Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Amorous Adventures of Ayame the Ramen Girl ❯ Cupid's Success ( Chapter 5 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Author's Notes: Ayame is the name of a blue-violet flower - the iris.

Chapter 5: Cupid's Success

With Kakashi still out of town, Sakura and Naruto had time on their hands - time that they should've spent on training. Instead the two were more interested in Ayame's plight. They met at Ichiraku to see if there were any new developments. Each sat down on a stool and placed their elbows on the counter. It was still early so there were no customers yet which meant Ayame had plenty of time to explain to them how she sent flowers to Iruka via Sasuke.

Naruto looked doubtful. What would a guy do with a bunch of flowers? He thought Ayame should have sent a food basket instead.

Flowers were so beautiful and romantic. Who wouldn't want flowers? Sakura imagined Sasuke delivering the flowers to herself. Her illusion was shattered when her love arrived at Ichiraku.

“Iruka-sensei's not interested,” said Sasuke bluntly. He sat down on a stool far from both his teammates.

Ayame looked close to tears. “What am I going to do?” she moaned with her head in her hands.

“Kakashi-sensei is supposed to be back today. Maybe he can help,” said Sakura, trying to be positive.

“I think he `helped' quite enough,” said Naruto, trying hard not to laugh.

“Keep your spirit up. Stress is not good for a woman in your condition,” said Sakura, but she really thought, `How pathetic, get yourself togetherwoman!'

“Yeah, think of something positive… like names,” Naruto suggested.

“Names?” Ayame doubled-blinked in confusion.

“Yeah, like what you're gonna name it. If it's a boy or girl…”

“Boy or girl?”

“You know, maybe a neutral non-gender name…”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Huh? Your baby of course! Now what would its family name be…Hatake, I guess…”

“WHAT?! I'm NOT pregnant!” screamed Ayame as it dawned on her.

“You're not?” asked the three genin in unison.

“No! Where did you get that crazy idea?”

Sakura and Sasuke looked at Naruto.

“I, uh, overheard your dad and Kakashi-sensei talking…”

“DAAAD!” yelled Ayame to the back of the stand where her father was taking an early nap.

The old man came out, yawning and rubbing his tired wrinkled eyes.

“Who told you I was pregnant?” Ayame demanded.

“Kakashi-sensei came over yesterday and…”

“That idiot! I'm NOT pregnant.”

“You're not?”

“No!” screamed Ayame as several passers-by stopped and stared. Ayame glared at them and screamed, “Tell everyone you know that I am NOT pregnant!” She emphasized that by snapping the pair of wooden chopsticks that she had been using to stir her stock. `Damn this village and its overextended multi-net grapevine. Iruka probably thinks I'm pregnant and that's why he's being so stubborn. That Kakashi! It's all his fault!'

-…-…-…-…-…-

Kakashi had expected to get a good rest after his mission, lazing around instead of doing chores, but that expectation was soon to be destroyed. He returned from a near-death mission investigating a mysterious scroll to find Ayame waiting for him at the door to his apartment.

“You! You! You just live to ruin my life! I hate you! What the hell did I ever see in you?!”

Kakashi looked at the irate young woman with confusion. It was not unusual for strange women (and men!) to come up to him wondering the same thing. He struggled to recall what he could have possibly done this time to set her off.

“Huh?” he finally said.

“How could you tell my dad that I'm pregnant? And that you're the father? What the hell were you thinking, making up a story like that!'

“You mean you're not pregnant?” Kakashi sighed in relief.

“No! I'm not! What made you think I was?”

“You said I ruined your life.”

“I was talking about my relationship with Iruka-sensei. He dumped me because I told him I slept with you. Biggest mistake of my life!”

“Going out with Iruka?” asked Kakashi, amused by the turn of events.

“No! Sleeping with you, idiot!”

He shrugged at her insult.

“You have to fix this. It's all your fault. Talk to Iruka-sensei, convince him to take me back.”

“I don't know if I can. It's really not my place to interfere…”

“You owe me! Use your…sharingan thingy… Do whatever it takes!”

“Well, I could hypnotize him into thinking he's in love with you if that's what you really want.” Kakashi scratched his head, wondering if he would get in trouble for something like that.

“No. Don't. Don't do that. I want him to really love me. Not some genjutsu thingy.” Ayame sighed sadly, sniffed and started to cry.

`Oh no! I hate to see a woman cry.' “All right I'll speak to him immediately,” Kakashi said sympathetically while patting Ayame on the shoulder.

“You will? I think he's been staying overnight at the Academy,” she smiled. `Tears always work!'

-…-…-…-…-

`I'm not being stubborn, I'm not! I'm not!'

`Then why are you spending another night in the teacher's lounge? Are you that afraid to face her?'

`If I face her I might lose my resolve.'

`What resolve? To spend the rest of your life alone?'

`There are other fish in the sea.'

`How many that don't want Kakashi? Do you know of any at all? Just make up with her. She said she loves you in that note. And you know, they say make-up sex is the best.'

Iruka was never good with arguments, even those with himself. He was right - his stubborn manly pride was getting in the way of what could be a genuine long lasting relationship with a good, (albeit a bit too) honest woman. But he just needed a little more time…

He packed his lecture material slowly and methodically. There really was no need to pack it since he was spending another night at the Academy, but he liked to have everything neat for the next day and to keep up the illusion to his students that he came to school from home. Then his wavering thoughts were rudely interrupted by the sudden presence of the last person he wanted to see.

“Hi there,-Iruka sensei, I thought it's about time for us to have a friendly chat,” said Kakashi, suddenly appearing before Iruka without a sound.

“Kakashi-sensei, I'm sorry, but I'm busy. Please excuse me,” responded Iruka coldly, without looking at him.

“This will only take a minute.” Kakashi moved to block the exit.

“You don't have anything to say that I would care to hear.” Iruka looked him in the eye.

Kakashi sighed and in a blink of an eye he had expertly tied Iruka to a chair. “Sorry, I didn't want to resort to this, but you're as stubborn as my genin.”

“Let me go Kakashi or…” Iruka's face turned red with righteous anger.

“Or what? You're a chuunin. I'm a jounin. Should I be scared of you?” Kakashi almost chuckled at the sight of poor Iruka struggling futilely. He didn't want to sound condescending, but Iruka had been acting like a child. “I'll let you go but you have to promise and sit there and listen until I'm done.”

Iruka finally nodded. `It'll be a bit less humiliating that way,' he reasoned.

Kakashi easily released the rope. “All right. Look, it's about the ramen girl.”

“Ayame.”

“Huh?”

“Her name is Ayame. You should address her appropriately considering the circumstances.”

“That's what I'm here to discuss…”

“I can't believe you made her abort!” Iruka interjected.

“Sigh, she was never pregnant. I can't believe how gossip gets around in this village. It's all a great big misunderstanding. She's not pregnant and she wants you, not me.”

“She only wants me because she can't have you.”

“Is that so bad?” asked Kakashi with a slight smile from under his mask.

“I won't play second fiddle to anyone!”

“Anyone? Or just me?”

“What's that supposed to mean? You think you're so special…” Iruka almost rose from his seat.

“Apparently you think I am.”

“Huh?”

“It seems that you think about me a lot, don't you?” Kakashi asked in his teasing tone.

“What? No! No I don't!”

“I think you're protesting a bit too much. Hmm, you are a great guy. I don't usually swing that way, but I might make an exception if you're interested.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Iruka stood up with his hands clenched.

“Maybe you were only interested in the ramen girl because she was interested in me and she was just a proxy for me since you were unable to express your…” Kakashi coolly psychoanalyzed poor Iruka.

“What the hell are you saying?” Iruka was now shaking with fury. He clenched his fists and his teeth.

“You want me don't you?”

“What! No! Not at all! I love Ayame!”

“I see, so you do love her. Why didn't you just say that in the first place.” Kakashi smiled at the chuunin and patted him on the shoulder. `I just love playing cupid.'

Iruka started to calm down. “I guess I have been acting like an idiot,” he said sheepishly. He was also very relieved that Kakashi was just joking around. Wasn't he?

Kakashi nodded in agreement. “It's not a competition. I don't have a problem with your relationship with Naruto.”

`That's right -Naruto likes me a lot more than he does Kakashi. He thinks Kakashi's lazy and weird. Maybe Ayame really does like me more.' Iruka began to feel better and was back to his usual pleasant self. “Thank you Kakashi-sensei. I'll go make up with her immediately.”

“That's good. Of course, if things don't work out, I'm still available.” He gave Iruka a wink, then chuckled madly to himself as he disappeared in another blink of an eye.

-…-…-…-…-

Iruka did not know much about what women wanted as presents, and he had a budget. As an Academy teacher, he had a set salary. He did not earn commissions unless he went on a mission. So if he needed an apology gift, it had to be flowers.

`When does she ever train?' Iruka wondered as he entered the flower shop.

Ino was still manning the store instead of training. Her teammate, Shikamaru, had been promoted to chuunin. He was at management training camp. Her other teammate, Choji, had another bout with acid reflux and was taking it easy for a while. And Asuma-sensei was busy trying to make time with the beautiful kunoichi Kurenai, leader of team 8. (Actually, they were sent on a mission together, but that's the way Ino saw it.)

So (not so) poor Ino was behind the counter in the flower shop again, lazily doing calculations with a pencil and notepad. `How much did we rake in today?'she wondered. Ino was not that good in math, but she stubbornly refused to use the adding machine because she wanted to prove she was good in math.

She looked up with a smile at her customer. “Iruka-sensei, long time no see. Have you found yourself another girl?”

“Huh? No, I…uh…”

“Too bad about that ramen girl getting knocked up by Kakashi-sensei. I was really rooting for you, you know.” `Kakashi-sensei's too cheap to buy flowers!'

“She's not knocked up! I mean she's not pregnant. It was all a misunderstanding,” Iruka responded heatedly.

“Oh. I see... Well, that's good, very good,” smiled Ino. `That means they must be back together!'

“I need something to express my apologies.”

Ino smiled even more as her eyes turned into ryou signs. “Ah, flowers for an apology is the best thing you can do when you've wronged someone.”

“Please, I'm on a budget,” Iruka protested as Ino showed him their most elaborate floral arrangements. “Just a dozen irises.”

Ino frowned. Those flowers weren't very expensive. But then again Iruka didn't know that. And he was desperate. And Yamanaka Flower Shop was the only game in town. So…she could charge him almost the same price as the red long stemmed roses!

Iruka gratefully paid for the flowers, not realizing he was being ripped off. But even if he had known, it wasn't important. The main thing on his mind was Ayame. He returned home for a complete shower and shave. After having slept at the Academy for two nights, the usually meticulous chuunin really needed to make himself more presentable. He dressed himself in civilian clothes, a simple blue shirt and jeans, because he felt that made him look less threatening and more sympathetic.

It was already late and Ichiraku was about to close for the day. Iruka nervously walked up to the ramen stand mentally rehearsing his apology.

Ayame was busy wiping down the counter in preparation for the next day when she heard someone approach. “I'm sorry we're closed for the day…” she started to say before she looked up and saw Iruka holding a dozen blue-violet flowers representing her moniker.

“I'm sorry Ayame-chan. I'm such an idiot. I don't care about your past with Kakashi-sensei or any other man,” Iruka said sheepishly while holding out the flowers.

“Do you mean that? Really? Not any of them?” Ayame asked as she came around the counter.

“Huh? How many…no forget it. Nothing matters except the two of us,” Iruka insisted as she came closer. `She's so cute in her uniform…and out of it.'

“We'll never mention Kakashi ever again!” Ayame said happily as she threw her arms around Iruka's neck, pulling him down for a kiss. How could she hold a grudge against the one man, besides her father, who not only knew her name, but also what it meant.

But when she released Iruka, all he could say was, “Well…did you really mean it when you said I was better than Kakashi? I mean…how was I better…exactly…” That part wasn't rehearsed but in his anxiety, it subconsciously slipped out.

Ayame's brow furrowed and the veins in her forehead pulsed as she grabbed the flowers from Iruka and hit him over the head with them, hard, again and again. “Take these flowers and give them to Kakashi! Apparently you think a lot more about him than you do about me!” Ayame yelled. Several passers-by paused to watch the scene.

`Oh, crap, gossip in this village runs rampant! Now everyone will think I have a thing for Kakashi!' groaned Iruka to himself. “I'm sorry. I swear I will never mention Kakashi again.” Iruka smiled at Ayame, hoping to placate her. This time he grabbed her by the waist and gave her a long passionate kiss. `I will do everything I can so that she'll never think about Kakashi again!'

The crowd that had gradually accumulated began to clap and cheer and by the next day, it was known throughout Konoha that Iruka-sensei and Ayame the ramen girl were back together, and it was taboo to mention Kakashi's name in front of them.

-…-…-END of PART II…-…-