Sakura was standing on a small pier on a lake, watching the sun set, the night before she was due to take her jounin exams. She smiled slightly. The sight of the sun sinking
slowly into the lake calmed the butterflies that had taken up residence in her belly.
"Sakura-chan," a voice came from behind Sakura, making her start. She whipped around to find the owner of the voice standing less than two feet from her."Kakashi-sensei!" she
yelled, her cheeks flushing bright pink both from embarrassment that he had managed to startle her so badly and from realization as to how close he was to her. She could even
hear his quiet, even breaths, he was standing so close.
"You shouldn't be sneaking up on people like that!" she scolded him, poking his chest to emphasize each word.
Kakashi smiled unashamedly, "Shouldn't you have sensed me anyway? After all, you are taking your jounin exams tomorrow, aren't you?"
Sakura blushed an even deeper pink, "Yes, I am," she admitted hesitantly, "but you are impossible to sense so quickly! You move like shadow, Kakashi-sensei!"
"You are soon to be a jounin, Sakura-chan," Kakashi reminded her, "I am hardly your sensei anymore."
Sakura blinked, surprised at the sudden change in subject, "I suppose so, Kakashi-...san," she paused, looking uncomfortable, "It doesn't sound right."
Kakashi sighed. "I was thinking more along the lines of simply Kakashi," he admitted.
Sakura nodded. She felt much more at ease with that. She would have been mortified to have to call him 'Kakashi-kun', like she had Sasuke.
"Anyway, I came to wish you good luck on your exams," Kakashi said, looking out onto the shimmering lake. He glanced back at Sakura, "Did you come here to think?"
"Yes," Sakura said quietly, "It's relaxing."
Kakashi nodded. Moments passed as the two stood there silently, gazing out onto the lake, shimmering with streaks of gold and red as the sun set. Kakashi began humming
quietly.
Sakura glanced shyly at him as he hummed. She had never seen Kakashi like this. He seemed much more at peace than he normally was. Of course, he was always relaxed,
almost lazy even. His nonchalant attitude sometimes irritated Sakura to no end, especially when he couldn't bother make it to meetings on time. But this time was different.
This time, Kakashi seemed completely without care. Sakura smiled gently.
Kakashi opened his eyes and looked over at Sakura. "So, anyway, good luck, Sakura-chan," he said awkwardly, his embarrassment plain.
Sakura laughed, and then, suddenly, enfolded Kakashi in a huge hug. He stiffened in surprise and then relaxed, giving Sakura a rib-cracking squeeze of his own. She laughed
happily.
"Thank you, Kakashi."
