Preventing The Inevitable

Chapter 18

"Just Sukea? No last name?"

"You didn't give me one either, did you?"

"Haruno." She gave him an expectant look, an amused glint in her eyes. Not that he would know why.

What will you say now, huh?

"Oh, you know, Sukea is really just an alias. It's what I am called in my field of profession. Easier to remember than your generic name, isn't it? I guess it just slipped out of me when you asked for my name." 'Sukea' smiled in an awkward manner, as if he were giving away an embarrassing secret.

Yeah, right. He wasn't fooling anyone. At least not her.

"So, do you live here? In Konoha?"

"Not really. I travel around. But Konoha is definitely a favored location of mine." He chuckled. "I don't have a knack for fighting, or anything Shinobi, for that matter. But being here and having them around at all times helps with feeling secure."

"You travel? What do you do for work?"

Photojournalism had been his answer back then, Sakura recalled.

"Nothing much. I'm a journalist; I go around here and there, collect some interesting stories, and try to get by."

"What's your real name?"

Kakashi—because that's who he was, no matter how well he played the 'Sukea' persona—put a hand to his hip, leaning down slightly. "You are quite a curious one, Sakura-chan, asking all these questions."

"Don't call me that." Shisui was already one too much. And she hadn't been called that by him since she was a Genin. It didn't feel right anymore, even if she was technically young enough to have her name accompanied by that suffix.

"Only if you promise to stop the interrogation."

"You kept asking questions earlier too. An eye for an eye." She still wanted to find out how detailed his disguise of Sukea was. Finding out that this appearance of Kakashi wasn't just something he had made up on the spot back then was already surprising. "How old are you?"

He sighed. "Fine. But this is the last one. Nine-teen. And you?"

So Sukea was the same age as Kakashi? Was this how far his cover went?

"I'm turning five next March."

Why was he even in a Henge right now?

But she couldn't ask that. Not when nothing hinted to him being Kakashi, not when his cover was—so far—perfect, immaculate even.

It wasn't really a want to see how much he had prepared for Sukea's backstory. Not the type of necessity that was crucial to saving her friends, the type of thing that made her head heavy with burdens and thoughts, made her feel like every moment—every action—was part of a mission.

It was the lighthearted type of prank, the thing young, civilian children would title a 'mission' to look impressive.

Kakashi looked up at the sky, eyes widening ever so slightly. "It seems I have to leave now. Appointment with a client, you see."

Sakura nodded. "Oh, sure. By the way, what time is it?"

He took another look at the sky. "Quarter past three."

Finally, a crack.

"Thanks. Good to know."

She grinned. "Wow, did you tell it so accurately just by looking at the sun? I'd almost think you were a ninja."