Chapter 5

A week had passed and Rin's condition was turning from bad to worse. No one was allowed to enter Rin's ward except the Hokage herself and Shizune. Kakashi could only watch her through the glass window in front of the ward. His heart tightened when he saw her lying lifelessly on the bed. Her eyes shut tightly and her face was pale without the colour of blood.

"How long can she hold on?" Kakashi asked when the Hokage stepped out from Rin's ward.

"Not more than three days. I'm sorry." She answered with a heavy heart.

Why? Why must it be Rin? She had always put others' need before her own but what did she get? Kakashi hit the wall behind the Hokage with his fist in anger. He almost hit her but she said nothing and left him alone.

He did not leave Rin's side for the next two days and he had forced himself to stay awake with the soldier pill. Many old memories had came back to him as his mind wandered further and further back to those days when they were in team 7, before the war started and ripped everything way.

It all seemed like it just happened yesterday. He remembered one particular afternoon when Obito, Rin and himself were lying leisurely on the grass, watching the clouds above after they had finished one of their D rank mission.

"Hmm... I wonder who we will become when we grow up one day," Rin said.

"I'll become a jounin and make my family and my clan proud of me," Obito declared loudly with a silly grin on his face. Kakashi frowned in annoyance while Rin smiled and said, "And I wish I'll become a medical nin, so that I can save people's life."

"What about you, Kakashi?" Obito asked.

Kakashi did not answer the question.

"Che... I'm not interested to know either," Obito pulled a ghost face at him and looked away.

"Baka... "

"Who exactly are you referring to?" Obito retorted.

"Hey, when'll you two stop that?" Rin interrupted.

"He started it first," Obito said in an angry tone.

At last, Rin had to play the peace maker between them by saying, "Okay, no matter what happens, we'll always stay together as team 7." Then she looked at both of them and asked, "Promise?"

"Yeah, promise." Obito gave in while Kakashi merely nodded his head.

Suddenly he heard Shizune called him, "Kakashi... Rin has awakened and she asked for you." He snapped back to reality instantly and hurried into Rin's room.

She knew her time was drawing near but she decided to hide her grief. She smiled and tried her best to sound as cheerful as she can as she greeted him, "Yo, haven't seen you for a while," when he entered the room. Kakashi said nothing but gazed at her knowingly. Nothing escapes the eyes of Kakashi's.

"Kakashi, I... I just wish to see you smile again," she confessed as if she was a kid being caught for doing mischief.

"I know," he said as his gaze softened.

Doesn't she know that he can never be angry with her no matter what she said or did?

He held her hand tenderly and sat by her side. Her hand felt so cold in his palm. So he wrapped it with both hands instead. Those words were more than enough for them. They just took comfort in each other company in silence and let time slipped away like sand between fingers.

Rin's eye lids began to felt like lead and she knew it was time. As she struggled to hold her last glance on Kakashi's face, she murmured, "I've always love you." A faint but contented smile crept to her lips as she closed her eyes and never woke again.

Times goes by and life goes on. He chose not to remember how he had lived through the day when Rin was gone forever. What is a man supposed to do when the last precious people in his life left for good forever? He did the most rational thing – gritted his teeth and moved on with life. Every morning, he still lingered long in front of the black monument. This time, there was one more name on it – Rin.

The vaccine was later produced successfully by the Hokage and he had asked to deliver it himself to the village. He knew that was what Rin meant him to do. Maybe someday they shall meet again, under the eternal sunshine... but not yet. He turned and left to meet his team on the bridge as usual.

"You're LATE, Kakashi sensei!"

At least he still had this team 7. He was sure that Rin would agree with him too.