Chapter 2
None of them spoke or move. Both stood there as if their heels were nailed to the ground. When the quiet had stretched long enough to be considered to be considered uncomfortable, she decided to walk away. Kakashi reached out his hand to grip her wrist as she walked past him. She tried to dodge but to no avail. Her chunnin level skill was no match to the elite ninja. I should have known better, she sighed. She waited for him to speak but it was another long pause. Out of frustration, she finally broke the silence.
"What is it that you want now, Kakashi?"
He had never expected that they would meet again after all these years. He was a trash, no, worse than a trash. He had abandoned her at the enemies' hand. It was Obito who was determined to head back to save her. He had no good reason to ask her to stay. There was nothing left for her to stay. He knew that was why she left.
Where had she been all these years? Why came back after all these years? Too many questions in his head that he wanted to ask her but he did not know where to begin. She had changed. They both had grown up. She grew her hair long, her features grew mature and she looked great. But somehow his heart told him that the ever cheerful and smiling girl whom he once knew had gone. The girl whom he was holding now was merely a stranger with a familiar face.
What could he say to her? What is it that he wants from her now? He did not know how to answer it.
She had never expected that she would meet him again after all these years. He had been her teammate, her first crush, the first guy who rejected her love and the one who had hurt her most. Tried as she may, she could never forget him. He had played such a vital part in her life and he will always have a special place in her heart, though she would never let him know this.
Did he regret of what he did to her? Did he wish that she had never left? Too many questions in her head that she wanted to ask him but she did not know where to begin. He had changed. They both had grown up. He had grown much taller than her, his silver hair was thicker and messier but he looked great. Somehow her heart told that the ever arrogant and brooding boy that she once knew had gone. The guy who was holding her now was merely a stranger with a familiar face.
What could she say to him? What is it that he wants from her now? She did not know what else to ask.
"How were you doing all these years?"
Why would he care now? He never cared to ask her to stay. He never cared to look for her after she left. He was never there when she needed him most.
"Fine, thank you. Now would you please excuse me? I have important things to do."
She had never talked to him like that before. She could not guess his expression due to the mask that he was wearing but she knew her words had hurt him when he slowly let go of her hand. But she regretted immediately when she watched him leave. She did not meant what she said. She said it because she wanted to hurt him just like how he had hurt her before.
"Wait, I... I did not mean it. I'm sorry."
"I don't blame you. You need not apologize. I deserved it." Kakashi said calmly.
Rin was speechless at his words. The Kakashi whom she knew would never say that to her. "Let's find a place to sit down and talk," she suggested and he did not object the idea. He followed a step behind her quietly until they reached a tea house.
"So, are you still in the Anbu?" she asked.
"No, I left Anbu six years ago. I'm now a jounin instructor of Gennins."
Her eyes widened with surprise. "Oh, I see. This was news to me." Kakashi and teaching seemed as distance as East and West. She could not figure how the two could pull together. It just didn't fit into the picture.
As if he could read her mind, he rubbed his hand across the back of his neck in slight embarrassment and sighed, "Yeah, I know. I couldn't remember how I ended up teaching those kids but I guess it just happened."
Unable to contain her amusement, she burst into giggles and he too later joined her. Suddenly they both looked ten years younger and the warmth of familiarity started coming back to them.
From there on, they began to sink comfortably in each other company. He told her about his mission with the new team 7 and the major events in Konoha; she told him about her adventure on the road and the people whom she met along the journey as she traveled from country to country.
The initial breakfast was stretched into lunch before they realized that it's time for them to leave. He had to leave for his team's training; she had to leave to see the Hokage and continued their work. They'd promised to meet again before they waved their goodbyes in front of the tea house and splat in opposite directions.
"Yo, guys." Kakashi was chronically late as usual.
"You're LATE!" Naruto and Sakura yelled at him.
"A gorgeous lady had kidnapped me on my way here," he gave a lame excuse like he always did.
"Liar!"
He grinned under his mask and his visible eye arched in a happy curve. Today there was a little more to it than a mere excuse for being late. And it had made his day.