Aijo no Katachi
A form of affection
Chapter 5: Sonzoku suru
He flipped another page of his Icha-Icha paradise. Kakashi walked along the dusty streets of Konoha in an early morning walk, usually he would still be in bed snoring but lately he couldn't help but get up to check up on his former student. Sakura had been dealing with a lot of stress and having a baby without a father doesn't help at all.
So you want to be the father instead?
He refused to listen to that small voice in his head, constantly nagging him about hidden intentions beneath his seemingly innocent actions. Looking after his former student isn't illegal right?
Yes... if you stalk them every morning, looking at them by their window....
A slight smile founded its way on his face; he remembered how he sat for hours on a branch of the tree by her window just watching her sleep. Watching the rhythm of her breathing, how her lips would be slightly parted and her long lashes would hide her gemstone eyes, and how she would toss and turn at some period of time.
Kakashi coughed.
He turned another page, putting that last statement aside and still reading his book. He wondered how did it happen that she got pregnant. And more importantly...to whom?
Who was the bastard who did this?
He could still remember his thoughts when he found out that she was pregnant. A pang of guilt rested inside his stomach, he knew what he felt but rather he chose to ignore it. He was angry, furious that someone had touched her before him...such thoughts he couldn't help but feel disappointed at himself.
Sakura was too young for him and loving her would be like loving his own younger sister, it is definitely morally wrong.
Sakura didn't need him...
...but some part of him, did...
So he couldn't help himself to feel anger to the person who did this to her. Who made the bright young girl he used to know, to this torn and broken Sakura she was now. She lost the brilliance in her eyes that sparks up when she and Naruto were fighting, when she finally learned a new jutsu, when she find herself to be capable as any ninja in Konoha, when she sets her eyes on Sasuke..
His senses snapped.
Sasuke....!!
...but is it possible that Sasuke had the chance to return to Konoha, pass the guards and even have a time to see Sakura?....no that wouldn't be possible...
"You don't need to come with me you know..."
Sakura snapped at Kakashi, rather irritated. He was annoying the wits out of her, first he decided to follow her, worried that she might collapse from fatigue like yesterday, and what was he doing now?
There he was, walking behind her reading that perverted book called Icha-Icha Paradise. Sakura shook her head; Jiraiya should have his head checked once in a while. To write a book like that you must have a screw loose somewhere.
"Shin...ow...dame..don't pull ne-san's hair ok?"
Naruto's son grinned, his little fists played with her bright pink hair pulling it lightly. This time Naruto only had a quick errand to do so he left Shin to Sakura again, Hinata was busy too with her jounin missions and he promised to come back as soon as he delivered the parcel Tsunade handed out to him.
Kakashi mused at sight of Sakura carrying a small child that was playing with her hair. She looked more like a woman than the little smarty pants girl she was when they were Team 7.
"Okyaku-san! Fresh Fish and Vegetables here!"
A short old woman in her 70's sat on top a chair behind the counter, flapping a small fan to keep her cool on this warm morning, smiled sweetly to Sakura.
"Ah-re?...is that you Kakashi-sensei?" The old woman squinted her eyes; age was clearly catching up with her senses. Kakashi pocketed his small book casually and smiled to the oba-san.
"Hai..how is business oba-san?"
The old woman shook her head in dismay. "Not many stopped to buy this early so I'm still waiting for my loyal customers." She took another look at Kakashi and then Sakura.
"Oh! Kakashi-sensei, you didn't told me that you got married...And your name dear?" she asked Sakura who was holding Shin in her arms.
Sakura and Kakashi blinked.
"a-ah! Iye Oba-san! watashi wa Haruno Sakura desu, a student of Kakashi"
She stammered in her words, slightly embarrassed at what the old woman said. Kakashi turned his head slightly amused by Sakura's display of denial; he coughed to stop the laughter before it escapes his mouth. Sakura turned a sharp eye at Kakashi and shook him.
"Hey! Quit laughing, why don't you help me out here?"
The old woman chuckled to the said 'couple'. "Gomenasai...I didn't mean to be judgmental. I just thought that in Kakashi's age it would be odd to find him still single ne?"
Sakura turned pink from her face to the roots of her hair.
"Hora..take care Shin while I buy my early brunch" She quickly handed the child to Kakashi and approached the store. Kakashi scratched his head, looking down on Naruto's better half, suprised.
Sakura wanted to kick Kakashi-sensei for not backing her up right then.
What was he thinking?
Her hand picked up a bunch of bok choy.
Was he enjoying that little fiasco?
Masaka..
Kakashi wouldn't be interested in me...right?
She put back the vegetable in its place then moving onto the next.
No...
...HE was just looking after me.
She glanced at her tummy, it was grumbling inside and just asking food to grace her stomach. Kakashi was just her teacher, someone who cares for her welfare, just like an older brother, right?
Right..
'Hmm...should I go for greens or lean meat?'
Sakura debated on whether she should have a yummy filling home made ramen, or to have salad and some grains with fish for her early brunch. She looked down on her grumbling stomach.
Hai hai...
Fish with grains and salad it is. Her stomach was getting more and more impatient than the usual. Yes, she knows that she's feeding two persons in this meal and she needed to think and reconsider nourishment for the child also. She sighed and picked up a few carrots, some random greens and a nice piece of tuna. She handed them to the vendor before reaching on her pocket for some money to pay for her groceries. The old woman handed out a large brown paper bag filled with groceries to Sakura and smiled sweetly to the girl. Sakura bowed politely and turned to leave when she saw Naruto talking with Kakashi. She made her way to both of them.
"Naruto!" She waved to the young blonde man.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto grinned at the pink haired woman carrying bags of groceries.
She stopped in front of them to catch her breath. "Naruto! Why are you here? I thought I agreed to meet you in front of the clinic." The young father smiled and took his child from Kakashi's arms.
"I decided to meet you here"
Sakura gave a suspicious look at Naruto who was grinning from ear to ear. Naruto sighed in defeat; he could never lie to Sakura.
"haha! I was a bit embarrassed to let you baby-sit Shin twice in a row." He scratched his head. "And I heard Hina would be coming home before lunch, so I was planning to eat out today with both of them"
Naruto ruffled his son's blonde hair. Sakura smiled and pinched Shin's cheek lightly.
"That's ok, I haven't planned on doing anything with Shin yet.... Take care Naruto... Hinata-san must be happy"
Kakashi glanced at Sakura's face, pain was barely etched on it but it was there, hidden beneath her smile.
Naruto laughed.
"Yeah I guess so, See ya Sakura-chan!"
Sakura waved goodbye to Naruto and his son. Despite the smile painted on her face she felt like crying inside. She must have been the worst woman in this village and probably she would never get the chance to marry anyone, with this child attached to her, with no father to be there with her... She gritted her teeth in frustration.
Why must things like this happen to her?
"Oh yeah.. Kakashi-sensei!"
Kakashi shifted his gaze to Naruto whose back was turned on both of them. He turned his head back and grinned.
"Take care of Sakura will ya?"
Naruto jumped from roof to roof until he disappeared leaving a dumbfounded Kakashi and Sakura behind.
That Naruto..he really knows me well....
Sakura laughed, starting from a fit of giggles until her laughter soared. She wasn't alone, her friends was there for her and hopefully some of them might, or already have, understand her predicament. Just like Naruto.
"Oi sakura.."
She turned to face her teacher as a grown woman, one who has seen almost all shades of pain and still trying her best to get up from her fall. He took the initiative and offered a hand with her groceries to lighten her load at the least. She smiled, not a forced smile, nor a happy smile, just a smile that said 'Thank you' graced her lips.
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and walked side by side with him. Not worried of what others would say, because to her, someone else's opinion doesn't matter. He was there for her and she wouldn't push that away.
A/N: Yay! Go Oba-san! You're my idol! You rock! haha! I like meddling old people who teases others haha! Kakashi, you can be Jiraiya's apprentice someday! haha! Anyways Read and review peepz! Next chapter would be longer than this one...i hope.(cross fingers!).
And as a very evil tease... there would be Kaka/Saku romance in it...haha! (Cackles evilly)
Hatori Souma: "Don't you know Sea horses would die if you put them in a bathtub?"
Japanese Translations:
Sonzoku suru – Continue to Exist
Dame - no
Ne-san - Elder sister, familiar form of address.
O kyaku-san - Customer
Oba-san - Old woman.
"a-ah! Iye Oba-san! watashi wa Haruno Sakura desu" – a-ah! No Grandma! My name is Haruno Sakura"
Gomenasai – sorry
Hora – here
Masaka – Impossible!
Oi – hey!
Other blabs:THANKS FOR EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED! I love you all!
Hai.. Still struggling to make the chapters longer for all of you (see how I'm such an angel...cackles evilly), but still this chapter kind of the worst I've ever written, if you read closer you'll see that words are only thrown randomly. ARGHH! I was on the phase of losing the feel of the story but luckily I've grasped it again so hopefully the next chapter would be more uhmm..nicer than this one.
Keep those Guesses coming! I don't see any guesses that hit the bull's eye yet XD Oh I'll definitely put up more chapters in...uhmm the VERY distant future? Haha! As long as I get lots of reviews to inspire my mind which is currently dried from imagination. Oh! the mystery will be unfolded soon. Keep tuned in for that...until then..READ AND REVIEW!