Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Without Any Destiny ❯ Chapter 5: Part of Somebody and Not Nobody ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter 5: Part of Somebody and Not Nobody

`... I wanted to know her better so I had to play this little game of cat-and-mouse. Like any other predator, first approach might scare the prey away. So I decided to watch her. Watch the way she walk, talk, move, and do. It was as if I was studying a book… no, that's not the right word. I was studying an encyclopedia of Isis, the Goddess of Love. I followed her and learnt whatever she liked and disliked. I was like a stalker. But for the sake of love, I had to do petty things and noticed things people did not. After a while of studying her, I finally went up to her, with her favorite flowers in my hand and finally, I had the courage to ask her out… The strange thing was she accepted my offer even though she doesn't even know my name. We went out, had great dinner and talked about everything. Finally… she went home, leaving me with a kiss as her goodbye present. I walked home, feeling a little happy and did a little jig… until I smacked my head, halfway jumping down the road. How stupid of me! I forgot to tell her my name…'

"Good morning! Is anybody in?"

Gai Sensae shut the book tightly and looked outside his window. He rushed down the hall and quickly opened the door. He gave a loud sigh as the visitor laughed.

"You don't have to come here everyday. Really, Yuri!"

"But Neji tried to protect me and… I guess I owe him my life."

"It's his duty as your bodyguard…"

"But still, if I don't repay him now, I'll regret for the rest of my life!"

Gai Sensae shook his head. It's been 5 days since Neji got himself injured and Yuri came almost every day to look after him. Although he and Neji didn't like the idea of someone worrying, he couldn't refuse Yuri either. He sighed and let her in. Yuri walked up to the guest room and knocked the door.

"If it is Yuri, tell her I'm asleep…," said a voice from within.

"Too bad she heard that! I'm coming in, Neji-kun," replied Yuri angrily.

She could hear a groan from within as she entered the room. Neji was lying on the bed, with wound marks that are still in the process of healing. She smiled and waved, sitting on the chair beside Neji's bed. She opened up her basket and brought a Tupperware out.

"You don't REALLY have to do this, y'know," he told her.

"I have to. Otherwise, I'll make you regret you turned me down!"

"… Pft…"

"Come on! Eat up!"

She scooped a spoonful of rice and stuffed it in Neji's mouth. The first thing that ran across Neji's mind was BURNING HOT. He swallowed it down his throat forcefully and coughed.

"Are you trying to kill me or something?"

"Well, it's your fault you said you didn't want me here. This is revenge."

"Why, you little-"

"I'm not little. I'm much older than you are. Besides, you should be thankful."

"Thankful for what?"

"Well, at least, I'm taking care of you! Sheesh… not even a word of gratitude!"

"I didn't ask-- … Never mind!"

Yuri stuffed another spoonful of rice into Neji's mouth. Neji felt like he could not take any of this anymore. All her daily visits made him feel a little bored… and irritated. Yuri gave him an angry look. Neji understood that she was trying to make friends with him but he didn't like the idea of having any friends. Besides, he was better off alone and she was still someone suspicious.

"I hope you like today's breakfast."

"It was the same as yesterday."

"Well, at least Sasuke didn't complain about it."

"Sasuke? You gave him the exact thing?"

"Yeah... From the exact same spoon."

Neji felt his face turn green and made a choking sound. Yuri laughed.

"Funny. That's what Sasuke did yesterday when I told him the same thing."

"I'm contaminated… with Uchiha's saliva!"

"I'm kidding. Of course I won't use the same spoon. Wouldn't want Sasuke to catch the `Mr.-Grump' disease from you, would I?"

"What was that?!"

"Nothing."

Neji frowned. If it was one thing he didn't like, it was one name:

Sasuke Uchiha

He didn't like the boy's guts, the boy's stunts and … well, whatever it was, he never liked him at all. Yuri frowned at Neji's reaction.

"What's wrong with you both?"

"… Let's say we have a lot of differences."

"You're just being mean. Sasuke is a nice boy."

"Well, EXCUSE ME, if Sasuke is the nice angelic boy from your past. But for your information, he isn't who you think he is. He's changed. Stop eating the sugar-coating of the past."

"Well, EXCUSE ME, if I like eating from that same sugar-coating!"

Yuri dumped the Tupperware on his lap, stuffed the spoon into his mouth hard and stormed outside. She couldn't stand Neji's behavior. She slammed the door behind her and went towards the window, staring outside, trying to cool down. Gai Sensae, who was sitting by the couch, shook his head and sighed. He walked towards Yuri and put his hand on her head.

"Why are you both always at loggerheads whenever you both meet?"

"… I don't know. It seems that Neji just doesn't like me to be around him."

"Don't take him seriously. Neji's always like that."

"I know. But isn't he childish at times?"

"Well… sometimes, I think both of you are…"

"… Suit yourself."

Yuri gave a loud sigh as she gazed at the scenery outside. It was busy and hot. The marketplace downstairs was busy and noisy. Everyone was always busy with something else. Yuri relived her past. She was always alone, sitting in the garden of flowers, listening to the wind. The wind kept her company most of the time but she lacked communicating with the real world.

"…Maybe I don't fit living here."

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"Well… all this time living alone… I've never had any contact with the outside world."

Yuri watched the busy world. Kids playing on the street happily. People talking among one another, making each other know that they're wanted. The warm wind blows by.

"It's sad… knowing that being an outsider makes you feel so unwanted."

"Don't you have any friends?"

"No… At times, I don't even know what friends are for…"

"… You must've had a hard life…"

"No… I don't think mine is sad at all. I look at others' and find them more disturbing than mine. When I peered into Sasuke's life, I found his rather tragic… hateful… and sad. When I peered into Neji's life, I found his story… rather disturbing and sad."

"Sad?"

"Yeah. That's why I tried to be nice to them. I wanted them to be at least feel wanted."

"..."

"But that's when I began to realize I was wrong. I guess all this while I'm trying myself to fit into someone's life. Maybe all I was looking for was to be wanted and not nobody."

Yuri sighed as Gai Sensae patted her head softly. For someone who had an even more tragic past, she tries to forget hers by looking at others', considering how sad theirs could be. But Gai Sensae knew she was wrong.

"Yuri… no matter how hard you try, you don't need to force yourself into someone's life. No matter what you do, you're already a part of Neji's life, a part of Sasuke's life and a part of mine. And all of us are already a part of you."

"You think so? But I was so mad at Neji. You think he'll ever forgive me?"

Yuri turned back to Gai Sensae, looking a little hopeful. He gave a big thumbs-up and smiled.

"I'm sure he will!"

Then, the door from behind slammed open. Neji came out limping, in his hand clutching on to something. It was Yuri's Tupperware. She smiled.

"You forgot this."

**Author's note: ^_^ Gahh… it is I again. Once again, I changed the whole plot of this story again. It was s'pose to be something else but what the heck… This one turned out better than the other did. Whatever the case is… It didn't go off-course much… though I'd love to stuff the spoon down Neji's throat. Hehehehehe… Alrighty-then, continue on!