The Anatomy of Love
Written By: Banana007
Chapter 7: Sweat and Scars
The stall continued to fill up with steam as hot water pelted Sakura's skin. She tilted her head back, letting out a sigh of content as the hot water coursed down her body and soothed the ache of her muscles. Volleyball was a leg killer and even though she excelled at the sport, the wedgie of her sports uniform kept her from staying on top of her game for the whole match today.
At some point during class, Professor Mizuki had noticed the way she kept tugging at her shorts and pulled her aside to know if everything was okay. Of course, she couldn't just tell him that her shorts were murdering her crotch, so she'd simply told him that the material was itchy around her thighs.
Under the stream of the showerhead, she leaned back and parted her legs to check the irritated line where her shorts had dug into her skin. She kept forgetting to order a new uniform with the proper size, but it wasn't like today was a good time to do it either. As soon as she was done here, she had to return to her apartment to finish prepping the lunch box for Kakashi. There were still two hours left until the designated time she had overheard the men announce at the basketball court the other day, but she needed the lunch to be perfect.
Just the thought of Kakashi crinkling his nose in distaste of her burnt or undercooked food was enough to have Sakura gulping in anxiety. Besides for friends, she'd never cooked for anyone else before. She'd certainly never cooked anything for a teacher. While Kakashi didn't seem like a picky eater, every person had their likes and dislikes and she wanted to amaze him with her cooking.
She would. She would make sure of it.
The bang of a shower stall nearby shook Sakura out of her thoughts. Fitness class had ended over half an hour ago and she had thought she was the last one still in the locker room. Since it was a Thursday, most students preferred to go straight home rather than stay for a shower. But the sound of a knob squeaking from the other stall told her that there was still one more student around after all.
Smoothing out a palmful of Minty Rainforest Mist conditioner through her hair, Sakura let the product sit in for a few minutes while she grabbed her phone and tapped out a text reminding Ino to not touch the defrosted pork sitting by their kitchen sink. Just as she received a thumbs up from her, Sakura heard the other shower stall open. There was a bit of shuffling for a few seconds, and then the bathroom fell silent save for Sakura's shower still running.
Well, that was quick. She didn't understand how there were people out there who could shower for only five minutes while she had to spend at least half an hour to make sure she came out squeaky clean after working up a good sweat.
After rinsing the conditioner off, she ran a wet brush through her hair until no more knots could be felt. Stepping out of the shower, Sakura took a quick glance around to see if any other student was lagging behind as well, but no. It was just her.
She grabbed a towel from a nearby hamper and wrapped it around her body before checking herself in the mirror. There was just a smudge of dark circles beneath her eyes, but she had enough time to cover it up with a corrector and swipe some gloss on her lips before heading to the gym she'd researched last night. It was the only gym in the city named 'Might Guy's Mighty Guys' and the name was more than enough hint that that was the gym the men were meeting up at.
A locker door banged close a few rows down and Sakura jumped, nearly dropping her caddy of shower supplies. A girl with chin-length lavender hair suddenly slipped out from an aisle further down the locker room—Hana? No, her name was Hanako. She was a relatively quiet girl in class who was decent at sports and actually put some effort into it, but she didn't really stand out all that much from the many other girls that had signed up for this class. All Sakura knew about Hanako was that she was a decently nice girl with a gentle smile. Her hair dripped onto the plain pink shirt she wore to match with her white skirt, but Sakura frowned at the way Hanako seemed to be hobbling.
"Hey, you okay?" Sakura's eyes fell from Hanako's polite smile and down to the way the girl was cupping her lower stomach. Ah, of course. "Oh, I get really bad cramps during my time of month too," she laughed slightly. But as Hanako neared her, Sakura noticed the thin trail of blood dribbling down the girl's inner thigh. Yikes! Worst time to be wearing a white tennis skirt. "Do you need a tampon?"
"No, I need to go now," Hanako merely replied, still smiling politely. She was generally a calm and docile girl, but she was much too calm for a girl whose period blood was running down her leg like a nightmare come true. "See you next week, Sakura!"
"Y-Yeah, but you're..." Sakura watched the girl hobble by and push the door to step out of the locker room. "Bleeding," she finished, alone now as the door closed quietly.
Huh. Okay then...
Adjusting the front of her towel, Sakura shook her head and headed down the rows of lockers to change into the floral chiffon dress she had planned out for today after agonizing over her outfit choices last night.
Dropping her towel behind herself on the bench, she grabbed her sports bra and sports uniform to take home and laundry later. After shoving the clothes in her bag, she grabbed the bottle of cherry blossom lotion from her locker, squirting some into her hands before slathering it all over her body. Once the lotion was rubbed in, she picked up the floral dress and slipped it on. As she slid the straps over her shoulder, a noise from outside had her pausing. It had sounded like it came from the hallway just outside the locker room.
"Hanako?" Sakura called out, digging her hand back into her locker. "Hey, did you still need that tampon?"
No response.
The call of silence prompted a frown from Sakura and she pulled on her panties before peeking over the side of the locker. The room remained empty of any sign someone had come inside the locker room. Still, she felt insecure being all alone in the building. Didn't horror movies usually have situations like these? If she remembered those movies right, the scene always ended with the half-naked girl getting butchered to death by a psycho-killer.
A shudder ran through Sakura and she hurriedly slipped her white sandals on and deposited the bath towel into one of the hampers at the end of the aisle. Her sandals made a sharp 'click clack' noise as she scampered out of the locker room, pushing the door open and slamming face-first into a muscled body. She yelped, a scream building its way out of her throat until the familiar sight of icy blue hair stopped Sakura in her tracks.
"Professor Mizuki!"
"Sakura!" He grabbed her bare arm to steady her. "Geez, what's the rush?"
"I-I thought..." She stole a look around the empty hallway just to make sure nothing was out of place. Hanako was nowhere to be seen. Swallowing back her paranoia, Sakura shook her head. "No, never mind. You're still here, Professor?"
Releasing her arm, Professor Mizuki raised his hand to run it through his hair that she noticed was damp like hers. "Yeah, I was showering in the men's locker room just earlier. I'm in the middle of locking up the place since our class is the last section of the day," he added, shaking a set of keys in his hand in gesture. Seeing the way Sakura glanced down the hallway, he waved a dismissive hand. "Ah, don't worry, you can still open the doors from within. You heading over to your next class now?"
Gripping both straps of her backpack, she shook her head. "No, I just finished for the day so I was about to head home."
A grin broke out on Professor Mizuki's face at that. "Awesome! Then do you mind helping me sort out the equipment room for a few minutes before you leave? Could use the company."
Ugh. Knowing she couldn't outright tell him that she had to go make lunch for her Anatomy professor, Sakura plastered a smile on and nodded. "Sure, Professor!"
It would only be for a few minutes. She could spare that much.
Upon entering the equipment room, however, she realized this sort of mess would take at least an hour or two. The basketballs had tumbled down to the floor, football helmets and baseball helmets had mixed into the wrong cart, and stray badminton and tennis rackets had tipped over on the ground after lazy students had just tossed them aside. And how did the tennis balls get in every corner of the room?
She knew that what she saw now was only the tip of the iceberg.
"I know what you're thinking: this place is a warzone," Professor Mizuki sighed, propping both hands on his hips as he surveyed what they were dealing with. "Can't say it's the janitor's duty to pick up after the class, and I can't make the class stay past the allotted time. So I gotta take care of this mess every day, but it's like fighting a losing battle."
Yeah, no kidding. No wonder he often requested a student to stay after class with him. Suppressing a sigh, she allowed him to direct her over to a large shelf teeming with a wild assortment of air pumps, jump ropes, gloves, and headgear.
"Let the air pumps stand on the side, gloves hooked on the second row, helmets mounted on the top shelf, and jump ropes on that large hook there," Professor Mizuki said as she dumped her backpack aside and set to work.
Thankfully, he didn't seem particularly eager for a chat today, or maybe he got the gist that she would prefer to focus on work instead of talking. The better half of Sakura felt bad. He was a nice guy, and the students loved him for the attention he showered them with. She couldn't name many teachers who were willing to spend the extra time and effort to get to know a student they would only have for a few months. Almost every teacher she ever had could hardly spare her a glance and only when she raised her hand to answer a question. It was understandable though; it wasn't their duty or within their pay grade to befriend students.
Which made teachers like him a rarity, and yet it wasn't Professor Mizuki who had begun to fill her thoughts every day. Even as she stood in this cramped room with her fitness instructor just a few feet away, all Sakura could think about was if Kakashi was feeling better since yesterday's accident. The scrapes he'd sustained from the fall weren't serious enough to scar him. Not in the same way as those scars slashed all over his back. But maybe he was still feeling bruised and sore? She would have to remember to buy some pain relief patches on the way home.
"Thanks for the help, by the way," Professor Mizuki said to her over his shoulder. He grunted, tugging insistently on a jump rope caught around the legs of a cart. "You're the one student in my class who always gives it their best, and I like that about you, Sakura. Your parents must be proud to have raised such a hard-working daughter."
She pursed her lips at the last comment, slowly hanging another pair of worn mitts. "Oh, I kind of raised myself..."
"Oh?" He paused in his work and looked over to her. "Your parents aren't home often?"
"They're abroad for work, so..." Sakura shrugged, keeping her attention trained on a jump rope she was determined to detangle. "I've had to look after myself since I was a little girl. I moved in with my best friend just recently for college, but she goes home on weekends. So... you know."
Watching her pick at the knot of the jump rope with plaintive disinterest, Professor Mizuki nodded. "Must be quite lonely for you. My parents died when I was young, so I can kinda relate to how you feel. That said," he turned to her, holding out the jump rope he'd pulled free from the cart, "if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm always here for you, Sakura."
She spun around to face him and his sympathetic smile. Reaching for the jump rope he held out to her, Sakura couldn't help but smile back at the kind comment. "Thank you, Professor Mizu—"
"Watch out!" He shouted over the sudden sound of a sharp groan. He dropped the jump rope and grabbed her by the wrist, yanking her towards him at the same time his other hand flew up to stop the shelf from completely crushing her.
The jump ropes, headgear, and gloves all tumbled down onto the both of them as they braced together. It was only when the last helmet bounced off her head did Sakura peek up, finding her face much too close to Professor Mizuki's. She was pressed up against him, practically molded to his front with the way his arm wrapped around her so tightly.
"Um, P-Professor Mizuki?" she coughed out, struggling to keep from burying her face right into his chest to avoid inhaling the dust.
He grunted, pushing the shelf back and away from them. It groaned out in protest once more before it was set back in its proper place, propped firmly against the wall this time. "You good?" he panted out, finally releasing her only to reach that same hand up and flick something off the top of her head. "That was a close call. These shelves are pretty old, so it's about time to put in an order for a new one. "
Still coughing out the dust that had gotten caught in her throat, Sakura took a step back, only to bump into the shelf that had started it all. Peering down at herself, she was thankful that her dress had survived at least. She could handle a bump at the back of her head, but she'd spent a whole hour last night putting this outfit together.
"Uh..." Professor Mizuki's hand hovered awkwardly over her head. "You've got some... um, dust in your hair."
You've gotta be kidding me!
As if sensing her mood souring fast, he smiled wryly and pointed out of the room. "The showers run 24/7 if you wanna go back and clean up quickly? I think we've fixed this place as best we could for today."
Checking the silver watch dangling off her wrist, she nearly shrieked upon seeing that she only had barely over an hour to prepare Kakashi's lunch. So much for two hours to get ready. Spinning on her heel, she stopped and hesitated a bit. She didn't want to be here in the facility all by herself. Especially naked. Now that was the perfect scenario for a psycho killer to butcher her.
"Are you going to stay here a bit longer?"
His brows raised ever so slightly before he smiled kindly at her. "Yeah, I can stay with you. Don't worry, I'll be right in my office until you're done."
She nodded, flashing him a grateful smile in return before grabbing her backpack off the floor to dash back to the locker room. Even though she knew Professor Mizuki was waiting for her further down the hallway, she still felt a sense of discomfort, walking past the empty rows of lockers to duck back into the shower room.
At the sight of the basket empty of towels for her to use, Sakura groaned. It would be impossible to shower without a towel—not if she wanted her dress and underwear to get soaking wet. It wasn't like she could just crouch beneath the hand dryer and blow dry her entire body like a weirdo either. And she wasn't too desperate for that yet. Tugging at the skirt of her dress, she decided that since it was only her hair that was dirty, she could just shove her head beneath the spray of water and just be careful not to get the rest of herself wet.
She nodded, setting aside her shower caddy to adjust the direction of the showerhead. She turned the knob and waited for the water to heat up enough before ducking her head beneath the warm spray. A quick shampoo lasted only a few minutes before she shut the water off and squeezed out the excess water from her hair as much as she could.
Droplets continued to trickle down her shoulder, however, as Sakura hurriedly ran her wet brush through the tangled locks once again. But, after checking herself in the mirror, she decided her rosy cheeks and dripping hair weren't too bad of a look. Some makeup could make her look more put together.
Professor Mizuki's office was quiet from within as Sakura knocked on his door. It swung open in a second, revealing him still in his green shirt and tan shorts. "I'm done," she said breathlessly. "Thanks for waiting for me."
Forest green eyes ran down her from head to toe and then he frowned. "Sakura, you're dripping."
"Oh..." She checked the floor to make sure she wasn't leaving a mess anywhere. "There were no more clean towels left."
The keys in his hand jangled as he took a step back and threw a thumb over his shoulder. "I've got some fresh towels inside my office. Come on in and dry off before you catch a cold."
"Oh, I don't want to keep you waiting any longer."
"Nonsense!" Professor Mizuki nudged the door wider to hold it open for her. "I was just watching a film and I'll probably go home and continue it anyway." He smiled and tilted his head towards the space of the office. "Besides, you're soaking wet. Come inside before you catch that cold."
Another droplet hit Sakura's shoulder right as he said that. Her eyes flitted over to the dark room he was leaning into. She couldn't see much inside the office except for the small light on his desk illuminating the laptop sitting beside it. The screensaver displayed digital photos of groups of students she assumed were his classes from over the past years. Most of them were girls although that wasn't a surprise. Of course a physically attractive and friendly teacher like Professor Mizuki would attract plenty of female students to register for his class.
The pictures of the grinning students faded in and out as Sakura mulled over his offer.
She took a step forward—
Tra-la-la-la-la! Her phone's alarm sung out. Tra-la-la-la-la!
She yanked her backpack off her shoulder and reached in for the offending device. It was still singing in warning when Sakura squinted at the alarm flashing on the screen: make KK's lunch. Swiping to dismiss the alarm, she returned her attention to Professor Mizuki who still held the door to his office wide open for her.
"Actually, it's all right, Professor," she said, securing the straps of her backpack over both shoulders. "My hair will dry quickly under the heat of the sun. Thank you though."
Tipping a brow, Professor Mizuki shook his head but chuckled quietly. "All right then, suit yourself." Jangling the keys in his hand, he reached for the doorknob and began to retreat into his office. "Have a nice day, Sakura," he said, smiling at her even as the door swung close between them.
She stood there for a moment longer, wondering if she'd somehow offended him, although it was hard to decipher his smiles. Ino had once told her that to refuse an offer was an insult, but it was in her nature to do things on her own rather than rely on the generosity of others. Sakura supposed it was her own fault for letting Professor Mizuki assume that she was completely free for the rest of the day since mentioning that she was done with classes. However, he had to understand that she was a college student and had other responsibilities.
Or maybe... maybe he's caught on to the fact that I don't like staying behind for a chat like his other students? Had she made it too obvious? Well, too late now.
Shaking her head, she made her way out of the gym. The hot sun greeted Sakura with a sharp glare and she raised a hand to shield her eyes and started to walk home at a brisk pace. Her backpack was heavy with English textbooks, and the extra weight slowed her down a bit, but it was her excitement to see Kakashi today that spurred her onwards.
By the time she kicked the door close and tossed her keys into the bowl beneath the coat rack, she had only an hour left to cook. It was technically more than enough time, but the presentation of the lunch box was just as important as the taste of the food itself.
Combing her fingers through the random damp strands of hair that the sun hadn't dried, Sakura shrugged on the strawberry-patterned apron that matched Ino's apron designed with grapes. While waiting for the pot of water to start boiling, she began cutting an apple into rabbit slices.
.
.
.
The marquee sign hanging before Sakura spelled out 'Might Guy's Mighty Guys' in bold letters framed by bright bulbs. It wasn't the kind of sign she'd expect for a gym, but she'd heard from Tenten how eccentric Professor Guy could be. After seeing him play on the courts yesterday, she couldn't help but find the marquee sign a very befitting style for the fitness instructor.
Fiddling with the knot of the cloth she'd wrapped the lunch box in, Sakura rocked back on her heels, taking the moment to smooth back her hair and make sure every strand was in place. Her favorite gloss was giving her that pouty look right now, and she'd even added a few coats of mascara. No blush was needed when her cheeks were already rosy with excitement—or maybe anxiety? It was hard to tell when her stomach kept doing somersaults the longer she stared up at the marquee sign.
The doors suddenly swung open and Sakura jumped slightly, only to calm down at the sight of a random middle-aged woman who appeared to have just finished a good workout. As the woman headed to her car, Sakura pretended to study the v-neckline of her dress, picking at the buttons that lined the front of her bodice. Once the car peeled away, she returned to squinting up at the marquee sign.
Sakura, stop thinking about it and just do it!
Ugh, but she'd spent so much time worrying about cooking the food that she'd never thought of how to give it to Kakashi. Now that she was here, what was the game plan? Just walk up to him and shove it in his hands? And then what—run away?
She started to pace back and forth. If it wasn't for the red polish coating her nails, she'd be biting at them. Maybe I can just drop it off at the counter for some worker to give to him? Yeah, that sounds like a plan!
Nodding decisively, she smoothed down the front of her dress one last time before heading into the gym. A blast of cold air hit her in the face the moment she walked in. Goosebumps erupted over her arms and she shivered, but steeled herself and approached the counter where a familiar guy in an olive uniform was perusing a magazine.
The sound of grunts, thuds, and punching bags getting hit echoed across the large chamber as Sakura crossed over to the worker at the desk. He had shaggy bangs that slanted across the right side of his face, but it was his navy bandana wrapped around his head that jogged Sakura's memory. This guy had been on Kakashi's team when they were playing basketball yesterday. She hadn't noticed him much and all she remembered about him was that he had stuck with his teammate with the band-aid across his nose for the majority of the game.
"Um, excuse me," she said, approaching the desk at the same time Izumo glanced up from his magazine. He frowned at her, seemingly confused by the sight of a young girl in a dress in a gym full of sweaty men. "Hi, um, is Professor Hatake here?"
"Professor..." His frown deepened into a squint before Izumo snapped his fingers and pointed at her. "Oh! You're that girl from yesterday's basketball game! Kakashi's student, right?"
"Yeah, I have something to give to him and was wondering if you could—"
"Hey, Kakashi, your student's here!" Izumo shouted over the gym's music, turning his head in the direction where the grunts were loudest.
Sakura's eyes widened and she immediately started shaking her head to stop him, but his attention was completely elsewhere now. Specifically on the boxing ring in the farthest corner of the room where two men were still going at it. Beneath the bright fluorescent panel lights, silver-grey hair glinted as a shirtless Kakashi Hatake ducked and weaved through Professor Guy's sharp jabs in search of an opening.
"H-He's busy," she squeaked out, "so if you could just give this to him when—"
"Kakashi, that Sakura girl is here!" Izumo shouted once more, louder this time. Sakura gulped as every head in the gym turned in their direction, including the head with silver-grey hair. "Ah, good, he's coming here now."
Not good! Not good at all! Abort! Abort!
Meeting Izumo's relaxed smile, Sakura then peered over her shoulder, wondering if it wasn't too late to just leave the lunch box on this desk and make a run for it while she still—
"Saku—" There was the sound of someone clearing his throat just a few feet away from her. "Miss Haruno?"
She gripped the counter for support before turning her attention to where Kakashi stood. His entire torso heaved up and down from every ragged pant, glistening gloriously with a slick coat of sweat. Just the sight of those pecs and dusty pink nipples nearly made Sakura swoon as memories of yesterday's fall flooded her mind. Her cheeks seemed to sear with heat from the memory of how that chest had felt so hot and solid against them that time.
It was a good thing she had a white-knuckled grip on the edge of the counter or else she'd be swaying on her feet just from the sight of him. With him standing there in just a pair of black shorts and gloves, it was a struggle to not stare. Half of her wanted to tell him to put on a shirt. The other half wanted to keep staring.
Blinking out of her stupor, Sakura forced her eyes back up to Kakashi's face, catching him do the same with her as well. Had he just been checking her out too? No, he had probably been wondering the same thing as Izumo: what the hell is a young girl in a floral chiffon sundress and white sandals doing in a boxing gym full of sweaty men? Yeah, she was beginning to wonder that too.
"I, um... here!" She held up the lunch box with both hands, staring at the red plaid cloth that she had chosen to wrap the box in. Easier than staring at Kakashi's reaction. "Th-They're pain-relief patches," she explained the square packets tucked beneath the knot of the cloth. "For your back. I wasn't sure if you got bruised o-or strained your back, so—"
Still behind the counter, Izumo slapped a palm on the desk and howled in laughter. "Haha! Damn, you're getting old, Kakashi!"
If only this man wasn't Kakashi's friend then she probably would've leapt over that counter to throttle him. Kakashi, on the other hand, gave a mere roll of his eyes.
"A-And I made you lunch," Sakura stammered out. "As thanks for taking me—me and Hanabi—to the ice cream shop after the game."
It felt like she was confessing her undying love for him right here with a whole audience laughing at her as if she was just a kid... which she was, basically. Seventeen years old was pretty much a kid in the eyes of these full-grown men. Now she was starting to feel ridiculous in this dress. Cute, but ridiculous. Like a little girl playing with her mother's clothes. Why had she thought this was a good idea?!
Still holding the lunch box out to him, Sakura finally dared to peek at Kakashi's face. Her stomach dropped at the sight of the slight pinch between his brows and the way he was rubbing his neck with his gloves still on. Dark eyes flitted between her and Izumo who was still observing them much too closely like they were a live soap opera.
Dropping the hand from his neck, Kakashi sighed. "You didn't have to do this for me, Miss Haruno."
"Oh..." Her stomach continued to do somersaults, churning up the bile that was beginning to make its way up now. But knowing Kakashi wouldn't appreciate getting puked on a second time, Sakura merely nodded. Pressing her lips tight to hold back any sound of disappointment—or a chunk of vomit—she pulled the lunchbox away and turned to—
Something tugged at the lunchbox, effectively stopping her.
"So that's why I appreciate it," Kakashi said in a quiet voice, holding firmly onto the corner of the lunchbox. "Thank you."
Despite the mask obscuring half his face, there was a sincerity in those dark eyes that matched the gentle tone of his voice. Stepping back to him, Sakura tucked back a loose strand of hair and smiled shyly, relieved to know that he hadn't felt bothered by her sudden appearance or the fact that she'd shown up unannounced and without any warning as to her plans to make lunch for him.
"I wasn't sure what you liked besides the shoyu ramen bowl from school, so I tried to copy the recipe," she explained. Now that her hands were free of the lunch box, she started to fidget with the hem of her dress. "I even added pork in there, and you said that you don't like it when it's too tough to chew, so I made sure to cook it just right."
Izumo whistled low. "You don't happen to have another lunchbox in there for me too, do you? Hold on, this isn't some ploy to kiss up to Kakashi for a better grade, is it? 'Cause I'm warning you now, this guy doesn't—"
"You cooked this all by yourself, Miss Haruno?" Kakashi shifted closer to her side, blocking Izumo from her sight.
"I cooked it all less than an hour ago, so it should still be nice and hot," Sakura added, twisting her skirt's hem between anxious fingers. His sweat seemed to somehow amplify the minty notes of his pine tree scent.
"Smells really good," Kakashi said with a pleased nod, and her shoulders sagged slightly in relief.
You smell even better, she almost said. "Yeah, I hope you're hungry."
"Starving now that I'm smelling all this food."
Her belly was aching too, but the hunger in her seemed different and not entirely familiar.
Kakashi paused, gauging the small smile on Sakura's face. His gaze slowly fell to the hem of her dress, and she forced her hands to still. For a second, Kakashi's gaze lingered there and Sakura fought the urge to tug down her dress, wondering If the mid-thigh length was too short or inappropriate for this setting. Oh, who was she kidding? Her whole attire was inappropriate for the gym. Did it really look so obvious that she had dressed up for this?
"Do you need to go somewhere after this?" Kakashi inquired, sweeping his eyes up her dress and back to her face.
Sakura shook her head and he glanced back at the ring where he'd been at. Professor Guy had already stepped out of the ring and was in the middle of talking to a guy who looked around Sakura's age with shaggy dark hair covered by a ratty baseball cap. Clapping a firm hand around the young man's shoulder, Professor Guy began guiding him away from the ring.
Turning back to her, Kakashi tilted his head to where another man in a navy bandana similar to Izumo's was climbing into the ring. "I have a match with Genma coming up. Would you like to stay and watch for a bit?"
"Yes, I'd love to!" She squealed out, rocking forward eagerly. Catching herself, Sakura stopped and cleared her throat. "I-I mean yeah. Sounds cool."
Hearing a soft chuckle from Kakashi, she blushed but said nothing as he jerked his head in the direction of the benches by the ring. Leaving Izumo behind the desk, he guided her over to a front-row seat and Sakura took the moment to check his back. She frowned upon seeing that he had yet to change the bandages she'd applied on him yesterday.
Turning around, Kakashi instructed her to sit and wait for him, promising to finish the match in less than five minutes. Adjusting the toothpick in his mouth, Genma snorted and pointed out that Kakashi was just bragging. But if Kakashi was the reigning champion of the ring, then surely he had the right to brag.
"Five minutes or less," Kakashi murmured to her. He gave her a wink before tugging down the bottom rope to climb onto the platform.
Sakura was still reeling over the fact that he had winked at her when a bell dinged nearby and the first punch was thrown. Genma shuffled back, but his bottom jaw got clipped and he immediately ducked beneath the second punch. Kakashi moved forward steadily as the two of them bounced on the balls of their feet. It almost looked like a dance with the way they moved side to side, constantly facing each other and anticipating the other's next move.
It was thrilling watching them move, and feeling the tension build in between each explosive hit. She'd never been one to watch MMA sports, but sitting here in her front-row seat, she understood why people loved to watch a good fight. It was almost like participating in the fight itself, with every second and every drop of sweat adding to the adrenaline running through her veins.
Unable to hold herself back, Sakura cupped both hands around her mouth. "Go, Professor Hatake! Kick his ass!"
Kakashi didn't look her way, but his mask shifted ever so slightly—a telltale sign of the smirk she was beginning to recognize just by the subtle way his one cheek rose over the edge of his mask. He said something that Sakura couldn't hear, but Genma reacted by flicking his eyes towards her for just a split second before shrinking away from Kakashi's sudden left hook.
Forced into the defensive, Genma had his guard up, both hands raised over his face with his left fist bobbing up and down. His dominant side? He answered that question by throwing his left fist first, making a few quick jabs towards Kakashi's face in between a kick to his side in an attempt to keep him away. With lightning speed, Kakashi ducked and weaved through the strikes. Finally trapping Genma in the corner, Kakashi spun on his heel and slammed his other foot into Genma's gut, knocking him right against the post.
Ding!
"Yes!" Sakura yelled out, standing up to pump her fist triumphantly. Hearing the chuckles of the other men nearby, she quickly sat herself back down, sandwiching both hands beneath her thighs to keep herself still. But the grin on her face had yet to subside, and it widened when Kakashi turned around to meet her with that same energy alight in his eyes.
"Two minutes and twelve seconds," he announced after checking the clock on the wall. Slinging an arm over the rope, Kakashi considered her for a moment as he caught his breath. "You mind handing me that towel and bottle next to you?" he panted out, nodding to the seat beside hers.
Quickly, Sakura grabbed the white towel and the cylindrical jug at her side, stepping forward until the bottom rope of the ring was level to her face. Standing up on tiptoes, she handed the stuff to Kakashi, biting back a gasp when his fingers brushed over hers as he accepted the towel from her.
He mumbled his thanks before carefully tugging his mask just enough to squirt some water into his mouth without revealing anything. Sakura stared up at him, studying the way the droplets of sweat trickled down the outline of his face before disappearing into the edge of his mask. His abs glistened under the fluorescent lights, the shadows of the contours shifting with every breath he took. As he gulped down another mouthful of water, she licked her lips and then threw her eyes back down when Kakashi finally lowered the water bottle. "So what did you think?" he asked, patting his temple with the towel before wiping it around his shoulders.
"I was expecting a bit more... punches and bloody noses," Sakura admitted, eyeing the red curl of that tattoo on his left bicep she had yet to get a good look at. The towel hung over that shoulder, covering most of the tattoo. "But I think it was really cool."
You were really cool.
"Oh yeah?"
Genma groaned out from his corner of the ring, having just finished picking up the remains of his pride. "You know what I think?" Gripping his stomach where Kakashi had kicked him, he pulled out the toothpick that had miraculously stayed in his mouth. "I think you just got lucky 'cause you had your own lil' cheerleader with you," he said as he climbed out from between the ropes of the ring.
For some reason, Sakura found the comment embarrassing and she could already feel her face flushing as Genma swept by her to grab his towel from another chair.
"Now if I had my own pretty little cheerleader rooting for me, I'd have more motivation to not lose," Genma added, giving Sakura a wink that was nothing like the one Kakashi had given her just earlier.
Her jaw dropped at the insinuation, and she didn't know whether to be angry or indignant of the double meaning behind those words.
"Genma, she's only seventeen," Kakashi spoke up for her, his tone as strict as the look he was now giving his friend.
The coquettish grin on Genma's face instantly fell away as he blanched at that. "Oh shit, really?" He stared at Sakura like he was seeing her in a new light now, no doubt thrown off his game by the reveal that she was still a minor. "Well," he drawled out, slowly backpedaling from the awkward situation he'd created. "Never mind then."
Shaking his head after Genma's quick retreat, Kakashi returned his attention to Sakura who was still fighting off the heat flooding her face. "Sorry about Genma," he said quietly as if he was worried that she would scamper away the next time an older man tried to hit on her. "He's the resident flirt around here."
Sakura laughed slightly, still feeling awkward by Genma's comments. "I thought people only flirted like that in the movies."
"And that's why he's still single," Kakashi replied, tugging the gloves off his hands now. This time, Sakura laughed for real, prompting Kakashi to smile down at her as the tension finally wore away. Stealing a glance around the gym that was now almost empty of occupants, he leaned in and said more quietly, "Do you need to go anywhere, or do you have time?"
Grabbing onto the bottom rope, she leaned in as well as if they were sharing a secret together. "I have time."
Time for what?
Kakashi tipped a brow at her. "You sure? You don't need to do homework or study?"
"I finished my homework already." A total lie, but whatever. She could type that English paper in her sleep.
Taking another quick look around the gym, he began tugging at the straps of his gloves. "What about the lecture quiz I published online yesterday?" he asked, eyeing her over the sound of the glove's velcro straps ripping off.
The corners of Sakura's lips curled up. "I finished your quiz right after lab class, Professor," she answered sweetly, almost smugly. Now that was the truth.
Dark eyes flitted across her face as if he was gauging the truth of that answer just by the eagerness in her expression. She raised her brows slightly, pulling her bottom lip out into a pout, silently insisting to him. Whether it worked or not, she didn't know, but Kakashi stroked his jaw for a moment before finally tipping his head towards a hallway across the ring. "Then do you want to wait for me in the break room while I take a quick shower?"
In the break room? She followed the direction of his finger to the floor-length windows that belonged to a room in the corner of the hallway. It was right beside the main office, the door of which was ajar as if the owner of the gym had slipped out for a quick bathroom run or something. Turning back to Kakashi, she nodded—hard—and his eyes crinkled at her ever so slightly.
"I'll be there in fifteen."
Nodding again, Sakura tore her attention away from him and began making her way to the break room... which was empty... where the two of them would be... together... alone... Which is completely fine—normal, she insisted to herself. They wouldn't be doing anything inappropriate. It wouldn't be the first time she'd be left alone with a teacher. It would be the first time she'd be alone with a very handsome teacher fresh from his shower though.
He probably just wants to make sure I didn't poison the lunch box or something. Yeah...
The smell of coffee and something sweet was the first thing she noticed upon entering the break room. It wasn't very spacious, but it was cozy enough that she could imagine some gym-goers hanging here for a few minutes to strike up a chat with each other. There was a coffee machine in the far corner of what appeared to be a small kitchen, although it wasn't much of a kitchen when there was only a fridge. Next to the fridge, a lone bottle filled with a brown liquid sat on the counter alongside a large jar of some sort of protein powder.
She took up a seat at one of the three tables in the room, the elongated tables reminding her of when she would sit across Ino during lunches back in grade school. A quick peep at her wristwatch showed that it was only half-past five, but Ino would be getting suspicious if she didn't return soon enough to help cook dinner.
Bzzt!
She glimpsed at the phone in her hand. Well, speak of the devil.
Ino: Where did u go?
Thrumming her fingers against the table, Sakura scrambled for an answer.
Sakura: Went for a walk
Ino: How much longer is ur walk gonna take?
Ino: Thought we were gonna cook some hotpot n watch tonight's Gilmore Girls?
Sakura: We are
She paused, finger tapping against her chin a few times in deep thought before she returned to tapping at her phone.
Sakura: Just gonna pass by the grocery store
Ino: Kk
Ino: Hurry up, or I'll eat the rest of the ice cream
Sakura: Pig
The door swung open while Ino was still typing out a reply. Sakura set her phone aside even as it vibrated with Ino's text, smiling at Kakashi who paused before letting the door close behind him softly. Still damp from his shower, the fluffed ends of his hair were weighed down. It reminded her of a dog with its ears drooping down and she bit her bottom lip to keep from giggling.
He had his towel hanging over the shoulder with the tattoo, obscuring it again. That was okay. Her focus was usually on his face anyway as she was often too busy deciphering every minuscule reaction of his. She probably put in more effort studying him than his powerpoint lectures, but he didn't need to know that.
Sitting himself opposite of her, Kakashi went on to set her lunch box on the table and Sakura waited with bated breath as she watched him unwrap the red cloth. She had chosen the least girly lunch box she could find in the cupboards, but the white box before him still bore cherry blossom engravings on the lid. Kakashi said nothing, however, as he pulled the lid off to survey the meal she had prepped for him.
She blushed when his brows shot up at the bunny-shaped apple slices, followed by the orange slices arranged into a flower. In her hurry to put together the lunch box, Sakura hadn't really been thinking that it might be too girly to design the food like that. Her hands had just moved on their own after years of making her own lunch every morning for school.
"You never told me you're an artist," Kakashi hummed, procuring the chopsticks from its case.
Her blush deepened, knowing it was his way of complimenting the presentation. Suddenly, there was a pause, and Kakashi gazed up at her as if he was waiting for something. Or as if he was waiting for her to look away.
Really? Not even a little peek?
She held his gaze for a while longer, until the intensity in his eyes gradually deepened with a silent command.
Look away.
With a huff, she relented, turning her sights onto the IcyHot pain relief patches that had been set aside. To distract herself, Sakura stood up and grabbed the patches. "Let me see your back," she said, quickly skirting around the table over to his side before he could even think of protesting. Upon seeing the bandages soaked from his shower, the small smile on her face immediately flipped upside down. "You were supposed to remove your bandages."
He merely hummed again, too occupied with savoring the first bite of the shoyu ramen she'd cooked hardly an hour ago for him. She wanted to ask him what he thought of the food but knew it was best to give him some time to at least chew first. From behind him, it was impossible for her to see his expression, but the fact that he wasn't choking or gagging was probably a good enough sign.
Sighing quietly, Sakura peeled off the bandages she had applied on him yesterday, taking care—or rather just taking her time so that she could admire the strong contours of his back. Her fingers drew lightly over his scars, and this time he didn't seem to mind the way she touched them. Unlike the first time when he'd stiffened initially.
His skin was warm to the touch, and Sakura dared to lay her whole palm against his back as Kakashi took another bite. This close to him, she could even pick up the scent of his shampoo wafting from his hair, the brisk sweetness somewhat familiar... No way. Minty Rainforest Mist?
She gulped, willing her excited heart to stop beating so furiously. He used the same shampoo as her—so what? Shaking her head, she grabbed a pain relief patch and gently pressed it over a strip of discolored skin across the center of his back, mindful of the old scars beneath the bruise. The question as to the history behind all these scars remained poised on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it back. It wasn't her place to grill him over something so personal.
"Is the food okay?" Sakura asked instead, smoothing another patch over a fresh bruise beneath his right shoulder blade. "I hope I didn't overcook the pork."
"It's good," Kakashi answered with a bob of his head. "If I didn't know any better, I'd guess you stole this right from the school cafeteria."
She gasped at that. "Mr. Hatake! I'll have you know that I put my heart and soul into it," she said, her pout evident in her voice although she was glad he couldn't see the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth too.
"Hm, no wonder it tastes good." He plucked at another piece of pork with his chopsticks but paused as she smoothed out a third pain relief patch on his back. "Thank you, Sakura."
Rocking back on her heels, she bit her bottom lip to contain the giddiness swelling within her. It felt like a balloon nearly ready to pop, having never been praised like this before. It was just a simple 'thank you', but there seemed to be a sort of intimacy or gravity in those two words just by the way he said it. As if it contained an immeasurable gratitude that he didn't know how to express other than through 'thank you'. Almost like he'd never had someone cook for him before.
"So does that mean I get an A-plus?"
"You're really asking me to grade your food?"
Sakura giggled at the incredulity in his voice. "Well, you are my professor."
"Fine," Kakashi sighed although she could hear a note of amusement as well. "I'll give you an A-plus, Miss Haruno."
Pleased with his answer, she drew her fingertips over a scar slashed diagonally beneath the nape of his neck, tracing it onto the next scar across like a constellation. At the back of her mind, she thought that perhaps her touch was intrusive, but Kakashi didn't seem to mind at all. It was almost like petting a dog that wasn't used to being touched but had learned to trust her.
Does he trust me? Carefully, Sakura stroked her forefinger all the way down the center of Kakashi's back. Except for the subtle shiver under her touch, he made no other reaction—no sign of discomfort or anything that told her that he didn't like her touch. She smiled and stroked his back again, gentle and featherlight over each bruise and scar.
Upon sensing someone was watching her, Sakura looked through the floor-length windows that offered an expansive view of the whole gym. Izumo and Genma were unhooking a punching bag to replace it with another, the both of them staring in her direction. She instantly pulled her hand away from Kakashi's back and began to fiddle with the wrappers of the patches instead.
"Your friends keep looking over," Sakura mumbled, staring back at them from the corner of her eye. She frowned at a bruise she had missed on his lower back and reached for another patch. "As I thought, I should've cooked some for them too."
Peering over at the men beyond the windows, Kakashi shook his head. "Don't worry about them. They're just wondering when will they ever get a wife to cook homemade food for them."
A wife to cook homemade food for them... Biting her bottom lip, she rocked forth on the balls of her feet while tracing the borders of the fourth patch she'd placed on his lower back. "Do you have a wife, Mr. Hatake?"
It was an innocent question, but it slipped out from between her lips so quietly, breathlessly, that it left her feeling like she'd said something forbidden.
"No," Kakashi replied smoothly, swirling the chopsticks through a clump of noodles. He raised it up for another bite, but suddenly the chopsticks froze halfway up his mouth. A strange beat of silence passed between them. "You don't have a boyfriend... do you, Sakura?"
There was that strange fluttery sensation in her belly again. Weird and warm and reaching up to her cheeks. She sucked in a shaky breath to soothe that weird heat, and then tucked her hair behind both ears. "Um, no, I don't."
Kakashi's head bobbed again, the dried ends of his hair floofing up and down. "That's good." He cleared his throat, spearing the hardboiled egg at the side. "I mean, because if you did have a boyfriend then I doubt he'd be happy that you're making lunch for me out of your own time."
Sakura frowned at that, confused by where this concern was coming from all of a sudden. "Why not? You're my professor. I've given gifts to teachers before, and I've seen classmates buy coffee for them too."
Well, cooking a whole lunch box was a bit different from just buying a cup of coffee, but the gesture was still the same, right?
"Still, men can be jealous creatures, Sakura," Kakashi said, raising his shoulders into a small shrug. "We just hide it a little better sometimes."
From behind, Sakura wondered if the expression he had right now was as neutral as his voice. She still found it strange that he found it concerning that she might incur the wrath of a jealous boyfriend, but she also thought it cute the fact that he was worrying about her again.
"If I had a jealous boyfriend who didn't like that I made you lunch, what would you do?" She couldn't help but ask. "What if he got so jealous that he told me I couldn't see you again?"
Slowly, Kakashi lowered the chopsticks and turned his cheek to meet her gaze. His expression was calm and collected, but there was a cold darkness in the grey of his eyes that caught Sakura off guard. "I'd suggest you break up with a controlling guy like that. And if he doesn't let you go, I'd knock some sense into him for you."
At first, Sakura didn't know what to say. She had once posed that question to Ino many years ago when Ino had gotten her first boyfriend: what would you do if I got trapped in a relationship with a bad man? At the time, she had popped that question not out of concern, but just out of curiosity. And fourteen-year-old Ino had given almost the exact same answer as the one Kakashi just gave. Except she had a feeling Kakashi had a better chance of making good on that promise, and that he meant it quite literally when he said he'd knock some sense into the guy.
"You know you wouldn't have to do that for me, Mr. Hatake," Sakura said, tucking a loose lock behind an ear. But it made her happy that he would do it.
He blinked and turned back to the lunchbox to pick up an apple bunny. "You're my student," Kakashi replied slowly, eyeing the apple bunny in his hand. "I have a degree of responsibility over you even if that includes jealous boyfriends..."
She was pretty sure schooling jealous boyfriends weren't within his paygrade as a college professor, but...
Her mouth tugged into a sly smile. "Hmm, then I guess it's a good thing I don't have a boyfriend right now," she purred out, giving him a light pat on his shoulder. "Lucky you, Mr. Hatake!"
Lucky you? Lucky you?! Why am I acting like he just won the lottery? She withdrew her hand from his shoulder and pressed her lips together, clamping back any other stupid thing she might say. But then she saw the way his ears shifted slightly and she knew he was smiling beneath that mask, probably amused by the light jest.
"Yeah," Kakashi chuckled, shaking his head. "Lucky me."
For the first time in her life, Sakura was glad to not have a boyfriend.
A fresh wave of visitors poured into Might Guy's Mighty Guys to start their evening boxing session. Among those visitors, Asuma Sarutobi filed in, greeting Izumo at the front desk. The two men struck up a chat beginning with how Kurenai was doing, how many weeks was she, any plans for Halloween—the usual. Upon seeing the absence of his silver-haired friend in the corner of the gym where he was usually beating up a punching bag, Asuma asked Izumo where Kakashi was.
"Or did he go to the hospital already?" Asuma took a quick peek at his watch. "He usually makes his hospital visits around this time on weekdays, right?"
"Nah, he's over there." Izumo pointed towards the floor-length windows on the other side of the gym. "He's still with Sakura right now in the break room."
Taking a step closer, Asuma squinted at the sight of his colleague eating at one of the tables in the break room. Just across from him sat a pink-haired girl he remembered from yesterday at Kage park. Here in Guy's gym, she looked completely out of place with her floral sundress and sandals wrapping her dainty feet that swung back and forth beneath the table. The girl was leaning a cheek against a hand propped on the table, talking animatedly with Kakashi while he ate.
"That's the girl from yesterday, right?" Asuma glanced back at Izumo for confirmation. "The one that caught the basketball before it could hit the little girl?"
"Yeah, she's Kakashi's student. He saved her from a nasty fall after you left so she's come to repay the favor," Izumo explained just as the employee door behind him swung open. Kotetsu walked in, plopping himself in the seat beside Izumo before handing him a stack of documents.
"She got him lunch?" Noting the three-tiered lunch box stacked before Kakashi, Asuma let out a low whistle. "Man, none of my students ever brought me lunch."
Sorting through the papers on his clipboard, Kotetsu snorted. "At least you got a wife to make some homemade food for you."
Asuma smiled sheepishly at that, but continued observing the way Kakashi tilted his head at Sakura. It was a sign that he was paying his full attention to the girl still speaking across from him. She had to be a first-year fresh out of high school, judging by the plump youth of her face and the innocent sparkle in her jade gaze. It was a sharp contrast to the darkness that simmered beneath Kakashi's own steely gaze. That same steely gaze that could shut anyone up if pushed far enough.
But if the girl was intimidated by Kakashi, she made no sign of it. Instead, she was smiling at the ex-Anbu commander, all carefree and nonjudgmental despite his mask on and body scars in full display. Almost like she enjoyed talking to Kakashi. Now that was a rare sight to see among those who barely knew the guy. Most people could barely even look Kakashi directly in the eye—let alone his scarred eye.
Befuddles, Asuma stroked his beard in contemplation. "But I thought Kakashi had a reputation for being hard on his students? Thought they hated him?"
Izumo shrugged, flicking his eyes up from his clipboard and towards Kakashi and his student. "Nah, Kakashi never falls for ass-kissers." Just as soon as he said that, he straightened up on the chair. "Shit, he's looking at us."
That steely gaze was directed at them now, and Asuma casually waved at Kakashi before tugging out his lighter. "I think he's telling us to stop gossiping and get back to work," he mumbled, giving Izumo and Kotetsu a pointed look as he flicked the lighter open.
"Yeah, Kotetsu."
"Yeah, Izumo."
Asuma flicked his lighter shut, sweeping his eyes across the gym. "Hey, where's Guy?"
"In his office," Izumo piped up, "talking with Goro again. I swear, he goes way too easy on that kid and that's why Goro always comes back with that White Magic shit."
"Nah, last time he brought Speed," Kotetsu muttered, following Asuma and Izumo's gazes to the main office where a crack of light spilled through the door. "He was jacking it up right in the employee bathrooms until Lee found another one of his needles."
Asuma flicked his lighter open again, thumb hovering close to the golden flame. "Hopefully this is the last time Guy has to talk to him. Or else that kid'll pass out in some back alley one day in his own vomit and never wake up again."
The TV was on when Sakura slipped into the apartment around dinner time and practically floated her way down the hallway. But whatever drama that was playing was nothing more than a buzz in the background as her head remained miles high, up in the clouds of euphoria. Setting the now empty lunch box on the counter, she then dropped her keys beside it. The noise of the keys clattering on the marble counter prompted Ino to look over at her from the couch.
"Hey, what took you so long?" Blonde brows pinched together as she scanned Sakura up and down. "Where did you go?"
"Oh, you know," she shrugged, "just around."
"In that dress?"
Sakura peered down at the floral sundress she'd picked to wear. "What's wrong with my dress?"
"Nothing, but it's a bit too nice to wear on a little walk, don't you think?" Ino asked, scrutinizing the v-neckline of the dress. While the neckline wasn't plunging to the point that it was more sexy than modest, it did leave a lot of her chest exposed. More than Sakura was used to exposing at least. "I mean, it looks like something you'd wear on a date."
Sakura turned away and grabbed a banana off the fruit bowl to occupy herself with. "I just felt like dressing nice today," she said with a shrug. It wasn't like she needed an excuse every time she wanted to dress up. "I don't have any dates to dress up for, but I don't want my nice outfits gathering dust either."
"Okay then..." Distracted by a sudden turn of events in the drama she was currently watching, Ino returned her attention to the TV and Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. "By the way, did you get any groceries?"
Groceries? She frowned before the memory of the text she'd sent Ino earlier resurfaced. Crap, she'd totally forgotten about that. "Um, you know what?" Sakura called out over an excited scream from the TV. "There weren't any good sales today, so I decided not to get anything."
"Ah, okay." With a slow, distracted nod, Ino seemed to accept her excuse. That, or she was just too busy with the TV... or the tub of strawberry ice cream sitting in her lap.
Sakura narrowed her eyes at the near-empty container Ino was in the middle of finishing off, but she shook her head and said nothing. It was a good thing Ino was too occupied to even notice the lunchbox she had brought in. That would have raised even more questions. Questions she wasn't sure how to answer without it leading to a full interrogation.
Quickly grabbing the empty lunch box off the counter, Sakura carried it to the sink and grabbed the sponge to begin washing it before Ino would notice. As she wiped away the bits of spring onions clinging to the sides of the box, she smiled at how well Kakashi had cleaned up the entire lunch box. He'd left not a single crumb behind and had even drunk every drop of the noodle soup. He had either been really hungry after his little tournament with his colleagues, or he'd just liked her cooking that much that he would scarf it down while savoring every bite like it was his last.
Sakura grinned down at the container covered in soap suds. So he didn't have a wife to cook for him, but maybe when Christmas came around, she could whip up something nice for him to bring home. At least as a 'thank you' gift to give him at the end of the semester.
The next time she saw Kakashi, she would have to ask him his favorite dessert.
