Naruto (c) Masashi Kishimoto

Part VII - N. Shikamaru

There is never a time for peace and quiet. All I ever want, all I ever wish for, is a simple high school life. Instead, I get noise and disturbances and an overly complicated high school life. When I take my first, reluctant steps into St. Leaves, I want anything but loud buzzing. When I attend lessons, I want anything but scandalised murmurings that are obviously too loud. When I gaze and doze off while staring clouds, I want anything but heavy, thudding footsteps and piercing shrieks. When I get home, I want anything but more noise.

What I want is simply silence.

Is that so hard to ask for?

-x-

Ten minutes ago, I had been dozing off for first period Chemistry. Five minutes ago, the bell had rung; signalling the end of Chemistry and the start of Literature. Five minutes ago, I had made the easy decision to play truant. And now, I am lying on the peaceful grassy hill. The clouds moved, I observe.

Like always, I had dozed off sometime or the other.

Thumping and thudding footsteps woke me up. The lengthy interval between each step, the weight placed on each foot – they represent that of an angry individual. My ears then picked up other noises, catching high-pitched, carefree laughter of young children barely six years old; the low buzzing of parents amongst their own circle; the couple that looked like Neji and Ten Ten in lively banter, but sitting too far from each other to be considered a couple.

The angry stomps stopped. A shadow fell over my figure. I lay there with eyes still closed and breathing even – playing possum.

"Shikamaru," a deadly cold voice that belonged to a pissed off Haruno Sakura spoke, "Don't play with me."

I wonder if I should continue to sleep.

That line of thought was quickly answered as enraged screams filled the calm hill. Her voice was so ugly, so out-of-place in as tranquil a place as the public park.

"Don't f– with me. I know you're awake, stop sleeping!"

I rolled over, annoyed. Best not to further incense the princess.

Drawling, I queried. "What?"

Satisfied with my attention, a little of her anger resided. "You know what I want."

Of course I would know what you want. I know what everyone in St. Leaves want! "The question is; can you afford the price I charge?"

Her raised eyebrow seems to mock me. Who do you think I am? Those emerald orbs seem to question. "Of course I can pay the price." Haruno Sakura fingered her handbag. "Will you do it, Shikamaru?"

"Revenge on Ino, right?"

"Yep," her chipper tone bites at my nerves – badly, "I want what she did to me, done to her."

I shrugged, and our deal is sealed. She left, and I got up, lethargic.

Now, time to get to work.

-x-

("Ino, an eye for an eye, alright? Don't get mad, I'm just making a living. You should have prepared yourself when you chose to retaliate to her." – S)

("Frankly, honey, I'm expecting it. With relish." – I)

-x-

Hate, and be hated. This is all just a game for Ino. The fights between the 'Queen Bees' of the school make me sick; but my 'business' thrives in it.

Temari hates my trade.

Ino could not care less.

Nonetheless –

"Kiba. I've a job for you."

"Aw man! Never figured ya' be the type to betray people. Ino, no less. Dude, ya got it bitter."

"It's just a job. No attachments to the client and victim."

"Gotcha bro. On it. And tha' vid edit? I know Shino-dude ain't gonna do it."

"Leave it as it is. Client didn't ask for quality work."

"Heh. Slip-shot, as ever."

The line went dead.

A moment later, my phone rang again. With a groan, I picked up the phone. Kiba. The panicked voice was a quick change from his earlier happy-go-lucky one. He stopped with the 'gangster talk' he so like to use. Panic has made him lapse back to the one he was taught with ever since young.

"Ino promised me something. I can't do the job."

"Ino won't know."

She will not care.

She looks forward to it.

The line went truly dead, now.

-x-

I skipped school the next day. I could not face Sakura and her smugness. I could not face Ino and her ecstatic expressions. I could not face Temari and her disapproving look. I could not face Kiba and his fretting air. I could not face a lot of people without getting sick at myself.

I became a coward that day (once again, once more).

That day, it was peaceful in the park. Deafening silence is all I hear.

A/N:

(i) I'm back! I realise that I don't give a hoot about the number of reviews I receive as long as I enjoy writing. But nonetheless, reviews is nice. So review? Pocky, anyone?

(ii) Basically, I made Shikamaru into a cowardly person who dislikes noise but a ruthless person when he conducts his trade ('if you ask, he will answer' kind of job, with a price tag attached). Sakura went to him to get revenge on Ino, by videoing Ino's failed attempt at seducing Sasuke. He gets Kiba to do so, and purposely absents himself the next day.