"Oh no, this isn't happening. This can't be happening. Why now when I need money the most?" Umino Iruka screeched as he was reading a letter in his hands. He tried to re-read it again and again just to make sure it wasn't a dream. Yes, a slow-motion nightmare that is popping in front of his eyes.
"Wuka-chan, whatsh wong?" Iruka jumped back and turned to see his five year old brother, Naruto, rubbing his eyes to shake off bits of slumber from his big blue eyes. Iruka smiled at him kindly, hoping Naruto would flash him a big smile and go back to bed.
"It's nothing, Naru-chan. Just go back to sleep. It's no big deal." Naruto's brows furrowed and pouted his lips. "Don't you wuv me anymow?" he asked, eyes glowing from unshed tears.
"It's not that Naru-chan," Iruka answered lamely, "It's just a little problem, and by little, I mean teeny tiny problem," he added, making a gesture with his thumb and forefinger to emphasize tiny. Naruto smiled brightly and held his arms out to Iruka.
"Big hug!" Naruto exclaimed, while Iruka chuckled at his younger brother's antics. He scooped Naruto to his hands and hugged him tight. He tickled and did funny faces at Naruto, while the blond giggled and laugh hard. Iruka lowered Naruto to the floor and handed him Kyuubi, the blonde's fox plushie given by their parents. "Go back and take a nap, okay?"
Naruto went back to his room and closed the door quietly. As he heard the door closed shut, Iruka combed his fingers through his brown wavy locks. This is bad. He doesn't know what to do now. The money inherited from their parents is gone. Zilch. Zero. Dammit, how can it be gone? Especially when he hardly touched it unless for emergencies.
"Without that money, how can I survive? How can Naruto survive? We're not able to afford this apartment anymore! I am a scholar, which is fine, but what about Naurto? He's just about to start grade school, and I don't have money for school supplies, tuition, and miscellaneous fees. Argh! What am I going to do?" Iruka went on blabbering and blabbering about potential events that may happen in the future. His job can't even support both of them.
Ever since their parent's died when Naruto was four, Iruka has made up his mind on raising his younger brother on his own with his foster parent's money. Namikaze Minato and Kushina aren't his biological parents but they have cared and loved Iruka ever since his real parent's died from a plane crash. They were the closest thing to family and they even saved every single penny for both Naruto and Iruka. How could he support Naruto now when the bank gave them a notice that his adoptive parent's money are paid for their debt? And what debt are they referring?
'I'll have to work harder and start looking for two more jobs. That way, Naruto could go to school at ease,' Iruka mused to himself. Since he worked part time at his university, maybe he could start on that fancy club across the street that Raidou has been telling him about.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-00-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
"Okay, you'll start as the bartender, Umino-san," the honey-haired man told him. Iruka tried his best to smile. "Wakarimashita, Genma-san. I'll do my best."
"Okay, Gambatte. We'll be opening in a few minutes so be ready." Genma walked upstairs and closed the door from his office. Iruka released the sigh that he has been holding inside him. "Yosh! Gambarimasu! For Naruto!" he cheered to himself, causing Raidou to laugh.
"Ah... Brotherly love... So touching," Raidou dramatically spoke when Iruka threw to him a wet rag from the counter. Iruka chuckled as he heard Raidou muttered about him being a mother hen. Waiting for the doors to open, Iruka wiped the counter with another clean rag. 'This is all for Naruto,' he said to himself.
As the club started to be filled with people, Iruka had served 23 drinks within 15 minutes. He had to admit that he was pretty good at this job. Some women have been flirting on him for a while, but he still remained a professional smile as the women hit on him.
Two hours have flown by until he heard a familiar voice calling him. He spotted Anko, one of his good friends, approach him with three other people. When they reached the table, Iruka took a good look at his friend's companions.
"This is Sarutobi Asuma..." Anko pointed to the man with tan skin and black hair, wearing a red button down polo shirt and black jeans. He had a cigarette in his lips and gave a friendly wave to Iruka. "... This is his wife Kurenai," Anko pointed again this time to the woman beside Asuma with fashionably wavy dark brown hair with crimson eyes. She was wearing a simple black tube dress under a white jacket, paired with black pumps. As he looked at the other man, his eyes widened slightly.
If the couple were good-looking, their other companion was drop-dead gorgeous. He has silver hair that shined under the neon lights of the club. He has one gray eye while the other eye was covered by an eye patch (Okay, weird…). He was wearing a navy blue polo and acid-washed jeans. Iruka didn't notice that the man was also staring at him.
"And this is their friend, Hatake Kakashi. Everyone, this is my childhood friend, Umino Iruka." They greeted each other with polite bows and ordered a drink. Iruka performed the drinks ordered and chatted with the group. He had fun talking to the three, while Kakashi stayed silent except when he made few remarks. As time passed on, the couple and Anko asked Kakashi if he wants to go home. He answered a polite no and thanked the trio for a wonderful time.
"Ja ne, Kakashi. See you on Monday," Anko said in a sing-song voice. Kakashi remained seated on the bar stool while gazing at Iruka. Iruka decided to break the silence. "Umm, anou... Is something wrong Hatake-san?" Kakashi gave him an unreadable look.
"Everything's fine. Why do you ask, Iruka-san?" Iruka flinched at the semi-cold voice that just muttered to him. Iruka shook his head and gave a fake smile. "I'm sorry. It's just that you seem to be annoyed now that we are alone in this counter. You may finish your drink first, and then you may leave." Kakashi snorted. "I've had enough alcohol for the evening. Here's your tip," Kakashi said, taking out his leather wallet from his pocket.
"Thank you very much! It would really help me alot, although I'm not asking much," Iruka said brightly. Kakashi took a bundle of one hundred bills, which caused Iruka to panic a little. "How much?" Kakashi asked.
"Umm, even fifty bucks would be fine, Hatake-san." Iruka was grateful for even a twenty, but a hundred? That's way too much to take from a person. Kakashi just grunted and gave him the whole bundle. "That's one thousand dollars," Kakashi stated.
Iruka nearl gaped. One thousand freaking dollars? For oolong tea, apple martini, a few shots of sake, and ginger ale? He could practically buy a whole month's grocery supply, pay the apartment rent, and some new stuff for Naruto! "Umm, I can't accept this..." Iruka said softly, trying to find his voice. Kakashi just chuckled gently. "I earn ten times more than a thousand bucks, Iru-chan."
"That's not the issue," Iruka muttered, while ignoring the Iru-chan nickname. I mean, come on! No one can earn more than a thousand bucks in just three hours. "Well, I could give you the nine hundred dollars back, and-"
"That won't be necessary. You can have the whole bundle, and it would be fine. Don't worry about it. I think you really need the money," Kakashi interrupted gently. Iruka blushed slightly and nodded. This is just plain embarrassing...
"Iruka! You're shift is over! You may come back tomorrow!" Raidou yelled from the office. "Arigatou, Raidou! Stop drinking too many shots, okay?" Iruka yelled back. The brown-haired man looked at Kakashi and bowed politey. "Thank you very much for the tip, Kakashi-san. Sayonara." And with that, Iruka left off.
A/N: I have made a KakaIru fanfic! I was working on this but I kinda stopped halfway, not thinking what may happen next. But this is quite good I must say.
Don't you think Naruto is so cute? Aww… I could just gobble him up! *^_^* I'll do my best to make another chapter. ^^