They're sitting on their bench in the park (yes, the one where he touched her leg) reading their individual books side by side, and Kakashi is so engrossed in Birds of Thorn that he hardly notices Sakura's foot bouncing up and down as she reads with crossed legs.
Mitsuki has finally had enough of priest Roku coming and going from her life, and is finally, finally, after 300 long and agonizing pages, giving him a piece of her mind.
"You men are all the same!" Mitsuki shrieked. "Great big, hairy moths bashing yourselves to pieces after a silly flame behind a glass so clear your eyes don't see it! And if you do manage to blunder your way inside, you fly right into the flame and fall down burned and dead! While all the while out there in the cool night there is food, and love, and baby moths to get...but do you see it? Do you want it? No! It's back after the flame again, beating yourselves senseless until you burn yourselves dead!"
He unconsciously leans further into the book, his nose all but buried in it, and Sakura stops reading her own novel to take notice.
"Wow, you must be at a really good part, huh?"
He jerks slightly, head snapping towards her as though only just remembering she's there. "Huh? Oh, uh...Mitsuki is finally giving Roku a piece of her mind."
Her face lights up in recognition, and he takes a snapshot in his mind of the way she simply glows.
"Ooh! That's such a good part! I couldn't believe he-"
She starts to reach for the page he is on but stops herself, tightening her hand into a fist and letting out a squeaky 'eep!'.
"N- nevermind. You just get through it and tell me what you think!"
She waves her hand like she is shooing a fly and goes back to her book, though he notices her foot bounce with a bit more force than before as she anxiously waits for him to finish the chapter. His curiosity is now even more inflamed, and the famed copy nin wastes no time as he power-reads through the remaining pages.
Sadly, he is disappointed; given Sakura's excitement, he expected Mitsuki to finally get through to Roku, make him see reason. Leave the life of priesthood behind and start a new one with her, a better one. But, he supposes that's why there are still 300 pages left to go. And also why he is ultimately put in a sour mood for the remainder of the day.
"Oh, come on, Kakashi, it's not that bad!" Sakura consoles while they're walking home that evening (well, while she's walking him, really. His house comes up before hers).
Her mentor huffs an exhausted sigh. "I know. It's just that she was so close. They both were. And in the end, he still decided to choose his religion over her."
She smiles and lifts an explanatory finger. "Ah, but it's not the end yet. After all, as they say, it's not over 'til it's over."
"I suppose. But why do all that? Why put yourself through so much trouble and heartache when the thing that you want is so easily obtainable? When they're right there in front of you just waiting like that? I don't get it. The author could've ended it right there instead of dragging it out the way they did."
"But doesn't life get dragged out needlessly too?" she counters. "People meet people all the time and then end up alone or with the wrong person, all because they're too afraid to admit their feelings or just never say anything. I think it's more realistic that way."
Kakashi is silent. He supposes she's right. But that doesn't mean he'll admit it. "Yes, but who wants to read about real life? That's why people read books, to escape reality. Not dive deeper into it."
She smirks, trails off from him a bit as they walk. "You're reading it, aren't you?"
Damn.
"Touché."
They walk a few minutes more in silence until they reach his house, and both teacher and student stand awkwardly at the door. Sakura rocks back on her heels, staring down at their feet as though not wanting to leave just yet. Kakashi himself doesn't really want their time together to end either; was his house really that close? Their walk seems so short in hindsight now.
Sakura purses her lips, and suddenly she can't maintain eye contact for more than a few seconds. "Well...here we are."
He nods, placing a hand in his pocket. "Here we are."
She becomes fidgety, shifting her weight from one hip to the other and tilting her head from side to side as though debating on whether or not to say something. Do something? He can't tell. No, she must be wanting to say something. Doing what he thinks - or rather, what he imagines she wants to do - is just wishful thinking on his part. And as an adult who'd long thrown away his hopes and dreams, he finds it funny that he should choose now to suddenly start thinking differently.
"Sooo..."
Sakura trails off, and Kakashi honestly has no idea what it is she's having so much trouble trying to say. She's always so sure of herself in her actions and words...this kind of behavior is so unlike her.
"Yes, Sakura?" he asks easily, raising an expectant brow.
He really doesn't like the hint of desperation that comes through in his tone.
"I, ah...just...I had a good time."
The way she finishes her sentence is kind of lame, but he can't deny that he feels the same way.
He nods gratefully. "Thank you, Sakura. I did as well."
She straightens her back and purses her lips, and nods a bit too harshly to be considered casual. "Yep...well, I better get outta here. Got a long walk ahead of me! Haha."
She wasn't lying, her home was a good mile off, at least a 20 minute walk if one was being leisurely with their time. And though it wasn't unlike Sakura to state the obvious, she was usually only doing so to make middle ground with the oblivious idiots of the group; usually, Naruto and Sai. Perhaps she merely felt awkward just walking away and was waiting to be dismissed by him.
Kakashi looks down the road, up at the orange sky and the setting sun. "Yes, you're right. Sun's going down, too. You'd better get started."
The look on her face shifts so quickly after he says that, from anxiousness to slight shock to disappointment, before finally settling on neutral. "Yeah...you're right. Well, that's it. It was nice walking with you, Kakashi."
She gives a slight wave as she turns to walk away and the corners of her mouth jerk up in a small smile, but it feels forced to him, and he doesn't understand what he's done wrong.
Worrisome creature that he is, he is unable to stop himself as he asks, "Sakura? Is everything okay?"
The mask she presents him is carefully set in place. "Oh! Yeah, it's just...late. Goodnight, Kakashi!"
She smiles and waves a second time, and it is far more natural as she disappears around the corner and starts her trek home. But Kakashi is still not convinced.
Ah, well. Probably nothing too pressing. She would've told me.
Kakashi unlocks his door and steps inside, suddenly exhausted. He stands in his dull living room and rubs his tired eyes, sighing quietly. He's suddenly very melancholic, though he's not sure why. Maybe some new wallpaper would help. He shuffles out of his shoes and sets his headband on his nightstand, cracks open the window for some air flow and slips beneath the covers.
It's nearly 3am when it hits him, and the realization is so sudden and so strong that he literally bolts upright.
Home.
Sakura wanted him to walk her home.
She was literally waiting for him to offer to walk her home and when she suggested it to try and get the hint across he completely blew her off.
He starts to get out of bed but stops when he remembers what time it is, and with nothing else he can do amidst his glaring failure, he simply whispers,
"Shit."
