Bittersweet Symphony
Act I: Memory
'When it rains, God is crying. You want to know why he cries?. He cries for those who have been sent to hell. We are all sinners in this world. He cries for our redemption, to cleanse our sins. That is why, after it rains, flowers blossom. The rain, for us sinners, is the rebirth of our body, and of our soul...'
The day he arrived in this city, the sun did not shine. It rained.
You could see the people covering themselves with their umbrellas. Others had newspapers, holding them over their heads. Most of the business men ran near a cab or tried to get some short of shelter. Many of the common people, ran into clothing stores or pubs or bars. They felt most at home especially in one bar. That tiny bar that was home to mostly all of the people in Konoha City. The neon lights that sprayed across the top of the bar read: "Akimichi Bar". The bar, in itself, looked rusty and old from the outside but once you got inside, it was full of lights and vibrant colors. Diffrent types of people would sit, and chat about their days. Girls would sit at the bars while the men would oogle and ask for their numbers..
It was the typical place to hang out, or at least seek some peace from the violent world that was, Konoha City.
The city was run by a rich man, Mitarashi Orochimaru. He wasn't the best mayor, but at least he made sure that his city was well-kepted. He had a daughter, Anko. She was spoiled throughout her whole life, but she never wanted any of it. She felt captive in the world her father placed her, and yearned for rebellion. Her young heart wanted to love, and love she did. She found love in all the wrong places, eventually sending her back to her father's mansion, back in her father's care. She didn't want to live like this anymore..
She was one of the regulars at the bar...
The only thing that about Konoha City that established itself from other cities, was for its vast crime. The city was overuled by crime lords and syndicates. Many of these crime lords was Hyuuga Neji, one of the most feared crime bosses. He was still young, but knew the trade of the shady business world that was crime. He was married to Tenten, a beauty compared to most women. Of course, he was nothing compared to Uchiha Itachi, the crime boss who ruled over the number one syndicate in the city. His syndicate was notorious for shady businesses, and crime. Even Hyuuga Neji, who was known as a heartless bastard, feared Uchiha Itachi...
Uchiha Itachi was one of the survivors of the Uchiha Massacre, which took place five years ago. His entire family was killed, except for himself, his cousin Obito, and his younger brother Sasuke. After the massacre, he presumed that his little brother was dead, until he received word that he was alive in another city, not too far from Konoha. He had sent a letter to his brother, requesting that he joined under his syndicate. Perhaps, they could be like a family. Ever since Obito passed away, Itachi had no family to turn to.
Except, his lovely fiancee of course..
Haruno Sakura was considered to be a jewel in hell. Knowing how dangerous Konoha City can be, it was rare that such a beauty like herself, lived in such a place. There was never such a beauty as her, besides Hyuuga Tenten. She was his comrade, his lover, the one he could turn to whenever he felt out of place in the world. She loved her fiancee, very much..
Sasuke grasped the letter which his older brother had sent him not too long ago. Those dark onyx-eyes would absorb the address where he would have to stay for a couple of days, until his orientation at the syndicate. He found himself stranded in some city, that he had no knowledge on how to get around. Whoever this person that Sasuke was supposed to stay with, was a close friend of his older brother's.
"22 Scarecrow street?"
He read the address outloud, and began looking around. He arrived to Konoha City in a shuttle train, and had forgotten his umbrella on board. So, the younger Uchiha was soaking wet. His licked his lips over and over, tasting the sweet rain as he continued on his search for the residence. His long raven strands of hair were dripping wet, as water droplets would fall from the tips of his bangs.
"Where the hell is this place?"
He was annoyed, surely his older brother didn't just play some trick on him to annoy him. Perhaps he got the address wrong..
Dear Sasuke,
I have heard, from a couple of my sources, that you have been living in Oto City. It is not that far from Konoha City, now is it my dear brother? I have requested for your orientation into my syndicate. Come, if you are interested. If not, then please reply to this letter within the next week. I hope to see you soon..
Itachi.
Ps. The address where you must stay before your orientation is at: 22 Scarecrow Street. There will be a friend of mine waiting for you, please show your respect to him...
He sat down on the edge of the sidewalk, his briefcase right beside him. He couldn't tell from the rain, but it was already evening. The clouds didn't want to leave their presence upon the gloomy city, and Sasuke had wished for the rain to stop. But it didn't. If he could, he'd kick the clouds for being so persistent. He sighed, scratching his head as he watched the water droplets fall from his hair. If he stayed outside any longer, he was going to be sick for days.
"You look like a stranger, what brings you here?"
Sasuke looked up at the person who spoke to him, and noticed a man. He seemed a bit older than he was. His hair was silver, and half of his face was covered by some strange mask. He extended his hand and smiled, but you couldn't tell underneath that mask of his. "Yo, I'm Hatake Kakashi. Nice to meet you."
He blinked, looking up at this guy. This was Konoha City, he couldn't trust a stranger so quickly..
"I'm not going to rob you. Besides, you look poor.." he chuckled, and then brought back his hand inside of his pocket. "You look like someone I used to know.."
"Really now? Well, I'm busy right now and I can't waist my time on weirdos like you." Sasuke remarked, as he stood up. "I'm looking for a place and I can't seem to find it. It's annoying the hell out of me.."
"Perhaps, if you told me where this place was, I can help you young traveler.." Kakashi replied, moving beside him. "Now tell me, what exactly are you looking for?"
Sasuke glanced at him. Could he trust this person?. He shrugged, and decided that any help was good help and reached deep into his pocket to grasp the paper with the address on it. "Here" he pointed at the address on the paper, as he gave it to Kakashi.
"Oh? 22 Scarecrow Street?"
"That's right, you know where it is?"
Kakashi grinned, and then chuckled. "So, you're Sasuke eh? No wonder, you remind me of your older brother.."
"Wait a second, how do you know my .." and then it hit him like a pile of bricks. "...I'm supposed to live with you?"
"Bingo." He placed his hand on his shoulder. "If you follow me, I'll show you the dump you have to live in for a couple of days.."
Sasuke followed Kakashi to his apartment. He was hesitant to believe him, at first but decided not to doubt the stranger. The two walked up a couple of stairs until they found themselves inside of Kakashi's apartment. He wasn't joking when he said the 'dump' he had to live in for a couple of days. The place was messy, and looked groggy. The floors were a bit wet, and buckets were placed on the floor were holes in the ceiling were embedded, droplets of water falling and the sounds it made irritated Sasuke.
Kakashi showed him to his room, which was fairly neat, but still a mess. The windows were a bit cracked, the covers looked like they weren't washed for months. Who would've thought such a kind stranger, could live in such a shitty place as this? Sasuke looked at Kakashi, cocked a brow and said, "You're serious?"
"That's the way life is, Sasuke. You're either rich, or you're nothing."
"Then life completely sucks."
"That's what they tell me, but I like to forget they ever said such an awful thing."
"And why's that?"
He smiled, and then patted Sasuke on the head. "That, is for me to know, and you to find out."
This, Kakashi person, truly was weird...
The next day:
Sasuke tossed and turned in that bed. He couldn't sleep from all the noises those stupid water droplets made whenever it hit those damn buckets. It wasn't even 7'oclock in the morning yet, and he found himself wide awake. Those bags under his eyes showed that he didn't sleep that whole night. Where as his new 'comrade', that Kakashi guy, was sleeping soundly in the next room beside his. "Ugh.." he emerged from his bed, and decided to start the day. He went inside the kitchen, trying to find anything he could to eat, and found himself making a sandwich.
"Good mornin'" Kakashi would reply, as he entered the kitchen an hour later. He noticed the bags under the young Uchiha's eyes, and then sighed. "Couldn't sleep huh?"
Sasuke looked up at him, his head had been leaning on the table trying to find at least some sort of sleep. But it never came to him. "Of course I couldn't, how can I sleep when water kept falling into those damn buckets?"
"You'll get used to it." He smirked, and then sat across from him on the table. Even now, Kakashi still had his mask on. Sasuke couldn't help but wonder why exactly he always wore a mask to hide the lower half of his face.
"Why do you even wear that stupid mask?"
Kakashi looked up at him, and then smiled. "I have my reasons. You shouldn't be so curious. Remember, curiosity killed the cat."
Sasuke sighed, and then placed his elbow on the table leaning his chin on his hand. "When do I finally get to leave this place?" he said a bit outloud.
"When your brother contacts me. From what I've heard, that should be today.."
"So, I only have to spend one night in this crummy place?"
"Perhaps, but don't rush yourself, Sasuke. You could be here for a whole week for all we know.."
Sasuke slumped and then sighed. "I thought my brother knew rich people, instead he knows stupid and weird people.."
"Everybody knows everyone in Konoha City. We're all one big family, despite the crime.."
Sasuke didn't reply back, and just stared into space. It had been awhile since his own family was killed. He was young, but remembered it well. He sought revenge, but before he could, his older brother had beaten him to it. He was, a bit disappointed to say the least.
"Why don't we go outside, eh? I'll show you around town.."
It was either stay in this dump, or experience this whole new place that seemed to hide more than it can offer. "What if my brother calls you and we are not here?"
"I'm sure one of his pals know where to reach us.."
He blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Don't worry about it. Once you get to know this city, then you'll understand." Kakashi got up. "Now, I'll go get myself ready. You can get ready now, if you want."
He watched Kakashi enter his room, and then sighed. He stood up and looked outside. It was still raining. He wondered if the rain would ever go away..
"He's crying.." he softly said to himself, as he placed his hand against the glass of the window. 'For our sins, he's crying..'
He could remember his mother's words so vividly, that it haunted him how she was no longer of this world. Taken away by God's hands...was there even such a God like that? Who could take away lives so easily? It has always perplexed him...
He didn't want to believe in such a God...
He was by himself for quite sometime now. Living on his own, without anyone to actually be there for him. Ever since his entire family was killed, he had been living on the edge. He sometimes asked himself, if this was all merely a dream. A soft dream that he couldn't wake up from...
If this were a dream, then it was a nightmare...
All his life, alone. What other type of dream could it be?
Now that he was reunited with his brother, he could at least try to find some sense of place in this world. Under his brother's command, as a member of his crime syndicate. Even if the business his brother was in was shady, he still loved and respected his brother.
He was like a God to him..
But the God that others believed in, was much more merciful than that of his older brother...
Even through that, he still wanted to be near his brother, to have a sense of belonging..
A sense of, love.
He didn't want to be stuck in this memory. The memory of his loneliness. That's why, with him coming to Konoha City, he would start new memories...
Author's Notes: Few. I finally wrote chapter one. claps for herself yay. Anyways, this is a new story that I suddenly came up with. I hope you guys like it. I'm sorry if Sasuke or Kakashi is terribly OOC. I never really written a story from Sasuke's point of view (well, from his side of the story anyways..) so this is fairly new to me. Read and review please? TT Thank you to those who actually read the story, and like it! At first, I was scared to write this story because I thought people would hate but, you just gotta take those risks, right? So, yeah. Chapter 2 should be up later on. I have to update that ItaSaku fic, heh. If people like this "preview" as I call it, of this fanfic, then I'll continue! If not, then I'll just push it aside and try my best to finish the ItaSaku fic. Either way, thanks to you guys! OH, and many thanks to Danny, David, and Ashlee for helping me with the sypnosis of this story
