Chapter Text
“What the fuck, Sasuke? I’ve told you so many times that I need some fresh air! And yes, this is not a request. I’m not asking for your permission. Case closed.”
“Look, dobe. What the actual fuck is some fresh air to you? Going to a fucking island? For the whole week? You better kill me.”
“Yea, I would have done that if I was there. But, look, I’m in Manabe-shima now! What are you gonna do about that? Pick me up? Drag my ass to Tokyo? Try me.”
"You do realize that the event is only two freaking weeks away, right?"
"Aaaaaaand?"
Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Fuck. Whatever. Even if you get yourself drowned and eaten by some fish there, I'm gonna pray that the fish is okay and does not get poisoned.”
"Aw hahaha c'mon , Sasuke! We've been doing this, like, forever? You know me better than anyone else. And I trust you and your smart ass to handle the matters there." Naruto put on his sly foxy grin, while wiggling his eyebrows up and down just as if Sasuke was there to see him. It was his signature move whenever his mischievous side kicked in and tried to tease his best friend.
"Stop that disgusting grin and wiggly eyebrows. I know you are doing that right now."
" Ouch , you got me!"
"Just make sure you finish your last piece by this Monday. We can't finish the arrangement of the hall if your paintings aren't completed yet."
" Ay ay captain! It's the reason why I flew away here. I need some inspiration, y'know."
"Inspiration my ass. I know you just want to laze around there and dump all the work on me. Go play with some octopus or cicadas while I burn down all your paintings here."
“Hahaha I know you could never do that,” he smirked cockily.
"Shocking. The amount of your stupidity is just shocking. I couldn't, but what will happen if I tell Sakura about your leave?"
"H-hey!! No Sasㅡ"
Beep–beep–beep
Tch. Asshole.
Whatever.
He switched off his phone and shoved it in his pocket. He decided that it was best to just cut off all Tokyo-related stuff while he was there. What's the point of having a holiday if his thoughts are still going back to Tokyo each time his phone rings?
Exactly.
Naruto disembarked from the port and walked down to the nearest Kaisouten . It was like a small "office" for anyone who wants to get a ticket to a neighboring island. It looked more like a ticket booth, except for its indoor waiting room and its function as a parcel depot. He took a free map available for tourists alike there and scanned through it to find the only three star hotel in the island he reserved a room from.
"Santora...Santora...Santoㅡah! There you are!"
He shouted in glee, but his smile slightly faltered once reality dawned on him that it was located literally on the other end of the shore from where the port he disembarked from was. But he brushed it off. Just walk and I would reach it eventually , he thought.
Once he understood the way to get there, he folded the map, sloppily shoved it inside his backpack, and started walking to his destination without any further ado.
Naruto walked through the ups and downs of hills and the steep alleyways. The soft humming of the cicadas was the constant background music accompanying his walk. He could hear the faint crashing of the waves with the wind playing on its surface. The view of the sparkling water of the sea teased his gaze, as if alluring him to get there immediately and dip himself in its salty water. All those things this island served him just made Naruto more and more thrilled to finally explore every hidden corner it had without missing any single thing.
It had been so long since the last time he went to such a place. The hustle bustle of Tokyo, the buzzing noises of vehicles, or the roaring up beat music of the so many billboard commercials had been a part of his everyday life for at least the past 7 years. The past few weeks had been kicking his ass senseless. Having his own art exhibition was his big, big dream for so long. And he finally almost made it, though it really took a toll on him. The preparation was insanely tiring, no matter how much he enjoyed every second of it. Beside, he also needed one more drawing to complete his set of pieces that would be displayed in the exhibition. Naruto wanted this last piece to be something that would steal the spotlight. And he simply thought going to somewhere totally new for him might give him inspiration to draw. A new place, new feeling, new point of view. And the art would give off a new vibe, too.
And when he accidentally landed his gaze on a newspaper whose headlines was 'The Life of The Island' he didn't think anymore. He knew he needed it.
Only in a span of a few hours, he already found himself standing in one of the station platforms, waiting for the Shinkansen to take him away to the paradise he dreamed of. He only packed a few clothes, drew a considerable amount of cash in his pocket, and his full drawing equipment he would need once he got to Manabe-shima.
He didn't know why he chose that island, though. There were still plenty of choices he could consider. But something within him just told him to go there. And he did. To whatever it was the island was about to offer him later on.
"Alleluia! Snake again!" He tried to hold his shriek. "It's the second in the span of 15 minutes! Ugh, great!"
His face flinched in mild horror. He didn’t mind the many, literally many cats inhabiting the island. But, snakes? Hell no. But it seemed like they were going to be his everyday squirmy buddy for the whole week.
Despite the snakes, he pretty much enjoyed his walk. It was so so much different from walking on the crowded streets of Tokyo. He was fairly amazed at how everyone’s garden was filled with any kind of vegetables and fruits. And he made a mental note for himself to not be so surprised if he wouldn’t find any market there. What’s the point, when they grow their own foods in the garden?
He noticed the variety of vegetation he found along the way. Ivy everywhere, grass, short palm-like trees, and many more. He would draw them, definitely. And also the insects! It made him so curious to know just how many insects were inhabiting a single tree, because the ringing of their mii-mii-mii sing song was literally trailing his every step until he got to the Santora. They were almost on par with the constant crashing sound of the waves or the hushing of the wind.
Well, that thing can wait. Santora was in front of his eyes and he needed a break after the walk.
-
Naruto left the hotel after a few hours worth of rest. Unpacking his backpack, scanning through the map and marking some points with some messy scribbles of the places he would visit that day, and having his fair share of somen served by the Santora. It was one of his favorite summer dishes, the white noodles made of wheat flour and eaten by dipping them into iced sauce or with ice cubes right on top. As a huge fan of noodles himself, he could never say it was summer before he got that dish kissing his tongue. When his tummy felt great and his energy was fully restored, he finally packed his drawing equipment into his smaller backpack and got ready for the journey.
He had planned to go to the hills to draw the beach from a higher point of view. Of course, the beach would be his number one object he would draw, right? And after that, he would explore the many gardens and trees to find the insects. He took an oath to draw at least 20 different kinds of insects before he got back to Tokyo, as he kept repeating the note in his mind to give one of those to Sasuke as a thanks. Ain’t I a good friend? Was all he thought while smiling foolishly.
Excitement danced in his veins as the giddiness to finally explore the island came rushing like a tiny electric shock up and down his spine. The spasmodic popping sound of fireworks in his gut were rhythm to his soul, fueling his feet to skip his steps in bliss, giving away a jaunty expression of how much he enjoyed his time. He was literally having a blast of his life, for sure.
He hummed a background song in his headspace as the wind tickled his skin, blowing playfully to mess with his already ruffly hair, and teased his flannel shirt by lifting it until his tanned skin was showing here and there.
But his humming abruptly stopped along with his skippy steps. And all he saw was red. Red on a bright yellow sunny dress a young woman wore.
“Ohmygod! She got it bad right there!” he grimaced while scrutinizing her blood tainted dress.
That time of the month, huh?
The girl still had her back on him, definitely not aware of the bloody crime scene around her butt. Her long indigo hair looked shiny under the sun, flowing messily along the bellow of the wind. She was still talking with a tiny granny by the small garden when he noticed a bunch of highschooler guys were walking in her direction.
Uhh, poor girl. Guess I should save her from the humiliation, right?
In Naruto’s way, of course.
Naruto swiftly opened his backpack and took his spare cotton long-sleeved shirt. He was a total klutz when it came to painting, that’s why he always brought a spare shirt with him whenever he drew. He gripped each of the sleeves on his hand and made a long stride toward her back. Once he got near her, right behind where she stood, he spread out the shirt while maneuvering his arms to find its way to circle around her waist.
“Ohh hello my old friend! It's been so long! How have you been?”
A small shierk escaped her mouth as he succeeded in hugging her from the back and tied the sleeves into a knot in front of her flat stomach.
He felt how her body tensed in his embrace and then shuffled to get free from the unfamiliar intrusion. But, right when she was about to say her protests because he wasn't letting her free, Naruto beat her to it and whispered to her ear, "You've got some blood stain on your dress, just play along and I'll help you."
Her mind ran for miles by his information. She made a quick glance at his hand which was still encircling her waist, resting on her stomach. Then reality dawned on her when she noticed that he had tied a shirt to cover her bloody scene.
She shut her already open mouth and swallowed her word that was already on the tip of her tongue, so ready to be spilled.
"Umm, Hina-chan, do you know this guy? I've never seen him before?"
As if on cue, she suddenly shifted between his arms and turned around to face him in a swift movement. Naruto barely managed to respond to her moves when she brought her arms around his neck and jumped slightly to hug him back.
"Oh My God! It's been so long–" she paused and whispered, "What's your name?"
"Naruto."
"–Naruto-kun!"
Naruto was taken aback at her response. He didn't expect her to go all out with the play but, well...dare he say...he liked it?
He found comfort at the scent suffusing her, a hint of lavender and mint mixed with the salty breeze licking their skin. Her body just felt so right and so nice on his, like they're a pair of lock and key that clicked perfectly with each other. As in reflex, his arms found their way again to the small of her back, lifting her until her feet entirely left the ground and swung their body for a few rounds of full rotation.
Wow.
She's so soft.
And so nice.
Once he thought that they'd put on enough show, Naruto put her back down and looked at the tiny granny still staring at them, mouth slightly open by the mini PDA they showed her.
“Hi, cutie granny!” Naruto greeted her. The granny was really tiny, her height was barely reaching his chest. Cutie granny indeed. She was wearing a round straw beach hat, a towel hung on her neck draped down her tiny shoulders, and a small cart was securely gripped on her hand–loaded by the various vegetables she just reaped from the garden.
Ugh, tomatoes. So Sasuke. Naruto held the surging flinch washing his face by the remembrance of his tomato freak friend.
But, the response he waited for didn’t come, only a pregnant pause sitting comfortably between them. He set his eyes on the granny again, looking more closely now. And why did she look at him so...dreamily?
“Hello?”
“Oh, hi young boy!” she finally snapped out from her not-responding phase. “What did you say again?”
“Umm, well I said you’re a cutie granny,” he said teasingly, his grin spread wider it made his eyes look like his other whiskers.
“Aw, c’mon boi,” she giggled. Literally making a gramps’ high-pitched giggle.
“Hehe, well, I was wondering if I could steal this young lady from you, granny?” Naruto wore his teasing grin and brought his one arm to hug the standing-still girl beside him from the side, his palm landed so casually on her shoulder.
“Ohh, of course. I didn’t know Hina-chan is hiding a handsome friend under her sleeve! You guys just remind me of my husband and I when we were still such a young-hot-blooded teenager with our blooming youth!”
“What do you mean? I can tell you are still blooming with youth, eh?” he wiggled his brows, a grin arched on his lips.
“Aww, stop it boy. You will make me as red as these tomatoes!”
Naruto was about to tackle another teasy line he had in store but a nudge on his ribs distracted him. He glanced at the girl beside him, looking all red and stiff under his side hug.
Oh shit, I forgot the mission.
“I’m sorry but it’s time to take this Hina-chan with me. So, I’ll see you around then, nee-chan ?”
The granny laughed hard at his teasy remark, the tomatoes almost spilled out from her grip. “Ah, wait! Please take these tomatoes with you!”
“Ahh, thank you!” Naruto took them with mild reluctance. He knew he wasn't a big fan of tomatoes, or vegetables whatsoever.
“We’ll be heading then, Kurata-san. And thank you for the offer, I’ll take the watermelon tomorrow,” she finally spoke all the while trying to smoothly escape from his hold.
“No, no, don’t mention it Hina-chan. That’s gonna be your fair share for helping me tending the garden last Sunday!”
She bowed her goodbye and was ready to walk away.
“Hey, young boy! Take care of Hina-chan ‘kay?”
Naruto turned around again and walked backward while shouting his reply, “You have my words!” along with the happy waves to her.
After a few minutes of walking in complete silence, Naruto stopped after he made sure that they’re already in a safe place, far from prying eyes.
“Well, Hina?”
“It’s Hinata.”
“Oh, okay, Hinata…” he scratched the back of his head, trying to find the right words to start the conversation, “...umm–”
“Thank you...for helping me, with...uhh…” her voice was so small and her sentence died midway. She was reluctant to say it out loud, the words just got stuck in her throat and refused to come out, sticking there stubbornly like glue. Hinata kept casting her gaze on the ground, her toes were playing with the sand–he couldn’t tell whether she was trying to kick it or drawing on it. But he could clearly tell that she was rather nervous…mixed with embarrassment. Well, understandable.
Naruto kept her gaze rooting on her and only now did he finally be able to observe her, studying her features. He was only aware of her scent, a good one he swore, and also how she tasted so nice on his body. Figuratively speaking. But now that he looked closely at her, wow, he was dumbfounded. Not that he wasn’t dumb enough. But, really, she was breathtaking.
Her skin was gleaming under the blinding summer sun, so clear, radiant, and almost pale that he doubted she was born an islander given how much they used the sunlight as a second skin. Shouldn’t they get kinda tanned?
And, oh! That playful blush coloring her cheeks and putting them ablaze, with her pale skin just making it worse–in a good way, if that even makes sense. They’re literally red that it was almost on par with the tomatoes he carried in the plastic bag. And how she kept chewing on her lips like a bubblegum, like she was having a hard battle with her inner self of either wanting to say something to lessen the awkward air of the previous happenings; or just to shut them off and wait for him to come up with anything to say.
She was embarrassed, he knew.
Well, let’s put an end to that. She looks like she’s going to pass out if I don’t do anything immediately.
“Hey, look, Hinata. It’s okay. I knew that much about that holy monthly guest .”
“Uhh, please don’t say it like that, it’s so embarrassing!” her hands came up to cover her face, not wanting to give Naruto a worse view of the humiliation drawn apparently on her face.
“Hey, hey–no! It’s not something to be embarrassed about, y’know! It’s natural. Just as natural as me being a sexy-handsome guy, or Sasuke being an ass, or Sakura-chan being the grumpy hag she is!” he rambled on without even realizing it. Naruto almost burst out laughing at his own sentence, thinking smugly of how he made the best line of analogy. Woah! So jenius, Uzumaki.
“W-what?” Hinata split his fingers to make a suuuuper small slit to peek at him, still not trusting her face to be decent enough for a public view. “What Sasuke? And...Sakura?”
“Oh, sorry, they’re just the idiots I know back home. Never mind. What I’m trying to say is, it’s only so womanly natural to happen. Just like human breathing in air. You won’t be embarrassed for sucking air, right?”
“S-sucking?”
“Ah, I mean, breathing! Like this...in…and out...in…and out…see?” He demonstrated how people breathe in air as if she hadn’t been doing it for the life of her. Oh God, help him. God must be rolling his eyes now.
“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about!”
“Uhh, okay…” Hinata slowly peeled off the shield covering her face with her head still hung low to let her thick locks be a curtain for a safety net just in case she was still not representable to be seen.
She fiddled with the sleeves knotted on her waist, still taking her time to let her embarrassment go away. Her eyes still glued to the ground as she brainstormed in her head to come up with something to say to replace the awkward silence. It weighed her so much it was unbearable.
Just when her brain found something to say, Naruto beat her on it and said with his most nonchalant voice, “Ah, do you want a menstrual pad?”
“W-What??”
Oh God.
It couldn’t get more embarrassing.
“Here! I have one with me!”
“You–WHAT???”
Her eyes widened when a menstrual pad was shoved in front of her face.
“Uhhhhh, you can’t possibly make it any more humiliating!!” Hinata couldn’t contain it anymore and she crouched down. She buried her face beneath her arms while they pulled her knees to press against her body so tightly she’s gonna seal herself forever into a ball.
“Hey no! I’m not trying to humiliate you or anything!” he crouched down to make himself in her level. “Hinata, it’s okay. You can take this. It’s a real thing. No pranks.”
“W-why are you bringing that thing with you?” her muffled voice was barely heard from her defensive form of a human ball. “Are you, by any chance…” she slowly peeked at him, “...a trans man?”
“W-What the hell???!!” he jumped from his crouching position, as if her mildly accusing question was punching him right on his guts, rendering him speechless. In utter disbelief.
“No, of course!! I have a healthy and dangerous snake here under my pants! He could bring a big big disaster once it's wakey-wakey , y’know!!” he pointed at the sleeping Uzumaki junior under his belly area; his voice confident to verbally show her just how man he was.
“OHMYGOD.” She gasped–big, sucking the air so much her chest puffed and almost bursting. Her eyes went open so wide they could break a record before she shut them off so tight as if trying to block the imaginary vision starting to form in her head from his earliest remark. Her hands came up to close her ears–trying to purify them from the super inappropriate information he just so blatantly, explicitly, and casually said to her.
Tik.
Tik.
Tik.
Silence.
“OHMYGODDDD!!” Naruto paled. “What did I just say???”
Shit. Shit. Shit. Stuuupid! She must think I’m a real creep, dick-narcissistic freak right now!!!
They stayed still in their position in complete silence, hoping for the wind to just carry away any words spilled in the span of ten minutes they shared there.
Naruto cleared his throat. Doing nothing wouldn’t solve anything.
He got back to crouch in front of her, hands reaching out to take her hands off her ears, and said, “Okay, I’m sorry. Please forget what I say. This conversation is kinda ridiculous and I don’t want to drag it any longer, ‘kay?”
She nodded.
“Can you look at me?”
She nodded again and mustered the remaining sanity within her mind to look at him. Never did she experience ever being so mentally drained and exhausted in the mere minutes of her life. She finally surrendered and brought her eyes to meet his blue ones. And…
Boom.
He was doomed. Is the term ‘being so fucked by a glance’ even a thing? Because he sure as hell that was what hit him when that pair of eyes finally landed on his. Freezing both of his lungs that he felt the undeniable urge to stop his breathing. Never did he ever imagine being so fucked by a mere gaze.
His mouth went open on its own, as if his soul was forcing to get out just to witness that pair of eyes he never laid his sight upon.
“Woah, what kind of eyes are those?” he muttered under his breath unconsciously. It came out as a small whisper, though she could easily hear him by their state of proximity.
“E-excuse me?”
“Oh my God! I-I’m sorry, no offense! Uhh… I mean… th-they just look so...exquisite?”
“R-Really?”
“Yep!” he never replied so fast in his life.
“Thank you.” she blushed and shy away. At least not for another humiliating thing. She had had enough of that that day.
“Oh, okay. Look. I have this–” he held the menstrual pad between them, “–not because of what you think I am. I’ve lived with a woman for years and she’s just so careless that she always forgets her time of the month. And I always end up buying her this whenever she’s not prepared, especially when we’re out. So, I thought it would be best to always store one in my backpack. Besides, half of this world population is female, so I just kinda thought that it could save ‘life’. So, wouldn’t that come in handy?”
She nodded. He had a point.
“So, it’s clear then?”
“Okay.”
Naruto stood up and held his hand out to help her stand.
“Thank you for helping me, Naruto-kun.”
His ears perked at the way she just called him. He was genuinely taken aback. Never had he ever heard his name sound so beautiful before. The way she said it just sounded like a soft, joyous chime, sending a mysteriously calming effect to anywhere it vibrated.
Woah, she got me at the -kun right there.
He scratched his head, kinda shy all of sudden, “Oh, don’t mention it, Hinata.”
There was a hue of pink started to form, tainting his cheeks. It was so soft that you need to scrutinize just to make out its existence.
“I will wash your shirt and give it back to you once it’s clean. So...um, Santora?”
He only arched his eyebrows at her sentence, questioning. She knows where I stay?
“Oh, I figured you are a tourist since I’ve never seen you before. Besides, everyone knows everyone here, so it’s rather easy to tell.”
“Ahh, right. Yes, Santora.”
“How long are you staying?”
“A week. I’ll be back by the weekend. Sunday morning.”
“Oh, okay. I’ll drop by the Santora tomorrow. Thank you again.”
She bowed at him, showing her gratitude.
“Okay, see ya Hinata!”
“Yes.”
They bidded goodbye and headed towards their own direction.
Until next time.