A/N: I will italic sections that are dreams and blasts from the past.
Ah! You all are amazing readers. Thank you for all the warm reviews and encouragement. And again to all of those who favored and alerted this story as well. Please do comment! It's really making me want to write this faster.
Be prepared, this will be quite a long story. I apologize if it may seem slow, but I don't think Kakashi would fall in love quickly. I envision it hitting him like a river eroding the earth; slow, deliberate, but inevitably happening. I do promise a lot of Kakasaku moments in each chapter to make up for it.
Q/A: To answer a few questions asked in reviews.
Queenxofxtala- Thank you for your review! I'm really glad you're enjoying this story of mine! A little confused about the question, but I hope I have the right answer for you! No, Sakura didn't see his face. She won't see him for a good while. The line "With a deep sigh, he devoured his meal in the blink of an eye, out of simple habit." I assumed Kaka always eating his whole meal when people blink since we see him in the anime with mask on, looking satisfied in front of an empty bowl in a matter of a second. Ah, doesn't that make you love him more? So cute.. :) Thank you for your questions and great feedback!
Prescripto13- Ah, thank you for your comments and keeping up with my story! I totally forgot about Merlin's wear in Sword and the Stone, but it does fit! Mylan is kinda modeled after all those great supporting roles of great guidance in stories; i.e. Merlin, Dumbledore, Gandalf, Master Roshi.. Yes, even Master Roshi. I created him in that fashion because I tend to trust characters that look like that more. They seem so wise, witty and adorable. I couldn't pass up the opportunity of writing someone like him.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Chapter 3 - Hatake Kakashi, The Professor
*Flashback*
Sweat trickled down the nape of her neck as she sensually swayed her body to the booming beat of the music playing over head. The heat of the club layered over her skin uncomfortably and the smell of cigarettes and booze made her stomach churn.
She dropped to her knees on the cool ground of the stage, flipping her blonde tresses in a languid circle before removing the first button of her blouse for comfort rather awkwardly, without any suave or skill at all. While others' may find this act alluring she would simply say it was a necessity. It was just too hot to be dancing.
"Yeah! Take it off!" yelled a random stranger whom decided to stop dancing to simply watch her.
She icily glared the male.
'Why did I decide to go out tonight?'
The music began quicken and her hips dutifully followed. However demeaning, it was a bit fun up there, although she would never be inclined to admit that fact.
Closing her deep emerald eyes, one hand caressed her down her stomach and the other entangled into the blonde wig she wore.
"Okay, that's enough." A gruff voice called from below. She looked down to see his hand extended, offering to help her down.
"Let I remind you, this was your dare." she smirked, taking his hand and hopping down onto the dance floor.
"I didn't think you'd actually do it!"
"Don't you know me by now? When have I ever backed out from a dare?"
He chuckled while lifting a hand to scratch the back of his head. "Well, you did a great job. You know, with the touching and strip-"
"Na. ru. to." she enunciated every syllable, raising her fist.
"Yeah, ugly. You did a great job." A new, cheerful voice entered the conversation.
"Tch.. just don't do it again." A broody voice came from behind her.
Sakura turned so she could get a good look at all three of her boys. With a deep sigh she placed a hand on Sasuke and Sai's shoulder.
"Come on. The next one to lose is wearing a dress." she directed them towards their booth.
"Sasuke would make a pretty girl." Naruto snickered.
"I beg to differ." Sasuke scoffed. "Sai already wears girl clothes."
"I'd have to agree with Naruto. It's the hair." Sai commented happily.
"I told you to get a hair cut, but you just didn't listen to me, now did you?" the blonde taunted causing the Uchiha to grow even more broody than what already naturally radiated from him.
"Sit tight, guys. I'll get the next round." The boys sat down in the plush, black leather booth, still arguing while Sakura left to get the drinks.
Since Naruto's career boomed they made it routine that whenever he was able to make it into town the group would get belligerently drunk while playing a series of ridiculous games. The blonde needed to relax and have some fun once in a while since he was always working a hectic schedule. Because of the embarrassing situations they always seemed to put her in, Sakura decided to be in disguise and wear a wig tonight. And she was right in doing so. She was never the type to jump on stage and dance provocatively. Probably why Naruto had dared her to because the person to refuse a dare would have to buy drinks all night and she was well low in funds. Two minutes on stage, wearing a blonde wig versus paying an ocean of alcohol that her boys' bottomless pits of stomachs could hold?
Dancing wasn't too bad.
"Three pitchers of your cheapest beer." she called out to the bartender.
Sakura leaned her arm against the sticky bar table and looked around. Clubs weren't really her thing and here she was surrounded by a good thousand people in a three-story behemoth sin zone. She just couldn't figure out the appeal to these places. On her wild nights she preferred the company of a few good friends in a small lounge where the drinks were absolutely heavenly. It was practical and she didn't hear ringing in her ears afterward, which was always a plus.
"You did pretty well up there. Short routine, but sweet." The smooth, velvet tenor came from beside her. Sakura turned around and found an older man sitting on the stool next to her reading.
Who spoke to her? Couldn't be the guy next to her. This guy looked completely absorbed in the book he held in front of him to notice her by. Shrugging, she focused her attention back to the bartender who seemed to forget her order. Another reason why she hated crowded places. It was hard to get her alcohol.
"Hey, three pitchers." she tapped the table, trying to gain the attention of at least one of the bartenders present.
"Too bad your friend pulled you down. You looked quite nice up there."
Sakura sharply turned her head to see the guy next to her flip whatever page he was reading. It had to be this guy. She rolled her eyes. Who the hell reads at clubs?
"Is dancing a regular thing for you?"
"No." she said abruptly. Immediately, she cursed herself for responding.
'Do not instigate him, Sakura. Just ignore. Be cool.' she told herself.
"Well, it should be."
To hell with playing cool. With a raise of her brow and her anger slowly rising she turned to face him, "Excuse me?"
"If you must."
Sakura held out a hand in front of her. "Are you insinuating that I should be a stripper?"
The man diverted his attention from his book to her with a seemingly shocked expression. "Not at all. I'm just suggesting you dance more. A person who dances well, should."
An unconscious smile began to form against her will. His slouched posture and ready smile was hard to be angry at. The easy nature of the guy in front of her was contagious and his twist of words was admirable.
This guy knew what he was doing.
He managed to insult her to gain her attention and praise her at the same time to save himself. True markings of a man who was familiar with women.
"I'm not sure if I should thank you but I suppose the comment is appreciated." she answered amused.
Blatantly, she looked him over. She was never the subtle type and this man brightened her curiosity. Although he was mostly covered up from head to toe, there was something rather striking about his features, almost handsome. But she couldn't be too sure. If only he showed more of himself. A forth of the skin on his face was exposed. His left eye was covered by a piece of black fabric tied around his head. A crimson scarf wrapped over the lower half of his face. Strange how he appeared too young to be middle aged but his lush, untamable hair was stripped of pigment, giving him a silver mane. His exposed eye was crinkled in a smile, indicating that he was smiling to her. For some reason, she wanted him to open it to see what color eyes he had. Any information about the mysterious man in front of her, she wanted to know.
This guy was good. He managed to get her attention and his mysterious appeal made her want to stay.
"So, how much?" he asked simply.
Sakura was taken aback. "What?" He couldn't be asking her if she was a... could he?
"How much?" his smile faded, his onyx eye piercing into her emerald ones. Deep blackness that set her on fire for reasons she had no idea. There was something so familiar about them. The familiarity dampened her anger.
"What do you mean?" she repeated not really paying heed to anything besides her investigation on his profile. She knew this man from somewhere, she just couldn't put her finger on it..
"I was just wondering if a wild girl like you had one. Personally, I'm rather bored with girls in that line of work. A night with a woman who does not specialize in that expertise has certain appeal to me." his smile returned breaking the spell he had on her with his intensity.
Sakura shook her head to get a hold of herself allowing a few moments to truly process the words just exchanged.
'Did that bastard really just say what I think he said?' her inner self growled.
'Yup.'
'.. Get 'em.'
"A.. wild girl.. like me?" she could feel her blood boil.
"There's a price for everything." he shrugged.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?" she yelled, slapping her hand against the table.
"My name is Hata-"
"What makes you think I would actually agree to have you pay me for sex?"
"You did have the courage to dance on stage. But seeing you very obviously upset, I'm guessing you won't take me up on my offer." It wasn't a question.
The way his eyebrow lifted as if he were intrigued and his onyx eye trailing deliciously over her made her flush in embarrassment. "Of course, I won't!"
"Then how do you feel about casual sex?"
She snorted, shaking her head in disbelief. "Goodbye."
She turned to walk away but a calloused hand encircled her wrist and spun her around as she fell against his hard, wide chest.
"Let go of me." she seethed through clenched teeth. Her glare sought to singe him on spot but, despite her strong resolve, she could feel herself tremble.
His lazy posture did not ease the intensity behind his obsidian orb as he fixated on her. The smoldering black fire encased inside burned her in spot, hypnotizing her to halt all movements. There was something so strong and powerful emanating from him. This man reeked of danger.
As swift as a blink he craned his neck down, his lips mere centimeters from her pulse."I know it's hard to believe, but I never do this." his tone darkened, "I don't usually approach women but there is something about you that makes me feel drawn to you."
Everything in her wanted to scream, strike, kick him repeatedly but she couldn't bring herself to. An unconscious chill traveled down her spine and back as he spoke his words against her skin. She could feel his hot breath against her.
Slowly he pulled away and she languidly looked up into his eyes, obviously shaken. Again she thought there was something so familiar about them.
It couldn't possibly be him.. could it?
"Let me go." she repeated shakily.
"I apologize for my rudeness, Miss.."
"Sakura." she filled in without thinking.
An indistinct smirk began to form under the folds of fabric shielding his identity from her eyes. "A beautiful name. I will remember it."
Instantly he released her wrist before slipping his hands into his pockets and turned to walk away. He took a few steps before turning his head to regard her. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Sakura."
*End of Flashback*
She awoke with widened eyes in the safety of her own apartment.
'Great. I would wake up hot and bothered.' she sighed heavily, crushing her hands to her face. 'Why did I dream about that?'
Her first encounter with him before he became her professor.
Of course, since the time she had first entered school as a child, she had heard of the infamous Hatake Kakashi, boy genius who had inadvertently taken the world by storm. But it didn't matter to her much until she turned thirteen, surviving from her own pit of hell she crawled herself out of through his accomplishments. He was a doctor, scientist, writer, researcher, technician and entrepreneur. He specialized in everything and not only did he cure illnesses and invent devices to benefit those suffering from sickness, he humbled himself away from prying camera. She liked to think it was because the goodness of his heart that he wanted to help all these people.
Either that or he was completely mental with solving impossible puzzles. It was probably both.
Obsessively, she studied his works religiously. She even kept the only professional picture that was available of him on her nightstand- a side profile of his face with his lethargic, onyx eye gazing forward towards the camera. His author's picture for all his books.
This man was more than an obsession. He was her dream. Everything she admired and wanted to be. How he basically striven from the pits of a hell at such a young age to become such a useful person, was something Sakura greatly respected.
And that night she met him. After nine whole years of learning everything she could about him and his works.
She met him.
By the time she came to her senses he was no where to be found. She searched all three floors frantically, but he was gone.
Every weekend following she convinced the boys or Ino to go clubbing just so she could get another chance to meet him. Even a mere glimpse of him would be worth it. It wasn't because of romantic interest that fueled her desire to see him. No. He was her real life, childhood hero. She just wanted to talk to him. A real conversation and hear his gorgeous voice speak about the beauties of science.
Yeah, she was pretty pathetic.
As summer approached an end, she still hadn't seen him. It was the weekend before school started and Sakura was losing the hope of ever seeing him again. Her hopes began to dwindle further than rock bottom and that's when he appeared back into her life.
*Flashback*
An exaggerated yawn escaped her lips as she lazily swayed to the music blasting. She absolutely hated being here. It was the same thing every weekend. She endured the painful, distasteful music, horribly made, over priced drinks, perverse men and extremely hot surroundings. Was it worth it? Sadly, she looked around her and she still did not see the slouched figure with predominately silver hair looming within the crowds of people.
A strong arm ensnared her waist and excitedly she craned her neck quickly to see just who it was. Unexpectedly, a goofy smile of a brunette man greeted her. He pressed against her back as he rolled his hips, willing her to follow his movements to dance with him. Tiredly, she undid his arm that was around her and shook her head. Although he was somewhat attractive, she just did not have the energy to deal with him.
What she really wanted to be doing was to soak in a nice, warm bath with aroma therapy bath salts and bubbles, and the entertainment of a shameless, smutty book.
She took a few steps through the crowd towards the booth she was sitting at with Ino when a hand caught her wrist.
"Look, bud. I didn't want to dance a second ago and I still don't want to dance now."
"I had no intention of asking you to dance."
The same beautiful tenor voice reached her ears and she sharply turned around. Her eyes widened and somehow she lost all ability to breathe.
There he was. After weeks of turmoil her efforts had finally paid off. The man she had been searching for all this while was standing right in front of her in the middle of the dance floor. His appearance was somewhat different. Now standing, she could see that he was at least a head taller than her, broad shoulders, lean waist. He abandoned the scarf, but instead he wore a black mask, a sleek black turtle neck and slacks. The same torn black fabric still shielded his left eye from her.
"It's you." she said so quietly, she was sure the music drowned her voice, but he could still hear her.
Something flashed behind his visible eye as he pulled her closer with the hand he still held in his possession. Sakura fell forward but caught herself before she was about to collide into him. Languidly, he lifted a hand to caress her pink tresses.
"This is much more befitting than your blonde wig, Sakura."
Consciously, she stroked her hair he just touched and looked away bashfully. Her previous confidence evaporated as she stood mere inches away from him. Her emerald eyes did not dare look into his pit-less ones.
With a steady hand, his rough thumb raised her head to look him in the eye, then carefully with his index finger he traced from the back of her jawline, featherlight, then over her rosebud, satin lips.
"Yes, much more befitting." In one swift movement he closed the gap between them, his body hovering over her small frame less than an inch away. She could feel the hotness of his breath against her and the heat his body gave off left her shaking. "Have you thought about my offer?"
She looked up into his hooded eye. "Yes." was her simple affirmation although she had no idea what he was talking about. She just knew that whatever he was saying she would agree no matter what.
In an instant she felt his arms capture her small body, engulfing and contorting it against his large one completely surprising her. Before she knew it he dipped his covered lips against hers so forcefully, her body bent back due to the pressure. Sakura's eyes widened, unsure of what to do. She inched her hand to fall against his chest, deciding if she should push him away or not. She could feel the vibrations of his growl urging her to respond. Heat pooled and coiled tortuously at the bottom of her stomach traitorously as she felt him nip her lips through the thin fabric of his mask. Closing her eyes, she fisted his shirt and pulled him closer.
She met his ferocity eagerly, finding the fabric separating them to be a nuisance. She wanted more. The man whom she had been searching for for the past few months, admired for the better half of her life, was in her arms. She wanted to feel his skin against hers, to explore her hands over his hard, slick body. Right at this moment, it did not matter to her that he didn't know her or that this was only the second time she had ever met him. It did not matter that this was irrational or irresponsible. The demands of his hands, the heat of his body, the warm wetness of his lips against hers, was something her body needed.
Her hand reached upwards and hooked a finger into his mask and his eyes opened. His hand caught hers, silently stopping her.
With half-lidded eyes, she looked at him, searching his stoic face for anything. He simply stared at her with the same intensity, the same fire she saw in his eyes the first night they had met. "Why?"
"I want you."
*End of Flashback
Sakura crushed her pillow against her face, groaning as the events in her memory slowly unfolded, forcing her to remember.
She took him home that evening for one blissful, passionate night filled with cries of pleasure and frenzied urgency. She could remember every scar on his body, the way his muscles tightened as he thrust into her sending her into waves of bliss, his pleasured expression right before he hit his climax. Each moment etched forever into her memory even if she wanted to forget.
He was beautiful. Undeniably sexy in every right. When all the layers of his clothing disappeared, he was simply perfect in her eyes. And he was all hers.
For one night. When Sunday came, he was gone. No phone call, note or even a stray piece of clothing left behind to prove that it actually happened.
Sakura awoke with great emptiness building inside her. Emotions overwhelmed her. And even though she felt the urge to cry, to scream and yell- she just couldn't bring herself to. She was so hurt beyond that point- the point where frustration, self-pity and a certain kind of aching sadness all form into one- that tears could not form.
But most of all, she was angry. Angry at him for using her. For appearing in her life, for being attainable for only a moment in time but at the same time so far away. But especially, she was angry at herself. She hadn't even spoken to him during the time he spent in her home, being completely absorbed with his body instead the mind she was originally after. She wanted to talk to him. Tell him what an amazing inspiration he was to her when she had lost that spark in life that gave one hope. It was her goal, her one fucking goal and she failed miserably.
She had to cut herself some slack, however. He was sexy. He was so sexy she couldn't focus, let alone know what was up or down.
Hatake Kakashi. Before she ever laid a hand on his beautifully sculpted body, he was the man who pulled her out of the darkness of her life and gave her motivation to live for the better. To become a better person and live up to her potential. Every accomplishment he had, fueled her to want to be like him.
And she just wanted to talk to him.
But she had no idea that she would be so attracted to him. The genius behind his dangerous, dark appeal was an aphrodisiac for her and she just couldn't get enough of him. How could a man like him exist? It just wasn't fair.
She had no choice now. He was gone. And she had no way of contacting him at all. She considered going back to the club with the hopes of bumping into him again but school was starting on Monday. She doubted that her first year of med-school would allow her any down time. And her pride wouldn't allow her to pine after him.
So, she decided it was best to get over it. However distasteful she thought it was, it was a one night stand. A very basic, common occurrence.. for people that was not her. She kept assuring herself it was fine and she'd be too busy to sulk over him anyways. She had just spent an incredible night with her idol and that was all there was to it. Later, it would simply be a good story to tell. And although he had left her eventually, it did not tarnish him completely in her eyes. She now knew the reality that no one could be perfect and even he, in the end, was simply a man.
Sakura went to her first day of school and tried to get on with her life.
Once she reached campus, she tried to forget and concentrate on her classes, make friends and she was mostly successful. It was easy to go through the motions at least, but as her day approached her last lecture class her life was about to take another abrupt turn.
*Flashback*
"Hey forehead!" Ino called out from the end of the hall, running eagerly to Sakura. "Gosh, I cannot wait to go home and just soak in a bath. I smell like antiseptic spray."
Sakura giggled, shaking her head lightly. "I think we all smell like antiseptic spray."
"I cannot get guys like this. And there are too many yummy specimen around." the blonde wickedly looked around her, shamelessly checking out the guys around hustling to class. "Hello, future doctors!"
"You never change."
Ino hooked her arm around her friend's. "And you need to get laid."
Sakura stiffened and it did not go unnoticed by Ino.
"What are you not telling me? Was it the silver fox you bailed on me for on Saturday?"
"What? There was no.. silver fox." Sakura said as convincingly as she could.
"Whatever. I'll just read your diary to find out."
"It's not a diary, it's a journal. And stop going through my things."
"Yeah, yeah." Ino waved her hand in front of her dismissing Sakura's comment, "Did you hear that Professor Oh got canned?"
"No way! I was looking forward to his class. You know, he is making incredible breakthroughs with-"
"His penis." Ino interrupted mischievously, "Apparently, he had been sleeping with quite a few people from his classes and it got too out of hand. I heard there was a lot of vandalizing of school property and fun craziness when the girls found out about one another. Lots of clawing and hair pulling. I'm so mad that I missed it."
"That's too bad." she sighed. And another genius bites the dust. Were all the men Sakura admired, assholes? "I really wanted to hear his theories on-"
"Penetration?"
"You're such a pig."
"What? He's gorgeous. All the provocative pictures these girls posted of him all over campus and online was just further proof that he has the stuff to back it up." she winked.
"Don't tell me you actually went out of your way to look."
"Are you kidding me? It's my duty to look."
"Come on, we're late." Sakura pulled her friend into the classroom laughing. Naturally, she pulled Ino to sit at the very front of class. Oh, yes. She was one of those students. Sakura wasn't ever ashamed to hide her eagerness.
The classroom was filled with two hundred bodies, all quiet, patiently awaiting their new teacher. It was a genetics course and Sakura was informed that Professor Oh had transformed the class into something his students would not forget. Too bad she wasn't going to experience it.
As the minutes ticked on, the substitute professor still hadn't shown up and soon the students began to murmurer to one another.
"Wanna leave?" Ino asked, doodling on the syllabus she had printed out before coming to class.
"It's our first day! We shouldn't go."
Ino scoffed. "I wasn't looking forward to a three hour lecture like you were, forehead. Let's go. We've been waiting for an hour and half. Most of the people here have already left."
Sakura looked around her and grimaced. Evidently, many of her peers had decided to leave. "Let's give it fifteen minutes."
"Fine." Ino sighed as she continued to draw little faces.
"Good afternoon, class." A cheerful voice called from the doorway. "I hope I'm not too late."
"Fine, indeed." Ino dropped her pen and blatantly roamed her eyes over the person who just walked in.
"Your Professor has met with.. an unfortunate circumstance, and if all goes well I'll be finishing up this semester with you." he walked towards the desk located at the very front of class and began to unpack his brief case. "My name is Prof-"
"Hatake Kakashi." Sakura held her hand against her mouth in disbelief.
*End of Flashback*
The world hated her. It was official. And she was starting to hate it right back.
At first she couldn't help but feel ecstatic to see him again. It truly was a small world. But as the lecture progressed, and although she was only a few feet away from him, the man she had just spent the night with had completely looked past her. In actuality, he was looking past everyone, concentrating his gaze on inanimate objects and the walls of the room. Sometimes even closing his eyes.
She left that day thinking that he probably just didn't see her. Oh, wishful thinking. As the days progressed it seemed that was not the case. Whenever she would ask a question or visit his office hours, even as he looked at her it, his stoic demeanor never changed. It was like he had no recollection of their time together. That he didn't even recognize her as even an acquaintance, let alone a woman he slept with.
That bastard. That pompous bastard.
Eventually, her worship of him began to transform into something else. He wasn't a demi-god, perfect Adonis, she envisioned him to be. Slowly, she began to truly see him as a human. He was undoubtedly cool, but he was stoic and uncaring.
Well, to be honest, uncaring and stoic was a bit of a stretch. Sakura deduced that he was just plain lazy. He was completely lazy and not in tuned with his students. Although she knew he was smart, he made it seem otherwise. It became so unbelievable that this was the legendary Hatake Kakashi.
At some point he had frustrated every student for his blatant lack of interest. After he'd give an amazing lecture- usually lasting to a max of fifteen minutes- he would always use the remainder of their three hours for free time, or 'study time' as he called it, to further contemplate whatever he had taught that day. Or he'd make them do weird group activities that had nothing to do with anything. Sakura simply saw it as his excuse to read his stupid pornographic books. She couldn't believe that he had the audacity to read such filth in front of them at first, but gradually, she sadly got accustomed to it.
But, very much to her displeasure, all his flaws and quirks, his neurotic yet nonchalant behavior became.. appealing to her. Her interest in him did not extinguish overtime, but instead grew. He was so enticing. And his voice.. She would spend class time envisioning his tenor sound more deep and husky as he whispered in her ear, all the things he wanted to do with her. He was her favorite daydream. And every female in a twenty mile radius of the school, she was sure, felt the same way.
Aside from the sexual tension she created by herself, there were those rare days where he would lecture for hours, even past the classroom's designated time, and it was clear he was incredibly interested in the subject. Those were the days that convinced Sakura that this man was far from ordinary. The way he would speak and the way his exposed eye brightened, even for a few seconds, Sakura could feel her inner self melt.
It was pathetic. How she allowed this man to get under her bones by doing nothing at all. He hardly paid any attention to her, he seemed to forget the time they spent with one another, but despite all that, all he would have to do was blink and she'd feel the strongest urge to throw herself at him, repeatedly.
Her blasted infatuation grew so steadily that she had lost all ability to concentrate fully in his class and she failed the first semester.
She was mortified.
To add more insult to injury, she failed the following semester. It wasn't that the subject was terribly difficult for her to comprehend. No. He was a complete distraction on her mind, body and soul. Instead of listening to theories, against her will she paid attention to how his mouth moved as he talked underneath that mask of his, how gracefully he delivered his lecture, how he'd lick his thumb every three pages of the book he was reading- at least she assumed he was licking when he'd press his digit to his covered lips.
If this class was about the mannerisms of Hatake Kakashi she would pass with flying colors and graduate as the Summa Cum Laude of the whole class.
But it wasn't a class on him, regretfully. What a great impression she was making on him. Sleeping with him easily without ever having a real conversation prior and failing his class twice. Two things, in her whole lifetime, she had never done before.
She had one more semester to pass his class, or else she would have to say goodbye to becoming a doctor. Embarrassingly enough she decided it'd be best to push her feelings deep inside her and simply concentrate on school this semester.
She used the summer to get over him. Genuinely dated a few guys, spent a lot of time at the spa with Ino, went drinking with the boys and worked her ass off at the clinic she had been working at for the past three years. All was successful.
That was until he approached her in the park and she was right back where she started. After a month of not thinking about him, Kakashi began to constantly taunt her mind again.
And it wasn't her usual thoughts of him- which usually involved a lot of scanty fantasies.
For the first time she had a casual conversation with him and he was nothing like she expected. He was kind, chivalrous and witty. It was as if the guard he always kept up during class time was abandoned, and she was truly seeing him for the first time.
And, damnit, she still thought he was divine.
It wasn't fair.
And they were neighbors! How could she not have known? Well, technically, she acted as if she known all the while, but she had no idea where that information came from. Honestly, she didn't care.
A man whom she was infatuated with, had seen her naked, had been her Professor for well over a year, and her idol for the last decade was living right across from her.
What was a girl to do?
While she could not deny that she wanted to be thrown against a wall and ravaged by him, the thought of getting knowing him on a regular basis was just as appealing. She didn't mind the thought of being his friend. Actually, the mere thought warmed her.
And she was finally given the opportunity! Not only did he live right across from her, she actually gave him her number and, by his reaction, it seemed that he would use it. She felt like she struck gold. She was excited! Her hero was about to become her friend.
But whhhy had it already been two weeks and that bastard still hadn't called her? They were neighbors for Kami's sake! She hadn't even seen a glimpse of him since that day.
Though sorely tempted, she contemplated knocking on his door everyday until he answered- but then she'd come off a bit abrasive. She didn't want that, right?
Sakura thrashed and kicked her covers off frustratedly.
'Fuck my embarrassing life.'
Two weeks. He only allotted himself two weeks of planning and preparation and that was already too much precious time.
Thankfully, his fortes were his ability to easily adapt to any situation and his genius way to move through and solve puzzles.
So, for the first week he researched this world and what it had to offer. He learned about its common technologies, basic occupations, hierarchy, cultures, foods, what was in style and what wasn't, history- everything he could learn within a week with the least amount of sleep he could tolerate. Luckily, there were a number of similarities. Some foods, for example were pretty much the same, and he was happy to know that he could still wear underwear.
To his greatest disappointment, ninja in this dimension were obsolete. Apparently, they were merely a force who excelled in taijutsu in the far past. The people of this world had yet to harness the potential of their chakra so genjutsu and ninjutsu weren't common.
The following week he learned all he could about his counterpart. It did please him to know that he was sort of an icon. And for admirable reasons, as well. In this world he was some sort of medic and currently, he taught his methods. That wouldn't be too difficult, he assumed. Although he wasn't as gifted as Sakura, or Tsunade-sama, he knew of the primitive means to heal one's self.
Rummaging through the apartment he found no journals, personal mementos or even photos. This dimension's Kakashi was a bit more stoic than himself- at least he kept a couple pictures of his family and his teams. Because of this, and the lack of information provided by the internet, Kakashi had no idea who were the people most closest to him. But it was fine. Perhaps he'd personally learn it all eventually as he went through the motions of his new life. And, besides, he had Sakura living next to him. At least he was familiar with someone.
He had found a few pictures of himself on the internet- by which he was a master of already- and it was a relief to him that he could still wear a mask and a makeshift eye-patch. Red, spinning eyes weren't common in any world it seemed.
Kakashi looked himself over in the mirror. He opted to wear a pair of dark slacks, white dress shirt, and a skinny black tie, knowing this was the basic trend for men his age. He comfortably wore his mask that stretched from the button of his nose, down the length of his neck and he wrapped a piece of black cloth he found on his nightstand around his head, which concealed his sharingan.
Once satisfied, he reached for his cell phone and excitedly he sent out his first text.
The familiar beep of her phone willed her out of her morning thought process. Frustrated and tired Sakura reached for her nightstand with closed eyes, half-expecting it to be Naruto. Despite him being three-thousand miles away, he still felt it necessary to bother her in the morning without fail. There was a six hour time difference between them, how did he find the energy to irritate her so much?
Rubbing her face with one hand, she unlocked her phone with the other, stretching her sore body in every nice contorted way she could. She creaked open an eye just a smidge until she saw seven digits of numbers that were unfamiliar to her.
Her emerald eyes widened.
'Free for lunch today? My apartment. Preferably around noon. - Kakashi'
"No way." she gasped. She blinked once. She blinked twice. "Free.. for lunch?" she skeptically read out loud. Sakura bolted straight up, attempting to smooth her hair and her pajamas as if he were in the room asking her himself.
She fumbled through her cell phone, attempting to hit reply. "Damned touch screen." she cursed. Her mind was moving a thousand miles per second trying to find the perfect reply to say. Would a simple 'Yes! Yes! YES!' be too desperate?
Kakashi sat crossed-legged on his bed, holding his expensive phone in both hands, anxiously awaiting his former student's reply. Although he knew it was a meager and basic form of communication in this world, he couldn't help but feel excited to use it for the first time.
As strange as it was, he literally felt like a kid in a candy shop, and knowledge was his candy. It had been a while, a long long while since he was curious about anything. That was because he had nothing to be curious about, having already learned as much as he could before.
So there he sat, waiting. She would reply right?
A strange vibration and 'ding' sound emanated from his phone, startling him slightly. Did it work? He slid his thumb across the screen to unlock his phone and was glad to see it was as indeed a message.
'Text "fun time" to this number to receive ring tones and horoscope readings! Only $9.99 subscription a month. :)'
Kakashi sighed. "Well, that was a bit anti-climactic." he dropped his phone on his bed and laid down. He was well familiar with the world of 'spam' and 'advertisements', being victimized when he first started to use the internet. It was a terrible experience. One that he preferred not to share with anyone.
Another ding brought his attention and he stretched awkwardly trying to reach his phone without feeling the need to leave his laying position. Finally, after several attempts he lifted it up sighing deeply.
'See you then. - Sakura'
Kakashi felt himself smile unconsciously and he lazily closed his eyes. Honestly, this whole ordeal had been quite tiring for a simple morning. A short nap was in order.
Sakura waited patiently at the door of her professor's apartment. She rang the doorbell, inwardly smiling to herself. She smoothed out her pale yellow, collared blouse and tan shorts. Her long hair was tied in a messy bun, and today, of all days, she decided to wear her glasses. She did not want to be too dressy. Casual never screamed desperate even if her feelings inside were otherwise. She wanted to appear practical and intelligent, which was opposite than the woman he first met in her.
After a minute, there was still no reply. A little frustratedly she knocked on the door rather loudly and waited. Still, no reply. She checked her watch and it read 12:15. It wasn't too early and it wasn't too late. Didn't he say around noon?
Hesitantly, she pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed his number.
An obnoxious sound was fighting with all it's might to wake him up. He was having such a pleasant dream of napping underneath his favorite tree, with a book over his head, when music began to play. Something about money and ass being too fat? Definitely something he would never willingly listen to.
With great reluctance he opened his eyes and found that the horrible, horrible sound was coming from his phone.
"Hello?" he answered groggily.
"Professor? It's me. Are you home?" Sakura replied as politely as she could, but knowing her, Kakashi could hear the undertone of annoyance in her voice.
He chuckled. "Yeah, I'll get the door right now."
Stretching his arms overhead, he yawned before swinging his legs over his bed. He slowly walked to his door without any hurry and opened it wide.
"Welcome." he greeted casually, moving off to the side to let her in. He looked her over once and smiled, feeling the need to put a lab coat over her attire and she would look exactly like his Sakura.
She tilted her head curiously, looking at his sleepy eyes and disheveled hair as she walked inside. "Did I wake you?"
"No, no. Not at all." he scratched the back of his head appearing innocent. "I was merely resting my eyes for a few hours."
Sakura fought the urge to roll her eyes, feeling the corners of her mouth turn upwards. There was something so familiar and comfortable about his demeanor around her, as if he knew her for decades.
"You can sit on the couch. I'll get lunch ready." he smiled directing her towards the living room. Kakashi inwardly cursed himself for not getting food ready beforehand since time was of the essence, but he supposed he could make something really fast to compensate. He hastily walked into his kitchen, poured guava juice into a glass and hurriedly met Sakura in the living room.
"Thank you." she graciously received the glass and took a small sip. With surprise and pleasure she took another. "Oh, wow. Guava juice is my favorite. But I hardly have time to grocery shop so it's rare for me to have some. "
"Yeah, no problem." he replied tentatively as he retreated back into the kitchen. Of course, he knew that his dear, young student enjoyed the sweet drink, but she wasn't aware of all the things he knew about her. He silently reminded himself to make a few mistakes in the future. He didn't want to appear like a creepy stalker teacher, who magically knew everything about her.
Now, what could he make in under five minutes?
With new found confidence, Sakura decided to follow him into the kitchen. Perfect time to start a conversation with him and the idea of that was more appealing than sitting on her own in his modernly decorated living room.
She slowly made her journey, silently praising the chicness of his apartment. Although they lived right across from one another, their apartments were vastly different. While hers consisted of separate rooms- simply a bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom- his flat was a studio style, everything was laid out in the open but separated by different levels- for example, his bed, was elevated a few steps higher.
She could not stop looking at his bed.
Hesitantly, she ripped her eyes away and took a few more steps towards the kitchen. She leaned forward against the bar counter, still holding her glass of guava juice. With amazement she watched him slice green onion in a perfect, quick, concise manner, leaving each portion exactly like the last. Quickly, he lifted the cutting board and poured the contents into the pot burning on the fire.
"Ramen?" she asked amused. Did he really just invite her over for instant ramen?
"Ah, well, I am lacking in sodium this week." he shrugged, walking over his fridge to grab a couple eggs.
"Is that really the excuse you want to use?" she shook her head amused.
"I try not to question it."
"Professor, you are impossible." the statement flowed easily from her as she sat on bar stool closest to her.
Kakashi almost stopped in midst of cracking the egg into the pot to smile to himself. To say he was missing the company of home was an understatement. It was the warmth from the familiar he missed. The inside jokes and lack of need to explain ones self, although he never did. The ability to be so unguarded in front of an individual. He had no idea that it was something he actually enjoyed. However, like every life lesson he had overcome, he never learned value until it was all lost to him. A nasty habit he had no idea how to rid himself of.
"Professor, are you alright?" she asked him full of concern. An expression she had not expected graced his strong features, making her compelled to wrap her arms around him. His visible eye glazed and beneath the dark fabric of his mask, his jaw clenched.
He blinked forcefully once and regained his smile. "Perfectly fine."
With skill, he poured the noodles and broth equally into the two awaiting bowls on the counter next to him and carried them onto the tall, chrome dining table.
"Come eat, Sakura. Before the noodles bloat."
She eyed him skeptically as she transferred to the chairs around the table. "Are you sure you're alright?"
Observing him worriedly, she watched him intently since there was very little of his appearance that gave away what this mysterious man was feeling. Although she hadn't personally known him for very long, there was something deep inside her that was alerting loud that there was indeed something wrong.
Sakura did not touch her food, silently waiting for his reply as he readied himself for his meal. Kakashi broke his wooden chopsticks apart and rubbed them together to rid them of splinters, then reached for his napkin and cuffed it into his dress shirt- of course to avoid ramen soup stains. A bitch to clean out. He wasn't purposely ignoring Sakura's question. He was just hungry and felt no need to answer a second time. He was fine.
Perfectly fine. So what if he was placed in an unknown dimension that was completely foreign to all his senses, without friends or a single soul that knew who he was exactly and his struggles with having to relearn a life he's already lived? And so what if there was a slim chance he'd ever see home or his loved ones again. He was fine.
"Not hungry?" he gave her his eye-crinkled smile.
Sakura forced a smile and shook her head. "I'm starving."
Despite her wanting to be close to him, she knew that whatever was bothering him was none of her business. One day she would gain his trust, but today she decided to behave like the perfect guest so that that 'one day' would happen.
She reached for her chopsticks to break them apart when she noticed that Kakashi had finished already three-fourths of his bowl. "Hey, stop that."
"Stop what?" he wiped his mask that was still in place with the bottom corner of his napkin.
"Eating that fast. You're not eighteen anymore, Professor. You're going to get indigestion." she scolded. "If you don't want me looking at your face, you can always blindfold me so you can eat at your leisure."
"Wouldn't that be fun." he winked.
"You eat like your starving."
Kakashi smirked. "Don't let the white hair deceive you. I'm built like a teenager underneath all this."
His statement was so simple but Sakura could not help but feel herself flush a little. Her eyes couldn't help but wander as she stared shamelessly at his chest.
'Not built like a teenager at all.' she thought secretly to herself.
He raised a curious brow feeling suddenly uncomfortable under Sakura's penetrating gaze. He felt the subconscious need to raise his arms over his body protectively to block her onlooking stare, but this was Sakura. Haruno Sakura. Despite it being another world, there was no chance in either the heavens or hell, that she would be blushing and checking him out- however flattering the thought may be- it just was not happening.
Kakashi raised a fist to his masked mouth and coughed snapping Sakura out of her daze.
"So, what do I owe the pleasure for this lovely lunch?" she quickly recovered, digging into her bowl of now soggy noodles.
He smiled and gathered his hands below his chin in thought, already finished with his meal. "What makes you think that I didn't invite you for lunch because I wanted to?"
"Did you?"
"No." he admitted honestly.
Sakura laughed. "I thought so."
"Am I that obvious?"
Sakura waved a hand in front of her dismissively, "Of course not." she said sarcastically.
He smiled underneath his mask, growing more comfortable with the woman in front of him by the second. "I take it that you coming here means that you're willing to help out your old professor?"
Tapping her chin and humming in contemplation, as if she were really thinking the question over, she shrugged nonchalantly. "I guess I could. Depends if it involves murder or conspiracy-"
"Or terrorism."
"Or terrorism." she repeated smirking. "So, what is it? Or are we saving that bit of info for dessert?"
"No no, I can say it now." Kakashi removed his napkin from his collar and placed it onto the table, "I hope you weren't expecting dessert."
Sakura laughed. "Don't worry. We can have fruits at my apartment since you made this glorious meal."
"Actually, I had other plans for us after lunch."
Sakura froze. Other plans? She could feel heat around her ears as wonderful fantasies played in her mind.
'Score.' praised inner Sakura.
"We're going to Wizneyland."
A/N: I know, I know. I could have easily put some smutty fun in this chapter, but I wanted the first detailed time to be my confused, struggling to adjust Kakashi than the one from this world. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. And, yes, Wizneyland is my parody to Disneyland. Please review!
