To everyone who reviewed, faved, and alerted this story, arigatou! ^-^

It means a lot, really. :-)

Disclaimer: No I don't Naruto ok. If I did Kakashi and Sakura would have already fucked. Maybe... xoxoxox I OWN NOTHING!

Previously...

"Now then, Kakashi I suppose you want to know what you're doing here... I wouldn't worry too much on it I just need a few questions answered is all."

Kakashi sweat-dropped but kept his composure. This surely had nothing to do with him and Sakura, if so he would've got his ass beaten the second Tomoyuki laid eyes on him. After a few more seconds of the dark-haired man's intimidating stares, Kakashi found his voice. "Questions. Of course, I can handle that. What ever did you need to know, Haruno-san?"

"Tomoyuki." He corrected and Kakashi just nodded his head in agreement before watching the man turn his back and come face to face with nothing other than... his tank top and Kakashi's eyes widened in fear.

"By any chance would this be yours?"

To say that Kakshi was nervous would be an understatement. He was beyond nervous and felt his covered and uncovered eyes widened while beads of sweat formed under his silver locks. Still, the man he is, Kakahsi controlled his panic and fear by taking a couple breaths to keep himself calm. Tomoyuki seemed to be growing impatient, still holding up the black undershirt waiting for Kakashi's answer. When the masked ninja still did not answer, Sakura's father soon stepped up closer. "Not talking, eh? Well that's just fine. I had more questions for you to answer anyway..." There was a pause and Kakashi felt his eyes grow bigger at Sakura's name when Tomoyuki soon inquired, "What do you think of Sakura, Kakashi?"

"Sa- Sakura...?" Kakashi stammered. He really wasn't helping himself there.

"Yes. My daughter, MY sweet, 17-yr-old cherry blossom of a daughter who also happens to be your former student. May I remind you... What do you feel for her, how do you see her, and what comes to mind when you hear her name?"

Kakashi gulped followed by a cough he then arched his back to look the older man straight in the eye and said, "Sakura is an exceptional kunoichi." He started with his voice firm like usual. "I have the great pleasure in being on her team her skills on the battlefield are, well, remarkable. Especially her medic skills. She's intelligent, strong, she's already surpassed me along with Naruto and Sai. If it weren't for her, this team wouldn't be what we are today. I am very proud of her, as Tsunade-sama, her friends and even her family sure is." He finished and noticed Tomoyuki's eye loosen up.

"Hm, I suspected as much." He replied honestly. And it was was the truth, at the same time while he thought something had been going on between his daughter and Kakashi, he also didn't have a hard time believing Kakashi's words. Maybe this was just a big misunderstanding and he just jumped to conclusions. "So, you don't think about Sakura in that way." It was more of a statement than a question but still, Kakashi answered him as if it were.

"Oh no, sir. Nothing like that..." Kakashi had to hand it to himself, he was a good actor.

"So just friends and teammates, nothing more...?" He poked the question at Kakashi.

"Yes sir. Teammates and friends, nothing more." Kakashi lied and to his surprise, Tomoyuki smirked. "So this wouldn't be yours? You never did answer so I assumed-"

"No." Kakashi's response cut the man off. "I have no idea as to why it was in your daughters room but I assure you-" Kakashi stopped.

"Hold on." Tomoyuki's eyes narrowed in curiosity. "I never mentioned it being is Sakura's room..."

At this Kakashi's mind panicked, how could he mention such a thing when it wasn't even mentioned itself? He was doing so well until... that. Without another second of worry Kakashi regained his composure and fiddled his way out of this mess with his cool demeanor. "Ah. Well Tomoyuki, you did bring me into a garage, locking the door, and started interrogating me with questions about Sakura-chan. So I as well assumed you found that shirt in her room and suspected it to belong to me." Kakashi chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. He smirked to himself when he realized his smooth talk had actually slid by Mr. Haruno.

Tomoyuki's face flushed a bit. "Oh well yes, I did. But it wasn't just you I had also suspected it to be Naruto's or Sai's they denied so..." He sighs. "I really didn't know what to think. Maybe I'm making a big deal out of this, I apologize Kakashi. I guess I'll just let you go then, ne?" Mr. Haruno back away from Kakashi, unlocking the door for the man's escape.

Kakashi laughed a bit awkwardly. "All's well that ends well, Tomoyuki. Ja ne!" Kakashi lifted his hand in goodbye leaving Sakura's father in deep thinking.

Meanwhile Kakashi was with Tomoyuki Sakura had searched just about everywhere in search for Kakashi. "Where is he?" She muttered under her breath impatiently.

"BOO!" A familiar, deep masculine voice called about.

Sakura let out a shriek of fear, gasping and her hand laid upon her chest to feel the constant beating of her heart. When Sakura finally set her eyes clearlly on the young man in front of her she narrowed her eyes and smacked him playfully.

"Shin, don't scare me like that..."

"Heheh." He scratched his head a bit sheepishly like Kakashi so often did. "Gomennasai... I thought you'd just be used to it by now."

"Well considering how I reacted from your greeting you now know the answer to that."

"And he says, once more, gomen." He gave her a small smile.

"So Shin, what's up? Did you need to talk or something?"

He feigned a hurt expression. "Why Sakura, I am hurt... can't someone just appear out of nowhere to visit their favorite cousin?"

She chuckled at his remark. "Ok, ok. C'mon, let's walk and catch up a bit." With that said the two walked side by side while Sakura couldn't help but wonder. Now that she though of it, Shin reminded her of Kakashi. However, they looked nothing alike, but their distinct behavior was just the same. Like Kakashi, Shin was lazy... he also new how to push your buttons without going too far. She loved that about him. She loved that about both of them. Shin had many differences from Kakashi though, one being her cousin. Another with his appearance. Unlike Kakashi Shin didn't cover the lower part of his face, his handsome features were with him everywhere he went along with the girls that so often threw themselves at him. He had dark, brown hair that was a bit messy and could almost pass for Kiba if his teeth were sharper and also had two red face markings. Though he had brown hair, his eye color wasn't at all the same. While Kakashi's was black and hers were green, Shin's eye color was a clear blue so it was actually funny how they happened to be cousins. "Well stranger things have happened..." Sakura told herself not thinking about whether her cousin heard or not.

"Hm? Say something, Sakura?"

His voice pulled her away from thoughts, then they sat on a bench upon her front porch. "Huh? Oh no."

He smiled and looked up at the clouds. "So uh... where's your boyfriend?" Shin let the puffy white cotton-like clouds captivate his sight.

"B- Boy...friend?"

He laughed. Now he was looking right at her. "Yeah. Boyfriend. You know, a boy... who's a friend? But actually happens to be more than a friend. Hence the term; boyfriend." He was still laughing and Sakura giggled quite awkwardly trying to go with it.

"I- I... Shin, I don't know what you're-"

"Ah. So it's a secret eh?"

"What're you talking about?" She instantly asked.

"I'm not an idiot Sakura, I can tell what you're feeling by the look in your eyes." She didn't say anything for she knew this was true. Shin was a very great observer when it came to emotions. He didn't need a face or body language for that matter, though it helped, all he had to do was stare into your eye. "It's the older one, correct?" She was still confused. "The one with the silver-hair, and the mask?"

"...Kakashi." She whispered.

"Ah! So that's the man's name. Frankly I'm surprised Sakura." He let out a heart-filled laugh. "I never would have expected you to go for someone older than me but I guess things just work out that way, ne?"

Sakura sat on the bench frozen. In all honestly she was speechless. How did he find out? "Sh- Shin... h- how did you-"

"I see the way you look at each other. Well, I notice how you act around him and I saw the way he looked at you."

"No" she whispers. "You... you can't say anything don't tell anyone because he could-" She was rambling and they both knew it so Shin decided to let her spare the words.

"It's okay, Sakura. I'm not going to tell, I know he makes you happy and besides it's not my business to get involved anyway. Though, if you do get caught you brought it upon yourself just so you know." She frowned at his words knowing they were true she felt a hand go to her shoulder and she looked back into his light blue eyes. "But that doesn't mean I won't be there for you." She smiled and hugged him giving her thanks.

"So you really don't... you know, mind?"

"Not all. He's a good man, honestly I couldn't think of anyone better." A pause. "Though he seems sort of fragile try not break his heart."

"Right..." She agreed softly.

"Anyway I don't really think it's my decision to approve or disapprove, you know what I mean?" He rhetorically asked. "You're turning eighteen next month then you'll be free to do whatever. So technically there should be no restrictions. With the law, that is."

"Yeah, I know. But I lived under my parents roof and I'm gonna have to follow their rules and if they don't approve of our relationship whether I am of age or not it wouldn't matter anyway."

"Move out the second you turn eighteen then. Move with him."

"It's not as easy as it seems, though."

Shin was slightly confused and a little concerned now. "What do you mean? Sounds simple enough to me..."

"How do I know we're gonna last that long?"

He took a moment to answer, "Do you love him?"

She hesitated. "Y- Yes..."

"Yes?"

She nodded but it wasn't a firm nod. "Well. Have you told him?"

"Um not exactly?"

"Hn." He frowned but it was soon washed away with another grin. "Hahahaha, well they do say actions are louder than words. Whatever happens I'm sure it'll work out for you." The 21-yr-old stood up from the bench, starting to make his way back in the house but her words stopped him

"He's my first, Shin." Sakura said. Again, Shin was confused.

"Eh?"

"Kakashi..." She exclaimed. "He's the first guy I've ever been in a relationship with." Her voice was more quiet now and Shin frowned because this was certainly news to him. "How can I tell? How will I ever know if he and I will last that long to move in or get married. Or any type of thing like that? I've always heard that the first relationship your in won't necessarily last and that you can't guarantee that you'll spend the rest of your life with them so how can I tell?"

He shifted his stance and soon brought himself back down to sit on the bench next to Sakura. "You won't." He replied bluntly staring back into her eyes. "You won't be able to tell. At least not anytime soon. It true that most first relationships aren't there to stay. Heh, mine didn't I wouldn't be surprised if the same happened to you." He noticed the saddened expression on her and quickly added on, "Look, I'm telling you this cause it's the truth. I'm not gonna sugarcoat the situation and tell you it's ok. Cause no one knows if it'll be ok. It might seem ok now, then tomorrow something different will happen. When you're in a relationship you need to take it as it is. Don't waste time worrying about the 'what ifs' doing that will lead you nowhere. Live in the moment. Appreciate your time with him as much as you can you never know when it can change and get taken away from you." He paused. "And just because most first relationships don't last... it doesn't mean yours will be like that. You really shouldn't spend too much time pondering it. You're just about to turn eighteen, you're still a bit young to be thinking about who you want to spend the rest of your life with. Maybe someday you'll realize that he's the one. Or maybe you'll start to believe that it was just a short little love story in your life. You never know..." He was getting up again but Sakura still had one question.

"Wait, Shin! Wh- what if... what if Kakashi made his mind up already? He's older and more experienced so what if he's chosen what he wants in life already and pressures me into what if-"

"Sakura didn't I just say not to focus on the 'what ifs'?"

"Oh.. heh right."

He chuckled. "But to answer your question, I think you should trust that he won't. If he really loves you then he won't do such a thing. He'll wait for you like any good man should and you just need to trust him. If you love him enough than you should be able to hold faith in him, alright?" This time when Shin got up to leave, Sakura didn't even think to stop him. With her now alone on the front porch she whispered to her self, "But that's what I'm worried about... how do I know I love him..."

Thirty minutes later, Sakura still found herself on the front porch. She had a lot to think about. As she stood up from her porch's bench the door slowly creaked open. With Kakashi walking out from it. Oh great, she thinks sarcastically. Kakashi was the last person she needed to see right now.

"Hey." He said while approaching her softly.

"Erm, hi. Kakashi."

He chuckled. "You won't believe what happened, your dad got me into the garage and started asking all these questions about you and me." He scratched his head and added on, "Oh and about the tank top of course. But every thing is fine now, or so I think. For now anyway." His smiled dropped when he noticed Sakura in utter silence. "You alright?"

She nods her head, but doesn't meet his gaze.

"Hey. C'mere." He motioned her his way for a hug, his arms wide open. When he noticed she didn't even budge Kakashi closed the gap in between them and tightly wrapped his arms around her, although not too hard. He kissed the crown of her head. "I love you." He mumbled.

Sakura tried to smile but she just couldn't. So instead she stood there, silently enjoying his hug.

a/n: AW don't you guys just love Shin? I loved writing him :3 Reviews please! :D