Thanks for the reviews guys. I really appreciate them. I know, this is a bit cliché and corny as my other stories are. I'm really trying to improve.

Part 3

Thunderstorm

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1 weeklater…

"Kakashi-sensei is especially late." Naruto said angrily. Why wasn't this working as he had planned in mind?

"What are you implying?" Sasuke replied as he stared at Naruto from the corner of his eyes.

"I'm saying – since Kakashi-sensei met your nominee without us knowing, it's made him extra late than usual."

"Shh! He's here - !" Sakura said frantically.

The trio acted normal. Kakashi's book was gone from his hand today – that was new, he also had something new on his face as well. Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto stared at him in a deathly silence as he strolled up to them.

"What?" Kakashi said, noticing their paling faces. "Is… something wrong?"

Naruto pointed accusingly at him. "That! What is THAT!"

Kakashi blinked, and wiped at the corner of his eye. Something red stained his fingertips. "Oh." He said as he wiped his face and his hands. "It's lipstick."

The trio's jaws dropped to the ground.

"From… who?" Sakura asked eagerly. Naruto and Sasuke behind her looked as eager as she did to find out.

"That's none of your business, now; shall we get on with our mission?" He replied.

After the Mission…

"Kekekeke! Kakashi-sensei is finally getting down to business!" Naruto elbowed the jounin as they walked back into the village. "So… who's the girl?"

"Naruto, stop it, Kakashi-sensei does not have to share his love life with you." Sakura frowned at him, and then she quickly ran over to Kakashi and whispered in his ear. "Is it Hana-chan? Is it? Is it?"

Kakashi's eye curled "You two are too young to mess in adult affairs."

"Aha! So you are having an affair!" Naruto exclaimed at the top of his voice. The whole village seemed to have stopped working, and everyone was staring at the group. Sakura burned red. Sasuke snorted yet his face was tainted with a spreading red hue, and Naruto had his mouth covered by Kakashi's hand.

"Heh, never mind Naruto…" Sakura quickly said, jabbing Naruto in the ribs feverishly.

The whole village began to work again as there was a few minutes of complete silence.

"Naruto! You pig! Watch what you say next time!" Sakura clonked him three times over the head with her fist.

"Itai!" The blonde boy winced, clutching his head. Darn, Sakura-chan really does hit hard.

"Bah, you're so stupid." Sasuke said, ignoring the stares they received from passer-bys.

A vein in Naruto's head popped. "What was that, Sasuke-moron?" He belted at Sasuke angrily.

"Guys, guys, stop it." Kakashi broke them all up. "Let's just take a break – how about we go to the Ichiraku Ramen?" As he said that, the stand, which was about ten feet away from them, Oyo from behind the counter was giving Kakashi a continuous death glare (complete with daggers) as she bent another soup ladle in half. Kakashi immediately left eye contact with her. "…. Or maybe not – "

"Hatake-san!"

The group looked to the left to see a woman carrying a flower basket. "Hana-chan! Sakura said happily as she saw her running over, flowers jiggling out of the basket. The mousy haired woman stopped in front of them, panting. Sakura eyed her carefully – unfortunately, Hana wasn't wearing lipstick.

"Hi, n-nice to see you all…" She said breathlessly, gathering all the flowers back up and stuffing them back into the basket.

"Hana-chan, you should take a break." Kakashi said worryingly.

The woman propped up her glasses and smiled at him faintly. "I'm fine, r-r-really."

Meanwhile, Oyo was busy bending more ladles as she stared at the group who looked like ants in her view, leaning right off the counter to get a better view (customers edged away from her). Nani? Who's that woman? Oyaji's girlfriend? Ne, she looks too smart and well-groomed for him.

"So, d-do you wanna go out for lunch or something? I know this really great place – " Hana began, before she turned red in the face, and she looked away, muttering incomprehensibly to herself with her hands on her cheeks.

Naruto and Sasuke raised a brow. What is she rambling to herself about?

Kakashi opened his mouth – or he seemed to have – the mask just covered everything about him.

"Sounds great!" Sakura butted in. "Kakashi-sensei would love to go with you – " She looked at him. He looked back at her, before nodding curtly.

"… Sure." He said.

"Yatta!" Hana exclaimed, and then she stopped, flushing like mad. "I-I-I mean uh… great. Let's go then."

The trio watched Kakashi and Hana walk off together back down the street, both engaged in deep discussion, no doubt about Icha Icha Paradise – the group could see Kakashi fumbling in his pocket again and protruding out a familiar orange book. Sakura was smiling at their retreating backs. "They look cute together."

"Says you, Sakura-chan." Naruto said, frowning. "I'm going to get some ramen."

With Kakashi and Hana…

After an appetising lunch at a posh restaurant, with Hana paying (even though Kakashi persisted that he should pay, she was even more stubborn and said that she should pay since she invited him) – they ventured down the streets, talking more about Icha Icha Paradise, Sakura was secretly tailing them from behind.

"I can't believe XXXX had an affair with OOOO when his twin brother XOXOX was on a two day holiday – " Hana was saying (Sorry, I've just censored the names from being mentioned about Icha Icha Paradise because I can't be bothered to make them up, but I do know that a character named 'Junko' exists in it. I know it's irrelevant but I feel like doing this, just pretend that they aren't saying 'XXXX' and 'OOOO').

Kakashi nodded in agreement. "Hai, I know. I can't understand how TTTT could dump CCCC for BBBB."

Sakura's eyebrow twitched. Is that all they just talk about? Over some stupid, erotic, romantic novel for hapless people who've never experienced love (or for people who are just plainly sick minded – lol, like Kakashi)? Sheesh, maybe that's what Hana and Kakashi only have in common – just the fact that they like the book. Maybe Hana was the wrong nominee after all. Sakura should've tried Anko-san or Kurenai-san or even –

"What are you doing?"

Sakura shrieked at the new voice behind her, before turning round. Her face burned red furiously. "S-Sasuke-kun? What are you doing here?"

"Doing what you're doing." He gazed back at her.

She just stared at him.

"Are you going to gape at me all day?" He looked back at her.

She shook her head fiercely. "I uh… just… following them. Care to uh… join me?"

He smirked.

Sasuke was unusually leaning a lot over Sakura's shoulder as they hid behind a wall, eyeing the two ahead of them. Sakura was trembling uncontrollably. She thought – now that Sasuke was so close to her that she could hear his heartbeat – she didn't know what to do. Sakura never thought it would come like this; she hadn't accounted for such close proximity…. She hadn't prepared what to do in this condition. She was lost for words and she was sweating profusely.

Sasuke… he's so near me…. He's never been so close to me before. I – I – I'm in heaven!

Meanwhile…

"Hey, Naruto-kun, who was that woman with you a while ago?"

Naruto sparked up and looked at the girl. Was Oyo jealous? He looked at her features - no, she looked rather peeved, than jealous. "A friend of Kakashi's." He replied simply.

"Oh…" Oyo muttered to herself, as she cleaned another bowl, placing it on the rack. She realised that Naruto was staring at her a lot as he was eating. "What?" She asked, waving a wooden spoon in front of his eyes.

"Nothing." Strange; Oyo wasn't wearing any lipstick. Then perhaps…. "NO WAY!" Naruto spat out his ramen, earning weird looks from the other customers. "I could not have lost to that Sasuke-bastard!"

"Naruto, watch your mouth!" Oyo snapped at him, and then she looked behind him, and smiled cheerily at the newcomer. "Oh – Ohayou!"

The blonde boy turned to see who was behind him. "Hinata-chan?"

Later…

"Hey, where are we?" Kakashi asked as they stopped in front of a small hut-like house. It was covered in flowers of all shapes, sizes and colours. A bit too extreme, Kakashi thought. It smelt strongly of other odours from the different flowers, and if Kakashi didn't have his mask on, he would've suffocated. The house itself also looked a bit… flowery.

Hana turned to him idly, pushing open the front gate. "This is my home."

A drop of sweat fell down Kakashi's temple. "Your home - ?"

"Hai… Why do you look so-so…. Nervous?" She said, looking down. "Do you think it's…. 'dolly'… as most think?"

He immediately apologised. "It's not that. It looks… nice." Reminds of a Gingerbread House.

She scratched her head with a lazy smile. "Arigatou, but it holds my secret." Then she looked down at him, a shadow casting over her eyes. Since when did… Hana look so… intimidating? She led him inside, and pointed to a newspaper article stuck on her kitchen – the only room they entered. Her home was awfully neat and tidy – and everything was decorated with flowers, to the tiles, to the cups. He could even hear a faint twittering of a bird somewhat residing up the stairs. Hana just loved nature – a bit too much. He looked at it, and then looked back at her.

"Your parents died in a fire accident…?" He murmured sympathetically.

She nodded briefly with hands clasped tightly at her lap. "I-I've been really alone." She gulped slightly. "I try my best to be nice and pleasant, and I read Icha Icha for kicks, but really. I'm-I'm suffering. I think I… I trust you as a friend, Kakashi-san. That's why, I'm showing you this."

Then she glanced at a photograph with her in it, along with another woman. They both looked pretty close – Hana had her arm around her and they both sort of looked identical to one another in height. Kakashi presumed it to be her sister. She quickly looked away from it.

"Oh, Hana-chan." He put an arm on her shoulder when she went a bit quiet, and then, after a few moments, she pasted her cheek onto his chest and dug her head further into his jacket, Kakashi blinked. Why were so many women throwing themselves at him nowadays?

"Hold me, please. I want to feel it. I want to feel loved for once." She squeaked. "Just for once, then… then I'll be okay."

Kakashi awkwardly placed an arm over her as requested. She wasn't crying, but merely rubbing her cheek against him. He swallowed as it went on like that for some time. Hana re-opened her eyes again. "Arigatou, Kakashi-san. But… I think I'll be fine now, thanks for lending me your shoulder. You're really helpful." She let go of him.

Kakashi thought. I wonder why Oyo can't see this in me. And then, an image of a red-faced Oyo with sunglasses waving a bent soup ladle madly crammed into his mind:

Oyaji is an ugly, stupid pervert. Not to mention he is a MORON. He should keel over and die someday!

There was an awkward silence. As Kakashi snapped out of his thoughts, Hana was still in deep contemplation

It's not working… What… do I do now?

Outside, Sakura was swooning like mad, Sasuke behind her frowning with a slight blush on his face. "Yes! Yes! I've won!" She said happily, turning back round, only to slap bang into Sasuke's chest, forgetting that he was still there. She quickly stepped back, flushing at her sudden outburst. "A-Ano… gomen, Sasuke-kun."

He rolled his eyes and looked away, then back.

A couple of cherry blossom petals fell down from the tree beside them in Hana's sweet smelling garden, and a single petal fluttered down gently, and landed on Sakura's nose (unbeknownst to her). Sasuke leaned closer to her and Sakura paled.

W-What's he doing? Is he… is he going to kiss me….?

Sasuke didn't stop leaning into her, and Sakura, now turned a bright cherry red, before closing her eyes shut, and she puckered her lips slightly for the anticipated kiss. Instead, Sasuke lifted a hand up, and slowly, he delicately caught it between his two fingers, and lifted it off her nose, with a small smirk.

"Imagine that. Sakura blossoms - This woman grows almost every shrub on the planet." He said, flicking it at her delicately. He watched it float back down gently on the ground in the light breeze.

Sakura opened her eyes and quickly shrank from him, obviously embarrassed. "Eh… well, Hana-chan does work in a flower shop…." She replied nervously. Then she looked to the side. That was too close! I almost… really kissed him there… Darn it, I didn't utilise that time enough!

Back to the Ramen Stand….

"Ne, Hinata-chan, I didn't know you liked ramen too."

"I-I have it occasionally… a-ano, Naruto-kun…. Where are the rest of your team?" The dark-haired girl asked shyly as she watched Naruto pig out on his bowl, a red blush appearing on her face as she looked back at hers.

"They're away stalking Kakashi-sensei, what about your team?"

Oyo noticed this extreme shyness displayed from this cute girl (yet she had creepy eyes) and smiled inwardly. Seems like someone's in love. Unfortunately, this blonde baka was too in love with ramen to notice. Oyo scratched her chin as she watched them from the kitchen. Ayame was at the counter, this time. From the coat rack in the back room, Oyo ransacked around her trench coat and found something smooth in the inside pocket…

Aha, I've still got it! Now this would be interesting…

Naruto eventually left to go to the loo, and instantly, Oyo swarmed up to the shy girl on the stool beside her, who was waiting for him to return. "Ohayou, Hinata-chan."

"O-Ohayou, Oyo-chan…"

"Ne." Oyo began, with a delightful leer. "You… like Naruto-kun a lot, don't you?"

Hinata's mouth opened, and then closed again. "A-A-Ano………"

"I'll just take that as a 'yes'. How about I offer you this…. Love Potion?" Oyo took out a small red bottle, with a sculpted heart on it and held it up high in her hands.

The girl's face flushed bright red as she eyed it. "L-Love Potion?"

"Hai… wanna give it a try?" She egged her on. "I got it off this really nice gypsy during my travels. She's helped thousands of people in love situations, and her potions have always worked. Simple use too, all you have to do is put it into the person's food; wait until he or she eats it, then that person will instantly fall in love with you and be with you for ever."

Hinata stared at it intently, then, she bit her lip.

After a few moments of silence, she finally spoke, "I-Iie, Oyo-chan. Arigatou… for the offer, but no, I think… I think I'd prefer it if Naruto… liked me... out of free will… I mean… I-I-I do like Naruto (her face grew even redder) but… I can't do that to him…"

Oyo-chan blinked, then, she smiled softly. "Hinata-chan… you have such a kind heart. That… is true love." And then she ruined the moment. "Now, if only that hopeless ramen-eating dope could ever think that way, I'll be ever so proud of him – " She fake-sobbed.

Then –

"Naruto-kun?" Oyo exclaimed in shock, immediately hiding the bottle into her pocket. "Wha-What are you doing here?"

Behind Hinata, was Naruto, staring at her with his mouth half-open.

He had heard their conversation – everything (even the 'ramen-eating dope' part).

Hinata froze, and slowly, swivelled in the barstool to look at the blonde boy. Naruto just stared back at her. And Hinata's face paled even more. It was a split second staring match. Blindly; she leapt off the stool and ran away.

Oyo waved her wooden spoon recklessly. "Hinata-chan! Wait! You haven't paid yet, I – oh, what the heck, Naruto – go after her!"

"Wha - ? Oyo-chan!" He protested angrily at her.

"Go!" She urged him.

Kakashi walked back up to the ramen stand after saying goodbye to Hana who seemed rather upset with the fact that he had to leave, and he saw Naruto run off to the left down the street, and then looked at Oyo, who was shaking the wooden spoon up and down anxiously in her grasp. He wondered what was going on, and took an empty seat, pressing the bell.

"Oh, what do you want now?" She said icily at him as she emerged from the kitchen only to see him sitting there smiling at her. "I'm not serving you anymore, you're a moron."

"Why do you hate me so much?" Kakashi inwardly sighed. His image of her was far too true.

" - Because you're the one who arrested me and had me locked up in jail." She retorted back.

"That's your fault for selling those things." He said, gesturing at her.

"Hey, it's how I made a living, but now I've changed my ways!" Oyo said arrogantly. "I like working at this stand. What I don't like, is having to see your ugly face in front of mine every single day!"

"You haven't even seen my face, just my mask, which is covering my face. And how do you even know if I'm 'ugly'?" He said teasingly, his fingers moved up to the cloth covering his lower half of his face. Why does Oyo make such silly assumptions about him anyway?

Oyo felt extremely browbeaten. She did want to see what was behind that mask, and she wondered if he was ugly or not. She couldn't wait to tell everyone how ugly he was if he did uncover himself – but what if she was wrong? What if Kakashi really was good-looking – but why would he cover up his face in the first place? If he 'adored' women so much, wouldn't he be basking in his handsomeness and kick Gai out of his spotlight and haul all of the women in Konoha's attention to him? She frowned to herself upon thinking this. "Whatever! It's still you, Hatake-san." She said with her hands on her hips.

"But have you seen the real me?"

Her eye twitched behind the sunglasses. "Well, have you seen the real me?" She asked him back, prodding her finger at his chest irritably from behind the counter.

He flicked her hand away as if she was an annoying fly zooming circles around his head. "I'm hoping to – but not with those sunglasses on. Take them off." He replied, now pointing to her shades.

"And why should I?" She retorted, tilting them further up over her eyes. "You take off your silly mask first. I want to see just how unbearably putrid and hideous you really are that I want get waking, living nightmares of you at night that I can't sleep - "

"Oyo-chan! Stop chatting up our customers and shake a leg on it!" The old man shouted (extra loud too) from the kitchen.

Her face burned. "I am NOT chatting him up! Anyway, I've said better pick up lines before than those!" She fumed. Then she paused. D'oh, why'd I just say that?

The whole shop seemed to be giggling at her when she said that – these two women in the corner were whispering at her and Kakashi and pointing. One of her apron straps fell off her shoulder as she slumped back against the wall. Oh god… This can't be happening (!). Kakashi was grinning at her. She frowned, before wiping her hands on her apron.

"When will this day end?" She grimaced.

Meanwhile…

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto ran after her, and he finally caught up with her. She had stopped just beside a hat store, also out of breath. As Naruto neared her, she hid behind a stand, shaking, looking at the ground.

"N-Naruto-kun…"

"You… haven't paid… yet… Hinata… chan…"

She flushed. "Oh… G-Gomen…"

"Hinata-chan… what you said… "

Hinata looked away quickly. "Y-You don't have to like me back, Naruto-kun, I-I understand if you don't… "

"Hinata… I never said that – " Naruto began. He stopped. He couldn't believe he was saying this. What about Sakura? What about all those other feelings he had for the pink haired girl? He shook his head. He just needed to apologise to Hinata – he… he couldn't possibly like her back… not now... it needed some time. "I-I'm sorry…. I'm really, really sorry…"

The white eyed girl looked down at the ground and bit her trembling lip. "Naruto-kun…"

"I'm sorry, Hinata… I really am."

The Ichiraku Stand…

Grrrr. Why. Won't. He. Leave?

Out from the corner of her eye, Oyo could just see Kakashi staring at her from a cross the room, even though the Icha Icha Paradise book was set in front of him, his eye, was always glued onto her. She shivered.

Kakashi went a bit pink at some point when he turned over the page, and he tittered to himself. She blinked. Perhaps he wasn't looking at her at all?

"Don't you have anything interesting to do?" She asked him as she went passed him to go into the kitchen with an order – that was another reason why she shivered, she was feeling very, very uncomfortable. The spot he chose to sit in – gave him a view of the kitchen, so she couldn't hide there either – although Ayame was always standing there, secretly looking hopeful at him. Oyo shook her head at her, and Ayame shrugged.

"Is he looking at me?" Ayame asked Oyo as she passed her.

Oyo looked back outside and Kakashi glanced at her.

"That's none of your business, Oyo-san." He replied once she had stuck her head back out. She sighed. He had been sitting there ever since Naruto chased a runaway Hinata.

Oyo looked back at Ayame. "Oh, he's looking alright." Yeah, at me.

Ayame giggled and went back to work.

Oyo sighed. Where were Naruto and Hinata anyway?

"Oyo-chan!"

Right on cue. She turned round happily. "Naruto!" Oyo exclaimed.

"I've got Hinata-chan!"

Oyo smiled. Thank god they were okay. "You two… " She started, clunking them each on the heads with her spoon gently. "You two scared me."

Naruto grinned at her. Hinata smiled faintly.

Kakashi looked at her and closed his book. "What'd I miss?"

THUNK!

She had used a bent soup ladle to hit Kakashi. "That's none of your business, Hatake-san."

"Oyo-chan! Don't try and kill our customers!" The old man shouted at her. "You'll pay for that soup ladle!"

She sweat dropped, re-shaped the soup ladle back to its original form and replaced it back onto the stand. "Hai…."

Naruto laughed and Hinata giggled lightly.

Later…

"So, what did you two do whilst I was gone?"

Sakura went extremely pink and Sasuke looked away. Naruto frowned at them. What exactly had went on between the two of them? He deliberately squeezed in between them on the park bench. "Ne, Sasuke-moron. We've still not met your nominee yet."

"Just wait." He replied. "She'll meet up with us soon."

"What's her name anyway?"

"Matsumoto Leiko."

Naruto moped again. "Ne, I'd say, don't even bother showing her up to us, I think I already know who the winner is."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sakura asked, raising a brow.

"It's obvious Kaka-sensei likes Oyo-chan the best."

"Feh, yeah right. All they do when they see each other is argue." Sasuke replied with a snicker.

"Yeah, and anyway," Sakura agreed. "Besides, Sasuke-kun and I followed Kakashi-sensei with Hana-chan today. They hugged."

"NE?" Naruto spat, eyes popping. How did this happen?

"It's true." Sakura added. "Kaka-sensei likes Hana-chan the most because she's nice, pretty and a lot smarter than your Ramen-making nominee."

"Hey, don't say that, Sakura-chan! Oyo-chan is nice and she's real pretty."

"Then why does she wear sunglasses?" Sakura pressed purposely.

"What's that got to do with it?" Naruto replied tenaciously. Okay, Oyo-chan isn't really smart, but at least she's creative. Right, that's it – I need to get Oyo-chan closer to Kakashi-sensei, whether she likes it or not!

Afternoon….

"Ohayou, Kakashi-kun!"

"Leiko-chan?" He had opened his door – to see the pretty woman before him, dressed in the same plain white top and shorts. She had a forehead protector over her thick, black hair. "I didn't know you were a – "

"Not anymore." She said, bustling in as he opened the door for her, carrying a bag of groceries. "I dropped out after the chuunin exams. Fighting just isn't my thing, though I do like to carry my shuriken around." She pointed to the extra large shuriken stuck onto her back on a buckled strap. If Kakashi wasn't careful, he could get a hard jab in the ribs if she came too close for contact.

She continued as she took off her shoes and she stayed at the landing. "I bought some ingredients for cooking – you don't mind, do you? My cooker broke down this morning… the handyman's going to look at it in the evening and I haven't had lunch."

"Why don't we go out to eat – er… my place isn't too… er – "

"Nonsense – I – "

Kakashi opened his living room door – just slightly, that only a small fifth could be seen– and Leiko paled at the sight of it.

"Uh…."

"Leiko….?"

She swallowed and broke out of her trance. "Ummm… it sure is nice…" Yet, she looked doubtful at it (and I'll tell you why later).

"Why don't you come into the dining room?" He said with a small sweatdrop, closing the living room door.

"Sure…."

He sat her down on a chair and she meekly looked around the room curiously. "Don't be shy." He joked "You can treat this like your home."

She blinked. "Ah…. Thanks."

He took her grocery bags and entered the kitchen. Wait – he forgot to ask if she wanted a drink – Kakashi went back into the dining room to see a sight.

Leiko was clipping her toenails on his dining table.

In the Evening…. Outside Kakashi's apartment…

"Ooh! Kakashi-kun!"

"Ahh… Leiko-chan…"

Such ominous sounds came from Kakashi's home. Naruto glowered. What the hell are they doing?

The door opened, and Naruto squeezed up against the wall, trying not to be seen.

"Thanks for teaching me how to make the Provencal salad." Kakashi said, rubbing his head as he held a bowl in his other. "I guess I could improve on the sauce though."

"No bother, Kakashi-kun! I also made you something special today too!" Leiko shoved a flask into Kakashi's arms as he put down the bowl; Naruto stared at the tall, ultra beautiful woman who stepped outside.

"Uh… arigatou, Leiko-chan. What is it this time?" He looked behind him, at the living room through the ajar door, where thousands of plastic containers containing all sorts of gourmet food all made by Leiko on previous visits were lying on the table, uneaten (little did Leiko know though because she didn't get to see the rest of his living room).

Leiko? This is Sasuke's nominee? No fair! He didn't even tell us that she already knew Kaka-sensei!

"Bisque de Crivettes, aka, Prawn Bisque! Hope you enjoy it!"

"Uh… I will."

"Oh yeah, you'd better get a torch ready, the approaching thunderstorm might cut off power." Then she leaned up, and kissed him on the temple, before leaping back up the stairs, giggling.

Kakashi shut the door.

So that's where he got the kissy mark from, Naruto thought as he hid behind the plant pot.

Someone yawned from beside him. "Eh, Naruto-kun, what are we doing at your sensei's home?" Oyo asked, rubbing her eyes wearily. "Look at how late it is. I really need to go home."

"Shhh! Oyo-chan, are you ready?"

"Ready for what?"

He sighed. "To infiltrate Kakashi-sensei's home?"

"Yes, I am. Sheesh, I don't know why you're so afraid of going into his home just to get some stuff you left behind from the previous mission." She moaned at him.

Naruto looked shadily to the side. That was such a huge lie, yet Oyo bought it. She trusted him a bit too much – well, Naruto put on his most puppy-dog look on her so she agreed, although inside, she was really reluctant. "How long will this take by the way? I have to go back home – there's been news of a thunderstorm coming near in several minutes time and - "

"It'll be quick!" He shoved a pillow into her hand, and pushed her out to Kakashi's door.

"Why do I need this?" She tossed the pillow back at Naruto, who threw it back to her.

"You'll need it." He hissed. He flung it back.

"But I'm not staying overnight, baka." She hurled it back to him.

Naruto paled, and then threw the pillow back at her. "Just keep it!"

Sighing, Oyo clutched the pillow, glancing back to Naruto, who showed her thumbs up, and then she knocked on the door.

Kakashi opened the door again, this time, shocked to see Oyo on his doorstep – with a pillow.

"Ohayou." She said dolefully, hiding the pillow behind her. She stared at the lipstick mark on his unexposed skin and her eye twitched.

Kakashi quickly wiped it off him. "O-Ohayou - What are you doing here?"

"Naruto said he left some stuff at your place when – " She turned back to the plant pot. Naruto was gone. Her eyes widened. "Eee?"

Kakashi watched her twiddle back to the plant pot. "Naruto? Naruto?" She whispered as she pulled the leaves back and inspected through the small branches.

"Why are you talking to a plant?" He asked, half amused, half confused (hey, that rhymed!).

"Naruto was here before, I swear!" She said grimly, pointing at it accusingly.

Kakashi looked at her in a way with his arms crossed. She didn't like it. "Stop looking at me like that, you lecherous moron! I'm not crazy!" She protested, shaking her tiny fists at him portentously.

"Sure, you aren't."

"What's that supposed to mean? Oh, whatever! I'm going, goodnight!"

BOOM!

"AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

Kakashi winced. "It's just thunder." He told her.

She peeped one eye open as she hid her head under her arms. "I-I-I don't like it." Then she straightened, and walked stiffly to the exit. There was a flash as she opened the door, letting the rain pour all over her, the winds blowing her hair back, and then the thunder crashed. Immediately, Kakashi felt a cold breeze whip past him as the door leading outside closed. He looked inside his apartment. Oyo was there on his sofa, knees hugged to her chest, teeth clattering.

"Oyo-chan?" He questioned. "Are you okay?"

She was somehow glad she had the pillow Naruto gave her – now she huddling to it like a baby clutching it's 'blanky'. "Wah." She 'sobbed'. "How do I go home now? It's dark and scary outside, and thunder – I hate thunder…"

"You can stay here if you like – until the storm dies down." He shut the door and walked up to her.

"NANI!" She shrieked and she leapt up from the sofa, still clutching the pillow. "Stay here with you! I'd rather go outside and – "

BOOM!

"AARRGGHH! Alright, alright, I'll stay!"

He grinned. This would be an interesting night.

"Wipe that sick smirk off your face, you sleaze ball!" She screamed at him.

"Shh." He covered her loud mouth with his hand. "I don't want her to come back downstairs to see what's going on here."

"Her? Who's 'her'?" Oyo quickly rehabilitated. "And what do mean 'to see what's going on here'? Nothing is going to go 'on'."

"Whatever, 'her' is my new neighbour." He replied - he couldn't believe he was saying this about Leiko. "She's really been bugging me."

Oyo looked at the floor, and then blinked confusedly at him as he wandered away.

"Do you want a drink?" He said from the kitchen doorway.

She shook her head and she looked around. When it wasn't dark, Kakashi's house looked… even messier than it had been the last time she came. The sofa she was sitting on had patches and bits of fluff poking out from split ends. The table opposite her was overflowing with tubs containing food, some even spoilt – she hadn't seen most of these kinds of food before in her life. The rug seemed to have some silver strands of hair on it, and even some type of fur (as she believed). Old socks littered the floorboards, and the walls were decorated with paintings that looked… yellow. Oyo shivered in her surroundings. Such an…. Untidy and unkempt man... She was horrified. The house was filthy! She trembled as Kakashi came back out with a hot drink in his hands. Outside, the rain was harsh and the thunder could still be heard. As Kakashi sat beside her on the sofa, she hid under her pillow and squealed.

He was staring at her from the corner of his eye with a small sweat drop. "You can't be that afraid, can you?"

She attacked him with the pillow ferociously – making the hot drink spill over his hands. He flinched and quickly put the cup on the table, pushing away some containers. He grabbed a paper towel and wiped his red hand. "Watch it!"

"Well, you watch what you say!" She death-glared at him, it was positive that there was a ray of crackling electricity emitting from their eyes (or in Kakashi's case, 'eye') between them two.

There was a silence.

"Sorry."

"It's…. okay." Oyo said tiredly. "I'm just… really tired. I need my sleep. Or I'll get even cranky." She said, brushing a hand over her fringe. "I just don't like thunder… at all. So, don't say anything – just don't."

There was another silence.

"Can I get a glass of milk?" She asked. Oyo stopped. – That sounded a bit rude. "Uh… Do you have milk in your fridge?" Gah, that was even worse!

Kakashi sighed and got up from the sofa, entering the kitchen. "Pasteurised or Semi-skinned?"

"Pasteurised, please."

He handed it to her and sat back down on the sofa, watching her sip the glass of milk slowly. Somehow, she reminded him of a little child – maybe he should ask if she anted cookies, too? He got back up, and entered his room, before opening his wardrobe, letting piles of unfolded clothes fall onto the floor – he fished out a thick blanket, and returned back to the living room. She had finished her milk, stood up and was now trying to find a place amongst the dirty containers and other junk to put the cup on.

Kakashi scooped it out of her hands and she looked up, surprised.

He-He's really… fast. And silent.

She didn't like that in him either. It made him more menacing and dangerous than she had thought.

"Sit down."

"Whu - ?"

He seated her back on the couch (or more like he pushed her back down), and draped the blanket over her. Oyo blinked in astonishment. "Uh… thanks…?" She propped the pillow behind her head and sat up. Minus the weird smell in Kakashi's house, it did seem kind of comfy here… "How long is the storm gonna go for?" She asked as he returned back into his room.

He grinned at her as he popped his head out from the doorway. "Maybe for the whole night…"

She choked. "Seriously?"

"We get used to having thunder storms for that long in Konoha – " He replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "And also – "

BZZT!

There was a popping sound, and the lights snapped off.

" – Power cuts." Kakashi finished off. He took out a torch from under his table and flicked it on. Walking back to her on the sofa – he realised how dilate her pupils had turned. "Okay, you stay here while I find a lamp."

She did so. But once Kakashi left the living room, Oyo was frightened – every small shadow seemed to grow in the darkness and she hid under the covers, wishing that Kakashi would come quickly. She thought.

Inner Oyo 1: Grab a hold of yourself! You'renineteen years old - almost twenty!

Inner Oyo 2: When's Kakashi coming back?

Inner Oyo 3: Since when did we become so dependant on him?

Inner Oyo 2: ….. Should we trust him?

Inner Oyo 1: Well, we have to for the time being.

Inner Oyo 2: It's too dark.

Inner Oyo 3: It's probably the sunglasses – why do we still have them on?

Oyo took off her sunglasses and tucked them into her pocket of her apron. It was still dark. He re-emerged from some room in the house with the lamp. "Feel better?" He set it in front of her on the floor.

She nodded briefly as Kakashi placed a futon down on the floor just at the foot of the sofa beside her. "What are you doing?"

"This happens to be my only lamp, so I'm placing my futon near it."

"…………….." Oyo didn't say anything, but she bit her lip with a frown.

"You can trust me." He said, looking at her. Oyo?

Her eyes were the most brilliant emerald he had ever seen. He swallowed, closed his eye and re-opened it. Yup, she was still sunglasses-less. She stared back at him strangely with those green eyes that never left his. For some reason, he believed, that Oyo looked… a lot less threateningly than she did with the shades. She looked endearing…

"I don't trust you for saying that I can trust you." She said with half lidded eyes.

Kakashi grimaced. "You're not making this any easier for the both of us."

"Well that makes the two of us." She closed one eye, the open eye eyeing him down. "So what do we do now?"

He started. "We have to wait for the power to be re-gathered."

"How long does that take, Hatake-san?"

"How should I know?"

She frowned.

"Get some sleep. It's almost eleven."

Some time later….

It was eerily silent in the apartment, considering how every passing minute Oyo and Kakashi were in interaction with one another was spent on ridiculously and unreasonably squabbling over some random and unimportant matter. Oyo didn't want to sleep. Maybe it was because of the fact that Kakashi was just centimetres away from her, on the ground, and feeling even more uncomfortable, was because she had her dirty outdoor clothes on. She was afraid of going to sleep -

What if he does something to me while I am in the weak state of unconsciousness?

Still, her eyes drooped, even though she constantly tried to spring back up awake. The more she did so, the sleepier she became.

Bah, humbug.

She couldn't take that risk. Not when she was in a house of a strong nin – after all, she, herself, was a weakling, she couldn't fight. Although she previously had sold fake scrolls based on the real thing, she had bothered to look at them because she wasn't interested in these things.

"Oyo-san?"

She looked to the side. "Hai?" She replied quietly. She guessed he wasn't asleep either.

"Why do you… act so childish all the time? How old are you exactly?"

If Oyo's brain wasn't about to shut down, she would've retorted back furiously. "I'm… 19 years old…" She moaned sleepily. "How old are you?"

He was silent.

"Lemme guess….. 40?" She began fuzzily.

"…No."

"Um…. 50?"

"…No."

"Er… 60…?"

"No!"

"Then what age are you?"

"I'm 26."

"Oh… my… god!"

"Shut up."

"You… look waaaaaaay too old… to be 26..." She drawled.

He silently glared at her through the darkness. "You never answered my question." He said, changing the subject.

"What was the question?"

"Why you don't act your age."

"Okay, uh... I'll tell you a story…. Once upon a time… there was a little girl who lived in the Oto no Kuni (Land of Sound) along with her mother. One day, her mother fell ill, and died. Her last words being: "That's my little girl, my daughter – ack!" Sheinhaled sharplyand died and the young girl had to go to an orphanage – always acting like a child as she grew up just to get attention she lost during her childhood…. "

"Oh," Kakashi replied sullenly. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Oyo laughed. "You actually believe me? I was just lying, you idiot. My mother's not dead. And I don't come from the Sound country…I'm from the Amegakure no Sato (Hidden Rain village – A/N: Just some random village I picked out by the way)."

She looked to the other side. "But… I like acting like a baby." She added. "It's fun – watch – I want a cookie!" (A rimshot can be heard)

He sweatdropped. "Ah…Oyo-san. I don't know what I'll do with you."

"Ee? What are you going to do with me!" She said sleepily. "I'm warning you, if you come any closer to me – I'll…. " She began to snore, then – "Ah? What just happened? I – oh… crap, I just fell asleep – I – hey, Hatake-san, tell me a story."

"What? You aren't a baby anymore – no matter how much you act like one."

"Hatake-san, please. Onegai with a cherry on top?" She said sarcastically. She just felt like bugging him at this time.

"Whatever. Oi, have you heard the one about the ugly duckling?"

"Wait, let me think." She pretended to think, and then she added lamely towards him: "Yeah, I have. Tell me something else." She whined boringly.

"Okay, okay. Uh…. Snow White?"

"Can't you think of something else better than that?"

"Goldilocks and the 3 Bears?"

"Yawn!"

"The Gingerbread Man?"

She blew a raspberry. "Ah stop. You're a lousy story-thinker. I'm going to sleep." Then she shuffled under her blanket, and took off her apron, then the rest of her clothes until she was left in her undergarments.

"I've got one." He said suddenly.

"Don't wanna listen to it anymore." She replied stoically.

"Well, I'll just tell myself then."

"You go do that."

Kakashi began his story - of course, it was about his own past. He didn't mention any names, no Obito, no Rin. "Once upon a time… "

A few minutes later...

"Sheesh, that's such…. a long story... I don't understand it…"

"Teamwork was vital – and so, he left to find his team mates, but he was too late – the team mate sacrificed himself and - "

"Are you done yet?"

He ignored that remark. " – he died. Then the boy saved the girl, but his team mate was already dead – "

"What happened… to the boy who was still alive then…?" She said - her voice scarcely above a whisper. "How... is he doing…?"

"I guess he's okay."

"Oh... good… a happy ending… I like that…" then she began snoring, fast asleep for real this time

And she didn't wake up.

Kakashi looked at her – or tried to, from ground level – all he could see was her arm which had somehow woven its way out of from under the blanket and was now dangling above the floor, just above his nose. He rolled to the side and got up, sighing.

"Oyo-san?"

He received no reply. She was fast asleep; he kneeled in front of her and just… stared. He knew she had taken off her sunglasses before. She looked better without them, that's all he thought. A few strands of long, blue hair fell over her closed eyes, and he raised an arm up to brush them away – then stopped. Aah… what was he doing? Oyo-san – that annoying little girl with a shrill high voice working as a ramen assistant – in his house – and he was about to touch her (!). Oyo would sure kill him if she somehow woke up at some point when he was 'admiring' her during her sleep, even though sometimes, they did get on okay… until Kakashi would anger her. Hey, it wasn't his fault; it was her fault for being so full of beans and taking things so seriously. She seemed to have no humour in her life, well; she did have some - only dry humour – she laughed at such stupid and irrelevant things.

Oyo was sure a rash and 'masculine' girl (another rimshot can be heard).

Yet…

Oyo was cute.

In a way.

In a really, really, reallyirritating way.

He liked how she would barge around in the stand, glare at him, scream at him, nag, talk, bending soup ladles in half – everything, about her… was so… mysterious. How weird. Her unusually repellent personality (that would make men run away from her) was actually… attracting him to her… right? Kakashi thought again. Ack, what am I doing? What am I thinking? He quickly lay back down on his futon and closed his eye, trying to get to sleep until –

"Yeah… I like… hot cross buns with…. mustard…." There was a funny noise – Oyo had gotten up from her spot on the sofa.

Kakashi opened his eye again. Damn, what was happening now?

"Oyo-chan?"

The sofa was empty. He sat back up again and inspected his surroundings, seeing the trace of a familiar figure walking from the living room's open door to the corridor. "Oyo-chan?" He called again. He immediately stood up and ran after her.

Where is that stupid girl?

"Must… make ramen for… demanding customers… here you go… sir… one… bowl of iron nails and egg mustard… for you… hope you leave a tip…. Enjoy meal… ah…. Hope… you choke…"

He stared at her.

She had walked into the kitchen and was pouring the water flask of ice cold water over his laundry basket (filled with dry clothes!) that sat just beside the counter, and she had picked up a fruit basket and was dumping the fresh fruits into the bin.

"Into the pan… need more… salt – " She picked up a bottle of soy sauce and spilled the entire contents onto the floor. "Too much salt… need… chicken block powder – " She snatched a tomato from the vegetable stand. "Need to mush it first…"

SPLAT!

She had used a mug from the cup rack to squash the tomato on the counter – the juice splatting all over her hands. "Ah… Now… the chopsticks…. "

This time she grabbed a knife.

"Oyo-chan, stop!"

"Ayame-chan… people… need… food. Must… provide it… to them… Oyaji… rice vermicelli… buckwheat…. Made out of… dead cockroaches…" She put the knife into one of the bowls on the counter top and dumped sweet and sour sauce into it. "Finishing touch…. Sesame oil… One bowl of… chicken ramen… coming right up, ma'am."

He grabbed her back – she dropped the bowl - and dragged her back into the living room, slamming the door shut behind him. He made sure she was tucked tightly in the sofa with the blanket 'imprisoning' her. He wiped her hands clean of tomato juice and scrubbed at her face. Oyo was complaining and whining again in her sleep, but then after a few seconds of holding her down – she stopped, and began to snore again. Kakashi sighed, and then lay back on his futon.

"Sheesh… didn't know she sleepwalked and sleeptalked…"

Some time later… he re-awoke when he felt a weight on top of his chest. He opened his eye, and sighed; this wasn't too surprising – he glanced down at the girl lying on top of him, snoring – not too gently either. Seeing how she sleepwalked before, seeing her now sleeping on top of his blanket wasn't surprising. She snuggled her face deeper into his neck in a bid to get warmer – of course, she was only in a vest and shorts. He really wanted to shove her off… But still – he grinned imprudently under his mask, and hesitantly tried to get up without having her being lifted too much from the usual ground level so she wouldn't wake up, and carefully, he grabbed hold of the blanket that was falling off the sofa, and pulled it over her body.

"I hate… bananas…." She muttered. "Yellow… not me colour… like… blue…"

Just what kind of dreams did she get?

Oyo snorted and smacked her lips, then continued to snore like a pig.

"Urgh… " He mumbled. "This'll be a long night."

The next morning….

Oyo woke up feeling unusually warm. She opened her eyes groggily, and realised that she had two blankets over her. Maybe that was why she felt so choked up and squashed. She was lying on Kakashi's futon – when did she move from the sofa? Not caring about that matter, Oyo got up using her weak arms and looked up, the blankets being too heavy for her to push with her minute strength at the moment. When she woke up, she was always tired. It was morning already, the sun shone through Kakashi's blinds and she could see yesterday's rain clearing up. Yet, it wasn't as quiet inside as it looked outside. She could also hear something sizzling in the kitchen.

"Kakashi?" She said tiredly.

The door to the living room opened. He moved into the living room and looked at her as she got up, still sitting on the futon with the blankets over her head. "You're awake."

She nodded.

"I'm making breakfast. I'll call you when it's done. You should get some more rest." He replied, wrapping the blankets around her securely.

She gazed at him, eyes half open. "What time is it…?"

"Eight."

"Oh…" She delved back under the covers. "Wake me up in five minutes time…"

He nodded and went back into the kitchen.

At ground level, Oyo could see a familiar orange book under the sofa as she snuggled into Kakashi's pillow. Urgh… it smells too much like him… Reaching out, she grabbed it and looked at the cover, squinting at the drawings of the boy and the girl who seemed to be flirting with one another.

Icha Icha Paradise.

Surely the title wouldn't be as bad as the contents? When she acknowledged the fact that Kakashi was in the kitchen and singing to notice that she had taken his book, she flipped it open. He seems to like it a lot, and I'm over 18… I could handle it. She gasped once she looked at one random page and began reading down one paragraph.

Oh mi god oh mi god oh mi god!

Quickly, she shut it and shoved it back under the sofa. That disgusting, perverted man! Eeeeurckkk! After several minutes of relieving from the shock, she sniffled noisily as something trickled over her mouth and down her chin.

Uh oh….

Ack! Oyo was getting a nosebleed! She scrabbled up instantly, clamping her hands over her nose, and she dashed out of the living room – having found the bathroom as she scurried past the kitchen. Kakashi turned round.

"Oyo-chan?"

She was in such a hurry flailing over herself in front of his bathroom mirror, that she couldn't roll the tissue she had ripped from the roll (carelessly) properly. She cursed herself mentally. She couldn't believe she had just gotten a nosebleed from that little part of the book! That made her feel even more disgusted with Kakashi. He is twisted! Wacked, even! Then, her nose felt itchy, and she let it out.

"Atchoo!"

The blood splattered all over the sink and over the mirror. She shrieked even more.

"Oyo-chan, what's wrong?" Kakashi said as he peeked in. His eye widened at the sight of his mirror, and the basin. "OYO-CHAN!(?)"

She turned round, hand over her nose. "… Gomen! I'll wash that off later." She couldn't help but cringe.

He rushed to her side immediately, and sat her down on the pan. "Look up."

She did so. He grabbed the tissue off her and chucked it into the bin – it would be no use. So he ripped a new one from the roll and handed it to her. She jammed it up her bleeding nostril and sniffled unhappily. He wetted another tissue and scrubbed at her chin, which had dried blood over it. She squealed and shoved him away gently. Then he ran his hand under cold water, and patted it onto her forehead. She blinked and quickly squirmed away from him.

Don't forget, he's a pervert! Eurrgh stop touching me already! Go away!

"That's a traditional method to stop nosebleeds. Sit there and don't move. And don't pick your nose either." He told her, finger wagging in front of her face as if she was a 5 year old. She growled.

"I didn't pick my nose." She said to him angrily, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Then why have you got a nosebleed?"

Oyo looked down. "I er… I uh… looked at your um… book."

He let out a roar of laughter.

"SHUT UP! It's not funny! Go back and make breakfast!" She heaved him out from the bathroom, and stomped to the living room, trying to ignore him. He returned to the kitchen.

A few minutes later, the bleeding stopped and she sighed. "That's the last time I'll look at those book (even though that was my first)." Then she rolled on her back on the futon and gaped at the ceiling.

The doorbell rang.

"Kakashi?" She called.

No reply. Still singing.

"Kakashi, get the door!"

Still no response. Sighing, Oyo got up with a blanket wrapped around her, and walked to the front door, smoothing down her messy hair. The keys were in place – she twisted it correctly, and the door unlocked. Oyo opened it.

"Good morning Kakashi-kun! Look what I made – oh…"

Oyo stared at the tall, pretty woman carrying a large flask in her hand before her. She stared back at Oyo. Oyo eyed her down for a few seconds. Who was this woman? She was incredibly attractive compared to Oyo, and had a much more developed chest and thinner legs than her, not to mention, those ruby eyes and thick locks of silky hair…. Oyo swallowed. This woman sure was beautiful….

"W-Who are you?" The woman asked, dropping her cheerful manner. She was now staring at Oyo very suspiciously.

Oyo tried to cover herself, realising that she was covered by a blanket, underneath she was still in her undergarments. "Uh…."

"Oyo-chan, who's at the – oh, good morning, Leiko-chan." Kakashi emerged from the kitchen carrying a pan and walked up to the doorway behind Oyo, bending down to her level. "I didn't hear the doorbell ring." He whispered in her ear.

"I shouted at you but you were too busy singing!" She hissed back at him.

Leiko realised how close Kakashi was standing behind this 'Oyo' girl – so close, that his chin was almost touching her shoulder. She looked at her with a sour look. This 'Oyo' looked manky and dishevelled. Her hair was messy and she looked dumb. She was small and average – not to mention… Oyo was dressed in her underwear as Leiko could tell – and so was Kakashi. Her face went a bit red.

"Kakashi-kun… what's the meaning of this?"

"What do you mean what's the meaning of this?" He repeated her question lazily. "Well, uh… Oyo spent the night at my house and - "

She cringed and turned to him. "Shut up!"

"Oyo-chan, don't lie now, just admit the truth." He said irreverently.

Oyo screamed, pushed past him and ran back into the living room; the words 'pervert' playing over and over again in her mind like a record player scratching on the wrong chord.

Pervert (scratch)! Pervert (scratch)! Pervert (scratch)!

Leiko's jaw dropped. "Ano… Care to join us for breakfast?" he asked, holding the pan up.

Leiko scoffed at him. "How dare you even ask me that question! And-And I thought – " She screamed as well. "Well, here, I made you this – goodbye!" Leiko scrabbled back up the stairs screaming in fury.

Kakashi shut the door once he saw her disappear from the landing. "Glad she's gone for the while." He went to check up on Oyo, who was hiding under the blanket. "She's gone now."

"You - Why did you have to say that!" She said, emerging out from the covers.

"I had to get her away." He replied as he set the pan on the dining table.

"Wha - ?" she followed him into the kitchen, which was connected to the dining room.

He opened the flask and looked inside, then sighed. "Another Prawn Bisque. Want some?"

"No." She spat unceremoniously. "I hate prawn."

"Okay." Kakashi dumped the entire contents into the bin at the counter.

"Hey – " Oyo began as she looked at the gunk spill over the bag. "Why'd you do that?"

He shrugged and closed the flask. "I don't like her dishes. They're not my taste. I like ramen."

For some reason, Oyo flushed as she sat down. "So… what's for breakfast?"

"Ramen." He simply replied.

She sighed. Why do I even bother to ask?

As Kakashi set her bowl in front of her, she sniffed it inauspiciously before taking the first bite. She rolled her eyes; it obviously wasn't as good as the ones she made at work. The fried fish ball looked poorly seasoned and - She eyed Kakashi opposite her when she realised that he was looking at her. He hadn't touched his bowl yet. Oyo set her chopsticks properly and took the first bite. He was still gazing at her as she ate in front of him. Oyo coughed, and he broke out of his trance before looking at his ramen.

"It's going to get cold." She reminded him. "Hurry up and eat." She prodded at her fish ball and stuffed it into her mouth, then looked back up. His bowl was empty. Her eyes widened and popped out of the sockets.

"I told you I was a fast eater." He replied placidly, placing a finger on his mask, which was already pulled back up over his face.

She swallowed, and quickly ate her own. Did he really… eat it? From the corner of her eye, he seemed fine. No burnt mouth, no hiccups, no nothing. The bowl was empty, aside from some leftover soup and noodles stuck on the rims of the bowl. His chopsticks at the side had some noodles on it as well. Maybe he really did eat it….

After the breakfast of common ramen with sesame oil, she returned to the living room to gather her clothes; Kakashi followed her to retrieve the futon on the ground.

"Argh!" She grimaced. "This is that thunderstorm's fault! If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have to be stuck here, and that woman wouldn't have misunderstood and – " She noticed that Kakashi was staring at her intently from the armchair opposite. "What?" She snapped at him. He's always looking at me… another reason why I really have to get far away from him.

"You're blaming Mother Nature?"

She sniffed. "…. Yes."

"You'd better watch your tongue. You don't know how it'll come back to you."

"Pfft. I don't care." But inside, Oyo did care. Darn, I hope I didn't jinx myself.

He was still looking at her with his hand supporting his head.

"Am I so funny-looking to stare at?" She murmured, feeling very, very, very uncomfortable.

He shook his head. "You know… you look a lot cuter without your sunglasses."

Oyo's face turned beet red. C-C-C-Cute? She gawked at him and squeaked, "……… Really?"

"No."

The nearest heavy object between Oyo's arm length range was the lamp from yesterday, and she threw it at him. WHAM! It connected neatly and successfully with his face and Oyo snorted as she fell back on the sofa, doubling over with laughter.

Poof!

Kakashi turned into a piece of old cloth.

"Yo, Oyo." He said in a relaxed manner. "What did my clone say to you to make you laugh so much?"

She stopped laughing and looked behind her to see Kakashi in an apron, holding a sopping wet bowl with bubbles. "But you were – " She looked at the cloth opposite her. "A clone?" She groaned and held her head back, and then she got up. "I HATE YOU!"

Kakashi blinked in astonishment. "What? He said that to you?(!)"

"NO!" She screeched."I (She pointed to herself) HATE YOU!" She pointed at him with two hands when she said 'you'.

She grabbed her clothes and made a run for the exit, Kakashi pulled off his rubber gloves and apron and let the bowl fall safely onto the sofa, before following her. "Hey, hey, what happened, Oyo-chan?"

Oyo turned round to him from the door, eyes seething with venom. "I hate you, Hatake Kakashi! I've suffered from your harassment for long enough! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" She twisted the doorknob and tried to jerk it open.

Nothing happened, and there was a short stillness amongst the apartment.

"Urgh… can you unlock the door for me?"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Uh... I hope you enjoyed that. The last part will be coming next week! Ne, well, I guess it's kinda obvious who's going with Kakashi now, right?