The Boy in the Park
Chapter Sixty-Five
Naruko ducked. Five volleys of rubber kunai and twenty shuriken —among which a few were actually real— flew at her the moment she stepped into the class.
Five barrels of paint, twenty-seven water balloons and four pellets of stink bomb soared through the air next. She parried, sent back or otherwise avoided the entire 'attack'.
Then, calmly, she smiled and stared at the perpetrators.
Shinku entered the classroom next, a mop in hand.
"This is the fourth time in a row," he muttered. "Whoever is doing this, please come forward," he said then through gritted teeth.
There was no reply from the class.
"Very well then," Shinku sighed as he watched the stern and stone-faced kids. "Lessons will take place outside for today too, Nazuma-sensei will have you train in Taijutsu. Please, for the love of Kami avoid turning the courtyard into a mess again."
He had no idea why things had turned out like this. He just knew something had gone horribly wrong, and now the entire class no longer seemed made of rational children, but of jealous and vindictive banshees. If he had to guess, he'd say someone was purposefully making the class angry at Nazuma.
Shinku couldn't really understand why. The woman was quiet most of the time, polite, smiled gently and…and she wasn't trying to actively get married or in his pants. She was a serious and well-behaved woman, a Chuunin who loved teaching and had a situation similar to his, and who had all the signs of being a 'perfect' match.
At least, to his eyes.
He whistled happily, a dreamy sigh escaping his lips. She had such wonderful red hair…
In the courtyard, meanwhile, Hanabi Hyuga took the ring. She punched her left open palm with her right hand closed in a fist.
"First rule of Kick the Bitch club: you kick the bitch."
Naruko sweat dropped. "Who taught you those bad words, Hanabi-chan?" she said, putting on her most mature air.
"Hinata-oneesama said to tell you this: they're not bad words if they're the truth."
A nervous tick mark appeared on Nazuma's forehead. "Oh, really?"
"Yes, a female dog in heat is a Bitch after all."
"I am not in heat, and I find your words highly offensive and crass, unbecoming of a proper Hyuga," Nazuma said, putting up an air of 'superiority'…because she knew words like 'offensive' and 'unbecoming' now.
"Hissssss…" Hanabi hissed next, gritting her teeth furiously. "Fight me!"
"No," Nazuma replied curtly. "You can fight…Konohamaru," she pointed to the boy, who swallowed nervously. "Go on, Koko…"
"I AM NOT KOKO! FOR THE LOVE OF KAMI, STOP CALLING ME KOKO!" Konohamaru yelled as he stomped into the arena.
Just as the match was about to begin, two voices came melodiously through the air.
And by 'melodiously', it meant that Naruko's ears twitched in annoyance.
"Excuse me, sensei?" Sakura had apparently entered the courtyard, waving at her and holding a bright smile on her face.
"Oh my, hello there Sensei," Hinata's voice came next. They both were smiling as they stepped in.
Suddenly, it felt as if a dragon stood behind Hinata's back, as a tiger stood behind Sakura's own back. Behind Nazuma's however, was a giant fox.
There was an exchange of sparks.
"Yes, what can I do for you?" she smiled, twitching nervously and completely ignoring Hanabi venting her anger on Konohamaru, or Konohamaru venting his anger on Hanabi.
"I would like to know how Hanabi, my sister, is doing," Hinata smiled. "And if your teaching methods are appropriate for an upstarting Hyuga clan member."
"I'm here for the medical check-up all teachers must submit," Sakura replied, taking out a syringe. "It won't hurt a bit."
"Ehm," Nazuma sweat dropped. "I'm busy at the moment. As you can see," she pointed towards the scene of Hanabi punching Konohamaru's nuts, "They need constant surveillance."
Konohamaru flung some dirt in Hanabi's face, before pushing the girl down on the ground and starting to pull on her hair.
"Konohamaru, Hanabi, enough!" she barked, whistling sharply. She brought both hands to her hips as the two students kept on fighting in the middle of the arena, until she stepped inside.
The moment she did, the moment she walked close enough to separate them, they both grabbed her legs and pulled her down.
"What the—"
Hanabi's elbow slammed into her guts, making her wince —thankfully, the Chuunin Flak Jacket wasn't there only for show.
Konohamaru's knee came up to hit in the same spot as Hanabi's elbow, making Nazuma growl as she jumped backwards. "So this is how it is uh, brats?"
"I'm not letting you take the Oyabun away from One-san!" Konohamaru exclaimed, taking up a defensive posture.
"I'm not letting you pass ahead of Onee-sama," Hanabi added, "She said she'd share sensei with me!"
Hinata stood beatifically in the sidelines, whistling a happy tune while holding a 'Go Hanabi' flag in her hand. Sakura meanwhile carefully disappeared for the Academy's inside.
"Very well," Nazuma said, cracking her knuckles. "I'll personally teach you Taijutsu then."
Then she stilled. She couldn't use her own Taijutsu with Hinata nearby. She couldn't use her techniques with someone she knew so close.
She…had to use the Academy style.
She hated that style! It was so full of…of…
Argh!
There really was no choice. Her own, personal 'brawling' style was too easy to recognize. She took position, and then charged ahead.
It was, in retrospect, something stupid to worry about; when she had been in the Academy, nobody had wanted to help her out —except Iruka-sensei, but he always yelled rather than just talk. Shinku-Aniki didn't know squats about the Academy style, and so that was the only thing she had to work on her own.
The moment her fist connected with Hanabi's chest, the girl flew back, slammed into Konohamaru, and then the two spun and fell on the ground.
She winced at the strength of the impact —she hadn't wanted to put that much strength in the blow.
"You both all right?" she asked demurely, running to their side.
In that moment, Sakura returned with Shinku. "And you see, brawling with the students is clearly a sign of being a horrible—"
"Sakura," Shinku deadpanned. "All that I'm seeing is Nazuma-san treating the students. And I saw that attack: it's the first one in the Academy style. Really, that's teaching no matter how you look at it."
Sakura growled, her emerald eyes locking on Naruko's. The moment Shinku passed by her, she made a clear 'sliced neck' gesture towards Nazuma.
Naruko swallowed nervously. Was Sakura always this bloodthirsty?
"Well done," Shinku said. "Was the problem solved finally?" he asked, his gaze moving from hers to those of the two on the ground.
"I…I'm not…defeated, yet!" Konohamaru grumbled, slowly wobbling back on his feet. "For Onesan, I'm not letting her…"
Twin fists ricocheted off his head, as he received one from Nazuma and one from Shinku.
"Ouch!"
"Really," Shinku grumbled.
Nazuma looked sideways. She wasn't supposed to know, was she?
"Is something the problem with me?" she said then, with her most innocent tone. "Did I do something?" she blinked, settling her 'mature and demure' gaze on Shinku.
She watched Aniki blush and look sideways.
Aniki blushed.
"Ehm… can we talk about this privately?" he mumbled, gripping tightly on Konohamaru's head.
"He loves you," Hanabi deadpanned, stating the obvious. "Now refuse him, so he can go between the arms of Oneesama."
A crow cawed as it flew in the air, leaving behind three black ink drops.
A gust of wind breezed in the courtyard, carrying a ball of hay.
The crickets stopped making noise.
Nazuma's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Ah…I…I'm sorry, but…" her heartbeat came out painful as she forced herself to speak, "We barely know each other, so..." demure and mature; she had to act demure and mature. Squealing was not demure and mature.
"Understood," Shinku replied in a smooth voice. "But it's not a no, right?"
"I…didn't say no," she croaked out, turning red and averting her gaze. "To getting to know each other, that is…"
Hinata clicked her tongue against her teeth.
What was it with the lovey-dovey atmosphere?
"Well then," Shinku coughed. "The class is once more useable, but since we have yet to find the culprits for the trap laying, you will all make five rounds around the Academy…on march!"
As the students groaned but began their run, Shinku then turned to both Sakura and Hinata with a serious gaze.
"Did you two need something?"
"No," Hinata replied calmly, "We are taking our leave…" the fact Sakura tried to say something but was knocked out cold by Hinata of course meant nothing.
It was a common occurrence.
Nazuma coughed nervously, trying a small smile.
She had to act mature. She had to act mature. What did a mature woman do now?
Oh, if only she had a mature woman to talk to! If—
Wait a moment.
There was a mature woman she knew of.
A serious, down to earth, mature woman.
"Are you free this Saturday, Nazuma-san?"
"AH, yes," she nodded firmly, returning to the present.
She'd ask the Mature Woman afterwards.
Kurenai Yuhi was looking at some baby clothes, when she suddenly felt a sharp drop in temperature around her.
She began to tremble.
Author's notes
…
The classic Date.
Of departure.