Symphony (Konoha School Of Arts)

26. I want to play

One of the most embarrassing things about private schools is the way exam scores are public. So here practically everybody in the first year building was at the notice board in the hallway, checking their scores and position in the class.

Kiba, Naruto, Lee and practically everyone in the recuperative class just went straight to the names under the 15th position because lmao they'd actually make it to top 10.

"19th?" Kiba muttered when he saw his name on the list. He had the fourth lowest score overall.

"20th? Despite my perfect score?" Naruto mumbled dejectedly. At least he didn't come last. Gaara did, coming 22nd.

"Hn. You really are a dobe." Sasuke quipped.

"Teme!" Naruto bristled at the insult. "What position are you?" Blue eyes scanned the list for Sasuke's name and his mouth fell when he saw it. "Third position?! Sugoi!" Naruto was in awe but Sasuke wasn't.

"What?!" The brunet rudely shoved Naruto aside and checked for his name properly. "This can't be! This can't be!" The boy muttered over and over again as if that would change the position of his name. "There has to be a mistake!"

"What the hell man?" Kiba whom Naruto bumped into after being shoved, complained but it was lost to Sasuke's ears.

"What's the matter Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked out of concern. She came in fifth after Ino and Hinata came after her followed by Haku.

"What's the commotion?" Neji asked as he made his way to the notice board. He was expecting his name to come in first as usual but got quite a shock just like Sasuke when he saw that he was second. Leading the whole grade with an average of 95.76 was Nara Shikamaru.

Neji was horrified, Sasuke had it worse. To think that somebody from the dumb class beat them this much. Being unable to swallow the pill, Neji huffed and stormed away followed by a worried Hinata. She knew what her father would do to her cousin when he finds out that he was beaten, by somebody they considered dumb no less.

Sasuke was mortified and absolutely miffed. That lazy ass came first?! Who was he to come into his life and ruin his streak?!

"You're scaring me with your expression dattebayo. I would kill to have your average but you're just looking like a wet cat over third position." Naruto should have kept quiet because what he said only ignited Sasuke's anger.

"Is that one of the reasons for killing your parents?" Sasuke snarled. Naruto flinched back at the retort, hurt and offended but Sasuke was not done. "Right. You've never scored higher than one digit scores in your test so you wouldn't actually know what it's like to suddenly come in third when even being the second best is not enough!"

"Oi teme, you didn't have to say that! So what if I always come last?! At least I'm not like you stuck ups that know nothing but to stick their noses inside books and have shitty attitudes towards everything." Naruto shot back, annoyed at Sasuke's irrationality. Some people would throw a party if they came third but this butthole was being prissy like a spoiled princess.

"Shut up dobe! You don't know what it's like! You have no idea what dropping by a position is like because you always come in last!" Sasuke marched away angrily after his not so mature come back. He didn't care though because it was the truth. Nobody knew what it was like to suddenly drop because of an unforseen variable (this time in the form of Shikamaru).

Sakura left after Sasuke but not without throwing him a harsh glare. Ino also left with Karin to try to placate their fretting prince.

"That was intense." Haku commented with a low whistle. He dug his hands inside his pockets and sauntered off with Shino who wordlessly followed to avoid the tense atmosphere.