Title: Kremlin Dusk

Author: sky75rk

Standard disclaimers apply.

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Fifth Channel: Opposite Attractions

There were so many things to do today. It was almost the week before the mid-term exams started and he was starting to feel a little queasy. Not because of the exams he still was yet to prepare for, but due to the fact that it was also the time for the quarterly deadline of tuition fees.

They cannot afford to send the kids to school all at once, that he had the knowledge of. Yet, he still insisted that they did, and he promised to take care of the financial problems. At that, Tsunade positively did him a telling off, stating that they were to just divide the costs and try to come up with the money before the deadline was up.

He was at school that day, but his mind was traveling. His part-time job as a newspaper delivery boy and a waiter/cook at a ramen bar didn't cover the expenses enough. Not to mention the various miscellaneous fees that really went so expensive nowadays. It was a present that the children knew all their status and they never demanded anything more than the usual amount. They were good kids.

"Naruto?" he knew that Neji was the one trying to catch his attention, but his body refused to comply. And his mind didn't, either. He was still so busy trying to come up with ways to get the money.

"Naruto? Are you all right? Do you have any problems you wish to discus?" he hated it when the pale-eyed boy struck home base. The fact that Neji was a natural observer always surprises him. But that's just because he always tends to forget about it.

He finally decided to reply. "I do have a problem, but it's nothing that I can't handle," at that, Neji was certain that the problem involved money—though maybe not really a huge amount.

At the same moment, Naruto was thankful that Neji knew about his story, and the reality that he's still his friend never ceases to amaze him.

At first, he didn't ever see the boy as the friendly type. Until he stumbled into the clinic one day during high school and they got to know each other. He realized that Neji was not as stuck-up as he thought.

And he probably proved Neji wrong too—whatever it is that he thought about him.

The Hyuuga looked at him with thoughtful gazes and he felt as though the soft gazes burned him. Finally, he spoke. "I think that my uncle is in need of a little help," he said simply, giving Naruto a pointed look.

The blonde gave a wide grin. "You're the best,"

"I know,"

"Just don't let that bloat your ego too much," the blonde chuckled.

Neji gave a small smile. "But it's too small, though," he teased.

"Yeah, I feel sorry for you," a sarcastic reply. "All those compliments still haven't filled up the spaces that your head has,"

They walked together, side by side, on the way to the last day of filming. It was such an exciting and new experience for him and at the same time, it was also tiring. They had to run the lines for more than five times before Shikamaru decided that he got the perfect shot. They must've spent too much money on filming one movie just for the sake of a grade in arts.

He sighed, yet it was inaudible. His blue eyes still emitted that he was worried still. Even though that Neji will go through to his uncle to give him a job, he can't help but feel that he is beginning to get too dependent on his friend. And it will pose a problem in itself.

He was grateful that he had Neji when the worse came into his life. There was a time when he was supposedly evicted by the school because he failed to pay to tuition fee that was long overdue—he wasn't a scholar there. Apparently, a private school with high standards like those didn't give any.

Neji came along at the exact moment he was being scolded and warned by the teacher. And then all he knew was, the next day, all his debts were cleared.

He had been angry—too angry. He didn't need to be pitied by someone he didn't know that well. He confronted Neji about that, and the Hyuuga simply told him that it was payback—for helping him heal his sprain.

Naruto still hasn't accepted that as a good enough reason and he still felt as though he needed to do something to say his gratitude towards the long-haired boy.

He absolutely disliked having debts.

They were now near the area where the last scene was to be shot. He spotted a few people waving at Neji and him, and he grinned and waved back, pushing the worried-stricken Naruto to a carefree Naruto.

It was as easy as eating a bowl of ramen.

Naruto wondered, should he afraid of that?

---

This was the last day of filming and Sasuke still didn't know much about the blonde. Not that he made much effort, but that still irritated him. The truth is, he would've approached the boy that caught his attention so much, if only a certain long-haired boy left his side for a few hours. Something about that Hyuuga kid irritated the hell out of him, and he doesn't know the reason why.

The last scene is when the character Sasuke portrayed was to win the case presented to the judge inside the courtroom, with the character Naruto portrayed playing as the final witness. The night was fast coming, and they had replayed the scene for almost eleven times and still, Shikamaru always interrupted it. He knew he was doing his part magnificently as Naruto was also doing—not that he would admit it in a million years. He couldn't understand what the lazy looking boy disapproved of.

He noticed that the blonde was looking particularly worried tonight, although he was smiling on the outside. In a matter of days, he felt as if he was noticing the blonde whenever he is seeing something out of the ordinary for him. He wasn't like this before.

Sasuke flinched when Naruto laughed out loud—to loud for his taste, but it was strained. A forced laugh was enough of an indication that the blonde youth had a problem.

Shikamaru was also now staring at Naruto, his eyes narrowed in annoyance and maybe, of thought. The genius sighed and clapped his hands to get the attention of the crew.

"I think that we should stop for the day. I don't think we'll get this right today," he said and the people grumbled at the waste of time, energy and materials. Yes, they knew that Shikamaru was a genius, but still…. It was a waste.

Those azure eyes lightened up with considerable amount and the Hyuuga went to his side before Sasuke could. He scowled as he continued to watch from afar and slowing his actions down.

He walked and as he was about to pass by the two, he slowed down again. He wanted to hear the conversation, but he wouldn't think of it as eavesdropping. Uchihas didn't eavesdrop.

"Thanks a lot, Neji. I'll be there tomorrow after classes," a grin was placed on his face, but this time it was sincere.

Neji gave back a small smile. "Let's go. I'll drive you home," he said, but Naruto shook his head. Sasuke triumphantly smiled. It seems that the Hyuuga will be let down for today.

"Nah, but thanks anyway. I still have someplace to go to. I'll see you tomorrow. We have biotechnology first thing, right?"

At the mention of the said class, Sasuke's mind starting turning. Tokyo U was the only university with that kind of subject. Does that mean that this idiot was studying at the same school as him? And if he did, why didn't he notice him before?

Because the school is too big. You can't possibly think that you will know everybody here, do you? And the fact that you're avoiding almost everybody doesn't help. His mind countered. He saw the two go their separate ways and he followed the blonde.

Why the hell was he following Naruto?

Well, it was now or never.

Even though he doesn't know what he'll do once he got the opportunity.

Ten minutes has passed by since he started following the blonde and he did it not too discretely. The blonde stopped. He too, stopped.

"Stop following me, Uchiha," he was surprised at that. How could he possibly know that it was him that was pursuing him? It could've been anybody, and even if he knew somebody was following him, what are the chances that it was him.

But, apparently, he was right and he snorted. "What makes you think that I'm following you, dobe?"

Those blue eyes glared at him and he glared back. "Because you have your own car and you always go in the other direction," he said knowingly.

"Oh? So maybe you're the one who's following me. You else would you know that I have my own car and go to the other direction,"

The glared intensified and Sasuke was much too amused to glare back. "Look, Uchiha-bastard. Don't twist my words, okay? And stop following me. Just because you are a stalker in the film doesn't mean that you should be in real life. Have some pride, bastard," and he walked away.

Did he think that he would make me go away with those simple words? He's wrong. He quickened his steps and soon reached the blonde and walked side by side with him. The blonde glared again and stopped. "What are you doing?" he asked, his curiosity winning over his anger.

"Walking with you. That way, you won't say that I'm stalking you, dobe,"

"Don't call me that, bastard,"

Sasuke shrugged and continued walking as the blonde did. Soon after, they reached a beautifully painted black gate and Naruto stopped. Sasuke looked at the area they stopped at and saw the huge house behind the gate and glanced at Naruto. He raised a brow.

Before the blonde could say anything else, someone shouted Naruto's name and all of a sudden, the blonde's face changed and perked up. He turned around and saw a woman running to him.

"Shizune-neechan," he said simply and the gate opened. Sasuke understood.

This big house was the blonde's house.

So the blonde was rich.

He hadn't expected that. Maybe because the blonde didn't act like some snobby, rich, spoiled kid with an aura exuding too much confidence unlike the Hyuuga kid. Or maybe because his personality just suggests otherwise. The woman called Shizune pulled the blonde inside and looked at him. He shrugged nonchalantly.

"Who's the kid?" she asked and Naruto glared again.

"Just a stalker,"

Sasuke glowered at him. "Who just happened to stalk the wrong person," the blonde continued.

"Uchiha Sasuke," the dark-haired boy finally said his own introduction and 'Shizune' smiled.

"You must be one of the people doing the film," she said. Sasuke nodded. "Come in. we don't have much, but I'm sure we can offer you something,"

Sasuke was confused at those words. Don't have much? Are you for real? His mind shouted. He was now staring at a huge house and a beautiful landscaped garden—most probably done by expensively paid gardeners and they're saying that they don't have much?

Naruto gave Shizune a fierce look and the woman gave it back with more intensity and the blonde toned down. He smirked. The woman had this loud boy under control? He has to see that.

Shizune opened the front door and he came in.

The night was turning out to be so fine.

-Continued-

A/N: I'm going to advertise my new fic: Sic Itur ad Astra. I'm sorry for the delayed update of Kremlin Dusk, but the plot bunnies are avoiding me and there's only so much that I can do. The story, I feel, is slowly moving and I do hope that you can tolerate it. And please support this and all my other fics. I am happy when I receive positive reviews. Don't just let your comments (or compliments) go unnoticed. Please click the review button and…

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