CHAPTER 5



The next few days were a blur for Tora and Kiya as the shop became very popular with the many shinobi around the village. Many including Izumo, Kotetsu, Gai, Lee, and Naruto came regularly for dinner. The other people they had met came on a regular basis also though not quite as frequently. As Lee came around more Tora lost her edge of meanness and started acting a little more like her normal self around him. Kiya approached Naruto one day asking if he would like to do some work around the shop in return for free meals. He was ecstatic at the opportunity not only for the free food but spending time with his new friends. Eventually the day came for the opening day celebration.
Kiya “Come on sleepy head you need to start decorating.”
Tora “Oh come on Kiya….just a few more minutes.” She mumbled into her pillow.
Kiya “You’re the one that agreed to this party so you need to get up and decorate. I have way to much cooking to do to deal with it.” She replied with a sigh.
Tora “Fine….” she replied getting out of bed.
Kiya “Good. Hurry up and get ready I have a list of stuff you need to get.”
Tora quickly got dressed snatching the list from Kiya and bolting out the door. She quickly returned as Kiya shook her head holding out the money. Tora gave her a sheepish grin and took off. Tora wasn’t to far from the shop when she ran into Naruto.
Naruto “Where are you going in such a hurry? Wait….look who I am talking to….where are you going?”
Tora “I HAVE TO GET THIS STUFF AND START DECORATING!”
Naruto “Oh! I forgot about the party tonight! Did you want any help?”
Tora “SURE! THAT WOULD BE GREAT!” She said as they quickly took off for the market.
They first got the things on Kiya’s list. Figuring it was better to get her stuff done so they didn’t forget about it. Then they went after the decorations. Tora figured balloons and streamers would be the best bet for the party. Naruto quickly agreed. Unfortunately the colors where a different matter all together.
Tora “I THINK WE SHOULD DO GREEN AND BROWN!”
Naruto “NO WAY! YOU NEED TO DO ORANGE AND BLACK!”
Tora “GREEN AND BROWN!”
Naruto “ORANGE AND BLACK!”
Tora “GREEN AND BROWN!”
Naruto “ORANGE AND BLACK!”
“E-excuse me Tora…Naruto…w-wouldn’t white and red be the best?” Said a quiet voice. “I-I didn’t m-mean to listen to your c-conversation but I-I think those would work really well.”
Tora and Naruto abruptly stopped there argument and turned to Hinata.
Naruto “I think Hinata is right Tora.”
Hinata “T-thank you Naruto.”
Tora “I AGREE!” she replied gathering up all of the red and white decorations.
Naruto “Don’t get so excited! I don’t think we need that many.”
Tora looked down realizing how many she just grabbed. She glared at Naruto and put back some of them.
Tora “DO YOU WANT TO HELP US DECORATE HINATA?”
Naruto “Yeah! It would help us get done faster!”
Hinata blushing “S-sure.”
Tora “GREAT!”
Tora paid for the stuff and they went back to the shop. They decided that Hinata would hang the streamers while Tora and Naruto began blowing up the balloons. Tora looked evilly at Naruto and began blowing up the balloons faster. Naruto then picked up on what she was doing and began blowing his stack faster. Soon the floor of the shop was covered with balloons! White on one side red on the other. Tora and Naruto laid amongst them panting.
Tora “I….BLEW….UP….MORE!!!”
Naruto “YOU…DID…NOT….I….DID!!!
Hinata “I t-think there are as many white as red. You guys tied.” She laughed.
Tora and Naruto “NNNOOOO!!!!”
Kiya came out of the back at the exclamation of the two. She looked around at the balloons littering the floor of the shop.
Kiya “Well we certainly have enough balloons now. What are you going to do with them?”
Tora “I THINK THEY LOOK FINE WHERE THEY ARE!!” She shouted exhaustedly.
Naruto “I agree!” He said putting his fist in the air then letting it fall back to the ground causing many of the balloons to bounce in the air.
Hinata “I-I think I will h-hang them on the streamers.”
Kiya laughed at the two laying on the ground and helped Hinata hang the balloons.
Kiya “Well that looks really nice Hinata. I am so glad you decided to help these two. Otherwise this place may never have gotten decorated.” She said glaring at the two still laying on the floor.
Hinata “It was n-no problem Kiya.” Kiya smiled at the sweet helpful girl.
Kiya “So are you guys hungry? I got some stuff ready if you want any.”
At this Tora and Naruto found some added energy and jumped up running for the counter. Hinata walked over and sat between the two.
Kiya “That’s what I thought! Sometimes you two are as lazy as Shikamaru!” She said as she started walking into the back of the restaurant.
Shikamaru “What did I do? I wasn’t even here!” He exclaimed walking around the corner followed by Choji and Asuma.
Kiya just laughed shaking her head.
Kiya “Nothing. These two were just trying to get out doing their work. And, unfortunately they succeeded.”
Asuma laughing “Yep that sounds like Shikamaru alright!”
Shikamaru “Troublesome woman….” He muttered.
Kiya “Sit you three. I was just getting these guys some lunch. You can join them.”
Choji “Right on!”
Shikamaru “Okay…”
Asuma “I could use a bite to eat.”
The three ninjas sat at the counter with the others that were already sitting there. They complimented them on the decorations then started talking about the coming party as Kiya finished preparing there meals. A delivery man showed up with several large boxes. Kiya had him put them over on the raised platform. Everyone was eager to find out what was in the boxes but Kiya made them wait until after they finished eating. Once everyone was served they all sat around the counter talking and enjoying their lunch. There wasn’t any other customers as the shop wasn’t opening until the celebration that night. After their meal the teenagers went over to the boxes that Kiya had the delivery man put on the platform and started to open them.
Naruto “What is all this stuff?”
Tora “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU ACTUALLY BOUGHT ONE KIYA! THANKS!!!”
Choji “But…what is it?”
Shikamaru “It looks like a pain to put together….”
Asuma looked questioningly at Kiya.
Kiya smiling at Asuma “It is a neat little thing we discovered in a little shop in another village. Just wait until they get it hooked up. Tora do you remember how things went together?”
Tora “I THINK SO!”
Kiya “You should they way you were looking over it at the other place.”
Hinata “I-it looks like a big r-radio.”
Tora “IT IS….KINDA!”
They started pulling the big black speakers out of the boxes then came the main unit and a lot of wires. They got out the instructions and start piecing it together. Kiya and Asuma watched them argue about what went where but they stayed out of it. Asuma was smoking and laughing at them. Kiya stole a cigarette or two from him as they enjoyed watching the five of them trying very hard to work peacefully together.
Shikamaru “What a drag…..there that should do it.” He said plugging in the last of the wires.
Kiya “It was suppose to come fully loaded.”
Naruto “That’s what it says!”
Tora “CAN WE TRY IT OUT NOW?”
Kiya “Sure…you need to make sure you know how to run it before tonight.”
Tora “RIGHT ON!!!”
Shikamaru “Are you going to fill us in on what it is or not?”
Choji “Yeah…we did all that work we should know why.”
Tora “WATCH!”
They all watched as Tora turned the machine on and music started playing. She than began singing to the music using the microphone and following the words on the monitor.
Naruto “Why didn’t you say it was a Karaoke machine! Those are so much fun!!”
They all started talking about how much fun this was going to be as Tora turned the music down and let it play. Pushing buttons she discovered how to let the voices through in case no one was singing.
Kiya “Do you have it figured out?”
Tora “IT IS KINDA COMPLICATED BUT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT!!!”
Kiya “Good then it is your job to deal with that thing from now on. I don’t even want to go near it!”
Asuma laughing “Afraid of a little technology Kiya?”
Kiya rolling eyes and chuckling “That is an understatement!” They all started laughing at this comment. Making the couple of people walking in look at them curiously.
Izumo “Looks like you guys are all set-up for tonight.”
Kotetsu “The place looks really good.”
Kiya “Thanks to that bunch over there we are all ready.”
Izumo “What time does everything start?”
Kiya “Well, we will open up at five.”
Kotetsu “Sounds good…that is only a little over an hour from now…”
Kiya “Really? Damn…I better go get ready….I’ll see you guys in a little bit. Tora your in charge!” She said running up the stairs to their apartment. Everybody watched her leave in astonishment. She was never so abrupt.
Tora “THANKS FOR THE WARNING KIYA!”
Asuma “Well I guess that’s our cue.”
Izumo “Yeah…she didn’t wait a second.”
Kotetsu chuckling “Maybe she wants to look good for somebody.”
Asuma “I guess I better go get ready if I want to be back here when they open.”
Izumo “Yep…”
Everybody left saying they would see each other soon. Tora locked up and went up stairs to find out what was wrong with Kiya.
Tora “KIYA WHERE ARE YOU? WHY DID YOU RUN OUT LIKE THAT?”
Kiya “I AM TAKING A BATH! I WANTED TO RELAX BEFORE THE CELEBRATION!”
Tora “YOU DON’T HAVE TO YELL I AM BY THE DOOR!”
Kiya “Sorry I didn’t know you were there.”
Tora “THAT’S ALL?”
Kiya “Yes…I kinda wanted to look nice since it is our opening day celebration. Maybe you should do the same.”
Tora “WHY?!”
Kiya “Maybe you might like to impress someone in particular?” She said fishing for Tora’s true feelings about that one ninja.
Tora “IS THAT WHY YOU ARE GETTING DRESSED UP? SOMEBODY YOU WANT TO IMPRESS? WHO IS IT?!!!”
Kiya “Please Tora you know me better than that. I just thought maybe there was someone that caught your eye.” She said walking out of the bathroom. She had on her bathrobe and was drying her hair with a towel. She looked Tora up and down searching for a clue that maybe she now understood the feelings that she was having toward the young man in the green jumpsuit.
Kiya sighing “Nope….still clueless.” She muttered.
Tora “WHAT DID YOU SAY? I AM NOT CLUELESS!”
Kiya “Trust me you are on this matter.” She chuckled walking down the hall to her room.
Tora “MAYBE I WOULDN’T BE IF YOU WOULD TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!”
Kiya “It doesn’t matter. At least go change your clothes. There all dirty from you laying on the floor earlier.”
Tora “FINE!!!”
“Why would I want to impress anybody….” She muttered to herself. Not comprehending why the only thing on her mind was the young ninja in the green jumpsuit.