4 days ago.

"Please please, old man! Can I work here. I promise that I will be the best employee you'd ever have!"

The older male laughed at the teen in front of him. Watching him groveling on the floor as if his life was on the line. He did owe the boy for he is his number one customer.

"Naruto, that would make you my only employee, besides my daughter. But it's not like I would say no to you in the first place; get up."

Naruto's eyes sparkled with gratitude, and he smiled brightly.

"Thank you Teuchi, you won't regret it! When can I start?"

"Right now!" he laughed out in glee.

Magically, he threw Naruto an apron and smiled at the dumbfounded look on his face, but nonetheless, he started working, paying close attention to his orders and directions, making sure he remembered anything; and everything, and when needs be, even asked for help here and there.

'He looks more focused now than when he's eating ramen.' The old man chuckled.

*
*
*

"He really is living up to his promise." Teuchi whispered to himself, seeing as the young man before him cleaning tables, washing the dishes, and taking a few orders; then repeating the process.

The older male smiled.

'And to think, he's only been working for a few days, and acting like this has been his job for years.' he chuckled to himself.

"Father, here's another order. "

He snapped out of his thought as his daughter passed him a piece of paper.

Taking it, he memorized the order and started preparing the noodles accordingly.

"Oh, it's about that time! Bye old man, see you tomorrow!" Naruto quickly put away his apron and rushed out the small restaurant, leaving the two confused.

*-*-*-*-*

I was on my way to my second job, after working at Ichiraku's with the old man, I help stock at a nearby market not so far from where I live. Since Ichiraku's also isn't far from my place, I can just walk to both places.. Or in my case run, because of my tight schedule.

I work at Ichiraku's as soon as I get home from school, which is around 4:10, and my shift ends at 7. After that I take on night shifts at QuickyMart from 7:05 to 10:30, which is when it closes. So out of the whole day I'm basically working 6 hours.

This is every week day.

On the weekends I'm planning on taking extra shifts, but since it's the weekend both places close earlier. So I'm also planning on finding another job too.

Today's Friday, and I don't get my check til another week from now.

Sigh.

"Who knew working would be so hard." I complained as I rushed to throw on my uniform in the back.

Now that I think about it, I've never had to work because of the money my parents left me. I have basically been using that money to make a living, but I was also saving it..

For college.

I knew that's what my parents would have wanted.

But..

I shook my head to get rid of my thoughts.

"No time to be thinking about that. I have a job to do, besides this was my choice." I reminded myself quietly.

.
.
.

Once my shift was finally over I walked back to my place, feeling tired and drained.

Once I reached the doorsteps to my apartment, I've seen a familiar figure standing by my apartment door..

"Sasuke?" I questioned.

"Where have you been, dumbass?! I've even called your phone!"

"Someone misses me." I joked with a smile. He smacked my head as I grabbed my key from my pocket to open the door.

We both walked in and I immediately fell to the couch while he leaned against the wall.

"Yes babe, you wanted something?" I laughed while I saw the cringed look on his face.

"I'm kidding! I've been working that's all."

He quirked an eyebrow.

"You? Working? Since when? I didn't see this on the news." he joked.

"Whatever."

"Naruto. The last time I checked you didn't need to work."

I shrugged and waved it off, turning my head to the side.

"Don't tell me.. This was your plan? To work your ass off until you die from exhaustion! Naruto I came here to check up on you because I've noticed that you've been looking sleep deprived."

"Are you done Sasuke?" I rolled my eyes. It was rhetorical, he knew it, but kept going.

"Are you going to be working tomorrow too?"

"Yes Sasuke. What am I supposed to do huh?! I'm not going to sit here and wait like the rest of you! In order to get out, she needs money right? Well I've decided to work it off. What did you expect, some extraordinary plan where I magically free her and we run away!? This is real life Sasuke! I have to do this, and if working my ass off is the way to go, then I'll do it."

"But she wouldn't want you to die from doing it! Naruto how are you supposed to work if you're keeping your body from resting? Why do you always insist on doing things alone! I could have helped you, you know! I don't want to sit around doing nothing either.. I've been working too.. "

The room became silent. We were both having a staring contest with the floor.

"Since when?" I finally spoke.

"A few days before the trial."

I looked up confused, I was about to speak but he cut me off, looking at me.

"You had to known she was going to be guilty right."

My eyes widen.

"Let's face it Naruto. I kind of figured that she wasn't going home free just like that."

"But-"

"No buts Naruto. The odds were weighed too heavily against her, after knowing that they found a witness, I knew that it was over." he admitted. "I'm not going to lie though..some part of me was hoping that I was wrong, but like you said before: this is real life." he air quoted the part I said.

"Did you get your check?"

"I get two-hundred, eighty every Saturday. I only work four days out of the week."

"That won't be enough."

"No shit."

I glared at him.

"Listen Naruto, I may not be working as hard as you, but that doesn't mean my efforts are any less than yours."

I didn't argue, because I knew he was right.... as always.

"I received my first check two weeks ago, and my second last week; I'm getting my third check tomorrow so that means altogether I will have $820. Think of it this way, that's already more than half a thousand in only 3 weeks. There are 4 weeks in every month; I should have over a thousand in 3 more weeks, and that's only in the short span of two months."

I stared at him, nodding my head, but he rolled his eyes at me.

"You know that's too much math, even for me." I admitted.

"You're an idiot." he breathed out. "I. will. get over. one-thousand dollars. in two months." he summed up what he said before all while emphasizing the words he knew I would understand.

"Oh! Why didn't you say that instead of giving me a math problem?!" I argued. He just rolled his eyes. "So that means in four months, you will have over two-thousand!"

"That's basic math Naruto." he stated sarcasticly. "We should put our money together." he stated.

"Yeah, then it will go quicker." I agreed.

"Just because it's the weekend doesn't mean you should work harder. You still have homework from this week you need to catch up on dumbass."

I paled. I forgot about homework being a thing.

"Eh I still-"

"No Naruto, you're on the edge on this one. You are seriously failing. Why don't you just get an exception from the teachers to do your homework on the weekends, they should know that you live alone and working so I'm sure they will let you turn in assignments a little passed the due date. Then you have a whole five days of working your ass off. You need to take it easy."

"Or." I started. "I could work for three to four hours on the weekends and still have time for homework."

"Did you not hear what I said!"

"Of course I did."

"You are a procrastinaing little shit, how are you going to do homework last minute if you're exhausted."

"I need a tutor." I gave in.

"Don't even look at me."

"Do you think-?"

He stared at me confusedly, waiting for me to finish what I had to say.

"Think what?"

"I know who to ask."

"Is it Sakura?" he asked, but I shook my head no.

"We need to ask someone who's just as upset with this as we are, and we can get them to cooperate that way."

He quirked his brow, then nodded. I just figured that he knew exactly who I was talking about.

Hopefully this works..