Kakashi's POV

The aroma of roasted coffee beans and the low buzz of conversations wafted in the coffee shop where we were having brunch at the moment. I glanced at the girl next to me as I took a bite from my chicken katsu sandwich. She was busy twiddling the straw of her ice coffee while staring at me, her lilac eyes shining with delight, looking clearly impressed at seeing me eat with my mask on.

A subtle shift in her mood was evident as her eyes darted to look somewhere outside the window, probably thinking about what she was supposed to say before she got distracted with my clever display of Genjutsu while I was taking a bite a while ago.

She took a sip of her cold beverage before speaking, "It's been weeks since the incident, but my chakra's still messed up."

"We'll figure it out, don't stress yourself too much about it."

She took a deep breath before leaning her back against the chair she was sitting on, looking very defeated as she brushed her fingers through her hair in frustration. "I'm just scared that I won't be at my full capacity to defend myself from my enemies if I get caught up in another fight again."

Sumire told me about that incident with Juzo and Orochimaru. I'm so mad at myself after knowing that because I was a day late before I found her. If only I had located her sooner, she might not have gotten hurt because I'd do everything to keep her safe.

I placed my half-eaten sandwich back on the plate as I carefully chose the words to say to her. I don't want to sound like I'm rushing her to decide because I know she still has doubts and fears about returning back to the leaf village. It's been two weeks since we got reunited again; the storm had come and gone, her brunette friend even went back to Shizukamachi, but we're still stuck here at Hanaoka.

I am aware she would have preferred living elsewhere, but I need to make her understand that we need to return to the Leaf for her safety. While there may be traitors or spies in Konoha, there are also people we could count on back home so I'm sure I could protect her better if we're at our village.

"We could find solutions for your chakra problem if we consult with experts back at Konoha." She tensed up upon hearing that so I did my best to lessen her worries, "I know you aren't comfortable with the idea but it's actually safer back at home than anywhere else. There would always be danger and threats anywhere we decided to go, but we'll have better chances of minimizing them at our home turf. Besides, you'll have me by your side so you don't need to be worried too much all the time."

She rested her elbow on the table and used the palm of her hand to cup her cheek, before tilting her head in my direction and eyeing me up like she's trying to solve a complex math equation. "Why does everything you say make sense? I wanted to contradict what you said but I'll only sound like an idiot because I know you're right. You're making me love you even more everyday."

I was thankful for my mask because I could feel my face heating up from the way she was looking at me and what she was saying right now. Geez, I am a grown man but I guess it doesn't exempt me from blushing in front of the person I like. Scratch that- I meant to say the person I love.

"Your ears are turning red." She leaned closer to me and reached out to touch my forehead, slightly moving the forehead protector I was wearing to get a feel of my skin. "You don't have a fever though."

I am sure I don't have any illness, if being love-struck is considered to be one, then I might have been.

"You probably just needed to drink something cold. It's kind of hot right now but you're still drinking that steaming cup of tea." Sumire offered the iced coffee she was holding, tapping the straw to my lips, urging me to drink it. "Have a sip. It's refreshing and would cool down your body."

"Thanks," I mumbled before I took the straw in my mouth.

My eyes remained focused on her while sipping the caffeinated drink she gave me. The expression I have on my face might be passive right now, but internally I was screaming- "indirect kiss!"

I already held her hand, hugged her, kissed her multiple times, and we even slept next to each other, but I still reacted like a schoolboy who's easily flustered by the girl he likes.

"Save some for me, will you?" She chuckled as she watched me drink her iced coffee with gusto.

"This tastes nearly as good as your lips." My sudden flirty comment made her blush. It made me happy because I also managed to evoke the same reaction from her, similar to what she effortlessly did to me a while ago. "Sorry, we're getting out of topic now, aren't we?"

The girl looked away and was trying to make it seem that she wasn't affected by my remark. She cleared her throat with a small cough before she replied, "Yeah... you just said something about returning to the leaf village."

"That's just my suggestion though. We'll still go with whatever you decide about that."

She raised her eyebrows, "I'm not saying this is what I'd do, but I just wanted to know your answer. Are you gonna tag along with me even if I decided to go far away from this country?"

I answered without hesitation, "I'll come with you no matter where you decide to go."

"How about your work or your life back at Konoha?"

"I have my priorities already figured out and you happen to be at the top of that list." Then I repeated what I said to her earlier, "So I'll come with you no matter where you decide to go."

Sumire was speechless upon hearing my answer, her face turning a darker shade of red than the blush she had before. She shifted her attention to finish eating her breakfast instead, so I guess we'll just continue this conversation later on, given that my purple-eyed girl was at a loss for words to say at the moment.

I resumed eating my sandwich while occasionally taking a sip from Sumire's iced coffee. She seemed not to mind sharing it with me because a small smile graced her lips as we spent the rest of our brunch eating in silence. There's a palpable tension hanging in the air between us as we give each other lingering glances. I'm pretty sure everyone in the vicinity could see the undeniable attraction we had for each other.

Next time, I think we needed to order a large cup of her favorite caffeinated drink. I was never really a coffee lover before, but I'm definitely sharing with her from now on.

"Alright, let's go to Konoha." Sumire stated without enthusiasm, but at least she finally agreed and that's what matters the most. "Just give me another week to enjoy Hanaoka in peace before we go back to where all my troubles began."

"We'll do that, love." I replied. The endearing nickname made her cheeks be tinged with red again. Her reaction isn't surprising because this was the first time she heard me say it to her. "We're staying here until you're ready to go back home."

Sumire's POV

I was enjoying my time with Kakashi here at Hanaoka too much- having slow mornings, eating brunches, taking long walks. Doing all those mundane things felt exciting and every second I had with him here was literally a dream come true. It made me realize that this is the kind of life I wanted to have- very simple and free of any complications.

If this was a free trial, I would definitely buy the full access because I felt so happy and content here.

However, it's time for us to face reality again since we are heading back to Konoha tomorrow. I am not looking forward to it, but it's something I needed to do because running away won't solve any of my problems.

I still have some errands I wanted to do while we're still here Hanaoka. One of my agenda for today was to find those balms that fades away scars. The ones I made already ran out so I had to make do with what I could find on the market because I don't have time to create more of it right now.

I needed to have those balms to get rid if these ugly marks on my body. I never minded having scars before, but looking at it now made me stress about my situation. It's like a constant reminder for me that I am like a prey being hunted by many predators in the wild.

Aside from that, I also wanted to make myself busy because being idle would only lead me to overthink and stress myself about my never-ending troubles again. I am so nervous about how things would go starting tomorrow once we arrive at the leaf village, so I needed to walk around or do something random just to keep myself occupied right now.

Kakashi walked next to me and kept a watchful eye. He was as paranoid as me because of my bingo book entry, so he hovered around me constantly.

"You could just read your book at one of those benches while I look around." He was about to protest but I interjected before he could say anything, "I'm sure you could use that sensing ability of yours to pinpoint where I am without following me all the time. I won't wander too far so you can relax for a while."

The guy was having a hard time agreeing with me, but he finally relented when I gave him a pleading look.

"Alright, I'll stay on this spot." He sat down and took out a book from his pocket, but I could feel his eyes burning a hole on my back as I turned to walk away from him.

It's not that I don't like having him around. I just don't want to rely on him to always look out for me. He's already doing enough by just being here for me and he didn't need to protect me like I was his responsibility.

I wandered for a bit and go from one store to the next until I was able to find the stuff I needed. I was taking my time walking on a leisurely place, but a man in a green jumpsuit accidentally bumped into me.

"I am so sorry." He apologized while looking closely at me. His loud voice made me take a step back because I was too startled with his boisterous comment. "You're a very youthful looking flower!"

"Umm, thanks?" I was unsure how to react. He was gawking at me and it made me really uncomfortable.

The weird stranger said, "I think I know you... you look like someone."

I was on the verge of leaving with no intention of finding out who he thinks I resemble because I am still cautious of interacting with random strangers due to my current situation. However, the man stopped me before I was able to do so.

He exclaimed loudly while giving me a toothy grin, "You look like my future girlfriend!"

It was a cringe worthy pick-up-line and that rizz probably won't work on anyone.

I tried walking away but he was following me and uttering something about youthfulness over and over again. He even kept inviting me to hangout with him while he was at Hanaoka. People started to stare since he was being so loud and I don't like the attention we're getting right now. I am staying under the radar for a good reason, being around this person is definitely not helping with that goal.

Perhaps turning him down bluntly would get him off my back. I firmly told him, "Sorry, I already have a boyfriend and I'm not interested."

I don't really have one yet, not officially, but the silver-haired guy acts like he is and this stranger won't know that I am not telling the truth.

His deafening scream rang in my ears, "Nooo!"

"We've been looking for you," a new voice caught the weird man's attention. "Genma already found your eternal rival and told him that the hokage wants to see him back by the end of the week."

Another voice spoke, "It's about time though, our squad isn't the same without him."

I took that opportunity to get away from the loud man since he was distracted by the arrival of his friends.

There's a nearby boutique that's less crowded than the others. I entered and decided to wait here until that stranger and his group left the area. I could still hear him talking even from this distance, "I just got rejected by a very youthful flower!"

He seemed like a nice person, but I didn't like the attention he was drawing because of his loudness. They were still in the vicinity since I could still hear their chatter, so I'll probably be in this store for quite a while.

I took my time checking out the selection of clothes in here and even tried on some pieces that caught my eye. I also browsed the exquisite jewelry and hair ornament collections they've got which all looked very pretty. It is unusual for me to be interested in these kind of feminine stuff and I've never really shopped a lot, so I was kind of surprised to realize that I actually enjoy the experience. Unexpectedly, I bought all the products that I liked even if they're a bit pricey. I'll make this rare shopping spree a reward for myself for surviving yet another brush with death a couple of weeks ago.

I've finally understood the concept of "retail therapy" and how indulging in shopping when feeling stressed or having a rough day can genuinely uplift one's mood. However, it is not a habit I'd recommend since it is not really economical.

I didn't even notice that the sun had started to set already. It's around evening when I left the boutique and I was glad the weird man and his friends were gone by the time I was done shopping.

"Did you enjoy your shopping spree?" Kakashi asked as soon as he saw me walk out of the store. He took the shopping bags from me in one hand and interlocked his fingers with mine using the other.

I nodded and gave him an apologetic smile, "Sorry for making you wait for hours."

"I don't mind waiting for you, love." It warms my heart each time he uses that endearment.

"I didn't mean to be out here for so long. I was actually about to head back to meet you after I bought the balms but a man kept following me around and was keen on inviting me to go out with him."

"Did you go?" His face was stoic as he asked the question, but the tone of his voice revealed his displeasure about it.

"No. I slipped past him and hid in that boutique, which is why I ended up going on an unplanned shopping spree."

"Hmmm... next time you should say you're married or have a boyfriend. It won't work all the time, but most guys would likely back-off right away."

"Well, I did say I have a boyfriend."

"But do you really have one?" He asked, his tone slightly alarmed.

Kakashi and I haven't explicitly discussed our relationship status nor have we put a label on it yet, but it's evidently clear that we are more than just friends. Believe it or not, I'm not too dense not to realize that. You don't kiss or cuddle multiple times, say you love each other, or use endearing names if you're just friends. Right?

Considering we do all those things together and more, I could easily consider him as my significant other. We even share a bed- nothing too intimate has happened yet, but I'm pretty sure something romantic is going on between us.

I discerned that the silver-haired guy standing in front of me right now is truly someone special, so I answered his question. "Yes, I have a boyfriend. Only if-"

I was gonna add "only if you didn't mind me being your girlfriend", but he interrupted me before I could finish talking.

"Is it that guy with green eyes and brown hair?" He looked upset and sounded angry when he asked that. It's like he wanted to punch the person he was describing judging by how infuriated he was right now. He added sarcastically, "You two did appear overly friendly at Tanzaku Gai back then. Way too friendly!"

He was clearly riled up at the moment, but he doesn't know all the facts yet because he isn't willing to listen. We should be discussing this like proper adults who are mature enough to resolve conflicts without fighting needlessly.

I paused to think who he was talking about. The words Tanzaku Gai, green eyes and brown hair only made me remember one person. "Do you mean Eiji? I was just-"

He cut me off again while I was speaking. Then expressed his frustration, "Just stop. Knowing about it would only put me in a nasty mood. I'll just walk alone for a bit to cool my head and try to forget I fucking heard that."

This guy had the audacity to leave me out here without hearing everything I have to say first. It was honestly annoying and frustrating on my part because the sweet moment I had in my head about asking him if he wanted to be my boyfriend turned into an argument instead. In most cases, the guy was the one who was supposed to do a bold move like this, but I am willing to ignore gender roles because I love him and those kinds of stuff doesn't really bother me.

He was already at the end of the street, a bit too far away from me, so I raised my voice so he could hear me despite the distance. "Are you leaving me out here just because you were offended that I called you my boyfriend?"

That made him halt his steps. He turned to look at me in surprise, "I was the one you were referring to?"

"Yes, you smartass! If you only let me finish talking, then you could've figured it out sooner!" It wasn't my intention to get mad, but I just couldn't help it because he was so unreasonable a while ago.

He was about to reply, but I am not done voicing out my thoughts yet. Arguing in a public place is really not my style because I always prefer things to be low-key, but he left me no choice but to express myself this way so he could finally understand my perspective.

"I don't just kiss or do anything intimate with random people. Why would I do those kinds of things with you if I have another guy? Do you think I am that kind of girl? Geez, I even told you I love you!" "He looked horrified as he listened to me talk about what's on my mind right now. I was getting angrier by the second as I kept ranting in the middle of the street, "For your information, I'm not forcing you to be in a relationship with me. You don't have to act like a prick about it if you don't like it!"

He used the Body Flicker Technique to quickly return to me and started to explain himself, "We clearly misunderstood each other a while ago. I wasn't offended at all when you referred to me as your boyfriend. I love you and there's no one else I'd rather be in a relationship than-"

However, I turned away from him while covering my ears, so I wouldn't have to hear him talk. A few more of his sweet words, then I'd give in and forgive him easily. I am still mad at him right now so he isn't getting off the hook that quickly.

I know I just mentioned we should be mature adults a while ago, but I guess I'll just do that another day.

He tapped my arm lightly to catch my attention since I kept ignoring him, then he gently brought down my hands from covering my ears so he could speak to me. "Don't ignore your boyfriend, Sumire."

"I don't want to listen to you right now." This is our first misunderstanding and I think I earned the right to be petty about it because of how he responded to me a while ago.

"I'm sorry for misinterpreting what you were saying earlier. I overreacted and I clearly should've let you finish talking first." He hugged me from behind, brought his mask down, then placed a kiss on my cheek before turning me around to face him.

He attempted to kiss me on the lips, but I put my palm in front of my face to stop him. I quickly walked past him, aiming to return to the inn ahead of him because I was still annoyed right now.

Kakashi's voice suddenly echoed in the street when he screamed out loud, "I love you so much, girlfriend!" He's clearly liking the titles way too damn much since he kept using them in nearly every statement he utters.

The public declaration of his affection made me turn back to look at him. He was still rooted to the spot where I had left him, but he had a very expressive gaze as he maintained eye-contact with me from afar. It makes me wanna melt on the spot.

How can I not forgive him if he kept doing these kind of things that makes my heart flutter?

I was supposed to be angry at him, but a smile slowly formed on my face and I couldn't hold myself back from letting out a giggle.

Why is it impossible for me to stay mad at him, and how does he always have me wrapped around his fingers?

It's a conundrum- either he's irresistibly charming or I'm just too head over heels in love with him.

Or perhaps it's a mixture of both.

I guess we are officially in a relationship now as we are on the same page with how we want things between us to continue. The way it happened might not be a romantic scene where we both confessed and agreed to date each other, but we are way past that stage already and we both know it. The pace of our relationship might be too fast for most people because we only met again recently, but given our complex and long history together, this is bound to happen one way or another.

In a blink of an eye, he flickered next to me, then started teasing me. "I knew you couldn't stay mad at your boyfriend for too long. You couldn't resist me because you love me too much."

While what he said was accurate, he's becoming excessively confident at the moment.

"Don't push it or I might call you my ex-boyfriend before our relationship even reaches its second day."

"Geez, don't be too harsh. I'm not breaking up with you ever so that's not gonna happen, not in this lifetime." Kakashi draped an arm over my shoulder as he said that. After a while, he suddenly exclaimed, "It won't happen in our other lifetimes too, so you're stuck with me forever!"

The person I love looks so happy as we made our way back to the inn.

I know that the days ahead may not always be filled with this kind of bliss and the peace we've cherished here at Hanaoka won't be a constant presence in our lives.

However, I'll endure whatever life has in store for us in the coming days, because having simple and happy moments like this with him makes everything else worthwhile.