AUTHOR'S NOTE

DREAMER1084: it's a tragedy, last chapter... but even though some of the sadness lingered in this chapter, hope it's sweeter... in some aspect...
well, yea... the emotion are all belong to sensei, just that An-kun felt a bit more due to his personal experience and emotions. the sadness and the guilt that Kashi was bearing here in this story is kind of my view of the sensei in the original story.
p.s. the confession here is kind of inspired by 灰灰君的文...哈哈

Guest: I have not explained clearly in the story yet, as it would be revealed later on... but I can tell you that it was the council, hence An-kun was punishing Kakashi, based on the fact that he slaughtered the whole village, which I mentioned in early chapters, where Naruto dreamt of a man with a sword and the stone coffin. 光Furthermore, you will know a bit more in this chapter too and the next chapter or so, when Kakashi receives his punishment.

krito1389: glad that you like it, hope you enjoy this chapter too.

Prescripto13: yup, I especially dug out my notes to find the flower that has the right meaning. I was not quite exactly sure how I am going to treat the relationship between An-kun and Riku-san... but since Rikudo Sennin was an extremely wise man, I felt that An-kun and Sennin were slightly more than good friends, but there were also nothing more than just simple friendship... [I think I am getting myself confused too...=.=]

As always, reviews please. Doumo.

Vii

p.s. still no one interest to be a beta?

p.s.s. this would be the last update for this story this month, as I really want to update my other story, Nocturne, first... so I will only update this once I at least update one chapter over there... sigh... really ran out of time...

OooooO

Naruto woke up unexpectedly. It was still early in the morning, not even near dawn. But he just couldn't go back to sleep. Nonetheless, he stretched his body, and decided to take a small walk in the village.

He used to go for a small walk from time to time. He wasn't sure whether his nine tailed guardian knew, but he just went. He remembered that from every autumn, he would able to see a man in black, sitting by one of the oldest trees in the village. He never seen the man doing anything else, he simply sat there, as if waiting for someone. The man would be gone by the first glimpse of the eastern sun. He knew it, as every time when he was there by dawn, he never seen the man there. Nonetheless, he followed his usual path and walked toward the said tree, hoping to see the man again.

The man didn't fail him as he was sitting at the usual spot. However, as Naruto approached, getting closer, he finally realised that the man has a company all along, as he could hear the whispers, even though the man was making conversation with the empty space.

"Tenzo, how many years we have sat here?" the man asked, "it's seems to be a long time... I began to understand what An-nii said; it's seems to be so true that as we lived longer, we have loss our track in time."

The named person, Tenzo,chuckled softly, "senpai, An sama was referring vampires that are more than 500 years old. Neither of us has reached that age."

Naruto heard the voice and so he tried to look for the source as he would not believe that the man was crazy. He screamed as he saw Tenzo's face, which was shown on the tree bark, with his body disappeared into the wood. "What are you?"

"Naruto," the man spoke in a low voice, "you have met Yamato before."

As he was called, Naruto looked at the man and realised that he was the one that he has been thinking of for days. "Kakashi? Why you are here- dattebyo?"

"It's a decent place to kill time, don't you agree, Naruto?" the man replied, in a relaxed mood. He wasn't sure, but talking to his kohai did relieved his stress.

"Hai? ?" Naruto confused, but he wasn't intend to nail into details. He was intending to talk to the vampire sometimes, but he simply didn't find the right moment. He knew that the vampire leaving soon and he has to grab his chance. "Anyway, ano... Kakashi, fancy to take a short stroll in the wood with me?" he offered, as he raised his hand.

Tenzo looked at the young ekusoshisuto and then focused on his senpai. "Senpai," he called softly, as he was concerned. Maybe the older vampire didn't remember clearly, but he did, as he was the one who has to carry out the punishment.

Kakashi turned and smiled at his kohai. He understood the younger vampire's concern, but he was destined. "Daijoubu, see you later, Tenzo." He then stood up, buttoned his cloak. "Let's go."

The man and the vampire walked in silence as the man was still thinking what to say, while the latter was wondering what to do. It was getting harder for Kakashi to keep a distance, staying away from the man. He missed the man badly. While on the other hand, Naruto had made up his mind, since the night they danced and kissed. He wondered whether the vampire could let his deceased lover go and accept his love. But nonetheless, he wanted to draw their distance closer.

"I have been told that your clansman will stay at your village till the beginning of next year, so can I visit you sometime, during the new year holiday?" Naruto looked right into the vampire eye, hoping to gain a positive answer.

Kakashi sighed as he never managed to resist such desperate request from the one that he loved. "We hardly know each other well, visit my village in such season..."

"But I want to see you more, Kakashi. I am serious, I want to know you more, I want to spend more time with you... I... I... I just feel that I have fallen in love with you!" He flushed as he realised what he has just splitterd out.

Kakashi was stunned as well as touched. He remembered the times when the man confessed his love. The man hasn't changed at all. Nothing has changed, and he wanted to reply to the love. He wanted to, but he couldn't. Unlike last time, for which he was a free man. But now, no matter how his aniki shield and protected him in the council, he simply couldn't act freely. He has more to consider. He pulled a rather bitter grin, "it's not fun to make jokes on something like that... Naruto..."

"It's not a joke! I am seriously and I really genuinely think that I have fallen in love with you. I like you." He raised his hands and cupped the vampire's face. "I like you, Kakashi. No matter why you have to cover your face and eyes here, no matter what have you done before, no matter who was your previously lover... I have been thinking of you since the day I met you in the church yard."

Kakashi didn't speak but gently brushed the man's hands off his face. The sun was rising, showing the first beam of the day. He took of his cloak, mask and eye patch. He pushed the young man away softly, so that he could stand under the sun. "Look at me, Naruto. I have killed the innocents," he unbuttoned the first two button of his shirt, "while some of us are still allergic to the sun, but for me, I have to hide away my punishment." As the sun shone, Naruto could see that the vampire was covered in ancient symbols all over his body and they were getting more visible as the pattern darkened.

Naruto pulled his sight away and bent down to pick up the cloak. He covered the vampire's body with the said cloth and embraced the vampire. "It doesn't matter, Kakashi. I will be here with you. I am an ekusoshisuto no Konoha, I will prevent you from doing wrong again." He cupped the vampire's face, pulling closer to his face, with their noses touching each other. "Trust me."

Kakashi defeated and spoke, "if... once you have learnt everything that had happened in the past, and still decide that you want to be with me... then come and find me, I will tell you my answer."

"Hai." Even though it was not the answer that he would like to hear, he was relieved that he was not rejected straight away. He still had a chance, but the only concern was that he was shocked by the tattoo. His heart ached and in some way, he wanted to be with the vampire more. He has truly fallen in love with the vampire, no matter what had happened. "Then, wait for me, Kakashi. I hope you could be with me when I come to you in new year." He placed a soft perk on the vampire's lips gingerly, rubbing the soft flesh as he wanted to stay as close as possible.

"Naru..." Kakashi murmured, as he titled his head, letting the young man to gain access to his mouth. He heard his aniki's cry in the deepest end of the forest, but for once, just at that moment, he closed his eyes, savouring the sensation that he has not encountered for a long while. 'Just once,' he promised himself.