I'm Only Human

Kakashi's Promise

Warning: lots of dialogue, swearing, past injury, blood, mention of rape, torture, and amputation

Please Enjoy!

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"Iruka-sensei, how do you know about Sayuri's last name?" Sakura asked while sipping the tea the female Hatake gave her after she took her medicine after dinner.

"Do you think I should tell them?" Iruka questioned, as he looked towards the Hatake medic.

"Might as well," Sayuri sighed, as she and Kakashi put the clean dishes and leftover food away. Then added in a more matter-of-fact tone, "either way, they'll learn it from someone. So, they might as well learn the truth."

Iruka nodded in agreement, before turning to the three students "you see, after the nine tails attack, newly made orphans that had no relatives were given to older teens that were also orphans and have experience and can take care of themselves."

"Why can't they just go to an orphanage?" Sasuke asked, with a confused expression not understanding why putting a bunch of traumatized children in one house without an adult was a good idea.

Iruka gave a solemn grin, as he answered, "all the orphanages were full. A lot of lives were lost at night. And for the kids who were not able to find a home with family relatives or in the orphanage, they were assigned to older orphans to take care of them and help them adjust to the new changes."

"And you were assigned to Sayuri?" Sasuke asked for confirmation.

"Assigned is such a cruel word for it, more like I was given the opportunity to take in Iruka, so he did not have to bear the loss alone. It was like having a new roommate," Sayuri replied with a calm tone and soft grin. While she and Kakashi take sit back at the table.

"Kakashi-sensei, did you also have a roommate assigned to you?" Naruto asked loudly, with a curious expression. Even though, a bitter part of him wanted to know why he was never assigned a roommate.

"Yeah, I volunteered to take in an infant," Kakashi answered simply, as he continued reading his book.

"An infant!!" Iruka and the students shouted in shock, as Sayuri's grin faded into a neutral expression.

"Yes. However, I was unable to keep or adopt them and had to give them up to the village for a new living arrangement when they were at the age of three," Kakashi spoke, with a hint of irritation.

"Why?" Naruto asked, as his head cocked to the side, like a curious blonde pup.

"My duty to the village depended on me to be there full time. And taking care of a child that young requires a lot of work and time," Kakashi explained with a dragging-out exhale, almost appearing to be apologetic.

"Who was it?" Sakura asked before her blonde teammate could ask.

"I'm sorry, but that is a secret I cannot tell for their protection," Kakashi replied with his usual eye-smile as held a finger to his mask-covered lips in a hushing motion.

Much to the students complaining frustration to the male Hatake answered. The conversation shifted to where Iruka started to explain the next upcoming lesson in the academy. That Sakura and Sasuke could potentially help teach, but Naruto couldn't do to not fully understanding the learning content himself. The students remained silent when they noticed the green diamond on Sayuri's forehead began to fade, as the medic's light grayish-green eyes became dull and clouded. While Kakashi and Iruka paid no attention to the change, they both have known that Sayuri uses her Hundred Healings Seal to heal the damage to her eyes and sometimes the scars on her face.

"Sayuri, they're here," Kakashi suddenly spoke out, looking at his cousin with sharp dark grey eyes.

"I know, I count twenty. And you?" Sayuri confirmed, finishing the last of her tea. While extending her chakra to widen her sensing radius.