Other Side of Impossibility 6.5: Bad End I
I wrote this for MoonlitMelody (because you're a great, great reviewer and I love you. And I love many others too so no worries lmao), and then I decide, why the heck not, let's publish this short story.
Warnings: major character death, angst, feels, Kakashi is a good teacher for once, hints(?) about one-sided(?) KakaRin
Bad End I: Sakura and Mr. Carrot
"Sensei, what is that?" Sakura asks him, her earlier immense sadness (and quite embarrassingly, self pity) nearly forgotten for the strange thing happening in front of her. There he is, her sensei, holding a carrot plush toy, worn by age and well taken care of. In fact, her sensei is currently extending the plush toy toward her. What in the world...?
"This," Kakashi says lightly, "is Mr. Carrot."
An unladylike snort leaves her at the name, and she slaps her hands on her lips in horror. But Kakashi doesn't get angry as she predicted, he simply smiles. "I know," Kakashi nods solemnly, "the name is very lame. I am quite sure Mr. Carrot died a little bit inside when he was first named as... well, Mr. Carrot."
"Then why did you name him that?" Actually, why did Kakashi even name his plush toys? Why did Kakashi even own a carrot plushy in the first place? And why the hell is he still keeping it until now?!
"That is the thing, I did not name him," ah, that explains things. "Mr. Carrot here," Kakashi speaks, sitting down beside her slouching as always, "belonged to my best friend. She gave it to me when I was sad so I could be happy. Mr. Carrot has been with me ever since."
Sakura's eyes widen at Kakashi's story, and the romantic she is, she can't help but ask.
"For you to keep it this long, you must really love her, huh, Sensei?" Sakura looks off to the distance, thinking of how it must be nice, to have someone to love you this much that they will even hold a mere plush toy to their old days, and misses on how beside her, Kakashi seems to flinch, on how Kakashi tenses ever so slightly.
"Maa, I guess," Kakashi answers, then, and this time Sakura notices on how his tone seems to change. "She's dead, though, so it doesn't really matter if I do, does it?"
Sakura inwardly curses her stupid mouth the very moment she sees the look in Kakashi's eyes, and apologizes profusely. Kakashi merely chuckles, however, and shrugs her apology off.
"Anyway, Mr. Carrot here," he shakes the carrot in his grip, "is really good at giving cuddles and listening to all of your troubles, Mr. Carrot likes to make you happy, you know?"
"Sensei... Plush toys don't give you cuddles..."
"Maa, so little imagination, are you really a teenager?" He mock sighs, but still gives the carrot to Sakura anyway, saluting as soon as the carrot is out from his grasp and into Sakura's instead. "You can talk with Mr. Carrot for today... and maybe tomorrow..." He trails off, "but not more than two days, because Mr. Carrot gets lonely without me. Make sure he doesn't get wet, or torn, or basically anything else. Bye-bye!"
"What?! Wait, Kakashi-se-" Too late, he's gone.
Sakura sighs, eyeing the smiling carrot in her hold. Really... That sensei of hers is really bad at comforting AND talking to girls. Who the heck gives a crying girl an old plush toy? Granted, the carrot is really cute...
She can't help but think that perhaps, he comes to Sakura because just like how she's sad that Sasuke has left her, he understands how it is to lose the person you loves.
(And she thinks on how this person is dead, and thinks that Kakashi certainly has it worse. For how hurt must it feel like to love someone for so long, even when they're dead and the only thing that is left from them is a single vegetable plushy?)
Mr. Carrot smiles at Sakura,
and tentatively, Sakura smiles back a little.
There will be no more updates for, like, two or three weeks because of FINALS~ So I guess this is my temporary goodbye chapter for you all.
Review and you'll get a smile from Kakashi!
