Sakura and Ino looked at each other over a cup of coffee, wishing it had been a little bit more than coffee. The girls hadn’t seen each other for a while, yet still they didn’t have too much to update each other with.
“Sakura, when do you turn 20?” Ino just couldn’t come out and ask when it was okay to drink booze.
“Just two weeks now…and I’ll probably be gone on a mission for it.” Sakura sighed into her cup; she wouldn’t have minded a small celebration to mark her as an adult.
“Lucky! I still have another four months on me. I didn’t realize you were older.”
“Always have been, Ino.” Sakura threw a wink at the girl across the table.
“So what mission is this? That’s awful you will be gone. Maybe I can throw you a party when you get back.”
“Top secret, Ino! But I’ll be gone with Kakashi, so it won’t be too desolate.”
“You trust that old pervert enough to drink around him?” Ino asked in mock shock, teasing Sakura.
Sakura laughed, “Well he isn’t Jiraiya, you know. And who said I was drinking?”
“Well it’s your twentieth birthday! You have to drink. And who knows, he might be kind of sexy under that mask.” An evil grin spread over Ino’s face, “Oooh, Sakura-chan! Is he sexy? I bet you’ve seen him.”
“Actually, I haven’t seen him. I’ve tried everything short of seducing him and to no avail.”
“You have to be kidding! You two are practically attached at the hip sometimes. Much closer than my sensei was.” Ino raised an eyebrow, “Sakura…?”
“And what exactly are you insinuating?” Sakura glared slightly at Ino.
“For someone who got such great marks in school you certainly are dense!”
“Ino! Well it’s better than you Miss I-can’t-leave-for-training-without-wearing-slinky-lingerie!”
“Hey! I only did that because I was trying to capture someone’s attention!”
“You did it for two years!”
“It didn’t work anyway.” Ino glanced down at the table, pouting.
“Eh?” Sakura asked, curiously.
“He went elsewhere.”
“Well Ino, you can’t make up your mind. I mean one minute you’re in love with Sasuke…” Saying his name stung Sakura somewhat, but she did not make it noticeable, “and the next minute you are trying to seduce Shikamaru. He probably just isn’t taking you seriously.”
“I resent that. There is nothing wrong with having a backup plan!”
“Shikamaru was your back up plan? No wonder he didn’t fall for it. You get yourself in over your head!”
“So how is training?” Ino purposely changed the subject. She didn’t feel like being beaten down with honesty tonight.
Sakura ignored her as her eyes caught a figure walking through the doorway. Ino noticed her gaze and turned around to see Kakashi walking into the restaurant. She laughed quietly to herself as she waved to get his attention.
Smiling underneath his mask, Kakashi walked over to their table. He was meeting Genma for a drink but the other Jounin had not made his appearance yet. Obviously he had gathered Kakashi would be late, and decided to be later.
“Hello Ino, Sakura.” He nodded to them.
“Have a seat, Kakashi!” Ino welcomed him, wrapping her foot around Kakashi’s leg, pushing him in the direction to sit next to Sakura.
Sakura laughed as Kakashi seemed to fall back into the chair next to her. She hadn’t seen Ino’s feet at work.
Signaling the bartender, Kakashi ordered sake. He then looked curiously over at Ino, wondering what the girl was up to. He didn’t know her well enough to figure out her intentions; he just knew she was quite popular with the men, even though she was still a Chuunin. Actually, it was probably why she was still a Chuunin.
Ino leaned forward, batting her eyelashes and not so subtly giving Kakashi a divine view of her cleavage, “Kakashi-san…”
“Hm?” What in the earth could this girl be up to?
“That mask of yours, Kakashi…what would you take it off for?” A slight smirk turned her lips upwards.
He should have known, she was trying to use her charm for the mask. “Eating, drinking, shower…sometimes when I sleep.”
Ino fumed inside from the bland answer. Sakura had been expecting such and just laughed. Kakashi was definitely the kind of guy who grew on you.
“I’m meeting Genma here for a drink,” Kakashi admitted, “if that’s not okay I can move.”
“It’s fine with me,” Sakura smiled, “The more the merrier?”
“Something like that,” Kakashi smirked.
“We were just talking about how Sakura’s training was going! She wouldn’t open her mouth though, do you know Kakashi?” Ino piped up, trying to get some dirt on the other girl.
Kakashi looked over at Sakura with a glare, “She’s terrible.”
“Kakashi!” Sakura reached up and smacked the back of his head.
“I beat her every time and her speed really is lacking. She should train harder…” Kakashi paused, thinking of something else witty to say to rile the girl up. She was so cute when she was angry. “Actually! Sakura, since your speed needs to improve, Gai would be the perfect sensei for you. I’ll arrange something.”
Inner Sakura screamed and ripped her hair out as Kakashi smiled innocently in her direction. She was getting ready to throw his wits right back at him when an attractive woman approached the table, brushing her hand across Kakashi’s shoulder.
Sakura cleared her throat.
“Kakashi, dear. I’ve been wondering when I would see you again.” The woman gave her sexiest smile to him. “I’ve missed you darling.”
“Well I’ve been busy on missions, my dearest apologies.” The tone of Kakashi’s voice was deep and seductive.
Sakura noticed her fist was clenched at her side. Kakashi really was a ladies man after all. Ino hadn’t just been teasing.
“You have as many women as Ino has men!” Sakura spit out.
The woman looked at Kakashi in suspicion, “I need to be going, see you around dear.” She walked out of the restaurant, not turning to look back.
Both Ino and Kakashi were glaring at the innocent appearing girl sharing the table with them.
“Sakura…” Kakashi spoke first.
“Pervert!” She proclaimed.
“Sakura!!!” Ino eyes could have burned a hole right through the girl across from her.
“I’m sorry, did I ruin your night of fun?” She grinned evilly at Kakashi, reaching into her pouch to pull out Sexy no Jutsu Volume 3.
Ino looked at the two of them. Kakashi’s glare had turned into a look of ecstasy. “Those two are weird…” she muttered under her breath.
“I suppose you would be wanting this.” Sakura dangled the book by the front cover in front of Kakashi’s eyes.
“Yes, I would…since you stole my last one!” Kakashi grabbed the book from the girl’s hand.
Ino choked on the sip of coffee she was taking. This was way too much information for her.
“You’re nothing but a dirty old pervert!” Sakura yelled at Kakashi.
“You’re the one that stole my book!”
“I didn’t steal it! I blew it up!”
“I think I may have come at a bad time…I’ll be off now!” Genma had approached the table and quickly turned right back around.
“Genma! No! Stay, please?” Ino batted her eyelashes at the jounin when he turned back around. He shrugged and took the empty spot next to her.
Kakashi refused to admit what had happened today at training and as much as Sakura tried to explain he would deny it. After a while of listening to all the incessant rambling between the two, Genma decided to strike up a conversation with Ino and much to his surprise he found her to be a very attractive young woman.
Two bottles of sake later for the men and two more cups of coffee for the women, Sakura called it a night. Ino offered to walk with her home since they lived on neighboring streets.
The two men were alone when Genma spoke, “I haven’t seen you tease anyone like that since—“
“I know.” Kakashi abruptly cut him off before he could finish his sentence.
“What is up with you Kakashi?” He had to admit he found his friend’s behavior somewhat odd. Especially odd in the fact that a woman had been staring at him from the bar all night long and he hadn’t so much as even returned a glance.
The nice buzz Kakashi had from the sake was beginning to wear off so he explained to Genma that he was going to retire for the night, avoiding the question.
“Sure, whatever bud, but remember. Women are devils.” A stern look came from Genma.
“They are, aren’t they?”
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Stopping in front of her home, Sakura noticed that her parent’s light was still on in the main house. It was late for them, but she figured she better tell them about the mission before they made plans for her.
“Mom! Dad!” Sakura pulled open the door to see her parents fussing over her mothers sewing. Again! And how her mother had trained her father to do all the small work for her, she would never know.
“Sakura, sweetie! Hello.” Sakura’s father looked up from the pile of cloth on his lap.
“I just stopped by to tell you that I’ll be leaving on a mission Monday morning, and I will probably be gone for two weeks or more.” Two weeks was optimal, but she didn’t want to worry her parents.
“Oh dear I hope it isn’t dangerous.” Sakura’s mother looked at her worriedly.
So much for not worrying them.
“She’s a ninja! She specializes in dangerous situations, Nodoka.” Her father stood up for her.
“Yes, but still I can worry. What is the mission?”
Sakura moved to the table, pulling at a chair to sit in and facing it in her parent’s direction. “Well, you know I can’t tell you. But I just have to go find someone, is all.” She trusted her parents not to gossip about her, so she would always let them in on the nature of the mission.
Nodoka sighed, “It’s that Uchiha boy, isn’t it?”
Damn…Sakura thought. How had she known? Sakura remained silent, she didn’t really want to come out and say it.
“He’s nothing but trouble for you, Sakura. I want you to be careful.”
“It’s okay mother. I’m not going alone, Kakashi will be with me.” Sakura was reassuring herself as well as her mother. She trusted Kakashi…he had told her he would protect her.
“I don’t want you coming home upset!”
“I won’t be, mom! I’m over him and I was a long time ago.”
“That is why I’m worried, Sakura.” Nodoka knew her daughter well enough to know that something had been wrong for the past month. She had also heard around town that Sasuke had been missing for around that same amount of time. Two and two were put together rather easily. Sakura wasn’t sad, though…she seemed bothered. So it definitely wasn’t that she was sad because he was missing…she figured it was more like she was bothered by the reason he left.
“I’ll be careful, I promise.” Sakura stood and turned to walk to the door. “I’m feeling sleepy, I’m going to go up to my apartment!” She flashed a smile with her little white lie. She had had three cups of coffee, she was going to be wired all night. It was okay though, she had meant it this way. It gave her more time to think.
“We love you, dear! Make us proud!” Sakura’s father beamed from his place next to his wife.
“I love you too.” Sakura closed the door behind her, taking a breath of cool fresh air as she walked the stairs to her apartment. Looking up at the stars the memories of nights before consumed her.
“Please protect me…” she whispered as she fumbled for her keys and walked into her apartment.
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And if you are wondering how Kakashi drank his sake without taking his mask off… I can’t figure that out either. Let’s just say he’s magic…he is Kakashi, after all.
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