House of Flowers

Five Years Later

Today was an auspicious day. It was the day mother had been looking forward to for the last five years. It was Hinata's coming of age ceremony. No longer would Hinata be an apprentice geisha, she would finally get to turn her red kimono collar into a white one to symbolize her new status as a full-blown geisha. Every soul in the senju okiya was in a hurry, running around trying to make sure everything Hinata needed was ready.

"Hurry up, Moegi, or your big sister will be late for her debut!" Auntie Chiyo swatted the back of Moegi's head with her cane. Moegi was a twelve-year-old maiko who had been bought five years ago to be Naruto's replacement as Hinata's personal maid. She was a plain looking girl with a head of frizzy orange hair and beady black eyes.

"But auntie her chignon has come undone again! I can't seem to knot it tight enough there's too many flowers threaded through it!" Moegi’s small fingers attempted to pull Hinata's silk straight hair into the required knot style of a debuting geisha but it was impossible, Hinata's silky hair just wouldn't stay tied.

"Naruto!" Auntie Chiyo barked, "get in here and do Hinata's hair. Hurry up before mother comes down to see Hinata off!"

Naruto, who had been sweeping the adjacent sitting room, set the broom down. He dusted off his dirty yukata and smoothed his bangs out of his face. He made his way to the room where Auntie Chiyo, Moegi, and Hinata were in and then meekly bowed.

"Don't just stand there! Hurry up and do Hinata's hair!” Auntie Chiyo ordered.

Naruto's heart started beating faster just by being in the same room as Hinata. She looked beautiful in her cherry pink kimono. Her painted white face and red lips made her pale eyes stand out more than usual. Despite their estranged relationship Naruto was happy for her. All that training she had suffered through had all been for this. He walked over and sat behind Hinata.

"May I touch your hair, Hinata-san?"

Hinata tensed.

"Don't touch her with your filthy hands." Karin entered the room. She was no longer the teenager she had been five years ago. She was a woman now, a mature geisha. She didn't have to wear a full face of makeup anymore and her kimonos were now less colorful. Vibrant colors were reserved for maiko's and beginner geishas. Even without all of the makeup her face was still as pretty as ever though. 'The Pride of senju okiya' was what people in the streets called her because of her great beauty. 

"Now isn't the time for that, Karin! Hinata's hair needs to be done, she can't go out looking like this!" Auntie huffed irritated.

"K-Karin-san is right. I-I-don't want him to touch my hair, Auntie."

Naruto wasn't surprised. This wasn't the first time Hinata had rejected his assistance. But nevertheless it still stung. The long ago days when he used to do Hinata's hair played out in his mind. Those days didn't feel real anymore.

"Then who will do her hair? Moegi can't!" Auntie yelled.

"I'll do it." Karin rolled her eyes. She kicked the side of Naruto's leg to get him to move so she could sit down where he was sitting. Just like a dog Naruto quickly stood up and moved to the side. Karin sat down and began to drag a comb through Hinata's hair. She teased it and then pinned it into a signature knotted chignon.

"There, all done." Karin said smugly.

Just then Tsunade entered the room. Her haggard face was a clear sign that she had just woken up from a nap. She was dressed in a heavy burgundy robe and was smoking a cigarette through a thin long cigarette holder. Everyone bowed as she walked in. She paid them no attention; she took in Hinata's appearance and smiled. Her yellowed teeth contrasted against her pink lips.

"With looks like yours you'll have all the men lining up just to pay to have tea with you." Tsunade gestured for Hinata to stand up. Hinata held her hand out so that Moegi could help her stand. She took small steps as a geisha should and then bowed when she reached Tsunade.

"Raise your head, daughter." Tsunade said in an uncharacteristically warm tone. She looked at Hinata as if she were a shining jewel. Hinata was worth a fortune in her eyes.

"From today onwards you shall be known as Hanabi Senju. You are now officially my daughter; you must follow your big sister Karin’s instructions tonight so that your debut will be successful. Don't forget that you must always honor this okiya."

Hinata nodded. Naruto could see the tell tale signs of tears gathering at the corner of Hinata's eyes. She had just been given a new name; a debuting geisha not only gained a new title but was also leaving behind her status in society. As a maiko she was still considered a lowly slave to an okiya, but as a geisha she had power. She now had a family and a new name to go along with it.

"Thank you, mother." Hinata sniffled. Just like the well trained geisha that she was she didn't allow a single tear to drop, it'd ruin her elaborately painted make-up.

"Okay enough of this mushy crap, let's go or we'll be late." Karin said snidely.

Moegi helped Hinata walk to the front gate. Auntie and mother trailed behind. Naruto hadn't been asked to go but he couldn't help himself. He wanted to see Hinata off. Once she came back home tonight she wouldn't be the same. She'd be an adult, a debuted geisha.

"Moegi, go get the rocks!" Mother demanded.

Moegi scurried off and seconds later came back with two black rocks. She handed them to mother without looking her in the eyes.

Tsunade took them and raised them over Hinata's head. She rubbed them together and a tiny spark fizzled between them. "May the gods guide you successfully tonight." Tsunade murmured.

"Thank you." Hinata bowed. Moegi then helped Hinata down the gate ledge so she could slip into her high geta.

Karin didn't need assistance. She was a pro; she slithered down the ledge and slipped right into her geta as if they were low sandals. Once their shoes were on Moegi handed Karin and Hinata two beautifully painted paper umbrellas.

"Be careful walking to the tea house, in this kind of rain it'd be easy to slip." Mother cautioned. "Karin, take good care of your little sister. If she falls and breaks her leg I'll add it to your debt."

"Yes, mother." Karin retorted sharply.

"Good luck, Hinata-san." Moegi said shyly.

"It's Hanabi! Learn your big sisters new name!" Tsunade growled. Moegi blushed and apologized. Tsunade ignored her as if she hadn't spoken at all. "Now off with the both of you! We don't want to keep the client waiting. The longer they wait the more money I lose."

Karin and Hinata left down the lit street. Even when they disappeared from view Naruto could still hear their geta clacking against the wet cobble stone of the ground.

The sound of their geta filled Naruto with an emotion he had grown accustomed to over the last five years. It was the bitter feeling of jealousy. He had prayed long ago to the gods that they would allow him to become a geisha but instead they had played a cruel joke on him. They had not allowed him to become a geisha but rather had doomed him to be their slave. Mother had made it clear that she'd never give him what she had given to Karin and Hinata. Even Moegi had begun her geisha classes already. It was as mother had said; he was scarred and therefore useless to her.

Naruto attempted to quell his jealousy but it was so hard. He closed his eyes and did as Sasuke-san had taught him all those years ago on the bridge. He thought of Sasuke's eyes and his warm scent and instantly he felt happiness settle itself inside him.

"That stupid girl forgot her shamisen." Tsunade growled. "Naruto run to the tea house and bring Hanabi her shamisen I can't have Moegi out in the rain, if she gets sick there'd be no one to attend to my darling jewel."

Naruto bowed and took the shamisen. He had no choice but to do as mother said. He wrapped the shamisen in a cloth and then took off. His hair and yukata immediately got soaked with water. He clutched the shamisen to his chest and kept running. His straw zori sloshed in the muddy puddles of the water on the ground. The cold wind burned his cheeks and his chest felt tight from how hard he was running but he couldn't slow down. Hinata needed her shamisen. If he lagged it'd be a whipping.

Naruto finally stopped when he reached the teahouse. It was a little building with a red slanted down roof. He had only been here once before. It was a couple years ago when Karin hadn't come home on time mother had sent him all over the hanamachi to look for her. This teahouse had been one of the spots he had checked first.

Naruto crept up the wooden steps. He could hear the sound of music and laugher wafting out of the lit windows. He tiptoed and peeked through one of the windows. He couldn't see much. He could see the back of Karin's head and the side of Hinata's face. She was smiling at an old man and pouring him tea. She looked nervous but still very pretty. He stopped peeking and went to knock on the teahouse door. The teahouse owner answered.

"What do you want, I don't have any money for beggars." Irritation colored the owners face as she looked down at Naruto.

Naruto bowed and extended the wrapped up shamisen. "I'm not a beggar, I work at the Senju okiya. Sorry for disturbing you but can you please deliver this to Hanabi Senju, it's her shamisen."

"The Senju okiya? So you're that omega Karin always bitches about?" The owner clicked her tongue and then snatched the shamisen out of Naruto's hands. "Don't linger around. I don't want someone like you hanging around my teahouse. You uppity types have always annoyed me!"

Naruto forced an understanding smile and stood in his bowed position until he heard the door close.

He let out a long sigh. He didn't want to cry but no matter how hard he tried to stop the tears they still trickled out. It wasn't fair. Life was so cruel. What had he done to deserve this kind of life? Had he killed an emperor in his previous life and this was just the residual karma? That was the only thing that he could think of that would explain the life he had now.

The sound of the teahouse door opening jolted Naruto back into reality. He hurried down the steps and ducked down so that he was hidden. He held his breath, terrified of being caught by the anonymous person who had come outside. If it was the teahouse owner and she saw that he was still here she'd be angry that he had disobeyed her orders of "not lingering around."

Naruto heard the sound of a cigarette being lit and then someone exhaling. From his crouched position all Naruto could see was smoke billow out into the night sky. The anonymous person came down the steps and sat on the first one. Naruto's heart was hammering in his chest a mile a minute. He could now see that the person was not the teahouse owner but a man dressed in an impeccable black business suit. He was wearing a hat that disallowed Naruto from seeing his face. Naruto held his hand over his lips to quiet the sounds of his breathing. The man took another drag and then almost as if he knew Naruto had been there the whole time looked up to where Naruto was hiding.

Two red eyes, the color of burning coals stared right into Naruto's shocked blue ones. The color was one Naruto had dreamed about for the past five years, the vivid red color that he saw every time he closed his eyes...the red color eyes that only one boy he had ever met had possessed.

"Sasuke-san?" Naruto instantly felt new tears come to his eyes.

The blood red eyes landed on Naruto and before realization could settle itself into Sasuke's eyes Naruto bolted. He ran until he was safely behind the gates of his okiya. He dropped to his knees onto the hard wet ground. He pulled out the white cloth he carried with him at all times from his yukata and cradled it to his chest. Sasuke's warm smell was imbedded in the cloth, he brought the cloth to his nose and inhaled. He was panting from how hard he ran and he was soaking wet. But none of that mattered; the only thing Naruto could focus on was the pure joy chorusing through him. After five long years-

Sasuke was back.

The next day Naruto woke up earlier than usual. Spurned on by the exciting development of the previous day he had a sleepless night. Sasuke was in his hanamachi. Sasuke was breathing the same air as him. Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke...

Naruto completed his chores with his head high up in the clouds. He had a plan. He was going to wait until Karin and Hinata went out tonight and then he'd sneak out. He wanted to see Sasuke but last night he had reacted too soon. The shock of seeing Sasuke, the sole source of his happiness over the last five years, had been too much. His feet moved before he could fully think on what to do.

Tonight he had a second chance to rectify his hasty mistake. He just hoped that Sasuke would still be there.

An hour after Karin and Hinata left Naruto stealthily sneaked out of the okiya. It wasn't that hard since mother was sleeping off a hangover from a drinking binge the previous night and Auntie Chiyo was listening to her favorite drama on the radio.

Naruto ran to the teahouse. He hid his face with a giant dusty cloak just incase someone recognized him on the streets. When he made it to the teahouse he went up the stairs and peeked into the open window. He knew that the teahouse owner would never allow him inside so he had conjured up a plan. He'd peek into the teahouse and after he spotted Sasuke and caught his attention he'd signal him to come outside. It wasn't the best plan he could come up with but it was the best he could do due to the circumstances.

Naruto peered inside and to his amazement he instantly spotted Sasuke. He was seated between two geishas, one of them was an older looking geisha and the other was a newly debuted geisha. Both of the girls were stunningly beautiful. Sasuke looked so at ease between them. His handsome face was painted with an easygoing smile as he drank sake that the older geisha had so graciously just poured for him. Naruto's insides tightened. Sasuke had definitely gotten more handsome over the years. He no longer looked like a boy; he was all man. 

Naruto looked down at his dusty cloak and then at the torn up zori on his dirty feet. He suddenly felt a million times smaller than he actually was. What was he even doing here? Sasuke lived in a completely different world than him. why would Sasuke even remember him after all these years? This had been a dumb idea. Naruto stood up to leave but Sasuke's red eyes suddenly flashed into his. Sasuke was mid drink, his sake cup was held up to his lips. The two geisha were laughing over something someone else had said, one of them had her hand in Sasuke's lap while the other was holding a cloth underneath Sasuke's sake cup so it wouldn't land on his expensive suit just in case he spilled some. Everything was normal except Sasuke's eyes were undoubtedly looking straight into Naruto's.

Naruto didn't last half the time he did the previous time. He ran away the second he realized Sasuke had seen him. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him and then he collapsed on the ground once he reached the okiya. What was wrong with him? Why did he run away again? Naruto slammed his fists onto the hard cold ground. He already knew the answer to that question. He had runaway from Sasuke because truthfully he didn't want to see Sasuke. Sasuke was too beautiful and far removed from Naruto's little world of an okiya slave. Naruto was ashamed of his entire being. Not only his appearance but also everything about himself was too shameful. Naruto hung his head and let out a frustrated whimper. He cursed his own cowardice. He wanted to be like those pretty geisha attending to Sasuke but he would never be able to because mother would never give him the chance to become a geisha.

"Look at the freak, he's putting on a little show for us, Hanabi." Karin taunted.

Hinata's pale hand covered her mouth as her girlish giggles slipped through her painted red lips.

Naruto's head snapped up to the okiya gate. Hinata and Karin had just walked in. They were both dressed in beautiful kimonos. Seeing them dressed as what Naruto dreamed to be was like a cruel taunt from the gods.

"What a perfect end to this night, I get home and see the most annoying little bitch in all of this hanamachi crying on the floor like a baby." Karin kicked Naruto so that he was out the pathway. "Hanabi and I had a long night, so have tea ready in five minutes."

Naruto kept his head bowed until he saw Hinata and Karin's feet disappear into the okiya. Naruto couldn’t lessen the sadness in his heart by thinking of Sasuke-san like he usually did. He sucked in a shaky breath, since he couldn't become a geisha he'd just have to learn how to survive without the sun of his life anymore. It wasn’t like Sasuke would’ve remembered him anyways.

Weeks passed and Naruto was barely living. He was a shell of a person, not truly existing-only obeying. He wandered around the okiya like a ghoul in the night. He had vowed to give up Sasuke but he still kept the silk cloth Sasuke had given him all those years ago. He couldn't bring himself to get rid of it. A small part of his mind rationalized it as keeping a memento of the boy who had given him hope for so many years.

"There you are you lazy dog, mothers been looking all over for you. Tonton threw up and she wants you to clean it up!" Karin barked from the okiya back doorway. Her long red hair was tied in a messy bun and her thin body was wrapped up in a pretty purple robe.

"I'll be right there." Naruto murmured.

Karin rolled her eyes, muttered an insult and then stormed back into the okiya.

Naruto sighed. He hung his head back and looked up at the cloudless blue sky. He wondered if the sky above Sasuke's head looked like this too?

No, probably not. Sasuke's sky was perfect just like him. The only way Naruto would ever be good enough to be in Sasuke's world was if he were a geisha but that would only ever happen in his dreams.

When spring came it brought with it an unexpected visitor to the okiya. It was a Sunday morning. The sun had barely made an appearance in the hazy sky. It was a lazy kind of morning. Everyone was sleeping except for Naruto who was busy with his chores. The okiya bell rung once. The unusual sound of an unexpected morning visitor startled Naruto out of his dream like state. He answered the door and was greeted by a girl dressed in a powder blue kimono. The quality of her kimono looked more expensive than even the ones Karin and Hinata paraded around in. Her hair was coiled up into a braided top do and was pinned in the center with a pearl that had strings of cherry blossoms dangling from it. Her facial features were delicate; she wore none of the heavy white face make-up of a newly debuted geisha. She only wore a slight pink color on her lips and on her eyelids.

"Good morning, how can I help you?" Naruto asked apprehensively. He had never received such a refined guest at their okiya before.

The girl carried a pink umbrella. The dew of the early morning spring showers was evident on the oily painted umbrella. She closed it and handed it to Naruto.

"I'd like to speak to the owner of this okiya. I have some business to discuss with her." The girl spoke in a dignified manner. Her voice was much lower than Naruto had expected it would be. She had an accent, it sounded just like how the people on the radio sounded, very eloquent and dignified. It was an accent that signified education and wealth.

"Of course, please come in. I'll inform mother that you're here. May I know your name so I can tell her?"

The girl smiled broadly. "Tell Tsunade an old friend from Mist is here, she'll know who I am."

Naruto nodded at the elusive answer. He showed the girl to the sitting room and then quickly ran up the stairs to wake Tsundae up. He thought she'd get angry for waking her up early in the day but after he told her what the girl had said she instantly blinked the sleep out of her eyes. She got dressed in a frighteningly fast pace and then made her way down the stairs. Naruto nervously followed behind her.

He stood at attention inside the sitting room in the corner and watched Tsunade take a seat across from the girl.

"Darling, you should've sent a letter that you'd be visiting. I would've had a breakfast cooked up for you!" Tsunade greeted the girl with a fake smile.

The girl laughed demurely. A slight shaking of her small shoulders as she raised her hand to cover her petal pink lips.

"Nonsense, we both know if I had sent word you would've sent a letter with some excuse for denying my visit." The girl laughed again. It was definitely a practiced laugh Naruto noted.

"As sharp as ever aren't you." Tsunade grinned as she "playfully" swatted the girl's arm. "So what do I owe the pleasure of this visit? It’s not everyday that the greatest geisha in eastern Japan pays a visit to a hanamachi as small as this one." Tsunade said while smiling, Naruto found it strange since mother had seemed irritated by calling the girl by that title.

The girl's brown eyes momentarily flitted to Naruto. Tsunade noticed it. She turned her head in Naruto's direction. She glared at him realizing that he was standing there.

"What are you doing in here? Get out! Can't you see I'm attending to a guest? Go and make yourself useful by making us some tea!"

Naruto bowed. He felt the girl's eyes burning him with a stare. As he left the room he felt her eyes follow him. He couldn't decipher what her stare meant. He shook his head and casted her odd stare out of his mind. It didn't matter. He hurried along to the kitchen and put tea on. Once the water was boiling hot he retrieved two cups and prepared the tea. He grabbed a circular wooden tray and put the two cups on it. He held the tray with one hand as he walked back to the sitting room. When he arrived at the entrance of the sitting room he was greeted with a surprising sight. Karin and Hinata were both crouched down by the entrance, clearly eavesdropping on Tsunade and the girl's conversation. They were both dressed in sleeping robes and their hair was still wild from sleep.

"You!" Karin exclaimed heatedly when she noticed Naruto's presence. "Who's that woman and why does she want to buy you?!"

Naruto gawked. The pretty girl wanted to buy him!?

"I-I don't know!" Naruto stuttered.

"Liar! She's offering mother a fortune for you! Why would she do that! You're nothing but trash!"

"I don't know it's the truth!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Naruto is that you out there?" Tsunade's voice called, "come in here I need to speak with you."

Naruto gulped.

"Good, mother will set you straight." Karin snickered. She willingly moved aside so Naruto could enter the room as if she were letting a sheep into the wolf's den.

Naruto nervously walked into the room. Both mother and the girl stared at him.

"Set the tea down and take a seat." Tsunade ordered, sounding impatient.

Naruto complied and sat on the empty pillow beside the girl.

"Naruto, Tsunade-san and I have been discussing some business. Would you like to know what that business is, it pertains to you." The girl asked sweetly.

Naruto glanced at Tsunade to gauge what he should answer but she wasn't even looking at him. Her honey eyes were trained on a heavy looking black velvet pouch in the center of the table.

"Yes, I'd like to know." Naruto answered unsure.

"I would like to buy you from Tsunade-san. I'm willing to pay whatever price she offers. Would you like that?" The girl smiled.

Naruto didn't understand. Who even was this girl and why did she have an interest in buying him? If she wanted an okiya slave she could've easily bought one for half the price of whatever Tsunade was charging her. "Why me?" Naruto asked nervously, "I'm just an okiya slave there are plenty others."

The girl giggled. Her laugh was like the sound of a harp being plucked. "Silly little duck, I don't want you as a slave. I want you so I can make you into a geisha!"

Naruto felt his draw drop. "A g-geisha?!"

"Mhmm." The girl giggled again. "You see, I've been searching for a protégé, someone to pass my wisdom on to. I am nearing the age of retirement-"

"Retirement? But you don't look a day over twenty!" Naruto gawked. He quickly put his hands over his mouth when he realized he had spoken out of turn. "Sorry." He bowed.

"Don't apologize." The girl smiled, "I'm much older than what my appearance would lead one to believe. I'll be thirty next spring. A geisha of my status has the luxury of retiring early. I'm lucky enough to have a danna who loves me dearly. He funds me with all of the necessities I'll ever need. Now that I'm near retirement I want to teach someone everything that I know."

"But why me?" Naruto's heart was beating so fast. He felt like this was too good to be true. Good things like this never happened to him. Was he dreaming?

"Well let's just say someone with a keen eye pointed me towards you. They said a beautiful person resided within this okiya and the minute I saw you I knew they were referring to you."

"Wait just a damn minute. They could've been talking about me!" Karin came barreling into the room with a nervous looking Hinata trailing behind her. "I'm a million times more beautiful than Naruto!"

"My daughter is right. Naruto is practically worthless. He has those hideous scars and he's far too scrawny."

"Tsunade I see your eyes have dulled over the years. Naruto is with out a doubt the most visually appealing in this okiya. He will make a beautiful geisha, I'm sure of it. Scars and all."

Naruto blushed. This girl was serious; she actually saw value in him!

"Mother! Are you seriously selling Naruto off!" Karin screeched.

"I don't know," Tsunade grabbed the velvet bag filled with money and squished it in her hands, "double or nothing." Tsunade said abruptly. Her cold eyes stared straight into the girls.

The girl was completely unfazed. She threw a similar velvet bag onto the table as if it were nothing. "I expected no less from you." The girl smiled a small smile, full of unspoken hate.

Tsunade's eyes doubled in size. She cradled both bags to her large chest.

"It's a deal." Tsuande said distracted.

"Mother, are you serious! You can't let that trash become a geisha!" Karin yelled. "It's an insult to my profession!"

"Shut it!" Tsuande reprimanded as she continued to feel up the bags of money in her hands. "Oh yeah now that the deals been made you should know he's an omega. Not that that should matter to you since you're an expert in that field, right princess?" Tsuande laughed mockingly, as if she had just won a great victory.

The girl's eyes widened a fraction. "An omega?" She raked her eyes over Naruto's body. "That'd explain his scent and appearance." The girl stood up. "It was a pleasure doing business with you, Tsunade. Please do remember the terms of the contract. You will have no part in Naruto's future earnings as a geisha and as of today you are no longer his mother."

"Yes, yes. I’m well aware. He’s all yours." Tsunade grunted.

"Naruto go and gather your things we are leaving."

"I don't own anything worth taking." Naruto replied honestly. The only thing he cherished was the silk cloth Sasuke had given him and he always kept that on him so there really wasn't anything he needed to go and retrieve.

"Very well then, if you wish to say your goodbyes now is the time."

Naruto didn't have anything to say to Karin or Tsuande but he had something he needed to say to Hinata.

"Hinata-chan."

Hinata turned her head pretending not to have heard Naruto.

"Hinata-chan, I don't hate you for how you've treated me until now. I know Karin-san can be convincing. You’re very easily persuaded. You've always been like that, even when we were kids. I don't hate you but I am deeply hurt. I want you to know that I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive you. I hope we'll meet again someday though. As equals, as two geishas."

Hinata's lips wobbled. Her wide eyes remained on the ground, still stubbornly looking away from Naruto.

"Don't listen to him Hanabi. He's trash he won't ever become a geisha!"

"By the gods!" The girl ticked her tongue at Karin as if she were reprimanding a young child. "Tsunade you should put this one back in school, she has much to learn about manners still."

Karin's face burned red. She held her tongue; she had enough sense to see that the girl was above her in status.

"Mother, are you really going to let her insult me after all I do for our okiya!" Karin proclaimed astonished.

Tsunade hummed. She had poured all the money onto the table and was counting it. She had long ago removed herself from all concerns other than her new stack of money.

Karin stomped her foot. "Whatever, you're still trash! You'll never amount to anything. Just because you're an omega doesn't mean anything! Trash is still trash no matter what class they are!"

Naruto chose not to answer; he really didn't have anything to say to Karin. She was a pretty girl but her heart was black, he didn't know why she was so mean to him and he never would. "Goodbye, thank you for keeping me in your care until now." The words were hollow, emotionless.

"Yeah." Tsunade mumbled, still consumed with her new fortune. The girl bowed anyways and then made her way out the room. Naruto followed behind her. He kept his head down. He could feel Karin's stunned eyes on him as he left the room. As Naruto walked down the pathway of the okiya he felt like he was in another one of his dreams and he would wake up at any moment. It was too unreal. He couldn't actually fathom a life without mothers cruelty, a world without Auntie Chiyo's cane whippings, a world without Karin's mean words, a world without Hinata's cold gazes...but apparently there would be a world without it because this was really happening. This girl he didn't even know the name of had just bought him and not even to be a slave but to train him to be a geisha! Naruto grinned as he exited the okiya. He turned and gave it one last look. The small okiya had been his prison for as long as he could remember; he never thought he'd escape it.

"Naruto we don't have much time please get on."

Naruto snapped his head up. The girl was sitting in a rikshaw, her hand was extended so he could climb on.

"Sorry." Naruto murmured embarrassed. He climbed onto the rikshaw and as soon as he did the girl gave the driver a tap on his shoulder.

The man immediately began to pull the rikshaw down the bumpy cobbled streets. Everything whirled past Naruto at a quick pace. It was exhilarating; he had never been inside a rikshaw before.

"I can see that you're easily fascinated. I'll have to get you used to many things then. Customers will take advantage of you if they realize little things like rikshaw rides fascinate you." The girl tucked Naruto's long bangs out of his face, like a mother would her son.

"Sorry." Naruto's cheeks burned bright red.

"Don't apologize." The girl smiled. "You can't help it, I know very well what a cruel woman Tsuande is. She's kept you living like an animal. Of course everything fascinates you. A young boy like you shouldn't be kept in such conditions, it's just too cruel."

Naruto wanted to hug the girl but he didn't want to over step his boundaries. "Thank you so much for buying me. I promise I'll do everything you say. It is my dream to become a geisha so I truly want to thank you. I'll do everything I can to make you proud."

The girl sighed, a pleased grin bloomed on her lips. "Ah, that's what I like to hear, little duck. From today onward I'll be your new mother. My name is Haku and I am the most well known geisha in eastern Japan. For the next year I'll teach you everything I know. I'll make you the most famous geisha in all of Japan! I'll let you in on a little secret," Haku leaned down so he could whisper into Naruto's ear, "I'm an omega too, I'm the perfect teacher for you!"

Naruto's eyes twinkled with newfound mirth. He nodded eagerly. His little world was changing so fast and he could hardly keep up. Only a few hours ago he had been living like a soulless machine but now he had a purpose. He was going to become a geisha and hopefully someday once he was good enough he'd make his dream of taking Sasuke's loneliness away come true.

Naruto spent the next twelve months training to be a geisha. Haku was nice but he was also stern. He had the face of a doll but he was ever the perfectionist when it came to learning the art of becoming a geisha. The very first day of training Haku had told him this, "What others learn in years you must learn in months. Despite what others say a geisha is not whore-to be a geisha is to be a moving piece of art. You must train hard to become a living breathing masterpiece."

Haku hadn't been lying. Training had not been an easy task. Naruto had to take etiquette classes, shamisen classes, singing classes, dancing classes, so many classes that some were nothing but a distant memory. Naruto didn't give up though, he stuck through it all and now next week he'd finally be having his debut.

"What do you think of this one?" Haku asked without looking at Naruto. His fingers were caressing the fine fabric of a gold kimono. The kimono was trimmed in red. White lines threaded through the red trimming at the bottom of the kimono formed the illusion of waves rolling in the ocean and on the swinging sleeves gold thread was sewed through the red trimming to look like falling sakura petals.

"I like it, mother." Naruto answered automatically.

The kimono shop they were in was crowded, as expected since it'd be spring next week. The first day of spring was considered an auspicious day, spring brought birth so it was believed amongst geishas that the first day of spring was the best and also most promising day to debut.The shop was located in the hanamachi nearest Haku's apartment, which resided in the next town over. Naruto had lived there for a year now with Haku. This new hanamachi was slightly larger than the one he had lived in before. No matter the time of day there was always someone out and about.

They traveled to the hanamachi for Naruto's classes and all other things pertaining to geisha business all the time. The first week Naruto arrived he had wondered why Haku didn't just move to the hanamachi, it'd be easier for the both of them but Naruto got his answer to that question the next week when he met Haku's danna. His name was Zabuza and he was a well-known samurai who served under a wealthy daimyo. He wasn't an ordinary samurai. Instead of resolving disputes amongst the middle class like a samurai was supposed to do Zabuza instead killed the enemies of the daimyo he served. He was incredibly wealthy because of this but he was also in many bingo books. He essentially lived in the shadows and as a result he forced his favorite geisha to live in the shadows as well. Their love was secret and Zabuza only visited Haku in sporadic intervals. But Naruto could tell Zabuza dearly loved Haku so after that meeting Naruto chose to never question why Haku didn't move to the crowded Hanamachi.

"You didn't even look at it." Haku bopped Naruto's nose with his finger, "You need to pay attention. Might I remind you little duck that the kimono we pick out for you today will be the one you debut in?"

"I know sorry, I guess I can't concentrate." Naruto said sheepishly. He made a show of inspecting the kimono Haku had tried to show him seconds ago. "Oh, I like the gold thread on the sleeves, it'll look good with a gold obi." Naruto ran his hands down the stiff fabric, pretending to inspect it.

Haku rolled his eyes, "stop, I can tell you don't actually like it."

"Sorry." Naruto dropped his act. He twirled a strand of his hair between his fingers; a habit that Haku had come to learn over the past few months meant that Naruto was feeling anxious.

"What's wrong, little duck? You were acting strange during breakfast too. Is something bothering you because if there is you know you can tell me."

Haku's words made a flood of guilt erupt within Naruto. Haku was so caring; he always treated him like a person and not like a dog like Tsunade had. Naruto was eternally grateful to Haku. Haku fed him, clothed him, and trained him. Haku was the mother Tsunade had never been; he was the mother he never had so Naruto felt guilty for what he was about to say. It was like he was undermining all of Haku's hard work.

"...I'm scared about my debut. I don't know if I even deserve-"

"Don't you dare finish that thought! You are worthy to become a geisha!" Haku glared. His pretty features turned angry. "Damn Tsunade for giving you such low self esteem. I swear that woman deserves to burn." Haku cupped Naruto's cheek and with his other hand pried Naruto's hand away from the strand of hair he was toiling with. "You deserve to achieve your dreams. I don't want to hear anymore of this okay?" Haku kissed Naruto's forehead.

"Yes, mother." Naruto smiled half heartedly, trying to force one of the big bright smiles Haku so loved to see on his face.

"Good, now let's get back to the matter at hand. I refuse to leave here without picking out a kimono for your debut!" Like a miniature tornado Haku whirled right back into his frenzied search for a kimono. Naruto's sour mood simmered a little as he laughed at Haku's overzealous attitude. He still felt like crying though. Haku always made him feel better about himself. It reminded him that Haku had taken away some of the loneliness he had been suffering from and that thought as always made him wonder if Sasuke was still lonely or if he had found someone to alleviate his loneliness too.

Naruto sighed. He hoped not, he really hoped that Sasuke could wait just a little more for him. It was selfish to think this way but Naruto couldn't help it. He put his palm over his chest where even after a whole year of training, Sasuke's cherished cloth still lay underneath his yukata.

Just one more week and then he’d be good enough for Sasuke.