Chapter 9: Shh! My Secret Dinner With A Popular Teacher And Infamous Student!

'I always thought I was a very generous person, I guess I didn't look hard enough to find you. I noticed you're more of a generous person now, than I ever was or could be. I couldn't give my love that easily, but I can give my money.'

"Thank you Iruka! Thank you so much…" her voice was happy despite the tears.

'I love you too, Yeazakura…' He shook his head, he should've thought that thought years ago, not in the heat of this moment. The thought had dispersed as well as his smile, he loosened the hug from his side as he heard her stomach growling. He saw her frown as she clutched her stomach, "You haven't eaten all day, have you?"

She didn't say a word, only look down and nodded. He smiled as he stood up, he offered her his hand,

"C'mon, let's get some ramen."

By the time they were walking the streets they were almost empty, the gossiping people from earlier had gone home to gossip some more. Still, Yeazakura had tucked in her hair and adjusted her mask appropriately now, unless she wanted to it wouldn't budge. She was walking behind Iruka only by a bit, her hands fidgeting close to her chest. He looked back to see her looking around paranoid, "Are you okay?"

She jumped a little at his voice and got pulled back down to earth, "I'm fine, I just had the feeling we were being watched." She had caught up with him as he chuckled and said, "That's a ninja's life…"

He pushed aside the little curtains and stepped into the warm inviting ramen booth followed suit by Zaku.

As she was slowly taking in the aroma from her ramen soup, she rolled up the sleeves of her oversized uniform. "Zaku, may I ask where you got that uniform from? It's obviously not yours…" Iruka said before taking a bite from his ramen.

"I borrowed it from Kotetsu-kun, he had a spare left. Surprisingly enough it doesn't smell like him though, and it's not really his size either." Iruka pondered, a few stitches were noticeable on the sleeves and trousers. He knew only one person with the matching scars, "Zaku, I think I know who-"

"Iruka-sensei!" Yeazakura's head shot up, "Oh no!" As quick as light she pulled up her mask, Iruka stammered, "N-Naruto, what are you doing here?"

"I had the munchies for midnight ramen!" the boy said as he attacked his ex-sensei with a hug from behind. He took a seat between the two and only then noticed, that they were there together.

"Iruka sensei, isn't she the lady we caught today? Sakura's sister?" the blunt question made Iruka doubt if he should answer, he looked over the student and into Yeazakura's eyes. She shook her head as her eyes widened, "It's no use Zaku, he'll find out later." He looked back at the student,

"Yes Naruto, that's the lady."

"But, she has a boy's name!" he exclaimed, Yeazakura placed her hand on his shoulder and turned him on his seat. "Naruto, my name is Yeazakura, yes I am Sakura's older sister, no I am not on a date with Iruka and yes I would appreciate it if you wouldn't tell her I'm in Konoha. I want to do that myself when I see her."

The boy looked up in awe, her mask was down around her neck as her beauty mesmerised him. He simply nodded as he was still looking at her, his sensei turned him around, "Naruto, how about some ramen?"

Her eyes shimmered at the smile Iruka's lips beheld, his eyes were looking at the boy as if it were his own. She never thought he'd be mature enough to be such a father-like role-model.

"Naruto, since you're in the same squad as Sakura-chan," she said, the boy nodded as he continued gobbling his fourth bowl. "I was wondering if you could keep an eye on her. I knew she wouldn't grow strong without me there for her… But at least she has her intelligence, right?"

The smile on her lips drew the boy's eyes again, with his mouth filled with ramen he simply nodded again.

"Thank you Naruto-kun… You know, when I was your age I was quite the prankster, most of my pranks involved Iruka or Kakashi…" she said thinking to herself, Iruka replied to that open thought in vain,

"Please Yeazakura, don't go into that."

"You know, I pulled off some memorable pranks!" Naruto said pointing his thumb at himself.

"Really? Tell me about it…" Her voice was genuinely interested which made Iruka stare at her, "Really? Well, one of the best ones was my Sexy No Jutsu in class!"

Iruka gasped loudly and quickly muffled Naruto with his hand, "You're not telling her that story Naruto! Terrible things might happen…"

The boy visibly stiffened up, sweating beads. "Iruka, I think I'd like to hear this story… Do you mind?" She carefully removed his hand from the boy's mouth, "Go on Naruto."

Iruka sighed and dropped his head on the counter. "We had to transform into Iruka-sensei, instead of that, I transformed into this really hot girl I saw on a picture once! The Jutsu makes you basically naked, covered with only clouds!"

The look on Naruto's face made her laugh wholeheartedly, "That doesn't sound too bad, go on!"

The boy grinned devilish, "It gave Iruka-sensei a giant nosebleed!"

"That's enough Naruto!" the man said.

"Iruka-kun, you perv. If I had known you were into that…" Yeazakura teased him, her voice mockingly seductive. With his face still against the counter he muttered as loud as he could, "The picture he saw was yours…"

"Ehh?!"

"You still haven't told me why and how you had such a picture of me, recently?" The man ignored this and turned his wallet upside down, empty. He sighed and stood up, "Well, should've seen that coming…"

Zaku's eyes slipped to the stack of empty bowls, than back at the Chuunin, "Here Iruka, take this… It's about half of what he ate."

She offered him the money waiting for him to take it, he raised his hand and pushed it away. "It's alright Yeazakura, it's my own fault. This happens a lot…"

There was no arguing with that, but arguing with the fact that somebody is offering you free money? That's just crazy but as he turned around she slipped the money into his back pouch, not noticing a thing. As they stepped outside the booth the chilling night air surrounded them, "So Zaku, have you found a place to stay yet?"

She turned to Iruka, he knew the answer was no but she couldn't let him offer you-know-what. She put on a smile and forced her eyes to smile as well, "Now you mention it, I was just heading towards an inn… I'm fine, really."

She started to walk away before he could say anything, all he did was wave at her as she waved in return.

As the cold night motivated the Chuunin to run faster towards home, he picked up his pace. Reaching into his back pouch for his keys, he felt something new in there, it felt like paper? He took out the paper and saw it was the money Zaku had offered him, smiling he thought to himself, 'So she learned how to be generous and persistent as well, she's grown a lot…'

Arriving in his bedroom he flipped on the switch, everything exactly where he had left it. He took off his vest and shirt as he sat on his bed, he reached under his bed whisking out an old shoebox. It wasn't covered with dust, surprisingly it seemed opened recently. He opened the shoebox, revealing at least over 2 dozen pictures, old ones. He picked up the one he cherished the most, him and Yeazakura at a festival, together. With a pissed off Kakashi, standing in the background. That day made him smile, but sad and torn as well. It was the day that she broke up with him, telling him she actually loved Kakashi, telling him she couldn't go on like this anymore. He placed the picture back in the box, picking up the one Naruto got his inspiration for his Jutsu from. He sighed and thought to himself,

'Good old memories, I hope they never fade…'

Chapter 10: Shh! My Secret Sleepover With Secretive People!

I feel bad not being able to have come here in the past... But I guess it can't be helped. Being held captive isn't something you choose for, and not being able to go the memories, makes you think about them more...'

This entire chapter is a flashback from before Yeazakura left, consider it a dream of wants... Figure out whose dream it actually is by yourself... Next chapter will be in the present, revealing more of their relationship and her painful past... Let me know what you think...

How long more must she suffer, to realise the world is no place for her? How long must she wander in the cold, to realise she has to stay out of the wind? With midnight passing around the corner, her feet passed several trees. They led her to a place she wished to be long forgotten, but every day not spent there only made her think of it more. The wind caressed her scars as it told a story, a story that can be told everywhere, anytime. It's never inappropriate to share a tale of pain, but the wind had more to tell than she could bear. Her feet had been stepping for hours now, as her mind dreaded this day for years.

She had reached her final destination, at least for the night. In her right arm she held roses, not a dozen though, only 7 or so. In her left arm she held a futon, neatly folded. Though the moment she stepped towards the stone, she the futon dropped from her arm onto the grass beneath her feet. Slowly her finger traced a set of names, six to be precise. Every name traced was a rose placed, the last rose she held between her fingers. The moon's rays coloured it a gentle blue instead of white, but no matter in what angle or hue she would look at the rose, she looked at it in disgust.

She placed this one at the bottom of the monument, just before her feet, as the others lay gently on top of the rock. As the futon was laid in place her mind still wandered. Now lying there, gazing at the stars, she spoke for the first time in hours. A silent whisper taken by the wind, "Don't you just love the stars Obito? I bet it feels great to be among them..."

Stretching her arms to the side made her think of the times she slept there before. Often she'd be lying in the middle, whilst her teammates rested on her arms. Never again would that happen, since they were among the stars as well now. "No more pain, no worries... Just, being there."

A deep, harboured sigh left her chapped lips, "Please sensei, watch over me..."

The wind took her last breath for the night and whisked it towards the trees, it rested upon silent ears. And the silent feet that came with those ears, made their way to the stone, silently of course.

The person, the rightful owner of the feet and ears, looked down upon the frail form. Thinking what an easy coupe de grace she was, though, beautiful and lively at the same time. Not sure what thoughts had priority, not caring either, he placed his own covers over the young woman. Careful not to wake her, he took place next to her on the grass and enjoyed the sight he was given. The stars as well as the girl beside him, looking at them in peace is what he wanted though the one distracted him too much from the other.

As a child, he was told that people would tell the truth in their sleep... Just whisper them the question and the answer shall follow. But was it the right thing to do? To violate her sleep and trust like that? As he laid there beside her, his thoughts wandered with his eye along her curved being. Her cheeks, lips... following the covers downwards to her chest, he watched it move in a steady rhythm. Carefully he leaned in to study the rhythm of her heart, but was surprised with a whisper from the lips.

He could not believe his ears, those words were the last he had hoped to hear from those precious lips. Should he believe them? The lips? The words that came from them? After all she was asleep, it might have been an unconscious slip of the tongue. He tried to shake off the thought that it might be true as her lips had whispered many lies before. As his gaze returned to her she wasn't on her back anymore, she had retracted her arms close to her and rolled over. In a way she must have sensed him being there as she had rolled over, closer to him. It seemed she longed for contact, her face distorted into a grim frown. A nightmare had occurred, should he comfort her? Should he let her be?

He tried to fight his emotions with his wants and needs, for now he had won. He looked down again upon the frail form, his finger trailed her frown. It lessened at his touch, had she noticed it was him? His finger had digressed from her frown to her cheek, down to her bare neck. As he passed a certain spot she shivered under his touch, at this he smiled. At this, he remembered nice moments with this spot and his lips, moments he couldn't resist bringing back to live. He slipped his mask to its rightful place when he was with her, around his neck. He kept his finger around the spot as he slowly brought his lips closer, the moment she felt his breath on her cold skin a moan-like sigh seeped through her lips. Only encouraging the man to go on, and so he did.

His lips touched her neck as gently as they could, not quite a kiss yet not 'brushed' against her skin. As he settled his lips down for a real kiss, he delicately nipped at her flesh. The sensitive spot made her muscles contract, letting a strangled moan flow from her still chapped lips. He couldn't believe what he was doing, why was he giving in to her again? Isn't this going to be another disappointment? A simple repeat of 'just then'? Though, nothing about her or their 'relationship' was simple... An intricate web woven of secrets and lies, one mistake. One wrong move could mean the end, pain and misery. Though deceit seemed to show its face first... No, he didn't want to think about this, he didn't want to go there anymore. He just wanted to be now, there with her...

He had crawled closer to her, his hand reaching for her body. Reaching to be in contact with her skin, almost there, almost... No. He had to withhold himself. She was not to know he was there, she were not to wake at his touch, not right now. He wasn't even supposed to be kissing her, damn his emotions for being so strong... Damn his wants and needs, for being so strong. His hand doubtingly hovered closer to her, indecisive whether it should hold her shoulder gently and pull her closer... Or retreat to its humble nature, seize this kiss and let her sleep. Her breath seemed like one big moan, never ending except to inhale... Even then it sounded like a song dedicated to him, a rhythm followed by the wind.

He couldn't pull back his lips, he wanted to, at least that's what he told himself... But he couldn't. The weak spot for this girl never left his heart, or the big-gaping-hole-that-used-to-be-his-heart. The latter being more suitable since her 'departure' had left him empty, as well as other people who thought of her like this. Maybe not as strong but still, there's only one degree of love... That's being in love, with someone, together. Was he in that state?

He opened his eye again, he found himself on the futon beneath the covers, yet still outside. When did that happen? He had sworn himself to just sit next to her and look over her fragile sleeping form through the night... Now he was back at square one, under the sheets with her. But, it all was over so sudden. Looking to his right, he saw the sleeping girl. Wearing a mask. When he felt his own lips. Covered by a porcelain mask. Had he been dreaming?

They were under the stars Obito provided, on the futon she nicked from home and under the covers he brought along. As a light tingling sensation ran to his fingers and back to his shoulder, he looked back at the girl, long blue hair spread across the futon. So it seems that somewhere in their 'sleep', he had slipped between the futon and covers, snaking his arm underneath her neck. Several thoughts slipped from his mind as he rolled back closer to her, he placed his other arm over her... Around her and held her close.

Though the one whisper tried to keep him awake all night, the whispers of the leaves soothed his heartbreak away.

- "...I never... should have said... I loved him..."