I think I'm going to die of shame... Or kill someone...
An individual who shall not be mentioned (My little sister) managed to guess my password and posted their own chapter up... This... Well, I'm a little speechless since I can't fully grasp that my sister would do such a thing, but then again she did send me an e-mail telling me to check my story... Since I have no idea how long that chapter was up before I found out and took it down I have no idea how much damage control I need to do. Let me assure you though, that was not the chapter that I wrote. In fact it in no way resembles the chapter I wrote. Kakashi would never do drugs or push helpless people off cliffs. I endorse nothing of that chapter!
Okay... I'm still a little freaked that something like that was posted... Calming down now...
In other news, it was almost a good thing that chapter was posted. Because of it I typed nonstop every moment outside of class and finished this chapter for an apology. It's not proofread at all, it probably has far more mistakes in it then usual... But it's up...
On a lighter note, I might be able to post up a chapter or two relatively soon. My school starts Winter Carnival on Wednesday so I'll have a four day weekend with no homework to do stuff. I'll admit it though... I'm sorta obsessed with drawing maps now so I may sorta... slack off... and draw maps... of made up places... 'Cause it's fun... Plus there's this one online game... I'm not making any promises...
Chapter 14: The Hatake, Uchiha Fanclubs!
Snow piled on the ground two feet thick, the sky was grey, and the smell of chocolate hung heavy in the air… It was Valentines Day tomorrow. Everywhere, stores were packed with anxious housewives and young girls who didn't have the time or skills to make their own chocolates. Boys were smirking as they glanced out their windows, secretly placing bets among themselves on who would get the most chocolate this year. A few men were checking their bank accounts. They had to start planning for White Day now. After all, who knew what their girlfriends would do if they didn't get anything to brag about to their friends?
On the other hand there were some who weren't looking forward to Valentines Day. The unpopular, the ugly, the mean, and Uchiha Sasuke were all dreading the terrible day. In fact, if one was to sneak into Sasuke's apartment you could find the boy staring at his ceiling thinking about exactly how much he loathed the holiday.
He hated Valentines Day more then Christmas. On Christmas his stalkers just wanted to spend a bit of time with him, do the whole wandering around thing like they were a couple. On Valentines Day they wanted to give him things. Then there was White Day… He groaned just thinking about it. Dozens of girls watching intently, the few who had succeeded in forcing him to accept their chocolate expectantly waiting to see who would get the best gift… Kami, he hated holidays!
Kakashi had refused to give them the day off too! He said that since ninjas were on call all 366 days a year he couldn't get them into the habit of having every holiday off.
"There's only 365 days a year," Sakura had pointed out a moment later.
Kakashi had smiled at her pleasantly. "Plus overtime."
So he was forced to exit his apartment in order to go to training. All he wanted to do was bar his doors and windows to hide away from all those stupid girls and their stupid candies! Ino would probably stalk him all day… And Sakura…. Kami! He had to train with her! Tomorrow was going to be hell.
-
-
Tomorrow's going to suck, Naruto thought to himself, his head bowed as he walked down the street. Valentines Day had always been his least favorite holiday… He never even had a girl like him before! Maybe he should just buy himself a box of chocolates and tell everyone a girl gave them to him?
… Nah, Sasuke-bastard would see right throught that.
Well… Maybe this year could be different… Sakura might give him chocolates! They did train together after all! And Mitsuki-neesan might give him chocolates too! Homemade chocolates! She was always making him good food to eat and he was sure that chocolates weren't that hard to make! Hell, he'd be glad even if Kajika gave him chocolates and she only like him because of the Kyuubi in his stomach!
Yes, he'd probably get chocolates this year. That would be good! Maybe Valentines Day wouldn't be so bad after all…
-
-
There were five girls in his kitchen. Two of them were screaming at each other, two were diligently working with terrible results, and one looked like she was about to have a nervous breakdown. If this was any indication of how Valentines Day was going to go then tomorrow was going to be hell. Putting his book aside Kakashi entered the war zone (kitchen) and cautiously cleared his throat. "Need any help?"
Mitsuki looked up at him, relief evident on her face. "Hai," she said miserably, gesturing to Ino and Sakura. "Could you…Please make them stop fighting. They won't listen to me."
Kakashi nodded sympathetically and pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket. "What's this?" he said loudly, feigning shock. "Sasuke ran off with a stripper from Hong Kong because she's carrying his child?"
"WHAT?" Sakura and Ino shrieked looking horrified.
Kakashi smiled at them. "Joking! Maa… If you can't stop fighting then I'll have to ask you to leave."
Sakura and Ino glanced at each other before nodding. "Gomen nasai, Kakashi-sensei. We won't do it again."
"Done!" Kajika shouted, slamming down her spoon. "Miki look! My chocolate is done and in the mold! Aren't I great?"
Mitsuki glanced down at the mold, blink a couple of times. "Kajika-chan… why is your chocolate green?"
Kajika blinked. "…Because it always was green?"
"Demo… We started with dark chocolate."
"Sooo…"
"Dark chocolate is dark brown… nearly black."
Kajika blinked, staring at her chocolate. "Maybe it wanted to be green?"
"M-Mitsuki-san," Hinata whispered, looking up from her pot. "N-Now w-what do I do?"
Mitsuki patted the fox on the shoulder before glancing at Hinata's work. The girl had been having some problems since she had never cooked before, but now that Mitsuki had shown her how to turn on the stove, boil water, melt chocolate, and not kill anyone during the process (Kakashi had to put out three small fires during the teaching progress) she seemed to be doing fine. "Looks good, Hinata-chan," Mitsuki said, smiling. "Now, carefully pick up the bowl and pour the chocolate into the mold you want."
"Looks, good Hinata-chan," Kajika mockingly growled under her breath, cleaning out her bowl so she could start over for the fifth time. "Why is she here anyway?"
Kakashi sighed, opening his book up. He didn't understand why the kitsune didn't seem to like the mild mannered girl, he didn't even know how it had started. All he knew was that Kurenai would be pleased to know that Hinata had been at his apartment learning how to make chocolate. It meant that she liked someone… But who? "Maa… Settle down, Kajika-chan. She's only trying to impress the boy she likes."
Kajika sniffed loudly, filling a pot with water and fitting the bowl into it to make a double boiler. "That's why my chocolate has to be better!" she growled, forcefully throwing her choice of bits of chocolate into her bowl.
Kakashi blinked. "Why? Aren't you going to give your chocolate to Naruto?"
Kajika stared at him for a long moment. "YOU'RE EVEN DUMBER THEN HE IS!" she suddenly shouted, throwing the entire pot at the masked man.
Kakashi dove for cover, the boiling water narrowly missing his face. "Maa... Don't be so violent, Kajika-chan."
"THEN DON'T BE SO DUMB!"
"Kajika-chan!" Mitsuki gasped, reaching up to pull the chair out from the kitsune's hands before she could throw it at Kakashi. "What's going on here?"
Kajika pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Kashi was being dumb!" she whined accusingly. "Plus he said several disparaging things about my mother!"
"Nani?"
"See! That's European Goblin for your mamma's ugly!"
Everyone blinked. Mitsuki opened and closed her mouth a few times before sighing deeply. "Kakashi-kun, can we speak outside for a moment?"
He shrugged. "Fine."
"You believed that story?" Sakura and Ino shouted together looking horrified.
Mitsuki waved them away pointing to the stove. "Ino-chan, Sakura-chan, your chocolate is getting too hot and is burning."
The two girls shrieked as Mitsuki and Kakashi went out into the hall, Kajika blinking in amazement as they left. "Damn," she muttered to herself. "Mitsuki bought that?"
Shyly, Hinata looked over at the older girl. Pressing her fingers together she stepped over, gazing at the ground. "A-Ano... Ka-Kajika-san..."
Kajika glanced over at her before turning to play with the molds on the table. "What?"
"I-I...Gomen nasai!"
She raised an eyebrow, looking over her shoulder. "Huh?"
"I-I've felt really g-guilty ever since N-New Years about what I-I said and... Gomen."
Kajika blinked before smiling devilishly. "Heh! You think I still remember all that? Baka na Hinata-chan!"
Hanata blinked, looking confused. "But I said all those terrible things!"
"So? I'm not a very warm person, I'm not kind, and if I have human compassion then I'm a traitor to my species!" she put her hands on her hips, turning to fully face Hinata. "Baaa-ka!"
Hinata frowned, still confused. Hadn't Kajika just said she didn't remember what she had said? "Demo..."
"Jeeze! Still on that old topic! You're always dwelling on the past, no wonder you're going to lose, ya baka!"
Hinata straightened looking determined. "I'm not going to lose."
"Uh-huh... Yeah... We'll see about that tomorrow."
Brow set in determination, Hinata nodded firmly and waited for her chocolate to cool. Tomorrow Naruto would finally realize that she, not Kajika, really truly liked him! She paled at the mere thought of it. She had to be strong! Tomorrow would be an important day for her... Tomorrow...
-
-
"Well?" Kakashi asked, leaning against the wall.
Mitsuki looked up at him pleadingly, clasping her hands together. "Can you please be a little nicer to Kajika?"
Kakashi blinked. She had believed that bogus story? "Maa... Mitsuki-chan I-"
"I know you didn't say anything mean to her," she interrupted, flushing slightly. "However, could you please not mention anything about Naruto-kun? It's a really touchy subject with her right now."
"I noticed," he commented dryly. "Demo, I wasn't talking about Naruto... When Kajika got all upset I was talking about Hinata-chan."
Mitsuki winced. "Even worse."
Kakashi blinked. Did that mean she knew why Kajika and Hinata didn't get along? "Why? What's so bad about that?"
"Well you know... Naruto-kun... Kajika... Hinata-chan..." she formed a triangle shape with her fingers.
Despite his years of reading the Icha Icha series Kakashi stared at her blankly. "What does a triangle have to do with Kajika and Hinata-chan?"
Mitsuki blinked up at him, dumbly. He really hadn't picked up on it? What... How... She sighed, well, he was a boy... "Never mind, Kakashi-kun. It's not that important."
Kakashi shrugged and pulled out his book. The love triangle with Junko, Kimo, and Rin was getting really interesting now... "Maa... Whatever you say."
She smiled up at him brightly. "Don't worry Kakashi-kun!" she said brightly. Kakashi smiled down over the edge of his book. She thought he was worried? Anything but... "It'll all blow over after tomorrow."
Yeah... Tomorrow...
-
-
Valentines Day dawned like any other day. The sun came up in the east as usual. The few birds that hadn't migrated sang, the snow sparkled, the clouds were white and fluffy in the winter sky... Yup, a perfectly normal day...
Until you noticed the line around Sasuke's house. The girls from the Uchiha Fanclub had arrived early that day, some arriving at five in the morning or earlier to get a spot close to the door. Few ever got to give the Uchiha Sasuke chocolates on Valentines Day and they wanted to better their chances by being early in case Sasuke took an early start. So they arrived early, waiting anxiously in the cold winter air and tightly holding the pretty boxes filled with the chocolates they had so painstakingly made.
But they had been outwitted.
Leaving at 11pm the night before, Sasuke had spent the night at the training grounds and was now well hidden, waiting fo Kakashi-sensei to show up and start their training. They couldn't very well give him chocolates in the middle of training now could they?
Right?
-
-
Naruto yawned as he woke up, stretching. He glanced outside. It was really beautiful weather! Today was going to be a great day!
... Or was it?
Today was Valentines Day wasn't it? He groaned in disappointment, flopping back down into bed. He hated Valentines Day... If only someone would give him chocolates...
Thinking back to yesterday, Naruto remembered that there might be a few that would give him chocolates this year. If no one else, Kajika would... And Mitsuki-neesan might even if he wasn't her boyfriend. Just one box of chocolate would do, no just one piece of chocolate would be fine! Anything to show that he hadn't been forgotten again!
Well, he wasn't going to get any chocolate by staying in bed all day... Time to get up...
-
-
The Hatake Fanclub was much more toned down then the Uchiha Fanclub for many reasons. First, the women in Kakashi's fanclub were older. Second, they had more experience. Surrounding the jounin's apartment, waiting for him to come out usually ended up with him leaving through some unknown way. Mobbing him at a set location ended up with him escaping via rooftop despite all the girls shouting his name (for some reason he believed that they were all saying good morning at the same moment). Getting a ninja friend to 'attack' you only resulted in Gai appearing and rescuing you.
Through experience the best way to give Kakashi chocolate was to wait in small groups of five or less at different points along his path. Not everyone managed to catch him even then, but it was much better odds for all those involved.
Kakashi eyed the bags Mitsuki and Kajika were carrying with a bit of suspicion. After dinner the two had refused to allow him into the kitchen, busily finishing last minute preparations for today. In the end, Kajika was carrying an lavishly decorated box with two smaller plainer ones while Mitsuki was only carrying the usual bag which held the stack of obentos that would feed everyone lunch. He had been rather surprised at that. With all the teaching and trials she had went through yesterday, teaching those four girls how to make chocolates, he had thought that she would have had the time to make some to give out herself... Then again she could have been sick of making chocolate...
"Ka-Ka-SHIIII!" a voice shouted from the rooftops.
Not looking up from his book Kakashi held up a hand in greeting. "Yo."
"Your new age response will not affect me today, Hatake Kakashi!" Gai shouted, leaping down from the rooftops. "Today we will break our long standing tie of 57-57!" He took a deep breath doing a dramatic pose. "Kakashi... Today we shall compete over who will get the most gifts of chocolate from the glittering jewels of Konoha!"
Kakashi glanced up. "Chocolate?" he cocked his head. "Maa... Is that today?"
Gai blinked at him before breaking down and crying. "Ah my rival! Too cool to recognize the most important holiday to a man! How worthy he is!" Regaining his composer Gai straightened doing another pose. "Now my rival, the beginning tally! As of now, I Maito Gai have... Two gifts of chocolate!"
Mitsuki blinked, reaching into her bag. "Ah, Gai-kun. I got you one too."
Gai beamed triumphantly as Kakashi continued to read. So she had had the time to make some chocolates...
"This makes three Kakashi!"
...Where were his then?
"Kakashi?"
He glanced up from his book. "Were you saying something Gai?" He smiled pleasantly as Gai collapsed wailing about his hip and cool rival. He glanced at his watch. "Maa... Have to be going. Training to do."
Gai nodded understandingly. "Until later my Eternal Rival! The Flames of Youth will defeat you!"
Kakashi nodded, waving slightly as Gai bounded off. Without a word he continued on, nose buried in his book. Behind him, Mitsuki and Kajika were talking softly as they followed.
"That guy's nuts..."
Mitsuki's soft voice replying. "Gai-kun is Kakashi-kun's friend though."
"...I think that says something about Kashi... Why did you give him chocolate anyway?"
"He's a friend."
"He's nuts."
"He's a good friend though." Mitsuki sounded a bit defensive there.
Kakashi racked his brain, thinking back. When had Mitsuki started calling Gai 'kun?' ...Since she first met him? She'd only started calling him 'kun' all the time recently.
"Hatake-san!" three voices called out in chorus, feet coming into his view.
Putting his book away, Kakashi smiled at the three woman standing in front of him. "Ohayou."
The women giggled like school girls, blushing and holding their boxes of chocolate to their chests. "Ohayou!" Oh dear... This was why he wasn't fond of Valentines Day... The giggling girls trying to get him to accept their creations... The hopeful looks... The tears... Usually, he always let Gai win this particular competition... Gai...
This year he was going to beat Gai. In fact, he was simply going to crush him. There were always at least fifteen girls who tried to get him to accept their gifts. The most Gai ever got was five, maybe six this year with Mitsuki's... Yes, this year he was going to win.
Was that Kajika growling behind him?
"Maa... Nice weather we're having..." This was awkward... He'd never actively tried to get chocolates before... How did one go about it?
"Yup!" one of them laughed, beaming brightly at him. "But not as nice as the scenery!" The other girls laughed and Kakashi laughed along with them, feeling awkward.
"Is there anything I can do for you ladies?"
The women giggled again glancing at each other. "Ano... Hatake-san we were wondering if-"
Like a sudden bolt of lighting she came diving forward to wrap her arms around Kakashi's neck. "He doesn't want any!" Kajika bellowed, baring her fangs. "Now scram!"
The women froze looking crestfallen. "Sumimasen... We didn't know you had a girlfriend..."
"She's not-"
"I'M NOT HIS GIRLFRIEND!" Kajika screamed taking a swipe at the women who shrieked and scattered. "Now get out of here!"
Kakashi sighed. There went that opportunity... Well, there'd be others. Now what was up with Kajika? "Maa... That wasn't very nice, Kajika-chan."
"That wasn't very nice?" Kajika repeated looking amazed. Balling her hands up into fists she threw a couple punches at the jounin, ignoring the fact that she was missing worse then usual. "NOT NICE? You DUMBASS!" He could almost hear the multiple exclamation marks.
He sighed. "Now what's the matter, Kajika?"
"What's the matter? I'll tell you what's the matter!" Her punch to the jaw almost connected that time, he'd have to be more careful. "You, Hatake Kakashi are a heartless, brainless, kami damn..." she trailed off, blinking at something beyond Kakashi's shoulder. "SHE'S GONE!"
Kakashi blinked. "Who-"
"Miki you sick demented freak!" Kajika bellowed in his ear.
He looked around the clearing, ignoring the massive amounts of people staring at them. Where had that girl gone? More importantly, when had she left and why hadn't he realized she was gone before now? As a ninja he was supposed to be in tune with all of his surroundings. How had he missed a non-ninja leaving? For that matter, how did he miss Kajika aiming a kick to his head until it was almost too late to dodge?
He dodged it anyway by grabbing her leg and forcefully pushing it away. However, instead of regaining her center of balance like she usually did, Kajika flopped onto the ground to glare up at him. "This is all your fault," she growled, getting up and brushing snow and slush off of her skirt.
"My fault?"
"YES!" she shouted, her glare intensifying. "If you hadn't chased ass then you wouldn't have made Miki sad!"
Wait a second... Mitsuki was sad? ...And when had he been 'chasing ass' as Kajika had so kindly put it. "She probably just went ahead," Kakashi said pulling out his book again.
"She better have," Kajika growled, knocking the book out of Kakashi's hand. She glared as Kakashi effortlessly caught the book with his foot and bounced it back up into his hands before it could fall into the slush. "If she's not there then I'm going to eat you."
Kakashi nodded, following Kajika as she stalked down the street, growling at anyone who dared approach. Really, what had he done anyway?
-
-
Mitsuki hummed as she made her way down the street. Really, it was such a nice day... The sun was relatively warm against her skin... There was a refreshing cold breeze from the east... It-
Oh forget it, she was ticked and she knew it. She didn't know why but those girls flirting with Kakashi had made her... They'd made her... She muttered something vulgar under her breath and kicked a chunk of ice down the street. They'd made her so angry! And somehow very, very sad. She'd been angry because those girl didn't know the slightest thing about Kakashi! All they knew was that he was an eligible bachelor and that he handsome... Probably. You couldn't really tell under that mask.
None of them knew his favorite meal or what sort of shampoo he used or him showing her around town or how he'd sat up all night the time she'd had that fever or how he was always misplacing his kunai in the bathroom or... or...
Those sorts of thoughts led to other memories. His laugh after he'd come back from the Abyss. The look in his eyes after going to the reconstructed memorial for Konoha's heros. The time he'd gone on a walk with her through the forest and dropped a flower on the kappa's hidden grave without asking her where it was first. The blood under his fingernails after he'd vanished one night and his pathetic lie saying that he'd cut himself shaving.
Kakashi... She and Kakashi... She...
She would be so easy to replace. She'd seen the fury in Kajika's eyes before she left and known why the kitsune had been so upset. The kitsune had been around humans too long, she was starting to act too human. When Kajika had first come to Konoha she had slept on the floor in her fox form while Mitsuki took up the bed. Then she had moved up to the foot of the bed in a smaller form. Later she'd slept with her in human form, stiffly keeping to her side of the bed. Now she'd cling to Mitsuki in her sleep occasionally whispering 'Kaa-san' between snores.
Life in the forest was different then human life, even if one was a kitsune. Once the pup was able to fend for itself it was sent off to find its own territory and the mother had another litter. Kajika had been spending far too much time in human form. She was beginning to understand the forever part of human marriage... She was beginning to forget that life was that only the strong survive to reproduce. Mitsuki was weak for a human, she couldn't defend herself. Kakashi could. In her now human logic Kakashi's sole job was defending Mitsuki forever, anything contrary to that was a threat to her friend. But there was so much more to it then that.
Mitsuki had tried to explain love to Kajika several times. However, the concept was too alien to the kitsune, she couldn't fully grasp it. And Kakashi...
There were prettier girls, ones who were better cooks too. There were other girls that would clean his home and do the grocery shopping. Girls that could defend themselves. Girls who weren't being hunted for a reason they didn't know.
Mitsuki froze in midstep, staring into space. Oh kami... Baa-chan! She had to-
She took a deep breath, calming down. Baa-chan was probably dead, she'd just have to accept that. No one could have bled that much and still be alive. However, she doubted that the golden man or any of his minions would be respectful enough to bury her. Mitsuki paled. Baa-chan's spirit was probably wondering the forests of their home unable to find rest. If she didn't hurry into the afterlife she might not find Jii-chan in time for them to be reincarnated together!
She had to go. She had to find her old home and find Baa-chan's remains. Kakashi had told her once that he had found her by pulling her out of a river, right? Well, she'd need to do some research but the only river she knew of was fairly near to the gates of Konoha. She didn't know where it led though. She didn't even know where her home even was. All she knew was that it was on the banks of a river in the most beautiful forest mortal eyes could imagine.
Kakashi would be fine and so would Kajika. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura... They'd all be fine. She could simply leave them all and they would be able to continue on in peace...
Wait, wait... She was getting ahead of herself. It was still winter! She was rather chilled just walking around outside, she'd freeze to death if she spent the night in the snow. There was no choice, Baa-chan would have to wait until spring. Perhaps that would be for the best. In the meantime she'd be able to teach Kajika how to cook a few meals and show Kakashi how to properly do his laundry (the man was always mixing his whites and darks together). She could even... Find a replacement for herself...
"M-Mitsuki-san? Ohayou."
Mitsuki glanced up to smile at Hinata. "Hinata-san! Ohayou! I'm sorry I didn't greet you earlier, I didn't realize you were standing there."
Hinata nodded, smiling weakly. She was used to not being noticed. "I-It's alright. It l-looked like you were t-thinking about something important." She paused looking around. "W-Where's Kakashi-se-sensei and K-Kajika-san?"
Mitsuki glanced behind her. They still hadn't caught up? "They're just lagging a bit behind," she said smiling warmly. "Since they're not here would you like to come with me to the training grounds?" Her smile widened. "Naruto should be there."
Instantly Hinata's face turned tomato red and she nodded slightly, not trusting herself to speak.
Mitsuki laughed quietly, patting the girl on the arm. "It's alright, Hinata-san. He'll be delighted to get a homemade treat from one of the prettiest girls in Konoha."
If anything, Hinata's blush deepened.
-
-
-
-
-
Okay, really tired now... Part two should be up in a day or two... Valentines Day at the latest. (Yawns) I am trying to keep up with the holidays after all to show the Japanese side of different celebrations. Also, if anyone was confused about the mentions of White Day e-mail me and I'll send you a full explination. I'll have part of a chapter for White Day, but since we have nothing like it in America then it's kinda confusing for an American to grasp.
Basically: On Valentines Day all the girls give guys chocolate (regular milk chocolate or dark, no white chocolate). A month later on White Day all the guys who got chocolate give the girls something white (panties, bras, dresses, or jewlery for girlfriends. white chocolate or bath stuff for co-workers/friends). It's a huge deal in Japan for guys. Status depends on how much chocolate you get from how many admirers.