Surviving Konoha High

Chapter 3

After half an hour of misreading directions, I finally found the mall. Once I had arrived I was internally scolding myself at how I could've missed it. It was a huge open mall, fairy lights connected the buildings, lighting up what seemed to be a festival. I wandered around looking for the camera shop, taking a mental note to take pictures of the festival once I got the camera.

It hadn't been relatively hard to find, 'Clear Pixel Konoha', a cozy shop tucked into the corner of the mall. That was where I had found my haven, a range of cameras and lenses I was practically drooling over, displayed everywhere I looked. Not to mention they'd let you test out cameras.

I cursed the world for making everything so expensive as I stared at the price tag of the latest model. Once I realized how someone in all black baggy clothing (covering up most of their face might I add), staring at the most expensive item in the store would be alarming to employees, I got the camera I came for and paid, leaving before I started overthinking my every gesture. Taking a mental note to ask a local what the festival was celebrating, I walked to the mall square.

Everything seemed to glow in the moonlight, the atmosphere that the fairy lights brought reminded me of the floating lantern festivals with my parents. I sadly smiled at the thought while I took my new camera out so that I'd capture the memory.

As I wandered aimlessly around the mall, I found myself immersed in the pictures I was taking, not paying attention to my surroundings I took pictures of food, trees, lights, fountains, dancers, animals, practically everything that came to sight. I was so caught in a trance until someone bumped into my shoulder.

I was standing in the middle of a crowd.

I developed a sudden hypersensitivity to my surroundings as I struggled to escape. I felt claustrophobic as my breath hitched. The mask that once offered me comfort now seemed to strangle me.

My instincts were telling me to get out, I saw an opening in the crowd and dashed, focusing on the feeling of my feet pounding against the pavement. I got away from the festival and focused on calming my jagged breath.

Realizing I probably looked like a madman suddenly sprinting to an alley, I was glad no one would be able to recognize me. I faintly registered footsteps approaching me but ignored it, keeping my head down. I assumed they were passing the alley to go to the festival until they stopped right in front of me.

' Ahhhh. Fuck.'

I was torn between emotions. On one hand, I felt fear rising within me at the all too familiar situation. On the other, I wanted to chuckle at the tragedy that is my life. Nevertheless, my brain seemed to choose fear and my hands began trembling at my sides. I clutched my bag tighter while I lifted my face up to get a better look at the people in front of me.

I didn't get the chance to meet their eyes before I was shoved into the wall and my bag was snatched from me. I clutched my throbbing shoulder at the harsh impact with a pipe in the wall. I felt a liquid slither down my hand as the pain echoed through my bones.

My ears were ringing and my breath started getting more and more strained. The walls in my head were caving in as I faintly heard their demands echoing in my brain. My mind was hazy and couldn't understand what they were saying.

I felt myself being grabbed by the neck and lifted from the ground pushed further into the wall. I struggled for breath and clawed at the firm grip of the hand that was clasped around my neck. I could see their mouth moving but I couldn't hear anything. My vision started getting blurry, my throat was burning, my shoulder might as well have been dislocated, not to mention the pain of a fist practically flattening my abdomen.

'This is it huh?'

A flash of black appeared from the shadows, fist colliding with the person that was holding me. I fell to my knees coughing and trying to regain my breath once more. I slowly sat up feeling a rush of adrenaline in my body while slowly regaining my hearing, the faint noises of the festival buzzing in the background tuned back in.

A hand appeared before me, making me involuntarily flinch and back away from. That was until the person squat in front of me.

I was stunned.

A lean figure, Black hoodie, hat, and a mask covering the majority of their face. At first glance, they looked like another burglar

"Are you okay?"

Their voice was so beautifully deep and raspy. Dark blue hair accented by black kind eyes that were staring right into mine. Eyes that were like a void taking you captive, their eyes-

A finger snapped in front of my face.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Kind eyes turned to worried eyes as I quickly got up and broke the trance. I mentally slapped myself. I couldn't embarrass myself in front of them. I planned a cool remark of 'Just peachy', then I'd smile get my stuff and leave.

What came out however was a flustered, stuttering mess of 'yeah' as I fumbled around trying to get my stuff. I had forgotten about my camera until the kind stranger pointed at it's broken and battered figure.

Admitting they accidentally stepped on the camera while delivering a punch to one of the burglars. They vowed to buy me a new one and help me treat my wound. I of course found this to be heroic on its own. While the thought of having them treat my wound flustered me, I still couldn't muster up the courage to ask for their name so I named them 'Void eyes' in my mind. As cheesy as it sounded, in my defense, my mind had chosen to focus on their eyes while we talked about everything and anything, occasionally filling the atmosphere with laughter that made my heart skip a beat.

Their clothes mirrored mine but theirs somehow managed to look more attractive.

'How could baggy clothes make someone look attractive?'

Slender long fingers dressed my wound. I involuntarily winced at the stinging of the alcohol but Void eyes was there assuring me everything would be fine. Even though I had just met them, I felt so safe and relaxed around them. Alarmed by this, I managed to convince myself I had just been touch starved and ignored the thought.

After the last stop at the camera shop, I took a picture with void eyes. We were both in our masks and still practically strangers but it felt important to capture the memory. Our final goodbyes had been said and we had parted in different ways in the cold night; the warmth of their hand lingered on my wound, protecting it from the harsh world.

Unknown to him, "void eyes" would later turn into a central part of his life, for better or for worse, Sasuke Uchiha would be a key person in Naruto's life.