Chapter 8

Mizuko could hear Kakashi indulging himself in a bowl of some sort of cereal. The silver haired shinobi subconsciously covered his face when he realized she had walked in.

"Can I help you?" he asked in a slightly pissed voice.

He was answered by a loud growl. "I'm hungry," she stated.

Pointing at the cupboard, he said, "Help yourself."

"Um…Kakashi-san?"

"Hm?"

"I don't know exactly what you mean. I'm blind, remember?"

Kakashi mentally smacked himself. She's not normal. She needs more care than your normal everyday person. He got up and poured her a bowl of cereal. He handed her the bowl with a spoon. "Here." Taking the bowl from Kakashi, Mizuko found a spot at his small table and began to eat.

The cereal was sweet, but not sugary, like honey. After a few more bites, she put down her spoon. "Honeynut Cheerios."

Kakashi glanced up from his refilled bowl. "Yea, so?"

Mizuko shrugged as she polished off her bowl. "That was good," she sighed drinking the last of her milk from the bowl. She got up and felt her way around the room until she found the sink and dropped her dishes in. Feeling her way back to the table, she sat down and rested her head in her arms.

"Kakashi-san?"

"Hm?"

"Why don't you like people seeing your face? It's not like you're ugly or something."

A soft chuckle escaped his thin lips. "The same reason you bind your eyes; don't like people staring."

Mizuko reached out her hand searching for his face. When she found it, she cupped his firm jaw line and slowly slid her hand down, feeling a good couple days worth of stubble. "You're not wearing your mask now."

He took her hand away from his face. "Well you don't have your eyes binded and it's not like you can see my face. And I'm eating."

"Funny. Whenever mother talked about you and food, she said that you would very quickly slip it under your mask when no one was looking."

Kakashi glanced at Mizuko's blank eyes. "Now who the heck would your mother be to know that?" he asked.

Mizuko shrugged. "Dunno." She thought for a moment. "Maybe 'Rin'? But like I already said, I don't know my parent's names."

Kakashi stopped eating. "Rin?"

"Yea, why?"

"Um…nothing." He put his bowl in the sink. "I'm going out for a bit. You stay here," he said as he walked out of the kitchen, replacing his mask.

Mizuko jumped up from her hair. "I want to come."

Kakashi ignored her. "If you can't find anything, just knock on my neighbour's door. She'll find it for you." He went into his room and changed his clothes.

Mizuko followed him and blocked his exit. "I want to come with you Kakashi-san!"

He looked at her firmly as he put on his forehead protector. "No."

She crossed her arms and let him pass her. "Why?" He didn't answer as he waked out of his apartment. Mizuko sunk to the floor and put her head on her knees. "Abandoned again."