Ch.02: Popularity increases

"You were awesome, TOTALLY AWESOME” Ino exclaimed for the thousandth time.

Kisara giggled and replied “Since we got out of the stadium, you kept on saying it”

“B-but I-it’s b-because y-you w-were r-really g-great” Hinata stuttered.

“And you made so many girls mad. You should have seen the three sluts, they were red in anger” Temari said.

“Great, just great” Kisara mumbled.

“Nah, no worries. If they try to do something to you, they will have to pick a fight with me” Ino said having Kisara in a headlock.

“I-Ino…y-you…k-killing m-me” The pinkette said before Ino released her.

“I have math class. I should be going now” She stated. 

“I h-have m-math too. I w-will l-lead y-you t-the w-way” Hinata stuttered.
“Hey girls, what do you think we go to the mall after school?” Temari proposed.

“Sure why not?” Ino said.

“I’d love to” Kisara said.

“I h-have n-no p-problem w-with t-that” Hinata said.

“Well then see you later girls”

And with that, they walked in different ways. It didn’t take long for Hinata and Kisara to arrive. Luckily, the teacher wasn’t there yet. Both girls sat at the end of the class, next to each other. Of course when they entered, students started whispering about Kisara and the awesome match she gave them.
 

“Oh no! I hate attention so I don’t know why I always attract attention to me” Kisara whispered to Hinata making the Hyūga girl giggle.

“KISARA-CHAN” Both girls looked up and saw Naruto coming with Sasuke.

“Naruto-Kun, Sasuke, hi” She greeted them.

“Thanks again for the help. Without you, I don't think we would have won this match.” He said while sitting on her desk. “Oh hi Hinata” He greeted now noticing her.

Hinata blushed hundred times redder and sharper than she used to. “H-H-Hi N-N-Naruto-Kun” She stuttered. ‘

I see someone has a crush~’ Kisara sang in her head.

“Hinata are you okay? You have a fever? Your face is so red.” Naruto said and touched her forehead only to increase her blush. “Oh my God Hinata, you are burning. You must go see a doctor”

“N-No I-I a-am f-fine” She stuttered.

“Are you sure?”

She nodded. “If you say it so but go see a doctor once” He suggested.

Kisara did everything possible to prevent herself from facepalming.  ‘Can’t you see she has a crush on you?!?’ She thought dumbfounded. 

“Oh by the way Kisara-Chan, we wanted to ask you if after school you can practice basketball with us. Or hang out with us? The whole group wants to know you better.” Naruto said grinning.

“Sorry Naruto-Kun but I already planned on going to the mall with the other girls.” Kisara said.

“That’s where we planned to go. You can all come or they won’t accept?” Kisara shrugged.

“I guess not”

“Cool then, see ya two after school” Naruto said with a grin and walked to his seat followed by Sasuke who showed Kisara a small smile before turning around.
 
“I hope Temari and the others won’t be mad” Kisara said.

“I d-don’t t-think s-so” Hinata stuttered.

Kisara flashed her a mischievous smirk making her raise an eyebrow. “K-Kisara-Chan?”

“Soooo….Lady Hyūga has a crush on the Uzumaki boy huh?” She said making Hinata blushed.

“H-How d-did y-you g-guess?” She asked.

“There’s no way someone wouldn’t realize it….unless they are as blind as Naruto-Kun” Kisara said and added “don’t worry. I promise you that by the end of this year, you will become his girlfriend”

Hinata almost faint upon hearing this making Kisara giggle. Then the math’s teacher who is named as Iruka Imuno came and started teaching. Two hours later who seemed like ages to most of students, the bell finally rang. We could even see some students running out of the class.
 

“It is lunch time right?”

Hinata nodded. “L-Let’s g-go t-to t-the c-cafeteria. T-the g-girls m-must b-be w-waiting f-for u-us” And with that, they walked to the cafeteria.

“You.got.to.be.kidding.me” Kisara exclaimed when they entered with a cafeteria.

She went to many schools and saw different kinds of cafeterias but this one is the best she has ever seen so far. There were millions of billions kinds of foods. It’s like they brought meals from the entire world in a single place. There were lot of drinks too and exceptionally, there were TV screen in each corner, above every table. It was just breathtaking.

“Whoa. Konoha High School isn’t a well-known school for nothing.” She stated making Hinata giggle.

They went choosing their meals and Kisara had even problems choosing. Then they spotted Temari and the others and walked to their table.
 

“Finally! What took you so long?” Ino asked.

“K-Kisara w-was f-fan girling o-over o-our c-cafeteria.” Hinata stuttered.

“Hinata!” Kisara exclaimed making the rest of the groups laugh.

Then the pinkette looked at the TV screen above her and paled.

“Hm…Kisara-Chan, are you okay? You lost your colors all of sudden.” Tenten said.

They followed her gaze and saw that the screen was showing the basketball match she had with Konoha Eleven.

“Please don’t tell me this video is on every screen of this place.” She pleaded.

“Sorry to hurt you Kisara-Chan but everyone is watching” Temari said and it was true. Every pair of eyes were on a screen, watching this awesome match.

“You never told me I was going to be filmed!” She said. 

“It must be the Akatsuki’s doing. They are the ones who usually show basketball matches at lunch time exceptionally when they win but I think this time, they were so impressed by you  that they couldn’t resist the urge to show it to the whole school even if they lost” Ino said.
 

“And look!” Tenten said showing Kisara her smartphone. “They also posted it on the school’s site”

“How terrible!” Kisara exclaimed.

“How awesome!” Ino exclaimed.

“Because Konoha high school is a well-known school, students from other schools always visit the site and they already like the video. You are a hit Kisara-Chan” Temari said.

“I-In o-only f-four h-hours, y-you b-became t-the m-most popular g-girl I-in t-the s-school.” Hinata stuttered.

They looked at the pinkette to see her, black clouds above her head. She banged her head on the table and anime cried. “Please don’t tell me that. Anything but not that.” She mumbled.

“You mean…You don’t want to be popular?” Ino questioned.

“I hate popularity. All my life, I have always done everything on my power to avoid it but as you can notice, it never works” She replied.

At first, they didn’t reply before Tenten mumbled “That’s a relief.”

Kisara looked up curiously. “What’s that supposed to mean?” She asked. “W-Well….w-we t-thought y-you w-would d-ditch u-us w-when y-you w-will b-become p-popular.” Hinata stuttered as low as she could.

Kisara blinked before laughing. The girl looked at her confused.

“What’s so funny?” Ino asked.

“You…really…thought….I…would…ditch….you…..for…..popularity?!?” She said between two laughs.

They looked at her stunned before smiling. “I am sorry.” Temari spoke up. Kisara finally calmed herself and gave her a confused look.

“Sorry for what?”

“For thinking one instant that you were like Sakura.” She replied. 

Kisara looked at them for a while before widening her eyes. “Don’t tell me…” They nodded.

“Yeah you guess it right. There was a time where Sakura was our friend too. Then she became popular and ditched us” Ino explained.

“I knew this girl was mad but I never knew she was that crazy. Friendship is something very special. When you have that chance to call someone your friend, you should treasure that person and not just throw him away when popularity is around. Popularity never last but friendship does. That one of the reasons why I hate popularity. As for me, you don’t have to worry. With friends like you, I know I won’t turned insane enough to become like Sakura” She finished smiling.

The girls had a lack of words. Everything she said was so…..

“The more I spend time with you, the more I appreciate you Kisara-Chan” Temari said and the others nodded in agreement.

“Let’s change the subject now, will you? I am becoming annoyed speaking of Sakura.” Ino said.

“About our trip to the mall, there’s nothing you need to know……”
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Temari. Tenten and Ino chocked on their drinks. “Konoha Eleven is coming too?”

Kisara and Hinata nodded. They blushed and looked away making Kisara smirk mischievously.

“So Hinata isn’t the only one who has a crush on a popular boy. So tell me, who are they?” She asked.

“N-Nobody” They replied.

“T-Temari h-has a c-crush o-on S-Shikamaru N-Nara, Tenten h-has a c-crush o-on m-my c-cousin N-Neji H-Hyūga a-and I-Ino h-has a c-crush o-on S-Sai” Hinata whispered.

“Hinata!” They exclaimed.

“Thank you Hinata. You are a blessing from Heavens. I have to say it: You three have good tastes. I have already heard of those three. Shikamaru Nara is known for being a genius. He has a record for being the youngest person who has ever won Japan’s intellectual competition five following years. Neji Hyūga has a master in martial arts. Konoha martial art’s club won many competitions. And finally Sai. I know him because he has lot of his drawings and other arts in the museum of Konoha City.” Kisara said before smirking again.
 
“It means that I will have to make you, you too become their girlfriends” She said.

“What!?!” They exclaimed blushing making Kisara grin.

“Let’s eat already. Lunch time’s almost over”

They got over their blushes and started eating while chatting about random things. As soon as they finished, the bell rang.

“What do you have next Kisara-Chan?’’ Tenten asked.

“Let me see’’ Kisara looked at her schedule and her face suddenly brightened. “Music! I have music” She said excited.

“Cool, we all have music.” Ino said. “Y-you s-seem t-to r-really l-like m-music K-Kisara-Chan” Hinata stuttered.

“I absolutely adore music!” Kisara exclaimed.

“Let’s go already or else we are going to be late” Temari said.

They left the cafeteria and soon arrived in the music’s class which was very, very big. Nobody was there yet.
 
“See Temari? We could have taken our time or ditch this class” Tenten said making Kisara snap her head toward her direction.

“Ditch music’s class?!?!?! NEVER” She yelled making the girls giggle.

“You really love music huh?” Ino said before shrugging. “Though don’t blame us. Every year, music’s class is always the same.” Kisara raised a curious eyebrow.

“Yeah, she is right. Every year, students make groups and play in front of everyone. At the end, students choose which band they liked the most and it’s either Konoha High School or the Akatsuki which is choosing. It’s becoming boring” Temari said.

“Aww. This mustn’t stop you from playing music. I play music for fun, not for some competition.” Kisara said and sat in front of a piano and started playing and singing:
 

Sakura ga saku yo
minareta itsumo no sakamichi ni
Aa wakare wo
 
The others girls smiled and went on different instruments. Temari took the battery, Tenten took the electronic guitar along with Ino and Hinata took the violin.
 
naite waratta ano hibi
nandaka kinou no koto no you
kono michi ha sou mirai he tsudzuku michi
sonna ki ga shita no
 
reinen yori hayai kaika yosou wo
KIMI ha ureshigatteta
watashi ha waratte “sou da ne” tte itta
ato sukoshi shitara mou koko ni ha modorenai noni
 
kotoba ja umaku ienai omoi wo
KIMI ni uchiakeru to shitara nante tsutaeyou
saisho de saigo itsuka issho ni kaetta michi ha
watashi ni totte tokubetsuna omoide
wasurenai yo
sayonara MEMORI-ZU
haru ga kitara sorezore no michi wo
 
The girls were like in a trance, playing like there’s no tomorrow, no caring of their surroundings. They didn’t even realized that some students started entering in the class.
 
mata aeru hi wo negatte
sayonara chiisaku tsubuyaita
sora ha ano hi to kawarazu aokute
dakara chotto naketa
 
waza to toomawari shita no
sukoshi demo nagaku KIMI no tonari ni itakute
watashi ha odokete “machigaeta!” tte itta
KIMI ha warau sono kao ga mabushikute me wo sorashita
 
kotoba ja umaku ienai omoi wo
mune ni daite kono michi wo aruita
oboeteru ano toki KIMI ha
watashi no namae wo yondekureta
futari yuugure no kaerimichi de
wasurenai yo
sayonara MEMORI-ZU
 
hajimetemita mankai no sakura
are kara dore kurai kawaretandarou
 
 
The class became crowdedly, some were even dancing but the girls weren’t paying attention to them.
 
 
hitome mita toki ni omottanda
kono hito no koto suki ni nari sou tte
nande kana wakannai yo
sore kara no mainichi ha totemo tashikutte
takedo onaji kurai ni tsurakattanda
gomen ne nanka umaku ienai yo
dakara watashi KIMI to nante iu ka
ima no mama sayonara shitakunai no
tomodachi no mama ja mou iya nano
iou to omotteita
watashi KIMI no
KIMI no koto zutto mae kara suki deshita
 
aa yatto ieta
 
 
As they finished the last note, the girls opened their eyes to see the crowd cheering and clapping at them. Kisara and Hinata blushed in embarrassment and his behind Temari and Ino. In the crowd, there were Konoha Eleven and the Akatsuki who were looking at them, impressed. Sakura and her subordinates were thee too and were glared at them. Then they noticed the blonde guy from the Akatsuki, Deidara, with a camera. He grinned and walked away,

“Oh no, please don’ tell me he filmed us.” Kisara said with pure horror.

“I am sorry to tell you that but I think he did.” Temari mumbled.

“FANTASTIC.” A woman spoke up, walking to them.

“Kurenai-sensei?” Ino asked.

“Who is she?” Kisara asked.

“I am your music teacher, Kurenai Yuki and I must say what I heard was fantastic. You all played such a harmony that I can’t describe how I feel. You five perfectly for our new project.” Kurenai said.
 
“New project?”  Sasuke spoke up.

Kurenai faced the class with a small smile. “Every year, you were asked to create a band and performed in front of your friends and teachers. And at the end, the best band was chosen. Many students told us it was becoming boring so we decide to change this year.” She said making lots of students raise an eyebrow curiously.

“This year, it’s going to be a competition between the Five Great High School of Japan!” They all widened their eyes in shock. Then whispered occurred.
 
“Konoha, Suna, Iwa, Kumo and Kiri reunited in one place. That’s a premiere!” Temari exclaimed.

Kisara had heard of those high school. For some reasons, they weren’t getting along at all.

“We have decided that you are all going to do groups and performed in front of students and teachers coming from the Five Great High Schools but also from other schools. At the end, the High school who will have the best performance will be declared as the best High School out of the five great ones and will be proclaimed to have an education that has the ability to increase the student’s creativity and imagination for something better.”
 
“Whoa that’s a title.” Naruto said grinning.

“I don’t see why we are involved though.” Kisara whispered to Temari.

Unfortunately Kurenai heard her and turned to face them. “I have made up a strategy for us to win this competition. Putting our best bands together for a unique band, so a unique performance. Konoha Eleven and The Akatsuki working together is great but putting you in that unique band will make us win for sure."

“WHAT?!?” Kurenai snapped her head to the direction of the noise. It appeared it was Naruto and Deidara who yelled.
 
“WHY SHOULD WE WORK WITH THEM TTEBAYO/HN?” They yelled pointing each other.

“No discussion. Tsunade-Sama already agreed with me. I don’t know why you hate one another but you will work together whether you like it or not.”

Both blondes groaned and looked away in pride. Kurenai sighed before turning at the girls. “I am counting on you to make sure they don’t fight, Okay?”

They nodded reluctantly. “I am so not going to like this” Kisara mumbled.

“Those who want to participate are free to do so. The more the merrier. This is everything I had to say. You are free from now on. Also there will be no music class in order to let you time to rehearse.”

And with that Kurenai walked away. The five girls looked at one another confused.

“Can someone tell me what just happened?” Ino asked.
 
 

.::. .::. .::. .::. .::. .::. .::. .::.

 
 
“I d-don’t t-think I c-can d-do i-it. S-Singing i-in f-front o-of e-every b-body.” Hinata stuttered as they walked out of the school.

“Don’t say that Hinata. I am sure we will do great” Tenten said.

“I don’t really like the idea of singing in front of lots of people but it’s a good thing since it means we will spend more times with Konoha Eleven which is a huge step in my plan making you date with your crushes.” Kisara said with a maniac giggle.

The others sweat dropped. “What’s up with her?” Temari wondered.

“No idea.” Ino replied.
 
“Now that I think of it, you are going to compete against your old school Temari.” Tenten said.

“Oh yeah! I totally forgot” She replied.

“What do you mean?” Kisara asked.

“T-Temari a-and h-her b-brothers w-were t-transferred h-here f-from S-Suna H-High S-School.” Hinata said.

“Brothers? You have brothers Temari?”

Said girl nodded. “Don’t you remember? You’ve played basketball with them though. There’s Kankuro, the one you replaced and Gaara, the youngest, the one who have a red Kanji on his forehead.” She said. Kisara made a long ‘o’ and nodded.
 
“If I recall myself clearly, Sasori, a member of the Akatsuki also come from Suna High School.” Tenten said.

“Something tells me this year is going to be AWSOME.” Ino said punching the air making the girls giggle at her excitement.

“I am sure of something now” Kisara spoke gaining their attention.

“Sure of what?” Temari asked. Kisara looked back at Konoha High

School’s buildings and smiled.

“I am going to like this school…”

Next - Ch.03: This year is going to be awesome