Chapter One - The Man-hater's Arrival
For the umpteenth time, I rolled my eyes languidly. My chin rested peacefully on my palm as my ears willy-nilly listened to Neji’s ramble. I was on his car that time; he was currently driving me directly to his house. I groaned, feeling not uncomfortable. Besides, the Heavy-Metal music that my bestfriend had turned on really bugged me. I’ve never liked hard music.
“Sak?” Neji asked, he used his other hand to turn the music off. “Hey, you’ve been quiet, anything wrong?”
I clicked my tongue. Of course there was nothing wrong. My parents were just divorced, and they merely fought over me. I was the only child, so both my father and mother wanted me on them. And since I didn’t want to cut my body into two just to make them have their own share fairly, I decided to live together with my far relative, Hyuuga Neji, because he was the only one who lived separately from the parents.
Yeah, everything was good, indeed.
“You sure your parents are not living with you?” I asked apprehensively. And for a brief of time, I saw his face looked amused, but before he could had chance neither to answer nor to laugh, I added. “It’s not that thing, you perverted ass! I just want to feel… comfortable…” I finished uneasily. Realized how it sounded selfish, I wanted to fix it up. “I meant..-“
“Hey, hey, take it easy, Sak, they know about it, and no hard feeling from them.” Neji said coolly, his eyes didn’t meet mine but his hand was on my shoulder. A very good keen of him to make me feel consoled. Hyuuga Neji had been my very best friend since our first meet, in my father’s high-school reunion. Our parents are friends too, so they could trust me in him. Beside, he wasn’t such guys that having that perverted mind. A very rare kind for a city boy.
But one thing that made me respected him; he never teased me about my pink hair.
Surprised? I really did have pink hair, born with that color I loathed, plus… it always leads me to be the spotlight. Another suitable evidence to make me hated it, because I didn’t like spotlight on me. Wouldn’t it be nice if we just could live normally? And don’t forget that my eyes were a dull green. Sure, I witnessed many people wanted to have them, but I thought if they take a double take and saw that my eyes shone too brightly, they would think twice to have those materials.
“Great.” I muttered. “The only problem is how I could afford to go to school from this distance.” Neji’s house was so damn far from my old school, and it should take at least 3 hours top to go to my school.
Neji twitched his mouth, then gestured me to take out his cellphone from his pocket. I obeyed and gazed at his phone for a second. It was the newest product, the one with slide that could glide smoothly; I saw it in TV once or twice these days. I almost slapped my forehead, how could I forget that the Hyuuga family was indisputable rich? This little thing was an tawdry thing for them. I gave the phone a last glance, remembering how I wanted it a few weeks ago, before my parents were divorced and handed it to Neji.
He used his teeth to slide the cover and while his right hand gripped firmly to the car, he used the other to press the buttons. I couldn’t help but smiled, he looked awfully cute with that pose. And even when his eyes were purely white, he still looked handsome. I wondered how many girls he’s dated as I watched him talked with a faceless person in the phone.
A few seconds later, he muttered a goodbye and closed the phone; he tossed it at me nonchalantly and said. “Problem’s solved, tomorrow you’ll move to my school.”
I gawked at him in incredulity. As I recall, Neji was studying in Hidden-Leaf high school, an expensive, yet gracious school that only contained snobbish-rich people. I couldn’t afford that! Especially when both of my father and mother are broke. I used my saving to pay my mom’s debt to her supervisors.
“Come on, Neji..” I whined. “You know I can’t-“
“You can, and you will.” He said distinctly as he made a sharp turn to left, until I almost stumbled back, but luckily, Neji caught me first. “I’m paying for you” he finished as he released me from his hold.
“If that so, then I’ll pay you back.” I declared. I didn’t want to feel jumpy by having him pays for my stuffs. Since I was a little, I’ve been taught to always work on your own.
“No you won’t.” Neji said.
“If I couldn’t, then I won’t accept your money either” I smiled.
Neji glanced at me, then ruffled my hair brotherly, a usual custom we had when he’d lost an argument with me. “Heh, petite-pinky.” He chuckled.
“Likewise, big-whitey!” I retorted and we both burst into laugh.
Pink and white would always make a good color fusion…
________________________________________
It didn’t take a long time to arrive to his house –or I could say.. mansion-, and when he parked his car in front of the gate, I gawked. His house was incredibly huge. I meant it, it painted all white, and the stalls were standing gloriously, surrounding one big front-door there. There were also several beautiful gardens and even there was a pool on the side.
Neji’s driver came and parked the door to his garage, and I barely saw others branded cars. I wondered how come my father could know Neji’s father when he was a poor man.
“Come” he grabbed my wrist and brought my bags.
When I entered his house, I could feel my jaw dropped to see how gracious his house was. There were a few painting on the wall, and the carpet was so thick until I thought that my feet could sank. The wall also painted white, and the stairs were so polished. I’d never see such beautiful house. There was a huge glass chandelier on the top, and the ceiling was so high, it was also painted with angels and heaven pictures. There were 3 levels, I noticed, and as I strode from corners to corners, I slowly imagined that I was Belle in the Beast’s castle.
Neji smiled when he saw me wandered through his house and when he checked at his watch, his expression changed and he quickly grabbed me by elbow. “Come on here, Sak, they’re coming in few minutes!”
“they? Your parents?”
He flew me a concise smile. “Nope, but I’m sure you won’t like it—“
Too late—
“Oh, Sasu-kun…” I heard a girl whined in a… disgustingly lascivious way. “Sasu-kun, please don’t stop it now..”
Neji’s shoulders slumped, and I looked here and there to find where the voice came was. Then I heard a guy chuckled and another whine from the girl.
Disgusted yet curious, I stalked the stair to level two, and found a half-opened door, revealing a raven-haired boy was making out with a gorgeous blonde. They weren’t stark naked, but their clothes weren’t fully on either. Even the girl was only in her underwear. Their tongues battled as their hands roamed each other bodies.
I wrinkled my nose, and unwarily groaned. “Euww…”
Neji quickly covered my mouth with his free hand. Then he peeked to the room and hollered the boy. “Sasuke! What did I tell you? You should stop at 2PM, right?” then he glanced at the blonde that was smiling. “And Ino!” there was an impatient sigh from Neji. “I won’t cover you again when your boyfriend finds this out.”
I winced. So… the two weren’t a couple, yet they’re making out? Wow… I’ve never thought that Konoha’s suburb would be this unclean. I was lived in Kumo and things like this was kind of…disgrace to the whole family… but seemed that it was an indifferent, usual thing in Konoha…
Well, welcome to Konoha, Haruno Sakura, I said to myself.
The raven haired guy, only with his boxer on, got up from the bed and grinned to Neji. “Sorry, man…” he lightly said. His voice was deep and masculine, yet so sexy. “So, what’s going on anyway? You’d never do this before..” his attention didn’t fully to Neji, his eyes were still on the blonde, I thought the name’s Ino. He picked up his shirt from the floor and handed it to her. She pursed her full lips and hugged him again. and I felt my jaw dropped again.
Neji entered the dark room and jerked his thumb to me. “I thought I told you that my best friend would come, right?”
"Yep. I promised you that I'd be in my best behaviour." he said easily.
Neji twitched his mouth. "So why don't you greet her?"
Sasuke stood and approached me, he reached out to get my chin, but I automatically turned away.
He whistled. “Very susceptible, eh? A villager, I guess?”
“A man-hater” I corrected. Even I was lived in Kumo which was less dirty, but I had claimed myself as the official man-hater in my school. I didn’t know why, but having a guy around me always made me cringe. But of course, I wasn’t a lesbian! I had some crushes, and I thought I was capable to a few boys, at least, to Neji…
He laughed to hear my words, and turned to Neji. “Interesting, eh? Bet she’s a virgin…”
“Awww… so sweet!” Ino squealed. Then she wore Sasuke’s shirt and pouted her mouth in mock plaintive. “But it must be boring, right.—er…” she paused since she didn’t know my name. “--pinky?”
“Sakura.” I stated firmly. “My name’s Sakura, and I want you to call me that way.”
“Okay.” She smiled lopsidedly. “I’m Yamanaka Ino, and this cute guy’s Uchiha Sasuke.” Then she lowered her voice as she neared me. “He’s the official womanizer in the High-School, you know… matched perfectly with a man-hater like you!”
Sasuke clapped his hands once as a gesture of yes. Since then, I realized that Sasuke was one of the most handsome men I’ve ever seen. Even better looking than Neji. His hair was tangled and messy, but it was just adding the sexiness, his flat stomach had sixpack, and the most intriguing part in his body was his lips. It lined perfectly, and it colored pearl-pin.I swore that there would be bunches of girls who willing to die just for have those lips.
His cheeky state brought me to reality. “As you wish, Flower.”
“F-flower?.!” I felt my cheek burned, and turned to him. But he already joked with Ino again, and it was rather… seductively. God! How old were they anyway?
Neji sighed then pushed my back. “Those hormones-crazed…” he breathed. “Forget about them, let me bring you to your room.”
I nodded as I glanced at them again. Frowning, I closed the door behind me.
________________________________________
I liked my room! It was beautiful, and it didn’t pinky. It was rather maroon instead. The bed was Queen-sized, and even there was a TV on it. I had my own bathroom, and there were many dolls on my bed. Neji said that he knew I loved stuffed animals, so he bought so many of them. Everything was so perfect, and my best-friend was so damn nice to me…
But..--
My room was right beside Sasuke and Ino’s room. Damn it! I wouldn’t want hearing moans and pants at every night, but I couldn’t protest to Neji too. It was already more than enough for him just for received me staying in his house.
Neji knew my worries and tapped my shoulder. “Don’t worry, Ino doesn’t live here. It’s the last day of holiday so she played here.” There was a cautious pause. “But Sasuke practically lives here, for your information…”
“What?.! Why?” I snapped.
“Sorry, I respect his privacy” he merely shrugged. I nodded.
“Hey, Neji..” I called. “Thanks”
“No prob, Sak. I like having you around.” He replied. “Just… be careful to Sasuke, he isn’t a bad guy, but… you know…”
“Yeah” I said firmly. “Are you forgetting that me had knocked 3 guys unconscious?”
He laughed at the memory. There were 3 guys tried to grope me, and I merely gave each of them 2 black-eyes. The principal couldn’t do anything to punish me, because I only defended myself.
“Yeah, the mighty man-hater Haruno Sakura.” He smirked. “Don’t you regret being a man-hater? You’re so pretty you know..”
“Don’t start” I warned.
He pacified. “Okay, okay, Flower..”
I glared at him. And he laughed again.
“Can’t help, the way Sasuke calls you is so interesting.” He coughed when his eyes met my glare. “By the way, the dinner should be up at 8, before that, do everything you want..” he said as he exited my room.
I tipped my chin then suggested to him. “How if I clean your house?”
He was ready to decline when I added again. “If you don’t give me the opportunity, then I will sleep outside.”
And as always, he ruffled my hair.
________________________________________
I hummed as I brought my broom, I already cleaned two or three empty room, and I wasn’t trying to insult Neji’s maids but… They cleaned bad. I still saw dust and things were not in their place. I smacked my head. Here came my bad habits… I was a clean-freak. I loved everything clean and I loved criticize people who acts slipshod.
I looked up and walked to the third level. Neji was joining Sasuke and Ino in their room, but I decided not to interfere, beside I was no one for them, It was better for me not to act too… intimate. After I reached the third level, I picked a random room and entered it.
But it was different from any other room. There was another expensive painting there, and even a computer desk. And also, the room filled with around 10 book shelves, and they were all bulged of books. The bed was King-sized, and there were few DVDs scattered on the floor. There was even a bathroom in the room. But I thought it was empty, I didn’t hear any water sounds from it. I thought it was Neji’s room, before I remembered that Neji’s room was in the first floor. I twitched my mouth, but then shrugged as I began to cleaned the room.
I picked up the DVDs and placed it alphabetically in front of the TV, then I smoothed the bed, and brushed the floor. It only took 1 few minutes before it was all done, and I leaded my way to the bathroom.
O’o…
There was a red-headed guy, in the bathtub, stark naked.
I almost squealed in shock if I didn’t cover my mouth. The guy had his earphones, and his eyes closed, it seemed that he didn’t realize my presence at all. His face was as handsome as Sasuke, but he carried aura of enigma. His lower body was drowned into the water, but I could see his torso, his skin was so pale and he had a very captivating abs. He didn’t have eyebrows, yet, his eye-pouches were so big. He must be suffered insomia.
Slowly, trying for not making any sounds, I sneaked to get out, before a voce called me.
“Do clean here too.” I looked up and saw that it was the red-headed boy who spoke. “I don’t mind.” He said.
He still hadn’t opened his eyes, but I sure knew that he was talking to me. I gulped and muttered a yes answer, then began to clean the bathroom. But no matter I tried to forget his presence, I couldn’t. Thus, I ended up slipped for several times. Thank God that I didn’t tripped to the bathtub.
After a while, he opened his eyes and looked straight at me. “You seem uncomfortable.” His voice was barely above whisper.
My cheek flushed. Of course, you idiot! I thought. I gripped the towel I’ve found in his room, so I could prevent more blush that ready to come along.
“N-no…” I said uncharacteristically timid. “I mean..ah..-“
He didn’t wait for me to explain, then got up from the bathtub. My eyes widened, how come a guy could become this ignorance?
He walked quietly as he passed my body, then took the towel and wrapped it around his waist. He even didn’t turned his back when he did that, and I in any case had to gazed upward to avoid seeing things that… out of place.
He slide the door open and walked out from the bathroom. Even didn’t say a single word! Then I heard he opened the cabinet, maybe for some clothes, and after a while, a quiet thump! After that his presence was gone.
I felt my body slouched and my kneewent weak. Breathlessly, I tried to get up and began to clean his bathroom again. My head felt dizzy, I didn’t know what causing that. Maybe it was the smell from the bathtub, or maybe because I just experienced so many things unexpected.
My parents divorced, and then, I lived with my best-friend, but! There were other guys lived here with him. Two of them were hormone-crazed, and the other one was so ignorance.
And I had to live with these types of people for a few months!
Somebody suddenly tapped my shoulder and I squealed high-pichedly. I turned around and found that it was Neji.
His eyes looked amused. "I see you'd meet Gaara, forgive him, he's kind of nudist who doesn't feel comfortable when he has any clothes on." he then pushed my back to the dinning room. "Come on, Sak, let's eat together."
My shoulder slouched as I followed Neji's direction. Oh, my… Where are you, Goddess of Fortune?
When I entered the dinning room, I realized that there were already a few people had seated themselves there. The table was still empty, and there were only some vacant glass plates and cola filled glasses. Sasuke and Ino sat side by side, and they still joked together. Better not disturb. There were also Neji’s cousins too. Hinata and Hanabi. I knew them as long as I knew Neji.
Hinata was a cute girl with short raven-hair. She was a petite, even shorter than me. I waved at her, and when she saw me, she gasped and plucked her fingers, as always. Her head tilted down and she muttered something incoherent. Typical her. Even I only saw her once in the reunion, I could tell that she was a shy girl, totally different from her twin, Hanabi.
Maybe you could say that if Hinata was the moon who shines secretly, Hanabi was the sun. A creature that enjoys attention and shines overly bright. I glanced at her, and waved too, but Hanabi didn’t even look at me. She was busy staring at her manicured nails and entwined her long, shiny black hair. She also had white-eyes like Neji, and it less-sharp, but at the same time, still intimidating.
Neji stopped pushing my back and sank his body beside Hinata. Now the only one who hadn’t sat was me. Since I hadn’t adjusted myself to Neji’s house, I looked around in a dazed way. I heard somebody snorted and found that it was the nudist that Neji mentioned named Gaara. He sat in the farthest chair from the other. He wore an unbuttoned T-shirt, and he was buttoning it so damn slowly, from his lower torso to his chest.
“Sit here..” He gestured at the chair beside him with his tilted head. His eyes didn’t look up to gaze mine, and his hands were still busy doing his buttons. I gulped to the memory when I barely saw him naked, but then I shook my head and sat beside him, my other side was Sasuke.
Gaara glanced at me for a second, but when I turned to see him, he looked away and said. “I wear clothes now. No need to feel uncomfortable.”
“Wow, 9 words!” Sasuke beamed. “So much in good mood, Gaara?”
“Kinda.” He replied shortly and finished his T-shirt. “What’s new?”
Neji spoke up. “So, as you see, there’s another newcomer in this house. And that’ definitely not my hostile parents!” Then he got up and lifted his half-empty glass. “Cheers for Sakura, everyone!”
Everybody, even the snob princess Hanabi obeyed Neji’s saying and got up, then they tossed their glasses together.
Finally I felt warmed up and tossed too. “Thanks!” I mouthed to Neji and grinned at everyone. at last, there was a bright point this day. At least I knew that everyone in Neji’s house accepted me true-bluely. After a few courtesies, the waiter came and filled the table with foods.
“Awwwww!!” Ino screeched at the steak. Then she inhaled the appetizing smell from the meat and took it with her fork. “Bon apetit!” she announced as she made a funny face and had laugh from everyone. My verdict that she was the homemaker for these teens.
“Hey, Neji! Tell your chef that he works wonder at making food!” she swallowed the steak heartily then added. “Wonder if Shikamaru’s somber eyes would lightens if he eats this too..!”
The others except Hanabi and Gaara laughed, but I didn’t get the joke. Shikamaru? Who was that? I wanted to ask but I got interrupted by a snort. I looked up and recognized that it was Hanabi.
She stirred her soup graciously and commented Ino. “What a hick…” she breathed.
Ino didn’t get fazed that easily. “Oh, Princess Hanabi…” she said in mock-politeness. Then she looked up at us incessantly one by one. “Please forgive my ex best-friend, folks… I’ve just forgotten that this sensitive little girl was just suffering from her first broken-hearted issue… so that she’s currently allergic if another girl mentions her boyfriend..!”
Suddenly, the tension suppressed. I automatically held my breath as the two girls glared each other in a cautious, contemplating way.
Hanabi still wore those smirks, but I barely saw color on her pale cheeks. “A school-slut finally has a boyfriend?” she snorted then raised one of her sketched eyebrow. “..And I thought you sleep with Sasuke..-“
Seemed like Hanabi and Ino weren’t friends at all…
Ino’s eyes narrowed as she opened her mouth to retort, but Sasuke stopped her.
“hey, hey, hey… take it easy, girl” Sasuke told the blonde lightly, then he tilted his head to Hanabi, a skeptical expression drowned, but those naughty glints in his eyes were still there as he notified her. “You’re gotten way too far, Hanabi.”
“As well as you’ve gotten way too far for your cheatings, Sasuke.” Hanabi divulged warily. “Heartless womanizer. And now you’re playing with her? I can’t believe that she’s your type, Uchiha Itachi’s younger version.”
Wow… I couldn’t help but rubbed my eyes and blinked it for several times. That little sister from Neji sure had talent to do loads of adequate insults. She was just slurred Ino hard, then made an offending nickname for Sasuke, and revealed both their secrets, all at the same time. And although I didn’t know who was Uchiha Itachi, but it must be something, or rather… someone, who had a big effect to Sasuke. Because now his jaw was tightened. I’ve barely known him for 5 hours, and I learned that he wouldn’t cease the mischief look from his face on any insult or joke.
Sasuke’s face now was completely different as he clenched his fist stiffly. There were two or three veins popped up to his face and he gritted his teeth too hard until I saw blood came from his mouth. “Take.Back.Your.Words.” he demanded dangerously, separating each words as he emphasized those one by one. And since he stood beside me, I felt unsecured. He looked poised to kill, and I’d sworn that if Hanabi didn’t do what he said, then she wouldn’t go away easily. Even he ignored Ino.
Just the same time as I thought I would exit the soon-to-be-battle area and went to my room, I felt a big hand held me. It was Gaara’s.
“Don’t go.” He commanded. “I vouch you.” I wanted to act rebellious, but when I saw Neji’s expression, which was rather hurt, I forced myself to sit again. Besides, Gaara said that he would vouch me, and I kinda trusted him for some weird reasons.
Sasuke slammed the table beside me, and I nearly jumped in shock. “Take.Back.Your.Words.” he repeated it again.
Hanabi smirked. She should be planning for something to provoke the boy again.
I pursed my lips and looked up to Gaara for some helps, but his face remained unresponsive, he ate his steak as if nothing happened right on his eyes. Then I shared glances at Hinata, tried to make her pacify her twin. Hinata bit her lower lips and tapped Hanabi’s shoulder, but the girl didn’t react, she stared Sasuke right on eyes instead.
“Hanabi, don’t!” I shouted.
She ignored me completely. “What if I say n--” she said challengingly.
Oh, My God…
“Hanabi!!” Neji shouted on top of his lungs and it made Hanabi stopped. “could you please don’t start this again?.!” he accentuated the word please and exhaled despairingly. “We have guest!”
Neji sure could be terrifying if he’s angry.
Hanabi knitted her eyebrows then glared at me, before she slammed the table with her spoon and said. “Sure…”
I sank to my chair.
“I forgot we have guest… so maybe I just have to go to my room now since my appetite suddenly gone.” She shot me a glare “Guests are the best to kill appetite, you know?” she snapped sarcastically then stormed to her bedroom in floor 2.
“Don’t you dare to say that to her!!” I heard Sasuke defended me. “Come back here, you b—“
“Sasuke!” a word from Gaara made Sasuke shut his mouth up. He gave Neji a brief glance then sat down again. but he didn’t touch the food anymore.
“a-ah…” Hinata prostrated her head deeper. “I-I will try to c-console her…” she bowed then tailed her sister.
I followed her figure, and after her shadow disappeared, I started to eat again. just, now the food didn’t feel as delicious as before. Moreover, the tension still lingered and everybody was so quiet. After a few moments, Sasuke tossed his napkin to the chair and announced. “Guess what? I’m unexpectedly sleepy right now, wanna go sleep.” He pushed his chair back from the table.
It didn’t take a long time before Ino got up too. “I’m going home, it’s getting late, bye Gaara, and thanks for the meal, Neji, you’re the second kindest person I’ve ever meet!” she blew him a kiss and he replied it by waved hand.
“Oh, I want to use the restroom first, are you coming with me, Sakura?” she made a big-eyes that kinda made me didn’t have heart to resist. I muttered a yes then she quickly grabbed my wrist and dragged me to the toilet.
When we both stalked to the restroom, I prepared myself for some consoling words; she would cry there, that’s for sure. But when we entered the toilet, she leaned at the mirror instead.
“Huff, at last free from those glares!!!” Ino exhaled exhilaratingly, then she grinned at me and shoved my shoulder. “That was cool, huh? How did I battle? Impressive?”
I tried to find malevolence in her face, but it came to a zilch result. “Your relationship with Hanabi is quite impressive.” I told her.
“Really?” she took out lipstick from her clutch bag and applied it to her lips. “Well, it didn’t.”
I tilted my head for more information, but she merely laughed. “It was nothing…”
“I bet I heard you said exbestfriend.”
“I bet you misheard it.” Ino looked tired. “Sakura, I might be a bitch, but I don’t teamed up with hard-hearted bitches like her.” she replied.
I shrugged, it was okay if she didn’t want to tell me.
We both remained silence for a few seconds, before she broke it with her amusing question. “You don’t ask any further?”
“I see you don’t want to talk about it.”
Her eyes widened a bit, but then she burst into cat-like laugh. She grabbed her stomach with her left hand when the other was tapping my shoulder.
“Hey!” I protested. “Nothing funny!”
“No, no…” she tried to stop the laugh. “I just realized… why Neji likes you that much..”
“huh?”
“You’re a rare girl who doesn’t curious about everything, you know… moreover, a dead-serious man-hater! I mean, you don’t leer to Sasuke, and even Hanabi could pry sometimes.” she explained.
The fact about Hanabi amused me but I shook my head. “No, before that, the words that said that Neji likes me.”
She stopped abruptly.
“Don’t tell me you two aren’t couple..” her face now dead-serious.
“Well, unfortunately we’re not.” I confirmed. “Come on.. can’t you see that me and him are acting like siblings??”
“But he told me—“
“He was joking.” I cut off.
She gazed at me then brushed her nail at me nose. “So, you’re single?”
I groaned. “Since forever and until ever after.”
She used her hand to raise my chin because she was a head taller than me. “Unfortunately you won’t, hon..” she told me. “I don’t let my friends being single!”
I tapped her hand. “Who says that I’m your friends?”
“Well…” she looked to the mirror, and I impulsively did the same. She stared at my reflection in the mirror and asked. “Why did you move in here?”
“My parents get divorced and I didn’t want them fight over me.”
Even Neji made a repulsive sympathetic expression and immediately tried to console me when he heard this. But the blonde laughed.
“My parents divorced and neither of them wants me.”
She said that easily, even she was smiling and I raised a brow spontaneously. But I didn’t lost words. So you wanted to have a fight about our angst? Count me in..
“Since I give all my money to my mom to pay her debt, I can’t rent even the cheapest apartment and move here.”
She giggled. “Since my father took my money to pay his debt secretly, I moved in to this house, but Hanabi expelled me. Then I live with my perverted uncle who has 3 wives who hate me.”
And she still could smile in that condition? I just thought that I was the unluckiest girl.
Ino still smiled amiably. “See? Our conditions are more or less the same. Does it doesn’t make us friends?” she offered her hand and I anyhow accepted it with a sigh. At least now I had 2 friends.
“So…” Ino gave me a naughty look. “You’d meet Neji, Sasuke, and Gaara, the most popular guys in our school. Anyone you want to snatch?”
“I’m a man-hater, for your information.” I told her.
She smirked. “Really? Your former title won’t last long if you hang around those three. They’re the ultimate lady-killer, for your information.. especially Sasuke, no one could last longer with him than 3 months--“
“You sleep with them?” I asked without thinking. I’d almost banged my head to the mirror when she replied.
She gazed at me frantically, looked hurt. “Am I that low in your eyes? Nope, even I don’t sleep with Sasuke.”
“But—“
“They’re friends. Well, Sasuke’s my ex, but it was a long time ago and we finished. Now I have a boyfriend, and I love him.” She played with her hair. “But friends with them means you’re secured completely. No one would dare to bully you.” her head tilted down slightly as she finished.
“I don’t have many friends, you know..—“
“Stop.” I demanded. Now I understand, with that bitchy attitude, Ino should have many enemies, and she avoided them by hanging around the boys. “I understand. You scared..”
She laughed again. “Me afraid? Don’t you see that Hanabi was about to lost if Sasuke didn’t interfere?” she didn’t give me time to answer as she continued. “It’s not about that thing… it’s about—“ she stopped abruptly. “.. Umm, forget it..”
I narrowed my eye for more explanation, but she still gestured me to forget about it. After that, we didn’t talk again before I heard some footsteps from outside.
“Someone’s coming!” Ino alerted. “Make that conversation our little-secret, okay?” she asked as she put her finger in front of her lips. I smiled and nodded firmly, I did hear somebody came to the toilets, and a few seconds later, the door opened, revealing Sasuke’s figure. His face now much calmer.
“Heard you would go home.” He said to her. “I’ll drive you, then..”
She squealed then took her bag. “I know you’re so caring, Sasuke!!”
He half-smiled, then turned at me. “Wanna come along, Flower? We can stop on some fast-food for meals--”
“Not interested.” I hissed. “And don’t call me that way”
“Tsk-tsk-tsk… always act vicious…” he commented. “Anyway, am not a cannibal, okay? I won’t eat you!”
I rolled my eyes. “whatever, go drive her home.”
He shrugged, then waved at me, Ino too. And after a few consideration talks, they gone and I strode to my room. There were some new textbooks and bag; I supposed that Neji gave me those. Usually, I would read those first before I go to school, but I was so tired to do that. After I brushed my teeth and all, I tried to sleep.. surprisingly, at 10 o’clock.
Even when my room was in floor 2, I still could hear how Hanabi and Neji screamed roughly and cursed each other down there. They were still on fight, I presumed. I barely heard Neji defended me and cursed her for her sarcasm to me on the dinner back then.
I sighed as I flopped onto the bed, it was the best bed I’ve ever slept on, but somehow that night I slept badly.
-
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At the morning, Neji drove us to the school. He and Sasuke sat on the front seat, and me, Gaara and Hinata on the passenger seat. And Gaara was sleeping soundly on Hinata’s shoulder, made her shuddered. I realized that someone’s missing..
“You don’t drive Hanabi?” I asked Neji.
His grip on the steer tightened.
“S-she already has a b-boy to d-d-drive her…” Hinata told me. “She has… m-many fan-fanboys..”
“And she patronized them all, that bitch.” I heard Neji muttered. “Don’t talk about her.”
I clutched my bag to my chest. “ah, sorry…” the anxiety was still there so I decided to talk more. “And thanks for the textbooks, Neji..!”
“Huh? I didn’t give you text-books, I want to buy it today—“
“I gave her…” Gaara admitted. “Do you want it or you prefer the new one?” he asked me.
“Be careful, Sak.” Sasuke laughed. “His handwriting causes temporary Optophobia.”
I bit my lips playfully and poked Sasuke’s head from his back since I sat behind him. He shouted a ‘Hey’ but it sounded cordial, so, his wrath had gone completely.
Gaara sounded impatient. “So?” he reminded me his offer.
“I take yours” I bowed to him. “Thanks.”
He shrugged then leaned his head to Hinata’s shoulder again. “Whatever—“ he muttered then not so long later, I already heard his soft snores.
The smile never perished neither from my lips nor Hinata’s as we were on the way to the school…
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My shoulder slumped as I tried to ignore a black-haired guy who had been staring at me for the last 5 minutes. Since I didn’t have a pretty face, I predicted that he was just staring at my pink-hair.
I walked timidly through the crowds, trying to find anyone I knew. I had been lost from the others, because all of them were a damn fast-walker. I couldn’t follow them well because I didn’t know the school’s structure better than them. so, here I am.. got lost pathetically at my own school.
Hidden-Leaf high school was having more or less a thousand faceless students. And I recognized that almost everyone had put on their labeled clothes and expensive bag with them. Fancy hairstyle everywhere with various color, and yah.. mine was the most extreme.
I barely saw Hanabi was surrounded by girls far there. She still looked cool, and ignored them all. Even she muttered something sounded like curses and some of them backed away. So, Hanabi was one of popular girls. I could see that from her behavior and looks, btw… even when I knew her, I better didn’t approach her.
“Hey!” I heard Ino called me. “There you are!”
She jogged at me. She wore a halter as her top and tight jeans. I swore that even I sell all my clothes that I put on, I still couldn’t afford even her shoe. There was Neji on her side, shrugging his backpack.
“So, whaddaya think? Pretty cool compared to your old-school, right?” Ino asked. I was pretty curious if she intended to offend me, but I didn’t see any malice on her face, I nodded and she giggled.
“Good, too bad that you’re still a junior…” she said. “But at least you could classes with either Hinata, or Sasuke, or even Gaara..”
“Sasuke’s junior?” I cut off. Sasuke was almost as tall as Neji, and Neji was the tallest person I’ve ever meet. I didn’t surprised to see that Gaara was a junior, he was a few inches smaller than Neji and Sasuke.
“He’s younger than you..” Neji told me. “June 23rd”
Ino beamed. “But you still—“
“Good reason for me to not date him.” I interrupted Ino before she could say anything further.
Ino pouted.
“Anyway, what about Hanabi?” I asked. I thought she was Hinata’s twin.
“Oh, she jumped class.” Ino said. “She has too much brain cell until the principal decided to make her skip a year.”
“Hey, you! Pinky!!” I heard a masculine voice called. I sighed then turned my back, and found a guy with short raven-hair and pale skin. He offered a hand then introduced himself. “Sai, nice to meet you, pink goddess.” He winked at me, and I heard Ino giggled.
First, he called me pinky. The most revolting nickname that I loathe from my deepest heart.
Second, he winked at me.
Third, his other hand went to my waist without my approval.
Very sagacious. The nerve of him…
“You’re new, right? How ‘bout sit together with me at recess?” he suggested.
“Get the hell out of me.” I warned him. “And don’t call me pinky.”
“She’s a man-hater, man” Neji told him. “You don’t stand a chance.”
The Sai guy merely ignored him and turned at me. “Hmm? Pinky?” his hand pulled me closer to him, and I thought I suffered claustrophobia.
Verdict: a punch in face would serve him right.
When I did it, he backed away abruptly and covered his black-eye, then he looked over his shoulder to his laughing friends on his back. “Shit, Sasuke, you wanted me to date a dyke?.! Geez—“
A dyke?
Okay, he deserved 2 punches.
BUMP!!
And he really had 2 punches, but the other one was from Neji.
“FUCK YOU!” he yelled. “SHE’S NOT A DYKE, YOU SHIT-HEAD!”
His voice was so loud until everyone looked at us. I tried to sooth him down, but it didn’t affected him, he grabbed Sai’s collar and demanded.
“Apologize.” Neji ordered.
He snorted. “Like hell I will! She’s really a dyke!”
“You want a fight?”
“I already waited long enough to punch you, Hyuuga!”
Neji held up a hand again, but then got endured by Ino. She took his arm and hugged it. Her face looked worry yet amused at the same time.
“Hey, he’s a jerk but don’t fight. Not here, not now.” She told the boys, and they surprisingly halted. Then she looked at Sai’s friends and called a name. “Sasuke!!!! You’ve gone naughty again!!”
Sasuke came out from the crowd, chuckling impishly. “Sorry, I just got curious about Sakura’s sexuality..” he tapped Neji’s shoulder as a gesture to let off Sai. “Let him go, he only did what I told him.”
The Hyuuga-heir released him, and Sai fixed his collar haughtily. “che, fuck you, Sasuke. I could fight him.”
“Well, I don’t want to.” He said light-heartily. “Anyway, thanks, Sai. You were a big help.”
Sai snorted and went away. But the crowd hadn’t gone. Well, it wouldn’t, especially when now Sasuke and Neji were glaring each other.
“What were you doing?” Neji asked in incredulity. “You’re not gonna make Sai rape her, right?”
“I know when I demand him to stop.” Sasuke replied simply. “Nothing happened, right? Besides, weren’t you curious about her sexuality too?”
“Hell, no!” Neji snapped. “She’s straight!”
Sasuke snorted. “How could you prove that?” he crossed his arms. “She even didn’t react when I flirted to her.”
I heard some hum of astonishment from the female-species girls. Was Sasuke that loveable?
“You’re not her type, that’s the best answer.” Neji still defended me.
Sasuke hadn’t lost words. “So, what’s exactly her type?”
That made both me and Neji flinched. I just realized. What was exactly my type? I didn’t know. I never thought about guys before. Money problem already wasted my time completely, utterly.
“What do you want, anyway?.!” Neji shrieked in frustration. “She’s already known as a man-hater for 5 years!”
Sasuke smirked at me. “Thus, me and Ino dare her.”
Ino? I glanced at the blonde, and she grinned mischievously. “Can’t help” she muttered.
I frowned. This wasn’t going good… really wouldn’t go good….
Sasuke gestured Ino to go on, and she approached me. “Haruno Sakura!!” She declared loudly, confirming that everyone around could hear her clearly. “I dare you… not to fall in love with Sasuke in 3 months!!”
My shoulders slumped. “No, no…” I declined. “I don’t like this betting thing.” Last time I got into a bet, I lost and had to slap the principal as the punishment. Of course, I received 3 weeks detention.
“Awww, come on, Sakura!!” Ino begged.
“Nu-uh!”
“Are you afraid, pinky??” Sasuke teased. “Ooh, I know… you were so captivated in me so you know that you’ll lose.” He boasted.
“Hey, HEY!!” Neji shouted. “Sakura won’t lose to you!” his face didn’t look angry again, it looked amused instead. “I’m in her side!”
Neji came too?.!
“Well?” Sasuke asked me. “Are you wanting that man-hater title that badly?”
“Okay.” I replied lastly. “I accept you dare!”
The crowd became much more now, and they were all muttering things. Usually, I could back off, but not this time!!
“But in some conditions!” I declared, then I approached Sasuke and jabbed my finger to his chest, I gazed upward so our eyes in same level. “You won’t date anyone except me, in 4 months!”
“That’s harsh!” Ino screeched.
Sasuke didn’t faze, he intertwined his finger to my hair and kissed it. “I also modify the requisites.” He whispered privately to my ear. “You should give me chance to court you,”
If anything, there was a tremor came to my spine.
“Deal!” I exclaimed.
Neji shoved him back. “If she wins, you, Uchiha Sasuke, will be a nudist in 3 days! Same thing will happen to me if you win.”
“Whoops!” Sasuke said briskly. “I want another. I want she becomes my slave in your 3 days. She’ll do anything I want.”
A brilliant idea popped up. “you know…” I told him. “I maybe in love with you and I lied. Then, the next day, after you become a nudist, I’d confess!”
Sasuke’s face turned grim. “You won’t.” his voice barely above whisper. “Because if you do, I’ll turn you down. That’s cheating.”
“Anyway!!!” Ino beamed. “Today is 27th November. Since the bet start tomorrow, it’ll be end in 28 March!!”
My birthday!!!!
“Huh? Tomorrow? So, what do I do now?” Sasuke asked bluntly.
“Broke up with your girlfriend, plotting, anything, you idiot!!” Ino shook his body impatiently. “you too, Sakura!! Let me help Sasuke do the plotting when Neji help you, okay?”
“You’re in his side??.!!” I said incredulously. “God, you’re a loyal friend!”
“Yep,” she beamed wider. “I told you before, everyone that happened to be my friend won’t be single!” she reminded me. “Come on, Sasuke!! I don’t like your current girlfriend, let’s dump her!!!!”
“ah, bitch!” Sasuke laughed, but come with her. before he went away, he took opportunity to lean to me and hovered onto my ear. “I won’t lose, flower.” After he threatened me, he went with Ino to his class. Neji soothed me for a sec then went to his Calculus, I went to my science class, and surprisingly, I seated up with Gaara.
He gazed at me and bent down to whisper something.
“You look pale.” He commented. “What happened?”
Just then I realized the reality and my body felt worn-out suddenly.
What did I do??.!!
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