The Talk pt 2
Naruto Pov
The moment I opened my eyes, I could feel the heavy wind against my face. It felt like I was falling. In fact, I was falling in the sky. My eyes shot open noticing the forest far down below.
"Ahhhhh!" I yelled not sure how I got here.
I was confused, scared and about to die. I closed my eyes again not wanting to see myself make a stain on the ground. This must be a dream. There were times where I found myself in weird places in my dreams. On a few occasions, I dreamt of myself in one of the worlds of the animes I was watching. I remember the time I was in space and saw machines go at it with power and explosions. I think I dead that time.
I should have face planted on the ground by now. I opened my eyes and realized, I was falling slowly. I sat up and could feel something underneath me that didn't look like it was there but it was. After moving my hands underneath me, I felt wind.
"...A world unknown to you...I guess from your expression"
That voice sounded familiar. I was nervous to turn around. However, I didn't have to. My dream changed and I was standing on top of clear water with the clouds reflecting on it. The person in front of me was Yusei but he seemed different. For one thing, the front half of his hair was dyed red. Also he was smirking at me.
"umm..I know this is my dream and all but...why am I dreaming of you?"
"...well...you were watching the series and ended up sleeping...so it makes sense...you dreaming of me...though...there is more to it…"
"More to it?"
"...your subconscious...is telling you something"
"My sub-...what are you saying!?"
"Tsk tsk...it will be boring if you knew what I mean"
"What!?"
Suddenly cards started to fly everywhere around us. I shivered a little seeing that Yusei didn't look affected by what was happening around us. Instead, his eyes were dead set on me. The way he was acting, didn't match Yusei from the anime or more like, the feeling I get is different.
The Yusei I know is more closed off. Keeps his feelings hidden but shows the bad feelings like hate and anger. However, this one, is more…
"Your afraid aren't you...not sure what to say to me"
"I-"
Suddenly I felt chains grab my wrists and ankles. I looked behind me and saw my younger self and Kabuto.
"...your letting what happened then...affect who you are now...but things are beginning to be easier now for you"
I took a step forward expecting to not move at all with these chains pulling me back but instead, I was able to move.
"How is this-"
"The more you move forward...the more easier things will get"
Yusei quickly grabs a card that was floating in the air. He turned it toward me. It had the joker.
"A title given to you..among three others...what really drove you away from this game...was it the match you had and lost...the person who you lost against...or….the feeling of losing everything"
Yusei whipped the card to me. It gracefully hit the right side of my cheek. It hurt and I could feel some blood.
"A game of cards…such a game can't compare to my game…"
The setting change once again to a chess board. Yusei was standing on a black space while I was standing on white.
"Don't try to follow in my steps or you will find yourself...losing more than the people around you...you are you…and don't forget what's important or try to ignore the fact-"
A shadow was looming over me. I looked up and notice a black queen chess piece about to land on me.
"-that your not alone"
The piece falls quickly over me.
OOO
Naruto started to open his eyes. He was glad to see his tv. It means that he's at home. He chuckles softly recalling the nightmare he just had. He looked faced up and his eyes widen in shock.
His pillow did felt rather, odd. Not soft and yet comfortable. After seeing a sleeping Ino sitting awkwardly on the couch, he connected the two. He started to sweat fearing what will happen when Ino wakes up and sees him lying on her lap. He fears if he moves, she wakes up. What was the solution here.
Meanwhile, Ino started feeling her knees were beginning to heat up. She slowly opens her eyes. At first, she saw a yellow blur but when it started getting clear, the colour in her face went pure red.
The two didn't know what to say to each and just stared into each others eyes freaked and both blushing. Unsure what to do to escape from this awkward moment they were in.
"I-I sh-should get off now" Naruto stutters feeling his heart race in his chest.
"Y-ya" Ino stutters with a slight nod.
Naruto had a brain fart. He wasn't sure how to get off her but he needed to move so he rolled his body to the left and fell to the floor hard.
"Ouch!"
Naruto growled to himself thinking that there was a better way then hurting himself. He rises up from the ground and could hear Ino laughing on the couch. "Evil" He thought with a frown watching her laugh at his pain.
"Idiot" Ino said giggling wiping the tear away from her eye.
"Hmph" Naruto said crossing his legs on the floor.
"You wouldn't be one if you didn't fall asleep during the episode" Ino said shrugging her shoulder.
"Oh ya...you fell asleep too" Naruto mutters crossing his arms.
"Ya...after the latest episode"
There was a strange expression on Naruto's face after Ino said that. He looked both surprised and frighten. Ino wasn't sure what was wrong with him. Yesterday, when Naruto fell asleep on her lap, she tried pushing him off but she was sitting in an awkward position, making it harder to push him off. Plus, the anime was still playing and grabbing her attention. She gave up and decided to just watch the anime until it stops. She had to admit, it was good and impactful almost made her cry a few scenes.
"You missed out on so much...like when-" Ino said.
"Shhh"
"Uh?...don't you want to hear about how he-"
"SHHHHHHH!"
"But its-"
"Lalalalal…" Naruto said covering his ears. "shhhh...shhh...shhh!...I don't want to get spoiled!"
He couldn't believe he let her, someone who never watched the series, get ahead of him. She just now realized the power she had over him. She had a mischievous smirk while staring at him. Naruto looked scared and saw her slowly open her mouth. He quickly covered it with his hand.
"Don't say anything more!" Naruto said.
Ino just looked at him with a plain expression seeing how she can't respond to him. She just blinks and stares.
"...Are you going to spoil?" Naruto asked raising an eyebrow.
Ino slowly shakes her head and Naruto released her mouth. He let out a heavy sigh.
"...The dragons-!"
Naruto quickly took his blanket and covered Ino.
"H-hey!" Ino screams.
"Go to sleep!" Naruto said pushing her down on the couch.
"O-ok..ok!...ill stop!" Ino said feeling crushed.
Naruto moved away from her. Ino threw the blanket off her and sat up, all red. He was heavier than she thought.
"Its Sunday now" Naruto states.
"Ya" Ino replies.
"So…" Naruto said slowly.
"Hm?"
"...I've answered your question" Naruto said. "Truth is…I'm afraid of losing everything again because of a decision I made...even though what happened between me and Kabuto back then wasn't the cause of you all leaving...I was little and...kinda...dumb...that possibility of me losing in the game would cause you to leave frighten me...it's a responsibility I couldn't carry by myself... that's why I stopped making friends...I don't want to be the reason why they left and when it happened again-"
"I understand" Ino said in a warm tone. "...though now, things are different"
Ino gets up from the couch and looks up at Naruto. She flicks him in the forehead.
"Ouch!" he shouts.
Ino giggles and walks over to a certain picture that she found yesterday when she was cleaning. It was a group picture of the four.
"Your chained to the past...unable to move forward...just like Yusei" Ino said smiling then turning around with the sunlight beaming out from behind her. "If you continue...you might end-"
"Hmm" Naruto said giving a warning glare which made Ino chuckle.
"-..without spoiling what happened to Yusei...I'll tell you just...it won't make you happy...it won't make you laugh or enjoy what's happening around you...like you were when I first met you...your suppressing an important part of you...just look where you are now...you're probably realizing it already...of the connections you made"
"..I-" Naruto said until Ino pointed a finger close to him.
"Sara, Choji, Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata and me...even Anko...just a reminder if you forgot" Ino said with a smirk then walking toward her room.
Naruto froze in his spot. He didn't have anything to say or counter her. Though, it was more like he didn't want to. He knew what was happening around him but he didn't want to bring it out on the surface. It was at the back of his mind but he feared that if he started thinking about the friends he made, they would all go away again.
Surprisingly, the new friends he made were actually his old friends except for Sara, Sakura, Hinata and Choji. He snapped out of his thoughts when he saw Ino dressed in casual clothes with her bag.
"Where are you going?" Naruto asked.
"It's Sunday...Tomorrow is school, I can't stay here forever" Ino said walking past him. "Plus, I've done what I came here to do…"
Naruto watches her walk to the door. He felt the urge to stop her but his mouth wasn't opening. He didn't understand why. One could be that he got comfortable having her helping around the place. Also, she is a good cook. How can he get rid of someone like that.
He took a step forward but then realized something. She came here to help him but was there another intention behind her actions involving a certain club.
"...Is there anything else your forgetting?" Naruto asked.
Ino placed her hand on the door knob and slightly turn her head to him.
"No, I don't think so" Ino said plainly.
"You sure?" Naruto asked a little surprised.
"Pretty sure" Ino said continuing with the same tone.
"alright then" Naruto said slowly.
He could be overthinking this. She wouldn't have thought that helping him would cause him to join back to the club.
"You do know tomorrow is the 2nd Festival" Ino said turning back to the door.
"Ya" Naruto said getting nervous.
"Good" she said opening the door.
"That's all" he thought sighing while scratching his forehead.
"...They all end up winning" Ino said smirking at him then slamming the door.
Took a second for him to understand what she meant.
"WHAAAAAATTTT!?"
Ino giggles down the hallway hearing Naruto's yell. She just couldn't help herself. She just spoiled a little bit of the series but, Naruto probably can fill in the blanks.
Ino entered the elevator and leaned against the wall. She lets out a big sigh while tilting her head a little down. "That was tough...I can't believe I did that" she thought shaking nervously. It was hard to keep it in. Sleeping over at Naruto's place just to help him get over his funk. It was difficult to keep her composure even during those awkward moments that caused her head to explode.
She's getting red just thinking about it but it was worth it. She hopes. Anyway, she owed Naruto for helping her when she first met him. He could have left her but he stayed and showed her the world of cards. She pulls out the queen card that belongs to Naruto.
"Queen of hearts"
She remembered Naruto calling her that back then. It's funny how she was called that yet again at school. Though, she does want to know who started it.
The elevator reached the ground floor. The doors opened. Ino quickly slid the card back into her pocket which she felt her phone. She soon picks it up and turns it on. She had messages that she didn't see.
"Now how am I going to deal with this problem" she thought staring at Neji's name.
OOO
The next day came around and Naruto was standing in front of the school with his winter outfit. He just arrived but couldn't help but stop and read the banner. 'The Winter Festival'. The second festival he won't be part of. The school grounds were shoveled well enough so people can walk without worrying to get their feet wet. It wasn't that cold either so anyone could where one layer of clothing.
Naruto started stepping inside the building and just like the first festival, everything was decorated. Naruto could feel the energy from the students in the halls. From each student he passes, he could hear them talking about the clubs participating in the festival. He makes it to his class and takes his seat.
He starts tapping his desk while leaning back on his chair. His eyes were glued to his desk. His tapping started speeding up to the point where he slaps his desk. He turned his head to the window and stares down it. He could see the clubs preparing their booths. There was one that caught his eye that surprised him to see in this area of the school.
There was Ino ordering Choji and Sasuke to move the table. Sakura and Sara were carrying boxes. It seems like Ino was being bossy again. Surprisingly, she looked up at Naruto who flinched from her unexpected gaze. His cheeks had a hint of pink. Ino gave a simple smile then turning back to her club. Naruto turned away, looking down at his desk again.
There was a feeling that was growing inside him ever since this morning. It was amplified when he stepped on school grounds. He couldn't stop fitcheding. Even now, his fingers were rapidly wiggling. He was anxious to do something. He felt the need to do something. He has the desire to do something. He doesn't want to stay in the class alone. Its uncomfortable. He wants to be, out there with them.