Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-sensei, Jump Comics, and... other people who are not me. sniffles

Title: Ten thirty-two
Rating: G
Genre: Bittersweet
Comments: Kakashi, Kurenai, and a gift.

She had gotten him a watch for his birthday. It was just a gag, not even of good quality and likely to stop running within months. Everyone had shared a good laugh though, and he "proudly" displayed it. Often enough in fact that people began asking him what the time was just for kicks, and he'd humor them by making a show of checking the leather band on his wrist. After a while however, his only reply would be a jovial, "Ten thirty-two." That's when everyone realized it had finally broken, and that's when everyone stopped asking.

It had been a good memory, but a long time ago by now. Lots had changed. Their students became chuunins, all twelve of them; some aspiring to greater heights. With that connection gone, they had all wandered in their own directions. The only things that kept them together were rivalry or love.

Asuma had finally gathered up the courage, and she had finally swallowed her pride. Their wedding was announced after eight weeks.

An hour before the ceremony, she realized she'd forgotten her pearl necklace, one of the few remaining possessions of her mother's, and one that she had sworn to wear on her wedding day. Cursing, she ran from the small temple in her plain, modest dress (gowns just weren't practical for a ninja, even as a bride) to her apartment and began running back, hoping to make her very important 2 o'clock appointment.

She had expected to see him among the guests, not among the bushes by the river reading.

"…Kakashi?"

He looked up, surprised to see her there. "Kurenai."

"What are you doing here?" they spoke at once.

"Don't you have a wedding you're supposed to be at?" he asked, standing and dusting off blades of grass.

"Weren't you invited?" she returned sharply.

He lifted a hand to his neck, grinning like a child by an empty cookie jar. "Ah, I was going to be… fashionably late. I have a reputation to keep, after all," he chuckled. "What about you? Having… second thoughts?"

She frowned, a familiar annoyance rising from what she saw as his never-serious nature. "I'd forgotten something."

"Ah. Must've been pretty important."

"Are you going to come to the ceremony now, or what?" she demanded, not letting him change the subject. This seemed to both unnerve and amuse him.

"Sorry, but I still need to go and buy your wedding present," he grinned, and turned to jaunt off.

"Wha? Present, but…? Wait a minute, Kakashi!" she yelled angrily, not about to let him off the hook so easily.

That is until he mentioned, "You're going to be late!"

Suddenly aware of a good deal of time having passed, Kurenai looked about herself in a panic. "W-what time is it!"

There was a pause.

"Ten thirty-two."

She scoffed. "Ten thirty-two, that's ridiculous! It's past noo—" Something flashed into her mind. A distinct picture of Kakashi standing before her as had a moment ago, hand raised and rubbing his neck… with a leather band still attached to the wrist.

It couldn't be. Why would he…?

She snapped her head back to where he stood last, but he was gone.

He wasn't at the ceremony nor the reception after. Weeks later, she finally got their wedding present.

An old, broken watch, its band worn with obvious signs of long-use, stopped exactly thirty-two minutes after ten.

Word From the Authoress:

By "within the next week" I really meant month. Really.

Well, for those expecting straight-out Kakashi/Kurenai... surprise! Or "sorry", whichever makes you feel better. I must admit I do like the Kakashi/Kurenai pairing, but again, if you honestly asked me what I thought would happen, it's Asuma/Kurenai all the way. KakaKure is just a guilty pleasure.

I actually really like this piece. Personally. But sharing it, I can see how some wouldn't like it, just because to make Kakashi pine after anyone can look quite OOC. Ah well. I tried in the matter that I kept him quite aloof about it, even until the end. You might only really catch it if you read between the lines.

But I won't apologize for this piece because I've realized that I do really like it. If you don't, you're free to tell me so, but I don't think it'll change my personal attachment. Any comments are welcome however.