chapter 2–start–

couple years later... btw Alan still hadn't repaid the bet or had she?

"It is rare to find a person who not only accepts who you are and your imperfections but makes you proud of who you are along with your imperfections." The White Fang otherwise known as his father told him that. Nothing else so important as that was told to the boy. Maybe that was why his father fought for and with his friends. Maybe that is why Kakashi's father got married and fell in love. Well, never mind I'm getting off track.

But that's what he told his friend-rival Gai when he was looking for a female companion. Besides he had to say something, you can't just leave Gai who just barged in without an answer. Actually you could. The door wide and he saw Kakashi standing there with a little blood running down his body.

Kakashi's eyebrow curled upward showing a hint of a smile.

"So I take it you know her!" Gai said his usually cheerful face molded into accusation. The dog browed man pointed a finger at him saying, "You should have told me!" Gai started to cry mournfully breaking down in tears. He also began to suck his thumb because he lost (to a girl), and sucking rapidly he was.

"Well I couldn't I was being tied up by Asuma and Iruka." Kakashi prominently laid that excuse on the table. And gave Gai I one eyed glare.

In response Gai stopped acting childish and his "flame of youth" sparked up again. He stood on two feet and gave him the thumbs up, the weird smile, and another accusation. Getting back into interrogation form he wrapped an arm around the copy ninja. Gai's eyes shined with evil thoughts and attempted to intimidate him. "And why didn't you tell me she was from the Village, of the Sand?"

Kakashi's face was blank as he ignored the question and out of his back pocket he pulled out "it." Otherwise none as... Icha Icha Paridise. His the only thing that kept the small glisme of sanity left. And he began to read ignoring the injured green ninja.

"Why didn't you tell me she was from the Sand shinobi?" Gai said with more force he looked at Kakashi's eyes sternly. Like a angry child he yelled, "Tell me!" Spitting each word in his face.

The copy ninja's only response was to look up at him in a 'what-are-you-thinking-you-idiot' look and wipe the spit off his face. Quickly returning to his book. And just to make matters worse he shrugged off Gai's arm, walked out of his front door leaving a "man" sputtering nonsense and words even he hadn't heard of ! Gai watched him as he closed his door.

Kakashi had experienced enough over the years and he didn't want his childhood crush coming back at random, especially if she was from the sand village. By rules even though the wind country and the leaf are allies, one may not cross the boarder without proper authorization.

He knew the book front to back, except for this new edition of Icha Icha Paradise right off the press. He would thank Jirya someday. That old perverted senin was the man who kept the clutches of hope within his grasp. Some people wondered how he could read a book like this and have a straight face.

It's a talent. And he apparently was born with it.

Kakashi in a usual reaction his seventeen year old self would always go past the book store and notice the lovely pieces of paper bound together. If only they had graphic novels.

If only he had Alan.

Kakashi stopped put his book back in his pocket and headed to the hill where when he was younger would race the girl through the trees. Where the two would play hide-and-seek. Put farther in the expansive forest of Kohona you would find a luxury.

Originally it was there place of sanctuary. Where no adults, sensei's, and even other children could bother the two.

It was also a place where the two could practice there skills: Taijutsu (hand to hand combat aka physical), Genjutsu(illusions), and Ninjutsu (Ninja arts)

The rest would be revealed later, now was the time to run away from pesky dog-browed men in green latex. He could already hear Gai chasing after him, yelling his name. "Kakashi, I see a dead man walking!"

The copy ninja quickly produced two clones of himself one running left another right and the origenal. Up.

Kakashi started losing his cool. He was avoiding a crazy buffoon just for some girl. He was jumoing off of rooftops for avoiding some guy , for some girl! That he hardly knew was alive!

Yet he couldn't tell anyone of her or she might kill him. He stopped running keeping his train of thought. Unless... don't sand wielder's always swear to there honor? If a person looked at his face you could see a man rubbing his chin followed by a sly grin, crawling up his face.

With an evil plan he muttered, "excellent." And proceeded to go where the sand kunoichi would want him to go. She was on a mission so he had a break before seeing her. So off he went in the direction of. A tavern.

Kakashi sat down at the bar reading his book he oh-so enjoyed while he waited for Gai to come in. He knew that 'eternal-rival' of his would never stop to think about what she would think about him telling the creep about her. He cringed at the thought of her beating.

The 'scarecrow' rubbed his head, as in reminder of all the other one's. He played a role like a idiot: strong, caring, and always behind her back. Bit yet he seemed to play a role like a shallow person: hiding, constructive, and stubborn. He knew all the people in the world were merely players.

He put down his book and ordered a bottle of sake. He sort of doubted that company would come. It was a lonely February night. People were getting ready for Valentine's Day, it was only a week away. Yet the man couldn't help but ponder the thoughts of he being alone again.

Sometimes he wished she would show her face, just like he has shown his.

A swing of sake would do the trick drowning out those feelings.

He pulled down his mask and gulped down some of the needle like pleasure the beverage so kindly offered. If a person came buy him. He would be silent but not his normal silence this unusual remedy had a concocting measure of degrees.

Another swing made him think about Gai. The over excited youth filled shinobi. Yes, he thought about the hard headed Gai.

Somehow he had to get out of Gai why was part of his apartment floor missing? And maybe even where his experimental goo go?He was going to put in Asuma's hair, for Pete's sake! And why did Gai have five pointed stars on his face? Or at least...where did he get it ?

It would all be solved shortly when Kakashi would open his eyes to see the rain for his drought was starting to drop. And maybe Hope and Luck would be with him to drink his sake.

'All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women are merely players:

They have their exits and there entrances;

And one man in his time plays many parts,'

-Shakespeare

"Because waiting for you is like waiting for the rain to end this drought... useless and disappointing."

- Sam's lines in the movie A Cinderella Story (2005)