A/n: Thanks to Kakashi'sWife4Ever, jojojellybean, 1kenshinlover, Pretzel451, Rangerette, kaoru.mitsui for the support!!!! Thanks so much.
Disclaimer: D'oh, they do not belong to me at all. Period.


Chapter 7: A Flute

Her soft fingers wrapped themselves slowly around it. She scrutinized it thoroughly then looked at him once more. He was smiling.

"Go ahead, Sakura. It's your birthday present," he added softly, in an attempt to hide his pensiveness. He really was trying to stop himself from being disappointed at how things had ended by his song. A special song he had sung for her, a song that held special meaning for him, a song that had allowed him to be carefree – even if it was just for this one moment – had turned the special moment into silence with awkwardness between them.

He watched in fascination as her fingers deftly and gracefully unwrapped the gift. When it was finally stripped of its paper wrappings, she looked at it for a while, and then looked back at him in puzzlement.

"What?" He found himself asking in a choked voice. Did she not like it? It was of an exquisite pink hue, with a few bits of jade green around it. He had found it on a beach while on a mission a few months back, and thought of the perfect time to give it to her. Of course, he had a well-versed master to perfect the seashell into a flute – which played melodious songs for him while he had had it in his safekeeping. The tuneful songs that were produced reminded him so much of Sakura, of her familiarity, and of her constant presence.

She flung her arms around his neck once more and he found himself in shortness of breath. Did she always have that effect on him? Since when? He questioned himself worriedly; almost missing the quick soft peck on the cheek she gave him. His eye widened in surprise at her as she pulled back, her lips now displaying a huge grin.

"Arigatou, Kaka-kun!" She chirped in delight. The moment she got a good look at it, she knew that he chose it purely for aesthetical purposes. She could see the pink and green hues blending nicely with the overall ivory texture of the seashell. It was beautiful, to say the least. He had an exceptional good taste when it came to choosing gifts, and she admired that intriguing quality in him.

"Oh, you're welcome, Sakura," he managed to drawled out, albeit nervously. He scratched the back of his neck and laughed anxiously, anticipating her comments on his gift. Did she like it? Or love it? Most important of all, would she ever use it? He would have to find out for himself, knowing that he would not have the guts to ask her honestly anyway. "So, now's your turn."

"Huh?" She stared at him, dumbfounded. What did he expect her to do? She looked stupidly at the instrument in her hands and back at him, still gaping. "What?"

"Sing!" He chuckled. He knew her well enough that she would refuse flat out to his request. He had heard her sing before. Her voice was melodious when she talked, it was delightful when she laughed but those moments were not an indication of how her voice sounded like.

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion as she pursed her lips in annoyance. Her then melodious voice now turned edgy as she spoke, "I beg your pardon, Kakashi-sama?" She had drawn out the honorific with surliness and a tinge of menace. He knew she would not be made to sing, especially at times like this. Was he pulling her leg on this?

His eyes widened at the astonishing transformation of the sweet, sweet Sakura. He cringed when she employed the honorific. He was at the metaphoric precarious edge of the cliff now. He might as well jump into a chicken suit, considering his options at the moment. He could either repeat what he had just said, or perhaps, take the coward's route to safety by hastily denying his own brash request. After weighing the options, he decided that he could not possibly allow the young pink-haired lady wrap him around her little finger just like that. Not even with that sinister glare that even surpassed Tsunade's infamous murderous glare.

"Well, I asked you to sing, please," he added the magic word for good measure. Perhaps her heart would soften a little at the pitiful display he put on at the moment. It was simply perfect, just as how Pakkun had pulled on him. The glistening puppy-dog eyes, the faint trembling of the lips and the furrowed eyebrows – it was just as how he did it. Kakashi congratulated himself inwardly. Victory was in his grasp now.

Her eyes widened in disgust and before she could stop herself, her heavy fist landed with a resounding thud square on his face. It was simply appalling and a much worse sight to the eyes than Jiraiya's perverted face. He looked so lecherous she could not help but likened his image to the self-proclaimed pervert Sannin's already tainted image. She could only manage a soft gasp of regret when she realized what she had done.

To say he was shocked would be the greatest understatement of the year. The magic word had just lost its magic – he noted firmly that he would not pair it up with such requests in the future – it would be suicidal to use it again. The adorable puppy dog look Pakkun was famous for would have to be banned. He simply could risk getting a broken nose, especially at the moment. He took the punch with a strained grunt and instinctively raised his hand to cover his bleeding nose.

She watched his hand rise, as though they moved in a slower time frame. Her senses came back to her and with a swift push to the side, she got his hand out of the way. She took off her gloves and concentrated her green medic chakra on his nose. Her face was flushed, feeling very embarrassed as the excuses for her reckless reaction flooded her mind.

"Sakura…" She winced, feeling his confusion escaping his normally unemotional voice. She remained silent and focused on the task at hand. She deftly maneuvered her chakra around his nasal area to perfect the healing so it would not leave unwanted crooks and bends. "Why?" He croaked.

She bit her lip, undecided on whether to tell him the truth or to lie her way through the humiliation. She heaved a sigh as she let her arms fall limply and rested on his lap. She stared at flute on his lap, letting her weariness dissipate slowly as she gathered her wits. It would be wise to tell him the truth, since he would be hurt by her lies.

"Don't use that look on me again," came out instead of, "I'm sorry."

It was met with a resigned "Oh, all right." They sighed. "I'm sorry," he said softly, his eye slowly averting its intense gaze from the pink mass of hair before him to the flute.

She took a deep breath. "What I meant was," came out rather forcefully, and she vehemently toned down a little to a softer and remorseful tone, "you look like that ero-Sannin over there." She jerked her head slightly in the direction of the trees where the said Sannin now hung along with his apprentice. "When you do that face," she added quickly, still not daring to look at his face.

He did not say a word but merely looked back at her. "I do?" He asked, feeling a little revelation dawning on him now.

"Yes, you do. I'm sorry." There was a feeble tremor in her voice – which had not gone unheard by his sharp hearing. He heaved a sigh.

"Hey, it's all right. I get it now," he added with a comforting tone, his lone finger finding its way to her jaw and lifting it up slowly so she could meet his tender gaze.

It felt ticklish at first – to have a huge finger, and Kakashi's finger no less, to place itself on her chin – and she held back her breath. She did not resist, much to his relief, and her fears and humiliation melted away when her eyes searched his eye and found forgiveness. A realization now pounded in her mind, her lips curling slowly and unstoppably at the thought.

His eyebrow arched though the rest of his features remained passive. The slow smile beckoned something, though he was at a lost to figuring exactly what it was.

"You suck in making puppy dog faces, Kakashi-kun." Her mirth burst through her playful smile.

He rolled his eye and grunted in response. She had found out after all. His fingers lightly fumbled around for his book and were paralyzed when he felt her fingers intertwine with his. He held his breath, and not daring himself to look, he shut his eye. She really did have a strong effect on him.

She watched him in amusement for a brief instant and shut her eyes as she leaned forward, and closer. He smelled so good, her mind crooned in ecstasy as her lips pressed on his eyelid. She felt him stiffened then relaxed. She did not open her eyes but instinctively gravitated to his nose and kissed the tip.

Her eyes fluttered open in shock when she felt a heavy hand on her waist, pulling her closer to the warm body before her.

He, on the other hand, maintained his passive expression and leaned forward to kiss her forehead. She closed her eyes and felt his warm breath on her forehead as it gradually drew lower to level with her face. Her heart beat faster. Her eyes remained closed and tight. He kissed an eyelid, and she felt herself relaxed. He moved lower to the tip of her nose, and she felt his lips linger longer there than the other places. Was he going to suck it? The thought ran through her mind, panicking her. He did not and drew back instead.

She opened her eyes, meeting with a tender gaze of his. "Happy birthday, Sakura and many long years to you," he said with that special warm smile of his. She snuggled into his warm embrace, barely breathing out a "Thank you, Kakashi-kun," as she did so.

It was the kind of warmth they could get used to, the two shrewd minds contemplated in the snug calm between them, and more likely than ever they were going to scrounge for every passing chance to dwell in such warmth. It would be a long-term project, he noted. This would be fun, she told herself.