The first time he had noticed her, it was at her mother's funeral. He had already seen her, leaving in the same village, and she was surely famous, being the youngest daughter of the former Hokage, but Kakashi had never actually paid attention to her. She had graduated from the academy at age eight, which was not that impressive (given he had graduated at 5), and had become a chuunin at 9, then jounin at 13, just like him. That was impressive. And then, she had immediately joined the anbu division, but their paths had never crossed. They had never been on a mission together, never sparred. Maybe his reputation as a friend-killer had been taken seriously by Sandaime, after all; guess he wouldn't risk his daughter's life if he could avoid it. So, the first time he had noticed her was at her mother's funeral, shortly after Obito and Rin had died, and his teacher had become the new Hokage. He noticed her because, among all the sad Shinobi mourning her death, she seemed to be genuinely angry. Out of curiosity, he lifted his forehead protector and glanced at her. With his Sharingan, he could see the flow of chakra Asuma was releasing through his grip on her shoulder. He was warning her not to move or to do anything reckless. Kakashi snorted silently, putting his protector back on his eye. When the funeral ended, Kakashi approached the Sarutobi family. Not because he truly felt like giving his condolences, but more out of respect for the Professor. And, technically, Asuma was one of his closest friends. Not that he had talked much to him recently, anyway.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Sandaime." A set phrase good for such an occurrence. The older man smiled tightly at him and squeezed his shoulder. "Thanks, Kakashi." Kakashi then patted Asuma's back. "Sorry," he repeated. The boy muttered his thanks, Then Kakashi glanced at the girl next to his friend. Just as he was about to repeat the same phrase, she cut him off. "Don't pretend to be sorry for me, Sharingan. We've never even talked to each other before."

"Behave, Asuka. He's just being kind, while you're being annoying," Asuma scolded her. She scoffed, diverting her gaze. "Whatever. I didn't even want to come, today." She then looked back at Kakashi. " So, was there something you wanted to tell me, Sharingan?" Indeed, she was angry. Was that considered an acceptable reaction to one of your parents' death? Well, he didn't know, But he surely was not going to be talked to down like that. "I was only wondering if your vision is impaired by that huge mole under your eye."

Truth to be told, the mole was not that huge. It was more like a beauty mark right under her left eye. She was pretty, and actually had delicate features. Plump, rosey lips, a thin nose, and big, green eyes. Her eyelashes were long and thick. Her hair, like all the Sarutobi clan members, was brown and wavy. She carried it shirt, just under her ears, with the front portion longer than the back. In the almost boring symmetry of her oval face, that mole struck out as a particular feature.

Asuma and the Professor were looking at him wide-eyed, probably expecting some kind of violent reaction from the girl. Instead, she snorted, an amused look in her eyes. "Idiot," she said, Before turning around and joining her and Akuma's older brother with his wife.

"Don't mind her, she's just shaken," Kakashi heard his teacher's voice from behind him. He turned to greet him, while Minato expressed his condolences to the former Hokage.

"You know, Asuka was supposed to be in that mission, instead of her mother; but as she still had not come back from her previous mission, I had to send Yukina-san." Minato and Kakashi were walking back to the village after the funeral. "I guess she is feeling guilty," the Hokage concluded. Kakashi sighed. "I don't know why you're telling me this, sensei. It's not like I know her, or anything." After his frends' deaths, Kakashi had become more and more apathetic. Minato had thought that assigning him to the anbu division would spur him somehow, but it just seemed to have made him more ruthless and less sympathetic towards other people; he was now renowned as the cold-hearted killer of the division. "You know, it wouldn't do you any harm to open up a bit more to other people, Kakashi," Minato said. The boy shrugged. Why bother to create bonds, if they would sooner or later be cut, anyway? "I know that girl well, she used to be my wife's student. I think you two would get along quite nicely." The blond shining sighed, seeing how little the boy cared about his statement.

Minato and Kakashi parted in front of the Hokage building. "Come tomorrow at 9, I'll assign you to your next mission." Kakashi nodded and took his leave.

He wandered through the village a little, before his stomach started growling. 'I guess I'll have some ramen before heading home,' he thought. As he was walking, he felt a presence behind him, but he couldn't recognize its chakra signature. Before he could react, though, the presence made itself recognizable. "Hey, Sharingan!"

He had never interacted with her in all his life, yet it was already the second time that day. He turned and his annoyed eye caught her playful expression. "Hey, mole," he replied, turning to leave. The kunoichi, however, started walking by his side. "I have a name, you know. It's Asuka." He sighed. "I too have a name, it's Kakashi. Not 'Sharingan'." "Pff!" She scoffed, "At least it was a pretty badass nickname, uh?" Kakashi couldn't help but sigh again. "Is sighing all you can do, Kakashi?" she asked, elbowing him in the side. "Ouch. Only when I'm with someone annoying." Or boring. Or generically troublesome. Or... Yeah, he sighed a lot. "What do you want?" he asked her, bluntly. "Well, I figured since you've been rude to me, this afternoon, that you could make it up by treating me to some ramen." She said, smiling. "What?!" Kakashi exclaimed, Outraged. "You are the one who's been rude first!" She pouted, and looked at him with narrow eyes. "God, you're so cranky! So, what about… You treat me, and I treat you?" He stopped and looked at her, his right eyebrow raised. "Wouldn't it be the same if we paid for our food ourselves?" "Of course not! It's the gesture, the intention behind treating someone to ramen! Can't you understand that?" Kakashi stayed silent, then resumed walking. He slowed down a little to let Asuka catch up. He couldn't understand that girl. She had just gotten back from her mother's funeral, And here she was smiling at him and treating him to ramen. But, more importantly, he couldn't understand just why he had not refused her offer.

"Oh, If it isn't Kakashi and Asuka-chan! It's so unusual to see you two together!" The man at the ramen stand greeted. "Yeah, whatever… I'll have the most expensive set on your list, please," Kakashi said, casting a sideways glance at Asuka. The girl was sure he was grinning under that mask. "Hi, oji-san. Nice to see you. I'll have the same as him, but please make it double!" Kakashi's look changed into a glare. "Mine, too," he said, defiantly.

"By the way, Asuka-chan," the ramen-stand owner started, "I'm very sorry for your loss. Your mother was a very remarkable woman." Kakashi observed her jaw tightening as her teeth clenched and her nostrils dilating as she inhaled. Then, she gave the man the fakest smile he had ever seen. "She truly was, thank you." The man smiled back. "Tell you what, whatever you're having tonight, Asuka-chan, it's on the house." The girl's eyes widened incredulously as she eyed the boy sitting next to her. He was literally glowing. "Wait a minute, oji-san! We agreed to treat each other to ramen!" She exclaimed, pointing alternately at Kakashi and herself with her thumb. "If what I'm having is free, then he is the one who's not going to pay for anything!" The man sighed. "Treat each other to ramen? Is that what you youngsters do nowadays when you go out on a date?" Neither Kakashi not Asuka bothered to tell him they were not on a date. "Fine, whatever you both are having tonight, it's on the house. Just don't take advantage of this old man, will you." Asuka chuckled, and looked at Kakashi. He seemed like he was having fun, too.

Dinner went on smoothly, and they talked a lot. Well, 'they' as in Asuka and the old man. Kakashi was fairly quiet, as usual, but he had to admit he was enjoying the night. His ramen also seemed more tasteful than ever. He didn't know if it was due to it being free, or it being the most expensive one, or if it was due to the company. He enjoyed how easy it was to stay there with someone else. It had been some time since he had last felt that way. Maybe next time he would accept Gai's invitation and do something together with him, too. Just to see if it was the same.

"It's strange how we've never been on a mission together even if we're both anbu, don't you think?" Kakashi asked Asuka as they were strolling back. She took a moment to reflect, then answered. "I think our abilities aren't fit for the same type of missions." "What do you mean?" He asked, curious to discover what her ability was. "Well, with your Sharingan and Raikiri, you are perfect for assassination, while I'm employed whenever a seal or some kind of barrier is needed. You know, protecting nobles, sealing demons and ghosts, that kind of crap," she dismissed. A fuuinjutsu specialist, uh? He really didn't know much about it, and as far as he knew, there were very few people with her ability. That was probably why she had become a jounin at such a young age.

"My house is that way. I'll see you around, ok?" Kakashi said, pointing to a road on their left. She looked nervous. "Are you sure you need to go home this early? We could... I don't know, have an ice cream, or some tea..."

"Yeah, sorry, but I'm leaving on a mission tomorrow morning. I want to be properly rested." Asuka nodded, looking at the ground. "I see..."

Then it dawned on Kakashi. The reason why she had looked for him, whom she had never spoken to, and the reason why she wanted to stay out until late. "Are you afraid of going home?"

Bingo. The expression she gave him betrayed her emotions, showing her apprehension. 'Asuka was supposed to be in that mission, instead of her mother; I guess she's feeling guilty.' Minato's words came back to Kakashi's mind. "It's not your fault your mother died, you know," he told her. He watched as her teeth found her lower lips and started biting down. He knew that sensation well. What he had told her were the same words everybody had told him after Obito's and Rin's deaths. And he knew that, no matter how rationally their minds would process the information, they would never be convinced. They would always feel responsible, until their own death. "I know, but..." she managed to whisper. She couldn't go on, though, or she would break down right there. So, she just stood there in front of him, a stranger, looking down, biting the inside of her cheek.

"At least you still have a family that loves you. I'm sure they won't forsake you. You should go home." He was sincere; he truly believed what he said. She could still make it out of oblivion. Asuka nodded, and Kakashi turned to leave. "Good luck on your mission! When you come back, we could do this again," he heard her say. A small, genuine smile appeared on her face, as she watched him raise a hand and wave at her.

Asuka tiptoed into her brother's room. Although she had appreciated Kakashi's words, she had wandered through the village some more before going back. "Hey, Asuma, are you awake?" She whispered. He was lying down with his back towards her and his face to the wall. After a few seconds, he replied. "Yeah. Where have you been? We thought you'd come home for dinner." "I'm sorry... I didn't realise what time it was," she lied. "Do you mind... If I sleep here tonight?" She heard Asuma sigh, then he turned around. Under the moonlight coming through the window, she could see he had been crying. Her heart clenched, and she prepared to storm out of the room. Instead, Asuma slid toward the wall, making room for her in his bed, and pulled out the blanket. "You'd better keep those icicles you call feet away from me, mind you." She smiled and got into the bed. "You stink like an ashtray; have you been smoking?" Her face was near his chest, and she could smell his breath. "Yeah. It's good, actually." "That's disgusting," she objected. "Whatever. I can quit when I want."

"Are you angry at me?" She asked, after a while. "Why?" She leant her forehead on her brother's chest. "If I had come back on time, mum would still be here..." She whispered. Asuma's arm found its way to her back and he pulled her into a hug. "Have you ever listened to dad rambling about the 'will of fire'?" She remained silent, and he continued. "It's the duty of the old generation to protect the children. Before being the Hokage's wife and our mother, she was a skilled kunoichi. It was her duty, as such, to protect the village, and us, from a true threat. She has died accomplishing that mission." As she laid there, in her brother's arms, her mind began recalling all the good memories she had of her mother. "I'm going to perfect her sealing jutsu, so that no-one will have to exchange their lives to perform it."

She would repeat those same words in her head just a little less than a year later, on the fateful night of the Nine-tail demon attack, as she held her teacher's child in her arms, crying over her dead body.