What the New Year Brings

Note: I hope everyone had a good holiday! Thank you for all the reviews, favs, and alerts!

Also, just-me14 from Deviant Art brought up a very valid point. Sakura didn't react right in Ch. 7. She reacted more the way I would've reacted instead of how she would've reacted, so I've re-written Ch. 7 so that Sakura isn't out of character.

Chapter 8-Love Is Not Jealous


Love is not jealous.

"Whatever! If there's no jealousy, then there's no love!"

-my Uncle Harry (My uncle, not Sakura's uncle)

~*~*~*~

I glare at Ayame. This is the third time she's come over to Kakashi and asked him if he needs anything. But I know exactly what that over-attentive little (count to ten, Sakura...) waitress really means. What she really means is, "Kakashi, do you need me? Because if you'd like, I'll happily throw myself at you since I've seen your face all those years ago and am now completely smitten with you, even though I don't know a thing about you, have nothing in common with you, and only want to get in your pants because you're so goddamn hot! Hehe!" Blush and bat of the eyes.

Crack!

Ugh! And I've just snapped my third pair of chopsticks today!

"Sakura, are you alright?" Kakashi looks at me worriedly as I check to make sure (again) that I didn't get any splinters.

"I'm fine, Kakashi." I smile unconvincingly back at him.

"Okay..."

"More napkins?" Ayame continues her "conversation" with Kakashi.

Count to ten, Sakura. One...

"No thanks, Ayame. I've got plenty."

"Are you sure? There's plenty in the back!"

Stop incessantly smiling at him you little...Two...

"I'm fine, Ayame. Really."

"Well, you can never have enough napkins you know?!"

He's not interested, can't you see that?!...Three...

"What about soy sauce? Can never have enough soy sauce!"

"Um, actually, if you put too much soy sauce, won't it make the soup salty?"

He's not taking your bait, so why don't you just take a spatula and shove it up your...Four...

"You know, you're right. Of course you're right! You're so smart!"

"Um...right..."

Otherwise, I'll happily do it for you...Five...

"What about some more-"

That's it! I've had enough!

I blatantly place my hand on top of Kakashi's and give it a little squeeze.

"So, Kakashi. Where exactly are you planning to take me on this little date of ours?" At my emphasis on the word "date" Ayame's smiling face, to my deep pleasure, immediately falls.

"Y-You're on a date with her? But isn't she a little young?" Ayame asks, completely ignoring me and speaking solely to Kakashi.

"Actually..."

"Actually, Kakashi and I both agree that our age difference doesn't matter much." I answer confidently for Kakashi.

"But isn't she your student or something?" Ayame continues to speak only to Kakashi.

"Was being the operative word. The Godaime is my teacher now." I narrow my eyes at Ayame.

"But..."

"So does this mean you're going to take your mask off for me from now on?" I give Kakashi's hand another tight squeeze and give him a radiant smile, taking my turn to ignore Ayame.

"Sakura..."

"C'mon, Kakashi! How do you expect to eat your ramen?"

"Really, really fast?"

"You can get an ulcer if you always rush through your food like that, you know?"

"Is that so?"

"I'm a medic, Kakashi. I know these sorts of things. And by the way you inhale your food just to hide your face, I know you're not chewing your food properly. You're supposed to put your eating utensils down after each bite to ensure that you're chewing your food right."

"Geez, thanks for the advice, mom."

"Fine, Kakashi. Don't listen to me. Just don't ask for my help when you come into the hospital with a ruptured ulcer one of these days."

"All this just to see my face, Sakura?"

"Ah, but you forget, Kakashi. I have seen your face already. When you kissed me. Twice."

I hear Ayame give a little squeak and Naruto (who came back inside with Hinata a little while ago) gasp "Twice?! But I only saw him kiss her once! When did he-" But I pointedly ignore them both.

"Fine, Sakura. But not here."

"Why not?"

"Because...There are other people around. Last night was a fluke. When I show my face to you, Sakura, I want it to be for you and only you."

Another small squeak from Ayame, another gasp from Naruto. Even Hinata and Teuchi, Ayame's dad, give a small "oh!"

"That's...romantic, Kakashi."

"I'm very romantic, Sakura. So hurry up and finish your ramen so that I can show you just how much."

"You're going to make me get an ulcer."

"I'm going to make you do more than that once I show you my face."

"What?!" Ayame, Naruto, Teuchi, and I say in unison. Hinata says nothing and just blushes profusely.

"Oh, sorry! Didn't mean to say that part out loud." Kakashi blushes under his mask, sweatdrops, and scratches the back of his neck nervously. Despite my warnings, he swivels around on his stool facing away from all of us to face the street and Ichiraku's conveniently placed banners instead. Bowl of ramen in one hand and chopsticks in the other, Kakashi only turns back around less than a minute later when his bowl is already completely empty.

"Ugh!" We all say in disappointed unison, each for our different reasons. Ayame and Teuchi at not seeing his face for a second time, Naruto and Hinata for not seeing his face for a first time, and me at his not heeding my words and continuing to eat his food improperly.

I frown at him disapprovingly and make him wait patiently as I eat my food properly and am full and satisfied 10 minutes later.

"So where to next?" I ask, wiping my mouth clean with my napkin.

Kakashi takes his own napkin and to my and everyone else's shock, dabs it on the corner of my mouth to get a spot I obviously missed.

"I'm thinking a nice, dark movie theater." He smiles down at me with one half-hooded, sparkling eye.

Squeak from Ayame. Gasp from Naruto. Small "oh!" from Hinata and Teuchi.

"Perfect." I smile back at him and take his hand as he helps me off my stool. Kakashi surprises all of us again by paying for both of our meals and doesn't release my hand even after I'm back on my feet. We walk out of Ichiraku's holding hands.

I don't look back. I don't have to. I already know that Ayame, Naruto, Hinata, and Teuchi are gaping at us.

Love is not jealous, but if there's no jealousy, then there's no love.

Why does that phrase keep repeating itself over and over in my head? So, I was jealous. Doesn't mean I'm in love. Am I in love?

NAH! I was just trying to get Ayame to lay off, wasn't I?

Kakashi releases my hand only to wrap his arm around my shoulders and gently kiss me on the top of the head. I find myself leaning comfortably into his embrace and smiling silly our entire walk to the movie theater.

Wasn't I?

To be continued...