Kei-Kei Yuki: I think after this chapter, I'm straight going to the Pain Arc, showing a little of Sasuke and Team Habi, and then the war arc. Of course, I'm going to write about Sasuke and Naruko second (and third?) reunion that took and a few extra chapters of moments that stuck out to me in the anime.
Song: Sleepless Night - Aimer Egao
Beta: Ana-DaughterofHades
Thinking of You
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.
.
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It's a lonely sleepless night
Let's hold hands like always
I want to dived your warmth gently between my fingers
Naruko began her morning by splashing water onto her face. After having a soothing shower wake her, exiting the steaming bath to get dressed, Naruko would stand in front of the mirror, brushing her long strands of hair. The ladies at the brothel used to compliment it, saying how they wished theirs were either the same color or texture, which was a lustrous sunny blonde and smooth as silk. Naruko couldn't understand their fascination with her hair.
Let me hear your voice, and I'll close my eyes many times over
"I'll be able to meet you in my dream?" right?
Still, she did enjoy their compliments and made sure to follow their teachings when it came to her long hair—tied in her signature pigtails, she used the beloved red ribbons gifted to her from a person whose face she could no longer remember. Naruko took a deep breath, getting rid of any depressing feelings that may linger in her heart and made her way to the kitchen.
The Lonely sleepless night is searching for that warmth that will never return
Please, at least let me hear that voice once more
Despite the two and half years of absence, Naruko still knew her way around Sasuke's kitchen. Recalling the times the raven would glare at her for breaking into his home, only to reluctantly allow her to stay because of the good food she made. After some time had passed, Sasuke grew familiar with her presence in his home, and, knowing it was futile to kick the imposing blonde out, would sit at his small kitchen table, peering out the window or watching her cook.
Above anyone else, I'm thinking of you
I'll never lose with just strength
Once I realize "I'm alone", I'll start to lose
I want you to forgive this weakness
It soon turned into a routine for the both of them, but now, Naruko paused cutting the vegetables and peered towards that empty chair that Sasuke used to sit in and told herself she would not mope around. "Just you wait, teme! Soon I'll bring your butt back. I'm going to punish you by cooking the spiciest dish ever created!" Naruko's sadness had turned into anger as different ideas of how to torture Sasuke with her food came to mind.
Someday I'll talk about that lonely-sleepless night
Those words you muttered came to mind under the moon and gently resound and disappeared
After filling her stomach, Naruko walked out the door with a smile on her face, off to do some training. Remembering how her lesson with Asuma had allowed her to discover that she had an affinity for wind, Naruko used it to come up with new ways to improve her Rasengan. She also wanted to practice more of her fuinjutsu, feeling her style was lacking in certain areas. Naruko had spent around four hours focused on nothing but her training until she had reminded herself to stop by Iruka's place as she had promised to visit the brunette.
The chilly breeze is unable to petrify this small veranda
"As long as time passes it'll be forgotten"
Packing up her sealing scrolls, Naruko left and soon appeared on the woman's balcony. Wanting to surprise her, Naruko picked the lock and made her way inside. Running towards the woman's bedroom, Naruko slammed it open and announced, "Ruke-nee I'm-!" Naruko stood there frozen in the doorway, big blue eyes glued to the sight before her, which involved a maskless and shirtless Kakashi with disheveled hair and a blushing Iruka caged under his arms. The length of Iruka's dress was hiked above her thighs; long strands of brown hair were scattered all over the pillow.
The two blushing adults barely got in a word when a loud yell of, "Rasengan!" came from Naruko, ignoring Kakashi's identity as her sensei and someone who she considered a member of her precious family. It took an hour to calm down the furious blonde so that Kakashi and Iruka could explain their new relationship. "So you're telling me that during my absence, you and Kakashi-sensei... became a couple?!" Naruko couldn't believe that her favorite sensei and the woman she saw as an older-sister/mother figure were in a relationship together.
"I know it's strange, but one thing led to another and the next thing you know he was moving in with me-"
"What!? He moved in with you!" It took another hour for them to explain to Naruko how their relationship began and that both were responsible adults and knew what they were doing. Naruko reluctantly accepted it but not before threatening Kakashi that if he so much as caused Iruka to cry, sensei or not, she was hunting him down.
The lonely-sleepless night is spinning the continuation to that letter that can't reach
Tell me! I wonder how many more nights will pass over till until we meet
By the time Naruko left the couple's apartment, the blonde had decided to stop by Ichiraku's. She later saw Ino and Sakura, who joined her. "Oh, so you finally found out about them? Ain't they cute together!" Ino clapped her hands together and praised the couple.
Above anyone else, I'm thinking of you
With just strength, I'll never lose
Seems that I try to run away with idle effort
I wish you'd forgive this weakness
"Must say, I never thought Kakashi-sensei would settle down. Iruka-sensei is good for him. It's nice that both found happiness in each other," said Sakura, and Naruko found herself agreeing with the medical-nin. Yeah, a part of her found them weird, but that may be because she was unable to understand romance. Naruko had always been different from other girls her age, who, back in the academy, was obsessed with romantic fantasies involving one Uchiha Sasuke.
The lonely-sleepless night is searching for the warmth that will never return
Please, let me hear that voice at least once more
'Let's not think about him right now.' Thinking of Sasuke caused a picture of her rival to flash in her head, which sprung up depressing feelings that Naruko did not feel like immersing herself in. "Since Kakashi makes Ruka-nee happy, I will not interfere with their relationship, but if he messes up, I'm barging in!" Naruko may have cared a lot for the silver-haired jonin, but Iruka was the one who raised her.
Anyone under the moonlight is thinking of someone, and having a lonely-sleepless night
Seeing this protective side of the blonde, Ino couldn't help but tease Naruko, grating on the sunny blonde's nerves. Sakura, sitting on the other side of Ino, watched the bickering two with amusement shone in her eyes. By the time Naruko reached her apartment, the moon illuminated the sky. Naruko sat on the sill of her window, her long blonde hair cascading down her shoulder blades and lower back.
Among the darkness don't cast your eyes down and...
Wearing nothing but a T-shirt and shorts, she stared at the moon, clutching the defaced headband in her hand. The moon held her gaze as she muttered only one name under her breath, "Sasuke..."
I want you to believe in that light, and smile
Both Asuma and Shikamaru had a hard time believing their eyes. Asuma always held a passion for shogi, and Shikamaru possessed the highest IQ of the Konoha twelve. Yet, somehow the impossible became possible when Naruko, bored and with nothing to do, appeared out of nowhere, interrupting their game and demanded that she wanted to play. Neither had any high expectations for the girl when after Asuma finished a round, Naruko suddenly took his place and demanded Shikamaru play with her.
Shikamaru did not feel like dealing with Naruko and her tantrums, telling himself that he did not want to cheer the girl up because of what happened last week. When the blonde invited herself to join him and Chouji to get barbecue, Shikamaru recklessly brought up Sasuke and Naruko's past at the academy. It wasn't until Chouji nudged his arm painfully did Shikamaru realize his mistake.
Their eyes were set on the girl who somehow shrunk. A gray raining cloud hung over her head as Naruko sunk into depression over her latest encounter with her rival turned criminal. Never had Chouji glared at Shikamaru as if he wanted to punch his best friend into next week, and honestly, the lazy ninja felt that he might deserve it.
So Shikamaru had reluctantly accepted Naruko's request, barely focusing his attention on the game, when Shikamaru had begun noticing something. 'Wait... When did this happen?' Shikamaru asked himself, staring at the board with wide eyes. Asuma, sitting on the side, was barely paying attention until he saw Shikamaru's expression and leaned over to take a look, only to share the same feeling as his student.
According to Asuma, the next hour that went by was spent in intense silence, watching as sweat dripped from Shikamaru's brow. Naruko, on the other hand, seemed rather calm as she picked up her go pieces and placed them on the board. By the time the hour came to an end, the conclusion left both Asuma and Shikamaru speechless. Shooting his eyes over to the blonde, Asuma wondered why Kakashi never told him the blondie was a genius!
Yes, you heard right. Asuma had called Naruko a genius, seeing as this girl had managed to defeat Shikamaru in a game of shogi! Glaring at the bored, Shikamaru wondered just how on earth Naruko had managed to beat him, seeing how her pieces were scattered everywhere, giving Shikamaru a headache just looking at it.
"Shika-chan, when are you going to put down the next piece?"
This question caused both sensei and student to look at the blonde, issuing dumb expressions from the two, and that was when something clicked in Shikamaru's head. "Naruko, do you have any idea of what you are doing?"
"Sure! I'm making a cute kitty!" Naruko happily exclaimed to the shock of both Shikamaru and Asuma. Peering at the board, Shikamaru realized that her pieces somehow took the form of that of a cat. "I lost to an idiot," muttered Shikamaru, ignoring the gaping Asuma whose cigarette dropped to the ground. The young Nara felt so tired that he was suddenly itching to go cloud gazing.
End of Thinking