1 Going far
I drive over two cents an hour. Normally it helps me calm down, but this time it's far from the case, I still want to explode something so angry I am.
My hands tighten on the steering wheel, and my vision becomes more and more red.
The scenes that I desperately try to forget keep coming back to my mind.
Fourteen hours earlier ...
I have always preferred showers over baths. And that's normal, I'm someone who never manages to stay quiet for long. I love the hot water flowing over my skin, the well-being that overwhelms me, the feeling of security ... the not very innocent thoughts that often cross my mind ...
-NARUTO UZUMAKI, IF YOU DON'T GET OUT OF IT RIGHT AWAY, I SWEAR YOU WILL REGRET IT!
This voice has always made me jump. Always ! This is my mother, Kushina Uzumaki. For me, she's the most beautiful woman in the world, but also the scariest.
Yes, my mother scares me very, very much. Even my girlfriend doesn't scare me that much. And I can say that my girlfriend is scary!
After getting dressed, I quickly get out of the bathroom, a little frustrated ...
As I open the door, I am faced with the worst picture that exists to date.
My "lovely" mom is standing in front of me, her eyes glistening with anger and red hair fluttering in the air.
She walks up to me, and I step back with every step she takes. I swallow hard.
I end up with my back to the wall, and no longer find an escape.
She pulls my right ear. Strong.
-HOW LONG ARE YOU STAYING THERE? NOT ONLY YOU WASTE HOT WATER BUT YOU WILL BE LATE! WHEN WILL YOU BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT OTHERS?
-D-sorry mom! I replied in a very small voice.
Every other morning, it was always like this… I know that I behave like a spoiled child, and that I have to change, but I am also a real cunt. And the irony is, I got that from my mom.
Maybe that's why we get confused so often, her and me ...
-DESCEND EAT!
I nod and hurry downstairs for my breakfast.
When I get downstairs, I see my father sitting quietly in front of his cup of coffee, reading the newspaper.
I might have inherited my temper from my mother, but my blonde hair, my blue eyes, and my amazing body come from him… Okay, okay, I had to work hard to get that body. But I am very proud of it! Truly !
My father is the Hokage of the city of Konoha, where we live, and of the country of fire. It is the big boss, what!
Despite that, we live rather humbly. We have enough money not to go hungry for a millennium, but big houses and silverware have never been our cup of tea.
But back to my father! He's also the man I admire the most in this world.
How not to admire it? Any man who manages to support my mother to the point of marrying her and having a child with her, deserves respect! She is beautiful, it's true, with her dark gray eyes, her red hair, her peach-shaped face and her well-proportioned figure, but that's not enough to make a man happy ...
I hear the bathroom door close.
-How can you marry such a woman? I teased him.
He smiles.
My dad is also the calmest man I know. And yet he is very strong! Physically and mentally.
In my family, everyone practices a combat sport. Even my mother… In fact, everyone around me knows how to fight. My friends, their parents, and my girlfriend ...
-I remind you that your girlfriend is like her! He retorts.
-But that's my girlfriend!
-For the moment.
I blush violently, and start to eat in silence.
Do I plan to marry her? Yes… But talking about it with my father makes me very uncomfortable.
Suddenly I hear a car honking its horn.
-Hm! I have to go !
-You didn't even brush your teeth.
-Mom is still in the bathroom, it's okay, I have a toothbrush in my bag.
-OK. Have a nice day, son.
- You too daddy!
It was my best friend, Sasuke Uchiha who just called me to take me to college.
I have my own car, but I like to spend the few minutes each morning with him. It's part of my routine, the one that balances my life. And since he never wants to get in the car with me, I have to accept this compromise.
I hear the guard close the gate behind me, as I close the door of Sasuke's Bentley.
-Hi guy !
-Hn.
If he was one of the Seven Dwarfs, he would be cranky. My best friend was a first class snob. He only talks to "those who deserve his attention and are smart enough." Obviously, I am the exception that proves the rule.
I turn to buckle my seatbelt and feel a sharp pain in my back, gnashing my teeth.
Of course, that didn't go unnoticed by Sasuke.
-Do you still have a sore after training yesterday?
-How old are you to continue using the word "bobo", you?
-…
Great ! I was jubilant inside ... Not even, I put on a three-kilometer smile.
Before, he always threw spikes like that at me, but I wasn't smart enough to give them back. This is no longer the case now, and I see that he misses those blessed times when he reigned supreme.
Suddenly, he no longer exercises his "power" too much. Instead, we switched to aikido fights.
We're both black belts so it's fair fight.
And I must admit, it's very weird, but that's how we manage to communicate best, and how we maintain our friendship. Note, there is no other way, I'm friends with Grumpy-Three-Quarter-of-the-Time.
-What is happening ? Sasuke asks.
-Hm?
-Normally, there is no more pipelette than you. But there you are as dumb as a grave.
-…Are you disturbed ?
-Sure ! When something isn't normal, it always bothers me!
-… Are you worried about me?
-…
How I love the room!
-Oh ! My Sasuke has a sensitive background! I almost have tears in my eyes!
-The farm. He threatens me.
I burst out laughing, then shut up.
- Seriously, what's the matter?
-… My mother yelled at me this morning.
-She caught you jerking off again?
I blush violently.
-N-no! And it only happened once!
-But admit all the same that it almost happened today.
-… I think she suspected what I was doing… otherwise she wouldn't have screamed so loudly…
Sasuke shakes his head.
-How many times have I told you not to do that in the morning! It attracts attention.
-But it's stronger than me ! And then, inspiration only comes in the morning!
He makes a face.
-Don't say more, I don't want to be your sexual confidant! It's yucky!
-So stop asking stupid questions like that!
- ... Finally, I prefer when you said nothing.
- Me too, here!
And we fall again into a deep embarrassed silence.
Six minutes later, here we are at Konoha University where my friends and I are studying political science, in addition to other fields. It is the best university in the land of fire, and it has a worldwide reputation. Myself, I thought I was hallucinating when I saw that I was admitted there. Because my grades weren't really that great in high school. They improved a lot in their final year thanks to a certain person, but before that they were barely above average.
As it is still early, the doors of the amphitheater are still closed.
We quickly spot our friends, gathered under a weeping willow, our dining area.
There is already Neji Hyuga, a boy with long brown hair, very strange ivory eyes, and a thin, almost feminine face. He is a real genius in management and management. He's a black belt in karate and is very popular with girls… just like Sasuke. You have to believe that thin faces, dark hair and mysterious eyes appeal to women more ...
Next to Neji stands Tenten, his five-year-old girlfriend. She also has brown hair, eyes the same color, and a rather pale face that is very pleasant. She specializes in ballistics and practices Chinese boxing.
To his right was Lee Rock. A fairly picturesque character, who studies ancient history. He has jet black hair cut into a ball, large, innocent eyes, a rounded face, and very thick eyebrows. I call him "big eyebrows".
We were heading towards them when I felt an arm around my neck.
-Hey, man! The boy shouts.
It's Kiba Inuzuka, a guy from my group. His hair is light brown and tousled like mine, his eyes are black, he has a canine tattoo on each cheek, and his canines are sharper than normal. We get confused all the time, him and me. It's even worse than with Sasuke. I don't particularly like him. Maybe it's because, of all my friends, he's the one who looks the most like me ...
- You're early today, "man". The miracle !
- Shut up or I'll throw my fist in your face!
-Watch out, Inuzuka! My aikido is better than your crappy boxing.
-Repeat a little! He shouts.
Suddenly I feel a sharp pain in my neck, then someone pulls me back.
-I hear another word from you two, and I smash your poor heads against a wall! Including ?
-O-Yes. We said.
-I do not hear anything !
-Yes, Ino!
Ino Yamanaka is another girl in our group. She has a bad temper. It is as if she was convinced that her stunning beauty allowed her to do everything ... It is above all that it is a point of honor not to hit women. As difficult as it is.
Ino had light blue eyes and gorgeous blonde hair, and a body… If my girlfriend hears me, I'm going to have a bad day… If Kiba hears me, I'm going to have a bad week… Kiba and Ino have been dating for quite a while.
Ino lets go of us and I gently stroke my neck. I think she pulled out a few tufts of my hair.
-Ino, don't you think you're wrong? Asks a sleepy black-eyed boy with tied hair in the shape of a pineapple. Shikamaru Nara.
- Don't bring her back!
He sighs. He's the smartest guy in the bunch. The laziest, too.
-What's going on here? Asks a girl behind Sasuke.
And there, I forget all my worries.
A sublime girl appears. She has pink hair and emerald green eyes. Sakura Haruno.
I start to smile stupidly, and move closer to her.
-Hi beauty !
She gently returns my smile.
-Hello !
I lean in to kiss her, but at the last moment she turns her head away and I finally kiss her cheek.
-Not in public, Naruto!
Sakura has been my girlfriend for two years. I've been in love with her since I was twelve, but she always rejected my advances. Until the first. At the end of the year prom, I asked her for the umpteenth time. And she finally agreed. At first, I couldn't believe my ears… It was the happiest day of my life.
In addition to being beautiful, she is very intelligent. She is studying medicine. And she's also the strongest girl in the group. She practices free combat.
In short, she is perfect… a little violent sometimes… often even… but I take that as a mark of affection. In public, she's always distant, but she's a modest person, so… She's the one who helped me improve my grade point average.
-Hi guys.
Neji, Tenten and Lee got closer.
-The amphitheater is open. Tenten announcement.
-Shino and Choji are still missing. Note Shikamaru.
-Here they are. Said Ino.
Sure enough, two boys approach us, one with glasses and a big jacket with a hood —Shino Aburame, and the other with a big build and long red hair —Choji Akimichi.
- Good, we are full… I conclude.
We sit in the first row, as usual.
No one has ever dared to sit there since the beginning of the year. This is our place, and no one has had the courage to say otherwise so far.
Admittedly, it's pretty creepy to contradict eleven rich kids who are good at martial arts and the like.
We tried to convince them that we have a good background, and that we would never hurt them, no one believed it… It pains me, even now. We are nice people!
But on the other hand, it's nice to sit in the front row, without having to fight ...
Professor Genma walks in forty-five minutes later, and class begins.
Political science is my favorite field. And the only one, by the way.
Unlike the others, I don't study anything else. Later, I want to become a Hokage, like my father, so I don't find it useful to do a double course ...
Three hours later, class ends, and my friends are getting ready for their respective classes.
For my part, I have the rest of the day off, and I already know what I'm going to spend it on.
When we arrive at the exit of the room, Sakura turns to me.
-How do you come home? She asks.
-Sora will bring me back.
She frowns.
-What ?
-I don't like you hanging out with this guy, I already told you! He's a hacker, Naruto! A delinquent.
-…
I can't say anything, she's right.
I sigh, and pretend to give up.
-Okay, I'm going back by bus.
She has a slight smile.
- Do you promise?
Flute! She got me! She knows that I never break my promises ...
-… Yes, I promise you.
She seems satisfied, kisses me on the cheek and walks away from me.
- See you tonight, okay?
-Okay… I love you! I said.
-Me too.
Once she disappears from my sight, I hurriedly make my way to the central campus garden, where I meet Sora. I promised Sakura that I wouldn't go home with him, not that I wouldn't go see him.
Sora was already waiting for me. He was seated on a bench, set back from the others.
The boy looks a bit like Sasuke: the same black eyes, the same oval face, but Sora has dark blue hair in a square cut and Sasuke has it black and rebellious. The back of his head looks like the back of a chicken ...
I walk over to Sora and sit down across from him.
-Hi guy. I say softly.
-Hi ! That's it, I sorted it out.
-And ?
-You're going to love this one! He said with a sneer.
- Childbirth.
-The Ministry of Defense.
-…
-… What ? You told me you were looking for something to match your talent!
-… But are you completely out of the way or what? Do you want me to hack the country's Defense Department database?
-It's good, you've done a lot worse.
-Not exactly !
Computer hacking is my dirty secret. Only Sora knows about it, being a hacker himself.
Normal people are addicted to drugs, or alcohol, or gambling, we are addicted to that.
A few months ago, I tried to share this consuming passion with Sakura, but she immediately ordered me to stop.
I didn't promise him anything, so I continued in secret. I haven't wanted to talk about it again with anyone since.
The only one who understands me is Sora. But still, it crosses the line!
-I hacked video games, premium accounts and some paid stuff, that's all!
-But you know very well that you're never going to win the contest with that! They're looking for something badass, and this is it!
I'm not responding… Am I really ready to do this? This contest, Sora and I, we dreamed of all our hacker life. But since I'm the best of both of us… and I even believe, of the country, it's me who sticks to it. I risk spending the rest of my days in prison, and goodbye the Hokage post ... But I must admit that the challenge excites me ...
-…OK. I do it. Tonight.
Sora has a big smile.
-Great ! Tell me how it went tonight. And remember, you have less than a minute to extract as much information as possible for the evidence before you get spotted.
-Yes I know.
- Here is the site. Good ! Sorry but I have to go to literature class.
-OK…
- See you, Naruto!
I arrive home a little before noon, and immediately lock myself in my room. I have barely four hours in front of me before my mother returns from her book club ...
I turn on my computer, and connect to the site.
For two minutes, I stare at my screen, motionless.
It's the biggest blow I'm going to do… And I must say that it bothers me as much as it makes me jubilant.
-If I make it out alive, I swear to become a model son and not to masturbate in the morning.
I take a deep breath, and get to work, keeping in mind a mantra: "Less than a minute to take information, less than a minute to take information."
And, like musical notes learned by heart, the codes are formed without much difficulty under my fingers. The strength of adrenaline begins to rise and a sweet euphoria seizes me ... And yes, hacking makes me poetic ...
I have been working for two and a half hours now, and I have bypassed dozens and dozens of fireworks. It's a record, given the complexity of their codes ...
Here is ! I entered !
Less than a minute to take the information.
I download as much data as possible… whether encrypted or not, I don't care, decryption is a snap compared to what I just did.
With shaking hands, I stop the download at the forty-fifth second, and disconnect from the server.
I take a few minutes to realize what I just did… then, I start to jump on my bed, without making a sound.
I was so proud of myself! The contest is in the pocket now!
However, I quickly descend to earth and begin to decrypt the data. A hack without proof is worthless.
It is three o'clock! I finished the decryption… It was much more difficult than expected… I still have an hour before my mother's return… Good! Let's see what we have.
Dodecagon — Schedule
… Dodecagon? Strange as the name of the defense file. What is that ?
When you open it, you can see that it contains two subfolders: Sr and Jr.
I open the Sr, and read twelve other subfolders there:
Ab Sr
Ak Sr
Har Sr
Hyu Principal Sr
Hyu Secondary Sr
In Sr
Na Sr
Nam Sr
Ro Sr
Ten Sr
Uch Sr
Yam Sr
-… Bug, Sora, if you gave me a false link, I'll blow your mouth. I whispered.
Did I spend three hours hacking this?
I sigh, disappointed, but decide anyway to open the Har file at random.
I have before me a text editor with a table, resembling those we see in databases.
Week 1147:
Monday – Thursday: Sable mission.
Friday: Charity evening
Saturday: Mission Cabaret
Sunday: free
Reading the so-called timetable, what Sakura told me a few days ago comes to mind: "My parents are on missions in Suna until Thursday, so maybe you could ask your parents. if you can come and sleep with me? Just to keep me company! "
… And the name of the file: Har Sr… it has the same initials as Haruno…
My heart suddenly begins to beat wildly.
I go back to the previous file, and recognize, one by one, the names.
-Aburame… Akimichi… Haruno… Hyuga… Inuzuka… Nara… ..Namikaze… Rock… Tenten?… Uchiha… Yamanaka…
I decide to open the Nam Sr file ...
Week 1147:
Monday — Friday (day): Functions
Monday — Friday (evening): Frontier mission
My chest tightens painfully. My parents have been away every night since the start of the week. Which allowed me to sleep at Sakura's for the last two nights ...
-What is this mess ?
One thing was certain, I did not enter the Ministry of Defense database.
But then where did I fall?
… In the dodecagon?
I remember then that there is yet another file, the Jr.
There, I start to tremble. Could it be…?
I open the folder, and see ten folders:
Ab Jr
Ak Jr
Har Jr
Hyu Secondary Jr
In Jr
Na Jr
Ro Jr
Ten Jr
Uch Jr
Yam Jr
Fearing the worst, I first open the Ab Jr.
Week 110:
Monday — Friday (Day): Class
Wednesday (Evening): Forest of Death Mission
Saturday — Sunday: Free
… Shino didn't go out with us last night… Is Shino going out tonight?
I decide to continue my investigations while praying that I'm wrong, on Uch Jr. I know Sasuke's schedule by heart. At least I think so.
Week 110:
Monday — Friday (Day): Class
Monday — Thursday (Evening): Patrol Mission
Friday (Evening): Mission Renard
Saturday — Sunday: Mission Renard
… Fox ?
Sasuke and I planned to have a men's night out on Friday night… and spend the weekend together… Was that me the "fox" then?
My throat tightens more and more.
No longer holding on, I open the Har Jr file ...
Week 110:
Monday — Friday (Day): Class
Monday — Thursday (Evening): Mission Renard
Friday (Evening): Free
Saturday — Sunday: Patrol Mission
I am hardly breathing now. Sakura, Sasuke, and the rest of them are… stuff? And my parents too?
How long has this been going on? Did Sakura date me before or after I started this?
Who were these people?
The questions jostle in my head.
I open the files of the Jr section one by one, as if in a trance ...
The words "Course", "Mission", Patrol "," Day "and" Evening "have followed one another indefinitely.
When I finally had the urge to throw up, I slammed the computer shut, and held my head in my hands.
Despite this, the words still continued to scroll, as well as the number 110 ...
One minute, in a year, fifty two weeks ago ...
Sakura and I have been together for exactly two years, a month and a week… Or… 109 weeks…
My heart stops.
-No. I say softly. It's not possible !
I have to put my hand in front of my mouth to keep from throwing up.
No, not that !
I hear my mother shut the front door.
-Naruto, are you home?
I stop breathing. What to do ? Of course, if I pretend nothing has happened, she's not going to notice.
Except that I don't want to pretend at all… I guess I have no choice but to talk to him.
-Naruto?
I go down slowly and see her, putting away her groceries.
-Naruto, my darling, you want to take my shopping out of the car- What's the matter?
I must look really bad for my mother to worry like that ...
-What is the dodecagon? I asked, in a low voice.
It freezes instantly. A long silence follows.
- Where did you see that? She finally said in the same tone.
-What is the dodecagon, mom?
She turns to me, and stares at me, her eyes wide.
I see her slowly regaining control over his body, and walks towards me.
-Come, follow me.
I do as she says. She leads me into my father's office and double-locks the door.
-Naruto, you have to tell me how you heard about this. She orders me.
- I won't say anything until you answer me.
I see her losing patience, but, strangely, she does not enter into one of her black anger.
She finally sighed.
-It's a secret organization from the Land of Fire. It operates in the shadows, and the identity of its members must remain secret, otherwise, it no longer exists.
-…
-It is very important that you do not say anything that you know to anyone, Naruto. You hear me ?
Otherwise, you take the entire land of fire to its ruin!
... It is much worse than the information of the defense, that!
-… I'm going to see Sakura.
- Answer my question first!
- Mom, please! I tell him imploringly. I'll tell you everything when I get back, but I have to go see Sakura!
She didn't say anything. She just nods.
I had trouble driving properly. Fortunately, I arrived at her house safe and sound.
Sakura's house was huge. "Officially" —I can't believe I just said that! —Her father runs a textile business, and her mother is a dentist. Unlike my family, they liked to show off… Just like the rest of my friends…
As I go through the gate, I see her waiting for me on her doorstep.
My mother must have warned her… They were great friends, both of them… It doesn't surprise me anymore.
She looks nervous.
When I reach her height, I immediately guess that she is going to give me her long speech that I never am, but which I always end up adhering to.
This time, I'm not going to let it go.
-No, you listen to me! I say firmly.
She seems surprised by my tone, but doesn't pick up.
-Just answer one question: did you go out with me because you loved me?
-…
She doesn't answer, but her eyes gave me her answer. An answer that I had feared for an hour and a half now, and that tears my heart.
I took a few breaths before turning my back on him.
-Naruto, wait!
-Wait what, Sakura? I asked angrily.
- I had no choice! I had a blanket to keep! She cried.
This answer hurt me even more. Tears come to my eyes.
-Who else knew about this?
-…
-Who else ?
-All the others… the Jrs and Srs.
I hardly breathe.
-My parents too?
-…
-…
-…Yes. She finished, her voice barely audible.
The sky is collapsing on me. I no longer know who I am or who they are.
-It's over, Sakura!
I never thought I'd say that sort of thing to him one day. I always believed that if one of us was going to break up, it would be her.
-You can not do that ! She tries to say.
-Why ? Because it's gonna screw up your blanket? Think again, a couple separating, there is nothing more ordinary! I replied, bitterly.
-No ! Because I love you, Naruto!
I laugh without joy.
-Sure ! Stop paying my head!
-But it's true !
I approach her.
-You don't even know what that means-
And she slaps me.
A long silence follows. I turn slowly to her, and see her, her eyes filled with anger.
… It doesn't work with me anymore. I'm not going to let myself be treated like this again. As hard as it is for me to let go.
I quickly pull away from her and head for my car. Fortunately, she's not holding me back.
I don't know if I'll be able to resist her if she does.
As I enter the house, I see my father and my mother, sitting in the living room.
-How did you find out about the dodecagon? My father asks calmly.
-Good evening to you too-
-Answer my question, Naruto!
It is the first time that I see him also outside of him.
-… I hacked your database, and I came across your schedules.
Their eyes widen, then my father closes them with a painful sigh.
- Do you know what you just did?
- I made a serious mistake, I know. But at this stage, it is rather you who risk big.
He suddenly raises his head.
-What are you implying?
-That I will keep your secret, if you leave me in peace.
-… Do you think you can threaten us like that?
-It's true, I forgot. Your organization matters more than your own son! I say bitterly.
I see sadness in their eyes, but I don't care. This is my impression and I say it.
-OK. What do you want ? My father asks after a few minutes of silence.
-The classes end this week, the final exams are over, and I already know that I am going to the second year. I'm going to dry off and spend the summer somewhere far from here. I won't say anything to anyone, I promise.
-Where are you going ?
-…Far from here. I say softly.
-You come back when ? My mother asks.
-At the end of summer… maybe.
I see a tear rolling down her cheek. Usually, I can't stand to see her cry. This time it is.
-OK. Said my father.
-Well. I conclude. I go upstairs to prepare my things.
This is how I find myself on the highway at eight in the evening, driving excruciatingly fast.
I take a few deep breaths to calm myself down, and my vision returned to normal.
So, in summary, everyone I trusted betrayed me. Starting with my parents. I served as a blanket for my ex, and I was a mission for others.
I'm completely lost. I do not know who I am anymore. And all because of a little computer hacking ...
I slow down and quickly text Sora to tell him that I was unsuccessful, and turn off my cell phone.
I have to go for a long time. To rediscover myself far from it all. I have my savings to survive until October of next year… Will it last until then?
—End of Chapter 1 -
