Sitting in a spot that he had grown to love, Kakashi had full view of the village that was home to him and all the people in it. His focus however was on the next generation. The generation he had taught, and was now grown into young shinobi of the leaf village.

At the moment, he had his eye on the fire of his old team. The now respected and arguably the most powerful ninja in Konoha, Uzumaki Naruto. Holding hands with the girl who had always loved him, he was happy that they had found each other finally. Still wearing that boyish grin, he scooped Hinata onto his back and ran across the market place, her blushing and giggling. The crease of his eye implied the big grin he wore under his famous mask...although anyone would assume he was grinning from reading the book in hand.

"Icha Icha Paradise," a voice he knew well spoke from behind him, "I guess it's too late to teach the old dog new tricks..."

"Oh, on the contrary Sakura," Kakashi smiled as his-once-student Sakura sat down beside him on the roof, "I have all the tricks I need to know in this book."

"Oh sensei, still perverted as always."

"Hn. And still roaming around alone as always? You're far too young to be always by yourself, you should be out seeking company of your friends and...the young males who always seem to be needing your attention."

She sighed as she realized he was probably right. "You know though, Sensei, I could say the same for you."

"According to you, it's too late for me."

"It's never too late for love, and I'm spending time with a friend," she grinned, "unless of course you wanted me to leave?"

"Of course not Sakura, you're company is much pleasured..." he sighed as he closed his book. It wasn't that he minded Sakura there, just he always found being alone with his favourite book were few of his most comforting moments.

"Kakashi-Sensei?"

"Sakura, how many times do I have to tell you? I am no longer your sensei, you don't have to call me that."

"I know...it's only out of habit..."

"So what is it?"

"I was wondering..."

"Hm?"

She fiddled her fingers in a way he remembered from their first years as Team Seven...her Sasuke-fanatic years. "Well, I...uh...have nothing to do tonight...and I was wondering if you would like to keep me company and have dinner later...?"

"Dinner...? Sakura...are you...asking me on a date?" The thought of his student...who was fourteen years younger than he was...asking him out on a date, just didn't work in his mind.

"Oh no, Sensei, not at all," she smiled, "I was just seeking some company, but if you're too busy..."

He looked at her with his lazy expression, well this was the first time he had talked one on one with one of his students in a while...he recalled the last time he had had Ramen with Naruto...

"Sensei! I have some GREAT news to share with you!" The always enthusiastic Naruto shouted as his Ramen was placed in front of him and Kakashi.

"Hn...and what is this? Something about a certain Hyuuga heiress am I guessing...?"

He grinned a big one as he put his thumbs up in approval, "YES-SIR, I can't BELIEVE that she liked me, and she says she liked me all this time! I can't believe I didn't see it!"

Kakashi smirked, it wasn't surprising that being dull and all Naruto hadn't noticed a most obvious crush from the Hyuuga girl, but she had indeed liked him from as far he could remember. All the more, Kakashi was happy for Naruto. "Well then, how about we eat to celebrate?"

"I AGREE."

Just over a year since then, Naruto usually reserved his dinner dates with the beautiful Hinata, Kakashi remembered briefly having a quick lunch with the both of them but that was the last he could remember, and so far...nothing with Sakura. "Alright Sakura, where do you want to meet?"

"Really?" She hoped she didn't sound too desperate. She really didn't mean anything by asking him out to lunch, but for some reason being alone again tonight didn't really appeal to her. Perhaps Ino-pig's words about her being single and alone were finally getting to her.

"Of course, how could I say no to one of my favourite students."

She blushed, compliments were seldom from Kakashi. "How about we meet at Saforas...? I heard they make excellent dumplings..."

"Saforas is fine, around seven?"

"Seven would be perfect."

"Alright, well I best be going Sakura, I'll see you then."

Sakura smiled as he jumped off the roof then dissapeared in a cloud of smoke. She did the same, except decided to walk through the market and pick up some groceries. Her refridgerator was looking empty due to the fact that she lived alone and almost never ate due to her grave yeard shifts at the hosiptal.

On the way to the fruit section, she saw a beautiful sequined purple mini-dress in the shop across the street. It caught her eye immediately...

No she thought, I don't need a shirt. But she hadn't realized that she was already up against the window looking at it, and decided maybe she should try it on... She never bought anything for herself usually, and it was about time she got something nice to wear.

Inside the change rooms, she almost stopped breathing when she saw herself in the mirror. She never thought she was ugly...well excusing a few down times in her adolescent years... Yes she wasn't as curvy as Ino, definitely not full busted like Hinata, and she didn't have long chesnut brown hair like Ten-Ten...when her hair was down anyway...but the girl in the mirror shocked her. The dark amethyst colour complemented her skin tone and made her emerald eyes pop against the colour. The asemmetrical cut flowed down her body in such a way making her chest look fuller, and cutting just mid above her knee, accentuating her derriere and making her long, slim legs look even longer. She even gasped at how beautiful she was...and with make up, accessories, her hair done up and...heels... She couldn't imagine how amazing she would look. She thought about what Kakashi might say if she wore this to dinner...Saforas was a nice enough place, and she did look so beautiful she had to admit herself.

She re-thought about it over and over again, but somewhere she already knew she was buying it. It was expensive, but she had enough money. And she worked damn hard for it.

As she brought the dress and the hanger to counter of the fancy dress shop, the cashier gaped as she took the tags off the dress. "This dress really is beautiful," she smiled, "I'm sure it'll look amazing on you."

Sakura smiled back to her. You're right...she thought. Right then she felt a tap on her back. "Sakura?"

"Ino-san," the cashier smiled.

"Oh...Mamoko-Chan," Clearly Ino was in here a lot. "I'm not buying anything today, I just came in because I saw Forehead in here!"

Sakura blushed at her dreaded nickname...in truth she really didn't mind anymore that her forehead was larger than average, but everytime Ino called her that it couldn't help but bug her.

"You're actually buying something!"

"Yes, Ino-Pig. I do shop from time to time."

"Yeah, but when was the last time you bought something..." she picked up the dress while Mamoko added the price and taxes, "...this nice! Oh my god, Sakura...this is gorgeous...does this mean..."

Sakura sank into the back of her head, she knew the question coming.

"YOU FINALLY HAVE A DATE?"

And here it came. The Where? When? Who! When? Where...WHO?

"Yes, I have a date Ino."

"With who?" Clearly she didn't believe her.

Sakura thought about this concept...'date'...it really wasn't now that she thought about it...it was dinner...with Kakashi..."Well...actually..."

"I knew it...you never go on dates. BUT COME ON SAKURA! And I mean with this dress you'll have 'em all over you!" She grinned.

"I am going on a date...just not that kinda of date."

"Well what are you going on a date with Hinata?"

"No...it's a male."

"Well then it's a date."

"Well no, not really..." Mamoko smiled as she handed Sakura the bag and gladly excepted the $200 in cash exchanged. "It's dinner with Kakashi."

"KAKASHI?" Ino followed her out the store.

"INO NOT SO LOUD...People are going to think I'm on a date with Kakashi."

"YOU'RE GOING ON A DATE WIHT KAKASHI?"

"NO. I'm having dinner with Kakashi."

"THAT'S A DATE." Ino stopped walking, and really thought about it. "Wow Sakura, I said you needed a date...but I didn't think you were the type to go after the hot teacher."

"It's a not a date...not that kind of date anyway...and...you think Kakashi's hot?"

"Uhh. Yeah. Come on, you can't say you don't think he's a hunk under all of that sneaky, and...hide-y...Kakashi-ness."

Wow Ino, you're vocabulary amazes me. She had to admit though, Kakashi was attractive.

"And I don't even believe all that buck-tooth, gimp-lip shit either...I bet he's hot...all over."

That sounded extremely wrong in Sakura's head...knowing the blonde, it was probably meant to. But she was right, that nonsense about Kakashi looking other than normal was not a rumor she believed. No matter what she thought Kakashi was the perfect sensei...perverseness and all. But despite that, he was attractive.

"Yeah, I don't either." She managed to mumble as she kept thinking about Kakashi.

"Well good thing you bought this dress then! You're gonna need all you have if you're aiming for Kakashi."

Sakura snapped out of thought, not even realizing she had been thinking about him the whole time. "Wha-What? No. Ino. It's not a date!"

"It's a date."

"NO IT'S NOT!. It's dinner...with...Kakashi..."

"Then why are you buying this dress? Hm?"

"Who says it's for tonight...?"

"Oh, so we are planning to get back into the game then. Hn." She smirked as she started to walk away.

Sakura sighed.

The blonde tilted her head back to wink at Sakura. "Well you should wear that dress to your date."

"Whatever you say Ino..."

"Oh and Forehead?"

"Hn."

"No matter what you say...this is a date."

After her encounter with Ino, Sakura sat at her dresser thinking to herself in the mirror. Is Ino right? No. This is just a dinner. Besides dating Kakashi? He's my sensei...not to mention she was way out of his league. Why would he go for me when he was one of the most eligible bachelors in Konoha. Surely he had beautiful and full grown women in Konoha after him. No...I shouldn't bother. I won't wear the dress. But it is really beautiful... and I had to test wear it to see what people thought? And when else would I be going to a fancy place? No. This is dinner with my sensei.

She honestly didn't think of him that way. But the thought of her in the dress made her feel empowered.

No. I won't wear the dress. Dinner with Sensei. That was it.

As Kakashi appeared in the Jounin building, Gai came snuck up behind him. "So my old rival...how about you help me train the new youngins today?"

Kakashi didn't bother to move anything but his eyes...which found their way back to the book in his hand.

"I need a training partner to show them the amazing new ninjistics they will be learning! Kakashi creeped away from Gai leaning on him...the power of youth was oozing off...

"Oh, what shame I'll have to miss your...presentation on the...amazing tactics you will be teaching your new team..."

"But...?"

"I am busy tonight."

"Oh?" Gai seemed to perk up even more. "Busy eh? Got a hot date."

"Not a date, a dinner, with an old student of mine."

"Oh, Naruto finally found a way away from his burning love to have dinner with his old sensei...how nice."

"Actually-,"

"-you know, you should invite Sakura-san! And then I'll tell Lee to bump into you guys, and ohohohohoh. What a plan! THE FIRE OF YOUTH IS STILL IN ME."

"Actually-,"

"-brilliant plan isn't it?"

"Perhaps another time guy, because it is actually Sakura I am having dinner with."

"Sakura? You're going on a date with Sakura? Aren't you a little older than she is."

"Far older. And it's just a dinner to catch up. She is a child after all."

"Ah...well no worries. Lee has the fire within him, he will find away to woo her!"

Kakashi started to walk away, "Well...good luck with that..."

As Kakashi entered Saforas-it was a fancy place, so Kakashi had the decency to wear a a grey dress shirt, with black pants. He stood awkwardly in the waiting aread, looking out the glass door to await his student.

"Kakashi-chan?" Another voice he faintly knew. He turned around to see a beautiful young women, in her early to mid twenties. Mid length, straight, dark brown hair. And beautiful brown eyes.

"Ikairi." He smirked. He indeed remembered her now, it was not long ago he had briefly dated the girl.

"I haven't seen you in ages! Kashi-chan!"

"Hn," he rubbed the back of his head, he never did liked that nick name, "yes, well how are you Ikairi? Are you the hostess here?"

"No, well I was...I've been promoted to a waitress, so I'm training the new girl briefly."

"Ah, well congradulations."

"Thank you...are you here...on a date?" The girl stared at him with more curious eyes than they should be, it was becoming clear she was still interested in him, but although she was beautiful she just really wasn't his type.

"I suppose...but not really, I'm just having dinner with one of my old students."

"Oh? You mean Naruto-Kun?"

"Uh no...Sakura."

"Oh Sakura, yes I've seen her around..." She grinned, and seemed to be skeptic about her. "A young blossom yes? How old is she...fourteen?"

"Not quite, she's the same age as Naruto, older in fact, eighteen."

"Ah...well she should be blossoming soon then..."

"Yes..." It was apparent that even if this was a date, that Ikairi was not threatened by Sakura.

"Well, if you want I'll take you to your table?"

"I have a table already?"

"It seems Sakura-san has already called a reservation."

"Oh...well, alright." He took one more look out the door, it was fifteen minutes past seven.

"It seems your students have caught your habit of being late Kashi-chan."

"Uh, yes..." he murmered as she brought him to his seat.

"Well here you are, I'm on a break, but I should be back on time to see you before you leave."

"Uh, of course." Kakashi smiled politely, "It was nice seeing seeing you Ikairi."

As the tables filled around him of couples and friends having dinner, Kakashi waited patiently for Sakura to arrive. Their table was in a nice spot in the restaraunt, in a booth, away from most of the tables, and just around a corner.

Uh...Sakura, Kakashi thought, where was she? It wasn't like her to be late. The waitress had already come and asked him if he was ready to order. Here she came again.

"Still waiting for your date Kakashi-san?"

"Uh...yes, very sorry to trouble you."

"Not at all," she smiled politely.

As the waitress left, Kakashi heard light gasps from the front of the restaraunt, also many heads turning. He was curious to see what it was but couldn't quite see around the corner, but whatever it was was coming his way...