IMPORTANT NOTE: I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY!!
Sorry people, to the readers that looked the chapter 25 in the period between 17/08 to 18/08 I beg with kindness to re-read the chapter 25 again, I've rewritten it. The rewritten part is when Sasuke heard Naruto's "Raindrop" and Sasuke's with Itachi. Skip the first part and go read there, k?
Lesson 26 – Speak inside, Hear outside and Realize
Miracles do happen in this universe. Shikamaru would have never thought that he would remove his lazy bum out of his bed and stand patiently in a park. The reason?
"Hey, sorry for making you wait." A flash boyish smile followed afterwards.
The fiery blonde woman coming to his view.
"No problem Temari." The brunet lightly scratched the back of his neck slightly flushed. They moved to walk inside the mall. "I'd never thought that you liked to watch anime."
"And I don't, really, but the moves they made inside the movie are really well done, I like to appreciate those kinds of animation."
"I don't think that I'd usually watch those kinds of movies…most of the time they use a cliché plot that doesn't have any kind of connection with the main plot of the anime and the studio use this opportunity just to cash in."
"Yeah, yeah, I know…" Temari laughed towards his overly-sincere mug words. "But hey, at least the trailer looks interesting…they show about the possible death of the main character of the anime…"
"Which is practically impossible, since he's the protagonist and they still need his presence in the main story. Face it, the plot is too obvious to be interesting.(1)" He sighed tiredly.
"Hm…but if it's so obvious and uninteresting, why are you going to watch it then?" She asked curiously.
"What…" He grumbled almost incoherently. "It's because I'm going to watch it with you…"
Temari, fortunately, caught his mumbles and blushed profusely in response. Shikamaru couldn't alleviate the embarrassing situation as his cheeks also attained a deeper color then her startled crimson complexion all around her face.
"Um…" She had quieted down, unable to continue her teasing.
"Uh…" He had also silenced between them, realizing that the blonde girl heard his confession.
Okay, now what should a certified genius and strategist do in those kinds of situations? Hum…Misdirection, of course…carefully set a trap to change the path, as subtle and clever as possible.
"Let's go." The brunet declared, moved a few steps forward and stood up.
Then, his left arm was positioned far away from the rest of his body, tentatively waiting.
Temari chuckled at the obvious display of his date pleading as she stepped forward and intertwined her fingers into his.
"Can't do anything by yourself?" Her teasing resumed again.
"Bah." Shikamaru sort of made a poor attempt of sulking, though he was far too content to show it.
"And how's Gaara doing lately in your school?" She asked.
The chestnut colored iris gazed back at her and he made a disappointed grunt.
"What?" The emerald orbs colored with qualm.
"I should have known that if you asked me to go outside it would have some kind of connection with your younger brother…" The ponytailed teen grumbled depressed.
"No…" She shook her head slightly amused. "This is called 'changing the subject'." She gripped her linked hand tighter afterwards. "I have enough information coming from our annoying blond friend…" Both of them grinned at remembrance of the obnoxious spiky head. "But well, it wouldn't hurt to see your point of view this time."
"Gaara…is getting better with Naruto. I guess that's the kind of power that Naruto has…to open and heal the wounds that everyone thought that they had buried it, long time ago…"
"I see…" Temari murmured.
"Your brother is opening up lately with him. Last time I saw them, they were having some kind of polite conversation, somehow, it was strangely positive looking at them like that."
"And what exactly they were talking about that day?"
"I don't know. It was too cryptic for me to understand." The laidback boy shrugged his shoulders. "Like they have their own code and universe that only they could understand."
"So weird." She flexed a bewildered eyebrow.
"Exactly." He nodded in understanding.
"So it's true about your statement. That my brother will be only saved by someone who's exactly like him."
"Yeah, and who'd imagine the dumbass Naruto that we're talking about months ago would really show up to help your brother afterwards…life…makes strange turns…" He rubbed again his neck's behind, momentarily reflecting upon the situation.
"I'm glad that Naruto met Gaara." Temari made a pained smile. "I really hope that he'd be able to succeed on where I had failed…"
"I…" Shikamaru paused to pound about. "To tell the truth, I didn't want Naruto to get tangled in this mess. It'd hurt Naruto too much, in my opinion."
The blond girl halted her steps to glance puzzled at him. "Why?" She asked.
"Ah well…Naruto has been succeeding in slowly healing his own wounds…but…since lately he's being around with Gaara, I'm afraid that your brother is flooding his feelings back again."
"How…so? Huh…they are only teaming up to play some music…" Temari hesitantly spoke.
"Well…you should know, since you play in a band. It's not like, if you have good skills in your instrument, you can automatically play with anyone else with the same 'level' as yours. It takes some time to adjust, to get used to every type of their rhythm, style and all. But, the most important of all, there are times that the atmosphere between the members affects the music. You know, sometimes the type of person doesn't fit with someone else, doesn't matter on how much you train with him or how friendly it is the relationship. It just doesn't works."
"Yeah…then?" She motioned him to continue his thoughts.
"So, whenever musicians team up to play a music, you can only play with a good tune with the correct people who will interlock with your style. You know, if you lack something, he will cover your mistakes, or what's your strong point he'll emphasize it and etcetera. That's the basis of anything working on group."
"So…?"
"But Naruto and Gaara's case is a little bit different. They are so similar to each other so that's how their melodies will work. Their feelings have to be in tune or it'll sound too strange. In other words, Naruto has to sink himself into Gaara's atmosphere to be able to cooperate fittingly with him."
"Wow…that's…" Temari furrowed her light-colored eyebrows in contemplation.
"Yeah, it does sound weird when I'm explaining like that. But it doesn't matter in which genre of music someone plays, if we don't insert some feelings, no matter how raw it can be, a music won't have any significant meaning in the end. It'd sound hollow. So, now, Naruto's harmful emotions are reemerging again because of Gaara, when he plays with your brother."
"Then…maybe I shouldn't have agreed on that…" The blond girl murmured consternated and heaved a sated sigh. "But I was so happy that Naruto would always update Gaara's condition whenever we met at the bar…my father prohibited everybody in our society to give information about my brother before."
"Well…I was pretty worried about that before but…not now. I think Naruto will be fine." Shikamaru frowned as he saw the movie starting to roll. "As long as he has someone to counterbalance those bad things, everything will be fine…"
Today was an ordinary day in Hatake Kakashi's mansion. Everybody normally strolled around doing their tasks, security patrolled their area; maids were cleaning the house; chefs were cooking appetizing food; gardeners were preserving and pruning each leaf from the bushes…The tall trimmed trees accommodated warmly the birds, which had built up their nest, preparing themselves to reside throughout the cold winter days. Chilling wind howled, plucking out the last dry autumn leaves, the regular passage of time illustrating through each season.
"AAAAAAARGH! YOU BASTARD! I'VE ALREADY SAID THAT I WILL PLAY A GODDAMN FORTISSIMO WHENEVER I FUCKING WANT, TEME!"
Ah…the good old routine is back at last…
"STUPID DOBE! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO BE SO VIOLENT WHENEVER YOU PLAY THIS GODDAMN MUSIC?! YOU'RE ALMOST DRILLING A HOLE ON THE PIANO KEYS!"
The birds were twirling in each branch, focused on their daily lives, finding food to stock in this gelid temperature while they sang their melodious voice melting in the air. (Song right? They are singing something, right? Can't really hear on what they're humming since it's muffled by some…screams.)
"GAH! I'M NOT PLAYING THAT VIOLENTLY! IT'S THE REVOLUTIONARY MUSIC, LIKE I'VE SAID!"
Yeah…back again to the old ritual…
"AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SUCH A DOBE! DOOOOOBEEEEE!!"
"AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SUCH A JERK! ASSHOOOLEEEEE!!"
Bumping heavily on the obnoxious golden hair.
Stepping deeply on the jerky foot.
Uchiha Glare ®. A defiance look on the azure eyes.
Punching on the ivory arm. Returning the punch.
Punching on the stomach. Ribs. Shoulder. Legs. Arms again. Chest.
BataBataBataBataBataBata. (sfx of light punching)
Alabaster colored hands finally decided on pinching wide the whiskered cheeks. Sun-kissed hands decided to return the 'favor'.
Streeeeetchiiiinggg…
"Owww…" A brief pause to check on their damages.
…Morons…
"Pff…" Naruto tried to suppress his chuckle. "Hahahahahahahahahahaha!! Teme, you look ridiculous with your hands on your cheeks! It looks like you're having a tooth ache!"
"Shut up usuratonkachi! Like you're any better!" Sasuke rebutted slightly annoyed.
However, the brunet couldn't keep a strong exasperation towards his loony friend, the cheerful and carefree guffaws echoing within his heart.
"Hehehehe…ah…that was a good laugh. Hey, doesn't matter in what kind of situation, you bastard always succeed on making me happy." Naruto grinned wide.
His friend only responded with a lift of dark eyebrow, conveying the message of: "What? Am I a comedian now?"
"C'mon…it's true! You're all so uptight and emotionless jerk that it's fun to make your gelid mood change a little! It's so entertaining to taunt you all the time!"
"Hn. You're also one easily to be provoked too. DO-BE." Sasuke snorted.
"Hmph. Whatever, we're the same idiots placed on the same side of coin. If I have the fault, so would you. And most of the time you're the one who start all this mess!"
"I'm not a dumbass like you. And it's not me who start all this useless display of fighting with you." Naruto made a disbelieving amused grunt. "It's just that you dobe are so easy to be mocked that I can't help but to act on it."
"How mature of you Sasu-kun." The blond teen remarked sarcastically.
"You're the one who makes me act so childishly dobe! Assume responsibility!" Sasuke accused.
"Hey! You're the one who keeps falling on purpose on the traps! You're also guilty, Teme!" Naruto snarled back.
"Idiot!"
"Jerk!"
"Dumbass!"
"Asshole!"
The return of Glare fest. Revised and updated.
The cerulean hue, suddenly, glimmered with joy and tenor chuckles reverberated inside the room, prickling delightfully inside Sasuke's stomach. Naruto managed to speak between laughs:
"Hey, you bastard just admitted that you're a childish moron if you're around me! You've just confessed your immatureness!"
The usual stoic teen immediately flustered and sputtered incoherently. His jaw flexed irregularly until he turned his bright pink flushed face to the side and mumbled:
"Well…" Sasuke refused to look directly at Naruto. "It is fun being around you…"
The golden-haired boy, when his mind sank the extraordinary information, joined on the charming activity on blushing faces.
Geh…it's hot! Why is it getting hot in this winter season?
"Um…" The young man lightly brushed his finger on his whiskered cheek. "It's fun being around you too…heeeh…" Then, he made a condescend snort. "Hey, who'd thought that ice prickle Sasuke would be such a sapp—OW!" Another bump to be collected inside of the hall of fame of banging heads…
The graphite eyes indolently and sarcastically rolled from side to side and Sasuke barked:
"Alright, enough. Play it again the first part, but don't play as violently as before. I swear that I'm almost envisioning bloodshed and extermination everywhere."
"Heh. That means my skills in piano are that awesome to give you this type of hallucination!" The younger boy made a mocking thrill.
"No, that means that you have some severe issues in psychological department. Usuratonkachi." Sasuke ignored the sharp glowers directed to him. "Now it's serious Naruto. Why are you playing like that lately? I can't really explain, but there's something…unnerving and inconstant in your performance those weeks. Did something happen to you that made you that upset?"
Naruto was again, taken back from his friend's sincerity. But now, what should he do…? It's quite a long story and the blond boy didn't want to toy with the idea on really testing Sasuke's patience. Playfully, yes, but when those onyx eyes were gazing with such considerable apprehension, Naruto didn't want to recklessly wash it away.
They were having such smooth companionship, he didn't want to crumble it now.
"Ah well…huh…not exactly…" His cobalt orbs enlarged when he saw Sasuke's eyes narrowing suspiciously. "No! Really! I'm not lying! It's just…well…" He exhaled a tired breath. "I'm partnering with a violinist and…let's just say that our choice of music aren't exactly very cheerful."
"…"
"It's. The. Truth. Really." Naruto resumed on idly moving his fingers on the piano's keys. "So, what we're playing lately is affecting now, that's all."
"Hn. Very well." The brunet placed the Hanon score on the piano plate and opened it, enjoying the burrowed golden eyebrows in response. "Since you're playing lately such depressing music, I think it'd be a good choice to make you play a neutral one, don't you agree, Na-ru-to?" A conceited grin.
"Hanon?! It's not neutral, it's purely BLEH! Totally tasteless! (2)" The spiky-haired boy protested.
"And it's going to get worse now. Behold in your eyes…the wonderful machine, metronome." Sasuke's smirk tilted wide from ear to ear.
Naruto glared. "You're a real sadist, do you know that?"
"Thank you for your wonderful compliment usuratonkachi."
"Bastard…" The calling of petname, however, had tints of amusement.
"Ok…" Sasuke tenderly patted the obnoxious head. "And that's all for today."
"I'm dead…" Naruto mumbled, working only with his reserve battery. "Please remember to cremate my remains and throw them in the wind. I wouldn't have the money for a coffin anyways…plus I'm shintoist." Then, he buried his face on the piano keys.
"Stop being so melodramatic dobe. They were only some innocent exercises." The dark-haired man faintly heard a groan and smiled instead. "Well, now we only need to wait for Kurenai-sensei to arrive."
"Hhhhhkkk…" The dobe's way of acknowledging Sasuke's statement.
"Oh yeah. Naruto." The blue eyes made a inquire look. "We've said that we're going to train Beethoven's piano concerto right?" (readers: the what?! Author: chapter 11)
"Uuuurrmmm…" The sluggish nod.
"So…maybe it's time to train a little. I know a studio that has two pianos side placed, but I need to make reservations for it. And they have a tight agenda, it's a little bit difficult to schedule. I've seen that they may have some open hours next Saturday."
"Oh that." Naruto curled an impish grin. "No problem, we don't need all that! Shika's conservatory let me use their studios whenever I can and I already sorta know which ones are vacant on those days! So we can play whenever we want and the best part is that all of that is free!"
"Uh…really?" His friend made an impressed face. "Then, let's train next Saturday, before this class, is that alright for you?"
"Ah…hm…I'm training with that violinist in this hour…" Naruto sheepishly informed.
"Then…we can schedule for another day."
"Huh…most of my days I have to help on Tsunade-baachan's café…" He was turning his tanned face to look sideways when he felt two pale hands redirecting his gaze into Sasuke's.
"Naruto. You're not overexerting yourself in your work, are you?" The low-baritone voice asked consternated.
"Ah. No no, don't worry about it." The blond boy quickly waved negatively his hands. His friend retracted his hands though the warm feeling still lingered in Naruto's skin.
"Good. Well, then, maybe we should program it for later." The brunet stroked lightly on the golden strands again, while he grumbled trying to hide the disappointment behind. Naruto grasped it though.
"Oh no, we've always wanted to play it out right? I'll talk with the violinist, I'm sure he won't mind if I skip it once in a while." The cerulean-eyed boy supplied.
"It's a deal then."
"So…next Saturday I can't train with you because of that." Naruto ended after the succinct explanation.
"Hm." The piercing mint colored eyes stared back.
They maintained a slight uncomfortable silence stretching between them, the blond boy fidgeting slightly nervous under the constant gaze of Gaara.
"It's fine." The red-haired boy finally answered. "I'll do some self-study then."
"Really? Thanks!" The other one gave a sunny beam. "You're life-saver Sabaku-san!"
"Gaara."
"Huh?" Dumbfounded sapphire eyes.
"I don't like you calling me Sabaku-san. Usually only hypocrite people who likes to bother me around calls me like that." He spoke while he thumbed the papers from his score.
"Oh." Does that mean that he finally got accepted on the 'Not-to-kill' list? "Gaara then. Hey, you can call me Naruto! It'd only natural, right? Like, give and take."
There was another quizzical pause, Gaara raising his non-existing eyebrow while Naruto grinned pleasantly.
"Hm." A courteous nod. The tanned teen moved towards the piano and opened too his score.
"You…look fine now." Gaara spoke monotonously.
"Eh?"
"It seems that you've made up with that person who cares about you. You're relaxed."
For a moment or so, the azure gaze drifted away with foggy emotion until he tilted the sides of his mouth, a warm smile spreading slowly lifting his spirit. His eyelids were half-closed with contentment until Naruto murmured:
"Yeah…"
Suddenly, something stirred on Gaara's gut that he couldn't comprehend if it was a positive point or harmful. He wondered, those physical reactions were a result of his envy that Naruto was able to find someone who would be concerned over him…
Or he was getting jealous over that person who could capture Naruto tenderness?
Sasuke was organizing all his papers inside his backpack until Neji deterred him:
"Oh. Sasuke. You're going early again today. I wonder why…" Though he already knew why, from Hinata's cheerful information.
"Not to mention that you kept glancing over the clock every five minutes. Must be something really important." Juugo continued.
"Oh! Could it be!" Ino also knew, as the network of gossip can be always frightening fast.
"A daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaateee??" Everyone insinuated in unison, for the exception of Chouji, the only kindhearted person that wouldn't join this type of bullying.
A small type of atomic bomb, carefully dropped in this goddamn classroom. Yes. That will definitely shut them up.
"Yoh, Sasuke-teme, over here!" The brunet tried hard not to smile back towards the cheerful source of voice.
Of course they weren't having a date. What an absurd, they were only going to train piano. Nothing more, nothing else. Stupid Yamanaka and her crazy lunatic ideas. He wasn't having a date with the dobe!
Despite the fact that he was anxiously waiting for this date (Date?! Did he say Date?! No! It's D-A-Y) throughout this week. A coincidence, really.
No wait. It's because they were finally starting to train his parents' favorite Beethoven piece. Yes. That's why.
"Earth to Sasuke." A wave of hand shook him away from his brooding land.
"Hn." Sasuke grunted back. "Let's go." He stepped forward, ignoring the baffled look of Naruto.
They entered easily inside the doors of that music school. No security guard querying about any identification or teacher asking which class they should be attending. Naruto also went inside naturally, like he was used on invading this place frequently.
"I'm fairly surprised that everything happened so smoothly. Actually, I was expecting that they would at least question me about that." Sasuke spoke while he followed his friend.
"Hah! Obviously, they were charmed by my irresistible and sexy looks that can make me enter inside of any kind of establishment with ease! That's why!" Naruto snorted haughtily.
"Sure. You don't even know the significance of sexy,dobe." The brunet smirked back.
"I so do know!" The younger boy protested.
A lot of people may wonder, but Naruto do understand about the basic concept of…yeah, coupling. (Seriously, it'd be a little bit hard not to, as seeing the absurd amount information that can be gathered inside Internet and TV. Kids, beware.) He couldn't understand, though, some…peripheral details about it, like…Huh? What's Kama Su—
VAP.
"Hello Naruto-san! Long time no see!" An almost-white face followed by an artificial smile illuminated the room. "Uh…Uchiha-san…do you mind…" Sai pointed out about a certain pissed off hand that was blocking the 'interesting' content that he wanted to present to his oblivious friend.
"Danzo-san…You're here." Sasuke growled in great displeasure, fearing for Naruto's naiveté that could be permanently scarred.
"Hey Sai! Yeah, it's been a while since I last saw you! How are ya!" The blond boy waved energetically back, unaware to the growing battle auras gathering around the brunets.
"I'm fine. I've been wanting to show you some things…" He tried to pry away Sasuke's hands from Naruto's view. "I think it'll be interesting…" He moved his book left, though the hand also moved left. "To learn new things…" Moved right, the hand also blocked swiftly. "If only Uchiha-san could allow it too…"
"Hey Teme, what's the matter with you?" Naruto questioned, though Sasuke only chose to apathetically roll his eyes.
"Yes. Can't you see that I'm trying to give valuable lessons of life to Naruto-san?" Sai supplied.
"I won't let you (perverted, mongrel) ass give those kinds of lewd lessons to the dobe as long as I live, Danzo-san." His onyx eyes were fully utilizing his infamous glare.
"Huh? Whatever thing he wants to show me, it can't be that harmful, can it?" The youngest of the trio asked. "I mean…it's nothing dirty, is it, Sai?" The cerulean eyes furrowed in slight suspicion.
"Of course not…you trust me after all, right Naruto-san?" The violinist flashed another false smile.
"Usuratonkachi, you wouldn't really believe in this man, would you?" Sasuke redirected his glower to his friend. "And how can you even bare to be friends with him?!"
"Huh? Oh…even though Sai is a little bit…perverted…" He scratched the back of his blond head. "He's a good buddy."
"Yes. I am a good buddy." The fake smile widened in response. The Uchiha Glare ® turned more darkly.
"He's a nice guy, helped me a lot."
"Yes, yes, I helped Naruto-kun a lot." There could be seeing some burnt grey steam gathering around the chicken-haired head.
"Yeah, besides, I owe him one." Naruto's statement was followed by a grave nod from Sai.
Sasuke's eyebrows twitched in response. Owe?
Owe?
Owe??
OWE?!
OWE?!
OWEEE??
Oweeeeee??
Owe: (verb) to have to pay, for something already done or given, to feel grateful, to be prepared to do someone a favour, in return for a favour that they have done for onese—
I KNOW what the fuck does OWE means!
"What exactly do you mean by owe, usuratonkachi?!" Sasuke growled.
"Huh?" Naruto blinked surprised.
"I said, what exac—"
"I think it'd be none of your business, Uchiha-san." Sai was clearly enjoying the other brunet's growing rage.
"It's nothing serious anyways." The other one just shrugged his tanned shoulders. At meeting another seething glare, Naruto continued. "You know, the strongest motive that I can enter in this school with ease it's because of Sai."
"What?" Sasuke tried to follow.
"Well, luckily, I'm friends with Hinata-chan and Shika, who have also a good reputation inside this place. But Shika suddenly halted all those publicizing of his image and his reputation had gone down. Hinata-chan never really was the type of showing off, so Sai is the current 'prodigy' of this conservatory. Being their friends have those kinds of advantage from time to time, ya know." Naruto beamed.
"Of course, I'm eagerly waiting for you to return the favor, right, Naruto-san?" Sai languidly moved his arm to encircle around the sun-kissed shoulders though the infamous hand, this time, chose to pinch hard in response.
The autonomous fake smile had finally guided down to stare with solemn at the graphite eyes. The latter chose to glare hard towards his victim, in vain anticipation that such action would repel the insufferable asshole from this universe.
"Huh…what's wrong with you guys?" The blue-eyed blond couldn't understand the disruption between his two weird friends.
Sai smiled.
"Nothing, Naruto-san. Like I was saying…" He shuffled to show another exemplar of his book and stretched his arm away from Sasuke's range. "I wanted to show you something interesting for you to see."
"It's really nothing pervert, right?" The young man quirked a golden eyebrow.
"Only a tad. Let's start." He moved his book upwards when he saw Sasuke's hand trying to reach his book. "One of sexual positions is based on…" Swish, he moved to the left side, when Sasuke tried to grab the book on above his head. "one of the most interesting erogenous point…" Swish, he moved downwards this time, and the stoic Uchiha failed again on his task. "Oh! My favorite part! It's—"
Time to change the strategy. Sasuke instantly blocked all kinds of sound coming from Naruto's ears with his hands.
"Alriiiight…enough." Shikamaru confiscated Sai's books in a smooth move.
Oh, the cavalry! It's here at last!
"The LPNVM is back now!" Hinata cheerfully jogged towards the group while she destroyed into tiny pieces the horrible book. (readers: the what again?! Author: Chapter 9…)
"Hey guys! Wazzup!" Naruto beamed innocently back, not realizing that he just escaped from a horrendous experience by now.
"Naruto-kun! I'm so glad that you're alright! Don't worry…your chastity is still intact!" The long-haired beauty cooed relieved. "Oh, hello Uchiha-san." She bowed politely.
"Hyuuga-san." Sasuke bowed back, making his friend curving slightly in reflex.
"Hey! I'm gonna fall out, stupid Teme! Leggo!" Naruto protested while he tried to liberate himself from Sasuke's tight grip. After some begrudging sigh, the chicken-haired brunet had freed the Dumbass dobe.
"What I've said about dirty books, porn things and strange gadgets that I've mentioned before, Sai-san?" The Hyuuga heiress spoke in a schooling tone.
"It's not dirty…it's art!" Sai rebutted.
"It's not art…it's a big headache for me…" Shikamaru muttered a 'troublesome' afterwards.
"I still don't understand what exactly you guys are talking about now…you're bunch of weirdos…" Naruto furrowed his eyebrows troubled. "What did Sai wanted to show that you guys kept refusing to let me see?"
"Nothing." Three voices spoke altogether, though the owner of the book berated with an exasperated sigh on his side.
"Nothing worthy about it, dobe." Sasuke informed.
"Yes. The world would be better if you simply don't learn about those things yet." Shikamaru continued.
"So, Uchiha-san, you've finally decided to join our league and become a full-pledged protector of Naruto-kun's virgin mind?" Hinata smiled mischievously at the stoic teen.
"Hn." Sasuke grunted though this time he didn't make any kind of refusal.
"Let's start slowly for now and then we'll pick some speed." The Uchiha sat tiredly in the piano's bench after that…singular experience occurred just now.
"Ok." Naruto cracked some of his fingers and started reading the score. His navy eyes, however, didn't fail to see Sasuke putting some kind of bag on his side and waited for the blond's signal.
Start.
+A total confusing mess composed by a group of disordered amount of strange notes+
Throws.
"Hey! What the hell is this, this fucking ball of paper?!" Naruto gripped hard the accusing object in his hands while its persecutor just returned the glare with mirth on his dark-grey eyes.
"Since I can't correct you at once when we're playing in different pianos, I chose this kind of method to give you a good amount of awareness this time." A smug Uchiha grin.
"Asshole! Who said that I need your jerky awareness now?! I'm perfectly capable on playing well without your help!" The golden-haired teen bared his teeth.
"Let's just see then." His friend shook mildly his ebony head.
After 30 minutes…
Current score:
Sasuke 14 X 3 Naruto
"Horrible…did you really train in those past weeks for this score?" The Uchiha lifted a sardonic eye. "Or do you have any kind of suggestion that can help us out on this case?" He asked.
"Uh…no…this time…aaaaaaargh…" Naruto scuffed annoyed his disordered hair. "I don't understand! What the hell have happened to end up this…disaster?!"
Sasuke idly observed as the dobe pouted depressed looking at the score, the discontentment spreading darkly at his usual sunny features.
Throws.
"What?" The blond teen picked another ball baffled.
"Alright stop." His friend spoke. "It's normal that we didn't have a good start, it had already passed a lot of months since our last partnership. So don't worry about it Naruto." The ivory hand moved some pages back and he spoke. "Let's begin again, but this time we'll pay attention to each other movements."
"Okay…" The sun-kissed face exhaled disheartened.
"Stop sighing dobe." Sasuke reprimanded. "It won't help in anywhere right now. And you've said yourself that you've been playing cheerless music lately, right? Getting even more depressed won't help now."
"Hm." His grin acquired a little bit of sunny disposition again. "You understand me that well, Teme."
Sasuke smiled back. "I know." He murmured as he returned to read the score.
I know. I know…
…What?
The bewildered azure eyes tried to absorb this information.
Since when Sasuke would comprehend this part of his life?
A strange sensation of swirling inside his system had, at last, slowly flowed outside as it cleaned up the muddy clogged facts that Naruto always kept feeding to raise its denseness.
However, only those two words, simple syllables, destroyed all his denial that, finally, someone shattered a wall.
I know…
Someone who could accept him. Someone who could see above his mask.
He knows…
Though it was the first time for Naruto that he allowed someone to enter in his world.
At first, he only needed Sasuke's acknowledgement. It slowly turned out to friendship.
Now…he needed Sasuke's understanding.
At last…Sasuke is the first person that Naruto had ever admitted that he wanted to be dependent of the brunet. Someone who'll support him. And Naruto wanted to be supported by him.
A friend…
"Then…maybe, that time when I first saw Gaara…I subconsciously chose Sasuke to help me up…?" Naruto wondered.
"Hey, dobe?" This time the blue eyes met a waving hand trying to move him out of his Ramen-land.
"Oh." He gave a toothy reassurance beam. "Ok, let's start!"
Because, for the lone boy…he have now a destination to go, after the long wait.
Explanations:
(1) The movie: kudos to everyone who guesses correctly which movie I'm talking about! XD Ok, just joking, it's too obvious to take it seriously anyways.
(2) Hanon exercises with metronome: I kept thinking…it'd better for you guys to see for yourself on how utterly boring is this kind of exercise (though it is useful) by sending a link of one of them:
http : / / www . Youtube . com / watch?v(insert the symbol of 'equal')SXUVidzojBI
Author notes: TemaShika part was so cute….eeeergh, cute, cute…bleeeeeeeaaaargh… (readers: roll eyes)
I know that by now they shouldn't fight so much like before but hey…they're boys. They're idiots, in other words…Boys will aaaalways be boys, no matter on how well their relationship will go.
Be prepared people…NejiHina arc will be back! Oh, don't pout!
Kakashi too will return! YAY! (happy smile) Why the hell Kakashi don't have a lot of screentime?! Someone explain me, WHY?! (readers: how the hell should we know?! You're the author one here!) Ah, oh yeah.
So…Sai is also back. (laughs) Here's another character that I wanted to give more screentime but failed. BLAH. I'll try harder.
And now…about Gaara. Huh…to make him have romantic feelings for Naruto is quite a temptation, buuut…if I skip that part, the story would be surely shorter…(lazy yawn…) I dunno on what should I do next…