"Listen up!" Kurenai exclaimed, beckoning the viridian clad girls forward. The lipstick fanatic turned her scarlet eyes onto the plum haired captain and gave her an encouraging smile.
"Ladies, Bloomies," Anko greeted. "I have an announcement to make, alright. So take a breather." A brisk snicker escaped her sassy grin as her team eagerly complied, joining her on the floor.
"So… what's going on Anks?" Yugao, being her bold self, broke the silence and didn't think to flinch when Anko flung a damp towel at her. "Sorry…"
"Since you've asked, I'll tell ya." Anko grinned darkly and leaned forward as if she was to tell a secret. "Our first mock-performance will be during the pep rally," she stated with a nod, not missing the uncertain glances and wide grins on her girls' faces. "Look alive will ya? Think about it, we've worked our asses off and we have a few sets down to a T. There shouldn't be any issues."
"Yeah… but…" one of the girls sputtered, and lost all words once she locked eyes with Anko. "Never mind."
Kyori shook her head, and her clumping kinks followed. "That's so Anko-like," she uttered quietly, with unmatched amusement before placing her attention on the raven-haired alumni.
Kurenai shot Anko a admonishing scowl as she lowered herself to the floor and turned her ruby eyes onto the throng of girls. "Anko has a valid point, the pep rally is optimal for our first, live performance!"
"It is also the perfect event to mess with our newcomers," Anko pointed out with dark, telling eyes. "It's hazing time for you Bloomies!"
"Oh sweetie! Aren't you excited?!" Hizume squealed and a dazzling smile was on her maroon tinted lips as she turned to her daughter.
But Kyori remained relatively calm and quiet.
"Well… aren't you?" concern dribbled from Hizume's tone, suddenly.
The burgundy, big haired teen found herself shrugging when it came to that question. She should be more than excited; today was the first pep rally of the year, and arguably the most important of them all. Today, she was supposed to make it known that she was a proud part of The Hedge while escaping the awful title: Bloomies. That's what Anko called the new recruits… today was supposed to be special.
And it would've been just that, if it wasn't for following the tradition.
Kyori opted out of her perpetual scowl for a small smile, if only to ease her mother's worry. "Yeah, just a little worried I guess." She shrugged, feigning her nonchalance.
"Everything is going to be alright, everyone gets a little nervous sometimes." Hizume rambled and with an apologetic smile she placed her hand onto Kyori's shoulder, gently rubbing it. "I should've made you some green tea. When you were little… that always helped with your nerves."
"Mom, it's fine. Really!" Kyori affirmed effortlessly despite feeling doomed.
But it was too late to back down and it became an inevitable part of her Wednesday. Once they pulled into the school's parking lot, Kyori hastily removed her seat belt from her person and turned to give her mother a goodbye kiss to the cheek.
"Have a good day, hon." Hizume allowed her daughter to exit but not before exclaiming, "If you need anything call me!"
Kyori waved her mother off and trudged up the wide stairs, ignoring the occasional loitering teens, especially those with reckless mouths. She found herself mirroring a girl's sneer and had even gained an attitude by the time she had reached her locker. Never had Kyori thought she would somewhat miss Kinoto's robust form there, protecting her while acting as teen repellent.
'Teen repellent… that's gold,' she thought and a snicker escaped her glossed lips. Then she extracted her things from her locker, placing them into her messenger bag.
"Kyorin~" despite the familiar teasing moniker, Kyori had grown stale. Slowly, she turned and felt relief once she recognized a violet head of hair nearing. God, did she hate feeling so alert but she had to be ready for anything. God forbid if she-
"Um, hell-O?" Yugao's exasperated tone snatched her away from her thoughts, and large dark eyes narrowed accusingly on the Shimura. "You weren't even listening, were you?"
"Nope…" Kyori pursed her lips, looking away as she pulled off a shrug. "What's up Gao?" she asked, grinning when the dancer rolled her eyes.
"Well—Anks decided that the Bloomies will help raise money for uniforms instead of doing Hedge's traditional hazing," She hesitantly started and Kyori gave the purple haired girl a knowing look while they locked elbows. "Bloomies are on kissing booth duty."
"Seriously, what the hell is Anko thinking?" Kyori blew out and a frown smeared her glossed lips as they walked down the hall together.
If dread was liquidized and if she was a sponge: she would soak it all up in the matter of seconds and exponentially faster than she would have earlier. She was not remotely looking forward to swapping spit. Even the thought of someone paying to touch her lips had the burgundette's stomach churning violently.
Kyori grimaced. "Kissing booths are the K-T rated version of prostitution."
"When you put it that way…"
Visibly, both girls shuddered at the thought. Turning to each other they were able to detect the disgust littering their faces before erupting into fits of giggles.
Yugao snorted, shaking out her violet fringe. "It's better than playing snake charmer and having to seduce someone, chosen by Anko herself." Kyori snickered shortly, rolling her woodsy colored eyes as she stood before her economics class. "See ya at lunch. Don't be late Kyorin~"
The burgundy haired teen ignored the nickname, settling for a wave goodbye. "Cya later."
Never one for constant dramatics, or exaggerations, Kyori arched a brow dubiously as she stared into her reflection.
Her large hair was manipulated into having two medium sized space buns at the top of her head with the rest flowing down to her arm pits in its kinky state. And her make up exceeded in enhancing her soft features; her brown eyes were deeply winged and dazzling. Her lashes: elongated and voluminous. And her lips, looking delectable as ever, were tinted darkly in the same tone as a black cherry.
She looked amazing and could anticipate unwanted swooning from all over when the Hedge and its "Bloomies" sashayed towards the quad area. The only time she looked this good was when she went out to parties and did some damage control with Risu.
Briefly scanning the crowd, she mildly swayed her head to the vigorous percussion that was far too loud to be background noise. Then her eyes landed on a few familiar faces that had her grinning like an idiot. Elated to see the Youth group, she specifically waved at Guren, the twins, Hidan and even the eccentric duo Kimimaro and Deva, but pursed her lips at the sight of Zetsu.
As petty as it was, if she didn't get an apology, then she would continue to withhold her cordialness. Then her dark eyes landed on a shambolic raven-haired teen that had her scoffing in amusement. Shisui presented a wide, infectious smile while nudging the long-haired teen beside him.
Craning her head, she frowned in deep thought as she was mystified by the person's beauty.
'His girlfriend is gorgeous… wait a minute… is that an adam's apple I see?'
Narrowing her eyes, Kyori picked up the faint bobbling gesture when she—he turned to whisper something to Shisui. Then their eyes met and she felt a blistering blush at her cheeks. It was more so out of embarrassment, not at the fact that Shisui's, self-presumed, boyfriend was smirking at her and was insanely pretty. Even his hair was pretty…
"Shit…" the Shimura muttered and scampered to her coordinate with her eyes fixed elsewhere. It was no time to wonder about a hot gay couple anyways, especially not now.
"Listen to the words you say. Bullets, how they penetrate.
You don't even hesitate, yeah yeah yeah.
Can't you see the love mistake. Stole my heart and got away.
Crooked love can't get it straight, yeah yeah yeah."
Kyori quickly fell in sync with her fellow dancers. She swayed her hips, tipped her toes and even placed a perfect smile on her lips as she was split into a section with Anko, Yugao and Rin. She almost let out a bitter chuckle as she uttered the lyrics lowly to keep up with the speed of the chorus. She was not used to dancing the song in its natural glory. And although it was their first performance, both Anko and Kurenai were clearly seeing who was capable and who was not.
"You got a dirty record. I think you should be doing time.
But I would never turn you in. Put that on my life.
It's in those eyes, your fibs, that poisonous kiss.
Baby, look at all weapons that you're killing me with.
And I wish I never met you. I wish I never met you."
Seriously, this was the worst song for her to be dancing to; it had nothing to do with the genre, nor the tempo. The issue was the context alone, deeply reflecting her past relationship. Though the first two years were great, the third, following up to her disappearance, still left scars behind. And some were more apparent than other despite having no tears left to cry.
"Feeling your touch, your skin, that beautiful sin
Baby, look at all weapons that you're killing me with.
And I wish I never met you. I wish I never met you."
She rolled, twisted and picked herself up from the ground before settling into resting position. Hot and somewhat sweaty, Kyori had little troubles with catching her breath while taking in the applause. Ah, this was the first of their victories, she mused deeply within her mind as she lowered her torso into a deep bow.
But the smile brightening her black cherry lips was destined to be temporary. Her smoldering, overly accentuated chocolate eyes bore into Anko's sly frame, and her stomach dropped at the mischievous smirk on her deep crimson lips.
"Alright Bloomies, the real show starts now! To the Kissing Booths!" the snake fanatic commanded, cackling as they scrambled into the gym.
And if Kyori had enough sense, she would've trudged over the moment Anko spoke. Sandy brown eyes landed on the Shimura and then Anko spoke again.
"Don't just stand there, go and get to the smooching!" she urged, nudging her dear friend.
"I'm going, damn!" Kyori growled in defeat.
If this was victory, it was far from sweet.
But it was much sweeter than the brisk kisses the Shimura exchanged for money. God, if only the minute went by faster! Kyori knew she was a faulty being, but it never stopped her from being shallow. Actually, she has always been up front about it and would continue to if it meant she didn't have to kiss strange guys and girls like Ebisu. Speaking of him, he strolled over to her booth with a wide grin as if he has completed a pokedex all on his own… he has kissed every Bloomy.
Twice… the pervert. He had to be; he was the main one paying for minimal affection.
"Heeeey, Kyori-chan!" he hummed, trying to sound smooth as possible.
"Just give me the cash and make it quick." she growled. "I don't like you."
"Fine!" Ebisu feigned his offense, pouting as she raised from her seat.
Kyori frowned as he leered over her and eagerly placed twenty-bucks onto the sturdy desk. Already weirded out by his lascivious giggling, her bright eyes narrowed with the intent to harm if he made any moves while she was unprepared.
Raising a brow, she gestured at the dampness of his money and uttered, "What the hell?" before fixing her eyes on him again.
"Ehehe, sorry! Feeling kinda nervous…" he tittered with a deep blush and focused his shaded eyes elsewhere.
'Nervous for what?' she wanted to asked since he has been circling each booth for about fifteen minutes.
Instead, she cupped his chin and lowered it until they were practically face to face before she leaned into his waiting lips. The Shimura withheld a cringe as his lips excitedly brushed against hers until the timer blared loudly.
Good lord, was she glad the desk provided much needed distance. She pushed him away and fished out her mouthwash, gargling the mouth friendly sanitizer.
A deep sigh of relief escaped her drying lips as he finally left. But her relief had not lasted long it never would now that the red headed Yamanaka was at the entrance. And it looked like he was in the mood for his stoicism while glancing at her from afar.
'If there's a savior, please save me.' she pleaded and yet, she watched with bated breaths as he inched closer and closer to where she stood. "Well shit… I can't rely on faith at all," she hissed among herself before greeting him with a scowl.
Standing far too close for her liking, Fu towered over her with a bland expression. "I don't think I'll ever get over your use of foul language," he mumbled with a pinch of amusement.
"Okay, but am I supposed to care?" Kyori scoffed.
Backing away she placed her hands at her hips as he just stood there. "What are you doing?" she asked the moment he placed his money onto her station.
"Paying for your services and helping the cause, what does it look like?" he snorted as if it was just a rhetorical play on redundancy. But to her, it wasn't and it never would be.
"Bullshit. After all the things you've said…" she recalled with hardened eyes. "Why are you here?"
Kyori backed away when he grew closer and placed his hands onto the desk. With him towering over her, she felt a jumble of emotions running through her, tearing at her resolve. Kyori was not remotely surprised that even now he held this power over her; he always made her like this.
Before her departure, Kyori would give up anything and everything in a second to be here, out in the open and enveloped by him. Fu meant so much to her, he meant more than Torune, Anko, and every other boy she had been with; Kyori loved Fu, and would like to think that these feelings were mutualistic. But… were they ever?
"What's the reason?" She reluctantly asked, but apart of her knew. Kyori was far too stubborn and needed to hear it from Fu directly.
"The same reason I always come back." He stated evenly, making her scoff in disbelief.
So vague and yet she knew precisely what that meant. And like clockwork, the disappointment weighed her down and he took it all in, surprised.
"Take your damn money and go," Kyori bit out calmly while tossing the cash at him. "Bastard…" she muttered, quite hurtfully.
"Kyori, I just thought that-"
"Well, you thought wrong." She lowered her head, hiding her deep frown. She wouldn't let him see the hurt he easily caused. It could wait. Crying could wait.
"Then I apologize," he numbly uttered, looking away from sadden brown pools while clenching his jaw in frustration. But Kyori took that as a sign of him being displeased with her.
"You should go," she shot back, challenging him to say something else with an unforgiving watery glare.
There was no way she would give him the satisfaction of making her feel like a cheap whore. She known him much longer than she was absent and Kyori was not going to entertain his web of mind games. Still, she could understand the victorious feeling. Even now as she watched him, crouching to retrieve his money, he looked so small and weak.
"This won't be the last you hear from me." Fu shot her a look, softly frowning a bit.
"Like I give a shit, leave." Kyori bit out and relief fell on her shoulders the second he turned away, making a b-line to the exit.
Soon came amusement when Rin skipped down the halls, dragging what she could only assume would be the next victim. Her and the rest of the Bloomies were sucking students dry left and right.
"Kyori, I got your final smoocher hot and ready!" Rin held a wide grin, shoving the raven-haired boy towards her friend. "Go on kiss; plant a nice one on 'em," she urged, blinking as though she was innocent.
However, Kyori gave her a tasteless glare, then directed it at a bashful Uchiha.
"Seriously? You got 30 pounds on her, why did you let her drag you here?" her frown only became apparent when he chuckled.
"For starters she tricked me and it's stupid…" Shisui trailed off, trying to lighten the mood with a bright smile. "I thought there would be tacos!" he pouted, ignoring the faint burning at his cheeks as he was subjected to blushing under her sharp eyes.
"Idiot." Kyori snickered.
This is what she desperately needed. She needed people around her that cared, and would do whatever, no matter how stupid it was, to make her smile. And lately the Hedge and Shisui did that perfectly, naturally, to the point that Kyori couldn't ask for a better friend.
Shaking her head at Rin's antics she stared expectantly at the Uchiha. She could only wonder if he would participate as of now. And she even caught herself wondering what would it be like if they were to kiss- No! They couldn't, ever! And Kyori knew that.
No matter how many times Shisui flirted with her it could be nothing more than that. She had no inkling of how he felt about her and she was sure her curiosity stemmed from a few things. Like loneliness and the deep urge to do something that would piss her father and Fu off. What she felt wasn't sufficient for growing an interest in the Uchiha. And with that, her mind was made up.
"Okay so there's no tacos, but I'll buy you some if you help out!" Rin abruptly proposed and the Shimura almost jumped ten feet into the air, withholding a yelp.
"Jeez, Rin any louder?" the Uchiha teasingly grumbled while Kyori shot the girl a murderous glare. Then he brought his eyes on Kyori's and out came his playful grin. "So… this might be your only shot to woo me. Are you up for the challenge?"
Kyori burst into a fit of snorts at his stupidly arrogant one-liners. Man, was he funny despite not joining in on the laughter. Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of someone slamming money onto the table. Looking down, she found two twenties on the table but looking up she saw a blushing Uchiha and a peeved look on her traitorous Rin's face.
"Kiss, dammit!" Anko hooted, her voice echoing as she made her way down from the bleachers and the other girls joined in, adding their own jeers and taunts.
Both Kyori and Shisui knew they only entertained this to save their own asses. Maybe they could wait it out… Maybe they would be saved by the bell because Kyori didn't want to cross that line and it was not because Shisui's an Uchiha. She wasn't ready to fully let the past go, and that included the wreckage she called a love life.
Even if the boy she loved had washed his hands with her and haunted her sight. She was still stupid enough to love him despite all the hurt they exchanged and endured. She didn't want to kiss, or date… at least not yet; not while she was working on herself.
But with Shisui just standing there and staring down at her awkwardly, Kyori didn't know what to do!
"Should we just give them with they want and leave it at that?" he asked, feeling all the more uncertain with the horde of girls agreeing while Kyori gapped incredulously.
"No because…because…" Kyori couldn't help her tongue being tied as he leaned forward, waiting for her to fetch his lips as he peered at her through those luscious lashes. "I hate your guts!"
"Puh-lease. We're tots bffs!" Shisui chuckled, shortly. "Just… kiss me. Make it quick if it helps," he uttered in lowly. Though he was annoyed at the blaring girls, he cupped her face tenderly just to give them a show.
"No way!" Kyori exclaimed.
Shisui pouted, furrowing his brows. "Why not? Am I not your type?"
Kyori huffed, feeling embarrassed she focused her hickory eyes away from his face.
"Not even close, you're so damn annoying!"
"You forgot to mention devilishly handsome, talented, smart, sophisticated… and more." Shisui joked, giving her a pitiful smile while she grumbled, scrunching up her face. "What did you say?" he asked.
"I said shut up or I'll shut you up... stupid." She leaned forward, and now their lips were hairs away from touching, but Shisui continued to poke and prod.
He was irking her nerves and he was enjoying it.
"Do it then." He whispered the taunt and tapped her nose with his index, laughing as she huffed. "Just don't hit my face unless it's with those lips."
"Shisui I swear on the Sage's almighty chakra I'm not kissing-"
He closed the distance, and gently planted his lips against her soft skin and stole her breath away. Kyori's heart seized, missing a few beats as she basked in the sensations of his lips. They were so soft, softer than they appeared and warm too. Shisui's lips were very welcoming, and she could tell they were as skilled as Anko said despite the simplicity of his kiss. With it being slithers away from fully landing on her own.
"You…"
As Shisui pulled away, Kyori began to wonder if it would've felt any different, or perhaps better had he kissed her on the lips. Then he graced her with a smile. A gentle one that had her bashfully looking down like an idiot.
"Shisui got your tongue? I know. I get that a lot." He murmured coolly and low and behold, a tasteless frown appeared on her face.
"Annd, right there is where you lost my respect." Kyori frowned.
"Are you two shitting me!?" Anko belched, frowning as she was held back by a cackling Kurenai. "That's forty bucks down the drain!"
"Anko! Control yourself."
"No Kurenai! I was expecting some hot ass, passionate kisses that led to a little dry fucking!"
"That's very specific." Yugao coughed, snickering at the shrugging snake fanatic.
"I just wanted them to kiss." Rin frowned. "I want my money back!"
Another one!
And another disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I certainly do not own Victoria Monéts- I Wish I Never Met You...
By the way it's looking, I'll have to seriously call this a song fic. So flame me, book it, favorite, or keep it in your history until next time.
Updates are sporadic, like my sleep schedule so be on the look out.
Ochaaa~