Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

….

The Taste of Life

….

We gather outside the Konoha gates at seven the next morning. Or to be more precise, four out of five of us gather at seven. Sempai's amazing punctuality of yesterday was apparently a one-time thing. We're forced to wait around, twiddling our thumbs, as the sun rises higher and the cool mists of morning are slowly burned away. Naruto paces back and forth the whole entire time. Ever since Kakashi dropped the Kabuto bomb shell, Naruto has been raring to go. No amount of reasoning on Sempai's side—that there could be any number of white haired young males with glasses, completely unrelated to Orochimaru and Sasuke, running around—could bank the fire of his enthusiasm. Between the two of us, Sakura and I managed to stop him from tearing off the moment he heard the news, but it was a close thing. Now I'm beginning to worry that, if Sempai doesn't get his ass out here soon, we might have a repeat performance. Not that I can blame the kid. I'm about ready to leave Sempai behind, myself.

Just as this thought runs through my mind (albeit for the tenth time, so there's not MUCH of a coincidence, here), a familiar shadow falls across the ground at my feet. I stare down at it, and wish fervently that I'd acted on the impulse to leave one of the previous nine times. It's too late now. Sempai is here, and we'll be stuck together for who knows how long. Talk about repeat performances! I'll be spending practically every moment of every day pretending that nothing's happened, nothing's wrong, and I'm not hopelessly in love. And it's hard to imagine, from the way my pulse is racing just at the sight of the spiky shadow Sempai's head is casting in the dirt, that pretending will get any easier. I'm getting tired just thinking about it.

Before I know it, I'm half way through a long sigh. Sempai's shadow suddenly goes very still, and I know even that small expression of what I'm feeling was a mistake. Time to fix it. I get up from my seat on my luggage, swing my arms a few times, and stretch; the absolute picture of nonchalance.

"It's past nine o'clock, sempai," I say conversationally.

"Ah. You see, the old lady next door tripped over her cat and broke her hip. I had to take her to the hospital. Then the pit bull from down the street got loose and…"

I'm already settling my pack on my shoulders and walking off. "Hai, hai. Whatever you say, Sempai. Since you're finally here, let's just go. Naruto's about to lose patience and go haring off on his own, and I'd really rather not waste another couple of hours trying to track him down."

Before Sempai can respond, the boy in question catches sight of him and descends like a fury. Sakura isn't far behind. I leave Sempai to his fate and start down the route we planned out yesterday. Sai hovers indecisively between the two groups for a moment, then jogs after me. He stops just a pace behind and follows silently at my elbow… very silently, very persistently, and very exactly one pace behind, even when I try and move away to a slightly less claustrophobic distance. Beginning to get annoyed, I shoot him a dirty look. I'm surprised to find him hastily shifting his eyes away from me. I stare down at him in consternation. What new trouble is brewing here? Sai's eyes flick furtively in my direction again, and as they are once again averted, a pale blush grows in the dead white of his cheeks. I stop stock still.

Now, if it were anyone but Sai, I'd start worrying right about now that the kid was growing a crush on me. Therefore, that can't be it. It will be something completely unexpected. "Sai," I say, a little sternly, "If there's something you have to say, then please say it."

Sai considers for a moment, then lifts his head. The flush is gone, and the expression is just as opaque as ever. "Yamato-taichou, is there something…" He searches for the unfamiliar phrase. "…'going on'… between you and Kakashi-sempai?"

I slap my palm to my face, in some instinctual attempt, I suppose, to drown out the psychological blow with a physical one. Sempai is not here right now, I realize, and I let out a double lungful of exasperation as well. How can the kid be so discerning, and yet so dense?

"There's nothing 'going on' between Sempai and me," I grit.

Sai cocks his head. "But Yamato-taicho, you've been looking somewhat ill the last couple of days, particularly in the presence of Kakashi-sempai…"

I force myself to meet Sai's gaze and speak calmly. "…Thank you, Sai, for your concern, but it's just your imagination. I'm fine. With or without Sempai."

"Oh," he says. For a moment he continues to stare blankly at me. Then his features are drawn suddenly into a disconcerting smile. "I understand."

He starts down the path again, and after a moment's hesitation, I do, too. What, exactly, Sai understands, I don't even want to guess, but at least he's not hovering at my elbow anymore.

…

Hmmm. Yes. I know it's short. Forgive me? Next chap is longer.

PS. Don't worry. Sai really is NOT in love with Yamato. He's just, as usual, worrying about his friends in a very inappropriate manner.