Snow crackled under the feet of three teens as they walked down the sidewalk, one walked in front, smiling innocently, while the other two walked at a slower pace. The sun had risen and the snow began to soften into slush, the dirt that had been hidden beneath the white layers resurfaced as it mixed to sully the snow into a dark colored mess.
Megumi glimpsed over her shoulder to see Emiko with a calm look, she wasn't smiling but she seemed content as she walked beside the Uchiha who strode along with his hands in his pockets and his eyes straight ahead. Had Megumi not noticed the small glances between Emiko and Sasuke she would have thought Emiko was walking beside a brick wall.
"Arigato." Emiko murmured, the ends of her lips faintly upturned as she watched the ground contemplation. Silence followed and Emiko took her time before explaining her gratitude. "For bringing back my camera and for hanging out."
She let out a small chuckle as she noticed Sasuke pause, unsure of how to respond. Without hesitation Emiko covered the moment as she continued to talk.
"Why didn't you go home last night?" The question had been steadily nipping at her mind ever since she had seen him in the classroom late that night. "Won't your parents wonder where you were?"
"No." His lack of silence before he answered baited her interest and she leapt at the chance to pry further. 'Don't be rude though,' she reminded herself as she reviewed her following question to make sure it wasn't offensive.
"Why?" Her voice was soft and coated with innocent curiosity. Footsteps paused and Emiko turned to see Sasuke standing still, his eyes trained on her calmly before his mouth opened to reply. Emiko held his gaze bravely, praying that he would tell her, something, anything. Her gut churned as she pried into his eyes with somber worry when she noticed a flicker of sadness in his eyes.
"They're dead." The apathy in his voice sent more chills than the harshest winter and Emiko's eyes softened to show her sorrow at what he had said.
"Sumi-"
"Don't." Sasuke placed one foot before he other and continued to walk past the girl. 'There's more to him…' She recognized as she felt him brush past her with the usual uncaring nature.
Yet she stayed cemented to the spot, ignoring the winds that whipped her cheeks into a light flush, and let her unblinking gaze waver from where he had stood to the road and eventually focusing the grime coating it in potential black ice. 'Dangerous and unseen,' her imagination evaded her grasp as she tried to reign in her mental creations of what could have happened to Sasuke's family.
'Emiko calm down, you barely know the guy,' her senses snapped to and she hastily blinked back the cold induced tears before she turned and hurried to regroup with her friends.
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"Emi-chan!" Naruto waved his hand frantically to capture the girl's attention as she walked onto the school grounds with two other people he couldn't quite recognize. As they walked closer Naruto's eyes widened in recognition of the two following Emiko.
"Leave it to Emiko to pick up strays." Sakura giggled quietly behind her hand. As the definition of each new comer was steadily defined Emiko could hear the happy gasps as the only warning before both Ino and Sakura ran to Emiko.
The others hung back, clearly untrusting of the two that Emiko had brought with her. Seeing their caution Emiko smiled and waved for them to come over, Hinata was the first to obey as she walked quietly towards the group, a small blush was upon her face as she nervously welcomed the two. Sasuke had remained calm and indifferent even under the stares of various girls but as soon as Sakura and Ino rushed forward wearing identical looks of adoration he changed.
'Damn, he's shutting down,' Emiko thought as she noticed Sasuke stop feet away from the group with an irritated change in his features. 'And I was hoping this was going to be easy…' she mused sadly before she turned to Sakura and Ino who watched her with shinning hopeful eyes.
"Why is he here!" Ino was the first to plead, her question prying an audible sigh from the brunette before she turned to motion for Megumi to step closer. The girl oblidged and stepped near to the group.
"First, this is Megumi." Megumi waved shyly, her hazel eyes flitting from person to person until they rested upon Naruto who managed to give her his casual fox grin. Next to her, Emiko felt her relax and followed Megumi's line of sight to see Naruto welcoming her warmly. 'Why can't he be this welcoming to Sasuke,' she took the opportunity to introduce everyone from the group to Megumi. As they began to interact Emiko stepped back to stand before Sasuke.
"They won't bite." She teased in an attempt to hopefully comfort his irritation. Black eyes were directed at her and she concentrated fully into refusing to escape his gaze. A former sense of self-consciousness awoke beneath her skin, its presence spreading like a disease through her veins. Her skin began to prick as heat rose to her face under his gaze, it felt stripping and uncomfortable for her to hold onto someone's gaze for so long and despite the feeling of insecurity circulating dangerously through her mind she clutched to the connection with a fierce desire.
Her conscious tore her eyes as she refused to be so gullible and she crossed her arms, another small smile playing upon her lips. "I promise." Sakura, realizing the two were speaking bounded over to become the third and Ino quickly followed. It wasn't even seconds when Naruto appeared beside the three girls, a sharp glare in his usually cheery blue eyes.
"What are you doing here?" Naruto's obvious suspicion was greeted with indignation. Not by Sasuke who seemed to care less but by his new fan girls who readily jumped to his defense.
"Naruto don't be such an idiot!"
"Yeah baka!"
"You're just jealous!"
Emiko held up her hands to try and catch their attentions but it had no apparent effect as they continued to argue with the blonde.
"ORANGE PEELS!" Immediately they silenced and Emiko let out a low sigh of vexation before she took her chance to speak.
"Orange peels?" sasuke interrupted and Sakura jumped at the moment to speak to him. Her voice was soft and layered in honey, something Emiko guessed she felt for the Uchiha.
"Emiko says that to get everyone's attention." Sakura began to explain and stepped closer to the raven haired teen. Ino, seeing the 'connection' between the two stepped forward and pushed herself into the conversation.
"It's her way of saying that we should all be quiet, to calm down and stuff." Black eyes glanced over their heads to see Emiko standing beside Naruto with a clear amusement dancing in her eyes.
"Sakura, Ino, don't crowd him." Emiko ordered and gradually both of the girls broke away after giving each other warning glances for each step they took back. Sudden chill passed over Emiko and she took a fleeting look over her shoulder to see two unfortunately familiar forms standing behind her.
"That's right, trash, don't touch Sasuke-kun. We don't want one of our friends to get sick because of your germs." Kyoko's whiney voice matched her obnoxious color combination of make up. Lime green eyeliner and lemon colored eye shadow to contrast the black mascara weighing down her eyelashes.
'God, add some red and she'll be a traffic light.' Emiko didn't bother restraining her vindictive thoughts as she released her ruthless sarcasm upon the two in her mind. 'A whorish traffic light.' She added upon further thought.
"You really shouldn't be one to speak of germs. Who knows what kind of disease you're passing around." Emiko retorted sharply. Heavily masked eyes met her with disgust and hatred before Kyoko turned her head to Toya who still had his arm coiled around her protectively.
'It's not like anyone would want her anyway,' Emiko glowered at them. Kyoko was wearing another pair of jeans with slits tearing through the fabric until about her mid thigh. Her knee high socks didn't do much for warmth and Emiko found a sense of amusement as the girl shivered in the cold. Her jacket was hot pink and in small words on the left it read 'baby' in purple rhinestones.
"Sasuke-kun what are you doing with these," Kyoko paused, her nose scrunched in such a way that Emiko thought she resembled a hippie raccoon. "people." Venom dripped from the word and Emiko's fist clenched at her side. Beside her Emiko could almost feel Naruto quivering in desire to lunge at the pair and beat them beyond recognition.
It was then Toya noticed Megumi standing happily amongst Hinata, Kiba and Shikamaru who were all talking amongst themselves, their minds cut from the commotion stirring feet away.
"Megumi, you traitor." Toya spat angrily. At the mention of her name Megumi spun only to pale as she saw a furious Toya and disgusted Kyoko. The white haired teen took a step towards her when Emiko appeared between them. Her mismatched eyes hardened into a steely gaze and Toya paused, unnerved by the metal in her eyes although he wouldn't admit it.
"You don't get to pick on anyone." Emiko challenged and with a peek over her shoulder Kiba placed a comforting hand on Megumi's shoulder. Visibly the girl relaxed and Emiko grinned before shooting both of the Uniforms a heated glower.
"Back off Kigurashi. I'm talking to Megumi and Sasuke." Sakura stepped up behind Emiko. Quickly Ino joined her and Naruto, not wanting to be hidden in the background, jumped in front of the small defense line now forming between Megumi and Toya.
"Go away or you'll have to face me!" Naruto exclaimed loudly, his fist raised to reinforce his statement. His eyes were humorless but Emiko could understand Toya's obvious amused skepticism at the loud blonde who was doing his best to express his threat. Had Emiko not known Naruto better she would have been like Toya but she knew that Naruto kept to his word and always followed through. 'It was his way of living.' He had declared once.
Foolishly Toya let out a callous laugh before he attempted to smack Naruto with an effortless slap. 'Wrong move,' Emiko thought to herself before she stepped back. Of course Naruto caught his hand and immediately jumped to action as he twisted it and in a blur of orange Naruto landed a punch squarely into Toya's gut. The man hunched over and a loud growl was audible from his shortened form and Emiko prepared for a retaliation.
"Leave Toko." A shadow crossed in front of Naruto and the blonde stared in a flurry of anger and surprise as Sasuke stood before them, his hand was clasped around Toya's fist halting it's path. A fusion of anger and shock contorted the teen's face before he wrenched his fist from the Uchiha's grip and turned to Kyoko. They wrapped arms around each other's waists and Toya brushed past Naruto and Sasuke to stand before Emiko who readily met his scowl with a fire of her own.
Words failed to explain his hate and repulsion of the brunette standing defiantly before him so he chose to physically take action. Emiko waited, slowly feeling uncertain by the lack of movement of her enemy. As she opened her mouth to speak something struck her face and with sickening realization she staggered to wipe the spit from her cheek.
The nauseating moment passed and the vile feeling was burned away by fury. Fury that compelled her to lunge at him with a newfound level of hell reserved specifically for him. An arm wrapped around her waist yet it didn't do anything to curb her sudden rage.
"Calm down." Sasuke's voice ordered and Emiko gradually felt her fury reduce to a boiling madness barely suppressed from her mouth or fist. Toya and Kyoko both let out sadistic laughter, the desire to kill one of them rising higher as her fist clenched again. "Baka stop." The laughter fell dead as the Uniforms watched the scene. Sasuke was the one restraining Emiko who looked all too willing to kill. As her fingernails dug into her palm Sasuke grabbed her wrist and squeezed it tightly to get his point across.
In grudging stages she released her fist and resigned from her attack against the Uniforms. Although suspicious Sasuke removed his arm from around Emiko once she seemed to be calmed and collected.
"You better leave before I kick your ass!" Naruto threatened angrily and his warning seemed to be shared by everyone in the group. Taking the moment to escape, as it was a rare chance, both Toya and Kyoko and scurried off while trying to maintain their air of superiority although it was difficult once Kyoko stumbled in her heels and landed face first on the ground.
Emiko burst into laughter with the Naruto and quickly felt her anger peel away as she watched the Uniforms scurry away. Realizing what had previously been on her cheek Emiko let out minute squeak and grabbed Naruto's sleeve to clean her face incessantly.
"Hey! Stop it!" Naruto protested as he pulled his jacket from her grip.
"I can't believe he did that." Emiko whined, her anger subsiding beneath her eyes as she tried to brush away the fact of what had passed minutes earlier.
"You looked ready to kill him." Sakura's voice was quiet and Emiko noticed that both of Sasuke's adorers were subdued, standing away alongside each other with an untraceable glaze upon their eyes. Hinata quietly appeared beside Emiko and handed her a tissue which she eagerly used.
"You're so troublesome…" Shikamaru added in a bored tone causing the group to laugh away the stressed atmosphere.
"Come on guys, we have to get to class." Kiba called loudly for the others to join and Emiko herded the group into the school.
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"Naruto you should really stop that." Emiko muttered, her uninterested voice was rightfully paired with her blank eyes. Her head was rested upon her hand as she stared blankly at the blonde sitting before her.
The abrupt comment snapped him from his sleep and blue eyes opened groggily to the world. Blinks cleared the daze from his eyes and he gradually turned in his chair to look to Emiko with faint confusion.
"You were snoring, dobe." Sasuke spoke from beside the blonde and Emiko chuckled upon seeing the blonde teen's reaction. Less than ecstatic, Naruto opened his mouth to retort angrily but stopped as he noticed the lack of attention from anyone.
He glanced at the brunette behind him and noticed the faraway look in her eyes, her blue and brow eyes were varnished with daydreams as they stared out of the window. Daydreaming seemed to be the national theme as Shikamaru was staring at the ceiling, Kiba was practically asleep on his desk and both Ino and Sakura were watching Sasuke with childhood longing.
"Class," the haze passing over the students seemed to lighten faintly as they began to drag their minds back into the classroom. Sakura released a sigh willingly before finally paying attention to the teacher as she stood before the class.
"Today, as I'm sure many of you have heard, is my last day." In fact no one had heard such a thing but at the lack of reaction, either negative or positive, the teacher decided they had known for long enough that they could contain their sadness. Foolish, but it worked as she smiled brightly and continued on. "Your new teacher will be showing up tomorrow and I trust you'll be civil and welcoming." Little breaks of laughter erupted in different areas of the class
Emiko yawned openly and fought to hide her groan as she noticed the tears welling in the teacher's eyes. 'Oh come on, don't cry, that's just stupid,' she mentally reprimanded the adult. One, for being weak enough to cry and two, for being stupid enough to show her emotion in front of a class of hooligans who really didn't care.
"Now the homework is written on the board," the assignments were listed in clear penmanship upon the chalk board. "Also there will be a project due in a month. You, and a group you are assigned, will research intensely for a job you could possibly want in the future." Emiko's grunt was masked in a sea of noise as the class began to moan in protest.
"I've written the rubric upon the chalkboard and I'm expecting you to come to a mutual decision with your partners before you make your report." On the left side of the chalkboard was a rubric. 'Too expensive to print out copies,' Emiko thought sourly as she flipped open her only notebook to quickly jot down the rubric.
'What would I research…' she thought over her potential jobs of the future. 'Drug dealer, waitress, store clerk, stripper,' the list, to say the least, was far from inspiring for someone who was in danger of never leaving the neighborhood. With a glance into her bag she realized what she wanted to be and with a laugh she sketched the word upon her copied rubric.
Rubric:
Interview with person of chosen career/10
Facts and statistics/20
Places to work/5
Salary and benefits/10
Written paper/40
Requirements for job/15
Photographer, Emiko retraced the word with further ink and leaned forward to catch Naruto's attention.
"What are you thinking about researching?" Emiko asked as she rested her head on her hand and leaned forward to wait calmly for his response.
"Undercover police officer." Naruto declared happily and show cased his make shift rubric. There at the top in Naruto's scrawled writing was the word undercover and Emiko nodded, her eyes admitting her surprise at his choice. She had never doubted he would choose an honest and positive job but she was unsure if he would be able to pull off undercover work amongst drug dealers and gangsters.
"I picked mother." Sakura stepped forward vocally and joined the conversation happily. The surprise at Naruto's choice was erased as she turned to her pink haired friend. 'She must marry someone rich then,' the picture of miniature pink haired girls and boys surrounding Sakura in her neat dress flashed briefly through her mind.
"You might need to be married for that though." Emiko kept her feminist views from her voice and replaced it with a sense of bluntness. At this Sakura blushed but kept firm in her decision.
"I know…" Such statement seemed to contain something shaded from her friends. Emiko's brows knit in bewilderment as Sakura and Ino locked eyes and for a second, it seemed as though their friendship had dissolved in the acid of rivalry and jealousy before they both smiled with sweet innocence.
"We still have to get groups." Mentioning the groups seemed to iron the still happiness from the environment only to fill it with a new sentiment that Emiko couldn't quite identify.
The airs churned and coiled, its tentacles wrapping around each person to instill the poison of confusion and silence amongst the formerly open friends. Sakura and Ino turned from each other, both focusing instead upon their papers with a new determination Emiko hadn't witnessed since their last competition.
Was that it? Emiko's question seemed to be the same as everyone's as they exchanged quiet glances while the two girls continued to scratch words into their papers. 'Are they competing?' the last time the two teenage girls had competed over something it had been finally resolved after months of tense silence between not only the two but everyone surrounding them.
'But last time they fought over a…' a dawn of realization broke into Emiko's eyes as they immediately trained on Sasuke's back. Throughout the conversations both silent and voiced he had remained calm with his fingers laced and his eyes only occasionally glancing at Emiko to make a silent exchange of knowledge. '…a guy…'
'damn…'
