𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 [𝐤𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞]

𝟐.𝟒 𝐒𝐚𝐝 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬

        A caring heart, obsessed with saving his best friend, is now pouting and grumbling. Fumbling with his fingers, as he struggles to take a break. Naruto is forced to take a break at night due to the fact that Yamato, who has been on standby the entire time, is extremely tired.

        So on that starry night, the Jonin-leader and the ANBU make their way to the top of the waterfall, ignoring the teens' trampling. The moon and the stars are anxious, scattering the dusky fragments all over the village. They twinkle and die out, the darkness turning blue. 

        In the late hours of the night, they lay down, side by side. Her head is on his warm arm, appreciating the tranquil moment. It didn't take long for the sky to light up again, as if every fear, every hope, every desire they shared became a star in the sky. 

        "Do you remember the first time we watched the stars together?"

        "Yeah...I found you on the roof of Ramen Ichiraku. There was a shooting star that night." Kakashi states, eyes going hazy as he recalls the memory. Stars like to come out at night and hide in the day. It's why we find them so nice because they brighten up the dark sky. 

        "You still never told me what you wished for that night," Hanai asks, her eyes turning bright.

        "You never did either." 

        "I didn't?" 

        "You didn't."

        ...

        "I didn't wish for anything." She reveals the truth after a deep breath, "I thought wishes are mixes of magic and love, and at that time I didn't believe I had any magic or love to mix." 

        ...

        "Making a wish felt childish at that time..." Kakashi admits, suddenly feeling a bit awkward. 

        She laughs, a joyful sound passing through his skin. He feels his heart tickle, catching each note of her happiness. "It is, but that's what makes it fun."

        "Really?" 

        "Maybe things would've worked out quicker if we both made a wish that night."

        He raises a brow, turning his head to look at her. His arm softly trails down from her shoulders to her waist, pushing her closer to him. He felt the need to stop and listen better to her happy tone, "And what makes you think that?" 

        "It's a secret." she teases, giggling at Kakashi's exasperated expression. 

        Have you ever met a person who at first glance you weren't attracted to? But then they talk and with every word, every smile, every sadness, every laugh, they become more beautiful until you can't believe there was a moment you didn't think they were?

        That's how Hanai feels for Kakashi, and that's the beautiful thing about young love. They witnessed each other's destruction, and then they were left to wonder why they saw nothing but darkness. When they failed to see the cracks, of the stars shining the brightest, they guided each other out of the darkness. 

        And that guidance turned into love. 

∞

        The seconds Yamato opens his eyes, Naruto stripping down to his orange joggers, jumping and shouting, as he begs to return back to training. Everyone went back to their spots, Kakashi on the wooden couch reading the Icha Icha series, Yamato is in place using his Wood Release: Foo Dog Heads to suppress the Nine-Tails' chakra. This technique absorbs a tailed beast's chakra and creates a series of wooden pillars, which are engraved with what resemble foo dog faces and have lit wicks on top of them. This time Hanai took a seat on the upright frame of the wooden couch, feet on the front rail, right over Kakashi's body. Her elbows are on her knees, hands pressed onto her face as she keeps watch on Yamato and Naruto's fatigue.