Disclaimer: Kishimoto owns everything.
Happy Birthday Sakura! That is the reason I decided to write ahead of schedule and release one more chapter before the month ended. Speaking of birthdays, I share one with Hinata Hyuuga, booyeah!
Chapter 9: Chinshimokkou (Lost Deep in Thought)
Sakura nodded approvingly at their well furnished room as Ino ran over and flopped down on one of the beds.
"Yay, beds! Real beds- wow!" when she felt the softness of the mattress she snuggled down into it. She sighed in pure bliss. "I think I'll go to sleep right now."
"That comfortable?" Sakura asked, smiling stiffly. She sat down on the bed and her eyes widened in shock. She flopped back like Ino and breathed in joyfully. "You're right." she said quietly settling down into the mattress as she stared blankly at the ceiling.
"I know, it's awesome!" Ino agreed. She looked over at her friends blank face. "Is something wrong?" she asked.
"Hmm?" Sakura grunted.
"Well you're acting kind of down."
"Just kind of embarrassed." Sakura admitted.
"What?" the blonde exclaimed. "You mean what we did out there? We are undercover, there's no worry."
Sakura was silent.
Ino ran over the event aloud, "Raido complained but I think he enjoyed it. Kakashi-san on the other hand kind of ruined the moment, he looked like a statue, his eyes nearly popped out when you jumped him." Ino looked over at Sakura in realisation. "Is that what's bothering you?"
"Well, yeah."
"Relax, he probably was just surprised, you really aren't the type of person to just do that out of the blue. Just shows how much of a corrupter I am." Ino said, grinning ridiculously.
Sakura had to smile now, Ino was infectious with her emotions, and could make anyone feel what she did. But all too soon Sakura frowned again. She was certain that she had done something to cause this awkwardness between them. Was it from then? Sakura wondered, Ever since-
Her thoughts were promptly interrupted by a loud knocking on the door. "Hey girls, it's Raido! Better be decent I'm coming in."
Ino rolled over irritably and yelled back. "It's not like you haven't seen it all before, brother." She grinned wickedly and Sakura's face was one of pure shock at the wording.
The door opened timidly and Raido stepped in, his face beet red. "You didn't have to put it that way sister."
Ino put on a face that exuded innocence. "Of course I did, because I'm an honest girl, I mean we've bathed together frequently, like close families do."
Raido coughed raising two slips of paper. "I came to give you these." He walked over to their beds and handed them over.
Ino glanced at it and almost shrieked had she not stopped herself. "Full spa treatment!" she squealed. "Sakura! Let's do that today!" Then she looked at Raido. "Thanks, but you are now dismissed." she ordered, like a mistress to a servant.
He scratched his head nervously and retreated the girls' room obediently.
Ino looked joyfully back at Sakura, only to see the pink haired girl stare back at her in shock.
"What?" Ino asked.
"What you said…"
"Oh come on Sakura," Ino said exasperated. "chill, it's not like any of it was true. We are undercover, it's fun to take opportunities that. Especially when it involved embarrassing that jerk. I've trained him quite well I think."
"I guess, but I could never say something like that, besides, you humiliated the poor man." Sakura mildly scolded. "Besides, I thought you two were friends now."
"Oh totally not!" Ino declared. "When we had to share that awning we agreed that if we didn't call at least a semi-truce Kakashi-taichou would find some way to make our lives miserable, probably string us up by our ankles next."
"I see, well you two are good at acting like friends?"
"Yes, isn't it obvious? He's acting just like me to make it seem as if we get along. Real friends are more opposite in personality." then Ino scooted over and joined Sakura on her bed, throwing an arm around her, "That's why our cover, yours and mine that is, is so good, we are such opposites that it makes sense that we would be friends." Ino said.
Sakura smiled like she meant it for the first time after the awkward encounter with Kakashi. "Ok," Sakura said, "Should we do the mud bath, manicure/pedicure, and then finish up with the facial and skin treatment?"
"That sounds perfect," Ino agreed. "Let's go!"
The two girls hurried out of the room, ready to wash off the trip and feel more like girls than kunoichi.
Kakashi sighed heavily as he read, trying hard to ignore Raido's incessant chatter and pleading for the two of them to go do something.
"C'mon Takeshi, we only have so many chances. Let's cruise town, stop by a bar or two. Our sisters are having spa treatment for crying out loud!"
Kakashi's eye twitched in irritation, "Sawara-san, er Namiashi, no one is listening in, you can use my real name, and secondly," he turned and glared dangerously causing Raido to cower back slightly. "I just finished a long trip and I wouldn't mind just relaxing, this is a vacation isn't it? And I am in the middle of the plot twist scene, so sit down, shut up, and wait until I'm done, that's an order!"
Raido sat in quick military style, eyes straight ahead.
Kakashi continued while muttering, "I'm almost done with the chapter. Five minutes and we'll go do something." That should appease him. I kind of understand why Ino was irritated. He's a complete whiner.
Like Kakashi had said ,he closed the book, returned it to a pocket in his hung up coat. "Alright, let's go, just one rule, no getting drunk."
"Yes sir!" Raido said saluting.
Again Kakashi's eyebrow twitched.
The moment the two stepped into the hall they heard a strange scuffling noise from around the corner.
"No Ino! They can't see me!" Sakura hissed.
"Come on, you look cute!" Ino insisted.
"I look ridiculous!" Sakura protested.
"No, you look lovely. Come on!" Ino exclaimed, coming around the corner, hand latched on Sakura's.
"Oh there you two are! I was just about to come look for you!"
Kakashi and Raido were pretty much stunned. Ino's skin was seemingly glowing, a combination of the make up and skin treatments. She was dressed in a lavish violet kimono and looked like she was a painting by a master artist.
The two men gulped nervously, completely left feeling out of place in the presence of someone so adorned.
Ino looked next to her and tugged more. "Come on Sakura, the guys are waiting."
"Absolutely not! I'm not coming out!"
"Your brother," Ino said winking at Kakashi. "looks especially eager to see your outfit."
Dead silence…
Kakashi's eyes widened momentarily at her statement then glared at Ino, who simply stuck out her tongue.
"I'll come out," Sakura said quietly, "but please, no one laugh."
"Calm down Sakura, you look great." Ino assured her.
"Make them promise." Sakura said.
"Huh?" Ino exclaimed, her face a picture of confusion.
"Make them promise not to laugh."
Ino sighed heavily and looked at them. "You guys won't laugh right?"
"No, we won't laugh." Raido replied.
Kakashi nodded silently in agreement. Quietly anxious to see what had been done.
"See Sakura," Ino stated, "No one is going to make fun of you."
"O-okay" Sakura took a deep breath, as if she was diving into the sea, then walked around the corner. She stood nervously, and not willing to look anyone in the face she looked at a supposedly fascinating spot on the wall.
Kakashi's heart skipped a few beats. Sakura had been pretty back at the fireworks festival, but this was a whole new level. Her skin looked perfect and seemed to be glowing just like Ino's. Her hair was shining brightly and was crafted into a basket-weave along one side of her head and pulled to the other side where it was fastened with an ornate comb, out of which her hair sprayed like a short fan. Then her bangs were loose but gracefully brushed to the side.
Then he realised he had spent his entire time looking at her face and hair, he hadn't even noticed the kimono. It was deep red with pink lilies spread over all of it. It complemented her hair, and her blush perfectly. At that moment, if he had thought it, he would have hands down stated that she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
"So, what do you guys think?" Ino asked.
Raido applauded, making Sakura smile slightly, albeit still very embarrassed. She cautiously looked towards Kakashi for his approval. However she didn't know how to react to his face. She saw him soften his surprised eyes to their normal bored appearance, but his gaze was locked on her, completely unmoving. She felt like his eyes was boring through her skull.
"You look…" he began. Sakura froze waiting for his next words.
"Alright! Let's go it's dinnertime!" Ino declared grabbing Sakura and breaking the moment. The girls passed Kakashi and to their room. Ino waved for the jounin to follow. Kakashi was slightly relieved Ino had interrupted, he had no idea what he was about to say, but he was pretty certain that it would have been unprofessional. He already felt conflicted as to his thoughts about Sakura, he didn't need unnecessary things to dwell on.
That night, the girls were lying in bed, Ino sleeping, Sakura lying on her side, but fully awake, staring at the wall of the room next door. Part of her was really glad at being seen in that beautiful borrowed kimono, at the same time she felt humiliated, flaunting about like a peacock in front of two older men no less.
Kakashi was probably awkward, she thought, he's my superior, and being trapped in a situation like that, where he would give me a personal compliment just isn't professional. And that was when she realised what had been bothering her. He hasn't been cold to me! He's just uncomfortable too! Trying to keep the balance between work and personal. This feeling isn't attachment like I feared, I don't really want his opinion how I look. I was just nervous about how I would react to what he would say.
Still… it would have been nice to hear what he was going to say. That's not weird, every girl likes to be told she's pretty, it's just that right now, I'm not with anyone who can say anything without being professional about it. Relief swept over her. I can just talk to Kakashi normally tomorrow, it's our day off. I just need to avoid any weird situations, just be like we always are. For example, he's still supposed to help me out with Raiken.
...I wonder if he thought I was pretty…
…
…
…
Unbeknownst to Sakura, Kakashi was laying on his side and staring at the wall between them as well. He was mulling over Sakura's disappointed face. He had seen it three times in the last day. First was her undercover outfit, all he said was she fit the job. Next was the playful joke, and he made her feel guilty. And third there was when she was dressed so beauti- attractively, and he was too tongue tied to even comment. Why couldn't he even toss out a playful jibe, each of those situations he could have used one, most women would take them wrong, but he knew Sakura would have at least felt less awkward and more confident about herself, if not a little irritated. But he would rather see her absolutely ticked, then even be a hint sad.
I really messed up today, he groaned. I just need to act naturally, why am I loosing my cool? He searched himself, but all the possible answers he found were less than desirable. He sat up in frustration. I don't want this! Sakura has been my student, and now, I would like to consider her my friend…
That's it…
I've never called her that, friend. Student, yes, subordinate, yes, talented, definitely yes, but friend, never. He felt kind of bad about that. She really is my friend. You don't spend all this time on the field trusting in someone without them becoming a friend. And she's a close one too! I know her better than any other woman… girl I mean. She's just a girl, he reminded himself firmly. But she is one of the two people I'm closest to, the other being Naruto. I'm probably just feeling strange around her because Naruto isn't here. That hasn't happened since the mission we went together on two years ago… and if I remember, we hardly talked.
Graaar! he roared inwardly. I need to stop hanging around all these kids! It's making me identify too much with them!
He ran his hand through his silver hair tiredly. I should get some sleep. And tomorrow I'm going to be normal again, that way maybe I could stop making Sakura look so down. I want to make her at least smile…
With that thought, he drifted off into sleep.
Sigh, I wanted to get farther into the plot, I have so much planned and it feels like I'm crawling. Does this story seem slow? Please tell me if it does.
Preview for next week! Things are gonna get steamy (well the hotsprings are, I'm such a tease), shopping, training, and then AFTER that chapter I promise to get into the actual meat of the plot, I even have the villains figured out. I love villains, they are so fun and I haven't had any yet (;_;).
Playlist: Open Up Your Eyes by Jeremy Camp. I don't know why, but I love this song and it vaguely fit…
Well, Sayonara for now y'all!
