Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Seijin no hi ❯ Chapter Two ( Chapter 3 )

Seijin no hi

Written by narutofox (aka gokusgirl)

 

Thanks to Nesha & ChiyoChan for beta reading!

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

 

 

In the last chapter:

 

Kakashi's heart raced with alarm. Was she about to throw herself off the bridge? There was no time to wait for the answer; he had to act, and fast. Before he could register what he was doing, he was making his way down towards her, just as she stepped her other foot on the bridge railing…

 

Chapter Two

 

“Going somewhere Sakura?” Kakashi spoke coolly as he suddenly appeared behind her. Startled, she whipped around to look at him and lost her footing on the railing. Kakashi saw her fall, and rushed to catch her as she fell backwards into his arms. God, Kakashi thought to himself, to finally touch her! He looked down at her, and in spite of the tear-stained face and puffy eyes, she was truly beautiful. She felt so light in his arms… and her fragrant jasmine scent filled his senses, making his head spin. It seemed like hours went by as he held her, and realizing that the entire incident was probably embarrassing to her, he let her stand, clearing his throat sharply.

 

“Kaka-sensei… thank you,” Sakura spoke softly, her eyes lowered with shame and humiliation.

 

“Sakura,” Kakashi replied, his tone chaste but rough with the mere mention of her calling him teacher. “I am no longer your sensei… I haven't been for many years now.”

 

“I know… but out of respect I say it,” Sakura answered, still not making eye contact with him yet. “I'm sorry you have to see me like this.”

 

“Well I'm glad I did,” Kakashi said, leaning against the bridge railing, folding his arms. “If you came out here all alone you would have just tossed yourself right off this bridge and not a soul to save you, eh?”

 

Sakura's cheeks reddened, and she finally glared at him. “I… it wasn't what you think,” Sakura sputtered out, and then she narrowed her eyes suspiciously and added, “Are you following me?”

 

“I saw you leaving the dining hall, and you did seem a bit distressed… so yes, I followed you,” Kakashi said with a slight shrug. “I wanted to make sure you were okay. But I must tell you something, Sakura.”

 

“If its advice about pursuing Sasuke, forget it,” Sakura scoffed as she turned away from her former teacher. “He told me tonight he doesn't want me. He never did.”

 

“That's not entirely true,” Kakashi responded, making Sakura to spin around to look at him one more. “It's not that he doesn't want you… he couldn't.”

 

“I don't understand,” Sakura muttered, shaking her head with confusion.

 

“Now that Sasuke has defeated his brother, it's time for him to rebuild his clan. Since he is the only living relative of the Uchiha Clan, it is imperative that he chooses a wife that will bear him a strong son.”

 

“Like I couldn't?” Sakura blurted out angrily, suddenly realizing how awkward it was to admit such.

 

“Let me finish, Sakura,” Kakashi said sternly. She nodded her head, urging him to continue. “The wife that Sasuke must choose has to be from a strong clan, preferably one that has an advanced bloodline.”

 

Sakura grew silent with his words, taking them in with a small sigh. As she looked off into the night, and she softly muttered, “I know you're right… but he didn't have to say what he did to me. It was so cold and cruel, nothing I would expect from him. So what? I'm not anything special. He said I lack prestige. No special talent, advanced bloodlines, just homely and plain. No wonder guys don't even bother looking at me.”

 

Before she could begin to cry at her own revelation, she felt Kakashi's finger on her chin, and he raised her head up to meet his gaze. It surprised her that he was suddenly this close to her. She stared back at the man, thinking to herself that even after all these years, he still towered over her. He looked as he did eight years ago, with his silvery white hair that stood up in all directions. His mask, neatly laid across his face concealed his identity, and the only feature you could see on his face was his right eye, the dark orb glittering in the moonlit night.

 

“Sakura,” Kakashi's voice was barely above a soft whisper. “Do you really think so little of yourself?” Sakura gasped at the comment, and was ready to respond when her instructor's finger touched her lips. She shook; the initial contact felt like touching a doorknob when walking across a flushed carpet. It was just his finger, but by Gods, it was the only real contact he ever gave her (expect for the childish pat on her head when she was younger). “You are very special Sakura… don't ever talk down on yourself ever again, understand?”

 

Suddenly flattered, Sakura nodded mutely. Kakashi's hand cupped her small face, his thumb softly caressing her jaw line. “If you cannot believe in yourself, then how can you expect others to, eh?” Kakashi seemed to murmur, finding himself lost in her touch. “And you're far from plain… its Sasuke's loss if he cannot see that.” Taking a deep breath, Kakashi let go of her face, turning his back to her as he began to stare out into the lake. He went too far, he feared. He became so overwhelmed with her self pity that he wanted to save her from it. He wouldn't be too surprised it she slapped him for touching her. He sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets as he prepared for the worst.

 

Sakura blinked. She looked at him, his back now turned to her, standing in that quizzical stance with his hands in his pockets. Her heart fluttered with a rhythm she never even felt with Sasuke. He almost came right out and said it…

 

“Y-you think...” Sakura asked slowly as she walked up beside him, only to see the shiny amulet of the ninja band. “…I'm not plain, Kaka-sensei?”

 

There was a long tense moment before he answered, but when he did he never looked her direction. “I think you're beautiful, Sakura-chan.”

 

Sakura burst into tears of joy, wrapping her arms around his waist. She laid her head on his upper arm, realizing that he was too tall to place her head on his shoulder. Kakashi eye widened when she touched him, making the tiny hairs on the back of his neck stand. He turned, slowly putting his arms around her in an awkward way as they embraced. He felt his knees shake; his palms became sweaty in his gloves. He hadn't been this close to anyone like this… in quite some time. It was wonderful to experience it again. Her head was now buried in his chest; and he knew she could feel his heart thundering against his sternum.

 

“Sakura,” Kakashi whispered, finally having the courage to embrace her tighter. “Sasuke is not going to be the only man you're ever going to love. I promise you that.”

 

She never responded, only taking deep breaths to control herself. She looked up at him, amazed that his man, a person she never related to or even confided to on a personal level could say something so sweet to her. And as she gazed at him, she never realized how… attractive her sensei was… but yet now revealing his entire face to her. As she inhaled his rich male scent, Sakura thought, maybe being attractive doesn't have to be what you see. Its how a person makes you feel. Hatake Kakashi was truly an enigma.

 

“Tonight you shouldn't feel sad,” Kakashi continued, his voice uplifting the suddenly awkward silence that brewed between them. “Tonight you celebrate your Seijin no hi… your threshold into adulthood. And you're dressed so pretty…” He stood back from her to look at her blue kimono with the huge white flowers. “It'd be a shame to ruin this night dressed so beautifully.”

 

“I don't want to go back to the dining hall,” Sakura answered, wiping her face. “I can't face anyone right now.”

”Then I will escort you home,” Kakashi offered.

 

“NO!” Sakura protested quickly, pulling her arms up towards her chest protectively. “I don't want to go home… I can't.”

 

Kakashi sighed, scratching the back of his head as he pondered over what he was about to ask her. If she said yes, he knew he was dreaming. This was some sake-induced dream that he had once too often. But if she declined, well hell, that was the reality of the situation. He was old; and he wouldn't expect her to want him after all. He stood in front of her, watching her shake with the ambivalence of going home alone. There was no way he could put her through that, at least not tonight.

 

“Well…” Kakashi sighed heavily as he stuffed his hands back in his pockets once more. “If you take no offense, you are more than welcome to come back with me to my quarters.”

 

Sakura paused for a moment, and Kakashi closed his eyes, bracing himself for the torrents of curses and accusations. His eye shot open wide with surprise when he heard her reply, “I would be honored, Hatake Kakashi.” As he gazed back at her warm smile, he knew that finally his dreams had indeed come true.

 

: To be continued :