*Kakashi's pov*

It has been a month since the chūnin exams ended. Lord Third had summoned me, so I am on my way to the Hokage's office. Despite that, I can't take my mind of the conversation I had with Moriko last week.

*Flashback*

We have just finished another mission and Minato-sensei had excused is. I want to go and train so that I can become jōnin soon. But I don't go home for that because Moriko came to me.

Ever since the second stage of chūnin exams, she had gone back to her old ways and acted as though that incident never happened. We all went along, believing that it was best if we believed it never happened. I had thought that she had recovered since then, but I was wrong. She is looking at me with the same look as she had when I was about to leave to report about the incident with the Snakeman to the Third.

She suggests that we go for a walk in the village before. I agree. I had decided that I would start focusing more on my life as shinobi, and hence not bother about Moriko anymore. But it's not easy, with what the Third had said about Moriko's actions being taken in account.

We are beneath the Hokage monument now. Moriko had not been able to speak properly to me since the incident and looks like she wouldn't able to again. So I start. 'Do you want to talk about what happened in the chūnin exams? I'm here to listen, so you can tell me.'

'I want to tell you about what that man did to me.' 'Okay, go on.'

She takes a deep breath and starts 'Remember the genjutsu he had casted on me? He made me relive my friend, my mother and Tokemi's deaths. But it was a little too exaggerated, he also made me believe that the Nakamuras had been killed. But it was so convincing. They were much worse than my nightmares.'

She had told me about what she saw in her nightmares in return for what I saw in mine. But she had never told me much about her friend except for the fact that he looked very similar to Obito.

'When I was about to pass out from the genjutsu, he told me that I would have been able to avoid their fates if I had not been so closed to myself. If I had not just sit there, controlling my emotions with my thoughts of kindness and forgiveness. That's what he called them. He told me- that they were not genuine feelings. I was just a coward and couldn't face my responsibility of their deaths by forgiving their killers. He said that I had a much deeper wish. A wish for revenge, instead of staying with you all, happy and safe.

'He told me that he could help me with that, and also train me then and there in that forest, in the middle of the chūnin exams. I would not get another opportunity like this.

'So that night, I set out to look for him. He knew that I would come because he himself showed himself after sometime. After that he did train me, and I improved as well. I learnt to channel my emotions in my fighting. Not only that. He woke a part of me that I have always known about, and have feared. It made me enjoy...killing.' her pace had slowed down and she had stopped walking.

I stopped as well. She really had a desire for revenge after all. And something much deeper and more terrible as well- bloodlust. And Moriko was not happy about it. She was scared. I want to comfort her, but how? What shoild I say? That she should forget about this?

'But it's not that bad. It has helped me see through my fears and realised how foolish I have been in my relationships. My relationship with the Nakamuras has improved. I feel much more satisfied. I don't feel like a coward.'

'I also wanted to tell you about this.' she said after a long silence. 'When I had said that I was going to kill you all before killing that man, it was partly because of bloodlust. That man used to say that I should hurry with my training because he needed me to go back to Rin and Obito. In fact, he had been protecting you all. He used to do that when I would rest, but often snuck up on him. That was when I found him protecting you all.

'And I was filled with hatred for him so much that I wanted to destroy everything he had tried to create. I wanted to destroy his plan, and you guys were a part of it. I have been thinking about this and have come to this- he intended to test how much I had developed. And he chose the 3rd stage of chūnin exams for that. But I didn't sense him anywhere in the tower.'

'If that was his plan then doesn't it mean that he is going to target you soon again?' I ask her a little angrily, because she is speaking too casually about this.

She notices the anger in my voice and apologises. 'Sorry, I have been very careless and wreckless, haven't I? My stupidity has caused everyone so much trouble. I just can't seem to be able to protect you from myself.'

From herself. Of course she was calling herself the danger. After all that's what I had called her when I had given her that lecture which brought her back to her senses. I had hurt her, and not even apologised. 'Moriko, you are not at fault. You are not harming us. So don't talk about yourself.'

She squints her eyes at me as if trying to read me. 'You have been thinking about me haven't you?'

Her mentioning that I was thinking about her makes me blush and I shake my head without a pause 'No not at all! Whatever makes you say that. Of course I haven't-'

She giggles and gives me a sad smile 'So you have been thinking of me, haven't you? You really are a good friend, Kakashi. You have always worried about me so much and helped me from tight spots. But you should stop doing that. Sticking close to me only cause you a lot of trouble.

'And also, I am not the same anymore.' so saying she left. I left for home soon after. She said the exact same thing she had back when Minato-sensei and I had gone over to her house to convince her to become a shinobi.

*Flashback ends*

I haven't had the chance to speak to her again after that because we have both been busy with missions.

I reach the Hokage office and find Moriko at the door as well. What is she doing here? Lord Third says 'Enter!' and we go in.

*Narrator's pov*

Both Moriko and Kakashi wonder for what purpose the Sandaime must have called that it requires the both of them.

The Third speaks 'So, Moriko and Kakashi, you are both promoted to jōnin!'

Both Kakashi and Moriko are in shock. Kakashi is shocked because Moriko has not yet been promoted to chūnin, and yet this...

'Why are you two amazed? Moriko I can understand, but Kakashi? It seems you never told your friends about your promotion to chūnin, Moriko?' At this Kakashi looks at Moriko. She had never mentioned a thing about this!

Moriko blushes in embarassment 'Well, no one had got their results from the chūnin exam, so I decided to say about it when they get their results. It was so soon...'

'So when did you get promoted?' Kakashi asks her.

'Um... Around 3 weeks after the exams?' It had been almost 5 weeks since the exams. So she has been a chūnin all this time? Even when we had that conversation? These were the thoughts in Kakashi's mind.

Lord Third clears his throat and the 2 new jōnin remember that they are not alone in the room. 'Well Moriko, your classmates' results will be declared tomorrow. And I also know the real reason you didn't tell them. You still doubt yourself and believe that I have made a mistake in making you chūnin, and now jōnin, despite what happened in the Forest of Death. Well let me clear this- I have made no mistake in my decisions. I have promoted you because you are worthy and capable of this post.

'Also, I promote ninja on the basis of recommendations from others as well. How could I have ignored them?' then he turns to Kakashi 'And Kakashi, good job on being promoted to jōnin. I know you will do well in this post and do your responsibilities well. Anymore questions? Alright then, you two are dismissed.'

With that the both of them leave the office. Kakashi walks on proudly and confidently, happy with his achievement. While, Moriko walks with her head down, still not able to come in terms with the news. Kakashi finally notices her 'Why is it that you always take every good news so badly? You should really change that attitude of yours.'

At this she glares at him 'You're the one to talk.' Kakashi glares back at her, but stops remembering that this is her way of doing things with him. 'Anyways, congratulations.'

She stops glaring and looks away from him 'Thanks. Congratulations to you too.' They go the rest of their way home without speaking another word.

*Time skip to next day*

The next day they everyone gets the results of the chūnin exams, with everyone of Moriko and Kakashi's classmates being promoted to chūnin. Moriko just says that she passed instead of saying that she had been promoted to jōnin, making Kakashi facepalm, and Rin sweatdrops.

Rin holds a meeting on getting presents for Moriko and Kakashi's promotion to jōnin. Obito, who has finally found out about his two friends' promotion, looks at Rin gloomily as he could see how excited she was for Kakashi. It was not as though Rin wasn't happy for Moriko, but the way she blushed at the mention of Kakashi's present, you could say how she felt for him.

Meanwhile, at Kakashi's house, Moriko calls out to him. Kakashi answers the door and finds her holding a package. 'What is it?' he asks her a little nervously.

Moriko, who is equally nervous, 'Well, I have a present for you. Congratulations on making jōnin!' and she holds out the package. Kakashi takes it finds a safe green scarf in it. He could tell by looking at it that she made it herself.

'You had said that it was your family tradition of gifting scarves to your friends and loved ones, and also a scarf was the only thing that came to my mind. I'm sorry it's terrible because I made it last night.' she finished quickly with a blush.

'No, it's perfect. I like it.' he tells her, while his mind is fixated on her referring to him as a "loved one". He also had a green scarf with shuriken patterns on it, which he used to wear around his neck in the academy. His mother had made it for him.

'So you liked it? Oh good, I was worried you wouldn't like it, especially because it's nearly spring now. I should get going now.'

Just when she turned away and was on the road, he shouted 'Wait!' She stopped in her tracks.

Moriko soon sees Kakashi coming towards her with something. When he's close enough, she sees that the something resembles a scarf.

'I made a scarf for you too. Congratulations on making it too jōnin!' he finishes quickly too and holds out the scarf to her. Oh the irony...

'I couldn't think of anything else either, and like you said, it is a tradition in my family to gift a scarf to your... friend. So I had some idea on how to make a scarf, but I am no good. So...' with this he stops saying any more.

Moriko takes the scarf and wraps it around her neck. 'Well, it's really nice and warm. What matters is that you've made it, even though you know you're terrible.' this makes Kakashi blush deeper.

'But I shouldn't be saying this, I am no professional myself.' with this they start laughing. 'Well, see you later!'

'Yeah, later.' Kakashi answers and returns home.

However, this was not the end. She got more presents from her classmates. Obito didn't really give her a gift, but a memory.

Sometime before, during training, Moriko had misplaced her self-made pendant. Obito came to return it. It was very precious to her, since the one who had given it to her was her brother-like figure, Take.

'Thank you so much for returning it to me. It's very important to me.' When she would wake up from her nightmares, clutching her little black stone pendant calmed her. She looked at the pendant, rendering how Take had made it from a stone they had found while playing, and found a scratch on it. 'Oh no, there's a scratch on it!'

'What? I am so sorry! I am so clumsy!' and he started apologising without a pause.

'Oh, and also congratulations on becoming jōnin!'he says all of a sudden. 'But I forgot to get a present!' he adds. Moriko sweatdrops at his silly nature.

'Thank you so much! And you don't have to worry about the present.' the scar that Obito made on the stone was a present to her. She is very thankful about it months later, as it reminds her of him a lot.

Rin gave her a gift too. She gave her a red fabric. It was up to Moriko what she wanted to do with it. Moriko wasn't pleased, because she believed her sense of fashion to be poor. But what made her like it was that Rin had given it to her as a friend, rather than a jōnin.

'This fabric will symbolise our friendship. I am really proud of you for making it to jōnin. You have proved that girls are no less than boys!' she had said when she gifted her the fabric.

*Time Skip*

Months later, as the Third Shinobi War worsened and man power lessened, a mission to destroy the Kannabi bridge, which was a vital pathway to Iwagakure's line of supply, was assigned to a team. The team was Team Minato.

So here's the end of another chapter. I tried to show a little of Moriko's bonds with team Minato. I would like to clear a few things- Moriko sees Obito as a brother, and Obito sees her as a sister. And about Kakashi and Moriko- Kakashi realised that his feelings for Moriko were more than a childhood infatuation. Moriko still considers it to be a childhood infatuation (she's da densest). But none of them are "in love" with one another. Not yet.

And I have never really described her outfit either. She wears a v-neck short-sleeve t-shirt, with a net shirt beneath, along with black shorts. She wears some arm warmers as well. As mentioned in this chapter, her sense of fashion is poor. Because her creator's is ?ￂﾠ But still, I hope it was good and you could understand what I meant to describe.

Besides, hope you liked the chapter! Don't forget to vote and comment!

Published Jun 18th 19'

Revised Jul 23rd 19'