The pretty waitress leaned on the counter of the ramen stand, chin propped on her knuckles. She stared intently into the face of the masked ninja who was the only customer that particular afternoon. Kakashi's eye was twinkling with mischief.

"I mean it!" Ayame repeated. "I want an answer!"

"To why I wear a mask?"

"Yes!"

"This mask?" He pointed to the concealed lower half of his face.

"Yes!"

"Are you sure?"

"Kakashi-san!"

"Okay, it's because I have terrible tan lines from wearing this mask so long – "

"Liar!"

"What? It's the truth!"

"I know it's a lie - I've seen your face before and it's a perfectly normal color," Ayame countered.

"You only saw it once - very briefly."

"It was long enough."

"Okay, then it's because I have very bad teeth: crooked, brown – they're quite disgusting..."

"You're still lying!"

"How do you know?"

"Because your cheeks are quivering under your mask - you're laughing at me!"

"You caught me - I have a terrible face for gambling - I have to wear a mask to keep from getting swindled. I was losing tons of money..."

"No, that's not it either - though it's nearer to the truth."

"You're so smart - why don't you tell me why I wear a mask?"

Ayame pursed her lips in concentration. "Well, it's not because of any problem with your face, I know that much. You have that scar over your eye, but that's not unattractive." She flushed slightly, straightened up, and continued as if she had just made a decision, "It's because you think it makes you look dangerous: dangerous, mysterious, and sexy."

For a moment, Kakashi merely looked at Ayame, then his eye crinkled in mirth: "Well, there you have it – nothing escapes your notice!"

Ayame's blush deepened and she retorted, "There's no need to tease - I'm serious: I think you're going after a certain image --"

"Oh, I'm not teasing - you have me completely figured out - no mystery left to solve --" Kakashi began to shake with silent laughter, and Ayame's pout deepened until, overcome with embarrassment, she let out a little squeak of rage and ducked out of sight behind the counter.

Kakashi broke off immediately and paused for a moment as if listening to a group of students playing down the street. Carefully, he stood and leaned over the counter, peering down at Ayame who was squatting behind the counter, chewing on her index fingernail, looking for all the world like a little girl who had done something naughty.

"Ayame-chan," he called. When she looked up at him, face still a pleasant shade of rose, he continued: "What are you doing?"

Ayame paused. "Hiding," she answered in a little voice.

Kakashi had some trouble keeping the laughter out of his voice. "You can come back now; I'm done making fun." He reached over the counter and offered her a hand. "Come on."

She shot his hand a skeptical look before taking it and slowly standing up. Brushing off her apron, she tried one last time. "So that's it. You're never going to tell me, are you?"

He paused considering, then, as if preparing to tell her a secret, he drew her closer over the counter. With his free hand he reached up toward his own face and pulled down his mask, revealing a broad grin. While Ayame's eyes were still wide with the shock of this oddity, he planted a kiss on her dumbfounded forehead.

"Probably not," he quickly replaced his mask as he drew back from her, "but then again, do you really want to know?"