As the warmer months trickled by, Lord Hokage sat pleased with Kakashi's reports that Nishira was thriving in a solo environment and had demonstrated real improvement. However, it was obvious that a great need for continued discipline remained based on the teacher's resigned sighs. At that statement, Lord Hokage had simply laughed. He assigned them protection detail for the Lantern Festival as a mission for the troublesome student and exhausted teacher.

"This is my first mission? After all this time? We've been training for what? Six miserable weeks and the first mission is babysitting?"
"Miserable?" Nishira frowned at her sensei's cocked eyebrow, mocking her. Something in his challenging face sent her heart pattering in an irregular rhythm. She begrudgingly relented.
"Okay, it was fine, but I want to actually do something!"
Kakashi's eye narrowed at his pouting tag along, he waited for the stubbornness that has plagued him these long weeks, inflexible and unmoving. But it didn't seem to resurface and for that Kakashi emitted a small sigh of relief.

"You've only completed a few jutsus since we started. Yes, completed, the ones you haven't mastered don't count. There is still plenty for you to learn. Besides, if you'd actually listen, you'd know that this is an important time for the village; Many people from the Land of Fire travel here to see the lantern festival. But since the Daimyo is in attendance, it means there are more people than ever."
Nishira looked around at the tourists who filtered through the street, all strangers to her. Occasionally a face she'd recognize would pass by, and she'd lift a hand in a stunted wave complete with a polite smile. The gesture was small and ingenuine, but it didn't go unnoticed in Kakashi's shrewdness. Everything in baby steps when it came to his student. He had every faith that she'd warm up, and the villagers would do the same.
"Isn't this a security issue, strangers allowed in the streets unsupervised? With diplomats and their families all in one place?"
His visible eye winked at her. It could have just been a blink, but Nishira recognized it as such, a little warm bubbling in her belly rose from the acknowledgment.
"You're figuring it out. Look there." He pointed to a building nearby, on the roof Nishira barely caught the barest glimpse of one of the masked anonymous shinobi that slithered around the place, special operatives she'd been told. Nishira wasn't sure if the village welcomed them as protectors or tolerated them as a necessity.
"ANBU takes plenty of steps to make sure it's safe in the village. Everyone here has been vetted thoroughly. It has been a while since we've been rewarded with the presence of the Daimyo here with his entourage."
"I get it, this looks good for the Hokage and makes the village seem like they have more say in political matters of the Daimyo."
An awkward pause hung between them. The shrewd statement had caught Kakashi off guard.
"I didn't say that."
"No, but that's politician bullshit. You give people just enough slack on the rope to hang themselves. Showing favour to the local shinobi village is a smart move if you want to keep them leashed and grateful for the table scraps. Let me guess, we have more than one feudal lord here."
Kakashi frowned, forgetting for a moment that the girl in front of him was still a genin, and not a fellow jonin. The words reminded him of something Asuma, Lord Hokage's son, had said years ago and struck a chord. Politics and paperwork seemed to be the fate of the Hokage position, reducing once powerful warriors into desk jockeys and babysitters. Kakashi hoped he would never be forced into a role that removed him from the field.

Only ten feet in front of them, the wife and daughter of one of the Daimyo's advisors aimlessly wandered the streets looking at all the pretty and foreign things. They walked, arms linked, in traditional summer kimonos, perfectly themed with the occasion, layers of delicate lavender silk, trailing branches of white blooms. Those same blooms crowned their ears holding back the soft brown locks, pulled into a demure bun. The mother and daughter matching set was insufferably charming.

The women's patriarch was currently being privately entertained with Lord Hokage and a couple other feudal lords from neighboring lands, Nishira thought she preferred this job over watching the men, it was more fun to watch the mother's delighted chirping at all the novelty sights and gift trolleys littering the festival streets, and the daughter zipping back and forth a little faster than decorum would normally allow. It was a third-tier protection detail, but humble beginnings were in order for the resistant student.

The women stopped at a boutique that had some beautiful kimonos displayed on elegant mannequins in the window, a sneak peak into next season's fashions in the Land of Fire. Entering the doorway, rows and trays of jewelry that sparkled in the rich sunlight, sculpted to match any of the premade kimonos in stock glittered brilliantly, drawing them in. They wound through any space not occupied in the tiny shop by bolts of fabric and piles of plastic bags with robes of all sizes. The owner flitted about tittering to the patrons, but the mother started looking at the uncut bolts, not hearing his nonstop chatter, and the daughter pressed her nose against the glass case with the decadent jewellery arrangements. Their excitement was mirrored in each other, the daughter simply a younger version of her mother, a time stamp not so long passed with only a little creasing in the elder's face and hands. Nishira and Kakashi lingered outside the doorway after realizing the shop was only big enough for a handful of people. She watched as the daughter's graceful hand trailed along the cool metal that lay on her skin as she gazed in the mirror, eyelashes fluttering.
"Nishira?"
"Hmm?" Nishira turned to Kakashi.
"I'm going to grab some water," he gestured towards a cart, covered with cheap manufactured souvenirs, complete with the owner wearing a wide tacky straw hat with the symbol for fire painted in obscenely bright red paint. Next to the man's hip was a fridge with a sign advertising the waters at a price twice the normal rate. "Want one?"
Nishira scoffed. "Only if you're paying."
She watched him leave, her eyes drinking his form in lingering over his physique and sculpted toned backside as he walked. Her mind continued to drift to much more pleasant things than escorting the wives and daughters of self-important men. Mainly, it consisted of that muscular body hidden under those dark shinobi fatigues. Their weeks of training definitely proved how easy he'd gone on her on that first day weeks ago.

"Keep your guard up, your flank is exposed!"
Nishira took the barrage of strikes from Kakashi's blade against her ninjato. The weapon wobbled threateningly in her hand with every strike. To demonstrate his point, he slapped the broadside of the blade on her forearm. It smarted and Nishira winced shaking her arm.
"Again. Let's go." His commanding voice drove away the sting and made her prepare for the next round. She held the blade at the ready, perspiration beading on her forehead, she'd ditched the jacket ages ago exposing the tanned expanse of her arms, except the points of her elbows wrapped in white strips of fabric. The collar of the white t-shirt absorbed the moisture in a growing path, beads of sweat dripped as they continued training on the sweltering June day they were having.

She nodded and Kakashi began advancing again, giving her no chance to catch her breath with each successive strike. Again, again, again, and again after that. The air burning in her lungs as though Nishira couldn't suck in enough to fill them, sweat dripped from the crown of her head into her eye, the saltiness of it controlling her eyelids as they fluttered, unwilling to fully close and risk missing her opponent's move.

Her sensei, typically infuriatingly composed, took breaks between his breaths that were shortened just ever so slightly but Nishira couldn't help an exhausted smile, propelling her farther. Back and forth, they moved like a dance only connecting metal to metal. Nishira spotted an opening and took it, but instead, in a sleek maneuver, her opponent slipped his blade and stopped just before connecting to the side of her face.
"God Dammit!" She shoved it away with her hand.
"Again, Nishira." He'd left the spot open purposely, a deep pleasure at her increased mastery lingered at the base of his throat like a warm scarf.
She nodded at his command, standing at the ready, limbs beginning to shake against her will but still Nishira met his blade with all her might, her jaw clenched in stubborn resiliency. Despite this, the dance was even shorter than before.
"You're getting sloppy!"
"I KNOW! Dammit!" She let out a breath. "Okay, let's go."

However, in a record time of less than a blink, he slapped the blade out from her hands. Nishira knelt to quickly snatch the blade back, but her foot faltered as she stumbled forward. Kakashi dropped his sword as her head collided with the front of his flak jacket, wrapping an arm around to catch his student. He gently held her up as she let out several laboured breaths muffled by the thick fabric. Her hands pressed against the sides of his chest and even through the layers she could feel its firmness, strong and sturdy. Leaning more into it as the fatigue seeped in, the muscles all along her body began to relax as her breathing slowed as she enjoyed the simple moment of rest.

The pleased sound she let out was a mixture of a tired groan and a moan. As it escaped her lips, the reality of what she just done splashed like frigid water and hastily removed herself from his grasp using her hands to push against Kakashi's torso. The exuberance of her push sent her careening backwards. Kakashi's hand instinctively strode to catch his student as Nishira's foot, trying desperately to find purchase, presented as a stumbling block and in a tangle of limbs, Nishira found herself pressed into the dirt floor, pebbles prodding uncomfortably into her back, with the heaviness of Kakashi landing on her robbing her lungs of air. He rested on his forearms to relieve the pressure, enveloping her.
"Are you okay?"
The sincerity in his voice froze the air in her throat. She looked into his concerned face, seeing that one eye as black as midnight, quickly scanning her face for pain. His gaze lingered a second too long, his eye guiltily dipped towards her lips. Do it! Kiss me! The words slid into her mind so smoothly, Nishira wondered if she'd said it out loud. Her teacher grunted as he got to his feet and held out a hand for her.
"Yeah, yeah I'm okay." She let him hoist her up.

"Nishira?"
She broke from her dirty meandering thoughts that so often came at the end of that memory, to see Kakashi handing her a bottle of water, drips from the condensation wetted his hand drawing her attention to them. She took it with a thanks and wondered if her face betrayed the scandalous thoughts she harboured and the wicked grin it gave her when alone. Nishira groaned internally, admitting she was completely hot for teacher, a responding heat clenching between her thighs. The thoughts had been almost non-stop since that day, he was still, at the end of it all, just a man. In her private thoughts, that only came when the night made everything still, that memory ended with a bold move on her part, a passionate embrace and maybe some not student-teacher appropriate play. Hands, his hands everywhere, his strength held in her own hands that brazenly roamed. Nishira avoided his gaze to see the two women assigned to them paying the vendor who bowed graciously, hands cupped holding the bills of ryo.

As the sun moved through the sky and heated up the land and people below it, the women were quite determined to see every shop down the main way, giving their protective guards the prized shopping bags that quickly overloaded them. All the while idly chatting with each other and them.
"It's all just so quaint. You must love living in such a place. So clean, and lots to see. Look at all those pretty trees just in the middle of town."
The mother blabbered on for a while about it, but Nishira tuned it out. A faint niggling at the back her neck, goosebumps sprawling across her skin, convinced her to turn. Nishira looked around and found herself unexpectantly locking eyes with a familiar person.

Nishira blinked, determined that she was seeing things. Opening her eyes, the eyes remained trained on hers, the skin around the dark orbs crinkled before turning away and disappearing into the crowd. Nishira continued to stare, waiting for the eyes to come back. Distracted only when she heard her name being called.
"Hmm?"
"I asked if you wanted fukko-yaki, you said the other day that you'd never tried it before."
"Oh, um-" she looked back to see the man had vanished from his position, her gaze scanning for a trace of the illusive figure who had disappeared from view. "Yeah, sure."
Kakashi eyed his distracted student. "What is it?"
"Someone maybe?".
"Who was it?"
"I thought I saw someone I knew. But I guess I'm just seeing things."
She turned to continue trailing their charges when Kakashi returned, presenting a napkin with a treat inside, tickling her nose with frying oil, a sweet pancake. She cautiously bit into it, surprised that it was already cool, but her mouth filled with a rich decadent vanilla custard with a silken texture, smooth and decadent like whipped butter and she couldn't help but moan and the little shimmy of her shoulders and head, before taking another dreamy bite.
"I take it that you like it."
"Where has this been all my life? Screw money, just feed me these ever day."
She looked up to see a bite taken out of Kakashi's showing the rich plum color of red bean paste, a delicacy way too sweet for her own tastes.
"Kakashi sensei, do you have a sweet tooth?" Her tone was light and teasing, but he looked away without answering. "You do? You do! I would never have guessed it." Kakashi's breath hitched at her beaming smile. Spotting a tiny smear of the yellow cream on the side of her lip, he gestured with his finger to his face.
"You have a little something there." The small smile he had under the mask widened as he watched her guess where he meant first with her tongue in a ridiculous show and then with her fingers until she swiped it onto her thumb, and promptly sucked on it to get every last taste. He watched the tiniest dimple on her left cheek that formed when she smiled. Those deep rich amber eyes that gleamed with mischief every time an idea slid into her mind as it often did in his presence.

They followed the ladies to the fields populated with the stage for the performances. Normally a quiet and peaceful place the rest of the year, it burst with people milling in between trees, carts with street food lined along the edges with picnic fare, souvenirs, and Konohagakure's sake, a local delicacy. A pure aromatic blend of apple, and pear, with the lingering scent of orange blossom. The rice was milled down and aged for five years. Nishira smacked her lips at the idea of sampling some, a woman with a tray had several small sampling cups filled with barely a thimble of the spirit. She snagged one for herself.

The ladies were led to a sectioned off area down by the picturesque glistening lake with floating waterfowl disturbing the surface, giving them an unobstructed view of the stage. The wind pulled some of the pink petals across the grass, decorating the area in the vision of Mother Nature. The shady spot was designated for the VIPs such as Lord Hokage in company with the Feudal Lords and their families. There were an exceedingly large number of shinobi there. It gave them some breathing room, and a much-needed break.

"Hey!"
Kakashi and Nishira looked up to see a female shinobi wave at them and made her way towards them. The sunlight caught her red hair, and it glowed like a halo bestowed on an angel with a beautiful smile. The lines on the edges of her mouth were the only clue to her age as her skin was smooth and porcelain and cradled her eyes that were a sparkling blue like the galaxy on a clear night. As the smile shone on Nishira, her pulse quickened in its presence, only distracted by the man who accompanied her. His face was also pleasing to look at, his features not too sharp, light blue ocean eyes looked to them with polite interest as he followed the one that had called on them. His generous lips were pressed into a line as he kept an eye on their surroundings.
"Hello Hibi."
Kakashi barely looked in their direction; It wasn't a rude gesture, just an indifferent one as Nishira was learning.
"And this must be Nishira, I have heard so much about you." The woman's hand rested gently on her shoulder giving it a firm squeeze, Nishira only managing an awkward smile in response to the full glow of the woman's overpowering attention.
"Don't be rude, Koragi, say hello."
Her companion simply laughed at Hibi's request, tilting his head slightly to look at Nishira with eyes that caught the light of the sun into glittering stones, his one hand on his hip, the other on out to shake hands.
"Hoshiki Koragi, nice to meet you."
"Imai Nishira."
She just dumbly shook his hand as he smiled at her.
"Hibi, where is the rest of your team?" Nishira dropped her hand as Kakashi looked intently at the squad leader.
"Oh, they were assigned to the perimeter, so it's just me and Koragi here to make sure things don't get out of hand. You know how these things are." She gave a sly wink to Nishira.
"But we're just about done, so we'll wander over there for a bit. It was truly a pleasure to meet you, Nishira. Enjoy the festival, there's just something about it that is so uplifting to the spirit, can you feel it?" Hibi's tiny little nose took in a deliberate sniff of the fragrant air and let a relaxed sigh come from her mouth. "I never get tired of this. Anyways, toodles!"
She turned and Koragi turned back to Nishira.
"See you around."
He seemed so sure that Nishira simply waved and watched them leave.
"Is she always that intense?"
"Unfortunately. Come on, we're being summoned." He

The advisor's wife and daughter wanted to tour the park, so Kakashi and Nishira stood nearby as they took in the sites. Soon the sun poured out an orange color as it slipped lower into the sky, their charges having had enough of touring the grounds were escorted back to the fenced off tent in the park, leaving their bodyguards to walk around outside. Looking at the stage, Nishira watched the bright colours of priestess robes twirling in dances, with moves that made her giggle. Inspired, Nishira got up and with a laugh became mimicking the dances they were doing, swooping her arms and legs out in a comical fashion with a silly face. Kakashi did respond with a smile, but with no laugh, she gave up and flumped onto the ground. He noted that even with her back to the stage, she had managed to get a handful of moves right and on time with the music.

Kakashi sat down in a much more controlled fashion. Nishira rolled her eyes that his hands didn't even leave his pockets when he did the smooth motion.
"Nishira, I'm being reassigned. This might be our last mission for a while."
He looked at the ground in front of them as she propped herself up on her elbows that pushed into the soft grass.
"What? Why?"
"I'm being reassigned to a team of new graduates from the academy this September. You know this was always the plan. Besides you are progressing nicely and don't need my help anymore. You are a competent shinobi now."
Nishira remembered the rolling semester intake and graduations at the Academy, April, September, and January were each a term that students could either sign up to start or apply to graduate.
"So, what happens to me then?"
"Lord Hokage will find you a new team. But it might not be right away, so for now, keep training, stick to the plan we've been working on. You'll be sent on missions if other teams need another person. I'm still your teacher." He looked back over his shoulder with that half droopy eye. "I'll always be your teacher."
Nishira frowned. "Sure, whatever."
"Nishira…"
"No, it's fine. I get it. Don't worry about me, I'll figure it out."
She sat up and hugged her knees. Kakashi frowned in helpless confusion as to how to rectify the situation as they sat in a filled silence. Kakashi stood, looking away towards the gathering of important VIPs.
"You can go, I got it from here."
Nishira looked up, an edge of hurt crept up.
"You sure, sensei?"
He didn't respond to the simple statement, said with careful neutrality, but he knew that fiery temper of hers was bubbling beneath the surface. However, he felt her stand up, dust her pants off, and slink away without another word. As soon as she was out of hearing range, he let out a shaky breath. That girl was trouble, he didn't like the way his mind always trailed to her; her smiling face when she'd discovered his sweet tooth. Kakashi hadn't the heart to say that he thought he'd taken the vanilla custard one, immediately disappointed with the overly sweet red bean paste. He wondered if she'd have shared it with him if he'd asked. Shaking his head, he saw the upcoming assignment as a relief, even if Lord Hokage hadn't found another team for her yet. He cursed the old man for intentionally making his life more difficult than it needed to be as though this was all orchestrated with his struggling as the prime objective. Kakashi was a shinobi through and through, and that was all. Everyone around him suffered when they associated with him. She was better off somewhere else.

Nishira walked along the crowded street, grumbling to herself.
"I don't want to be his team anyway." That was a lie, and she knew it. "Dammit!" As her foot connected half heartedly with a trash bin, only strong enough to rattle it, she wondered why her heart was squeezing between her ribs. The breathlessness she felt, the tightness in her chest, was terribly uncomfortable, and twice as infuriating. She groaned and stopped at one of the food carts for that bottle of sake she'd been eyeing.

As she handled the bottle into the brown paper bag offered by the vendor, someone bumped into her back, she gripped the bottle firmly as she stumbled from the force. Nishira turned to see the same clothes of the man she'd seen earlier, his face obscured by his tall collar.
"Hey, wait!" she yelled, jogging to catch up, but with the density of the crowd, the man disappeared from view. looking around wildly, she spotted him at the entrance of an alley a dozen footsteps ahead, vanishing into the lane. Pushing forcibly through the crowds, Nishira pursued him.

Stopping in the mouth of the dank alley, Nishira saw nothing except dumpsters, boxes, and random trash abandoned carelessly. Slowly, taking a few quiet steps into the alley, she scanned for the owner of the coat. There was nothing, just a darkened and dirty alley that smelled of stale piss and sour milk. Nishira shook her head, before turning around, convinced the man was either gone, or she was seeing things. Blocking her way was a man, arms crossed, and armed with a devilish smile.
"If it isn't Shira, as I live and breathe. You look like shit, no offense."
Nishira frowned.
"Okay, first, rude. Second, what the hell are you doing here, Nezumi? I thought you left the organization."
"I'm working for someone else now. I'm just supposed to watch. And when I heard about you, I had to see for myself. I wondered if what they say about you is true."
"So, you've seen me, now what?" His tone slithered around her like a lithe dance, enticing, hypnotizing, and dangerous, her hand slid to prepare to grab her weapon if he showed any signs of attacking.
"Oh nothing, I'll be on my way. I've done my job. But if you ever want to change things, here." He handed her a card with nothing but a post office box number in the capital. Nishira flipped it over a few times to make sure that was all that was printed on the white stock.
"No offense, but this is real suspicious."
"Yeah, I suppose it is." He gave a simple shrug before turning to walk further into the alley way.
"Wait! Who are you working for?"
He didn't respond, instead just waved over his shoulder. Nishira looked back at the card in her hand, the thick stock of quality paper and its bare and simplistic design weighed heavy in her hand. There was a dumpster next to her and Nishira thought of just throwing the card into it, but instead she pocketed it and continued home.

It only took a few blocks before her plans to get home and drink were interrupted once again. This time, the tall frame of Koragi walked alongside her.
"Have any plans for tonight?"
Nishira side eyed him suspiciously. "What do you have in mind?"
"Have you heard of a place called Sankey's?"
"I can't say I have."
"Then you are in for a good night then."
Nishira chuckled.
"I didn't say I would come."
"You will because I am asking you to."
Koragi stretched his long legs in an extra step and turned forcing her pace to stop. She was almost nose to the base of his throat, looking up to see him towering over her with an infuriatingly impish grin. What was presumptuous, however, was the look he gave her; Confidence oozed out of every pore and his eyes focused only on her, as though his vision befell a masterpiece, drinking it in as though she would vanish in an instant if he looked away for even a moment. It took everything in her to keep the eye contact, wanting to slither away from his enrapturing gaze that lingered. He took his hand to raise her own hand that was not still clutching the brown bagged bottle, placing his gentle lips delicately along the knuckles, his hot breath enveloping the skin on her hand.
"Come tonight, be my date?"
Nishira's mind stuttered, stumbling blindly around to find any believable reason to decline the invitation, a knee jerk reaction to a fluttering panic in her chest, tightening uncomfortably.
"I- uh- I need to return my books to the library, you know how those librarians are."
He chuckled like molten honey in his throat.
"Well then, we'll stop there first."
"But I need to-"
"You need to come with me. What are you afraid of? What if you enjoy yourself tonight? If you don't, maybe we could find something else to do together."
The words rubbed along her skin like satin, she resisted the urge to clam up.
"Say you'll come with me. Please, I would beg if you told me to."
The daring edge of his tone reflected in the devilish look his eyes, challenging her.
"This is all going really fast."
"It's just one drink, that's all, no agenda, no expectations, just a good time and a drink."
"Well…"