Entry for the KakaSaku New Years Contest - It's the last night of an incredibly trying year, and all Sakura wants to do is say farewell to the days behind her and welcome the oncoming ones with hope. However, she doesn't have to celebrate alone. Not if Kakashi can help it.
Disclaimer; I do not own Naruto or anything Naruto related. That awesome privilege is all Masashi Kishimoto's, and his alone.
This is my entry for the KakaSaku New Years Contest by KakaSakuFC and KakaSakuDevotion over on Deviantart. The word I was given for my story was 'Countdown'.
And so here we are! I've never entered any kind of content like this before, and thought it would be fun. I tried to keep the story traditional and yet somewhat contemporary at the same time, which proved to be both challenging and yet incredibly interesting. No matter what happens, I certainly enjoyed writing this one-shot.
Please enjoy, and remember, reviews are very much loved. :)
TRADITIONS
"This is by far the best idea we have ever had, Forehead."
Sakura smiled weakly at her best friend, noticing the way the blonde swayed ever so slightly as she spoke. The large, nearly-empty bottle grasped firmly in Ino's hand was a clear indicator that the kunoichi had been drinking, but the pinkette knew that was not her first bottle.
At last count, it was Ino's fourth.
"To be fair, it was mostly your idea." she replied, looking around at the crowded space of their combined living room, dining room and kitchen.
Familiar faces smiled at her from every direction, those of her friends and fellow shinobi as they laughed, talked and drank. All Sakura could do was hope that they didn't mess the place up too much or break anything, especially as most of the furniture was brand-new and hardly used. Ino appeared to be less fazed by the potential hazards, much to the pinkette's chagrin.
After both turning twenty, the girls had come together in their mutual bid to move out of their parent's home and be independent. With two separate incomes they were able to rent out a sizeable, two-story apartment with two large bedrooms, which was much more beneficial than each of them residing in a small, one-bedroom studio which was the only thing they could afford on their own.
It had only been a week earlier when Ino had suggested hosting a bōnenkai at their newly acquired home, almost like a home warming party but in time for New Years Eve. Sakura had tiredly agreed, being too exhausted from a full day's work of moving her belongings from her parent's house to the new apartment - each trip requiring a journey up two flights of stairs - to refuse.
The two girls had spent the entire day preparing for the celebration, having begun early that morning. The straw rope had been hung in front of the entrance to their home to keep away the evil spirits and bring good fortune. Numerous green plants and bamboo decorated the place, signifying new life and honesty. Different coloured lanterns were strung across the trees in the backyard, numerous tables and chairs set up for their guests. The special selection of dishes known as osechi-ryōri had been prepared earlier, consisting of konbu, kamaboko, kurikinton, kinpira gobō and kuromame.
Slowly but surely the apartment had filled up as more and more guests arrived, some already on the cusp of tipsy before they walked through the door. Pleasantries had been exchanged, food had been eaten, many bottles of various alcohols had been opened up and swiftly consumed. With the door to the backyard left open, it currently seemed as if half the party was outside, the remainder inside, and both crowds were talking actively, the buzz in the area growing louder as everyone drank more and more.
Sakura was certain she was the most sober person there, even Sai had allowed himself to experiment with sake and was now chatting up an older woman with deep violet hair that seemed to be lapping up the attention.
Everyone appeared to be at their place, even the Hokage herself had made an appearance earlier that night, practically inhaling as much sake as she could and ordering everyone around before an embarrassed Shizune had ushered her home, promising to return later.
Needless to say, the general mood and vibe of the party had picked up drastically after Tsunade's departure.
There was only one person she had not spotted yet, and frankly, she wasn't overly surprised at his absence. Kakashi disliked being around crowds of people and avoided them at all costs, even if most of them were his friends. Why would this party be any different?
Even so, she found herself wishing for a miracle.
"There you are!" Ino exclaimed loudly to Sakura's right, breaking the pinkette from her thoughts as Shikamaru approached them.
"This crowd is becoming troublesome." he murmured, the annoyance obvious in his voice.
Sakura sighed. "Well, there's only half an hour until midnight, after that, it will most likely thin out."
Before Shikamaru had a chance to reply, Ino had dragged him away, leaving Sakura on her own once more. She looked around, noticing that the great groups of people were now forming into couples, preparing for the countdown in thirty minute's time.
Naruto and Hinata were whispering hurriedly in the corner, the Hyūga heiress' cheeks flushing a vivid crimson. Tenten and Lee were competing in a drinking contest, which did not bode well for anyone who was unfortunate to be around the green jumpsuit-clad youth when the alcohol hit his system. Ino and Shikamaru were nowhere to be seen, and Sakura didn't have to guess what they were up to. Even Shizune had returned and was now flirting with Genma, who could only grin like an idiot in return.
Everyone appeared to have someone else, save for her. It wasn't that she wasn't eligible, if anything, Sakura was one of the most desperately single women in all of Konoha. Having finally overcome her feelings for Sasuke and reaching the revelation that the boy she had loved was gone, she'd allowed herself to open up and consider the possibility of dating. Unfortunately, it seemed like no-one was interested.
She needed some alone time, to take a breather and gather her thoughts. With the backyard now occupied to almost full capacity, that was a no go. Her only option was the balcony off her bedroom, which would allow for some quiet-time along with a beautiful view of the village. With that in mind, she squeezed herself through the crowd, and rushed up the stairs to her bedroom, not bothering to close the door behind her.
Striding across the wooden floor of her room, Sakura pulled the wooden shutters open and stepped outside onto the decent-sized balcony, inhaling the cool night air deeply as a smile appeared on her lips. Finally, some peace and almost quiet; she could still hear the buzz of conversation from downstairs, and the occasional hearty chuckle here and there.
It was New Years Eve, the last day of one of the most trying years Sakura could remember, and she was more than happy to say her goodbyes and move forward into the next year, which held much more promise and hope.
"I never did see you as much of a party-goer." came a deep baritone voice from beside her, causing the pinkette to almost jump out of her skin.
As she calmed her rapidly beating heart done, a scowl appeared on her features. "It isn't nice to sneak up on people when they least suspect it, Kakashi-sensei." she reprimanded the silver-haired Jōnin as he gracefully jumped off the railing, landing beside her.
"I could say the same thing to you. I've been here for a while now, and suddenly you sneak up on me…" he replied, glancing down at her.
Sakura raised an eyebrow. "You've been here for a while? Sitting on my balcony?"
"You have a nice view." he shrugged.
Unsure of exactly how to respond to his obviously lame excuse, Sakura found herself grateful for his presence. Throughout the past few years, she and Kakashi had become quite close as friends, although he still remained an enigma to her and rarely opened up about his past. She'd managed to learn about things here and there when he decided to have a few drinks which in turn loosened his tongue, but he would always deny his words the next day when he sobered up.
"I thought you wouldn't show up." Sakura pondered aloud, keeping her viridian eyes on the village before them, which was breathtakingly beautiful, illuminated by thousands of lanterns that lined the streets and houses.
"Technically, I haven't. I showed up on your balcony, but not at your party." he explained.
The pinkette rolled her eyes. "Ino's party. I was simply dragged into this."
"Well, you look nice."
Surprised by his sudden compliment, Sakura couldn't help but look down at the kimono she was currently wearing. Every year she commissioned a new one to made for the occasion, each more splendid than the last. The satin material felt like heaven against her skin, and she never felt prettier than when she was dressed up in traditional garb.
This year's kimono was by far the best one she had worn. The material was a deep jade green, with azalea coloured sakura blossoms embroidered into it, the obi tied around her middle the same hue. Usually she avoided cherry blossoms at all costs, having heard about the irony of her name and hair colour one too many times, but this year, she'd permitted the pattern, and couldn't help but admit that it went well with the hue of the fabric.
Her hair had been pulled into a sleek bun high at the back of her head, petal-coloured tendrils flailing here and there as they had escaped from the hair-tie. Her make-up had been simple, consisting of only mascara and lip-gloss, which had certainly been rubbed off by now.
"I always dress up for New Years Eve." Sakura replied, looking over to Kakashi, who was dressed in his usual Jōnin uniform. "I'm guessing you don't?"
Sadly, not many of the party-goers had dressed up, and only few of them in traditional garb. Sakura had spotted one or two kimonos, although none had been as beautiful as her own. In fact, they had looked old and worn, definitely a few years old whist hers was brand new.
"I don't celebrate New Year's Eve." her silver-haired companion answered bluntly.
Sakura couldn't help but gasp in shock.
"You don't celebrate it? Why not?"
"What is there to celebrate? Another year has gone past and I haven't died? Once you get older, Sakura, you will find that there's no a lot to really rejoice about."
The pinkette couldn't help but frown as Kakashi spoke, wishing there was some way she could cheer him up and get him out of his depressive slump.
"I dislike crowds, and I'm not an avid drinker. I don't have a wife, nor a girlfriend, and when the bells ring at midnight, I find that one hundred and eight chimes is not nearly enough to cleanse me of my sins." he continued, not looking at her.
"Surely you have things to look forward to, Kakashi-sensei. Sure, you're not married, but you never know, you might meet your wife next year! Or create an even more powerful version of the Raikiri!" Sakura attempted to perk up his mood, plastering a cheery smile on her lips.
He turned to gaze down at her, and gave a rumbling chuckle.
"I appreciate the effort Sakura." he told her, his voice low, but said nothing more.
Pouting, Sakura poked him in the arm. "If you lose hope for the future, then what do you have to strive for? Everyone needs that motivation to keep going, to keep moving forward and make the best out of life that they can. You might not see it, Kakashi-sensei, but you have a lot more to accomplish and achieve in your lifetime."
The Jōnin's eyebrow raised with surprise at Sakura's statement. "When did you become so mature?"
"Well, I am twenty now, and no longer a girl. I'm officially an adult woman." Sakura said pointedly.
"Ah." was the only thing Kakashi could say in response.
"Ten!"
The sudden chant from downstairs caught Sakura off guard, she soon realized that the countdown had begun. Everyone would grab their partner and count down the remaining seconds until midnight, and once they reached the number one, they would kiss into the new year.
"Nine!"
"Shouldn't you head downstairs and find yourself a cute boy?" Kakashi inquired, turning to his petal-haired former student.
"Eight!"
Sakura scoffed in reply. "For what purpose?"
"Seven!"
The confusion on Kakashi's exposed features deepened. "To kiss at the end of the countdown, isn't that how the tradition goes?"
"Six!"
"I wouldn't know," Sakura shrugged her shoulders, "I've never been asked."
"Five!"
Kakashi was now downright flabbergasted. "Never?"
"Four!"
"It's not surprising, I've never been kissed at all. I'd probably do it wrong." she added nonchalantly, but the underlying tone of hurt was clear.
"Three!"
"You've never even been- Sakura, there is no right, nor wrong way to kiss someone."
"Two!"
The pinkette turned to look up at her silver-haired companion, unable to hide the moisture that was beginning to build up in her eyes. "Then why have I never been kissed?"
"One!"
Before Sakura had a chance to say anything more, hands wrapped themselves around her waist as her body collided with another, one that was hard and heated against her own. As she tried to make sense of what just happened, warm lips brushed lightly upon her own, startling her at first. She opened her eyes briefly, only to catch a glimpse of silver before they shut involuntarily, her body sinking into the strong arms that embraced it as she responded to the mouth crushed against her own, hesitantly before quickly growing eager.
"Happy New Year!"
The kiss was soft and gentle at first, but as Sakura felt herself becoming bolder with each passing moment, it grew heavier, deeper. A fire instantly ignited within her stomach that she'd never experienced before, and she didn't want to let go of the feeling, not any time soon. Her hands moved to grasp his shoulders tightly, in fear that she was going to pass out from the colossal amount of heat and electricity that charged between them.
Despite the fact that she knew it was her former sensei that was kissing her, there was no rational thought in Sakura's clever mind that told her to stop, or suggested that what they were doing was wrong. All thoughts were seemingly forgotten as she lost herself to the sweet taste of Kakashi, his lips moving against hers with such precision, as if perfectly molded it fit with hers.
When he broke off the kiss, Sakura almost cried out in protest. Panting raggedly, she slowly opened her eyes, just glimpsing the bridge of Kakasi's bare nose before it was once more enveloped by the dark hued material of his mask.
It was then that the shock of the situation hit her, and she swayed slightly on the spot, gripping the railing of the balcony for support as she looked up at her silver-haired companion.
"You didn't have to-" she breathed, trying to calm herself down.
"I've been wanting to do that for ages." Kakashi admitted, chuckling.
Sakura's jaw dropped.
"But Kakashi-sensei-"
He winced. "I think you should drop the 'sensei' honorific, Sakura. I haven't been your teacher in years, and it makes what just happened a whole lot more awkward."
Instantly she closed her mouth, but words failed her.
"I…I shouldn't have kissed you Sakura, I'm sorry." he managed weakly, suddenly looking very ashamed of himself. "I should go-"
"No, wait, Kakashi…" Sakura spoke his name slowly, trying it without the honorific as she grasped into his arm. "That was…that was…"
"Sakura, I have…feelings for you. Ones that I've tried to ignore and fight off, to no avail. I shouldn't feel like this, not when you're my former student, and you're so young, but I want to kiss you again, many more times."
Silence surrounded them, surprise etched deeply into Sakura's features as her brain began to comprehend exactly what Kakashi had said. He'd admitted to having feelings for her, and that he'd had them for quite some time. Whilst shocked at his sudden declaration and the fact that he was actually discussing his feelings with her, she couldn't help the swell of joy in her chest.
She couldn't remember the exact day when she'd stopped looking at Kakashi as her sensei and instead had seen him as an attractive, eligible man. It had been before her eighteenth birthday so pursuing any kind of intimate relationship with him at the time had been out of the question. Instead, she had settled with just being a friend and team-mate.
Yet, here he was, expressing his feelings, and here she was, officially an adult at twenty and able to engage in a proper relationship with the man she had lusted after for years.
A smirk suddenly appeared on Sakura's lips as she moved towards Kakashi, her fingertips moving to the edge of the mask that covered his features.
"Well then, it looks like it's going to be a very interesting new year."
Here's three things you should know;
1. This took me ages to write. I actually got a few pages done before I deleted it and started again. I originally had it beginning before the party, but I found this to be better and flow easier. I could have gone further with this but I wanted to end it there, with the last line. If I continued on, I don't think I would have found a better line to end it on.
2. The bell ringing is a New Years tradition in Japan, At midnight, Buddhist temples ring their bells a total of 108 times to symbolize the 108 human sins in Buddhist belief, and to get rid of the 108 worldly desires regarding sense and feeling in every Japanese citizen.
3. I used proper Japanese terms in this story; here's their translations;
bōnenkai - 'forget the year gathering' (Japanese drinking party that takes place at the end of the year, and is generally held among groups of co-workers or friends).
osechi-ryōri - special selection of dishes eaten on New Years.
konbu - boiled seaweed.
kamaboko - fish cakes.
kurikinton - mashed sweet potato with chestnut.
kinpira gobō - simmered budork root.
kuromame - sweetened black soybeans.
Please let me know what you think, feedback is incredibly helpful and very much appreciated. :)