Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any music I use.
Old Friends
Chapter Four: The Boss
I stepped into the office with a light spring in my step and greeted Tenten cheerfully. "Good morning, Ten-chan! How was working with Kabuto?"
She smiled back with that secretive smile of hers, "it's been great actually. He's introduced me to this fitness trainer, Rock Lee, and I've been having sooo much fun!"
Her hair was tied together nicely and she wore a satiny, deep violet Cynthia Rowley dress. With it she wore a pair of black leggings, and classic Prada heels, a present from Kabuto, if I remembered correctly.
"So, d'you like him?" I grinned.
Tenten mock gasped and then murmured, "of course not… Anyways, nice Ed Hardy zip-up, I can't believe you don't own a Great Wall one."
I shook my head at her and proceeded to checking my e-mail. There was Orochimaru's morning memo, Kabuto's list of photo shoots and interviews that were coming up, and a note from Deidara telling me what his friends thought of meeting me.
"So, Ten-chan, where are you going to school in September?" I asked, curious to know her schedule.
She grinned, "Oto's famous Hebi no Sannin, I'm taking Art History for my last credit."
"Sweet! I'm going out to Shikotsumyaku University for Journalism and Art History!" I chuckled as well and then opened Orochimaru's e-mail first.
From: Orochimaru
To: Group: CEOs; Group: Interns
Subject: AFTERNOON MEETING
CEOs, Interns:
I need my interns as well as Kabuto, and the other CEOs to come in for a meeting in the upstairs boardroom at 2:00 after lunch. Be prompt, or else.
Orochimaru
President of Oto Jutsu
All e-mails are personal and private property of Oto Jutsu. If you are not the recipient of this message, please reply to this message and delete it.
"Did you read Orochimaru's memo about the meeting?" called Tenten from her teak desk and book shelf set. Beneath it was a stainless steel wastepaper basket and she sat in a high backed leather chair. My corner was adjacent to hers so I sat in the middle of the room, but a double-sided teak and cherry wood, depending on your side, sat between us. My cherry wood desk was parallel with the wall behind me. The rest of the room held racks and racks of clothes and the hallway turned into another room.
"Yup, I hate going to meetings. It always turns out the same. Orochimaru says something, another CEO corrects him, they get in a fight, Orochimaru phones Tsunade or Jiraiya to get them to back his point, they don't, he throws a fit, and we all leave," I droned.
Ten-chan gave a laugh, "yeah, but I love working here, so I don't mind."
I agreed, "but I wish I could go home to Hi no Kuni more often…"
We both sighed and deleted Kabuto's e-mail, because I already had it all tacked onto the calendar that sat behind my desk. I switched e-mail accounts to my student one and checked my message from Deidara.
From: Deidara
To: Yamanaka Ino
Subject: RE: Dinner
Ino-chan,
I had a great time last night. Good food and even better company, yeah? We should do this again. The rest of Akatsuki was impressed with you, yeah. They said something about you working for us.
Deidara
Art Contributor to Akatsuki
I just have to know what the hell it is with all these hot shots putting their job titles after their names, jeez. Then again, as soon as I get a title worth showing off, I'd do that too. To hell for working at Akatsuki, they might be the hottest up and coming thing, but Jutsu was nationwide and well known for its staying power.
With another sigh, I remembered my date with Kimi-kun, "damn. I should meet him and explain the whole thing to him… Tonight I'll decide – well, I think.
Anyways, this dinner would probably be way more personal and a little mellower, seeing as we weren't going to the hottest club around and meeting other people. Speaking of which, I liked the fresh vibe. I needed some fresh air too.
At lunch I headed outside and I had an espresso at the nearby coffee place. Ahh, I loved those demitasse cups. All that coffee goodness packed together, mmm. Meanwhile, I also sent Kimimaro a message.
To: Kaguya Kimi-kun (020-1439-4500)
From: Yamanaka Ino (020-5493-4100)
Hey, Kimi-kun, the address is 6868 Lakeview Road, it's off Lake Yuki. I'll see you later, ok?
XOXO,
Yamanaka Ino
With that finished, I waited for the day to end. Ugh, if only I could get past that awful meeting. I shouldered my purse, Furla if you want to know, and walked upstairs to the boardroom. Surprisingly, Orochimaru was there with Pein, Tsunade, and Jiraiya.
Curiously, I took a detour to the washroom and teased up my normally silky, pencil straight blond hair, and put on my green McQ scarf to bring out more green in my eyes. I honestly hoped Pein would not recognize me.
I strode purposefully into the boardroom and sat next to Orochimaru and he handed me a Mont Blanc fountain pen and Tenten and Kabuto sat at the other side of me. I greeted Tsunade, who I sat across from and her own assistant, Shizune gave me a curt nod.
The four sided square table was had Jutsu members on one side and Akatsuki on the other. The bosses sat on the inside while the assistants sat on the outside. The blue headed woman I sat next to gave me a knowing smile, which I gladly returned.
Tenten nodded to me and debriefed me quietly, "in order to band together against several other larger companies, Jutsu and Akatsuki are banding together against Hyuuga's Bazaar, U, the Uchiha Magazine, and Egotistic Festival."
I whispered under my breath, "damn, and Orochimaru hates Akatsuki."
She grinned, "the other's have forced his vote and he can't run Oto Jutsu on his own."
Orochimaru stood and I kept the pen poised and I avoided Pein's stare.
"As you all know, with the newest arrival of Hyuuga's Bazaar merging with smaller privately owned magazines and U, the Uchiha Magazine, so, in accordance, we," he motioned to Sarutobi, Jiraiya, and Tsunade, "would like to merge Jutsu and Akatsuki into one corporate company."
Sometime later, my hand kept writing, but my head had wandered off somewhere else. At the end of the meeting I waited for Orochimaru. A nasty smirk was on his face and Orochimaru nodded to the two girls, "you are dismissed."
"And Ino?" I stopped walking and turned to look, "I would appreciate it if you did not associate with Akatsuki until the merger is over…"
I refrained from a smile, "hai Orochimaru-sama."
I turned and opened the door, the stagnant air hitting me softly. The soft tune Vivaldi's Four Seasons played in the elevator as I rode down to the bottom floor. You see; when you take the elevator on the right, it plays the Four Seasons while if you take the left one, it plays Liszt on the right.
None of the elevator's went straight down to the parking below, so I got out of the elevator and walked to the other one, which goes down to the parking. I wasn't sure if Kimimaro was getting anything to eat, so I settled for getting a bottle of Veuve Cliquot and two of my favourite panini sandwiches. I deposited them in this cute wicker picnic basket and set off for Orochimaru's lake house.
I love the lake house. Every year, for our before-summer intern-party we all head up to the lake house and have a light lunch on the balcony. Right now, we would forego the long table and sit on the ground under the stars.
The lake house stars helped me forget everything. All the problems with Sakura's asshole, possessive boyfriend just melted off my shoulder's as I opened the balcony door to lay out one of the Burberry fleece blankets. My dilemma between who I should choose seemed to flutter away into the night sky.
My breath seemed to be taken out of my grasp because I found myself staring out into the black glass that was the lake. I left it open and let a few of the lanterns outside. As I wandered back into the house I flipped open the in-house stereo system.
"Hmm, Vivaldi's Four Seasons… and Liszt," I murmured, flipping through the CDs, "Vivaldi it is." I shut the box and returned to unpacking the champagne and the sandwiches. I opened the fridge and was surprised to find a fruit platter with a note stuck on it.
Yamanaka, for your little get together I have had the farmers put out the freshest fruits from the crops. – Orochimaru
I whistled and brought those out and set out another throw and sat along the railing on the balcony. Damn, it was pretty, all the stars, the lake, and Vivaldi's violins playing in the background. Mmm.
Then, a voice broke me out of my reverie, "Ino-chan? I'm at the front."
I click-clacked my way to the front in my Cesare Paciotti boots. My long blonde hair swayed in the wind as I imagined him all suited up and holding white lilies.
As if.
A/N: Whoever can recognize any of the magazines in their 'altered' state will get a cookie. Review, please:)