Chapter 3

They still met each other for lunches and dinners after the day that they first met each other back. Rin even managed to persuade Kakashi to bring her along to the tavern once where the others Jounins frequented.

"Come on, you gotta introduce them to me. I really like to meet them in person after hearing so much from you."

But Kakashi didn't seem to like the idea of it.

"Are you sure you want to go?" he asked warily. "They're really a bunch of idiots."

"Hn... a bunch of idiots huh?" she chuckled.

"Why don't you let me judge it for myself if it's true?" she smiled sweetly and looked him in the eye.

The mask-faced Jounin sweat drop instantly when he saw that smile. It only means one thing: she's going anyway and she's not going to take no as an answer.

Rin smiled a triumphant smile when Kakashi let out a sigh and said reluctantly, "Alright, if you want to go so badly."

Upon entering, they were greeted with wide grins and whistles from the crowd which consisted of Genma, Raidou, Asuma, Kurenai and Anko. Kakashi frowned slightly at the crowd but Rin only smiled back warmly.

"Yo, Kakashi. What a surprise! Mind introduces us to this lovely lady?" Genma smirked as he jerked up his senbon at the corner of his lips.

"Just call me Rin."

"Rin, what a lovely name for a lovely lady," Genma rose from his seat, took her hand and bend over to press a kiss onto the back of her slim hand. Rin twitched in surprise but she recovered quickly and managed a small smile. Kakashi flinched visibly in protectiveness but before he could react, the other Jounin already sank back to his seat.

Hn... interesting. She must be someone special huh, Kakashi. Who would've thought the Mr. Cool and Nonchalant will be such protective over a woman. Genma continued to smirk.

Rin befriend the other Jounins easily and soon found herself drinking and laughing with the group. Kakashi just sat quietly at a corner. He started pulling out his favourite book from his pocket again and appeared absorb in his book although he'd read it for the n time. But if anyone is observant enough, they would see that Kakashi glanced up from his book every now and then, his only visible eye searching for Rin before he dipped his head back to his book.

"Wow, you and Kakashi were teammates!" everyone else seemed surprise to discover it. Kakashi's ears twitched as he heard his name being mentioned. He almost regretted that he'd agreed to bring Rin here in the first place. Another reason why he was reluctant to bring her along.

"So... anything beyond that between you guys?" a tipsy Anko blurted out the ultimate question unexpectedly. Everyone at the table was silent for a few seconds and averted their attention to both Kakashi and Rin. Kakashi frowned but remained stoic as he gaze at Rin, still holding his book in front of him.

"..." Rin paused to muse for a while and returned his gaze. When their eyes met, the tension in Kakashi seemed to cease and his elegant brow relaxed back to its normal curve. He nodded to Rin as a gesture to encourage her to speak.

"Well...you know, it's kind of complicated," Rin paused and observed the facial expressions on each Jounin's face. They were all leaning in with wide eyes and attentive ears when her eyes suddenly lit up with a mischievous glee as she continued, "Therefore that's for you to discover and for us to know." Thus the cat finally out of the bag. She cupped her mouth and laughed heartily while Kakashi simply chuckled behind his book.

"Hey, that's it? That's no fun. You still haven't answered the question!"

Rin and Kakashi exchange another knowing glance and smiled. There's the tacit agreement between them that their relationship was something more than just best friends but they're never lovers. True, they did care deeply for each other more than anyone else, but it did not mean that they got to be together. They'd both came to realize that it was best to stay the way they were.

"Arg... come on. There's gotta be something more than that..." Anko persisted but Kakashi simply shrugged and snapped his book close before he slipped it back into his pocket.

"Sorry, guys but I think it's time for us to leave now. Rin has an early appointment with the Hokage tomorrow, right?" he turned to face Rin.

"Gomen, I'm afraid that's true. Next time I promise to stay longer. Nice to meet you guys anyway." Rin smiled and bowed apologetically to the group before she left with the silver haired Jounin.

"Heh... that's pretty sly. I bet they had been dating for a while," Genma tossed his senbon up and down in his mouth and the rest nodded in unanimous.

"Wait, Rin... come back here. I haven't finished yet." Anko babbled and waved her hand in the air before she collapsed to the table.

"Great, who's going to take her home now?" Kurenai sighed and glanced at her male comrades.

"What? Don't you look at me like that. I have a mission tomorrow." Genma quickly cut her off.

"Me too. I'm going with Genma tomorrow." Raido pulled an innocent "can't-help-it" expression.

"Arg... men are really undependable." Kurenai growled.

"I'll walk both you and Anko home tonight then. Besides I have no mission tomorrow." Asuma offered casually.

"Thanks," Kurenai broke into a smile while Genma and Raido exchanged a knowing glance and started to laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing." Both Genma and Raido replied in union and burst to laugh again.

"Whatever..." Kurenai rolled her eyes and began to sling Anko's arm around her shoulder for support. Asuma rose to help her dragged the barely conscious Anko and out of the tavern.