Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
* * *
Sakura spent that evening doing things she'd usually do- write in her diary, straighten up her room, watch some television, and read magazines. But before she changed into her nightshirt, she made sure to close her curtains to keep out prying eyes.
* * *
Sakura spent her morning in her usual routine as well- get up, shower, change into her ninja clothes, and head off to class. When she opened the front door, though, she shrieked and dropped her shoes (which she had been struggling to slip onto her feet).
"Ahhhhh!" she cried, falling backwards. Kakashi reached out and grabbed her arm, steadying her. Sakura's mother dashed to the top of the stairs.
"Sakura, dear? Are you alright?" she asked quickly. "Did you fall?" Sakura turned to look at her mother.
"I'm okay. Kakashi-sensei just startled me, that's all," Sakura replied sweetly, smiling. Her smile quickly disappeared when she realized that Kakashi still had a firm hold on her arm, and she swiftly pulled away from his grasp.
"Oh, you're Sakura's teacher," Mrs. Haruno said in relief. "I thought something bad had happened."
"No need for alarm, ma'am, your daughter just got caught off guard," Kakashi replied professionally.
"Aren't ninjas supposed to be on guard at all times?" asked Mrs. Haruno suspiciously. "Sakura, have you been slacking off?"
"No, okaa-san!" Sakura said in annoyance.
"Actually, Mrs. Haruno, she's been doing quite well," Kakashi said defensively. An awkward silence filled the room.
"Damn it, what's all the noise?" yelled Sakura's father from his bedroom.
"Nothing, dear!" called Mrs. Haruno to her husband. She turned back to Sakura. "Now go to class honey. We'll see you after work." Sakura sighed in relief as her mother bustled off, leaving her alone with Kakashi.
"Lovely family," said Kakashi as the two walked away from the house.
"Don't lie," Sakura said wearily. "So- why are you here?" she asked, linking arms with him.
"Just felt like seeing my favorite person, is all," Kakashi replied, placing a quick kiss on her forehead through his mask. "Why, something wrong?"
"No, just wondering," Sakura replied. As they exited the suburbs of Konoha and entered the marketplace, though, they unhooked arms and started a friendly conversation. Every now and then, though, when no one was looking, Kakashi would slip his fingers in with hers and squeeze her hand affectionately.
However, neither of the two could ignore the strange glances they were receiving as they passed through the village. Every now and then, they would catch a random worker glaring at them disapprovingly, or a disgusted glance from some woman or man. Also, as they passed any given area, the happy conversations were hushed and replaced with feverish whispering or distasteful expressions.
* * *
Training had been extra rigorous that day, and Sakura breathed heavily as she dragged herself home. Kakashi had, for some reason, decided not to walk with her, and that had set her in a bad mood. She stared straight ahead tiredly as she trudged through the village, and if she caught some unfortunate bystander giving her that disapproving look of theirs, she would give them a disapproving look back. She was on a warpath.
'Why the hell are they looking at me like that?' Inner Sakura ranted, stamping her foot angrily. 'I'm positive that I'm not showing too much skin, my hair looks decent- what is so different today?!'
Sakura sighed wearily as she kicked off her shoes on her porch and opened her door. She took a step in and stopped as she noticed her parents standing at the top of the stairs.
'What's going on? They don't get home from work this early,' Inner Sakura puzzled nervously. Her father looked like it was everything he had to keep from killing her, and her mother was ashen-faced.
"Sakura, we need to talk," her mother said, pursing her lips.
* * *
Sakura spent that evening doing things she'd usually do- write in her diary, straighten up her room, watch some television, and read magazines. But before she changed into her nightshirt, she made sure to close her curtains to keep out prying eyes.
* * *
Sakura spent her morning in her usual routine as well- get up, shower, change into her ninja clothes, and head off to class. When she opened the front door, though, she shrieked and dropped her shoes (which she had been struggling to slip onto her feet).
"Ahhhhh!" she cried, falling backwards. Kakashi reached out and grabbed her arm, steadying her. Sakura's mother dashed to the top of the stairs.
"Sakura, dear? Are you alright?" she asked quickly. "Did you fall?" Sakura turned to look at her mother.
"I'm okay. Kakashi-sensei just startled me, that's all," Sakura replied sweetly, smiling. Her smile quickly disappeared when she realized that Kakashi still had a firm hold on her arm, and she swiftly pulled away from his grasp.
"Oh, you're Sakura's teacher," Mrs. Haruno said in relief. "I thought something bad had happened."
"No need for alarm, ma'am, your daughter just got caught off guard," Kakashi replied professionally.
"Aren't ninjas supposed to be on guard at all times?" asked Mrs. Haruno suspiciously. "Sakura, have you been slacking off?"
"No, okaa-san!" Sakura said in annoyance.
"Actually, Mrs. Haruno, she's been doing quite well," Kakashi said defensively. An awkward silence filled the room.
"Damn it, what's all the noise?" yelled Sakura's father from his bedroom.
"Nothing, dear!" called Mrs. Haruno to her husband. She turned back to Sakura. "Now go to class honey. We'll see you after work." Sakura sighed in relief as her mother bustled off, leaving her alone with Kakashi.
"Lovely family," said Kakashi as the two walked away from the house.
"Don't lie," Sakura said wearily. "So- why are you here?" she asked, linking arms with him.
"Just felt like seeing my favorite person, is all," Kakashi replied, placing a quick kiss on her forehead through his mask. "Why, something wrong?"
"No, just wondering," Sakura replied. As they exited the suburbs of Konoha and entered the marketplace, though, they unhooked arms and started a friendly conversation. Every now and then, though, when no one was looking, Kakashi would slip his fingers in with hers and squeeze her hand affectionately.
However, neither of the two could ignore the strange glances they were receiving as they passed through the village. Every now and then, they would catch a random worker glaring at them disapprovingly, or a disgusted glance from some woman or man. Also, as they passed any given area, the happy conversations were hushed and replaced with feverish whispering or distasteful expressions.
* * *
Training had been extra rigorous that day, and Sakura breathed heavily as she dragged herself home. Kakashi had, for some reason, decided not to walk with her, and that had set her in a bad mood. She stared straight ahead tiredly as she trudged through the village, and if she caught some unfortunate bystander giving her that disapproving look of theirs, she would give them a disapproving look back. She was on a warpath.
'Why the hell are they looking at me like that?' Inner Sakura ranted, stamping her foot angrily. 'I'm positive that I'm not showing too much skin, my hair looks decent- what is so different today?!'
Sakura sighed wearily as she kicked off her shoes on her porch and opened her door. She took a step in and stopped as she noticed her parents standing at the top of the stairs.
'What's going on? They don't get home from work this early,' Inner Sakura puzzled nervously. Her father looked like it was everything he had to keep from killing her, and her mother was ashen-faced.
"Sakura, we need to talk," her mother said, pursing her lips.