Glass Wall | Neji x OC (ON HOLD)

Chapter 7: An Invitation

              "IS THIS THE place?" Izumi asked, looking over at Sakura while pointing at what they assumed to be the art gallery they've been looking for the past thirty-five minutes.

Sakura looked at her phone. "I don't know. Sai said it was on this street, but I don't see any signs," she said. Izumi sighed. "Well, the only way we'll know is to try, I guess." Then, they tentatively walked through the double doors and into the unopened art gallery.

Days after that night, Sai came to Izumi and asked if she wanted to play at the grand opening of a couple artists' art gallery. According to Sai, two guys named Deidara and Sasori are acquaintances with him, and he suggested to the two fellow artists that Izumi play at the opening, to which they said yes.

Izumi was tempted to decline at first, seeing as she was very busy with other gigs already, but when Sai mentioned that Sasori knew her mother, she instantly agreed to perform.

When they were inside, they saw eight people already in there. They all looked at the two.

"Who the hell are you two?" a shirtless man with gray hair asked in a rude tone.

Sakura was already fuming, but Izumi placed a hand on her shoulder and remained professional. "Hello," she said. "I'm Izumi Yamanaka, and this is my friend Sakura Haruno. I was asked to play music at an art gallery on this street. Are Deidara and Sasori around?"

The guy with long blonde hair walked towards Izumi with a friendly smile. "Hello, un," he said as he held his hand out. She shook it politely. "So, you're the violinist Sai recommended, hm? It's an honor to meet you, yeah. Sasori will be here in a few minutes, hm."

Izumi smiled and nodded. "Alright. I can wait."

As she and Sakura looked around the art gallery to pass the time, she noticed all the strange things there. About 95% of the gallery consisted of sculptures and... puppets??

Izumi sweat dropped.

While Izumi and Sakura were still looking around, Sasori had walked in a little late. "I'm here," he said to everyone in his usual monotonous tone as he stepped inside.

"Sasori, my man, where have you been, hm? The violinist showed up fifteen minutes ago, un! And you're the one who said you wanted to meet here, yeah," Deidara said with an irritated sigh, mumbling the last part.

Sasori's eyes widened a bit. "She's here?"

'Izumi Wakuri... I wonder what you look like now after so many years. I wonder who took you. Or maybe you're still alone.'

"Sasori!" Kisame snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked up at him. "What?" he asked. Kisame was prepared to say something, but Pein interrupted him and said it for him.

"How do you know Izumi?"

Sasori was a good liar, thankfully. "I'm just acquaintances with her mother, that's all," he said with a casual shrug. Although it was sort of true, there was still so much of that statement that had dark gray spots.

"Are you Sasori?"

Sasori turned his head and saw Kakazu coming back into the room with two girls behind him. One of them was pink-haired, flat-chested, and had an abnormally large forehead. The other was baby blue-haired with black glasses, and a violin case slung over her shoulder.

'Izumi Wakuri.'

He nodded. "Yes, you must be Izumi Wak-" he stopped himself abruptly. Izumi raised an eyebrow suspiciously, and was about to question his slip up when Pein interrupted.

"It's great to have someone as talented as you here," he said politely with a forced smile.

"Uh, thanks," she replied as she scratched the back of her neck awkwardly.

'She's not ready. Not yet. However, that time must come as soon as possible.'

After discussing the date of the grand opening with Deidara and payments with Kakazu, she was about to walk out before she stopped and turned around. She looked straight at Sasori.

"You knew my mother?" she asked gravely.

'Knew?'

Sasori didn't flinch at her words. Instead, he studied her facial structure and expression and smiled, surprisingly.

"You really do look like Ayumi."

Her expression was stoic and unreadable as always.

'I'm sorry, Izumi. I'll make it up to you.'

"You really do look like Ayumi."