko, don't forget to catch enough sleep and have a break from time to time. I'll see you next week then."

"Thank you doctor."

She really hated the hospital. The echoing sounds of moans, cries and machines that keep people alive. When she closed the door behind her, she released a sigh that took all tense with it, happy to get out of that room again. Not that her doctor wasn't nice. He had treated her from the first day she had moved to the US, but still, visiting hospitals once a week differs from visiting grandma once a week. And so she made her turn to get back home safely without nurses and hospital beds knocking her over. She would always feel feeble and rigid after having taken blood, but it was part of her weekly check-up, it was part of being Kumiko.

"Anyways, my name's Sasuke."

"You're supposed to tell me yours now?"

"My name?" she gasped prostrate, noticing her breath felt heavy and unreachable like it always does after visiting this place. The moon was full tonight, a perfect moon for a miracle. Wind striking her cheekbones, she watched that big white planet with moist eyes like she was asking it what her name was. Yet the day the moon would answer questions would also be the day she'd gone mad. As a wry smirk found its way up to her face, she watched her red toes bottled up in those black, uncomfortable pumps. It had been some time she'd dressed up like that, frankly she really hates wearing dresses and high heels. Then why did she do it for a stranger? That second question would only make her smile wider.

"My name," and her smile was lost in the wind, her face now paler then her usual skin and her eyes getting wetter by the second. "It's Kumiko," she answered herself, "Nakamura Kumiko."

And so the fallen leafs chased the beautiful crying girl who would make any man look back to take another look at her aesthetic legs.


His feet were all rapture that Monday morning, knowing she'd be sitting on the same bus again at the same hour at the same spot just like any other day. He had overslept, but that wouldn't ruin his good mood for today. Knowing he'd see her this morning, even though their date had been awkward at many moments Friday, he couldn't keep his mind off of her. Actually, he felt more attracted to her than ever before. She could act strange so much was obvious, but despite that there was a gorgeous girl hidden underneath that smile, and it was exactly that girl he wanted to get to know better. Not the girl with the fake laughter, but the woman underneath her skin with the many secrets and the scarred grief she held within her. Only so that one day maybe he was able to heal those scars in the hope of her returning the favour and healing his too. But where was she?

"I live alone. It's difficult sometimes but, I get a lot of support. It helps."

"Well, silly, that's quite impossible since I never finished high school!"

Why did she never finish high school...

With startled eyes, Sasuke could not realize what was happening all around him, suddenly noticing this very bus was moving. Was he on the wrong bus? No, that was impossible, the same guy with the IPod always took this bus also to Cinnaminson. He could wince like a little girl now, wondering where the hell she was. This couldn't possibly be happening, she was so totally evading him after Friday, he's so going to get dumped.

"So, how did it go?"

"You fucked her?"

"Shut up Kiba!"

"Mr Uzumaki, Uchiha and Inuzuka. I would appreciate it if you would pay attention during class."

Three little monkeys sitting in a gigantic auditorium attending class, discussing the everlasting discussion of the issue of the day: the date of Sasuke Uchiha. Although the density of continuous bullshit was so overwhelming that Monday morning, Sasuke tried hard to evade every question he was asked and pretended like he didn't even go on a date. His friends were exchanging faces and movements too intolerant for the human eye to see and their whispers would soon escalate in demands that were to be screamed out in frustration. Naruto did try to keep things 'tidy' and just ask about the date, but really the only questions Kiba was asking always contained sexual content.

"I bet she has a B."

"Would you just shut up for once! I'm trying to –"

"Uchiha, the principal, now."

Yet another painful survey was about to begin. He sighed, packed his bag and gave Kiba just one more punch in the stomach before he left.


He had been right. Tsunade had chased the subject until every last word was spilled out. He had made something up about silly fights with his brother and that it would bother him, also during homework. She would call Itachi to discuss the matter. Itachi would probably play along knowing his little brother had used him as an excuse again.

The door of that pancake house looked bigger then last time, like they were going to swallow him in and chew him till the bone. There was absolutely no reason for him to visit this place. Just because she wasn't on the bus this morning didn't necessarily mean she'd never want to see him again. But still, Sasuke was quite paranoid when it came down to girls. It could very well be she just had to go to work one hour later than usual. Itachi had told him not to give a girl everything at the same time. Love has to come from both sides. Don't push things. Make her chase you a little as well, but not too much so she still feels precious. Surprise her but within the standards so she doesn't get used to it. Never tell a woman she looks beautiful when she's complaining about herself, only tell it when she least expects it. Women really were complicated.

He heaved his long face and stared at the elders in the pancake house a little longer, enjoying the best coffee of Philadelphia with their grandchildren having a hot coco with marshmallows. They were all laughing, happy, at ease, feeling home, and so he knew there was only one person that could make feel people so comfortable at a place that wasn't even theirs. He walked inside, paying undivided attention to that little step in the door, and walked his way inside, the scent of sweetness leaving behind an enjoyable tickle in his nose. And there she was, laughing brightly as usual, serving customers in that way too short waitress outfit again stained with chocolate sauce. She pressed together her bosom while holding a plateau of empty tea and coffee cups, her small breasts almost pulping out. To think he was actually fascinated about the outside of a freaking fifteen year old girl! Sick, perverted, paedophilic.

Her eyes skipped once she saw the presence of a familiar stranger she had already forgotten the name of. The name, but not the face. The same smile appeared on her cheeks again, putting the plateau on the free table right before glasswork would stumble on the ground. What she saw she did not believe, it was actually duck-ass haired guy with angulated yet feminine face. Those very eyes that had been watching him an entire Friday evening were kept locked on him now with again a harbouring sparkle. She seemed to be happy as usual, hair messed-up again yet sexy, covered in stains because of work yet stylish. How did she do it?

The girl ran hopping towards the handsome guy that by now everyone had noticed. Also Miss Thompson, the bus granny. "What are you doing here? I'm in the middle of work, silly!" Her charming English accent would catch him like sharp perfume. She always spoke like a kindergarten teacher talking to the children. Yet it wouldn't bother him. He would very much enjoy getting lectured by her.

"I'm sorry, I – well – you weren't on the bus, this morning. I just – I wanted to see you." That came out more fluent than expected.

"You're still the same," she smiled genuinely watching the floor. Maybe it was just him, but it really looked like she was turning red. And for a girl like her, being shy was a rare addition. "I'm happy to see you." She didn't explain why she wasn't on the bus this morning. What she did do was nervously fiddling with her fingers, impatiently twisting them in any possible position like she was waiting for something. At a sudden moment, when Sasuke didn't know what to say anymore – as usual – she looked up at him with insignificant eyes. Almost wetting his pants, he looked around searching for useful words to speak, when he saw the old woman that had hit him with her cane, sitting at one of the tables with a friend. She waved frighteningly at him, like a bad endeavour of a flirt, so that he quickly shove his eyes on the girl standing before him again. What he had forgotten was that that girl wore still a way too short waitress outfit and – bloody hell – she was squeezing her bosom together with her arms, making him wonder if she did that on purpose.

"Maybe we could, you know, have a drink together. I mean, after your work. Nothing alcoholic of course! You're still underage. It's not like I want to get you drunk or something. I don't drink myself, I mean."

"Actually, I'm running a late shift tonight."

"Oh." That does explain why she wasn't on the bus today. Or is it just an excuse?

"But I still have my coupons?" She tried cheering him up with those. "I'll come around Wednesday, how's that?"

"Erm –" He swallowed uneasily thinking he had planned to do homework Wednesday afternoon. "That'd be, nice."

When she blessed him with another one of her smiles, she spun around to go to work again. "I'll see you Wednesday then, Sasuke." And just like a flash of lightening she took off to serve the duty she was supposed to serve every day.

"Wait!" he yelled out before she'd disappear behind the counter to prepare more of that delicious coffee. He wanted to ask her name, or rather, he just had to know it. When suddenly her employer rushed by also running a shift for it was just one of those many busy days at Hansel and Gretel pancake house. With morose face and deep curves on his forehead and around his eyes, he sent frightening glares at the young man keeping his best servant from work. Once he scared off the brat, he called for his employee. "Kumiko, table three is still waiting for their order."

Guileless as she was, she looked up at her boss and tried to reason. "But they only ordered one tea because their son didn't –"

"I know honey, it's alright, go ask them if they want anything else," and the indefensible child squealed an unpleasant sound when the old man had eagerly slapped her butt, a shiver running all the way to her spine. Sasuke watched in all askance at the man leaving to help out in the kitchen, wishing he hadn't seen that. Before their eyes would meet again, Sasuke walked outside in a hurry and closed that door with more fierce than he had hoped. Happy he was out of that room, he sighed.

"Kumiko," his lips repeated yearning as he pictured her on that cold Friday evening again in that provoking dress. "Of course." [Kumiko From Japanese (ku) "long time", (mi) "beautiful" and (ko) "child". Sasuke says 'of course' because he thinks her name couldn't have been chosen any better, lest we forget our Sasuke still speaks Japanese and is from Japanese origin.]


That Wednesday afternoon, while Sasuke should have been studying or making up with the enormous amount of homework, Itachi slowly but surely discovering his brother probably wouldn't pass his first year of university, Sasuke would help out in his brother's café. However, he couldn't keep his mind on his work and so was more of a bother than real help. Incessant trembling caused most of the cups of tea to spill over and with eyes focused on the door waiting for her to walk in it wasn't the first time he collided against one of the customers or Shikamaru. Now you probably wonder who Shikamaru is. Basically, he's a student that works here every afternoon to earn some money since he bought an apartment with his girlfriend Temari. The advantage of being Shikamaru are the brains. His knowledge is far beyond the average IQ. The disadvantage of being Shikamaru is the laziness, which is why he and his girlfriend argue so much. The Uchiha brothers had visited their apartment once to see the baby, and already they were disputing about who was going to do the dish-washing. They have a nice baby though. Way too young for having one, but it's cute, I guess.

"Look out Sasuke!" Clumsy as ever, Sasuke was being pushed away – once more – before he could take the porcelain with him, that is, on the floor. It was just a matter of safety, for customers as well as them. "What's the matter with you, you're acting all funny. This isn't like you at all." Shikamaru's rough voice wasn't enough to bring him back to the real world though. He was still too focused on that door that just wouldn't present him what he wanted to see. As he was staring at it again for ages, Shikamaru turned around and watched it closely as well, wondering what was so special about the door. Except for the Japanese architecture and refined details.

"Yo Sasuke," and the lazy father snapped his fingers a few times before he could catch his attention. The Uchiha that looked so young and innocent all of a sudden, looked aimlessly into Shikamaru's eyes though he did not realise so. It was like staring in the darkness waiting for something to occur, maybe a light. You can imagine how annoying that must feel for Shikamaru. "Hey, why don't you take it easy for a while? Go upstairs, get some sleep, distract yourself, I don't know, I don't care, just stay out of my way."

And just like that, he snapped out of it again and defended himself with again the same stutter in his words. "No – no. I-I'm okay. I can handle it."

"Are you sure?" and one eyebrow would raise.

"Yeah sure." He nonchalantly rubbed with his hand in his duck-ass hair and offered him a wry smile that was impossible to take in, not to mention believe. Shikamaru sighed in all nuisance and decided to leave matters as they were. "I'll be outside smoking a cigarette. You're making me nervous and I hate that. Can you handle it for five minutes?"

"No prob!" That was spoken way too cheerful for Sasuke to believe.

"Alright then." Shikamaru realised that of course, but didn't bother.

"But you're taking an awful lot of cigarette breaks Shikamaru."

"That's why I have you to back me up!" he yelled and closed the door behind him, his cigarette already heating up.

Sasuke and Shikamaru weren't really friends. They didn't hate each other, but they weren't friends either. Basically they had to get along since Shikamaru needed this job and Sasuke was the owner's brother. Itachi liked him though. Not because he was lazy of course, despite his laziness he was also very smart. Maybe Itachi just liked to interact with people with the same IQ as him from time to time, having talked too much to people with a lower IQ like his one and only brother.

"Where's Shikamaru?" Speaking about the devil, Itachi pushed an order in Sasuke's hands and was occupied looking around for his servant.

"He's outside. Smoking a cigarette."

"Well that doesn't surprise me. Order for table 7."

"Yeah."

Just when his little brother was about to take his leaves, Itachi stopped him by the shoulder and smiled. "Relax otouto. It's only 3 o'clock. She'll come."

"I know that." He didn't feel like talking to his brother. That would only cause more unnecessary consequences because of the stress like overproduction of the perspiration and the ceaseless feeling like you need to shit your intestines out. Freaking out was only normal for Sasuke to do. He always does when he's around girls, has a date with them – Kumiko was the first girl he ever dated, talks with them, maybe even when he thinks about them. This was a part of Sasuke Itachi knew from the inside and out, so yeah, he was prepared for the breaking of five more plates and two more cups of tea. And he'd probably drop a plate of home-made cake for the customers as well. That's why he had baked one more that day than usual. And then it happened. That moment when the earth stood still for five full seconds and everyone turned their faces to the door, yearning to see what beauty would appear from behind and –

A fat grandma with furry coat and barking Chihuahua entered their Café. Blast it.

"Welcome at Sake how can I help you." He said that so brief that the pretentious woman had hardly heard any of Sasuke's mumbling. And so she stared in all disagreement at the young man who wouldn't keep his eyes from that door for one second, even though he was serving a customer. Yet as rude as the young waiter was, she ordered in a most despicable accent – like she was from some high royal English family – a mint tea, not before her rat barked the shit out of Sasuke.

Walking to the counter where Itachi was busy serving tea, pouring hot water in tea jars and providing each order with a slice of cake, he was this adjusted that he automatically placed the right orders on his plateau, not even thinking about the number of orders and which tables he was supposed to serve. So focused on his work, when all of a sudden someone poked him on the shoulder and all concentration withered. Turning around with a small jar in his hand which he had probably better left on the counter to prevent his hands from burning, her face was this close from a head-butt. Her laugh was overwhelming and it didn't take long before Sasuke would do his first stupidity that date because really, he had to do something stupid every date. "BOO!" she laughed and her wide smile was charming yet taunting at the same time. She looked confused at him when he turned red like a tomato and bit his lip. He did try hard though, to pretend like everything was okay, for Sasuke had spilled half of the jar with boiling water on his hand. "You're not happy to see me?"

"No! I mean, no, I'm not not – I'm happy you came," and like that he flushed the jug and remain of hot water behind the counter – on Shikamaru's head. Kumiko moved over to see where the cry came from when Sasuke stepped between. "I was starting to worry though," he admitted and nonchalantly rubbed his own hair again. No matter how hard he tried, it'd always point upwards like a duck's ass.

"Don't do that," she giggled and worked away his hands by holding his wrists. For some reason, the peculiar girl liked his hair. She liked drawing it and – I guess – looking at it, though we have no idea why. Maybe she just likes ducks. That should be it. As their bodies found connection again so electrocuting it vibrated through every limp of his body, he tried searching for her eyes, wanting the same connection there as well, but unfortunately they did not respond. Those vivid eyes were oblivious to his, leaving him wondering if she was doing it on purpose or not. Instead of enjoying this particular – to him – awkward but for some reason also right moment, her blue eyes were wandering from left to right amazed by their Japanese interior. Not that it was that special, but being from Japanese origin makes it a lot more familiar.

"Can I, bring you some tea?" And just like that, her eyes were focused on his right now with the expression of an innocent ten year old. He was by now wetting his pants.

"Sure! I brought my coupons, see?" Those red coupons interfered all direct connection between waiter and temporary out-of-duty waitress. Proudly she presented them like one of her new drawings. That's when he saw she was carrying the same purse as last time, and the messy sketchbook was crammed inside it as well. "I'll wait for you at the table. Surprise me!"

So she'd be sitting at the right next to the window, and he had to surprise her. How the fuck did he know what kind of tea she likes? Okay Sasuke, relax, she's a sweet girl, she probably likes sweet tea, pink tea, rose-hip, cinnamon, apple, raspberries, so many choices! Why Itachi, why do you have to put so many kinds of tea on the menu! Surprise me. He remembered every sort of tea and pictured her drinking it. Got it.

After a full ten minutes and Sasuke having removed his apron after receiving the approval from his big brother, he came back with one jar of tea and two empty cups. The girl watched him with full entertainment as he clumsily succeeded to bring it all the way to the table, their table, where they could finally be alone and talk in person without any working involved. He especially enjoyed her curiosity over the tea. Pouring it in a cup, the colour dark orange, the smell enticing and warm, he handed it over to her and poured a cup for himself as well. All of this he did without burn wounds. (Itachi had treated the first one back in the kitchen when she wasn't looking.)

"What is this tea?"

"Try it."

Without having to convince her, she eagerly worked her first slug inside and examined it. Putting the cup underneath her nose to take the scent in and warming her lips against it, she stared at it for what seemed hours. Icy blue eyes were reflected in the autumn-coloured water. "Okay, I don't know, now tell me."

"It's Yunnan Pure Gold. One of the best Chinese teas."

"I like it."

"You do?" He almost asked that like he was surprised. Of course she likes it, this tea is triple the price of the average one. She better drinks all of it!

"Of course you silly!"

Every time she used that word, her British accent was emphasised so rationally. It made him wonder where she came from, which parts of the world she had already seen at such young age and how the hell she had ended up right here in Trenton. But he'd probably never ask. There had to be a reason why she lived alone at such a young age, and it couldn't be a good one. Her past was none of his business. Yet, then what about his? Would she ask herself why he lives alone with his brother and no parents? Maybe, but she'd never ask too. It was like an infinite rule, part of a game.

"He seems nice," her eyes now directed towards the counter.

"Hmm... Wait, who?" He had been so lost in his thoughts, lost in her beauty he had forgotten he was actually on a date with her.

"Your brother." When he turned his head, Itachi was waving unworried yet overexited in their direction, and of course Kumiko would wave back the entire same way. Thus Itachi's promise that he wouldn't disturb them. The irritation was written all over Sasuke's face, embarrassed about his brother. The only thing he wanted was for them to have some quality time alone but that seemed impossible in a place like this. Somehow, it felt like everyone – especially the pretentious old woman's dog – was keeping an eye on them. It could very well be Itachi had hired them as spies, such things wouldn't surprise him anymore.

After his suspicion having been confirmed he turned his eyes back to the under-aged girl sitting before him, working her entire cup of tea inside and pouring out some more. Cursing he had slipped away that beautiful chance of being the gentleman and offering her more, his eyes wandered to her backpack. Is was a classical black Eastpak with all kinds of band patches, from Florence And The Machine to Amon Amarth and Lord Of The Rings badges. Even Spongebob and Pussy The Luxe. Only to emphasise what kind of weird combinations this girl could wear. And inside of it, all worn out and messed up, the black sketch book was enjoying his deserving rest. The loud talking of customers would suddenly bother him more and more. Looking foolishly around as she always does with that same smile on her face like she wanted Sasuke to feel more comfortable this way, he decided to take a risk and ask a question that was longer than 10 words.

"When you've finished that, we could go outside for a walk?"

"Sounds nice!"

You don't really need something irresistible to get her excited.


I happen to have become one of 'those' writers that only update whenever they feel like it. It's just been quite busy and I guess I need a lot more time to write chapters than in the old days... Not that I'm that old ^^"

As some of you know I always use the same OC – Kumiko – in my stories. This time I was inspired by a friend I once had. I met her three years ago, I saw her every Wednesday because she visited the same psychiatrist as me. The Kumiko in this story reminds me of her a lot. She was also a little weird, but not once did I see her without a smile on her face. The background which will be expanded in the next chapters is also based on my friend's story. Unfortunately she died one year ago because of leukaemia. I still miss her.

Do not add as favourite or follow without review please, thank you, ShadowOfSD