Title: Kremlin Dusk

Author: sky75rk

Standard disclaimers apply.


Third Channel: A Natural Entertainer

Shit. What was… what was that? Automatically, Sasuke's hand flew up to his ear that was slowly turning red for an unknown reason as his other hand clamped his mouth as he realized how wrong his actions were.

"CUT!" a lazy tone drawled. "Uchiha! You weren't supposed to hold your ear and stiffen. You were supposed to act confident at the same time a little confused," Nara, Shikamaru scolded him.

"Hai," he said. He knew that the subject was most likely to be dismissed by the director if he just said yes.

"People, I know that everything is hard for us since we only have a little time before the deadline. But if we want to win that contest and get a decent grade, we have to pull through," Shikamaru encouraged his team. "Okay, take five guys," the people around him dissipated and proceeded to take their well-deserved break.

Shikamaru was one of the genius soon-to-be-successful-director Tokyo University had ever trained. As lazy as he looked, he was actually very versatile, doing award winning films, documentaries and the like. At the moment, he was on his third year, but mostly taking advanced classes. His major was the same as Sasuke's and a few other people like Sakura, Ino, and Kiba.

Sasuke, on the other hand, didn't exactly plan to be a part of the film they were making. But it came out to be a project which was a large part of their grades for the final term. There was no way around it but to do it. Eventually, he ended up having the main role.

"Nara-san!" a loud voice called out and Shikamaru turned to the source of the voice. It was Naruto. "I have to go now. The next scene doesn't include me anyway," he said and the director waved his hand, a sign of his permission.

Sasuke frowned. During the brief meeting of their group, they were told about the roles and the summary of the short film they were doing. They had discussed and agreed that most people would have an interest if they had shown what the life of a person struggling to survive, even if she had to do everything to live. The other lead was assumed by Sasuke to be acted out by a female. But then, Shikamaru just had to have this idea that they will use a guy instead, to show the audience how the other half lives. And since guys rarely play as citizens prostituting themselves, it turned out to be a creative streak. As they passed their script to their professor and detailed it, the man was just ecstatic to see the result. And thus, here he was, acting with a guy.

Another problem they faced before they started their project was that they do not have enough people to help with the props, camera, make-up and clothes. They needed more hands. That's when Sakura came up with putting up flyers all over the campus and also outside the campus to find volunteers.

Unfortunately, a few people responded, since other students probably had their schedules packed up or they just didn't want extra work in their hands. Shikamaru did not mind it though. In return for the volunteer's participation, he agreed to pay them for their hard- work, using the extra budget. He was glad that it was voluntary so he concluded that the people who joined were dedicated to their project.

Orochimaru, one of the first few who had a quick show, was one of those who volunteered. Sasuke heard that he was a businessman, same as his brother, though it was impossible for those two to know each other, Sasuke thought. And he wondered, how was it that that man became part of the cast. To Sasuke, Orochimaru was way too old for doing this and being a businessman meant he had work to attend to. Maybe that's the reason why Shikamaru made him play only a small part.

And then there was this long haired guy who had pale, white eyes. He was also one of those who had an early entrance in the film. When they shot the scene of Naruto and him in the pool in the hotel Sasuke's family managed, the Uchiha recognized how both of them seemed so comfortable around each other. Sasuke chalked it up as long term friendship, meaning they had known each other before. Then he recalled that after the day Hyuuga, Neji volunteered, the blonde did too.

That's when Naruto, who played the other lead part, comes in. He knew that the blonde had no idea that they were to be paid, but was glad they were. Naruto was just interested even though he had no idea what the University students were to do. It was a shock to him, when he was chosen to share the limelight with a boy he did not know yet.

And so, there they were, Naruto was already leaving like what he always does when the next scene would not include him, which was almost always. Sasuke was not able to have a formal introduction with the blonde boy yet. Not that he cared though, it was just he was curious why the boy had to rush off immediately as soon as the clock ticks five in the afternoon. Whenever they would have night scenes, the blonde would definitely be there, just in time for the shoot. Then he would leave again after. It was like he was doing something he shouldn't be doing and he was afraid to get caught.

Sasuke walked towards the nearby vending machine, seeing Ino talking to Sakura about their script. The blonde haired girl was the one responsible for the script, and she also played a minor role. At first she was against it, wanting to do a more major role, but since she had to stay up late at nights to improve the script or make the changes that Shikamaru and she talks about, she was out of energy that was needed for the main role.

The pink haired girl was by far, one of the few people he had known since high school that passed the entrance exam. She played one of the important roles in the film. She was happy to do it, since she had a major liking to Sasuke since high school. Not that she showed it in a flirty type. More like she fought for it in a brute way. It was psychotic.

"Hey there," Kiba greeted, as he finished picking up his choice of beverage for him and Shikamaru. They met during their first year, well, all of them met during the first year. It was shame really, during those days there were many students in their class, but when their classes got so hard, one by one the others fell out, unable to cope. All that was left were them and a few others.

"Ow," an apologetic tone resounded. Sasuke again saw Naruto, running back inside the set, rubbing his most likely bruised knee as he accidentally collided with the table as he was going back to where he placed his things before and looked around. It seemed like he lost something. "There," he said as he went and crouched, reaching out for the object that Sasuke couldn't recognize under the steel chair.

Taking a furtive glance at his wrist watch, the blonde ran out again, hurrying.

Sasuke placed his attention on the canned drink he was holding. Come to think of it, where did that guy come from anyway? He asked himself as he realized that it was the first time he'd seen the guy around. And not knowing anything about him, it struck a suspicious cord in his being.

Drinking, he threw the can into the trash bin as soon as he was through with it. He picked up his bag, and went straight to his car, the same one that was used in their film. As suspicious as he was, it did not come to him as an importance to sneak around following the guy he barely knows. And besides, he had other things to do and since the next scene did not include him, he proceeded into doing thing he considered 'more important'.

Like going home and studying.


Shooting finished an hour early so that the entire student body of Tokyo University which was included in the project would have time to prepare for the social gathering the school has organized. Despite Sasuke's earlier attempt to escape going there, he was caught by Sakura who practically dragged him to the venue. Even though he was shouting how he'd kill her or find ways to make her life miserable, it was like she didn't care. Well, maybe she just tuned him out. It was unacceptable.

He was not given a choice in the matter. So now, instead of locking up in his room, studying, he was now standing idly at the corner of the pool where the gathering was located, sneering and glaring at everyone who tried to get close to him. He was pissed, and he showed it.

"Itai," a familiar voice half-shouted from across him. Well, for the person, it was only half because he had a really loud voice. Dark-eyes went straight for the owner of the voice and saw blonde hair and blue eyes. Uzumaki Naruto.

What's he doing here? He asked himself. the party was only to be attended by the University students and he had never seen Naruto in campus before. It's impossible that he studies here. He doesn't really exactly scream that he's smart.

"Are you all right?" a subtle voice asked to the 'injured' man and Sasuke saw Hyuuga, Neji, examining the blonde's hands. Apparently, the blonde must've cut himself.

"Heiki, heiki,"

Neji took Naruto's wrist and it looked to Sasuke that they were leaving the party. Maybe to get some first aid or something. Kami, is the dobe really that weak?

"OH MY GOD!" a frantic voice screamed. It sounded like Ino.

Suddenly, almost everybody in the areas was trying to get a look at what happened. Sasuke found himself walking towards them as well, wanting to get a glance as well.

Neji and Naruto also went back to see the commotion. In the middle of the pool was someone Sasuke didn't know, already floating, face downwards in the pool.

"What are you people think you're doing! Do something!" Ino tried grabbing the nearest man her arms to get but they just stepped backwards to avoid being thrown into the water. "Sasuke!" she caught sight of Sasuke and hurried to him. "Please go help him," she pleaded.

"Why don't you help him yourself?" a cold voice countered and Ino was about to shout at him for his incapacity to care for other people when a splash was heard. Ino whirled around and saw Naruto swimming for the guy. When he was near to the ground, tanned hands hoisted the unconscious man to Neji and the Hyuuga took the man and laid it on the ground. Naruto pushed himself up and hurried.

Now, Sasuke was really intrigued. Why would someone like Naruto save a guy he did not know? And why was he here anyway? The party goers crowded themselves around the unconscious man and Naruto.

Naruto felt the air was getting constricted. "Please spread out guys. We need some air!" he told the people around them and they obliged. Naruto put his ear near the man's heart and tried to listen for a heartbeat. When he found none, he opened up his shirt and put his palms directly proportional to the victim's heart and started thrusting to get his heart beating again. Three thrusts and he listened again. Blue eyes turned immediately to Neji. "Get a taxi or any vehicle. It would be faster to get this guy to the hospital instead of waiting for an ambulance," he instructed and Neji dashed out and proceeded to get his car.

Sasuke watched in fascination as the blonde calmly handled the situation. The other people started going their separate ways when the two left, with Ino behind them.

But before they left, blue eyes looked back at his black one, the determination and calmness gone and was changed into heated detestation. Sasuke was not intimidated. In its place, he smirked at the blonde boy.

Interesting. Who would've thought that Naruto would be someone so interesting?


"That jerk! That inconsiderate jerk! How could he say something like that when the man is obviously dying?" emphasizing the last word, Naruto held himself back before his foot connected with a garbage bin, then entered the car parked nearby. He had been like that since they left the man with the doctors, nurses and Ino. While getting treatment, they had learned that the man got high drunk and Ino did not notice that he was behind her and somewhat accidentally pushed him off the pool. Feeling somehow responsible, she stayed at the hospital.

"Not all people are as kind as you, Naruto," a calm voice replied. They had not been in the gathering for an hour and something already occurred. Naruto, being the hot-headed guy that he is, needed someone collected to stop him from doing anything harsh.

Neji met Naruto during their high school days, one fateful day. He came into the nurse's office to get his sprained ankle treated when he had a mistake in his footing while playing basketball. He entered, and the nurse was not there. Instead, someone with blonde hair whom he didn't know was there.

One look at his blue eyes and he was lost.

Every fleeting moment was savored even though he did not notice it at that time. How gentle hands suddenly made him sit at the make-shift bed in the clinic. How warm hands examined his ankle and proceeded taking care of the injury.

It was then he learned that the blonde was named Uzumaki, Naruto and was always at the nurse's office when he had any free time. When Neji asked the nurse when Naruto was not there, she told him that the blonde was learning from her about first aid and how to treat some wounds. The blonde was very interested in the art of saving people.

He admired that.

Naruto was a year younger than him, but for a known reason, the blonde was already taking advanced Physics with his class. He was barely aware of his presence before that fateful day, and somehow, his first impression of him was that he was one stupid guy, but he quickly changed that when he realized that being a year younger and then sharing the same advanced class was not for stupid people at all, but ever since then, he tried to befriend the boy and become his friend, he did.

If there was one thing he know about Naruto, it was that he was very dedicated in pursuing his goal. Naruto wanted to be a doctor and wanted to study in the country's top school so he could someday go abroad and do his research there. Both of them made a promise to pass the entrance exams at Tokyo U, and both of them did.

At that time, Neji did not know what he would take up in college. His family gave him a free reign over his life, except that they did not approve of failure. Anything he would do, he just needed to make sure to succeed in it.

When he, together with Naruto, entered the university, he suddenly put in his mind to follow Naruto's footsteps and try saving people's lives with his choice of work.

It was not a bad idea, really. It was rather fulfilling. Spending time with the blonde, there was never a quiet moment. And being a quiet guy himself, his environment felt warm with Naruto's presence.

And if he could, he wanted to spend every waking moment with him as well.

A sharp turn to the right and stopping short at a large house which looked beautiful considering the number of various plants and flowers that were taken care of the other people living with the blonde. Naruto unlocked the door and proceeded to unhinge the seatbelt from his body. He looked at the long haired guy with a grateful smile. "Thanks for the ride and for listening to my ranting, Neji. I'll see you tomorrow," grinning, he waved at him and he stepped out the McLaren F1 which belonged to Neji. A gift from his dad for making the university.

Before going inside the big building, Naruto bent and lowered himself to parallel the window. Neji lowered the glass window. "Oyasumi," Naruto said, and then jogging back into his house, looking back one time and waving again.

Neji waved back, smiling at the blonde's boy cheery mood. There was no doubt that Naruto was pissed at how Sasuke reacted to the situation. He was also pissed too. But it weighed a lot more to Naruto, since his mission in life was to save people in danger. And seeing someone who was so unconcerned for the lives of other people—even if he never knew them—it was an outrage.

Neji shrugged the thought of Uchiha, Sasuke away, and focused on the blonde's words.

I'll see you tomorrow.

He was looking forward to the next day.

-Continued-


A/N: The man in the story who nearly drowned is just an extra and would not be found in the next chapters.

And the story starts here…

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