Under the Surface
Kakashi didn't know what was worse: the fact that the book the new teacher decided to hurl his way clipped his ear, or that she purposely missed his face. The lack of dissatisfaction on her face indicated that the way the book was projected towards him was in her intention.
He was sat, stricken. He didn't think that she would have the balls to do anything that rash – and unbelievably crazy – on her first day as the replacement teacher. If anything, she wasn't winning any rewards from him. But it seemed like that's where he reached an impasse with his classmates; there were whispers throughout the class of hormonal boys pumped with testosterone, becoming enamoured by her, and jealous teenage girls who wished that their figure was as well-developed as hers.
Whatever it was that she was doing was working. She was in the class' favour.
"Has anyone told you that it's rude to doze off like that, Kakashi-san?" she asked with a faux-sweet smile painted on her face.
Did anyone tell you that you could kill someone with a 300-paged book? He wanted to quip back, but refrained from doing so when he had a flashback of his near-death experience. For once in his life, he felt fear. But it was all in good reason – she did give him some psychotic vibes that moment she waltzed into the room.
"Introduce yourself," she prompted, still with the same innocent expression.
He inwardly sighed, but stopped his eyes from rolling back. Honestly, it would be a death sentence to do anything that could provoke her. "Hi. I'm Kakashi Hatake. I don't have any hobbies I wish to share. And I don't particularly know anything about my future." He said in a monotone manner. By now his peers should know that if he could half-ass something, he would.
Tsunade stood there for a moment with an eyebrow raised, visibly stricken by the boy's lacklustre attitude. Even the class understood that the mood of the class has constricted since Kakashi's lack of adherence. If anything, they were sure that some sort of tension was coiling between the Class Rep. (Kakashi) and Fresh-out-of-water-teacher-hottie (Tsunade), and it wasn't something they wanted to be a part of.
"Great. It was a pleasure meeting some of you." She finally said, asserting her sweet tone again. "I shall see you tomorrow on your first and second period. Don't forget to bring your biology textbooks tomorrow."
"Yes, ma'am." They all said in unison. Surprisingly, even Kakashi played along.
Kakashi collected his bag from the ground and slung it over his shoulder, ready to leave their homeroom. As he brushed past the teacher, they made the briefest eye contact filled with daggers, and he smirked.
When him and his friends marched down the hall to their next class, Rin managed to grab onto his arm. "What was that, Kakashi?"
"Hm?"
"That. With our new teacher."
"Kakashi has the hots for her, that's what." Obito chimed in beside Rin, grinning. "Don't even lie, Baka-Kakashi. I saw the way you looked at her as you left the classroom."
Kakashi snorted back. "She shocked me, that's all. For someone as young as her, you wouldn't think that she would have the balls to… you know, nearly commit murder with a book. In front of two dozen witnesses, no less."
Obito laughed, but Rin had her cheeks puffed. "She is really pretty, don't you think?" she asked. "I mean, especially by teacher standards. You don't see anyone looking like her often."
"I haven't really gotten a look," Kakashi truthfully told. Honestly, all he could see was Satan embodying a young woman.
"Eh. She's too good for us, anyways. She probably has a boyfriend already." Obito casually said in the sidelines, having his arms crossed behind his head in a nonchalant manner.
"I pray for whoever is associated with her," Kakashi huffed.
"How are you finding things in school, Tsunade-san?" Hiruzen asked when recess rolled around the corner. He leaned against the water fountain where she resided, and waited for her response.
"The students are impressionable. I haven't seen anyone who would cause much trouble," she replied before taking a sip of water.
"And you've had the pleasure to meet Kakashi Hatake, right? Or did he skip homeroom again?"
Tsunade took a seat in her designated desk in the staff room and cross one leg over the other, knowing that the headmaster was leading to a long conversation. "I wouldn't say that it was a pleasure to meet a boy like him."
"Forgive me for not fully disclosing you on his situation," he bowed his head slightly.
She raised a brow. "What do you mean?"
"Kakashi is predicted for many things, Tsunade-san; an honour student with a scholarship, if things go well." Hiruzen passed her a folder that outlined Kakashi's history. "But things have gotten sour on his end. And, well, we fear that his prospects are diminishing along with his grades."
Tsunade took the folder and scanned through it. "W-What do you want me to do about this?"
"Just keep him in check. Make sure that he does well in his classes. His last homeroom teacher gave up on him, so he had a loose rein. I'm asking for you to-"
"Tighten the reins again," she finished, placing the folder down.
"Precisely. He's a once in a generation student. We can't afford for someone like him to throw away his future."
"I'll see what I can do."
The bell rang and all of the students flowed out of the school building with different agendas for the night. Kakashi stayed behind and did his Class Rep. duties, such as cleaning the homeroom class and 'volunteering' (or, in his case, being forced to) carry sheaf of paperwork from one building block to the other.
Shizune, who was the other Class Rep., often helped him with his duties but since she was ill with the flu, he was left to do everything by himself. Though Rin tried to stay and help him, he had to send her home. After all, it wasn't her responsibility to do these things.
As he cleaned the blackboard, he heard the steel door slide open. His ears perked, and he turned his head to the side. "Senju-sama," he acknowledged in a respectful tone.
"Kakashi-san," she acknowledged back. She stepped to her desk and looked through the compartments, as if she was on a mission for something. When she couldn't find what she was looking for, she leaned on the desk and sighed.
Kakashi placed the board wipe down and tried to go on about his chores without much hassle. After all, he has already greeted her.
"Kakashi-san," she called.
Oh, dear God. What now? He didn't do anything to warrant her attention.
He turned on his heels and made eye contact with her. "Y-Yes, Senju-sama?"
"Good work." She nodded at the clean classroom he organised.
He smiled. "Thank you."
"I heard that you're on the Honour roll, too. The school must have you by the neck."
"You can say that." He flatly replied as he continued to organise the papers on his desk.
Tsunade's shoulders slouched and she sighed. There's no way she can connect with this boy, even if the headmaster has made a special request that she do so. Why should she care if he throws his future away? She's just a temporary teacher, anyway. He shouldn't be her problem. He's old enough to think for himself.
Right?
"I expect you to be on time tomorrow," she added. "I've heard about your innate tardiness."
"It will depend."
"This is not up for discussion, you know that. Class Rep.'s, such as yourself, shouldn't be on their final strike for detention for being late. You're the student model; you should start acting like one."
"Senju-sama," he quickly said, stopping whatever it was he was preoccupying himself with. "I'm sure that you know about me by now. The headmaster has probably informed you of my life, right? I know what you're trying to do, but you should know why I'm late by now."
"He did," she said after a few seconds of silence.
Kakashi's clear expression changed into something more solemn, but he was quick to look away. "I'll be off now. I've done everything I need to do." He took the loose papers and placed it on her desk. They shared eye contact again, but this time it was Tsuande who looked away first.
"Go on," she whispered.
Kakashi took his belongings and slipped out of the classroom, softly closing the door behind him.
After spending what felt like hours on the train, Kakashi arrived home. He kicked off his shoes at the entrance and closed the door behind him. "I'm home," he called. He threw his blazer over where they kept the coats, and wandered into the kitchen.
He then retrieved the meat he had been defrosting and set it to one side before he climbed up the stairs. "Father, I'm home." He said again.
He twisted the doorknob of his father's room and let himself in. His stoic look softened and he smiled. "I'm sorry I'm late."
He sat himself down on the bed and hung his head down.
"Kakashi. Oh, you're here already."
"Just now," he replied.
"Great. Well, I'll just give him his medication, and I'll be on my way home."
"Right. Tell me when you're finished." He took one last look at his father who was practically paralyzed on his bed, and his lips thinned in bitterness.
"I'll be back in a bit, father."