A/N: Hello my dears. Has it been long? I can't tell. I wasn't keeping track, so my bad, aha! I hope this chapter makes it up to you! And if you have some time on your hands afterwards, visit my profile page and take a look at the new poll! I'm just curious to see all of your answers! (:
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
Fool
Chapter Two: An Uneventful Night
Sakura came to a realization, even though she had not seen or heard of Kakashi for a week, even though she was most likely miles away from him and stuffed away in her crummy hospital office working her heart away, that she would never be able to stop thinking about him.
The pencil she held in her hand was ready to snap between her fingers. The desk beneath her resting arms was practically trembling from her uncontrolled and frustrated shaking, and the tall stacks of paperwork were threatening to tumble down. Every single minute of every single day, her thoughts always managed to trail back to that silver-headed beast. She absolutely hated it! There was never a time where she could go on with her daily routine without having to encounter images of him.
It was ridiculous. He was her former mentor and fourteen years her senior, for Kami's sake! She wondered why she even dreamed of having such a relationship.
Her fingers twitched and she glared at the unfinished document sitting in front of her. Sucking in a long, deep breath, she continued her task, silently muttering reminders to herself that she did not have a crush on Kakashi. It was only a phase, she would then tell herself. It was only a short cycle that came and went during a person's growth. Perhaps it was even an infatuation, like it had been with Sasuke.
There was a sudden knock on the door and Sakura practically jolted in her seat. She set her writing utensil down and gazed up at the dark-headed figure standing in the doorway. She smiled sheepishly and tried to soothe her stiff joints. "Shizune," she greeted quietly.
A moment of silence passed before the said woman spoke, raising a confused brow. "Are you alright, Sakura? You seem a bit jumpy."
Sakura felt her posture drop a bit. "I-I'm okay."
Her superior nodded slowly, as if knowing her true condition, and strode toward her desk. A thick folder was dropped gently to the side of her paperwork with the words "To be signed" scribbled down in the center. "When you're done, I'd like you to deliver this to Lady Tsunade at the Hokage tower. These are important documents that need to be looked over," explained Shizune.
"Hai," murmured Sakura, pulling the folder closer to herself.
"Oh, and Sakura? Take it easy once you get home, alright?"
Her head snapped up and she blinked rapidly at the departing female. Her mind slowly registered and processed those words. Was her exhaustion that obvious, or was it that she was a terrible liar?
She sighed. Perhaps it was both.
Sakura mustered up the remaining of her energy to finish her incessant amount of work, using up the last two hours of her shift at the same time. The young pink-haired kunoichi bid her farewells to her fellow coworkers before stepping out into the open. The sky had noticeably turned into a mixture of pink and orange, clouds dotted in various places. The streets were clear of large swarms of villagers and ninja. Shops were closing, people were returning home, and the peaceful night was sluggishly closing in.
Normally, she would go back to her apartment complex at such an hour. However, she still had to make a trip to the Hokage tower in order to drop off the folder Shizune had given her. As much as she hated being so responsible and dependable, she knew that it was better if she fulfilled her duties instead of bailing. Sakura just hoped that Tsunade wouldn't keep her too long.
By the time she reached the tower, she could already feel the weariness overcoming her system. Stifling a tired yawn, she knocked on Tsunade's door and allowed herself in. Sharp blue eyes fell on her as she entered the office. There was a familiar odor of alcohol wafting around in the atmosphere, which usually meant that Tsunade had been drinking sake again.
Refraining from pinching the bridge of her nose, Sakura bowed slightly in respect. "Shishou,"she addressed politely.
"Sakura," said the Hokage, "Shizune called saying that you'd drop by. Is it another delivery?"
"As always," answered Sakura as she carefully placed the large folder on her former mentor's desk.
Tsunade gave the folder a quick glance, the irritation of having to do even more work evident on her face. She pushed the assignment aside slightly before grasping her sake bottle and taking a small gulp. She cleared her throat and smiled, "Thank you, Sakura. I apologize if it's a bother running around, doing errand after errand."
Chuckling, the kunoichi sheepishly rubbed the back of her cold neck. "It's not a problem, Shishou. Really."
"Well I appreciate your hard work. You are dismissed and I will see you on Tuesday at work, correct?"
"Of course, Shishou."
"Very well then. Have a good night."
Once Sakura was outside of the tower, she let out a big breath, extending her arms outwards as she took in the fresh air. The delivery had been shorter than expected, but maybe Tsunade had sensed her exhaustion. Either way, she was grateful that her day was finally coming to an end. She was unusually eager to get home. Unlike most days where she wanted to get up and move around, she had a great desire to simply lay around and act lazy.
It was believed by many that in order to clear one's mind, it was necessary to distract oneself with a list of tasks. Sakura, however, believed in no such thing. Every time she tried, she ended up being more aggravated than before. She wasn't exactly capable of occupying her mind, let alone ignore the bitter thoughts that ran in and out of her head. Anyone who suggested that she should work during one of her crabby moods was shunned for at most a week, depending on how irritated she was.
Anyone who tried to make her open up and talk about it received an immediate deathly glare, or even a shove.
Normally, people would resort to lying to escape those kinds of situations, but Sakura knew very well that she was not an adept liar. And when someone caught her lying, it was then they would never stop confronting her.
Finally reaching the comfort of her apartment complex, she dragged herself in, stripping her clothes off one by one until she reached the bathroom. Her hand reached out to pull at the door behind her, not completely shutting it, and moved to turn the shower on. Sakura gave her reflection in the mirror a short glance, making note of her noticeably pale azalea locks hanging beside her cheeks. She sighed and stepped beneath the hot water, feeling the heat climb down her spine.
She made sure to wash her hair three times with shampoo before proceeding to use the conditioner. The shower had been quick, for she only wanted to throw herself onto her bed and catch up with her sleep. After dressing into a pair of running shorts and a loose sweater, she grabbed her brush and gently combed all of the knots out of her hair.
It was moments before she at last crawled onto her bed, one cheek mushed against her favorite pillow. The kunoichi gave the clock sitting on the nightstand to the right of her a blank stare. It was nearly nine o'clock, and Sakura was sure that she had never been so tired in her entire life.
Her eyelids fluttered closed for only a second before she heard a silent clanging from outside of her window. Growing somewhat alarmed, she rose to her feet and tiptoed over to the window. She waited, and when she heard the sound again, she drew the curtains aside.
A frightened squeal escaped her throat when she saw that a dog-like mask was right in her face. She stumbled back a bit as she glared at her unknown visitor. There was a large cloak wrapped around the figure, the hood pulled over their head, making it impossible to identify the stranger. There was a pause, and then it occurred to her that her resting time had been disrupted.
Folding her arms across her chest, she frowned at the ANBU agent sitting on her window sill. "I know you might be on a mission or patrol duty, but you seriously need to watch where you're going! You scared the living crap out of me too," she finished with a mutter.
"Oh, sorry…sorry." Her visitor rested their chin on an upturned hand, their arm propped up on their crossed legs, a familiar gesture that Sakura came to memorize and recognize over the last couple of years.
Her beryl eyes widened as the hood was dropped, the mask being withdrawn afterward. The absence of their ANBU gear revealed a weary Kakashi Hatake. It was obvious that he had fought an enemy or two from looking at his worn out apparel, and there was a faint discoloration around his sole eye.
For a moment, she was baffled. After having tried to get rid of that man from her thoughts for the whole day, she was only rewarded with seeing him in person. Then it hit her that she was scared senseless by her former mentor and she was suddenly flustered.
"Y-You!" she finally sputtered, briefly pointing at him. "Why on Earth are you here? And don't you know it's getting late? Oh no — my neighbors! What if they heard me scream?"
The jaded puzzlement was evident on his masked face. "Okay…first of all, it's only nine, which I know isn't late in your book. Secondly, if you were more in it instead of out of it, you wouldn't have been scared. And lastly, is it ever wrong for me to visit my favorite student?"
Sakura found herself growing redder with each passing second. Her mind frantically went over his statement before pushing the first two lines away. "So do you visit Naruto and Sai at times like this as well?" she shot back with a rising brow.
Kakashi sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. "Can we bring this conversation into your kitchen?"
Her lips pressed together as she contemplated over whether she should allow him inside. She needed her privacy, but he looked terrible, and considering that he rarely took time out of his own schedule to run around the village looking for someone, she stepped aside. Rubbing her temples, she murmured, "Fine, fine. Help yourself to anything you can scavenge. I'll be there in a sec."
He nodded before hopping through her window and striding out her bedroom. She groaned inwardly and searched for a clip to bring her hair up into a bun, cursing silently beneath her breath. "Dear Kami, why does everything bad have to happen to me?"
An abrupt, awkward cough echoed in the hallway."Uh, Sakura…is there a reason why your undergarments are lying around on the floor?"
Sakura bit back a hiss, the clip pinching a part of her scalp as she jolted in place. Heart racing, she hurried out and discovered Kakashi bending over, his hand reaching out to grab onto her white, lacy panties. She instantly slapped his hand away and snatched her underwear, bra, and the other forgotten articles of clothing from the carpet floor.
"Don't just pick it up!" she snapped, her cheeks growing bright red. "Pervert!"
He appeared taken aback by her rude comment. "You know, after helping you countless times with your period issues back then, I'm surprised that you're calling me a pervert only now," he said nonchalantly, taking a stool by the kitchen counter top.
She opened her mouth to say something in response, but her words could not be found. Turning on her heel, she left the room to throw her clothes into the hamper. She was practically fuming by the time she returned, her cheeks slightly bloated from the air being held within her mouth. She stood still, shifting her weight from one foot to another. Impatiently, she implored, "Why are you here, sensei?"
Kakashi turned to look at her, his fingers thrumming slowly against the granite. "It seems like you're far more exhausted than I am. It's rare to see you so agitated," he noted quietly.
Sakura's pent up anger suddenly vanished and she began to feel unusually hollow. Her eyes fell a bit and she scolded herself for her horrible attitude. He was clearly fatigued and was in no state of being the target of her frustration. Holding a hand to her forehead, she exhaled, "I'm sorry for being such a jerk, sensei. It's just been a really long day."
He hummed and he moved back into his original position, his back turned to her. She reluctantly claimed the stool beside him, their shoulders gently colliding as she settled in. She swallowed nervously, still not accustomed to being so close to him. "I'm a terrible hostess, aren't I?"
There was a brief period of silence. "No, you aren't. I'm sure you just need some rest is all." He tapped her softly on the back in reassurance. "Besides, it's my fault for coming on such short notice. I just had to relay a message from Yamato, Sai, and I."
"A message?" she echoed.
"It's about tomorrow's training plans," he began to explain. "I don't think you are aware of this, but tomorrow is going to be the first time in two months since Naruto last trained with us. We just wanted to make sure that you'd be present for the event. It's almost like a little reunion, I suppose."
The mention of Naruto's name put a smile on her face. In spite of his annoying, boastful personality, she was glad that she was finally going to see him after days of continuous absences. He was her best friend and she looked up to him like an older brother. "I wouldn't miss it for the world," Sakura exclaimed, happily. "So, are we just going to train?"
Kakashi shrugged lazily. "Perhaps we can have a bite at Ichiraku Ramen afterward," he suggested.
"And you'll actually be paying this time?" she wondered aloud.
"Maybe, maybe not. I might just have to trick Yamato into paying Naruto's meals for me."
Of course.
Sakura stifled a laugh and jumped off her stood. She walked over to the fridge, grabbing a glass cup from on the way, and poured herself some of her special homemade lemonade. She glanced over at the slumped figure by the counter, watching as he tiredly rubbed his lone eye. "Do you want anything to drink?" she called out.
"No, thanks." His head rose a little, enough so that he could capture her gaze. "Listen, Sakura. I'm really sorry for showing up out of nowhere."
"And I'm really sorry for being a prick," she answered. "I think we're on even terms on this one, Kakashi-sensei."
The jonin didn't bother arguing back. Instead, he slouched back into his idle position and yawned.
Curiously, Sakura strode toward him and sipped at her refreshment, her wondering emerald eyes glued onto him. "You look pretty tired yourself, Kakashi-sensei. What was your mission about?"
He murmured something inaudible before breathing, "You should know that all ANBU missions are classified by now, Sakura. You're…what? Twenty?"
The shock was evident on the pink-haired girl's face. "I'm surprised you can guess my age correctly, but get Naruto's and Sai's age wrong every single time."
"Well it's difficult since those two lack maturity," he reasoned out, waving one hand around in a gesturing motion.
"Okay…" Sakura took a minute to ponder. She started again, "Well, allow me rephrase my question. Um, was your mission time-consuming?"
"I've been gone since yesterday morning, so I'm going to say yes."
"…Did you encounter enemies?" She had a hunch having this question answered was probably unnecessary, taking his worn out appearance into consideration, but she wanted to confirm her suspicions.
"Sakura, just how much are you going to inquire? You know I can't reveal anything important about the mission," he said, giving her an odd stare.
"But I'm not asking you to give me the objective. I'm just asking if you encountered enemies," the kunoichi interjected.
Kakashi sighed in defeat. "Alright. Yes, I did run into a few."
She was satisfied with his answer and stood beside him, content. Then her mind began to click and her medical instincts kicked in. "You're not badly injured, are you?" she asked with a concerned tone.
"I might have gotten a couple of scratches, but it's nothing I can't handle," he answered honestly.
After years of seeing Kakashi avoid all medical attention, she knew that it would be impossible to convince him that he needed to be healed on the spot. She wouldn't blame him for hating hospitalization. Although she did not completely learn his history, she was aware that his past was what brought up this small hatred for hospitals. If the medical attention was urgent, he would normally resort to letting himself into her apartment to be healed, but chances like those were rare occasions.
Sakura nodded. "Alright, but I don't want to find out that you've collapsed in the middle of the street."
"I'm sure that won't happen," he chuckled. He shot her a masked smile, giving her an unsettling feeling squirming about in her stomach. Rising to his feet, he tucked the stool back beneath the granite counter top. "Anyways, I think it's about time I head out."
She found herself feeling somewhat disappointed, but she shook her head and accepted his plan of departure. Knowing that it would be strange seeing an ANBU agent emerging from her apartment door, she led him back into her faintly lit bedroom and rested her shoulder against the cold wall beside the open window. He carefully stepped onto the window sill, strapping his dog-like mask back onto his face and tightening the cloak around his neck.
Sakura watched with a glazed look as he prepared to take off, but he abruptly paused and turned to her. His bare hand tightly grasped onto her wrist, his frozen touch stinging her skin. She stiffened and held her breath as the mask came closer. There was a small squeeze, and then a muffled whisper. "Take it easy, Sakura."
And with that having said, the ninja leaped off the building. She observed his retreating figure until it disappeared around the corner and she heaved a large breath, resting her crossed arms across the window sill. There was no denying that her feelings had grown exceptionally stronger than the last time she had seen him.
"Sakura-san?"
Sakura looked out the window and saw her elderly next-door neighbor, Mrs. Inaba. "Inaba-san," she greeted with a wave.
"Who was that person that came out of your window just now?" asked the kind old woman, her frail voice almost inaudible.
"Ah, uh…I was just being informed about my duties, Inaba-san! You know…shinobi stuff…" She mentally slapped herself for such a lame excuse.
There was a mischievous glint in her neighbor's pale eyes, one that could not be missed, one that made her uneasy. "Okay, I get it, I get it," smiled Mrs. Inaba. "But next time, Sakura-san, dear, keep your screams down a little, yes? You don't want the entire neighborhood overhearing you having fun."
Was she…implying what Sakura thought she was implying?
Sakura grew bright red and she began to panic. "N-No, n-no, no! Inaba-san, it is not what you think it is!"
It was going to be a long night, she figured.
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