Heaven's Tale
Chapter 6 (revised)
"SHIKAMARU!" a loud, shrill female voice reverberated across the open field.
The brown haired man, closed his eyes shut, hoping that the blond did not spot him and that he blended with the surrounding greenery.
rustle... crunch... snap...
"Shikamaru!" Ino called out, spotting the lazy bum lying on the soft grass with his arms behind his head.
He sighed inwardly but continued to remain still hoping that she would think that he was taking a nap or get the hint that he did not want to be disturbed.
"Shikamaru!" Ino vocalised loudly into his ears enough to make his ear bleed. "I know you're not asleep. That won't work on me."
"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, cracking open his brown orbs. He yawned. "What is it?"
"Honestly, Shika," Ino started, exasperated with his attitude. "With this type of attitude no woman would want to marry you." She sat down, placing herself beside him and lay down, her pale golden locks splayed on the greenery. "Here." Ino smacked a brown envelope into his chest.
Shikamaru rubbed his chest slightly. "What is it?" he asked her, sitting up and tearing open the seal of the envelope.
"My modelling contract," Ino stated, looking up at the fluffy white clouds. "It's with the Subaku airline company." Shikamaru glanced at her surprised, staring at her intently. "What?" Ino asked, noticing his gaze.
"Troublesome," he replied again, softly to himself and broke his look away from hers. He began reading the contract, scanning page after page. "Why aren't you being paid for modelling?"
The blue eyed woman looked at him sheepishly. "Well I sort of... assaulted him."
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "You didn't tell me this when i picked you up from the airport," he stated.
"I left that part out," Ino pursed her full lips, guilt overcoming her. She normally tells Shikamaru everything.
"Troublesome. You should try to be nice to him. You're working for him after all," Shikamaru replied again, scanning the last page. "There's nothing unusual. You can sign it." He returned the contract back to her and lay back down on the ground.
"Ok, ok," Ino replied hurriedly. Ino flipped her body around so that now her belly is on the ground and not her back. She took out a pen from her hand bag and signed the contract. She folded the contract and tucked it into her hand bag. Later that day, she'd have to go back to the airport give in the document. "It's a huge campaign. It's hard to come by in my line of work." Ino continued, flipping her slender body again so that shes now facing the azure sky. "Normally, I'd be doing runways." No reply was given by Shikamaru. "Shikamaru!" Ino said, her voice 2 octaves higher. She glanced sideways at her childhood friend, who was gazing lazily at the clouds.
"I'm listening,"Shikamaru grimaced, his head throbbing.
Ino sighed and watched the clouds float slowly by. "After 4 years and you still come here for cloud watching," Ino mused to herself. "You know if you don't want people to find you, you should just find another spot."
"Too lazy," Shikamaru replied, closing his brown eyes. Ino smiled because she knew that in reality this place held a lot of memories for both of them. "You wouldn't be able to find me if i did," he added, quietly.
Ino looked at him in surprise and gave him a beautiful smile. Shikamaru cracked open his eyes and gave a small smile to her. "So..."Ino began. "You're a hotshot lawyer now. Don't you have work?"
Shikamaru sighed. "I do," he replied, remembering the stack of paper work on his desk.
"Your mom told me you're a corporate lawyer for huge corporations," Ino added. She stopped by Shikamaru's house previously to see if he was at home. However, he was not there. Instead, she chatted with Mrs Nara for an hour before excusing herself to check the fields.
"It pays well," Shikamaru replied. That was how he was able to buy himself a sports car in the first place.
"This modelling job..." Ino broke off, hesitant if she should tell him or not.
"What about it?" Shikamaru asked.
"It's my last..." Ino said, finally. Silence ensued. Ino did not hope for a reply from Shikamaru. She merely wanted to tell him. "I want to open my own photography studio. It'll be right next to the flower shop my family owns," Ino said excitedly. "I bought the shop lot next to it." Ino's eyes glistened.
"Is this what you want?" Shikamaru pressed. Ino loved to model. That was always her dream.
Ino nodded. "Yes, Shika. It is."
"Hn," Shikamaru replied. Although he did not say anything, she knows he would support her 110% in her endeavor.
"Hey! Look Shika. That looks like a pineapple," Ino laughed, pointing at the cloud.
Shikamaru touched his hair which was tied back into a pony tail. He did not mind if Ino made fun at him as long as she is happy. "elephant," Shikamaru joined in, pointing at another random cloud in the sky.
"Yeah and that one's a pair of platforms."
Shikamaru nodded. "A fish." He pointed to another cloud.
"And that's a ..." Ino felt her voice get hitched in her throat. She swallowed and continued. "... butterfly."
Shikamaru reached for her dainty right hand with his left hand and intertwined their fingers together. "You should visit him."
"I know but I'm..." She started, searching for a specific word to say. "Scared..."
"Then, we'll go together," Shikamaru said, firmly, reassuringly.
"Ok," Ino agreed, still holding onto his fingers and warmth.
"Ji-ji!" Naruto called out. He just came back from buying some ramen since there's nothing in the fridge. "Let's eat!" he called out again, putting a pot on the stove to boil some water. "Ji-ji," he tried again, checking Jiraiya's room and his study but he was not there. He wandered around the house when he noticed that the bathroom light was switched on. "Ji-ji!" Naruto pounded the wooden door but there was no response. He turned the doorknob but it was locked. That means that Jiraiya should be inside the toilet.
Thinking of the worst, Naruto kicked the door open only to see an unconscious old man on the floor. Naruto's cerulean eyes widened. He rushed to his Ji-ji's side and noticed blood on his old man's head. He cursed inwardly, he must have slipped and fell. He stepped out of the bathroom and dialed up Tenten's household.
"HELLO!" a very excited, boyish voice replied.
"Lee!" Naruto exclaimed, glad that he was at home.
"Naruto..."
"Lee!" Naruto cut in before Lee could continue on with his youthful words, his eyes filled with panic. "Ji-ji slipped and fell in the toilet. I need you to send us to the hospital. He's bleeding from the head pretty bad."
On the other hand of the receiver, Lee's face became horror-stricken. "Of course my friend, I'll bring the car to the entrance. Give me 30 seconds," Lee replied hurriedly, slamming the phone down and fled from his house like a hurricane.
Naruto panned down the phone and rushed to Jiraiya's side. He picked up the old man and leaned his body on his back. He ensured that his arms were wrapped around his neck and his legs around his waist. Since the elevator was taking too long, he bounded down the flight of stairs.
Lee met him at the entrance, at the sight of the limp figure on his blond friend's back; he quickly opened the door of his Honda to let them in and slammed it shut before running off to the driver's seat. A step on the accelerator, he sped off towards the Konoha Hospital.
Knock knock... knock knock...
"Please come in," a voice commanded.
Tenten turned the door knob and stepped in. This was her 3rd interview and her last as well. She hoped that the interview would go smoothly.
"Good morning," Tenten uttered in her most professional and confident voice that she could muster. She strutted in and noticed that the interviewer was an old man in his 50s with a wandering eye as he seemed to be taking in all her curves. Tenten sighed. If she did get this jo,b she hoped that she would not be working for him. He held out his hand and Tenten shook it firmly. However, his hand lingered on hers for a few seconds longer than he should. She immediately yanked her hand away from him and sat down on the chair. "My resume," she voiced out, placing the paper on his desk.
He nodded, eying the document but made no move to look through it. "You're hired," he replied.
Tenten's eyes widened. Surely getting a job would not be this easy. "I'm sorry," The bun-haired woman replied, unsure if she heard it correctly.
"You're hired," the old bald-headed man repeated again, his eyes straying to her cleavage.
She, instinctively, buttoned up her black shirt. She should have known not to wear something Ino picked out for her. "But you haven't read my resume?"
"I don't need to I'm sure you're more than capable of being my secretary," the old man stated, drooling at the site of her legs.
Tenten yanked down her pencil skirt as much as possible. She felt like socking the old man right in the nose. "Secretary?" She questioned. "I'm here to apply for the mechanical engineer position." Maybe she was in the wrong department.
"That position has already been filled," he replied, his eyebrows raised. "But the position as my secretary isn't. It's requires long hours," he told her. "But has great BENEFITS." He emphasized.
She looked at him disgusted. "Well..." Tenten stood up and grabbed her resume. "I'm sorry for wasting your time." She made her way towards the closed door but the old man pinched her butt and grabbed her waist.
"You haven't asked what the benefits are yet especially the after hours," he said slyly.
She seized his hand and twisted it behind his back. He yelped in pain. "Don't touch me," she hissed, releasing her grip on him. She walked out the door with her head held high and slammed the door shut.
Tenten sighed. "I need a drink," she muttered, tired.
A blond old woman came out of the hospital door. She had blond hair and a huge bosom.
Upon seeing the doctor, Lee and Naruto stood up and rushed by her side. "Obaachan," Naruto started, face filled with worry. "How's ji-ji?"
"He's good, Naruto. Minor concussion and 12 stitches to the head is all he needed," She explained. "Oh yeah and a couple of bruises on his chest."
Lee breathed out a sigh of relief. "See Naruto." The green clad man turned his attention towards his friend. "Nothing to worry about," he exclaimed, 2 thumbs up.
Naruto smiled but still had a few worries about Jiraiya's condition. "His chest?" Naruto questioned. He didn't notice anything like that on Jiraiya at all.
"Jiraiya tried to touch Tsunade-sama's breasts," A pink haired women replied out of the blue. Naruto's heart leapt as he heard the voice he lost for four years. "Welcome home, Naruto." She smiled at him. "Sakura-chan, my beautiful flower," Lee replied rushing to his crush and enveloping her in a tight hug.
She smiled at Lee and, then, thumped Naruto on the head with a chart she was holding. "You didn't come see me once since you came back," Sakura bellowed.
"About that... Sorry," Naruto grinned sheepishly while rubbing the back of his head. "Well... I'll better go check on my old man." He excused himself. "Thanks Lee for the ride. Sorry about the blood."
"Nonsense my youthful friend, all it needs is a little detergent and scrubbing." Lee smiled. "Since all is well, I have to go and resume training." And with a salute, Lee walked away.
"Well see you around, obaachan," Naruto said quietly. "I'll see you later, Sakura-chan."
"I worry about that brat sometimes," Tsunade muttered quietly to herself, watching Naruto enter the patient ward.
"Eh," Sakura questioned, her head tilted slightly in wonder. "Tsunade-sama. How do you know, Naruto?"
Tsunade gave her a bitter smile. "He used to come to the hospital often."
Sakura shrugged, not thinking much of anything her idol said. "Tsunade-sama, there are 10 more patients that you need to check up on," Sakura stated, eying the chart in her hand.
Tsunade sighed. She needed some sake.
"Ji-ji," Naruto called out, approaching the sleeping figure on the bed. He noticed that Jiraiya had a bandage wrapped around his head and also around his chest area. Naruto touched his wrist and breathed out a sigh of relief. Ji-ji was breathing. He was still breathing.
"I'm alive you know," Jiraiya croaked out. "You don't have to check my pulse every time I end up in the hospital."
Naruto smiled. "Yeah well you're the only person I got."
"I may be old but I still got a lot of life in me," Jiraiya continued. He attempted to sit himself up but his chest and head began to throb. "Is there any pain killers?"
Naruto looked around the room and shook his head.
"That Tsunade. She's doing this one purpose," Jiraiya complained. "Is there anything to drink?"
Naruto took a glass from the side table and filled it with water. "Here."
"Not that stuff. I meant sake, beer, whiskey," Jiraiya listed on.
"I don't think that's a good idea, Ji-ji," Naruto objected.
"ooohhhhh," Jiraiya moaned. "Can't you see I need something to numb my pain?"
Naruto sighed. "Ok but drink this water and take those pills and I'll buy them for you." Jiraiya nodded, grinning.
"Be nice to the nurses," Naruto warned. "And no groping or flirting or obaachan would cut your balls off." Jiraiya nodded, eyes wide at the prospect of him without his masculine attributes. "I'll be right back."
"Give me, sake," Tenten said, her voice in distress.
The tall man poured her a glass and slid it to her. He walked over, his tattooed face grinning. "It's your first time here?"
"Yeah," Tenten muttered, not wanting to get hit on again.
"You know when people come in depressed, they usually order whiskey," he chuckled, placing a napkin and a bowl of peanuts on the counter.
Tenten looked up at him and smiled. "I could use a glass."
He grinned again and poured her a shot of whiskey into another glass. "It's on the house."
Tenten smiled weakly and downed the glass in one go. "That was good. Very strong." She sighed, loudly.
"Can I know what's wrong?" He asked, wiping a few glasses clean with a towel.
"I went to 3 interviews today and I was offered a job by all three," Tenten said, and thumped her glass on the bar. "Hit me again."
Kiba looked confused. "But that's good news."
"No it isn't," Tenten uttered, frustrated. "I got the job cause they're all perverts." She grasped the glass as he poured the whiskey.
"Ah," he nodded, understandably. "Akamaru," he called out.
'woof... woof," a large dog came running towards the bar.
"This is Akamaru. He's great at cheering people up," The man whose cheeks was marred with red introduced. "Akamaru this lady here is...um..." he waited.
"Tenten," She smiled softly. "Nice to meet you Akamaru and ... um..." Tenten waited following the same tactic as the bartender.
He laughed, running his hair through his locks. "Kiba."
"Kiba huh. You're good," Tenten laughed, her disappointment forgotten momentarily. "Is this how you get all your female customer's names?"
He grinned. "Only the damsels in distress and the cute ones."
She laughed again, Kiba was just so easy going just like Naruto. Tenten liked him immediately.
'Woof... woof...' Akamaru bounded towards the doors leaping into the arms of a stranger.
"Akamaru," a blond-haired man grinned, amused. He patted the dog's head affectionately and looked up to meet the gaze of two familiar faces. "Yo, Tenten what are you doing here?" his voice called out.
"Naruto?" Tenten smiled, surprised. "Well, I needed a drink. What are you doing here?"
"Ji-ji wanted me to buy a drink." He answered. "Yo, Kiba. 2 bottles of sake to go."
Kiba handed him the 2 bottles. "Man... It's been so long since I last saw you. Where've you been?"
"In Tokyo with Tenten," Naruto grinned. Tenten looked at Naruto confused. "Ji-ji had me run around for drinks and this is the only place an under-aged teenager could get one."
"But that means he was underaged when he worked here." Tenten pointed to Kiba and gave him a one over. He looked her age.
"This place was a gift from my old man for my 15th birthday," Kiba explained.
Tenten's jaw dropped. " Isn't that like illegal?"
Kiba shrugged. "There are ways."
"He's loaded," Naruto explained. "His family owns the Inuzuka veterinarian clinics."
"Wow and you work here?" Tenten wondered.
"And there," Kiba shrugged. "I'm mostly there on weekends or certain days when there's emergencies. My sister and parents can handle it."
She nodded. "Hit me again and give one to Naruto too," Tenten said, taking in Naruto's tousled appearance.
"Sure," Kiba smiled. Naruto bent down to pat Akamaru on the head when another customer entered.
"Hinata!" Tenten yelled, leaping off from her stool and crushing the petite girl in a hug.
"Tenten," Hinata smiled, hugging her back.
"Hinata-chan," Naruto said, delighted; embracing her once Tenten broke away.
"Naruto-kun," Hinata yelped, her face heating up to see her crush.
"Kiba," The said man looked up. "Another drink for Hinata."
Kiba grinned, his smile showing his canine like teeth.
"Naruto," Tenten scolded. "You're hugging her to death. She's all red."
Naruto lifted her up and twirled her around before setting her on the floor again. "Sorry about that, Hinata-chan."
Hinata blushed furiously. "It's ok."
"You're not stuttering anymore," Tenten looked at her proudly. "Here have a drink."
Hinata nodded and brought the glass to her lips, taking a sip.
"What are you doing here, Hinata?" Kiba asked.
"You know her too?" Tenten asked, surprised. "Wow it really is a small world."
"We used to go to Konoha private high together," Hinata explained, smiling. " Oh I'm here cause uh there's a charity ball on Saturday. You're all invited." She replied, handing out the invitations. "Kiba, please give this invitation to Shino."
"No problem," He grinned, placing the invite in a drawer.
Naruto tore open his invite and read the contents. "Hey... Isn't this ball open to all citizens for free?" Naruto asked, remembering that Jiraiya mentioned the ball once when he called home.
Hinata nodded. "The invite is just for formalities."
"Yeah," Kiba added. "Some guys even give an invite to their girls so they'd go as couples. It's all for fun."
"Why is it free since it's for charity?" Tenten asked, she should ask Lee and Gai to go. Make it a family event.
"What it means is giving back to the Konoha community. It's been a good year," Kiba explained. "Good businesses, less crime, clean environment."
Hinata nodded, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. She seemed nervous but her eyes twinkled with excitement. "The ball is sponsored by big companies and the entire community has contributed something for the ball like flowers, food, drinks and decorations."
"Not to mention they will be some celebrities," Kiba added. He poured some water for himself and gulped it down. "I can't believe you didn't notice. The entire town is practically celebrating," He stated, pointing outside the window at the many happy faces.
Tenten followed his gaze. "I must have been too pre-occupied."
"No matter," Kiba pressed. "Better late than never."
Tenten nodded. She took a sip from her drink and laughed at the sight of Hinata and Naruto.
"It'll be so much fun Hinata-chan," Naruto smiled happily before air lifting her again and twirling her around. It was good to be home.
That night...
"I'm the murderer," Shin (acted by Sasuke) replied.
"But you can't be," Megumi (acted by Kurenai) yelped. "You were with me the night my husband was murdered."
Shin grew quiet, his gaze was anywhere but on her.
"Why did you do it?" Megumi persisted, tears glistening in her eyes.
"Because I love you," Shin replied quietly.
"KKYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Sakura screamed, all fangirl-ish. " Sasuke-kunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!"
Neji sighed. Sakura insisted that they watch the drama together. The storyline was good he had to admit but with all her screaming and swooning, there's so much that a guy could take.
"Sasuke-kunnnnnnnnnnnnn," Sakura started again, squeeling in delight as the actor took his shirt off for a scene.
Neji flinched at her voice. What did she say? The guys name was Sasuke? Why did the name sound familiar? He shrugged it off. "I'll go make more tea," he told his girlfriend, who nodded and waved him off.
3 days later...
"Beautiful...Sexy... you're gorgeous, sweet heart," The French photographer exclaimed happily, snapping Ino's photograph. "Move that leg to the side, sweet heart."
Ino posed and gave it her all. This was her last modeling job and she wanted to make sure she gave it her best. She was in the aeroplane, standing at the lane at the 1st class area, one hand with a glass of champagne the other with her vintage red round luggage. She placed the luggage on the floor and started to take of her sunglasses and twirling it around her fingers.
"Beautiful, mademoiselle," The French man breathed. "And that's it." He stopped and placed his camera on the seat. He approached her and kissed her on both cheeks. " You have done a brilliant job. I shall see you in 2 weeks for the next photoshoot."
"Of course," Ino smiled.
"Ah Monsieur Gaara," The Frenchman smiled, noticing the tall red head. "Our photoshoot have gone exquisitely well. Ino is the best at her work," he complimented her.
Gaara nodded. "I am sorry, Monsieur Anton, but may I have a word with Yamanaka-san."
"Why most certainly?" Monsieur Anton smiled. "Now I have to go see how my photos come out." He took his camera and walked to the back of the aeroplane.
Gaara looked at Ino intently. She looked gorgeous in a miniskirt and long purple silk blouse. He blinked. He should not be having thoughts of a person he hired like that. He needs to be professional. Sure she was pretty but her attitude needed to be worked on. "What?" Ino snapped, nervous at his stare.
Gaara gave her a small card." You are to be my escort for the charity ball."
Ino examined the card and nodded. "Ok."
Gaara blinked . That was easy. He thought that she'd resist or firmly decline his invite.
"Your clients will be there, right," Ino questioned.
"Hn," Gaara nodded. "I'll pick you up at 7pm."
"Alright," Ino smiled for the first time around him. He blinked again. A stir was felt in his heart. "It'll be so much fun." Ino turned around, bent down and took her handbag from the ground. Gaara tried hard not to look at her round bottom. She coughed. "I know we haven't started on the right note."
Gaara brought his eyes to meet hers. "That was your fault," Gaara reminded her.
Ino gave him a glare but resisted to yell at him. "I just want us to be friends," she explained, slowly.
"Friends," Gaara repeated.
"YES," Ino said impatiently and a little loudly. "Friends?" she asked him, offering him her hand.
Gaara gave her a smirk. "Friends and your boss."
"Fine," Ino huffed but a hint of a smile on her lips.
TBC
Finally I'm done. I got to get ready for a holiday in half an hour and my bus is just in an hour. I finally finished. I'm so sorry for the 2 day delay and plus I did not read through my fic so there should be mistakes.
I'm sorry for angelgrl for not adding in the movie scene mainly cause well he was in a drama lol. But i loved the idea. and thus the sakura and neji scene above. And i have an idea on how neji meets sasuke as well.
So sorry to cherry flamingo for not answering back her PM. I was so busy these days. But here's the fic.
Thanks to cherry flamingo, lily on coffee, angelgrl and rixclassa for reviewing. Enjoy.
I have revised this chapter since it was unsatisfactory. please read is since i added some dialogues to explain the charity ball