"Hi, dickless."
"SAI! I CALLED YOU FEW TIMES WHY ARE YOU NOT PICKING UP?"
Sai retracted his phone from his ear. Naruto almost tore down his eardrum with that volume. He waited until Naruto finished his yelling before he put the phone back to his ear again. "I put my phone on silent and spent the day resting as you have ordered, my lady." Sai deadpanned.
"Oh."
Sai rolled his eyes. "I thought you have two surgeries today?"
"Done."
"Where are you now?"
Sai could hear Naruto was laughing sheepishly. He could already picture Naruto doing that while scratching the back of his neck. "Don't hahaha me. Do you want me to pick you up or what?"
"No! You stay there. I will go home by myself. You must rest well!"
Sai rolled his eyes again. "Go home! Inform me immediately if you have arrived home, okay?"
"Will do, my lord." Sai smiled and cut the line off.
~o0o~
"Itachi. I want you to do me a favor." Sasuke trailed off staring into spaces.
"What is it?" Itachi asked back. After the meeting with Kakashi that day, it didn't end up so well Kakashi left Sasuke mute.
"Can you leave my room? I want to rest." To emphasize his words, Sasuke climbed to his bed and laid there looking to the right, facing his back to Itachi.
Itachi didn't know what to do. He wasn't sure if leaving Sasuke in his current state of mind was a good idea or not.
"I will be in the guest room. Don't do anything stupid." Itachi finally told Sasuke after having the internal battle whether to go back to his apartment was a safe idea or not.
Sasuke closed his eyes when Itachi came closer and put the blanket on his sleeping brother.
"Call me immediately if you need anything."
Itachi wasn't expecting any replies as he left the room. Ever since Sasuke had tendencies of cutting, Itachi had made sure Sasuke didn't have any sharp things anywhere near him. His little brother was too sensitive and his mind was unstable. Everything related to Naruto would drive him on the edge. He had lost his heart and Naruto had the missing organ.
He had tried to go get Sasuke to a therapy and the cutting had stopped. Itachi hoped that Sasuke was healed. He would let Sasuke rest since it had been hectic days so far for him. Even if something were to happen, he didn't need to worry much because he would know within a minute.
~o0o~
The next morning the Uchiha brothers were sitting across each other on the kitchen table. Itachi observed that Sasuke's mind was still on vacation it seemed. He was practically staring into spaces even though he didn't stop feeding himself his cereal.
"What's bothering you?" Itachi asked after folding his paper down.
Sasuke snapped out of his senses and looked at Itachi. "Nothing." He finished his cereals and put the bowls on the kitchen sin. "I will see you in the office."
Itachi found it strange but let it go without questioning it.
"We will work this out, okay?" Itachi said which succeeded in stopping Sasuke from his track. Sasuke looked back and flashed his rare smile to his brother before he left upstairs.
~o0o~
"Kakashi, where's your son?"
"Oh, good morning to you, too, Ino!" Kakashi answered the phone sarcastically after it rang three times.
"Kakashi, I'm serious. Where's Naruto? He is late!"
"What?" Kakashi asked back and retracted the phone from his ear to scream. "NARUTO!" Kakashi shouted from downstairs. He put the phone back to his ear with his eyes wide opened.
"I thought he already left?" He couldn't believe that Naruto was late.
"I wouldn't call you otherwise."
Kakashi sighed. "Naruto will be there in an hour."
"You better be, Kakashi. Bye!"
Kakashi put the phone on the table and headed upstairs. He thought Naruto was already in the hospital? Kakashi was not a morning person. It was normal for him to wake up with Naruto already left to the hospital. What the hell?
Upon reaching his destination, Kakashi opened Naruto's door to reveal Naruto was sitting on the bed with his face buried in the palm of his hands, sweating.
"Naruto?" Kakashi was on his knees beside the bed where Naruto was sitting, immediately, after seeing the scene upon him. It was an underestimate that he wasn't worried sick. It was the first time after a long time he witnessed such scene. He had seen this before when they were in Berlin days after Naruto's parents died in a car crash and he had to witness this again?
"What happen?" Kakashi touched Naruto's shoulder carefully, and the young doctor was shaking. Soft sobs could be heard from the shaking blonde. Naruto was shirtless, the body was glistening with the sweat and his missing shirt was on the floor, wet. Kakashi tried to feel Naruto's heartbeat. It was pounding erratically.
"Hey hey... What's wrong? Don't make me worry, Naruto..." Kakashi stood up and left to retrieve a glass of water downstairs and came back as fast as he could. "Here, drink this."
Naruto let go of his face and took the glass from Kakashi and drank it. Kakashi was shocked seeing Naruto's puffy, red eyes, and wet cheeks.
Kakashi drew circles on Naruto's back to calm the boy down. "Tell me what happened if you are ready."
Naruto gave the glass back to Kakashi and the white-haired man put it down on the floor before he got back drawing circles on the boy's back hoping the gesture could calm him down.
"I have been having these dreams recently. They were too scary..."
Kakashi's eyebrows were joined together in confusion. He let Naruto continued.
"I was in a car crash. It felt so real... Fuck... The other one I was lost..." Naruto ended up cupping his face with the palm of his hands again, losing the ability to finish his sentence. Any other day Kakashi would scold the blonde boy for his choice of word but today was an exception.
"Do you want me to call Ino to get your day off today?"
Naruto let go of his face and shook his head. "I'm okay. I will prepare now."
"Are you sure?"
Naruto nodded and stood up. He smiled, "Thank you, Kakashi."
"Don't do that again. It scares the hell out of me, you know."
Naruto shrugged. "Can't help it... I'm sorry, though... I didn't mean to make you worry." Naruto sighed and went to his bathroom, leaving his guardian wondering.
"Do you want me to drive you to the hospital?" Kakashi offered from outside.
"Nah... I can drive by myself after I get my ramen. You can go now."
Kakashi sighed. "Do you want me to make your ramen?"
Naruto opened the door of his bathroom, grinning. "You are the best, Kakashi." He said and closed the door again.
Feeling relieved seeing Naruto grinning, he went to the kitchen. He put the ramen inside the microwave after putting all the ingredients and water inside. The time Naruto finished, his ramen was ready. Having the thought, Kakashi left to work.
~o0o~
"Naruto! Where have you been! Tsunade has been searching for you like forever!" Ino scolded the blonde man.
Naruto who had just arrived at the hospital could only grin apologetically while scratching the back of his head. "Hehehe..."
"Don't laugh! I was the one who had to swallow Tsunade's wrath! I called Kakashi and even he had trouble calling you!" Ino scolded again as she led Naruto to the elevator.
"I'm sorry, Ino... I had trouble with sleeping and I had no idea where my cell phone was!" Naruto tried to give a plausible reason in hope that he could convince Ino. "Besides, this is my first time coming late." Naruto ended with a wink.
Ino rolled her eyes.
"Is this an excuse? If yes, then save it. Your patients are waiting!"
"But Ino I don't-"
"Yes-yes, doctor..." Ino smiled and pushed Naruto inside the elevator. She smiled as the door closed. Naruto sighed but smiled back nonetheless.
It left his mind wandered inside the elevator. It had been days since he had the same dream that had left him panting. The strange man was the trigger of those dreams. He never dreamed that kind of dreams until that encounter. He had trouble in mornings.
'What should I do?' Naruto thought to himself. He felt terribly lonely after waking up in the night because of those dreams. That led him crying after that for no reason he couldn't fathom. And now he felt terribly empty. Something was missing he couldn't name it.
He had this feeling that Kakashi knew something but he kept his mouth shut to tell him. Who were those strangers? They looked so familiar but he didn't know them.
Naruto sighed when the elevator door opened to his floor. With a heavy heart, he forced himself to smile before stepping out of the elevator.
~o0o~
"Please rest well, Mrs. Shirakawa."
"Thank you, doc." Naruto smiled at her as he watched the woman closed her eyes.
Before Naruto left the room, he noticed a red rose inside a green vase upside the table.
Naruto smiled as he just knew who to ask when Kakashi wouldn't answer him. He took his cellphone out of his coat and dialed someone.
~o0o~
Naruto went straight to his room and he was shocked to see who was inside.
"Sai? What the-"
"Kakashi asked me to get you to eat lunch together." The pale guy smiled as he stood up.
"But I told you to rest!"
Sai waved his hand in the air. "I did yesterday. Please, be a good boyfriend just this once."
Naruto sighed but nodded nonetheless, feeling no energy left to argue. "Alright. On you."
Sai made a saluting pose with a smile and led the way out.
~o0o~
It was lunch time and it was a habit for Itachi to see his little brother in his office. But upon entering the office, Itachi raised his right eyebrow to see it was empty. He exited the room and looked for the secretary.
"Karin. Where's Sasuke?"
Karin stood up as she adjusted her glasses. "Sir, Sasuke didn't come. I didn't receive any news from him, sir. I tried to call but I couldn't reach him."
Itachi nodded at the information and began walking. He took his cellphone out of his pocket and dialed his brother's number. His worry started growing when he was met with Sasuke's voicemail, "Sasuke Uchiha, fuck off."
Itachi would roll his eyes any other day, but today he had a strange feeling bubbling up. In a speed of light, he already entering his brother's apartment.
"Sasuke?" Itachi called out to the eerily silent apartment.
This was bad. Were Kakashi's words too much for Sasuke? His little brother was too sensitive. It was foolish of him for did not realize it sooner.
"Sasuke, you better not..." Itachi was already in front of his brother's bathroom door. He could hear the running faucet.
"Sasuke?"
When Itachi received no reply, he pushed the door to find it unlocked. It was a lie if he wasn't expecting blood on the floor.
"No no no no, you foolish!" Itachi was almost shaking as he lifted Sasuke's limped body bridal style. Sasuke was shirtless with only wearing his black sweatpants, blood dripping both wrists, and he looked ridiculously paler than he already was.
Itachi was shaking when he put Sasuke on the passenger seat wearing the unconscious male the seatbelt. What was Sasuke thinking?
~o0o~
"Sai? Can you help me?" Naruto asked carefully to the man who was driving.
"Why wouldn't I?" Sai smiled, stealing glances at his boyfriend while driving. He hit the brakes slowly when they met the red light, stopping smoothly.
Naruto sighed when they stopped. "I want to sleep with you tonight."
"What?" Now Sai's attention was on Naruto fully.
"Why? I can't?" Naruto asked, hesitated.
"Of course you can! I mean, we have been dating a year now and we never-"
"Well? I could also cook you dinner if you want?"
Sai stared at Naruto unsure, searching if the dickless was being serious or not. When he found that Naruto was being serious, Sai gulped. "Well, I can't reject that, can I?"
Sai eventually smiled when Naruto smiled at the answer. The light had turned green and Sai continued driving back to the hospital.
When they arrived, Ino approached the couple, panting.
"Naruto, thank god I need you now!"
"What? Why?"
"I'm sorry Sai, but I need your boyfriend to perform surgery immediately," Ino said apologetically as she started pushing Naruto to the elevator.
Sai shrugged with a smile.
"Ino, I'm an oncologist! Sai! Help me!" Naruto said dramatically.
Sai only waved, smiling. "Save someone's life, Naruto. You can do it. I will see you tonight!"
Ino waved at Sai and continued pushing Naruto to the elevator. "We don't have much time, Naruto. Someone needs surgery right away and no surgeon is available right now and you just happen to walk in."
"I'm not a surgeon!"
They entered the elevator and Ino pushed their floor destination. "But you can perform a surgery. Remember your oath, Naruto."
It wasn't that Naruto was against saving people's lives, it was just that he wasn't a surgeon. He sighed but agreed eventually. "What's the problem?" Because well, he can perform surgery.
"Wounds on both wrists. Attempting suicide."
"Fucker. What's the name?" Naruto whispered. Not only he hated those people, but he loathed them. Just when some people were fighting to keep living, here they were thinking that ending their lives like this was a great idea. They were no other than hypocrites.
"Sasuke Uchiha," Ino informed Naruto as she stole glances toward the doctor to see any kind of response. When she saw none, she sighed.
Naruto massaged the bridge of his nose. "Have you prepared everything?"
"Yes. I also have prepared two nurses to help you."
Naruto nodded when the elevator gave a ding sound. The two exited the small room and Ino led the way. "Heartbreak? Someone dumped his sorry ass?" Naruto joked.
"Naruto!"
Naruto grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Joking, Ino... Joking."
"Not funny."
Naruto gulped at the woman and left the topic eventually.
Upon entering the room, Naruto was shocked to who he was seeing. He held on his anger by gritting his teeth in annoyance. "Let's start."
~o0o~
"We are out of blood type AB rhesus positive and we need it for the patient," Ino told Itachi.
"Get mine. I have the same blood type as him."
"Follow me," Ino instructed.
The two went to a laboratory and Ino started the transfusion.
"You are Ino Yamanaka if I'm not mistaken."
Ino nodded because she already knew this coming. "I know Sasuke and Naruto. They were my friends back in high school."
"We have been looking for Naruto for years now. I believe that you knew about this."
Ino sighed. "I'm sorry. Kakashi would know if I tell you about this and he won't keep quiet about it."
"How long has Naruto worked here?"
Ino shrugged. "I don't know... A year maybe?"
Itachi nodded. "Do you want to tell me some information about Naruto that you knew of? If you are willing to tell me it is."
Ino sighed again. "I'm not sure if I should tell you. If Kakashi knew that I told you this, I might be a dead-meat."
"Your words are safe with me." Itachi elaborated, desperate for information. Honestly, it broke his heart seeing an almost lifeless form of his little brother covered with blood. The only way to stop that was to get Naruto back to Sasuke.
Ino, who was hesitated at first, finally spilled the beans. "Naruto has amnesia, apparently. When the first time I met Naruto again about a year ago, I immediately approached and greeted him. You know, being friends and all... He didn't recognize me at first until Kakashi showed up and told me in private that Naruto had amnesia and ordered me not to tell any soul about his whereabouts. He also told me to just pretend that Naruto is a new person she just met." Ino paused doing something with the transfusion before she continued. "We are done." Ino finished the transfusion and prepared a band-aid for Itachi and a box of milk.
"What about the pale guy?" Itachi added in. "Who is he?"
"Oh, you have met Sai?"
Itachi nodded.
"He is an artist and also Naruto's boyfriend, apparently. That was all I knew about him." Ino nodded.
~o0o~
Naruto removed the gloves from his hands and dumped them in the trash bin, followed by the surgical mask. He washed his hands and his face before exiting the surgical room. He was practically gritting his teeth upon leaving the room. This was the second time he met this guy. The guy must be mental. What was he thinking?
"Doctor," Itachi called out to the guy. Itachi thought that Naruto was looking rather... preoccupied with something? ...or rather someone... a certain Sasuke Uchiha...
"Oh yes. You are?"
"Itachi Uchiha, the patient's elder brother." Itachi bowed politely as he saw behind him that his brother was being escorted to another room.
Naruto bowed back. "Alright, Mr. Uchiha. Your brother is okay for now." Naruto said as he looked at his back to see his patient was being escorted.
Itachi studied Naruto with his hawk eyes while the young doctor was talking, nodding once in a while.
"He is just sleeping. I will check him again after he gained consciousness. You can visit him in the other room but please let him rest. If you'll excuse me." Naruto bowed and left the man.
Itachi bowed back as he watched Naruto left. To think that Naruto would be Sasuke's surgeon?
Itachi gave an expressionless face to the retreating blonde and left to his brother's room.
TBC
Published: Thursday, November 9th, 2017 03.05 PM (JST)