The rumor and the plan
Flashback
"Alright Naruto…before we leave I have some rules for you" Kushina tells him with a serious expression.
"...I won't throw any parties mom" Naruto replies, crossing his arms.
"..that's on it but...rule number one, keep the house clean, number two we will be sending over some souvenirs that will be mailed here" Kushina exclaims.
"Why don't you bring them when you come back?" Naruto said seeing the hassle.
"Well you do remember that your father won this world tour trip tickets for two….but-" Kushina said with a smile, chuckling. "I also won something...the prize money, so expect alot of things coming your way…now on to rule number three...an important rule…. don't bring any girls to the house-"
"W-what?...where did that come from!" Naruto said surprised she would think he would bring a girl home or that he had any to bring.
"Well you are a young man living alone-" Kushina said in a sweet tone, imagining the worst.
"...are you serious!" Naruto shouts with a blush. "Why!..do you think like that...I promise you I won't-"
"Good...or else.." Kushina said with a scary smile and brings up a pan.
"...n-not the pan" Naruto said shaking in fear, holding his head.
Flashback ended
The voice of his mother echoed in his brain which triggered that flashback. Honestly, he forgot about it since he thought he wouldn't break any of her rules but at this very second. He is in his room with a girl but not just any girl, a girl who would cause his mother to think the wrong idea, the insistent she sees her.
"Was that?" Ino spoke curious who entered his apartment.
However, before she could get an answer, Naruto quickly ran to his lights and turned it off. Surprising Ino but then felt Naruto grib her arms. He pushed her into his closet. Ino wasn't sure how to react to this sudden action.
"..stay..put and quiet" Naruto whispers.
"Why-" Ino said in her normal tone.
"shhh!...I will help you with your club and stuff just...don't make a sound" Naruto whispered with panic in his voice.
Ino felt his fingers against her lips causing her not to reply. Though, she heard what he said and nodded. She felt the finger leave her lips then the sound of the closet closed. She can hear Naruto leave the room. She breathes out and leans against the wall.
Ino shaked her head and chuckled softly to herself. She never thought coming to Naruto's apartment would end up being pushed into his closet. She doesn't know if she should be angry that he pushed her in without telling her anything or laugh about the fact that she let him.
OOO
Minato and Kushina were at the front, taking their shoes off. They just came back from the long trip. They couldn't wait to see Naruto. Even for a little since, they are going straight to bed after this. Kushina was yawning and notice a pair of shoes next to Naruto's that was unfamiliar to her. She squints at them and realized they were girl shoes.
"Hey...welcome home-" Naruto said jogging to them with a smile.
"...do you have a girl over?" Kushina asked him with a serious expression.
Naruto stops jogging and froze, a few feet from them with his smile that slowly shrinks. "How does she know!" he thought yelling inside his head.
"Do you remember the rules Naruto" Kushina said walking over. "No..girls-"
Before she could finish, she passes out but Minato was quick enough to catch her. Naruto flinched thinking that she was going to attack him.
"I guess jet lag got to her first" Minato said smiling at her sleeping face. "I might be next soon...I'll bring her to the bedroom...we will talk in the morning Naruto"
"Ya...you guys must be tired" Naruto states watching his father carrying his mother to the bedroom.
"Very...we were sitting in front of a kid in the plane.." Minato said yawning. "Kept kicking my seat...and your mothers...we didn't get much sleep"
"Oh.." Naruto said chuckling. "Well goodnight"
Naruto felt relieved. He was saved once again and didn't have to face the pan. So he thought. Minato stopped at the front of their room.
"...Get your friend out before your mom wakes up" Minato said with a slight smirk and enters the room.
Naruto was lost with words. He just wants to hide in his room and not go out ever. Though, that's a problem too because Ino is in his room still. Naruto slowly walks to his room with a frown.
OOO
Ino heard the door click. She wondered if Naruto came back. The lights were still turned off. She can hear footsteps coming closer to her. She gulps feeling nervous. The closet door slides open and a light is flashed at her face. She covered her eyes and tried to look at who was beaming the light at her face.
"Ino…" Naruto whispers, flashing his phone light at her.
"Can I come out now" Ino whispers wanting to leave this cramped space.
"Ya..but walk slowly and be quiet" Naruto whispered.
"Why?...who the hell is here that is making you act like a crazy person" Ino whispered annoyed.
"...my parents just got back from vacation" Naruto states.
"Oh…" Ino said and blushes at the idea of them, finding the two of them in Naruto's room.
"..ya..this time your getting the right idea" Naruto states seeing her expression. "Lets go"
Naruto took her hand and pulled her out of the closet. He walks her to the door and pokes his head out to see if his parents are not there. It was clear. Naruto slowly walks Ino to the door. Ino was moving her head, side to side, hoping not to find his parents. She was nervous to get caught but also felt a little excited. She squeezed Naruto's hand from that feeling.
Naruto looked at his hand that was just squeezed. "Why am I holding her hand still?" he thought and lets go. Ino felt the release and looked at her hand leaving Naruto's. Suddenly, she felt her excitement go down.
"Alright..put your shoes on" Naruto said opening the door.
Ino did what he said. After that, Naruto opened the door for her. She went through it and so did Naruto. Ino turned to him and wondered if he was going to walk her out. The last time, she had the door slammed to her face when she left.
"So-" Naruto spoke.
"I'm fine walking myself out.." Ino states walking to the elevators. "I'll see you tomorrow Naruto-"
"Hold on" Naruto said crossing his arms and made Ino wait. "If im going to help you...we need to set up meetings"
"Of course...after school-" Ino said.
"No...I don't feel productive being around so many people" Naruto states. "Its a hassle...I rather work alone...but in this case"
"You want to have a meeting...with just me?" Ino said pointing to herself with a surprised expression.
"...I'm going to sacrifice my lunch time but...if your serious...then" Naruto said with a small sigh.
"...ok" Ino said nodding and rubbing her hands together. "Sure"
Ino starts walking backwards to the elevator. It was hard for her to decide if she was alright with this arrangement. Her back hits the elevator doors. Naruto was still standing in the same place. His eyes were on her. His expression hasn't change. It didn't seem nervous like how she was.
"You know the door isn't automatic right?" Naruto asked raising his voice a little.
Ino flinched and blushed. She turned around quickly and growled a bit. She pressed the down button. The doors slide open. She enters it. "I'm not that dumb...idiot" she thought and walks further inside. She breathes out and turns around. To her surprise, Naruto was still there. "Why isn't he going in already" she thought and moves her hand to the ground floor button.
"Oh good...you know how to work it" Naruto spoke.
"...Of course you ass-!" Ino said until the door shuts.
Naruto turned to his apartment and sighed. He can already feel the headaches and most of them aren't Ino. His parents worries him. Especially his mother, if she finds out a girl was over at his place. There will be hell to pay. With that thought, he walks back into his apartment.
OOO
School begins like any other day. Crowded halls, students chattering, groups formed and new rumors being spread. Class was about to begin. Naruto was already sitting, looking through his window. Ino just came in with Sakura. They waved each other goodbye before taking their seats. Iruka came and began his lesson.
He started writing notes on the board. Most of the students were copying it down and others were on their cellphones. Ino and Sakura were doing both, sending text and writing notes down. Their was also a faint chatter among some of the students. They kept glancing at Ino.
"Have you heard what is being spread around school?" Sakura texted
"What?" Ino replied back.
"They said...you and the prince were talking to each other after school"
"What prince?" Ino replied with a confused expression.
"Sasuke...that's his nickname" Sakura texted and tapped her phone screen wondering if she should send another message. "I also saw the two of you after school"
"Now hold on, does everyone think something is going on with me and Sasuke!? Also what were you doing after school?" Ino replied, beginning to tap her desk nervously. Her school life just went downhill.
"Yes and I was helping Neji and his club...which you should have also been doing...but I understand since you were with Sasuke"
"We aren't like that" Ino typed quickly.
Iruka coughed loudly, causing the two girls to look up at a smiling Iruka with his hand out. They were both caught and handed over their phones to him.
"You will get them when lunch starts" Iruka states placing their phones on his desk.
"Yes sir" they both said with frowns.
Ino grab her pencil and returned to copying the notes. Unfortunately, her mind was on the rumor being spread. That kind of attention was worse and it doesn't affect her. It also affects Sasuke. She looked over at him and was shocked seeing him on his phone. "...he text?...in class too?" she thought stunned that he would do such a thing. Her eyes then moves to Naruto who had his head down on his desk. "Has he heard it" she thought.
Ino has to wait until lunch starts to find out. She rest her arm on the desk and placed her cheek on her palm.
OOO
The lunch bell rings. Everyone got up from their desks and left the room. Ino and Sakura walked over to Iruka, to get their phones returned to them.
"You two should stop texting to each other...you might miss an important note that might show up in an upcoming test" Iruka said giving them their phones.
"We know" Ino said with her head down.
"Sorry" Sakura said after.
They moved away from Iruka and started walking toward the exit.
"So you two aren't seeing each other?" Sakura whispered to her.
"Of course not" Ino whispered back in anger.
Ino didn't want to think of that anymore. She had a meeting to go to and it seemed like Naruto already left. His desk was empty. A subtle vibration came from her hand. She pulled it out and turned it on
"Come up" sender Naruto.
Ino was shocked to see him send a message for once. If this didn't prove he was serious about helping her, she doesn't know what is. She gripped her phone and turned to Sakura.
"Just forget it...and I'm going for lunch" Ino said going through the exit.
"Oh..let me come with-" Sakura said.
"Um...no, have lunch with the guys...I have to go lunch.." Ino said trying to think of a lie. "Somewhere else...with someone...to talk about something...important…..so see you later"
Ino said awkwardly running to the stairs. Sakura didn't know what to say. What she said confused her and made her suspicious. "Hmm..whats up with her" she thought.
Ino reached the last floor and ran to the club room. She opened the door and saw no one. She hoped Naruto didn't leave because she was late. She looked at the text message again. "Come up...well I'm here!..where are you" she thought realizing she could text him back.
"I'm up..where are you?" Ino texted him.
"..I'm up...your down"
"What?" Ino said completely confused.
"No, I don't see you up in the club room!" she texted while clenching her teeth.
"...by come up I mean-"
OOO
The door slams open causing Naruto to jolt from his seat.
"THE ROOF!" Ino yell. "Why the hell are you up here!"
"...well it was quiet" Naruto said looking up at her.
"Uh.." Ino said not sure what to say to that. "How would you expect me to figure out what you meant...I never even been to the roof or even knew that your allowed up here"
"...your not" Naruto replied. "..i think"
"...ARE YOU TRYING TO GET US IN TROUBLE!" Ino shouts in anger.
"When are you going to stop shouting" Naruto said covering his ears. "I was at peace and you just had to ruin it"
"Not my fault!" Ino said lowering her voice a little, taking a seat next to him. "...now explain to me why did you want me here"
Ino was greeted by a book Naruto slid in front of her. It was opened to a page with a title bolded saying, "Aiming for the top plan" she thought.
"Is this" Ino said picking up the book.
"The help I'm offering you" Naruto said leaning against the wall.
"..step one...be known" Ino reads.
"..if you want to make your...goal come true...your club needs to exist...meaning" Naruto said tilting his head to her. "It can't be a secret forever"
"...I-i know that" Ino said feeling a little creeped out by his head movement. "..though-"
"Though nothing...the upcoming festival...or before it happens...the club will make advertisements"
"...so making signs and putting up posters" Ino said, pulling her phone out.
"Yup..but what will be on it is important...it needs to make the club seem..less boring" Naruto states.
"...like how...come one come all to play some cards?" Ino suggested.
"...your thinking more of the card games...but...there's more" Naruto states.
"What do you mean?...more types of games" Ino asked.
"Card club….it can mean a variety of things...one that is commonly thought is...playing cards...but there are other things that uses cards….an example...tarot cards, pokemon cards, Yuigoh cards…"
"...so basically anything involving cards.." Ino said getting a few ideas. "We can do fortune telling with tarot cards..that will get attention...though i don't think anyone in the club knows how to use them"
"...fake it" Naruto said.
"Fake it?...i don't want anyone to think my club is a fake" Ino said angry.
"...well thats going to be happening…" Naruto said crossing his arms.
"Woah..hold on there-" Ino said raising her voice.
"Look at the next step" Naruto said closing his eyes.
Ino looks at the book again.
"Step two...faking it...create a card game that will make the students eager to come...similar to Tarot cards...but instead of getting your future told...its-" Ino said with her eyes widening.
"...who might you become...based off...anime" Naruto said with a smile thinking about his favourite anime.
"...idiot" Ino said.
"Hm!...hey!" Naruto said opening his eyes and looking at her but notice she had her eyes glued to the book.
"This is a great idea...I think it will work" Ino said with a big smile. "I can already image what the cards can be"
"...yup...but" Naruto said turning his full body to him. "You do know...you can't-"
"...side note...Ino must not be known she is involved with the club..she can only work on the sidelines" Ino reads with a small frown. "I understand..and I'm ok with that...as long as I can help the club in the sidelines..thank you Naruto"
"...your welcome" Naruto said looking away. "Also...because I'm helping you during lunch...I'm not going to put my full effort in making the card game-"
"I got it" Ino said looking at him.
"...oh, you do?" Naruto said surprised, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you would fight me over to helping"
"..i can't rely on you to do everything...it won't feel right" Ino exclaims, getting up. "I will use your outline and make it happen...plus"
Ino opens the door and looks at him at the corner of her eye. Naruto felt a chill.
"This isn't a right time to fight" Ino said smiling. "But just know...I'll make you work"
Ino walks back into the building. Naruto stayed, sitting with a shocked expression. For some reason, he felt like he digged his own grave. That was a different side of ino, he hasn't witness before. Reminds him of Sara and there he goes.
Naruto leaned against the wall. It was too late for him to turn back. It was the very minute he met with Sara. He closed his eyes and began to remember that day. He bumped into her in the hall. He could have easily avoided her. He could have made an excuse that he was busy or already joined a club. Actually, the very minute was when he stepped foot in the club room.
"...will I ever get my solitude back" he thought looking at the blue sky.