I have just realized...that it is more prudent to leave the A/N at the bottom of the story, for some reasons. Except for the disclaimer, of course:
Author's Note [1]: Do not own Naruto.
Tears: 8
The showdown.
It began with Sasuke's return to the mansion first. No one in the house was prepared for their master's early return, and the butler kept apologizing for not being at the door, waiting for him. For a moment, the Uchiha forgot about Naruto and the female he had seen him with, and immersed himself in the amusing moment of apology. It was even more humorous when he saw the appalled faces of his household servants, all of them wondering what in the world had happened that would bring their raven master back so early from his workplace.
Sasuke had then quietly excused them and made his way up to his office. But before he went up, he called his butler and told him to bring both Karin-san and Naruto up to his office when they arrived. The butler had nodded, thinking that it must have something to do with Naruto-sama's pathology sessions.
At exactly six fifteen, Karin arrived.
She knocked on the door, banking in on the extra fifteen minutes that she thought she had before meeting up with her patient and commencing their final therapy. Those spare fifteen minutes were for her to think about what she wanted to say to Sasuke. Every minute of it was precious, as precious as air was to life.
Wait. No. Not what to say. She already knew what she wanted to say. It was how she wanted to say it. She had fifteen minutes to think of how she wanted to say it.
But when the butler opened the door, she too, was surprised at the early return of Uchiha Sasuke, just like the servants of the house were. And she was even more surprised at his request to see her in his office. In a room that she had never entered before. She had often imagined him in his office when she was at her own place – how he would move purposefully from one end to the other; how he would speak in an effortless glide into the phone, conducting all his businesses during the weekends when the raven insisted on staying at home to accompany Naruto; even how he would cross his legs and lean back into his chair and ponder over his documents.
When the door to the office opened, revealing an uptight Sasuke sitting at the helm of the room immediately, she was pleased to note that her imagination had been right. All except for Sasuke's glittering black eyes staring unnervingly at her, sparkling with an unnamed emotion.
"Sasuke-sama, Karin-san is here."
Sasuke nodded curtly and dismissed the butler. The man in his early forties left with a grace expected in most butlers, and closed the door behind him. Karin took in the table that was situated in the middle of the large room, cluttered with documents and files and papers, and the laptop that emitted a soft glow, illuminating a part of Sasuke's face. Her eyes then travelled to the sides of the room, and saw the shelves of books, as well as the framed paintings hanging on the wall to her left.
"Impressive room, Uchiha-san," she commented as coolly as she could. His stare was starting to alarm her, but she was determined nonetheless.
Sasuke shifted in his seat, his gaze never leaving her.
"Thank you," he answered, then waved his hand at either one of the chairs in front of his table, "Have a seat, Karin-san."
As soon as Karin took a seat, Sasuke cleared his throat and clipped his fingers together, the strange glare still apparent in his eyes.
"I have something to ask, Karin-san."
Karin blinked, and she spoke without even thinking, "So do I. But only after you."
The pale man was silent for a while, as if he was mulling over something in his complex mind that whirred for hours non-stop. Then he unclasped his fingers and leant back into his seat, just as how she had visualized. A small smile made it to her lips without her knowing it.
"Thank you," Sasuke said at length, gratified that she had decided to allow him to speak first. Truth be told, he had no interest whatsoever in what the bespectacled woman in front of him had to say. He only wanted to confirm if his deduction had been correct. If he were right, then Naruto would have to answer to him. The blond had defied his words behind his back, and even enlisted people to assist him. He was displeased. The only reason he asked what he asked of the blond was just to keep him safe. But no. Naruto had to go against him.
In trivial matters, Sasuke would have found it merely slightly annoying, with a large part of the issue amusing. However, this…this was something that he would not accept. As much as he loved Naruto and would do anything to keep the blond happy, he would not put up with this without any say on his part.
The Uchiha took a deep breath, and spoke, gaze never wavering at all.
"I saw Naruto wandering at a supermarket today."
Karin blinked. The sentences that she had begun to assemble in her mind flew out into disarray at that statement.
"With a lady. Koyuki-hime. An old associate of Naruto's. From an orphanage that Naruto used to work at during his time as a social worker before the accident," Sasuke's voice was getting sharper and colder. Karin knew where this was going.
Ah…so the secret is out.
"Do you know anything about this?"
For a moment, Karin's mind disconnected with her body to do a little thinking. She could always just deny the fact that she had assisted in this scheme of Naruto's…and she could watch as Sasuke and Naruto argue it out. Then maybe she could have a chance. It was a very promising plan, and it enticed her.
"Karin-san."
Sasuke was demanding for an answer, and Karin finally placed a finger on the unnamed emotion that was present in the Uchiha's glare. Not just his glare – in fact, his entire frame, and his gestures. Cold anger and irritation. So suppressed that some people would recognize it only as mere iciness of the character.
Karin took a deep breath, looked up cheerfully and smiled, just like how Naruto would smile.
"Yes. I knew about it. I was the one who encouraged Naruto to go out and work again."
And she enjoyed how Sasuke froze over and leant forward in pure anger. When the raven opened his mouth to lash out at her, Karin was already ready. She would not wait anymore.
"Uchiha-san, it's my turn to speak. You had yours already."
The raven made another attempt to cut her off, but she cut him off instead.
"It was for my own benefits, really, Uchiha-san."
Sasuke was starting to look uncomfortable. Again he tried to interrupt, but Karin stood up from her seat and stared down at the pale man across his working table. She wondered if her eyes were watering, because her sight seemed a little blurred.
"I was hoping that by rearranging our sessions to such a time – meaning in the evening, you would have returned from your work and I can see you more often."
[.]
"Iruka-sensei, Iruka-sensei, is Karin-chan here already?!" Naruto was already speed talking the moment the butler opened the door. The blond's hair dropped limply into his brilliant blue eyes, wet and flopping. He was drenched to his very bones, and if one listened really carefully, his voice had a slight quality of a shiver to it.
It had started raining heavily, and the world outside looked dark and lost, as if in a battle. Iruka looked into the blue eyes with fondness.
"Naruto-sama…" Iruka shook his head in resignation. Naruto scratched the back of his head laughingly again, then tried in vain to squeeze some of the water out of his clothes. He laughed even more when it created a puddle at his feet. Iruka snorted when Naruto jumped a little in the puddle, splashing water here and there.
"Maa…come on, Iruka-sensei. It's not my fault that I didn't bring an umbrella with me. The weatherman didn't say anything about rain," Naruto grinned sunnily, smiling up at the older man – easily recognized by his ponytail and the scar across the bridge of his nose. He had once tried asking the man how he got his scar and if he himself can get one too, but the man had whacked him across the back of his head and told him to dispose of the stupid idea. Ever since then, Iruka was the father he could not remember, the honorific title being an indication.
"I never knew you listened to the news," Iruka teased, hiding a grin. His brown eyes sparkled with mirth, liking this banter that was Naruto-sama's way of telling him that they were not tied to a master-servant relationship, but are, instead, family. Always, always a way to reassure the older man.
"Mou, Iruka-sensei! Of course I do! Sasuke's not the only one who knows how important the news is," Naruto retorted. Iruka snorted again, then remembered his orders.
"Naruto-sama, Sasuke-sama requested for your appearance in his office."
"Eh?!" Naruto's blond head whipped up so suddenly from drying his clothes that he showered Iruka with droplets of rainwater. His cerulean eyes widened. Why in the world did Sasuke come home so early today? Maybe he had caught wind of Naruto's plan to organize the farewell party?
"Why is he home so early today? Does he know?" he voiced out his curiosity, looking at his partner in crime to see if the man had anything to add to the issue or not. To his disappointment, Iruka only shook his head in negative as he raised his shoulders in the universal gesture of I-do-not-know. Naruto's pale lips formed an 'o' in understanding.
"Okay then, I'll go into his office then."
"Ah. Karin-san is already in there, and I - "
"Crap. Karin-chan sure is punctual. Have you got the stuffs I asked you to prepare for the party?" Naruto looked frantic, praying hard to all gods in heavens for help. At Iruka's nod, he whooped a little and gave Iruka a fast hug, much to the embarrassment of the butler, and later, his wrath.
"Naruto-sama, I'm all we - "
"We'll have to do without the decorations then. See if you can get Akimichi-san and Chouji to set up the table now, yeah? I'll be going up first!" Naruto ran past through him, laughing at the older man's wet front. And laughed some more when the butler shook a mock fist at him. As he stomped up the stairs in all his wet garments, taking two steps at a time, Iruka called from the still-open front door, "Naruto-sama, you might want to change first before you go up to Sasuke-sama's office!"
"It's okay, I'll do it after I see Sasuke and Karin-chan!" Naruto's shrill, excited voice floated down from second landing; the blond can be extremely fast when he wanted to. Iruka merely shook his head in affectionate resignation again as he moved in to close the door with a polite click.
Author's Note [2]:
So there you go. I hope no one is about to kill me yet? I have finally taken time to post this up, and I hope it satisfies all. Also, I need to apologize that I probably will not be able to mention specific names and thank them for reviews any longer (despite the fact that I don't really have many of those -wistful smile-) due to time constraint. But know that you all are loved and cherished.
-Julius Sinamour-
