Sorry for the long wait! (bows several times with sheepish look)First there was spring break for me and then there was an unfortunate virus that attacked my computer, not to mention the unexpected writer's block I had. I'm not very satisfied with this chapter but here it is all the same.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for my own character.
Chapter Three: Reflection
"Aniki, what are you doing here?" Sasuke asked the older Uchiha as they walked off the school grounds. They had been walking silently side by side until then, receiving stares from the student body as they walked past. The worst were the increasing amount of female looks that came their way, giggling and whispering about him and his older look-alike.
Sasuke glanced at his older brother and saw that he was the same as when they last saw each other, which was almost four years ago. Itachi had been accepted to attend the university in Italy and had never come home since, only sending the occasional letter or phone call. Even though their parents requested that he come home, Itachi never did so it was quite a shock to see him her in Japan rather then being in Italy.
"I had thought it was made clear earlier when Kumiko-san had introduced me," Itachi responded blandly, not looking at the younger of them.
"Not that! I meant here in Japan," Sasuke boldly snapped back, annoyed at his brother.
"Why wouldn't I be here? I have been for the past half a year," Itachi answered in the same tone.
"Nani? I thought you were supposed to stay in Italy for another year or so," Sasuke said, confusion clearly showing in his eyes.
"I transferred here because I grew tired of the university there," Itachi responded in an almost bored tone.
"Why didn't you come home then?" Sasuke asked in a rather timid voice.
Itachi glanced at his younger brother and say that Sasuke was embarrassed for even asking the question. Itachi smiled inwardly. 'Sasuke, you still remain the same younger brother I had left behind so long ago,' he thought to himself. "Sasuke, would you have gone home if you were in my position? There are reasons why I went to a foreign country in the first place. Reasons in which one day I may tell you, but for now you will just have to be satisfied with that I didn't want to return home, at least not yet."
Sasuke was not satisfied with his brother's answer but knew that he wouldn't get anything else if he kept asking. He would just have to wait patiently until his brother was ready. Silence fell upon them as they walked to the train station, enjoying the scenery as they went on. However, the silence was broken when Itachi spoke once again rather uncharacteristically since he hardly ever talked.
"How do you like it at a public school rather than a private school? I am surprised chichiue allowed you to come to a public school," Itachi stated, though no surprise was shown on his face.
"There were no other private schools in the district so we had to settle for a public school," Sasuke informed with a shrug. "I suppose public school is all right. Not as strict and confining as a private school.
"I see you've made friends rather quickly as to opposed to when you first started at Oto Private Jr. High," Itachi remarked, stating his observations.
"They are… different than the ones at Oto Private. They accepted me even though they know who I am," Sasuke admitted with a sheepish face. "I get along with them okay. Not just with Naruto and Haku in class but their other friends too. We have… fun."
'I look forward to see how you've grown, otouto,' Itachi thought to himself as they boarded onto a train that they would not leave together like they arrived.
"Tadaima!" Haku called out when he and Naruto entered the Hyourin household.
"Okaeri Haku," Haku's mother, Koori, greeted her son, sticking her head through the kitchen doorway. "Ah, Naruto-kun is here as well?"
"Konnichiwa," Naruto greeted politely with a smile.
"Hahaue, we'll be in my room," Haku informed his mother as both boys proceeded to go upstairs to said room.
"I'll bring up some tea and snacks in a bit then," Koori offered to the boys.
"Arigato hahaue," Haku thanked before they were out of sight. Once they reached the room, Naruto immediately plopped down onto his best friend's bed. After settling his case down on his desk, Haku joined the blonde and sat down on the bed. "Today is only the second day of the new semester and already I'm tired. I wonder if I'll last the rest of the year."
"Probably not but we're gonna have to anyway," Naruto replied with a grin. "By the way, what happened after I left the room?"
"Ah! That's right, I almost forgot," Haku remembered and let out a full-blown grin. "Well, when you left Kumiko-sensei was going on, saying she couldn't believe that there was a fight going on and it was only the second day of class…"
flashback
"Although this is my first time teaching, this has to go in the record books," Kumiko said with an agitated edge in her voice. "Looks like you get to find out one of my dislikes sooner than I thought. I think dislike is too soft a word for this though. I hate immature brats who do not act their age. I hate it especially when they start something for no apparent reason other than to make fools of themselves."
After this was said, Sakura and Ino started to snicker behind their hands thinking their sensei was taking their side. Haku and Sasuke just gave them annoyed glares and noticed that Kumiko was glaring sharply at the two females rather than at them.
"Haruno, Yamanaka, care to share with the rest of the class what you find so amusing?" Kumiko inquired coldly, putting a halt to the girls' victory moment. They froze on the spot when they saw the icy look their sensei was giving them. Color drained from their faces when they realized that Kumiko was referring to them.
"Brats who think the world revolves around them and think that they can get away with any and every thing are most unwelcomed here," Kumiko continued on in the same cold tone. "I came here to teach third year high school students. If I wanted to teach pre-school students then I would not be here, would I? I will let you off with a severe warning this time. However, I will not tolerate this a second time in this classroom. Should this happen again, I will drop you out of this class without hesitation, resulting in a failure. Is that clear?"
"Sensei!" Sakura protested but shut her mouth when she saw the glare directed at her.
"Haruno Sakura, you are currently not in my good graces. I advise you to grow up and start acting your age. No one's going to be holding your hand for the rest of your life," Kumiko reprimanded, tone not wavering. "Don't let it be too late for reality to hit you in the face and you have nowhere to turn." She glanced around at all the faces of her students in her class. "This goes for the rest of you as well. If you can't be the mature young adults I considered all of you to be when I first stepped into this room, then you better arrange a meeting with Sarutobi-san to have your class schedule changed. Otherwise you'll be receiving a failing grade. Is this clear?"
"Hai Haraguchi-sensei!" the class replied quickly.
End flashback
"That really happened?" Naruto asked in a slightly awed voice.
"Aa, Sasuke and I were smirking while Haruno was about to collapse in tears as Yamanaka tried to console her. Everyone else was just quiet, probably thinking about what Kumiko-sensei said," Haku said, taking a sip of the tea his mother nad brought up during the recap of what happened while the blonde was not present. "I could tell that she was really angry and disappointed as well."
"Can't really blame her though. This is her first time teaching and we didn't meet up to her expectations of us. I'd be disappointed too if I were in her position," Naruto responded thoughtfully.
"Her class may be the hardest on this year," Haku stated with amusement.
"Where would be the fun if it weren't a challenge?" Naruto claimed with a raised eyebrow and a secretive grin.
"Kumiko-san!"
The said female stopped in her walk toward her first hour music class to set it up for the day. She turned around and spotted the person who was trying to get her attention. She waited for the person to catch up to her and gave him a questioning look. "Can I help you with something Iruka-san?"
Iruka stood before the art and music teacher, slightly out of breath. He waited to control his breathing before he spoke. "I had heard that there was an argument in your advanced class yesterday afternoon."
"News does spread quickly here," Kumiko mused with a small smile. "That's correct, there was a minor squabble going on when I got there."
"Is there anything you need help in? I know some of the students can be a handful," Iruka offered with a sheepish look.
"Arigato for your concern Iruka-san but I was able to handle it," Kumiko said with a genuine smile. "If there is something I need, you'll be the first person I ask about it." With that, Kumiko took off, leaving behind a flustered Iruka in the middle of the hallway.
Looking around the room, Kumiko smiled in satisfaction at the set up around the music room. She glanced at the clock and saw that she has a while before school officially began. Sitting down on the grand piano bench, she played a few warm up keys before stringing the music notes together into a well-known composition. As she lost herself in the music, she failed to notice that she had a single member audience.
"Beethoven's Fur Elise," Itachi said when it was over. He made his way over to the piano and sat beside the female artist. He played the opening notes of the famous piece flawlessly.
"I'm not surprised you know that. I'd be surprised if someone didn't," Kumiko mused and hit the notes of the first movement for another piece, Moonlight Sonata. She slightly raised her eyebrow when Itachi followed up with the second movement. "You know, you strike me more as the business type rather than a fine arts person."
"The same can be said about you Kumiko-san. Was that not the reason you put a hold to your world wide painting occupation," Itachi stated, glancing at the female next to him.
"So you recognize me. Not many know what the owner of Kage Corporations, Haraguchi Ryo's daughter looks like. Of course I try my best to hide in the shadows," Kumiko admitted with a sheepish look. "I wanted to travel around known as myself, not as the daughter of the business demon Haraguchi. I'm sure you feel the same."
"The Uchiha clan sometimes becomes blinded by its name. Although I don't approve of some of the members holding themselves higher than others, I cannot help but be proud of the blood that runs through my veins," Itachi admitted in a slightly soft tone. "However, I wish to make a name for myself my own way and not as the prodigal heir to the Uchiha business, at least not yet."
"It's rather amusing that heirs to rivaling companies are working together like this," Kumiko said, amusement showing on her face. "May our accomplished works show the reflection of ourselves and not just the name and façade of our families."
"Aa," Itachi simply replied with a nod. No more was said as the first hour students files into the classroom to begin the day.
"I've noticed a slight change in some of the students this morning," Iruka voiced out to his colleagues during lunch break.
"Oh? What kind of change?" Hatake Kakashi, instructor for the history classes, asked glancing at the English teacher with his single visible lazy eye.
"Some of them seem more subdued, more mature than they were the day before," Iruka said, concern clearly written on his face.
"Isn't that a good thing? They are third years after all," Sarutobi Asuma, math instructor, replied with a shrug.
"Well, it's the suddenness of it that concerns me. I'm wondering what could have happened to get them like that, especially Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino," Iruka elaborated thoughtfully, thinking back to the morning classes he had with the two said girls.
"That's good. Haruno and Yamanaka needed a slap of reality. Whoever was able to do that gets my respect," Anko remarked, plopping another odango in her mouth.
"I agree. I commend the person able to get some sense into those girls," Yuuhi Kurenai, Japanese instructor, said as she finished up her meal.
"Don't worry Iruka-sensei. That person was doing the students a favor," Kakashi assured, his single eye crinkling up into a crescent moon, only indication that he was smiling.
'I hope you're right,' Iruka thought to himself, still a bit worried.
"So how have you guys been doing with your classes?" Shisui asked his peers as they sat at their spot for the lunch break.
"Shisui, you asked us that yesterday. It's most likely going to be the same answer," Kotetsu said with a shake of his head.
"Yeah but that was only with morning classes. Something had to have happened in the afternoon," Shisui pried, wanting to hear something interesting. Then he glanced at his silent cousin and something sparked his memory. "That's right! I heard there was some trouble in the advanced class. How did that go Itachi?"
"Not worth mentioning," Itachi responded blandly. "Just a petty squabble, nothing more."
"No fists? How boring," Shisui said in disappointment. "So, who was involved? Do you know?"
"Two females, I believe their names were Haruno and Yamanaka, Hyourin Haku and my otouto," Itachi answered indifferently.
"'Otouto?' You mean Sasuke? He's here?" Shisui exclaimed, surprise clearly written on his face. He studied his cousin and saw that Itachi was rather calm and collected with this revelation. Then again, he always is. "You already talked to him, haven't you?"
"Aa, he will not say anything," Itachi informed in his usual tone.
"Do you plan on going back anytime soon?" Izumo asked the Uchiha heir. When Itachi remained silent, they knew not to touch further on the subject of his return to the main house. Although it had nearly been four years, they knew that he would not go back even if he was living right next to the main Uchiha family. However, the prodigal heir surprised his peers at his prolonged answer.
"Perhaps I just might pay chichiue and hahaue a visit."
"What kind of assignment do you think Kumiko-sensei will give us?" Haku asked in anticipation as he and his two companions made their way to their last class of the day.
"She'll probably make us do an assignment to show our abilities and style," Sasuke replied logically. "I'd be surprised if she wouldn't."
"I wonder what we'll have to do," Naruto thought out loud. They paused in the middle of the hallway when they say their fellow classmates standing outside of the art room. The trio casted each other confused look before they joined their peers in waiting. "What's going on here?"
"Kumiko-sensei told us to wait out here," a student answered the blonde.
"Naze?" Haku inquired, questioning look on his face. The student just shrugged his shoulders, indicating that he didn't know. They didn't have to wait long for an answer because the door to the classroom opened, revealing their instructor and the assistant.
"Konnichiwa minna-san! Gomen for making you wait," Kumiko greeted with a smile. "Before I let you in, I'll tell you one thing. Don't touch anything on your way to your seats. I'll explain once everyone's settled." With that she moved out of the way to allow everyone in. Some stood frozen for a split second before proceeding. Haku, Naruto and Sasuke glanced around the room and understood everyone's reaction. All of the usual desks that were lined up in rows and columns were now replaced with easels, seemingly placed in a strategic pattern. The trio also noticed two long tables covered in various art materials. They grabbed spots that were close to each other and settled onto their stools in front of an easel.
"All right, since everyone's in, I'll explain your first assignment. I want you to do a reflection of yourself on the paper in front of you," Kumiko said with a rather mysterious look on her face. When she saw all of the confused looks from her students, she went on. "Interpret that in any way you want but I want to be able to see you when you're done. This is an art class, so be creative and think beyond the normal. On the tables are various materials at your disposal. Use whatever you wish to show me you.
"Also don't talk with your neighbors about what you are gonna do. There's a reason everything is positioned as is. I don't want anyone looking at other's work at all. You'll get to see them at the end of the week when you present yourself to the class," Kumiko explained to the group. "Of course, Itachi-san and I will be working on our own so no help will come to you if you ask. This is a reflection of you. Who knows you better than yourself? You may begin when you are ready."
With that some of the students got up and went to the tables to pick up some materials to use while others pondered a bit longer on what they should do and use. Kumiko and Itachi seemed to have wasted no time in getting started, the instructor using paint while the assistant went with pastels.
Naruto stared at his easel a lot longer than his fellow peers, thinking about how he should go about doing the composition. If their instructor was giving them until the end of the week, then she didn't want anything done quickly with only half a thought put into it. He glanced around the room and noticed that he was the only one not working on the assignment. He pondered for a bit longer before he was satisfied with how he would go about doing this. He stood up from his seat and went over to the tables and noticed that mostly everything was gone. All that remained were some graphite pencils and pieces of charcoal.
'There's nothing left. Should I ask Kumiko-sensei for some more supplies? I guess it wouldn't hurt,' Naruto thought to himself, steeling his resolve. He went over to his sensei's easel, not looking as she ordered, and waited for her to acknowledge him. He didn't have to wait long when silver grey eyes locked onto his sapphire blue.
"Something the matter Naruto-kun?" Kumiko questioned to the blonde standing before her.
"Most of the supplies are gone. I was wondering if there was anything else that I could use," Naruto replied with a sheepish smile, standing a bit too straight and stiff. He relaxed when she gave him a gentle smile.
"Of course, no need to be afraid to ask. Do you want something in particular?" Kumiko asked as she set her paint palette down onto the stool next to her.
"Paint and brushes will be fine," Naruto responded politely. Kumiko stood from her seat and went to the storage room full of art supplies. A few seconds later, she came out with a set of tubes, brushes and a palette handing them to the blonde. "Arigato Kumiko-sensei." Kumiko just nodded with a smile and Naruto went back to his easel, prepared to start the assignment.
"All right, since all of you have had a couple of days to do this assignment, I will assume that you are done," Kumiko said to her class. "If not then we'll just go with it as is. Any volunteers to go first?" No one raised his or her hand to go first but after a few seconds one hand shot up confidently belonging to the pink haired Sakura. "All right Haruno. Show us yourself," Kumiko gestured for her to stand.
Sakura went to the front of the room and showed her work. It was an obvious portrait of herself, showing that what she saw in her mirror reflection was herself. However, she added some small thumbnails around her own image to show her interests and the likes. Her piece was rather self-explanatory to the class, as was others who went after the pink haired female. Most did self-portraits of just themselves or with some kind of setting around them.
Kumiko didn't show it but she was rather a bit disappointed that her students didn't look outside the box to portray their reflection. True she said that they could interpret the assignment anyway they wished, but she had hoped they would go in more depth than just the surface. The last person to present was Naruto and she smiled in satisfaction at what she saw. However, the rest of the class seemed a bit confused at what they saw.
Instead of a self-portrait like most of the class did, Naruto seemed to have done a landscape painting. Most of it was done in warm bright hues like yellow and orange for what looked like a slowly dieing field of tall grass, indicating that it was most likely autumn. Parts of the land were covered in shadow with shades of coal grey and dark blue, not black. The sky was an array of blue, pink, and yellow signifying the setting sun. A breeze was passing through the lands, shown by the way the grass was swaying to and fro.
The only other people that could most likely understand the blonde's intention was Haku who had done something similar but had his image in it, Itachi who was an art student himself and possibly Sasuke though only knowing the blonde for a few days. Everyone else had confused looks on their faces, wondering what Naruto was trying to pull. Kumiko decided to step in as the sensei she was.
"Minna, as you can tell, Naruto-kun's piece is quite different than once we've seen so far. Instead of the obvious, he went with something that you had to think about further, not just the surface," Kumiko began. "Instead of looking at it as if it were just a landscape painting, try deciphering the feelings and senses you get from it. There in lies Naruto-kun's reflection of himself."
The class seemed to consider her words and stared at the piece once more. They were able to click together what was being said in the painting, dawning looks coming on some of the faces. "All of you see it and understand it now, correct? This is what I want all of you to do when doing your assignments. Don't just scrape the surface. Dig deeper and use your creative minds to show everything you want and then some. People will interpret what you've done in different ways that give them the sense that they are neither right nor wrong." She nodded toward Naruto who took his seat beside his best friend who gave him a praising smile while Sasuke just smirked.
"To keep you going on this track, I want you to do the same to this painting and voice your thoughts. That way all of you can see it from different perspectives," Kumiko said and she showed them a canvas painting. There was a sense of awed silence throughout the room as the students looked at the painting.
It was a nighttime image of a grassy field or rather what someone saw if they laid on the grass and was watching the stars. A full moon was illuminating brightly, partly covered by a few clouds but still shined in all its brilliance. The stars were barely visible because of its ethereal glow. All seemed still in the painting for the exception of a single leaf that was dancing in the slight wind, the only indication that time was not standing still.
"So, how do you feel about this one? What do you sense?"
"Peace," a student said first.
"Solitude," another said.
"Mysterious," Haku said and elaborated a bit further, "Because the moon is hiding behind the scattered clouds, like keeping some kind of secret."
"I think the clouds are overshadowing the moon, keeping it from showing itself," Naruto observed deeply.
'Both Uzumaki and Hyourin hit the mark very closely in that area,' Itachi thought as he silently observed the class and their responses. 'Kumiko-san, isn't that showing the truth a bit too much?'
"Excellent," Kumiko praised, pride showing in her eyes. "All that was said and what you're thinking would most likely describe me. This is my reflection."
So? Was it bad? As I said earlier, I'm not very satisfied with it but what can I do? I know you all want some ItaNaru time and I promise it'll be coming up soon. So leave a review and tell me what you think. Don't worry about hurting my feelings!
Another time, another place
Kurai hoshi