As the two women continued to stroll along in silence, Kurenai's words still lingered in Harata's mind.
She wanted to ask, but hesitated for some reason.
"What'd she mean when she said that? Am I supposed to just know or something?" Harata mulled over, ready to confront her new acquaintance until the kunoichi spoke up first.
"I see you're curious about what I said earlier." Kurenai guessed, shifting her gaze down toward Harata a bit.
"How'd you know?" Harata countered suspiciously.
"Your body language gave you away. You keep glancing at me, and fidgeting. Plus your face screams that you're confused." Kurenai replied with a short laugh.
"Forgive me, I'm a bit of an analyst when it comes to reading people." she continued, smirking at Harata's incredulous expression.
"Damn that's impressive..." Harata praised, making Kurenai laugh again.
"Well thank you, I appreciate the compliment." the raven haired woman said graciously, then stopped suddenly.
"By the way...are you cooking for an army or just yourself?" Kurenai continued.
Finally realizing what Kurenai meant, Harata looked down at the four bags she was carrying.
"Oh, actually this is for more than just myself." Harata answered bluntly, causing Kurenai to look at her abruptly.
"Wait- I'm sorry...you're cooking for two then?" the bewildered woman inquired.
"Yeah! Why? Is something wrong?" Harata asked curiously.
"No- it's just...well your response surprised me. I had no idea you were expecting..." Kurenai trailed off out of shock.
"Really? My reply was that weird? Hang on...expecting what exactly?" Harata questioned, an eyebrow raised now.
"A baby. I didn't know you were cooking to feed two." Kurenai explained; a look of utter confusion and horror slowly forming on Harata's face.
"You thought I was pregnant?!! My parents would've murdered my ass if I ever got knocked up before marriage!!" Harata shouted unintentionally, drawing the attention of a few villagers passing by.
"Oh...sorry about that then. Though, in order to avoid more misunderstandings in the future, you should be aware that cooking for two is a well known metaphor for being pregnant." Kurenai corrected with a small sigh.
Harata just hung her head in shame, for not entirely understanding what she had implied, simply by choosing the wrong words.
"She's nice, but a bit naive. I thought that was common knowledge..." the cultured older woman thought to herself, as she studied Harata carefully.
"Okay, so who is this other person you're cooking for? I was under the impression you were brought here alone." Kurenai interrogated, her eyes narrowing on the embarrassed young woman before her.
"Other person?" Harata mirrored back, as Kurenai nodded in agreement.
"Hatake San." Harata continued, throwing Kurenai back into a state of shock.
"Kakashi? Why are you preparing meals for him?" Kurenai shouted in disbelief, drawing attention to herself this time.
A bit confused as to why this was such a big deal, Harata cocked her head to one side curiously.
"Yeah, he took me back to his place two nights ago, let me shower there, and even gave me one of his shirts to wear. I slept in his bed the first time." Harata went on obliviously.
Ready to pass out from so much blood rushing to her head, Kurenai was speechless upon hearing Harata talk.
"Ka...kashi...you and I are gonna have a long talk the next time I see you! Exactly what kind of looking after have you been doing?!...
...I never pegged him for the type...wait...maybe there's a reasonable explanation for all this..." Kurenai argued with herself mentally, leaving Harata more confused than before.
Not wanting to assume anything just yet, the mature woman calmed her mind, and pressed Harata for more answers instead.
"Alright. Why did Kakashi bring you to his place?" Kurenai tried, massaging her temple.
Feeling guilty for going against Tsunade's orders, regardless of what Kakashi told her, Harata confessed.
"Truthfully...it was because I did something really dumb..." Harata started hesitantly.
"Something stupid? What exactly was that?" Kurenai inquired, pressuring Harata to tell her everything.
"...I snuck out on my own...outside of the village. I know I was told not to, but I got too anxious...I just- I just want to see my friends again...I miss them, my family, and my home..." Harata admitted, feeling a small lump in her throat as she continued.
"...Hatake San knew I snuck out and followed me. He said I tried to wander off into the forest, and that I was exposed to some kinda gas that made me hallucinate.
He apparently had to restrain me so I would stop trying to follow what I thought was my friend..." the downtrodden swordswoman finally finished.
Hearing all of this, Kurenai couldn't help but feel bad for Harata, even though she disobeyed orders.
She simply looked up toward the sky as a warm breeze blew by, lifting some cherry blossom petals from the ground into a little flurry of pink and white.
"That certainly is a problem. However, it's understandable. Must be pretty scary to wake up in a place you've never been to; and not know a single soul there." Kurenai sympathized.
Overwhelmed with a rush of emotions, Harata wiped a tear away from her eye, oblivious to the fact that she was silently crying.
Amidst getting choked up, as sentimental memories resurfaced, she attempted to justify her reasoning even more.
"That's why...the least I can do... after him saving my life so many times...is offer to cook for him... He was kind enough to let me stay in his home...even though that was all my fault too." Harata added, her words seeming to catch Kurenai off guard.
"I see. So that's what happened. However, I must respectfully disagree. I think I can say...without a doubt- you helped him a lot as well." she said confidently, making Harata look at her questioningly.
"I...helped him...? How? All I've done is inconvenience him so far." Harata replied.
"Inconvenienced? I don't think so. If anything he's been more attentive since you arrived. He normally ignores everyone, and keeps his head stuck in that book all the time." Kurenai said sheepishly.
"More attentive? He still reads his book at any chance he gets. But if it makes him happy, it doesn't bother me." Harata replied, with a slight smile after wiping her tears with her kimono sleeve.
Raising an eyebrow of intrigue, Kurenai tuned in more intently now.
"Oh really? Sounds like you've gotten to know Kakashi pretty well." she baited.
"If I was that close, I'd refer to him by his first name. But I'm not, so I only use his clan name." Harata proudly announced, as Kurenai smiled at her even more.
"I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you used his first name. All of us instructors-- Tell me, does he use your given name or last name?" the sly kunoichi inquired.
"It would be improper for me to do that. We aren't that familiar with each other." Harata countered.
"It would be improper? You're staying at the guy's place. No offense but, you sound like you've led a fairly sheltered life." Kurenai replied, rather shocked at the depth of Harata's naivety.
"Sheltered? I guess that's one way of putting it. And no offense taken. Also to answer your previous question, he usually calls me an acquaintance." Harata replied innocently.
"My god Kakashi...at least use her first name. No wonder she doesn't refer to him by his..." Kurenai snapped in her head.
"I guess he really is just bad with names...or he's deliberately not using yours..." Kurenai trailed off, thinking of how Kakashi only uses certain people's names.
"It's fine with me. He's only tasked with keeping an eye on me. No sense in getting attached to someone that doesn't live here." Harata retorted with an almost emotionless expression.
"Uh huh...I guess I get it. But I suppose I just view it slightly differently." she said nonchalantly.
Taking in Kurenai's words for a minute, the young commander began to truly wonder why Kakashi never called her by name also.
"Maybe he doesn't feel comfortable doing that either. Regardless of it's my first or last name. We aren't friends after all." Harata forcefully convinced herself.
"Just some food for thought...but, I'd say you're both very close, especially if he had no qualms about allowing you to be around him when he's most vulnerable." Kurenai reminded.
"And speaking of which, weren't you planning on making him breakfast? You should probably be on your way now." she followed up; then simply waved and walked off.
"Oh shit..." she mumbled disappointedly.
"It was nice meeting you! Take care!" Harata called out to Kurenai, as she made an about face, and ran back the same way she took to get to town.
By the time she managed to find her way back to Kakashi's place, it was almost noon.
"Geez I got so damn sidetracked...he probably got too hungry and made himself some food." Harata reassured herself, as she walked inside.
Much to her surprise, she saw Kakashi sitting comfortably on the futon reading Icha paradise again.
"Wait- what?! Why didn't he just go out and eat? I know he's got to be starving by no- " her thoughts immediately interrupted by Kakashi addressing her.
"So you didn't try running away. Good. I was afraid I'd have to drag you back by force." he said calmly.
"Why would I try to run from you? You'd find me anyway. But you should've just grabbed something to eat in town." she replied, as Kakashi closed his book with a sigh, and took the bags from her.
"You're a quick learner. However, I was actually worried about you. I can eat when I please, but I can't watch you every second. Please inform me when you want to go out from now on." he scolded her, as he sat the groceries on the counter.
"I'm sorry..." Harata quickly said, making Kakashi pause, and shift his gaze to her now shaking frame.
Growing concerned, he turned around and patted her gently on her head, breaking the manic trance she was beginning to go into.
"It seems you've missed my point again. I was asking you to be more careful." Kakashi said with a friendly smile, as Harata stared up at him, ready to back away yet again, but couldn't for some reason.
Even though her head told her the situation was dangerous, her heart yearned for it. Something about his presence; just made her feel very safe.
Although the confusion these odd feelings wrought was immense. This man...he managed to always break down any barrier she put up.
...but how?...How did he keep hitting in just the right spot every time? It was like he could see every weak spot, and sought out to destroy it without even trying.
"Hatake San...you're on another level...you baffle, yet intrigue me...I don't entirely understand what I've been experiencing when I'm around you...but I shouldn't embrace it..." Harata argued with herself mentally.
Noticing her bewildered expression, Kakashi removed his hand from her head, assuming that would make her relax.
A bit saddened that he stopped, Harata now bore a look of profound curiosity.
She quite enjoyed him settling her down in this manner. It was the same way her father, older cousin, or sworn brothers would cheer her up if she was sad when she was a child.
"Perhaps I should keep physical contact to a minimum. I don't think she's too comfortable with this. Though it seems to soothe her somehow." the perplexed shinobi thought to himself.
"Th-thank you..." she finally mumbled, attempting to hide her flustered face from Kakashi.
"Pardon? I didn't catch that." he lied, with a mischievous smile hidden beneath his mask, knowing she was getting embarrassed.
Clenching her fists tightly, feeling the familiar sensation of her face becoming hot, Harata brought her furisode sleeve up to shield her flushed cheeks from Kakashi's view before answering.
"I said thank you..." she repeated more clearly.
"Oh, you're welcome." he simply replied, letting up only once he could tell she was no longer sad.
"Now then. About breakfast..." Kakashi bluntly spoke up, Harata still concealing her face as she prepared to counter his statement.
"I took so long...you could've just gotten something else to e- "
"You promised to cook me breakfast. I'm just holding you to your word, as you did with me before." he retorted, thwarting Harata's response.
"I-- okay, so I did...but you didn't have to wait for my slow ass to get back!" she blurted out, still flustered.
Walking over to the counter, and perusing through the groceries, Kakashi looked over and stared Harata dead in the eyes; unnerving her as she couldn't bring herself to break away from his gaze.
"True. I guess I really just wanted to eat the food you made again. It was pretty good." he shot back, with a warm smile.
"Wha-what?!! Yo-you're just screwing with me aren't you?!" she shouted in a flustered fury.
"Oh? Am I? I wasn't aware." he casually replied, his attention back on checking the food she bought already.
"Ye-yeah!... I think..." Harata stuttered, sounding a great deal less sure of herself now.
"Hmm...if you say so." was all Kakashi said, his eye twinkling with delight upon spotting more salmon in one of the bags.
"He's just teasing you like normal...right...?" a distracted Harata let her mind wander.
"...Right...?"