HUD: This is the first time I'm back in this fandom in years. Please excuse any inconsistencies with characterizations, but please let me know so that I may fix it. Also, to those following my other works, they are not being abandoned. This was my secret side project, but now my time will be split. Please give it a shot! Enjoy.

The life of a school teacher was never boring, to say the least. The year was always full of bright faces, some more willing than others, new experiences, and boundaries tested. As the head of the Literature department at a rather prestigious high school, Iruka Umino saw his own fair share of everything. He would never say his students were incompetent, but it always seemed that the guidance counselor would specifically target his schedule with the less than favourable groups. Towards the end of the year, even his seemingly wealthy fountain of patience began to experience a drought.

It was during Spring Break, as he sat in his study sipping chai tea and picking the final book of the semester, that he received a phone call that brought him to where he sat now. His family (what was left of it, anyway) still owned something that had slipped through his attorney's grasp. A small, three plot plaza in the quietest city Iruka had ever been to, and would have never been to had the surrogate landlord decided he didn't want the responsibility anymore and called the only number he could find related to the late Umino family.

"This is the place," Iruka muttered, putting his Honda in park. He sighed and smiled wanly. The plaza was just as described, only three plots, but the first two were connected in what had been his grandmother's café, which left only one extra. Iruka couldn't discern exactly what the shop was from first glance - tall and tinted windows, neon 'Open' sign barely filtering through - and from a name like The Den, Iruka suddenly felt apprehensive.

"Well, just sitting here isn't changing anything." Iruka turned the key and the engine stalled before the subtle whir of the motor ceased. He unbuckled his seatbelt and was sure to lock the door behind him. This place appeared safe enough, in a well lit strip near a middle school and mall, but Iruka didn't know for sure and his attorney couldn't say much, either.

The teacher pocketed his keys and crossed the small lot. He approached the café first, cupping his hands around his eyes as he pressed his face to the glass. It was nearing the end of dusk; the waning sun cast long shadows down the strip and windows. Inside, there were still tables and upturned chairs, and Iruka couldn't help but smile. His memories of his grandmother are scarce, but the will had left this small hole in the wall to him. Granted his parents were suppose to keep it up until he was ready, but things change, and that hospital explosion changed quite a bit.

He felt his smile dip slightly, but he pulled it up. He was one of the lucky ones, living with only a scar across the bridge of his nose, but he never considered himself lucky. Iruka lost everything that day as he fell into the care of a few family friends and, eventually, a placement home. The teacher traced his scarred nose slightly; he always imagined the pain, however nonexistent, when his thoughts strayed.

Iruka chuckled as he spied the small mural on the wall that pulled him from a rather darkening mood. It was a sunset over an ocean with a dolphin jumping from the water, spraying droplets every direction. His grandmother had had a hand in his name, and seeing the décor of the dusty cafe helped solidify it. The door to the - drug store? sex shop? clothing store? - right next to him opened, resounding a pleasant jingle that startled the teacher and straightened his back quickly.

A young girl stepped out in a rather cute red dress, her hair the oddest and lightest shade of pink Iruka had ever seen for a dye job. "Hello!" She called cheerfully. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"Oh, no, it's no problem," Iruka said, absently scratching his nose with a sheepish smile. She had startled him. "I was lost in thought, is all."

"Oh, yeah? A friend of mine does that a lot, but if you ask her she'll say the same about me," the girl said with a giggle. Iruka decided it was the evidence of a private joke he knew nothing of and rather didn't care. He smiled anyway, hand moving behind the back of his neck lightly.

"I am Iruka Umino, by the way," Iruka said as casually as he could. She was about the age of the kids (teenagers, really) he taught. Sometimes it was hard to flick out of Teacher Mode.

"Sakura Haruno!" Sakura beamed, holding out her hand. "Nice to meetcha!"

Iruka smiled and accepted the gesture. "Likewise."

"So what brings you by here, Mr. Umino?" She asked after dropping his hand. Her eyes were an interesting shade of green, and Iruka decided that her hair colour must be natural.

"Well," he sighed, turning back to the café's window. "It seems I inherited this place, and whatever that shop is." He nodded behind her, and Sakura turned.

"Oh, this place is a bookstore," the teen said. "The name is pretty off-putting, huh?"

"I'd say," Iruka said. She laughed, and he joined in. "It's odd that the lawyer couldn't tell me what it was, though."

"Are you the new landlord?" She asked, surprising Iruka. Apparently she knew enough to know the old one quit, so maybe she could help with a few of his questions.

"I am," he answered. "Is the shop owner here?"

Iruka was disappointed when she shook her head, pink tresses swirling around her shoulders. "No, he's, like, never here. Sasuke's here, though."

"An employee?"

"More like the employee," Sakura scoffed. She folded her arms over her chest. "He's always here by himself, working on school work during break and after we get out. Poor Sasuke never gets a break!"

"That's certainly alarming," Iruka muttered. The teacher in him immediately was concerned for the child's wellbeing and the obvious violation of the OSHA labor laws. He strode around her and grabbed the door handle. "I should speak with him."

Iruka pulled the door open after Sakura nodded, the small bell that had startled him earlier sounding off. The sudden smell of print and warm tea assaulted his nostrils as he stepped in. After his eyes adjusted to the bright lighting, Iruka took a sharp look around.

There were several rows of bookshelves lining the walls and four long rows down the centre. Clearly marked signs indicating the genre were above each piece of furniture and small labels on the shelves for what Iruka assumed to be the alphabet. The walls were a light cream colour and the carpet a navy blue, which Iruka immediately appreciated. The desk to the right of the door was empty, but a paperback book laid open and face down over a spiral notebook.

"Hello?" Iruka called, feeling Sakura come up beside him.

"Hey, Sasuke dear!" She chirped, and Iruka couldn't help but cringe from her fake cheery tone. "The new landlord is here!"

There was the faint sound from further into the shop of a door closing over carpet. After another brief moment the soft pads of socked feet on carpet approached. "Back so soon?"

"I could hardly stay away," Sakura teased as Iruka turned towards the low voice. A dark haired man leaned against the desk, expression closed and bored. His shirt matched his black, spiky hair and dark jeans.

"No different than any other day," Sasuke mumbled. Iruka grinned slightly as Sakura huffed beside him. Sasuke reminded him of a haughty cat.

"Ah, well. I'm Iruka Umino, the new landlord," Iruka began, holding his hand out. Sasuke eyed him for a moment before accepting the gesture.

"Sasuke Uchiha," he answered, shoving both of his palms into his pockets. He moved to sit smoothly on what Iruka assumed to be a stool behind the high desk. "So the old toad man was tired of dealing with - "

"Sasuke!" Sakura hissed. "Don't be so rude."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"Okay, then," Iruka said apprehensively. He was beginning to feel this method of questioning wasn't going to be such a good idea. "When will the owner be around?"

Sasuke shrugged, turning his attention towards his downturned book. "He comes around sometimes. Not too much, though. I pretty much run the shop when I'm not at school."

"You can be honest with me, Sasuke," Iruka said kindly. Sasuke looked up, one slim black eyebrow raised.

"With what, exactly?"

Iruka paused, gathering his reserve. "Are you being unfairly treated? Surely someone your age - "

"Ah, so you've met the Voice of Konoha, huh?" He drawled, smirking slightly. "Only been a few minutes and Haruno already sunk her teeth into you."

"Hey!" Sakura snapped. Her face coloured quickly as her eyes darted to meet Iruka's. "It isn't as bad as it sounds..."

"How old are you, Sasuke?" Iruka asked.

"Nineteen."

"And you, Sakura?" Iruka said, turning to her. She ducked her head and scratched her chin.

"Ah, eighteen?"

"You either are or aren't eighteen. There doesn't need to be a question," Iruka chided. She bit her lip and groaned.

"Fine! I'm eighteen. Sasuke and I take the same electives in university," Sakura muttered. Iruka shook his head and smiled.

"Oh, goodness, child. I thought there was a fifteen year old kid in here, running a bookshop!" The teacher chuckled, his relief coming in waves. Sakura giggled tentatively next to him. "I certainly wasn't thinking of a college student. You look much too young."

"Like a twelve year old," Sasuke added, casually flipping a page in his book. Iruka rolled his eyes when the comment elicited several choice words from Sakura. After the second threat Iruka cut her off with a hand on her shoulder.

"Alright, you two, that'll be enough," he said with still a hint of amusement. "Sasuke, I'll be in town for the rest of the week before I have to leave for a month. I'm going to leave my contact information here with you, so please have the owner call me when you see him."

"Sure," Sasuke nodded as he passed over the spiral notebook. Iruka met him and borrowed a pen. The page had several names and numbers written beside each other. Iruka paused, unsure where to write. "Here," the teen said, pointing to the top right of the page. "I'll make sure he gets it."

"Are these...library markings?" Iruka asked as he neatly printed his name and mobile number.

"Yeah. Uncle does a purchase or checkout system," Sasuke said, spinning the binder back around. "If you want to rent, it's a flat fee for a week. If you rent to buy, it's a bit more expensive, but he also offers a trade option."

"So the owner is your relative, then?" Iruka smiled. Had his parents been alive, Iruka would have been similar to Sasuke, running his family's business after school hours.

"No," Sasuke deadpanned. Iruka blinked, looking to Sakura for help. The girl was curiously looking at the shelf furthest away. How convenient.

"Not a relative?"

"Yeah."

"Then does he demand you call him 'Uncle' or do you just work here?" Iruka felt his patience begin to slip. It was as if Sasuke could feel the tension and waved his hand lightly.

"He's my caretaker. Nothing more," he said dismissively. He flipped the binder close and tucked it somewhere under the desk, away from Iruka's sight. When he looked back up, the same bored expression held his gaze. His eyes were as curious as Sakura's - deep garnet, nearly black in a ring around his irises - and Iruka was beginning to wonder if there was something in the water.

"Well, I should be going," Iruka said, clearing his throat slightly. "I'm here through Friday, so I'm sure I'll see you two again. Have the owner meet me, if he can. I need to discuss whatever system there was for rent. I'm staying at a bed and breakfast just right down the road."

"Alright," the teen nodded, looking back at his novel. His hair slid forward, helping to attest to Iruka's earlier image of a very moody cat. "Try not to let Haruno poison your idea of Uncle - " despite Sasuke's denial of there being anything more than the owner simply being his caretaker, the title was said with subtle fondness, " - he isn't a bad tenant and goes well out of his way for people. Except for that toad man. He just happened to be the exception."

Iruka decided he would have to hear that story from the owner himself. Sakura made her presence known by chunking a rather heavy looking book over his shoulder. Sasuke shifted slightly to avoid it and looked over his shoulder at the crumpled heap of the book. "You missed, Haruno. Also, you're buying that."

Iruka took that cue to duck his head and all but bolt for the door. He waved quickly over his shoulder, Sakura's wails making him flinch. Sasuke took it like a champ, though - the man had his eyes firmly focused on his novel, never looking up even when Sakura managed to nearly rip the book from his hand. Apparently this 'toad man' was someone dear to her. He supposed the owner could help with that, too.

The bell tingled as the glass door shut behind him, blocking most of the commotion from within. Iruka shook his head and chuckled - despite her age, Sakura really did act like some of his own students.

The teacher fished his keys from his pocket as he headed down the concrete walkway. Iruka was glad for the slight awning over the old café as he pressed against the glass again. Tomorrow, he would come by first thing and air the place out. He didn't want to think too much about the years there had been no visitors or the new visitors that may have stayed in the tiny corners and nooks. He shuddered, stepping back as he cleared his throat.

"As far as I can tell, that place isn't for sale." Iruka spun wildly, his spunky ponytail actually smacking him in the cheek. A man stood behind him, newspaper tucked under his arm as he stood with a slouched posture. "It's been empty for years."

"Ah, yeah. I finally got around to coming to check it out," Iruka answered. He squinted against the sun, which happened to take up right behind the newcomer, and took a step to the right. Once his eyes adjusted, Iruka still wasn't sure they had.

Iruka had thought that Sasuke was a bit on the pale side, but this new guy took the crown. Well, from what Iruka could actually see - he was wearing a dark long sleeved shirt pushed up sloppily at the elbows, exposing the most skin on his body. Two-thirds of his face was covered by a scarf and the most amazing shock of solid silver hair that seemed to defy gravity but fell perfectly across his left cheek. Iruka must have been staring, because the man was speaking and Iruka couldn't for the life of him know what he was saying.

"I-I'm sorry, what?" he stuttered. The man's exposed thin silver eyebrow rose in what Iruka took as amusement.

"I asked if you planned to open the café," he stated patiently. His tone was slightly lighter than before, but Iruka still found himself distracted by the low timbre.

"Ah, perhaps," the teacher answered. He looked over his shoulder, pulling his windbreaker a little closer. It may have been spring, but it seemed this new guy wasn't over dressed. "It was left to me by my grandmother. I just found out two days ago."

"I used to eat there as a kid," he said, shifting his weight. "Always got the grilled cheese."

Iruka chuckled. "I don't remember spending so much time here, being so young. But I'd like to remember."

"Well," the man started. Something in his tone pulled all of Iruka's attention. When he looked back, Iruka would swear the stranger was smiling (if his slight eye crinkle was anything to go by). "I come by here every morning to bring coffee to this kid in there - " he jerked his thumb towards The Den, " - so if you're here, I'll stop by."

Iruka felt himself smile as he tucked an errant strand of hair behind his ear. "Alright. When do you usually come by?"

"Around nine."

"I think I can be here," he said. Iruka seemed to forget his manners - he suddenly shoved his hand forward. "I'm Iruka Umino, by the way."

Iruka was surprised by how warm the other's hand was. "Kakashi Hatake."

"Nice to meet you, Kakashi," Iruka said, enjoying the click of the other's name. Kakashi nodded as he released their handshake.

"Same," he said, and Iruka was sure he saw another smile.

"Well, I need to head to out. Thank you in advance for your help," Iruka said, smiling maybe a bit too bright. Kakashi dipped his head slightly in acknowledgement and shoved his hands into his pockets again.

"Don't thank me yet," he answered, and Iruka wasn't sure if it was teasing or not. He turned towards The Den as Iruka stepped from the walkway. "Have a good night."

"Will do, thank you," Iruka called. He pressed the unlock button on his keyring and was sliding into the driver seat the same time Kakashi dipped into the bookstore. Iruka couldn't help his soft smile. He had always been told that living in a smaller town meant that the people tended to be friendlier. Iruka was used to his students and colleagues treating him kindly, but a total (actually, three) complete stranger was a new one. He had lived in a large city the past twenty years; random kindnesses were just that - random.

Iruka wasn't feeling as apprehensive on his drive back to his rented room as he had on his drive to the dusty old Summertime Café.

A/N: Please share your thoughts! Thank you for your time.