Thank you guys for making the last chapter my most reviewed! That made me so happy haha, and to Deijinn, I have more Shino!

P.S., if you think chapter 18 was bad, then you're in for a big surprise later :)

xoxShika-chanxox: Yes! I thought you were gone :) Great to have you back, and I'm glad you like my story that much!

Airye: Haha, I won't let anything happen between them :)

A heart for you: Haha, I was wondering how many people predicted that XD

heavensangelQ: I'm sowwy :( I was actually sad after I wrote that chapter

kyuubi9kitsune: I'm glad you like it!

XxSesshomaruandRinxX: Haha, he was bad indeed

lilrocker: I know, I feel bad

Genoveve: Luck is not on Iruka's side this time, and I'm glad you love it :)

XLightningX: You should have seen my face after I wrote it XP lolz

(break)

"Ah," Denji yawned, sitting up in the motel bed, wiping his eyes as sunlight poured into the cramped room. "Ugh, my head hurts like hell. Feels like someone drove a hammer into my head a million times, and then stomped on it with cleats. Hey, Kashi? Kashi! What the hell is wrong with you? Are you sick?" the green haired man asked is friend frantically, turning to look at him.

Kakashi rose his head from it's position in his hands and looked at the other, eyes a blood-shot red; face paler than normal.

"I woke up at one and never fell back asleep," he stated in a monotone voice, eyes unemotional.

"So you stayed up for seven hours? You know we have to be back at the ship in like five hours, right? Did my snoring wake you?"

"You... you don't remember what happened?" Kakashi asked, confusion evident in his voice.

"Am I supposed to remember something? Oh my, don't tell me I tried to fight someone," Denji chuckled out. "Um, you aren't laughing... or smiling at all for that matter. Dude, seriously, what happened and- wait! Where are my pants?" Kakashi just kept staring at him, unable to say a single word. "Kakashi you're freaking me out. What happened?"

Kakashi let out a soft sigh and whispered, "We fucked."

"Huh?" Denji asked. "Do you mean we fucked up and did something stupid?"

"No. Sex, I mean sex."

"What?" the green haired male exclaimed, eyes wide with shock. "How, why...?"

"I don't know myself. We drank last night, a little too much, and the alcohol just took over and... dear Lord, what about Iruka?" Kakashi questioned, burying his head in his hands once again. "I can't go back and face him after this. I can't lie to him."

"Kakashi please, don't beat yourself up. If anything, this is my fault. I shouldn't have let myself consume so much alcohol. I'm so sorry."

"How is it your fault? It takes two to fuck and- just forget it. I don't want to talk about this anymore. It's making me sick."

"Ok... well, um, I'll just leave you to yourself then. I'll be back on the ship," Denji announced, getting up from the bed, locating his lost pants and putting them back on.

"Wait, don't go. I don't want this to cause us to become distant," Kakashi said, raising his head to offer the other a saddened smile. "I just need to sort things out, ok? Don't blame yourself, please."

"Ok," Denji answered softly, "if you want to talk it out or anything..."

"Yeah, I know, thanks."

"Not to make this awkward or anything, but do you want breakfast? I'm pretty sure this place has one of those little breakfast lounge thingies," Denji said, straightening out his hair while slipping on his shoes.

"No, I don't think my stomach can handle anything right now," Kakashi answered, also dressing himself. "Why don't we just pay and head out?"

"Right," Denji replied, walking towards the door, Kakashi following beind silently.

The two walked down the hotel, the scent of chlorine swarming inside their nostrils, as the memory of their past event swarmed their mind. They payed the hotel clerk, and promptly left, an air of slight awkwardness around them.

"So, as of now it's three ours and thirty minutes left?" Kakashi asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Denji answered, walking along the paved streets of the village, not fully knowing where he was going. "Is there anything you want to do in particular?"

"Uh... how about we visit the local weapons shop?" Kakashi offered, glancing meekly at the other.

"A weapons shop?" Denji exclaimed in pure surprise. "Of all the places to go, Mr. Kills-a-lot has to choose something violent," he quietly chuckled, rolling his eyes in an attempt to get a smile out of the pale man.

"Yeah..." Kakashi replied, still mulling over what happened earlier; completely unaware of the other's attempt to cheer him up. He snapped back to focus when he received an awkward stare from Denji, as if the other was questioning whether or not he was all right. "I mean, you can't blame my natural curiosity for weapons, can you?" the silver haired man hastily responded, desperately trying to ease the tension around them. "I mean, what's better than swords and guns?"

"Hmmm, let me think, I don't know... maybe a park? That only seems normal," Denji replied, with an almost forced laugh, stopping in the middle of his trail.

"Hey, why'd you stop?" Kakashi asked, almost colliding into the man in front of him.

"I have no clue where I'm going."

"And here I thought you always had a built in compas."

"I'm not God, Kakashi, cut me some slack, yikes," Denji said, glancing around the island. "Besides, we're not lost; I can see the ship over there. I just don't know where the stupid shop thingy is. Wait, do they even have one?"

"A shop thingy?" the pale man questioned. "It's called a weaponry shop, and of course they do. I saw a sign earlier that advertised it.

"Well if you saw the sign, then why didn't you remember where it was?"

"Because... because- oh shut up and just start walking," Kakashi commanded, attempting to push away all of the negative thoughts of the morning's events.

"Huh? Shino? What are you doing here?" Iruka asked, watching as the pale teen made his way into the classroom. "Don't you want lunch or something?"

"No thanks, sensei, I actually came to discuss something rather odd with you. Please do not think of me as odd, but I do believe that something bad will happen to you," the young man stated bluntly, pulling up a chair and taking a seat in front of the teacher's desk.

"What are you talking about?" Iruka asked, putting down his sandwich, giving the boy his full attention.

"Well, in a nutshell, my family has been breeding bugs for years, as you know. Well we managed to develop a sort of vague fortune telling species, named the Mokushu Beetle. The way they predict the future is via death, that is when one dies, something horrible is destined to happen to someone close in your life, or to something you cherish deeply. Well mine died yesterday, so obviously, someone I know will experience great grief. The sad part was that I did not know who, or what the source of the misery was. Last night, I had a dream that you were sitting among shattered pieces of glass, crying uncontrollably. I put one and one together, and came to the conclusion that something terrible will soon happen to you. Forgive me for my rather abrupt presentation."

"What?" Iruka asked after a moment of silence, eyes scanning the young boy over for any hint of deceit. "Why... why isn't that a little too sudden? That's jumping to an awfully quick conclusion."

Shino sighed softly and reached for his dark shades, taking them off to reveal a pair of apathetic, amber eyes- the action causing the school teacher to loose track of thought at their sheer beauty.

"Iruka sensei," Shino began, his gaze not leaving Iruka's, "I almost never take off my glasses, so please hear me out. I will soon repeat what I have just told you, and I want you to scan my face, eyes and all, for any sign of a lie. Are you ready?" Iruka nodded dumbfoundedly. "Ok. Due to the recent death of my Mokushu Beetle and my past dream, I have concluded hat something grave will occur to you."

Iruka quickly searched the boys face, eyes darting back and forth between the other's eyes and mouth, watching for the hint of a smirk, or the flicker or humor within those amber orbs. He found nothing.

"I believe you," he said softy, lowering his head slightly. "I just don't have the slightest clue of what it could mean."

"I'm not sure if this will help, but in the past instances of this occurring, it usually meant that someone was about to die."

"D-die?" Iruka repeated in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, sensei, but yes. The Mokushu Beetle's death has always been associated with the death of another or something dear to you, and the exact time occurs within a year of the news. May I ask how long until Kakashi san returns from war?"

"Seven months," Iruka answered quietly.

"I see. Please do not become alarmed, for it may not be him, but I do want to warn you to be prepared for the worst. Please promise me that, sensei. I've seen this happen countless times before- even to my father when my mother died. They all knew that it was bound to happen, but it never registered properly to them- they were never prepared, so when the time came, it struck them hard. I don't want to see this happen to you... not if I can prevent it, so please be careful."

"I will," Iruka whispered, not sure what else to say.

The young boy nodded and glanced at the clock.

"Two minutes until the bell rings. I should be off to my class," he mumbled to himself. "I'll see you tomorrow, Iruka sensei," Shino said, getting up and exiting the room, leaving a baffled man behind.

"Yeah... see you tomorrow."

"Ugh" Iruka deadpanned, closing the door behind him as he entered his house, immediately throwing himself down onto his couch. "Today was... was a bitch. Why does everything happen to me? No. I need to have a positive outlook on this. If I think negative thoughts, then they will come true."

Knock-knock-knock.

"Hey," a loud voice called from behind the door. "It's Kurenai. Can I come in?"

'Kurenai?' Iruka thought in disbeief. 'It's not everyday that she comes over.'

"Yeah," Iruka called back, getting up to unlock the door. "Be right there." He opened the door and greeted the young woman. "Hey, what's up? Come in, come in."

She entered and took a seat on the living room couch, Iruka following her and sitting beside her.

"Iruka... how are you?" she suddenly asked after science.

"Me? I'm great. I... oh, about that, right?" The red-eyed girl nodded gently. "Kurenai, it's been a few months. I put all of that behind me, so it's ok."

"Iruka!" she yelled, startling the man. "No one can just force themself to forget about something like... like that."

"Kurenai, please cam down. It's called forced repression, and it's working. Please, take it easy," Iruka comforted, patting the other's back soothingly.

"I'm sorry, I just- I shouldn't have left you alone with Anko. You know what? Whenever she wants to take you somewhere, call me, and I'll tag along, ok? I won't here no for an answer."

Iruka laughed at Kurenai's protected behavior.

"Kurenai, it's ok. It's not Anko's fault. I should have been more careful, that's all."

"Iruka," Kurenai warned, "I told you that I wouldn't take no for an answer. So what's your answer?"

"Do I have a choice?" the tanned man teased.

"Oh, right, you don't haha," the black haired woman chuckled out.

"I promise, Kurenai. I have to admit though, it was kind of random seeing you today, haha."

"Wel I actually wanted to talk to you for a while, but I didn't know how to approach you," she admitted shamefully.

"Well I'm gad you came. It gives us some time to catch up. Would you like some tea?"

"Yeah, that sounds nice."

(break)

Well, there's some awkward tension going on here hehe *sweat drop* hope you enjoyed!