Chapter 4
Sasuke never thought a day would come when he'd wonder what big, bad yakuza men ate for lunch, yet here he sat in the massive dining hall speculating.
Itachi sat at the head of the table, and despite the dozen or so seats that lined the table, Sasuke had been given a seat directly adjacent to the man's right side, leaving him barely two arm spans away. Behind Sasuke, Neji and Naruto stood as if at his beck-and-call.
"Psst. Was this supposed to be a date?" Naruto whispered to Neji.
Sasuke's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. He didn't understand why they were standing behind him when their owner was on the other side. It was bad enough that Itachi had not stopped staring at him since they sat down, and now others were starting to gossip.
His clammy hands twisted in his lap, and he remained staring at the dishware in front of him. Staring wasn't exactly an issue, but why did he have to be so blatant about it?
"Are you uncomfortable?"
The low baritone of such a dominant voice made Sasuke shiver. He was so torn between thinking it was the most intimidating voice he'd ever heard and something a little more… sultry.
"Um… a little," he answered hesitantly, looking up through his lashes at the man. Itachi was still staring at him with a nonchalant expression. Was it alright to be telling the truth? He didn't tell many lies to begin with, but still.
"Why are you uncomfortable?"
His body jolted slightly. He hadn't expected that follow-up question. At this point in time, he couldn't even tell whether he was hot or cold, hungry or nauseous, nervous or scared, much less think of the reason he felt uncomfortable.
Perhaps it was because he felt like he was a rabbit who walked into a lion's den, and at every turn, there'd be a threat to his existence. Or maybe it was the way Itachi was staring at him in his seat, making him squirm, as if it was normal to openly stare at someone he barely knew. What were the man's intentions? Weren't they strangers to begin with, and yet here they sat in broad daylight about to dine together.
"I… I'm not used to this," he mumbled.
"I should hope not," Itachi countered.
"What do you mean?"
"Accepting a man's invitations so frivolously would surely lead to trouble."
Sasuke winced. But isn't that you? He almost said it aloud as he peeked over at the man.
"Then, why did you invite me, Itachi-sama?"
A pointed look in his direction, slightly less cold as if chastising him, had Sasuke overwhelmed. Literally, this man didn't have to lift a finger for Sasuke to be extremely wary of him. The aura that surrounded Itachi split their dimensions in half, proving that they were from completely different worlds. The reality couldn't have been any more apparent.
The expectant stare was still spear-headed in his direction, and, for the life of him, Sasuke could not understand what the man was waiting for. Finally, as if he realized Sasuke couldn't read his mind, the man spoke.
"Itachi," he said. This time irritation was evident on his usual expressionless features. "I don't like repeating myself."
That's right. The man wanted him to address him casually on a first name basis. How could he ever forget that? Oh, his brain butted in. Sometimes, when people are scared shitless, they forget things.
Well, you don't say, Sasuke responded to himself mentally.
Sasuke could hear massive bouts of sniggering behind him, and he nearly whipped his head around to glare at the two underlings. He couldn't catch a break.
"Why did you invite me…, Itachi?" Sasuke pushed those words out slowly… carefully as if testing the waters. The expression on Itachi's face didn't change, so the boy let out a small sigh and took a sip of water. All the sweating must have caused some dehydration, he thought ironically.
"Because we're friends."
Upon hearing those words, the harmless water went down the wrong pipe. Sasuke's eyes bulged, and he began coughing hysterically, face turning a rosy shade of red while somehow maintaining an utterly pale shade simultaneously.
"What?" He couldn't help but screech, nearly in panic mode. Even the boys behind him were unsettled. "We're friends? Since when?"
His huge, doe-eyed expression landed on Itachi incredulously while one hand rubbed his throat. The man stared back at him, an unreadable expression plastered firmly on his face.
"Ah! Of course you're friends!" Naruto chimed in suddenly with nervous laughter, interrupting whatever Itachi was going to say next. The look on the blonde's face certainly wasn't a match to his words of reassurance, and Sasuke arched a brow, completely missing the dark, narrowed eyes directed at the blonde. "Look, lunch is here! Lunch! Lunch! You must be starving, Sasuke!" More nervous laughter.
Sure enough, two servants came by with pristine white plates in their hands, but they paused when Itachi held a palm up in their direction.
"You will address him as Sasuke-sama."
The command was firm, and, to Sasuke, it sounded like a father chastising their child for breaking a vase of flowers, but the rest of the room grew cold and quiet.
Naruto's eyes stopped darting around nervously, and immediately, he went ramrod straight, bowing his head so low that his body turned into a ninety degree angle. "Of course, Boss. I apologize for my erred judgment."
Sasuke sweatdropped, awkwardness filling his chest. "Um, it's okay if he calls me Sasuke," the boy said. "Sasuke-sama sounds a bit much."
The boy looked between Itachi and the two behind him, gaze settling on Neji, who seemed to be slightly shaking his head as if discouraging any further statements. It was such a miniscule gesture that he wasn't sure if he had imagined it or not.
"Nonsense, Sasuke. You are a guest and a friend. Some things should be corrected instantly to prevent future misunderstandings."
Okay… Sasuke sensed something was off here, but he couldn't quite put a finger on what. But there was one thing he wanted to ask, and he felt, given Itachi's statement, now was the best time.
"Can you tell me how you came to view me as a friend?" Because I'm having trouble recalling. "Since it's best to prevent future misunderstandings, I would like to make sure we are on the same page." Because clearly we're coasting on two very different wavelengths.
Sasuke felt someone kick his leg from behind, and he held in a wince. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed Naruto biting his lip and staring at him with puppy dog eyes. Did he say something wrong?
The expression on Itachi's face hardly underwent any changes since he said what he said, so he didn't see the problem. The man was still staring at him after he had asked, and Sasuke, dare he say it, was starting to get used to being stared at.
"We've exchanged pleasantries. You've gifted me a beverage. I've invited you to my home, and you've accepted. We are about to enjoy a meal together," Itachi responded smoothly, not a hint of 'HAHAHA, JUST KIDDING!' written on his face. "Is this not what friends do?" The man's eyes drilled an impossibly deep hole into Sasuke's face, awaiting a reply.
Ahh, Sasuke cleared his throat and leaned back in his seat. He figured it out: what he had previously felt was off.
The man was DELUSIONAL. Off his fucking ROCKER.
Pleasantries? Gifts? Invitations? Enjoy? And what beverage? The only instance Sasuke could recall was giving Itachi a bottle of water in return for helping him out. It wasn't even a gift! The man had placed it down on the counter that night, waiting for Sasuke to ring him up, and he merely expressed his gratitude.
Sasuke's gaze settled on the man, who surprisingly was waiting patiently for his response. But it's not like he could have said anything as a rebuttal. He couldn't even imagine what that would sound like.
Oh, sorry, you're mistaken and delusional, but we're not friends.
He wasn't that excited to reserve first class tickets to hell. Screw that.
At the same time, he couldn't help, but wonder how things became so convoluted. It was like they had witnessed the same exact scenario, but recounted two completely different stories. Sasuke was stunned speechless.
He pulled together a tight smile.
"Yes. We are friends," he found himself saying. The words sounded foreign to his own ears.
"As I thought," Itachi replied good-naturedly, waving over their food.
The boy couldn't help but stare when it was set before him.
Burgers and fries. They were having burgers and fries. The chef was even thoughtful enough to serve it with a plate of condiments: ketchup, ranch, tartar sauce, and even a chipotle aoli.
So this was what gangsters ate at lunch. How… normal.
"Isn't this what kids eat these days?" Itachi said.
"Who's a kid?" Sasuke muttered petulantly. When he realized what he'd said, he slapped a palm over his gaping mouth. Instead of being forced to stare down into the barrel of a gun, he noticed that the corner of Itachi's lips twitched.
"Eat," Itachi commanded as if Sasuke was three.
"I don't know. With my thin figure, I'm not sure if I'll be able to finish off such a big burger," he found himself answering, almost as if he wanted to act childishly to match the man's words and possibly his perception of him.
Okay, that was only partially true. He wanted to see Itachi's lips twitch again. It was so slight the first time that he wasn't sure if his eyes were deceiving him. For a man whose face was often blank, Sasuke wanted to dig down to see what other emotions he had in storage. Plus… he had a hard time controlling his stubbornness... If the words wanted to come out, not even sewing his lips shut would stop them.
Someone behind him choked on their own spit and snorted, but he couldn't figure out who.
"Shall I feed you?"
With a glare at his plate, he snatched up the burger and took a big bite of it. "I'm not three. I can do it myself."
"Just checking."
This was weird. Eating burgers and fries with a yakuza member. Whereas Sasuke bit into his juicy burger first and shoved fries into his mouth in between bites, he noticed that Itachi started off with his burger and didn't touch his fries until it was finished off.
A man of order, it seemed. Sasuke snorted to himself.
"So have you had many strong friendships?" He blamed his curiosity for asking so many questions, but also the quietness in which they were partaking in their meal. He was used to chit-chatting with friends over food, not eating in complete silence.
Itachi swatted his hand in the air, a blatant no.
Shocking.
"Friends are hard to come by in my line of work."
You don't say.
"What do you do for work?" He tried to ask this as casually as he could.
"Imports and exports," Itachi answered.
Sasuke bit his lip this time, attempting not to burst into a massive fit of laughter. The irony of the situation he was caught in was so stellar, he couldn't help but appreciate it for what it was.
"Do you mind if I ask you how old you are? I'd like to know… as your friend."
Itachi paused, glancing at Sasuke as if contemplating his response. Granted, he could lie to Sasuke and he wouldn't be none the wiser.
"I'm 28," he finally answered.
"He'll be 29 next month!" Neji piped in, a big grin on his face. "Boss, should we invite Sasuke-sama to your birthday party? It's customary to invite your friend to attend a special occasion."
If Neji or Naruto didn't speak, Sasuke would not have pegged them as mutes. It seemed they were investing in this "friend" thing a little too seriously.
Itachi wiped his mouth with the napkin before setting it on the table. Apparently, he was upset at Naruto for using Sasuke's name so casually, but it was okay for Neji to not only divulge his birthday, but insist on his attendance at the party.
"I—"
"Is this true?" Itachi asked, directing the question at Sasuke.
Sasuke shut his mouth. Oh god. What kind of question was that? Sure, he had thought Itachi had very few friends, but to ask such an innocent question like that. Let's not even talk about having few friends. Sasuke was starting to believe that Itachi never had even one friend to begin with.
Something stung in his chest. Was it pity? No, it didn't feel like pity. Was it sadness, sympathy, or something along those lines for a man who has never known the warmth of a friend? Sasuke wasn't sure. What kind of childhood did this man have?
"It's true," Sasuke said. "Friends like to celebrate each other's important occasions."
"I see."
Sasuke no longer had an appetite. No wonder Itachi had regarded him as a friend due to those reasons earlier. It wasn't that he was delusional. He just didn't know.
But then, that begged the question: Why Sasuke? Why did he peg Sasuke as a friend?
The boy snuck a glance at Itachi, who had summoned Neji and was muttering a few words to him. Then, Neji abruptly straightened up and walked out the room.
"Did you not enjoy your meal?"
Sasuke looked up from his half-eaten burger and fries. "I had a big breakfast, so I'm not very hungry."
That was a lie. He'd been too nervous this morning to even keep water down, much less sustenance.
A slight frown pushed its way onto Itachi's lips, the pleasantness on his face replaced with something more chilling. Clearly, he didn't buy it.
"Shall I replace the chef with someone more capable of making a decent meal?"
"What? No, of course not, Itachi. I'm full. I can't keep shoving food down my throat. It'll cause indigestion."
"You eat very little."
"I eat enough," he muttered.
The man left it at that, thank goodness, and stood and began to walk over to the double doors to his left. Immediately, Naruto ushered Sasuke out of his seat and pushed him in the same direction, while he, himself, kept his distance as if attempting to shrink his presence down.
Once the breeze hit his face, a gasp escaped Sasuke's lips. An entire row of human-shaped targets lined the back lawn, each unique in its own way, with a red target on their heads and chest.
"He spent all morning on this," a sudden voice whispered in his ear.
Sasuke lurched away on reflex. Neji had materialized behind him all of a sudden with a big shit-eating grin on his face. The boy's brows drew together and he glanced over at Itachi who was a few meters ahead, standing in front of a few wooden targets. He could see his side-profile from where he stood, and, personally, the man looked as nonchalant as ever.
"Doesn't he look positively excited?" Neji quipped.
Excited? That was what excitement looked like on Itachi's face? Maybe it was time to get himself some glasses.
"We don't even use these for target practice," Naruto commented off-handedly in awe. Sasuke figured it was his first time seeing them, too.
If you don't use these for target practice, then what… or who do you use?
He'd rather not think about it.
"Agh! Itachi-sama is calling for you!" Naruto yelled, pushing Sasuke in the man's direction. "Hurry!"
As if a frosty breeze swept his way, Sasuke felt himself shivering as soon as Naruto's hands were on him. A glance to the near distance, and he immediately knew why.
Itachi was now fully facing them, an overtly look of disdain painting his cold features as his eyes shifted between Sasuke's body and Naruto's hands. As if he'd been burned by fire, Naruto seemingly sensing his gaze also pulled his hands back, retreating about fifty feet from where the boy stood with an incredibly horrified glued onto his features.
"What a fucking idiot," Neji muttered, seemingly to himself, before he straightened out when he realized Sasuke was looking at him. "That way, please, Sasuke-sama," he said pleasantly with a smile, extending his palm in Itachi's direction.
Sasuke felt like he was missing something important there, but did not have the time to dwell on it. He found himself standing in front of Itachi a moment later, and the utterly quiet meadow of a backyard alerted him that they were now alone.
He swallowed hard, wiping his clammy palms against the front of his jeans.
"Did you bring it?" the man asked.
"Huh?" he responded intellectually, brain short-circuiting due to his nerves.
"No matter," Itachi brushed off, unholstering a piece from his shoulder holster.
Sasuke tried to blink away his astonishment. Why would he be surprised that the man was carrying? He wasn't. It was just that he never noticed that Itachi was wearing a shoulder holster to begin with, and the gun had been tucked expertly out of sight that he didn't even notice the bulkiness of it.
The boy stared down at the piece that was offered to him and gulped. Very slowly, he reached out and touched the cold metal with a single finger. Despite placing the gun in his line of vision, Itachi did not release his hold.
"This is a semi-automatic glock. Every time you pull the trigger, it fires one round."
Sasuke's eyes flickered from the matte black gun to Itachi briefly before returning to the hand wrapped around the weapon.
"Its magazine can hold 17 rounds. In order to remove the magazine, I press the mag release here with my thumb." The magazine fell out into Itachi's hand and he gave it to Sasuke to hold onto. "For safety reasons, my finger remains rested against the outer part of the gun when not in use. Never against the trigger. Do you understand?"
Sasuke nodded, eyes focused on the elegant movements.
"I'm going to open the slide to see if there is a round of ammunition still in the chamber. If there is, the gun can still fire. The slide is the part at the top, which moves when the gun is fired. I'm keeping the gun pointed in a safe direction the entire time."
Sasuke watched in fascination as Itachi held the gun with his right hand, and with his left, he wrapped his fingers over the slide on the latter back half of the gun and, while firmly holding onto it, he pushed the gun forward. A click echoed in his ears, and a stray bullet popped out of the chamber into his open palm.
Itachi retrieved the magazine from Sasuke and popped the bullet back into the magazine.
"I push the magazine back into the grip until it locks into place and pull the slide back to load it, and it is ready to fire."
Sasuke was in awe. He had never been a fan of guns, but the way Itachi went about explaining it did wonders for his brain. Why couldn't his professors explain things as well as he could?
"When you hold the gun, wrap your dominant hand around the gun, keeping your index finger rested against the slide. Your thumb should be resting on the inner side, and the rest of your fingers should be coiled around the grip. Wrap your nondominant hand around your fingers that are around the grip. Point your thumbs forward, but don't rest them against the slide."
Sasuke nodded.
"You try."
The gun was finally passed to him, the heft and metallic feel in his hand completely foreign. He mimicked Itachi's earlier posture and wrapped his hands around the gun.
"Good. Now point the gun in the direction of your target, but in a downward position."
Sasuke placed himself in front of a male target with a red dot on its chest.
"When you are ready, bring it up to eye level and move your index finger to the trigger. Squeeze the grip and aim. Don't lock your elbows."
Among the roaring blood through his veins and the cool breeze against his cheeks, Sasuke felt a foreign heat pressed against his back, followed by hands much, much larger than his guiding him.
"Prepare for the recoil."
For some reason, those muttered words so close to his ear that he could feel the warmth of Itachi's breath made him inwardly shudder. A second later, the trigger was pulled.
A loud bang echoed, followed by a flock of birds in a nearby tree taking flight.
A golden casing flew from the chamber and fell deftly to the ground.
"Again," Itachi commanded.
Sasuke fired again and again and again, and once more until he realized that the man had released his hold on him, and the scorching heat behind him had disappeared. His chest heaved, and finally, Sasuke lowered the gun, eyes focusing on the holes that erupted along the wooden male target.
Two shots dead center, one through the head and another through the heart. No doubt these were the ones Itachi guided him on. And then, a few more holes, some grazing past the arm, others hitting the leg and abdomen.
Sasuke was stunned into silence.
He couldn't register if he had taken pleasure in it or not, and, in his daze, he looked over at where Itachi stood and caught the man's eyes. Sasuke knew his chest was heaving, and he wasn't exactly sure what kind of face he was sporting, but it couldn't have been anything easy to look at.
The sun continued to rise high into the sky, its rays casting their shadows along the grass. And then, something oddly shiny caught Sasuke's attention from behind Itachi's broad shoulders, and his eyebrows wrinkled slightly before his onyx eyes widened considerably and he screamed. "WATCH OUT!"
As ridiculous as this sounded, it was at that exact moment he dropped his gun and lunged for Itachi, tackling the ginormous man to the ground. Simultaneously, the loud echo of a gunshot was heard, followed by muffled screaming.
Sasuke could not make out what was being said because sudden intense pain shot through his body and his torso grew inexplicably heavy as if he weighed a thousand pounds. Seconds later, he passed out.