Best Friend's Brother 49
Winter Break Part 10
New Year's Eve
The Party
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any characters used aside from my OC
Sasuke released a heavy sigh as his aunt and uncle walked away from him and Natsumi.
"This is stupid" Sasuke breathed out in a low voice so only Natsumi would hear him.
Natsumi hummed in reply to the boy's antics before releasing her own sigh.
After saying their goodbyes to their friends at the festival, Natsumi and Sasuke made their way to the Uchiha estate. Upon arrival they were greeted to a full house where the pair was instructed by Mikoto to start introducing Natsumi to the relatives.
"So far that's been three aunts and four uncles, right?" Natsumi asked looking back to Sasuke.
"Hn" Sasuke replied with a nod.
'And so far all of them have been pretty intimidating until they start making jokes about Sasuke and I' Natsumi thought dejectedly before turning her gaze to the side and taking in the sight of Itachi across the room.
The older Uchiha wore a black suit with a black button up and black neck tie. He had an air of confidence around him as he talked freely with those surrounding him, earning smiles and laughs as he socialized with his relatives.
'As bad as the jokes might be for Sasuke though, I can't imagine how awkward it must be for Itachi since he has to explain Izumi being here with him but not being his girlfriend anymore' Natsumi thought before her gaze slowly shifted to the side to see the brown haired girl.
Izumi was like a beacon of light, her bubbly personality shining out amongst the many people as she smiled at one of the many relatives around Itachi before walking up to stand alongside the boy. Izumi wore a purple kimono with a navy blue wrap around her waist and her hair half up in a twisted bun while the rest cascaded around her in soft curls.
In that moment the brunette happened to look up, meeting Natsumi's gaze and sending her a small smile and wave. Natsumi was embarrassed at first, making her slightly stiffen before sending back her own small smile and wave.
"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked catching the attention of Natsumi as she quickly turned to see him giving her a skeptical look.
"Uh just waving" Natsumi replied awkwardly as Sasuke raised a brow at her.
"Well good going" Sasuke replied sarcastically. "Because now they're coming over" he stated motioning to Izumi who now pulled Itachi by the arm in the direction of the teens.
"Calm down Sasuke" Natsumi replied lightly nudging the boy with her arm. "I think talking to them would be a nice change of pace from all the snide comments about our 'relationship'" Natsumi said holding up two fingers to air quote 'relationship'.
Sasuke scoffed just as Itachi and Izumi made their way up.
"Happy New Year!" Izumi greeted the pair with a smile.
"Hn" Sasuke replied with a nod as his gaze shifted to the side.
"Happy New Year" Natsumi replied with her own nod, earning an appreciative smile from Izumi.
"Hn Happy New Year" Itachi replied. "How are you two enjoying the party?" Itachi asked.
Sasuke and Natsumi shared a look.
"It's alright" Natsumi lied making Itachi raise a brow at her while Sasuke released a sarcastic 'ha'.
"What do you think Itachi?" Sasuke asked rhetorically. "I can only assume you're having a nice time since you're not the center of attention tonight thanks to mom making me bring Natsumi" Sasuke went on making the mood between the group grow a little tenser.
It was silent for a moment.
"Well what did you expect Sasuke? Up until now, the family probably thought it was only a matter of time until you and Naruto came out" a familiar male voice teased, making Sasuke stiffen before the group turned to see Shisui approaching.
Shisui had on a black suit with a white button up and red neck tie. In fact mostly all the men seemed to be dressed in similar attire with the exception of those from the older generation who instead chose to wear more traditional clothing.
"Hey guys" Shisui greeted the others as he stood amongst the group while Sasuke notably glared at him.
"Shisui" Itachi and Natsumi greeted him in accidental unison, something Natsumi caught onto but Itachi didn't seem to.
"Happy New Year" Izumi said.
"What do you want Shisui?" Sasuke asked bluntly making the older boy's smile fall.
"Sasuke" Itachi said to his brother.
"Geez Sasuke, what did I do to you?" Shisui asked innocently, making Sasuke scoff before the older boy turned his attention to Natsumi "I just wanted to see how you were fairing with the family" Shisui said making a grateful smile cross Natsumi's face.
"Oh and you're checking on her out of the kindness of your own heart?" Sasuke asked in a condescending tone that made the group's attention shift between him and Shisui.
"Don't forget I'm probably the only one outside of the immediate family who knows Natsumi's not your girlfriend so I know it might be more than a little awkward to get the 3rd degree about a boy she's not dating" Shisui defended himself making Sasuke narrow his eyes at him skeptically.
"Mmhm" Sasuke said as he folded his arms over his chest and looked to the side.
"Wow almost forgot how cynical you can be Sasuke" Shisui said earning a 'Tch' from Sasuke before he turned his attention to the girl beside his cousin. "So I can only assume you're not having much fun with this guy tonight?" Shisui asked earning a shrug from the girl before Shisui leaned down. "Blink twice if you want to be saved" Shisui loudly whispered making Natsumi smile to repress a laugh while Sasuke rolled his eyes in annoyance and Itachi and Izumi released their own chuckles over the exchange.
"It's nice to see you had a moment to get away from our father" Itachi said cutting and gaining Shisui's attention.
Shisui turned to him with a smile.
"Hn funny that you mention your old man" Shisui said releasing a light chuckle as he casually ran a hand through his dark hair.
Itachi and Sasuke both raised a brow at their cousin.
"What did you do?" Sasuke asked.
"The price for freedom was fetching a couple company heirs" Shisui admitted with a sheepish grin that was met with deadpan stares from the two brothers.
"You could've said something sooner" Sasuke said in an annoyed tone before turning to Natsumi. "I'll be back" he said earning a nod of understanding from the girl while Itachi said the same to Izumi.
"Yeah but in the meantime do you ladies want to grab a dri-" Shisui started to ask until Itachi brought a hand down on his shoulder.
"You're coming with us cousin" Itachi said making the boy's smile falter.
Shisui's brows rose in alarm before sending a pleading look to Sasuke who simply ignored him.
"Oh come on guys" Shisui complained. "Don't make me go back. The elders have been killing me with questions about school and the Uchiha company "Shisui pleaded. "... and let's not mention the crap I've been getting for not bringing a date when my younger cousins did" Shisui mumbled under his breath as his gaze shifted to the side as he ran a hand through his dark locks while Natsumi sweat dropped at his explanation.
'Shisui really needs a girlfriend' Natsumi thought before watching him be pulled away by Itachi as Sasuke brushed past the two and walked ahead of them.
Natsumi smiled at the antics of the boys before realizing she was left alone with Izumi and turning to send a small smile to the girl.
"So I'm guessing it hasn't been much fun with Sasuke tonight?" Izumi asked knowingly.
Natsumi nodded with a light hum in reply.
"Well it can't be half as awkward as explaining why you came with an ex" Izumi said trying to lighten the mood but instead making an awkward silence fall over the girls.
Suddenly her onyx eyes seemed to light up when she recognized a familiar face in the crowd and a smile crossed her lips.
"I'm sorry Natsumi but I see one of Itachi's aunts that I haven't seen in a long time. I'm going to say hi really quick but I'll be back in a bit" Izumi said giving Natsumi a reassuring pat on the shoulder before walking away and leaving the dark haired teen alone.
Izumi wasn't back in a bit. In fact she seemed to be gone for so long that Natsumi began to wonder if Sasuke and Itachi would be finished with their father's talk before she returned. The dark haired girl released a small breath as she turned her attention to her hands that were softly folded in front of her. With her gaze downwards, she almost missed the sound of approaching footsteps, but when she felt a hand reach out to her shoulder, she immediately turned to the source and had her brows raise in surprise upon seeing Itachi.
"You looked bored" the boy offered with a slight smile. "Unless the floor had something more interesting to offer" Itachi joked making Natsumi smile.
"Well it's certainly a better conversationalist than your brother" Natsumi joked making Itachi smile in amusement.
"In that case, you should have seen him as a child, he was a little too talkative at times when he was following me around" Itachi replied.
"When you put it that way, it almost sounds like your describing Naruto" Natsumi pointed out.
"You'd be surprised, although they're so different now, there is a reason Sasuke spends so much time with Naruto" The older Uchiha stated.
"Hn" Natsumi hummed in reply with a slight disbelief.
"So are you having a nice time tonight?" Itachi asked earning a slight glance from the girl before she responded.
"Yeah" Natsumi replied as she gave a small nod and shifted her gaze away again.
"That's good to hear" Itachi responded with his own nod, before looking elsewhere as well. "I was worried when I saw you by yourself, especially since it's usually boring enough as is at these types of things" the older boy explained.
Natsumi gave a small smile as she could imagine, Itachi spoke from experience. It was silent for a moment between the pair before the girl decided to speak.
"Um Itachi?" Natsumi asked meeting the gaze of his onyx eyes for a moment. "Speaking of your brother where is Sasuke?" Natsumi asked quickly looking away to look around for her friend as she felt her heart flutter in nervousness.
"He's still with father" Itachi responded making Natsumi's eyes light up in surprise.
"Really?" Natsumi asked with the surprise evident in her tone.
"Hn" Itachi replied. "When one of the company execs heard he was at the festival earlier, he started getting a few questions about it" Itachi explained.
"Oh that's good to hear" Natsumi replied with a nod of understanding as she smiled, feeling proud of Sasuke for getting more attention.
"You went with him beforehand right?" Itachi asked, earning another nod from the girl. "Did you have a nice time with your other friends?" he asked.
"Yeah" Natsumi replied with a small smile as she thought back to all that happened, at least until her mind wondered to the conversation she had with a certain pink haired girl.
"Everything alright? Did something happen?" Itachi asked noting the slight furrow in Natsumi's brows as her smile fell.
Looking back to the boy Natsumi tried to give him a reassuring smile, but something told her that it would be better to be honest with him.
"Well one of my ... friends" Natsumi said with a thoughtful pause as she began to explain what happened. "She told me that she made an off handed comment about me and what she said led to a rumor that was a little less than savory" Natsumi said making Itachi's brows raise in alarm.
"What did you say?" Itachi asked.
"I forgave her" Natsumi replied further alarming Itachi.
"Why?" Itachi asked.
"You probably don't even remember this but ... there was in Sunday when we helped our mothers at the market and when I was worried about this girl telling everyone something that they could get the wrong idea about, you said I shouldn't worry what others think" Natsumi said. "And I ... well I've taken that lesson to heart ever since" Natsumi admitted making the boy's eyes fill with surprise. "Before I always seemed so concerned about what others thought. I would get so hung up on every word and judgment I received but now I only care about the people I care about" Natsumi said proudly.
Natsumi wasn't sure where the confidence to say all of this came from, as admitting something like this would typically send her into a quiet pause of overthinking, but the words were coming out before she could even start to think and maybe it was because she was so comfortable with Itachi.
"Natsumi I don't know what to say" Itachi admitted as he had a look of disbelief before breathing out a smile. "I'm proud of you and I'm happy to help a friend of Sasuke's" Itachi said as his smile widened.
"Itachi what you say means a lot to me especially since I don't just want to be Sasuke's friend to you" Natsumi said before a long silence passed between the two.
The weight of her words sunk in and all the confidence she previously felt seemed to disappear.
'...What did I just say?!' Natsumi thought in alarm before glancing to Itachi and seeing the surprised look on his face. She felt her heart stop as she waited for him to reply.
Finally after what seemed like forever to Natsumi, Itachi smiled.
"I'm glad what I said meant so much to you" he said making her take in sharp breath as she nervously waited for him to continue. "And I want you to know that you are more than Sasuke's friend to me. You're my friend and I'm glad you care about me enough to have it matter" he said as Natsumi fought the impending rush of heat to her face as she took in the boy's words.
Itachi smiled as he reached out to pat the top of the girl's head.
'If Itachi had taken what I said any other way would it mean that I would've been ok with confessing to Itachi before telling Sasuke that I like his brother?' Natsumi pondered before Itachi removed his hand and spoke.
"Actually with that being said I think there's something I wanted to ask" Itachi stated making the girl perk up in interest. "I was just a little curious about how your other interviews went?" Itachi asked casually.
"Pretty well" Natsumi replied with a weary smile as she expected something different. "I was a little worried about how I would personalize them with such a large group but I think I have a pretty good idea thanks to my interview with Konan" Natsumi went on.
"So you got around to rescheduling it?" Itachi asked glancing over to see the dark haired teen nod. "How'd that go?" the boy asked curiously.
"Well since it would've been weird using the basement when you guys didn't have a rehearsal, I actually got to do it in her dorm room" Natsumi replied making the boy perk up in interest.
"Is that when you were with Sasori at the University?" Itachi asked making the girl jump in surprise at the question. "I just happened to hear about Kisame seeing you with him" Itachi explained meeting the gaze of Natsumi's brown hues.
Natsumi's brows were raised in alarm.
"Uh yeah" Natsumi replied as her cheeks tinted pink.
'Did Kisame only tell Itachi about seeing me because he would worry?' Natsumi pondered.
"It's a funny story actually, since Konan lost her phone she didn't meet me like planned so I got really lucky that Sasori showed up after his shift to walk me to the dorm" Natsumi went on, hoping to not get too caught up in her thoughts.
Unfortunately though, seeing her blush just before recanting this memory of gratitude for the red head made the Uchiha give the girl a worried look.
"That was nice of him" Itachi said.
"Hn" Natsumi replied with a nod.
"But you know Natsumi, not every nice gesture should be taken to mean something. Sometimes it doesn't mean anything at all" Itachi suddenly said making a confused look cross the girl's face as she now turned to face him again. "Sasori is complicated" Itachi stated as he noticed the girl's bewildered expression before shifting his gaze to the side.
'What is he talking about?' Natsumi thought in confusion.
"Itachi what do you me-" Natsumi started to ask before being cut off by the older boy.
"The work you're putting in for this paper is rather impressive" Itachi suddenly complimented the girl.
"Uh thank you" Natsumi replied awkwardly as she sensed that the conversation would now shift.
"Speaking of the Akatsuki though ..." Itachi stated before trialing off as he proceeded to reach into the pocket of his jacket. "This is for you" Itachi stated suddenly holding out a small black and red flash drive to the girl.
Her brows furrowed in confusion, and she gave a curious tilt of her head before slowly reaching out to accept the device.
"I realize how late this is but I hope you can accept this as a late Christmas gift from the Akatsuki and I" Itachi explained as Natsumi blinked in confusion. "It's the first official demo we've recorded. I had Kisame take the recordings Zetsu did for the songs we've done so far and put them on this so I could give it to you. Kakuzu was a little apprehensive to the idea at first since he wanted us to do three more songs before recording a demo, but the others agreed it would a nice thing to do seeing as you were our first audience member" he went on as Natsumi now wore an expression of surprise before allowing a genuine smile cross her lips.
"Really?" Natsumi asked in disbelief.
"Hn" Itachi replied with a nod before earning a nod of thanks from the girl.
"Thank you" Natsumi expressed. "I can't believe it's the first" she exclaimed making the boy smile as her eyes lit up while looking at the flash drive in her hand. "But why give me a gift?" Natsumi asked curiously as she looked back to meet the Uchiha's gaze.
"You like our music" Itachi admitted honestly with a small shrug. "You give honest feedback and if it weren't for that I don't think we'd even have this many songs completed by now" Itachi stated motioning to the drive and making a look of disbelief cross the teen's face before she gave a nod of understanding.
"You're making it sound like I wrote the songs or something" Natsumi joked in a sarcastic tone as her eyes shifted to the side.
Itachi surprised her as he placed a hand atop her head.
"You're roll might not have been that big, however you still played a pretty big part in helping us" Itachi stated before removing his hand and offering a smile to the girl beside him. "I think the entirety of the Akatsuki could agree too." He said reassuringly. "Especially Deidara" the Uchiha joked, making the girl stiffen as he released a light chuckle at her reaction before turning away.
"That's not funny Itachi!" Natsumi chastised the older boy.
Itachi had a closed eyed smile at Natsumi's comment before she shifted her gaze away and caught sight of a certain brown haired girl. Natsumi stiffened upon seeing Izumi.
'How long has she been there? Was she watching us?' Natsumi thought before watching Izumi's eyes widen slightly at having been caught before Izumi turned away to break their eye contact as the interaction felt awkward.
"Everything alright Natsumi?" Itachi asked noting the change in demeanor of the dark haired girl.
Before Natsumi could answer his question, Izumi was already walking up.
"Hey" Izumi called as she walked over to the pair. "Sorry I was gone for so long but your aunt had a lot to catch me up on when I asked about her trip to India" Izumi explained. "She actually wanted me to grab you by the way" Izumi said making Itachi's brows raise in surprise before shifting his gaze to Natsumi.
"Um I'll be ok" Natsumi stated shaking her hands in front of her. "I'll go find Sasuke since I'm pretty sure he's done now" the dark haired girl offered with a reassuring smile before Itachi gave a weary nod and was pulled away by Izumi.
...
As they walked away, Itachi felt the slightest tinge of guilt for abandoning Natsumi.
"Do you think Natsumi will be ok by herself?" Itachi asked as they walked.
"She's not a child Itachi" Izumi responded.
"I'm aware" Itachi replied making a small giggle escape the brunette.
"What is it?" Itachi asked looking over to the brown haired girl.
"I just think it's kind of funny how you always cast yourself as a hero" Izumi joked making Itachi halt in his steps as he turned to her with a perplexed look.
"What are you talking about?" Itachi asked.
"You coming to the rescue for Natsumi so she wouldn't be alone" Izumi explained as she released her hold on his arm before stepping in front of the Uchiha.
"Well it's not like I expected her to be alone ... I thought you two would be together but when I saw that it was just her, I was worried she might be bored on her own" Itachi explained.
"Why do you sound so serious?" Izumi asked playfully poking the boy in the shoulder. "I'm not trying to interrogate you about talking to Natsumi" Izumi stated. "But I am a little curious if you asked her for me?" Izumi asked.
Itachi grew silent for a moment, processing what Izumi had said before slightly bowing his head.
"I'm sorry but I did not" Itachi stated earning a smile from the girl as she tried not to laugh.
"You don't need to apologize" Izumi said as Itachi raised his head to meet her gaze again.
"Hn" Itachi replied with a nod. "But Izumi could I ask you something?" Itachi asked making the girl cock her head to the side in curiosity.
"Yeah of course" Izumi responded.
"If you saw Natsumi and I talking for a while, why didn't you come up to us sooner?" The Uchiha questioned making the brunette's brows raise in surprise before she smiled and shifted her gaze to the side.
Itachi furrowed his brows in confusion as he waited for Izumi to reply. Finally the brown haired girl released a small breath whilst crossing her arms over her chest as she looked back to meet Itachi's onyx hues.
"I just ... It seemed like you two were in your own world while talking so I didn't want to interrupt" Izumi explained.
"We were just talking about things with the Akatsuki" Itachi clarified as Izumi looked at him with a raised brow. "What is it?" Itachi asked.
Izumi shifted her gaze away from Itachi for a moment, looking back in the direction of Natsumi before releasing a small sigh.
"Uchiha men can really be the densest sometimes" The brunette mumbled under her breath further to Itachi's confusion. "We should get to your aunt" Izumi said reaching out to take hold of Itachi's arm again.
As she pulled him along, he couldn't help but feel slightly off put by their conversation.
...
Natsumi's brown eyes scanned the room for the familiar waft of dark hair. She sighed still seeing no sign of her friend, and feeling slightly anxious as she wandered around his family's party without him.
"Hey Natsumi" a familiar male voice called making the girl halt in her search before turning to the source and seeing Obito.
"Sensei" Natsumi greeted the man with a slight bow of her head as she took in the presence of the man.
Obito wore a black suit with a black button up and no tie underneath.
'I forgot Obito-sensei was an Uchiha' Natsumi thought as she looked back to see his kind smile.
"I would say I'm surprised to see you here but I can assume it's because you're here with Sasuke" Obito stated earning a nod from the girl. "Well that's nice" Obito commented.
"Yeah I was actually trying to look for him though. Have you seen him?" Natsumi asked.
"I haven't" Obito replied with an apologetic smile. "But I'm actually glad I ran into you" Obito stated now reaching into one of the inner pockets of his coat and pulling out a red envelope. "I was hanging out at Kakashi's earlier when I had to get ready to head over he told me that the teachers had a little game for their TA's, to see who would collect the most envelopes for the New Year" Obito stated holding the slip out to the girl who wore a confused look.
"Uh I haven't really heard from Kakashi-sensei over the break" Natsumi admitted as Obito seemed to figuratively shatter.
"So you're telling me that he hasn't even given you one for the New Year yet?" Obito asked dejectedly, earning a head shake from Natsumi that made him sigh heavily as he hung his head. "Bastard ... He probably came up with the whole thing so I would give her one then he could say it was from both of us" Obito mumbled under his breath before lifting his head and giving the girl an awkward smile. "I'm sorry Natsumi, but you should still take it" Obito said holding the envelope out to the girl again.
"It's ok sensei" Natsumi said trying to give a small wave.
"No Natsumi, I want you to take it. Even though you're not my aid, you have made my life a lot easier with all the help you've given me" Obito stated. "Please" Obito asked prompting the teen to accept it.
"Thank you Obito-sensei" Natsumi thanked the man as she reached for the red envelope.
Unfortunately while taking it though, Natsumi fumbled the flash drive she had in her hand, making her drop it. Obito reached down to pick it up, noting how familiar it looked before handing it back to the teen and reaching up to touch his temple.
"Are you alright sensei?" Natsumi asked as she watched his slightly pained expression.
"Oh fine Natsumi ... I just remembered something" Obito said dismissively as he now pinched the bridge of his nose.
Natsumi's brows furrowed in concern as she remembered the last time something like this happened, Kakashi-sensei mentioned Obito having headaches before Obito rushed away. Natsumi was worried, not knowing what to do to help the man until she felt a hand being swung over her shoulder. Turning to the source, her brown eyes lit up upon seeing Shisui.
"Hey" the older boy greeted before noticing the pained look Obito had as he now closed his eyes. "You good Obito?" Shisui asked in a concerned tone.
"Fine" Obito replied with a dismissive wave. "I just forgot to take my migraine medicine since I got ready at a friend's house" Obito explained, making Natsumi perk up in interest.
'Are his headaches really to the point that he takes medication?' the dark haired teen pondered, before watching Shisui release a small huff.
"You know, Aunt Mikoto might have something to help, maybe you should go check the medicine cabinet in the main bathroom" Shisui suggested.
Obito gave a 'hn' in reply before departing from the pair.
"Is he going to be alright?" Natsumi asked looking after the dark haired man before looking back to Shisui.
"Yeah he'll be fine" Shisui replied with a reassuring smile. "I was honestly a little more worried about you" Shisui admitted making a confused look cross Natsumi's face.
"About me? Why?" Natsumi asked.
"Well you kind of got ditched by Sasuke then ended up hanging out with the black sheep of the family during one of his episodes" Shisui stated bluntly.
Natsumi was slightly taken aback by his response.
"Black sheep?" Natsumi asked.
"It's not a bad thing" Shisui said holding his hands up in defense. "It's kind of what everyone calls him since he chose to be a teacher instead of working for the company" the Uchiha explained.
"Oh" Natsumi replied with a weary nod. "But what did you mean by one of his episodes? Does Obito-sensei have headaches that are that bad?" Natsumi asked curiously.
Shisui ran a hand through his hair as he looked to the side.
"I'm honestly surprised you haven't asked sooner" Shisui commented before looking back to Natsumi. "And I have to admit it might be best if I don't tell you since you're one of his students" he went on before releasing another sigh. "But I guess there's no harm in telling you that they're a result of his accident" Shisui stated.
'Accident?' Natsumi thought.
"It's not really my story to tell, but it happened when he was younger" Shisui explained. "From what I remember, Obito has always had bad migraines since then, so he usually takes medicine to help" Shisui went on as Natsumi listened intently.
She felt bad for Obito. From all the time she spent with him and Kakashi, she would've never thought that the man had been through such an ordeal that he was dealing repercussions for to this day. The fact that his family referred to him as a black sheep made her feel even worse as she thought about how alienated he must feel, having experienced such trauma. Yet she had to admit maybe it was a good thing since Obito wasn't as cold as the other Uchiha's and probably one of the few happy people she had in her life.
"Poor Obito" Natsumi commented.
"Hey it's ok Natsumi" Shisui said placing a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. "He's been managing all this time and I think he's doing pretty well" Shisui explained.
"What are you guys talking about?" a familiar voice asked making Natsumi quickly turn to the source.
"Sasuke" Natsumi said in greeting to her friend.
"Oh nothing" Shisui said with a dismissive wave. "I was just keeping Natsumi entertained until you showed up ... Your welcome by the way" Shisui said smugly before sending a quick wink to Natsumi as she realized he probably didn't want it known they were talking about Obito.
Sasuke gave a 'tsk' in annoyance as he buried his hands into his pockets.
"Well in that case, I'm sure she would like a reprieve" Sasuke stated.
"Oh yeah and what's that supposed to mean?" Shisui asked.
"You're annoying or in other words 'socially draining'" Sasuke said before walking to Natsumi's side and putting both his hands on both her shoulders to begin leading her away.
"Hey that's not true and I'm sure Natsumi would agree that I'm not" Shisui argued.
"Goes to show how much you know" Sasuke stated before walking off from his cousin and leaving him with a look that was both offended and shocked.
...
Sasuke and Natsumi spent more time making their way around the party, meeting other relatives, talking amongst themselves and stopping at the desserts table for Natsumi. In all, it was a nice time and when it started to near midnight, they joined a few others out on the upper balcony to try to catch a glimpse of the fireworks from the festival. Due to the both not wanting to deal with the rest of the family, they decided to distance themselves from the others that were out by standing around the corner of the doorway.
Overall it was a nice night for Natsumi. Her thoughts drifted through the previous New Year's parties she'd attended. By now, her father would have excused her for the evening and had her taken home alone or made her tough out the countdown with the other company heirs. She couldn't help the sigh that escaped her at this thought, something that didn't go unnoticed by Sasuke as he bumped her shoulder and gave her a questioning look.
Natsumi smiled.
"I'm ok just ..." Natsumi started to say before trailing off. "I'm happy" she admitted making Sasuke raise a brow in confusion. "This is the first New Years I've ever been with friends" Natsumi stated making Sasuke hum in acknowledgement.
"Hmph" Sasuke hummed in response before letting his own smile cross his lips as he away from the dark haired girl.
'Tonight everyone talked about what they want to do for the New Year and now I think I know what I want to do too' Natsumi thought. 'I know I want to tell Itachi what I really think of him but I want to tell Sasuke first' Natsumi decided as she nervously knitted her brows together and subconsciously folded her hands together in a nervous manner.
Sasuke caught sight of this in his preferable vision, making him break the silence.
"Idiot" Sasuke stated.
Natsumi was taken aback by his sudden comment.
"I didn't ask to be judged" Natsumi retorted after giving the boy a questioning look.
"And I didn't ask to be surrounded by idiots" Sasuke responded in a snide tone.
"Well they say you surround yourself with like-minded people" Natsumi replied back earning a scoff from the young Uchiha before a small smile crossed his face.
Natsumi smiled to repress a laugh as this was just a typical exchange between the two friends but when Natsumi looked to the side, her thoughts returned to her previous track and she felt her heart beat increase as she thought of how she might broach the topic of Itachi with Sasuke. She hoped that having Sasuke in a good mood, would mean having him react well but she was quickly pulled from these thoughts when the dark haired teen boy spoke again.
"You need to get out of your head Natsumi" Sasuke stated. "I can already tell you're overthinking something stupid" he went on making the girl look at him in astonishment.
"It's just the look on your face" Sasuke said now turning forward, before reaching out to poke the girl in the cheek. "You're too easy to read sometimes" Sasuke stated before having his hand swatted away by the girl. "So what is it?" Sasuke asked.
Natsumi felt a lump form in her throat and her hands suddenly felt a lot sweatier.
"I have something to tell you" Natsumi stated looking down and making Sasuke raise a brow in question.
"Obviously" Sasuke said with an eye roll then having a thought cross his mind, making Natsumi look at him questionably. "Don't tell me you like Shisui?" Sasuke asked "Because if that's the case, then I think we're going to need an intervention" he complained.
"What?!" Natsumi asked thinking she'd heard him wrong.
"Well I saw how close you two were becoming so I kind of figured that-" Sasuke started to explain before being slapped in the arm by Natsumi.
"No Sasuke, I don't like your cousin you ass!" Natsumi said while punching him in the arm.
"Oh then why are you being so dramatic about telling me something?" the Uchiha questioned as he took hold of his arm where the girl struck him.
"I decided what I wanted to do this year!" Natsumi retorted angrily.
"That's it?!" Sasuke asked. "You're making it seem like it's something very big and important than just a yearly goal" Sasuke said annoyed.
"Hey it is-" Natsumi started to argue until being cut off by the boy.
"Only idiots have New Year's Resolutions Natsumi" Sasuke stated looking back to the girl as he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his coat. "If you have something you want to change about yourself, it shouldn't be the beginning of a new year that makes you want to change it" Sasuke said.
"Yeah but-" Natsumi started to say before stopping.
"If you want to talk resolutions call the dobe or one of our other idiot friends" Sasuke said surprising the girl with his choice of words.
"...Our idiot friends?" she repeated. Natsumi isn't surprised Sasuke sees the others as friends, but she's more shocked he actually said it out loud so casually.
'He's certainly seems like he changed since I met him this year' she thought with a smile, instantly making the Uchiha narrow his eyes.
"Why are you smiling like that?" Sasuke asked bringing Natsumi out of her thoughts as he waved a hand in front of her face.
"Nothing" Natsumi said shaking her head.
"Whatever" Sasuke scoffed looking to the side again before both teens turned to the side upon hearing a light giggle.
"Izumi?" Sasuke asked seeing the brown haired girl now stepping out into the view of the teens. "Were you seriously standing there watching us?" Sasuke asked.
"No" Izumi replied. "I just caught the tail end of your guy's conversation" she clarified earning blank stares from the pair. "I'd hate to interrupt but I wanted to let you know your brother was looking for you Sasuke" Izumi said pointing over her shoulder with her thumb.
Sasuke sighed before glancing back to Natsumi.
"Go ahead" Natsumi said encouragingly. "It's not like you really looking forward to the fireworks anyways" the girl stated before the boy nodded and turned back to Izumi.
"He's downstairs" Izumi said earning a nod before the dark haired male teen brushed past her without another word.
Izumi released a small huff prompting Natsumi to send her an apologetic look.
"He's getting better" Izumi said reassuringly more to herself than Natsumi before moving to stand beside the dark haired teen.
Natsumi watched as Izumi looked up, taking in the sight of the night sky before her eyes shut and she took a breath that the girl would see thanks to how cold it was.
"Hey Natsumi" Izumi stated making the dark haired girl jump in surprise as she felt a little creepy for staring at the brunette. "Can I ask you something?" Izumi asked.
"Hn" Natsumi hummed in reply as Izumi's onyx hues opened and turned to meet her gaze.
Izumi seemed conflicted as her gaze shifted downwards for a moment before returning to Natsumi's brown eyes.
"What do you think about Itachi?" Izumi asked, taking Natsumi by surprise as she blinked a couple times before a closed eyed smile crossed her face.
"He's great" Natsumi replied.
"Hmm anything else?" Izumi pressed making Natsumi open her eyes to see Izumi giving her a look of intrigue.
It made her nervous, like she was being analyzed. It was a feeling she could only usually kin to how she would feel when having many eyes on her, much like the time she gave her presentation with Sasuke.
"What do you mean?" Natsumi asked in a confused tone.
Izumi slightly bit her lip in contemplation before a small smile crossed her lips and she spoke.
"You like him right?" the brunette asked bringing silence to the pair again as Natsumi could swear her heart beat was beating loudly enough for the brunette to hear.
Natsumi wasn't sure how to respond to this question as she was sure this wasn't a typical situation to end up in. What were you supposed to do when your crush's ex was asking you if you liked them? Maybe she meant it in the same context of Sasuke and how he seemed to dislike her, but why bring about this topic in this manner?
"Well he's my best friend's brother so of course" Natsumi responded wearily.
"Just your best friend's brother?" Izumi pressed.
"Well ... I mean I guess you could say he's my friend too" Natsumi replied nervously as she reached to take hold of the back of her own neck.
Izumi had a brow raised in suspicion before closing her eyes and releasing a breath.
"I know this is weird but you can be honest with me" Izumi said still having her eyes closed as Natsumi looked at her with her brows knitted in confusion. "You can tell me you like Itachi because if I'm being honest, I kind of picked up on it earlier" Izumi said surprising the girl as she reopened her onyx eyes to meet shocked brown ones.
There was an eerie silence after Izumi spoke. Natsumi could only hear her heartbeat, even though the fireworks have begun to go off and people celebrated the New Year.
"What?" Natsumi asked in disbelief.
Izumi smiled at Natsumi.
'When?' Natsumi thought.
"When you guys were talking earlier" Izumi stated, making Natsumi not realize she asked that out loud. Before Natsumi could even begin her thought process, Izumi is already speaking.
"It wasn't anything obvious" Izumi spoke, choosing to ignore the dark haired girls shocked face. "I just ... I know Itachi really well and seeing you two talk like no one else was there told me that he had other priorities than before" Izumi stated confusing the dark haired girl. "And it's nice to see that he found someone who could do that for him" she went on making Natsumi's brows raise in alarm as her heart began to race.
"Hold on a minute Izumi" Natsumi said waving her hands in front of her. "I think you're looking too far into things" Natsumi said trying to remain logical.
"I haven't seen him look at someone like that before" Izumi stated making Natsumi fall silent. "And I know the look of a girl that likes him since I used to be one" she went on making a scarlet blush cross Natsumi's face. "You like him" Izumi stated as Natsumi looked down to hide her blush. "And I think you should go for it" she said making Natsumi snap her gaze back up to look at Izumi with a shocked look.
"I'm sorry?" Natsumi asked earning a smile from the brunette.
"But if you do I think there's something you should know" Izumi said in a more serious tone. "Itachi isn't a selfish person so you'll most likely be the one driving the relationship" Izumi said further perplexing Natsumi as her brows now furrowed in confusion.
Izumi sighed allowing her gaze to drift to the side before looking back to the teen.
"I'm not saying that it's a bad thing to be selfless. It's actually a great quality to have in a person but it's not the best quality to have in a boyfriend" Izumi said slowly. "Relationships are supposed to be 50/50 so both people give and take. It's not right if one person is doing all the taking and it's not right if one person is doing all the giving because it's supposed to be balanced" Izumi explained holding her hands out to mimic a scale.
"Are you saying Itachi wasn't pulling his weight in your relationship?" Natsumi asked before she could even think.
"In a way yes" Izumi replied. "And that's why I broke up with him" she admitted making Natsumi stiffen.
'She broke up with him?' Natsumi thought. 'I thought they broke up because she was going to school in the states' Natsumi thought in alarm.
"I was his friend for a long time. I liked him first. I asked him out. And every time I wanted something, he made it happen. It was like I was in the driving seat the entire relationship. Itachi loved me but he was only ever doing things because I wanted them." Izumi said. "He's a natural people pleaser. Whether it's for his family, friends, school, and even relationships; he puts others before himself. He doesn't do anything for his own selfish want but instead does everything for everyone. That's why I broke up with him because it seemed like our relationship was only for my benefit; the entirety of it was based around what I wanted not what we wanted" Izumi went on as she emphasized 'we'.
Natsumi was at a loss as she processed all of this information.
"What do you mean?" Natsumi asked.
"Think of it like this Itachi used to get me random gifts all the time, I never asked for them but every time he did I was grateful because it showed he cared about me, yet if I were to get Itachi a random gift, he wouldn't have been as happy and honestly as grateful. He would say 'You shouldn't have bought it and wasted your money, I didn't need anything'" Izumi explained.
"So it was different when he did something versus when you did it?" Natsumi asked.
"It was wrong. I always felt bad and guilty that he was getting me gifts so much, and that the one time I tried getting him a gift, it didn't seem like he was as grateful" Izumi stated.
"Was he that bad of a boyfriend?" Natsumi asked.
"Please don't misunderstand; I know he was just trying to be helpful and nice but so was I. I was just trying to show how much I cared about him by doing the same in return" Izumi went on. "It just felt very one sided and something I couldn't stand in our relationship" Izumi stated, surprising the teen. "I know he cared about me but I know that if I never said I wanted him to be my boyfriend, he would have never asked me to be his girlfriend" Izumi said.
"I'm confused" Natsumi admitted.
"I would be too. But I'm not trying to turn you off to him, I just thought giving you all the details might help you decided if you wanted to make a move" Izumi stated further perplexing the teen.
"I know this is probably a lot to take in but it's important for you to know especially if you..." Izumi trailed off.
"Like Itachi" Natsumi finished looking back to Izumi. "I do" Natsumi admitted with a small breath as Izumi smiled at her.
"I'm glad. I know a relationship isn't everyone's top priority but I know you two would be good together" Izumi stated.
"How do you know that?" Natsumi asked.
"Because I know Itachi. And I know that he's changing. He still cares about others' wellbeing more than his own, but he also seems like he's getting his priorities in order again. The way he looked when he talked to you, showed that even though you two didn't come together, he was happier talking with you than trying to make you find Sasuke or even look for me" Izumi pointed out. "It's small but I think it's important" she stated.
"It sounds a little farfetched" Natsumi stated.
"You're important to him. He appreciates what you've done for him and Sasuke. And I think he might not know it yet, but he might like you more than he lets on" Izumi said. "And I know that's weird for me to say and it might seem like I'm over stepping a boundary but I'm still his friend and I want him to be happy with someone that he wants to be happy with" Izumi explained.
"Izumi this is really weird hearing from his ex" Natsumi stated.
Izumi sighed.
"I know" Izumi admitted. "But try thinking of it coming from his friend instead because I'm pretty sure you'd do the same for Sasuke right?" Izumi asked, once again making Natsumi fall silent.
"Yeah but I don't know why you'd tell me this? If you see that Itachi's changing and fixing the issue you had with him, why don't you just get back together with him?" Natsumi asked bluntly.
"Well to put it simply, I've moved on" Izumi stated perplexing Natsumi further.
"But you said you still care about him" Natsumi argued.
Izumi smiled.
"I love him" Izumi stated making Natsumi's heart clench. "But I'm not in love with him anymore, I've grown since leaving and I'm a different person now ... we both are and admittedly I'm happier being a distant friend with a good relationship than questioning and worrying if he'll change back ... maybe in a way I'd be worried that we'd both change back and then what would all that personal growth mean" Izumi finished making Natsumi look up in surprise.
Neither girl spoke after hearing all that, Natsumi processing all of what Izumi said and seeing all the signs of how both act around each other until Izumi spoke up again.
"It's just something to consider" Izumi stated reaching out to give Natsumi's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I just want what's best for the both of you, since I see you as a friend as well Natsumi" Izumi said with a small smile before taking her leave from the dark haired girl and walking off.
Natsumi released a heavy sigh as her gaze drifted up to the ongoing fireworks.
'Tonight ended differently than expected' she thought.
...
Meanwhile a figure stood just beyond the doorway, just out of the line of sight of both girls, having over heard the entirety of the girls' conversation.
"Interesting" the figure commented.
...
A/N: Hey guys, so I'm back ... kind of. I know this chapter has been more than a little late and I'm really sorry about that. If I'm being honest I never expected to take a break that lasted as long as mine did but with everything going on, I had a hard time having confidence in what I was writing as I have been dealing with a lot in regards to my personal life and mental health.
As some of you know I lost my father last year in December and have been dealing with a lot more than the usual grieving process. He was a strong man and up until now, I don't think I've ever fully comprehended the pressure he was under as he shouldered the weight of supporting a family. There's a lot and I find myself thinking back to one of my last conversations with him where I told him not to worry because I would take of everything. I don't regret this but I do wish I better understood what that meant at the time. After his passing two of his brothers disowned my family and I, as our views of how my father's services were being arranged weren't up to their own personal beliefs. Planning a service with no support and having to be a rock for a mother and sister, who broke down constantly, isn't something healthy for anyone's mental state. The pressure of being strong was and is too much, especially since I never really got the chance to cry like they did. And that's not even mentioning the stress of making payments for a home that I haven't lived in since I was 18.
As a result, I've had to put in more hours to pay my bills, my family's bills, and a few new expenses. I haven't had time for a lot of things. A lot has changed and even though I'm struggling at times, I'm staying somewhat positive by telling myself that this is my character development. I remember hearing this quote one time that said "Everything will be ok in the end, so if it's not ok then it's not the end", and I think that really applies to how I feel now. I'm trying my best and on a lighter note, I've even started a new journey that I'm my father would be proud of because I recently returned to school and just finished my first college class this summer. It was hard considering how much time I've spent out of school but I passed with an A and even received a 100 on my final.
This actually brings me back to my previous point on how I didn't feel confident enough in my writing. Because even though I was only writing essays and legal papers, I feel like I improved my writing in general in terms of voice. I've had this chapter done since April but I always felt so nervous about having it edited. Even after working on it and being told I need to rework the ending; I was scared that it wasn't enough. I had no confidence in myself and with my writing being the most intimate thing I share, my insecurity over it kept me from even touching this chapter until recently. I actually surprised myself with how easy I went about fixing what I needed to and even telling my editor that I was ready for a review.
I'm still a mess and my life is still pretty chaotic ... but I feel like I'm more confident now. It's the first time in a while I've been so certain about something and I'm proud of what I've done. This is my story and as much as I appreciate the comments that you all give, I want to be able to write my story the way I want with the confidence it deserves in being told. So fair warning now, there is still a lot more to come and I hope you don't mind the long ride it might take. R and R and stay safe guys 3.
