Chapter 6

"Come at me again!"

The girl with two deep crimson sharingan eyes glared back at the boy who only possessed one.

Kakashi was on the ground, panting and struggling to get up. He was tired beyond belief. Clutching the left side of his head, his fingers dug into his hair trying to will the pain to ease, but it throbbed on mercilessly.

Uchiha Itoshi relaxed from her fighting stance. "Let's take a break and have lunch."

If Kakashi heard her, he didn't acknowledge it. Instead, he forced himself to get up and move to the area where he had left his training bag.

Stumbling over, he collapsed on the ground next to it and rummaged for his water canteen. He turned his back to Itoshi before taking his first mouthful.

It was a strange feeling for Kakashi when he looked at the girl. She had a very close resemblance to her brother with the same round nose, the same cheeky grin, and the same defiant challenge in her black, shiny eyes. He thought that this would be Obito at nineteen if he had lived.

Itoshi eyed him critically from underneath her bangs. This boy is really good. I just need to get him used to using his new...weapon.

She shaded her eyes as she looked up at the sky to watch the clouds thickening for a late afternoon storm.

When Kakashi finally felt he had recovered for the most part, he took out his bento and turned back around. Giving up on the idea that he would be alone while he ate, and since he was too tired to move, he resigned himself to eat in front of Itoshi without his mask.

Itoshi made her way over to sit next to him, taking out a sandwich from her own bag. She noticed that he had pulled the hitae-ate back down over his left eye, and had placed two pills on top of the rice in his lunch box.

"I didn't know you were sick," she commented, pointing to the blue pills.

"It's for my eye," Kakashi responded as he took the pills with a sip of water from the canteen.

She looked down at his bento and noticed it was nicely made with meat, vegetables, rice.

"That looks and smells delicious."

Kakashi looked down at the box, chopsticks in hand. A small smile was visible on his lips.

"Rin made it for me this morning."

After a long pause, he then proceeded to eat.

Itoshi blinked. "She loves you," she remarked matter-of-factly. It was more of a statement than a question.

Kakashi looked up at her, his heavy-lidded eye revealing nothing.

His silence didn't surprise Itoshi. He was a complete opposite from her brother, and she could understand how the two would clash. But Obito had painted a picture of Kakashi as an arrogant, self-righteous boy, not this pale handsome manling sitting beside her.

She smiled and considered her new underling while they ate, thinking about his situation with Rin. He doesn't want to admit that he loves Rin out of deference to Obito. But Obito is gone. The question is, does Kakashi really love her in return?

The Uchiha decided not to pursue that train of thought. Instead, she decided to explore other topics of conversation. "I saw you grasping the side of your head where your Sharingan is. Is that where the pain is coming from?"

Kakashi swallowed his last mouthful. He noticed the quick turn of the conversation and felt grateful. "Rin said that since it wasn't originally part of my body, the pain will always be there if I overuse it."

"How do you feel now?"

"Better, Itoshi-senpai. Thank you." Kakashi gave her a small respectful nod.

Itoshi watched him as he replaced the lid of the bento box, then slowly stood up to stretch. Should I teach him that genjutsu now?

"Can you go at it for another hour?" she queried.

Kakashi raised his hitae-ate, blinking a little, then turned his odd-eye gaze to her and nodded.

With a slight wave indicating to follow her, Itoshi led Kakashi back out to where they were training earlier.

"Kakashi-san, I'm going to teach you a light genjutsu unique to the Sharingan."

"Genjutsu?"

"Yes. The police unit often uses this technique for interrogation. But you can use it for other purposes."

Waiting to see a reaction from her student, she was disappointed but continued on.

"You can control how intrusive you want to be with the person you're…interested in."

Whether Kakashi finally got the hint, Itoshi didn't know, but he quickly got into his chakra gathering stance.

"I'm ready."

Rin had just left the library with Shizune when she heard her Sensei call out her name.

"Riiiiiin-chaaaan!"

Shizune giggled as she said goodbye to Rin, and she ran over to where her teacher was waiting.

"Jiraiya-sama says he told you and Kakashi the news."

"Yes, he sure did. Congratulations, Yondaime-sama." Rin bowed low.

"No, no!" Her Sensei pulled her upright and scratched the back of his head like he always did when he was lost for words. "This is so strange…"

"What's the matter, Hokage-sama?"

He grinned again, sheepishly.

"Ah, if anything, please, its just Sensei. Not Hokage from you, Rin." He smiled ruefully this time. "I don't know…I suppose I feel like I don't want things to change between you, Kakashi, and me. Just because I'm Hokage – it doesn't mean that you can't come to me if you ever need anything."

"I understand, Sensei. I was hoping you'd say that, actually."

Yondaime took his finger and lifted her chin so that he could look in his student's eyes. He became serious.

"I promise you, as long as I'm alive, I will drop anything if you ever need me."

Rin couldn't understand why tears threatened at the corners of her eyes. She quicklygrabbed him in a tight hug instead.

When she finallypulled away, her Sensei grinned again and playfully ruffled her hair. She felt that as long as she could see him smile that way, everything would be all right.

Kakashi was tired from the day's training, but already he could feel that his stamina was increased. The medicine that Rin gave him kept the pain in his eye at bay. All in all, he was in a generally good mood.

He walked through the streets of Konoha, checking out the evening crowd that came out to enjoy the late summer warmth. Vendors were out, wanting to take advantage of the business, called out their products and prices to the potential customers. Though Kakashi was usually fascinated at the trinkets and wares the vendors offered, right now he ignored them. Turning into a street corner, he walked up to Rin's rowhouse and rang the bell.

No answer.

Kakashi stepped back from the door and looked up at Rin's bedroom window. It was closed, signaling she was out.

Immediately, he took off for the indoor training center.

Rin had just finished a beam routine when she sensed Kakashi's presence nearby.

He came up the length of the gym leading up to the well-worn beam, bar, and pommel horse. There were people of all ages working out, but Rin was with a group of young, pre-genin Academy students, getting them ready to be flexible, nimble, and able for their taijutsu classes. Presently, they were clapping enthusiastically at her demonstration.

She was giving some words of encouragement to her charges when she noticed Kakashi leaning against the support for the parallel bars, watching her.

The children, seeing her distracted, were curious and turned around to see who it was that managed to grab the attention of their teacher.

Kakashi offered a small, friendly wave.

Rin blushed and dismissed the class.

"Next time I see you, please start stretching and warming up! I want to begin class with you ready to work!"

"Hai!" the children sang out the chorus as they slowly filed out of the gym, much to the amusement of the older patrons of the gym.

Kakashi approached Rin just as she finished packing up her gear. She greeted him with a shy smile. "What are you doing here, Kakashi?"

"Itoshi-senpai had some errands to run, so we finished early."

"How did it go?"

"I can show you one of the techniques I learned today, if you like."

She smiled again, only this time it was wider and with more feeling behind it. Kakashi found himself thinking back to Itoshi-senpai's statement from earlier in the day.

"She loves you."

"Kakashi?"

He blinked and looked at his teammate covered with chalk powder smears all over her face. She looked a little surprised and wiped her chalk-covered hands on her leotard.

"You ready to go?"

Kakashi nodded, picked up her gym bag, and they walked out of the building together.

One of the kids from Rin's class strained his neck around the corner of the building to watch them. He giggled at his companion.

"See? I told you Rin-senpai has a special friend," he declared, and the rest of the remaining children watched the pair walk away in awe.

Rin's dinner was delicious, as usual.

"Was your bento okay today?" she asked.

Kakashi nodded with a mouthful of rice and tofu.

"Even Itoshi thought so," he responded after swallowing.

Rin laughed. "It's funny. The family didn't know that I was actually feeding Obito lunch on a few occasions. His mother couldn't understand why he kept refusing to take their leftovers."

As Kakashi looked up at Rin and smiled, he noticed Obito's beautifully framed picture in view over her shoulder on her dresser.

Rin saw him staring at something behind her. Not wanting to call too much attention to it, he quickly reached for the tomato and omelet dish to cut himself a portion.

"That's a nice frame you bought for Obito's picture," Kakashi remarked a little slowly. "I didn't get a photo of him at the funeral."

"Oh, that's because I asked for one afterwards at the reception."

Kakashi did a double-take.

"Asked for one?"

Rin placed her chopsticks on the rim of her bowl.

"I asked his mother if she could get one for me." She paused, sensing a bit of uneasiness across the table.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Kakashi shook his head. "Nothing. I guess I didn't realize how close you and Obito were. I honestly don't know that much about you two…"

Rin shrugged off his inquiry.

"Actually, Itoshi-senpai is a lot like Obito. He used to tag along with her all the time when they were younger, so I can imagine how he got to be the way he was," she said reminiscently.

"With the exception of some physical resemblance," Kakashi said, "Itoshi-senpai isn't anything like Obito."

"Yes, she is." Rin's eyebrows rose.

"No, Rin, she isn't." Kakashi gave her his most dead-pan stare.

Rin suddenly became defensive. "Maybe he wasn't a perfect shinobi in your eyes," she said hotly, "but he was the best friend I ever had."

Kakashi blinked, chopsticks frozen in mid air. Rin continued, a bit more quietly this time.

"I regret that I didn't tell him that before he…"

She didn't finish the sentence. Kakashi silently wished he had his mask on. He felt his face becoming warm with her outburst.

Rin sighed. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to be so abrupt. It's just that I wish people saw more than just his flaws."

Kakashi didn't have anything to say about that. He slowly lowered his chopsticks to the table.

Rin's sudden intensity and heartfelt words left him feeling a bit humbled. He began to understand the extent of the friendship she and Obito shared. It pained him now that he was not included in it. Of course, it was only because he himself never allowed himself to be included.

Now it was apparent that Rin saw things in Obito that others didn't, and Kakashi began to feel that maybe what he thought she felt for Obito was only a fraction of the truth.

So now, even though Rin had admitted she had feelings for Kakashi, the fact that she had developed such a close friendship with Obito left him feeling a bit unsettled.

Kakashi's chopsticks, which he absently left lying on the table, rolled onto the floor, startling him.

"Oh, let me get you a new set," Rin offered as she crouched to pick them up, just at the same time Kakashi made his way underneath the table.

Their hands made contact on one of the fallen chopsticks.

"Don't worry about it," Kakashi managed, reverting his one exposed eye. "I'm finished eating."

Rin nodded, also looking elsewhere. "Yeah. I'm done too."

The two cleared the table and washed the dishes in silence.

Dinner plates had been washed and put away, and Rin ventured onto the balcony to watch the night sky.

Kakashi joined her, leaning against the railing.

"So what's this new technique you wanted to show me?" Rin finally asked, breaking their silence.

"It's…a type of genjutsu."

Although Kakashi was an excellent ninja, she didn't remember him ever doing a genjutsu technique. His ninjutsu and taijutsu were of such high caliber that fights never resorted to elaborate illusions.

"Genjutsu?"

Despite his calm appearance, Kakashi was nervous. He was sure he could perform the technique correctly, but it was Rin that concerned him.

Grasping her upper arms, Kakashi turned her towards him to look into her eyes. Meeting his gaze, she couldn't hide the surprise she felt.

Kakashi wasn't wearing his mask, and the fading light from the sunset suddenly revealed a vulnerable expression that she had never seen before.

Without warning, he lifted his hitae-ate, and the Sharingan came into view. Rin's eyes widened as the tomoe spun.

She found herself entering a large orchard of blossoming cherry trees, with the petals falling freely. It was a beautiful surrounding except the air was thick with fog. The orchard was not far from the Academy grounds, a place where boys and girls often met to be alone and intimate. No one had ever called her out before. There was a note in her hand with handwriting so neat she couldn't really place who had written it.

"Meet me at the row of cherry blossom trees on the west side of the Academy."

Squinting through the falling petals and mist, she noticed someone sitting on the other side of the base of a tree not too far away. Was this the person she was to meet?

When she saw the navy blue color of the pants and gray piping on the jacket, Rin froze.

"O...Obito-kun?"

The boy stuck his head out from behind the tree.

Rin stared at him. He wasn't wearing his goggles or his hitae-ate. His right eye was lit with the Sharingan.

But only in his right eye.

As much as she couldn't believe that he was alive, that it was impossible for him to be Obito, she ran to him and hugged him tight.

"Obito, I've missed you so much."

"You did?" His voice was sad.

Rin pulled out the note.

"This is from you, isn't it?"

Obito read the note, and then shook his head.

"No, it wasn't me."

Rin frowned.

"But I thought you…?"

She turned around to see if there was someone else nearby. When Rin didn't see anyone, she turned back to face Obito.

But Obito was gone.

"Obito!"

Someone was running away in the distance. Rin followed, not wanting to part with her best friend again.

"Wait!"

There was someone just ahead of her. The fog was so thick that she couldn't really see who it was. She took the chance and jumped. Their bodies connected, bringing them towards the soft grass.

They tumbled over and rolled in the petals. Rin did not want to miss the opportunity to tell Obito just how much he meant to her. Maybe she wasn't able to love him like she loved Kakashi, but everyday she felt guilty that she had never loved him the way that he had loved her.

But that didn't mean that she didn't love him at all.

Obito, I will always be grateful for what you did for me. And for Kakashi as well.

Without hesitation, she drew closer the face that was barely inches away from her own to kiss the lips of the boy beneath.

It was a light, chaste kiss, and she felt him respond.

Rin pulled away, wanting to see if Obito misunderstood her gesture.

Only the pale face that stared back at her had his Sharingan lit in a scarred left eye. The unmistakable, unruly silver hair was now visible in the mist. The boy beneath her was Kakashi.

It was then that she realized she was in a genjutsu.

Immediately, Kakashi broke the technique. Rin found her face inches away from Kakashi's, just like in the illusion; only they weren't in the orchard, but on Rin's concrete balcony.

Kakashi hastily pulled the hitae-ate down over his scarred eye. He was expecting Rin to be angry for the embarrassment he'd caused.

But Rin didn't move. Her expression didn't change.

So she knew.

"Kakashi," she whispered. She glanced down at his lips, the same lips she had kissed just moments before, the kiss that was meant for someone else for an entirely different purpose.

The genjutsu allowed Kakashi to feel and understand everything the bearer of the illusion had felt.

Rin loved Obito for his role as the dependable, trustworthy best friend, a purely platonic relationship. But Rin wanted something more from Kakashi.

Why does she love me? I didn't do any of the things Obito had done. Can I be that person for her?

Kakashi tried to raise his head only to find his vision was suddenly very hazy.

"Kakashi?" Rin suddenly became concerned as his exposed eye rolled back and his body became limp. "Kakashi!"

In the distance, she heard someone coming in her front door, speaking loudly.

"Rin-chan, I knew you were home but you didn't answer so I just let myself in. Hey, what's going on here?"

"Jiraiya-oji!"

Rin sat subdued in a chair in the hallway that led to her bedroom where Kakashi rested in her bed Jiraiya stood in front of her with his hands on his hips. He had come over to check on Rin, not realizing he would walk in at a very awkward moment.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"He was trying the genjutsu he had learned from Itoshi-senpai on me."

The older man stared at Rin in disbelief.

"Genjutsu? With his Sharingan?"

Rin kept her eyes on the ground; her voice was soft.

"Yes."

Jiraiya folded his arms and turned to look in at Kakashi.

"He must have used a lot of his chakra today." He glanced sideways at the forlorn Rin. "This is something he has to be very careful about. Think what would have happened if you weren't here to help him."

Rin said nothing, only continued to watch the ground, her mind elsewhere.

Jiraiya sighed. Why Kakashi was attempting the genjutsu on her was beyond Jiraiya's comprehension. He was about to question Rin about it, but seeing her depressed state, he decided otherwise.

Over in Rin's bed, Kakashi began to stir.

Rin was instantly at his side. "Kakashi."

Jiraiya watched with surprise as a pallid Kakashi clumsily reached out to grasp Rin's hand.

"Ah, Hatake Kakashi. What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into?"

The boy tried to sit up, but the effort was too great.

"Jiraiya-sama..."

"Stop, Kakashi," Rin said firmly. "You need to rest."

"I'm fine, Rin. I just got ahead of myself there..."

"Now, now," the man interrupted with a bit of amusement in his voice. "You need to listen to Rin-chan here. Otherwise you'll just make her worry about you that much more."

He saw the lad look away, a shade of pink appearing on his white cheeks. Jiraiya took out his pipe and prepared it for a smoke. The scent of tobacco vaguely reminded Rin of the medicine store where the pharmacist always had his pipe lit.

"The inauguration for the new Hokage is tomorrow. We all want you to be well so that you can attend."

"Yes, Jiraiya-sama." Kakashi watched him press the tobacco leaves into the pipe.

"As soon as you're better, you and Itoshi-san will be sent out on a mission."

Rin's eyes grew wide.

"So soon?"

"We lost a lot of jounins in the last battle, Rin-chan. We may need even the chuunins to take on some riskier missions to fill the holes."

The man finally lit his pipe and took a long drag.

"The mission will take you to the Water Country. I don't know much of the details, only that it'll be a reconnaissance trip and you may be out there for some time."

For the first time in his life, Kakashi wished he could forgo his shinobi duties. The thought of being away from Konoha for a long time didn't usually bother him, but this was his first mission alone. No Obito to keep the journey interesting. No Rin to make sure everything was ok. No Sensei to discuss and develop plans.

Sure, Itoshi-senpai would be with him, but as much as Rin declared that the two siblings were alike, Itoshi was not Obito. He didn't know her methods of attack, of tracking, or of defense.

The thought made him tired. His eyelid felt heavy.

"Mah, let's let the poor boy sleep, Rin-chan. He needs to be ready for tomorrow."

"Yes, Jiraiya-oji."

Kakashi awoke from a dreamless slumber, slightly confused as to where he was.

His hitae-ate had been removed, but he no longer felt pain from his exposed Sharingan eye.

Then he remembered he had fallen asleep in Rin's bed.

Rin.

He jerked his head over only to see her head lying on the bed next to him. Obviously, she had sat in the chair next to him to keep vigil, but had fallen asleep instead.

Kakashi let his eyes wander, seeing her room in a new light. He admired the large bookshelf crammed with literature, the table with a small vanity mirror, the desk with scrolls laid out all over it, the table with a mortar and pestle, and various other medicines sitting on top, along with a computer. All these things seemed to reflect the person she was and he found it comforting.

His eyes finally settled on the kunoichi lying on the bed edge. Her hair covered the side of her face, and he reached out to brush it aside. Rin's eyes fluttered open at his light caress and she slowly brought herself up.

"Kakashi, you're awake." She reached over to the nightstand to grasp a small bottle there. "Here. Take this right now and you'll be better by morning."

She poured out a spoonful of medicine and handed it over to him.

The medicine was syrupy and bitter. She quickly gave him a glass of water to wash it down with.

When he handed her the now empty glass, Rin smiled and leaned closer to lay her palm on his forehead.

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better."

The moonlight shone through the window to the side of her bed, illuminating their faces in its soft glow.

"Rin, I'm sorry about the genjutsu earlier..."

"Shh, it's alright. I'm just worried about you. You frightened me tonight."

"I won't be so reckless anymore. I don't want you to worry about me."

With Rin's cool hand on his forehead, the two of them had somehow found themselves in the same predicament they were in earlier. They were mere inches away from each other, the feeling of closeness at the brink.

Rin, I can feel your warmth, and it's so comforting. I can't imagine being away from her. I don't want to be away from her.

Without being able to stop himself, Kakashi reached up and gently held her face. Drawing in slowly, he pressed his lips to hers.

He felt a sweet sting permeate his body. Rin moved her hand down from his forehead to the nape of his neck, bringing him closer, as if hearing his inner plea.

In the back of his mind, Kakashi feared that someone or somethingwould end this perfect moment.

But this time, there would be no one to interrupt them.

Oh, Leafygirl! What would I do without you? She's my hero!

This chapter was a little harder to write.

I hope you enjoy it :D