Eighth Kiss: Our Own World

Everyone knew who made the best buns at the cheapest price was the Li Du Bakery, a charming little hole in the wall with a pink canopy and a red stringed door chime the jingled like a twittering sparrow. Kurenai's jounin-sensei was nice enough to let them off early on account of an angry girlfriend. It was only fair to make it up to her by taking her to dinner. She skipped to the bakery run by friendly Chinese expatriates and bought an assortment of warm pork buns and chicken rolls. Her mother would have been rightly pissed had she seen the size of the paper bag Kurenai toted, but her parents were running missions and her grandmother had her Mah Jong club meet, so the Ichiraku dive was her next stop before home.

Shrimp and tofu sesame ramen was the special, and she ordered the large. Unfortunately her radar was dampened by her amiable mood and as she strolled by a large back yard bordered by a shoddy log fence she didn't see the oncoming ambush by the dogs. Kurenai could make out seven canines of varying sizes and breeds. The biggest one was a black pit bull, the golden retriever wore a tiny pair of shades and a gray one had a slight black Mohawk. She screamed pointlessly, they pushed her down with their stampeding paws attacking her packages, shredding the paper and plastic with their sharp claws and fangs wrestling over the soft noodles and buns until they were breadcrumbs and a torn foam bowl.

"HEEL! I SAID HEEL!" Someone commanded. A boy with gray hair with a dour-looking pug at his feet attempted to regain control of the situation. Kurenai pushing her back into a tree feeling her red sleeveless blouse tear on the rutted bark recognized the boy's face.

"HATAKE KAKASHI!" She rushed him and toppled him to the grass, they rolled; Kakashi was on the defensive blocking her punches with his arms. Kurenai effectively got in a few good shots to the jaw and eye. He didn't know who exactly the red-eyed girl was, but he was sorry her dinner was chewed up, but alas such was the way of women. Punching first, explanations afterward. "YOU LITTLE BASTARD! I WANT MY MONEY BACK!" She pummeled him until a pair of larger and sturdier hands hoisted her from the cringing boy. Her limbs still flailing, Kurenai did not become aware of her sudden flight until she felt her weight drag her toward earth. "S-Sakumo-sama?" She whined.

The White Fang glowered at the kids then shook his head. "Mind filling me in?"

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Sakumo's body language gave his son every indication that he saw the whole exchange. Kurenai flounced when Kakashi provided her with an excuse for the Ninken's misbehavior (he left the yard to use the bathroom), but offered no apology. Incensed she gave him one last shove to the grass before fleeing.

"It's not my fault!" Kakashi protested. "I left before I could stop them. I don't have eyes in the back of my head!"

"This is a prime example of your inability to control the Ninken fully, Kakashi," Sakumo reprimanded his only son. The genius boy was unperturbed however.

"I fed them their dinner earlier."

"Just because Pakkun can talk doesn't mean they're not animals." Kakashi dusted himself off and they went into town.

He found Kurenai by the lake, he was hesitant on account that her genjutsu was better than his and she may have awaiting surprises for him. Sitting on the grassy bank she looked oddly tranquil, the sun burned bright crimson before dipping into the cloudless horizon and he could tell she was working things over in her diamond-sharp mind. The crumple of a paper bag jostled her back into the real world.

"Here." The aroma of scallions, fish and chicken broth had awoken her stomach. "Was this what you ordered?" Kurenai answered him with a chilly silence. "Don't be stubborn!" Kakashi dug into his silver racing striped navy pants pockets and pulled out a wad of yen bills. "My father spoke to the baker and asked how much you paid for the buns; they were fresh out by the time we got there. It's coming out of my allowance so you can feel better now." She swiped her hand and fisted the bills shoving them into her white shinobi pouch. Kakashi had yet to apologize and she knew he never would, it was something that required the Jaws of Life to be yanked from his arrogant little mouth.

"You're such an ass Kakashi," she sighed looking at the glassy still lake, anointed with fading gold from the dying sun. Kurenai uncurled the white bag and scanned the insides. "You forgot the chopsticks, moron." His wily gray hair wilted and it was his turn to sigh.

OWARI