Tonight wasn't as silent. A distant and constant sound of a cricket nearby the alley I was waiting for Kakashi echoed through the walls. It made me lose my focus on the twinkling stars and instead it fell on my surroundings, trying to find the insect. At first because of its annoyance, but later on as a way of making time until Kakashi came to pick me up. After all, he seemed he would be late today as well.
I tried to silently approach the source of the sound until I came across a big trash can. I decided to kneel and take a look under it, thinking I would finally find the cricket.
"Hello, (Y/n)," a woman's voice sounded behind me when I had crouched completely down.
My body flinched, spooked out, and I almost fell face flat to the floor as I had definitely not heard any step getting closer, and I was really paying attention to the sounds around me in order to find the damn cricket. However, the fact that I recognized the voice made me relax right after the jump. I stood up, dusted myself off, and turned around to face Kurva, the purpled/silver-haired woman with the mahogany kimono.
"Have you thought about my offer?" she asked with a faint smile that didn't reach her half-lidded eyes.
"I uhm... you didn't even tell me what was the job about" I sweatdropped with a crooked smile which for some reason made her chuckle with her eyes fully closed.
"You're right, I'm sorry, we didn't have much time for proper introductions" she began, opening her eyes as her smile got softer and calmer "I work a small business, and I normally employ my girls personally"instead
"Your girls?" I asked, finding her words odd and not quite understanding what she could mean. She didn't say anything for a while. Instead, her thin lips stretched more into a smile that this time did reach her eyes but that even then continued to have a cool look.
"You see, not every girl would be suited for this job"
"I think you got the wrong person then. I'm not really good at anything, let alone a special job like you're suggesting" I admitted, once again with a sheepish smile and kind of weirded out by this whole situation, and especially by Kurva's cool yet commanding demeanor.
"On the contrary, sweetheart. I told you, I've been watching you" she said, making my hairs stand, yet still, I couldn't feel anything in me that made me want to flee. Was something wrong with me? Should I follow my head and leave this place even if it was without Kakashi? Or should I follow my instinct and stay? "You're pretty, kind, humble, and easy to talk to. You're perfect for this job, (Y/n)" she spoke when she saw I wasn't talking or moving.
"You still haven't said what's the job about?" I asked, arching a brow without even paying attention to any of the words she said. I clearly didn't even consider them the least true.
"Let's say that my business is a kind of an escort company," she said, her soft smile turning into a small smirk as she paced slowly around.
"Uh, I really think you got the wrong girl now" I giggled awkwardly as I started seeing Kurva with different eyes. Her beautiful appearance started to make sense now "I don't do that type of work"
"It's not that type of escort. Let me explain," she said, stopping and tilting her head to get my approval. I looked at her, unsure and suspicious, but I ended up nodding. She started to calmly pace around the alley again "There is normally a variety of groups of rich and well-mannered men that pay for my girls to have dinner with them in meetings and reunions. They only have to sit there, look pretty, and engage in the conversation when asked to"
"I... really don't think—" I began, still unsure.
"I know what it sounds like," she chuckled, interrupting me "But I assure you, none of my girls has ever had a hand laid on them, unlike you in your underpaid and dangerous job" she said, looking at the cast in my arm with a smile "Surrounded by drunk men without any security besides the Anbu and patroling jonins that are usually too late" I swallowed and looked away as I felt my cast with my other hand. She did have a point "All of my girls have personal security that is vigilant for them to ensure their safety" she gave me a minute to properly think about it.
"I'm sorry, I really don't think I'd be suited for that" I answered, but right when I finished her face turned to the side and her expression fell into a slightly serious one. Or perhaps discouraged.
"Seems like we'll have to keep talking another day. Give it a deeper thought" she said, with a small smile again "Think about what your job now gives you and what this one could"
I looked towards where she looked and saw Kakashi approaching us, then I looked back to Kurva, but once again she was already gone and I hadn't even noticed when or how. As Kakashi came closer I could see an unusually hard frown on his face as his eyes focused on where Kurva had been moments ago.
"Let's go," he said simply the moment he arrived. I nodded with a smile and followed him "What did she want?" he demanded.
"She insisted on me working for her" I explained dismissively.
"Did she tell you what's the job at least?" he asked, and I had to stop looking at him to look at the floor, kind of embarrassed about the job offer. I waited a bit to answer which made him look at me with an arched brow.
"She said, and I quote textually: kind of an escort" I said, still baffled by it. He didn't say anything for a while, probably as perplexed as I was.
"You're not doing that" he said, making me look at him "right?" he added, his eyes going to the floor for a second before they landed on me again. And although it sounded like a question to me, it might have not sounded like that to other people.
"Yeah, I'm not. I'm not that type of girl..." I explained, looking at the floor as I thought about Kurva's words.
"How's your arm?" Kakashi's words broke a small silence that had formed along with my thoughts. I looked at him and smiled excitedly.
"I think it's healing pretty fast? I was thinking of going to the hospital tomorrow. Maybe they can take the cast out..." I said, looking at my arm as I once again felt the cast with my free hand.
"They won't, you probably still need another week" he explained dismissively, which made me huff in disappointment.
"Didn't you have to go back to the Academy, Naruto?" I asked the kid while I laid on the grass. I extended my arms and moved my fingers under the passing clouds, seeing how the light passed through them differently.
"Just one more time!" Naruto said with a serious and determined yet tired scream "Aaargh!" he did a focused scream of effort "Clone jutsu!" he finally called. I stopped moving my fingers and looked at him from the corner of my eyes. A small cloud appeared and disappeared just as quickly, revealing a pity of Naruto's clone. Although to be honest, you couldn't even tell it resembled Naruto—or that it was human, for that matter "Oh c'mon!" he puffed annoyed.
"You'll get it in due time, Naruto, I'm sure" I said, turning my attention back to the sun and clouds. My words seemed to unnerve him even more.
"Try it with me!" Naruto suddenly asked me with excitement in his eyes.
"I told you earlier, I don't know how any of that works. I probably don't even have chakra" I answered with a sigh.
"C'mooon pleaaaseee" he begged, coming to my side and looking at me with his big and excited blue eyes. I looked at him for a few seconds, finding him too cute to refuse.
"I'm not meant to be a ninja Naruto, I can't do that"
"How can you know if you don't try! C'mon, please! Why don't you want to be a ninja? We could be teammates, think about it. That would be awesome!" he said, even more thrilled as if he was already imagining that impossible future. 'What is it with everyone pushing me to become a ninja?' I sighed internally. 'It's as if all you could aspire to be in life is a ninja...'
'Is it?'
"That won't happen, Naruto" I said sitting up, sad to break it to him "C'mon, let's go. Or you'll be late to class" Naruto seemed disheartened as we left the small hidden place in the woods of Konoha. He looked a little too sad, although maybe he was still trying to pull at my heartstrings.
But it didn't work, and being the small air-head Naruto could be sometimes, he quickly forgot about it and jumped onto something else. He talked to me about how he'd be the greatest ninja and Hokage, and how he would prove wrong everyone in the village and everyone in his class. Then he proceeded to talk to me about those people in his class, and then about many other things that went on in his young life. He even made me stick around him when we reached the Academy, I think trying to make all of his peers see me. I didn't quite care, and the smile on his face made me smile as well. Although I'll admit that having the eyes of so many kids and adults, most of them judging me for being near Naruto, wasn't something pleasant per se. Luckily for me, I was used to not being looked upon well.
After I accompanied Naruto to the Academy I walked around without anything clear to do. We had eaten lunch together some time ago and thus I wasn't too hungry, and although I hadn't slept too much that day I also knew I wouldn't be able to sleep until my night shift at the bar. So I walked around while I thought of what to do or where to head to. Even if deep down I knew I would end up doing the same as always: getting to somewhere secluded to watch the clouds pass and wonder about life, or wander around until it was already time to go to the bar. Surprisingly, it didn't seem it would be today's case when I caught a glimpse of Kakashi down the street.
"Hey, Kakashi!" I called him from behind him, rushing down the street through the mass of people that were strolling or shopping. He stopped at the call of his name and turned around to look at me "Where are you going?" I asked to strike a conversation, glad that this time he wasn't followed by my sister. His dark eyes stared at me for a few seconds.
"Nowhere in specific," he said, starting to walk away with his hands in his pockets. If that was a lie, I couldn't tell, and if he didn't want me to follow him, I didn't know either. But he didn't sound rude, and in fact, I was certain he wasn't crudely leaving when he slightly turned his head to look at me, signaling me to follow him subtly with his chin. Maybe it wasn't a sign, but I followed him anyway and he didn't complain or seemed bothered about it "Where are you going?" he asked after I started to walk by his side.
"Mmmh..." I made thinking sounds, hoping that I would get an idea of what to do while I thought about it "Nowhere in specific either," I chuckled "I was just thinking of what to do actually" I said honestly. He didn't say anything else and we fell into a pleasant silence, but I broke it with my train of thoughts "I was thinking of taking up a hobby or something"
"Not stealing, I hope" he said, looking at me from the corner of his eyes. I sweatdropped and rubbed the back of my head, but I earnestly smiled as I denied with my head.
"Not stealing. I was thinking of something artistic, like photography or something. I'm kind of tired of just reading" I continued to think as I tried to imagine what I could enjoy, 'Painting? With paint? Charcoal? Paint what? Landscapes? People...?' 'Sculpting...? Seems cool but too much of a drag and difficult' 'Photography? Of what? How does a camera even work?'
"You're tired of reading?" Kakashi asked, taking me out of my own world.
"Eh, not tired tired. I love reading, but it's the only thing I've ever done in my whole life. I wanted to try something different... How much does a camera cost?" I changed the topic all of a sudden as I kept thinking about hobbies in the back of my mind. He looked at me with his scarred brow arched, confused by my sudden fixation on a new hobby.
I was surprised myself, to be honest. But maybe that was just what I needed in order to stop having that void feeling. That feeling as if I lacked something. I hated it. Everyone seemed to not be aware of such a sensation, nobody talked about it. I used to think it was because I wasn't happy, and thus it was a feeling that came with sadness and darkness. But I was feeling more upbeat lately and I still felt that... lack. I would do many things during the day: I would wake up and go to work at the flower shop, then I would read and wander around, and lastly work at the bar and go to sleep. But I still felt incomplete. I felt as if everything lacked sense. 'Why am I doing this? What's the point?' I remember asking Kakashi about it one time. He didn't answer. And although my situation was better now, I still found myself asking that same thing. Perhaps a change in my routine would help, and a new hobby might just do the trick.
"A decent one around 600," he answered "I'd guess" he added, looking away.
"What?!" it had caught me so much by surprise that some people turned around when I raised my voice. I apologized shily "Why do they cost so much?! That's almost what I make in a month!" I whisper-yelled this time. But before he could say anything a distant voice interrupted us:
"Oi, Kakashi!"