Chapter 11

Disclaimer: The title Naruto and anything that has to with it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. (But Uzumaki Naruto belongs to Uchiha Sasuke XP) But I do own the plot of this story.

Again, another big Thank you for the reviewers. Though this was a late -.-'

Angst and mild violence.

"Hey Sakura-chan…"

The girl turned to look at the boy who called her attention.

"Hi Naruto. Did you need something?"

Naruto's mouth opened and closed without any sound coming out, obviously unsure of what to say. Sakura waited patiently for him to speak up.

"Ash, could we meet after classes? I need to tell you something." Naruto scratched the back of his head bashfully and bit his lower lip. She could not help but think how cute the boy looked at that moment.

"You couldn't tell me right now?"

"It's kind of private…and important."

The pink-haired girl nodded. "I still have meeting with the flower arrangement club though. Would you mind if you wait a bit?" she inserted her floral-covered notebook on her pink bag.

"Of course not, Sakura-chan!" he replied with a smile.

Sakura's gaze turned to the empty seat behind her blonde friend's, sadness overcoming her. Sasuke and her already had a very limited interaction since the actor disappeared before she could approach him. She was lucky enough that she could see him up close.

"Do you think Sasuke-kun's alright?" she asked, not noticing the blonde stiffened.

"He's a bastard so he should be al— sorry Sakura-chan!" the boy stopped when the girl pointed him a glare. Sakura sighed, shaking her head in disappointment. Things would never change between the two boys even though things were going okay with her and Naruto.

She was glad that they were both picking up the pieces of their friendship.

Speaking of the two boys, she had a hunch that another misunderstanding occurred between them when she left the laboratory. They were not exactly on the best speaking terms especially on Naruto's part. From her own observation, she could tell that Sasuke enjoys riling up Naruto and getting skin-deep into the blonde's nerves. He always wore that triumphant smirk every time he successfully got the other boy furious and worked up over a thing or two.

Sakura could not help but get jealous over the relationship of the two. It was a silly thing but Naruto got Sasuke's attention, which she always wanted to have on top of everything.

"See you later then." Naruto waved backwards. His voice was heavy and sad but the pink-haired girl ignored it, thinking that she was being over-sensitive.

It was as if Sasuke liked Naruto, as in like-like. Now that was plain ridiculous. There was no reason for to doubt her greatest love's orientation. Sasuke was obviously straight and Sakura would be his wife.

Her mind drifted in to the future where her last name was Uchiha and she lived in a mansion. She imagined welcoming Sasuke home and kissing him in the lips. Sasuke was definitely not gay.

Of course little did she know that he was only gay for Naruto.

ooooo

Sasuke walked towards the library instead of entering his classes. He still didn't want to face Naruto or Sakura or anyone this moment. He decided to go to the library instead of wondering around like a fool in the school corridors. Besides, some educational nut might drag him back to the place that he avoids the most.

The library was the most logical place to be alone amidst the students. Aside from the classes ongoing, those students who cut their classes would likely be situated on the other parts of the school or if they were lucky enough to pass through the tight security of the school.

The library could be very useful especially in the actor's state right now. Maybe he'll find some witchcraft books that tells how to make a powerful love potion or an occult book that deals with pink-headed human sacrifice.

"Stupid dobe," he muttered angrily. The flow of his thoughts was downright ridiculous. He, the famous Uchiha Sasuke, was resorted into a pathetic, love-sick fool. His ancestors were probably twirling in their graves, their descendant reduced to using the black arts to get what he wanted.

This was all Naruto's fault.

The two student assistants, girls, were dumbstruck when the actor entered. They stopped in what they were doing and focused on making themselves appeal to the handsome teenager on their turf. It was a once in a while chance to be alone with Uchiha Sasuke.

Sasuke smirked, his signature smirk that makes his fan girls his obsessed followers. He didn't miss the over-fluttering eyelashes, blushing and the doe-eyes. Those reactions gave him an ego-boost.

He was good-looking, talented and famous. He could get whatever he wanted. Except for Naruto but the blonde was not part of Sasuke's whatever.

If Naruto didn't want him, it was fine. Totally and completely fine.

The raven-haired boy presented the I.D that was given to him by Kakashi upon entrance on the school to the dazzled girls. At least the two would not question him why he was her when he was supposed to be in his classes since they were his fans. And if they were not, they were bound to be.

He entered the fiction section and grabbed a random paper back that the title interested him. He sat down and started flipping through the pages. He discovered that it was one of those unrequited love stories, which he certainly didn't want to read right now.

The efforts of the protagonist seemed idiotic and futile, at least for the actor. But he still got his happy ending.

The main character and he had a lot of similarities. From being popular, handsome and rich and adored by many up to being in love with someone who obviously was in love with another one.

There were two main differences though; Sasuke was in love with another guy and he'll never get his happy ending.

He finished the book and his confident façade slipped off to show his insecure and depressed face. He was also angry though he could not pinpoint on who or where it was directed. He really wanted to punch someone so hard.

The raven-haired boy could not help but feel thankful that he cut his classes. With the shelves and pictures of the dead founders of the school, he'll drown himself in his misery. He slumped on the wooden chair, throwing his head against the stiff back of the seat.

He closed his eyes and spent the rest of his time in that position.

ooooo

"Minato, I want to get a divorce," the redheaded woman announced. Determination with sadness mixed in was clearly shown on her beautiful face. "Naruto and I could not live with something like this, with this kind of life."

"Kushina, please understand. This is my job." Minato tried to calm his wife down. This was the first time that the woman confronted him regarding his work.

"I really can't take this. Please, I just want a normal life." She picked up the small carbon-copy of her husband. The boy was confused with what was happening. With her free left hand, she picked up the small red suitcase and went out the door. The man chased her.

"Kushina! Please listen!"

"Daddy!" Naruto wailed when he saw his father. There was something wrong with his parents and he didn't want to leave. "Daddy!"

Kushina quickened her steps up. It was too late when she noticed her steps.

"Naruto!"

And a loud metallic crash disturbed the night.

The blonde fell off his seat. That dream again. Why won't that memory remain where he wanted it to be? He told Kiba that he still had something important to do so he stayed late at school. This was really important for him.

It had been really a long time since he had visited their graves. Their death had a lot to do with his aversion for fame and people in the limelight. They were all freaks that only cared of their own gains.

His father's fame cost the man his family and his name.

He took deep breaths and buried that awful thing. He still has important things to face in the present that requires his full attention.

He was going to confess to Sakura again. And this time that they both grew up a bit, things will go on smoothly. The chance of being rejected again was large but he braced himself for the worst. He was a man and his mother told him that men always faced their greatest fears.

Naruto was getting restless. He continually wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and kept on pacing nervously around the room. He wanted to back out right now.

"Naruto."

"Hi." He smiled uncertainly at the newcomer. Sakura returned the smile and sat on one of the chairs in the room. Naruto took a deep breath and exhaled slowly through his mouth. He clenched his clammy hands to help him prepare more for the next thing.

"Sakura, I like you. Would you go out with me?" He told her directly. Sakura's smile fell apart and a frown replaced it. Naruto held on.

"Naruto, I thought that I made myself clear two years ago." The girl frowned.

"I just need your answer. This would be my final confession."

Sakura looked at the floor. She really felt bad for her friend and she wanted to react violently, just like two years ago when Naruto confessed out of the blue. But the boy deserved a proper reply and maybe, just maybe, he would be able to move on from his unrequited love.

"Naruto, I'm sorry. It's just that my feelings for you are more for a brother." She sighed and looked at him directly. It was somewhat painful to see that forced smile on the normally happy boy's face.

Naruto perfectly understood that rejection would be the outcome. But it still hurt. It simply hurts.

"Of course you're an idiot so you'll obviously be rejected."

The two looked at the boy leaning by the doorway, smirking confidently with his hands on his pockets.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Naruto, like a raging bull, charged blindly at Sasuke. He wanted to break that superior look on the bastard's face. Sakura screamed for him to stop but it was too late. His depression and anger for the other already reached its breaking point.

The teen actor tried to shield his face from the blonde's fist but it caught up with his jaw. Sasuke moved his right arm and elbowed Naruto's stomach. The blonde fell on the floor, clutching his middle painfully.

The fallen boy glared at the actor. He grabbed the standing man's foot forcefully, making the man tumble down on the floor. Naruto stood up and kicked Sasuke oh his thigh, missing the other's foot hooking on his leg and pulled it inward. He lost his balancing and started falling, the back of his head hitting the sharp corner of the teacher's table. He felt the edge dig into his head, Naruto's vision was getting flickers of dark spots which he tried to blink away and clumsily hoisted himself up.

Sasuke lunged from his position and issued another jab that landed on Naruto's right ribcage. This pushed the blonde against the table. Using both of his arms for support, Naruto pushed himself and collided against the attacking raven-haired boy. They both landed on the floor again with Naruto on top. He delivered succeeding punches on the lying Sasuke.

"Wha—?" he was pulled off by a pair of hands. He looked sharply at the brown-haired man who had a grave expression on his face. Kakashi was helping Sasuke to get up, while Sakura was behind him with a worried and teary face.

"Stop this stupidity." Iruka's voice was serious, far from the gentle tone that Naruto was used to.

"Sasuke, I never really thought that you are this violent." The masked teacher shook his head disappointedly. Sasuke looked angry, the bruises on his pale face darkening already.

"You look like a dalmatian dog. It suits you." Naruto sneered.

"Said by the weak, rejected fox."

The blonde was about to attack Sasuke again when his knees wobbled. The dark spots appearing on his sight was getting larger and larger, the back of his head stinging more and more. He heard Iruka gasped. He laid his hand on the affected area and felt a warm sticky fluid that he already knew.

His mind blanked out.

Blood. Blood was everywhere. Where was his mom? Where was his dad?

"H-help me…" his voice came out weak and scratchy. It was dark and it smelled funny, like rust and a polluted river in the summer. He was also sticky.

He tried to move but something constricted his feet. His body hurt too.

And he saw his mother, lying on his feet still and unmoving. Her eyes were closed and from the little source of light entering that space, he could see red.

And Naruto screamed.

His hand was also dyed with the same color. He hyperventilated, gripping his uniform tightly. Sasuke became concerned.

"Dobe, are you—dobe!"

But Naruto didn't hear anything. His consciousness was escaping and he was too tired to resist. He never saw the three worried faces crowding around him. He let the darkness engulf him.

ooooo

Sasuke never planned for any of this to happen. He never wanted to hurt Naruto.

He fell asleep in the library and realized that it was past the end time of classes. He left his bag on their room and stood up to retrieve it. He didn't expect to find Naruto confessing to Sakura at the moment. He walked on them but the two didn't detect that he was there.

The confirmation that Naruto liked the girl hurt. His heart felt that it was ripped apart from its encasing. He needed to turn away from the scene; however, his feet didn't move. It was as if his awareness became dislocated from his body.

Then she rejected him. The look on Naruto's face told Sasuke that the blonde already knew this would be the result but he still looked in pain. It made Sasuke's own pain throb more. Seeing the one he loved made him hurt more.

The least that his mouth could think was to spout an insult that led to their violent exchange and that landed the blonde in the infirmary.

"If Naruto suffers more than that, you'll deeply regret this, Sasuke." Kakashi's voice was quiet and clam but the anger was obvious. Iruka got out of the covered infirmary bed.

"The injury was light. What made him faint was the blood. He has an extreme case of hemophobia."

The guilt was literally eating the raven-haired boy. He was a bastard. A real bastard, jerk, scum etc.

He had hurt Naruto.

Wasn't love supposed to be gentle?

TBC

A/N: I put 'homophobia' instead of 'hemophobia'. I was thinking of homophobes when I wrote that but I know that hemo/haemo phobia is the fear of blood. Cleared! ^^

Sorry Naruto T.T Sasuke lived up to his Teme role.

Drop your reviews, dears ^^