The Shamisen Playing Red Fox

A/N: wow.. I almost gave up considering the amount of reviews I got. I thought the story sucked o.O... sorry for taking so long. I lost inspiration for a moment. Anyhow I am back and I hope you guys are still here to read them... enjoy.


Chapter 8


'Okay. This is all feeling rather... creepy' Naruto thought. He was getting looks all morning. Admiring looks or hateful looks, he wasn't too sure. He didn't had the nerve to look at them long enough to tell.


Too much attention. This is just too much attention!


The blonde made a run for his sanctuary; the back of the school. When he finally got away from watching eyes, he let out a relieved sigh. Sitting under his favourite tree, he took out the lunch box he made for himself and the orange coloured thermal flask, setting it aside. His stomach growled, begging its owner to fill it and Naruto chuckled as he patted his abdomen.


“Don't worry my little tummy with a gigantic appetite, daddy will feed you~” he said sing-a-song-ly


He opened the cover to reveal a beautifully fried breaded pork chop that lay atop the bed of rice, flooded with aromatic curry with pieces of carrots and potatoes. Naruto wiped an imaginary tear, sniffing while at it.


He had craved curry for quite sometime now and finally he was able to cook it last night before going of to work. With a spoon, he scooped up a generous portion, positioning right before him. Excitement filled him as he open his mouth, the spoon filled curry approaching it. Then everything happened so fast.


Another hand suddenly grabbed onto his, directed it another way, and entered into another mouth.


“KIBA!” Naruto shouted. Blue eyes glared at the other.


“Oishi!” The brunette made a move to get another bite and Naruto maneuvered the lunch box away.


“I happened to make it myself. Thanks for the complement but would you please let me have my brunch?!”


A gentle tug and the lunch box fell into another hand. “Hey!”Naruto turned around and his gaze fall onto none other than Uchiha Sasuke. Who is currently munching on a piece of pork.


He wanted to berate the man. Really. But God knows why, noticing those slim lips moving at this proximity reminded him of how close he and the other had been last Saturday. CoughOnthebedCough. Yeah. He still hadn't had the courage to ask what had occurred exactly during his moment of alcoholic induced stature.


“T-teme gimme back my food”


Sasuke ignored him still, swallowing the food. And Naruto pretended that he hadn't noticed the slight movement of the Adam's apple on that poised neck.


The blond's gaze move up only to stare into dark ones.


“No”


WHA?


“You owe me” he said, popping a piece of potato into his mouth.


“I owe you nothing” Naruto replied and made another attempted to get his food back and thankfully he did. His hunger was intensifying already. Huddling against the nearest tree, he gobbled down a couple of mouthful for fear it would be taken away from him again.


“Gimme one more please” Kiba begged, salivating already as he inched closer to the blond.


“Go buy your own food” Naruto replied flatly, chewing on his food.


The brunette begged some more while the blond refused. Another couple of rounds, they began chasing one after another around the tree. Naruto wanted to scream in frustration. Can't a man have his food? They are much richer than he is so why can't they go buy their own food and just spare him. But then again, it had been almost forever that he was surrounded by others who wanted to be with him.


“We have news for you blondie” Kiba declared suddenly. Naruto shot him a dirty look at the nick.


Ten Ten put up a hand to stop the brunette from continuing. “Have you checked the results of the audition Naruto?”


“Uh~ nope”


“Online?”


“I don't own a computer”


“You must not understood why people were giving you looks since morning weren't you?”


“How the hell did you know?!”


Then Ten Ten directed her gaze at Sasuke, saying “I still don't know if it was such a good idea” and all she got was a shrug.


“Teme, I would appreciate it if you would kindly explain to me what the hell did you do that has obviously given more reason for the entire school to dislike me even more” Naruto spoke, his teeth gritted. A hand touched his arm and he turned only to face the stuttering shy girl of the member.


Hinata smiled as she said “Y-you will be p-playing your shamisen with us as a g-group. Like a b-band”


The blond paused for a moment. “Are you serious?” He faced Sasuke again and received a nod. Then he turned to face Neji, Shikamaru and Gaara who stood aside in silence since the beginning, also receiving their nods.


“Damn, I'm gonna be dead even before school ends today” Naruto mussed aloud.


“Of course not” Neji spoke this time “No one would dare touch you once you are considered as one of us” The Hyuuga walked over and placed a comforting hand on a shoulder.


“Do I have to pay protection money” The blond said emitting a chuckle from the male before him.


“Nope, but you may need to arrange a few things” Sasuke said.


Naruto quirked a brow “Arrange?”

“Music lessons”



Music lessons.


Naruto snorted. More work for him. Yay.... now he may need Zabuza's help with the taiko and other percussions. Need to find a suitable song too that is not to difficult for the whole band to play with his Shamisen.... troublesome.


Sighing, he moved to turn the dial on his locker but noticed that the lock seemed to be loose. Was it broken into? Quickly, the blond decoded his pad and open the door. He checked all of his things and noticed that it was all there. Feeling relieved, he placed his unwanted books onto the shelve and grab his bag, packing those with assigned homework. He heard the sky rumbled outside, signaling the forth coming rain.


Naruto quicken his pace and shut the door, locking it securely before dashing out to the parking lot. He took out his special made umbrella and screw the handle onto the bicycle behind his seat and rode off towards the school gate, hoping that the rain would hold at least until when he was half way home.


Just then it poured.


But what made the blond cease in his movements was that he got drenched as well. Eventually maybe but not right away. “The heck” He said, looking up at his umbrella. Then only did he see the gaping holes on the orange material, water falling into his eyes.


Fuming silently, he parked by the side, leaning his bicycle near onto a random tree. He unscrewed the umbrella and stared at it it for a moment. His locker was probably broken into he thought. Better change the pad tomorrow.


Tossing the umbrella into the bin before him, he returned to his bicycle and rode off not knowing the onyx eyes that followed him.


Kiba's gloved hands placed the orange umbrella unto the table. Six other heads leaned in closer to inspect the object. “Why the hell do I have to be the one to dig it up from the dump” he grumbled.


Shikamaru snorted.


“It's obviously cut up on purpose” Gaara said flatly.


“Told you he'd get bullied” Ten Ten chided.


Hinata frowned worriedly. “I think we s-should change the pad l-lock for him. Since his locker was b-broken into, he w-would need a new one ne?”


“Should we.....” Neji trailed of the end, looking at Sasuke for confirmation.


Sasuke laced his fingers and propped his chin on it, considering if this option he was going to take is going to help the dobe or blow everything up even more. “Get him a 'black box' ” He finally said and the meeting was dismissed.


Naruto woke up sore. His body was sluggish and his head hurt. Not in the mood to fix breakfast, he grabbed two pieces of bread and chuck it in the oven as he went to make himself a cup of instant mocha latte. He switched the electric kettle on and left to open the fridge, taking out his jar of peanut butter and strawberry jam and placed it on the prep area.


He left everything as it is as he went to brush his teeth and get dressed. Returning to the kitchen, he prepared his food and his drink, bringing it along with his to the coffee table by the TV. He switched it on and much on his toast as he bare focus on the morning news.


After he was done, he left the dishes unwashed as he was getting late. He wasn't even sure if he could make it in time at the rate he was going. The rain really drenched him good yesterday. But he was sure he would have felt better after sleep. As he reached the school gate, he began to have double visions. He paused for a moment, shutting his eyes for a moment. He breathed deeply feeling slightly better.
Zipping up his sweater, he reminded himself to drop by the infirmary for some meds during break as he made his way to his locker.


Then, blue eyes blinked. The empty spot before him was where his locker had been. “Shit” he cursed under his breath, already thinking the worse. He was tempted to launch a report to Ba-chan but....


“Naruto!”


Ten Ten's voice came calling. He waited as she ran towards him, waving with a smile on her face. “Morning!” She greeted.


“Morning”


She hooked an arm around his arm and tugged him along to where he does not know. “Where are we going?”


“Just follow me and you'll know”


“I kinda have to look for my missing locker so ma~ybe I can meet you later, and you can take me where ever you want”


“It is about your locker” she replied cheerfully


“I'm not gonna ask how you knew that my locker was missing but please tell me now if you knew where it is. I need to get my books” He managed, feeling queasy all over again. The girl hadn't answered his question but he didn't feel like talking anymore so he allowed her to lead him.


Before he knew, they stood in front of the student council's office. “Uh, can we do meeting later? You guys were made an exception but they won't let me off for being late ya know”


“Don't worry, we'll cover for you!” She exclaimed, opening the door.


Naruto then realized that this was his first trip to the council's room. Students weren't allowed entry unless they have business with the council. It was fairly large and well equipped, very much like an office and surrounding the rectangular table not far away, are the rest of the council members. Meeting onyx eyes he greeted “Oh Teme your here... and everyone else too, good morning” Naruto waved casually. “Now, please, if you guys do know what happened to my locker or have anything to do with its disappearance, get on with it” He added, motioning for them to talk, clearly not in the mood with the mysterious air that is lurking around the room.


“Dobe” The raven called, getting up “Your locker will be here from now on”


Naruto shot him a dubious look. “Only the council's lockers are here. 'Black Box' are only meant for the members of the student council, which duh, I am not”


A slim brow twitched as the raven spoke in a low voice “As long that I said that its fine, its fine”


Just then Neji got up from his seat and walked towards the wall beside the table, his fingers deftly punching the numbers on the phone that was hanging on the wall. “Kamisama, if you are gonna leave me here hanging as you make a call to God knows who, allow me to lea-”


Naruto was interrupted when wall seemed to move, sliding to the side, revealing a row of 'black box'. The dark matte sheen on the lockers are beautiful. The design, smooth and sleek. Shikamaru went to stand, the blond guessed, to be his locker and leaned forward at the small device that is attached on the front. Light beamed from it and Naruto gaped when he realized it to be a retina scanner. “You have got to be kidding me” He said, not seeing the smirk from the raven beside him.


With a sound of a click, the door was released from its lock and the lanky boy opened it ajar. Taking out his phone, he pointed to a round thing that is dangling from his phone like a deco. “It will alarm you if your 'black box' is ever broken into, which I highly doubt considering that no one knew where it is in the first place”


“This is yours” Gaara said as he placed the same round device onto the palm of his hand. “And that is yours” The red head added, pointed to the last 'black box' in the row.


“D-don't worry, we h-have moved your belongings” Hinata smiled.


Naruto stared at his very own 'black box' as his own world turned black as well.



Sasuke sighed. Seriously, this is the second time in three days that he had to take care of the blond idiot. He felt a little twinge of guilt. He could have offered a ride knowing that the dobe's umbrella got wrecked but... he wasn't leaving yet, he had some more work to do.


He leaned back against the chair and sighed again, glancing over to the sleeping blond on the infirmary bed beside him. “Damn idiot... should have skipped school if he wasn't feeling well”


The raven was shocked when he came in contact with the dobe's skin It was burning. 39.8 degrees! Thank Kami for the empty halls, of he would have had difficulty carrying the blond to the infirmary. The doctor injected him and left the blond to rest.


It had been almost an hour since then and he was beginning to feel sleepy himself. He wondered for a moment as to why he was unofficially the one to take care of the blonde while they abandoned him for classes of their own. He should have asked Ten Ten or Hinata to stay back.


The raven yawned and the drowsiness was getting to him even more. “Fuck it” Not wanting to sleep on the chair, he shifted the blond a little bit more before he got up on the empty side of the bed. As his eyes closed, he drifted into slumber.


Kakashi and Iruka smiled as their witnessed the rather warm scene behind the curtains, peaking from a while ago. Decided to leave the two sleeping figures to rest, they returned to the office to get ready for their next class. But of course, not before the silver haired man captured the moment with his Nokia and saved it for good memories. Or to use it when it is necessary.


The brunette teacher shook his head as they exited the infirmary.


End of chapter.


A/N: Thanks for reading guys, and review please. Your opinion means a lot to me. Tell me if you like it. It fuels meh. Arigato.