Best Friend's Brother 12
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any characters used aside from my OC.
Natsumi awoke abruptly to the sound of her phone ringing. Picking up the device she saw that the call was coming from a number she did not recognize, making the teen consider answering it at all. Taking a moment to decide, the teen girl answered in a tired voice.
"Hello?" she spoke into the device.
"Hello Natsumi, its Mikoto" the kind voice of Sasuke's mother came from the other line, allowing the teen to release a breath of relief.
"Oh hello Mikoto" she greeted.
"I'm sorry dear, did I disturb you?" Mikoto asked noting the tiredness in the teen girl's voice as she spoke.
"Oh no not at all, I was just getting up from a nap and I didn't recognize your number" the dark haired teen admitted.
"Oh I'm sorry I hope it's ok that I got your number from Sasuke's phone" Mikoto said from the other line.
"It's no problem at all Mikoto" Natsumi said standing from her bed as she stretched, before deciding to check the time on her phone and seeing she'd been asleep for nearly two hours.
'I slept for that long' Natsumi thought in alarm as she made her way to her window to confirm the time of day it was. 'Wait ... Ahhhhhh! I still need to get ready!'
"Is everything alright dear?" Mikoto asked noticing the sudden silence from Natsumi's end of the call.
"Y-yes" Natsumi replied as she quickly stepped away from the window.
"Well dear the reason I'm calling is to let you know Sasuke is a little tied up with his father right now, so I was wondering what if I had Itachi pick you up?" Mikoto asked.
'Sasuke wouldn't like that' Natsumi thought biting the inside of her cheek before letting her eyes fall onto the bag that held the jacket the young man had allowed her to use. 'Then again it's the perfect opportunity to return his jacket' she went on in thought.
"Hello? Natsumi is everything alright?" Mikoto's voice asked worriedly from the other line, bringing Natsumi out of her daze.
"I-I agree it would be a shame to rush Sasuke and Fugaku, so maybe it would be best if Itachi picked me up" the teen girl replied nervously, as she was pulled from her thoughts earning a light laugh from Mikoto.
"Of course dear, I'll give him your number and he'll get your address" the woman went on.
"Okay I'll see you soon Mikoto" Natsumi said before hanging up as she glanced back to the bag containing the older boy's jacket before making her way to her mirror and a look of surprise crossing her face.
'Oh kami' the teen girl thought looking over her overall reflection with the high ponytail, oversized hoodie that looked like a dress and tall boots, she was dressed like Ariana Grande. 'I can't show up to an Uchiha dinner dressed like an American singer.
"Are you feeling sick?" her mother asked in a worried tone as she entered her daughter's room, surprising the teen before she brought a hand to feel the warmth of her daughter head.
"N-no" the girl said waving off her mother's hand as she rushed to her closet to change.
"Everything alright?" her mother asked raising a brow at her daughter's flustered demeanor.
"Yeah I just have to change" the girl said pulling out several options as she earned a confused look from her mother just before the teens phone chimed with a new text message.
"Probably Sasuke- who's Itachi?" her mother asked bringing alarm to Natsumi as the woman reached to pick up the device.
"Mom!" Natsumi said rushing across the room. "I have to get ready" the teen said taking hold of the device as her mother gave her a knowing look.
"Itachi" the woman said once more making her daughter stiffen. "Hn" she said before turning to exit the room.
"Wh-what's that supposed to mean?!" Natsumi called after her as she felt the heat rising to her face again. "It's nothing like that!" the teen called after her mother.
"Nothing honey but whoever he is you should text back" the woman said teasingly from the hall, as a blush of embarrassment crossed the girl's face.
'Hey Natsumi, its Itachi' the message read as Natsumi contemplated how she would reply.
'Hey' she sent back, nervously starring at her phone as she waited for his response.
'Mother said I'd be picking you up, would you mind sending me your address?' he asked.
'Sure' she replied as she shared her location, before realizing she still had yet to change, making her anxiety rise as she rushed back to her closet.
'Ok I'm a little busy with a friend right now so I'll probably be a while if that's alright' Itachi responded, making the teen release a deep breath of relief before replying.
'That's fine, just let me know when you're here' Natsumi typed back as she resumed her search in finding a new outfit.
'I just hope the whole dress code thing only applied at the restaurant' Natsumi thought as she held up a potential option before making her final decision.
After removing Kakashi's hoodie and changing about three times, Natsumi stared critically at her reflection as she ran her hands down the front of her top to smooth out any imperfections.
'As much as I'd hate to be too overdressed or underdressed ... I just want things to go better than the last' she thought feeling a pit of nervousness form in her stomach, before the ding from her phone caught her attention.
'I'm here' Itachi texted.
'Ok be down in a second' Natsumi replied, giving herself on last look over in the mirror before her phone dinged again, with the teen thinking it was a simple 'k' in reply, but as per usual she was wrong.
'That's fine, but would it be alright if I used your bathroom?' Itachi replied with Natsumi giving a simple 'sure' without a second thought, before realizing the chance of him running into her embarrassing mother if she didn't beat her to the door, alarming the teen girl as she rushed downstairs.
"Oh hello please come in I'm Natsumi's mother" she heard her mother as she reached the bottom of the stairs.
'Oh no' Natsumi thought worriedly as her eyes widened.
"Hello ma'am, my name is Itachi Uchiha, I've come to collect Natsumi for dinner this evening" she heard Itachi say, making her heart drop as she made her way through the living room to see the dark haired young man shaking her mother's hand with a polite smile.
'Please don't say something embarrassing' Natsumi thought having a flashback to when her mother met Sasuke and how quickly the woman offered up the chance to see Natsumi's baby pictures.
"Oh it's lovely to meet you Itachi, tell me how you know my daughter" her mother said.
"Natsumi is a friend of my younger brother Sasuke" he replied with a kind smile.
Peeking around the corner of the wall before the foyer, Natsumi took a closer look at the young man to see he had on a pair of black shoes, dark blue jeans and a black long sleeve with the sleeves pushed back.
"Oh Natsumi" her mother said acknowledging the teen's presence as the girl nervously stumbled forward after being called out as she wondered if the dark haired male had noticed her staring.
"H-hello" she greeted with her gaze shifting to the floor in embarrassment.
"Natsumi" Itachi greeted with a smile as he took in the sight of the girl. She wore a black shirt with a denim blue jacket over top, a black pleated skirt, and a pair of white shoes, all the while clutching a blue paper bag. Not much else was said when she nervously looked up to meet his gaze.
"Hey Itachi" Natsumi replied with a light smile, before remembering his reason for entering the home. "Um take a right down the hall then the bathroom is the last door on the left" she said pointing to the hallway and earning an appreciative nod from the male.
"So that's Itachi" her mother said in a quiet voice after the young man made his way to the bathroom, earning a light hum from her daughter in response. "He and Sasuke look so similar" the woman commented earning a nod of agreement from her daughter.
"But he's nothing like him" Natsumi replied automatically, immediately earning an intrigued look from her mother.
"What do you mean?" her mother inquired curiously.
"N-nothing" Natsumi replied trying to wave off the subject as she thought back to when Itachi drove her to school and offered her his jacket, something she really couldn't picture Sasuke doing.
"He's just so kind" Natsumi finally admitted after hearing an annoyed hum from her mother.
"Hn" her mother replied just before Itachi returned.
"Well don't let me keep you waiting, have fun honey" Natsumi's mother said breaking the silence as Itachi nodded in understanding.
"Ah yes, we should be going, it was a pleasure" Itachi said with a polite smile as he turned back to Natsumi's mother who returned the gesture before the pair made their way out the door.
"He's also cute" Natsumi's mother commented in a whisper as she hugged her daughter goodbye, immediately making the teen flush a deep shade of crimson as she made her way to the Uchiha's car.
"Um Itachi?" Natsumi asked nervously as the two entered the car.
"Yes?" he asked calmly looking to the girl who sat beside him.
"Um ... thank you for letting me use your jacket" the girl said holding the blue bag to the Uchiha.
"Oh I almost forgot I gave this to you" he said pulling the coat out of the bag. "It's no problem Natsumi – did you wash it? Oh thank you" he said noticing the fresh scent.
"No you don't have to thank me, it was the least I could do since you let me use and said it would rain" Natsumi said shaking her hands.
"Hey Natsumi is everything- hold on" Itachi began before being interrupted by the ringing of his phone. "Oh Sasuke... yes mother asked me to pick Natsumi up, I'm here now ... well she didn't want to disrupt your discussion with father ... I understand that ... Well I understand that but I was just trying to help ... Hello?" the dark haired male asked as the other line was silent. "Seems Sasuke isn't too pleased with me going to fetch you" he went on with a sigh making the young girl furrow her brows in worry.
"I'm sorry Itachi I didn't mean to be a burden" she apologized.
"You didn't do anything wrong Natsumi. Sasuke is just a little possessive of his friends, you should've seen how he was after I invited Naruto over to help us paint the guest room" Itachi explained turning to look at the girl with a reassuring smile that brought her comfort.
"Oh" the girl nodded in understanding as she thought of her moody dark haired friend. "I understand Sasuke is something else" she breathed out, earning a slight laugh from Itachi.
"He definitely is but I'm happy he found someone like you" the Uchiha said making a blush cross the girl's face as her brown hues met Itachi's onyx ones before they made their way to the Uchiha residence.
"You guys are so different" Natsumi said as the pair drove.
"Hn" Itachi replied nodding his head in agreement as he kept his eyes on the road. "Sasuke is lucky to have a friend like you" he said honestly, surprising the girl as she nodded with a light smile crossing her lips.
...
Upon entering the home of the Uchiha, Natsumi was immediately met with warm embrace of Mikoto before catching sight of Sasuke leaning against the wall of the foyer starring over his older brother.
"Oh Natsumi it's good to see you again" Mikoto said releasing the teen who simply smiled at the woman before glancing back to Sasuke.
"Sasuke" Itachi said walking up to the teen before the boy scoffed and bypassed the young man to take hold of Natsumi's hand to lead her to the dining room.
"The next time you need a ride, wait" Sasuke said as Natsumi glanced back at Itachi to see the young man release a heavy sigh.
"He was just trying to help" Natsumi argued back pulling her hand back as the teens reached the table.
"He just got another reason for my parents to say how 'considerate' he is for going to get MY friend" Sasuke shot back, making the teen girl roll her eyes.
"I'm not some object Sasuke and besides you were busy" Natsumi replied back in a cold tone that made the Uchiha scoff.
"I just don't want to give them something else to praise him for" Sasuke said releasing a deep breath.
"You sound ridiculous" Natsumi exclaimed dismissively.
"You'll see" Sasuke retorted earning an eye roll from the dark haired girl.
"Whatever you say" Natsumi replied just before Fugaku emerged into the room, bringing about an aura of seriousness that seemed to change the mood among the teens.
It was silent as the man said nothing, simply standing there and leaving a long awkward silence as his eyes traveled over the two teens.
"Hello Mr. Uchiha" Natsumi finally greeted the man with a bow, breaking the silence and only receiving a light hum in response before the man walked into the kitchen.
Arising from her bow Natsumi gave Sasuke a confused look. She had known the man was not as fourth coming as his wife, but even for someone as cold as him, the dark haired teen could tell something was off about the older man. Noting Natsumi's stare Sasuke shifted his gaze to the floor before looking back to her and seeing an expectant look on her face.
"We'll talk about it later" Sasuke said earning a nod of understanding from Natsumi before his parents entered the room followed by Itachi.
As the members of the Uchiha family began to take their seats, Natsumi quickly noted their automatic response to where they would sit. She had figured that with such a large table, they might have spread throughout with Fugaku and Mikoto sitting at opposite ends while Sasuke and Itachi sat somewhere in the middle, but this was not the case as the teen noticed that family instead opted to sit in closer proximity at one end. Fugaku was of course at the head of the table, Mikoto sat beside him to his left with Itachi beside her, while Sasuke sat at his father's right, leaving an empty seat beside him that Natsumi quickly decided to occupy.
Once everyone was seated, Mikoto went about beginning to serve the bowls of rice to the table's occupants that were passed around before everyone had started to dig into the meal of curry she had set before them. It was silent as the family ate, with nothing but the sound of chewing until Mikoto finally chose to speak.
"It's lovely having you over Natsumi" Mikoto said as the family ate.
"It's a pleasure, thank you for having me" Natsumi replied with a polite smile.
"Hn it's a good thing Itachi was considerate enough to pick up your friend for you Sasuke" Fugaku commented making the dark haired teen shoot the teen girl a knowing look that made her sweat drop.
'Great now he's not going to let me hear the end of this' Natsumi thought releasing a deep breath before the family continued on with their meal.
"Oh Natsumi, you mentioned you had plans earlier, I hope we didn't take you away from anything too important" Mikoto suddenly said referencing back to when Natsumi had called earlier that evening and believed she was on the phone with Sasuke. Natsumi had a light blush of embarrassment cross her face at the mention of this as she sat quietly contemplating her reply as the attention of the table turned to her.
"It was nothing, I just thought it was Sasuke so I wanted him to know he was wrong to assume I had no plans at all' Natsumi tried to explain, feeling a nervous pit form in her stomach as Fugaku and Itachi stared at her with blank expressions, waiting for more to be said. Sensing the discomfort of his friend as a moment of silence passed, Sasuke cleared his throat abruptly before speaking.
"I guess I wasn't too wrong if you ended up coming anyways" he said in a smug tone that struck a nerve with the girl as her eyes shifted to the side to meet the gaze of his onyx hues.
"Sasuke" Mikoto said in a warning tone, immediately catching the teen boy's attention as he looked across the table to see his mother giving him a look.
"Hn" the dark haired teen boy replied as he turned his attention back to his meal, making Natsumi smile lightly at how easily the moody teen had been tamed by his mother's stare. Of course she knew the situation all too well from her own mother's expressions.
"Anyways, Natsumi please tell us more about your other plans" Mikoto inquired curiously.
"It was my first day as a teacher's aide" Natsumi replied earning a surprised look from Mikoto.
"It's a Saturday" Sasuke stated giving Natsumi a confused look as he rose a brow, seeming to doubt her based on the expression he wore.
"The weekend is no excuse to slack off Sasuke" Fugaku said curtly, entering the conversation as all heads turned to him. "I find it to be quiet impressive that Natsumi has such a high work ethic to attend to her duties on a Saturday" the man stated before taking a sip of his drink and surprising both teens with his compliment.
"Who are you an aide for?" Itachi then asked entering the conversation as Natsumi recovered from her moment of surprise to see the young man gazing at her with a curious expression on his face.
"Kakashi-sensei" Sasuke replied bluntly before Natsumi could respond, alarming the dark haired girl as she turned to look at Sasuke and noticed how much more tensed he looked after Itachi spoke.
"Oh Kakashi Hatake?" Itachi asked looking to Natsumi for an answer.
"Yes" Sasuke said quickly, seemingly taking the words out of Natsumi's mouth as she looked at him with a 'what are you doing' type look, that he promptly ignored.
"Do you know Kakashi-sensei?" Natsumi asked turning her attention back to Itachi, much to the disdain of Sasuke as she noticed him give her a sideways glare in her preferable vision.
"Itachi attended a gifted student's summer program and had Kakashi-sensei as a mentor" Sasuke said abruptly before Itachi had even managed to open his mouth to reply.
Natsumi gave her dark haired friend a confused look as she turned her gaze away from Itachi again, unsure of why Sasuke had chosen to act to oddly in not allowing the two to speak to one another.
'I guess this is what Itachi meant when he talked about how weird Sasuke got after he invited Naruto over' Natsumi thought before turning her attention back to her meal to continue eating.
"That's lovely Natsumi" Mikoto commented entering the conversation again. "How do you enjoy working with Kakashi-sensei?" she asked before taking a sip of her drink.
"Yes I heard Hatake can be difficult to please" Fugaku commented turning to look at the dark haired girl for a response as well.
'Sasuke's parents know about the rumors too' Natsumi thought taking a moment to gather herself before responding.
"I had heard that Kakashi-sensei can be very demanding and has a bit of a reputation in going through TA's but so far I don't have any complaints" Natsumi worded carefully allowing herself to think back over the day she spent shopping with the silver haired teacher. He started out asking her to come on a Saturday, then showing up late, he wasn't the best listener, then he used her for a discount, but overall it was probably one of the more interesting Saturday's she'd had since moving to Konoha. So even though the man had his bad points, she had to say it could have been worst.
"Of course" Sasuke said sarcastically catching the teen girl's attention as she turned to look at him and only earned a smug smirk. She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Itachi.
"I think it's rather impressive that you have the drive to work under him" Itachi commented catching the girl's attention as she turned to the dark haired young man and received a kind smile.
"Thank you" Natsumi replied appreciatively with a small smile that made Sasuke scoff.
"I know how he can be but do you at least like him?" Itachi asked.
"Yes" Sasuke said cutting into the conversation. "Yes Natsumi really does" he said before the girl could speak, and giving her a knowing look that made her feel on edge.
"That's good to hear" Itachi replied sarcastically looking at his brother, who simply stared, before Itachi turning his attention to his parents who up until now sat quietly eating and observing the situation play out.
'This awkward' Natsumi thought as silence took over the table only this time it wasn't due to the food as everyone's eyes shifted around waiting for the next person to strike up conversation.
"Sasuke weren't you invited to join the tutor program?" Fugaku asked catching the attention of the table and making Natsumi shift her gaze to Sasuke in confusion.
"Yes" Sasuke replied calmly.
"Hn and wasn't it Hatake who recommended you?" Fugaku asked now making Natsumi turn her head to look at Sasuke fully.
'Kakashi-sensei recommended Sasuke for the TA program?' Natsumi thought bewildered as she looked over the dark haired teen. 'It's not hard to believe since Sasuke is the top of the class, so does that mean Kakashi-sensei intended for Sasuke to be his aide originally?' the dark haired girl wondered as she turned her attention back to her plate.
"Yes but I believe that was only to keep an eye on me after ..." Sasuke started before trailing off with his eyes shifting towards Natsumi.
"Oh yes dear ... Anyways it's a good thing Kakashi was able to get a hard worker like Natsumi as a TA" Mikoto said changing the conversation quickly as the teen girl looked between her and Sasuke with a look of confusion crossing her face.
'After what?' Natsumi wondered curiously until the sound of a phone ringing disrupted her thoughts.
Everyone grew silent as the ringing persisted with everyone turning to the source.
"I'm so sorry" Itachi apologized pulling the device from his pocket as Fugaku shook his head disapprovingly.
"Itachi you know better" the man chastised his son. "You know you're mother insists that we don't take phone calls at the dinner table" he went on starting a lecture before being interrupted by the sound of his own phone now ringing.
All heads turned to Mikoto waiting for the woman's reaction as she finished her drink calmly before looking between her husband and oldest son and releasing a disappointed sigh.
"We're about done anyways so its fine, but next time, leave your phones on silent" she stated earning apologetic looks and nods from both men before they rose from their perspective seats.
"I'm sorry I hope the rest of you enjoy your meal" Fugaku said before exiting the room abruptly.
"I'm so sorry for the interruption" Itachi said making Sasuke scoff as the young man spoke.
Natsumi looked between the two Uchiha, waiting for what Itachi may say next. Ever the pacifist though, Itachi ignored Sasuke's reaction, giving his mother another apologetic look before his onyx hues shifted to meet Natsumi's brown hues.
"And thank you again Natsumi" he said with a light smile before he turned to make his leave from the room.
Sasuke's gaze immediately turned to the dark haired girl beside him, studying her as he was curious as to what he meant, yet before he could inquire he was interrupted by his mother.
"Well, I'm sorry about the interruption Natsumi" Mikoto apologized to the teen girl who shook her hands to stop the woman.
"No it's ok" Natsumi replied. "I completely understand it's nothing new to me" the teen went on, making Mikoto give her a sympathetic look. "I mean I'm used to it so I know how ..." the girl began to try and explain before being interrupted by Sasuke.
"Mother would it be alright if we were excused?" Sasuke asked cutting into the conversation as he started to rise from his seat.
"Oh yes dear" Mikoto replied with a light smile as the boy now stood fully and looked to Natsumi expectantly.
"Oh but please allow me to help clean up first" Natsumi said looking to the woman.
"You don't have to do that dear" Mikoto replied with an appreciative smile gracing her features as she looked over the teen.
"It's the least I could do" Natsumi replied as Sasuke now took hold of her hand to pull her from her seat.
"That's very kind of you to offer dear, but it's really not necessary" Mikoto responded waving off the offer with a kind smile. "You two go have fun" she went on.
"Thank you for having me" Natsumi said as Sasuke pulled her to stand and the dark haired teen stood to bow to the woman. "It was lovely" she went on.
"Of course it's always a pleasure to have you" Mikoto said now standing to walk around the table and pulling the teen into a tight embrace. "We look forward to seeing more of you and perhaps we can even have your mother over one of these nights" Mikoto said further surprising the teen girl.
"That would be nice" Natsumi responded wearily as she wrapped her arms around the woman, wondering if her mother would be able to make time for a meeting with the Uchiha.
"Alright we'll be going then" Sasuke said pulling Natsumi away as his mother released the teen girl from her hug.
"Have fun and be safe!" Mikoto called after the pair as they exited the room, leaving the woman with a smile on her face.
"We're just going upstairs!" Sasuke called back making the woman release a light laugh.
'Sasuke's really come out of his shell' Mikoto thought happily before beginning to clean the remnants of the meal.
...
"What was Itachi thanking you for?" Sasuke asked as he and Natsumi climbed the staircase towards his room, yet he didn't receive an answer right away making his stop and turn to the girl.
As Sasuke came to such an abrupt halt, Natsumi walked straight into the young man's back, immediately bringing her out of her daze as she looked at him with an annoyed look.
"What?" Natsumi asked looking at the dark haired teen with a raised brow and making him scoff.
"You weren't listening?" Sasuke asked in disbelief as he looked down at the girl who simply rolled her eyes in response before he motioned her to continue following him to his room.
When the teen entered the bedroom of Sasuke, he shut the door as Natsumi made her way to his couch falling back to lay on the seat of the sofa as she stared at the ceiling. Sasuke walked past the girl, taking a seat on his bed before reaching over and throwing one of his pillows towards the couch, hearing a small huff as the fluffy object made contact with the teen girl.
"What's your problem?" Natsumi asked in an annoyed tone as she sat up from her spot on the small couch and glared at the dark haired boy.
"What's going on with you?" Sasuke asked with a cocked brow making Natsumi roll her eyes.
"I don't know maybe it's getting hit in the face with a pillow" Natsumi replied sarcastically throwing the pillow back at Sasuke.
He immediately dodged the object letting it pass his head as he raised his brows at Natsumi and waited for her to say more.
"You're so annoying" Natsumi said glaring at the young man who stared blankly at her.
"Natsumi" Sasuke said expectantly. "You have this look on your face" he stated alarming the girl as her expression changed to that of shock. "What was Itachi thanking you for? Is that what this is about?" he asked curiously making Natsumi stiffen.
The teen girl contemplated her reply as the moment went on, hoping Sasuke wouldn't pry too much as she hadn't figured out what she would tell Sasuke about his brother and how he'd offered the young girl a ride to school and given her his jacket when it was supposed to ring.
'Sasuke was upset when Itachi picked me up today and acted like such an ass during dinner, so how would he react to knowing Itachi picked me up before?' the teen girl thought nervously as she studied the boy before her.
Sasuke sat staring at Natsumi with a blank expression, waiting for her answer.
"Natsumi" Sasuke spoke after a while, bringing the girl out of her trance as she blinked.
"It's just ... what your mother said" Natsumi half lied, after all she was slightly thrown off by Mikoto's invitation to have her mother over as she was certain that might be a little difficult considering her mother's busy schedule.
"About your mom meeting my family?" Sasuke asked curiously.
"Yes" Natsumi responded hoping he wouldn't back track to his question on Itachi.
"I wouldn't worry too much about it Natsumi" Sasuke said dismissively with a shake of his head while he ran a hand through his black locks.
"Hn" Natsumi replied nodding her head in thanks.
"But why was Itachi –" Sasuke began to ask again making Natsumi feel as if her stomach dropped as if she were on a rollercoaster, until he was interrupted by the sound of Natsumi's phone ringing.
'Talk about saved by the bell' the teen girl thought as she pulled out her device, but her brows furrowed as she did not recognize the number. But deciding it being the better option to answer rather than be subjected to answering Sasuke, she quickly slid her thumb across the screen of her phone to answer the call.
"Hello" Natsumi said calmly into her phone.
"Hello Ms. Nakamaru" a cheery male voice on the other line greeted, making the teen girl automatically scoff as she recognized it.
"Mr. Mitaka" Natsumi said dryly in disdain, catching Sasuke's attention at the mention of the name.
"Yes it's good to hear from you" the man said happily from the other line, as Sasuke casually rose from his seat on his bed and began to move closer to Natsumi to listen in on the call.
"You called me" Natsumi stated rudely as she sat up straight on the couch, while Sasuke now began to take his seat beside her.
"Indeed ..." Mr. Mitaka agreed with the teen as Sasuke strained his ears to hear more.
'What is he doing?' Natsumi thought becoming distracted from her call as she noticed the look of concentration that the Uchiha wore.
"Miss?" Mr. Mitaka asked catching the dark haired girl's attention again.
"What's the purpose of this call Mr. Mitaka?" Natsumi asked in an annoyed tone as she shifted her gaze away from Sasuke.
"I apologize for the suddenness of this call Ms. Nakamaru, but I only did so with the intent to remind you of the agreed call with your father" the man replied bluntly making the teen stiffen.
In all honestly the call with her father was the last thing on her mind this evening. She mainly had her focus on surviving the dinner with Sasuke's family, in hopes that no other mishaps would occur. And aside from the attitude Sasuke had in conducting or rather acting as a barrier between Natsumi and Itachi, she felt the evening was far better than the lunch they all shared before.
Natsumi nervously bit her lip as she sat quietly seemingly forgetting about Mr. Mitaka on the other line or even Sasuke beside her. She took her time to contemplate what she might say to her father and what to do if there was a lull in the conversation. Moments of silence passed until she finally found her nerve and decided to answer the man.
"I understand the agreement Mr. Mitaka" Natsumi replied calmly. "As I recall it is I who will be deciding the time as long as it is at a reasonable hour, and not at the request of your reminders, so if you don't mind I'll be going" she said curtly before hanging up her phone and releasing a heavy sigh.
Natsumi took a deep breath to steady the rising anger she felt inside her before dropping her head into her hands.
"Natsumi" Sasuke said trying to catch the dark haired girl's attention.
"Not now Sasuke" Natsumi said still trying to collect herself as she inhaled deeply.
"Natsumi we need to talk" Sasuke stated simply as Natsumi released her deep breath and turned to him.
"Damn it Sasuke" Natsumi said releasing an exasperated breath as she looked at the boy with a look of frustration.
"It's concerning Mr. Mitaka" Sasuke informed her making the girl's brows rise in interest.
"My father's attorney? Who I was just on the phone with?" Natsumi asked as Sasuke nodded in response.
"When he followed us that last time he was in town he took pictures of my car and plate and tried to have them ran for a background check" the Uchiha explained bringing a look of shock to Natsumi's face.
"He what?!" Natsumi asked in disbelief as she now fully turned her body to face Sasuke.
"It seems he wasn't just following you but anyone you seemed to be associated with" Sasuke went on further alarming Natsumi.
"How did you find this out?" Natsumi asked curiously.
"I noticed I was being followed while he was in town so I traded cars with the dobe. While he drove around being followed in my car, I trailed Mr. Mitaka in his." Sasuke explained, surprising Natsumi at the boy's actions.
"You dragged Naruto into this?" Natsumi asked in disbelief as she stared at Sasuke.
"Stay on topic" Sasuke said with an annoyed huff, as Natsumi raised her brows at the young man. "When it comes to his friends, there's nothing he won't do" Sasuke finally replied after a while as Natsumi nodded in acceptance.
"How did the background check come in?" Natsumi asked.
"Today my father called me into his office and informed me that the request came up at a private company, but was stopped when it was an Uchiha involved" Sasuke replied as Natsumi processed this new information.
'It's a little scary that the Uchiha's name carries so much power, that even private companies would withhold from doing business when their names are brought up' Natsumi thought before nodding for Sasuke to continue.
"The request came through from a Shun Mitaka, along with pictures of my car and plates" Sasuke stated. "My father had some men look into the matter to learn he was an attorney based in Kyoto, but when I spoke with my father, I already recognized his name from what you told me" Sasuke proceeded as Natsumi nodded in understanding.
"Is that why you're father seemed so off when he saw me?" Natsumi asked with a look of disappointment on her face.
"He's worried that situations like these can turn into bigger problems if not dealt with properly" Sasuke said simply making Natsumi give him a look of bewilderment.
"'Dealt with properly'?" Natsumi asked slowly, letting the words sink in as Sasuke realized what she meant.
"Nothing too insane!" Sasuke replied. "It's just that he wants the Uchiha's name to be asserted so it is not taken lightly." He continued as Natsumi released a light laugh.
"For a second you made it seem like-" Natsumi began before being pushed by Sasuke.
"You're such an idiot" he said as Natsumi laughed again.
Sasuke simply scoffed as she offered him a small smile as she rose back to her sitting position. He looked away from her with a huff before glancing back and noticing her drop her head into her hands again.
"I'm sorry about my father" Natsumi suddenly said from her position, surprising the boy as he looked over her. "I'd like to think he's doing this out of worry, but truth be told he's most likely keeping tabs on who I associate with so as to make sure I don't disrupt any of his business ventures" she went on making Sasuke raise his brows at her words.
'It's sad to think that she has to think that way, but it's most likely the truth' Sasuke thought as he watched Natsumi left her head from her hands and release a small sigh.
"Well on the bright side at least now I have something to discuss with him during our call" Natsumi said with a blank face before turning to Sasuke with a half-smile.
Up until now Sasuke's life was relatively simple in terms of his family, friends, and school. Of course his home life had its bad points with how highly praised Itachi was with their parents. Also his social life with friends didn't really consist of anything meaningful as he only saw his fellow classmates as associates, with his only friend being the hyperactive knucklehead Naruto. And finally his school life where he reigned supreme as top of the class and at a higher end of the social hierarchy, but truthfully none of that really mattered as Natsumi put into perspective so many things. He felt empathy which made him scoff as he pinched the bridge of his nose while releasing a heavy sigh of frustration.
"I don't think you should call" Sasuke stated as he looked back at Natsumi.
"What do you mean?" she asked furrowing her brows in confusion at his statement, but Sasuke didn't reply instead opting for shifting the gaze of his onyx orbs towards the television mounted on his wall.
Nothing else was said for a while with silence now filing the room, until Natsumi's face lit up in realization.
"Is this Sasuke Uchiha showing care for his friend?!" Natsumi asked teasingly making the boy scoff.
"Shut up" Sasuke retorted turning his head away from the girl as she released a laugh.
"Sasuke you're showing actual human emotion!" Natsumi exclaimed between chuckles, making the teen boy rise abruptly.
"I'm going downstairs to make some popcorn" Sasuke stated. "I expect you to be off the phone when I get back" he said gruffly as he swiftly made his way to the door.
'He respects that I'm still going to make the call' Natsumi thought as her laughter ceased.
"Sasuke" she called after the young man bringing him to a stop as he had his hand on his door's handle. "Thank you" she said before he simply continued on his way out.
Natsumi nervously held her phone in her hand as she hovered her thumb over the call button of her phone. She could feel a weight on her chest as she looked over her father's contact and tried to work up the nerve to push the button. After a few deep breaths from the dark haired beauty she finally found her resolve pushing the call button and holding her device up to her ear as the ringing persisted.
"Hello" her father's voice came over the line after the ringing finally stopped making the teen girl stiffen.
"Hello father" she said into the phone.
"Natsumi you called" the man said from the other line.
"As agreed" Natsumi replied dryly.
"It's good to hear from you" the man stated, ignoring the tone his daughter had.
"Hn" she replied curtly as she waited for him to speak again.
"How has Konoha been treating you?" he asked making the teen roll her eyes.
'You should know since you had me followed' she thought biting the inside of her cheek.
"All is well father" she responded.
"Oh and school?" he asked.
"I'm doing well" Natsumi replied.
"Friends?" her father asked making the girl feel her anger rise as she thought back to how Sasuke and Naruto switched vehicles in order to figure that her father had her friend's followed.
"Yes" she stated simply, hearing the man huff from the other end of the line in annoyance at his daughter's short replies.
"Tell me more" he said in a commanding tone.
"Oh you want more than the pictures of the car and plates?" Natsumi asked innocently, hearing her father begin to choke on the other end of the line. "Let me guess you didn't think I knew about that or the background checks you wanted on my friends?" the teen girl went on as she could no longer hide the anger in her voice.
"Natsumi" her father said calming his coughing fit as he spoke. "You don't understand, it was only a formality so I'd be able to see who you were associating with there" he began to explain as the teen scoffed.
"And you couldn't just ask me?" Natsumi asked clenching her fist in anger.
"Natsumi not everyone can be trusted so easily. People only present their best selves so the background checks are a necessity" he went on making the teen girl shake her head.
"Maybe for you father but I know my friend and I know his family" she replied in defense of the Uchiha.
"Oh really Natsumi?" her father asked in a condescending tone. "How well do you really these people? I haven't been able to receive any word back on the background check I requested and I think I know why" he said making his daughter roll her eyes.
"And what's that reason father?" Natsumi asked rhetorically as she rose from the couch and paced the room while folding her arms over her chest.
"That boy you're so close with could be from a family that's involved in some underground activity, that's why my request couldn't go through because they have that private company in their pocket" the man rambled from the other line of the phone.
"Tsk" Natsumi retorted.
'For a second I thought that too when Sasuke said 'dealt with' but I know that's not the case now' Natsumi thought as she walked around the room with the phone to her ear.
"I'm being serious Natsumi" her father said in a serious tone. "I don't want you getting involved with anyone who may have ties to such shady companies" he went on catching the teen's attention.
"What do you mean 'shady companies', when you're the one working with them for background checks?" Natsumi asked coming to a halt as she waited for her father's response. Instead the teen was met with silence as the man contemplated his answer.
"That's not important now Natsumi" her father said dismissively, making the girl scoff. "I'm concerned about you" he said surprising the girl with his words. "If word gets out about any trouble you get into, it could find its way back to Kyoto and ruin the business dealing I'm negotiating" he said making the girl's shoulder's drop in disappointment.
'I actually thought he cared about me for a moment' Natsumi thought in disbelief.
"Natsumi I hope this boy is just an acquaintance" her father stated sternly over the phone. "I really hope ... you're not seeing him" he continued on awkwardly, making a chill run up Natsumi's spine at how her father worded things.
"Father" Natsumi chastised the man in an annoyed tone as she face palmed.
"At least tell me his name Natsumi" her father said over the line in softer tone.
"You don't have to worry" Natsumi replied. "He's just a friend from school" she went on as she heard footsteps approaching the door.
"Natsumi" her father said in a demanding tone as she noticed the door now opening to reveal Sasuke returning with a large white bowl of popcorn.
"Father I'll call you next Saturday" Natsumi said into the line as her father gave an irritated huff before she hung up.
Tossing her phone to Sasuke's bed, Natsumi took a deep breath as she closed her eyes and placed her hands on her head while she released her breath of air in an attempt to calm herself from the discussion she had with the man. There was silence as Natsumi repeated this action a few more times as Sasuke awkwardly stood by, unsure as to if he could even offer any comfort to the emotionally strained teenage girl.
"All done?" Sasuke asked as he approached the teen girl after a while with the bowl in his hands and earned a nod in response.
"Yeah um thanks for letting me make that call" she thanked Sasuke awkwardly as she scratched the back of her neck.
"You don't have to thank me" Sasuke replied dismissively.
"Movie night?" Natsumi asked keeping her gaze on the bowl as she asked.
"No I thought we would have popcorn while staring at a blank screen" Sasuke replied sarcastically turning away from the girl as he made his way to the couch of his room with Natsumi following.
It was silent for a while until Sasuke turned to look back at the girl, with slight worry on his face as he watched her stare blankly at the floor as if lost in thought or still trying to regain her composure.
'Maybe it was too early for sarcasm' Sasuke thought watching the girl until she finally snapped out of her thoughts as she felt his gaze.
"Hn in that case I'm picking" Natsumi declared with a light smile as the teens took their seats.
Sasuke glanced over the young girl as she used the remote to go through the various options they had to watch, before her eyes lit up in excitement and she took a handful of popcorn into her mouth as he thought.
'I guess tonight wasn't so bad'
...
A/N: And this was chapter 12. Let me know your thoughts on everything so far. I know the relationship between Natsumi and Itachi is developing a little slow and it might seem put off with Sasuke seeming to be such a blockade between the two. But I felt like that was more realistic, as opposed to him just letting things happen. I have a lot more plans on the development of the character's relationships and I'm excited for when you all read them. Btw how do you guys like Sasuke's development so far? Since he and Natsumi are supposed to be best friends eventually, I'm slowly making him warm up to her while still trying to stay true to his usual personality (hence his sarcasm on teasing Natsumi about how much she likes Kakashi). I just hope he doesn't seem too OOC. Anyways please remember to read and review because I really enjoy your comments
