Chapter 2: Rivals
"Kakashi! How dare you steal sweet Azelea away from me!" Gai screamed.
Kakashi and I were practicing jutsu in the school yard. We had grown close to each other and said when we were both fourteen we'd get together as a couple. Gai found out about us and stormed over.
"I did no such thing," Kakashi shrugged.
Three years had passed. My birthday was in a few days. Gai professed his love for me pretty much every day. Kakashi lost his father to suicide and grew harder, but was still soft to me. Mom gave birth to another brother, who Itachi promptly named Sasuke. He was now one.
"Gai! Will you stop?" Kakashi's voice snapped me back to reality.
Gai was harping in Kakashi's ear and I could tell he was irritating him.
"Gai, please leave," I sighed.
He jumped back a few feet and pointed at Kakashi dramatically.
"I, Maito Gai, declare you, Hatake Kakashi to be my rival!" he scowled.
Kakashi shrugged and said okay. I could tell Gai was serious about this, but Kakashi thought nothing of it.
"Time to be placed in your teams!" Sakuya-sensei called from the door.
We filed inside and Kakashi slipped me a note. After taking our respectful seats in the room Sakuya-sensei held up a clipboard and began calling off names.
"Team 1 is Kakashi, Rin and Obito. Your sensei is Kamikaze Minato. Team 2 is Gai, Azelea, and Genma. Your sensei is Uzamaki Kushina," she kept speaking as I opened up the note.
'I asked your father if I could court you. He said yes. Will you accept and become my girlfriend?
Love Kakashi'
I looked over to him and smiled. His face lit up and he reached out his hand. I took it and squeezed.
After we were told who our teams were Kakashi and I decided to celebrate with Ichiraku Ramen.
"Kakashi, do you think we'll be able to see each other a lot?" I ask as our ramen is being cooked.
"We will find ways, I promise," he smiled, "I want to show you something after ramen. Want to go to the park?"
I nod and blush. I look away to eat my ramen for a second and when I look back over Kakashi is done and paying for the ramen. I finish up and take his hand. He leads me to the park and sits me down on a swing.
"Azelea, I believe I need to show you this," he lifted his hand up to his mask, "You will be seeing it anyway, and I believe now is a good time."
I watch in wonder and shock as he takes his mask off. Up until now, I have never seen his face. He looks so handsome. I could tell he'll be a real looker when he's older. I smile up at him and trace the black marks on his cheeks. He holds my hand there and his eyes shine with unshed tears.
"What are the marks for?" I ask quietly.
"I was born with a disease that should've killed me. I survived, but these marks are from that disease," he leaned down.
I closed my eyes and felt his lips barely brush mine. Then he kissed me. With the moon a glow and the gentlest breeze sweeping my long ponytail around us, I guess you could say it was perfect.