CHAPTER 9

THEIR LAST DAY

xXx

The next morning they woke up and just laid there, cuddling. She was stroking his chest with her fingers, his fingers were combing through her hair.

"Sakura?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you for coming back."

"Thank you for bringing me back."

"What would you like to do today?"

"I don't care what we do as long as I am with you."

"Lunch at Ichiraku's sound good?"

"Yes."

"Ichiraku's it is then."

He got up and headed into the shower. After he was finished, Sakura took hers. He made some scrambled eggs and toast and a pot of coffee for them. They finished eating and headed into town. She was looking at some books and didn't notice Kakashi leave her side. When she did notice, she turned around. He was in the street talking to Shikamaru. He handed him some money. Shikamaru shook his head and patted Kakashi on the back. Kakashi shook his hand and returned to the store where Sakura was at.

"What was that all about?" "Oh, nothing. Find anything you like?" "Yes! Actually I did! Take a look." She handed him a book. He stared at the gold cover. "Icha Icha Ecchi?" "It was some of Jiraya's last work. They found it among his things and had it published. This is the very last edition of icha icha." "That explains the price." The book cost almost as much as her dress did. Kakashi opened it and read the first passage. It was definitely Jiraya's work. He sighed. "C'mon Kakashi, I'll put half in on it. This will be the first thing we buy together." He looked up at her and smiled.

Then he began to laugh. "What is so funny?" "The fact that I am standing here with you and you are willing to put half in on a super expensive romance novel from a series that you used to badger me about reading." "Pretty ironic huh?" "Yeah. Alright. You put half and I will put half. It will be ours."

They walked up to the front and paid for the book. "I have an idea!" Kakashi looked at her. "What is it?" "Lets go down to the river and we can read it together." "Don't you think that would be kinda hard?" "I read you a chapter, then you read me the next one and we go back and forth." Kakashi looked at her with a suspicious smile. "Ok, we can give it a try." She smiled as she took off for the river. Kakashi smirked as he watched her run off, giggling. "Cat and mouse, huh?" "You know it is!" She yelled back as she ran even faster.

Kakashi shook his head as he laughed, then he took off running. He was running fast, everything passing him was a blur, but she was faster. He still hadn't caught up with her. He started to get close tot the river spot and slowed down. He had a better idea. He used his shinobi tactics and slowly made his way to the clearing. She was stading behind a tree, like she was waiting for him to come out so she could jump on him or something. He smirked again. Oh this was definitely cat and mouse, but not the child's version she was used to.

He slowly crept through the trees to the other side of where she was looking. He was about to drop down and grab her when he was grabbed from behind. Lips pressed against his ear as a seductive voice came from behind "Gotcha." Kakashi's eyes went wide. "Still thinking I play kid's games, apparently." She said slyly. He turned towards her. She had disposed of Akako and was all Sakura now. He looked back down at the Akako that was standing in front of the tree. A puff of smoke and a log appeared. He turned back to her. "Nice. Substitution. But you know what?"

She groaned because she already knew. A puff of smoke smoke, and it cleared, leaving a log. "Damn you, Kakashi! Just cant ever let me win one, can you?" Now he came up behind her and grabbed her, whispering in her ear, "Now wheres the fun in that? You said cat and mouse. You ran like the mouse, which means I am the cat. And I like to play ..." he kissed her shoulder. "with my food." She closed her eyes and her mouth parted in a silent moan.

He pulled back and spoke in his normal voice "Besides, you have already won.. You got the legendary bachelor to desire settling down with a woman. Besides, I really didn't suspect that you had done a substitution. So in a sense, you out witted me, but I also know you are very clever, so I made a substitution just in case."

She smiled. He was good, but she would just have to step up her game next time. He pulled her against his chest. "So are you reading the first chapter, or is it me?" She opened the book and began to read to him. They went back and forth reading chapters until the rumbling in their stomachs signaled they needed to eat. "Lets head over to Ichirakus and then we can come back her." She nodded at his suggestion and did her hand seals, turning into Akako. She umped down, Kakashi following. He wrapped his arms around her from behind. "I cant wait til tomorrow. I will be able to walk around with the real Sakura and never see Akako again.

Sakura playfully gasped. "So you dont like my disguise?" "Shes beautiful, but she isn't the one who my heart beats for. I'm in love with you Sakura." Sakura smiled, trying to hold back her tears. "Lets go." "Ok."

At Ichiraku's, Naruto was there. Figures. He was with Iruka Sensei and Yamato. They were laughing about something. Kakashi and Sakura sat down and looked at the menu. After they placed their order, Naruto turned to them. "Hey you two! Guess what! Hinata enjoyed our date! She actually wants to go out with me again! Can you believe it?" Without thinking, Sakura pounded her fist on his head. Everyone went quiet. Once Sakura realized what she had done, she looked around. Kakashi's eyes were wide with surprise, as were Iruka's and Yamato's. Then Yamato burst out laughing. Naruto was rubbing his head. "Whadja do that for, Akako?" "Oh my gosh Naruto! I'm so sorry! There was a huge bug on your head! He looked like he was about to eat you alive!"

"Oh, well ... thanks for ... saving me, Akako." Naruto continued to rub the growing lump on his head as he turned back to his noodles. Kakashi got up and walked out. Sakura was afraid she had done something wrong, then she heard his laughter. It sounded far away. Then he came back in and sat down. "You didn't teleport far enough, we still heard you." Yamato said to Kakashi. Kakashi sat back down and looked over the menu. Sakura was trying not to laugh. She had learned his face well enough in the past week to know that even with his mask on, he was trying not to laugh again and using the menu to take his mind off of it.

Their bowls were placed in front of them and Sakura started to eat. Kakashi turned to the side so that he could pull his mask down. "Akako, have you seen his face?" Naruto whispered. She smiled at him and went back to her bowl. She heard Naruto grumbling something about 'failed many times and been trying for years and may have to shoot him with a sleeping dart.' Sakura started laughing as she remembered all the times they had tried and failed to see their sensei's face.

"Naruto, he is very handsome. No disfigurement or anything I assure you." He looked at her, then nodded. "Thanks Akako, but I will see it one day. When I am hokage, I will order him to take it off and he cant refuse me." Sakura began laughing again as she pictured Kakashi becoming a missing nin because he refused to remove his mask for Naruto. She knew he would show Naruto one day, but still the thought was funny.

After Ichiraku's they went back to the river and continued to read. They read and finished the whole book by dinner time. "Why don't we stay in tonight and Ill cook?" Sakura asked. Kakashi scratched the back of his neck "heh heh, no, lets go out. We can eat in tomorrow." Sakura wondered what the hell was going on. That was the second time today he had acted odd. She shrugged it off and they started to walk into town. They went to the family restaurant that they went to a few nights back. After dinner, they walked past the flower shop. Kakashi looked in and saw Shikamaru and Ino.

He stretched his arms and yawned. "Ok, lets go home." "Tired already?" "Yeah. Chasing you was a workout." She smiled back at him.