Title: Rin

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Warning: Unbeta and horrible grammar. Language.

Chapter 6

"Here is your new place." Kakashi stopped in front of a building which I could say that was an apartment building. I stopped beside him and looked up, scanning the building.

The building wasn't look that bad in my opinion. The blue colour on the wall looked slightly discoloured while the windows were clean. I could see there was detached steel windowsill on each window so that the occupants could use it to dry their laundry outside. There were a few window opened, where I quite sure the tenant was inside. Few of it had potted plants on their windowsill. Pleased with the outside impression of the new home of mine, I looked at Kakashi. He silently read the paper in his hand. While waiting for him to made any move, I scanned the surrounding.

The apartment was built in the east of Konoha. East of Konoha was consisted mainly with apartment building and several shops that focused on ninja's weaponry and there also tea shop and restaurants. The market was quite far while there were shops served same purpose around. I also noted that public building around the area was hospital and library even though that I just saw the roof for the hospital while library I found it while we walked into this area. There were a lot of things I should now about this area since I was going to live here for how long I don't really know now. For now, I need a place to settle in and preparing my self. Yondaime agreed with my choice and he didn't try to make me changed my mind. I was really pleased with his suggestion for my living arrangement and he also decided that he was going to help me find my way back.

Noting several restaurant and grocery shop nearest from the building eased my worry a bit. I was aware with my cooking skill and until I could properly make my food again, I must find some alternatives.

"Let's go upstairs. Apparently it is on the second floor."

I nodded and followed him silently. Actually I was giddy and excited about getting my own place. Yondaime explained that I was going to get my own place in order to stay here. He already prepared everything including the payment and my allowance and he had explained everything to his student.

What kind of explanation Kakashi received about me, I don't really know. His sensei didn't really talk much I guessed since he remained anti social guy like previous days. I shrugged and alerted my self once we reached the second floor. I looked around and pleased again. The hallway was like Kakashi's apartment building or jounin residential building. Once the door opened, we could see the best view of the sky or from my level here the best view of roofs. I looked at the door area. Apparently there were about five units in each floor. So, I was going to have four neighbours here!

We stopped in front of a door. Apparently it was the middle unit. I blinked. "Two zero three…"

"Mn…" Kakashi hummed and unlocked the door. We entered the unit and scanned around.

"It's fully furnished." I mumbled softly and checked on the room. The unit was composed with one bedroom, one shower and toilet, a living room and kitchen. The kitchen actually shared with the living room. I entered the kitchen area and noted the refrigerator. "Nice…" I added under my breath.

"Here," Kakashi said as he held out a paper bag to my direction. I picked up the bag slowly and looked at him with curious gaze. "Take it as give. I don't really need it either."

I narrowed my gaze at him and opened the bag. Inside, there was the book he bought previous day, and two sets of clothes he lent me a few days at his place. "Oh…thank you very much. I appreciate it." I was quite happy with it actually, since I didn't really have any other outfit than the one I have at the moment.

Kakashi nodded and held out his closed hand. I eyed it curiously and held out my hand below his.

"This is your key." He placed a bunch of keys on my palm.

I eyed the keys and nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

Kakashi walked to the door and I quickly went to it after placed down the bag on nearest table which was the kitchen table. He already wore his sandal when I reached the place. "Wait, Kakashi-san…thank you for everything for these few days even you're kind of stoic for having a conversation and I'm sorry too."

He raised his visible eyebrow. "Sorry? For what?"

"Ah…for calling you a rapist? It was bad of me." I rubbed neck in embarrassment and averted my gaze away so that I couldn't see his expression. Not that I could see it anyway. That freaking mask was in my way!

"Oh…I don't really remember it much. So, it's okay."

I stared at him. I must hit him hard then if he barely remembered it. "Oh…and for hitting you too...kicking in the middle of night…"

"It's fine, really."

I stared at him and shrugged since he didn't make any extra comment. "If you say so."

"Rin...san?"

"Yes?"

"You're not going to the academy? Right?"

"I don't know about it." I didn't really would tell him my preference now.

"Just don't."

"Why?" I blinked innocently at him. He looked away.

"It's nothing. Good day." Kakashi vanished in the air leaving me alone in my new home.

That was the last conversation between us. I hoped that our path was not crossing on each other in nearest of time.

That night, I stared at the ceiling for the longest time until I slept.

Morning I found that a pillow was on the floor.

I played with my fingers while waiting for the call from the teacher behind the door. Humming something, I scanned the academy hallway. It was plain and empty. The floor was made of wood and there was trace of concrete under it. I turned to my right and found stairs. From the outside, the academy building was look simple and plain while the inside was full of maze and stairs. I nearly lost when the first moment I stepped into the building.

"Suzuhara-san, please come in." The academy teacher called from inside.

I took a deep breath. "Okay, Rin inside there are all kids. You can do this." I muttered firmly and patted my shoulder. "You're going to do fine."

Minato had arrange me in class consisted with children around nine and ten. He said age wise and it would look weird if I was in five year old class. I kind of agreed with his decision. At least nine and ten years old were much better than five.

I pulled the door opened and entered the class. It was eerie. Too much silent and there wasn't even any voice. I remained calm and walked forward and stopped beside the only adult figure in the room. Then I turned around and shuddered. They looked small and fragile! Were these nine and ten years old kids? They looked like six or seven!

"Okay class this is our new member, Suzuhara Rin." The adult turned at me and we looked at each other. A man around twenty five and above, I noted. The man had short raven hair and fair skin. No scar on his face and hands. He was wearing standard uniform of chuunin and jounin class ninja complete with flak jacket and hitai-ate on his forehead. There was also shuriken kunai holster on his right tight. "My name is Wataru Ren and you can call me Ren-sensei. Now, introduce yourself to the class." He smiled at me.

I nodded and looked at the group of children in front of me. I could noted there were few of them excited with the newcomer and another group simply stared at me with indifference while there were a few not interested with anything. I shrugged. "Hello, my name is Suzuhara Rin. Can call me Rin and nice to meet you." I bowed slightly.

The whole class clapped once I straightened my self making me smiled slightly. Maybe this is not so bad after all, my mind supplied.

The rest of morning class was quite boring. Shinobi history was my doodling moment. I managed to destroy about two or three pages of my notebook while chakra theory was pretty interesting. From the lecture, I understood that chakra was essential in order to perform some jutsu. Hand signs were one of the paths of chakra control in order to manifest a technique. I stared at the book. There was too much explanation which I could read it later. My eye instantly focused at certain words.

"Meditation help increasing the spiritual energy while training physically help with physical energy."

"Spiritual energy and physical energy worked together in order to create more chakra." A voice continued with mine making me looked up and turned to my left. There was a boy with ponytail where he leaned his head on the desk while his arms were nesting around his head. He looked drowsy.

I blinked. He had scar across his nose bridge and it was looking fairly new. "Um, hi?"

The boy grinned. "I'm Iruka. Umino Iruka."

"And I already introduced my self earlier." I remembered that he was in uninterested group.

"Yeah, Rin. Right?"

"Yes."

"So, are you going to sleep while the class is still here?"

"Uh, I'm under medication." Iruka explained and covered a yawn. He blinked slowly and pointed his finger over his scar. "See this?"

"Yeah, it looks new." I stared at the scar intently making the brunet blushed. I averted my gaze and slowly looked at him again. "Um, sorry. Does it hurt?"

"Yes but when I take the medicine the sick feeling on it dulled." Iruka yawned again and smiled. "And it gives me this drowsy after affect."

"Ah…"

"Iruka! Rin! Don't talk during class!"

"Ah, sorry Ren-sensei!" Both of us instantly stood up and said it out loud making the whole class snickered.

We quickly sat back on our seat and Iruka patted my arm. "Sorry, Rin."

"It's okay, Iruka. It's quite fun you know." I smirked.

"Yeah, I know." He grinned.

"Iruka! Rin!"

"Sorry sensei!"

So I made a friend on my first day at academy and his name was Umino Iruka.

It was during our lunch, another kids came around and asked me a few question. I used the cover story made by Minato in order to answer the question like where did I came from, why I was not in academy earlier and so on. The cover story was like this; I was mostly sick during my childhood thus need to stay indoors for the whole time. During that time, I was getting knowledge of shinobi world from private tutor who came regularly at my home while not doing any physical training due to the sickness I had. On my eighth birthday, there were bandits came into our house at night thus lead to my parentless situation. I was stayed under therapy and my health condition became better from time to time thus lead me to the academy.

Most of the kids quite pleased with my explanation and some of them showed their sympathy of my life.

I smiled and accepted it simply as I was already moving on with it.

"You're so brave for living alone," Iruka said after the crowd around our desk lessened.

"Well, I'm a big girl now aren't I?" I grinned at him. I couldn't tell him that I was twenty in nine year old body now.

"Now, I'm proud to have a friend like you."

We laughed loud enough for only us to enjoy it.

I was keeping my books and scroll about chakra when I felt another appearance around my apartment. I blinked once and looked at the lights. "Maybe it's just my imagination since I read too much and I'm hungry." I mumbled and looked at the clock on the wall. "No wonder I'm starving. I nearly miss my dinner." I quickly kept everything inside my bag and closed it. I turned around and facing the window wanted to check the outside scenery.

There was single eye was staring at my apartment.

"Gyaahhh!" I shouted, stiffened and groaned once noticing who was at the window. Taking a few angry steps I stopped in front of the window and opened it harshly. It was a good thing that the window was slide type instead of the door type. "What the fuck are you doing there? I almost got heart attack!" I yelled and glared at Kakashi who perched on windowsill of my window. I hoped that thing broke and he fell down and injured heavily and then no one was going to help him. I chuckled evilly in my mind.

Our path was just crossed each other after one night I stayed at my own place. That was too soon for my taste.

"Here," Kakashi held out a container to my face. I accepted it and felt my palm getting warm. Apparently the content inside it was in hot or warm condition.

"What's this?"

"I made too much…" He started to spoke and looked around. Likely to covered his awkwardness. "Gai wasn't around and I don't know who else…" He trailed.

I sighed. "Fine, thank you very much for the food and please stop scaring people like that." I slammed the window closed and pulled the curtain. I held the container a high as I could. "Oh free food!" I grinned and went to the kitchen.

My happiness about getting free food evaporated instantly once I noticed something. "That Kakashi is not seeing anything what I read, right?" I mumbled softly. I glared at the floor. "This is my life. He doesn't have any part in this."

It just like, I got a second chance of all sudden.

Closing my eyes and sighed, I placed the container on the table. "So, this the way he act to recover the lost time with Rin?" I glared at the container. "I'm not that Nohara Rin! But I can't waste on free food either!"

I could feel trouble was going to coming around sooner or later while I was enjoying the fried rice. I shrugged and finished the food.

Apparently that was the only time he came to my apartment. I nearly made a request to Yondaime about this and I was glad there wasn't the need anymore.

I simply enjoyed my life as academy student as the months went by. My days were full with classes, training and wandering around the village. Sometimes, I met the hokage as he need to learn about my progress at the academy. I also trained my self with cooking practice in the weekend and Iruka was my lab rat. The comments were harsh but I was happy to hear it. He was really a nice boy and I really liked being friend with him. Sometimes he helped me with the chakra theory and his explanation was easier to understand rather than the complex paragraphs and information in the textbooks. We also practiced together in sparring and throwing weapons. I also learned that he was a prankster and I joined him on several pranks. It was fun and I cherished the moment we shared together. It was like I finally met someone who really saw me as real me.

Thuck! Thuck! Thuck!

"Suzuhara Rin, twenty eight points." Ren-sensei jotted down something on his clipboard and signaled me to move away.

I grinned when listened to the point I gained from shuriken throwing mock test. The full points were thirty and so far I was leading among twenty seven students in the class. I left the area and took a seat beside Iruka.

"Your accuracy is always the best Rin."

"Thank you Iruka. It was all thanks to you too for teaching me."

"Nah…I'm just teaching you the basic and the rest it's your own effort."

"Well you got high point too." I pointed to our target trunk. They might change with a new once since the one we used barely in good condition anymore.

"Not until someone beat me." He sulked and chuckled softly. "I'll train more after this."

I grinned and looked at the field. Twenty six points was pretty high I reminded mentally. Iruka had a good aim too if he really focused on it. I looked at the next one who was going to throw the shurikens. The next person was a boy with silver hair and he wore a hoodie hat on his head.

"It's Mizuki turn," Iruka said.

I rested my head on my knees and hummed. "I don't like him."

Iruka looked at me with confused face. I shrugged. "He mocks us girls too much. I don't like it. What's wrong with girls being a ninja?"

Iruka never had a chance to reply on my question when we heard a loud sound came from the target place. We both focused at it.

"Mizuki, thirty points." Ren-sensei said and looked around the field. He called his assistant and they discussed about something while we students were gathering under the shade. The sun was getting higher and higher.

Mizuki sat down beside Iruka. He smirked at both of us. "Beat you, Iruka and you too girl."

"Yeah, yeah we see that," I said and looked away. "Good aim, Mizuki." I added at the end.

"That's amazing Mizuki." Iruka smiled at Mizuki while the latter simply snorted.

Ren-sensei called us and scanned everyone. His assistant wasn't around. Pleased with our presence he smiled. "Good job everyone in this mock test. I'm quite pleased with your improvement while some of you need more practice for next year real exam." He paused and raised his hand with clipboard. "Now our next agenda is taijutsu test."

I shrugged. Taijutsu was never really my good point. I looked around and shrugged more. Who were going to be my opponent? I hoped it wasn't going to be that Hyuga boy or Uchiha girl in our class. They were freaking outclassed with most of us! I learned that during our taijutsu practice.

"We're going to do some drawing in order to determine your opponent." Ren-sensei explained as his assistant came with a box in his hand.

I paled. Lucky draw or whatever draws related was totally my bad part.