A/N: Italics are something that is thought about. Ew, I can't find the words to explain it. Oh you get it.. something that is said inwardly. Riiiiight. But not all. Heh. :) Aw, this author's note is a mess. :) :)


Six hours of traveling passed and the thick canopy of leaves that shielded their heads from the suddenly-absent sun was replaced by a heavily clouded sky. In the distance, a river was flowing resiliently, patiently making it's way to the ocean. Everything seemed to be tinted gray; the clouds were blocking the warm sunlight.

Kakashi felt rather tired, and judging by the others' looks, they were too. The oldest jounin announced that they had to be halfway to their destination by now. Minato motioned for them to go by the river. He settled on the green grass near a tree trunk by the river. Asuma and Rin sat down by a flat rock where Kurenai gracefully perched on as she took of her footwear and started massaging her feet. Obito sat near Rin, and Kakashi turned to follow. He sat beside Kurenai on the rock, putting his backpack down and feeling his shoulders. Once everyone was settled down, the leader addressed all of them.

"God, I'm hungry. How 'bout you guys?"

Five disbelieving stares turned his way.

"What? I am hungry.", he said. He stretched out his arms and put his hands behind his head, then turned his back on the teens. "I know you are too."

Minato turned around at grinned knowingly. Rin pointedly took out her pouch of food pills and offered it to him, her eyebrows raising as she did. Minato laughed and said, "Don't you want any real food? Pills aren't enough. Shinobi can't control chakra well when hungry, you know?"

Kakashi tried to look unbothered by Minato-sensei's sudden expression of hunger. However, he felt hungry too and was not very inclined to consuming soldier pills that stand as food rations for missions.

"If that's what Namikaze-sensei wants, well, let's just do it." said Asuma, taking off his sweaty forehead protector, then pocketing it. His hair now fell over his eyes, reducing his rather intimidating appearance to a quite charming look. Kakashi saw Kurenai look at Asuma in an adoring way, but she resumed to massaging her feet when she saw him looking at her. Kakashi thought he saw her blush before her hair covered her face.

"Okay, guys, let's fish. Ladies, stay here." said Minato, pointing at the river. "We'll be back in no time.".

And Kakashi got dazzled once more when he saw Minato look at him. The man didn't even do anything. He just looked at you. Damn, get a grip Kakashi!

Obito, Asuma and Minato were already on the river when he recovered from the weird sensation. Kakashi quickly went to the side of the river and effortlessly stepped on the water, focusing his chakra on his feet to keep him standing. Minato took off his gloves and rolled up his sleeves. The two did the same too, and Kakashi mimicked their actions.

"Now, I'll go further upstream. You guys fish here.", said Minato. He walked against the current as if he was walking on land. He stopped walking a some few yards away and started surveying the clear waters for signs of fish.

Kakashi looked down and saw no signs of any kind of fish. All he saw was stones and pebbles littering the riverbed. He remembered what he saw Kurenai do a little while back, and turned to Asuma. Kakashi tried to start a conversation to brighten up this dull task.

"Asuma... What's do you find in a girl that... you know, uhhm... you like?"

BEEEEEP! Why did I ask that? No no no no, I must take that back, no no n-..

"Eh? Well, I like many things in a girl. Haha!" said Asuma, grinning mischievously at Kakashi. "How 'bout you?". Kakashi saw Obito lurch slightly out of the corner of his eye.

Crash. Why did I even ask that stupid question? Okay, okay. I have to make up something...even if I don't really like girls..

"Uhh, I-uh... I-.. I like-.."

"Slave labor!!!", screamed Obito. Kakashi was majorly startled because of Obito's surprising scream. He looked at Obito, who patted him on the arm and jerked his head a little to Rin's direction.

Kakashi looked over at the girls, who were obviously talking animatedly. That was what Kakashi liked when he was teamed up with the Yellow Flash. Even they were on a mission now, he felt safe. No one was looking paranoid like some enemies would just jump out of the bushes (which was totally possible). He resumed his gazing at the riverbed, thinking to himself how he felt that way.

"Well if you ask me, I like them with the strong and silent type.", said Obito before plunging his hand in the water and withdrawing a large, struggling fish. "Ha! Caught one."

"Strong and silent type? Isn't that more, like, a guy you're speaking of?" said Asuma, throwing two fish that he caught on to the grass where they slapped their fins uncontrollably.

"Uhh no! Look at Rin. You've never seen her fight, have you? She's like, whoa! A fighting medical ninja. Now that's cool, right Kakashi? Simply awesome. And I love her. Haha."

"R-right.". Kakashi attempted to snatch a little fish from underwater and he succeeded. Looking pleased with himself, he held out the fish and carefully placed it on the riverbank.

"..me? Oh I dunno, someone like Kurenai?", was what Kakashi heard Asuma saying when he came back to their spot on the river. Obito and Asuma sniggered.

"Do you have a man-crush, Asuma?" asked Obito, his brown eyes looking at the sky.

"What? Urgh, that's gay. Pssh." said Asuma, laughing.

"Wha-? No! I mean, everyone's got them. I meant, a guy you really admire." said Obito.

"Well, I guess none? I'm the greatest. Haha! Kidding!" said Asuma. "I have none of this "man-crush" that you say. Brrrr, thinking of me having a crush on another man makes my spine tingle."

"It's not bad, isn't it?" said Kakashi, eliciting looks from Obito and Asuma. He looked quite surprised with what he said too.

"I mean, it's alright. To admire the greatness of other men, I guess. Hmm."

Fuck you, Hatake Kakashi!! You almost blew your cover...that you, you like-

"Hey, I think liking other guys is not a reason to hate yourself..or to hate guys who like guys for that matter." said Obito, scratching his head. "I read that it is a phase in the teenage years, you know. Identity crisis or somethin'.."

Asuma looked surprised.

"Y-you read?"

"Yes, I do. I like reading. That way, I learn." said Obito, laughing with Asuma. Kakashi gave a weak chuckle.

Saved. For now? Gaaaah!

Kakashi glanced at Minato surreptitiously, pretending to look around the place. He saw him still empty-handed, but nevertheless focused. When he's serious, he's just...so handsome.

"Wait, what-?"

Kakashi's inner self seemed to step on the brakes. No, no no no no. Men don't say that other men are handsome. Right, Kakashi? RIGHT.

"...so, Namikaze-sensei huh?" said Asuma so suddenly that Kakashi lost control of his chakra. His right foot fell into the water before he could get it right again.

"W-what?!" said Kakashi. He could feel his cheeks burn. Mask, don't fail me now!!!

"I said, what do you like about Namikaze-sensei?" said Asuma.

"Like? Uhh. Why? Aren't we talking about...about what was it again Obi-...?".

Kakashi looked at Obito. Obito's mouth was slightly agape but it quickly closed when Kakashi made eye contact.

"I mean, like. As a teacher. As a team leader, you know?" said Asuma, his brows furrowed.

Kakashi realized that they had enough fish for everybody now. Whaaaaat!! Fish? Urgh, Asuma!

"Oh I like Minato-sensei. He's very skilled and he never let anything happen to us since we were genins." said Obito, settling his elbow on Kakashi's left shoulder. Kakashi wanted to thank Obito's unintentional (or was it?) diversions for it saved him from Asuma's creepy glare. Not wanting to be obvious, Kakashi answered too.

"Yeah, okay. I like him, as a team leader. Yeah, he's pretty good I guess."

"Exactly. I heard Dad wants to retire soon. He told me that he wants Namikaze-sensei to be Yondaime." said Asuma, sitting on the riverbank and counting the fish they caught. "We got four here. I'm starving."

Yondaime?

"Really? I hope that he becomes Hokage. He'll make a great one, for sure! And I'll bully him into giving me more missions.", said Obito.

"But... Does that mean that we won't get assigned to his team anymore? He won't do anymore missions on the field?" asked Kakashi.

"Yeah, he'll do paperworks and political stuff. It's a drag, being Hokage." said Asuma.

Hokage... Namikaze Minato? Wait, wait wait wait! What?

Kakashi heard their team leader calling them. Apparently, Minato had already caught some fish as well. He saw Rin and Kurenai looking happy at the sight of the fish.

"I guess everyone is pretty hungry too."

"Let's go. I can't wait to cook our food." said Obito, attempting to flatten his hair. He clapped Kakashi on the back and pushed slightly, indicating that Kakashi can go before him. Kakashi went on. He had this feeling that Obito knew. That somehow, he knew about him and his feelings for Minato, and the funny thing is that he didn't feel really bothered about it. He felt that Obito understands.


They finished eating their burnt lunch, thanks to Obito who quickly presented to use his fire-style jutsus before anyone could start a fire. Everyone didn't really enjoy their food, but they had no time to catch more so they had no choice to go on. They crossed yet another forest and a river, where Asuma dropped his entire packet of cigarettes.

Asuma uttered every swearword in existence in rapid succesion. He fumed and fumed, but not for long. Kurenai told him to suck it up and be a man, and that sobered him up. However, Asuma seemed more cheerful after that.

Along the way, Kakashi was totally unfocused. He let himself dawdle behind the rest, occasionaly looking forward to see his golden-haired everything.

"Hokage? Will...will that be like a goodbye? I guess... He won't have time for us, for me when he accepts that offer. Yondaime Namikaze Minato... God, why do I feel so bothered? I don't want him to go.. I want him to be always here, 'cause he promised to!

..I don't know if this is true... But, I think I am in love.

Night had already set, the moon lighting their path to who-knows-where.

Then, the voice he never tires to hear spoke.

"Tonight, we shall reach the first enemy base. Tonight, we shall attack."

Kakashi tried his hardest to forget about his dilemma even just for a while. He thought about the oncoming battle, and how Minato wanted everyone safe after the encounter.

..and of how he wanted Minato to be in his grasp. Forever.


"'Cause I have, have fallen in love with you, no never

Oh, oh, I'm never gonna stop fallin' in love with you"

- Runaway by The Corrs


A/N: :D

Is Asuma's revelation true? If then, would Namikaze Minato accept? Is it too late for Kakashi to make his feelings noticed? How can he show his "love"? Does Kakashi know the difference between love and lust?

...

Another battle. How would Team Minato plus Asuma and Kurenai defeat their enemies? How does Rin fight "awesomely", as described by Obito?

Will Minato understand? Will Kakashi get his own happy ending?

Well, you have to read on. And I have to write on. Oh yesss.


A late update. So sorry! Still have exams. Hope I'll pass them *crosses fingers*. Well, I really hope you like this chapter. If not, well, I'll make it up to you guys next time. And what's with the song lyrics? I don't know too. Haha, it just came to my mind and oh, I wanna type this one down. :D

Till the next chapter! D: