If Only Things Were Different

Chapter 1

Kakashi woke up earlier than he usually would. He took a stroll around the village trying to take a glimpse of his newfound interest but when he couldn't he has decided to visit the documentation. He went inside the secured room without a sweat. Fortunately for him, he can slip in and out of the room being a former Anbu and being one of the most well respected and trusted ninja in Konoha, no one would suspect him doing something dangerous. He asked the person who is in charge of the documents, especially for immigrants.

The person in charge looked at him weirdly but gave him a year good of files he has. Kakashi happily took the boxes and took a seat at the table the room has for work. He scanned through the files carefully and after hours of doing his work, he cracked his back and stretched.

Disappointed, he handed the boxes back to the in-charge thanking him.

"Kakashi-san," the guy spoke. "I don't know what you are doing but you seemed to be pretty serious for something outside the mission."

"How did you--oh yes, I just have this person in mind I got curious of."

"Would you rather dig for more and skip your lunch?"

"Damnit! That late already? I didn't have breakfast yet!"

The person laughed and told him to eat lunch before proceeding in looking for some information. The only information he has of her is the book.

Kakashi entered a small food chain and ordered a bento for lunch. His brows met from thinking hard he barely touched his food when someone slams at the table he occupied. He looked up and saw the lady from the other day, unbeknownst to him, his face lit up and weirded the female out but proceeded to ask him.

"Do you have someone over?"

"No." He responded quickly.

"It's full, can I have this seat?"

Kakashi looked around to confirm before giving an answer, "I don't mind."

"Good." The woman sat across him and started eating but Kakashi continued to stare at her.

"What?" She asked, annoyed.

"I was wondering, are you new here?"

"No."

"Really?"

"Why?" She started eating again.

"I haven't seen you before."

"Because I don't go out of the house often."

"But now you do."

She looked at him straight in the eye, "are you sure you're not following me around?"

"No, why would I do that?"

"Cause you are creepy."

"I'm not creepy. I'm a ninja. Maybe my stealth is--"

"Pretty impressive."

"Really?!" He was delighted to hear something like that.

"Yes. Pretty impressive. Are you certain you're a Jounin? Seems like you need some training."

Insulted, Kakashi looked at her with annoyance.

"Did it hurt?"

"That's quite something knowing you are not a ninja but a bystander."

She smiled at him, "you'll know soon, Hatake." She said before leaving.

Kakashi began eating when she left. Halfway through his food, he remembered her saying his surname. 'Why the hell did she know my name?'

After his meal, Kakashi walked back to the forest and scans through the romance book trying to figure out who the author is, what kind of a person she is that she knew his name. Then it struck to him, he should have read the information at the beginning of the book. He mentally slapped his own for not realizing it sooner.

Author: Yuki Kikuchi
Editor: Saiko Sakamoto

"Kikuchi," he said out loud.

"Looking for me?" she said which didn't surprise Kakashi.

"There's no Kikuchi in this village for years until now. Where did you come from?"

"Konoha," she answered while making her way across him.

"Konoha's Kikuchi's last survivor, we've heard of her 8 years ago."

She remained silent.

"Yuki Kikuchi?" He asked, trying to confirm her name.

"My mother."

"You are Karin Kikuchi? Konoha's Kikuchi clan's last survivor?"

"Yes," she admitted firmly. "And you, Hatake Kakashi, are one of the people who caught the culprit of the Kikuchi assassination."

"A 19-year-old," she recalled.

"I am pretty good considering my age."

"A candidate for being the next Hokage had not Senju Tsunade was found."

"You sure knew all the news."

"I know. I was like you--" Kakashi tilted his head a bit, "--an Anbu."

His eyes were about to pop out from the information, "excuse me, you're a what?!"

"Surprising?"

"Yes! I mean, no offense but you look weak."

"I look weak being an Uchiha?"

"An Uchi--what?"

"My father was an Uchiha. We were abandoned."

"That makes you--"

"One of the Uchiha survivors, yes. Sasuke and Itachi's relatives, yes."

"I don't know what to say."

"My brother," she shook her head gently, "half-brother, was Shisui."

"Shisui..."

"It's up to you if you'll believe it or not."

"Show me your eyes."

Karin froze for a moment, she doesn't want her eyes activated. She did not only inherit her father's abilities but so as her mother's. Once activated her eyes are fully black, not red.

"I can't..." She said quietly.

"Then you are not an Uchiha."

"I could kill you if I show you my eyes."

"Why so?"

"I couldn't tell."

"It's fine."

"The book," she said as she stretched her arm towards him, gesturing for the book.

"Huh?"

"Give it to me."

"I bought this."

Without saying a word, she was too fast for him to dodge and in a second, the book was at the Kikuchi's hand.

"How on Earth did you do that?"

Karin flickered back to her home not giving Kakashi a chance to make her tell her story furthermore that might reveal some secret she's been keeping.