𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚎 • 𝚜𝚊𝚜𝚞𝚔𝚎 𝚞𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚑𝚊 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

37 - The Aftermath

February, 1993 - Japan

On the following school days, Sasuke had a terrible time concentrating during his classes. During every lecture, he either stared out the window or doodled in his notebook. He felt like the most stupid, impulsive idiot in the world. He imagined he now knew what it felt like to be Naruto. Haruka had missed school for the last two days, and he was sure it was all because of him. For once, he was glad to go home to nobody at the end of the day on Friday.

Naruto appeared by his locker while Sasuke was packing his things to go home for the weekend. He leaned on the wall of lockers, saying nothing, but peering deeply at Sasuke, who skillfully avoided his gaze. Naruto tilted his head in suspicion, getting annoyingly close to Sasuke's face. 

"Problem?" asked Sasuke.

"You tell me," Naruto replied, crossing his arms. "What's going on?"

"Well," Sasuke slammed his locker door closed and shouldered his bag to go home. They both started for the exit. "It looks like I have a chemistry exam this Tuesday."

"Oh, come on," Naruto stopped him before he could get any more sarcastic. "I mean, what's up with you, man? You've been so sulky. And I mean, more than usual. Is it because Haruka's been sick? You miss the wife?"

At the mention of her name, Sasuke averted his eyes from Naruto's. He watched his feet carry him for a moment. Before he and Naruto reached their cars in the parking lot, he said quietly, "I don't think she's sick. She doesn't want to see me."

Naruto gave him a quizzical look. Surprised that Sasuke hadn't deflected the question, he faltered a bit before saying, "I don't think so, man. You're overreacting. I know you two are in a bit of a lover's quarrel at the moment, but you just need to apologize. You know she's got a temper. Plus, Hinata called her yesterday and Haruka told her she really was sick. And it could be, you know..."

Naruto trailed off sheepishly. Sasuke unlocked his car and threw his bag in the passenger seat, asking, "Do I?"

"You know...that time of the month." Naruto said quietly, covering his mouth discretely and looking around for fear of being heard. If this were any other situation, Sasuke gladly would have made fun of him. Instead, he rolled his eyes and leaned on the side of his car, looking up at the gray sky.

"Haruka comes to school on three hours of sleep. She came in when she had pink eye, and when she had strep throat. She even worked on her mural with the flu, in the middle of December. If she's skipping school for an illness, it's terminal."

"When did she have pink eye?" Naruto wondered aloud, but Sasuke ignored him.

"I kissed her." Sasuke's gaze shifted down to his sneakers, and he shoved his hands in his pockets. He wished it wasn't true. "On Wednesday."

After moments of silence, Sasuke looked up to see Naruto's mouth completely agape. He sputtered incredulously, so many words coming to him at once that nothing came out. Eyes bulging out of his head, he was completely dumbfounded. Sasuke raised his eyebrows, which seemed to snap him out of it.

"Idiot!" Naruto was shouting at him. That, Sasuke did not expect.

"What?!" Sasuke sputtered. "You were the one that told me to go and talk to her and make things right!"

"Yes—make up, not make out!" 

Sasuke's face turned a shade of scarlet as he looked around at his fellow classmates, who were still filing through the parking lot where they stood. "Keep your voice down! We didn't make out!"

"Idiot!" Naruto howled again. "You should have taken it slow! With her especially!"

"Shut up!" Sasuke repeated, his gaze urgently scanning for anyone who could overhear them. "I don't need this broadcasted to the entire damn school, Naruto! You think I want everyone to know how she just ran off on me?"