Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Recipe for Success ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

A/N: See what happens when Linda watches three hours of Food Network and then gets onto Microsoft Word! This will either be a one-shot or very, very short.

 

Yes, unfortunately this does contain an OC, but she won't play a big part and by the end, she'll be gone. Got it?

 

Recipe for Success

 

Stirring. Kneading. Simmering. Boiling. Frying. Chaos. That's what most of his day consisted of. But I guess that's what you get for being the head chef of one of Konoha's premiere food joints.

 

Head Chef and Owner of Sheek (yes, that's how it's spelled) Uchiha Sasuke had been in the restaurant business for almost three years now. He had discovered his culinary talents at the ripe age of seventeen and decided to open his own restaurant in the village. Sasuke had started out with a small, dumpy building and only three assistant chefs, but the business and popularity of Sheek grew after people discovered how good the food was.

 

One year after the opening of Sheek, Sasuke met a young woman named Shizuka who also had immense cooking talent. He hired her immediately and soon their relationship grew to be more than just Head Chef and Assistant Chef. In the spring of that year the two were married and were very happy together…or at least, that's how it seemed to most people.

 

The truth was, Sasuke was beginning to get very tired of Shizuka. Yeah, sure, the sex was good and all, but there didn't seem to be any actual love in their relationship. Their usual routine was cook, fuck, and sleep. That's it. That's how it was every day. No roses or kisses or I Love You's. Just the usual restaurant work and then some meaningless screwing around.

 

Sasuke sighed as pulled the keys to the restaurant out of his pocket, his wife standing close behind him, tapping her foot impatiently. Yup, it was going to be just another day with the normal, everyday schedule.

 

“Ugh, I just want to get today over with,” Shizuka complained.

 

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Stop complaining.”

 

He finally found the right key and shoved it into the lock. He shoved the door open and stepped inside. The tables had been the same way they had always been since Sasuke could remember: white linen table cloths, napkins folded elegantly, and numerous pieces of the finest silverware that you could find. Pictures by Picasso, Van Gogh, and other famous artists hung above the set tables next to the modern wall-lights.

 

Shizuka stepped past him. “Come on, ya slowpoke. We gotta get ready for the day.”

 

The two walked to the back of the restaurant and in through the swinging silver door kitchen. Shizuka went to one of the counters, bent down, and took out a large pot. She shrugged.

 

“Guess I'll get going on the soup of the day.”

 

Sasuke leaned against a counter opposite from her. “Okay.”

 

He watched Shizuka in silence as she chopped up some parsley. It was so…awkward. Why couldn't he talk to his wife of all people? Weren't you supposed to do that? You know, like share your feelings with your life partner or something like that? Wasn't that a part of marriage?

 

Shizuke turned around. “What? Is there something on my butt?”

 

Sasuke shook his head. “No.”

 

Shizuke frowned and walked up to him. She pointed the knife she was cutting with right at Sasuke's face.

 

“You've been acting really strange lately. Is there something wrong?”

 

Sasuke raised his brow and quickly grabbed hold of the knife. “Nah, I'm fine. And don't you go pointing that knife at me, Missy.”

 

Shizuka smiled and for the first time since they met, Sasuke once again saw the blonde-haired, blue-eyed, sweet-natured girl who walked into his restaurant on that rainy day two years ago, declaring that she needed a job and fast. But immediately, that girl vanished again and the present Shizuka was standing in front of him once more. She frowned and turned away from him.

 

“I guess I'll be getting back to work.”

 

“Yeah…me too.”

 

The day dragged on, nothing interesting or unusual going on…until around noon-time, the busiest time of the day. Sasuke was neatly folding rolls of sushi, not really paying very much attention to his work since he had done this so many times before. He yawned and blinked a few times.

 

“This sucks,” he mumbled. “Nothing interesting ever goes on.”

 

Sasuke felt a small tap on his shoulder and turned around, facing one of his sous chefs. “What?”

 

The sous chef gave him a small bow. “Sorry to disturb you, Sensei, but-“

 

Sasuke wiped his hands off on the white chefs' coat. “But what?“

 

The chef pointed over behind him. “There's someone here to see you.”

 

Sasuke sighed. “God.”

 

He shoved the sous chef aside and hurried through the silver kitchen door, thinking `What idiot is disturbing me-`

 

Thump!

 

Sasuke bumped into something hard but short and landed onto the floor. He glared up at whoever had dared to make him fall.

 

“What the hell are you-“ Sasuke squinted his eyes. “N-Naruto?”

 

What in the heck was his former teammate doing here? They hadn't even seen each other for…what was it now…almost five years?

 

The blonde boy grinned. “Heh heh, just as stupid and clumsy as ever.”

 

The people eating at the tables began to glance over at the two, whispering and giggling. Sasuke noticed this and quickly stood up. He grabbed Naruto by the collar and dragged him back into the kitchen.

 

“What do you want?” He hissed.

 

Naruto smiled, took out a sheet of paper from his pocket, and held it up to Sasuke's face. “I want a job.”

 

Sasuke glanced at the paper. “We don't have any job offer-“ He groaned and slapped his forehead. “Damn, Shizuka.”

 

Naruto cocked his head. “Shizuka.”

 

Sasuke turned his face away from him, blushing. “My wife…” he mumbled.

 

There was complete silence for only a few seconds before Naruto burst out laughing.

 

“YOUR WIFE?” He gasped. “NOW THAT'S RICH!”

 

All of the chefs in the kitchen were now staring at them. Sasuke immediately dropped Naruto and stuck a finger into his chest.

 

“Just get the hell outta here, got it?”

 

“But I need a job!” Naruto whined.

 

“No. You don't even know how to cook.”

 

“Please!” Naruto persisted.

 

“No!”

 

Naruto put on his puppy dog eyes. “Will you think about it?”

 

Sasuke exhaled deeply. “Fine. I'll think about it.”

 

After knowing Naruto for most of his life, Sasuke knew that answer would satisfy the boy. At least, for now.

 

Naruto cheered. “Yeah! Woo hoo!” He ran out of the kitchen, pumping his fists into the air.

 

Sasuke shook his head. “Dobe.”

 

He turned and noticed the whole kitchen was silent and the chefs were still staring at him. He frowned.

 

“Get back to work!”

 

And the business resumed as usual.

 

Later that night Sasuke and Shizuka were in bed, naked of course, and lying about two feet away from each other. Sasuke had always thought it strange that besides “making love”, they never actually did anything else in bed, like snuggle with one another or even talk or anything. He continued to stare up at the white ceiling, hearing his wife's even, calm breathing. For some reason, he couldn't stop thinking about the day's events. Naruto? You had to be kidding! He thought he'd never see him again, and that made him rather happy. Besides, Naruto had always just been a nuisance to him.

 

“Someone came to the restaurant today,” Sasuke said quietly.

 

“Really?” Shizuka replied, still turned away from him.

 

Sasuke nodded. “Yeah, someone I knew really well.”

 

“Really…” Shizuka said again, not seeming all that interested in what her husband had to say.

 

Sasuke continued. “He's a really stupid, klutzy, loud guy. He wanted a job.”

 

“Hm…”

 

Sasuke glanced over at Shizuka. Her back was turned to him and her long blonde hair was fanned out across the pillow. He shook his head. For a moment, Sasuke thought he had seen Naruto lying next to him. Ugh, just the thought sent shivers down his spine.

 

“…Shizuka?”

 

Shizuka finally turned around and faced him. “What is it?”

 

Sasuke stared directly into her bright blue eyes. Bright blue eyes…straw-blonde hair…god, why did she have to be so much like him? He cleared his throat.

 

“Shizuka…when was the last time we said `I Love You' to each other?”

 

Shizuka stared back at him, confused. She looked down.

 

“Ya know, that's a good question. I'm really not sure.”

 

“Oh…”

 

Shizuka began running her finger over the stitches of the bed sheet. “Eh, it's not that important, is it?”

 

Sasuke shrugged. “I guess not.”

 

Shizuka once again turned her back on him. “Look, let's just get some sleep.”

 

Sasuke stared at his wife's pale back. It didn't make sense. It didn't make any sense at all.

 

“Shizuka?”

 

Shizuka sighed, exasperated. “What do you want, Sasuke?”

 

`Oh, I don't know, maybe an `I Love You'.' Sasuke thought.

 

He closed his eyes. “Nothing…nothing at all.”

 

Sous chef- Basically, it's an amateur chef training under a more experienced chef. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

A/N: Yes…I hate Shizuka, too. She shall die a slow, painful death!!! (laughs evilly) Till next time!