BEFORE THE STORY STARTS:
Thank you guys sooo very much for reviewing! Gosh! Thank you for all your comments -is happy- (: But I have to be honest and say that I really don't know the plotline myself yet. :X I'm really grateful that you guys would take the time to comment, that's really nice! Your opinions are taken into consideration (almost always), and I appreciate them mucho:DDD so anyways, enjoy! THIS CHAPTER WAS EDITED BY INK CHILD-SAN, TOO! (: (thank her!)
Yours Truly
Pairing: SasuHina
Rating: T
Summary: The new shop girl has Sasuke's heart a-flutter. The problem: she doesn't know who he is; that, and her best friend, and just about every other girl their age and younger, claim to love him.
Chapter 2: First Love
It was already 8:15 pm, past closing time, which meant that, give or take, Hinata had waited 34 minutes for Sakura to come back. If Sakura really needed to go to the restroom and stay there for such a long time Hinata decided that she might have bladder problems. Knowing the pink-haired girl, Hinata predicted that her friend was probably distracted by…Hinata looked around – everything in Sharingan.
The pale-eyed girl concluded that her friend wouldn't remember her…at least not until she remembered that her standard-issue employee badge was missing. Based on previous experiences, it would take Haruno Sakura approximately 20 minutes or so to remember her "best" friend.
She circled her way around the floor she was on. Hyuuga Hinata was taking her responsibilities as a substitute shop-girl seriously. The badge meant responsibility, and Sakura's trust. She also had a sneaking suspicion that a certain pink haired monster with murderous intent might be unleashed upon her if said monster's superiors thought that the third floor was not clean and well kept. The floor it was supposed to be cleaning. The Hyuuga resisted the urge to sweat drop, and smiled at the silly re-evaluation of her friendship with her pink haired friend.
Making sure to tidy up the clothes along the way, Hinata gradually made her way towards her current object of her affection: the cream-colored grand piano.
So this was what Hyuuga Hinata was reduced down to, she mused, a lowly shop girl in love with an inanimate object. An image of her little sister huffing at her situation made her smile. Again, Hinata resisted the urge to sweat-drop
Hinata rearranged a clothes rack of ruffled skirts, ordering them by their sizes. Haruno Sakura owed her. Once finished, the blue-haired grey-eyed girl finally allowed herself to reverently open the piano's lid.
Her fingers experimentally pressed an ivory key; then another, and another. The resounding notes had never before sounded so…beautiful and…new…to her. Rejuvenating. A wisp of a smile began at the corner of her mouth.
Years of experience allowed her the ability to detect that the piano was old. She pressed another note. Demo…some parts of it have been altered… it's been tuned recently. The intricacy of the design… the smooth, polished surfaces…the leg's effeminately elegant shape… Hyuuga Hinata, one of the top 8 in-coming rookies of Konoha Academy College Preparatory, sixteen years of age, was in love with that piano.
She sat down on the stool. Eyes closed, and fingers poised, inhaling a shaky breath, her hands began to dance over the keyboard. Softly, Yiruma's "River Flows in You" filled the room, Hinata's feelings almost tangible through the song. She was in her own world; time slowly disintegrated, gently ebbing away with each note.
(…)
It was past 8:30 pm when Uchiha Sasuke was able to make it to Sharingan. Against popular critic's opinion and jealous rumors, the sixteen year-old did take his responsibility as the storeowner-slash-manager seriously. Uchiha Corp, for the first time, was branching out of its niche and investing in clothing. Sharingan was the first experimental store location, and the dark-haired boy did not want to screw it over.
He walked towards the currently empty store; alongside him his mentor and adviser, Hatake Kakashi.
"Sasuke-kun," said the silver-haired business mogul, his eyes never straining away from the orange book in his hands.
The weight of the pause settled in as the two gorgeous-looking male specimens made their way to the six-story high Sharingan department. Sasuke looked over, his expressions those of a cocky, aloof handsome teen; however, his eyes revealed the dark-eyed boy's earnest readiness for anything his sensei and mentor had to say.
"I'm hungry."
Sasuke's eyes revealed his earnest and readiness for almost anything his sensei and mentor had to say.
The boy nearly – nearly – tripped over the smooth, marble steps. His eyes flickered to show annoyance, and an abnormally scary scowl appeared on his visage. The Uchiha followed through with his actions by shoving his hands into his pockets and continued walking, that time at a quicker and heavier pace. "Tch... Do as you like."
Hatake could only look on and chuckle softly. It was cute how Sasuke tried to act mature sometimes. Albeit most times said boy had the tenacity to annoy and stress business partners, finance advisers, and almost everyone he worked with due to his arrogant façade.
With the grace of a cat, the silver-haired man languidly turned around and ambled back towards the limousine he and Sasuke had arrived in.
Closing the car door, Hatake saluted his driver tiredly, "Ichiraku Ramen, and after you're done, please go back and wait for our little boss."
The chauffeur acquiesced, and the black window rolled back up again. The car had just sped away by the time Sasuke entered the store. He then perfunctorily made sure to lock up right after himself. Dutifully, he took the folders and documents for the day from the first floor and started his routine store check-up.
This was the best time of the day to stroll through the store—no fan girls. Although they were customers, the young Uchiha preferred to have his customers come because of the quality of the store, and not by the impossible chance that he would date one of them.
He made his way up the second escalator, and heard the third floor's piano.
A pause.
It truly was a beautiful melody… soft, calm, hopeful, and gentle—like a river gently flowing through the body, cleansing, rejuvenating, and soothing anything in its path.
The boy closed his eyes, leaning on a vacant leather chair. In truth, he hadn't rested for a long time. Being a certified 'genius' with an IQ of 180 did not make things easy. He had more to study, succeed and accomplish, more expectations. As well as more meetings and conferences with someone "important." Definitely, it was taking a toll on his body. The fatigue smacked him, forming knots and tense spots on his body as well as giving him headaches.
The music was relaxing, and he allowed himself the comfort of slouching, if only for a bit. Sasuke then took a deep breath, and yawned. Standing up, the boy made his way up the elevator, making sure to be extra quiet. He wanted to hear the soothing notes from he cream-colored piano—a personal touch he had picked out.
Sasuke absently noted the melody changing. It was a new song. There was something akin to a flush staining his cheeks and a tingling sensation bubbling in him, starting from his six-pack tummy and rising past his chest into his brain.
It's been a while since I've played…he had recognized the song. "First Love", the first time he had heard the song, he was standing behind billowing curtains, watching a blue-haired girl.
It was his first memory of a girl that didn't annoy him, or latch onto him. He remembered being awestruck as he watched her, as he watched her tiny fingers gracing the keys. Her eyes were closed. A wistful smile was on her tiny pink lips. She was the same age he was; they were both five years old at the time. But that girl was like a fairy tale to him; so ethereal when she played that Sasuke had thought that he was hallucinating from heat stroke. And he thought…he remembered thinking—she was beautiful.
Sasuke released a soft smile as he headed in the direction of the piano. It's impossible, but maybe…just maybe…
A translucent white, silk folding screen blocked his view from seeing the pianist and the piano. He made his way towards the screen slowly. The boy felt an oddly subtle climax – his heart was softly beating in his throat, but Sasuke, being male, labeled it as mere curiosity and ignored the thought, concentrating on approaching the pianist without making noise.
The song was about to end, and the finale was drawing nearer. He took another step as the girl's fingers lingered on the remaining notes.
Sasuke's footsteps were soft, a bit hesitant, but still confident and moving forward.
An act of curiosity. He made it to the folding screen and… stopped breathing.
He saw her long tiny fingers ennobling the keys. Her eyes were closed, but with the approach of the end, they were starting to open, revealing misty, opaque light grey eyes shining with indulgence. The smile reflected her pensive state—the reason why she still did not know of him. She was…in her own world, far from reach. And the ethereal scene had captured his breath. His heart thumped within his ribcage, his eyes flashed with recognition.
"..!"
(…)
A hot summer day, the weather forecast an 85F rising. The caw of seagulls and the blowing, billowing silk curtains flutter about; both enticing and inviting. A young boy follows the promise of change, of adventure, into the outside world. He passes through threshold, standing on the patio of his parent's large beach house. For a moment, he is blinded by the brightness of the day.
The boy shields his eyes and the grand scheme of the outdoors appear before him. Sand and ocean greet him with their white-yellow grains and rolling shades of blue waves. The five-year-old boy took a breath. He smelled the invigorating saltiness of the sea. He felt a sense of vulnerability and felt tiny compared to his surroundings but nevertheless stood bravely with dark eyes that promised to come, to see, to conquer.
The boy with dark black hair and darker, mesmerizing eyes spent the afternoon exploring, seeing, feeling, and touching. He felt free – a release away from Konoha, away from expectant, slightly impatient eyes. Away from it all.
One day, Uchiha Sasuke decided, he was going to leave his home, leave Konoha and find the sound that resonated within his heart. The boy wasn't sure where it was, or how he would get there, but he knew—that sound was freedom, was peace, was tranquility…was where he belonged.
The sun was setting, and the sky was a plethora of blues, pinks, golden yellow-oranges, and reds. The ocean reflected the color scheme, and added to its own by catching light and reflecting the energy on its surface, making the ocean shimmer.
The determined young boy stuck his hands in his pockets, only to feel a piece of cloth. He recognized it the moment he saw it, holding it with gentle care. The silk white scarf was his mother's. Against the dazzling colors and against the variety of senses the world was offering to him, the scarf's simplicity held its own charm. Light, cool, smooth, soft, delicate, a scent of nectarine blossoms and honey gently waft about it.
He looked back towards the beach house; somehow, his feet were taking him closer to the place he said he would leave. He faintly heard the piano's melody. It drew him back. He is standing outside the door, the long fluttering curtains tickled his legs, prodding him further inside. He looked to his right, the direction of the grand piano, and saw the pianist's back.
Short dark hair that had a tinge of blue, a white summer dress adorned the girl. Her feet dangled on the edge. She was playing the sheet music on the stand, the one that he had learned before leaving.
She was bending her head forward, concentrating and feeling each and every note. From his angle, he could see her tiny hands and fingers and could catch the movement her foot made to count the beats. She wasn't perfect, there were still mistakes in her technique, but he was still awed by how graceful and …loving the song sounded. He never made a mistake, but he had never been able to create the essence of the song either…
And at that point, Uchiha Sasuke, five years old, another genius in the Uchiha household, heard the notes resonate within him.
(…)
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Comments would be good, and also very helpful, so would you guys mind? (: This is my first story, so… ;; and even though it might've been out for a while, comments and suggestions would still be ideal. (:
Confusions or questions will also be addressed, so don't feel shy, I will always reply, if there is some way to reply back, to.
Chapters 1 and 2 of Yours Truly have been edited, so second-time readers might notice the change. (: