THE KUNOICHI'S HEART

Title: The Kunoichi's Heart

Rating: PG-13 (this chapter), R later on.

Disclaimer: The characters are NOT MINE.

Chapter: 9

Words : 5,373 words

Summary : What if Iruka was a female? Follow the Naruto story since the very beginning...

Pairing : KakaIru, SasuSaku, NaruHina (the others will ba canon-like hopefully)

A/N :

First, I'm soooooo sorry for making all of you –including my dear filleyice- wait for this chapter. This new year I've been very busy with college stuffs (as if I have another reasons eh? –sweatdrops-) so I don't have enough time to edit much. Personally I don't think this chapter as good as earlier ones - maybe because I wrote this under a lot of pressures from my real life, but I hope you still enjoy it. Thank u again for waiting! –bows-

Special thanks to MischievousPuck & Serenitymitsuki for your support & patience in me! Thanks for 'reminding' me with ur email when I was 'down'. And don't worry, I don't plan to stop writing this story. Hope u like this chapter, dear! –hugs-

Comments & Questions from U (I'll Try to Answer Them Here)

- Oh wow, I loved Iruka's realization of Kakashi's and her own feelings
And the whole destruction of the training feild was really cool!

Thank u! Glad u like their progress!

- I love Kakashi's and her "relationship" and how it builds with the story and not automatically happen. You're an inspiring writer, and I hope that you continue with this breathtaking story.

For some reasons, I can't & don't want 'Love at the first sight' thing to happen in this fic. –blushes- Inspiring? Eer... you gave me too much credits, but thank u! –hugs-

- Poor Iruka, being forced into realazation like that. Poor Kakashi, invoking the wrath of 'Ruka-chan. And again, can I ask for some Tsunade/Jiraiya romancy-actiony stuff? And the 'family talk' -giggles insanely-

Yep, poor them... xD For your JiraiyaTsunade request, I will see what I can do, be patient, ne? –winks- And family talk...well...Kakashi will get one in this chapter. By whom? Just read & u'll understand. –smiles-

- I really like how you make Iruka-chan (nya:3) strong, and the way you handled the chuunin exams was great! Look at you, you tease... leaving us this very curious teaser :D I love it. Thanks for writing a story that I look forward to seeing an update from!

The chuunin exam is NOT done...yet. Many things'll happen in this exam and hopefully I can finish it soon. And glad u like this story! –hugs-

- AH! I love it so much it hurts! I can't wait for more, I love this story! Finally, Iruka realizes her feelings

Yep...yep... after SEVEN chapters she did realize her feelings... FINALLY XD. She's a slow learner, eh? –winks-

- wow i love this its really orignal at least i think so and i think ill never see iruka as a man again.

-laughs- I'll take it as compliment in my part. Poor Ruka. xD

- I really hope Iruka kicks Kakashi's butt for being such a jerk. Hmph, making her upset like that. Izumo and Kotetsu are the best teammates ever they standby Iruka no matter what. Maybe you should make they have a little talk with Kakashi for being mean to Iruka. I think she scared him a little or at least make him think twice about his attitude. You know what they say about assumptions and he assumed too much. Sorry, I don't mean to be emotional I just think Iruka deserves a little understanding. Hey, here's a suggestion maybe Naruto should confront Kakashi for hurting Iruka and drop some info on him. That way he can realize what he did and try to patch things up between them. Love the chapter, the story is really shaping up to be an excellent tale and is rapidly becoming on of my all-time favorites.

Wow, you read my mind for this chapter! For Naruto's part...well...I'll see what I can do with him and Kakashi...later though. And thank u, dear! –hugs-

- I have to say that I was hesitant at first to read a fic where Iruka was female, but this has become addictive for me. It's so good! I love what you've done with the characters and the closeness between Iruka and her loved ones. I absolutely adore Izumo and Kotetsu. I can't wait for more.

Thank u! I know the female!Iruka idea isn't accepted much by some people but I can't help my mind to imagine it and this story is the result. And yeah, I wish I had had Izumo & Kotetsu as my brothers – I love their protectiveness too. –laughs-

- Izky

Chapter 09 - The Precious Friends (or Rival) : 5,373 words

"Well…..I still personally think it's a bit uncalled for, Kakashi." Kurenai's red eyes glared at his solemn dark one. She was still a bit miffed over the recent 'event' that happened in the Hokage's room a few days ago.

Kakashi simply grunted, drinking his share of sake as his jounin colleagues surrounded him.

"Now…now…Kurenai, you know Kakashi is usually like that. And he's right, isn't he?" Asuma patted his silver haired friend on the shoulder as he gulped his sake, leaning against the seat the bar provided.

"We know how mother-hen Iruka is sometimes, Asuma. She –hic- simply worries about her 'kids', especially that Naruto brat. I understand her feelings…sort of –hic-." Anko giggled, drinking her own jug. Unlike most of the jounins, she was already drunk.

"Even Anko agrees with me, don't you, Anko?" Kurenai patted her female jounin friend as she continued to glare at the silent masked jounin. She after all…. really thought of Iruka as her younger sister and it made her angry to see how Kakashi treated the female chunin that day – cold and emotionless.

"Sure, Kurenai… -hic-"

"Tch…don't gang up against Kakashi, you women…. He is having a fight with his chuunin. You should treat him better than that, right Kakashi?" Genma grinned, playing his dear senbon with his fingers as he drank his fifth jug of sake. Genma had always been a heavy drinker after all, and he could hold his liquor better than the snake summoning female jounin beside Kurenai.

"Truly, you're right, Genma! My eternal rival here really needs our support now! But, don't worry! If I, the green beast of Konoha, can't help getting your sweet and beautiful Iruka back to your arms, I'll run 10,000 times around Konoha myself!" Gai, already very drunk himself, stood and posed his 'Good Guy' pose toward his rival as a drunk Anko hang onto his arm.

"Aww…. Naked, dear?" Anko giggled, hanging uselessly onto Gai.

"Your wish is my command, my dear lotus!"

"Eww…not here, you two." Kurenai groaned at their action.

"….." The copy nin kept silent, staring at the empty spot on the wall for the nineteenth time that night. He hadn't responded to any of his friends' comments since they decided to take him forcefully for a drink together. The silver haired jounin had been moping since his 'fight' with the brown haired chuunin, thus the other jounins decided to cheer him up - but so far that night, the copy nin hadn't reacted to any of their jokes.

"Still…I would say you should have used …. better words with Iruka, Kakashi. We saw how angry she was at that time… It's…frightening." Raidou shook his head, smoking as his eyes wandered over the bar out of boredom.

"I agree with you. You choose an interesting kunoichi, Kakashi. She practically froze Genma on the spot in a second! Damn…. I wish I could learn that jutsu…" Asuma chuckled at the horrified expression the senbon sucking jounin threw at him.

"Hey! Wait a minute! We have a deal not to talk about that anymore, right!" Genma protested, trying to hide his blush by drinking his sake again.

Kurenai merely smirked, responding to her 'absolutely-more-than-a-friend-not-yet-a-lover' jounin friend's words. "Well…. But you have to admit, she's more than what she seems on the outside…. I haven't seen Genma shocked like that since he was thrown into a dumping tip by a female after insisting to take her for a date … wait a minute…the said female was Iruka too, right?"

Genma groaned as the rest of jounins -save Kakashi himself- chuckled.

"Iruka did that? Wow! Never expected that from a –hic- polite sensei like her!" Anko laughed.

"Points for Iruka-sensei!"

"Hahaha….!" The rest of jounins laughed out loud. Even Kurenai chuckled.

Kakashi groaned, finally fed up with the stupidity of his jounin friends that night. "I'm going home." He stood and turned away from the drunken jounins.

"Aww…but the party barely started, Kakashi!"

He ignored the groans and protests from his comrades as he walked outside the bar.

I think talking with Zabuza is much better than accompanying those drunk jounin friends of mine…

Deciding to do that, he simply went to the jounin apartment complex.

"Well…well…. you knocked on the wrong door, Hatake. Your's is the next door you know…." Zabuza raised his eyebrows at the sudden and unexpected presence before his and Haku's place.

The silver haired copy nin simply shrugged, "I don't need to knock on my own home." He simply stood before the door which the ex-missing nin leaned on.

"Oh well….Haku is cooking dinner right now…." Zabuza didn't continue his words as he turned back into his apartment, leaving the door open. Kakashi simply walked inside on the silent invitation the other jounin gave him and closed the door behind him.

The place was a jounin-standard apartment, with three rooms separated by thin walls: the small bedroom, the bathroom, and a bigger space for a kotatsu and things in general. Kakashi was greeted by an aproned-Haku cooking in a corner of the room, which was used for a small cooking space. The rather beautiful boy smiled in greeting, "Kakashi-san! It's nice to see you again. Do you want to eat dinner with us?"

Kakashi raised his eyebrow at the pink flower pattern covering the boy's apron and nodded, deciding to sit under the kotatsu in the middle of the room. "Nice apron you have here, Haku."

The chuunin blushed slightly at the comment, glancing down at the apron he wore. "Thank you. Sakura-chan chose it for me."

Zabuza, who was sitting on the other side kotatsu (and leaning against the wall behind him), raised his eyebrow at the boy. "I told you it was too pink, Haku."

Haku simply smiled sheepishly as he was preparing the food, which Kakashi discovered as a delicious-looking yakisoba. Even though it was very simple and fast dish to make, it was far different than eating ramen like some too lazy bachelor jounins usually did. Being one of the said jounins, Kakashi thought Zabuza was pretty lucky having the boy as his private cook.

Well…Iruka is a great cook as well…

The silver haired jounin frowned at his last thought and dismissed the sight of the smiling chuunin from his mind….or tried to. Thoughts of the female chuunin always appeared unexpectedly these days in his numb mind, and Kakashi didn't know how to get that smiling face out of his brain.

I'm pathetic…

I'm interested in a mere smiling face….

And I don't know how to stop this empty feeling at all…..

It was a half hour later when they were done eating (and Kakashi being the very fast eater as usual) that Zabuza asked the question.

"So…what's up?"

Kakashi blinked as he lifted his eye from the sight of the empty bowl before him which he had been staring at for the last ten minutes. "Huh?"

Haku, being the very well mannered boy he was, picked the remains of dinner off the kotatsu and put them in the sink to be cleaned. "I need to go buy a few things at the 24-hour market now. Please make yourself comfortable, Kakashi-san. And Zabuza-san, don't destroy the apartment, please." He threw them a smile and bowed lightly at the sitting silver haired jounin.

"Hai…hai…. Just go, brat."

Kakashi simply raised his eyebrow when the chuunin walked outside the small apartment, leaving him and Zabuza alone. He glanced back at the other jounin, who was currently leaning on the wall before him.

"Your boy is a well-mannered one. You should be proud."

Zabuza shrugged, playing with a kunai that appeared from nowhere, throwing it into the empty air and catching it every few seconds. "He's too nice sometimes. But yes, I'm proud of him. I will kill you if you tell anyone -or him- though."

"I don't need to."

One must be blind if they don't see the protective yet proud gaze you give him, Zabuza.

"So, what's up? This's the first time you've come here. And I doubt the copy nin is visiting me because he's too stupid to cook for himself." It was Zabuza's turn to raise his eyebrow when the silver haired jounin brushed his hair out of frustation at his words.

"I can't get her out of my mind." Kakashi sighed, staring at the small cupboard beside him, facing away the ex-missing nin.

It was ironic, really. More than a month ago, Momochi Zabuza was merely a missing nin who wanted to kill him and his students for the sake of finishing a mission from a mad man - and Kakashi accepted it. But now, after having known the man for a while, Kakashi felt that Zabuza was the only person that could listen to his problems without pitying -or worse- worrying about him.

Zabuza wouldn't blame or throw some sympathetic words at him like some his other friends did. He simply would tell his thoughts with his blunt and straight words, too careless to worry that they would hurt anyone he told them to.

He was –after all- the most emotionless rude bastard jounin Kakashi had ever met.

And Kakashi was fine with that.

That's why he had decided to tell him his problem in the first place.

"Her?"

"You know who I'm talking about."

"Ah…that chuunin of yours. Still not talking to her, huh?"

"She's not mine." Kakashi had lost count of how many times he had said those words and he was simply too tired to throw any glares to the smirking ex-missing nin to support them.

Right.

"Keep telling yourself that, Hatake. People are not blind...Especially after that fight in Hokage's room. People're betting when you two will get back to each other like some sappy romance movie. Females gossip behind you two and giggle every time your names are mentioned, which is a lot. It's hell."

"I could care less about what others think, Zabuza."

"Right…right…I forgot you're the lazy bastard loner here. So, what's the problem now? You're still not talking to her? Then just meet her and talk."

"I'm horribly impressed with your perceptiveness here, you know."

"Hey, I told you before that romance and stuff weren't my thing, didn't I? Why don't you talk it over with your other…friends? Like that Genma guy? Or maybe Raidou? He looks pretty harmless to me."

"Genma would simply laugh at me. Raidou would read me one of his 'Love problems' books. They're crazy."

"The others?"

"The same. Or maybe they would try to kill me… Iruka is quite popular if you want to know."

"Tch…this's troublesome… Okay, I'll simply ask you a question then… What. . Problem. With. Her, It was easier than Kakashi expected to finally admit it.

"About what?"

Apparently Kakashi's mouth had its own brain as it let out the words deeply hidden inside his brain with a speed Kakashi had never used in anything but missions.

"Her very… unusual ninja skills. Not to mention her sudden break down after beating the hell out of a Sannin that day – you saw it too. Her politeness. Her closeness with Jiraiya. That ANBU jutsu. Her threat. Her sudden temper. Her destroying most of the training grounds. Everything."

"Slow down, Hatake. So… basically you're still notbelieving in what we saw at the training grounds? Or in Hokage's room? Which one?"

"Both."

"Then why don't you meet her and ask her yourself?"

"I don't want her to see me … confused like this."

"Okay… the main problem is your manly pride, right, I can understand that."

"Being understood by you is reeeally what I need now."

"Shut up, Hatake. Do you want my advice or not?"

"Right."

"So you don't want to ask her, fine. How about you're asking those two overprotective teammates of hers?"

"Kotetsu and Izumo?"

"That's what I mean. I don't know your chuunin that well, but if you ask me, I'll tell you that those two are ones who know her the best…and they're safer than that toad Sannin if they decide they want to kill you for some reason."

"She's not my chuunin."

"Right…right… so, do you agree? Good. It's late already and Haku is waiting outside. Just go before he freezes out there, will you?"

"Thanks, Zabuza."

Thirty seconds later, Haku entered the empty room, save for his mentor. The chuunin chuckled at the frustration Zabuza showed at the now vanishing guest.

"I can't believe he's this stupid over female problems. He's more hopeless than me."

And I don't even like any women here….

"Don't say that, Zabuza-san. Let's hope those two will solve their differences and talk it over, okay?"

Zabuza simply shook his head, turning to look up at the ceiling as he staring through it to the chakra he'd sensed long ago. "Hey, you up there. Don't tell anyone about this talk, okay? I will kill you before Kakashi realizes it if you do."

There was a whisper, very soft that only Zabuza and Haku could hear it.

"Don't worry, Zabuza-san."

Behind those boards in the ceiling, watching the two ex-missing nins for quite a while, Yamato -one of the two guarding ANBU- simply grinned in the darkness.

Well…well…looks like those gossipers are right after all…

Kakashi-senpai has an interest in a female?I'd never have guessed…

Kakashi had known that he had made some fucked up decisions through the years being a cursed genius.

But he didn't realize that even God himself had no patience anymore to wait for his decision.

The proof was walking toward him at the moment.

"Kakashi-san? We want to talk with you. Can you spare a moment, please?" Izumo, one of the two chuunins, smiled politely in greeting.

The other chuunin didn't bother to be polite at all. "We want to talk about your fight with our Ruka." Kotetsu grumbled, staring straight at his solemn eye.

Kakashi simply curved his eye at the chuunin's bluntness, "Lead the way."

Some coincidences, huh?

They were walking toward the forest, which was very rarely crossed by villagers or most shinobis. For a moment Kakashi wondered if they simply wanted to kill him for having an open fight with their dear female teammate in front of their Hokage or following their precious teammate around for quite a while.

Naah… If this because of me following Iruka…, it should have been months ago….. not now.

And that leaves the me having a fight with their 'Ruka' part…

Stopping in the small area covered by trees, Kakashi was impressed with the sudden changes the two chuunins showed him.

The smiling Izumo turned around and leant against one of the trees. His friend, Kotetsu, was crossing his arms as he squatted down beside his teammate's standing form. Their sudden cold eyes stared from Kakashi's head to toe in seconds.

They're quite good at intimidating people, huh? I suppose working in the Torture and Investigation Unit can do that to you…

"What do you want from Iruka, Kakashi-san?" Izumo started.

"And if you simply want to get into her pants, you die. We will kill you if that's your only answer." Kotetsu added so casually.

Kakashi refrained himself from telling them to try.

Don't forget Kakashi. They are-were Jiraiya's apprentices AND Iruka's teammates. They must have something up their sleeves to even have the courage to tell you that.

He shrugged, deciding to say his thoughts. "I care about her. A lot."

There. At least I can admit that, huh?

"Then do you have reasons why you've been avoiding her recently?"

"Is it about that Gennin recommendation fight?"

Kakashi lowered his gaze, staring at the grasses near his own feet. "Why does she need to be like that?" He answered them back with a question.

The two chuunins blinked, clearly surprised at his sudden question. "Huh?"

"Why does she need to hide anything behind that 'perfectly good young woman' image...? I didn't even know she had a temper that high -a dangerous one from what I can tell- until we had that conversation in the Hokage's room. She has a lot of potential to be better than she is now, but she chooses to be a simple school teacher and hide her inhuman strength behind it." Kakashi continued as he threw his thought after managing to think it over and over again - right after visiting Zabuza until now.

Both chuunins seemed shocked.

"Wait a minute… how do you know about that? Her inhuman strength how?" Izumo asked back, surprise evident in his tone.

Kakashi shrugged again, leaning against the tree himself. "I saw her having a match with Jiraiya and I was impressed -a very very rare thing to happen I assure you- with her temper and her skills, which were far above those of average chuunins in our village. She used an A-level ninjutsu to catch Jiraiya in her trap as if she caught a mere fly."

Izumo sighed, slapping his hand on his forehead lightly. His cold façade was disappearing by seconds as Kakashi explained. "That's her favourite jutsu to trap enemies with skills far from her own. She rarely used that though."

"Who else was with you that time? Were you alone?" Kotetsu still looked serious as his eyes never left the jounin's dark one.

"Zabuza. We were going home after a mission and then we saw them. That's all you need to know. You two didn't answer my questions though. And why did you lead me here in the middle of the forest."

Both chuunins glanced at each other for a minute before they nodded.

"We're….worried about Iruka."

A raised eyebrow.

"…..and you….maybe.-coughs-"

Two raised eyebrows. (Those chuunins couldn't see the other one, but that wasn't the point)

Izumo coughed, mirroring his teammate's response at that bored solemn eye staring back at them. "Look. We don't want to trouble you, really. We just want to confirm something about you and your…closeness…with our teammate."

"Hn."

"Okay, what Izumo is trying to say is that ALL damn shinobis know that you two act practically like a married couple, with your possessiveness and her tendency to mother-hen you and your three 'kids'. This's a shinobi village after all, Hatake."

"I can be careless about what others think about my social life, Hagane."

"Yeah. But we damn care about Iruka's love life which -somehow- connects with you." Kotetsu shouted back, starting to get irritated at unresponsive jounin before them.

Why the hell does Iruka like a guy like him

"So? She can take care of herself."

"Kakashi-san... Please, we don't mean to meddle with anything between you and Iruka, you should know that first. We only want to ask : why do you avoid Iruka nowadays?"

"And that concerns you two because…?"

Kotetsu groaned. This guy talks in riddles! "Iruka is a wreck because she thinks that you hate her, damn it!"

Kakashi blinked. "And why should I hate her?"

Huh? Hate her…?

"Don't play with us! We were in that recommendation exam as well and we saw how you treated her, Hatake!"

"Should I remind you that she was the one who threatened me?"

"And you deserve it for treating her that way! You talked to her as if she was nothing!"

"Forgive me to be born with this way of talking then."

"Argh! That's not what I mean, Hatake!"

Izumo sighed and massaged his temple out of resignation at the 'bickering' between the other two people before him. "Okay….. stop please. This's going nowhere…."

The two ignored him, throwing comments against each other.

"Kotetsu…. Kakashi-san…"

Ignored again.

"Please. Stop."

And again.

"Don't make me use Ranshinsho on you two…. Please."

And Kotetsu shut up from his ranting in the jounin's ear, immediately turning to face his teammate. "You're kidding me, Zumo."

The gentle chuunin simply raised his eyebrow, staring back into his teammate's eyes. "Try me, Ko. Let me talk to him, okay?"

Kakashi raised his eyebrow when the pressing threatening chakra around Kotetsu vanished in a blink. The said chuunin muttered low under his breath when he turned his back against him, walking a few steps away only to lean against the nearest tree.

The jounin didn't miss the jutsu's name mentioned a few seconds earlier.

Ranshinsho? Important Body Points Disturbance? How could a chuunin know an A-rank medic ninjutsu like that…?

Izumo, apparently satisfied with his friend's action, turned back to face Kakashi. "I'm sorry about that, Kakashi-san. Kotetsu means well, but sometimes his mouth has a brain of its own."

"Hey!"

Kakashi simply shrugged his shoulders, "It's okay."

The gentle chuunin smiled back, too used with Kotetsu's rudeness to comment about Kakashi's careless tone. "First…. After listening to you and Kotetsu for a while, may I guess that you….don't believe what you saw in either the training ground or Hokage's room …? About our Ruka?"

Kakashi kept silent.

Izumo nodded at the unspoken answer, "About that….. believe it or not, but you –and the others in the Hokage room at that time- saw what most of villagers considered lost years ago, Kakashi-san…."

Kakashi glanced back at him, raising his eyebrow in wonder. Lost…?

"About Iruka and Jiraiya-sensei's fight…. And what happened back then in the chuunin exam recommendation…. they were things that Iruka has tried to hide from all of us for years. She wasn't supposedto act like that, but her temper got the better of her those two times. She didn't - and doesn't want to reveal them for her own reasons. I know she's still regretting it as we speak."

"What reasons?"

Izumo shook his head, sighing. "We can't tell you that. You should ask that to Ruka yourself."

"And what makes you think that I want to do that?"

Suddenly Kotesu, who had been listening in silence for a while, stood straight as he continued his teammate's words. His voice was as firm as his gaze toward the jounin before him. "If you're really serious about her, just believe in her, Hatake. If you don't, kindly stay the hell away from her before you two get any fucking closer than now." There was a threat if Kakashi could hear one.

Izumo simply patted his obviously agitated teammate's shoulder, "What we really mean is that if you care about her, please wait until she tells you herself, Kakashi-san. She has gone through so many difficult things in her life… we don't want to make things a lot more difficult for her."

Kakashi sighed, lowering his gaze toward the grasses on the chuunin's feet; somehow he couldn't face their eyes.

"I'll try…."

That was the only thing he could say.

A few minutes later, staring into those vanishing backs of the two chuunins', Kakashi couldn't help but wonder about Iruka's closeness with her teammates. It was clearly apparent to him that there was an important bond between the three of them, much closer than any others bonds he had ever seen in others chuunins.

What a woman to make two males ready to give anything for her.

I guess….. it's not only me who fell for her smile, huh?

Kakashi sighed.

Well…. This's more complicated than I thought…

I have a lot to think about all of this….

THE CHUUNIN EXAM - A FEW DAYS LATER….

The first part of chuunin exam was already finished. Of all 50 teams joined, only half of them made it through Ibiki's deception test.

Still, before they can feel any relief, the passing teams must take the second test which was lead by Anko, the sadistic female jounin. They had to pass the Forest of Death in three days, complete with the Earth and the Sky scrolls.

Iruka didn't know if she should feel happiness, relief, worry, or anger at the fact that ALL the rookie nin taught by Asuma, Kurenai, and …. Kakashi were having to battle in life and death situation at the moment.

They're still too young….

Anxiety filled her mind as she finished the day teaching her class. She did not want to think of any of the possibilities of what might happen to her dear students, as inexperienced as they were, in facing those older and experienced gennin teams from earlier years.

That's why she was now, instead of sleeping on her bed like any other normal chuunin, choosing to spend the night working out her body and mind. It was a better thing to do than tossing in her bed out of the worries she had for her students –no- her ex- students.

Kicking the broken tree for the last time, Iruka finally satisfied to see the said tree crumbled into pieces as it couldn't bear any of her inhuman strength anymore.

"Wow… It's truly a youthful sight to see a lady did that!"

The sudden appearance of a blinding green (never mind it was night already, it was that blinding, with that neon green thing) greeted Iruka when the chuunin leaped out of the way of whoever appeared suddenly at her training place.

"Who are you!" It wasn't her usual polite way to greet someone, but after hours under harsh training and trying to forget what might happen to her ex-students that night plus with being nearly blinded by the said green color, Iruka wouldn't humor the new guest before her. Not a chance.

"Ah! Forgive me, my lady! Let me introduce myself! I'm Maito Gai, the green beast of Konoha, at your service, Ma'am!" The figure, apparently male, before her formed a deep bow as he gave her his equally blinding grin (how the hell did he do that in darkness like this?)

Iruka blinked as she tried to recognize the face shown under the moonlight. Being one of the mission room staff, she knew most of shinobi in Konoha but it still took her a few minutes to do that, especially in the night like now.

Maito….Gai…?

I'm sure I've seen that bowl haircut somewhere….It looks…familiar?

And THAT green jumpsuit….

Where did I see it before….?

And that pose…..

And finally Iruka remembered.

"Ah! You're….Gai-sensei? The one who teaches Rock Lee…?" Iruka finally asked. Even though she didn't know the man that well and rather avoided him in the first place (due to his….unusual quirks), Iruka was grateful that Maitou Gai was Rock Lee's teacher. The jounin was the best teacher Iruka could ask for Lee (in purely physical aspect of course. She - unfortunately- couldn't say the same for the other - the mental aspect ).

The man, Gai, grinned as he showed his 'Good Guy' pose. "Yup! I, Maito Gai, just finished my two thousandth time running around Konoha. And it's so surprising me to see a beautiful lady like Iruka-sensei training alone in this wilderness and darkness! But don't be afraid, sensei! I shall accompany you in your training if that's what you wish for, my lady!"

Iruka sweat dropped. "Err….I think I can manage alone, Gai-sensei."

NOW I remember why I avoided him in the first place…

And why I forgot who he was….

"Nonsense! Don't be shy, my lady! I noticed that you have a really gorgeous taijutsu! My eternal rival Kakashi is really lucky to have a beautiful and talented kunoichi like you beside him, sensei! I would love to have met you sooner to see what woman can capture my eternal rival's heart but I was too occupied in training my team outside Konoha for this very youthful Chuunin exam, so forgive me, sensei! It's a shame that you two are having a fight, but I, the green beast of Konoha, assure you that it is normal between lovers to have it once a while." Gai stroked a pose again.

Iruka blushed.

What the….? Eternal rival? Lovers? I don't even want to know what rumors are around recently….

"Ano….. There's nothing between me and Kakashi-sensei, Gai-sensei…"

But the jounin ignored her words, still announcing some nonsense (at least to Iruka) in his rather loud voice, breaking the silence and stillness of the night. "I regret to tell you that my eternal rival doesn't have any experiences with any woman beside his mother or his female teammate! That's why he doesn't know what to say or do before a beautiful sweet youthful chuunin like you, Iruka-sensei! But no fear! I promise to help you two getting the precious love you two held on between each other or I will do push-ups 5,000 times if I fail!"

Iruka's headache grew more and more with each word the green beast of Konoha threw into her tired brain.

This's getting ridiculous….

Me and Kakashi…?

I haven't seen the man for days at all!

And I have no idea how to face him now… with all I've done in the Hokage's room and how the real exam turned out now…..

"Gai-sensei….. I haven't met Kakashi-sensei for days. What makes you think-"

"Ah! Apparently my eternal rival is too shy to meet you to admit his eternal love to you, Iruka-sensei! I didn't know for sure back then why he keep being distracted in every one of my youthful challenges recently, but looking at your gorgeous face, I couldn't help but understand his denial! Ah young love, it's so wonderful to see shinobi like us still have a chance to enjoy this life!"

Iruka groaned, finally giving up stopping the jounin from talking and choosing to humor him a bit. It was a useless battle from the start. "And what do you mean with your 'challenge', sensei?"

"Men like me and Kakashi have to keep our vigor in its fullest and doing these challenges are not only helping us to maintain it, but also keeping our eternal rivalry and friendship as firm as a rock in the Rock village, sensei!"

Iruka was too tired to pay anymore attention than needed, but she decided to ask, "Like…?"

Kakashi-sensei? Challenges? With Gai-sensei…?

I think I'm too tired for any of these…

Gai-sensei didn't seem to sense her tiredness as he posed his 'Good Guy #2' pose. His grin glinted very clearly under the moonlight. "Currently it's 50-51 in my eternal rival's favour but I'm going to get my win back, sensei! He won the latest match of ours in the 'Ichiraku Ramen Eating contest' with 14 to 13.5 bowls! But let's not forget that I won the match before that one - the '2 Hour Stare Down match' ! It was too sad that my eternal rival was KO after 10 seconds of unrelieved exposure to my gorgeous eyebrows!"

Iruka sweat dropped in response.

These two seem to fight over rather pointless things…..

"Errr… That's…. nice, Gai-sensei. Still, I think it's already late enough. If you don't mind I really wanna go take a rest tonight."

Apparently it was THE right choice of words when immediately the green beast of Konoha stopped any of his youthful speech and bowed at her deeply. "Of course! Forgive me to take your time, sensei! A beauty like you needs your beauty sleep after all! I shall not take anymore of your time and I pray for my eternal rival to admit his undying love to you soon! Let me take you home then, Iruka-sensei!"

Before she could refuse, the jounin already pulled her arm and a swirl of chakra later - they already stood before her door. Iruka blinked in amazement at the impressive speed the jounin performed the transportation jutsu.

Wha….he's VERY fast…. Very few jounin can maintain this level of speed. I guess him being Kakashi-sensei's rival is true after all…

But more importantly…how the hell he can know MY address…?

"See you next time, Iruka-sensei!" And a blink later, Gai already vanished from her sight.

Iruka blinked a few times, making sure that anything occurred a few minutes earlier wasn't her imagination at all.

When she believed the door before her was really hers, Iruka pulled out her house key, unlocking the door and entering the darkness of her rather spacious home.

As tired as she was now, she couldn't help but chuckle slightly at the oddness she felt that night.

Eating contest? Stare down match? It doesn't sound like Kakashi-sensei at all…

Still…

He's unpredictable that way….

And Iruka let out a tired smile.

Tbc…..

A/N : No Kakashi-Iruka interactions here. Sorry. I want to focus on what their friends thought of the two first. –sweatdrops-

Still, YAY! After waiting for months, we're FINALLY catching up to the Chuunin Exam Arc! –happy- I myself can't wait writing the next chapter! Many things will be revealed there! –winks-

Okay, that's all from me for now. Until next chapter!

- Izky

The Next Chapter – The Snake's Curse

Preview :

It was obvious something agitated and stressed the usually gentle woman and she tried –badly if he might add- to hide it from him.

Kakashi didn't like it. Not at all.

"It's not your fault, sensei. And you have a right being angry with me. I'm supposed to keep Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura safe in this exam. But no, this has to happen." Kakashi sighed as he brushed his hair in frustration.

"You don't understand, Kakashi. It's because him…. because him… sensei…. I have to fight him for them! Just….just move it!"

No wonder Jiraiya looks so protective of her.

She reminds us of Tsunade-sama.