Her One True Love - Kakashi x OC

How we met

Is it possible to have someone by your side your entire life yet you realize their significance in your life only now? Is it possible to fall in love with the very person you used to see almost everyday? I never thought about these. But now, I cannot stop thinking of him.

We both grew up together as our fathers were best friends. I was close to Sakumo-san almost as a daughter. He was a kind soul like no other. His son, Kakashi, was everything like him. Kind, gentle and strong.

He was 2 years older than me. I think the farthest I could remember of him was when he was 4 years old, that might be due to some core memory which I cannot point to right now. But I somehow remember the face of him as a 4 year old boy being carried in arms by Sakumo-san. It's strange that sometimes this image flashes in my mind all of a sudden while I try to recollect why I remember it when I was merely a 2 year old kid.

We used to see each other almost everyday, and play together as children until one day, when Kakashi became quiet and I never saw Sakumo-san again.

It took me a few years to finally understand that I won't be seeing Sakumo-san again. But I see Kakashi everyday. And with each passing day it felt like we were growing distant. I wanted him to be back, as my friend. But he wasn't willing to get close to anyone. I silently respected his space yet made sure he was taking care of himself.

I bought food and left it outside his door along with some medicines and a note whenever he would return from missions. When he was off on long missions, I made sure to pay a visit to his father's grave to make sure it was clean.

I occasionally used to put some flowers over Sakumo-san's grave even if Kakashi was there in the village, because for me he was like a second dad. And I made sure that any special occasion related to Kakashi was celebrated, his birthday, his promotion to Chunin & Jonin. I tried to make fun of how much he was growing despite his age, but he would take it light heartedly.

I knew he enjoyed my company though he never mentions it.

My dad, Siruzen Senju was the Jonin commander of the leaf village. Together, my dad & Sakumo-san went on multiple missions, their duo was considered unstoppable & highly respected by everyone. Eventually, we became family friends. But I remained quite curious on why Kakashi can learn ninja skills but I cannot. I kept asking this to my dad. He just evaded this with some silly joke. But one day I got to know the reason

It was the day when Kakashi became a Jonin. He said he'd be going on longer missions from now and he may not be able to meet me frequently. I decided to ask my dad about why I was not given a Ninja training

"Dad why can't I take ninja training too? Like Kakashi?"

"Honey I told you it's not needed for you"

"But why dad? Why is that I'm the only one different? Is it because I'm weak or because I'm a girl? But I know girls can take training too. It is very lonely to not be there where my friends are, I feel I'm not good enough"

"Honey, it's not like that and certainly not because you are a girl"

"Is it why mom left me. Does she not love me at all?" I couldn't control my tears and asked all the burning questions I had burried in my heart

"Haruka dear, don't you ever think that way. Your mom loved you more than anything!" dad pulled me into a hug and kissed my forehead

"Then why didn't she come to see me Dad? Not even once?! Not even on my birthdays... It's been 10 years now and I have never seen her. I feel she doesn't love me at all" I was now hiccupping

"ok, so that's not the reason. I think it's time for you to know"

"What is it Dad?"

"Your mom Kirenashi Sarahana, was from Kirenashi clan. She comes from a non-ninja family. Kirenashi clan's occupation was florists. They were the first florist family in Konoha as a result they were highly respected for their loyalty, their services and skills. Their children were adored by the villagers. I met your mother when she was 18. She was the most beautiful girl I've ever seen till then, now it is you my little princess" I was trying not to blush and show that I was still serious so that he'd continue.

"So we became friends and I fell in love with her soon after. We eventually got married and started our lives. But when she was 9 months pregnant, some rogue ninjas started targeting pregnant women for their unborn child. They were preparing immortal jutsu using pregnant women's bodies, making sacrifices of two lives to revive one. The leaf's security was not very resilient back then. The rouge ninjas entered our village and saw your mom. When I and Sakumo were on a mission fighting with Sand village, those rogue ninjas captured your mother and tried to kill her. She was saved just in time by Leaf shinobi but she was badly injured and lost a lot of blood. She was admitted to the leaf hospital immediately and was told she'd lose her life due to blood loss if she gave birth. Yet she decided to give birth to you. She then fought for her life for 3 days waiting for me to arrive. And she took a promise from me that day"

"What is it?"

"That you will never be a ninja, you will be raised just like her, you'll have a childhood like hers, you'll stay away from the chaos of the ninja world. She made me promise that I'll protect you with my life while giving you a childhood just as beautiful as hers, away from harsh ninja environments, in this beautiful village"

"She also gave you her family name, to protect you from any ninjas, to not let anyone outside the leaf village know you're my daughter. That day she named you Haruka Kirenashi. Haruka means spring, the season of flower, Kirena in Kirenashi means beautiful. She gave you that name because you were her beautiful flower. After giving you the name, she saw me holding you in my arms. She smiled gently and laid there just still. She died that day, after taking a promise from me and giving me a part of her"

"Your mother loved you more than her life honey. So never feel unloved by your mom. She loved you even before she saw you" my dad said with a smile and slight tears in his eyes. This was the first time I saw his tears

After knowing the reason, I couldn't persist more. My mom's love for me was unconditional. She never hated me. In fact she loved me even before she saw me. She was willing to give her life for me. To think that she left me and my dad when I was a kid, because she never wanted me, and coming to finally know her unconditional love towards me, it was overwhelming. It was painful to not have been able to feel her love more. Yet it was freeing, to know my mother just loved me in all the right ways. If only I could see her again! But now the least I could do was honor her last wish.