Chapter 16: Always Late and Always Early

Kohana was walking back to her apartment, silently following Kakashi. The silver haired ninja was immersed in his book once more, hardly paying attention to the road, yet walking in a perfectly straight line.

Many thoughts flew threw Kohana's occupied mind, the most common question being why her body had gone rigid as if paralyzed. She subtly pressed a hand over her heart, and was glad that it had significantly calmed down. A forbidden question crossed her mind, and she shook her head rapidly to get rid of it. Could it be that she was attracted to him?

They had known each other as children, but this feeling was unfamiliar. Then again, she thought sarcastically, they were much too young to know the tenets of romance. By the time either had reached maturity, they were miles apart from one another. Kohana sighed and glared into the sunlight. This was Kakashi, a man that she hated for so long. Though, for some inexplicable reason, her anger towards him had dimmed, she wouldn't let their relationship go beyond friendship.

"He's a shinobi, a former Anbu", she muttered quietly to herself, "he just caught me off guard. That's it – nothing more, nothing less." With this statement she wiped her forehead, clearing away the sweat and the confusing thoughts.

"Kakashi! Kohana!"

Both parties looked to their right. Kurenai, Asuma and Gai were sitting at a food stall, each holding a scalding cup of tea in their hands.

"Come, join us!", Asuma called.

Kakashi looked to Kohana. She yelled back to the group, "I need to shower first – I'll meet you soon. Don't go anywhere!"

Kakashi nodded to her and softly brushed past her shoulder as he detoured his way back to the stall; Kohana's heart beat a little faster. "I'll wait for you here, then", he said.

Thankfully, Kohana didn't have much further to walk on her own. The apartment building was located quite conveniently across the stall. She climbed up to her room as quickly as her aching legs would allow, and jumped in the bathroom for a warm shower.

The hot water soothed her legs and she moaned in relief, as she felt her muscles loosen.

After 10 minutes of scrubbing the grime and sweat, she was standing in front of her closet, wrapped in a fluffy pink towel, a nerve visibly twitching on her forehead. Pakkun had thrown her clothes haywire in untidy heaps. She saw various comfortable shirts and pants that she would have liked to wear for the occasion, but her sore body prevented her from bending below her waist. She huffed in annoyance, opened another door that held her dresses, and quickly picked a casual blue and white patterned one. It was cold outside, but it would have to do.

After she dressed and braided her hair, she grabbed her tiny silver wallet and had just descended the first step of stairs when a shooting pain ran up her leg. She covered her yell with her palm. Her eyes welled with tears and she mentally cursed; it seemed that the vigorous exercise had finally caught up to her. The lack of a hot shower and boggling thoughts had finally made her painfully aware of the soreness in her legs.

She stood quite still just numbly gazing out in front of her. She didn't notice that she was in plain view of the four shinobi, who were of course staring at her stationary figure.

Gai mused, "Why is Kohana chan not coming down?"

Kurenai squinted trying to see the black haired girl better. "Do you think something happened?"

Asuma looked to Kakashi. "What did you do, Kakashi?"

Kakashi sighed, "Of course, you would blame me Asuma. She's probably in pain."

Gai stood up dramatically, and exclaimed, "In pain!?"

"Calm down, Gai. She's just sore from running. I trained her this morning."

"Oh, she's talking to you, then?" Gai said happily.

Kakashi ignored this and just stared at Kohana wondering if she would venture another step. It didn't seem likely.

"How many laps did you make her do, Kakashi?", Kurenai asked in a chiding tone.

"Oh, 10 or so."

Asuma chuckled, "No wonder. Poor girl."

Kakashi stood up, "I should probably help her."

The others merely stared after Kakashi's figure as he made his way up the stairs, coming to a stop in front of Kohana.

Kohana had gritted her teeth and was gripping the railing tightly too afraid to move incase the pain stabbed her again.

She saw Kakashi in front of her, and her eyes widened in worry. She whispered hoarsely, "I don't think I can move my legs."

"I know. I'll take you."

"Take me?", she stammered. Her legs may have been paralyzed, but her mind was running on wheels. She was wearing a spring dress and the cold breeze in the air was enough to lift the fabric. But, Kakashi seemed to have registered her concern and had picked her up bridal style.

She blushed and turned her face away and faced the windy atmosphere, letting it chill her face as they neared the ground floor. When they reached the landing, she was able to gather a clearer picture of Kurenai, Gai and Asuma. All three of them were smirking.

Kakashi gently placed her on the bench next to Gai and sat down besides her. Kohana chuckled awkwardly, and greeted them in what she hoped was a composed voice.

Gai boomed, anime tears rolling down his face, "So glad to see you out and about Kohana-chan! Already prolonging your youth by training with young Kakashi!"

Kohana giggled, "I wouldn't describe it as invigorating Gai-kun."

Kurenai reached forward and grasped Kohana's hands, "Kohana! It's been so long. We thought about visiting you in the hospital, but we heard you had been released and we didn't know where you were staying. But, I didn't expect you to be in the same apartment as Kakashi."

"It's ok, Kurenai. I should have informed all of you, really."

Asuma pulled out his cigar and puffed, the trail of smoke reaching Kohana's nostrils. She scrunched her nose.

"Still smoking, Asuma? You know it's a really bad habit."

"Ah, don't bother Kohana. I tell him that everyday. It's better to use physical force", Kurenai said as she reached over and yanked the cigarette packet from him.

Asuma grumbled, "Kurenai, you're not so gentle for a lady. You should be more like Kohana." Kakashi smiled behind his mask as he remembered Kohana's attempts to steal his book.

Asuma continued, "So, Kohana. How long has it been?"

Kohana answered, and soon the conversation had spun to include funny tales of the past. They talked through lunch and into the evening happily catching up. Kohana couldn't help but notice how much happier Kakashi appeared as he occasionally joined in to defend himself from Gai's teasing comments. And it was when she learned that Kakashi had developed a habit of arriving late to meetings, that Kohana finally saw Obito in him.

Because Obito was always late and Kakashi was always early. Yet, in death, they had switched.