Chapter 7
"How long has she been here?"
"Three hours..."
"That's the third time this week..."
"I know." Hana rolled her eyes as she looked away from the woman sitting in the corner of the store. They were instructed to give her whatever she ordered and she could stay as long as she wants. The first time she stayed for 5 hours, then she stayed till closing and their boss walked her home. Who knows how long she'll stay today. Tenten walked over.
"Hi, Rin-San, is there anything I can get you? More tea? Coffee?"
"No, thank you. Maybe in a little. Have you seen Kakashi?"
"Um...my shift just started and I didn't see him in the back. Maybe he's in the bookstore dusting. I can get him for you."
"No, no, that's ok. Don't want to bother him. I'll just get some work done while I wait." She indicated to her laptop. Tenten nodded and walked away.
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"Here."
Kakashi looked at the cup presented in front of him. The hand holding it started to shake the cup back and forth, tempting him. He reached out and accepted.
"She left."
"En."
"Stop hiding."
"En."
"Tell her."
"En."
"Argh, men!"
He watched as his barista angrily stomped away, letting out a little laugh. She's cute.
He looked at the clock on the wall. Four hours since he's been holed up in his office. He should confront the problem, but he has been running from it for so long. Isn't it just a simple rejection? Maybe...if he didn't feel so guilty about what happened that year in school. But they can't continue in this limbo with all these unresolved answers.
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"Did Gai shrink?"
Tenten: —_—" ...Boss, meet Lee-kun, another student of Gai-Sensei. Lee-kun, meet Gai-Sensei eternal rival and my boss, Kakashi-san."
She explained while Kakashi stared at the younger and shorter miniature version of Gai. Also fully decked out in green spandex and orange leg warmer.
"Yo."
"KAKASHI-SAN, VERY NICE TO MEET YOU!"
"Are you sure he didn't just shrink?" Kakashi whispered to her.
Tenten: =_="
"LEE!"
"SENSEI!"
"He multiplied."
Tenten: =_="
"KAKASHI! WE MUST BREAK OUR TIE! CHALLENGING YOU RIGHT NOW"
"Head or tail?" Kakashi took a coin from his pocket and flipped it.
"HEAD!" The coin landed on the counter and...tail.
"BESTED! I MUST TRAIN HARDER!"
"I WILL TRAIN WITH YOU, SENSEI!"
"YES! I WILL TRY HARDER NEXT TIME AND BE VICTORIOUS! Ah, my Flower, don't be late to class. COME LEE, LET US DO 200 LAPS."
"YES, SENSEI!"
Two flashes of green whirled out of the store.
"Are you-"
"I'm sure!"
"Do you...also wear one..."
"Hell no!"
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She reached out and grasp his apron tightly. She tugged it to draw his attention. He looked down at her hand then moved his eyes upwards to her face. He narrowed his eyes at the evil smile forming on her face.
"She's backkkkkk" Tenten sang in a low voice.
"No running this time." She tighten the grip on his apron.
"Kakashi-kun!" Rin enthusiastically called out.
Tenten released the apron once Rin stood in front of them.
"I got some boxes to unload in the back. Bye!" Tenten excused herself and left. She looked back and saw her boss giving her the evil eye. She gave him two big thumbs up in return.
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How did I end up here? Tenten looked at the drunk woman next to her. The woman was now on the verge of blacking out. She kept mumbling incoherently and her eyes were closed.
Oh, Rin-Chan, I hope your hangover is worth it tomorrow...but what am I gonna do now...Hmmmm... Tenten pulled her phone out of her pocket and called the only person she could think of.
"Yo"
"Rin is drunk..."
"Where are you?"
Twenty minutes later her boss and his friend, Obito showed up. She smiled at them apologetically. Obito picked Rin up and piggybacked her out to a waiting taxi. He waved at them as the taxi pulled away.
"Come on, I'll walk you home."
"Oh, thanks...is it alright that Obito is taking her home?" She peeked at his side profile.
"Better him than me."
"I guess that's true..." Tenten thought back to what happened earlier. Rin had came to her with red rimmed eyes and asked if they could go drinking together. Rin explained that she had just return to the country and didn't tell most of her friends yet. Tenten could see that Rin just needed some company after coming out of her boss's office. Tenten had looked at her boss to see if she could leave and he waved her away.
Tenten had listened to Rin talk about anything and everything unrelated to her boss. The woman was obviously trying to hide her sadness and sorrow and Tenten wasn't going to add to her disappointment by probing. Eventually the topic of her boss came up when Rin had enough alcohol in her. So Tenten got the general backstory, basically another Sasuke-Sakura-Naruto situation. And today just happens to be the day her boss finally let the woman down.
She peeked again and was caught this time.
"Yes?"
"What?"
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like you have something to say."
"No, I don't. Just making sure you don't bump into anything."
"...then...shouldn't you be looking ahead and not me?"
"..."
"Just ask whatever it is you want to know."
"No, it's none of my business. I'm just being nosy. Sorry."
"..."
They walked in silence for a while.
"She saved my life once and it costed her her dream of being a doctor."
O^O
Tenten slowly worked her mind through his statement.
What do you do in a situation like that? How do you repay someone? What if the price they ask for is more than you're willing or able to give? Do you sacrifice your happiness for theirs? Will you be reconciled? Will you grow resentful?
Tenten didn't know what to say so she took his hand and gave a light squeeze before letting go.
"I'm hungry. Are you? Want some food? There's a great yakitori place around here. My treat. My boss gave me a raise!"
"He did not."
"A bonus!"
"Don't think so."
"He's so cheap. I should look for a new job, but how can I leave? He's sooooo pretty. I guess I'll overlook this one flaw." She looked over and saw he had a little smile. She smiled too. She doesn't like seeing him down.