Yo, This is an older Kakashi Story than 'Fascination' and frankly, I think Fascination is better by miles; I don't like that character that I made Kakashi into so much, but hey, I decided to post it anyway and let you guys decide what you like, or don't lol. Thanks for taking the time to read and sorry that it's not particularly good one; hope you get something from it though ^.^

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I Still Remember:

Chapter: [01] : Little Kakashi :

Sakumo looked down at his small son, only five, but already a genin preparing for the annual chuunin exams to be held in six months. His small son, who was questioning his father's actions; sounding far older that he should for a boy nearing six.

"Little Kakashi," Sakumo smiled down at the child, placing a gentle and comforting hand on the boys spiky, silvered hair, sensing just how much the younger was definitely a part of the older man, without doubt; his son.

"White Fang… Sakumo, it's time we left, we can't delay much longer," a feminine voice sounded next to the male Jounin, who turning his head slightly towards her, although not taking his eyes off his son, but nodded in acknowledgement.

"Kakashi" his spoke, his voice hardening and much more commanding, something Kakashi recognized as a tone his father used only when he was about to leave for a mission, "You are to go and find Atsuko, and head to the Hokage, do you understand?" The older man spoke while kneeling down to get eye-level with his son, who nodded in recognition.

"Yes, father," his own childishly chubby face grew stern, hoping to match up to his father's expectations. Sakumo gave one last somber smile before nodding to his team mate before they left in a blur of black cloth and silver armour.

Kakashi waited a moment, until the only sound he could hear was the slight rustling of leaves from the gentle breeze. Already dressed in his shinobi training outfit, he too left the house in search of his best friend, and daughter of his father's team mate; Atsuko.

Kakashi stood in front of the KIA stone with a hand in his pocket; it was nearing 10 o'clock in the morning. He scanned his one visible eye down the list of names, quickly find that of his friend; but he could never help himself looking for his family name. Despite knowing that the full name of who he was searching for would never be inscribed. Having accepted the deterioration and eventual death as of his father, it seemed a little sad that the only memory such a great shinobi is in the minds of the much older members of the village. He sighed and decided it was probably time to go and see the Hokage about his next mission, he turned and wandered away feeling a little restless.

Being in front of that stone always seems to bring him back to those same memories of his younger years. Especially, when he tried to avoid looked at a certain name beginning in 'Y'.

"Ah, Kakashi, I'm glad that you found the time to show up," the Hokage quipped, being rather more mischievous than one would expect for such an 'old man'.

"Uhh, sorry, I passed a black cat on my way and so had to take an alternate route…" he trailed off of his pathetic excuse, scratching the back of his head, while the other Jounin in the room didn't other to hide their unimpressed expressions.

"Now, shall we take a look at your new Genin?" Kakashi passed his eye lazily around the other Jounin, who all looked intently at the Hokage's 'crystal ball' of sorts …Genin? He thought slowly, his brain still lingering on his thoughts from the KIA stone earlier.

As and image appeared showing a classroom full of youngish teenagers, it slowly began to focus on two boys who Kakashi recognized as Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke. That's right, a small group of young Genin I'm supposed to be training, as the group looked closer a strange and rather disturbing set of events took place, as Naruto crouched in front of Sasuke on his desk, a young boy named Shikamaru, nudged Naruto forward, colliding with Sasuke. Unfortunately, it happened to be their lips which met first… the entire group of Jounin became aghast with disgust and some amusement as to the antics of the two.

Why did I have to get stuck with these two as part of the group? He thought lazily, knowing they would be a large disruption to his peace. After the Hokage has finished explaining the situation, and which Jounin would be assigned to which team of Genin, Kakashi was rather relieved to learn that he wouldn't have to meet them until the mid-afternoon. He really wasn't in the mood to meet noisy Genin right after a briefing.

As he ambled out of the building, following the other Jounin, as it happened a few paces behind Kurenai and Asuma. As they eventually left the building Kakashi noticed a vaguely familiar female form leaning against the railing of the entrance.

"See you later, Asuma," Kurenai spoke in his direction as she received a wink in return from him,

"Kurenai, how was the briefing? Know who your Genin are yet?" the voice spoke, and Kakashi realized who it was after he got a few steps closer, Atsuko.

"Yea, not too bad by the look of it, but anyway, while you have a break, let's get some lunch." Kurenai spoke with the smile obvious through her tone.

As Kakashi passed right by them, he caught the gaze of the now apparent ANBU member, judging by her armour; she looked right back at him, but made little acknowledgement that she recognized him. He allowed his eye to linger a moment longer, but turned his attention to his book and continued on his way, how odd, I didn't think she knew Kurenai so well… but then, she has changed a lot, he thought about how his memory depicted her as being so short, but she looked as though she'd easily be the height of his shoulder. It also wasn't lost on him at how her body was thin and taught, shaped by years of hard training and missions called for by being a Kuniochi.

Not to mention she wore a mask covering her face and neck below her cheek bones… maybe my style's catching on he thought to himself with amusement.

~~/********/~~

She stood outside the Hokage's office keeping her demeanor patient and subtle, as she waited for Kurenai to appear after her briefing about her genin training. She couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable being in the centre of the village in the middle of the day, she liked her privacy. Eventually, a few Jounin began to appear, and as Kurenai and Asuma left the building, she realized they weren't quite last. She couldn't mistake that wild, silver hair.

"Kurenai, how was the briefing? Know who your Genin are yet?" she asked pleasantly, wanting to ignore the other Jounin,

"Yea, not too bad by the look of it, but any way, while you have a break, let's get some lunch." Kurenai responded pleasantly, just as Atsuko looked to her left and caught the eye of Kakashi, she stared at him for a moment, still with his bored expression. She'd seem him around the village a few times before, but as it wasn't her habit to wander around in the day, and even if she had to, she doubted he'd seen her. Especially as she pulled a simple cloth mask over the bottom of her face, so that she couldn't be recognized. She rather disliked conversation when it wasn't with someone she was already friendly with.

She and Kurenai wandered off to a stall, collected a bento box each and headed down to a quiet park on the edge of the training grounds, close to one of Atsuko's favourite spots. They chatted a while, and Atsuko felt that she had to work hard to laugh at Kurenai's jokes in the right places, and allowed certain smiles to linger on her face in order to keep her friend thinking that she was happy.

"Atsuko, I'm glad that you came out today, I so rarely get to see you, that I worry sometimes… you're so often alone,"

"Ah, don't worry, the number of high level missions Sarutobi-sama gives me that I get used to only coming out at night, when it tends to be safer… well, as I've gotten used to," Atsuko forced a laugh back,

"Hey," Kurenai returned, "why don't you join Asuma, a few other Jounin and I for drinks in a few nights? I'll try and find Anko and Iruka, even if his is only a Chuunin!" she grinned, although Atsuko smiled back, she had reservations, pausing from her lunch, she looked away,

"Maybe… I don't know. I don't know my mission schedule yet, as it's the beginning of the week… can I let you know later?" Kurenai narrowed her eyes for a moment, wondering if this was just another nice way to say no,

"Sure, but I'll ask you again tomorrow and I want a definite answer!"

"You mean, a definite yes?" Atsuko quipped.

"Mmmmh" Kurenai gave a cryptic response, but her face said it all, yes.

Once they'd finished their lunch, Atsuko remembered a question she meant to ask Kurenai, having seen Kakashi still with a headband over his eye. When she'd spoken to him last, the bandage was there, but she'd assumed that he'd merely sustained an injury. Although Atsuko kept to herself, she was by no means deaf, his nick name of 'the copy nin' she'd heard, but was unsure where or how he'd earned it.

"Kurenai, why does Kakashi wear his forehead protector over his eye? Last I spoke to him it was bandaged, and I hear his nickname as the 'copy nin', what's that all about?"

Kurenai raised an eyebrow, "last you spoke to him, it was bandaged? You mean just over ten years ago?" you nodded in affirmation, "well, his friend at the time, Uchiha Obito was on the verge of death, and he gave his Sharingan as a present to Kakashi back during the war. Although he can't deactivate it, so he keeps it covered until needed it so it doesn't drain chakra."

She nodded in understanding, well, that makes a little more sense, she leaned back in the sunlight and thought more about how much she'd forgotten of her childhood.

She was practicing her taijutsu with Kakashi, as they waited in the Hokage's building for Sakumo-san and Kaa-san to return from their mission. It was frustrating work for the younger of the two, Yamagata Atsuko, as every attack she landed on the slightly older boy, he seemed to block with the greatest of ease. While also landing some of his own sharp punches on her.

Although not too many.

"Alright, that's enough" the Hokage spoke with such a gentle and commanding tone, both children immediately obeyed him. "I think you should take Atsuko-Chan back to your house and wait for your father, Kakashi-kun, he will be home soon and you two both need your rest."

Kakashi opened his mouth initially to argue, but decided against it, "Yes, Hokage-sama" both children bowed, as Kakashi clasped Atsuko's small hand in one of his own, and tugged her out of the office behind him and back in the direction of Kakashi's home.

As Kakashi made them both tea, Atsuko sat with her usual quiet reserve,

"Atsuko-Chan, why are you so quiet?" The immature, but reassuring voice of Kakashi broke her train of thoughts, as he brought in a small tray of tea,

"Huh? Oh…nothing, Kakashi-kun, I was just… thinking." Kakashi looked at her with a small frown playing on his as yet, unmasked face. But before he could say anything else, there was a harsh thump outside the door, which flew open a few seconds later. Stood there, was Kakashi's father, Sakumo holding his teammate and friend limp in his arms, Yamagata Eiko; Atsuko's mother.

"Atsuko!" a sharp call of her name, brought her back to the present, almost grateful that Kurenai had caught her attention when she had.

"Yes?"

"I think it's time I went to go meet my Genin, thanks for meeting me for lunch, and think about those drinks," she finished with a grin, as she got up and walked off taking her empty bento box with her. Atsuko remained in her seated position on the grass, still not feeling as though she could be bothered to return home – or go to see the Hokage regarding her next mission.