No notes here! I said everything I wanted in the previous chapter. Enjoy!

WHY NOT 21



They were at the Hokage mountain carvings, both of them admiring the setting ball of fire on the horizon. Kakashi flicked a quiet glance at Naruto, whose features now had that orangey glow due to the disappearing sun's rays. Compared to Sasuke, Naruto was the sun – vibrant, loud and so full of energy. Always eager to rise and shine. Sasuke was like the moon – quiet and mysterious and tilted towards the dark side.



Kakashi found the rivalry between Naruto and Sasuke much like his and Gai's. Gai was the sun and he was the moon.



Naruto stretched, eyes curving in that cute way that Kakashi loved so much. The sun was now gone, the horizon a painting of blues and violets.



"It's really nice isn't it?" Naruto said, staring at the horizon after stretching. "I never really got to watch the sun set during my travels. I almost forgot how nice it was to watch it from here."



"You've been gone for so long." Kakashi said, and he remembered the nights when he couldn't sleep because of worry. He also remembered the raw disappointment and sadness that he felt when he never saw Naruto in any of the chuunin exams.



"Not so long." Naruto hugged a knee to his chest, eyes now on the dark sky. "I don't think it made much of a difference."



"How can you say that?" Kakashi asked, turning to face Naruto sharply.



Naruto said nothing, but kept looking at the sky. There was a long silence before he replied. "Because that was what everyone here wanted."



"Not everyone." Kakashi said in a low voice, turning his eyes to the sky. "Some of the people here in Konoha longed for your presence."



"Oh yeah?" Naruto asked in a rather flat voice. "Like who?"



"Like Iruka-sensei." Kakashi said in as-a-matter-of-fact tone. Naruto smiled. "And me." Naruto did not react. "You don't know how difficult it was to deal with the fact that you left." Naruto's expressions saddened. "It was different. Very different."



"I see." Naruto said and kept staring ahead of him.



"Naruto, I know the reason you left." Kakashi said, and Naruto did not move.



"I know Kakashi-sensei." He turned to look at him and smiled sadly. "Back then when I was in the hot springs, you were hiding."



"How did you –" Kakashi asked, astonished. He had specifically used his perfect hiding skills that other assassins had a tough time seeing through. Naruto knew?



Naruto looked away. "Kyuubi told me."



Kakashi blinked. Since when did Kyuubi help Naruto with his surroundings? Better yet, since when did Naruto gain so much control over it? "Then you knew and you still left." Kakashi felt hurt. "Why?" He whispered. Naruto did not answer. "Did you find someone to love?"



"No." Naruto looked at him sadly. "Not really." Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Not love as in a relationship sort of love." Naruto then remembered Kato Shin and a fond smile graced his lips. "But I met a person whom I could love as a parent."



Kakashi felt himself smile back. He found himself unable to resist Naruto's smiles. A sudden loud rumble echoed throughout the whole village and then smoke rose from the West gates.



TBC