Title: The Superhero
Summary: AU. SasuNaru. Sasuke never believed in superheroes. Until one night, one just saved him from certain death.
Important:
This is a SasuNaru with AU.
A SasuNaru with AU this is. :D
Chapter 3: Waiting
0------------------------0
… Tuesday morning.
7.
Sasuke tapped his foot impatiently against the marbled floor.
5.
He shifted his weight on his other foot.
2.
He adjusted his bag that was on his shoulder.
Ding.
Finally.
The elevator doors opened. Its golden walls greeted Sasuke as he stepped inside.
"Ahh, a pleasant morning, Uchiha-san." The elevator operator greeted him. The man wore a gray uniform and a gray hat that covered mostly of that gray hair. Sasuke nodded in reply. This old man was really nice to him. Every time Sasuke would step in here, the old man would greet him with the same old greetings. It has been almost two years, but Sasuke could bet that the old elevator operator has been here long before he did. "To the Konoha Inquirer, eh?" Sasuke nodded again. When nobody else seemed to be entering the elevator, its doors closed. The elevator operator pushed the button at the topmost, the 60th.
Sasuke didn't wait long to hear the elevator rumble and feel it ascend. Why in hell did they put the office at the top of the Konoha Metro Tower again?
"Is Hatake-san still giving you a tough time?" The old man was sitting on a tall stool. He turned a little to the left to face Sasuke.
"No, not anymore."
The old man snorted, "He damn well shouldn't. A boy with talent like yours should be treated right."
Sasuke watched as the numbers at the upper right blinked '23' at him. Almost halfway there. "I'm not that talented, sir."
The old man seemed to chuckle, "Such modesty. I'm glad to see that it still exists in young persons."
Sasuke stared at the numbers at the upper right again, it blinked '31'. Sasuke sighed and leaned his back against the elevator wall. Well, he may be young, but Sasuke has gone through a lot at this age of seventeen. He blinked his eyes to drive away the thoughts. He sighed again and waited quietly for the numbers on the right to blink '60'.
When it did, Sasuke stepped out into a hallway that was framed with not just different awards and certificates, but also several astounding photographs of events that made history. Sasuke couldn't count which of those were his because they were so many. He turned his attention to the busy hallway and noticed the people hurrying while carrying stacks of paper. Some were pushing carts of them. It was a busy corridor, but the moment Sasuke entered it, most of the people instantly recognized him. Much to Sasuke's annoyance. He didn't like to be stared at or even talked at by people whom he didn't even know.
"Good morning, Uchiha-san." A balding man in his 30's greeted Sasuke through the several stacks of books and papers that he was carrying. Sasuke nodded at the man in response.
"Good morning, Sasuke-kun." A blush from one of the girls. With great looks come great responsibility, eh?
"Sasuke! Nice day, huh?" A pat on the back. Lay off me.
Sasuke was glad that he reached a certain room with glass doors. When he neared them, they automatically opened to a bright looking reception area. On the far wall, the Konoha Inquirer logo was hung. Sasuke walked towards the desk where a light-blonde haired woman was sitting. Her name was Ino and she had been here long before Sasuke did. Sasuke grew to be like her. 'Like' her meant that she was one of the very, very few people that Sasuke cold tolerate. At least she kept her distance from him.
She seemed to have noticed him the moment he came in. "Hey gorgeous, the editor of the Sound Daily called. They asked if you could call them back."
Sasuke was about to open his mouth to say something when one of the four phones in front of Ino rang. Ino held up a finger, motioning for him to wait., "Konoha Inquirer, how may I help you?" Ino nodded once then, "I'm sorry, but Hatake Kakashi is still not in his desk yet. Would you like to leave a message?"
Sasuke raised an eyebrow as he stared at the wall clock behind Ino. It was almost a quarter past nine. Sasuke heard Ino say goodbye to the caller. "What do they want now?" he asked after Ino had hung up.
"That one? I think it was Iruka, he was asking if…"
"No, I meant the Sound Daily."
Ino paused for a brief moment before remembering what Sasuke was talking about. "Oh, the usual, Uchiha-san. The same thing that other publishing companies want in this company."
Sasuke just raised an eyebrow.
"Anyway, you have an appointment with Hatake-san at nine this morning right? Well, you should go there now. He doesn't like to be kept waiting."
0------------------------0
If anybody would look closely, one could see the porn books neatly stacked in the far shelf in the office of Hatake Kakashi. Nobody came frequently her, so it was safe to display those kind of things in his office. Also, Hatake Kakashi was a man who radiates intimidation wherever he went. There were times when he seemed to be carefree and shallow, but this was what he was trying to project.
Well, that was how Sasuke saw his Editor and his superior.
When Sasuke has entered Kakashi's office, he sat himself on the small chair in front of the desk and waited. He hated how that man always came in late.
"Yo!"
"You set up appointments, yet you always come in late."
"I got stuck in a traffic jam, you see the elephant in the nearby zoo escaped, so you could imagine." Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Kakashi tossed his bag just behind his desk and sat down carelessly on his seat. "So how's my top, all-time-great photographer?"
"Pissed. Get to the point. What do you want?"
"You seem to be happier than usual." Kakashi grinned. "I haven't told you about this assignment yet, I was starting to ask myself why."
Sasuke waited for Kakashi to elaborate. When it came to assignments, Kakashi would give Sasuke usually the most unimaginable ones. But Sasuke would never admit that the ones Kakashi usually thought of were incredible. They often land a good story because of Kakashi's ideas.
"So!" Kakashi threw him a single sheet of paper. "Here's your assignment, you're the only one I'm assigning this to. It's top secret, so you have to take extra caution." Sasuke read the simple sentences typed on the paper. They were simple enough and as Sasuke read them, his eyes grew wider in disbelief. Kakashi continued explaining while Sasuke read on, "Tomorrow night, just before midnight, you will go up to the roof, proclaim that you will commit suicide, then you will jump." Kakashi could've added 'Exciting, isn't it?', because his face was already making that manic expression that went with that wicked smile.
Sasuke picked up his bag and started walking for the door.
"Wait! Wait! Where are you going?" Kakashi hurriedly stood up.
"I'm quitting."
"You haven't even heard the rest of my plans yet!"
"Oh, you mean, your plans after the part that I'd die? Go to hell." Sasuke continued walking towards the door and was about to reach for the knob. But Kakashi spoke again.
"You are not going to die," Was that a sigh of relief from Kakashi when Sasuke stopped just in front of the door? Then Kakashi added, "That is, if all works out according to plan." Kakashi started walking towards the frames that decorated his walls. They were the headlines that featured that the Konoha Superhero. Kakashi spoke again, but his voice was lower. "You see, it's to lure the Red Fox."
"Red Fox?" Sasuke turned around, "So, that's what this is about."
"Yes, apparently, I heard about your meeting with the Fox…." Kakashi held up his fingers and made the quotation gesture "…heard it from trusted sources."
"No." Sasuke wasn't surprised that Kakashi found out about it. That man knew almost everything that went about in this town.
"Hmm, 'No.' as in 'No, I can't believe you heard that.' Or 'No, I refuse to be a part of this incredibly exciting adventure and rather choose to disappoint everyone in the publishing company.'?"
"I don't want this assignment."
"…and who gave you the right to choose your assignments?" Kakashi's tone of voice turned serious. Sasuke recognized that as the voice that he used when he reprimanding his staff. "Gai is just outside. Would you like to take assignments from his team instead?"
"…Don't you dare." The man from the Features department was not exactly his dream boss.
"Sasuke, remember that you have a signed contract with us. It bonded you to the company for two years."
"That contract will end in two months."
"Ahh, but not at this moment, ne?"
Sasuke stared at the doorknob. He just had to twist the door knob open to get out of this room and deny the 'mission'. But Gai was just outside and Sasuke knew that Kakashi would probably use that threat. After all, Kakashi was still his superior and he could easily transfer Sasuke to Gai's team. It's not that he didn't want to work for Gai, it was just… crazy and horrific. Besides, something inside Sasuke wanted to see his Fox again. He saved Sasuke once, surely he would save him again, right?
"He won't come." Sasuke withdrew his hand from the knob and went back to the chair. He sat down and put his arms in front of his chest.
Kakashi raised his eyebrows at Sasuke. "Oh, don't worry. We have a special Safety Team standing by at the ground with proper cushioning equipment. They're well hidden." Kakashi patted Sasuke's hair playfully, "I won't let any of my comrades die, Sasuke. You should know that by now." Kakashi grinned at seeing Sasuke. Sasuke thought that he must have looked stupid with that surprised expression on his face. "Still, I think those safety equipment are not necessary."
All right, so there would be a back up team just below. So it meant that even if the Red Fox or nobody would come to save him, Sasuke would surely be safe anyway But still, Sasuke was kind of hoping that the Red Fox would come out. Would he really be there if Sasuke was in danger?
"He will surely come to save you. He saves everyone." Kakashi said. Somehow, this perverted man could read thoughts. It frightened Sasuke at times. Kakashi sat on his desk chair carelessly and put his feet on his desk. He leaned back and put his hands behind his head.
Sasuke was now imagining what it would be like if they have succeeded in their plan? "So he saves me. Now what? Do I take pictures of him and ask his real identity?"
"Well ……………….." Kakashi pretended to think while rubbing his chin, "…sort of."
"You have got to be kidding. If he tells me his identity he would have to push me off the building again." Sasuke stared at Kakashi disbelievingly.
"Not his identity, just get information from him and take Pulitzer-winning pictures of this Red Fox up close." Kakashi quickly replied. He was doing a lot of explanation today. "That's not so hard, is it Sasuke?"
Sasuke raised an eyebrow and glared at Kakashi for the hundredth time in this conversation.
"Oh c'mon. Besides, you can get to hug him."
Sasuke chose a hard-bound dictionary to throw at the white-haired man.
Tomorrow night, eh?
0------------------------0
… Tuesday evening.
Naruto scratched his blonde head.
So what would Naruto say to him?
Hello, found your wallet, decided to return it tonight instead of tomorrow morning? Hold on. Sasuke would not go visit the coffee shop tomorrow because it was Tuesday. Sakura-chan had told him that Sasuke only went there during Mondays and Wednesdays.
Naruto paced around in front of a black gate. He checked the address again that was written in Sasuke's ID and confirmed if it was correct. Actually, there really wasn't any house nearby because Sasuke's mansion occupied the whole block. Naruto couldn't believe anyone could live in a house that has its own climate. Naruto paused to look through the gates and stare at the big mansion then he checked his watch. It was almost seven in the evening. Where was that boy?
When Naruto arrived here, he tried pressing the buzzer just beside the gate. There was an intercom and a camera and when Naruto had pressed the buzzer, a voice asked him who he was and what did he want. Naruto had asked for Sasuke but the person had told him that his 'master' was not home yet and that Naruto should just go back tomorrow. Naruto thanked the man but instead of leaving, he decided to wait.
It was all right, really. Naruto told himself. Or maybe, he should just go look for Sasuke instead of waiting here?
No. Naruto mentally shook his head. He would look like a stalker if he did that.
"So…" Naruto sighed and sat on the curb near Sasuke's gate. "to wait it is."
0------------------------0
:D .. to be continued.
つづく