o3. Summer

He finally came to a decision about the fact that his weird behaviour was not because of the books he read. Not entirely.

There was something else. Something else pushed him to be anxious. Something related to a certain strange woman in his life.

[Name].

The source to all his problems.

The woman who was always carefree and fearless.

…On the surface, that is.

It was a hot summer day, maybe the hottest day of that summer, Kakashi thought bitterly. At least, they were going to the beach; he could finally have some time to cool off and relax the tension collected in his muscles. He was prone to extreme fatigue lately because of work; things were not as smooth as they used to be. On top of all, his mind just couldn't be set at ease.

[Name]'s sister had asked her to bring her daughter to the sea because she was so busy that week with the increasing hospital work and little girl wouldn't stop crying unless taken to the beach. [Name] had to fulfil her niece's request –or more like her demand, little one knew how to control the adults around her- and Kakashi had to fulfil [Name]'s request –demand, it was obvious from whom little girl took after.

He didn't even realise they reached their destination since he was so lost in thought. [Name]'s niece, who just decided to be the tallest person along the way and sat on Kakashi's shoulders, jumped with happiness, causing the man to wince slightly.

Talk about muscle pain.

"Sea, sea! I want to swim right now! Put me down, old man!"

"…O-old man! Are you talking to me?"

Five-year-old snorted. "Of course I am talking to you! Put me down."

Kakashi just sighed. "Fine, fine."

Lifting the girl from his shoulder easily, he lowered her to the ground. The second her little feet touched the ground, she wasted no time to run towards the blue, not even bothering to take off her pretty clothes.

"Hey! Don't just dive with your clothes on, little girl... [Name], shouldn't you stop her—hey, what is so funny!"

The young woman did not even try to stifle her delighted laughter; she just laughed loudly, barely making coherent sentences. After a while, she was finally able to talk properly.

"I don't know why but you guys seemed so funny just a moment ago!" Her laughs died off to little giggles. "But you are right; I should probably watch her carefully."

"…Wait, I didn't mean it like that."

"I know, I know!" She grinned. "Anyway, just arrange our seat, nee, Kakashi~!" She winked at him before running off to her niece, who was soaked by that point but happy nonetheless.

After about ten minutes, as Kakashi was about to finally finish setting up the umbrella along with spreading the towels out, he thought he heard a light whimper.

No, it was a whimper he heard.

Snapping his head towards the sound, his heart skipped a few beats because of the possibility of danger; his eye searching for the two girls. When he finally spotted them in the sea, he was bewildered, even stunned for a moment there.

There [Name] was, holding her niece above the sea, who was beyond delighted.

Something was off, though.

He dropped the items suddenly, rushing towards the sea. He kind of knew what awaited him.

"… [Name]," he called out to the woman, finally reaching and standing right behind her. The woman had already put the girl down in the sea. [Name] slowly turned around, her teary eyes piercing through his heart. "What's wrong?"

"Kakashi!" She suddenly jumped up into his arms, which were surprisingly waiting for her to do so, and he easily carried her light weight.

"Hot days of summers

Entertain precious moments

Blue bears secret fears"

Both did not know where the little poem came from; nor did they care. It simply danced around in the air for a while, until finally dying out. She looked into his eyes, he looked into hers.

Her tears suddenly disappeared.

"Oji-san, [Name]-nee-san, come back here!" High-pitched voice of the little girl finally woke them up from the daze they were in, urging Kakashi to walk back to the shore. His shorts were all wet now; he seemed like he didn't care.

He got to hold [Name] in his arms.

…Wait, what the hell was he thinking again?

He put her down once on the sandy ground. She seemed embarrassed for the first time in her life, surprising the man even more. "Are you okay, [Name]?"

"…Y-yes, thank you." Always confident woman was now acting all self-conscious!

"What was that, [Name]?"

"…" She was unable to speak, yet alone look him in the eye.

"Tell me."

"…Then promise you won't laugh."

"I promise."

She paused for a moment to gather up her courage. "…T-there was seaweed under my feet."

That summer, Hatake Kakashi learned something new about the woman he loved.

She could take on any danger she faced. She was fearless, never rejecting any challenge; she was always daring and bold when it came to fighting.

And her only fear was: seaweed.

-

[A/N]: Yes, I made the little girl call him oji-san, meaning uncle~!