Author's Note: This story takes place right before the start of the Chunin exams. I haven't written a fanfiction in a couple years so I may be a little rusty. I don't own anyone or anything associated with the Naruto anime. Please be kind when leaving a review. Anyways, enough with my life story, onto the fanfic!
"You're late again!" Naruto and Sakura yelled with their usual malice upon their sensei's arrival. Yes, it was yet another average day in the Konoha Village.
"Sorry, I got lost on the way. This is a really big village." Hatake Kakashi weakly retorted as his mind was currently elsewhere.
"You've got to be kidding me you idiot! You live in this village!" Naruto screamed furiously, clearly getting fed up with his teacher's constant nonchalant personality which he perceived as outright apathy.
"He's right sensei! If you're going to be late everyday you should at least try to come up with a half-decent excuse once in a while." Sakura added with an unusually fading frustration. Kakashi found the kunoichi's quickly regressing frustration rather odd. It seemed as though she was being held back by more prevalent emotions. She was usually frustrated with him until around lunch time at the earliest. However, in spite of this, Kakashi decided to let it go believing his imagination to be getting the best of him.
"I've got some news to report." Kakashi started unsure as to what kind of a reaction he would receive from his squad. "Kurenai and I have a few matters to deal with regarding the village so you all have the day off." Sasuke looked at him with curiosity, Naruto did his usual pouting when things didn't go the way he wanted, and Sakura reacted in a way that Kakashi never would've thought, she looked hurt. In spite of their own personal opinions on the news which had just been delivered they acknowledged what had been said and went their separate ways.
"Why am I feeling this way?" Sakura asked herself as she was walking through the streets of Konoha "I'm not supposed to be in love with my own sensei! What kind of a sick freak am I? Honestly, what's wrong with me, I'm on a squad with the Sasuke Uchiha, Konoha heartthrob, and I'm in love with Hatake Kakashi?" Sakura had been torn up about her teacher for weeks. She'd felt her feelings for Sasuke growing weaker as her feelings for her sensei had become ever stronger.
She knew that keeping this bottled up inside would slowly kill her so she decided to talk to someone about it. She was well aware that only one person could possibly understand what she was feeling and try to level with her without becoming thoroughly disgusted; she had to speak with Shino Aburame. He was the silent type so telling other people about it wasn't a concern. His body was filled with thousands of insects thereby eliminating the worry of being looked down upon as he was much more of a "freak" than she was. Sakura, finally deciding to follow through with her plan, headed over to Shino's apartment. Standing in front of his door she tried to summon up the strength to reveal her problem to him as she knocked on his door with a trembling hand
"…Hello?" Shino answered curious as to why Sakura would be paying him a visit "How can I help you?"
"Hey Shino, I was wondering if you could help me with a problem I've been having." Sakura nervously responded. Shino was bewildered for a moment but quickly invited her in and asked her to have a seat on his black leather couch. Why would she be talking to him about this when there's a myriad of other people who could most likely help her better than he could?
"Konichiwa Sakura, I'm honored that you've come to me with your problem but wouldn't it be easier and more useful to discuss this with Kakashi? He is your sensei after all." Shino inquired taking a seat on the couch next to her.
"That's just the thing." Sakura said "In a way my problem is Kakashi. I know this may sound strange but I'm…I'm in love with him. He's the most handsome man I've ever met and when I'm with him I feel lighter than air and happier than I ever am otherwise. I know it's wrong but I just can't help it. I know that he's 14 years older than I am, he's my teacher, and he deserves so much better than me. The thing is, in spite of all this, I can't help feeling like I love him. I don't know what to do! I haven't been able to focus on my jutsus ever since I started feeling this way and I fear that unless I do something to fix this Kakashi will find out and I'll be sent to some asylum or something. I was hoping you might be able to help me since your sensei is Kurenai Yuhi, the woman who Kakashi is currently dating." Sakura pleaded on the verge of tears.
Shino cleared his throat as he prepared himself to explain "love" to Sakura, "First of all you need to try to calm down Sakura. You're starting to sound extremely desperate for a quick answer and I'm worried that you might end up…doing something rash. Next, I want you to understand that the feeling you have for Kakashi-san isn't really love. I know it might feel like it but I can tell from what you've told me that your feelings for him are more along the lines of a combination of infatuation, lust, and desperation. I know it might be hard but for Kakashi's sake you're just going to put these feelings out of your mind. It's not going to be easy but it's all for the best." Shino began in an almost paternal manner.
Sakura was about to thank him for his help and leave but Shino cleared his throat again to indicate that he wasn't quite done yet. "As I was saying Sakura, it's all for the best to move on with your life. Telling Kakashi this would complicate his life more than you could possibly imagine. He would have to let you down gently, something the man clearly doesn't seem to have the capacity to do considering his emotional maturity. Even if he returned your feelings he couldn't act on them or else not only would he lose his job in an instant he would be banished from Konoha."
Sakura nodded at hearing this, feeling a lot better that she had spoken with Shino about this. She could hardly believe how deep and insightful he was about emotions. "Thank you so much Shino." Sakura began yet again on the verge of tears. However, this time they were tears of joy from being somewhat relieved of her burden as opposed to those from depression. "I can't tell you how much you've helped me." Sakura added feeling a little guilty that she couldn't think of a sufficient way to thank him. "You're the best friend I could ever hope for."
Shino smiled at seeing the girl he cared for finally pulling out of the slump she had been in when she came to him. "It was my pleasure to help you in your time of need. I'm not suggesting you give up on loving altogether though. I just want you to know there are people closer to your own age that care for you more than you know." Shino responded implicating a certain something he was hoping she would pick up on.
Sakura couldn't help but feel a sense of overwhelming joy as she finally came to a realization she had been overlooking all this time. She had been swooning over men like Sasuke and Kakashi because she was afraid that the one she truly loved would never return her feelings. She thought he was too emotionally detached to show just about any feeling whatsoever. Upon hearing what Shino had just said she knew that she had been wrong. "Shino-kun…I think I just found out how I can properly thank you for your help…" Sakura said lustfully
"And how would that be Sakura?" Shino questioned curiously. Rather than continuing their conversation Sakura decided to simply show him as she pulled Shino into a tight embrace and engaged him in a passionate kiss. Shino was at first rather shocked at her action and contemplated breaking the kiss but decided against it. He knew that this was his chance to be with the girl who he's loved for years and has so long eluded him. He couldn't bring himself to reveal how he felt due to his fear of rejection. He knew he couldn't compete with Sauske Uchiha and if she had made her happy he would've gladly accepted it, taking solace in the fact that Sakura was happy. Understanding how opportune the time was Shino deepened the kiss much to Sakura's delight.
As Kakashi stood on the tree limb outside of Shino's apartment he smiled knowing that the young kunoichi had finally found true love. He mentally patted himself on the back for deciding to follow up on his hunch that something was wrong with Sakura by trailing her after he and Kurenai had finished their business. Kakashi was even more pleased that he was going to fulfill his perverted desires by watching Shino and Sakura get intimate. As things were just getting "good" Kakashi noticed an odd feeling in his body from a cause he couldn't discern. His body felt completely drained of chakra and, feeling too weak to continue staying on the branch he was crouching on, fell flat on his back on the ground causing the Kakaichu insects he had been covered with to crawl back into their master's apartment. 'Did you really think I didn't notice you just outside my window you pervert,' Shino thought resisting the urge to laugh 'you got what you deserve Kakashi, maybe now you'll learn to stick to your books.'
Author's Note: I had originally planned on this being a Sakura suicide fic but oddly enough it turned the way of a Shino/Sakura fic. Oh well, there's not enough fanfictions focusing on this pairing anyways. Thanks for reading my first fanfiction in a couple years. Please leave a review on your way out. Though I hope you'll be kind as it's my first fanfic in a while I appreciate all comments as getting comments whatsoever at least means that someone's actually reading this.