A/N: This was originally supposed to be a longer one-shot, but after re-reading it, I figured that I liked it best at this length. :D Hope you all enjoy! I'm getting my wisdom teeth out early tomorrow morning, so maybe all the painkillers will inspire me! XD Wish me luck.. I'm getting all four out...And i'm skeeered as all get out. I hope you enjoy!
BTW, shunkan is Japanese for 'moment'. :D
Read and review!
--
Shunkan
---
The moment that Sakura first realized that she had a unique attraction to her team captain happened when she was 17 years old, sitting beside him at Ichiraku at the end of a long and tiresome mission. It was just the two of them - Naruto had already eaten (at record speed) and taken his leave, and Sakura was a notoriously slow eater. She had repeatedly tried to tell him that she was fine finishing her meal alone and walking herself home, but all Kakashi did in response was merely shake his head. He gave no explanation.
She found herself taking her time even more to eat, enjoying the company of the sensei that she had never had a truly strong bond with. He thumbed through the pages of Icha Icha patiently while she ate. Until it struck her that he hadn't had a bite to eat.
"Kakash-sensei," she began, her voice taking on a condescending maternal tone. "You haven't eaten anything. After a mission like that, you should eat and replenish your body's energy."
Kakashi turned and gave her a blank, unfazed glance. "Would it make you feel better if I ate, Sakura?" he asked, amused.
Sakura nodded her head. "Yes, it would. In case you didn't know, you're getting older, sensei, and when your body ages it's more important to make sure that--"
The sound of him chuckling cut through her words, and the rest of her sentence died before reaching her lips.
"All right, Sakura," he said. He flagged down Ayame the waitress and ordered a small bowl of plain beef ramen. Ayame was ever so eager to oblige, batting her eyelashes at him and clasping her hands together under her chin.
Sakura smiled to herself, feeling accomplished.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you happy now?"
"Yes." She gathered a few strings of noodles around her chopsticks, and guided them into her mouth. "But how are you going to eat it with that stupid mask on?"
His eye crinkled pleasantly. "Ancient Hatake family secret."
She rolled her eyes and resumed eating, maintaining a certain level of alertness so that she could catch the moment of truth - watching Kakashi begin to eat. She swallowed slowly, and her heart caught in her throat when Ayame returned, setting down a steamy bowl before the copynin. She lingered, eyes twinkling, and Sakura presumed that she also wanted to stick around for the view.
Kakashi glanced up at Ayame and said kindly, "Thank you." It was polite, but had a dismissive tone to it. Ayame slunk away, looking slightly disappointed.
Sakura stole another quick bite, eyes locked onto her sensei. He split his chopsticks, said a quick 'itadakimasu', and with a movement that seemed painfully slow, he reached up to seize his mask.
Kakashi paused, and glanced over at her, eyebrow arched.
Sakura blushed quick and hot, realizing just how intently she had been staring at him, and looked away. "I-I, uh..."
He smiled to himself, unbeknownst to her, and tugged the mask down.
She had her eyes clamped shut, facing away.
"Go ahead and look, Sakura. I suppose you've waited long enough to find out what's beneath it."
Sakura's head flung to the side, and her eyes widened when she caught sight of him.
That's the moment she first realized it.
--
End.