FOUR
How can someone deep in thought adore the beauty of the night sky? In fact, only a few managed to do that given that they were forced to work their bones to the most tiring extent. For them, night was a time to close their eyes and forget about the anxieties of the morning. But for a certain teen briskly walking in stealth, night was a time to reminisce every haunting second of his life.
Night was a shadow forever looming above him, preventing any kind of escape.
Night was a poison he eternally drinks yet vomits out.
Night was something he never wanted to see.
But tonight, he was forced to move under the ghastly darkness and to inhale the air intensifying his cold sweat.
He was actually scared.
The rustling leaves made him look over his shoulder. His grip on his gun tightened even more when he accidentally laid a foot upon a dry twig. The crack sent chills up his spine and the dry grass beneath his feet became a creepy factor.
No, he was not terrified of the night. He was terrified of an event that happened one night.
One night he was running fast—so fast that he stumbled over his own foot. He got up, rubbed his eyes, which was flooded with rare tears, and then continued his feeble steps towards the darkness. His arms seemed to pull his weight down and his head swirled with pain and anxiety. He was shouting while he darted to a vast area filled with mounds of stone.
Wait, they were not mere mounds of stone.
They were gravestones. And he could hear someone crying at the other end of the cemetery. He needed to reach the voice before it died away.
The Uchiha clutched his pistol closer to his chest before leaning against the wall. He closed his eyes and muttered a soft, "sorry", prior to moving into a flat.
He said 'sorry'?
Uchiha Sasuke never did ask pardon.
Getting the guards unconscious was an easy job and so was sneaking to the seventh floor of the flat. The corridors were clear and only a few fluorescent lights were on. He found the simplicity of the mission he had quite surprising. He had been killing officials and other rich individuals protected by heavy security but of course, he emerged victorious for if he didn't, he must had been dead by now. But why did they ask him to kill someone living in an old flat?
Musing over the matter was not under his contract.
Sasuke glanced up at a nearby door which had a fake gold carving shimmering under dim light. Room 76. Right. He clicked his pistol before moving towards it. He held the knob and it astonished him why it was unlocked. But anyhow, he walked in with steps as silent as that of a cat's and then he closed the door behind him.
"Ah, late."
Sasuke froze at the spot and cautiously eyed the room for the source of the voice. From his view he saw a form of a man sitting on an old sofa chair with his front facing the crackling fire. The shadow that his figure threw on the floor was rather huge and intimidating but the voice said otherwise.
"Come closer." The man muttered with a mild voice—though it sounded quite throaty.
What? Did he mistake me for his grandchild or something? Sasuke stood still, not wanting to move but the man slightly shifted from his position and placed his cheek on his clenched fist.
"Closer, my annihilator."
Sasuke was astounded by the words of the man. How did he know that he was his killer? Maybe they gave him a death threat earlier.
Sasuke took three careful steps towards the seat and braced himself for any surprise attack but no bullet or physical charge came flying his way. The man remained sitting rather comfortably on the sofa chair and after seconds of thinking, he moved his fist away from under his cheek and then placed both his arms on the armrests.
"Go on and I beg you to do it fast." The man continued speaking without much care if Sasuke heard him. "Death a day earlier does not make a difference to me."
Finally, Sasuke moved in front of the seat and there he saw a wizened man with eyes both open and unblinking. Spots had appeared on his cheeks and white hair had grown around his thin lips. His face resembled a sad mask though his dead eyes bore joy. The flames danced feverishly in his eyes as if the fire was his ultimate salvation.
"Kill me fast, young one." The man's tone seemed convincing to Sasuke for he found himself readying his gun.
"Why?" Sasuke had enough curiosity to ask the man who sat there, undaunted by death.
The old man sighed and his thin lips formed a melancholic smile. "I am going to die anyway…anytime this week."
"Hopeless?"
"Happy."
"Hn." Sasuke could not understand the thought running in the man's head. For him, suicide was something pathetic. And what he was seeing in front of him was a clear photocopy of suicide—only done by another person.
"My grandson is dead and the one who sent you, without me even asking, certainly abhors me." The aged man nodded to himself.
Sasuke never had the chance to see the main leader of those people. He didn't know what the man was saying. He took a closer step at the man's side and aimed the gun straight at the side of his head.
"Why do you really want to die?" The Uchiha asked.
"I want to be free."
BANG!
The man remained sitting on the chair but his head drooped forward. Sasuke lowered the gun and faced the flames with wonder swirling in his eyes. I want… to be free from this… this… And the shrill cry at the end of the cemetery echoed in his head again. Sasuke crept out of the door, the cool breeze whispering to him that he needed to go home.
Sarutobi…eliminated.
Uchiha Sasuke had pulled a pair of obsidian pajamas from his cabinet and neatly laid it on the bed. He looked down on his brown backpack, which was placed on the carpeted floor, and observed (or rather found out) that most of his clothes were black. Well, the color did match his aura anyway. Sasuke folded the pajamas and placed it inside the bag. He walked from one end of the room to another, carrying with him personal things such as tooth brush and tooth paste.
Suddenly, consecutive knocks were heard at his door, making Sasuke look up and close his eyes due to the vexation. "What?" The younger slipped his soap and shampoo into the bag.
The knob slowly turned and a figure was seen at the dim doorway. Only those scarlet eyes appeared clear in the midst of the shadows. "Where are you going?" Came the query.
Sasuke turned his back on his brother as he secretly included a cigarette stick in the package. "Nowhere."
"What a bright answer." Itachi moved into the room to take a better look of the bag.
"Does it matter?" Sasuke zipped the bag close and slipped his arms into the straps.
"Of course." Itachi smiled. But instead of giving a proper reply, he heard Sasuke mutter "go to hell" before passing him.
"So when are you going home?"
"I'll go home whenever I want." The younger answered without even looking back. And that means never.
"Be back soon, otouto."
Whatever. The Uchiha disappeared into the corridor and moved briskly down the stairs despite the fact that every light was turned off. Darkness, after all, was horrifyingly beautiful. Beyond the front doors was a lawn which twinkled due to the fresh droplets of the sprinkler. At the side was a garage which housed cars. But one was currently out, a brand new Bentley.
If only Sasuke was accustomed to rolling his eyes…
Itachi bought him a new car…again.
Oh, where was the latest model of Chevrolet he got him last July twenty-three? It was given away two weeks after Sasuke said that he wasn't a fan of cars. A month later, he bought him a Porsche saying, "Did you say you didn't like cars? I kind of forgot, otouto."
Sasuke thought that Itachi would stop presenting him more cars once he use the Porsche—which he did yesterday to drive the annoying Haruno home. But alas! Here came the Bentley in display! Brand new (of course), personalized and to emphasize its price, the company only makes a car upon order of a V.I.P.
The younger Uchiha's clenched fist was shaking while his other hand firmly held the strap of the bag on his shoulder. When will he stop wasting money? Sasuke evaded the car and went to the steel cover of the garage to get his bicycle. But the cover was locked and was not responding—thanks obviously to Itachi.
Just imagine the agitation Sasuke felt when he went to the car in calm surrender. He picked up the key box placed on the driver's seat and opened the door. He threw the backpack to the passenger's seat before settling himself down on the comfortable velvet chair. His slender fingers touched the steering wheel as he read his name that was carved in silver on the wheel. What the fuck. And he drove.
- - -
"Woooh! Sasuke's here!" Kiba was waving an extra shirt over his head when he spotted the Bentley car smoothly driving along a curve. It was already known in school that Sasuke was one of the few high school students who knew how to drive well. A racer who once visited their school (for he was a friend of the previous school owner) commended Sasuke for his smooth moves. And, by the way, he was only thirteen then.
Naruto, Chouji and Shikamaru ambled out of Kiba's sliding doors and watched the raven car come into a nice halt in the Inuzuka Residence driveway. The four moved towards the vehicle and waited for the Uchiha to emerge from the car.
"Damn!" Kiba exclaimed when he saw the brand. "A Bentley?"
"What?" Chouji had never been interested in anything other than food.
"Bentley man! Bentley!" The split-eyed teen flapped his arms as if trying to show how great it was.
Sasuke materialized outside the car with his backpack supported by both straps. "Is it okay to park here?"
"Sure." Naruto answered for Kiba who was gawking at the sight of the car.
"Wouldn't you want to take that into the garage? It's costly if car napped." Shikamaru inquired with a thought.
"Hn." Sasuke walked past them without even taking a precious look at the vehicle. When he had gone off to the front doors, the blonde eyed Shikamaru and Chouji and then muttered, "the 'Hn' translation: 'I've got the money to buy a new one so who cares?' " And they sniggered.
"Kiba, would you mind picking your jaw off the floor?" Naruto slapped him hard at the shoulder before following the Uchiha into the house. After which, the other two went in, dragging the owner of the house.
Sasuke, on the other hand, had entered the simple house and had stopped at the sofa. He was slightly mesmerized by the simplicity of the place. The floor was wood and the furniture was polished narra. A small coffee table in the middle of the sofa was adorned by a vase of fresh flowers and a family picture in frame. A lamp shade gave a yellowish light to the sofa set and it eased the environment for more comfort. The windows were of wood still and they had cream white curtains that covered them. The walls were painted with vertical stripes of pale yellow and beige for some life. And portraits of wolves and dogs hung on the walls for decoration.
"Welcome to my humble abode Sasuke!" Kiba popped out behind him. Perhaps he had recovered from the Bentley fever. "Come on, let's get up stairs! Naruto here can't wait further."
Naruto grinned and the two paved way up the stairs.
Sasuke understood that glint in the eyes of the two. He knew Shikamaru and Chouji also knew what was to happen in Kiba's room. It had always been the same thing every time they had over nights in a friend's house.
Great. Sasuke shook his head and climbed up the stairs followed by the two. When the Uchiha reached Kiba's room, which he already knew where since they already had a couple of over nights, he heard titters from the two who went ahead. He opened the door and to no surprise, he saw Naruto and Kiba hastily checking the pile of DVD's placed in a bulky bag for something to watch. Sasuke got in, dropped his bag on the floor and sat at the edge of the bed.
"Got something new?" Naruto looked disapprovingly at the three DVD's he held.
"It's somewhere here…" Kiba dug deeper into the mess. "Here! Got it!"
Shikamaru coincidentally entered the moment Kiba shouted with glee. He eyed the CD case Kiba held in the air and stared at him. "Are you sure your mom's out?"
"Yeah, with my sis." Kiba replied without even looking at Shikamaru. He opened the DVD drive and placed the CD in. Naruto jumped onto the bed (and merely evaded Sasuke) and grabbed the remote.
"Got more chips here." The good natured Chouji closed the door behind him. An innocent smile was still on his face despite the fact that he knew what he was to watch was…bad.
"All set amigos!" Kiba sat on the floor and seconds after the lights went off, Naruto joined him; both of them sat in an Indian seat. Sasuke was at the foot of the bed, also in an Indian seat, and he had his cheek on his closed fist. Shikamaru leaned against the head board with arms crossed and eyes half-lidded. Chouji was munching still on chips.
The television slowly gained image and the home page of the DVD showed. Naruto pressed play and the 'show' started…
Sasuke couldn't peel his eyes from the television screen even though his dying conscience yelled at him to do so. He wasn't that perverted but his hormones were dictating his temperature to rise. He was, though he was embarrassed to admit to himself, aroused by the soft moans of the anime character on the screen. He wanted to slap himself awake but his arms were not following his lead. To his horror, even the naked form of the handsome man in the hentai show made him feel utterly hot. Shit. Sasuke closed his eyes for a second and then he looked again. The hair at the back of his neck stood on its end.
Naruto and Kiba were in the brink of being taken away by the show. The word 'masturbation' was already lingering in the atmosphere. Shikamaru was indifferent though. He was watching but the show even made him sleepy. Chouji was more of curious than aroused. The way he munched on the available chips was increasing in speed.
"OH!" The female cried out.
Sasuke jolted. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead and nape. His mind started making up things…and though he was watching the show, his mind drifted to another 'show' which starred him and…
Pink hair.
Pink hair?
"Sasuke-kuuuun…." Sakura crooned to his ear.
Whack! Sasuke shook his head and refocused on the television screen. The first 'action' was done and the show continued onto the 'plot' part—a lame excuse to say that the hentai show had a story. He clapped his hand on his forehead and sighed heavily. That was only fantasy.
God he hated that girl.
"Kiba?"
Heads turned to the door and then they looked at Kiba.
"That sounds like your mom!" Naruto tried to lower his panic-stricken voice.
"I thought—" Chouji was cut off when Kiba bolted upright.
"Get the Play Station!" Kiba and Naruto bumped against each other before he got to the cabinet where the game console was. Naruto pressed on the stop button repeatedly when the DVD failed to react and it caused the CD to hang and the female teen's breasts remained stuck on the screen.
Shikamaru and Chouji just watched the two scramble to fix the device while Sasuke was rooted on his seat.
Footsteps were heard coming up the stairs, nearer to the door.
"Ack!" Naruto fought the urge to pound on the remote control when he heard the footsteps stop in front of the door.
On the other hand, Kiba's mom lifted her closed fist to knock when the door opened.
"Good evening Inuzuka-sama." Chouji smiled at her.
"Okaa-san!" Kiba's face was a practiced mask of innocence. "Y-you came back too early."
"Your neesan forgot her book about medicines." She smiled, exposing sharp canines. "So how's the over night?"
"F-fine Inuzuka-sama." Naruto slapped Sasuke on the arm who eyed the blonde with irritation.
Kiba's mother observed the room. The friends were seated on the bed with playing cards spread in the middle of the circle. The television was closed and a shirt was thrown over the DVD player which was on the floor. "Kiba, I told you to place the DVD player in the cabinet."
"I-I'll—yes okaa-san." Kiba forced a laugh afterwards.
After some seconds, Kiba's sister appeared at the doorway. "Midnight snacks are in the refrigerator. I made you baked macaroni."
"Thanks." All of them responded.
"Let's go. Enjoy boys!" And the two left.
A sigh of relief escaped from each of them.
"Shikamaru, why didn't you tell me that you had this back-up plan?" Kiba pointed to the cards on the bed. "We should have not bothered with the Play Station."
Naruto turned on the television and pulled the shirt off the DVD. The good thing was, the DVD player was responding by then. "Now we could continue the show."
"Speaking of the show, I've been wondering if Hyuuga Neji is still…you know… a virgin." Kiba's enthusiasm went back up. "I heard he's been taking girls out often to hotels."
"So the new Haruno is a candidate for deflowering?" Shikamaru joked lifelessly.
"NO WAY." Naruto bellowed.
"Yes way." Kiba nodded to himself. "They're dating, Naruto. Every hot guy in the school gets whatever he wants."
"So that implies that Sasuke gets whatever he wants?" Chouji turned to the raven head who was already out of the bed.
"…" Sasuke just continued on his way to the door.
"Hey Sasuke, haven't you taken out anyone to a hotel?" Kiba raised another topic.
Give me a break. Sasuke continued to walk.
"He's still a virgin." Shikamaru shrugged.
"Maybe…" Naruto grinned. He actually forgot about the hentai CD he held.
Sasuke stopped on his tracks, waiting for what word would come next from his best friend.
"…he's not even circumcised yet. Why would he avoid our questions then…?"
Sasuke slammed the door shut.
The four looked at each other with a certain twinkle in their eyes.
I knew it! Naruto's eyes turned to mischievous slits.
Wow… Kiba's orbs showed shock.
I'm not sure… Shikamaru's eyebrows were raised.
Maybe he wants chips. Chouji smiled.
"Are you guys thinking what I'm thinking?" Naruto stood up and actually threw the CD to the open bag.
"No, not really." Shikamaru muttered.
"Having an uncircumcised friend is such a disgrace. We need to fix him." The blonde slammed his clenched fist to his open palm.
"We? I think we just need to tell him that he needs to go to a clinic—"
"No, Chouji. He'd just escape."
"Then you go Naruto." Shikamaru turned his back on them.
"I actually have a plan in mind…" the blonde sniggered.
"What?" Sasuke looked up from the baked macaroni he was currently eating.
"We're sorry Sasuke-teme." Naruto showed a set of white teeth. "We came here to ask you to play with us."
"Table tennis." Kiba raised his thumb. "Shikamaru's playing."
What? Shikamaru's lips parted as he eyed Inuzuka.
Sasuke thought for a while. He wasn't really into games but since he had nothing to do, he could try that table tennis. Moreover, Nara was playing. Well, talk about beating a strategic genius.
"Hn." Sasuke stood up and followed the four.
The tennis room was located at the side of the house. It had a sliding door leading to the garden, which was filled with medicinal herbs used for veterinary. The table for the game was located at the middle of the room and a ball and paddles were already prepared for the game. Sasuke had taken his position and examined his paddle while waiting for Shikamaru.
Naruto took Shikamaru at a corner and then quickly whispered, "Here's the plan, hit his head and make him unconscious."
"Naruto," Nara wanted to add you idiot, "the ball will just hurt his head—"
"GO!" He pushed him happily towards the table.
Shikamaru met the cool look of the Uchiha. Apparently, Sasuke really wanted to duel with Shikamaru and he was sure Sasuke would kill for the triumph. How troublesome.
"Begin!" Chouji declared with much excitement.
The first who hit the ball was the raven head. As expected, Shikamaru managed to read the path of the ball. The genius managed to hit the ball back and the volley began. The reason why Naruto forced Shikamaru into this was he knew he could make up a good strategy to make the ball hit Sasuke without the Uchiha being able to hit the ball back. Easy to say, really.
The Uchiha, however, was lost in the realm of his subconscious. He kept on hitting the ball furiously as if he was also hitting the man he met at the church. Damn, it felt good. Then he recalled what the man said about being free. He wanted to be free of the deal he got into but he couldn't…because of her.
"YES!"
Sasuke's senses had recollected and he saw the ball going straight to his face. Shit! He blocked his face with the paddle and slammed the ball forward. Shikamaru unexpectedly got hit at the right eye and he coincidentally smashed the ball (which slightly bounced from him) down straight at Sasuke's groin.
Sasuke dropped to his knees. Shikamaru dropped the paddle and clapped his hands to his eye. The cheering stopped.
- - -
"Naruto, I swear I won't do anything for you anymore." Shikamaru still held his hand over his left eye.
"Where's Sasuke?" Chouji inquired.
"At the Jacuzzi." Kiba muttered. "I told him that he should cool off."
A mischievous smile crossed Naruto's ever joyful face. "I have plan B."
The three stared at him.
Kiba found himself sneaking into the dressing room. He was urged to grab Sasuke's clothes so that they could easily ambush him.
"I know this is going to work!" He recalled the blonde exclaim. "Grab the clothes and we would do the surgery."
"You don't even know how to circumcise someone." Shikamaru uttered.
"Well, I could bring him to someone who knows how to do so…without him escaping."
Naruto, you idiot. You could have simply acquainted him to a clinic. Shikamaru wanted to blurt out but he decided to keep it to himself.
Kiba found Sasuke's clothed neatly folded on a chair and placed it over his arms. He also took the towel and even the foot rug. He quickly exited the room and followed Naruto and the others outside. But when he got out, he heard the door bell and he quickly dropped the clothes at the dining chair, thinking that his mother went back earlier than expected.
"Coming." Kiba opened the door and saw Sakura waiting outside.
"Inuzuka Kiba?" Sakura asked.
"Yes?"
"Neji told me that you and Hinata are friends. I am looking for my notebook but Hinata said she left it here."
"Oh, that. Wait. Come in! You should have asked her to get it instead." Kiba lead her in the house.
"Neji and I are passing by your house so I thought of getting it personally." Sakura smiled sweetly.
Neji? Oh… Kiba grinned to himself.
"Um, Kiba," Sakura blushed slightly, "I'm sorry but may I use the bathroom?"
"Sure, just go to the left and in a room you'll see a bathroom."
"Thanks." Sakura hurried off to the said room.
Sasuke, on the other hand, heard someone enter the room. Hn. He got out of the Jacuzzi and went straight to the dressing room only to find it void of any kind of cloth. His jaw almost dropped. They're pulling pranks on me. He entered the bath room to look for a towel but to no avail. Then suddenly, he saw the door open. Thinking that it was Naruto, he switched on the lights and was about to begin a rant but…
Sakura stared at Sasuke.
Sasuke stared at Sakura.
Naruto, Chouji and Shikamaru ran to the room to surprise Sasuke with a scalpel. They were dumbfounded.
Kiba ran to the room in panic thinking, I forgot! I forgot!
Silence.
The Bentley coursed through the dark street towards the Uchiha Residence. Itachi moved to the front doors with a smile on his face. He opened the front doors and watched the garage door open. The car was parked inside and after a few seconds, a figure emerged from the car with a backpack attached to him. He ambled towards the front doors and his scowling face turned a lot sourer when he saw Itachi smiling at him.
"Back so soon, otouto?" the older Uchiha asked with an inclination of his tone.
"…" Sasuke walked past him without another word.
END
A/N: I'm sorry for the late update. We had no electricity for almost a week and I had been busy lately. Thanks for the generous reviews and I'm sorry for this chapter (I know it's pure crap)…though it's pretty longer than I expected.
By the way I've been reading two books: Luna and Beauty's Punishment. Nothing, I just felt like sharing.
Oh, hi to my master Ep. He ordered me to greet him through my fic. -- Hi to all Scholasticans (Marikina) out there.
Bentley, Porsche, and Chevrolet are real car brands. Thanks to my dad for the knowledge.