Dear Diary
Chapter 12: It's easy to see

XXX

A/N: Back to the Diary, people! Back in time to Maito Gai's seventeenth birthday. A great gift can make for a sad day. And I am so sorry that I apparently wasn't clear on the last chapter… They are both talking about the same day – Kakashi and Gai both wrote about it in their diary ^.^

A huge thanks goes to Mswan for being an awe-inspiring Beta and for being someone that I can always rely on. You don't even know how amazing you truly are ^.^

I do not own Naruto. I only own my own creativity (Though my mother would have you believe that is actually hers… Don't believe everything you hear, folks)

XXX

Dear Diary,

Today I got my wish! One of them, at least.
I saw his face. I saw Kakashi Hatake's face! I challenged him to an eating contest today – which he won. I am not disappointed. Not by the loss and not by the face. Oh my, the face…

He is gorgeous, he really is. Perfect in each and every way. I have waited years for this, but it was well worth the wait! Definitely worth the wait. Although to be completely honest I must admit:
I played one hell of a guilt card to get this wish. My birthday wish, to see Kakashi's face. It has been on my mind for years, and I simply did not feel like I could wait any longer. So when he came up to me a couple days ago, asking me what I'd want for my birthday… I did not have to think long! I only took some time in order to mold my request into something… Acceptable. Because honestly, 'I want to see your face' would have been too obvious, now wouldn't it?

So I took some time to come up with the right wording, and eventually asked him to do another challenge with me. I asked him to be at our usual meeting place at five. Of course knowing that he would not show up before six. So I made reservations at a restaurant that I'd heard about. It was supposed to have good food, and privacy curtains. Figuring that my eternal rival might reject the challenge after all if it meant showing his face to everyone in the restaurant. And to be honest, that might have made me a little jealous as well. The deal was that he would be there at five, and that whatever challenge I would come up with, he would have to agree to. He did not seem too happy about that, but agreed nonetheless.

And so, we met at the bridge at five-fifty. And when he asked me what the challenge would be, I could barely hold back my grin. When I told him it was an eating contest, I could not hold back my grin. So I gave him the thumbs up, while Kakashi only sighed. He agreed though, as per my request. And he even gave me a gift before we departed to the restaurant. So thoughtful, so… Sweet. I cannot help myself, I love this man.

The package he gave me was wrapped in silver, with a blue ribbon. I will treasure both wrapping paper and ribbon forever. But when I opened it, I found something inside that I will treasure even more for even longer: Nunchaku. They are beautifully carved to resemble Chinese dragons. Kakashi informed me they are named Soshuga. I will treasure them always.

After that however, our latest hot-blooded contest of youth was on! I took him to the restaurant, amused at his apparent confusion that I had actually made reservations. He seemed to appreciate the privacy booth though. The look of him when we entered still brings a smile to my face. Although honestly, I cannot seem to stop smiling today no matter what I think about. My seventeenth birthday, and not only did my esteemed rival gift me the most wonderful youthful gift of nunchaku – he allowed me to see his face. His face! His FACE!

After sitting down and agreeing on the rules for this particular challenge, we informed the owners of the restaurant of our plans. They seemed slightly reluctant to help us, but neither Kakashi nor I have ever bothered much with other people's reluctance. I think by now Kakashi was getting excited about this challenge as well. Presumably not as excited as I was, but then again: I had an ulterior motive. When the first load of dishes was placed before us, I had to swallow hard. But then I reminded my dear rival of his mask, thinking he would pull the fabric down without a hitch. He did not. He simply stared at me, looking rather awkward. So I pointed out that he could not hope to beat me with his mouth covered up like that. He grudgingly agreed. Looking away from me as he pulled the mask down.

I must admit I stared. How could I not? Pulling the fabric down, my rival shook his head a little, and I almost fainted! I swear I did. He looked so… I am almost ashamed to write it down, but… Sexy. And then he looked back to me. And I could feel my entire body trembling. I could feel… Things. He is so beautiful. Not the kind of beauty that one would most often expect from a member of the male sex. Though he does not look female at all. He just looks… Perfect. Like a god. A god with a rather sheepish grin plastered on his face. That kind of detracted from the perfection… Still, he is absolutely gorgeous… I do not have words for it.

I lost the contest, as stated before. Though I must admit I believe that might be partly due to the fact that I was too distracted. I could not resist looking up to steal glances at Kakashi's perfection in between every bowl, sometimes even in between bites. I could just look at him for hours and hours on end. I believe I need nothing more…

After the contest had ended, the mask reappeared. And Kakashi – after a quick congratulation – disappeared. It is… A little disheartening. But I still love him. One day, I'll tell him. I just… Cannot do it now. Kakashi would surely laugh at me. He would surely be disgusted. I know he dates girls, and he dates a lot of them. I can only hope that he will be there during my final moments on this earth. I will tell him then, I swear I will not depart this life without telling him. I love him. I love Kakashi Hatake with all my heart.

Happy birthday to me, my seventeenth birthday. The best present I could ever hope for in my entire life was bestowed upon me today, and yet… I feel oddly sad. This feeling will pass, it has to. I am supposed to be Maito Gai, the Youthful Green Beast Of The Leaf! Tomorrow, I will be him once again. Today, I will allow myself time to feel a little sad. After all, I love someone that could never love me back. I love someone and I can never tell anyone about it. I can only write it down on these pages.

But I vow, here and now: I will tell him before I die. And before I die, I will kiss Kakashi Hatake.

Sincerely,
Gai M.