INTERTWINED

Ch 1: A new impression

Kakashi leaps silently through the forest, not even disturbing the leaves as he passes. That should be easy for a jounin of his standards; however, he is not focusing on his surroundings as he usually does being lost in thought.

It's been forever since I saw my team, well, my ex-team as I should put it with them with a new sensei or on their own.

This saddened him a little that he isn't as close as he was before and the fact that he felt that he was getting old.

How long has it been, 4, 5 years?

After finally catching Sasuke after killing Itachi and saving him from Orochimaru, he finally had his vengeance, but he still never returned and once again his whereabouts are unknown. Of course, this crushed Sakura and ever since then she has been obsessed with work or training. Then, not so long after that Naruto went back to train more with Jiriya.

Then I became obsessed with taking A-ranked missions. I really just don't want to see the sadness in Sakura's face.

The thought just crushed him and he let out a frustrated sigh. He loved Sakura as a student and teammate at the beginning, but then, when he saw her 4 years ago, his eyes always followed her. He couldn't believe how much she had grown. She was a woman now, a woman that he liked very much. Then, the last mission they had she'd saved his life with her medical ninjutsu, and he realized he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

But, if I even tried to show my affection, it could ruin our friendship and her trust in me, and I couldn't live with myself if that happened……Then again, if she'd liked me……

He chuckled to himself as he thought of the possibilities, all those "descriptive novels" books have seriously corrupted his mind, but he never showed it. That was for his mind and his mind only. Then he started to think about the reason of why he was returning back to his village.

What could Tsunade want so badly that she ordered me to return to the Hidden Leaf village?

This was the main thing that troubled him as he picked his pace up.

"Late as usual huh Kakashi," Tsunade said as he entered her office. He gave his classic smile and scratched the back of his head. "Well, you see, I was lost in thought on the way here, slowing my pace." She smirked at his excuse, and then said, "I've looked at your work reports recently and it shows that you haven't taken a vacation in 4 years." He smiled again and said, "Guess I got a little carried away." "This is exactly why I'm sending you on vacation." Kakashi's smile faltered.

Oh God, I hate vacations, I almost died the last time with nothing to do, and knowing her this vacation will be more than a few days.

He was about to speak when Tsunade cut him off, "I've made my mind and I'm not changing it. But, when you come back I'll have the hardest mission you've had in a long time." This put a sparkle in Kakashi's eye, but he still wasn't happy. However, he knew he couldn't argue with the 5th Hokage, so he waved his hand and left her office to walk toward his apartment.

On his way towards his house, he pulled out one of his favorite books and began to read. Unaware that he was about to bump into someone…..

Sakura was stomping towards her apartment, fists clinched as she watched the ground.

How could Tsunade-sensei do this to me?! I'll go crazy on this stupid vacation with no friends since none of them are in the village or they're "married". So what if I haven't taken a vacation in 4 years!

Just the way she walked proved that her angry attitude never faded through the years. Everyone else also knew that she is no person to mess with when she's angry, because her strength and ninjutsu has increased dramatically over the years. She could even give Naruto and Sasuke a run for their money when she was angry enough. She huffed angrily and clinched her fists more. Then suddenly, she bumped into someone….

Kakashi felt his shoulder being bumped violently and he looked up to see a woman with pink hair spin around with fury in her eyes, but her mood quickly changed when she saw it was her former teacher. "Kakashi-sensei!" she squealed and hugged him. He was aghast, to shocked to move.

How can her calling me sensei and a friendly hug turn me on so much? He rethinks that and thinks to himself, "Because you're a pervert, that's why."

He could already feel his member harden at the thought of Sakura hugging him and quickly pulled her away before she could notice.

"Yo," He said as he smiled. "Kakashi-sensei! How could you be in this village and not tell me sooner!?" Every time she said sensei, he groaned on the inside. "That's because I just got here, Sakura." She says, "Oh, sorry, wait… why are you in town? I haven't seen around the village in a long time." "Yeah, Tsunade said I needed a vacation because I've been overdoing it." Sakura's eyes widened and said, "Really? She did the same thing to me!"

Maybe this vacation won't be that bad, Kakashi thinks.

"You know what? We should go somewhere tonight and catch up on things." Sakura said. "That would be nice." Kakashi said as his heart skipped a beat. "Ok! Meet me at my apartment at 8:30 and we'll go get some ramen. See ya later Kakashi-sensei!" She waved as she walked off. Kakashi watched her hips sway as she walked away.

Oh God Sakura, why do you torture me so much? And how am I going to make it through the night without doing something rash?

He sighed, and started walking towards his own apartment, and he put his book up knowing that he wouldn't be able to concentrate.

Wow! Kakashi hasn't aged a bit.

Sakura thinks as she heads toward her apartment.

And I get to be with a good friend through this stinking vacation. Maybe it might turn out to be something worthwhile.

She smiles, no longer mad at Tsunade and starts to skip down the street.