Chapter One
A blur of purple dashed through the streets, knocking down bystanders and leaving skid marks when it turned corners. Short, lilac hair blew in the wind, strands whipping across her face as she ran. It was all Kurenai-sensei's fault (not that her next-door neighbour cared). Why had their sensei decided to lecture them today?
"After seven hours of helping Hinata-sama with her jutsu, as well," she thought grumpily.
Mamoru Yoshida flew through the streets of Konoha, her small frame slipping easily through the thinning crowds. She was exhausted. After a full day's training, her chakra reserves were almost depleted. But it was great to see Hinata's confidence starting to skyrocket. Well, at least while she was in Team 8's company. Mamoru grinned. Kurenai-sensei, Kiba and Shino were very protective of the painfully shy, unconfident girl who was Hinata Hyuga. Her best friend and kunoichi-in-the-making, who had a pain-in-the-ass, know-it-all cousin cousin.
Talking of know-it-all cousins... she skidded to a halt, just in time to see the said Hyuga round a corner. She frowned. Mamoru hated him. He hated Hinata. They had a very simple relationship (hate all round, for those of you didn't guess.)
The tension that simmered between them would often explode into short, blistering arguments, that often ended with a few purplish bruises and wounded pride on the Hyuga's part. She refused to refer to him any other way. He called her Yoshida-san, and she called him Hyuga-san. They hated each other, and that would never change.
(20 minutes later)
Mamoru dragged her feet up the last flight of stairs to her apartment, and the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, beckoning her.
"Shizuka-onee-chan must be home," she thought happily. When her sister (who was a jonin) was home (and that was rare), it always meant coffee, ramen and talking until midnight. She rubbed her eyes wearily, and swung the door open. What she saw made her eyebrows rise.
The last thing she expected to see was Kakashi Hatake with his feet propped up on her kitchen table, reading the same book with the orange cover. She rolled her eyes. Make-Out Paradise had earned him his reputation of being a pervert. She hadn't believed the rumours until now.
"Have you got a good reason for being in my apartment in the middle of the night, Kakashi-sensei?"
"Have you got a reason for getting home this late?"
She grinned. Same smart-ass Kakashi. He was more like an uncle to her than a jonin, ex-ANBU ninja. "You might want to ask Kurenai-sensei."
"Why?"
"Because I didn't pay her enough attention to know what she lecturing us about. What's your excuse for being here?"
She watched as his single visible eye seemed to darken. What was up with that? The only time she'd seen that expression was when... Yeah. When that happened.
"What's up?"
"Mamoru. Sit down."
Her eyebrows rose even higher. He was asking her to sit down? In her house? She wasn't going to start an argument, but still...
She flopped down on her sofa obediently, relishing the feeling of the cushions at her back. She hadn't sat down since lunchtime, and her feet were going to be covered in blisters tomorrow, she could feel it. Kakashi sat down beside her, still wearing his serious expression.
"What's up?"
"Mamoru. When was your sister due home?"
She thought for a second. "This afternoon. It was her birthday on Sunday. We were going out to celebrate. Why?"
