Chapter 9
Sitting in math class, Sasuke fidgeted with his pencil. Having arrived at school during his fifth period English class, he felt like he couldn't catch his breath at all. Now in sixth period, he was still wrestling with his reeling mind and the chaos that threatened to dishevel it.
Mr. Iruka Umino began his lecture like normal, his back turned to the class and projector humming to life to begin the day’s presentation. Sasuke gave a side eye to his table partner, Ten-Ten. He knew she detested sitting by him, making silent and almost stealthy gag motions towards her friends sitting at the back of the class.
This blows – just focus…just focus Sasuke.
Just as he began to drown in Iruka’s monotone voice, he felt a pat on his left shoulder. Turning his head, Sasuke’s face was inches away from a wide-eyed Kurama. Sasuke jumped slightly in his chair out of shock, the metal on the chair legs catching his desk and banging loudly. The class stirred as did Iruka. The teacher looked in Sasuke’s direction, “Are you alright there Sasuke?”
Embarrassed, Sasuke repositioned his seat and grumbled a “Yeah – sorry,” and a small group of whispers filled the room. Iruka nodded and shushed the class before resuming his teaching.
Kurama then moved from behind Sasuke to his side, his curious glowing orange eyes like magical orbs. “Young master. What task do you wish of me?”
Sasuke shook his head and mumbled quietly, mostly to himself, “This isn’t real. You are not real.” Ten-Ten gave Sasuke a concerned side glance that did not go unnoticed.
Kurama tilted his head and frowned. After a minute of silence with him staring at Sasuke he turned his chest with a swift maneuver and threw a pencil at Iruka. The class gasped as the utensil struck their teacher. Iruka’s shoulders stiffened, and he turned from the whiteboard, “Whoever did that, speak now.”
No one responded.
Sasuke looked at Kurama with disbelief, and then realized the pencil that had been in his hand was now gone. How did he-?
Iruka turned back to the whiteboard after another few ticks from the classroom clock, proceeding with his lecture like nothing happened.
Kurama stood in front of Sasuke now, no one else in the room noticing his presence. “Young master, what task do you wish of me?”
Sasuke shook his head, growing red in the face and heartbeat thumping wildly. Kurama frowned again, this time with more intensity behind his orange eyes. He did a 180 degree turn and this time an entire notebook flew in the air and struck Iruka on the head.
“Gahh! That does it! Who is disrupting my class?!” Iruka angrily stormed around to face his students and pick up the notebook that struck him. “Sasuke Uchiha!” Iruka read the name that was written on the first page.
What, that’s not my notebook. My book is right-
Sasuke looked down to find his notebook now gone. He couldn’t believe his eyes as Iruka excused him from class with a trail of gossiping voices to follow. “Stay out here until class is dismissed, then we will go to the main office.” Iruka gave Sasuke a final warning look and closed the door, locking Sasuke in the high school hallway.
Kurama was leaning against the wall, unphased and with the same frown on his face. “Young master. What task do you wish of me?” With a burst of outrage Sasuke scream whispered at the fiend, “I don’t know, just leave? I task you with leaving this building! Leaving my life!” Kurama folded his arms, “No. I only perform meaningful tasks.”
Sasuke was about to blow a gasket, or a blood vessel - he didn’t know.
“What does that even mean?” His question left his jaw tight with apprehension. Kurama closed his eyes and shrugged, “The task is different per person. Some have asked me to kill, some have asked me to end wars. Others have requested I send a message of importance. Pick your poison.”
Sasuke’s mouth went dry. What even is this guy?
“I- I don’t know.” Sasuke’s eyes fell to the floor. There was nothing he wanted, nothing brought him joy. He would know no one to kill – or that he would even want to cause harm to anyone. He had no one to message, no wars to end.
Kurama watched him intently, his glare unblinking and almost savage. The bell then rang, and they could hear the bustle of chairs and voices screech and cry at the excitement for the end of the day. When everyone paraded out of the classrooms, the first person Sasuke saw was her.
Sakura.
Within the mass of students filing around him, Sasuke made eye contact with Kurama. The glowing man perked up with intrigue at the sudden energy Sasuke embodied. With a whisper, Sasuke said-
“Kurama – I want to go to prom with Sakura. That is your task.”
Between the bodies of the students flooding the hall, Sasuke could just make out a smile forming on the fiend’s face.