Same Soul • Sasunaru

8. Greet.

Naruto's POV
Christmas Eve
Day of Lady Hyuga's Party

Dreams are typically forgotten forever,

But lovers aren't.

○●○

"Gah! Mom, it isn't a date! Me and Sai just happen to be going to the same place, so he offered to give me a ride, ya know?!" I defensively wave my hands out infront of me, and I begin to feel hot and sweaty. Mom giggles at me with her hands on her stomach. Does she think I have a crush on Sai?

She walks up to me amd adjust the crooked tie wrapped around the collar of my brand new navy blue suit. The Christmas party at mayor Lady Huga's mansion is tonight, and I'm more nervous about seeing Sai than I am about performing the cello infront of the city's wealthiest people! Why am I so nervous to see him? I don't have any feelings for him, right?

Kushina realizes that I'm deep in thought, and chuckles so herself quietly. "It's okay to like boys, Naruto. I know you haven't been focused enough on romantic relationships, and so I've never been able to tell you about how I'd feel if you were to fall for a guy. Just know that no matter who you fall for, of any gender or color, I'll always love and support you and your relationship. And I'm sure Minato would too."

"Thanks mom," I murmur as I peer down towards my dress shoes and smile warmly. It gives me a lot of clarity to know it's okay for me to feel this way if I'm romantically interested in Sai. But it doesn't help me to find out if I want him to be my partner, or if a just care about him at a friendship type level.

"Someone said my name?" my father asks as he swings himself out of the hallway and into the living room. He looks at my mom with a sparkle in his eyes that I've never noticed before as he pulls her close to give her a kiss on the cheek. Kushina giggles and examines the classic suit he's wearing. "You look very handsome, Minato."

My father smiles shyly and fixes his pocket square. Afterwards, he eyes the flattering white dress my mother is wearing with diamonds around the collar and quartz jewelry to compliment it. It makes her blue eyes and bright red hair more noticeable. "You look very beautiful yourself, Kushina."

I peer back and forth between my parents staring at each other and blushing. They've been together for so long, and they still love each other the same. I've never realized how precious their relationship is, and how rare and delicate a love like that must be. It makes me want a love like that: one that's inseperable.

Suddenly, the beaming of headlights shine through the windows of our house. Minato looks out the living room window and observes a classy silver Porshe rolling into our driveway. The roof of the car is down to reveal Sai dressed in a black oxford and a maroon colored bow tie. "Are you ready, Naruto. It looks like Sai is here," my dad remarks.

I smile my famous smile and show off my teeth. "I'm more ready than I'll ever be, ya know?!" I pick up my cello case off the ground and begin to trample towards the doorway. No matter how many years I've been playing the cello, I still have trouble carrying it's weight around.

"We'll meet up with you at the mayor's house soon! We're very proud of you, Naruto. Oh, and tell Sai to drive safe on the way there, ya know!" my parents take turns yelling at me, and wave goodbye as I exit the house.

Sai puts a small smile on his face and squints his eyes when he catches a glimpse of me in my suit. He unlocks his car doors and allows me to hop into the passenger seat. I lay my cello down on the floor in the back to keep it secure. "Wow, this car is super hot, ya know?" I examine the pale leather seats and oak wood dashboard. "I want one like this someday. I got a Mitsubishi, but it isn't super special and fancy like this."

He giggles at my admiration for the Porshe as we begin to exit out of my  dirt driveway. We pull out onto the street and begin to drive towards Western Osaka, where the mayor's mansion is.

"Well hello to you too, Naruto."

○●○

We arrive at Lady Hyuga's mansion and a valet employee opens my passenger door for me and allows me to exit towards the entrance of the household. Then, Sai hands his car keys to him so the valet can park his car in the parking lot quite a distnxce from the house. Sai swerves around the car to greet me, and shocks me as he takes hold of my hand. I turn my face away from him so he can't see my reaction to his affection.

"Naruto-kun! Sai-kun!"

Hinata smiles beautifully as she rushed down the steps of her aunt's mansion in high heels and a long black dress with crystals embroidered around her collar and the bottom. Her hair is curled and tied back into an up-do. A pink-haired girl holds her hand and runs beside her in confusion. Her hair is short and straight, and her red dress and heels remind me of the color of rubies.  Shikmamaru and Neji trail slowly behind her to meet up with the two of us.

I let go of Sai's hand quickly so the others couldn't see. He makes no reaction to me ripping my hand away, but I can feel that he's dissapointed.  "Hinata! It's freezing out here! Let's go inside where it's warm, ya know?! I'm sure none of us want to stand out here anyways."

"He's right. Being out here in the cold is a drag," Shikamaru remarks, reaching for the back of his head to scratch his neck. "Besides, you guys gotta meet the people from other highschools and businesses from Osaka. That's the whole point of having this party every year I guess."

Neji stands besides his cousin and the pink-haired chick once he catches up to them. "My mother wants to speak with you about your performance as well, Naruto. You're going to be a hot topic this evening."

The girl next to Hinata snickers and blushes as she murmurs to her, "I know who I'm going to talk to tonight. Sasuke-kun! Him and his brother actually came, along with Suitgetsu Huzuki! What a dream!"

My eyes widen and my lips part slightly in surprise. "Hey, you! Do you know Sasuke Uchiha? I got him for my secret santa and I know nothing about this guy! Help me out here!"

Hinata smiles. "Naruto-kun, this is the girl I told you about the other day, Sakura Haruno. She's got a liking for Sasuke. Besides, it's the night of the party and you haven't gotten him a gift yet?" The rest of my friends gasp, and Sai laughs quietly under his breath. He can't help himself sometimes, I swear.

"Baka! I haven't had the time to, alright? I've been practicing my cello piece for weeks just for this one night, and I haven't found anything!" I turn away from my friends in dissapointment in myself and look at my shoe laces. "I'm sorry Neji, Hinata. It's hard for me to get a gift for someone I don't even know."

Hinata and Neji exchange glances, then follow their eyes back to me. "I'd be willing to give up one of my own belongings for you to use as a gift, N-Naruto," Hinata stutters as her face turns bright red. Sakura giggles at her in response.

My eyes widen in cheer. "Thanks so much, Hinata! I don't know what I'd do without you sometimes, ya know?!"