A/N: This idea came in a really stupid way. I was sitting in class with my best friend and I was burning with inspiration. Then I asked her "Do you have any ideas for a story? I have no idea what to write.." and she was like "Write about your life. *laughs*". That was a joke of course. But I took it seriously... "Hey, why are looking at me like this?"...me - "I'm gonna do it. *serious tone*". And so, because life itself is a plot twist, this story is pretty much the same! Yup, boredom can really influence the way you think...Oh well, enjoy this AU [Alternate Universe - University] story~


The bell rang, its tone piercing everyone's ears. Iruka heard someone swear over it and he himself frowned. The next class was Maths. Even though everyone hated it, Iruka was actually doing well, like every other subject. And now you'd think: "Being the smartest kid in class must be great, right?" No. Iruka's life sucked exactly because of that. He barely had two friends who he can rely on. No one liked him because he was always studying or reading a book in his free time. He practically lived more in his own, little world in his head than in the actual world. But hey, what's wrong with that? It's not like he was the only one. He entered the almost empty classroom, the reason being that most of his classmates skipped Maths. But yeah, there's that 3rd type of person, called Hatake Kakashi. He was sitting on the last desk, legs over it, next to the window, his nose buried in that orange-covered book. Oh well, different type of person - different type of book. It was R-18. But, he still was the most popular guy in the whole university. Yeah, he was quite handsome, his face and nose nicely shaped, dark gray eye staring at the white pages, or so he thought, his left eye was always covered, was it with a white eye patch, or his messy, silver and shiny hair, even though rarely. Sometimes a vertical scar could be seen under and every time Iruka's eyes caught it, he couldn't help but get curious. There were some rumors going around about an incident that happened a long time ago, which was the most logical possibility. Maybe it wasn't a beautiful sight and that's why he hid it.

He lost his train of thoughts when he suddenly felt someone trip him and the next thing he knew was that he was on the flat ground. The books he was previously holding were now scattered on the floor and the room was filled with laughter.

"Pretty clumsy, aren't you?" Mizuki asked with that arrogant voice of his. Iruka was just so used to this that he already knew what the other was going to do and say. It was always like this.
Everyone from his class was a typical university student. They smoked cigarettes and weed and skipped most of the classes. The teachers were so fed up with this that they didn't even bother to punish them and so on. But Iruka wasn't like that. That was the reason no one liked him. He was perfect when it came to grades and was every teacher's favourite. Well, almost everyone did. Hatake had never even talked with him. Not even a simple "Hi" or "Bye". And that's the reason he knew almost nothing about him. The only thing he knew was that he was the most popular guy in the whole university and perhaps, a pervert, judging by his taste in literature...he has never seen him without that novel in his hands.

Iruka finally sat on his desk, which was at the front, in the center.

"Open your books, page 67." Mr. Uchiha said. Well, no one, exept Iruka, did it. Most were staring blankly through the window, playing some card games and the few girls reapplying their make-up. Oh, and don't forget, that last type who was still reading his porn novel. The brunette sighed.

"..ka. Iruka!" The teacher finally got his attention. "Are you okay? I've never seen you so distracted."

"Yes, sorry, Mr. Uchiha..What were you asking again?"

"The answer to this problem."

"It's x∈(-∞; 7,59]."

"Correct."

And so, the class passed and lunch brake came. Iruka went outside and sat on a bench, under a lonely tree, just like him. He checked his food if it was poisoned, just in case, because yes, it has happened before, so he wouldn't be surprised if they put some kind of drug. When he was sure that everything was fine, he started eating.

"Hey, Iruka!" He heard a familiar voice. It was Genma and next to him - Raidō. Those two were maybe his only friends in the whole university.

"Hi, Genma, Raidō." Iruka said with a soft voice, smiling. "Come and sit."

"So, how's it goin'?" Genma asked.

"Not so bad, I guess. No change in the grades and...same things, mainly with Mizuki.

"And ya call this okay? Ah, those guys, they see one decent person and immediately strike, so annoyin'."

"Tell me about it...so, what about you guys?"

"We are fine. We've got a test the next class though. Oh, how I hate Chemistry!" Raidō frowned. "My grades keep dropping because of it.."

"Well, then move your lazy ass and do some work. Pun intended." Genma smirked.

"We'll see who's the one who moves his 'lazy ass' tonight." Raidō pulled Genma closer by his waist and grinned at the almost invisible blush, spreading on both Genma and Iruka's cheeks.

"Ugh, I wasn't asking for school but you two. And as I can see, everything is alright."

"Heh, it sure is. Um, we gotta go, we don't wanna be late or Mrs. Karma will punish us."

"Karma?" Iruka raised his brow. "You said you're going to have Chemistry which means...Mrs. Moegi?"

"Yeah, you know, reasons behind every nickname."

"I thought she was pretty cool..."

"When you're the smartest guy in the class, of course every teacher would be cool for you! But not when you get her mad to the point her vein on her head pops out."

"Yeah, right, see you two later!" Iruka waved goodbye. 'I should go back too.'


While looking for the second volume of his Icha Icha, Kakashi heard someone's muffled, deep and threatening voice.

"Oh, yes, you will!"

"Mizuki, I said no. It's not my business, so just back off." another calm voice answered.

"Hoo, you say that it's not your business, huh? We'll see about that."

The next thing the silverhead heard was a loud slam. He decided to take a look. Mizuki had slammed Iruka('or was that his name?') and was pinning him against the lockers.

"So, what were you saying again?"

"I'll repeat it clearly and you better hear me this time. Now go away, please, I'm going to be late for the class you're skipping because your brain can't take it." Iruka said. 'Uh-oh, I shouldn't have said that...'

'Now he did it...What a stubborn guy, he clearly is in trouble but still refuses to play along.'

"Nee, Iruka...are ya lookin' for trouble?" Iruka trembled at the sickening grin Mizuki made. Just when he was about to punch the brunette, someone pulled Mizuki up by the back of his uniform's collar. Iruka opened his eyes, which he had closed to get ready for the blow, and then widened them. 'What's with this strenght!?' It was Hatake, the guy he's never talked to before. Maybe because he was too nerdy for a cool guy like him.

"Maa, Mizuki, don't you know that hitting your classmates is against the rules?"

"Put me down, shut up and stay out of this, Hatake! Just looking at his face makes me want to kill!"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow and observed Iruka's face: Damn, he looked so innocent.
"I don't see anything wrong with his face but if you don't leave soon, your face may get a little swollen." He threatened and smiled, cracking his knuckles.

"Curse you, Hatake!" Mizuki left with a last scary glance at Iruka, which made him shiver in a bad way.

"You okay?" Kakashi asked and slipped his hands into his pockets.

"Yeah, thank you but you didn't have to get involved, it would ruin your reputation. Also, if I wanted to be protected, I could have done it myself."

"Ho? So if I'm famous means that I can't help the others? Too bad. And you almost got punched, and from what it looked like, pretty hard."

"Well, I may not look like it but am very fit and I train Aikido so I didn't need to be saved."

"Haa, so the quiet, excellent student of ours has his secret side, hm?" the silverhead teased.

'I've only known him for a minute or so and I already don't like him. Why do the popular guys always have to be jerks? And why is he popular anyways?' Iruka didn't see so much in him, except the handsome face and his unusual strenght. Not that he was impressed, he just happened to be in the right time and the right place.
"I didn't know you were such a tease, either." Iruka answered.

"If you raise your head from the books you read, you may have learned at least this."

"Hah, says the one who reads porn novels in public."

"You got me there." Kakashi grinned. "What did Mizuki want from you anyways? Looks like this happens a lot. I mean everyday, either a prank or something else, nothing good. From a distance, it looked like he was about to rape you. What's he up to?"

"Making me regret life? And he is successful. He wanted me to do his projects so he could pull his grades up. But there's no way I'm helping that bird-brain."

"Hmm, you sound like a stubborn guy, just be careful." the silverhead said as he entered the half-empty classroom, Iruka right after him. They sat in their usual seats, Iruka pulling some books for the class they were having and the silver haired man did the same thing as ever - putting his legs up on the desk and an Icha Icha in his left hand. Iruka could bet he had read that book at least 10 times now. 'I mean seriously, he doesn't let it go out of his hand.'


-four days later, Friday-

Iruka was sitting on a desk in the nursery, working on some files. The nurse asked him to write some names because she had an important meeting and he was the second person after Shikamaru, who was just too lazy to do it. Iruka had agreed mainly because his class was having Sports right now and he was sure that the others would've tried to break his bones, even though he really liked the teacher.

But Kakashi was there and he was staring at a single point for some time while the others were playing basketball around him.

"Pass! Hatake!"

The silverhead's train of thoughts was crashed. Well, more like his face. With a basketball. And his left eye took the blow. He groaned.

"Hey, are you okay there? Where were your thoughts off to? Don't get distracted in the middle of the game!" the teacher, Mr. Uzumaki said.

"Kakashi, let us see if you're injured!" some girls yelled, excited.

"Thanks but I can take care of this by myself. I'll just go to the...nurse..." Oh how he actually hated that woman. She had a really bad temper and lectured whoever gets hurt about how the youngsters were never careful.

He went up the stairs, removing his eyepatch in the process. He felt his cheek swell and put his hand over it. He knocked at the door and came in. Just when he was about to say "Good morning, Mrs. Haruno." he widened his good eye in surprise. He saw a certain tanned man, sitting on that desk of Haruno's and working on something.

"Iruka?"

"Hm?" he asked, not even looking up. He was so concentrated, he barely noticed tha man entering the room. But when he raised his gaze, his eyes met someone unexpected. "Hatake? What are you doing here?"

"What would I possibly do in the school infirmary? Obviously because I hurt myself." He said and poked his left cheek, which started to burn painfully at the contact, to show Iruka. He hissed and sat down, still waiting. "And what are you doing here? Not that I'm not happy that it wasn't Mrs. Haruno sitting on that desk."

"Just helping her out with some files." Iruka finally stood up. "Let me see." He said and the silverhead moved his hand away from his cheek. It was throbbing and when Iruka brushed it with his finger gently, he winced. But Iruka was more occupied with observing the left part of the other's face. When Kakashi winced, he opened his always covered eye, and to Iruka's surprise, there wasn't anything to hide. Actually, it was the other way around. There really was a vartical scar running over his left eye and eyebrow. But it wasn't gross or anything. Actually, it only added to his attractiveness. And that eye, it was really beautiful. It was a bloody-red color, shining in the dim light of the office. The tan man never expected mismatched eyes. And then, he realized he was staring.

"Stop looking at me like that and do something." the other frowned.

"Don't worry, it's just a little sore." he said and handed Kakashi a bag of ice. "Here, put this over your cheek, it should work. Do any of your teeth hurt?"

"No. I think. But my sight is kinda blurry through my left eye."

"Good, no broken teeth then, I guess. And about the eye, you must be seeing blurry because of the hit. Or maybe because you barely use that eye."

"You would hide it too if everyone was staring at you and asking how you got the scar! Oh, and about that, no telling the others what you saw, alright?" He pointed at his crimson eye. "I think that enough rumors are going around, I don't want to hear even more about the 'Mystery of Hatake'.

"Oh? So you actually care about your reputation? And don't worry, I don't have anyone exept Raidō and Genma so..." he trailed off.

"It's not like I wanted this kind of 'fame'! I don't even know why I'm so popular in the first place! And those girls...so goddamn annoying. Everytime they confess, they say that they are 'different' but every single one is the same. That's why I'm still single!"

"Woah, you are single? And here I thought that a guy like you would even be two-timing."

"Hey, I'm not that type of guy you see me as! I would never cheat on someone, even if I don't look like that!"

"Sorry, sorry. But I was really serious." Iruka chuckled when the other pouted. 'So even he can be cute too, huh? Wait, wait, wait! We are both guys damn it! What's wrong with me..."

"Oh well, I'll go back because I don't want the others to ask me what took me so long." he said while putting the eyepatch back in its place. "And remember, what you saw just now, you never actually saw it, okay?

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry. And be careful next time."

"So you don't want me to visit you here again? But I enjoyed all the attention you gave me." the paler man teased.

"Get out, you jerk!" Iruka almost blushed, even though he knew that the other was joking.


After the Sports class, Iruka was done with his work. He heard a knock on the door and saw the pink haired woman enter.

"Hello, Iruka. Did you have any problems while I was gone?"

"No, Mrs. Haruno, Kakashi came with a swollen left cheek but we took care of it."

"I'm glad that everything was fine. Thank you for your hard work, I owe you one. You are free to go, if there isn't anything else you want to say."

"Thank you, Mrs. Haruno."

When he entered the classroom, he heard loud cheers.

"Woah! You just beat Shikamaru!? And on top of that, at shogi!?"

'Wait, what? Someone who can beat him actually existed? And from my class exactly? What the...' Shikamaru wasn't from his class, obviously, because he was the smartest student of the year. 'Who could have possibly beaten him?' And then, as if someone read his mind, he heard.

"Kakashi! How the hell did you do that!?"

'Huh!? Kakashi? There was no way that idiot could beat someone like Shikamaru! I mean seriously, even his grades are terrible! He probably cheated or something...Yeah, that must be it...'

He sat on his desk and waited patiently for the teacher, trying to ignore all the noise behind him.
He glanced at the clock. The teacher was late with 20 minutes already!

"Haha! Looks like he really fell for it!" He heard someone laugh. 'What did they do this time? Maybe a prank or something...Which meant that the whole lesson, everyone would do whatever they want. Iruka wondered if he should read a book or just stare through the window. But then he heard a ring coming from his pocket. It was his phone. He checked it and saw that he has a new message.

"Hey, 2morrow there's a party at 'The Play-Z', wanna join us with Raidō and some other friends?"

-Genma

Iruka wasn't the party-type so he was just going to tell them that he was busy. But just when he was about to send the reply, he recieved another one.

"We insist, I know that you are not busy, and that you're not that kind of person but hey, why not give it a try? There is always a first time for everything."

-Raidō

He was right. There's always a first time for everything...He sighed in defeat and replied.

"OK, I guess I'll b there then...What time?"

-Iruka

"About 10p.m., meet us at the entrance. We'll stay till late, just so you know."

-Raidō

Iruka was used to staying up until late. But not at parties of course, just with a book or phone in his hands in the bed. He may sound like a bookworm reading about some boring stuff but he was actually more into the action genre of books. Mostly dragons and ninjas. He wasn't as boring as he looked like, it's just that he was too shy to start a conversation first. Good thing that Raidō was his childhood friend and through him, he met Genma, too.


While Kakashi was exiting the university, he heard loud footsteps approaching. Then, he saw a certain black haired man in the university's uniform but with a green tie and jeans instead of blue. He could never even dare to wonder who it was. It was just too obvious, even from the distance.

"Kakashi, my eternal rival! What are your plans for tommorow?" he yelled from far away.

"Ah, hi there, Gai. Well, I was going for a walk with Pakkun and then...ugh, nothing really."

"Then let's see who can edure more push-ups, right here, right now!" the black haired man said cheerfully, after going up the stairs to stand next to the other.

"I'm not in the mood for a challenge today though..." Kakashi said and poked his left cheek as a hint of what he meant.

"Oh, no! What happened to you, did you get into a fight?"

"You know that I wouldn't, and if I did, you know that they wouldn't manage to even touch me anyways." He sighed. "I was just distracted while we were playing basketball and...well, yeah..."

"Hmm, that's not like you, what could possibly get you so distracted? I don't remember anything getting your interest in like...ages...!"

"Nothing, really."

"You know that you can tell me, I'm your best friend, after all!" Gai said, grinning widely, almost blindingly.

"Yeah, I was thinking about, ugh...dolphins." Kakashi lied. 'I hope that sounded random enough for him to not question me more...'

"Hmm...They say that there is a truth behind every lie!" he beamed and started murmuring something. "Let's see...dolphins...dolphin...hmm...Iruka...Iruka?...OH! Wasn't there a guy named like that in your class?"

'So Gai could actually see through me that easily? Or was it obvious? No, not for the normal people, at least...I can't believe he actually saw underneath the underneath' Kakashi thought. "Well, that was unexpected. Yes there is but how do you know?"

"You know that I train Aikido, right? Well, he's not from our group but I've seen him plenty of times. He's not much of a talker but is one of the best. So, what exactly were you thinking about him?"

"Ugh, it may sound weird but even if he's my classmate, we've never talked before. Well, untill today, that is. And now, after what you said, I'm even more, like umm...curious about him?" They started walking down because they were in the middle of the university's stairs. "I mean, everyone from the class treats him like trash, I don't get why he doesn't defend himself. Some days ago, I saw a classmate threathen him and pin him against the lockers. If I wasn't there, he would've been punched, really hard. He even said that he didn't need to be protected because if he wanted to, he could do it himself. Which got me really confused, I somehow feel bad about him. And...Ugh, why are you looking at me like...that?" It was like sparkles could be seen in Gai's eyes.

"You can't be serious..!" the black haired man widely smiled, excited about something.

"Gai?"

"Kakashi! Do you, by any chance, you know...LIKE HIM?" he said, practically yelling the last part, getting some weird stares of the little people around, mostly girls.

"Gai, keep it down, damn it!" the silverhead hissed, his pale face now changing into a light, pink shade.

"Ooh! I never thought that I would be alive when you fall in love! Now this is what I call 'unexpected'!"

"I didn't say anything like that!...I just...only thought that he was kinda c-cute and..yeah, nothing more. We barely talked anyway." Kakashi stuttered, making it even more obvious, lightly scratching the visible part of his vertical scar. "Whatever, I'll go home, it was a long day for me and I wanna rest."

"No need to be shy, my rival! Love is a beautiful thing!" Gai followed him. "Oh, I almost forgot the reason I came! I asked you if you had any plans for tomorrow and you said that you don't. I heard that there was a party at 'The Play-Z', wanna join me, Asuma and Kurenai? I think it would be fun and who knows, your 'Ruka might be there too!"

"I don't think he's that typ of person but...I'll come anyway, what time?"

"At 10 p.m. But you can remember it as 9 p.m. so you wouldn't be late."

"Very funny...Okay, I'll see you there then.."


A/N: So, as I said, this is a big plot-twist indeed! xD I hope you like it, I'm planning to make this a little longer than usual, as you can see, this chapter was 4k+ words, and I usually make my chapters around 2k words. Sometimes I wonder why I enjoy writing Gai's speeches so much...You can't hide anything from your best friend Kakashi, I know that from personal experience~
If you have any questions, feel free to ask! R&R and see ya in the next chapter!~

-Blur