On My Mind ━━ Kakashi Hatake

27 ━ To Be a Jounin

Izumi shook her head quickly in denial. "They're just friends."

"What makes you think that?" Sen gave her friend a curious look. As much as she enjoyed teasing the brunette, getting behind the issue was her priority now.

"He never mentioned it."

"He doesn't have to."

"But I'm his friend." stated Izumi, obviously dejected. He would mention it ... right?

"No doubt in that, everyone can see that." Sen fixated on the box with the bracelet Izumi had just bought, proving her point. Sen's lips were tilted into a smirk. "Why do you make such an effort for him anyways?"

"Again, because he's my friend. He means a lot to me."

The raven-haired kept herself from snickering. "Only a lot, huh?"

Izumi came to a halt in her steps, brows furrowed as she turned to look at her friend in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I said: 'only a lot, huh'."

"No, no. I got that part. What do you mean by that?"

Sen had the sudden urge to slap the girl in front of her, hopefully activating a brain cell or two. "That you care for him more than that."

"He's my best friend?" offered Izumi, tilting her head.

Sen set into motion again, forcing Izumi to follow. "More than that, stop denying."

"I don't get it."

The way Izumi stared at her, eyes wide with innocence gleaming within them made Sen want to slam her head into the nearest wall. Sometimes, being her friend drove the Nara insane.

"You like him more than a friend, Izumi. It's clear as day."

Izumi had never thought about being romantically interested in anyone. In her twelve years of life, she sure often thought of Kakashi. He was on her mind, an omnipresent thought. When he gave her one of his smiles, her heart fluttered against her chest while her cheeks grew warm. But that was how she had felt around for a long time now. Was that not normal?

Did she have a crush on him? Impossible.

"I don't like him like that." muttered Izumi, shaking her head at the idea.

"Love sick idiot." murmured Sen in response, giving her friend a knowing look.

"I'm not lovesick."

"You totally are. You are in love and that makes me sick."

"I'm not in love with him."

Was that the truth? Her mind did somersaults, her heart beginning to beat against her chest.

"No one who doesn't want to impress anyone puts this much effort into a gift."

Wait.

Izumi crossed her arms over chest. "Well, I do!" Her cheeks had taken on a shade of red by now.

"You're blushing."

"It doesn't mean anything."

"You got him a custom bracelet. You don't do that for 'just a friend'."

Izumi kept quiet, not knowing what to retort to that. Was that something a friend does for a friend? Or for a crush? The whole matter left her confused.

"Izumi, just think about it."

She was thinking about it. It made sense but at the same time appeared completely incredulous to her, as a fever dream would.