I'm not at home, I can't be long. This is the last chapter of Arc 2. Hope you enjoy this chapter ;D

Standard disclaimer applies. Unbeta-ed

Chapter 7: Going on a Plane's Ride!

It was two days after the blond had left. And for two days straight he had to endure the long lectures from Iruka-sensei and Sarutobi jiisama. That was not part of their plan.

Sasuke was worried. Yeah, of course he knew that letters took a few days to arrive. But he was worried sick nonetheless. It didn't help that the news he spotted in the newspaper at school reported a murder of a teenage boy around their age in the city.

The Uchiha packed his bag after the school session has finished. He was on his way back home when the public phone next to the school rang shrilly. Sasuke turned around, confused and looking for someone who was expecting a phone call. Someone who didn't have a phone in his/her house- like Sasuke.

The confused boy picked it up. Maybe he could answer it and get the person who the caller wanted to talk to. He after all, knew pretty much every town people in Greenbushes since it's a very small town anyway.

"Hello?"

"Sasuke! Thank God you picked it up!" a familiar voice cheered at the end.

"Naruto?" Sasuke's eyes widen, turning to see if somebody else was around. No one. The place was deserted.

"The one and only!" Came a sunny reply.

"You idiot! I told you not to call! What if someone else was walking now? What if nobody was walking down here?!"

"Chill, Sasuke. I knew you would. We have always walk pass by there around this time. Looks like the lucky lady's on my side huh?"

Sasuke growled. "Where are you?"

"In the city, you idiot! I checked into the backpackers- like we've planned. And now I'm calling you- like I planned. I'm going to Ichiraku next. I checked out the places around the backpackers first, but no vacancies around that area."

"Are you holding on okay?" Worry laced into his voice. He could almost hear Naruto's rolling eyes.

"Of course! Did… you know, jiji and Iruka sensei flipped out yet?"

Sasuke snorted. "Two days straight with lectures, warnings and scolding. That was not part of the plan, dobe!"

Naruto chuckled. "Well, sorry, bastard. Somebody had to be one receiving end of that. I'm sure I'll receive mine when I see them again in the future. Look, I don't have much coin left. I'll send you a letter next time, yeah?"

"I told you calls are expensive."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever!" Naruto stuck out his tongue, even though he knew Sasuke couldn't see it.

"Stop sticking your tongue out and make funny faces. It's disgusting," Naruto laughed out loud. "Whatever, Teme. Just let Iruka-sensei and jiji that I'm fitting perfectly here and not to worry, okay? I'll hang up now."

"Take care, Naruto…" he said softly.

"Yeah… you too, Teme…" a similar response and soft click was heard, followed by the hanging up tone.

Shit, Sasuke forgot to scold Naruto about leaving him before waking him up!

000

"I've been a dedicated customer to your Bridgetown branch and this is how you treated me?!" Naruto glared.

"It doesn't matter, brat!"

"Doesn't matter? Hey! I brought a lot pf profits into your ramen place, ok?! And this is how you treated me?! Pft! I can spread bad rumour about your ramen and how badly you treated your customers, y'know?!"

"Ooohhh!! Scary!!" the man mocked him. "I'll sue you if you do that!"

"Gah!!" Naruto stomped out.

At one dark corner of the restaurant, a pair of eyes looked at the scene with an amused twinkle. So that young good looking boy needed a job huh?

He's not the type to waste such a good face. And he's certainly not going to miss this one; especially with that eyes. Golden flawless skin and sunshine hair only added more to the valuable assets the boy had. And those whiskered-like traces? Those could be his trademark. The Fierce Tiger, A Force to be Reckon With. No, scratched that; find something more unique, like… like a fox! The Legendary Nine Tail in the Myth!

He could bring me fortunes, with the right training, the man mused.

000

Naruto sighed. Things were not working well. And the pool of money that he and Sasuke saved from 2 years prior was draining fast. If he didn't find a job soon, he would have to go back to Greenbushes. He didn't want to go back yet; not when not even an inch of their plan was heading the way they wanted.

But he felt so helpless. Naruto looked at the sky, and then at the city not far from where he stood. It was beautiful, the sight from Kings Park. The Park almost reminded him of the hill top where he and Sasuke used to spend times.

Naruto blushed. He missed Sasuke too. And that didn't help much on what he wanted to do next. He wanted to go home. Maybe this wasn't working. Maybe they both have to come to the city together. That way, at least they could support each other mentally and emotionally.

But he hated giving up so early. Maybe he could cut down on his food consumption? He could just buy those instant ramen and practically lived on that for the rest of the year.

A tap on his shoulder jolted him. Naruto turned. Stood in front of him was a tall guy with dark glasses; bandana adorned atop of his head.

Naruto blinked.

His future was about to change.

About a week and a half after that, he was boarding a plane. Naruto gaped and talked and pointed in excited manner that made Jiraiya laughed.

"Oi, oi, Ero-Sensei!" Naruto turned to Jiraiya in the First Class seat.

"I warned you not to call me that, kid!"

"It's only the truth isn't it? You asked me to pose in that kind of manner! With shirt opened nonetheless!" Naruto's voice rose. Some of the passengers looked at them oddly. Jiraiya gave them a nervous apologetically look.

"Look. I've told you once and I tell you again. If you ever called me that, I'm not gonna give you any ramen and leave you alone at the airport," Jiraiya threatened. Naruto stopped himself from retorting. "Fine…." He mumbled at last.

"What did you want to ask me, kid?"

"I was just wondering why are we stopping in England first?"

"Didn't I tell you that I'm meeting one of my old colleagues in Oxford University before we head to France? Or weren't you listening to me at all?"

"Eh, hehehe…" Naruto rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I guess I wasn't concentrating much…" he admitted. Well, how could he? The ramen was too good!

"Pay attention next time." Jiraiya scolded.

"Or what?!" Naruto's blue eyes held fire inside.

"No ram-"

"Fine! Fine! Stop threatening me!"

Jiraiya chuckled.

000

Naruto walked, eyes taking everything surrounding him. He awed at how beautiful the scenery, the building and the people were, despite the chilly weather. He instantly fell in love with it. It was a lot different from where he came from.

A lonely boy sitting alone on a bench caught his eyes. The scene from 10 years ago played inside his mind, as he recalled how lonely Sasuke looked when he was smaller. This guy… this red haired also had the same lonely look. Naruto braved himself to walk towards the boy who he thought looked like he was about the same age as him.

"Hi!" Naruto grinned, pearly white teeth showing.

The red-haired looked up, his bright emerald eyes clashed with the bright azure eyes. Emerald eyes blinked.

"Can I sit here?" Naruto asked, pointing to the seat next to the red-haired. The boy shrugged his shoulder.

"You study here?" Naruto tried again, not discouraged from the lack of response.

A nod.

"My name's Uzumaki Naruto. You can call me Naruto if you'd like." He held out his right hand.

It took a minute for the red-haired to stare at the hand held out for him. Then he looked at the owner of the hands. Naruto recognized that look. It was one saying 'Are you stupid or something?' Sasuke used that a lot at him.

His heart suddenly ached at the thought of the other boy. He hoped Sasuke received his letter and forgive him. He would try to write another one once he's settled in France. Or maybe he could try to give a call.

"Gaara. Sabaku Gaara," the red-haired called Gaara finally said. He didn't shake Naruto's hand though, so Naruto shyly pulled it back, embarrassed.

"You study here, Gaara?" he asked again, not giving up.

It seemed that the only way to get rid of this boy was to respond to him. So he replied, "Yes."

"Oh, cool! I'm going to France to study. Ero- I mean, Jiraiya-san has to go and meet his friend first. So that's why we're stopping here. We're taking the flight to France first thing tomorrow morning!"

Silence.

"Have you been to France, Gaara-san?"

"No."

Okay…. Naruto frowned. "How old are you, Gaara-san? I'm 15."

Gaara had a twitch on his head; not that Naruto was aware of it. Couldn't this kid just leave him alone? "Same as you," Gaara answered, annoyed.

Naruto however, was amazed. "15?! But you're studying here!" his eyes had widen with admiration. Oh great, Gaara grimaced.

"You must be really smart or something huh? A tensai, huh? Huh?" Naruto patted Gaara's shoulder. That seemed to be the final straw. Nobody, and that means nobody touched Sabaku Gaara!

"Don't touch me!" the red-haired said. The sudden warning made Naruto pulled back his hand instantly. Blue eyes blinked into the emerald ones.

"I-I'm sorry," Naruto said, lips quivering a bit.

Gaara looked at the boy who was called Naruto. The blue eyes glazed with something he recognized as hurt and genuine guilt. Gaara sighed. Never had he met a boy so persistent and insistent, and then when he was scolded, he had never seen such genuine guilt in anybody's eyes like this boy.

He's just not a typical guy, Gaara realized.

"I'm sorry." Gaara said at last, defeated by the uniqueness in Naruto's character.

"W-What?" Naruto looked back at him, unsure of what he heard.

"I'm not going to repeat myself. I didn't mean to snap at you."

"O-Okay… I'm sorry too…" Naruto rubbed his eyes, sniffing loudly. When he had calmed himself down, he turned back to Gaara. "Y-You are not from here? You don't sound English at all…" he asked quietly, afraid that Gaara would lash at him again. It was embarrassing, almost crying in front of a stranger, but he missed Sasuke badly and this boy who acted so much like him wasn't any help either.

"No. I'm from Australia."

Naruto's eyes widen at that. He suddenly broke into a sunny smile, which made Gaara blinked a few times at the ethereal beauty in front of him.

"I'm from Australia too! Perth, WA! Wow! What a small world!" Naruto grinned more. How could anyone grin so much? That, Gaara didn't know.

"Naruto!" A voice called from his left. "There you are! I was looking all over for you. Didn't I say be back at that place in half an hour?" Jiraiya scolded. Naruto looked at his brand new watch and laughed nervously.

Gaara looked at the whitish-grey haired man. So, this was the Jiraiya? Gaara had heard of him. Who didn't? He was the famous author and photographer who had just launched Hidden Leaf Modelling Agency in Sydney with his life time partner, Tsunade recently.

"I've got to go, Gaara," Naruto turned back to the red-haired. "But I hope we'll meet one day," he gave Gaara a genuine smile and held out his hand again, seeming forgotten what happened on the first time he tried it.

This time though, Gaara took it, nodding.

"Take care!" Naruto waved, and then turned back his attention to Jiraiya's lecture and started arguing with the man.

"Perth, huh?" Gaara mumbled under his breath. He let a small tug adorned his lips.

And so, a new friendship was born.

And with that too, Naruto took his first step to becoming a renowned model and talented actor.

000

Back in a certain small town at the other part of the world, a young ebony-haired teenager packed his bag. It was three weeks after Naruto's phone call and the absence of news now not only worried him, but the brown-haired teacher too.

"Are you sure about this, Sasuke?" Iruka asked, wringing his hands worriedly.

"Aaa," Sasuke nodded, fishing the bus ticket.

"If anyone comes to ask you about me, be it Sarutobi-jiisama, the Inuzukas, my brother or heck, even if Naruto comes back and demands to know where I am, just said you don't know, okay? I'll be back in three days time." Iruka nodded, understood.

"Maybe I should go with you. If you could just wait till this weekend-"

Sasuke shook his head to cut Iruka. "Naruto would be mad if he knew I went to the city to look for him. I don't want him to know this- ever. If he comes back, make sure he doesn't go away again. That's why I need you here."

Iruka sighed but agreed.

"I'll come back after three days. I'll call your home if I think I will be longer in the city."

"You've got everything?" Iruka asked as the young lad climbed up the bus. Sasuke nodded. "And my number too?" Iruka asked urgently.

"Yes, Iruka-sensei," Sasuke smiled, touched at the man's concern. "I'll keep in touch," he promised the man who gave him more support than he himself had been aware of. He went up and searched for his seat.

'Did something bad happen to you, Naruto?!'

TBC...
Next: 3rd Arc- A Month's Vacation