Good lately evening. :) More like, good early night.

Another chapter, just for you ;)

17

The rest of the day went in a slow but calm pace. The sun was slowly settling down in a crook of two hills.

Iruka smiled when he reached the top of Hokage monument. He could already see his friends, who was just being lazy there. He chuckled upon seeing Kakashi still with them, sprawled above Minato-sama's left ear reading his little book and Anko trying to read it over his shoulders. The copy-nin looked like having the time of his life 'accidentally' moving the novel out of her sight every time.

"Hi!" Iruka called out and sat down next to Hayate, who had been chatting with Kotetsu animatedly.

"Yo." Kakashi eye-smiled on him and closed his book.

"Hello." Anko answered with a grin, while Hayate just poked him. "You are late." he said.

"Eeh, sorry 'bout that." Iruka scratched his scar. "Was helping Ibi-sama to sort some papers.. It's so booooring you wouldn't believe.."

"That's why you do it, and not me." Hayate chuckled.

"Well.." Iruka laughed. "How was the evening, anyway? Did I miss anything?" he was curious how had Hatake managed to survive his other friends.

"Nah.. not at all.. Just Mizumizu was being an ass and Izuizu took him home." Kotetsu answered lazily stretching his arms.

Iruka frowned in concern – he knew that Mizuki could be really difficult, but he knew he was a nice guy. "What did he do?" he asked.

The three of them – minus Kakashi – exchanged looks. "He kinda told Hatake, that he doesn't want to .. babysit him." Anko took the liberty of answering, sending wary looks towards Iruka.

"Eh.. I see.." Iruka said sheepishly. "Guess it's my bad, I am sorry about it, Kakashi-san."

"Maa, it's alright.." Kakashi waved his hand dismissively. "It doesn't bother me, I am not a child." he smiled in a way which made all of the others wonder if he had meant it as an insult.

"Soo.. what did Ibiki-sama say?" Hayate asked and leaned comfortably against a strand of Yondaime's hair.

"Ah! Thanks for asking, I would've forgotten..." Iruka straightened his back. "I believe he said: 'Brat. Tomorrow, six. Six-morning.' Or something along those lines." Both of the Ibiki's genin laughed and soon enough the others joined them, little hesitant about making fun of the scariest man in the Konoha.

"What is that one..?" Iruka asked softly, laying on his back in between Hayate and Kakashi.

"That's Great Bear." Hatake answered smugly and Hayate started giggling. Iruka elbowed him and gave him a questioning look.

"Eh.. ehehe. Didn't know.. he has .. own bloody.. constellation." Hayate forced out in between giggles. Iruka blinked before he remembered that in their first year of being Ibiki-sama's genin, they had started calling him Big Bear, changing it to Great, after they had started respecting him.

"Haven't either.." Iruka laughed.

"What's so funny?" Hatake asked with amused expression.

"...Don't try to understand, Hatake-san.." Anko yawned – those two idiots had awoken her – and looked on her left, where Kotetsu was still snoring softly. "If you don't get it, it's probably one of their 'Ibiki-sama jokes', so don't even ask." she said bored and send Iruka with Hayate into another fit of laugher. She poked Hayate under his ribs, since he was laying just next to her.

Kakashi gave them a look. "I was trying to educate you, brats. But you are dishonoring my lessons."

Iruka wiped out a lonely tear from his cheek and forced himself to calm down. "S-sorry, Kakashi-san. Please continue?" he asked with puppy-dog's eyes and Kakashi faked thinking about it.

"Well... 'cause you asked so nicely.." He eye-smiled and looked back to the skies, pointing towards a group of stars. "If you take the last two stars from the Big Dipper – I showed that one to you, remember? - and estimate the distance between them, then prolong the imaginary line five times, you should see a really bright star."

"Ee..? Ah! I see it!" Iruka cheered and Hayate smacked him over head.

"Me too, baka. But I don't feel the need to shout it to the whole Konoha."

Kakashi chuckled. "The star is called North Star, or Aurora, because it point the way to north. Mostly the mariners use it. And Aurora because it can be seen really early to the night, and stays visible even in the morning."

The boys looked at the star with a new respect while Anko fell back into light sleep.

"I wonder.." Hayate whispered, his voice somehow in a harmony with the softness of early night at the edge of forest. "..If you are bluffing and trying to look smart... or just enjoy being lazy with your nose stuck in a book." he said towards Hatake exploiting the fact that if Kakashi wanted to hit him, he would have to do it over Iruka.

"Nah.." Kakashi offered not even bothering to open his eyes. "I am genius, I don't need to bluff, neither to study." he grinned at the angry outtake of a breath he got from the older genin and silent laugh from the other.

"Well then.. genius-sama.." Hayate frowned and leaned up on his elbow to get a look at the copy-nin. "Find me the Southern Cross." he challenged and smirked wickedly.

Kakashi remained silent with closed eyes. Hayate breathed in to talk after a moment of silence, when Kakashi said:

"Sorry.. wrong hemisphere.."

"..."

"Heh. He got it right." Iruka pointed out with a smile.

"Maa, I told you I am a genius." Kakashi smiled and rolled over to dodge when Hayate leaned over Iruka and tried to hit him.

"Sorry to interrupt, loverbirds.. I think it's time to go home." Anko said and sat up sleepily. She remembered she still had to do the dishes at home, and if she wanted to get some sleep and still be able to go training in the morning, she would have to go. She didn't like the idea of training with other kids, they would just make fun of her.

Kakashi looked up and sighed. It had gotten late, and he had a mission the next day. "I guess.." he mumbled and stood up watching as Anko not really gently shook Kotetsu to wake him up.

"I will stay for a while longer." Iruka said when all of them stood up, leaving him the only one unmoved. "I am not in a hurry."

Hayate sighed. "Alright, but don't oversleep tomorrow." he smiled lightly.

"Nah, that's more of your focus. Night, kids."

"Who's kid for you? I am your three-years senior." Hatake stuck his tongue rather childishly.

"Oh, sorry. G'night, kids, grandpa." Iruka laughed and closed his eyes listening to their retrieving steps and their bids of good night.

He rather enjoyed being out at night. The city was so silent and loud at the same time, more alive than trough the day in some way, whispering it's soothing words to him.

Yes, he knew it was dangerous for a kid his age to wander around Konoha at night all alone, but he wasn't afraid.

He was, after all, Ibiki's warrior.

Hope you enjoyed. :)

Any comments? Questions? I would be more than glad to read whatever you want to tell me. :P

See you, bye.