This chapter is a short one but the next one will be a long one I assure you. I hope you enjoy and review.

Title: Natsu no kōrinoFuyu Kasai (winter's fire summer's ice)

Standard Disclaimer Applied

{Chapter Six}

Sasuke groaned and his hand slammed down on the alarm clock next to him on the bed side table, splintering it into pieces. He swore and closed his eyes tighter. Shit. Was it time to pretend to be human already? He wasn't ready to get up. It was useless though; once his mind stirred that was the end of him. He groaned and sat up in bed. He yawned then ran his fingers though his hair and blinked.

The morning had officially begun. There was no need to actually be tremendously smug about the whole idea but he inevitably was tremendously smug. He glanced at this nightstand and rolled his eyes, he'd accidentally chipped off piece of the wood. Might as well get the day started Sasuke thought. Within fifteen minutes he had taken a shower, dressed, ate his breakfast and was walking out the door; down the tiled, long, wide Mansion drive way.

He heard her before she even neared him- before she even opened that mouth of hers. "Sasuke!"

Sasuke halted reluctantly. He knew trying to ditch her would be a wasted effort given the circumstances but unconsciously he had tried anyway. Failing.

"What?" Sasuke asked turning around to face his mother.

She sighed. "Honestly boy I was going to wish you a good day today you know like mothers usually do." She retaliated duly unimpressed with his cold tone. "Apparently you don't need it. You hardly ever stay over as it is; you were going to just waltz off the compound without saying goodbye?"

He rolled his eyes at his mother in annoyance. "Mother," he said indifferently, "Really?"

"Yes really." She responded onyx eyes matching his very own easily.

Sasuke sighed and opened his arms. She was in an exceptionally good mood today. She smiled brilliantly and walked into his arms, giving him a hug so tight it could break bones. She was a slim nimble woman. She pecked his cheek.

"Now that wasn't so hard was it honey?"

"Don't call me that," he responded turning and walking away.

"It would do you much better if you actually didn't act so bitter oh son of mine," she called out.

"I'm getting old," he said, "It is full time that I die." He replied as he got into his car and started the engine.

He could hear his mother loud and clear all the way from the front of the house talking. He chose to ignore her, she was becoming a real pest lately; a pest. He knew it was probably because she was anxious- even though she wouldn't admit it. He would have called his mother a fool if she wasn't anxious after that family meeting they'd just had last night. If it hadn't been for this seasonal meeting, he would have been at his own house and he wouldn't have such burdens suddenly on his mind. Things were not looking good in the Kavazwalian community. Sasuke could sense the rebellion looming over their heads; he could almost taste a hint of it in the air as the summer drew to a close. Something was brewing on the horizon. He could feel it.

As he drove to school he turned up the music in his car. This entire summer had been so hectic after they'd dropped their second album and gone on their three month tour. They still had scheduled signings and interviews to do which made Sasuke reflect curiously on exactly how Naruto had managed to convince him of all people to do this. Not that he hated this in anyway seeing as how he'd been married to music for as long as he could remember. However back to school it was and Sasuke wasn't going to lie, the mundanity of the whole activity was a bit appealing.

Sasuke drove into the school parking lot and immediately the fan girls fawned over to his car and the screams began. It was against the rules for them to do this but seeing as it was the first day of school, no one probably cared. He rolled his eyes, placed his shades on and stepped out of the car. He was almost immediately greeted by Tami who wrapped her arms around his and with one glace at the mob of girls seemed to recoil with hisses like snakes. Way was made for them to walk, Sasuke's hand tangled with hers.

Some girls fainted, some drooled, and some glared at Tami with anger and jealousy that could murder nations. Others admired because of how perfect they looked together walking- aesthetics really. Truth be told, the girls at the school weren't that eccentric as they used to be. They got to see Sasuke more or less every week and so, the screams never lasted very long. They weren't over bearing or as crazed as the fans at his concerts.

Tami was model gorgeous being all tall and slender with big blue eyes and long rich caramel hair. Her voice was a bit high pitched and her nose a tad too straight but she had a pair of defined cheek bones that were probably sharp enough to cut a man- no contour ever needed. She was breath taking when she wanted to be especially when she did her makeup. She was in all honesty a beautiful girl.

"Don't you just hate when that happens?" She asked as she kissed him on the cheek as they continued to walk. "They still can't accept the fact that you're all mine, but I can't blame them. Sometimes I can hardly believe it myself." she giggled with genuine glee.

Oh to be young and small minded he thought. Sasuke simply nodded his head in response. For a large part, Sasuke simply couldn't be bothered to talk, especially in idle chatter. He wasn't much of a talker especially in the mornings.

"So I was thinking," Tami continued, used to his silence, "Since I canceled what I had to do I could come to your concert. I don't have a ticket but I'm sure that doesn't matter right?" Tami said innocently.

"You know it doesn't." He answered distractedly.

Off. This day was fucking off and he couldn't shake it. His eyes scoured every inch of his surroundings, glanced at every face and every flaw as he moved but he still couldn't pick out what exactly was making him this uneasy and this unpleasant.

She squealed. "You're like the best ever Sasuke." she beamed. "Perfect! Since the little brat is off to her own house I don't have to watch her and stay home anymore. I can get back to going out; this summer has really been such a drag. We haven't even been on a date in like forever."

Sasuke rolled his eyes in sudden annoyance. As far as he could tell he'd never even asked her out. He didn't need to and they hadn't even been on an actually date. At time asking her to be his girlfriend had been an impulsive decision that seemed useful. She was in a talkative mood today and it was dawning quickly how much he was not in the mood for it.

They walked down to her locker where she got her books and as he walked her to class he saw his friends.

"Morning!" Naruto yelled ignoring Tami.

Sasuke did a simple nod of acknowledgement in return, eyes focused through the background, the eyes behind his eyes. They grunted their good morning and they all started walking. Only Naruto was the morning person really in the group. For some reason it was as if he was always in a sugar rush, his eyes perfectly blue as the sea when there were no clouds over head and the sun beamed mercilessly and his face bright like a fresh spring. The energizer bunny.

"Sasuke," Neji said idly, "the time for the signing changed."

"Why?"

"Kakashi says that something came up. He says if we go on time we're going to have to wait an hour before the signing. They don't want to refund the money to all our glorious little fans." Naruto said.

"What time is then?" Sasuke asked.

"It's been moved to 2pm," Shikamaru stated. "I'm still trying to comprehend the sanity of doing this on a Monday morning, the first day of school. I told Kakashi it's really nonsensical."

Neji then noticed Tami for the first time. Though he didn't like he was -for the most part- a versatile gentleman. "Good morning Tami," he said politely.

She looked at him with minor disgust. "Oh now you're seeing me?" she asked frankly.

Neji smiled then, smooth like warm milk. "You should be glad that I saw you any at all." He responded, threat laced in his voice it made Tami grab Sasuke's hand.

Sasuke sighed, "Don't do that, don't scare her."

"I was merely being polite." he said as he gave her a dark look. With his hands into his pocket he spoke: "see you in class." He said coolly and began to walk ahead of them, his brown ponytail moving against his back.

Neji was not in a good mood this morning either Sasuke noted. He'd remind himself not to pry in the current situation at hand. Neji had his own battles fighting.

"Why does he do that?" Tami fumed.

"He was trying to be courteous."

She rolled her eyes, "tell them not to talk to me. I don't like them and they don't like me."

Sasuke gritted his teeth and stopped at her class door. She tipped on her toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Her face flushed and she smiled timidly, "see you after class?" she asked sweetly.

"We'll see," he said dismissively and walked off. It all depended on his mood which was being quite temperamental today

There you guys go.

Much Love

D.V