Chapter 11:
"You want something to eat?" Asked Konan, as she raided the fridge. "I can't, I'm late enough as it is." "I thought you only did night shifts. If I knew you had to go now I would have woken you earlier." Hinata rushed around the corridor while sloppily buttoning her work shirt, "I need the extra cash to pay off rent." She then quickly shoved her long hair into something that resembled a pony tail ignoring the many strands that refused to be tamed. The girl then slipped on some black shoes and slung her bag around her shoulder. "Wait!" Came a yell from the kitchen. Konan jogged to the half open door where Hinata stood and passed her a small tub. "You've already missed the most important meal of the day and you are defiantly not about to skip lunch too." The youngest of the two quickly took a peek at its contents. Inside neatly lead: two sandwiches, an apple, a cereal bar and a mini yoghurt.
"Thanks." Said Hinata. "No problem, but before you're about to get fired could you at least have the apple." "Fine." Complained Hinata taking an exadurated bite from the fruit. "Good. Now get a move on, you were supposed to be there five minutes ago." Hinata wanted to say, "maybe I would be if you let me already." But she decided she was late enough as it was. Besides they were both shattered from the night before so they weren't exactly in the best of moods to argue.
The tacky clock read 12:17 as Hinata rammed through the glass doors heavily panting. She bent over, hands on knees gasping for breath. Her lungs were on fire while her face dripped with sweat. A pair of stern legs came into view as her eyes focused. "Seventeen minutes late." Tutted a deep voice. "I'm s-(huff) sorry. M-mr Uchiha." "What have I said about the honourifics? Madara is just fine but this really isn't like you Hinata. I must say I'm a bit disappointed. But, as this is your last shift..." He said rubbing the back of his neck, "I suppose I can let this slide. Work hard today ok?" "Yes Madara, sir." Hinata bowed.
As the girl rose, a figure that she had failed to notice shifted. Leant against the cerulean wall was an unwelcome individual. Broad arms crossed against a hard chest. Silver hair smoothly slicked back. And magenta eyes stared in a distortion of both shock and disbelief. Quickly, Hinata strode past the man she had once considered a friend and positioned herself behind the sticky counter. He quickly followed also taking his position next to the girl. As she stared coldly onwards, Hidan couldn't help but turn his head every few seconds to reassure what he was seeing was reality. "Could you stop staring at me already." She commanded in a monotone voice. Caught off guard, the Akatsuki member couldn't help but flinch at the Hyuga's change in demeanour.
Was this really the same shy girl who would stutter with each sentence? Who's smile never faded and who's persona emitted nothing but kindness? She had changed. But for better or worse he could not tell. She seemed more confident yet lacked compassion. "I... haven't seen you around here. I thought you quit after...well... " he said unsure of the impact it would have on the stranger that stood before him. Without even looking at him she replied, "I might as well be. I'm leaving this place." A deep sinking feeling consumed Hidan's stomach. He had to know exactly what she meant, "You're quitting Blockbusters?" There was a pause before Hinata clarified, "Yes. But not just that... I'm leaving Konoha-" "How long?!" He demanded. Lavender eyes bore into his as she hissed, "Forever, now would you stop interrogating me?"
This suddenness only furthered the deepness of the wound. It was worse. There was little he could do. Arguing further would only result in further angering the already annoyed Hyga heiress. The two simply stood in silence watching the occasional customer every few hours. Soon the sky darkened allowing the shoddy lights to illuminate as much of the small store as possible. By now there was only a single customer. He was a regular. The kind of guy who would spend hours looking at the outdated DVDs, leave and then later return expecting the stock to magically alter.
His face was always frozen in a state on uncertainty and anxiety. Messy hair covered leather hard skin. His wild eyes would shift from the display case to the walls and then the broken CCTV camera. The man had never purchased anything. In fact he never even went to the desk to ask about the film he seemed to be constantly searching for. Sometimes, just before he'd leave the store, he would stop for a few seconds just beside the door as if he was considering something. Whatever it was it clearly bothered him. The act resemble that of a person who was worried about forgetting something but had already triple checked.
Today however was different. This was by far the longest time the man had spent in the store and it was getting close to closing time. Hidan was in the back organising the latest shipment of films. The VHS tapes took up a considerable amount of space thanks to their bulkiness. Stacking these required a surprising amount of skill. It was a dark room with one naked bulb that hung on a, crack filled, concrete, ceiling. The small space was overwhelmed with cardboard boxes containing both merchandise and even older forms of film.
Hinata leant with elbows on the counter and head in hands. Soon the little clock would peak 19:30 and she would receive her last pay cheque. Their boss, Madara, swung around a land yard that jangled with a dozen rusted keys. As he paced from his office, he played with the first three metal shapes, tracing their features with his thumb. Just as he was about to place the silver key into the thin metal of the lock, he looked over his shoulder and chuckled to himself, "Oh sorry, didn't see you there. I'm just about to close shop so I'm afraid you'll have to leave sir." He held the door open for the lone customer. However, when he looked into the reflection of the glass the sincerity of his welcoming glow was extinguished.
Something hard and cold was forcefully jabbed into the Uchiha's back. The cheesy music that would lull on repeat was drowned out by his ever increasing heart beat. Instead a harsh series of sharp raspy breaths echoed through his stone body, into the very pit of his soul. This torturous sound was not that of his own but instead that of the so called customer.
The man's sausage like fingers choked the handle of a large revolver. Both arms extended the death machine from his shaking form. Eyes met, both wide. One of terror and the other of rage.
BANG!