Fire

2

Sasuke arrived at his office a minute before 8.00 am. He sat on his chair and set his bag aside, oblivious to two new interns who were gawking at him. They saw him the minute he entered the main entrance and was immediately taken by his looks. So they shamelessly stalked him until he entered his office, which incidentally where they were interning for and so they continued to follow him into the office.

The two interns were careful to watch the dark haired man from quite a distance, mesmerized by his handsome face set on milky white skin. Sasuke had not been spending much time outside these days, thus sported no tan at all. The interns gushed about his black hair which was spiky at the back and long bangs framing his oval face at the front. Uchiha Works was a company dealing with the entertainment industry thus they encouraged their employees to sport fancy hairstyles.

Sasuke sat at his desk which was situated at the end of the office. There were ten desks in the office and Sasuke’s place was tucked facing a corner. He nonchalantly switched on his computer and reached for his headphones which he had placed on the top of his box file stack. He pulled his chair closer towards his desk, logged onto the Internet and covered his ears with the headphones. The first thing he did was check his email for the latest song a client had sent in to use as a campaign jingle.

Besides the interns, a pink haired lady by the name of Sakura was also watching Sasuke since he arrived there. She had also noticed the unabashed interns with envious eyes and soon approached them. Sakura had known Sasuke since they live in the same area, but she could only befriend him now when they worked in the same office.

She walked over to the interns and jolted them back to reality with a cough. “Ehem, ehem.” The interns quickly apologized though they were doing nothing wrong.

Sakura pulled herself to her full height and said to the poor interns, “You are not here to learn about Sasuke-san’s daily routine, now take this report and make 25 copies. I need them ready for the meeting tomorrow. Afterwards ask Miss Sands for the list of the guests and call each of them to confirm the name of the representatives who will be present.”

The two interns bowed in respect to her and quickly scurried off to the photostat room, Sakura smoothed her hair and tugged down her tucked in blouse before walking towards Sasuke. Her four inch heels clicking through the office.

She arrived at Sasuke’s desk and leaned in, making sure he can see in her in her periphery vision “Hey, let’s have lunch today.”

Sasuke glanced at Sakura and paused the music player app he was using. He took off his headphone and rested it around his neck. He paused for thought.

“Where?”

Now Sasuke noticed the silence, and turned around and noticed that there were only him and Sakura in the office. He got up and sighed while taking his headphone off his neck and placed it back on his box file stack.

“I forgot that we the Weekly Meet was this morning,” he sighed at her.

Sakura smiled and reached for her office mate’s shoulder and massaged it. “You have been working too hard Sasuke, even lost track of time. Let go of things a little, I can delegate your menial tasks to the interns. Just tell me what you need ok.”

Sasuke looked boredly at her and reassured her. “I am ok Sakura. Now where are we having lunch, who else is joining?”

“Shikamaru and Chouji, Ino and Hinata. Lunch is at Amber, the chinese fusion restaurant.”

Sasuke nodded at her and then walked away. Sakura’s hand was still on Sasuke’s shoulder and when he walked away she lost touch of him. Sakura fisted her empty grasp and watched as Sasuke headed towards the door of his brother’s office who was also their boss. Sakura knew that Itachi would be in his office listening to the Weekly Meet online. There was no way Sasuke was going to leave his brother’s office now.

Sakura decided to let go of Sasuke and reminded him, calling him from behind. “See you there at 12.30.”

Sasuke raised his hand without even bothering to turn around. Now being ignored, Sakura sighed as Sasuke disappeared into his brother’s office without even knocking first. Sakura leaned against Sasuke’s table and wondered when she would be able to spend with Sasuke alone. The only reason the brother of the boss was working alongside her was because he wanted to have experience working at each department of Uchiha Works. Uchiha Works was a production company, producing tv programmes, advertisements and commercial video campaigns for companies.

Itachi Uchiha was the Head of Campaigns at Uchiha Works, he wanted to make Sasuke head of the Digital department. However, Sasuke who was a graduate in Mass Communication thought that he was better off gaining experience hands on rather than be a boss right away.

Sasuke closed the door behind him and saw his brother lying on the sofa with eyes closed. He had earphones on and seemed lost to the world, but Sasuke knew better. He noticed that Itachi’s earphone was connected to a laptop placed on the coffee table opened to a Live Streaming video of the Weekly Meet.

“Hey nii-san, are you awake?” Sasuke asked as he sat down on a single seater beside the long couch, which Itachi was seating on.

“Yes, I was just closing my eyes,” Itachi said as he opened his eyes and searched for Sasuke’s identical onyx eyes.

“Can I talk to you?”

“Sure, what is it about?”

“Am I interrupting you, the Weekly Meet are basically the same thing right?”

“Today Uncle Madara are announcing the recipients of the Uchiha Education Fund. Anyone you know applying?”

“No.”

“Anyway. None of our officers applied so I guess I can stop listening to Uncle Madara now.” Itachi then took out his earphones and placed it beside the laptop. He sat with his legs crossed on the long couch and turned towards his one and only brother.

“I still have that dream from long ago.”

Itachi’s face showed surprise and he paused for a second before saying, “Do you think you need help in facing this?”

“I don’t know nii-san. I just want to know what my dreams were trying to tell me.”

“Well, I’ll make a few calls.”

Sasuke smiled at his brother in gratitude. “Thanks nii-san when I told you to not worry about my dreams, how silly and disturbing it was, you kept your distance. But… now I need to know.”

Itachi stood and bent down to lean on the  lifted his hand and tapped Sasuke’s forehead in an affectionate manner. “Everything for my Otouto.”

Itachi then floated to his mahogany table and flipped open his diary. Sasuke leaned back on the chair and thought about what would happen if the dreams ended suddenly before he could find an answer to it.

Itachi looked over from his diary to his brother, he could see the worry and doubt on his mind. As an older brother, Itachi had personal problems of his own but he had never had mysterious dreams like Sasuke had described to him almost a year ago. He continued browsing his diary for contact numbers of his friends who might be delving with psychology or some mysticism. He found one and quickly jotted the number on a piece of post it notes and then took it to Sasuke. Itachi could only offer help and support to Sasuke.

Sasuke had always admired Itachi’s calm demeanour, even jealous why his brother had been so ignorant of his sleepless nights. But then he realized Itachi was merely going along with his warning to not do things against Sasuke’s words. He had shared with his brother a few times about his dream and Itachi had thought that maybe they need an expert view, but Sasuke was adamant that his brother just listen to him and be there for him. He didn’t want anything but for Itachi to be his pillar of strength. Sasuke had thought that he had it under control when he underwent hypnosis to help understand the dream, but during that phase the dream did not come to him at all. After a month or so after he stopped finding the answer to his dreams and the dream returned.

Itachi himself had a knowledge which he kept from Sasuke. That was the main reason why he didn’t push for Sasuke to reach out for professional help regarding his dream. He knew that the Uchiha had a hidden secret which could be unveiled with time but Itachi himself wasn’t clear on what the secret was. He was more comfortable to let the secret unveil itself.

Itachi approached Sasuke had gave him the post it note. “This is my friend Deidara, he delves in mysticism and he told me he could help you long ago. Try him. I wish you all the best.”

Sasuke smirked at his brother and took the yellow square paper with gratitude. He bowed to his brother and sat down back to surf for the details of Itachi’s friend’s card on Itachi’s laptop. Itachi couldn't help but laugh at his brother’s comfortable state though he was being hounded by a dream of red eyes. Red eyes? The only red eyes Itachi saw was the pair of contact lens he wore during last year’s Halloween Party. Itachi then sat back on his own chair and continued with his office work.

Kiba had known Naruko since they were in secondary school and was taken by the blonde's resilience in life. They both had been very close friends since their mid teens and had shared many sad and happy moments. When Naruko told him that she was furthering her studies Konoha University which was next door to his family's veterinarian office, he invited her to live with his family. Although Naruko declined as she had arranged to live with Shion, they still spend a lot of time together.

Kiba texted Naruko as he climbed onto the bus which would bring his entourage back to Konoha. Kiba had been a states swimmer apart from being an apprentice vet at his family's animal clinic. Today was the last day of his swimming competition and he was heading home with a smile on his face and a silver medal hidden beneath his jacket.

As he sat down on to a random seat waiting for his teammates to embark on the bus, he continued texting his message to Naruko and sent the text.

KIBA : Bro, I am heading home today. See you tomorrow for lunch. You can keep the car for awhile, I am taking leave from work for a week anyway. See ya.

He scrolled for his other messages and seeing that there was none, he locked his screen and adjusted his seat for sleeping. It was going to be a three hour ride from Iwa to Suna anyway so he decided to sleep.

Kiba knew of Naruko's life as an orphan whose parents died in a car accident. He had been there when a messenger came and invited a teenaged Naruko to a meeting with the name of Tsunade. The woman claimed that she had just discovered that she was sent by Naruko's Godfather by the name of Jiraiya to take care of her. Kiba and Shion had came along because they were afraid that she was being duped but it turned out that Tsunade worked as a Deputy Mayor of Konoha.

Jiraiya claimed that he only knew that he was a Godfather a few months ago. But he was on a road tour for his latest novel and couldn't get to meet Naruko nor ascertain the truth of the information until a month ago. He didn't want to meet Naruko with no evidence and being rejected by her.

After he was sure Naruko was really his Goddaughter, he had contacted his close friend Tsunade since she held a prominent position and would therefore convince Naruko of his position in her life.

Kiba remembered when his Mother had decided to accompany Naruko to her first meeting with Jiraiya, at the time Tsunade was away on an important matter. Mrs Inuzuka had been comforted by Jiraiya and had discovered that he was the writer of the novels she had detested to read during her youth. Jiraiya had launched novels under the pseudonym Kyuubi Kitsune with the protagonist's name Naruto. Naruko's parents had taken the name and feminized it into Naruko. Jiraiya was touched that his fictional character had been an inspiration to his former students who were Naruko's parents.

Ten years later, Tsunade had became a Mayor of Konoha and was still a busy woman, but he offered plenty moral support to Naruko. Naruko even adopted Tsunade's mother who was more than happy to treat the girl like her own granddaughter.

Kiba felt his phone vibrated. He knew that it could be a text from Naruko and quickly checked on it.

NARUKO : Thanks for the offer, I'll bring along Shion too.

KIBA : Nice, see you soon kit

NARUKO : xoxo

KIBA set his phone locked again and closed his eyes again. He heard the rustling feet and his name being called by teammates and then his coach, Maito Gai.

"Already asleep Kiba, that's right, swim like we would have no swimming pool forever, and sleep like we would have no time to sleep tomorrow."

Kiba just opened his eyes at his coach as the green jacketed man walked past his seat and nodded. Maito Gai laughed and went to seat beside Kiba's other teammate by the name of Rock Lee. The silver medalist of The Interstate  Swimming Competition soon dozed of to sleep from the busy week he had spent competing swimming with ten other States.

Naruko parked her car at the top floor of the mall's parking since the parking was almost full. She checked her watch and noticed that it was almost 1 pm which meant that people were heading to lunch in droves. She reprimanded herself to enter the mall a little later or earlier next time to avoid rush hour.

She opened her car boot and took out her handbag, handing Shion's handbag to its owner.

"We should watch a movie today, there were two new movies released yesterday, Naruto The Movie, hey it's your namesake," Shion said.

Naruko smiled and then closed the boot and locked the car. It was a breeze to own a car but Naruko couldn't afford the monthly payment plus maintenance. She was thankful that she had the use of Kiba's car sometimes. If they had out of town assignments, Kiba would always offer her assistance in the shape of lending his car or sending her there.

Naruko and Shion entered the mall and as soon as they entered each got out their phone to check their texts.

"Kiba's on his way home," Naruko shared.

"You meeting him for breakfast tomorrow?" Shion asked.

"Yes,  it's been awhile since we met anyway. I kinda miss him."

Shion smiled at Naruko and wrapped her arm around her friend.

“Yes, let’s meet him tomorrow and then bring him along with us to the anime fair. I want a Yuri Katsuki doll. They are selling one there.”

“Oh,” said Naruko. “I almost forgot about that.”

“You are so forgetful Naru, you should count yourself lucky to have me as your free reminder.”

“Yes Shion. You are indeed my lucky star,” Naruko said in a mock awed tone.

Shion hugged Naruko tightly and then suddenly ran away exclaiming, “hey there’s a sale for figurines 3 for 100. Quick Naru, after me!”

Deep down inside she was of course thankful for Shion. Shion had been a valuable friend, the one who had been there when things were tough. She had borrowed plenty of Shion’s money and had paid every single cent of it, but Shion had given her more than that. Naruko knew that one day they would part as Shion dreamt of opening a company to help her family since she came from a working class family. Shion was tired of working for people and wanted to do something transformative for herself and her family.

Naruko walked quickly after she realized that her blonde friend had completely disappeared from her sight. She looked around and saw a store which she was sure the destination where Shion had headed. Naruko evaded a few people who were in her way and headed into the store, looking for a pretty little head belonging to Shion the shopaholic.

Genos woke up from his sleep this morning feeling that something good was about to happen. He was a cyborg but still he was very human. Genos believed in his instinct more especially after the aftermath of the Battle of Monsters. He woke up and looked at his wall clock and saw that it was only 6 am, still he was no longer able to sleep anymore so he decided to call it rise and shine.

The blonde haired cyborg with yellow eyes exited his room and knocked on his housemate’s door.

“Yeah I’m up already,” said housemate.

He silently twisted the door open and entered the room. Sonic was already awake sitting cross legged on her futon with a blanket covering her feet. She was looking at her phone.

“There’s so much wasteful thing you can do with a phone, I am glad I had it this late.”

Genos smiled and leaned against the door. “Any job offers?” he asked the lithe ninja.

“Yes, one very lucrative job from a Uchiha Works, you familiar with them?”

“No.” Genos said truthfully. He had never heard of that name, nor was the name uttered when he was at Konoha’s Hero Association. Tsunade hadn’t the time to tell him about Konoha’s former identity as a former ninja village. He reminded himself to visit the Ninja Museum during his free time later when he and Sonic were more settled in Konoha. Then he remembered that Sonic was a ninja.

“Hey Sonic, are you familiar with Konoha’s ninja? You ninja are all the same right?”

Sonic rolled her eyes at him and got up. Genos’s eyes quickly noticed the shorts which Sonic wore to sleep when the blanket fell down while she was getting up. He hadn’t time to look at Sonic’s legs for months when they were apart and was reminded of how scarred her legs were. Something emotional stirred in him, it might be caused by her ‘death’ during the Battle he told himself.

Sonic looked at her legs in response to Genos’ staring but ignored it. She was wearing a large tree which hid her upper body so she was actually decently dressed. It had rain sometime in the early morning and she had worn the shirt over her bra during the coldness.

Sonic stood beside Genos and showed him the email. Genos took the phone from Sonic and scrolled through the email. He too thought that the job offer was very lucrative.

“Maybe we are being recommended by Tsunade-sama, I told her that we also specialize in security.”

“Figures.”

“I am going for a run, you wanna join?”

Genos who had just been reminded of Sonic’s fate during the Battle of Monsters quickly replied. “Of course. I need to test my new parts anyway.”

Ever since the Battle, every moment they had was spent together. Genos was reluctant to let Sonic roam Konoha’s forests alone for now.

Sonic turned around and said, “Join me for the meeting with the Uchiha Works tomorrow. I asked for a trip around their building before we get down to price and discussion.”

Genos nodded and Sonic smiled before she entered the bedroom. So far there hadn’t been any awkward moments between Genos and Sonic, especially after the Battle. Genos had seen Sonic in her worst moments and anything else never mattered. Still Sonic made sure to wear proper clothes since she thought that Genos might be less experienced when it came to living with a woman.

Genos went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast which would only be consumed after their run. He had cleaned himself yesterday after the fitness test and that was sufficient for now.