The Boy in the Park
Chapter Ten
He was sitting at his usual spot on a bench, with the first breeze of autumn ruffling his hair, when a busty blond haired woman took a seat next to him and grinned widely. He looked at her for a moment, and then returned to his book. She had whisker marks on her face and long ponytails that reached way below her shoulders. Her breasts were ample and she was wearing an orange jumpsuit, which was open from the neck down to the beginning of her breasts —probably to entice men.
He flipped another page.
"Muh…I'm a young and vulnerable woman…" she said sultrily. "Will no one look at me?"
"Naruko?" he said calmly, looking at her for a moment more. The sexy woman pouted, and then she puffed in smoke. He coughed slightly as the smoke dispersed to reveal the twelve years old girl he had the unlucky fortune of being friends with.
She chuckled nervously. "Aniki! You found me," he nodded.
"Of course," he remarked, closing the book. "So? What's the problem now?"
She pouted. "Do I always have to have a problem when I come over to talk!?"
He looked at the park of the academy, where he now worked as an assistant teacher —he apprenticed under Iruka Umino, of all people.
"Do I need to have a problem," he replied. "Have to have just sounds wrong," he remarked.
"Yeah, that one," she huffed. "I can't make the Bunshin work!" she exclaimed. "I know I'm going to fail the exam," she fidgeted grabbing her ponytails with both her hands and keeping her face downcast. "I can do everything else, really! But the stupid Bunshin just doesn't…"
He sighed. "You tried the leaf exercise?"
"Yeah! But it's useless!" she muttered.
"Have you tried anything else?" he queried.
"Uh…like what?" she cocked her head to the side.
He shrugged. "I don't know. What are the causes for failing in doing the bunshin?"
"Too little chakra, little control, and…and something 'bout not concentrating enough," she mumbled. "But I try hard as it is! And the Henge is something I can do really easy!" she pouted, "I even created my own technique against perverts, the Sexy No Jutsu!" she said boisterously as she once more transformed into an adult and 'half-naked' version of herself.
"See?" she cupped her breasts —hidden by thin clouds— "any pervert would…"
He slowly brought back up to his face his own book. "ANIKI!" she pouted as she transformed back. He lowered his book again.
"Yes?"
"You're not helping me," she sighed dejectedly.
"Have you tried asking Umino-sensei? He's a Chuunin after all: he might know what to do."
She shook her head. "He's busy."
A nervous tick mark appeared on his forehead. "Oh, and I'm not?"
"No," she smiled. "You're always there when I'm in trouble, Aniki! You're just the best!" he actually blushed at that, before rolling his eyes.
"Ask Iruka, he'll know what to do," he muttered. "I'll check at home for something on the books anyway. The test is coming soon right?"
"Eh…" she nervously chuckled. "It's tomorrow."
He raised both eyebrows. "You're taking it early?"
"I want to become a strong kunoichi 'ttebayo!" she clenched her right fist, "And then I'll be the first female Hokage, you can believe in it! I'll make Ramen a national food! And everyone will see me and haf'ta recognize me…"
"Will have to," he corrected her, "And I don't want to interrupt your glory dreams…but you will probably fail the exam tomorrow. Many take it when they're thirteen…"
She puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms over her chest. "You'll see Aniki! I'll pass the exam with top marks!"
He nodded with a sigh, "Of course…I have faith in you."
"A-Ah! W-Well," Naruko stammered and stuttered, looking sideways and huffing, "I-If I pas-pass, how 'bout we go and eat at Ichiraku or sum'thing?"
He raised an eyebrow. "If you pass, we'll celebrate at Ichiraku. If you don't, then we'll just have to go to Ichiraku to bring you up in spirits."
Naruko's arms ended up grasping at his neck, as the girl hugged him tightly. "You're the best Aniki!" she screamed in his ears, making him actually wobble as he slowly stood up. "You'll see! I'll be the first in class tomorrow, 'ttebayo!"
And then she left running, as usual.
He exhaled and shook his head, before heading back to 'his' duties. It was sort-of over glorified Janitor work at the moment, with him having to move stuff or tidying up notes of other teachers —and sometimes following Iruka around as he explained this or that thing of the academy to him.
He crossed past a corridor just in time to see two girls bickering one with the other.
"Sasuke-kun loves me, Ino-pig!" the pink-haired girl exclaimed.
"He loves me, forehead-girl!" the other one yelled back.
He carefully brought his book up to his face and moved past the two fighting girls —they weren't his problem at all.
"Onii-sama?" the feminine voice reached the back of his ears as he was already turning for the upper floor, and that question soon drowned with the once more continuous bickering between the two.
The next day, of course, Naruko failed the first Genin exam.
She smiled and scratched the back of her head sheepishly, kicking the ground as she muttered about doing better next time for sure.
He just smiled at her as the academy lessons were over, and then began to walk towards Ichiraku with her in tow.
"Mizuki-sensei wanted me to do the Bunshin," she pouted. "I'll never make it!"
"You have three months before the next early exam," he pointed out. "Or you could wait and study six months and take it with your peers."
She huffed. "No! I want to pass early," she stomped her feet on the ground as she said that.
"Why?" he asked.
"So I'll be one step closer to becoming Hokage, that's why!" she whined.
"Naruko?" he raised an eyebrow perplexed. "Is…Is it really that important?"
"It is," she nodded firmly. "When they'll recognize me, they'll stop looking at you badly."
He frowned. "What are you talking about now?" he looked around perplexed. Sure, there were a few glares, but mostly the people seemed completely indifferent to him. He doubted anyone would have anything to say to him anyway.
"They always say you're Yakuza —you're not, but they don't listen! Just because I call you Aniki! It's unfair," she muttered, kicking a stone out of the path. "Really!"
He chuckled. "That's all?" he remarked, ruffling her hair and holding a smirk on his face.
She glared at him without heat —she had started to detest patting on the head just recently, probably because she was shorter than the rest of her classmates. "It's not funny! They're calling you names!"
"I don't care about others' opinions, Naruko," he replied. "I have my books and my few trusted friends: what more do I need?"
He entered Ichiraku with a pouting Naruko in tow, who shook her head at Ayame's question on having passed the exam. The ramen girl just smiled encouragingly, while Teuchi offered the first bowl on the house. He watched her eat as he began too, before slowly letting the peace and quiet of the afternoon settle in.
Way better than going back home to the cold shoulders of his parents. Apparently, working at the academy wasn't good enough. He could have been rich doing accounting but no, he had to become a civilian teacher at a shinobi school. Thankfully, that would not last for longer —he already had an apartment singled out near his work. He'd just have to pay the first three months in advance, and then he'd settle in.
It was as he was thinking that Naruko's hands clasped on his right arm, beginning to throttle him back and forth. "Neh! Aniki! Please do you think you can help me with the written test? Eh? I'm sure if we study together I'll ace it, 'ttebayo! Please!" her puppy-eye technique in full view, and with Ayame giggling behind the counter, he was actually about to answer with a yes when…
"Naruko!" a female voice suddenly exclaimed, one that he was familiar with... as the ramen stall flaps moved aside to reveal an equally familiar sight —that of his sister— he couldn't help but swallow nervously. "What the hell do you think you're doing!?"
"It's none of your business, Sakura!" Naruko snapped back at her. Joy, they really liked each other, huh.
"It's my business if you're harassing my brother!" his sister deadpanned, her hands on her sides and a laboured breath to boot.
He brought a hand to his face.
Peace never lasted for long, did it?