Chapter 5

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‘Now here comes the mystery. (his last words)’

-Henry Ward Beecher

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The neon business light overhead was off...the place was already closed.

Well, gooseberries.

This wasn’t going to be a very big help.

“Looks like it’s closed, Miss.” The cabi twisted in his seat to speak at her. “You wanna get out here, or what?”

“No, I think I’ll just go home.” She sighed and glanced at the place again. There were still lights on inside. Maybe the manager was just closing down? She wasn’t going to fool herself – she was more than curious to know if Kakashi had come here. If so, had it been to meet with anyone? Kimimaro, perhaps? Another woman? Maybe he had just wanted to get drunk, he did seem like that type of predictable guy.

“Where to now?” He asked slowly, studying her face scrutiniously. A few seconds later his eyes had widened dramatically in their sockets. His mouth gaped open and he stared at her recognizably famous visage. “Hey, wait a minute,” He rudely pointed at her person with his finger. Smiling and laughing as if he had just struck gold. “I know you!”

Great.

“You’re that girl!” He slapped his knee and she half expected him to yell out a ‘hot damn!’. “I knew it, I knew I’ve seen that face somewhere before.” He turned a little more in his seat to look her up and down. “What was your name again, Haruno...Haruno Sakura! I’m your biggest fan!” She could have taken that quite literally, the man had a huge gut.

“No, no,” She shook her head and covered her mouth in a fake giggle. Keeping her eyes downcast and perfectly coy. “I get that all the time. I just have one of those faces, I assure you.”

“I don’t think so, I drive by your billboard everyday. Right there, in the middle of the city square advertising lingerie. Pink hair, green eyes. No mistaking it.” His eyes lowered to her chest for a moment, as if recognizing those too. “Black lace panties and a push up bra...yeah, I remember.”

“You’re confused, sir.” She managed to muster up a soft blush on her cheeks rather than a reflexive gag. “I am not this girl you’re speaking of. I would never be seen in public wearing such a thing!” Cue the curtains...Haruno Sakura has just entered stage left.

“Nope, you are her alright.” He nodded his head, holding firmly to his persistent argument over her own identity. Really, you’d think the guy would get the picture. “Look, I got you’re picture hanging up right here!” Okay, bad metaphor.

He pulled down the visor on the passenger side to reveal a magazine cut out of Sakura wearing nothing but a skimpy yellow bathing suit. What the–? That swim wear was supposed to be advertised in adolescent, teen summer catalogs. How the hell did he get – no, never mind. She didn’t even want to know.

Mortification, to say the least, would be putting it lightly.

“Oh, look!” She suddenly interrupted and stared out her window at the first thing she laid eyes upon. “A...a porn shop, just what I was searching for.” She dug some cash out of her purse and threw it in the front seat. “I think I will go ahead and get out here, after all.” She opened the car door and hurried out. “Keep the change!” She plastered a smile on her face as she slammed the door behind her and scurried away from the cab before the man could say anything else. Ew, he better not be staring at her butt...

She relaxed a bit when he finally drove away from the curb and disappeared around a corner.

Sakura shuddered. She couldn’t wait until it was time to start modeling the spring wedding collection for Wang. It would be nice to strut her stuff in classy dresses for a change(not to mention it was every young girls’ dream to don an elaborate wedding gown, the only thing missing would be a groom). She’d wore some gorgeous gowns in the past month, but she’d also had to wear several more revealing numbers that she’d rather not have even looked at. But it’s what came with the package of modeling. Her image was in the hands of other people. And that was written in ink, her name signed at the bottom.

Trying her best to fix her morose appearance, Sakura ran her fingers through her hair. Attempting to rearrange the wild mass of messy tangles as she approached the Ichiraku.

Clearing her throat and straightening her back, she raised her fist to knock on the door, she frowned when she saw the reflection of her wrinkly dress and dreadful hair on the glass window. Uhg, what a disaster she looked.

There wasn’t a response to her knock, she really hadn’t expected there to be people inside. She tried again just incase and called out a loud ‘hello’ this time hoping someone, if anyone, in the back might hear her. Sakura lifted her palm to the glass to shield off the glare of the morning sun as she peaked inside. There were a few chairs spread out in disarray, one of them broken and a gun sitting on the counter by the cash register.

Sakura flinched.

Damn. Had the place been robbed? She began to reach for her phone but grimaced when she remembered she didn’t even have her cell with her, she had left it at her apartment last night because it wouldn’t fit in her purse. She made a mental note to never go anywhere without it again, stupid mistake on her part.

She jumped a little when a clattering noise echoed out of the alley to the right of the bar.

Sakura bit into her lip and glanced around her side of the street cautiously. Could the robbery still be in progress? Her heart stammered in her chest as she tried to decide if she should run for help or investigate first. She knew these kinds of places were susceptible to crime.

There was another sound, a shuffling sort of noise this time and she bit her lip harder as she stepped closer to the corner of the building. She winced as her bare feet landed on a sharp pebble, but she kept quiet. Sneaking around a garbage can, Sakura peaked her head past the brick corner of the bar.

“I don’t like people snooping around my place,”

Sakura could have leaped right out of her skin when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Came the voice again.

“Oh,” Sakura quickly turned around, she had nearly swallowed her own tongue as she stared, dumbstruck, at the irate looking woman. “I’m sorry, I...I thought I heard something.” She began to glance back into the alley to search for the noise, just then a scraggily calico street cat came prancing out of the darkness with a limp gray mouse between her teeth. Skinny and scruffy and four happy kittens in tow, pouncing and bouncing along behind their mother carrying their breakfast.

“I see,” The woman narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms as they watched the stray animals run off across the sidewalk and dodge into another alley down the street. “Is there any particular reason why you were knocking on my door?” She asked a little more mildly. “I’m already closed down for the morning, you need something?”

Sakura twiddled her thumbs nervously as a twinkle appeared in the strangers violet eyes after assessing her wrinkly gown. “I was looking for someone.” She said with a dry mouth, unsure if it was from nerves or dehydration.

The woman raised her eyebrows, scanning Sakura up and down as if she suddenly knew who she was. Great, suppose she’s seen Sakura’s lovely lingerie billboard as well? Hopefully she was a fan. But that was highly improbable, given older women’s tendency to dislike famous thin creatures of the same gender(particularly younger ones). “Looking?” She echoed.

“Yes, but you’re closed so I don’t think he’s here now...I’m not even sure he came by here last night.” Sakura sighed. “I’m sorry to have troubled you, I’ll be–”

“Kakashi,” She said knowingly, a bit darkly. As if suspecting no sort of good would come of the encounter with this girl.

Sakura blinked. “Uh, yeah. Is he still here?” She asked.

“No, who are you anyways?” She leaned in on the girl. Sakura took a step back.

“I...I’m his girlfriend.” She made up a quick lie. Sakura knew she was gambling with her fibs here, she had a lot to loose if the woman already knew who she was. But she had even more to gain, and if she wanted to actually progress in this game of liars and murderers, then there would be times that she would have to go out on a limb and risk all. This was one of those occasions, and might she add, the limb was getting pretty thin out here.

The woman gave a sound that vaguely resembled a sharp gasp. Suddenly sounding shocked and very clearly...hurt. As if those simple words had injured her pride. “His...girlfriend?” Sakura confirmed by nodding her head. “Oh, I thought...” She hesitated before saying more.

Why was she getting this weird pang of guilt at the stricken expression on the woman’s face? “Did he happen to meet anyone here last night?” She asked with the nosy confidence that only a ‘philandering’ mans girlfriend should have.

“No, he had a few drinks then left.” The woman swiftly switched her attitude back to skeptical. From the tone of her voice, Sakura could tell she was protecting someone or something. “He never mentioned anything of being involved with anyone,” Let alone over a teenager, Sakura could literally feel the statement hanging in the air between them, gleaming in her eyes. But the woman never said it. “In fact, he didn’t act much like he was committed with any relationship...from what I gathered.” She ended with a smug smirk, certain that the girl before her was being deceptive.

Sakura wanted to rise to the blatant challenge the woman had just tossed her way, she wanted to refuse to be a pushover, but she didn’t. This wasn’t about fighting over the man, it was about gathering information on him. Still, she needed to sound convincing. And whatever the situation called for, Sakura was willing to dish it out. No matter how humiliating it may be.

Slowly, almost depressingly, Sakura lowered her head and sagged her shoulders. “I see,” She made a hard swallow and a loud, over dramatized sniffle. She rested her hand gently, protectively, on her belly and clutched her little purse to her chest with her other hand. “If that’s how he decides to disregard me and his unborn child, then I will have nothing to do with the man.”

“His what?!” The woman’s widened eyes instantly lowered to Sakura’s very flat stomach. “You don’t look very–”

“We just found out a few weeks ago. Yes, it was a surprise to us as well.” She sighed and took her hand away from her abdomen. “But if this is how he continues to run his life, I will not tolerate his neglect of us any longer. Our child’s life will not be spoiled by his wild ways.” Okay, that was spreading it on a little too thick, but it was hard not to get carried away. “If he can’t step up and be a man, then I don’t see him fit to be a father, either. He’s wasted his last chance.” She dabbed at her eyes with the back of her fingers.

There was an extremely long strangled silence that followed. The older woman was absolutely stunned. Quite astounding really, how people fell for her stories so easily. “H...h-how do I know you’re not lying?”

Ah, Sakura thought victoriously, only someone with something to hide would be suspicious of imposters.

“Lying?” She briefly berated herself for sounding squeaky. “Why would I lie?” She defended herself. “That...that snake is the liar! Promising to love and care for me forever! And then at the slightest whim, forsake me to get drunk, and for other women too, no less. Oh, this isn’t the first time he’s pulled this stunt – spending the last of my paycheck to go to a bar. How could he abandon me with no food, no money...nothing to care for our child! Leaving me with nothing but the spoiled, old clothes from salvage shops to wear on my back!” She buried her face in her hands and began weeping uncontrollably. Working her wrinkly dress into the confession masterfully. Amazing that such an ugly thing ended up working to her advantage.

“I...I’m so sorry.” The woman stepped forward and hesitantly wrapped her arms around Sakura, trying to put a stint on her woeful cries. “I don’t understand, that doesn’t sound like the Hatake Kakashi that I know at all. I suppose he really has changed during that year I hadn’t seen him.” She wrapped her arms tighter around Sakura’s shoulders as the mention of his name seemed to set her off into tearful fits again. “You poor dear, how could he? You’re...you’re so young!” No wonder he had wanted to get drunk last night, Ayame grit her teeth. And no wonder he refused to even talk about the past year of his life, the cad, it was outright cruelty. “What’s your name?” She asked softly.

“My name is Sa...Sayuri Tomi. And please, don’t judge him. Everyone has their problems...he can’t help it if he’s a dirty, lousy, no good, worthless bastard.” She paused and hiccuped, sure that now was as good a time as any to test the ‘theory’ she had developed after finding that gun and badge in his room.

What she was about to say would either solidify or blow her cover if this woman was any sort of close acquaintance to Kakashi at all. She bit her lip and looked up at the woman innocently. Her eyes were watery and her mouth was quivering like a lost child. Here goes nothing... “I know he’s busy with his work, being a cop isn’t an easy job. But is it too much to ask for his affection?” When the woman didn’t object or visually give away any doubt to his status as an enforcer of the law, the inner workings of Sakura’s mind went wild with suspicions and questions. “That’s all I wanted from him. I thought it was true love, he was my first everything! He told me he loved me, I thought it was for real! I gave him my heart, I gave him most of the money I earned from working at the diner, I gave him my...virginity.” The woman gasped. She put a lot of drama into that last word, the V card always did hit home with older women. Sakura sounded so stricken and despondent that she was half tempted to believe the cheesy cacophony of words coming out of her own mouth(she was sure she’d seen something like this on a Soap Opera once before).

The woman was shocked into silence again. For a moment, Sakura feared that she wouldn’t buy into the tragic story. It sounded like it had been conjured up strait from a theatrical, late night talk-show episode.

“That sicko,” She finally opened her mouth and spoke. The detest clear in her eyes. It seemed Sakura was well on her way of persuading the woman to her side of the good fight. “It just doesn’t make sense to me, he’s changed so much...” Sakura actually began to regret her silly story as the woman took on a sad air around her eyes. Had the two of them been close friends, could they have been dating? Lovers, perhaps? Sakura felt even worse as she thought about her attempts to seduce another woman’s man, even if he was a lecher, not to mention letting said man touch her and sleep in the same bed as her. But it was all within good reason and a specific goal in mind. Kakashi never was what he seemed to be, she was slowly learning that fact the hard way. And she wasn’t going to stop digging until she found the real Hatake Kakashi, she would just have to keep looking underneath the underneath until she got what she wanted.

She started melting into a sorrowful a heap for the woman already. Her boyfriend was a hound dog and possible murderer and was probably lying to her as well. What would Sakura feel like in her position? If her love interests’ pregnant girl on the side showed up at her door? The fact that the woman had embraced her and uttered words of pity spoke volumes for her character, Sakura could already tell she was a respectable girl.

A deep, growling suddenly grinded out from her stomach. Sakura blushed and placed a hand over her belly again.

“He really is starving you!” The woman gasped upon hearing the hunger pains retaliating from her gut. She carefully eyed Sakura’s thin frame. “You’re so skinny,” Sakura nearly opened her mouth to explain that she had simply missed breakfast, but decided instead to play along with her ridiculous plot. “Here, come inside. I’ll fix you something.”

Sakura was amazed at the woman’s hospitality. “I’m sorry, but, what’s your name?” She asked with soft eyes, an affect she was proud to say in this moment was not an act.

“Huh?” She glanced over her shoulder. Forgetting her manners for a moment by not properly introducing herself. “Oh, I’m Ayame,” She smiled warmly, leading her into the bar.

“It’s nice to meet you,” She took Ayame’s hand in a fond manner and patted the back of it. “You’re a good person to do this, you know.”

Ayame blushed and visibly swallowed. “Nah,” She waved off the compliment modestly. “It’s nothing.”

Sakura grimaced as she stepped up to the threshold of the bar. Her feet were bare, she’d left her stilettoes in the cab in her hurry to get away from the creepy cabi, and the floor was needless to say not very sanitary.

Ayame paused to question her hesitation. “It’s okay if you’re not old enough to come in a bar, it’s not like I’m going to serve you alcohol or anything. You’re pregnant, for God’s sake.”

“It’s not that,” Sakura pointed down to her feet. “I don’t have any shoes,”

“Oh,” Ayame snorted out a little laugh and eyed the broken peanut shells and dirt on the floor. “I haven’t gotten around to much cleaning yet, I’ve been a little...er, busy out back. Hang on, I have a pair of old sandals in my dads’ office. You don’t mind wearing my shoes do you?”

“Nope,” Sakura shook her head. “Not at all.” She wiggled her toes subconsciously as she waited.

Moments later, Ayame brought out a pair of sandals that were nearly a perfect fit and seated her at the bar. “I thought your place had been robbed,” Sakura said as she watched Ayame return to the kitchen to whip up some kind of breakfast for her. “I saw a gun and the place looked a little wrecked.”

“Just another bar fight.” She called from the back.

“Fight?” Sakura scrunched up her nose as she looked at the broken chair. “Such brutality. I can’t stand fights or the roughians who start them. It’s all rather idiotic, wouldn’t you say?”

Ayame didn’t respond, but Sakura could hear her chuckling.

A few minutes later, Ayame brought out a steaming bowl of chicken-flavored ramen and set it on the counter beside Sakura. “I hope you like ramen, it’s all I’ve got back there right now.”

‘It used to be a ramen shop...’ Asuma’s words replayed. Figures that they’d only have ramen.

Guh, she usually didn’t like that specific noodley dish, but right now she was too hungry and too humbled by Ayame’s open kindness that she couldn’t have refused the food if she had wanted to. “It’s fine, thank you.” She expressed her gratitude and held her breath as she tried to swallow it one noodle at a time without chewing it much, because the more she chewed then the more she would taste. And the last thing she wanted to do was taste the slimy stuff.

“No problem,” She smiled.

“Ayame, may I ask you something?”

“I guess,” Ayame shrugged. “As long as it’s nothing too personal, I barely know ya.” She teased, her cheerful personality shining through.

Sakura gave her a small smile. “I was just wondering if, um, you know, was Kakashi always like this?” She glanced up from her bowl to see Ayame’s confused expression. “I mean, was he always this worthless?” She explained. “I admit, I haven’t known him long. I suppose it was stupid of me to trust a man I barely knew.”

“Well, yes, it was very unwise of you to hand your life over to a stranger.” Ayame reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. “But we all make mistakes, and sometimes the sweetest treasures come from our biggest fall outs.” Her eyes pointed to Sakura’s stomach and her ‘unborn child’. “Even if we think they are errors now, you will come to love it with all your heart.” Sakura began to blush, she wasn’t even pregnant and the woman was already making her feel guilty. “Why do you ask?”

Sakura couldn’t look her in the eye. Dang, this was harder than she thought it was going to be. She actually liked Ayame, it was always difficult to lie to people you like. “When our child grows up, he will inevitably want to know about his father. I want to have good things to say about him, I don’t want him to believe Kakashi was a total loser...even if what he has done to us is wrong.” Well, if that wasn’t the corniest excuse ever.

Ayame looked a little disconcerted. “I guess I can understand that logic...however odd it may be.” She quirked her lips in an odd manner that Sakura was sure she would have easily interpreted if she had known Ayame better.

“What of his life?” She asked hastily and instantly drew back into herself. “I mean, what about his family? Where are his parents? Does he have any siblings that would be respectable enough to introduce our child to?”

Ayame scratched the back of her head. “Kinda curious, huh?”

“Yes, sorry,” Sakura’s blush deepened.

“Kakashi doesn’t open up to many people, he’s usually private about the personal details in his life. But to anyone who has known him as long as I have, it’s common knowledge about his father and Obito, such tender subjects as that.”

Sakura was startled into silence. A whole new window was opening up before her, courtesy of Ayame. Her bowl of ramen was forgotten as her eyes fixated on Ayame’s face, tapping her chin as if wondering where to start. Hopefully she would start from the beginning. Sakura wanted to know everything of this man whom she had pinned as her brothers killer. The more informed she was, then the better prepared she would be to face him down and confront him.

“His father, Hatake Sakumo, was the chief detective for over thirty years down at the precinct, I never met him, but Kakashi always had good things to say about the guy. I suppose his status as such a highly respected man is what prompted Kakashi to follow in his footsteps.” Sakura’s gasp was deep and breathy, her heart racing uncontrollably in her chest. She tried desperately to reign in the strange emotions coursing through her body. Detective?‘Homicide Division’ is what his badge had read. “He absolutely adored his father. Can’t say I blame him, most sons want to grow up to be just like their dad...uh, sorry.” Ayame glanced down at Sakura’s stomach again. But Sakura paid no mind to it.

“After Sakumo’s suicide, Kakashi swore–”

“Suicide?” Sakura interrupted.

Ayame blinked, her voice softening. “Yes, he...killed himself. Kakashi was only nineteen or twenty at the time, on the very brink of a promotion from patrol officer to detective. He’d been taking day courses at a college and working the night beat when he wasn’t studying.” She said in a strangled voice. “I hate to say it, but suicide is actually fairly common among homicide detectives, from what I hear. I guess all the stress and years of seeing nothing but dead body after dead body really messes up the brain. And unsolved cases, especially the most gruesome ones, always seem to strike home with them. You see, that’s the thing with homicide detectives, their conscious is too big for their own good. They want to bring justice to every victim they cross, but it simply isn’t possible. And when they ‘fail’ to solve a case, some of them presume it to actually be their own fault for not doing their job properly or not working hard enough when they could have done better.

“Not to mention the pressure from the victims’ families, some even going so far as to actually accuse the detectives of not even trying. After so many failed cases, a man can only take so much guilt and...well, you know.” Ayame looked away for a moment, as if fighting off some emotion she didn’t want to show before continuing. “It hit Kakashi pretty hard. Some respected him and his late father. But because of his constant yearning to be like the man he worshiped most, others said he would end up just like Sakumo and kill himself like a coward. He never showed it, but I could tell he was ashamed.”

“He had nothing to be ashamed of!” Sakura, for some odd reason, found herself wanting to defend him from such heartless accusations. There was a instant click in Sakura’s mind as she had a flashback to her time spent in the Library as she sifted through the Hatake surnames. One of them had been deceased, could that have been...?

“I tried to tell him that, as did all of his friends. He would hear nothing of it and swore up and down the only way he would die would be by the bullet of another man, not by his own hand. The remarks hurt him, but he never stood up for his fathers name after that...listen, I probably shouldn’t be telling you all this stuff.” She suddenly looked uncertain and a tad nervous. As if talking about his past troubled her. “I don’t really enjoy talking about my friends like this, they don’t exactly all have perfect records, know what I mean?”

“Please, continue.” Sakura touched the back of Ayame’s hand and squeezed it. “I need to know everything. It’s very important to me.” She said in a tone that suggested there was a more higher reason to her wish to understand him, a deeper meaning. “Please,” She repeated in a urgent voice. “I already know about his job, I just want to know about his family. They should know about the child, too.” No, Sakura didn’t really know all about his occupation as a detective, and no, she wasn’t half as interested in his family as she was with his job. But Sakura had conceded to the fact that she wasn’t going to get much information by way of Ayame on that subject(the woman probably knew less than Sakura when it came to his cases). She’d just have to pick up bits and pieces as she listened to Ayame expound upon his past. She wasn’t getting anything that even remotely pertained to his association with Akira. But as her mama always taught her; don’t complain about what the good God gave ya, even if it was very little. Because even the little pieces fit into the puzzle somewhere.

Ayame took a long breath before she began again. “I don’t want to reveal too much, if he hasn’t already told you then it’s not really any of your business. I know his job is usually pretty dependant on keeping his life as a detective private. I think he does some undercover work from time to time, but on what kind of cases I have no clue. Usually drug related homicides, I suppose. I figured he’d recently been on a case, considering I hadn’t seen him in so long until last night. He does that occasionally, disappears for an extended period of time and then pops up out of nowhere, usually after a case is complete.

“It worries me sometimes...the things that man has been through. That’s why I don’t understand the situation he’s put you in. It’s not like him, he knows how it feels to be on the down side of life. He’d never do that to another person intentionally, let alone to a girl as young and, my apologies, but, helpless as yourself.” She shook her head and Sakura wasn’t sure how to take in all of this information in such a short amount of time. Was it valid? Of course it was, Ayame didn’t even know who she truly was – why would she deign to lie to a ‘helpless’ girl such as herself.

“And his mother, what of her?”

“Died in child birth, as far as I know. And I don’t think she was ever married to Sakumo, either. At least that’s what Kakashi always told me.” Ayame distractedly picked up a glass mug and began cleaning it with a towel. “He never spoke much of her, not like he did about his father when he was alive. I think he never really felt the need to. You know, seeing as how he never even knew her.”

A part of her wanted to break down and cry right there in the bar, the other part trying to remain strong and determined. Not because she felt sorry for him, everyone had tragedy in their past(she was living proof) but she...well, she didn’t know why she wanted to cry at the moment. It was hard listening to all this. She had pinned him as the type of man to kill his mother without the of bat a lash. So many of her misconceptions of the man were flying out the window, leaving her flailing for stability like a fish out of water. Putting her back on square one with nothing more than a name to lead her out of the darkness. Hatake.

Hatake Kakashi is a cop.

There was no denying it.

How could she condemn a cop? It was practically impossible these days with the way courts and laws were set up.

What would she do now? Should she still blame him for Akira’s murder? What proof did she have that he was the cause? Nothing, she had absolutely nothing to ground herself and her accusations. Only the fact that Akira had uttered his name in the last seconds that she had seen him alive. And Sakura, blinded by pain...had accused him of murder the moment she saw his name headlining a popular magazine cover, believing it to be her only plausible lead.

Was that logical? Was it honorable or justified? But it all seemed to fit in her mind so easily when she thought about it. Drugs, murdered models, Akira needing money, and a corrupted VP...all of it pointed to Kakashi.

Until now, that is.

But...what right did she have to judge when she admittedly didn’t even know all the answers?

“I guess Asuma’s the only thing he has that’s close to being a brother, they’ve known each other for over fifteen years. Doesn’t he have any siblings?” Sakura asked.

“Asuma? I haven’t seen that guy in years.” There was that far away look in her eyes again, remembering the past. “He still smoke like it’s going out of style?”

Sakura tried not to smile, but she did. “Yeah,”

“Figures. He sent me a card for my birthday last year, about a month belated, but it was the thought that counted.” Ayame, finished with shining the beer mugs, pulled out a new rack of shot glasses to be polished. “I wouldn’t call them so much as ‘brothers’. More like begrudging friends. Speaking of which, how’s Gai and the gang? Have they been around?”

“Uh, I...” Sakura didn’t know anything of this ‘Gai’. “No, not recently.” There, that wasn’t lying at all.

“Hm,” Was all she said.

“What happened to Kakashi’s eye?” Sakura asked numbly. “And his body...it looks horrible. What did he do to deserve that?”

Ayame suddenly looked very uncomfortable. “I think I’ve said enough, you should ask him yourself.”

“Just tell me.” She said more harshly than she had meant, her voice sounding hoarse and raspy.

“It...he...” Ayame cleared her throat. “I don’t know all the details, it was so many years ago.” She lifted her hand to swipe something out of her eye. Sakura could see something reflecting in her eyes. There was great pain there, great loss. Perhaps she and Kakashi were closer friends than Sakura had originally thought.

“Ayame,” She whispered, feeling a tug of affection for the woman. Sakura, too, knew what it was like to loose something precious. She knew that look in Ayame’s eyes all too well. She’d looked in the mirror and seen it in her own eyes on far too many occasion.

“He was never the same after that day,” She whispered to herself. Ayame had lost a good friend that day, she’d nearly lost two. “He and his partner were...” She blurted out in a soft voice, wanting to be done with it and get the memory out of the way. She was trying to steady her shaking hands on the counter. “They were...I’m sorry, I can’t do this.” Ayame choked a little on her words. “It isn’t my place to be telling you this, any of it.”

“It’s okay,” Sakura, albeit disappointed, respected her. “I understand.” She planted her elbows on the counter and wove her fingers together for a place to rest her chin. Feeling totally bummed out.

“You know, they say time heals all wounds, but I think that’s nothing but a lie.”

“So do I,” Sakura lowered her eyes back down to her bowl of noodles, identifying with her pain. “No matter how much the scar fades, the hurt always seems to remain...like a ghost that haunts a home, it sticks in your head like an annoying melody.” Ayame frowned as she listened to the detachment in the girls voice. The distance in her eyes.

“Hey,” Ayame put a hand on her shoulder again. “Believe it or not, Kakashi’s a great guy. A little rough around the edges, but I’m sure if I have a talk with him I could figure out what’s going on in his head. There has to be some reason why he’s done this to you – though, I doubt any excuse would be deemed good enough in my eyes.”

Sakura gulped. She’d overlooked that large obstacle in her story. Shit. Ayame would undoubtedly confront Kakashi on the matter of his ‘inability’ to stand up and take proper responsibility like a man.

Hopefully her cover as Sayuri would be sufficient in keeping her in the safe zone long enough to work some more of the puzzle pieces out in her head. Then again, how often does a rosette haired, skinny, hungover teenager come around claiming that you’re her baby’s daddy happen to a man? Not unless you’re name is Hatake Kakashi and you’ve got a spiteful Haruno Sakura hot on your heels.

“That would be nice,” Sakura smiled. “Maybe you’d be able to talks some sense into him.”

“I’m not sure when he’ll be back around here again, probably won’t drop by anytime soon for sure.” Ayame suddenly nudged the bowl of ramen closer to Sakura when she showed no signs of finishing it. “And finish off that bowl, girl. You’re eating for two now, you need to get some meat on your bones.” Sakura suppressed a gag and obeyed. “Anyways, I could always go down to the precinct and sniff him out, give him a piece of my mind.”

“No!” Sakura nearly spat the food out of her mouth. “I mean, you probably shouldn’t hunt him down, I don’t want you to go out of your way.”

“Why not? He lives for his work, he’s always doing something down there for Genma so it wouldn’t be too hard to find him.”

“Genma? Isn’t that Shizune’s abusive husband?”

Ayame blinked several times, her mouth sliding open. Sakura had the distinct feeling she’d just said something out of place. “Abusive?”

Sakura cleared her throat and hastily stuffed a hefty load of food into her mouth. “I gus I shwouldn’t huf sade nuthin. I mean, it’s nut lak I know teh guy. Fergit I eva sade n-ething, ha, don’t no wen ta keep ma mouth sut. Ya know...”

Ayame winced as she watched Sakura’s attempt to cram another mouthful of noodles past her lips and ramble on a few more incoherent sentences. “Kakashi told you this?” Sakura thought about denying that, but thought better of it. “Sounds like he’s been spreading rumors about Genma again...” Ayame’s shoulders dropped. “Some things never change, I tell ya.”

Now she was just plain confused, nothing new about that particular perturbing problem, though. These days she was always getting confounded by strange people. “What? Rumors? I’m sorry, but I thought–”

“Genma’s his boss,” Ayame said like Sakura was supposed to magically know what she was talking about.

“Well, feh, I know that.” She lied straight through her teeth again. It seemed Sakura always knew things that she really didn’t. Pretending wasn’t too hard. “I’m just saying, I don’t think you should bother him. Kakashi told me he was still working on a case. I can’t interfere in something so important as police work, maybe when he–”

“Don’t be crazy, when Genma hear’s of this, he’ll have Kakashi’s head on a platter.”

Sakura’s jaw clenched. This plan was backfiring right in her face.

“Then again...it would probably be best if I confront this situation on my own. It is my problem, after all. I wouldn’t want to burden you.”

“You’re no trouble at all!” Ayame disagreed. “In fact, if you need a place to stay I have more than enough room. You’re always welcome to live with me as long as you need.” Her eyes lit up. “And you wouldn’t need to worry about rent. And kids? I love ‘em.”

“Ayame,” Sakura breathed, once again struck speechless by her big heart. “I...as much as I wish I could, I think it would be better for me to stay with my family. I hardly know you and my mother would be very upset if I denied her direct involvement in her grandchild’s life.”

“Oh,” Ayame’s smile brightened. “That’s a sound idea. Nothing like family support, I don’t know what I would do without my mother there to back me up all the time. An amazing woman, she is. And my dad, the kind of shit he puts up with around me.”

“Yeah...nothing like it.” Family...

Mom.

Dad.

Akira.

“Sayuri? Hey, are you okay?”

“Just peachy,” Sakura plastered on a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I hate to cut things short, but I should be going.”

“Are you sure? You could stay here a few more hours if you like, until my father comes in and takes over the shift.”

“Thank you for the offer, but I can’t. Believe it or not I do still have work to do.”

“Ah, yes. It’s good that you’re keeping your spirits up, work does distract the mind to some degree. But I’m telling you, if you ever need anything,” Ayame reached under the cash register to pull out a pad of paper and a pluck a pen out of a beer mug perched on the counter full of writing utensils. “This is my number and my address. Stop by or call anytime you like,” She beamed as she handed over the slip of paper.

“Thank you so much, I don’t really know what to say.”

“Geez, don’t get all sentimental or anything. I just fed ya a bowl of ramen, no biggie.”

“Still,” Sakura fingered the piece of paper between her fingers before slipping it into her purse. “Oh!” She suddenly stopped at the door. “You’re shoes,”

“Keep them,”

“But I couldn’t–” Sakura already had so many shoes Tsunade had helped pick out for her. Expensive ones made of leather and beads and suede and such frilly things that she(admittedly) had grown to love.

“I said keep them,” Ayame urged. “I never wear them, anyways.”

“Thank you,”

“Enough ‘thank you’s’, get going before you’re late for work.” She chuckled, her round cheeks lifting in a smile.

“Goodbye, Ayame. And please remember, Kakashi is my problem. If I find out that you confronted him–”

“Yeah, yeah, I get the picture. Now scram.” She poked Sakura’s thin shoulder. “See ya around.”

“Sure...around.”

Sakura didn’t look back as she walked down the street, making sure she was out of sight before she hailed another cab. That was one of the more unorthodox things she had done this entire mission. Crazy, it was. Dangerous and stupid, but fun as hell and a sure fire way to get information fast.

There was so much weighing on her mind, about Kakashi, her brother and everything else that had troubled her for the past month. After all this, there would be much more considering and calculating to be doing. And even more sidestepping tender subjects. The stress was really getting to her, wearing her out and making her anxious and nervous. She wanted to curl into a ball and cry again like she had this morning in Kakashi’s bed. But she never wanted to give up.

A serious wave of self-loathing struck her as a thought occurred to her. A question that had been tugging in the back of her mind for quite sometime, today was certainly not the first she had pondered over it, but hearing Ayame speak of Kakashi as a detective only made the thought resurface. She was ashamed for even briefly thinking of putting her brothers’ name in the bad light, but...what had Akira been doing with drug dealers?

Kakashi was a cop...and cops got rid of drugies and the likes of such. So...maybe she was in the wrong here. Maybe her brother had been the bad guy. He had said it was dangerous work and he was desperate for money. Maybe Kakashi had done the right thing if he had killed him.

What?

No!

Akira would never do that. She refused to believe it and knew too better than to run her brothers’ good name through the mud. She almost hated herself for bringing it up in her head, like it could have actually been a capable theory.

Bad girl, she scolded herself, stupid very bad girl!

Akira was on Kakashi’s side because he was a good guy. Wait, no, Kakashi was bad...but cops aren’t bad unless they’re corrupted. Asuma had said Kakashi was trouble and trouble equaled bad. But Kakashi wasn’t corrupted, he was undercover. So why had Akira gotten involved and at what point had things gone wrong between them?

Oh!

Sakura grasped at her hair as she shook her head in peril. So confusing! It wasn’t fair, it wasn’t right and it just didn’t make any damn sense.

Her eyes caught sight of the digital clock on the cabi’s radio. She had to take a second glance to make sure her eyes weren’t lying to her.

It was so late in the morning already! She had completely forgotten herself when she had been talking(lying) to Ayame. What a slacker she was, this wasn’t a weekend and although she didn’t have any definite schedule for this morning(as of yet) Tsunade would be sure to fix that ‘problem’. And with Sakura being out of her apartment, and without her cell phone, the woman was probably going crazy trying to track her down.

She shoved all previous worries to the back burner for the time being and instead focused all her efforts on praying to the deities to spare her from Tsunade’s wrath. The woman was sure to be just as hung over as Sakura, and she had even gotten up earlier, the probability of the busty blonde being congenial today was slim to none.

Boy, what a way to ruin her day.

-

“Butcher’s Block. You slay ‘em, we fillet ‘em. Baby lamb is our specialty, what can I do for you?” Kakashi answered his cell phone with a sardonically impatient voice, not bothering to check the caller I.D.

“Where the hell are you?” The crash of a fist slamming into a desk reached the speaker of his phone. “I’ve been trying to get through to the modeling company for the past two hours. God damn it, Hatake this is the last time I’m going to put up with–”

“Sweety cakes,” Kakashi took a sip from the Starbucks coffee he’d picked up on his way in to work. Service there was terrible, honestly he’d had to wait nearly an hour in line. Totally put him behind schedule, then there was all that mid-morning traffic. And he couldn’t forget to mention he’d gotten pulled over twice in the same hour for not using his turn signal, he could always use that as another excuse. “You know all that yelling is bad for your blood pressure.”

“Will you just shut up for five seconds!”

“Five seconds Earth time? Or Mars time?”

“Five seconds of reality time, you ass.”

“Oh, in that case, what do you need, darling? Did you forget to pick the kids up from school again? Want something special for dinner tonight? You’re not cheating on me, are you?”

“I need you to meet me and Jiraiya down at the docks in thirty minutes. Think you can handle that on your own, or do I need to send Asuma to hold your hand?”

“Only if you promise to spoon tonight after we make love.”

“Just make sure you’re not followed,” Genma ignored him. “And for precautions sake, try dock Nine out first. If we’re not there, then promptly leave.”

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, contemplating. “Why all the fuss? Is something up?”

“We’ll talk when you get down here.”

“Fair enough,”

“If you’re late, I’m going to shoot you. Got it?”

“Aye, aye, capt’n.” Kakashi mocked.

“Asshole.”

“Careful,” Kakashi warned. “All that sweet talk is going to spoil me.”

“Rot in hell, Hatake!”

Kakashi felt himself smile a little at finally succeeding in pissing him off this morning. “I bet you say that to all the guys.”

Click.

He had to give the guy credit, Genma was getting better at disregarding Kakashi’s efforts to raise his chances of an apoplectic stroke before age fifty.

-

“Geez, do you think you could have chose a more disgustingly smelly dock, Genma?” Kakashi grimaced as he walked(limped) onto the pier. The place was surrounded by crates and heavy machinery and was an enclosed space for the most part. The stench of oil and gas and dirty sea water left an unpleasant taste in ones mouth.

The man was leaning against a silver unmarked Oldsmobile that he occasionally used for undercover jobs, tapping his foot impatiently. “Twenty minutes, Hatake,” Genma was looking at his watch...a menacing black Glock dangling in his other hand. Kakashi didn’t doubt he’d already had it cocked and loaded, his name was surely on the side of one of those bullets.

“What?” He took a hand out of his pocket and held it palm up in the universal gesture for ‘give me a break’. “Come on, the place was all the way across town. I was trying to loose anyone who might have been following me,” He explained with his other hand still in his pocket, not the least intimidated by the gun. Besides, he was actually telling the truth. Kakashi had parked over six blocks away, walked around in circles forever and backtracked through numerous nasty alleys for no apparent reason other than he felt like it(not to mention it was his lame excuse at trying to ‘loose’ any potential snoopers). He had tried to show up on time, and this is how the guy thanks him. The definition of gratitude must have changed since he’d last looked it up.

Genma glanced around cautiously, examining the perimeter for the tenth time since he’d arrived. “Fair enough,” He said when he was satisfied there was no one trailing his subordinate. “Get in,” He motioned to the car, the windows heavily tinted. He was in a docile enough mood for the moment to let the tardy slide. That is, until he got a good look at Kakashi’s face. “Shit!” Genma gasped, widened his eyes, and then proceeded to dangle on the straining verge of laughter.

The man looked like a wild thing that had just crawled out of a back alley. His clothes were ruined and ripped in some places. Blood smears all over his white collar. His eyes were unusually bloodshot and dreary, not to mention one was nearly swollen completely shut. The bottom of his lip looked worse for the wear and the beginnings of a beard could be seen shadowing his chin. Genma didn’t doubt the man was still half drunk.

Kakashi narrowed his unswollen eye menacingly. “Say one word and you’re a dead man.”

Genma, unable to resist, continued. “You haven’t shown up to work looking that shitty in years. Who kicked your ass this time? Please, tell me it was Asuma.” Genma shook his head. “Remind me to thank him later.”

“Remind me to spill ink in your coffee later.” Kakashi retorted and began limping his way to the car. This, undubiously, of course caused Genma to positively laugh harder.

“Sure thing, gimp.” Genma cackled.

Ignoring the goading, Kakashi swallowed back the pain in his gut and bravely marched onward to the car. Whatever physical agony he was suffering he was sure he deserved it and refused to complain. It was his penance for being such a...such a, well, a loser. “You wanna explain what’s going on?” Kakashi asked as he slipped into the passengers seat. “It’s irregular for you to call up a meeting with me outside the briefings and way out here at the docks, no less. Is something wrong?”

“Kakashi, my man!” A deep voice erupted from the back seat.

“Hey, Jiraiya.” He glanced over at Genma as he gracefully slid behind the wheel, practically ignoring the third party as he started up the car and gestured to the guy in the back. “I thought he was supposed to be in hiding with social services.”

“He was.” Genma gave the old man a dirty look over his shoulder. Uh-oh, that definitely didn’t sound like good news, Kakashi thought.

“What can I say?” Jiraiya grinned sheepishly. “I’m not a patient man. Who could blame me, you’re the worst stand-in president a modeling company could ever have – not to mention they’ve got me shacked up in some little apartment and refuse to provide me with any sake! What do you expect me to do?”

“To keep your mouth shut until this whole thing blows over.”

“And watch my investments go down the drain? No way.”

“There’s been lives lost, Jiraiya.” Genma reminded him as he merged onto a highway that led away from the docks.

“And you two don’t seem to be doing a damn thing about it.”

The men in the front seat were quiet.

“We’re trying. Just give us time.” Kakashi said.

“Yeah,” Jiraiya crossed his arms and leaned casually back into the leather of his seat, not wearing his seatbelt. “I can tell, progress usually is defined by losing not just one man to your enemies, but two. Oh wait, that second one wasn’t exactly a team player, now was he?”

Kakashi clenched his jaw, bit his cheek and stared out the window, praying that Genma wouldn’t question Jiraiya’s derogatory comment on his partner.

“Don’t be surprised if I’ve already sent in a man of my own.”

“What?” Kakashi, for the first time, turned back to look at him. A frown dutifully made its marring appearance on his face. Jiraiya, seeing Kakashi’s abused face, pressed his lips in a tight line. He was apparently trying to remain professional in this discussion and not laugh at the undercover detectives’ relatively ugly visage. What a child, and that old toad was over twenty years his senior.

Sensing the growing tension between the two, and knowing one was undoubtedly about ready to explode at the other(Jiraiya to ridicule and Kakashi to defend himself) Genma cleared his throat.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Genma, just as nonplused about Jiraiya’s secret agent as Kakashi, looked at him from the corner of his eye. “Says he’s got a man infiltrating Orochimaru’s and our defenses as we speak.”

“Damn strait.”

“You’re insane!” Kakashi had the decency to be shocked.

“Maybe, but at least I’ve started to gather information!” He boasted.

“He wouldn’t talk, not until we were both present.” Genma said. “Can’t say I didn’t threaten to beat it out of him.” Everyone knew that was a big bluff, Genma was about as violent as a house plant.

“I’m not sure if I’m interested in what he has to say.”

“Too bad,” Jiraiya stretched out like a lazy cat and baited his lure. “Guess that means you wouldn’t want to know about Kimimaro’s plans for you, Kakashi...” He tossed the lure. “And my mans’ rank in Orochimaru’s syndicate...” He jiggled the lure and waited.

“Plans?” Kakashi asked.

His game nibbled at the bait.

“I find another deal might need to be put into effect.” He jerked the lure just out of his preys’ reach. “Staying in a stuffy little apartment, no women, no alcohol...it’s rough for a man my age.”

“Anything would be rough for a man your age...” Kakashi mumbled.

“I’m sure I could pull some strings, arrange better living standards for you.” Genma recovered the moment that Kakashi had just spoiled.

Not quite there yet...

“Standards?” Jiraiya taunted, tugging the worm just a tad more.

“We couldn’t secure you anything too close to the city.”

“Too risky,” Kakashi agreed.

“But maybe in the country or suburbs.” Genma wondered aloud.

“Plenty of room, lots of women.” Kakashi looked to his chief and nodded in agreement.

“All the beer a man could drink. Yes, I think it’s possible.” Genma submitted.

Snap!

Jiraiya gleefully reeled in his catch. A big, fat smile on his face. However, he couldn’t shake the feeling he’d just been played at his own game. Whatever their ploy may be, he still considered himself the victor – he would get what he wanted either way.

“Alright, what would you like to know gentlemen?”

“Kimimaro, you mentioned his plans for Kakashi.”

“Ah, yes. The delightful Kaguya. Retched back stabber,” Jiraiya’s usually carefree face molded into a frown of sorts. Thinking of all he had done for the man, then to learn Kaguya had used him like a dishrag to murder his models and wipe his bloody hands on. His own girls! It infuriated him every time he thought of it. “As my agents’ position in Orochimaru’s ring is steadily growing he is also allowed more information pertaining to drug related issues.”

“So this ‘agent’ hasn’t even encountered Orochimaru as of yet?” Genma asked, interrupted actually.

“Unfortunately, no. I would have contacted you immediately if we would have even gathered that much evidence as such.” Jiraiya thought he heard Genma mumble a ‘damn’ but wasn’t sure. “I know, it’s Orochimaru you want, and you can’t take him down until you have substantial enough evidence to take him into custody and try him in court.”

Kakashi cleared his throat. “Kimimaro, you were saying.”

“My agent informs me that Kakashi’s name has been mentioned quite frequently in their little gang as of late. Some of it good, some bad. Kabuto wants to reign you in and take advantage of your apparent lust for woman and your interest in drugs, Kimimaro still doesn’t trust you and is just dying to murder you like he did that rat you’d sent him.”

“No doubt,” Genma said, still driving the car around town in no particular direction.

“I’ve already sent him one bad man. In which I of course denied all involvement of knowing Akira was connected to the police. I can see why he’s still wary of me.”

“And then there’s your plotting little partner.”

“His name is Sasuke.” Kakashi snapped.

“Ah, I take it from your tone you already know. Feh. His name could be mud, for all I care. God only knows what kind of information the sellout may have leaked.”

“Uchiha Sasuke? Kakashi, what is he talking about? I thought Sasuke was–”

“So he hasn’t told you?” Jiraiya suddenly laughed. “He knows and he hasn’t told you? Oh, this is rich!”

“Told me what?” Genma slowed the car and braked at a stop sign, taking the opportunity to glace over at Kakashi.

“Well, go on, Hatake. Spill it.” Jiraiya nudged his shoulder.

“Yes, do tell.”

Damn. He was going to get ripped a new asshole for this one. Kakashi made a mental note to self; kill Jiraiya when this case was over.

“Sasuke’s still alive.” He confessed without stalling. “And he’s working for Orochimaru.”

Genma was deathly silent, Jiraiya was watching from the back seat as if enjoying a dramatic movie.

“I see.” Was all he said.

Was that it? Surely he would be more upset than that. Despite himself, this was one time Kakashi didn’t want to piss Genma off.

“And do we have reason to believe he has broken his guise?”

“No, if so, I believe Kabuto and Kaguya wouldn’t show half as much interest in me as a possible drug colleague as they do.”

“Jiraiya, do you agree?”

The older man shrugged. “My agent hasn’t brought me evidence to the contrary. The boy doesn’t seem to show any inclination of ‘tattling’ on you. But it is believed that he now has personal ties with Orochimaru, if anything has been said, it wouldn’t have reached my agent’s ears so low on the food chain.”

“I see.” Genma repeated himself, which was really starting to work on Kakashi’s nerves. The silent treatment possibly was the worst punishment of all. It always left one wondering what sort of pain the punisher might inflict. “We can’t refrain from judgement any longer.” He spoke in a subdued tone. “The fact that he has remained under Orochimaru’s influence for such an extended period of time without contacting me or his partner can only lead us to believe he is a traitor.”

Kakashi looked away, not wanting to hear this.

“As such, he is a wanted man and is, as of this moment, relieved of any and all titles as an officer of the eighty-ninth district. God, the paperwork I’m going to have to do on this back at the office is going to be hell.”

Kakashi felt his heart drop. He’d recovered Sasuke from the ooze of crime no more than three years ago and guided him into becoming a remarkable young man. He didn’t want to be the one on the sidelines watching as he threw it all away. It was like taking three steps forward and ten steps back, the regression was catastrophic.

“I think it would be best if we waited–”

A cold glare from Genma cut him off. “From the sounds of things, you’ve known about this for some time. Wouldn’t you say you’ve waited long enough?”

Kakashi shook his head. “I only found out just yesterday.”

“But you suspected?”

“Didn’t we all?” Kakashi yawned, trying to remain detached as per usual.

“I see.” Damn, Kakashi wished he’d stop saying that. “You realize you will be subject to penalty for not reporting this immediately?”

“Yes,” What else is new? Kakashi had enough written warnings to fill a small stadium.

“Why?” Genma asked, glancing at the other man. Some measure of trust gone from his voice. “Did you think you could save him?”

“I believe Sasuke is smarter than that.” Kakashi offered some measure of explanation, hoping Genma would understand. “I’m sure he has his reasons, but I can’t say that I whole heartedly agree with his decisions thus far.”

“You can say that again,” Jiraiya grumbled.

“Besides,” Kakashi started scratching the back of his head. “I’ve practically raised the kid for the past three years. What could go wrong?”

There was certain stretch of silence that followed, neither Genma or Jiraiya yet willing to comment. Jiraiya of course was the first to open his mouth. “Poor kid, no wonder he took his chances with Orochimaru.”

“Don’t you have some woman to go molest?”

“Enough,” Genma intervened. “The only thing we need to be worrying about is getting Kakashi into that ring with little to no suspicion.” But how? They’d been trying to do that for the past four months.

“They’re sure to be checking in on him more and more frequently now that Kabuto is thinking of making the first step to initiate him. I’m certain they’ll be putting the moves on you either tonight or tomorrow. So be on the lookout.” Jiraiya mentioned.

“And as such, my contact with either of you will be cut off until the end of the case.” Kakashi voiced what each of them were thinking.

“Bingo,” Genma said.

“Who will I give my reports to?”

“Asuma...and they’ll be oral reports.” Christ, Kakashi really wanted to roll his eyes right about now.

“Figures,” Kakashi said.

“Do all the dirty work you can, no matter how rotten, don’t hesitate. You know how everything works, so I don’t need to explain much further.”

“Yeah,” Kakashi gave him a short nod.

“Any questions?”

“I have one,” Kakashi turned back to Jiraiya. The old man smiled. His hair was nearly as wild as Kakashi’s, only Jiraiya’s seemed to be neatly groomed into the loose style. His smile was broad, as was everything else about the toad. “Who exactly is this secret agent of yours?” He asked.

“Oh, you’ll know him when you see him,” Jiraiya examined his nails lazily with no real interest. A mysterious smirk lining his mouth as he met Kakashi’s questioning stare. “Or should I say...her.”

--

For Xhex, an awesome fan!

Please go easy on me, this chapter was so boring to write.