I do not own anything Naruto
Thank you for the great reviews and for reading my story.
Chapter 5
"What a week" thought Iruka. He was happy in one sense because it was Friday afternoon, and Friday afternoon meant two days of no kids, but in another way he wasn't looking forward to it because he had to work tonight and tomorrow with Genma. For some reason, Sandaime thought it best that Genma be the one to help me with showing me how to run the mission office. "It wouldn't be so bad if he would keep his eyes to himself. I should be happy that someone is actually looking at me, but for some reason it doesn't. It makes me kind of uncomfortable." Iruka thought.
Sighing when he realized that he was at the mission office, he opened the door and headed over to the desks seeing Genma already there.
Genma looking up as the door opened, smiled and waved to Iruka "Hey Iruka-sensei, how are you today?"
Iruka thrown off by the polite welcome, smiled and replied "I'm fine, thank you Genma-senpai."
"Please call me Genma" said Genma
"Very well, then please just call be Iruka. Have you been here very long?" replied Iruka
"No, I just got here myself. I guess it's been kind of slow." said Genma
"Great, that means it's going to be a long night." replied Iruka
Genma laughing at the comment, scooted closer to Iruka and whispered "It doesn't have to be if you don't want it to be."
Blushing, Iruka looked at Genma and pushed him back over and said "Don't do that."
"What's wrong Iruka, your not embarrassed are you?" asked Genma
Making him blush even darker Iruka replied "N-no, just no one has ever been that close before."
Genma looking over at him, eyes wide asked "You mean you've never…"
Iruka lowering his head in shame shook his head no.
Not knowing what else to say, Genma moved back over to his desk and started sorting through the reports. Iruka doing the same.
Genma started to think about what Sandaime had told him earlier in the week.
"Genma, I want to ask a favor from you." asked Sandaime
"Sure, anything I can do to help you, Hokage-sama" replied Genma
"I have someone new starting in the mission office, and I want you to help him." said Sandaime
"Sure, what's his name?" asked Genma
"Umino Iruka" replied Sandaime
"U-Umino! Are you sure he will be able to handle it, sir?" asked Genma
Narrowing his eyes and looking straight at Genma, Genma cowering at the look he was receiving from the Hokage, said "I will NOT tolerate people running him down, even before they get to know him. Iruka is an honorable shinobi, and knows his duties well. He may not be the strongest shinobi in our village in regards to jutsus, but he does have other strengths. Your responsibility will be teach him everything he needs to know in running the mission office. Is that understood!"
"Y-yes Hokage-sama, I apologize. I will do my best." replied Genma
Sighing, looking out his window Sandaime said "Just give him a chance to prove himself before you judge him, Genma-san. He doesn't have any friends, and I want people to realize what kind of person he really is. Everyone deserves to have friends."
Genma feeling guilty for what he said earlier looked at Sandaime and said "I do apologize, Hokage-sama. I will do everything in my power to help him."
Genma coming out of his musings thought to himself "Even I judged him before I got to know him." Hearing Iruka starting to talk to someone, Genma looked up to see who was at the desk, seeing none other than Hatake Kakashi. "Great" Genma thought "Just who we need."
Hello, Hatake-san, Iruka looked up at the copy-nin with a smile.
"Hm" replied Kakashi, handing him his mission report.
With the smile slowly sliding off his face, Iruka started to look over the report and said "I wanted to apologize for the other day. I was on my way to the academy, and I was running late. I should have been paying more attention to my surroundings."
"Hm"
Iruka, feeling a little hurt, started. thinking to himself "What was I thinking anyway. I'm just a lowly chunnin. His the great Copy-Nin. Of course he wouldn't want to talk to me." Once finished reading over the report and he looked up at Kakashi and said "thank you for your hard work, Hatake-san."
Kakashi looking over his book at Iruka just saying "Hm." Kakashi thinking to himself "I wonder who this tanned man is? I've never seen him around here before, except for when he ran into me the other day. It doesn't matter anyway, I'm sure he wouldn't want anything to do with me. I'm the Copy-Nin, a killer." Then turning around leaving, giving a quick wave as he left.
Genma, seeing the expression on Iruka said "Don't worry about him, Iruka. He doesn't talk to anyone. He won't let anyone get close to him."
"So he's alone like me," Iruka thought. "I'm not going to stop trying to talk to him. Everyone deserves to have a friend. I know that personally."
"Does he have any friends?" asked Iruka
"No, not unless you want to consider Might Guy his friend." replied Genma
What do you mean? asked Iruka
"Well I know they think of each other as rivals, but I'm not sure that there is anything past that." replied Genma
"Oh, I see." Iruka looking up at the clock realizing that it was closing time, turned to Genma and said "It's closing time."
"Huh, so it is." replied Genma with a smile
Both ninjas cleaning up and filing all the completed reports, closing down the mission office for the day.
Enjoy the rest of your day Genma" said Iruka
"You too, Iruka." replied Genma
Picking up his bag and putting it over his shoulder, he stepped around the desk and headed for home. He had just stepped out of the Hokage Tower, and realized someone was behind him hiding in the shadows. Deciding that he needed to pick up a couple things for dinner, he turned to head to the market, to see if the person was actually following him. Realizing he was still being followed, he stopped at one of the booths to look at the vegetables. Looking out of the corner of his eye, seeing if he recognized who was following him. His eyes going wide when he realized who it was that was following him. "What in the world would he be following me for."
Deciding that he needed to confront him about this, Iruka purchased the vegetables that he wanted and turned around and came face to face with Kakashi. "When did he get so close." thought Iruka
"Why are you following me?" asked Iruka
"I want to talk to you." replied Kakashi
What in the world could you possibly need to talk to me about?" asked Iruka
Looking down Kakashi said "Who are you?"
"I'm sorry." replied Iruka
"I've never seen you around before, and now within a week I've ran into you twice. I've also never seen you at the mission desk before, until today. I want to know why all of a sudden I see you everywhere." said Kakashi
"I'm sure there are other people that you have seen more than once in a week, why are you so interested in me." asked Iruka
Shrugging, Kakashi looks at him as says "You confuse me."
Iruka starting to get angry with all the questions replies "I confuse you, you see me twice in one week, and I confuse you. How is that possible. To confuse the Great Copy-Ninja, and me of all people."
Shrugging again, "You just do. Your different then any of the other shinobi of the village." said Kakashi
Feeling hurt from what Kakashi said, Iruka replied "Thank you for reminding me of who I am and where I stand Hatake-san. If you'll excuse me I think I will go home now." Iruka thinking to himself "How could I have ever thought he would understand." Leaving an even more confused Kakashi behind. "What did I say? Ugh, I didn't even get his name." Kakashi thought. "Well, at least I know where he works" smiling to himself thinking of a way to get to know that tanned man better.
