1Previously on Rivals for Fame...
Neji met up with Chiu and Naruto who walked in silence until they reached their home in the northern part of Tokyo. Which was a bit far from the school. As soon as Neji, Naruto and Chiu sat down on the couch in the living room. All three were silent once more but then Neji spoke up.
" What is it you wanted to talk about?" he asked Chiu.
" Neji-kun, I obviously know that you like Sakura-chan but do you really know who Sabaku no Gaara is and why he's Sakura-chan's boyfriend?" Chiu said Neji who now looked a bit baffled. Naruto looked Neji with a sadden look in his eyes.
Naruto spoke up to Neji.
" Neji...Gaara is actually...
" he's... in our group Neji. Gaara is part of Chidori...he was just tricking you because Sasuke sent him after you. Sasuke had told us before that you would probably betray him so he had someone ready to take your spot." Naruto said as he lowered his view to the well-polished ground.
Neji looked onto Naruto without averting his eyes. The news hit him like a ton of bricks.
'That bastard Sasuke had this planned from the start. WAIT! That means that Gaara just went out with Sakura for interest! That bastard...' Neji thought out in clouded anger.
" W-what about Sakura? Did he go out with Sakura for interest in what Sasuke asked him to do?" Neji asked Naruto as he leaned on his hands, which were being supported by his knees.
Naruto looked at Chiu, who seemed to have the answer to that question.
Chiu looked at Neji, then she shook her head.
"No...Gaara had apparently known Sakura for a while and they were going out even before she ever moved here. But since he found a way to get to you I suppose he used that too as a way to get his hands on the info he needs to give to Sasuke." Chiu said to Neji who was shaking in anger.
Neji stood up and began to walk towards the door. Naruto and Chiu stared as he walked away from them. Suddenly Naruto got up and said something to him.
" Are you still going to play this Friday, Neji?" Naruto asked Neji who didn't turn back.
" Yeah... I don't care if Gaara is with Sasuke...he is in my band unless he quits...and if he does I know I can count on you...right Naruto." Neji said as he turned to Naruto and Chiu who smiled at Neji. Naruto nodded showing his support for Neji. As Neji was about to turn the knob to leave Naruto said something again.
" One thing Neji..." Naruto said to Neji who turned to look at Naruto.
" I wont just let you have Sakura-chan...I hope you know that!" Naruto said with his fox-like grin. Neji smirked at Naruto and then nodded. Neji turned the knob and went out the door.
Chiu looked at Naruto who was still looking at the door.
" I wish you luck Naruto-kun." Chiu said while leaning against her arm.
"Why?" Naruto asked as he turned towards her.
"Because I know that Neji wont quit for anything in the world for his band...now just imagine for Sakura." Chiu said with a smile.
" Fine then, I won't give up neither!" Naruto said with his fist in the air.
( Hyuuga Mansion)
Neji walked into his room, tired and with a lot on his mind. He couldn't believe he had trusted Gaara...someone who had pushed him to do his best for the band. But if Gaara was going to work for Sasuke and steel his ideas it might have been a good idea to kick him out and expose him as the con that he is. It was a good idea but for some reason Neji couldn't do it.
" Damn!" Neji shouted as sat down on his bed trying to lie down and relax. Neji sighed and then looked up to the ceiling, this wasn't his idea of relaxing. Neji closed his eyes hoping to fall asleep and forget about this until it needed to get around it. All of a sudden he heard a knock at his door.
" Come in" Neji said not bothering to open his eyes.
" Big brother..." said a tiny and frail voice. Neji shot his eyes open to look towards the door.
It was Erika!
"Erika what are you doing here! You're supposed to be at the hospital in bed!" Neji said running over to his younger sister. Erika smiled and hugged her big brother.
Neji gave her a sympathetic look.
"You know you aren't supposed to be here..." he said while grabbing her by her hand to lead her all the way back to her room.
Erika didn't walk and looked at Neji with a saddened look on her face. Neji glanced at her and then looked away.
"Neji...I know you're going through a hard time." Erika said to Neji who had a shocked look on his face.
'How could she have known that?' Neji looked on to her.
" Kia-san told me all about your problems with Sasuke-san and your band." Erika said putting her hand near her chest as if to grip on to something.
'Figures. It had to be Kia. Chiu must have told Kia all about the stupid problems with Sasuke and Gaara.' Neji said while in deep thought.
" I believe in you older brother. You know that I will be with you incase you need anything. Please! I know you can become big if you and the rest of your band prepare! Just call Naruto-san for me...I have a plan." Erika said with a smile towards Neji. He would have never suspected that with his sister's idea, that would bring his band one step closer to fame.
( Haruno House )
A young red haired woman in a maids outfit was walking up the stairs in the Haruno Mansion. She walked all the way to the last room of the mansion. There was a pink door with Sakura petals painted on the front of the door. There she suddenly stopped in front of the door with a sad look on her face.
(Flashback)
(The inside of the Haruno Mansion 17 years ago)
A young girl with beautiful red hair was walking down the stairs of the mansion. She was wearing a maid's outfit but had a child in her hands. She carefully set her foot on that last step before reaching the bottom floor. She quickly walked over to a table filled with classy and rich looking people who were well dressed and getting ready to dine.
As soon as she reached the table most of them got up to see the child in her arms.
" Oh my! That is the most adorable looking child I have ever seen." said a lady with golden locks who petted the small child.
" Look at her hair." said another woman who couldn't help but blush at its cuteness.
" Is this your baby miss?" asked a young gentleman who looked at the baby with soft pink hair.
" Uh...well...yes..." She said trying to smile at him. He gave a small smile and then looked back at the baby.
"What her name?" asked another woman who pinched the baby's cheeks.
"Her name is Sakura, Otohime Sakura." The young servant girl replied to the woman.
" Who is the father of the girl?" asked the young man. The servant girl looked away as she pretended that someone form the other table had called her.
All of a sudden someone held her hand, which forced her to turn back and see who it was.
It was Haruno Ichiro, the owner of the mansion.
" Silly Kira-chan" he said with a smile on his face, which baffled everyone in the room.
"Sorry Haruno-san..." Kira said trying to find out what his words were leading to.
" Kira-chan is so attached to my daughter Sakura that she sometimes forgets that she is my daughter," Ichiro said with a calm smile. All of the people nodded and somewhat laughed.
Kira smiled a silly smile but on the inside she wanted to scream.
She had Ichiro once again make her the fool.
" Excuse me Haruno-san..I am not feeling well." Kira said excusing herself and talking the baby Sakura with her. Ichiro smiled at the guests and he too excused himself.
Kira was in her room in the mansion with baby Sakura in her arms.
She looked at the ceiling on her room and then she closed her eyes.
All of a sudden she heard her door open, which startled her so she lifted up quickly.
" Ichiro!" She shouted. Ichiro slapped her across the face making her bleed across her lip.
" Quiet you idiot." He said calmly as he locked the door behind him. Kira was now terrified.
" What do you want?" She said about to take baby Sakura out of her crib and run.
He smiled at her with his innocent smile. He walked over to her and touched her face.
" Kira, you are very beautiful and you are young. It would really hurt you if you said that you baby is just a bastard wouldn't it?" he asked in a light tone. Kira just gritted her teeth.
" Sakura-chan is not a bastard! She had a father.." she said pausing.
" Right but now he's dead. Which I have to say is mainly your fault." Ichiro said with a smile towards her.
Kira slapped him across the face.
"You bastard! It was your fault! You killed him! I know you di-" Kira was cut off by his hand punching her in the face. The punch hit her so hard it sent her flying across the room.
" Look I have a deal for you. If you give me Sakura, I will give her my family name and I'll raise her as my daughter. You wont have to worry about her." He said simply to her.
" NO!" she shouted to him.
" Stupid, you don't have a choice. I can get you in jail for your crime of killing your husband. I mean he was found in your house." he said to her. She looked to the ground obviously angry at him.
" I- fine..." she said in defeat.
(End of Flashback)
"Sakura-san, your food is ready." she said in a somewhat low voice.
"I'll be right there Otohime-san!" Sakura shouted from the inside of her room.
(IN Sakura's Room)
Sakura was brushing her hair looking at a picture of her and Gaara hugging. She looked so happy and oddly enough Gaara was smiling.
" My... how Gaara-kun really has changed. He used to smile a lot around me...now he can barely look at me." Sakura said in a saddened tone.
All of a sudden a mental picture of Neji came to her.
" Huh? Why am I thinking of Neji-san? Th-that's not right! Gaara-kun is my boyfriend..." she said as she got up from her chair and opened the door.She walked out leaving the picture of her and Gaara near the mirror.
(For most of the week nothing interesting happened at Marise Tanshi High but Neji's band had been practicing for the Battle of the Bands competition against many bands including Sasuke's band. Oddly enough though Neji hadn't said anything about Gaara to anyone.)
(Friday Night!)
All of the bands were getting ready to go on. Neji had met up with the rest of the band and getting ready. For Neji there was nothing worse than not being prepared for something you set out to win.
" Sakura. You got the rhythm down right? You were the only one who needed a little bit of tuning up." Neji said to Sakura. Sakura smiled.
" Yup! Got it down Neji-san! I think I'm really starting to kick ass! Right Kakashi-kun!" Sakura said hanging on to Kakashi. He smiled at her and said " I didn't notice your boobs are this soft Saki-chan." Kakashi said to Sakura who hit him slightly over the head.
" You idiot..." She said as she grabbed on to her chest as though someone was trying to steal it.
Neji smiled at them while he noticed Lee was practically on fire.
" Dude! I so have this! Tonight we are going to kick some pretty boy ass with the presence of the Youth!" Lee said about to fall from his stand. Neji looked around and looked a bit baffled.
" Hey Lee." He said to Lee who looked his way.
" Yes?" he asked looking over to Neji.
" What happened to Gaara? And where is Sakura? Wasn't she here just a second ago?" Neji asked.
Kakashi jumped into the conversation.
" Actually Gaara called over Sakura while Lee was rambling on about how we are going to beat Sasuke which was like a few seconds ago." Kakashi said calmly.
" Neji walked over to where a curtain was he was about to move it so he can go search for the two missing people in his band when he heard some crying.
" What are you talking about? Y-you don't want to be with me... It was my fault wasn't it.
I'm sorry but I won't change for anyone. What you're doing is stupid! Fine Go to Hell!" He heard Sakura's voice. Judging from the shadows one person walked away. Then another shadow came and hugged the shadow that was still there.
" It's okay... Sakura-chan...I'm here for you...You knew what was going on right?" said a voice which sounded like Naruto's. Neji kept listening though feeling a bit angered that obviously something had happened in a few seconds that made Sakura cry and he wasn't there to make her feel better.
" Uh-huh...I knew all this time but I tried to think that he wouldn't do it...I'm so stupid...please hold me Naruto... I ... can't take it..." Sakura said braking down and crying. Neji couldn't take it anymore. He put his hand on the velvet curtain and sort of pushed it to the side. There he saw Sakura on the ground with Naruto trying to help her get up but she was sobbing, which made Naruto not want to move her.
" Naruto..." Neji said in a whisper like form. Naruto looked up to Neji and he said to him.
" Neji, please do me the favor of taking care of Sakura for a bit please." Naruto said in a stern voice.
" Sure... but why?' Neji asked Naruto who stood up very firm and walked away.
Naruto suddenly stopped.
" Because, Sasuke and Gaara are going to pay for what they did to Sakura-chan. That bastard Gaara never really liked her, Sasuke and Gaara were planning this way before this semester had even started." Naruto said to Neji which surprised him.
" What?" Neji said with a shock sounding tone.
" Sasuke never really liked you Neji...that's why. He didn't care who he hurt as long as he did it. Not to mention there is still a lot more to this than I know. I think Sasuke's brother might have something to do with this as well." Naruto said not knowing there was someone behind him.
" Sasuke's brother has what to do with this Naruto-kun?" said a deep yet calm voice. Naruto and Neji looked towards where the voice was coming from.
" Itachi!" Naruto said in a surprised tone.
" Itachi!" Neji asked while looking at Naruto and then back at Itachi.
(TBC )
A/N Yipee! I finally finished this chapter! And this will be the first chapter where my new beta-reader will ...read! XD Hope you guys liked it! It took me two hours and a half. I might not be able to update in a while because I might not pass my classes which means I get banned from the computer...TT I just hope I did alright. Also next chapter Naruto faces off against Sasuke and Gaara. And what? Gaara quits the band when they are about to go on! Will Sakura be up to it? I think so! Looks like Halloween is coming up and there is a party the group will be performing in front of...but then a new band appears to challenge them. Funny thing is this group is filled with girls. Most of them like Neji, Naruto, Sasuke, and Itachi which they like Sakura so looks like Sakura will have a battle on her hands. And who's this! Looks like Sakura's brother is ready to challenge any dude who wants to go with little sister.
Look forward to the next chapter! Bye-cha