Always And Forever (Kakashi Hatake Love Story)

Part 8

"You should be home at this time."

Asami stopped when she heard a familiar voice. She turned her head back and saw Kakashi standing in the alley she had just passed by.

"Well.. the same goes for you," she responded, as Kakashi stepped forward, and they started walking together toward their apartments.

There was a tense silence between them. They had been walking for five minutes, but no one had said a single word. Like always, Asami couldn't take this silence anymore.

"I didn't know, you two have become so close during the time I was away," she trailed off, trying to sound cheerful as usual, her gaze lowered to the ground.

"Huh?" Kakashi looked at her in confusion. "Who are you talking about?" he asked, but then it clicked him. "Are you talking about Anko?" 

"Yeah. You two seem pretty close," she mumbled, not meeting his gaze. 

"Aah.. it's not like that," he replied, nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

"Hm?" She now looked up at him.

"I mean, she acts strange sometimes, but we are just friends. Nothing more." He sighed, looking ahead. 

Asami didn't say anything in return, but deep down, she was happy to hear that he thought of Anko as a friend only and there wasn't anything going on between them like she had feard. 

Soon they reached Asami's apartment and said their goodbyes. Stepping into her room, Asami dropped herself in her bed, and hugged her pillow, her mind drifting to what Kurenai had said.

"In love hn?" she thought, as she recalled some of her moments with Kakashi, her childhood moments. 

Flashback

It was almost midnight.

Nine years old Asami was returning to her apartment after a long day of training, covered in bruises and sweat. She had trained the whole day and till the midnight, totally exhausting herself. 

"Aahh.. I can't walk anymore," she whispered to herself, and sat down, leaning against the wooden fence, her breathing unsteady. 

Suddenly, she heard footsteps and looked up to find a man coming in her direction. His gait was telling that he was most probably drunk. 

"Oh no." Asami silently hoped that he wouldn't notice her, but the odds were against her.

The man stopped and bent down right in front of her. The alcoholic smell coming from him was confirming that he certainly was drunk.

"Hey sweetie. *hiccup* what are you doing here? Pretty girls like you shouldn't be out at this time," he trailed off in a wobbling voice. 

Asami just stared at him in horror, as he hungrily eyed her from head to toe. 

"Aw.. you seem tired. Let me help you. You can come to my home." He grinned like a maniac.

Asami tensed up, understanding that the man was up to no good, but she wasn't in condition of resisting or fighting and defending herself. 

"No!" She forced herself to her feet, but after taking only three steps, her legs gave away, and she fell to the ground again. 

"You can't escape, girly." The man laughed greedily, as he stood up and walked closer to her

"Stay away!" she shouted, as her eyes widened in horror.

He grinned in victory, as he now stood right in front of her, his tall figure towering over her small forms. Tears of frailty started forming in her eyes. She was paralyzed. The man extended his hands towards her while Asami squeezed her eyes shut in fear, silently praying for help.

After a few moments, when she didn't feel that man's hands, she opened her eyes slowly. To her surprise there was a boy holding that man's wrists, preventing him from touching her.

"K-Kakashi," she whispered in shock when she recognized those silver hair. 

The man was still hungrily eyeing Asami who couldn't stop a whimper from escaping her mouth. Kakashi groaned and shifted a little, now completely blocking the man's view of Asami.

"Hey kid, let go of me!" commanded the man, in utter annoyance. 

"O yeah?" Kakashi broke that man's wrists, making him scream in pain.

The man backed away with a fearful look on his face. Kakashi took a step towards him while the man took a step back and sat down on his knees in front of Kakashi. 

"I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I promise, I won't do it again!" he pleaded.

"Get lost," Kakashi stated coldly, and the man ran away as if he had seen a ghost.

Kakashi then turned to Asami who was trying to muffle her crying with her hands covering her face. He walked over to her and knelt down in front of her. After removing her hand from her face, he cupped her face gently and wiped her tears with his thumbs.

"He's gone. Everything is alright," he whispered in a soothing voice.

"K-Kakashi." She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Thank you." 

"No problem," he responded, hugging her back.

End Of Flashback 

A smile made its way to her lips, as she hugged her pillow tighter. He used to be arrogant and cold when they were kids, but he was always there whenever she needed him, too. She had always liked to be around him, even if he would find it annoying.

Even upon reuniting after so many years, every time she was with him, she would feel a strange sensation in her stomach, like there were butterflies dancing around. His every touch would send tingles through her skin. 

"In love?" 

She turned to her side, as she recalled that stormy night incident and the following morning's moment. How he was wrapping his arms around her and how much she had actually enjoyed it. Her smile grew even bigger, and she buried her blushing face into her pillow.

"Probably yes?"