Author's note: Kekoru Mitsuri is my own character. :) Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I dun own Naruto. -.-;

I know the others thought that my crush on Iruka-sensei was just some silly infatuation. Actually, it was. But somehow, it transformed into something bigger than that. Love? I'm not sure. The only thing I knew was that I was always looking for him, even though I graduated from the academy four years ago. My whole being would ache if I didn't see him for even one day, but I tried my best to supress my feelings because I knew I was too young for him. He's nine years older than I am, to be exact.

I went to the academy to deliver new materials from the Godaime. Tsunade-sama really knows how to put me into an awkward situation! How did she find out that I like Iruka-sensei anyway? That stupid Jiraiya probably told her. I should have known better than to trust that ero-sennin. So there I was in the classroom with many pairs of little eyes focused on me. Checking me out. Once I had been a student, too, and being there made me miss those years. Those years when I could stare at Iruka-sensei all I want. It's only right for a student to pay attention, after all.

"Mitsuri!" His kind brown eyes were trying to catch mine, but unfortunately, I was too wimpy to look back. I handed him the updated scrolls and heard him say that I was still as shy as before. "I'm not shy!" I wanted to scream. But how could I? I was shy. It become so whenever I'm around him. I think I mumbled something like "Iruka-sensei-these-are-from-Hokage-sama-and-I-have-to-go-now."

Why is it that I long to see him, but when he's right in front of me, I can't face him? Am I abnormal? When I was outside the door, I leaned against the wall and took several deep breaths to prevent myself from hyperventilating. Through it all, I felt good. I saw him! He talked to me! I could hear the students asking Iruka-sensei who I was. And... (drumroll please) this is what he said (his exact words):

"Oh, she's Kekoru Mitsuri. She was one of the best students that I ever had."

I'd have collapsed right there if Kurenai-sensei didn't happen to pass by then. She asked me what I was doing there and I told her about the delivery stuff. Out of politeness, I asked her what she was doing there. Her answer jolted me out of my dreamy state. She said she was going out with Iruka-sensei for lunch. Kuso! You can imagine how dismayed I was.

Kurenai-sensei asked me, "You look upset. Are you OK?" Upset? Hell yeah I was upset! But of course I didn't tell her that. I just smiled and told her everything was fine, then I left the school grounds. Later on, I saw Iruka and Kurenai-sensei leave the academy together. Shoot. I wanted to cry. I wanted to have Iruka-sensei so badly. At that moment, I finally understood that there was no chance I could have a guy as great as Iruka-sensei. At least he had seemed happy to see me.

The next day, the Godaime called me back into her office. "Take this to Umino Iruka. Tell him these are the documents from Hidden Sand's academy."

I flat out refused to do it. She asked me why and I said, "I have something to do right now." Yeah... Like scream my head off.

"You must do it. Nobody else will do." I swear she was almost pleading. She was obviously teasing me. I wasted no time in asking her if it was Jiraiya who told her about my crush on Iruka-sensei. She looked at me like I just slapped her. Then she laughed! I must have looked very confused (and I was) because she quickly calmed down and ordered me to sit.

"What's so funny? It was Jiraiya, right? That baka! I knew it. I mean, why else would you let me of all people deliver those scrolls yesterday? And now this whole document thing! I absolutely—" I was cut short because Tsunade slammed a hand on her desk.

"This is amazing," she mused. "To think that you also— Anyway..." she grinned and slapped her forehead. "About your being the deliverer for these specific objects..."

"Yeah?" I managed to ask.

"It was Iruka's request."

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author's note: edited a bit. Proof-read it and made changes. :) . Later for whatever errors are left. LoLz .